UNDERSTANDING

UNDERSTANDING

“That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me.” John 17:21

What is understanding? (Exod. 31:3) It comes from two words put together. It is a grammatical construct. The two words are under and stand. To "stand under" means to submit to another Person's mind, which we have the mind of Christ; you stand under their mind. You use their thoughts, lose your own opinion and take on theirs. Therefore you become one with another. It is a form of communion. To understand is also translated communion. Communion is also a grammatical construction of two words, common and union. The word common means same, union means one. Common union therefore means to become one with another person. That is God's number one goal, communion with us. He wants to commune with us. That has been His cry from the beginning, to tabernacle with the people of God. Jesus prayer was to the Father to make us one (John 17:21). The prayer for unity is repeated five times (John 17:11, 21-23)  (Eph. 4:4, 13). To understand therefore means that we are to catch the intent of another person, not just their words. You can't understand a Person until that happens. You then become their friend (John 15:15). God's intention is found in the constitution. The all consuming purpose and intent of God in creation was to establish a Kingdom on the earth, in which He could display His glory in the Person of His Son. This display of His glory was to be made to creatures made in His image, and therefore, capable of apprehending, appreciating, and applauding His glory. The unfolding drama of the Bible depicts the movements of God in the accomplishment of that purpose.

“And I have filled him with the spirit of God, in wisdom, and in understanding, and in knowledge, and in all manner of workmanship.” Exod. 31:3

FRIENDSHIP

FRIENDSHIP WITH HUMANS AND GOD

I propose to give three quotations, which have appealed to me personally, as setting forth most perfectly the ideal of human friendship. I begin with these words from Mrs. Craik’s Life for a Life.              Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort, of feeling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor measure words, but pour them all right out just as they are, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keep what is worth keeping, and with the breath of kindness blow the rest away. Is not that a perfect description of friendship? How many people are there in company with whom you can pour out everything in your heart, say everything, say anything? Very, very few; for God does not give us many friends in this world; many acquaintances, and we value them all. But that is a perfect description of friendship. With your friend you think aloud, there is no restraint; there is no need to keep up an appearance, the blunter thing would be to say, there is no need to play the hypocrite. You pour everything out, knowing this, your friend will sift between the chaff and the grain, and with the breath of kindness will blow the chaff away, and keep only the grain. That is friendship on the human level. And it described what true friendship with God is, that is on my side of the fellowship. With God it is my privilege to pour out everything that is in my heart, chaff and grain together, saying anything, saying everything I am thinking. But have we learned that lesson? Do not we think altogether too often our conversation with God must be that of carefully prepared and often stilted phrasing? I think we never so grieve His heart as when we attempt to speak thus with Him. Conversing with God reaches its highest level when, alone with Him, I pour out in His listening ear everything in my heart; and the manner in which I have learned that secret, and live in the power of it, is the measure of the joy and strength of my friendship with God. It is perfectly true, it may be done. I can say, and I do say, when alone with God things I dare not say in the hearing of other men. I tell Him all my griefs, and doubts, and fears; and if we have not learned to do so, we have never entered into the meaning of this great truth concerning fellowship and friendship. He will take out the grain, and with the breath of friendship blow the chaff away, only we must be honest when we are dealing with Him. I believe that if your heart is hot and restless about the way God is dealing with you, and you force yourself to the singing of a hymn of resignation, He spurns it; but if you pour out your anger as Martha did when she said, “I know he shall rise in the last day,” (John 11:24) then He will be patient, and loving, and gentle; and out of the infinite love and gentleness of His heart He will speak some quiet word of comfort. How much do we know of this fellowship? How much have we practiced talking to God of everything in our souls? Or take another illustration.

       Goethe speaking of his friendship for one with whom he held conversation, said this: For the first time I carried on a conversation; for the first time was the inmost sense of my words returned to me more rich, more full, more comprehensive from another mouth. What I had been groping for was returned clear to me. What I had been thinking I have been taught to see. Is not that even a more subtle and delicate definition of friendship? Not only can I pour out all the things in my heart; but my friend will say yes, and repeat the thing I have said, and repeat it definitely better than I could ever have hoped to say it. Here again is the revelation of what friendship with God means to those who know and practice it; and even though this may be a more delicate and wonderful definition, I think we all understand it perhaps a little better, for there have been moments when we have struggled to say things to God, and have heard Him saying them again to us better than we could have said them. Is not that what Paul meant when he said: “We know not what to pray for as we ought”? (Rom. 8:26) Is not that the supreme inspiration for high and prevailing prayer, the consciousness of inability to make prevailing prayer? But Paul added: “The Spirit maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered,” that is, He says the things for us, and we know that God is praying prayers we fain would pray, and answering our imperfect articulation with the perfect words that prove His perfect comprehension.

       Or once again, Dryden, describing his friendship for his truest friend, said: We were so mixed up as meeting streams, both to our selves were lost. We were one mass. We could not give or take but for the same, for he was I, I he. What is that but Dryden’s method of declaring that he and his friend had all things in common? And dare we take that last illustration and use it of friendship with God? Without a doubt. Here we touch the real meaning of fellowship and friendship; here we are at the heart and center of the great idea. Let us also consider the other aspect of fellowship and friendship as partnership; mutual interests, mutual devotion, mutual activity.

KOINONIA

KOINONIA

“That which we have seen and heard declare we unto you, that ye also may have fellowship with us: and truly our fellowship is with the Father, and with his Son Jesus Christ.” 1 John 1:3

This is one of the greatest statements of the New Testament, and it may safely be said that its greatness is created by the richness of the word which is the emphatic word, viz., fellowship. This is a word which was actually used by Paul more often than any other New Testament writer (1 Cor 1:9), but the conception is most perfectly interpreted by John. The marvel of this particular statement will best be apprehended if we accurately apprehend the significance of the word. The Greek word koinonia is derived from the word koinos, which very literally means common, in the sense of being shared by all. The use of that word koinos, or common, in our New Testament, which will help us most in this consideration, is that made of it by Luke when he declared that "All that believed were together, and had all things common" (Acts 2:44). Fellowship then is that community of relationship which expresses itself in community of resource and responsibility. Those who have a fellowship one with another are those who share the same resources, and are bound by the same responsibilities. The idea becomes almost overwhelming when it is thus applied to the relationship which believing souls bear to the Father, and to His Son Jesus Christ. It is a subject which can be meditated in silence better than interpreted by words. The whole of this letter helps us in such meditation. We may reverently attempt to summarize by repeating what is already said. The Father, His Son Jesus Christ, and all believers have all things in common. All the resources of each in the wondrous relationship are at the disposal of the others. Such is the grace of our God, and of His Son. We rest eternally with the Three Who saved, sanctified, and take us to the eternal rest in a spiritual body that can appreciate, applaud, and apprehend the extent of what was done for us.

IGNORANCE

IGNORANCE

“And account that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation; even as our beloved brother Paul also according to the wisdom given unto him hath written unto you; As also in all his epistles, speaking in them of these things; in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction.” 2 Pet. 3:15-16

Peter begins to discuss why we need gifted teachers, comparing scripture with scripture to see what it really means, a life-long joyous experience to search the scriptures daily. Peter here acknowledges Paul's stance he took in Gal. 2:11-14 to not deviate from doctrinal truth in the face of those which Peter gave into. Peter here gives special reference to the writings of Paul, he says, "in which are some things hard to be understood, which they that are unlearned and unstable wrest, as they do also the other scriptures, unto their own destruction" (2 Pet. 3:15-16). Instead of "unlearned," Weymouth has "ill-taught," and the American Standard Version has "ignorant." Evidently this particular ignorance is somehow connected with teaching, or the lack of it. And it is a fact that large and important areas of the Word of God are comparatively unknown to many people because they are either given no place in the pulpit or wrongly taught. As a result, other parts of Scripture are wrested or "tortured" to the destruction of men's souls.

                But ignorance may also be something deliberate, a path upon which men set their feet with willful intent. Peter describes certain scoffers of the last days as men who "willingly are ignorant" of things they should have known. And it is a matter of significant interest that the object of this deliberate ignorance is eschatological in nature, having to do with the question of the promise of the Lord's second coming (cf. 2 Pet. 3:1-5). Furthermore, the revelation to which these "scoffers" deliberately shut their eyes is found for the most part in the Old Testament (2 Pet. 3:5, 6, 10). The remedy for such ignorance, of course, is to receive and read the whole Word of God with an open mind under the guidance of the Spirit of God.

For a Christian, the written Word of God, correctly interpreted, must be the starting point for arriving at valid conclusions in every significant realm of meaning. If the God-honored and time-honored method of grammatical-historical ("normal") interpretation of the Bible is valid, then biblical statements of history and doctrine cannot be twisted at the whim of the interpreter. Even during the apostolic era this practice was all too prevalent, and was denounced by the apostle Peter in powerful terms: "our beloved brother Paul "... wrote to you ... in all his letters.. . in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:15-16). It should be especially noted that Peter considered such distorting of Scripture as leading "to their own destruction!' This is especially true of Genesis, the foundational book of the Bible, including its oft-twisted first eleven chapters. The careful student of God's Word knows full well that he must stand before the judgment throne of Christ to be judged for the way he has handled Scripture (Rom. 14:10, 12; 1 Cor. 3:10-15; 2 Cor. 5:10; Rev. 22:18-19). A Christian may be excused for his ignorance of the details of astrophysics, geology, microbiology, or genetics-for in this age of specialization, no one can know everything about his own field, to say nothing of all other significant branches of science. But he will not be excused for his willful ignorance of God's revealed Word:

And he [Jesus] answered and said, "Have you not read. ..?" (Matt. 19:4). And Jesus said to them, "Yes; have you never read ...?” (Matt. 21:16).

There is, in fact, simply no way for the human mind to grasp the power of God: "'To whom then will you liken Me that I should be his equal?' says the Holy One.... "For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts" (Isa. 40:25; 55:9).

This enormously significant truth concerning God is seriously compromised if not destroyed when passages are made more "reasonable" and "scientifically credible," and thus accommodated to man's finite, naturalistic level of thinking. To twist the Scripture is to distort God's message to us. What the apostle Peter said concerning Paul's letters is surely applicable to the opening chapters of the Bible, ". . . in which are some things hard to understand, which the untaught and unstable distort, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures, to their own destruction" (2 Peter 3:16). You cannot distort and twist a mere man's book to destruction, this is the only book God ever wrote, the Bible, and if you twist this Book, deny this Book, eternal destruction is your destiny. How we handle God's eternal Word is desperately important business.

                These uniformatarian scientists have not denied God, but they have denied God's Word is dependable guideline to world history, to science, and to prophecy. And that they have set themselves up as their own authorities on how and to what extent the Bible must be understood. Therefore the things that you cannot see are denied by these men. For instance, the creation of the world, Adam and Eve, their fall and descend with the resulting curse, the great flood of Noah's day, Noah's Ark, the judgment at Babel, the supernatural events that occurred in the ministry of Christ and His apostles as well as the birth of the Church at Pentecost, and as you see here the complex events which shall accompany the 2nd coming of Jesus Christ to this world. Angelic beings of today are also denied, invisible to the eye of man, never seen by any telescope and therefore denied, as well as the Triune blessed God of the scriptures. To impericism nothing is really real unless you can see, hear, taste, smell, and touch with the 5 senses. You need to be able to analyze it with a laboratory situation to determine its authenticity so they twist and abandon scripture.

BLEMISH

BLEMISH

“Wherefore, beloved, seeing that ye look for such things, be diligent that ye may be found of him in peace, without spot, and blameless.” 2 Pet. 3:14

Blemish is a condition that disqualifies an animal as a sacrifice (Lev. 22:17-25) or a man from priestly service (Lev. 21:17-24). In the New Testament, Christ is the perfect sacrifice (without blemish, Heb. 9:14; 1 Pet. 1:19) intended to sanctify the church and remove all its blemishes (Eph. 5:27). The children of God are commanded to live lives without blemishes (Phil. 2:15; 2 Pet. 3:14). Need to get busy before it is too late? (Matt. 5:48) (1 Cor 1:8; 1 Thess. 5:23) See Heb. 12:14; 1 Pet. 1:15-16.

See article UNFINISHED BUSINESS which is the obtainment of the eternal body in which to serve Him forever.

Blamelessness and without spot is to be prior to heaven as taught in Phil. 2:15, in peace for He left us that way and we are to maintain that state prior to heaven according to John 14:27. And that wasn't all He left us for a little earlier in  John He had referred to "the commandments that are Mine." In the next chapter He spoke of "the love that is Mine"; and a little later, "the joy that is Mine." (commandments, love and joy)

Christ left His Spirit John 14:26 to keep us in this blameless state by bringing to remembrance all that He said and what He meant by what He said. And we have the Advocate 1 John 2:1 whereby we are to confess what He has pointed out 1 John 1:9 thereby remaining in this state at peace John 14:27 with His Father and without spot. This is said to of Him whereby He is an active participant in this endeavor - co-dwelling in our bodies and teaching us truth concerning Himself. Rom. 12:1-2 - found to be metamorphosed.

TRADITIONS

TRADITIONS

“Therefore, brethren, stand fast, and hold the traditions which ye have been taught, whether by word, or our epistle.” 2 Thess. 2:15

“Traditions” can be either valuable or harmful, depending on whether or not they support God’s Word. Jesus, for example, rebuked the Pharisees on this basis: “Why do ye also transgress the commandment of God by your tradition?” (Matt. 15:3). Paul, on the other hand, encouraged the Thessalonians to keep the traditions they had been taught by him, either verbally or in writing (see also 2 Thess. 3:6). For the first twenty years or so of the spread of Christianity, each church needed to carefully and accurately remember what they had been taught orally by the apostles or their prophets, pastors, and teachers, for they did not yet have the New Testament in written form. By this time, however, Paul had written down at least some of his teachings, and the New Testament was beginning to take shape. Eventually, by the time the last apostle died, it would all have been written and circulated among the churches, and there would be no further need for them to be guided by the oral traditions. The corresponding message to us today, therefore, would be to “stand fast, and hold the Scriptures which ye have been taught.”

Paul had taught them in the first letter that they would not go through the tribulation. 1 Thess. 1:9-10.

ELECTION

ELECTION – 1 PART OF PREDESTINATION

“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:” Eph. 1:4

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: Whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.” 2 Thess. 2:13-14

A tentative definition of election: That God, before the foundation of the world, chose all believers to salvation in Christ with all its attendant blessings and obligations. Cf. 2 Thess. 2:13-14 with Eph. 1:4 Because God has chosen you from the beginning –Chose us in Him before the foundation of the world.

The place of election within the total divine plan which predestination includes:

(1) Predestination refers to the total plan - includes all things. - Hence includes both causative and permissive decrees.

(2) Election refers to that part of the total divine plan which deals with the saved.- God predestinates all things - He elects the saved. He does not elect the lost to be lost – they do through the refusal to accept the grace He offers to all. - Election deals only with personal beings. -  Election always a causative decree. God causes that thing to take place. He allows sin but it is in His plan. And since all are sinners He has the choice of how He wants to use a person therefore He has a whole creation to use in this process. Psa. 148:8-12. He has Judas, He has Pharaoh, He has John the Baptist, He even has you and I. Many things have happened in my experience over 70 years at this point and of a few I know that the God and King of this universe has a plan that I still have trouble comprehending. He elects none to perdition but by grace He saves a few. Election has to do with the saved.