God is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus. God is the reason that you are in Christ Jesus. Jesus Christ has become our wisdom from God and our righteousness and our purity and our redemption (see 1 Corinthians 1:30).
You have probably heard the saying from Isaiah 64:6, "All of our righteousness is like filthy rags." Who is that talking about? That is not talking about children of God. Our righteousness is not like filthy rags. Our righteousness is Christ's righteousness. This means we are completely acceptable to God. God sees the perfection of His Son and receives us into a relationship with Himself. Philippians 3:9 says, "I have the righteousness that comes by way of Christ’s faithfulness – a righteousness from God that is in fact based on Christ’s faithfulness."
When you love your spouse do you love him or her to the extent that you do based on their position as your spouse, that is because you have a marriage certificate? No you love your spouse because of who you see him or her to be. It is full reality to you. You consider your spouse to be wonderful and you can't be convinced otherwise.
God is the same way. He loves us based on who He sees us to be. Our lives are hidden with Jesus Christ in God. Christ is our life (see Colossians 3:3-4). 1 John 5:12 says, "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life." 1 John 4:9 says, "God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him."
Friday, February 18, 2011
Learn from Him
Trusting Jesus, the Son of God, is the ultimate requirement to know God and knowing God is eternal life. Eternal life is the most wonderful life possible but it will only get better if we seek to know God more.
Why would we not seek to know God more? God is the all wise and all loving creator of all things. If we have a friend who is an expert on something we tend to consult them when we need help in their area of expertise. If we have a friend who is an expert regarding car repair if our car has trouble we will call them up and ask them what to do right? Well God is the expert of everything. He knows all the best ways to do everything there is to do. Not only this but He always has our best interest in mind. So we should be joyously seeking God's wisdom about everything concerning our lives because He is the ultimate expert of life right? This is exactly what God wants. He invites all who come to Him to learn from Him (Matthew 11:29).
Jesus wants us to be His disciples. A disciple is a learner, someone who lives with their teacher and learns from Him. Jesus said, "learn from me" (Matthew 11:29) & "If you continue in My word, then you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31). One must intentionally (on purpose and with purpose) decide to "learn from Him" by "continuing in His word." One must learn who He is and follow Him as He guides.
Jesus calls all of those He has saved to be His disciple. You must willingly learn from Him. You must seek to know Him more. If we don't make the decision to learn from Him we will learn very slowly about God, if we learn much anything at all. The purpose of life is to know God and live in His love. The more we know Him the more lovable we will realize He is and we will love Him back more and more.
Proverbs 2:6-10 says, "Receive God's words and treasure His commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. If you seek wisdom as silver and search for it as for hidden treasures then you will understand what it means to honor the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up effective wisdom for the upright. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of all who live honestly and protects those who are faithful to him. From God you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. Wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy."
It is easy to believe God exists. But to truly believe in God is to put your trust in Him to the point of learning of Him from Him and following Him in the knowledge and mystery of His guidance.
Why would we not seek to know God more? God is the all wise and all loving creator of all things. If we have a friend who is an expert on something we tend to consult them when we need help in their area of expertise. If we have a friend who is an expert regarding car repair if our car has trouble we will call them up and ask them what to do right? Well God is the expert of everything. He knows all the best ways to do everything there is to do. Not only this but He always has our best interest in mind. So we should be joyously seeking God's wisdom about everything concerning our lives because He is the ultimate expert of life right? This is exactly what God wants. He invites all who come to Him to learn from Him (Matthew 11:29).
Jesus wants us to be His disciples. A disciple is a learner, someone who lives with their teacher and learns from Him. Jesus said, "learn from me" (Matthew 11:29) & "If you continue in My word, then you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31). One must intentionally (on purpose and with purpose) decide to "learn from Him" by "continuing in His word." One must learn who He is and follow Him as He guides.
Jesus calls all of those He has saved to be His disciple. You must willingly learn from Him. You must seek to know Him more. If we don't make the decision to learn from Him we will learn very slowly about God, if we learn much anything at all. The purpose of life is to know God and live in His love. The more we know Him the more lovable we will realize He is and we will love Him back more and more.
Proverbs 2:6-10 says, "Receive God's words and treasure His commandments within you, make your ear attentive to wisdom and apply your heart to understanding. If you seek wisdom as silver and search for it as for hidden treasures then you will understand what it means to honor the Lord, and you will gain knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. He stores up effective wisdom for the upright. He is their shield, protecting those who walk with integrity. He guards the paths of all who live honestly and protects those who are faithful to him. From God you will understand what is right, just, and fair, and you will know how to find the right course of action every time. Wisdom will enter your heart, and knowledge will fill you with joy."
It is easy to believe God exists. But to truly believe in God is to put your trust in Him to the point of learning of Him from Him and following Him in the knowledge and mystery of His guidance.
Monday, February 14, 2011
Growth in Christ Through Relationships
Jesus
said, "You search the scriptures they testify of me" The living Word
is greater than the written word. We search the scriptures looking for
doctrines, commands, plans, etc. What we are looking for are its. We
need to be looking for He, Jesus Christ.
First century followers of Christ did not always have Old Testament scriptures. They certainly didn't have the New Testament scriptures because those were still being written. On top of that many people were illiterate. With the emphasis we currently put on personal study of scripture how then were these people such an impactful generation for Christ? The answer is relationships.
These followers of Christ were taught by those who were in Christ before them. Acts 2:42 says, "They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." The apostles' teaching was Jesus Christ. Jesus was taught as a living, personal, and interactive being. The apostles' teaching style was personal and interactive, like that of Jesus.
Their fellowship wasn't in name only like much of today's so called fellowship is. Biblical fellowship is friendship and companionship that involves participation and contribution. That is what they were devoted to. These weren't people listening to stale non-participatory sermons. They were filled with joys that brought on questions. They ate together and they prayed together. At this point the Judaizers weren't interfering and they had no systems or traditions to blind & deafen them. They purely got to enjoy Jesus Christ and each other with no bonds or barriers. That is the beauty of how the Christian life ought to be lived.
God's plan for growth in Jesus Christ was never for an individual to just study scripture by himself. God's plan is that we are built together through mutual participation and sharing of His truth (see Ephesians 4:25 & 1 Corinthians 14). His plan is for those who came before us to teach us how Jesus loves so we can "love as Jesus loved."
First century followers of Christ did not always have Old Testament scriptures. They certainly didn't have the New Testament scriptures because those were still being written. On top of that many people were illiterate. With the emphasis we currently put on personal study of scripture how then were these people such an impactful generation for Christ? The answer is relationships.
These followers of Christ were taught by those who were in Christ before them. Acts 2:42 says, "They were devoting themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer." The apostles' teaching was Jesus Christ. Jesus was taught as a living, personal, and interactive being. The apostles' teaching style was personal and interactive, like that of Jesus.
Their fellowship wasn't in name only like much of today's so called fellowship is. Biblical fellowship is friendship and companionship that involves participation and contribution. That is what they were devoted to. These weren't people listening to stale non-participatory sermons. They were filled with joys that brought on questions. They ate together and they prayed together. At this point the Judaizers weren't interfering and they had no systems or traditions to blind & deafen them. They purely got to enjoy Jesus Christ and each other with no bonds or barriers. That is the beauty of how the Christian life ought to be lived.
God's plan for growth in Jesus Christ was never for an individual to just study scripture by himself. God's plan is that we are built together through mutual participation and sharing of His truth (see Ephesians 4:25 & 1 Corinthians 14). His plan is for those who came before us to teach us how Jesus loves so we can "love as Jesus loved."
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
The Meaning of Life: Part 2, Understanding the Relationship
This is Part 2 of 2. Read Part 1, How to Know God
Once we trust Jesus we are able to know God. It is great to spend the eternal life God has given us getting to know God better. If there was someone I was introduced to 5 years ago yet I never spoke to again I would not have a relationship with that person. There is no such thing with God as "getting saved" 5 years ago yet never speaking to Him again, never seeking to know Him more. Those who know God will desire to know Him more as their lives go on. Jesus said in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent." "Know God" does not simply mean "be introduced to God." It means to know God experientially & intimately, to interact with God in a deep relationship.Understanding the Relationship
In order to have a properly functioning relationship we must understand those involved in it. Here are some examples of properly operating relationships that help us understand how we are to relate with God our Father and our Lord Jesus Christ.
Parents and children
Children love, respect, admire, & obey their parents. As children of God it is best for us to love, respect, admire, & obey God. Children naturally love their parents who gave them life. God gave us eternal life, we are reborn. When we are reborn we naturally love God. A baby loves its parents for their protection, provision, & care. A maturing child loves its parents also for their guidance & teaching. We grow in love for God the same way. A newborn child of God loves God for His protection from sin, His provision of grace and eternal life through Christ, and His care, His loving-kindness as they have thus far experienced it. A maturing child of God also loves Him for His guidance and for His wisdom.
Children admire their parents. They imitate them in order to learn the most essential functions of life. We learn how to talk, walk, behave, and live from our parents. We pick up many of their traits & habits. It is best to be the same way with God. To learn how to talk, walk, behave, and live from God. To pick up His traits and His loving ways.
Children say to their parent "When I grow up I want to be just like you." This is a very important factor in our relationship with God. We must have admiration that leads to imitation. If we don't love and admire God we can never hope to imitate Him because we won't want to, we wouldn't even see the point in doing so! In order to know God we must revere Him, that is to consider Him greater and wiser than ourselves. But to know God better, to grow in relationship with Him, we must adhere to God. Romans 12:9 says, "Love must be sincere. Cling as glue to what is good." James 4:8 says, "Draw near to God and he will draw near to you."
There is no imitation without information. A comedian who sets out to do an impression of a celebrity first has to listen to, watch, and study the person he seeks to imitate. A good impressionist learns the very tone, cadence, inflection, and mannerisms of the person he seeks to imitate. We have the perfect model, the perfect life, the greatest being to imitate, so the vastness of our listening, watching, and studying of God is immeasurable. But remember, God as our Father will teach us, He will help us in all the ways we could possibly ever need help. He isn't just willing and able but God is eager to help us. He wants to help us more than we want to be helped!
Ephesians 5:1 says, "Be imitators of God as dearly loved children." Here we are told to imitate God. We are to imitate Him as dearly loved children. Why? Because we are dearly loved by God! A dearly loved child has much more motivation to love, obey, admire, and imitate their parents. As God's children we are loved by the greatest Lover there has ever been. Love is the most beneficial thing that exists. What are we doing when we imitate God? We are loving.
Savior and the saved
We are the rescued, the saved, the delivered. Someone who is in need of rescue is facing disaster or destruction and is helpless and afraid. Jesus is our savior, our rescuer, our deliverer, our redeemer. He saves us from the power of sin & death (see Romans 6:10-11, 8:2 & John 11:25). God gives us peace so we are no longer afraid. His perfect love drives out our fears (see 1 John 4:18). God helps those who cannot help themselves but only those who admittedly cannot help themselves. James 4:6 says, “God opposes the proud, but he gives grace to the humble.”
Imagine a group of people trapped on the roof of a high-rise building which is engulfed in flames. Apparently, the only possible way to safety is to jump to the roof of an adjoining building -- 30 feet away! In desperation, people begin to attempt the impossible leap. Some jump farther out than others, but all who attempt it fall to their death. But suppose that suddenly the whirling sound of helicopter blades is heard, and there suddenly looms up over the building a helicopter, sent to be a rescue vehicle for those in such dire danger. This is a true picture of man’s helpless dilemma in sin. He is trapped in his condition, enslaved by sin and soon to face both the first & the second death. And he can do nothing to correct his present condition. If he tries to “leap,” seeking to improve or help or save himself, he merely leaps to his own destruction.
If you were actually in the situation described above, would you welcome a rescuer? Would the mechanics of the rescue operation be debated by those on the roof, or would each one “leap at the chance” to get aboard the rescue vehicle? Would the potential victims present their personal merit or their past “good” performance as a reason for being rescued? The questions answer themselves, don’t they? Those who are rescued are saved outside of their own strength. All we do is supply the helpless sinner willing to be saved, and God performs the rescue!
We must never forget that the word “rescue” presupposes a critical danger. Not only were we in danger of death but Christ had to go through danger, becoming sin & bearing God's wrath to condemn sin, in order to rescue us. Sin had earned us death but Jesus took the death penalty for us on the cross in order to rescue us.
Those who are rescued are thankful. When you are rescued you are exceedingly grateful. If the danger was critical you may thank the rescuer for the rest of your life. It is good to keep in mind the great danger we have been saved from and thank the One who went through that danger in order to get to us and save us.
Christ and Christians
The words Christ and Messiah are titles that mean the anointed one. Anointing was something done in the Old Testament era to induct someone into a position. Anointing was used for three different positions in the Old Testament: prophets, priests, and kings.
Jesus is the prophet of God, meaning He is the spokesman for the Father who represents the Father among the people. He left us with messages from God now recorded in scripture.
Jesus is the great High Priest. He represents the people before God through the sacrifice of Himself and He always lives to speak on their behalf to the Father (see Hebrews 7:25).
Jesus is the King of Kings. He defends and rules over His people.
Under Jesus as Christ we trust in the truth He has brought. We receive and rejoice in the sacrifice He has made for us. We take comfort in the fact that Jesus intercedes for us to the Father while even unbeknownst to us. We live under His kingdom, meaning His rule, as content and obedient subjects rejoicing that our Great King reigns.
God has graciously anointed all of us who are in Jesus Christ with His Spirit (see 1 John 2:20). Thus all of God's people are His prophets, priests, and kings.
Jesus has made us God's spokesmen while He is in heaven. We speak His true word and His good news. We represent God. As 1 John 4:17 says, "Just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world."
God has made all of His people priests. 1 Peter 2:9 says, "You are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, so that you may proclaim the excellencies of Him who has called you out of darkness into His marvelous light." Jesus as High Priest performed the final sacrifice for sin. So Romans 12:1 tells us to, "offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God—this is your spiritual act of service." This means that we are to always trust God & cooperate with Him because we trust in His love for us.
We will rule with Jesus as kings in eternity. Revelation 5:10 says, "You have made them kings and priests to God; and they will reign upon the earth."
Lords and servants
Lords/Masters employ & command. The Lord Jesus Christ employs and commands His people to do His works of love.
Servants are employed, they are put to work, and they obey their master's commands. All of God's people are His servants. The word minister means servant and the word ministry means service. All those who trust Jesus Christ are His servants and He is their Lord. He commands us to trust Him and to love others. Jesus's death on the cross was not only a payment but also an investment. The investment was made so that those who come after Him should make His name known and do the things that He has done. Jesus loved people and spoke of the Father. We are to do the same.
The commands of God are summarized in love. Obeying a command isn't about the work done but the loved showed in doing the work. When you are hired to do a job and given an order to do something but you don't do it because, you don't feel like it or you fear it will be too hard or fear it will make you uncomfortable, you are being self-centered. You are not considering others thus you are not acting in love. Obeying Jesus Christ as Lord is about loving our Lord, loving His people, and loving the world. Obedience is not about keeping cumbersome commands that were written down and given by someone we don't know. The bible is not an impersonal instruction manual given to help us "live right." The bible is a personal love letter written by the greatest Lover who is infinitely gracious to teach us how to love.
The Way
Isaiah 55:8-9 says, "For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways," declares the LORD. "For just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways superior to your ways And My thoughts superior to your thoughts"
God's ways are not our ways. This means God will do things we don't understand. But scripture also says that we are to learn to walk in His ways. We are to, as best as we can, let Him make His ways our ways. Psalms 25:4-5 says, "Make me know Your ways, O LORD; Teach me Your paths. Lead me in Your truth and teach me, For You are the God of my salvation; on you I rely all day long."
In John 14:6, Jesus said that He is The Way. He is the only way that men might be saved. He is the only way for men to have a relationship with God. Only in Jesus Christ, The Way, can we know and walk in God's ways. 1 Corinthians 2:16 says, "We have the mind of Christ." All of God's ways are in The Way, Jesus Christ. We do still have our self-centered thoughts and ways but by walking in a loving relationship with Jesus we have God's thoughts as our thoughts and God's ways as our ways. If we walk in The Way, Jesus Christ we will walk in God's ways. Jesus isn't simply the way shower He is the Way. We are to let Him live & love through us.
The Truth
In John 14:6, Jesus also said that He is The Truth. If you refuse to accept and live according to truth you will not be able to function in life properly. Ignoring truth can cause us great hardship. Imagine if I chose to refuse the truth that driving a car is faster than walking so I never use a car. I would spend a lot of time walking. Life would be much harder for me. Imagine if I chose to refuse the truth that I need food to live. I would die. Imagine if I chose to refuse the truth that crime results in punishment and I committed crimes. I would still get punished for those crimes.
It is stupid to refuse truth. Refusing truth can result in hardship, punishment, and death. Additionally refusing truth can make you less effective, less productive, and less loving. It results in not living to your possible potential. Refusing The Truth, Jesus Christ can have all of these consequences and more. Refusing Jesus results in death, punishment, and a life that was truly no life at all. Ignoring Jesus as The Truth even after being saved has immense consequences. We not only go through unnecessary hardship but we miss out on the best things for us if we don't continue to trust in Jesus Christ as The Truth. If we do not trust Christ we refuse His help. If I refuse being parented, rescued, protected, taught, advised, and loved I don't trust those who are attempting to do these things for me. If I were fully convinced of a truth I would have no mistrust. Trusting in Jesus as The Truth is of the uttermost importance.
Teacher and disciples
A teacher gives instruction and informs us about the hows and whys of life. A disciple is a learner, someone who lives by another's teaching. Jesus said, "learn from me" (Matthew 11:29) & "If you continue in My word, then you are truly my disciples" (John 8:31). We are to be disciples of Jesus, The Truth. He is the Truth and the Teacher of truth.
A disciple of Christ is an understudy, a person who voluntarily places himself under (or “at the feet of”) Jesus, binding himself to Christ to learn from Him, to pursue His goals, to lovingly do the same things that Jesus did, to act, along with His other disciples, as a physical replacement for Christ on earth. Remember "Just as Jesus is, so also are we in this world" (1 John 4:17). We are also to be teachers as He was and turn others into His disciples by exemplifying His life and love and teaching the truth of His person. Jesus said in Luke 6:40, "A disciple is not greater than his teacher, but everyone when fully trained will be like his teacher."
Vine and branches
Jesus said in John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches; he who resides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."
As a branch we are dependent on the vine. Without the vine the branch can do nothing. We can do no good apart from Jesus. Philippians 2:13 says, "It is God who works in you to will and to act according to His good purpose." 1 Corinthians 1:30 says, "God is the reason you have a relationship with Christ Jesus. God is the reason that you are in Christ Jesus." Branches grow from the vine. The branch cannot exist on its own, it cannot grow itself. We cannot grow ourselves. We can only grow when we are in Christ, when we reside in Him. Have you ever seen a branch strain or strive to make fruit come out of itself? The vine naturally produces fruit. Jesus naturally produces our fruit of love, we simply must reside in Him.
The vine is dependent on the branch because that is where the fruit shows up. Jesus has chosen to be dependent on us to produce much of His visible fruit. When a vine has drawn more than it needs to live it bears fruit. God's fruit is the abundant, overflowing life of love which carries the seed of God's word. Jesus said in John 10:10, "I came that they may have life and have it abundantly." In our relationship with Jesus we need to draw on Him. We need to live on the infinite resources of Jesus Christ, our vine, so that we will go far beyond a personal survival mode where we get just enough life from Him to get through the day. We need to reside in Christ so we can bear fruit. Residing in Christ means to live in Him similar to how we would live in a house with a loved one. We relate and we rest because we feel secure.
Again, God's fruit is the abundant, overflowing life of love which carries the seed of God's word. When we reside in Christ we bear fruit. Have you ever seen a branch eat its own fruit? The fruit from the branch is for someone else! The vine multiplies itself by the fruit which has the seed in it. The seed is God's word. God's life is shown through us by love and truth. When this happens we "speak the truth in love" (see Ephesians 4:15) and our fruit is able to reproduce through loving and discipling others. God's original intention for mankind was for them to "be fruitful and multiply" (see Genesis 1:28). This is also the case for all the followers of Jesus Christ. We are to be fruitful in love and truth and use that fruit to multiply by loving and discipling others.
Jesus went on to say in John 15:8, "My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples." We prove we are disciples of Jesus Christ by bearing fruit for others, by making disciples. This scripture itself testifies on how to make disciples. Jesus said in Matthew 28:19, "As you go make disciples of all the nations, immersing them in the name (character) of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to treasure everything I have commanded you." This includes the command to make disciples! Christians are supposed to disciple one another concerning how to love. This requires time and truth. Live for others and pour the truth of God into them!
Groom and bride
The collective followers of Jesus are His bride and He is their groom. Spouses share love, affection, adoration, freedom of expression, mutual devotion, and all things with one another. One lives to please the other.
1 Peter 3:7 says, that husband and wife are equal partners or co-heirs in God’s gracious gift of new life. Romans 8:17 says, "Since we are his children, we are heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ." We enjoy the same privileges that Jesus gets from His Father.
When you love your spouse do you love him or her to the extent that you do based on their position as your spouse, that is, because you have a marriage certificate? No, you love your spouse because of who you see him or her to be. It is full reality to you. You consider your spouse to be wonderful and you can't be convinced otherwise. God is the same way. He loves us based on who He sees us to be and what God sees is the ultimate reality. The Father loves us as much as He loves Jesus (John 17:23) & Jesus loves us with that same unmeasurable love (John 15:9).
Life
Colossians 3:3-4 says, "For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is your life". Christianity is not a way of life, it is not a lifestyle, it is not a special place and time, Christianity is Christ. Christ is our life. A child has no life without a father. A helpless person in danger has no life if not rescued. A branch has no life without the vine.
1 John 5:12 says, "God has given us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He who has the Son has life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have life." 1 John 4:9 says, "God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him." Ephesians 2:10 says, "We are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so that we can do the good things he planned for us long ago." We live through Him because we can have no life otherwise. He lives through us as His chosen vessels saved from destruction to give His love to others.
Galatians 2:20 says, "I have been crucified with Christ, and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So the life I now live in the body, I live because of the faithfulness & trustworthiness of the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." He died so we wouldn't die. He lives so we can live and overflow His life into others. The meaning of life is life itself, life Himself, Jesus Christ the Son of God.
The Lord will direct our hearts into the love of God and into the trueness of Christ.
(2 Thessalonians 3:5)
(2 Thessalonians 3:5)
Friday, December 31, 2010
What is the Bible? Where does it come from?
Background
What we call the Bible contains the words of God. The word bible simply means book which is why the Bible is usually labeled as The Holy Bible, meaning the pure book, the book from God. The words of God were written by God's specific influence, spiritual direction, & sometimes dictation by His followers who were eye-witnesses of the events they wrote about. The Bible speaks about who God is and what God has done.
The Bible was originally written primarily in languages Hebrew, for the Old Testament, and Greek, for the New Testament. The text of the Bible has been preserved in what we are called manuscripts. Manuscripts are handwritten copies of a portion of text written by someone else. There are 5,686 Greek manuscripts for the New Testament and those manuscripts agree with each other 99.5% of the time. To put this in perspective, the New Testament was written in the first century. Shakespeare wrote his works in the 1600s and there is more variation in the surviving manuscripts of Shakespeare's works than in the Bible's manuscripts. Even if there were no manuscripts existing at all of the New Testament all but 11 verses from the entire New Testament can be reconstructed from material written within 150 to 200 years from the time of Christ. Based on the number of manuscripts, the date the manuscripts were written, and the agreement between the manuscripts, the Bible by far is the most reliable ancient text in existence. God has very much preserved His words through the many ancient manuscripts.
As the Bible spread throughout the world and new languages began to emerge the Bible has been translated many times into many languages. There are no perfect translations. Simply because of the difference between languages it cannot be so but many translations are largely accurate. Today we have a wealth of information regarding the languages of Greek and Hebrew to help us get the best understanding of what the Bible says even with our imperfect translations. Some translations today are more literal which means they take one word in the original language and translate it as one word into English and words are only added to help the English reader comprehend what has been written. A paraphrase is a translation that takes the meaning of a text of multiple words and rephrases it for an often clearer & simpler understanding. The benefit of the more literal translation is that there is less interpretation occurring from the translator. The NASB is an example of a more literal translation. The Message is an example of a paraphrase.
Illumination
When reading an ordinary book it is not necessary to meet the author to benefit from the book. With the Bible, everything is different. It is necessary & vital to meet the Author if you are to understand the Bible. We can’t we expect to know the Bible of God without knowing the God of the Bible. One can never understand the message and intent of the Bible, unless you have a redeeming encounter with its Author.
The Holy Spirit of God is given to those who receive the free gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. It is the Holy Spirit of God who illuminates us to God’s word. By illuminates I mean that illumination makes the Bible understandable & clear, that the Holy Spirit of God shines light on the truth for us to see it. Jesus said in John 14:16, "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 explains how the Holy Spirit of God is essential to learning the knowledge of God.
"We have received the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given to us by God. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. "Who can know what the Lord is thinking?" We can understand these things because we have the mind of Christ.
In Psalm 43:3, the writer prayed this, “O God, Send out Your light and Your truth, and let them lead me.”
Note the combination of light and truth in his prayer. It is wise to pray to the Holy Spirit for His light before you expose yourself to His truth. It is not enough to have the Bible. Many people take up the Bible and read—and receive no benefit at all. Why? Because they had the truth, but had no light to detect it.
Supplementary
More On Manuscript Trustworthiness
Homer's Iliad is an ancient Greek writing. It is the second most reliable ancient text next to the Bible. It said to have been written around 900 B.C. but the oldest manuscript we have of the Iliad is from 400 B.C. That is 500 years between supposed writing and the oldest existing copy. Again the New Testament was written in the first century. The oldest existing manuscript containing a portion of the New Testament is from 125 A.D. a mere 25 years from the first century. The 5,686 manuscripts of the New Testament agree with each other 99.5% of the time. Homer's Iliad has 653 manuscripts which only agree with each other 95% of the time and it is the second best preserved ancient document. The oldest manuscripts of Plato's writings are from 1200 years after he was said to be alive.
Let's say my great grandpa wrote a letter for our family's future generations. I made a copy of the letter 25 years after he died to preserve it. Would you say it would be likely that the copy I made was really of my great grandpa's letter after only 25 years? Now let us say that in the future people claim I wrote a letter to you but the oldest know copy of that letter came over 1000 years after I died. How much less reliable is that letter if it came so long after my death?
More on Literal Translations vs. Paraphrases
If anyone supposes he knows something not yet to know as he ought know (1 Corinthians 8:2, Literal)
If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know (1 Corinthians 8:2, NASB)
The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2, NIV)
If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2, NET)
Sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. (1 Corinthians 8:2, The Message)
See how in The Message, which is a paraphrase, meaning is lost and changed from what the original author intended. It almost even implies that our proud minds can, at other times, help us more than our humble hearts. So it is good when reading a paraphrase to have a more literal translation on hand to look at as well. Still I have come across times where The Message or the New Living Translation (another paraphrase) gave the meaning to the original words much more outright than the more literal NASB and others.
What we call the Bible contains the words of God. The word bible simply means book which is why the Bible is usually labeled as The Holy Bible, meaning the pure book, the book from God. The words of God were written by God's specific influence, spiritual direction, & sometimes dictation by His followers who were eye-witnesses of the events they wrote about. The Bible speaks about who God is and what God has done.
The Bible was originally written primarily in languages Hebrew, for the Old Testament, and Greek, for the New Testament. The text of the Bible has been preserved in what we are called manuscripts. Manuscripts are handwritten copies of a portion of text written by someone else. There are 5,686 Greek manuscripts for the New Testament and those manuscripts agree with each other 99.5% of the time. To put this in perspective, the New Testament was written in the first century. Shakespeare wrote his works in the 1600s and there is more variation in the surviving manuscripts of Shakespeare's works than in the Bible's manuscripts. Even if there were no manuscripts existing at all of the New Testament all but 11 verses from the entire New Testament can be reconstructed from material written within 150 to 200 years from the time of Christ. Based on the number of manuscripts, the date the manuscripts were written, and the agreement between the manuscripts, the Bible by far is the most reliable ancient text in existence. God has very much preserved His words through the many ancient manuscripts.
As the Bible spread throughout the world and new languages began to emerge the Bible has been translated many times into many languages. There are no perfect translations. Simply because of the difference between languages it cannot be so but many translations are largely accurate. Today we have a wealth of information regarding the languages of Greek and Hebrew to help us get the best understanding of what the Bible says even with our imperfect translations. Some translations today are more literal which means they take one word in the original language and translate it as one word into English and words are only added to help the English reader comprehend what has been written. A paraphrase is a translation that takes the meaning of a text of multiple words and rephrases it for an often clearer & simpler understanding. The benefit of the more literal translation is that there is less interpretation occurring from the translator. The NASB is an example of a more literal translation. The Message is an example of a paraphrase.
Illumination
When reading an ordinary book it is not necessary to meet the author to benefit from the book. With the Bible, everything is different. It is necessary & vital to meet the Author if you are to understand the Bible. We can’t we expect to know the Bible of God without knowing the God of the Bible. One can never understand the message and intent of the Bible, unless you have a redeeming encounter with its Author.
The Holy Spirit of God is given to those who receive the free gift of eternal life that Jesus offers. It is the Holy Spirit of God who illuminates us to God’s word. By illuminates I mean that illumination makes the Bible understandable & clear, that the Holy Spirit of God shines light on the truth for us to see it. Jesus said in John 14:16, "The Helper, the Holy Spirit, will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you."
1 Corinthians 2:12-16 explains how the Holy Spirit of God is essential to learning the knowledge of God.
"We have received the Spirit who is from God, so that we may understand the things freely given to us by God. The man without the Spirit does not accept the things that come from the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually discerned. "Who can know what the Lord is thinking?" We can understand these things because we have the mind of Christ.
In Psalm 43:3, the writer prayed this, “O God, Send out Your light and Your truth, and let them lead me.”
Note the combination of light and truth in his prayer. It is wise to pray to the Holy Spirit for His light before you expose yourself to His truth. It is not enough to have the Bible. Many people take up the Bible and read—and receive no benefit at all. Why? Because they had the truth, but had no light to detect it.
Supplementary
More On Manuscript Trustworthiness
Homer's Iliad is an ancient Greek writing. It is the second most reliable ancient text next to the Bible. It said to have been written around 900 B.C. but the oldest manuscript we have of the Iliad is from 400 B.C. That is 500 years between supposed writing and the oldest existing copy. Again the New Testament was written in the first century. The oldest existing manuscript containing a portion of the New Testament is from 125 A.D. a mere 25 years from the first century. The 5,686 manuscripts of the New Testament agree with each other 99.5% of the time. Homer's Iliad has 653 manuscripts which only agree with each other 95% of the time and it is the second best preserved ancient document. The oldest manuscripts of Plato's writings are from 1200 years after he was said to be alive.
Let's say my great grandpa wrote a letter for our family's future generations. I made a copy of the letter 25 years after he died to preserve it. Would you say it would be likely that the copy I made was really of my great grandpa's letter after only 25 years? Now let us say that in the future people claim I wrote a letter to you but the oldest know copy of that letter came over 1000 years after I died. How much less reliable is that letter if it came so long after my death?
More on Literal Translations vs. Paraphrases
If anyone supposes he knows something not yet to know as he ought know (1 Corinthians 8:2, Literal)
If anyone supposes that he knows anything, he has not yet known as he ought to know (1 Corinthians 8:2, NASB)
The man who thinks he knows something does not yet know as he ought to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2, NIV)
If someone thinks he knows something, he does not yet know to the degree that he needs to know. (1 Corinthians 8:2, NET)
Sometimes our humble hearts can help us more than our proud minds. (1 Corinthians 8:2, The Message)
See how in The Message, which is a paraphrase, meaning is lost and changed from what the original author intended. It almost even implies that our proud minds can, at other times, help us more than our humble hearts. So it is good when reading a paraphrase to have a more literal translation on hand to look at as well. Still I have come across times where The Message or the New Living Translation (another paraphrase) gave the meaning to the original words much more outright than the more literal NASB and others.
Wednesday, December 1, 2010
The Meaning of Life: Part 1, How to Know God
There is a God. This is His world. We live in His world. This God is totally good, totally trustworthy, and totally competent.
He comes to us in Jesus Christ whom we can totally trust. He gives those who trust Him
His Spirit which will lead us to all we need to know about Him and
about us.
The Meaning of Life
You've probably heard of people asking "What is the meaning of life?" "Why are we here?" I believe I have found a scripture that puts it very clearly.
"This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent" (Jesus as recorded in John 17:3).
The purpose of life is to know God. Since we are to know God we are here to find out who God is and what He is like.
Know God
We are to "know God." In order to know we must first learn.
What is the purpose of learning about God?
The purpose of life isn't for me to "be saved" and have a ticket to heaven it is for me to know God personally.
How can we know God?
How can we know God? Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who wants to approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." So to know God first we must believe that He exists. In order to do that we must have faith. Faith in its most basic form as it relates to God is that even though we cannot see God we are convinced that He really exists.
Second we must believe that, this God who truly exists, rewards those who seek Him. Belief is when your whole being is set to act as if something is so. Both faith and belief are best defined as trust. Trust is to be fully convinced about the truth of something to the point of confidently acting upon it. If I believe that when I sit in a chair it will hold me up and give me rest I will not shy away from sitting in that chair. If I am tired I will sit in the chair because I believe that not only will it hold me up but it is also good for me because it gives me rest. Belief is the same when applied to God. If I truly believe that He rewards those who seek Him I will not shy away from seeking Him. I will try to find out about God because I believe He will reward me for doing so. If I truly believe I will act on it and not just think about it to myself.
God rewards those who seek Him
Again Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who wants to approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Now here is a true story that exemplifies this verse.
There was a man in China who longed for a God he did not know. One day he found on a mountain path a torn page that read "Are there more gods than One?"—"No, there is only One God." "Should we worship idols?"—"No..." And the rest was torn away.
The man went home and destroyed his altars to the idols he had been worshipping. Immediately his daughter became very ill and his neighbors taunted him for making the demons angry. The man thought if there was one true God perhaps he could reach that God with his voice. He climbed to the top of the highest peak in the vicinity—12 or 14 thousand feet high-and shouted out, "Oh, God, if You really are there and You are the One I am to worship, please make my little girl well again."
It took a long time to climb back down, but upon arriving home he found the little girl completely well, with no time of recuperation needed. She had recovered at the time he had prayed. That man went on to proclaim the gospel across the entire area.
You see this man believed that God exists and that God rewards those who seek Him. He truly believed because He acted upon it by climbing a mountain and calling out to God. "God searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts" (1 Chronicles 28:9). You see, God is always seeking those who seek Him so that He may reward them but God understands every intent of our thoughts so He is able to rightly discern when someone is truly seeking Him. Be careful to understand that God rewards those who seek Him, not those who seek to earn a reward.
When we seek God that assumes we realize and consider God as wiser, smarter, and more powerful than ourselves. We humbly realize that we are mere human beings who have little power and that God is the powerful & knowledgeable creator of the universe. The fact that God rewards those who seek Him means He loves us. Trusting that God exists and is loving is the requirement to know God.
This is Eternal Life
To know God we must be exposed to the truth about and the person of Jesus, the Son of God. Before God created the world He knew that mankind would sin (harm each other, disregard God) and that they would need a way to be able to know and have a relationship with God again. God decided that when the right time had come He would send His Son, Jesus, to become God in the flesh, born of a woman, born under the law of God (see Galatians 4:4-5). Jesus perfectly obeyed all of the laws of God, provided the perfect example of how to live, and then even in His perfection chose to die a gruesome death on a cross to free the world from the power of sin. Then to prove He was sent by God & to break the power of death He rose to life again 3 days after His death. These facts about Jesus are called the gospel, the word gospel means good news. This is good news indeed that God has done everything necessary for us to know and have a relationship with Him. Because of Jesus sin no longer stands between us and being able to know God. Because of Jesus we can know God & enjoy Him forever.
1 John 4:9-10 says, "By this the love of God is revealed: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins."
Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still helpless sinners, Jesus died for us."
Through Jesus we trust in God and because God raised Him from the dead we can confidently put our trust and hope in God (see 1 Peter 1:21). John 3:16 says, "This is the way God loved the world: God gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in his Son will not perish but have eternal life." Anyone who trusts that the good news about Jesus is true and thus trusts Jesus will have eternal life. Eternal life is that we get to know God & live in His love in this life and forevermore.
Jesus said in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."
1 John 5:20 says, "The Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. Those who trust Him are now in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life."
Summary
There is a God. This is His world. We live in His world. This God is totally good, totally trustworthy, and totally competent. He comes to us in Jesus Christ whom we can totally trust. He gives those who trust Him His Spirit which will lead us to all we need to know about Him and about us. The purpose of life is to Know God, Jesus Christ.
How can we know God?
The Meaning of Life
You've probably heard of people asking "What is the meaning of life?" "Why are we here?" I believe I have found a scripture that puts it very clearly.
"This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent" (Jesus as recorded in John 17:3).
The purpose of life is to know God. Since we are to know God we are here to find out who God is and what He is like.
Know God
We are to "know God." In order to know we must first learn.
What is the purpose of learning about God?
The purpose of learning about God is to know who He is, what He has done, and what He has said in order for us to establish a love relationship with Him and then grow in that relationship with Him more and more.
We are to learn of God, from God, for God, for others.The purpose of life isn't for me to "be saved" and have a ticket to heaven it is for me to know God personally.
How can we know God?
How can we know God? Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who wants to approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." So to know God first we must believe that He exists. In order to do that we must have faith. Faith in its most basic form as it relates to God is that even though we cannot see God we are convinced that He really exists.
Second we must believe that, this God who truly exists, rewards those who seek Him. Belief is when your whole being is set to act as if something is so. Both faith and belief are best defined as trust. Trust is to be fully convinced about the truth of something to the point of confidently acting upon it. If I believe that when I sit in a chair it will hold me up and give me rest I will not shy away from sitting in that chair. If I am tired I will sit in the chair because I believe that not only will it hold me up but it is also good for me because it gives me rest. Belief is the same when applied to God. If I truly believe that He rewards those who seek Him I will not shy away from seeking Him. I will try to find out about God because I believe He will reward me for doing so. If I truly believe I will act on it and not just think about it to myself.
God rewards those who seek Him
Again Hebrews 11:6 says, "Without faith it is impossible to please God because anyone who wants to approach God must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who seek him." Now here is a true story that exemplifies this verse.
There was a man in China who longed for a God he did not know. One day he found on a mountain path a torn page that read "Are there more gods than One?"—"No, there is only One God." "Should we worship idols?"—"No..." And the rest was torn away.
The man went home and destroyed his altars to the idols he had been worshipping. Immediately his daughter became very ill and his neighbors taunted him for making the demons angry. The man thought if there was one true God perhaps he could reach that God with his voice. He climbed to the top of the highest peak in the vicinity—12 or 14 thousand feet high-and shouted out, "Oh, God, if You really are there and You are the One I am to worship, please make my little girl well again."
It took a long time to climb back down, but upon arriving home he found the little girl completely well, with no time of recuperation needed. She had recovered at the time he had prayed. That man went on to proclaim the gospel across the entire area.
You see this man believed that God exists and that God rewards those who seek Him. He truly believed because He acted upon it by climbing a mountain and calling out to God. "God searches all hearts, and understands every intent of the thoughts" (1 Chronicles 28:9). You see, God is always seeking those who seek Him so that He may reward them but God understands every intent of our thoughts so He is able to rightly discern when someone is truly seeking Him. Be careful to understand that God rewards those who seek Him, not those who seek to earn a reward.
When we seek God that assumes we realize and consider God as wiser, smarter, and more powerful than ourselves. We humbly realize that we are mere human beings who have little power and that God is the powerful & knowledgeable creator of the universe. The fact that God rewards those who seek Him means He loves us. Trusting that God exists and is loving is the requirement to know God.
This is Eternal Life
To know God we must be exposed to the truth about and the person of Jesus, the Son of God. Before God created the world He knew that mankind would sin (harm each other, disregard God) and that they would need a way to be able to know and have a relationship with God again. God decided that when the right time had come He would send His Son, Jesus, to become God in the flesh, born of a woman, born under the law of God (see Galatians 4:4-5). Jesus perfectly obeyed all of the laws of God, provided the perfect example of how to live, and then even in His perfection chose to die a gruesome death on a cross to free the world from the power of sin. Then to prove He was sent by God & to break the power of death He rose to life again 3 days after His death. These facts about Jesus are called the gospel, the word gospel means good news. This is good news indeed that God has done everything necessary for us to know and have a relationship with Him. Because of Jesus sin no longer stands between us and being able to know God. Because of Jesus we can know God & enjoy Him forever.
1 John 4:9-10 says, "By this the love of God is revealed: that God has sent his one and only Son into the world so that we may live through him. This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as a sacrifice to clear away our sins."
Romans 5:8 says, "God demonstrates his own love for us, in that while we were still helpless sinners, Jesus died for us."
Through Jesus we trust in God and because God raised Him from the dead we can confidently put our trust and hope in God (see 1 Peter 1:21). John 3:16 says, "This is the way God loved the world: God gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who trusts in his Son will not perish but have eternal life." Anyone who trusts that the good news about Jesus is true and thus trusts Jesus will have eternal life. Eternal life is that we get to know God & live in His love in this life and forevermore.
Jesus said in John 17:3, "This is eternal life, to know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent."
1 John 5:20 says, "The Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. Those who trust Him are now in God because we are in his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life."
Summary
There is a God. This is His world. We live in His world. This God is totally good, totally trustworthy, and totally competent. He comes to us in Jesus Christ whom we can totally trust. He gives those who trust Him His Spirit which will lead us to all we need to know about Him and about us. The purpose of life is to Know God, Jesus Christ.
How can we know God?
- We must be fully convinced that God exists.
- We must seek God while being fully convinced that God is loving by rewarding those who seek Him.
- We must trust the truth about and the person of Jesus, the Son of God. Jesus made relationship with God available to us by death on a cross and rising again to life. Because of Him we are able to have an everlasting personal relationship with God that is free from any barriers.
This was Part 1 of 2. Read Part 2, Understanding the Relationship
Thursday, October 21, 2010
Proper Translation of Hebrews 13:17
Hebrews 13:17
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive (NKJV)
Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. (NLT)
Obey your leaders and submit to them (NASB)
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. (NIV)
The NIV adds the word "authority" to the text where there is no word to represent it in the Greek.
Three words are mistranslated in Hebrews 13:17. First I will give the definition of the English word then I will give the definition of the Greek word that is actually in the text.
English word: Obey- To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
Greek word: peitho- to persuade; to be persuaded
English word: Leader(s)- A person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position.
Greek word: hegeomai-those who lead/guide. It is a verb while leader is a noun. The verb translated properly can be defined as a person/those who lead(s) but the noun leader can and does also give the idea of "One occupying the first or foremost position." I prefer the word guide as opposed to lead because lead has an inherent authoritarian perception coupled with it.
English word: Submit- To give in to the authority, power, or desires of another
Greek word: hupeiko- to yield, to give in to. This Greek word only appears once in the NT. The word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the NT and is not used here.
Proper translation:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy. Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield.
This verse DOES NOT say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST!
There is no "man of God" who has legitimate authority over other people. There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life, then that person is not keeping watch over your soul!
Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive (NKJV)
Obey your spiritual leaders and do what they say. (NLT)
Obey your leaders and submit to them (NASB)
Obey your leaders and submit to their authority. (NIV)
The NIV adds the word "authority" to the text where there is no word to represent it in the Greek.
Three words are mistranslated in Hebrews 13:17. First I will give the definition of the English word then I will give the definition of the Greek word that is actually in the text.
English word: Obey- To carry out or fulfill the command, order, or instruction of.
Greek word: peitho- to persuade; to be persuaded
English word: Leader(s)- A person who leads; One occupying the first or foremost position.
Greek word: hegeomai-those who lead/guide. It is a verb while leader is a noun. The verb translated properly can be defined as a person/those who lead(s) but the noun leader can and does also give the idea of "One occupying the first or foremost position." I prefer the word guide as opposed to lead because lead has an inherent authoritarian perception coupled with it.
English word: Submit- To give in to the authority, power, or desires of another
Greek word: hupeiko- to yield, to give in to. This Greek word only appears once in the NT. The word hupotasso is the primary word for submit in the NT and is not used here.
Proper translation:
Be persuaded by those guiding you, and be yielding; for they keep watch over your souls as those who will give an account. Let them watch over you with joy and not with grumbling, for this would be unprofitable for you.
This is essentially saying to be persuadable, to not be prideful but to be yielding. Allow those with wisdom to guide you to truth. Listen to the trustworthy. Those who watch over & guide others are to do so joyfully and willfully not with grumbling. We are not to cause them to grumble by our unwillingness to yield.
This verse DOES NOT say that there are leaders in positions or offices who we must obey on the basis of their authority. There is ONE LORD, JESUS CHRIST!
There is no "man of God" who has legitimate authority over other people. There is no guiding or guarding without relationship. If someone is not actually guiding you personally, if that person is not alert to the condition of your life, then that person is not keeping watch over your soul!
Be responsive to those who guide you. Listen to their counsel. They are those who are alert to the condition of your lives and work under the supervision of God and His truth.
For more on Hebrews 13:17 as well as a look at every place the word "leaders" is used in the New Testament (all 4!) read this teaching: The Word Leaders in the New Testament
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Replacement
We've replaced obedience with "special calling."
We've replaced teaching and discipling with preaching and performance.
We've replaced people with a place.
We've replaced servants with leaders.
We've replaced Jesus with men.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
Jesus said to the Pharisees "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition." (Mark 7:8-9)
Job was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1) but God still said to Him later on "Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?" (Job 40:8)
Search the scriptures and lexicons and find the truth. Once you find it what will you do with it?
Instead of "obeying everything Jesus has commanded" we "wait on God" for Him to reveal a "special calling." But why would He reveal anything "special" to us if we won't even obey the commands He has clearly laid out in scripture? They are things all of His children are supposed to do!
Nowhere in scripture are God's children preached to. The gospel was preached to the lost but the saved were taught and discipled! Teaching that resulted in obedience not telling that resulted in information held as trivial.
God's ekklesia, His assembly, are His people not a place, not a church building. In the New Testament there is no such thing as a place, an institution, an organization that God's people attend as spectators!
The Greek word translated minister means servant not leader!
There is no hired professional man of God in the New Testament. "For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus" (1 Timothy 2:5). All of His children are to be His obedient servants and disciples. There are no titles, special names, given to set someone apart from the rest regardless of if they obey God or actually lead anyone. No one was called Pastor Paul, Reverend Peter, Minister John, or Priest James.
What did the writers of the New Testament call themselves if they did not use the titles we have today?
- Paul, a bond-slave of Christ Jesus, called as an apostle (delegate) (Romans 1:1)
- James, a bond-slave of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ (James 1:1)
- Simon Peter, a bond-slave and apostle of Jesus Christ (2 Peter 1:1)
- Jude, a bond-slave of Jesus Christ (Jude 1:1)
- The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show to His bond-slaves, the things which must soon take place; and He sent and communicated it by His angel to His bond-slave John (Revelation 1:1)
Jesus said to the Pharisees "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on to the traditions of men. You are experts at setting aside the commandment of God in order to keep your tradition." (Mark 7:8-9)
Job was "blameless, upright, fearing God and turning away from evil" (Job 1:1) but God still said to Him later on "Would you declare me guilty so that you might be right?" (Job 40:8)
Search the scriptures and lexicons and find the truth. Once you find it what will you do with it?
Thursday, October 7, 2010
Life itself is Jesus
"For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. Christ is your life" (Colossians 3:3-4).
We think that being a Christian is a "life-style" or that Jesus is "a part of my life." Our idea of "the Christian life" is short sighted. The Christian life is Christ! We were spiritually dead until Jesus gives us HIS eternal life!
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by trust in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
"Life itself was in Jesus" (John 1:4).
"This is eternal life, that they may know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent" (John 17:3).
Jesus Himself is Life. Without Him our spirit is dead. It is dead in the sense that we can do nothing to bring them to life, just as a dead man can't rise out of the grave by his own choice. When the Father draws us to Jesus and we trust Him the life of Jesus is given to us forever.
"When we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him. Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:3-4).
"Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your trust in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Even though you were dead in your sins .. he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your sins" (Colossians 2:12-13).
"If Christ is in you .. the spirit is alive because of righteousness" (Romans 8:10).
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and THE LIFE" (John 14:6).
If Jesus is anything less to you than The Way, The Truth, & The Life you have the wrong perception of God or have lost sight of His love. Following Christ is not a lifestyle, it is life, His life living in and through His people.
We think that being a Christian is a "life-style" or that Jesus is "a part of my life." Our idea of "the Christian life" is short sighted. The Christian life is Christ! We were spiritually dead until Jesus gives us HIS eternal life!
"I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by trust in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20).
"Life itself was in Jesus" (John 1:4).
"This is eternal life, that they may know the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom He has sent" (John 17:3).
Jesus Himself is Life. Without Him our spirit is dead. It is dead in the sense that we can do nothing to bring them to life, just as a dead man can't rise out of the grave by his own choice. When the Father draws us to Jesus and we trust Him the life of Jesus is given to us forever.
"When we became Christians and were baptized to become one with Christ Jesus, we died with him. Therefore we have been buried with him through baptism into death, in order that just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too may live a new life" (Romans 6:3-4).
"Having been buried with him in baptism, you also have been raised with him through your trust in the power of God who raised him from the dead. Even though you were dead in your sins .. he nevertheless made you alive with him, having forgiven all your sins" (Colossians 2:12-13).
"If Christ is in you .. the spirit is alive because of righteousness" (Romans 8:10).
Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and THE LIFE" (John 14:6).
If Jesus is anything less to you than The Way, The Truth, & The Life you have the wrong perception of God or have lost sight of His love. Following Christ is not a lifestyle, it is life, His life living in and through His people.
Renewing the mind
"Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, so that you may prove what the will of God is, that which is good and acceptable and perfect." (Romans 12:2)
The result of your mind renewal is being able to prove what God's will is. This proving is done by experiential examination of who God is, in other words it is done in a relationship with God.
"You were taught with reference to your former way of life to lay aside the old man who is being corrupted in accordance with deceitful desires, to be renewed in the spirit of your mind, and to put on the new man who has been created in God’s image – in righteousness and holiness that comes from truth. Therefore, having laid aside falsehood, each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members of one another." (Ephesians 4:22-25)
Once the old man/falsehood is laid aside we are to "speak the truth with our neighbors." This means that I learn of & submit to Christ so He can renew my mind in order to have me help renew the mind of someone else.
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
Discipling
This post is from me discipling my wife over Facebook chat, first I am helping her in her trial and then I explain how helping and teaching her is "discipling." It has been revised 11/2/11.
We rejoice in the hope of God’s glory. Not only this, but we also rejoice in sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance, character, and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:2-5)
"We rejoice in the hope of God's glory" so the hope that is produced in trials is the hope of God's glory. The hope isn't only for ourselves, though it does benefit us, it is for God to have glory brought to Him, still God shares His glory with us. God pours His love out in our hearts through the Holy Spirit!
We love God not only because He deserves it but because He knows that it is the most beneficial thing for us to do. And because He is love everything we need is found IN Him.
Because Jesus himself suffered when he was tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted. (Hebrews 12:18)
Our trials most often bring temptations because our impurities (faults) are brought to the surface. God sends us trials but does not tempt us. This means that He intends for us to get help from Him concerning the temptations that come from the trials.
During the days of Jesus’ life on earth, he offered up prayers and supplications with loud cries and tears to the one who could save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverent submission. So even though Jesus was God’s Son, he learned obedience from the things he suffered. (Hebrews 5:7-8)
I believe this mystery of Jesus learning obedience means that He learned it by experience. This, what He asks us to do, He did also. It is not as if the all knowing God needed to do this to learn but He did it for our sake and for His greater glory. God not only has the wisdom and knowledge to help us but also the experience. His experience is the example He set for us as Jesus Christ being an obedient disciple and Son of His Father. He also has thousands of years of experience in making His people into His likeness. This gives us no room for doubting Him! He not only told us but He also showed us! He lived and died for us so we would live and die for Him and know precisely how to do so!
This is what it means to disciple. I see YOUR need. I go to HIM. HIS Spirit teaches me what to teach YOU.
I hold one hand out to God and the other hand out to you so I can take and pass along whatever He gives me. This is just like the multiplying of the loaves and the bread is Him. Jesus is the bread of life.
God isn't just MY supply as often thought. If I submit to Him, & thus follow Him, He will give me enough to give to others. I stand between Him and them not as an authority (a minister as often thought of) but as a servant (the true meaning of the word translated minister). The purpose of me being in Him is so that HE may show up in THEM! Doing this makes me selfless and satisfied because I have HIS righteousness and am ready for HIS living water (Spirit) to flow through me so that others may drink of HIM. The only other option is to be selfish and supply-less, no benefit to myself or others and of course not to God.
So then, what is YOUR need? GOD is always your need and He is the sole giver of all good things. Discipling then is God giving Himself to me. Me giving myself to God, which is submission (trusting Him enough to choose to follow Him as I know Him and He reveals Himself to me). Then God gives Himself to You through me. This results in you giving yourself to God to have Him give Himself to another through you and the process continues on & on from there. This very thing is what Jesus meant when He commanded us to MAKE DISCIPLES. "Teach them to keep all the commands I have given you" (Matthew 28:20). And this includes the command to love others as He has loved you. His love for you causes the keeping because you are walking with Him in a relationship aware of His desires as He reveals them to you.
Thursday, August 26, 2010
Trusting and Faithful
The Greek word pistos is a word that is translated into English as faithful, trustworthy, or believer. Pistos is similar to the verb pisteuo which means “to consider something to be true and therefore worthy of one’s trust, to believe.” Faith does mean belief and trust. Today someone who is a believer isn't always thought to be faithful or trustworthy. By use of this word (pistos) God defines what we translate as "a believer" one in the same as someone who is faithful or trustworthy.
"He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
The word pistos is an adjective. An adjective is a word that expresses an attribute of something. The words faithful & trustworthy are adjectives while the word believer is a noun.
One definition of pistos is used "of someone proven to be reliable and trustworthy in and by the execution of a given action." So someone who is faithful has not only confessed their faith in Jesus, but their life is also characterized as “faithful” to what God has declared.
I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Those who are faithful do place their faith in Christ but they are more than simply "believers." A believer trusts and has faith in what they believe is true. While a faithful person not only has trust and faith in what they believe is true but is also trustworthy and faithful to live by their beliefs. “Faithfulness” is a near synonym for “obedience.” The faithful accept God's truth and live in accordance with His commands (Want to know what God's will is? His commands are His will). Faithfulness to God is wrapped up in doing what He commands—that which pleases Him.
In 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 1:18 this same word (pistos) is used to declare that "God is faithful." As God makes us into His own character we become more and more faithful just as He is faithful.
"Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who calls you, is faithful and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
In closing we return to the verb pisteuo which again means "to believe, to trust, to have faith in." We return because this word is sometimes translated as the noun believer(s) also. When translated as believer(s) it should instead say "those who believe" or "those who trust." This may seem small but is worthy of note that scripture does not use a noun that means "believer." We have a verb, pisteuo, which focuses on the action of faith, trust, or belief. We have an adjective, pistos, which is used to describe someone who as trustworthy or faithful.
God does not use the word believer for His children. God says His children believe, trust, & have faith in Him. God calls those same children faithful and trustworthy because of their obedience to Him. Why is this significant? Because in terms of faith God does not give us a name to rest in (believer). Instead God wants us to actively have faith and for our character to be described as faithful. Our faith/belief/trust is not determined by a name we call ourselves but by our character that results from obeying Christ's commands. Truly faith without works is dead.
-
-
-
"He is Lord of lords and King of kings, and those who are with Him are the called and chosen and faithful." (Revelation 17:14)
The word pistos is an adjective. An adjective is a word that expresses an attribute of something. The words faithful & trustworthy are adjectives while the word believer is a noun.
One definition of pistos is used "of someone proven to be reliable and trustworthy in and by the execution of a given action." So someone who is faithful has not only confessed their faith in Jesus, but their life is also characterized as “faithful” to what God has declared.
I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Those who are faithful do place their faith in Christ but they are more than simply "believers." A believer trusts and has faith in what they believe is true. While a faithful person not only has trust and faith in what they believe is true but is also trustworthy and faithful to live by their beliefs. “Faithfulness” is a near synonym for “obedience.” The faithful accept God's truth and live in accordance with His commands (Want to know what God's will is? His commands are His will). Faithfulness to God is wrapped up in doing what He commands—that which pleases Him.
In 1 Corinthians 1:9 & 2 Corinthians 1:18 this same word (pistos) is used to declare that "God is faithful." As God makes us into His own character we become more and more faithful just as He is faithful.
"Now may the God of peace himself make you completely holy and may your spirit and soul and body be kept entirely blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. God, who calls you, is faithful and He also will bring it to pass." (1 Thessalonians 5:23-24)
In closing we return to the verb pisteuo which again means "to believe, to trust, to have faith in." We return because this word is sometimes translated as the noun believer(s) also. When translated as believer(s) it should instead say "those who believe" or "those who trust." This may seem small but is worthy of note that scripture does not use a noun that means "believer." We have a verb, pisteuo, which focuses on the action of faith, trust, or belief. We have an adjective, pistos, which is used to describe someone who as trustworthy or faithful.
God does not use the word believer for His children. God says His children believe, trust, & have faith in Him. God calls those same children faithful and trustworthy because of their obedience to Him. Why is this significant? Because in terms of faith God does not give us a name to rest in (believer). Instead God wants us to actively have faith and for our character to be described as faithful. Our faith/belief/trust is not determined by a name we call ourselves but by our character that results from obeying Christ's commands. Truly faith without works is dead.
-
-
-
Detailed Grammatical Description
Greek adjectives can be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. The word believer is always a noun but the word faithful can be an adjective or a noun. I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Yes the faithful are "those who believe", "those who have faith," that meaning is inclusive within faithful. Believer is not a title or name God has given us. Faithful (one who has faith or one who is trustworthy) is the proper meaning of pistos & can be used with clarity as it's translation in all cases.
Greek verbs in the participle mood can also be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. An example would be if the Greek verb pisteuo, meaning trust or believe, were in the participle mood it would mean "one who believes/trusts" or "those who believe/trust." This is why some Greek verbs are translated into English nouns. The problem with translating the Greek verbs as English nouns is that the verbs denote action & have a tense and a voice. [The voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), the recipient of the action (passive voice), or ther performer and receiver of the action (middle voice)].
Let us take the English word driver, referring to one who drives a vehicle, as an example. As a noun driver is a name or a title. A person who is employed as a truck driver doesn't have to be driving a truck right now to be called a driver. If we use the verb drive as a participle meaning "one who drives" it can refer to a driver but the focus is on the action of driving. The tense indicates when the action of driving occurs. The tense could refer to the "one who drove" (past tense) or the "one who drives" (present tense), etc.
When the word believer is used as a title or name (a pure noun as it would appear to those reading the bible) one doesn't have to be presently believing or trusting to be identified. When the word believe/trust is in the participle mood & present tense it refers to "one who believes/trusts." In this case the one who believes/trusts is identified by present belief/trust and not by the name or title of "believer." The Greek verb pisteuo (believe/trust) is translated as believer(s) 4 times in many translations (Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:10) in every case the verb's mood is participle.
Greek adjectives can be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. The word believer is always a noun but the word faithful can be an adjective or a noun. I have found that the word faithful can be used to replace the word believer in the contexts of pistos being used but believer cannot replace the word faithful. Yes the faithful are "those who believe", "those who have faith," that meaning is inclusive within faithful. Believer is not a title or name God has given us. Faithful (one who has faith or one who is trustworthy) is the proper meaning of pistos & can be used with clarity as it's translation in all cases.
Greek verbs in the participle mood can also be substantive, meaning they they can function as a noun. An example would be if the Greek verb pisteuo, meaning trust or believe, were in the participle mood it would mean "one who believes/trusts" or "those who believe/trust." This is why some Greek verbs are translated into English nouns. The problem with translating the Greek verbs as English nouns is that the verbs denote action & have a tense and a voice. [The voice indicates whether the subject is the performer of the action of the verb (active voice), the recipient of the action (passive voice), or ther performer and receiver of the action (middle voice)].
Let us take the English word driver, referring to one who drives a vehicle, as an example. As a noun driver is a name or a title. A person who is employed as a truck driver doesn't have to be driving a truck right now to be called a driver. If we use the verb drive as a participle meaning "one who drives" it can refer to a driver but the focus is on the action of driving. The tense indicates when the action of driving occurs. The tense could refer to the "one who drove" (past tense) or the "one who drives" (present tense), etc.
When the word believer is used as a title or name (a pure noun as it would appear to those reading the bible) one doesn't have to be presently believing or trusting to be identified. When the word believe/trust is in the participle mood & present tense it refers to "one who believes/trusts." In this case the one who believes/trusts is identified by present belief/trust and not by the name or title of "believer." The Greek verb pisteuo (believe/trust) is translated as believer(s) 4 times in many translations (Acts 4:32, Acts 5:14, 1 Thessalonians 1:7, 1 Thessalonians 2:10) in every case the verb's mood is participle.
Monday, August 23, 2010
The Letter of the Law, The Life of Love -1 Peter 2:11-17
Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, and maintain good conduct among the unbelieving, so that though they now speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears. Be subject to every human creation for the Lord’s sake, whether to a king as being superior or to governors as those he commissions to punish evildoers and praise those who do good. For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good. Live as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the family of God, fear God, honor the king. (1 Peter 2:11-17)
Misleading Translations
Verse 13 is often translated as "Be subject to every human institution" or "every ordinance of man" the word translated as institution or ordinance is the Greek word "ktisis" which is used literally to refer to creation. An example is Matthew 10:6 "But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female." This is always the translation elsewhere in scripture. The word ktisis is modified by the Greek adjective "anthropinos" which means of man, man's, or human (as an adjective). So the scripture is telling us to "Be subject to every human creation for the Lord’s sake." Nowhere does ktisis refer to an ordinance, decree, or law. Neither does ktisis refer to an institution such as an organization, system, or building.
What is a "Human Creation"?
I believe the context explains what a "human creation" is. It does this by giving two examples "whether to the king.. or to governors." Kings and governors are the creation of man. The human creations that are being referred to are the positions of kings, presidents, emperors, governors, police officers, judges, and the like. They are those who have the ability to punish evildoers. Those who claim authority by giving themselves a title of authority yet have no actual dominion (unlike a king who has a kingdom) are not to be considered authority.
Relational Intent
Kings and governors are persons. This is relational. We are to be subject to actual people. The mindset is always to be that of love. Love fulfills God's law and fulfilling the law is summarized in "love does no wrong to one's neighbor" (Romans 13:10). This isn't telling you to be in fear of breaking a law. It is about honoring & being subject to actual people where other actual people may see our good deeds and glorify God.
"Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, and maintain good conduct among the unbelieving, so that though they now speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears" (1 Peter 2:11-12). "For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good" (1 Peter 2:15).
Should we observe the laws of the land in front of others? Yes.
Would running a stop sign when no one is around be a sin? No, if we believe that then we believe that unsaved men can, with their own pen, create law that is bound in heaven without God's input.
Would it be better to maintain a habit of obeying the law of the land so we may be more disciplined in the presence of others (such as stopping at the stop sign when no one is around)? Yes.
Subjection
Subjection is the same as submission, it is a willful act that uses discretion. The word obey was not used here. The scriptures also say to "submit to one another" (Ephesians 5:21). This does not mean we obey everyone as master but that we, while using discretion & out of love, "do what is good for the building up of others" (Romans 15:2). If subjection is interpreted as total obedience I would have to obey everything someone would tell me right or wrong. God did not command that, He was wise in choosing His words.
Love
The entire point of subjection is love for others & for God. We love others by doing good, following God, and not doing harm physically, mentally, or spiritually (emotional harm is often related to taking an offense which sometimes cannot be avoided but ultimately we should try not to harm others at all).
"Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). God's law is about loving God and loving others thus it is beneficial to all involved. Arbitrary rules given by men, even those in authority, are not laws from God. Jesus did not observe the rules that the Pharisees tacked onto God's law despite the fact that those who wrote those extra rules had authority among the people.
Most would commentate on this passage in 2 Peter saying "obey the laws of the land unless they conflict with God's laws." Adding laws that God did not command, I believe conflicts with God's law. "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy" (James 4:12).
Submission and love must meet. The reason I would obey laws of the land should not be because "United States law states.." but because "God's law states, Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Most obey laws out of fear but children of God should obey them out of love, a consideration of others. As in the case of all actions think to yourself "How will what I do affect others? Will it be beneficial? Will it be detrimental?" 1 John 4:18 states "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment." If our motivation as children of God for obeying a law is fear of getting caught or punished our motivation is void of love. May God give us His vision that we may see through our selfishness and have us show "love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere trust" (1 Timothy 1:5).
Summary
1 Peter 2:16-17 provides an excellent summary of verses 11-15.
"Live as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the family of God, fear God, honor the king."
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other" (1 John 4:10-11)"
Related Posts
Judges in the Assembly Part 1: Why Romans 13 is not about Secular Government
Judges in the Assembly Part 2
Misleading Translations
Verse 13 is often translated as "Be subject to every human institution" or "every ordinance of man" the word translated as institution or ordinance is the Greek word "ktisis" which is used literally to refer to creation. An example is Matthew 10:6 "But from the beginning of creation he made them male and female." This is always the translation elsewhere in scripture. The word ktisis is modified by the Greek adjective "anthropinos" which means of man, man's, or human (as an adjective). So the scripture is telling us to "Be subject to every human creation for the Lord’s sake." Nowhere does ktisis refer to an ordinance, decree, or law. Neither does ktisis refer to an institution such as an organization, system, or building.
What is a "Human Creation"?
I believe the context explains what a "human creation" is. It does this by giving two examples "whether to the king.. or to governors." Kings and governors are the creation of man. The human creations that are being referred to are the positions of kings, presidents, emperors, governors, police officers, judges, and the like. They are those who have the ability to punish evildoers. Those who claim authority by giving themselves a title of authority yet have no actual dominion (unlike a king who has a kingdom) are not to be considered authority.
Relational Intent
Kings and governors are persons. This is relational. We are to be subject to actual people. The mindset is always to be that of love. Love fulfills God's law and fulfilling the law is summarized in "love does no wrong to one's neighbor" (Romans 13:10). This isn't telling you to be in fear of breaking a law. It is about honoring & being subject to actual people where other actual people may see our good deeds and glorify God.
"Dear friends, I urge you as foreigners and exiles to keep away from fleshly desires that do battle against the soul, and maintain good conduct among the unbelieving, so that though they now speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God when he appears" (1 Peter 2:11-12). "For God wants you to silence the ignorance of foolish people by doing good" (1 Peter 2:15).
Should we observe the laws of the land in front of others? Yes.
Would running a stop sign when no one is around be a sin? No, if we believe that then we believe that unsaved men can, with their own pen, create law that is bound in heaven without God's input.
Would it be better to maintain a habit of obeying the law of the land so we may be more disciplined in the presence of others (such as stopping at the stop sign when no one is around)? Yes.
Subjection
Subjection is the same as submission, it is a willful act that uses discretion. The word obey was not used here. The scriptures also say to "submit to one another" (Ephesians 5:21). This does not mean we obey everyone as master but that we, while using discretion & out of love, "do what is good for the building up of others" (Romans 15:2). If subjection is interpreted as total obedience I would have to obey everything someone would tell me right or wrong. God did not command that, He was wise in choosing His words.
Love
The entire point of subjection is love for others & for God. We love others by doing good, following God, and not doing harm physically, mentally, or spiritually (emotional harm is often related to taking an offense which sometimes cannot be avoided but ultimately we should try not to harm others at all).
"Love does no wrong to a neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfilling of the law" (Romans 13:10). God's law is about loving God and loving others thus it is beneficial to all involved. Arbitrary rules given by men, even those in authority, are not laws from God. Jesus did not observe the rules that the Pharisees tacked onto God's law despite the fact that those who wrote those extra rules had authority among the people.
Most would commentate on this passage in 2 Peter saying "obey the laws of the land unless they conflict with God's laws." Adding laws that God did not command, I believe conflicts with God's law. "There is only one Lawgiver and Judge, the one who is able to save and to destroy" (James 4:12).
Submission and love must meet. The reason I would obey laws of the land should not be because "United States law states.." but because "God's law states, Love your neighbor as yourself" (Leviticus 19:18). Most obey laws out of fear but children of God should obey them out of love, a consideration of others. As in the case of all actions think to yourself "How will what I do affect others? Will it be beneficial? Will it be detrimental?" 1 John 4:18 states "There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves punishment." If our motivation as children of God for obeying a law is fear of getting caught or punished our motivation is void of love. May God give us His vision that we may see through our selfishness and have us show "love that comes from a pure heart, a good conscience, and a sincere trust" (1 Timothy 1:5).
Summary
1 Peter 2:16-17 provides an excellent summary of verses 11-15.
"Live as free men, and do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God. Honor all people, love the family of God, fear God, honor the king."
"Live as free men" denotes willful submission.
"Do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God" speaks to the motivation of your submission which is to be love for God.
"Honor all people, love the family of God, .. honor the king." To honor is to give value to, don't count anyone as unworthy of love and consideration but "Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).
We must fear God, but we are not required to fear the king. The king is below God. In terms of honor we should honor the king, but no more than we would honor any one else. I think Peter wrote "honor the king" because people would not be inclined to thinking of honoring the king when reading "honor all people."
"Fear God" points back to the point of what you are doing is "for the Lord’s sake." "We love because God loved us first" (1 John 4:19).
"Do not use your freedom as a covering for evil, but use it as bondslaves of God" speaks to the motivation of your submission which is to be love for God.
"Honor all people, love the family of God, .. honor the king." To honor is to give value to, don't count anyone as unworthy of love and consideration but "Owe no one anything, except to love one another, for the one who loves his neighbor has fulfilled the law" (Romans 13:8).
We must fear God, but we are not required to fear the king. The king is below God. In terms of honor we should honor the king, but no more than we would honor any one else. I think Peter wrote "honor the king" because people would not be inclined to thinking of honoring the king when reading "honor all people."
"Fear God" points back to the point of what you are doing is "for the Lord’s sake." "We love because God loved us first" (1 John 4:19).
"This is love: not that we loved God, but that he loved us and sent his Son as an atoning sacrifice for our sins. Dear friends, since God loved us that much, we surely ought to love each other" (1 John 4:10-11)"
Related Posts
Judges in the Assembly Part 1: Why Romans 13 is not about Secular Government
Judges in the Assembly Part 2
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)