The book of the Acts of the Apostles, was written by Luke, a Greek physician who had become a member of Paul's missionary team. His are the only two books in the Bible to have been penned by a Gentile. He wrote the book of Acts as a sequel to his account of Jesus' earthly life, ministry, death and resurrection. It is a record of the deeds or works (acts) of the apostles after Jesus had risen from the dead and ascended into Heaven. They began to do the work which He had commanded them to do - take His message of repentance and salvation through faith in Him to the world. In accordance with His instructions, they began in Jerusalem. And the Church quickly began to grow (Matthew 28:18-20, Acts 1:8).
During that period, a man named Stephen stood up and preached Christ to a hostile audience and when he had finished speaking they stoned him to death. And so Stephen became the very first to be martyred for the gospel of the risen Savior, Jesus Christ (Acts 6-7). This was the beginning of a wave of persecution, led by a Pharisee named Saul of Tarsus, who had been involved in the stoning of Stephen. The result was that the believers at Jerusalem were scattered all over Judea and Samaria, and the message of Jesus Christ spread with them. But the twelve apostles remained in Jerusalem (Acts 7:57-60, 8:1-4). Judas Iscariot had been replaced by a man named Matthias (Acts 1:15-26).
Ironically, though, Saul of Tarsus on the road to Damascus with intent to arrest and kill Christians, would end up surrendering his life to Jesus Christ to become an apostle for Him, preaching the gospel all over the Mediterranean world (Acts 9:1-22). Years later, Saul (now going by the name Paul) was intent on returning to Jerusalem at the end of another missionary journey, and some Christians who were with him urged him not to go, for fear that he might be arrested if he did. It was then that Paul replied "What do you mean by weeping and breaking my heart? For I am ready not only to be bound, but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus" (Acts 21:13).
Paul was arrested upon his return to Jerusalem, and remained there in chains for some time. But he found opportunies to preach the gospel of Jesus the Messiah and risen Savior of all who trust in Him. He gave his personal testimony in the presence of the Roman governors Felix and Festus, as well as king Aggripa. Then he ended up being put on a ship to go to Rome (having used his Roman citizenship to make a court appeal to Caesar). Along the way, Paul was shipwrecked on the island of Malta, along with the Roman guards and his companions who had been allowed to accompany him. There, Paul miraculously survived being bitten by a viper while he was loading wood into the fire (Acts 28:1-10).
Finally arriving in Rome, he ended up under house arrest for two years; during which time he preached the gospel to those who came to visit him and hear him (Acts 2811-30). So Paul did not die at Jerusalem for the name of the Lord Jesus. But eventually he was beheaded by the sword of Rome for the name of the Lord Jesus (circa 64 A.D.). And he wasn't the only one. All but one of the apostles, who were eyewitnesses of Jesus' ministry, miracles, death, and post-resurrection ministry, and ascension into Heaven, died as martyrs.
Peter was crucified at Rome, requesting that he be crucified upside down because he said that he was not worthy of the honor of dying in the exact same manner that Jesus did (circa 67 A.D.). Andrew was also crucified. James son of Zebedee was beheaded circa 44 A.D. Thomas made his way to India, preaching the gospel. Eventually, though, he was put to death with a spear near Madras. The so-called Gospel and the Acts of Thomas are not included in the Bible because they were not written by Thomas, but were written in the third or fourth century A.D.
Bartholomew, a.k.a Nathaniel, preached in Armenia (present day Armemia, eastern Turkey, northern Iraq, northwestern Iran) as well as India, Egypt, Ethiopia, Arabia and Persia. He was flayed to death for the gospel of Christ. So also, Matthew, James the son of Alphaeus, Thaddaeus a.k.a Jude, Simon the Zealot, Philip, and Matthias were all martyred for baring eyewitness to the works and teachings of Christ (1 John 1:1-4).
John lived to an old age, though he was put under arrest and hard labor on the island of Patmos. There he wrote his gospel account and the book of Revelation circa 68-70 A.D., only about forty years after the resurrection of Christ. John died circa 100 A.D. The oldest existing fragment of the New Testament is a portion of the gospel of John chapter 18, dating to around 110 A.D. which was found in Alexandria. It is known as the Rylands Library Papyrus P52, or simply St. John's Papyrus.
Down through the last 2000+ years, many Christians have suffered and died for their allegiance to Jesus Christ. In the first century, Christians were crucified, stoned, burned, fed to beasts or killed by gladiators in the Roman arenas. Even today, in the Middle East, and the Far East, and other places, Christians face imprisonment, violence and death for their loyalty to Christ. But now here is something else on which to ruminate: everyone who trusts in Jesus Christ must die for Him. Perhaps not physically, but in a spiritual sense, we must die to the sinful nature that each of us has inherited from our first ancestors, Adam and Eve.
I pray that I would be ready and willing to give my mortal life, if it were to come to that, for the Son of God who loves me and gave Himself for me (Galatians 2:20). But I have come to the realization that the best way to be ready to physically die for Christ in the nebulous future is to live for Him right now, every day. Because to live for Christ is to put to death the sinful nature within; to put to death every desire that is contrary to complete surrender and allegiance to Jesus Christ (Romans 6:1-6, Colossians 3:1-10).
Paul said that every day, he died for Christ (1 Corinthians 15:30-31). Jesus Himself said, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me" (Luke 9:23). I can only do that through the power of the Holy Spirit. And if I do that, then I will love Jesus Christ more than comfort, more than convenience, more than pleasure, and more than my life in this world; because I will have already surrendered all of those things to Him, the Creator/Owner of the universe and all life. So I will not be afraid to lose them.
Voice of the Martyrs
Showing posts with label Apostles. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Apostles. Show all posts
Saturday, April 12, 2014
Wednesday, October 16, 2013
The Cemetery Sermon - A Short Story
The venerable minister stood pale and fragile before gathering that had come to pay their respects to their departed friend and loved one. Near a tall, stately evergreen in the center of the cemetery, the physical form of Dr. Solomon Wreath lay in the bronze casket, which had a faint shimmer to it on that cold, wet, overcast October day. But Rev. Daniels, alone, out of all the living who were there, was able to see and hear all who were gathered in that place. For many evil spirits stood in the back of the congregation, angrily cursing the minister, and God.
But stretching his eyes past that wicked crowd, Daniels could see another assembly at the outskirt of the cemetery. There, shining with a light so vibrant that it was life itself, stood the smiling, risen Lord with a holy band of angels. They played warmly and with great skill on flutes and stringed instruments. And it was this auspicious sight that gave strength to the old minister as he stood to speak over the din of hell, which was audible only to him.
The minister's sermon began with Psalm 88:3, "For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave". Having read the verse, Pastor Danielson spoke saying "Though you stand in this graveyard today, none of you here draw near to the grave as our dear friend, Solomon, did in his final hours.
I sat and prayed with him as sickness and death crept over his face like a dark cloud. And yet, there was also a peace about him which transcends understanding. We talked, and sang a hymn together. And then, looking past me, he smiled and said in that weak yet stirring voice 'It is not the grave that I am approaching. I draw near to the Lord!' And with those words he departed".
The congregation listened intently to Daniels as he continued. "So now here is another thought. Do we live as our friend died? Are we who survive him also drawing near to the Lord who died for us, and conquered death and the grave? Are we drawing near to Him truly; not merely in the flesh, attending church, and going through the motions, but in spirit - in the Spirit? Is His life overtaking ours as the apostle said 'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.'"? (Galatians 2:20).
For half an hour or so the minister went on; giving examples from the life of his departed friend - examples of Christ living through him.
A devoted husband and father, he had raised three daughters and two sons. He and his wife had also grieved terribly when another son had died at birth.
As a surgeon, he had served in field hospitals during the American Civil War. He had seen a lot of suffering and death. But he had also seen some healing, and a few lives saved. Once, in the course of his career, he had even witnessed a miracle when a dead woman was prayed over, and she was raised to life again!
He was also an avid musician. And whether he was playing the mandolin, or the fiddle, or the piano; he could always move a listening audience to dancing, or to tears. And he loved to praise the heavenly Father with song.
After recalling these things, Rev. Daniels spoke of the resurrection that is to come. He read from the Scriptures where Jesus said "...the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live... Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:24-30).
"Let us, then, trust in Him and follow Him." said Daniels, as he concluded his sermon. And after he spoke these words, he noticed that his physical body had just slumped down, and he remained standing. And he looked down in shock at his own form. He looked up and saw the astonished faces of the congregation. Those nearest him ran up and knelt down beside the minister's body, apparently unaware of his presence standing over it. And he saw the hellish crowd in the back, still sneering and cursing vehemently.
He felt different too. He felt perhaps fifty years younger; like one in the prime of life, and even better. And his spirit was filled with inexpressible gladness and peace. The heavy chains of sin and mortality that are in Adam, were loosed and gone with his mortal body.
And then he stepped forward and walked past the congregation, past the crowd of devils, past all the sullen gravestones; to the place where the Lord and His angels were gathered. And he found that his friend, Dr. Solomon Wreath, was with them. And he, too, appeared a new man altogether.
Looking around, Daniels saw that the cemetery was gone. The whole scene was completely changed. He was no longer upon the earth, but stood in wonder of the beauty and majesty of heaven. He saw the vibrant light of God, illuminating a glorious landscape of brilliant colors; colors unknown to the people of the earth! He saw the river of life, and the tree of life. He saw the Temple of God. And he heard beautiful, flowing music; and angelic voices singing:
And so Daniels was greeted warmly into eternal life.
But stretching his eyes past that wicked crowd, Daniels could see another assembly at the outskirt of the cemetery. There, shining with a light so vibrant that it was life itself, stood the smiling, risen Lord with a holy band of angels. They played warmly and with great skill on flutes and stringed instruments. And it was this auspicious sight that gave strength to the old minister as he stood to speak over the din of hell, which was audible only to him.
The minister's sermon began with Psalm 88:3, "For my soul is full of troubles, and my life draws near to the grave". Having read the verse, Pastor Danielson spoke saying "Though you stand in this graveyard today, none of you here draw near to the grave as our dear friend, Solomon, did in his final hours.
I sat and prayed with him as sickness and death crept over his face like a dark cloud. And yet, there was also a peace about him which transcends understanding. We talked, and sang a hymn together. And then, looking past me, he smiled and said in that weak yet stirring voice 'It is not the grave that I am approaching. I draw near to the Lord!' And with those words he departed".
The congregation listened intently to Daniels as he continued. "So now here is another thought. Do we live as our friend died? Are we who survive him also drawing near to the Lord who died for us, and conquered death and the grave? Are we drawing near to Him truly; not merely in the flesh, attending church, and going through the motions, but in spirit - in the Spirit? Is His life overtaking ours as the apostle said 'I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.'"? (Galatians 2:20).
For half an hour or so the minister went on; giving examples from the life of his departed friend - examples of Christ living through him.
A devoted husband and father, he had raised three daughters and two sons. He and his wife had also grieved terribly when another son had died at birth.
As a surgeon, he had served in field hospitals during the American Civil War. He had seen a lot of suffering and death. But he had also seen some healing, and a few lives saved. Once, in the course of his career, he had even witnessed a miracle when a dead woman was prayed over, and she was raised to life again!
He was also an avid musician. And whether he was playing the mandolin, or the fiddle, or the piano; he could always move a listening audience to dancing, or to tears. And he loved to praise the heavenly Father with song.
After recalling these things, Rev. Daniels spoke of the resurrection that is to come. He read from the Scriptures where Jesus said "...the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live... Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth - those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation." (John 5:24-30).
"Let us, then, trust in Him and follow Him." said Daniels, as he concluded his sermon. And after he spoke these words, he noticed that his physical body had just slumped down, and he remained standing. And he looked down in shock at his own form. He looked up and saw the astonished faces of the congregation. Those nearest him ran up and knelt down beside the minister's body, apparently unaware of his presence standing over it. And he saw the hellish crowd in the back, still sneering and cursing vehemently.
He felt different too. He felt perhaps fifty years younger; like one in the prime of life, and even better. And his spirit was filled with inexpressible gladness and peace. The heavy chains of sin and mortality that are in Adam, were loosed and gone with his mortal body.
And then he stepped forward and walked past the congregation, past the crowd of devils, past all the sullen gravestones; to the place where the Lord and His angels were gathered. And he found that his friend, Dr. Solomon Wreath, was with them. And he, too, appeared a new man altogether.
Looking around, Daniels saw that the cemetery was gone. The whole scene was completely changed. He was no longer upon the earth, but stood in wonder of the beauty and majesty of heaven. He saw the vibrant light of God, illuminating a glorious landscape of brilliant colors; colors unknown to the people of the earth! He saw the river of life, and the tree of life. He saw the Temple of God. And he heard beautiful, flowing music; and angelic voices singing:
"Holy, holy, holy is He who sits on the throne,
And the Lamb who was slain and lives again!"
And so Daniels was greeted warmly into eternal life.
The End
Thursday, September 26, 2013
Laws, Traditions, and the Natures of God and Humanity
The Scriptures tell the truth that the laws and statutes of the LORD are perfect, and that we are to delight in them (Psalm 1:1-3, Psalm 19:7-11, & Psalm 119). But some of the commandments of the LORD might seem more human to us than Divine.
For example, there are laws in the Pentateuch that detail how masters should treat their slaves. And there are ceremonial laws concerning women's menstrual cycles, and which animals were considered "clean" or "unclean" for eating or for sacrifice, and things like that.
I think that the Law of Moses, as a whole, is kind of like the layout of the Tabernacle (portable temple) which God commanded the Israelites to to construct. The Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem, had the outer courtyard, into which the people could enter to offer their sacrifices.
Then there was the tent itself which was divided into two parts; the Holy place, and the Most Holy place. Both parts were more sacred, and restricted than the outer court. And the Most Holy place (or the Holy of Holies) was so sacred and restricted that only the High Priest was ever allowed to enter it; and only once a year.
Similarly, it seems that the Law of Moses is comprised of what we might call common laws, comparable to the code of Hammurabi, as well as more holy laws. It is also important to consider the role of human traditions which can differ from time to time, and from place to place. Because when God gave the Law to the Israelites through Moses, He accommodated their human traditions.
For example, some cultures (including that of the ancient Israelites) have practiced arranged marriage. I live in a culture that allows couples to date and to choose each other, without the parents betrothing them. I think both cultural practices have their pros and cons to them.
Neither practice is morally wrong, in and of itself. In a culture of arranged marriage, the parents ought to be considerate of the needs and welfare of their son or daughter in choosing the right spouse for them. In the culture in which I live, it is up to each person to be wise or foolish in choosing a spouse.
Now the Ten Commandments, which were carved in tablets of stone by God's own finger, might be comparable to the Holy place of the Tabernacle. They are holy in nature, not cultural. And then the heart and soul of the Law is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength"; and in Leviticus 19:18, "...you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus said that these are the two greatest commandments, and that all the other commandments hang on them (Matthew 22:37-40).
In order to understand the Law of Moses, it is important to realize what the purpose of the Law was in the first place. The apostle Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, informs us that the Law was made for sinners, to make clear our inability to attain righteousness (1 Timothy 1:9, Romans 3:20).
Jesus Himself made that pretty clear when He preached the Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7. He said that if you look at a woman to lust after her, you have already committed the sin of adultery with her in your heart. And if you hate someone, you have already murdered that person in your heart.
So the Law was given to Moses for sinners, to make them aware of their sin. By the law we become conscious of our alienation from God. It reveals the discord between our fallen human nature and the perfect, immaculate nature of God who is love, and who made humanity in His image, before the Fall.
The Law shows us that as fallen humans, our nature is no longer in tune with the Divine nature, the nature of God who is love. As it has been said, love toward God and each other is the foundation of the whole Law (Romans 13:9-10).
Since the Law is made for sinners, the ceremonial laws serve as symbolic reminders of the impurity of our fallen human nature. The prophet Isaiah tells us that because of our fallen nature, even our attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). And the term translated "filthy rags" refers to dirty menstrual rags.
According to the Law of Moses, a woman in the midst of her menstrual period was considered ceremonially "unclean", and she had to go through a whole ceremonial cleansing process before she could participate in public worship.
I remember once finding an article in a magazine that claimed that the biblical writers did not understand a woman's menstrual cycle, and that they thought of the biological process as shameful and bad. But in actuality, the author of that article is the one who does not understand the Law of Moses at all.
The ceremonial laws were given by God for their symbolic value. It's not that there is anything wrong with, or shameful about a woman's biology. But the messy nature of it was used as a symbol for the impurity of our fallen human nature. The same idea is behind the laws concerning which animals were, or were not considered fit for ceremonial or dietary use. And the animal sacrifices prescribed in the Law of Moses are foreshadows of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (read Hebrews 10:1-25).
Also, because the Law was made for sinners, there is a certain level of forbearance in it. God gave laws concerning treatment of slaves. And today we may wonder, "Why didn't He just forbid slavery altogether?" But these Laws were given as a Divine concession because human nature is hardened against doing right.
However, it should be noted that according to the Law of Moses, no one could lawfully be a slave for life. The people of Israel were required to free all their slaves at various intervals of time. And besides that, in the human traditions of those days, people were not enslaved because of their race. Ways that a person could become a slave, in those days, included being captured in battle during war-time; or a person might sell himself into slavery in order to pay a debt.
The pharisees who were opposed to Jesus once asked Him a question concerning the divorce law that Moses handed down to the people. According to the Law of Moses, if a man wanted to divorce his wife for any reason, he just had to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away. The pharisees asked Jesus if He agreed with this law.
Jesus told them that Moses gave them this law because their hearts were hard. He told them that "from the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate" (Mark 10:2-9).
And so here is an important point. God's desire is reconciliation between Himself and us. So the giving of the Law was a step in His plan to bring us back to the way it was in the beginning, before the Fall. The point of these laws was to make us aware of our sin and prod us toward returning to God who is love, and who made us in His own image.
But the Law alone could not accomplish that ultimate goal. As the Scriptures tell "a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (Galatians 2:16).
The Law only reveals our need for reconciliation with God. It points us to Christ, who is the only Savior from sin. As the Scriptures tell "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). This is what Jesus meant when He said "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus the Son of God, through whom all things were created, came into the world and lived a pure, perfect, sinless life. And then He gave Himself as a perfect sacrifice to the Father for our sins. Now everyone who trusts in Him is clothed (so to speak) with His righteousness, just as He was clothed (so to speak) in our sin.
And as we are clothed in His righteousness, and practice righteousness in Him, we will grow to be more and more like Him as we surrender to Him living in us. Our fallen nature is being put to death, while the Divine nature, in the image of which humanity was originally created, is taking over in our hearts.
As Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, also read Colossians 3:1-16).
"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). And in another passage, Paul writes "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him".
And as Jesus Himself said, "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me". (John 6:45). And as the apostle John wrote, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
And so, the Law is truly perfect for what it was given to do; to tutor and lead sinners like you and me to Jesus Christ, who alone can reconcile us to the Father.
For example, there are laws in the Pentateuch that detail how masters should treat their slaves. And there are ceremonial laws concerning women's menstrual cycles, and which animals were considered "clean" or "unclean" for eating or for sacrifice, and things like that.
I think that the Law of Moses, as a whole, is kind of like the layout of the Tabernacle (portable temple) which God commanded the Israelites to to construct. The Tabernacle, and later the Temple in Jerusalem, had the outer courtyard, into which the people could enter to offer their sacrifices.
Then there was the tent itself which was divided into two parts; the Holy place, and the Most Holy place. Both parts were more sacred, and restricted than the outer court. And the Most Holy place (or the Holy of Holies) was so sacred and restricted that only the High Priest was ever allowed to enter it; and only once a year.
Similarly, it seems that the Law of Moses is comprised of what we might call common laws, comparable to the code of Hammurabi, as well as more holy laws. It is also important to consider the role of human traditions which can differ from time to time, and from place to place. Because when God gave the Law to the Israelites through Moses, He accommodated their human traditions.
For example, some cultures (including that of the ancient Israelites) have practiced arranged marriage. I live in a culture that allows couples to date and to choose each other, without the parents betrothing them. I think both cultural practices have their pros and cons to them.
Neither practice is morally wrong, in and of itself. In a culture of arranged marriage, the parents ought to be considerate of the needs and welfare of their son or daughter in choosing the right spouse for them. In the culture in which I live, it is up to each person to be wise or foolish in choosing a spouse.
Now the Ten Commandments, which were carved in tablets of stone by God's own finger, might be comparable to the Holy place of the Tabernacle. They are holy in nature, not cultural. And then the heart and soul of the Law is found in Deuteronomy 6:5, "You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength"; and in Leviticus 19:18, "...you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Jesus said that these are the two greatest commandments, and that all the other commandments hang on them (Matthew 22:37-40).
In order to understand the Law of Moses, it is important to realize what the purpose of the Law was in the first place. The apostle Paul, under the direction of the Holy Spirit, informs us that the Law was made for sinners, to make clear our inability to attain righteousness (1 Timothy 1:9, Romans 3:20).
Jesus Himself made that pretty clear when He preached the Sermon on the Mount, which is recorded in Matthew chapters 5-7. He said that if you look at a woman to lust after her, you have already committed the sin of adultery with her in your heart. And if you hate someone, you have already murdered that person in your heart.
So the Law was given to Moses for sinners, to make them aware of their sin. By the law we become conscious of our alienation from God. It reveals the discord between our fallen human nature and the perfect, immaculate nature of God who is love, and who made humanity in His image, before the Fall.
The Law shows us that as fallen humans, our nature is no longer in tune with the Divine nature, the nature of God who is love. As it has been said, love toward God and each other is the foundation of the whole Law (Romans 13:9-10).
Since the Law is made for sinners, the ceremonial laws serve as symbolic reminders of the impurity of our fallen human nature. The prophet Isaiah tells us that because of our fallen nature, even our attempts at righteousness are like filthy rags to God (Isaiah 64:6). And the term translated "filthy rags" refers to dirty menstrual rags.
According to the Law of Moses, a woman in the midst of her menstrual period was considered ceremonially "unclean", and she had to go through a whole ceremonial cleansing process before she could participate in public worship.
I remember once finding an article in a magazine that claimed that the biblical writers did not understand a woman's menstrual cycle, and that they thought of the biological process as shameful and bad. But in actuality, the author of that article is the one who does not understand the Law of Moses at all.
The ceremonial laws were given by God for their symbolic value. It's not that there is anything wrong with, or shameful about a woman's biology. But the messy nature of it was used as a symbol for the impurity of our fallen human nature. The same idea is behind the laws concerning which animals were, or were not considered fit for ceremonial or dietary use. And the animal sacrifices prescribed in the Law of Moses are foreshadows of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross (read Hebrews 10:1-25).
Also, because the Law was made for sinners, there is a certain level of forbearance in it. God gave laws concerning treatment of slaves. And today we may wonder, "Why didn't He just forbid slavery altogether?" But these Laws were given as a Divine concession because human nature is hardened against doing right.
However, it should be noted that according to the Law of Moses, no one could lawfully be a slave for life. The people of Israel were required to free all their slaves at various intervals of time. And besides that, in the human traditions of those days, people were not enslaved because of their race. Ways that a person could become a slave, in those days, included being captured in battle during war-time; or a person might sell himself into slavery in order to pay a debt.
The pharisees who were opposed to Jesus once asked Him a question concerning the divorce law that Moses handed down to the people. According to the Law of Moses, if a man wanted to divorce his wife for any reason, he just had to give her a certificate of divorce and send her away. The pharisees asked Jesus if He agreed with this law.
Jesus told them that Moses gave them this law because their hearts were hard. He told them that "from the beginning of creation God 'made them male and female.' 'For this reason a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh'; so they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let no man separate" (Mark 10:2-9).
And so here is an important point. God's desire is reconciliation between Himself and us. So the giving of the Law was a step in His plan to bring us back to the way it was in the beginning, before the Fall. The point of these laws was to make us aware of our sin and prod us toward returning to God who is love, and who made us in His own image.
But the Law alone could not accomplish that ultimate goal. As the Scriptures tell "a man is not justified by the works of the law but by faith in Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Christ Jesus, that we might be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law; for by the works of the law no flesh shall be justified" (Galatians 2:16).
The Law only reveals our need for reconciliation with God. It points us to Christ, who is the only Savior from sin. As the Scriptures tell "Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith" (Galatians 3:24). This is what Jesus meant when He said "Do not think that I came to destroy the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill" (Matthew 5:17).
Jesus the Son of God, through whom all things were created, came into the world and lived a pure, perfect, sinless life. And then He gave Himself as a perfect sacrifice to the Father for our sins. Now everyone who trusts in Him is clothed (so to speak) with His righteousness, just as He was clothed (so to speak) in our sin.
And as we are clothed in His righteousness, and practice righteousness in Him, we will grow to be more and more like Him as we surrender to Him living in us. Our fallen nature is being put to death, while the Divine nature, in the image of which humanity was originally created, is taking over in our hearts.
As Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me" (Galatians 2:20, also read Colossians 3:1-16).
"For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh" (Romans 8:3). And in another passage, Paul writes "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him".
And as Jesus Himself said, "It is written in the prophets, 'And they shall all be taught by God.' Therefore everyone who has heard and learned from the Father comes to me". (John 6:45). And as the apostle John wrote, "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ" (John 1:17).
And so, the Law is truly perfect for what it was given to do; to tutor and lead sinners like you and me to Jesus Christ, who alone can reconcile us to the Father.
Thursday, August 22, 2013
God Is Not Desperate
Some Bible skeptics taunt at the idea of belief in God, asking "If God exists, where is He? Why doesn't He show Himself plainly, for all to see?" Such scoffers are just like those who challenged Jesus to "show a sign" if He were truly the Son of God. They said this after He had already given a plethora of signs and miracles.
The truth is that God has already revealed Himself adequately for any honest seeker to find Him. He has revealed Himself through nature. He has revealed Himself through the biblical prophets. He has revealed Himself through the testimony of the apostles. And He has revealed Himself especially through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2, Romans 1:20, Psalm 19).
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Both men die, and Lazarus goes to be with Abraham in Heaven. The rich man who lived a life of selfish pleasure, unmindful of Lazarus and of God, went to Hell.
Afar off across a chasm, the rich man sees Lazarus with Abraham. He calls out and selfishly asks Abraham to send Lazarus over to give him a drop of water. Abraham tells him no. Then the rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers, so they wouldn't end up like him in that place of torment.
Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers have the writings of Moses and the Prophets to warn them. But the rich man pleads saying that if Lazarus would return from the dead, then his brothers would believe. Abraham replies in verse 31 "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead".
So Jesus makes it clear that He is not desperate to convince anyone of His truth. He has already done everything He needed to do to reveal Himself to us. Now it's on us to be receptive. "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear", as Jesus often says (Mark 4:9, 4:23, Luke 8:8, 14:35, Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22). And so we do not change the message to attract the masses. People must change their hearts and minds to receive the truth; not the other way around.
Interestingly, Jesus did raise a man named Lazarus from the dead. And afterwards, His enemies wanted to kill them both (John 11:43-53, 12:9-10). So He was right. And even to this day, there are those who continue to reject Jesus despite His clear revelation of Himself in the time and space of human history, recorded in the Scriptures, as well as His revelation of Himself through design in nature.
God is love (1 John 4:8). So why not love the One who is love? The reason that we as human beings even have a concept of love is because we were created by, and in the image of God who is love (Genesis 1:26-27). So to surrender to Him is to surrender to love. If anyone rejects Him, they demonstrate that they have a lack of love, because they do not love God who is love (Matthew 22:37-38). And whoever loves the Father will love the Son as well (1 John 5:1, 1 John 2:22-23, John 3:36).
The truth is that God has already revealed Himself adequately for any honest seeker to find Him. He has revealed Himself through nature. He has revealed Himself through the biblical prophets. He has revealed Himself through the testimony of the apostles. And He has revealed Himself especially through His Son, Jesus Christ (Hebrews 1:1-2, Romans 1:20, Psalm 19).
In Luke 16:19-31, Jesus tells the story of a rich man and a beggar named Lazarus. Both men die, and Lazarus goes to be with Abraham in Heaven. The rich man who lived a life of selfish pleasure, unmindful of Lazarus and of God, went to Hell.
Afar off across a chasm, the rich man sees Lazarus with Abraham. He calls out and selfishly asks Abraham to send Lazarus over to give him a drop of water. Abraham tells him no. Then the rich man asks Abraham to send Lazarus back to warn his brothers, so they wouldn't end up like him in that place of torment.
Abraham tells the rich man that his brothers have the writings of Moses and the Prophets to warn them. But the rich man pleads saying that if Lazarus would return from the dead, then his brothers would believe. Abraham replies in verse 31 "If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be convinced even if someone rises from the dead".
So Jesus makes it clear that He is not desperate to convince anyone of His truth. He has already done everything He needed to do to reveal Himself to us. Now it's on us to be receptive. "Whoever has ears to hear, let them hear", as Jesus often says (Mark 4:9, 4:23, Luke 8:8, 14:35, Revelation 2:7, 2:11, 2:17, 2:29, 3:6, 3:13, 3:22). And so we do not change the message to attract the masses. People must change their hearts and minds to receive the truth; not the other way around.
Interestingly, Jesus did raise a man named Lazarus from the dead. And afterwards, His enemies wanted to kill them both (John 11:43-53, 12:9-10). So He was right. And even to this day, there are those who continue to reject Jesus despite His clear revelation of Himself in the time and space of human history, recorded in the Scriptures, as well as His revelation of Himself through design in nature.
God is love (1 John 4:8). So why not love the One who is love? The reason that we as human beings even have a concept of love is because we were created by, and in the image of God who is love (Genesis 1:26-27). So to surrender to Him is to surrender to love. If anyone rejects Him, they demonstrate that they have a lack of love, because they do not love God who is love (Matthew 22:37-38). And whoever loves the Father will love the Son as well (1 John 5:1, 1 John 2:22-23, John 3:36).
Thursday, August 8, 2013
A Mindful Love
"What is man that You are mindful of him,
And the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:4 NKJV; emphasis added).
"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'. This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38 NKJV; emphasis added).
Why is sound doctrine important? What difference do theology and apologetics make to Christian living? The apostle Paul certainly placed a lot of emphasis on the importance of these things. The fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians is devoted to the importance of believing in the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And in his letters to Timothy and Titus he also urged them to teach sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9-10, 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Titus 2:1).
There are at least a few reasons why sound doctrine is important. For one thing, if the Church strays from teaching the truth, we will no longer be presenting the gospel that is able to save souls. The distortion of the gospel makes it ineffective. It loses its, shall we say, structural integrity. Then if anyone does believe what is taught, they will not believe the truth that leads to eternal life. But they will be less likely to believe in Christ, or God, or the Scriptures at all.
And as Paul often showed in his letters to all the churches, there is a correlation between what we believe and what we do. His letter to the Colossians is a good example. In that letter, Paul stresses the importance of sound teachings about Christ. Then, in the third chapter he says, in effect, "Now because of these truths concerning Jesus, set your mind on Him, and live this way instead of that way".
The bottom line is that love is a mindful thing. God is mindful of us because He loves us. He doesn't sit on His throne and say to Himself, "Oh, I don't believe in the literal human being. I don't interpret prayers as literal petitions and supplications. Humanity is just a metaphor for stuff that I like. So as long as I'm feeling good that's all that matters."
You know, God doesn't construct stupid, careless, false ideas about who and what we are. It is true that He does all things for His own glory. But His glory is in His love and goodness toward us as well as in His power, His wisdom, His knowledge, and His eternal, holy nature.
And if we love our heavenly Father, we will be mindful of Him. We will think honestly about Him as He has revealed Himself to us through the Old Testament prophets, the apostles, and His Son - Jesus Christ. We will recognize who and what He is - The Creator and Owner of the universe, and of our lives. And so we will honor Him and seek His glory in our lives. And a part of what that means is using the mind He has given us, to the best of the ability He has given us.
God is love. So why not love the One who is love? He has made us in His image to love and be loved by Him.
And the son of man that You visit him?" (Psalm 8:4 NKJV; emphasis added).
"Jesus said to him, 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind'. This is the first and greatest commandment" (Matthew 22:37-38 NKJV; emphasis added).
Why is sound doctrine important? What difference do theology and apologetics make to Christian living? The apostle Paul certainly placed a lot of emphasis on the importance of these things. The fifteenth chapter of his first letter to the Corinthians is devoted to the importance of believing in the literal, bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. And in his letters to Timothy and Titus he also urged them to teach sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9-10, 2 Timothy 4:2-4, Titus 2:1).
There are at least a few reasons why sound doctrine is important. For one thing, if the Church strays from teaching the truth, we will no longer be presenting the gospel that is able to save souls. The distortion of the gospel makes it ineffective. It loses its, shall we say, structural integrity. Then if anyone does believe what is taught, they will not believe the truth that leads to eternal life. But they will be less likely to believe in Christ, or God, or the Scriptures at all.
And as Paul often showed in his letters to all the churches, there is a correlation between what we believe and what we do. His letter to the Colossians is a good example. In that letter, Paul stresses the importance of sound teachings about Christ. Then, in the third chapter he says, in effect, "Now because of these truths concerning Jesus, set your mind on Him, and live this way instead of that way".
The bottom line is that love is a mindful thing. God is mindful of us because He loves us. He doesn't sit on His throne and say to Himself, "Oh, I don't believe in the literal human being. I don't interpret prayers as literal petitions and supplications. Humanity is just a metaphor for stuff that I like. So as long as I'm feeling good that's all that matters."
You know, God doesn't construct stupid, careless, false ideas about who and what we are. It is true that He does all things for His own glory. But His glory is in His love and goodness toward us as well as in His power, His wisdom, His knowledge, and His eternal, holy nature.
And if we love our heavenly Father, we will be mindful of Him. We will think honestly about Him as He has revealed Himself to us through the Old Testament prophets, the apostles, and His Son - Jesus Christ. We will recognize who and what He is - The Creator and Owner of the universe, and of our lives. And so we will honor Him and seek His glory in our lives. And a part of what that means is using the mind He has given us, to the best of the ability He has given us.
God is love. So why not love the One who is love? He has made us in His image to love and be loved by Him.
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