Jesus said, "He who is not with Me is against Me and he who does not gather with Me scatters abroad" (Matthew 12:30, NKJV).
Anyone who is against God is an enemy of Jesus. The primary enemy of God is Satan. Because of pride and rebellion Satan opposed God from the beginning, even before Adam was created. Satan became the "god of this age" (2 Cor. 4:4) when Adam sinned. Therefore, those who are not with Jesus and those who do not believe Jesus as their Lord and savior are all under the dominion of the "god of this age" - whose kingdom is in opposition to the Kingdom of God. War began when the kingdom of Satan opposed the Kingdom of God. There are always wars between the Kingdom of God and the kingdom of the world whose king is Satan. There are always wars and conflicts between darkness and light, wars between the good and the evil, wars between righteousness and sin and wars between Christ and Satan. In other words, these two opposing Kingdoms are always at war with each other until the end of the age.
Paul said, "Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light. For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, in whom we have redemption, the forgiveness of sins" (Col. 1:12-14, NIV, emphasis added).
Notice, there are two kingdoms. There is the kingdom of light, in which our inheritance lies. But there is also the dominion of darkness. The word translated "dominion" is the Greek word "exusia", which means "authority". In other words, whether we like it or not, Satan has authority. He is the ruler of a kingdom that the Bible recognizes. So these two kingdoms are engaged in mortal warfare and the war is coming to its climax in our day as this age comes to a close.
War begins in the spirit - the spirit of the world wars against the Spirit of God. And then physical wars follow. The types of wars existed are spiritual war, religious war, physical war and political war. It is beyond the scope of this message to dwell on each type of wars in any details.
Jesus Accepts War
The Scripture indicates that Jesus not only allows wars to happen, but also accepts war as part of the present world-order. In fact it is one of the conditions of discipleship. When we are born again by the Spirit of God we become representatives of God's Kingdom here on earth. Whether we like it or not, believers find themselves involed in an an all out spiritual war with Satan's opposing kingdom. What begins in the spiritual will be manifested in the physical. And this is the main reason why there are physical religious and political wars.
Jesus says, "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet" (Matt. 24:6, NKJV, emphasis added). Other Gospel writers said the same thing (Luke 21:9 and Mark 13:7).
In other words, Jesus says there will be wars and rumors of wars in the last days - and all of us are living in the last of the last days.
Jesus said to his 12 disciples that He did not come to bring peace (the opposite of war) but a sword on earth. There will be war even in a man's own household (Matt. 10:34,34,35).
Physical wars are due to sin of selfishness and greed:
"Where do wars and fights come from among you? Do they not come from your desires for pleasure that war in your members? You lust and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. Yet you do not have because you do not ask" (James 4:1,2).
Wars are under the full control of the Almighty God:
Solomon (the preacher) said, "A time to love, and a time to hate; a time of war and a time of peace.
In other words, everything has its time - to everyting there is a season, and God gives time to fulfill his every purpose on earth:
"A time to be born, and a time to die; A time to plant, and a time to pluck what is planted; a time to kill and a time to heal; A time to break down, and a time to build up; A time to weep, and a time to laugh ...." (Eccle. 3:2,3,4).
We may not understand it, but I believer this is God's answer for those who are killed in a war. I can not find any other reason given by God in the Scripture.
God decides when wars shall cease and the final victory belongs to Him:
"He makes wars cease to the end of the earth; He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two; He burns the chariot in the fire" (Psalm 46:9, emphasis added).
"These will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful"(Rev. 17:14, emphasis added).
Monday, May 30, 2005
Monday, May 23, 2005
The Real Purpose of Life
Many books have been written to help Christians how to find the purpose of life and to live life according to Biblical principles. The purpose of life is a pupular theme for Church Camps or Church Seminars all over the country. Some of these teachings are good and even helpful, but not all are Biblical. Majority of these teachings originated from the wisdom of men. They bring new "doctrine" to local churches with irrelevant references to the Scripture to feed iching ears.
Paul gave a solemn warning to christians:
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8, NKJV).
If Christians care to search the Scripture diligently they will not fail to realise that the main purpose of life is knowing God. Jesus Himself expressed this beautifully when He prayed to the Father:
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3, NKJV, emphasis added).
In the context, "they" means "Jesus' disciples and those whom God had given eternal life.
This, I believe is the ultimate purpose of all life - to know the one and only true God. Out of this knowledge there comes eternal life, divine life, the life of God Himself. Eternal life is the hope of all men and only by knowing God this hope can be realised.
Paul said, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable"(1 Cor.15:19).
In other words, our hope in Christ is beyond our present life on earth; our hope is our eternal life with Christ! Paul said, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). The life that is hidden with Christ in God is eternal life - the result of knowing God.
However, knowledge of God is not merely intellectual. It is not merely theology or doctrine. It is not knowing about God. It is actually knowing God Himself - knowing Him directly and intimately; knowing Him as a Person. It is a person-to-person relationship. It is a spiritual union between the Spirit of God and the spirit of man quickened and made alive by the Holy Spirit.
Covenant relationship between Christ and His Church
Before we can understand life's purpose of "knowing" God we must understand the convenant relationship between God and His people and Christ and His Church.
In the Old Testament, God compared His relationship with Israel to that of a husband with his wife. He traced this relationship back to the covenant back to the covenant that He made with Israel at Mount Sinai after He had delivered them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 31:31,32).
However, by unfaithfulness and idolatry, Israel violated their covenant relationship with God as their Husband. Hosea gave a prophetic picture of God bringing Israel back into a new covenant with Himself and thereby restore His relatioship to them as their husband:
"I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord" (Hosea 2:19,20, NKJV, emphasis added).
Through Israel's covenant commitment they would come to "know the Lord" as they had never known Him before - just like the marriage covenant commitment between a man and a woman through which a man comes to "know" his wife.
The nature of this new covenant is more fully reveiled in the New Testament. This New covenant in Christ is viewed as bringing believers into a relationship with God that is analogous to the marriage relationship between husband and wife. This truth is brought out by Paul in Ephesians 5:25-33 which says, Christ redeems and sanctifies His church in order that He may present it to Himself as a bride is presented to her husband, "holy and without blemish" (V. 27).
One Spirit with God
The picture of a bride is not only for the body of true believers (the true Church) as a whole. Paul said, God desires to have an intimate relationship with each individual believer - to be in one Spirit with Him:
"Do you not know that that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For 'the two,' He says, 'shall become one flesh.' But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (1 Cor. 6:16,17, emphasis added).
Paul was speaking about the sexual union between a man and a woman. He said that a man who has sexual relations with a harlot makes himself "one body" with her. Then he went on to say that a believer can have a similar kind of union with God in which he becomes "one spirit" with God. That means, the relationship that God invites each believer to have with Him is precisely parallel, on the spiritual plane, to the sexual union which, on the physical plane, a man may have with a woman.
The above Scriptures also brought out an important truth. The union between a man and the harlot is fornication, which is sinful. Unlike a man and his wife whose marriage union is preceded by mutual covenant commitment. Paul applied this priciple also to the relationship between God and the believer. God desires spiritual union with each individual believer. At the same time, however, it is certain that God will never violate His own laws. He will never be a party to "spiritual fornication", which means a believer shall have no other covenant relationwhip with other gods. Therefore, union with God in this sense depends upon, and receded by covenant commitment to God. Until a believer is ready to make the total, unreserved commitment to God that covenant requires, he can never have this full spiritual union with God that is the purpose of redemption.
Take the situation that is so common in an evangelistic campaign in the local Church or in an evangelistic rally. Many people are touched by the message. They respond to the altar call and come forward to receive Christ. They desire a relationship with God. They may even lay claim to such a relationship. Nevertheless, their desire is unfulfilled; their claim is unjustified. The reason is that they have never made that solemn, unreserved, personal commitment to God that is the only basis upon which He will receive them into the relationship that they desire. Religious ritual, such as baptism or confirmation of Church membership may not change a thing in their relationship with God. It is the committed covenant relationship with God that God is after. Short of this no believer shall get to really know God. And without truly knowing God there is no real purpose of life. Knowing God is beyond discipleship!
A true disciple of Christ should never be interested in some watered-down, religious substitute for the real intimacy with God. Look at the picture of intimacy painted by the psalmist David:
"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1, NKJV).
In other words, there can be only one source of ultimate satisfaction for the thirsty soul; it is God Himself. To stop at less than true union with Him is to miss the real purpose of living. It is to remain forever frustrated, forever unfulfilled in the christian life.
Covenant commitment between between man and God causes man to really know God - on the vertical plane. Similarly, covenant commitment between a man and his wife causes man to really know his wife - on the horizontal plane. Any christian or disciple who fails to know God as mush as he knows his wife does not know the real purpose of life!
Paul gave a solemn warning to christians:
"Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ" (Col. 2:8, NKJV).
If Christians care to search the Scripture diligently they will not fail to realise that the main purpose of life is knowing God. Jesus Himself expressed this beautifully when He prayed to the Father:
"And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent" (John 17:3, NKJV, emphasis added).
In the context, "they" means "Jesus' disciples and those whom God had given eternal life.
This, I believe is the ultimate purpose of all life - to know the one and only true God. Out of this knowledge there comes eternal life, divine life, the life of God Himself. Eternal life is the hope of all men and only by knowing God this hope can be realised.
Paul said, "If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men the most pitiable"(1 Cor.15:19).
In other words, our hope in Christ is beyond our present life on earth; our hope is our eternal life with Christ! Paul said, "For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God" (Col. 3:3). The life that is hidden with Christ in God is eternal life - the result of knowing God.
However, knowledge of God is not merely intellectual. It is not merely theology or doctrine. It is not knowing about God. It is actually knowing God Himself - knowing Him directly and intimately; knowing Him as a Person. It is a person-to-person relationship. It is a spiritual union between the Spirit of God and the spirit of man quickened and made alive by the Holy Spirit.
Covenant relationship between Christ and His Church
Before we can understand life's purpose of "knowing" God we must understand the convenant relationship between God and His people and Christ and His Church.
In the Old Testament, God compared His relationship with Israel to that of a husband with his wife. He traced this relationship back to the covenant back to the covenant that He made with Israel at Mount Sinai after He had delivered them out of Egypt (Jeremiah 31:31,32).
However, by unfaithfulness and idolatry, Israel violated their covenant relationship with God as their Husband. Hosea gave a prophetic picture of God bringing Israel back into a new covenant with Himself and thereby restore His relatioship to them as their husband:
"I will betroth you to Me forever; yes, I will betroth you to Me in righteousness and justice, in lovingkindness and mercy; I will betroth you to Me in faithfulness, and you shall know the Lord" (Hosea 2:19,20, NKJV, emphasis added).
Through Israel's covenant commitment they would come to "know the Lord" as they had never known Him before - just like the marriage covenant commitment between a man and a woman through which a man comes to "know" his wife.
The nature of this new covenant is more fully reveiled in the New Testament. This New covenant in Christ is viewed as bringing believers into a relationship with God that is analogous to the marriage relationship between husband and wife. This truth is brought out by Paul in Ephesians 5:25-33 which says, Christ redeems and sanctifies His church in order that He may present it to Himself as a bride is presented to her husband, "holy and without blemish" (V. 27).
One Spirit with God
The picture of a bride is not only for the body of true believers (the true Church) as a whole. Paul said, God desires to have an intimate relationship with each individual believer - to be in one Spirit with Him:
"Do you not know that that he who is joined to a harlot is one body with her? For 'the two,' He says, 'shall become one flesh.' But he who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with Him" (1 Cor. 6:16,17, emphasis added).
Paul was speaking about the sexual union between a man and a woman. He said that a man who has sexual relations with a harlot makes himself "one body" with her. Then he went on to say that a believer can have a similar kind of union with God in which he becomes "one spirit" with God. That means, the relationship that God invites each believer to have with Him is precisely parallel, on the spiritual plane, to the sexual union which, on the physical plane, a man may have with a woman.
The above Scriptures also brought out an important truth. The union between a man and the harlot is fornication, which is sinful. Unlike a man and his wife whose marriage union is preceded by mutual covenant commitment. Paul applied this priciple also to the relationship between God and the believer. God desires spiritual union with each individual believer. At the same time, however, it is certain that God will never violate His own laws. He will never be a party to "spiritual fornication", which means a believer shall have no other covenant relationwhip with other gods. Therefore, union with God in this sense depends upon, and receded by covenant commitment to God. Until a believer is ready to make the total, unreserved commitment to God that covenant requires, he can never have this full spiritual union with God that is the purpose of redemption.
Take the situation that is so common in an evangelistic campaign in the local Church or in an evangelistic rally. Many people are touched by the message. They respond to the altar call and come forward to receive Christ. They desire a relationship with God. They may even lay claim to such a relationship. Nevertheless, their desire is unfulfilled; their claim is unjustified. The reason is that they have never made that solemn, unreserved, personal commitment to God that is the only basis upon which He will receive them into the relationship that they desire. Religious ritual, such as baptism or confirmation of Church membership may not change a thing in their relationship with God. It is the committed covenant relationship with God that God is after. Short of this no believer shall get to really know God. And without truly knowing God there is no real purpose of life. Knowing God is beyond discipleship!
A true disciple of Christ should never be interested in some watered-down, religious substitute for the real intimacy with God. Look at the picture of intimacy painted by the psalmist David:
"O God, You are my God; early will I seek You; my soul thirsts for You; my flesh longs for You in a dry and thirsty land where there is no water" (Psalm 63:1, NKJV).
In other words, there can be only one source of ultimate satisfaction for the thirsty soul; it is God Himself. To stop at less than true union with Him is to miss the real purpose of living. It is to remain forever frustrated, forever unfulfilled in the christian life.
Covenant commitment between between man and God causes man to really know God - on the vertical plane. Similarly, covenant commitment between a man and his wife causes man to really know his wife - on the horizontal plane. Any christian or disciple who fails to know God as mush as he knows his wife does not know the real purpose of life!
Monday, May 16, 2005
An Important Aspect of God's Word
God gives man His Word because He loves man and gives man a free will - freely to obey His Word or to reject His Word. The basis of given man a free will is His love for man and His love to have fellowship with man. This is His primary purpose when He created man in His own image (Gen.1:27, NKJV) and commanded man to be fruitful and multiply (Gen. 1:28).
God's Word for Adam
God gave Adam a free will. He could always choose to obey or disobey. Free will is a mockery if there is no choice. After creating Adam, God did not remain around, like a policeman on duty, following Adam and saying, "Now do this!" or "Don't do that!".
Apparently, God left Adam and Eve for significant periods on their own. Genesis 3:8 says, "...the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day ...". That would be about the time that it was getting a little cool and the evening breeze was beginning to blow. It seems clear that God had not been in the Garden all day. The verse seems to suggest that God used to drop in for a visit and fellowship with Adam and Eve in the evening.
Although God did ot remain permanently present in person in the Garden, He left with Adam one permanent representative, one thing that always represented God, one thing that never departed from Him - HIS WORD. God left Adam the Word. Therefore, the basis of Adam's relationship to God was his relationship to the Word of God. God gave Adam not the entire Bible but only two verses:
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die'" (Genesis 2:16,17).
Take note of the three successive phases to God's Word to Adam:
1. Permission. "You may eat of every tree that is in the Garden except one".
2. Prohibition. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat".
3. Warning. "In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die".
As long as Adam believed and obeyed God's Word, no evil could touch him. Nothing could take away his peace, his life or his peace. But, Adam chose to obey the word of Satan who spoke, "You will not surely die" (Gen. 3:4). Adam and Eve were confronted by a situation where they have to exercise free will to obey God or to obey Satan. The tragic error was that they rejected the Truth of God's Word and received Satan's lie.
God's Word for Christians
There is a direct parallel truth between Adam's situation in the Garden and the situation confronted by the new creation in Christ in the present dispensation.
Christians are believers created anew in Christ. Just like what happened in Adam's time, God does not wave a big stick at us all the time commanding us, "Do this!" or "Don't do that!". Instead, He left with us one permanent representative of Himself - HIS WORD, the entire BIBLE.
Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).
In other words, God the Father and Jesus will love the christian who keeps His Word. Not only that, God the Father and God the Son will come to him and dwell with him. God comes to us and abides with us through His Word. The spiritual principle is - the place that God's Word has in our lives is the place that God Himself has. The same honour and respect that we owe to God, we owe to His Word. The fact is that we do not love God more than we love His Word. The test of our relationship to God is our attitude toward His Word.
The Authority of God's Word
The psalmist David understood the authority of God's Word;
"Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89).
Jesus Himself said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matt.24:35).
David said further that, "The entirety of Your word is truth" (Ps.119:160).
In other words. the Bible is true from Genesis 1:1 right on through to the very last verse of Revelation. Conversly, we can say the "The entirety of Satan's word is lie"!
Anyone who compromises the teaching of the Bible compromises and denies the truth of God's word. This is tantamount to committing the same sin committed by Adam who denied the Word of God, but took heed of the word of Satan instead.
If only Adam had said:
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Ps. 119:11).
God's Word for Adam
God gave Adam a free will. He could always choose to obey or disobey. Free will is a mockery if there is no choice. After creating Adam, God did not remain around, like a policeman on duty, following Adam and saying, "Now do this!" or "Don't do that!".
Apparently, God left Adam and Eve for significant periods on their own. Genesis 3:8 says, "...the Lord God walking in the garden in the cool of the day ...". That would be about the time that it was getting a little cool and the evening breeze was beginning to blow. It seems clear that God had not been in the Garden all day. The verse seems to suggest that God used to drop in for a visit and fellowship with Adam and Eve in the evening.
Although God did ot remain permanently present in person in the Garden, He left with Adam one permanent representative, one thing that always represented God, one thing that never departed from Him - HIS WORD. God left Adam the Word. Therefore, the basis of Adam's relationship to God was his relationship to the Word of God. God gave Adam not the entire Bible but only two verses:
"And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, 'Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat; but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die'" (Genesis 2:16,17).
Take note of the three successive phases to God's Word to Adam:
1. Permission. "You may eat of every tree that is in the Garden except one".
2. Prohibition. "But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat".
3. Warning. "In the day that you eat of it you shall surely die".
As long as Adam believed and obeyed God's Word, no evil could touch him. Nothing could take away his peace, his life or his peace. But, Adam chose to obey the word of Satan who spoke, "You will not surely die" (Gen. 3:4). Adam and Eve were confronted by a situation where they have to exercise free will to obey God or to obey Satan. The tragic error was that they rejected the Truth of God's Word and received Satan's lie.
God's Word for Christians
There is a direct parallel truth between Adam's situation in the Garden and the situation confronted by the new creation in Christ in the present dispensation.
Christians are believers created anew in Christ. Just like what happened in Adam's time, God does not wave a big stick at us all the time commanding us, "Do this!" or "Don't do that!". Instead, He left with us one permanent representative of Himself - HIS WORD, the entire BIBLE.
Jesus said, "If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him" (John 14:23).
In other words, God the Father and Jesus will love the christian who keeps His Word. Not only that, God the Father and God the Son will come to him and dwell with him. God comes to us and abides with us through His Word. The spiritual principle is - the place that God's Word has in our lives is the place that God Himself has. The same honour and respect that we owe to God, we owe to His Word. The fact is that we do not love God more than we love His Word. The test of our relationship to God is our attitude toward His Word.
The Authority of God's Word
The psalmist David understood the authority of God's Word;
"Forever, O Lord, Your Word is settled in heaven" (Ps. 119:89).
Jesus Himself said, "Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will by no means pass away" (Matt.24:35).
David said further that, "The entirety of Your word is truth" (Ps.119:160).
In other words. the Bible is true from Genesis 1:1 right on through to the very last verse of Revelation. Conversly, we can say the "The entirety of Satan's word is lie"!
Anyone who compromises the teaching of the Bible compromises and denies the truth of God's word. This is tantamount to committing the same sin committed by Adam who denied the Word of God, but took heed of the word of Satan instead.
If only Adam had said:
"Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You" (Ps. 119:11).
Thursday, May 12, 2005
Adam and the Last Adam
The Apostle Paul said to the Church at Corinth:
"The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor. 15:45,47, NKJV).
It is obvious that Jesus is called the Last Adam and not the second Adam - there is no second Adam. Jesus is also called the "second Man" not a descendant of Adam, the "first man". God gave Adam a freewill. He was given the ability to obey God or to disobey and sin against God. But he chose to sin and the whole race descended from him became sinners. Jesus the last Adam brough forth a new race when He died on the cross and rose again from the dead. Those who believe in Him become a new race descended from Him and made righteous with the righteousness of God (Romans 3:22).
The Adamic Race
God created man to be a ruler and to have dominion over the entire earth.
"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeess; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over the cattle, over all the earth and over ever creeping thing that creeps on the earth" (Genesis 1:26, emphasis added).
Notice that these words were not spoke of Adam as an individual, but of the race descended from him: "Let them have dominion ...". The Adamic race was created to rule the entire earth is clearly brought out in Psalm 8:4-8. The same words applied to Jesus the Son of God are quoted in Hebrews:
"What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet" (Heb. 2:6-8).
Therefore, the purpose of God (to rule and to have dominion over all creation) for the Adamic race found fulfilment in only Jesus (in His humanity) who was the Head of the Adamic race. Before Jesus came, the purpose was stated but was not fulfilled. There is something even in fallen man that still knows he was created to rule. But his capacity to rule is impaired because of the work of sin in him. The whole Adamic race inherited the sinful nature of the first man, Adam.
The God-Man Race
Jesus is called the last Adam because spiritually he was the end of the whole evil Adamic inheritance (1 Cor. 15:45).
When He died on the cross and was buried that whole evil Adamic inheritance was buried in Him. His was the last of the of the Adamic race. He put away sin once and for all by the sacrifice of Himself. When He rose from the dead three days later He was the second (not second Adam) Man. He was the new kind of Man. He became the Head of a totally new Race never existed before. This is the God-Man race - God and men fused together in one nature. This is our inheritance in Christ.
Peter said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ sinners can be born again, out of sin, out of death and begotten again into the new Race in a new Kingdom of which Jesus is the Head.
Paul said to the christians in Colosse about Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church:
"He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18, emphasis added).
In other words, because Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (the first born again Man) all born again believers becomes His body and follow Him - the Head comes first and the body follows. So, we are part of His body, a part of this new Race in a new Kingdom, through faith in His death and resurrection. We are a new creaction (2 Cor. 5:17) with a new kind of life - a divine undefeatable eternal resurrected life.
I believe there is a parallel truth between Adam and Eve and Jesus and His Bride, the true Church.
God gave Adam the desire for fellowship; first to fellowship with God and then to fellowhip with Eve, the "helper comparable to him (Adam)" (Gen. 2:20). Adam himself said, Eve was "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh" because God made Eve from Adam's rib (Read Gen. 2:21-24). God performed a unique operation on Adam physically for this purpose.
To me this is a clear picture, in type, of Jesus Christ and the true Church, the Bride of Christ. But the Bride of Christ comes from Jesus spiritually - Cor. 15:45 says Jesus is the life-given spirit. The picture I see is, while Jesus "slept" in the tomb, God "took out from His death that which He will build into a Bride for Jesus". The Bride is prophetic.
To me the Church is going to be to Jeus what Eve would become to Adam, "bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh", and thus fulfil His longing for fellowship. It is the eternal nature of God to long for fellowship with man!
"Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, God Himself will be with them and be their God'" (Rev. 21:2,3, emphasis added).
The ultimate purpose of God is not to bring His Bride to heaven to dwell there, but to have intimate fellowship with Him in the New Earth under the New Heaven!
"The first man Adam became a living being. The last Adam became a life-giving spirit. The first man was of the earth, made of dust; the second Man is the Lord from heaven" (1 Cor. 15:45,47, NKJV).
It is obvious that Jesus is called the Last Adam and not the second Adam - there is no second Adam. Jesus is also called the "second Man" not a descendant of Adam, the "first man". God gave Adam a freewill. He was given the ability to obey God or to disobey and sin against God. But he chose to sin and the whole race descended from him became sinners. Jesus the last Adam brough forth a new race when He died on the cross and rose again from the dead. Those who believe in Him become a new race descended from Him and made righteous with the righteousness of God (Romans 3:22).
The Adamic Race
God created man to be a ruler and to have dominion over the entire earth.
"Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeess; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air and over the cattle, over all the earth and over ever creeping thing that creeps on the earth" (Genesis 1:26, emphasis added).
Notice that these words were not spoke of Adam as an individual, but of the race descended from him: "Let them have dominion ...". The Adamic race was created to rule the entire earth is clearly brought out in Psalm 8:4-8. The same words applied to Jesus the Son of God are quoted in Hebrews:
"What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him? You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands. You have put all things in subjection under his feet" (Heb. 2:6-8).
Therefore, the purpose of God (to rule and to have dominion over all creation) for the Adamic race found fulfilment in only Jesus (in His humanity) who was the Head of the Adamic race. Before Jesus came, the purpose was stated but was not fulfilled. There is something even in fallen man that still knows he was created to rule. But his capacity to rule is impaired because of the work of sin in him. The whole Adamic race inherited the sinful nature of the first man, Adam.
The God-Man Race
Jesus is called the last Adam because spiritually he was the end of the whole evil Adamic inheritance (1 Cor. 15:45).
When He died on the cross and was buried that whole evil Adamic inheritance was buried in Him. His was the last of the of the Adamic race. He put away sin once and for all by the sacrifice of Himself. When He rose from the dead three days later He was the second (not second Adam) Man. He was the new kind of Man. He became the Head of a totally new Race never existed before. This is the God-Man race - God and men fused together in one nature. This is our inheritance in Christ.
Peter said, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His abundant mercy has begotten us again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible and undefiled and that does not fade away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith for salvation ready to be revealed in the last time" (1 Peter 1:3-5).
Through the resurrection of Jesus Christ sinners can be born again, out of sin, out of death and begotten again into the new Race in a new Kingdom of which Jesus is the Head.
Paul said to the christians in Colosse about Jesus Christ as the Head of the Church:
"He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence" (Col. 1:18, emphasis added).
In other words, because Jesus is the firstborn from the dead (the first born again Man) all born again believers becomes His body and follow Him - the Head comes first and the body follows. So, we are part of His body, a part of this new Race in a new Kingdom, through faith in His death and resurrection. We are a new creaction (2 Cor. 5:17) with a new kind of life - a divine undefeatable eternal resurrected life.
I believe there is a parallel truth between Adam and Eve and Jesus and His Bride, the true Church.
God gave Adam the desire for fellowship; first to fellowship with God and then to fellowhip with Eve, the "helper comparable to him (Adam)" (Gen. 2:20). Adam himself said, Eve was "bone of his bones and flesh of his flesh" because God made Eve from Adam's rib (Read Gen. 2:21-24). God performed a unique operation on Adam physically for this purpose.
To me this is a clear picture, in type, of Jesus Christ and the true Church, the Bride of Christ. But the Bride of Christ comes from Jesus spiritually - Cor. 15:45 says Jesus is the life-given spirit. The picture I see is, while Jesus "slept" in the tomb, God "took out from His death that which He will build into a Bride for Jesus". The Bride is prophetic.
To me the Church is going to be to Jeus what Eve would become to Adam, "bone of His bone and flesh of His flesh", and thus fulfil His longing for fellowship. It is the eternal nature of God to long for fellowship with man!
"Then I, John, saw the holy city, New Jerusalem, coming down out of heaven from God, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a loud voice from heaven saying, 'Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, God Himself will be with them and be their God'" (Rev. 21:2,3, emphasis added).
The ultimate purpose of God is not to bring His Bride to heaven to dwell there, but to have intimate fellowship with Him in the New Earth under the New Heaven!
Monday, May 09, 2005
The Original Sin
It is very important for all Christians to realize that the first sin (the original sin) in the universe was not murder, nor sexual immorality, but pride. It was pride that produced rebellion. God is the Author of all blessings. God created Lucifer and He gave him power, authority, beauty and wisdom - all were gifts from God. Yet Lucifer's wrong attitude turned them into instruments for his own destruction. All these things happened to Lucifer long before Adam came into the scene.
Lucifer had occupied a position of unique honour in heaven. What God said to him and about him was recorded in Ezekeil 28:12-15. Lucifer was perfect in beauty, but he was a created being. Pride motivated him to challenge God and to claim a place of equality with God. Apparently Lucifer had authority over a company of angels, and he had succeeded in alienating some of those under him from their loyalty to God. In response, God cast Lucifer and his partners in rebellion from His presence. But, Lucifer continued his rebellion by setting up a kingdom of his own in opposition to God's Kingdom.
Jesus said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" (Luke 11:17,18 NKJV). In the context of these and other verses Jesus revealed that Satan has a kingdom of his own.
Isaiah analysed the motive behind Lucifer's rebellion. He had an ambition to be equal with God. Read Isaiah 14:12-15 and you will notice that Lucifer made five successive declarations prefaced by the phrase I will. He said, "I will ascend into heaven ... I will exalt my throne ... I will sit on the mount of the congregation ... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds". Finally came the climax, "I will be like (or equal to) the Most High, like God Himself". Lucifer's self-promoting ambition was the cause of his fall.
Contrast between Jesus and Lucifer
Notice that Scripture confronts us with a deliberate contrast between Lucifer and Jesus.
Paul depicted the self-humbling of Jesus:
"Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of not reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in apperance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:6,7,8).
There are actually 7 downward steps taked by Jesus to humble Himself:
1. He made Himself of no reputation.
2. He took upon Himself the form of a servant.
3. He was made in the likeness of man.
4. He was found in fashion (appearance) as a man.
5. He humbled Himself.
6. He became obedient unto death.
7. He became obedient to the death of a crimainal on the cross.
Lucifer was not in the form of God; he was a created being. He had no right to be equal with God. Yet he grasped at equality with God, and when he reached up, he slipped and fell. On the other hand, Jesus was divine by eternal nature and enjoyed equality with God. He did not need to grasp at it, but rather, He humbled Himself.
It is interesting to note that when Jesus humbled Himelf God exalted Him in 7 upward steps in the next few verses.
"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9,10,11).
Here we have the 7 upward steps of the exaltation of Jesus:
1. God has highly exalted Him.
2. God has given Him a name that is above every name.
3. At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow.
4. "Of those in heaven".
5. "Of those on earth".
6. "Of those under the earth".
7. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The above principle of self-humbling was taught by Jesus to the Pharisees:
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).
The principle of "The way up is down" is declared all through Scripture. For example, Solomon declared:
"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
"Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility" (Proberbs 18:12).
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi:
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:3,4,5, emphasis added).
The two motivations that Paul rules out are self-centred ambition and conceit.
Lucifer had occupied a position of unique honour in heaven. What God said to him and about him was recorded in Ezekeil 28:12-15. Lucifer was perfect in beauty, but he was a created being. Pride motivated him to challenge God and to claim a place of equality with God. Apparently Lucifer had authority over a company of angels, and he had succeeded in alienating some of those under him from their loyalty to God. In response, God cast Lucifer and his partners in rebellion from His presence. But, Lucifer continued his rebellion by setting up a kingdom of his own in opposition to God's Kingdom.
Jesus said, "Every kingdom divided against itself is brought to desolation, and a house divided against a house falls. If Satan also is divided against himself, how will his kingdom stand?" (Luke 11:17,18 NKJV). In the context of these and other verses Jesus revealed that Satan has a kingdom of his own.
Isaiah analysed the motive behind Lucifer's rebellion. He had an ambition to be equal with God. Read Isaiah 14:12-15 and you will notice that Lucifer made five successive declarations prefaced by the phrase I will. He said, "I will ascend into heaven ... I will exalt my throne ... I will sit on the mount of the congregation ... I will ascend above the heights of the clouds". Finally came the climax, "I will be like (or equal to) the Most High, like God Himself". Lucifer's self-promoting ambition was the cause of his fall.
Contrast between Jesus and Lucifer
Notice that Scripture confronts us with a deliberate contrast between Lucifer and Jesus.
Paul depicted the self-humbling of Jesus:
"Who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of not reputation, taking the form of a bondservant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in apperance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross" (Phil. 2:6,7,8).
There are actually 7 downward steps taked by Jesus to humble Himself:
1. He made Himself of no reputation.
2. He took upon Himself the form of a servant.
3. He was made in the likeness of man.
4. He was found in fashion (appearance) as a man.
5. He humbled Himself.
6. He became obedient unto death.
7. He became obedient to the death of a crimainal on the cross.
Lucifer was not in the form of God; he was a created being. He had no right to be equal with God. Yet he grasped at equality with God, and when he reached up, he slipped and fell. On the other hand, Jesus was divine by eternal nature and enjoyed equality with God. He did not need to grasp at it, but rather, He humbled Himself.
It is interesting to note that when Jesus humbled Himelf God exalted Him in 7 upward steps in the next few verses.
"Therefore God also has highly exalted Him and given Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those in heaven, and of those on earth, and of those under the earth, and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father" (Phil. 2:9,10,11).
Here we have the 7 upward steps of the exaltation of Jesus:
1. God has highly exalted Him.
2. God has given Him a name that is above every name.
3. At the Name of Jesus, every knee shall bow.
4. "Of those in heaven".
5. "Of those on earth".
6. "Of those under the earth".
7. Every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The above principle of self-humbling was taught by Jesus to the Pharisees:
"For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted" (Luke 14:11).
The principle of "The way up is down" is declared all through Scripture. For example, Solomon declared:
"Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall" (Proverbs 16:18).
"Before destruction the heart of a man is haughty, and before honor is humility" (Proberbs 18:12).
The apostle Paul wrote to the believers at Philippi:
"Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others. Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus" (Phil. 2:3,4,5, emphasis added).
The two motivations that Paul rules out are self-centred ambition and conceit.
Tuesday, May 03, 2005
God's Perfect Plan of Redemption
The entire message of the Gospel revolves around the one and only one unique historical event - The sacrificial death of Jesus Christ on the Cross. This is God's perfect plan of redemption. He offered His only Son to die on the cross as a perfect sacrifice to redeem all mankind.
The writer of Hebrews said, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that "perfected forever" depicts a sacrifice that comprehends every need of the entire human race. The effects of this sacrifice extend throughout time and on into eternity.
The most complete account of what was accomplished a the cross was given throught the prophet Isaiah. God made Jesus' soul (life) "an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10). On the cross, the sin of the whole world was transferred to the soul of Jesus. The outcome is described in Isaiah 53:12:
"He poured out His soul unto death".
By His sacrificial, substitutionary death, Jesus made atonement for the sin of the whole human race.
Paul said, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).
The above verse is the basis of "Divine Exchange" Jesus made for us on the cross. Notice that Paul did not speak here about any kind of righteousess that we can achieve by our own tighteousness. It is the righteousness of God that we can only receive by faith. This divine exchange may be summed up as follows
Jesus ws made SIN with OUR SINFULNESS that we might become RIGHTEOUS with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The divine purpose accomplished by the sacrifice of Jesus Himself is summed up:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6, emphasis added).
The above verse describes the universal problem of all humanity - "we have turned, every one, to his own way". In other words, our iniquity is "independence" and in rebellion against God. This type of sin is common to all. Notice that not only Jesus identified with our iniquity, but He also endured all the evil consequences of that iniquity.
I believe this is the true meaning and purpose of the cross. On the cross a divinely ordained exchange took place. First, Jesus endured in our place all the evil consequences that were due by divine justice to our iniquity. Now, in exchange, God offers us all the good that was due to the sinless obedience of Jesus. This divine principle of exchange are revealed in Isaiah 53:4 and 5:
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
Notice that Jesus on the cross, took our place both spiritually and physically. Spiritually, Jesus received the punishment due to our transgressions and iniquities that we, in turn, might be forgiven and so have peace with God (see also Romans 5:1). Physically, Jesus bore our sicknesses and pains that we through His wounds might be healed.
The physical application of the exchange is confirmed by Peter who referred back to Isaiah 53:5 and 6 and said of Jesus:
"(He) Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
The spiritual and physical aspects of exchange described in the above verses may be summed up as follows:
Jesus was PUNISHED that we might be FORGIVEN; Jesus was WOUNDED that we might be HEALED.
Another aspect of the divine exchange is stated by Paul:
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).
Actually, Jesus became poor on the cross. In fact Jesus was in absolute poverty in four expressions: He was hungry, He was thirst (John 19:28), He was naked (John 19:23), and He was in need of all things. He no longer owned anything whatever. After His death He was buried in a borrowed robe and in a borrow tomb (Luke 23:50 - 52). Thus, Jesus, exactly and completely, endure absolute poverty for our sakes. In other words, Jesus broke the poverty curse for us forever (Deu. 28:48).
Another aspect of the divine exchange is rejection by God:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God. why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matt. 27:46, emphasis added).
For the first time in the history of the universe, the Son of God called out to His Father and received no response. He was at that moment forsaken or rejected by God. The rejection of Jesus resulted in our acceptance. We were accepted by God "in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:5,6).
This may be summed up as:
Jesus endured our REJECTION that we might have HIS ACCEPTANCE as children of God.
Finally, Jesus became a CURSE that we might receive the BLESSING.
Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13,14).
Notice that the curse that came upon Jesus is defined as "the curse of the law". It includes every one of the curses, listed by Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Therefore, Jesus has opened the way for us to obtain full release from the curses and to enter into the corresponding blessings!
All we need to do is to received by faith, what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
The writer of Hebrews said, "For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified" (Hebrews 10:14, NKJV, emphasis added).
Notice that "perfected forever" depicts a sacrifice that comprehends every need of the entire human race. The effects of this sacrifice extend throughout time and on into eternity.
The most complete account of what was accomplished a the cross was given throught the prophet Isaiah. God made Jesus' soul (life) "an offering for sin" (Isaiah 53:10). On the cross, the sin of the whole world was transferred to the soul of Jesus. The outcome is described in Isaiah 53:12:
"He poured out His soul unto death".
By His sacrificial, substitutionary death, Jesus made atonement for the sin of the whole human race.
Paul said, "For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him" (2 Cor. 5:21).
The above verse is the basis of "Divine Exchange" Jesus made for us on the cross. Notice that Paul did not speak here about any kind of righteousess that we can achieve by our own tighteousness. It is the righteousness of God that we can only receive by faith. This divine exchange may be summed up as follows
Jesus ws made SIN with OUR SINFULNESS that we might become RIGHTEOUS with HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS.
The divine purpose accomplished by the sacrifice of Jesus Himself is summed up:
"All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned, every one, to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all" (Isaiah 53:6, emphasis added).
The above verse describes the universal problem of all humanity - "we have turned, every one, to his own way". In other words, our iniquity is "independence" and in rebellion against God. This type of sin is common to all. Notice that not only Jesus identified with our iniquity, but He also endured all the evil consequences of that iniquity.
I believe this is the true meaning and purpose of the cross. On the cross a divinely ordained exchange took place. First, Jesus endured in our place all the evil consequences that were due by divine justice to our iniquity. Now, in exchange, God offers us all the good that was due to the sinless obedience of Jesus. This divine principle of exchange are revealed in Isaiah 53:4 and 5:
"Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement for our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed."
Notice that Jesus on the cross, took our place both spiritually and physically. Spiritually, Jesus received the punishment due to our transgressions and iniquities that we, in turn, might be forgiven and so have peace with God (see also Romans 5:1). Physically, Jesus bore our sicknesses and pains that we through His wounds might be healed.
The physical application of the exchange is confirmed by Peter who referred back to Isaiah 53:5 and 6 and said of Jesus:
"(He) Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness - by whose stripes you were healed" (1 Peter 2:24).
The spiritual and physical aspects of exchange described in the above verses may be summed up as follows:
Jesus was PUNISHED that we might be FORGIVEN; Jesus was WOUNDED that we might be HEALED.
Another aspect of the divine exchange is stated by Paul:
"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich" (2 Cor. 8:9).
Actually, Jesus became poor on the cross. In fact Jesus was in absolute poverty in four expressions: He was hungry, He was thirst (John 19:28), He was naked (John 19:23), and He was in need of all things. He no longer owned anything whatever. After His death He was buried in a borrowed robe and in a borrow tomb (Luke 23:50 - 52). Thus, Jesus, exactly and completely, endure absolute poverty for our sakes. In other words, Jesus broke the poverty curse for us forever (Deu. 28:48).
Another aspect of the divine exchange is rejection by God:
"And about the ninth hour Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying, 'Eli, Eli, lama sabachthani?' that is, 'My God, My God. why have You forsaken Me?'" (Matt. 27:46, emphasis added).
For the first time in the history of the universe, the Son of God called out to His Father and received no response. He was at that moment forsaken or rejected by God. The rejection of Jesus resulted in our acceptance. We were accepted by God "in the Beloved" (Eph. 1:5,6).
This may be summed up as:
Jesus endured our REJECTION that we might have HIS ACCEPTANCE as children of God.
Finally, Jesus became a CURSE that we might receive the BLESSING.
Paul said, "Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, 'Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree'), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith" (Gal. 3:13,14).
Notice that the curse that came upon Jesus is defined as "the curse of the law". It includes every one of the curses, listed by Moses in Deuteronomy 28. Therefore, Jesus has opened the way for us to obtain full release from the curses and to enter into the corresponding blessings!
All we need to do is to received by faith, what Jesus has done for us on the cross.
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