Category: blood of Christ

In Every Thing Give Thanks

Thursday, November 27, 2014

“In every thing give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you” (1 Thessalonians 5:18 KJV).

Dear saints, take a moment this Thanksgiving to learn a valuable lesson from the Holy Scriptures!

God wants “all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth” (1 Timothy 2:3,4). To be “saved” here means you have been rescued from the penalty of sin (hell and the lake of fire), and that you have a home in heaven, because you have trusted the death, shed blood, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ as sufficient payment for your sins. To “come unto the knowledge of the truth” is when a person who has trusted Christ, begins to understand why God saved him or her, and how God will use him or her for His glory. Although soul salvation is instantaneous, spiritual maturity is a life-long process (that is especially true regarding handling difficulties, the grace way!).

It is human nature to avoid difficulties and stress, to flee them, rather than confront them. This self-preservation is advantageous, particularly in “life or death” situations. However, running from troubling circumstances is not the way God has designed our life in Christ to function. Today’s Scripture says, “In every thing give thanks,” not “For every thing give thanks.” We do not thank God for our troubles; we thank God while we are enduring those troubles. This is tough, I know, but it takes time for us to learn it. Even the Apostle Paul had to learn this.

“Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:11-13).

Be thankful in every thing. God’s grace is sufficient for you, dear saint, in all of life’s circumstances. When you learn this, you are “[coming] unto the knowledge of the truth.”

*Excerpted from our Thanksgiving 2012 Bible study with the same name. That study can be read here or watched here.

Our latest Bible Q&A: “What are our spiritual blessings in Christ?”

Time Travel and the Mystery #7

Tuesday, November 18, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

Rather than using appealing sermonettes abounding with dazzling theological terms to persuade people to advance a church program (“man’s wisdom”), the Apostle Paul’s goal was to have these Corinthian believers to trust in God’s power: “And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God” (verses 4,5).

Despite all the “wisdom” of His Adversary, God evidenced His wisdom by inventing a “mystery” plan to counter Satan’s rebellion; although there was much opposition, God proved His power in accomplishing that plan. Ephesians 3:1-11 explains the goal of God’s mystery plan. Verses 10 and 11 summarize: “To the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God, According to the eternal purpose which he purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Through the living testimony of the Church the Body of Christ—that is, via the visible interaction of Jews and Gentiles who have relied exclusively on the Lord Jesus Christ’s shed blood as sufficient payment for their sins, and their reliance on the grace doctrines of Christ living His life in and through them—Satan’s fallen angels in outer space see “the manifold wisdom of God,” Jesus Christ’s life in human flesh, our flesh. Satan constantly witnesses how God’s grace demonstrated at Calvary can save even the worst sinners (“the power of God;” 1 Corinthians 1:18; cf. 1 Corinthians 2:4,5), how God can use His Son’s cruel death (and resurrection) to rescue people from Satan’s dominion and use them for His glory instead.

Sadly, the Corinthians could not grasp such wisdom….

Time Travel and the Mystery #6

Monday, November 17, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

Colossians 2:13-15 explains: “[13] [God]…having forgiven you all trespasses; [14] Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross; [15] And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it.” As today’s Scripture says, it was through Calvary’s finished crosswork that Jesus Christ overcame sin, death, and Satan and his cohorts. Imagine Satan’s utter embarrassment when he learned from Paul’s ministry how God made a spectacle of him and his policy of evil; he was so horrified to discover that he had actually contributed to his own downfall. A plan he had labored so hard and so long to accomplish, and now he himself had permanently ruined it!

Jesus Christ’s blood shed at Calvary currently enables God to save us, formerly pagan Gentile sinners headed for hell, to baptize us into the Body of Christ by the Holy Spirit when we trust that shed blood alone (1 Corinthians 12:13). Why does God save us? Not just to keep us out of hell, but to use us corporately in the heavenly places in the ages to come, for Jesus Christ’s glory (“our glory” of today’s Scripture; cf. Colossians 3:4; 2 Thessalonians 2:14). We Christians will be glorified one day so, ultimately, Jesus Christ will be glorified in and through us throughout eternity future (Romans 8:17-25)!

As we saw earlier, Colossians 1:16-20 also provides clarity regarding Israel’s program and God’s restoration of Earth. God the Father will use Christ’s shed blood to ratify the New Covenant, allowing Him to redeem Israel from their sins (Hebrews 10:1-25).

With all that as “background,” we proceed to analyze today’s Scripture with its context….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “How is mankind ‘lower than the angels?’”

Time Travel and the Mystery #5

Sunday, November 16, 2014

“But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Corinthians 2:7,8 KJV).

Will it ever be possible to manipulate natural laws, to travel back in time and manipulate events, that things (hopefully) turn out differently? Let us consider today’s Scripture.

In the “sister” epistles of Ephesians and Colossians, the Apostle Paul describes the reason for God forming the Church the Body of Christ. God’s “eternal purpose” (Ephesians 3:11) is to, “in the dispensation of the fulness of times,” “gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven, and which are on earth” (Ephesians 1:9,10).

Colossians 1:16-20 amplifies: “[16] For by him [Jesus Christ] were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: [17] And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence. [19] For it pleased the Father that in him should all fulness dwell; [20] And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven.”

Prior to Paul, God revealed that He would use Israel to reconcile Earth unto Himself; but He kept secret how He would reconcile Heaven unto Himself. Now, with the mystery disclosed through Paul’s epistles, we see that God is using Jesus Christ’s shed blood to form a body of believers (the Church the Body of Christ) that will do in Heaven what Israel will do on Earth—make Jesus Christ preeminent in all of creation’s governments (His original plan before sin entered!).

Let us further examine how Christ’s shed blood develops God’s eternal purpose….

Glorious Freedom #1

Sunday, October 5, 2014

“In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace” (Ephesians 1:7 KJV).

The first verse of Haldor Lillenas’ classic 1917 hymn “Glorious Freedom” highlights today’s Scripture.

“Once I was bound by sin’s galling fetters;
Chained like a slave, I struggled in vain.
But I received a glorious freedom,
When Jesus broke my fetters in twain.”

Prior to becoming a saint by faith alone in Jesus Christ, the sinner was “bound by sin’s galling fetters;” sin’s chains or shackles held the individual to the point of chafing or irritation. Once religiosity (religious works) and secularism (worldly works) were exposed as equally filthy in God’s sight, the sinner understood that they had nothing to pay to free themselves from their sins of the spirit and their sins of the flesh.

Whether struggling in a religious system (faithful giving, water baptism, prayers, church attendance, confessions, et cetera) attempting to gain God’s acceptance; or engaging in drunkenness, fornication, swearing, theft, and lying attempting to gain the world’s acceptance; one must perform to receive favor. The sinner finally realizes they know that the ultimate blessing is to be freed from such bondage, liberated from such a system of failure and misery, for they can neither fully gain God’s acceptance nor the world’s acceptance.

In John 8:34-36, Jesus told the Pharisees: “[34] Verily, verily, I say unto you, Whosoever committeth sin is the servant of sin. [35] And the servant abideth not in the house for ever: but the Son abideth ever. [36] If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.” The Pharisees needed to be freed from their sins, especially their hypocrisy and works-religion!

By the riches of God’s grace (His work on our behalf), through faith alone in Jesus Christ’s shed blood, we can be crucified with Christ and “redeemed” (set free; today’s Scripture), for “he that is dead is freed from sin” (Romans 6:7). Verse 18 says, “Being then made free from sin, ye became the servants of righteousness.” We are alive and free in Christ—not to live for ourselves, but to choose to live as the living dead people we are, saints alive with Jesus Christ’s resurrection life!

Darkness and Light

Tuesday, September 30, 2014

“And the people stood beholding. And the rulers also with them, derided him, saying, He saved others; let him save himself, if he be Christ, the chosen of God” (Luke 23:35 KJV).

Today’s Scripture is proof that God’s ways and God’s thoughts are truly higher than ours!

As Jesus Christ hung on Calvary for those last three hours, there was spiritual darkness over all the earth and “the sun was darkened” (Matthew 27:45,46; Mark 15:33; Luke 23:44,45). God the Father and God the Holy Ghost had forsaken God the Son (Matthew 27:46), and the physical darkness hid from the onlookers that most horrific portion of Christ’s crucifixion. We can only wonder what His disciples were thinking as they, in complete darkness, heard Him crying out in agony to His Heavenly Father. Satan and his policy of evil were working their mightiest, as Jesus had said to those who were arresting Him: “When I was daily with you in the temple, ye stretched forth no hands against me: but this is your hour, and the power of darkness” (Luke 22:53).

That (spiritual) darkness has yet to be lifted from this planet. We still live in a world where spiritual ignorance and spiritual wickedness abound, whereas we Christians are “light in the Lord,” and we should “walk as children of light” (Ephesians 5:8-17). As Romans 13:12 says, “The night is far spent, the day is at hand [approaching]: let us therefore cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armour of light.”

Thankfully, there is coming a day when the night will end, when Jesus Christ returns to Earth in all His radiance, He will shine forth in the skies and, via His blood shed 2,000 years ago, usher in spiritual healing for the nation Israel: “but unto you that fear my name shall the Sun of righteousness arise with healing in his wings…” (Malachi 4:2). The darkness will be past and the light will shine forth. Before the light could come, Jesus Christ had to face the darkness, that we children of darkness could become children of light today in our Dispensation of Grace, and that Israel could become children of light when He returns! What wisdom!

Eternal Life or Folly Forever

Thursday, September 25, 2014

“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?” (Galatians 3:3 KJV).

Like the Galatians, many today are “foolish,” not thinking clearly, assuming our salvation unto eternal life is gained or enhanced by our frail efforts!

Organized religion always urges us to do something to “enhance” our Christian life—tongue talking, aisle walking, sin confession, holy-day obligation, prayer recitation, generous donation, water rites, visits to holy sites. To varying degrees, every group pushes external activities, either to gain your salvation, to prove your salvation, or to keep your salvation. Undeniably, to arrive at such conclusions, they had to completely ignore the six Bible chapters, 149 verses, and 3,098 words known as “the book of Galatians.” As 1 Timothy 1:7 says, these works-religion people have no idea what they are saying or what they are insisting.

Friends, to corrupt the grace of God into a works-message is the most damnable of all teachings. It is strong language, but here is the plain truth. Either Jesus Christ paid for all our sins at Calvary’s cross, or He did not; either His performance was and is enough, or it was and is not ( He should have stayed in heaven then!).

To put our dirty, sinful fingers around God’s holy collar and demand He give us a place in heaven because we did a few “good” works is utterly silly; Jesus Christ did more than a few good works, and, unlike us, He was no sinner. On Calvary’s cross, He suffered your second death, the pain so deserving us in hellfire. What would take you eternity to do, He satisfied God’s righteousness in just a fraction of a day! God does not want reformation of deeds; He wants Jesus Christ to be in you to do good works (Galatians 2:20,21). We need a new nature, not just a change in lifestyle.

If our dear religious family members and friends could grasp these simple Bible truths, it would literally save them an eternity of regret! Jesus Christ’s shed blood paid the price, and His resurrection gives us new life. We can trust in Him alone, and He will do the rest! (Or we can continue in our folly.)

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Does God intervene in my life? If so, how?”

He Took My Sins Away #5

Sunday, August 24, 2014

“Whom God hath set forth to be a propitiation through faith in his blood, to declare his righteousness for the remission of sins that are past, through the forbearance of God” (Romans 3:25 KJV).

The chorus of Margaret Jenkins Harris’ classic 1903 hymn “He Took My Sins Away” highlights today’s Scripture.

“He took my sins away, He took my sins away,
And keeps me singing every day!
I’m so glad He took my sins away, He took my sins away.”

When our King James Bible references “propitiation” (today’s Scripture; 1 John 2:2; 1 John 4:10), it means “a fully-satisfying payment for sins;” the Greek word is translated “mercyseat” in Hebrews 9:5. The God of Scripture, once angry with us sinners (Psalm 7:11), is now satisfied because of Jesus’ shed blood. Jesus Christ is the only Person in whom we find mercy before Father God, where we can be spared God’s righteous wrath against our sin, where our sin debt can not only be covered, but completely canceled. “…[T]he blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin” (1 John 1:7).

Not only are we forgiven in Christ, but we are also justified (made right in God’s sight) in Christ (Romans 5:1; 2 Corinthians 5:21). Our spiritual debt is not only gone, but we have been given spiritual riches (Romans 8:32; Ephesians 1:3; Colossians 2:10). In banking terminology, we went from “red” (sin, ungodliness), to “0” (forgiveness), to “black” (justification, righteousness). Praise our Lord Jesus Christ for His grace!

Such marvelous Bible truths should make the saint shout and sing from the rooftops! It is often said that Christians should be the happiest people on earth, and yet, many times, Christians frown and sag their heads more than lost people (who do not have God’s acceptance, peace, hope, and love). The Scriptures say that if we learn God’s will (by studying His Word), and we allow the Holy Spirit to use those Scriptures in us, we will naturally begin to sing, rejoice, and be thankful to our Lord in light of such doctrine (Ephesians 5:17-20; Colossians 3:15,16).

He took our sins away! Praise our Lord Jesus Christ! He took our sins away! 🙂

Our latest Bible Q&A: “We are saved by faith, but are we blessed by works?”

He Took My Sins Away #1

Wednesday, August 20, 2014

“Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest” (Matthew 11:28 KJV).

The first verse of Margaret Jenkins Harris’ classic 1903 hymn “He Took My Sins Away” highlights today’s Scripture.

“I came to Jesus, weary, worn, and sad.
He took my sins away, He took my sins away.
And now His love has made my heart so glad,
He took my sins away.”

Many of us came to Jesus Christ after several years lost in religion. One day, it finally sank in that years of laboring to fulfill church demands was a faulty system because we sinners could never perform perfectly. Uttering the same prayers dozens of times daily, “holding out until the end,” weekly partaking of a sacrifice that can never take away sins, avoiding “the world’s sins,” being faithful to a church calendar of “holy days,” weekly confessing personal sins to an equally-sinful man, on and on. We discovered that entrusting our very souls to a fallible institution was eternally dangerous!

Weary, ever so exhausted from all that vain religious performance, we gave up “trying to do the best we could” because we knew our “best” would never be good enough. Like the Jews of today’s Scripture who struggled under a most severe system of Law—not only God’s pure law given first to Moses, but also hundreds of other laws Israel’s religious leaders had compiled—we were drained, disappointed, worn out.

We came to Father God by faith in Jesus Christ alone, for only He could provide us with peace with God (Romans 5:1), justification before God (2 Corinthians 5:21), and forgiveness before God (Ephesians 4:32). What our works could never do in a million years, Jesus Christ did at Calvary in just six hours. He died to “put away [our] sin by the sacrifice of himself” (Hebrews 9:26). And now, by faith in Him alone, we can enjoy His love, His peace, and His joy. We can rest in Him, we do not have to worry about where we will go when we die, for we are secure in Him (Romans 8:31-39; 2 Timothy 1:12).

Yes, He cancelled our sin debt….

Our latest Bible Q&A: “Were Gentiles saved before our Dispensation of Grace?”

The LORD’S Great Love for Israel

Tuesday, August 19, 2014

“Then said the LORD unto me, Go yet, love a woman beloved of her friend, yet an adulteress, according to the love of the LORD toward the children of Israel, who look to other gods, and love flagons of wine [grape/raisin cakes]” (Hosea 3:1 KJV).

JEHOVAH commissions the Prophet Hosea to live out his message so the children of Israel can see His great love for them!

From Hosea’s perspective, the Jews’ Assyrian and Babylonian captivities are approaching, JEHOVAH’S response to their centuries of idolatry (Leviticus 26:28-39). With a broken heart, He must now rid His Holy Land of the nation Israel, and send them away to foreign lands. His people have not honored His Word but rather have trampled it under foot. They do not believe His Word to them: they have willfully abandoned His Covenant of Law. They have defiled His land with their child sacrifices, violence, injustice, and idols of wood and stone. Like a wife cheating on her husband, the houses of Israel and Judah have been so unfaithful to the God who delivered them from Egyptian, satanic, and sin’s bondage. They have ignored Him and worshipped dead idols!

In chapter 1, God instructed Hosea to marry Gomer. It is soon apparent that she is a prostitute, for, after giving birth to Hosea’s first child, Gomer delivers two children whose paternal origin is unclear. In the context of today’s Scripture, Gomer has since left Hosea and is now prostituting on the streets. Hosea is instructed of God to purchase Gomer back, and God orders him to love Gomer in the same manner He loves adulterous Israel. The children of Israel are to see Hosea’s life and learn the doctrine being communicated.

From our perspective, JEHOVAH—some seven centuries after Hosea—shed His blood on Calvary’s cross to—beyond our day—redeem Israel, buy her back from her satanic and idolatrous captivity, forgive and cleanse her, and despite her infidelity, re-marry her and return her to her Promised Land forever (Hosea 2:14-23). The Apostle Paul affirms that Hosea’s prophecy—Israel’s restoration and redemption—will occur after our program ends (Romans 11:15-36). Saints, what a loving God we serve!

Our latest Bible Q&A’s: “Who will accompany Jesus at His Second Coming?” and “When will the Old Testament saints be resurrected?”