TheosGuy

Dr. David Hocking in his study on Ephesians 2, indicated the following four characteristics of spiritual death (Ephesians 2:1). My added thoughts are included in blue.

1. An inability to discern spiritual matters (1 Cor 2:14)

   The “natural man” would include non-believers, but also could include carnal believers. We are told in 1 Corinthians 3:1-3 and Romans 8:1-7, that it is possible for the believer to operate in the realm of the “natural man” when he is not walking in the Spirit.

   The non-believer faces both inability and non-capacity for discerning spiritual matters. I think the carnal believer has the ability and has the capacity, but chooses not to operate in either, by walking in the flesh rather than walking in the Spirit.

2. An inability to receive any help from God (Psa 66:18; Isa 59:1-2)

   It may be that the only prayer of a non-believer that is guaranteed to be heard is the prayer of repentance and belief in the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

3. An inability to produce any true good in the eyes of the LORD (Rom 3:10-12)

   I am reminded of the words of Christ that tell me what my personal efforts produce.

   John 15:5 NKJV – “I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.

4. An inability to please God (Rom 8:6-8)

   Colossians 1:10 NKJV – that you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God;

When I hear people talk about the Gospel of Jesus Christ, I notice that many things are tacked on to the Gospel that I don’t think should be there. At the Together for the Gospel conference in 2006, I saw a book entitled, God Is the Gospel, by Dr. John Piper. Dr. Piper in this book used Biblical texts to define what is the Gospel. I decided to take it one step further and only use Biblical texts that use the Greek words translated as gospel or good news. To do this I followed the following procedure.

• I did a “LexiConc” search for the word “gospel” at Blue Letter Bible. This gave me all the Greek root words that are translated in the English to “Gospel.”
• I analyzed the results and noticed that three root Greek words were translated “gospel” 149 times in 121 distinct verses in the Greek text supporting the KJV.

From these results we can find some distinct elements that are comprised in the Gospel of Jesus Christ (also known as, the Good News). Some of these are the same as in Dr. Piper’s book, as well.

1. A living God, who is the Creator of all things.
   (Act 14:15 ESV ESV) “Men, why are you doing these things? We also are men, of like nature with you, and we bring you good news, that you should turn from these vain things to a living God, who made the heaven and the earth and the sea and all that is in them.

2. A Sovereign God.
   (Rom 10:15 NKJV) And how shall they preach unless they are sent? As it is written: “How beautiful are the feet of those who preach the gospel of peace, Who bring glad tidings of good things!”

   Note that Rom 10:15 is referencing Isa 52:7, which reads:

   (Isa 52:7 NKJV) How beautiful upon the mountains Are the feet of him who brings good news, Who proclaims peace, Who brings glad tidings of good things, Who proclaims salvation, Who says to Zion, “Your God reigns!”

3. God has intervened into the life of man. The Kingdom of God is at hand! God is King!
   (Mar 1:14-15 ESV) Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.”
4. Jesus is the promised Messiah, the Son of David
   (Rom 1:1-3 ESV) Paul, a servant of Christ Jesus, called to be an apostle, set apart for the gospel of God, which he promised beforehand through his prophets in the holy Scriptures, concerning his Son, who was descended from David according to the flesh
5. Great joy for all the people, a savior is come into the world!
   (Luk 2:10-11 ESV) And the angel said to them, Afear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
6. Christ died for our sins!
   (1Cor 15:1-3 ESV) Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. For I delivered to you as of first importance what I also received: that Christ died for our sins in accordance with the Scriptures,
7. He was resurrected and it was witnessed by those who abandoned Him.
   (2 Tim 2:8 ESV) Remember Jesus Christ, risen from the dead, the offspring of David, as preached in my gospel
8. He will baptize with the Holy Spirit.
   (Luke 3:16, 18 ESV) John answered them all, saying, “I baptize you with water, but he who is mightier than I is coming, the strap of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and with fire… So with many other exhortations he preached good news to the people.
9. The power unto salvation.
   (Rom 1:16-17 ESV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, “The righteous shall live by faith.”

The Gospel could be preached from Biblical text as:
The living Sovereign God, the Creator, the King of Israel and the universe, the son of David, has come in His Son, Jesus the Messiah, and has died for our sins and been raised from the dead, with the power to give us eternal life and the indwelling of the Holy Spirit.

Many people in the Bible had the Spirit upon or within them giving power to do great things. Here is a list of several of them, but be sure to take a look at the last one in the list!

Rom 8:11 NKJV – But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

I attended the Together for the Gospel (2010) conference this week. The theme for the conference was The (Unadjusted) Gospel. Dr. Ligon Duncan gave an address entitled, Did the Father’s Know the Gospel. It was referring to whether the pastristic fathers of the church preached the same Gospel that evangelicals preach today (i.e., personal justification, imputation of our sin to Christ and His righteousness to us, by faith alone).

In the address he referenced a document from the early second century (dated as early as 117 A.D.) known as The Epistle to Diognetus, which clearly states the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Here is the excerpt from that document. The citation is from The Epistle to Diognetus as translated by J.B. Lightfoot, chapter 9, verses 2-6:

[2] And when our iniquity had been fully accomplished, and it had been made perfectly manifest that punishment and death were expected as its recompense, and the season came which God had ordained, when henceforth He should manifest His goodness and power (O the exceeding great kindness and love of God), He hated us not, neither rejected us, nor bore us malice, but was long-suffering and patient, and in pity for us took upon Himself our sins, and Himself parted with His own Son as a ransom for us, the holy for the lawless, the guileless for the evil, “the just for the unjust,” the incorruptible for the corruptible, the immortal for the mortal. [3] For what else but His righteousness would have covered our sins? [4] In whom was it possible for us lawless and ungodly men to have been justified, save only in the Son of God? [5] O the sweet exchange, O the inscrutable creation, O the unexpected benefits; that the iniquity of many should be concealed in One Righteous Man, and the righteousness of One should justify many that are iniquitous! [6] Having then in the former time demonstrated the inability of our nature to obtain life, and having now revealed a Saviour able to save even creatures which have no ability, He willed that for both reasons we should believe in His goodness and should regard Him as nurse, father, teacher, counsellor, physician, mind, light, honour, glory, strength and life.

Thank the LORD for the sweet exchange, i.e., imputing our Saviour’s righteousness to us and taking our sins upon Himself.
The righteousness of One is a very sweet gift

Tags: Imputation, Righteousness, Salvation

James MacDonald in one of his sermons was discussing the resurrection. He indicated that when dealing with someone who questioned the authenticity of the Resurrection, he would ask 10 questions. Here they are, as paraphrased.

1. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, who moved the stone?
2. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, why did the Pharisees bribe the guards?
3. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, who or what overcame the Roman soldiers?
4. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, appeared to the Apostles after His crucifixion?
5. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, empowered the Apostles to heal as in the instance where Peter and Paul said “in the Name of Jesus Christ rise up and walk”?
6. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, how did 500 people confirm seeing Him after the crucifixion and testify to the appearance? Did they lie? There is no record of any one of them recanting!
7. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, why did the Apostles die as martyrs? All but one—John—died terrible deaths as martyrs, and John was tortured for His belief in and preaching of Christ!
8. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, who appeared to Saul of Tarsus? Saul, the feared murderer of believers, repented and became the greatest Christian missionary of the Church!
9. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, who changed me and forgave me of my sins?
10. If Jesus did not rise from the dead, who changed the believers throughout the Church age?

From the message, YWHW in Psalm 34, Pt. 3 about 36 minutes into the message.

Tags: Christ, Salvation

I grew up in a church background that did not encourage Systematic Theology. From childhood to adulthood, I grew up in a denomination that relied on the catechism and the teachings of the church. From young adulthood I grew in the Lord in a church that stressed Biblical Theology. Somewhere along the way I became interested in Systematic Theology.

In April 2008 I attended the “Together for the Gospel” conference. The first speaker, Lingon Duncan, spoke on the importance of sound doctrine. During that talk he stated that Jesus and Paul did systematic theology, so why shouldn’t we. That caught my attention. Dr. Duncan then gave the scriptural evidence for his assertion. These were the Scriptures he gave, and I heartily agreed.

And beginning at Moses and all the Prophets, He expounded to them in all the Scriptures the things concerning Himself…And they told about the things [that had happened] on the road, and how He was known to them in the breaking of bread. (Luke 24:27, 35 NKJV)

If it was good enough for Jesus, then I should be interested in it as well.

Tags: Christ, Theology

The following reading, The Name of Jesus in the Epistle to the Hebrews., is from F.E. Marsh’s 500 Bible Readings¹.

1. As Son of Man. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death” (Heb. 2:9).
2. As our High Priest. “We have a great High Priest, who is passed into the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God” (Heb. 4:14, and 6:20).
3. As our Surety. “By so much was Jesus made a Surety of a better testament” (Heb. 7:22).
4. As the Way into the holiest. “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus” (Heb. 10:19).
5. As the Author of faith. “Looking unto Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith” (Heb. 12:2).
6. As our Mediator. “And to Jesus the Mediator of the new covenant” (Heb. 12:24)’
7. As our Sanctifier. “Wherefore Jesus also, that He might sanctify the people with His own blood, suffered without the gate” (Heb. 13:12).

1. 500 Bible Readings, Marsh, F.E., (London: Marshall Brothers, 1897). Reading number 236.

Tags: Christ, Marsh, Teaching Ideas, Theology

The following reading, Christ, Our Life,
is from F.E. Marsh’s 500 Bible Readings¹.

There are many words and phrases that are peculiar to John; for
instance, the double “verily,” “excepts,” and “true” things. John’s
Gospel is peculiar in itself. Matthew shows us Christ as “King,”
Mark as the “Servant,” Luke as the “Man,” and John as the
“Life.” This may be traced right through John.

1. 500 Bible Readings, Marsh, F.E., (London: Marshall Brothers, 1897). Reading number 72.

Tags: Bible, Bibliology, Christ, Christian Living, Marsh, Teaching Ideas

My Position in Christ

• I have been delivered from the power of darkness and conveyed into the kingdom of the Jesus Christ. (Col 1:13)
• I currently possess redemption, the forgiveness of sin, through the blood of Jesus. (Col 1:14)
• I have died, and my life is now hidden with Christ in God. (Col 3:3)
• I was purchased by God at a price. (1 Cor 6:20)
• I now belong to Christ and therefore belong to God. (1 Cor 3:23)
• I was chosen in Christ before the creation of the world, to be reckoned as holy and blameless before Him. (Eph. 1:4)
• I have been made alive with Christ and sit with Him in the heavenly places. (Eph. 2:5-6)
• I am God’s child. (John 1:12)
• I am Christ’s friend. (John 15:15)
• I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. (Eph 2:6)
• I am a citizen of heaven. (Phil 3:20)
• I am born of God, and the evil one cannot touch me. (1 John 5:18)

Regarding Sin

• I am free from the power of sin, and am now a slave to righteousness. (Rom 6:7-8, 11, 14, 18)
• I have been redeemed from the curse of the Law. (Gal 3:13)
• I am free from condemnation. (Rom 8:1-2)

• No works that I do will or can justify me. (Rom 3:20)
• I am justified. (Rom 5:1)
• I am saved by the grace of God through faith. (Eph 2:8-9)
• I am able to find God’s grace and mercy in time of need. (Heb 4:16)

I Am Complete in Christ

• I am in Christ, and am therefore complete in Him, because He is the fullness of the Godhead in bodily form. (Col. 2:9-10)
• I have access to the mind of Christ so that He may instruct me. (1 Cor 2:16)
• Through Christ, I have overcome the world. (1 John 4:4)

My Hope is in the Character of God

• I will wait upon the Lord for His lovingkindness never ceases; His compassion never fails; He is good to those who wait for Him. (Lam 3:22-25)
• I will obey Him, for the Lord’s commandments are not burdensome. (1 John 5:3)
• I am safe for He will never abandon me. (Heb 13:5)
• The Lord is faithful. He will strengthen me and protect me from the enemy. (2 Thess. 3:3)
• I look forward to His glorious coming. He is preparing a place for me and will come again to receive me unto Himself. (John 14:1-3, 1 Thess 4:17-18)
• I am confident that the good work that the Lord has begun in me will be perfected. (Phil 1:6)

Tags: Christ, Faith, Salvation

With respect to the Greek words agape and phileo, which are translated love in the English, note the following:

• Phileo doesn’t denote a lesser love except contextually
• Agape doesn’t denote divine love except contextually

I have heard many sermons stating that the word agape means God’s divine love and phileo is human brotherly love. But that is not true, as stated. It is only if the context requires it. Here are some examples that show where it is NOT true.

• God the Father phileo the Son—John 5:20. Thus phileo can be used to denote God’s divine love. I wouldn’t think that the Father loves the Son with a human brotherly love.
• Father phileo us and the Son—John 16:27
• Jesus phileo John—John 20:2. God the Son, loved the Apostle John, and it uses the term phileo. I am sure that God the Son loved with a divine love.
• God phileo, human agape—Pro 8:17 “I (God) phileo those who (humans) love agapeo me…”
• The adulteress in Hosea 3 is committing a physical act of adultery, and it is described in the LXX as using a form of agapeo.
  

  “Then the LORD said to me, ‘Go again, love [1] a woman who is loved by a lover [1] and is committing adultery, just like the love [1] of the LORD for the children of Israel, who look to other gods and love [2] the raisin cakes of the pagans.'”—Hosea 3:1

  [1] root=agapeo [2] root=phileo

• Agape as sexual—2 Sam 13:4; Songs 2:5-7:6
• Phileo as sexual — Prov 7:18

Thayers lexicon makes the following disctinction between the two Greek words:

• Agape – love based in choice; admiration, esteem, veneration; commanded in Mat 5:44;
• Phileo – love based in emotion

Tags: Christ, God, Living, Theology