Category: The Gospel

Hope for People Who Feel Dirty on the Inside

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The gospel provides hope for us to be set free from any sense of feeling dirty on the inside because of past sins and failures.

Many cultures have a clear understanding of the stark contrast between clean and unclean and between what is holy and what is defiled. In the West, we generally do not major on this, but this does not mean it is unimportant. Most Western theology of salvation (soteriology) is based on a Guilt-Justification paradigm, which is courtroom related and easy for litigation-conscious people to understand. Guilt and condemnation plague many sin-conscious people, driving them toward the gospel’s amazing offer of forgiveness, justification (being declared “not guilty”), and restoration to the family of God. However, in some cultures the guilt problem does not figure as strongly as being “unclean.”

In Western society, perhaps the closest we can come to understanding this is when people simply feel dirty inside because of some past sin they committed or was done to them. Sometimes we may feel tainted by some embarrassing family connection, thinking that we share guilt by association. People who have experienced sexual abuse often struggle with this. It is akin to shame, but a little different. Shame can be related to something specific we have done or failed to do, but feeling dirty on the inside is more pervasive and systemic and less specific. We can present the gospel in a way that can help people become free again.

The Guilt-Justification Paradigm

Simply put, under the guilt-justification paradigm those who commit serious crimes are guilty, condemned, and deserve to be punished. The judge has a responsibility to pronounce judgment on the convicted criminal, who must pay the price for his transgression.

Using the guilt-justification paradigm to present the gospel, we are all criminals who have violated God’s Law, God is the judge, and death is the just sentence for our crimes of rebellion and treachery against God and his rule. (Romans 6:23)

Since all have sinned, mankind’s situation seems hopeless. Old Covenant sacrifices merely delayed the inevitable “lowering of the boom” by a just God. Paul wrote that the Law’s function was to convince us that we are hopeless sinners and to prepare us to receive the glorious good news of forgiveness and justification in the gospel. (Romans 3:22)

Contrary to what anyone would have expected, Jesus, God’s own Son, died in our place, taking upon himself our just condemnation and punishment from God. As a result, we who believe this message and declare allegiance to Christ, are forgiven and declared “not guilty.”

Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, Romans 5:1 (NASB)

The gospel offers the only way out of the hopeless situation of being justly condemned for crimes actually committed. This model for presenting the gospel has opened the eyes of countless people, enabling them to come to faith in Christ and escape certain judgment.

The Unclean – Clean Paradigm

But what about those from cultures in which guilt is not nearly so great an issue as being unclean? Here is an insightful quote from “The Gospel for Shame Cultures” by Bruce Thomas.

In observing one particular culture, I have noticed a curious thing. While my Muslim friends and neighbors do not worry much about “little sins” like lying and cheating, their daily lives and religious rituals seem to revolve around something which I would consider to be even less significant, namely their ceremonial purity. The intensity of this insecurity has caused me to consider that defilement might be a basic human problem as serious to some as sin is to others.

Suddenly a lot of things made sense. It had always puzzled me why Muslims make such a big thing out of not eating pork, not getting licked by dogs, and keeping the fast, when sins like lying, cheating, and stealing are treated so superficially. Few Christians seem to comprehend, for instance, the seriousness of eating pork. Dwell for a moment on the revulsion you feel when you think about a Stone Age tribe eating human flesh, and you will begin to understand something of the degree of disgust most Muslims have for the idea of eating pork. It is probably not a sin issue but an issue of ceremonial cleanness. Thus, because eating pork is the worst possible state of defilement, and more attention is given to ceremonial purity than moral purity, the pork eater (George Bush) is worse off than a murderer (Saddam Hussein). (Link)

If we are culturally aware, we understand that “our” way of seeing and doing things is not the only way. The Bible recognizes the significance of ritual or ceremonial uncleanness and also makes a big deal out of it, especially under the Old Covenant.

Jesus brought clarity and insight into our understanding of Old Covenant scriptures. He revealed that God is actually concerned with the condition of the heart, not outward ceremonial cleanness.

The Pharisees, who focused mainly on ceremony and the Law, criticized Jesus and his followers for not maintaining proper ritual cleanness. Here is what Jesus told them.

And he called the people to him again and said to them, “Hear me, all of you, and understand: 15  There is nothing outside a person that by going into him can defile him, but the things that come out of a person are what defile him.” Mark 7:14-15 (ESV) 

17  And when he had entered the house and left the people, his disciples asked him about the parable. 18  And he said to them, “Then are you also without understanding? Do you not see that whatever goes into a person from outside cannot defile him, 19  since it enters not his heart but his stomach, and is expelled?” (Thus he declared all foods clean.) 20  And he said, “What comes out of a person is what defiles him. 21  For from within, out of the heart of man, come evil thoughts, sexual immorality, theft, murder, adultery, 22  coveting, wickedness, deceit, sensuality, envy, slander, pride, foolishness. 23  All these evil things come from within, and they defile a person.” Mark 7:17-23 (ESV)

The Old Covenant Law served the purpose of revealing God’s holiness and our sinful state in order to lead us to Christ.

God has always been concerned with the condition of man’s heart. Ceremonial cleanness pointed to actual cleanness which requires a cleansing of the heart. Only God can do this for a person.

Since the LORD your God walks in the midst of your camp to deliver you and to defeat your enemies before you, therefore your camp must be holy; and He must not see anything indecent among you or He will turn away from you. Deuteronomy 23:14 (NASB)

Old Covenant uncleanness was a serious problem. Its effect was to isolate offenders from God’s covenant people and blessings. It usually happened when a ritually clean person touched something unclean. Certain conditions of the body rendered people unclean, too. Leprosy was a particularly serious and incurable disease that rendered a person unclean and resulted in permanent isolation. Imagine the loneliness of a leper, knowing that he or she was cut off from family, friends, and the covenant community. Their situation was hopeless apart from God’s miraculous intervention. Many people today also feel cut off and isolated because of a sense of inward dirtiness and shame.

Importantly, whenever clean people or objects contacted uncleanness, they became unclean. In the Old Covenant, uncleanness was more powerful than cleanness.

In addition, unclean or unholy humans, without some sort of ceremonial purification, had no right to be in God’s direct presence or to touch the holy things of the temple. In many ways, God was off limits to ordinary people. They had to relate to him from a distance through mediators called priests.

Jesus, Communicator of Cleanness

This is where Jesus changed everything. He was (and is) the ultimate Clean Person, God himself. He was not subject to the same ceremonial laws as ordinary humans because he was the fulfillment of everything they represented and toward whom they pointed.

Our Lord was immune to uncleanness. He could touch unclean people and make them clean again, while suffering no adverse effects himself.

Jesus’ ministry demonstrated his amazing power over everything unclean. In Mark’s gospel, the first act of power Jesus did was to drive out an unclean spirit. (Mark 1:25-26) Later in the same chapter, Jesus healed a dreaded unclean leper by touching him and commanding him, “Be clean.” Mark wrote that “immediately the leprosy left him and he was cleansed.” (Mark 1:42) In Chapter 5, a woman who was ritually unclean due to bleeding, dared to touch God’s temple (Jesus), hoping that she would be healed and cleansed as a result. In the Old Covenant, she likely would  have been struck dead for presuming to touch God’s Holy of Holies, especially as an unclean person; but, Jesus, the Author of the New Covenant, mercifully allowed her to touch him, which resulted in her being miraculously healed and cleansed.

The unclean touched the clean and was made clean while Jesus suffered no ill effects!

Later in the chapter, our Lord took a dead girl by the hand, which under the Law would have made him unclean, and he raised her from the dead. Once again, the clean triumphed over the unclean. Death was conquered by Life.

Ultimately, Jesus dealt with the real problem of mankind, internal sin induced uncleanness. He did this by dying on the cross, carrying in himself our uncleanness.

He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NASB)

And here we are again back at the Guilt-Justification paradigm. One flows right into the other.

New Covenant Cleanness

Under the Old Covenant, ceremonial cleanness only dealt with the external, never with the real issue – the human heart and our sin problem.

Jesus addressed the Pharisees and other Jewish leaders, who prided themselves on keeping the external features of the Law, while remaining oblivious to the things about which God cared most.

"Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which on the outside appear beautiful, but inside they are full of dead men's bones and all uncleanness. 28  "So you, too, outwardly appear righteous to men, but inwardly you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness. Matthew 23:27-28 (NASB)

We understand from the New Testament that cleansing and forgiveness are two sides of the same coin.

John the Apostle gave us the following insightful promise.

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 1 John 1:9 (NASB)

This verse ties together justification and cleansing. Jesus’ blood sacrifice as the Lamb of God paid the just consequence for our sins, providing us with forgiveness and a right relationship with God. It also cleansed us from all moral uncleanness that made us a stench to God. This is a one time transaction with God that plays out day to day as we continue to live by faith in his faithfulness. However, since we still sin on a day-to-day basis, we need to be regularly cleansed through the confession of our sins.

Jesus compared this to having our feet washed, another example of cleansing.

Peter *said to Him, “Never shall You wash my feet!” Jesus answered him, “If I do not wash you, you have no part with Me.” 9 Simon Peter *said to Him, “Lord, then wash not only my feet, but also my hands and my head.” 10 Jesus *said to him, “He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is completely clean; and you are clean, but not all of you.” John 13:8-10 (NASB)

When we place our faith in Jesus and his finished work on the cross and his resurrection, we are made clean before God in the most basic and essential sense. We are recreated in God’s image and become his children for all eternity. However, as we go through life, we become dirty on the “outside” and need a less drastic cleansing that is provided when we confess our sins to God and one another.

Summary

Because Christ died for us “outside the camp” (Hebrews 13:13) as a person made unclean by our sin, those who put their faith in him no longer need to be concerned about ritual cleanness.

The ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Law were completely fulfilled by Christ and rendered obsolete. The moral requirements of the Law, however, are eternal. The “law of the Spirit of life” works in all children of God to assist us to live out these requirements from the heart through the power of the Spirit.

Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus. 2  For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has set you free from the law of sin and of death. 3  For what the Law could not do, weak as it was through the flesh, God did: sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh and as an offering for sin, He condemned sin in the flesh, 4  so that the requirement of the Law might be fulfilled in us, who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit. Romans 8:1-4 (NASB)

When we share the gospel with people who relate best to a clean-unclean paradigm or who battle with feeling dirty on the inside, we should tell them how Jesus took our uncleanness upon himself so that we are no longer excluded, dirty, shameful, or cursed.

Jesus draws the unclean, the ashamed, and outsiders to himself, touches us, cleanses us, and makes us part of God’s forever family.

Prayer

Jesus, for so long now I have felt unclean, ashamed, and cut off from you, your presence, and all the blessings that could have been mine. Thank you for becoming unclean by taking my sins, shame, and guilt upon yourself so that I can be cleansed from everything that has blocked me from God. I confess my sin to you and thank you for forgiving and cleansing me in the inside. Help me to live for you from this day forward. Amen.

as it is written, “Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense; and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame.” Romans 9:33 (ESV)

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How the Gospel Liberates Us from Fear of Rejection and Abandonment

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In the last post, I showed how the gospel sets us free from fears associated with invalidation or lack of proper affirmation. Our true identity is derived from the one who made us. Unless we are connected properly to the Creator, we cannot possibly know for sure who we are, our value, or our purpose. The lack of proper validation produces insecurity, often leading to the expectation of being rejected and maybe even abandoned because we believe we are not “worth” loving. When life corroborates these fears with the actual experience, it implants lies and fears deep in our hearts. The gospel can set us free.

Adam and Eve experienced partial rejection after they sinned when they were expelled from the garden of Eden. In actuality, they rejected God, bringing his judgment upon their lives. Even though our first parents were excluded from the garden and blocked from partaking of the tree of life, God did not abandon them. In the very process of addressing their sin and proclaiming his judgment upon it, he also graciously promised Eve (and us) that one of her descendants would crush Satan.

And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel." Genesis 3:15 (NIV)

This is the very first messianic promise and an important foundation stone in the gospel message. In a real sense, this is the first gospel presentation, which is a beautiful proof that God never even thought about abandoning his creatures, even after they so rudely rejected and rebelled against him.

Sadly, we have shown over and over again how susceptible we are to lies. Satan finds fertile ground in our hearts for sowing deception, of which he is a master. Jesus called him the father of lies. Men and women over the ages have continued to believe the original lie that God does not really love us. When we begin to attribute bad motives to God, we are in trouble. Adding to this original lie, Satan convinces people that God has rejected and abandoned us, too.

It is a natural and spiritual truth that we can only give away what we possess. Sadly, rejected people only have rejection to impart to others. We cannot “fix” ourselves. Only the Creator – Sustainer – Redeemer has that ability. Only God is able to break the chains of fear that are associated with these lies, and he began the process with his Son.

The dramatic proof that God has not and will never abandon us is the cross.

Jesus experienced the affirmation of his Father at his water baptism, at the transfiguration, and at many other times. He was secure in his identity, his value in God’s sight, and his mission. This allowed him to endure and triumph over the vicious and violent forms of rejection and abandonment he experienced during his ministry years, which crescendoed during his passion and crucifixion.

The prophet Isaiah informs us that Jesus was well acquainted with rejection. (Isaiah 53:3) He knew the pain of being called a bastard son of unmarried woman. (John 8:41) He knew what it was like to be spurned by those who held religious and political authority and power. (John 7:48) He knew how it felt to have masses of followers turn away from following him. (John 6:66) He experienced the pain of betrayal by one in his inner circle and being denied by one of his closest three. (Luke 22:48, Matthew 26:34) He was abandoned by almost all his followers when the passion began (Matthew 26:31), but his relationship with his Father enabled him to weather all that. God wants to establish us in his love, too, so we will not be moved by rejection and abandonment by people.

During his passion and crucifixion, the pain of rejection and abandonment reached its peak. He was spat upon, mocked, beaten, publicly humiliated, reviled, and finally crucified unmercifully. He maintained his composure and confidence through it all. At the last, in some mysterious way, it seems he experienced abandonment by his Father. Theologians speculate that when Jesus “became” sin on our behalf (2 Corinthians 5:21), the Father was forced to turn away momentarily from his beloved Son. The curse or judgment of God against sin fell upon the innocent Lamb of God. (Galatians 3:13) What agony Jesus must have felt when he uttered, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matthew 27:46) This was a quote from Psalm 22:1, a prophecy by King David, which Jesus fulfilled.  In summary, Jesus experienced every aspect of invalidation, rejection, and abandonment at the hands of men and, at least for a moment, by his heavenly Father when he laid down his life on our behalf as the Lamb of God who takes away the sins of the world.

As a result of what Jesus endured for our sake, we can experience freedom from the lies and fears associated with invalidation, rejection, and abandonment.

Here are some of the Bible promises we have if we put our confidence and allegiance in Christ.

However, those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT) 

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; 17  that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you. 18  I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:16-18 (NASB)

The gospel of grace informs us that our acceptance with God hinges upon our Lord Jesus’ perfect life and sacrifice, not on our own performance.

This pulls the rug out from under the accusation that we are not good enough for God to love us. Our relationship with our heavenly Father, the Creator-Sustainer-Redeemer, is based upon our being “in Christ.” When Father looks at us, he sees his Son. (Galatians 2:20) When we worship him, we do so “in the Spirit.” The Spirit of Christ who resides within each believer cries out, “Abba, Father.” (Romans 8:15) Although, we are not divine, we have the Spirit of God indwelling us, giving us the same relationship with Abba that Christ has. (1 Corinthians 6:17) This is the secret of the Christian life and the means of our liberation from fear.

God has done the “heavy lifting” through his Son, but we must do our part, too, which is to meditate upon the scriptures and believe them. The Holy Spirit within will help us.

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 (NASB)

I leave you with this fabulous passage to think about. Hopefully you will be inspired to believe the truth about God’s love for you. You might even wish to pray the prayer below.

So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 17  By this is love perfected with us, so that we may have confidence for the day of judgment, because as he is so also are we in this world. 18  There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love. 1 John 4:16-18 (ESV)

Prayer

Father God, I have wrestled with lies and fears all my life. I now come to you because I put my faith in the love you have for me, which was demonstrated when Jesus died for me on the cross. I choose to believe the truth that you will never reject or leave me. I now realize that I am your beloved child. My sins are forgiven and my destiny is secure in Christ. Help me from this day forth to live and serve others out of the security of your love for me and the truth about what you say about me. Help me to be a faithful messenger of your love and truth to others. Amen

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Overcoming Common Obstacles to Receiving the Baptism in the Spirit

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In this lesson we will look at some of the more common obstacles to receiving the baptism in the Spirit that we may encounter and how to overcome them.

For the LORD of hosts has purposed, and who will annul it? His hand is stretched out, and who will turn it back? Isaiah 14:27 (ESV)

removing hindrancesSatan is not in the least comparable to God in power or authority. From the beginning of his rebellion, our adversary’s cause has been doomed, but his activities are not without consequence to us. Satan has influenced countless millions to join his revolt against God, increasing the population of hell and the misery of humankind. He works incessantly to block people from receiving the new birth, to hinder followers of Christ from experiencing all that Christ died to give them, and to prevent them from becoming witnesses and disciplemakers.

While Satan cannot block God’s blessings, he does deceive us into erecting our own obstacles, which must be overcome or removed.

Just as Balaam, the false prophet, could not curse those whom God had blessed (Numbers 23:8), neither can Satan.

God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent; Has He said, and will He not do it? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good? 20 “Behold, I have received a command to bless; When He has blessed, then I cannot revoke it.  Numbers 23:19–20 (NASB95) —

However, Balaam slyly and indirectly cursed Israel by influencing them to sin against God, bringing the Lord’s judgment upon the nation.

Behold, these caused the sons of Israel, through the counsel of Balaam, to trespass against the Lord in the matter of Peor, so the plague was among the congregation of the Lord.  Numbers 31:16 (NASB95) —

In like manner Satan tempts us to sin and doubt God’s promises to hinder us from experiencing God’s blessings to their fullest. Below are some of the more common obstacles or hindrances to receiving God’s blessings and how to overcome them.

Ignorance

People often resist what they do not know or understand.

The devil sows his lies into the fertile soil of our ignorance where they can germinate into resistance against God and his promises.

Hosea 4:6 states that God’s people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Ignorance is never a good thing, except when it comes to evil. Overcoming ignorance requires work. God wants us to be like those in Berea when they first heard Paul preach the gospel. Even though Paul’s words were contrary to some of their Jewish traditions, the Berean audience carefully considered what he said in light of the Bible’s teachings.

Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so. 12  Therefore many of them believed, along with a number of prominent Greek women and men. Acts 17:11-12 (NASB)

To overcome the obstacle of ignorance, we must apply ourselves to study the scriptures and believe what they tell us, regardless of what we may have been taught previously.

We cannot afford to remain ignorant of God’s truth!

With regard to spiritual gifts, brothers and sisters, I do not want you to be uninformed. 1 Corinthians 12:1 (NET)

If we want to know the truth about the baptism in the Spirit, it is up to us to search for it in the Bible rather than simply rely upon what others say. We can safely trust the Holy Spirit to be our guide. If this doctrine is truly of God, he will make it plain to us.

But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. John 16:13 (NASB)
 
Fear

Fear is often a subset of ignorance. We often fear and reject what is new, different, or we do not understand. Truth wins in the end. Today many are afraid of the baptism and gifts of the Spirit because they are unfamiliar and strange to them. Their church leaders may have never taught them about these things or, even more sadly, may have taught error based on man-made theology and church traditions.

Often following Jesus requires us to confront our fears. We can trust him to guide us into a place of safety if we follow him with simplicity and faith.

Do not be afraid, little flock, for your Father has chosen gladly to give you the kingdom.  Luke 12:32 (NASB95) —

Jesus threatened the Pharisees’ iron grip on the people by teaching them how to connect with a loving Abba Father who did not require them to adhere to dead religion. The Pharisees’ expectation of the role of the Messiah did not mesh with who Jesus really was and is. Rather than adjust their beliefs to Jesus’ explanation of the meaning of scripture, they dug more deeply into their doctrinal position. They feared, rejected, and hated him, eventually putting him to death to preserve their position of power. Satan had effectively united them to his cause. They became Christ’s worst enemies by steadfastly resisting truth and the Spirit of God’s testimony.

But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them, “You know nothing at all, 50 nor do you take into account that it is expedient for you that one man die for the people, and that the whole nation not perish.”  John 11:49–50 (NASB95) —

Satan always resists the advancement of truth and God’s Spirit because it threatens his tyrannical grip on people. He instills that fear into those whom he can influence.

Satan cannot stop God from blessing you, but our fear and unbelief can restrict our experience of him.

Legalism

Legalism is a man-made attempt to gain or maintain a right standing with God through our own efforts instead of believing and receiving what Jesus did for us. We can begin our spiritual journey by relying on grace but slide into legalism along the way.

How foolish can you be? After starting your new lives in the Spirit, why are you now trying to become perfect by your own human effort?  Galatians 3:3 (NLT) —

Regarding the baptism of the Spirit, legalism reveals itself when we think that we are not yet good or holy enough to receive this remarkable gift.

We may think that we must clean up our lives or overcome some sin first. It may be that we do need to repent of a sin prior to receiving from God, but that can be done instantly. Legalism wants us to delay things until we feel that we are good enough. That will never happen. We will never be good enough on our own to deserve God’s blessings.

Jesus made us worthy to receive all of God’s blessings.

The baptism in the Spirit is designed to be one of the first experiences a new believer has with God. The Holy Spirit comes into our lives to make us more like Jesus. He will take care of remaking us in Christ’s image, which is a lifelong endeavor. First things first! Now simply receive God’s blessings. Later we can cooperate with the Spirit in the transformation process. Now we simply need to open our hearts to God and receive his blessings by faith.

The only thing I want to learn from you is this: Did you receive the Spirit by doing the works of the law or by believing what you heard? Galatians 3:2 (NET)
 
Traditions of Men

Most, if not all, religious groups tend to form their own culture and traditions over time. Non-denominational churches often begin as a protest against dead formality and ritual, but over the years such churches develop their own set ways of doing things. This is part of what it means to be human and is not necessarily a bad thing.

However, if our traditions stand between us and the apprehension of the truth and our reception of God’s promises, they are evil and must be set aside.

Jesus confronted dead religious traditions quite often, thereby incurring the wrath of the establishment. Once traditions are set, they tend to assume a stature as if God himself set them up. Some churches, such as Roman Catholicism, are upfront about it by officially elevating church tradition to the status of scripture. Evangelical churches would never openly say such a thing, but we sometimes put our traditional interpretation of Scripture over truth.

Those steeped in the traditions of men prefer the old and established way of doing things over any new revelation from the Spirit.

That is one reason it is often easier to disciple an unbeliever than a long-time church goer. There is less to unlearn.

Jesus warned against following any traditions that nullify the clear intent of God’s Word.

And He answered and said to them, "Why do you yourselves transgress the commandment of God for the sake of your tradition? 4  "For God said, 'HONOR YOUR FATHER AND MOTHER,' and, 'HE WHO SPEAKS EVIL OF FATHER OR MOTHER IS TO BE PUT TO DEATH.' 5  "But you say, 'Whoever says to his father or mother, "Whatever I have that would help you has been given to God," 6  he is not to honor his father or his mother.' And by this you invalidated the word of God for the sake of your tradition. 7  "You hypocrites, rightly did Isaiah prophesy of you: 8  'THIS PEOPLE HONORS ME WITH THEIR LIPS, BUT THEIR HEART IS FAR AWAY FROM ME. 9  'BUT IN VAIN DO THEY WORSHIP ME, TEACHING AS DOCTRINES THE PRECEPTS OF MEN.'" Matthew 15:3-9 (NASB)  

When it comes to the baptism in the Holy Spirit, the only thing that matters is what the scriptures say, not what our church traditions may teach. Just as in Jesus’ day, sometimes it requires great courage on our part to resist and overcome time honored traditions to serve the Lord.

Passivity

There is a time for “waiting upon God,” which describes our having the attitude of being surrendered to God’s will for our lives and waiting for him to clarify what he wants us to do. Waiting on God shows that we grasp the danger of operating independently from the leadership of the Holy Spirit.

However, once we know what his will for us is and are confident that now is the time for us to act, passivity becomes a sin.

Nothing substitutes for acting in faith, not even prayer or worship. If our mothers asked us to clean our rooms when we were young children, they would not be happy to find out we never did it because we were praying instead. There is a time for every purpose under heaven.

Jesus instructed his first disciples to wait for the promise of the Father, the baptism in the Spirit, but this was because their first experience of this extraordinary gift from God had to take place on the exact day of Pentecost, perfectly fulfilling God’s eternal purpose for that Old Covenant feast.

“And now I will send the Holy Spirit, just as my Father promised. But stay here in the city until the Holy Spirit comes and fills you with power from heaven.”  Luke 24:49 (NLT) —

They waited and prayed for days in the upper room, but when the day of Pentecost finally arrived, the Spirit was powerfully poured out on them.

Since then, every day is Pentecost. There is no longer any need to wait. We can receive the baptism in the Spirit instantly by faith.

In addition, we should not expect the Holy Spirit to somehow take control of us, as if God superimposes himself over our desires and will. In his goodness and love, God expects and encourages us to partner with him. The Spirit, who dwells within us, also comes alongside us allowing us to participate with him in ministry. He lets us know the things that God has freely given to us, which includes the baptism in the Holy Spirit. (1 Corinthians 2:12)

Our role is to ask for and receive God’s blessings.

If we do not ask, why should we expect to receive? If we have asked, what is stopping us from actively receiving?

It is true that sometimes God blesses those who do not seek or ask, but almost always he wants our participation, especially when we know the truth. Therefore, we should not be passive when it comes to the baptism in the Spirit. Faith acts as if God’s Word is true… because it is.

Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8  "For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NASB)
 
The Occult

If we have ever been an occult practitioner of any sort, consulted such a person, or even dabbled in occult activities that we thought were harmless, such as a Ouija board, we should take the necessary steps to extricate ourselves from the devil’s trap.

… I do not want you to be partners with demons. 1 Corinthians 10:20b  (NET)

demonic oppressionIn his first letter to the church in Corinth, Paul warned those early disciples not to participate with demons in any way. In the modern world many do not even believe that such malevolent beings exist, but anyone who takes the Bible seriously cannot dismiss them. The Bible does not tell us much about their origin, but we do know that they are evil spirits which desire to inhabit human bodies and oppress anyone they can.

The Greek word that describes the activity of demons is “daimonidzomai,” which simply means to demonize. Some translators of the Bible unfortunately used the English word “possess,” which carries all altogether different meaning of ownership and complete control. Using this poor translation as their basis, some argue that it is impossible for Christians, who belong to God and in whom dwells the Holy Spirit, to be possessed, owned, or completely taken over by an evil spirit. I agree wholeheartedly with that logic, but I insist that it is possible for believers in Christ to be demonized or oppressed by evil spirits. I have seen too many examples to think otherwise. Believers in Christ belong to God but can be oppressed by the devil.

Oppression can take many forms, ranging from mild to severe.

While demons, or anything or anyone else for that matter, cannot block the Holy Spirit, in his kindness and wisdom God may require us to properly distance ourselves from the demonic before he allows us to move forward with him.

God is properly “jealous” in the sense that he refuses to “cohabit” with evil.

You unfaithful people! Don't you know that love for this {evil} world is hatred toward God? Whoever wants to be a friend of this world is an enemy of God. 5  Do you think this passage means nothing? It says, “The Spirit that lives in us wants us to be his own.” James 4:4-5 (GW)  

Demons do not care how they gain access to people. They will take advantage of any doors we open to them, even when we do it unknowingly. In fact, innocent people are often exposed to demonization by the actions of others, as in the case when adults introduce young children to sin, especially sexual sin and occult practices, such as witchcraft.

Why is occult involvement such a hindrance? I suppose it is because through it we open ourselves up to Satan’s power when we involve ourselves in his world. God will not tolerate demons to inhabit our bodies, which were created to house the Holy Spirit.

Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own? 20 For you have been bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body.  1 Corinthians 6:19–20 (NASB95) —

It is an affront to God when we turn to demons for knowledge or help, instead of relying upon him.

This is one reason God expressly forbids any attempt to contact the dead or Satan’s realm to gain knowledge or power. Not only does it expose us to demonic oppression, but it opens a door for lies to control us.

Martha and I were once ministering to a young woman who was not able to get a breakthrough when it came to speaking in tongues, even though she had repeatedly asked to receive the baptism in the Spirit. I asked her if she had ever been involved in the occult. She replied that she formerly had practiced witchcraft. I then inquired if she had ever renounced that, and she said, no. She did not know that she even needed to do so. The Bible says that…

He who conceals his transgressions will not prosper, But he who confesses and forsakes them will find compassion. Proverbs 28:13 (NASB)

We led her in a prayer of repentance in which she renounced her past involvement with witchcraft. Immediately she told us that she felt as if an anvil were pressing down upon her chest. Suddenly the pressure lifted, and she began speaking in tongues. God waited for her to confess the sin and get rid of the demon, which had been oppressing her for years without her knowledge, before he gave her his marvelous gift.

What a blessing that God withheld something good until she took steps to rid herself of something bad!

Some of the occult activities we may need to renounce include the following: seances, Ouija board, fortune telling, tarot cards, witchcraft, astrology, etc. If we have in any way dabbled or immersed ourselves in anything connected with the kingdom of darkness, we should repent and verbally renounce those things and ask for and receive God’s forgiveness through Christ’s blood. Then we can command any attached spirits of darkness to depart in Jesus’ name. They must obey that command. We carry Christ’s authority which is backed up by the power of God’s Holy Spirit. We speak the words of authority and faith, and the Spirit of God enforces them.

It is vital that we understand and believe that evil spirits have no option but to obey a command to leave when we properly repent and use Christ’s authority. We need never find ourselves in a power struggle with a demon. It is always a truth and authority issue. Their power was destroyed at Calvary when Jesus rose from the dead.

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

Once we remove any “platform” or “hook” a demon may have used to oppress us through repentance and renouncing, it is an easy matter to break their grip using the authority of Christ. The Holy Spirit is the Enforcer of Christ’s victory and his authority. He comes to our aid when we do our part.

Once we properly distance ourselves from the occult, we will be ready to receive the baptism and fullness of the Holy Spirit.

Bitterness

Nothing undercuts our life of grace and faith more than bitterness. The only way any of us can stand before God is because Abba Father forgave our sins based on Jesus’ taking the rap for us by paying the ultimate penalty of death. When we refuse to forgive others, in effect we reject what God did for us, showing that we believe that our standard of righteousness is even higher than God’s. He may be able to forgive, but we cannot. This is the height of pride and deception and grieves God’s heart.

When we nurse offenses, we are bound in a prison of our own making until we liberate ourselves by choosing to forgive those who have hurt us.

Jesus taught that when we refuse to forgive, God will turn us over to “tormentors,” so that we can learn to forgive. In his parable of the unforgiving servant, Jesus said:

"Then summoning him, his lord *said to him, 'You wicked slave, I forgave you all that debt because you pleaded with me. 33  'Should you not also have had mercy on your fellow slave, in the same way that I had mercy on you?' 34  "And his lord, moved with anger, handed him over to the torturers until he should repay all that was owed him. 35  "My heavenly Father will also do the same to you, if each of you does not forgive his brother from your heart." Matthew 18:32-35 (NASB)

Once we suffer for a while, hopefully we will decide that holding onto our bitterness is not worth the price.

I have found that when we are bitter, we have a difficult time receiving anything from God.

We usually cannot hear his voice because our hearts are hard. Hardness of heart is the scariest thing that happen to anyone, and bitterness is a sure sign that we have that condition. Only tenderhearted people can forgive and receive from God.

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 32  Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:31-32 (NASB)

If we harbor bitterness of any kind, it is paramount that we release those who have offended us, so that we can be free to receive all that God has given to us.

Ask the Holy Spirit to reveal anyone we need to forgive. If anyone comes to mind, we should say out loud that we release them from owing us anything and ask God to wash us clean from all traces of unforgiveness. We let go of the debt. Now they are accountable only to God and we are free. If appropriate, we may need to meet with them later to reconcile.

Wrong Motives

The last obstacle we may need to overcome has to do with wrong motives, such as ambition, pride, and the love of money. James wrote the following warning.

You ask and do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, so that you may spend it on your pleasures. James 4:3 (NASB)

God blesses us with the baptism in the Spirit to equip and empower us to be his witnesses. If we are seeking this gift for a less than honorable reason, he may withhold this amazing blessing for our own good until we repent. God gave us an example of this in the book of Acts.

Now when Simon saw that the Spirit was given through the laying on of the apostles’ hands, he offered them money, 19  saying, “Give me this power also, so that anyone on whom I lay my hands may receive the Holy Spirit.” 20  But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money! 21  You have neither part nor lot in this matter, for your heart is not right before God. Acts 8:18-21 (ESV)

I have occasionally encountered people with issues that God insisted they get right before receiving the baptism in the Spirit, but it is not the norm.

If the Holy Spirit is speaking to your heart that you need to get something right with him, please listen and do what he says.

Conclusion

Now that we have identified and hopefully overcome some of the major obstacles to receiving God’s blessings, we are ready to receive the baptism in the Holy Spirit, which will be the topic of the next chapters.

Questions for Further Study and Discussion
  • Which obstacle seems to be the most significant to you?
  • Has this teaching helped you regarding any particular obstacle?

 

POTF front coverWant to know more? I have written a book on this very topic, which is available on Amazon. Click here to find out more.
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Can We Really Know God?

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When I was younger, I knew about God, but I did not know him. In high school, it was fashionable among my peers to be an agnostic. We believed that there was a God, but that he was unknowable. I grew up in the Roman Catholic Church and knew all about God, but did not know God. In my immaturity, I reasoned that my experience must be the norm. God was unknowable. Nevertheless, I continued my search to find out the truth about God. I wanted to know him, but I did not know how to get there. The Bible calls this being “lost.” Little did I know that my experience is common to man and is the reason Jesus came to the earth.

For the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost.” Luke 19:10 (NLT)

Jesus taught his followers that knowing God is eternal life.

And this is the way to have eternal life—to know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ, the one you sent to earth. John 17:3 (NLT)

Eternal life does not come from being part of a church organization or believing a set of doctrines. It comes from knowing God.

I had been taught by the church that Jesus came to earth to die for my sins, but no one ever told me that part of the deal was being able to know God. I had been robbed by the church that only taught a partial and corrupted form of the gospel, that is, until my girlfriend (now, wife) told me she had come to know Jesus.

When I first read her letter describing what happened to her (That was before email and texts, folks.), I thought she was crazy. As a Roman Catholic, I had no way to adequately understand her experience of coming to know that Jesus is real and having complete faith in him. How could that happen to a person? But she and God had my attention, not just because Jesus had gotten between me and my girl, but because I wanted to know God like she did, if that were possible.

After talking a lot with her and others and doing a lot of thinking, I decided to take a huge step. I prayed to a God that I was not even sure existed. I asked Jesus, if he were really out there,to reveal himself to me. After all, if God is real, he ought to be able to do that, right? I asked him to come into my life, because that is what I was told was the right prayer by an student evangelist, who just happened to come by my room one day. Hmmm, coincidence? I prayed that prayer in all sincerity, but with absolutely no attempt to make something happen. I prayed and “let it go.” I did not give it a second thought. I did not try to believe because I thought that would be totally false. It was going to be real or nothing. In fact, I forgot that I even prayed. Nevertheless, God heard that prayer. I had cracked open the door of my heart, and God came in.

I did not know about the following Bible verse, but Jesus did.

Look! I stand at the door and knock. If you hear my voice and open the door, I will come in, and we will share a meal together as friends. Revelation 3:20 (NLT)

What I found out is that God pursues people, is well able to communicate with us, and is looking for some kind of response from us.

He had been after me. He was pulling on my heart through other people and the Holy Spirit, and finally I responded.

Looking back, I realize now that after praying I changed immediately. I remember thinking how much happier I was and how much more other-focused. I found joy in doing things for people. I had no idea it was because Jesus had responded to my prayer and come into my life. I thought it was because my Zen meditations were especially effective. Oh, brother! The things the Lord has to put up with!

A couple of weeks later, Martha and I got together again and discussed Jesus, since he was center of her life now. It got me thinking about things again. Late one night, on my way home from being with her, I found myself alone in a room full of vending machines. How romantic! The perfect place for God to show up, right?

As I pondered how my life was changing, I suddenly remembered praying that prayer to Jesus. In a flash, it seemed as if God filled the room. I had never been in a room with God before, but somehow I knew he was with me. I was no longer an agnostic. I was a knower.

I knew for the first time that Jesus really rose from the dead and everything the Bible says about him is true. I have no idea how the Holy Spirit accomplished that transformation in me, but I am so glad he did. A few days later I read the following Bible verse, which seemed to describe what happened that night.

The wind (Greek: pneuma - wind, spirit) blows wherever it wants. Just as you can hear the wind but can’t tell where it comes from or where it is going, so you can’t explain how people are born of the Spirit.” John 3:8 (NLT)

The first thing I did was tell all my dorm mates about what just happened. I remember seeing tears in my roommate’s eyes. I have no idea if he was a believer, but God touched him that night. It was the most normal and natural thing in the world to tell others about Jesus because I just found out that there really is a God and he can be known by us through Jesus!

Jesus told him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NLT)

Being new to all this, I really did not want to go to sleep that night. I was afraid that the emotional high I was riding would dissipate, leaving me right back where I was before – an agnostic. Finally around four in the morning I drifted off to sleep. I think I got up around 7 or so, and, guess what? I still believed, and today, 49 years later, I still believe. Something remarkable happened that night. I had come to know God deep in my spirit. I was born again and had eternal life. It’s real!

I have written this to you who believe in the name of the Son of God, so that you may know you have eternal life. 1 John 5:13 (NLT)

What joy I experienced and still do, knowing that I have eternal life!

The Catholic Church never told me I could possess eternal life. They told me I could never know for sure. It was a lie. Now I know the truth! Knowing God is eternal life.

John’s Gospel tells us that Jesus came to help us know God. We might say that was his purpose.

No one has ever seen God. The only one, himself God, who is in closest fellowship with the Father, has made God known. John 1:18 (NET1)

The only one who knows the Father came to make him known to us, so that we can experience the incredible joy of knowing him for ourselves.

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)

Do you have a longing to know God? Are you willing to open your life to Jesus and ask him to reveal the Father to you? That is what I did, and it forever changed my life for the better. Why don’t you pray something like the following?

Prayer

Jesus, I want to know God, but so far I have not been able to get there. I hear that you came to reveal the Father to those you choose. I ask you to choose me. I open my heart to you, Jesus, and ask you to come in and take possession of my life. Please forgive my many sins and make me yours completely. Open my heart and eyes to behold Father God. I want to know him for myself and experience eternal life. Amen.

If you prayed that, you have every reason to believe Jesus will answer your request. After all, he is the one who said.

...those the Father has given me will come to me, and I will never reject them. John 6:37 (NLT)
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The Gospel in Relationship to the Covenants

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One way to look at the Bible is as one long gospel message. God always planned to send his only begotten Son so that we humans might live through him. God’s relationship with man over the centuries was based on a series of covenants that ultimately found expression in what is called the New Covenant, which is the last and most extraordinary. It’s coming was the most wonderful news for mankind.

The New Covenant was inaugurated against the backdrop of Israel’s extensive history with God. It was the last of a series of covenants which began at creation, or even before. Other covenants were added at very significant times in Israel’s spiritual history. Each covenant built upon or stood in contrast to the others. In order to properly understand and appreciate the New Covenant and it is important that we grasp the meaning and purpose of the other covenants, the sacrifices, and the feasts, about which I have written in other articles. You may wish to click on the links in the previous sentence in order to read those articles before going forward in this one..

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

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 built upon promises to be faithful to a relationship and an agreement. 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 the human race in general and others specifically relate only to God’s covenant people. 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 to perform in order 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. A bilateral covenant is exemplified in marriage. The husband and wife both bind themselves to 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 free 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. Let’s take a look at some major covenants and then focus on the New Covenant.

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 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 strike out alone in independence from and opposition to God, which cut them off from the life they had with the Creator / Sustainer of the universe. God made the first gospel promise in the garden after their epic failure.

Adamic Covenant

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 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 who 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.

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 on the heels of a horrific judgment against sin called the great flood. Grace is most appreciated against the backdrop of human failure and God’s judgment. When man’s best is not enough, 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)

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 this man in the person of one descendant named Jesus.

Abraham is called the “father” of our faith because through him God raised up a nation through 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. Most striking is the theophany (appearance of God in symbolic form). In the Old Testament covenants were literally “cut,” rather than “made.” 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.

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 and the land of Canaan, and that through him the entire earth would be blessed.

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)

This covenant promise is a 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)

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, which I wrote about in other articles, were part of the ceremonial aspect of the law. 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 acts as a guide to lead us to Christ.

So the law was put in charge to lead us to Christ that we might be justified by faith. Galatians 3:24 (NIV)

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. He rose again as Lord of lords and will eventually judge the living and the dead.

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 provide God’s people with blessings, but only revealed how sinful they are. It had no hope of success because people 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 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)

We benefit from the New Covenant by “riding the coattails” of our Savior. 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)

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 and grows inside us in order to 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)

The New Covenant was always in God’s mind from the very beginning. (Ephesians 1:3-6) Some believe it is actually an eternal covenant made between the Father and the Son before the world was created. 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 had to draw its life from Jesus, and could not 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 would provide us with a substitute to die for us, reveal himself to us, forgive our sins, and change our hearts. He will actually give 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.

A divine 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 Completes or Fulfills the Other Covenants

The New Covenant is connected with all the other covenants in one way or another. The tree of life mentioned in the Edenic Covenant typifies Christ. He is the source and sustainer of life. Adam and Eve were meant to draw their life from him as the branches of a vine draw their life from the root.

Jesus replied, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (NET1)

Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to our first parents after the first sin. 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. Even as God restarted the human race, in a sense, through Noah, he also inaugurated a new generation of believers through the gospel.

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. Through the preaching of the gospel, God is gathering persons from every culture 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 the his throne has come true in Christ, the King of Kings.

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; although, it still condemns those who sin and have not asked Christ to forgive them and be Lord of their lives.

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)

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 by the merits of their own performance. We depend on God’s free gift instead of trying to earn a right standing with him through our works. As beneficiaries of the New Covenant, we must now refuse to submit to external regulations and rules as a means of gaining a right standing with God. (Colossians 2:10-17)

Instead, our rule of life now is to love God, love people, and teach others to do the same. The moral aspects of the Old Covenant Law of Moses are still in effect. Christians are not permitted to murder, commit acts of immorality, lie, or steal. This is because these sins violate the 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 is constraining us inwardly to love and serve him in order to bring him glory. The difference is that before, under the Law, we sought to obey him in order to obtain and maintain a right standing with God.

Under the New Covenant, having 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. The motivation has been changed from trying to earn favor to wanting to bring him glory. (1 John 5:2-5)

God created us to draw our life from him. We were never supposed to be independent operators. When Adam and Eve abandoned this plan in order to pursue their desire to live without restraint and be “like God,” it brought untold sorrow and destruction to humanity.

Even in that pristine state of having been newly created, Adam and Eve quickly walked away from intimacy with and dependency upon God. Jesus, through the New Covenant, restored us back 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.

What Satan used to try to destroy us, the pursuit of “god” status, now has been freely given to us in Christ. Through the new birth and transformation of the Spirit, we are being remade into Christ’s image and are becoming truly “like God” as we draw our life from him, the source of all life and blessings! May all glory and honor be his forever and ever!

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The Gospel Causes Division

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Gospel in a Minute

Paul and Barnabas traveled to Iconium where they preached the gospel with the following results.

In Iconium they entered the synagogue of the Jews together, and spoke in such a manner that a large number of people believed, both of Jews and of Greeks. 2  But the Jews who disbelieved stirred up the minds of the Gentiles and embittered them against the brethren. 3  Therefore they spent a long time there speaking boldly with reliance upon the Lord, who was testifying to the word of His grace, granting that signs and wonders be done by their hands. 4  But the people of the city were divided; and some sided with the Jews, and some with the apostles. Acts 14:1-4 (NASB)

Principle: The Gospel Causes Division

Jesus warned his followers that the message he gave us to preach exposes people’s hearts and causes division.

Everyone who acknowledges me publicly here on earth, I will also acknowledge before my Father in heaven. 33  But everyone who denies me here on earth, I will also deny before my Father in heaven. 34  “Don’t imagine that I came to bring peace to the earth! I came not to bring peace, but a sword. 35  I have come to set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law. 36  Your enemies will be right in your own household! Matthew 10:32-36 (NLT)

Those who share the gospel should expect to encounter hostility and division from those who reject their message.

The announcement of Christ’s lordship invites people to surrender their lives to Jesus. Those who accept God’s provision of mercy and grace will be overjoyed, but those who reject God’s offer reveal that they have hardened hearts and a rebelliousness against his rule. Their deep seated hostility toward God should not intimidate us from boldly sharing the good news.

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Gospel in a Minute: Get Started Right Away

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Gospel in a Minute

The account of Saul’s conversion is an amazing example of Jesus’ sovereign ability to communicate directly with people. Once he became a believer, Saul’s allegiance to his new Lord was unswerving. He launched into the ministry of sharing the gospel immediately.

Afterward he [Saul, later Paul] ate some food and regained his strength. Saul stayed with the believers in Damascus for a few days. 20  And immediately he began preaching about Jesus in the synagogues, saying, “He is indeed the Son of God!” Acts 9:19-20 (NLT)

Principle: Get Started Right Away

Peter Block wrote an amazing book entitled The Answer to How is Yes. In it he argues that generally people believe there is a “right” way to do things, and until we discover what that is, we should delay taking action.

In other words, we use the excuse of ignorance to avoid doing the brave thing and share the gospel.

The reason we do things is because they ought to be done, not because we have it all figured out. If we make the choice to move forward in the doing, God will help us along the way. This is certainly true with ministry. Yes, studying the Bible is crucial. No, ignorance is not a virtue. Nevertheless, doing nothing is disobedience. Delayed obedience is often pure and simple rebellion.

The night I became a believer in Christ, I began to share the good news with my friends that Jesus is real and can be known. I did not have a very good knowledge of the Bible. I was confused and misguided on some important points, but I did know Jesus and wanted to make him known. God worked with me in my ignorance and zeal. God never suggested that I should delay telling people about Jesus until I knew more theology. In fact those who know the most theology are sometimes the least engaged in evangelism. When Jesus set the demoniac free, he told him to go tell everyone what great things God had done for him. (Mark 5:19-20) He did not have to first take a class.

We should get started right away with sharing the good news. If you have been sitting idle, it is time to get going.

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Gospel in a Minute: The Spirit Will Lead Us to People Who Are Ready and Open to Believe the Gospel

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Gospel in a Minute

After sharing the gospel with the Samaritans, Philip was led by God’s Spirit in an amazing way.

But an angel of the Lord spoke to Philip saying, "Get up and go south to the road that descends from Jerusalem to Gaza." (This is a desert road.) 27  So he got up and went; and there was an Ethiopian eunuch, a court official of Candace, queen of the Ethiopians, who was in charge of all her treasure; and he had come to Jerusalem to worship, 28  and he was returning and sitting in his chariot, and was reading the prophet Isaiah. 29  Then the Spirit said to Philip, "Go up and join this chariot." 30  Philip ran up and heard him reading Isaiah the prophet, and said, "Do you understand what you are reading?" 31  And he said, "Well, how could I, unless someone guides me?" And he invited Philip to come up and sit with him. Acts 8:26-30 (NASB)

Principle: The Spirit Will Lead Us to People Who Are Ready and Open to Believe the Gospel.

The eunuch was hungering to know more about God and the scriptures. Only the Spirit knew this, and he individually guided the evangelist to him. Philip led this man to receive Christ and baptized him in water on the spot. Luke put this account in Acts to let us know that God’s Spirit is available to guide us in a similar way. The Great Commission is a partnership between us and God. We need the baptism and gifts of the Spirit in order to be as effective as God desires. Our Lord wants us to be able to detect the “still, small voice” of the Spirit as he leads us through the day.

There are people all around us in whom God is working, preparing them to receive and believe the gospel. Are we open to God’s directing and using us as he did Philip?

Prayer

Holy Spirit, use me as your ambassador of reconciliation. I am ready for you to direct me to those you have prepared to hear the gospel. Help me to be alert to your guidance each day. Grant me boldness, compassion, and courage to be Christ’s witness. Help me to properly articulate the Good News. Amen.

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Gospel in a Minute: Preaching the gospel requires great courage.

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Gospel in a Minute

The Jewish leaders applied pressure on the apostles to shut down their bold preaching.

“What should we do with these men?” they asked each other. “We can’t deny that they have performed a miraculous sign, and everybody in Jerusalem knows about it. 17  But to keep them from spreading their propaganda any further, we must warn them not to speak to anyone in Jesus’ name again.” 18  So they called the apostles back in and commanded them never again to speak or teach in the name of Jesus. 19  But Peter and John replied, “Do you think God wants us to obey you rather than him? 20  We cannot stop telling about everything we have seen and heard.” Acts 4:16-20 (NLT)

Principle: Preaching the gospel requires great courage.

Satan and his allies do everything in their power to keep us from believing the gospel, but once we see and believe that Jesus is the risen Messiah and Lord of Lords, their next attempt is to keep us from telling others the good news. Evil spiritual forces use cooperative people to accomplish their agenda, but our battle is never really with human beings. (Ephesians 6:12)

The gospel is God’s powerful means to liberate the captives held by the kingdom of darkness. (Isaiah 61:1 and Romans 1:16)

Satan cannot nullify the gospel’s power; so, he tries to keep us from demonstrating the courage to speak. He mocks, threatens, and persecutes those who proclaim the glorious good news. (2 Timothy 3:12) It is our responsibility to refuse to cower to this intimidation.

God wants us to be like Peter and John who feared God more than what might be done to them. Like Moses of old, they valued the reward for serving God more than the temporary tranquility that comes from making peace with the devil. (Hebrews 11:24-27) The Spirit of God filled them with boldness and courage.

But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.” Acts 1:8 (NLT)
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Gospel in a Minute: Jesus is God’s plan to bless the entire earth!

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Gospel in a Minute

Peter connected the gospel message to God’s promise to Abraham found in Genesis 12:3 and Genesis 22:18.

Starting with Samuel, every prophet spoke about what is happening today. 25  You are the children of those prophets, and you are included in the covenant God promised to your ancestors. For God said to Abraham, ‘Through your descendants all the families on earth will be blessed.’ Acts 3:24-25 (NLT)

Principle: Jesus is God’s plan to bless the entire earth!

The entire Bible points to one person, Jesus the Messiah. He is its grand theme. He is God’s wonderful purpose. As Paul put it:

God has now revealed to us his mysterious plan regarding Christ, a plan to fulfill his own good pleasure. 10  And this is the plan: At the right time he will bring everything together under the authority of Christ—everything in heaven and on earth. Ephesians 1:9-10 (NLT)

When we communicate the gospel message, we have the opportunity to let people know about God’s amazing Son, the eternal Word of God who became a human being in order to pay the penalty for our sins, reconcile us to God, and rescue the entire creation from the chaos of sin and death!

Jesus is God’s plan to bless all the families of the earth through the gospel. He is the One through whom all blessings flow. For those who receive him as Lord and Savior, he is the fountain of life itself.

But those who drink the water I give will never be thirsty again. It becomes a fresh, bubbling spring within them, giving them eternal life.” John 4:14 (NLT)
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