2017-07-21
Good Morning Dear Ones,
I’ve been commanded by the Holy Spirit to continue discussing the church, today focusing on Christ as the Mediator of the New Covenant and the Firstborn of those to be resurrected. To understand this focus, one must first be able to “think eternally.” What the latter means is to consider the advantages and/or consequences of human actions to their eternal life. We are all used to thinking about our lives only in earthly terms, but that is not the entire picture. As a believer ages (in earthly terms), he is closer than most younger people to his physical death. However, as a believer, he knows that one’s spiritual life is what really matters [1 COR 15: 52-53, 58; HE 2: 14-15]. With faith in Jesus Christ and participation in the process of sanctification, a believer experiences his thoughts, decision-making, and actions taken with an eye to his eternal spiritual life. That’s “thinking eternally.” The same principle applies to the entire set of believers, who make up the church, Christ’s “bride.”
Previously, the Holy Spirit used me to write about how Christ is the Firstborn to be resurrected to eternal life [COL 1: 15] and is the Mediator of the Covenant of Grace [1 TIM 2: 5; HE 9: 15]. At the time of Christ’s death on the cross, justification, eternal forgiveness of sins, and salvation were made available to all who confess past sin, stop the sinning behaviors, and profess true faith in Christ. While the law allowed mankind to know what pleases God and what doesn’t, it falls short of what Christ’s death accomplished. That is the main difference between the Covenant of the Law and the Covenant of Grace. In case there is any confusion about the meaning of grace, please read EPH 2: 8-10. RO 5: 9-11 lets us know that we who believe were made God’s friends. God’s mystery is Christ in us, Who allows us access to God’s wisdom [COL 1: 26-27; COL 2: 2-3]. We learn that unbelieving Jews were “broken off from the cultivated olive tree, while believing Gentiles from the wild olive tree were grafted on it” [RO 11: 16-21]. Why should we be surprised that churches which teach from and focus on the word of God are thriving, whilst those who don’t are shrinking? It is through the Holy Spirit that we are given understanding of God’s word and thus, His will [1 COR 2: 14-15].
Pentecost commemorates the giving of the Holy Spirit, as described in AC 2: 1-13. It’s helpful to read all of AC 2, which includes this, Peter’s speech (heard and understood by people speaking various dialects from different parts of Israel who were present-vss. 14-42), and life among the believers- vss. 43-47. It’s compelling to know that Peter told the people Who Jesus was-the Man they wanted crucified-, and encouraged them to be baptized. This was followed by the baptism of 3000 people! (vs. 41). We can be convinced that God rectifies evil with good in His own perfect time and way by the following incidents. The story of the Jews escaping Egypt building a golden calf idol out of the jewelry they got when leaving there, and this addition of 3000 new believers resulting from Peter’s Pentecost speech serve as examples. EX 32: 28 tells us the Jews wandering in the desert took this sinful course in response to how long it took for Moses to descend Mt. Sinai with the tablets God had etched with the Law. God commanded 3000 of them should die-i.e. be lost to ever having obedient faith in Him. AC 2: 41 tells us that 3000 people were baptized after hearing Peter’s speech. Nothing in the Scriptures is an accident! We really do need to know and understand our history.
PRAYER: O Lord, we approach Your throne with reverence and awe. You are an amazing God, One Who brings us out of our sinfulness and into the light of Your righteousness by means of Your Son, Jesus. Most of us are either ignorant or afraid to study our history and learn of the negative consequences of foolish actions taken or sinful thoughts our ancestors had. But when we do, we learn from their mistakes and have a more realistic perspective on our need to rely on You. You have made us Your friends; You have saved us from spiritual death; You have justified us in Your sight. All this is done due to Christ’s Atonement and our faith in Him. You forgive our sin and lead us forward “on the hard path through the narrow gate to eternal life” [MT 7: 13-14]. When we think and act using Your wisdom, You give us inner peace. When we are alone, ill, at a crossroads, or in need of provision, You are always there for us to help us. We receive this grace and these blessings never deserving them. It is out of Your unconditional love that we have this kind of spiritual life. We need only look back at our own lives before our Lord Jesus was a part of them and note the contrast between that time and our present lives of faith in Him, to see our need to rely on Your Holy Spirit. We offer You our heartfelt love, praise, and thanks in the holy/mighty name of Jesus Christ, our Savior. Amen.
NEXT WEEK: The Holy Spirit directs me to write about baptism and about the impact on the life of the church of Peter’s vision on Cornelius’ roof from AC 10: 9-16. If space permits, I am to write about the Council at Jerusalem from AC 15: 1-11 and how it impacted the church. Those who refuse to learn from mankind’s history are forced to repeat the mistakes of the past. That is why God rehearses the history we have in His word. He wants us to avoid those mistakes and move forward in our maturation, spiritually and otherwise. We have four components to who we are: intellectual, emotional, physical, and spiritual. God wants us to nourish and grow all of them. That is why we need to be educated, achieve emotional growth through life’s experience, take good care of our health, and spend daily time with Him. I suspect that many older adults, like myself, see things they wish had been available to them that weren’t when they were young. For me, it’s my growing interest in the physical exercise young people can get from things like overcoming the obstacles in American ninja gyms. I love watching their competitions on TV. And I admit to a healthy, lifelong interest in golf. I also wish I had known that I should believe in the Lord Jesus earlier in my life and of the calling to ministry that God has given me. As for my education, I would have liked to go even further with it than I was able. God has given me a love of studying, and this would have served me well in that latter pursuit. Yet, I am grateful to our Lord for giving me the life I’m having, as it has made me strong and reliant on Him in many ways and allowed me to serve the needs of others. Our God is a great God, and there is reason for us to love Him dearly. Praise be to Him!
Grace Be With You Always,
Lynn
JS 24: 15
© Lynn Johnson 2017. All Rights Reserved.
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