John 3:30

He Must Increase, I Must Decrease

Memory Verses

Leviticus 19:2 – Be Holy

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Leviticus 19:2 Speak unto all the congregation of the children of Israel and say unto them, “Ye shall be Holy: for I the Lord your God am Holy.

Leviticus is not an easy book for many to read. It seems to confuse a lot of people. I recommend taking it slowly and understanding the context and always keep in mind that the Old Testament is pointing forward to the cross, and your understanding should increase.

I find it to be an amazing account that God commands all men to be holy. Sure, this was written to the children of Israel, but I’ve been told by people who’ve taught me that when God repeats himself we should listen. Peter provides for us an example of this in his first letter.

1 Peter 1:15-16 But as he which hath called you is holy, so be ye holy in all manner of conversation; 16 Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

This letter was written to New Testament believers. We are to be holy.

It is our distinct lack of holiness that condemns us. We all fall short of God’s glory (Romans 3:23) and stand in condemnation (John 3:18,36). You’ll note these two verses are glaringly close to the oft quoted John 3:16. I’ll go out on a limb here; people who do not love and adore God for His wrath do not truly know Him. For, to His own, all his attributes are adorable. We know we are regenerate when the most reprehensible attributes of God to the natural man become lovable to our souls.

I use this verse in evangelism when people deny that God is just to punish them, for even one sin. A frequent question you may encounter is, “How can God punish a person eternally for sins committed temporarily.” The basis idea is that men in general believe that their sins are finite, because they are committed in time. I used to lament that a good and just God could not punish me for eternity for my sins. My opinion was that I had sinned for 30-70 years; sure, I could accept hell for 70 years, but not forever.

But our God is infinite, is He not? There is no end to God, nor any beginning. And His perfection is unparalleled. Imagine this: God cannot improve. Yes, that’s right. There is something the all-powerful God cannot do, “get better.” (He also cannot sin) He is already fully perfect, and as a consequent, perfectly, completely and infinitely holy. The practical implication of this is that sins committed in our finite lifetime, all of which are committed against the same holy God, are deserving of infinite punishment.

This is why Jesus must be God himself in order to be able to provide a complete sacrifice for sins. If Jesus were nothing but a man, his blood would not be able to atone for the sins of other men. Even if he had been a sinless man (which he was), if he was only a man, and not fully God in the flesh, then we are all dead in sin. The fact that Jesus is God, and thus, perfectly holy and sinless, makes substitutionary atonement possible, through faith in Him alone. Not only does it make the atonement possible, but it makes it sufficient for all to whom it applies. Nothing can be added to the finished work of Christ. If Jesus’ perfect, infinite, holy righteousness is not enough to cover your sins, then a ritual here and there isn’t going to put you over the top! Nor will your sin detract from that. You can neither add nor subtract from His work. All you can do is rest in it, or ignore it completely.

So Jesus Christ is Holy, and commands us to be holy. This is to say we ought to be set apart for use by God. We are to live in the world, but not be of the world. Holiness is characterized by a desire to be like Christ. Those who truly want to be holy will not be looking at how close to sin they can get without crossing the line, but rather how far from the line they can be. God’s wrath was poured out on His perfect Son because of His utter hatred for everything unholy. His Holy anger toward sin, and sinners, should be a warning to us all. Why would you want to enjoy sin for a season, when that is the very thing that put the person you are supposed to love most on the cross? We protest when the government tries to tell us we can’t have military memorials because it bothers us that is dishonors the lives that were given to purchase our freedom, yet we indulge in the very sin Christ suffered to pay for to buy our freedom from sin and death…often under the guise of Christian liberty.

So are you holy today? I’m not talking about sinless perfection. I’m talking about the direction of your life. Are you overcoming sin and conquering your flesh? Is this your earnest desire? Are you trusting in the cross? Is Jesus the author AND perfecter of your faith? If you are struggling with holiness, it could be a sign of a deeper issue, especially if you find you really don’t care. Real Christians will struggle with sin, but there will be repentance! False converts will justify sin, and turn grace into licentiousness. Read the warning to the Hebrews. Failure to grow in holiness is a terrifying symptom of the unregenerate. Examine yourself today!

Hebrews 12:14 Follow peace with all men, and holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord:

1 Thessalonians 5:17 – Pray without ceasing.

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1 Thessalonians 5:17-18 17 Pray without ceasing; 18 In every thing give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Dear brother or sister, do you pray without ceasing? I confess, sometimes, even when I pray, I find my mind wandering and I forget I was in the middle of a prayer. If we can’t focus on our prayer life when we are actually praying, how can we begin to pray without ceasing? Do you want a better prayer life? Do you want to pray more? How about more effectively? Is it your desire that God would hear and answer your prayers? The effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much, does it not?

I think we get the idea from 1 Thessalonians 5:17, don’t we? God wants us to pray. We are to be thankful in every circumstance because it is God’s will that we are thankful in all circumstances. We have reason to be thankful, since we know Christ. In regard to prayer, I want to focus on one of the primary reasons that a Christian does not pray. What keeps you from prayer? Is it because you’re busy? Oh, I’ll grant that maybe sometimes we all suffer from the too busy to pray syndrome; we wake up 30 minutes before you have to be at work or church, so we rattle off a quick one. We all ought to improve in this area, keeping in mind that God knows our hearts; but the reason we do not pray that I want to discuss is sin. I believe that when you and I do not pray, that it is most often the result of unconfessed sin in our life.

Anyone with a sense of God’s Holiness ought to feel unworthy to draw near to Him. Think of the Old Testament times, when men were struck dead for entering the Most Holy Place if they were not right with God. Isaiah immediately realized what a dirty mouth he has when confronted with the presence of the Lord. (Isaiah 6:1,5) James says our prayers are effective, if we are righteous. (James 5:16). Who can live up to this burden? Does anyone that truly understands the Bible ever believe themselves to be righteous? Jesus said there is no one good, except God. (Luke 18:19)

So once a man feels good about himself, he tries to draw near to God. Once a man believes he has ‘cleaned up his act,’ he will kneel down in prayer, or bow down in worship. Knowing our unworthiness keeps us from Him so often. So a Christian who is living in sin, what is his problem? The sin keeps us from feeling worthy to come to God, does it not? It can make us question our salvation even at times. A truly regenerate heart might be so disgusted by its own sin, which is so abhorrent to the Spirit living within, that a person may feel that they cannot come to God in prayer. “Why should He listen to me?” we may say. In our society, we are so used to the concept that we must clean up our acts in order to come to God that the idea of coming to Him in prayer while in sin is rejected upon suggestion. Isn’t there a sense that even confession is difficult? Sometimes I feel like I need to “fix it” then “confess it.”

But is this rational? Is it truly reasonable to believe we can ever truly ‘clean up our acts’ before God? If all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags (Isaiah 64:6); if we are creatures and He is holy (Isaiah 6:3), then it makes no sense to believe we can ever clean up our act anyway. The fact that you may not feel like praying because you are in a particular sin is irrelevant…it is just an excuse not to pray. Let me repeat that. Whenever you have any reason NOT to pray, it is just an excuse. It is always, without a doubt, invalid as a rationale for avoiding prayer. It derives from a lack of faith in Him who CAN wash you clean. I tell you that you should pray without ceasing (as Paul told Thessolonica): most importantly in the times when it is hardest to pray, while in sin.

I will tell you that not only should we come to God with humility (Isaiah 66:2), a contrite spirit, mourning our sin (Matthew 5:3-4), but you can and ought to come boldly. You should approach God with confidence. How and why do we approach God with boldness? Because the scripture sayeth!

Ephesians 3:11-12 According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord: 12 In whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of him.

Hebrews 4:16 Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need.

It is important that we understand the nature of being born-again when we discuss prayer. No creature has the right to approach God and ask anything of Him. God is entirely separate from His creation except that which He has declared sanctified: His heaven, His holy angels. None of these are Holy except that He has declared them so. No man is Holy by nature; we know that we all fell when Adam fell and that we are all born sinners. This is why He does not heed the prayers of the unrighteous, they are abominable to Him. (Proverbs 28:9) But when you are born-again of the spirit (John 3:6): when you come to saving faith in Christ and are baptized by the Holy Spirit into Christ (Gal 3:27, 1 Corinthians 12:13): now you are made Holy. You are sanctified by the blood of the lamb: washed: made white as snow. (Isaiah 1:18) You are declared justified before God and Holy in His site thanks to the imputed righteousness of Christ (Romans 4:25).

If you are born-again, when God looks at you, He sees His son. Let me make this clear, the only reason He will look at you is because He sees only His son. There can be no mistake that it is only His righteousness with which God is pleased; it is nothing in you that pleases Him. BUT, because we live by faith: because we believe the scripture that says we’ve been cleansed of our sin: that God has finished His redemptive work on our behalf: since we believe God’s Word when it says the called are justified and the justified shall be glorified: we believe we have access with boldness to the throne of grace.

Our belief creates action. Imagine a criminal who has fulfilled his sentence in prison. Shall he stay in prison on his out date? If you owe 100 dollars for a speeding ticket, do you pay 100 dollars then continue to pay? Of course not. Do you send your loan company 300 dollars if your remaining balance is only $250? Never. Yet Christians daily approach God as if you still have a sin debt.

We must believe Jesus when He said ‘It is finished.” (John 19:30) Oh ye of little faith! Read what the write of Hebrews says in the “great faith” chapter!

Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

You must believe he is a rewarder of them that seek him diligently! Stop approaching God’s throne with your false humility; as if you can fool him with your words of deference on your lips while your heart inwardly doubts His very existence, or at least the inheritance He’s promised. Approach him with humility, Yes. Confess sin and exalt His majesty, dear brother or sister, but not in an effort to manipulate Him. His will cannot be changed; He is neither persuaded nor confounded by men. Yes, come to him mourning your sin and with a contrite and humble heart. But do not come to Him as anything other than His son or daughter. When you come to God, you must come to Him as if you believe you have truly been forgiven! You must approach Him with the boldness and confidence that comes from the believe that you are covered by the blood of the lamb, with the understanding that Jesus Christ has completed His redemptive work in you and that you have been positionally situated in the Heavenlies already! You’ve been washed. You are clean in His sight. Nothing can change that! Read Romans 8:28 to the end of the chapter if you do not already understand this!

Do you still owe God reverence? Certainly. But do not attempt to repay Christ for His work on your behalf. You can offer Him nothing. You have nothing. Everything you have is His already. Present yourself as a living sacrifice and worship and love Him while you ‘come to the water.’ Show God that you understand who you are and who He is by giving up your religion and coming to Him for all your needs. The only thing we can offer Him is our neediness, and He relishes to reveal His Goodness by providing abundantly for His children, spiritually speaking. I am not telling you to be cavalier or irreverent in your supplications to Him; but He has said we ought worship in Spirit and in Truth, so we must discern what is true about our relationship with Him.

So when should you pray? Pray when you’re happy. Pray when you’re grateful. Pray when there are times of rejoicing. Pray in times of tribulation and trouble. Pray when you evangelize, before you preach or teach and before you eat. Pray when you are waking, when you fall asleep. Pray every time you think of someone you hadn’t thought of in a while. Pray without ceasing! Why, if you really believed that God is the only source of all Goodness would you not want constant contact with Him?

And most importantly, pray when you don’t feel like it. Pray when you feel like you don’t deserve anything from God. My dear Christian reader: do not believe the lie from the devil that you ought not pray. Do not trust the logic that says, “I am sinning now, and God hates sin so I have no right to talk to Him right now.” Go BOLDLY to the throne of grace and get some of that grace! Trust that Christ’s substitutionary atonement on your behalf was MORE THAN SUFFICIENT for your sins; be assured that He knew you’d commit all these sins even before He chose to save you; and be certain that He demands that you come to God through Christ and confess in order that you might be in His will.

I know all too well how hard it is to pray in sin. How hard it is to come to God wen I don’t feel like I’ve been living right. There is nothing wrong with being ashamed of your sin, with knowing how UNHOLY you are in your flesh. Isn’t this required in the first place to be saved? But to have little faith: to live and to pray (or not pray) as if God hasn’t already declared you justified in His sight and offered you access to Him: now that is more sin, my dear friend. There is no place for faithlessness in the Christian life. Overeat, we will. Be angry and sin, treat other people without love, put money too high on our priority list we will. But please do not live without faith. Please trust the righteousness of Christ is far greater than your sin, and sufficient to make you clean in His sight, and worthy, by His grace alone, of the blessings of being a child of God.

What is keeping you from praying right now? Is it time to go to another webpage, or turn on a game? Do you feel disconnected because you haven’t been reading His Word lately? He has already removed every barrier; go to Him in prayer right now, call on your heavenly father. And if your problem is that you do not yet have a relationship with God through Christ…what is keeping you from proper worship? Why do you love your sin and the God of your imagination so much that you’d suffer eternal hell in order to enjoy it now. Life is too short, repent and believe the gospel today!

1 Thessalonians 5:16 – Rejoice Evermore

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1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 16 Rejoice evermore, 17 pray without ceasing, 18 In every thing give thanks, for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.

Oh what joy it is to live in Christ! Right? Isn’t every moment simply an easy moment of bliss? Doesn’t Jesus heal all your sickness and provide you with wealth if you follow Him? How else could Paul command us to “rejoice always?” Turn on your TV; preachers of the God of the bible everywhere are telling you this lie: the lie that Jesus is really nothing more than a cosmic genie, available to fulfill your wishes when you call upon Him. The deceptive idea that we can come to Christ for any reason other than a desire to repent of our sin and trust His righteousness alone is possibly the most blasphemous, deplorable thought in the hearts of men today. Thankfully, I trust in God’s sovereignty, and I know that none of His elect can be deceived by these charlatans, and their portion in the Lake of Fire will be proportionate to their sin against Him!

So if we are not made wealthy and healthy by coming to Christ, shall we experience suffering? 1 Peter 5:10 seems to indicate that: But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. emphasis my own. The same God that tells us we must suffer, that we must “take up our cross,” that we will face persecution, and that the world will hate us because it hated Him first has also commanded us to rejoice always. In the Greek, it has the connotation of continuous rejoicing, without pause!

When you think about it, it actually makes sense that this command is present and necessary. The fact that we will face suffering and persecution requires a reminder to rejoice. As fleshly people, we will frequently face times when we forget about the grace we’ve received. Living in a sin cursed world will contribute to our ungrateful attitudes and our self-centered focus. We need to be commanded to rejoice because our tendency will be to do otherwise. We are people with an “Adamic” nature. Our initial reaction is always a desire immediate gratification. We will never, apart from the work of the Holy Spirit, do what Jesus did when he, “for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2.

Why should we rejoice? What’s the purpose? We have seen that rejoicing can be hard. It’s clear that rejoicing is commanded. Why would God command something that is so unnatural to do (sometimes), even if you are saved? Rejoicing comes quite naturally at times; so why a command to do so “evermore?” Simply put, you glorify God when you rejoice in Him during trials and tribulations. Think about it: even the most ungodly person will rejoice when things “go their way.” Most people are quite content when they are pain-free, employed, well fed and find friendship. It is when we are most down and out that our trust in God impresses others. It is when we are standing in front of a deep sea on one side and pharaoh’s army on the other that our stillness enables others to see God’s amazing faithfulness. It is the rejoicing of parents over their dead child’s place in heaven that shows how we are different, set apart, from the world. It is through rejoicing in the profession of faith of former criminals, burglars, liars and prostitutes that we show the world that we hope in the Lord and that we trust His grace to be sufficient!

So rejoice, dear brother and sister. The worst circumstance you will endure will be temporary. The most painful affliction you experience at the hands of men will pale in comparison to the eternal punishment of an infinitely wise and creative God. Your sins have been paid for; why should you not rejoice? There is nothing that can separate you from the love of God, and nothing that you will ever experience can even be compared to the suffering of the One who paid it all for you on the cross. What river of pain or mountain of affliction wouldn’t you cross, if it meant the salvation of a loved one. What temporary discomfort would you cheerfully endure if you knew the end result was God’s glory and redemption of sinners? Well, all things work together for Good, so trust in this fact every moment and REJOICE ALWAYS!

Mark 8:29

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Mark 8:29 And he asked them, “but who do you say that I am?” Peter answered him, “You are the Christ.”

Dear reader, this statement is amazing! It sounds quite ordinary, or even elementary to us today. It seems obvious. Of course, he is the Christ, right?

Not so fast. I want to show you that this statement is the result of a miraculous work of God. I intend to prove that this statement was not ordinary, but rather, extraordinary! On a side note, I spelled extraordinary wrong in a spelling bee over 20 years ago, and I never will again. Back to my point now – this assertion by Peter is exceptional for the time he lives, and for eternity.

First let’s discuss the exceptionality of the statement. Here we are in Mark chapter 8. Jesus has been casing out demons, feeding thousands of people with less food than could feed the twelve and healing sickness and disease. The lame are walking, the blind are seeing, deaf are hearing and still he is not believed to be the Christ. Read Mark 3:21-22! He is even accused of being satanic!

After all of this, feeding thousands, the healings, the casting away of demons, there are still some who come to him and ask him for a “sign!” (Mark 8:11-12) Think about it, these people had witnessed signs so great that people who deny must deny their very existence, the acts are so far-fetched. They had seen what Jesus had done, but in their unbelief, the suppressing of the truth in their unrighteousness, they had to deny his deity.

Luke 13:23-27 And someone said to him, “Lord, will those who are saved be few?” And he said to them, 24 “Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able. 25 When once the master of the house has risen and shut the door, and you begin to stand outside and to knock at the door, saying, ‘Lord, open to us,’ then he will answer you, ‘I do not know where you come from.’ 26 Then you will begin to say, ‘We ate and drank in your presence, and you taught in our streets.’ 27 But he will say, ‘I tell you, I do not know where you come from. Depart from me, all you workers of evil!’

Take it from Jesus: there will be few who are saved. Ultimately, this means there will be few who profess Jesus to be the Christ, as Peter does.

Now we see the statement is exceptional. Maybe you are one of the exceptions; maybe you know Jesus is the Christ, the son of the living God. (Cross reference Matthew 16:15-16, Luke 9:20) My question for you is, how do you know this? Are you smarter than everyone who does not know this? Have you just worked harder at spiritual things? Not only is this statement exceptional, it is quite exclusionary; this statement makes a theological claim pertaining to the method of salvation.

Maybe you are like I was. I was a philosophy minor in college. I received all A’s and B’s in my 400 level classes. I spent my time at night reading Kant, Plato, Aristotle and Descartes. I knew more about god than anyone I knew, plus I had experience to draw upon. Couple my superior education with my God-given intellect – there was no way that spiritual truth was escaping my understanding.

But what saith the scriptures?! 1 Corinthians 2:14 The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.

John 6:44,63-65 44 No one can come to me unless the Father who sent me draws him. And I will raise him up on the last day. 63
It is the Spirit who gives life; the flesh is no help at all. The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life…65 And he said, “This is why I told you that no one can come to me unless it is granted him by the Father.”

And finally, Matthew 16:17 And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven.

In this parallel passage to Mark 8:29, we see that the spiritual discernment required to EVEN recognize Christ is a gift of God. Jesus proclaims to Peter that ‘flesh and blood” has not revealed this knowledge to him, but his Father in heaven. Peter is not unique. Neither are you. Neither am I. No amount of worldly wisdom reveals God to us. No amount of bible study, apart from the Holy Spirit will cause you to grow in the Lord. And there is no one, no not one, who seeks after God; no one, no not one, who is good. Romans 3:9-12 and Psalm 14:1-3 testify clearly to that.

Read this sad commentary of the reaction of many to Jesus at the end of John chapter 6. Notice the two groups represented by the two different reactions to Christ:

John 6:66-69 After this many of his disciples turned back and no longer walked with him. 67 So Jesus said to the Twelve, “Do you want to go away as well?” 68 Simon Peter answered him, “Lord, to whom shall we go? You have the words of eternal life, 69 and we have believed, and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God.”

Dear Christian, you know Christ today because He foreknew you. It is because God chose you to be redeemed by and for His Son, Jesus Christ, in His wisdom. Trust him completely for all your needs. Lay your life at the foot of the cross! Be like Peter, John & Paul and serve Him with all your heart. Thank God you have no other to whom you can turn. Praise God if you understand today that He is the Christ!!

1 Corinthians 15:3-4

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1 Corinthians 15:3-4 For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures 4 And that He was buried and that He rose again the third day according to the scriptures.

Folks, this is the gospel. This is the good news. Paul declares that in verses 1-2 of 1 Corinthians 15:
1 Corinthians 15:1-2 Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; 2 By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

This is the gospel by which we are saved. The good news that Jesus has paid the price for the sins of those who trust Him alone for salvation. We must believe these things in order to be saved; we must trust the testimony of scripture concerning Christ’s atoning work on our behalf. (John 20:31) By the way, it is impossible to trust these things if you do not also trust that you are a sinner in need of a savior. (Luke 13:5) No one seeks a solution for that which they do not believe they have a problem. No one, who still has faith in their own righteousness, will fully cling to Christ. (Matthew 5:3).

I want to focus on the phrase leading up to verse 3: “unless you have believed in vain.” The reading is clear: we are saved by “this gospel” if we keep in memory what was preached unless we have believed in vain! This goes right along with Matthew 7:21-23 where Jesus makes it clear that many will believe in the name of Jesus Christ for the sake of vanity. Uselessness. Belief in something that is devoid of real meaning. A false Christ. Very little is as chilling as the thought of a person seriously understanding their own need for a savior, and being deceived into trusting an idea that cannot save, but the the Bible is clear that this can, and will, happen.

So how do we determine if we’ve believed in vain? Or what if we are trying to help another who we are afraid has believed in vain? How do you approach that situation? I believe examining yourself in the light of scripture is the only way. So “what saith the scripture?”

I. We will remember the gospel.

According to 1 Corinthians 15:1-2, the gospel is wherein “we stand” and something that we will “keep in memory.” Profession of faith in Christ, although a one time decision that must be made in order to be justified by faith, is not an event that occurs, and then is fleeting. According to the scriptures, we will continue to keep in memory the gospel and stand in it.

What does it mean to keep it in memory? I think the best example I’ve heard is the example that I learned from Living Waters. When someone tells me they are a Christian, I ask them to tell me in 3 minutes or less what it would take for me to become a Christian. Sometimes I tell them to pretend I’ve just been stabbed and I only have 3 minutes to live. How would they communicate to me how to be saved? Most people I meet fail this test. They say things like “believe in God” and I respond, “I do!” They said, “ask him to forgive you,” and I reply, “for what?” Most people leave out the word ‘sin’ or they leave out the name “Jesus Christ.” Many people don’t even really seem to understand why another person would need to become a Christian. I think a lot of people just believe they’ve “always been a Christian” because they grew up in church, or have gone to church for a while.

Ultimately, the point isn’t to test people’s theology or condemn them for being unskilled in sharing their faith. The point is this: if a person cannot tell me how to become a Christian, which includes why I should become a Christian (1 Peter 3:15), then I have no reason to believe they know how. Or as I put it with a young man named Christopher a few weekends ago: If you can’t tell me how to get to Heaven, why should I believe that you know the way? This sounds hateful on the surface. Testing people to see if they can answer questions about theology. This practice, in essence, refuses to take people at their word when they say they are a Christian. But there can be nothing more loving in light of 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. To trust the bible and its proclamation that all men are liars and the heart is deceitful, in order to test someone is a loving act. The goal is NOT to find false converts and gloat, nor is it just to ‘prove someone wrong.’ The goal is LOVE: to provide the person with assurance of faith if it is there, and assurance of their current condemnation if that is their state so that God may grant them repentance and lead them to faith in Christ.

2 Timothy 2:24-25 And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, 25 In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth;

II. The second point made in this passage is that not only will we “remember” the gospel, but it is “wherein we now stand.”

Marks of a true believer; volumes have been written about this. Sermons have been preached to the masses for centuries and still, many fall away. (1 John 2:19) Not only will a true believer learn to be able to communicate the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, and be ready with an answer for the hope that lies within him, but he will live a life that honors God. Sinless perfection: NO. (See my 1 John 1:9 posts for more on that), but a life that has a marked reduction in sin: a life of repentance and growth toward God. I’ve heard John MacArthur call it ‘direction, not perfection.’

Your feet shod with the gospel of peace (Ephesians 6:15), you will walk worthy of being called God’s child. You will fall and be chastened (Hebrews 12:6-7). You will grow in the knowledge and grace of Jesus Christ. (2 Peter 3:18) Your life will be a testimony of His work for other people to see. (2 Corinthians 3:2). You will hunger for God’s Word and it will have meaning to you! (1 Peter 2:2). You will find yourself with a love for others, especially the brethren. (Galatians 6:2, Ephesians 4:32). You will realize you do not love this world (1 John 2:15), and you will feel like a stranger in a foreign land, for your citizenship is in Heaven.

Yes indeed, you will stand in the gospel in which you’ve believed. You will live there! You must! It is your home. It is the only place you truly feel safe. Praise God for that. He will not let one of His own be snared by the devil, and He will never leave you nor forsake you. Know, dear Christian brother or sister, that you have not believed in vain.

1 John 5:12-13 Whoever has the Son has life; whoever does not have the Son of God does not have life. 13 I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God that you may know that you have eternal life.

If you are not sure that you have a reconciled relationship to God through Christ, what is keeping you from it? Do you love your sin that much? So much you’d prefer to burn in eternal fire to enjoy it for a season in this life? Don’t go another day without Christ. If you have any questions or concerns, contact me and I’ll talk to you about this wonderful journey the Lord may be starting you on today!

Colossians 1:16

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Colossians 1:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities or powers, all things were created by him and for him.

Wow! You can see immediately from reading this verse, (and all of Colossians chapter 1), that God had seen the advent of all the cults that would come along in our day. Belief systems such as Jehovah’s Witness, Islam and Mormon all lower Jesus Christ from His rightful throne and make him to be ‘just a man.’ How does this verse combat these false theologies and bring us to an understanding of Christ as Creator God?

As always, we must read the verse into context:

Colossians 1:13-1613 Who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:15 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature:16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:

As you can see from verse 13 (his dear Son), verses 14-16 are referring to the “dear Son” of the Father. So we know that we are talking about Christ. In 15, Paul calls Jesus the image of the invisible God. Then he calls him the firstborn of every creature! Shallow reading would make it appear that Jesus is a created being, but we are trying to dig deep. Jesus as a created being would seemingly contradict other scriptures, so we must look deeper to see what this sentence could possible mean, especially when verse 16 is clear that Jesus created “all things!”

What does firstborn mean in verse 15? Was Jesus born? That is to say, is Jesus a created being; was He produced? Before we can understand verse 16, we must understand the verse which precede it. Your defense of the faith relies on it. False religions and cults will invariably do one of the following: elevate man to a status above that which he deserves, or lower God from His rightful place. If Jesus is truly God, he must not be a created being, he must be eternal. We must be ready to defend His God-ness, just as we are ready to defend his lordship, kingship and his role as savior and redeemer.

What does the “image of the invisible God” mean? Or, maybe an easier question to tackle is “what must it NOT mean?” Allowing scripture to speak for itself, we can trust that God’s Word is always true. One thing we know we can always trust is that God cannot sin. He is unable to sin; he is of purer eyes than to look upon evil, in fact. Before considering what “image of the invisible God” may mean, review Exodus 20:4-5 –

Thou shalt not make unto thee any graven image, or any likeness of any thing that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth:5 Thou shalt not bow down thyself to them, nor serve them: for I the LORD thy God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers upon the children unto the third and fourth generation of them that hate me;

Can God create an idol? Can God commit the sin of idolatry? Think about this logically for a moment. God has commanded that men shall not bow to any image or likeness of anything that is in heaven above. That is to say that we do not worship things that aren’t the “real thing.” We are to bow down to Him alone. Even if our intention is “good,” he sees this as idolatry and an abomination. It is a rejection of Him as Holy and perfect. It could be similar to your spouse loving a picture of you. It’s absurd. The image or likeness of you, even if somewhat accurately portrayed is NOT the same thing. If someone said they loved a picture of YOU, would you equate that with “they love you?” You would never do that. You would hope that people would love you, not an image or likeness of you.

But what does God command us to do with Christ? Is He nothing more than a likeness of God? Are we to see Him as a reflection of God? Reflections are things that do not absorb light and simply show you back the light that is hitting it. If Christ is a reflection, He is not a source of light. Christ doesn’t “reflect” God’s glory – He IS God’s glory. He is the brightness of His glory! (Hebrews 1:3) God’s command to worship Christ is idolatry if Christ is nothing but a portrait. If Christ isn’t the real thing but just a likeness: a physical representation of the spiritual, then your bible is worthless and so is your faith. We would be, a Paul puts it, to be most pitied. (1 Corinthians 15:19.

Let’s see the scripture.

John 1:1-9 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In him was life; and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. 6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8 He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. 9 That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world.

This passage is talking about Jesus Christ. Notice the terminology. Jesus is the light. He is not a mere reflection of light. Jesus created all things. Not a single thing was made that He did not make. He is explicitly declared ‘Creator’.

Look at how God’s people react to Him. Philippians 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth. 11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Throughout the New Testament there are records of worship of Jesus Christ. Thomas calls Him, “My Lord and my God.”

Now tell me, how can it be that confessing Jesus Christ as Lord is to the glory of God the Father if Jesus were a created being? That would contradict Romans 1:25 where God expresses immense disdain for them that have gloried in creatures rather than the Creator. God cannot simultaneously command men NOT to worship idols and that which is NOT God and also command men to worship Christ unless He is, in fact, God Himself. So Colossians 1:15 “the image of the invisible God” is a declaration of Christ’s deity. He is as much fully God as the spirit of God.

Is His incarnation mysterious? Yes? Unfathomable? Certainly. Believable? Without a doubt. Trust the scripture that proclaims the glory of Christ.

So what does it mean to be the ‘firstborn’ over all creation? Keeping in mind what we’ve just proved (not exhaustively by the way, the bulk of scripture is evidence for Christ’s Godship), we must begin by understanding that the word ‘born’ as we understand it to mean, that is, to be produced, cannot be the implication here. God cannot and will not contradict Himself. The firstborn, as it is frequently used in scripture implies pre-eminence. To assume that this term literally means “the first to be born: or produced” is a mistake. If we are to keep in accord with scripture, we must understand that Christ has already been declared deity. He is the firstborn over all creation in the sense that He is pre-eminent. He is in charge. He’s the boss. He is the rightful inheritor of all. Just as in ancient times, the firstborn had special rights, God uses this imagery to give us an anthropomorphized understanding of Christ as “one with the Father.” John 10:30. For Christ to be the firstborn implies not that he is produced, but rather that he is of the same nature as God. It’s a hard passage, but using scripture to interpret scripture, we can conclude that Colossians 1:14-15 explicitly and implicitly proclaims Christ as God.

Hebrews 13:8 – Here’s a verse we’ve already seen. Jesus Christ, the same yesterday, today and forever. He cannot be “created” if He is immutable. This is more evidence from scripture of Jesus as God. Do not let the mystery and shame of the incarnation sway you. Oh too many people I meet tell me Jesus cannot be God because “he was just a man,” or “God cannot die, Jesus died.” This is the great mystery and humility he possesses. He wants us to believe His Word and the preaching of the cross, even if it is foolish according to the wisdom of the world.

So finally, here we are: verse 16 of Colossians chapter 1. What’s the point of Jesus being the Creator? Think of it this way: by now, it’s clear that He’s God and Creator of all. Read the verse – for by him were all things created…then a list of “everything.” All thrones and dominions are still created by him. Why do we need to know this, what does this tell us?

Read Colossians 1:9-10 For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding;1:10 That ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God;

Colossians 1:17-18 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. 18 And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence.

Wrapped around Colossians 1:16 which defines and describes Christ as God, redeemer and Creator of all is a command. A command to be Holy, to walk worthy of the Lord: increasing in the knowledge of God: fruitful in good works. Not only does Paul tell us to “be this way,” he tells us why. Because God is Creator, because Christ is Creator, He is sovereign. We are ‘owned’ by him like we own property, like an author owns a story or an artist a piece of artwork. We are like the clay and he is the potter, and he has the right to tell the clay what to do!

Christ, the Creator of all, the rightful heir of all, the pre-eminent being over all has created all things. All things were created for him. Even you. You are his property and He will do with you what He wishes. Thank God He will choose perfectly wisely in that regard.