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.

CIRCUMCISION

CIRCUMCISION

“In whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands, in putting off the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ.” Col. 2:11

Here, without hands. Paul, writing to the Gentile Christians at Colosse, would certainly not here be referring to literal circumcision, which he rejected as a ritual requirement for Gentiles (e.g., Gal. 5:2, 6). The “circumcision made without hands” refers to the spiritual significance of circumcision, which applies to Gentiles as well as Jews. The covenant that God had made with Abraham (Gen. 17:9-14) was to be signified by the physical rite of circumcision (cutting round). It was a national and earthly covenant, applicable only to the chosen nation fathered by Abraham, and did not of itself assure personal salvation in heaven to those who submitted to it. However, it should have encouraged in them and symbolized to them a spiritual separation also, dedicating themselves to serve the Lord and to do His will. Similarly, God’s people in any nation and any age should so dedicate themselves, cutting themselves off from the natural sins of the flesh. In that sense, every true believer has submitted to spiritual circumcision.

TWO PREACHERS

TWO PREACHERS OF NON-SUFFERING ENTRANCE

“Again, the devil took Him to a very high mountain, and showed^ Him all the kingdoms of the world, and their glory; and he said to Him, "All these things will I give You, if You fall down and worship me." Matt. 4:8-9

“From that time Jesus Christ began to show His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised up on the third day. And Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "God forbid it, Lord! This shall never happen to You. But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to Me; for you are not setting your mind on God's interests, but man's." Matt. 16:21-23

Two preachers attempted to tempt Him from the pain and suffering entrance method into the Kingdom. Both Satan in the temptation, and Peter in Matt. 16:21-23. He had already consented to die by being baptized in the Jordan by John the Baptist. He turns His back from the suggestion that He omit the Cross, thus turning His back on the short and easy path of entrance into the Kingdom.

The offer of the Kingdoms of the Earth by Satan must have been horrible to Him, and still more the price that Satan asked. Satan has the right to offer what is his. The Kingdoms of the Earth are founded on force and maintained with deceit. They are Satan's own country, they are his Paradise regained. Satan sleeps every night on the pillows of the powerful. They pay material tribute to him, and give him daily offerings in thought and deed. But Jesus could have taken away their Kingdoms from the Kings without bending knee to the Adversary. He had only to offer men bread without work. If like a juggling charlatan He had opened a public theater of popular miracles, the multitude would have acclaimed Him. Had He wished to seem the Messiah for whom the Jews had been longing during their dreary slavery, He could have corrupted them with plenty and with marvels, He could have made of every land a country of grace and enchantment and He could have occupied at once every seat of the procurators of Satan.

But Jesus does not wish to be the restorer of the fallen kingdom, the conqueror of hostile empire(s). Authority is of little importance to Him and glory still less. The Kingdom which He announces and prepares has nothing in common with the Kingdom(s) of the Earth. His Kingdom is destined rather to bring to naught the Kingdom(s) of the Earth. The Kingdom of Heaven is in us, united and singular. Any day when a soul has turned to righteousness the Kingdom of Heaven is enlarged because it has acquired a new citizen, snatched from the Kingdom of Earth. When everyone is good and righteous, when all love their brothers as fathers love their sons, when even enemies love one another (if there still are enemies), when no one thinks of amassing treasure, and instead of taking away from others, every one gives bread to the hungry and clothing to those who are cold, where on that day will be the Kingdom of the Earth? Where will be the need for soldiers when no one wishes to enlarge his own land by stealing that of his neighbor? What need neither will there be for Kings when everyone has his law in his conscience and when there are no armies to command nor judges to select? What need will there be for money and for tribute when everyone is sure of his living and satisfied with it, and there are no wages to be paid to soldiers and servants? When everyone's soul is transformed, those so-called foundations of life which are named Society, Country and Justice will vanish like the hallucinations of a long night. This will be the outcome of the 1000 year reign of Christ. The word of Christ needs neither money nor armies. And if it really becomes the universal life of the conscience, everything that binds and blinds men, necessary unjust power, the criminal glory of battles, will fall like morning mists before sunlight and wind. The Kingdom of Heaven within is One and it will take the place of the Kingdom(s) of Earth, which are many. The liberated spirit will scarcely remember despotic flesh. Men will no longer be divided into Kings and subjects, masters and slaves, rich and poor, the arrogantly virtuous, the humble sinners, free and prisoners. The sun of God will shine on all, the citizens of the Kingdom will be one family of fathers and brothers and the gates of Paradise will be open again to the sons of Adam become as gods.