Prodigal, Dissipation and Salvation

Monday, July 5, 2010: 1 Peter 4:3–4 (New King James Version)

For we have spent enough of our past lifetime in doing the will of the Gentiles—when we walked in lewdness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. In regard to these, they think it strange that you do not run with them in the same flood of dissipation, speaking evil of you.

Why would your former friends speak evil of you? They do because you’re not like them anymore, and it bothers them.

Tuesday, July 6, 2010: Ephesians 5:18–21 (NKJV)

And do not be drunk with wine, in which is dissipation; but be filled with the Spirit, speaking to one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord, giving thanks always for all things to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another in the fear of God.

Why is drunkenness associated with dissipation? Drink dulls the prick of conscience and sense. The opposite is true enjoyment, thankfulness and submission.

Wednesday, July 7, 2010: Titus 1:5–6 (NKJV)

For this reason I left you in Crete, that you should set in order the things that are lacking, and appoint elders in every city as I commanded you— if a man is blameless, the husband of one wife, having faithful children not accused of dissipation or insubordination.

What is the implication of children who are non-dissipative? These children have seen and have voluntarily copied what their parents said and did.

Thursday, July 8, 2010: Luke 15:11–13 (NKJV)

Then He said: “A certain man had two sons. And the younger of them said to his father, ‘Father, give me the portion of goods that falls to me.’ So he divided to them his livelihood. And not many days after, the younger son gathered all together, journeyed to a far country, and there wasted his possessions with prodigal living.

In the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son, what does prodigal mean? Prodigal is a synonym of dissipation in an adverbial form.

Friday, July 9, 2010: Luke 15:28, 31–32 (NKJV)

“But he was angry and would not go in. Therefore his father came out and pleaded with him.

“And he said to him, ‘Son, you are always with me, and all that I have is yours. It was right that we should make merry and be glad, for your brother was dead and is alive again, and was lost and is found.’”

Why is ‘death’ linked to the prodigal and ‘found’ to the returning son? Biblically, death is separation from God; found is the antonym of dissipation or prodigal (which is ‘without saving’ in Greek). Its antonym is salvation or being revived.

If...!

If…!
Monday, November 10, 2008: Hebrews 3:6

But Christ was faithful as a Son over his own house; whose house we are, if we hold fast the confidence and the rejoicing of the hope firm to the end.
Does this mean we need to do something to assure our being part of the house of God? No, it is a question of confidence and faith, NOT actions and deeds like good works.

Tuesday, November 11, 2008: Hebrews 3:14

For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence steadfast to the end
What does beginning and end refer to? Your life as a believer in Christ: it is our confidence in Him and NOT in our own works.

Wednesday, November 12, 2008: Hebrews 3:18-19

And to whom did He swear that they should not enter into His rest, but to those who did not believe? So we see that they could not enter in because of unbelief.
Background: This refers to the journey of Israel from Egypt to the promised land.
How many believed that God, not their own accomplishments, would get them into the promised land? Aside from Moses, only two: Caleb and Joshua! The rest did not believe in spite of the unmistakable signs and plagues.

Thursday, November 13, 2008: 1 Corinthians 15:1-2

And, brothers, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you have received, and in which you stand; by which you also are being kept safe, if you hold fast the word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain.
Does your eternal safety depend on what you do? No, it depends on being faithful to the words of the gospel preached to you.

Friday, November 14, 2008: 1 Corinthians 15:3-4

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received, that Christ died for our sins, according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures
Is this the Gospel? Yes, this is probably the earliest expression of the gospel as a brief statement. Continued belief in this is what commends us to God, never the things we do.