This has been quite a week for me. I had to come up with a lot of money for some bills, and I didn't know how I was going to get them payed. Thank the Lord Jesus that He provided the funds in answer to my prayer. I am grateful to the Lord for His provision.
Last week, we finished our study in I John. I hope that everyone who went through the series learned something. I mentioned last week that I was considering some different options concerning what to present for the weekend sermon in the upcoming weeks. I've decided to start a series of messages on the Sermon on the Mount. This is a vital teaching of Jesus, and I know that there is much to be gained from a thorough study of these words from the Lord. I pray that you will be blessed as we look at these words of Jesus together.
The Sermon on the Mount is found in Matthew chapters 5,6 and 7. A similar teaching in a shorter version is found in Luke chapter 6. In all likelihood, Jesus probably preached these words on several different occasions using some material at one time and adding or subtracting material as the case warranted. Along with the Upper Room Discourse recorded in John's gospel, the Sermon on the Mount is one of Jesus' longest recorded teachings.
Before we get into the heart of the Sermon on the Mount itself, let's explore some of the different theories of interpretation concerning this teaching.
Some believe that the Sermon in the Mount presents an impossible standard that no one can measure up to. In other words, Jesus was presenting the requirements that needed to be fulfilled in order to keep the law and be in right standing with God. Since no one could possibly live up to the requirements set forth in the Sermon on the Mount, this demonstrates that no one can keep the law. Therefore, it is necessary to trust in Christ by faith alone apart from works for salvation.
While I absolutely agree that we are saved by grace through faith apart from works, I don't believe that this interpretation is correct. I don't see this as Jesus' intention at all because He never mentions anything concerning this in the Sermon on the Mount itself.
Another interpretation similar to the one just mentioned holds that the Sermon on the Mount was all about the law and was no longer in effect after Jesus' death and resurrection. What this interpretation basically says is that the Sermon on the Mount is not for today.
Once again, I do not agree with this interpretation. Jesus repeats some of what is in the Sermon on the Mount in various ways elsewhere in the gospels. Also, many of the teachings in the Sermon on the Mount are echoed in later New Testament writings especially in the epistle of James.
One other interpretation that I'd like to mention is the one that holds that the conditions of the Sermon on the Mount will only be applicable during the Millennial reign of Christ. They are teachings about the future Kingdom.
Again, I don't agree for the same reasons I stated before. Most of these dispensationalist theories set up too much of distinction between the way in which God operated throughout the Bible and will operate in the future. They split the Bible into too many different ages.
I believe that the teachings of the Sermon on the Mount are for today and that they are to be taken literally. The teaching of the Sermon on the Mount are the manifesto of the followers of Jesus Christ. He expects His followers to do their best as they are empowered by the Holy Spirit to live up to the principles taught in the Sermon on the Mount. Of course there are some things that will not receive their ultimate fulfilment until the return of Christ. However, we are to strive to live our lives in accordance with the teachings of Jesus right now. It is hard. There are some difficult teachings in the Sermon on the Mount as we will see in the weeks to come. However, that doesn't mean that the contents of this great message should be ignored simply because they are difficult.
My approach as we go through the Sermon on the Mount will be to find practical ways to live out those things that Jesus expects of His followers.
The Sermon on the Mount begins in Matthew chapter 5. Jesus went up the hill and called His followers to Him. This is important. As we will see, Jesus taught with authority. Under His authority as God come in the flesh, He would actually change some of the Old Testament laws. This demonstrated to the people that He was divine. He was greater than Moses, and He was instituting new laws and interpretations for His Kingdom. The Sermon on the Mount is a display of Jesus' ultimate authority.
Chapter 5 opens with a familiar passage of Scripture known as the Beatitudes. These appear in a slightly different form in Luke 6.
Often, the word blessed used here is translated as happy. I'm not sure that this is the best interpretation. Living according to these principles won't make anyone happy necessarily.
I think that the point Jesus is trying to get across here is that those who live according to the principles of the Beatitudes will have the favor of God on their lives that will lead to ultimate blessing in the age to come.
Next week, Lord willing, we will look at some of these individual Beatitudes in greater depth. May God bless you. Amen.
Friday, October 26, 2012
Friday, October 19, 2012
Weekend Sermon--I John 5:13-21
Today it is so windy that I thought I would be blown away. I think windy days are my least favorite. It was so windy today that it blew a little kid off of his feet as he was going into the library this morning.
In last week's message we focused our attention on the various interpretations of Jesus' coming by water and the blood. Without going through all that again, I said that I believe that this refers to Jesus' baptism and crucifixion.
This week, we find another controversial section in I John. It is actually one of the more controversial passages in the entire New Testament.
Before we get into that, let's start with verse 13. John states that we can know that we have eternal life. That's actually been John's theme throughout this entire epistle. There are characteristics that identify the true follower of Jesus. The follower of Jesus does not habitually commit sin. When a sin is committed, the true follower of Christ confesses his sin and receives forgiveness from the Lord. Also, the true follower of Jesus believes in the deity and true humanity of Christ. Finally, the true follower of Jesus obeys the commandments of the Lord. John has spoken of these characteristics of Christians over and over again in this epistle.
Verses 14 and 15 once again take up the subject of prayer and receiving what we ask for when we ask for that which is in accordance with the will of God.
I said what I had to say on this subject in a prior message. This whole subject is hard for me to understand, as I mentioned before.
Now we come to the controversial section of the chapter in verses 15 through 20 where John talks about sins that are not unto death and the sin that leads to death.
There are several theories as to what the sin unto death is. First of all, Roman Catholic scholars use this section of Scripture as proof of the existence of venial and mortal sins. A venial sin can be confessed in general confession, but mortal sins lead to spiritual death and must be confessed to a priest. I am not a Catholic, so I do not believe in this interpretation. I believe in the priesthood of the believer. Any sin that we commit can be directly confessed to God. John himself says this in the first part of this epistle. If we are in Christ, we have direct access to the Father. No human being needs to stand between the believer and God.
Another interpretation of this passage holds that the sin unto death is the failure to accept Jesus as one's Savior before death. Those who's names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience eternal damnation because they failed to recognize their need for Christ during their lifetimes.
I don't think that this view makes any sense at all. John commands that we shouldn't pray for someone committing the sin unto death. We are supposed to pray that the lost will come to know Jesus. It is not Jesus' will that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
The denomination that I was raised in had a view of this passage I've not heard anywhere else. They believed that a Christian could sin and lead a carnal life to the point that they were unrecognizable as a believer. They also believed in the doctrine of eternal securtiy. They believed that the sin unto death occured when God took the life of a habitually sinning Christian so that person would not sin to the point of losing their salvation.
I don't believe this theory at all. The whole point of John's epistle is that if a person is habitually sinning, this demonstrates that they are not a true follower of Jesus in the first place. The true follower of Christ obeys and does not follow the ways of the world in a consistent manner.
Finally, another view held by many, and the one that I hold, is that this passage refers to the unpardonable sin referred to by Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry. The unpardonable sin is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when someone attributes the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. This is what the pharisees did when that said that Jesus cast out demons and performed miracles by the power of the devil.
How can this be done today? I think that this sin can be committed today when people call certain manifestations of the Spirit the work of the devil. For instance, some people say that speaking in tongues is of the devil. I don't believe that tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, but I do believe that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. I would never say that it was of the devil.
I'm sure that there are many other opinions about this passage. I leave it to you to study the issue further.
John concludes his letter by warning his readers to stay away from idols. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and worship Him alone.
With that we have come to the end of I John. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on this book with you. I hope that you've been blessed by this study.
I'm not sure what I'm going to focus on in the coming weeks. I'm considering going through I Peter or the Sermon on the Mount or possible just studying various Psalms. If anyone has a preference, let me know. May God bless you. Amen.
In last week's message we focused our attention on the various interpretations of Jesus' coming by water and the blood. Without going through all that again, I said that I believe that this refers to Jesus' baptism and crucifixion.
This week, we find another controversial section in I John. It is actually one of the more controversial passages in the entire New Testament.
Before we get into that, let's start with verse 13. John states that we can know that we have eternal life. That's actually been John's theme throughout this entire epistle. There are characteristics that identify the true follower of Jesus. The follower of Jesus does not habitually commit sin. When a sin is committed, the true follower of Christ confesses his sin and receives forgiveness from the Lord. Also, the true follower of Jesus believes in the deity and true humanity of Christ. Finally, the true follower of Jesus obeys the commandments of the Lord. John has spoken of these characteristics of Christians over and over again in this epistle.
Verses 14 and 15 once again take up the subject of prayer and receiving what we ask for when we ask for that which is in accordance with the will of God.
I said what I had to say on this subject in a prior message. This whole subject is hard for me to understand, as I mentioned before.
Now we come to the controversial section of the chapter in verses 15 through 20 where John talks about sins that are not unto death and the sin that leads to death.
There are several theories as to what the sin unto death is. First of all, Roman Catholic scholars use this section of Scripture as proof of the existence of venial and mortal sins. A venial sin can be confessed in general confession, but mortal sins lead to spiritual death and must be confessed to a priest. I am not a Catholic, so I do not believe in this interpretation. I believe in the priesthood of the believer. Any sin that we commit can be directly confessed to God. John himself says this in the first part of this epistle. If we are in Christ, we have direct access to the Father. No human being needs to stand between the believer and God.
Another interpretation of this passage holds that the sin unto death is the failure to accept Jesus as one's Savior before death. Those who's names are not written in the Lamb's Book of Life will experience eternal damnation because they failed to recognize their need for Christ during their lifetimes.
I don't think that this view makes any sense at all. John commands that we shouldn't pray for someone committing the sin unto death. We are supposed to pray that the lost will come to know Jesus. It is not Jesus' will that any should perish but that all come to repentance.
The denomination that I was raised in had a view of this passage I've not heard anywhere else. They believed that a Christian could sin and lead a carnal life to the point that they were unrecognizable as a believer. They also believed in the doctrine of eternal securtiy. They believed that the sin unto death occured when God took the life of a habitually sinning Christian so that person would not sin to the point of losing their salvation.
I don't believe this theory at all. The whole point of John's epistle is that if a person is habitually sinning, this demonstrates that they are not a true follower of Jesus in the first place. The true follower of Christ obeys and does not follow the ways of the world in a consistent manner.
Finally, another view held by many, and the one that I hold, is that this passage refers to the unpardonable sin referred to by Jesus during the time of His earthly ministry. The unpardonable sin is the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit.
Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit occurs when someone attributes the work of the Holy Spirit to Satan. This is what the pharisees did when that said that Jesus cast out demons and performed miracles by the power of the devil.
How can this be done today? I think that this sin can be committed today when people call certain manifestations of the Spirit the work of the devil. For instance, some people say that speaking in tongues is of the devil. I don't believe that tongues is the evidence of the baptism of the Spirit, but I do believe that it is a gift of the Holy Spirit. I would never say that it was of the devil.
I'm sure that there are many other opinions about this passage. I leave it to you to study the issue further.
John concludes his letter by warning his readers to stay away from idols. We should keep our eyes on Jesus and worship Him alone.
With that we have come to the end of I John. I have really enjoyed the opportunity to share my thoughts on this book with you. I hope that you've been blessed by this study.
I'm not sure what I'm going to focus on in the coming weeks. I'm considering going through I Peter or the Sermon on the Mount or possible just studying various Psalms. If anyone has a preference, let me know. May God bless you. Amen.
Tuesday, October 16, 2012
A Good Dog Book
I may have mentioned this book in the past. If I have, I'm sorry. My memory isn't what it was. One of the best books I've read about dogs is a book called "The Cruelest Miles". The two authors last name is Salisbury. This book tells about the mushers and their dogs that brought the life saving serum to Nome, Alaska during the diphtheria epidemic. The authors go into great detail, and the lives of the mushers are really brought to light. There is also a great deal of good information about the two hero dogs of the story, Balto and Togo. I highly recommend this book.
Friday, October 12, 2012
Weekend Sermon-- I John 5:6-12
I hope that everyone has had a very good week. This was a very good week for my writing work. I'm very thankful to the Lord that I had quite a lot of writing work this week. Please continue to pray that I can find more work, and get back on track.
Last week, there were several blessing of the animals services in my area. I saw a lot of cute dogs being blessed at the Episcopal church in the next town over from me.
The blessing of the animals takes place during the time of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis had a special relationship with animals. He would often preach to the birds. He also tamed a wolf and commanded the wolf not to take from the flocks of the people of the town of Gubbio.
There are several other stories about saints and their relationships with animals. One the the stories I like is the story of St. Roch. St. Roch ministered to plague victims in the Middle Ages. Eventually, St. Roch contracted plague and was on the verge of death. A dog from a nearby estate discovered the saint and took bread to the saint each day. One day, the dog's owner followed the dog and discovered St. Roch who was then taken to the estate where he recovered. When it was time for St. Roch to depart, the dog went with him.
Some other saints that have interesting animal stories associated with them are St. Macarius, St. Columba and St. Cuthbert.
Animals, especially dogs, have been a very important part of my life. I don't know if I'd have made it on this earth as long as I have without my dog. I've always said, and I believe it with all of my heart, that Toby was the dog Jesus sent to be my friend. I will always be eternally grateful.
On another animal note, this last week I saw a wonderful program about Siberian Tigers on the Nature program on PBS. These are some of the most beautiful and majestic creatures that God placed on this planet.
It's sad that many of the tigers seen in this film were poached. It just sickens me that human beings can destroy such fantastic creatures. Mankind often so casually destroys that which God has made. I don't know if I will be able to live in a world without wild tigers. It is too horrible to even consider it.
As followers of Jesus, I believe that it is our responsibility to be caretakers of this planet. Christians should be the greatest environmentalists and conservationists on this earth.
With that said, let's get into our study of I John. Last week, we discussed the faith that overcomes the world. We overcome the world by our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and by believing that Jesus is divine.
In today's passage, we focus on a somewhat controversial section of Scripture. Verse 6 states, "This is the one who came by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth."
The one who came by water and blood is Jesus. But what does it mean that Jesus came by water and blood and that these testify that Jesus is the Son of God?
Some scholars believe that the water and the blood refer to Jesus' birth and death. Others believe that the water and blood refer to the water and blood which flowed from Jesus' side on the cross when Jesus was pierced by the Roman soldier's lance. Another major interpretation of this passage views the water and the blood as referring to the elements of the Lord's Supper.
I disagree with these views. The view that is probably the most favored, and the one I hold, is that the water refers to Jesus' baptism, and the blood refers to the blood Jesus shed on the cross. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit.
How does the baptism of Jesus testify to Him? When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, the voice of the Father came from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." At the same time, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended on Jesus as Jesus came up out of the water. The water and the Spirit testified that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God.
The blood testified to Jesus because He shed His blood for the redemption of sin. God raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, the sacrifice of Jesus was accepted. The resurrection verified the sacrificial death of Christ.
The Holy Spirit continues to testify as to who Jesus is and what He did.
What is interesting is that Jesus talked about three witnesses to His ministry. I've written a sermon on this blog about that. So, read that sermon to learn more on that subject.
What does this all mean? It means that God testified that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the Son of God. It means that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We can only have a relationship with the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. Whoever denies the deity of Jesus has called God a liar because the Father has testified and bears witness concerning the Son.
Lord willing, we will look at another controversial passage in I John, and that will conclude our study of this epistle. May you know the love of Jesus this week. Amen.
Last week, there were several blessing of the animals services in my area. I saw a lot of cute dogs being blessed at the Episcopal church in the next town over from me.
The blessing of the animals takes place during the time of the Feast of St. Francis of Assisi. St. Francis had a special relationship with animals. He would often preach to the birds. He also tamed a wolf and commanded the wolf not to take from the flocks of the people of the town of Gubbio.
There are several other stories about saints and their relationships with animals. One the the stories I like is the story of St. Roch. St. Roch ministered to plague victims in the Middle Ages. Eventually, St. Roch contracted plague and was on the verge of death. A dog from a nearby estate discovered the saint and took bread to the saint each day. One day, the dog's owner followed the dog and discovered St. Roch who was then taken to the estate where he recovered. When it was time for St. Roch to depart, the dog went with him.
Some other saints that have interesting animal stories associated with them are St. Macarius, St. Columba and St. Cuthbert.
Animals, especially dogs, have been a very important part of my life. I don't know if I'd have made it on this earth as long as I have without my dog. I've always said, and I believe it with all of my heart, that Toby was the dog Jesus sent to be my friend. I will always be eternally grateful.
On another animal note, this last week I saw a wonderful program about Siberian Tigers on the Nature program on PBS. These are some of the most beautiful and majestic creatures that God placed on this planet.
It's sad that many of the tigers seen in this film were poached. It just sickens me that human beings can destroy such fantastic creatures. Mankind often so casually destroys that which God has made. I don't know if I will be able to live in a world without wild tigers. It is too horrible to even consider it.
As followers of Jesus, I believe that it is our responsibility to be caretakers of this planet. Christians should be the greatest environmentalists and conservationists on this earth.
With that said, let's get into our study of I John. Last week, we discussed the faith that overcomes the world. We overcome the world by our faith in the finished work of Christ on the cross and by believing that Jesus is divine.
In today's passage, we focus on a somewhat controversial section of Scripture. Verse 6 states, "This is the one who came by water and blood. And it is the Spirit who testifies, because the Spirit is truth."
The one who came by water and blood is Jesus. But what does it mean that Jesus came by water and blood and that these testify that Jesus is the Son of God?
Some scholars believe that the water and the blood refer to Jesus' birth and death. Others believe that the water and blood refer to the water and blood which flowed from Jesus' side on the cross when Jesus was pierced by the Roman soldier's lance. Another major interpretation of this passage views the water and the blood as referring to the elements of the Lord's Supper.
I disagree with these views. The view that is probably the most favored, and the one I hold, is that the water refers to Jesus' baptism, and the blood refers to the blood Jesus shed on the cross. The Spirit is the Holy Spirit.
How does the baptism of Jesus testify to Him? When Jesus was baptized by John the Baptist in the Jordan River, the voice of the Father came from Heaven saying, "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased." At the same time, the Holy Spirit in the form of a dove descended on Jesus as Jesus came up out of the water. The water and the Spirit testified that Jesus was the Christ the Son of the Living God.
The blood testified to Jesus because He shed His blood for the redemption of sin. God raised Jesus from the dead. Therefore, the sacrifice of Jesus was accepted. The resurrection verified the sacrificial death of Christ.
The Holy Spirit continues to testify as to who Jesus is and what He did.
What is interesting is that Jesus talked about three witnesses to His ministry. I've written a sermon on this blog about that. So, read that sermon to learn more on that subject.
What does this all mean? It means that God testified that Jesus is the Messiah. Jesus is the Son of God. It means that Jesus is the only way to salvation. We can only have a relationship with the Father through His Son, Jesus Christ. Whoever denies the deity of Jesus has called God a liar because the Father has testified and bears witness concerning the Son.
Lord willing, we will look at another controversial passage in I John, and that will conclude our study of this epistle. May you know the love of Jesus this week. Amen.
Wednesday, October 10, 2012
Good Dog Movie
I read a book about the Australian dog called Red Dog a few years ago, so I was looking forward to the Red Dog movie. The movie finally made it to America, and I watched it last week. I really enjoyed this movie. Some of Red Dog's actions reminded me of Toby. Without giving anything away, I just want to say that the movie has some very sad moments. I think that this film should be rated PG-13 and not PG. With that said, I highly recommend Red Dog. It is a good dog movie for adults.
Friday, October 5, 2012
Weekend Sermon--I John 5:1-5
I'm sorry that I wasn't able to post a sermon last week. I've not been feeling very well. I think the stress of living is getting me down. I am doing better this week, and I thank the Lord for His goodness to me. Please keep me in your prayers that I might find deliverance from these many stress filled situations. Thank you.
The last time I posted a sermon, we finished I John chapter 4. We focused on the important truth that perfect love casts out all fear. I told a little bit about how the church of my youth taught about a Jesus who wasn't the man of love, but He was someone to be feared.
I remember once the pastor said that if you love anything on earth too much, God will take it away from you so that you would love God more than anything on earth. For a long time, when Toby was first with me and he developed ulcerative colitis, I thought that it might be God's punishment for loving Toby too much.
I am so thankful that I came across books written by people who showed me the truth about Jesus. My life was turned around, and I grew to have a close relationship with Jesus my Savior, Lord and friend. I realized that Jesus wouldn't put some sickness on my friend like that. Jesus wants us to love Him more and more not love others less.
Today, we begin chapter 5 which is the last chapter of I John. Versus 1 through 3 of this chapter reiterate John's theme of loving God and obeying God's commandments as evidence of our love.
Verses 4-5 state, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world-our faith. And who is the the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
These two verses are often misinterpreted by many ministers today. Some teach that we can overcome problems or sickness or debt by having enough faith. If we can generate enough faith, the problems will vanish. They view faith as some type of cosmic force that is used by Christians.
I don't think that these two verses are talking about this at all. What John is saying is that when we are born, we are born into this world system of sin. We are sinners. The only way to be free from sin is by placing one's faith and trust in Jesus. We must believe that He is who He claimed to be, believe He died and rose again and accept Him as Savior and Lord by faith alone.
When we place our faith and trust in Jesus, we are taken from the kingdom of darkness and are made children of the Heavenly Kingdom. We become new creations in Christ.
However, the ultimate fulfillment of these verses, and of our salvation, is yet to come. The fullness of the overcoming power of Jesus will be manifest when He returns to this earth in glory and with great power. This world system that has waged war against the holiness of God will be abolished. Jesus Christ will rule and reign in righteousness as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There will be a new Heaven and a new Earth.
Our faith in Jesus also allows us to overcome in this world, but not through using faith as some type of formula. Because we are in Christ, we know, or should know, that no matter what problems beset us now, they will not have the ultimate victory.
I have a lot of health problems now and have had since birth. However, one day, because of Jesus, I will be set free from these things. Just like my parents are now free. My Mom is in Heaven with Jesus restored to perfect health. My Dad is with the Lord and is free from all pain. They have overcome the world through faith in what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus won the victory.
One day, all of us who are in Christ will fully overcome all of this old world's problems. At death, we will be with Jesus, and everything will be perfect, right and good. Hopefully, Jesus will return soon. He could come today. What a great day it will be when Jesus comes back to Earth again.
It is my hope and prayer that all those who read this message have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I pray that you are trusting Jesus Christ alone, apart from works, for your salvation. I hope that you are ready to meet the Lord Jesus should He return this very day.
You can have assurance of salvation. If you've never come to Jesus, trust Him now. Recognize that you are a sinner. Repent of your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you. Believe that Jesus is God and has died on the cross and that He rose again. Then, ask Jesus to come into your heart and be you Savior and Lord.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue our study of I John. It is a controversial section that we are coming to. God bless you. Amen.
The last time I posted a sermon, we finished I John chapter 4. We focused on the important truth that perfect love casts out all fear. I told a little bit about how the church of my youth taught about a Jesus who wasn't the man of love, but He was someone to be feared.
I remember once the pastor said that if you love anything on earth too much, God will take it away from you so that you would love God more than anything on earth. For a long time, when Toby was first with me and he developed ulcerative colitis, I thought that it might be God's punishment for loving Toby too much.
I am so thankful that I came across books written by people who showed me the truth about Jesus. My life was turned around, and I grew to have a close relationship with Jesus my Savior, Lord and friend. I realized that Jesus wouldn't put some sickness on my friend like that. Jesus wants us to love Him more and more not love others less.
Today, we begin chapter 5 which is the last chapter of I John. Versus 1 through 3 of this chapter reiterate John's theme of loving God and obeying God's commandments as evidence of our love.
Verses 4-5 state, "For whatever is born of God overcomes the world, and this is the victory that overcomes the world-our faith. And who is the the one who overcomes the world, but he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God."
These two verses are often misinterpreted by many ministers today. Some teach that we can overcome problems or sickness or debt by having enough faith. If we can generate enough faith, the problems will vanish. They view faith as some type of cosmic force that is used by Christians.
I don't think that these two verses are talking about this at all. What John is saying is that when we are born, we are born into this world system of sin. We are sinners. The only way to be free from sin is by placing one's faith and trust in Jesus. We must believe that He is who He claimed to be, believe He died and rose again and accept Him as Savior and Lord by faith alone.
When we place our faith and trust in Jesus, we are taken from the kingdom of darkness and are made children of the Heavenly Kingdom. We become new creations in Christ.
However, the ultimate fulfillment of these verses, and of our salvation, is yet to come. The fullness of the overcoming power of Jesus will be manifest when He returns to this earth in glory and with great power. This world system that has waged war against the holiness of God will be abolished. Jesus Christ will rule and reign in righteousness as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. There will be a new Heaven and a new Earth.
Our faith in Jesus also allows us to overcome in this world, but not through using faith as some type of formula. Because we are in Christ, we know, or should know, that no matter what problems beset us now, they will not have the ultimate victory.
I have a lot of health problems now and have had since birth. However, one day, because of Jesus, I will be set free from these things. Just like my parents are now free. My Mom is in Heaven with Jesus restored to perfect health. My Dad is with the Lord and is free from all pain. They have overcome the world through faith in what Jesus did on the cross. Jesus won the victory.
One day, all of us who are in Christ will fully overcome all of this old world's problems. At death, we will be with Jesus, and everything will be perfect, right and good. Hopefully, Jesus will return soon. He could come today. What a great day it will be when Jesus comes back to Earth again.
It is my hope and prayer that all those who read this message have come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ. I pray that you are trusting Jesus Christ alone, apart from works, for your salvation. I hope that you are ready to meet the Lord Jesus should He return this very day.
You can have assurance of salvation. If you've never come to Jesus, trust Him now. Recognize that you are a sinner. Repent of your sins and ask Jesus to forgive you. Believe that Jesus is God and has died on the cross and that He rose again. Then, ask Jesus to come into your heart and be you Savior and Lord.
Next week, Lord willing, we will continue our study of I John. It is a controversial section that we are coming to. God bless you. Amen.
Thursday, October 4, 2012
Update
If everything goes according to plan, I will have a new weekend sermon posted tomorrow. I thank the Lord that I am feeling a little bit better. Thank you for your prayers.
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