Monthly Archives: October 2015

Learning To Be A Son – Chapter Five – Slaves or Sons?

Book Reviews, , , ,

CHAPTER FIVE

Slaves or Sons?

Since we have already established that the whole of humankind was intended to be the family of God and that every person is potentially a son or daughter of God, how do we move from potential to actual? The operative word is “faith”. New Testament writers like John and Paul understood what Jesus came to do. He came to reveal the true nature of the Father and to remove the barrier of sin that separated us from Him so that we can be restored to our rightful place as sons and daughters of God.

Jesus calls us to become His disciples, followers of our rabbi so that, in close and intimate association with Him, we can learn to be sons by watching, listening and imitating Him. When we respond to His call, we begin our journey with Him which will take us to the Father if we follow His way, obey His instructions and keep our eyes on our destination.

Sin, the great barrier between man and God, was the outcome of Adam’s disobedience to God’s instruction in the Garden of Eden. Sin destroyed the fellowship Adam and Eve had with God and left them dirty, diseased, deformed and dead – unable to connect with God because their nature had become corrupted. It was because of His great love that He had already formulated His plan to rescue us from the ravages of sin and adopt us once again into His family through the death of His Son.

Through the Holy Spirit, whom He sent on the Day of Pentecost, God confirmed the forgiveness Jesus bought by His death, and restored everyone who believes in Jesus to His family as His sons and daughters. The Holy Spirit is the Spirit of adoption. He witnesses with our spirit that we are children of God and, through Him, we can address God as Abba, Father – a term of intimacy and endearment.

Those who are led by the Spirit are the sons of God, not those who claim allegiance because they have signed a decision card or answered an altar call. It is because of our status as sons and daughters that we enjoy all the benefits of life in the family of God. This is our “password” to eternal life – not when we die but now, in fellowship with the Father and with the Son in the power and presence of the Holy Spirit.

We are still fallible human beings, with an old sinful nature that is vulnerable to temptation. Satan has been defeated but he is still active to deceive us when we listen to his lies. There still lurks in us the thought that we are his slaves under his power and that we are subject to punishment when we sin. We try to gain acceptance with the Father through keeping rules instead of living in the truth that Jesus fully paid our debt and that His cry on the cross, “It is finished!” meant exactly that.

Since we have not fully understood the implications of His death, we feel uncomfortable with God. Like the returning prodigal, we want to be treated as slaves and not fully accepted as sons.  But God has not given us the spirit of slavery which makes us afraid of Him. He has given us the Spirit of adoption. We are truly the sons and daughters of God, forgiven and fully accepted. Our response is to come out from the world and be separated to God. He has promised that He will be a Father to us in the truest sense of the word.

When we respond to Jesus’ invitation to follow Him, we leave our old life behind and begin our journey with Him which will take us to the Father, learning from Him what a true son is like and being transformed into His image as we continue to abandon our old ways of thinking and return to His way.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

To order your 0wn copy of either book, contact

Toll free – 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa  or

+44 20 314 3997 (outside South Africa)

ISBN: Hardcover – 978-1-4828-0891-9                                                                                     Softcover 978-1-4828-0890-2                                                                                                              eBook 978-1-4828-0889-6

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

Jesus Did Not Say That Wealth Is A Sign Of God’s Blessing

Apologetics, , ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT WEALTH IS A SIGN OF GOD’S BLESSING

In fact, He told His disciples exactly the opposite. From where, then, does the idea come that being wealthy and being blessed are synonymous?

This was the dilemma that Job struggled with when his wealth and possessions were ripped from him in one day. What did God have against him that he was stripped of everything, even his children, and finally even his health? He was not aware of the dialogue that had taken place behind the scenes between God and Satan, in which Satan accused Job of being opportunistic in his relationship with God.

“Strip him to the bone,” he sneered, “and see what he will do then.” Satan accused Job of the worst possible motive for worshipping God – selfishness, what he could get out of it. Would Job still honour and worship God if He took away all his material blessings? In two encounters with Satan, God replied, “Try him, and you’ll see that his love for me is genuine.”

Satan did just that; he stripped Job of everything. Even Job’s wife turned against him. He was reduced to a pathetic shadow of himself, sitting on the ash heap and utterly miserable, bereft even of the fellowship he had with God. His friends accused him of secret sin which Job vehemently denied. His dilemma was clear – he thought that his prosperity was the evidence of God’s favour on him, according to the philosophy of the day; it was stripped from him when he had done nothing wrong. Why? And God refused to speak to him.

In spite of God’s eventual response to Job’s questions, the philosophy still persists in the church today, and especially among the pastors and preachers who build the superstructure of their lives on the same erroneous supposition – and boast about it – that their wealth and acquisitions are the sign of God’s favour.

What did Jesus have to say about the matter?

On one occasion, a rich man approached Him with a question. “What one thing must I do to be assured of eternal life?” He believed he was “righteous” because he claimed to have kept all the commandments from his youth. But he was aware there was still something missing. He had the idea that he could secure his entrance into eternal life by doing one good deed that would earn him God’s acceptance once and for all.

He sounds like so many today who are offered eternal life if they “accept Jesus as their personal Saviour” or answer an “altar call” or even sign a “decision card”. What they are actually wanting is an insurance policy so that they can get into heaven when they die. They can go on living as they like right now because they “have” eternal life as though it were a product they could keep in their pocket to produce like a passport to get into heaven.

Jesus’ response was unnerving, to say the least. “Get rid of the very thing you consider to be the evidence of God’s favour – your money.” But why should he do that? How could he repudiate the reason for his confidence in God? The disciples were baffled when Jesus commented that it was hard for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. That was not what they were taught and what they believed. After all, wasn’t their ancient ancestor Abraham a very wealthy man, and he was called a friend of God?

Then Jesus said to His disciples, ‘Truly I tell you, it is hard for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God.” When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished and asked, ‘Who then can be saved?’ Jesus looked at them and said, ‘With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.’ (Matt 19: 23-26)

What was the core of Jesus’ response to the young man’s question? “Get rid of your money because it stands between you and me!” It was not his money that was the problem. It was what he did with it that showed where his heart was.

Money in and of itself is amoral. What we do with our money is evidence of who we really love. Jesus taught His disciples a very important lesson.

No one can serve two masters. Either you will hate the one and love the other, or you will be devoted to the one and despise the other. You cannot serve both God and money. (Matt. 6: 24).

Jesus used a rabbinic teaching method called a “chiasm”. The central thought is flanked, in this chiasm, by a supporting thought which leads up to and away from the main idea. The main idea in this teaching is not that it is impossible to serve two masters at the same time but that you will serve the master you love.

The rich man in this incident showed clearly by his response that he loved his money more than God because he refused to use his money to serve God by sharing his wealth with the needy. Generosity with his money and possessions would have shown Jesus where his allegiance lay. Zacchaeus had acquired his wealth through dishonesty but, when he met Jesus his heart was so transformed that he willing let go of his money for the privilege of following Jesus. Not this man!

When a preacher of the gospel claims that his wealth, which is often milked from his congregation or TV viewers through guilt, is the evidence of God’s blessing when he uses it to acquire things and live in luxury through it, he has got it all wrong. The Apostle Paul had a serious warning for those who used the gospel to run after money:

If anyone teaches otherwise and does not agree to the sound instruction of our Lord Jesus Christ and to godly teaching, they are conceited and understand nothing. They have an unhealthy interest in controversies and quarrels about words that result in envy, strife, malicious talk, evil suspicions and constant friction between people of corrupt mind, who have been robbed of the truth and who think that godliness is a means to financial gain.

But godliness with contentment is great gain. For we brought nothing into the world, and we can take nothing out of it. But if we have food and clothing, we will be content with that. Those who want to get rich fall into temptation and a trap and into many foolish and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. For the love of money is the root of all kinds of evil. Some people, eager for money, have wandered from the faith and pierced themselves with many griefs. (1 Tim. 6: 3-10)

He had serious counsel for wealthy believers:

Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant or to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life. (1 Tim. 6: 17-19)

How important that we be careful of those who preach “prosperity” as a cover-up for their own greed. The way we handle our money is the ultimate test of who we really love.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

To order your 0wn copy of either book, contact

Toll free – 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa  or

+44 20 314 3997 (outside South Africa)

ISBN: Hardcover – 978-1-4828-0891-9                                                                                     Softcover 978-1-4828-0890-2                                                                                                              eBook 978-1-4828-0889-6

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

 

 

Learning To Be A Son – Chapter Four – The Disposition Of The Son

Book Reviews, , ,

CHAPTER FOUR

The Disposition of the Son

Moses was up the mountain, pleading with God to forgive Israel for breaking the covenant. He requested to see God’s glory and God responded by revealing His name – gracious, compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness. Since it was the Father’s representative on earth, the second person of the Trinity who met with Moses, the revelation of His disposition on Mount Sinai indicated what His disposition would be as a human being on earth.

As we follow Jesus through the pages of the gospels, we read the record of how He lived out His disposition as the Messiah whom the Father sent to reveal His true nature to His people. Jesus made enemies of the religious leaders because they did not like His exposure of their ungodly lives which they covered up by their strict adherence to their interpretations and additions to God’s directions for living.

Jesus taught His disciples and demonstrated to His people how to interpret the Torah as God intended. They were to be generous and merciful to all people because God was always merciful and generous towards them. As a rabbi, He had the right to teach them His “yoke” His interpretation of the Torah according to God’s intention. He invited people to take His yoke and learn from Him because He was gentle and humble in heart. His yoke would release them from bondage to the yoke of the other rabbis which was a straightjacket of rules and regulations, and bring them into God’s true rest.

Jesus also enraged the religious leaders because of His claim to be the Son of God. Both the testimony of the Father and the works He did bore witness to who He was, but the religious leaders refused to examine the evidence. They repudiated His claims and looked for a way to get rid of Him.

Jesus did not only claim unity with the Father and sonship – He lived it out as a submissive and obedient Son. His relationship and fellowship with the Father give us the clue to the “password” which allows us access to all that the Father has given us through Jesus. It is only because we have the rights as sons and daughters of God that we can approach the Father in prayer and receive from Him everything we need to live godly lives in this world as followers of Jesus.

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

To order your 0wn copy of either book, contact

Toll free – 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa  or

+44 20 314 3997 (outside South Africa)

ISBN: Hardcover – 978-1-4828-0891-9                                                                                     Softcover 978-1-4828-0890-2                                                                                                              eBook 978-1-4828-0889-6

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

 

Jesus Did Not Say That The Foolish Virgins Were Not Filled With The Holy Spirit

Apologetics, , , ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT THE FOOLISH VIRGINS WERE NOT FILLED WITH THE HOLY SPIRIT

At that time the kingdom of heaven will be like ten virgins who took their lamps and went out to meet the bridegroom. Five of them were foolish and five were wise. The foolish ones took their lamps but did not take any oil with them. The wise ones, however, took oil in their jars along with their lamps. (Matt 25: 1-4)

We Gentiles, who understand neither the language nor the culture of the ancient Hebrew people, make a real mess if this one. When we read about lamps or light, it should alert us immediately that Jesus was talking about “walking” or living their lives God’s way and that oil had something to do with the way they lived.

We must also remember that Jesus was telling His disciples a parable. Therefore His story had a purpose and He was addressing a specific situation. We cannot interpret all the details of a parable without losing the teller’s main intention. What was the theme of Jesus’ discussion with His disciples? He was responding to their question about the destruction of the temple which He has just predicted:

‘Tell us,’ they said, ‘when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and the end of the age?’ (Matt 24: 3b)

He did not give them a timeline which they could tick off as events happened. Hebrew people did not think like that. He gave them “signs” so that they could recognise what was happening and take action before they were caught up in the destruction. The whole purpose of His response was to teach them how to be ready for His return. It was not about living it up until just before His return but about being faithful to their duty so that they would be ready when He came to fetch His bride.

This parable fits into this theme. Jesus is the bridegroom who has gone to prepare the bridal chamber for His bride. It is the bride’s duty, during the extended betrothal period, to separate herself from all other men (to be holy) and to prepare her bridal gown. We have already discovered the interpretation of the “bridal gown” from our reference in Rev. 19: 6-8.

‘. . . For the wedding of the Lamb has come and the bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous deeds of the saints).

Just as the believer is robed in the righteousness of Christ, given to us as a free gift to cover our unrighteousness and make us acceptable to the Father, so we must confirm our status as God’s sons and daughters by living as Jesus taught us or, as the Bible’s imagery explains, we must walk in God’s way, following the path of His teaching or Torah by being generous and merciful to all people because God has been generous and merciful to us.

The “oil” in this parable is not a reference to the Holy Spirit, as many preachers interpret the story, but to the “righteous deeds of the saints” which the bridal gown represents. The five wise virgins were filled with righteous deeds – they lived their lives according to Jesus’ teaching, that is, the way He interpreted God’s instructions found in the first five books of the Bible, collectively known as the Torah. Their lamps were full of oil because they walked in the light of God’s word.

Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path. (Psa. 119: 105)

Doing the right thing (righteous deeds) is not the reason for their righteousness but the evidence of a right relationship with God, made possible because Jesus removed the barrier of sin.

The foolish virgins showed no evidence in their lives that they had ever responded in faith to the offer of the gift of righteousness. They had no “light” on their way. When the bridegroom came, they could not go into the wedding feast with the others because their lamps were empty of the true light of life, the good works that revealed their true nature as daughters of God.

We read the clue to the seriousness of their failure to be ready by the response of the bridegroom when they wanted to enter the banqueting hall.

But when they were on their way to buy the oil, the bridegroom arrived. The virgins who were ready went in with him to the wedding banquet. And the door was shut. Later the others also came. ‘Lord, Lord,’ they said, ‘open the door for us.’ But he replied, ‘Truly I tell you, I don’t know you.’ Therefore keep watch, because you do not know the day nor the hour. (Matt 25: 10-13)

The bridegroom denied them entry because He did not “know” them. The word “know” implies the intimate knowledge of a husband and wife which results in reproduction, just as Adam “knew” Eve and she bore a son.

Jesus only “knows” us when we bow to Him as Lord and respond to Him in submission and obedience to His word. We respond to His mercy and generosity by treating our fellow human beings with mercy and generosity, revealing our nature as sons and daughters of God.

Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me. (Matt 25: 40)

John, the beloved disciple, hit the nail on the head!

If anyone has material possessions and sees a brother or sister in need but has no pity on them, how can the love of God be in that person? Dear children, let us not love with words or speech but with actions and in truth. (1 John 3:17-18)

Acknowledgement

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

To order your 0wn copy of either book, contact

Toll free – 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa  or

+44 20 314 3997 (outside South Africa)

ISBN: Hardcover – 978-1-4828-0891-9                                                                                     Softcover 978-1-4828-0890-2                                                                                                              eBook 978-1-4828-0889-6

Check out my blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com

Jesus Did Not Say That He Didn’t Know When He Was Returning

Apologetics, , ,

JESUS DID NOT SAY THAT HE DID NOT KNOW WHEN HE WAS RETURNING

Now don’t get me wrong. I didn’t say that Jesus didn’t say it, full stop. I said that He didn’t say it in the sense that we understand it. Again we must look at the context to understand His meaning.

One of the images God used to symbolise His relationship with His people was a marriage. The Bible is full of wedding talk, Hebrew style. Hebrew courtship between a man and woman was conducted in five stages, and specific Hebrew words or expressions were used which the prospective bride would understand and with which the prospective bridegroom would communicate His intentions.

The first step was called lachah – which meant “I want to make you mine.” The young man, after getting to know the girl, would let her know that he was serious about his intention with her. God signalled His intention with Israel, using the very word in Ex. 6:7:

I will take (lachah) you as my own people, and I will be your God.

The second step was segulah – “I want to make you my treasured possession”. Listen to God’s words before He made His formal proposal to Israel:

Now if you obey me fully and keep my covenant, then out of all nations, you will be my treasured possession (segulah).

The thirst step was a preparation for the proposal and took place three days before the formal proposal. It was called mikvah – “Go and wash.” It was more than just cleaning up. It was a ritual bath that signified leaving the old life behind and stepping into a new one.

And the Lord said to Moses, ‘Go to the people and consecrate them today and tomorrow. Have them wash their clothes and be ready by the third day, because on that day the Lord will come down on Mount Sinai in the sight of all the people.’ (Ex. 19: 10-11)

The fourth step was the drawing up of the ketubah – the prenuptial marriage contract, witnessed by the fathers, and the formal proposal. In the presence of their fathers, the young man would propose marriage to the young woman. Included in the proposal was the promise, “I am going to prepare a place for you and I will come again to receive you to myself that where I am you may be also.” Does this sound familiar?

Her response would be, “When will you come to receive me?” and he would reply, “I do not know the day or the hour, but when my father is satisfied with the bridal chamber, I will return for you.”

The final step was the wedding ceremony. When the father was satisfied with his preparation, the bridegroom would return without warning. It was the bride’s responsibility to be ready for his return. She had two duties to perform while he was away preparing the bridal chamber at his father’s house. She had to separate herself from all other men, and she had to prepare her bridal gown.

Then I heard what sounded like a great multitude, like the roar of rushing waters and like loud peals of thunder, shouting:

‘Hallelujah! For the Lord God Almighty reigns. Let us rejoice and be glad and give Him glory! For the wedding of the Lamb has come, and His bride has made herself ready. Fine linen, bright and clean, was given her to wear.’ (Fine linen stands for the righteous acts of the saints). (Rev. 19: 6-8)

The wedding ceremony was conducted under the chuppa – the canopy usually constructed by suspending a talith – a prayer shawl – on four posts. God came down on Mount Sinai under a canopy – chuppa – of smoke and gave His people His ketubah – the “Ten Words” which was the declaration of how they were to live in fellowship with Him in a marriage relationship.

After the wedding ceremony, the bridegroom, accompanied by the wedding party, would lead his bride to the bridal chamber, pick her up and carry her (rapture her!) over the threshold where they would consummate their marriage. After that would come the wedding feast.

God’s people proved their unfaithfulness to their betrothal to Him by going after other gods and by their disobedience to His covenant. Jesus renewed His proposal to His people and, on the day of Pentecost, when the Holy Spirit came to indwell them forever, the church was born which is the bride of Christ.

Now can you fit Jesus’ words into the whole courtship and marriage symbolism? He was not telling them that He was not God or that He was not omniscient in His divine nature. As a man, He deliberately set aside His rights as God in order to be a perfect Son under the power of the Holy Spirit. He was under the authority of His Father and, as a Son, He would return for His bride, the church at the Father’s instruction.  

Scripture taken from THE HOLY BIBLE, NEW INTERNATIONAL VERSION®, NIV® Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

Have you read my first book, Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing)? You’ll love it!

ISBN: Softcover – 978-1-4828-0512-3,                                                                              eBook 978-4828-0511-6

Available on www.amazon.com in paperback, e-book or kindle version or order directly from the publisher at www.partridgepublishing.com.

My second book, Learning to be a Disciple – The Way of the Master (Copyright © 2015, Partridge Publishing), companion volume to Learning to be a Son – The Way to the Father’s Heart, has been released in paperback and digital format on www.amazon.com.

To order your 0wn copy of either book, contact

Toll free – 0800 990 914 (South Africa)

orders.africa@partridgepublishing.com

www.partridgepublishing.com/africa  or

+44 20 314 3997 (outside South Africa)

ISBN: Hardcover – 978-1-4828-0891-9                                                                                     Softcover 978-1-4828-0890-2                                                                                                              eBook 978-1-4828-0889-6

Check out my Blog site – www.learningtobeason.wordpress.com