Archives for December 2019

OVERVIEW:

Christ’s priesthood superior to the Levitical priesthood; the old covenant was a shadow of the real; the old covenant sacrifices were temporary; Christ’s sacrifice is permanent.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The chapters in today’s reading provide one of the most complete explanations about the superiority of Christ when compared to virtually anything and everything, and the superiority of the new covenant when compared to the old covenant.

Paul begins chapter 7 by identifying Christ as a Priest after the order of Melchisedec. (The story of Melchisedec is found in Genesis 14:17–20.) This connection to Melchisedec is tremendously significant because it reveals to us that Christ is not a priest after the Levitical priesthood started with Aaron. (Hebrews 7:11) The Levitical priesthood was comprised of MEN; men who were SINNERS! What that means is, before these priests could offer sacrifices for the PEOPLE, they first had to offer sacrifices for THEMSELVES! (Hebrews 7:27) These sacrifices were required to be made daily and repeatedly. That’s precisely why Christ was not from the Levitical priesthood! He is a High Priest after Melchisedec! (Hebrews 7:24–28) Christ was not a sinner. Christ does not have to offer sacrifices daily. Christ is a High Priest forever because He lives forever and makes intercession for us. Perfection could never come from the Levitical priesthood; it could only come from a different priesthood, and a different priest. Our perfection comes from our High Priest, the Lord Jesus Christ!

Melchisedec – Who is this “mysterious” person? Please allow me to simply lay out the facts that Hebrews 7 reveals concerning him:

• He is the King of Righteousness. (7:2a)
• He is the King of Salem, or the King of Peace. (7:2b)
• He is the Priest of the Most High God. (7:1)
• He has no father, mother, or descent. (7:3a)
• He has no beginning or end. (7:3b)
• He is great. (7:4a)
• He receives tithes. (7:4b)
• He receives worship. (7:1d)
• He is without sin. (7:27)

Obviously, Melchisedec was on Old Testament appearance of the One of whom this simple list perfectly describes! He is, no doubt, none other than our very Lord Jesus Christ!

God also reveals something very interesting in chapter 8. He informs us that the sanctuary and tabernacle of the old covenant were merely a “shadow” of the real sanctuary and tabernacle inhabited by God in the heavens. We may need to take a minute to get our heads wrapped around the concept of a shadow, and how it relates to the point Paul is trying to get us to see. Obviously, we all know what a shadow is. A shadow a basic representation of something tangible and real. It can form a general outline of something; it can help a person identify what a particular thing is—whether it be a person, a tree, a bicycle, a car, etc. But one thing a shadow is not, and never can be, is the real thing! Can you imagine someone wanting to have a conversation with your shadow? That sounds ridiculous; but it’s exactly God’s point! He’s trying to get the Hebrews to recognize that they were still caught up worshipping in the shadows of the earthly representation of the tabernacle and sanctuary that were intended to merely point them to the reality of Christ!

But recognize that this wasn’t just a 1^st century, Jewish problem! Many Jews and Gentiles in the 21^st century do the same thing today, by not realizing that religion is merely a SHADOW, and that there is nothing REAL in religion. Oh, it may make people feel better to go to church, to give their money, to do good works, to sing nice songs, or to be the best person they can possibly be, but none of these “shadows” can change the “reality” of their sin! Tragically, many people today still embrace the SHADOW instead of embracing the REALITY, Jesus Christ!

The old covenant revealed within itself, that it was not of itself, sufficient. The holy of holies in the old covenant could only be entered into one time per year on the Day of Atonement. This revealed that the way into the holiest of all (God’s tabernacle, not the earthly one) was not yet revealed. It was simply a figure, or a shadow imposed by the law until what Paul calls in chapter 9 and verse 10, the “time of reformation”. Notice, none of the work carried out by the High Priest of the Old Testament could even perfect his own conscience, much less the conscience of the rest of the people. But then the “time of reformation” did come—and we’re not talking about the time of Martin Luther! We’re talking about the time when the REAL High Priest showed up… an EVERLASTING High Priest… the High Priest of the TRUE tabernacle! The blood offered by this High Priest was not the blood of bulls and goats, but was His very OWN blood, the blood of GOD! His sacrifice can purge our conscience, and His blood established a new covenant!

Oh, how much greater is this new covenant than the old one! The blood of bulls and goats (or anything else!) never could, never can, and never will be able to take away sin. But the blood and sacrifice of the new covenant is different, because it was offered by a different High Priest! This Priest, this man, the “God-man”, the Lord Jesus Christ, offered ONE sacrifice for sins forever! There is no other sacrifice needed. There is no other sacrifice required by God. Any other sacrifice we attempt to offer becomes an affront to God, because what it actually says is that we don’t believe the sacrifice of His Son was sufficient.

But let’s get this down into the practical application of where we live. Sometimes after we fall prey to sin, we unwittingly add to Christ’s sacrifice by doing things like attempting to feel really, really bad about our sin (a form of the unbiblical practice of the Roman Catholic penance). At other times when we’ve sinned against God, we think we can “sacrifice” for it by giving more… or reading more… or praying more… witnessing more, or promising to do better the next time. But, do you realize how much all of these “sacrifices” actually accomplish concerning our sin? NOTHING! Absolutely nothing! We can’t add anything or take anything away from Christ’s one sacrifice! We must trust His sacrifice, and His sacrifice alone… not our own sacrifice, or anything we may attempt to add to the gift of Christ’s sacrifice! This is precisely why the false gospel that is preached by Roman Catholicism cannot save. It is a message that says Christ is still being sacrificed for sin (the mass), and it is a message that says that although you’re forgiven, you must still pay for your sin (purgatory). May we simply trust the once-for-all sacrifice offered by our perfect High Priest, rest completely in Him, and the forgiveness of sin found in Him. May we proclaim the message of the new covenant so that others may get out of the SHADOWS and into the REALITY of Christ!

OVERVIEW:

Comparing Christ to the angels; comparing Christ to Moses; comparing Christ as our high priest to the priests of the Old Testament; comparing our rest in Christ to the rest of the “promised land”.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The book of Hebrews begins a section of the New Testament that often causes people problems. A mistake that is very easy to make, and is very often made when believers read the word of God, is viewing everything they read through “Christian” glasses. Christian glasses aren’t a bad thing when you’re reading a book that is addressed to the local church (or a leader of a local church), but they can pose some pretty serious doctrinal problems if you leave them on when reading other books of the New or Old Testament.

Like the Gospels, because the book of Hebrews is found in the New Testament, most people leave their “local church/Christian” glasses on while reading this book. That is an invitation to doctrinal disaster. One of the things that will clear up about 90% of the difficulties found in the book of Hebrews is simply asking ourselves, “To whom was the book of HEBREWS written?” Was it a local church? No. Was it a pastor of a local church? No. How about Gentiles? Good guess, but, no. Could it have been Hebrews? Yes! The book of Hebrews was written to Hebrews.

Remember, in terms of “rightly dividing the word of truth,” the Jews/nation of Israel is the “ancient landmark” that must be kept in place lest you enter “the fields of the fatherless”. Not recognizing that Paul is specifically addressing “Hebrews” in the book of HEBREWS (!!!) will make study of this book a “fatherless field”.

The twofold theme of the book of Hebrews is:

• The SUPERIORITY of CHRIST
• The NEW COVENANT compared to the OLD COVENANT.

The key word in this book is the word “BETTER. We have…

• A BETTER testament (7:22)
• A BETTER covenant (8:6)
• BETTER promises (8:6)
• A BETTER sacrifice (9:23)
• BETTER blood (12:24)
• BETTER substance (10:34)
• A BETTER hope (7:19)
• A BETTER country (11:16)
• BETTER resurrection. (11:35)

The word BETTER also provides an easy breakdown of the book:

• Christ is BETTER than the Angels. (Chapters 1-2)
• Christ is BETTER than Moses. (Chapter 3)
• Christ is BETTER than Joshua. (Chapter 4)
• Christ is a BETTER High Priest. (Chapters 5-7)
• Christ established a BETTER Covenant. (Chapters 8-13)

HISTORICALLY, the book of Hebrews was written to reveal the establishment of the new covenant by Jesus Christ. This book is actually the written form of what the Apostle Paul did when entering cities for the first time to proclaim the gospel. Acts 17:2-3 reveals that Paul’s standard operating procedure, when entering into a city, was to first go to the Jewish synagogue and reason from the scriptures how that Christ was the Messiah. In those synagogues, obviously, Paul would have been speaking predominantly to “Hebrews”.

DOCTRINALLY (or PROPHETICALLY), the book of Hebrews is written for the benefit of Jews during the Tribulation Period. We know from Romans 11 that God is not finished dealing with the nation of Israel. As we’ve discussed previously, on God’s timetable we are presently living in a “parenthesis” called the Church Age. After the rapture of the church, God will once again deal directly with the nation of Israel. If you were a Jew in the Tribulation, and you realized that you and your people had missed the Messiah when Christ came the first time, as you look through the table of contents for the New Testament, as you see the names of the books listed there, what book do you think you would be most inclined to read? How about the one addressed specifically to YOU? The book of HEBREWS!

DEVOTIONALLY (or INSPIRATIONALLY), however, we can still learn a tremendous amount about the new covenant and Christ’s sacrifice for us, even though the book of Hebrews is not written directly “to” us (the Church). The book also clearly reveals how Christ is the reality of the pictures and types contained in the Old Testament, as well as some of the clearest teaching on the effectiveness of Christ’s sacrifice; how that from God’s perspective, it was the “one sacrifice for sins for ever!” Hallelujah! So, the book has a very “profitable” practical application for us! (2^nd Timothy 3:16)

There are three clear warning passages contained in the first six chapters of Hebrews. They are as follows:

• Chapter 2, verses 1–4
• Chapter 3 and verse 7 through Chapter 4 and verse 13
• Chapter 5 and verse 11 through Chapter 6 and verse 20

These warning passages are usually a place where many well-meaning people lose their neck. HISTORICALLY, these passages apply in two ways:

First, to those Hebrews that had already placed their faith in Christ, these passages are an exhortation to hold fast to that faith. This would be similar to the teaching we see in Galatians, where Paul actually calls believers “foolish”, even though they had trusted Christ.

Second, to those Hebrews who had not placed their faith in Christ alone, these warnings serve as a call to salvation. These unbelieving Hebrews needed to realize that Christ is the fulfillment of what they believed was true (the Old Testament), and that they needed to embrace the new covenant Christ had established.

DOCTRINALLY (Prophetically), these warning passages will serve in the future as an exhortation to Hebrews during the Tribulation Period to remain true to Christ and endure until the end. This corresponds to Christ’s teaching in Matthew 24:13, that those who endure until the end shall be saved. As we saw in Matthew 24, the context of that passage is not the Church Age, but rather, the time immediately preceding the Second Coming of Christ, the Tribulation Period.

OVERVIEW:

Titus: Order and authority in the local church (chapter 1); sound doctrine for the people of the local church (chapter 2); the biblical way to deal with heretics (chapter 3).

Philemon: The Apostle Paul’s letter to his friend Philemon regarding his unfaithful slave Onesimus, asking him to forgive and accept Onesimus back into his house, not just as a slave, but as a brother in the Lord.

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Titus was a man that the apostle Paul often relied upon in clutch situations because he possessed two tremendous character qualities: he was trustworthy and faithful. Oh, that God would help us to possess those simple but wonderful characteristics! In fact, in 2^nd Corinthians 8:23, Paul referred to Titus as his “partner and fellow-helper” in the work of the Lord. Coming from Paul, those are very powerful words of affirmation.

This letter from Paul to Titus was written to give instruction on how to strengthen and establish the young churches on the island of Crete. Paul wanted to make sure that Titus dealt with the Cretians, who, Paul says, were known for being liars, evil, and lazy. (Titus 1:11) How’s that for political correctness?!

One of the key things we learn in this letter is the qualifications for leaders in the church. It should be noted that every believer has been commanded, in other places in the New Testament, to possess each of these character qualities that Paul lists in 1:6–9. What Paul is demanding here, though, is that a man who holds the office of a bishop (pastor) not only “SHOULD” possess these qualities, he “MUST” possess them! They are the biblical requirements and prerequisites for holding the office, and we must be certain that these biblical qualifications are upheld in the local church. A church is destined to become carnal and spiritually deficient when the leaders do not meet their biblical qualifications, and/or do not walk in “true holiness” (Ephesians 4:23) as an example to the flock.

This letter also teaches us the absolute necessity of teaching sound doctrine. Paul gives a very sobering reason: “For there are many unruly and vain talkers and deceivers.” We would do well to recognize that if there were “many” deceptive carriers of false doctrine in the 1^st century, just how “MANY” there must be in the 21^st century! Paul clearly taught us that “evil men and seducers shall wax worse and worse”! (2^nd Timothy 3:13) In other words, false teachers would progressively increase throughout the course of history, not decrease!

It’s also interesting to note Paul’s answer to the dilemma of false teachers. It is that pastors “hold fast the faithful word as they have been taught, that they may be able by sound doctrine both to exhort and to convince the gainsayers.” (Titus 1:9) Paul even goes on to say that the mouths of these false teachers “must be stopped”! Oh, how we desperately need the men who lead our churches to be able to do that themselves, and equip the flock to do the same! (Titus 1:11)

The sound doctrine of which Paul was referring that pastors are to teach is found in chapters 2 and 3. In chapter 2, Paul lays out sound doctrine for older men, older women, younger women, younger men and servants. In chapter 3, Paul commands Titus to remind all in the church of their past sinful condition, and the amazing kindness and love that God has shown to all of them. He also very clearly lays out the biblical method for dealing with heretics, or those who do not hold and/or teach sound doctrine. His instruction is very simply, admonish them two times, and if they continue to hold and/or to teach false doctrine, put them out. (Titus 3:10–11)

Paul ends the letter with a reminder to all of us to “learn to maintain good works” so that we do not become unfruitful. (Titus 3:14) An unfruitful Christian is very simply a contradiction.

Additional highlights from Paul’s letter to Titus:

• Be very discerning, because false teachers profess that they know God, and can present a very spiritual-looking front. (Titus 1:16) Upon closer examination, however, it will be revealed that they actually deny God with the life that they live. In the end, it isn’t their profession that will matter, only God’s! Jesus said in Matthew 7:23, “And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.”
• The same grace that “SAVES” us, also “TEACHES” us to live soberly, righteously, and godly in this present world. (Titus 2:11-12) That’s why Paul said in Romans 6:1-2, “Shall we continue in sin that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we that are dead to sin live any longer therein?” If we live with the constant reminder of what Jesus did for us when He saved us from our sin, we will then stand daily in awe of His grace, and sin will no longer have dominion over us. Quite simply, that’s how grace teaches us to live a life that is pleasing to our Savior!

As we also consider today the book of Philemon, God paints for us, in this brief book of the Bible, a beautiful picture of grace, mercy, and forgiveness. Philemon was a personal friend of Paul that he apparently had the privilege of leading to the Lord. (vs. 19) One of Philemon’s slaves, a man by the name of Onesimus, had apparently stolen from his master and fled to Rome. As is often the case, one sin leads to another, so for an unidentified reason, Onesimus finds himself imprisoned in Rome. It is in this Roman prison that Paul meets Onesimus, and has the privilege of leading him to the Lord. Paul realized that if Onesimus would ever be all that God intended him to be, he would need to make things right with his master, Philemon. So, Paul writes this short letter to his friend and fellow-believer, Philemon, asking him not only to receive Onesimus back into his house as a “slave”, but now, as a “brother” in the Lord!

Note some of the incredible pictures God paints for us through the three main characters in this letter to Philemon:

1. PHILEMON is a picture of God the Father:

* He was righteous. (vs. 7 c.f. Jeremiah 23:6)

* He was wealthy. (vs. 2, 7, 11 c.f. Haggai 2:8)

* The church was his habitation. (vs. 2 c.f. Ephesians 2:22)

* He was a caring householder. (vs. 2, 5, 7 c.f. Ephesians 2:19)

* He had been violated. (vs. 11, 18-19 c.f. Romans 3:23)

* He was the legal owner. (vs. 16 c.f. 1^st Corinthians 6:20)

• ONESIMUS is a picture of us, as redeemed sinners:

* He was a slave. (vs.16 c.f. Romans 7:14)

* He was an unprofitable servant. (vs.11 c.f. Matthew 25:30; Romans 5:12)

* He desired freedom. (vs. 15 c.f. Genesis 3:1-6)

* His quest for freedom found him imprisoned. (vs. 10 c.f. Romans 6:17)

* In desperation, he received God’s liberating grace! (vs. 11 c.f. Ephesians 2:8-9)

• PAUL is a picture of Jesus Christ:

* He was a prisoner on behalf of the gospel. (vs. 10 c.f. Isaiah 53:8; John 18:28)

* He intercedes to the wealthy householder for the unprofitable servant. (vs.10-11 c.f. Hebrews 7:25)

* He will do nothing without the householder’s permission. (vs. 14 c.f. John 6:38)

* He was willing and able to pay the servant’s debt. (vs. 18-19 c.f. 1^st Timothy 2:6)

* He asks that the violator be received just as he would be received. (vs. 12, 17 c.f. Romans 8:17)

* He secures for the restored a place to dwell. (vs. 22 c.f. John 14:1-2)

* He soon returns to the householder. (vs. 22 c.f. John 14:5)

Wow! What a book! May it cause us to stand in awe of our God today! (Psalm 33:8)

OVERVIEW:

Important reminders regarding faith, fear, and holding fast sound words in the last days (chapter 1); responsibilities of believers in the last days (chapter 2); the realities of living in the apostasy of the last days (chapter 3); the apostle Paul’s final charge to preach the word in the last days (chapter 4).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

This second letter to Timothy records the last words that Paul ever communicated under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit. It was written from a prison in Rome (Mamertine Prison) where Paul was being held as he awaited execution for preaching Christ during the reign of the cruel Roman Emperor, Nero, who hated Christians and Christianity!

Paul had obviously been arrested again since the writing of his first letter to Timothy in 65 A.D. The New Testament gives little detail as to Paul’s ministry between these two imprisonments, but what we can conclude from scripture is that he went to Nicopolis (Titus 3:12) and then to Troas (4:13), where he had left his cloak, some books, and the parchments (i.e. the scriptures) because of an apparent need for a quick exit. At the time of the writing of this final letter to Timothy, the time of his execution was drawing near. (2^nd Timothy 4:6) Every one of Paul’s trusted companions, with the exception of Luke, had forsaken him. (2^nd Timothy 4:11) He is lonely, but he is not in despair. (2^nd Timothy 4:17; 2^nd Corinthians 4:8-10) He has a longing in his heart to see his beloved son in the faith one last time, so he writes this letter to Timothy asking him to come to Rome as soon as possible. (4:9, 21). The thrust of this letter is Paul encouraging Timothy not to be afraid of stepping in to assume role of leadership in the ministry of the gospel and discipleship once he had been executed. (1:7-8; 2:2) We should all have at least one person to whom we could write such a letter when we are on our death bed!

Additional highlights from Paul’s second letter to Timothy:

• 1:7 – Any time we’re experiencing fear doing the work of the Lord, we can be assured that its source is not God! It’s either our own foolish insecurities and lack of faith, and/or the work of our adversary, Satan! (4:18)
• 1:12 – True believers are eternally secure because they know whom they have believed (Jesus Christ), and it is He who keeps them saved until that day, not themselves!
• 2:15 – We are commanded to “study” the word of God to make sure that we “rightly divide it.” Without diligent study, it is possible to make “wrong divisions” when interpreting the scripture, and end up twisting it to our own destruction. (Also see 2^nd Peter 3:16)
• 2:24–26 – It is imperative that we display genuine meekness when seeking to reach lost people with the gospel, realizing that they have been taken captive by Satan himself and are being held in his snare. Their only hope is through the message of the gospel that has been committed to our trust. (Also see 1^st Thessalonians 2:4)
• 3:15–17 – Paul clearly calls the Old Testament “scriptures” that Timothy had as a child “holy”, and even though they were not the “original manuscripts”, but obviously, copies of copies of copies, the “scriptures” Timothy held in his hands was the very inspired word and words of God that had the supernatural power to “perfect” and “throughly furnish” a man or woman of God “unto all good works”!
• 4:2–4 – We have many “TEACHERS” of the Bible all over the world today just as the Bible predicted, but so few “PREACHERS” of the WORD! What’s the difference between teaching and preaching? From a general standpoint it is simply this: the purpose of teaching is imparting “information”. The purpose of preaching is initiating “transformation”.

From a specific biblical standpoint, according to 2^nd Timothy 4:2–4, true biblical preaching includes four key things:

1. Preaching declares “THE WORD of GOD” to the listeners! (Preaching is not simply imparting information “from” the word, “using” the word, or “about” the word. It is imparting “THE WORD” itself! It has to do with the CONTENT of the message.)
2. Preaching “REPROVES” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CONVICTING.)
3. Preaching “REBUKES” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CONFRONTING.)
4. Preaching “EXHORTS” the listeners! (Preaching is intended by God to be CHALLENGING.)

In a nutshell, we could say that biblical preaching in the 21^st century is politically incorrect. May God give us a few fearless men to declare the light of His glorious word, even in these dark last days! And by God’s grace, may He empower us to be in that number!

OOPS! Missed this one that should have been read on Thursday!

OVERVIEW:

The preeminence of Christ (chapter 1); four warnings (chapter 2); putting off and putting on (chapter 3); real relationships (chapter 4).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

In Revelation 2 and 3, our Lord dictated to the Apostle John seven letters to seven churches in Asia Minor. They were seven churches that actually existed historically, at the time of the writing of the Revelation, and addressed actual situations that these churches were facing at that time. Students of the Bible have noted for centuries, however, that beyond just the historical aspect of these letters, there is also a prophetic aspect, or a future application. When placed into the context of the whole of the book of Revelation, the seven letters also provide for us a panoramic view of the seven stages of church history that pick up where the book of Acts leaves off in the history of the early church, and takes us all the way up to the rapture of the church, which “coincidentally” enough, is found in the book of Revelation immediately following the conclusion of the seventh and final letter to the churches. (See Revelation 4:1.)

But there is also another amazing “coincidence” that should be noted. Not only did our Lord write letters to seven churches, but the Apostle Paul also wrote letters to seven churches, or groups of churches (the church of the Romans, Corinthians, Galatians, Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians and the Thessalonians). What’s even more “coincidental”, is that if we were to take the seven letters to the churches to whom our Lord wrote, and lay them next to the seven letters to the churches to whom Paul wrote, we would find an amazing similarity of content. Certainly, the most obvious connection would be our Lord’s letter to the Laodiceans, and the letter we’ll be looking at today: Paul’s letter to the Colossians. In fact, the only time other than Revelation 3:14-22 that the word “Laodicea” is found in the Bible is the book of Colossians, where it just happens to be found five times! The thing to take away from this observation is that though the book of Colossians was written to address specific situations taking place in that church when the Spirit of God inspired Paul to write it, and though it has certainly had application for every local church in every period of church history, there is also a very specific application of that letter to the church of Jesus Christ in the Laodicean Church Period (approximately 1901 to the Rapture).

Interestingly enough, when we observe the issues that the Spirit of God inspired the Apostle Paul to address when writing to the church that existed historically in Colossae in approximately 62 A.D., they could not possibly have a more specific and direct application to the issues the church of Jesus Christ has dealt with during the Laodicean Period. You may want to just make a mental note to yourself, that when dealing with doctrinal and/or practical issues in the church in the last days, a good place to begin looking for answers is the book of Colossians!

But to understand some of the historical context of this letter, recognize that as Paul writes to the Colossians, he is sitting in a prison cell in Rome. This is the first of two times he would be imprisoned in Rome; the second time would end in his death. Something interesting about this letter is that it is addressed to a church to which Paul had not personally planted, and in a city to which he had never personally been. You’ll notice in chapter 1 and verse 4, Paul says to the Church in Colossae, that he and Timothy “heard of your faith in Christ Jesus.” In chapter 2 and verse 1, Paul says to them, “For I would that ye knew what great conflict I have for you, and for them at Laodicea, and for as many as have not seen my face in the flesh.” That surfaces, then, these obvious questions:

• How did the church in Colossae get planted?
• Why was Paul writing to them?

Even though Paul had never spent any time in Colossae or Laodicea, he had spent a great amount of time in a city about 100 miles away; a city that served as one of the three main bases for his ministry; the city of Ephesus. Paul went to Ephesus on his third missionary journey, and spent three years preaching and teaching there (Acts 20:31). It was here that Paul’s ministry actually began to explode. So much so, that when Luke wrote about this time in Paul’s ministry in Acts 19:10, he says that in the first two years of being there, “all they which dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks.” That’s pretty astounding!

Obviously, as these people from all over Asia Minor would come to Ephesus to hear the gospel, many would then carry it back with them to their home towns. During this time, there was evidently a group of men from the city of Colossae who had come to Ephesus and had received the Lord under Paul’s ministry, and had gone back to home to be used of God to start the church in Colossae. A man named Epaphras (1:7; 4:12), a man named Philemon (Philemon 1), along with two other men, Apphia and Archippus (Philemon 2). From the things Paul says concerning Epaphras, it is obvious that he was the one who served as the pastor of this young church. Paul says in 1:6-7 that the Colossians had come to faith from what they “learned of Epaphras, our dear fellowservant, who is FOR YOU A FAITHFUL MINISTER OF CHRIST.” Later in chapter 4 and verse 12, Paul writes to the church in Colossae and says, “Epaphras, who is one of you, a servant of Christ, saluteth you, always laboring fervently for you in prayers, that ye may stand perfect and complete in all the will of God.”

It would appear, that as this young pastor was seeking to shepherd this young flock, that even in the midst of all of the wonderful blessings of God upon the church in the lives of the Colossians (1:4-6, 8), there were also some things that were extremely troubling and unsettling to him. They were of such magnitude in Epaphras’ mind, that he felt it necessary to make the 1000-mile journey to Rome, where Paul was imprisoned, to learn from him how to address these dangers that were threatening the spiritual well-being of the church.

Evidently, Paul felt that the issues that Epaphras had informed him that had arisen in the church, were significant enough to receive apostolic attention, and so he immediately commences the writing of the letter to the church, sending it with Tychicus and Onesimus (4:7–8), while Epaphras remained in Rome with Paul for further tutelage and discipleship. Basically, in chapters 1 and 2, Paul writes to the church and says, “Your pastor has told me about some of the incredible things that are happening in your lives and in your church, and I’m blessed beyond measure! But let me warn you about some things:

2:4 – ‘Don’t allow ‘any man [to] beguile you with enticing words.’

2:8 – ‘Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.’

2:16 – ‘Let no man therefore judge you in meat, or in drink, or in respect of an holyday, or of the new moon, or of the sabbath days.’

2:18 – ‘Let no man beguile you of your reward in a voluntary humility and worshipping of angels, intruding into those things which he hath not seen, vainly puffed up by his fleshly mind.’”

After addressing these DOCTRINAL issues in chapters 1 and 2, Paul then addresses PRACTICAL issues in chapters 3 and 4. The overarching theme of these two chapters is RELATIONSHIPS.

• Our RELATIONSHIP with the LORD. 3:1–17
• Our RELATIONSHIP with those in our FAMILY. 3:18–21
• Our RELATIONSHIP with those with whom we WORK. 3:22–4:1
• Our RELATIONSHIP with the LOST WORLD. 4:2–6
• Our RELATIONSHIP with those in the CHURCH. 4:2–18

For those of us who know the Lord, note that the relationships Paul addresses in these two chapters encompass every relationship we have and provides us the practical principles we need for maintaining these relationships biblically.

OVERVIEW:

The proper use of the law of God (chapter 1); the power of prayer and the place of women in the local church (chapter 2); the qualifications for church leaders (chapter 3); the contrast between false and faithful teachers (chapter 4); the responsibilities of the members of a local church (chapter 5); sound advice from God to servants, false teachers, the rich, and the educated (chapter 6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

The book of 1^st Timothy is the first of three New Testament books referred to as “Pastoral Epistles”, the others being 2^nd Timothy and Titus. These books are obviously called “Pastoral Epistles” because they are addressed to pastors of local churches, and have to do with conducting the affairs in the church as the “under-shepherds” of Christ’s flock, the Lord Jesus Christ, of course, being the Chief Shepherd. (1^st Peter 5:1–3) The instruction in these letters is very specific, and most certainly deals with situations pastors will encounter in carrying out their biblical office. But whether we are a pastor or not, don’t miss that these letters have incredibly practical ramifications for each of our lives and ministries! Just as surely as these letters have tremendous application for those who hold the office of a pastor in a local church, recognize that God intends every member of every local church to have a “pastoral mindset” toward the other members of the church, as well as toward the work of Christ in and through the church!

Recognize also that the Pastoral Epistles also present a great model for understanding the relationship God intends to exist between a disciple and discipler. Paul’s relationship with Timothy, and Timothy’s relationship with Paul, paint one of the most graphic pictures of real discipleship in the entire New Testament. Sure, Timothy had been given the responsibility of holding the office of pastor in the church at Ephesus, but it’s also important to recognize that he was also an individual member of the body of Christ. He is a real person, with real weaknesses, real problems, and real struggles just like everybody else. So, understand, God placed the books in the Bible that we refer to as the Pastoral Epistles not just to provide information for pastors, but to provide every believer practical instruction concerning being a follower (disciple) of Christ, from either side of a discipling relationship.

As we move into 1^st Timothy today, keep in mind that Timothy was the son of a father who was a Greek, and a mother who was a Jew. (Acts 16:1-3) His mother’s name was Eunice and his grandmother’s name, Lois. (2^nd Timothy 1:5) He resided in Lystra (Acts 16:1-2; 20:4) where he was raised in the knowledge of the scriptures. (2^nd Timothy 3:15)

Upon visiting Timothy’s hometown of Lystra, on his second missionary journey, Paul was impressed with Timothy’s testimony in his local church, and felt impressed to invite him to join he and Silas as a part of their missionary team. Keep in mind that this invitation was extended to Timothy immediately following Paul’s conflict with Barnabas concerning the fact that Paul didn’t want John Mark to be included on his missionary team because he was too young, too fearful, and because he still had quite a way to go in the process of discipleship. (Acts 15:36-41) Because God is sovereign, and because He obviously has a sense of humor, He turns right around and gives Paul a fearful young man, who still had quite a way to go in the process of discipleship, to be a part of his missionary team! Just file into your head, that when we refuse to learn the lessons from the situations God has placed in our lives, He will recreate similar circumstances until we learn them!

To catch the real heart of this letter, recognize a few pertinent details:

• Paul most likely led Timothy to Christ when he and Barnabas came to Lystra on their first missionary journey. (Acts 14:5-7; 1^st Timothy 1:2, 18; 2^nd Timothy 1:2, 2:1; 1^st Corinthians 4:17)
• Timothy became Paul’s most trusted companion and friend, and Paul used him for some of the toughest assignments in dealing with various situations that arose in various churches. (1^st Thessalonians 3:1-7; 1^st Corinthians 4:16-17)
• Paul goes on in scripture to describe Timothy as a selfless individual, one with whom he was completely likeminded, and viewed serving with him as a father would with his own son. (Philippians 2:19–22)
• Timothy struggled with the problem of fear (1^st Corinthians 16:10; 2^nd Timothy 1:7), which probably led to his stomach problems and other physical infirmities that Paul mentions in chapter 5 and verse 23.
• Paul wrote this letter because he felt the need to give young Timothy some encouragement to stay in the battle as a good soldier, and to war a good warfare (1:18) in the midst of false teachers and backsliding believers in the church at Ephesus. (1:3-4, 19-20)

Keep in mind, Paul himself had invested three solid years in this church at Ephesus (Acts 20:31) and had an intense love for them. (Acts 20:37-38) Paul writes to Timothy to encourage him to stay at Ephesus and fulfill his role and responsibility as the church’s pastor, in spite of the difficulties he faced. Paul had warned the Ephesian elders that false teachers would both enter and arise out of the church, and now that it had happened, Paul felt confident that Timothy was the man for the job of shutting the mouths of the false teachers and protecting the flock of God in that church. (1:3; 4:7; 6:17)

This letter was written from Laodicea (see AV 1611 postscript) and sent to Timothy in Ephesus between Paul’s two imprisonments in Rome. It is interesting to note that Paul desired Timothy to stay in Ephesus, a place that was “fully purposed” to do God’s work (note that the word Ephesus means “fully purposed”—Revelation 2:1-2), rather than join him in Laodicea (where the Christians felt they had “rights”—Revelation 3:14-18). Paul knew where God’s work could most effectively be accomplished. Practically speaking, we would do well in this age if we would just “stay in Ephesus”, as opposed to “living and loving Laodicea”.

Note some other additional highlights from Paul’s first letter to young Timothy:

• 1:1–2 reveal that Christ is four things to those of us who know Him. He is…

* Our SAVIOR.

* Our HOPE.

* Our FATHER.

* Our LORD.

• 1:8–10 reveal that the lawful use of God’s law is two-fold:

* To reveal what sin is. (Romans 5:20, 7:7)

* To bring us to Jesus Christ. (Galatians 3:21-24).

• 1:16 reveals that Paul’s life of longsuffering is the pattern for our lives. (2^nd Corinthians 11:23-28)
• 1:18–20 reveal that standing for truth will sometimes require the politically incorrect practice of naming the names of those who are disobedient and that teach false doctrine.
• 2:1 reveals that as believers, prayer is the “first” thing we should do to maintain a close relationship with God.
• 2:5 reveals that no mediator (“middle-man”) other than CHRIST can bring us and/or our prayers to the Father. Not Mary. Not the saints. Not a priest. ONLY Christ!
• 3:16 reveals that God was manifest (i.e. shown to us; revealed) in the flesh and it is “WITHOUT CONTROVERSY”! The way we might say that today is that there are “no ifs, ands, or buts about it!” Or, “You can take that to the bank!” (1^st Corinthians 15:1-8)
• 4:11–12a reveal that we should refuse to be intimidated by those who insinuate that perhaps we’re too young to be doing God’s work. Regardless of our age, we are to preach and teach God’s truth with charity, purity, humility, and authority!
• 6:5–9 reveal that the desire for more will end up fooling and hurting you.
• 6:20 reveals that we are to “avoid oppositions of SCIENCE falsely so called.” Note: Evolution is called “science,” but it is actually a religion:

* By faith, Christians believe, “In the beginning GOD…”

* By faith, evolutionists believe, “In the beginning DIRT…”

IN ORDER TO COMPLETE THE READING THIS YEAR, PLAN TO READ THE NEXT DEVOTIONAL AND SCRIPTURES TOMORROW (SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14^TH).

OVERVIEW:

A model church (1^st Thessalonians 1); a model of discipleship (1^st Thessalonians 2); a model of faith (1^st Thessalonians 3); a model walk (1^st Thessalonians 4-5); comfort in tribulation (2^nd Thessalonians 1); clarification in teaching (2^nd Thessalonians 2); content on various topics (2^nd Thessalonians 3).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we noted yesterday, there is a definite connection between the seven letters our Lord wrote to the seven churches in Revelation 2–3, and the seven letters to the seven churches to whom Paul wrote. The most obvious, of course, is the connection between Paul’s letter to the church of Colossae, and our Lord’s letter to the church of Laodicea. We saw that the things Paul addressed in his letter to the church in Colossae, have a very relevant and pertinent application to the church of Jesus Christ during the Laodicean church period (from approximately 1901 until the Rapture).

What is obviously more than a coincidence is the fact that immediately following the book of Colossians (again, the letter with specific application to the church in the last days), God placed into the canon of Scripture the two letters to the Thessalonians. Do you know what these two letters “just happen” to specifically address? The two key events of the last days: the Rapture and the Second Coming! It is the exact sequence that is followed in the book of Revelation! Because in the book of Revelation, as soon as our Lord concludes His letter to the Laodiceans in chapter 3, immediately in chapter 4, heaven opens, there is a sound of a trumpet, a voice saying, “Come up hither,” and John is catapulted forward in time to experience the Rapture. As he is caught up into heaven, in chapters 4 and 5 he describes the scene of the raptured church in heaven, and then in chapters 6 through 19, he describes the events on the earth following the Rapture, and provides us with four accounts of the Second Coming of Christ!

As we put together all of these details, what becomes apparent is that the books of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians are the letters the Holy Spirit inspired to teach the church about HOW TO BE PREPARED FOR THE LORD’S COMING. In fact, notice that each of the five chapters of 1^st Thessalonians end with a reference to the coming of the Lord! (1:10; 2:19; 3:13: 4:13-17; 5:23)

But what also becomes very clear, as we read through the content of these letters, is that though they deal with the PROPHETIC EVENTS concerning the last days, Paul wants to be sure that we don’t approach the Rapture and the Second Coming of Christ as mere doctrines to contemplate or to discuss in a Bible Study, or truths that we simply allow to tantalize our intellect or imagination, but as biblical realities that affect the way we LIVE! He wants to be sure that we allow these PROPHETIC events to be translated into PRACTICAL spiritual living! Based on the content of the letters of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians, we could actually refer to these books as a “How-To Manual” for how we are to live our lives in the last days. They provide us the practical things we need to make sure we’re emphasizing in these last days, as well as how we’re approaching the Lord’s work, so that we can be as effective as possible.

It’s also worth noting that whereas each chapter of 1^st Thessalonians ends with a reference concerning the Lord’s coming, each chapter of 2^nd Thessalonians ends with a reference concerning grace. (1:12; 2:16; 3:18) Obviously, the practical point Paul is making is that, as we labor in these dark last days prior to our Lord’s coming, we need to be sure that we both apply and rely upon the grace of God that He promised would be “sufficient” through “infirmities, in reproaches, in necessities, in persecutions, [and] in distresses.” (2^nd Corinthians 12:9-10)

Two other things, worth noting from the biblical CONTEXT and CONTENT of these two books, have to do with:

1. Our Philosophy of Leadership.

It is interesting to note that the letters written to teach the church about effective ministry in the last days as we prepare for the Lord’s coming just happen to be the only letters in the New Testament that were written as a TEAM EFFORT. Did you realize that the books of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians were actually written by three human authors: Paul, Silvanus (Silas), and Timotheous (Timothy)? (1^st Thessalonians 1:1; 2^nd Thessalonians 1:1) In Paul’s other letters to the churches, he will mention those who are with him in his greeting, but he will immediately kick into the first person singular, and use the personal pronoun “I” throughout the remainder of the letter. As we read through 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians, there’s certainly no getting around the fact that it is the obvious writing style of Paul.

These books definitely reflect his personality and vocabulary, but what’s unique about these two books is that after mentioning that Silas and Timothy are with him in the greeting, as he gets into the body of the letters, he consistently writes in the first-person plural, using the plural pronouns “we” and “us”. There are a few places in the midst of these two letters where his apostolic authority surfaces and he uses the word “I”, but by and large, all throughout 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians, Paul models for us what is the most effective PHILOSOPHY of LEADERSHIP in the last days, and that is, LEADING as a part of a TEAM! Paul, Silas, and Timothy were a unit. Paul was definitely the leader of the leaders, but they were committed to teamwork. What we need to learn from their example is that if we’re going to be effective in carrying out the job the Lord has for us in the last days through our local churches, we must work together as a team, and that teamwork must flow out of the leadership. Not only does a team approach to ministry provide accountability (Proverbs 11:14), it also provides wisdom and safety. (Proverbs 15:22; 24:6)

2. The Priority of Lordship.

It’s also interesting to note that 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians begin very similarly: “Paul and Silvanus, and Timotheous, unto the church of the Thessalonians which is in God the Father and in the LORD JESUS CHRIST.” (1^st Thessalonians 1:1; 2^nd Thessalonians 1:1) Notice, he doesn’t simply say “in Jesus Christ”, but, “in the LORD Jesus Christ.” Now, certainly, the phrase “the LORD JESUS CHRIST” is not an unfamiliar phrase, or a phrase that is unique to 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians. In fact, the phrase is actually used 81 times in the New Testament. What is noteworthy, however, is that 20 out of the 81 times that this title is used, it is in the books of 1^st and 2^nd Thessalonians! Twenty times! Far more than any other book of the New Testament, or pair of books in the New Testament. Interestingly enough, almost 25% of the time the phrase is found, it is found in the eight chapters of these two little books!

Now, from the HISTORICAL context, Acts 17:7 makes clear why Paul so emphasizes this phrase. Jesus being presented as the “Lord”, or “King”, was the very issue that got the city of Thessalonica so stirred up when Paul, Silas, and Timothy went there to present Christ and His gospel in the first place! It would only stand to reason that when they wrote back to them, they would continue to emphasize that theme.

But in the BIBLICAL context, remembering that these are the books that the Spirit of God inspired to teach us about how to be the most effective in the last days, it becomes obvious that God is trying to let us know that it is now more important than ever that people understand WHO Jesus Christ is, and the position He wants to have in His church collectively and in our lives personally, as LORD! Revelation 3:14-22 lets us know that Christ’s Lordship in the church in the last days is so far from a reality that He is actually standing on the outside of the church knocking, waiting for us to open the door.

As we read these two incredible books today, two questions we may need to consider asking ourselves:

• Does my life reflect the fact that I am submitted to Christ’s LORDSHIP?
• Am I a part of the ministry TEAM of my local church?

OVERVIEW:

Christ our LIFE (chapter 1); Christ our PATTERN (chapter 2); Christ our RIGHTEOUSNESS (chapter 3); Christ our SUFFICIENCY (chapter 4).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

As we get started in the book of Philippians, let’s take a few minutes to talk about the THEME of the book. What is this book really about? What was God’s purpose in putting the book of Philippians into the canon of scripture? Just how are we to determine that?

One of the best pieces of advice I’ve ever received in terms of Bible study is simply, “Learn to emphasize what God emphasizes.” God doesn’t have a volume control on His voice (i.e. His word) that He uses when He wants to accentuate a particular principle or concept. Nor does He provide a highlighter to accentuate His major themes or points of emphasis to the men He was inspiring who actually wrote His words down. What God uses, to emphasize His point, is REPETITION! I said, what God uses, to emphasize His point, is REPETITION! (I thought that if it works for God, maybe it would work for me!) It is amazing the things that can be gleaned in the word of God by simply observing the repeated words, phrases, ideas and/or concepts in a passage, a chapter, or an individual book of the Bible. A great case in point, is the book of Philippians.

In this short book, the word “rejoice” (or some form of the word: rejoice, rejoiced, rejoicing), is found 12 times, and the word “joy” is found six times. As we are reading it today, recognize that this is an incredibly positive book! It is obvious that Paul had an extremely positive attitude when he wrote this letter. In fact, so positive that we might get the idea that he’s in about the third month of a six-month sabbatical, and he’s just “chillin’ out” at some incredible five-star oceanfront condo in some resort city along the Mediterranean coastline, with the sun brightly beaming down upon the beautiful terrain, while he’s leisurely sipping Frappuccinoes and eating pistachio nuts out of a hammock!

But there’s also another word that keeps popping up in this book that lets us know that that isn’t the case. It’s the word “bonds”. Paul keeps referring to his “bonds”. In fact, he talks about them four times in chapter one alone! To what he is referring is the fact that far from being in some resort hotel on the beach in some Mediterranean city, he is actually in prison, in “bonds”, or in other words, chained to a Roman guard! What’s interesting about Paul’s “sunny disposition” that shines all the way through this book, is that he was not in prison for doing something wrong. If that would have been the case, at least Paul could just face the reality that there are always consequences for wrong behavior, and he would just have to make the best of his self-inflicted consequences. The fact is, Paul had not done anything wrong. He was in bonds because of a false charge!

It wasn’t that Paul had been able to keep this incredibly cheery and positive attitude because he had only been there a couple of days, and so he was still able to keep himself psyched up, not to mention the fact that this would be an incredibly cool story for his monthly missionary letter! No, check this out…by the time of the writing of this letter, Paul had been in bonds for five whole years!

We might also want to factor into Paul’s impeccable attitude, that it also wasn’t that Paul was over-the-hill, and had already passed his window of effectiveness anyway, so where he rode out his waning years was of no real consequence. No, when he was cast into this prison, his ministry was at its absolute pinnacle! These five years he had been in prison should have been the best and most productive years of his entire ministry! Yet, day after day, he’s in bonds, chained to a Roman guard.

Oh, and don’t miss this—it wasn’t that he was in prison because that dirty, nasty devil had caused lost people to lie about Paul, and orchestrate some devious plot to have him cast into prison. No, he’s there because of GOSSIP! That’s right, gossip. Gossip that began and spread amongst Christians, nonetheless! (You can read all about it in Acts 21.) He is in prison because of a rumor that was being spread by believing Jews, who were still hanging on to, and were zealous for, the law. Wow! Knowing he was there because of gossiping Christians would seem to make his situation even more difficult to come to grips with! But that’s why he’s there!

I’m going through all of these things to make sure we understand that there was absolutely no human explanation for Paul to have the attitude of rejoicing that he has as he’s writing this letter! He has every right, humanly, to be bitter, angry, disillusioned, frustrated, depressed, and worried. It’s important to note, because chances are real good, that in some way, shape, or form, every one of us feels, at least to some degree, that we’re in a prison. Not necessarily a prison with bars, as in Paul’s case, but a “prison” nonetheless. Perhaps there are things that have taken place in your life that have left you feeling that you are “locked in”. They’ve “hindered” you, or “restricted” you in some way. They’ve “tied your hands”, so to speak. The bars are invisible; the chains can’t be seen with physical eyes; but they’re just as real as the ones that were restricting Paul! Perhaps you’re in a job you absolutely hate, but you see no other options, and it’s a ball and chain to you every weekday of your life. Or maybe you don’t have a job at all, and feel that you’re in a prison of a dull, unfulfilled life. Or maybe yours is a prison of loneliness. You feel imprisoned because you’re single. Or maybe on the opposite extreme, you feel imprisoned because you’re married! Or maybe like Paul, you’ve been the victim of gossip, and the hurt you have inside has left you feeling that your freedom has been taken away, and you find yourself bound by your own emotions. Or perhaps you’ve been the victim of some injustice, and your mind keeps you behind bars because you can’t stop thinking about it.

I don’t know what kind of prison you may be in with its invisible bars, but both the human writer and the divine Author of the book of Philippians want to let you know that it is possible to be in a prison, and yet find freedom and joy in life and ministry, regardless of your circumstances, no matter who was responsible for making them that way, and even if they never change! The key to living in that kind of victory is the other key point of emphasis God makes through repetition in this book: our ATTITUDE!

The word “mind” is found 10 times in this little book. The word “think” is found five times, and the word “remember” is found once. In all, 16 times God is trying to get us to see that JOY is a CHOICE we make because of right thinking, which is actually the theme of this book. Some of us have faced circumstances in our lives like those mentioned above. They have left us discouraged, depressed, and/or imprisoned. But watch how God ministers through the inspired words of this book:

In chapter 1, He tells us that we can find joy in our CIRCUMSTANCES because Christ is our LIFE. The key verse in the chapter is verse 21, where Paul says, “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.” Some of us have had people who have injured us in some way, and we wrestle with bitterness and anger.

In chapter 2, God says that we can find joy in our RELATIONSHIPS because Christ is our PATTERN. The key verse in this chapter is verse 5, which says, “Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:” Some of us wrestle with our flesh: worldliness on one hand, and good deeds on the other, but both driven by the same carnal source, the flesh!

And, in chapter 3, Paul says, we can find joy in our WALK because Christ is our RIGHTEOUSNESS. The key verse in this chapter is verse 9 where Paul says, “[That I may (verse 8)] be found in him, not having mine OWN righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith.”

Then, some of us are gripped by worry and fear. In chapter 4, Paul says that we can find joy in our ADVERSITIES because Christ is our SUFFICIENCY. The key verse in this chapter is verse 13, where Paul says, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” As you can see, the book of Philippians is an extremely practical book that addresses real-life issues, and points us toward the joy that is found in and through Christ alone. Oh, may it be ours as God ministers to us through this powerful book today!

OVERVIEW:

The believer’s position in Christ (chapter 1); the believer’s salvation by grace through faith (chapter 2); the revelation of the mystery of the church (chapter 3); the believer’s walk in the world (chapters 4-6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

There are so many things that could and should be said about the book of Ephesians, but again, this is simply not the venue for exhaustive commentary. We will only be able to establish the “big picture” of the book at best. Perhaps the best way to see the big picture of this book, is by applying it to one of the most controversial passages, not only in this book, but in the entire Bible. That passage is found in chapter 1, verses 4 and 5, where Paul says: “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before him in love: Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will.”

Now, based on where you land on the interpretation of these verses (and verses such as these), you are labeled either a “Calvinist” or an “Arminian”. Several hundred years ago, one position was popularized by John Calvin, and the other, sometime later, by a man named Jacob Arminius. The basic Arminian position, when it is used today, is that in terms of salvation, “whosoever will may come.” (Revelation 22:17) The basic Calvinist position, as it is expressed today, is that only the quote-unquote “elect”, will be saved, meaning that the only ones who will actually come to Christ are those who, in eternity past, God chose, according to His sovereign grace, to be saved.

There are many others, however, who if were asked whether they were an Arminian or a Calvinist, would answer “yes”, meaning that they believe both. Their reasoning is that in their minds, there’s no doubt about it, the Bible teaches that “whosoever will may come.” Yet, they would also say that there’s no doubt about the fact that the Bible also teaches that believers were “chosen in him before the foundation of the world.” (Ephesians 1:4) When asked how they reconcile these two seemingly contradictory statements, they may answer, as did Charles Spurgeon, “Friends don’t need to be reconciled!” They believe God put both in the Bible, and conclude, therefore, that both must be equally true, and though they don’t come together in the human mind, they certainly must come together in the mind of God, so rather than force them to come together, let’s just allow God to be God, because after all, His ways are not our ways, and His thoughts are far above our thoughts (Isaiah 55:8–9), and the secret things belong to the Lord (Deuteronomy 29:29), so let’s just accept it, and go on! This reasoning is usually followed with the illustration that goes something like: as we approach the gates of heaven, there’s a sign over the gates that says, “Whosoever will my come.” As we walk through the gates on into heaven, and we look back above them, however, the sign says, “Chosen before the foundation of the world.” That “middle-of-the-road” approach is rather convincing, and sounds pretty SPIRITUAL, and even humble, but none of those things are the real issue! The issue is always the same: Is it BIBLICAL?

So, we come to verse 4 of Ephesians 1, and what does it say? It says, “According as he hath chosen us in him before the foundation of the world.” Now, there are many people who will say to us, “C’mon! I mean, how clear can it be? My goodness, just let the Bible be the Bible!” Okay! Well, let’s do that!

First of all, let’s be sure that we recognize that if this verse is teaching that sometime before the foundation of the world, God had already chosen each of us who would be saved, then what the verse is teaching is that we we’re actually “IN CHRIST” before the foundation of the world, because the verse says, “According as He hath chosen us in Him before the foundation of the world.” Now, if we were placed “IN HIM before the foundation of the world”, it obviously poses a huge problem! Because the Bible clearly states that prior to our salvation, we were:

• “IN Adam!” (1^st Corinthians 15:22)
• “IN trespasses and sins!” (Ephesians 2:1)
• “IN the lusts of our flesh!” (Ephesians 2:3)
• “IN the world!” (Ephesians 2:12)

Are we to believe, then, that in eternity past (“before the foundation of the world”), God placed us “IN Christ”, and then, somehow, we got OUT of Christ, and were found “IN Adam, IN trespasses and sins, IN the lusts of our flesh, and IN the world”, only so that sometime later He could put us back “IN CHRIST” again? Wow! I can’t find a way for that to make any biblical sense!

The fact is, Ephesians 1:4–5 must be understood within the very first principle of Bible study: CONTEXT!

I would submit that most pastors, teachers, and commentators come to these verses without putting them into the context of the book of Ephesians, or even the chapter in which the verses are found. So, leaving the context, they read, “He hath chosen US in him,” and assume that the “US” means “INDIVIDUALS” God chose to salvation.

In the CONTEXT of the book of Ephesians, and even more specifically in chapter 1, however, Paul is introducing to us something that no believer in Christ had actually understood prior to the writing of the book of Ephesians; “the mystery of the church”. Or, in other words, the fact that the church, spiritually, is as much the “body of Christ” as was the physical body that Christ lived in during His 33 years on this planet! Listen, that’s the “US” to whom Paul is referring in Ephesians 1:4! It is “the church”, in a collective sense, which chapter 1 and verse 23 goes on to reveal “is His BODY”! Again, that’s what the whole book of Ephesians is about and why God placed it in His Bible! To teach “US” (as in, all of “US” who have called upon His name!) that “WE”, collectively, are the body of Christ!

Notice, that Paul says in chapter 1 and verse 10: “That in the dispensation of the fullness of times he might gather together in one all things IN CHRIST.” To what time period is that referring? The “CHURCH” Age, right?

So, it goes like this…

Yes, Ephesians 1:4 clearly teaches that God made a very definite DECISION “before the foundation of the world”. But what was it that He was actually “CHOOSING”? Does the verse actually say that He was choosing INDIVIDUALS to salvation? Absolutely not! What the verse says is that before the foundation of the world, God chose that the “CHURCH”, the body of Christ (all of “US” who exercise our will, and by faith, call upon Him to save “US!”) would be different than any people who have ever lived! God CHOSE before the foundation of the world that our salvation would place us “IN CHRIST”! HOW did God make that CHOICE? The end of the very next verse (verse 5) says that the choice was made “according to the good pleasure of His will”! In other words, He did it because He is God, and that’s what He sovereignly chose to do! WHY did God the Father CHOOSE to give us that standing? Verse 4 goes on to tell us! It was so we could constantly, regardless of our attitude, our disposition, our sin, or anything we DO or DO NOT DO, “be holy and without blame before Him in love”! The only way that could ever possibly be a reality is for God to have chosen to place us “in Christ”, so that when He looks at us, He sees His Son, who has always, even before the foundation of the world, constantly been “holy and without blame before Him in love”! Do you realize that the only people who have ever possessed the spiritual position of being “IN CHRIST”, are the people who are saved in the Church Age?

Do you realize that as wonderful as God thought Noah, Daniel, and Job were (Ezekiel 14:20), they were never “IN CHRIST” a day in their lives?! That exclusive standing was something God decreed before the foundation of the world that would be totally unique to believers when God was carrying out His plan on the earth through this extraordinary thing called the “CHURCH”! Read carefully in Ephesians 3:1–12, and you will see that “the eternal purpose which he purposed IN CHRIST Jesus our Lord” (3:11), was that it would be the “CHURCH” that would know “the manifold wisdom of God”, having been placed “IN CHRIST”!

Again, make sure you understand that what God is actually communicating in and through the book of Ephesians is that those of “US” who are believers in the Church Age are the only ones who have ever had the distinct privilege of being “holy and without blame before him in love”! (1:4) Do we have that standing before Him because we’re just so much more “holy and blameless and lovable” than all of the Old Testament saints? A thousand times, “No!” It’s simply because of this supremely wonderful CHOICE that God made in eternity past, to immediately place those of us who exercise our will in the Church Age by calling upon the name of His Son to save us “IN Christ”! Then, to secure that position, “SEAL US in Him, until the day of redemption”, or in other words, until the day we receive a glorified body that is incapable of sinning! (Ephesians 1:12–14; 4:30; Philippians 3:21) All I can say to that is, HALLELUJAH!”

Moving further into Ephesians 1:5, do you realize that the only ones who have been “predestinated unto the adoption of children” (1:5), are those of “US” who are believers in the Church Age? Again, notice that God wasn’t predestinating WHO WOULD BE SAVED, but rather, the fact that those of us who ARE SAVED in the Church Age, would have the glorious privilege as a benefit of our salvation, to be ADOPTED as God’s CHILDREN! Yeah, let’s just let the Bible be the Bible! Let’s hear what these verses are saying in their CONTEXT, without reading something into them that just isn’t there!

Do you now see why it is that believers in the Church Age are eternally secure, why that was not true for Old Testament saints, and will not be true for Tribulation saints? (Matthew 24:13) It’s because we are the only ones who have ever been or will ever be placed “IN Christ”! We are the only people who have ever or will ever have their righteousness and acceptance with God, not based on WHO WE ARE or WHAT WE DO, but based on WHO CHRIST IS, and WHAT HE HAS DONE! (2^nd Corinthians 5:21; Ephesians 1:6)

This really isn’t hard; in fact, it’s really very simple when we simply place the verses in their context, and stop reading into them things that aren’t there! Let’s agree with Paul, “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who hath blessed us with all spiritual blessings in heavenly places in Christ!” (Ephesians 1:3)

OVERVIEW:

The priority of grace in Paul’s message and life (chapter 1); the priority of grace in Paul’s ministry (chapter 2); the preeminence of grace over law (chapters 3 and 4); the priority of standing in liberty and walking in the Spirit in grace living (chapters 5 and 6).

HIGHLIGHTS & INSIGHTS:

Understanding the key issues facing the churches in Galatia causes the six chapters of this book to be some of the most practical in the entire New Testament. The fact is, the 1^st century “Galatian” problem is alive and well in Christianity in the 21^st century! Let’s begin with a little background information.

Whereas the other letters written by Paul to local churches were addressed to one specific local church in one specific city (i.e. Rome, Corinth, Ephesus, Philippi, Colossae, and Thessalonica), this letter was written to a group of local churches in a particular region. That region, known to us as modern-day Turkey, was known in the 1^st century as Galatia. It was this area that was settled by the Gauls of France, and thus, became known as Galatia, or “Gaulatia”, if you will. The local churches in this region were established by Paul and Barnabas on their first missionary journey. The specific churches were the churches in the cities of Derbe, Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch of Pisidia. (See Acts 13:14–14:23)

Obviously, these churches were comprised of Gentile believers who had responded to Paul and Barnabas’ proclamation of the gospel which they received by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone. After receiving Christ, Acts 14:22–23 lets us know that Paul and Barnabas spent time “confirming the souls of the disciples” in each of these churches, making sure that “they had ordained them elders in every church.” Not long after Paul and Barnabas had grounded these churches in the truth, however, false teachers began infiltrating these churches with what Paul called “another gospel”. (1:6) Much to Paul’s utter shock and dismay, the “disciples” (Acts 14:22) and “elders” (Acts 14:23) in these churches dropped Paul and his gospel like a hot potato, for a false, powerless, and even damnable “gospel”. (1:6-9) Paul, literally, could not believe it! He writes to rebuke and to correct these churches using some of the strongest language found in any of his letters.

These false teachers are known historically as “Judaizers” or “legalists”. They were Jews, who like Paul before his conversion, were incredibly zealous for Judaism (the Jewish religion), and thus, the title, “Judaizers”. Their basic point of attack upon these Galatian believers was that if they, as Gentiles, really wanted to BE saved, and/or, if they really wanted to STAY saved, and/or, if they really wanted to “be SPIRITUAL”, they would have to “become like them”. In other words, they would first have to become Jewish proselytes, and live under the requirements and ramifications of the law, and thus, the title, “legalists” (the word “legal” being connected to “law”). Luke summarizes their basic false teaching in Acts 15:1: “Except ye be circumcised after the manner of Moses, ye cannot be saved.”

Paul’s reaction to this false teaching is what actually prompted the writing of this scathing letter to the Galatian churches. Paul is absolutely livid with these false teachers, not to mention the Galatian believers themselves! In chapter 1, verses 8–9, he says that those who preach this false gospel give evidence that they are worthy of hell (1:8-9), and he goes on to say that those who are swayed by them give evidence that they have not only been misinformed or deceived, but actually, “BEWITCHED”! (3:1) Wow! What a strong word! Paul is letting them know that they were acting as if they were under some sort of a Satanic spell!

The content of this letter is of utmost importance because the Judaizers of the 1^st century were not the last preachers and teachers to infiltrate churches, and even lead churches, who propagate that there is something “MORE” that you need to “DO” in order to:

• BE saved. (i.e. “You must be baptized,” or “You must keep the sacraments,” etc.)
• STAY saved. (i.e. “You must hold out faithful to the end.”)
• Be SPIRITUAL. (i.e. “You must be like us. You must dress like this—not like that. You must wear your hair like this—not like that. You must listen to this kind of music—not that kind. You can go to these places—but not those. Etc., etc., etc.”)

Understanding Paul’s simple message through the book of Galatians is vital in keeping us off the endless treadmill of legalism. What the Galatians didn’t understand, as is the case with most believers today, is that they were already as SAVED as they would ever be, and already as SPIRITUAL as they would ever be! That incredible standing before God isn’t based on anything WE DO or DO NOT DO, it is based solely and wholly upon WHO CHRIST IS, and what He has DONE! Paul said in 2^nd Corinthians 5:21 that we were “MADE the righteousness of God in Him” the moment we were saved! It’s impossible to get more righteous than that! Quite simply, our righteous standing before God isn’t ACHIEVED, it is RECEIVED! Paul said in Ephesians 1:6 that we were “MADE accepted” with God the moment we were placed “in Christ”! That means that God accepts us in the very same way He accepts Christ, His beloved Son! It’s impossible to be more accepted than that! Again, don’t miss the fact that this is all totally apart from anything WE DO or DO NOT DO!!! That lesson is foreign to most believers, and typically comes long and hard! The difference, however, is the difference between legalism and a life of walking in the flesh; and true, genuine biblical Christianity and a life of walking in the Spirit! Quite honestly, it is the difference between a life of bondage and a life of freedom.

The message of the Holy Spirit through Paul to the Galatian believers, and to believers today, is simply this: Christ, through His death, set us free from the law! In chapter 3, verses 2–3, Paul asks, “This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith? Are ye so foolish? Having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” The obvious answer is that it was through faith and by His Spirit that we were saved, and were placed on the road to maturity. Based on that reality, Paul admonishes us, first, to learn to STAND: “Stand fast therefore in the liberty wherewith Christ hath made us free, and be not entangled again with the yoke of bondage.” (5:1) So that, secondly, we can learn to WALK: “Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh.” (5:16)

Understanding the practical teaching and ramifications of the book of Galatians for new believers cannot be overemphasized. It will literally save 20 years (conservative estimate) of frustration, as the flesh tenaciously seeks and strives to produce what can only be produced by the Spirit (5:22-23) through the faith of Christ. (2:16, 20. See also Philippians 3:9; Romans 3:20-22.) Pray that God will open your eyes to the wondrous and freeing truths found in this incredible little book of Galatians.