Jesus Christ

Gospel Wednesday | Ephesians 5-6

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bibleWelcome back to our Gospel Wednesday series. Last week we took a look at Ephesians 4-5 where Paul addressed Unity in the Body of Christ and how we are to walk in Love. We closed in chapter 5 where Paul’s discussing of how we are to live as individuals because he is transitioning into addressing specific relationships God sets as pictures of the relationship of Christ with His Church.

Our Relationships in Christ

How we relate to one another in Christ, is modeled after how Christ relates to us.  Paul is reminding the Ephesians of the Gospel and of the Law. The Law is from God and points to God. God is the standard for godliness. I know that might seem a “given”, but we tend to make “Grace” the standard, but that isn’t quite right. Grace is the means by which we are forgiven for our ungodliness; therefore, it cannot be the standard of godliness. God is the standard, and His Law is the testimony of God’s standard of godliness. We are to extend Grace and Love to others because He first loved us, and extended grace to us. Before we get to the new portions, let’s revisit the closing portion of Ephesians 5 on individual behavior.

Ephesians 5:15-21 (ESV) 15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

After building his readers up in the Gospel of Jesus Christ, reminding them of their place in Christ, Paul sums up how we are to walk as individual Christians, being filled with the Spirit, giving thanks always and for everything… submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ. It all begins and ends with Christ. Christ frees us to serve one another in love, and we are to serve each other in love out of reverence for Christ. This is the groundwork for where Paul goes next. Now, we will start looking at specific relationships in the Christian walk, each one is indeed an expression of the Law of God, meaning that all breaking (and falling short of) these laws is sin. Paul is not just laying down the Law for these relationships in our lives, we already know that we will sin in these areas and we know where to go for forgiveness (the Gospel of Jesus Christ). Paul is also presenting these relationships, in their Lawful standard, as pictures of relationship between the Church (us) and Christ.

Ephesians 5:22-33 (ESV) | Wives and Husbands
22 Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. 23 For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. 24 Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. 25 Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, 26 that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word, 27 so that he might present the church to himself in splendor, without spot or wrinkle or any such thing, that she might be holy and without blemish. 28 In the same way husbands should love their wives as their own bodies. He who loves his wife loves himself. 29 For no one ever hated his own flesh, but nourishes and cherishes it, just as Christ does the church, 30 because we are members of his body. 31 “Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and hold fast to his wife, and the two shall become one flesh.” 32 This mystery is profound, and I am saying that it refers to Christ and the church. 33 However, let each one of you love his wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband.

Ephesians 6:1-9 (ESV) | Children and Parents
1 Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother” (this is the first commandment with a promise), 3 “that it may go well with you and that you may live long in the land.” 4 Fathers, do not provoke your children to anger, but bring them up in the discipline and instruction of the Lord.

Bondservants and Masters
5 Bondservants, obey your earthly masters with fear and trembling, with a sincere heart, as you would Christ, 6 not by the way of eye-service, as people-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart, 7 rendering service with a good will as to the Lord and not to man, 8 knowing that whatever good anyone does, this he will receive back from the Lord, whether he is a bondservant or is free. 9 Masters, do the same to them, and stop your threatening, knowing that he who is both their Master and yours is in heaven, and that there is no partiality with him.

Paul’s primary focus here is to highlight the focus of the Christian walk, conduct of the Church, in light of the Biblical standard for these earthly relationships.  In his letters to the Corinthians, to Timothy, and Titus, Paul actually takes time to provide instruction for these areas of life. The Ephesians are being reminded of these standards in light of our relationship with Christ. Any attempt to turn these passages into legitimized harsh earthly rule or lordship over women, children, slaves, or employees is to utterly and completely fail at understanding this text. Such a reading turns the text into swiss cheese, completely skipping over the standard of leadership as service to God. Husbands, you are expected to lay down your life for your wife as Christ did for His Church. That is the standard of the Law. If not for the Grace of God, you stand guilty of failing to love your wife. We will spend the rest of our lives growing in this area, both in the earthly covenant of Marriage to our wives and in the eternal covenant of adoption into Heaven by the Blood of Jesus Christ. Bondservants and Masters isn’t limited to slavery; rather, it covers all levels of authority. Government, business, and staff members. All of it is covered. And everyone has One Master in Heaven… and there is no partiality with Him.

Closing Instructions

Now that the aside is wrapped up, and we’ve been reminded of the Law (Love God, Love Others), Paul returns to the message of the Gospel. He does so, however, in a very interesting way. This passage is often taught as a commandment, or as a Law; however, I don’t think that is the best reading of this passage. It is less about “doing” something and more about “resting” in someone.

Ephesians 6:10-24 (ESV) | The Whole Armor of God
10 Finally, be strong in the Lord and in the strength of his might. 11 Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the schemes of the devil. 12 For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the cosmic powers over this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly places. 13 Therefore take up the whole armor of God, that you may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand firm. 14 Stand therefore, having fastened on the belt of truth, and having put on the breastplate of righteousness, 15 and, as shoes for your feet, having put on the readiness given by the gospel of peace. 16 In all circumstances take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming darts of the evil one; 17 and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God, 18 praying at all times in the Spirit, with all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all perseverance, making supplication for all the saints, 19 and also for me, that words may be given to me in opening my mouth boldly to proclaim the mystery of the gospel, 20 for which I am an ambassador in chains, that I may declare it boldly, as I ought to speak.

We’ll explore these in greater detail later, but for now I want to highlight that none of this armor or preparedness comes from within us. This doesn’t get “put on” by our efforts. The only Truth in all of Creation is God and His Word. We are not born with faith, it comes only by Hearing the Word of God; therefore, our shield of faith comes by hearing the Words of Christ (Romans 10:14-17). Faith is a gift from God (we saw that in Ephesians 2:8-9). The breastplate of righteousness is NOT our righteousness. It’s not a reference to your good works. Your good works are not the means by which you stand against evil; rather, it is the righteousness of Christ (1 Peter 3:18-22). As for the gospel of peace… peace with whom? It is NOT with the world. The Gospel is not about making peace with the world, it is about making peace with God, a peace purchased by Christ’s atoning sacrificial work on the cross. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is that He is the Passover Lamb, who bore the full penalty of our sin on our behalf, so that in Him we can be made right with God. Peace with God can only be made by the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and by no other means. Our salvation being a helmet, a seal on our foreheads set by the Holy Spirit. We stand not by our own strength, but in the strength of God’s might. That is the Gospel, that is the Good News… that Christ has won the victory, paid the price, and He is returning to take us all home.

Ephesians 6:21-24 (ESV) | Final Greetings
21 So that you also may know how I am and what I am doing, Tychicus the beloved brother and faithful minister in the Lord will tell you everything. 22 I have sent him to you for this very purpose, that you may know how we are, and that he may encourage your hearts.

23 Peace be to the brothers, and love with faith, from God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Grace be with all who love our Lord Jesus Christ with love incorruptible.

In his final greetings, Paul is letting them know that Tychicus will speak on his behalf to encourage the Ephesians. This closing is worth highlight, too… an encouragement to love with faith from God the Father. God is so good.  In closing, let us revisit Paul’s written prayer in Ephesians 3.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV) 

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think, according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Amen, indeed.
In Christ Jesus,

Jorge

DiM | “Be Thou My Vision” by Various Artists

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Presentation1Today is “Discernment in Music” (DiM) day here at Faithful Stewardship.

2 Corinthians 10:4-6 (ESV)
4 For the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh but have divine power to destroy strongholds. 5 We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ, 6 being ready to punish every disobedience, when your obedience is complete.

I have been holding onto this post for a couple of weeks now, so today I thought I’d share it so that I could skip the Top 20 charts for a week.  I’ve always loved this song, and in some ways it reminds of me of the discussion we had some time back regarding Tradition and Modernity. An old hymn doesn’t get an automatic pass as being doctrinally sound, nor is a modern song assumed to be fluff. That being said, stereotypes aren’t nearly as arbitrary as many would like to think. Today’s song is one I first heard back in the 1990s as a bonus track on a Rebecca St. James album. Back then, if you left the CD playing and didn’t notice that the last track was 13 minutes long, you would hear a very nice version of this song sung by Rebecca. I couldn’t find that version quickly so I thought I’d go with some more popular singers. Selah also does a nice version.

Be Thou My Vision

One of my long-time favorite hymns is “Be Thou My Vision”. I am rarely a fan of King James style English, primarily due to the implied “Godliness” of the language. When false prophets really want to “turn up the juice” in their prophesies, they invariably resort to KJV-speak as if it were God’s primary accent. Music sometimes gets locked into an era because the meter and rhyme of the language of the day simply doesn’t work if song is translated into useful English. This song, however, has been done in both old and modern English quite well. That is especially surprising since it’s original language is Old Irish. The following are two good versions of the song, one traditional and the other more of a modern take. I’m no fan of Relevant magazine, and would no sooner recommend them than People magazine (which isn’t going to happen).

Traditionally Performed by Chelsea Moon

Modern Version Performed by the Rend Collective (at RELEVANT magazine)

Lyrics (via Wikipedia)

English version by Eleanor Hull, 1912
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart,
Be all else but naught to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought in the day and the night,
Both waking and sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my wisdom, be thou my true word,
Be thou ever with me, and I with thee Lord;
Be thou my great Father, and I thy true son;
Be thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Be thou my breastplate, my sword for the fight;
Be thou my whole armour, be thou my true might;
Be thou my soul’s shelter, be thou my strong tower:
O raise thou me heavenward, great Power of my power.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise:
Be thou mine inheritance now and always;
Be thou and thou only the first in my heart;
O Sovereign of Heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of Heaven, thou Heaven’s bright sun,
O grant me its joys after victory is won!;
Great heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be thou my vision, O Ruler of all.

English Methodist version, 1964
Be thou my vision, O Lord of my heart;
Naught be all else to me, save that thou art;
Thou my best thought, by day or by night,
Waking or sleeping, thy presence my light.
Be thou my Wisdom, and thou my true Word;
I ever with thee and thou with me, Lord;
Thou my great Father, and I thy true son,
Thou in me dwelling, and I with thee one.
Riches I heed not, nor man’s empty praise;
Thou mine inheritance, now and always;
Thou and thou only, first in my heart,
High King of heaven, my treasure thou art.
High King of heaven, my victory won,
May I reach heaven’s joys, O bright heaven’s Sun!
Heart of my own heart, whatever befall,
Still be my Vision, O Ruler of all.

Positive Elements

This song is a song of confession and prayer to our Heavenly Father. It is a song sung by Christians. It begins by confirming that the Lord is to be our Vision and the Lord of our heart. We are to see everything through the lens of scripture, that the Word of God is our very vision. This is what we often refer to as having a Christian worldview. The song goes on to declare that all else is nothing to me besides the Lord God. That whether waking or sleeping, day or night, the Lord will be my best thought, my wisdom, and my Light. I know I’m breaking into the next verse a bit, but I’d like to share Psalm 19, a psalm of David, that I think reinforces what is being conveyed here.

Psalm 19 (ESV) | The Law of the Lord Is Perfect
To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David.
1 The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.
2 Day to day pours out speech, and night to night reveals knowledge.
3 There is no speech, nor are there words, whose voice is not heard.
4 Their voice goes out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.
In them he has set a tent for the sun,
5     which comes out like a bridegroom leaving his chamber,
and, like a strong man, runs its course with joy.
6 Its rising is from the end of the heavens, and its circuit to the end of them,
and there is nothing hidden from its heat.
7 The law of the Lord is perfect, reviving the soul;
the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple;
8 the precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;
the commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes;
9 the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether.
10 More to be desired are they than gold, even much fine gold; sweeter also than honey and drippings of the honeycomb.
11 Moreover, by them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.
12 Who can discern his errors? Declare me innocent from hidden faults.
13 Keep back your servant also from presumptuous sins;
let them not have dominion over me!
Then I shall be blameless, and innocent of great transgression.
14 Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart
    be acceptable in your sight, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer.

This Psalm declares the wonder of the Law of God, the Scriptures. Let’s skip ahead to what Jesus told His disciples when He promised the Holy Spirit.

John 14:15-27 (ESV) | Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15 “If you love me, you will keep my commandments.16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you.

18 “I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while and the world will see me no more, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20 In that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. 21 Whoever has my commandments and keeps them, he it is who loves me. And he who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I will love him and manifest myself to him.” 22 Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, “Lord, how is it that you will manifest yourself to us, and not to the world?” 23 Jesus answered him, “If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24 Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father’s who sent me.

25 “These things I have spoken to you while I am still with you. 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 that I have said to you. 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid.

The song builds to a reminder that our Hope is in Christ, a Hope of Heaven. Hope is not a “wish” but a knowing (by faith) of what is coming, even though we cannot yet see it. Because Jesus lives, we know we will live with Him in that Great Day.

1 Peter 1:3-9 (ESV) | Born Again to a Living Hope
3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, 4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time. 6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ. 8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, 9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

The song closes with a reminder, that whatever happens, our hope lies in Heaven, not on this earth. Our hope is in Christ, who is at the right hand of the Father, and that no matter what may happen here, we know that Christ reigns as King over all, and He is our vision.

Concerns

The song isn’t quoting scripture directly, and might be explained very differently by someone with errant theology. The song does not preach repentance nor the forgiveness of sin, it’s an affirmation of Christian mindset, aim, and goal. The song itself doesn’t concern me much, but often I hear it played by very “presence” minded bands (like the Rend Collective above) who work it into very mystical sets, so that is a concern.

Conclusion

On its own I think it is a great song of confession of the centrality and sovereignty of God, as well as the promise of His presence in our everyday life. It is open to some abuses by the mystics, but with sound doctrine that can be mitigated. I’d like to reiterate that I do not endorse RELEVANT magazine, and I’m still on the fence about Rend Collective, they seem to live in the mysticism that has permeated evangelical Christianity (like a virus); nevertheless, their version of this song is quite good. I rarely hear a version of this song played on the radio, but when I do, it always brings a smile to my face.

In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Be Encouraged, Do Not Fear

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GospelOn this man-made holiday, there is a lot going on in the world that brings confusion, anxiety, and even fear in the Church. Confusion because the visible church doesn’t seem to make a firm stand against the pagan-centered revelry of a holiday that celebrates falsehood, false theology, and false deities. Anxiety because the church has forgotten the message of the Gospel, and in doing so have ascribed falsely some extra power of the enemy defeated by Christ on the Cross. It is finished means just that, by the way.

John 19:28-30 (ESV)

28 After this, Jesus, knowing that all was now finished, said (to fulfill the Scripture), “I thirst.” 29 A jar full of sour wine stood there, so they put a sponge full of the sour wine on a hyssop branch and held it to his mouth. 30 When Jesus had received the sour wine, he said, “It is finished,” and he bowed his head and gave up his spirit.

Next week’s OT study we will look at this finishing work of Christ on the Cross more closely, but for now be encouraged, and do not fear the defeated enemy, for Christ already finished the work of Salvation at the cross. We walk by faith, and not by sight. The enemy is a liar. Let’s look at the encouragement Paul wrote to Timothy as he faced the daunting task of leading the church while Paul was in prison.

2 Timothy 1:1-14 (ESV)

1 Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God according to the promise of the life that is in Christ Jesus,2 To Timothy, my beloved child:
Grace, mercy, and peace from God the Father and Christ Jesus our Lord.
3 I thank God whom I serve, as did my ancestors, with a clear conscience, as I remember you constantly in my prayers night and day. 4 As I remember your tears, I long to see you, that I may be filled with joy. 5 I am reminded of your sincere faith, a faith that dwelt first in your grandmother Lois and your mother Eunice and now, I am sure, dwells in you as well. 6 For this reason I remind you to fan into flame the gift of God, which is in you through the laying on of my hands, 7 for God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control.

8 Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, 9 who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, 10 and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel, 11 for which I was appointed a preacher and apostle and teacher, 12 which is why I suffer as I do. But I am not ashamed, for I know whom I have believed, and I am convinced that he is able to guard until that Day what has been entrusted to me. 13 Follow the pattern of the sound words that you have heard from me, in the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus. 14 By the Holy Spirit who dwells within us, guard the good deposit entrusted to you.

This so-called holiday has no power over the Gospel of Jesus Christ. None. You who have believed in the Gospel of Jesus Christ have been sealed by God the Holy Spirit, and that is not a spirit of fear, but of power, love, and of self-control. Do not be conformed to this world and its fear and its customs. Speak life to those who are celebrating death. The Gospel of Jesus Christ is life to those who would believe the Word of God.

Jude 1:24-25 (ESV) Doxology

24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen.

Amen.
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

(Bonus) Voddie Baucham|”What is the Gospel?”

Today, I’d like to close by sharing a good sermon by Voddie Baucham, Pastor of Grace Family Baptist Church in Texas.

http://www.sermonaudio.com/code_sourcefeatured.asp?iframe=TRUE&reversecolor=FALSE&showoverview=FALSE&flashplayer=TRUE&tiny=FALSE&minimal=TRUE&eventtype=EVENTID&series=SUBTITLE&speaker=SPEAKERNAME&sermonid=42511113392

Their website makes a transcript for the sermon available: http://media.sermonaudio.com/mediapdf/42511113392.pdf

The sermon is an hour long, and the transcript is approximately 7K words long. Voddie does a great job of taking a hard look at how the Gospel is misrepresented and how we need to get back to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. He is primarily teaching from Romans 9. The sermon can be broken down into the following major points:

  1. The gospel is not just how we get saved. You talk to the average Christian and you ask them what the gospel is and more than likely they are going to give you a plan of salvation. The gospel is not the plan of salvation. The gospel is not the four spiritual laws. The gospel is not just how we get saved.
  2. The gospel is not just the two great commandments. And that is what is popular in our day. You just boil it down to love God and love people. Listen to Carson’s word on this. “Other voices identify the gospel with the first and second commandments, the commandments to love God with heart, soul, mind and strength and our neighbor as ourself. These commandments are so central that Jesus himself insists that all the prophets and the law hang on them, but, most emphatically, they are not the gospel.” Love God, it is not the gospel. In fact, here is the irony. That phrase, love God, love people, is actually a summary of the law.
  3. The gospel is not the moral teachings of Jesus. Ok? Listen to this one carefully, especially those of us who live in home school circles, because you hear this one a lot. The gospel is all of the moral teachings of Jesus. The third option today is to treat the ethical teaching of Jesus found in the gospel as the gospel. Yet it is the ethical teaching of Jesus abstracted from the passion and resurrection narrative found in each gospel. Think about this for a moment. If we say that the gospel is all the moral teachings of Jesus found in the gospels, then here is what we have said. You see, God in the Old Testament gave us a law, but that law either wasn’t righteous enough, wasn’t clear enough or wasn’t effective enough. So Jesus came and gave us another law so that that one could be kept, because our problem wasn’t us. It was God. Made a mistake the first time, had to come correct it. The first law didn’t work, gave us another law. All that stuff about his Son dying, don’t know how that fits into this mindset if all he came was to just give us another law. Folks, that is not the gospel.
  4. The Gospel is God-centered, Christ-centered, and Grace-centered.

OT | Consecration of the Firstborn

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Christ in Gethsemane by Heinrich Hofmann

Christ in Gethsemane by Heinrich Hofmann

Last week, in our Old Testament Study, we looked at The Passover Lamb  in Exodus 12 and how it points to Christ as explained in Hebrews. This week, we will move ahead in Exodus to see how the consecration of the firstborn of Israel also continues to point to the Messiah, Jesus the Christ, Son of the Living God.

 

Consecration of the Firstborn

Exodus 13 (ESV) | Consecration of the Firstborn

13 The Lord said to Moses, 2 “Consecrate to me all the firstborn. Whatever is the first to open the womb among the people of Israel, both of man and of beast, is mine.”

The Feast of Unleavened Bread

3 Then Moses said to the people, “Remember this day in which you came out from Egypt, out of the house of slavery, for by a strong hand the Lord brought you out from this place. No leavened bread shall be eaten. 4 Today, in the month of Abib, you are going out.5 And when the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, the Hittites, the Amorites, the Hivites, and the Jebusites, which he swore to your fathers to give you, a land flowing with milk and honey, you shall keep this service in this month. 6 Seven days you shall eat unleavened bread, and on the seventh day there shall be a feast to the Lord. 7 Unleavened bread shall be eaten for seven days; no leavened bread shall be seen with you, and no leaven shall be seen with you in all your territory. 8 You shall tell your son on that day, ‘It is because of what the Lord did for me when I came out of Egypt.’ 9 And it shall be to you as a sign on your hand and as a memorial between your eyes, that the law of the Lordmay be in your mouth. For with a strong hand the Lord has brought you out of Egypt.10 You shall therefore keep this statute at its appointed time from year to year.

11 “When the Lord brings you into the land of the Canaanites, as he swore to you and your fathers, and shall give it to you, 12 you shall set apart to the Lord all that first opens the womb. All the firstborn of your animals that are males shall be the Lord‘s. 13 Every firstborn of a donkey you shall redeem with a lamb, or if you will not redeem it you shall break its neck. Every firstborn of man among your sons you shall redeem. 14 And when in time to come your son asks you, ‘What does this mean?’ you shall say to him, ‘By a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt, from the house of slavery. 15 For when Pharaoh stubbornly refused to let us go, the Lord killed all the firstborn in the land of Egypt, both the firstborn of man and the firstborn of animals. Therefore I sacrifice to the Lord all the males that first open the womb, but all the firstborn of my sons I redeem.’16 It shall be as a mark on your hand or frontlets between your eyes, for by a strong hand the Lord brought us out of Egypt.”

Here we again see that God is instituting a statute of reminder for the people in that context, and we also see a shadow of God’s coming Salvation, the promised seed that would crush the head of the serpent. As with the feast of unleavened bread, the offering of a sacrificial lamb for the redemption of the firstborn is to serve as a reminder of what God has done for Israel, and for what He will do for Creation. The latter might be more difficult to see since what takes place here is a shadow of things to come. As always, to rightly understand the Old Testament, we need to draw our understanding from the New Testament. There are two key terms or concepts that connect this statute of the Law to the Gospel of Jesus Christ: Redemption and Firstborn.

Redemption. Now, in our culture we feel we have an understanding of the concept of redemption. When a store issues us a 25% off coupon, we know that if we decide to shop at that store and present the coupon, the redemption of which means that the store pays for 25% of the item, and we pay only 75%. The store redeems the coupon by paying for (or absorbing the cost of) the discount. But this is a poor explanation for the concept of our redemption. What we have here is a declaration that every firstborn belongs to God. Either it is redeemed by an atoning sacrifice of a lamb, or it must die. Clearly, this is only expected for livestock as all male children must be redeemed and not killed. Still the statute remains as both a reminder and a promise.

Firstborn. As soon as Adam sinned, and he and his wife were made aware of their nakedness in sin, blood was shed to cover their nakedness. This animal sacrifice was not enough to fully redeem Adam (the man, or all of mankind). God promised a seed of woman would crush the head of the serpent. We saw last week that the Passover Lamb pointed to Christ. Now we see that the Lamb is needed to redeem the firstborn. But we also know that Jesus is the firstborn (John 3:16-18) Son of God. Jesus is both the firstborn (that belongs to God) AND the sacrificial Passover Lamb. Now, there was no way of knowing this was God’s plan for redeeming all of mankind at this point, for God will continue to reveal His plan throughout the Law and the Prophets. For now, this is a statute of the Law set as a reminder of His favor, His love, His Grace, and His Mercy for the children of Israel. Let us now look at how the New Testament writers drew their understanding of the Law under the inspiration of God the Holy Spirit with the Gospel of the Cross as their focal point.

Ephesians 1:3-10 (ESV) 

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us in Christ with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places, 4 even as he chose us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him. In love 5 he predestined us for adoption as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will, 6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight 9 making known to us the mystery of his will, according to his purpose, which he set forth in Christ10 as a plan for the fullness of time, to unite all things in him, things in heaven and things on earth.

Colossians 1:15-23 (ESV) | Preeminence of Christ

15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. 19 For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.

21 And you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, 22 he has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, 23 if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven, and of which I, Paul, became a minister.

Hebrews 9:11-28 (ESV) | Redemption Through the Blood of Christ

11 But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things that have come, then through the greater and more perfect tent (not made with hands, that is, not of this creation) 12 he entered once for all into the holy places, not by means of the blood of goats and calves but by means of his own blood, thus securing an eternal redemption.13 For if the blood of goats and bulls, and the sprinkling of defiled persons with the ashes of a heifer, sanctify for the purification of the flesh, 14 how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve the living God.

15 Therefore he is the mediator of a new covenant, so that those who are called may receive the promised eternal inheritance, since a death has occurred that redeems them from the transgressions committed under the first covenant. 16 For where a will is involved, the death of the one who made it must be established. 17 For a will takes effect only at death, since it is not in force as long as the one who made it is alive. 18 Therefore not even the first covenant was inaugurated without blood. 19 For when every commandment of the law had been declared by Moses to all the people, he took the blood of calves and goats, with water and scarlet wool and hyssop, and sprinkled both the book itself and all the people, 20 saying, “This is the blood of the covenant that God commanded for you.” 21 And in the same way he sprinkled with the blood both the tent and all the vessels used in worship. 22 Indeed, under the law almost everything is purified with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sins.

23 Thus it was necessary for the copies of the heavenly things to be purified with these rites, but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these. 24 For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf. 25 Nor was it to offer himself repeatedly, as the high priest enters the holy places every year with blood not his own, 26 for then he would have had to suffer repeatedly since the foundation of the world. But as it is, he has appeared once for all at the end of the ages to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself. 27 And just as it is appointed for man to die once, and after that comes judgment, 28 so Christ, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time, not to deal with sin but to save those who are eagerly waiting for him.

All praise, glory, and honor be to the our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. This week’s reading is a bit short because I want to save the crossing of the Red Sea for next week. For now, let us close this post with the realization and understanding that we, who are in Christ Jesus, have been fully redeemed by God in the sacrifice of the spotless Lamb of God, Jesus Christ, on the cross. By His blood you have been redeemed, once and for all. Remain in Him, holding firmly by faith to the promise of the inheritance of eternal life with Christ.

We will continue studying the Exodus and how it points to the redemptive work of Jesus Christ. I do hope you will join us again. if you have any questions or comments, please feel free to share.

Romans 16:25-27 (ESV) 25 Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages 26 but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith— 27 to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.

May the Grace of God be with you today and always,
In Christ Jesus,
Jorge

Gospel Wednesday | Ephesians 4-5

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bibleWelcome back to our Gospel Wednesday series. Last week we took a look at Ephesians 1-3 and we learned about the context of the Apostle Paul’s letter to the Church in Ephesus.  While Paul does a wonderful job of summarizing the Gospel to the elders, he does so by way of reminder of what he had already spent 3 years teaching them in person. Chapter 3 closes with a wonderful prayer, but Paul is not yet finished with his letter, so today we will continue reading in Chapter 4.

Unity in the Body of Christ

There are a lot of books and conferences on how Christians are supposed to live their lives now that they have been Saved from their just punishment of hell. Some good, and some not very good at all. Before jumping into one of those guides or studies, let’s see what the Word of God emphasizes for His Body, the Church. First and foremost, as a born-again believer, you’ve been brought into the Body of Christ, His body. While it may have taken place in a specific church congregation, your place in the Body of Christ is much bigger than the 4 walls and local leadership of your church. When we talk about Unity here, don’t limit your understanding to just your local membership to a congregation; rather, understand that our Unity is in Christ and His Word (Law and Gospel). We assemble with the brethren for the building up of the Body of Christ, to the maturing of the Saints. Unity in Christ isn’t defined by your local body of elders, nor by your church covenants, it is defined by the Word of God, for Christ is the Head of His Church.

Ephesians 4 (ESV)| Unity in the Body of Christ

1 I therefore, a prisoner for the Lord, urge you to walk in a manner worthy of the calling to which you have been called, 2 with all humility and gentleness, with patience, bearing with one another in love, 3 eager to maintain the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace.4 There is one body and one Spirit—just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call— 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. 7 But grace was given to each one of us according to the measure of Christ’s gift. 8 Therefore it says,

“When he ascended on high he led a host of captives,
    and he gave gifts to men.”

9 (In saying, “He ascended,” what does it mean but that he had also descended into the lower regions, the earth? 10 He who descended is the one who also ascended far above all the heavens, that he might fill all things.) 11 And he gave the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, the shepherds and teachers, 12 to equip the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, 13 until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, 14 so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes. 15 Rather, speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in every way into him who is the head, into Christ, 16 from whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love.

When we think about our modern-day church, it might seem difficult to fathom verse 5, that there is One Lord, One faith, and One baptism. When we focus in on our denomination, how lovingly are those of a different denomination portrayed? One Faith. Yes, there are a lot of major differences between Pentecostalism and Reformed, but they can’t both be completely right because there is only One Faith. The One Faith comes from the One Spirit (verse 4) and everything we know of God is by His Word. There is the ultimate standard of Truth, the Word of God. However, unity in the Body of Christ demands that we speak to our brothers and sisters in the Body of Christ with ALL humility, gentleness, patience and love. We have no right to vilify our brothers who do not agree with us. There is a difference between having a different understanding and holding to False Doctrine. Scripture exposes false doctrine, and we are never to accept or tolerate false doctrine, nor are we to allow any doctrines of men to rise to the level of Scripture.

Once we have been born again, made alive in Christ by grace, through faith granted as a gift from God by His Word, we need to grow in Christ so that we will no longer be children, easily mislead. Such growth isn’t a mystical endeavor filled with “spiritual trial and error”, it is a very real study and understanding of God’s Word, learning from the teachers and shepherds of the flock and studying the works of the Apostles and Prophets as recorded in Scripture.

Ephesians 4:17-32 (ESV) | The New Life

17 Now this I say and testify in the Lord, that you must no longer walk as the Gentiles do,in the futility of their minds. 18 They are darkened in their understanding, alienated from the life of God because of the ignorance that is in them, due to their hardness of heart.19 They have become callous and have given themselves up to sensuality, greedy to practice every kind of impurity.20 But that is not the way you learned Christ!—21 assuming that you have heard about him and were taught in him, as the truth is in Jesus, 22 to put off your old self, which belongs to your former manner of life and is corrupt through deceitful desires, 23 and to be renewed in the spirit of your minds, 24 and to put on the new self, created after the likeness of God in true righteousness and holiness.

25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbor, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. 28 Let the thief no longer steal, but rather let him labor, doing honest work with his own hands, so that he may have something to share with anyone in need. 29 Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice.32 Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you.

Our conduct should be an outward expression of our faith in Jesus Christ. For just as He has called us out of the world, and made the way for such by His Blood, by faith we are to walk in the Spirit of God rather than by our sinful flesh. If this thought worries you, remember the cross. We do not earn forgiveness, nor do we earn salvation, nor are we sanctified by our own works. To put off your old-self will be a daily, lifelong pursuit as long as we continue in this fallen flesh. No matter how much you grow in Christ, you will not outgrow the need to repent and be forgiven until the Day of Christ’s Return, when death will finally be defeated and we will all will be given new bodies, free from sin and the curse of death. We must always bear the fruit of repentance, and know that in Christ (and ONLY in Christ) there is the forgiveness of sin.

The putting on of the new self is done bit by bit, and not perfectly as long as we live here in this fallen world. As you learn the Scriptures, the Testimony of the Goodness of God, the Holy Spirit will give you understanding. Paul is echoing some of the basics as a reminder, put away falsehood by speaking the truth (You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor), let the thief no longer steal, but let him work honestly (You shall not steal), don’t sin in your anger (emotion) and settle the matter (particularly your anger) that same day, so the devil doesn’t have an opportunity to tempt you to bitterness and murder. Paul isn’t just giving a brand new list of commandments for Christians to obey in order to be righteous. None of these qualities are new to the Scriptures, but the Gospel of Jesus Christ means that the wrath of God (the righteous and just punishment for falling short of the Law) has already been poured out onto Jesus Christ in our place. In Him we are forgiven already, and by Him we are made free to walk in His Ways. Let’s explore this further in the next chapter.

Ephesians 5 (ESV) | Walk in Love

5 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. 2 And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God.

3 But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. 4 Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. 5 For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. 6 Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. 7 Therefore do not become partners with them; 8 for at one time you were darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light 9 (for the fruit of light is found in all that is good and right and true), 10 and try to discern what is pleasing to the Lord. 11 Take no part in the unfruitful works of darkness, but instead expose them. 12 For it is shameful even to speak of the things that they do in secret.13 But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible, 14 for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says,

“Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

15 Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, 16 making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. 17 Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. 18 And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, 19 addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, 20 giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, 21 submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.

Notice here that the Law is still the Law. The Law still identifies sin, and our flesh still desires sin. Sin still brings death (for we know we still face a physical death and after that judgement) under the Law. Our freedom from the Law is in Christ and as such cannot be separated from Christ. Christ fulfilled the Law perfectly and then laid down His life anyway taking the full punishment for our sake. We are vulnerable when we sin, and we dare not continue in sin for fear of making shipwreck of our faith. Expose sin, and don’t take part in it. This is particularly tough considering our flesh and its addiction to corruption. Immature Christians often invoke the devil as the root of their sin, but in truth they are simply obeying the cravings of the flesh rather than casting it off. I think it is helpful to think about alcohol, nicotine, or even caffeine addiction. The body craves these chemicals it has grown to love and will fight to convince you its a good idea, that it’s what you really want. The flesh does this to us with all sin. We don’t all have the exact same failings, but we are all the same in that we have all failed. Therefore, as brothers and sisters in Christ, we are to look after each other, in love, being ever mindful that none of us is made righteous by our own actions or endeavors, but by the Grace of God.

Next week, we’ll close out Paul’s letter to the Ephesians as he breaks down key relationships and their application to the Christian walk. Each of these are important and central to the Kingdom of Heaven so I’m excited to dive into them next week. For now, let us focus on how we are living our lives hour-by-hour and day-by-day. All men and women are sinful, the question is whether or not you remain repentant of your sin and ask God for forgiveness. The focus must be on the Cross, for had He not laid down His life for us, forgiveness would not be available to us. But because Christ came and died and rose again, we who believe in Him have everlasting life. In Christ, we have no right to attack our brothers and sisters, to speak falsely to our neighbor, nor to sin against them… we who are in Christ should treat others in a manner that is in keeping with our faith in Jesus Christ. As our Faith grows (by hearing the words of Christ) our walk will improve as an extension of our faith, and so we will grow in the Unity of the Body of Christ.

1 John 1 (ESV) | The Word of Life

1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life— 2 the life was made manifest, and we have seen it, and testify to it and proclaim to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was made manifest to us— 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 4 And we are writing these things so that our joy may be complete.

Walking in the Light

5 This is the message we have heard from him and proclaim to you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all. 6 If we say we have fellowship with him while we walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. 7 But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin. 8 If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9 If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. 10 If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.

In closing, let us revisit Paul’s written prayer in Ephesians 3.

Ephesians 3:14-21 (ESV) 

14 For this reason I bow my knees before the Father, 15 from whom every family in heaven and on earth is named, 16 that according to the riches of his glory he may grant you to be strengthened with power through his Spirit in your inner being, 17 so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith—that you, being rooted and grounded in love, 18 may have strength to comprehend with all the saints what is the breadth and length and height and depth, 19 and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.

20 Now to him who is able to do far more abundantly than all that we ask or think,according to the power at work within us, 21 to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, forever and ever. Amen.

Amen, indeed.
In Christ Jesus,

Jorge