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1 Corinthians 15:24

How Do The Persons In The Trinity Differ?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 19, 2011

The actual question was why is it that only the Father knows the day and the hour of Christ’s return. Let me begin answering this by saying The Trinity is one of the most, if not the absolute most, difficult concept in Christianity. It teaches that although God is a total unity (one!), within that unity there exists three unique persons known as the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. This question can be resolved when we understand the “functional” differences in the persons of the Trinity. All three are fully God. All three are “in essence” completely equal. But each person has a different function. Let me show how this works out in God’s plan of salvation for all mankind. The Father’s role is seen in Scripture as the Source, the Sender, and the Planner of salvation. The Son on the other hand is the Means, the Sent One, and the Achiever of salvation. The Father sent the Son (John 3:16), the Father planned it but the Son accomplished it on Calvary’s cross for us all. The Father and the Son send the Spirit (John 15:26). Although there is much controversy over this issue, I believe the function filled by the Son represents a voluntarily subordinate role to the Father (See Philippians 2). The function fulfilled by the Spirit is a subordinate role to both the Father & the Son.

The Father is the planner, thus the knowledge of the coming of the end is His only. The Son is the Accomplisher (as we saw in His first coming and will see again in His second coming). The Holy Spirit is the Applier of salvation to believers. It is He who testifies concerning Jesus and convicts of sin, convinces of the need of salvation and is active in a person’s conversion.

My friend, Norm Geisler, explains that the subordinate roles of the Son and the Holy Spirit are eternal roles, not just temporary roles as well. He explains, “For example, the Son is an eternal Son (see Prov. 30:4; Heb. 1:3). He did not become God’s Son; He always was related to God the Father as a Son and always will be. His submission to the Father was not just for time but will be for all eternity.” 1 Corinthians 15:24 & 28, makes this clear. It says, “Then the end will come, when he (Jesus) hands over the kingdom of God the Father after he has destroyed all dominion, authority and power … When he has done this, then the Son himself will be made subject to him who put everything under him, so that God may be all in all…”

Chuck
“…but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant …he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Philippians 2:7-8

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Matthew 13:55

Did Jesus Have Blood Brothers?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 18, 2011

This question is really a question about Jesus human mother, Mary. Mariolatry is the worship of Mary. Mariology is the study on the doctrine of Mary. These terms have divided Catholics and Protestants for centuries. Actually, they have much in common regarding Mary. They agree that she’s “most blessed among women” in that she was chosen by God as the vessel from which He would bring forth the savior of the world, she conceived Christ as a virgin, and she lived an exemplary life of faith. But it’s the differences in their views that have caused much division. The most important of these differences are: The perpetual virginity of Mary, the Immaculate Conception of Mary, the Bodily assumption of Mary, Mary’s role as the Mediator between man and Christ, as well as the veneration of Mary and her images. The question I’m attempting to answer concerns the perpetual virginity of Mary.

According to Ott’s “Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma,” The Lateran Synod of A.D. 649 was the first to stress the threefold character of Mary’s virginity. As a result, Catholics believe that “Mary was a Virgin before, during and after the Birth of Jesus Christ.” All agree that Mary was a virgin at conception. The question is did she remain one. Ott finds Biblical support in several passages. Mary’s statement to the angel that announced her conception of Jesus, “…I have known not a man,” infers that she took an oath of perpetual virginity. That Jesus entrusted the care of His mother to the Apostle John is evidence that there were no other children to care for her after His death. Regarding the references to Jesus’ brothers, Ott points out that the term might also be translated as “cousins.” Further, Joseph may have been a widower with children from a previous marriage. As a side note, Martin Luther accepted the doctrine of the perpetual virginity of Mary and said it wasn’t an essential doctrine of the faith.

That she had made a vow of virginity is contradicted by the Bible in that she was already “betrothed” to Joseph. That Christ entrusted His mother in the hands of John is not evidence that she had no other children, only that they weren’t present at the cross. Also, they did not become believers until later. Regarding the “brother/cousin” debate, Matthew 13:55 says, “Is he not the carpenter’s son? Is not his mother Mary and his brothers James, Joseph, Simon, and Judas? Are not his sisters all with us?” To include cousins in this statement seems inconsistent with its purpose. Besides, there is a Greek word for cousin that’s used in Colossians 4:10 connecting Mark and Barnabas. There is no single example where the Greek word “Adelphos” is used to mean cousin. Finally, if these “brothers” are children of Joseph from a previous marriage, the oldest son would have been the physical heir to David’s throne, not Jesus. So much more could be said!

Chuck
“…and Jacob the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, of whom Jesus was born, who is called Christ.” Matthew 1:16

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Colossians 1:27

Is Christ or The Holy Spirit in us?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 15, 2011

Colossians 1:27 says, “To them God chose to make known how great among the Gentiles are the riches of the glory of this mystery, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.” Notice that “Christ in you” is described as the “mystery.” The “Christ” or “Messiah” prophesied in the Old Testament is not only for the Jews, but it also for the Gentiles, it’s for all mankind. That’s the great mystery that has been made known to all mankind.

Paul preached Christ to the Gentiles. We all relate to God on the same basis now, through the work of Christ on the cross. When we talk about becoming a Christian we use language like: “accepting Christ, inviting Christ into our lives, receiving Christ, surrendering our lives to Christ, giving our lives in faith to Christ, being born again by allowing Christ to be born in us, receiving Christ as Savior.” Roman’s 8:28-29 is a statement purpose that God gives us explaining His purpose for us. “And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers.” There is no conflict between having God’s Spirit live in us or having Christ dwell in us. Those are similar concepts. I’d put it a little more biblically by saying, Christ lives in us by the power of the Holy Spirit.

God, the Father, is always working in the life of a believer to conform him to the image of Jesus. It is the work assigned to the Holy Spirit that helps us resist temptation and surrender to God’s will for our molding into the image of His Son, as true children, through the power of the Holy Spirit. All three persons of the God head are present in us as believers. Paul Tells us in Romans 8:13-14, “But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live. For all who are led by the Spirit of God are children of God.” When we confess our sins and look to the Cross of Christ for forgiveness, we are accepted by God and given the Holy Spirit to comfort, exhort, and nurture us in our journey to be conformed to the image of His Son.

Chuck
“For you have died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God…” Colossians 3:3

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Luke 16:28

What is Hell Like?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 14, 2011

I once read of a church sign that asked “what is hell like?” Immediately following that question was the invitation, “come hear our pastor this Sunday.” Some of you may feel there is some truth to this bit of humor, but I’d like to make a serious attempt to explain what Hell is like from a biblical perspective. Many verses give us imagery to help us imagine what Hell is like. All of them speak of it as a horrifying reality. It’s like being left outside in the dark forever. It’s like a wandering star, a waterless cloud, a perpetually burning dump, a bottomless pit, an everlasting prison. Hell is a place of anguish and regret. (Matt. 8:12; Jude 13; Jude 12; Mark 9:44–48; Rev. 20:1, 3; 1 Peter 3:19; Luke 16:28) But Hell is most often visualized as a place with fire.

These images are not literal descriptions, but images that help us understand that it is a place of torment. If taken literally the images contradict each other. There’s fire but total darkness. It’s a burning dump, yet a bottomless pit. I don’t believe the “fire” is necessarily a physical fire. Those in hell have imperishable bodies so normal fire won’t affect them. C. S. Lewis pictures it as eternal separation from God in his book, “The Great Divorce.” The bible teaches us “with God there are pleasures forever.” Outside of God, away from God is gnashing of teeth and deep regret over the loss of what might have been. Jesus says there is “a great gulf” between heaven & hell and no one can transit that gulf. The torment of hell might be described as the torment of having “to live with the consequences of our own decisions.”

Hell is often depicted by those who wish to paint God as a cruel, sadistic mad man as a torture chamber with God wielding the whip with some crazed laughter. The scriptures never present Hell to us in this way. People will not be forced against their will to experience agonizing pain inflicted upon them by another. The torment of hell is self-inflected. The great torment of hell comes from realizing we used our freedom to choose wrongly and that there is now nothing we can do to change those decisions. That’s why there is much weeping and gnashing of teeth. Everyone there will know that they are there by their own will. 2 Peter 3:9 makes it perfectly clear that God “wants no one to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Chuck
“God so loved the world that He sent His only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in Him will not perish but have everlasting life.” John 3:16

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1 Timothy 4:1

What is Urantia?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 13, 2011

The Apostle Paul said that in the last “times some will depart from the faith by devoting themselves to deceitful spirits and teachings of demons” (1 Timothy 4:1). Urantia is one of the newer of these false teachings that twist the scriptures. It was administered to its founder through a spirit mediator. Thus, we can readily connect it with Paul’s teaching. Further, Deuteronomy forbids our dabbling in the “spirits” and spirit guides.

This New Age cult began in the 1930’s but found an open audience in the late 60’s with the Aquarian movement focusing on mind control and drug experimentation while dabbling in the UFO movement. Its doctrine can be found in the “Urantia Book.” It’s a huge tome which contradicts the scriptures on many key doctrines of the faith. My copy of the book has 2097 pages. “987,000,000,000 years ago associate force organizer and then acting inspector number 811,307 of the Orvonton series, traveling out from Uversa, reported to the Ancients of Days that space conditions were favorable for the initiation of materialization phenomena in a certain sector of the, then, easterly segment of Orvonton.” “875,000,000,000 years ago the enormous Andronover nebula number 876,926 was duly initiated.” If this sounds like a science fiction movie you may be right. It is sometimes referred to as a “UFO” religion like Scientology.

Like other cults that claim extra-Biblical revelations, it is claimed that the Urantia book compliments the Bible, and that Christians should not be wary of it. But in reality, the Urantia book is in direct conflict with the Bible on many important doctrines, including the most important one which is the issue of salvation through faith in Jesus Christ alone. The Jesus of Urantia is not the Jesus of the Bible. According to its scenario, planet earth, originally called Urantia, was created by Michael of Nebadon one trillion years ago. Michael eventually came to earth as the man Jesus. The one thing all cults have in common is a denial of the deity of Christ and Christ work on the cross as being all sufficient payment for sins of those who believe.

Chuck
“Do you believe that I am the one I claim to be? If you don’t, you will certainly die in your sins.” John 8:24 (NIRV)

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1 Peter 3:19

Did Jesus Preach to Fallen Angels?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 12, 2011

1 Peter 3:19 is a difficult verse and has aroused several questions from people who read my “descended into hell” devotion from last Friday. Some have argued that this verse is the basis for Jesus descent into hell because it says “…He went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison.” The context makes it clear that the “spirits in prison” are the evil angels of Genesis 6:1–4 (or their offspring). This is also clear in that their disobedience is mentioned in 2 Peter 2:4 and Jude 6. The context makes it clear that it took place after his resurrection, not before. Also verse 18 concludes with “He was made alive in the spirit, in which he went…” The phrase “in the spirit” is often used to refer to third person of the trinity, whose major mission is to declare and to convict of the glorious success of Jesus’ ministry on earth. Further, “in prison” may not be the same as the Hell of eternal damnation for unrighteous humans.

The ESV uses the word “proclaim” instead of “preach.” It’s much better because it captures the original idea. It means to make an official announcement. The issue is not the gospel as some argue. If so, it implies that those who die will have a second chance to be saved. The scriptures make it clear that “it is appointed for man to once die, and then the judgment.” There’s not a 2nd chance after death to come to faith. Rather, the issue is the victorious proclamation to fallen angels of His unequivocal victory over temptation and sin. Verse 20 clearly indicates to whom the proclamation is being made. Jesus is asserting his triumph over the sin issue. Jesus came to undo the original fall. He brings redemption to fallen man and he proclaimed his victory over the fallen angels who were tested and failed. Jesus was tested and succeeded.

The story of the fallen angels of Genesis 6 tells of an angelic infiltration into the human race. These angels could not repent but they were brought to subjection. Verse 22 says that Jesus “who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him.” Norm Geisler puts it this way, “1 Peter 3:19 is about Christ announcing the victory of His death and resurrection to the fallen spirit world that was defeated by His actions. There is no reference to leading saved spirits out of a compartment in Hades and taking them to heaven.”

Chuck
“Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it” (Colossians 2:15).

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Hebrews 10:22-23, John 3:16

Assurance & Security

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 11, 2011

Can a person be saved, but not be absolutely certain about it? This question rightly deals with the difference between assurance and security. I’d agree with those who say that assurance is the subjective side of the issue and security (or eternal security) is the objective side of the issue. That’s to say that assurance has to do with how one feels and is related to sense experience regarding salvation while the issue of security relates to the biblical fact or truth or reality concerning the issue.

We learn that obedience to God’s instructions in our day to day lives is one way to build assurance into our lives. The New Testament assures us of this truth, but it also reminds me that sometimes “our conscience condemns us” (1 John 3:20) when God does not. There seems to be times when a person can be truly secure but not feel that way. I remember the illustration that was used about the two passengers on a plane. One was comfortable and relaxed and read a novel and enjoyed his meal. He was comfortable and confident that he’d get to where he was going. The other gripped the arm rest with all his might, sweated, imagined terrible crashes and just worried about a safe arrival. The plane landed as scheduled. The first passenger was secure and assured. The second was just as secure but had no assurance, yet he too arrived safely at the destination. The security on the flight did not have anything to do with how the individuals felt toward it. It was solely dependent upon the worthiness of the vessel and those in charge of it just as our salvation is. Yet a person may be on the plane, (believe that Jesus died for them), and because of the weakness of our flesh still not feel like it all the time.

The New Testament is clear about God’s desire for all His believing children to not only have the security of their eternal destiny established firmly in their minds, but to live each day with that sense of deep assurance that should come from that doctrine. The writer to the Hebrews says, “And we desire each one of you to show the same earnestness in realizing the full assurance of hope unto the end.”

Chuck
“Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith … Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering for he who promised is faithful.” Hebrews 10:22-23

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Ephesians 4:9

Did Jesus Descend into Hell?

Filed Under: Devotions by Chuck
July 8, 2011

The next question I’d like to address is, “Did Jesus descend into Hell between His death and resurrection?” First, you must notice that the statement “descended into Hell” was an addendum added to the Apostles Creed somewhere around the 4th Century AD. There has been much debate regarding it and many believe the phrase should not have been added and would prefer to remove it. There is no true biblical support for the phrase. Paul says, in Ephesians 4:9 that Jesus “descended into the lower parts of the earth.” Many suggest, such as Kenneth Copeland, that this means that Jesus went to hell for three days to release the spirits of Old Testament saints.

I believe that when the Old Testament saints departed this earth, they went directly to heaven. God took Enoch to be with himself (Genesis 5:24, Hebrews 11:5). Elijah was caught up into “heaven” when he departed (2 Kings 2:1). Abraham’s bosom in Luke 16:23 is a description of heaven. Geisler says, “When Old Testament Saints appear before the cross, they appear from heaven, as Moses and Elijah did on the Mount of Transfiguration.”

The question is what happened to Jesus while he was in the grave for three days. The phrase “descended into the lower parts of the earth” is referring to Christ’s body being buried. He was crucified, He died, and He was buried like all humans. He took that death experience as His own. The Phrase simply means caves, enclosures or graves. Psalm 139:15, uses the phrase “lowest parts of the earth” to refer to a woman’s womb. It might mean “from the enclosure of the womb before birth (as Jesus took upon himself with Mary) to the enclosure of the tomb that he took for us after His death on the cross. We all come from the womb of a woman and go to the tomb at our death. Further, Philippians 2:10 tells us that Hell is not in the “lowest parts of the earth” rather it is “under the earth.”

Jesus’ body, like ours, went into the grave. His Spirit on the other hand went to heaven. He said to the thief on the cross, “this day you will be with me in paradise.” He also said to His Father in Heaven, “Into your hands I commend my spirit.” The Spirits of all believers go to be with the Lord immediately at death. There is no purgatory or temporary place for it. Hallelujah!

Chuck
“Absent from the body is to be present with the Lord.” 2 Corinthians 5:8

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