service genset jogja
2 John 1:1

Truth and Love

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 17, 2023

The opening verse of John’s letter is a little different. He ignores the custom of identifying himself in detail and gets right to his subject matter. He begins, “The elder to the elect lady and her children, whom I love in truth, and not only I but also all who know the truth.” John introduces himself simply as “the elder.” The Greek word is the one from which we get Presbyter. Some argue that he simply means “the old one.” Others say it is an official title for an office in the larger, universal church. Some will say that John is simply using it to say that he is old because it’s in the singular. When it’s used to refer to church leaders, it’s always in the plural. But I don’t think that matters much. He’s one of the many, and by the time of this letter, he is indeed an older man. Both could be true.

He’s writing “to the elect lady and her children.”  A side note about these two Greek words is made in the Translators Handbook. It says, “The Greek words used here have been interpreted by some as proper names (“Eklektē” and “Kuria”), but this is highly improbable.”[1] Is John addressing a specific lady and her household, or is he addressing a local church and its members? There are solid arguments for both sides of this discussion.  James Boice writes in support of it being a personal letter. He says, “A personal address of this kind is what would be expected in so short and straightforward a letter. Moreover, if the recipient is not an individual, then the address must be symbolic of something else, and it hardly seems necessary to read a symbolic message or meaning into so short a text.”[2] But Thompson says, “The congregation to which he is writing is designated metaphorically as the chosen lady and her children; we would say ‘the church and its members.’ Regularly in the Scriptures, Israel or the church is designated as a woman or the bride of Yahweh or Christ.”[3] Kruse also adds some reasoning for this opinion: “The letter closes with the words ‘the children of your chosen sister send their greetings’ (v. 13), which appears to be a way of conveying the greetings of the elder’s Christian community to his readers.”[4] Then Palmer says, “I find it hard to agree with the church theory. It makes better sense in my view to interpret this letter in its most obvious sense, as a letter written by John to an esteemed friend and her family. The fact that no city designation is made also supports this view.”[5] I think both are correct. Many of the early churches met in people’s homes. Lydia had a church in her home. Philemon had a church in his home. So John addresses the household family and those that gather together at that home church.

The critical thought is that John loves them, as do all who “embrace the truth.”Does the phrase “Whom I love in the truth” mean that John is saying his love is genuine? Does he mean that his love, and the love of others of like faith, are based on their shared faith in Jesus? I take it to mean the latter. We’ve stepped out of a broader world where love is based on attraction, family relationships, or friendship into the circle of believers in Jesus.  The Love that John is talking about is “More than mere sentiment.  It does not lean on the attractiveness of its object.  It rests on the Truth Himself, Jesus the Lord.  Christian love rests on Christian truth.”[6] Smalley says, “Here is a congregation of believers which has its basis in the truth of Christ, and which is bound together by mutual love. Their truth and love are, or should be, typical of the Church in general.”[7] John, the Elder, addresses all of us who believe in Jesus.

[1] Haas, C., Marinus de Jonge, and J. L. Swellengrebel. 1994. A Handbook on the Letters of John. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] Boice, James Montgomery. 2004. The Epistles of John: An Expositional Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Books.

[3] Thompson, Marianne Meye. 1992. 1–3 John. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

[4] Kruse, Colin G. 2000. The Letters of John. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: W.B. Eerdmans Pub.; Apollos.

[5] Palmer, Earl F., and Lloyd J. Ogilvie. 1982. 1, 2 & 3 John / Revelation. Vol. 35. The Preacher’s Commentary Series. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc.

[6] Richison, Grant. 2006. Verse by Verse through the Books of 1, 2 & 3 John. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems.

[7] Smalley, Stephen S. 1984. 1, 2, 3 John. Vol. 51. Word Biblical Commentary. Dallas: Word, Incorporated.

Tags:
Permalink
1 John 1:1

Who is Jesus?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 16, 2023

It didn’t take long after the church began that heresies began to arise. Many of them centered around the person and work of Jesus himself. Today some reject Christianity in general but more frightening to me is the fact that many professing Christians reject the clear biblical teachings regarding the deity of Christ. A “2020 survey conducted by Ligonier Ministries, a Florida-based Reform Church nonprofit found that 52 percent of U.S. adults say they believe Jesus Christ is not God — a belief that contradicts traditional teachings of the Bible through the Christian church, which state Jesus was both man and God. Nearly one-third of evangelicals in the survey agreed that Jesus isn’t God, compared to 65 percent who said: “Jesus is the first and greatest being created by God.”[1] The Ligonier ministries issued a public statement affirming their confidence in the Deity of Christ as contained in the teachings of the Bible. They begin their statement, “We confess the mystery and wonder of God made flesh and rejoice in our great salvation through Jesus Christ our Lord. With the Father and the Holy Spirit, the Son created all things, sustains all things, and makes all things new. Truly, God, He became truly man, two natures in one person.”[2]

The other side of that heresy is that God was not fully man. The “radical distinction between our bodies and our spirits led Gnostics to twist the early church’s understanding of who Jesus was and is. The Gnostics saw Jesus as a messenger bringing the special knowledge of salvation to humanity’s imprisoned soul. They believed that when Jesus came to earth, He didn’t possess a body like our own; instead, the Gnostics taught that He only seemed to have a physical body. This was a denial of the Christian doctrine of the incarnation—the belief that Jesus was both fully God and fully human.”[3]

In his first letter, the Apostle John attacks the Gnostics. He jumps right into his refutation with the first verse. He writes, “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we looked upon and have touched with our hands, concerning the word of life.” The “word of Life” that John is talking about of course is Jesus himself. You might remember his Gospel where he said, “The Word became Flesh” referring clearly to Jesus. He says four things that are important for us to remember. First, it was from the beginning. This looks back to his Gospel as well as the first verse in the Bible which beings “In the Beginning.” Before anything was created, Jesus was there. Second, “which we have heard.” This involved the physical sense of hearing. Then he adds “which we have seen with our eyes.” This was not an illusion. It was real. Well, maybe Jesus was just an apparition. John says, “we have touched with our hands.” The eyewitnesses, most of whom were tortured to get them to deny what they heard, saw, and felt, died without changing a word of this testimony. According to early tradition, John was boiled in oil better never changed a word of this testimony. Thompson says, “Clearly, he wishes to underscore that what he is bearing witness to is no figment of his imagination, no invention of his own. He wishes to set before his readers the life that is in Jesus Christ.”[4] The question that Jesus posed to Peter, “Who do you say that I am?” is addressed to all of us in each generation. What do you say?

[1] https://www.newsweek.com/52-percent-americans-say-jesus-isnt-not-god-was-great-teacher-survey-says-1528617

[2] https://www.christologystatement.com/

[3] https://insight.org/resources/article-library/individual/mind-over-matter-the-heresy-of-gnosticism-both-then-and-now

[4] Thompson, Marianne Meye. 1992. 1–3 John. The IVP New Testament Commentary Series. Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.

Tags:
Permalink
2 Peter 1:1, Various

All Are Equal in Christ!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 15, 2023

Peter’s 2nd letter to Christians opens differently than his first letter. In the 2nd one, he begins by identifying himself with two names instead of just one. He says, “Simeon Peter, a servant, and apostle of Jesus Christ.” Simeon is a direct transliteration of the Hebrew name. We mostly see it as “Simon” but he was named after Jacob’s second-born son to his wife Leah, Simeon. Reuben was his older brother and Levi was his younger brother along with Judah, the fourth of Leah’s sons. The name means “to hear” and Leah chose that name for her son because God had heard her prayer and answered with another child. Peter is the Greek name that he went by. As the Apostle to the Jews, it might have been important to Peter to include his Hebrew name to gain their ear, hoping that they would “hear.” Then he also wants the Greek believers to listen as well, so he adds “Peter” to his introduction. Not only does Peter use both the Hebrew and Greek names for himself, but he also uses two titles as well. He is both “servant” and “apostle.” As a servant, he was one under authority to do the bidding of another. As an Apostle, he was one sent to deliver a message. The Apostles (capital A), were those chosen by Christ during his ministry and used to deliver His message in writing.  The Greek word “apostle” comes from two words meaning “from” and “to send.” The English word “apostle” is from the old English word “postel” from which we have derived the word “postal” as in postal service. A postal servant delivers the mail. The function of an apostle is to deliver the message of the New Testament. We might say that Simeon Peter is God’s mailman.

Peter does not describe his addressees as living in a particular location as he did in his first letter. Although he was addressing all Christians in that letter, he makes that clear in his 2nd letter. He says he’s writing “To those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours by the righteousness of our God and Savior Jesus Christ.” Peter had a difficult time accepting Gentiles into the fold of Christianity and wrestled with the observances of the Jewish laws as part of the requirement for being part of a community of believers. God has to give him three visions about accepting what God had made clean and stop calling them unclean (Acts 10). In the book of Galatians, Paul has to confront him to “his face” regarding this issue. I think this is the key issue in the church for centuries and still faces struggles today. Peter’s phrase “to those who have obtained a faith of equal standing with ours,” means that Peter is now addressing Gentile believers as equals. They ate pig! They didn’t observe ceremonial washings, they had no interest in the Jewish rituals and the only thing they accepted about the Jewish sacrificial system was that Jesus’ sacrifice fulfilled that completely.

From the very beginning, God created us all equal. Genesis 1:27 says, “So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.” In Acts 10:34, Peter finally acknowledges the equality of all human life when he said, “Truly, I understand that God shows no partiality.” Then in Galatians 3:28, Paul says clearly, “There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ.” Another verse from the Apostle Paul in Romans 10:12 adds, “For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek; for the same Lord is Lord of all, bestowing his riches on all who call on him.” The message of human equality comes directly from God and Peter as well as Paul is God’s mailmen.

 

 

 

 

Tags: , , ,
Permalink
1 Peter 1:1, Colossians 3:11-12, Ephesians 1:4-5

You are “The Chosen”

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 14, 2023

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, to those who are elect exiles of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.” One of the main theological issues in this verse is “who are the elect exiles of the Dispersion?” That the translators of the ESV (English Standard Version) capitalize the word “Dispersion” means that they understand that Peter is addressing the formal “Diaspora.” Thus, Peter is just addressing Christian Jews. In Galatians 2:9, Paul clarifies that Peter focused on Jews while he and Barnabas went to the Gentiles. He says, “When James and Cephas (Peter) and John, who seemed to be pillars, perceived the grace that was given to me, they gave the right hand of fellowship to Barnabas and me, that we should go to the Gentiles and they to the circumcised.” The real difficulty in this view is that most Christians living in the places mentioned, Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, are gentiles that came to faith under Paul’s ministry. I think that Peter is talking to all Christians.

God calls Abraham “chosen.” Moses was “chosen,” as were most of the other leading men and women in the Old Testament. Just as Abraham was chosen out of pagan society in Ur of the Chaldees, so too are all Christians the “Chosen.” The popular TV series “The Chosen” is all about the life and ministry of Jesus. Paul wants the believers in Ephesus to understand that they are also chosen because of their faith in Christ. Ephesians 1:4-5 says, Even as He chose us in Him (Christ) before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and blameless before him.” The basis of God’s election is then explained, “In love, He predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.” Peter is addressing the Saints all over the Mediterranean basin. “The letter recipients are identified as coming from five places in Asia Minor, now a part of western Turkey. Pontus is on the South coast of the Black Sea; Galatia is the central part of Asia Minor; Cappadocia is inland, located east of Galatia and south of Pontus. Asia is the land extending along the west coast, comprising the famous cities of Ephesus, Smyrna, Miletus, etc. It is not the continent of Asia that is referred to. All the seven churches mentioned in the book of Revelation belong to this province. Bithynia is west of Pontus along the Black Sea.”[1] Arichea, thinks that with the multiple addressees, it’s easy to see how it was meant for all Christians everywhere. He says, “Some commentaries have suggested that the order of these places is important, in that since the letter is intended to be a circular letter, this would be the circular route that its bearer would follow. He would begin in Pontus and end in Bithynia.”[2]

The term elect is meant to encourage the church. It is to remind the people of God of his great love. It is not a term to be waved in front of those who don’t yet know God. It should be used to bring comfort to those in the faith. Peter intended to assure his early dispersed readers of God’s steadfast love. And certainly, they would have basked in the reassuring strength of the word.”[3] The encouraging truths of a believer’s position as beloved and chosen by God change how we live. Paul explains this in Colossians 3:11-12, “Here there is not Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave, free; but Christ is all, and in all. Put on then, as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.”

[1] Arichea, Daniel C., and Eugene Albert Nida. 1980. A Handbook on the First Letter from Peter. UBS Handbook Series. New York: United Bible Societies.

[2] Ibid

[3] Helm, David R. 2008. 1 & 2 Peter and Jude: Sharing Christ’s Sufferings. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

Tags: , ,
Permalink
Hebrews 1:1-2, Luke 9:35

Listen to Jesus

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 12, 2023

I remember a seminary professor speaking against the red letter versions of the Bible. The red letter bibles put the words of Jesus in red while the rest is in the standard black. It emphasizes the importance of what Jesus said. The professor argued that God inspires the whole Bible, and each word and phrase is as important as all the others. Red letters making parts of the Bible more important than the rest is heresy. I’m not entirely convinced of that anymore. It seems to me that there are reasons to see Jesus’ words as being more important than others in the Bible for a couple of reasons. Maybe “more important” isn’t correct, but I began to think about this when I started studying the book of Hebrews. I believe that even the author, whoever that might be, agrees that we should pay more attention to Jesus and give priority to him and his teachings. Isn’t that how the book begins?

It says, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days, he has spoken to us by his Son.” The book of Hebrews begins by telling us that Jesus is greater than all the prophets that have come before him. I’m sure the writer is referring to the prophets of the Old Testament. This 1st section about Jesus and the Prophets ends with verse 4, where it transitions to the second section of the book, which explains how Jesus is greater than all the angels. It explains the difference between being the “son” and being a messenger of God to minister to believers. That’s what the angels are. The third section of Hebrews, beginning with chapter 3, explains how Jesus is much greater than Moses.

The two ways mankind heard from God after the fall was through angels and prophets. He would occasionally put these communications in dreams and visions. The prophets would have the angelic visitation and then communicate the message to the people. That’s not the way we hear from God anymore! That may sound like heresy to those who insist that there are modern prophets that hear directly from God, but this is what I’m reading from the first verse in the first chapter of a Book that’s all about the superiority of Jesus over everything else. I’m not saying the rest of the Bible isn’t essential. It is because, as Jesus said, it’s all about Him. On the road to Emmaus, he explained how all the passages from all parts of the Bible, the Law, Prophets, and the writings were all about him. We should seek to find Jesus in the whole Bible. God, Himself even exhorts us, “And a voice came out of the cloud, saying, ‘This is my Son, my Chosen One; listen to him!’” (Luke 9:35)

 

Tags: ,
Permalink
James 1:1, Hebrews 11:13

James is writing to us!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 12, 2023

Most commentators agree that this letter was written by Jesus’ half-brother, James, and not by the Apostle with the same name. In my opinion, there are too many clues regarding this to be challenged. There’s internal evidence, things we can glean from the letter itself, external evidence, historical facts gleaned from other documents. Jesus had other half-brothers as well; Joseph, Simon, and Judas. Mark says that Jesus had some half-sisters as well. Jesus’ brothers did not believe in him initially. Mark suggests that they might have thought he was crazy or delusional. Jesus’ appearance to James after his resurrection transformed James into a dynamic believer who became a crucial leader in the Jerusalem church and even presided over the Jerusalem Council recorded in Acts, chapter 15. James introduces himself to his readers as “James, a servant of God and the Lord Jesus Christ.” He never attempts to capitalize on his physical relationship with his older brother. I expect that and his reputation for hours on his knees in prayer (creating thick-skinned knees, which resulted in some calling him “camel knees”) gave birth to his name “James the Humble.” Josephus, an early Jewish historian, tells us that James was martyred in 62 AD. If the writer is James, Jesus’ brother, this letter must have been the first of the New Testament documents ever written. Many think it was written before Paul wrote his letter to Galatians. James used language similar to that of the deliberations of the Jerusalem Council.  Martin Luther and others thought little of James’ writings because they seemed to contradict Paul’s writing. I don’t see a contradiction at all. James addresses the Jewish Christians specifically, it seems, while Paul’s letter to the Galatians is primarily to gentile believers. This might help us understand the differences in their focus. But there is nothing contradictory between Paul’s theology and James’ theology.

James’ letter is specifically addressed to “To the twelve tribes in the Dispersion: Greetings.” The twelve tribes are Reuben, Simeon, Levi, Judah, Dan Naphtali, Gad, Asher, Issachar, Zebulon, Joseph, and Benjamin. Joseph’s sons Manasseh and Ephraim received equal shares with their uncles. Levi did not receive an allotment in the Land because they were to serve as priests for the entire nation. Moo says, “The phrase ‘scattered among the nations’ translates a Greek phrase meaning, literally, ‘in the diaspora.’” This became the technical term for the Jewish people outside of Palestine. Peter addresses the same group. Peter was considered the Apostle to the Jews, picking up where James left off, whereas Paul was the Apostle to the Gentiles. Moo concludes, “James writes to Jewish Christians who have been ‘dispersed’ due to persecution.”[1] The Jews have had a long history of persecution. They did not occupy the land that God had promised them for millenniums. The northern tribes of Israel became the “diaspora” in 722 BC when Assyria conquered the nation and deported many to various locations. Hughes says, “Later the southern tribes suffered the same fate when the Babylonians took them captive in 586. Because of this, Jews were spread all over Mesopotamia, around the Mediterranean, and into Asia Minor and Europe. Some of the major cities of the world—Alexandria, for example—had large populations of expatriate Jews. Also, when Jewish Christians were first persecuted in Jerusalem after the death of Stephen, they fled first to Judea and Samaria and then to Jewish communities around the Mediterranean. Tragically these Jewish Christians were not taken in by their expatriate Jewish kinsmen but rather were rejected and persecuted.”[2] So, James is explicitly writing to Jewish Christians who have been rejected by both the Gentiles and the Jews and are aliens in the world.

As believers in Jesus Christ, you and I have alienated ourselves from the world and are pilgrims in a foreign land. “The people of God presently live in between grace and glory. We look back upon the finished work of Jesus Christ while also looking forward to his return, our resurrection, and the consummation of the New Heavens and New Earth. Speaking of the faithful, the author of the epistle to the Hebrews writes, ‘These all died in faith, not having received the things promised, but having seen them and greeted them from afar, and having acknowledged that they were strangers and exiles on the earth (Heb 11:13). While we live in the world, we do not ultimately belong in this world. We are citizens of heaven striving to enter our final rest.”[3]

[1] Moo, Douglas J. 2000. The Letter of James. The Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; Leicester, England: Eerdmans; Apollos.

[2] Hughes, R. Kent. 1991. James: Faith That Works. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

[3] https://reformedforum.org/podcasts/ctc448/

Tags: ,
Permalink
Philemon 1:1-2

For Our Good and God’s Glory

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 11, 2023

This little book, one chapter only, is not about Philemon. It is a letter written to him. The first two verses explain this, “Paul, a prisoner for Christ Jesus, and Timothy, our brother, To Philemon our beloved fellow worker and Apphia our sister and Archippus our fellow soldier, and the church in your house.” Paul includes Timothy as a co-sender of this letter and addresses it to Philemon. Many believe that Apphia was Philemon’s wife and Archippus was Philemon’s son, and the church that Paul addresses is meeting at their house. There are 13 New Testament books that all begin with the name “Paul.” None begin with Paul identifying himself as a “prisoner of Jesus Christ.” Philemon is the only book that does so. “He currently sits in prison in the city of Rome.  Paul refers to his imprisonment six times (1, 9, 10, 13, 22, 23).  Philemon is the fourth prison epistle, accompanying Philippians, Colossians, and Ephesians. These were all written during his first imprisonment. 2 Timothy was written during his 2nd and final incarceration.  Paul identifies as a prisoner but prefers to see himself as a prisoner of Christ Jesus. Although the Romans had imprisoned him, he knew that nothing had come into his life that had not first come through the will of Jesus Christ. Commenting on this, Richison says, “There is no circumstance that comes into our lives that is not of the Lord’s doing.  We either have a human viewpoint or a divine viewpoint on life.  A divine viewpoint allows us to look at our circumstances from God’s viewpoint.  Any illness, handicap, affliction, or tragedy cannot come upon us without God’s will.  All of it is for our ultimate good and His glory.”[1]

Paul had a close relationship with Philemon, and from this short book, we can learn that Paul was the one who had led Philemon to the Lord. Philemon and his family housed a church. Philemon was a relatively well-to-do roman citizen, as was the practice of the day; he owned slaves. Onesimus, the subject of this letter, was one of the slaves that had run away. It appears that Onesimus stole from his wealthy slave owner, Philemon, and had run away to the big city, Rome, to get lost amongst the masses. He ran out of money and committed another crime that resulted in his incarceration with Paul in the Roman prison. Paul proceeded to lead Onesimus to repentance and saving faith in Christ. He was helpful to Paul in some ways, and Paul explained this to Philemon before interceding on Onesimus’ behalf.

Paul leans heavily on his relationship with Philemon to intercede on behalf of Onesimus. He calls Philemon a “beloved fellow worker.” But what can’t be ignored is that Paul addresses Philemon’s whole family and all the Christians that meet as a church in his house. Some have suggested that he does that to put more pressure on Philemon to respond positively to his request. But I believe a better understanding would be that when Onesimus stole from Philemon, he stole from all the believers that met at his house. Garland understands this well, “I think the explanation lies elsewhere. Paul sees Philemon’s two households, the natural and the spiritual, intersecting. Therefore, the whole church, not just his master, must accept Onesimus, particularly if Paul would like him to be set free for ministry. The slave’s flight showed disloyalty and jeopardized the harmony and welfare of the household in which he lived, and he needs their forgiveness, welcome, and spiritual support. Consequently, they also need to know what has happened to him since his departure and to accept him back as a brother.”[2]

[1] Richison, Grant. 2006. Verse by Verse through the Books of James and Philemon. Bellingham, WA: Logos Research Systems.

[2] Garland, David E. 1998. Colossians and Philemon. The NIV Application Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.

Tags:
Permalink
Titus 1:1

For the Sake of Our Faith!

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
January 10, 2023

Paul will often call himself “a servant” of God as well as “an apostle of Jesus Christ.” The first phrase has its roots in the Old Testament, where several of the figures are called, or call themselves, “a servant of God.” The New Testament uses the Greek word “slave,” which focuses on the humility involved in submitting oneself to the authority of another. The servants of the Lord in the Old Testament claim authority as being God’s spokespersons. Moses is repeatedly called the servant of the Lord. Leaders like Caleb, Joshua, and even Samson are called servants of the Lord. David, Solomon, and Hezekiah were called servants of the Lord. Prophets such as Ahijah, Elijah, Jonah, and Isaiah are also called servants of the Lord. My point is that there seem to be two aspects of the title “Servant of the Lord.” The first involves submitting oneself to God as your authority. The second part is speaking for God or leading God’s people. Paul calls himself this title as he begins his letter to Titus. He writes, “Paul, a servant of God and an apostle of Jesus Christ, for the sake of the faith of God’s elect and their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness.” An apostle means a “sent one.” Thus, Paul serves God and is commissioned and sent out by Jesus. We see in Paul both the submissive aspect of being a servant and an authoritative part in serving God and being sent out by Jesus.  But this introduction has a couple of other phrases that deserve comment.

First, Paul says he is a servant of God and an Apostle of Jesus “for the sake of the faith of God’s elect.” Yarbrough understands that to mean “to further the faith of God’s elect.”[1] Paul’s passion is to increase the faith of those chosen by God to believe. Throughout church history, there have been two main views on the doctrine of election. One view, which we will call the foreknowledge view, teaches that since God knows beforehand that an individual will believe in Jesus, his election is based on this knowledge. One web article states, “This view is held by most American evangelicals.”[2] The second main view is the Augustinian view, which teaches that God’s election unto salvation is not based on a foreknowledge of an individual’s faith but is based on the free, sovereign grace of Almighty God. People come to faith because God elects them. In the first view, man has control. His free will is sovereign and is the determining factor in his salvation. The foreknowledge view diminishes the biblical understanding of God’s sovereignty. This view puts the Creator’s provision of redemption at the mercy of the creature; if God wants people in heaven, He has to hope that man will freely choose His way of salvation. In the Augustinian view, God has control; He is the one who, of His sovereign will, freely chooses those whom He will save. He not only elects those whom He will save but Also accomplishes their salvation. Rather than make salvation possible, God chooses those whom He will save and then saves them. This view puts God in His proper place as Creator and Sovereign.[3]

Second, Paul is a servant and an apostle for the “sake of their knowledge of the truth which accords with godliness.” Now the term “elect” “Reminds us that God chooses his people to be his own out of his mercy rather than because they have achieved some mysterious level of holiness. To emphasize the point, Paul says that ‘the knowledge of the truth’ (words in Scripture that are more about being in a convinced and committed relationship with God than about having a head full of religious facts)  leads to godliness. The order is absolutely essential to note. Godly conduct itself does not lead to a relationship with God. Rather, the relationship with God that gospel faith establishes leads to righteous actions. God is not waiting to love us until we have gotten our own lives straightened out.”[4] I’m afraid most sermons I’ve listened to and commentaries I’ve read put the cart before the horse. Being good leads to being elected. No, being elected leads to being good. And as Campbell says, Paul “Wanted God’s elect to be a people who were strong in their faith, i.e., a people whose faith embraced more and more of divine truth and whose grasp of divine truth was more and more firm.

And that is still one of the great aims of Paul’s apostolic ministry. The man himself is, of course, no longer here in person. He has been in heaven now for the best part of 2,000 years. But his apostolic work goes on. Through the letters that he wrote and which have been incorporated into the New Testament, Paul continues to speak to us as an apostle of Jesus Christ. And he does so for the nurturing of the faith of God’s elect.”[5]

[1] Yarbrough, Robert W. 2018. The Letters to Timothy and Titus. Edited by D. A. Carson. Pillar New Testament Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI; London: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company; Apollos.

[2] https://www.gotquestions.org/elect-of-God.html

[3] Ibid.

[4] Hughes, R. Kent, and Bryan Chapell. 2000. 1 & 2 Timothy and Titus: To Guard the Deposit. Preaching the Word. Wheaton, IL: Crossway Books.

[5] Campbell, David. 2007. Opening up Titus. Opening Up Commentary. Leominster: Day One Publications.

Tags:
Permalink
sewa motor jogja
© Chuck Larsen 2019. Powered by WordPress.