Category: reversion of the saint

Asset or Liability to the Establishment? #2

Saturday, July 26, 2025

“[Our Lord Jesus Christ] Who gave himself for our sins, that he might deliver us from this present evil world, according to the will of God and our Father:…” (Galatians 1:4 KJV).

Are we assets or liabilities to Satan’s Establishment?

It is not enough to simply do. We ought to recognize purpose. Why should we do this and not that? Failing to realize exactly what makes right conduct proper, not ascertaining precisely what makes wrong conduct improper, we become more inclined to change for the worse. Throughout human history, this has occurred repeatedly in every sphere of society (political, religious, economic, et cetera). “We do not know why it is this way, we just know this is the way we have done it.” If good habits are not appreciated for their intrinsic worth, bad customs will easily eventually replace them; those bad ways, though profitless, will be all the more difficult to identify and forsake.

Power-hungry people care not whether they are doing right or wrong: what matters to them is they are in authority, answering to no one. Imagine a child taking his father’s sword from its display case and waving it around simply because he has access. He possesses no skill and recognizes no danger, but he holds and wields the sword because this is something new, exciting, different, “progress.” His peers—equally immature and just as imprudent—find value in his conduct. They see nothing perilous about it. Here is the general public, encouraging that which is inappropriate because they are too childish to know any better (not comprehending why it is unsuitable). An asset cheers this travesty on, delighting in seeing it repeated, clapping and leaping for joy to behold it. It is a sordid affair, this present evil world and its participants.

When someone filled with the Spirit of God comes along and declares, “This is wrong. This is sin. It should not be.,” this person immediately becomes a liability or embarrassment to what has become normalized (and all who support it). The “outsider” is seen as a troublemaker, whose very presence and testimony stand in opposition to Satan’s Establishment; extreme steps will be taken to neutralize or eliminate him. In today’s Scripture, Christ’s death on Calvary has delivered us from “this present evil world.” Indeed, we are outsiders, sanctified (set apart) for the Master’s use….

Liberated to Serve

Friday, July 4, 2025 🇺🇸

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 249th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Scrooges and Christians

Monday, December 16, 2024

“Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (2 Corinthians 5:17 KJV).

To the old identity, we say, “Bah, Humbug!” To the new, we say, “God has blessed us, everyone in Christ.”

Other than Jesus Christ’s conception and birth as found in the Holy Bible, there is one other classic story associated with Christmastime. British author Charles Dickens’ 1843 book, A Christmas Carol, focuses on the transformation of Ebenezer Scrooge (the novella has some Christian influence).

From the onset, Scrooge is a wealthy, miserable, mean, stingy, and selfish old man. His employee, Bob Cratchit, is underpaid (yet, strangely, Ebenezer observes, Cratchit is cheerful). Scrooge refuses to donate to charities collecting for the destitute—to him, Christmastime is a time for others to “pick his pocket.” He even refuses to attend his nephew’s Christmas party. What a miser!

Through visitations by four Spirits—his deceased business partner, Jacob Marley; and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Christmas Present, and Christmas Future—Scrooge is forced to realize what a thoroughly rotten man he is. Once confronted with his future, the awful events that lie ahead, he asks for another chance to make things right (which, thankfully, he receives and does!). The Scrooge at the end of the book is drastically different from the Scrooge at the beginning. Scrooge is now loving, warm, cheerful, and generous—he is a brand-new man.

Bible-believing Christians recognize parallels between Dickens’ work and the Holy Scriptures. The sinner starts off rotten, a rebel from birth—selfish, miserable, and mean. When he or she comes to realize that pitiful condition he or she is in, and comes by simple faith in Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork as sufficient payment for their sins, God gives him or her a new identity (today’s Scripture). That identity is designed to influence subsequent actions. Scrooge did not simply change his outward activity; he had a change in heart first. This Christmas, let us be submissive to God’s Holy Spirit working in our hearts, as He uses sound Bible doctrine to manifest in our behavior our identity in Christ, that we be not Scrooges.

Liberated to Serve

Thursday, July 4, 2024 🇺🇸

“For, brethren, ye have been called unto liberty; only use not liberty for an occasion to the flesh, but by love serve one another” (Galatians 5:13 KJV).

Today, as we in the United States celebrate the 248th anniversary of our nation’s independence, we invite our Christian brethren worldwide to rejoice with us concerning our freedom in Jesus Christ.

When we proclaim Romans 6:14—“Ye are not under the law, but under grace”—people tend to assume “loose living.” Does “grace living” really mean we can now live any way we want? Lest anyone be misled in that regard, God the Holy Spirit moved the Apostle Paul to write in the next verse, “What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid [May God never let that happen!]” (Romans 6:15). Grace living is not Law-keeping, but it certainly is not Law-breaking either.

God still cares how we live, albeit He is not operating the “weak and beggarly” system of “bondage” (Law) that He once did with Israel (Galatians 4:9). God proved to the entire world that since Israel could not keep His commandments perfectly, no other sons of Adam (the Gentiles) could either: “Now we know that what things soever the law saith, it saith to them [Israel] who are under the law: that every mouth may be stopped, and all the world [Gentiles] may become guilty before God” (Romans 3:19).

We sinners cannot keep the Law. However, God in His grace provided us a way to escape that condemnation by sending Jesus Christ to offer Himself on Calvary’s cruel cross to pay for our sins. By simple faith in Jesus Christ’s death, burial, and resurrection as the fully-satisfying payment for our sins, we can now be “made the righteousness of God in [Christ]” (2 Corinthians 5:21). We can be delivered from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire) and the power of sin (flesh-walking).

Why are we Christians free? To selfishly live any way we want? NO! Today’s Scripture says we are liberated to now serve others, especially our Christian brethren, just as Jesus Christ selflessly served His Father and selflessly died on our behalf. That is grace living!!!!

Please see our 2011 Fourth of July Bible study “Proclaim Liberty Throughout All the Land,” which can be watched here or read here.

Peter’s Preposterousness #10

Monday, January 15, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

Read Matthew 26:31-35 again: “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended. Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples.” You may also see the parallel in Mark 14:27-31.

It is quite clear the Lord Jesus Christ had no confidence in the flesh of His disciples. They were not perfect and He knew it well. Instead, He believed, or had faith in, the Scriptures. He was quite familiar with Zechariah 13:7: “Awake, O sword, against my shepherd, and against the man that is my fellow, saith the LORD of hosts: smite the shepherd, and the sheep shall be scattered: and I will turn mine hand upon the little ones.” The “sheep”—the Little Flock, the disciples—would indeed be scattered, going their own way when their Shepherd headed to Calvary’s cruel cross.

Dear brethren, what lesson we can gain from this is simple. May we have confidence in God’s words to us, Romans through Philemon, His grace to us in Christ. Unlike miserable Paul in Romans chapter 7, struggling to live the Christian life in his own strength, we should read and believe Romans chapters 6 and 8. Here is where we have victory over sin, the weakness of our flesh. It is in these grace truths that we find God’s faithfulness, Christ’s faithfulness, always compensating for our unfaithfulness (our preposterousness)! 🙂

Peter’s Preposterousness #9

Sunday, January 14, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

Take one final look at Luke 22:31,32 (the context of today’s Scripture): “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat [separate you, after shaking you to point of overthrowing your faith]: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” This very night, the men whom the Lord Jesus Christ had intimately trained for the last three years, would abandon Him and pretend as if they never knew Him. He knew it with absolute certainty, and notified them of it. It would be unspeakably traumatic for all involved, and, had it not been for His intercessory prayer here, none of those men would have ever returned to His ministry.

Once Peter committed those dreadful deeds of denial, the Lord Himself served as a heartbreaking reminder. Read the verses immediately following today’s Scripture: “And the Lord turned, and looked upon Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how he had said unto him, Before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. And Peter went out, and wept bitterly.” Staring from a distance, Jesus fixed His eyes on Peter and Peter noticed and instantly called to mind what He had told him not long before. That started Peter, and the rest of the Little Flock, on the path to recovery from Satan’s snare.

When we as members of the Church the Body of Christ fail (returning to the preposterousness of the bondage to sin), we have not surprised Father God, the Lord Jesus Christ, or the Holy Spirit. Provisions have already been made and (whether we are aware of it or not) sin will thus be overcome. We should drive out Bible ignorance and endless despair by studying God’s Book rightly divided, giving us matchless victory and indescribable joy….

Peter’s Preposterousness #8

Saturday, January 13, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

Read Luke 22:31,32 (the context of today’s Scripture): “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat [separate you, after shaking you to point of overthrowing your faith]: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.” The Lord Jesus Christ was quite familiar with the weaknesses of human flesh. None of His disciples could convince Him that He could depend on them, that they would not forsake Him. He not only anticipated their repudiation of Him, He also made a provision to reverse their preposterousness. Christ prayed that, after Peter (their leader) would be attacked and fall, he would be “converted” (turned toward the right direction) and recover his brethren (the other disciples) from their spiritual mess.

Just before the close of the Gospel Record of John, we read of the Apostles’ restoration to ministry (Peter, their leader, is now thrice allowed to make up for his three-fold renunciation). “So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my lambs. He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, Feed my sheep. He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, Feed my sheep” (John 21:15-17).

Let us now see what we members of the Church the Body of Christ can learn from all of this….

Peter’s Preposterousness #7

Friday, January 12, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

On at least two occasions Peter debated with the Lord Jesus as to whether he would repudiate Him. The first incident was in the Upper Room. “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death” (Luke 22:31-33).

Next was en route to Gethsemane. “Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this night, before the cock crow, thou shalt deny me thrice. Peter said unto him, Though I should die with thee, yet will I not deny thee. Likewise also said all the disciples” (Matthew 26:34,35). “And Jesus saith unto him, Verily I say unto thee, That this day, even in this night, before the cock crow twice, thou shalt deny me thrice. But he spake the more vehemently [violently, intensely], If I should die with thee, I will not deny thee in any wise. Likewise also said they all” (Mark 14:30,31).

We remember other boasts from that night. “Peter said unto him, Lord, why cannot I follow thee now? I will lay down my life for thy sake” (John 13:37). “Then saith Jesus unto them, All ye shall be offended because of me this night: for it is written, I will smite the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock shall be scattered abroad. But after I am risen again, I will go before you into Galilee. Peter answered and said unto him, Though all men shall be offended because of thee, yet will I never be offended” (Matthew 26:31-33).

The disciples here were twice preposterous. Firstly, they joined Peter by contending with Christ (“Thou liest, Lord!”). Secondly, they had confidence in the flesh (“Thou canst depend on us, Lord!”). Let us learn from their errors….

Peter’s Preposterousness #6

Thursday, January 11, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

This thought-provoking question was posed long ago: “If we were accused of being a believer in Christ, would there be enough evidence to convict us?” In Peter’s case, the answer is in the affirmative. Not only did his Galilaean accent thrice incriminate him (linking him to Jesus of Nazareth of Galilee), there was at least one eyewitness who could identify him as being a disciple of Jesus. This man did more than observe Peter with Jesus at His arrest: he was a relative of the fellow whose ear panicking Peter amputated there in the Garden of Gethsemane when Jesus was being taken into custody!

John chapter 18: “[10] Then Simon Peter having a sword drew it, and smote the high priest’s servant, and cut off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus…. [26] One of the servants of the high priest, being his kinsman whose ear Peter cut off, saith, Did not I see thee in the garden with him? [27] Peter then denied again: and immediately the cock crew.” Thousands undoubtedly saw Peter with the Lord Jesus Christ all during those three years, from Galilee to Judaea. Now, Peter was trapped in weakness, recanting the very Lord he had valiantly defended in Gethsemane earlier. Peter’s overconfidence was his silliness, and his silliness became his ruin.

In the Upper Room prior to the Garden of Gethsemane, we remember Christ’s warning to Peter: “And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. And he said unto him, Lord, I am ready to go with thee, both into prison, and to death. And he said, I tell thee, Peter, the cock shall not crow this day, before that thou shalt thrice deny that thou knowest me” (Luke 22:31-34—the context of today’s Scripture). Peter refused to agree with Christ that he would fall away….

Peter’s Preposterousness #5

Wednesday, January 10, 2024

“And about the space of one hour after another confidently affirmed, saying, Of a truth this fellow also was with him: for he is a Galilaean. And Peter said, Man, I know not what thou sayest. And immediately, while he yet spake, the cock crew” (Luke 22:59,60 KJV).

How was Peter the Apostle being preposterous?

“And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene” (Matthew 2:23). Therefore, throughout His earthly ministry, the Lord bore the title “Jesus of Nazareth.” Nazareth was in Galilee, northern Israel, no more than a day’s journey southwest of the Sea of Galilee. “And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee” (Matthew 21:11). “And they told him, that Jesus of Nazareth passeth by” (Luke 18:37). Also see John 1:45,46; John 18:5,7; and John 19:19.

On the night of Christ’s trial, Peter was accused the first time as follows: “And when she saw Peter warming himself, she looked upon him, and said, And thou also wast with Jesus of Nazareth” (Mark 14:67). Peter denied. The allegation is put forth a second time: “And when he was gone out into the porch, another maid saw him, and said unto them that were there, This fellow was also with Jesus of Nazareth” (Matthew 26:71). Peter denies again. Now, the third charge. Matthew 26:73 reads, “Surely thou also art one of them; for thy speech bewrayeth [variation of ‘betrayeth’] thee.” Mark 14:70 has it, “Surely thou art one of them: for thou art a Galilaean, and thy speech agreeth thereto.” Today’s Scripture confirms the charge: “for he is a Galilaean.”

Based on these passages, we infer the Galilaeans had a thick, noticeable accent that revealed their northern extraction to those living down south in Judaea (suburbs of Jerusalem, where Christ’s trial was being held). John 1:44 reveals how Bethsaida (on the northern shores of the Sea of Galilee) was Peter’s hometown. Peter’s Galilaean pronunciation of words gave away the fact that, despite his protests, he was associated with Jesus of Nazareth (remember, of Galilee). The unfortunate Apostle was truly better off saying nothing every time an allegation was made against him….