EPISTLE OF FIRST PETER #2

 

 

Chapter One-hundred-sixteen:

First Epistle from Peter #2

CHAPTER TWO Because we have been begotten again by the Word of God (chapter 1:23) which is the Gospel, or good news, of how we can enter the Family of God, Peter starts in verse one of chapter two, to say we should then put aside all ill-will (malice) and all DECEIT (guile) and PRETENCE (hypocrisy) ENVY and EVIL SPEAKING or back stabbing with malice. Certainly a Christian needs to put away such ways of living that many in the world follow as part of their lives. But we have to guard ourselves, watch ourselves, for if not careful we find we do have ill-will against someone, or envy, or malice, or play act, put on an outward show of "religion" when in the presence of certain people, out of their view we speak and act like many unconverted people of the society we live in. Verse 2 give emphasis to the milk that a new born baby desires, and we all should know how babies desire nourishing milk. So we should desire God's word, love it, want it, drink in of it, desire to grow in grace and knowledge through having it as part of our diet of living. We should indeed know that the Lord is good and gracious, and He was the LIVING STONE, not desired by the many in this world, but He was the CHOSEN ONE, and PRECIOUS in God's sight, and should be in our sight (verses 3 and 4). We, the children of God, are also living stones, built up as a spiritual house. We are a holy priesthood to God, to offer up spiritual sacrifices, and we are through Jesus Christ very acceptable to the Father. THE CHIEF PRECIOUS STONE, was foretold in the Scriptures: "Behold, I lay in Zion, a CHIEF CORNER stone, ELECT, PRECIOUS, and he that believes on him shall not be condemned" (Isaiah 28:16). In verses 7 and 8, Peter draws is specific difference between those that believe on the precious stone and those who have stumbled over that stone (Christ). The difference is "DISOBEDIENCE" - yes, those who have stumbled over the stone which the builders rejected, have showed their folly by being DISOBEDIENT to the WORD of God. Those who have accepted the precious stone, to them that stone Christ is the HEAD of the corner. He is the head of the church building. There is OBEDIENCE or DISOBEDIENCE in the accepting or rejecting of God, His Word, and Christ. Most Christians realize, when push comes to pull, or when common human logic is used, that to live as a child of God you must OBEY that God, and His Word tells us HOW to obey Him, how we should live our day to day lives. The main reason people get into the posture of teaching the crazy argument that you do not have to obey the Most High one, is when they are told the Almighty has a law of a Sabbath days rest, they just do not want to stop working or doing their own thing on the Sabbath day. But as Peter here points out, those who will not accept THE precious stone (Christ) and God the Father, reject them because they want to be DISobedient to them, they want to live, speak, and think, their way, and do not want a God telling them HOW they should live and think. But Peter says, to the Christians he is writing to (and to Christians since his time), they are a CHOSEN GENERATION, a ROYAL PRIESTHOOD, an HOLY NATION (people), a PURCHASED people (margin of KJV), and that they should show forth the VIRTUES (margin KJV) of Him who has called them out of DARKNESS into His MARVELLOUS LIGHT. We were once not the people of God, but NOW WE ARE. We had NOT obtained mercy, but NOW HAVE obtain MERCY (verses 9-10). What POWERFUL verses, what a HIGH STANDARD they hold up for the people of God. How anyone can think, after reading these verses that being a child of the Father means you can live any old way you like, is to me incredulous to contemplate. Paul said, "Let this mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 2:5). To have the MIND of Christ will mean you will want to obey and do the will of the Father, that you will think and act as He wants you to think and act, which will be based upon His Word contained in the Holy Bible. We are PURCHASED with the very blood of Christ to be a Holy people, a Royal Priesthood, of the very highest order imaginable, to the very height of God the Father. As the apostle Paul admonished in his epistles, so does Peter in verse 11. He beseeches his readers, whom he calls strangers and pilgrims (and we are in this world, strangers to the ways of the world, and as pilgrims we look towards the age to come and the Kingdom of God on earth), to ABSTAIN from fleshly LUSTS, which are ever warring against our lives. The attraction to follow the world, to do what they do, to speak as they speak, to lust as they lust, is all around us, even more so in today's society. Sexual immorality is everywhere, especially on TV and on the big screen movie theatres. Fornication (sexual intercourse) before marriage is common-place, if you have not had sexual intercourse before marrying, you are looked upon not only as some freak, but as crazy for not indulging in such pleasures of the flesh. Living together with your boyfriend or girlfriend (once in a purer world, known as "shacking up") is so common today it is probably thought of by the younger generation as a part of a natural growing up. There also many other forms of fleshly lusts, more and more money, bigger and more expensive homes, cars, boats, holidays, bigger TVs and expensive sound equipment. There is nothing sinful per se in any of those things, but today far too many people lust after such things, they just do not seem to be able to live without them, or be content with ones that are not the big expensive ones. And people have a harder time to draw the line and say enough is enough. Far too many children in the Western world at least, are spoiled rotten, the "things" they have as birthdays and Christmas' go along is truly astonishing. The material world is constantly pushing pushing and still more pushing at us from every corner, from fliers that are ever coming into our mail box, to TV ads, to glitzy store signs and street and highway signs. Today there are more lusts of the flesh all around us, than ever before in human history. If it was true in Peter's day (and it ever has been for lusts are part of human nature) it surely is more so today in our 21st space age technology and immorality age. We Christians are to live among the nations of the world in such a way, that even when they may speak evil against us, to the point of calling us evil (the abortionists would call us evil for not agreeing with them that every woman has the right to abortion, and paid for by the state or taxpayers), they will openly see our good works, and when God comes in the day of visitation and judgment on this earth (and/or in the day when they are called to the truth and salvation) they will GLORIFY God, knowing they witnessed true godliness in the lives of Christians they once thought of as evil (verse 12). Verses 13-17 have at times been misunderstood. Paul said much of the same thing in one of his epistles. We covered that, but it is again important that I once more clarify such verses. Some have thought from these verses that a Christian is to be a foot mat, a door mat, for all governments and those in state or county authority, to trample all over. Some have thought a Christian is to be a nice wet dish-cloth to be used any-old-way by those in authority. If we read the Bible from cover to cover, we shall soon see that nothing could be further from the truth. One main key for Christians of all nations and ages is found in Acts 5:29. God's way of life and His commands come BEFORE any body of men, be it local or national. Then we have Paul, a Roman citizen appealing to the highest court of the Roman Empire, when he felt he needed to. That is all covered in the last chapters of the book of Acts. When national governments are based upon good decent laws, when they uphold laws that are mainly in line with many of the laws of God (read again Romans 2:14-15 to get the picture of what I'm saying), then indeed respect should be shown towards them, and they are then also acting as stewards of God in the sense that they do punish evil-doers, who are breaking laws that God would agree are good laws to have in any society. God would fully agree that going out and murdering the fellow down the street for the money he has in his wallet, is an evil act that needs to be punished. Having a speed limit for cars etc. on the streets and highways, to protect people from getting seriously injured and even killed, is a good law, that God would agree with. What Peter (and Paul) is teaching is that a Christian needs to be a respectable citizen when living in a respectable nation. Many do not realize that in the first century A.D. ROME .... the ROMAN EMPIRE, was a pretty respectable place overall. They allowed the Jews to FULLY practice their religion, to have their Temple, their Temple priesthood, their sacrificial system, their national Festivals, their weekly Sabbath, and local synagogues, and FREEDOM to travel (remember Pentecost of Acts 2 - read it again, notice the freedom of travel). All the Roman Empire asked was that the Jews be RESPECTABLE people, good citizens of Rome, and if they were, they had all the religious freedom they could wish for, and they could use the courts of Rome if they needed to, as the apostle Paul did, as covered in the last chapters of Acts. So people who in the main, should be respected and honored, then respect and honor should go to them. A Christian is not to use his freedom in Christ and freedom under the nation he lives in, to use that freedom as a liberty for a cloak of maliciousness and evil doing. We are not of this world, our world is above in heaven, we are not to be trying to topple governments of this world by the use of evil and sinful ways, to bring about what we may claim is "God's government." God will bring His government to this world in due time, in His time, and in His way (and the prophets of old and the book of Revelation tell us HOW He will do that). It is like this, there is NO WAY this passage of Scripture can apply to that government brought in by ADOLF HITLER in the 1930s and the terrible EVIL done on the world by Hitler and his Nazi government. No Christian can respect that type of a leader, king, ruler, or whatever title you want to give Hitler. It is beyond all sensible logic to ever think this passage of God's word applies to people like Hitler and his government (and to some others that have come and gone since the time of Hitler). What can a Christian do if they find themselves living under such evil men as Hitler? They can either stand up for the right, shout it loud and clear, realizing that it may cost them their lives, or they can FLEE!! Get the heck out of that country or Empire. Many people did EXACTLY those two things when Hitler came to power and started his evil upon the Jews and the rest of the world. I suppose there is a third way that Christians can act under such as a Hitler, they can secretly and STRONGLY disagree but choose to stay and try to secretly save the lives of those coming under evil persecution (knowing in so doing they may be found and have to die for what they did). Many during Hitler's rule and the Second World War, did just that, they secretly worked at saving the lives of many Jews. One of the great movies made on the sacrificial life of such people is called "Schindler's List" - if you have never seen it, make sure you rent or borrow it (from someone who has it) and watch it. No such person as a Hitler, or any such government under such a king or ruler, needs to be respected. Respect and honor must be earned. Peter is teaching that Christians by and large are to be good respectful citizens within a nation or Empire that deserved to be respected. At that time in history, the Roman Empire granted full religious freedom to those under its rule, and that alone should deserve some respect and honor. Servants, people working for others are to be respectful and subject (again remember Acts 5:29) to their employer, even if some hard nosed fellows to work for. If you suffer wrongfully because you obey God, be thankful that you are suffering for that which is godliness. If you are doing your work wrongly and you patiently endure grief because of it, that is no real blessing or big deal, there's no feather in your cap for that, but if you DO WELL and you suffer for it, then in God's eyes that is very acceptable and well pleasing to Him. Again, this does not teach that a Christian MUST continue working for such hard-boiled-eggs of employers. A Christian can decide to find another job, move along, catch the wagon train and head out somewhere else. But in the meantime, they need to be willing to suffer the wrong while doing the right. Peter goes on to say, that such suffering for wrong while doing the right, is part of our calling. Christ also suffered wrong, while doing the right. He set us then the example, and we as His followers must follow His example. He did not sin, evil speaking did not come from His mouth. When He was reviled He did not revile back. When He suffered He did not shout threats of revenge and "I'll get even with you someday - you can be assured of that" type of mouthing off. He simply put it all in God's hands knowing God would take care of such people in His time and His way. Jesus bore our sins on the tree, and as we can have our sins forgiven, be dead to sin so to speak, we should then live unto righteousness. And it is by the stripes Jesus took on His body that we can also be healed. We were as sheep going astray, lost, but now we have been found. God the Father has found us, called us, and returned us to THE Shepherd and Bishop (overseer) of our lives (verses 18-25). God has certainly healed us spiritually through Christ Jesus, we have our sins forgiven through His life and death. Even many times we are healed from our physical sickness through the body of Christ. We have been restored to a oneness with the Father through Christ. We are to be willing to suffer and take some abuse from people at times. There are times we just need to continue doing what is right, not seeking revenge, while people are doing evil towards us. This is the example Jesus left us, as He also suffered wrongly at times for doing what was right. God will take care of it, WHEN and HOW he sees fit. Twice in my life I came to know how God judges righteously, and both times, I can tell you it can make the hair on your head stand up. The first time was a man who became the head manager of the place I worked for. I knew him for years before, in a casual way (as I was not in his department directly). After he became head of all the departments, he made it known he did not like me and was going to gun me down as they say. He disliked my religion. I finally left that company and moved on. It was years later that I heard he had to have both legs amputated because of whatever problems led to that, and he died from it all. The second example is even more dramatic. I still have goose-bumps thinking about it. I was done much evil by a man in one of the church congregations I was attending for about 6 months while living in Florida. He and his wife were doing much evil to the whole congregation - it was quite the mess. The whole church was in an emotional mess. I tried to go brother to brother as Jesus said we should. I even wrote a letter to him and his wife to try and mend the situation. It was all to no avail. I finally had no choice but to say to the Lord, "I've done what I can Lord, I must now leave it all in your hands. You know this is evil I am suffering for doing and living the right." I left Florida and returned to Canada for about 9 months. Then returned for a few weeks to holiday and visit the same church. What a difference as soon as I walked across the parking lot and entered the building. There was PEACE, FRIENDLINESS, and I received a loving and warm welcome. One of the now leading men said to me, "Have you not heard Keith?" "Heard what?" I replied, "I've heard nothing from the day I left 9 months ago," I continued. "Well, ....(I've left his name out) shortly after you left, he came down with cancer from head to toe, died a terrible death, within a few weeks. His wife, you'd never know her now, she is humble and quiet as a mouse in the congregation." And it was so, the man's wife was there, but you'd never have know it. The transformation in her attitude was like night is from day. I still get chills up my spine just relating this to you. I've never asked the Lord, since that day, to take care of a situation where someone was doing evil to me for living the right. I'm to afraid as to how the Lord may judge righteously - He can be a fearsome God at times, the Old Testament is full of examples to show us that. On the other hand He is our loving, seeking Father, who goes after us, finds the lost, and brings us to His dear Son who is the Shepherd and overseer of our souls. Praise and honor and glory be to Him. ....................... Written May 2007

EPISTLE OF FIRST PEPTER #1

 

 

Chapter One-hundred-fifteen:

First Epistle from Peter #1

First Epistle of Peter - Introduction and Chapter One INTRODUCTION The following is taken from the NKJV Personal Study Edition, Nelson Publishers, 1990, 1995. The name of Simon Peter is mentioned in the New Testament more than any of the other disciples, and even more than the name of the apostle Paul. This letter is the first of two epistles in the Bible that bear Peter's name. AUTHOR AND DATE Some scholars have doubted that Peter wrote this letter. They claim that the good style and extensive literary vocabulary of the author could not have come from a Galilean fisherman. Nevertheless, there are strong reasons for believing that Peter is the author. The epistle contains references to events in Jesus' life and to His words. Scholars have also pointed out similarities between 1 Peter and Peter's speeches in Acts..... Peter's scribe, Sylvanus (5:12), may have been responsible for much of the style and vocabulary. He probably applied his editorial skills to convey the message, personality, and apostolic authority of Peter the apostle. It is natural to identify Peter's scribe with the Silvanus of Paul's letters (2 Cor.1:19; 1 Thess.1:1; 2 Thess.1:1). Silvanus is the Latin and Silos the Greek form of the same Aramaic name. He is probably the same person as the Silas who accompanied Paul in Acts 15-18. First Peter was probably written shortly before the beginning of Nero's persecution of Christians at Rome m A.D.63 or 64..... BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE The Christians who received this letter lived in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia (1:1), regions located in what is today Turkey or Asia Minor. Paul founded churches in Galatia and Asia. However, it is possible that those addressed in this letter lived in the northern part of Turkey or Asia Minor and were never visited by him. Our knowledge of these Christians is limited. Many of them seem to have been Gentiles (see 1:18; 2:10). It appears that they were facing persecution from non-Christians around them and perhaps also from government officials. This epistle was written primarily to bring them a message of hope and encouragement under such persecution. Much of it reads like a sermon written to remind Christians of their conversion, the privileges they have in Christ, and the holy lives they are to live. CONTENTS Peter thanks God for the plan of salvation which has become a reality in the lives of his readers (1:3-12). He exhorts them to live holy lives (a prominent theme of the epistle), to love, and to desire God's word (1:13-2:3). They are part of the living temple of God founded on Christ (2:4-10). Peter tells them how Christians should conduct themselves in various social relationships (2:11-3:12). In every situation they should return good for evil. He has much to say about the sufferings of Christians and of Christ (3:13-4:19). Christ's suffering is an example of what His followers may well face because they do what is right; it is also the means by which they are delivered from sin. If they continue to follow Him, there is a sure hope of final triumph. Peter concludes with instructions to church leaders, as well as to Christians in general, and gives final greetings (5:1-14). OUTLINE OF 1 PETER 1. Salutation 1:1,2 2. The Christian's sure hope 1:3-12 A. Peter gives thanks for salvation 1:3-5 B. Christians rejoice in redemption 1:6-9 C. The prophets foresaw this salvation 1:10-12 3. Christian conduct 1:13-2:10 A. Be holy 1:13-21 1. Because God is holy 1:13-16 2. Because Christ has redeemed you 1:17-21 B. Love one another 1:22-25 C. Desire God's word 2:1-3 D. Remember you are God's people 2:4-10 4. Christian social relationships 2:11-3:12 A. Christians and unbelievers 2:11,12 B. Christians under government 2:13-17 C. Christians as employees 2:18-25 D. Christians in the family 3:1-7 E. Christlikeness when wronged 3:8-12 5. Christian suffering 3:13-4:19 A. Let suffering come for doing good 3:13-17. B. Follow Christ's example 3:18-22 C. Abstain from evil 4:1-6 D. Support each other 4:7-11 E. Rejoice in suffering 4:12-19 6. Christian leadership 5:1-5 7. Final Christian counsels 5:6-11 8. Farewell 5:12-14 CHAPTER ONE Peter declares he is an "apostle" of Jesus Christ - apostle simply means "one sent forth." From chapter 5:13 we see that Peter was in faraway Babylon (and that is not some name representing Rome as some would have you believe). Peter the apostle did NOT establish the church in Rome as the Roman Catholic church would like you to believe. He writes to the "strangers" in the areas he mentions in verse one. And that is interpreted for us in chapter 2:10-12 as people which only now have God, so the main people he wrote to were Gentiles, living among Gentiles. They were ELECTED as God had indeed planned to call Gentiles to His salvation, in the overall plan of calling and electing. We have covered this in past chapters, where the NT church came to see the prophets of old foretelling the calling of Gentiles to salvation for the first resurrection at the coming of the Lord Jesus. The were also called or elected by the setting apart from the Holy Spirit, and notice that was "unto OBEDIENCE" - there is "obeying" God involved in being elected to be a Christian, and that election includes the sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ. As the apostle Paul taught in his epistle to the Romans, you are saved by BOTH the blood of Jesus and by His life - Romans 5:10. The Father and Jesus as blessed (notice - nothing said about the Holy Spirit - silent as was Paul in all of His epistles. If the Holy Spirit is some third Personal Being of a Trinity God, Peter obviously knew nothing about such an idea). He tells his readers they are BEGOTTEN AGAIN, yes begotten not yet "born" - and we have studies to prove the difference - we are as flesh and blood Christians, BEGOTTEN of God, and we shall be BORN of God at the resurrection. Those who understand the logic of the human begetal and birth KNOW it is a TWO phased process. So is our spiritual begetal and birth. I refer you to the in-depth studies on this Website for the truth of the matter concerning the Christian BEGETAL and BIRTH. We are begotten again unto a LIVING HOPE by and through the RESURRECTION of Jesus Christ from the dead. As Paul explained in 1 Corinthians 15, if Jesus had not been resurrected then our faith would be in vain. The sure hope of the Christian is a RESURRECTION, not some immortal soul. As Jesus is ALIVE today, then we can be alive in the future, if we die, before the day Jesus returns to earth. Our inheritance is incorruptible, will never fade away, and is now RESERVED in heaven for us. But Jesus will bring that inheritance with Him, when He comes in glory to raise the dead and to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. Peter does NOT say we shall go to heaven to obtain our inheritance. We are today kept by the power of God through faith, unto the final day of salvation which will be revealed in the last time. At the end of this age, glorious salvation will be openly revealed to the world, when Jesus will return and raise His followers, the children of God, from the dead, and change in the twinkling of an eye from mortal to immortal, those alive at His coming (read again the wonderful 1 Corinthians chapter 15). We rejoice in all of this, though for a time, in this life, we may have troubles and trials. But the trying of our faith is to be looked upon as a precious thing, more precious than gold that can perish. We may go through trials that are like metal put through the fire to purify it, but beyond it all, there will be praise and HONOR and GLORY, at the appearing of Jesus Christ. Peter realizes most or all of the people he is writing to, have never seen Jesus. So it is with us today, but we still believe, and we rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory. We know the outcome, the goal, the end result of our faith is the salvation of our lives. And concerning this SALVATION the prophets of old desired and loved to look into, as it was revealed to them by the Spirit of Christ. They were able to testify long before it happened, the sufferings of Christ, and also the glory that should follow. They were not just writing about things for themselves, but for US, so the things that Peter said were NOW being reported about in his time, were true and the good news inspired to be preached through the power of the Holy Spirit. And so great was all this teaching about the salvation of God, even the angels desired to look into with wonderment (verses 1-12). Yes, angels, must be awe-stuck at how God planned to reproduce Himself, through human flesh and blood, how the one now known as Jesus the Christ, was willing to come from heaven as a member of the very Godhead, come as a human person, fight against sin and the Devil, live a perfect sinless life, be willing to suffer terrible death on a cross, have His blood shed for all sins of all people from all ages. Lay dead for three days and three nights, then be resurrected to eternal glorified life by the Father, and go back to heaven to sit on the Father's right hand as the interceding High Priest for God's children. The angels must have then and so still today, be awe-stuck, by this plan of salvation that the Godhead planned before the world was made. It truly is mind-bending when you stop and meditate on it all, and as Paul said, we really look through a glass darkly at it all, but one day we shall know as we are known. One day we shall see the full glorified reality of it all. There is nothing more important in your life, than to let God's Spirit lead you to be one of His elected, to be one of His very children, to live for Him, to serve Him, to walk with Him, to love Him with all your heart, mind, and life. You can, if you heed His calling, can be in the first resurrection of glory, at the very coming of Christ Jesus. As Peter pleads in verses 13-21. "Wherefore gird up the loins (THOUGHTS) of your mind, be SOBER (mentally, emotionally), and HOPE to the end for the GRACE that is to be brought unto you at the REVELATION (REVEALING IN GLORY) of Jesus Christ; As OBEDIENT children, not fashioning yourselves according to the FORMER LUSTS in your ignorance. But as He which has called you is HOLY, so be you HOLY also in all manner of CONDUCT; because it is written 'Be you Holy; for I am Holy'" (Lev.11:14). And if you call on the Father, who without RESPECT OF PERSONS judges according to everyman's work, pass the time of your living here in fear (humble and deep respect of the Almighty One). For you do know that you were not REDEEMED with corruptible things, as like silver and gold, from your vain conduct (useless and no good conduct as far as finding salvation) received by following the traditions of your family (parents, and associates of this world). But you were REDEEMED by the PRECIOUS BLOOD of Christ, as of a Lamb WITHOUT BLEMISH and WITHOUT SPOT (pure and wholesome in every way possible, who never sinned). Who truly was FOREORDAINED BEFORE the foundation of the world (God the Father and He had decided before the earth was founded, Jesus would come to earth as a human and die for the sins of the world), but that plan came to fruition in these last times for you and for me. Who through Him (Christ) we do believe in God, who RAISED Him up from the DEAD, and gave Him GLORY; that your FAITH and HOPE might be in God the Father (verses 13-21 - my translation and amplification). What indeed a wonderful plan of salvation God and Christ had planned before the earth was formed. There would be a calling and an election according to grace, a redeeming or buying back, from sin and death, for those called and chosen. It would be done through grace (undeserved forgiveness of sins) by the blood or death of Jesus on the cross. And we do believe God did raise Christ from the dead and gave Him eternal glory. And because He lives we also can live in glory in the family of God. Peter was confident that the people he was writing to had purified their lives in OBEYING the TRUTH, by and through the power of the Spirit of God, which also leads people to a sincere love of all their brethren, and they were to continue in loving each other with a pure heart - and they were to do it FERVENTLY, because they had been begotten again not of corruptible seed, but of INCORRUPTIBLE seed through the WORD of God, which lives and abides FOREVER. Yes, God's begetting seed, the Holy Spirit and His forever living Word in the Bible, are the agents that come into the mind, that unite with the human mind, and DO BEGET us as the VERY CHILDREN of God. This BEGETAL is just as REAL as when a baby is begotten by its physical parents. The teaching of the whole New Testament is that God is REPRODUCING Himself, begetting flesh and blood human beings, and so making real spirit united CHILDREN. Over and over again, the New Testament says God, the Most High One, IS OUR FATHER, Jesus His firstborn Son from the dead, is our ELDER BROTHER. Jesus is not ashamed to call us His brothers (Hebrews 2). We are NOT "adopted" as God's children (which is a wrong translation in a few verses of the NT) - we are LITERAL SONS and DAUGHTERS of God our Father. We are made Sons by things that will never pass away. Our physical flesh is as the flower of the grass. The grass and its flowers come up by they fall away, they die and are no more. But the WORDS of God ENDURE FOREVER, and that Word of the GOOD NEWS (the gospel) IS PREACHED UNTO YOU (verses 13-25). Here on this RESTITUTION OF ALL THINGS Website, you are having the very GOSPEL of Jesus Christ preached to you. You are learning about the mysteries of God that He WANTS you to KNOW and UNDERSTAND - the VERY PLAN OF SALVATION - the WAY INTO the very Kingdom or Family of God. The Gospel - the good news - of the true way to find eternal life, is here laid out before you in plain clear language. The WAY of LIFE the Father wants you to live, the WAY of WORSHIPPING Him, SERVING Him, SERVING YOUR FELLOW MAN, is being expounded to you. If you have not yet done so, you need to HUMBLY REPENT, accept Jesus as your PERSONAL SAVIOR, come to the Father in FAITH, be saved by His GRACE, through faith, in the reconciling sacrifice of Christ Jesus. You need to be willing to OBEY the Father, to now be willing to LIVE by EVERY WORD that comes from Him to you through the pages of the Bible. You need to love the Lord your God with all your HEART, MIND, and LIFE! On this Website you are being taught HOW TO LIVE as a true Child of God. Very few Christian Websites will give you the plain truth of what God wants you to know from His word. I am at times blunt and to the point concerning the false Christianity out there, I try to be tactful and to do it all in love. Truth is truth, but Jesus said you can know the truth and in so knowing, it would SET YOU FREE. It is the greatest blessing of this life, to KNOW THE TRUTH and to be SET FREE from lies and falsehood and religious deceptions. May you have the willingness and the love to search the Scriptures daily and to come to see God's marvellous and beautiful truths of His ever-living Word of Light. ................ Written May 2007

EPISTLE OF JAMES #1

 

Chapter One-hundred-twelve:

Epistle from James #1

INTRODUCTION and CHAPTER ONE The following is taken from the NKJV Personal Study Edition, Nelson Publishers, 1990,1995. The Epistle of James is known as one of the General Epistles of the New Testament. They are called general because they were written as circular letters to be passed around and read in several churches. AUTHOR AND DATE The writer identifies himself only as "James, a bondservant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ" (1:1). The author was probably the same James who led the church in Jerusalem (Acts 15:13). Paul refers to this James as "the Lord's brother," and includes him among the "apostles" (Gal.1:19). He also characterizes him as one of the "pillars" of the church (Gal. 2:9). This James is mentioned twice in the Gospels (Matt.13:55; Mark 6:3), both times as one of the brothers of Jesus. Although he is not called a follower of the Lord until after the Resurrection, he was probably among those early disciples who obeyed Jesus' command to wait in the Upper Room, and who were there filled with the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:14; 2:4). When Peter left Palestine (Acts 12:17), James seems to have become the leader of the Jerusalem church. There is no word in the letter that tells us when it was written. The important point, however, is not the exact year but the period. James was martyred about A.D.63. Conservative scholars therefore usually hold to a date somewhere between A.D. 45 and 62. BACKGROUND As leader of the very first church (the church in Jerusalem), James would feel a responsibility for the spiritual life of Christ's followers wherever they were. Thus he wrote this book from pastoral concern to address needs and problems widespread in the church. CONTENTS James is a pastoral letter of practical counsel concerning attitudes and actions affecting the spiritual life of the church. The themes follow closely Jesus' own teachings in the Sermon on the Mount. In the epistle we find discussions of the Christian attitude toward trials and temptations, of the right response to poverty, and of the right use of riches. James writes about discrimination, treating others as we would wish to be treated, Christian use of the tongue, the responsibility of teachers, godly wisdom, God's plan for a holy people, and His judgment on selfish persons. The letter concludes with an appeal to the Christian's hope in the Second Coming of Christ. Meanwhile God's people are to continue in prayer, praise, and faithful Christian living. James's deep concern for the practical outcome of Christian faith may seem to oppose Paul's emphasis on salvation by faith alone. James's position, however, is not an attack on salvation by faith; it is a protest against hypocrisy. He wants the world to know that faith is a transforming force. Salvation by faith results in holy living. This does not contradict Paul's teaching - it complements it. The two emphases are the two facets of a full-orbed Christian faith-redemption and holy living. James is sure that serving God makes good sense. If you believe what Scripture teaches and if you live by its guidelines, you will come out better than following any alternative. For this reason the book is often compared with the wisdom literature of Old Testament: Job, Proverbs, some Psalms, and Ecclesiastes. PURPOSE The letter was written to encourage Christians who were suffering cause of their faith. It was addressed "to the twelve tribes which are scattered abroad (1:1)........ These Christians of the first century, whether Jews or Gentiles, were always a small minority. They were, therefore, subject to suspicion and sometimes to persecution James recognizes these hazards, but encourages Christians to remain faithful to Christ even when it is difficult or dangerous. He followed his own counsel by dying as a martyr for the faith around A.D. 63. OUTLINE OF JAMES 1. Salutation 1:1 2. Steadfast in the faith 1:2-27 A. Facing tests 1:2-11 B. Overcoming temptation 1:12-18 C. Doers of the word 1:19-27 3. Christian standards of value 2:1-13 4. Works follow true faith 2:14-26 5. Christian speech 3:1-12 6. The wisdom of God 3:13-18 7. A call to Christian holiness 4:1-17 A. Cleansing, the solution to strife 4:1-10 B. Submitting to the law and will of God 4:11-17 8. Judgment on the ungodly rich 5:1-6 9. The Second Coming, a hope for Christians 5:7-12 10. Prayer, faith, and reclamation 5:13-20 ................. CHAPTER ONE James says that he was a "bondservant" of the Lord Jesus, not just a servant, but the Greek is "bond" servant, or slave servant, one that is bought for a price. All Christians are bought for a price, the price was the very blood of Jesus Christ. He addresses his epistle to "the twelve tribes scattered abroad." This is not some fanciful idea (put forth by some modern scholars) of Jewish and maybe Gentile Christians here and there, but it means what he said it to mean .... the TWELVE TRIBES OF ISRAEL, scattered abroad. And they were indeed. The TEN TRIBES en mass had not returned to Palestine after being deported from Samaria by the Assyrians in 1745-718 B.C. Nor had many of the Jews returned to Palestine after the 70 year captivity in Babylon, which started about 604 B.C. Truly the twelve tribes of Israel were scattered abroad in the Roman Empire. A good percentage of the people he was writing to, were very carnal in their nature, they had wars and fightings among themselves (chapter 4). What religion they had was shallow indeed, mixed up in some theological matters, and needed some major over hauling. Some had only a form a godliness, but lacked spiritual depth. All this would hold true that he was writing to a far flung people that had traces of Christianity and God, but needed much help to guide them into true deep roots of what Christianity and being a child of God REALLY meant. He wanted them to know that having trials and tests, was a good thing, from time to time, for it produced patient endurance, and letting patient endurance produce spiritual muscle, they would become mature and complete, and would lack nothing in fighting the spiritual battle against sin, the world, and the Devil (verses 1-4). Certainly no one wants trials, and tests, and troubles, to be a daily way of life. Hopefully, for most, that will not be the case. Paul had his times of trials and testings, but as he said, he also had times of fullness and plenty. He just learnt to be content with whichever way it was. Jesus taught us to pray (in what is known as the Lord's Prayer) that the Father wound not "lead us into (temptation) trials." Which means by looking at the whole Bible, that we will be guidable, teachable, correctable people, so God does not have to deal with us in a disciplinarian manner. But sometimes the Lord allows certain trials and tests to come our way. If we endure through them, we will build spiritual muscle and have the mental and emotional tools to endure to the end in our Christian walk. If we need WISDOM, we are to ask for it, but we are to ask in FAITH, not doubting that we shall have it. A doubting person is like a wave of the sea, just tossed about by the wind. A doubting or double-minded man is unstable in many of his ways, and such a person should not deceive themselves into thinking God can answer and give them what they desire. A person must have FAITH that God will give them wisdom if they lack it and ask to have it (verses 5-8). The books of Psalms, Proverbs, and Ecclesiastes, are looked upon as the WISDOM books. They contain great truths to make one wise, then again all the Bible gives us great wisdom as to how to live pleasing to God. Many examples of wisdom and the lack of wisdom are presented to us throughout the Bible. We need to read and meditate on all of it. The Bible is not the sum total of all that can be thought of as "wisdom." Our lives may cover many aspects of where wisdom is needed to be used. There are people who specialize in various skills of knowledge and wisdom. Going to the right school, taking the right courses for your abilities and aptitudes, marrying the right mate, buying a home, correctly managing your finances, correctly rearing your children, getting correct advice on plumbing, electrical, car repairs, dog training (if you decide to have one) etc. etc. It is a wise move to seek out wise and knowledgable people on things that you may have little knowledge about. That is an all important point in being wise, to acknowledge you are not the sum total of wisdom, and that others have wisdom in different areas of life that you need to gather from them. Wisdom is a somewhat LARGE topic and certainly a large part of what you will need in life as you live as a Christian and walk through the day to day world. But the basic points above are your overall outline of being a person of wisdom. The lowly person in material wealth is to rejoice that God has called them, that they are loved and precious in the sight of the Lord. They have a calling that is FAR greater than what any physical material wealth in this life can offer them. It is a calling that truly blows your mind, when you know the truth about the end result of that calling. The Christian's destiny is beyond what the human mind can really comprehend. I have written about it on this Website in a study called "A Christian's Destiny." It will give you the technical truth of the matter, but to fully understand what this means we shall have to wait till our resurrection. Yet the technical truth God does want us to understand and to know. The physical rich person in this life, needs to know that physical riches are not the important thing, they will fade away, will go someday. That day may not be until your death, but as they say, "You can't take it with you" - your physical riches that is. This human life is relatively short, in terms of eternity, somewhat like a blade of grass, it rises, the sun beams down, and it is burnt up, gone. If your physical riches are your whole life and mind, then your life will soon be over and you will fade away. The point is: if you are physically rich, use it to the glory of God, serve others with it, and do not let those riches dominate your life, remember that serving God IS the most important of all. Some of God's children have been physically wealthy in the past ages, but they first had their mind on God and His way of life, and then they used their riches to help and serve others (verses 9-11). James says it is a blessing for a person to endure temptation and trials. When he so endures a crown of life will be given. Jesus said in the Gospels, "He that shall endure to the end shall be saved." There is no such teaching in the Bible as "once saved always saved." The Bible and certainly the New Testament, teaches over and over again, that you must remain faithful in your Christian walk right to the end of your life. We have covered this basic and foundational truth many times in this NT story, and in a number of in-depth articles I have written on that subject. God has promised a crown of life to those who love Him. What loving God means is certainly covered in a clear and plain manner by the apostle John in all the books that bear his name. When trials and tests come, we must not think that God is tempting us to do evil or sin. Now, sure, it is possible to sin when such trials and tests come our way. But those trials and tests are not sent or allowed by God to come upon us in order for us to be tempted to sin. God is not sitting down in heaven, scratching His head, meditating in deep thought, as to how to tempt us to sin and do evil. God is not calling Jesus in, and all the 24 elders around the His throne, and maybe some of the arch angels, to figure out ways to get us to do evil or sin. In sending or allowing trials and tests to come our way, God is not wanting us to sin, He desires us not to sin. He allows those trials and tests for another purpose altogether, and certainly does not have in mind that we sin as we go through and face those trials and tests. Trials and tests are to help us develop stronger spiritual muscles, so we can have good strong godly strength to endure to the end, no matter what life may throw at us. As some have said, "Bad things can and do happen to good people." As is written in the wisdom of Solomon in Ecclesiastes, "Time and chance happen to all." God NEVER wants or intends us to do evil or sin, when trials and tests come our way. If during those times of trials and testing we do sin, it is not anything that God can be blamed for. God is there to give us the power, the strength, through His Holy Spirit to overcome sin and evil, just as Jesus did when tempted by the Devil after fasting for 40 days, and at other times tempted as we are, as Paul wrote to the Hebrews, yet did not sin. We are led into sin, when we meditate on sin, when we dwell on it, when we allow it to stick around in our minds, when we allow our own desires and lusts of carnal nature to entice us to keep meditating on evil and sin. Then when desire has festered in our minds, it finally gives birth to sin, and when sin has developed itself, made growth, then spiritual death comes forth - we have then sinned. An example is always the best to illustrate this truth. God made the physical body of a grown woman a thing of beauty to the male mind. There is nothing sinful about the lovely body of a lovely lady. You are perhaps on the beach, on a hot sunny day, and there are many lovely bodied ladies on that beach also. True enough some should not be wearing what they are wearing, the least amount of swim wear you can without having the police take them of the beach. You as a male, can see what is certainly a lovely well formed figure of a lady. You can admit she is lovely in form all over, a contender for the Miss Universe contest, for sure. There is nothing so far wrong with this. But if you allow your eyes and mind to dwell on her body, allow your mind to wander into sexual lust, allow sexual fantasy to stick around and grow, then sin has given birth and you have been drawn away by your own desires and lusts and enticed to sin. Now, I do not want to just pick on the male, I understand from what females have told me, that the above example can work just as well for the female if she sees on the beach some great physical muscular hulk of a man. Sin knows no discrimination. So it goes, there are all kinds of examples one could think about, where it is not sin initially, but if the mind is allowed to be enticed into wrong thoughts and then maybe wrong actions, sin has been born and spiritual death has given birth (verses 12- 15). No evil comes from God. He is not up there thinking about ways to bring evil and sin to you or the world. Trials and tests He may send or allow to come, but evil and sin, does not come from Him. Only good is from God. He wants to give good and perfect gifts to you and the world. He is the Father of LIGHT, not darkness. He has no turning or clouding over of His light. His light is always light, pure holy righteous truth and light. It was His will to bring forth children to Himself, by and through the WORD of TRUTH! We, His children, are FIRSTFRUITS to His plan of salvation for all mankind. We, today, called to be His children, are the FIRST of all those born in the past, present, and future ages of mankind. I have covered this wonderful truth in past chapters of this NT Bible Story and in articles of study I have written on the subjects of being called and chosen and having salvation, as well as the studies on the overall PLAN of salvation for mankind. God has a FIRST-fruits to salvation, and He has a SECOND- fruits to His salvation. The firstfruits will be in the FIRST resurrection at the coming of Christ in glory to establish the Kingdom of God on earth. The others, the second-fruits to salvation will be AFTER that first resurrection of the first- fruits (verses 16-18). With all this in mind, James tells us to be swift to hear, slow to speak, slow to anger, for the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God (verse 19). Oh, indeed, what the anger of man has done to bring evil and sin upon himself and others. Think of the anger that led to September 11th 2001 and the World Trade Centre. Think of the anger that led to School and University killings of the past (remember Virginia Tech. - April 2007). Paul was inspired to say, "Be angry and SIN NOT." There is a time for righteous anger (Jesus was angry at times), but NEVER for SIN in that anger. The un-righteous anger of man does NOT produce the righteousness of God (verse 20). We are to lay aside all filthiness and wickedness, and with meekness receive the implanted word of God, live by every word of God, which will then save our lives (verse 21). We are to not ONLY be HEARERS of the word, but DOERS of the word. If we only hear but do not obey the word, it is like a man looking at himself in the mirror, saying to himself, "Why, what a dirty unshaved, grime looking face I have," but goes away forgetting what he's looking like. But he who looks into the LAW OF LIBERTY and CONTINUES therein, and is not a forgetful hearer, but a DOER of the word, he will be blessed in his doing (verses 22-25). Ah, God's law is not evil, hard, something to hate, something to avoid like the plague! It is a law of LIBERTY. Mark that in your Bible! Color it yellow! God's law is LIBERTY, it brings wonderful blessings to those who obey it. LOOK AT IT, read Exodus 20 or Deuteronomy 5. If the whole world was obeying those Ten Commandments, what a great place it would be. It would be a place unrecognizable. Let your mind wander on how this world would be if all nations and all people were obeying the Ten Commandments. Frankly, the negative things you've heard from some parts of the Christian religious world concerning the Ten Commandments, is ONLY because of the FOURTH commandment! Those people just do not want to observe the weekly Sabbath day! They have no problem with the other nine, but they will not give up wanting to do their own thing on the weekly 7th day Sabbath. But even the Sabbath day command is a law of LIBERTY, and to those who observe it, indeed what liberty it brings. There is great liberty in putting the world, and our work and business to one side for a whole day, and saturate ourselves in the word and fellowship of the Lord. Without that command, many of us would work 7 days a week, week after week, and month after month. God's LAW is a law of LIBERTY! Our tongue, what comes out of our mouth in words is more important than many Christians think. James tells us that if we do not bridle our words, our tongue, watch what we say in our conversation with others, we deceive our own hearts and mind, our religion is then useless and vain. As I got older in the church I grew up in, and entered more and more the adult world of those adults in my church, I was shocked to find how their language was way different (in a bad way) outside of the two hour church service. Our language and the tone of our voice belays the depth of our Christianity. If we do not control our tongue our religion is vain and useless (verse 26). There are many things in the Bible that define for us what true Christ-likeness and following God is all about. Here in verse 27, James gives us two things that govern our spiritual thermometer. I suspect these two criterion would not be the first to come to a Christian's mind if asked what makes a true Christian. James says to visit the orphans and widows in their trouble, and to keep oneself unspotted from the world, is pure and undefiled religion before God the Father. The Lord gave many laws to Israel under the Old Covenant that regulated how orphans and widows would to be helped and served. There are many prophetic warnings to Israel in the books of the prophets, that condemn Israel for NOT looking after the orphans and widows as they should have. It is no light thing to God to forsake caring for the orphans and widows. You should mediate on how you can serve the orphans and widows in your community or inner circle of life. To keep oneself unspotted from the world - well maybe that would come to a Christina's mind when thinking about what is a true Christian. But let me tell you it is way more than what some religions say it is. It is way more than not playing cards, entering a movie theatre, not dancing, not wearing make-up. Sure, all of the aforementioned could entail sin in them, if used wrongly. But being unspotted from the world is far more than JUST some physical things, that some religions thinks is worldliness. If you are following in the footsteps of Jesus Christ, reading all the Bible, meditating on all the lives of all those in the Bible who were godly, yes, seeing their mistakes and sins, but also seeing their righteousness before God. If you are studying to see WHAT and HOW our heavenly Father wants you to live, if you are allowing the mind of Christ to be in your mind, you will come to know what being unspotted from the world is all about. ...................... Written April 2007

 

EPISTLE OF JAMES #3

 

 

Chapter One-hundred-fourteen:

Epistle from James #3

Chapters Four and Five CHAPTER FOUR The Greek word "war" in verses one and two, also proves James was writing to a large general population of the scattered twelve tribes of Israel (chap.1:1) - scattered throughout the Roman Empire. The word "war" in verse one is "polemos" - number 4171 in Strong's Concordance. The ENGLISHMAN'S GREEK CONCORDANCE shows this word as used everywhere in the NT. It is used in Mat.24:6; Mark 13:7; Luke 14:31; 21:9; 1 Cor.14:8; Heb.11:34; Rev.9:7;,9; 11:7; 12:7,17; 13:7; 16:14; 19:19; 20:8. It is translated as "war" - "fight" - "battle." in the KJV. In every case in the NT, it is used as meaning the literal fighting, battles, warfare, among armies. There should be therefore no reason to try and make it mean something else in James 4:1. The Greek for "war" in verse 2 is akin to "polemos" - it is "polemeo" number 4170 in Strong's Concordance - and is used in the NT in only these places: Rev.2:16; 12:7; 13:4; 17:14; 19:11. Once more it means the literal war, fight, fought, as armies warring against each other. There should be no reason to try and say it means something else here in James 4:2. Using only the NT to interpret itself, the NT uses the words to literally mean warfare as we think of it in the normal sense - groups of people or angels or God against man, in literal battles and warfare. All of verses one to ten prove James was now addressing a majority people of the tribes of Israel, who were at times, fighting, warring, and battling, either each other or other nations around them where they were scattered. They had a form of religion only, but no real substance, their fightings were from their basic lustful nature. They maybe asked God this or that, but it was an asking based on their lusts. They were asking amiss, they didn't receive, and so their lustful desires led them to warfare. James says they were part and parcel of the world around them, they were a friend of the world, they walked in the ways of the world, hence they did what the world does - get what you think you need even if it means going to war over it. They were allowing the bad side of our natural spirit in us, to lead them off into wars, fighting, and battles. There religion led them to ask, but they were asking for the wrong things. A whole new mental attitude was need on their part. They needed HUMILITY! They needed to get rid of their vain proudness, and if they were to receive the grace of God, meekness and humility was surely needed from their hearts and minds. It was just a fact of recorded Scripture that God resists the PROUD, but gives GRACE to the HUMBLE (verses 1-6; and see Job 22:29; Ps.138:6; Prov.3:34; Matt.23:12). According to James through the next verses those Israelites needed DEEP repentance, mourning, weeping, and humility. He pulls no punches, puts the cards on the table, calls it like it clearly was, and gives them the changes they needed to make in their lives. "SUBMIT yourselves therefore to God. RESIST the Devil, and he will flee from you. DRAW NIGH to God, and He will draw nigh to you. CLEANSE your hands, you SINNERS; and PURIFY your hearts, you double-minded. BE AFFLICTED, and MOURN and WEEP, let your laughter be turned to mourning, and your joy to heaviness. HUMBLE yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and He shall lift you up (verses 7-10, KJV). Truly James' words are a call to DEEP REPENTANCE. Truly many in scattered Israel needed to hear that call. Indeed sometimes the servants of the Most High have to cry aloud and spare not, and have to show the people of God their sins. Many of those Israelites were also speaking evil against one another. This is the evil of malice, gossip, hurtful words, words that edified no one. There is a kind of talk that Christians should not partake in. When talking about someone is done to cut them to pieces, to trample them into the dust, to falsely accuse, to blame of sinning against the law of God, when there is no clear evidence .... such evil talk, is condemning, and you are being judge over someone, when you have no right to be their judge. There are some situations that you should have nothing to do with or nothing to say about, because you simply do not have the facts. You should be busy doing the law, and not being a judge using the law to speak against someone in a wrong way. There are times to judge. Paul did so in 1 Corinthians 5, which we have looked at already, when we went through that epistle of Paul's. Jesus said we are to judge RIGHTEOUS JUDGMENT. It is an important topic, that of judging. I have written an in-depth study on the matter. Please look it up and take the time to fully study the matter. God is the final judge of everyone. He is the one who gave the law - He is the GREAT lawgiver. He is the one to save or destroy. James is addressing people who were judging and condemning incorrectly and un-righteously. Yes, this matter of judging is a serious and important issue that the Bible has much to say about, so please take the time to read and study my article covering this subject (verses 11-12). To finish this chapter James addresses those individuals who are self-pompous, overly self-confident, arrogantly proud, who think the world revolves around them. They think and plan as if they are immortal flesh, the attitude they have is what is to be blamed here. Of course it is not wrong to look ahead, and have some basic outline of what you want to accomplish in life, but it should all be in a humble frame of mind, with an attitude of "God willing" I would like to do this or that. We are to remember our life is like a vapour, we are only here for a relatively short span of time in the eternity of God. Some, James knew, were rejoicing in their cocky mind- set concerning life, they were in a wrong boastful attitude, and James said that kind of living was evil (verses 13-16). He also knew that many he was writing to, KNEW BETTER! And when a person has been enlightened, then to turn from the light and carelessly ignore it or throw it away, or set your mind to NOT walk in the light, then it is SIN indeed for that person. As Jesus said, "To whom much is given much is required." It is a wonderful prize to have, is the prize of having more light revealed to you, having more "good" manifested to you, but once it is given it is your grave responsibility to DO that which is right. To NOT do so is sin, and as we have heard from James, sin, when it is finished, brings forth DEATH (verse 17 with chapter 1:15). CHAPTER FIVE Verses 1-6 of this chapter are also proof that James is writing to a large population - the twelve tribes of Israel scattered. His scathing remarks towards the physically wealthy are blunt and pointed. We would hope that they are addressed towards un-Godly and un-Christian people. Although Paul had to pointedly address the sins of some Christians in his epistles, James here gives no hint that he is talking to some in the Christian church. It is best to conclude James is talking to the general "wealthy" population of the twelve tribes, many or most, of which were not following godly principles of living. It would seem that there was a major "task-master" attitude by the rich to take advantage of the poor, many of which were Christians. Look at how James starts: "Come now, you rich, WEEP and HOWL for your miseries that are coming upon you." Then he proceeds to tell them their riches have rotted, and their garments moth-eaten, their gold and silver is corroded. Now it really takes something mighty drastic to corrode gold, but I suspect it is a figure of speech James uses to nail home how bad things are with the rich, and the corrosion within their heaped up treasures, will be their witness against them, of their attitude towards their riches and the abuse of the poor that made them rich. These greedy task-masters of the poor, had not done what was right and proper concerning the wages to be paid to their poor workers. Whatever the fraud was that they enacted as they manipulated the wages of those they employed, that fraudulent sin had reached up to heaven, along with the cries of the poor who were being monetarily abused. James tells them that they have lived on earth in pleasure and luxury (margin - indulgence). They lived lives of continual feasting, maybe literally, but figuratively for certain. What they have done towards the poor amounted to the likes of condemning and murder, yet those just and righteous ones did not resist them (verses 1-6). Obviously there was a large problem out there among the scattered twelve tribes of Israel. The rich by and large were taking great advantage of the relatively poor people that they employed. James admonishes those Christians employed by the rich: "Therefore be patient , brethren, until the coming of the Lord. See how the farmer waits for the precious fruit of the earth, waiting patiently for it until it receives the early and latter rain. You also be patient. Establish your hearts, for the coming of the Lord is at hand" (verses 7-8). At the time of James' writing the early apostles thought the coming of the Lord in glory to establish the Kingdom of God on earth, was not far away. By the time Paul wrote some of his epistles certain prophetic passages had been revealed to him and they knew some events had to yet take place before Jesus was to return. But still, I doubt any of them would have expected the past two thousand years to have gone by, and still we expect the coming of the Lord is at hand. Such is the nature of time in the presence of God, two thousand years to Him is but a twinkling of an eye in endlessness eternity. The Christians were not to complain and grumble against one another. When you are being mistreated by rich employers, it is easy to complain and grumble, even to the point of grumbling between each other, finding fault in this way or that way with each other. We are not to get into that bad attitude with one another because we shall be judged by THE judge of the universe who is standing at the door, a way of saying He is standing near by. James points them to the prophets of old, who came in the name of the Lord. He points them to the suffering they had to endure at times, and how they patiently bore it all. He reminds them that we counted them very blessed, those who set us that example of patient endurance. We think of the great Job and his endurance under mighty trials, and we have seen the end intended, the finished product, of the Lord - that the Lord is very compassionate and great in mercy (verses 9-11). It was Paul who wrote that the Lord will not allow trials and tests to come upon us that we cannot endure, but will with those trials and troubles, make a way of escape, give us the strength to bear with them. Again the classic example is that of Job. I ask the reader to read the book of Job in a modern translation, which will bring to light that book in a much more revealing way than the old KJV. James gives instructions as Jesus did, about "swearing" and "oaths" (verse 12). Under the New Testament swearing by oaths for Christians has indeed been "done away with." Some people like to think that just about everything under the Old Covenant has been "done away with" under the New Covenant. That is of course far from the truth, but on the other hand SOME things under the Old have been abolished under the New. This one of them (swearing and taking oaths by this method or that method) - oath swearing should not be practiced by Christians. You can "affirm" - say YES or say NO, but things like swearing on the Bible should not be done by Christians. Many of you may be surprised that our laws of the Western world allow for "affirmations" in the courts of the land. I once needed to be in court as a witness (nothing drastically serious, I've even forgotten what it was all about now), and whoever they are, handed me the Bible to put my hand on and swear that I would tell the truth and nothing but the truth so help me God. I told the person I would affirm, but not with any hand on the Bible. They blinked their eyes, and repeated their words again as they handed me a Bible. I said the same thing, that I would affirm. The person hesitated for a moment this time, looked a little puzzled, and then again started to repeat their speech as they hand me the Bible once more. I again told them I would affirm ..... this time they really were confused, looked down, looked up, and looked over at the Judge. With a sigh from the Judge like "Don't you know he is allowed to affirm and not swear on the Bible" the Judge said out loud, "He will AFFIRM, he's allowed to do this." Oh, interestingly, the Judge did ask me where I got this from, not swearing on the Bible. I was able to tell all present the passages of James and of Jesus (Jesus instructed it in Matthew 5:34-37). Kind of simple really, but many Christians just do not take the words of Jesus and James in any serious practical daily manner. I'm not sure what they think Jesus and James were teaching, if it was not plainly DO NOT SWEAR OR TAKE OATHS, PERIOD! Some things HAVE CHANGED from the Old Covenant to the New Covenant, but you need to be very careful about WHAT. I have an in-depth study called "LIVING BY EVERY WORD OF GOD - HOW?" You need to look it up and study it carefully. If we are suffering from anything, James tells us to pray about it. If we are cheerful, to sing psalms or songs of praise. A psalm is words of praise, a way of telling God you are thankful. This can be done with many types of songs, they do not have to be so-called "religious songs" - many songs can have words of praise and joy and thankfulness in them. It is much harder today find those songs outside of the religious world, as so many of today's songs are full of this trash and that trash, this moaning and this bad experience or heartbreak, "She done left me, and my dog ran away and I'm now so blue, so blue, as I cry in my bear, away from you." If people are sick, they are to call for the ElderS (note the plural) of the church and they are to come and anoint them with oil and pray for them. Again, kind of simple, but few churches practice this admonishing teaching today (verses 13-14). Verse 15 has given some people a hard time, they are practically smashed to bits when God does not heal, and let's the person die. The words say, "And the prayer of faith WILL save the sick, and the Lord WILL raise him up, and if he has committed sins, he WILL be forgiven." Looking at the whole Bible, if we are reading ALL of it, we shall see that at times people are not healed, they must endure with their sickness of what ever sort it is, or they may not be raised up but do indeed die. Paul had a thorn in the flesh that he asked the Lord three times to remove, but God did not remove it, and told him that His grace was sufficient for him - God would give Paul the strength to endure his thorn in the flesh. The answer to this verse in James is understanding the Bible uses, over and over again, GENERAL STATEMENTS! We use this language even today in our speech. "What a lovely day it has been" we may say at the end of the day, even though there was a few times a dark cloud came over and dumped a good rain shower on us, while enjoying a family picnic. I refer the reader to my in-depth study called "General Statements" which will show you how the Bible uses the speech tool known as general statements. James is using a general statement here. Quite often, probably most of the time, God does heal after anointing with oil and prayer, BUT NOT EVERY TIME. For whatever reasons God may choose not to heal that person, they may have to live with their sickness, as Paul had to live with his thorn in the flesh, or they may even die! We do look to God in faith, that He will answer in the way He decided to answer our prayer. All this does not say we should not fervently pray, for James in the next verse (verse 16) says we should talk to each other about our weakness and sickness and pray for each other that we will be healed. The effectual fervent pray of a righteous man does avail much. You will notice the confessing of our faults and sins to each other here mentioned, is in the CONTEXT of physical sickness - James is not teaching the spiritual "confessing box" to a church priest, that one particular denomination once used (and maybe still does in some parts of the world). The example James gives is that of the prophet Elijah. He was a human man, as we are, with the same pulls of the flesh as we have. But he EARNESTLY prayed that it would not rain in Israel, and it did not rain for three and one half years (1 Kings 17:1; 18:1). And he prayed again and the heavens gave rain (1 Kings 18:1,42). So, fervent prayer can bring mighty results. We should use earnest heartfelt prayer, but remember God is the one to give His answer WHEN and HOW he sees fit (verses 17-18). James end his epistle with a reminder of TWO things. One, it is possible for someone to TURN FROM the truth. They had the truth, but they have now wandered from it. And it is good for someone to try and bring them back to that truth, to save their lives once more, to help them re-direct their way of life BACK AGAIN to the truth of God. Paul talked about this in Galatians 6:1-3. The person trying to restore someone back to the faith should be doing it all in MEEKNESS, HUMILITY, and not in some vain, arrogant, self-righteous mind-set. Yes, at all times we need to NOT think of ourselves MORE than we should, we need to live and walk, and act in words and deeds with HUMILITY, and if we do, then God can use us to serve and help people, bring salvation to people, and what greater work can there be than to help people find eternal truth and salvation. May it be what we are all about (verse 19-20). ...................... Written May 2007

EPISTLE OF JAMES #2

 

 

Chapter One-hundred-thirteen:

Epistle from James #2

Chapters Two and Three CHAPTER TWO Verses 1-9, show that James was writing to a general population, as we have seen, in the first verse of chapter one, to the twelve tribes of Israel scattered abroad. A general population where synagogues would have been full of people from the rich to the very poor, where many would not have a deep profound relationship with God, and many even less with the Lord Jesus Christ. It would vary from assembly to assembly of course. But it would be to some extent as Paul was to write about the "last days" - having a form of godliness but denying the power thereof." For many in the scattered synagogues of scattered Israel, their religion would be a "form" only - a few hours a week only religion, after those few hours they would pretty well do as they pleased. Which would, for the physically rich, mean they would drag poor people before the judgment seats of the land, if it was to their advantage. It is a fact of recorded Jewish history that Christians did worship in the synagogues for a number of decades after the Christian faith was fully started in 30 A.D. And sure enough within many of those scattered Jewish synagogues, were a large mixture of people from the very poor to the very wealthy. In the main the majority of Christians in those assemblies were of the former class - relatively in the poor strata of society, as James mentions in verse 5, and Paul also affirmed in 1 Corinthians 1:26,27. There would be in those assemblies, some class distinction and class prejudice. Not all would be of the Christian faith, and not all would be very godly in their basic way of living. The rich would certainly have the power to bring people before the courts and judgment seats of the world. For those assemblies that were more "Christian" than Jewish, or shall we say assemblies run by the Christians, rather than run by the Jews (and Christians assemblies would have been "open" to anyone wanting to worship with them on the Sabbath and Festivals, where it was safe to be open, and many parts of the Roman Empire were safe places for open worship, the Romans allowed the Jews freedom of worship, as long as they were "good" citizens of Rome), James was addressing the human problem of "respect of persons." There should be no respect of persons in the manner and way you treat either the wealthy or the poor in your assembly. Rich expensive clothes and costly jewelry or the lack of, does not make the person. Outward dress is not a part of the real spiritual character of a person. If we bend over backwards to be nice to the wealthy and give them the best seats in the assembly, and talk and act the exact opposite with the poor, then James says we have become partial in ourselves and have also become judges with evil thoughts (verse 4). He goes on to say that by and large, God has called and chosen today the poor of this world, ones rich in faith, though relatively poor in physical wealth. Paul was inspired to say the same thing, that not many physical wealthy people are called to the Kingdom of God in this age. How many millionaires do you know in your assembly, oh, there may be some, but for the most part, most assemblies are made up of the average to lower income bracket of the work-a-day world. In James time, I guess from what he said in verse 6, it was common practice for the rich to drag the poor before the judgments seats of the land. James wanted Christians to live and act with no respect of persons in their attitude of mind. They were to fulfil the ROYAL LAW of God that could be often summed up as "Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself." And we know from the words of Jesus that our neighbor is ANY other fellow human being. Jesus clearly taught that in His ministry as we have previously seen in the four Gospels. It is a very important point and subject is the one regarding "respect of persons" - so much so that James said in verse 9, "But if you have respect of persons, you commit SIN, and are convinced of the LAW as TRANSGRESSORS!" We as Christians are to have the attitude of mind towards any other that we wish they would have towards us, it is indeed, "Do unto others as you would want them to do unto you." All of what James is expressing is found in the LAW of God. The law of God is not just a narrow 10 points, as people know as the famous TEN COMMANDMENTS, found in Exodus 20 and Deuteronomy 5. The law of God is much broader than that. The Ten Commandments are just the high-light of all that is holy and righteous - that makes up the whole character of God, and the way of life that He would want His children to live in this physical life on this physical earth. There is no specific point in the Ten Commandments that says, "You shall not have respect of persons with each other." But James has already said that living a life with respect of persons is SIN, and you are convinced, convicted by the law as a transgressor of that holy law of God. This section of New Testament Scripture is one proof that the Ten Commandments are MUCH BROADER in intent and application than just the literal words they contain. We saw in the famous so-called "Sermon on the Mount" of Matthew 5,6,7, that Jesus came to MAGNIFY the law of God. He did not come to make it smaller, or do away with one or more of the Ten Commandments. He came as Isaiah the prophet wrote, to MAGNIFY THE LAW (see Isaiah 42: 21). This section of James chapter 2, does just that also, it MAGNIFIES the ROYAL law (verse 8) - the law of LIBERTY! (verse 12). Sin is sin, and sin is defined by the Word of the Lord. You may not sin in a number of ways, but sin only in one sin and you have still sinned. Or to put it the way James did, you can keep correctly all the laws of God, but offend, or sin in just one of those laws and you have stilled sinned, or in the long and short of it all, you have offended in all. It only takes ONE sin or offence in ONE point of God's law, that is not repented of, where you will just not REPENT of breaking that point of His royal law, and you are standing on the ground of the unpardonable sin. Remain UN-repented towards that law of God and you will be condemned to eternal death. What James quotes in verse 11 is obviously from the Ten Commandments - adultery - murder. It does not matter which you sin in, he just named "respect of persons" as sin - if you are unrepented of any sin, you are a transgressor of the royal law, the law of liberty. The LAWS of God are classified as LIBERTY, not bondage! And it is that law of liberty (just think what liberty from evil it would bring this world if all nations and people lived by the Ten Commandments, and the magnifying of them through the teachings of the whole Bible) that we shall be judged by. If we are a person filled with MERCY - compassion - forgiveness towards others, when others fail to live up to the perfection of God, as they interact with us. Then God can have mercy upon us when we fail to live up to His perfection towards Him and towards others. It is as Jesus said, "If you have mercy upon others, God will have mercy upon you." It is indeed, "For- give us our sins Father, as we forgive those who sin against us." We need to be of a tender merciful attitude. All sins can be forgiven by the Father, if we have an attitude of repentance, if we accept the work of Jesus today as our High Priest, interceding for us. If we are showing mercy towards others, when we have the opportunity to be merciful, if we are humble, lowly in attitude of mind, if we admit we do sin, that we are still sinners (see 1 John 1) ............ then MERCY from God rejoices against justice. We may deserve death, but MERCY will be shown. Justice will not play itself out in our life, mercy will triumph and rejoice over justice. By GRACE (mercy) through FAITH we shall be saved (Ephesians 2:8) to eternal life in the very family of God. You need to read carefully the study on this Website called "Saved by Grace." It will show you the true and only way to salvation. We now come to the verses (14-26) that many think are a complete contradiction to the argument of Paul. Many think that James and Paul are NOT agreeing. The famous Martin Luther of the Protestant Revolution called the epistle of James, "an epistle of straw" - probably because he could not reconcile the teaching here of James with the teaching of Paul. The answer can be found in looking at this saving by grace through faith as a two sided coin. You cannot try to chalk up more "good points" than "bad points" and turn to God and say, "Okay, because of my more good points you have to give me eternal life, I have earned it." Many Jews had a religion of just that - working at collecting more good marks than bad marks, so getting saved by works. Paul argued that just was not the way to eternal life. You could only be saved by being forgiven your sins, and that only through the life and blood of Jesus Christ. On the other side, to accept Jesus as Savior, but to say that faith in Him then made it possible to continue to sin at will, just live any kind of life style, including having a respect of persons attitude (first part of James 2), was not the true faith of God at all. And God would not accept that kind of faith. The true faith in God and Christ, as Abraham had, LED to a CHANGE in living, led to a change in mind and attitude, of wanting to do the will and works of God. Believing in God is not just a mental throwing of the switch in the mind that says, "Yes, I believe the creation around proves there is a God." The demons and the Devil himself, KNOW there is a God in heaven, and Jesus is at His right hand. But their minds are not changed to DO THE WILL AND WORKS OF GOD! Such a faith in God is a DEAD faith. A technicality of the mind, admitting there is a God, but not willing to go any further, is NOT a faith that God will recognize and honor and show mercy to. You are not saved by collecting more good works than bad works, earning your salvation. You are saved by God forgiving you your sins through Christ Jesus' sacrifice and work as High Priest, but your faith in that only way to be saved, must have an attitude of mind with it that WANTS, DESIRES, is WILLING to WALK in the ways of the Lord. It is a FAITH that produces works, the works of God. It is an attitude of mind that is HUMBLE, SUBMISSIVE, to God, an attitude of mind that is willing to be LED by the Spirit of God, willing to be CORRECTED, and just wanting to live as God wants all of His children to live. Works cannot save you. Grace through faith saves you, but faith must go FORWARD from there and produce the works of Jesus. We must live by the faith OF Jesus (Galatians 2:20), we must have the MIND of Christ in us (Philippians 2:5). Faith in God AUTOMATICALLY brings with it the righteous works of God. The faith of Christ in us, cannot be any other way than living as Christ lived while walking this earth for 33 years. Jesus said it was His will to do the Father's will. God will not JUSTIFY any person - God will not FORGIVE, show mercy to anyone, who will not REPENT and BE WILLING to live His holy and righteous way of life. That in a nut-shell is what James is teaching here in verses 14-26. To believe God exists but to go no further in living God's way of life, as amplified in His holy Word the Bible, will not justify your position with Him, for you to be granted forgiveness and be given eternal life. Once more I ask the reader to study and mediate on my article "Saved by Grace." CHAPTER THREE Sad to say, but far too many people of themselves, decide to be a teacher of God's word. They sit down at some point in their lives, and say, "I think I will go to Theological School and become a minster." Or they may not go that far, but simply say, "I will teach the word of God. I will set myself up as a Theological teacher of the Bible." Sorry to say, way too many people do exactly that. They may have a "knack" to converse with people, to "lead" people, to "sermonize" - they may have the "gift of the gab" as they say, and yes, they are able to get people flocking to hear them. Many are paid for their efforts, groups here and there bringing them in to speak to them. People praise them, give them applause, stand in awe of them, and sometimes even the world at large, will praise them for their religious preaching and teaching, giving them an "honorary" this or "honorary" that. The chilling words of Jesus are still recorded in the Gospels. Talking to His followers, He said, "Beware when men speak well of you, for so they did unto the false prophets of old." Frankly, the person who stands on the very truth of God's word, who is not afraid to tell it as it is, to call a spade a spade, who will at times cry aloud and spare not, and tell my people their sins, who will openly teach and preach ALL that is written in the word of the Lord, that person, OFTEN, will not be liked by the masses, not be liked by the majority of the Christian world, and will certainly not be endorsed by the world at large. James in the opening verse of chapter three, pointedly and bluntly says, "My brethren, do not many of you become teachers, knowing that we shall receive the greater judgment." It is a SERIOUS MATTER to decide you will teach the WORD of God. You better know what you are doing, and what judgment you will be under. You better be a serious student all of your life, in the word of God, you better be willing to be CORRECTED, to GROW IN GRACE AND KNOWLEDGE! I personally, in my many years with the Lord, and rubbing sleeves with other religious teachers, and those who would be teachers, have found very few who are willing to stand alone, willing to be corrected, who love to grow in grace and knowledge. Very few will step away from their "organization" and from the praise of men. And in all of this is the MOUTH! Some people love to talk, love to stand and talk to others, love the up-front-ism of it all, love the praise of men. A little member of the body is the tongue, but as James points out, what a FIRE it can kindle. It can indeed be a world of iniquity. Oh, it does not have to be an out right plain diatribe of evil words. It can be sweet, and have pleasant phrases, eloquence of the English language (or any other language). We can bless the heavenly Father, with our words, sound real good to the ears of people listening, but then teach false lies of theology and bring deception and evil to many. James says the tongue can be an unruly evil, full of deadly poison, that mankind of themselves cannot tame. It takes the power and Spirit of God to tame and control the tongue and words that come from us. Also, you need to remember, that words you read in a book or article, are really the words of the tongue of that individual. Again, some words can be very sweet as you read. The person writing can have a way with words that would get them an award for English literature. If it's in the religious world they can sooth or transport you into warm sunny sand beach resorts of deception. I have nothing per se against the use of English prose, but overall, as one writer did note, Jesus' words were uncomplicated and down to earth clear. As Paul told the church at Corinth, "And brethren, when I came to you, I came not with excellency of speech .... my speech and my preaching, was not with enticing words of man's wisdom...." ( 1 Corinthians 2:1,4). So, we must evaluate the words of men, by not only their actions, the follow-up on their words, but what they say and what they write, if on theological matters, must be according to the law and the testimony - God's word (see Isaiah 8:20). You are never off the hook, as to the correctness, good or evil, that comes from the mouth and tongue of people. You are never off the hook as to the good or evil that comes from your mouth or your pen (verses 2-12). James ends his thought in this chapter, by taking us to what is the wisdom in it all, the end of it all is having the correct and right wisdom, that will show forth a good conduct in life, which will be coupled with meekness. If there is bitter envying and strife in your hearts, you better not glory, for you will only continue to deceive yourselves about the truth. That kind of wisdom is only from the world, even could be from the demons James adds. Where there is envy and strife, there is confusion and all kinds of evil work. True wisdom James says, is from ABOVE, it is PURE, PEACEABLE, GENTLE, EASY TO BE ENTREATED, FULL OF MERCY AND GOOD FRUITS. It is without WRANGLING, and without any HYPOCRISY - play acting. Over it all as like a roof over a house or building, is righteousness, but the fruit of righteousness is sown in PEACE of them that make peace (verses 13-18). Jesus said, "Blessed are the PEACEMAKERS, for they shall be called the CHILDREN OF GOD" (Matthew 5:9). Jesus was in the main a loving, PEACEFUL man. He got tough at times to those He needed to get tough with. But He was a man of Peace - He was living in peace and harmony with the Father, He wanted people to have peace, to feel peace in their heart and mind. His whole life was about PEACE, the peace of knowing the true God, finding salvation, and living then for eternity in the PEACEFUL family of God. I have a full in-depth study for you called "BEING A PEACEMAKER." Look it up and see how important it is for your Christian life. ........................... Written April 2007

SPIRITUAL GLORIFIED ETERNAL LIFE

 

What you'll be Like in the Resurrection

Glory - and Perfection

It is written Jesus was the first born from the dead. He was the first to die and be raised too GLORIFIED ETERNAL LIFE

WHAT WILL YOU BE LIKE IN THE RESURRECTION? (First published in the early 1960s) by Dr. Paul C. Meredith What kind of body will we have? It will be of a different TYPE and for a different PURPOSE than you have probably imagined! IF You could examine the kind of body you will have when you are resurrected to immortality, it would clear up a great many questions in your mind, would it not? Someone has already acquired the same type of body that you will have, and that person is Jesus Christ! What Is the Family of Cod? God the Father has desired to form for Himself, and from His very being, a Family of immortal children who will be partaken of His own "divine nature" (2 Peter 1:4 and Psalm 17:15), who can be trusted with great power and on whom He can lavish His love by sharing with them all that He has created. This Family will compose the Kingdom of God. You mast be born of God to enter it. Being a God of order, He has established laws which we must obey in order to be admitted to this Family. We must show in advance, our willingness to be obedient to Him by having these laws written in our hearts and minds (2 Cor.3:3). If we are not obedient, then we sin (I John 3:4), and the wages of sin is - established as death (Romans 6:23) - eternal death! "All have sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23) - all of mortal mankind that God ever made was doomed to die! Most certainly there could be no Family of God formed from these mortal people if they were to be dead foreve. It was at this point that the Word, who was soon to become the Son of God, sacrificed the glory of being God to become "flesh and blood" just as you and I (Heb.2:14), so that He could die in place of us for our sins. No wonder we owe so much to Christ! How It All Began Now notice, very carefully, the begettal of the Father's very first son, who would later, after His physical death, be born into the Family of God! The angel, speaking to Mary concerning Christ's future birth, said, "The Holy Ghost [Spirit] ... of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also know that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God" (Luke 1:35). The angel said to Joseph, Mary's husband: "... Fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived [or begotten] in her is of the Holy Spirit" (Matt. :20). Two things happened here: Christ was begotten as a mortal man and physical birth took place shortly thereafter; and, He was also begotten by the Holy Spirit at that time. At the end of His physical life He died a physical death in the place of all mortal men, who would have died for their own sins; but - at His resurrection - He was born again, this time a spiritual birth because He had been begotten by the Holy Spirit. This time He was born into the spirit Family of God with a spiritual body.(I Cor.15:44,45). "Except a man be born again, he cannot see [or enter] the kingdom [or family] of God" (John 3:3,5). "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spiritual body" (1 Cor.15:44). "Flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdom of God" (1 Cor.15:50). "That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit." (John 3:6). Christ's physical body, which did not corrupt, was changed into spirit like that of the Father. God is spirit (John 4:24). Christ Our Brother It was by the Holy Spirit of God, put there by the Father at Christ's human begettal and dwelling in Christ, that the Father resurrected Him with an immortal spiritual body. He has promised to give you and me the same reward if we now let God beget as with the impregnating germ of eternal life, His Holy Spirit! "... If the Spirit of him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, he that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit that dwelleth in you" (Rom. 8:11). To "quicken" is to make eternally alive! By repenting and being baptized, you and I, who are made of the same mortal flesh which Christ took on Himself by having Mary as His mother (Heb.2:14), may also receive the gift, or, in other words, be begotten of the Holy Spirit! What does this mean? It means that when you and I are resurrected, Christ becomes our eldest brother in the spirit Family of God, for all will have the same Father, all will be begotten of the same spirit - God's Spirit - and all will be born into the same Family! (Rom.8:29; Heb.2:11,12). It means that as Christ will be our elder brother then, you and I will have the same kind of body that He has! "We shall be like him" (I John 3:2). Body for New Work The outstanding difference between the body we now have and the one we will have is that, while this one is a natural or mortal body, the one we shall have will be a different, spiritual body: "It is sown a natural body; it is raised a spirltual body" (1 Cor.15:44). If we are alive at the time of the resurrection, our mortal bodies will be changed just as an egg becomes, or is changed into, a chick. If we have died, our character comes forth out of the dust (more correctly our character spirit has gone to be safely kept by God up in heaven - see Ecc.12:7 and is joined to a spirit body at the time of the resurrection - Keith Hunt) in a spiritual body which God gives through His Holy Spirit from heaven (2 Cor.5:2). This is a different kind of resurrection than to mortal life, as described in Ezekiel 37 and Revelation 20:11-13. Also we read: "The wind bloweth where it listeth, and thou hearest the sound thereof, bur canst not tell whence it cometh, and whither it goeth: so is everyone that is born of the Spirit" (John 3:8). Spirit is not subject to physical laws, because it is not matter. Jesus Christ could suddenly appear: "And as they thus spake Jesus himself stood in the midst of them, and saith unto them, Peace be unto You. But they were terrified..." (Luke 24:36-37). He also had the ability to vanish after He was resurrected: "and he vanished out of their sight" (Luke 24:31). We shall be able to pass through barriers or walls as Christ did: "Then the same day at evening ... when the doors were shut where the disciples were assembled for fear of the Jews, came Jesus and stood in the midst..." (John 20:19). We will be able to travel rapidly through space. In John 20:17 Christ says: "Touch me nor, for I am not yet ascended to my Father...." Now note that on the same day Christ had been able to travel to the Father and return: "And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All! hail. And they came and held him by the feet..." (Matt.28:9). The eating of food will not be necessary, although we may eat for pleasure as did Jesus with his disciples (Luke 24:41-43): and, of course, no shelter will be necessary. When desirable, we will be able to manifest ourselves as physical flesh and bone so mortal eyes can see us: .... Jesus himself stood in the midst of them [after the crucifixion] ... but they were terrified and affrighted and supposed that they had seen a spirit. And he said ... Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have" (Luke 24:36 39). Notice that Christ did not say that He was not spirit, because He definitely was (see I Cor.15:42-45 and the description of His appearance in Rev.1). The disciples were quite frightened when Christ suddenly appeared out of nowhere. He simply was allaying their fears by pointing ut that He was not an apparition - not a wispy cloud hovering in the air - not a figment of their overactive imaginations. So we shall be able to manifest ourselves as flesh and bone as Christ did, even though we - as Christ - will be composed of spirit with spirit bodies (John 4:24; 2 Cor 3:17; John 6:63). Now, what about the work we are to do in the 1000 years of Christ's and His rule here on this earth (Revelation 20:4 and Isaiah chapter 11), in relation to these new, powerful bodies which are like Jesus' and the Father's? We know that we shall be judges (Revelation 20:1-4) and priests (verse 6) and rulers (verse 4) with God and Christ on this earth (Revelation 5:10). To govern all the great number of human beings, who at that time will need guidance (Isaiah 2:1-5; 9:6-7; Jeremiah 31:1-9) so that they can also be begotten and be born into the Family of God, we will certainly need the kind of body that Christ and the Father possess (Isaiah 40:28 and 31). This certainly does not say that, at death, we go at once to heaven, and lie around in idleness and ease, does it? No! And the Bible does not teach it! (Zechariah, 14th chapter.) We will have work to do according to the plan revealed only in the Bible! We shall be teachers visibly manifested to human beings (Isaiah 30:20). With bodies that can do without food or shelter and which can travel so rapidly, those called now can accomplish an immense amount in guiding large numbers of people and in governing the universe with God! Glorified Bodies We have now seen that our bodies are to be resurrected as spiritual bodies (I Corinthians 15:44), and that we will be able to change into physical flesh and bone (Luke 24:39) in different forms (Mark 16:12). But there is something else that is going to happen to our spiritual bodies - something that Christ considered very important! Notice what Christ said to the Father in finishing His work here on this earth! "I have glorified thee on the earth: I have finished the work which thou gavest me to do. And now, O Father, glorify thou me with thine own self with the glory which I had with thee before the world was" (John 17:4,5). Christ said, "I have glorified thee." But how? In raising people from the dead, healing, and performing miracles He had glorified God by showing to man only a part of God's great power! Soon Christ was going to be back with the Father again, and He looked forward to being restored to the great power He once had! To be glorified means to be given power and glory! But what has that to do with us? God is going to glorify you and me also - going to give you and me great power! "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 [you and I) may be also glorified together" (Rom.8:16,17 and 2 Cor.3:18). This prospect leaves us breathless, yet there it is in your own Bible. Read it! God has promised it and He will do it! (I Cor.15:43). This power we shall have will be so great that it will make our spirit bodies shine as the sun and our raiment be white as the light. Jesus gave us a fleeting glimpse of this future condition when He was transfigured while Peter, James, and John looked on: "... till they see rise Son of man coming in his kingdom. And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James and John ... up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them, and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light" (Matt.16:28 and 17:1-2). There are other places that give us a more complete picture of the glorified body we will have (Rev.1:13-16). Notice Daniel 12:2,3: "And many of them that steep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life... and they that be wise shall shine as the brightness of the firmament; and they that turn many to righteousness as the start for ever and ever." Other Characteristics Inasmuch as we will be begotten of the Father, we will be better than the angels: "Being made so much better than the angels...for unto which of the angels said he ... Thou art my Son, this day have I begotten thee?" (Heb.1:4-5). There will nor be sex and marriage as we know them in the spirit form: "For in the resurrection they neither marry, nor are given in marriage, but are as the angels of God in heaven" (Matt. 22:30). Yet we shall recognize one another as Mary Magdalene did Jesus (John 20:16). Our work will be so pleasant after our resurrection when we have new bodies that Paul spoke of it as a rest: "Let us labour therefore to enter that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief" (Heb.4:11). At that time, we will not have such physical handicaps as lameness, blindness, deafness, missing members or deformities. Mind of God Here is the kind of mind the Bible says that human beings normally have: "For from within, out of the heart of men, proceed evil thoughts, adulteries, fornications, murders, thefts, covetousness, wickedness, deceit, lasciviousness, an evil eye..." (Mark 7:21-22). "I know that in me (that is, in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing" (Rom.7:18). "The carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the lam of God..." (Rom.8:7). Yet obedience to the Law of God is the only way that will bring happiness! But we want to follow, not God's laws, but our own ways instead. Why? So that we will try every other way of living and discover that, regardless of what we think, the only satisfactory way is to live and think by the Father's laws! This is how we develop the character of God - by coming to right knowledge and by acting upon it. Some of us, becoming discouraged with the ways of living in this world, learn of the true way to live, repent, believe, are baptized and receive the Holy Spirit - we are begotten of the Father. By our mental efforts we cannot overcome our natural minds. But God has given us a part of His own self to aid us. If we will nourish this earnest (down payment) of the Spirit, which is the nature and mind of God by which we are begotten (2 Cor.1:22), spiritual growth will automatically take place. "Bot the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things ye would." "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh" (Gal.5:17,16). Thus we acquire the same mind functioning in our physical brain as was in Christ (Philippians 2:5). After this mortal body dies, we will be resurrected with a spiritual mind and body if we have the Holy Spirit at our death (Rom.8:11). At our spiritual birth we will have the mind of God and Christ in full - we will have no mortal mind to bother us any more! It will have perished with the flesh. All will have one mind then (Philippians 1:27), and God will have completed His New Testament covenant with us: "I will put my laws into their mind, and write them in their hearts ... and they shall not teach every man his neighbour ... for all shall know me (Heb.8:10-11). "I delight to do thy will, O my God: yea, thy law, is within my heart (Psalm 40:8). How wonderful eternity will be! ....................