This is no unusual occurrence; it is the general rule of the moral universe that those men prosper who do their work with all their hearts, while those are almost certain to fail who go to their labour leaving half their hearts behind them. God does not give harvests to idle men, except harvests of thistles, nor is he pleased to send wealth to those who will not dig in the field to find its hid treasure.
It is universally confessed that if a man would prosper, he must be diligent in business. It is the same in religion as it is in other things. If you would prosper in your work for Jesus, let it be heart work, and let it be done with all your heart.
- Charles Spurgeon, Morning and Evening
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving." - Colossians 3:23-24 (NIV)
Showing posts with label Theological Musings. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Theological Musings. Show all posts
Thursday, 4 August 2011
Monday, 25 July 2011
O Church Arise
"...one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." - John 19:34 (NIV)
The piercing of Jesus confirmed that Jesus was indeed dead (and hence that the Mosaic covenant was broken) as He hung on the cross. Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the cross and broke the curse of the law by dying (and being raised to life).
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."" - Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." - Romans 7:4 (NIV)
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." - 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NIV)
More than that, the piercing of Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.
"These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."" - John 19:36-37 (NIV)
One might even say that Jesus' death (and resurrection) gave birth to the church.
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24 (NIV)
The piercing of Jesus, which confirmed His death, brings us new and eternal life.
"...one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." - John 19:34 (NIV)
"This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." - 1 John 5:6-8 (NIV)
"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." - Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
First and Last Adam
Eve was born out of Adam's flesh and became one flesh with Adam in the first Eden.
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
- Genesis 2:21-24 (NIV)
Likewise, the church was born out of Christ's death (and resurrection) and will become one flesh with Christ in the new Eden.
""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:31-32 (NIV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
When Adam awoke from his deep sleep (a kind of death), he was united with his wife.
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." - Song of Songs 8:4 (NIV)
When Christ was raised from the dead, He established a new covenant with His bride and (like a Jewish groom) returned to His Father's house to prepare a place for her.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." - John 14:1-4 (NIV)
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." - Romans 6:4-7 (NIV)
When we are raised from the dead, we will be united with Christtill death us do part for eternity.
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (NIV)
The piercing of Jesus confirmed that Jesus was indeed dead (and hence that the Mosaic covenant was broken) as He hung on the cross. Jesus became a curse for us by hanging on the cross and broke the curse of the law by dying (and being raised to life).
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."" - Galatians 3:13 (NIV)
"So, my brothers, you also died to the law through the body of Christ, that you might belong to another, to him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit to God." - Romans 7:4 (NIV)
"And if Christ has not been raised, your faith is futile; you are still in your sins." - 1 Corinthians 15:17 (NIV)
More than that, the piercing of Jesus fulfilled Old Testament prophecies.
"These things happened so that the scripture would be fulfilled: "Not one of his bones will be broken," and, as another scripture says, "They will look on the one they have pierced."" - John 19:36-37 (NIV)
One might even say that Jesus' death (and resurrection) gave birth to the church.
"I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds." - John 12:24 (NIV)
The piercing of Jesus, which confirmed His death, brings us new and eternal life.
"...one of the soldiers pierced Jesus' side with a spear, bringing a sudden flow of blood and water." - John 19:34 (NIV)
"This is the one who came by water and blood - Jesus Christ. He did not come by water only, but by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is the truth. For there are three that testify: the Spirit, the water and the blood; and the three are in agreement." - 1 John 5:6-8 (NIV)
"For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life." - Leviticus 17:11 (NIV)
First and Last Adam
Eve was born out of Adam's flesh and became one flesh with Adam in the first Eden.
So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.
The man said, "This is now bone of my bones and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called 'woman,' for she was taken out of man."
For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
- Genesis 2:21-24 (NIV)
Likewise, the church was born out of Christ's death (and resurrection) and will become one flesh with Christ in the new Eden.
""For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and the two will become one flesh." This is a profound mystery - but I am talking about Christ and the church." - Ephesians 5:31-32 (NIV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
When Adam awoke from his deep sleep (a kind of death), he was united with his wife.
"Daughters of Jerusalem, I charge you: Do not arouse or awaken love until it so desires." - Song of Songs 8:4 (NIV)
When Christ was raised from the dead, He established a new covenant with His bride and (like a Jewish groom) returned to His Father's house to prepare a place for her.
"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am. You know the way to the place where I am going." - John 14:1-4 (NIV)
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. If we have been united with him like this in his death, we will certainly also be united with him in his resurrection. For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin - because anyone who has died has been freed from sin." - Romans 6:4-7 (NIV)
When we are raised from the dead, we will be united with Christ
"Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep, but we will all be changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:51-54 (NIV)
Sunday, 10 July 2011
The Importance of Baptism
With or without words, baptismal immersion testifies to our identification with the crucified and risen Christ. With words, with the appropriate 'pledge of a clear conscience toward God' (1 Peter 3:21), produced by already existing saving faith, baptism includes a promise to follow Jesus all the days of our lives.
If and when doubts assail us as to whether we truly believed "way back when", we can point to the vows we recited at our baptism. If and when temptations come to turn our backs on Jesus, others have the right and responsibility to ask us, "Are you a person of your word? Are you a promise keeper? You made a sacred oath; are you the kind of person that can be trusted even when the hard times come to be faithful to your covenants?"
- Craig Blomberg, Baptism's No Big Deal, Is It?
From Caleb's blog.
If and when doubts assail us as to whether we truly believed "way back when", we can point to the vows we recited at our baptism. If and when temptations come to turn our backs on Jesus, others have the right and responsibility to ask us, "Are you a person of your word? Are you a promise keeper? You made a sacred oath; are you the kind of person that can be trusted even when the hard times come to be faithful to your covenants?"
- Craig Blomberg, Baptism's No Big Deal, Is It?
From Caleb's blog.
Friday, 24 June 2011
Sunday, 15 May 2011
A Higher Freedom
Since God by His very nature (love) cannot force anyone to love Him, it would be highly improper to think of a heaven where people were forced to be there. First there must be courtship, and then two can be bound together for life. God had to give us lower freedom (freedom to do evil) in order to achieve a higher freedom for us (freedom from evil).
To carry the analogy further, we are bound by our marriage vows to one and only one person, but we freely chose this state. We are not free to have intimate sexual relations with others (which would be sin), but we chose to be in this state. No one forced us there. Likewise, without a prior state of the freedom to sin we could not properly and satisfactorily reach the higher state of the freedom from sin.
So lower-level freedom (in this world) involves the freedom to sin - the power of contrary choice. In heaven, we trade in this lower freedom for a higher freedom, the way one who is dating trades in the ability to choose many life-partners for the joy and fulfillment of having only one - the one to which we are bound in love (by our free choice) until death.
It would be wrong to claim that we are not free in marriage simply because we should not date or mate with anyone else. Our freedom was expressed at the marriage ceremony when we freely promised to "forsake all others" and cling only to our spouse. Thus we did not really lose true freedom in marriage; rather, we gained a higher freedom that is fulfilled in the bonds of marriage, which we freely chose.
In like manner, when we pass through the veil between this life and the next one, we do not really lose freedom but gain a higher freedom. True, we no longer are free to sin, but that is hardly a loss; rather it is a great gain. To be sure, we no longer have the lower-level freedom to do evil; it is replaced by a higher freedom from all evil.
As to why God could not make this ultimate condition of being freed from all sin up front: Heaven is the end, and earth is the means. One cannot get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. Earth is the testing ground; heaven is our final home. We cannot reach home without the proving grounds.
Allowing the choice of good or evil is necessary in achieving the highest good. Again, the highest freedom is from sin (heaven), not of sin (on earth). One is not fit for the freedom from sin unless he has exercised the freedom to sin, for unless he has had the choice of good over evil, he is not ready for a place where good dominates and evil is defeated. Our initial freedom is designed to lead to the ultimate freedom.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
Link: If God, Why Evil? (14 May 11)
To carry the analogy further, we are bound by our marriage vows to one and only one person, but we freely chose this state. We are not free to have intimate sexual relations with others (which would be sin), but we chose to be in this state. No one forced us there. Likewise, without a prior state of the freedom to sin we could not properly and satisfactorily reach the higher state of the freedom from sin.
So lower-level freedom (in this world) involves the freedom to sin - the power of contrary choice. In heaven, we trade in this lower freedom for a higher freedom, the way one who is dating trades in the ability to choose many life-partners for the joy and fulfillment of having only one - the one to which we are bound in love (by our free choice) until death.
It would be wrong to claim that we are not free in marriage simply because we should not date or mate with anyone else. Our freedom was expressed at the marriage ceremony when we freely promised to "forsake all others" and cling only to our spouse. Thus we did not really lose true freedom in marriage; rather, we gained a higher freedom that is fulfilled in the bonds of marriage, which we freely chose.
In like manner, when we pass through the veil between this life and the next one, we do not really lose freedom but gain a higher freedom. True, we no longer are free to sin, but that is hardly a loss; rather it is a great gain. To be sure, we no longer have the lower-level freedom to do evil; it is replaced by a higher freedom from all evil.
As to why God could not make this ultimate condition of being freed from all sin up front: Heaven is the end, and earth is the means. One cannot get to the Promised Land without going through the wilderness. Earth is the testing ground; heaven is our final home. We cannot reach home without the proving grounds.
Allowing the choice of good or evil is necessary in achieving the highest good. Again, the highest freedom is from sin (heaven), not of sin (on earth). One is not fit for the freedom from sin unless he has exercised the freedom to sin, for unless he has had the choice of good over evil, he is not ready for a place where good dominates and evil is defeated. Our initial freedom is designed to lead to the ultimate freedom.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
Link: If God, Why Evil? (14 May 11)
Saturday, 14 May 2011
If God, Why Evil?
I just picked up a copy of Norman Geisler's latest book (If God, Why Evil?) and read a few chapters today. Interestingly, Geisler seems to be a Molinist. At least, his solution to the problem of evil is a Molinist one. Even more interestingly, Geisler's work is endorsed by evangelicals such as Josh McDowell, Franklin Graham, Ron Rhodes, Gary Habermas, Paige Patterson (who also endorsed Salvation and Sovereignty: A Molinist Approach) and Philip Roberts. More Molinists?
A world of free creatures who never choose to sin is logically possible, for there is no logical contradiction in the basic premise. However, it may be that God in His infinite foreknowledge foresaw that no such world would actually materialise. That is, He knew in advance when He created this world that no such world as one with free creatures, all of whom would never sin, would actually come into being. In other words, He foresaw that every world of free creatures He could ever make would have some who would freely choose to sin.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
It is possible that God could not have created a universe containing moral good (or as much moral good as this world contains) without creating one that also contained moral evil. And if so, then it is possible that God has a good reason for creating a world containing evil.
- Alvin Plantinga, The Free Will Defence
The nature of an all-good God assures us that this world, which He did create, is the best one achievable without violating anyone's free will. As has been shown, no other world is morally superior to this one in which all moral agents are free, where sin is permitted, where sin is defeated, and where the greater virtues are attained by the maximum number of people. All other worlds are not moral, not possible, not achievable with free creatures, and/or morally inferior. This present world is not the best of all possible worlds, but it is the best of all possible ways to the best of all achievable worlds.
So if God knew this world would be as evil as it is, then why did He choose to make it? Because He is the best of all beings possible and, as such, He must produce the best of all worlds actually possible (if He is going to create). Permitting this evil world is the best of all possible ways to produce the best of all possible worlds.
Our own societies are an illustration of this point. We permit cars, boats, and airplanes knowing there will be accidents and deaths. Nonetheless, we deem that the end of human freedom, mobility, and happiness justifies permitting (though discouraging) the evils we know will sometimes happen. God does the same with His world.
As for the objection that God is employing an illegitimate "end justifies the means" ethic, we note a crucial difference. God is not producing or promoting evil means to attain a good end. He is permitting them. A good parent permits a possible accident every time he permits his teenager to drive the family car; however, he is not promoting it. Likewise, no reasonable person beats his head on a wall because it feels so good when he stops; however, one does permit the pain of the dentist chair in order to produce the good results. God allows evil to produce the greater good.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
Link: A Higher Freedom (15 May 11)
A world of free creatures who never choose to sin is logically possible, for there is no logical contradiction in the basic premise. However, it may be that God in His infinite foreknowledge foresaw that no such world would actually materialise. That is, He knew in advance when He created this world that no such world as one with free creatures, all of whom would never sin, would actually come into being. In other words, He foresaw that every world of free creatures He could ever make would have some who would freely choose to sin.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
It is possible that God could not have created a universe containing moral good (or as much moral good as this world contains) without creating one that also contained moral evil. And if so, then it is possible that God has a good reason for creating a world containing evil.
- Alvin Plantinga, The Free Will Defence
The nature of an all-good God assures us that this world, which He did create, is the best one achievable without violating anyone's free will. As has been shown, no other world is morally superior to this one in which all moral agents are free, where sin is permitted, where sin is defeated, and where the greater virtues are attained by the maximum number of people. All other worlds are not moral, not possible, not achievable with free creatures, and/or morally inferior. This present world is not the best of all possible worlds, but it is the best of all possible ways to the best of all achievable worlds.
So if God knew this world would be as evil as it is, then why did He choose to make it? Because He is the best of all beings possible and, as such, He must produce the best of all worlds actually possible (if He is going to create). Permitting this evil world is the best of all possible ways to produce the best of all possible worlds.
Our own societies are an illustration of this point. We permit cars, boats, and airplanes knowing there will be accidents and deaths. Nonetheless, we deem that the end of human freedom, mobility, and happiness justifies permitting (though discouraging) the evils we know will sometimes happen. God does the same with His world.
As for the objection that God is employing an illegitimate "end justifies the means" ethic, we note a crucial difference. God is not producing or promoting evil means to attain a good end. He is permitting them. A good parent permits a possible accident every time he permits his teenager to drive the family car; however, he is not promoting it. Likewise, no reasonable person beats his head on a wall because it feels so good when he stops; however, one does permit the pain of the dentist chair in order to produce the good results. God allows evil to produce the greater good.
- Norman L. Geisler, If God, Why Evil?
"You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives." - Genesis 50:20 (NIV)
Link: A Higher Freedom (15 May 11)
Tuesday, 10 May 2011
Lessons from Job
"Naked I came from my mother's womb, and naked I will depart. The LORD gave and the LORD has taken away; may the name of the LORD be praised." - Job 1:21 (NIV)
"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." - Job 42:2 (NIV)
"I know that you can do all things; no plan of yours can be thwarted." - Job 42:2 (NIV)
Monday, 25 April 2011
Clothed with Christ
Yesterday's Easter Sunday message in church was based on Luke 15:19-24, the parable of the lost son.
On one level, the father's lavish grace towards his lost son is a picture of God's lavish grace towards His lost children (ie. us).
On another level, the older brother's anger at his father welcoming his younger brother home parallels the Pharisees' anger at Jesus 'welcom[ing] sinners and eat[ing] with them' (Luke 15:2, NIV).
On yet another level, the symbols used in the parable of the lost son allude to God's everlasting covenant (cf. Ezekiel 16). Notice how Ezekiel 16 ends:
"'So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:62 (NIV)
1. The father's servants bring the best robe, a ring and sandals for his lost son (cf. Ezekiel 16:9-10).
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate." - Luke 15:22-24 (NIV)
"'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.'" - Ezekiel 16:9-10 (NIV)
2. Abraham's servant gives Rebekah jewellery and clothing (cf. Ezekiel 16:11-14).
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
- Genesis 24:50-54 (NIV)
"'I adorned you with jewellery: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendour I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:11-14 (NIV)
3. Boaz covers Ruth with his garment (cf. Ezekiel 16:8).
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."
"The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character."
- Ruth 3:7-11 (NIV)
"'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.'" - Ezekiel 16:8 (NIV)
Again, notice how Ezekiel 16 ends:
"'So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:62 (NIV)
*****
On one level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to the wife of noble character.
On another level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to Ruth.
On yet another level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to the Church, the bride of Christ.
Do we bring Christ good, not harm, all the days of our lives? (v12)
Do we open our arms to the poor and extend our hands to the needy? (v20)
Do we speak with wisdom and instruct faithfully? (v26)
Do we watch over the affairs of our households and not eat the bread of idleness? (v27)
Above all, do we fear the LORD? (v30)
*****
4. The angel of the LORD - the LORD Himself - clothes Joshua with rich garments.
[In the Old Testament, "an" angel of the LORD refers to a messenger of the LORD, while "the" angel of the LORD refers to the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form).]
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"
Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes."
Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
- Zechariah 3:1-4 (NIV)
The angel of the LORD and the LORD are one and the same!
5. God clothes Adam and Eve with garments of skin.
"The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." - Genesis 3:21 (NIV)
6. God clothes us with garments of salvation.
"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." - Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)
Sounds familiar. Where have we heard this - a bride adorning herself with her jewels - before?
7. God clothes us with robes washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes - who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
- Revelation 7:13-14 (NIV)
New Creation, New Clothes
"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." - 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV)
"I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." - Revelation 21:2 (NIV)
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." - Revelation 22:14 (NIV)
Links: Crucified with Christ (22 Apr 11), Raised with Christ (24 Apr 11)
On one level, the father's lavish grace towards his lost son is a picture of God's lavish grace towards His lost children (ie. us).
On another level, the older brother's anger at his father welcoming his younger brother home parallels the Pharisees' anger at Jesus 'welcom[ing] sinners and eat[ing] with them' (Luke 15:2, NIV).
On yet another level, the symbols used in the parable of the lost son allude to God's everlasting covenant (cf. Ezekiel 16). Notice how Ezekiel 16 ends:
"'So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:62 (NIV)
1. The father's servants bring the best robe, a ring and sandals for his lost son (cf. Ezekiel 16:9-10).
"But the father said to his servants, 'Quick! Bring the best robe and put it on him. Put a ring on his finger and sandals on his feet. Bring the fattened calf and kill it. Let's have a feast and celebrate. For this son of mine was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found.' So they began to celebrate." - Luke 15:22-24 (NIV)
"'I bathed you with water and washed the blood from you and put ointments on you. I clothed you with an embroidered dress and put leather sandals on you. I dressed you in fine linen and covered you with costly garments.'" - Ezekiel 16:9-10 (NIV)
2. Abraham's servant gives Rebekah jewellery and clothing (cf. Ezekiel 16:11-14).
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
- Genesis 24:50-54 (NIV)
"'I adorned you with jewellery: I put bracelets on your arms and a necklace around your neck, and I put a ring on your nose, earrings on your ears and a beautiful crown on your head. So you were adorned with gold and silver; your clothes were of fine linen and costly fabric and embroidered cloth. Your food was fine flour, honey and olive oil. You became very beautiful and rose to be a queen. And your fame spread among the nations on account of your beauty, because the splendour I had given you made your beauty perfect, declares the Sovereign LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:11-14 (NIV)
3. Boaz covers Ruth with his garment (cf. Ezekiel 16:8).
When Boaz had finished eating and drinking and was in good spirits, he went over to lie down at the far end of the grain pile. Ruth approached quietly, uncovered his feet and lay down. In the middle of the night something startled the man, and he turned and discovered a woman lying at his feet.
"Who are you?" he asked.
"I am your servant Ruth," she said. "Spread the corner of your garment over me, since you are a kinsman-redeemer."
"The LORD bless you, my daughter," he replied. "This kindness is greater than that which you showed earlier: You have not run after the younger men, whether rich or poor. And now, my daughter, don't be afraid. I will do for you all you ask. All my fellow townsmen know that you are a woman of noble character."
- Ruth 3:7-11 (NIV)
"'Later I passed by, and when I looked at you and saw that you were old enough for love, I spread the corner of my garment over you and covered your nakedness. I gave you my solemn oath and entered into a covenant with you, declares the Sovereign LORD, and you became mine.'" - Ezekiel 16:8 (NIV)
Again, notice how Ezekiel 16 ends:
"'So I will establish my covenant with you, and you will know that I am the LORD.'" - Ezekiel 16:62 (NIV)
*****
On one level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to the wife of noble character.
On another level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to Ruth.
On yet another level, Proverbs 31:10-31 refers to the Church, the bride of Christ.
Do we bring Christ good, not harm, all the days of our lives? (v12)
Do we open our arms to the poor and extend our hands to the needy? (v20)
Do we speak with wisdom and instruct faithfully? (v26)
Do we watch over the affairs of our households and not eat the bread of idleness? (v27)
Above all, do we fear the LORD? (v30)
*****
4. The angel of the LORD - the LORD Himself - clothes Joshua with rich garments.
[In the Old Testament, "an" angel of the LORD refers to a messenger of the LORD, while "the" angel of the LORD refers to the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form).]
Then he showed me Joshua the high priest standing before the angel of the LORD, and Satan standing at his right side to accuse him. The LORD said to Satan, "The LORD rebuke you, Satan! The LORD, who has chosen Jerusalem, rebuke you! Is not this man a burning stick snatched from the fire?"
Now Joshua was dressed in filthy clothes as he stood before the angel. The angel said to those who were standing before him, "Take off his filthy clothes."
Then he said to Joshua, "See, I have taken away your sin, and I will put rich garments on you."
- Zechariah 3:1-4 (NIV)
The angel of the LORD and the LORD are one and the same!
5. God clothes Adam and Eve with garments of skin.
"The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them." - Genesis 3:21 (NIV)
6. God clothes us with garments of salvation.
"I delight greatly in the LORD; my soul rejoices in my God. For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels." - Isaiah 61:10 (NIV)
Sounds familiar. Where have we heard this - a bride adorning herself with her jewels - before?
7. God clothes us with robes washed in the blood of the Lamb.
Then one of the elders asked me, "These in white robes - who are they, and where did they come from?"
I answered, "Sir, you know."
And he said, "These are they who have come out of the great tribulation; they have washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb."
- Revelation 7:13-14 (NIV)
New Creation, New Clothes
"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life." - 2 Corinthians 5:4 (NIV)
"I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband." - Revelation 21:2 (NIV)
"Blessed are those who wash their robes, that they may have the right to the tree of life and may go through the gates into the city." - Revelation 22:14 (NIV)
Links: Crucified with Christ (22 Apr 11), Raised with Christ (24 Apr 11)
Sunday, 24 April 2011
Raised with Christ
See what a morning, gloriously bright
With the dawning of hope in Jerusalem
Folded the grave clothes, tomb filled with light
As the angels announce, "Christ is risen!"
See God's salvation plan
Wrought in love, borne in pain, paid in sacrifice
Fulfilled in Christ the Man
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead
See Mary weeping, "Where is He laid?"
As in sorrow she turns from the empty tomb
Hears a voice speaking, calling her name
It's the Master, the Lord raised to life again
The voice that spans the years
Speaking life, stirring hope, bringing peace to us
Will sound 'til He appears
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead
One with the Father, Ancient of Days
Through the Spirit who clothes faith with certainty
Honour and blessing, glory and praise
To the King crowned with power and authority
And we are raised with Him
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered
And we shall reign with Him
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead
And we are raised with Him
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered
And we shall reign with Him
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead
Dead to Sin, Alive in Christ
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." - Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
And we are raised with Him
Death is dead, love has won, Christ has conquered
And we shall reign with Him
For He lives, Christ is risen from the dead
Links: Crucified with Christ (22 Apr 11), Clothed with Christ (25 Apr 11)
Saturday, 23 April 2011
Digging Deeper into Genesis 22 (and 24)
Genesis 22 is an interesting chapter in the Bible. God tests Abraham by instructing him to sacrifice his son Isaac as a burnt offering.
About a year ago, I wrote a philosophy essay for one of my undergraduate modules (Theological Ethics) on whether God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son. In short, to deny that God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son not only denies the historicity of Genesis 22 - it also denies the historicity of other passages of Scripture which refer to Genesis 22, such as Hebrews 11:17-19 and James 2:21-23. Besides, the revelation of Abraham's Dilemma is that the LORD will provide.
Having said that, upon further reflection there is even more to Genesis 22. The father-son relationship between Abraham and Isaac typologises that of God the Father and Jesus the Son. The mountain which Isaac is supposed to be sacrificed on (in the region of Moriah) and the wood for the burnt offering foreshadows the mountain (Golgotha) and the cross which Jesus is actually crucified on. Even the two servants which accompany Abraham and Isaac from Beersheba to Moriah may serve as a symbolic foil to the 'two other men, both criminals, [who] were also led out with [Jesus] to be executed' (Luke 23:32, NIV).
The Angel of the LORD
Things get really interesting as Abraham is about to sacrifice his son.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
- Genesis 22:9-12 (NIV)
At first glance, it appears that God sent an angel to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. In fact, it was the angel of the LORD - the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form) - who called out to Abraham!
*****
In the Old Testament, "an" angel of the LORD refers to a messenger of the LORD, while "the" angel of the LORD refers to the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form).
In Exodus 3:2, the angel of the LORD appears to Moses in flames of fire from within a bush. 2 verses later, God calls to him from within the bush.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up."
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
- Exodus 3:1-4 (NIV)
Again, in Judges 6:12 the angel of the LORD appears to Gideon. 2 verses later, the LORD turns to him and speaks.
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
- Judges 6:11-14 (NIV)
*****
Back to Genesis 22.
"Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." - Genesis 22:12 (NIV)
Who could speak (and even swear!) on behalf of God but God Himself?
"The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." - Genesis 22:15-18 (NIV)
Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son because God would sacrifice His Son, once and for all. Indeed, the angel of the LORD - Jesus Himself would eventually be the (perfect) sacrifice!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NIV)
"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." - Hebrews 10:11-14 (NIV)
Isaac
Speaking of sitting down at the right hand of God (referring to Jesus' ascension to heaven 40 days after His resurrection), notice that there is no mention of Isaac after his "resurrection" in Genesis 22:12 until his "return" in Genesis 24:62.
"On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."" - Genesis 22:4-5 (NIV)
"Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba." - Genesis 22:19 (NIV)
"Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev." - Genesis 24:62 (NIV)
So Abraham comes down the mountain alone and returns to Beersheba with his servants, while Isaac (apparently) does not follow them but heads to Beer Lahai Roi. Again, there is no mention of Isaac until the time comes for him to meet his bride. Now this next bit simply blows my mind.
God's Love Story
[Isaac] went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.
Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
- Genesis 24:63-67 (NIV)
1. Like Isaac, Jesus disappears after His resurrection and reappears to meet His bride (who is chosen by His Father).
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." - Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)
2. Like Isaac, Jesus unveils His bride.
"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NIV)
3. Like Rebekah, the church is beautifully dressed for her husband.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
- Genesis 24:50-54 (NIV)
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
- Revelation 19:6-9 (NIV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
- Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
Clothed with Immortality
"For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NIV)
"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." - 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NIV)
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." - Revelation 22:17 (NIV)
About a year ago, I wrote a philosophy essay for one of my undergraduate modules (Theological Ethics) on whether God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son. In short, to deny that God could have commanded Abraham to kill his son not only denies the historicity of Genesis 22 - it also denies the historicity of other passages of Scripture which refer to Genesis 22, such as Hebrews 11:17-19 and James 2:21-23. Besides, the revelation of Abraham's Dilemma is that the LORD will provide.
Having said that, upon further reflection there is even more to Genesis 22. The father-son relationship between Abraham and Isaac typologises that of God the Father and Jesus the Son. The mountain which Isaac is supposed to be sacrificed on (in the region of Moriah) and the wood for the burnt offering foreshadows the mountain (Golgotha) and the cross which Jesus is actually crucified on. Even the two servants which accompany Abraham and Isaac from Beersheba to Moriah may serve as a symbolic foil to the 'two other men, both criminals, [who] were also led out with [Jesus] to be executed' (Luke 23:32, NIV).
The Angel of the LORD
Things get really interesting as Abraham is about to sacrifice his son.
When they reached the place God had told him about, Abraham built an altar there and arranged the wood on it. He bound his son Isaac and laid him on the altar, on top of the wood. Then he reached out his hand and took the knife to slay his son. But the angel of the LORD called out to him from heaven, "Abraham! Abraham!"
"Here I am," he replied.
"Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
- Genesis 22:9-12 (NIV)
At first glance, it appears that God sent an angel to stop Abraham from sacrificing his son. In fact, it was the angel of the LORD - the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form) - who called out to Abraham!
*****
In the Old Testament, "an" angel of the LORD refers to a messenger of the LORD, while "the" angel of the LORD refers to the LORD Himself (Jesus in His pre-incarnate form).
In Exodus 3:2, the angel of the LORD appears to Moses in flames of fire from within a bush. 2 verses later, God calls to him from within the bush.
Now Moses was tending the flock of Jethro his father-in-law, the priest of Midian, and he led the flock to the far side of the desert and came to Horeb, the mountain of God.
There the angel of the LORD appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.
So Moses thought, "I will go over and see this strange sight - why the bush does not burn up."
When the LORD saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, "Moses! Moses!"
And Moses said, "Here I am."
- Exodus 3:1-4 (NIV)
Again, in Judges 6:12 the angel of the LORD appears to Gideon. 2 verses later, the LORD turns to him and speaks.
The angel of the LORD came and sat down under the oak in Ophrah that belonged to Joash the Abiezrite, where his son Gideon was threshing wheat in a winepress to keep it from the Midianites.
When the angel of the LORD appeared to Gideon, he said, "The LORD is with you, mighty warrior."
"But sir," Gideon replied, "if the LORD is with us, why has all this happened to us? Where are all his wonders that our fathers told us about when they said, 'Did not the LORD bring us up out of Egypt?' But now the LORD has abandoned us and put us into the hand of Midian."
The LORD turned to him and said, "Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand. Am I not sending you?"
- Judges 6:11-14 (NIV)
*****
Back to Genesis 22.
"Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son." - Genesis 22:12 (NIV)
Who could speak (and even swear!) on behalf of God but God Himself?
"The angel of the LORD called to Abraham from heaven a second time and said, "I swear by myself, declares the LORD, that because you have done this and have not withheld your son, your only son, I will surely bless you and make your descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky and as the sand on the seashore. Your descendants will take possession of the cities of their enemies, and through your offspring all nations on earth will be blessed, because you have obeyed me." - Genesis 22:15-18 (NIV)
Abraham did not have to sacrifice his son because God would sacrifice His Son, once and for all. Indeed, the angel of the LORD - Jesus Himself would eventually be the (perfect) sacrifice!
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." - John 3:16 (NIV)
"Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God. Since that time he waits for his enemies to be made his footstool, because by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy." - Hebrews 10:11-14 (NIV)
Isaac
Speaking of sitting down at the right hand of God (referring to Jesus' ascension to heaven 40 days after His resurrection), notice that there is no mention of Isaac after his "resurrection" in Genesis 22:12 until his "return" in Genesis 24:62.
"On the third day Abraham looked up and saw the place in the distance. He said to his servants, "Stay here with the donkey while I and the boy go over there. We will worship and then we will come back to you."" - Genesis 22:4-5 (NIV)
"Then Abraham returned to his servants, and they set off together for Beersheba. And Abraham stayed in Beersheba." - Genesis 22:19 (NIV)
"Now Isaac had come from Beer Lahai Roi, for he was living in the Negev." - Genesis 24:62 (NIV)
So Abraham comes down the mountain alone and returns to Beersheba with his servants, while Isaac (apparently) does not follow them but heads to Beer Lahai Roi. Again, there is no mention of Isaac until the time comes for him to meet his bride. Now this next bit simply blows my mind.
God's Love Story
[Isaac] went out to the field one evening to meditate, and as he looked up, he saw camels approaching. Rebekah also looked up and saw Isaac. She got down from her camel and asked the servant, "Who is that man in the field coming to meet us?"
"He is my master," the servant answered. So she took her veil and covered herself.
Then the servant told Isaac all he had done.
Isaac brought her into the tent of his mother Sarah, and he married Rebekah. So she became his wife, and he loved her; and Isaac was comforted after his mother's death.
- Genesis 24:63-67 (NIV)
1. Like Isaac, Jesus disappears after His resurrection and reappears to meet His bride (who is chosen by His Father).
"This same Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come back in the same way you have seen him go into heaven." - Acts 1:11 (NIV)
"In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will." - Ephesians 1:11 (NIV)
"For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. Therefore encourage each other with these words." - 1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 (NIV)
2. Like Isaac, Jesus unveils His bride.
"But whenever anyone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. And we, who with unveiled faces all reflect the Lord's glory, are being transformed into his likeness with ever-increasing glory, which comes from the Lord, who is the Spirit." - 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NIV)
3. Like Rebekah, the church is beautifully dressed for her husband.
Laban and Bethuel answered, "This is from the LORD; we can say nothing to you one way or the other. Here is Rebekah; take her and go, and let her become the wife of your master's son, as the Lord has directed."
When Abraham's servant heard what they said, he bowed down to the ground before the LORD. Then the servant brought out gold and silver jewellery and articles of clothing and gave them to Rebekah; he also gave costly gifts to her brother and to her mother. Then he and the men who were with him ate and drank and spent the night there.
- Genesis 24:50-54 (NIV)
Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:
"Hallelujah! For our Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and his bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear." (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints.)
Then the angel said to me, "Write: 'Blessed are those who are invited to the wedding supper of the Lamb!'" And he added, "These are the true words of God."
- Revelation 19:6-9 (NIV)
Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea.
I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband.
And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God.
He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away.
- Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
Clothed with Immortality
"For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality. When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory."" - 1 Corinthians 15:54-55 (NIV)
"For while we are in this tent, we groan and are burdened, because we do not wish to be unclothed but to be clothed with our heavenly dwelling, so that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life. Now it is God who has made us for this very purpose and has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come." - 2 Corinthians 5:4-5 (NIV)
"The Spirit and the bride say, "Come!" And let him who hears say, "Come!" Whoever is thirsty, let him come; and whoever wishes, let him take the free gift of the water of life." - Revelation 22:17 (NIV)
Tuesday, 5 April 2011
Soul Matters
Long before Plato ever said anything about the human soul, the Old Testament writers presented a consistent biblical anthropology. Augustine was biased toward platonic philosophy, even going so far as to claim that Plato brought him to God. But there is no reason for us today to be biased toward Plato's (or anyone else's) philosophy. We should first seek to understand what God Himself has revealed about humanity before inquiring of any human speculation.
The Hebrew word Moses used that our English Bibles sometimes translate soul is nephesh, a word that suggests something that breathes. In fact, the Ugaritic and Akadian cognates also mean "throat". Moses' use was consistent with an understanding that a soul is a living, breathing being.
Consistent with this understanding, Moses had no problem using the term nephesh to refer to animals. In the creation account, Moses records "And God said, 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.'" The ESV uses the phrase "living creatures" to translate the Hebrew nephesh chayah (souls of life). It is obvious from the context that Moses refers to fish and sea mammals, and birds, not people. This first use of nephesh highlights a contrast with Plato's teaching that only human beings have souls...
When Moses recorded God's covenant with Noah after the flood, he included the provision which allows for eating animals. The covenant stipulated that "you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." The word the ESV translates as life is the same term, nephesh. He probably meant that the blood of the animal is essential to its life - that is - if you take away its blood it will stop breathing. The rule forbade eating an animal while it was still alive - while it still had its soul. The account continues to use the term nephesh in reference to animals.
It is poor theology to simply suggest that the same term means living being when referring to animals, but implies an immortal being when referring to people. It does not do justice to the fact that the term is used of both animals and people, nor to the fact that their meaning is consistent as long as the interpreter is not already biased with a presupposition that humans were created immortal.
What we learn from Moses is that humans were created - like the animals - as living, breathing beings, and that when they lose their breath, they die, and return to the dust from which they came. Without the promise of resurrection, that would be the end of human existence.
Greek philosophy came along and subverted that simple theology by taking God and the resurrection out of the picture. Instead Plato and others exalted the nature of humanity. That magnified anthropology bolstered the concept of the dignity of man, at the expense of Moses' teaching on human dependence upon God.
The gospel message does not require that humans be deified. It tells us that believers have the hope of eternal life - not because we were born different from the animals - but because Jesus has made a way for us to be resurrected to immortality. It is the cross of Jesus Christ - not our created human nature - that gives us hope of life beyond the grave. It is the second coming of Jesus Christ - not our own death - that is the biblical blessed hope.
- Jefferson Vann, Moses on the Souls of Animals
The Hebrew word Moses used that our English Bibles sometimes translate soul is nephesh, a word that suggests something that breathes. In fact, the Ugaritic and Akadian cognates also mean "throat". Moses' use was consistent with an understanding that a soul is a living, breathing being.
Consistent with this understanding, Moses had no problem using the term nephesh to refer to animals. In the creation account, Moses records "And God said, 'Let the waters swarm with swarms of living creatures, and let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.'" The ESV uses the phrase "living creatures" to translate the Hebrew nephesh chayah (souls of life). It is obvious from the context that Moses refers to fish and sea mammals, and birds, not people. This first use of nephesh highlights a contrast with Plato's teaching that only human beings have souls...
When Moses recorded God's covenant with Noah after the flood, he included the provision which allows for eating animals. The covenant stipulated that "you shall not eat flesh with its life, that is, its blood." The word the ESV translates as life is the same term, nephesh. He probably meant that the blood of the animal is essential to its life - that is - if you take away its blood it will stop breathing. The rule forbade eating an animal while it was still alive - while it still had its soul. The account continues to use the term nephesh in reference to animals.
It is poor theology to simply suggest that the same term means living being when referring to animals, but implies an immortal being when referring to people. It does not do justice to the fact that the term is used of both animals and people, nor to the fact that their meaning is consistent as long as the interpreter is not already biased with a presupposition that humans were created immortal.
What we learn from Moses is that humans were created - like the animals - as living, breathing beings, and that when they lose their breath, they die, and return to the dust from which they came. Without the promise of resurrection, that would be the end of human existence.
Greek philosophy came along and subverted that simple theology by taking God and the resurrection out of the picture. Instead Plato and others exalted the nature of humanity. That magnified anthropology bolstered the concept of the dignity of man, at the expense of Moses' teaching on human dependence upon God.
The gospel message does not require that humans be deified. It tells us that believers have the hope of eternal life - not because we were born different from the animals - but because Jesus has made a way for us to be resurrected to immortality. It is the cross of Jesus Christ - not our created human nature - that gives us hope of life beyond the grave. It is the second coming of Jesus Christ - not our own death - that is the biblical blessed hope.
- Jefferson Vann, Moses on the Souls of Animals
Sunday, 6 March 2011
All I Have is Christ
Sang this song in church today. May we grow in the grace and knowledge of Christ!
"If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will save it. What good is it for a man to gain the whole world, and yet lose or forfeit his very self?" - Luke 9:23-25 (NIV)
Saturday, 5 March 2011
True Feedback
I've been attending a number of courses (such as the one on correctional knowledge) recently and one common feature is that all of them emphasise the importance of feedback. Feedback on the trainers, on fellow participants, on the course itself etc.
What kind of feedback should Christians be willing to receive?
From God
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
From Others
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)
From Ourselves
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." - 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV)
From the Word
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
Of course, even the most constructive feedback is only effective when we act on it.
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:22-25 (NIV)
If we should act on feedback from others around us, how much more should we act on feedback from above!
What kind of feedback should Christians be willing to receive?
From God
"Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." - Psalm 139:23-24 (NIV)
From Others
"As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another." - Proverbs 27:17 (NIV)
From Ourselves
"Examine yourselves to see whether you are in the faith; test yourselves. Do you not realise that Christ Jesus is in you - unless, of course, you fail the test? And I trust that you will discover that we have not failed the test." - 2 Corinthians 13:5-6 (NIV)
From the Word
"For the word of God is living and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart. Nothing in all creation is hidden from God's sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him to whom we must give account." - Hebrews 4:12-13 (NIV)
Of course, even the most constructive feedback is only effective when we act on it.
"Do not merely listen to the word, and so deceive yourselves. Do what it says. Anyone who listens to the word but does not do what it says is like a man who looks at his face in a mirror and, after looking at himself, goes away and immediately forgets what he looks like. But the man who looks intently into the perfect law that gives freedom, and continues to do this, not forgetting what he has heard, but doing it - he will be blessed in what he does." - James 1:22-25 (NIV)
If we should act on feedback from others around us, how much more should we act on feedback from above!
Sunday, 27 February 2011
Random Thoughts on Corrections
As part of my training over the past week, I've been taking a module on correctional knowledge. Here are some random thoughts on the topic.
Human Responsibility
The circumstances someone is in may lead him to commit a crime. But they should not cause him to commit a crime (assuming that he has (libertarian) free will). For example, someone may end up stealing because he is poor. But just because he is poor does not mean that he will end up stealing.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
Deterrence
There are two ways to deter potential criminals from committing crimes and coming to prison. One way is to make prisons harsher such that no one wants to suffer a conviction. The other way is to make society more caring such that no one wants to forfeit being a part of society.
Rehabilitation and Prevention
By definition, rehabilitation is about correcting mistakes and putting things right. Meanwhile, prevention is about ensuring that mistakes do not happen, that nothing goes wrong in the first place. To this end, rehabilitation will always be a step behind prevention. (Nevertheless, reducing reoffending - though not as effective as preventing offending - is still better than not doing anything about offending.) As the saying goes, 'prevention is better than cure'.
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." - Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
Human Responsibility
The circumstances someone is in may lead him to commit a crime. But they should not cause him to commit a crime (assuming that he has (libertarian) free will). For example, someone may end up stealing because he is poor. But just because he is poor does not mean that he will end up stealing.
"No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it." - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (NIV)
Deterrence
There are two ways to deter potential criminals from committing crimes and coming to prison. One way is to make prisons harsher such that no one wants to suffer a conviction. The other way is to make society more caring such that no one wants to forfeit being a part of society.
Rehabilitation and Prevention
By definition, rehabilitation is about correcting mistakes and putting things right. Meanwhile, prevention is about ensuring that mistakes do not happen, that nothing goes wrong in the first place. To this end, rehabilitation will always be a step behind prevention. (Nevertheless, reducing reoffending - though not as effective as preventing offending - is still better than not doing anything about offending.) As the saying goes, 'prevention is better than cure'.
"What shall we say, then? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase? By no means! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer? Or don't you know that all of us who were baptised into Christ Jesus were baptised into his death? We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life." - Romans 6:1-4 (NIV)
Saturday, 19 February 2011
Luther and Calvin on Baptism
Baptism... means to plunge something completely into the water, so that the water covers it... This usage is also demanded by the significance of the baptism itself. For baptism, as we shall hear, signifies that the old man and the sinful birth of flesh and blood are to be wholly drowned by the grace of God. We should therefore do justice to its meaning and make baptism a true and complete sign of the thing it signifies.
- Martin Luther, quoted in Tom Wells, Does Baptism Mean Immersion? A Friendly Inquiry into the Ongoing Debate
But whether the person being baptised should be wholly immersed, and whether thrice or once, whether he should only be sprinkled or poured with water - these details are of no importance, but ought to be optional to churches according to the diversity of the countries. Yet the word "baptise" means to immerse, and it is clear that the rite of immersion was observed in the ancient church.
- John Calvin, quoted in Tom Wells, Does Baptism Mean Immersion? A Friendly Inquiry into the Ongoing Debate
- Martin Luther, quoted in Tom Wells, Does Baptism Mean Immersion? A Friendly Inquiry into the Ongoing Debate
But whether the person being baptised should be wholly immersed, and whether thrice or once, whether he should only be sprinkled or poured with water - these details are of no importance, but ought to be optional to churches according to the diversity of the countries. Yet the word "baptise" means to immerse, and it is clear that the rite of immersion was observed in the ancient church.
- John Calvin, quoted in Tom Wells, Does Baptism Mean Immersion? A Friendly Inquiry into the Ongoing Debate
Monday, 7 February 2011
Creation and Procreation
Why would a triune God create a world? If he were a unipersonal God, you might say, "Well, he created the world so he can have beings who give him worshipful love, and that would give him joy." But the triune God already had that - and he received love within himself in a far purer, more powerful form than we human beings can ever give him. So why would he create us?
There's only one answer. He must have created us not to get joy but to give it.
He must have created us to invite us into the dance, to say: If you glorify me, if you centre your entire life on me, if you find me beautiful for who I am in myself, then you will step into the dance, which is what you are made for.
You are made not just to believe in me or to be spiritual in some general way, not just to pray and get a bit of inspiration when things are tough. You are made to centre everything in your life on me, to think of everything in terms of your relationship to me. To serve me unconditionally. That's where you'll find your joy. That's what the dance is about.
- Timothy Keller, King's Cross
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)
Just as God created His children in His image, so we have children (which, ultimately, are His children) in our image. Incidentally, a child usually resembles one or both of his or her parents.
More importantly, if God created to give and not to get, how much more should we enter into relationships (and have children, God willing) out of love and not out of need!
There's only one answer. He must have created us not to get joy but to give it.
He must have created us to invite us into the dance, to say: If you glorify me, if you centre your entire life on me, if you find me beautiful for who I am in myself, then you will step into the dance, which is what you are made for.
You are made not just to believe in me or to be spiritual in some general way, not just to pray and get a bit of inspiration when things are tough. You are made to centre everything in your life on me, to think of everything in terms of your relationship to me. To serve me unconditionally. That's where you'll find your joy. That's what the dance is about.
- Timothy Keller, King's Cross
"Then God said, "Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground." So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them." - Genesis 1:26-27 (NIV)
Just as God created His children in His image, so we have children (which, ultimately, are His children) in our image. Incidentally, a child usually resembles one or both of his or her parents.
More importantly, if God created to give and not to get, how much more should we enter into relationships (and have children, God willing) out of love and not out of need!
Sunday, 6 February 2011
Creation and New Creation
"At that time Jesus came from Nazareth in Galilee and was baptised by John in the Jordan. As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. And a voice came from heaven: "You are my Son, whom I love; with you I am well pleased."" - Mark 1:9-11 (NIV)
For the Spirit of God to be pictured as a dove is not particularly striking to us, but when Mark was writing, it was very rare. In the sacred writings of Judaism there is only one place where the Spirit of God is likened to a dove, and that is in the Targums, the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that the Jews of Mark's time read.
In the creation account, the book of Genesis 1:2 says that the Spirit hovered over the face of the waters. The Hebrew verb here means "flutter": the Spirit fluttered over the face of the waters. To capture this vivid image, the rabbis translated the passage for the Targums like this: "And the earth was without form and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttered above the face of the waters like a dove, and God spoke: 'Let there be light.'"
There are three parties active in the creation of the world: God, God's Spirit, and God's Word, through which he creates. The same three parties are present at Jesus' baptism: the Father, who is the voice; the Son, who is the Word; and the Spirit fluttering like a dove. Mark is deliberately pointing us back to the creation, to the very beginning of history.
Just as the original creation of the world was a project of the triune God, Mark says, so the redemption of the world, the rescue and renewal of all things that is beginning now with the arrival of the King, is also a project of the triune God.
- Timothy Keller, King's Cross
(Thanks to Caleb for blogging about Keller's new book.)
When the rich young ruler asks Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" he isn't asking how to go to heaven when he dies, though people have regularly read it like that. He's asking about the fact that pretty soon God is going to turn around this world and fill it with justice and joy and peace and glory and delight - and who's going to be part of the team when that happens?
- N. T. Wright, Gray Lecture at Duke Divinity School (11 Oct 10)
For the Spirit of God to be pictured as a dove is not particularly striking to us, but when Mark was writing, it was very rare. In the sacred writings of Judaism there is only one place where the Spirit of God is likened to a dove, and that is in the Targums, the Aramaic translation of the Hebrew Scriptures that the Jews of Mark's time read.
In the creation account, the book of Genesis 1:2 says that the Spirit hovered over the face of the waters. The Hebrew verb here means "flutter": the Spirit fluttered over the face of the waters. To capture this vivid image, the rabbis translated the passage for the Targums like this: "And the earth was without form and empty, and darkness was on the face of the deep, and the Spirit of God fluttered above the face of the waters like a dove, and God spoke: 'Let there be light.'"
There are three parties active in the creation of the world: God, God's Spirit, and God's Word, through which he creates. The same three parties are present at Jesus' baptism: the Father, who is the voice; the Son, who is the Word; and the Spirit fluttering like a dove. Mark is deliberately pointing us back to the creation, to the very beginning of history.
Just as the original creation of the world was a project of the triune God, Mark says, so the redemption of the world, the rescue and renewal of all things that is beginning now with the arrival of the King, is also a project of the triune God.
- Timothy Keller, King's Cross
(Thanks to Caleb for blogging about Keller's new book.)
When the rich young ruler asks Jesus, "Good teacher, what must I do to inherit eternal life?" he isn't asking how to go to heaven when he dies, though people have regularly read it like that. He's asking about the fact that pretty soon God is going to turn around this world and fill it with justice and joy and peace and glory and delight - and who's going to be part of the team when that happens?
- N. T. Wright, Gray Lecture at Duke Divinity School (11 Oct 10)
Saturday, 5 February 2011
The Best Is Yet To Be
"Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past. See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the desert and streams in the wasteland." - Isaiah 43:18-19 (NIV)
"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more." - Isaiah 65:17-19 (NIV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
"Behold, I will create new heavens and a new earth. The former things will not be remembered, nor will they come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I will create, for I will create Jerusalem to be a delight and its people a joy. I will rejoice over Jerusalem and take delight in my people; the sound of weeping and of crying will be heard in it no more." - Isaiah 65:17-19 (NIV)
"Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea. I saw the Holy City, the new Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from the throne saying, "Now the dwelling of God is with men, and he will live with them. They will be his people, and God himself will be with them and be their God. He will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things has passed away."" - Revelation 21:1-4 (NIV)
Thursday, 3 February 2011
New Creation in Advance
Good works are our response to what Christ has done to rehab, renew and restart creation. More than that, they are a reflection of what kingdom living in the new heaven and the new earth will be like.
Good works do not add to Christ's finished work - His life, death and resurrection, but they finish God's (not Christ's) new creation in and through us, by the power of the Spirit and not of ourselves.
"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
"For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet."
"Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all." - 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 (NIV)
Finish then, Thy new creation
Pure and spotless let us be
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee
Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven* we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before Thee
Lost in wonder, love and praise
*the new heaven and the new earth
Good works do not add to Christ's finished work - His life, death and resurrection, but they finish God's (not Christ's) new creation in and through us, by the power of the Spirit and not of ourselves.
"For as in Adam all die, so in Christ all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: Christ, the firstfruits; then, when he comes, those who belong to him. Then the end will come, when he hands over the kingdom to God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power.
"For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. The last enemy to be destroyed is death. For he "has put everything under his feet."
"Now when it says that "everything" has been put under him, it is clear that this does not include God himself, who put everything under Christ. When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all." - 1 Corinthians 15:22-28 (NIV)
Finish then, Thy new creation
Pure and spotless let us be
Let us see Thy great salvation
Perfectly restored in Thee
Changed from glory into glory
Till in heaven* we take our place
Till we cast our crowns before Thee
Lost in wonder, love and praise
*the new heaven and the new earth
Wednesday, 2 February 2011
Promise and Fulfillment
All God's dealings with man are characterised by two stages. There is the time of preparation, when command and promise - with the mingled experience of effort and inability, of failure and partial success, with the holy expectancy of something better that these awaken - train and discipline men for a higher stage.
Then comes the time of fulfillment, when faith inherits the promise and enjoys what it had so often struggled for in vain. This law holds good in every part of the Christian life and in the pursuit of every separate virtue. This is because it is grounded in the very nature of things.
In all that concerns our redemption, God must take the initiative. When that has been done, man's turn comes. In the effort toward obedience and attainment, he must learn to know his weakness. In self-despair, he must learn to die to himself, and so be voluntarily and intelligently equipped to receive the promise from God.
The Father will complete what man had accepted at the beginning in ignorance. So God, who had been the beginning before man rightly knew Him or fully understood what His purpose was, is longed for and welcomed as the end - as the all in all.
- Andrew Murray, Humility
Then comes the time of fulfillment, when faith inherits the promise and enjoys what it had so often struggled for in vain. This law holds good in every part of the Christian life and in the pursuit of every separate virtue. This is because it is grounded in the very nature of things.
In all that concerns our redemption, God must take the initiative. When that has been done, man's turn comes. In the effort toward obedience and attainment, he must learn to know his weakness. In self-despair, he must learn to die to himself, and so be voluntarily and intelligently equipped to receive the promise from God.
The Father will complete what man had accepted at the beginning in ignorance. So God, who had been the beginning before man rightly knew Him or fully understood what His purpose was, is longed for and welcomed as the end - as the all in all.
- Andrew Murray, Humility
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