Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Chapter 90: What Defines a Local Church?

Sometimes it is helpful to be able to define what is a local church, especially in the context of rapidly expanding church planting operations that sometimes take place in areas where the Holy Spirit is gathering a mass harvest of souls. The following is my attempt to do just that.

Jesus said that where two are three are gathered in his name, he is with them.

For where two or three gather together as my followers, I am there among them.”  Matthew 18: 20 (NLT)

Our Lord could have chosen any number, such as ten or twenty, but he chose two or three. He made it clear that small groups are a valid expression of the church. We should not think that only larger churches are legitimate models of church life and ministry. Jesus deliberately emphasized smallness. Not surprisingly, most churches are small, especially in areas of persecution.

However, the greater point he made was that his presence will be where people gather in his name.

The first defining characteristic of a local church is the presence of the Lord.

Paul said that our gatherings should allow for the Holy Spirit to direct ministry.

Well, my brothers and sisters, let’s summarize. When you meet together, one will sing, another will teach, another will tell some special revelation God has given, one will speak in tongues, and another will interpret what is said. But everything that is done must strengthen all of you.  1 Corinthians 14:26 (NLT)

From this passage, we understand that a gathering of disciples should include worship, Bible teaching, the gifts of the Spirit, and sharing what God is revealing to various individuals. The goal behind these expressions of Christ’s ministry is to strengthen his people. We are only able to give away to others what we have. Unless the church is strong in the Lord, it will have nothing with which to assist those who are struggling.

The second defining characteristic of a local church is Spirit-led ministry that builds up the people of the church.

The members of the church are referred to by our Lord as sheep. All sheep need a shepherd, which is why God assigns some with the responsibility of watching over the flock.

So guard yourselves and God’s people. Feed and shepherd God’s flock—his church, purchased with his own blood—over which the Holy Spirit has appointed you as leaders.  Acts 20:28 (NLT)

Therefore, another defining characteristic of a local church is the governmental and pastoral ministry of elders or shepherds, even if they are called by another name.

These shepherds feed and protect God’s people under the guidance and direction of the “Chief Shepherd,” our Lord Jesus.

And now, a word to you who are elders in the churches. I, too, am an elder and a witness to the sufferings of Christ. And I, too, will share in his glory when he is revealed to the whole world. As a fellow elder, I appeal to you: 2 Care for the flock that God has entrusted to you. Watch over it willingly, not grudgingly—not for what you will get out of it, but because you are eager to serve God. 3 Don’t lord it over the people assigned to your care, but lead them by your own good example. 4 And when the Great Shepherd appears, you will receive a crown of never-ending glory and honor. 5 In the same way, you who are younger must accept the authority of the elders. And all of you, dress yourselves in humility as you relate to one another, for “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.”  1 Peter 5:1–5 (NLT)

In a healthy church, the congregation will honor, respect, and follow those God has raised up to shepherd them. Part of their responsibility is to discipline the sheep when needed.

I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: 2 preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.  2 Timothy 4:1–2 (NASB95)

A healthy church will maintain proper church discipline that reflects the love and authority of the Lord, not heavy-handed manipulation and control.

Now I call upon God as my witness that I am telling the truth. The reason I didn’t return to Corinth was to spare you from a severe rebuke. 24 But that does not mean we want to dominate you by telling you how to put your faith into practice. We want to work together with you so you will be full of joy, for it is by your own faith that you stand firm.  2 Corinthians 1:23–24 (NLT)

Jesus left us with two ordinances which should be carried out by the local church: water baptism and the Lord’s Supper.  

He did not give us specifics regarding the exact way these ordinances should be carried out. I believe that water baptism should be done as soon after conversion as possible. Different churches have various ways they do communion. The important thing is for the local church to faithfully carry these out.

The local church is where the Word of God is taught, the gifts of the Spirit operate, worship takes place, disciples made, the saints affirmed, equipped, and encouraged, the ordinances of baptism and communion are observed, prayer and personal ministry takes place, financial assistance is offered when needed, discipline is administered as necessary, and people find love, acceptance, and forgiveness.

Some Helpful Analogies

It can be beneficial to think of the church in terms of a family, a train, a hospital, a boot camp, and a missional team. None of these are perfect but can give us insight into the nature of the church.

The Body of Christ

One of the best-known word pictures of the church is the body of Christ. This analogy provides us with two important truths regarding God’s people. The body is an integrated whole consisting of a wide variety of parts. Some of the parts are considered “vital” in that we cannot live without them. Others are extremely important to us, but we can live without them. No part of our body is despised or considered worthless.

Therefore, the analogy of the body of Christ teaches us that every person is important in the kingdom of God and should be treated as such.

A vital organ such as the head or heart may have a sense of superiority over a hand or foot, since a body can live without the latter two, but not without the first two. Nevertheless, a handless or footless body will experience a noticeable decline in quality of life and perhaps even die because of a lack of ability to provide for itself.

Every part of the body should strive to acknowledge and honor every other part.

The second truth associated with the body analogy is that the church is able to move and accomplish much as a living organism. Our being alive not only makes great things possible, it also introduces problems. Living organisms make choices and sometimes have issues with one another. The church as a body introduces the challenge of getting along with one another.

The Church as a Building

The church is also pictured as a building, the temple of God constructed by the Spirit to house the presence of the Lord here on earth.

Now, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, 20 having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, 21 in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, 22 in whom you also are being built together for a dwelling place of God in the Spirit.  Ephesians 2:19–22 (NKJV)

The apostle Peter called the church “living stones.”

you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.  1 Peter 2:5 (NKJV)

Buildings are firmly immovable and solid, as opposed to mobile easily fractured assemblies of people engaged in activities that have the potential to increase friction among members.

The analogy of the building reminds us that we are cemented or glued together in love by the Spirit of God. The only thing that muddies this picture is the fact that the stones are alive and may decide to disconnect and move away from their places in the structure. This contributes to the challenge of watching over the flock.

Above all, clothe yourselves with love, which binds us all together in perfect harmony.  Colossians 3:14 (NLT)

When we are tempted to divide from others because of strife or offense, it is helpful to remind ourselves that we are a firmly secured immovable building.

If we couple the idea of the church being a moving dynamic body with that of it being a firmly secured and solid assembly of “living stones,” it will give us a more balanced understanding.

The Bride of Christ

The church as a bride is another very familiar analogy. Men readily understand Christ’s perspective of loving and wishing to protect and provide for his bride, while waiting in eager expectation for the wedding to take place. Women better understand the feminine side of things, being cherished and honored as the bride.

This analogy readily morphs into thinking of ourselves as the “wife” of Christ, as Paul describes the church in Ephesians Chapter 5 and Romans Chapter 7.

In the Ephesians passage, Paul encourages men to sacrificially love their wives as Christ loves the church and wives to honor their husbands as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22-25) This shows us how to apply spiritual principles to practical relationships in marriage and in the church. Paul wrote that we should honor one another above ourselves. (Philippians 2:3)

The church as Christ’s bride also refers to fruitfulness.

Just as a husband and wife naturally produce children if everything is functioning properly and no steps are being taken to prevent conception, so our love relationship with Christ will produce good fruit spiritually.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God.  Romans 7:4 (NKJV)

Fruit bearing, while being extremely important for the continuance of the church and humanity, is not the primary reason for marriage. God’s stated purpose for marriage in the beginning was to provide someone to relieve Adam’s loneliness.

Marriage is first a covenant of companionship and secondarily a means to propagate humanity. Likewise, Christ’s love relationship with the church is primary and making disciples comes in second. Both are important, but we always want to keep first things first.

Nevertheless I have this against you, that you have left your first love.  Revelation 2:4 (NKJV)

The Bible makes it clear that God often chose barren women to further his kingdom purposes. The husbands of those women were faithful to them, despite their lack of fruitfulness. Eventually they bore miracle children. There is a spiritual lesson here. We do not abandon churches that seem to be barren. We keep loving and believing God to produce fruit in his way and time. We never want to emulate King Henry VIII who either divorced or killed several wives in search of a male heir. Instead, let’s be like Isaac who believed for Rebecca to have children.

Now Isaac pleaded with the Lord for his wife, because she was barren; and the Lord granted his plea, and Rebekah his wife conceived.  Genesis 25:21 (NKJV)

 

A Family of Friends

I have sometimes described the church over the years as a family of friends doing life together. Families have “blood” ties that go beyond merely liking or disliking one another. Families generally try to be there for each other when things are difficult. Friends, on the other hand, are mutually attracted to one another and genuinely enjoy one another. When family members are true friends, it is a strong bond.

Ideally, the local church is a group of unlikely people drawn together by our mutual devotion to the Lord. We are bonded and made into a family through the new birth and by the shared presence of the Spirit in our lives. We grow to love and appreciate one another and strive to be faithful friends as we share life together, which always includes encountering difficulties along the way.

Local churches ideally provide us with a loving family of friends to support and love us as we live out our days.

One of the primary purposes for marriage is to have children, to be fruitful and multiply. When God blesses a couple with offspring, they care for them, teach them how to be self-governing successful adults, and launch them to start their own families. This is a model of discipleship. A successful parent encourages his children to leave home at the appropriate time and recreate what they experienced in their parents’ home.

Churches are meant to train and equip their people and launch them to start new families of friends.

A Train

In our country people do not ride trains very often, but we understand how they operate. Perhaps we can think of shuttles that carry people to various terminals at some of our larger airports, or buses operating in or between cities. These conveyances run routes to specific destinations. We board whichever one we think we get us where we need to be.

People join a church because they think it is going to take them where they want to go.

Interestingly, some people join a church to try to commandeer it to go to their preferred destination. They generally remain only if they get their way; otherwise they move on. One pastor friend of mine told me he tells such people, “Remember, you joined us. We didn’t join you.”

I tell people who are looking for a church or wondering if they need to move on to keep four things in mind.

  1. We should join or remain in a local church that holds to solid Bible doctrine and teaching. This does not mean we have to completely agree with every point, but we should not differ in any significant core doctrine.
  2. We should feel that the leadership of the church is trustworthy and that we can follow their lead.
  3. We should be able to embrace the vision of the church. This means that whatever expression of Christ’s mission the church highlights should be something we can support, even if we are not directly involved.
  4. We should have a sense of the Holy Spirit directing our steps.

The train analogy relates to the third point above. We board a train to get to a destination. The vision of the church is the destination. If we wish to pursue a local church’s vision, we should get on their train. However, sometimes our personal vision may change. God may begin to lead us in a new direction. In other cases, the church’s vision may change, the leaders start taking its people to a new destination with which we may not align. In such cases, we should not get mad at the train for not taking us where we want to go. Instead, it may be time to change trains.

Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction?  Amos 3:3 (NLT)

At every stop along the way, people get off the train, having reached their destination or a place to switch trains. People also choose to board the train because they want to go where the train is going. People should be allowed to freely board the train and freely get off. If the people preparing to board see that the train will not let those wanting to deboard get off, it should be a major “red flag.” We never want to board a train that does not let people get off; neither should we join a church that tries to stop people from leaving.

Churches should probably make it easier for people to leave than to join.

It is counterproductive to attack people who want to leave. Let them depart with a blessing, if possible.

It is better for us to leave on good terms than to stay past the “expiration date” and depart in anger or frustration.

If we wait too long, the latter is likely to happen. While “church hopping” is never a good thing, staying put when we are frustrated might be worse. Our discontent will likely begin to affect others, and we should try never be a negative influence.

I remember several years ago that a certain man wanted to join our church. I met with him to discuss the matter. During the conversation, I discovered that he had been a part of a huge number of churches in our area over the years, only to find some fault with each of them and move on. I told him we did not want to become another short-term stay and told him I did not think he should join us.

When people leave a church, especially when they have been a part for a long time, it creates a “hole,” so to speak. We build relationships in our local church, and if we leave it may create hurt and confusion among some of the other members. They may wonder why we left. What was wrong? Is there a problem in the church that I don’t know about? We should understand this and not take leaving a church lightly. However, if we need to leave, we should do it the right way. We should inform the leadership of our decision and hopefully part with a blessing from the church.

Churches do well to accept that sometimes people need or want to move and try to bless them on their way.

However, if people leave because they are in rebellion or sin and refuse to be corrected, that is another matter altogether.

A Hospital

A hospital is a place where very sick people go to get better. In some cases, they may need to stay quite a while, especially if rehab is needed, but it is never our goal to make the hospital our permanent home. That is, unless we are part of the staff.

If we think of the church as a hospital, we understand the some are part of the staff and others come for a while, get better, and then leave.

When they leave, we are glad for them, not resentful. Those who are part of the staff understand the bed space needs to be opened so that new hurting people can benefit from their services.

Boot Camp

If we think of the church as a boot camp, we understand that we are preparing soldiers to be launched into combat. We try to prepare and equip them to be successful. About the time that the drill sergeant whips his men into shape, it is time for them to leave.

The purpose of boot camp is to prepare men for battle and send them out, and then repeat the process.

Churches are disciple training centers. Our job is to prepare and equip people to go and make disciples. We are to equip and launch. If boot camps try to retain those they train, they violate their mission and purpose.

Missional Team

The great commission is the stated purpose of the church. Every local church is commissioned to prepare and encourage its members to pursue the great commission in an appropriate manner, realizing that there is great diversity in how this is done. The church can support its members in the way they do this. When people serve together on mission, it can develop something missiologists call “communitas,” a deep bond of friendship and loyalty, similar to what men in combat experience.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.
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One New Man: How Christ Put Racism and Other Forms of Privilege to Death

 

Racism and considering ourselves better than others is part of the human condition thanks to sin. Jesus dealt a death blow to racism and other forms of privilege and division on the cross. He came to reconcile us to God and one another and remove every “wall of hostility” between individuals, groups, and genders, creating a brand new people through what is called the new birth which finds its unity in a shared faith in Christ, the truth of God’s Word, and the indwelling Holy Spirit.

For Christ himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in his own body on the cross, he broke down the wall of hostility that separated us. 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in himself one new people [literally “man”] from the two groups. 16 Together as one body, Christ reconciled both groups to God by means of his death on the cross, and our hostility toward each other was put to death. 17 He brought this Good News of peace to you Gentiles who were far away from him, and peace to the Jews who were near. 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. Ephesians 2:14-18 (NLT)

Before Christ’s death and resurrection, from the perspective of the Jewish people, everyone could be divided into two large groups – the descendants of Abraham, who were also called children of the promise, and the Gentiles, who had no covenant access to God or his promises to Israel. God covenanted with Abraham and his descendants that they would be blessed and become a blessing to the entire world. Circumcision was the mark of that covenant that existed between God and these people, who became known as the nation of Israel. To a large extent (except in the case of Gentile converts), being a part of the covenant nation was genetically and racially based via descent from Abraham, as long as the covenant was embraced by successive generations.

Within the Jewish religious system, men had a place of higher status and privilege than women. There also was an established order based on family lines, which either privileged a person to do the work connected with the Temple and the sacrifices or excluded him. These lines of demarcation were based on race, gender, and family. In addition, the Jews separated themselves from all outside influences in an effort to keep their ethnic and religious identity.

All of this created what was called by some a “wall of hostility” between Jew and Gentile that went all the way back to Cain and Abel, Isaac and Ishmael, and Jacob and Esau. The chosen sons down through history received the promises and blessings, but the rejected children were excluded from God’s best, which gave birth to resentment and bitterness, all of which is still evident in the Middle East and elsewhere. Jesus came to change all that.

Our New Identity in Christ

Our division with other people is rooted in our separation from God.

Cut off from God, the source of life and identity, because of our sin, we look in other places for a sense of worth, identity, and meaning. In an effort to feel better about ourselves and defend ourselves from perceived outside threats, we tend to dislike and view with suspicion those not like us. Sometimes this ends in violence, all the way to “ethnic cleansing.” In order to justify our actions, we usually dehumanize the “enemy” in some way. Jews referred to Gentiles as “dogs.” Some whites in this country at one time held the opinion that Native Americans and blacks did not have souls. Today the most persecuted group are unborn infants. Those who justify murdering unborn children through abortion claim that they are not yet humans. Nothing much has changed. Ironically many of those who complain the loudest about black-white and socioeconomic inequities promote abortion. This is utter hypocrisy, but we all tend to justify what we think benefits us. As the Bible says, there are none righteous in God’s sight. We are all sinners in desperate need of mercy. (Romans 3:10)

Jesus came to the earth on a mission to overcome our separation from God and destroy the deeply rooted hostilities associated with race, gender, socioeconomic, and religious bias. He did this by identifying with our sin and putting those sinful attitudes and actions to death on the cross.

When Jesus rose from the dead, through the new birth, he is creating a new edition of humanity and an entirely new reality for those who are born into the kingdom of God, one that transcends all that previously divided us.

The Death of Racial Privilege

When Jesus died, it marked the death of the privileges connected with being a racial Jew. Jesus was the most important Jewish son ever born. He was the ultimate Son of Promise, the Messiah, the “seed” prophesied to Eve and to Abraham (Genesis 3:15, 22:18).

When Jesus died, not only did sin lose its power over those who trust in Christ, the privilege connected with being a racial Jew, as opposed to being a Gentile, was also put to death.

We can and should extrapolate this glorious truth to include all forms of racial privilege. Other forms of racism are based on nothing more than baseless prejudice by which we rank our group over others. In God’s eyes, all men are equally sinful and in need of a Savior. The only people God had privileged  had been the Jews, but even that came to an end when the goal of their privilege, the Messiah, was nailed to the cross. Racism and privilege officially died at the cross. Now the only privilege that exists is based on our relationship with our heavenly Father. Those who are born of the father, no matter their race, gender, or any other factor, will inherit glory.

15 For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” 16 The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, 17 and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. 18 For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. Romans 8:15–18 (NKJV)

All those who are born of God through faith in Christ have one and the same Father. Therefore, we are all brothers and sisters in the same family. There is no basis for division in the Body of Christ.

 

The Death of Gender Privilege

Jesus, the perfect man of God died at Calvary, and with him died gender-based privileged access to God and the work of ministry.

In the new resurrection reality, there is nothing remaining that excludes anyone from the blessings and privileges of sonship in Christ. This is because all believers are now included in all that belongs to the Resurrected Son of Promise. What is his has become ours. Our relationship with God is qualitatively the same relationship as the Eternal Son’s (excluding, of course, his divinity) because his Spirit indwells us.

By faith and through the new birth, in Christ we are all “sons.”

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5 God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6 And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7 Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT)

I realize that we live in a world in which we have bodies that are definitely male and female. Paul would not have disputed this. Sexual differentiation makes men and women different physically, emotionally, and functionally. By saying that there is no longer any gender-based privilege or access to God or ministry, I also am not denying the clear teaching of Scripture which affirms that God, for the present time, has given headship responsibilities to the husband in the family and to elders in the church – roles that are distinctly masculine. I also recognize that God has given men and women gender-specific roles in life, such as mother and father and husband and wife.

That being said, in terms of our identity in Christ, there is no qualitative difference. In addition, God has, can, and does appoint women to leadership and ministry roles, as he pleases. This has a Biblical precedent in the Old Testament in the case of Deborah, who ruled Israel and commanded its military leaders. It can also be argued from the New Testament, but that is beyond the scope of this article. I hope we can agree that the resurrection reality is that there is “no male or female” (Galatians 3:28). God is able to import that eternal reality into our present historical context any time he chooses, just as he did with Deborah.

What will be our experienced reality in the resurrection is already true in Christ.

The Death of Religious Privilege

The religious aspect of the wall of hostility came down when Jesus, the high priest according to the line of Melchizedek, died. The historic Old Covenant privileges associated with the line of Aaron came to an end at Calvary. The Old Covenant sacrifices and offerings were fulfilled in Christ as well, making them obsolete and soon to fade from existence.

When God speaks of a “new” covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear. Hebrews 8:13 (NLT)

Christ’s death and resurrection destroyed the clergy-laity divide, making all of God’s people   priests.

But you are not like that, for you are a chosen people. You are royal priests, a holy nation, God’s very own possession. As a result, you can show others the goodness of God, for he called you out of the darkness into his wonderful light. 10  “Once you had no identity as a people; now you are God’s people. Once you received no mercy; now you have received God’s mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10 (NLT)

Each follower of Christ is called, equipped, and anointed to do the work of the ministry and to offer New Covenant sacrifices, such as offering ourselves in service to Christ, giving to the needy, offering praise to God, and showing hospitality.

Jesus rejected the established way of achieving prominence in the religious world of his day. He did not attend the schools which were designed to accredit, prepare, and propel a man into a religious career. Instead he depended on God to prepare, anoint, and accredit him. In addition, Jesus chose simple men and women to be his disciples and trained them using his own methods, which were a combination of teaching and doing. He taught and modeled the behavior he desired and sent his disciples out to test their wings. In three years he produced a band of followers, who, through the power of the Holy Spirit, turned the world upside down.

The church will flourish as it puts into practice the Reformation doctrine of the priesthood of the believer, equipping and launching people into Great Commission disciple making.

The Death of Socioeconomic Privilege

The socioeconomic divide was also removed in Christ. Jesus, the glorious King of Kings, who set aside his incomparable wealth and privilege as the Eternal Son of God and was born in a manger, lived as a relatively poor man in an oppressed nation, associated with the poor and the outcasts, was crucified as a criminal, and was buried in a tomb that belonged to someone else.

When Jesus, the richest person who ever lived, rose from the dead, rich and poor were made equal because of the liberating power of the Gospel and the Holy Spirit. Now all born again believers share his riches and glory. (Ephesians 1:3-4)

His mighty arm has done tremendous things! He has scattered the proud and haughty ones. 52  He has brought down princes from their thrones and exalted the humble. 53  He has filled the hungry with good things and sent the rich away with empty hands. 54  He has helped his servant Israel and remembered to be merciful. 55  For he made this promise to our ancestors, to Abraham and his children forever.” Luke 1:51-55 (NLT)

 

Conclusion
All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

All blessings and our identity in the new creation order is found in Christ. Outside of him, we are lost, divided, and impoverished. In him, we are part of God’s family and incalculably wealthy and privileged. All that divided people because of religious, racial, ethnic, social, and gender issues has been removed by Christ. All believers are part of the one new perfect man who pleases God in every way. When we choose to acknowledge and live according to this new reality, we confirm the truth of the gospel and honor our Lord.

To read more articles on the amazing new covenant, click here.

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Once for All

 

The phrase “once for all” is tremendously important if we are to properly understand the New Covenant and the nature of what Christ accomplished for us through his death and resurrection.

For Christ also died for sins once for all, the just for the unjust, so that He might bring us to God, having been put to death in the flesh, but made alive in the spirit; 1 Peter 3:18 (NASB)

Conversely, Adam’s and Eve’s sin of betrayal of allegiance to God in the garden was also a “once for all” event that forever altered the trajectory of humanity and the entire creation.

20 Against its will, all creation was subjected to God’s curse. But with eager hope, 21 the creation looks forward to the day when it will join God’s children in glorious freedom from death and decay. 22 For we know that all creation has been groaning as in the pains of childbirth right up to the present time. Romans 8:20–22 (NLT)

Their choice of Satan over God was a one-time event that brought all successive generations under judgment. What some call the “original sin” resulted in the transmittal of a fallen “sin nature” to every human being who would ever be born the natural way. (Jesus is excluded from this list by reason of the virgin birth.) It set in motion a horrendous sequence of events that is still whirling seemingly out of control today. (However, God is still sovereign over his creation.) The evil we see around us, that sometimes seems to strike the most “innocent” at random, is the result of that first sin reinforced by the additional transgressions that each of us have added to the mix, thus increasing a malevolent avalanche of evil that often sweeps away the unsuspecting. (It is important to remind ourselves that no one is truly innocent before God.)

Since the first sin was a “once for all” event, it stands to reason that what God would eventually do to rescue mankind would also be such an event.

God is “Other”. By that I mean that He is very different from you and me, even though we are created in His image. He is not bound by time as we now are in so many ways. He sees the end from the beginning and “calls those things which be not as though they were”. (Romans 4:17) This amazing merging of history and eternity is revealed in such verses as the following.

And all the people who belong to this world worshiped the beast. They are the ones whose names were not written in the Book of Life, which belongs to the Lamb who was killed before the world was made. Revelation 13:8 (NLT)

If you are a believer, not only did God choose you before the foundation of the world (Ephesians 1:4), His Son was put to death before history ever began as well.

There is an eternal reality to things before they ever show up in what we call “history”.

History is the playing out of God’s wonderful plan. Shakespeare is credited with writing the following lines which describe how God’s eternal sovereignty works itself out in our world of time and responsibility.

All the world’s a stage,
And all the men and women merely players:
They have their exits and their entrances;
And one man in his time plays many parts, (As You Like It)

That which is eternal is what is truly important. It might be said that what we do here in the present (the working out of history) is the outworking of the eternal.

12 Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling; 13 for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure. Philippians 2:12–13 (NKJV)

How we participate in the outworking in history of God’s eternal purpose affects our eternity. God is sovereign and we are responsible agents. That which from God’s perspective was accomplished before the foundation of the earth had to take place at a given point in history as well. In the “fullness of time” (God’s appointed time), Jesus was born, lived, was crucified, and rose again.

When Jesus hung upon the cross, some eternal things were taking place that we must acknowledge and believe if we are to fully appreciate and benefit from what God did.

Romans says that when Jesus died, we died. When He rose, we rose. We were placed “in Christ” so that what He experienced and accomplished is now ours. We were and are identified with Christ, or, as Paul often wrote, we are “in Christ.” (Click here to read more about this.)

Identification is one of the most important salvation concepts in the Bible. We were not given salvation as much as we were provided a Savior.

We do not receive grace so much as we are now indwelt by the Gracious One. We have not so much been given life as we are filled with the One who is Life Himself. (John 14:6) All the blessings of God are in a Person, and His name is Jesus. (We experience all this via the indwelling Holy Spirit, God’s most amazing gift.)

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, Ephesians 1:3 (NKJV)

When Jesus died on that cross, for those who profess faith in and allegiance to him, He provided forgiveness for every sin that had ever been committed or would ever be committed.

12 but He, having offered one sacrifice for sins for all time, SAT DOWN AT THE RIGHT HAND OF GOD, 13 waiting from that time onward UNTIL HIS ENEMIES BE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. Hebrews 10:12–14 (NASB95)

Does this sound too good to be true? Do not allow the limitations of your human reasoning rob you of a tremendous truth! When the crucifixion took place some 2000 years ago, the sins of every person who would ever live afterward and come to believe the gospel were still in the future. The sins of all those who had previously lived and died while trusting in God were in the past. There is only one way to be made right with God, whenever you were permitted to exist in the thousands of year of human history.

How could the sins of those long dead, such as King David, and the sins of all who would later be born be included in what Jesus did on the cross, unless it was an eternal once-for-all sacrifice?

God, in His eternal wisdom, placed every past and every future sin of His people on His Son. Jesus carried that heavy burden to His death. He substituted for us by taking our punishment for us. Substitution is another big concept. Jesus was our Substitute by paying the price for our sin, but we are identified with Him in that we too died.

God accomplished two huge eternal things on the cross. Jesus died for us, and we died with Him.

His death for us released us from guilt and condemnation. Our death with him released us from the power of sin (Romans 6)  and the Law. (Romans 7:4) When He rose again, we rose with Him, which empowered us to live a new life in the Spirit.

Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God. 2  Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. 3  For you died, and your life is now hidden with Christ in God. 4  When Christ, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in glory. Colossians 3:1-4 (NIV)

But let’s get back to our main topic for today, the once for all nature of what Jesus did. The Greek language has more verb forms than English. The past tense can be expressed as the imperfect, which is used for repeated past actions, and the aorist, which is used to communicate a one-time occurrence. An example of this would be: “Johnny practiced (imperfect) on the piano every day with his instructor. Eventually he performed (aorist) his first piece.” What Jesus accomplished on the cross is always expressed in the aorist tense. It was done only once, never to be reenacted. (This is why the Catholic doctrine of the reenactment of Christ’s death in the Mass is so horribly unbiblical.) Here is how the author of Hebrews put it.

Nor did he enter heaven to offer himself again and again, like the earthly high priest who enters the Most Holy Place year after year to offer the blood of an animal. 26 If that had been necessary, he would have had to die again and again, ever since the world began. But no! He came once for all time, at the end of the age, to remove the power of sin forever by his sacrificial death for us. Hebrews 9:25-26 (NLT)

In other words, what Jesus did was permanent and eternal.

When we confess our sins and ask forgiveness from God, we tap into that once for all past work of grace on the cross.

Since His death was “once for all” and it took care of the power of sin “forever,” then our salvation is also “once for all”.

Once for all time he took blood into that Most Holy Place, but not the blood of goats and calves. He took his own blood, and with it he secured our salvation forever. Hebrews 9:12 (NLT)

God permanently transferred us out of the kingdom of darkness into his kingdom of light and life. (Colossians 1:13-14) He caused us to pass from death to life with the result being we will never ever come under condemnation again.

“I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

God removed us from the treadmill of needing to “earn” our salvation or right standing with God through our performance and placed us “in Christ,” where the work is finished.

Our Lord Jesus paid the penalty for our failures to keep the Covenant before we ever committed them. He actually “became” our sins, and, when he rose again, we became the righteousness of God in him.

God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NIV)

When he rose again, all forgiven former covenant breakers entered a right relationship with God and passed from death to life and from darkness to light.

We participated in his death and resurrection through identification. It is impossible for us to go back into death and “unbecome” a born-again child of God. Christ’s death and resurrection were “once for all” and so is the resultant new birth and justification. We are now “one spirit” with God. (1 Corinthians 6:17) He lives his life in and through us. (Galatians 2:20) Now God is working in us both to “will and to do” of his good pleasure as we cooperate with his grace. (Philippians 2:12-13) This ought to make us shout for joy!

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Observing the Sabbath New Covenant Style

I see comments by a number of people online who call themselves Christian who believe in keeping the Sabbath Old Covenant style. Is this a good thing for New Covenant Gentile believers? A necessary thing? Is God honored by Gentile believers becoming more Jewish in our religious observances? It is significant that the council in Jerusalem did not include Sabbath keeping in their list of requirements for Gentile believers, and neither should we.

Since the fall of mankind in the garden, we have learned to evaluate ourselves and everything else through the lens of our own judgment, instead of accepting what God says. We seek some standard by which we can measure ourselves. Sometimes that standard is other people. It looks like this: “Well, I am not as bad as _________. Other times we set up a religious standard, that might be positive or negative. For Christians, we might hold ourselves to not drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, or using recreational drugs. On the positive side, we might think that going to church three times a week is a noble standard. We can sometimes discover what standards people use by asking them two questions.

  1. If you were to die today, would you go to heaven?
  2. Why do you think so?

I have heard all sorts of self-justifying answers. I am not a bad person. I go to church. I try to be nice to people. Some even acknowledge that they are headed to hell. Still others give what Christians consider to be the correct answer: I believe in Jesus Christ, my Lord and Savior.

The observance of the Sabbath hearkens back to creation, when God rested on the seventh day after spending the previous six days making earth, the seas, the firmament, and everything contained therein. God made a very big deal out of requiring the Jewish people to “keep” the Sabbath in the Old Covenant. Work was strictly prohibited. It was a day of rest from all labor, even cooking. Violators could be stoned to death. By the time of Jesus, all sorts of extra rules had been put in place to ensure that people would not violate the Sabbath. Paradoxically, according to Jesus, these man-made rules sometimes contradicted God’s original intent for the Sabbath.

Jesus infuriated the Jewish leaders by regularly violating these Sabbath  regulations. It was clear that he did so deliberately. Why? On one particular Sabbath, Jesus healed a person, which the Pharisees said was a form of prohibited work. Our Lord embarrassed them by asking if they would rescue an animal out of a pit on the  Sabbath. Of course they would, since the emergency need of the animal trumped the regulation. The loving thing to do would be to help a beleaguered animal. Jesus insisted that it was even more appropriate to rescue a human being from Satan’s oppression on the Sabbath. In fact, such a rescue fulfilled God’s original intent for the Sabbath – giving rest to people. Sadly, when we descend into religious observance as our means of trying to be righteous, we almost always end up in some form of sterile rules that lack any compassion.

Jesus made the following insightful comment about the Sabbath.

…“The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath. 28  So the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath.” Mark 2:27-28 (ESV)

These words shocked his hearers on at least two counts.

  1. Jesus claimed to be the lord of the Sabbath, which made him God and gave him the authority to set the record straight about the purpose and meaning of the Sabbath.
  2. God intended the Sabbath to have life-giving flexibility rather than be a set of joy-robbing rules.

The original purpose of the Sabbath was to celebrate God’s finished work, demonstrate our trust in his faithfulness to provide for us, and to provide physical and spiritual rest that refocused us on the Lord and prepared us for another week of labor.

Setting aside religious considerations, people need a day of rest to maintain mental, spiritual, and physical health. Those who work seven days a week will eventually pay for it. That being said, we come to the question related to this article. Does God intend for us Gentile believers in Christ to continue to observe the Jewish Sabbath, or has the New Covenant released us from this and other elements of Judaism?

This question soon arose in the early church as more and more Gentiles became followers of Christ. Many in the church in Jerusalem, which was mostly composed of Jews, insisted that Gentile converts must observe the Law as a way of showing devotion to Christ. These “Judaizers” as they became known, saw the new “Way” (Acts 9:2) of serving God as a subset of Judaism, or, perhaps as modern “messianic” Jews think of themselves, the fulfillment of Judaism. Nevertheless, they believed that to be a dedicated follower of Christ, one had to practice Judaism.

The first church council at Jerusalem settled this matter, imposing only a few conditions on Gentile believers, not as a religious duty, but in order to avoid unnecessarily offending Jews who lived near them. (Acts 15:28-29) This is because, under the New Covenant, there is no moral or ceremonial reason to observe the Jewish rituals any longer since the Law was fulfilled by Christ.

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:4 (NLT)

This means, of course, that the Jewish observance of the Sabbath is no longer required, since Christ fulfilled it.

The principle that has passed over into the New Covenant is that we are to “rest” in God’s promises, provision, and protection.

9 So there is a special rest still waiting for the people of God. 10 For all who have entered into God’s rest have rested from their labors, just as God did after creating the world. 11 So let us do our best to enter that rest. But if we disobey God, as the people of Israel did, we will fall. Hebrews 4:9–11 (NLT)

The Old Covenant week began with six days of labor followed by a day of rest. In the New Covenant, the resurrection of Christ took place on what we call Sunday or the Lord’s Day (Acts 20:7, Revelation 1:10), the first day of the week.

As New Covenant believers, we begin our work week by resting in Christ’s finished work. Then we go to work. We recognize that God already completed the work of our salvation in Christ. When Jesus announced on the cross that his work was finished (John 19:30), it ended the power of the Law over the lives of believers. (Romans 6:14)

O LORD, you will ordain peace for us, for you have indeed done for us all our works. Isaiah 26:12 (ESV)

To put it another way, Christ already has completed the work of our salvation. Now we “work out our salvation” (Philippians 2:12) from a position of its already having been accomplished.

For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, 9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast. 10  For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10 (ESV)

In the New Covenant we are no longer under the Law of Moses. We do not earn or maintain our right standing with God by keeping rules and regulations. Jesus already perfectly kept all the rules for us.

For Christ has already accomplished the purpose for which the law was given. As a result, all who believe in him are made right with God. Romans 10:4 (NLT)

Jesus lived in complete obedience to his Father, all the way to the cross. He lived and died as the obedient Son, thus fulfilling the Law perfectly. By dying, he also paid the penalty for our violation of that same Law.

In other words, Jesus accomplished two huge things on our behalf. He provided forgiveness for our covenant violations of the Law and he provided us with his perfect right standing with God the Father that resulted from his being absolutely obedient. He took our place in death, and we share his place with the Father in life.

Under the New Covenant, our responsibility is no longer to “keep the law.” Now we are told to “walk in the Spirit.”

He did this so that the just requirement of the law would be fully satisfied for us, who no longer follow our sinful nature but instead follow the Spirit. Romans 8:4 (NLT)

When a person confesses that Jesus is Lord, he agrees to live the rest of his life in obedience and submission to Jesus. This is worked out by learning to listen to the Holy Spirit on a daily, even moment by moment, basis.

Our challenge is to learn how to live in faithful dependence upon God’s leading and direction, instead of simply doing whatever we want or decide. This is what it means to keep the Sabbath in the New Covenant.

Isaiah the prophet said it wonderfully.

“If you turn back your foot from the Sabbath, from doing your pleasure on my holy day, and call the Sabbath a delight and the holy day of the LORD honorable; if you honor it, not going your own ways, or seeking your own pleasure, or talking idly; 14  then you shall take delight in the LORD, and I will make you ride on the heights of the earth; I will feed you with the heritage of Jacob your father, for the mouth of the LORD has spoken.” Isaiah 58:13-14 (ESV)

The author of the Letter to the Hebrews said it another way.

Since therefore it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly received the good news failed to enter because of disobedience, 7  again he appoints a certain day, “Today,” saying through David so long afterward, in the words already quoted, “Today, if you hear his voice, do not harden your hearts.” 8  For if Joshua had given them rest, God would not have spoken of another day later on. 9  So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, 10  for whoever has entered God’s rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. 11  Let us therefore strive to enter that rest, so that no one may fall by the same sort of disobedience. Hebrews 4:6-11 (ESV)

Keeping the Sabbath in the New Covenant means resting in Christ’s finished work on the cross while consciously attempting to live in obedience to the Bible’s teachings and the voice of God’s Spirit.

Solomon said it perhaps better than anyone else.

Trust in the LORD with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. 6  In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (ESV)

This is no small matter. It is not an option for Christians. It goes to the very heart of what it means to be a follower of Christ. If we are not led by the Spirit, according to Paul, we cannot even claim to belong to Christ.

So then, brothers, we are debtors, not to the flesh, to live according to the flesh. 13  For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. 14  For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God. Romans 8:12-14 (ESV)

Let us make it our purpose today and every day to live in communion with and obedience to the indwelling Holy Spirit. Let us learn to work out our salvation with fear and trembling. Let’s keep the Sabbath New Covenant style and not revert to the old way of living under the Law.

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Jesus: Firstborn from the Dead

 

 

 

 

 

 

Jesus was called the “firstborn from the dead” in Colossians 1:18 and Revelation 1:5. What does this title mean? In his first letter, the Apostle Peter wrote the following.

Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 1 Peter 1:3 (NASB)

Just how does the resurrection of Christ cause us to be born again? The answer to this question provides an amazing insight into some of the glorious grace of the New Covenant.

When Adam and Eve betrayed God by so easily choosing to believe Satan’s lie instead of showing allegiance to their Maker and source of life, they ceded their God-given authority over the earth and its creatures to Satan. In so doing, they and their offspring became slaves of the devil, subject to his oppression and cruelty. Jesus described him as a liar and murderer, whose purpose is to kill, steal, and destroy. (John 8:44, John 10:10)

In order to redeem his fallen and captive people, God needed a man to reverse the course, become the progenitor of a free people, a Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:47), who would honor and obey God and remain faithful to him, no matter how great the temptation or pressure.

That is why Jesus became a human being through the miracle of the Incarnation (John 1:14). His mother was Mary, from the line of David, making Jesus a true human being, but his Father was God himself, making him God’s Son. This made Jesus the most unique person who ever lived. He was both from here and not from here.

And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John bore witness of Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me is preferred before me, for He was before me.’ ” 16 And of His fullness we have all received, and grace for grace. John 1:14–16 (NKJV)

His divine conception was prophesied by Isaiah.

Therefore the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold, a virgin will be with child and bear a son, and she will call His name Immanuel. Isaiah 7:14 (NASB)

When the Eternal Logos, who had always been with God, took on a human body via the conception from the Holy Spirit, it meant that Jesus did not have the innate corruption from sin that every other human being inherited from Adam, the progenitor of the first version of humanity.

Jesus was the God-Man, fully God and fully man, but a version of man who could redeem us.

When Jesus arrived on the scene, the battle of the ages commenced. Satan’s first plan was to kill the baby. He used Herod to try to accomplish this grisly task, but God warned Joseph to flee to Egypt, thus preserving the child. We don’t know if other attempts were made upon his life subsequently, but when Jesus reached manhood, at just the right time, he entered into his three-year public ministry. From the very outset, Satan attempted to compromise Jesus’ integrity and devotion to God. The temptations in the wilderness initiated an aspect of Satan’s warfare against the Messiah that would continue right up to Calvary, the crescendo being the temptation in the Garden of Gethsemane.

Jesus warned and prepared his disciples for his coming crucifixion, but like most of us, they could not, or would not, hear what he was telling them. It was too awful to contemplate. Jesus knew from the beginning that his destiny was to give his life as a sin offering as God’s Lamb, but it is far easier to declare our intentions to do something difficult when it is yet a long way off than to follow through when the time is upon us. Jesus faced his very human fears and dread of what was coming.

Crucifixion was an ingenious method of torture used by the Romans as a deterrent to crime and sedition and was a horrible way to die. But as terrible as the physical suffering would be, the greatest temptation was most likely connected to Jesus’ facing the imminent separation from his Eternal Father when the sin of mankind fell upon him in such a way that the Bible says he “became sin” (2Corinthians 5:21). He was so thoroughly identified with our sin and guilt that he became one with it, which seems to have temporarily separated him from his Father, just as it separates sinful man from our Creator (Isaiah 59:2, Matthew 27:46). Contemplating this, most likely, is what made our Lord sweat blood (Luke 22:44).

Sin is not an abstract concept. It resides in people and is recognized by its actions. It takes up residence in people, giving it  an identity.

It was first “embodied” or identified with Satan, who cleverly and sinisterly brought the entire human race into his coup attempt against the sovereign Creator God. Sin takes up residence in those who sin (Romans 7:23).

Therefore, to provide forgiveness and reconciliation to his Father, Jesus had to become one with us. He “became sin”.

For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NKJV)

Theologians call this identification.

In a divine mystery, according to God’s secret wisdom, Jesus became one with us and we with him. When he died on the cross on our behalf, we died with him. When he was laid in the tomb, so were we. And, when he rose again, we rose with him.  His punishment was ours, as was his vindication and glorious resurrection!

This is what Paul meant when he wrote that what Jesus suffered on our behalf actually included us.

I have been crucified with Christ; and 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 up for me. Galatians 2:20 (NASB)

He did not merely suffer for us as our representative: we suffered and died with him. The mechanics of this mystery, which is clearly taught in the Bible, is not now fully understood, but it is the truth.

Without the miracle of identification, there can be no salvation.

Paul understood and taught this amazing truth in his letters. He called it being “in Christ.”

Our union with the Lord is a amazing grace extended to all who put their faith and allegiance in him.

Being in Christ is not some poetic saying. It it the truth. Think of the ramifications. This means that not only did Jesus take our punishment, we took it, too. He paid the price for our sins as the innocent Lamb, but in him and through him we also already paid the ultimate price as guilty sinners. And, legally, we cannot be forced to pay the same debt twice.

But Paul did not stop with our being crucified with Christ. We also rose with him, which is what saved us. If we were identified and unified with his death to pay the penalty for our sin and rebellion against God, we also are identified and unified with his resurrection.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the ages to come He might show the surpassing riches of His grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:4-7 (NASB)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he became the first person in a new creation order of people, the firstborn from he dead.

He emerged from the “womb” of death into life eternal, never again to be subject to that dread enemy. He conquered death, never to die again. In so doing, he carried us with him. We rose again with him. We also crossed over from the realm of death into life, never to die again.

Truly, truly, I say to you, he who hears My word, and believes Him who sent Me, has eternal life, and does not come into judgment, but has passed out of death into life. John 5:24 (NASB)

This is how Jesus’ resurrection from the dead saves us. Through resurrection, Jesus was “born again” out of the realm of death, becoming the firstborn of those who “ride his coattails,” likewise emerging from the realm of death with and in him.

Knowing this glorious truth enables us to live fearlessly. We are not on some “works treadmill” trying to earn or maintain favor from God. We have been transferred out of the kingdom of darkness and the abode of the dead into God’s kingdom and life eternal because we are in Christ and participate completely in his death, resurrection, and enthronement in heaven.

For He rescued us from the domain of darkness, and transferred us to the kingdom of His beloved Son, 14  in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NASB)

Isn’t it about time we start acting as if these things are true? Because they are!

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From Frustration to Fruitfulness

Frustration can lead us to giving up on God and taking matters into our own hands, or it can lead to fruitfulness.

Have you ever wondered why God often chose barren women to become mothers of some of the important people in Jewish history? It cannot be mere coincidence. Our Lord is bound to be teaching us something very important. The recurring theme is for a man to marry a woman he dearly loves only to discover she cannot seem to conceive – Abraham & Sarah, Isaac & Rebecca, Jacob & Rachel, Elkanah & Hannah. In those days, God allowed men to have more than one wife, which is related to my point, because it set up a situation in which frustration, jealousy, mocking, and torment came into play. Hagar mocked Sarah, Leah mocked Rachel, and Peninnah did the same to Hannah. What were these barren women to do? One choice was to become bitter against God, but none of these women did that.

Satan is called the accuser of God’s people. (Revelation 12:10) His weapons against us include lies, threats, fear, mockery, and accusation. Since all of us are very imperfect people, there is plenty of ammunition for him to use against us. He is not above making lying accusations, either.

In the days when the Old Testament stories were lived out, the ability to have children was supremely important and used as a measurement of God’s blessing. Conversely, childlessness was viewed with disdain or pity as a sign of God’s judgment or lack of favor. Indeed, children are a blessing from the Lord in so many ways. They bring joy and fulfillment to their parents and others. In Old Testament times, they helped out with the enormous work load around the home and farm. In addition, children were viewed as a form of security in old age in the days before there were government programs for the elderly. Childlessness could leave you insecure and alone in your old age. Being childless also opened a couple up to being looked down upon by family, friends, and neighbors.

What could make matters worse for many barren women in those days was the presence of another wife who was able to bear children for their husband. The fruitful wife proved that the problem did not reside in the husband. It was all the “fault” of the barren wife. This would be difficult enough in itself, but, if the childbearing wife used her own fruitfulness to mock and accuse the barren wife, it could become intolerable, as in the cases of Abraham & Sarah, Jacob & Rachel, and Elkanah & Hannah. Satan is a mocker, and he seeks to motivate people to speak on his behalf. We should always be alert to the voice of the accuser, no matter who is doing the speaking. Sometimes we even accuse ourselves. Thankfully God is bigger than all of this. (1 John 3:20)

In every case mentioned in this article, the barren wives were dearly beloved by their husbands. This is very important, because fruitlessness is often interpreted as being a sign that God does not love us or has withdrawn his favor from us. Elkanah and Hannah provide the perfect example. Peninnah was the fruitful wife. Hannah was the greatly beloved barren wife. Here is what the Bible says about that triangular relationship.

Each year Elkanah would travel to Shiloh to worship and sacrifice to the LORD of Heaven’s Armies at the Tabernacle. The priests of the LORD at that time were the two sons of Eli—Hophni and Phinehas. 4  On the days Elkanah presented his sacrifice, he would give portions of the meat to Peninnah and each of her children. 5  And though he loved Hannah, he would give her only one choice portion because the LORD had given her no children. 6  So Peninnah would taunt Hannah and make fun of her because the LORD had kept her from having children. 7  Year after year it was the same—Peninnah would taunt Hannah as they went to the Tabernacle. Each time, Hannah would be reduced to tears and would not even eat. 8  “Why are you crying, Hannah?” Elkanah would ask. “Why aren’t you eating? Why be downhearted just because you have no children? You have me—isn’t that better than having ten sons?” 1 Samuel 1:3-8 (NLT)

Being her husband’s beloved was not enough for Hannah. She could not say that her husband rejected her because she did not give him children. Nothing could be further from the truth. This is an important point. There are many childless wives who are dearly loved by their husbands; nevertheless, their fruitlessness still gnaws at their souls.

There is something inside us that longs to be fruitful. This is true in the natural realm and the spiritual one.

In a sense, we give birth to spiritual children when we share the gospel and people are born again into God’s kingdom. When God uses us to be part of that miracle by being the one to act as a sort of midwife in the birthing process, it brings us great joy and fulfillment. If we are not able to lead anyone into a new life in Christ, over time it wears on us, especially if we see others having great success. We begin to ask the same questions Hannah asked. What’s wrong with me? Why doesn’t God give me success? Has God turned his back on me? What am I doing wrong?

Peninnah made matters infinitely worse by mocking her rival, just as Hagar mocked Sarah and Leah mocked Rachel.

Those of us who try to measure our own success or failures against the perceived failures or successes of others are not wise. Doing so is a form of legalism.

The Bible tells us not to measure ourselves by any other standard than Christ; yet, there is an inner drive in us to compare ourselves to others in an attempt to try to gauge how we are doing and, hopefully, feel better about ourselves. Sometimes, however, it boomerangs, producing frustration. Hannah fell into that trap. She was already frustrated, but Peninnah’s mockery threw gas on the fire. It got so bad that Hannah was inconsolable. Fortunately, she knew what to do. She took her frustration to God.

After they had eaten and drunk in Shiloh, Hannah rose. Now Eli the priest was sitting on the seat beside the doorpost of the temple of the LORD. 10  She was deeply distressed and prayed to the LORD and wept bitterly. 11  And she vowed a vow and said, “O LORD of hosts, if you will indeed look on the affliction of your servant and remember me and not forget your servant, but will give to your servant a son, then I will give him to the LORD all the days of his life, and no razor shall touch his head.” 1 Samuel 1:9-11 (ESV)

In every case I mentioned earlier, either the wife or the husband used their frustration over childlessness to turn to God for help. Doing this allows us to use frustration to make progress toward fruitfulness.

When things come easily to us, we may undervalue them or think we did it on our own. The more important a promise is to God’s plan, often there is a greater wait and struggle for us to receive a miracle by faith.

Abraham had to wait twenty-five years for God to fulfill his promise to give him a son. In the interim, he grew weary of waiting and attempted to “help” God by resorting to a man-made solution by producing a child with Sarah’s servant, Hagar. When we do that, we may end up with an “Ishmael,” an ongoing complication and source of sorrow. For another example, consider David, who had to wait about fifteen years after being anointed by the prophet Samuel to actually become king. He went through some very dark and lonely places along the way when he was probably tempted to “throw in the towel”.

Consider Joseph, about whom the Bible says:

The LORD'S promise tested him through fiery trials until his prediction came true. Psalm 105:19 (GW)

Those who fought in the American Revolution on the patriot side also went through some very dark and trying days. When things were extremely bleak and many were ready to give up, Thomas Paine printed a pamphlet that turned the tide, entitled The American Crisis. These memorable words are found in it.

THESE are the times that try men’s souls. The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country; but he that stands it now, deserves the love and thanks of man and woman. Tyranny, like hell, is not easily conquered; yet we have this consolation with us, that the harder the conflict, the more glorious the triumph. What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods; and it would be strange indeed if so celestial an article as FREEDOM should not be highly rated.

In Abraham’s case, much more was at stake than his having an heir: a nation was being birthed which would produce the Messiah and Lord.  In Joseph’s situation, his own destiny was not the only thing God had in mind. Rather, Joseph would be instrumental in the preservation of his chosen people, the line of the Messiah. And God was going to use Hannah’s frustrated desire to have a son to bring into the world one of the great prophets of Israel, whom God would use to install its first and second kings.

God seems to enjoy bringing his greatest blessings in miraculous ways, against all odds, using very unlikely people whom the world despises and judges to be worthless.

Remember, dear brothers and sisters, that few of you were wise in the world’s eyes or powerful or wealthy when God called you. 27  Instead, God chose things the world considers foolish in order to shame those who think they are wise. And he chose things that are powerless to shame those who are powerful. 28  God chose things despised by the world, things counted as nothing at all, and used them to bring to nothing what the world considers important. 29  As a result, no one can ever boast in the presence of God. 1 Corinthians 1:26-29 (NLT)

So, if we are frustrated and discouraged that promises God made to us look as if they will never come to pass, we should not listen to the mocker and the accuser. Instead, like Hannah, let us seek the Lord.

But, like Hannah, we should be prepared to hold on to the fulfillment very loosely, because God may want to use the long awaited answer for his kingdom. If we give back to God that for which we have waited for such a long time, he will make it up to us. Hannah gave her long awaited son, Samuel, to God’s service, and God gave her more children to call her own. Imagine how proud and fulfilled she was to know her son was such an important man!

The point of this article is that we should never give on God’s promises, even if it is not our lot to experience their fulfillment in our lifetimes.

All these people died still believing what God had promised them. They did not receive what was promised, but they saw it all from a distance and welcomed it. They agreed that they were foreigners and nomads here on earth. Hebrews 11:13 (NLT)

Sometimes God wants us to be faithful so that the next generation can experience the fulfillment.

Moses got Israel through the wilderness, but Joshua led them into the Promised Land. Abraham fathered one son of promise, but that son and grandchildren would become the fathers of a multitude culminating in the Messiah. God’s promise to Abraham was fulfilled through his descendants. We are in this for the long haul, which may include multiple generations.

We cannot properly measure the value or significance of our lives and ministries. Only God can do that. Ours is to be faithful, possessing a loyalty and steadfastness that comes from being full of faith.

Let us not cave to discouragement, frustration, or fear. As Winston Churchill so famously said, “Never, never, never give up!” We must not give up on God’s promises. He is absolutely faithful to his Word. He will never let us down. He prizes faith, especially faith that keeps going when the chips are down. Who knows? God may use us to give birth to another miracle. In the meanwhile, we rest in knowing that we are beloved.

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Eternal Life Is a Person

God does not merely “give” us eternal life. It comes bound up in the person of his Son, our Lord Jesus. If we have Jesus, we have eternal life. He is life and from him all life is derived and sustained. Our Lord Jesus is the eternal Logos, the Creator.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. John 1:3–4 (NKJV)

There can be no life apart from God’s imparting and sustaining it.

When Jesus walked this earth, he told his disciples that he is “the Life.” (John 14:6) He also told them that, for us, eternal life consists of knowing God.

And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NKJV)

This kind of knowing is not merely intellectual. It is not just knowing about God. It is having a relationship with him that includes his coming to live inside us in person of the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of life. (Romans 8:2)

Because we came into this world as independent agents who were separated from the life of God (Ephesian 2:12), we imagine that it is possible to live on our own terms by our own power, but this is not sustainable over any significant length of time. God allows us to experience physical-soulical life for a season, but eternal life is only available in the spirit. That is why we must be born of the spirit, to come back alive in the innermost core of our being.

Jesus answered, “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. 6 That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. 7 Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5–7 (NKJV)

Jesus, who is “the life,” is the focus or goal of the entire Bible.

Everything points to him in the Scriptures (Luke 24:25-27), and all of mankind’s history that is still unfolding is pointing to his soon return in glory. Not only is he the goal of all history, since it is “his story,” Jesus is the means by which God accomplishes his will. In other words, Jesus is the end all and be all of all. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 21:6) , the beginning and the end, the Author and Finisher of our faith (Hebrews 12:2), the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer of mankind (Hebrews 1:1-3), and the goal of all things. (Colossians 1:16)

For everything comes from him and exists by his power and is intended for his glory. All glory to him forever! Amen. Romans 11:36 (NLT)

Paul wrote that his glorious responsibility before God and to the disciples was to preach and teach what he called the “unfathomable riches of Christ.” (Ephesians 3:8)

Unfortunately, many people, even Bible believing disciples, think that Jesus merely provided the means for us to be forgiven by paying the price for our sins, giving us a “fresh, clean slate” in life. It is true that the offering of his body upon the cross as the Lamb of God paid for our sins, but Jesus did so much more than that! He also restored us to a right relationship with his heavenly Father, birthing us spiritually into God’s eternal family, thereby providing us with the indwelling Holy Spirit and the eternal life that resides in him. Jesus’ resurrection conquered death, disease, demons, and everything else that tries to hold people in slavery. We have the promise of reigning with him at God’s right hand forever, too. Salvation is far greater and more extensive than most people dare to imagine!

The reason all this is possible and true is because Jesus did not simply provide these things: he is these things for us. He is the New Covenant.

I, the LORD, have called You in righteousness, And will hold Your hand; I will keep You and give You as a covenant to the people, As a light to the Gentiles, 7 To open blind eyes, To bring out prisoners from the prison, Those who sit in darkness from the prison house. Isaiah 42:6–7 (NKJV)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he conquered Satan. Everything connected with sin, Satan, and death was defeated. All those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ the Lord participate in that victory for themselves, based on the fact that we were and are “in Christ,” making everything that is true for him true for us, too.

All praise to God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ. Ephesians 1:3 (NLT)

May God open our eyes to the reality of everything that God the Father has given us in his Son, who is the New Covenant! May we stop thinking of God as only being somewhere “out there” looking at us and realize that he dwells within every believer by means of his glorious Spirit.

Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God, 1 Corinthians 2:12 (NASB)

And since God’s life dwells within us, it is not something that comes and goes.

Jesus promised that his Spirit would be with us forever. (John 14:16-17) That is why we have eternal life if we trust in Christ. Ask yourself, “How long does eternal life last?” The answer, of course, is as long as God’s Spirit lasts, which is forever.

We are as secure as the promises of God.

As long as God lives, so do we. And the Judge of all mankind has promised those who trust in him that we will never, ever be condemned! (John 5:24) Chew on that for a while. That should make your day and your eternity.

And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. 12  He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life. 13  These things I have written to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know that you have eternal life. 1 John 5:11-13 (NASB)

Prayer

Holy Spirit, please open our spiritual eyes and heart to perceive and believe in all the glorious riches Father has given to us in Christ. Father, thank you for making us complete in Christ (Colossians 1:28), lacking no good thing (2 Peter 1:3). Help us now to live up to our high calling in Christ and tell others about your amazing gift to all who will believe and receive. Amen

Click here to read other articles about the New Covenant.

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Beyond Comprehension!

Some things in life are beyond comprehension. Our minds, amazing as they are, are limited. Depending on the level of intelligence God has even to each one of us, we have differing abilities to comprehend difficult ideas. Algebra comes easily to some, but not to others. Differential calculus is something on an altogether next level. Some things are simply beyond us, for example the doctrine of the Trinity – three distinct persons in one God. We may generally understand the idea, but not thoroughly comprehend. It is also beyond comprehension what God has prepared for his people on the other side of the grave.

That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, “No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.” 1 Corinthians 2:9 (NLT)

When Jesus turned the water into wine at the wedding feast of Cana, he taught us a very important truth about God. He often saves the best until last.

It was true at creation, and it is certainly true regarding our great salvation. You may think that having our sins forgiven is better than anything else, but you would be wrong. The forgiveness of sins is a means to a greater end which is presently beyond our comprehension.

Jesus fulfilled three ministries during his time on earth. He died as the Lamb of God to provide us with all the things associated with that ministry: forgiveness, justification, redemption, reconciliation, and sonship. (If you do not know the difference between those words, I suggest you read my articles on the subject.)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he did so as the glorious and powerful Son of God, Lord of Lords, and Messianic King of Israel. (Romans 1:4)

Christ’s resurrection confirmed Father God’s acceptance of the Lamb of God ministry and introduced the means for us to obtain our great salvation, which is putting our faith and allegiance in the risen one. (Romans 10:9)

Thirdly, when Jesus ascended into heaven and took his seat at the right hand of God the Father, as Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out his Holy Spirit upon the church to empower her to fulfill the Great Commission and partner with him in his great harvest and disciple making mission and adventure. It is beyond expectation that God would not only forgive us, but also ask us to be his partners. Being God’s ambassador in this huge endeavor is perhaps even more exciting than getting saved, but, alas, many of us in the church have no clue, having succumbed to the temptation of “forting up” behind the walls of the local church, celebrating what God has done for us instead of going into all the world to spread the good news to those who, like us, desperately need it.

Fourthly, and this one has not yet happened, Jesus will one day return as the glorious Son of Man prophesied in Daniel 7 to judge the living and the dead and to permanently and gloriously install his eternal kingdom here on earth.

Participation in Christ’s eternal rule will no doubt be the most glorious aspect of our great salvation.

We cannot even comprehend as yet regarding the glories God has reserved for those who believe and receive all that Christ died to give us.

If we are convinced that Jesus saved us from our sins, we should be even more convinced that he will save us from the wrath of God that will be poured out upon those who reject God’s fabulous offer in the Gospel. As Paul put it, we have been appointed to salvation, not wrath. (1 Thessalonians 5:9)

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 9  Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him. 10  For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. Romans 5:8-10 (NASB)

This is what Jesus meant in John 5:24 when he taught that those who believe in him have already passed from death to life and will never be condemned. We have this directly from the lips of the glorious Son of Man who will be our judge one day. It is beyond comprehension that God would love us so much! The best way we can show our appreciation is to join the Holy Spirit in reaching others with the good news! Our heavenly reward will be beyond comprehension!

To read my other articles about the amazing new covenant, click here.

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The New Birth: An Important Key for Understanding the New Covenant

The New Covenant is often misunderstood, even by those of us who call ourselves Christians. It is such a radical departure from the Old Covenant that we sometimes have a hard time accepting it as true. We are conditioned by our fallen human nature, man-made religion, and worldly society to measure and compare ourselves to various norms or standards. Even we Christians often measure our standing with God in terms of our perceived performance in relation to the Law’s or the church’s demands, which is contrary to the New Covenant. It is difficult for us to grasp the enormity and completeness of the shift that is the New Covenant.

We cannot understand the New Covenant without knowing what happens to us when we are born again.

Jesus told us that the new birth is absolutely essential.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6  Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7  So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ 8  The
 wind blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t 
tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how 
people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:5-8 (NLT)

The new birth is an unseen internal recreation of the spirit that gives us a new identity as God’s children.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

The new birth is not always immediately obvious to the observer or its effects easily measurable, but over time it will affect every part of our being.

Jesus also used this illustration: “The Kingdom of Heaven is like the yeast a woman used in making bread. Even though she put only a little yeast in three measures of flour, it permeated every part of the dough.” Matthew 13:33 (NLT)

The Old Covenant failed to make us right with God because we are fundamentally flawed by sin and incapable of keeping it.

If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. 8 But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 9 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD. Hebrews 8:7–9 (NLT)

The Law is perfect and accurately reflects God’s righteousness and holiness, but we are born into this world marred and corrupted by sin, thanks to what Adam passed down to us. It is impossible for humans to attain or maintain a right relationship with God through keeping the Law. It always points out our failures, placing us under judgment before God.

For no one can ever be made right with God by doing what the law commands. The law simply shows us how sinful we are. Romans 3:20 (NLT)

The best the Law can do is point us toward our desperate need for a Savior.

But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God’s promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ. 23 Before the way of faith in Christ was available to us, we were placed under guard by the law. We were kept in protective custody, so to speak, until the way of faith was revealed. 24 Let me put it another way. The law was our guardian until Christ came; it protected us until we could be made right with God through faith. 25 And now that the way of faith has come, we no longer need the law as our guardian. Galatians 3:22–25 (NLT)

God’s solution to the problem of human depravity was to provide the absolutely ingenious new and living way to have a right relationship with him.

But now we have been released from the law, for we died to it and are no longer captive to its power. Now we can serve God, not in the old way of obeying the letter of the law, but in the new way of living in the Spirit. Romans 7:6 (NLT)

Jeremiah gave us some great insight regarding the nature of the New Covenant.

“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32  This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33  “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34  And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

Later Ezekiel added the following.

And I will give them singleness of heart and put a new spirit within them. I will take away their stony, stubborn heart and give them a tender, responsive heart, 20  so they will obey my decrees and regulations. Then they will truly be my people, and I will be their God. Ezekiel 11:19-20 (NLT)

Both prophets spoke of God’s doing something altogether new and different in his people that would fundamentally alter their behavior by putting a different spirit and heart within them. How could such a thing be done?

When Jesus told Nicodemus about the new birth via the Spirit’s work inside a person, he clarified the mechanism for this radical change.

The new thing is the fusion of our Spirit with the Holy Spirit via the new birth.

When we are born of the Spirit, we are joined to the Holy Spirit in a radical and unprecedented union with God. 

But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NLT)

We become sons of God because the Spirit of his Son lives within us! Our identity is a product of the new birth fusion with the Holy Spirit.

But when the right time came, God sent his Son, born of a woman, subject to the law. 5  God sent him to buy freedom for us who were slaves to the law, so that he could adopt us as his very own children. 6  And because we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, prompting us to call out, “Abba, Father.” 7  Now you are no longer a slave but God’s own child. And since you are his child, God has made you his heir. Galatians 4:4-7 (NLT)

God’s own life invades the innermost part of our being as a result of the new birth. This is why our hearts now want to do what is right and pleasing to God. Our deepest desires now spring from God himself.

At first this may sound too good to be true, and our experience often seems to contradict it. Those of us who have been born again still battle with sin. How can this be, if our spirits are united with God?

Paul dealt with this issue in Romans Chapter 7. After explaining in Chapter 6 that we are now dead to sin due to being united with Christ in his death and resurrection, he goes on to recognize the ongoing problem we have with sin in the next chapter. The essence of the problem is that, while we have recreated spirits, we also have bodies that are very much a part of the sinful old order of things under Adam. Our physical bodies are condemned to die because of the judgment against Adam’s (and our) sin.

Jesus, who is the Second Adam (1 Corinthians 15:45) and the progenitor of a brand new redeemed version of humanity, will one day resurrect our bodies from the dead and transform them into glorious spiritual bodies that will no longer be subject to sin and death (1 Corinthians 15:44), thus completely ending sin’s reign in our lives.

Until the resurrection of the body, however, we live in the paradox of being dead to sin in the spirit yet still being pulled by sin because of our union with an unresurrected body. Paul called this the war between the flesh and the spirit.

So I say, let the Holy Spirit guide your lives. Then you won’t be doing what your sinful nature craves. 17  The sinful nature wants to do evil, which is just the opposite of what the Spirit wants. And the Spirit gives us desires that are the opposite of what the sinful nature desires. These two forces are constantly fighting each other, so you are not free to carry out your good intentions. 18  But when you are directed by the Spirit, you are not under obligation to the law of Moses. Galatians 5:16-18 (NLT)

Jesus acknowledged this problem when he told his disciples that the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak. (Matthew 26:41)

Paul went a little further in his explanation in Romans Chapter 7.

So the trouble is not with the law, for it is spiritual and good. The trouble is with me, for I am all too human, a slave to sin. 15  I don’t really understand myself, for I want to do what is right, but I don’t do it. Instead, I do what I hate. 16  But if I know that what I am doing is wrong, this shows that I agree that the law is good. 17  So I am not the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. Romans 7:14-17 (NLT)

Even the best-intentioned God-fearing believers, such as Paul, battle with sin. The battle is in our souls (mind, will, and emotions), which is the intersection of spirit and body. (Genesis 2:7) The fusion of a born-again spirit with a mortal sin-corrupted body makes us spiritually bipolar and conflicted.

What Paul means in the above passage is that we now have a decision to make: will we identify with the new creation or with the “flesh”? Paul claimed that his true identity was the new man in Christ, and so should we.

Jesus said much the same thing in John Chapter 8.

Jesus replied, “I tell you the truth, everyone who sins is a slave of sin. 35  A slave is not a permanent member of the family, but a son is part of the family forever. 36  So if the Son sets you free, you are truly free. John 8:34-36 (NLT)

Jesus often spoke in a mysterious way that requires us to lean on the Holy Spirit to unpack the meaning of his words. Here is what I believe he meant.

  • Slavery to sin results from our being a child of the devil, an enslaved descendant of the first Adam.
  • Slaves are not God’s children, only those who are born of the Father.
  • When we are born again, we are set free from slavery to sin because we become new creations whose inward motivation derives from God himself.
  • Therefore, all born again children of God are no longer slaves to sin.

This agrees with Paul’s teaching in Romans 6-8 and John’s first letter, where he wrote the following.

Those who have been born into God’s family do not make a practice of sinning, because God’s life is in them. So they can’t keep on sinning, because they are children of God. 1 John 3:9 (NLT)

In other words, if we are born again, we cannot continue to sin without suffering internal conflict of a major sort. It goes against our fundamental nature now to continue to sin. Yet, we all struggle in at least some area because we still live in these unresurrected bodies.

Paul tells us that now we must learn to live above the downward pull of sin by “walking in the Spirit.”

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives. Galatians 5:25 (NLT)

The new birth also provides an escape from the enervating power of condemnation. We now understand that sin no longer defines us and the Law cannot control us any longer. We have a new identity in Christ that transcends sin’s power to dominate and control, and we died to the Law so that it can no longer condemn us.

Therefore, my brethren, you also have become dead to the law through the body of Christ, that you may be married to another—to Him who was raised from the dead, that we should bear fruit to God. Romans 7:4 (NKJV)

We are still responsible for the sins we commit, but we are not defined or condemned by them anymore.

God wants us to acknowledge and renounce them without allowing them to tear us down or make us doubt our true identity in Christ and eternal relationship with the Father. We dare not become careless or flippant about sin, because we have a loving Father who knows how to discipline his wayward children.

The power to rise above the condemning power of the Law is absolutely essential in the process of learning to walk by faith in the Spirit.

So now there is no condemnation for those who belong to Christ Jesus. 2  And because you belong to him, the power of the life-giving Spirit has freed you from the power of sin that leads to death. Romans 8:1-2 (NLT)

So the next time we fall for the same old lie and commit some besetting sin, let us not beat ourselves up or start doubting if we are even saved. If we know that we have put our faith and allegiance in Christ, we can acknowledge our sin, ask forgiveness, renounce it, and move on, trusting that the Spirit will help us live out of our new identity as God’s children. Let us claim our New Covenant God-given freedom from sin by faith. The Bible says that sin will not rule over us. (Romans 6:14) We can learn to walk in the freedom and power of the Spirit. Then we will begin to more fully experience all that Christ died to give us, for if the Son sets us free, we are free indeed. (John 8:36)

To read more articles on the New Covenant, click here.

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Healing Part 6 – Understanding, Embracing, and Exercising Delegated Authority

Healing is directly related to understanding and operating in the delegated authority we receive from Christ.

Today many people are quite uncomfortable with having or exercising authority over others. It is commonplace for adults to ask small children to call them by their first names, choosing to be on familiar terms with the very young instead of teaching them to respect their elders. My opinion is this aversion to being in authority is directly related to a refusal to be under proper authority. We seldom wish to be what we despise.

As Christ’s modern day representatives, we have the privilege of continuing Christ’s ministry on the earth. This will be hindered unless we come to terms with exercising our delegated authority in Christ.

The Roman Centurion, who asked Jesus to heal his servant, grasped the nature of the authority Jesus had.

When Jesus returned to Capernaum, a Roman officer came and pleaded with him, 6  “Lord, my young servant lies in bed, paralyzed and in terrible pain.” 7  Jesus said, “I will come and heal him.” 8  But the officer said, “Lord, I am not worthy to have you come into my home. Just say the word from where you are, and my servant will be healed. 9  I know this because I am under the authority of my superior officers, and I have authority over my soldiers. I only need to say, ‘Go,’ and they go, or ‘Come,’ and they come. And if I say to my slaves, ‘Do this,’ they do it.” 10  When Jesus heard this, he was amazed. Turning to those who were following him, he said, “I tell you the truth, I haven’t seen faith like this in all Israel! Matthew 8:5-10 (NLT)

Authority and faith are linked. Faith is able to receive and exercise God’s authority; therefore, understanding the nature and extent of delegated authority is crucial.

The centurion understood that Jesus was on mission from God, and, as his representative, had been given the authority to get the job done. The one having delegated authority is not always required to back up that authority personally. It takes power to enforce authority. The Holy Spirit is God’s enforcer. When Jesus spoke in God’s name, the Holy Spirit made what he said happen. The same is true for us today.

The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, Luke 4:18 (NLT)

Jesus was the official ambassador of God’s kingdom. He exercised the authority of that kingdom and was backed up by the Enforcer, the Holy Spirit. That role has now been assigned to his church.

The Holy Spirit is the One who made Jesus’ words and commands effective when it came to proclaiming the gospel, healing, casting out evil spirits, and raising the dead.

But if I am casting out demons by the Spirit of God, then the Kingdom of God has arrived among you. Matthew 12:28 (NLT)

We would never ask or beg an evil spirit to leave a person and to cease to oppress him or her, just as a police officer does not beg an offender to please give up. A peace officer must be comfortable using the authority given to him or her in order to be effective, and so must we.

Jesus gave his disciples specific authority, and by extension that includes us and all the disciples who would follow him through the centuries.

Look, I have given you authority over all the power of the enemy, and you can walk among snakes and scorpions and crush them. Nothing will injure you. 20  But don’t rejoice because evil spirits obey you; rejoice because your names are registered in heaven.” Luke 10:19-20 (NLT)

Satan stole the authority God delegated to Adam by deceiving him into submitting to him instead of God. Satan still gives some measure of evil authority to those who serve him, but God’s authority always overrules Satan’s. The evil power released by the exercise of satanic authority is no match for the power of the one true God. (1 John 4:4)

It is our responsibility to release God’s power through exercising the authority we have in Christ.

When Jesus died on the cross and subsequently rose from the dead, he completely defeated Satan and his minions.

In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. Colossians 2:15 (NLT)

After Jesus’ resurrection, all authority in heaven and on earth was given to him. (Matthew 28:18) Our Lord now sits in heaven on God’s throne waiting until all his enemies have been effectively subjugated by his people who operate in his authority, backed up by the Holy Spirit’s power.

God raised Jesus from the dead, and we are all witnesses of this. 33  Now he is exalted to the place of highest honor in heaven, at God’s right hand. And the Father, as he had promised, gave him the Holy Spirit to pour out upon us, just as you see and hear today. 34  For David himself never ascended into heaven, yet he said, ‘The LORD said to my Lord, “Sit in the place of honor at my right hand 35  until I humble your enemies, making them a footstool under your feet.”’ 36  “So let everyone in Israel know for certain that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, to be both Lord and Messiah!” Acts 2:32-36 (NLT) 

The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet. May the grace of our Lord Jesus be with you. Romans 16:20 (NLT)

Satan has been defeated and cannot exercise dominion over the church. Nevertheless, God left him in place in this fallen world so that the church can learn to exercise Christ’s authority as representatives of the kingdom of God. We are being prepared to rule and reign with Christ for eternity.

Much of our ministry here on earth is an exercise of Christ’s authority. The gospel is an announcement that all who put their faith and allegiance in the Lord will be made right with God. Why do we have the right to say such things? God has given us authority to speak in his name. When we cast out evil spirits, we do so in the name or authority of our Lord. The Holy Spirit will enforce our words. Deliverance is never a power struggle between Christ’s followers and evil spirits. It is an authority issue. We have to know where we stand; otherwise, demons will try to bluff their way into continuing to oppress their hosts.

The same is true when it comes to healing. I do not recall our Lord ever begging his Father to heal someone. Instead he usually commanded people to be healed or simply announced that God had healed them, using the authority he had from God. I will leave you the joy of searching out the scriptures to see if this is so. Christ is our example. His ministry is our pattern.

The early disciples exercised their authority to heal, in obedience to our Lord’s command.

Jesus sent out the twelve apostles with these instructions... 7  Go and announce to them that the Kingdom of Heaven is near. 8  Heal the sick, raise the dead, cure those with leprosy, and cast out demons. Give as freely as you have received! Matthew 10:5-8 (NLT)

Jesus did not instruct them to “ask me to heal the sick.” He told them to heal and otherwise exercise his authority, which had been given to them.

If we are uncomfortable exercising our God given authority, we will be hindered in representing Christ properly in the healing ministry.

It is a little strange when we first start using our authority, just as I imagine it is somewhat uncomfortable for newly graduated police officers to command offenders to submit to their commands. I remember when I first assumed responsibility as the pastor of the church plant in Burlington. I had never before had people honor me as the pastor by calling me by that title. I had to get used to my new role. Likewise, we must become acclimated to exercising Christ’s authority.

Practically speaking, we must move from merely asking God to heal people to commanding them to be healed.

Does that seem like a stretch? If so, it is because we have not yet understood and embraced the authority we have as Christ’s ambassadors. Why not give it a try? We might be surprised at the results. Let’s be willing to take the risk. Let the Spirit be our guide. Learn from experience. Don’t be afraid of making a mistake. Don’t worry about looking foolish. Get out on a limb where God is able to demonstrate how remarkably powerful he is. If we do these things, we will be able to share some amazing testimonies in days to come of how God used us to bless others and glorify himself.

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