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Studies in John 6, Part 2

2006-12-21T08:49:00.001-06:00

Drawn By the Father
Studies in John 6:1-51, Part 2

The signs Jesus worked were for the purpose of producing faith – of turning unbelievers into believers (cf., John 20:30-31). Though the Jews witnessed many wonderful works, they continued in their unbelief (John 6:36). Yes, they had sought after him but not because of the testimony of the signs, but because “they ate of the loaves and were filled” (vs. 26). The signs (especially the feeding of the 5,000) suggested they could use Jesus to secure their earthly situation. They were materialists – their minds were set on this life and they sought Jesus not as disciples who desire to imitate their teacher in word and deed, but because they saw in him one who could supply their earthly needs.

In an attempt to elevate their sights Jesus spoke to them about bread which endures to eternal life, about bread which gives life to the world. This bread was his to give, but only to those who worked for it – who “believe in Him” (vss. 27, 29). When they finally asked for this bread Jesus told them: (vs. 35) “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” But then he immediately says they could neither eat nor drink because they did not believe (vs. 36)

Jesus then says: (vs. 37a) “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me ….” This will be explained later in the discourse (vss. 44-46). However this much seems clear: Those coming to Jesus have been given to him by the Father. They are given before they come.

Regarding those who come, Jesus says: (vs. 37b) “… I will certainly not cast [them] out.” This will not happen because he came not to do his own will, but the will of the Father (vs. 38). The will of the Father is this: (vs. 39) “… that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day.” In verse 40 Jesus reiterates this and he explains what coming to the Son means. “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.” In this context the expression beholds the Son is more than merely looking at him. These people had seen Jesus, but they had not really seen him, they had seen his signs but they had not reflected upon their significance. Leon Morris, quotes R.F. Bailey who argues that the Greek theōrōn (beholds) should be rendered “contemplateth.” He maintains that theōrōn “‘implies not mere vision but grasping the significance of a thing, and so is the precursor of faith.’” (Morris, 369) This, then, is what it means to come to Jesus: to behold him – to grasp the significance of his words and works – and then to believe in Him on account of it. Such people, says the Lord, “will have eternal life, and … I will raise [them] up on the last day.”^¹

This assurance is meant to encourage his audience to take a closer look at him and to make coming to him appealing. But they would not be moved. These people were not interested in “words of eternal life” (vs. 68) but in temporal things, things of this world. Having their thinking bound by earthly interests they murmured about his words: (vs. 43) “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How does He now say, ‘I have come down out of heaven’?” Their earthbound thinking did not allow them to hear or see the Father’s testimony. Jesus tells them to stop their grumbling. How can they learn divine truth in such a condition? If they cannot learn they cannot come!

Earlier Jesus said: (vs. 37a) “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me.” In verses 44-45 this is now repeated and explained: “No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up on the last day. It is written in the prophets, 'AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.' Everyone who has heard and learned from the Father, comes to Me.”

Who will Jesus raise on the last day? All who come to him? But how shall they come to him? No one can come “unless the Father … draws him.” How are they drawn? They are drawn by teaching: (vs. 45) “It is written in the prophets, ‘AND THEY SHALL ALL BE TAUGHT OF GOD.’” But the men who were listening would not be taught! This was their problem! They heard his words, but they would not learn. “It is not enough to hear God's voice. He must heed it and learn it and do it” (A.T. Robertson, Word Pictures of the New Testament: vol. 5, 109). The individual who does this will come to Jesus. Not some of the time, not most of the time, but all of the time (White, 55).

All the Father gives to the Son shall come to him (vs. 37a). But who are these individuals but all who hear from the Father and learn from Him. These are the ones the Father gives to Jesus. No others are given and no others shall be allowed to come.

How does the God teach them? Jesus says that no one has seen the Father (vs. 46a). This teaching, therefore, is not done in person. How then is it done? Jesus says: no one “seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father.” The implication is that God teaches men through Jesus, who is from the Father and has seen Him.

This is not the first time in John’s gospel that we run across this idea. In his prologue, for example, he wrote: (John 1:18 ) “No one has seen God at any time; the only begotten God who is in the bosom of the Father, He has explained Him.”^² Jesus explains God. Through him men learn about the Father – who He is and what He requires. Through him one is taught of God hearing the words of God (vss 31-32, 34).

Throughout his earthly ministry Jesus argued that his words (teaching) and works were derived directly from the Father and adequate in leading men to believe in him (Harold Fowler, The Gospel of Matthew, vol 3, 492). In John 5:31-36 he argued:

If I alone testify about Myself, My testimony is not true. There is another who testifies of Me, and I know that the testimony which He gives about Me is true. You have sent to John, and he has testified to the truth. But the testimony which I receive is not from man, but I say these things so that you may be saved. He was the lamp that was burning and was shining and you were willing to rejoice for a while in his light. But the testimony which I have is greater than the testimony of John; for the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish--the very works that I do--testify about Me, that the Father has sent Me.

In John 14 he said:

(vss. 10-11) Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.

Through the message Jesus spoke and miracles he worked the Father was testifying – teaching the people (cf., John 10:25). His words and works were adequate in producing faith in those who heard and saw. Otherwise, how could Jesus have said that they would be held accountable for their unbelief?

(John 15:22-24) "If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well.”

The words and works that Jesus performed were adequate in producing faith in those who heard and saw. Through the message and miracles that Jesus worked God taught the people. The individual who rejects Jesus, in reality rejects the Father. Just my opinion? Listen to Jesus:

(John 12:44-45) … He who believes in Me, does not believe in Me but in Him who sent Me. He who sees Me sees the One who sent Me. … If anyone hears My sayings and does not keep them, I do not judge him; for I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world. He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day. For I did not speak on My own initiative, but the Father Himself who sent Me has given Me a commandment as to what to say and what to speak. I know that His commandment is eternal life; therefore the things I speak, I speak just as the Father has told Me.

All who are drawn by the Father are taught by Him through Jesus. To reject the teaching of Jesus is to reject the teaching of the Father. The Father gives those who hear and learn His teaching to Jesus; they will come to him and those who come – who believe – have eternal life.

Though they were resisting, Jesus wanted these Jews to come to him to have eternal life. They desperately needed the bread that was his to give, but they grumbled when he served it. They could not stomach the food that was intended to nourish their souls. But Jesus did not change the menu to keep them there. “If they wanted to eat from his hand, they had to hunger for the true and enduring grain” (Plain Talk, Vol. 7, No. 6 , August, 1970, Jim R. Everett, “My Soul Loatheth Fodder,” 3)

In vs. 47-51 he gives further clarification – further teaching from the Father concerning the “bread of life” metaphor. “At the beginning (vss. 47-48) Jesus combines reality (47) and figure (48), and thus again explains (as in 35 & 40) how one ‘eats’ of him” (Mott, 56) – by believing in him.

Jesus then speaks of the superiority of his bread to the “the manna in the wilderness” that so enamored the Jews. This was the bread they compared all other bread to, but it was deficient. Those who ate it died; every last one of them. But the bread Jesus gives is different. It gives life eternal to those who eat it (vs. 51a). In the latter part of vs. 51 Jesus attempts to take them “to the next stage of understanding with additional clarification of “the bread of life” (Mott, 57). He says: “and the bread also which I will give for the life of the world is My flesh.” This metaphor proved too much for these Jews who judged by carnal standards, who would not allow the Father to teach them. They were offended by these words and later they would be even more offended when he said they must eat his flesh and drink his blood or they would never have eternal life (vs. 53). They would say: (vs. 60) “This is a difficult statement; who can listen to it?” As a result of his words “many of his disciples withdrew and were not walking with Him anymore” (vs. 66).

Jesus said: (vs 51b) … the bread also which I give for the life of the world is My flesh.” To those of us who live on this side of the cross Jesus’ meaning should be clear: He was speaking about his sacrifice on the cross. Like the figure, the reality is offensive (cf., 1 Corinthians 1:18-25) to men who are prepared to judge by carnal standards. It makes no sense, it is foolishness. But this is what God has placed on the table, there is no other food! There is no other way to receive eternal life but through faith in the crucified Jesus (cf., 1 Corinthians 15:1-4).

Since the return of Jesus to heaven God draws men to him through the gospel of the crucified Lamb of God. Of this gospel Paul wrote: (Romans 1:16) “… it is the power of God for salvation….” “If man is ever saved, God must save him; and if God saves a man, he will do it with saving power. Think of the many manifestations of God’s power … in the physical world. We call them ‘laws of nature,’ but they are simply various powers of God. But God does not use these physical powers to save man. … [Always] remember that each power has its own sphere of operation, its one end to serve, and you will never make the mistake of thinking that God will save a person any way except through his saving power. That power is the gospel. If we do not let him save us by the gospel, we are doomed.” (R.L. Whiteside, Doctrinal Discourses, 75) For in the gospel, says Paul as we finish reading Romans 1:16, in this gospel “the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to (lit. in order to) faith. In other words, the gospel reveals that God justifies – forgives – the sinner by faith in order to produce faith in the sinner.

How does God declare a sinner righteous – forgiven – through faith? When that sinner turns from his sins in repentance and is baptized. For when believers asked what they must do to be saved (Acts 2:36) Peter said: (vs. 38) “"Repent, and each of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins; and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” Won’t you receive the word (the teaching) of God so that you will be saved? Won’t you be baptized? For the scriptures says: (vs. 42) “So then, those who received the word were baptized; and there were added that day about 3,000 souls.” Have you been baptized? If not, then you have yet to receive the word.

1 So that there will be no misunderstanding, beholds the Son and believes in Him are present participles indicating on going action. Those, therefore, who have beheld the Son in the past but who do not continue to behold him and those who have believed in him in the past but who do not continued to believe “cannot put a claim on Christ for eternal life” (White, 61). The very idea that it could be otherwise is absurd.

2 The Greek word translated explained is from the same root exegesis is derived from. John is saying that Jesus is the exegesis of the Father.

Studies in John 6

2006-12-11T14:33:00.000-06:00

Drawn By the Father

Studies in John 6:1-51, Part 1

The feeding of the 5,000 was just one more occasion where God testified to the Jews that Jesus is the one “of whom Moses in the Law and also the Prophets wrote.” As a result of this testimony the people said: (John 6:14) “This is truly the Prophet which is to come into the world.”

The Jews were already fiercely nationalistic. With the preaching of John and Jesus that “the kingdom of God is at hand” (Matthew 3:2; Mark 1:14-15) these nationalistic aspirations were inflamed. “Doubtless many of the people who saw the miracle felt that here was a divinely accredited leader, who was just the person to lead them against the Romans” (Leon Morris, The Gospel According to John, 346). The people were prepared to “take Him by force to make Him king” (vs. 15). “Like many others since, they wanted to use Him to further their own needs. But to Jesus the prospect of an earthly kingdom was nothing else than a temptation of the devil,” (Morris, 346) which he resisted on this occasion by dismissing the multitude and withdrawing into the mountain until he was alone (John 6:15; cf., Matthew 14:23-24).

But the multitudes would not be put off so easily! On the next day, after discovering he was no longer on their side of the lake they came to Capernaum seeking him (John 6:24). Finding him they asked: (vs. 25) “Rabbi, when did You get here?” Jesus ignores the question and challenges their motives for following him: (vs. 26) “… you seek Me, not because you saw signs, but because you ate of the loaves and were filled.” Of course these people recognized miracles had taken place, but they had not reflected upon the significance of them.

Miracles were not meant to satisfy the physical needs of the recipients. Of course they did this, but their primary purpose was to testify of Jesus. They were the Father’s testimony that he is that Prophet predicted by Moses. Of this Prophet Moses said: (Deuteronomy 18:15) “you shall listen to him.” Of this Prophet God also said: (vss. 19) “… whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him.” The people were not seeking him because the signs testified that he is this Prophet like Moses who would speak the words of God. They followed him for what they thought he could give them – food, health and even salvation from Rome. These “seekers” were materialists, being interested primarily in the things relating to this earthly life. They must raise their sights. So Jesus tells them: (vs. 27a) “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you….”

It is not wrong to labor for “food which perishes” (cf., 1 Timothy 5:3-4, 8; 2 Thessalonians 3:10-12) but we are making a huge mistake when this becomes our primary concern in life. The food grown in our gardens or purchased in grocery stores is perishable not only because it perishes when we use it but it perishes when we don’t use it. Furthermore, it cannot keep our physical bodies from perishing. Though it sustains us for a time, each one of us will die and our bodies will return to the dust from which is was taken.

There is another food, however, a “food which endures to eternal life.” It is food that does not perish with the using and it does not perish through neglect. It remains edible throughout all generations; but more significantly, it has the effect of producing a life that lasts forever to those who eat it. (Morris, 359) The vegetables and meat that we eat sustains our physical life, but only for a short time; but those who eat the food Jesus gives will “not die” (vs. 50).

Jesus offered this bread to men who would soon turn away from him: “Do not work for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of Man will give you….” This bread is a gift – a gift from Jesus. Jesus makes it clear, however, that it is not a gift without conditions. They must “work” for this food. Many find this strange for they have been told that men cannot co-operate with God in obtaining eternal life: It is ALL a work of God, there is nothing that you and I are required to do; in fact, there is nothing that we can do. Theologically, this doctrine is called monergism. But it was Jesus who said: “work ... for the food which endures to eternal life which the Son of man will give you.” Evidently, Jesus does not hold to monergism.

But why would his audience or anyone else have confidence that he could provide such wonderful food? In anticipation of such a question Jesus says: (vs. 27b) “… for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” This “seal” is a seal of authentication, like a hallmark. In ancient England those who thought they had articles of gold or silver would take them to the Goldsmith’s Hall in London to have them assayed. If they were proven to be genuine these articles would be given an official mark attesting to their genuineness and purity. God had sealed Jesus with a mark of authentication – a hallmark. What was this seal? It was the miracles he worked. Jesus said: (John 5:36) “… the works which the Father has given Me to accomplish – the very works that I do – testify about Me that the Father has sent Me.” On the day of Pentecost, while making his case that Jesus is “both Lord and Christ” Peter told his audience: (Acts 2:22) “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God (a man approved of God unto you, ASV) with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” These miracles are Father’s seal - the Father’s hallmark - guaranteeing the truthfulness of Jesus’ words and promises. Had Jesus come without this seal, men would have an excuse for their disobedience, but they have no excuse. For as Jesus said: (John 15:24b) “… they have seen and hated Me and My Father as well.”

Jesus says: I have bread to give to those who work for it – bread that endures to eternal life. We have confidence that he is able to supply such bread “for on Him the Father, God, has set His seal.” In response to the Jew asked: (vss. 28-29) “‘What shall we do, so that we may work the works of God?’ Jesus answered and said to them, ‘This is the work of God, that you believe in Him whom He has sent.’”

Faith is a “work of God.” By itself the expression “work of God” can mean either a work that God does or a work that God has commanded. Without dispute God gives faith, but He gives faith through the word of God: (Romans 10:17) “Faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ.” God gives faith, but He gives it indirectly – through the word of truth, the gospel. Those who contend that He gives it directly or through some other way are obliged to prove it.[1]

Having said this, however, I would like to point out that in John 6:29 – “the work of God” is not the work God does; instead, it is the work He commands. God commands men to believe “in Him who He has sent.” Furthermore, the faith commanded is not a once-for-all decision. For Greek word translated “believe” is in the present tense, denoting a continuing belief, an ongoing faith. So what is the work that God commands men who desire to receive the bread that Jesus gives? It is FAITH - an ongoing faith “in Him who He has sent.”

Jesus demanded a work from them, now they demand one from him; they even identify the kind of work they want him to perform. “What then do You do for a sign, so that we may see, and believe You. What work do You perform? Our fathers at the manna in the wilderness; as it is written, ‘He gave them bread out of heaven to eat.’” (vs. 30) “In a way this is a strange choice, for the multiplication of the loaves … seems to be a sign of exactly the same type. But [as these opponents of the Lord saw it, KM] it took place on one occasion: Moses gave the manna for forty years. Jesus gave bread to five thousand: Moses supplied manna to a whole nation. Jesus gave them ordinary bread, bread such as they ate every day: Moses gave ‘bread out of heaven…” (Morris, 362-363).

The Jews had already seen Jesus perform several “signs” (cf., vs. 26), yet they wanted more! Like thousands in every age they deceived themselves with the idea that if they had just a little more evidence – just one more sign – they would believe. In reality, Jesus could work no sign that would satisfy their desire for just one more sign. If there was ever an illustration of Paul’s words – (1 Corinthians 1:22) “Jews ask for signs” – this is it.

In response to their request Jesus said: (John 6:32-33) “Truly, truly, I say to you, it is not Moses who has given you the bread out of heaven, but it is My Father who gives you the true bread out of heaven. For the bread of God is that which comes down out of heaven, and gives life to the world.” The gift of manna was not a gift from Moses, but of the Father Himself. Secondly, the Father was even then giving “the true bread out of heaven,” bread that “gives life” not to Israel alone, but to the “the world.”

Jesus has made this bread seem desirable and so the Jews say: (vs. 34) “Lord, always give us this bread,” to which Jesus replied: (John 6:35) “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” Jesus is not only the giver of bread “which endures to eternal life” (vs. 27), but he himself is that bread. How does one eat this bread? Jesus said: “… he who comes to Me will not hunger … he who believes in Me will never thirst.”

Coming and believing refer to the same thing. These are not physical actions but spiritual. Furthermore these actions are not something that men do only once, but they are ongoing. To slightly paraphrase the Calvinist James White:

When Jesus describes the one who comes to Him and who believes in Him, He uses the present tenses to describe this coming, believing, or, in other passages, hearing or seeing. The present tense refers to a continuous, ongoing action. … The wonderful promises that are provided by Christ are not for those who do not … continually believe. The faith that saves is a living faith, a faith that always looks to Christ as Lord and Savior. …

Many in our world today want us to believe that we can accept Christ simply as a Savior from sin, but not as Lord of our lives. They teach essentially that a person can perform an act of believing on Christ once, and after this they can fall away even into total unbelief and yet still supposedly be ‘saved.’ Christ does not call men in this way. Christ does not save men in this way. The … [one who has eternal life, KM][2] is the one continually coming, always believing in Christ. … [Justifying][3] faith is an ongoing faith, not a one-time act. If one wishes to be eternally satiated, one meal is not enough. If we wish to feast on the bread of heaven, we must do so all our lives. We will never hunger or thirst if we are always coming and always believing in Christ. He is our sufficiency. Christ is the bread from heaven, We must feed on all of Christ, not just the parts that we happen to like. Christ is not the Savior of anyone unless He is their Lord as well.” (James White, Drawn By The Father, 19-20)

The Jews declared that they wanted “the true bread out of heaven” Jesus said: “… he who comes to Me will not hunger … he who believes in Me will never thirst.” But why did the people remain hungry? Why did they continue to thirst? It was as Jesus said: (vs. 36) “… you have seen Me, and yet do not believe.”

The people demanded a sign so that they could “see” and “believe” (vs. 30), but they had already seen him and they were still seeing him and yet they did not believe. They ask for another sign, but as McGarvey wrote: “If one refused to believe in the sun when he sees its light, feels its heat and witnesses its life-giving power, by what sign will you demonstrate to him the existence of the sun?” (J. W. McGarvey and Philip Y. Pendleton, The Fourfold Gospel, vs. 36) When a man rejects the signs that the Father gave Jesus to perform – the signs that were meant to authenticate his claims, his teachings and his promises – what sign can Jesus perform to bring him to the point of faith?

To be continued.

[1] It is through faith in Jesus that we are given life (cf., John 20:30-31) – that we are born into the family of God (cf., Galatians 3:26; John 1:12). Thus one should not be surprised to read that God regenerates men – causes them to be born again – through the “word of faith” – the gospel (1 Peter 1:22-25; James 1:18; cf. 1 Corinthians 4:15 and Philemon 10). Those who contend that one is born again without the gospel are also obliged to prove it.

[2] The original words are: “The true Christian is the one ….”

[3] The original words are: “Real Christian faith is ….”

The Beginning of Sin and Death

2006-06-20T12:00:00.000-05:00

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. In addition to everything else, this means that they entered the world they, like God, were upright (cf., Ecc. 7:29) God placed them placed in “a garden toward the east, in Eden.” (Gen. 2:8) Their task was simple: “... cultivate it [the garden] and keep it.” (vs. 15) They had but one prohibition: “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Being in the image of God, man possessed the liberty to obey or to disobey.

As far as the Biblical account is concerned, the very first time that Satan tempted the man, man sinned. The manner in which he did this “in the beginning” is the same way that he tempts man today: he appeals to the lust of the eyes, the lust of the flesh and the vainglory or pride of life (cf., 1 John 2:16).

(Genesis 3:1-4) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?” The woman said to the serpent, “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'“ The serpent said to the woman, “You surely will not die!"

Satan did not approach the woman as an enemy; he disguised himself as a friend – “as an angel of light.” (2 Cor. 11:14). In his concern for the Corinthians over their willingness to tolerate those who did not preach the same Jesus and the same gospel that he had preached when he was first among them, Paul wrote that he was afraid that what had happen to Eve would happen to them.

(2 Corinthians 11:3) But I am afraid that, as the serpent deceived Eve by his craftiness, your minds will be led astray from the simplicity and purity of devotion to Christ."

Through his craftiness, “the serpent deceived Eve” (cf., 1 Tim. 2:14) leading her away from God and in this same way he was well able to lead the Corinthians away from Christ. How did the devil deceive Eve? “He did so by using incentive, enticement, inducement, motive (Gen. 3:1-6).” (Larry Ray. Hafley, Watchman, “How Do God and Satan Influence Us?” Online:

(Genesis 3:1-6) Now the serpent was more crafty than any beast of the field which the LORD God had made. And he said to the woman, "Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?" The woman said to the serpent, "From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat; but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.'" The serpent said to the woman, "You surely will not die! "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil." When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate.

(As an aside, this is the origin of the doctrine that a child of God can sin and not die. Adam was indeed a child of God - Luke 3:38)

Satan began the process of drawing man from God by asking Eve a question: (Gen 3:1) “Indeed, has God said, 'You shall not eat from any tree of the garden'?” At the very least this question was meant to plant a seed in her heart that God was too restrictive. In her response the woman said that God placed only one restriction upon them – “... from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” Some have accused Eve of adding to the law of God. If so, she committed a heinous sin even before she ate of the fruit. The Bible, however, does not affirm this. Biblically speaking, the sin of Eve and Adam is associated only with the eating of the tree, not with adding to the word of God and it is there that we should leave this matter (cf., Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible, Gen. 3:2-3; John Gill, The New John Gill Exposition of the Entire Bible, Gen 3:3. Online: ).

The woman speaks of God’s liberality: “From the fruit of the trees of the garden we may eat.” There was but one restriction: “... from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, 'You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.” The devil does not challenge that God had given such a restriction, but he takes issue with Him with regards to the consequence of that eating. He charges Jehovah with lying: (vs. 4) “The serpent said to the woman, 'You surely will not die!'” Only one word was added that changed the whole counsel of God with regard to this tree. The word “not” Furthermore, Satan lead the woman to believe that the Lord was keeping them in ignorance because He did not want anyone else to be as wise as He: (vss. 4b-5) “'You surely will not die! For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.'”
Having planted in the heart of Eve distrust of the Lord. Satan utilized her lust to finish the job. The fruit had three attractive qualities: it was pleasing (attractive) to her eyes, it was good for food and it would make her wise like God. Everything about the fruit of this tree presented a strong appeal. At that “moment it was the most desirable thing in the world. The only thing to hinder her from eating that fruit was her respect for the word of God and her fear of the consequences of eating it; but the serpent had ... destroyed these restraints ... she was now ready to follow the devil instead of God. (Whiteside, Genesis - Deuteronomy, 21)

The scripture says: (Genesis 3:6) When the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was a delight to the eyes, and that the tree was desirable to make one wise, she took from its fruit and ate; and she gave also to her husband with her, and he ate. Eve was beguiled; Adam was not: (1 Timothy 2:14) “And it was not Adam who was deceived, but the woman being deceived, fell into transgression.” Adam did not believe the devil's lie. Nevertheless, he sinned through the strong persuasion of his wife. This is evident from what the Lord told him in Gen. 3:17: “Because you have listened to the voice of your wife, and have eaten from the tree about which I commanded you, saying, 'You shall not eat from it'....” John reminds us: “sin is lawlessness” – “the transgression of the law.” (1 John 3:4) It doesn't matter if this lawless behavior is done with a high hand – with one's eyes open, like Adam – or if it is transgression is the result of being deceived – like Eve. Previously, God told them that in the day that they ate of the tree they would die (Gen. 2:17); and die they did. On that very day they found themselves separated from God; for that's what spiritual death is – separation from God. (Isaiah 59:1-2) "Behold, the LORD'S hand is not so short That it cannot save; Nor is His ear so dull That it cannot hear. But your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, And your sins have hidden His face from you so that He does not hear." And this separation manifested itself ...

1. In shame

(Genesis 3:7) Then the eyes of both of them were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together and made themselves loin coverings.

Aware of their nakedness and stripped of their innocence the man and the woman sought to cover their shame – to hide it – by aprons of their own devising made from fig leaves. This proved too inadequate. As Homer Hailey rightly says: “All false religions are efforts by man to provide his own covering for sin.”

2. In fear

(Genesis 3:8-10) They heard the sound of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and the man and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God among the trees of the garden. Then the LORD God called to the man, and said to him, "Where are you?" He said, “I heard the sound of You in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid myself.”

Prior to this the man and his wife were in communion with God, but sin changed this. Now they were afraid of Him – afraid for Him to see them. So Adam and Eve attempted to hide themselves from their God. But no man can hide from Jehovah!

(Psalm 139:12) Even the darkness is not dark to You, and the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You.
(Jeremiah 23:24) “Can a man hide himself in hiding places So I do not see him?” declares the LORD. “Do I not fill the heavens and the earth?” declares the LORD.
(Hebrews 4:13) And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do.

There is one other point that needs to be made about fear. Through long indulgence the sinner may become so hardened by sin that he ceases to fear the Lord. Paul spoke of such people when he wrote: (Romans 3:18) “THERE IS NO FEAR OF GOD BEFORE THEIR EYES.”

3.· In an unwillingness to take responsibility.

(Genesis 3:11-13) And He said, "Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree of which I commanded you not to eat?" The man said, "The woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate." Then the LORD God said to the woman, "What is this you have done?" And the woman said, "The serpent deceived me, and I ate."

Did you notice that both Adam and Eve confessed their sins, but with an excuse attached to it? Adam said: Yes, I ate, but it was “the woman whom You gave to be with me, she gave me from the tree, and I ate.”
Eve said: Yes, I ate, but “the serpent deceived me.” Instead of confessing their sin and pleading for mercy, both sought to justify themselves by shifting the blame to another. “In blaming another each laid the blame ultimately on God. If God had not given him woman, he would not have sinned; therefore, Adam reasoned that God was to blame. If God had not put the tree there or had not made the serpent whom the Devil used, the woman would not have sinned; therefore, Eve concluded that, again God was to blame. From that eventual moment this has been the cry of sinners in rebellion against God. If God had not made me thus and so, I would not have sinned; therefore, I am not to blame. God's answer throughout the Bible is that man is responsible for his own sins. God points to the right way, but man prefers his own way. Only a moral coward would seek to blame another for that which he alone is responsible.” (Hailey, 23) And sin has made moral cowards out of each of us!

It is evil when we justify ourselves even as we confess our sins, to admit to sin but in the same breath indicate that someone else caused it. When we sin we must take the responsibility without excuses. Excuses only hinder repentance. Therefore, confess your sins so that you can obtain forgiveness.

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

Man - Created in the Image of God

2006-06-19T05:53:00.000-05:00

Unlike the plant and animal life, only man was created in the image of God The scripture says: (Genesis 1:27) “God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” In Psalm 8 David speaks of man’s elevation over the rest of creation.

(vss 3-9) When I consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained; what is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him? Yet You have made him a little lower than God, and You crown him with glory and majesty! You make him to rule over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet, all sheep and oxen, and also the beasts of the field, the birds of the heavens and the fish of the sea, whatever passes through the paths of the seas. O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is Your name in all the earth!

“What is man? God was so mindful of him as to exalt him to a position next to himself, giving him dominion over all things of earth. No man therefore should abuse himself, as if he were a being of no importance, nor should he trespass on the person or rights of his fellow man. Human life is sacred.” (R.L. Whiteside, Bible Studies, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 15)

Man was and continues to enter the world in the image of God (cf. James 3:9). But what does this mean? Since we have a physical body does God also have one – a body made of flesh and bones? Admittedly, the words image and likeness are often used with reference to external similarities. However, it is evident from what the Jesus has said about God and about spirit, that He is neither flesh nor bones. For “God is spirit” (John 4:24) and “a spirit does not have flesh and bones” (Luke 24:39). Therefore, when the Bible says: “God created man in his own image” it cannot mean that man is made in the physical image of God for God has no such image. And so we are still made to wonder: What is the image of God?

“Possessing the capacity to subdue, use and exercise dominion over creation about him is one mark of man's God-likeness. In this he bears the image of His maker. No other creature has the power to make all nature's elements subservient to his use; no other creature has such God-like capacities.” (Homer Hailey, From Creation to the Day of Eternity, 21-22) But the image of God includes more than this. “God has intelligence ... and emotion; he knows ... loves, hates. Man also has intelligence ... and emotions; he has the power to know ... to love, to hate. And as God has, so man has, the power of speech.” (Robert L. Whiteside, Bible Studies, vol. 1, 15) In addition to these things, like his Maker man possesses the freedom to make moral choices – the freedom of his own will to choose good or evil.

In creation God made many robots; man, however, is not one of them! Some of God's robots are animate – fish, fowl, beasts of the field; while others are inanimate – planets, trees, grass. “An animal is no less a robot than a star, being programmed by instinct to act only according to its species, even as a star wanders according to the laws of the universe. A spawning salmon returns unerringly to the place of its birth, not because it chooses to do so, but because it cannot choose to do otherwise, driven by instinct. A blade of grass or a flower springs forth, withers and dies, having no choice ... to bloom or not to bloom. Such creatures never weigh alternatives and choose a direction based on free, moral choice. 'Free' in this context is 'absence of external compulsion,' action that spontaneously erupts from its subject. 'Moral' denotes the 'ability to know right from wrong.' Man is a free, moral creature and unique in that he is the only such creature on earth!” (Tom Roberts, Watchman, “Free Will,” Nov. 2001. Online: http://www.watchmanmag.com/0111/011101.htm)

Adam and Eve were created in the image of God. In addition to what has already been said, this means that like God they too were pure and upright in character. (cf., Ecc. 7:29) God placed them placed in “a garden toward the east, in Eden.” (Gen. 2:8) Their task was simple: “... cultivate it [the garden] and keep it.” (vs. 15) They had but one prohibition: “From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you shall surely die” (Gen. 2:16-17). Whether they would live or die was now in their hands.

The Beginning of Marriage

2006-06-16T06:40:00.000-05:00

Genesis one and two also speak about the beginning of marriage. On the 6th day, after the creation of man, God said: (vs. 18) "It is not good for the man to be alone; I will make him a helper suitable for him." Adam did not find this help from what had already been created – a dog or a cat or a bird or even some kind of an ape or monkey. As precious as certain animals may be to us, none of them can be called a helper suitable for man. Once Adam had an opportunity to learn this, God created the woman.

(Genesis 2:21-25) So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place. The LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man. The man said, "This is now bone of my bones, and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." For this reason a man shall leave his father and his mother, and be joined to his wife; and they shall become one flesh. And the man and his wife were both naked and were not ashamed.

The woman and the woman alone can be called “a helper suitable” for man. Only she can be his helper in every aspect of his life. She would reign at his side, not serve at his feet. As a unit they were told to subdue the earth "and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth."

Furthermore, as husband and wife they were authorized to bring forth children. (Genesis 1:28) God blessed them; and God said to them, “Be fruitful and multiply, and fill the earth….” Though a man and a woman don’t have to be married to have children, they have no right from God to have children together unless they are married. Outside of the marriage all sex is sin! When two unmarried individuals have sex it is fornication. When a person who is married has sex with someone other than his/her marriage partner, it is adultery. But whether it be adultery or fornication this is what God says about it: (Hebrews 13:4) "Marriage is to be held in honor among all, and the marriage bed is to be undefiled; for fornicators and adulterers God will judge."

Another thing we learn about marriage is that it is between a man and a woman not a man and a man or a woman and a woman. Even if MN or MA or WI or VT or any other State decides to legalize marriages between homosexuals, even if the supreme court of our land decides that such marriages are constitutional, they will never be right before God. For homosexuality is a perversion of nature and homosexuals like fornicators and adulterers cannot inherit the kingdom of heaven.

(1 Corinthians 6:9-10) "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."

Two other things need to be mentioned, First of all, God never intended for men or for women to have a multitude of wives or husbands at the same time. Marriage is between ONE man and ONE woman. Every other sort of marriage is a perversion. As it says in the NT: (1 Corinthians 7:2) “… each man is to have his own wife, and each woman is to have her own husband.”

Secondly, God never intended that marriage end by divorce. Divorce, not homosexual marriage, is the greatest threat to the marriage institution. We live in a age when people believe that it is their right to divorce for any cause at all, but this is not what Jesus says. When he was asked: "Is it lawful for a man to divorce his wife for any reason at all?" he said:

(Matthew 19:4-6) “Have you not read that He who created them from the beginning MADE THEM MALE AND FEMALE, and said, 'FOR THIS REASON A MAN SHALL LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER AND BE JOINED TO HIS WIFE, AND THE TWO SHALL BECOME ONE FLESH'? So they are no longer two, but one flesh. What therefore God has joined together, let no man separate.”

And so is ALL divorce sin? Yes unless the divorce is the result of fornication. For Jesus also said: (Matthew 19:9) "... whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery."

Many are willing and ready to take a stand against homosexuality and against homosexual marriage, but are we as prepared to take as strong of a stand against divorce? Are we as prepared to teach our family and friends "whoever divorces his wife, except for immorality, and marries another woman commits adultery"? I fear that we are not! But as for me, I will serve the Lord and you are invited to join me in this service.

"In the beginning...."

2006-06-15T09:04:00.000-05:00

The word genesis means “origin” or “coming into being.” Thus one would expect the book of Genesis to be about origins and it is. In the first three chapters, for example, there is the record of the beginning of the heavens and the earth, vegetable and animal life, the human race, marriage, sin and the first promise of the One who would rescue men from the consequences of their sin. Genesis was written by Moses and is the only authoritative history of that period.

Genesis addresses the beginning of all material things that make up what we call the heavens and the earth: “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” The heavens and the earth have not always existed – they are not eternal; they had a beginning and the beginning was God - “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” In one brief sentence, with no effort toward embellishment, the greatest material accomplishment known to men is told. “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” I agree with R.L Whiteside who wrote: This “statement itself bears the stamp of inspiration, for uninspired men use many words in telling of the beginning of anything they consider important.” (Bible Studies, Genesis-Deuteronomy, 11)

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.” This takes us to the “time” before the six days of creation; how far back we cannot know and it would be vain to speculate. But we do know this, before the six days of creation began, the earth was not like it is now. For the text says: (vs. 2) “The earth was formless and void,” that is, it was in a state of chaos – utter confusion – and desolation. Furthermore “darkness was over the surface of the deep.” Here, then, is what we have on the day when God created the heavens and the earth: The earth was a chaotic mass undistinguished from the firmament (cf., vss. 6-8) and unformed; it was covered by “the deep” - an abyss of waters – which was wrapped in darkness. But it was not destined to remain in this chaotic state. According to Genesis one, within a time frame six consecutive days, the chaos was turned into order and plant and animal life as we now know it came into existence.

Many find the story of Genesis one to an unbelievable story. “How can it be true that in six twenty-four hour days chaos could be turned into order and all plant and human life as we now know it created? Hasn’t science proven Genesis one to false – to be just a myth, not to be taken seriously?” The short answer is “NO!” Nothing that science has learned proves the hypothesis of macroevolution; nothing that it has discovered proves that the story of Genesis one is anything less than a true account of the creation of all physical things.

But returning to record, we learn that all material things came into being through the fiat of God. Fiat is a Latin word that means: let it be done or let it be; and so we read throughout Genesis one where God says: “let there be light … let there be an expanse … let the waters … be gathered into one place … let us make man in Our image, according to our likeness” and so on. What God willed to happen happened and this is expressed by words like “and it was so.” He said: “‘let there be light,’ and there was light … ‘let there be an expanse’ … and it was so … ‘let the waters … be gathered together into one place’ … and it was so.”

Though we marvel at the complexity of the universe and the power that must have been necessary to bring it all about, it was nothing to God; He willed it “and it was so.” The ease with which God accomplished the creation is specifically addressed in the 33rd Psalm 33: (vs. 6) “By the word of the LORD the heavens were made, and by the breath of His mouth all their host.” No wonder the Psalmist admonishes the whole earth to “fear the Lord … to stand in awe of Him” (vs. 8). “For He spoke, and it was done; He commanded, and it stood fast.” (vs. 9) There is no other who is like the Lord, the God who created all things. Only He can say: (Isa 45:12) “It is I who made the earth, and created man upon it. I stretched out the heavens with My hands and I ordained all their host.” For Him to have turned chaos into order and to create all forms of physical life in six consecutive twenty-four hour days was nothing to Him.

When people say that they find the story of Genesis one to an incredible story – that God did all of this in six consecutive days, I am tempted to tell them that I do too. I find it incredible that the all-powerful God took the better part of a week to accomplish what He could have done in a blink of an eye? “Why did it take Him so long?” is my question. God does not tell us and I, as a Christian, refuse to speculate. Instead, I believe because the Bible tells me so. “By faith we understand that the worlds were prepared by the word of God, so that what is seen was not made out of things which are visible.” (Heb 11:3)

Genesis one also tells of God’s satisfaction with the work of His hands: “And God saw that it was good.” The first time such a statement is made is with respect to the light: (vs. 4) “God saw that the light was good.” Finally, after all His will has been accomplished with regard to the creation, we are told: (vs. 31) “God saw all that He had made, and behold, it was very good.” God was satisfied with the work of His hands for it was precisely what He wanted it to be. (Edward Young, In the Beginning, 16) “It was very good.”

The Lord willing, in my next blog I will write about the beginning of marriage.

Belief Is Essential, But Belief Is Not Enough

2006-05-12T16:41:00.000-05:00

After feeding the five thousand with the five barely loaves and two fish John writes: (John 6:14-15) Therefore when the people saw the sign which He had performed, they said, “This is truly the Prophet who is to come into the world.” So Jesus, perceiving that they were intending to come and take Him by force to make Him king, withdrew again to the mountain by Himself alone. This miracle – along with all the others – clearly demonstrated that Jesus was the Messiah, the Prophet that Moses had spoken of in Deut. 18. Who else could He be? But it is not enough to be convinced that Jesus is “truly the Prophet” spoken of in the book of Moses. For concerning this prophet God said: (Deut 18:18-19) … I will put My words in his mouth, and he shall speak to them all that I command him. It shall come about that whoever will not listen to My words which he shall speak in My name, I Myself will require it of him. This Prophet would speak the word of God and God expected that word to be listened to – obeyed. Peter confirms this Acts 3 when he said to the Jews: (vss. 22-23) Moses said, “THE LORD GOD WILL RAISE UP FOR YOU A PROPHET LIKE ME FROM YOUR BRETHREN; TO HIM YOU SHALL GIVE HEED to everything He says to you. And it will be that every soul that does not heed that prophet shall be utterly destroyed from among the people.” It has never been enough to only believe that Jesus is the Prophet like Moses, the King spoken of in prophecy (cf., John 2:23-25; 12:42). The believer must be prepared to accept whatever teaching He might present; even if it contradicts his preconceived notions or long held beliefs.

In the days of His earthly sojourn many were compelled to believe on Him because of the miracles He worked. But most of these unprepared to listen to his teaching – to abide in whatever He would say. This is aptly illustrated in John 8. In vs. 32 we learn that as spoke “many came to believe in Him.” It was in response to this faith that Jesus said the following: (vs. 32) “If you continue in My word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth, and the truth will make you free.”“If you continue in My word", said the Lord, “then you are truly disciples of Mine.” Jesus did not speak these words to unbelievers but to men who had come “to believe in Him.” Their faith, though absolutely required, could not set them free by itself; while standing alone their faith was useless (cf., Jas 2:20). So Jesus tells them that along with faith they must “continue in [His] word.” Those believers who do this “are truly His disciples” and they will know the truth,” and made free by it. But notice how unprepared these believers were to accept this saying: (John 8:33) “They answered Him, ‘We are Abraham's descendants and have never yet been enslaved to anyone; how is it that You say, “You will become free”’?” Instead of receiving His word with submissiveness, they challenged the truthfulness of His words.

To be a true disciple the believer must persevere in Jesus' word no matter how much it contradicts his cherished beliefs; even the apostles needed to learn this. Peter, for example, after making his wonderful confession that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, was offended when the Lord said that He (Matt 16:21) “must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day.” This doesn’t make any sense to the apostle – how could this happen to Jesus, the Messiah and Son of God – and so he takes the Lord aside and rebukes “saying, ‘God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You.’” With regard to the purposes of God with regard His Messiah, Peter thought that his conception of that purpose was clearer than the Lord Jesus. The Lord’s response to this was scathing: (vs. 23) "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Here is wisdom dear brethren and friends: Believers must learn once and for all that no man may confess that Jesus is the Messiah, the Prophet like Moses “and still permit himself the luxury of disagreeing with whatever in His message does not suit his taste, views and hopes. This very disagreement with the Lord of all the earth and heaven is nothing less than minding the things of men at the expense of the will, purposes, plans and methods of God.” (Harold Fowler, The Gospel of Matthew, vol. 3, p. 541) Peter needed to learn this and so do we! In Mark Jesus goes on to the teach about the cost of discipleship and concludes the teaching with these words: (Mark 8:38) “For whoever is ashamed of Me and My words in this adulterous and sinful generation, the Son of Man will also be ashamed of him when He comes in the glory of His Father with the holy angels.”

No man can be saved in his unbelief. But contrary to our Calvinist friends no man will ever be saved by his faith alone.

Sound Doctrine

2006-05-08T18:34:00.000-05:00

Last week I received an email from an individual who watches one of our weekly programs on PACT. In the email he expressed his frustration of not being able to find a church in the greater Duluth area that teaches correct doctrine; he also made some comments about the new birth. But for the moment, here are my remarks about “correct doctrine.”

You said that you are “having trouble finding a church that teaches correct doctrine. Not legalism but doctrine.” I understand what you are saying. Sadly, many are persuaded that it is legalistic to insist upon pure doctrine. Yet, when one examines the scriptures it is clear that in the first century churches loyal to God were also loyal to “the apostles’ doctrine (teaching)” (Acts 2:42). It is their doctrine/teaching that we must be interested in; one cannot be loyal to Christ without being loyal to them – to their teaching. Jesus taught this in John 15:20 when He told the apostles: (John 15:20) "Remember the word that I said to you, 'A slave is not greater than his master.' If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also.” In his first epistle John declared that our fellowship with God is determined by whether or not we remain in fellowship with him and his inspired companions. Having warned his readers about false prophets and encouraged them to test the spirits to see whether or not they are from God, John gives three tests; all of which are essential.

1. Who does the spirit confess? - (1 John 4:2-3) By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God….

2. Are they of the world – do they act on its principles, do they live for it? - (1 John 4:5) They are from the world; therefore they speak as from the world, and the world listens to them.

3. Do they listen to the apostles? - (1 John 4:6) We are from God; he who knows God listens to us; he who is not from God does not listen to us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error.

This last test, especially, makes it clear that one knows God – has an intimate relationship with Him – only as he listen to the apostles. We must remain in the apostles’ doctrine. Apart from this, how cannot be in fellowship with Jesus and the Father (cf., 1 John 1:1-4).

The Father's Testimony With Regard To Jesus - The Miracles

2006-05-05T09:37:00.000-05:00

“A large crowd was following Him, because they saw the signs which He was performing …” (John 6:2) These “signs” were “the works” which the Lord had spoken of in the last chapter – the works that testified about Him, “that they Father” had sent Him (5:36). Nicodemus and his associates understood the significance of these works. For when he came to Jesus he said: (3:2) “… ‘Rabbi, we know that you have come from God sent as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”
The man who was born blind but was given sight by the Lord also understood the significance of His works. In response to the Jews who said, even in the face of great miracles, that they did not know where Jesus was from, this man said: (9:30-34) “Well, here is an amazing thing, that you do not know where He is from, and yet He opened my eyes. We know that God does not hear sinners; but if anyone is God-fearing and does His will, He hears him. Since the beginning of time it has never been heard that anyone opened the eyes of a person born blind. If this man were not from God, He could do nothing.”

In John 10 the Jews asked the Lord: “How long will You keep us in suspense? If You are the Christ, tell us plainly.” In His response Jesus said: “I told you, and you do not believe the works that I do in My Father’s name, these testify of Me” (vss. 24-25). Further on in the chapter he said: “If I do not do the works of My Father, do not believe Me; but if I do them, though you do not believe Me, believe the works, so that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (vss. 37-38). The works – the miracles – that Jesus performed were the Father’s testimony that Jesus was truly the Messiah. As Peter told the Jews on Pentecost: (Act 2:22) “Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene, a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst, just as you yourselves know.” God worked these miracles through Jesus to demonstrate that He was truly sent by Him; through the miracles God exhibited to the people that Jesus was indeed the Messiah.

To be sure, many who heard His message and saw His miracles were unwilling to believe that Jesus was the Messiah, the Son of God. Does this mean, then, that God’s testimony is somehow deficient; that men are left with an excuse to remain in unbelief? Hardly! While preparing His apostles for the persecution that they would eventually face, Jesus said: (John 15:21-24) "But all these things they will do to you for My name's sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me. If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well." They would have an excuse for their unbelief if Jesus had not spoken to them and if He not “done among them the works which no one else did;” But as it is, Jesus did these things and so “they have no excuse for their sin!” They have no excuse for their unbelief and neither do we, when faced with the evidence. No, we have not seen these miracles with our eyes and neither have we heard the actual voice of the Lord, but His words and works have been recorded; and through what has been written can possess the faith that gives one the power – the right – to become a child of God (cf., John 1:12). For it is written: (John 20:30-31) “… many other signs Jesus also performed in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these have been written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing you may have life in His name.”

Kieran Murphy
First Principles

What Does It Take To Be A REAL Christian?

2006-05-04T14:46:00.000-05:00

In preparation for some evangelistic work that the congregation is planning for the summer, I have dusted off an article that I wrote while working with the church in Tyngsboro, MA. Here it is.

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Many in our society consider themselves Christians often for very different reasons. If you were to conduct a mini-opinion poll among 10 neighbors asking: “What does it take to be a REAL Christian?” you might get 10 different answers.

What is the biblical definition of a Christian? According to Acts 11:26 a Christian is a disciple of Christ. For “the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.” In the New Testament, no other group of people is ever referred to as Christians. But what exactly is a “disciple” and at what point does one become a disciple of Christ?

A “disciple” is a learner, a student. In ancient times a person would attach himself to some teacher, following him around the country, learning all that he could from him. But in addition to the learning process, “there was the necessity of the disciple adopting the philosophy, practices and way of life of his teacher.” (The Zondervan Pictorial Encyclopedia of the Bible, D-G, p. 130) Thus, a “disciple” of Karl Marx would not only know what Marx taught, but would strive to live in accordance with his teachings. Likewise, a “disciple” of Jesus not only knows the teaching of Jesus, but also abides in those teachings. This is exactly how the Lord describes his disciples in the gospel of John: (8:31-32) “Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, `If you abide in My word, you are My disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall made you free.”

Disciples of Christ are devoted to learning the teachings of Jesus. Hence they read and study the New and reliable record of His life and teachings. But disciples do more than learn facts; they also strive live in harmony with His teachings. In word and in deed they seek to live by what He says. (Colossians 3:17) Such determination often requires great sacrifices. It might even result in family problems. But Jesus has said that unless one is willing to make such a sacrifice he cannot be one of His disciples: (Matthew 10:34-39) “Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For 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’; and ‘a man's enemies will be those of his own household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.”

But at what point in time does one actually become a disciple of Jesus - a Christian? Jesus had something to say about this in Matthew 28:18-20:
“All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

The main burden of the Lord's commission was to “make disciples of all the nations.” But Jesus attaches two clauses that modify “make disciples,” explaining how disciples are made – “baptizing them” and “teaching them.” Hence, two things are involved in the process of making Christians: baptism (immersion) “into the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit” and “teaching them to observe all things” that Jesus had commanded.

As was stated in the beginning, if one were to conduct a poll among 10 friends asking: “What does it take to be a REAL Christian?” he might get 10 different answers. But as we have seen there is only one right answer to the question. A Christian is a disciple of Christ – a believer who has been baptized (immersed) into the name of Jesus and is committed to obey everything that He has commanded.

In conclusion, I would like to ask: “Are you a REAL Christian?”

Kieran Murphy
First Principles

A word study: immorality, impurity and sensuality. - 4/11/06

2006-05-02T21:51:00.000-05:00

Immorality is a poor translation of the Greek word PORNEIA. Granted immorality may be PORNEIA, but in today’s English immorality may also be killing baby seals and driving an SUV. The better word to translate PORNEIA is fornication, for it leaves us in no doubt as to the kind of immorality that keeps one out of the kingdom of God – sexual intercourse with one whom you are not lawfully married to (cf., Arndt and Gingrich, 699-700; Thayer, 531-532).

The Greek word AKATHARSIA translated impurity (uncleanness, NKJV) was used in several different ways by the Greeks and in the sacred writings: 1) of physical and material dirt, 2) of physical, ritual and ceremonial impurity. When a person became unclean either in the physical, ritual or ceremonial sense, he could not approach God. He could not enter the temple, or share in its worship and 3) of moral impurity which is inconsistent with personal purity. The Lutheran commentator RCH Lenski says that in Galatians 5 AKATHARSIA is: “… broader [than fornication, KM] and includes not only the other sexual aberrations but all that leads to them – the whole mass of this filth.” (Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, 285) The Presbyterian commentator William Hendriksen says AKATHARSIA is a comprehensive word that “includes not only uncleanness in deeds, but also in words, thoughts, and desires of the heart.” (Galatians, 219) In his Greek-English Lexicon Thayer says AKATHARSIA is: “… unbridled lust, excess, licentiousness, lasciviousness, wantonness, outrageousness, shamelessness …; wanton (acts or) manners, as filthy words, indecent bodily movements, unchaste handling of males and females, etc.” According to this, mutual masturbation (including oral sex) as well as certain kinds of dancing would fall under the category of AKATHARSIA; and so would filthy words and filthy thoughts.

Finally there is the third word - ASELGEIA - translated sensuality (NASB), lasciviousness (AV) and lewdness (NKJB) and debauchery (NIV). ASELGEIA is a love of sin so reckless and audacious that a man has ceased to care what God or man thinks of his actions. John MacArthur adds: (ASELGEIA) "refers to the person who is ... not shocked by his own sin--he has no sense of decency or shame." In his commentary Lenski says ASELGEIA is to have all restraint removed “…plunging onward like a runaway horse; it is here associated with sex. As uncleanness (AKATHARSIA, KM ) spreads in all directions, so this third rushes on through to the limit and lets no consideration halt its course.”

When used in connection with drink (cf., Rom 13:13, Gal 5:19-21, and 1 Pet 4:3) ASELGEIA refers to a person whose self-indulgence and lack of restraint gives way to ribald drunkenness. When used in connection with greed (PLEONEXIA) it is a greed which is out of control (cf., Mark 7:22, 2 Pet 2:2-3; Eph 4:19). When used in the context of sexual sins (as in our text in Gal 5:19, but see also 2 Pet 2:18; 2 Cor 12:21), the person given over to ASELGEIA - sensuality, lasciviousness - has "no more shame than an animal in gratifying his or her sexual desire." (John MacArthur)

I hope this brief study has been enlightening. I wish I would have had this information in my youth!

Kieran Murphy
Category: Godly Ethics

The works of the flesh are evident ... - 4/7/06

2006-05-02T21:45:00.000-05:00

As I sit in Bixby's preparing for my gospel meeting in Pine City, MN (April 16-21) I have been reminded once again of the terrible consequences that will befall the children of God when they continue to have "the mind set on the flesh." Paul wrote: (Rom 8:6-8) "… mind set on the flesh is death … because the mind set on the flesh is hostile toward God; for it does not subject itself to the law of God, for it is not even able to do so; and those who are in the flesh cannot please God." The mind set on the flesh is a mind that is determined to indulge the flesh – to keep it happy by giving it what it wants. Such a mind cannot please God and is certain death! We must overcome our flesh!

Some have suggested that it can be overcome isolating one’s self from the world (living in a monastery), by taking vows of poverty, vows of celibacy, by flagellation, by fasting for long periods of time. While Paul admits (in Col 2) that these solutions have "… the appearance of wisdom in self-made religion and self-abasement and severe treatment of the body… " he goes on, to say that such things “are of no value against fleshly indulgence.” As much as they try, the flesh cannot be subdued in this fashion! How then, can it be controlled? With man it is impossible, but with God all things are possible; and God has not only made it possible for us to control the flesh, but He has shown us the way: (Gal 5:16) "… walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh." And in the verse that follows he explains why? (Gal 5:17) "For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please."

The flesh and the Spirit are opposites in every way imaginable. One who is controlled by the Spirit will never do those things that he would do if he were controlled by the flesh. Instead of gratifying the flesh – pandering to it – he is “putting to death the deeds of the body” (Rom 8:13) – which means that he does not allow the body to have its own way - to satisfy its lusts. In Romans Paul calls it “putting to death the deeds of the body” but in Galatians 5:24 he calls it crucifying “the flesh with its passions and desires.”

Christians, we must be "putting to death the deeds of the body!" But are we? If we are bearing the fruit of the flesh we most certainly are not; and, according to Gal 5:19 the fruit of the flesh is “evident”: (Gal 5:19-21) "immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you just as I have forewarned you that those who practice such things shall not inherit the kingdom of God."

The works “of the flesh are evident.” The life controlled by the flesh will bear distinctive fruit that makes it obvious the flesh is in control. Likewise, the life controlled by the Spirit makes this manifest by its distinctive fruit. So that there will be no misunderstanding let me repeat: The fruit that is borne in your life makes it obvious who is in control – the flesh or the Spirit. Those who live by the flesh do things that those who live by the Spirit just would not do.

The list that Paul gives falls into four groups: Sexual immorality - fornication, uncleanness, lasciviousness. False worship - idolatry, sorcery. Infraction of the law of love - enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger (wraths)... Sins of intemperance (overindulgence) - drunkenness, reveling.

It ought to be obvious that this long list falls short of the infinite varieties of sin – of “deeds of the flesh.” However, Paul takes no chances. He concludes by saying that there are other things “just like these” which could also be added to his list. It would not be time wasted for read Galatians 5 often and re-evaluate our lives. Are men and women of the "of the flesh" or are we "of the Spirit." The fruit that we bear will make this evident. Be honest!

Kieran Murphy
Category: Godly Ethics

The Peril of Pornography - 4/6/06

2006-05-02T21:43:00.000-05:00

Job said: I have made a covenant with my eyes; how then could I gaze at a virgin? (Job 31:1) At some point in his life this man of God determined not to participate in sexual immorality by keeping his heart pure. He had made vow – a solemn vow - with his eyes not to allow them to be the conduit to his mind of impure images that lead to unholy desires. (Albert Barnes, Notes on the Bible) It was not enough for him to be chaste in his deeds, but he wanted to keep his mind pure too. We would do well to walk in his steps in this matter!

In the Proverbs 6 the young man being warned about the adulteress: “do not desire her beauty in your heart.” With his eyes he in captivated by her beauty and “with her eyelids” she captures him. (vs. 6). According to Keil and Delitzsch “with her eyelids” refers to “the her coquettish ogling and amorous winking.” Coquettish (co quettish) is an adjective derived from coquette - a woman who endeavors without sincere affection to gain the attention and admiration of men. This seductive look, in the words of the wise man, reduces a man “to a loaf of bread.” In other words, the man who associates with the adulteress “wastes his wealth” (Prov 29:3b) – impoverishes the man. And can it be any other way? Does the man who associates with the whore, the harlot, the fornicator, and the adulteress believe that he can do this without harm to himself? (Prov 6:27-28) “Can a man take fire in his bosom And his clothes not be burned? Or can a man walk on hot coals And his feet not be scorched?”

But returning to the eye that fixes it’s gaze upon the woman (or man) to inspect her or him with a view of imagining what it would be like to have sex with them, listen to the fearful and solemn declaration of the Savior: (Matt 5:27-30) You have heard that it was said, “YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY”; but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

To gaze upon another for the purpose of becoming sexually aroused is no innocent matter. No one can ever be too careful on this subject; no person can ever make too solemn a covenant with his eyes and with his whole soul to be chaste.

Kieran Murphy
Category: Godly Ethics