Monthly Archives: March 2021

ETERNAL LIFE

There is a popular saying- “people want to go to Heaven, but they don’t want to die”. Most people tend to avoid the topic of death. We don’t talk about it in polite company. We avoid cemeteries that remind us of our own mortality. My brother-in-law has refused to go to his late wife’s grave site, wanting to avoid those feelings or because of his belief that she is not there (which is true). One major reason that most people avoid the subject is because of the uncertainty of what lies beyond. For the true followers of Christ, though, death is nothing to fear because of the sure hope of eternal life. We actually live forever in the presence of God.

God has promised His followers a perfect home with Him that will last for eternity. In the last chapter of Isaiah, God promised to create new heavens and a new earth that would endure forever (Isa. 66:22). In the final two chapters of the Book of Revelation, John began describing the fulfilment of that promise and focused on God’s undisputed sovereignty.

Read Revelation 21:1-5

In the previous chapter, John was shown an ideal time on earth when Satan was bound, and Christ and the saints ruled for one thousand years. As wonderful as the Millennial Kingdom (Chapter 20) will be with many of God’s promises regarding Israel, the earthly Jerusalem, and the renovated earth coming to fulfillment, it is not the ultimate plan of God. After the Millennial Kingdom and the final rebellion of Satan, John saw the original earth and heaven flee away. In the process the earth and sea gave up the dead who stood before God for judgment (Rev. Rev. 20:11-13 +). During the Millennial Kingdom, sin and death had not yet been vanquished (Isa. Isa. 65:20; Rev. Rev. 20:9 +). Now John sees the creation of a new heaven and earth which differs fundamentally from the old order- as Peter indicates the old will not be destroyed- but renewed. In a word, the new creation is perfect. There is no more sin or death. Those who populate the new earth enjoy full communion with God. The OT prophets saw glimpses of the eternal state. The Holy Spirit revealed through them that there would be a new heavens and a new earth (Isa. Isa. 65:17; Isa. 66:22) and that death would eventually be no more (Isa. Isa. 25:8; Hos. Hos. 13:14). But their visions of the eternal state were often intertwined with revelation concerning the Millennial Kingdom making it difficult to draw a clear distinction between the two (e.g., Isa. Isa. 65:17-20).¹ Now, John is shown aspects of the eternal state which are markedly different from the Millennial Kingdom. Beginning with the first verse of this chapter, we are no longer in the Millennial Kingdom: there is no more sin, death, sea, or Temple.² The conjunction, now (καὶ [kai] ), connects what follows with the previous chapter. The creation of the new heaven and new earth is in response to the renewal of the previous heaven and earth which fled away and gave up the dead (Rev. Rev. 20:11 +). New is καινὸν [kainon] : “in the sense that what is old has become obsolete, and should be replaced by what is new. In such a case the new is, as a rule, superior in kind to the old.”³

An earth which no longer smarts and smokes under the curse of sin,—an earth which needs no more to be torn with hooks and irons to make it yield its fruits,—an earth where thorns and thistles no longer infest the ground, nor serpents hiss among the flowers, nor savage beasts lay in ambush to devour,—an earth whose sod is never cut with graves, whose soil is never moistened with tears or saturated with human blood, whose fields are never blasted with unpropitious seasons, whose atmosphere never gives wings to the seeds of plague and death, whose ways are never lined with funeral processions, or blocked up with armed men on their way to war,—an earth whose hills ever flow with salvation, and whose valleys know only the sweetness of Jehovah’s smiles,—an earth from end to end, and from center to utmost verge, clothed with the eternal blessedness of Paradise Restored! It was revealed to the OT prophets that the first heavens and earth would perish (Ps. Ps. 102:25-26; Isa. Isa. 51:6) and be replaced by a new heavens and earth.

For behold, I create new heavens and a new earth; and the former shall not be remembered or come to mind. But be glad and rejoice forever in what I create; for behold, I create Jerusalem as a rejoicing, and her people a joy. I will rejoice in Jerusalem, and joy in My people; the voice of weeping shall no longer be heard in her, nor the voice of crying. No more shall an infant from there live but a few days, nor an old man who has not fulfilled his days; for the child shall die one hundred years old, but the sinner being one hundred years old shall be accursed. (Isa. Isa. 65:17-20) As was mentioned, the visions of the OT prophets often intermingled elements from both the Millennial Kingdom and the eternal state—the different elements sometimes being presented out of their chronological sequence. Isaiah saw the new heavens and earth but went on to describe a blessed time which includes death and sin. Isaiah’s vision, while glimpsing the Kingdom age, the last ordered age in time, is projected into eternity. He saw the Millennium merging into the final state of bliss and having an everlasting feature to it, according to the Davidic Covenant (2S. 2S. 7:13, 2S. 7:16)

Bottom of Form A new heaven, and new earth: the new Jerusalem where God dwells and banishes all sorrow from his people. (1-8) Its heavenly origin, glory, and secure defense. (9-21) Its perfect happiness, as enlightened with the presence of God and the Lamb, and in the free access of multitudes, made holy. (22-27) The new heaven and the new earth will not be separate from each other; the earth of the saints, their glorified, bodies, will be heavenly. The old world, with all its troubles and tumults, will have passed away. There will be no sea; this aptly represents freedom from conflicting passions, temptations, troubles, changes, and alarms; from whatever can divide or interrupt the communion of saints. This new Jerusalem is the church of God in its new and perfect state, the church triumphant. Its blessedness came wholly from God and depends on him. The presence of God with his people in heaven, will not be interrupt as it is on earth, he will dwell with them continually. All effects of former trouble shall be done away. They have often been in tears, by reason of sin, of affliction, of the calamities of the church; but no signs, no remembrance of former sorrows shall remain. Christ makes all things new. If we are willing and desirous that the gracious Redeemer should make all things new in order hearts and nature, he will make all things new in respect of our situation, till he has brought us to enjoy complete happiness. See the certainty of the promise.

Read Revelation 21:6-8

Verse 6 tells us the speaker from the throne identified Himself as the Alpha and the Omega. These are the first and last letters of the Greek alphabet. When the glorified Son of God first appeared to John on the island of Patmos, John had just introduced God’s status as “I am the Alpha and the Omega…who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty” (Revelation 1:8). So, the voice from the throne belonged to Jesus, the risen, almighty Lord, who is eternal. He declared in Revelation 21:6: “It is done!” Referring to His spoken words about creating all things new, Jesus affirms that what He began has come to pass. He always finishes what He begins (Philippians 1:6).

And he said unto me, it is done
The end of all things is come; it is all over with the first heaven and earth; these are no more, and the new heaven and earth are finished: there seems to be an allusion to the old creation, he spoke, and it was done, ( Psalms 33:9 ) . The whole election of grace is completed; every individual vessel of mercy is called by grace; all the saints are brought with Christ, and their bodies raised, and living saints changed, and all together are as a bride prepared for her husband; and the nuptials are now solemnized. All the promises and prophecies relating to the glorious state of the church are now fulfilled; the mystery of God, spoken by his servants, is finished; the kingdom of Christ is complete, and all other kingdoms are destroyed. The day of redemption is come; the salvation of the saints is perfect; what was finished on the cross, by way of impetration, is now done as to application; all are saved with an everlasting salvation.

I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of
life freely; he that is athirst is one that is so not in a natural, much less in a sinful, but in a spiritual sense; who as he has thirsted after Christ. And salvation by him; after pardon of sin, and a justifying righteousness; after communion with Christ, and conformity to him, and a greater degree of knowledge of him. So, after the glories of his kingdom, and the happiness of a future state: Christ promises to give such large measures of grace and glory, and in such abundance, as will continue to refresh and delight. It may be compared to a fountain of living water, namely, for refreshment, abundance, and continuance; and all this he will give “freely”, without money, and without price; for as pardon, and righteousness, and the whole of salvation, are all of free grace. All the enjoyments of the kingdom state, the riches, honors, and glories of it, and eternal life itself; also, plentifully, and in great abundance, and answers to the Hebrew word. Those who thirst for spiritual satisfaction find that Jesus gives it without charge. His grace saves and satisfies the thirsting soul. The fourth beatitude promises that those who hunger and thirst for righteousness will be satisfied (Matthew 5:6). That promise is fulfilled entirely and completely in eternity.

He that overcomes
All spiritual enemies, sin, Satan, and the world, the antichristian beast, his image, mark, and number of his name; who is more than a conqueror through Christ; one that perseveres to the end, notwithstanding all temptations, trials, and difficulties; (Revelation 2:7),

Shall inherit all things;
The kingdom of Christ in the new Jerusalem state, and all things in it; heaven, eternal glory and happiness, and everlasting salvation; yea, God himself, who is the portion, and exceeding great reward of his people, and will be all in all.

I will be his God, and he shall be my Son;
Christ is not only concerned in predestination to the adoption of children, in making way by redemption for the enjoyment of this blessing, and in the actual donation of it; but he himself, who is the mighty God, is the everlasting Father. His people are his spiritual seed and offspring, and in His kingdom, he will see his seed, and prolong his days; he will long enjoy them and present them to himself. But in this new and glorious state of things, it will be abundantly manifest that they are the sons of God and seed of Christ; and it will be known how glorious they are, and shall be, when they shall see Christ in his glory, and be like him; who will now be, “the Father of the world to come”, as the Septuagint render the phrase in ( Isaiah 9:6 ) .

And unbelieving;
Meaning not merely atheists, who do not believe there is a God, or deists only, that do not believe in Christ; but such who profess his name and are called by it. Yet they do not truly believe in him, nor embrace his Gospel and the truths of it, but believe a lie; these are condemned already, and on them the wrath of God abides, and they will be damned at last. These are who are infidels as to the second coming of Christ to judgment, and who are scoffers and mockers at it.

The abominable:
Every sinful man is so in the sight of God; but here it denotes such who are the worst of sinners, given up to sinning; who are abominable, and to every good work reprobate; who are addicted to the worst of crimes, as were the Sodomites and others; the Ethiopic version renders it, “who pollute themselves” with unnatural lusts. The Syriac and Arabic versions express it by two words, “sinners and polluted”, filthy sinners; the character well agrees with Babylon, the mother of harlots and abominations of the earth, and to all that adhere to her, and join with her in her abominable idolatries.

Murderers;
The saints, and prophets, and martyrs of Jesus, with whose blood Babylon, or the whore of Rome, has made herself drunk, and in whom it will be found.

Whoremongers;
All unclean persons, that indulge themselves in impure lusts, in fornication, adultery, and all lewdness; as the clergy of the church of Rome, who being forbidden to marry, and being under a vow of celibacy, and making great pretensions to chastity and singular holiness, give up themselves to all lasciviousness, to work all uncleanness with greediness.

Sorcerers;
Conjurers, dealers with familiar spirits, necromancers, and such as use the magic art, as many of the popes did to get into the chair, and poisoners of kings and princes; whoredoms and witchcrafts go together sometimes, as they did in Jezebel, an emblem of the Romish antichrist.

Idolaters;

That worship devils, idols of gold, silver, brass, stone, and wood, representing God, and Christ, and the virgin Mary, and saints departed, ( Revelation 9:20 ) .

All liars;
In common, and particularly such who speak lies in hypocrisy, as the followers of the man of sin, and who are given up to believe a lie, that they might be damned; all lies being of the devil, and abominable to God. All and each of these.

Shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone.
The Jews speak of several distinct places in hell, for several sorts of sinners, as particularly for sabbath breakers, adulterers, and liars; and say of the wicked, that when he is condemned he shall take, “his part” in hell; (Revelation 19:20) which is the second death.

Read Revelation 22:1-5

The first five verses of the final chapter of Revelation describe four prominent objects in the New Jerusalem: (1) the river of living water, (2) the broad street of the city, (3) the tree of life, and (4) the throne of God and of the Lamb. Each of these relates in some fashion to God, who is the Source of life. Let’s take a closer look at these elements.

The river of living water. John describes the living water as “sparkling like crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb down the middle of the broad street of the city” (vv. 1-2). In Rev. 21:6, the One seated on the throne says, “I will give water as a gift to the thirsty from the spring of life.” This promise draws deeply from the Old and New Testaments and speaks of eternal life received by God’s grace through faith. We see that promise fulfilled in Revelation 22. The Greek word potamos is translated “river,” “flood,” or “stream” and is used metaphorically in John 7:38 to describe the blessing of eternal peace and satisfaction found in Christ. That same figurative application is used throughout Revelation, pointing us to the Source of eternal life. The river in Rev. 22:1 calls to mind the river in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:10) as well as prophetic references to water flowing from the temple in Ezekiel 47. According to Ezek. 47:1-12 (see also Joel 4:18; Zech. 14:8) there will arise in the temple at the time of salvation a mighty river that flows toward the Dead Sea and transforms the desert into fertile land. On both its banks trees grow that bear fresh fruit monthly and sprout leaves with healing effects. John seems to take this prophetic imagery and apply it to the restored Eden in the new heavens and new earth. “This end-time river is crystal clear (symbolic of purity and holiness) and full of the ‘water of life,’” according to the Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times. “Perhaps most significantly, the river flows ‘from the throne of God and of the Lamb,’ indicating the source of the water. Since the water is life or life-giving, the ‘river of life’ primarily signifies the eternal life and fellowship that God gives fully and abundantly to His people. While there may be value in all of the views, none of them seems to match the intended fullness of John’s vision. A more fitting understanding is that this river, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb, is the third person of the Godhead, the Holy Spirit, who authors the “words of life” in scripture; regenerates the dead spirits of unbelievers and grants them faith to trust in Jesus; indwells, seals, baptizes, and guides them, ensuring that these children of God grow to full maturity and attain glorification at the resurrection of the just.

The broad street of the city. John notes that the river of living water flows from the throne of God and of the Lamb “down the middle of the broad street of the city” (v. 2a). Rev. 21:21b tells us, “The broad street of the city was pure gold, like transparent glass.” The term “broad street” also may be translated “public square,” indicating a place of gathering, fellowship, and worship. Perhaps this public square is what John describes earlier as “something like a sea of glass, similar to crystal … before the throne” (Rev. 4:6a). In any case, this broad street or public square accommodates a very large number of people, who stand before the throne of God and enjoy the pure refreshment of the Holy Spirit as He moves in their midst. Few commentators make mention of the broad street, but we should not miss its significance.

First, it is broad, airy, and inviting. The first readers of Revelation are persecuted saints who must worship in secret. The promise of a time and place in which the Lord Jesus may be exalted without fear of retribution is most inviting. Second, the street is located in the presence of the triune Godhead, before the throne of God and of the Lamb and alongside the life-giving waters that symbolize the Holy Spirit. There is no fear in the presence of God; no shame for past sins now forgiven; no want for food or drink; no dread of night because “the Lord will give them light” (v. 5). Third, the street is part of the heavenly city. Rome was known for its paved streets that hastened commerce, accommodated its armies, and enabled the empire to maintain more than 200 years of Pax Romana, the Roman Peace. But the broad heavenly street is not for commerce or enforcing peace; it is a paved public square where redeemed people gather to worship the Prince of Peace. Fourth, the street is pure gold, like transparent glass. While rare metals like gold are precious and highly coveted on earth, they are as common as pavers in heaven. While John may be speaking metaphorically about streets of gold (although he is told to record this) the idea of purity, accessibility, and value should not be lost to us; we stand on holy ground in the presence of the Almighty. Finally, the broad street is accessible only to those who come to it by the narrow way. Jesus tells us in Matt.7:13-14, “Enter [the kingdom of heaven] through the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the road is broad that leads to destruction, and there are many who go through it. How narrow is the gate and difficult the road that leads to life, and few find it?” He further tells us in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Only those who entrust their lives to Christ stand on the broad streets of the heavenly city.

The tree of life. We first hear of the tree of life in the Garden of Eden (Gen. 2:9). Adam and Eve may eat freely from this tree until they fall into sin; then they are banished from the garden and the Lord stations cherubim and the “flaming, whirling sword east of the garden of Eden to guard the way to the tree of life” (Gen. 3:24). The HCSB Study Bible notes, “Since the gift of life was directly tied to obedience, man’s sin meant that the penalty of death must be enforced” (p.14). Now, however, in Revelation 22, with all things restored in the new heavens and the new earth, the curse of sin is taken away. All redeemed people are returned to sinless innocence. Therefore, they may eat freely once again of the tree of life.

We should keep in mind that in both Genesis and Revelation the tree of life represents eternal life or immortality. In Genesis, after Adam and Eve disobey God, they are denied access to the tree of life and thus experience both spiritual death (immediately) and physical death (later). The sacrificial system – which God apparently introduces immediately after the fall (see Gen. 3:21; 4:3-5) – enables fallen people to experience atonement for their sins and to maintain fellowship with their Creator. All of this points to the promised Lamb of God who, being hanged on a tree and becoming a curse for us, takes away our sins and enables us to enjoy an unbreakable, intimate, and everlasting covenant relationship with God. In Rev. 2:7 the Spirit tells the church at Ephesus, and in effect all redeemed people, “I will give the victor the right to eat from the tree of life, which is in God’s paradise.” Finally, in Revelation 22, at the culmination of history, God’s redeemed people are once again in the garden, enjoying God’s presence.

The throne of God and of the Lamb. Twice in the first three verses of this chapter John tells us about “the throne of God and of the Lamb.” The river of living water flows from this throne (v. 1), which is located in the midst of the city (v. 3). Revelation mentions the heavenly throne about 40 times. As the Dictionary of Biblical Prophecy and End Times notes, “The centrality of the throne [in chapters 4-5] signifies God’s sovereign rule as the centerpiece of ultimate reality around which everything else revolves. All subsequent visions in the book emerge from these introductory visions of God’s sovereignty. The faithful witness and suffering of believers, the rebellion and punishment of unbelievers, and the fulfillment of God’s promise to redeem his people and live among them are all under God’s control. Because only God is supreme over his creation, he alone is worthy of worship”

KNOWING GOD

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What does it mean to know God?

To know God is to recognize His voice, be well-acquainted with His ways, be able to discern His sovereign will, and be fully assured of His perfect character. The more we know God as our Lord and Best Friend, the more we can live with spiritual authority, hope, joy, and peace.

Purpose of knowing God

“You were put on this earth to achieve your greatest self, to live out your purpose, and to do it courageously.” From that definition, knowing God’s purpose for our lives means ability to understand the purpose of our creation. Understanding the specific assignment for man on earth.

Seven steps to knowing God

Step 1: You must recognize that God loves you. …

Step 2: Admit you need help. …

Step 3: Believe that Jesus Christ is the only way. …

Step 4: Receive Jesus Christ as your own Savior. …

Step 5: Acknowledge that Jesus Christ is now your Lord and friend. …

Step 6: Recognize you now belong to God’s family –the Church

We are able to think clearly when we listen to God over all other voices, regardless the source. Our hearts are satisfied as we encounter God through His Word.

Read Psalm 119:17-18

17 Deal bountifully with your servant, that I may live and keep your word. 18 Open my eyes, that I may behold wondrous things out of your law.

These two Verses are to Pray Every Time You Open God’s Word.

The Bible teaches us that we should be abiding in God and in His Word. It teaches us that we should meditate on His Word day and night. It teaches us to talk about it, teach it, see the world through it, and live according to it. But the Bible also tells us how we should come to God’s Word, what we should be looking for, and what it should do in us. In Psalm 119:17-18 we see these three things.

The Spirit gives Life. The Psalmist pleads with God to open his eyes in order that he may see wondrous things out of His law. In other words, unless God graciously grants sight, wisdom, discernment, and beauty, the Word of God will look like lifeless, irrelevant ink and paper. Paul reveals this in 1 Corinthians 2:11-14 “For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual. The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Paul shows us, just like the Psalmist prays, that in order to understand the thoughts of God, and the things freely given us by God, we need the Spirit of God. The natural person will come to the word of God and in boredom see foolishness. However, even the believer can have the tendency to approach God’s Word like the old man. There are times when we as believers read a passage with impure motives simply to check a box or gain some man-centered profit. When this happens, there is no beauty being beheld. There is no conviction or reproof. There is no life being imparted. Remember Jesus Himself said that “it is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all” (John 6:63). This means that the believer must come to the Word of God.

Read Psalm 119:19-22

¹⁹I am a stranger on earth; do not hide your commands from me.
²⁰My soul is consumed with longing for your laws at all times.
²¹You rebuke the arrogant, who are accursed, those who stray from your commands.
²²Remove from me their scorn and contempt, for I keep your statutes.

I [am] a stranger in the earth
As all his fathers were, and all the saints are; not to divine and spiritual things; to God, and communion with him; to Christ, and the knowledge of him; to the Spirit, and his operations in their hearts; to their own hearts, and the plague of them; to the Gospel, and its truths; nor to the people of God, and fellowship with them: but to the world, among whom they are, not being known, valued, and respected by them; and they also behaving as strangers to the world, having no fellowship with them in their sinful works; as also not being natives here, but belonging to another city and country, an heavenly one; see ( 1 Chronicles 29:15 ) ;

Hide not thy commandments from me;
The doctrines of the Gospel, the word which God has commanded to a thousand generations; which is pure, and enlightens the eyes, and so needful to strangers in their pilgrimage, ( Psalms 19:8 ) ( 105:8 ) ; which God sometimes hides from the wise and prudent, and which the psalmist here deprecates with respect to himself, ( Matthew 11:25 Matthew 11:26 ) . Or the precepts of the world may be meant, which are a light to the feet, and a lamp to the paths, a good direction to those who travel and strangers in the way: David, being such one, prayed that these might not be hid from him, but be showed unto him; that he might know his way, and not go out of it; but walk as a child of light, wisely and circumspectly.

My soul breaks for the longing
His heart was just ready to break, and his soul fainted; he was ready to die, through a vehement desire of enjoying the object longed for, after mentioned; “hope deferred makes the heart sick”, ( Proverbs 13:1 Proverbs 13:2 ) ; the phrase is expressive of the greatness, vehemence, and eagerness of his mind after the thing he desired, which follows:

[that it hath] unto thy judgments at all times;
Not the judgments of God on wicked men, though these are desirable for the glorifying of his justice; nor his dark dispensations of providence, though good men cannot but desire and long for the time when these judgments shall be made manifest: but rather the righteous laws and precepts of God are designed, which he desired to have a more perfect knowledge of, and yield a more constant obedience unto; or, best of all, the doctrines of grace and righteousness, that should be more clearly revealed in the times of the Messiah; who was to set judgment in the earth, his Gospel; and to bring in everlasting righteousness, and glorify the justice of God; than which nothing was more earnestly and importunately wished and longed for by Old Testament saints.

Thou hast rebuked the proud
Which some understand of the fallen angels, who, in proud wrath, left their habitations, because they would not be subject to the Son of God in human nature; wherefore he scattered them in the imaginations of their hearts, and cast down these mighty ones into hell, where they are reserved in chains of darkness to the judgment of the great day. Others of the Scribes and Pharisees in Christ’s time, this psalm being suited, as is thought, to Gospel times; who were proud of their own righteousness, and despised others less holy than themselves; and submitted not to the righteousness of Christ, whom he often rebuked, and at last punished. Rather all proud atheistical persons, profane and wicked men, are meant; who, Pharaoh like, say, who is the Lord that we should obey him? who reckon, their tongues to be their own, and employ them both against God and men, and regard neither: these God resists, sets himself against, and sooner or later severely punishes; for in the things they deal proudly he is above them, ( Exodus 18:11 ) ;

[that are] cursed which do err from thy commandments;
according to the law of God, being transgressors of it, and will hear the awful sentence, “go, ye cursed”, ( Matthew 25:41 ) . The Targum, Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and all the Oriental versions, join this with the next clause: “cursed are they which do err from thy commandments”; from the way of them, not observing them; from the end of them, Christ, not looking to him for righteousness.

Remove from me reproach and contempt
Or, “roll [it] from me” ^F21. It lay as a load, as a heavy burden upon him, which pressed him sore; and he therefore desired ease from it, being probably in a low frame of soul; otherwise, saints do and should rejoice when reproached for Christ’s sake; and esteem it, with Moses, more than all the treasures in Egypt, being what is common to them with their Lord.

For I have kept that testimonies;
which was the reason why he was reproached and despised; for having a regard to the word of God and embracing and professing the doctrines of it. Thus the word of the Lord was made a reproach to Jeremiah, or he was reproached for delivering it; as many good men have been vilified, and have suffered for the testimony of Jesus, ( Jeremiah 20:8 ) ( Revelation 1:9 ) ; and for walking according to the directions, of it; wicked men thinking it strange they do not run into the same excess of not with them, and therefore speak evil of them.

Read Psalm 119:23-24

²³Though rulers sit together and slander me, your servant will meditate on your decrees.

²⁴Your statutes are my delight; they are my counselors.

Princes also did sit and speak against me, The princes in the court of Saul, who suggested to him that David sought his hurt; the princes of his own court, Absalom, his own son, a prince of the blood, and Ahithophel, a counsellor of state: or the princes of the Gentiles, as Jarchi; so the princes of the Philistines spoke against him in a very disdainful manner, “make this fellow return to his place again”, 1 Samuel 29:4. Such as these might speak against him, as they sat and rode in their chariots; when at their tables, conversing together; or at their council boards, forming schemes against him: the phrase denotes their constant practice, as Kimchi observes; see Psalm 50:20; herein David was a type of Christ, whom the princes of this world conspired against, and whose life they took away, Psalm 2:2;

But thy servant did meditate in thy statutes; what the princes did or said against him did not divert his mind, or take off his thoughts from the word of God, and the ordinances of it; he thought of them, he spoke and discoursed of them; he declared them, as the word^F23 sometimes signifies, and so the Targum takes it here; he was not afraid nor ashamed to profess his regard unto them: as Daniel, when he knew that the presidents and princes had obtained a royal decree, and the writing was signed; yet went into his chamber, as at other times, and kneeled down and prayed to God, Daniel 6:10.

Thy testimonies also are my delight. Or “delights”^F24; exceeding delightful to me. The whole of Scripture is so to a good man; he delights in the law of God, after the inward man; the Gospel is a joyful sound to him; the doctrines of peace, pardon, righteousness, and salvation by Christ, are very pleasant; the promises of it give more joy than the finding of a great spoil; and the precepts and ordinances of it are not grievous, but ways of pleasantness and peace;

And my counsellors; or, “the men of my counsel”; though David took counsel with men about affairs of state; yet concerning spiritual ones, or what related to his soul, and the concerns of that, not they, but the Scriptures, were the men of his counsel. The Gospel is the whole counsel of God relating to salvation; in it Christ, the wonderful Counsellor, gives advice to saints and sinners: the whole word of God may be profitably consulted on every occasion, and in every circumstance in which a child of God may be; all Scripture, being divinely inspired, is profitable for doctrine, for correction, and instruction in righteousness, 2 Timothy 3:16.

When we seek God through His Word, our relationship is strengthened. We Grow in Christ. This helps us face opposition and keep the right perspective concerning our lives. Only God’s Word can keep us focused and thinking clearly and correctly about life. We must listen first and foremost to God and His Word, and then test and measure all the other competing voices in light of how God commands us to live.

WE STAND TOGETHER IN SPIRITUAL BATTLES

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The world is at war and every human being is involved in the conflict- and I am not talking about the effects of the virus. This is a NOT a war of country against country, it is a spiritual battle. As believers, we often don’t think in these terms. Sometimes what we can’t see becomes our greatest problem. However, only by realizing we are in this fight can we stand in Christ against Satan and his wiles. There are so many times where Satan is attempting to do everything, he can to stop Christians and Christianity. He uses all types of sources, people, and issues to cause us major problems. Jesus said that when we stand up for Him, we will face persecution. God does not send His children into battle ill-equipped. God provides spiritual armor by which we can engage and triumph over the enemy. We stand strong with God’s armor and the support of others.

Read Ephesians 6:10-13

¹⁰Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. ¹¹Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. ¹²For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. ¹³Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.

In conclusion, be strong—not in yourselves but in the Lord, in the power of his boundless strength. Put on God’s complete armor so that you can successfully resist all the devil’s craftiness. For our fight is not against any physical enemy: it is against organizations and powers that are spiritual. We are up against the unseen power that controls this dark world, and spiritual agents from the very headquarters of evil. Therefore you must wear the whole armor of God that you may be able to resist evil in its day of power, and that even when you have fought to a standstill you may still stand your ground. (Phillips)

It is clear that we are fighting a spiritual war against enemies who are far greater in numbers, intelligence, subtlety, and power than Israel had to wage war against in terms of the Amalekites, the Moabites, and so forth. In addition, our enemy is invisible. Paul tells us to “stand,” a military term for holding on to a position. In effect, before one can launch an attack, he must first hold the position he is in. In the Phillips translation, the word “against” is used four times, probably to stress the determined hostility that our enemy has. The Christian soldier is confronting something that, as a soldier, he could not overcome except that he himself also has invisible help to draw upon as a resource. In military strategy, perhaps one of the most basic of all rules is never to underestimate the enemy. Our struggle is not merely against human foes, yet we find, in other places, that it is a war to the death. In fact, here in Ephesians 6, this idea is hidden in the Greek. It is a war to the death against supernatural forces. The word “powers” denotes those who aspire to world control, and ancient writers used the term to designate the savior gods of pagan religions. That is who we are fighting against—demons!

Our warfare, then, has all the trappings of a literal war, but it is something that we cannot see what is happening nonetheless. The qualities that we need to fight this war are not things we have inherently. We have to be given them by God. Our relationship with God is of supreme importance as to whether we are going to have the proper resources to fight this battle. We have to go to Him to get them, and we also need to be on good terms before He gives them to us.

One of the most valuable of all of these resources is the mindset that we are involved in a war. There are times when we, as a soldier, are going to face privation and hardship. There are going to be times of pain—both physical and mental. There are going to be times of sorrow that may lead us to depression or even bitterness. There will be occasions when we will be in fear and feel a great sense of insecurity. There are times we will win our battles, but other times we will lose and thus feel guilty and maybe depressed. There are going to be times of obedience that give a feeling of exhilaration and of being in control, as well as times of disobedience when just the opposite will be the effect. There will also be times when we will be aware that God is disciplining us—sometimes in terms of punishment for sin and at other times in training to prepare us to master what we are doing. There will be times of sacrifice and even times of death. Nevertheless, all of these are part and parcel of a soldier’s life.

Read Ephesians 6:14-17

¹⁴Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, ¹⁵and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. ¹⁶In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. ¹⁷Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.

6:14-17 RSV

This armor defends us under attack and makes it possible for us to stand in an evil day. How accurately the apostle describes our experience — continually facing evil days, days in which everything seems to go wrong, when trouble comes, tragedy strikes, difficulties occur, or discouragement sets in, and we wonder what is happening in the world and in our personal lives. We have looked at the specific form in which this attack occurs. We have noted the source of it, and the ubiquity of it. It comes from every side and in every waking moment of our lives. Always it is an attempt to derail our Christian faith, to upset our lives, to destroy our morale, to defeat our hopes, and deny our claims. This conflict is experienced by men everywhere; it is not unique to Christians. But it is only the Christian who is in a place to fight back. As Christians we are delivered by Christ from the unconscious control of Satan and are thus able to resist the attack of the devil, to fight back, and to overcome. The Christian does this by putting on the armor of God.

This passage addresses itself to us in a figurative way, but it is speaking of very realistic things which I hope we have captured in this series. We have already seen that the armor is Christ: Christ Jesus made available to us day by day. The first three pieces of this armor pictures Christ as the truth, i.e., the basic secret to life, the ground of reality; then Christ as our righteousness, the One on whose merits we stand before God and are accepted; and Christ as our peace, the source of our morale, of our inner strength, of that which gives purpose to life. All this is fulfillment of our Lord’s words, “you in me,” (John 14:20b). Then the last three pieces of this armor set forth the truth of “I in you” (John 14:20c) — Christ appropriated and applied to life. We looked at the shield of faith, which involves applying general truth to specific situations, i.e., acting upon our belief. Nothing can be done without faith. God’s power is made available only in faith. Then we looked at the helmet of hope, which is to use the fact of the return of Jesus Christ as a guide in evaluating the worth of movements in our own day, a guide to where history is going, what is happening, and where it will all come out. Now, we come to the last of these pieces of the armor of the Christian — “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.”

The first thing we must say immediately about it is that, again, this is Christ. Christ is our life, if we are Christians at all, but this is Christ made available to us in practical ways through the saying of his Word. I think it is very important to stress this. It is so easy to be Christians in general, but not in specifics. It is so very easy to have a vague sense of following Christ, but not know exactly, in specific terms, what this means. But that is why the Word of God has been given to us, for it is that which makes Christianity manageable. Christian truth as a whole is more than we can handle. It has to be broken down into manageable pieces. This is what the Word of God does.

In writing to the Colossians, the Apostle Paul says, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, as you teach and admonish one another in all wisdom, and as you sing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs with thankfulness in your hearts to God,” (Colossians 3:16 RSV). By this he is indicating that the authority of Jesus Christ and the authority of the Scripture are one and the same. There are many today who challenge this. There are many voices which tell us that as Christians we must follow Christ and accept the authority of Christ, but we need not accept the authority of the Bible. But Paul answers that one by calling the Scriptures “the word of Christ.” You cannot separate the two. The authority of Scripture is the authority of Jesus Christ. They are indivisible. To attempt to distinguish the two is like asking which blade of a pair of scissors is more important, or which leg of a pair of pants is more necessary. We know Christ through the Bible, and we understand the Bible through the knowledge of Christ. The two cannot be separated. That is why Paul calls it “the word of Christ.”

Now in the phrase, “the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God,” it is important to see that it is not the complete Bible which is referred to by the phrase, “the word of God.” Let us do a little donkey work, if you will permit me. There are two words used in Scripture for “the word of God.” There is the familiar word, logos, which is used in the opening verse of John’s Gospel: “In the beginning was the Word (Logos), and the Logos was with God, and the Logos was God,” (John 1:1). Then there is another word, used less frequently, rhema, which is somewhat different in meaning. Logos refers to the total utterance of God, the complete revelation of what God has said. Rhema means a specific saying of God, a passage or a verse which has special application to an immediate situation; to use a modern term, it is the Word of God used existentially, i.e., applied to experience, to our existence.

Rhema is the word used here. The “sword of the Spirit” is the saying of God applied to a specific situation. This is the great weapon placed in the hands of a believer. Perhaps all of us have had some experience with this. We have all read passages of Scripture when the words suddenly seemed to come alive, take on flesh and bones, and leap out of the page at us, or grow eyes that follow us around everywhere we go, or develop a voice that echoes in our ears until we cannot get away from it. We have had this experience: Perhaps in some moment of temptation or doubt, when we were assailed by what Paul calls here “the flaming darts of the evil one.” But it has been answered immediately by a passage of Scripture which flashed to mind, something we had not been thinking of at all, but which supplied the needed answer.

Or perhaps we have been asked a question, and for a moment it has caught us off guard; we did not know how to answer and were about to say, “I don’t know,” when suddenly we had a moment of illumination and a word of Scripture came to mind, and we saw what the answer was. Perhaps this experience has come while sitting in a meeting where some passage has come home to our heart with strange and powerful effect upon us. We have been greatly moved, and, in that moment, we made a deep, permanent decision. All this is the rhema of God, the sayings of God which strike home like arrows to the heart. That is why this is called “the sword of the Spirit,” because it is not only originated by him as the author of the Word, but it is also recalled to mind by the Spirit and made powerful by him in our lives. It is his answer to the attack of the devil, who comes to discourage us, defeat us, lure us aside, deceive us, misguide us, or mislead us in some way — but then a word comes to mind instantly. This is the sword of the Spirit.

Read Ephesians 6:18-20

¹⁸And pray in the Spirit on all occasions with all kinds of prayers and requests. With this in mind, be alert and always keep on praying for all the Lord’s people. ¹⁹Pray also for me, that whenever I speak, words may be given me so that I will fearlessly make known the mystery of the gospel, ²⁰for which I am an ambassador in chains. Pray that I may declare it fearlessly, as I should.

There is a very strong and powerful relationship between putting on the armor of God and praying. These two things belong together; in fact, one grows out of the other. It is not enough to put on the armor of God; you must also pray. It is not enough to pray; you must also have put on the armor of God. It is impossible to divide these two. As we have been attempting to see, putting on the armor of God is not something merely figurative, it is an actual thing you do. It is remembering what Christ is to you and thinking through the implications of it in terms of your present struggle and experience. Putting on the armor is essentially something that is done in the realm of your thought life. We have been trying to make that clear. It is an adjustment of the attitude of your heart to reality, to things as they really are. It is thinking through the implications of the fact which revelation discloses. This is always the necessary thing to do in trying to face life.

Our problem with life is that we do not see it as it is. We are so deluded by it we suffer from such strange illusions. It looks to us to be quite different than it is and this is why we desperately need and must have the revelation of the facts of Scripture. Life is what God has declared it to be. When we face it on that basis, we discover the revelation is right, it is accurate, it does describe what is happening. And more, it tells us why things happen and what lies behind them. All this is part of putting on this armor, appropriating Christ to your life in terms of your present situation. It is all done in the realm of the thought life. So, the complement to putting on the armor of God, the activity which results from it, is to pray. First to think through and then to pray.

Notice the order of this. This is extremely important. The apostle does not reverse this and say, first pray and then put on the armor of God. This is what we try to do, and this is why our prayer life is so feeble, so impotent. There is great practical help here if we follow carefully the designated order of Scripture. I think most Christians, if they were honest, would confess that they are dissatisfied with their prayer life. They feel it is inadequate and perhaps infrequent. All of us at times struggle to improve ourselves. Sometimes we struggle to improve the quality as well as the quantity of our prayer lives. Sometimes we adopt schedules we attempt to maintain, or long lists of names and projects and places we try to remember in prayer, or we attempt to discipline ourselves in some way to a greater ministry in this realm. In other words, we begin with the doing, but when we do this we are starting at the wrong place. We are violating our basic human nature in doing it this way. The place to start is not with the doing, but with the thinking.

This is always the place to start in motivating human life, and this is what the apostle suggests. Prayer follows putting on the armor of God. It is a natural, normal outgrowth. Now, I am not suggesting that there is no place for Christian discipline; there is. I am not suggesting that we will not need to take our wills and put them to a task and follow through. There is this need. But the place where discipline should come in is not, first, in prayer, but in doing what is involved in “putting on the armor of God.” First, think through the implications of our faith, and then prayer will follow naturally much more easily. When it comes in that order it will be thoughtful prayer, prayer which has meaning and significance. It will he relevant prayer. Paul’s prayers were answered since he continued to proclaim the good news about Jesus until the end. Paul prayed at all times in the Spirit.

COMMITTED TO PRAY

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What stands in the way for us to commit to pray? There can be many things that don’t make it easy to pray as often as we should. Praying as often as we should and especially and for others maybe fall into the category of a Spiritual Gift. We know they abound within the church and are given to each believer at the time of their salvation experience. Believers are gifted in different ways and are called to exercise their gifts in different even if they have the same gift. One ministry can share in praying for others as individuals, while another is led to pray for situations and groups as well as individuals. I just wrote a new lesson on Spiritual Gifts for November 8^th for which I found some very good commentary. It’s natural, easy, and appropriate to go to God with our own personal needs, but we are also called to intercede for the needs of others. Furthermore, a commitment to pray for others brings the joy of seeing how God answers and work in others’ lives. We are to commit to pray for the salvation and spiritual growth of others. So, we must ask God to remind us of our access to God through prayer.

Read Colossians 1:3-6a

³We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you, ⁴because we have heard of your faith in Christ Jesus and of the love you have for all God’s people— ⁵the faith and love that spring from the hope stored up for you in heaven and about which you have already heard in the true message of the gospel ⁶that has come to you.

We give thanks to God, meaning himself and Timothy (v.3). This is the beginning of the epistle, which is introduced with a thanksgiving to God; to whom praise and thankfulness are always due as a Creator and preserver, as the author of all good things, as the Father of mercies, temporal and spiritual, and as the covenant God and Father of his people through Christ: wherefore it follows, and the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ; the sense of which either is, that God the Father, who is the object of praise and thanksgiving, is both the God of Christ, and the Father of Christ, the God of Christ, as Christ is man, and the Father of Christ, as Christ is God; or the latter is exegetical of the former, and may be rendered thus, “God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ”: and very properly are thanks given to him under this character, because it is as he is the Father of Christ that he blesses his people with all spiritual blessings; and because he is their God, as well as his God; and their Father, as well as his Father, though in a different sense, his by nature, theirs by adoption. Moreover, as all their blessings come from God, as the Father of Christ, and through Christ, and for his sake, so it is very proper that thanks should be returned unto him under that character; and through Christ, by whom alone such sacrifices of praise are acceptable to God: it is added, praying always for you; which, as it is expressive of the constant discharge of the duty of prayer, and the continual remembrance of these saints in it, and shows the affection the apostle had for them; so it points out the time when, and the way and manner in which Paul and Timothy gave thanks to God on account of them; it was when they were at the throne of grace, and in their frequent prayers to God; thankfulness for mercies received, both by ourselves and others, being a branch of the duty of prayer.

Since we heard of your faith in Christ Jesus (v.4) – To wit, by Epaphras, who had informed Paul of the steadfastness of their faith and love; Colossians 1:7-8. This does not prove that Paul had never been at Colossae, or that he did not establish the church there, for he uses a similar expression respecting the church at Ephesus Ephesians 1:15, of which he was undoubtedly the founder. The meaning is, that he had heard of their faith at that time, or of their perseverance in faith and love. Which ye have to all the saints – In what way they had manifested this is not known. It would seem that Paul had been informed that this was a character of their piety, that they had remarkable love for all who bore the Christian name. Nothing could be more acceptable information respecting them to one who himself so ardently loved the church; and nothing could have furnished better evidence that they were influenced by the true spirit of religion; compare 1 John 3:14.

Verse 5 starts, for the hope which is laid up for you in heaven. The union of hope with faith and love is natural enough. Compare the fuller expression of 1Thessalonians 1:3, “your work of faith, and labor of love, and patience of hope.” But the place assigned to hope in this passage is notable. “For the hope” is really “on account of the hope.” Hence faith and love are spoken of, not merely as leading up to hope, but as being actually kindled by it. Similarly in Ephesians 1:18 we find that, while faith and love are taken for granted, there is a special prayer that they may be enlightened “to know the hope of His calling” as the one thing yet needful. The prominence given to the thought of “the heavenly places” in the Epistles of the captivity, and therefore to Christ in heaven, even more than to Christ risen, is evident to any careful student. Accordingly, the hope, which is the instinct of perfection in man, and which becomes realization of heaven in the Christian, naturally comes out with corresponding emphasis.

Ye heard before that is, at their first conversion. There is an implied warning against the new doctrines, which are more fully noticed in the next chapter. The truth of the gospel.—This expression (as in Galatians 2:14) is emphatic. It refers to the gospel, not chiefly as a message of graciousness and mercy, but rather as a revelation of eternal truths, itself changeless as the truth it reveals. There is a corresponding emphasis, but stronger still, in St. John. (See, for example, 1John 2:27; 1John 5:20; 2John 1:1-4; 3John 1:2-3.) The gospel was now winning its way to supremacy over civilized thought. Hence the need of warning against the sudden growth of wild speculations, contrasted with the unchanging simplicity of its main truths.

Which is come unto you – It has not been confined to the Jews or limited to the narrow country where it was first preached but has been sent abroad to the Gentile world. The object of the apostle here seems to be, to excite in them a sense of gratitude that the gospel had been sent to them. It was owing entirely to the goodness of God in sending them the gospel, that they had this hope of eternal life.

. Read Colossians 1:6b-8

As indeed in the whole world it is bearing fruit and increasing—as it also does among you, since the day you heard it and understood the grace of God in truth, ⁷just as you learned it from Epaphras our beloved fellow servant. He is a faithful minister of Christ on yourbehalf ⁸and has made known to us your love in the Spirit.

As it is in all the world; as it was come into, and preached to all the world, and was made useful, and continued in all the world at that time. Christ gave his disciples a commission to go into all the world, and preach the Gospel to every creature; it was no more to be restrained to a particular nation, but was made general and common to all the nations of the world, and accordingly they preached it to all; and by this time had delivered the joyful message to the greater part of the world, which is sometimes meant by all the world, and the whole world; or it had been now preached in all the known and habitable parts of the world by one apostle and another, some being sent into one part, and some into another; so that the grace of God appeared to all men, and the doctrine of it had been preached to every creature under the heaven, according to Christ’s commission; the Gospel of the kingdom was to be preached in all the world, for a witness to all nations, before the end of the Jewish state came, or before the destruction of Jerusalem, which was not many years after the writing of this epistle. Now this shows, that it was the same Gospel which had been preached at Colosses by their faithful minister there, as had been preached in other areas, and in all parts of the world by the apostles; which is said in the commendation of the Gospel, it being one, uniform, consistent, and all of a piece in every place, and as preached by every faithful minister, and might serve greatly to confirm the Colossians in their faith of it:

And bringeth forth fruit: by which is meant, either the conversion of sinners, the fruit of the Gospel ministry, when attended with a divine blessing and power; or the graces of the Spirit, as faith, hope, love, repentance, humility, self-denial, &c. with all the effects thereof, in new obedience, and a godly conversation, which come from Christ, the green fir tree, and are produced by the Spirit, through the preaching of the Gospel. The Vulgate Latin adds, “and increases”; the Syriac version has the same; and it is so read in some Greek copies, as in the Alexandrian copy, two of Stephens’s, and in the Complutensian edition; and may intend the spread of the Gospel among others, besides those who first received it, and the growing fruitfulness of the professors of it under its influence:

And knew the grace of God in truth: by “the grace of God” may be meant the love and favor of God, in the mission and gift of his Son, to be the Savior and Redeemer of lost sinners, displayed in the Gospel, of which they had a comfortable experience, it being shed abroad in their hearts by the Spirit; or the blessings of grace revealed in the Gospel, as free justification by the righteousness of Christ, full pardon of sin, according to the riches of grace, and adoption of children, arising out of the love and free favor of God, of which they had had a real application made to them through the Gospel, by the Spirit of God; or rather the doctrine of grace itself, so called because it is a declaration of the free grace of God in the salvation of sinners and the means of implanting grace in the heart.

As ye also learned of Epaphras – who is for you – Who this Epaphras was we cannot tell; only it is likely that he was a Colossian, and became, by the call and grace of Christ, a deacon of this Church, faithfully laboring with the apostle, to promote its best interests. Some think that he is the same with Epaphroditus, Epaphras being a contraction of that name, as Demas is of Demetrius; and it is remarkable that one of the Slavonic versions has Epaphroditus in this place. That he was a Colossian is evident from Colossians 4:12; : Epaphras, who is one of you, ὁ εξ ὑμων· some think that he was the first who preached the Gospel among this people, and hence called an apostle. He was raised up among themselves to be their minister in the absence of the apostle, and he showed himself to be worthy of this calling by a faithful discharge of his ministry, and by laboring fervently for them all, and pressing them forward, that they might stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.

Your love in the Spirit – So we preached, and so ye believed. The heavenly flame in the heart of this minister communicated itself to those who heard him; it was like priest like people. They enjoyed a spiritual, energetic ministry, and they were a spiritual people; they had a loving spirit, and love through the Spirit of God which dwelt in them. And of this love of theirs in the Spirit, and particularly towards the apostle, Epaphras gave full proof, not only by describing to the apostle the affection they felt for him, but in presenting to him those supplies which their love to him caused them to furnish.

Read Colossians 1:9-12

⁹For this reason, since the day we heard about you, we have not stopped praying for you. We continually ask God to fill you with the knowledge of his will through all the wisdom and understanding that the Spirit gives, ¹⁰so that you may live a life worthy of the Lord and please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, ¹¹being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, ¹²and giving joyful thanks to the Father, who has qualified youto share in the inheritance of his holy people in the kingdom of light.

Paul’s prayer that the Colossians would be filled with the knowledge of God’s will does not mean that he wants them to know whether they should take a different job offer or marry a particular person. Rather, he’s asking that they might know God’s moral will as revealed in His Word. “Being filled” with this knowledge is a prayer that they would be controlled by this knowledge so that it would govern every thought, word, and deed. Since God’s moral will is a reflection of His holy character, Paul’s prayer is that these new believers would grow to know God Himself as He has revealed Himself in His Word.

The knowledge of how God wants us to live requires spiritual wisdom. “Spiritual” is emphatic by position and applies both to “wisdom” and “understanding.” Spiritual wisdom and understanding come from God’s Spirit and stand in contrast to the worldly wisdom of the false teachers (Col. 2:23). “Wisdom” is an Old Testament concept emphasized often in the Book of Proverbs. The same Greek words for both “wisdom” and “understanding” often occur together in the Septuagint, as in Proverbs 9:10:

The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom, And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.

The main idea behind the Hebrew concept of wisdom is “skill.” The men who were able to construct the tabernacle according to God’s plan as revealed to Moses are called “wise,” meaning skillful (Exod. 31:3, 6; 36:1-2). Just as a skilled carpenter can take a piece of rough wood and shape it according to a plan into a beautiful and useful piece of furniture, so the wise person is able to take the rough elements of life and shape them according to God’s plan into something beautiful and useful to Him. Spiritual wisdom requires learning about God and how He wants us to live so that our lives will not be ruined by sin, but rather will become a finely crafted product that will cause others to be attracted to the Maker, who displays His glory in us.

The knowledge of how God wants us to live requires spiritual understanding. Wisdom and understanding are somewhat synonymous, but there may be a subtle nuance of difference. “Wisdom” refers to knowing how God’s Word commands us to live, whereas “understanding” refers to insight, perception, or the ability to discern between things. Understanding enables us to put the pieces of wisdom together in specific situations. In 2 Timothy 2:7, after using the analogies of the solider, the athlete, and the farmer, Paul tells Timothy, “Consider what I say, for the Lord will give you understanding in everything.” The Lord would enable Timothy to grasp mentally the truths of those analogies and put them together so as to gain insight into how he should conduct his ministry.

How do you become filled or controlled by the knowledge of God’s will in all spiritual wisdom and understanding? To illustrate, when I was in the Coast Guard and we were navigating in the fog, we used two things to keep from running into something. First, we used our radar, which would show up an object as a little blip on the screen. We couldn’t see it out the window because of the dense fog, but the radar said, “Look out! Something is out there!” But in addition to the radar, we’d send a man to stand on the bow. Sometimes it was so foggy that you could barely see him, but he would wear a headset so that he could talk with the bridge. Sometimes he could see something from his vantage point that those on the bridge couldn’t see.

Two things help us grow in spiritual wisdom and understanding, so that my life hasn’t run aground in the moral fog of this world. The first is prayerfully to read and meditate on the Word of God. By reading the Bible over and over and thinking about what it says and asking God for understanding, I can see the blips of danger on the screen and avoid smashing into them. God’s Word exposes the dangerous winds of doctrine that are blowing in our times. It also reveals the way that Satan has tempted people in the past and the consequences when they have yielded to his evil schemes. All of you men should burn into your minds the portrait of the foolish man in Proverbs 7, whose first mistake was to go near the home of the loose woman. Then he succumbed to her enticement, “as a bird hastens to the snare. So he does not know that it will cost him his life” (Prov. 7:23). God’s Word imparts spiritual wisdom and understanding.

The second way I’ve been helped is by reading church history and Christian biographies. God’s Word is like the radar but reading church history is like the guy on the bow. You don’t depend on him alone, but sometimes he can help you interpret what you’re seeing on the radar screen or point out something that you missed. By reading what God’s people have faced down through the centuries and how they either succeeded or failed, you gain insight into our times.

Spiritual growth means walking in a manner worthy of the Lord as we seek to please Him in all things. The knowledge of God’s will lead to a walk that is worthy of the Lord. The result of all biblical knowledge should be godly conduct. And the primary motive for godly conduct is not that we can live a happier and better life (although that always is the result), but rather that we please and glorify the Lord. Before we look at the four ways Paul says that we can please the Lord, note that this is a walk. That implies steady progress in a deliberate direction. You don’t get there by a dramatic spiritual experience or a quick fix, but rather by steady, deliberate, day by day growth in understanding through God’s Word.

1. We please the Lord when we bear fruit in every good work.

2.We please the Lord when we increase in the knowledge of God.

3. We please the Lord when we are strengthened with His power to be steadfast and

patient.

4. We please the Lord when we joyously give thanks to Him for His great salvation.

How do you develop this joyous, thankful attitude in the midst of difficult problems or difficult people? Paul’s answer is to set your mind of the fact that the Father has qualified us to share in the inheritance of the saints in the light (the Greek text has the definite article before “light”). The picture in Paul’s mind is the division of the land of Canaan in the Old Testament. After Israel conquered Canaan, they divided up the land by lot. Each tribe received a portion of the land to live on and pass on to their descendants after them.

Even so, Paul is saying that the Father has given us an inheritance that we share with all the saints in the light. We all have Christ in us and enjoy His full salvation. Individually, we’ve been given gifts to use for the common good. And we should pass this spiritual heritage down to our children and grandchildren. They should see our joy in the Lord, even when we go through trials, and want to experience the same blessings that we enjoy.

WE STRENGTHEN ONE ANOTHER

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So, when are you going to start strength training- just kidding? It is certainly dangerous and foolish to lift heavy objects without help. Those who do strength training with weights know the value of a “spotter”, a person who supports the one doing the training and they do more than we my think. They certainly can act quickly to intervene or assist as needed. Christians do that for one another, or they should. As God works through us, He uses us to strengthen one another in the face of a world that calls us to follow a different path. And sometimes it is stronger than just a call, today we see those who want to force their opinions and feelings on Christians. In these times we need others to help us in the Christians life. We strengthen one another to live as God desires. So, ask God to help us see the need for accountability and support of others in the church.

Read Ephesians 5:8-14

⁸For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹(for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹²It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

For ye were sometimes darkness – see the Ephesians 2:11-12 notes; 1 Corinthians 6:11 note. The meaning here is, that they were themselves formerly sunk in the same ignorance and practiced the same abominations. But now are ye light in the Lord – Light is the emblem of happiness, knowledge, holiness. The meaning is, that they had been enlightened by the Lord to see the evil of these practices, and that they ought, therefore, to forsake them. Walk as children of light – see the notes on Matthew 1:1, on the use of the word “son,” or “children.” The meaning here is, that they should live as became those who had been enlightened to see the evil of sin, and the beauty of virtue and religion; compare John 12:36, where the same phrase occurs.

For the fruit of the Spirit – That is, since the Holy Spirit through the gospel produces goodness, righteousness, and truth, see that you exhibit these in your lives, and thus show that you are the children of light. On the fruits of the Spirit, Galatians 5:22-23.Is in all goodness – Is seen in producing all kinds of goodness. He who is not good is not a Christian.

Proving—construed with “walk” (Eph 5:8; Ro 12:1, 2). As we prove a coin by the eye and the ear, and by using it, so by accurate and continued study, and above all by practice and experimental tri, we may prove or test “what is acceptable unto the Lord.” This is the office of “light,” of which believers are “children,” to manifest what each thing is, whether by sight or unsightly.

And have no fellowship – See the sentiment here expressed fully explained in 2 Corinthians 6:14-18.The unfruitful works – The deeds of darkness that produce no “benefit” to the body or the soul. The word “unfruitful” is used here in contrast with the “fruit of the Spirit,” Ephesians 5:9. But rather reprove them – By your life, your conversation, and all your influence. This is the business of Christians. Their lives should be a standing rebuke of a sinful world, and they should be ever ready to express their disapprobation of its wickedness in every form.

The Greek order is, “For the things done in secret by them, it is a shame even to speak of.” The “for” gives his reason for “not naming” (compare Eph 5:3) in detail the works of darkness, whereas he describes definitely (Eph 5:9) “the fruit of the light” [Bengel]. “Speak of,” I think, is used here as “speaking of without reproving,” in contrast to “even reprove them.” Thus the “for” expresses this, reprove them, for to speak of them without reproving them, is a shame (Eph 5:3). Thus “works of darkness” answers to “things done in secret.”

That are reproved—rather, “when they are reproved,” namely, by you (Eph 5:11). whatsoever doth make manifest—rather, “everything that is (that is, suffers itself to be) made manifest (or ‘shone upon,’ namely, by your ‘reproving,’ Eph 5:11) is (thenceforth no longer ‘darkness,’ Eph 5:8, but) light.” The devil and the wicked will not suffer themselves to be made manifest by the light, but love darkness, though outwardly the light shines round them. Therefore, “light” has no transforming effect on them, so that they do not become light (Joh 3:19, 20). But, says the apostle, you are now the light yourselves (Eph 5:8), by bringing to light through reproof those who are in darkness, will convert them to light. Your consistent lives and faithful reproofs will be your “armor

of light” (Ro 13:12) in making an inroad on the kingdom of darkness.

He saith; either God by the prophets, of whose preaching this is the sum; it may allude in particular to Isaiah 60:1. Or, Christ by his ministers, in the preaching of the gospel, who daily calls men to arise from the death of sin by repentance, and encourages them with the promise of eternal life.
Awake thou that sleeps, and arise from the dead; the same thing in two different expressions. Sinners in some respects are said to be asleep, in others, to be dead. They are as full of dreams and vain imaginations, and as unfit for any good action, as they that are asleep are for natural; and they are as full of stench and loathsomeness as they that are dead. Here therefore they are bid to awake from sin as a sleep, and to arise from it as a death. The meaning is, that they should arise by faith and repentance out of that state of spiritual death in which they lie while in their sins.
And Christ shall give thee light; the light of peace and joy here, and eternal glory hereafter. The apostle intimates, that what is the way of Christ in the gospel should likewise be the practice of these Ephesians, whom he calls light in the Lord, viz. to reprove the unfruitful works of darkness, and awaken sleeping, dead sinners, and bring them to the light of Christ.

Read Ephesians 5:15-17

¹⁵Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise, ¹⁶making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. ¹⁷Therefore do not be foolish but understand what the Lord’s will is.

Billy Graham was asked what he was most surprised by in life. He answered, “Its brevity.” (Christianity Today [Oct., 2006], p. 90.) Graham has lived a relatively long life, but he still feels the sting of life’s shortness.

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The older you get, the more you think about using your time wisely in light of eternity. You try to evaluate what really matters. Moses must have been feeling this when he wrote Psalm 90. He had spent his first 40 years as a son of Pharaoh’s daughter, living in the comfort of the palace. He spent his next 40 years as a fugitive shepherd, wandering around the Sinai Peninsula. He spent the last 40 years of his long life leading a rebellious bunch of Israelis out of slavery in Egypt, but not quite into the Promised Land.

As they were camped somewhere in the wilderness, shy of that goal, he wrote Psalm 90, reflecting on the brevity of life and the severity of God’s judgment. In verse 12 he prayed, “So teach us to number our days, that we may present to You a heart of wisdom.” He concluded the Psalm with the prayer (v. 17), “Let the favor of the Lord our God be upon us; and confirm for us the work of our hands; yes, confirm the work of our hands.” The poignant repetition of his final plea shows that even Moses was afraid that his life’s work would amount to nothing, unless God confirmed it, or [NASB margin] gave permanence to it.

Our text tells us how to walk wisely, so that we make the precious years that God allots to us count for His purpose and glory. There is a paradox in that God is the sovereign over time. He has a divine will (5:17) and He “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph. 1:11). And yet at the same time, He allots time to us to use responsibly to bring about His sovereign will. We must walk carefully and redeem the time that He gives us (5:15-16). To make your life count for eternity, you must give careful thought to how you spend your time.

When we think about being godly, we probably think about holiness in the moral realm. But do we think about being people of godly purpose? The fact that God is a God of purpose means that if we are to be like Him, we will be people of purpose in line with His purpose. Jesus lived to accomplish the Father’s purpose and knew that He had done so as His short life neared the end. He prayed (John 17:4), “I glorified You on the earth, having accomplished the work which You have given Me to do.” Jesus knew the Father’s purpose and He lived according to it. To be like Jesus, we must follow His example by being people of godly purpose.

The apostle Paul was also a man of godly purpose. He lived to exalt Christ and to know Him (Phil. 1:20-21; 3:8-16). He purposed to preach the gospel to the lost and to disciple the saved (1 Cor. 9:24-27; Col. 1:27-28). He told Timothy to discipline himself for the purpose of godliness (1 Tim. 4:7-8; see also, 2 Tim. 3:10). As he faced execution, Paul knew that he had fought the good fight, finished the course, and kept the faith (2 Tim. 4:7). In our text, he shows us how to walk wisely, so that we make the most of our lives in light of God’s will, His plan for the ages (5:17):

To walk wisely, you must know what God wants you to be, what dangers to avoid, and how to take advantage of the opportunities that God gives you.

Some popular TV preachers will tell you that God wants to help you fulfill your dreams. But that’s backwards, because it leaves you as the lord of your life and makes God your servant. The Bible is clear that God is the Sovereign and we are His servants. We exist to fulfill His will, not vice versa! So it is vital to know from Scripture, where does God want us to go with our lives? Much more could be said, but note these four things:

1). GOD WANTS YOU TO PLEASE AND GLORIFY HIM WITH YOUR LIFE.

(2). GOD WANTS YOU TO KNOW HIM MORE DEEPLY.

(3). GOD WANTS YOU TO BE A GODLY PERSON.

(4). GOD WANTS YOU TO PROCLAIM HIS EXCELLENCIES BYR YOUR LIFE

AND WORDS.

To accomplish this, YOU MUST DISCIPLINE YOURSELF FOR THE PURPOSE OF GODLINESS.

Read Ephesians 5:18-21

¹⁸Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit, ¹⁹speaking to one another with psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit. Sing and make music from your heart to the Lord, ²⁰always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another in the fear of Christ.

We need to make the most of the time God has allotted to us. We must have our priorities set correctly and keep them if we are to do what is best with our lives and not just what is good. That is the only way you can take advantage of opportunities and know they are coming from God. That is how you live in keeping with God’s will. In this passage, Paul continues on this general theme of walking in a manner worthy of our calling in Jesus Christ by living in wisdom and not foolishness, and so Paul states verses 18-21 just what we read.

1) Not a particular event: The command here to “be filled” is in the present tense, therefore it speaks of something that is continuing, not something that happened once. It is something on going. We could more accurately bring out this sense by translating: “be being filled,” “keep on being filled,” “continue being filled.” Because this is not something that happens just once, then “being filled with the Spirit” cannot be either the baptism of the Spirit or the sealing of the spirit.

2) Not the “baptism of the Spirit” – 1 Cor. 12:13. The charismatic movement has caused most of the confusion on what it means to be “filled by the spirit” by equating it with the “baptism of the spirit” and the bestowment of the charismatic gifts. Let me quickly put that idea to rest. First, every believer in Jesus Christ is baptized by the Holy Spirit. Look over 1 Cor. 12:13. This is the chapter that deals with spirit given gifts such as tongues, interpretation of tongues, healing, etc. Look at 1 Cor. 12:12 & 13. It says, “2 For even as the body is one and [yet] has many members, and all the members of the body, though they are many, are one body, so also is Christ. 13 For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit”. Every person who is saved was placed into the Body of Christ by the Baptism of the Holy Spirit. All true Christians were made to drink of the one Spirit. There are no exceptions to this, and it occurs only once at salvation.

The filling of the Spirit and the Baptism of the Spirit are not the same, though a person is filled with the Spirit when they are baptized by Him. The Baptism of the Spirit inducts the person into Christ’s Body and comes as salvation; it marks that point in which the Spirit indwells the believer. Romans 8:9 makes clear the importance of this indwelling. “However, you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. But if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he does not belong to Him.” If you do not have the Holy Spirit dwelling in you, then you are not saved.

3) This is not a “second blessing” Let me add here before I move onto the sealing of the spirit, that the filling of the spirit is not some “second blessing,” or spiritual “zap” from God that moves a person into some ecstatic state as some have claimed is evidenced by speaking in tongues or having visions. In Acts 2 we find the promise of Jesus in Acts 1:5 fulfilled. Jesus said that they would be “baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now,” and then some ten days later on the day of Pentecost, Acts 2:4 says, “And they were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit was giving the utterance.” I have always found it curious that those in the charismatic movement claim this as the foundation for speaking in ecstatic “unknown tongues,” yet the “unknown tongues” turn out to be languages known to those present, but not to the speakers, for the languages spoken are listed in verses 9-11.

4) Not the “sealing” of the spirit. We have already seen in Eph. 1:13,14 that were sealed with the spirit at salvation. That happens only once and it is the pledge of God’s promises to you.

5) This is not some process of progression in getting the Holy Spirit. When you get the Holy Spirit, you get Him all because He is a person, not some mystical force. You cannot get just part of a person. If you invite me to come to your house, you get all of me. I don’t send over just my mouth by itself.

6) Being filled with the Spirit is also not some stoical act of your will. The verb voice here is passive. It is something that happens to you, not something you actively acquire for yourself. Do note as well that the verb is in the command mood. Whatever being filled with the Spirit means, it is not an option for the Christian. It is something that is necessary for all Christians to do if they are to live the Christian life at all.

Then Paul finishes these verses with that we all should submit to one another in reverence to Christ.

FORGIVE

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To forgive someone who has done something that causes us harm is not easy for humans. Even in the best of relationships, we will hurt or disappoint each other. It’s often easy to forgive a misunderstanding or unintentional mistake, but it’s harder when the person “knows better” and does it anyway. Or it’s a repeated blunder done again and again. And sometimes the hurt done is truly damaging. Some of us become hesitant to forgive, because by doing so, it feels like we’re saying what happened was ok. But just as Jesus forgave us, we are to forgive others. Jesus told a story to His disciples to emphasize the importance forgiveness plays in the lives of those who seek to seek to follow Him. Forgiveness restores and strengthens relationships.

Read Matthew 18:21-22

In the Gospel of Matthew there are five great discourses of Jesus: the Sermon on the Mount (ch. 5-7); the commissioning of the disciples (ch. 10); the parables of the kingdom (ch. 13); life in the church (ch. 18); and the end of the age (ch. 24-25). There are so much in the Gospel of Matthew that shows the power, mercy, love, healing and miracles of our Savior, Jesus.

The passage for this study on forgiveness is a part of the teaching of Jesus in Matthew 18 on life in the church. The chapter begins with a discussion of who is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven (vv. 1-9), followed by the parable of the lost sheep (vv. 10-14) which underscores the that truth that in God’s eyes even “one of these little ones” has such immense value that the shepherd leaves the ninety-nine sheep and goes after the one that has wandered off. This is followed by instructions to the church on how to deal with a brother who has sinned (vv. 15-20). It is in this context that Peter asks how often he must forgive an offending brother (vv. 21-22). In answer, Jesus tells the parable of the unmerciful servant (vv. 23-34), followed by a final warning (v. 35).

Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?” Jesus answered, “I tell you, not seven times, but seventy-seven times. Then Peter came to Jesus and asked. Peter’s question was in response to the statement of Jesus in vv. 15-17 outlining the procedure to follow in restoring an offending Christian back to life in the Christian community.

Seven times. Jewish tradition limited forgiveness to three times, perhaps based on Amos 1:3, 6, 9 and Job 33:29-30 (note Luke 17:4). Peter thought his willingness to forgive seven times was much more generous than Jewish tradition and thus surpassing the righteousness of Pharisees and teachers of the law (Matthew 5:20). Seventy-seven times. The phrase may also be translated “seventy times seven.” But regardless of the exact translation, it means unlimited. This expression may be a deliberate allusion to Lamech’s revengeful and bitter words in Gen 4:24: “If Cain is avenged seven times, then Lamech seventy-seven times.” Now in Jesus there is the possibility of a radical reversal from seventy-sevenfold vengeance to seventy-sevenfold forgiveness. Peter’s question indicated that he still wanted to count how many times he should forgive. Jesus was in effect telling him not to count. One commentary I read notes, with the extending of forgiveness to the brother or sister who wrongs the believer, there is the expectation that the offending party will respond in genuine repentance with a corresponding change in behavior.

Read Matthew 18:23-27

Again, due to Jesus’ statement, “I don’t tell you until seven times, but, until seventy times seven that the Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who wanted to reconcile accounts with his servants. When the king had begun to reconcile, one was brought to him who owed him ten thousand talents. But because the debtor couldn’t pay, his lord commanded him to be sold, with his wife, his children, and all that he had, and payment to be made. The servant therefore fell down and knelt before him, saying, ‘Lord, have patience with me, and I will repay you all!’ The lord of that servant, being moved with compassion, released him, and forgave him the debt.

In this parable, the master’s compassionate attitude motivated him to act in mercy. The master released his servant from the sentence of slavery his indebtedness had rightly earned him. The master also forgave the unpayable loan. Paul used the word “forgave” when he wrote of God canceling our infinite debt to Him through our trust in Jesus (Rom. 4:7; Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14). God has looked upon our hopeless condition, has felt great compassion, and acted in mercy. Through Jesus’ sacrifice e on the cross, God has released us from the consequences of our sins and forgiven our unpayable debt.

Read Matthew 18:28,32-35

“But that servant went out, and found one of his fellow servants, who owed him one hundred denarii, and he grabbed him, and took him by the throat, saying, ‘Pay me what you owe!’ “So, his fellow servant fell down at his feet and begged him, saying, ‘Have patience with me, and I will repay you!’ He would not, but went and cast him into prison, until he should pay back that which was due. When his fellow servants saw what was done, they were exceedingly sorry, and came and told to their lord all that was done. Then his lord called him in, and said to him, ‘You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt, because you begged me. Shouldn’t you also have had mercy on your fellow servant, even as I had mercy on you?’ His lord was angry, and delivered him to the tormentors, until he should pay all that was due to him. So, my heavenly Father will also do to you, if you don’t each forgive your brother from your hearts for his misdeeds.”

       The lines before the parable itself are similar to Luke. The talent in this parable was worth about 6,000 denarii, so that one debt is 600,000 times as large as the other. More significantly, 10,000 (a myriad) was the highest Greek numeral, and a talent the largest unit of currency, so that 10,000 talents was the largest easily described debt (for comparison, the combined annual tribute of Judea, Samaria, and Idumea around this time was only 600 talents, and one denarius was a day’s wages, so that 10,000 talents would be about 200,000 years’ wages^. The setting is the court of some king in another country, where the “servants” could rank as highly as provincial govern.

       MEN in general think themselves sufficiently instructed in morality; but, for the most part, their views of it are very partial and defective. The duty of forgiving injuries is universally acknowledged; but few are aware to what an extent it is required of them. Peter, though a good man, needed much instruction on this head. He thought the limits he assigned to this principle were generous and ample; but our Lord rectified his judgment by an explicit declaration, and pointed out the grounds of his duty in an instructive parable.
       From the words before us we are led to consider the extent, the reasonableness, and the necessity, of Christian forgiveness:

       I.       The extent—
It does not forbid the execution of human laws, since magistrates are appointed of God on purpose to enforce them [Rom_13:4.]: nor does it prohibit the just exercise of authority in parents or masters. But it must extend to all offences, however numerous, however heinous. And proceed from a heart wholly divested of malice or resentment [Pro_24:29.] — — — We need not indeed restore to our favor one who continues unworthy of it [Luke_17:3-4.]; or forbear to punish him while he continues to merit our displeasure. But we must pity the offender while we punish the offence; and seek, in inflicting punishment, both his and the public good. We must feel towards him as an affectionate parent towards an offending child. We must feel disposed to pray for him, and to cover, rather than expose, his faults [Pro_24:17-18.]; and we must earnestly desire to behold in him such a disposition, as may open a way to perfect reconciliation with him.
       II.      The reasonableness—
Every man owes to God a debt that exceeds all calculation. Nor can the debt which any fellow-creature owes to us, bear any proportion to that which we owe to God. Ten thousand talents amount to above four million sterling; whereas a hundred pence are somewhat less than three guineas. Yet we all hope to obtain of God a free remission and forgiveness; yea, provided we believe in Christ, our debt is already cancelled. Should not then a sense of mercy received, incline us to shew mercy? Should we “take a fellow-servant by the throat,” when the great Lord of all has spared us? Should we rigorously exact a few pence, when we have received a remission of ten thousand talents? It would be base indeed not to act towards an offending brother, as God has acted towards us, when we were enemies and rebels [Note: The Jubilee commenced on the day of atonement, to shew that men are then especially bound to exercise mercy, when they themselves have received mercy. (Lev_25:9.).
       III.     The necessity—
There is an intimate connection between the exercise of God’s mercy to us, and ours to others. Though our forgiving of others cannot merit forgiveness from God, yet it will certainly be followed by it. On the other hand, an unmerciful disposition towards others will be the certain means of excluding us from God’s favor [Mat_6:14-15. James_2:13.]. It will cut us off from the enjoyment of the mercy we seemed to have obtained [Note: The parable must not be understood to say, that God revokes mercy, when he has once really pardoned us. Rom_11:29. Heb_8:12.]. In uttering the Lord’s prayer, we shall even seal our own condemnation [Mat_6:12.].

Let us then, if we desire to find mercy in the day of judgment, forgive others, as we hope to be forgiven. But for those God has forgiven and who forgive others, there is also freedom from the prison of an unforgiving spirit. When we forgive others, we set them free; but also set ourselves free to live in the joy if God’s grace and the loving fellowship of God’s family.

Revelations of Heaven

Prophecy / Divine Assistance

Monthly Archives: March 2021

ETERNAL LIFE

KNOWING GOD

WE STAND TOGETHER IN SPIRITUAL BATTLES

COMMITTED TO PRAY

FORGIVE