P1 G.I.V.E to the Lord's work

Deuteronomy 26:10-11 Now behold, I have brought the first of the produce of the ground which You, O Lord have given me.’ And you shall set it down before the Lord your God, and worship before the Lord your God; ¹¹ and you and the Levite and the alien who is among you shall rejoice in all the good which the Lord your God has given you and your household.

Five things the Lord has pledged His Personal Presence and Blessing to in His church
When we look to the Bible in general and the New Testament in particular, we understand God pledging His Personal involvement or blessing in five main areas:

1. The preaching/teaching of His word
2. The singing of His praises
3. Obedience
4. Missions
5. Tithing/Stewardship

The Spirit Himself attends the preaching of the word, convicting sinners and strengthening saints. (John 16:8-16)  The Lord promises to inhabit the praises of His people (Psalm 22:3) and guide us as we obey (Romans 12:2).  Jesus Himself promised His apostles and church in the Great Commission that "He would be with her always, even to the end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).  So what about the fifth area wherein God pledges His special presence and blessing - Tithing or Stewardship?  It is that particular area which will occupy the remainder of today's blog and the next several posts. 

Moses' grand sermon series
The Book of Deuteronomy takes place on the Eastern side of the Jordon River on the plains of Moab.  Moses is in the final month of the 120th year of his life.  For forty years he has led two generations of God's people through barren desert and tough hardship.  Deuteronomy records a series of three sermons (chapters 1-4; 5-11; 12-26) with a final set of personal instructions to a new second generation of God's people (chapters 27-34).  As Moses is concluding his second sermon, he turns his attention to the area of stewardship and tithing.  Deuteronomy 26 represents one of the most complete statements on the subject, giving principles whereby the child of God can look to when attempting to understanding the area of giving.

Why G.I.V.E to the Lord's work
As we come into Deuteronomy 26 we see instructions concerning the people's giving of the first fruits of their crops upon their entry and occupancy in the Promised land.  I call this a "promise provision" because when the people present the first portion of their harvest, they will testify as to how God kept His promise of bringing them into the land pledged to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob. (Deuteronomy 26:1-10)  That background sets the stage for stewardship - namely grace. For today's post, I want to give four reasons, patterned after the acrostic G.I.V.E, as to why and how we should give to the Lord's work.  The reasons will derive from the remainder of Deuteronomy 26:10-19:

God is a Giving God.  Deuteronomy 26:10-11
Notice the primary leverage Moses uses in instructing these people and us: namely the fact that God has given and continues to give.  Seven times in Deuteronomy 26 we find reference to God having given to the people the resources and strength.  I would suggest this is the primary reason for giving to the Lord's work - because He gave.  

Invites God's Blessing.  Deuteronomy 26:12-17
What do we mean by "God's Blessing"?  Certainly we could include the notion of prosperity in the material and spiritual sense.  However the chief idea behind "blessing" is the fact of God's presence, power and Person operating in our lives.  God wants to bless us without question.  How much of God do we want in our datebook and checkbook? As Jesus notes in Matthew 6:33 -  "But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you."

Verified throughout Scripture.  Deuteronomy 26:18
I have often heard throughout my years of ministry, as well as heard myself say from time to time: "how much does the Bible have to say about tithing and stewardship?"  Is tithing only an Old Testament teaching?  Does only the Law of Moses (of which Deuteronomy is part) teach tithing?  When the New Testament began, did Jesus and the Apostles do away with the practice? Can we as Christians decide how much or how little we want to give?  I have heard pastors preach sermons on tithing and stewardship, whereas I have heard other Godly and well-studied men who love the Book of God proclaim that Christians are not obligated to tithe.  I believe as you study scripture, you will be surprised by what you find it saying - and not saying - about tithing and stewardship.  

Expresses Worship to God. Deuteronomy 26:19
Moses' entire life was about beholding and promoting the glory of God. (Exodus 33:16-17; Psalm 90)  Whenever God's people give as they should and would desire, God's name and work is promoted.  Giving leads to missions, and missions aims to turn (by the Spirit's gifting and conviction) wicked people into worshippers of God.  The Baptist Faith & Message 2000 in Article 13 has this to say about stewardship: "According to the Scriptures, Christians should contribute of their means cheerfully, regularly, systematically, proportionately, and liberally for the advancement of the Redeemer's cause on earth."

My prayer for the next few days would be that our hearts would be retuned to the Spirit's leading as we consider how we can g.i.v.e to the Lord's work. 

More tomorrow...............


 

Top Prophecy #1 - Where Prophecy Begins - Genesis 3:15

Genesis 3:15 And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed; He shall bruise you on the head,
And you shall bruise him on the heel.”

What makes Genesis 3:15 such a remarkable passage is the fact it contains the Bible's first promise and first prophecy.  The promise within Genesis 3:15 is about the Gospel.  In fact, theologians and Christians of ages past have nick-named Genesis 3:15 the proto-evangelium (pro-to-e-van-gel-eeum), which translated means: the first announcement of the Gospel.  The Prophecy within this same text has to do with the triumph or expected outcome of the Gospel.  Truly Genesis 3:15 is an acorn that contains the Biblical oaks of redemption and eschatology (study of last things, prophecy).

In today's post we want to consider Genesis 3:15 and the attending verses of Genesis 3:16-21 with regards to what God predicted about history, salvation and last things.  Consider the following ideas about this first of top Bible prophecies:

Conflict.  Genesis 3:15a
Genesis 3:15a records - And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her seed..".  Following the rebellion in the garden of Eden, God pronounced a curse upon Satan the serpent, Adam and Eve and the rest of creation.  In Genesis 3:15 we see portrayed the personal, historic and cosmic conflict that would ensue between God's Kingdom and satan's lesser kingdom of darkness.  We note firstly the personal conflict between Eve and Satan.  God made it clear: Satan and Eve were to be enemies.  God's promise and plan of salvation that was to be revealed in the Covenant of Grace issued forth to Eve would run counter to Satan's agenda. 

God drew the battle lines that would not only characterize the personal animosity between humanity and Satan, but secondly the historic conflict.  We see the historic conflict in the words "his seed" and "your seed".  What is meant by those terms "seed"? "Seed" refers to two bloodlines, two groups of people, two spiritual categories of people that would exist throughout human history.  The seed of Satan refers to unbelievers, and the seed of the woman would refer to believers.  For example, Jesus perfectly summarizes this point in Matthew 13:36-40 -
36 Then He left the crowds and went into the house. And His disciples came to Him and said, “Explain to us the parable of the tares of the field.” ³⁷ And He said, “The one who sows the good seed is the Son of Man, ³⁸ and the field is the world; and as for the good seed, these are the sons of the kingdom; and the tares are the sons of the evil one; ³⁹ and the enemy who sowed them is the devil, and the harvest is the end of the age; and the reapers are angels. ⁴⁰ So just as the tares are gathered up and burned with fire, so shall it be at the end of the age. 

Many other passage reveal the two different types of seed as referring to believers and unbelievers. (John 8:44; Ephesians 2:1-2) The historic conflict would entail Israel and her enemies, the apostles and their foes, and of course all subsequent generations of Christian people and unbelievers.  So we see conflict in this text of Genesis 3:15.  How will the conflict be resolved?  Where is such a conflict going to lead? That leads us to the second thought in this grand passage of Genesis 3:15, namely...

Coming Redeemer 3:15b
The Holy Ghost says in Genesis 3:15b - "He shall bruise you on the head, And you shall bruise him on the heel.”  The text goes from personal conflict between Eve and Satan, to historic conflict between unbelievers following satan and believers saved by grace through faith in Christ to the Cosmic conflict of the Coming Redeemer and Satan.  The fact that the text says "He" tells us that God has not only got a plan of salvation, but a Person who will accomplish salvation.  The Coming Redeemer was the entire focus of Old Testament revelation.  The "Seed" of Eve revealed in this verse would be the "Seed" promised later to Abraham. (Genesis 12,15,17,22)  Furthermore, this coming Redeemer would be progressively revealed over the centuries in greater and greater clarity.  King David was told that He would have a descendant sitting on the Throne of Jerusalem. (2 Samuel 7:13-16) In as much as David was going to have royal descendants sitting on the throne of Jerusalem, God had also in mind One Ultimate Ruler, the Coming Redeemer.  Psalm 132:11 states - "The Lord has sworn to David A truth from which He will not turn back: “Of the fruit of your body I will set upon your throne."  

We know by the time of the New Testament, Jesus Christ would end up fulfilling the promises made to Abraham and David.  Through Israel the nation the redeemer would come.  Once the Redeemer came, he would live, die on the cross and be raised from the dead.  After Christ's ascension into heaven to sit at the right hand of the Father, He inaugurated His reign on David's throne to rule over His church. (Acts 2:33-36)  This Redeemer who came is coming again.  Passages such as Romans 11:25-26 and Revelation 19-20 unfold the glorious Second Coming of this Redeemer.  When He returns, Christ will restore the nation of Israel as a nation and His church will reign with Him for 1,000 years.   

Now did Eve and Adam know all of these details? No.  Their level of understanding was in seed form, whereas our understanding is comparitively speaking a mature oak.  God progressively revealed His prophetic truth to each generation.  And so we see a conflict and a coming redeemer, but notice a third idea revealed in Genesis 3:16-21, namely....

Conquest.  Genesis 3:16-21
When you compare Genesis 3:16-21 to the last two chapters of Revelation, you find some amazing contrasts.  In fact, the darkness of Genesis 3 was pre-known by God.  God knew man was going to sin, it was no suprise.  God willed to permit the fall so as to show in ways we don't grasp the glories of His grace as well as to let man exercise his capacity as a responsible, moral being. 

So did the fall jeopardize God's plan for creation?  When you compare Genesis 3:16-21 to Revelation 21-22, you discover God's purpose in conquering satan, sin and death..

Genesis 3:16-21                         vs                     Revelation 21-22
-God & man separate                                  -God & believers together
-Death & Pain                                              -No Death & Pain
-Exile                                                            -A New Home
-Curse                                                          -No Curse
-Night is setting in                                        -No more night
-Long History ahead                                    -History alomost over
-Paradise lost                                              -Paradise rescued
-Blood of animals                                        -Based on Christ's blood
-Old Adam & Eve                                        -New Adam & Bride

Truly God's purposes and plans are not thwarted.  The glorious truth is that in the end God wins! All who by grace through faith believe will be saved.  Right now is the time of salvation, the perfect time to escape the wrath to come.  This is the wonder of prophecy and redemption, centered in the chief work of salvation and the chief end of God's glory in Jesus Christ. 



  

What Southern Baptists believe about God

1 Corinthians 8:6 "yet for us there is but one God, the Father, from whom are all things and we exist for Him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, by whom are all things, and we exist through Him."

The Southern Baptist Convention's current statement of faith (2000 Baptist Faith & Message or BFM 2000) contains for its second article a statement about what Baptists believe about the True and Living God.  The Preamble to the Baptist Faith & Message 2000 includes the following statement about the relationship between scripture and doctrinal statements: "That the sole authority for faith and practice among Baptists is the Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments. Confessions are only guides in interpretation, having no authority over the conscience." 

With those remarks in mind, we now turn to the first part of Article II in the BFM 2000 statement about God, reproduced in its entirety:

"There is one and only one living and true God. He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being, the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe. God is infinite in holiness and all other perfections. God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures. To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience. The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being."

What I would like to do in today's blog is break down this marvelous statement in five headings: Divine Nature of God, Divine Names of God, Divine Attributes of God, Duties to God and the Divine Identity of God.1 

1. Divine Nature of God.
The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 (BFM 2000) states: "There is one and only one living and true God."   Affirmed in this statement is the Biblical teaching of Monotheism or the belief in One God.  God is One in existence, Unique in category, the Source of His own life and Ever true in His character.  Clearly God is Unique and in a Category all His own, not dependant on any creature or creation (Holiness, Aseity), however there is a second parallel truth asserted in this statement: He is an intelligent, spiritual, and personal Being....".  The fact that God is a Personal God, interracting with His creation, is what theologians call "the immanence of God."  The first part of what we just looked at deals with God in His separateness from creation, what theologians term "the transcedence of God."  Immanence counterbalances transcendence, reminding us that God is ever present with His creation, as well as Infinitely above and separate from it. 

2. Divine names of God
The BFM 2000 lists four main titles or names of God: "the Creator, Redeemer, Preserver, and Ruler of the universe." In all reality, these four names indicate the four main activities of God revealed across the pages of scripture.  In Genesis He creates the heavens, the earth, life and man.  Perservation describes His activity following the creation.  Clearly God set into place the physical constants of the universe and is sustaining all of life. The third name or title, Redeemer, points to God's chief work in scripture - salvation.2  Then the final name, "Ruler", tells us how God reigns as Sovereign and exercises that reign by ruling providentially as the Creator, preserver and Ruler. 

3. The Divine Attributes of God
The BFM 2000 states again: "God is all powerful and all knowing; and His perfect knowledge extends to all things, past, present, and future, including the future decisions of His free creatures." The attributes of God shine as rays from the Divine Nature of God.  Since God is all powerful (omnipotent) and all knowing (omniscient), His ability to know all things from beginning to end means He is Omnipresent (everywhere present).  God is spoken of as having the ability to do what He does by both "means" and "ends".  Since His knowledge extends infinitely backwards and forwards, that means there is an ultimate end for which He created all things: His glory.  So the question is: how is it that God has ordained to accomplish His ends?  Answer: through the decisions of His free creatures.  Without cancelling out the Biblical teaching of human responsibility, the BFM 2000 attempts to preserve the two truths of God's Sovereignty and human responsibility. 

4. Duties to God
So what duty or responsibility does man have to this glorious God spoken of in scripture? The BFM 2000 attempts to answer:  "To Him we owe the highest love, reverence, and obedience." The first duty "highest love" refers to the Great commandment spoken of by Jesus in Matthew 22:37.  The second speaks of the proper end of love - reverence.  Then finally, obedience, speaks of the means by which we carry out the highest love and reverence - namely through obedience.  Truly our duties to God should lead to delight in God, which measures how much we have grasped the significance and greatness of God's glory in the faith-walk.

5. The Divine Identity of God
We have looked at what kind of God God is in the first three headings, as well as observing the proper response to this God.  However who is He? The God of Biblical revelation is revealed as having a Three-fold identity: Father, Son and Holy Spirit.  The BFM 2000 explains: "The eternal triune God reveals Himself to us as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, with distinct personal attributes, but without division of nature, essence, or being."  For sake of space I will not comment much more, since the statement adequately conveys what the scripture teaches on God being One God existing as Three Persons: Father, Son and Holy Spirit. 

Conclusion
I hope today's post has edified your spirit and excited your thoughts toward thinking more about who God is.  If you would like to look further into this particular article in the BFM 2000, go to the Southern Baptist Convention website: www.sbc.net.  Once on the site, click on the left side tab marked "Statement of Faith" and you will find the complete document of the BFM 2000 with every scripture reference.  May God richly bless you this day.   

Endnote_________________

1. Anytime we study the nature of God, we term such a study "Theology Proper", since out of all the subjects that can be studied, God is the most supreme. Theology Proper includes the doctrines of the nature of God, the names and attributes of God, the Trinity, Patrology or the study of God the Father, Christology or the study of Christ the Son and Pneumatology or the doctrine of the Holy Spirit.

2. He planned redemption, sent His Son who had agreed in Eternity to come through the virgin birth to be incarnated as a sinless human being. The purpose of the incarnation was so that God the Son could purchase redemption by the shedding of blood. The Holy Spirit agreeing to apply to all who by grace through faith believe. 

The Spirit's Message in John's Writings

1 John 2:28-29 ^"Now, little children, abide in Him, so that when He appears, we may have confidence and not shrink away from Him in shame at His coming. ²⁹ If you know that He is righteous, you know that everyone also who practices righteousness is born of Him." 

Review
In yesterday's blog we considered the Apostle John's treatment of the Person and Work of the Holy Spirit in his writings.  We noted that with regards to the Gospel of John we see a primary emphasis upon the Majesty of the Spirit, a theme which is also stated once in 1 John 2:25.  We also observed that in the Epistle to 1 John, a second emphasis is stated about the Holy Spirit - namely His Ministries.  In all of John's writings we see reference to the Spirit's ministry, but it seems that in 1 John, that is the main emphasis.  It was in 1 John 2:26-27 in particular that we saw three such ministries: Inspiration of scripture, illumination of scripture and the sealing of the believer in their salvation. 

With those first two emphases outlined, we can note another emphasis about the Holy Spirit in John's writings: namely the message of the Spirit to God's people.  We will now consider the Holy Spirit's message to God's people in both 1 John and the Book of Revelation.

The Holy Spirit's message in 1 John
As is often the case through scripture wherein we see reference to the Holy Spirit, the Spirit's message always points the saints to Jesus Christ.  In this instance of 1 John 2:28-3:3, we see mention of Christ's second coming.  As the Holy Spirit speaks in this text, we see two words repeated again and again:

1. Christ's "appearing", which emphasizes the physical, bodily element and visibile signs associated with Christ's second coming. (1 John 2:28 and 3:2)

2. Christ's "coming", which emphasizes the element of Christ's actual "presence" along with the visible, physical signs accompanying His return. (1 John 2:28 and 3:2)

Now these two terms have behind them Greek words that are used in ancient literature to refer to the arrival of a king in a given city following the king's victory over an enemy.  In such instances, much fanfare followed, with the citizens coming out to meet their king and he in turn accompanying them back to the city.  It was obvious when a King returned back to a city - since you could hear the cheering of crowds, smell the incense and see the King himself accompanied by his army. 

The Holy Spirit is using John's words to encourage and inspire hope in the hearts of those reading 1 John.  As the Holy Spirit prepares Christians for the day of Christ's return, the overwhelming message is to hope in Jesus Christ. (1 John 2:28-3:3) By hoping in Jesus Christ, two other points follow: hatred of sin and having love for the saints.  A summary of these thoughts is outlined below:

1. Hope in Jesus. 2:28-3:3
2. Hate Sin.          3:4-10
3. Have love for the saints. 3:11-12

The Holy Spirit's Message in Revelation
The seeds of thought we just explored in 1 John with regards to the Spirit's message become fully grown trees of thought as we travel to the Book of Revelation.  Overwhelmingly the Spirit's message is the key point of Revelation, aiming to point the reader towards the full revelation of Jesus Christ.  For now I won't event attempt to cover all that the Spirit has to say in Revelation, however there are some thoughts worth mentioning.

1. Hope in Jesus.  The Spirit's message points to Jesus. The Spirit reveals the full length Jesus in Revelation 1, detailing nearly 40 different titles that unfold the Person, work and character of the glorified and ascended Christ.

2. Hatred for sin and having love for the saints.  John states seven times in Revelation 2-3 "hear what the Spirit is speaking to the churches."  Clearly the Holy Spirit speaks to the seven churches in Revelation 2-3 about Jesus' words and thoughts about each of them.  Many of their traits can be applied to churches we may see in our own day and time or elements that typically operate at times in the church at large.  

As you can see, the Holy Spirit is speaking forth a more detailed form of the message He communicated through John in 1 John, as well as two other additional thoughts:

3. The Holy Spirit reveals to us Jesus Christ, who in turn points our attention to the Father.  Therefore the Holy Spirit reveals the throne in chapters 4-5. 

4. Then in Revelation 22 we see the Spirit, along with the church, making the final evangelistic appeal of the Bible: "The Spirit and the bride say, “Come.” And let the one who hears say, “Come.” And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who wishes take the water of life without cost." The Holy Spirit's message and ministry always point to Jesus, since He, along with the Son and the Father, share the same identical Majesty.

We could say more, however I hope you see the wonderful ways in which John speaks to us about the Holy Spirit throughout his writings.   

The Spirit's Majesty, Ministries

1 John 2:25-27 This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life. ²⁶ These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you. ²⁷ As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him.

The Holy Spirit in the writings of the Apostle John
The Apostle John wrote a total of 5 writings: Gospel of John, 1,2,3 John and Revelation.  Of those writings, the Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit, is mentioned in three of them.  In John's Gospel we see the primary emphasis upon the Majesty of the Holy Spirit as He is related to God the Father and God the Son. (John 3,4,7,14,15,16)  When you turn the the Epistle of 1 John, the emphasis is placed more upon the Ministry of the Holy Spirit. (1 John 2,4,5)  Then in the last book of the Bible, Revelation, we see the primary emphasis being upon the Message of the Holy Spirit. (Revelation 1-3, 4-5, 22)1  Today we will focus our attention upon the Spirit's Majesty and Ministries, with tomorrow's blog featuring the Spirit's message in John's writings and particularly Revelation. 

The Spirit's Majesty - 1 John 2:25
Even though John's primary emphasis upon the Holy Spirit in 1 John has to do with His ministries, that does not mean he does not include the other two themes of the Spirit's Majesty and Message.  We read in 1 John 2:25 - This is the promise which He Himself made to us: eternal life.  What is meant by the phrase "Eternal Life"? In the New Testament the phrase "Eternal Life" occurs over 40 times.2  In most instances the phrase refers to the spiritual life imparted to the Christian at salvation.  However in a few instances the phrase "Eternal Life" speaks of the very life of God Himself as expressed between the Three Persons of the Trinity.  For instance, in 1 John 1:2 John speaks of having seen "The Eternal Life" that had always been with the Father manifested in human flesh to he and the other apostles. 

In our text of 1 John 2:25, that same idea of Deity is expressed, only the reference is not being made to God the Son, but rather God the Holy Spirit.  We know John is speaking of the Holy Spirit because of the reference He makes to "The Promise which He himself made", echoing of course the promise of the Holy Spirit spoken of by Jesus Christ the Son in John 14:16-17, 15:26 and 16:8-16.  Thus in a span of thirteen words in the original language, John tells us that the promise of Jesus Christ to the Christian is none other the Majestic Third Person of the Trinity, the Holy Spirit.  But notice a second truth about the Holy Spirit in 1 John 2:26-27, namely....

The Holy Spirit's Ministries
As we said earlier, this particular aspect of John's doctrine of the Holy Spirit seems to be of particular focus in 1 John.  In studying 1 John 2:26-27, we discover three ministries of the Holy Spirit:

1. Inspiration of the scriptures.  1 John 2:26 "These things I have written to you concerning those who are trying to deceive you."  The Baptist Faith and message 2000 defines the inspiration of the scriptures:  "It has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth, without any mixture of error, for its matter."  2 Timothy 3:16 states - "All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness."  Then one more passage, 2 Peter 1:21, details the process of Divine inspiration: "for no prophecy was ever made by an act of human will, but men moved by the Holy Spirit spoke from God." As you can see, the Holy Spirit is the Primary Author of scripture along with human authors such as the Apostle John.

2. Illumination. 1 John 2:27a "As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you..."  That phrase "the anointing" is one of the titles used for the Holy Spirit and refers to the activity He does in bring understanding and empowerment for the Christian life.  It is the Holy Spirit who sheds light and brings understanding of the scriptures, so that we may know the things freely given to us by God. (1 Corinthians 2:12)  Any insights gained from scripture is not inspiration - for that work of the Spirit is passed and closed.  Rather illumination correctly describes the Spirit's ongoing task of making clear the words of God through preaching, teaching and Bible study.  

3. Sealing.  1 John 2:27b  "you abide in Him."  A recent book commenting on the Baptist Faith and Message 2000 has this to say of the Spirit's ministry of sealing:3

"The Holy Spirit seals the believer's salvation and serves as the absolute assurance that God's saving work will be completed in the believer's life.  In the Holy Spirit believers are sealed "for the day of redemption" and thus abide in Christ. (Ephesians 4:30; 1 John 4:13) 

The one passage in the above quoted reference on the BFM 2000 is 1 John 4:13 "By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, because He has given us of His Spirit." When we compare this verse to 1 John 2:27b, the idea of "abiding in Christ" is not merely something we do by our own effort, but is made possible by the Holy Spirit's ministry of sealing us. Just as ancient documents were "sealed" with wax to deter pre-mature tampering, the believer is sealed by the Holy Spirit to prohibit any thing from "breaking in" and stealing our salvation.   

More tomorrow....

Endnotes__________________

1. Let the reader note that the Spirit's Majesty, Ministry & Message are spoken of throughout John's writings.  When we say for example that John's Gospel is primarily speaking of the Spirit's Majesty, we certainly are not excluding the fact that the Spirit's ministries of convicting men of sin for example or message of exalting the Son are excluded.  Rather we are saying that of those three themes, John is focus mainly on the Spirit's Majesty.  The same can be said respectively of 1 John and Revelation in how John speaks of the Holy Spirit in those books and His emphases in them.

2. In 36 of those occurances the phrase refers to the spiritual life received at salvation. However in four places, we discover that "Eternal Life" could be translated from the Greek "The Eternal Life" or "The Life of the Eternal One", meaning that the phrase is an actual title of God Himself. In 1 John 1:2, 5:11 & 5:20 the phrase refers to the Deity of Jesus Christ. In one place, 1 John 2:25, the phrase "Eternal Life" could be translated "The Life of the Eternal One", and is referring to the Holy Spirit.  Furthermore, in studying the Greek Text of 1 John 2:25, the term translated "Eternal Life" in the NASB is not referring to spiritual life received from salvation, but rather is a Divine Title for the Holy Spirit Himself. 

3. Kelly Charles, Richard Land and Al Mohler Jr.  The Baptist Faith & Message. Lifeway Press. ninth printing.  Nashville, TN. 2009. Page 54

God's Provision before the need

Deuteronomy 25:1-3 “If there is a dispute between men and they go to court, and the judges decide their case, and they justify the righteous and condemn the wicked, ² then it shall be if the wicked man deserves to be beaten, the judge shall then make him lie down and be beaten in his presence with the number of stripes according to his guilt. ³ He may beat him forty times but no more, so that he does not beat him with many more stripes than these and your brother is not degraded in your eyes.

In today's blog we want to look at a principle I find frequently throughout the Old and New Testament: "God's provision before the need".1 

How is it that God provides before the need?  How was it that He provided for His people, Israel, back in the Old Testament concerning their needs? Furthermore, how do the provisions recorded in passages such as Deuteronomy 25-26 reveal the greatest need of mankind: salvation?  To answer these questions, I want to first of all list mankind's three ultimate needs, followed by the specific provisions for specific needs in Deuteronomy 25-26, with a final section showing how God was going to meet man's ultimate need through His ultimate provision - Jesus Christ. 

Mankind's Ultimate Needs
The Bible tells us of three ultimate needs for everyone born into this world:
1. Payment for sin.  Romans 3:23, 6:23
2. Personal Savior. Matthew 1:21, 1 Timothy 1:15
3. Promise of resurrection. Job 14:14; Heb 2:14

Specific Provisions  in Deuteronomy 25-26
Now just tuck those ultimate needs in the back of your mind, because in a moment we will return to them.  In Deuteronomy 25 we want to highlight three provisions God was prescribing for His people.  These laws may appear random and irrelevant, however all scripture is Divinely inspired and is profitable. (2 Timothy 3:16). 

The first provision is a legal provision (Deuteronomy 25:1-4).  The need was going to be for a justice system in the promised land once the Jews crossed over after Moses' death.  How would they know how to punish offenders, and what standards would they use to exercise justice?  God spells that out by not allowing criminals to be beaten with more than 40 lashes (one of the chief punishments in the ancient world).

The second provision was a relational provision (Deuteronomy 25:5-10).  Lets say you were a woman who had not born a child for your husband. Suddenly he dies, leaving you a widow.  In a culture where carrying on a person's name meant everything, God prescribed that the nearest male relative to the dead husband marry the widow to carry on the dead man's bloodline.  The Book of Ruth illustrates this prescription most clearly, with Ruth the Moabitess losing her first husband, and later on being wedded to that man's nearest of kin - Boaz.  This relational provision, spoken of elsewhere in the Old Testament, is what we call "The Kinsman Redeemer".  Such a provision ensured the continuation of a man's name and bloodline, as well as ensuring the widow provision and protection.

The third provision is a promise provision, found in Deuteronomy 26:1-11.  God had promised Abraham and his descendants the land of Canaan as an inheritance.  Once Moses died, those descendants would cross the Jordon River under Joshua's leadership into the promised land.  In order to demonstrate to themselves and to others that they were heirs to God's promise, God prescribed the "law of the first-fruit".  Simply put, whatever crops they grew, the first stalks of corn or wheat would be brought to the priest at the temple.  After rehearsing the redemptive account of God's delivery of their ancestors out of Egypt, the people would have proof from that "first-fruit" of God coming through on His redemption of them, and that better days for them were to come. 

So with these legal, relational and promise provisions, the Jews would be ready for their new lives in the promised land.  Understand that these provisions were granted by God before the people entered into the promised land.  This pattern of God's provision before the need also revealed God's plan of salvation through provisions to meet man's ultimate needs.

God's provisions meet the ultimate needs of man
Man's first ultimate need is payment for sin.  Whenever you read that legal provision in Deuteronomy 25:1-3, do not dismiss it as a random law.  Its purpose was to be in place and to point to what Jesus would do in meeting the need for payment of sin.  Jesus was flogged in preparation for the cross.  Isaiah 53:5 predicts - "But He was pierced through for our transgressions, He was crushed for our iniquities; The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him, And by His scourging we are healed." 2 

Man's second ultimate need is a Personal Savior.  God prescribed a personal provision ensuring the continuation of man's bloodline by means of his near of kind marrying his widow.  The book of Ruth illustrates Deuteronomy 25:5-10 most wonderful with the story of Boaz' redemption of Ruth and his loving marriage to her.  The outcome?  Read the end of Ruth and you will find a genealogy leading to King David! What's the big deal?3  God's provision of an immediate need in Deuteronomy 25:5-10 prepared to meet the ultimate need of sinners - the Personal Savior. 

Now what about man's third ultimate need - Promise of  resurrection? Will death have the final word? Men like Job in Job 14:14 ask the perennial question: "if a man dies, can he live again? All the days of my struggle I will wait until my change comes." Recall how God had made a provision of promise for His people in Deuteronomy 26:1-11 by way of the "first fruits".  They could testify God's promises to them both then and for the future were true and real because of the evidence of crops.  For the Christian, how can it be determined that the Bible is true and Christ is who He said He is? Furthermore, what tells the sinner that the salvation being offered to them is genuine, life-giving hope? Twice in 1 Corinthians 15:20,23 we are given the answer: Christ's resurrection from the dead is His first-fruit, evidence for the promise of resurrection and eternal life.  Moreover, Christians themselves are termed "first-fruits" or "previews" of better things to come in Christ. (Romans 8:23; 1 Corinthians 16:15; James 1:18; Revelation 14:4).

Conclusion
God's provisions of these laws give us language whereby we can understand and appreciate the New Testament provisions of payment for sin, Personal Savior and Promised resurrection.  For every New Testament doctrine there is at least one, concrete Old Testament parallel.  Without Jesus Christ, the Bible would be another religious book.  However because of Christ, the New Testament in the Old is enfolded, and the Old Testament in the New is unfolded.  Scripture is God's Living Book!   It is God's Word, period! May you and I see that God indeed provides before the need arises. 

Endnotes_____________
1. Whenever you read through sections like Deuteronomy, you have to keep in mind that Moses was preaching a series of three sermons and a final set of instructions to a new generation of Israelites. Moses was in the final month of his 120 year lifespan, making one final appeal to the people of God before his death and their entryway into the promised land. Deuteronomy's many laws, instructions and historical references may on first glance appear irrelevant to the 21st century saint. However whenever we see the verses of the Old Testament as pointing the way to Jesus Christ, rich gems can be mined. 

2. Isaiah wrote those words 700 years after Deuteronomy 25:3 and 700 years before Christ's flogging recorded in Matthew 27:26. Coincidence? Hardly! Christ received injustice at the hands of wicked men to satisfy the justice of God. (Acts 2:24; Romans 5:6-10)

3. Matthew 1:1-17 gives us the full bloodline of the Savior, starting with Abraham, down through people like Boaz and Ruth, through David to Christ Himself.

Called to Preach - a personal testimony

2 Timothy 4:1-2 I solemnly charge you in the presence of God and of Christ Jesus, who is to judge the living and the dead, and by His appearing and His kingdom: ² preach the word; be ready in season and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort, with great patience and instruction.

Today's blog entry is more personal in nature, insofar as it traces the journey the Lord has had me, my wife and family on since calling me to serve His people.  The above text is what God used to summon me to His service and is a text of which I have preached more than any other.  May the words you read below give glory to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Called to preach: April 7th 1992
April 7th marks a very important date for me as a preacher and teacher of God's Word.  On April 7th of 1992 I preached my first sermon entitled "The Blood-washed Hills of Calvary". Months earlier, on September 21, 1991 God dramatically and specifically dealt with me in the realm of my Christian commitment.  Great conviction seized my heart, and I began reading the scriptures.  Upon arriving at 2 Timothy 4, I saw those words issued to Timothy by the Apostle Paul: "Preach the Word".  When I read those words, God spoke to me specifically: "Preach the Word!" 

I will admit that I felt unworthy and ill-equipped to do the Master's bidding, and still feel that way apart from His grace. However since He was calling me to preach, there was only one thing to do: Go and preach His word!  Apart from His grace, there is no way the events that transpired from that point would have occured.  In our high school there was an annual speech league  competition.  One of the teachers approached me and asked if I would be interested in participating.  At first I hestitated but then accepted.  I began working on my first sermon, asking advice from my pastor and my father. 

The day arrived, and on April 7th of 1992 I preached in a little room of about ten people at our school.  Some funny remarks were made by those judging the message I gave.  One remarked that I needed to not carry the lectern with me when I spoke.  Before I got up to speak that day, the instructor told us we had to stay behind the lectern the entire time.  However as a young preacher boy, I had watched my pastor pace back and forth during his preaching.  So in doing what I knew what to do, I carried the lecturn with me during the course of the sermon!  Needless to say the speech judges graciously graded me a B- and told me to keep working on my public speaking skills.

Called to be a husband, a dad, a pastor, a follower
God in His grace has been so good to me!  Shortly after preaching that first message, I graduated highschool and enrolled at Lancaster Bible College - Lancaster PA, in the Fall of 1992.  In two years time I met my wonderful wife Debi.  Upon my graduation from Lancaster Bible College we married on June 15, 1996.  After our first two children, the Lord led me to Biblical Theological Seminary in Hatfield, PA and I was able to graduate in 2002.  By 2003 I was ordained to the Pastoral ministry and accepted a call to pastor a church in Florida.  After five years of pastoring  and two more children in Florida, God led us out to Oklahoma in 2009.  For 19 months we lived in a town near Tulsa Oklahoma.  God had us in a new season - a season of following rather than leading, of listening rather than speaking, of healing and no longer hurting.  Waiting on God may be tough sometimes, but it is always worth it.  If I was ever to continue preaching His word, I had to abide and sit under others who did the same.  If I was to ever again lead the people of God, I had to learn how to follow and serve.  My family and I, by God's grace, were strengthened during the time of waiting for Him to turn the next page in our lives.

Called to preach at Trinity Baptist Church, April 7th 2011
In January of 2011 the page began to turn.  I was contacted by phone by a wonderful gentleman who is the Director of Missions in the Frisco Baptist Association here in South Eastern Oklahoma. That man connected me to a wonderful group of Godly men who comprised the pulpit committee for Trinity Baptist Church.  The pulpit committee contact me in February of 2011 and began talking to us about Trinity Baptist Church in Idabel Oklahoma.  By mid-March they invited us to come down for a weekend to give the congregation and us a chance to meet one another, ask questions and for me to preach some trial sermons.  After Trinity extended the call for us to come, we accepted and packed up for the journey home.  As Providence would have it, my first official day of service at Trinity began on April 7, 2011.

God does not govern life by coincidences, the joy continues
I do not believe in coincidences.  April 7, 1992 marked my first sermon ever preached, with the Lord orchestrating my first formal day of service at Trinity to be on April 7, 2011. For the past two years I have been enjoying the greatest years of my life, preaching and teaching God's Word to the greatest group of God's people any pastor could have.  This morning, April 7, 2013, I look forward once again to mounting the steps to enter in behind God's sacred desk to preach what is in God's text, for God's people and for His Glory.  My prayer is that the Lord will give my family and me many more wonderful years here in Idabel Oklahoma to preach the word and love the people!