Coffee by Gary Rose

 

I like coffee. Coffee has been on my mind lately, as yesterday, a friendly neighbor gave me a Keurig pod of a type of coffee called Espresso. This was a special Italian dark brew and WOW was it just about the strongest coffee I have ever had in my life!

Like I have already said, I have been thinking a lot about coffee lately, so when I saw this picture, I had to use it in a post, so, I put a 3D frame and then a regular frame around it just to emphasize its importance. Admittedly, this picture is not perfect ( no period after the last “e” ) but I like what it says and so what, very little I do comes even close to being perfect. But my efforts aren’t really that important, but the message is: Christ Offers Forgiveness For Everyone Everywhere! No matter who you are, no matter where you are, forgiveness is offered to you.

Recently, I was in church and I saw a presentation on the video screens that listed all the “greatest” attributes of John 3:16. I wish I could remember them all, but I can’t. Instead, I thought I would list a number of translations for comparison study. I read them all and personally, I like Young’s Literal Translation the best, followed by The Emphasized Bible by Rotherham. BUT, they all convey the message of the abbreviation in the picture, so your choice is just as good as mine. Actually, the best choice is probably one of the Greek presentations, but my Greek is a little fuzzy these days, so I will leave the minute emphasis of that language up to the scholars. I hope you enjoy thinking about the message of John 3:16 ( in English ), for one could easily spend hours upon hours taking in all the greatness of it!

The Bible says...

John 3 ( World English Bible )

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3 ( American Standard Bible )

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth on him should not perish, but have eternal life.

John 3 ( Webster Bible )

¹⁶ For God so loved the world, that he gave his only-begotten Son, that whoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life.

John 3 ( Disciples Literal New Testament )

¹⁶ “For God so loved the world that He gave His only-born Son, in order that everyone believing in Him may not perish, but may have eternal life.

John 3 ( Emphasized Bible - Rotherham )

¹⁶ For God, so loved, the world, that, his Only Begotten Son, he gave,––that, whosoever believeth on him, might not perish, but have life age–abiding. ( Emphasis by Gary )

John 3 ( Holman Christian Standard Bible )

¹⁶ “For God loved the world in this way: He gave His One and Only Son, so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but have eternal life.

John 3 ( Young’s Literal Translation )

¹⁶ for God did so love the world, that His Son--the only begotten--He gave, that every one who is believing in him may not perish, but may have life age-during. ( Emphasis by Gary )

John 3 ( Literal Standard Version )

¹⁶ for God so loved the world that He gave the only begotten Son, that everyone who is believing in Him may not perish, but may have continuous life.

John 3 ( King James Version [ + Strong’s numbers] )

¹⁶ For ^G1063 God ^G2316 so ^G3779 loved ^G25 the world ^G2889, that ^G5620 he gave ^G1325 his ^G846 only begotten ^G3439 Son ^G5207, that ^G2443 whosoever ^G3956 believeth ^G4100 in ^G1519 him ^G846 should ^G622 not ^G3361 perish ^G622, but ^G235 have ^G2192 everlasting ^G166 life ^G2222.

John 3 ( Byzantine Greek New Testament )

16 ουτως γαρ ηγαπησεν ο θεος τον κοσμον ωστε τον υιον αυτου τον μονογενη εδωκεν ινα πας ο πιστευων εις αυτον μη αποληται αλλ εχη ζωην αιωνιον

John 3 ( Apostolic Bible Polyglot )

God Loves the World


16 ούτω γαρ ηγάπησεν ο θεός τον κόσμον ώστε τον υιόν αυτού τον μονογενή έδωκεν ίνα πας ο πιστεύων εις αυτόν μη απόληται αλλ΄ έχη ζωήν αιώνιον

I know, I know, perhaps listing the Greek texts was a bit too much. Please forgive me for that, but if you do know Greek, then you will be doubly blessed.

What really is important though, is that you take a little time and think about how God loves you, whoever you are, whatever you have done in your entire life. I have… and its humbling to the extreme!

Your friend because of Christ,

Gary Rose

Fortitude by Gary Rose

 

Now, there is one tough frog! Imagine, being in the process of being eaten alive and still having the fortitude to fight back. Obviously, that bird is much bigger and has his prey right where he wants him; but does he really? Froggy may still be getting some air, but I wonder how long “big bird” can survive under froggy’s counter attack. I have no information on exactly who wins, but somehow I think froggy will, because he has genuine fortitude.

In this world, governments will crush all those who oppose them. Face it, the system is powerful; beware when the government offers to help, for in truth it will ultimately only further its own interests.

Jesus was ( is ) no weakling. He opposed ( and still is opposing ) evil in all its myriad forms. His weapons have always been those of reason, sometimes couched in the form of parables. And when evil people perceived that Jesus was speaking about them, they did everything they could to destroy him.

Consider the following...

Matthew 21 ( World English Bible )

⁴⁵ When the chief priests and the Pharisees heard his parables, they perceived that he spoke about them.

⁴⁶ When they sought to seize him, they feared the multitudes, because they considered him to be a prophet. ( Emphasis added- Gary )

Matthew 22 ( WEB )

¹ Jesus answered and spoke again in parables to them, saying,

² “The Kingdom of Heaven is like a certain king, who made a marriage feast for his son,

³ and sent out his servants to call those who were invited to the marriage feast, but they would not come.

⁴ Again he sent out other servants, saying, ‘Tell those who are invited, “Behold, I have prepared my dinner. My cattle and my fatlings are killed, and all things are ready. Come to the marriage feast!”’

⁵ But they made light of it, and went their ways, one to his own farm, another to his merchandise,

⁶ and the rest grabbed his servants, and treated them shamefully, and killed them.

⁷ When the king heard that, he was angry, and sent his armies, destroyed those murderers, and burned their city.

⁸ “Then he said to his servants, ‘The wedding is ready, but those who were invited weren’t worthy.

⁹ Go therefore to the intersections of the highways, and as many as you may find, invite to the marriage feast.’

¹⁰ Those servants went out into the highways, and gathered together as many as they found, both bad and good. The wedding was filled with guests.

¹¹ But when the king came in to see the guests, he saw there a man who didn’t have on wedding clothing,

¹² and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.

¹³ Then the king said to the servants, ‘Bind him hand and foot, take him away, and throw him into the outer darkness; there is where the weeping and grinding of teeth will be.’

¹⁴ For many are called, but few chosen.”

¹⁵ Then the Pharisees went and took counsel how they might entrap him in his talk.

¹⁶ They sent their disciples to him, along with the Herodians, saying, “Teacher, we know that you are honest, and teach the way of God in truth, no matter whom you teach, for you aren’t partial to anyone.

¹⁷ Tell us therefore, what do you think? Is it lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, or not?”

¹⁸ But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, “Why do you test me, you hypocrites?

¹⁹ Show me the tax money.” They brought to him a denarius.

²⁰ He asked them, “Whose is this image and inscription?”

²¹ They said to him, “Caesar’s.” Then he said to them, “Give therefore to Caesar the things that are Caesar’s, and to God the things that are God’s.”

²² When they heard it, they marveled, and left him, and went away.

²³ On that day Sadducees (those who say that there is no resurrection) came to him. They asked him,

²⁴ saying, “Teacher, Moses said, ‘If a man dies, having no children, his brother shall marry his wife, and raise up seed for his brother.’

²⁵ Now there were with us seven brothers. The first married and died, and having no seed left his wife to his brother.

²⁶ In the same way, the second also, and the third, to the seventh.

²⁷ After them all, the woman died.

²⁸ In the resurrection therefore, whose wife will she be of the seven? For they all had her.”

²⁹ But Jesus answered them, “You are mistaken, not knowing the Scriptures, nor the power of God.

³⁰ For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are like God’s angels in heaven.

³¹ But concerning the resurrection of the dead, haven’t you read that which was spoken to you by God, saying,

³² ‘I am the God of Abraham, and the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob?’ God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.”

³³ When the multitudes heard it, they were astonished at his teaching.

³⁴ But the Pharisees, when they heard that he had silenced the Sadducees, gathered themselves together.

³⁵ One of them, a lawyer, asked him a question, testing him.

³⁶ “Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the law?”

³⁷ Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’

³⁸ This is the first and great commandment.

³⁹ A second likewise is this, ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’

⁴⁰ The whole law and the prophets depend on these two commandments.”

⁴¹ Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question,

⁴² saying, “What do you think of the Christ? Whose son is he?” They said to him, “Of David.”

⁴³ He said to them, “How then does David in the Spirit call him Lord, saying,

⁴⁴ ‘The Lord said to my Lord, sit on my right hand, until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet?’

⁴⁵ “If then David calls him Lord, how is he his son?”

⁴⁶ No one was able to answer him a word, neither did any man dare ask him any more questions from that day forth. ( Emphasis added - Gary )

Make no mistake, the people who opposed Jesus knew what the law of Moses said. Most of them had studied it for years and were quite educated. Yet, for all their education, they failed to understand the true meaning of the Scriptures. They were lost and didn’t even realize that they were. They tried to defeat Jesus’ teachings, but failed. Today is no different, for Jesus’ understanding of the Scriptures stands today as perfection.

May we all be blessed with the fortitude to confront all who oppose Jesus and succeed in defeating false teaching or ungodly attitudes wherever we may encounter them!

ps. Remember to pray for that frog!

"Who I am?" by Gary Rose

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kln_bIndDJg

The Logical Song

Note: Click on the audio above to hear “The Logical Song” or paste the above link into your browser to watch the video on YouTube.

“The Logical Song” is really a misnomer. The Singer-Songwriter questions his life of mankind’s wisdom and longs for true identity for as he puts it “Who I am”? In a world ruled by the status of money, power and educational level, the thinking man considers the value of such a world and his part in it. Is what this world of man’s wisdom considers valuable really worthwhile? Is it true that he who has all the marbles wins? I think NOT, for ultimately all human beings who live will die and then what? All the things they have acquired will be given to others. After time has passed, even the very memory of their life will be forgotten, so what’s the point of life? Is it really wealth, power or intellectual attainment? Again, I think NOT!

Consider the intangible things of this life. What is true wisdom, love, knowledge and genuine life? Those who desire to understand such things will only find worthwhile answers when they humbly acknowledge their inability to comprehend and turn to God for answers.

The Bible says...

1 Corinthians 1 ( World English Bible )

¹⁸ For the word of the cross is foolishness to those who are dying, but to us who are saved it is the power of God.

¹⁹ For it is written, “I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, I will bring the discernment of the discerning to nothing.”

²⁰ Where is the wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the lawyer of this world? Hasn’t God made foolish the wisdom of this world?

²¹ For seeing that in the wisdom of God, the world through its wisdom didn’t know God, it was God’s good pleasure through the foolishness of the preaching to save those who believe.

²² For Jews ask for signs, Greeks seek after wisdom,

²³ but we preach Christ crucified; a stumbling block to Jews, and foolishness to Greeks,

²⁴ but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God.

²⁵ Because the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.

²⁶ For you see your calling, brothers, that not many are wise according to the flesh, not many mighty, and not many noble;

²⁷ but God chose the foolish things of the world that he might put to shame those who are wise. God chose the weak things of the world, that he might put to shame the things that are strong;

²⁸ and God chose the lowly things of the world, and the things that are despised, and the things that are not, that he might bring to nothing the things that are:

²⁹ that no flesh should boast before God.

³⁰ But of him, you are in Christ Jesus, who was made to us wisdom from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption:

³¹ that, according as it is written, “He who boasts, let him boast in the Lord.”

Isaiah 55 ( WEB )

⁶ Seek Yahweh while he may be found; call you on him while he is near:

⁷ let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to Yahweh, and he will have mercy on him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

⁸ “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” says Yahweh.

⁹ “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.

¹⁰ For as the rain comes down and the snow from the sky, and doesn’t return there, but waters the earth, and makes it bring forth and bud, and gives seed to the sower and bread to the eater;

¹¹ so shall my word be that goes forth out of my mouth: it shall not return to me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing I sent it to do.

Ecclesiastes 11 ( WEB )

¹¹ The words of the wise are like goads; and like nails well fastened are words from the masters of assemblies, which are given from one shepherd.

¹² Furthermore, my son, be admonished: of making many books there is no end; and much study is a weariness of the flesh.

¹³ This is the end of the matter. All has been heard. Fear God, and keep his commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.

¹⁴ For God will bring every work into judgment, with every hidden thing, whether it is good, or whether it is evil.

We live in a world where all society has steadily begun to reject God and all that HE stands for. The result of this is that society has begun to crumble. Man’s wisdom is indeed foolishness and that foolishness ultimately leads to destruction.

The only true answer to “Who I am?” is found in God. The verses of Isaiah 55:6-9 and Ecclesiastes 12:13f are true. Seek God and live, for the end of the matter is that God is truly in control and eventually everyone who has ever lived will answer to HIM for their actions.

“Who I am?” is a question that defines us all. If we belong to Christ and continually acknowledge him as savior then at the judgment we will be rewarded, if not, then our “wise” choices will lead to destruction.

I choose Christ, what do you choose?

 

3 Great Reasons To Read Your Bible by Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

 

https://thepreachersword.com/2017/04/20/3-great-reasons-to-read-your-bible/#more-10556

3 Great Reasons To Read Your Bible

 Last week while returning home alone from Lafayette, Louisiana (Yes, I left Norma Jean to enjoy our new granddaughter), I was listening to music, reading road signs and generally anything to stay mentally alert.

Somewhere along I-20, I noticed this billboard with a great message.

People read the Bible for many different reasons. Some read out of a rote habit of daily Bible reading. Some to reinforce what they already believe. Others for devotion and inspiration. And some may simply read out of obligation because that’s what good Christians do.

This road side message succinctly offers three really good reasons for regular Bible reading.

(1) Read Your Bible to Learn the Truth.

While many today deny there is anything called absolute Truth, Jesus Christ prayed to the Father for future believers, “Sanctify them by your Word. Your Word is Truth (Jn 17:17).

Truth originates and emanates from Jehovah God. The Psalmist acknowledged this when he wrote, “Lead me in Your truth and teach me,
For You are the God of my salvation. On You I wait all the day” (Ps 25:5).

However, you cannot read scriptures in isolation from one another and expect to learn the truth. The sum of God’s Word is Truth (Ps 119:160). To understand the truth requires diligent study. Thorough examination. And honest evaluation.

Truth is further illuminated in the person of Jesus. He affirmed, “I am the Truth.” His message, ministry and model for living provides us reliable access to the Father. In fact, He’s the only way to the Father (Jn 14:6).

To paraphrase C. S. Lewis, if you’re reading the Bible to learn the truth, you will find truth and comfort. But if you’re just reading for comfort, you may miss both truth and comfort.

(2) Read Your Bible to receive Divine Wisdom.

There are two kinds of wisdom. Worldly wisdom and Divine wisdom. The wisdom of the world is carnal. It’s steeped in the erudition of human experience. It’s often arrogant. Godless. And self serving. Like those in ancient Greece who dismissed the gospel as simplistic and foolish (1 Cor 1:18-31).

Divine wisdom is rooted in the character of God, demonstrated in the life of Christ and revealed in the Bible. Jesus’ brother, James, describes it this way. “But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, willing to yield, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality and without hypocrisy” (Jas 3:17).

It’s the wisdom of the Word that practices purity. Elevates morality. Respects life. Honors the Creator. Loves without hypocrisy. Hates wickedness. And treats others with kindness and geniality.

Reading the Bible and practicing its percepts will provide insight, understanding and wisdom to live and enjoy life in all its fullness.

(3) Read Your Bible to Fortify Your Hope.

G. K.Chesterton wrote that “hope means hoping when everything seems hopeless.” Our world is often a dark and dismal place. Wickedness abounds. Perversion is pervasive. And disrespect for Christian values seems to be increasing.

Yet, the Bible offers us hope. Hope in God’s promises. Hope in a brighter tomorrow. Hope for the soul. Hope for a “new heaven and a new earth in which righteousness dwells” (2 Pet. 3:13).

Indeed our hope is “an anchor of the soul” that provides safety and security during the storms of life. Without the Bible, we would be adrift on the sea of life without hope.

Read the Bible. It’s God’s Word. It will provide all that you need for life and godliness (2 Pet 1:3-4).

Truth.

Wisdom.

Hope.

–Ken Weliever, The Preacherman

“Not Under Law, But Grace” by Dave Miller, Ph.D.

 

https://apologeticspress.org/not-under-law-but-grace/

“Not Under Law, But Grace”

Dave Miller, Ph.D.

Denominationalism Doctrinal Matters Grace Salvation

Concomitant with the culture-wide propensity to celebrate subjectivity, diversity, and antinomianism is the inclination within Christendom to juxtapose law and grace, denigrating the former and extoling the latter. Inherent within this tendency is the distorted definitions that accompany each term. “Law” is depicted as any restrictive, dictatorial restraint placed on human beings. “Grace” is consequently represented as the opposite of law, i.e., the freedom to be unrestrained by strictures, requirements, or commandments. This sinister ideology has permeated Western civilization, resulting in a dramatic upsurge in lawlessness in society and disrespect for law enforcement. This cultural inclination has cut a wide swath across Christendom, opening an avenue by which skeptics can charge the Bible with contradiction since the same God Who authored the biblical law they vilify also authored the “grace” to which they cling. It has dramatically influenced many Christians to sever themselves from a sense of obligation to conform to the external forms of worship characterized in the New Testament in exchange for an endless variety of manmade innovations and inventions that are deemed sincere human expressions that arise from the heart unfettered by a sense of moral obligation.

This mentality insists that, while the central components of the Christian religion (1 Corinthians 15:3-4) are to remain intact, beyond those few “essentials,” worshippers are free to express themselves in accordance with their own heartfelt motions. Indeed, the worshipper is completely free in this regard, as long as no Scripture expressly forbids the motion. One of, if not the primary, justification for this antinomian spirit are those Bible passages that seem on the surface to denigrate law, speaking of it in negative terms as if it is to be treated suspiciously, if not brushed aside altogether. For example, Paul declared to Christians in Rome: “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (6:14). This statement is interpreted by “grace only” advocates as: “Since God’s grace covers you, you must not worry about law-keeping!” But, in context, Paul was saying that since Christians have (1) renounced living a lifestyle of sinning without compunction, and (2) have obeyed the Gospel, they have placed themselves under a grace system (that provides forgiveness), rather than a strictly legal system that, by its very purpose, can only condemn. Verses 15-16 explains that just because we are under a grace system that provides forgiveness, we should not continue to live a life of sin like we did before we obeyed. To continue to live a life of sin, like we did before we obeyed the Gospel, would be to return to slavery—when we were slaves to sin.

A similar verse that is used to bolster the “no law” viewpoint is found among Paul’s remarks to the Galatian churches: “But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law” (Galatians 5:18). Keep in mind that Paul’s letters to the Romans and Galatians address some of the same subject matter. In both letters, he makes the point that laws from God—whether those given to the Jews through Moses or those given by God to non-Jews from the Garden forward—result in condemnation when they are violated. God’s laws are intended to provide spiritual life (Romans 7:10; 10:5; Leviticus 18:5; Ezekiel 20:11,13). But once God’s law is violated, the law does not contain within itself the means by which the lawbreaker may be exonerated. All law can do is condemn you and state the punishment due for breaking law. But that does not mean that God’s laws are bad or negative! All of God’s laws are positive and good since they usher forth from God’s perfect nature. It took God stepping in to provide something in addition to law in order for the sinner to be rescued. So when Paul says we are not under law, he means we are not under law alone. Embracing the Gospel and the grace/forgiveness available via Christ enables us to be rescued—not from law—but from “the curse of the law” (Galatians 3:13). That is, He took our sins on Himself. He absorbed and made provision for satisfying the penalty of the law by dying in our behalf: “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

Another misapplied passage is the statement that John set forth in his gospel account: “For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). This verse is often misinterpreted to mean we are not under law, since grace and truth exclude or eliminate law. This view is incorrect on three counts: (1) the law of Moses did not exclude truth. The psalmist declared concerning the law of Moses: “Your righteousness is an everlasting righteousness, and Your law is truth…. The entirety of Your word is truth” (Psalm 119:142,160); (2) God’s grace was available throughout the Old Testament: “Noah found grace in the eyes of the Lord” (Genesis 6:8). Moses found grace in God’s sight (Exodus 33:17). Ezra explained to the returning exiles that “now for a little while grace has been shown from the LORD our God” (Ezra 9:8). And the psalmist insisted that the LORD gives grace to those who walk uprightly (Psalm 84:11). (3) Christianity does not exclude law. Paul referred to the “law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2) and the “law towards Christ” (1 Corinthians 9:21). James alluded to the “law of liberty” (James 1:25) and “the royal law” (James 6:2). Hence, the meaning of John 1:17 lies in the fact that, though God’s law through Moses was intended for the good of its recipients (Deuteronomy 6:24; 10:13), nevertheless, that law was never intended to be the solution to sin. From eternity, God intended for the forgiveness of sin, i.e., “grace,” to be available only via the atoning sacrifice of Christ, i.e., the Gospel.

Definition

What, precisely, is the meaning of the word “grace”? The underlying Greek term charis has as its essential meaning “favor.” Danker identifies the following shades of meaning for the word—keeping in mind that the italicized words in the following delineations are intended to be the actual definitions (sample verses are included for each shade):

1. “a winning quality or attractiveness that invites a favorable reaction, graciousness, attractiveness, charm, winsomeness.” Luke 4:22—“gracious words”; Colossians 4:6—“Let your speech always be with grace.”
2. “a beneficent disposition toward someone, favor, grace, gracious care/help, goodwill.” Luke 2:40—“the grace of God was upon Him”; Acts 11:26—“they had been commended to the grace of God for the work which they had completed.”
3. “practical application of goodwill, (a sign of) favor, gracious deed/gift, benefaction.” (a) by humans (Acts 24:27; 25:9—“wanting to do the Jews a favor”; 1 Corinthians 16:3; 2 Corinthians 8:4—“gift”; (b) by God (James 4:6b/1 Peter 5:5—“gives grace to the humble”).
4. “exceptional effect produced by generosity, favor.” 2 Corinthians 8:1—“the grace of God bestowed on the churches of Macedonia”; 2 Corinthians 12:9—“My grace is sufficient for you.”
5. “response to generosity or beneficence, thanks, gratitude.” Luke 17:9—“Does he thank that servant?”; 2 Timothy 1:3—“I thank God”; Hebrews 12:28—“let us have grace.”

To repeat, the essential meaning of charis as reflected in all five of these shades of meaning is “favor.”

Critical Clarification

God has given all human beings His law. All human beings are under divine obligation to obey that law. However, all human beings have broken that law. Hence, they are all rightly condemned. They have no means within themselves to achieve their own forgiveness. But God in His infinite goodness predetermined before He ever even created human beings to devise a plan for them to be forgiven. That plan consisted of sending Himself in the person of His Son to die and atone for sin. This redemptive scheme is, in fact, the grace of the New Testament and it has been presented to the world via the Gospel. This incredible provision in no way minimizes or eliminates the necessity of human beings devoting themselves to strict obedience to the laws of God. We are under divine obligation to (1) obey the Gospel (through faith, repentance, oral confession, and water immersion—Mark 16:16; Acts 2:38; Romans 10:9-10; Galatians 3:27) and (2) live a life of devoted conformity/obedience to the directives God has given for faithful living.

The “grace not law” mentality has misconstrued these concepts by advocating the notion that grace eliminates law, and that those who “live by grace” do not consider themselves under compulsion to give close attention to legal detail or to be concerned about law. They have been self-deluded into thinking that if they were to be concerned about law/legal restrictions, they would be guilty of “legalism” and failing to appreciate and live by “grace.” This sinister ideology is, in fact, dangerous and ultimately deadly to spiritual life. For example, a person may violate God’s laws governing marriage, divorce, and remarriage (Genesis 2:24; Malachi 2:16; Matthew 19:1-2; et al.) and entangle himself in an unscriptural, i.e., adulterous, marriage. The person who has embraced the “grace not law” theology will soothe and comfort himself by believing that “grace” enables him to remain in the marriage and God will simply forgive and brush aside his adultery. Never mind the fact that the law states plainly: “Now the works of the flesh are evident, which [include] adultery…which I tell you beforehand, just as I also told you in time past, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God” (Galatians 5:19-22) and the “sexually immoral…shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone” (Revelation 21:8). Grace does not excuse or accommodate a person in his violations of law; it merely enables him to be forgiven of his violations of law—if he repents. The “grace not law” viewpoint insists that one may continue to ignore law since we are under grace and law is no longer a relevant issue.

If “grace” is defined as “freedom from law,” it naturally follows that attention to legal detail becomes at the very least inappropriate and at most superfluous. Solomon well described the inevitable outcome of such thinking: “Where there is no revelation (i.e., law from God), the people cast off restraint; but happy is he who keeps the law” (Proverbs 29:18). The “grace not law” mindset would reword Solomon’s words: “Where there is no law, the people are freed from oppressive restriction to do what feels good, enjoying grace and relief from legalism.”

The hostility toward law that the “grace only” viewpoint engenders robs a person of the tremendous blessings afforded to those who respect and strive to conform to law: “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul; the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple; the statutes of the LORD are right, rejoicing the heart; the commandment of the LORD is pure, enlightening the eyes” (Psalm 19:7-8). Psalm 119 extols the grandeur and indispensability of law, standing as a marvelous reminder of the abundant blessings and positive contributions to human life available only via God’s laws, commandments, statutes, testimonies, and precepts. Indeed, the law was specifically intended by God to provide life (Deuteronomy 30:15-16; Leviticus 18:5; Psalm 119:50; Romans 7:10).

Grace in Romans

The book of Romans provides the New Testament canon with a clear thesis statement of God’s scheme of redemption: the Gospel is God’s powerful means for saving people (1:16). The term for “grace” (charis) occurs 25 times in the book. Twice it is used by Paul to refer to his apostleship that was bestowed upon him by God—“the grace given to me” (12:3;15:15). Four times the word is used in its generic sense of “favor” with Paul expressing his desire that the grace of Jesus and God would be with the Romans (1:7; 16:20,24; cf. Galatians 2:9; Ephesians 3:7-8) and God extending His “favor” by bestowing spiritual gifts on the Roman Christians (12:6). The other 19 occurrences of the word in Romans—the vast majority—refer specifically to the Gospel. Consider the following chart that catalogs the meanings of charis in the book of Romans:

As Greek lexicographer Joseph Thayer explained: “the N.T. writers use xa/ri$ pre-eminently of that kindness by which God bestows favors even upon the ill-deserving, and grants to sinners the pardon of their offences, and bids them accept of eternal salvation through Christ.”¹

To repeat: the grace of the Bible is God making it possible for people to be forgiven of their sin. But they must meet the pre-conditions of that forgiveness by conforming to the instructions/prescriptions God has given to receive that forgiveness. And people must maintain a sincere, attentive desire to comply with God’s laws, and to regularly repent and seek forgiveness when they make mistakes along the way. Herein lies the definition of what it means to “walk in the light” (1 John 1:7).

Concluding Observation

Perhaps the worst feature of the “grace only” doctrine is its blatant, inherent manifestation of disrespect for God Himself. After all, who gives us spiritual law? Who authored the Law of Moses? Who provides us with the “law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2)? Any denigration of law—any negative representation of biblical law—is an aspersion directed against God. No wonder Paul declared in no uncertain terms that “the law is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12). Indeed, we would not even know what offends God—what sin is—if He had not given us law (Romans 3:20). Law is never depicted in Scripture as somehow “bad,” or negative, or undesirable, or oppressive. God’s commands are not “burdensome” (1 John 5:3)—they are not too hard for us. Indeed, they are like sweet honey to our mouths and far more precious than pure gold (Psalm 19:10). May we join wholeheartedly and genuinely with the psalmist in his exclamation: “Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day” (Psalm 119:97).

Endnote

¹ Joseph Thayer (1901), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker, 1977 reprint), p. 666.

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Published December 9, 2022

Christians pray for God's will to be done by Roy Davison

 

http://www.oldpaths.com/Archive/Davison/Roy/Allen/1940/039-Godswill-prayer.html

Christians pray for God's will to be done

Jesus taught, “In this manner, therefore, pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven” (Matthew 6:9, 10).

We need to pray this because God's will is not done on earth as it is in heaven. Earth is a hotbed of rebellion. Satan is making his last futile stand against God.

In the Revelation, John writes: “And war broke out in heaven: Michael and his angels fought with the dragon; and the dragon and his angels fought, but they did not prevail, nor was a place found for them in heaven any longer. So the great dragon was cast out, that serpent of old, called the Devil and Satan, who deceives the whole world; he was cast to the earth, and his angels were cast out with him. Then I heard a loud voice saying in heaven, 'Now salvation, and strength, and the kingdom of our God, and the power of His Christ have come, for the accuser of our brethren, who accused them before our God day and night, has been cast down. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony, and they did not love their lives to the death. Therefore rejoice, O heavens, and you who dwell in them! Woe to the inhabitants of the earth and the sea! For the devil has come down to you, having great wrath, because he knows that he has a short time'” (Revelation 12:7- 12).

Jesus came to enforce the will of God and vanquish Satan by first saving those who believe and then, when He comes again, by “taking vengeance on those who do not know God, and on those who do not obey the gospel” (2 Thessalonians 1:8).

Christians participate in this battle to overcome evil. When the seventy returned from preaching, Jesus said: “I saw Satan fall like lightning from heaven” (Luke 10:18).

Paul wrote to the saints at Rome: “And the God of peace will crush Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20).

God wants us to pray: “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you” (1 Thessalonians 5:16-18). We pray that Christians might stand firm in the will of God: “Epaphras, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, greets you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that you may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God” (Colossians 4:12).

When we pray that God's will be done on earth, we must of course begin with ourselves. Like David, we pray, “Teach me to do Your will” (Psalm 143:10).

Man's will conflicts with the will of God.

This is obviously true of those who outright reject the will of God. But it is also a problem for those who want to do God's will! Paul warns: “Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish” (Galatians 5:16, 17).

Although Jesus foretold His crucifixion, He did not want to die! “He took with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and He began to be sorrowful and deeply distressed. Then He said to them, 'My soul is exceedingly sorrowful, even to death. Stay here and watch with Me.' He went a little farther and fell on His face, and prayed, saying, 'O My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from Me; nevertheless, not as I will, but as You will'” (Matthew 26:37-39).

It is not wrong to be sorrowful and distressed when we face suffering and death, even though we know it is, or may be, the will of God. Nor is it wrong to pray for deliverance. Yet, we must qualify our prayer, as Jesus did: “O My Father, if this cup cannot pass away from Me unless I drink it, Your will be done” (Matthew 26:42).

Jesus warned: “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me” (Matthew 16:24).

Jesus told Peter: “Most assuredly, I say to you, when you were younger, you girded yourself and walked where you wished; but when you are old, you will stretch out your hands, and another will gird you and carry you where you do not wish” (John 21:18). Peter was willing to die for Christ, but he did not wish to die.

Later Peter wrote: “For it is better, if it is the will of God, to suffer for doing good than for doing evil. For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit” (1 Peter 3:17, 18).

“Therefore, since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind, for he who has suffered in the flesh has ceased from sin, that he no longer should live the rest of his time in the flesh for the lusts of men, but for the will of God” (1 Peter 4:1, 2). “Therefore let those who suffer according to the will of God commit their souls to Him in doing good, as to a faithful Creator” (1 Peter 4:19).

Time and chance happen to them all.

The Scriptures do not teach that everything is a direct result of God's will. Many things happen by chance. Solomon wrote: “I returned and saw under the sun that the race is not to the swift, nor the battle to the strong, nor bread to the wise, nor riches to men of understanding, nor favor to men of skill; but time and chance happen to them all. For man also does not know his time: Like fish taken in a cruel net, like birds caught in a snare, so the sons of men are snared in an evil time, when it falls suddenly upon them” (Ecclesiastes 9:11, 12).

Although God intervenes to ensure that His ultimate purposes prevail, He often allows things to run their course, but with the promise that “all things work together for good to those who love God” (Romans 8:28). God will take care of his children, no matter what happens to them. Jesus said: “And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell. Are not two sparrows sold for a copper coin? And not one of them falls to the ground apart from your Father's will. But the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Do not fear therefore; you are of more value than many sparrows” (Matthew 10:28-31).

One man whom Jesus healed, showed great insight in this: “And it happened when He was in a certain city, that behold, a man who was full of leprosy saw Jesus; and he fell on his face and implored Him, saying, 'Lord, if You are willing, You can make me clean.' Then He put out His hand and touched him, saying, 'I am willing; be cleansed.' Immediately the leprosy left him” (Luke 5:12, 13). This man knew Jesus could heal him. Yet he also understood that it might not be according to His will. In this case it was, but in many cases it is not. As Jesus told the Jews: “And many lepers were in Israel in the time of Elisha the prophet, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian” (Luke 4:27).

Paul recounts his own experience: “And lest I should be exalted above measure by the abundance of the revelations, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to buffet me, lest I be exalted above measure. Concerning this thing I pleaded with the Lord three times that it might depart from me. And He said to me, 'My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness'” (2 Corinthians 12:7-9).

How do we pray according to the will of God?

We must have the attitude of Jesus: “Not as I will, but as You will” (Matthew 26:39).

To the extent that God has revealed His will in Scripture, we can pray with full assurance that we will receive what He has promised: “Now this is the confidence that we have in Him, that if we ask anything according to His will, He hears us” (1 John 5:14).

In everyday matters, however, we often do not know God's will. We pray according to our best insight with the humble realization that we do not know what to ask, but also with confidence in this promise: “Likewise the Spirit also helps in our weaknesses. For we do not know what we should pray for as we ought, but the Spirit Himself makes intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. Now He who searches the hearts knows what the mind of the Spirit is, because He makes intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26, 27).

What have we learned from the Scriptures about prayer and the will of God?

We are to pray that God's will might be done and that Christians might stand firm in the will of God. Realizing that man's will conflicts with the will of God, we pray that God's will be done rather than our own. It is not wrong to pray for deliverance but we must understand that it can be God's will that we suffer, even if we do not understand why. God is not directly responsible for all that happens. Time and chance happen to them all. Just because God can heal someone, does not mean that it is according to His will. For those who love God, all things work together for good. We can pray with full assurance that we will receive what God has promised in Scripture. In everyday affairs, however, we depend on the Holy Spirit to intercede for us according to the will of God. Let us pray for God's will to be done. Amen.

Roy Davison

The Scripture quotations in this article are from
The New King James Version. ©1979,1980,1982, Thomas Nelson Inc., Publishers.
Permission for reference use has been granted.

Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)