Seven Christian Truths That Will Not Change In 2022

 

1. Those who repent and believe the Gospel will be saved.  Acts 2:21 (ESV): “And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls upon the name of the Lord shall be saved.”

2.  God’s enabling grace will sanctify you. Ezekiel 36:27 (ESV): “And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules.“

3. God’s regenerating mercies will keep you persevering in faith. Jeremiah 32:40 (ESV): “And I will put the fear of me in their hearts, that they may not turn from me.“

4.  God will sovereignly and providentially guarantee to you the greatest good, i.e., to be like Christ. Romans 8:28–29 (ESV): “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.”

5.  He will not abandon you. Hebrews 13:5–6 (ESV): “for he has said, “I will never leave you nor forsake you.” So we can confidently say, “The Lord is my helper; I will not fear; what can man do to me?” 

6.  Nothing can separate you from His love. Romans 8:38–39 (ESV): “For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

7. God will accomplish His redemptive purpose for your life. Jude 24 (ESV): “Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy . . ..”

The End For Which The World Was Created!

The Destiny of God's People: The New Heavens and the New Earth

If I have "rightly divided the Word" in Zechariah 14, it appears to me that the Lord is painting a wide mural with a broad brush.  The chapter not only re-gathers themes, but expands them further. And I would suggest that it covers a time frame the starts before Christ through to the eternal kingdom.  I explain that in the last two blogs (HERE and HERE) where we gain a portrait of God's purging of the nation of Israel, yet preserving a remnant as He appears as her Warrior-King. The Painter's stroke now allures us into a picture of the eternal state -- the New Heavens and New Earth in Zechariah 14:6–11 (NIV):

⁶ On that day there will be neither sunlight nor cold, frosty darkness. ⁷ It will be a unique day—a day known only to the Lord—with no distinction between day and night. When evening comes, there will be light. ⁸ On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter. ⁹ The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name. ¹⁰ The whole land, from Geba to Rimmon, south of Jerusalem, will become like the Arabah. But Jerusalem will be raised up high from the Benjamin Gate to the site of the First Gate, to the Corner Gate, and from the Tower of Hananel to the royal winepresses, and will remain in its place. ¹¹ It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure. 

Again I rest heavily on the work of Thomas McComiskey where he warns us: "To take them [the symbolism] as literal depictions of actual physical phenomena is to miss the nature of prophetic language in general and of apocalyptic symbolism in particular." [1]  Revelation 22:5 (NIV) is a clear summary of this description of the prophet Zechariah:  "⁵There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever."   

The prophet also paints a mural of living water flowing from Jerusalem.  Again this is confirmed clearly in The Apocalypse: “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, as clear as crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the great street of the city. On each side of the river stood the tree of life, bearing twelve crops of fruit, yielding its fruit every month. And the leaves of the tree are for the healing of the nations.” (Revelation 22:1–2, NIV)

 

This also interprets for us what the Jerusalem is, symbolically.  Indeed it is Heaven.  It is Christ's throne.  “On that day living water will flow out from Jerusalem, half of it east to the Dead Sea and half of it west to the Mediterranean Sea, in summer and in winter.” (Zechariah 14:8, NIV). It flows continually and it flows universally.  And we note again that the function of all this cryptic language is to help is visualize the point: We see the perfect and the final eschatalogical kingdom of God.  He reigns!  “It will be inhabited; never again will it be destroyed. Jerusalem will be secure.” (Zechariah 14:11, NIV).  The NASB translates this verse: “People will live in it, and there will no longer be a curse, for Jerusalem will dwell in security.”   

No more curse.  This is the ultimate eschaton. “The Lord will be king over the whole earth. On that day there will be one Lord, and his name the only name.” (Zechariah 14:9, NIV). "No longer shall there be many world religions or many names for God (cf. Deut. 6:4). The prayer of Matt. 6:9, 10 will finally be answered." [2]  

And we shall behold Him

We shall behold Him

Face to face

In all of His glory

We shall behold Him

We shall behold Him

Face to face

Our Savior and Lord [3]

Father, who can imagine that day -- that Day that You know of full well.  All nations; all kings; all political leaders; all peoples; all events; all circumstances; all micro-organisms to the billions upon billions of galaxies are cascading toward that Day when Christ shall reign over all the earth -- in power and glory.  Eye has not seen nor has ear heard of what You have in store for those who love You.  What glory to be revealed in that Day for those who are longing, looking and loving the appearing of our Lord and Savior.   There are no words to express the wonder of that Day.  As Luther said Father, there are but two days on the calendar: Today and That Day.  Grant the grace of the Holy Spirit to live today in light of that Day.  For Your pleasure and Your glory, Amen!

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1. Zechariah, Thomas Edward McComiskey, The Minor Prophets, Baker Academic, Grand Rapids, Mich., USA, 1998, Page 1233
2. Believer’s Study Bible. 1991 (W. A. Criswell, P. Patterson, E. R. Clendenen, D. L. Akin, M. Chamberlin, D. K. Patterson & J. Pogue, Ed.) (electronic ed.) (Zec 14:9). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.
3. Dottie Rambo, © 1980 New Spring (Admin. by Brentwood-Benson Music Publishing, Inc.)

The Road to Thanksgiving (An Exposition of Psalm 116) - Pt.4

In a previous Blog, I noted that the psalmist's structure was communicating a message.  He introduced his subject in verses 1-2 and now he remembers a circumstance where God intervened in his life. He contemplates that; and then follows through with a commitment to the Lord.  We see that in verses 3-9:

The Circumstance

³ The cords of death entangled me, the anguish of the grave came over me; I was overcome by distress and sorrow. ⁴ Then I called on the name of the Lord: “Lord, save me!” ⁵ The Lord is gracious and righteous; our God is full of compassion. ⁶ The Lord protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me. 

We notice the words that he uses about his crisis:

1. The cords of death entangled me.
2. The anguish of the grave came over me.
3. I was overcome by distress and sorrow

Then the psalmist prayed; and he found the Lord to be gracious, righteous and compassionate. This was a man that was in "the valley of the shadow of death."  Some may relate to this.  I have been spared.  But even the casual reader can at least envision the desperateness and severity of his condition. The psalmist finds in God saving mercies.

Contemplation

⁷ Return to your rest, my soul, for the Lord has been good to you. 

The answer to prayer then prompts the writer to preach to himself.  Answered prayer should result in peace of mind. “Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:6–7, NIV)

Commitment

⁸ For you, Lord, have delivered me from death, my eyes from tears, my feet from stumbling, ⁹ that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living.

Verses 8 and 9 pronounce this commitment. Because God has delivered him, the psalmist sees a purpose -- that being: that I may walk before the Lord in the land of the living. "The psalmist asserts that he will live in continual obedience to God. All of his actions will withstand God’s inspection." [1]

Again, I think there's a pattern here of worship and thanksgiving.  Reflecting on God's mercies to us ought to result in an inward solitude and outward godliness.  True thanksgiving out to be revolutionary.  

Father it is hard to relate to the near-death reality of the psalmist.  In general You have granted me a pretty safe and easy life.  But there have been many times in my life where I have called to You for help and You have answered according to Your gracious will.  The point of this psalm is that this answered prayer should bring peace and comfort to my soul and holiness to my walk.  I've never thought this way before.  This is an entirely new way of thinking.  Answered prayer deepens my love for You; brings peace to my soul and propels me to live in godliness.  May Your kindness to me never go unnoticed again.  May answered prayer be revolutionary in my life.   Help me Lord Jesus.  I love You.

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1. Barry, J. D., Heiser, M. S., Custis, M., Mangum, D., & Whitehead, M. M. (2012). Faithlife Study Bible (Ps 116:9). Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software.

NOTE:

A. Part 1 of this article is found HERE.

B. Part 2 of this article is found HERE.

C. Part 3 of this article is found HERE.

Check Out Your Experience

Galatians 3:2–5 (NIV),

² I would like to learn just one thing from you: Did you receive the Spirit by the works of the law, or by believing what you heard? ³ Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh? ⁴ Have you experienced so much in vain—if it really was in vain? ⁵ So again I ask, does God give you his Spirit and work miracles among you by the works of the law, or by your believing what you heard?

Paul asks several questions here, all intended to show the foolishness of these people in seeking to revert back to the Law.  Whereas Paul rests his case upon doctrinal matters, in this part of his argument he causes them to look to their experience.

1. When you were saved (when you received the Spirit) was it because of adherence to the Law or by faith in Christ?  

2. Do you think that you start your Christian journey by faith in Christ but perfect it by obedience, making it certain?

3. Having believed the Gospel and already experiencing suffering because of that, will you count that as nothing and now reject it?

4. When you see the people changed, transformed and healed, is that because they obey the Law or believe in Christ?

Luther allows no middle ground on salvation.  "If by the law, then not by the preaching of faith; if by the preaching of faith, then not by the law. There is no mean betwixt these two. For all that is not the Holy Ghost or the preaching of faith, is the law . . . For they which are ignorant of the righteousness of God, and go about to establish their own righteousness (as Paul saith in another place) do not submit themselves unto the righteousness of God (Rom. x. 3)." [1]  In his commentary, Luther walks the reader through the Book of Acts and even into the Old Testament account of Gentiles that were saved -- all by looking to Christ and not to the Law.

"For as God gave the Holy Ghost to the Gentiles which lived without the law, by the preaching of the Gospel, so did he give the same to the Jews; yet not by the law, nor by the ceremonies and sacrifices commanded in the law, but by the only preaching of faith." [1] 

This matter of how the Old Testament saints were saved is important.  In summary we find that they too were saved by faith in the promised Messiah.  Click HERE to read more.

When Paul uses the word flesh here to suggest that these Christians thought they could be perfected by the flesh.  "Flesh therefore is here taken for the very righteousness and wisdom of the flesh, and the judgment of reason, which seeketh to be justified by the law. Whatsoever then is most excellent in man, the same here Paul calleth flesh, to wit, the highest wisdom of reason, and the righteousness of the law itself." [1]   There is nothing I can do so perfectly to complete my salvation apart from faith in the righteousness of Christ imputed to me by grace.  Every good and worthy deed is still riddled by sin and cannot save.  Only Christ's perfect merit can save.

As to the suffering, how silly to suffer for a Gospel that can't save. "Now, what a miserable thing is it, so suddenly to lose such inestimable glory and assurance of conscience towards God? Also to endure so many grievous afflictions and perils of goods, wife, children, body and life, and yet notwithstanding to sustain all these things in vain?" [1]

Paul was aware of the miracles that had been accomplished by the Spirit among these believers -- none of which could have happened by law-keeping. "Ye have not only received the Spirit by the hearing of faith, but whatsoever ye have either known or done, it came by the hearing of faith. As though he would say: It was not enough that God gave you once the Spirit; but the same God hath also enriched you with the gifts of the Spirit, and increased the same in you, to the end that when ye have once received the Spirit, it might always grow and be more and more effectual in you." [1]

"Therefore (saith the Apostle) your experience, O ye Galatians, ought to teach you, that these excellent virtues proceeded not of the works of the law: for as ye had them not before the hearing of faith, so ye have them not now, when the false apostles reign in the midst of you." [1]

Father I am amazed at how Your Word helps shape our thinking.  Many of us have been told that our experience is of little value.  I know that experience doesn't replace faith.  I know that experience doesn't usurp faith.  But I learn in this passage that there is an appropriate time to look to our experience.  Of all the times I tried to change and become better, I could accomplish nothing until You saved me and gave me Your Spirit.  Even today we who are Christians know that we can do nothing apart from Your grace.  Yes we are called to obey having received the Good News, but even our obedience cannot take place apart from You in us granting us the desire and the ability.  It is You alone, Father, that makes New Creations of sinners.  The part that is so easy yet so hard to believe is that it all happens by faith -- by faith alone in Christ alone -- but that faith doesn't stand alone.  There is evidence of justification that accompanies salvation.  There is an experience to look too.  Father, by Your Spirit, and through Your Son, may my experience give credence to the Gospel, today.  May my experience give glory to You through Your Son; and may my experience bring everlasting joy to Your redeemed.  Amen!

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 3:2). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Here's The Bottom Line.

Galatians 2:21 (NIV)

²¹ I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law, Christ died for nothing!”

There is a mode of reasoning whereby we are called to anticipate the end of our thinking.  We are called to carry our conclusions to their logical destination.  Here Paul makes this very clear.  Seeking to become righteous by obedience is tantamount to rejection of Christ.  Why would Christ come in incarnation, live a sinless life, die on Calvary's cross and rise in three days?  Why do that if righteousness could be gained by law-keeping (Or as Catholics believe, by congruence.)?

"The law is good, holy, and profitable, and yet it justifieth not. He then that keepeth the law to be justified thereby, rejecteth grace, denieth Christ, despiseth his sacrifice, and will not be saved by this inestimable price, but will satisfy for his sins through the righteousness of the law, or deserve grace by his own righteousness." [1]

To seek out and embrace any other means of salvation -- any other means, is to reject Christ's grace and render His passion a waste of time. This cannot be right.  "Mine eyes shall behold nothing else but Christ the Son of God. He ought to be such a treasure unto me, that all other things should be but dung in comparison of him. He ought to be such a light unto me, that when I have apprehended him by faith, I should not know whether there be any law, any sin, any righteousness, or any unrighteousness in the world. For what are all things which are in heaven and earth in comparison of the Son of God, Jesus Christ my Lord, who loved me and gave himself for me?" [1]

To reject Christ and embrace law-keeping as a means to be justified invites amplified condemnation: “How much more severely do you think someone deserves to be punished who has trampled the Son of God underfoot, who has treated as an unholy thing the blood of the covenant that sanctified them, and who has insulted the Spirit of grace?” (Hebrews 10:29, NIV)

Father, this drive within us to find satisfaction and acceptance in our own efforts or through reward of our own goodness accents our pride; emphasizes our lack of appreciation for Your Son, Jesus; and reveals what a callous view of sin we hold. Your Son is the inestimable Treasure of all.  Nothing in this life can compare to Christ.  He great love and complete salvation is brought to us through mercy that is incomparable.  What a contempt one must have to reject so wonderful a Savior?  To turn from such grace is suicidal and the most irrational choice of all time.  “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.”” (Acts 4:12, NIV). Today we thank You for Jesus, who loved us and gave Himself for us.  There is no other Savior but Him.  O what a Savior!

 

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 2:21). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Hope That Never Disappoints

Verses 15 and 16 in Chapter 2 start a lengthy discussion by Luther -- and justifiably so, for it is the heartbeat of the letter. ““We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.” (Galatians 2:15–16, NIV)

 

That is a interesting statement in verse 15: We who are Jews by birth and not sinful Gentiles . . .. The righteousness that Paul speaks of is a righteousness that implies a desire to follow the Law.  Of course, as Luther comments, "Notwithstanding, although we have this prerogative, that we are righteous by nature, born to the law and the works thereof, and are not sinners as the Gentiles, yet are we not therefore righteous before God." [1]   By the Law, Luther believes Paul to mean the whole Law.  In other words, Paul is not just talking about the ceremonial law, but in fact the whole corpus of Law.  He makes this sharp distinction: "Whatsoever is not grace, is the law, whether it be judicial, ceremonial, or the Ten Commandments." [1] 

The point is this: "For by the righteousness of the law, saith he, a man is not pronounced righteous before God: but the righteousness of faith God imputeth freely through grace, for Christ’s sake." [1] 

Then how is a person saved?  Here is Luther's "evangelistic tract":

• "Now, the true way to Christianity is this, that a man do first acknowledge himself by the law, to be a sinner, and that it is impossible for him to do any good work. 
• When a man is thus taught and instructed by the law, then is he terrified and humbled, then he seeth indeed the greatness of his sin, and cannot find in himself one spark of the love of God: therefore he justifieth God in his Word, and confesseth that he is guilty of death and eternal damnation. 
• The second part is: if thou wilt be saved, thou mayest not seek salvation by works; for God hath sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. He was crucified and died for thee, and bare thy sins in his own body." [1]

So Luther's counsel is to first preach the true knowledge of ourselves before God and preach repentance; and from that preach Christ.  The Law should drive us to Christ and His finished work. "Faith therefore justifieth, because it apprehendeth and possesseth this treasure, even Christ present . . . By this means we are delivered from sin, justified and made inheritors of everlasting life; not for our own works and deserts, but for our faith, whereby we lay hold upon Christ." [1] 

So we ask Luther, "What role do good works play in this?"  He answers, "These are good works indeed, which flow out of this faith and this cheerfulness conceived in the heart, for that we have remission of sins freely by Christ." [1]

What comfort You give us, Father, in the Gospel.  Nothing in my hands I bring, simply to Thy Cross I cling.  If I were to hope for an ounce of salvation because of my goodness and work, I would be of all men, most miserable.  Father, I have not lived a millisecond of merit before Your eyes.  There is not a particle of perfection found in me. Apart from faith, imputation and justification I would be still on a road to eternal horror.  In Christ alone, my hope is found.  This is the only theology that leads to doxology.  This is the only truth that truly inspires music and dance.  All glory, honor and praise belong to You.  Now grant, Father, to me this day, enabling grace propelled by justifying grace, so that all the credit will go to You.  Amen and amen.

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1. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 2:15). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

Who Have You Been Listening To?

“For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, . . . “But when he who had set me apart before I was born, and who called me by his grace . . ..” (Galatians 1:13, 15, ESV).

Paul's aim was to establish the fact that after he was saved, he did not learn from men about the Gospel of the message he was supposed to proclaim. ". . . I did not immediately consult with anyone," [1] he writes.  But in his discussion he reminds the readers that he was a zealous Pharisee. He honored the Law.  Luther points out that Paul's agenda is that "if the righteousness of the law had been anything worth, [he] had not turned back from it: in the keeping whereof, notwithstanding, before [he] knew Christ [he] did so exercise [him]self, and so profit therein, that [he] excelled many of [his] companions of [his] own nation." [2] 

Paul describing his great salvation, bringing him from a persecutor of the Church to a proclaimer of the Gospel, now describes his early journey. 

“I did not go up to Jerusalem to see those who were apostles before I was, but I went into Arabia. Later I returned to Damascus. Then after three years, I went up to Jerusalem to get acquainted with Cephas and stayed with him fifteen days.” (Galatians 1:17–18, NIV)  

Luther understands Paul's trip to Arabia as a preaching mission.  "And here he witnesseth that straightway, after he was called by the grace of God to preach Christ among the Gentiles, he went into Arabia, without the advice of any man, to that work whereunto he was called." [2]  Others suggest Paul went into Arabia to be taught, alone, by God. [3]  I favor the latter.

It is in this testimony we get a hint of Paul's understanding of the sovereignty of God.  “But when God, who set me apart from my mother’s womb and called me by his grace, was pleased to reveal his Son in me so that I might preach him among the Gentiles, my immediate response was not to consult any human being.” (Galatians 1:15–16, NIV).  "This is an Hebrew phrase. As if he said: Which had sanctified, ordained, and prepared me. That is, God had appointed, when I was yet in my mother’s womb, that I should so rage against his Church, and that afterwards he would mercifully call me back again from the midst of my cruelty and blasphemy, by his mere grace, into the way of truth and salvation. To be short, when I was not yet born, I was an Apostle in the sight of God, and when the time was come, I was declared an Apostle before the whole world." [2]  It is here that Paul is dismissing any human intervention.  This is all of God! 

And the point of Paul's salvation is clearly stated: "To reveal God's Son."  "This is a doctrine quite contrary to the law, which revealeth not the Son of God, but it showeth forth sin, it terrifieth the conscience, it revealeth death, the wrath and judgment of God, and hell." [2]  The goal and aim of the Law versus the Gospel is different.  And the recipients of the Gospel always have a purpose.  For Paul this purpose was to preach to the Gentiles.

But in his defense of the origin of the Christian faith, Paul makes sure his readers know that he was not taught by humans nor did he have much contact with any human, but Peter. "Paul granteth that he was with the Apostles, but not with all the Apostles. Howbeit he declareth that he went up to Jerusalem to them, not commanded, but of his own accord, not to learn any thing of them, but only to see Peter." [2] He saw none of the apostles except Peter and James, and this he affirms by oath (Galatians 1:20).

Paul then describes his ongoing journeys "as though he would say: I appeal to the testimony of all the churches, yea even of those which are in Judaea; for the churches do witness, not only in Damascus, Arabia, Syria and Cilicia, but also in Judaea, that I have preached the same faith which I once withstood and persecuted." [2]

And then as a parting salvo, he writes, “And they praised God because of me.” (Galatians 1:24, NIV).

Father, in the midst of this passionate defense of where he went, who he saw, and what they said, we also understand the amazing blessings of the Gospel.  None of this we know upon our own conversion.  None of this is familiar to us until we learn of Your ways, in Your words.  That decision that we thought occurred because of our obvious impression and desire, we find, is all of God.  Thus far, not only is our salvation all of grace, but our lives and ministries have been prepared for us long before we were born.  What can we but do but join the folks in Syria and Cilicia and praise God for such a great and marvelous salvation.  

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1. The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. 2001 (Ga 1:16). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.

2. Luther, M. (1997). Commentary on Galatians (Ga 1:13). Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Systems, Inc.

3. KJV Bible Commentary. 1994 (E. E. Hindson & W. M. Kroll, Ed.) (2376). Nashville: Thomas Nelson.