WAS JOHN THE BAPTIST ELIJAH?

QUESTION ASKED: Matthew Chapter 3 has an account of the baptism of Christ and the implication is that John recognized Christ as the Messiah. John 1:33-36 also attests to that. Yet in Matthew Chapter 11 John has been arrested and send his own disciples to ask Jesus If he is the one or are they to expect someone else. In John 11:21 John declares himself not to be Elijah but in Matthew 11:13-15 Jesus says that he is. Do you know if there is a specific reason for this or is this just a case of John not seeing himself as Christ saw him ?

LET ME MULL: I believe John the Baptist clearly knew who Jesus was. He probably played with him as a child and heard the family account of how Mary came to his mother and the babe, John himself, leaped in her womb. He also pointed to Jesus and preached that He is the Lamb of God. He baptized Jesus and spoke prophetically of Who Christ is and how special He is. And then, hard times come. He's thrown into prison. And John slips into a funk. He hears of all the wonders Jesus is doing and wonders why he, faithful proclaimer that he is, is not miraculously delivered. Did Jesus forget him? "If He is the Messiah why doesn't he save me from my horrid circumstances?" Typical depression, but severe. So, he sends inquiringly. Lesson to be learned? Jesus (GOD) sovereignly dispenses His power and circumstantial control. He CAN heal and change anything He wants. But, He also uses tough things to nurture His own, as with Job and as with Paul, etc., etc. Jesus really gave no clear answer to John's disciples just as God gave no clear response to Job. Just a display of omnipotence (a whirlwind for Job; all the reports of phenomenal miracles for John). And, Job and Paul and John and we must take it from there. God is God and will do whatever He wishes, and it is ours to trust Him when things are good and the miracles happen, and when things are hard and God seems distant. This is my interpretation. 

     Our understanding of whether or not John was Elijah must begin with the O.T. passage in Malachi 4.  “Behold, I am going to send you Elijah the prophet before the coming of the great and terrible day of the Lord. ⁶ He will  restore the hearts of the fathers to their children and the hearts of the children to their fathers, so that I will not come and smite the land with a curse” Malachi 4:5-6.

     Elijah's coming precedes "the great and terrible day of the Lord." I take this to mean the seven year Tribulation Period, yet future. Is he one of the two prophets mentioned in Revelation who appear and testify during the Tribulation Period? Just as he and Moses appeared on the Mt. of Transfiguration, do they appear for this witness during the "great and terrible day of the Lord?" Perhaps. And just possibly Elijah appears "before" the Tribulation Period in a special ministry to Israel and then continues on with Moses in a wider ministry to the world? Perhaps. Hard to be to fixed on this, except that Malachi does say Elijah will come at that time. In Jesus' time I believe Elijah was present in spirit, namely, the spirit of John himself. He was like Elijah in that he thundered forth the message and stood staunchly for truth. He was powerful, like Elijah and therefore, shared the spirit of Elijah. It was not Elijah as John, in actual personhood, but Elijah in spirit in the person and work of John. And so, John was in once sense but he wasn't Elijah in another. Does this make sense? In other words, John was Elijah figuratively speaking, but in actuality, no.

     At least this is how I see it and hope it proves helpful to you.

Dick Christen

GOD ADOPTS SINNERS INTO HIS FAMILY, REALLY!

            TERMS OF SALVATION – ADOPTION

                  

ADOPTION is God’s act of grace whereby He saves sinners and gives to them now all the rights and privileges of sonship and makes them heirs of heaven. Justification makes them legally fit to be in God’s Kingdom; Regeneration (the new birth) gives them the filial (family) being and character; Adoption grants the filial (family) entitlements. Salvation would be meaningless without the restoration of all the privileges forfeited by sin.

THREE MAJOR N.T. PASSAGES

ROMANS 8:15-17,19,23

^“15For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together……¹⁹ For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God…..²³ And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body.” 

(The Holy Spirit works within believers giving boldness and a warm sense of identity with Almighty God. He affirms our childhood. He assures our heirship and the future glories thereof.)

GALATIANS 4:4-6

⁴ “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, ⁵ To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.
⁶ And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father.”

(In accordance with His over-arching redemptive plan, God sent His Son to not only redeem us from the curses of the law and save us from our sins, but also to bestow all the entitlements of sonship, and, again, the warmth of a relationship with the heavenly Father, Almighty and Eternal God.)

EPHESIANS 1:3-6

³ “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ: ⁴ According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: ⁵ Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will, ⁶ To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved.”

(Putting together all the terms of salvation we’ve been learning, thinking them through and adding them up, we then begin to understand just how much He has “blessed  us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ” All these blessings were predestined (or predetermined) for us, not because of us (“in my hands no price I bring”), but “according to the good pleasure of His will.” Out of the goodness of His hearts He has so blessed us! These truths are the very grounds of our worship. And so, we ever praise Him for the “glory of His grace.”

-rdc

 “In Rome adoption was a familiar social phenomenon, and its initial ceremonies and incidents occupied a large and important place in their laws. By adoption an entire stranger in blood became a member of the family in a higher sense than some of the family kin, emancipated sons, or descendants through females. Such a one assumed the family name, engaged in its sacrificial rites, and became, not by sufferance or at will, but to all intents and purposes, a member of the house of his adoption. The tie thus formed could only be broken through the ceremony of emancipation, and formed as complete a barrier to intermarriage as relationship by blood.”  - Unger’s Bible Dictionary 

HOPE IS FAITH FOCUSED ON THE FUTURE....

                   TERMS OF SALVATION – HOPE

             

HOPE is the forward look of faith. FAITH is “the evidence of things not seen (past, present or future). It is also “the substance of things hoped for…” (Heb. 11:1). Hope eagerly anticipates a future prospect. Hope denies a philosophy that says reality is only the here-and-now. There is not an afterlife. All we have is what we have presently. (Therefore, live it up. You only go around once!) But the Scriptures declare stridently that “surely there is a hereafter, and your hope will not be cut off” (Proverbs 23:18). The salvation given by God’s grace and rooted in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ abounds in hope. And so, the Apostle Paul prayed for the Christians at Rome: “Now may the God of hope fill you with joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit” (Romans 15:13).

THE PAST ORIGINATION OF HOPE

Unger says “the fountainhead of hope is the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ.” And, the Holy Spirit fosters hope in our breasts.

1 Peter 1:3-5 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.”

Romans 8:16-18 “The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with him, that we may be also glorified together. For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.”

THE PRESENT OPERATION OF HOPE

As we walk by faith we are full of hope. Faith focuses on God, and He cannot fail. Hence, hope! As faith increases, so does hope. Hope is one of the three main characteristic of the Christian life.

1 Corinthians 13:13 “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.”

Hope is optimistically imbedded in the Gospel.  Because of what Christ has unbelievably accomplished for us, will He ever not be able to carry out all He has promised?  “Hope does not disappoint.”

Romans 5:1-11 “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: ² By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. ³ And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; ⁴ And patience, experience; and experience, hope: ⁵ And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.
⁶ For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. ⁷ For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. ⁸ But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. ⁹ Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. ¹⁰ For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life. ¹¹ And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.”

THE FUTURE OPTIMIZATION OF HOPE

Colossians 1:24-29 “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church: Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God; Even the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints: To whom God would make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; which is Christ in you, the hope of glory: ²⁸ Whom we preach, warning every man, and teaching every man in all wisdom; that we may present every man perfect in Christ Jesus: ²⁹ Whereunto I also labor, striving according to his working, which worketh in me mightily.”

Titus 2:11-14 “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works.”

rdc

CHRIST'S ATONEMENT RENDERS GOD SATISFIED....

       13 TERMS OF SALVATION – PROPITIATION

         

Most often when we ponder the work of Christ on the cross, we think of its SIN-WARD and MAN-WARD aspects. Sin was atoned for and man is justified by God the Judge when he/she believes in Christ.  

But, PROPITIATION is the GOD-WARD effect of Christ’s “once for all” death for sin and sinners. A key word to define it is SATISFACTION. PROPITIATION = SATISFACTION. What is satisfied? God’s holiness and righteous demands toward the sinner were rendered fully satisfied when His Son died in the sinners place. In the mind of God the offense of sin has been cleared.

^“My little children, these things write I unto you, that ye sin not. And if any man sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous: ² And he is the propitiation for our sins: and not for ours only, but also for the sins of the whole world.” 1 John 2:1-2

THE OLD TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE

In the Old Testament the Mercy Seat on top of the Ark of the Covenant in the holy of holies had to be regularly made a place of PROPITIATION by sacrifice.

 The writer of Hebrews describes this: “But [inside] beyond the second curtain or veil, [there stood another] tabernacle [division] known as the Holy of Holies. It had the golden altar of incense and the ark (chest) of the covenant, covered over with wrought gold….But into the second [division of the tabernacle] none but the high priest goes, and he only once a year, and never without taking a sacrifice of blood with him, which he offers for himself and for the errors and sins of ignorance and thoughtlessness which the people have committed.” (Hebrews 9:3-4,7 AMP). 

All this was a type of Jesus’ actual and propitiatory fulfilment on the cross: “But [that appointed time came] when Christ (the Messiah) appeared as a High Priest of the better things that have come and are to come. [Then] through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with [human] hands, that is, not a part of this material creation, He went once for all into the [Holy of] Holies [of heaven], not by virtue of the blood of goats and calves [by which to make reconciliation between God and man], but His own blood, having found and secured a complete redemption (an everlasting release for us)” (Hebrews 9:11-12).

THE NEW TESTAMENT PERSPECTIVE

NOW, the blood-sprinkled body of Christ on the cross IS the Mercy Seat for sinners once and for all. The prayer of the publican (Luke 18:13), “God be merciful to me, the sinner!” can be translated “God, be Thou propitiated to me, the sinner.” God was rendered satisfied a short time after the publican’s prayer when His Son died. Now, we believe in Jesus for salvation and thank Him for the propitiatory work of Jesus on the cross. The mercy has been extended historically at Calvary.

OTHER NEW TESTAMENT VERSES

^“In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10).

“…for all  have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified as a gift by His grace through the redemption which is in Christ Jesus; ²⁵ whom God displayed publicly as a propitiation  in His blood through faith. This was to demonstrate His righteousness, because in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed; ²⁶ for the demonstration, I say, of His righteousness at the present time, so that He would be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus” (Romans 3:23-26).

“Therefore, He (Jesus) had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the  people” (Hebrews 2:17).

EASTON’S BIBLE DICTIONARY:

Propitiation

...that by which God is rendered propitious, i.e., by which it becomes consistent with his character and government to pardon and bless the sinner. The propitiation does not procure his love or make him loving; it only renders it consistent for him to execise his love towards sinners. In Rom 3:25 and Heb 9:5 (A.V., "mercy-seat") the Greek word _hilasterion_ is used. It is the word employed by the LXX. translators in Ex 25:17 and elsewhere as the equivalent for the Hebrew _kapporeth_, which means "covering," and is used of the lid of the ark of the covenant (Ex 25:21; 30:6. This Greek word (hilasterion) came to denote not only the mercy-seat or lid of the ark, but also propitation or reconciliation by blood. On the great day of atonement the high priest carried the blood of the sacrifice he offered for all the people within the veil and sprinkled with it the "mercy-seat," and so made propitiation.

In 1 John 2 Ex 2:2 4:10, Christ is called the "propitiation for our sins." Here a different Greek word is used (hilasmos). Christ is "the propitiation," because by his becoming our substitute and assuming our obligations he expiated our guilt, covered it, by the vicarious punishment which he endured. (Comp. Heb 2:17, where the expression "make reconciliation" of the A.V. is more correctly in the R.V. "make propitiation.")

-rdc

REDEEMED AND SO HAPPY IN JESUS, NO LANGUAGE MY RAPTURE CAN TELL....

        13 TERMS OF SALVATION – REDEMPTION
                    (SCROLL DOWN FOR CHART OF ALL 13 TERMS)

                            

 Both the Hebrew (O.T.) and Greek (N.T.) terms for REDEMPTION denote deliverance, severance and release from sin, particularly by payment of a price. Some set forward the idea that redemption primarily has the idea of ‘release’ and also includes the idea of the price paid, while ransom emphasizes the idea of the payment paid, but also includes the notion of freedom from bondage. The shed blood of Jesus Christ is the ransom paid for the sinner’s release from the bondage of the curse and from God’s dictum that the soul that sins must die.

^“You must know (recognize) that you were redeemed (ransomed) from the useless (fruitless) way of living inherited by tradition from [your] forefathers, not with corruptible things [such as] silver and gold,
But [you were purchased] with the precious blood of Christ (the Messiah), like that of a [sacrificial] lamb without blemish or spot” (1 Peter 1:18-19, Amp).

KEY OLD TESTAMENT PASSAGES:

The doctrine of redemption finds its seed introduction in the Old Testament and comes to full fruition in the New. The Hebrew pada means “to deliver” or “to sever.” The Jews were a redeemed people, set free from the bondage of Egypt by the power of God and commemorated forever by the Passover (blood shed). This was an annual offering of slain lambs to the LORD. The blood was applied to the two doorposts and on the lintel of the houses and God said:

“The blood shall be for a token or sign to you upon [the doorposts of] the houses where you are, [that] when I see the blood, I will pass over you, and no plague shall be upon you to destroy you when I smite the land of Egypt. And this day shall be to you for a memorial. You shall keep it as a feast to the Lord throughout your generations, keep it as an ordinance forever” (Exodus 12:13-14. Amp).

Redemption, in a very Gospel oriented sense, is set forth in Psalm 49:6-10,15:

^“Even of those who trust in and lean on their wealth and boast of the abundance of their riches?
None of them can by any means redeem [either himself or] his brother, nor give to God a ransom for him—
For the ransom of a life is too costly, and [the price one can pay] can never suffice—
So that he should live on forever and never see the pit (the grave) and corruption.
For he sees that even wise men die; the [self-confident] fool and the stupid alike perish and leave their wealth to others…………¹⁵But God will redeem me from the power of Sheol (the place of the dead); for He will receive me. Selah [pause, and calmly think of that]!” (Psalms 49:6-10,15).

KEY NEW TESTAMENT PASSAGES:

REDEMPTION FINDS ITS FULLNESS OF DEFINITION IN THE NEW TESTAMENT SCRIPTURES. The Greek apolytrosis denotes a loosing by payment of a price. Its meaning centers in the atoning work of Christ as the price paid for human redemption, and on account of which Christ is called the Redeemer.

Passages: Matthew 20:28; Romans 3:24; 1 Corinthians 1:30; Galatians 3:13; Ephesians 1:7; 1 Timothy 2:5,6; and 1 Peter 1:18,19 (see above).

The necessity of redemption implies prior bondage. In his natural state man is held captive by Satan and in subjection to the dominion and curse of sin (Galatians 3:13; 1 Corinthians 15:56). Belief in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior frees a sinner’s soul from such captivity to Satan and to sin. Believers look forward to a final redemption when the body is likewise loosed from all the ravages of sin (Romans 8:15-23; 1 Corinthians 15:55-57). We can conclude that the Redeemer completely frees sinners from sin, liberating both the soul and body from the curse of sin. The payment of Christ’s blood is made to the Father, thereby satisfying (the propitiatory power of the blood) His order that the soul that sins must die.

-         Dick D. Christen 

A PRAYER FOR OLD AGE...

"Lord, Thou knowest, better than I know myself, that I am growing older. 
   Keep me from becoming talkative, and from the habit of thinking that I must say something on every occasion.
   Release me from the craving to straighten out other peoples' affairs.
   Keep my mind free from endless detail; give me wings to get to the point. 
   Give me grace to listen to the recital of others' tribulations. Help me to endure with patience.
   Seal my lips against my own aches and pains. They are increasing, and Thou knowest my love of rehearsing them is becoming pleasanter as the years go by.
   Teach me that occasionally it is possible that I may be mistaken.
   Make me thoughtful, but not moody; helpful, but not bossy. Give me an awareness of the limits to my own store of wisdom. It seems a pity not to use it all, but Thou knowest, Lord, that I want a few friends at the end. Amen."

THOUGHTS ABOUT "GRACE"...

"For it is by free grace (God’s unmerited favor) that you are saved (delivered from judgment and made partakers of Christ’s salvation) through [your] faith. And this [salvation] is not of yourselves [of your own doing, it came not through your own striving], but it is the gift of God...  (Ephesians 2:8 AMP)."

Without grace my heart would be estranged;

   Wayward, rebellious, faithless and lost.

But, oh, in grace my God has arranged

   To rescue my soul at infinite cost.

Proud man, reckon that you are nothing

   Apart from the Christ of matchless grace.

Of this God-man exuberantly sing,

   While proud self-centered thought you erase.

-rdc

DON'T FORGET COMMON GRACE......

 "But I tell you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you,

To show that you are the children of your Father Who is in heaven; for He makes His sun rise on the wicked and on the good, and makes the rain fall upon the upright and the wrongdoers [alike]"  (Matthew 5:44-45).
                                                                                                                                                            "The earth is the Lord’s, and all it contains, the world, and those who dwell in it. For He has founded it upon the seas and established it upon the rivers." (Psalms 24:1-2).

Oh, the beauties through the vicissitudes of life,

   Sublime potentialities of man, child and wife.

Magnificent and ineffable is God's earth, 

   with awe-inspiring grandeur visioned on its girth.

rdc

GOD AND US WEAK VESSELS

GOD AND US WEAK VESSELS

All things honestly considered, I serve my God

   in a relatively meager way:

And such does go along with this idea:

   my weak body is just a jar of clay.

But, little is much when God is in it;

   and a Master can still use a lesser tool;

In fact, God used little David, who,

   by God’s great grace, the nine foot giant did out duel.

'Cause David saw God bigger than that giant,

   seeing himself as just a servant;

But unlike his brothers who cried, "Can't",

   David stopped Mr. Giant's godless rant.

God specializes using things most humble

   and thus gains for Himself all glory;

By HIS strength my weakness is  made strong….    

   And….uh…. this now concludes my lesson-learned story.

RDC

INFINITE BUT INTIMATE, THE GOD OF PRAYER

INFINITE BUT INTIMATE, THE GOD OF PRAYER!

I Chronicles 29:10-13

WHEN MY VOICE LIFTS HEAVENWARD

     ECHOING THROUGH LONELY SPACE,

I RETRACE THE PATH MY LORD

     USED, SAVING ME BY HIS GRACE.

YOU SEE, HE IS WAY OUT THERE,

     INFINITE AND TRANSCENDENT,

BUT REACHABLE BY MY PRAYER…..

     BECAUSE THIS IS WHAT GRACE MEANT.

WHEN MY WHISPERS REACH HIS EAR,

     NESTLED IN HIS LOVING CARE,

WARMLY LOVED AS HIS CHILD DEAR…..

     JUST A THOUGHT BECOMES A PRAYER.

YOU SEE, HE HOLDS ME RIGHT HERE,

     INTIMATE AND MOST PRESENT,

ON HIS LAP, A FATHER DEAR…..

     HELD SNUG, HIS LOVING INTENT.

WHEN BY FAITH I FIND HIM THERE,

     THROUGH CHRIST WHO TO CALV'RY WENT;         AS HIS CHILD I KNOW HE CARES
      AND GIVES ME WARM BLESSINGS SENT.

YOU SEE, PRAYER REACHES HIM THERE,

     INSISTENT AND CONFIDENT,

AND HE COMES TO ME RIGHT HERE…..

     OUR TIME INTIMATELY SPENT.

- Dick Christen

YOU MUST BE BORN AGAIN? WHAT EVER DOES THAT MEAN?

     13 TERMS OF SALVATION – REGENERATION

REGENERATION is “born again” truth. The Christian Gospel exceeds mere reformation. Instead, God, by the Holy Spirit, effects an inner new birth or creation of a new nature within. This is necessary because the sin nature, with which all are born, cannot now be eliminated. When a sinner believes in Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Savior, he/she is made a new creature in Christ Jesus. The Holy Spirit quickens the sinner (Eph. 2:1), opens the heart (Lydia, Acts 16:14) thereby enabling a dead sinner to believe in Jesus. At once he/she is regenerated (born again). (Key passage: John 3:1-17. Other verses: Ephesians 4:22-14; Colossians 3:9,10; Titus 3:5; 1 Peter 1:22,23; 1 John 3:9; 4:7; 5:1.)

MAJOR TEXT – JOHN 3:1-17

NICODEMUS’ CURIOUS QUESTION vv.1,2

“There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: ² The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.”

(Nicodemus is very religious, but a lost sinner. God is raising his curiosity about just who this Jesus is.)

JESUS’ UNCEREMONIOUS ANSWER v.3

“Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

(Jesus ‘cuts to the chase’ and pursues a Gospel presentation.)

NICODEMUS’ OBLIVIOUS QUESTION v.4

“Nicodemus saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can he enter the second time into his mother's womb, and be born?”

(His question is obviously devoid of spiritual insight. All he can think of is physical birth, religiously learned though he be.)

JESUS’ STUDIOUS ANSWER vv.5-8

“Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God. ⁶ That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. ⁷ Marvel not that I said unto thee, Ye must be born again. ⁸ The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, but canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is every one that is born of the Spirit.”

(Jesus transitions from the physical to the spiritual – “except a man be born of water – (the physical) – and of the Spirit.” There exists another realm of reality wherein God moves sovereignly and unpredictably, like the wind.)

NICODEMUS’ INCREDULOUS QUESTION v.9

“Nicodemus answered and said unto him, How can these things be?”

(The learned Jewish leader turns ‘Indian” – HOW? Now his curiosity has peaked.)

JESUS’ MARVELOUS SALVATION ANSWER vv10-17

This passage leads right into the renowned verse, v. 16. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” 

(Salvation (the new birth – regeneration) happens when a sinner believes not merely ‘about’ Jesus, but ‘in’ Him! To believe ‘in’ Him is to trust Him completely putting all one’s hope for eternal life wholly in Him.

-         Dick Christen 

WHAT IS GOSPEL 'CONVERSION' ??????

   #6 – 13 TERMS OF SALVATION – CONVERSION

                

CONVERSION (Gr. epistrophe) essentially means a “turning” or “a turning toward.” The verb is hepistrepho, rendered in the N.T. “to convert” or “to turn.” When Paul and Barnabas were on their way to Jerusalem, they passed through towns and villages ^“….declaring the conversion of the Gentiles: and they caused great joy unto all the brethren” Acts 15:3. In other words, the Gentiles had turned from their sinful ways and, by the power of the Gospel, they had turned toward God through saving faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. The Hb. terms of the O.T. have a similar significance and usage (Pss. 19:7; 51:13; Jer. 31:18 and Ezek. 33:11). In Psalm 51:13 David, after his horrendous sin with Bathsheba, confesses the sin and asks God to restore him so he can be useful again: “Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.” 

MORE KEY VERSES FOR CONSIDERATION:

1.   The Apostle Paul was commissioned by God to take the Gospel to the Gentiles: “…to open their eyes, and to turn them (convert) from darkness to light, and from the power of Satan unto God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins, and inheritance among them which are sanctified by faith that is in me” (Acts 26:18).

2.   An angel told Zacharias that his ‘soon-to-be-born-son’, John the Baptist, would have a powerful ministry: “And many of the children of Israel shall he turn (convert) to the Lord their God” (Luke 1:16).

3.   The Apostle Peter’s Gospel preaching included an appeal for conversion: “Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the Lord…” (Acts 3:19).

4.   The Prophet of old, Ezekiel, was to preach ‘conversion’. God said to tell His people: ^“As I live, saith the Lord God, I have no pleasure in the death of the wicked; but that the wicked turn from his way and live: turn ye, turn ye from your evil ways; for why will ye die, O house of Israel?” (Ezekiel 33:11)

5.   After declaring the power of nature to turn people back to God (Psalm 19:1-6), David, in v.7, says: “The law of the Lord is perfect converting the soul: the testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.”

6.   Nominal Christians (those who sometimes are even numbered among the congregation but not truly saved) need to ‘be converted’ or ‘turned back’ by truth to authentic salvation This is not being saved again, but rather being truly saved, moved from mere profession to true possession Of Jesus Christ: “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20).

R.C.H. Lenski says concerning this difficult passage: “What was one of the great dangers that threatened his readers? Why, to revert to Judaism. To be sure, James also includes all mortal sins. But the most damnable and deadly sin is unbelief. Read what is written to other Jewish Christians who were thinking of going back to Judaism (Heb. 6:4-8; 10:25-31)….What erring from the truth means to James is all too apparent from what he says about turning such an erring one back to the truth; such erring means that a soul is in death and in a multitude of sins…What a great thing it is to rescue a person from physical death! This is a greater thing, for spiritual death is far worse than physical death. James states this in the third person: ‘he that turns back.’ He thereby makes the statement objective and general for every case of this kind. How this turning back is accomplished is indicated by the means: the sinner is turned back to the truth by the truth. There is only one objective means to save such a sinner, namely the truth; and only one subjective means, repentance (contrition for sin, faith in the Savior). We translate ‘shall turn back’ and ‘he that turns back’.”

-          Dick D. Christen

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DAILY WORSHIP

CHURCH IS GREAT for weekly worship but daily family and personal worship are also strongly stressed in God's Word. "How blessed is the man (whose) delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night" (Psalm 1:1,2). Every believer has the Holy Spirit Who enables us to read and understand Scripture (1 John 2:27). And so, anywhere and at any time (as often as we can, 24/7) we can sit, read, ponder and turn thoughts of  truth into praise, adoration, thanksgivings and exultations unto Jehovah God of the Bible - Father, Son and Holy Spirit! We are believer priests! I would prioritize this daily worship as more important than weekly, as vital as that (the weekly) should be. Today's Church too often behaves like 'big government.' It fancies itself to be the keeper of the keys whereby it can unlock all the mysteries of truth and also feels responsible to come up with all types of programming in order to meet ALL the needs of any person's spiritual life. The Church desperately needs to review its God ordained purposes. When ecclesiastical 'big government' steps aside or gets voted out, then individual responsibility will kick in and God's people will begin to take personal responsibility for walking with God. When the  Church gets this  straight, personal Godliness will increase. I see in such a change the beginnings of true revival. Nowadays the average church goer sits and soaks. The show starts and better stop within the hour. We clap and clap for each segment of the program, except when the preacher finishes. In some places the preaching becomes a 'guilt reducing' add-on because we don't want to forsake the traditions of the fathers altogether. Oh, no! Perish the thought! If we're honest with ourselves, a participant in such churches gets the feeling he's at just another world-sponsored 'show.' The multi-colored lighting, the flashing of cameras and lighting effects all add up to such. We finish, go home, and, well, that's it for another week. In the meantime we scarcely open our Bibles, if at all. Be honest! That's the way it comes down in the majority of professing believers' lives. 'Big government' church must be rejected and replaced with the necessities of a local church (Read the last verses of Acts 2). Such necessities are vital. But, when the superfluous is eliminated, much time, money and energy will immediately be saved. This will open the way for believers to step up and begin assuming the life of a Biblical Christian. What is such a life? We will proceed to prize and practice personal Christianity and DAILY WORSHIP. My church? It will change its philosophy about the very meaning and purpose of its existence. It will begin to aim its ministry toward the individual providing instruction and materials whereby believers can 'go-it-alone' because, when all is said and done, only so many hours can be carved out to be at church. Many believers have already decided too much church is too much church. Churches have decided the same. Services have been eliminated, BUT, instead of encouraging personal Christianity and providing instruction and educational materials to guide in such a life, a vacuum has been left and believers, tuned to the world's media, are becoming more and more secularized and their walk with God suffers terribly. Oh for the day when individuals are saying, "'As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.' And, day by day, I WILL WALK WITH GOD AND ASSUME RESPONSIBILITY TO DO SO!" "O how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day" (Psalm 119.97). Do it!

REPENTANCE, ESSENTIALLY A CHANGE OF MIND (AND THEREFORE, A CHANGE OF LIFE)

#5 – 13 TERMS OF SALVATION – REPENTANCE

        

REPENTANCE may be defined as a God-sensitive change of mind about sin, God, the gospel and life in general in ways wherein God and His truth are thereby glorified. The Greek metanoia means just that, a change of mind or to think again. Before salvation, sinners need to think differently about their sin and about the gospel of Jesus Christ. The power of God's Word  and the Holy Spirit quicken the sinner thereby  enabling such  (Eh.  2:1). After being saved, wayward Christians need to reevaluate their lives, change their minds and realign their thinking to the Word of God. Repentance is bound up with faith and inseparable from it. Repentance and faith are two sides of the same thing, sometimes illustrated by the two sides of the hand.

SEVERAL SALIENT STATEMENTS ABOUT REPENTANCE:

1.   God is the effective cause of repentance.

“Or despisest thou the riches of his goodness and forbearance and longsuffering; not knowing that the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance?”  Romans 2:4

^“Him (Jesus) hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour, for to give repentance to Israel, and forgiveness of sins.” Acts 5:31

^“When they heard these things, they held their peace, and glorified God, saying, Then hath God also to the Gentiles granted repentance unto life.” Acts 11:18                                      A pastor is to teach God’s Word  ”In meekness instructing those that oppose themselves; if God peradventure will give them repentance to the acknowledging of the truth…” 2 Timothy 2:25   (cf Acts 5:31; 11:18)

2.    Repentance is “an inward repugnance to sin necessarily followed by the actual forsaking of it.” The repentant sinner sees sin as God sees it. It is more than being merely sorry for wrong.

⁹ Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner, that ye might receive damage by us in nothing. ¹⁰ For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death.” 2 Corinthians 7:9-10

3.   Repentance is an upward embracing of God and His truth.

The Apostle Paul preached “that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.” Acts 26:20  ^“Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.” Acts 20:21

Illus. When Paul was saved he experienced a complete change of mind (repentance) concerning both his sin but also his understanding of the Gospel. As a scholar he knew the Bible well, but rejected it, especially as it related to the Messiah. His salvation turned the rejection into acceptance (a complete change of mind – metanoia). And so, given his vast knowledge of the Scriptures, in repentance he was able to immediately preach. “Then was Saul certain days with the disciples which were at Damascus. ²⁰ And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.” Acts 9:19b-20

4.   Both repentance and faith are essential aspects of the Gospel appeal throughout the Church age.

AT PENTECOST: “Now when they heard this, they were pricked in their heart, and said unto Peter and to the rest of the apostles, Men and brethren, what shall we do? ³⁸ Then Peter said unto them, Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.” Acts 2:37-38

 AT ATHENS:     ^“For in him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, For we are also his offspring. ²⁹ Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device. ³⁰ And the times of this ignorance God winked at; but now commandeth all men every where to repent.” Acts 17:28-30

5.   Wayward (backslidden) Christians, in returning to fellowship with God, must repent and stay repentant.

“Now I rejoice, not that ye were made sorry, but that ye sorrowed to repentance: for ye were made sorry after a godly manner…¹⁰ For godly sorrow worketh repentance to salvation not to be repented of: but the sorrow of the world worketh death. ¹¹ For behold this selfsame thing, that ye sorrowed after a godly sort, what carefulness it wrought in you, yea, what clearing of yourselves, yea, what indignation, yea, what fear, yea, what vehement desire, yea, what zeal, yea, what revenge! In all things ye have approved yourselves to be clear in this matter.” 2 Corinthians 7:9-11

Dr. Dick D. Christen

A LITTLE HUMOR

Jock, the painter, often would thin his paint so it would go further. So when the Church decided to do some deferred maintenance, Jock was able to put in the low bid, and got the job. As always, he thinned his paint way down with turpentine.

One day while he was up on the scaffolding -- the job almost finished -- he heard a horrendous clap of thunder, and the sky opened.

The downpour washed the thinned paint off the church and knocked Jock off his scaffold and onto the lawn among the gravestones and puddles of thinned and worthless paint.

Jock knew this was a warning from the Almighty, so he got on his knees and cried: “Oh, God! Forgive me! What should I do?”

And from the thunder, a mighty voice: “REPAINT! REPAINT! AND THIN NO MORE!”

WHEN WE'RE IN HEAVEN GOD WILL "EXULT" OVER US! REALLY!

Often, when we think of heaven we visualize Jesus being adored by all the saints, and quite rightly so! He will be cherised and praised again and again! But, Scripture seems to point to the wonder that God's saints will be loved, appreciated and treated as trophies of God's grace. And, God Himself will lead the way!

Ponder this verse: “The Lord your God is in your midst, a  victorious warrior. He will exult over you with joy, He will be quiet in His love, He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy (Zephaniah 3:17).

Primarily this pertains to Israel in time of her Kingdom victory. After Jesus defeats the nations of the earth, upon His return after the Tribulation Period, He will be the "victorious warrior" and will proceed to "exult over" His people "with joy." He will do this in three ways:

     1. "He will exult over you with joy"
         Certainly the Jews will be super happy when they see their King and learn that He is indeed the
         expected Messiah and now all is well, but Jesus will delight beyond words ("exult") to see His
         people believing, safe and in their promised home, at long last.

     2. "He will be quiet in His love"
         Love that isn't quite sure of itself can be noisy. A man can make a fool of himself (and a
         woman too) if a relationship isn't yet secure. The antics to nail down the relationship can be
         hilarious, especially when looked back upon. But, as in marriage, once love is in place, things
         quiet down. When the sin, waywardness, frustrations of Israel are all history, and God Himself
         has established their eternal safety, His love will quietly dwell upon His people forever and
         ever. What a peaceful thought! No doubts as to her standing, no agitations as to "where is
         our God?", no insecurities concerning the future, and the list of unsure love can go on and on,
         but instead, the battles have been fought and the final victory won, and God and His people
         settle in forever by quiet waters.

     3. "He will rejoice over you with shouts of joy"
         Interestingly, the "quiet" of His love does not rule out "shouts of joy", at least now and then.
         Heaven will be perfect in its emotions, times for calm but times for exuberance. How beauti-
         ful! America presently is plagued by too much "hype" always and ever, or so it seems. Every
         TV commercial, every half-time at a sports event, every concert (and even church services)
         seem to glory is noise. The louder the better. Now and then this is fine, but all the time? At
         least seemingly so? What happened to the joys of "quiet", times of reflection, times just to
         get in touch meaningfully with a subject at hand? I say, heavens emotions will be in perfect
         balance.

Now, by way of application, apply what will be true of Israel in the Kingdom Age to the Church in heaven, the New Jerusalem. Believers will of course adore their King and Savior, Jesus Christ. They
will lay their crowns at His feet. But, in reverse, He will delight in seeing His "trophies of grace" home at last. He will make over us. He will delight in His people, saved and perfect at last, free from all sin, its guilt, its penalty, its power and now, its very presence. We will be free from the presence of sin, in His presence. Oh, that will be glory, glory at last! We will hear His exultations over us, catch His eyes and smiles and be surprised when heaven breaks forth in sharp shouts of joy, realizing they are directed toward us. But, all we then enjoy is only because of His grace and goodness, His replete salvation, and so, we will mostly worship and forever adore Him, to Whom be glory forever and ever.

- Dick D. Christen

IS CREMATION A CHRISTIAN THING?

CREMATION?

 

As best as I can tell, there is no Bible passage that attempts to give guidelines regarding acceptable burial procedures. No matter which burial practices one follows, the results are always the same: “Dust to dust, ashes to ashes." Job reiterated the final disposition of the body in Job 34:14-15: “If it were his intention and he withdrew his spirit and breath, all mankind would perish together and man would return to the dust."

The ancient Egyptians embalmed bodies to delay decay and to prepare for the afterlife.

In first-century Israel, bodies were buried on the day of death! A 60-foot length of one-foot-wide cloth was wrapped around and around the deceased while all sorts of spices were sprinkled in the wrappings in order to reduce the stench of decay. The bodies were then placed in caves or stone sepulchers.

In more recent times, it's customary to embalm a body before burial in order to delay decay long enough for the family to mourn the deceased and to give time for out-of-town friends and relatives to arrive before the funeral.

Burial procedures are rapidly changing in today’s culture. Many people are turning to cremation as the body disposition of choice. One of the primary drivers in this change is the astronomical cost of having a "traditional funeral." The costs for embalming, buying a casket and purchasing a piece of ground to put the casket in is cost prohibitive for too many families.

The only long-term difference between embalming and cremation is time. Cremation just speeds up the process.

You may do well to investigate why your family doesn't approve of your cremation choice. Perhaps they consider cremation as not Biblical. However, as we have seen, cremation is never a Biblical issue.

Perhaps they are worried that when Jesus returns at the Rapture and the bodies of long-dead Christians are resurrected and transformed into spiritual bodies — that you won’t have a body to resurrect. Frankly, since the first century, most (if not all) bodies are now dust anyway. Since God is big enough to produce a world-wide resurrection, He certainly can make a spiritual body from only a speck of dust -- or less.

Perhaps your family wants you in a casket-filled grave so they can have a place for remembering you and your lives together. This desire is natural and normal.

Recently, I've observed families foregoing the expensive caskets and burial plots by choosing cremation. They then purchase a small cemetery plot in which to bury the ashes. Others scatter the ashes over a prearranged place meaningful to the deceased. Some save a few ashes in a small locket as a token reminder of their loved one. Some ashes reside in burial urns over fireplace mantles.

With all that being said, remember that your body is still your body. Discuss openly with your family that you want to dispose of your body in the way most comfortable to you. In your case, that is cremation.

My mother just traded in her outdoor burial plot for an indoor mausoleum space. She decided that she was uncomfortable with the idea that she would be down in the ground with the “worms and maggots!” Then, she got to worrying that above ground a tornado could hit the mausoleum! She wanted to change back; but, she finally decided that worms were worse than tornadoes.

If you are more comfortable with cremation then I recommend that you do so.

Personally, I want my body cremated. I've picked out four golf courses where I want my family to spread my ashes. I think.

Recently, our church erected a columbarium with small niches for burial urns of ashes. It's on an outdoor wall of the new chapel. Recently, Julie and I exhumed our first daughter's ashes from Evergreen Cemetery and placed them in an urn in the niche in the far-left top row of the columbarium. I'm thinking about changing my mind. I just might have my ashes placed in the niche with Jessie.

After all, the chapel wall sounds like a great final resting place while we wait for the sounds of the resurrection trumpet. Jessie and I could even hold hands together on the way up!

Psalm 103:15-17 gives us a great perspective on cremation -- or on any other burial practice:

As for man, his days are like grass,

He flourishes like a flower of the field;

The wind blows over it and it is gone,

And its place remembers it no more.

But from everlasting to everlasting

The LORD's love is with those who fear him,

And his righteousness with their children's children…

-       Dr. Roger Barrier, Retired Senior Teaching Pastor, Casas Church, Tucson, AZ