Sunday Sermon Notes: May 2, 2021

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Don Merritt

Title: And Then it Happened!

Text: Genesis 3

We all know the story of Genesis 3 when Eve and then Adam ate from the tree that God had placed in the Garden next to the Tree of Life; God forbade them to eat of that tree. Yet, after consultation with that famous serpent, they went for it anyway. As we have already seen, their having eaten from the forbidden tree did not change the fact that they were bearers of God’s image, but it certainly changed how they viewed it, and of course there were consequences to their actions.

They now knew both good and evil; that will certainly change one’s thinking about a lot of things, in fact, it might just make a person’s thinking evil.

In this chapter, we find out why 2:25 is there; it turns out that it wasn’t as random as it seemed at first. They had been unashamed, and then they disobeyed God and were ashamed. Exactly what they were ashamed of is something that is open for debate, and many have indulged in that debate over the centuries. Personally, as I view this chapter, I see several apocalyptic elements, and if this were a study of Genesis per se, I would get into them in detail, but since this isn’t a study of Genesis, I will only say here that naked or not naked is one of those elements, and that nakedness is a powerful metaphoric component in Scripture, particularly in the Old Testament, representing our having been created in God’s image on the one hand, and our separation from Him on the other.

God goes searching for Adam, who has made for himself a covering of leaves, and hidden in the trees, along with Eve. Of course, you can’t hide from God, who finds them, and has a little chat with them. As a result of this chat, God pronounces curses on the serpent, the woman and the man, and has them removed from the Garden forever. Interestingly, another one of the apocalyptic elements is found in 3:15 which is the first messianic prophecy.

While this is all very interesting, it doesn’t explain why they suddenly found themselves ashamed. Here’s what I think happened:

When the two ate from the forbidden tree, they were ashamed of what they had done and sought to hide themselves. It would appear from the text that they went into the bushes and shrubbery of the garden to hide, and they made clothing out of leaves to hide from God− since they had made a covering of leaves, they were not naked when God came looking for them, as Adam claimed in 3:10. Eating the fruit was the first sin, this lie was the second.

 Obviously, this view fits with the Genesis 3 text, yet we still have the traditional teaching that they hid their shameful naked bodies from God let’s take a look at the text:

Then the man and his wife heard the sound of the Lord God as he was walking in the garden in the cool of the day, and they hid from the Lord God among the trees of the garden. But the Lord God called to the man, “Where are you?”

He answered, “I heard you in the garden, and I was afraid because I was naked; so I hid.”

And he said, “Who told you that you were naked? Have you eaten from the tree that I commanded you not to eat from?”

Genesis 3:8-11

For me, the really telling part of this little passage comes when God asked Adam who had told him that he was naked. Think about it… Who told you that you were naked?

The God’s next question, did you eat from that tree…?

So, let’s think about this scene as part of a larger whole: If Adam is telling the truth about his feelings and actions, then his body shame came about only when evil was introduced into his consciousness. Since we know that he had not ceased to bear the image of God, and God’s image cannot be evil, the shame here is in Adam’s thinking and actions, not his state of being, and that shame was actually that Adam had willfully and deliberately disobeyed God’s one simple little command, and eaten the fruit anyway. Much more likely, Adam knew he had really screwed up, and compounded matters by covering himself in leaves woven together and hid from God so that he wouldn’t get in trouble; history’s very first cover up.

Yet, all these millennia later, we still have the issue of body shame to deal with as Christians in the here and now.

We saw at the very beginning of our study together that the entry of sin into the world did not alter the fact that we are made in God’s image (Gen. 9:6), so I must respectfully ask how the human body can be shameful?

That simply cannot be, unless we are prepared to tell God that His image is shameful or unclean… and I really wouldn’t recommend that. Sometimes however, we behave shamefully. Yet our poor behavior has nothing to do with whether or not we are dressed; think about it… Not very many crimes are committed by naked people. Thus, in today’s culture we might rightfully say that nakedness is frowned upon in public, that it might be socially awkward, even that it violates the predominant social conventions, but not that a naked person is shameful or sinful simply because they are naked.

But they might well be shameful for their behavior…

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A Little Reflection

Posted on May 1, 2021 by Don Merritt

Has God been filling your life with blessings?  Has He given you peace in a tough situation?

Well, you see what I mean by reflection…

We spend so much time and energy running ourselves ragged these days, and so much of our lives just rushes by in a sort of blur; so it’s time to seize the moment.  Let’s give thanks to God for all He is doing in our lives, let’s thank Him for all of the ways He’s blessed us.  Let’s recall the great things He has done, like sending His Son to die for our sins.  Let’s take a minute to give Him the praise that is His due for all He is doing in His Body, the Church.  Let’s praise Him for all of those who have come to know Him recently, and for those who continue to grow in their faith, stepping up to lead His people forward to accomplish His purpose.

Let’s take another minute or two to ask Him for the gospel to continue to move forward, that hearts and minds everywhere would be changed, that lives would be given over to Him.

Most of all, let’s take a few moments to sit by His side and ask Him to give us continued strength to go forward in our walk with Him.  Let’s be refreshed in His presence and be renewed in His love.

Hey!  I’m thinking this is going to be an awesome day.

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No More Shadows

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Don Merritt

Therefore do not let anyone judge you by what you eat or drink, or with regard to a religious festival, a New Moon celebration or a Sabbath day. These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. Do not let anyone who delights in false humility and the worship of angels disqualify you. Such a person also goes into great detail about what they have seen; they are puffed up with idle notions by their unspiritual mind. They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.

Colossians 2:16-19

Remember that we left off with God’s triumph over the law, the authorities and powers at the cross, and now we draw some conclusions.  Since we are newly alive in Christ, have died to sin and have our sins forgiven, and since we have the fullness of the indwelling Holy Spirit, we are not to allow people to criticize us for what we eat, drink, or observe, as they might have done under the Law.

Pay careful attention to verse 17: These are a shadow of the things that were to come; the reality, however, is found in Christ. All of these festivals, customs and regulations were at best but a shadow of what was to come in Christ, and we often miss that fact.  Many elements found in the Old Testament are like that, but we want to focus on them… and that includes the Temple itself, according to the author of Hebrews.  Jesus is the reality, and all the old forms were a mere shadow of what He would bring us, and He has now brought us the reality.

In verse 19, Paul refers to the kinds of people who are always critical of a person who has found the liberty that is in Christ.  They are puffed up, falsely humble, etc., etc.  At the end of this brief passage comes the part that will really give us insight about this sort of thing.  People who are hanging on to the forms of religion and seeking to impose them on their brother or sister have sadly been cut off from the Head of the Body.  Since we know that Christ is the Head, these poor folks who seek to impose rules are not growing with the Body, being cut off.  Maybe God has put them in our path so that we can help them get back in touch with the Head.

Oh, that would bring us back to the concept of relationship, love, serving and making disciples, wouldn’t it?

Yes dear reader, most lessons come right back to that.

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Triumph!

Posted on April 30, 2021 by Don Merritt

When you were dead in your sins and the uncircumcision of your sinful nature, God made you alive with Christ. He forgave us all our sins, having cancelled the written code, with its regulations, that was against us and opposed to us; he took it away, nailing it to the cross. And having disarmed the powers and authorities, he made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them by the cross.

Colossians 2:13-15

As we pick up from the last passage, we see right away the connection we discovered. Notice the link between “dead in your sins” and “uncircumcision.”  Here they are used interchangeably, and since they are used this way, we can be certain, as we were last time, that circumcision here is not the literal procedure done in physical terms.  While we were in our sins then, God made us alive in Christ and forgave our sins.   So far, this is easy to understand, and wonderful to behold, full as it is with the love and mercy of a loving Father in heaven.  It gets even better…

God cancelled the “written code” with its “regulations” that were “against us.”  So not only have our sins been forgiven, not only have we been made alive in Christ, but the Law that condemned us has been ended; from now on it’s all about Christ!

God, in effect, nailed the old laws and rules to the cross with Christ and killed it.  Christ rose from the grave, we rose with Him from baptism (2:12) and the written code remains in the grave… and there’s still more…

In doing this, God has “disarmed” the “powers and authorities” and triumphed over them at the cross.  These “powers and authorities” are the very ones who accuse us.  Even now they may try to accuse, but they have been defeated at the cross; the ballgame is really over!  Our sins are forgiven, we are alive in Christ, and when they attempt to accuse, they are exposed for the liars they have always been, for there is no written code any more.

This is one of the great liberating facts of our Faith.  Those accusers have no audience with God, for they have been humiliated by the cross.  Who is the one who accuses?  It is Satan, his allies and those who would do his bidding on the earth.  What Jesus has done for us on the cross has rendered their accusations altogether irrelevant, and we need not be concerned with them ever again.

What a gracious and loving Heavenly Father we have− what a glorious Lord we follow!

There can be no doubt that we are indeed a blessed people.

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Photo of the Week: April 29, 2021

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Don Merritt
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Fullness in Christ

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Don Merritt

 For in Christ all the fullness of the Deity lives in bodily form, and in Christ you have been brought to fullness. He is the head over every power and authority. In him you were also circumcised with a circumcision not performed by human hands. Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

Colossians 2:9-12

Continuing on from last time, we come to a paragraph that is both full and rich in meaning, and yet often cluttered up with unnecessary doctrines.  Consider the opening sentence, Paul points out that in the Person of Jesus lives all the fullness of God:  Jesus is all God and Jesus is all man: God lived in His physical body.  Jesus has also brought you and me to fullness, but fullness of what kind? Here it is in simple terms:  All of the fullness of God resided in Jesus Christ, and in Christ the fullness of the Holy Spirit resides in you and me. Neither you nor I are the Messiah, nor are we divine, but we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit, and He is divine.  Kind of makes you wonder why we don’t follow His lead more often, doesn’t it?

Paul continues to state that Jesus is the head of every power; He is at the right hand of God running the universe… and we are in Him.

Not a bad place to hang out!

The next sentence goes on to say that we have received a circumcision that wasn’t performed by human hands.  This is puzzling until we recall what circumcision was in the Old Testament.  There, circumcision was the sign of God’s covenant with Abraham; it was how people would recognize a man in covenant relationship with God.  That was the covenant that set God’s covenant people apart from everyone else, and circumcision was a kind of mark or seal of that covenant. Paul is talking about another kind of seal or sign of our covenant relationship with God, a sign that marks us as belonging to Him.

The last sentence in our text answers a question, and raises another:

The first part answers a question when it identifies Christ as the one who performed this circumcision without human hands, and that tells us that this circumcision is not a physical procedure at all, but instead a spiritual procedure.  In this procedure, our natural self that lives according to the flesh is put off, and I think most of us will agree that this happens when we enter a relationship with Christ.  This would be really easy if Paul stopped right there, but he goes on…

Here’s the whole sentence again:

Your whole self ruled by the flesh was put off when you were circumcised by Christ, having been buried with him in baptism, in which you were also raised with him through your faith in the working of God, who raised him from the dead.

The trouble happens when Paul followed the having been circumcised by Christ with “having been buried with Him in baptism”.  I say that there is trouble here, because this is where Christians like to divide into camps and slug it out.  We aren’t going to do that though, are we?

It appears to me that there is some kind of a connection between this “circumcision” and baptism, but what is the connection?  If we were “buried with him in baptism” what were we buried into?  Well, when He was buried, He was dead, having died on the cross.  So, if we are “buried with him” then we must be buried into His death… right?  If this “circumcision” was the link between the old man and the new man, and it is also linked to baptism into His death, then there must be a link of some kind being established here… see it?  They are parallel. Notice that Paul also mentions that we are “raised with Him” by our “faith in the workings of God.”

OK, so here’s what we’ve got so far:

1. What an awesome thing it is to be in Christ!

2. He is the central focus of our lives, our all in all as the old hymn says.

3. In Christ, we have the fullness of the indwelling Holy Spirit: Amazing!

4. Paul has made a comparison between Old Testament circumcision, a new kind of circumcision and baptism.

5. Paul elaborates on that comparison in the next section.  We’ll leave this as a tease for now, and I’ll look forward to seeing you back here next time.

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Seek Him Only

Posted on April 29, 2021 by Don Merritt

So then, just as you received Christ Jesus as Lord, continue to live your lives in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness.

See to it that no one takes you captive through hollow and deceptive philosophy, which depends on human tradition and the elemental spiritual forces of this world rather than on Christ.

Colossians 2:6-8

People are sometimes surprised when I say that Christian theology is basically simple to understand, and these three simple verses sum it up pretty well; it is simple to understand them, don’t you think?

We received Jesus Christ as Lord; continue to live in Him.  We do this by being rooted in Him, built up in Him and if we are strengthened in the faith just as we were taught, we will overflow with thanksgiving.  What should our priorities in life be?  Simple, we should be in Him, rooted in Him and strengthened by Him, or to put in another way, our life’s priorities are all about Jesus Christ.

Verse eight follows with a bit of practical advice, which is to seek Christ and let go of the hollow ways and teachings of this world.  It goes without saying that if we are seeking after Christ, then we are not seeking after the things of this world. If we are seeking Christ, then we will find His ways and want to follow them in our lives, rather than worrying about what everyone else is doing.

You see, none of this is complicated, in fact it is so very simple that sometimes we feel the need to complicate it− but then making the simple difficult is one of the ways of this world.

As we seek His face, as we seek His presence, as we seek His Truth, we seek after that which is good, wholesome and true.  As we do this, our faith is strengthened, our walk closer and dearer, and our outlook on everything else will change forever.  When that happens, we will be filled to overflowing with thanksgiving, praise and… His presence.

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Weekly Bible Study Notes: April 28, 2021

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Don Merritt

John 10:1-21

This passage is figurative. (John 10:6) There are 8 components of the extended metaphor in this section: The shepherd is the caretaker and owner of the sheep. The sheep (flock) are the animals that the shepherd loves and cares for.  The thief is the one who tries to steal the sheep away from their rightful owner, the watchman is the one who opens the gate only for the shepherd, the hired hand watches the sheep, but lacks the dedication of the shepherd.  The wolf is a predator that terrorizes kills and scatters the flock, and the sheep pen is the protective enclosure in which the flock is kept for safety during the night.

He begins in 1-6 with the thief; the thief enters the pen by any manner other than through the gate.  He sneaks in by some form of subterfuge for the express purpose of stealing the sheep away from the flock. The man who enters by the gate is the shepherd, who is recognized by the watchman as the legitimate shepherd.  In addition, he is also recognized by the sheep who love and trust him.  He calls them by name (has a deep relationship with them) and they will follow him where ever he goes.  They will not follow anyone who is not the shepherd, because they are strangers to the sheep; they only follow the shepherd.

Jesus begins to make His point beginning at verse 7.  Jesus Himself is the gate; no one enters the flock except through Him.  If they enter the pen through Jesus, they will be saved and have life to the full.  The thief on the other hand, enters the pen by a means other than Jesus; his motive is to steal, kill and destroy: The sheep do not follow such a person.

Jesus is not only the gate, but He is the Good Shepherd.  He is the “good” shepherd because when all others run away, He will lay down His life for the salvation of the sheep. His caring is so great for His sheep that He will die for them.

In this final section, vv. 14-18, Jesus sets out the theology of His coming sacrifice on the cross.  He will willingly lay down His life for His flock.  No one will take it from Him, for His act is voluntary.  It is authorized and ordained by His Father in Heaven, for it will result in the redemption of all mankind.  This act will not only seal the salvation of His sheep, but redeem mankind back to fellowship with God, something that has been absent from creation ever since Adam and Eve sinned in the Garden.  This will also highlight the separation of those within the flock, and those without the flock; nothing will ever be the same again.

We find the reaction of the people in 10:19-21; the reaction of the crowd is typical. His opponents, unable to refute what He has said seek to marginalize Him with ridicule. Once again they claim He must be demon-possessed and ask “Why listen to him?”  What else can they do if they insist on opposing Him?  The others (v. 21) say exactly the words that their leaders fear, pointing out that Jesus is not saying things a demon-possessed person would say, and then dropping their trump card: “Can a demon open the eyes of the blind?” There is nothing that the opponents of Christ can say to that. These people who believe Jesus have had their eyes opened; now they can really see.

 

John 10:22-42

This passage is a continuation of the discussion regarding who the Jews’ father was. In that passage (9:13-34) the discussion was about the opponents of Jesus and their “father”, while today’s passage sets out very clearly whose Son Jesus is.  It has often struck me as interesting that over the centuries people who deny the Lordship of Christ will often claim that He neither claimed to be God or the Son of God.  In fact, there are groups who call themselves Christian who are confused on this point today.  Here, Jesus is clear and precise about exactly who He is. Please note that while the discourse of the text follows 10:1-21, the occasion has shifted to the Feast of Dedication which is now known to us as Hanukkah, a celebration of the driving out from Judea of the Syrian Greeks.  It celebrates the rededication of the Temple after it had been refurbished after that occupation, a nationalistic celebration of the (former) glory of the nation…

John sets the scene and then the dialogue begins; are you the Christ?  Jesus responds by indicating that He has identified Himself by His miracles, but they have refused to believe because they are not His sheep, going back to the analogy from the previous text.  Since they are not His sheep, they do not believe what He says even though He has confirmed His sayings to them.  Those who are His followers (sheep) hear His voice and believe.  While many have taken this to mean all kinds of things doctrinally speaking, what is very clear is that when a person decides to follow Jesus, understandings clear up considerably.

Jesus amplifies what He said in verse 10, that His sheep would have “abundant life”, to add that they will have “eternal life”.  Eternal life would appear here to have two characteristics:  First that they cannot be destroyed, i.e. that they will live forever.  Second, they cannot be stolen away from the Father’s hand, which is to say that no one, human or otherwise can steal eternal life from you.  In verse 30, Jesus makes a statement that is theologically so significant that it cannot be overstated.  “I and the Father are one.”  This is a type of “I am” statement, only here it is “We are”.  In doing this, Jesus is alluding to the name of God: I AM. By placing Himself into this title, he has added a new dimension to the Shema of Deut.  6:4, “Hear O Israel: The Lord our God. The Lord is one.”  This is the monotheistic foundation of their faith and Jesus has just included Himself into it monotheistically.  He is not doing this in a mystical way of somehow having achieved divinity, but as a foundational premise reminiscent of John 1:1. While doing this, He continues to maintain a distinction between the two; He did not say “I am the Father”.

Quite naturally, they want to kill Him at this point.

This time, Jesus doesn’t slip away; He asks them to justify their desire to kill Him.  His opponents tell Him they are not doing it because they deny His miracles, but because He has committed blasphemy in claiming to be God.  Isn’t it odd that so many “scholars” think He never made that claim?  According to the Law, these opponents had a point (Lev. 24:16), however they overlooked the possibility that He might be telling the truth. Then He added this:

Jesus answered them, “Is it not written in your Law, ‘I have said you are “gods”’? If he called them ‘gods,’ to whom the word of God came—and Scripture cannot be set aside— what about the one whom the Father set apart as his very own and sent into the world? Why then do you accuse me of blasphemy because I said, ‘I am God’s Son’? Do not believe me unless I do the works of my Father.  But if I do them, even though you do not believe me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in me, and I in the Father.” Again they tried to seize him, but he escaped their grasp.

John 10:34-39

 

OK, let’s be honest: This is a difficult passage. Jesus’ quotation of Psalm 82:6, “I have said you are gods” can make you crazy if you aren’t careful, and much has been written and argued about it.  I prefer to take a simpler look at it… Consider the fact that it is a parenthetical side comment that is not expounded on because it isn’t the main part of the argument Jesus is making.  The structure of the argument made in vv. 34-38 points to a conclusion that looks like this:

  1. In the context of Psalm 82, the term “gods” is not a term denoting divinity, but humans were referred to as “sons of the Most High” (Psalm 82:6b).
  2. These “mere men” received the Word of God, yet they died as mere men.
  3. Scripture (the Word of God they received) cannot be broken (thwarted).
  4. I have been sent to you as the Living Word by God.
  5. I am God’s Son
  6. My true identity has been proven by the miracles I have performed

Therefore:

  1. You can only deny me by denying the truth of Scripture
  2. You should pay me greater honor than anyone in your history before.
  3. You must believe the miracles you have seen
  4. I am the Son of God (Messiah)

Well dear reader, I guess that about sums up the foundational premise of all Christian Theology.

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Paul’s Struggle; Our Struggle

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Don Merritt

I want you to know how hard I am struggling for you and for those at Laodicea, and for all who have not met me personally. My goal is that they may be encouraged in heart and united in love, so that they may have the full riches of complete understanding, in order that they may know the mystery of God, namely, Christ, in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge. I tell you this so that no one may deceive you by fine-sounding arguments. For though I am absent from you in body, I am present with you in spirit and delight to see how disciplined you are and how firm your faith in Christ is.

Colossians 2:1-5

In these verses, Paul mentions to his readers that he has been “struggling” for them (v. 1) and that his struggle was that they come to know the full riches of a complete understanding of the mystery of God, namely Christ (v. 2). We know that the “mystery of God” is one of the ways that Paul refers to the Gospel, so he is struggling so that the people might come to see all that they have in the Gospel.  To put it another way, Paul is struggling to make disciples, to assist these people in growing in their faith to a mature level of understanding.

It struck me that this is what we are all called to do.  To “struggle” so that our brother or sister may come to fully understand the riches that are in Christ is our purpose in this life.

In verse 3, Paul goes on to say that in Christ are all of the treasures of wisdom and knowledge, and it strikes me that this statement runs counter to what the world around us sees as “wisdom and knowledge.”   Verses four and five are really telling: Paul tells his readers that he is doing this so they will not be deceived by “fine-sounding arguments.”  I love that, “fine-sounding arguments”!  What shall we take from this?  As I see it, we have a serious role to play in leading our “younger” brother to stand firm in the knowledge and truth of Christ, to help them, to guide them and yes, to struggle for them so that they will not be deceived by the “wisdom” of this age, and to nurture them into the fullness of Christ.  I wonder how often we see this imperative as our goal, rather than looking out for ourselves only…

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This is the Gospel

Posted on April 28, 2021 by Don Merritt

Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behavior. But now he has reconciled you by Christ’s physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation— if you continue in your faith, established and firm, and do not move from the hope held out in the gospel. This is the gospel that you heard and that has been proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a servant.

Colossians 1:21-23

In the previous section, we had a look at verses 19-20 and saw that God through Christ made peace with all things by the shedding of Christ’s blood on the cross. Now we finish this amazing paragraph…

There was a time when each of us was alienated from God; we saw ourselves as His enemy because of our evil deeds.  I broke this into two parts, because I’d like us to think about two ideas here.  First, we saw or thought (in our minds) that we were God’s enemies.  In Scripture, God never made us His enemy; it is we who made the choices that headed us in this direction.  It is (or was) our own attitudes that created the problems. It was never God; it was always us.

Second, “because of your evil deeds.”  Which evil deeds do you think Paul is talking about?  I would suggest that most people, certainly most preachers, would assert that Paul is referring to some sort of list of infractions, a Bill of Indictment, so to speak.  I hope we might take a different approach, and hope you will give this a little thought.  It isn’t so much a list of violations that Paul is talking about here; it is the very condition of being in rebellion against God that he is talking about.  If we are in rebellion against God, then we are not in relationship with Him.  If we are not in relationship with Him, what are the rules, anyway? Consider the Jews and the Gentiles.  From the Jewish point of view in the Old Testament, a Jew was good or bad based upon his or her keeping the Law, the 613 laws of Moses.  If they disregarded the law, they had problems, if they kept the law all was as it should be.  The Gentiles on the other hand, weren’t even in the ball game.  Nobody expected them to keep, or even to know the law.  They had no covenant with God, they had no Law.  How could they “get right” with God? Not an easy thing to do: The very fact that they were Gentile made them evil and unclean. We were enemies with God in our minds because of our evil deeds of rebellion against Him, and this transcends a rule book and petty violations.

“But now he has reconciled you…” (v. 22) Because of what Christ has done on the cross, everything is completely different.  He made a peace treaty; you accepted its terms and signed on to it. Now you are in a whole new kind of covenant, and that covenant has made you as clean as though you had never sinned, in God’s sight.  All of that rebellion is forgotten, expunged from the record− over.

Well, now we haven’t quite finished the sentence.  This is a tough spot, beginning at verse 23 with the word “if.”  You may agree with me, or you may disagree, but as I see it, the word “if” makes this a conditional statement. “…free from accusation— if you continue in your faith,…”  As I see it, and I think the rules of grammar back me up in this, we have the blessings of the promises in the New Covenant, unless we decide to totally renounce our faith in Jesus Christ and go off and follow other gods.

This passage ends with Paul pointing out two things, did you catch them? The work of Jesus Christ on the cross has established peaceful relations between God and Man; your sins are taken away and you are blameless before God.  This is the Gospel, and it is the first point of summation.  Paul has become a servant of this Gospel (and by extension, so have you and I).  This is the final point of summation.

So what do you think?  Are you thinking that you’ve heard this a thousand times and there’s nothing new in this text for you?  I sure hope not, maybe you might reflect a little more, and seek His presence asking what He has to say to you in this.  I know that I’ve taught it a thousand times, and each time is just as exciting as the first time I grasped it…

God loved us so much, while we were still thinking of ourselves as His enemies, that He went and did all of this…?  Really…? And not only that, but we are a part of the spreading of this awesome demonstration of the boundless love of our eternal God…?

May He draw all of us closer to Him in His Word today.  May He fill our hearts with glad assurance of the truth of His Word, and may He increase in our lives as we grow in our faith and in our desire to draw ever nearer to Him in everything that we do.

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