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.

Part 1: Introduction to Fishing for People the Jesus Way

Fishing for people is one of the most exciting, rewarding, and potentially costly occupations we can pursue. It is something to which every follower of Christ is called.

Jesus called out to them, “Come, follow me, and I will show you how to fish for people!” 20 And they left their nets at once and followed him. Matthew 4:19-20 (NLT)

Just as he did at the beginning of his itinerant ministry, Jesus still invites us to follow him and learn how to “fish” for people.

The simple invitation quoted above sums up what it means to be a disciple.

Our Lord did not say, “Come, follow me, and I will make you a moral person, a churchgoer, a Bible scholar, or any of the other things we often prioritize ahead of fishing for people.

The purpose of this series of articles on “Fishing for People the Jesus Way” is to help us realize that “fishing” for people can be interesting, challenging, fulfilling, adventure-filled, and enjoyable. It does have a cost attached to it. It will cost us our time and potentially bring persecution, but it is worth anything we may suffer in the present because it promises huge rewards in eternity. I hope I can help to remove any inhibiting sense of fear, drudgery, duty, or religiosity from the equation, so that we can be set free to join the Holy Spirit, who is already at work in our communities. Jesus is waiting for more people to join him in the work of the “harvest”.

35 Then Jesus went about all the cities and villages, teaching in their synagogues, preaching the gospel of the kingdom, and healing every sickness and every disease among the people. 36 But when He saw the multitudes, He was moved with compassion for them, because they were weary and scattered, like sheep having no shepherd. 37 Then He said to His disciples, “The harvest truly is plentiful, but the laborers are few. 38 Therefore pray the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into His harvest.” Matthew 9:35–38 (NKJV)

The Gospels are filled with examples of how Jesus engaged people in such a way that they either chose to follow or to resist him. Just as today, some were even indifferent, but many responded to him and his message.

The Gospel generally should make people mad or glad, depending on the condition of their hearts.

Those with hard hearts will become angry, but those who are “poor in spirit” (spiritual beggars who are hungry for God) will happily hear and follow. Christ’s disciples are willing to follow Jesus wherever he may lead on a joyful adventure called fishing for people. This series will help to prepare and equip you.

I have been a Christian for fifty years and have tried all sorts of ways of presenting the gospel. These articles will address the one-on-one opportunities we get in life, not large-crowd evangelism. When it comes to sharing with individuals, if we are motivated by a sense of religious duty, we may come across as being uninterested in the people we approach. If we rush or skip the process of relationship development in order to quickly notch another conversion, we may make our listeners feel cheap or part of a project and thereby sabotage God’s work.

Jesus engaged people in a way that made them understand that he cared about them.

Sometimes we may get “one shot” at sharing the gospel with a person. We must make the most of it, as led by the Spirit. In other situations, we may be able to develop an ongoing relationship with someone, which will provide opportunities to share with them on numerous occasions. We dare not rush things at the beginning in those cases. To those whose hearts were tender and open, Jesus was willing to engage them on an individual basis and take as much time as necessary to help them grasp his message and identity.

Jesus poured out his blood to provide us with the Good News that the way back into God’s family, favor, and blessings is wide open. The Lord of Lords paid the price for us to be forgiven for our brazen rebellion against God’s kingship. He opened the door to our being reconciled to his heavenly Father by dying in our place and rising again. Our message is indeed Good News.

Jesus wants us to engage the people who live around us with Holy Spirit compassion and zeal.

Our Lord wants us to become excited about fishing for people as he did, in a quest to help them become part of God’s family of reconciled former rebels.

In the Gospels Jesus shows us how to properly engage people in order to communicate God’s love and care for them and to winsomely invite or even command them to become his followers. As we learn to demonstrate God’s love to those around us, it is amazing how much we can learn from them and how God will open doors into our hearts and theirs.

The Holy Spirit will help us just as he worked through Jesus.

In the articles which follow, I will share examples from the Gospels of how Jesus fished for people. As we observe and learn from how he did it and begin to imitate his example, while relying upon the guidance, power, gifts, and boldness of God’s Spirit, we can be part of winning and making more followers of Jesus who also will learn to fish for people. I hope you will travel with me down the dusty roads of Israel with Jesus, learning from the Master Fisherman.

See more articles on fishing the Jesus way.

Share this post...

Using the Authority God Gave Us

It is vital that we understand and use the authority we have in Christ to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons. Through the resurrection, God the Father declared Jesus to be the powerful Son of God, the Messiah King of Israel, the Lord of Lords.

and was declared to be the Son of God in power according to the Spirit of holiness by his resurrection from the dead, Jesus Christ our Lord, Romans 1:4 (ESV)

He died as the defenseless Lamb of God who willingly submitted himself to a cruel death in order to expiate our sins. He rose again triumphantly from the grave, never to relinquish his rights, authority, and power as God’s divine Son again, except one day to his heavenly Father (1 Corinthians 15:28). In addition to his own authority as the Messianic King, our Lord regained all the authority that Adam had ceded to Satan by rebelling against God in the garden. As the risen God-Man, Jesus has both the authority of God and the regained delegated authority of God that belongs to man. He graciously shares his authority with the church which he has called to rule and reign with him in the kingdom of God (2 Timothy 2:12).

Jesus came and told his disciples, “I have been given all authority in heaven and on earth. 19  Therefore, go and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit. 20  Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NLT)

Adam foolishly relinquished his God-given authority to Satan when he submitted to the serpent’s lie and betrayed God in the garden. Adam and Eve were created to use God’s benevolent authority as rulers over the earth (Genesis 1:28). By relinquishing that authority to Satan, the earth has been filled with all sorts of horrors and aberrations from God’s original intent for creation. The perverted creation awaits Christ’s Second Coming when all things will be restored.

For all creation is waiting eagerly for that future day when God will reveal who his children really are. 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. Romans 8:19-21 (NLT)

After Christ’s resurrection, God’s authority was reinstalled upon the earth in a kind of installment plan. It is here already, but not yet completely.

Christ invests his authority in his people, who act as his representatives on earth in kingdom of God matters. The Holy Spirit is God’s Enforcer. We are the spokespeople.

Christ’s delegated authority extends to several different areas. It is important for his followers to understand what this authority is, how it works, and what is our role in the process. I will look at three areas in this article.

Authority to Preach the Gospel

Preaching the gospel is perhaps our greatest responsibility and a wonderful expression of the authority Jesus gave to his followers.

And He said to them, “Go into all the world and preach the gospel to every creature. Mark 16:15 (NKJV)

We are privileged to stand before people and declare to them that by acknowledging that Jesus is Lord and submitting their lives to him and by believing in all he accomplished for them through his death and resurrection, they can be forgiven, restored to a right relationship with God, receive eternal life, and be filled with the Holy Spirit. If the gospel is not the truth, we are guilty of misrepresenting God. If it is the truth, we are co-laborers with God in the grandest enterprise of the ages – bringing men, women, and children to God through our preaching.

All of Christ’s followers are commissioned as preachers who speak with God’s authority.

We may not be eloquent. We may only share with a few individuals during a lifetime, but we represent him nevertheless.

Let the message about Christ, in all its richness, fill your lives. Teach and counsel each other with all the wisdom he gives. Sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs to God with thankful hearts. 17  And whatever you do or say, do it as a representative of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through him to God the Father. Colossians 3:16-17 (NLT)

We depend upon God’s Spirit to  reveal to people that the gospel is true.

He is the one who works in people’s hearts to convict them of sin, bring them to repentance, help them to believe, and regenerate them.

Christ’s authority is released in our preaching combined with the regenerative inner work of God’s Spirit. We must do our part, and the Spirit does his.

It is also important to understand the the Spirit also helps us to fulfill our responsibility in this great enterprise. We need his empowering to be effective preachers.

The Spirit also often works through signs and wonders to confirm the truth of the gospel.

This happened frequently in the book of Acts and takes place today as a regular thing among the Hindu peoples who are hearing the gospel. We should always be alert and open to the Holy Spirit using us in this manner to pray for people to be healed, as a proof of the truth of the gospel. Jesus is the same today as he was when he walked the earth, and so is his ministry. (Hebrews 13:8)

How to use our authority to preach the gospel

We declare God's truth that if a person confesses with his mouth that Jesus is Lord and believes in his or her heart that God raised him from the dead, he or she will be saved. (Romans 10:9) The gospel should conclude with an invitational command: confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, and you will be saved.

Or we can approach it as Peter did on Pentecost, when the people asked what they needed to do. 

Peter said to them, "Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. 39  "For the promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off, as many as the Lord our God will call to Himself." Acts 2:38-39 (NASB)

Notice that in both cases, an invitational command was given, which was a call to an active response by the hearer. Only those who are moved by God's Spirit will respond. The rest either will turn away in indifference or actively resist or persecute the preacher.

 

Authority to Heal

Christ purchased our healing when he endured the cross and everything connected to his passion, especially the beating he received at the hands of the Roman soldiers. Isaiah 53 makes it clear that Jesus took our sicknesses and diseases upon himself at the cross in the same way that he carried our sins and iniquities. (For a detailed explanation of this great truth, consider reading Christ the Healer by Bosworth. I have also written about this. Click here to see that article.)

Matthew confirmed that Jesus’ healing ministry was a fulfillment of Isaiah 53, by referencing part of that chapter as an explanation of Jesus’ ministry.

When evening came, they brought to Him many who were demon-possessed; and He cast out the spirits with a word, and healed all who were ill. 17  This was to fulfill what was spoken through Isaiah the prophet: “HE HIMSELF TOOK OUR INFIRMITIES AND CARRIED AWAY OUR DISEASES.” Matthew 8:16-17 (NASB)

The Apostle Peter also showed that he understood that Isaiah 53 was a key to understanding Christ’s healing ministry when he wrote the following.

and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness; for by His wounds you were healed. 1 Peter 2:24 (NASB)

This is a quote from Isaiah 53:5.

But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed. Isaiah 53:5 (NASB)

The Hebrew word for “healed” is rapha, which is part of a compound name for God revealed to Moses and Israel during their desert wanderings, which was YHWH-rapha – the Lord Our Healer.

And He said, “If you will give earnest heed to the voice of the LORD your God, and do what is right in His sight, and give ear to His commandments, and keep all His statutes, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have put on the Egyptians; for I, the LORD, am your healer.” Exodus 15:26 (NASB)

God heals us inside and out – spiritually, psychologically, emotionally, relationally, and physically. The Bible does not teach us to confine God’s healing work to less than the whole person.

Jesus commissioned his followers to proclaim healing in his name.

And He called the twelve together, and gave them power and authority over all the demons and to heal diseases. 2  And He sent them out to proclaim the kingdom of God and to perform healing. Luke 9:1-2 (NASB)

Three defining signs of the coming of God’s kingdom are the preaching of the gospel, healing of the sick, and deliverance from demons.

Physical healing is analogous to a trumpet calling us to believe the gospel and proclaim allegiance to the lordship of Jesus. It is also an act of God’s mercy extended to hurting people. Healing is love in action. (Matthew 14:14) 

How to use our authority to proclaim healing.

Once again, just as with the gospel, it is our responsibility to proclaim healing, and it is the Holy Spirit's responsibility to make our words come to pass. We have Christ's authority to pray and proclaim healing, but only the Spirit has the power to perform it. This takes the pressure off of us. Ours is to obey, get out on a limb, and see what God will do. The rest is up to God.

When ministering healing, keep in mind that we are not begging God to do something outside of his plan and purpose in Christ. We "claim" the benefits of what Christ has already accomplished and ask God's Spirit to make healing an experienced reality for those to whom we minister. The manner, timing, and extent of healing are all in God's hands. We should encourage those for whom we pray to believe God's promises and trust him to fulfill them in his way and time. Ours is to believe and receive by faith. God holds the rest in his hands. Even if we die believing for something we never experience in this life, we still bring glory to God by our faith. (Hebrews 11:13)

Below is an example of how to minister healing.

But Peter, along with John, fixed his gaze on him and said, "Look at us!" 5  And he began to give them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. 6  But Peter said, "I do not possess silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you: In the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene—walk!" 7  And seizing him by the right hand, he raised him up; and immediately his feet and his ankles were strengthened. Acts 3:4-7 (NASB)

Then Peter, filled with the Holy Spirit, said to them, "Rulers and elders of the people, 9  if we are on trial today for a benefit done to a sick man, as to how this man has been made well, 10  let it be known to all of you and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ the Nazarene, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead—by this name this man stands here before you in good health. 11  "He is the STONE WHICH WAS REJECTED by you, THE BUILDERS, but WHICH BECAME THE CHIEF CORNER stone. 12  "And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:8-12 (NASB)

Both of these passages refer to the same event. Notice that Peter gave a command - "walk," or, in effect, "be healed." When Peter explained himself before the Jewish authorities, he used the healing as an opportunity to proclaim Christ's lordship and the gospel's offer of salvation. This is our example.

 

Authority to Release the Demon Oppressed

Another sign of the coming of God’s kingdom is when followers of Christ command demons to leave in Christ’s name. Demons oppress people, and Jesus came to put a stop to that. Using Christ’s authority and relying on the power of God’s Spirit, we can command demons to leave people and cease oppressing them. As with the gospel and healing, our authority is not passive. It is aggressive and forceful.

We speak directly to evil spirits and command them to leave in the name and authority of Jesus the risen Son of God. The Holy Spirit will then enforce our spoken word. It’s as simple as that.

I have written extensively on this subject in other articles. Here is a good one which you can access by clicking here.

Putting These Things into Practice

It is one thing to agree that something is true and quite another to act out our faith. Unless we practice our what we believe, we may be deceiving ourselves into thinking we we have faith, when in fact we do not. Using our authority in Christ to preach the gospel, heal the sick, and cast out demons proves our faith and allows us to experience what it is like to be Christ’s representatives on earth.

We will never know what it is like to lead people to Christ, watch him heal, or see him deliver people from oppression, unless we are willing to take the “risk” of using our God-given authority.

We must be willing to have others think we are crazy or to look foolish in their eyes. It is not our responsibility to look good or make things happen, but only to obey. I have never had anyone get angry with me for praying for them, even if the answer did not immediately manifest itself. Usually people are grateful that someone would care enough to make the effort. On the other hand, I have had the privilege of being a part of leading people to faith in Christ, seeing them healed before my eyes, and casting out demons. That is because I was bold enough to use the authority I have in Christ. Let me encourage you to step out in faith and use what God has given to us. We do not want to one day stand before Christ and hear him ask us why we did not use what he put into our hands, do we? We will never be “ready” or “good enough.” We simply must step out in faith.

Share this post...

Understanding the Feasts of Israel in Light of the New Covenant

The Old Covenant Feasts of Israel foreshadow our Lord Jesus and his ministry and can only can be rightly understood in relation to him. Like the Old Covenant sacrifices, these feasts also have New Covenant fulfillment and ongoing application to the lives of believers.

There were three main feasts, Passover or Unleavened Bread, Pentecost or the Feast of Harvest, and Tabernacles. The Feast of Tabernacles or Ingathering is broken down into three sub-feasts – the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Feast of Tabernacles.

Three times in the year you must make a pilgrim feast to me. 15 You are to observe the Feast of Unleavened Bread; seven days you must eat bread made without yeast, as I commanded you, at the appointed time of the month of Abib, for at that time you came out of Egypt. No one may appear before me empty-handed. 16 “You are also to observe the Feast of Harvest, the firstfruits of your labors that you have sown in the field, and the Feast of Ingathering at the end of the year when you have gathered in your harvest out of the field. 17 At three times in the year all your males will appear before the Lord GOD. Exodus 23:14-17 (NET1)

God commanded Israel to keep these three great feasts every year. All the males were required to make a pilgrimage to Jerusalem and appear before the Lord. In other words, it was not enough to agree that these feasts were important: Israelites had to participate. Today most Christians know these feasts as Passover (the Feast of Unleavened Bread), Pentecost (the Feast of Weeks), and the Feast of Booths (Feast of Ingathering). These main feasts can be broken down into sub-feasts, but the Lord includes the parts in the whole. Therefore, in this brief study we will not concern ourselves with the sub-feasts.

The Old Covenant scriptures were written for our benefit to reveal Jesus and to foreshadow and typify the great salvation brought to us in the New Covenant.

Jesus taught his disciples how the Old Covenant scriptures pointed to him. If we miss Jesus as the point or goal of all scripture, will not understand their true meaning at all.

Then beginning with Moses and all the prophets, he interpreted to them the things written about himself in all the scriptures. Luke 24:27 (NET1)

Jesus translated, interpreted, and explained how the Old Covenant scriptures applied to him. Once our eyes are opened to Christ and how he came to fulfill what was written, it becomes easier for us to see Jesus in the Old Covenant.

Seeing how the feasts were fulfilled by Christ and experienced by us believers will enrich our lives.

Passover

The event which inaugurated the first feast also was the first step in Israel’s exodus from Egypt. At the first Passover God showed mercy and favor to his people when the angel of destruction put to death all the firstborn of Egypt as the final installment of God’s judgment upon that nation, its gods, and its obstinate leadership. On the evening of Passover, God commanded his people to gather in homes by families. Each family was ordered to sacrifice and eat a lamb and to smear its blood upon the doorposts and lintel of their home. Any Israelites who stayed inside the blood-marked home on that dreadful night was spared the death of their firstborn. All the firstborn of Egypt not residing in a blood stained home were killed that night. As a result of this last plague, Pharaoh finally let God’s people leave Egypt to start their journey to the Promised Land. Israel was commanded by God to keep perpetually Passover to commemmorate this great deliverance.

We know from New Covenant scriptures that Jesus fulfilled what God always had in mind for this feast when he died on the cross as the Lamb of God.

…For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:7b (NET1)

His blood is spiritually applied to the lives of those who place their faith and allegiance in Christ, through which he becomes our Passover Lamb, thus sparing or redeeming us from the judgment of God’s wrath against sin, which will fall on everyone who refuses to believe.

For he has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of his dear Son, 14  who purchased our freedom and forgave our sins. Colossians 1:13-14 (NLT)

Jesus died on the actual feast of Passover, perfectly fulfilling its meaning and purpose. When we place our faith in Christ, his blood is applied spiritually to the “doorposts and lintels” of our hearts so that God’s judgment will pass over us. Just as Christ bore our judgment on the cross on the New Covenant fulfillment of Passover some 2000 years ago, so we must personally receive that provision by believing the gospel.

Therefore, the Feast of Passover is fulfilled twice in the New Covenant for the believer – historically at Calvary and personally when we put our faith and allegiance in Christ.

Just as participation in the Old Covenant Feast of Passover was not optional, neither is it an option to have a personal fulfillment of that feast if we wish to be a child of God. If a person failed to keep the feast of Passover under the Law, he was cut off from the people of God; likewise, if we are not born again and come to know Jesus as our Passover Lamb, we will be eternally cut off from God. If Jesus had not fulfilled Passover by dying on the cross, we would all be cut off from God. Each of us must also keep his or her own feast by believing in Christ and his atoning blood.

We cannot claim to be a Christian, if we do not experience the reality of Passover personally.

Pentecost

The second feast with a mandatory attendance requirement was the Feast of Weeks or Pentecost. Literally it means fifty, because it was celebrated fifty days after Passover.

God first instituted the feast of Pentecost as a shadow pointing to a greater reality that would be fulfilled in Christ.

In the Old Covenant shadow, this was a feast of the first fruits of the harvest. The very first time the Israelites celebrated it was at Mount Sinai, fifty days after escaping from Egypt. Fire and thunder came from the mountain when God gave the law to Moses. The people were not allowed to draw near to the mountain because of their sin. Because of their subsequent transgression of worshiping an idol during Moses’ absence, three thousand died.

The New Covenant fulfillment came on the exact day of the Old Covenant feast, fifty days after the Passover crucifixion of Christ, another exactly-to-the-day fulfillment of a feast. In the fulfillment of Pentecost, instead of fire and thunder, there were tongues of fire and the sound of a mighty rushing wind in the upper room where the disciples had gathered to pray. Instead of being forbidden to come near God, believers in Christ’s finished work on the cross, who have now been reconciled to the Father through the Son, have bold and confident access to the presence of God. Instead of the law, which was written in stone and brought death, the life-giving Spirit, who writes God’s laws upon human hearts, is given to God’s children. Instead of 3000 dying because of a transgression of the Law, 3000 were saved in response to the gospel message preached by Peter on that day.

The prophet Joel foretold this giving of the Spirit, and Peter quoted a portion of that prophecy in his sermon on that first New Covenant Pentecost. (Joel 2:14-21) God always planned to pour out His Spirit as His incredible gift to humanity. Moses long before expressed God’s heart when he exclaimed:

… I wish that all the LORD’s people were prophets, that the LORD would put his Spirit on them!” Numbers 11:29 NET

This wonderful promise is not gender-specific either, nor is it limited by age, culture, or race. Jews and Gentiles, men and women, young and old alike are able to receive this wonderful gift. The gifts of the Spirit accompanied this outpouring. Joel specifically mentions prophecies, dreams, and visions. Paul extends the list in First Corinthians, Chapter 12. This outpouring was God’s plan to bless and reach the entire human race with the gospel.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the farthest parts of the earth. Acts 1:8 NET

The Law was unable to accomplish God’s will for mankind because humans are fatally flawed by sin. Our wonderful heavenly Father sent His own Son to accomplish for us and in us what he alone could do – to gain the benefits and blessings connected to living a perfect life of submission and obedience to God.

For us to be right with God, we must have God’s righteousness and God’s life inside us.

This righteousness comes by professing allegiance to the person and faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and through his resurrection. God’s life comes to God’s people via the indwelling Holy Spirit.

In addition, the Lord wants His power and ministry to flow through us. This comes by way of the baptism in the Holy Spirit. The New Covenant ministry of the early apostles included miracles, healing, deliverance, and salvation. All of this was an extension of the ministry of the risen Christ through his disciples. The Holy Spirit was the power behind Christ’s ministry during his days here on earth, and He remains the power behind the church’s ongoing ministry. God’s heart is to pour out his Spirit on all people. That is why we have been given the Great Commission. God still has more people to bless, and he still plans to pour out His Spirit on all people.

The Old Covenant Feast of Weeks had to be fulfilled in the New Covenant on the exact day of the feast, and each believer is expected to have a personal fulfillment in his or her life by receiving the baptism in the Holy Spirit.

The reason this needs to be emphasized is because some people regard the baptism in the Spirit as an option or think it is included automatically in the new birth. Using the logic of God, however, this cannot possibly be true. God foreshadowed these two important parts of our faith experience by representing them in separate feasts on different dates with separate fulfillments in the New Covenant. Therefore, it makes perfect sense that both the new birth and the baptism of the Spirit are required events or experiences in a believer’s life. Also, it is evident that one cannot contain the other because they are represented by two distinct feasts. In other words, a born-again believer needs to be baptized in the Holy Spirit as well.

(If you would like to learn more about this amazing baptism in the Holy Spirit, consider reading Pete’s book entitled, Promise of the Father, which is available from Amazon in paperback and Kindle versions.)

The Feast of Ingathering

The third great feast with a mandatory attendance requirement was the triple feast of the Day of Atonement, the Feast of Trumpets, and the Feast of Booths, which are subsumed under the title of the Feast of Ingathering. This feast comes in the autumn months at the time of the harvest and is the one Old Covenant feast that as yet has neither a New Covenant nor a personal fulfillment.

It is reasonable to assume that our Lord’s Second Coming will be the New Covenant fulfillment of this feast, at which time Jesus will raise the dead, catch up the living believers to be with him, judge all people, and install his Father’s kingdom, over which he will rule.

It is also quite clear that each believer will need to have a personal experience of this feast in his or her own life. If we are not gathered to the Lord at his Second Coming, we have no part with him.

Summary

In summary, the three major feasts of Israel signify three major events in church history and in the life of every believer.

Just as it was mandatory for each Israelite male to participate in these feasts, it is required that Christ fulfill all these feasts and that the church participate in each of those fulfillments. Individually every believer must also have his or her Passover, Pentecost, and Feast of the Ingathering. We are to experience the new birth, the baptism in the Holy Spirit, and the resurrection, or we have no part in Christ.

Share this post...

Understanding Old Covenant Sacrifices in Light of the New Covenant

Unless we understand how Christ fulfilled the old covenant sacrifices, we will miss out on some of the richness of their meaning. Sacrifices were part of the Bible from the beginning. God killed an animal in order to provide a covering for Adam’s and Eve’s nakedness after they sinned in the Garden of Eden, foreshadowing Christ’s giving of his life so that we can be “clothed” with his righteousness.

27 And all who have been united with Christ in baptism have put on Christ, like putting on new clothes. Galatians 3:27 (NLT)

Abel offered to God a more pleasing sacrifice by offering one of his flock than Cain did by presenting produce from his garden. This foreshadowed the necessity for blood to be shed to make atonement.

22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 (NLT)

The patriarchs offered animal sacrifices to God regularly.

Under Moses, God set up laws and regulations for offering various sacrifices that pointed to what Christ would one day fulfill through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

After Christ perfectly fulfilled these sacrifices, there was no longer any need for them. In fact, to continue to offer them was an abomination because it refused to acknowledge Christ’s perfect work.

13 In that He says, “A new covenant,” He has made the first obsolete. Now what is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to vanish away. Hebrews 8:13 (NKJV)

The sacrificial system disappeared in 70 AD when Jerusalem and the temple were completely destroyed as God judged Israel for rejecting and murdering their Messiah.

There will never again be any need for such sacrifices now that Jesus perfectly fulfilled their meaning and intent.

This article will look at the five major sacrifices regulated by the Law of Moses. Some were voluntary, while others were mandatory. I will cover their basic purpose and meaning under the Old Covenant and their fulfillment by Christ in the New. In every case, there is an offering, an offerer, a priest, and the one receiving the offering.

The Voluntary Sacrifices

Voluntary sacrifices were left up to the discretion of the offerer. They were a means to show love and devotion toward God beyond what the Law required.

Voluntary offerings may be considered the highest type of sacrifice.

The Burnt Offering
Then the LORD called to Moses and spoke to him from the tent of meeting, saying, 2  "Speak to the sons of Israel and say to them, 'When any man of you brings an offering to the LORD, you shall bring your offering of animals from the herd or the flock. 3  'If his offering is a burnt offering from the herd, he shall offer it, a male without defect; he shall offer it at the doorway of the tent of meeting, that he may be accepted before the LORD. 4  'He shall lay his hand on the head of the burnt offering, that it may be accepted for him to make atonement on his behalf. 5  'He shall slay the young bull before the LORD; and Aaron's sons the priests shall offer up the blood and sprinkle the blood around on the altar that is at the doorway of the tent of meeting. 6  'He shall then skin the burnt offering and cut it into its pieces. 7  'The sons of Aaron the priest shall put fire on the altar and arrange wood on the fire. 8  'Then Aaron's sons the priests shall arrange the pieces, the head and the suet over the wood which is on the fire that is on the altar. 9  'Its entrails, however, and its legs he shall wash with water. And the priest shall offer up in smoke all of it on the altar for a burnt offering, an offering by fire of a soothing aroma to the LORD. Leviticus 1:1-9 (NASB)

In this case, the offerer brought the offering to the priest, who sacrificed it to God. God received all of this offering, except for the skin (Lev.7:8), which was the priest’s portion. In Christ’s fulfillment of this offering, he was the offerer and the offering. Some say he acted as his own priest, but a case can be made that the reigning Jewish High Priest made the offering. (John 11:49-53)

  • This offering had to be from the herd and a male without blemish. Jesus was a male selected by God from Israel who was perfect in every way.
  • The sacrificial animal had to be brought before the authorities in order to be approved and accepted. Jesus was hauled before the Sanhedrin as part of the process of consigning him over to death.
  • The laying on of hands was the ritual by which the animal became the sacrificial substitute through being identified with the sins of the offerer. Christ became sin for us so that we could become righteous through and in Him. (2 Corinthians 5:21)
  • The animal was put to death and arranged upon the altar where it was completely consumed by fire. Jesus was nailed to a cross (the altar) where he poured out his life completely as a sacrifice to please his Father and to expiate sin. First and foremost, however, his reason for going to the cross was to please his Father. (Matthew 26:39)

More than anything else, Jesus’ death on the cross was an act of pure love and devotion toward his Father.

For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. 5  That is why, when Christ came into the world, he said to God, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings. But you have given me a body to offer. 6  You were not pleased with burnt offerings or other offerings for sin. 7  Then I said, ‘Look, I have come to do your will, O God— as is written about me in the Scriptures.’” 8  First, Christ said, “You did not want animal sacrifices or sin offerings or burnt offerings or other offerings for sin, nor were you pleased with them” (though they are required by the law of Moses). 9  Then he said, “Look, I have come to do your will.” He cancels the first covenant in order to put the second into effect. 10  For God’s will was for us to be made holy by the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ, once for all time. Hebrews 10:4-10 (NLT)
  • Christ’s offering of himself satisfied God’s desire for devotion and obedience from a human being, something Adam failed to deliver. By faith, we benefit from this offering made by Christ. As born-again children of God, we can participate experientially in this offering by giving ourselves completely to Christ with an attitude of praise and thanksgiving at all times.
And so, dear brothers and sisters, I plead with you to give your bodies to God because of all he has done for you. Let them be a living and holy sacrifice—the kind he will find acceptable. This is truly the way to worship him. 2  Don’t copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God’s will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect. Romans 12:1-2 (NLT)  

Therefore, let us offer through Jesus a continual sacrifice of praise to God, proclaiming our allegiance to his name. Hebrews 13:15 (NLT)
 
The Peace, Thanksgiving, or Communion Sacrifice
“If you present an animal from the flock as a peace offering to the LORD, it may be a male or a female, but it must have no defects. 7  If you present a sheep as your offering, bring it to the LORD, 8  lay your hand on its head, and slaughter it in front of the Tabernacle. Aaron’s sons will then splatter the sheep’s blood against all sides of the altar. 9  The priest must present the fat of this peace offering as a special gift to the LORD. This includes the fat of the broad tail cut off near the backbone, all the fat around the internal organs, 10  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. These must be removed with the kidneys, 11  and the priest will burn them on the altar. It is a special gift of food presented to the LORD. Leviticus 3:6-11 (NLT)

In this voluntary sacrifice, the offerer brought the sacrifice to the priest who made the offering to God. This is the only offering in which the offerer, the priest, and God all shared in the meal. Unleavened bread and wine were also a part, which was a clear foreshadowing of the Lord’s Supper in the New Covenant.

Jesus shared this covenant meal with his disciples at what is called the Last Supper as a fulfillment of the Feast of Passover. He commanded them and us to remember his death in the future by this reenactment and fulfillment of the Old Covenant peace offering until he comes a second time.

Once again, a perfect sacrifice was required, Jesus being the fulfillment. In addition we see that identification and substitution are foreshadowed through the laying on of hands. The sins of the offerer were communicated or imparted to the sacrifice, which carried them to death as a substitute. The offerer became identified with the offering. Can you see that, in a picture or type, the offerer was put to death through this sacrifice. Jesus died in our place, and we died in Him on the cross. (Romans 6:6-11) This part of the offering was for God alone.

“These are the instructions regarding the different kinds of peace offerings that may be presented to the LORD. 12  If you present your peace offering as an expression of thanksgiving, the usual animal sacrifice must be accompanied by various kinds of bread made without yeast—thin cakes mixed with olive oil, wafers spread with oil, and cakes made of choice flour mixed with olive oil. 13  This peace offering of thanksgiving must also be accompanied by loaves of bread made with yeast. 14  One of each kind of bread must be presented as a gift to the LORD. It will then belong to the priest who splatters the blood of the peace offering against the altar. 15  The meat of the peace offering of thanksgiving must be eaten on the same day it is offered. None of it may be saved for the next morning. Leviticus 7:11-15 (NLT)

Here we see that thanksgiving was integral to the peace offering, just as it is in the Lords’ Supper in the New Covenant.

Don’t be drunk with wine, because that will ruin your life. Instead, be filled with the Holy Spirit, 19  singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs among yourselves, and making music to the Lord in your hearts. 20  And give thanks for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ. Ephesians 5:18-20 (NLT)

The bread without yeast speaks of holiness, yeast being a picture of sin in this case.

Your boasting is not good. Don’t you know that a little yeast affects the whole batch of dough? 7 Clean out the old yeast so that you may be a new batch of dough — you are, in fact, without yeast. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. 1 Corinthians 5:6-7 (NET1)

Olive oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit. I believe a case can be made that the bread without yeast mixed with oil stands for our new creation spirit joined with the indwelling Holy Spirit.

But the one united with the Lord is one spirit with him. 1 Corinthians 6:17 (NET1)

The bread made with yeast is an acknowledgement that until the resurrection, believers are a mixture. We have residual “flesh” connected to the unresurrected body combined with a new creation spirit. These two are at war inside us until we die and are raised again. By allowing bread with yeast, God is saying that he makes temporary allowance for the uncompleted state of our salvation.

He allows sinful humans to partake of this holy meal, signifying our union with him despite our present imperfection.

Then the LORD said to Moses, 29  “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. When you present a peace offering to the LORD, bring part of it as a gift to the LORD. 30  Present it to the LORD with your own hands as a special gift to the LORD. Bring the fat of the animal, together with the breast, and lift up the breast as a special offering to the LORD. 31  Then the priest will burn the fat on the altar, but the breast will belong to Aaron and his descendants. 32  Give the right thigh of your peace offering to the priest as a gift. 33  The right thigh must always be given to the priest who offers the blood and the fat of the peace offering. 34  For I have reserved the breast of the special offering and the right thigh of the sacred offering for the priests. It is the permanent right of Aaron and his descendants to share in the peace offerings brought by the people of Israel. 35  This is their rightful share. The special gifts presented to the LORD have been reserved for Aaron and his descendants from the time they were set apart to serve the LORD as priests. 36  On the day they were anointed, the LORD commanded the Israelites to give these portions to the priests as their permanent share from generation to generation.” Leviticus 7:28-36 (NLT)

Here we see that the priest gets a portion, too. God, the offerer, and the priest all partake.

This stands for reconciliation between the Father, the Son, and all believers.

This offering is fulfilled in the New Covenant Lord’s Supper, which celebrates the communion or fellowship we have with Abba, Jesus, and other believers.

When you present a young bull as a burnt offering or as a sacrifice to fulfill a vow or as a peace offering to the LORD, 9  you must also give a grain offering of six quarts of choice flour mixed with two quarts of olive oil, 10  and give two quarts of wine as a liquid offering. This will be a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. Numbers 15:8-10 (NLT)

Here we see another foreshadowing of the New Covenant Lord’s Supper, which uses bread and wine to remember the body and blood of our Lord.

The Grain Offering
When you present grain as an offering to the LORD, the offering must consist of choice flour. You are to pour olive oil on it, sprinkle it with frankincense, 2  and bring it to Aaron’s sons, the priests. The priest will scoop out a handful of the flour moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn this representative portion on the altar. It is a special gift, a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 3  The rest of the grain offering will then be given to Aaron and his sons. This offering will be considered a most holy part of the special gifts presented to the LORD. Leviticus 2:1-3 (NLT)

Grain offerings accompanied all burnt offerings and peace offerings. They typically consisted of flour, oil, frankincense, and salt. They could be brought cooked or uncooked. Part was burned as a memorial to God and the rest consumed by the priests, since it was holy to the Lord.

Do not use yeast in preparing any of the grain offerings you present to the LORD, because no yeast or honey may be burned as a special gift presented to the LORD. 12  You may add yeast and honey to an offering of the first crops of your harvest, but these must never be offered on the altar as a pleasing aroma to the LORD. 13  Season all your grain offerings with salt to remind you of God’s eternal covenant. Never forget to add salt to your grain offerings. 14  “If you present a grain offering to the LORD from the first portion of your harvest, bring fresh grain that is coarsely ground and roasted on a fire. 15  Put olive oil on this grain offering, and sprinkle it with frankincense. 16  The priest will take a representative portion of the grain moistened with oil, together with all the frankincense, and burn it as a special gift presented to the LORD. Leviticus 2:11-16 (NLT)

Regular grain offerings could have no leaven, which represents Christ’s sinlessness. However, the grain offering presented at the Feast of the First Fruits, or Pentecost, could have leaven. This represents the people of God, who, though born again, have not yet been perfected nor are yet free from all sin.

The oil, a type of the Holy Spirit, is mixed with this leavened flour to make an acceptable sacrifice. The indwelling Holy Spirit joins with yet-to-be-perfected believers to make them acceptable to the Lord. (Romans 12:1-2)

The grain offering associated with the harvest of the first fruits is also connected with Pentecost. On the day after the Sabbath (Sunday), the bundle of the first fruits of the harvest was raised to the Lord. This signified the resurrection of our Lord, who is the first-born from the dead. (Colossians 1:18, Revelation 1:5) The grain offering with wine foreshadows our celebration of the Lord’s Supper in commemoration of the Lord’s resurrection, which is the first fruit of the coming general resurrection of the righteous.

Involuntary Sacrifices

Involuntary sacrifices were required in order to atone for sin. These were part of Jesus’ Lamb of God ministry.

Jesus took upon himself the guilt and penalty for our sins, enduring God’s holy wrath against our rebellion against him, so that we could be forgiven and reconciled to our heavenly Father, with all the benefits of being reinstated fully into his favor and family.

The Sin Offering
Then the LORD said to Moses, 2  “Give the following instructions to the people of Israel. This is how you are to deal with those who sin unintentionally by doing anything that violates one of the LORD’s commands. 3  “If the high priest sins, bringing guilt upon the entire community, he must give a sin offering for the sin he has committed. He must present to the LORD a young bull with no defects. 4  He must bring the bull to the LORD at the entrance of the Tabernacle, lay his hand on the bull’s head, and slaughter it before the LORD. 5  The high priest will then take some of the bull’s blood into the Tabernacle, 6  dip his finger in the blood, and sprinkle it seven times before the LORD in front of the inner curtain of the sanctuary. 7  The priest will then put some of the blood on the horns of the altar for fragrant incense that stands in the LORD’s presence inside the Tabernacle. He will pour out the rest of the bull’s blood at the base of the altar for burnt offerings at the entrance of the Tabernacle. 8  Then the priest must remove all the fat of the bull to be offered as a sin offering. This includes all the fat around the internal organs, 9  the two kidneys and the fat around them near the loins, and the long lobe of the liver. He must remove these along with the kidneys, 10  just as he does with cattle offered as a peace offering, and burn them on the altar of burnt offerings. 11  But he must take whatever is left of the bull—its hide, meat, head, legs, internal organs, and dung— 12  and carry it away to a place outside the camp that is ceremonially clean, the place where the ashes are dumped. There, on the ash heap, he will burn it on a wood fire. Leviticus 4:1-12 (NLT)
  • The sin offering was compulsory and was not a sweet savor to the Lord. This offering was for sins committed unintentionally, especially when restitution was not possible. These sacrifices did not cover willful rebellion against God. Should the high priest be guilty of such an involuntary sin, he had to make the sacrifice for himself. Jesus, who did not personally sin, became sin for us by identifying completely with our condition, and acted in this capacity at the cross.

Jesus took the blood of the covenant and sprinkled it before the Lord, opening up access for us into God’s holy presence, just as the high priest did as a shadow of things to come.

So Christ has now become the High Priest over all the good things that have come. He has entered that greater, more perfect Tabernacle in heaven, which was not made by human hands and is not part of this created world. 12  With his own blood—not the blood of goats and calves—he entered the Most Holy Place once for all time and secured our redemption forever. 13  Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people’s bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14  Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Hebrews 9:11-14 (NLT)
  • When Jesus died on the cross, the curtain of the temple ripped in two, giving all believers free access to God’s presence, something off limits to everyone except the high priest once a year under the Old Covenant.
Then Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and gave up his spirit. 51 Just then the temple curtain was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth shook and the rocks were split apart. Matthew 27:50-51 (NET1)
  • If the people sinned, the priest stood before God on behalf of the people and made the sacrifice. Jesus acted both as high priest and as the sacrifice. The people laid their hands upon the animal, signifying the transfer of sin to it, just as our sins came upon our Lord at the cross.
If the entire Israelite community sins by violating one of the LORD’s commands, but the people don’t realize it, they are still guilty. 14  When they become aware of their sin, the people must bring a young bull as an offering for their sin and present it before the Tabernacle. 15  The elders of the community must then lay their hands on the bull’s head and slaughter it before the LORD. Leviticus 4:13-15 (NLT) 
Then the LORD said to Moses, 25  “Give Aaron and his sons the following instructions regarding the sin offering. The animal given as an offering for sin is a most holy offering, and it must be slaughtered in the LORD’s presence at the place where the burnt offerings are slaughtered. 26  The priest who offers the sacrifice as a sin offering must eat his portion in a sacred place within the courtyard of the Tabernacle. Leviticus 6:24-26 (NLT)

God has made us believers into a kingdom of priests (Rev.1:6; 5:10), and, as such, we must eat the sacrifice. We now do this by faith when we physically and symbolically partake of Christ’s body and blood in communion and spiritually when we put our trust in his finished work of the cross.

So Jesus said again, “I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you cannot have eternal life within you. 54  But anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise that person at the last day. 55  For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. 56  Anyone who eats my flesh and drinks my blood remains in me, and I in him. 57  I live because of the living Father who sent me; in the same way, anyone who feeds on me will live because of me. 58  I am the true bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will not die as your ancestors did (even though they ate the manna) but will live forever.” John 6:53-58 (NLT)
  • Just as the sin offering’s remains were taken outside the city, Jesus was crucified outside Jerusalem and his body was buried outside the city.
For the bodies of those animals whose blood the high priest brings into the sanctuary as an offering for sin are burned outside the camp. 12 Therefore, to sanctify the people by his own blood, Jesus also suffered outside the camp. 13 We must go out to him, then, outside the camp, bearing the abuse he experienced. Hebrews 13:11-13 (NET1)
 
The Guilt Offering

The distinction between the offenses covered by the guilt offering and the offenses related to the sin offering is not completely clear. In general, however, the offenses covered by the guilt offering appear to be more serious, as shown by the fact that the sacrificial animal is more costly (a male instead of a female) and that the sins are described as a “breach of faith” (Leviticus 5:15). The word translated “guilt offering” (Hebrew: ’asham) is used elsewhere with the sense of “compensation or reparation for guilt” (Leviticus 5:6), and the offering as a whole serves to repair the relationship between sinners and the Lord. This has led some to call this a “reparation offering.” (ESV Study Bible)

Although it is perhaps not actually intended in the original meaning of the Old Covenant sin and guilt offerings, we can make a New Covenant distinction between forgiveness of sin and removal of guilt.

Jesus’ death and resurrection expiated our sins and allowed our righteous God to forgive us. Jesus also took away our guilt and condemnation, which is called “justification.” To be justified means to be declared “not guilty.” There is a big difference between being forgiven and being cleared of all guilt!

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)

I like to think that the guilt offering foreshadowed Christ’s taking away our condemnation and guilt, making us without blame in God’s eyes! Otherwise, there is not much we can glean from the guilt offering that we have not already seen in the sin offering.

A Final Note

“If one individual commits an unintentional sin, the guilty person must bring a one-year-old female goat for a sin offering. 28  The priest will sacrifice it to purify the guilty person before the LORD, and that person will be forgiven. 29  These same instructions apply both to native-born Israelites and to the foreigners living among you. 30  “But those who brazenly violate the LORD’s will, whether native-born Israelites or foreigners, have blasphemed the LORD, and they must be cut off from the community. 31  Since they have treated the LORD’s word with contempt and deliberately disobeyed his command, they must be completely cut off and suffer the punishment for their guilt.” Numbers 15:27-31 (NLT)

No sacrifice was available to cover a deliberate and rebellious sin. Paul referred to this when he wrote:

I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength to do his work. He considered me trustworthy and appointed me to serve him, 13  even though I used to blaspheme the name of Christ. In my insolence, I persecuted his people. But God had mercy on me because I did it in ignorance and unbelief. 14  Oh, how generous and gracious our Lord was! He filled me with the faith and love that come from Christ Jesus. 1 Timothy 1:12-14 (NLT)

After we come to faith in Christ, it is vital that we serve God with a proper regard for the mercy that has been extended to us and not presume upon God by continuing to sin willfully. 

Everyone who resides in him does not sin; everyone who sins has neither seen him nor known him. 1 John 3:6 (NET1)

Those who believe on the Lord, although they are not yet perfect, no longer desire to sin, at least not at the deepest level of their born again spirit.

Therefore, true born-again believers experience a frustrating tug of war in their hearts whenever they sin. Sinning no longer brings us any sort of lasting pleasure, and it dampens our joy and peace. If we are able to sin continually with no pangs of conscience or remorse, we may not be children of God at all. We all go through times of sinning due to a number of reasons, but, if we are truly born-again, like the prodigal, we will return to the Father. Father God uses chastisement and correction to help us with this process.

Although God will never condemn his true children for their sins, he will discipline us. Let’s make every effort to stay out of the woodshed!

Dear friends, if we deliberately continue sinning after we have received knowledge of the truth, there is no longer any sacrifice that will cover these sins. 27  There is only the terrible expectation of God’s judgment and the raging fire that will consume his enemies. 28  For anyone who refused to obey the law of Moses was put to death without mercy on the testimony of two or three witnesses. 29  Just think how much worse the punishment will be for those who have trampled on the Son of God, and have treated the blood of the covenant, which made us holy, as if it were common and unholy, and have insulted and disdained the Holy Spirit who brings God’s mercy to us. 30  For we know the one who said, “I will take revenge. I will pay them back.” He also said, “The LORD will judge his own people.” 31  It is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God. Hebrews 10:26-31 (NLT)

If I am a captive to a particular sin, it is vital that I take a stand for my freedom in Christ.

He died to set us free, and it does not bring him any glory when his people continue in sin. 

For sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace. Romans 6:14 (NASB)
Share this post...

Quit Going Back to the Abusive Husband

Once there was a very handsome and well-respected man who married a lovely woman with great hopes of having a family. After a few years, the woman was not able to conceive, which frustrated and angered the husband. He told his wife she was a great disappointment to him, which hurt her deeply. After several years of childlessness, his frustration turned to bitterness. He began to beat his wife in addition to the verbal abuse and condemnation. She felt trapped and became extremely discouraged at the prospect of continuing her marriage, when Jesus paid her a visit. She poured out her heart to him as he patiently listened. When she had finished, he explained that it was not only her fault that she was not able to conceive. In addition to her barrenness, he husband was to blame, too, because he was impotent and had no ability to father a child.

Now the woman was even more distraught. What was she to do? She truly wanted children, but now it seemed that she could never have any. Jesus explained to her that the only way out was through death, since marriage is for life. But her husband was in very good health; so, now she wondered if Jesus wanted her to kill her husband! Then he explained that she was the one who had to die! Now she was truly alarmed and confused. She would rather be alive and childless than dead and childless!

In Romans Chapter 7, Paul used the analogy of marriage to shed light on our relationship with the Law.

Therefore, my brethren, you also were made to die to the Law through the body of Christ, so that you might be joined to another, to Him who was raised from the dead, in order that we might bear fruit for God. Romans 7:4 (NASB)

Before our new birth, we were “married” to the Law. The Law is a demanding  and cruel husband, who is always right in pointing out our failures, but who has absolutely no ability or desire to help us do better. His continual criticisms make life frustrating and painful.

Before we born again, we have no inherent ability or desire to please God. The Bible goes so far as to call us his enemies. (Romans 5:10) Even after the new birth, we have a persistent resistance to God’s will called “the flesh.” This remnant of our “old man” is connected to our still unresurrected bodies and opposes the things of the Spirit of God. Until we learn to “walk in the Spirit” by faith, we will experience defeat at the hand of the “flesh.”

The law excites the “flesh” to sin.

18 And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19 I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20 But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21 I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. 22 I love God’s law with all my heart. 23 But there is another power within me that is at war with my mind. This power makes me a slave to the sin that is still within me. 24 Oh, what a miserable person I am! Who will free me from this life that is dominated by sin and death? Romans 7:18–24 (NLT)

Because of our inherited condition, called the “flesh,” the Law can never produce anything good in us. It only highlights our sinfulness and reveals to us that we cannot possibly save ourselves through self-effort or keeping God’s rules.

22 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)

In addition, the more the law condemns us and goads us to try harder, the more discouraged and resentful we become, which propels us in a negative direction. Our relationship with the husband called the Law can only produce frustration, discouragement, and death; yet, the Law continually condemns our fruitlessness toward God. It is like an cruel, impotent husband criticizing his wife for not bearing children to him. It simply cannot ever happen. That is why our heavenly Father united us with his Son in his death. Since the Law can never pass away, we must.

When Christ died, so did we, which liberated us from our marriage to the Law.

Before his death, our Lord perfectly satisfied the requirements of the Law. His death also satisfied God’s righteous judgment against us for breaking the Law. Since we were included in Christ’s death and resurrection, we benefit from his perfect righteousness and his perfect sacrifice for our sins. Now that we have died with Christ, we can be spiritually “married” to Christ without violating God’s righteousness.

4 So, my dear brothers and sisters, this is the point: You died to the power of the law when you died with Christ. And now you are united with the one who was raised from the dead. As a result, we can produce a harvest of good deeds for God. 5 When we were controlled by our old nature, sinful desires were at work within us, and the law aroused these evil desires that produced a harvest of sinful deeds, resulting in death. 6 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 7:4–6 (NLT)

Jesus is the perfect “husband” who loves us and through whom we can now bear fruit to God. This is because his Spirit lives in and through us, causing us both to desire and to do God’s will.

Therefore, my dear friends, as you have always obeyed--not only in my presence, but now much more in my absence--continue to work out your salvation with fear and trembling, 13  for it is God who works in you to will and to act according to his good purpose. Philippians 2:12-13 (NIV)

Those who “see the light” and abandon all attempts to be “good enough” and learn to simply rely on God’s Spirit will experience a new freedom and fruitfulness. However, if we continue to strive in our own strength to please God, we never experience all the benefits of the New Covenant. Paul calls this “falling from grace.”

4 For if you are trying to make yourselves right with God by keeping the law, you have been cut off from Christ! You have fallen away from God’s grace. 5 But we who live by the Spirit eagerly wait to receive by faith the righteousness God has promised to us. 6 For when we place our faith in Christ Jesus, there is no benefit in being circumcised or being uncircumcised. What is important is faith expressing itself in love. Galatians 5:4–6 (NLT)

There is something inside us that desperately wants to be pleasing to God on our own terms. We hate admitting that we are helpless when it comes to living a righteous life. It humbles us to cast away all confidence in ourselves and fully rely on God’s Spirit, but that is the only way forward.

Like an insecure battered wife who returns to her abusive husband over and over again only to suffer further beatings, we cannot keep going back to the Law in an effort to be “good enough.” It cannot help us.

For the law never made anything perfect. But now we have confidence in a better hope, through which we draw near to God. Hebrews 7:19 (NLT)

Our faith-love relationship with our Lord Jesus via the indwelling Holy Spirit is the only way we will ever produce good fruit with respect to God. As we learn to fully trust and obey him, we will see what God can do in and through us.

Share this post...

Sorry, Humpty Dumpty, you’re broken beyond repair.

 

 

 

 

 

Humpty Dumpty sat on a wall,
Humpty Dumpty had a great fall
All the king’s horses and all the king’s men
Couldn’t put Humpty together again.

I could not find an image of what Humpty must have looked like after his fall. One picture showed him on stretcher with a bandage around his head. When eggs have a great fall, it’s a mess. So it was when Adam and Eve fell. The entire creation was shattered on that pivotal day.

Like Humpty Dumpty, Adam’s fall broke us and creation beyond repair.

Yet, that is not how most of us view ourselves. We imagine that we have some faults, for sure, but nothing too serious, nothing that cannot be patched up, nothing we cannot handle, if we work at it. Self-help psychology, religion, and legalism are some of our attempts to put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

Martha and I recently watched a movie entitled Beyond the Mask, which was surprisingly good. It was a swashbuckling adventure from Revolutionary War days that combined history with fantasy. The theme of the movie was a man’s attempt to redeem himself from past evil acts. It became apparent that he could not, at which time the gospel was shared with him by the heroin. She let him know that no one can redeem himself. No one can put Humpty Dumpty back together again.

One big element of what the Bible calls “repentance” is coming to the realization that apart from Jesus, we are hopelessly broken and lost.

Until an alcoholic reaches the “bottom of the barrel,” he usually is not willing to admit he has a problem bigger than his ability to conquer it. We are all sin-aholics. We have a rebellion problem against God that is beyond our ability to fix.

The Bible says that we come into this world as God’s enemies. (Romans 5:10 & Colossians 1:21) Not only are we beyond repair, we fight and resist our one Source of hope, the only One who is able to help us in our hopeless state.

When Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the garden, it was because they wanted to be God.

We do not like being dependent creatures who desperately need God’s help.

We want to be in charge and answerable to no one but ourselves. This is the essence of sin and the core of our problem. We have believed the lie that we are capable of doing life without God.

We were designed by our Creator to live in a glorious unity and dependence upon God.

Through sin and rebellion against the Creator and Sustainer of all life, we put ourselves outside his protection, guidance, and care. We cut ourselves off from the Life-Giver. Thanks to sin, we are alone, without God, and without hope – broken beyond repair, just like Humpty Dumpty.

What did the kings men do with Humpty? I imagine they picked up the pieces, threw them in the garbage, and washed down the area where he fell, so it would not stink. What can be done with broken people? Can they be patched up and sent merrily on their way, or must they be disposed of?

When Jesus died on the cross, he took the penalty for our sins so that we could be forgiven. But being forgiven is not the same as being fixed. We can forgive a family member who has descended into the hell of addiction and stolen our valuables to support his habit, but that does not set him free or make him someone we want to be with.

Forgiveness can be an important first step on the road to wholeness, but it is not the destination. To experience true freedom, we have to be radically changed on the inside.

All of us are born with what the Bible calls the “flesh” or the “old man.” Some people call this the “sin nature.” This part of us is irredeemable. It will never be reformed. You can have been a follower of Christ for fifty years, and your flesh is just as corrupt today as it was the day before you believed. It is part of the old creation in Adam, and the only solution for it is to die.

When Jesus died on the cross, the old man died with him. Our sin nature was nailed to the cross with Christ. The flesh lost its power to rule us. (Romans 6:6)

When Jesus rose again from the dead, those who have put their trust and allegiance in him, rose with him in newness of life. Jesus’ resurrection body is very different from his old one. It is no longer subject to death or other physical limitations, such as walls.

When we are born again by God’s Spirit, we become what the Bible calls a “new creation.” We are fundamentally changed on the inside.(2 Corinthians 5:17)

It is as if Humpty died and came back to life with an new unbreakable shell and a core that will never spoil.

The New Covenant is the almost unbelievably Good News that we cannot and don’t have to redeem or fix ourselves. God killed that old version of us and gave us a new beginning in Christ.

God put us to death and out of our misery, so we can live again in complete freedom and joy, no longer chained to the hopelessly flawed sin nature. Those who understand, embrace, and live according to this wonderful truth are happy and free.

Jesus told us that those who believe (trust, follow, and are loyal) to him undergo an amazing transformation and transition. In his own words:

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)

Jesus said that his followers have been taken off the treadmill of striving to be good enough. We have been exempted from the final exam. We have been given a free pass. Why? Because we can never be good enough. We can never pass the exam. We can never measure up.

Our only hope is that Jesus was good enough on our behalf, that he passed the exam, and that he gained the ability to make up for our hopeless condition. And he did!

This is why Paul wrote in the culmination of his explanation of what Christ accomplished on our behalf in his letter to the Romans.

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)

Not only have we been forgiven, released from judgment, restored to a right relationship with God, and transformed on the inside, the Holy Spirit now gives us the power to be freely obedient to God. The “free pass” sets us free to live for God. Freedom is not doing whatever we want.

True freedom is living in joyful and obedient union and dependence on God through the power of the indwelling Holy Spirit. (2 Corinthians 3:17-18)

Repentance brings us to admit that we desperately need a Savior and allows us receive all that Jesus died and rose again to give us. We can ask the Holy Spirit to live Christ’s life through us to the glory of God. We can experience joy and freedom beyond measure. This is the New Covenant.

Prayer

Jesus, I now realize that I cannot make myself good enough. I admit that without you I am lost. Thank you for dying for me to set me free. I receive what you died to give me. Thank you for paying the penalty for my sins and forgiving me. Thank you for setting me free and putting me back into a right relationship with my heavenly Father, the Creator and Sustainer of the Universe. I welcome you, Holy Spirit, into my life. Live Christ’s life through me. Help me to live the rest of my days for the glory of God. Amen.

To see more articles on the amazing New Covenant, click here.

Share this post...

We will never be good enough!

Should we be encouraged or discouraged to find out we will never be good enough to please God and escape his just wrath against sin?

One of the most telling stories in the Bible takes place at the death of Jacob, one of the patriarchs of Israel. The family was living in Egypt under the protection and care of Jacob’s son, Joseph, who was second in command in that great nation. The other sons, Joseph’s brothers, who years earlier had hated, betrayed, and sold Joseph into slavery, were afraid that after their father was out of the picture Joseph finally would take vengeance on them. They could not imagine that their brother held nothing against them for their previous treachery.

They approached Joseph with what appears to be a fabricated story begging him to spare their lives on behalf of their father. Joseph’s response tells us a lot about God’s heart toward us.

...And Joseph wept when they spoke to him. 18 Then his brothers also came and fell down before him and said, “Behold, we are your servants.” 19 But Joseph said to them, “Do not be afraid, for am I in God’s place? 20 “As for you, you meant evil against me, but God meant it for good in order to bring about this present result, to preserve many people alive. 21 “So therefore, do not be afraid; I will provide for you and your little ones.” So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them. Genesis 50:17–21 (NASB95) —

Joseph’s brothers imagined that he would be unable to let go of his offense. They did not understand that forgiveness is a complete release from a debt. Nothing remains to be paid or collected. All motivation toward revenge disappears without a trace. The memory and knowledge of what happened remained, but not the offense or any thoughts of revenge. Many Christians are like those brothers. We may have a difficult time releasing others from what they owe us and imagine God is like that, too.

I remember when my youngest son, Clark, was about 5 or so. He was sitting on my lap as I explained to him that Jesus did nothing wrong but chose to die for our sins. He took our punishment upon himself so we could go free. He turned to me and asked a most insightful question: “Daddy, does he still like us?”

It is difficult, if not impossible, for us to fathom the depths of the love of God’s Son, who freely laid down his life for his enemies, or of our heavenly Father who allowed it to take place.

We often think that surely we owe God something in return. Surely somehow we can pay back this debt we owe to him! Such thinking is the tap root of legalism, the attempt to gain or maintain a right relationship with God through self-effort.

The self-effort of legalism cannot produce life. It is impossible to be good enough on our own to gain or maintain God’s acceptance and favor.

Such striving always ends poorly in anger, discouragement, despair, or self-righteous pride, depending on our personality and how well we think we are doing. Since it is impossible to be good enough for God, the sooner we give up on this poor venture, the better.

Jesus taught a parable that perfectly illustrates this way of thinking. It’s found in Matthew 18:21-35. I encourage you to read it now. You can click on the linked Bible passage to easily do this.

This servant was hopelessly in debt. There was no earthly possibility that he could repay the enormous sum. He begged for more time, thinking that somehow he could actually pull it off. The master knew that the only way out was to release him from the debt completely, which he did. The servant, however, either did not hear or did not accept the master’s mercy. He still determined to pay back the debt. The human heart dislikes receiving “charity.” We want to earn our way. We want to be “self-made.” That was the sin of Adam and remains the driving force much of human behavior today. Simply put, we want to be like God.

It is humbling to realize that we are unable to pay back to God what we owe him.

The wages of sin is death, and unless we die, we still owe God, unless someone else substitutes for us. Even though the servant was totally absolved of his debt, he did not accept it and began to work hard at collecting all the debts owed to him. He mercilessly threw a fellow servant into prison because he was unable to repay a small debt. This is something we Christians sometimes do.

Because we are unable to receive fully God’s mercy, we find it impossible to be merciful to others.

If we think we are “pretty good” people who just need to try harder, we deceive ourselves into thinking that our offenses are not so bad in the grand scheme of things. Our sense of needing God’s mercy is lessened, and our appreciation for the mercy he has shown us is diminished.

Merciless people illustrate their own poverty of understanding.

Jesus taught that only those who understand their impoverished spiritual condition will be able to enter the kingdom of God.

3 “Blessed are the poor in spirit, For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 5:3 (NKJV)

The word translated “poor” is the Greek word ptochos, which means a cowering beggar, someone without self-confidence.

We should have zero confidence in our own righteousness!

If we are unable to fully grasp of need for God’s mercy, we may become like that servant. He heard the master fully release him, but he could not really hear it. He could not believe it or receive it because he had yet to come to terms with his spiritual poverty.

Jesus gave us another clear illustration of this principle. 

Now one of the Pharisees was requesting Him to eat with him, and He entered the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. 37 And there was a woman in the city who was a sinner; and when she learned that He was reclining at the table in the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster vial of perfume, 38 and standing behind Him at His feet, weeping, she began to wet His feet with her tears, and she wiped them with the hair of her head, and began kissing His feet and anointing them with the perfume. 39 Now when the Pharisee who had invited Him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet He would know who and what sort of person this woman is who is touching Him, that she is a sinner!” 40 And Jesus responded and said to him, “Simon, I have something to say to you.” And he replied, “Say it, Teacher.”41 “A moneylender had two debtors: the one owed five hundred denarii, and the other, fifty. 42 When they were unable to repay, he canceled the debts of both. So which of them will love him more?” 43 Simon answered and said, “I assume the one for whom he canceled the greater debt.” And He said to him, “You have judged correctly.” 44 And turning toward the woman, He said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave Me no water for My feet, but she has wet My feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. 45 You gave Me no kiss; but she has not stopped kissing My feet since the time I came in. 46 You did not anoint My head with oil, but she anointed My feet with perfume. 47 For this reason I say to you, her sins, which are many, have been forgiven, for she loved much; but the one who is forgiven little, loves little.” 48 And He said to her, “Your sins have been forgiven.” 49 And then those who were reclining at the table with Him began saying to themselves, “Who is this man who even forgives sins?” 50 And He said to the woman, “Your faith has saved you; go in peace.” Luke 7:36–50 (NASB 2020) —

Our recognition of our own poverty in relation to God sets us up to fully receive his mercy.

When we imagine we need little or no mercy from God, our hearts are closed to his amazing offer of complete forgiveness, but when we know we are sinners without a prayer besides God’s mercy, we fully receive it and share it with others.

If we doubt whether God has fully forgiven us, we reveal that we have not truly understood the good news that Jesus completely and irrevocably released us from the debt of sin.

When Jesus died on the cross and rose again, every sin that we ever would commit was in the future. God foresaw it all and made provision for it.

By this will, we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all time. 11 Every priest stands daily ministering and offering time after time the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins; 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 ARE MADE A FOOTSTOOL FOR HIS FEET. 14 For by one offering He has perfected for all time those who are sanctified. 15 And the Holy Spirit also testifies to us; for after saying, 16 “THIS IS THE COVENANT WHICH I WILL MAKE WITH THEM AFTER THOSE DAYS, DECLARES THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS UPON THEIR HEARTS, AND WRITE THEM ON THEIR MIND,” He then says, 17 “AND THEIR SINS AND THEIR LAWLESS DEEDS I WILL NO LONGER REMEMBER.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, an offering for sin is no longer required. Hebrews 10:10–18 (NASB 2020) —

Many people think that Jesus simply erased our past sins, but maintaining a right relationship with God in the future is still in our hands. What we do from here on out is up to us. This kind of thinking puts us on the treadmill of trying to be good enough. People on that hopeless errand eventually collapse in discouragement, despair, or even anger against God, all because they did not understand or receive the full forgiveness of God when it was offered.

Let me share a couple of verses that have greatly impacted my own heart and helped me escape the lost cause of trying to be good enough.

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still 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. 11 And not only this, but we also celebrate in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation. Romans 5:8–11 (NASB 2020) —

I hope you have “ears to hear” what this passage says.

  • Jesus died for us before we ever made any move toward God. We were his avowed, inveterate enemies. We were spiritually dead and actually incapable of doing anything to save ourselves. Nothing in us deserved the mercy he showed to us.
  • His death not only provided forgiveness. It also transferred to us his right standing with God. Because we now are justified and found not guilty in God’s eyes, there is nothing to make him dissatisfied with us. We will never be condemned! (John 5:24, Romans 8:1)
  • In addition, because of Jesus’ resurrection, we shall be saved by his life. That means that if Jesus lives, so do we. As long as he is alive, we will never die. His well being translates into our well being. His favor with God is our favor with God. Everything he has and is has been given to us. God’s own Spirit lives inside us, making us authentic children of God with complete access to the Father’s heart and blessings! We have passed from death to life.

Some of us believe that there must be a “but” in there someplace. The gospel cannot possibly be this level of good news. Well, if that is you, I am glad to tell you that you are mistaken.

The gospel is far better than people allow themselves to believe, just as the master’s declaration of complete release from debt was too good for the servant to believe.

Here is another life-changing verse, if you can hear it and receive it.

“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) —

If you can believe this one verse, you will be set free. Jesus clearly confirms Paul’s words. We cannot ever again be condemned for our sins. Why? Because once a debt is paid, it is no longer owed. The devil and our own hearts condemn us by deceiving us into believing that God has not truly or completely or irrevocably released us from our debt of sin, but that is a lie.

Therefore there is now no condemnation at all for those who are in Christ Jesus. Romans 8:1 (NASB 2020) —

We cannot die because we are already dead. We cannot be condemned because Jesus took our condemnation. When Jesus died, so did we. When he arose, so did we. We cannot go back and undo what he did for us on the cross. Why would we want to do that? The good news is that we have already escaped from the shadowland of legalism and death and have been transported by the Spirit into the wonderful new realm of life in the Son of God. We cannot ever die again!

Jesus told her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Anyone who believes in me will live, even after dying. 26 Everyone who lives in me and believes in me will never ever die. Do you believe this, Martha?” John 11:25–26 (NLT) —
Prayer

Holy Spirit, I ask you to reveal this glorious truth more fully to me. Deliver me from every form of legalism and self-striving. Let me believe the good news completely. Amen.

Click here to see more articles on the amazing New Covenant.

Share this post...

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.

Share this post...

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.

Share this post...

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!

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

Share this post...
Share this post...