6/10/19 

Psalm 119:9 ESV

How can a young man keep his way pure?
    By guarding it according to your word. 

We should look at this question very closely, for: 

1.       A young person has reason to question their purity.

2.      There is in the young a need for purity.

3.      By questioning his way a young person becomes serious about his purity.

4.      To question the purity of your conduct is to recognize the need for improvement.

5.      To form the habit of improvement when you are young will give you a continuing concern for your conduct into your old age.

6.      Though it is begun when you are young there should be a never-ending question of your purity.

7.      The question lends itself to the assumption that there is a way to cleanse your ways.

“By guarding it according to your word.”

1.       The answer to the question of purity is found God’s word.

2.      The answer is neither accidental nor casual.  It is “by guarding”, or “by taking heed.”

This is no less than a careful attention and applying the Scriptures to your life.

3.      “According to” is the ground of the instruction that is the certain rule for purity.  It is in and by God’s word.

6/8/19 

Romans 8:28 - 3

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

There is in this verse no hope for humanity in general.  There is a specific identity for those who are guaranteed that “good” is their promise from this life.  And this good is experienced in their relationship with the Holy Spirit as explained in 8:13-14.

¹³ For if you live according to the flesh you will die, but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. ¹⁴ For all who are led by the Spirit of God are sons of God.

This identity begins with the nature they received in their regeneration, the nature of a child of God.  It is the nature of a child to love his parent.

The nature and character which is described as loving God is found in believers alone.  This love is the same love which is the requirement of God’s Law.  So it is not strange that believers love God.  It is their nature and their discipline to have this identifying them.

There is a second part to this identity.  They are the elect according to the eternal counsels of God.  As it is stated here, this which is the “called according to His purpose”, is not a result but a cause.  If they love God, if all things are for their good, it is because it is the eternal purpose of God.

The good Father does not leave His child to wander and find his way willy-nilly.  He directs him in all his paths.  “As many as are led by the spirit of God are the sons of God”.  And all good is found under that leadership.­­

6/7/19 

Romans 8:28 - 2

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

¹⁸ For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing with the glory that is to be revealed to us.

The words “all things” are understood differently by very able commentators.  Charles Hodge writes that it refers back to 8:18 and the “suffering” referred to there.

He then explains that from 8:18 the Christian is given a view of a hostile world in which he must expect aggressive opposition with undesirable experiences.  This has a great deal to recommend it and nothing really to deny it.  Still it is only by understanding “all things” as limited to the context can this be accepted.

Then does the context make this demand?  It would seem that the paragraph beginning with 8:28 and following fits best in understanding our concern here.  This would recognize the suffering, but it would also recognize the security and blessing that accrue to the elect.  If we see the context following 8:28 as included, then “all things” would include the complex of both blessing and curse to make up the whole of the church’s experience.

As we experience both blessing and curse under the Providence of God, there is nothing that we, the Church, can experience that is not designed for our benefit and God’s glory.

6/4/19 

Romans 8:28

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. 

I’ve begun a study of Romans 8:1ff. This is considered by most Bible students as one of the great chapters in Scripture.  Romans 8:28 is one of the high points of this highly theological chapter.  I plan to spend this writing and one more on the verse listed above.

Today my concern is in the words with which it begins, “We know.” From the emphasis which Scripture puts on the knowledge of God and His word it can easily be determined that there is a premium on this knowledge and there is little patience with ignorance.  There has to be a starting place.  But you do not rest at the starting line.  The track star comes to the starting line with such eagerness that he faces a disqualifying penalty for jumping the gun.

Paul in 8:28 makes a general and inclusive statement, “We know.”  He could not say this if what follows in this verse, through the remainder of this chapter and including chapter nine was not known and acknowledged.

A believer is supposed to have a certain amount of knowledge about himself, God, and Christ as Savior of Sinners.

There are two things about Christians that are extremely rare:  an ignorant Christian and a closet Christian.  Be aware!  Scripture expects you to know and to confess.

6/3/19 

Galatians 5:11

¹¹ But if I, brothers, still preach circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been removed.

There are a number of explanations of what the offense of the cross is.  I have, for a great number of years, been convinced that it is the absolute singularity of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ, John 14:6, Acts 4:12, and other such plain testimonies.

Gospel believers do not doubt the singularity of the way of salvation.  But they do not understand what offense this has always been.

All the heresies, cults, different and pseudo-religions cry mightily and make a great issue of anyone who publicly proclaims salvation in Jesus alone.  We are allowed to say “Justification by faith in Christ”.  We can say Christianity is by faith in Christ. But Christianity as one among many is never to be understood as unique.  A claim to God’s favor may be ever so accurate as long as it claims no uniqueness.  It must never claim to be exclusive.  

And this is exactly Paul’s point.  “If I allow circumcision to be included in this salvation I preach, I will not be persecuted.  But if I do that, the offense of the cross is ceased.  The blood-bought unique deliverance of the Lamb of God is wasted.” 

”May it never be!”

5/31/19 

Matthew 16:26

²⁶ For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?

Any honest Bible reader must admit the importance of earthly wealth.  In this Scripture text Jesus contrasts the worth of a life contrasted with the value of the world.

There are questions which arise from Christ’s question.

1.       A man’s self-preservation is an overriding consideration for him.  He must have concern for his personal life, “his own soul”.  Though it is not his only concern, it is an important concern.  He must consider his own life as Jesus represents it here as more valuable than any object in the world of present reality.

2.      The concern that causes the contrast is the subject of the value of following Christ.  This is the object of infinite value. The question of commitment is the separating question of Christianity.  “For you cannot serve two masters.”  The value of this world or any object in it cannot be valued greater than following Jesus.  His unchanging command rings with the requirement and authority, “Take up your cross and follow me”.

5/28/19 

Judges 13:22-23

 ²² And Manoah said to his wife, “We shall surely die, for we have seen God.” ²³ But his wife said to him, “If the Lord had meant to kill us, he would not have accepted a burnt offering and a grain offering at our hands, or shown us all these things, or now announced to us such things as these.”

There are in Judges a number of unusual characters who bring with them unusual stories. 

The strangest character with one of, if not the most, unusual stories in the Bible is Samson.  With this account of the events leading to his birth everything about Samson is strange.  His birth, like that of Samuel, is pointed out as a special event, marked by signs and wonders.  Yet in the midst of these wonders, “the Angel of the Lord says his name is wonderful.”  The mother of Samson introduces this rational explanation for having confidence in God and His promise.

Take a look with me at her reasoning.

1.       “He has accepted our burnt offering.”  It is a principle of Scripture that God’s acceptance of a person’s offering is a guarantee of the person being accepted.  Genesis 4:4.  Surely that the believer’s greatest confidence his offering is accepted.  And I know because He is raised from the dead.

2.      He has revealed Himself to us.  We also have the more sure Word of God which Peter tells us is better than having seen the wonders.

3.      “He has announced to us such things as these.”  We all have exceeding great and precious promises” made more sure by the victories of God’s Church.  cf I Corinthians 15:24-28.

²⁴ Then comes the end, when he delivers the kingdom to God the Father after destroying every rule and every authority and power. ²⁵ For he must reign until he has put all his enemies under his feet. ²⁶ The last enemy to be destroyed is death. ²⁷ For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him. ²⁸ When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.