Category: Discipleship Foundations

Idolatry – The Egypt in Us

There are four big tests that most of us will encounter on our discipleship journey. Each will reveal some aspect of the condition of our hearts and our devotion to God. Of course, God already knows what we are like and how we will react, but for us it is often a shocking revelation. How we handle these tests will determine to a great extent how much we will glorify God and how useful we can be in his kingdom service. Failing them can greatly harm us. This series of teachings provides some tips on how to recognize these critical tests and how to experience Christ’s victory.

In his First Letter to the Corinthians, Paul warns us that what happened to Israel in the wilderness serves as an example or warning to us to help us avoid a similar outcome of being “overthrown in the wilderness.”

Moreover, brethren, I do not want you to be unaware that all our fathers were under the cloud, all passed through the sea, 2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ. 5 But with most of them God was not well pleased, for their bodies were scattered in the wilderness. 6 Now these things became our examples, to the intent that we should not lust after evil things as they also lusted. 7 And do not become idolaters as were some of them. As it is written, “The people sat down to eat and drink, and rose up to play.” 8 Nor let us commit sexual immorality, as some of them did, and in one day twenty-three thousand fell; 9 nor let us tempt Christ, as some of them also tempted, and were destroyed by serpents; 10 nor complain, as some of them also complained, and were destroyed by the destroyer. 11 Now all these things happened to them as examples, and they were written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the ages have come. 12 Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall. 13 No temptation has overtaken you except such as is common to man; but God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will also make the way of escape, that you may be able to bear it. 1 Corinthians 10:1–13 (NKJV)

Most of the Jews who escaped the oppression of Egyptian slavery did not make it into the “promised land.” They never received what God had prepared for them. Instead, they died in the wilderness under God’s judgment for the sins of rebellion and unbelief.

According to Jesus, life is a narrow path filled with tests and difficulties.

Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. 14  For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. Matthew 7:13-14 (ESV)

We have a spiritual enemy who tries to harm us along the way. God wants us to pass each test by being wise to Satan’s wiles and by relying on his his Word, the Holy Spirit, his faithfulness, and grace.

Test #1: Idolatry – Overcoming the Egypt in Us

After escaping Egypt, through God’s judgment upon that nation and its idolatry, and after miraculously crossing the Red Sea, the Jews almost immediately fell into their own sin of idolatry.

Seeing a miracle and being set free doesn’t mean we are serious about following God yet. There was still a lot of “Egypt” in the Israelites, and perhaps in us.

They did not really understand God’s ways yet and were not converted in their hearts. As a result, they quickly doubted God’s faithfulness and love and caved to their sinful desires.

So all the people took off the rings of gold that were in their ears and brought them to Aaron. 4  And he received the gold from their hand and fashioned it with a graving tool and made a golden calf. And they said, “These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!” 5  When Aaron saw this, he built an altar before it. And Aaron made a proclamation and said, “Tomorrow shall be a feast to the LORD.” 6  And they rose up early the next day and offered burnt offerings and brought peace offerings. And the people sat down to eat and drink and rose up to play. 7  And the LORD said to Moses, “Go down, for your people, whom you brought up out of the land of Egypt, have corrupted themselves. 8  They have turned aside quickly out of the way that I commanded them. They have made for themselves a golden calf and have worshiped it and sacrificed to it and said, ‘These are your gods, O Israel, who brought you up out of the land of Egypt!’” 9  And the LORD said to Moses, “I have seen this people, and behold, it is a stiff-necked people. 10  Now therefore let me alone, that my wrath may burn hot against them and I may consume them, in order that I may make a great nation of you.” Exodus 32:3-10 (ESV)

The Israelites grew impatient with Moses’ foray up Mt. Sinai and, fearing that he died, they pressured Aaron to mold an idol for them to worship, a golden calf. Then they threw a big party, casting off the restraint of living under God’s authority. As part of their deliverance from bondage, God brought them into a place of scarcity and testing, but they preferred a party. They disowned God and renounced his kingship over them, which is the essence of sin.

Idolatry is always about who is in charge. We like to create “gods” who will allow us to do whatever we want.

We do not like being in a place of uncertainty in which we must fully trust in God’s character, power, and faithfulness on a continual basis. We prefer to relax, party, and enjoy a sense of security, even if it’s based on a lie. There is only one place of freedom and complete security – God’s presence and will. Sadly, however, we often are willing to trade our freedom for a false sense of security. Sin always leads to bondage and fear.

We may not bow down to a golden calf, but we have plenty of other “gods” which encourage us to pursue a rebellious independence from the true God – money, sex, addictions, godless recreation, et cetera.

For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. 2 Timothy 4:3 (NLT)

If we are growing weary or impatient with God and the path he has for us, if we have become fearful that he will not protect and provide for us, or if we are being tempted to cast off restraint and give way to temptation, we should take heed and make a commitment to fully trust God, no matter what the personal cost to us.

Idolatry is the first of the big four “wipe out” tests. Abandoning God will never get us where we really want to go, and it always brings destruction and judgment into our lives. Hang in there. Keep trusting and obeying. God is faithful and will keep his promises.

We pass the first big test by being steadfastly devoted to Christ and patient on the journey.

Therefore do not throw away your confidence, which has a great reward. 36  For you have need of endurance, so that when you have done the will of God you may receive what is promised. Hebrews 10:35-36 (ESV)

 

Prayer

Father God, please forgive me for serving other “gods”. (Name any that come to mind.) I reconsecrate myself to you and ask you to help me to love and serve you with a whole heart. Amen.

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Chapter 78: Daniel’s Seventy Weeks

The partial preterist interpretation of Daniel’s prophecy regarding the seventy weeks found in Daniel 9:24-27 is the most satisfying position for me and clearly reveals profound differences between it and futurist views. It more easily describes what happened historically without having to manipulate things by adding a two-thousand-year gap between the 69th and 70th weeks. This lesson will show that Daniel saw the rebuilding of Jerusalem, the coming of the Messiah, his crucifixion, and the subsequent destruction of the temple and Jerusalem. I will also incorporate into this discussion some of Jesus’ own prophecies about the end and show how they synchronize with Daniel.

God reveals important future events to us through prophecy in a way that almost defies analysis before they take place but makes sense after they happen. I believe one reason God does this is to help us navigate the present, not predict the future. When prophesied events take place, it confirms that God oversees history, and we are exactly where we are supposed to be.

When I first became a Christian in the early seventies, end time prophecy was all the rage. Most people adhered to a futurist pre-tribulation rapture kind of dispensationalism. Charts proliferated that showed how Russia would descend upon Israel leading up to Armageddon. There were popular books on the subject, such as The Late Great Planet Earth by Hal Lindsay. I had little understanding of church history at that time or of how earlier believers saw things. Over the years, as I learned more about alternative ways of looking at the end times, I was drawn toward the Amillennial view, thinking that it better reflects Jesus’ teachings. When I discovered the partial preterist viewpoint, which is well represented in the book Victorious Eschatology by Eberle and Trench, I felt right at home. Rather than changing my thinking, it stated clearly what I already believed.

Nevertheless, it is my firm conviction that it is wise to hold our positions regarding the end times rather loosely, understanding that we are all likely to be surprised by how things eventually play out.

The partial preterist interpretation of Daniel does not answer every question, but I feel it does capture the essence of what the prophet saw and explains why he was so devastated. He came away understanding that the Jews would reject their Messiah and that Jerusalem and the temple would be destroyed.

The discovery of Jeremiah’s written prophecies regarding seventy years of captivity preceded Daniel’s vision.

This whole land will be a desolation and a horror, and these nations will serve the king of Babylon seventy years.  Jeremiah 25:11 (NASB95)

Let’s begin with the first three verses of Daniel Chapter 9.

In the first year of Darius the son of Ahasuerus, of Median descent, who was made king over the kingdom of the Chaldeans— 2 in the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, observed in the books the number of the years which was revealed as the word of the Lord to Jeremiah the prophet for the completion of the desolations of Jerusalem, namely, seventy years. 3 So I gave my attention to the Lord God to seek Him by prayer and supplications, with fasting, sackcloth and ashes.  Daniel 9:1–3 (NASB95)

Daniel was deported to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar in 605 BC. Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed in 586 BC. This vision was given in 539 BC, the first year of Cyrus’ rule, when the prophet was over 80 years old. In the same year, Cyrus decreed that Israel could return to their land. (Side note: Never think you are too old for God to use you.) Zerubbabel began work on the temple, and it was completed in 516 BC, seventy years after its destruction, thus fulfilling Jeremiah’s prophecy. In 457 BC, Artaxerxes gave Judah autonomy to establish Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Many believe this event inaugurated the 70 weeks of Daniel, a 490-year period of favor for the Jews.

  • 605 BC – Daniel deported
  • 586 BC – Jerusalem and Temple destroyed
  • 539 BC – Daniel’s Vision
  • 516 BC – Completion of Second Temple (586-516 = 70 years)
  • 457 BC – Artaxerxes granted Judah autonomy to make Jerusalem capital of Israel, apparently launching Daniel’s 70 weeks.
“Seventy weeks are determined For your people and for your holy city, To finish the transgression, To make an end of sins, To make reconciliation for iniquity, To bring in everlasting righteousness, To seal up vision and prophecy, And to anoint the Most Holy. 25 “Know therefore and understand, That from the going forth of the command To restore and build Jerusalem Until Messiah the Prince, There shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; The street shall be built again, and the wall, Even in troublesome times. 26 “And after the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off, but not for Himself; And the people of the prince who is to come Shall destroy the city and the sanctuary. The end of it shall be with a flood, And till the end of the war desolations are determined. 27 Then he shall confirm a covenant with many for one week; But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering. And on the wing of abominations shall be one who makes desolate, Even until the consummation, which is determined, Is poured out on the desolate.” Daniel 9:24–27 (NKJV)

A generally accepted convention for interpreting prophecy is making a day into a year. Below is a breakdown of how the partial preterist position interprets the 70 weeks.

  • 7 weeks (49 years) – 457 BC (the decree of Artaxerxes to rebuild Jerusalem) to 408 BC, during which time were the ministries of Ezra (rebuilding the temple) and Nehemiah (rebuilding the wall of Jerusalem).
  • 62 weeks (434 years ) – 408 BC to the baptism of Jesus in AD 27 (The anointing of the Holy One.) He was baptized and anointed with the Holy Spirit to carry out the work of the ministry.
  • 1 week (7 years)
    • AD 27 to AD 31: 3.5 years – The time from the beginning of Jesus’ ministry until the crucifixion. He is the the Anointed One who was cut off. The Messiah will be cut off, but not for himself, ending the need for any more animal sacrifices. He, the Messiah, shall confirm a covenant – the New Covenant.
    • 31 AD to 34 AD: 3.5 years from the crucifixion to the stoning of Stephen, after which the door was officially opened to the Gentiles and a door of opportunity shut for the Jews.
  • 70 AD: the destruction of the Temple by Titus and the Roman army (the people of the prince), effectively ending all animal sacrifices.

The preterist view does not put a 2000-year gap between the 69th and 70th week. Therefore, Daniel 9 does not predict what will happen at the very end of time just prior to the Second Coming.

We must get that from other places. Therefore, there will not be a rebuilding of the temple or the re-institution of animal sacrifices, unless it comes from Satan as an attempt to distract from the finished work of Christ.

Below is a chart that pictorially summarizes this teaching.

(The above chart provided by isabelshaw.z19.web.core.windows.net)

Gabriel provided Daniel with a precise time for the advent of the Messiah, AD 27, which is when Jesus turned 30 and inaugurated his public ministry by being baptized by John, his cousin. Many people believe that the Magi were descendants of disciples of Daniel who took his prophecy seriously and readily believed in the heavenly star which guided them to the Messiah.

Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined. Daniel 9:26 (NASB95)

The above verse speaks of the Messiah being “cut off” or killed, which would be followed by “the people of the prince” (the Romans) destroying Jerusalem. Both futurists and partial preterists generally agree on this interpretation.

The 70th week is where the preterist interpretation is far simpler and more literal. The futurists insert a 2000-year (or so) gap here to account for what they call the “church age.” The presupposition is that the church is a kind of plan B which went into effect when the Jews rejected their Messiah. This presupposes that the biological Jewish people are the focus of God’s kingdom plans, not the church, to which I vehemently disagree. Partial preterists believe that there is no gap. Halfway into the seven-year period Jesus was crucified, fulfilling verse 27. (Futurists believe the seven-year period of the seventh week is the Great Tribulation.)

“And he will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering; and on the wing of abominations will come one who makes desolate, even until a complete destruction, one that is decreed, is poured out on the one who makes desolate.”  Daniel 9:27 (NASB95)

Instead of saying, as the futurist interpretation does, that the antichrist accomplishes these things, the context indicates that the Messiah will be the one who “will make a firm covenant with the many for one week, but in the middle of the week he will put a stop to sacrifice and grain offering.”

Jesus did this by offering himself as the Lamb of God and establishing the New Covenant, whereby he “finish[ed] the transgression, to make an end of sin, to make atonement for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness…” (Dan. 9:24)

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 that I will make with them After those days, says the Lord: I will put My laws upon their heart, And on their mind I will write them,” He then says, 17 “And their sins and their lawless deeds I will remember no more.” 18 Now where there is forgiveness of these things, there is no longer any offering for sin.  Hebrews 10:14–18 (NASB95)

Verse 27 is extremely difficult even for Bible scholars to properly interpret; so, I will forego making any further comments on it.

Three and one-half years later was the end of this seven-year period of God’s favor toward the rebellious nation of Israel. Many think that the stoning of Stephen likely marked this end since he pronounced judgment upon the unbelieving Jews just before he was martyred.

You men who are stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears are always resisting the Holy Spirit; you are doing just as your fathers did. 52 “Which one of the prophets did your fathers not persecute? They killed those who had previously announced the coming of the Righteous One, whose betrayers and murderers you have now become;  Acts 7:51–52 (NASB95)

After Stephen’s death, God commissioned both Peter and Paul to take the gospel to the Gentiles more aggressively. About 37 years later Jerusalem was destroyed and the temple obliterated.

One reason it is important for us to consider the partial preterist point of view is because it allows us to think of the end times in an entirely different way from the futurist position. Instead of expecting a restoration of glorified state of Israel what will rule over the nations complete with a functioning temple before Jesus returns, we understand that nothing must happen before his return and that the church is the Israel of God, which includes both Jew and Gentile. He could come at any time, which is precisely what Jesus taught on repeated occasions.

“You too, be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour that you do not expect.”  Luke 12:40 (NASB95)

The originator of modern dispensational theology, which elevates Israel in this way, is generally recognized as John Nelson Darby, who co-founded the Plymouth Brethren. Cyrus Scofield popularized the secret rapture and dispensationalism. He was convicted of political corruption and spent some time in jail for forging checks. He also abandoned his first wife and two children. He seems to have had ties with the Masons as well. All this makes me question the origin of this doctrine.

The reinstatement of the Jewish nation state in 1948 was orchestrated by the Rothschilds (Illuminati) and supported wholeheartedly by Christians who had adopted the questionable futurist dispensational view that predicts that the nation of Israel would be restored to world prominence in the end times. Could it be that we have improperly elevated the nation state of Israel thus overlooking the basic wickedness of its people, who continue to reject their Messiah king?

For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the bondwoman and one by the free woman. 23 But the son by the bondwoman was born according to the flesh, and the son by the free woman through the promise. 24 This is allegorically speaking, for these women are two covenants: one proceeding from Mount Sinai bearing children who are to be slaves; she is Hagar. 25 Now this Hagar is Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present Jerusalem, for she is in slavery with her children. 26 But the Jerusalem above is free; she is our mother. 27 For it is written, “Rejoice, barren woman who does not bear; Break forth and shout, you who are not in labor; For more numerous are the children of the desolate Than of the one who has a husband.” 28 And you brethren, like Isaac, are children of promise.  Galatians 4:22–28 (NASB95)

It does seem that God has something special in store for those physical descendants of Abraham who reside in the Jerusalem area at the time of the second coming of Christ, according to prophecy.

And in that day I will set about to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem. 10 “I will pour out on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the Spirit of grace and of supplication, so that they will look on Me whom they have pierced; and they will mourn for Him, as one mourns for an only son, and they will weep bitterly over Him like the bitter weeping over a firstborn.  Zechariah 12:9–10 (NASB95)

But this revelation of Christ will mean that those receiving it will be born again. Paul taught that the true Israel of God are all those who are born of the Spirit, both Jew and Gentile, who have become one body of Christ.

For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free man, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s descendants, heirs according to promise.  Galatians 3:26–29 (NASB95)

If we place undue emphasis upon the nation state of Israel, it may influence us to overlook their part in Satan’s schemes. It is noteworthy that Ghislane Maxwell, Jeffrey Epstein’s companion, was the daughter of a Mossad agent, and that Israel pushed the mRNA jab more than any other nation. It could be that the Israeli nation state is the head of the serpent from which Christ will redeem a remnant at the very end. In no way does this justify antisemitism. However, we must not fall into the error of glorifying the natural descendants of Abraham either. We should pray for the peace of Jerusalem and the salvation of the Jewish people.

The partial preterist viewpoint frees us up to understand Daniel’s seventy weeks in a way makes sense historically and prepares us for the imminent return of our Lord. It teaches us to carefully consider how some prophecies have been already fulfilled in many cases, instead of assuming their fulfillment is all in the future. It does not explain everything, but neither do other interpretations. God keeps some things hidden so that we will need to trust in him instead of leaning on our own understanding.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.
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Chapter 77: The Olivet Discourse

Any study of end time prophecy should properly begin with the words of our Lord and specifically the Olivet Discourse when he answered three specific questions posed by his disciples. Near the end of his time on earth, he visited Jerusalem and prophesied that the temple would be destroyed. His disciples were astonished and asked him a three-part question.

As He was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying, “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”  Matthew 24:3 (NASB95)
  1. When will these things (the destruction of the temple) happen?
  2. When will be the sign of “your coming”?
  3. What will be the sign of the end of the age?

Their question indicates that the disciples thought that the destruction of the temple and the end of the age must be close together. Jesus’ answer can be interpreted in various ways, allowing for differences in opinion regarding the way the end time scenario will play out. Most people are probably familiar with the dispensational view; so, I will cover the partial preterist understanding, the one I think is most plausible.

When Will the Temple Be Destroyed?

The temple was central to Jewish religious life. It was incomprehensible that it would be destroyed, and as yet the disciples did not understand why it should be. Jesus was about to die for our sins as God’s Lamb to fulfill everything the Old Covenant sacrifices foreshadowed.

After his death and resurrection, the Old Covenant would be replaced, and its sacrifices would no longer be required or needed since the true Lamb fulfilled their meaning.

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)

In addition to the temple losing its significance, the Jews were soon to reject and murder their Messiah, something God the Father would punish severely. Jesus warned them about what was coming.

As a result, this generation will be held responsible for the murder of all God’s prophets from the creation of the world—51 from the murder of Abel to the murder of Zechariah, who was killed between the altar and the sanctuary. Yes, it will certainly be charged against this generation.  Luke 11:50–51 (NLT) 

And as for these enemies of mine who didn’t want me to be their king—bring them in and execute them right here in front of me.’ ”  Luke 19:27 (NLT)

Imagine the magnitude of the crime of killing the promised Messiah and the wrath of God that would follow, which came about a generation afterward in 70 AD! Jesus foresaw what was coming and wept.

“O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the city that kills the prophets and stones God’s messengers! How often I have wanted to gather your children together as a hen protects her chicks beneath her wings, but you wouldn’t let me. 38 And now, look, your house is abandoned and desolate. 39 For I tell you this, you will never see me again until you say, ‘Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord!’”  Matthew 23:37–39 (NLT)

Those children would be the adults that would experience the horrors of the Roman siege and destruction of Jerusalem.

Within a generation, 40 years, from Jesus’ prophecy, the Roman army under General Titus besieged and starved the city of Jerusalem for four months before entering it, killing its inhabitants, and burning the temple. Josephus recorded that 97,000 Jews were led away into captivity. In AD 135, one last rebellion against Rome was attempted. After three years, the Romans quashed it, killing an additional 580.000 Jews, and disassembled every stone of the temple, plowing up the ground, just as Jesus prophesied. [1]

As Jesus was leaving the Temple grounds, his disciples pointed out to him the various Temple buildings. 2 But he responded, “Do you see all these buildings? I tell you the truth, they will be completely demolished. Not one stone will be left on top of another!”  Matthew 24:1–2 (NLT)

Just after this, Jesus adjourned to the Mount of Olives with his disciples, from which they could observe the temple. It was at this time that they asked for more details regarding what Jesus uttered on the temple grounds. Jesus answered all their questions but did so rather seamlessly, leaving it up to us to parse the meaning.

The partial preterist point of view is that most “end time” prophecies have already been fulfilled over the last 2000 years.

In the following verse, Jesus declared that everything he said prior to this would take place in a generation, about 40 years, which was the time between his words and destruction of Jerusalem in 70 AD.

I tell you the truth, this generation will not pass from the scene until all these things take place.  Matthew 24:34 (NLT)

Therefore, everything before this pertains to this event. Since I am not able to cover every detail in his lesson, I will refer you to Victorious Eschatology, if you want to pursue further study. To summarize, many false messiahs arose in Israel following our Lord’s death and resurrection. Wars, famines, and earthquakes took place all over the Roman Empire. Persecutions were instigated by the Jews and Romans in the intervening period, too. Apostasy and false prophets in the form of Judaizers and Gnostics swept many away from the truth of the gospel. According to scripture, the gospel was also preached to the whole world. (Romans 16:25-26 and Colossians 1:23)

The abomination of desolation was the Roman army.

Therefore when you see the abomination of desolation which was spoken of through Daniel the prophet, standing in the holy place (let the reader understand), 16 then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains.  Matthew 24:15–16 (NASB95)

The holy place was not the temple but the land of Israel. This is illustrated by a parallel passage.

But when you see Jerusalem surrounded by armies, then recognize that her desolation is near. 21 “Then those who are in Judea must flee to the mountains, and those who are in the midst of the city must leave, and those who are in the country must not enter the city; 22 because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled.  Luke 21:20–22 (NASB95)

The corresponding reference in Daniel that speaks of desolation coming refers to the people of the prince, meaning the Roman army.

Then after the sixty-two weeks the Messiah will be cut off and have nothing, and the people of the prince who is to come will destroy the city and the sanctuary. And its end will come with a flood; even to the end there will be war; desolations are determined.  Daniel 9:26 (NASB95)

The great tribulation refers to the destruction of Jerusalem and everything that accompanied it.

Other times of tribulation were greater in magnitude regarding numbers, but what happened in 70 AD was intense. A greater percentage of the Jews were killed, and greater atrocities were committed. The Jews trapped in the city were starved and resorted to cannibalism. If any escaped the city to look for food, the Roman soldiers cut off their hands and sent them back into the city. When the Romans entered the city, over 500 men per day were tortured and crucified. They were nailed to crosses in front of the city until there was no more space. Once the city was completely conquered, 97,000 survivors were enslaved or sent to be executed in the Roman theaters. [2]

When the temple was destroyed, it ended the old Jewish religious system. If the partial preterist interpretation is correct, the temple will never be rebuilt, and the great tribulation and many other things associated with the very end have already taken place. The Lord can return at any moment.

What Will Be the Sign of Your Coming?

The disciples who listened to Jesus were not convinced that he was going to die, much less come back again on the Last Day.

Their question would have been understood to ask when he would come into his kingdom.

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, ...  Matthew 24:30a (NASB95)

My understanding is that Jesus came into his kingdom when he ascended into heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Father, where we are seated with him, making us co-rulers of a sort when we exercise our authority in Christ, even though not in the same fullness as we will later enjoy.

But our High Priest offered himself to God as a single sacrifice for sins, good for all time. Then he sat down in the place of honor at God’s right hand. 13 There he waits until his enemies are humbled and made a footstool under his feet.  Hebrews 10:12–13 (NLT)

For he raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus.  Ephesians 2:6 (NLT)

This is why I believe that the millennial reign of Christ is being realized now.

The Great Awakening theologian Jonathan Edwards wrote the following:

‘Tis evident that when Christ speaks of his coming, his being revealed, his coming in his kingdom, or his kingdom’s coming he has respect to the appearing in those great works of his power, justice, and grace, which should be in the destruction of Jerusalem and other extraordinary providences which should attend it. [3]

This interpretation may seem odd to those who have only been exposed to the futurist interpretation, but it was predominant among earlier saints.

Just as the outpouring of the Spirit was a sign of Jesus’ enthronement in heaven after his ascension, the destruction of Jerusalem was another sign of his having come into his kingdom in which the church would include both Jew and Gentile in “one new man”.

This Jesus God raised up again, to which we are all witnesses. 33 “Therefore having been exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He has poured forth this which you both see and hear.  Acts 2:32–33 (NASB95)

God’s judgment of Jerusalem and destruction of the temple was a sign or proof that Jesus ruled over all things and God the Father brought justice upon those who murdered his Son, just as Jesus said would happen.

Now let us return to the previous verse.

But immediately after the tribulation of those days the sun will be darkened, and the moon will not give its light, and the stars will fall from the sky, and the powers of the heavens will be shaken.  Matthew 24:29 (NASB95)

The partial preterist position interprets this as apocalyptic language. This would understand Jesus to have said that after the destruction of Jerusalem, governing authorities and political powers would be shaken and authority transferred to Christ. The heavens were shaken because Jesus came into his kingdom. [4]

Now Christ has gone to heaven. He is seated in the place of honor next to God, and all the angels and authorities and powers accept his authority (had been subjected to him).  1 Peter 3:22 (NLT)

What Daniel saw in Chapter Seven of his book of prophecies was Jesus coming into his kingdom after his ascension into heaven. This passage is quoted in part by Jesus in his Olivet Discourse.

And then the sign of the Son of Man will appear in the sky, and then all the tribes of the earth will mourn, and they will see the Son of Man coming on the clouds of the sky with power and great glory.  Matthew 24:30 (NASB95)

Great mourning took place among all the Jewish tribes when Jerusalem and the temple were destroyed, which was a declaration of Jesus’ lordship, for all who had eyes to see by faith and revelation. This is not when Jesus returns to earth at the Second Coming. It is apocalyptic language for Jesus’ installation as King.

I kept looking in the night visions, And behold, with the clouds of heaven One like a Son of Man was coming, And He came up to the Ancient of Days And was presented before Him. 14 “And to Him was given dominion, Glory and a kingdom, That all the peoples, nations and men of every language Might serve Him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion Which will not pass away; And His kingdom is one Which will not be destroyed.  Daniel 7:13–14 (NASB95)

Jesus’ coming was not to earth, but he came before the Ancient of Days to receive his kingdom.

Afterward, the angels began gathering the elect from every corner of the earth through the preaching of the gospel.

And He will send forth His angels with a great trumpet and they will gather together His elect from the four winds, from one end of the sky to the other.  Matthew 24:31 (NASB95)

The church began a time of vigorous growth after Jerusalem fell. [5]

Now learn the parable from the fig tree: when its branch has already become tender and puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near; 33 so, you too, when you see all these things, recognize that He is near, right at the door. 34 “Truly I say to you, this generation will not pass away until all these things take place.  Matthew 24:32–34 (NASB95)

The fig tree is not used to signify Israel. The olive tree is used for that. Jesus said the when the signs he mentioned take place, the judgment of Jerusalem is imminent and will take place before the passing of a generation.

What Will Be the Sign of the End of the Age?

The answer to this question moves us to the “end times.”

Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will not pass away. 36 “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone.  Matthew 24:35–36 (NASB95)

Terms like “that day,” “that day and hour,” “the last day,” “the Great Day,” and sometimes “the day,” refer to the second coming of Christ and the last judgment. This is the focus of our Lord’s third answer, which is contained in the remainder of the chapter.

Unlike the looming judgment over Jerusalem, which had clear warning signs, the second coming of Christ will come after a long time without warning at an unpredictable time.

This surprise element is found in Jesus’ following parables about the very end.

But be sure of this, that if the head of the house had known at what time of the night the thief was coming, he would have been on the alert and would not have allowed his house to be broken into. 44 “For this reason you also must be ready; for the Son of Man is coming at an hour when you do not think He will.  Matthew 24:43–44 (NASB95)

Not only will his coming be unpredictable, but it will also be at a time when we think it will not be. Therefore, we must always be ready.

Now after a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them.  Matthew 25:19 (NASB95)

In the parable of the talents, as in others, the concept of there being a “long time” before our Lord returns is emphasized. Nevertheless, when he does come it will be a surprise and readiness will be rewarded.

But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;  Matthew 25:31–32 (NASB95)

In the parable of the sheep and goats, we see that his second coming will include a judgment of all people, not merely Jerusalem and the temple.

[1] Victorious Eschatology, Eberle and Trench, p. 14.

[2] Ibid., pp.44-45.

[3] Ibid., p.53.

[4] Ibid., p.59.

[5] Ibid.,p.62.

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Chapter 76: Introduction to Knowing Jesus as Coming King and Judge

Eschatology is the doctrine or study of the end times, which includes Christ’s Second Coming. The Bible tells us that it is God’s glory to conceal a matter and our privilege to search things out. (Proverbs 25:2) However, some things are not for us to know but belong only to God himself.

The Lord our God has secrets known to no one. We are not accountable for them, but we and our children are accountable forever for all that he has revealed to us, so that we may obey all the terms of these instructions.  Deuteronomy 29:29 (NLT)

Our Lord has hidden much concerning the future in the Bible, some of which is meant to remain a mystery until it unfolds before our eyes. Then it will make sense to us. If we knew details and times ahead of their happening, we would no doubt somehow get in the way by trying to “help” God work things out. When Abraham tried to assist God in bringing his promised heir into the world, things did not turn out well. Personal prophecy often works this way, too. Trying to figure out what is meant is often frustrating and fruitless, but when the fulfillment comes it is obvious and shows us that we are right where we are supposed to be.

Regarding the Second Coming, one thing God has made abundantly clear is that no one knows when it will take place, not even Jesus, and it will be a big surprise when it happens.

However, no one knows the day or hour when these things will happen, not even the angels in heaven or the Son himself. Only the Father knows. 33 And since you don’t know when that time will come, be on guard! Stay alert!  Mark 13:32–33 (NLT)

There are two major ways of looking at the end times that I will mention in this lesson, the partial preterist and the futurist viewpoints. The first position holds that many, if not most, “end time” prophecies have already been fulfilled; whereas, the futurist way of looking at things takes the position that most such prophecies are yet to come to pass. My personal thinking is that, because we must take into account over two thousand years of church history, the partial preterist position is correct. Each of us will have to come to his or her own conclusion. I hope this section helps each of us in that regard.

Regardless of which position we take, it is wise for us to hold onto our interpretation lightly, realizing that our understanding is limited.

Prepare to be surprised.

The Millennium

The Millennium refers to a one-thousand-year reign of Christ which is referenced in Revelation 20:1-10.

Then I saw an angel coming down from heaven, holding the key of the abyss and a great chain in his hand. 2 And he laid hold of the dragon, the serpent of old, who is the devil and Satan, and bound him for a thousand years; 3 and he threw him into the abyss, and shut it and sealed it over him, so that he would not deceive the nations any longer, until the thousand years were completed; after these things he must be released for a short time. 4 Then I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was given to them. And I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded because of their testimony of Jesus and because of the word of God, and those who had not worshiped the beast or his image, and had not received the mark on their forehead and on their hand; and they came to life and reigned with Christ for a thousand years. 5 The rest of the dead did not come to life until the thousand years were completed. This is the first resurrection. 6 Blessed and holy is the one who has a part in the first resurrection; over these the second death has no power, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with Him for a thousand years. 7 When the thousand years are completed, Satan will be released from his prison, 8 and will come out to deceive the nations which are in the four corners of the earth, Gog and Magog, to gather them together for the war; the number of them is like the sand of the seashore. 9 And they came up on the broad plain of the earth and surrounded the camp of the saints and the beloved city, and fire came down from heaven and devoured them. 10 And the devil who deceived them was thrown into the lake of fire and brimstone, where the beast and the false prophet are also; and they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.  Revelation 20:1–10 (NASB95)

There are three viewpoints regarding the Millennium.

The Pre-Millennial position holds that there be a time of intense persecution on the earth prior to Christ’s Second Coming, after which there will be a literal fulfillment of the 1000-year reign of Christ on the earth. At the end of this millennial reign, the last judgment will take place followed by the introduction to the final state of things, which will include the renewal of heaven and earth. The Premillennial view can be divided into two camps – historic premillennialism and dispensational premillennialism.

Historic premillennialism was held by some early church fathers and is called chiliasm.

Many of the church fathers such as Ireneaus, Papias, Justin Martyr, Tertullian, Hippolytus, and others taught that there would be a visible kingdom of God upon the earth after the return of Christ. Historic premillennialism taught that the Antichrist would appear on earth and the seven-year tribulation would begin. Next would be the rapture, and then Jesus and His church would return to earth to rule for a thousand years. The faithful spend eternity in the New Jerusalem. (Taken from Got Questions – https://www.gotquestions.org/historic-premillennialism.html)

Dispensationalism was popularized by John Nelson Darby (1800-82), an Anglo-Irish theologian who was part of the Plymouth Brethren. It holds that God deals with people based on dispensations of grace and that he will work with Israel very differently than with the church. These dispensations involved a test for mankind, a failure, and then a judgment, followed by a new dispensation. He promoted the pre-tribulation rapture theory. This position holds that the church and Israel are be viewed as distinct and that Old Testament prophecies regarding Israel must be taken literally. Dispensationalism believes that the New Testament builds on Old Testament prophecies but does not transcend or reinterpret them as being fulfilled in Christ or transferred to the church. Ethnic/national Israel will be restored and have a significant role during Christ’s millennial reign to bring blessings to the nations. The church is being used by God to fulfill the Great Commission, but it is through ethnic Israel that the world will be blessed in the end. 

The Amillennial (or realized millennium) view interprets the above passage in Revelation figuratively and believes that Christ’s millennial reign is the time between his first and second comings, during which time Christ rules from heaven along with his saints, and Satan is bound. In addition, his rule is being extended through the preaching of the gospel and discipleship by the church. Just prior to our Lord’s Second Coming, Satan will be released for a short period to deceive the nations, during which time persecution will ramp up significantly. The Second Coming will happen concurrently with the general resurrection, the “rapture” or catching up to heaven of the saints who are still physically alive, and the last judgment, followed by the inauguration of the eternal state – the new heaven and earth. This position holds that the church is composed of both Jews and Gentiles who are one in Christ and receive God’s blessings together based on being part of a new creation. There may be a fulfillment of God’s promises to restore the land of Israel to the Jewish people when Jesus returns, but that is a separate consideration.

The Postmillennial view holds that things will get gradually better as Christ’s rule expands and extends over the earth, ushering in a golden age during which the kingdom of God will be experienced to a wonderful degree prior to Christ’s Second Coming. This view is similar to Amillennialism, and I have lumped it together with it.

The Great Tribulation and the Rapture

The premillennial view holds that the great tribulation will take place during the reign of the antichrist and will last seven years. The rapture or catching up to heaven of living believers will either take place prior to the tribulation (pre-trib rapture), in the middle of the tribulation (mid-trib rapture), or at the conclusion of the tribulation (post-trib rapture). The general resurrection and last judgment will take place later.

The amillennial view believes that the rapture will take place as part of the Second Coming, as taught by the apostle Paul.

For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 Then we who are alive and remain will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air, and so we shall always be with the Lord.  1 Thessalonians 4:16–17 (NASB95)

One of the reasons why I do not believe in a pre-tribulation or any other kind of rapture ahead of the Second Coming is because Jesus never taught anything like that. Instead, he clearly taught that the wicked will be gathered first, then the righteous.

“And he said to them, ‘An enemy has done this!’ The slaves said to him, ‘Do you want us, then, to go and gather them up?’ 29 “But he said, ‘No; for while you are gathering up the tares, you may uproot the wheat with them. 30 ‘Allow both to grow together until the harvest; and in the time of the harvest I will say to the reapers, “First gather up the tares and bind them in bundles to burn them up; but gather the wheat into my barn.” ’ ”  Matthew 13:28–30 (NASB95) 

So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 41 “The Son of Man will send forth His angels, and they will gather out of His kingdom all stumbling blocks, and those who commit lawlessness, 42 and will throw them into the furnace of fire; in that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 “Then the righteous will shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.  Matthew 13:40–43 (NASB95) 

In addition, Jesus taught that he will return for both the living and the dead at the same time.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:39–40 (NASB95)

Jesus will raise the dead on the “last day,” and Paul said that the resurrected dead will precede the living saints who will be caught up to heaven. Therefore, there cannot be a rapture ahead of the general resurrection which will take place at the Second Coming.

Common sense also informs us that many beloved believers have endured horrible persecutions over the centuries. We in the West have been largely spared since the Reformation. It betrays a grossly self-centered viewpoint to use our persecution-free history as the norm as we look forward to a time of great tribulation.

Finally, a rapture of all believers prior to a time of testing does not seem to fit God’s way of doing things. The Good Shepherd never leaves the weak sheep to fend for themselves. Those who will come to Christ during a time of testing will need seasoned believers to encourage them to be strong.

The Last Judgment

The Last Judgment is the final event of this age. There is debate about how this will take place. Jesus made it clear that the Father has turned over all judgment to him.

For just as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, even so the Son also gives life to whom He wishes. 22 “For not even the Father judges anyone, but He has given all judgment to the Son,  John 5:21–22 (NASB95)

Jesus will fulfill this responsibility as the glorious Son of Man prophesied in Daniel.

But when the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His glorious throne. 32 “All the nations will be gathered before Him; and He will separate them from one another, as the shepherd separates the sheep from the goats;  Matthew 25:31–32 (NASB95)

Jesus understood that he will fulfill this prophecy. He told his persecutors as much when he was on trial before the Sanhedrin.

And Jesus said, “I am; and you shall see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power, and coming with the clouds of heaven.”  Mark 14:62 (NASB95)

Jesus also informed us that all those who trust in him will be safe from condemnation at that judgment.

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. 25 “Truly, truly, I say to you, an hour is coming and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 “For just as the Father has life in Himself, even so He gave to the Son also to have life in Himself; 27 and He gave Him authority to execute judgment, because He is the Son of Man. 28 “Do not marvel at this; for an hour is coming, in which all who are in the tombs will hear His voice, 29 and will come forth; those who did the good deeds to a resurrection of life, those who committed the evil deeds to a resurrection of judgment.  John 5:24–29 (NASB95)

Jesus tied the resurrection to the last judgment.

He taught that his followers will be personally raised from the dead by him and escape condemnation at the judgment.

“This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:39–40 (NASB95)

Only those who are born again are written in the Lamb’s book of life.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:12–15 (NASB95)

The new birth is a type of resurrection in which we are raised through our identification with Christ in his resurrection.

…even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6 and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus,  Ephesians 2:5–6 (NASB95)

In the book of Revelation, this is referred to as the first resurrection. Those who are born again are seated with Christ right now in heavenly places, ruling alongside him. This is part of what it means to have Christ’s authority.

The current reign of the saints with Christ is what Amillennnialists consider to be the millennial rule of Christ.

Those who are raised spiritually with Christ rule with him and will be raised bodily at the Second Coming.

Jesus referred to the two resurrections in John Chapter 11.

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26 and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?”  John 11:25–26 (NASB95)

If we are born twice (naturally and the new birth), we will only die once (bodily). However, if we are not born of the Spirit, we will die twice, physically and in the lake of fire.

And I saw the dead, the great and the small, standing before the throne, and books were opened; and another book was opened, which is the book of life; and the dead were judged from the things which were written in the books, according to their deeds. 13 And the sea gave up the dead which were in it, and death and Hades gave up the dead which were in them; and they were judged, every one of them according to their deeds. 14 Then death and Hades were thrown into the lake of fire. This is the second death, the lake of fire. 15 And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.  Revelation 20:12–15 (NASB95)

Our works (deeds) do not save us, except the good work of putting our faith in Christ.

Therefore they said to Him, “What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?” 29 Jesus answered and said to them, “This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.”  John 6:28–29 (NASB95)

Those who are born again have the Holy Spirit indwelling them and will do good works from the heart, which will testify to their saving faith. In that sense only will we be judged according to our works.

We will be rewarded according to how well we lived by faith and love through the power of the indwelling Spirit of God.

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 5:6 (NLT)
 The Final Resurrected State

Paul taught that we will one day receive spiritual bodies that will reflect the glory of the Lord.

There are also heavenly bodies and earthly bodies, but the glory of the heavenly is one, and the glory of the earthly is another. 41 There is one glory of the sun, and another glory of the moon, and another glory of the stars; for star differs from star in glory. 42 So also is the resurrection of the dead. It is sown a perishable body, it is raised an imperishable body; 43 it is sown in dishonor, it is raised in glory; it is sown in weakness, it is raised in power; 44 it is sown a natural body, it is raised a spiritual body. If there is a natural body, there is also a spiritual body. 45 So also it is written, “The first man, Adam, became a living soul.” The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. 46 However, the spiritual is not first, but the natural; then the spiritual. 47 The first man is from the earth, earthy; the second man is from heaven. 48 As is the earthy, so also are those who are earthy; and as is the heavenly, so also are those who are heavenly. 49 Just as we have borne the image of the earthy, we will also bear the image of the heavenly.  1 Corinthians 15:40–49 (NASB95)

These new bodies will have properties not currently available to us. Jesus could appear and disappear and pass through walls. Interestingly, he also ate with his disciples; so, some if not all bodily functions will continue, yet without being subject to death. It is quite a mystery.

Another mystery involves the recreation or renewal of the earth.

But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and the very elements themselves will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be found to deserve judgment. 11 Since everything around us is going to be destroyed like this, what holy and godly lives you should live, 12 looking forward to the day of God and hurrying it along. On that day, he will set the heavens on fire, and the elements will melt away in the flames. 13 But we are looking forward to the new heavens and new earth he has promised, a world filled with God’s righteousness.  2 Peter 3:10–13 (NLT) 

Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth, for the old heaven and the old earth had disappeared. And the sea was also gone. 2 And I saw the holy city, the new Jerusalem, coming down from God out of heaven like a bride beautifully dressed for her husband. 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, “Look, God’s home is now among his people! He will live with them, and they will be his people. God himself will be with them. 4 He will wipe every tear from their eyes, and there will be no more death or sorrow or crying or pain. All these things are gone forever.” 5 And the one sitting on the throne said, “Look, I am making everything new!” And then he said to me, “Write this down, for what I tell you is trustworthy and true.”  Revelation 21:1–5 (NLT)

It is impossible for us to know what this will be like, but I assume it will be as God originally intended for his creation before the Fall of humanity. Paul wrote the following about this.

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)

Adam’s sin brought down the entire creation, which waits for the Second Coming for it to be renewed.

Beyond that, we really don’t know what to expect except that it will be wonderful because it will fully reflect the goodness and glory of the Creator at last. Even now we see glimpses of his character and power by observing fallen creation. How much more will his glory shine when creation is restored!

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Chapter 75: How to Share Our Personal Testimony

When an opportunity presents itself for us to talk about the Lord with people, often it is easier to begin by sharing our own testimony. This is our personal story describing how God intersected our lives and what has been the result. Sharing our testimony is often less confrontational than relating the gospel, unless we conclude our testimony by giving an invitation to receive Jesus as Lord and Savior.

We may wish to have short, medium, and long versions of our testimony. Which one we share may depend on how much time we have and the interest level of the listener. The basic ingredients of our testimony might be as follows.

  • Our lives before conversion, including what may have influenced us to seek the Lord,
  • How Christ intersected our lives,
  • And how our lives changed afterward.

Even should the listener discount our words, it is difficult to deny personal experiences. Even existentialists can agree that we experienced something. If they claim it was merely “our truth,” it gives us an opportunity to reply that even though it was my experience, the Lord and salvation are real and have been experienced by countless millions of people.

Paul gave us an example of a way to share a testimony in Acts Chapter 26.

“So then, I thought to myself that I had to do many things hostile to the name of Jesus of Nazareth. 10 “And this is just what I did in Jerusalem; not only did I lock up many of the saints in prisons, having received authority from the chief priests, but also when they were being put to death I cast my vote against them. 11 “And as I punished them often in all the synagogues, I tried to force them to blaspheme; and being furiously enraged at them, I kept pursuing them even to foreign cities. 12 “While so engaged as I was journeying to Damascus with the authority and commission of the chief priests, 13 at midday, O King, I saw on the way a light from heaven, brighter than the sun, shining all around me and those who were journeying with me. 14 “And when we had all fallen to the ground, I heard a voice saying to me in the Hebrew dialect, ‘Saul, Saul, why are you persecuting Me? It is hard for you to kick against the goads.’ 15 “And I said, ‘Who are You, Lord?’ And the Lord said, ‘I am Jesus whom you are persecuting. 16 ‘But get up and stand on your feet; for this purpose I have appeared to you, to appoint you a minister and a witness not only to the things which you have seen, but also to the things in which I will appear to you; 17 rescuing you from the Jewish people and from the Gentiles, to whom I am sending you, 18 to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the dominion of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and an inheritance among those who have been sanctified by faith in Me.’ 19 “So, King Agrippa, I did not prove disobedient to the heavenly vision, 20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance. 21 “For this reason some Jews seized me in the temple and tried to put me to death. 22 “So, having obtained help from God, I stand to this day testifying both to small and great, stating nothing but what the Prophets and Moses said was going to take place; 23 that the Christ was to suffer, and that by reason of His resurrection from the dead He would be the first to proclaim light both to the Jewish people and to the Gentiles.”  Acts 26:9–23 (NASB95)

This two-and-a-half-minute testimony starts with Paul’s persecution of Christians, thinking he was serving God by doing so. This demonstrated that he was an enemy of the gospel prior to conversion, which probably heightened interest in what was to follow. Before his conversion, he was not filled with angst, a feeling of being lost, or in trouble, as is often the case with us. He was convinced he was doing the right thing by persecuting the church. This was Paul’s story.

Whatever route we took on our personal journey to the Lord is our testimony.

Jesus intersected Paul’s life while he was on the way to persecute believers. Few of us have conversions as dramatic as Paul, but however God reached us is an important part of our story and should be shared with as much detail as appropriate. Paul’s conversion included a call to be a witness for Christ, which Paul used to transition to the last part of his testimony – how his life changed afterward. He concluded his testimony by giving the key ingredient of the gospel – the resurrection of Christ.

It is often possible to conclude our testimony with an invitation to receive Christ as Lord and Savior.

This requires us to be sensitive to how our words are being received. We may not wish to press the matter. On the other hand, if we think the listener may be open to the gospel, we might ask, “Is there any reason you would not choose to receive Christ as your Lord and Savior right now?” If the answer is affirmative, we can try to address the issues. If negative, we can gently lead them in a prayer to surrender their lives to our Savior and Lord.

It is important for us to keep in mind that we may be merely sowing good seed into their lives. Many people require several exposures to the gospel before they are ready to receive Christ. On the other hand, we may have the privilege of reaping what others have sown by leading them to Christ. Either way, it is a win for the kingdom of God.

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Chapter 73: The Gospel Satisfies Our Thirst for Truth

One of the things that clearly distinguishes God’s people from those on their way to eternal destruction is their relationship with truth. When Adam and Eve believed the serpent in the garden, it created in them an adverse relationship with truth that they passed down to us. Immediately those two were deeply ashamed and tried to hide the truth about what they had done from their Creator. The fear of our shame and guilt being uncovered pushes us away from the truth, too. As Jesus put it… 

All who do evil hate the light and refuse to go near it for fear their sins will be exposed.  John 3:20 (NLT)

By nature, those whose hearts are hardened against God are also enemies of the truth. Those who love God love truth as well.

Light and truth are related. The light of God’s truth both reveals the glory of God and exposes sin. Without God’s intervention, people hide from God’s truth about themselves. We find it easier to do this than risk being exposed, shamed, and condemned for our sins. We fear that God is a judge who will mercilessly expose and condemn us to death as our sins deserve.

When we find ourselves in a seemingly untenable situation such as this, we tend to resort to denial and perhaps attempt to create an alternate reality.

We may find it necessary to suppress the truth to uphold the lie we create to try to insulate ourselves from God’s judgment.

But God shows his anger from heaven against all sinful, wicked people who suppress the truth by their wickedness. 19 They know the truth about God because he has made it obvious to them. 20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Romans 1:18–20 (NLT)

 Even though creation makes God’s existence obvious, we develop and teach as dogma an alternate theory of how we got here called the Big Bang theory and evolution. These lies insist that all matter, energy, and life created or generated themselves through natural processes related to a mysterious force some call gravity. If we got here without help from God, we are masters of the universe who are accountable to no one, Satan’s, Adam’s, and Eve’s goal.

Those who hold power to suppress truth usually strongly defend their lies and attack anyone who dares resist the official narrative.

Nothing is more dangerous to a lie than the truth.

All sorts of truth suppressing alternate realities are being forced upon us, including transgenderism. Anyone who dares to resist is often fiercely attacked. Our news media, in cooperation with the government, Big Medicine, Big Tech, Big Pharma, Big Agriculture, etc., promotes all sorts of falsehoods under the name of truth which is propaganda. Power seeks to intimidate the populace into bowing to the lie, rather than stand up for what is true, thus breaking our will. It is only when the Spirit of truth (John 14:17) begins to work inside us that are drawn away from the lie toward truth.

Jesus, who is Truth in human form, came into this world to testify to the truth and draw to himself those whom God has chosen.

Some who heard Jesus’ words responded by believing in him. Others resisted because they had no love for truth.

Why can’t you understand what I am saying? It’s because you can’t even hear me! 44 For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me! 46 Which of you can truthfully accuse me of sin? And since I am telling you the truth, why don’t you believe me? 47 Anyone who belongs to God listens gladly to the words of God. But you don’t listen because you don’t belong to God.”  John 8:43–47 (NLT)

Imagine: the Jewish leaders’ hatred of truth propelled them to execute the One sent into the world to testify to the truth. They brought our Lord to Pilate, who heard these remarkable words from Jesus.

Pilate said, “So you are a king?” Jesus responded, “You say I am a king. Actually, I was born and came into the world to testify to the truth. All who love the truth recognize that what I say is true.”  John 18:37 (NLT)

All Pilate could weakly reply was, “What is truth?” The Truth stood right in front of him, but he did not recognize him.

We cannot understand the truth about who Jesus is unless the Holy Spirit opens our hearts and develops within us a love for truth.

The movie entitled The Matrix is a parable about man’s quest to know the truth. The hero is a young man called Neo who is given a choice between having his eyes opened to the terrifying truth about a very high level of deception or continuing to live in the apparent comfort and security of the lie. Neo was offered two pills, a red one that would open his eyes to the truth and a blue one that would allow him to continue in the blissful ignorance that enslaved him.

Most people choose to live in some level of deception, keeping the truth about God at a distance, pretending that they will never die or face him in judgment at the end of their lives.

God does not want people to remain captives of the lie, which is why he sent his Son, who is the Truth, to rescue us.

May God the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ give you grace and peace. 4 Jesus gave his life for our sins, just as God our Father planned, in order to rescue us from this evil world in which we live. 5 All glory to God forever and ever! Amen.  Galatians 1:3–5 (NLT)

The eternal Logos, the Word of God, became a human being, the embodiment of truth, who came with a message of truth combined with mercy. God made a way for us to face the truth without its destroying us. That way cost the one who is truth his life.

Jesus took all the guilt and shame associated with serving the Lie upon himself so that God’s truth and light could penetrate our defenses and capture our hearts in a life-giving way.

In our Lord Jesus, mercy and truth came together to create a pathway to God.

 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! 11 Truth springs up from the earth, and righteousness smiles down from heaven.  Psalm 85:10–11 (NLT)

The Law, which is God’s truth without mercy, exposes our sin, but Jesus came to fulfill the Law on our behalf so that we might receive mercy from God.

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we saw His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth. 15 John testified about Him and cried out, saying, “This was He of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me.’ ” 16 For of His fullness we have all received, and grace upon grace. 17 For the Law was given through Moses; grace and truth were realized through Jesus Christ.  John 1:14–17 (NASB95)

 This is the gospel message.

Truth has come to us in the person of Jesus who offered himself as a sacrifice to provide forgiveness for our sins and open the way for us to be reconciled to the God of truth. He is the only way back to God.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me.  John 14:6 (NASB95)

Those whose hearts are open to truth receive this good news and act upon it and become people of truth and mercy. Those whose hearts remain closed refuse to come to Jesus.

This man [of lawlessness] will come to do the work of Satan with counterfeit power and signs and miracles. 10 He will use every kind of evil deception to fool those on their way to destruction, because they refuse to love and accept the truth that would save them. 11 So God will cause them to be greatly deceived, and they will believe these lies. 12 Then they will be condemned for enjoying evil rather than believing the truth.  2 Thessalonians 2:9–12 (NLT)

When people choose deception over God’s truth, they condemn themselves to eternal destruction.

This is because the lie kills. Life is only found in God. When we reject truth, we reject God, thereby rejecting life.

Then Paul and Barnabas spoke out boldly and declared, “It was necessary that we first preach the word of God to you Jews. But since you have rejected it and judged yourselves unworthy of eternal life, we will offer it to the Gentiles. 47 For the Lord gave us this command when he said, ‘I have made you a light to the Gentiles, to bring salvation to the farthest corners of the earth.’” 48 When the Gentiles heard this, they were very glad and thanked the Lord for his message; and all who were chosen for eternal life became believers. 49 So the Lord’s message spread throughout that region.  Acts 13:46–49 (NLT)

The ability to love and choose truth is a gift from God himself called repentance.

Without God’s help, we will remain truth haters. With God’s help, we can become lovers of truth, which is an earmark of Christ’s disciples.

So Jesus was saying to those Jews who had believed Him, “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; 32 and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”  John 8:31–32 (NASB95)

Those who receive a love for truth come to Jesus and love his Word.

Born again followers of Christ have a Holy Spirit derived love for the Bible.

When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all truth. He will not speak on his own but will tell you what he has heard. He will tell you about the future. 14 He will bring me glory by telling you whatever he receives from me. 15 All that belongs to the Father is mine; this is why I said, ‘The Spirit will tell you whatever he receives from me.’  John 16:13–15 (NLT)

It is incongruent for someone to claim to be a follower of Christ and not love his Word. There seems to be no middle ground. We will either love his word or hate it. When we see churches veer away from their adherence to biblical truth, it appears that the Spirit does not live inside them.

The Spirit of truth always upholds the Word of truth.

Once God opens our eyes to the One who is the embodiment of truth, and we put our faith and allegiance in him, our quest for truth is satisfied. It is not that we now know the whole truth. Quite the opposite. I suspect that we will be discovering more about God for all eternity, but when we put our faith and allegiance in Jesus, we know deep inside that we need not look for anything or anyone else.

When we come to know the one called Truth, our souls find rest from our restless quest.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28–30 (NLT)

Those who reject the truth of the gospel will never find satisfaction anywhere else. There is no peace or rest for the wicked who hate God and his truth. (Isaiah 48:22) There is no one else who can possibly satisfy us. (2 Timothy 3:7)

As disciples, we have a responsibility to invite others to become lovers of the Truth. It is wrong to keep something so great as our secret.

God commissioned us to share the gospel in the hope that the Holy Spirit may open the eyes, ears, and hearts of our listeners.

A servant of the Lord must not quarrel but must be kind to everyone, be able to teach, and be patient with difficult people. 25 Gently instruct those who oppose the truth. Perhaps God will change those people’s hearts, and they will learn the truth. 26 Then they will come to their senses and escape from the devil’s trap. For they have been held captive by him to do whatever he wants.  2 Timothy 2:24–26 (NLT)

With God’s help, we and others can come to our their senses and awaken to the Truth of God and escape the snares of deception. In the end, nothing can stop the advance of truth.

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Chapter 72: The Gospel Opens Blind Eyes

When John the Baptist sent his disciples to ask Jesus if he were indeed the Messiah, Jesus gave this somewhat cryptic reply.

…“Go back to John and tell him what you have seen and heard—the blind see, the lame walk, those with leprosy are cured, the deaf hear, the dead are raised to life, and the Good News is being preached to the poor.” 23 And he added, “God blesses those who do not turn away because of me.”  Luke 7:22–23 (NLT)

Jesus wanted John to know that he was fulfilling what the prophets said about the Messiah.

Say to those with fearful hearts, “Be strong, and do not fear, for your God is coming to destroy your enemies. He is coming to save you.” 5 And when he comes, he will open the eyes of the blind and unplug the ears of the deaf. 6 The lame will leap like a deer, and those who cannot speak will sing for joy! Springs will gush forth in the wilderness, and streams will water the wasteland.  Isaiah 35:4–6 (NLT)

The people expected the Messiah to liberate them from Roman tyranny, but when it became apparent that Jesus was not going to do that, some, as did John, doubted. But the purpose of our Lord’s first coming was to set people free from sin, sickness, death, demonization, and the devil’s iron rule.

Opening naturally blind eyes was important to those who were healed, but it was more than anything else a metaphor for the deeper work of God in the human heart.

Sin blinds us to God’s existence and glory and to the Messiah’s identity.

Satan, who is the god of this world, has blinded the minds of those who don’t believe. They are unable to see the glorious light of the Good News. They don’t understand this message about the glory of Christ, who is the exact likeness of God.  2 Corinthians 4:4 (NLT)

Without the inner work of the Holy Spirit, we are not able to discern who Jesus is.

When Jesus healed the blind man in the ninth chapter of John’s gospel, he was able to see spiritually as well us naturally. The Pharisees had never been physically blind, but they could not see spiritually.

When Jesus heard what had happened, he found the man and asked, “Do you believe in the Son of Man?” 36 The man answered, “Who is he, sir? I want to believe in him.” 37 “You have seen him,” Jesus said, “and he is speaking to you!” 38 “Yes, Lord, I believe!” the man said. And he worshiped Jesus. 39 Then Jesus told him, “I entered this world to render judgment—to give sight to the blind and to show those who think they see that they are blind.”  John 9:35–39 (NLT)

When Jesus asked his disciples to tell him who they believed him to be, Peter immediately responded that he was the Messiah King of Israel. Jesus declared:

…“Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven.  Matthew 16: 17 (NASB95)

Jesus knew that those who believed in him could only do so with God’s help. This is why he said at another time:

For no one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws them to me, and at the last day I will raise them up. 45 As it is written in the Scriptures, ‘They will all be taught by God.’ Everyone who listens to the Father and learns from him comes to me.  John 6:44–45 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit must remove our blindness if we are to recognize Jesus, but we have a part to play as well. When the gospel is preached, God’s drawing power is released. It is our responsibility to respond to that message by coming to Jesus by faith.

This means we open our hearts to him in whatever capacity we are able. He said in another place that he stands at the door of our hearts and knocks. (Revelation 3:20) Those who open the door of their hearts will experience his coming into their lives.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29 Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30 For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.”  Matthew 11:28–30 (NLT)

In my own case, when I heard the gospel, I did not immediately believe but was open to its being true. If only I knew for sure! I did what I could. I prayed to Jesus, not knowing if he were real. I asked him into my heart, if he were there, and requested that he reveal himself to me so that I could believe. It is amazing that God is so gracious with us that he would answer such a prayer! Imagine God’s being asked by a blind, disobedient creature to reveal whether he is real! There is so much evidence all around us that clearly demonstrates God’s existence and power, but we are blind to it because of sin.

For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.  Romans 1:20 (NLT)

But God is merciful to us and responds when his creatures reach out to him in our pitiful condition. He knows what sin did to us and moves mightily in our lives if we move toward him.

This is clearly seen in the parable of the prodigal son. The father ran to meet him at the first sign of his coming home. That is our God!

When we come to Jesus, the Holy Spirit removes the blindness from our eyes. He opens our deaf ears and heals our hardened hearts, enabling us to see and believe.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17 For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18 So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image.  2 Corinthians 3:16–18 (NLT)

This happened to those two disciples who were walking together after Jesus’ crucifixion making their way to Emmaus. The risen Jesus, in a form which they did not immediately recognize, came alongside them and began to dialogue with them. The things Jesus said about the Messiah’s need to suffer and later be glorified made their hearts burn within them, but they still did not recognize him. It was not until they invited him into their home to break bread with him that their eyes were opened to see him as the risen Lord!

but they begged him, “Stay the night with us, since it is getting late.” So he went home with them. 30 As they sat down to eat, he took the bread and blessed it. Then he broke it and gave it to them. 31 Suddenly, their eyes were opened, and they recognized him. And at that moment he disappeared!  Luke 24:29–31 (NLT)

The Holy Spirit works inside us to draw us to Christ. When we hear the good news about him, we are able to respond and draw near to Christ in our hearts.

He comes to us, and we must open the door. (Revelation 3:20) If we do this, it is proof that the Spirit is at work in our lives. If we come to him in this way, he will receive us.

“All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will certainly not cast out. 38 “For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. 39 “This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. 40 “For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day.”  John 6:37–40 (NASB95)

If we pursue Jesus, God will not reject us. He receives everyone who comes to him. If we seek him, we will find him! Once we come to our Lord in this way, he removes the veil of blindness from our spiritual eyes, enabling us to properly behold him.

Seeing Christ by revelation imparts eternal life to us as we come to know him. We are born again when Christ is revealed to us.

This is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent. John 17:3 (NASB95) —

“My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.”  Matthew 11:27 (NLT)

Right after saying this, is when Jesus issued his invitation for us to come to him. If we come to him, he will open our eyes, ears, and hearts to know God. It is by spending time in his presence that this can deepen. We do this when we pray, worship, and read and meditate in the Word of God. As we learn to “wait on God,” he will show us more and more about himself. If we seek him, we will find him.

Paul pursued knowing God with all his heart.

Yes, everything else is worthless when compared with the infinite value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord. For his sake I have discarded everything else, counting it all as garbage, so that I could gain Christ  Philippians 3:8 (NLT)

Sadly, many of us are so afraid of God that we deliberately keep our distance from him. We talk about him, but we don’t want to be alone with him. The thought of being face to face with the Creator of the universe can be daunting, unless we understand that Jesus opened the way for us to approach God. Some of us may be afraid of what he may tell us or ask us to do. This all boils down to our having little knowledge of his immense love, which produces this lack of trust. John said that this is because we fear his judging us.

And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18 Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love.  1 John 4:17–18 (NLT)

Because Jesus took our condemnation upon himself, we need not fear that God will judge us for our sins. We can come boldly into his presence.

By his death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God’s house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ’s blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water.  Hebrews 10:20–22 (NLT)

Jesus came to relieve us of all our fears. He revealed the Father’s heart by laying down his life for us. He told us that he is gentle and humble of heart, making him easily approachable. The Holy Spirit works inside people to deliver us from these fears and help us to believe that we can indeed approach God. The moment we do, he runs to meet us and welcomes us home!

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.  Luke 15:20 (NLT)
Prayer

Heavenly Father, I have run from you long enough. I have been blind to your love. I open my heart to you and your Son Jesus. Jesus, I invite you into my life as Lord and Savior. I give you myself and thank you for revealing yourself to me. Open my spiritual eyes and ears. Make my heart brand new. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life. Holy Spirit fill me to overflowing. Amen.

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Chapter 71: The Gospel in Relation to the Passover, Exodus, and Crossing Over into the Promised Land

When Paul preached, he focused on the cross of Christ and the resurrection.

And when I came to you, brethren, I did not come with superiority of speech or of wisdom, proclaiming to you the testimony of God. 2 For I determined to know nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him crucified.  1 Corinthians 2:1–2 (NASB95)

For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received, that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, 4 and that He was buried, and that He was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,  1 Corinthians 15:3–4 (NASB95)

He taught that our faith must rest on what Christ accomplished for us through his death and resurrection and not on persuasive arguments that appeal to our reason but bypass our hearts. Faith resides in the heart and is the product of revelation from the Spirit, who is called the “spirit of faith” (2 Corinthians 4:13). Mental agreement is not the same thing as faith. If men persuade us to believe in Christ, without there being a corresponding work in the heart by the Spirit of God, then men can persuade us otherwise with a strong argument to the contrary. This sometimes happens when young people go off to college without ever having a faith encounter with the Spirit on their own. When living at home, they may have been towed along by the faith of their parents, but, once that faith is challenged, they discover that it wasn’t real but just mental assent.

True faith withstands every assault because it is based on what the Bible teaches combined with revelation from God instead of on human reasoning.

For since in the wisdom of God the world through its wisdom did not come to know God, God was well-pleased through the foolishness of the message preached to save those who believe. 22 For indeed Jews ask for signs and Greeks search for wisdom; 23 but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a stumbling block and to Gentiles foolishness, 24 but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God.  1 Corinthians 1:21–24 (NASB95)

Without the resurrection, the cross would be the epitome of misplaced hope. When Jesus was nailed to the cross, the expectations of his followers were dashed. Everything in which they believed and for which they had sacrificed came to an abrupt and terrifying end. When Jesus was with them, his disciples managed to put on a brave face and act courageously, but when he was taken from them and crucified, their courage evaporated.

The two disciples who encountered Jesus on the road to Emmaus expressed their deep disappointment succinctly. One of them said:

But our leading priests and other religious leaders handed him over to be condemned to death, and they crucified him. 21 We had hoped he was the Messiah who had come to rescue Israel...  Luke 24:20–21 (NLT)

There is nothing quite as devastating as having our hopes ripped away, leaving us desolate and confused, but this is exactly what happened at the cross. Jesus laid down his life as the Lamb of God. The cross put to death his hopes, desires, ministry, future, and everything else. It brought everything to a crashing end. But…!

The resurrection cast what happened at Calvary in a whole new light. It turned disaster into triumph and hopelessness into faith.

Passover: The Forgiveness of Sins

It is commonly understood that Jesus died for our sins as the Lamb of God. Using the metaphor of Passover, we understand that his blood had to be shed for God to be able to justly remit our sins. On the night when God brought the tenth plague upon the Egyptians, he required the Israelites to kill a lamb and put its blood on the doorposts and lintels of their homes to keep the judgment from coming upon them, too.

The blood shall be a sign for you on the houses where you live; and when I see the blood I will pass over you, and no plague will befall you to destroy you when I strike the land of Egypt.  Exodus 12:13 (NASB95)

Anyone inside the blood smeared houses was spared. That was the only requirement for safety. When we put our faith in Jesus and what he accomplished for us on the cross as God’s sacrificial lamb, his shed blood is spiritually applied to us, permitting God’s judgment to pass over us without violating God’s holy justice.

In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace  Ephesians 1:7 (NASB95)
 
Exodus: Deliverance from the Kingdom of Darkness

Just as the Israelites left Egypt in great spirits, having seen God’s hand deliver them from Pharaoh’s oppression, we too are delivered or redeemed from slavery to sin, sickness, death, and demonic oppression. However, when the Israelites set out from Egypt, the crisis was not yet over. Pharaoh had a change of heart and decided it was a mistake to free God’s people. He sent his army to recapture them. The Red Sea blocked their way out of Egypt and seemed to set up a crushing defeat after such a miraculous deliverance. The Israelites panicked, but God told Moses to stretch out his rod over the sea. God parted the waters and allowed the Israelites to cross over in safety. Their exodus or departure from Egypt was carried out by a monumental miracle of deliverance. When the Egyptians tried to follow, the waters crashed upon them and drowned their army.

Just as the Passover and Exodus effectively removed Israel from slavery in Egypt, the cross of Christ and his subsequent resurrection transferred us believers out of Satan’s kingdom into God’s.

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)

Moses and Elijah talked about our Lord’s own exodus from this world just prior to its taking place.

Suddenly, two men, Moses and Elijah, appeared and began talking with Jesus. 31 They were glorious to see. And they were speaking about his exodus from this world, which was about to be fulfilled in Jerusalem.  Luke 9:30–31 (NLT)

Jesus exited this world and returned to his Father through dying and rising again, paving the way for us to follow eventually. In addition, he accomplished a spiritual deliverance which we immediately enjoy when we are born again. Just as Israel no longer had to fear the Eqyptian army after crossing the Red Sea, we are freed from the power of Satan, sin, death, sickness, demons, and fear when we make our exodus from the kingdom of darkness. The cross of Christ and his corresponding resurrection accomplished this for us.

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)

The Greek word translated “passed from” is metabaino, which means to pass over, leave, depart, or make an exodus. We enter a new kingdom in which the kingdom of darkness has no true power over us any longer. It is true that we still live in mortal bodies which must die, but spiritually we are now free, if we put our faith and allegiance in Christ. When these bodies are raised from the dead, the victory will be complete. Nevertheless, right now we must come to terms with the freedom our Lord has provided for us.

It is necessary for us to know, believe, receive, and act upon what God says is now true about us because of what Jesus accomplished for us, if we are to experience our freedom to the degree that God intends.

Deliverance from the Power of Sin

When Jesus died and rose again, the Bible teaches that we were included in that event through the mystery of identification. Somehow God incorporated us into Christ, which is something beyond human understanding but is nevertheless true. We do not understand completely how the human body works, much less spiritual things!

We know that our old man was crucified with him so that the body of sin would no longer dominate us, so that we would no longer be enslaved to sin. 7 (For someone who has died has been freed from sin.) 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we will also live with him. 9 We know that since Christ has been raised from the dead, he is never going to die again; death no longer has mastery over him. 10 For the death he died, he died to sin once for all, but the life he lives, he lives to God. 11 So you too consider yourselves dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus.  Romans 6:6–11 (NET)

Dead people do not sin. Our “old man,” the part of us that was spiritually corrupted through Adam and cannot obey God, was put to death when Jesus died. Even though we still retain, at least for now, our physical bodies inherited from Adam – the “body of sin” – with its built-in propensity to sin called “the flesh,” we are no longer controlled or dominated by these things, thanks to our union with Christ in his death.

We are free at last to serve God from the heart as we learn to “walk in the Spirit.” By the power of the indwelling Spirit, we can live in a way that brings glory and honor to God!

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)

(If these are new concepts to you, I encourage you to read my article on my website -www.thirdpeter.com – entitled “Defining Some Confusing Terms”.)

Deliverance from the Law’s Power to Condemn

Once we are free from the tyranny of sin, we also must break free from the Law’s power to condemn us. Ironically the Law which exposes our sin also empowers sin to rule us.

For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power.  1 Corinthians 15:56 (NLT)

This is because the “flesh” is rebellious. We are religious by nature and inwardly believe, or at least hope, that, if we try hard enough, we can straighten out our lives and serve God properly, which entails keeping the Law. When we proceed with this law-based or “legalistic” way of trying to please God, the Law does its work by making it clear to us that we are moral failures and cannot possibly save ourselves.

The purpose of the Law is to act as a guide which leads us to Christ, the only one who can save us.

Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.  Galatians 3:24–25 (NASB95)

Once we come to Christ and receive his gift of righteousness, it is important that we refuse to slide back under the law because that will reactivate sin in our lives.

It is only by believing and accepting that through Christ we are dead to the Law that we can walk in the freedom of the Spirit.

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.  Galatians 2:19–21 (NLT)
 
Deliverance from the Pull of the World

Not only do we need to be set free from sin and the Law’s power of condemnation, but we also need to be delivered from the pull of the world in which we live. The apostle John wrote about this.

For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.  1 John 2:16 (NASB95)

Temptation appeals to our “flesh,” the “unredeemed” part of our souls that is still connected to our mortal bodies.

We experience a battle between the spirit, our born again “new man,” and the “flesh,” which we can win if we learn to rely on the Holy Spirit to enforce what God’s Word says is true.

Part of our victory is understanding that we are already “dead” to the world.

But may it never be that I would boast, except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world.  Galatians 6:14 (NASB95)

Through the Spirit of God, we can turn our backs on what the world offers and rely upon God alone, just as Moses did so long ago.

By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh’s daughter, 25 choosing rather to endure ill-treatment with the people of God than to enjoy the passing pleasures of sin, 26 considering the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures of Egypt; for he was looking to the reward. 27 By faith he left Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king; for he endured, as seeing Him who is unseen.  Hebrews 11:24–27 (NASB95)

When we do this, the world will turn its back on us, too. The New Living Translation captures this idea perfectly.

As for me, may I never boast about anything except the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ. Because of that cross, my interest in this world has been crucified, and the world’s interest in me has also died.  Galatians 6:14 (NLT)

Jesus warned us that to be his disciple we must hate the world.

Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.  John 12:25 (NLT)

Understanding that we are already dead to the world helps us to walk away from its temptations.

Crossing Over into Victory

Once we know these things, we are challenged to actively believe them or “reckon” them to be true.

Now if we have died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, 9 knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God. 11 Even so consider yourselves to be dead to sin, but alive to God in Christ Jesus. 12 Therefore do not let sin reign in your mortal body so that you obey its lusts,  Romans 6:8–12 (NASB95)

When our faith combines with God’s promises and truth, God’s power is released on our behalf.

Our transformation by the Spirit is a cooperative effort between us and God. We believe the promises and God does the internal work. The truth of the matter is that it is his ability within us that enables us to believe, too. The Lord requires us to participate in the process. We cannot overcome sin, condemnation, and the world by being passive. We can experience Christ’s victory personally when we apply our faith to God’s promises and make the choice to stand for truth and against sin, condemnation, and the world. This means that we say “yes” to God and “no” to what is trying to hold us in bondage.

Our “yes” must be joined to God’s promise to activate God’s power.

For all of God’s promises have been fulfilled in Christ with a resounding “Yes!” And through Christ, our “Amen” (which means “Yes”) ascends to God for his glory. 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 22 and he has identified us as his own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first installment that guarantees everything he has promised us.  2 Corinthians 1:20–22 (NLT)

God wants us to experience what Christ has won for us. When we are born again, the Holy Spirit comes to live in us. Now we can learn to walk in step with the one who lives in and through us!

Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.  Galatians 5:24–25 (NLT)

Our complete experience of Christ’s victory will occur at the resurrection of the dead, when our mortal bodies linked to Adam’s sin will be instantly transformed into glorious spiritual bodies. At that point, the battle between flesh and spirit will cease and death will be conquered completely. Our salvation will be finished! Until then, let us learn to live by faith in God’s promises with complete reliance upon the Holy Spirit in a way that glorifies God and maximizes our joy and peace.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.

 

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • How would you explain the gospel in terms of the Passover and Exodus in your own words?
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Chapter 70: The Gospel and the Covenants

The Bible is one long gospel message which points to Christ.

Then Jesus took them through the writings of Moses and all the prophets, explaining from all the Scriptures the things concerning himself.  Luke 24:27 (NLT)

God’s relationship with Israel and mankind over the centuries has been based on covenants that were fulfilled or replaced by what is called the New Covenant, which is the last and most extraordinary one.

Each covenant built upon or stood in contrast to the others. To properly understand and appreciate the New Covenant, it is important that we grasp the meaning and purpose of the other covenants.

Understanding the covenants will greatly increase our appreciation of Jesus and his finished work on our behalf and can give us new insights into the gospel.

Covenants are built upon promises to be faithful to a relationship and an agreement between individuals or groups.

God has always chosen to relate to his creation through covenants.

This should not be surprising because God, by nature, is a promise keeper. He is always faithful and true to his word because that is the essence of his character. Covenants are serious business because God is serious about being faithful to keep promises.

God is not a man, that he should lie, nor a human being, that he should change his mind. Has he said, and will he not do it? Or has he spoken, and will he not make it happen? Numbers 23:19 (NET1)

Some of the covenants have great significance for humanity in general and others specifically relate only to God’s chosen people, the offspring of Abraham either by natural birth or the new birth. Covenants can be unilateral, bilateral, and multilateral. In a unilateral covenant, the covenant maker takes sole responsibility for keeping the conditions of the covenant. These are unconditional covenants, meaning that the one to whom the promise is made does not have meet any conditions to gain what is promised. Bilateral and multilateral covenants are conditional in nature. In a bilateral covenant, two parties each take responsibility to keep their end of the agreement. A multilateral agreement affects more than two parties.

An example of a unilateral covenant is the one God made with Noah following the flood. God promised that he would never again destroy all life by means of a great flood. He gave Noah the sign of the rainbow as a reminder that He would forever keep his promise. Noah was not required to do anything to keep God bound to his promise. Marriage is an example of a bilateral covenant. The husband and wife both bind themselves to share life and be exclusively faithful to each other until death. The ring is given as a token of the covenant. An example of a multilateral covenant is the one between God and Israel called the Mosaic covenant. If the Israelites would obey God’s Law and serve him only, God would pour out blessings upon them. Otherwise, they should expect judgments. Circumcision was the sign of this covenant.

Unconditional unilateral covenants are also called covenants of grace.

This means that the benefits of the covenants come to us as gifts from God. Conditional covenants are also called covenants of works. The benefits of these covenants depend upon the involved parties’ ability to keep the conditions of the covenant.

The Covenant of Creation or Edenic Covenant
But the LORD God warned him, “You may freely eat the fruit of every tree in the garden— 17 except the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. If you eat its fruit, you are sure to die.” Genesis 2:16-17 (NLT)

The Edenic Covenant was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. God sovereignly set the terms of this covenant.

Obedience to a simple commandment would result in life; whereas, disobedience would end in death.

Adam and Eve failed to keep their end of the covenant, which ceded authority to Satan and brought death and curses upon the entire human race. At a deeper level, this covenant tested humanity’s willingness to draw life from God in humble dependence. Instead, our first parents chose to abandon God’s commands and strike out alone in independence from and opposition to God, which cut them off from the life they had with the Creator and Sustainer of the universe. This is why professing that Jesus is Lord is so essential to the gospel message. Reestablishing God’s place as Lord in our lives undoes the treachery of Adam’s sin.

The Adamic Covenant

God made the first gospel promise in the garden after their epic failure.

Then the LORD God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all animals, domestic and wild. You will crawl on your belly, groveling in the dust as long as you live. 15 And I will cause hostility between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring. He will strike your head, and you will strike his heel.” Genesis 3:14-15 (NLT)

This unilateral promise or covenant was announced to the serpent who authored the deception that led to Adam’s and Eve’s sinful rejection of God’s authority. Although its full meaning most likely was not understood by those who heard it, we now know that here God promised to send the Messiah who would be a descendant of these fallen ones and would defeat the serpent (Satan). No conditions were attached to Adam and Eve to bind God to this promise.

God bound himself to redeem mankind by giving his word, which is inviolable.

So God has given both his promise and his oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us.  Hebrews 6:18 (NLT)
The Noahic Covenant
Then God told Noah and his sons, 9  “I hereby confirm my covenant with you and your descendants, 10  and with all the animals that were on the boat with you—the birds, the livestock, and all the wild animals—every living creature on earth. 11  Yes, I am confirming my covenant with you. Never again will floodwaters kill all living creatures; never again will a flood destroy the earth.” 12  Then God said, “I am giving you a sign of my covenant with you and with all living creatures, for all generations to come. 13  I have placed my rainbow in the clouds. It is the sign of my covenant with you and with all the earth. 14  When I send clouds over the earth, the rainbow will appear in the clouds, 15  and I will remember my covenant with you and with all living creatures. Never again will the floodwaters destroy all life. 16  When I see the rainbow in the clouds, I will remember the eternal covenant between God and every living creature on earth.” 17  Then God said to Noah, “Yes, this rainbow is the sign of the covenant I am confirming with all the creatures on earth.” Genesis 9:8-17 (NLT) 

As in the case of the Adamic covenant, the Noahic Covenant was a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace that followed God’s horrific judgment against sin called the great flood.

Grace often is most appreciated against the backdrop of human failure and God’s judgment.

When man’s best is not enough, and it never is, the grace of God comes to the rescue.

God’s law was given so that all people could see how sinful they were. But as people sinned more and more, God’s wonderful grace became more abundant. Romans 5:20 (NLT)

God promised, despite what climate alarmists tell us, that the earth will continue to enjoy its seasons as long as it exists. God also established capital punishment under this covenant and gave permission for us to eat meat.

The Abrahamic Covenant
Now the LORD said to Abram, "Go forth from your country, And from your relatives And from your father's house, To the land which I will show you; 2  And I will make you a great nation, And I will bless you, And make your name great; And so you shall be a blessing; 3  And I will bless those who bless you, And the one who curses you I will curse. And in you all the families of the earth will be blessed." Genesis 12:1-3 (NASB) 

God appeared to Abraham several times to give him “installments” of the wonderful covenant he made with him. The good news or gospel contained in this covenant promise is that all the families of the earth would be eventually blessed through Abraham in the person of a descendant named Jesus.

Abraham is called the “father” of our faith because through him God raised up a nation by which would come the written Word of God and the Messiah.

In another installment in Genesis 15, we see God making a unilateral unconditional covenant of grace with Abraham. God appeared in what is called a theophany (an appearance of God in symbolic form).

In the Old Testament covenants were literally “cut,” making them blood covenants.

Animals were sacrificed as part of the covenant cutting ceremony. God told Abraham to divide several animals and put their separate pieces side by side with a path between them. In a bilateral or multilateral covenant, both parties would walk between the pieces showing that they bound themselves to faithfully keep the conditions of the covenant upon pain of death. They were saying, in effect, may it be done to me as has been done to these animals if I violate the covenant.

And Abram said, “Since You have given no offspring to me, one born in my house is my heir.” 4 Then behold, the word of the Lord came to him, saying, “This man will not be your heir; but one who will come forth from your own body, he shall be your heir.” 5 And He took him outside and said, “Now look toward the heavens, and count the stars, if you are able to count them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.” 6 Then he believed in the Lord; and He reckoned it to him as righteousness. 7 And He said to him, “I am the Lord who brought you out of Ur of the Chaldeans, to give you this land to possess it.” 8 He said, “O Lord God, how may I know that I will possess it?” 9 So He said to him, “Bring Me a three year old heifer, and a three year old female goat, and a three year old ram, and a turtledove, and a young pigeon.” 10 Then he brought all these to Him and cut them in two, and laid each half opposite the other; but he did not cut the birds. 11 The birds of prey came down upon the carcasses, and Abram drove them away. 12 Now when the sun was going down, a deep sleep fell upon Abram; and behold, terror and great darkness fell upon him. 13 God said to Abram, “Know for certain that your descendants will be strangers in a land that is not theirs, where they will be enslaved and oppressed four hundred years. 14 “But I will also judge the nation whom they will serve, and afterward they will come out with many possessions. 15 “As for you, you shall go to your fathers in peace; you will be buried at a good old age. 16 “Then in the fourth generation they will return here, for the iniquity of the Amorite is not yet complete.” 17 It came about when the sun had set, that it was very dark, and behold, there appeared a smoking oven and a flaming torch which passed between these pieces. 18 On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram, saying, “To your descendants I have given this land, From the river of Egypt as far as the great river, the river Euphrates:  Genesis 15:3–18 (NASB95)

In the passage above, it is important to see that God alone passed between the animals, taking upon himself full responsibility for keeping the promise he made to Abraham.

The Abrahamic covenant guaranteed that God would give to Abraham innumerable descendants, both natural and spiritual through the new birth, and the land of Canaan, and that through him the entire earth would be blessed.

Later God reiterated this covenant promise in Genesis Chapter 22.

…indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18  "In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice." Genesis 22:17-18 (NASB)

Verse 18 is an integral part of the gospel message. It is part of the backdrop against which we understand who Jesus is and what he came to do. This promise was fulfilled when Jesus came as the Messiah.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, "And to seeds," as referring to many, but rather to one, "And to your seed," that is, Christ. Galatians 3:16 (NASB)
The Mosaic Covenant
And if you faithfully obey the voice of the LORD your God, being careful to do all his commandments that I command you today, the LORD your God will set you high above all the nations of the earth. 2 And all these blessings shall come upon you and overtake you, if you obey the voice of the LORD your God. Deuteronomy 28:1-2 (ESV) 

But if you will not obey the voice of the LORD your God or be careful to do all his commandments and his statutes that I command you today, then all these curses shall come upon you and overtake you. Deuteronomy 28:15 (ESV)

The covenant God made with Israel at Mount Sinai is also called the Law or the Old Covenant. It was a multilateral conditional covenant of works. Essentially, God promised to be Israel’s God, protector, and provider if they would keep the requirements of the Law. These requirements were broken down into three main categories – ceremonial, moral, and dietary laws. The feasts and sacrifices were part of the ceremonial aspect of the law, which our Lord Jesus later fulfilled. If Israel obeyed God, they would be blessed, but, if they disobeyed, they would suffer the “curses” (judgments) attached to violating the covenant.

The history of Israel is the story of repeated covenant violations on the part of the Jewish people. The Old Covenant failed to bring the blessings it promised because the people were unable to keep its provisions because sin had hopelessly corrupted human nature. The Mosaic Covenant underscored the sinfulness of all human beings and pointed to our need for a savior.

This covenant is part of the gospel in the sense that it illustrates our utter helplessness to save ourselves and acts as a guide to lead us to Christ.

But the Scripture has shut up everyone under sin, so that the promise by faith in Jesus Christ might be given to those who believe. 23 But before faith came, we were kept in custody under the law, being shut up to the faith which was later to be revealed. 24 Therefore the Law has become our tutor to lead us to Christ, so that we may be justified by faith. 25 But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor. 26 For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus.  Galatians 3:22–26 (NASB95)
The Davidic Covenant
Furthermore, the LORD declares that he will make a house for you—a dynasty of kings! 12 For when you die and are buried with your ancestors, I will raise up one of your descendants, your own offspring, and I will make his kingdom strong. 13 He is the one who will build a house—a temple—for my name. And I will secure his royal throne forever. 14 I will be his father, and he will be my son. If he sins, I will correct and discipline him with the rod, like any father would do. 15 But my favor will not be taken from him as I took it from Saul, whom I removed from your sight. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before me for all time, and your throne will be secure forever. 2 Samuel 7:11-16 (NLT)

The covenant God made with David was unilateral, unconditional, and based on grace. This covenant was partially fulfilled through David’s natural offspring, but that dynasty eventually came to an end, as did the political nation of Israel.

This promise is part of the gospel. Through it God announced beforehand the coming of the great Messianic King, a descendant of David, who would redeem Israel and become a blessing to the entire earth.

Jesus rose again as that promised king, the Lord of lords, and will eventually judge the living and the dead. He now reigns in heaven. His reign is recognized by those who profess that he is Lord. One day all people will acknowledge his rule.

Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. 30  But the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, you have found favor with God. 31  You will be with child and give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus. 32  He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, 33  and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever; his kingdom will never end." Luke 1:29-33 (NIV) 
 
The New Covenant
“The day is coming,” says the LORD, “when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. 32 This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and brought them out of the land of Egypt. They broke that covenant, though I loved them as a husband loves his wife,” says the LORD. 33 “But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day,” says the LORD. “I will put my instructions deep within them, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. 34 And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, ‘You should know the LORD.’ For everyone, from the least to the greatest, will know me already,” says the LORD. “And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins.” Jeremiah 31:31-34 (NLT)

The Old Covenant was not able to guarantee blessings to God’s people but only revealed how sinful we are. It had no hope of success because we are fundamentally and tragically flawed by sin.

But when God found fault with the people, he said: “The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. Hebrews 8:8 (NLT)

The New Covenant had been God’s plan all along. It does not depend upon sinful human beings for its success.

Whereas the blessings of the Law of Moses, under the Old Covenant, were conditioned upon individuals and nations keeping God’s laws in perfect obedience, the New Covenant depends upon the perfect obedience of the only begotten Son of God.

The New Covenant, therefore, is a bilateral covenant between God the Father and his Son, Jesus, our Messiah and Savior, in which we participate and benefit by faith.

I am the LORD; I have called you in righteousness; I will take you by the hand and keep you; I will give you as a covenant for the people, a light for the nations, 7 to open the eyes that are blind, to bring out the prisoners from the dungeon, from the prison those who sit in darkness. Isaiah 42:6-7 (ESV)

Through the spiritual mystery of identification and the new birth, we become one with God in the spirit and joined to all the blessings found in God’s perfect Son.

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

Through the miracle of the new birth we become children of God. There have always been two lines of people – the children of promise and miraculous birth and those born the natural way.

Being descendants of Abraham doesn’t make them truly Abraham’s children. For the Scriptures say, “Isaac is the son through whom your descendants will be counted,” though Abraham had other children, too. 8 This means that Abraham’s physical descendants are not necessarily children of God. Only the children of the promise are considered to be Abraham’s children.  Romans 9:7–8 (NLT)

Is this not why God has always used miracle births to propel his line of promise forward? Sarah, Rebecca, Hannah, etc. Was not Jesus’ conception the prototype for our new birth? He was conceived by the Holy Spirit, just as we must be through the new birth. Therefore, the most important question that will be asked of those at heaven’s gates is “Who’s your Daddy?”

If a person was never born again, they are Satan’s seed.

For you are the children of your father the devil, and you love to do the evil things he does. He was a murderer from the beginning. He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies. 45 So when I tell the truth, you just naturally don’t believe me!  John 8:44–45 (NLT)

But those born of the Spirit are children of the Father, sons of God, children of promise.

But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. 13 They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.  John 1:12–13 (NLT)

Through our identification with Christ, we are baptized into (become one with) the death and resurrection of our Lord. His death was the punishment we deserved for breaking the terms of the Old Covenant. Although he perfectly obeyed his heavenly Father and did not deserve to die, he willingly laid down his life on our behalf as our substitute. When he died, we died; and, when he rose again in victory and life, we rose with him. As a result, the power of sin has been defeated on our behalf. We now participate in the life of God, thanks to the Holy Spirit, who lives inside every born-again believer. Truly, we are being saved from the inside out. God’s life begins as a seed, grows inside us, and will permeate every area of our lives.

You have been born anew, not from perishable but from imperishable seed, through the living and enduring word of God. 1 Peter 1:23 (NET1)

Jesus is the living Word of God, the eternal logos. When we are born again, he comes inside of us, via the Holy Spirit, as a seed which will continue to grow. Jesus also compared this process to leaven being put into a lump of dough. Over time the leaven spreads throughout the entire lump. So, the kingdom of God grows unseen in individuals and the body of Christ at large until God’s kingdom will fill the earth.

The New Covenant was always in God’s mind from the very beginning. (Ephesians 1:3-6)

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 that belongs to the Lamb who was slaughtered before the world was made.  Revelation 13:8 (NLT)

Since God lives outside of the constraints or limitations of time, he sees the end from the beginning. It is nothing for him to consider something that will be accomplished at a future date as already accomplished, for to him all time is the same.

Only I can tell you the future before it even happens. Everything I plan will come to pass, for I do whatever I wish.  Isaiah 46:10 (NLT)

The new covenant is actually an eternal covenant made between the Father and the Son before the world was created. This is revealed in those verses that describe God’s choices being made before he ever created the world.

Even before he made the world, God loved us and chose us in Christ to be holy and without fault in his eyes. 5 God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure.  Ephesians 1:4–5 (NLT)

God the Father knows that his Son is the only source of life and blessings. It has been that way from the beginning. Therefore, the New Covenant draws its life from Jesus because it could never depend on sinful man.

Rather than expecting people to conform to external regulations of behavior, it promised to save people from the inside out. God provided us with a substitute to die for us, reveal himself to us, forgive our sins, and change our hearts. He gives us a new heart, compliments of the indwelling Holy Spirit!

The New Covenant depends upon the Holy Spirit opening our spiritual eyes, ears, and hearts to know and believe in Jesus as savior and lord.

It is only by “beholding” Jesus as he really is that a person can be changed. Seeing Jesus as the Son of God and Lord of Lords inspires our hearts to believe, and, through trusting in Christ and his finished work, we are saved. God’s power is released in us that transforms us when the Spirit of God opens our eyes to know Jesus by revelation.

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day. John 6:40 (NASB)

The new covenant depends on God from start to finish. The Holy Spirit must draw us to Christ and open our blind eyes to see and understand the gospel and believe in Jesus. Then the Spirit works inside each believer to transform us into Christ’s image on a daily basis. Finally, one day in the future, Jesus will personally raise each of his followers from the grave. We could not come to Jesus initially by ourselves. We cannot change ourselves, and we certainly are not able to raise ourselves from the dead. Our great salvation is a work of grace from start to finish!

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9 Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10 For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago.  Ephesians 2:8–10 (NLT)
The New Covenant Completes or Fulfills the Other Covenants

The New Covenant relates to all the other covenants in one way or another. The tree of life mentioned in the Edenic Covenant typifies Christ, the author and sustainer of all life.

God created everything through him, and nothing was created except through him. 4 The Word gave life to everything that was created, and his life brought light to everyone.  John 1:3–4 (NLT)

Adam and Eve were meant to draw their life from him as the branches of a vine draw their life from the root.

Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.  John 15:5 (NLT)

Jesus fulfilled God’s messianic promise given after Adam’s and Eve’s disobedience. He is the seed of the woman who crushed Satan’s head through his death on the cross and subsequent resurrection.

The Noahic Covenant prefigured what is yet to come when God shall once more judge the entire earth at Christ’s Second Coming.

Most importantly, I want to remind you that in the last days scoffers will come, mocking the truth and following their own desires. 4 They will say, “What happened to the promise that Jesus is coming again? From before the times of our ancestors, everything has remained the same since the world was first created.” 5 They deliberately forget that God made the heavens long ago by the word of his command, and he brought the earth out from the water and surrounded it with water. 6 Then he used the water to destroy the ancient world with a mighty flood. 7 And by the same word, the present heavens and earth have been stored up for fire. They are being kept for the day of judgment, when ungodly people will be destroyed. 8 But you must not forget this one thing, dear friends: A day is like a thousand years to the Lord, and a thousand years is like a day.  2 Peter 3:3–8 (NLT)

Even as God restarted humanity, in a sense, through Noah, he inaugurated a brand-new generation of believers through the gospel.

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 48 Earthly people are like the earthly man, and heavenly people are like the heavenly man. 49 Just as we are now like the earthly man, we will someday be like the heavenly man. 1 Corinthians 15:47–49 (NLT)

Only this generation will survive eternally and enjoy the new heaven and earth.

The Abrahamic Covenant was also fulfilled in Christ. God’s promise to Abraham that through him all the nations of the earth would be blessed has come true in Christ.

Now the promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. He does not say, “And to seeds,” as referring to many, but rather to one, “And to your seed,” that is, Christ.  Galatians 3:16 (NASB95)

Through the preaching of the gospel, God is gathering persons from every culture, ethnic group, and nation in the earth and providing them with every spiritual blessing in his Son.

The Davidic Covenant’s promise that a descendant of that great king would sit upon his throne has come true in Christ, the King of Kings.

The angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; for you have found favor with God. 31 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall name Him Jesus. 32 “He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David; 33 and He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.”  Luke 1:30–33 (NASB95)

The Mosaic Covenant has been fulfilled and replaced. Only one person could keep its requirements – the Son of God. After our Lord fulfilled its covenant conditions and obtained the corresponding blessings, which have been passed on to all believers, the New Covenant has superseded it and made it fade away.  

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)

The Law now pertains to those who have not pledged allegiance to the Lord Jesus.

For the law was not intended for people who do what is right. It is for people who are lawless and rebellious, who are ungodly and sinful, who consider nothing sacred and defile what is holy, who kill their father or mother or commit other murders. 10 The law is for people who are sexually immoral, or who practice homosexuality, or are slave traders, liars, promise breakers, or who do anything else that contradicts the wholesome teaching 11 that comes from the glorious Good News entrusted to me by our blessed God.  1 Timothy 1:9–11 (NLT)

Those who have faith are released from its power to condemn.

For when I tried to keep the law, it condemned me. So I died to the law—I stopped trying to meet all its requirements—so that I might live for God. 20 My old self has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. 21 I do not treat the grace of God as meaningless. For if keeping the law could make us right with God, then there was no need for Christ to die.  Galatians 2:19–21 (NLT)

We live in the power of the indwelling Spirit who motivates and empowers us to live in a way that pleases God.

For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.  Philippians 2:13 (NLT)
Our Response to New Covenant Grace

Under the New Covenant, Christians live by grace (God’s ability and blessings which come via his indwelling Holy Spirit) and not through self-effort and the merits of their own performance.

As beneficiaries of the New Covenant and God’s gift of righteousness, we must now refuse to submit to external regulations and rules as a means of gaining or maintaining a right standing with him. (Colossians 2:10-17) Instead, our rule of life now is to love God, love people, and teach others to do the same. This is called the Royal Law.

Yes indeed, it is good when you obey the royal law as found in the Scriptures: “Love your neighbor as yourself.”  James 2:8 (NLT)

Jesus imposed this law upon his disciples, which encompasses the entire moral law.

So now I am giving you a new commandment: Love each other. Just as I have loved you, you should love each other. 35 Your love for one another will prove to the world that you are my disciples.”  John 13:34–35 (NLT)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! 24 Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there. 25 Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.  Galatians 5:22–25 (NLT)

The moral aspects of the Old Covenant Law of Moses are still in effect because they reflect the law of love. Christians are not permitted to murder, commit acts of immorality, lie, or steal because these sins violate the royal law of love.

Since we are being changed on the inside, our desires are also being changed. Rather than needing to be constrained by external laws, God constrains us inwardly through love and serve him to bring him glory.

For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf.  2 Corinthians 5:14–15 (NASB95)

The Greek word translated “controls” is suneko, which means to hold fast, constrain, urge, or impel.

The death and resurrection freed us from the law’s power to condemn us, but it did not remove from us the responsibility to live in such a way that honors God through loving him and people.

When we were under the Law, we sought to obey him to obtain and maintain a right standing with God. Under the New Covenant, having already been given a right standing with God, we obey him as an act of gratitude and surrender to the One who loves us so greatly and who deserves to be glorified and properly feared. Our desire is to bring glory to him in every aspect of our lives. 

We know we love God’s children if we love God and obey his commandments. 3 Loving God means keeping his commandments, and his commandments are not burdensome. 4 For every child of God defeats this evil world, and we achieve this victory through our faith. 5 And who can win this battle against the world? Only those who believe that Jesus is the Son of God.  1 John 5:2–5 (NLT)

God created us to draw our life from him. We were never intended to be independent operators.

When Adam and Eve pursued their desire to live without restraint and be self-governing and authenticating “like God,” it brought untold sorrow and destruction to humanity. Even in their pristine state of having been newly created, Adam and Eve quickly walked away from intimacy with and dependence upon God.

Jesus, through the New Covenant, restored us to God’s original purpose.

Through our faith in Christ and the life of the indwelling Spirit, we have been once again united to the One who gave and sustains life.

I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself up for me.  Galatians 2:20 (NASB95)

Satan tried to destroy us by enlisting us in his revolt against God. His desire to achieve “god” status was doomed from the start. Amazingly God conferred a semblance of that upon those who put their faith and allegiance in Christ. Through the new birth, the inner transformation of the Spirit, and eventually through the resurrection of the body, we were, are, and will be remade into Christ’s image, becoming truly “like God” as we draw our life from him, the source of all life and blessings! May all glory and honor be to him forever and ever! Truly, he is the kindest person we will ever know!

God decided in advance to adopt us into his own family by bringing us to himself through Jesus Christ. This is what he wanted to do, and it gave him great pleasure. 6 So we praise God for the glorious grace he has poured out on us who belong to his dear Son. 7 He is so rich in kindness and grace that he purchased our freedom with the blood of his Son and forgave our sins. 8 He has showered his kindness on us, along with all wisdom and understanding.  Ephesians 1:5–8 (NLT)
Click here to see all the articles in this series.
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Chapter 73: Relational Evangelism

Evangelism is related to fishing. Jesus said he would make his disciples into “fishers of men.” Good fishermen usually have well-stocked tackle boxes full of their favorite lures that have given them success in the past. If we only have one bait and one-size hook in our tackle boxes, we are going to be limited in what we can catch. As someone once said, if all we have is a hammer, everything starts to look like a nail.

If we look at how Jesus fished for people, we quickly realize that he tailored his words and approach to the individuals he encountered.

If we are going to fish for people the Jesus way, we will need to do the same. Below I have listed some key things we will want to have in our spiritual tackle boxes.

A Commitment to God’s Mission

Fishing takes commitment. Commitment comes when we are convinced that something is so important that it deserves our heart, time, finances, and effort – for as long as it takes. Unless we are truly committed, we may agree that being on mission is worthwhile, but other things will preempt it.

Committed people are different. Nothing stops a committed person from putting his or her convictions into action.

Many Christians are committed to God, to church, to family, to their jobs, and to pursuing a happy life. Relatively few are committed to the Great Commission, which is a huge priority on God’s heart.

I have a friend who is an avid fisherman. This man has a high-profile time-consuming job. Despite this, he still finds time to fish almost daily. Living on a lake doesn’t hurt. This begs the question, why does he prioritize fishing? Is it because somewhere back in the past he made a commitment which he now honors or is it that he is committed because he loves to fish? We usually grow to love a pursuit because we become proficient enough to experience a level of success that we find rewarding.

Probably the only way to develop and maintain a lifestyle of fishing for people is by growing to love it.

We generally do not begin with a high level of proficiency at anything we do, but, if we are going to learn, we must start somewhere. Most of us will probably begin sharing our faith with others because we are excited to know Jesus and want others to have the same experience. But after we encounter enough “push back,” we may think better of it. Some of us may have never shared the gospel out of that kind of excitement, for whatever reason. If we backed off or never even started to fish for people, we likely will need to overcome a natural resistance to start fishing again or for the first time.

The resistance to witnessing and making disciples is real. Part of it derives from our own desire to live comfortably and not “rock the boat.” Another element is spiritual warfare from Satan because the last thing he wants is for us to become evangelists and disciple makers. Initially, we may have to commit ourselves to obeying God in this area out of a sense of obedience; however, as happened to my friend, fishing tends to grow on people, especially if we experience success. We may find that fishing for people becomes something we want to do because it brings us joy, which will give birth to an ongoing practice.

If we are the best fisherman in the world but are never available to go fishing, even the least talented fisherman will catch more than we.

What we do with our time reveals what is important to us. Unless we make ourselves available for God’s missionary work, we will be frustrated in this area continually.

An Interest in People

I have known people, and most likely so have you, who were committed to telling others about Christ, but who apparently did not like people. Their words about God’s love were offset by their less than caring attitude, sending a confusing mixed message. Jesus, on the other hand, combined an unswerving commitment to truth with a deep love for people. This made him intriguing and magnetic for those whose heart longed for God and repulsive to those who were playing religious games. If we do not have God’s love for people, we will likely attract religious hypocrites and repel the ones to whom we are sent.

People may not open their hearts if we approach them only to present a gospel “sales pitch,” instead of showing an interest and desire to know them as a person.

Unless we are genuinely interested in people, we probably will never be good at “catching” them. We should not regard people as evangelism “targets.” They are valuable individuals who are worth knowing, loving, and relating to, whether they ever choose to follow Jesus. People instinctively know whether we are interested in them. May God increase our love for and interest in the people with whom we relate.

Our interest in people can be demonstrated by our willingness to engage them in conversation.

The quickest way to get a conversation going is to ask questions about the other person. If we are genuinely interested in them and what they do, we will have no trouble.

Think of people as buried treasure. You will only discover what is there by digging.

Their answers often give birth to further questions and may open a door to sharing something about your own life or the Lord. If they never show an interest in anything related to you, that is usually a “red flag.” Over the long haul, one-way relationships usually go nowhere.

It is important that we do not come across as “know it all’s.” It is easy for us Christians to unwittingly present ourselves that way when it comes to talking about what we believe the Bible teaches in any given area.

Cultivating an ability to listen to the other person is important.

If they voice opinions or beliefs that are contrary to Scripture, we can ask the Lord to help us form questions that might make them rethink their position. Such as some version of, “How is that working out for you?”

A Servant’s Heart

Jesus came to serve and ultimately give his life away. Service is an earmark of a true disciple. In today’s consumer culture, people think more in terms of what’s in it for us. Many assume those who share the gospel have the same mindset, which makes them suspicious of our motives. They probably think we are trying to get them to join our church, for example.

If we have Christ’s servant heart, we will look for ways to demonstrate God’s love in practical ways, not as a project, but because we care.

This can include spending time in conversation to get to know someone, setting aside time to visit in people’s homes, having people over to our residences, praying for them privately and one-on-one in person, helping with a project, or just being there for them during a crisis. Loving and serving people is worthwhile as a standalone effort, but it also may open the door for us to be able to share why Jesus is so important to us.

Jesus wants his followers to serve our way into the hearts and lives of those around us.

Loving service gives credibility to the gospel message. I remember after we began spending time with one of our neighbors, one day the wife approached me when I was in my front yard. She asked me to come with her to visit the home next to hers where the husband had recently suffered a heart attack. I had never visited those people, but she opened the door for a ministry opportunity. It made me realize that she viewed me as a kind of neighborhood pastor.

Hospitality is another very important aspect of service. When we have people into our homes, especially for a meal, it tends to remove relational stiffness. Conversation over a meal may become more personal than what we might have during casual encounters. We often can reach another level if those we reach out to reciprocate by having us over. When we visit someone else’s home, it indicates that they see us as a friend. As honored guests we should humbly receive their hospitality and have an attitude to listen and observe.

Knowledge of the Bible and the Gospel

Bible literacy is very low, even among average churchgoers. As a culture, we have grown lazy and unmotivated to learn more about the Scriptures and Bible truth. The Word of God is our life. It is our bread. We should habitually “eat” it by reading, meditating, and applying its truth to our lives. We should expect the Holy Spirit to reveal wonderful things about God to us, but many of us do not even crack open our Bibles. Many churchgoers show up on Sundays with their mouths open, expecting the pastor to give them enough pre-digested food to last them for a week. True disciples make a commitment to grow in their knowledge, understanding, and application of the Bible through personal study and application. (John 8:31-32)

We will never be effective fishers of men unless we understand the gospel well enough to share it easily and naturally.

A Dependence on the Holy Spirit

When Jesus launched his three-year itinerant preaching ministry, he quoted Isaiah 61:1 to help us understand his identity and mission.

And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, 18 “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” 20 And he rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him. 21 And he began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.” Luke 4:17-21 (ESV)

Jesus depended upon the Holy Spirit to equip and empower him for the ministry he carried out over the rest of his earthly life. If we carefully read how he ministered to people, we will see that he allowed the gifts of the Spirit to operate in and through him continually. Although he was and is God in the flesh, he emptied himself of many of his divine prerogatives and depended on the Spirit, just as we must. Jesus was filled with the Spirit at the River Jordan and operated in the power and gifts of the Spirit throughout his ministry as an example to us. We need God’s power as well as the truth of the gospel.

For the Kingdom of God is not just a lot of talk; it is living by God’s power.  1 Corinthians 4:20 (NLT)

One of Jesus’ titles is Baptizer in the Holy Spirit (Luke 3:16). Jesus commanded his followers to receive this empowering from on high so we too can be as effective as the Spirit can make us.

We simply cannot rely on human intelligence and ability if we want to be good at relational or any other kind of evangelism.

Boldness

The Holy Spirit gives Jesus’ followers boldness to share the Gospel. This is a main function of the baptism in the Spirit. (See Acts 1:8.)

We may know what the Gospel says, be committed to the Great Commission, and love people, but eventually we will face those crucial times when courage is required.

When we tell others about Jesus, we run the risk of being misunderstood, rejected, ignored, or even persecuted. Jesus said that if we confess him before men, he will confess us before his Father in heaven and the angels; but if we are ashamed of him and the Gospel before men, he will not give us his heavenly approbation. (Matthew 10:32-33) These are sobering words. The Apostle Peter denied Jesus during a time of great fear and pressure; so, we should not be surprised when we are tempted to keep our mouths shut when we should be standing up boldly for truth. I am not suggesting that we be obnoxious representatives of Christ. There are appropriate times and ways to share God’s truth and other times to be silent. Knowing which is which requires us to be sensitive to the Spirit’s leadership. However, when it is clearly the right time to be bold, that is what needs to be in our “tackle box.”

Patience and Determination

Fisherman must be patient and determined. Sometimes the fish bite and other times they do not. God promises that his Word will not come back void but will accomplish his intention. (Isaiah 55:11) Paul encouraged us to resist becoming weary in well doing because “in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.” (Galatians 6:9) Working with people requires patience and determination. It is unpredictable, and often what is happening with the people to whom we minister is well hidden. God may be working on them on the inside. He or she may appear to be uninterested while they may be wrestling with God. The Apostle Paul is a great example of God’s ability to get through to even the most hostile foes of the Gospel.

Ask the Lord to encourage your heart to keep sowing into the lives of those around you. It will not go unrewarded.

As we look at our own tackle boxes, perhaps you, like I, are missing some gear. Don’t worry. God’s grace will make up for what we lack. The important thing is to start fishing. Add as much gear as you can as you go. The Lord may miraculously impart something to you while you are fishing.

If we wait to begin until after we think we are completely ready, we may never catch a fish.

Every person we can lead to faith in Jesus is a person added to God’s family and rescued from Satanic oppression. Every person we help to become a fisherman will multiply our efforts.

We Can Be a Lure God Uses to Catch Fish

Jesus offered himself as a sweet-smelling sacrifice upon God’s altar.

Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God.  Ephesians 5:2 (NLT)

Think of how good a steak smells as it cooks upon a grill. To God that is what Jesus’ offering of himself was like, and, when we offer ourselves in Christ’s service, we become an aroma of Christ to those around us.

But thank God! He has made us his captives and continues to lead us along in Christ’s triumphal procession. Now he uses us to spread the knowledge of Christ everywhere, like a sweet perfume. 15 Our lives are a Christ-like fragrance rising up to God. But this fragrance is perceived differently by those who are being saved and by those who are perishing. 16 To those who are perishing, we are a dreadful smell of death and doom. But to those who are being saved, we are a life-giving perfume. And who is adequate for such a task as this?  2 Corinthians 2:14–16 (NLT)

If we think of God as the fisherman, he uses us sometimes as a lure to draw people toward Christ.

This puts how we live in front of people in a whole new light. When we give into frustration, for example, and vent our anger in front of others, we might be putting an obstacle in front of their accepting Jesus. The Native Americans were treated abominably by our government and the individuals representing it, most of whom probably professed to be Christians. Is it any wonder that today those who are their descendants refer to Christianity as the “white man’s religion,” of which they want no part? The gospel is a big enough hurdle to get over without our adding to the difficulty by behaving in a poor manner. Conversely, when we show love to people it can draw them to the Lord and make them more receptive to the gospel. As Paul asked, who indeed is adequate for this? We need grace everyday to be Christ’s representatives.

Click here to see all the articles in this series.

 

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Is there any piece of gear that you would like to add to your tackle box?
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