tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-83669677079656164282024-03-13T00:06:59.663-07:00Berean MindReceiving the word with great eagerness, examining the scriptures daily to see whether things are so.Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.comBlogger45125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-76750458542025001382012-02-14T09:32:00.000-08:002012-02-14T09:32:54.839-08:00New BlogIt seems like I hardly make it here to <i>Berean Mind</i> to post anything anymore. I'm now editing a new blog that launched just this last weekend. I expect I'll spend most of my time there and will likely post whatever I'm musing on over there. Check out <i>Proclamation Blog</i> at : <a href="http://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/">http://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/</a>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-67018651626726442672012-01-22T09:44:00.000-08:002012-01-22T09:45:43.376-08:00To Trans4merHey Trans4mer,<br />
<br />
I just deleted your comment on accident. I was trying to publish from my phone and my fat fingers hit delete instead. At any rate, you're right, this blog needs a front page or something. However, I really don't do much with my blog and will probably do even less now that I'm editing and blogging for the new Proclamation blog at <a href="http://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/">http://blog.lifeassuranceministries.org/</a> We're not quite up and running yet, but are in the early stages of populating it with some content. It's a pretty exciting project. I'm glad you're finding some of the studies here to be interesting.Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-18754765663763362892011-09-29T10:26:00.000-07:002011-09-29T10:26:15.420-07:00Thoughts on the “Yom” of Creation Part #2<div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So in my last entry I attempted to demonstrate that the Hebrew word “yom” can quite literally mean a period of time of indeterminate length. Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that’s how it’s being used in Genesis 1 & 2. To make a determination we need to explore context and see if there are any textual clues.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CLUE #1</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Our understanding of a natural day is related to rotation of the earth relative to the position of the sun. Put more observationally, a natural cycle of day and night is related to the apparent movement of the sun. Moses does not specifically mention the sun or the natural cycle of day and night as we understand it until the fourth yom. So whatever the first, second, and third “yom” might be, they are something different than how we would ordinarily define a natural day.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CLUE #2</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Moses, in the original Hebrew sets up a stylistic poetic pattern, bookending each yom with “ereb” and “boqer”, usually translated as “evening” and “morning”. This is not how Hebrews counted 24 hour days. Hebrews viewed a day as being evening to evening. It is also not the common colloquialism for indicating a natural day. Just a few chapters later Moses uses the common colloquialism for a natural day which is to use “yom” and “layil” (day and night, not evening and morning). This certainly isn’t conclusive, by any means, but it appears that Moses is using ereb boqer in an unusual fashion that is different than what we would expect if he meant a 24 hour day. He seems to be using these Hebrew words to indicate that the first six yoms had beginnings and ends. So a reasonable understanding of what is being said in the Hebrew might possibly be, “There was a beginning and an end: a first period”. Why might this unusual syntax be important? See clue #3 for the answer.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CLUE #3</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">As already stated, Moses’ creation narrative has a poetic rhythm in the Hebrew. Moses sets up this highly repetitive pattern where he again and again says something like, “evening and morning, a first yom, evening and morning a second yom, evening and morning a third yom, evening and morning a fourth yom, evening and morning a fifith yom, evening and morning a sixth yom”. Then, he suddenly shatters that rhythym with the seventh yom. When faced with pattern and repetition in Hebrew poetry and narrative, interpretively we are always called to ask “why” when a pattern is broken. There is almost always a point to doing so. It is self evident in this passage that God’s work is done and that He is now resting from that work, but did God’s rest have an end like the other yom? The answer from Hebrews chapter 4 is that God is still in that seventh yom rest today and that we are being invited back into His rest through faith in Christ. Those who are in Christ are living in the seventh yom rest today, each and every day. So Moses, appropriately indicates that God’s rest does not end by intentionally failing to bookend it with ereb boqer. He leaves the seventh yom wide open. So not only does it appear that the first, second, and third yom were something other than what we would normally define as natural days, but it seems abundantly clear from Hebrews 4 that for God the seventh yom has lasted from creation until now. However, long that might be, we can at least conclude that the seventh yom is a long period of indeterminate length. So already in chapters 1 and 2 we have at least four uses of the word yom that do not appear to be referring to normal days.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CLUE #4</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the account of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day [yom] that the Lord God made earth and heaven.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genesis 2:4 (NASB)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This says “in the yom that the Lord God made earth and heaven”. I don’t know of anyone who believes God chose to create everything in one 24 hour period. This is not a question of power. God could create everything in 24 nanoseconds if He wanted to. That would be no problem for God. The question is, “What did He choose to do?” and nobody believes he chose to create everything in 24 hours and yet this text says, “in the yom that the Lord God made earth and heaven”. So clearly yom means something longer than 24 hours here. At the very, very least, yom is being used to refer to a 144 hour period here. So now we have five examples in the creation narrative where yom refers to something other than what we understand to be the natural definition of a “day”.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>CLUE #5</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the account [toledoth] of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the day that the Lord God made earth and heaven.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genesis 2:4 (NASB)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is how the very literal NASB translates “toledoth”:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Transliterated Word: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">toledoth</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> (410a)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Root: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">from</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/book.asp?pub=0&book=66&sec=00092275#h3205"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3205;</span></a><br />
<a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/book.asp?pub=0&book=66&sec=00092275#h3205"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span></a><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Definition: </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">generations:--</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 8pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">List of English Words and Number of Times Used</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">account (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">birth (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">genealogical registration (12),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">genealogies (3),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">generations (21),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">order of their birth (1).</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (Anaheim, CA: Foundation Publications, 1998), WORD</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">search</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> CROSS e-book, Under: "8435".</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here is the definition from a well respected lexicon:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 12pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">תּוֹלֵדוֹת</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> [See Stg:</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/book.asp?strongs=H8435"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><h8435></h8435></span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">]</span></div><div dir="ltr" style="margin-bottom: 0pt; margin-top: 0pt; text-align: justify;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">tôlēd̠ôt̠</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">:</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> A feminine noun meaning a generation. This key Hebrew word carries with it the notion of everything entailed in a person's life and that of his or her progeny (</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+5%3A1"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gen. 5:1</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">;</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+6%3A9"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">6:9</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">). In the plural, it is used to denote the chronological procession of history as humans shape it. It refers to the successive generations in one family (</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+10%3A32"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Gen. 10:32</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">); or a broader division by lineage (</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Nu+1%3A20"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Num. 1:20ff</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">.). In</span><a href="http://www.crossbooks.com/verse.asp?ref=Ge+2%3A4"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: #000099; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genesis 2:4</span></a><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, the word accounts for the history of the created world.</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 10pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Warren Baker and Eugene Carpenter, </span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Complete Word Study Dictionary – Old Testament</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (Chattanooga, TN: AMG Publishers, 2003), WORD</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">search</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> CROSS e-book.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This is the same word used a few chapters later by Moses in the Genesis genealogies. We’ve already seen that yom is being used here in 2:4 to describe a period of time and it appears that Moses is also saying that this period of time covered something long enough to be described as “generations” so “age” (a literal meaning for the word yom) seems contextually appropriate.So a reasonable understanding of Moses is saying in Genesis 2:4 might be:</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">“These are the generations of the heavens and the earth when they were created, in the age that the Lord God made earth and heaven.”</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Genesis 2:4 (NASB)</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In all this I am not suggesting that modern English translators have erred. I would not advocate for altering the English words that most translations use. I think to do so would be to lose some of the beauty, majesty, and imagery of Moses’ poetic narrative. I don’t think we need a “flat” translation to properly interpret as long as we pay attention to the clues Moses gives us as to the meaning he is conveying. I am also not suggesting that what I have outlined here is the only possible explanation. It may not even be the best explanation, but it is entirely orthodox, faithful to the original text, and respectful to the author’s intended meaning. </span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’m not at all concerned if anyone is swayed to this way of thinking. That’s simply not important as this is a non-essential. I am only concerned that we understand that we have faithful brothers and sisters who might think differently from us on some non-essentials and yet they are every bit as committed to the Word of God. In fact, it’s just possible that they have spent enormous amounts of time really digging in deep and trying to understand how the original hearers speaking the original language would have understood things. If we can keep this in mind, even if they are wrong, I think we will show much more love and unity in our discourse. Thanks for reading. </span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-83840676055099507412011-09-29T10:23:00.000-07:002011-09-29T10:23:22.205-07:00Thoughts on the “Yom” of Creation Part #1<div style="background-color: transparent;"><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In writing this post, I at no time wish to give the impression that the direction I lean on this subject is the only acceptable one. I’ve changed my mind before and may change it again. Rather, I hope this to be an appeal to extend a great deal of liberty, love, and grace to our brothers and sisters who may differ on non-essential secondary issues. Specifically, I would like to demonstrate that contextually interpreting “yom” (usually translated as "day") in Genesis 1 and 2 may not be so dogmatically one-sided as we may have been led to believe. If this is true, then we should be a bit humble about our particular view and avoid labeling differing views as heretical or based on compromise. There have been scholars throughout history, prior to the advent of modern science, who took differing views on “yom” in Genesis 1 and 2 based solely on the context of this passage. I think that’s okay. I’m going to present one particular literal contextual interpretation because it may be one you haven’t really heard before, but it is orthodox and has a long history in both Jewish and Christian thought. It may or may not be correct, but we should certainly refrain from condemning brothers and sisters who hold it. It’s an entirely possible, and literal, understanding of the actual Hebrew text of Genesis 1 and 2.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b><u>MYTH BUSTERS:</u></b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>MYTH #1</b></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s get this out of the way right away. There is an oft repeated myth in some Christian circles that goes something like, “Yom with an ordinal number always means a 24 hour period”. I find it extremely unfortunate that these kind of things get repeated to the point that they are accepted as fact when there is no basis for it. Here are a few things to keep in mind about this myth:</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. There is absolutely no such rule in Hebrew. There is nothing in the Hebrew language that necessitates such a claim and you can search any Hebrew lexicon in vain for such a rule. It just doesn’t exist.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. Appealing to something that may seem to usually be the case, does not require that it is always the case. This is just not good logic.</span></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br />
</span></span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. Hosea 6:1-2 uses yom with ordinal numbers in a prophetic way that clearly isn’t referring to 24 hour periods so we can see that this is not always the case, even if we look only at the Bible and not at the all other Hebrew literature.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"><b>MYTH #2</b></span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I’ve heard people insist that the only “literal” way to translate yom into English is as a 24 hour “day” and that all other interpretations are considered to be something less than literal. I don’t understand where this is coming from and why someone would say this, but I assume they are not familiar with some of the basic principles of translation. Here are a couple of things to keep in mind.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1. Nearly all words have a range of meanings. Some have a very large range indeed. One that pops to my mind at this moment is the English word “can”. Look it up in a dictionary and you will see a long list of numbered meanings. All of these meanings are real uses of the word with real distinct definitions. For that matter, even the English word “day” has meanings and uses that are something other than “a 24 hour period” (e.g. “Back in George Washington’s day...”)</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">2. When translating, you may find a word in the receptor language that has a meaning which is more or less the equivalent of the a word in the host language, but you will almost never find a word in the receptor language that has the exact same range of meanings as a word in the host language. This is why it is said that all translation involves compromise. When we spend a lot of time arguing about the range of literal meanings of an English word in an English translation we are totally missing the point and engaging in a truly useless conversation. The question is not what the English word can literally mean, but what the underlying Hebrew word can literally mean and what is best supported by the context.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">3. The NASB is considered to be one of the most conservative, literal English translations of the Bible. Here are just a few of the ways that it LITERALLY translates the word yom (I’ve only included ones that you might be less familiar with):</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">age (8),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">age* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">all (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">always* (14),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">amount* (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">battle (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">birthday* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Chronicles* (38),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">completely* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">continually* (14),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">course* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">each (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">entire (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">eternity (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ever in your life* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">fate (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">first (5),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forever* (11),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">forevermore* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">full (5),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">full year (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">future* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">holiday* (3),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">later* (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">length (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">life (12),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">life* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lifetime (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">lifetime* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">live (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">long (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">long as i live (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">long* (11),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">now (5),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">older* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">once (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">period (3),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">perpetually* (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">present (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">recently (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">reigns (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">ripe* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">so long* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">some time (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">survived* (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">time (45),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">time* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">times* (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">usual (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">very old* (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">when (10),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">whenever (1),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">while (3),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">whole (2),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">year (10),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">yearly (5),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">years (13),</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">New American Standard Exhaustive Concordance of the Bible</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, (Anaheim, CA: Foundation Publications, 1998), WORD</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">search</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> CROSS e-book, Under: "3117".</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">All of these are literal meanings of “yom” because yom has a very large range of meanings that surpasses any similar word we might have in English. Simply put, it can be considered a period of time of indeterminate length. Because we’ve always read English translations, this fact has been masked to us. We’ve often read the word yom when it was translated as some period of time and didn’t even know that it was the same word as in Genesis 1 & 2. So the question is not whether or not it can mean an age or a period, it most certainly can literally mean either of those. The question is what is the meaning of yom in Genesis 1 & 2? Next time, I will go over a number of contextual indications in Genesis 1& 2 that suggest that Moses is using “yom” to mean a period of time of indeterminate length.</span></div></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-41803565673465435462011-08-01T07:42:00.000-07:002011-08-01T09:39:56.612-07:00I Agree with Seventh-day Sabbatarians<div style="background-color: transparent;"><div style="text-align: left;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I agree with seventh-day (Saturday) sabbatarians, at least on a number of basic points. This may come as a shocking statement to those who know I believe the weekly Sabbath day was a shadow pointing to Christ, that Jesus fulfilled the shadow, and that the substance or reality is now found only in Him. So obviously I have some marked disagreement with those who believe observance of the Old Covenant shadow is still a requirement for New Covenant Christians. Having said that, there are at least nine points I have identified where I think seventh-day sabbatarians and I can agree. Oh sure, we would still have significant disagreement on various details related to these points, but at a bare minimum I think we could agree in principle upon the most basic thoughts expressed below. See if you agree:</span></div><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<ol><li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Obedience and holiness are not optional for the Christian, but are a normative expectation of the Christian life.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Grace is never a license to sin.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Teaching and following what God has commanded us is not legalism.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sunday is not the Sabbath and there is no biblical command to transfer the 4th command of the Decalogue to any other day.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">The Sabbath of the Decalogue is not merely a principle of keeping one day in seven, but rather specifies one very specific day, the seventh-day (Saturday).</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Sabbath-keeping on the seventh-day was not optional for Israel, but was commanded them and was a sign of obedience and holiness.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If keeping the Sabbath day of the Decalogue is commanded to Christians, then neither the day or the practice is optional and should not be considered legalism, but a normative part of the Christian life and a sign of obedience and holiness.</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">At least some of the things commanded to Israel are not commanded to New Covenant Christians and should not be considered normative or signs of obedience (examples might include animal sacrifices, annual Sabbath festivals, and monthly new moon Sabbaths).</span></li>
<li style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; list-style-type: decimal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Christians should biblicaly answer the question of whether or not New Covenant believers are commanded to keep a Sabbath day, then live according to God’s teaching to the Church on this matter.</span></li>
</ol><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">Number nine really gets to the heart of the matter. If Christians are commanded to keep the seventh-day Sabbath, then we should certainly being doing so. Period. I agree with Sabbatarians on that. All too often though, our conversations and debates don’t really focus on this most crucial question. Rather we tend to get caught up going back and forth about points that we all already agree on. So we spend a lot of time talking about obedience when we all already agree that obedience is not optional. Or we spend a lot of time looking at texts commanding Israel to keep the Sabbath when we already agree on that point and also would all admit that not everything commanded to Israel is commanded to Christians. Arguing about things we agree on is really a waste of time and energy. We don’t spend nearly enough time looking at the specific instructions (plural) given by God to the Church regarding holy days and the New Covenant. This issue came up in the early Church and the Holy Spirit addressed it in God’s Word. We don’t have to guess what we as New Covenant Christians are taught about this, we merely need to read and accept the instruction we’re given. To be truly productive, that’s where our discussions should be centered and not on those things we already agree with.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Look, if I am misunderstanding the instruction that God gave to the fledgling Church on this matter, then I want to know and I want to change my practice accordingly. I really mean it! unfortunately, I’ve found most of my friends and family are more comfortable going back over (and over) the first eight points listed. I hope that someday we’ll be able to really biblically address the ninth point. We all agree that we need to know what the Bible has to say to New Covenant Christians on this matter, so why don’t we focus on the specific teaching given to the New Covenant Church on this matter? Until then, can we at least agree to agree on that with which we agree?</span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-54659221885786854372011-07-22T10:45:00.000-07:002011-08-08T08:26:40.411-07:00Sex and Violence: A Double Standard?<div class="MsoNormal"></div><div style="background-color: transparent;"><span id="internal-source-marker_0.12285338551737368" style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This last week I was listening to a commentator discuss a recent Supreme Court Ruling regarding the sale of video games containing violence to minors. In a nutshell, the Court ruled against the California law stating that video games are a form of free speech akin to movies or books and that there is a long tradition of violence being a part of our collective story telling. The decision intimated that if the question at hand had dealt with the sale of sexually oriented media to minors, then the approach might be different. The commentator took this as an opportunity to opine about what he considers to be a double standard for sex versus violence in our culture. A co-host chimed in to decry the sexual repression that he believes exists in America and to humorously suggest that we’re okay with killing people, but not with people having sex.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found myself pondering their comments and tentatively disagreeing that there is necessarily a double standard. We live in a society that has many Judeo-Christian ideas underlying its culture and thought. While many, maybe even most within the culture have rejected these values, there is at least an echo of these principles still rebounding within the fabric of our country. I think we see these echoes of morality in how we respond to violence and sex in the media. From a biblical world view we could even go a step further and say that because each of us bears the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">imago dei</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, each of us has at least some residual innate sense of right and wrong, albeit suppressed and fallen. I think it’s possible that there is not so much a double standard in how we view sex and violence as there is a single standard that is highly dependent on context, even if subconsciously.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s be up front about something, the Bible is full of sex and violence. If you don’t believe that, do what I’ve been doing and read through the Old Testament with your kids. There’s some hardcore stuff in there folks. About the time you get to </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Judges</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> you find yourself tempted to begin editing the Good Book to more of a PG standard, or at least maybe PG-13. I’ve long said that if anyone ever made a faithful cinematic adaptation of Judges, or much of the rest of the Old Testament for that matter, that Christians would boycott it in droves. While I say this at least partially in jest, I sometimes wonder if I’m very far off. It’s quite clear that the Bible uses sex and violence in its story telling so we can’t very well make a blanket statement that all sex and violence in our story telling is wrong. It’s all about context and what is being conveyed and taught by the story.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Let’s take violence. If a movie depicts war in such a way that we are able to more fully appreciate the devastation of armed conflict than the depiction of violence may serve a positive purpose. If we are convicted that war should only be employed as an absolute last resort and are inspired to work tirelessly to avoid war, then a good and correct principle has been taught. If a book depicts the ruination of the soul who commits violence, such as </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Crime and Punishment</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, then we have a cautionary morality tale. If media presents the use of force so that it is understood that sometimes it is the only remaining means by which evil in a fallen world may be restrained, then we are able to see an echo of the biblical principle set forth in Romans 13. So there are some legitimate uses for violence in our storytelling.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Here’s where I’m going to get really controversial and make a lot of people angry. I would argue that, when it comes to violence, our modern media doesn’t always get this wrong. Oh sure, there are tons of egregious examples of glorification of violence for violence sake and increasingly a blurred line between what is good and what is evil. Still, a surprising number of books, TV shows, movies, and even video games portray police officers and soldiers doing their duty in restraining evil, evil individuals reaping the just rewards of their violent acts, protagonists scarred by their exposure to violence, and good over coming evil. Perhaps the media gets this right a little more often than we give them credit for. After all, very few in the media would say they think that violence is a good thing, quite the contrary. Certainly there are many exceptions, but media types are more likely to portray violence in a negative light than to blatantly condone violence in any and all context. Even in the media, most content creators do attempt to draw some lines and hold on to a morale sense regarding violence. In fact, it’s quite popular in Hollywood to associate with various causes to stop war or eliminate various forms of violence, so it shouldn’t surprise us that quite a bit of the content produced reflects this aesthetic.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Now compare this to sex in the media. I am straining to think of any examples where the media gets this right, except perhaps for stories where cheating on one’s spouse has a negative impact as in </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Fatal Attraction</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">. From a biblical viewpoint, all sexual relations outside of a covenant marriage between one man and one women are offensive to God. I think I can come very close to using an absolute word in saying that the mainstream media “never” communicates such a viewpoint. In fact, the media only rarely presents sex in a monogamous marital context at all. As Christians we can rightly reject nearly every message that the media sends on sex. Nearly every message is counter to a Christian world view and is offensive to God.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">So are Christians exercising a double standard when they decry most sex in the media, but seem less concerned about at least some violent content? I would suggest that the answer is, “Not necessarily”. Rather I think that in many cases there is a somewhat more consistent standard at work which is evaluating content in context and making judgments about what is consistent with a biblical world view. Now I realize that I am being idealistic here and that many Christians are not as intentional in exercising discernment as they should be, myself included. However, I do believe the Holy Spirit is at work in every believer renewing their mind and causing them to be conformed to Christ. This process of sanctification will inevitably affect our media consumption and how we parse and contextualize the stories we are exposed to. If our culture still has a dim collective memory of biblical ideals and if each individual retains the </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">imago dei</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">, however tarnished, then it stands to reason that their perception of media content is somewhat affected at least subconsciously. So I submit to you that it’s not so much that Americans parse violence one way and sex another, but that the media is capable of sometimes portraying violence in a moral way, but is rarely if ever capable of doing the same for sex.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: Arial; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Just a few thoughts bouncing around my head today. I may be way off and may completely rethink this tomorrow, but would like to hear your thoughts. </span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-46321910273801247762011-04-05T18:46:00.000-07:002011-04-05T18:46:51.036-07:00The Resurrection and the Life: Why Easter is a Big DealIf you're just interested in the biblical reasons why Easter is a big deal to Christians you can just read the first half of my article at the link below. If you want to know why it's not a big deal to Adventists, then check out the second half.<br />
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<a href="http://www.lifeassuranceministries.org/proclamation/2011/1/whyeasterisabigd.html">Why Easter is a Big Deal</a>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-16841560550010453532011-03-20T08:59:00.001-07:002011-03-20T08:59:21.922-07:00Grace: You Don't Deserve It<div style="margin-bottom: 0in;">God has never needed anything. He is complete in Himself and lacks nothing. He is one single being and yet He has never lacked relationship or needed love. His very being has always been defined by relationships of love. God did not need to create us and yet He did. God created us so that we might share in the love and relationships which exists within Him. The One Being, Yahweh, has always existed in an eternal dance of love between the Father, Son, and Spirit. Those who are in the Son have been adopted into that eternal dance. Both our creation and our redemption are acts of pure grace. That's grace, something given as a free gift where the giver has no obligation to do so and the recipient has no merit and deserves none of it. If both our creation and our redemption are entirely the work of God, based upon His sovereign choice, then why should we ever for moment fear for our salvation. We don't deserve it and never will. It is Him who freely gives it without cause. Through no merit of our own, we have been ushered into the dance. </div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-74743182779131776762011-02-03T09:43:00.000-08:002019-03-27T12:03:14.782-07:00Balancing Yoga<div style="background-color: transparent; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;">
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px; white-space: pre-wrap;">I watched my eleven year old daughter as she followed the commands of the virtual yoga instructor in her WiiFit game. First the Crane, then the Cobra, finishing with the Lotus as the Wii balance board measured her stillness. I found myself vaguely conflicted. My sister had recently sent me a video outlining the religious origins of Yoga and the dangers of Christians involving themselves in such practices. Several Hindu clerics interviewed in the video strongly stressed their opinion that yoga cannot be separated from Hindu spirituality and that people in the West who try to do so are deluding themselves. Yet here was my daughter, a dedicated Christ-follower, happily stretching and exercising with her Wii completely oblivious to any Hindu connection. There is no doubt in my mind that worshipping Hindu “gods” or partaking in a religious ritual was the farthest thing from her mind. So was the video right? Was she really opening herself up to dangerous spiritual influences? </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In the past few years there has been a growing debate within the Church, to yoga or not to yoga. A practice with roots in Eastern mysticism has found its way to the West, and in a big way. No longer is it an obscure discipline practiced by a few avant-garde types on the coasts, but by a wide stratum of socioeconomic groups in nearly every city, town, and suburb in America. In fact, in today’s culture it would be considered highly unusual to find a health club or fitness center that didn’t offer Yoga classes. So given the origins of yoga and its ubiquitous presence in our culture, how should Christians interested in maintaining a Christian world view respond?</span></div>
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</span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I found myself thinking about this question recently after being commissioned to write an article on why certain cults-of-Christianity do not celebrate Easter. Invariably, members of these groups will cite pagan origins for the timing of the celebration, some of the traditional symbols, and even the name. Most of these groups will say very similar things about Christmas. In doing research for the piece, I believe it is fair to say that there is a certain amount of truth to some of these claims. However, to eschew Easter or Christmas because of ancient links to paganism would be missing the point. The Church developed and grew in the midst of a pagan Roman world, but rather than join in pagan worship, the Church was a counter-culture force that focused its celebration and worship on the incarnate Christ and His resurrection. Regardless of some distant link to pagan celebrations or symbols, what was being celebrated by Christians was the birth and resurrection of Jesus so the symbols were given new meaning in that context. It doesn’t much matter where the dates came from or why Christmas trees and Easter eggs are used if the object of the days and the symbols are now focused on Jesus. Whatever pagans may have celebrated in winter and spring has been supplanted by new traditions, a new focus, and new meaning. The links to paganism have been broken and the celebrations redeemed. Simply put, Christianity triumphed over paganism. Few people today have any idea that these holidays ever had any link to paganism and many have even separated them from their Christian traditions and now celebrate them as secular holidays.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">I see a parallel with yoga in Western culture. Many Americans who participate in yoga as an exercise regime have no idea that there ever was any underlying spiritual connection. The overwhelming majority are probably much like my daughter and see yoga as a purely secular exercise. Most would be surprised, and perhaps even incredulous, if someone were to tell them yoga was at one time linked to religion. Simply put, these individuals are exercising not worshipping. However, some may object to drawing such a comparison to how ancient pagan festivals were transformed into something positive. After all, those festivals are now completely dead traditions with no counterpart in today’s culture. The transformation of Easter and Christmas is a fait accompli, while in the case of yoga there are still currently millions of people in eastern religions practicing various forms of yoga as a spiritual discipline. Unlike the holidays of Easter and Christmas, yoga is far from being completely and permanently transformed worldwide. While somewhat rare in the west, it must be admitted that certain strains of yoga still have ties to Hinduism. So is it possible for a Christian to simply enjoy the physical benefits of yoga while rejecting any practices and beliefs associated with Hinduism?</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">In answering the question above, I found it helpful to turn to a similar dilemma facing the early Church in Corinth. The Corinthian believers were living in a culture saturated in polytheistic idolatry. It was common practice in the pagan temples to slaughter animals and offer the meat to the gods with a certain portion of the offered meat being sold in the marketplace. Evidently, some within the Church were concerned that purchasing and eating meat offered to idols was either spiritually dangerous or at least made them complicit in something associated with pagan practices. The apostle Paul addressed this concern in his first letter to the Corinthians.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Hence, as to the eating of food offered to idols, we know that "no idol in the world really exists," and that "there is no God but one." Indeed, even though there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as in fact there are many gods and many lords— yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (NRSV) </span></div>
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul is essentially saying that the origin of the food doesn’t really matter because believers know that pagan gods are false gods and there is only one true God. Believers can divorce the food from its origin because their faith is in Jesus, not the so-called gods that the food was offered to. Paul goes on in chapter 10 to assure the Corinthian believers that they can eat anything in the market place with a good conscience.</span><br />
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<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Eat whatever is sold in the meat market without raising any question on the ground of conscience, for "the earth and its fullness are the Lord's." If an unbeliever invites you to a meal and you are disposed to go, eat whatever is set before you without raising any question on the ground of conscience. But if someone says to you, "This has been offered in sacrifice," then do not eat it, out of consideration for the one who informed you, and for the sake of conscience— I mean the other's conscience, not your own. For why should my liberty be subject to the judgment of someone else's conscience? </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 7.199999999999999pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: super; white-space: pre-wrap;"> </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">If I partake with thankfulness, why should I be denounced because of that for which I give thanks? So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do everything for the glory of God. - </span><span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 12pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">1 Corinthians 10:25-31 (NRSV) </span></div>
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">Paul’s basic message is that there is nothing wrong with the meat itself, only the significance that some might give to the meat. A Christian who rejects paganism can enjoy the meat as food and glorify God. The principle would seem to be applicable to westernized yoga. Westernized yoga has been divorced from its Hindu origins and is marketed as a healthy fitness routine. Certainly it is true that much research backs up the health benefits of yoga. So, like meat offered to idols, there is nothing wrong with yoga in and of itself, only in the significance that some might give to the exercise. Many Christians participate regularly in yoga exercises and stretching as a way of maintaining their health while utterly rejecting Hinduism. They are enjoying the health benefits of yoga while glorifying the one true God.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">To be sure, both chapters 8 and 10 contain a great deal of instruction from Paul about not using our freedom and knowledge about such things in a way which might cause others to stumble or to injure their own consciences. We must take these commands to be cognizant and respectful of our weaker brothers and sisters seriously. Our personal health and fitness must be secondary to loving our fellow believers. However, Paul also appears to bristle at the idea of being denounced by those who might try to use the issue in a judgmental way. So how do we balance the voluntary restriction of our liberty for love’s sake while avoiding the trap of uniformed legalism? Perhaps the best approach is to go out of our way to inform, educate, and studiously avoid any unnecessary offense or misunderstanding. Perhaps we could do a better job of stating up front that while some yoga may have ties to Hinduism that is not something we embrace or participate in. We need to explore ways to explain, label, and define our exercise regime as just that, a program for gaining increased flexibility, reducing stress, and promoting health and fitness. Perhaps it’s time for westernized yoga to have its own name that clarifies the break with its past. There are no doubt a myriad of ways that we can protect our brothers and sisters from error while benefitting from a wonderfully healthy practice. Given the totality of the Apostle Paul’s instructions, we should expend effort in doing so prior to completely eschewing a good thing.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"></span><br />
<span style="background-color: transparent; color: black; font-family: "times new roman"; font-size: 11pt; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;">This topic will no doubt remain controversial. Honest concerned Christians will take various views depending on their conscience. That’s okay. These things are worth having a dialogue about, just as they were in first century Corinth. In my case, I’m no longer worried about my daughter doing yoga on the Wii. I am convinced she is exercising with thanks and giving glory to God in everything she does. </span></div>
Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-62977197048991319452010-12-23T10:52:00.000-08:002010-12-23T11:14:44.626-08:00The Grand Design: No God Required<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">Recently, I read with great interest excerpts from Stephen Hawking's new book, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Grand Design</i>. In his book Hawking posits that God is not necessary in order to account for the creation of the universe. Let me say right up front that my grasp of physics and mathematics is rudimentary at best. In addition, my intellect is quite obviously not even a pale shade of what Hawking possesses. Given my severe limitations, when compared to Hawking, it may seem an incredible act of hubris to question the conclusions of such a genius. However, in this book Hawking writes at a relatively accessible popular level and goes beyond the limits of physics and mathematics in order to draw metaphysical conclusions. So in this case, it seems that even a lay person might be able to point out a few leaps of faith in reaching his conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">In ruling out God as the force behind the formation of the universe, Hawking appeals rather to gravitation as a sufficient force for creation. While his conclusion is tied to complex string theory, it seems to lead to other problems on a more basic level. Hawking is placing a good deal of faith in something that is, as of yet, not fully explained by anyone, including himself. It has been demonstrated that Newtonian physics alone cannot explain gravity. Most theories today use principles of general relativity to explain gravitation. In these models </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">space-time</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> is curved by matter which helps to explain the attraction between objects of mass. However, general relativity does not play nicely with the growing science of quantum mechanics where the force of gravity must be explained quite differently. In quantum mechanics, gravity is related to the attraction and exchange of virtual gravitons. At this point, no one can truly tie Newtonian physics, general relativity, and quantum theories of gravity together. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">If I understand Hawking’s approach, he is proposing string theory as a possible future unifying solution, but it appears that string theory is really being used as a Trojan horse to sneak in the concept of nearly infinite parallel universes. This construct is necessary in order to explain the mind blowing degree of fine tuning observed in this particular universe. If there are nearly infinite universes, then surely one is highly fine tuned for life. Never mind that this owes more to sci-fi then it does to actual hard evidence. These are all fascinating theories, but when it comes right down to it, we’re still no closer to really understanding why gravity actually exists as opposed to nothing existing at all. Basically we can describe the effects and facts of gravity, but cannot truly define a root cause for gravity that would bind all the various observations and theories together in a coherent way. In short, Hawking is appealing to an incredibly complex force he does not fully understand and cannot completely explain, and yet he has great faith that this force is sufficient to rule out God's involvement. To depend on this unexplained force as the sole "creator" and shaper of the universe seems like a leap of faith to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">Hawking has an even larger problem than this. All of the most accepted cosmological models point back to a point when </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">time-space</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> (as well as matter, energy, and gravity) must have first come into being. Hawking says that God was not necessary to spark the existence of something from nothing, but does not adequately explain just what could other than simply resorting to his nearly infinite universes theory. Suggesting more than one universe, even universes nearing infinity, brings us no closer to an original cause. Whatever the cause, it would have to be independent of </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">time-space</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">, matter, energy, and gravity. Or to put it another way, the cause would have to </span>pre<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">-exist </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">time-space</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;">, matter, energy, and gravity. The cause would also have to be greater than or equal to the effect, i.e. the cause would have to be greater than or equal to the observable </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 15px;">time-space</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> universe and all forces within it. We should also point out that we cannot logically have an infinite regression of causes, so at some point there must be an </span>uncaused<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> first cause which meets these criteria. Hawking doesn't explain what this might be. There is no point in appealing to gravity if you can't explain gravity, its cause, or why it exists as opposed to nothing existing. Hawking wants to tie the various theories of gravity together, which of necessity must involve matter, but we’re still left with the problem of matter coming from nothing. Whether we focus on gravity, matter, or both, we still have to deal with an </span>uncaused<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 11.5pt;"> first cause. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11.5pt;">All this is to say, it takes faith to believe there is no God. Those of us involved in apologetic endeavors should be prepared to reason with those who have real questions about origins. We, unfortunately, have sometimes projected an almost anti-intellectual image of the Church, as if faith and reason are not compatible or reason somehow is antithetical to faith. There is no dichotomy here. Hawking mixes his faith in the ability of science to eventually explain everything into his reasoning and conclusions. We too take some things on faith, but that does not mean that Christianity is incompatible with reason. Rather, we believe that Christianity corresponds to reality. If that’s true, then Christianity is reasonable and can stand up to scrutiny. Belief is not dependent on blind leaps of faith, but on faith grounded in evidence. Each of us needs to grapple with the question of origins and decide whether gravity alone is a sufficient explanation for why there is something rather than nothing or if logically there must be an uncaused first caused. In his book Hawking hails the death philosophy. Let us hope that in saying philosophy is dead he is not also abandoning the underlying logic required to reach reasonable conclusions.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-79851736757265507132010-09-17T19:17:00.000-07:002010-09-20T10:11:55.520-07:00Objections to Jesus Being the First Fruits in a Literal Sense<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"></span></span><br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial; font-size: small;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: 13px;"><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I have received a couple of questions which have bearing on whether or not the resurrection of Jesus in a glorified resurrection body was a unique event or not. I would summarize the questions as:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If Elijah had a glorified resurrection body when he appeared at the transfiguration of Jesus, then doesn’t it stand to reason that Moses also had a glorified resurrection body at the transfiguration?</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l3 level1 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">If the people mentioned in Matthew 27:52-53 were resurrected in glorified bodies, then how can you say that Jesus was the first to have a glorified resurrection body?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I want to deal with those questions here, but let me first say that I had two purposes in bringing up Moses in Part VI of State of the Dead Bible Study (the segment that occasioned the questions):</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Someone asked me about that particular story</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I want to make the point that some things that we who were raised SDA have always assumed to be true aren’t necessarily so, or at least can’t be found in the Bible. I am not trying to say that we can use Moses to prove or disprove “absent from the body, present with the Lord”. I’m only saying that there is no good biblical reason to insist that Moses has already been bodily resurrected. You can find that teaching in Ellen White’s writings, but not in the Bible.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">Okay, so with that preamble, let me attempt to make two suppositions that I hope are points of agreement for all involved:</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="margin-left: 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Bible tells us God is spirit. The Bible also tells us that angels are spirits. There are many places in the Bible where God reveals himself in visual ways. There are many places in the Bible where angels reveal themselves in visual ways and even appear to take on various forms. So it appears it is possible for spirits to be revealed in visual ways.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="margin-left: 37.5pt; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l2 level1 lfo3; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">There are several people in the OT and NT who are raised from the dead not long after death, but were not given glorified resurrection bodies. They presumably became sick or grew old and died at some point thereafter. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So hopefully we can all agree with the two suppositions above. Now I’ll state a few things that I’m sure we won’t all agree on, but I hope they are worth thinking about anyway.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Bible never says that Moses was resurrected. It just says he was dead and tells us that God buried him. To insist that Moses was resurrected with a glorified resurrection body is to read something into the Bible that isn’t there. More specifically it’s to read a teaching from Ellen White into the Bible where it does not exist.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">2.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Bible never says that Elijah was given a glorified resurrection body. It simply says that he “went up by a whirlwind to heaven”. Elijah was swept off the face of the earth into the very presence of God who is spirit. That does not require a physical body. Someday heaven will be very physical when we dwell in the earth made new in our glorified bodies. However, right now Heaven is the very presence of God and it need not be a “place” within the created physical universe as we know it. Most scholars believe Heaven, as it is today, is in the spiritual realm, not the physical realm.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">3.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The fact that the disciples “saw” visual representations of Moses and Elijah in no way necessitates either one having a glorified resurrection body. God was doing something very special and intentional in the transfiguration. God allowed the disciples to see Jesus glorified, see visual manifestations of Moses and Elijah, and hear the Father’s voice for a specific reason. Moses represented the Law and Elijah represented the Prophets, but God said, “This is my beloved Son, listen to Him!” God gave an awe inspiring visual and auditory demonstration of a theme that rings throughout the New Testament. Jesus is the fulfillment of the Law and the Prophets and supersedes both the Law and the Prophets.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">4.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">The Bible never says that the people in Mathew 27 were resurrected with glorified bodies. We just don’t know that. Many commentators believe that these were like many others who were raised from the dead during Jesus’ ministry. They were miraculously brought back to life, but not glorified (sometimes referred to as resuscitation as opposed to resurrection). They would later grow old or sick and die. The folks in Matthew 27 were apparently coming out of the Jerusalem cemetery and may have been people who had recently died (similar to Lazarus). Finally, the Greek (and the more literal English translations) seem to suggest that the tombs were opened by the earthquake at the time of Jesus’ death, but that the dead did not come out of those opened tombs and go into the city until after Jesus resurrection. So even if we were to assume they had been resurrected (as opposed to resuscitated) it still appears it was likely after Jesus’ resurrection. I personally think it more likely that these folks were more like Lazarus, but the bottom line is we just don’t know.</span></div><div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpLast" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo4; text-indent: -.25in;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">5.</span><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">I personally believe that the resurrection of Jesus in a glorified resurrection body is a singular unique event in history. I believe the resurrection of Jesus Christ is the cornerstone of Christian belief and without peer in human experience. It is the event we can point to as proof that Jesus is who He said He was and can do what He said. By this we know that He is God in the flesh. By this we know that we one day will rise from the dead in imperishable glorified bodies as well. The Bible seems to support the notion that there is a distinct order. Christ first, then those who believe in the Messiah, then comes the end.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span><sup><span style="color: black; font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">22 </span></span></sup><span style="font-family: 'Times New Roman', serif; line-height: 115%;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. </span><sup><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">23 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">But each in his own order: Christ the first fruits, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, </span><sup><span style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">24 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">then </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">comes</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. </span> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">1 Corinthians 15:22-24 (NASB) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;">So for those who believe that Christ’s resurrection is less than unique in human history and that others have gone before, I believe it is incumbent upon them to show clearly and distinctly where the Bible teaches this. By saying this, I do not mean taking the teachings of Ellen White and reading them back into passages where they do not exist. I mean clearly showing where the Bible says that any other human before Jesus was ever resurrected with a glorified resurrection body. I have never found such a teaching in the Bible without having to read something into it that isn’t there. If I’m missing it, please let me know.</span></div></span></span>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-67954471507046772012010-09-16T17:46:00.000-07:002010-09-16T17:46:04.401-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part VII<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I once went to see the Oscar winning film </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">Gladiator</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> with a SDA friend of mine.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Near the beginning of the film we find out that the hero, Maximus, dreams of leaving the wars and returning to the life he loves of raising crops with his wife and son.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Unfortunately, before he is able to return to the fields that he loves so much, his wife and son are murdered and he is made a gladiator slave.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the final scene, as Maximus lays dying in the Coliseum, we see an image of him walking through a field of ripe grain with his wife and son before him in the sunlight…….fade to black………</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I was very impressed with Ridley Scott’s film which later won best picture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>On the way out of the theater I remarked to my SDA friend how much I enjoyed the movie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His comment to me was, “I liked it right up until the point where it got into all that spiritualism.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t recommend it because of the spiritualism.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was stunned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A well crafted film that managed to combine epic story-telling, action, and breath taking cinematography had just been dismissed out of hand because of one beautifully artistic scene near the end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The entire movie was worthless because it promoted “spiritualism”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Had my friend said he disagreed with the idea that a polytheistic Roman who died apart from Christ would be in Heaven, then I could have heartily agreed with him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But that wasn’t why my friend was so offended.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was offended by the portrayal of conscious existence at death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have run into this same attitude with close family members as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Any art that so much as hints at conscious existence at death is written off as being either “spiritualism”, or more often, “satanic”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Perhaps I should not be surprised by this as I grew up believing that the idea of conscious existence at death was the first lie Satan ever told.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So therefore any teacher, preacher, movie, song, TV show, or book that suggested a conscious existence at death must be satanic in so far as they were promoting Satan’s lie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But if conscious existence at death is Satan’s lie and those who teach it are false teachers, what does that say about our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus tells a very interesting story in <st1:personname w:st="on">Luke</st1:personname>, chapter 16.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><st1:personname w:st="on"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Luke</span></b></st1:personname><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 16:19-31 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>19 </sup>"Now there was a rich man, and he habitually dressed in purple and fine linen, joyously living in splendor every day. <br />
<sup>20 </sup>"And a poor man named Lazarus was laid at his gate, covered with sores, <br />
<sup>21 </sup>and longing to be fed with the <i>crumbs</i> which were falling from the rich man's table; besides, even the dogs were coming and licking his sores. <br />
<sup>22 </sup>"Now the poor man died and was carried away by the angels to Abraham's bosom; and the rich man also died and was buried. <br />
<sup>23 </sup>"In Hades he lifted up his eyes, being in torment, and saw* Abraham far away and Lazarus in his bosom. <br />
<sup>24 </sup>"And he cried out and said, 'Father Abraham, have mercy on me, and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool off my tongue, for I am in agony in this flame.' <br />
<sup>25 </sup>"But Abraham said, 'Child, remember that during your life you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus bad things; but now he is being comforted here, and you are in agony. <br />
<sup>26 </sup>'And besides all this, between us and you there is a great chasm fixed, so that those who wish to come over from here to you will not be able, and <i>that</i> none may cross over from there to us.' <br />
<sup>27 </sup>"And he said, 'Then I beg you, father, that you send him to my father's house— <br />
<sup>28 </sup>for I have five brothers—in order that he may warn them, so that they will not also come to this place of torment.' <br />
<sup>29 </sup>"But Abraham said*, 'They have Moses and the Prophets; let them hear them.' <br />
<sup>30 </sup>"But he said, 'No, father Abraham, but if someone goes to them from the dead, they will repent!' <br />
<sup>31 </sup>"But he said to him, 'If they do not listen to Moses and the Prophets, they will not be persuaded even if someone rises from the dead.' "<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Now I have heard some try to dismiss this passage by saying, “Well, it’s only a parable and the main point isn’t the state of the dead.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This may very well only be a parable, but if it is, then it is the only recorded parable of Jesus where he uses a name for one of the characters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because of this, many commentators believe that Jesus is recounting actual events involving people some in the crowd would have known.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I’m fine with assuming that this is a parable.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also agree completely that the main point isn’t the state of the dead.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">However, neither of those points allows us to dismiss the significance of the illustration Jesus is using here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assuming this is a parable, then we can say that Jesus’ parables ALWAYS made use of something TRUE from life to illustrate an even greater spiritual TRUTH.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It just doesn’t work to say that Jesus was illustrating a truth by using a falsehood.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Can you imagine Jesus saying, “You know that point I was making? Well, it was a true point, but the way I went about making it was absolutely false.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, I was using an illustration that is a satanic lie to make my point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My illustration is dangerous spiritualism, but the point is still valid.”?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would Jesus say something that was completely false and thereby mislead generations of Christians?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Why would he wait until the 1840s to raise up a group to correct the misconception he started over 1800 year’s before?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s a long time to leave Christians confused and misled by a satanic illustration. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It almost feels like blasphemy to write the paragraph I did above, and yet that’s essentially what those who try to explain away this passage are saying when you peel away all their layers of double talk.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re talking about God in the flesh.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re talking about the greatest teacher, preacher, and prophet to ever walk among us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the illustration He chose and the people in His illustration are conscious and communicative at death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we accuse other teachers and preachers of spiritualism and promoting the lies of Satan when they say such things, should we accuse Jesus of the same thing?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well, I guess one might if they were consistent, but it would be a grave mistake.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This isn’t “spiritualism”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reflects a spiritual reality that Christ knew to be true and the rest of the Bible confirms.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although I would not want to make a passage like this the primary source of my doctrine, Jesus’ illustration fits perfectly with the rest of His teaching and the didactic teaching of His apostles so I can accept this story as representing spiritual reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t need or want to explain it away and dismiss it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I believe we have been guilty of falsely accusing some of our Christian brothers and sisters of spiritualism for preaching and teaching things that the Bible itself preaches and teaches.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I know I have to personally repent of such accusations that I have made.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My accusations and judgments were made out of my own ignorance, but I bear the responsibility for that ignorance.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Now that I know what the Bible teaches on this subject, I can now watch films that depict a conscious existence at death without becoming angry and agitated.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I may not agree with every theological implication in the way it is presented, but I can at least enjoy the story for its artistic merit without fearing a satanic deception.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But much more importantly, now that I know what the bible teaches on this subject I am now much more comfortable fellowshipping with Christians who believe that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Based upon much prayer and Bible study, I now believe that at death I will be consciously with the Lord awaiting the resurrection of my perfect imperishable body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t know exactly this means or what it will be like, but perhaps it will be just a little like Ridley Scott’s vision of walking through a beautiful field of ripened grain, surrounded by sunlight and loved ones.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I hope this study has been helpful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve certainly enjoyed presenting it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now that we’re done with the study, please let me know if there are additional questions or items for discussion.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Thank you for reading!<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-55959070161005134182010-09-15T15:54:00.000-07:002010-09-15T15:54:46.363-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part VI<div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Before addressing the questions dealing with the death of Moses and the Rich Man and Lazarus, I had asked for the opportunity to first lay a foundation for my thoughts.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">I believe I am now ready to address these two cases starting with Moses.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">If you grew up Adventist, you probably grew up believing that Moses was bodily resurrected from the grave with a perfect, imperishable, resurrection body just like we will have some day. But the question arises; do we really have any strong biblical reason to believe that Moses was the first person to be resurrected from the grave with an imperishable resurrection body?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Although the point may be debatable, I personally don’t see any particularly good reason to think that Moses was the first to rise from the grave with a resurrection body and I can think of at least one very good theological reason to think this is not the case. Let’s start with what the Bible has to say on the death of Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Deuteronomy 34:1-12 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Now Moses went up from the plains of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moab</st1:place></st1:country-region> to <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">Mount</st1:placetype> <st1:placename w:st="on">Nebo</st1:placename></st1:place>, to the top of Pisgah, which is opposite <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jericho</st1:place></st1:city>. And the LORD showed him all the land, Gilead as far as Dan, <br />
<sup>2 </sup>and all Naphtali and the land of Ephraim and Manasseh, and all the land of Judah as far as the western sea, <br />
<sup>3 </sup>and the Negev and the plain in the valley of Jericho, the city of palm trees, as far as Zoar. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>Then the LORD said to him, "This is the land which I swore to Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, saying, 'I will give it to your descendants'; I have let you see <i>it</i> with your eyes, but you shall not go over there." <br />
<sup>5 </sup>So</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Moses the servant of the LORD died there</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">in the land of Moab, according to the word of the LORD. <br />
<sup>6 </sup>And </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He buried him</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">in the valley in the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">land</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">Moab</st1:placename></st1:place>, opposite Beth-peor; but </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">no man knows his burial place</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">to this day. <br />
<sup>7 </sup>Although Moses was one hundred and twenty years old when he died, his eye was not dim, nor his vigor abated. <br />
<sup>8 </sup>So the sons of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> wept for Moses in the plains of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Moab</st1:place></st1:country-region> thirty days; then the days of weeping <i>and</i> mourning for Moses came to an end. <br />
<sup>9 </sup>Now Joshua the son of Nun was filled with the spirit of wisdom, for Moses had laid his hands on him; and the sons of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> listened to him and did as the LORD had commanded Moses. <br />
<sup>10 </sup>Since that time no prophet has risen in Israel like Moses, whom the LORD knew face to face, <br />
<sup>11 </sup>for all the signs and wonders which the LORD sent him to perform in the land of Egypt against Pharaoh, all his servants, and all his land, <br />
<sup>12 </sup>and for all the mighty power and for all the great terror which Moses performed in the sight of all Israel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">That’s it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Those are the very last versus of the Torah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re basically told three things:<o:p></o:p></span></div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Moses died.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">God buried Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">No one knows Moses’ burial place.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">It is likely that God buried Moses in a remote spot and did not allow anyone to know where it was because the children of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> would have worshipped the spot and/or the body if they had known where it was.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Israelites had a tendency toward this type of idolatry as evidenced by the fact that they were worshipping the bronze serpent that Moses had made as late as the time of Hezekiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even this good thing had been turned into a false object of worship and had become a snare to them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is likely that the tomb of Moses would have been a snare to them as well.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But whatever the reason for God burying Moses, not a single thing is said or even suggested about resurrecting Moses in a resurrection body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You would think that if such a significant event in history had occurred, the Bible might mention it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Moses was the first fruits from the dead, that is, the first to receive an imperishable resurrection body like we will one day enjoy, then you would certainly think the Bible would say so, but it doesn’t.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A Jewish tradition arose stating that Michael the <st1:place w:st="on">Archangel</st1:place> (no, Michael is not Jesus, but that’s another study) was assigned the task of burying Moses by God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to this tradition, Michael and Satan disputed over the body of Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This tradition was evidently recorded in a noncanonical work variously referred to as “The Testament of Moses” or “The Assumption of Moses”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his epistle, Jude alludes to this tradition about the burial of Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It should be noted that such an allusion to popular tradition does not mean that “The Testament of Moses” was inspired, only that Jude found this well-known story to be helpful in illustrating the point he was making.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jude 1:9 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>9 </sup>But Michael the archangel, when he disputed with the devil and argued about the body of Moses, did not dare pronounce against him a railing judgment, but said, "The Lord rebuke you!" <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jude’s main point in using this illustration has nothing to do with Moses at all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Rather Jude is making a point about showing proper fear and respect regarding spiritual beings that are more powerful than we are.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what I want us to note is that Jude is not saying that Michael resurrected Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To the contrary he is alluding to a Jewish tradition that said that Michael <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>buried</u></b> Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Now let’s look at what God tells Joshua after the death of Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Joshua 1:1-2 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Now it came about after the death of Moses the servant of the LORD, that the LORD spoke to Joshua the son of Nun, Moses' servant, saying, <br />
<sup>2 </sup>"</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Moses My servant is dead</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">; now therefore arise, cross this Jordan, you and all this people, to the land which I am giving to them, to the sons of Israel. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">God just says that Moses is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red;">dead</span></u></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is no hint whatsoever that Moses has been resurrected in a resurrection body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If this had happened, how could God say that Moses was “dead” in any sense of the word?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Surely after we have our resurrection bodies we will no longer be referred to as “dead”!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Compare what God says about Moses to what the angels say about Jesus at His resurrection: <span style="color: navy;">"Why do you seek the living One among the dead? He is not here, but He has risen.” - <st1:personname w:st="on">Luke</st1:personname> 24:6-7.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span>There’s a big difference!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God simply says that Moses is dead, but when Jesus rises from the dead with a resurrection body the angles make it clear that He is not among the dead, He is “living”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">But here’s the biggest reason that I don’t think it’s theologically possible for Moses to have risen from the grave with a resurrection body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Moses had risen from the grave with a resurrection body then he would be the first fruits from the dead and not Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible tells us clearly that Jesus is the first fruits from the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Corinthians 15:20-23 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>20 </sup>But now Christ has been raised from the dead, the</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">first fruits</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">of those who are asleep. <br />
<sup>21 </sup>For since by a man <i>came</i> death, by a man also <i>came</i> the resurrection of the dead. <br />
<sup>22 </sup>For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ all will be made alive. <br />
<sup>23 </sup>But each in his own order: Christ the </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">first fruits</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, after that those who are Christ's at His coming, </span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Other people in the Bible had been brought back to life after dying (resuscitation), but they all eventually grew old or sick and died again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only Jesus has been resurrected from the grave with a perfect imperishable resurrection body guaranteeing that one day we will have resurrection bodies just like His.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If Moses had done it first, then Jesus would not be the first fruits from the dead.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So here is a summary of the reasons that I think it is highly unlikely that Moses was resurrected from the grave with a resurrection body:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Bible never says that Moses was resurrected; only that he was buried.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Bible specifically calls Moses “dead”.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jewish tradition does not claim that Moses was resurrected with a resurrection body, only that Michael buried him.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Jesus is the first fruits from the dead, the first to have an imperishable resurrection body, not Moses.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">So why were we taught our whole lives that Moses rose from the grave with a resurrection body?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We were taught that because of this account in the Gospels which is rather embarrassing for SDA theology.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><st1:personname w:st="on"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Luke</span></b></st1:personname><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 9:28-36 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>28 </sup>Some eight days after these sayings, He took along Peter and John and James, and went up on the mountain to pray. <br />
<sup>29 </sup>And while He was praying, the appearance of His face became different, and His clothing <i>became</i> white <i>and</i> gleaming. <br />
<sup>30 </sup>And behold, two men were talking with Him; and they were</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Moses</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">and Elijah, <br />
<sup>31 </sup>who,</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">appearing in glory</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">, were speaking of His departure which He was about to accomplish at Jerusalem. <br />
<sup>32 </sup>Now Peter and his companions had been overcome with sleep; but when they were fully awake, they saw His glory and the two men standing with Him. <br />
<sup>33 </sup>And as these were leaving Him, Peter said to Jesus, "Master, it is good for us to be here; let us make three tabernacles: one for You, and one for Moses, and one for Elijah"—not realizing what he was saying. <br />
<sup>34 </sup>While he was saying this, a cloud formed and <i>began</i> to overshadow them; and they were afraid as they entered the cloud. <br />
<sup>35 </sup>Then a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My Son, <i>My</i> Chosen One; listen to Him!" <br />
<sup>36 </sup>And when the voice had spoken, Jesus was found alone. And they kept silent, and reported to no one in those days any of the things which they had seen. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The transfiguration creates no problems whatsoever for evangelical Christian theology because Christianity has always believed that the dead do not cease to exist, but are consciously awaiting resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So to have Moses appearing with Christ raises no problems at all because it is in harmony with the rest of what the Bible says on death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it creates a HUGE problem if you happen to teach that there is no spirit and death is a state of non-existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you teach that, then you are backed into a corner and have to find a way to explain how Moses could be dead and also be present at the transfiguration.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way out of such a thorny dilemma seems to be inventing the story that Moses was resurrected.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Never mind that the Bible never says any such thing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems to be a necessary invention if you are going to maintain that there is no spirit and people are non-existent at death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">All this raises the question, why insist that there is no spirit and that people are non-existent at death in the face of so much biblical evidence against this view?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The answer is simple and it has nothing to do with good hermeneutics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The SDA teaching on the state of the dead is a necessary teaching that is required to maintain the integrity of another key SDA distinctive, the Investigative Judgment.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Exploring how the SDA teaching on the state of the dead is necessarily linked to the SDA teaching of the Investigative Judgment is beyond the scope of this study, but anyone with a basic working knowledge of both aberrant doctrines will likely be able to make the connection.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In part seven, I’ll talk a bit about Lazarus and the Rich Man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-21465419382755770992010-09-14T15:28:00.000-07:002010-09-14T15:44:39.673-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part V<div><br />
<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">"The dead know nothing.”</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">We have probably all heard that phrase dozens of times and most of us believed that was the definitive statement on the state of the dead.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Most of us believed that phrase proved those who died were unconscious or non-existent.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">But what does this partial quote from Ecclesiastes 9:5 really mean when examined in context?</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let’s start by talking about the concept of context. In biblical hermeneutics, context can be seen as a series of ever expanding concentric circles. So to really examine the context of a text we must first consider the context of the immediate passage it is found in, then consider the context of the book it is within, then consider the contextual implication of the type of literature it is, then consider its context within its testament, and lastly consider its context within the whole Bible. Then and only then can we say that we have examined the context of a text. So let’s trace the context of Ecclesiastes 9:5 through each ring of the contextual spiral.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">PASSAGE CONTEXT:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes 9:1-9 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>For I have taken all this to my heart and explain it that righteous men, wise men, and their deeds are in the hand of God. Man does not know whether <i>it will be</i> love or hatred; anything awaits him. <br />
<sup>2 </sup>It is the same for all. There is one fate for the righteous and for the wicked; for the good, for the clean and for the unclean; for the man who offers a sacrifice and for the one who does not sacrifice. As the good man is, so is the sinner; as the swearer is, so is the one who is afraid to swear. <br />
<sup>3 </sup>This is an evil in all that is done</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">, </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">that there is one fate for all men. Furthermore, the hearts of the sons of men are full of evil and insanity is in their hearts throughout their lives. Afterwards they <i>go</i> to the dead. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>For whoever is joined with all the living, there is hope; surely a live dog is better than a dead lion. <br />
<sup>5 </sup>For the living know they will die; but the dead do not know anything, nor have they any longer a reward, for their memory is forgotten. <br />
<sup>6 </sup>Indeed their love, their hate and their zeal have already perished, and they will no longer have a share in all that is done</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. <br />
<sup>7 </sup>Go <i>then,</i> eat your bread in happiness and drink your wine with a cheerful heart; for God has already approved your works. <br />
<sup>8 </sup>Let your clothes be white all the time, and let not oil be lacking on your head. <br />
<sup>9 </sup>Enjoy life with the woman whom you love all the days of your fleeting life which He has given to you</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">; for this is your reward in life and in your toil in which you have labored</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">When we examine the book context I will deal more fully with the perspective that the author of Ecclesiastes is presenting and the inspired purpose of the book. However, it can readily be seen from this passage that from the author’s perspective there is no difference in the fate of the righteous and the wicked. Death is seen as an evil fate that separates us from the things of this world which the author views as being all there really is to hope for. The context of the passage is that the dead have no more part in anything “</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">” (i.e. anything that is done in this world). <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The author presents this view because he is showing how futile life and death appear apart from a relationship with God. However, there is a sense in which this is also true from a believer’s perspective as well. Christians do not believe that the dead are roaming the earth as spirits or poltergeist. Christians do not believe in communicating with the dead or that the dead are communicating with us. Christians do not believe in ghosts or séances or any other form of spiritualism. The dead are either with the Lord or in Sheol awaiting final judgment. They are not here on earth “</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">” and they are no longer directly involved with the activities of life here “</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">under the sun</span></u></b><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">”. As we work through the next section, it will become even clearer why we need to consider the inspired purpose of the book before using this passage as a primary place to formulate doctrine on the consciousness or knowledge level of believers who have died in Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>BOOK CONTEXT:<o:p></o:p></u></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes 1:1-3 (HCSB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>The words of the Teacher, son of David, king in <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Jerusalem</st1:place></st1:city>. <br />
<sup>2 </sup>“Absolute</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futility</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">,” says the Teacher. “Absolute</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futility</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">. Everything is</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futile</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.” <br />
<sup>3 </sup>What does a man gain for all his efforts he labors at under the sun? <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes 4:1-3 (HCSB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Again, I observed all the acts of oppression being done under the sun. Look at the tears of those who are oppressed; they have no one to comfort them. Power is with those who oppress them; they have no one to comfort them. <br />
<sup>2 </sup>So I admired the dead, who have already died, more than the living, who are still alive. <br />
<sup>3 </sup>But better than either of them is the one who has not yet existed, who has not seen the evil activity that is done under the sun. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes 6:1-5 (HCSB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Here is a tragedy I have observed under the sun, and it weighs heavily on humanity: <br />
<sup>2 </sup>God gives a man riches, wealth, and honor so that he lacks nothing of all he desires for himself, but God does not allow him to enjoy them. Instead, a stranger will enjoy them. This is futile and a sickening tragedy. <br />
<sup>3 </sup>A man may father a hundred children and live many years. No matter how long he lives, if he is not satisfied by good things and does not even have a proper burial, I say that a stillborn child is better off than he. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>For he comes in</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futility</span></u></b><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">and he goes in darkness, and his name is shrouded in darkness. <br />
<sup>5 </sup>Though a stillborn child does not see the sun and is not conscious, it has more rest than he. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes 12:8 (HCSB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>8 </sup>“Absolute </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futility</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">,” says the Teacher. “Everything is</span><span style="color: blue; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> </span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="color: red; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">futile</span></u></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Whenever I hear someone quote Ecclesiastes 9:5 in a state of the dead discussion, I always think, “Have they ever read Ecclesiastes?” Ecclesiastes was written by Solomon (or in the voice of Solomon) during his apostasy. The context of the entire book is the futility of life apart from God. Depending on the translation you use the Hebrew word, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hebel</i>, might be translated as “futile”, “meaningless”, or “vanity”. Whichever English word is used, they all convey the truth that whatever is done apart from God is worthless and fleeting. This is a predominant theme of the book as demonstrated by the fact that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">hebel</i> is used 33 times in Ecclesiastes. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">There are several passages that recommend that the reader live it up. Eat, drink, and be merry because this is all there is. Several passages suggest that there’s no difference between where the righteous and unrighteous dead end up. This is certainly not the world view of one who is in relationship with God. Christians don’t believe that life is meaningless and they certainly don’t believe that there is no difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So is Ecclesiastes teaching falsehood? Absolutely not! It’s graphically demonstrating an absolute truth. Life without God is futile, meaningless, and without any positive hope for the future. Ecclesiastes is truly and accurately portraying the bleak outlook of someone apart from God. It’s a depressing picture, but a true picture of what such a life looks like. Without God we might as well live it up because this is all there is, life is meaningless. Fortunately, Christians have more hope than this. Christians have a hope that goes beyond this life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So this raises the question, “Is this really the primary book from which we should formulate our doctrine on the state of the dead?” Of course not! This book is written to show how depressing and meaningless life apart from God is. The view of death the author presents is just as morbid, depressing, and meaningless as the view of life that is presented. It is a truthful and accurate view if you are separated from God, but it does not describe the view of those who are in Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">It’s hard to imagine that anyone who has ever read this book through even once would want to make a phrase from this book the foundation of their doctrine on the state of the dead. That’s just not why this book was written. It’s not that I don’t think the book has anything of value to say to us on death, I think it does especially as it turns the reader back towards God in the last chapter, but this isn’t the primary place where we want to formulate a key Christian doctrine on the state of the dead. I also want to strongly affirm that I believe all scripture is inspired, inerrant, infallible, and useful for teaching and training. However, we need to be careful to rightly use scripture for its intended purpose and make sure we are teaching what is intended. Ecclesiastes is intended to teach us about the futility of life apart from God, not about the state of those who have died in Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">LITERATURE CONTEXT:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Ecclesiastes is part of what is known as “wisdom literature”. Wisdom literature is not usually intended to be didactic doctrinal literature. Wisdom literature teaches us certain truths, but it often uses highly poetic language forms and other literary devices to do so. Because wisdom literature is designed to portray certain truths about life in very memorable ways, we need to be very careful in drawing our doctrine primarily from wisdom literature. Rather we should use didactic passages to interpret the wisdom literature.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Let me give you a graphic example from the wisdom literature of Psalms.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Psalms 137:7-9 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>7 </sup>Remember, O LORD, against the sons of Edom The day of Jerusalem, Who said, "Raze it, raze it To its very foundation." <br />
<sup>8 </sup>O daughter of Babylon, you devastated one, How blessed will be the one who repays you with the recompense with which you have repaid us. <br />
<sup>9 </sup>How blessed will be the one who seizes and dashes your little ones against the rock. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Now if we weren’t careful in our hermeneutical methods, we might formulate a doctrine that says that those who kill the children of their enemies will be blessed by God! Now we know that this can’t be because we have didactic passages that teach something very different.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Matthew 5:43-44 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>43 </sup>"You have heard that it was said, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.' <br />
<sup>44 </sup>"But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So what do we make of Psalms 137? The Psalms show the full range of human emotion. They often show people crying out to God in their anguish and pain. They show the rawness and pain of the human experience. They encourage us to open our hearts to God, pour out our thoughts to Him, allow Him to comfort us, and ultimately allow Him to conform us to his way of thinking. The Psalms are not primarily intended for the formulation of doctrine. They tell us much about worship, the relationship between God and man, and the woes and joys of life. We can learn much from the Psalms, but they must be interpreted based upon didactic teaching literature or we could easily formulate wrong doctrine. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Wisdom literature also frequently advances truisms that are USUALLY true in most cases, but not ALWAYS true in every individual case. We could give many examples of these types of truisms in Proverbs, but one should suffice.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Proverbs 22:6 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><br />
<sup>6 </sup>Train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">While this is usually true, we could probably all cite cases where things did not turn out this way. We should not then formulate a doctrine claiming that any parent with a rebellious child must have failed to train them in the way they should go. This is not always the case. Some parents have worked very hard to train their children only to have them go astray. The proverbs are not meant to be absolutes in all cases, but general truisms about life. This is often the nature of wisdom literature. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">Much more could be said on this, but hopefully these two examples make the point as to why we want to be very careful about using wisdom literature as our primary source for a doctrine. To formulate strong doctrine we start with didactic passages and then rightly interpret and apply the truths contained in wisdom literature in light of the teaching passages.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">TESTAMENT CONTEXT:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The entire Bible is inspired, the entire Bible is true, but Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God. The teachings of Jesus and his apostles made things plain that were mysteries in the Old Testament or that were only partially known. This does not mean that the New Testament corrects the Old Testament, only that it provides more information that expands and clarifies many things that were not fully known in the Old Testament. Some examples of things that were either mysteries or partial mysteries in the Old Testament, but were more fully revealed in the New Testament, would include; the nature of God’s Messiah, the Trinity, the Church, resurrection, and death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In the Old Testament death is a rather vague shadowy concept not fully understood by the Jews or fully revealed by the Old Testament writers. The New Testament gives us much more information about what we can expect and why we have such hope. That’s why we need to allow the New Testament to shed light on the Old Testament. If our doctrine is primarily formulated on Old Testament passages it is not nearly as strong as if we start with the New Testament and then interpret the Old Testament in the full light of scripture. This is true of the topic at hand. We have a much clearer picture of death revealed in the New Testament.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">BIBLICAL CONTEXT:<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">The analogy of faith dictates that we may never interpret any passage in such a way that it contradicts something that is taught elsewhere in scripture. The Bible is remarkably internally consistent. We know that if we ever interpret anything in such a way that in contradicts something else in the Bible, it is not the Bible that is in error, but us. So this means we CANNOT interpret Ecclesiastes 9:5 in such a way as to contradict other parts of the Bible. We cannot use Ecclesiastes 9:5 to contradict Paul’s teaching in I Corinthians 5 and Philippians 1. If we do so, it is we who are in error not the Bible. The SDA interpretation of Ecclesiastes 9:5 puts it in conflict with other parts of the Bible. That means the SDA interpretation must, of necessity, be wrong.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In conclusion, it should be apparent that the understanding we grew up with of Ecclesiastes 9:5 is not supported by the context. It’s not supported within the context of the passage, the book, the literature form, the testament, or the Bible as a whole. Overall, this is a very weak “proof text” indeed. It rather surprises me that some still use it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">At this point I am done with laying the foundation for our discussion. In parts six and seven, I’ll tackle the specific questions that were originally asked about Moses and about <st1:personname w:st="on">Luke</st1:personname> 16.<o:p></o:p></span></div></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-30189414729617998712010-09-13T18:18:00.001-07:002010-09-13T18:18:46.400-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part IV<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In part three we studied Paul’s teaching on death in II Cor. 5:1-9. We saw that to be absent from the body is to be present from the Lord. We also saw that we can continue to be actively pleasing to the Lord when absent from the body. In part four, I would like to look at Philippians 1:21-26. Although this is still a strong didactic (teaching) passage, it is a much more personal one for Paul. Paul is in prison and possibly facing death.</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Philippians 1:21 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>21 </sup>For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paul sees death, not as a non-existent state, but as a state that can actually be described as “gain”.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<b><span style="color: navy;">Philippians 1:22 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>22 </sup>But if <i>I am</i> to live <i>on</i> in the flesh, this <i>will mean</i> fruitful labor for me; and I do not know which to choose.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In fact, Paul is so eager to be with the Lord that he can barely choose which possibility he prefers, living or dying. Also note that there is no indication at all that the options are living on in the flesh or being non-existent. Rather the most natural way to understand Paul’s dilemma is to understand the choices as living on in the flesh or living on in the spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<b><span style="color: navy;">Philippians 1:23 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>23 </sup>But I am hard-pressed from both <i>directions,</i> having the desire to depart and be with Christ, for <i>that</i> is very much better; <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Both possibilities, living on in the flesh or living on in the spirit, are desirable to Paul. Paul knows that if he remains in the flesh he will be able to continue his work and serve the fledgling Church. However, he also knows that being with Christ is a far better thing. The only way that being with Christ can be considered better than continuing on in this life is if it is a conscious existence with Christ. If the choice were between staying and continuing his work or becoming non-existent, then it would be a pretty easy choice. Who would be torn between living and being non-existent? That would make non-sense of the dilemma that is tearing Paul in two different directions. It also doesn’t work to say Paul is only looking forward to the future resurrection at the second coming. It’s obvious by the way he is struggling with the options that he is debating two immediate possibilities: live on in the flesh NOW or depart and be with Christ NOW.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<b><span style="color: navy;">Philippians 1:24 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>24 </sup>yet to remain on in the flesh is more necessary for your sake.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Again, ask yourself what contrast Paul is making here. What is the direct contrast to “remain on in the flesh”? The most direct contrast is to “depart in the spirit”. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<b><span style="color: navy;">Philippians 1:25-26 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>25 </sup>Convinced of this, I know that I will remain and continue with you all for your progress and joy in the faith, <br />
<sup>26 </sup>so that your proud confidence in me may abound in Christ Jesus through my coming to you again. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> As Paul struggles with where his desire should be placed, he ultimately displays a selfless character. As badly as he wants to depart and be with Christ, he instead accepts that he will remain and continue the work. Of course this would be no struggle at all if the only other possibility was to be non-existent. This entire passage, and the dilemma Paul faces, are both predicated upon the biblical teaching that to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord. This is the only reason that Paul would have such a hard time choosing where to place his desire. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">As Christians, it is very comforting to know that to die is gain. To die is to be in the very presence of our Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In fact, being with Christ at death is desirable and can even be considered very much better than our present condition.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In part five, I would like to deal with a passage that comes out of Old Testament wisdom literature. If you grew up Adventist, you probably grew up believing that Ecclesiastes 9:5 was the definitive statement on the state of the dead. We will examine this text in the context of its immediate passage, the context of the book, the context of the literature type, the context of its testament, and the context of the entire Bible. I submit to you that this passage, as we were taught it, was ripped from its context at EVERY level of the hermeneutical spiral.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-57761379735978464112010-09-12T09:12:00.000-07:002010-09-12T09:12:05.849-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part III<div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In part two of our study we took a systematic approach to some scriptures that support the orthodox Christian view of what</span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> happens to the spirits of post-cross believers at death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At death the spirit departs the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spirit returns to God. The spirit is consciously with the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the second coming, God will bring those departed saints with Him when He comes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will then raise up for them imperishable bodies in the resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">We systematically looked at several texts to get a general overview, a big picture view if you will.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I noted that I would not necessarily consider each of the texts I presented to be conclusive in and of themselves, merely supportive of a larger picture presented in scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">To formulate sound doctrine we need to do more extensive inductive Bible study in didactic passages meant to teach the Church about this very topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In part three I would like to spend our entire time looking at just such a passage, 2 Corinthians 5:1-9.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2 Corinthians 5:1 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>For we know that if the earthly tent which is our house is torn down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paul here uses the symbolism of a tent to represent our current perishable bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A tent is not a permanent dwelling.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s easily torn down, just like these bodies.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the good news is that we can look forward to one day, at the resurrection, having an imperishable body from Heaven that is permanent and will never be torn down.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2 Corinthians 5:2-4 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<sup>2 </sup>For indeed in this <i>house</i> we groan, longing to be clothed with our dwelling from heaven, <br />
<sup>3 </sup>inasmuch as we, having put it on, will not be found naked. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>For indeed while we are in this tent, we groan, being burdened, because we do not want to be unclothed but to be clothed, so that what is mortal will be swallowed up by life.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paul has already compared our current bodies to temporary tents.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We groan in these bodies that grow older every day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We experience aches, pains, sickness and frailty, and yet few of us really look forward to the unnatural intermediate state of death when these bodies will be torn down like a tent.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To be unclothed spirit without body is not a natural state, nor is it the final state.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Christian worldview is not a platonic view that seeks to be set free from the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Christian world view is very physical. What we truly look forward to is the final state when our spirits will be clothed with imperishable eternal bodies. It is worth noting that the idea that we can be “unclothed” or “naked” strongly suggests that there is something real there to unclothe, namely our spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">2 Corinthians 5:5-9 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<sup>5 </sup>Now He who prepared us for this very purpose is God, who gave to us the Spirit as a pledge. <br />
<sup>6 </sup>Therefore, being always of good courage, and knowing that while we are at home in the body we are absent from the Lord— <br />
<sup>7 </sup>for we walk by faith, not by sight— <br />
<sup>8 </sup>we are of good courage, I say, and prefer rather to be <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>absent from the body and to be at home with the Lord</u>.<u> <br />
</u></b><sup>9 </sup>Therefore we also have as our ambition, whether at home or absent, to be pleasing to Him. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">This passage is the source of the oft repeated Christian refrain, “Absent from the body, present with Lord”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This seems pretty clear. In fact, I don’t know how Paul could be anymore clear. When we are in these bodies we are absent from the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we are absent from these bodies we are at home with the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now if we don’t have spirits, only breath as SDA doctrine teaches, how could we possibly be absent from our body and at home with the Lord?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The only way Paul’s teaching makes any sense at all is if we have a real spirit that can be absent from the body and be with Christ awaiting the resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Also please note two other very important things:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><ol start="1" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paul says he would actually <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: navy;">“prefer…to be absent from the body”</span></b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now this can only make sense if he is consciously with Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Think about it, who in their right mind would prefer to be non-existent over being here with loved ones and doing the work the Lord has given us to do?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul can’t possibly be saying he would prefer to be non-existent or unconscious.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It also doesn’t work to say that Paul is merely looking forward to the second coming and the resurrection because he specifically says that he is talking about a time when he is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: navy;">“absent from the body”</span></b> and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: navy;">“at home with the Lord”</span></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This can’t be the resurrection because he is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: navy;">“absent from the body”</span></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul is describing a conscious existence, absent from the body, present with the Lord, which he sees as a preferable state.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><ol start="2" style="margin-top: 0in;" type="1"><li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Paul indicates that it is possible to be actively pleasing to the Lord when in the body <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">*OR*</b> when <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u>ABSENT</u></b> from the body!!! The Greek verb used here is in the present tense and active voice. The only way we could possibly be actively pleasing to the Lord when absent from the body is if we are conscious and active in some way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>To say that Paul is talking about a non-existent or unconscious state makes his teaching nonsense.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And again, it simply does <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">NOT</b> work to claim that Paul is only looking forward to the resurrection because he specifically refers to being <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: navy;">“absent from the body”</span></b>. There’s just no viable way to get around this although some try.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
</ol><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I just don’t see how we can get an unconscious or non-existent state out of this didactic passage without doing incredible mental and verbal gymnastics.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is as clear as it could possibly be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If you were Paul and wanted to state that to be “absent from the body is to be at home with the Lord”, how could you state it anymore clearly? Paul has made his point abundantly clear to anyone willing and able to hear it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">A final word before closing this installment, remember this most basic rule of hermeneutics (the science and art of proper biblical interpretation). The strongest most dogmatic Christian doctrine should be based on New Testament didactic (teaching) passages.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Starting from the solid foundation of very clear teaching that is given to the New Testament Church we are then able to rightly interpret the Old Testament as well as other forms of biblical literature such as wisdom literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Be very suspicious of dogmatic doctrine that seems to flip flop this most basic hermeneutical principle.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When a doctrine has been based largely on Old Testament wisdom literature, it deserves careful scrutiny.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The New Testament didactic passage we looked at in this part gives us an excellent basis for the Christian doctrine of “absent from the body, present with the Lord”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Next time we will examine another New Testament didactic passage that is equally strong and convicting.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-38042859532857405712010-09-11T08:50:00.000-07:002010-09-11T08:50:32.821-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part II<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">In part one of our study, we saw that the words </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> and </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">ruach</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"> do not normally mean “breath” when applied to man by the Bible.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">These words, both of which are usually translated “spirit”, are used to refer to “man's immaterial nature which enables him to communicate with God, who is also spirit” according to Zodhiates’ </span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Complete Word Study Dictionary</i></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">.</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;">So we can see that man is not body and breath, but body (physical nature) and spirit (immaterial nature).</span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The next logical question is, “What happens to the body and the spirit when we die?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>First let us note that what happens to the body at death is not the same as what happens to the spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Bible often refers to death by the euphemism of “sleep”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, that euphemism is only applied to the body, never to the spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sleep” describes the appearance of the body at death, but not the state of the spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The following is what I believe happens to the spirits of post-cross believers at death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At death the spirit departs the body.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The spirit returns to God. The spirit is consciously with the Lord.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the second coming God will bring those departed saints with Him when He comes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He will then raise up for them imperishable bodies in the resurrection.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Let’s look at a few scriptures that support these ideas either explicitly or implicitly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have not used what I would consider to be the two strongest didactic (teaching) passages in this part of our study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I would like to reserve these for a later part of the study when we can take more time to exegete each of them thoroughly.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">I.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">At death the spirit departs the body.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Genesis 35:18 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>18 </sup>It came about as her soul was departing (for she died), that she [Rachel] named him Ben-oni; but his father called him Benjamin.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When Rachel died her spirit departed.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><st1:personname w:st="on"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Luke</span></b></st1:personname><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"> 8:53-55 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>53 </sup>And they <i>began</i> laughing at Him, knowing that she had died. <br />
<sup>54 </sup>He, however, took her by the hand and called, saying, "Child, arise!" <br />
<sup>55 </sup>And <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">her spirit returned</b>, and she got up immediately; and He gave orders for <i>something</i> to be given her to eat. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">When Jesus brought the girl back to life her spirit returned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is therefore implied that her spirit departed at death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">James 2:26 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>26 </sup>For just as the body <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">without <i>the</i> spirit</b> is dead, so also faith without works is dead. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The absence of the spirit is the very definition of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Death is the separation of the spirit from the body.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">II.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The spirit returns to God.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Ecclesiastes 12:5-7 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>5 </sup>Furthermore, men are afraid of a high place and of terrors on the road; the almond tree blossoms, the grasshopper drags himself along, and the caperberry is ineffective. For <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">man goes to his eternal home</b> while mourners go about in the street. <br />
<sup>6 </sup><i>Remember Him</i> before the silver cord is broken and the golden bowl is crushed, the pitcher by the well is shattered and the wheel at the cistern is crushed; <br />
<sup>7 </sup>then the dust will return to the earth as it was, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the spirit will return to God</b> who gave it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Notice that this text speaks of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">man</b> going to “his eternal home”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It does not say that breath goes to its eternal home.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<sup>59 </sup>They went on stoning Stephen as he called on <i>the Lord</i> and said, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit!" <br />
<sup>60 </sup>Then falling on his knees, he cried out with a loud voice, "Lord, do not hold this sin against them!" Having said this, he fell asleep. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Again, it makes little or no sense to insert “breath” here. Why would Stephen cry out to the Lord to receive the spent CO2 in his lungs as he is being stoned to death?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stephen is asking Jesus to receive that immaterial part of him that departs the body when the body sleeps in death.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">III.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The spirit is consciously with the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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<sup>9 </sup>When the Lamb broke the fifth seal, I saw underneath the altar <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the souls of those who had been slain</b> because of the word of God, and because of the testimony which they had maintained; <br />
<sup>10 </sup>and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">they cried out</b> with a loud voice, saying, "How long, O Lord, holy and true, will You refrain from judging and avenging our blood on those who dwell on the earth?" <br />
<sup>11 </sup>And there was given to each of them a white robe; and they were told that they should rest for a little while longer, until <i>the number of</i> their fellow servants and their brethren who were to be killed even as they had been, would be completed also. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Even if there are symbolic elements in this passage, it is difficult to imagine why the Bible would depict the spirits of dead martyrs standing at the foot of the altar and asking the Lord for justice if such a notion is all a satanic lie.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However much of this might be symbolic, it is clear that the Bible has no problem depicting departed saints as being consciously in the presence of the Lord.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">IV.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">At the second coming God will bring those departed saints with Him when He comes.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .25in;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Thessalonians 4:13-14 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>13 </sup>But we do not want you to be uninformed, brethren, about those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve as do the rest who have no hope. <br />
<sup>14 </sup>For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">God will <u>bring with Him</u> those who have fallen asleep in Jesus. <o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">I have actually been to SDA funerals were verses 13 and 15 are read, but verse 14 is completely skipped over as if it did not exist. It’s rather inconvenient to SDA theology to have the departed saints coming with Jesus when He comes.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: .75in; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .75in; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">V.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">He will then raise up for them imperishable bodies in the resurrection.<o:p></o:p></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Thessalonians 4:15-16 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>15 </sup>For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord, will not precede those who have fallen asleep. <br />
<sup>16 </sup>For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of <i>the</i> archangel and with the trumpet of God, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the dead in Christ will rise first</b>. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Corinthians <st1:time hour="15" minute="52" w:st="on">15:52</st1:time> (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>52 </sup>in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">the dead will be raised imperishable</b>, and we will be changed. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">All of the texts above are very interesting indeed and I think that together they support the general premise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, I would not consider some of these texts to be completely conclusive all by themselves, particularly those that come from wisdom or apocalyptic literature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I will discuss the reasons for this in part five, but for now suffice it to say that the strongest Christian doctrine is formulated upon New Testament didactic passages like the last two I referenced (<span style="color: navy;">1 Thess. 4:13-16</span> and <span style="color: navy;">1 Cor. 15:52</span>). Understanding the teaching contained in clear didactic passages helps us to properly interpret those passages that are less clear.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In the next two parts of our study I would like to continue by examining two of the strongest New Testament didactic passages dealing with death.<o:p></o:p></span></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-60747230981286839802010-09-10T19:54:00.000-07:002013-09-12T16:13:49.395-07:00State of the Dead Bible Study: Part I<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Forward</span></u></b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In presenting this study, it is not my intent to suggest that everyone must agree on exactly what the intermediate state (the state between death and the resurrection) entails.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Augustine famously said, “In essentials unity, in non-essentials liberty, in all things charity”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is a non-essential that we can discuss and debate without dividing over it (although I do think that it significantly affects our understanding of some of the essentials of the Christian faith).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">My main intent here is not necessarily to convince anyone, but to provide a basis for understanding why the Church has taught what it has on this topic for the last two thousand years.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>At the end of the day you may still find yourself skeptical.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s okay.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s my hope that you will at the very least come away with an understanding of why your fellow brothers and sister in Christ believe what they believe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Once I understood the biblical basis for this Christian belief and no longer feared that it was a damnable lie of Satan, I found myself much more comfortable in fellowshipping with other Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is my sincere hope that you will experience the same liberating freedom to fellowship in the Body of Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The original genesis of this study was two questions from a friend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The first was about the Seventh-day Adventist teaching on the death of Moses and the second was about how one should understand Jesus’ story of the Rich Man and Lazarus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In considering how best to answer these questions, it became clear to me that it is crucial to first lay a foundation for understanding death from a biblical perspective.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Having such a biblical foundation is essential to comprehending several related topics in Christian theology. This study will be divided in multiple parts that will build a biblical case for the orthodox Christian view of death.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once this foundation has been established, I will then deal with the two cases that occasioned the writing of this study.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><u><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Part I<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">In part one of this study, I would like to deal with the reality of the human spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The word translated “spirit” in English is the Greek word <i>pneuma</i> in the New Testament and the Hebrew word <i>ruach</i> in the Old Testament. Most of us grew up being told that these words usually mean “breath” when used in the Bible. That’s just not true. These Greek and Hebrew words certainly can mean “breath” or “wind” in the right context, but that’s NOT how they are usually used in the Bible. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Anyone who has ever opened a dictionary knows that nearly every word in the dictionary has multiple meanings that are sometimes quite different from each other.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Stop for a moment and consider how many ways you can use the word “can”, slang or otherwise. My dictionary shows at least 15 different meanings for “can”. So how do we determine the correct meaning of a word? The answer is fairly simple, context ALWAYS determines meaning. In proper biblical hermeneutics context is king. I’ll say it again, because I think most of us missed this point in our early education: “CONTEXT, CONTEXT, CONTEXT!”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">According to Zodhiates’ well respected Greek lexicon, <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">The Complete Word Study Dictionary</i>, when “spirit” [pneuma/ruach] is used in the Bible it usually has one of the following three meanings:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">1.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Man's immaterial nature which enables him to communicate with God, who is also spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">2.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">An incorporeal, immaterial being, such as an angel.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif"; mso-fareast-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">3.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">The Holy Spirit.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Why do Hebrew scholars, Greek linguists, and evangelical theologians agree on this? The answer, once again, is because of how the word is used in context. Just try this as an experiment (really, I mean it, give it a try). Try reading the following verses and substituting the word “breath” every time you see the words “spirit” or “Spirit”. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Proverbs 20:27 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>27 </sup>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [ruach]</b> of man is the lamp of the LORD, Searching all the innermost parts of his being. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Romans 8:15-16 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>15 </sup>For you have not received a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]</b> of slavery leading to fear again, but you have received a <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]</b> of adoption as sons by which we cry out, "Abba! Father!" <br />
<sup>16 </sup>The <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spirit [pneuma]</b> Himself testifies with our <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]</b> that we are children of God, <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Corinthians <st1:time hour="14" minute="11" w:st="on">2:11</st1:time> (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>11 </sup>For who among men knows the <i>thoughts</i> of a man except the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]</b> of the man which is in him? Even so the <i>thoughts</i> of God no one knows except the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spirit [pneuma]</b> of God. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">1 Thessalonians 5:23 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>23 </sup>Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you entirely; and may your <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]</b> and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hebrews 12:9 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>9 </sup>Furthermore, we had earthly fathers to discipline us, and we respected them; shall we not much rather be subject to the Father of <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirits [pneuma],</b> and live? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">John 3:5-7 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy; font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";"><br />
<sup>5 </sup>Jesus answered, "Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spirit [pneuma]</b> he cannot enter into the <st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on">kingdom</st1:placetype> of <st1:placename w:st="on">God</st1:placename></st1:place>. <br />
<sup>6 </sup>"That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">Spirit [pneuma]</b> is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">spirit [pneuma]. <br />
</b><sup>7 </sup>"Do not be amazed that I said to you, 'You must be born again.' <o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Do any of those texts make any sense at all with the word “breath” inserted? Of course not! Context demands another meaning. Simply put, “spirit” does not usually mean “breath” as used in the Bible. The suggestion that it does is a falsehood that not only violates context, but also violates essential Christian doctrine. What essential doctrines are violated? Let me list three major Christian doctrines that are violated by such an aberrant interpretation:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">You may have noticed that I listed John 3 last instead of in biblical order. I did this for a reason. I wanted to especially highlight this text because it is essential to the message of the Gospel. If we boiled the Bible down to its most basic essence it is this: Man sinned and experienced spiritual death. Since then we have all been born dead in our sins, separated from God, and in need of a Savior. Jesus paid the price for our sin and offers us life and relationship with God. When we come to faith, our dead spirit is regenerated and is now able to commune with God’s Spirit. Our dead spirits are born again, born of the Spirit, and we have eternal life as a present possession. This is not merely metaphor, it is very real, it is the essence of salvation, it is central to the Gospel message. If we turn our spirits into mere “breath” then we have destroyed the reality of a new birth and spiritual life. To say that our “breath” is born again is nonsensical and contrary to what the Bible is teaching. I also think it is incredibly destructive to our understanding of what it really means to be saved.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Insisting that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma/ruach</i> mean “breath” in the Bible violates the Christian concept of God’s being. Christianity believes that God is pure spirit, an incorporeal, immaterial being. That’s what Jesus is saying when he said<span style="color: navy;">, "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." (John 4:24).</span> In fact, Jesus is reinforcing the same teaching he delivered to Nicodemus in chapter 3. He is implying that because God is spirit, those who worship him must have a spirit that is alive to do so. Once again, if you insert “breath” into what Jesus is saying, His words become complete nonsense.<o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<li class="MsoNormal" style="mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list .5in;"><span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Insisting that <i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;">pneuma/ruach</i> mean “breath” in the Bible infringes upon the personhood of the Holy Spirit. “Holy Spirit” is <i>hagios pneuma</i> in the Greek. So if we insist that <i>pneuma</i> must mean “breath” we end up with the “Holy Breath”. This interpretation would be closer to the Jehovah’s Witness’ idea that the Holy Spirit is merely a force, than the Biblical teaching that He is a person. <o:p></o:p></span></li>
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<span style="font-family: "Arial","sans-serif";">Hopefully, it is clear that when <i>pneuma</i> and <i>ruach</i> are used in the Bible we must first consider the context and then assign meaning. A survey of scripture will show that these words usually mean something quite different from breath especially as they pertain to God and man.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-19246350458351620222010-09-06T09:18:00.000-07:002010-09-06T09:18:03.253-07:00New Covenant Theology and the Mosaic Law<div class="UIIntentionalStory_Header" style="color: #333333; font-family: 'lucida grande', tahoma, verdana, arial, sans-serif; font-size: 11px;"><h3 class="UIIntentionalStory_Message" data-ft="{"type":"msg"}" style="color: #333333; font-size: 13px; font-weight: normal; margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px; overflow-x: hidden; overflow-y: hidden; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;"><span class="UIStory_Message">A friend on FaceBook just pointed me to an in depth exegetical analysis of Matthew 5:17-20. Check it out:</span></h3><div><span class="UIStory_Message"><br />
</span></div><div><a href="http://www.biblicalstudies.com/bstudy/expostudy/nctlaw.htm">New Covenant Theology and the Mosaic Law</a></div></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-42606977305163549012010-09-06T08:54:00.001-07:002021-07-05T07:39:24.817-07:00Until Heaven and Earth Pass AwayDuring my Covenants series a question was raised about Matthew 5:18 where Jesus states, ""For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass from the Law until all is accomplished."<b> </b>(NASB).<br />
<br />
I may write an in depth line by line analysis of Matthew 5:17-48 at some point in the future as time allows. However, as I was thinking about this I recalled a good piece that a friend of mine wrote a few years ago. Colleen had a lot of questions about this passage and a few other related ones. Her piece describes how she processed through them over time and the new insight and understanding that the Holy Spirit gave to her. I hope you'll check out Colleen's thoughts at the link below: <br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://lifeassuranceministries.org/Proclamation2003_JulAug.pdf">http://lifeassuranceministries.org/Proclamation2003_JulAug.pdf</a>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-27023312595988016822010-09-05T11:14:00.000-07:002010-09-05T11:22:28.999-07:00Questions on Isaiah 65 – 66<div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">While posting the Covenants study, a question was raised regarding the prophecy found in Isaiah chapters 65 through 66. Specifically, my friend felt that 66:23 indicates that the seventh-day Sabbath will be observed in eternity and therefore it should be observed today by Christians.</span> I had considered providing a full line by line exegesis for the entire prophecy, but this is one long oracle to Israel that begins at 65:1 and ends at 66:24 covering 49 verses. That’s a little more blogging than I am up for today, so I thought instead I would just pose some questions for those who think this is a seventh-day Sabbath proof text.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have a feeling that most sabbatarians would interpret this passage in a similar fashion to how I interpret it, right up until 66:23, then I think the interpretive approach suddenly switches for one verse in order to preserve this as a seventh-day Sabbath proof text. So I would really encourage those who use this passage as a Sabbath proof text, to post you’re your answers to these questions here on the blog so we can talk about it further. It would certainly help me better understand how you approach this prophecy as a whole.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>1. The oracle in chapter 65-66 is God’s response to a prayer for mercy and help in chapter 64. Who are the rebellious people who are praying and God is responding to? To put it another way, who were the original audience for this prophecy?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>2.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why is there a focus on Jerusalem and surrounding environs? (65:10, 11, 18; 66:10, 20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>3.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why will there still be infants born? (65:20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>4. Why will people still die at 100 years old or so? (65:20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>5.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why will people dying younger than 100 be thought of by others as accursed? (65:20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>6.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why will the survivors of Gods’ wrath (66:15-16) then be sent to declare God’s glory to Tarshish, Put, Lud, Meshech, Tubal, and Javan? (66:18)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>7.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why does there appear to be a reference to gentile “nations” (66:18, 20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>8.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why do people come to Jerusalem on horses, in chariots, in litters, on mules, and on camels? (66:20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>9.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why are grain offerings and ceremonially purified vessels used as similes? (66:20)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>10.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why are some people taken as priests? (66:21)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>11.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why does there appear to be a distinction made between the Levite clan who were priests and the other Levite clans who historically simply served at the temple? (66:21)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>12.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Why are new moon Sabbaths referenced? (66:23)</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>13.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>If this is a proof text supporting seventh-day Sabbath keeping for New Covenant Christians, is it also a proof text for Christians keeping new moon Sabbaths?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>14.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>If your answer to question 13 is “no”, then why not? If it is “yes”, are you currently keeping new moon Sabbaths?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>15.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>In describing the corpses of transgressors, why does God say that their worm will not die and their fire will not be quenched?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>16.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>Do you believe you have maintained a consistent contextual interpretive approach throughout the entire chapter? Do all your answers hang together in a way that deals consistently with the language and context of this chapter? If not, why not?</b><br />
<b><br />
</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><b>17.</b><span style="font: normal normal normal 7pt/normal 'Times New Roman';"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium;"> </span></b></span><b>After answering the questions above, do you still believe this is an especially strong proof text from which to teach Christians to keep the seventh-day Sabbath?</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I hope that some who either currently use this as a sabbatarian proof text, or have in the past, will take the time to post their answers here so we can discuss further. Thanks. </div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-83254424785298284442010-09-04T11:02:00.000-07:002010-09-04T11:02:35.071-07:00The Covenants: Part XIV - The Law of Christ<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Law of Christ</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">I have spent a great deal of time thinking and praying about the topic discussed in the last part of our study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the past, I have been unsure as to the best way to approach the discussion of the Law of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that the Holy Spirit, working through God’s Word, has blessed me with a personal “ah-ha” moment in regards to this topic.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I was thinking and praying over this, a particular Biblical passage came to mind as well as a mental picture of a diagram to help illustrate the point.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We all agree that there is a “law” written on the hearts of New Covenant Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>However, there seems to be abundant confusion as to what “law” is actually written on our heart.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In discussions we tend to frequently use the word “law” without defining exactly what “law” we are talking about.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would be most helpful to our discussions to observe the way the word “law” is used in scripture and how it is applied to different groups. The word “law” is actually used in many different ways in scripture.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">As I have been considering the various ways the word “law” is used, a passage found in I Corinthians has come to mind repeatedly.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul is describing how he in some cases restrains and in other cases exercises his Christian liberty.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He does all this to win others to the Gospel.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">1 Corinthians 9:19-23 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>19 </sup>For though I am free from all <i>men,</i> I have made myself a slave to all, so that I may win more. <br />
<sup>20 </sup>To the Jews I became as a Jew, so that I might win Jews; to those who are under the Law, as under the Law though not being myself under the Law, so that I might win those who are under the Law; <br />
<sup>21 </sup>to those who are without law, as without law, though not being without the law of God but under the law of Christ, so that I might win those who are without law. <br />
<sup>22 </sup>To the weak I became weak, that I might win the weak; I have become all things to all men, so that I may by all means save some. <br />
<sup>23 </sup>I do all things for the sake of the gospel, so that I may become a fellow partaker of it. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">To briefly summarize Paul’s points:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>When Paul was with Jews who were under the Mosaic Law, he acted as if he were under the Mosaic Law (v.20).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Paul, as a New Covenant Christian, was not under the Mosaic Law (v.20).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>When Paul was with Gentiles, who were never under the Mosaic Law, he did not observe the Mosaic Law either (v.21).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>New Covenant Christians are not without “the Law of God” (v.21).<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l0 level1 lfo1; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">·<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>New Covenant Christians are under “the Law of Christ” (v.21).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;">So we see Paul using the word “law” in three different ways:</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 15.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">I.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Mosaic Law<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Ethnic Jews were under this law.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>It was only in place from Sinai to the cross (<span style="color: navy;">Gal. <st1:time hour="15" minute="15" w:st="on">3:15</st1:time>-25</span>).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>People who lived before Sinai were not under this law (<span style="color: navy;">Rom. <st1:time hour="17" minute="12" w:st="on">5:12</st1:time>-14</span>).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>Gentiles were never under this law (<span style="color: navy;">1 Cor. <st1:time hour="9" minute="21" w:st="on">9:21</st1:time>, Rom. <st1:time hour="16" minute="12" w:st="on">4:12</st1:time>-15</span>).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b>New Covenant Christians are not under this law (<span style="color: navy;">1 Cor. <st1:time hour="9" minute="20" w:st="on">9:20</st1:time></span>, <span style="color: navy;">Rom. <st1:time hour="18" minute="14" w:st="on">6:14</st1:time></span>, <span style="color: navy;">Gal. <st1:time hour="17" minute="18" w:st="on">5:18</st1:time></span>).<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">II.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Law of God<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>There is an eternal transcendent law that is defined by God’s very being.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is who and what He is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that is consistent with God’s nature is lawful.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All that is against God’s nature is sin.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>All creatures at all times have been and always will be subject to this ultimate law because they are creatures and God is the Creator.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #002060;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span></b>All those who fall short of this eternal law are condemned <span style="color: #002060;">(see the first 5 chapters of Romans, especially chapters 1-3 for biblical support for points II.a.-c.).<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt; mso-list: l1 level1 lfo2; tab-stops: list 51.0pt; text-indent: -.5in;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">III.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></b><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Law of Christ<o:p></o:p></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">a.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>This law is variously referred to in the New Testament as “The Law of Christ” (<span style="color: navy;">1 Cor. <st1:time hour="9" minute="21" w:st="on">9:21</st1:time></span>, <span style="color: navy;">Gal. 6:2</span>),</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">b.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>“The Law of the Spirit” (<span style="color: navy;">Rom. 8:2</span>),</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">c.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>“The Law of <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Liberty</st1:place></st1:city>” (<span style="color: navy;">James <st1:time hour="13" minute="25" w:st="on">1:25</st1:time>, <st1:time hour="14" minute="12" w:st="on">2:12</st1:time></span>),</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">d.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>“The Perfect Law” (<span style="color: navy;">James <st1:time hour="13" minute="25" w:st="on">1:25</st1:time></span>), and</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">e.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>“The Royal Law” (<span style="color: navy;">James 2:8</span>).</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 69.0pt; mso-list: l1 level2 lfo2; tab-stops: list 69.0pt; text-indent: -.25in;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">f.<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span>This is the law that New Covenant Christians live under.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-left: 51.0pt;"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We can represent this information using a simple diagram:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrtz4DYrLA7pyt94hPFO-C2TTv7UmhbBUpH4lOG30j33q2NzfMh3l5xdaLCpHhyphenhyphenn7fCvt1iZAk1xCUFjjM66QW5XZbm12TCKusplWNbCsERGYamnYKkcCKN1gUXXRGtYZNFTaERGl0GM/s1600/Law+Diagram.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="480" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYrtz4DYrLA7pyt94hPFO-C2TTv7UmhbBUpH4lOG30j33q2NzfMh3l5xdaLCpHhyphenhyphenn7fCvt1iZAk1xCUFjjM66QW5XZbm12TCKusplWNbCsERGYamnYKkcCKN1gUXXRGtYZNFTaERGl0GM/s640/Law+Diagram.bmp" width="640" /></a></div><h1><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><!--[if gte vml 1]><v:shapetype id="_x0000_t75"
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o:title="Law Diagram"/> </v:shape><![endif]--></span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold; text-decoration: none; text-underline: none;"><o:p></o:p></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: medium; font-weight: normal;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="font-family: "Times New Roman","serif"; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-ansi-language: EN-US; mso-bidi-language: AR-SA; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-language: EN-US;"></span></b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> </span></h1><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;">At the very top is a line representing “The Law of God”. The arrows point to infinity in both directions to illustrate that “The Law of God” is eternal and transcendent. This law transcends time and creation because it is defined by the eternal being of God. All creatures at all times have always been under this eternal law and always will be. <br />
<br />
The very bottom line represents the progression of world history, from creation to the end of time as we know it. We see that from the time of Adam to Moses (Sinai) the Mosaic Law was not yet in effect. None the less sinners were still condemned by God’s eternal transcendent law (Rom. 5:12-14). <br />
<br />
From Sinai to the cross the Law of Moses was in effect, but post cross it is no longer in effect (Gal. 3:15-25, Heb. 8:13). The Mosaic Law was holy just and good in that it was a shadow of God’s eternal transcendent Law. The Mosaic Law pointed to God’s ultimate law, but it was not in and of itself the ultimate law, merely a representation of it. <br />
<br />
New Covenant Christians who live post cross do not live under the Mosaic Law. Christian believers live under a better covenant with a better mediator, better promises, and a better law. Moses was a mediator between God and Israel, but Christ is the ultimate mediator between God and man. Moses was used to reveal aspects of God, but Jesus Christ is the ultimate revelation of God to man. Moses was given a law that came with glory, but Jesus Christ is the ultimate law giver. The Law of Christ comes with glory that far surpasses the Mosaic Law. Just as Jesus is the greatest revelation of God, so the Law of Christ is the greatest revelation of God’s eternal transcendent law. <br />
<br />
While New Covenant Christians are not under the Decalogue, they are under the commandments of The Law of Christ. We are told in scripture that those who have faith in Christ will keep His commandments:</span></span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span>Revelation 14:12 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>12 </sup>Here is the perseverance of the saints who keep the commandments </span><span style="color: black;">(entole)</span><span style="color: navy;"> of God and their faith in Jesus.<o:p></o:p></span></div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><br />
Although John does not define these commandments (entole) in Revelation, he does so in his other books.</span></span></span></b></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></b></span></div><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></span>1 John 3:23 (NASB)</span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
23 This is His commandment (entole), that we believe in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, and love one another, just as He commanded us.</span></span><div><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">John 13:34 (NASB) </span></b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span> <sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">34 </span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"A new commandment (entole) I give to you, that you love one another, even as I have loved you, that you also love one another. </span><o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We also see several other places in scripture were the commandments contained in the Law of Christ are given.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also see that these commandments are the ultimate fulfillment of the law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Not only do they fulfill the Mosaic Law, but they transcend the Mosaic Law fulfilling the Law of Christ as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These commandments are the greatest revelation of the eternal transcendent law of God.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Matthew 7:12 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>12 </sup>"In everything, therefore, treat people the same way you want them to treat you, for this is the Law and the Prophets. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Matthew 22:37-39 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>37 </sup>And He said to him, " 'YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.' <br />
<sup>38 </sup>"This is the great and foremost commandment. <br />
<sup>39 </sup>"The second is like it, 'YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF.' <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Romans 13:8-10 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>8 </sup>Owe nothing to anyone except to love one another; for he who loves his neighbor has fulfilled <i>the</i> law. <br />
<sup>9 </sup>For this, "YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY, YOU SHALL NOT MURDER, YOU SHALL NOT STEAL, YOU SHALL NOT COVET," and if there is any other commandment, it is summed up in this saying, "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." <br />
<sup>10 </sup>Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfillment of <i>the</i> law. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Galatians 5:14 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>14 </sup>For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the <i>statement,</i> "YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR AS YOURSELF." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Galatians 6:2 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>2 </sup>Bear one another's burdens, and thereby fulfill the law of Christ. <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
But how are the Law of Christ and the lofty commandments that accompany it written upon the hearts of New Covenant believers? The only way this could happen is if God Himself were to indwell us, then and only then could the eternal transcendent Law of God be within us. It is an awe inspiring truth to realize that this is exactly what God has done through the person of the Holy Spirit. Not only are we sealed eternally for salvation by the Spirit, but we are given new birth, a regenerate spirit that can commune with God’s Spirit. By this sovereign gracious act of God we are given the very mind of Christ through the indwelling presence of the Spirit. </span></span></span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: black;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: Times, 'Times New Roman', serif;"><br />
</span></span></span>1 Corinthians 2:14-16 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>14 </sup>But a natural man does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; and he cannot understand them, because they are spiritually appraised. <br />
<sup>15 </sup>But he who is spiritual appraises all things, yet he himself is appraised by no one. <br />
<sup>16 </sup>For WHO HAS KNOWN THE MIND OF THE LORD, THAT HE WILL INSTRUCT HIM? But we have the mind of Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit it can truly be said that the Law of Christ is written upon our hearts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>No one needs to tell us to know the Lord because we know Him in the most intimate of ways.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We begin to see sin as He sees it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We begin to be transformed into the very likeness of Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Though the presence of the Sprit in the hearts of New Covenant believers, the prophecy has been fulfilled:<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 8:7-13 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>7 </sup>For if that first <i>covenant</i> had been faultless, there would have been no occasion sought for a second. <br />
<sup>8 </sup>For finding fault with them, He says, "BEHOLD, DAYS ARE COMING, SAYS THE LORD, WHEN I WILL EFFECT A NEW COVENANT WITH THE HOUSE OF ISRAEL AND WITH THE HOUSE OF JUDAH; <br />
<sup>9 </sup>NOT LIKE THE COVENANT WHICH I MADE WITH THEIR FATHERS ON THE DAY WHEN I TOOK THEM BY THE HAND TO LEAD THEM OUT OF THE LAND OF EGYPT; FOR THEY DID NOT CONTINUE IN MY COVENANT, AND I DID NOT CARE FOR THEM, SAYS THE LORD. <br />
<sup>10 </sup>"FOR THIS IS THE COVENANT THAT I WILL MAKE WITH THE HOUSE OF <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">ISRAEL</st1:place></st1:country-region> AFTER THOSE DAYS, SAYS THE LORD: I WILL PUT MY LAWS INTO THEIR MINDS, AND I WILL WRITE THEM ON THEIR HEARTS. AND I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE. <br />
<sup>11 </sup>"AND THEY SHALL NOT TEACH EVERYONE HIS FELLOW CITIZEN, AND EVERYONE HIS BROTHER, SAYING, 'KNOW THE LORD,' FOR ALL WILL KNOW ME, FROM THE LEAST TO THE GREATEST OF THEM. <br />
<sup>12 </sup>"FOR I WILL BE MERCIFUL TO THEIR INIQUITIES, AND I WILL REMEMBER THEIR SINS NO MORE." <br />
<sup>13 </sup>When He said, "A new <i>covenant,</i>" He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span style="color: black;">Truly we have been given a New Covenant that is better in every way.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It has a better Mediator, better promises, better signs, and a better law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Old Covenant with its old law is obsolete.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are so blessed to live on this side of the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let us never turn back to the shadows now that we have the substance, Jesus Christ.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">This concludes our study of the covenants.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope that it has been helpful and that you will spend time prayerfully studying through the passages and books we have touched upon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May the Lord Jesus grant you wisdom and understanding.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May the Holy Spirit protect you from falsehood, and illuminate Truth.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>May the Father bless you and keep you in the joy of the Lord as you study and apply these things. Thank you for reading.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In loving friendship,</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Chris <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></b></div></div></div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-85680945868343400652010-09-03T11:13:00.000-07:002010-09-03T11:13:12.079-07:00The Covenants: Part XIII - The Seal of God<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">The Seal of God</b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">In Part XII we studied through Hebrews 3 and 4 and learned that we enter God’s true rest (sabbatimos) through faith in Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We enter that rest, not on a certain day of the week, but today and everyday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is our sabbatimos rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is the reality that the Sabbath day (sabbaton) could only point to.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So if Jesus Himself is our Sabbath rest, what about the teaching many of us grew up with that the Old Covenant Sabbath day is the Seal of God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve all heard the following passage in Revelation:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Revelation 9:3-4 (NASB)</span></b><span style="color: navy; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;"> </span><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>3 </sup>Then out of the smoke came locusts upon the earth, and power was given them, as the scorpions of the earth have power. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>They were told not to hurt the grass of the earth, nor any green thing, nor any tree, but only the men who do not have the seal of God on their foreheads. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Doesn’t Revelation teach that the seal of God is the Sabbath day?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Actually there’s no hint of any such thing in this passage or anywhere in Revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’re simply not told what the Seal of God is in Revelation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Fortunately, we don’t have to guess who the seal of God upon New Covenant Christians is.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>New Covenant Christians had already been given this information, more than once, in earlier inspired letters.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Read the following Bible passage and determine who God’s seal upon us is:</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">2 Corinthians 1:21-22 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>21 </sup>Now He who establishes us with you in Christ and anointed us is God, <br />
<sup>22 </sup>who also sealed us and gave <i>us</i> the Spirit in our hearts as a pledge. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">God has given us the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit as a pledge of salvation and eternal life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a day of the week that seals us, but the person of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is not a ceremonial shadow that seals us, but God the Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Now let’s turn to the book of Ephesians.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Ephesians 1:13-14 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>13 </sup>In Him, you also, after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation—having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise, <br />
<sup>14 </sup>who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of <i>God's own</i> possession, to the praise of His glory. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Again, we see that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Only God Himself can guarantee the promise of salvation through faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A day has no power to do this.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Let’s look further in the same book.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Ephesians 4:30 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>30 </sup>Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">So we can now see that we are sealed with the Holy Spirit and by the Holy Spirit guaranteeing our redemption.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A day of the week does not guarantee our salvation, only the Seal of God in our hearts can do that.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We also have just a hint of what the “mark of the beast” might possibly be.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not a day of the week, but involves a rejection of the Holy Spirit.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">Now I have heard some object, despite what the Bible says, that the Holy Spirit cannot be God’s seal upon us because man-made seals were inanimate objects.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But this argument doesn’t hold up because God’s seal upon us is not a man-made seal.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our sovereign God can seal us in anyway he chooses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How wonderfully mind-blowing it is to realize that He has chosen to seal us with Himself.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When our spirits are made alive in Christ, God the Spirit tabernacles in us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God’s very presence dwells within us guaranteeing the promise of eternal life with Him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the seal!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This is the testimony of scripture.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">What better seal could we ever hope for or ask for?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Truly, we who live in the New Covenant age are blessed beyond all measure.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the promise of eternal life does not exhaust the treasure of blessings we are given through the indwelling presence of the Holy Spirit.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Through the life changing presence of the Spirit we are also conformed to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We pass out from under the Mosaic Law and, through the power and presence of the Spirit, are now conformed to a better law: the Law of Christ.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">We will explore the Law of Christ in Part XIV.</div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-5551255266848115782010-09-02T16:09:00.000-07:002010-09-02T16:09:16.272-07:00The Covenants: Part XII - Hebrews 3 & 4<div class="MsoNormal"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: black;">Hebrews 3:1 – 4:16</span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">In Part XI we saw that the written code and its regulations were taken out of the way and nailed to the cross.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw that those things which were nailed to the cross included dietary laws, annual festival Sabbaths, monthly new moon Sabbaths, and the weekly Sabbath day (sabbaton).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We saw that both animal sacrifices and the Sabbath were mere shadows, but the reality is found in Jesus Christ. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">In Part XII I would like to continue to explore the biblical concept of Jesus Christ as the fulfillment of the Sabbath shadow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We will examine two key chapters in Hebrews that present Jesus as our true Sabbath rest.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal"><span style="color: black;">The book of Hebrews was written to Jewish Christians who were being persecuted by their fellow Jews because of their belief in Jesus as the Messiah.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>These Hebrew Believers were sorely tempted to turn back to their Jewish roots and practices.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author of Hebrews writes to warn them against turning back and to remind them of how much better Jesus is than all the Old Covenant shadows.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The writer methodically goes through nearly all the major shadows in the Old Covenant and explains how Jesus fulfills them and surpasses them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In chapters 3 and 4 the writer tackles the Sabbath shadow and shows how Christ fulfilled it.</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 3:1-6 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Therefore, holy brethren, partakers of a heavenly calling, consider Jesus, the Apostle and High Priest of our confession; <br />
<sup>2 </sup>He was faithful to Him who appointed Him, as Moses also was in all His house. <br />
<sup>3 </sup>For He has been counted worthy of more glory than Moses, by just so much as the builder of the house has more honor than the house. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>For every house is built by someone, but the builder of all things is God. <br />
<sup>5 </sup>Now Moses was faithful in all His house as a servant, for a testimony of those things which were to be spoken later; <br />
<sup>6 </sup>but Christ <i>was faithful</i> as a Son over His house—whose house we are, if we hold fast our confidence and the boast of our hope firm until the end. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Let’s not miss what the author of Hebrews is strongly implying here.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Moses is representative of the entire Old Covenant Mosaic Law.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The author is saying that Moses was just a servant, but Jesus is a Son.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is better than Moses.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus is not on an equal plane with the Mosaic Law, but transcends the Old Covenant Mosaic Law.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 3:7-11 (NASB)</span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>7 </sup>Therefore, just as the Holy Spirit says, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, <br />
<sup>8 </sup>DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME, AS IN THE DAY OF TRIAL IN THE WILDERNESS, <br />
<sup>9 </sup>WHERE YOUR FATHERS TRIED <i>Me</i> BY TESTING <i>Me,</i> AND SAW MY WORKS FOR FORTY YEARS. <br />
<sup>10 </sup>"THEREFORE I WAS ANGRY WITH THIS GENERATION, AND SAID, 'THEY ALWAYS GO ASTRAY IN THEIR HEART, AND THEY DID NOT KNOW MY WAYS'; <br />
<sup>11 </sup>AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, 'THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST.' " <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Even after God led the Children of Israel out of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region>, they still did not enter His rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Even though they kept the Sabbaths for forty years while they wandered, they still did not enter God’s true rest. But God is calling His people into His true rest and He is calling them <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">“TODAY”</b>; not Saturday, not Sunday, not Monday, but <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TODAY</b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We see the first use of “today” in verse 7, but we will see it several more times throughout the passage.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 3:12-19 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><br />
<sup>12 </sup>Take care, brethren, that there not be in any one of you an evil, unbelieving heart that falls away from the living God. <br />
<sup>13 </sup>But encourage one another day after day, as long as it is <i>still</i> called "Today," so that none of you will be hardened by the deceitfulness of sin. <br />
<sup>14 </sup>For we have become partakers of Christ, if we hold fast the beginning of our assurance firm until the end, <br />
<sup>15 </sup>while it is said, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS, AS WHEN THEY PROVOKED ME." <br />
<sup>16 </sup>For who provoked <i>Him</i> when they had heard? Indeed, did not all those who came out of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Egypt</st1:place></st1:country-region> <i>led</i> by Moses? <br />
<sup>17 </sup>And with whom was He angry for forty years? Was it not with those who sinned, whose bodies fell in the wilderness? <br />
<sup>18 </sup>And to whom did He swear that they would not enter His rest, but to those who were disobedient? <br />
<sup>19 </sup><i>So</i> we see that they were not able to enter because of unbelief. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In verses 13 and 15 we again see the focus on entering God’s rest “today”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was not failure to keep a certain day that caused the Children of Israel to fail to enter God’s rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>They were keeping the Sabbaths.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was unbelief that kept them out of God’s true rest.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 4:1-5 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>1 </sup>Therefore, let us fear if, while a promise remains of entering His rest, any one of you may seem to have come short of it. <br />
<sup>2 </sup>For indeed we have had good news preached to us, just as they also; but the word they heard did not profit them, because it was not united by faith in those who heard. <br />
<sup>3 </sup>For we who have believed enter that rest, just as He has said, "AS I SWORE IN MY WRATH, THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST," although His works were finished from the foundation of the world. <br />
<sup>4 </sup>For He has said somewhere concerning the seventh <i>day:</i> "AND GOD RESTED ON THE SEVENTH DAY FROM ALL HIS WORKS"; <br />
<sup>5 </sup>and again in this <i>passage,</i> "THEY SHALL NOT ENTER MY REST."<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">So we see that there is still a promise of entering God’s rest, but we only enter it through faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the Good News!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That’s the Gospel!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Sabbath was only a physical shadow of the spiritual rest that we would be given through faith in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Christ, the perfect spiritual rest that Adam and Eve lost when they sinned has now been restored.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">God’s creative works were finished in six days and on the seventh “day” (yom: an indefinite span of time in Hebrew) he rested from His creative work.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is still in that rest today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God has never ceased His rest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Unlike the other six days, the seventh “day” (yom) of creation had no evening or morning, no end.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>God is still in the seventh “day” (yom).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Adam and Eve would have remained in the rest of God if they had not sinned.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The children of <st1:country-region w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Israel</st1:place></st1:country-region> could have entered that rest if they had believed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Israelites were given a ceremonial symbol of that rest, but they failed to comprehend who it pointed to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You and I are being called into that rest today through faith in Jesus Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not being called into a shadow, but into the reality.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are being invited back into the spiritual rest that was lost at Eden.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 4:6-7 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>6 </sup>Therefore, since it remains for some to enter it, and those who formerly had good news preached to them failed to enter because of disobedience, <br />
<sup>7 </sup>He again fixes a certain day, "Today," saying through David after so long a time just as has been said before, "TODAY IF YOU HEAR HIS VOICE, DO NOT HARDEN YOUR HEARTS." <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Let’s note again that this rest is not a certain day of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s not Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;">TODAY</b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It’s right now, everyday!</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 4:8-11 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>8 </sup>For if Joshua had given them rest, He would not have spoken of another day after that. <br />
<sup>9 </sup>So there remains a Sabbath </span><span style="color: black;">[sabbatismos]</span><span style="color: navy;"> rest for the people of God. <br />
<sup>10 </sup>For the one who has entered His rest has himself also rested from his works, as God did from His. <br />
<sup>11 </sup>Therefore let us be diligent to enter that rest, so that no one will fall, through <i>following</i> the same example of disobedience. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Even after the Children of Israel entered the Promised Land under the leadership of Joshua they still did not enter the true rest of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Promised Land, like the Sabbath, was only a shadow of the rest that God wanted to restore to people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is still a rest for us to enter, but it’s not a certain piece of land or a certain day of the week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the spiritual rest that was lost at <st1:city w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Eden</st1:place></st1:city> and only restored through faith in Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">In verse 9 the writer coins a new Greek word to describe this rest, “sabbatismos”. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“Sabbatismos” is only used here in the New Testament and it means “a Sabbath-like rest”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Notice that the writer does not use the Greek word for the weekly Sabbath day “sabbaton”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead he refers to “a Sabbath-like rest”.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are not being invited to enter the weekly Sabbath day (sabbaton), but the eternal rest of God (sabbatismos). We are not being asked to rest for one day out of the week, but to rest each and every day, today. We are being called to rest eternally in Christ and in His finished work. </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">We’re told in verse 10 that the only way we can enter God’s true rest is to first rest from our own works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If we continue trying to enter God’s rest through our works, then we are being just as disobedient lacking in faith as the Israelites were.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Like the Hebrew believers this letter was written to, we cannot turn back to the Old Covenant which was a covenant of works.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We must rest, through faith, in the finished work of Jesus.</div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><b><span style="color: navy;">Hebrews 4:12-16 (NASB) </span></b><span style="color: navy;"><br />
<sup>12 </sup>For the word of God is living and active and sharper than any two-edged sword, and piercing as far as the division of soul and spirit, of both joints and marrow, and able to judge the thoughts and intentions of the heart. <br />
<sup>13 </sup>And there is no creature hidden from His sight, but all things are open and laid bare to the eyes of Him with whom we have to do. <br />
<sup>14 </sup>Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. <br />
<sup>15 </sup>For we do not have a high priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but One who has been tempted in all things as <i>we are, yet</i> without sin. <br />
<sup>16 </sup>Therefore let us draw near with confidence to the throne of grace, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal">Jesus is our high priest.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is the fulfillment of all the shadows in the Old Covenant.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He is better than the shadows and transcends them all.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Him we can have confidence to approach the very throne of God and enter His presence even as the Old Covenant High priest approached the <st1:state w:st="on"><st1:place w:st="on">Ark</st1:place></st1:state> with its mercy seat.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything in the Old Covenant pointed to Christ.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything in the Old Covenant was fulfilled in Him, even the Sabbath.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The reality of the Sabbath is not found in a day, but in a person, Jesus Christ.</div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
</div><div class="MsoNormal">So if the Sabbath was only a shadow that is now fulfilled in Christ, can it possibly be true that a day of the week is God’s seal on New Covenant Believers?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Most of us were taught this concept growing up and accepted it without question. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But what does scripture really say about on this topic?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ll explore this further in Part XIII.</div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8366967707965616428.post-51602259682793824762010-09-01T17:41:00.000-07:002010-09-20T10:20:36.385-07:00If You Wish to Enter Into Life, Keep the Commandments<div class="MsoNormal">This is posted for a friend of mine who is concerned about my Covenant series, specifically about the idea that New Covenant Christians are not required to observe the seventh-day Sabbath. My friend quoted Matthew 19:17 when expressing his concern: </div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">17 </span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">only</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"><br />
</span></div><div class="MsoNormal">I'm posting here because I have quite a bit to say on this subject. With all respect and love, I believe he is missing the point of the Matthew 19:16-26 passage. The point of this passage is not to instruct post-cross Christians that they are under the Old Covenant law (Decalogue). For one thing, Jesus is talking to a pre-cross Jewish man living under the Old Covenant. This man was required to be circumcised, to offer sacrifices, to keep Passover, to keep the Feast of trumpets, to participate in various cleansings, to keep the new moon Sabbath, to keep the weekly Sabbath, and many other requirements of the Old Covenant. However, that in no way implies that New Covenant Christians are required to do these things. Jesus’ comments are not addressed directly to New Covenant Christians and there isn’t even a hint that he is trying to put New Covenant Christians under the Old Covenant Law, but there is a very important universal point that Jesus is making and it applies to all of us. Let’s take a look at Matthew 19:16-26 (NASB)<b>:</b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span style="color: black;"><br />
</span></sup></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">16 </span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And someone came to Him and said, "Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?" </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;">Here is the fatal flaw in the young man’s thinking. The young man thinks that there is something he can do to obtain, earn, or merit eternal life. Jesus is going to blow that foolish idea right of the water. <o:p></o:p></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">17 </span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And He said to him, "Why are you asking Me about what is good? There is </span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">only</span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> One who is good; but if you wish to enter into life, keep the commandments." </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Jesus makes it clear that God is the only one who is truly good. Every single mere human who has ever lived has fallen short of the mark. All human righteousness is like filthy rags. It doesn’t even come close, and never will, to the absolute perfection which a Holy God requires. This is Jesus’ way of saying to the young man, “You might think you’re basically good, but you’re not when compared to God’s perfect standard. You might think you’re okay, but you’re not. You might think you can do something good that makes you worthy of eternal life, but you can’t.” <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Now to drive the point home Jesus tells him that if he really wants to do something good to earn eternal life, then all he needs to do is just simply keep the commandments. But notice that in the following verses Jesus doesn’t just draw from the Decalogue, He also quotes from the rest of the law in Leviticus. You see here’s the deal, if this young man wants to merit eternal life he would have to keep ALL the commandments in ALL the law PERFECTLY……..all 613…..and not just the letter, but the intent as well. He can’t just keep some of them some of the time. He would have to meet God’s perfect standard in all things from birth to the grave keeping every single command to perfection without one single slip at any point in life. Jesus is the only man who has ever done this or ever will because He is the God-man, Jehovah in the flesh, Immanuel, God with us. This brings us back around to Jesus’ point, only God is good. If this young man wants to obtain eternal life through commandment keeping then it’s hopeless. That’s what Jesus wants him to see. Unfortunately, the young man still doesn’t get it.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">18 </span></span></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Then</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> he said* to Him, "Which ones?" And Jesus said, "You shall not commit murder; You shall not commit adultery ; You shall not steal ; You shall not bear false witness ; </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">19 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Honor your father and mother ; and You shall love your neighbor as yourself ." </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Jesus answers by quoting from Exodus, Leviticus, and Deuteronomy, the Old Covenant Law this Jewish man lived under. He wants this young man to understand the very purpose of the Law which is to point out our sinfulness and our need for a substitutionary savior. But the misguided young man is still stuck on this erroneous idea that he can do something to be saved and yet he somehow seems to know deep down that he is lacking something or he wouldn’t ask the question.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">20 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">The young man said* to Him, "All these things I have kept; what am I still lacking?"</span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Of course it’s preposterous for any mere human to claim they have perfectly kept all those commands all their life. No one but God in the flesh has ever done that. Certainly this young man hadn’t. So Jesus comes to the point in the conversation where he will lower the boom on this young man and make it painfully clear that the young man isn’t righteous enough to merit eternal life. Jesus doesn’t do this to be cruel to the young man, but because He loves him and wants him to understand that he can’t get to heaven through his own efforts.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">21 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Jesus said to him, "If you wish to be complete, go </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">and</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> sell your possessions and give to </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">the</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me." </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">You see, Jesus wants the young man to understand that he hasn’t truly fulfilled the commandments and if he wants to get to heaven that way, he will always be less than complete. There will always be something more to be done. This is the problem with legalists who are busy earning their way to Heaven, they never know when it’s enough……mainly because it will never be enough. Salvation is in a person, Jesus Christ. We only obtain it by resting in Christ’s finished work. Jesus invites the man to follow Him and lay aside all the other things that he has put his faith in.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">22 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">But when the young man heard this statement, he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property. </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Unfortunately, instead of getting Jesus’ message and trusting in Jesus, the man goes away sorrowful for he has put his faith in possessions, status, his own righteousness, and works.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">23 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And Jesus said to His disciples, "Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven</span>. </span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">This would have been shocking to the disciples. First century Jews thought that wealth was a sign of God’s favor. They would have probably thought that if anyone was going to Heaven it would be this rich young man, but Jesus blows that kind of thinking away.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">24 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"Again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the </span></span><st1:place w:st="on"><st1:placetype w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">kingdom</span></span></st1:placetype><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> of </span></span><st1:placename w:st="on"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">God</span></span></st1:placename></st1:place><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">." </span></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Jesus wanted the disciples to under that trying to get into heaven by putting your faith in anything you have, be it material wealth, your own goodness, your works, or any other misplaced faith, is as impossible as a camel going through the eye of a needle. It’s not going to happen. It’s impossible. The changes of this rich young man going to heaven based on commandment keeping, his wealth, or anything else were zero.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">25 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">When the disciples heard </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">this,</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> they were very astonished and said, "Then who can be saved?" </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">26 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And looking at </span></span><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">them</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> Jesus said to them, "With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." </span><br />
</span> </div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">The disciples seem to understand that if it’s impossible for this young man, who is blessed with riches and has all the appearances of being a religious person, to earn eternal life then no one can do it. And that’s just what Jesus wanted them to understand. Jesus is saying that eternal life is absolutely impossible to obtain via human effort. There is no mere human who has ever been good enough or ever will be good enough to obtain eternal life. The very best commandment keepers fall short of the mark and are still lacking the perfection necessary. Only Jesus, God in the flesh is truly good and it is only through accepting His righteousness in place of our own that we enter life. We rest in Christ’s finished work because He has done it all. This is an entirely different system then the one the rich young man was depending upon. This is heavenly accounting as described in the fourth chapter of Romans.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">1 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">What then shall we say that Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh, has found? </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">2 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">3 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">For what does the Scripture say? "Abraham believed God , and it was credited to him as righteousness." </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">4 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Now to the one who works, his wage is not credited as a favor, but as what is due. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">5 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">But to the one who does not work, but believes in Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is credited as righteousness, </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">6 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">just as David also speaks of the blessing on the man to whom God credits righteousness apart from works: </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">7 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"Blessed are those whose lawless deeds have been forgiven , And whose sins have been covered. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">8 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">"Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord will not take into account." </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">18 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, "So shall your descendants be." </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">19 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Without becoming weak in faith he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah's womb; </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">20 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">21 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">22 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Therefore It was also credited to him as righteousness. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">23 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Now not for his sake only was it written that it was credited to him, </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">24 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">but for our sake also, to whom it will be credited, as those who believe in Him who raised Jesus our Lord from the dead, </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">25 </span></span></sup><i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">He</span></span></i><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Romans 4:1-8, 18-25 (NASB) </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">When we have faith in Christ, Christ righteousness is credit to our account even though we haven’t done anything to deserve it. It is not based on works, otherwise we would have something to boast about. We are justified before God purely by the finished work of Jesus. This is what Jesus so wanted the young man to understand. Matthew 19 is not a passage about commandment keeping. Rather it is a passage designed to tell us that it is impossible to obtain eternal life through commandment keeping. It’s just as impossible as passing a camel through the eye of a needle. <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">It would also be a wrong use of this passage to imply that post-cross New Covenant Christians are still under the pre-cross Old Covenant Law. This passage doesn’t even hint at such a thing. That would be a wrong interpretation because it would contradict many other parts of scripture that clearly state otherwise. Finally, it should be noted that this passage doesn’t even touch upon the topic of whether or not post-cross New Covenant Christians are required to keep a particular day holy. The topic isn’t touched upon or even implied by anything in the passage. To answer this question we would need to turn to other parts of scripture which very clearly address this topic. Scripture leaves no doubt that post-cross New Covenant Christians are no longer required to observe any of the ceremonial shadows, including the Old Covenant weekly Sabbath (sabbaton).<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">13 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">When you were dead in your sins and in the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">14 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">having canceled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and that stood opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">15 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">16 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. </span></span><sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">17 </span></span></sup><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. </span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;"> </span><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: blue;">Colossians 2:13-17 (NIV) </span></span></b></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">In love,<o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;">Chris <o:p></o:p></span></div><div class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12.0pt;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="background-color: white;"> </span></div><div class="MsoNormal"><br />
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</div>Chris Leehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14405788656866676395noreply@blogger.com0