God has investment in TIME, PEOPLE AND IN THINGS. If He says wait, don’t mistake it for a delay.
If He kept you on the queue is because He has a plan.
Staying in the queue while waiting is what determines the strength of your character walk with God.
Don’t worry, it will come to pass.
#waiting #wait #Grace #gospel #loveyou #peace #fearless #power #drbenedictsoghie
The God that could make river flow in the desert, give manna in the wilderness, put boundaries for the sea, laid the foundations of the earth and set the pillars in order yet eyes can not see these things.
Isa.43.20 – The beast of the field shall honour me, the dragons and the owls: because I give waters in the wilderness, and rivers in the desert, to give drink to my people, my chosen.
Exod.16.35 – And the children of Israel did eat manna forty years, until they came to a land inhabited; they did eat manna, until they came unto the borders of the land of Canaan.
Job.38.4 – Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? declare, if thou hast understanding.
Job.38.8 – Or who shut up the sea with doors, when it brake forth, as if it had issued out of the womb?
Job 38:10-40 I marked a boundary for the sea and kept it behind bolted gates. I told it, “So far and no farther! Here your powerful waves must stop. GNT version
Prov.8.29 – When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth:
I decree that same God will give you fountains,bread and wine without struggle in Jesus name
#peace#prosper#bread#gospel#handmade#prosperity#drbenedictsoghie
The character of favour is such that it doesn’t need you to be qualified to be given. It is actually what qualifies the unqualified. It will always interrupt process, protocols,reasons,seasons,style and stamina.
This is exactly what makes men who are weak strong, helpless individual becoming helpers, down and out person’s becoming up flyers. God working it in his own way.
I pray God to intercept, interrupt and distrupt every known human standard just to favour you today in Jesus name
#favourite #fav #Favour #joy #gospel #Grace #engagement #favorite #peace #fearless #drbenedict
Anything God said,He is able to perform.
Doubt your doubts, resist your fears, talk down on things that looks overbearing. God is faithful.
Heb.6.18 – That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:
It is impossible for God to lie.
#fearless #peace #season #grace #engagement #testimonial #prosperity #spiritualgrowth #spirit #testimony #God #gospel
Let God help you through it all.
Uncommon Blessings
Some blessings are not normal, they take the unusual form. Imagine a one time slave becoming a prince in a foreign country where he wasn’t voted into power but elected by grace. No question, suggestions or opinion was required but a mandate that a man called Joseph must have his status change.
Manner dropped from heaven and they wondered…manner in it sense means; WHAT IS THIS? Bread from heaven. Who baked it? How did it discovered their camp? How come they had enough to satisfy them? UNCOMMON!!!
I decree the uncommon acts of God to begin to happen for you in Jesus name
#season #miracle #gospel #grace #testimonial #engagement #fearless #joy #peace #blood #drbenedict
There are a few different understandings when it comes to the doctrine of Original sin. This ranges from the belief that man has inherited a sinful nature at birth to the belief that everyone is from birth born already being a sinner. Everyone is already a sinner even though they have not yet personally sinned because they have inherited the sin of Adam. It is through the latter belief that the doctrine of infant baptism was born. A child would require to be baptised in order to wash that sin away as if the child were to die before baptism then the child would die in essence a sinner and would not therefore be saved. This has caused countless mothers who have had to first deal with the loss of a child to then also have to deal with the belief that that child has either no salvation or has to progress through purgatory in order to obtain salvation.
But is original sin Biblical. The FIRST and most IMPORTANT thing we need to do before starting the answer to this question is to separate Original sin and INHERENT Original sin. These 2 are NOT the same….and I will repeat this because it is very important, Original sin and INHERENT Original sin are NOT the same.
There is a fundamental difference between the doctrine of original sin and the doctrine of Inherent original sin.
Original sin is biblical, Inherent original sin is NOT.
When most people argue for or against original sin they actually include inherent original sin in the argument. The 2 are combined. This is an INCORRECT argument.
So let's look at both of these and show how people get this wrong and what the correct understanding should be.
Original sin.
The Bible very clearly states that through Adam’s sin, through one man, sin entered into the world.
Romans 5-12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Romans 5-19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many be made righteous.
It is very clear that there was an original sin, the first sin of man. Sin then entered into the world as before it sin was not in the world. This sin then is the first sin it is the original sin. However this is very different than saying each and every person is born with that sin already attributed to them. They are in essence born already being a sinner. Although they have yet to personally sin Adam's sin, the original sin is already credited to their “account”. This is inherent original sin. And it is this belief that is more often than not being referred to when people talk about original sin. As I also stated there is also the belief that is slightly different regarding the inherent original sin and that is that a person is not actually born with sin but born with the nature to sin. They are so inherently bad , so inherently depraved that they simply will sin and there is nothing they can do about it, it is impossible for humans not to sin, its just their inherited nature to do so.
Saying that a person has no choice but to sin no ability to not sin takes away the wickedness of the sin itself and takes the responsibility away from the person sinning. Even if a person wanted to not sin they wouldn't be able to not sin. It therefore is not the fault of the person sinning they are only doing what is in their nature to do. It is in itself wrong to be held accountable for something you have no choice over.
The doctrine of Inherent original sin is very easily disproved however before I get to this let's have a look at the verses that are used to support the belief and address them.
Supporting verses
Romans 5- 12 Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Here we have a verse that is used to show that all have sinned. It is read into this verse that this means that all have sin and so this must mean that all have inherited sin. However the verse very clearly states all have SINNED not that all have inherited sin. A person has sinned when they have sinned. As all men sin all men have sinned. If we were born with that sin it would have to say for all men have inherited sin. There simply is nothing in this verse to state that a person is born with sin, EVEN if the doctrine was true this verse could not demonstrate it. Through Adam's sin, sin entered into the world and all have the ability to sin and all do indeed sin. But they are sinners once they have exercised that ability to sin and they themselves have sinned.
Psalm 58- 3 The wicked are estranged from the womb: they go astray as soon as they be born, speaking lies.
Notice that it states ONLY the wicked therefore very clearly not referring to all otherwise it would state all and not the wicked. Later in the same psalm there is a reference to the righteous so there are wicked and there are righteous not everyone is called wicked.
Psalm 58- 10 The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked.
11So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth.
The verse also states that as soon as they are born they are speaking lies. Now are those who say this verse is referring to a person being wicked and sinful from the moment they are born really going to use the fact that they speak lies from the moment they were born to prove it. I've never heard a new born baby speaking anything let alone lies. Maybe there is a different understanding here. The verse very clearly states they go astray it does not say they are astray. The wicked go astray. In order to go astray you must first not be astray otherwise you are astray and can't go astray seeing that is what you already are. So even if we take this to literally mean as soon as a person is born they are wicked and go astray they must have been not astray to start with. However you look at this it cannot show a person is born astray or with sin, they must go astray and therefore have to sin.
Psalm 51-5 Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.
This verse just doesn't say what the original sin believers claim it does. First off it does not refer to ALL humanity but the psalmist (David) is claiming this about himself. Secondly when they read this verse they substitute the word IN with the word WITH. David is not claiming that he was shapen with iniquity but in iniquity, and he wasn't conceived with sin but in it. Sin is in the world and the mother was a sinner, it is IN sin that David is claiming not that he was conceived WITH sin.
The NIV would have us believe that a person is born with sin
Psalm 51-5 Surely I was sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me.
But as i've already shown in the KJV that is NOT what the Bible states.
The Hebrew just does not state this
×"×Ö×'×××× ×××××× ××'××× ×××××× ××××
A literal translation would be
Behold in iniquity I was shaped and in sin conceive did my mother
It isn't the psalmist who was in sin but his mother in a sinful world.
Now that we have a proper understanding of what these verses actually mean lets disprove the doctrine itself. There is ONE simple way to disprove this doctrine…..Jesus.
JESUS
Jesus was a man made in the likeness of men.
Philippians 2-7 But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
Jesus was sinless, he had NO sin
2 Corinthians 5-21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
If inherent original sin was indeed true then Jesus would also have inherited that sin and could not have been sinless. Just as if he inherited a sin nature where it was impossible for him not to sin, he would again not have been sinless as he would have sinned. Jesus himself would have required a removal of that sin.
Jesus was not infant baptised and he himself claimed that we should be like little children.
Matthew 18-3 And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven.
Jesus was baptised at the age of 30 and it was NOT to remove sin but to fulfill all righteousness.
Matthew 3- 13 Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. 14 But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? 15And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.
So original sin can be found in the Bible but it is not inherited. A person becomes a sinner once they sin.
Most people are aware of the traditional portrayal of the image of Jesus. The long haired white man most commonly used by the vast majority of the Christian world today. It doesn't take too much investigation or common sense to come to the realization that this image is not and in no way can be what the actual Jesus who walked the earth 2000 years ago looked like.
There is however a movement that claims that Jesus was not only not white but in fact Jesus was black. Many parts of this movement also claim that Abraham, Isaac and Jacob were also black as are the “true” Israelites.
This writing is not intended to prove that Jesus or anyone else was any specific colour it is solely intended to answer the biblical verses used by those that claim that Jesus was black and that the Bible depicts him as such. Here I will only be answering the biblical evidence for the physical appearance of Jesus and nothing more.
There are in fact only 2 passages of the Bible that are offered as evidence that Jesus himself was black based on the description of Jesus given in the Bible.
The first and most often used passage is in the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1- 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire; 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters. 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
So it is claimed that Jesus had hair like wool which is used to demonstrate the tight curly afro hair of black people and also that his colour was that of brass with this meaning Jesus was of a dark brown colour.
So lets see if the claim stands up to scrutiny.
The first thing that we need to understand is that this ISNT actually Jesus that is being described although it does resemble the image of Jesus.
The simple fact is that when John turns to see who was talking to him in revelation he actually sees one LIKE unto the son of man, NOT the son of man himself We are told this in the 2 previous verses
Revelation 1- 12 And I turned to see the voice that spake with me. And being turned, I saw seven golden candlesticks; 13 And in the midst of the seven candlesticks one like unto the Son of man, clothed with a garment down to the foot, and girt about the paps with a golden girdle.
John actually saw an Angel. This was the angel that Jesus has sent unto John. This is made very cleat at the beginning of the book of Revelation.
Revelation 1-1 The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave unto him, to shew unto his servants things which must shortly come to pass; and he sent and signified it by his angel unto his servant John
God gave the revelation of Jesus that God gave him, Jesus gave it to his angel and the Angel went and gave it to John. So when John is spoken to and turns to see who it is it is this angel that he sees. Now the angel looked LIKE the son of man so the description of what the angel looked like was a representation of what the son of man looked like but wasn't actually Jesus.
What is more important to notice is that this depiction of Jesus in Revelation is referencing aresurrected Christ after he has ascended to heaven. This is Jesus in his glorified body. There is no reference whatsoever to the body of Jesus that walked the earth as a Jewish man before his death burial and resurrection. To try and link the reference in Revelation to the physical man Jesus is a complete and utter distortion of scripture and is either due to a lack of study or a purposeful deception.
But let's continue and analyze the description itself.
Let's start with the claim that Jesus had afro style hair.
Revelation 1- 14 His head and his hairs were white like wool, as white as snow; and his eyes were as a flame of fire;
This verse states his hair was WHITE like wool not that his hair was like wool. The comparison is regarding the colour not the texture. To further illustrate the whiteness rather than the texture we then have a 2nd comparison with snow, both are referring to the colour not what it looked like. It must also be noted that it doesn't just make reference to his hair but his head also. Not only is his hair white but also his head I have yet to see a black man with a white head.
Furthermore why is it only the first part of the verse is used as evidence. If the first part of the verse is used to prove the way that Jesus physically looked like then why wouldn't the second part also be used, “his eyes were as a flame of fire”. How many black men have eyes as a flame of fire. Im yet to meet any man regardless of colour that possesses this physical attribute although it could be argued this could be referencing a red eye colour possessed by those who are albino but this would be assumption rather than fact and most advocates of a black Jesus do not use the second part of the verse in their argument.
Then we have verse 15
Revelation 1- 15 And his feet like unto fine brass, as if they burned in a furnace; and his voice as the sound of many waters
It is this verse that is used to demonstrate the dark skin colour of Jesus. The claim being made that Jesus had feet the colour of brass that had been burned in a furnace. Therefore Jesus had dark “burnt” colour skin.
So lets again analyze what the verse actually says against the claim.
The verse starts by saying “And his feet like unto fine brass”. Notice the word fine before the word brass. The colour was like fine brass not burnt brass. Fine brass (polished) is not brown or black but a golden or yellowish colour
The Greek word translated “fine brass” is chalkolibanÅ orichalcum, meaning a fine metal, or frankincense of a yellow color.
The verse then states “as if they burned in a furnace” (present tense) so the colour is linked to BEING burned in a furnace not having already been burned in the furnace. The Greek word here is πεπυρωμÎνης pepyrÅmenÄ"s this is the perfect participle from of the word πυρáω pyroÅ. It literally means made to glow.
Anyone that has seen metal being burned in a furnace will know that it causes a very bright white/yellow light. So bright in fact that those working with the metal in the furnace wear special eye protection goggles. We must also take the second part of the verse and apply this as well. “and his voice as the sound of many waters”. Can this really be stated of black men, or any man for that matter.
Again the claim just doesn't hold up under scrutiny. The scripture is simply twisted or misrepresented in order to make it appear to be saying something that is actually isn't.
Both the eyes like fire and the feet like fine brass are stated again in revelation 2-18
Revelation 2-18 And unto the angel of the church in Thyatira write; These things saith the Son of God, who hath his eyes like unto a flame of fire, and his feet are like fine brass;
The description of Jesus continues on in verse 16 although this is not quoted by those who use verses 14 and 15 but as verse 16 is a continuation of the description we must also look at what it says and be consistent and apply this in the same way as verses 14 and 15.
Revelation 1- 16 And he had in his right hand seven stars: and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword: and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.
Here Jesus is depicted with a twoedged sword coming out of his mouth. “and out of his mouth went a sharp twoedged sword”
I am yet to find anyone that can give a convincing argument as to why this would be referencing a black man, I don't think I need to offer any other statement than this but if we are going to take part of the description as literal we must take ALL the description as literal as we have no indication that any is meant to be taken non literally while other parts are. To state some are literal and others are not is to make personal assumptions that are not indicated in the text itself.
Then we have “and his countenance was as the sun shineth in his strength.”
Countenance being the Greek word áψις opsis meaning the features, outward appearance his face his look was like the sun in its strength meaning in its brightness.
The outward appearance of Jesus was like the sun in its brightness. We see this kind of reference when Jesus appeared to Saul (who became Paul) on the road to Damascus.
We are told about Jesus appearing before Saul in acts 9
Acts 9 - 1 And Saul, yet breathing out threatenings and slaughter against the disciples of the Lord, went unto the high priest, 2 And desired of him letters to Damascus to the synagogues, that if he found any of this way, whether they were men or women, he might bring them bound unto Jerusalem.
Saul saw a light from heaven.
Acts 9- 3 And as he journeyed, he came near Damascus: and suddenly there shined round about him a light from heaven: 4 And he fell to the earth, and heard a voice saying unto him, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? 5 And he said, Who art thou, Lord? And the Lord said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest: it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks.
When Saul/Paul recounts the event we are told that the light was above the brightness of the sun.
Acts 26-13 At midday, O king, I saw in the way a light from heaven, above the brightness of the sun, shining round about me and them which journeyed with me. 14 And when we were all fallen to the earth, I heard a voice speaking unto me, and saying in the Hebrew tongue, Saul, Saul, why persecutest thou me? it is hard for thee to kick against the pricks. 15 And I said, Who art thou, Lord? And he said, I am Jesus whom thou persecutest.
The word “above” in the above the brightness of the sun is the Greek word áπáρ hyper meaning above, beyond, greater than
The brightness of Jesus being beyond the brightness of the sun.
Jesus calls himself the light of the world
John 8-12 Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world: he that followeth me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life.
When we go back to acts 9 we see that Saul/Paul was actually blinded by this light for 3 days.
Acts 9- 9 And he was three days without sight, and neither did eat nor drink.
In the new Jerusalem there is no need for the sun as The lamb, Jesus, is the light thereof.
Revelation 21- 23 And the city had no need of the sun, neither of the moon, to shine in it: for the glory of God did lighten it, and the Lamb is the light thereof. 24 And the nations of them which are saved shall walk in the light of it: and the kings of the earth do bring their glory and honour into it.
Jesus is the brightness of the glory of God
Hebrews 1-3 Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;
At the transfiguration of Jesus, Peter James and John saw a vision of Jesus in his glorified body.
Matthew 17- 1And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, 2 And was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light.
Again we are told that the face of Jesus did shine as the sun.
The Prophet Daniel saw the glorified Jesus during a vision he was given. He described the appearance of what he saw.
Daniel 10-6 His body also was like the beryl, and his face as the appearance of lightning, and his eyes as lamps of fire, and his arms and his feet like in colour to polished brass, and the voice of his words like the voice of a multitude.
Again we see that the feet (and this time arms also) were as POLISHED brass not burned brass. The Hebrew word translated as polished is qÄ-lÄl; ×Ö×ÖÖ'× which means burnished which literally means to be polished. This again would mean a golden/yellowish colour not a dark brown one.
We must also again be consistent. If we are going to use one part of the description in this verse we must also use all the description in this verse. The body is likened to beryl. The Hebrew word translated as beryl is ×ÖÖ×Ö×Ö×××× tarshish which means a yellow or golden precious stone most likely to be a yellow jasper.
The face is as the appearance of lightning and the eyes as lamps of fire. None of which has any likeness to a black man.
The use of these verses to show that Jesus was a black man work only if you take the representation of the verses by those making the claim, without any investigation into what the verses are actually saying, ignore parts of the verses and misrepresent them in a way that allows you to represent them in a way to support the claim. This is either through ignorance or dishonesty, either way the claim the Bible describes Jesus as being black is incorrect.
Something that modern readers of the Bible often fail to recognize is how many paradoxes and tensions there are in the Christian faith. It is frequently the case that two things which at first sight seem to contradict each other are both in fact true.
The following sort of thing happens a lot:
The Bible teaches two truths, which we can call A and B. Some people correctly understand that the Bible teaches A. However, they think that A and B contradict each other. So they deny that the Bible teaches B, and they explain away passages which teach B. Other people correctly understand that the Bible teaches B. But they too think that A and B contradict each other. So they deny A and explain away the passages that teach A. Both sets of people therefore end up denying some biblical truth.
The amount of bad teaching in the church would be much less if there was better understanding of how much paradox and tension the Bible contains.
Here are some examples of how people go wrong by failing to take account of paradoxes in the Christian faith:
Jesus as one person who is fully God and fully human
The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is fully God (e.g., John 20:28) and also fully human (e.g., 1 Timothy 2:5), yet one person (e.g., John 1:14).
At first glance it might seem impossible that Jesus could be all these things, and since the early centuries of the church many have rejected this theology.
Some, like Jehovah’s Witnesses today, have said that Jesus was not God at all, but that He was entirely created by God. At the other extreme, some have said that He was God, but only appeared to be a man, or that He was God in a human body but had no human soul. And another group has claimed that He was fully God and fully human but that He was really two distinct persons.
In fact, however, this theology is not contradictory, even though it is difficult to understand.
God’s sovereignty and human free will
According to Scripture, God is sovereignly in control of all events, and in a real sense everything that happens comes from His hand (e.g., Amos 3:6). However, the Bible also teaches that people have free will, and that we and not God are responsible for sin (e.g., 1 Corinthians 10:13).
At first sight, these themes seem as if they might contradict each other, and there are huge numbers of Christians who minimize one or the other of them.
Those who accept Arminian theology, for example, fail to do proper justice to the sovereignty of God. By contrast, Calvinists fail to properly appreciate the reality of free will or the goodness of God.
Exactly how we reconcile God’s sovereignty with human free will is something that has been debated for many centuries. Personally, I have a lot of sympathy with Molinist theology, which is becoming increasingly popular in evangelical circles.
Nevertheless, regardless of how we attempt to reconcile these things, Scripture teaches them both, and we should take care not to explain either of them away.
Salvation by faith but accompanied by good deeds
The Bible makes it clear that salvation is by faith and not by doing good deeds (e.g., Ephesians 2:8-9). But Scripture is just as clear that people whose lives are not characterized by doing good deeds are not saved (e.g., James 2:26).
There might at first seem to be a contradiction between these points, and there are many today who say that there is. At one extreme, Roman Catholics claim that Christians need to partly earn their salvation. And at the other extreme those who hold so-called Free Grace Theology claim that everyone who makes a decision to accept Jesus as Savior is saved, even if they are living an unrepentantly sinful life.
In fact, there is no contradiction between these points. We are saved by faith and not by good deeds, but where there is genuine faith, good deeds will always, so to speak, tag along.
Forgiveness by faith and in water baptism
Many passages in the Bible refer to people being saved by faith in Christ (e.g., Romans 3:28). Yet there are also numerous passages that most naturally seem to imply that God’s standard way of doing things is to forgive the sins of new believers at the time they are baptized (e.g., Acts 2:38).
Many Christians today deny that God forgives sins in water baptism, because they think that would conflict with forgiveness by faith.
This, however, is to compare apples with oranges. Baptism can be seen as an act, which should take place as soon as someone comes to faith, and in which God normatively forgives the sins of people who are claiming forgiveness by faith. We could perhaps compare this to gaining a college degree: Faith is what gives someone the entitlement to the degree, while baptism is the graduation ceremony.
I do believe that God often acts outside His standard pattern by forgiving new Christians before baptism. Nevertheless, Scripture seems to teach that His standard pattern is to forgive in the act of baptism.
A God of love who sends people to hell
According to the Bible, one key attribute of God is that He is loving (e.g., Lamentations 3:22). However, it also teaches clearly that He sends many people to hell (e.g., Matthew 25:46).
There are some who find these things contradictory and claim that a loving God would never send anyone to hell.
In reality, however, these things don’t contradict each other. Although God is a God of love, He is also a God of justice, and justice involves inflicting punishment.
The crucifixion for us and for God
The Bible teaches often that God’s purpose in the crucifixion of Christ was to benefit people (e.g., Romans 5:8). However, it tells us too that God’s purpose in the cross was to glorify Himself (e.g., Ephesians 1:5-6).
These purposes might at first sight seem to conflict with each other, and many Christians tend to minimize one or the other of them. Some downplay passages which teach that God’s purpose in salvation was self-glorification. Others downplay passages which teach that His purpose was to benefit people, and claim that Christ’s dying for sinners was really only a means to an end, which was to give God glory.
In fact, neither aspect of God’s purpose should be downplayed. How God could have had these two different purposes in the cross is not easy to understand, but the Bible teaches them both, and we should embrace each of them.
Joy and suffering
Scripture tells us that the normal Christian life should involve significant joy (e.g., John 15:11). Yet many passages make it clear that normal Christian living also involves significant hardship and suffering (e.g., Revelation 1:9).
There are, however, large numbers of Christians today who downplay the role of suffering in the Christian life. They know that Scripture teaches that it is God’s will to give His children joy, and they simplistically assume that this must mean that we shouldn’t expect to suffer.
In actual fact, although joy and suffering are in tension with each other, they are not contradictory.
Gifts of the Spirit and reasoning
The Bible instructs Christians to desire gifts of the Holy Spirit (e.g., 1 Corinthians 14:1). However, many biblical passages also make it clear that there is a big place for reasoning with the mind in the Christian faith (e.g., Acts 19:8-9).
There are more than a few Christians today who tend to think that experiences of gifts of the Spirit make reasoning unimportant. They therefore underemphasize the role of the mind in the Christian life.
In fact, gifts of the Spirit and reasoning with the mind don’t contradict each other at all. Rather, they complement each other beautifully.
Motivated by love and to gain good things for ourselves
The Bible encourages us to be motivated to live a holy life by love for God and love for others, and not by selfishness (e.g., 2 Corinthians 5:15). Yet it also encourages us to be motivated to live a holy life by the prospect of receiving eternal blessings in heaven (e.g., James 1:12).
At first sight, these things might seem to contradict each other, and many Christians tend to minimize one or the other of them.
However, there is no contradiction here. There is a sense in which it is right to be motivated by loving God and others, and also a sense in which it is right to be motivated by wanting to do ourselves good.
Already and not yet
Sometimes we find biblical passages teaching that a certain thing has already happened, and other passages teaching that the same thing will take place in the future.
For example, Scripture tells us that those who are Christians have been saved from their sins (e.g., Romans 8:24), and that they will be saved in the future (e.g., Romans 5:9).
At first glance these things look as if they conflict with each other, and many Christians make the mistake of downplaying the already or the future aspect.
This tension is not actually very difficult to understand. Following the crucifixion–resurrection–giving of the Spirit complex of events, some things have come into existence in a partial way, but the fullness of these things will be realized in the future after the Lord returns to earth.
Two kinds of Israel
According to Scripture, the church is spiritual Israel (e.g., Philippians 3:2-3). But the Bible also seems to teach that God has future plans for ethnic Israel (e.g., Romans 11:25-29).
Huge numbers of Christians today see these things as contradictory. Many, especially those who accept dispensationalist theology, deny that the church is spiritual Israel. And many others, especially those who accept replacement theology, deny that God has unfinished business with ethnic Israel.
There is, however, no need to see a contradiction here. It seems that there are two kinds of Israel in existence today, even if it is not easy to understand the relationship between the two.
Final words
The list of examples I have given could be continued, but I believe I have said enough to make my point. It should be clear that there are many paradoxes and tensions in the Christian faith. Often things that at first sight might seem to be a case of either–or are actually a case of both–and.
I would suggest that a failure to understand this is one of the main causes of false teaching in the church today. Frequently, a Christian rightly sees that the Bible teaches a truth, and they want to support and defend that truth. But then they go wrong by supposing that that truth must mean that something else is false, although this other thing is also taught by Scripture.
I think one reason why people fail to recognize paradoxes in the Christian faith is because they are unwilling to believe something they don’t understand. They can’t understand how two biblical principles fit together, so they decide that they contradict each other.
What these people are doing – even if subconsciously – is setting up their own understanding as an idol. This is not only morally wrong, however, but it also makes no sense. Given our finite and sinful condition, it is inevitable that we will all often struggle to understand things.
If the Bible teaches two principles, we should accept them both, regardless of whether we can understand how they fit together.
Repentance is a common theme throughout the New Testament and central to the gospel message. John the Baptist was the first to declare “Repent, for the kingdom of God is at hand! (Matt 3:2).” Jesus echoed this charge in Matt 4:17. In Mark 6:12 Jesus sent out the disciples to preach that…”people should repent.” Jesus sums up the gospel in Luke 24:46: “…and thus it was necessary for the Christ to suffer and to rise from the dead the third day, and that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name to all nations…” After Jesus’ ascension Peter preached repentance in his first and second sermons (Acts 2:38, 3:19) and wrote in 2 Peter 3:9 of God’s desire that “…all should come to repentance.” Paul also taught that “(God) …commands all men everywhere to repent… (Acts 17:30).”
Jesus’ teaching in Luke 13:2-5 illustrates the life or death importance of repentance in the gospel message. Speaking about the death of a certain people…”Do you suppose that these Galileans were worse sinners than all other Galileans, because they suffered such things? I tell you, no; but unless you repent you will all likewise perish.“ So it is that repentance is not only an integral part of the gospel message but an absolutely necessary step in the salvation process. But what does repentance really mean?
During Jesus’ ministry he often battled with the pious Pharisees, who placed the cleanliness of the outside of the cup above that of the inside. When He pronounced in Matt. 9:13 that He “did not come to call the righteous, but sinners, to repentance”, Jesus makes it crystal clear that he is not interested in “religion” but rather, he is interested in the heart.
When I was a child and I got my hand caught in the proverbial cookie jar, I could be very apologetic and I could be truly sorry for the disappointment or embarrassment that my action caused and the consequence that it led to. In actuality, I was sorry for being caught. And I say that because my heart wasn’t truly turned away from myself and my own will and desires, toward a heart of obedience to my parents. That kind of sorrow does not lead to genuine, permanent change. Rather, it reeks of self-interest and it was never very long before my true colors made another appearance, proving my human nature remained in control.
Believing that Jesus is God and even admitting that I have offended Him with my sin is not enough. There must be a change of mind and heart. James 2:19 says: “You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe--and tremble.” True, godly repentance is the humble admission, before a holy God that I have sinned and that I am personally responsible for that sin; that Christ died for my sin and that He wants to rule my life and that I am willing to submit to His authority. This recognition produces sorrow and shame in the truly penitent heart and brings about a change of direction; a turning away from your sin and a turning toward God and his righteous nature.
This process of surrender begins at salvation but is really a life-long process of confession. Surrender to Christ doesn’t mean you become sinless but it does mean that when you fall you don’t indulge the behavior but rather you recognize it as sin and grieve your weakness and disobedience and return to the Lord. In the gospel of Matthew (3:8) we are admonished “…to bear fruits worthy of repentance.” What are the fruits worthy of repentance? A changed life - true repentance results in action.
Since circumcision was so very important under the Old Covenant, why is circumcision of the heart taken so lightly nowadays under the Renewed Covenant?
"A man is not a Jew if he is only one outwardly, nor is circumcision merely outward and physical. No, a man is a Jew if he is one inwardly; and circumcision is circumcision of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the written code..." Rom. 2:28-29
"For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and you have been given fullness in Christ, who is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature, not with a circumcision done by the hands of men but with the circumcision done by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism and raised with him through your faith in the power of God, who raised him from the dead. When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross." Col. 2:9-14
I wondered if the fact that there are “carnal Christians” and what I have often referred to as “theological Christians” for lack of a better term, has anything to do with circumcision of the heart. Both types of professing Christians may know a lot and do lots of good deeds, but something is missing in their witness. I have always referred to that missing element as supernatural heart surgery performed within them that makes all the difference. It is time for me to find out the truth.
2 Timothy 3:7 comes to my mind: “who are always learning but never able to come to full knowledge of the truth.” (CJB)
(NASB) “In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your
Salvation - having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise”
There is a distinct difference between the Ruach haKodesh indwelling us and the Spirit filling us. The filling of the Ruach haKodesh was something used by YHWH since the Old Testament times. (Deuteronomy 34:9; 1 Samuel 19:18-24; Luke 1:15) After the death and resurrection of Yeshua the Ruach haKodesh continued to fill people including Paul (Acts 13:9), Peter (Acts 13:52), and the other disciples (Acts 15:32). This is much different than the indwelling of the Spirit experienced by all TRUE believers. He will never leave TRUE believers. (John 14:16)
CONCLUSION: We must ask for Him to dwell in us. (Luke 11:13) The work of the Ruach haKodesh is to write Torah in the inward parts, which is confirmed by the appearance of “fruits” of the Spirit. In other words, each one of us must prepare a place in our hearts to welcome the Ruach haKodesh. The scriptures tell us that the Ruach haKodesh “indwells” us at the moment of TRUE conversion. (Ephesians 1:13)
Short answer – after a person has become a believer in Yeshua, and enough time has passed that his faith has grown through study, and a TRUE lifestyle change is evident. It is NOT the same as being “born again”.
Long answer – Paul enlightened people to the fact that circumcision comes after faith, after a person believes, after they have made a lifestyle change: “And the father of the circumcision; not to them only who are of the circumcision, but to them also who fulfill the steps of the faith of our father Awraham in (his) uncircumcision.” Romans 4:12 (AENT) Note from the AENT: “Rav Shaul is teaching that Awraham’s physical circumcision came after he believed, after he had faith, after his heart was circumcised, in opposition to a contemporary false teaching that circumcision should come first before belief or faith. At no time does Rav Shaul ever discount physical circumcision; he simply rejects false religious traditions that turned circumcision into a device to control new converts.”
According to the illustration YHWH gives us in the Old Testament circumcision is not optional, and failure to do so was grounds for exclusion from the Old Covenant. Since YHWH consistently shows us physical illustrations all through the Old Testament (the Old Covenant) so that we can understand the same principle in the spiritual sense under the Renewed Covenant, to discard the spiritual fulfillment and reality would defy one of YHWH’s great attributes – His unchanging consistency.
In keeping with physical circumcision of the Israelite people, several comparisons can be made. Some are:
YHWH lovingly nurtures us for a time (comparable to the eight days after physical birth), working in our lives to prepare us for His dealings.
Likewise YHWH cuts off what is unnecessary, spiritually.
Spiritual circumcision is the removal of the old fleshly nature, which begins at conversion, continues through baptism (which becomes the “sign” of the Renewed Covenant), and will be a continuous spiritual work in us throughout our lives.
In the same manner YHWH does not ask us to spiritually circumcise ourselves. The Ruach haKodesh does it. This is to teach us to YIELD to His Spirit. (Romans 2:28-29; Colossians 2:9-14)
In Colossians 2:9-14 circumcision is the common theme, both physical and spiritual; but Paul also brings in baptism and says that a circumcision takes place at that point. Some of the old flesh nature is cut away and the Spirit of YHWH is passed on to us. Baptism then becomes the “sign” of the Renewed Covenant, just as circumcision was the “sign” of the Old Covenant. Paul says something happens in our lives when we yield to baptism in faith. Again it is obvious that scripture is speaking as if the conversion was genuine. If a person obediently yields to baptism in faith and understanding, a spiritual work would take place in his or her life without a doubt. However, when there is no evidence of a life change, there has been no spiritual circumcision and thus no conversion.
Jamieson-Fausset-Brown Bible Commentary
“23. And then will I profess unto them—or, openly proclaim—tearing off the mask.
I never knew you—What they claimed—intimacy with Christ—is just what He repudiates, and with a certain scornful dignity. "Our acquaintance was not broken off—there never was any."
depart from me—(Compare Mt 25:41). The connection here gives these words an awful significance. They claimed intimacy with Christ, and in the corresponding passage, Lu 13:26, are represented as having gone out and in with Him on familiar terms. "So much the worse for you," He replies: "I bore with that long enough; but now—begone!"
ye that work iniquity—not "that wrought iniquity"; for they are represented as fresh from the scenes and acts of it as they stand before the Judge. (See on the almost identical, but even more vivid and awful, description of the scene in Lu 13:24-27). That the apostle alludes to these very words in 2Ti 2:19 there can hardly be any doubt—"Nevertheless the foundation of God standeth sure, having this seal, The Lord knoweth them that are His. And, Let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity."
The name of Yeshua carries so much power that even devils tremble - “You believe that "God is one"? Good for you! The demons believe it too - the thought makes them shudder with fear!”
James 2:19 (CJB)
So should the focus on this passage be on why those who will enter are able to do so rather than those who are denied entry? There is a simple answer to the question, “who among those who say "Lord, Lord…" will enter? And that answer is, “those who do the will of the Father.”
Those who TRULY place their trust completely in Yeshua haMashiyach have done the will of the Father and have already passed from death to life (John 5:24 CJB “Yes, indeed! I tell you that whoever hears what I am saying and trusts the One who sent me has eternal life -- that is, he will not come up for judgment but has already crossed over from death to life!”) and will not come into judgment regarding their eternal destiny (John 3:18 CJB “Those who trust in him are not judged; those who do not trust have been judged already, in that they have not trusted in the one who is God's only and unique Son.”)
But those who seriously seek answers are still left with the questions, who are those who Yeshua will turn away and why are they being turned away? Am I one who will be one who is denied by Yeshua? – Especially after pondering the unpopular fact that circumcision of the heart is not immediately accomplished at the moment one is born again. There are undoubtedly those who will use the power of Yeshua’s name for profit, their own glory, etc. probably knowing He is not really their Lord. But the very saddest case of all will be hearing the words, “Lord, Lord have we not prophesied, cast out demons, and done many wonders in Your name" coming from the mouths of people who in this life were pastors, evangelists, Bible teachers, even missionaries who endured great difficulties in the mission fields. They may have baptized hundreds and done many good deeds. And Yeshua does not question whether they did those things or not, but denies them entrance to the Kingdom because they failed to trust in Yeshua haMashiyach only and thereby failed to do the will of the Father. This would be an example of assuming one’s heart is circumcised at conversion so spiritual growth is not pursued.
Carnal Christians and theological Christians are “nominal” Christians. Nominal Christianity cannot save. Yeshua does not dwell in their hearts (That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith” Ephesians 3:17 GNV) nor do they have His mind (“For who hath known the mind of the Lord, that he might instruct him? But we have the mind of Christ.” 1 Corinthians 2:16 GNV) Judgement day will find them trying to justify themselves because of their own good works and neglecting the only “work” that matters to YHWH, “to have faith in the One He sent.”
Then I had a quick “leftover” thought.
Is “sanctification” the same thing as “circumcision of the heart”?
Easton’s Bible Dictionary says: “Circumcision as a symbol shadowing forth sanctification by the Holy Spirit has now given way to the symbol of baptism. But the truth embodied in both ordinances is ever the same, the removal of sin, the sanctifying effects of grace in the heart.”
It all boils down to Acts 4:13 – “…they were amazed, and began to recognize them as having been with Jesus” (NASB). As Charles Spurgeon wrote, basing a sermon on this scripture, “A Christian should be a striking likeness of Jesus Christ. You have read lives of Christ, beautifully and eloquently written, but the best life of Christ is His living biography, written out in the words and actions of His people. If we were what we profess to be, and what we should be, we should be pictures of Christ; yea, such striking likenesses of Him, that the world would not have to hold us up by the hour together, and say, "Well, it seems somewhat of a likeness;" but they would, when they once beheld us, exclaim, "He has been with Jesus;”