Archives For Interpretation

How Did Moses Know about God’s Book?

May 23, 2014

Reading Exodus 32 again recently, a question came up in my mind that I do not remember ever thinking about before—how did Moses know about God’s book that he refers to in his famous prayer near the end of this chapter? By probing the passage about the answer to this question, we learn some valuable points to keep in mind so that we interpret and apply Scripture properly.

Moses’ Famous Intercessory Prayer

On the day after the infamous Golden Calf incident took place, Moses sought to make atonement for the great sin of the people (Exod. 32:30). He prayed a striking intercessory prayer:

Exo 32:31 And Moses returned unto the LORD, and said, Oh, this people have sinned a great sin, and have made them gods of gold. 32 Yet now, if thou wilt forgive their sin–; and if not, blot me, I pray thee, out of thy book which thou hast written.

Moses mentions God’s book that He had written and speaks of the reality that God blots people out of that book. God’s response to Moses confirms the reality of what Moses spoke of in his prayer:

Exo 32:33 And the LORD said unto Moses, Whosoever hath sinned against me, him will I blot out of my book.

Both Moses’ statements (about the book) and God’s response show us that God as Judge blots out those who have sinned against Him from His book that He has written. How did Moses know this information?

What Was the Source of Moses’ Knowledge of God’s Book?

An examination of the book of Job, which is likely the oldest book of the Bible, and of Genesis 1:1-Exodus 32:31 reveals that we have no indication that God had given His people any prior revelation about His book that Moses mentions in his prayer. How then did Moses know about this book and what did he know about it?

Scripture does not provide us with any definitive information to answer these questions specifically. We can be certain, however, that supernatural revelation of some form to someone at some prior time to Moses’ prayer was the source of his knowledge of this information that would otherwise have been humanly impossible to know.

Why This Question Matters

Pondering how Moses knew this striking information is important for at least three reasons.

First, this passage highlights just how selective Scripture is about what God has chosen to reveal. Although we would like to know how Moses knew what he did, God has not chosen to give us that information.

Second, this passage should warn us that God has not given us the exhaustive revelation we need in order to know in every case fully what God’s people knew and when they knew it. People often make arguments based on supposed lack of knowledge that biblical characters had of certain truths at certain points in time—lack of Scriptural mention that they had such knowledge does not, however, constitute proof that they did not know about that information.

For example, Job may have known fully whatever Moses knew about that book, and yet God may have chosen not to tell us that Job knew that information. Alternatively, God may have first given this information to Adam, who then became the source of this information that was passed on from him to some of his descendants.

Third, especially concerning leading biblical figures such as Moses, who repeatedly had extended periods of remarkably close communion with God, we would do well to think that Moses knew far more than God inspired him to record for us in Scripture. Because he almost certainly had that kind of breadth of knowledge of God and of various things of God, how we interpret his actions in key accounts, such as the Golden Calf incident, must reflect our carefully taking into consideration this important facet of interpreting Scripture properly.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Interpretation, Theology
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Profiting from the New Testament Emphasis on the God of Peace

May 17, 2014

The New Testament writers profoundly emphasize peace from God in their opening remarks to various believers and churches (16 Epistles have such statements in their opening chapters; Paul—13x; Peter—2x; John 1x).[1] I have heard preaching and teaching on this striking emphasis that has profited me profited greatly.

I do not recall hearing much preaching or teaching at all about a closely related NT emphasis—apostolic statements about God as the God of peace. An examination of these statements shows that they provide rich revelation about God that He wants us to profit from as well.

Rich New Testament Teaching about the God of Peace

Seven statements about God as the God of peace occur in six NT epistles:

Rom 15:33 Now the God of peace be with you all. Amen.

Rom 16:20 And the God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you. Amen.

2Co 13:11 Finally, brethren, farewell. Be perfect, be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace; and the God of love and peace shall be with you.

Phi 4:9 Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you.

1Th 5:23 And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. 24 Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.

2Th 3:16 Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means. The Lord be with you all.

Heb 13:20 Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, 21 Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is wellpleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ; to whom be glory for ever and ever. Amen.

These statements reveal some key truths:

—The truth of God as the God of peace was a vital aspect of Paul’s conception of who our God is, including the fact that not only is God the God of peace, but also He is the Lord of peace who Himself gives us peace.

—Paul desired that God as the God of peace would be with believers and repeatedly made known that desire to them (Rom. 15:33; 2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9; cf. also 2 Thess. 3:16).

—Paul made known that prayer to the God of peace for His presence with believers was not enough to assure that He would be with them; believers would also have to live rightly in order to have His presence with them as He desires it to be (2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9).

—Paul’s conception of God as the God of peace went far beyond His being the One who keeps believers from having conflict in their lives, which is how many believers mainly understand the meaning of the term peace. Not only did he pray to the God of peace as the One who wholly sanctifies us (1 Thess. 5:23), but also he made known that He is the One who will completely destroy Satan under our feet one day (Rom. 15:33).

—The writer of Hebrews makes known that God as the God of peace was the One who raised Jesus Christ from the dead (Heb. 13:20)! He also taught that as the God of peace, God is the One who makes us perfect in everything to accomplish His will (Heb. 13:21)!

What We Should Do With This Rich Teaching

Based on the glorious NT revelation about God as the God of peace, we should do the following:

—We should meditate deeply on God as the God of peace and all that it means.

—We should live the kinds of lives that Paul teaches us we must so that we will have the God of peace be with us, as He desires to be (2 Cor. 13:11; Phil. 4:9).

—We should keep in mind that when we strive to live such lives, we are not being legalistic; rather, we are heeding apostolic revelation that the God of peace Himself has given us for our profiting to that end.

—We should talk about God as the God of peace with other believers and help them to understand the importance of that teaching.

—We should pray that the God of peace would be with us and with all other believers (Rom. 15:33).

—We should pray to the God of peace specifically as Paul (1 Thess. 5:23-24; 2 Thess. 3:16) and the writer of Hebrews (Heb. 13:20-21) did.

 

[1] Romans 1:7; 1 Corinthians 1:3; 2 Corinthians 1:2; Galatians 1:3; Ephesians 1:2; Philippians 1:2; Colossians 1:2; 1 Thessalonians 1:1; 2 Thessalonians 1:2; 1 Timothy 1:2; 2 Timothy 1:2; Titus 1:4; Philemon 1:3; 1 Peter 1:2; 2 Peter 1:2; 2 John 1:3; Paul also closes Ephesians with a similar statement (Eph. 6:23).

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Exposition, Prayer, Theology
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Learning from Divine Comparisons of Wickedness and Spirituality

May 12, 2014

Scripture has many statements of divine comparisons of both the wickedness and the spirituality of humans. It even has a statement about differing levels of wickedness among evil spirits.

An examination of these statements brings out some important truths.

Divine Comparisons of Wickedness 

God evaluates the wickedness of people in comparison with those who preceded them:

1Ki 16:25 But Omri wrought evil in the eyes of the LORD, and did worse than all that were before him.

1Ki 21:25 But there was none like unto Ahab, which did sell himself to work wickedness in the sight of the LORD, whom Jezebel his wife stirred up.

Jer 7:26 Yet they hearkened not unto me, nor inclined their ear, but hardened their neck: they did worse than their fathers.

Jer 16:12 And ye have done worse than your fathers; for, behold, ye walk every one after the imagination of his evil heart, that they may not hearken unto me:

God evaluates the wickedness of His people in comparison with the wickedness of the heathen:

2Ch 33:9 So Manasseh made Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem to err, and to do worse than the heathen, whom the LORD had destroyed before the children of Israel.

God even evaluates the wickedness of evil spirits in comparison with one another: 

Mat 12:45 Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation.

Divine Comparisons of Spirituality 

God comparatively evaluates the spirituality of all who are living: 

Job 1:8 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil?

Job 2:3 And the LORD said unto Satan, Hast thou considered my servant Job, that there is none like him in the earth, a perfect and an upright man, one that feareth God, and escheweth evil? and still he holdeth fast his integrity, although thou movedst me against him, to destroy him without cause. 

God evaluates the spirituality of people in comparison with both those who preceded them and those who came after them: 

2Ki 18:5 He [Hezekiah] trusted in the LORD God of Israel; so that after him was none like him among all the kings of Judah, nor any that were before him.

2Ki 23:25 And like unto him [Josiah] was there no king before him, that turned to the LORD with all his heart, and with all his soul, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses; neither after him arose there any like him.

Discussion

As the omniscient Judge of all (Heb. 12:23), God perfectly evaluates individually the wickedness of humans and evil spirits. What’s more, He flawlessly makes comparative evaluations both among those who are living and between those who are living with those who preceded them.

He also similarly evaluates the spirituality of people. He knows those who have trusted Him more than others have (cf. 2 Ki. 18:5), and He knows those who have been wholly His to a remarkable extent (cf. 2 Ki. 23:25).

Given the enormous number of divine commands revealed in both Testaments, the vast number of differing sins that people have committed, and the necessity of assessing not just actions but also underlying motives, it is plain that no one other than God could possibly even begin to evaluate the wickedness or spirituality of anyone properly. When we also take into account that God makes comparative evaluations that reflect His comprehensive knowledge of the actions, words, thoughts, and motives of all moral beings that have ever lived, both human and superhuman, we should regard God rightly as the only truly awesome Person in the universe.

Conclusion

Scripture reveals that God as the Judge righteously evaluates all moral beings in His universe. Even this brief consideration of how remarkable God’s judicial ability is in that respect should cause us to fear God, humble ourselves before Him, repent of all evil in our lives, and live pure and holy lives before Him by His grace!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Interpretation, Theology
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Is Your All on the Altar?

May 3, 2014

Dedication of oneself to the Lord Jesus Christ for sacred service to Him is an essential decision that every believer must make. Many times believers make that decision following preaching on Romans 12:1, 2:

1 I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service.

2 And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

Often, invitations that are given at the end of messages on these two verses call for a decision to “give your life to the Lord,” or “surrender all to the Lord,” etc. Many times, hymns such as “Is Your All on the Altar” are used in the invitation after these messages.

Careful examination of Romans 12:1 reveals that many such decisions made by believers have likely been made with an inaccurate understanding of that verse. This is true because many times the word “body” is hardly dealt with, and the message thus ends up calling for a total surrender of one’s life that does not bring out the real force of the verse:

One cannot consign dedication to God to the spirit and neglect the body. Genuine commitment to God embraces every area of life, and includes the body in all its particularity and concreteness. (ECNT, Romans, p. 644)

A proper call to give one’s life totally to the Lord based on the teaching of Romans 12:1 demands careful handling of the word “body” in that verse.

Some understand “body” in that verse to be primarily a figurative expression for the whole person; the actual physical body would still then be in view as part of the whole person. Others view the word “body” in that verse as primarily referring to the actual physical body.

Regardless of which interpretation is espoused, the physical body still is in view and must be yielded to God. Thus, the common failure to declare that the physical body is definitely in view in verse 1 is to mishandle the verse:

A great many of our bodily functions do not enlist volition on our part. . . . The lesson to be derived from the term ‘rational’ [‘reasonable’ KJV] is that we are not ‘Spiritual’ in the biblical sense except as the use of our bodies is characterized by conscious, intelligent, consecrated devotion to the service of God. (NICNT, Romans, p. 112)

That this is the case is clearly established by Romans 6:13: “Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God.” Significantly, the command “yield” in this verse is the aorist active imperative of the same verb whose aorist active infinitive is rendered “present” in 12:1. Notice that Romans 6:13 states that not only must we yield/present ourselves, but we must also yield/present our members (the parts of our bodies) to God as instruments (weapons) of righteousness.

To make a decision to give one’s life to God is insufficient if the decision does not involve the understanding that doing so must include presenting the parts of one’s body to Him:

Turning from the body as a whole to its separate members, Paul admonishes his readers [in 6:13] not to hand these over to sin (the old master). . . . On the positive side, he is to offer himself (his personality and life-potential) to God with, as a corollary, the separate bodily capacities ‘as instruments of righteousness. (EBC, Romans, p. 72)

Very likely, apart from those in certain settings where these truths have been very carefully dealt with, not many believers have been having in their minds that God has commanded them to present the members of their bodies to Him. Thus, many who have made decisions to give themselves totally to the Lord may very well have done so without really understanding then, and even to this day, that truly giving oneself totally to the Lord requires the presentation of oneself and the presentation of the members of one’s body to God.

The implications of this inaccurate understanding/handling/presentation of the Word of God are immense. While believers have given much attention to issues of immorality, smoking, and drunkenness, other expressions of the failure to yield the parts of one’s body have received insufficient attention.

That this is so is attested to by findings from recent research in the U.S. that certain religious people do have problems in this area.1 These findings show that more attention in this area is needed by the probably many believers who very likely have not properly yielded to God their eyes, noses, hands, mouths, tongues (taste buds), and whatever other members of their bodies are involved in the bodily appetite for food and drink.

Such failure to yield the members of one’s body manifests itself in many different ways. A believer who will not eat certain healthy foods merely because he does not like the taste of them is a believer who needs to examine soberly whether he has yielded the members of his body in obedience to the command of God.

For example, many, even though they may know the great value to one’s health of eating more fruits and vegetables, especially vegetables like broccoli, brussel sprouts, etc., do not do so because they do not care for the taste of those foods. A lifestyle characterized by such disregard for the good health of the body that is the marvelous creation of God and the blood-bought possession of our Lord does not manifest the necessary full surrender that God demands of the members of one’s body for His service.

Also, any believer who, because he likes the taste of certain foods, will not control properly before the Lord his consumption of those foods, especially those that are not conducive to his good health, needs to similarly examine his surrender to God. Many believers consume too many unnecessary calories from biscuits, doughnuts, cookies, cakes, pizza, pop, high-fat meats, etc., because they like how these foods taste.

In the process, they often also consume too much in the way of proteins, simple carbohydrates, and unhealthy fats. Such unhealthy living belies one’s claim of total consecration to the Lord.

We must be ruthless with ourselves in this respect; in line with the figurative emphasis of biblical teaching such as Prov. 23:2, “Put a knife to thy throat, if thou be a man given to appetite,” halfhearted measures will not suffice. Poor stewardship of one’s body because of the failure to present one’s taste buds to the Lord is no minor matter; let us all soberly examine our own eating and drinking.

In addition, Scripture condemns slothful living—more than once, it does so in combination with the condemnation of ungodly eating. Let us take heed to ourselves that we not allow technological advances and societal changes to put us unwittingly in a position of leading a lifestyle of physical idleness.

Although many lead very busy lives, those lives often involve little in the way of any sustained physical exertion. Believers who are inactive because they find physical activity to be boring, inconvenient, unpleasant, etc., must examine themselves solemnly in that regard to see if their sedentary lifestyles are consistent with the lifestyle of a believer who has yielded his muscles, bones, cardiovascular system, etc., to the Lord for sacred service to Him.

The poor physical condition of many of the people of God in our generation is not commending their testimony of Christ to others; unbelievers denigrate the gospel because of our failures to keep under our bodies and bring them into subjection. The bottom line is that barring extreme extenuating circumstances that likely legitimately apply only to a small percentage of people, any believer who gives his body sufficient regular physical activity and is temperate in his eating will likely not have a major problem with his weight. By so doing, he will not be among those who from failure to do so are not glorifying the Name of the Lord in that aspect of their lives.

Let us take heed to ourselves that we make no provision for the flesh in any way. We must present to God all the members of our bodies for sacred service to Him; this especially must include our taste buds and all other parts of our bodies that may have been heretofore servants of sin through intemperance in the area of food and drink.

Let us enjoy the goodness of God in providing good foods to us, but let us always do so with the total consecration and self-control that He demands!

Is your all on the altar of sacrifice laid? Your heart does the Spirit control? You can only be blest and have peace and sweet rest as you yield Him your body and soul!

Let us each present our entire being, including all the members of our physical bodies, to the Lord now!

Here is some information from a recent study examining religion and obesity that points to a problem:

The present research has established that religion is related both to the prevalence and incidence of obesity. In supplementary analyses, we were unable to find any evidence that obesity heightened religiosity. By contrast, we observed that religious media practice and some denominations, especially more fundamentalist groups, were at a higher risk of obesity. The results also show that those who turned to religion for consolation were at a lower risk of obesity. At a minimum, one can conclude that obesity is becoming more prevalent in the United States and that many religious affiliations are being swept along with this “megatrend.” Some religious activities and affiliations may reduce the risk of obesity, but Baptist and fundamentalist Protestant leaders may want to consider interventions for the “overgrazing of the flock.” There is clearly a role for religious media, whether electronic or print, in the spiritual development of the religiously inclined. Unfortunately, religious media practice is also associated with a higher risk of obesity for women who consume it.

—http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3358928/; accessed 5/3/14; 12:48 pm.

See also http://www.foxnews.com/opinion/2012/06/03/obesity-epidemic-in-america-churches/

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Discipleship, Exhortation, Exposition, Health
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Do You Appreciate Peter Properly as the Blessed Disciple That He Was?

April 21, 2014

Overall, my perspective over the years has been that many believers consistently emphasize negative aspects of Peter’s life at the expense of a number of key good things that Scripture reveals about him. To help change this unwarranted emphasis, this post presents four points about Peter that show that he was a uniquely blessed disciple of Jesus Christ.

God the Father Uniquely Favored Peter

In Caesarea, Peter made his famous confession of Jesus as the Christ (Matt 16:13-20). Jesus responded by declaring that the Father had uniquely favored him to enable him to do so:

Mat 16:16 And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.

 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.

In spite of all Peter’s failings, the Father chose to bless Peter in a special way with glorious revelation about His Son!

Jesus Uniquely Favored Peter

Not only did the Father specially favor Peter on that occasion, but Jesus did so as well. Jesus promised that He would build His church upon the rock of Peter’s confession of Him as the Christ (Matt. 16:18). In addition, He gave to Peter the keys of the kingdom of heaven (Matt. 16:19)!

Certainly, Jesus knew Peter through and through, including how he would shortly thereafter be an offense to Jesus Himself (Matt. 16:22-23). In fact, even Jesus’ full knowledge of how Peter would yet fail Him grievously in the future (Matt. 26:34, 75; Luke 22:31) did not lead Him to withdraw the special calling that He had given to Peter.

The Holy Spirit Uniquely Highlights His Selection of Peter

While Peter was thinking about a miraculous vision that he had seen (Acts 10:17-19a), the Holy Spirit spoke directly to him:

Act 10:19 While Peter thought on the vision, the Spirit said unto him, Behold, three men seek thee.

 20 Arise therefore, and get thee down, and go with them, doubting nothing: for I [Gk. egw, emphatic personal pronoun] have sent them.

Remarkably, the Spirit emphatically asserted (using an emphatic personal pronoun) that He had sent the men who came to summon Peter to come speak words to Cornelius and his household by which they all would be saved (Acts 11:14).

This is the only evangelistic account in Scripture that the Spirit directly declares that He purposed that a specific disciple would be the one who would preach the gospel on a specific occasion.

The Book of Acts Uniquely Emphasizes the Gospel Ministry of Peter

The book of Acts recounts how the Church was born (Acts 1-2) and how the disciples proceeded to evangelize the world thereafter (Acts 3-28). Of the lengthy accounts of apostolic gospel ministry that the Spirit provides us with in Acts, the records of Peter’s ministry in Jerusalem (Acts 2) and in Caesarea (Acts 10:1-48; 11:1-18; 15:7-9) are the two that are highlighted both by their being the two longest accounts and by their being the two most important accounts.

Furthermore, the inspired record of the Jerusalem Council proceedings uniquely emphasizes the gospel ministry of Peter in a way that sets his ministry in Caesarea apart from all other evangelistic accounts. To understand this unique emphasis, we must closely consider the following facets of what transpired in Jerusalem at that time.

First, Paul and Barnabas went up to Jerusalem to the apostles and elders to resolve an all-important question—did the Gentiles have to be circumcised in order to be saved (Acts 15:1-2)? Although Paul and Barnabas did contribute heavily to the proceedings of the Jerusalem Council (Acts 15:4, 12), Scripture provides only a one-verse summary of their ministry to Gentiles (Acts 15:12) in reporting what they contributed to the actual proceedings of the Council.

By striking contrast, the Jerusalem Council report highlights Peter’s ministry in Caesarea by providing five verses concerning his ministry and its implications (Acts 15:7-11). Remarkably, Peter’s ministry on that occasion is the only specific evangelistic encounter mentioned in the entire record of the Jerusalem Council proceedings.

This comparison shows that the inspired record of the Jerusalem Council features an explicit emphasis on Petrine gospel ministry while only providing a summary statement about Pauline ministry to Gentiles!

Second, James authoritatively settled the issues at hand by again referring to God’s use of Peter in Caesarea and how what took place on that occasion was in fulfillment of the words of the prophets (Acts 15:13-21). In this way, we see that the Jerusalem Council account clearly presents a unique emphasis on Petrine gospel ministry.

Conclusion

The four points discussed above show that Peter was a disciple who was uniquely favored by the Father, Son, and the Spirit! Moreover, the inspired records in the book of Acts (of apostolic evangelism and of apostolic determinations concerning how Gentiles are saved) show that Peter was a uniquely important God-chosen minister of the gospel.

Based on the biblical data, we should take care not to emphasize negative aspects of the Scriptural record about the apostle Peter at the expense of much glorious revelation concerning how he was a uniquely blessed disciple of Christ. Let us appreciate Peter properly as the blessed disciple that he was!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Exhortation, Gospel, Interpretation, Theology
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The Evangelistic Importance of a Striking Correlation between John 4:4-42 and 1 Corinthians 14:23-25

April 4, 2014

John 4:4-42 and 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 record evangelistic encounters in two widely differing settings: Jesus’ evangelizing a sinful woman in Samaria versus an unbelieving person who enters a local church and receives prophesying from a congregation of worshiping believers. Despite their differing settings, these passages reveal a striking correlation that illumines a key element of genuine salvation.

John 4:4-42

Jesus conversed about living water with a Samaritan woman who came to draw water from the well where He was sitting (John 4:5-14). The woman responded by saying to Him, “Sir, give me this water, that I thirst not, neither come hither to draw” (John 4:15).

Instead of immediately giving her that gift of God (John 4:10) when she seemed eager to receive it, Jesus supernaturally confronted her with her sinfulness by telling her how she was currently living in sin (John 4:16-18). Recognizing that He had exposed sinful details of her life that she would have thought that He would have had no way of knowing about her, the woman related that she perceived that He was a prophet (John 4:19).

Through His exposing her secret sinfulness and His further dealings with her (John 4:20-27), the woman became convinced that He was the Christ whom she knew would come and tell them “all things” (John 4:25). Leaving Him and going into the city, she testified to men repeatedly that she had encountered the Christ who told her all things that she had ever done (John 4:29, 39).

By correlating these three statements (John 4:25, 29, 39), we see clearly that her persistent testimony to that specific truth shows that His supernaturally convincing her of the sinfulness of secret aspects of her life was a crucial facet of her coming to genuine faith in Him. In particular, the final statement about her testifying to that truth shows that many others also came to believe because of her testimony to that truth (John 4:39).

1 Corinthians 14:23-25

In the only New Testament passage that explicitly recounts worship taking place in a local church (1 Cor. 14:23-25), Paul provides strikingly similar revelation to what was crucial in Jesus’ evangelism of the Samaritan woman:

1Co 14:23 If therefore the whole church be come together into one place, and all speak with tongues, and there come in those that are unlearned, or unbelievers, will they not say that ye are mad?

 24 But if all prophesy, and there come in one that believeth not, or one unlearned, he is convinced of all, he is judged of all:

 25 And thus are the secrets of his heart made manifest; and so falling down on his face he will worship God, and report that God is in you of a truth.

This passage shows that true worship of God by an unbelieving sinner who comes into a local church results from God’s making manifest “the secrets of his heart” (1 Cor. 14:25) and convincing him of his sinfulness (1 Cor. 14:24) through the collective ministry of all who minister to him in that service (see The Consummation of Public Worship for a fuller explanation of this passage).

Discussion

Both John 4:4-42 and 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 teach us about the importance of a sinner having his secret sins exposed supernaturally. To understand further the evangelistic importance of this striking correlation between these two passages, we need to correlate them with key Pauline teaching about his gospel ministry:

In the day when God shall judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ according to my gospel (Rom. 2:16).

A careful handling of Romans 2:16 shows that Paul is teaching that a key truth that he testified as part of his gospel was that God “in the day” would judge the secrets of men by Jesus Christ (see this post for a detailed explanation concerning this vital point).

We learn from this statement that Paul evangelized sinners by telling that them that God will one day judge their secret sins and that He will do so through Jesus Christ. Paul thus evangelized sinners with testimony that closely correlates with the Samaritan woman’s testimony to others that Jesus as the Christ had exposed her secret sinfulness and convinced her of that sinfulness by telling her all things that she had ever done.

Furthermore, because Paul tells us that part of his gospel testimony was to tell people about how God will one day judge their secrets through Jesus Christ, we are justified in inferring that this truth was one of the truths that was prophesied to the unbeliever who came into the local church service recorded in 1 Corinthians 14:23-25.

Conclusion 

John 4:4-42 and 1 Corinthians 14:23-25 correlate strongly with each other and with Romans 2:16 to reveal the vital evangelistic importance of testifying to sinners that God will one day judge their secrets through Jesus Christ. We who evangelize sinners in our day should testify to this key gospel truth and allow God to use it to expose to them their secrets and to convince them of their sinfulness.

Doing so, we will provide them with vital testimony that God will use to bring those who repent and believe to fall on their faces and worship Him!

 

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Gospel, Interpretation, Theology
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Let Us Pray for the Salvation of the US Supreme Court Justices!

March 24, 2014

In 1973, the US Supreme Court (SCOTUS) issued an unjust ruling that has helped to deprive millions of unborn Americans of their lives. Because of that ruling, the blood of more than 40,000,000 innocent unborn American citizens is in part on the hands of those judges who ruled in favor of legalizing abortion in the US.

Soon, the justices who are currently on SCOTUS will issue a landmark ruling that will likely have immense ramifications for Christians in the US. As we pray and wait for the outcome of this momentous case, let us who have received forgiveness of our sins keep in mind the example and teaching of Paul that applies to the spiritual needs of the current justices of SCOTUS.

A Pauline Burden for Their Salvation

When he stood on trial before an unjust king, Paul desired that not only that king but also all the other lost people who were present at that hearing would be saved: “And Paul said, I would to God, that not only thou, but also all that hear me this day, were both almost, and altogether such as I am, except these bonds” (Acts 26:29). Through his example on this occasion, Paul teaches that we should have a burden for the salvation of those who exercise judicial authority over us, whether they do it justly or not.

A Pauline Emphasis on Praying for These Who Rule Over Us 

Writing to Timothy, who was in Ephesus, Paul exhorted him that they should make prayer for ruling authorities a top priority in the corporate prayer life of the Church (1 Tim. 2:1-2). Paul emphasizes in this teaching that such prayer is vital because God would “have all men to be saved and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Tim. 2:3-4).

Keeping in mind that the justices on SCOTUS are key authorities who rule over us, we must pray fervently in our churches for their salvation.

Discussion

Someday, each of the justices who voted in favor of legalizing abortion in 1973 will stand before the true Supreme Court of heaven and earth and give an account for their sins. In that day, these who were justices on SCOTUS will answer to the God-resurrected, God-glorified Jesus of Nazareth, the One appointed by God as the Judge of the living and the dead (Acts 10:42).

Any of them who did not repent of their sins and believe in His name while they were still alive here on the earth died in his sins (John 8:24). God did not want any of them to perish (1 Tim. 2:3-4; 2 Pet. 3:9) and offered each one of them forgiveness of their sins.

Moreover, regardless of how the current SCOTUS rules on the monumental case before them now, God wants them to repent of their sins and believe on His Son. If they will do so, He will forgive them of their sins and save them.

We must have a burden for their salvation and pray to that end. Doing so, we will be followers of Paul and Jesus (cf. Luke 23:34; John 5:34), as we must be (1 Cor. 11:1).

Conclusion

Based on Paul’s apostolic example (Acts 26:29) and instruction (1 Tim. 2:1-8), we understand that God would have us to desire the salvation of the justices on SCOTUS and to make praying for their salvation a priority in our churches. Let us pray fervently for the salvation of the US Supreme Court justices, especially because they are on the brink of making a decision that will likely have enormous ramifications for the cause of Christ!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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An Excellent Example of the How the NT Helps Us to Interpret the OT

March 23, 2014

Paying close attention to how the New Testament uses the Old Testament is vital for our knowing how to interpret the Old Testament. A specific dimension of how the New Testament uses Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12 provides an excellent example that teaches us a valuable point about interpreting the Old Testament.

The Use of Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12

Lining up Psalm 34:12-16 with the corresponding statements in 1 Peter 3:10-12 helps us to compare the two passages and identify important differences:

Psa 34:12 What man is he that desireth life, and loveth many days, that he may see good? 1Pe 3:10 For he that will love life, and see good days,
13 Keep thy tongue from evil, and thy lips from speaking guile. let him refrain his tongue from evil, and his lips that they speak no guile:
14 Depart from evil, and do good; seek peace, and pursue it. 11 Let him eschew evil, and do good; let him seek peace, and ensue it.
15 The eyes of the LORD are upon the righteous, and his ears are open unto   their cry. 12 For the eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers:
16 The face of the LORD is against them that do evil, to cut off the remembrance of them from the earth. but the face of the Lord is against them that do evil.

This comparison reveals two noteworthy points.

First, Peter’s beginning verse 10 of 1 Peter 3 with the word for shows us that he is using Old Testament teaching in Psalm 34:12-16 to support his teaching us as Christians about how we are to live in our day. By comparing the preceding teaching in both Psalm 34 and 1 Peter 3 (Psalm 34:11 with 1 Peter 3:8-9), we learn that Peter is teaching us some specific aspects of how we are to fear the Lord (for further explanation of this point, see this post).

It also provides a good example of teaching that was specifically addressed to believers in the Old Testament that still applies to our lives as New Testament believers. This observation should confirm to us a key dimension of the continuing value of the Old Testament for us (Rom. 15:4; 1 Cor. 10:6; 2 Tim. 3:15-17; for more on this point, see Are You Profiting from the Old Testament the Way God Wants You To?).

Second, in Peter 3:12, Peter inserts the word for between statements (1 Pet. 3:11 and the rest of 1 Pet. 3:12) that correspond to statements that were merely juxtaposed in Psalm 34:14-15. I have previously explained the significance of this important difference this way:

From the citation of Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12, we learn that we who would lead a blessed life of fearing God must keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit (1 Pet. 3:10). We must turn away from evil, do good, seek peace, and pursue it (1 Pet. 3:11).

Peter then explains these directives by inserting for at the beginning of 1 Peter 3:12, which is not in Psalm 34:15. By doing so, however, he does not change the original meaning; he brings out the logical connection that was there all along but was unstated. We are thus called to inherit a blessing (1 Pet. 3:9) through heeding certain directives about fearing God (1 Pet. 3:10-11) because His eyes “are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer” (1 Pet. 3:12a-b), but His face “is against those who do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12c).

Peter’s use of Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12 thus supports our carefully examining other seemingly unrelated statements that are juxtaposed in the Old Testament to see if there is a clear but unstated logical connection that we are supposed to understand from the flow of thought in the passage.

This second point is especially noteworthy because the failure to consider such a possibility likely means that we are often missing intended meaning in the Old Testament that God desires would profit us as New Testament believers.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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Should We Preach Repentance, Faith, or Both?

March 10, 2014

Many Christians today think that those believers in Scripture who preached evangelistically or who evangelized sinners in other ways did so with messages or testimonies that varied substantially from occasion to occasion. In fact, it is not uncommon to hear believers today say that sometimes the disciples preached that people should repent and other times they preached that people should believe.

This view of biblical evangelism stems from an approach to the evangelistic accounts in Scripture that I believe does not account for all the biblical data. To see why this is the case, consider the following analysis of the gospel ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul.

The Gospel Ministry of John the Baptist

The Gospels consistently present John the Baptist as preaching repentance to sinners (Matt. 3:2, 8; Luke 3:3, 8). Noting this data, many have concluded that John only preached that people should repent and that he did not tell people to believe.

In the book of Acts, however, Luke makes clear (through a widely overlooked statement by the apostle Paul) that this is an incorrect assessment of the evangelistic ministry of John:

Act 19:4 Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus.

This Pauline summary statement about the gospel ministry of John the Baptist shows us that it was a ministry of preaching to sinners that they should both repent and believe. It also teaches us that we should not take brief statements about evangelistic ministry (such as Matt. 3:2 and Luke 3:3) and draw definitive conclusions about what content that ministry did not include.1

The Gospel Ministry of Jesus

A key statement in the Gospel of Mark shows that the gospel ministry of Jesus included the same dual emphasis that was in the evangelism of John the Baptist:

Mar 1:14 Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God,

 15 And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.

Notice that this statement is not just about Jesus’ preaching in one location on one specific evangelistic occasion—it is an inspired summary statement of certain key elements of His gospel preaching throughout His gospel ministry in Galilee. Both John the Baptist and Jesus, therefore, preached to sinners that they should both repent and believe.

The Gospel Ministry of Paul

A summary statement of Pauline evangelistic ministry over an extended period (“from the first day that I came into Asia” [Acts 20:18]; cf. “by the space of three years” [Acts 20:31]) reveals that his gospel ministry included similar testimony to both repentance and faith:

Act 20:20 And how I kept back nothing that was profitable unto you, but have shewed you, and have taught you publickly, and from house to house,

 21 Testifying both to the Jews, and also to the Greeks, repentance toward God, and faith toward our Lord Jesus Christ.

For three years, Paul told both Jews and Greeks everywhere he went in Asia that they had to repent toward God and believe in the Lord Jesus Christ. Like John the Baptist and Jesus, Paul’s gospel ministry thus had the same dual emphasis of preaching to sinners that they should both repent and believe.

Discussion

From the Gospels and Acts, we have seen that John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul all evangelized sinners by telling them both to repent and to believe. Because we have seen that summary statements about the gospel ministries of all three of these leading evangelists in Scripture explicitly mention this dual emphasis, we should adjust our views of biblical evangelism to reflect properly this key biblical data.

Moreover, the lack of explicit testimony to both elements in many evangelistic accounts in Scripture does not show that the disciples often preached only one of these elements but not the other. Rather, we should allow the above-discussed comparison of Acts 19:4 with the other evangelistic accounts of John’s ministry to teach us that the lack of an explicit record of testimony to a key evangelistic element in a particular evangelistic account does not provide valid evidence that such testimony was lacking on that occasion.

Conclusion

Whenever our circumstances allow us to do so, we should preach both repentance and faith to the people that we evangelize. Doing so, our gospel ministries will best reflect all the biblical data about the evangelistic ministries of John the Baptist, Jesus, and Paul!

1 A close comparison of two statements in Acts 9:20-22 with Acts 26:20 fully confirms this interpretation. Luke writes that Paul’s evangelistic ministry began in Damascus and provides two brief summary statements about that ministry:

Act 9:20 And straightway he preached Christ in the synagogues, that he is the Son of God.

Act 9:22 But Saul increased the more in strength, and confounded the Jews which dwelt at Damascus, proving that this is very Christ.

Neither of these reports about Pauline evangelism in Damascus mentions that he told people there to repent. In Acts 26, however, Luke records that Paul testified to King Agrippa about his entire evangelistic ministry by giving him this key summary statement:

Act 26:20 But shewed first unto them of Damascus, and at Jerusalem, and throughout all the coasts of Judaea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, and do works meet for repentance.

Based on Paul’s own testimony, we can be certain that he preached repentance in Damascus—even though Acts 9 does not record that he did.

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

In Evangelism, Exposition, Gospel, Interpretation, Theology
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Live a Redeemed Life of Fearing Our Impartial Father to Whom We Pray!

March 3, 2014

I wrote this article for the men’s ministry at my church. It highlights a vital matter in the life of every man of God.

Writing to dispersed believers in many places in Asia Minor (1 Pet. 1:1), Peter began by emphasizing vital realities for them to consider as born-again children of God the Father (1 Pet. 1:3, 14, 23; 2:2). Among these, he highly stressed the glorious consummation of their salvation that they would experience at the revelation of Jesus Christ (1 Pet. 1:5, 7, 9, 10, 13).

In view of these things, he challenged them with multiple commands (1 Pet. 1:13, 15, 17, 22). His third command charged them to live in a way (1 Pet. 1:17-21) that needs more attention in our day.

As obedient children of God (1 Pet. 1:14) who pray (1 Pet. 1:17) to our Holy Father (1 Pet. 1:15-16), it is vital that we keep in mind that we “address as Father the One who impartially judges according to each one’s work” (1 Pet. 1:17). Being children of God does not exempt us from His holy scrutiny and assessment of all our ways!

We who pray to our Father do so to the One who knows all our secrets (Rom. 2:16; 1 Cor. 4:5) and shows no favoritism in His dealings with any of us (1 Pet. 1:17a). His dealing with us in this way necessitates that we live our entire Christian lives fearing Him and His perfectly fair assessment of us as His children (1 Pet. 1:17b).

We must live in such fear of our impartial Father because of the glorious redemption that He has granted us (1 Pet. 1:18-19). He has not redeemed us from our formerly futile living with the things that man values most, such as silver and gold (1 Pet. 1:18). Instead, we have been redeemed with what God values infinitely more than any material thing that fallen man values—the precious blood of Christ, the unblemished and spotless Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (1 Pet. 1:19; John 1:29)!

We must live a redeemed life of fearing our impartial Father to whom we pray because the priceless blood with which He redeemed us was the blood of the Christ whom on the one hand He foreknew in eternity past (1 Pet. 1:20a). We must also live such lives because on the other hand that Christ “has appeared in these last times” for our sake (1 Pet. 1:20b).

Through the eternally foreknown Christ who has appeared to redeem us, we are believers in God (1 Pet. 1:21a). Through that Christ, we are believers in our Father who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory so that our faith and hope are in God (1 Pet. 1:21b).

We have learned from 1 Peter 1:17-21 that God demands that we live a redeemed life of fearing our impartial Father to whom we pray. To learn some specific truths about what such a life looks like, we need to consider some related teaching (1 Pet. 3:7-12).

Based on the example that Christ has left for us (1 Pet. 2:21-25), husbands must live properly with their wives: (1) living with her in an understanding way that takes into consideration that she is weaker because she is a woman; and (2) showing her honor because she is “a fellow heir of the grace of life”(1 Pet. 3:7a-d). Living in this way with them is necessary for husbands so that their “prayers will not be hindered (1 Pet. 3:7e).

Comparing the teaching of 1 Peter 3:7 with 1 Peter 1:17-21, we learn that one specific aspect of living a redeemed life of fearing our impartial Father to whom we pray involves husbands relating with their wives in a way that shows that they fear God. God knows everything about how each husband is treating his wife, and every husband must fear displeasing the Father to whom he prays by mistreating his wife!

In 1 Peter 3:8-12, Peter then provides related teaching about Christian conduct that not just husbands but also all other believers must heed. A close examination of this passage shows that it ties directly with what we learned from 1 Peter 1:17-21.

Summing up what he has been saying, Peter challenges all believers about being “harmonious, sympathetic, brotherly, kindhearted, and humble in spirit” (1 Pet. 3:8). Being such believers includes “not returning evil for evil or insult for insult, but giving a blessing instead” because we have been called “for the very purpose that [we] might inherit a blessing” (1 Pet. 3:9).

He explains our calling to that purpose further by citing Psalm 34:12-16. Because the teaching of that passage is an inspired explanation to children of how they are to fear the Lord (Ps. 34:11), Peter’s use of it here to explain our calling shows that we have been called to be children who fear the Lord in certain specific ways (1 Pet. 3:10-11).

From the citation of Psalm 34:12-16 in 1 Peter 3:10-12, we learn that we who would lead a blessed life of fearing God must keep our tongues from evil and our lips from speaking deceit (1 Pet. 3:10). We must turn away from evil, do good, seek peace, and pursue it (1 Pet. 3:11).

Peter then explains these directives by inserting for at the beginning of 1 Peter 3:12, which is not in Psalm 34:15. By doing so, however, he does not change the original meaning; he brings out the logical connection that was there all along but was unstated. We are thus called to inherit a blessing (1 Pet. 3:9) through heeding certain directives about fearing God (1 Pet. 3:10-11) because His eyes “are toward the righteous, and His ears attend to their prayer” (1 Pet. 3:12a-b), but His face “is against those who do evil” (1 Pet. 3:12c).

Because Peter’s teaching here (1 Pet. 3:8-9) is about fearing God (1 Pet. 3:10-11) in view of His differing responses to the prayers of people according to His assessment of their lives (1 Pet. 3:12), we see that what he teaches us here parallels his earlier teaching about fearing our Father who impartially judges those who pray to Him (1 Pet. 1:17). The comparison of 1 Peter 3:8-12 with 1 Pet. 1:71-21, therefore, teaches us some specific aspects of fearing our impartial Father to whom we pray.

As men of the Word, let us live such (1 Pet. 3:7-12) redeemed lives of fearing our impartial Father to whom we pray (1 Pet. 1:17-21)!

Copyright © 2011-2024 by Rajesh Gandhi. All rights reserved.

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