Textual Tuesday 08/25

　
“But there rose up certain of the sect of the Pharisees which believed, saying, That is was needful to circumcise them, and to command them to keep the law of Moses.” Acts 15:5
　
Paul tells us in Galatians 2:4 who these of the sect of the Pharisees were. He calls them “…false brethren… who came in privily to spy out our liberty which we have in Christ Jesus, that they might bring us into bondage.”

It appears that these ‘false brethren’ were trying to pervert the gospel. They were teaching grace + law. They taught that believing in Jesus was not enough to be saved, you must also be keeping the law. (vs. 1)

These men professed to be acting with the commission and authority of the apostles, though in truth, they were not. ( vs. 24) They had slipped in among the brethren to spy out their freedom in Christ Jesus and try to persuade them to go back under law….which Paul called bondage. (Gal. 2:4)

When considering these passages, I took a few minutes to look through scripture in the New Testament and consider the Pharisees. I found that they were always confronting Jesus about the law. They were concerned about such things as: keeping the Sabbath, fasting, tithes and offerings, divorce, traditions of the elders, tribute to Caesar, long impressive prayers, making converts, etc. (Jn 9:16, Lu 6:2, Mk 2:18, Mt 23:23, Mt 19:3, Mk 7:3-5, Mt22:5-21, Mt 6:5, Mt 23:15)

Yet, Jesus said to beware of the leaven of the Pharisees, that is their doctrines. He said they looked good on the outside, but they were dead on the inside. (Mt 16:11-2, Mt 23:27)

The Pharisees were so law minded, they missed grace. They failed to learn what the law was given to teach them, that is, their need for a Savior. ( Ro 7:7, Ro 3:20-21, Ro 8:3, Ga 2:16, Ga 3:24, Jn 1:17)

Sadly, there are many today who still seek to be justified by the works of the law. They will say, “Yes Jesus saves, but, you must be keeping the law or you will not be saved.” They may word it a little differently, but the doctrine is still the same. They would bring us back into the bondage of the law. They do not truly understand our Lord’s words when He said… “If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” (Jn 8:36)

When confronted by modern day Pharisees consider Paul’s admonition to the Galatians…

“I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. O, Foolish Galatians, who hath bewitched you that you should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you? This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Ga 2:21; 3:1-3)

And remember what he said about those Judaizers…

“For neither they themselves who are circumcised keep the law; but desire to have you circumcised, that they may glory in your flesh.” (Ga 6:13)

So go and “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (Ga 5:1)

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Textual Tuesday 07/28

Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
~ John 3:5

Some will teach the water mentioned here in John 3:5 is referring to the practice of water baptism for remission of sins. Some say this teaches water baptism which places you into the local church body. Others will say that the water spoken of in this verse is referring to man’s physical birth, noting that Nicodemus had made reference to such.

Which interpretation is correct? Or is there another?

My gleanings:

Nicodemus is a Pharisee, a ruler of the Jews. He is a teacher of the law. He comes to Jesus to examine him and his ministry. Immediately, Jesus tells Nicodemus that for a man to see (understand) the kingdom of God, he must be born again. We know Jesus is speaking of a spiritual things, but Nicodemus is thinking after the flesh. We see that in his response about a man entering into his mother’s womb a second time. Jesus expounds further to Nicodemus about the new birth when he says that "unless a man is born or water and of the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."

Jesus continues to address the spiritual, not the physical.

Scripture shows us that Holy Spirit is represented in the similitude of water. Jesus himself used the symbolism of water when speaking of the Holy Spirit.

“He that believeth on me, as the scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water. But this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive: for the Holy Ghost was not yet given; because that Jesus was not yet glorified.” (John 7:38-39)

“But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life.” (John 4:14)

For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body, whether we be Jews or Gentiles, whether we be bond or free; and have been all made to drink into one Spirit. (1Corinthians 12:13)

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; (Titus 3:5)

As physical water can spring up, flow, quench thirst, wash and cleanse, so is the spiritual work of the Holy Spirit likened.

Is therefore the water Jesus speaks of in John 3:5 referring of a ‘physical’ birth or a ‘physical’ water baptism? Probably not.

Consider the following verses.

"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust, and not be afraid: for the LORD JEHOVAH is my strength and my song; he also is become my salvation. Therefore with joy shall ye draw water out of the wells of salvation." (Isaiah 12:2-3)

"For I will pour water upon him that is thirsty, and floods upon the dry ground: I will pour my spirit upon thy seed, and my blessing upon thine offspring:" (Isaiah 44:3)

"Then will I sprinkle clean water upon you, and ye shall be clean: from all your filthiness, and from all your idols, will I cleanse you. A new heart also will I give you, and a new spirit will I put within you: and I will take away the stony heart out of your flesh, and I will give you an heart of flesh. And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them. And ye shall dwell in the land that I gave to your fathers; and ye shall be my people, and I will be your God." (Ezekiel 36:25-28)

"And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my spirit upon all flesh; and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, your young men shall see visions: And also upon the servants and upon the handmaids in those days will I pour out my spirit." (Joel 2:28-29)

Did Jesus chose his terminology purposively in his conversation with this ruler of the Jews? I think so.

As a teacher of the law, Nicodemus would have been familiar with these passages. They should have come to his mind and he should have understood the spiritual things Jesus was speaking of when he spoke of the water and the Spirit. However, he did not understand.

Why?

“For they that are after the flesh do mind the things of the flesh; but they that are after the Spirit the things of the Spirit.” (Romans 8:5)

And as Jesus said, “that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (vs. 6)

In order for Nicodemus to see (understand) and to enter the kingdom of God, he needed to be born of the Spirit of God. For…“It is the Spirit that quickeneth, the flesh profiteth nothing…” (John 6:63)


Conclusion: There is at least one other possible interpretation to consider regarding verse five of John chapter three.

Textual Tuesday 07/14

2Thessalonians 2:9-12

"Even him, whose coming is after the working of Satan with all power and signs and lying wonders, and with all deceivableness of unrighteousness in them that perish; because they received not the love of the truth, that they might be saved. And for this cause God shall send them strong delusion, that they should believe a lie: that they all might be damned who believed not the truth, but had pleasure in unrighteousness."

My Gleanings:

1. Men perish and are damned because they do not have the love of the truth.

2. To be without the love of the truth is to be without the Lord Jesus Christ. For, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” (John 14:6)

Jesus is the truth. To have the love of the truth is to have the love of Jesus. If you do not have truth, you do not have Jesus. (John 1:17, Ephesians 4:21)

3. Those who do not have the love of the truth have no pleasure in righteousness. In fact, they actually take pleasure in unrighteousness. They do so because they are without Christ and His Spirit.

The great contrast of this is that those who have the love of the truth take no pleasure in unrighteousness. “For the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness and righteousness and truth” (Ephesians 5:9)

4. Those who love not the truth have made a conscious choice to reject God’s salvation. Jesus is salvation. Jesus is truth. They do not love the truth!

As a result, the text says, “God shall send them strong delusion that they should believe a lie that they all might be damned who believed not the truth.”

This shows the severity of their judgment in that God is giving them over fully to their hearts desire… deception unto damnation.

Textual Tuesday 07/07

2 Kings 17:12-17

For they served idols, whereof the LORD had said unto them, Ye shall not do this thing.

Yet the LORD testified against Israel, and against Judah, by all the prophets, and by all the seers, saying, Turn ye from your evil ways, and keep my commandments and my statutes, according to all the law which I commanded your fathers, and which I sent to you by my servants the prophets.

Notwithstanding they would not hear, but hardened their necks, like to the neck of their fathers, that did not believe in the LORD their God.

And they rejected his statutes, and his covenant that he made with their fathers, and his testimonies which he testified against them; and they followed vanity, and became vain, and went after the heathen that were round about them, concerning whom the LORD had charged them, that they should not do like them.

And they left all the commandments of the LORD their God, and made them molten images, even two calves, and made a grove, and worshipped all the host of heaven, and served Baal.

And they caused their sons and their daughters to pass through the fire, and used divination and enchantments, and sold themselves to do evil in the sight of the LORD, to provoke him to anger.


Following are a few “Vain” things people go after:

- Money
- Success
- Stardom
- Entertainment
- Carnal Pleasures
- Worldly Possessions
- Physical Fitness & Beauty
- Independence
- Self Esteem
- Hobbies
- Sports

The list could go on and on.


When people follow vanity, they become vain and ultimately forsake God.

That is what happened to Israel long ago.

This is what has happened in America.

The reaction to Michael Jackson’s death is just another example of the sad reality of the vanity of the heart of man.