Thursday, August 19, 2010
The Parable of the weeds
Many times we ask the Lord why we are in an unpeaceful situation. We question why as Christians things get bumpy.
We even share our faith as a peace message - "come to God and He will give you peace." I began to ask the Lord how I was to explain this to a struggling Christian or an unbeliever.
I saw a film the other day that explained it this way:
The plan for them was an unfair, short life and they did not experience the peace here on earth, but rather will experience it when they meet with God and receive that payment for their sin that Jesus offered them, and that they accepted.
Sometimes carrying the backpack of being a Christian can be tiresome. It is like when my Lillian has to decide if she wants to carry her Camelbac. Her Camelbac, which holds water, is really heavy when she puts it on all filled up. She always considers taking it off before she starts her adventure but then she remembers the necessity of the cool Ozarka water that she just put in it. She knows that she can run farther and climb higher when she is refreshed by that cool water.Following Christ, obeying, giving, loving, forgiving, enduring can all be tiresome but Christ promises to be our living water. He understands that we are living among weeds that choke the light and water out of us. He knows that we are surrounded by hardships trying to pull us down. He is asking us to endure. He has made a promise to us. We must run and not grow weary. He makes a way when there seems to be no way and these hardships purify us just as it did David and Job. He is looking for a holy people that have been found righteous. This parable explains His plan:
Matthew 13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [3] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants [4] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
We even share our faith as a peace message - "come to God and He will give you peace." I began to ask the Lord how I was to explain this to a struggling Christian or an unbeliever.
I saw a film the other day that explained it this way:
If you had an opportunity to share with the victims of 9/11 on 9/10 about the message of salvation, would you really offer the message to them that God had a plan for their life and that He wanted to offer them peace?
Stop and think.The plan for them was an unfair, short life and they did not experience the peace here on earth, but rather will experience it when they meet with God and receive that payment for their sin that Jesus offered them, and that they accepted.
Sometimes carrying the backpack of being a Christian can be tiresome. It is like when my Lillian has to decide if she wants to carry her Camelbac. Her Camelbac, which holds water, is really heavy when she puts it on all filled up. She always considers taking it off before she starts her adventure but then she remembers the necessity of the cool Ozarka water that she just put in it. She knows that she can run farther and climb higher when she is refreshed by that cool water.Matthew 13:24 He put another parable before them, saying, “The kingdom of heaven may be compared to a man who sowed good seed in his field, 25 but while his men were sleeping, his enemy came and sowed weeds [3] among the wheat and went away. 26 So when the plants came up and bore grain, then the weeds appeared also. 27 And the servants [4] of the master of the house came and said to him, ‘Master, did you not sow good seed in your field? How then does it have weeds?’ 28 He said to them, ‘An enemy has done this.’ So the servants said to him, ‘Then do you want us to go and gather them?’ 29 But he said, ‘No, lest in gathering the weeds you root up the wheat along with them. 30 Let both grow together until the harvest, and at harvest time I will tell the reapers, Gather the weeds first and bind them in bundles to be burned, but gather the wheat into my barn.’”
Matthew 13:36 Then he left the crowds and went into the house. And his disciples came to him, saying, “Explain to us the parable of the weeds of the field.” 37 He answered, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man. 38 The field is the world, and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom. The weeds are the sons of the evil one, 39 and the enemy who sowed them is the devil. The harvest is the close of the age, and the reapers are angels. 40 Just as the weeds are gathered and burned with fire, so will it be at the close of the age. 41 The Son of Man will send his angels, and they will gather out of his kingdom all causes of sin and all law-breakers, 42 and throw them into the fiery furnace. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth. 43 Then the righteous will shine like the sun in the kingdom of their Father. He who has ears, let him hear.
Matthew10:34 “Do not think that I have come to bring peace to the earth.
Saturday, July 3, 2010
Law&Grace - Define Law for me
This is a test. What does law refer to in the book of Romans?
If I was asked by my professor to define a law, I would ask, which law? There are many laws - the law of gravity, the law of motion, laws of thermodynamics and laws of exponents just to name a few.
I grew up believing that I was not under the law but rather grace. I can say that I still believe this but would like to define the word law. I believe that when I accept Jesus that I am no longer under the law of sin & death or sin = death.
I do believe though that I am under the law (teaching/instruction) of God.
I start my study in Romans 6:14 which clearly states that this is referring to sin as the law -
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Man have I heard that so many times and thank the Lord because I need grace because all have fallen short.
I do recognize that I had taken this verse with the mindset that I was not held to the standards of the Old Testament because of grace and this is where my question lies.
Yes, I understand that the temple is gone. I understand that I am not in Jerusalem and I understand that I am not welcome in a synagogue but on the feast days and the commandments I do believe that they are for me. For one, the Bible will never contradict itself. If it says that I am free from the law in chapter 6 and chapter 7 v 12 says, So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good, I would say that I should define law in each specific reference.
More examples: 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war and making me a prisoner of the law of sin...v25b So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
We then see a new law presented in ch8. v2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. This is the good stuff...v3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the spirit. v7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
Quite a few laws and quite a few meanings. This verse just told me that the spirit of life in Christ Jesus enables me to submit to God's law. A revelation to me was that this law - God's law, the word law is translated from the hebrew word meaning instructions. We can look at this two ways. As a child I did not like instructions, rules and guidelines but as I matured I began to see that when I new the instructions I was able to win. God's law, God's instruction enables us to be that set apart people that are holy and useful to him. It enables us to win the race.
Paul goes on to state to the Romans in ch15 v 4 For everything that was written in the past (Old Testament) was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures (Old Testament) we might have hope. v8 For I tell you that Christ has becoume a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles (that's me) may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." Then to sum it up Paul tells us in Romans 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Paul defines his ministry in v.18b as leading the Gentiles to obey God.
If I was asked by my professor to define a law, I would ask, which law? There are many laws - the law of gravity, the law of motion, laws of thermodynamics and laws of exponents just to name a few.
I grew up believing that I was not under the law but rather grace. I can say that I still believe this but would like to define the word law. I believe that when I accept Jesus that I am no longer under the law of sin & death or sin = death.
I do believe though that I am under the law (teaching/instruction) of God.
I start my study in Romans 6:14 which clearly states that this is referring to sin as the law -
For sin shall not be your master, because you are not under law, but under grace.
Man have I heard that so many times and thank the Lord because I need grace because all have fallen short.
I do recognize that I had taken this verse with the mindset that I was not held to the standards of the Old Testament because of grace and this is where my question lies.
Yes, I understand that the temple is gone. I understand that I am not in Jerusalem and I understand that I am not welcome in a synagogue but on the feast days and the commandments I do believe that they are for me. For one, the Bible will never contradict itself. If it says that I am free from the law in chapter 6 and chapter 7 v 12 says, So then, the law is holy, and the commandment is holy, righteous and good, I would say that I should define law in each specific reference.
More examples: 7:22 For in my inner being I delight in God's law; but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war and making me a prisoner of the law of sin...v25b So then, I myself in my mind am a slave to God's law, but in the sinful nature a slave to the law of sin.
We then see a new law presented in ch8. v2 because through Christ Jesus the law of the spirit of life set me free from the law of sin and death. This is the good stuff...v3 For what the law was powerless to do in that it was weakened by the sinful nature, God did by sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful man to be a sin offering. And so he condemned sin in sinful man, in order that the righteous requirements of the law might be fully met in us, who do not live according to the sinful nature but according to the spirit. v7 the sinful mind is hostile to God. It does not submit to God's law, nor can it do so.
Quite a few laws and quite a few meanings. This verse just told me that the spirit of life in Christ Jesus enables me to submit to God's law. A revelation to me was that this law - God's law, the word law is translated from the hebrew word meaning instructions. We can look at this two ways. As a child I did not like instructions, rules and guidelines but as I matured I began to see that when I new the instructions I was able to win. God's law, God's instruction enables us to be that set apart people that are holy and useful to him. It enables us to win the race.
Paul goes on to state to the Romans in ch15 v 4 For everything that was written in the past (Old Testament) was written to teach us so that through endurance and the encouragement of the Scriptures (Old Testament) we might have hope. v8 For I tell you that Christ has becoume a servant of the Jews on behalf of God's truth to confirm the promises made to the patriarchs so that the Gentiles (that's me) may glorify God for his mercy, as it is written: "Rejoice, O Gentiles, with his people." Then to sum it up Paul tells us in Romans 15:16 to be a minister of Christ Jesus to the Gentiles with the priestly duty of proclaiming the gospel of God, so that the Gentiles might become an offering acceptable to God, sanctified by the Holy Spirit. Paul defines his ministry in v.18b as leading the Gentiles to obey God.
Friday, July 2, 2010
Stephens defense is my creed! Acts 7
It is refreshing to see how Stephen, just as Paul, Peter and our Jesus defend themselves to the Jewish leaders of the day by saying how they have kept the law and not broken one word. Their defense is not grace but rather that they are obedient to Gods law.
How to worship our God/Feast of Dedication celebrated by Jesus!
John 4:21-24
Jesus declared, Believe me, woman a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is through the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Then later in John Jesus is celebrating the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-43) and He was being questioned.
Jesus declared, Believe me, woman a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain or in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is through the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth.
Then later in John Jesus is celebrating the Feast of Dedication (John 10:22-43) and He was being questioned.
Romans
19Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those who are under the law, so that every mouth may be silenced and the whole world held accountable to God. 20Therefore no one will be declared righteous in his sight by observing the law; rather, through the law we become conscious of sin.
Righteousness Through Faith
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
As I sat down with a friend yesterday we both agreed that we grew up with the idea that we are not under the law but rather we have grace. As I studied the scriptures this year I used a translator (interlinear) to find the origial Hebrew meaning of some words. The word law in many cases throughout scripture is referring to the first 5 books of the Old Testament. What I was surprised to find was that in some chapters sometimes law would refer to the scriptures and a few verses later be referring to another law.
Just as in science we refer to the law of relativity or gravity, we have to in the scripture define the law we are referring to. There are quite a few. You could say that this is a translation glitch. Some versions of our Bible are clearer than others. I studied Romans in King James, New Century and NIV versions. I find in Romans a law of sin and death or sin = death. Romans is where we have to be very careful that each time we see the word law we get to the root of the word and define whether it is referring to scripture, sin, geneology or other law.
The reason I began to question this is because I found that Jesus refers a law in Matthew when He says in 5:17&18: "Do not thin that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroe of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
This drives me to understand what commands He is referring to. Does the sermon on the mount take the place of the scriptures and the prophets? Let's be careful in considering this because Jesus sounds pretty detailed in these verses. In fact, in all the gospels He refers to the scriptures (keep in mind the only scriptures of His day are the OT).
Matthew 23:23 Jesus corrects the Pharisees and makes it clear that obedience is more than deeds but a heart issue. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give tenth of your spices, mint, dill and cumin. But you neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. *You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
He goes on with a great analogy of cleaning the outside of the cup without cleaning the inside. Once again just as David writes to us about - the law has always been a heart issue. David says, write your word on my heart that I might not sin against You. He knew that the law kept Him set apart but that God wanted His heart and his deeds.
How could David love this law so much and yet we despise being under a law. This is where defining law comes in handy. What does Jesus say about the law?
In Mark Jesus says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on the traditions of men.He then answers the question we all have in Luke 10:25-27 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in the Law? He replied. "How do you read it?" So, it is safe to say that the law when referring to scripture is good and necessary.
To confirm this
Righteousness Through Faith
21But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus. 25God presented him as a sacrifice of atonement,[i] through faith in his blood. He did this to demonstrate his justice, because in his forbearance he had left the sins committed beforehand unpunished— 26he did it to demonstrate his justice at the present time, so as to be just and the one who justifies those who have faith in Jesus.
27Where, then, is boasting? It is excluded. On what principle? On that of observing the law? No, but on that of faith. 28For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from observing the law. 29Is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles too? Yes, of Gentiles too, 30since there is only one God, who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through that same faith. 31Do we, then, nullify the law by this faith? Not at all! Rather, we uphold the law.
As I sat down with a friend yesterday we both agreed that we grew up with the idea that we are not under the law but rather we have grace. As I studied the scriptures this year I used a translator (interlinear) to find the origial Hebrew meaning of some words. The word law in many cases throughout scripture is referring to the first 5 books of the Old Testament. What I was surprised to find was that in some chapters sometimes law would refer to the scriptures and a few verses later be referring to another law.
Just as in science we refer to the law of relativity or gravity, we have to in the scripture define the law we are referring to. There are quite a few. You could say that this is a translation glitch. Some versions of our Bible are clearer than others. I studied Romans in King James, New Century and NIV versions. I find in Romans a law of sin and death or sin = death. Romans is where we have to be very careful that each time we see the word law we get to the root of the word and define whether it is referring to scripture, sin, geneology or other law.
The reason I began to question this is because I found that Jesus refers a law in Matthew when He says in 5:17&18: "Do not thin that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroe of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
This drives me to understand what commands He is referring to. Does the sermon on the mount take the place of the scriptures and the prophets? Let's be careful in considering this because Jesus sounds pretty detailed in these verses. In fact, in all the gospels He refers to the scriptures (keep in mind the only scriptures of His day are the OT).
Matthew 23:23 Jesus corrects the Pharisees and makes it clear that obedience is more than deeds but a heart issue. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give tenth of your spices, mint, dill and cumin. But you neglected the more important matters of the law- justice, mercy and faithfulness. *You should have practiced the latter, without neglecting the former.
He goes on with a great analogy of cleaning the outside of the cup without cleaning the inside. Once again just as David writes to us about - the law has always been a heart issue. David says, write your word on my heart that I might not sin against You. He knew that the law kept Him set apart but that God wanted His heart and his deeds.
How could David love this law so much and yet we despise being under a law. This is where defining law comes in handy. What does Jesus say about the law?
In Mark Jesus says, "You have let go of the commands of God and are holding on the traditions of men.He then answers the question we all have in Luke 10:25-27 On one occasion an expert in the law stood up to test Jesus. "Teacher," he asked, "what must I do to inherit eternal life? What is written in the Law? He replied. "How do you read it?" So, it is safe to say that the law when referring to scripture is good and necessary.
To confirm this
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