Showing posts with label Salvation. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Salvation. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 4, 2012
Monday, February 13, 2012
Righteousness According to a 4th Century Monk
A sweet quote from a 4th century Monk by the name of Macarius. This quotation is from his Spiritual Homilies no. 20.
"If anyone takes his stand upon a righteousness and redemption of his own, not looking for the righteousness of God who is the Lord, as the apostle says, 'who is made unto us righteousness and redemption', he labors in vain and to no purpose. For all the dreams of a righteousness of his own is at the last day manifested as nothings but filthy rags, as the prophet Isaiah says, 'All our righteousness is as filthy rags.' Let us then beg and implore God to 'clothe us with the garments of salvation', Jesus Christ our Lord, the unspeakable light. Souls that have once worn it shall never put it off again, but in the resurrection also their bodies shall be glorified by the glory of that light, with which faithful and noble souls are even now clad, as the apostle says, 'He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwells within you.'"
"If anyone takes his stand upon a righteousness and redemption of his own, not looking for the righteousness of God who is the Lord, as the apostle says, 'who is made unto us righteousness and redemption', he labors in vain and to no purpose. For all the dreams of a righteousness of his own is at the last day manifested as nothings but filthy rags, as the prophet Isaiah says, 'All our righteousness is as filthy rags.' Let us then beg and implore God to 'clothe us with the garments of salvation', Jesus Christ our Lord, the unspeakable light. Souls that have once worn it shall never put it off again, but in the resurrection also their bodies shall be glorified by the glory of that light, with which faithful and noble souls are even now clad, as the apostle says, 'He that raised Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by his Spirit which dwells within you.'"
Saturday, February 4, 2012
The Announcement Becomes Reality
"Eight hundred years before, God had invited his herald to bring good news to Jerusalem and to the cities of Judah. The long night of sin and warfare was to end. And the messengers voice on the mountain summed it up: 'Here is your God!' (Isaiah 40:9)
In Jesus that announcement to the cities becomes reality. In Jesus the covenant is renewed, the law and the prophets fulfilled, justice and righteousness are incarnated, salvation becomes more than promise, the perfect sacrifice for sin is offered. The kingdom of God comes in the person of the king, the jubilee year of God begins, the poor are lifted up, the cities hear the good news, and God inaugurates his time of urban restoration."
Urban Ministry: The Kingdom, the City & the People of God. Harvie Conn & Manuel Ortiz. Page 115.
In Jesus that announcement to the cities becomes reality. In Jesus the covenant is renewed, the law and the prophets fulfilled, justice and righteousness are incarnated, salvation becomes more than promise, the perfect sacrifice for sin is offered. The kingdom of God comes in the person of the king, the jubilee year of God begins, the poor are lifted up, the cities hear the good news, and God inaugurates his time of urban restoration."
Urban Ministry: The Kingdom, the City & the People of God. Harvie Conn & Manuel Ortiz. Page 115.
Saturday, December 10, 2011
Everything Is Ours
Luke 11:37-41
"While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you."
....
A perfect summary of the gospel. Give up yourself. Realize what you are worshiping on a daily basis to justify you, to make you clean. The false saviors of my life. Accolades. Success in medical school. Thinking I've got it all together. Being perceived a certain way. Give them up. More specifically, give IT up. It's not only what you're giving up, but more importantly what you are getting. Give your heart up, and let your every affection rest in and identify with Jesus as the fulfillment of them. It is only by faith in Lord Jesus that everything is clean for us. His Might is our boast. His perfect record is our grade. His humility is our disposition. His promise is our confidence. His life is our salvation.
"While Jesus was speaking, a Pharisee asked him to dine with him, so he went in and reclined at table. The Pharisee was astonished to see that he did not first wash before dinner. And the Lord said to him, “Now you Pharisees cleanse the outside of the cup and of the dish, but inside you are full of greed and wickedness. You fools! Did not he who made the outside make the inside also? But give as alms those things that are within, and behold, everything is clean for you."
....
A perfect summary of the gospel. Give up yourself. Realize what you are worshiping on a daily basis to justify you, to make you clean. The false saviors of my life. Accolades. Success in medical school. Thinking I've got it all together. Being perceived a certain way. Give them up. More specifically, give IT up. It's not only what you're giving up, but more importantly what you are getting. Give your heart up, and let your every affection rest in and identify with Jesus as the fulfillment of them. It is only by faith in Lord Jesus that everything is clean for us. His Might is our boast. His perfect record is our grade. His humility is our disposition. His promise is our confidence. His life is our salvation.
Wednesday, November 30, 2011
Beyond Description!
"What Christ acquired by this sacrifice is beyond description. For himself he acquired by it his entire exaltation, his resurrection, his ascension to heaven, his seating at the right hand of God, his elevation as head of the church, the name that is above every name, the glory of the mediator, power over all things in heaven and on earth, the final judgement. In addition he acquired for his own, for humanity, for the world, an interminable series of blessings. In his person he is himself the sum of all those blessings: the light of the world (John 8:12), the true bread (6:35), the true vine (15:1), the way, the truth, the resurrection, and the life (11:25; 14:6), our wisdom, our righteousness, holiness, and redemption (1 Cor. 1:30), our peace (Ephesians 2:14), the firstborn and the firstfruits who is followed by many others (Romans 8:29; 1 Cor. 15:23), the second and last Adam (1 Cor. 15:45), the head of the church (Eph. 1:22), the cornerstone of the temple of God (Eph. 2:20); and for that reason there is no participation in his benefits except by communion with his person."
Herman Bavinck, "Reformed Dogmatics: Sin and Salvation in Christ", 339.
Great point by Bavinck at the end of the paragraph. None of the benefits of these glorious blessings are possible apart from a living union with the Son of God, by grace, through faith.
Herman Bavinck, "Reformed Dogmatics: Sin and Salvation in Christ", 339.
Great point by Bavinck at the end of the paragraph. None of the benefits of these glorious blessings are possible apart from a living union with the Son of God, by grace, through faith.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
Are You A Smuggler?
HT: Itsabeautifulgospel
A great post from Dan Orr. Thanks Dan, I needed to hear this.
Are you a smuggler?
Answer: Yes, you are a smuggler.
Psalm 62:2 says, “He only is my rock and my salvation, my fortress; I shall not be greatly shaken.”He only…
If you are anything like me, and you are (because you are human), you do not fully believe that He only is your rock and salvation. We all smuggle something else into the equation. For example, I may say that He only is my rock and salvation, but really it’s He + me being a good dad. Or, it could be He + being able to pay my bills (+ knowing the future… + having a husband/wife… + having your dream job, etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc etc). We are master smugglers. We smuggle in anything and everything into the He only equation, and thereby rob ourselves of experiencing the only great treasure – God Himself. So, if you recognize you are a smuggler, pray like David did in Ps. 61:2, “Lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” Repent of your additions and ask God to give you a heart that treasures Christ alone.
Monday, October 3, 2011
How Do You Understand Salvation?
Is God ultimately a passive bookkeeper who, after shaping the world lets it alone, concerned only to tally the relative merits of his creatures? Is this how you understand salvation? Is salvation something that you deserve based on your own work?
D.A. Carson and Doug Moo answer this question in their chapter on Galatians from their book, An Introduction to the New Testament.
"There is always a tendency for people to think that their salvation is something that is to be brought about by their own achievement. How they understand salvation may vary, and the kind of achievement they see as necessary may correspondingly vary. But that their eternal destiny rests in their own hands seems a truism so obvious that is scarcely needs stating. Christianity has often been understood as nothing more than a system of morality, as the careful observance of a sacramental system, as conformity to standards, as a linking up with others in the church and so on. There is always a need for Paul's forthright setting out of truth that justification comes only through faith in Christ. this must be said over against those who stress the importance of works done in accordance with the Torah or of any other achievements.
The Christian way stresses what God has done in Christ rather than what sinners do. There can be no improvement on the divine action by any human achievement, either by way of ritual observance or moral improvement. The cross is the one way of salvation, and no part of Scripture makes this clearer than does Galatians."
Carson, D.A., Moo, Douglas. An Introduction to the New Testament. pg. 473-474.
D.A. Carson and Doug Moo answer this question in their chapter on Galatians from their book, An Introduction to the New Testament.
"There is always a tendency for people to think that their salvation is something that is to be brought about by their own achievement. How they understand salvation may vary, and the kind of achievement they see as necessary may correspondingly vary. But that their eternal destiny rests in their own hands seems a truism so obvious that is scarcely needs stating. Christianity has often been understood as nothing more than a system of morality, as the careful observance of a sacramental system, as conformity to standards, as a linking up with others in the church and so on. There is always a need for Paul's forthright setting out of truth that justification comes only through faith in Christ. this must be said over against those who stress the importance of works done in accordance with the Torah or of any other achievements.
The Christian way stresses what God has done in Christ rather than what sinners do. There can be no improvement on the divine action by any human achievement, either by way of ritual observance or moral improvement. The cross is the one way of salvation, and no part of Scripture makes this clearer than does Galatians."
Carson, D.A., Moo, Douglas. An Introduction to the New Testament. pg. 473-474.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
The Covenant of Redemption
"Thus in a marvelous way the doctrine of the covenant maintains God's sovereignty in the entire work of salvation. It far surpasses the covenant of works to the degree that Christ exceeds Adam. God's threefold being is manifest much more clearly in re-creation than in creation. It is the Father who conceives, plans and wills the works of salvation; it is the Son who guarantees it and effectively acquires it; it is the Spirit who implements and applies it. This entire work of salvation is God's work exclusively; nothing derives from humans, it is all pure grace and undeserved favor."
Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Abridged in One Volume., page 402.
Herman Bavinck, Reformed Dogmatics: Abridged in One Volume., page 402.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
Assurance: Objectivity, Promise and Holy Spirit
The following texts are from Christopher J.H. Wright's Salvation Belongs to Our God. It is a short and clear outline of redemptive history, and the story of God's covenant with His people. His section on the assurance of salvation really gripped me, and taught me a lot. He outlines this section as follows.
Assurance comes from...
1. The Objectivity of the Story
2. The Promises of God
3. The Witness and Work of the Holy Spirit
....
"And you notice how the writer of Hebrews makes the example of Abraham relevant to us by saying at the end of the passage that we too can have the same rock-solid security in our faith because of the character and promise of God."
Romans 8: 28-30 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."
Romans 8: 15-17 "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
"So, another aspect of our assurance of salvation comes from the way our lives are being changed more and more into the image of Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit, and to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, and to 'walk in the Spirit', then we grow in our assurance of salvation because the evidence of that salvation at work within us is being seen in our lives."
Assurance comes from...
1. The Objectivity of the Story
2. The Promises of God
3. The Witness and Work of the Holy Spirit
....
The Objectivity of the Story
1. "Salvation is not something we ourselves do, feel, think, wish or achieve. If it were, then we might rightly doubt whether we have done enough to be sure of being saved. Or we might worry that we don't feel saved. But the Bible makes it clear that salvation is something that God has accomplished. That means our salvation is grounded in the objectivity of the story. By objectivity, I mean something that stands outside and independent of ourselves...So assurance of salvation comes not from trusting in my own faith for its own sake, but rather from trusting in the object of my faith - what God has actually done to make my salvation possible."The Promises of God
2. Hebrews 6: 13-20 "For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, saying, “Surely I will bless you and multiply you.” And thus Abraham, having patiently waited, obtained the promise. For people swear by something greater than themselves, and in all their disputes an oath is final for confirmation. So when God desired to show more convincingly to the heirs of the promise the unchangeable character of his purpose, he guaranteed it with an oath, so that by two unchangeable things, in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have fled for refuge might have strong encouragement to hold fast to the hope set before us. We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope that enters into the inner place behind the curtain, where Jesus has gone as a forerunner on our behalf, having become a high priest forever after the order of Melchizedek.""And you notice how the writer of Hebrews makes the example of Abraham relevant to us by saying at the end of the passage that we too can have the same rock-solid security in our faith because of the character and promise of God."
Romans 8: 28-30 "And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to his purpose. For those whom he foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the image of his Son, in order that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. And those whom he predestined he also called, and those whom he called he also justified, and those whom he justified he also glorified."
The Witness and Work of the Holy Spirit
3. "Is there not also a profoundly personal, internal, emotional and spiritual experience of salvation? Am I not actually supposed to feel saved? And of course the answer is a resounding and joyful 'YES'!...Then, once we have come into that new relationship with God through Christ, it is the Holy Spirit who bears witness within our own minds and hearts that it has indeed happened - that we have indeed been born again and have become children of God. God has made us sons and heirs, objectively. But it is the Spirit who gives us the inner assurance that it is indeed so, and our life of prayer, in which we call God 'Abba Father', as Jesus did, confirms that relationship."Romans 8: 15-17 "For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and fellow heirs with Christ, provided we suffer with him in order that we may also be glorified with him."
"So, another aspect of our assurance of salvation comes from the way our lives are being changed more and more into the image of Christ, through the work of the Holy Spirit. As we begin to bear the fruit of the Spirit, and to exercise the gifts of the Spirit, and to 'walk in the Spirit', then we grow in our assurance of salvation because the evidence of that salvation at work within us is being seen in our lives."
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
Calvin on Assurance
John Calvin writing on the assurance of salvation says,
"He alone is truly a believer who, convinced by a firm conviction that God is a kindly and well-disposed Father toward him, promises himself all things on the basis of his generosity; who, relying upon the promises of divine benevolence toward him, lays hold on an undoubted expectation of salvation.....No man is a believer, I say, except him who, leaning upon the assurance of his salvation, confidently triumphs over the devil and death."
Institutes, III.ii.16.
"He alone is truly a believer who, convinced by a firm conviction that God is a kindly and well-disposed Father toward him, promises himself all things on the basis of his generosity; who, relying upon the promises of divine benevolence toward him, lays hold on an undoubted expectation of salvation.....No man is a believer, I say, except him who, leaning upon the assurance of his salvation, confidently triumphs over the devil and death."
Institutes, III.ii.16.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
How Greatly He Exults
"O LORD, in your strength the king rejoices,
and in your salvation how greatly he exults!
2You have given him his heart’s desire
and have not withheld the request of his lips.
3For you meet him with rich blessings;
you set a crown of fine gold upon his head.
4He asked life of you; you gave it to him,
length of days forever and ever.
5His glory is great through your salvation;
splendor and majesty you bestow on him.
6 For you make him most blessed forever;[a]
you make him glad with the joy of your presence.
7For the king trusts in the LORD,
and through the steadfast love of the Most High he shall not be moved."
Psalm 21:1-8
In this psalm, David exults greatly in the salvation of the Lord. David rejoices that God has richly blessed him. He rejoices that God has given him life. He is overwhelmed by the joy of God's presence with him.
My prayer this morning is that our life would be an exultation of the greatness of God. How wonderful are His works! Though we were once far off, hostile to God, alienated from His presence, without life and joy, though there was once a great dividing wall between us and our Creator, though we did not formerly belong to His beloved people, the Son of God descended from heaven and became man to give us salvation. He is Immanuel, God with us. Though humanity was wrecked, though our shame ran deep, His grace runs deeper. I exult in God because of His great love. Jesus came to earth to give us new life. Christ's death on the cross and His resurrection has now brought us near. At the cross, the hostility was crushed. If we believe in Him, we are no longer aliens, but sons. Through the Son, our life is being restored. Through Him, the dividing wall has been shattered once and for all. This truly is good news!
Like David, I rejoice in the strength of the Most High. I exult greatly in God's salvation because it is by His strength, not my might. Jesus said that he came to give us life to the full, or life abundantly (John 10:10) and to give us fullness of joy (John 15:11). Because we are united to Christ, we now have access to true life and true joy. Jesus is restoring to us life as it is intended to be. It is meant to be lived in fellowship with him. What a great salvation that God has made this possible!
Sunday, July 17, 2011
Thursday, June 23, 2011
Exodus, then Law
"The covenant law comes after the exodus. That is, we have eighteen chapters of salvation in Exodus before we have a single chapter of law. Only after the story of salvation do we come to Sinai (Ex 19), the ten commandments (Ex 20) and the making of the covenant (Ex 24). The Sinai covenant, like all covenants, is founded on God's grace and motivated by God's mission. That is to say, it looks back to what God had already done for Israel out of his love and grace in delivering them from slavery, and it looks forward to God's purpose within history through Israel - to make them the instrument of his blessing to the nations."
- Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God
....
In the same frequency, the gospel says, "I'm accepted; therefore, I obey."
- Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God
....
In the same frequency, the gospel says, "I'm accepted; therefore, I obey."
Sunday, June 12, 2011
Salvation as a Story
"Salvation is not just a doctrine we believe in, or a condition we find ourselves in. Salvation is a story we participate in - the story of what God initiated through Abraham and accomplished through Christ."
"[The law] was given to the Israelites after God had saved them, on his own initiative and out of his own grace and love. It was only after he had brought them out of Egypt that he called them to keep his covenant and obey his law. God acted first. Israel's obedience was to be a response to their salvation - not the means of achieving it, still less deserving it...It is a fundamental mistake to think that in the Old Testament blessing or salvation came as something earned through obedience...Blessing is the fruit of being saved by God, and obedience is the means by which those who have experienced God's salvation continue to enjoying that fruit."
- Christopher Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God
....
God's work of salvation is one story from Abraham to Jesus, and it extends to us through faith. It has been the same covenant from day 1. It is founded on God's faithfulness to His people, and is fulfilled in the person of Jesus Christ, who brings peace with God to all those who believe in Him.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
He is THE Saving God
Mike, I as well am excited to have settled into a summer routine finally, and look forward to reading and sharing what we are learning. Here's something I stumbled across, which serves as such a simple reminder to me.
....
"On the one hand, 'salvation belongs to ... God.' That is, salvation is God's property, not ours. And on the other hand, 'salvation belongs to our God.' That is, salvation is part of God's identity - he is the saving God (as no other god is)...According to the Bible, religion saves nobody. God does...We are saved because God has acted, in Christ, to accomplish salvation for us...Our Christianity is the response we make, in faith and life, to the saving acts of God."
Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God
Text: Revelation 7: 10
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
....
"On the one hand, 'salvation belongs to ... God.' That is, salvation is God's property, not ours. And on the other hand, 'salvation belongs to our God.' That is, salvation is part of God's identity - he is the saving God (as no other god is)...According to the Bible, religion saves nobody. God does...We are saved because God has acted, in Christ, to accomplish salvation for us...Our Christianity is the response we make, in faith and life, to the saving acts of God."
Christopher J.H. Wright, Salvation Belongs to Our God
Text: Revelation 7: 10
"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted
A wonderful hymn named, "Stricken, Smitten and Afflicted" explaining what occurred at the Cross.
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
'Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, 'tis He, 'tis He!
'Tis the long-expected prophet,
David's Son, yet David's Lord;
By His Son, God now has spoken
Tis the true and faithful Word.
Tell me, ye who hear him groaning,
Was there ever grief like his?
Friends thro' fear his cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress;
Many hands were raised to wound him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
'tis the Word, the Lord's Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.
Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ's the Rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on him their hope have built.
Stricken, smitten, and afflicted,
See Him dying on the tree!
'Tis the Christ by man rejected;
Yes, my soul, 'tis He, 'tis He!
'Tis the long-expected prophet,
David's Son, yet David's Lord;
By His Son, God now has spoken
Tis the true and faithful Word.
Tell me, ye who hear him groaning,
Was there ever grief like his?
Friends thro' fear his cause disowning,
Foes insulting his distress;
Many hands were raised to wound him,
None would interpose to save;
But the deepest stroke that pierced him
Was the stroke that Justice gave.
Ye who think of sin but lightly,
Nor suppose the evil great
Here may view its nature rightly,
Here its guilt may estimate.
Mark the sacrifice appointed,
See who bears the awful load;
'tis the Word, the Lord's Anointed,
Son of Man and Son of God.
Here we have a firm foundation,
Here the refuge of the lost;
Christ's the Rock of our salvation,
His the name of which we boast.
Lamb of God, for sinners wounded,
Sacrifice to cancel guilt!
None shall ever be confounded
Who on him their hope have built.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Wholeness in Christ
A few selections from Charles Sherlock's 'Doctrine of Humanity'
"Wholeness is an idea which has gained much attention in recent decades, particularly in the light of the split that many, especially men, experience in living. Anything which contributes to holistic living is valued highly today, while dualistic impulses are vigorously avoided. Christian faith points to Jesus Christ as THE example of a whole life lived in full integrity, 'without sin'. The distinctive feature of the work of Christ is that he freely gave up his life, so that his wholeness might be offered to all... Salvation in Christ brings healing from the consequences of sin, a healing whose fullness awaits our resurrection but is anticipated in the present through the work of the Spirit."
"Wholeness is an idea which has gained much attention in recent decades, particularly in the light of the split that many, especially men, experience in living. Anything which contributes to holistic living is valued highly today, while dualistic impulses are vigorously avoided. Christian faith points to Jesus Christ as THE example of a whole life lived in full integrity, 'without sin'. The distinctive feature of the work of Christ is that he freely gave up his life, so that his wholeness might be offered to all... Salvation in Christ brings healing from the consequences of sin, a healing whose fullness awaits our resurrection but is anticipated in the present through the work of the Spirit."
Thursday, March 24, 2011
A Sure Oath He Will Not Revoke
10 "For the sake of your servant David,
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, 14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. 15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food. 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
17 “Here I will make a horn[b] grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”
Psalm 132:10-18
do not reject your anointed one.
11 The LORD swore an oath to David,
a sure oath he will not revoke:
“One of your own descendants
I will place on your throne. 12 If your sons keep my covenant
and the statutes I teach them,
then their sons will sit
on your throne for ever and ever.”
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion,
he has desired it for his dwelling, saying, 14 “This is my resting place for ever and ever;
here I will sit enthroned, for I have desired it. 15 I will bless her with abundant provisions;
her poor I will satisfy with food. 16 I will clothe her priests with salvation,
and her faithful people will ever sing for joy.
17 “Here I will make a horn[b] grow for David
and set up a lamp for my anointed one. 18 I will clothe his enemies with shame, but his head will be adorned with a radiant crown.”
Psalm 132:10-18
We see here God's commitment to His Covenant with David. This is a psalm that was probably sung during the Israelites exile in Babylonia, as they declared their faith that God would again fulfill his promises and raise up a new David. The psalmist appeals to God's own faithfulness, that God would not forget His promise to David, that his throne would be established forever.
And this is the good news, God has been faithful to His covenant. He has raised up a new David. Jesus, while being the son of God, is also the son of David. He is the descendent of David of whom this promise speaks of. He is the true and better David. He is the true King who sits enthroned forever.
But what is the result that the new David has come. What is the purpose of God fulfilling this promise to establish David's throne forever? What is the good news?
God will bless us with abundant provisions
God will satisfy the poor with food
God will clothe her priests with salvation
And we will sing for joy.
God also says that He will 'set up a lamp for his anointed one'. In other words, the anointed one is going to bring light into darkness. The anointed one will be radiant, shining forth God's righteous rule.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
What God Has Done For Us in Colossians
"May you be strengthened with all power, according to his glorious might" Colossians 1:11
"who has qualified you to share in the inheritance" Colossians 1:12
"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" Colossians 1:13
"in whom we have redemption" Colossians 1:14
"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death" Colossians 1:22
"in order to present you holy and blameless" Colossians 1:22
"the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints" Colossians 1:26
"God chose to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery" Colossians 1:27
"and you have been filled in him" Colossians 2:10
"in him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature" Colossians 2:11
"having been buried with him in baptism" Colossians 2:12
"you were raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God" Colossians 2:12
"And you who were dead in your trespasses....God made alive together with him" Colossians 2:13
"having forgiven us all our trespasses" Colossians 2:13
"By canceling the record of debt that stood against us" Colossians 2:13
"He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame" Colossians 2:13
He has strengthened us, qualified us, delivered us from darkness and transferred us to light, redeemed us, reconciled us, he presents us holy and blameless, he has revealed the mystery of the gospel to us, he has chosen to make himself known to us, he has circumcised us with a true circumcision, we've been buried with him in baptism and raised with him in faith, he has made us alive, he has forgiven us our sins, he has cancelled our debt through the cross, and he has disarmed the rulers and authorities of this world.
All this good news in just two chapters of one book.
"who has qualified you to share in the inheritance" Colossians 1:12
"He has delivered us from the domain of darkness and transferred us to the kingdom of his beloved Son" Colossians 1:13
"in whom we have redemption" Colossians 1:14
"But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death" Colossians 1:22
"in order to present you holy and blameless" Colossians 1:22
"the mystery hidden for ages and generations but now revealed to his saints" Colossians 1:26
"God chose to make known among the Gentiles the glorious riches of this mystery" Colossians 1:27
"and you have been filled in him" Colossians 2:10
"in him you were also circumcised, in the putting off of the sinful nature" Colossians 2:11
"having been buried with him in baptism" Colossians 2:12
"you were raised with him through faith in the powerful working of God" Colossians 2:12
"And you who were dead in your trespasses....God made alive together with him" Colossians 2:13
"having forgiven us all our trespasses" Colossians 2:13
"By canceling the record of debt that stood against us" Colossians 2:13
"He disarmed the rulers and authorities and put them to open shame" Colossians 2:13
He has strengthened us, qualified us, delivered us from darkness and transferred us to light, redeemed us, reconciled us, he presents us holy and blameless, he has revealed the mystery of the gospel to us, he has chosen to make himself known to us, he has circumcised us with a true circumcision, we've been buried with him in baptism and raised with him in faith, he has made us alive, he has forgiven us our sins, he has cancelled our debt through the cross, and he has disarmed the rulers and authorities of this world.
All this good news in just two chapters of one book.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
It is about God's Glory
Moses’ Intercession (Exodus 33:12-23 ESV)
Moses said to the LORD, “See, you say to me, ‘Bring up this people,’ but you have not let me know whom you will send with me. Yet you have said, ‘I know you by name, and you have also found favor in my sight.’ Now therefore, if I have found favor in your sight, please show me now your ways, that I may know you in order to find favor in your sight. Consider too that this nation is your people.” And he said, “My presence will go with you, and I will give you rest.” And he said to him, “If your presence will not go with me, do not bring us up from here. For how shall it be known that I have found favor in your sight, I and your people? Is it not in your going with us, so that we are distinct, I and your people, from every other people on the face of the earth?”
And the LORD said to Moses, “This very thing that you have spoken I will do, for you have found favor in my sight, and I know you by name.” Moses said, “Please show me your glory.” And he said, “I will make all my goodness pass before you and will proclaim before you my name ‘The LORD.’ And I will be gracious to whom I will be gracious, and will show mercy on whom I will show mercy. But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for man shall not see me and live.” And the LORD said, “Behold, there is a place by me where you shall stand on the rock, and while my glory passes by I will put you in a cleft of the rock, and I will cover you with my hand until I have passed by. Then I will take away my hand, and you shall see my back, but my face shall not be seen.”
....
This passage rings of how God's glory defines his purposes. Something I am learning is that God is about one true end, His Glory. He created for his glory, He redeemed us for his glory. The best part about it, is that he designed us and all of our thirsts to be completely satisfied by His Glory. We were created and redeemed for that to be our true reality.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)