Pastors Perry Stone, Hal Lindsey, and Terry Gray all spoke about Replacement Theory in the past few weeks. Below are my collective notes on the subject.
Replacement Theology
In 160 AD, Justin Martyr became the first Christian theologian to call the Church, "the new Israel"
Between 185-254 AD, Christian pastors began propagating the idea that God has permanently rejected Israel and that the Church is the new Israel. This idea also gained Augustine's support.
Replacement Theory...
1) Distorts the Scripture
2) Leads to the wrong understanding of the Scripture
3) Promotes anti-Semitism
4) Calls God a liar, insinuates God is not faithful
Replacement theologists over allegorize the Bible.
Dr. David L. Cooper:
“When the Bible uses and allegory or figure of speech, it is obvious. But when an interpreter arbitrarily takes a passage that is obviously intended to be a literal statement of fact, and treats it as allegory, he is twisting the Word of God and knowingly perverting its meaning.”
Replacement Theory teaches that the Israelites forfeited God’s covenants when they rejected Jesus as Messiah and forced His execution.
Replacement teaches that the Church has replaced the Israelites forever as God’s representative on Earth and inherited their covenants.
Replacement teaches that all prophets in the Bible, such as Daniel and Ezekiel, and the Book of Revelation have already been fulfilled.
The above teachings inevitably leads to the belief that the present state of Israel and all Jewish people are imposters destined for destruction. It results in the anti-Semitic attitude toward Israel today.
The biggest problem with Replacement Theology is that it announces God as a liar.
Replacement theology leads to anti-Semitism
Between 1095-1300 (the Crusades, one of the darkest and most embarrassing history of Christianity), the Church started the holy war, taking up arms against those who did not believe in Christ, who were mainly the Muslims. During this time, the Muslim Dome of Rock stood in the Israelites' Holy Land, and the Muslims therefore forbade Christians from visiting the Holy Land. The Crusaders were thus ordered to go into the Holy land to kill the non-believers. They not only killed the Muslims, they also killed the Jews. How could the Church kill the Jews? Because Replacement Theology states that they were no longer God's people!
During the Inquisition Era of the Romans, the Roman Catholic Church came down hard on heresy and heretics. In the name of Christ, under the cross, many people were burned, hanged, and killed if they were suspected of going against the beliefs of the Church (note that these beliefs were set by politically driven-church heads, NOT beliefs grounded in the Bible).
During the Reformation period, which culminated with Martin Luther, the Roman Catholic Church was challenged on numerous issues--namely, how far their practice has strayed from Biblical Truth of God. Luther hammered home the idea that salvation is by faith alone. Though he did a lot of great things for the Christian church, he became extremely anti-Semitic in his later years. In 1543, he wrote a book, On the Jews and Their Lies, championing the burning down of the Jewish synagogues, throwing Jews into pits of sulfur and hell fire, taking away their Bibles, being forbidden to praise God or teach about God, and being forbidden to utter the name of our God in our hearing. Luther further noted that we need to be save from the Jews, who were under Satan's influences. Other parts of his writing also reflect Replacement Theology, supporting that the Church has replaced Israel. Adolf Hitler would later use some of Luther's writings to support his anti-Semitic mission to wipe out the Jews.
Replacement Theory is heretical because 1) Israel is God's chosen people, and 2) God will never abandon Israel.
Israel is the apple of God's eye
1. Israel is the only nation on Earth ever formed by a direct covenant with God
God formed a covenant with Abraham for Israel:
Make you a great nation (Genesis 12:2)
Shall become a great and might nation (Genesis 18:18)
Shall make a righteous nation (Genesis 20:4)
A nation and a company of nations (Genesis 35:11)
Shall be a kingdom of priest and a holy nation (Exodus 19:6)
To God, there is no one else on Earth as near to God as Israel:
Deuteronomy 4:7-8
For what great nation is there that has God so near to it, as the LORD our God is to us, for whatever reason we may call upon Him? And what great nation is there that has such statutes and righteous judgments as are in all this law which I set before you this day?
2. Jerusalem is the only city on Earth marked by God
Jerusalem has a covenant with King David
Deuteronomy 12:5
But you shall seek the place where the LORD your God chooses, out of all your tribes, to put His name for His dwelling place; and there you shall go.
3. The Jews are the only people on Earth that were given the oracles of God and the promise of God.
Gentiles were grafted into this New Covenant through the Jews. Israel is the only nation on Earth whose beginning, middle, and end—its destiny—is sealed in blood.
God is not done with Israel
Romans 9-11
1. God made numerous UNCONDITIONAL promises to Abraham and his descendants, despite the failures of past and present Israelites.
Genesis 12:2-3
God's covenant with Abraham:
- I will make you a great nation: implies that Abraham will have at least one son and that the nation will inherit the covenant through Abraham
- I will bless you: this was fulfilled (Genesis)
- I will make your name great: Abraham’s name has been honored for over 4000 years
- You will be a blessing: Abraham has been the source of blessing for numerous nations
- I will bless those who bless you: Designed to protect Israel, God’s chosen people, God’s representatives on Earth
- Whoever curses you I will curse: Designed to protect Israel
- All peoples on earth will be blessed through you (Genesis 12:3): God’s whole purpose of creating the nation of Israel! God chose the Israelites as His representatives on Earth, showing everyone else the blessing of God through faith, so that God, through Israel, could reach and bless all other nations on Earth.
2. God promised a physical piece of land (the Holy Land) to Abraham and his descendants
Only the Israelites have the title deed to a piece of land given to them UNCONDITIONALY and FOREVER by God:
Genesis 13:14-15
“The LORD said to Abram after Lot had parted from him, ‘Lift up your eyes from where you are and look north and south, east and west. All the land that you see, I will give to you and your offspring forever’” (Genesis 13:14-15)
Genesis 15:18-21
“On that day the LORD made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, Hittites, Perizzites, Rephaites, Amorites, Canaanites, Girgashites, and Jebusites…’”
The Israelites have not possessed all this land yet, but God has promised that there will be a time where all will be restored to Israel.
Replacement Theology calls God a liar
Preterists
- Are one of the most fervent supporters of Replacement Theology
- Believe prophecies in the Book of Revelation have already been fulfilled in 70 AD, and the Church has permanently replaced Israel to inherit God’s covenants with Israel
These views are contradictory to the Bible, for it ignore this prophecy, given by Jesus Himself:
Luke 21:22-24
“… because these are days of vengeance, so that all things which are written will be fulfilled. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing babies in those days; for there will be great distress upon the land and wrath to this people; and they – the Israelites – will fall by the edge of the sword, and will be led captive into all the nations; and Jerusalem will be trampled under foot by the gentiles UNTIL the times of the gentiles are fulfilled”
When the Romans destroyed the Temple in 70 AD, Jesus prophesied that the Israelites would be trampled by other nations. And indeed, they were and have been ever since. HOWEVER, there is a time limit to this! “… UNTIL the times of the gentiles are fulfilled!”
Jesus confirms God’s plan for His people
Matthew 25:31-46
Upon Jesus’ return to Earth, He will separate the surviving Gentiles from the Israelites. The believers will join Jesus in His Kingdom, whereas the unbelievers will be judged.
When Jesus returns, the separation between Israelites and Gentiles will be re-instated. This marks the end of the Church Age, during which the Gentiles act as God’s representatives on Earth.
During the Church Age, there is no distinction between the Israelites or the Gentiles – Israelites or Gentiles, as long as we are followers of Christ, we're all known as Christians. This is especially stressed in the Book of Ephesians.
From the Tribulation and onward, the distinction between the Gentiles and the Israelites is reinstated.
This is one of the factors supporting the pre-Tribulation Rapture theory. The Church has to be removed from Earth prior to the Tribulation, because if the Church was still on Earth during the Tribulation, there would be no way to distinguish between a believing Gentile from a believing Israelite!
Ezekiel 20
Israelites are going to be judged on Mount Sinai, a place different from where the Gentiles would be judged. Believing Israelites will be separated from the non-believing Israelites, and this passage shows that the covenant God once promised to the Israelites are still binding to the believing Israelites.
Romans 9-11
Paul wrote this to silence the people back in his days who were leaning toward anti-Semitism.
Romans 9: Israel “elected” (the past)
Romans 10: Israel “rejected” (the present)
Romans 11: Israel “accepted” (the future)
Romans 11:22-24
“Consider therefore the kindness and sternness of God: sternness to those who fell, but kindness to you, provided that you continue in his kindness. Otherwise, you also will be cut off. And if they do not persist in unbelief, they will be grafted in, for God is able to graft them in again. After all, if you were cut out of an olive tree that is wild by nature, and contrary to nature were grafted into a cultivated olive tree, how much more readily will these the natural branches, be grafted into their own olive tree!”
The Olive Tree symbolizes the promises and covenants of the eternal relationship with God that was first given to Abraham and Jacob and passed on to their descendants. They are therefore the cultivated olive tree that possesses these things.
Romans 11:25-29
“I do not want you to be ignorant of this mystery, brothers, so that you may not be conceited: Israel has experienced a hardening in part UNTIL the full number of the gentiles has come in. And so, all Israel will be saved, as it is written: ‘The deliverer will come from Zion; he will turn godlessness away from Jacob. And this is my covenant with them when I take away their sins.’ As far as the gospel is concerned, they are enemies on your account; but as far as election is concerned, they are loved on account of the patriarchs, for God’s gifts and his call are irrevocable”
Israel was God’s chosen people to bring His blessing to the rest of the world. However, Israel failed. God then gave this mission to the Gentiles, thus starting the Church Age, where the Gentiles are God's ambassadors on Earth. During this period, Israel is under partial blindness (Isaiah).
The Church Age does not last forever. When the times of the Gentiles are fulfilled, God will graft the believing Israelites back into the Olive Tree. These remnant Israelites will receive all the promises made in the covenant between God and Abraham.
God is faithful. To insinuate God is otherwise is heretical.
Christian Zionism
The belief that God will return the Israelites to their ancestral homeland in the last days, as God has unconditionally promised.
Saturday, February 25, 2012
Ephesians 4:1-6:9
Notes compiled from my BSF group
Ephesians 4:1–8
To “live a life worthy of our calling”...
- Be humble and gentle; be patient with love for one another (Ephesians 4:2)
- Keep the unity of the Spirit through peace (Ephesians 4:3)
- Understand that there is only one body, one faith, one baptism, one God, and be united with fellow Christians in living that knowledge (Ephesians 4:4-6)
- Know that we are alive because of the Grace of God, given through Jesus Christ
There is only one body, one faith, one baptism, one God, and be united with fellow Christians in living that knowledge.
More specifically, I think this can be applied to our society in two ways: 1) There are many denominations in the Christian Church. Despite these denominations, all Christians should stand together, as opposed to fighting each other; 2) There are many different religions in the world. Jesus warned us against false prophets and taught us to discern. More importantly, Jesus told us to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sin. Taken together, despite the numerous religions and the society stressing everything needs to be politically correct, as Christ’s disciples, we have responsibility to tell people the Truth.
In terms of denominations within the Christian Church, I encourage sisters and brothers in Christ stand strong together. For non-Christians, they use denominations as proof to show that no one can understand the Bible correctly, and therefore there are so many different "translations" of the Bible. “Even the Christians themselves cannot all agree on what the Word of God says," they would argue. In response to such comments, I agree and I disagree. We are human. We are flawed. We are not perfect. Just because we are Christians doesn’t make us perfect like Christ. It is unfortunate that people pounce on our mistakes but never give us a pat on the back when we do something great. Despite that, as Christians, our main goal is to keep our eyes on Christ. No matter the issue, our eyes and heart need to always be focused on Christ. And the best way to do that is through studying the Word and prayers. Incomplete understanding of the Word leads to misinterpretations and misunderstandings, and I believe this is the main reason why there are so many denominations. Each denomination takes a preferred view of theology and separated themselves from other Christians. WHY DO WE DO THAT? We read the same Bible, we have the same God, we have the same King, Jesus of Nazareth. Certain passages in the Bible are not explained fully. For example, many theologians would argue about when the Rapture would occur. Disagreeing on the “when” is okay. Why? The obvious reason is the Bible does not tell us the exact time. We can only infer the when from the Bible, and this is where "different interpretations" come to light. There are a couple of important points about this: 1) These "differences in theology" do not affect our salvation; 2) Instead of getting caught up with these differences, we should always refer back to the Bible and see what the Bible says FOR OURSELVES. Extending the example of WHEN the Rapture could occur, Jesus himself told us that we may know the seasons but only the Father knows the exact time and date. Therefore, when we hear other people predicting the exact date, we can try and understand their reasoning, but Jesus has the final say, and Jesus says we don't know the time. For Christians to be divisive about this, honestly, puzzles me. One God, one Bible. Logically, it doesn't make any sense to have so many different denominations that fight against each other. Personally, when I come across these differences, I go back to the Bible and hear what God Himself says about the issue. Because at the end of the day, what matters is what God says. It doesn't matter other people think God says. And if God doesn't say, THEN GOD DOESN'T SAY. Sure, speculate if you'd like, but don't force everyone to believe you are "right." I thus encourage sisters and brothers in Christ to stand united in the fundamentals of the Bible and converse harmoniously about the things that God has not yet revealed to us through the Bible.
In order to do that, we must all diligently study the Bible. It is not enough to just attend Church once in a while. We are supposed to each have a personal relationship with God. This cannot be achieved with going to Church once in a while. Jesus is the Word made flesh. If we want to get to know Jesus, we need to get to know the Word.
Now, I’m not naïve, and I understand denominations are formed with deeper differing views of theology than the examples I've offered. I may not understand the details of why each denominations exist, but here’s what I do know: Division is the act of Satan. There is nothing Satan wants more than to tear the body of Christ apart. I also know that Jesus wants us to be united in Him. Being a Christian is not about who has the “better” interpretation of the Bible. It’s about KNOWING the Word of God. We should not be divided among ourselves but come together and work together toward a united understanding of the Word. We should work together and resolve our differences, not put up fences among ourselves, creating divisions when there ought not be any.
In terms of the number of religions, this is a tougher subject. This is tough for two main reasons. First, say the word “religion,” and people assume "Oh, it's a bunch of nuts believing in different gods." They generally lump all the religions together and think the gods of religions are all made up. None of it is real, so it’s just a matter of opinion which one is "your favorite god." Second, many people don’t want to hear the truth. They would rather hear comforting lies than convicting truths. A lot of religions talk about Hell, and people don't like the idea of Hell. So, instead of finding out the TRUTH about (Does it exist or not?), they'd rather remain in the dark about it, because it makes them feel better.
Christianity is not a religion. Christianity is the Truth. Truth can be substantiated by historical, archeological, and scientific evidence. God's Word has a tremendous amount of this evidence. Furthermore, the Word of God is prophetic. ALL prophetic events have been fulfilled PERFECTLY. No human doing could have made that even remotely possible.
Thinking there is no Truth and not wanting to hear the Truth are two obstacles to hearing the Word, because people close their minds, close their ears, and harden their heart. Pastor Chuck Missler said that the greatest obstacle to discovering the truth is to ASSUME WE ALREADY HAVE it. Because if we think we have it, then we will no longer look for it. Closed mind. Closed eyes. Closed and hardened heart.
So, to the people who say there is no God, HOW DO YOU KNOW? Any proof? To the people who say ALL religions are true, HOW DO YOU KNOW THAT? Do you have any proof?
That has to be the question we all ask ourselves when we choose to believe anything. WHY do you believe in God? Why don’t you believe in God? Why do you believe there are many gods?
Honestly, if there is no God, all this would be a ridiculous exercise. We would be no different than children with their imaginary friends. And honestly, if there is no God, why waste time with any religions at all? It would indeed be all make-believe. What a waste of time!
Here’s the thing though: How do you know there is no God UNLESS you have done your homework and researched the issue? Let's get a dialogue going, based on FACTS, not on feelings. Let's promote understanding, not ignorance.
Don’t be prideful and say, "I don’t care." It is irresponsible. It’s like a teenager who does drugs and thinks he is on the top of the world, that he is a tough guy and can do whatever he wants, and who dares to stop him.
There are consequences to every decision we make. Stupid decisions are made often based on pride and ignorance or the laziness to research the answer, to ask, to learn. Wise decisions are made based on humility and knowledge, the will to ask question, to learn, to research.
Zondervan NIV footnote:
* Eph 4:3 keep the unity. Which God produced through the reconciling death of Christ (see 2:14-22). It is the heavy responsibility of Christians to keep that unity from being disturbed.
There is only one Truth. For example, fire burns. We would never let a baby play with fire no matter how much we love the baby and want to make that baby happy. We would never lie to him and tell him fire doesn’t burn just to make him happy. If we did, the baby would take our word for it and get hurt. So, we have to tell him the truth. Lying causes only more harm. The baby may not like what he hears, but he needs to know.
People nowadays are so concerned about being politically correct, they are willing to compromise the truth to remain popular. In other words, they’d rather have the baby burn himself and lie to make the baby happy than to tell the baby the truth. This is wrong.
On a side note, people who say we should all be accepting of all religions deeply trouble me. Let's just start with their assumption and say all religions are true. Well, the Biblical God says there is only one God. In fact, idolatry, the worship of gods other than God, is often the core reason why nations and peoples are judged (pride being the other). So, we are told to accept this. Okay. Let's accept this. Then how do we accept other religions that talk about other gods? Logically, this doesn't make any sense at all. Christianity says there is only one God. Hinduism says there are multiple gods. What does "accept" mean? Clearly, we can't accept BOTH as being true. It's either one or the other. The only way, then, to "accept" all religions is to think none of it is real. Because if none of it is real, then it doesn't matter what any of it says. So, people who say we should be accepting of all religions deeply trouble me. They inherently think none of it is real.
A subgroup of those people troubles me even more. For example, people who claim they are Christians but still promote this idea. They obviously have no clue what God means when He says there is only ONE God (1 Corinthians 8:6; Ephesians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:5; just to name a few). Or worse, they know what He means but choose to ignore His sovereignty anyway. Neither scenario speaks well of their logic or their spiritual being. I am just as troubled by Hindus or people of other religions tell me they also promote this idea. What they are really saying is, they either have no idea what their religion is promoting, or they choose to ignore facts, or they do not take those fact seriously. Again, none of these scenarios paint a pretty picture of their logic or their spiritual purity. I worry more for this subgroup because they aren't ignorant. They are heretical.
The core of it all is that they do not have the Truth. They believe because they want to believe, but they do not know whether what they believe is the Truth. This is a problem. This is like people who refused to believe the Earth is round hundreds of years ago. Seek the Truth. Leave the touchy feely stuff to the religious nuts.
We have to tell the truth. We should be loving and welcoming and supportive when we tell the truth. We should not be pushy and mean about it. If people refuse to listen and still want to play with fire, that’s their choice to make. At least we didn’t lie. At least we gave them the chance to make the right decision based on the correct information.
Organic unity is being united in life. We are united because our eyes and heart are all on Jesus. We follow the one and only Jesus of Nazareth, and because we are all connected to the Jesus, we are all connected to each other, contributing to the whole with our individual talents. Jesus said we are all different body parts of the same body. We all bring something different to the table; we are all just as important.
Organizational conformity is often being united in knowledge. Man’s knowledge can be flawed because man is flawed. When we read the Bible and do not seek the guidance of the Holy Spirit, we can easily draw the wrong conclusions. Different denominations arise because of this, and this is very sad to see. Each denomination usually has certain rituals that have to be done, certain rules that have to be followed. This is just like what the Pharisees did back in Jesus’ day. And what did Jesus tell them? Be circumcised of the HEART, not of the flesh. Jesus came and fulfilled the Law. He showed that there are no rules or rituals that stand between us and Jesus. We just have to open our heart to Jesus, and we will be baptized with the Holy Spirit, who will seal our salvation and our eternal life with God. That is it. No rules. No rituals. Organizations that demand this and this should be careful that they are not falling to heresy. Jesus did it all on the cross. “It is done,” He said. To add anything to what Jesus has already finished, that’s prideful and worse, heretical.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Organic_unity
Organic Unity is the idea that a thing is made up of interdependent parts. For example, a body is made up of its constituent organs, or a society is made up of its constituent social roles.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20080616181412AALn54G
Organizational conformity
To me, it means that workers tend to conform to the prevailing culture of the corporation for which they work. Even if the practices and principles seem to be somewhat nefarious, but lawful, workers will tend to conform to those corporate mores, as long as that check keeps rolling in. And, they can rationalize their conformity by ruminating that they are supporting the overall good of the group, even though their personal ethical tenets are compromised to a degree.
We should be united in Jesus of Nazareth. We may differ about the details that the Bible do not directly address, but we need to be united. We needed because our enemy is not each other. Our enemy is Satan.
Ephesians 4:4-6
Christians should be united in the following ways: one body, one Spirit, one hope, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all.
Zondervan NIV footnote:
* Eph 4:4 one hope. Has different aspects (e.g., 1:5, 10; 2:7), but it is still one hope, tied to the glorious future of Christ, in which all believers share.
Ephesians 4:9–16
Christ gave the Church apostles, prophets, evangelists, pastors, and teachers.
The apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the pastors and teachers help build up the body of Christ so that we all reach unity in the faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the whole measure of the fullness of Christ (Ephesians 4:11-13).
Everyone is given his/her own talent to accomplish his/her mission that Jesus place upon them.
1 Corinthians 10:13
No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.
We are unique because we each bring something different to the body of Christ. When we work together to the glory of God, we are one in the body of Christ. Some may be better at teaching, some may be better at doing, some may be better at administering. Whatever we are good at, whatever talent we have, we received from Jesus. It is our mission to use our talent to do God’s work.
The first thing we should do is discover what that talent is. And then, though we will be challenged, we can move forward confidently knowing that God will not give us over to challenges that we cannot handle.
Zondervan NIV footnote:
* Eph 4:11 It was he who gave. The quotation from Ps 68 has its ultimate meaning when applied to Christ as the ascended Lord, who himself has given gifts. apostles. Mentioned here because of their role in establishing the church (see 2:20). For qualifications of the initial group of apostles see Ac 1:21-22; see also notes on Mk 6:30; Ro 1:1; 1Co 1:1; Heb 3:1. In a broader sense, Paul was also an apostle (see 1:1).prophets. People to whom God made known a message for his people that was appropriate to their particular need or situation (see Ac 11:27; 1Co 12:10 and notes).evangelists. See Ac 21:8; 1Co 1:17. While the other gifted people helped the church grow through edification, the evangelists helped the church grow by augmentation. Since the objective mentioned in v. 12 is "to prepare God's people for works of service,: we may assume that evangelists, among their various ministries, helped other Christian in their testimony. pastors and teachers. Because of the Greek grammatical construction (also, the word "some" introduced both words together), it is clear that these groups of gifted people are closely related. Those who have pastoral care for God's people (the image is that of shepherding) will naturally provide "food" from the Scriptures (teaching). They will be especially gifted as teachers (cf. 1Ti 3:2).
Building Up Other Christians
Always be encouraging and supportive. We are all human, and we make mistakes. Sometimes, we fall. And when we do, it hurts enough that we have fallen, we really don’t need other people pointing fingers at us, making us feel even worse. What we need is a helping hand. A hand to help us get up, a hand to help us move forward, a hand to help guide us back to God.
It is very easy for us to judge. It is very easy to compare other people to ourselves and take delight in how much better we are than other people. When we see other people do something wrong, it is very easy for us to go, “That is just unacceptable. I am a much better person because I would never do something like that.” People who think like that generally don’t see themselves making mistakes ever. They never stop to think, "Maybe I did something wrong. Maybe I do things that people would look at me and judge me for it." Or, if they DO think about these things, they usually wave it away by saying, “Well, they are stupid and judgmental. They obviously don’t know what a great person I am, and they are stupid for jumping to conclusions.”
Bottom line, prideful people see only other people’s mistakes and never their own. And if they do make mistakes, they never apologize for it, because they always blame it on other people. “I only made this mistake because you didn’t do this and that.”
The problem is, this isn’t helpful for anyone. It makes everyone else around that prideful person miserable. People who are still faltering can’t get up, and the prideful people aren't helping nor are they growing. We should therefore be willing to just be out there and be encouraging. Help people up, and help them move forward. Jesus never scorned people. Never. He always helped. He was always just there to love and to support. He still is.
Ephesians 4:13-14
The goal of each Christian is to be united in faith and in the knowledge of the Son of God. To not just know Jesus but to mature until we are like Jesus. Once we attain the whole measure of the fullness of Christ, we will be able to stand strong in our believes, no longer like infants who cannot withstand thrashing waves and winds. We will also be able to discern the deceptions of Satan and evil man and stand strong against their tricks.
Zondervan NIV footnote:
* Eph 4:13 until. Expresses not merely duration but also purpose. unity. Carries forward the ideal of vv.1-6. in the faith. Here "faith" refers to the Christians' common conviction about Christ and the doctrines concerning him, as the following words make clear (cf. also "the apostles' teaching" in Ac 2:42). knowledge of the Son of God. Unity is not just a matter of a loving attitude or religious feeling, but of truth and a common understanding about God's Son. mature ... fullness of Christ. Not the maturity of doctrinal conviction just mentioned, nor a personal maturity that includes the ability to relate well to other people (cf. vv. 2-3), but the maturity of the perfectly balanced character of Christ.
* Eph 4:14 infants. Contrast the maturity of v. 13 (cf. 1Co 3:1).tossed. The nautical imagery pictures the instability of those who are not strong Christians (cf. Jas 1:6). teaching. Then, as now, there were many distorted teachings and heresies that would easily throw the immature off course. cunning ... craftiness ... deceitful scheming. Sometimes those who try to draw people away from the Christian faith are not innocently misguided but deliberately deceitful and evil (cf. 1Ti 4:1-2).
Colossians 2:4-8
We should continue to live in Jesus, to be rooted in Jesus, and to mature in the likeness of Jesus.
When we stand in front of God on Judgment Day, God isn’t going to measure us against other people. He isn’t going to say, well, you are better than 80% of the people, so you will get this and this. No. He will measure you against yourself. He will say, I have given you this much talent, and He will look at how much you were able to do with that amount of talent (Matthew 25:14-30).
In God’s eyes, it is not enough to be better than other people. The only thing good enough is perfection, and frankly, NO HUMAN IS PERFECT. Only Jesus was. This is why only through Jesus, are we declared righteous. So, stop comparing ourselves with other people. Who cares? God doesn’t. Compare ourselves against Jesus. Jesus is God’s only measure of perfection. And if God is the judge, then we’d better use His standards.
How to speak the truth
Always pray for the Holy Spirit to guide my choice of words. I need to speak the truth, but I need to do it in a loving and supportive way. I should not be impatient or judgmental, but I need to speak the truth so that those who hear it can make the right decision based on the correct information.
How to speak the truth in love
We need to know that God is the only one who is perfectly just and righteous to judge. Our sins are forgiven, but we are still sinners. It’s always easier to point fingers at other people than to point those fingers at ourselves. So, before we readily say, “Well, you are a horrible person,” we need to remember how Jesus died on the cross. He didn’t say to us, “You humans are such imperfect beings. You are disgusting and hateful. I have committed no crime, and yet, you are ready to crucify me just because you don’t like to hear what I have to say.” No. Instead, Jesus PRAYED for us. He prayed that God would forgive us because we know not what we were doing. And that’s the heart we should have when we are sharing the Truth with others. We are not here to condemn. We are simply here to tell the Truth. We tell the Truth because we love the people, and we want to see them be safe. That’s what Jesus did for us. And that’s what we should do for others.
How to grow up into Christ in all things.
When our heart follows Jesus, we should be changed inside out. Our view of the world starts to change. Before Christ, we may put a lot of emphasis on making money or climbing the corporate ladder. After Christ, we know that our priority is not to build a life of luxury on Earth. By following Christ, our eternal life is sealed in Him, and our glory will be with Him and to rule with Him as kings and priests – So, who cares about earthly goods, anyway? Hence, once we are followers of Christ, we shift from being focused on ourselves to others. We know our mission is to preach repentance and the forgiveness of sins, and that is our number one priority in life as a Christian. We do not preach this Truth because we have to or because we are supposed to. We preach this Truth because we share God’s heart. We love the people around us, and we simply cannot see them being taken advantage of by Satan. We preach this truth because we love them so much, we want to pull them away from Satan.
How to be one of the joints of Christ’s body that helps build up the whole
Joints are places where body parts are connected. To be one of the joints of Christ’s body is therefore to be someone who unites as opposed to someone who divides. To promote unity, we should speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Always speak the truth, but be supportive and loving in spirit.
Ephesians 4:17–5:21
As Christians, we should put off the following:
- Do not live in the futility of thinking; do not have a hardened heart, for that blinds us from the truth, leading us to ignorance (Ephesians 4:17-18)
- Do not give ourselves over to sensuality, to indulge in impurity with lust for more (Ephesians 4:19)
- Put off our old self that was corrupted by deceitful desires (Ephesians 4:22)
- Put off falsehood (Ephesians 4:25)
- Do not sin in our anger; deal with our anger swiftly, and don’t let it sit. Otherwise, this will give Satan to come between us and God, to pull us away from God (Ephesians 4:26-27)
- Stop sinning; instead, do something useful with our hands, to share with those in need (Ephesians 4:28)
- Do not say destructive words (Ephesians 4:29)
- Do not grieve the Holy Spirit (Ephesians 4:30)
- Forbid sexual immorality or any kind of impurity or greed (Ephesians 5:3)
- Avoid obscenity, foolish talk, coarse joking (Ephesians 5:4)
- Let no one deceive us with empty words, because God’s wrath comes on those who are disobedient. Do not be partners with those who are disobedient (Ephesians 5:6-7)
- Avoid darkness (Ephesians 5:11)
- Do not get drunk on wine (Ephesians 5:18)
We should put on the following things:
- Be renewed in our thinking (Ephesians 4:23)
- Put on our new self, created in the likeness of God in righteousness and holiness (Ephesians 4:24)
- Speak truthfully (Ephesians 4:25)
- Speak words that are helpful for building others up as they need it, words that benefit the listener (Ephesians 4:29)
- Get rid of bitterness, rage, anger, brawling, slander, and all forms of malice (Ephesians 4:31)
- Be kind and compassionate; forgive others, just as Christ did for us (Ephesians 4:32)
- Be imitators of God; live a life of love (Ephesians 5:1-2)
- Be thanksgiving (Ephesians 5:4)
- Live as children of light and please the Lord (Ephesians 5:9-10)
- Expose darkness (Ephesians 5:11)
- Be careful how we live; live wisely, making the most of every opportunity (Ephesians 5:15-16)
- Understand what the Lord’s will is (Ephesians 5:17)
- Be filled with the Spirit (Ephesians 5:18)
- Speak to one another with psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs; sing and make music in our heart to the Lord (Ephesians 5:19)
- Give thanks to God for everything, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20)
- Submit to others out of reverence for Christ (Ephesians 5:21)
Ephesians 5:22–6:9
Every relationship begins with our submission to Christ (Ephesians 5:21). As we follow Jesus, we learn how to love others the way Jesus loved us.
Husbands learn how to lead as Jesus leads; wives learn how to respect and support her husband in a Godly way.
Children learn to obey their parents with respect; parents learn to bring up their children in the Word of God as opposed to leading them down the wrong way.
In the workplace, we are to respect our superiors with sincerity of our heart, just as we would obey Jesus. Even if we don’t like them or think, "They are stupid," we need to remember that God put EVERYONE on Earth. God has a plan for EVERYONE. Therefore, respect everyone because they, too, are children of God. Additionally, be honest in the work that we do. Do our jobs well, even if our superiors are away. Do our jobs wholeheartedly, because we are here to do God’s work, not work of men. Superior is only a term of job position, not personal status. In the eyes of God, all humans are equal. Hence, superiors are to treat their workers as equals.
In regards to Ephesians 5:22-25, I have written the following articles:
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/02/christian-marriage-iii-men-and-marriage.html
http://aletheia-seekers.blogspot.com/2012/02/christian-marriage-iv-respectful-wife.html
If the above principles were kept by all, there will be peace. There will be no power struggle. There will be harmony. There will be love.
Friday, February 24, 2012
Obadiah
Notes from Bible Study with Pastor Terry Gray
Obadiah
- Name means servant of the Lord
- This is a common name: There are 12 men in the Old Testament named Obadiah
- Very little is known about Prophet Obadiah
- His vision concerns the nation of Edom
Edom
- Southeast of Israel proper, Judea, and even the Dead Sea
- Located in modern day Jordan
- City of Petra is in Edom
Petra
This is a highly elevated city of fortress. The only way to get there is through a narrow path that stretches about a mile long. The Edomites were very proud of this city, because of its geographical superiority. They claimed they needed only 20 men to defend it against an army of men, since only a number of men can make it through that narrow path at a time. They therefore boasted they would never be taken down.
Edomites and Israelites
Edomites and Israelites never got along, and this foul relationship began in the womb (Genesis 25:23-26). Jacob (Father of Israelites) cheated Esau (father of Edomites) his birthright and his blessing. Esau wasn't too bright, and Jacob was cunning. The two did were not close brothers, to say the least.
Fast forward to Obadiah's time, whenever Israel is in trouble, Edomites would gloat and take joy in it. Edomites are always there when Israelites are down to kick them and make sure they stay down.
Zechariah 2:8
For this is what the LORD Almighty says: "After he was honored me and has sent me against the nations that have plundered you--for whoever touches you touches the apple of his eye.
This passages makes it clear that Israelites are the apple of God's eye. Woe to whoever takes advantage of God's chosen people.
The Book of Obadiah is God's judgment on Edom.
Obadiah 1:2-4
Edom was proud of at least 4 things:
1. Petra: Their fortress city--"Nobody can take us over"
2. Wealth: They were raiders who hid their looted wealth in the caves of Petra
3. Alliances: They chose allies wisely and have many allies
4. Army: They were proud of their wise and mighty men
Based on the above 4 factors, the Edomites were convinced that they were above all other people.
Unfortunately, God does not take much favor in proud men. Even worse for the Edomites, God takes less favor in proud men who bullies the Israelites.
Obadiah 1:5-7
Whatever the Edomites were proud of, God exposed that pride and showed how easy it was to take it all away.
Obadiah 1:10-14
God judged Edom for its pride but also because of how it treated his bother, Israel. Not only did he take advantage of Jacob, he helped others take Jacob down. He pillaged his brother's cities after they were overtaken by enemies.
Edom gloated over Israel's misfortunes and rejoiced in the suffering of his enemies. They boasted and pillaged. Any advantage they could take, they took.
Proverbs 17:5
He who mocks the poor shows contempt for their Maker; whoever gloats over disaster will not go unpunished.
God's heart breaks when we sin against him. This may be a hard concept to understand, but I have a personal experience that I could relate to.
When I was 6 or 7 years old, my mom told me that she doesn't like to punish me very much. I asked her why, and she said that because her heart aches every time she punishes me. She doesn't like making me feel bad, but she has to discipline me.
I've never forgotten that conversation. Every time I misbehaved, I'd feel horrible--not because I got in trouble but because I know that I'm making my mom feel miserable. This definitely made me think twice before purposely heading into trouble.
Because of such a heart, Jesus never sought revenge against His enemies. Actually, in the eyes of Jesus, no one was His enemies. Every one of us is His child. He just wants to keep us safe. Hence, when we misbehave, He lovingly disciplines. We break His heart when we sin against Him. And that is the heart we should have when we treat other people. We should not gloat and boast when other people are down. We should help them back on their feet.
Romans 12:14
Bless those who persecute you; bless and do not curse.
The thing I find so amazing about Christ is that He showed us how to do everything, even the really, REALLY hard things--things like loving those who persecute us. Jesus is not the kind of leader who told us to go do something super ideal and fails to do it himself. Jesus not only showed us, He exhibited perfection in His being.
When we love, when we have the heart of a parent, we simply don't have room for hate. When our children misbehaves, we don't think of ways to hurt them or to get them back. Instead, we try to figure out what the problem is and help them become better people. That is the heart we should have toward those who hurt us, because when we can only think of the hate, that hate only eats us away, hurts us, and provides a way for Satan to come in.
Genesis 12:3
I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all people on earth will be blessed through you.
Edom has come against Israel, the apple of God's eye. Things are not going to end well for Edom.
Obadiah 1:15-16
The act of drinking symbolizes receiving judgment (e.g., drink from the cup of wrath). Edom will be judged for everything they have done against Israel.
Inspiration: God makes it pretty clear that Israelites are a special group of people. God never backs down from His promises. Nations now taking advantage of Israel, think twice.
Obadiah 1:17-21
At the end of days, everything will be restored in Israel. Israel will be back in its land, under the rule of Jesus.
Take-home message:
1. Pride is the beginning of the fall
2. God is sovereign over all nations
3. God has plans for Israel that have yet been fulfilled (Replacement Theology is hypocrisy)
4. God is just
5. God is patient: Edom was given a long time to repent. All nations are given a long time to repent before God's judgment is pronounced.
Amos
Notes from Bible study with Pastor Terry Gray
Terminology:
Israel split into the Northern Kingdom and the Southern Kingdom. The Northern Kingdom retained the name "Israel," while the Southern Kingdom was also known as the Kingdom of Judah. Hence, note that in the text, Israel, when read under the context of time, is the Northern Kingdom.
Prophet Amos
- His name means burden or burden bearer
- He was not from a prestigious background; he was a
"country boy," a sheep breeder from the Southern Kingdom
- He prophesied during a time of great prosperity and success in both the Northern and Southern Kingdoms. This period of time was believed to be the zenith of the Northern Kingdom: great wealth, great success, great material blessing
- He was not a prophet, nor a son of a prophet (Amos 7:14). In those days, there were schools and seminaries to train prophets. That is, Amos had no formal training. In man's eyes, he was not "qualified" to be a prophet. He was just a sheep breeder and a tender of crops on a farm. He was common, working class, yet, God raised him to do His calling.
Inspiration: We are not here to do things according to man's will. We are not here to be defined by man's standards. There is nothing wrong with seeking formal training to understand and teach God's Word. We just need to keep in mind that God appoints His leaders, not us.
- The Book of Amos is considered one of the darkest books in the Bible. It's a book of doom and destruction. It is a book of judgment.
Amos 1-6: Amos brings scathing messages to the NK
Amos 7-9 Amos is given visions about Israel and the judgment that is coming.
Amos 1:3-2:3
Amos starts off by stating God's judgment on enemy nations of Israel. One by one, Amos lists off how each surrounding nation would be judged by God. The Israelites obviously had no trouble listening to that.
Amos 2:4
Judah will be judged. This is starting to hit a bit too close to home.
Amos 2:6-16
Israel will be judged. Now, Amos has hit home, and the Israelites responded very negatively, offended, horrified, surprised that they would be wrong. Remember, both the Southern and the Northern Kingdoms were thriving during this time. They are enjoying prosperity like they have never had before. And here, standing in front of them, was this country boy with no formal training telling them they should repent? Worse, this Amos guy was from the Southern Kingdom. What was he doing preaching man-defined non-sense in a foreign land?
The Israelites wanted Amos out.
Inspiration: From Amos 1:3-2:16, we get a glimpse of how easy it is for us to elbow the person next to us. But when the spotlight is on ourselves, we eagerly look away or turn a blind eye. We readily judge others and exclaim in glee when others are judged. But when it comes to examining our own lives, we are reluctant and quiet. When we stand in front of God at the end of this life, we give an account of our own lives, not what our neighbors did or what our friends did. I'd say it's best we focus on living according to God's will before we worry about how bad other people are doing.
Israel's Deeds for Judgment
1. They abused the poor, the needy, the innocent for their own gain (Amos 2:6-7; 5:11-12)
They have forgotten how only years before, they were abused slaves of the Egyptians, how God had delivered them to be His representatives on Earth. And when they are prospering under the blessing of God, they now become abusers themselves, taking advantage of those who need help the most. This is not a sin that God takes lightly. Many events and stories throughout the Bible reveal the anger of God when the poor, the needy, and the innocent are abused for selfish gains.
2. They failed miserably as God's representatives (Amos 3:1-2)
The Israelites was God's chosen people--of all people! Yet, they did not set a good example and strayed away from God. The Israelites failed to appreciate they were the chosen people of God. They did not behave like children of God. (Today, the Israelites are still the chosen people, but because they rejected Christ, the Church has become the royal priesthood.)
3. The rich cared only about pleasure, and they get it at the expense of the poor (Amos 4:1; 6:1-7)
The rich and the powerful were complacent with their materialistic pursuits. Their eyes were no longer on God or God's mission for the Israelites. Their eyes were only on pleasure. Upperclass women, over-indulgent and obsessive with wealth, cared only care about more wealth and pleasure when their actions oppress the poor further. If you're offended by this statement, read what God actually called these desperate housewives: "You cows of Bashan on Mount Samaria." These women were pridefully arrogant and materialistic. They were rich in worldly goods but desolate in the spirit. They think because they offer freely, they are awesome (Amos 4:4-5). They boast about their offering, showcasing how much they have and how much they are willing to give. This is disgusting. They give not out of love. They give not to glorify God. They give to glorify themselves. Rich in worldly goods. Desolate in the spirit.
4. They refused to return to God (Amos 4:6-11)
Despite the many times God has reached out to them, the Israelites refused the hand of God and continued down the path of self-indulgence and self-righteousness.
5. They corrupted justice and God's righteousness (Amos 5:7-10)
They disregarded God's prophet after prophet sent to the Northern Kingdom. They failed to see and hear all the warnings. They thrived on a corrupted justice system, and they were satisfied, again, at the expense of the poor, the needy, and the innocent.
6. They were religious (Amos 5:21-26)
They presented offerings, but, as mentioned above, they did not do so out of repentance of their sins but to further feed their sin of pride. The Israelites did not have a giving heart. They gave because they wanted show off their materialistic treasures. They had a prideful heart. Worse, they used the opportunity for repentance to proudly parade in their sins. In other words, while they claim they are honoring God, they are honoring themselves. Such is the epitome of idolatrous worship.
Inspiration: I always twinge when people ask if I'm "religious." No, I am not religious. I am a follower of Christ, who seeks the Truth and hopes to bring the Truth to those around me. My motives are pure and simple: I love because Jesus first loved me. And because I love, I tell people the Truth so that they can make their choice based on the correct information.
"Religious" is never discussed in a positive light in the Bible. Paul called himself a religious man when he persecuted Christians with zeal. And here, we see God harshly telling the Israelites, "I hate, I despise your religious festivals" (Amos 5:21).
Religious describes what we do in the name of God when our heart is not in God.
God is all powerful. What do we think those offerings are for? A gift to God? A sacrifice to God because He needs food? Because He is poor? The idea of offerings is to bring our heart closer to God. When we give, we should be reminded of how Jesus gave. It is to remind us the heart of Jesus, the heart of God. And when we are reminded of Jesus, we repent of our present sins, and we strive to be more like Jesus. To do in the name of God when our heart is not in God, God will not hear us. Such hypocrisy is only a stench and noise to God (Amos 5:21-23).
7. They were prideful (Amos 6:8-14)
Amos 7:1-6
Twice, God showed Amos the judgment against the Northern Kingdom. Twice, Amos prayed for mercy. And twice, God relented.
Inspiration: There is power in prayer; there is power in intercessory prayer. Other powerful examples occur in Genesis, when Abraham intercedes for the people of Sodom and Gomorrah, and in Exodus, when Moses intercedes for his people.
Amos 7:7-9
Despite the numerous times God has given the Northern Kingdom to repent and change their ways, they continued to bathe themselves in sin. God thus will no longer allow them to self-destruct in sin.
Israel was being judged because it was idolatrous, wicked, and assaulting the holiness of God.
Israel, in essence, is the wall that, when lined against the plumb line, is crooked. It needs to be torn down and be reconstructed.
Inspiration: God measures with a plumb line, a FIXED measure. There is no relative. You're either straight or you're not. There is no in between.
Amos 7:10-17
Amaziah, priest of Bethel, tells Amos to leave. They have no interest in the warnings of God given through Amos. Amaziah told Amos that the land cannot bear all his words (Amos 7:10) (Amos is living up to his name, the burden bearer).
This confrontation took place in Bethel, the capitol city of the Northern Kingdom, the royal center of the Norther Kingdom, where Jeroboam, the king of the Northern Kingdom, lived, reigned and ruled. It was also its religious center. Everyone would go down to Bethel to worship. Amaziah was the high priest there, the heart of the Northern Kingdom.
In contrast to Amos, we see that Amaziah, though a high priest, though trained in God's Word, has fallen far away from God. This gives us an idea of how corrupted the Northern Kingdom has become. They have become so corrupted, there was not one man of God there to speak words of wisdom. Those who were suppose to guide people to God were deep in sin.
But, that was not how the Northern Kingdom viewed Amos.
To the Northern Kingdom, who the heck was Amos? An untrained, uneducated country boy from a small town in the Southern Kingdom. What was he doing preaching the demise of the Northern Kingdom in THE city of the Northern Kingdom, under the watch of the high priest Amaziah? And why should anyone listen to what Amos had to say? The Northern Kingdom was in its prime!
So, Amaziah told Amos to go home, go back to the Southern Kingdom, go prophesy back home. Stop prophesying in the Northern Kingdom (Amos 7:12-13).
But, Amos answered boldly, "I am going to prophesy, and I'm going to prophesy here, because God told me to." Amos knows very himself that he was not trained, that he was nothing but a simple shepherd and gardener. But so what? He was called by God, and he took that calling seriously. He was told to prophesy to the Northern Kingdom, and so, he was there, preaching that if they do not repent, Israel will be judged heavily (Amos 7:14-17).
Inspiration: God uses us regardless of our Earthly status. Again, we're not here to accomplish the will of man, or to achieve accolades in the eyes of man. As followers of Christ, we are God's ambassadors on Earth. God will call on us, and we should be ready. We should not limit ourselves just because we are "not good enough" according to Earthly standards. When God calls on us, He deems us good enough. And frankly, that's good enough for me.
Amos 8
A great famine is coming. Because of Israel's sin and unwillingness to repent, God will remove His blessing. There will be a famine of food, a famine of water, but worst of all, a famine of God's word. The Israelites did not want to listen to the Word of God, then they will not hear him anymore.
Inspiration: This is quite scary, even from a human's perspective. I am always more afraid when my mom stops talking to me, when she won't even bother yelling at me when I've done something wrong, because this usually means I've pissed her off so much that she's given up. To have my mom give up on me, that is scary. To have God give up on a nation? I cannot imagine anything worse.
Amos 9:1-4
Judgment has come. And once judgment comes, it is inescapable. There is no escape.
Inspiration 1: Repent when we still have the chance
Physical death is the cut off. If a person dies without Christ, he/she is under the judgment of God, and there will be no escape.
Some believe that people who die can go see Saint Peter, where he will send them back to Earth to have a second chance, to redeem themselves, to earn their way. Not so.
Some believe those who die goes to purgatory where they can be prayed out of it or be bought out of it. Not so.
After death, that person has already had all the opportunities to hear the Word and to make his/her decision. If we die with the decision to be apart from God, there is no escaping Hell. If we die not having made our decision, there is no escaping Hell.
Do not test the patience of God like the Israelites did. Repent when we have the chance.
Inspiration 2: Sin must be judged
God is just, and He therefore must judge sin. However, because God's heart is that none should perish but all have eternal life, He delays judgment after numerous warnings. This is what we see happening with the Israelites. They've been given multiple times to repent, but they refused. They would rather live a life without God, and they made that statement clearly time after time.
Amos 9:8-10
This passage describes what has literally happened to Israel. They've been sifted out, scattered, and found trouble everywhere they go, even to this day.
Amos 9:11-15
This passage clearly states that God will one day restore Israel.
This has not happened yet because Israel is not a monarchy. However, the restoration process has started, with 1948 as the turning point, when Israel became a state.
Once God restores Israel, Israel will be in abundance. Sowers literally won't be able to get out of the way before the reapers come. That is, the harvest will be so plentiful, there won't be enough people to harvest it all.
Israel will once again be returned to its Holy Land, never to be uprooted again.
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