7. The Cross, Resurrection and Pentecost
Is it possible to say all that happened at the cross? No, we hardly know anything about what really happened there, except a few simple concepts and the words of scripture.
A. When Christ died he died for God. He died to vindicate God – to prove forever that God was right all a long. He died to clear the name of God.
B. Christ died to prove that the Devils message that God does not love us, is forever false.
C. Christ died to satisfy the righteousness of God in bringing justice on the sin of man.
D. Christ died to destroy he works of the Devil.
E. Christ died to provide a way were by God can forgive the sinner of his sins and bring him into a relationship with him.
F. Christ died to destroy the sinful nature in the believer.
G. Christ died to put away sin.
H. Christ died to prove that sin is sin and that God is holy.
Peter said the Jews in Acts 3
15 And killed the Prince of life, whom God hath raised from the dead; whereof we are witnesses.
Men crucified him but God raised him from the dead.
And if God has raised him from the dead that look out! Men thought that they had dealt with the issue once for all, but God raised him from the dead. Men hated Christ and thought that they could get rid of him forever, But God raised him from the dead. Men thought that the grave would hold him but God raised him from the dead. Men thought that they would never have to think about Christ again, But God raised him from the dead.
Peter said…22 For Moses truly said unto the fathers, A prophet shall the Lord your God raise up unto you of your brethren, like unto me; him shall ye hear in all things whatsoever he shall say unto you. 23 And it shall come to pass, [that] every soul, which will not hear that prophet, shall be destroyed from among the people.
Moses prophesied that God would raise up a prophet from among them (Christ) and they would hear him but those who refuse to hear him will be destroyed form among the people (of Israel).
When Christ rose from the dead he did not destroy all those who had crucified him but he sent his apostles to them to offer them repentance. The apostles travelled right through the whole Roman empire presenting to Israel another opportunity to return to the Lord their God and city by city and synagogue by synagogue they turned their back on Christ again. Eventually the Roman legions came and destroyed the nation in AD 70. What did they witness to? They said that Jesus was the Jewish Messiah and that though they had crucified him God had raised him from the dead and made him Lord and Christ.
When Christ was here with his disciples he gave them the power of the Holy Spirit to work miracles and to preach the gospel to Israel. But when he died he said I don’t want you to leave Jerusalem but I want you to wait for the coming of the Holy Spirit. Christ died at the time of the Jewish Passover but 50 days later, ten days after he had ascended to heaven he baptised the disciples in the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Passover was the celebration of the Children of Israel’s deliverance from Egypt. But the day of Pentecost was the celebration of Israel entering into the Mosaic covenant. On that day Christ began a completely new thing the church was born. True it was all Jewish to begin with but later it would include ever born again person in the world. When a person becomes a christian the day of Christ’s death does not occur again nor the day of Pentecost but they come into the blessing of all that took place on those momentous days.
We look back to the cross to see the time when our sins were taken away and we look back to Pentecost to see the time when we became united as believers in Christ s church.
25/06/2009
6. The Holy Spirit
6. The indwelling of the Holy Spirit
When a person becomes a Christian the Holy Spirit comes to indwell them forever.
Of course this was not always the case. In Old Testament times when the God had something very special for someone to do then the Holy Spirit came upon them specifically so that they might be empowered to do something for God that they would never normally be able to do.
Lets think about a few examples.
Bezalel – Exodus 31v2-3. ‘See l have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And l have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design the artists work …Etc etc.
This man was given the task of designing and teaching the craftsmen to make the articles of the tabernacle.
Gideon – Judges 6v34. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, then he blew with his trumpet and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
Gideon was especially gifted to lead the people of God.
Samson – Judges 13v25, (Samson) the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Samson was a judge of Israel and he was empowered by the Spirit to do the most amazing feats of strength.
14v6. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat.
v19. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and eh went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty men …etc etc.
15v14-15. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then eh Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burnt in the fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out with his hand and took it and killed a thousand men with it.
Samson is a typical and interesting case as we see the Spirit of God coming on him on occasions, specifically to do feats of strength. However his relationship with God was based on obedience and holiness which was based on his Nazarite vow. The Nazarite vow was a special vow from birth to never cut ones hair and never to dink alcohol. Samson had never drunk wine or cut his hair because of his Nazarite vow.
We all know the story how that Delilah found out his secret and cut his hair and then Samson had a surprise….
16v20. And she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you Samson!’ So he awoke from his sleep and said, ‘I will go out as before at other times and shake myself free’! But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
The Spirit of the Lord not only came upon him when the Spirit was needed, but if his fellowship with God was broken then the Spirit of the Lord left him.
This was the case with all the Old Testament saints.
When Christ came the same thing was happening. We read that the apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform all the same miracles that Christ did.
Matthew 10v1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
This power of the Spirit of God remained with the Apostles while they did their special work. However Christ promised that they would have a greater experience than this later.
John 11v16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Now l want you to notice that the passage says that…
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
The coming of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, was a one off experience of the Whole Church in which Christ baptised the whole company of believers into the Holy Spirit. This was an experience that no believer subsequently experiences personally, except that when they become a christian they become indwelt by the Holy Spirit once and forever.
The Old Testament experience in which the Spirit came and went, is not the same today. Every believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Paul said that, ‘If a man does not have the Spirit of God then he is not a christian’.
When a person becomes a Christian the Holy Spirit comes to indwell them forever.
Of course this was not always the case. In Old Testament times when the God had something very special for someone to do then the Holy Spirit came upon them specifically so that they might be empowered to do something for God that they would never normally be able to do.
Lets think about a few examples.
Bezalel – Exodus 31v2-3. ‘See l have called by name Bezalel the son of Uri, the son of Hur, of the tribe of Judah. And l have filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship, to design the artists work …Etc etc.
This man was given the task of designing and teaching the craftsmen to make the articles of the tabernacle.
Gideon – Judges 6v34. The Spirit of the Lord came upon Gideon, then he blew with his trumpet and the Abiezrites gathered behind him.
Gideon was especially gifted to lead the people of God.
Samson – Judges 13v25, (Samson) the Spirit of the Lord began to move him at Mahaneh Dan between Zorah and Eshtaol.
Samson was a judge of Israel and he was empowered by the Spirit to do the most amazing feats of strength.
14v6. And the Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him and he tore the lion apart as one would have torn apart a young goat.
v19. Then the Spirit of the Lord came upon him mightily, and eh went down to Ashkelon and killed thirty men …etc etc.
15v14-15. When he came to Lehi, the Philistines came shouting against him. Then eh Spirit of the Lord came mightily upon him, and the ropes that were on his arms became like flax that is burnt in the fire, and his bonds broke loose from his hands. He found a fresh jawbone of a donkey, reached out with his hand and took it and killed a thousand men with it.
Samson is a typical and interesting case as we see the Spirit of God coming on him on occasions, specifically to do feats of strength. However his relationship with God was based on obedience and holiness which was based on his Nazarite vow. The Nazarite vow was a special vow from birth to never cut ones hair and never to dink alcohol. Samson had never drunk wine or cut his hair because of his Nazarite vow.
We all know the story how that Delilah found out his secret and cut his hair and then Samson had a surprise….
16v20. And she said, ‘The Philistines are upon you Samson!’ So he awoke from his sleep and said, ‘I will go out as before at other times and shake myself free’! But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
The Spirit of the Lord not only came upon him when the Spirit was needed, but if his fellowship with God was broken then the Spirit of the Lord left him.
This was the case with all the Old Testament saints.
When Christ came the same thing was happening. We read that the apostles were empowered by the Holy Spirit to perform all the same miracles that Christ did.
Matthew 10v1 And when he had called unto [him] his twelve disciples, he gave them power [against] unclean spirits, to cast them out, and to heal all manner of sickness and all manner of disease.
This power of the Spirit of God remained with the Apostles while they did their special work. However Christ promised that they would have a greater experience than this later.
John 11v16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; 17 [Even] the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. 18 I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. 19 Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also.
Now l want you to notice that the passage says that…
I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever.
The coming of the Holy Spirit, on the day of Pentecost, was a one off experience of the Whole Church in which Christ baptised the whole company of believers into the Holy Spirit. This was an experience that no believer subsequently experiences personally, except that when they become a christian they become indwelt by the Holy Spirit once and forever.
The Old Testament experience in which the Spirit came and went, is not the same today. Every believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit.
Paul said that, ‘If a man does not have the Spirit of God then he is not a christian’.
09/06/2009
Letters to a young missionary no5
No 5
Often people come to me to ask the question, ’Do you believe that the christian can loose his salvation?’
My answer is always the same NEVER!
When the believer considers the salvation that they have received it becomes apparent that it is impossible to loose salvation.
Lets think about the four aspects of salvation that we considered previously.
Justification.
Justification is the act of God in which he declares the sinner righteous in his sight on the basis of faith in Christ. This justification is based in turn on the foundation of ‘forgiveness of sins’. The believer is forgiven of all his sins and no-one can lay a charge of sin against him anymore.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh abut after the Spirit. Romans 8v1.
Clearly Paul is teaching that there is no condemnation for sin that the believer can come into – he is declared to be ‘Not Guilty’.
So can sin separate the believer from God – No never.
When the christian sins he spoils fellowship with God but his sins are forever forgiven. He confesses his sin to be restored to fellowship but not to salvation.
Who shall lay anything to Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us. Romans 8v33-34
For the believer to be lost, God himself would need to go back on his righteous judgment, in which he has made the sinner righteous and he would need to lay a new charge of sin against them. A sin that has not been covered by the blood of Christ. This would be on Gods part an unrighteous act and would be contrary to his nature and holiness.
Adoption.
God in grace has taken the forsaken child and brought him into his family. He has made him his heir and blessed him with all the blessings of his children. Now for the believer to be lost, God himself would have to forsake his dependant children. This is say – is impossible. Even the ungodly do not forsake their children, so how would the Lord in the time of deepest need and turn from his own children and leave them forever.
Redemption.
God has provided freedom for those who were slaves of sin. Can it be that these men who have been set free from the dominion of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of the Son of his love, become enslaved again? Can Satan win the battle for men’s hearts? Can the sinner find himself enslaved again having been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ? Is the blood of Christ insufficient to free forever those who believe in Christ for redemption? For the believer to be lost the blood of Christ would need to fail and the power of Satan would triumph over the saints of God.
Cleansing.
Lastly for the sinner to be lost, he who has been made holy and fit for the very presence of God and access to the throne of God, now finds that he is unclean and spoiled and banished from Gods presence. This is of course – impossible. What could defile the sinner who is cleansed? Sin? But, all his sins are forgiven?
There are no scriptures, when correctly interpreted, that say that God looses his children.
What about those scriptures that seem to indicate that believers can be lost?
Lets look at some of them.
Paul said that he beats himself so that after he has preached to others he might not be found to be cast away. However Paul is not speaking here about his salvation but his ministry. It is possible to loose his ministry by bringing disgrace on the Lord through sin. If he is disgraced then he will not be able to preach as before until he is restored but even then there may be some that will never listen to him again.
The writer to the Hebrews speaks of those who have tasted the good things of the kingdom and enlightened if they turn from Christ crucify him afresh in their hearts and cannot repent of their wickedness and be saved. The writer here is not talking about the true christian but rather a Hebrew who has heard of Christ and come to understand the gospel yet they are never saved and when they turn back to Judaism they reject Christ forever.
Christ said that, ‘Those who come to me l will never cast away’.
‘I give unto my sheep eternal life and they will never perish nor can anyone snatch them out of my hand’
And again – ‘whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life’.
Often people come to me to ask the question, ’Do you believe that the christian can loose his salvation?’
My answer is always the same NEVER!
When the believer considers the salvation that they have received it becomes apparent that it is impossible to loose salvation.
Lets think about the four aspects of salvation that we considered previously.
Justification.
Justification is the act of God in which he declares the sinner righteous in his sight on the basis of faith in Christ. This justification is based in turn on the foundation of ‘forgiveness of sins’. The believer is forgiven of all his sins and no-one can lay a charge of sin against him anymore.
There is therefore now no condemnation to them that are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh abut after the Spirit. Romans 8v1.
Clearly Paul is teaching that there is no condemnation for sin that the believer can come into – he is declared to be ‘Not Guilty’.
So can sin separate the believer from God – No never.
When the christian sins he spoils fellowship with God but his sins are forever forgiven. He confesses his sin to be restored to fellowship but not to salvation.
Who shall lay anything to Gods elect? It is God that justifieth. Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who maketh intercession for us. Romans 8v33-34
For the believer to be lost, God himself would need to go back on his righteous judgment, in which he has made the sinner righteous and he would need to lay a new charge of sin against them. A sin that has not been covered by the blood of Christ. This would be on Gods part an unrighteous act and would be contrary to his nature and holiness.
Adoption.
God in grace has taken the forsaken child and brought him into his family. He has made him his heir and blessed him with all the blessings of his children. Now for the believer to be lost, God himself would have to forsake his dependant children. This is say – is impossible. Even the ungodly do not forsake their children, so how would the Lord in the time of deepest need and turn from his own children and leave them forever.
Redemption.
God has provided freedom for those who were slaves of sin. Can it be that these men who have been set free from the dominion of Satan and transferred into the kingdom of the Son of his love, become enslaved again? Can Satan win the battle for men’s hearts? Can the sinner find himself enslaved again having been redeemed by the precious blood of Christ? Is the blood of Christ insufficient to free forever those who believe in Christ for redemption? For the believer to be lost the blood of Christ would need to fail and the power of Satan would triumph over the saints of God.
Cleansing.
Lastly for the sinner to be lost, he who has been made holy and fit for the very presence of God and access to the throne of God, now finds that he is unclean and spoiled and banished from Gods presence. This is of course – impossible. What could defile the sinner who is cleansed? Sin? But, all his sins are forgiven?
There are no scriptures, when correctly interpreted, that say that God looses his children.
What about those scriptures that seem to indicate that believers can be lost?
Lets look at some of them.
Paul said that he beats himself so that after he has preached to others he might not be found to be cast away. However Paul is not speaking here about his salvation but his ministry. It is possible to loose his ministry by bringing disgrace on the Lord through sin. If he is disgraced then he will not be able to preach as before until he is restored but even then there may be some that will never listen to him again.
The writer to the Hebrews speaks of those who have tasted the good things of the kingdom and enlightened if they turn from Christ crucify him afresh in their hearts and cannot repent of their wickedness and be saved. The writer here is not talking about the true christian but rather a Hebrew who has heard of Christ and come to understand the gospel yet they are never saved and when they turn back to Judaism they reject Christ forever.
Christ said that, ‘Those who come to me l will never cast away’.
‘I give unto my sheep eternal life and they will never perish nor can anyone snatch them out of my hand’
And again – ‘whosoever believeth in him shall not perish but have everlasting life’.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)