Tuesday, March 30, 2010

New Creation; New Creature

Apologies for the delay!
Monday, March 29, 2010: Ephesians 3:9
And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ
What is the mystery, hidden from the beginning in God? The mystery will be revealed to all and seen by all: there is a creation, created by Jesus Christ that will be seen clearly in the future. It is a fellowship, a knitting together.

Tuesday, March 30, 2010: Ephesians 4:23-24
And be renewed in the spirit of your mind; and that ye put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness.
Who is this new man? It is the old man who has been renewed in the spirit of his mind. This mind is created in perfect rightness with God and in pure holiness.

Wednesday, March 31, 2010: Ephesians 2:10
For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them.
Do our good works count before we were created anew in Christ? No, only the workmanship that Christ creates in the new man who walks in the will of God.
Thursday, April 1, 2010: Colossians 1:16
For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him
What does invisible imply? There is, on earth, an invisible power in those who believe in Christ. This is Christ’s new creation, bought with His sacrifice for sins on the cross.

Friday, April 2, 2010: 2 Corinthians 5:17
Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
As we look back at the first verse, who is this new creature? Who is this new creation? It is the believer who will eternally have fellowship with God in Christ Jesus.

Monday, March 22, 2010

Salvation through Faith

Monday, March 22, 2010: 2 Timothy 3:15
and that from childhood you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
Background: Paul writes concluding words to Timothy in a letter.
What sequence is faith brought through as? The sequence is Knowledge of Scripture — Wisdom — Salvation — Faith in Christ Jesus.

Tuesday, March 23, 2010: Matthew 4:17
From that time Jesus began to preach and to say, “Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is at hand.” and…
Mark 1:14–15
Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.”
What is the first step? If you think you are good and don’t need repentance, you will never accept the gospel nor enter the kingdom of heaven.

Wednesday, March 24, 2010: Ephesians 2:8–9
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.
Is Salvation earned by good works? Never! Salvation is a gift from God that you accept by faith or reject.

Thursday, March 25, 2010: Romans 3:21–22
But now the righteousness of God apart from the law is revealed, being witnessed by the Law and the Prophets, even the righteousness of God, through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference
What does no difference refer to? All people, Jews and Gentiles alike can get God’s righteousness apart from the law and by believing in Christ’s work.

Friday, March 26, 2010: Romans 3:23–24
for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
What does ‘freely’ mean? It is without cost to us but it coasted the Son of God.

Sunday, March 14, 2010

In the image of God

Monday, March 15, 2010: Genesis 1:26–27

Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, over the birds of the air, and over the cattle, over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” So God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

What are the singular-plurals in this passage? God is referred to as Us and then as His; man is created singular and created male and female, plural.

Tuesday, March 16, 2010: Romans 8:29

For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren.

When are those who believe in Christ to be conformed to His Son’s image? In the Omniscience of God this has been God’s plan for believers from eternity past to eternity future.

Wednesday, March 17, 2010: 1 Corinthians 15:49

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

Is this a way of explaining being born again? Yes, it is. Our first birth is with bodies of dust; our second birth is spiritual.

Thursday, March 18, 2010: 2 Corinthians 3:18

But we all, with unveiled face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, just as by the Spirit of the Lord.

When does the transformation into His image take place? It takes place in the present when we ‘see’ His face in God’s word and are slowly changed to reflect Christ.

Friday, March 19, 2010: Colossians 3:10

and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him,

What knowledge renews us into His image? Doing what we are doing: reading the Bible.

Sunday, March 7, 2010

The Helper

Monday, March 8, 2010: John 14:16-17
And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever—the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.
Background: These chapters, John 14, 15 and 16 are called the Upper Room Ministry of the Jesus Christ to his disciples before His crucifixion.
Why is this passage one of comfort? The word Helper is also translated Comforter and means One who is to be by your side.

Tuesday, March 9, 2010: John 14:26
But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all things that I said to you.
Who is this Helper, who sends Him and how will He help us? He is the Holy Spirit sent by the Father who reminds us of all things Jesus Christ said.

Wednesday, March 10, 2010: John 15:26
“But when the Helper comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.
Who sends the Helper and what is His testimony? Jesus Christ will send Him to us from the Father and He will testify of Jesus Christ.

Thursday, March 11, 2010: John 16:7
Nevertheless I tell you the truth. It is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper will not come to you; but if I depart, I will send Him to you.
What is implicit in this part of Jesus Christ’s words? His resurrection.

Friday, March 12, 2010: 1 John 2:1
My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.
Background: John writes three letters and the book of Revelation later in his life.
Who is also our Helper in Heaven and how does He help us? The resurrected Jesus Christ is our Advocate, another form from the same word in Greek. He pleads our case for our sins before the Father in heaven.