A Good Friday Devotion

"And all the crowds which came together for this spectacle, when they saw what had happened, beat their own chests and returned." (Luke 23:48, EMTV)


Jesus has just voluntarily died. It was with a loud voice, not the weak voice of one dying, that He said, "Father, 'into Your hands I will commit My spirit.' "And after He said these things, He breathed His last." (Luke 23:46, EMTV).


The people and the soldiers have a response. The crowds beat their own chests and returned, and "when the centurion saw what had happened, he glorified God, saying, "Certainly this was a righteous Man!" (Luke 23:47, EMTV)


I suppose that the people came to see Jesus crucified because His name was well known. Perhaps many had hoped this to be the promised Messiah, perhaps they did not believe in Him, or some other reason.


They saw what happened. They heard Jesus shout out. They saw the darkness and felt the earthquake. Now it was over, and they beat their chests and returned.


Why did they beat their chests? Beating their chests expresses the idea of sorrow in the death of a loved one and/or repentance. Consider:

1. "Then Samuel died; and the Israelites gathered together and lamented [literally "beat their breasts"] for him, and buried him at his home in Ramah. And David arose and went down to the Wilderness of Paran." (1 Samuel 25:1 NKJV)
   


2. "When the wife of Uriah heard that Uriah her husband was dead, she mourned [literally "beat her breast"] for her husband." (2 Samuel 11:26 NKJV)
   


3. "It is decreed: She shall be led away captive, she shall be brought up; and her maidservants shall lead her as with the voice of doves, beating their breasts." (Nahum 2:7 NKJV)
   


4. "And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, 'God, be merciful to me a sinner!' (Luke 18:13 NKJV)
   

Why the sorrow? There were some who did not want Jesus to die. They may have been reminded of the sin in killing an innocent man. This reminds me of "And those who heard it began to go out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman being in the midst." (John 8:9 EMTV). Perhaps, as Matthew Henry wrote, some felt that in killing an innocent man, God would judge the nation. Perhaps, they thought of their own sins. The Scripture does not tell us the thoughts of these people.


Truly the Scriptures have been fulfilled, "And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look on the one whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn." (Zechariah 12:10 NRSV)


Truly He is the Lamb of God, "The next day he saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, "Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!" (John 1:29 EMTV)


Truly His death had a purpose, "For Christ also suffered once to atone for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring you to God, being put to death in the flesh, but made alive by the Spirit." (1 Peter 3:18 EMTV)


What is our reaction to the crucifixion of Jesus? Do we walk away untouched? Do we think of our own sins? Do we think that Jesus was a failure, a fool, a lunatic, or got his just desserts?


1. Alas! and did my Savior bleed,


and did my Sovereign die!


Would he devote that sacred head


for sinners such as I?


 

2. Was it for crimes that I have done,


he groaned upon the tree?


Amazing pity! Grace unknown!


And love beyond degree!


 

3. Well might the sun in darkness hide,


and shut its glories in,


when God, the mighty maker, died


for his own creature's sin.


 

4. Thus might I hide my blushing face


while his dear cross appears;


dissolve my heart in thankfulness,


and melt mine eyes to tears.


 

5. But drops of tears can ne'er repay


the debt of love I owe.


Here, Lord, I give myself away;


'tis all that I can do.

Peter’s Denial

Peter's Denial





 

A1 Objectives

B1 Describe how Peter denied Jesus.

B2 Describe how Jesus restored Peter.

A2 Scriptures

B1 Mark 14:27-31 Jesus foretell Peter's denial.

B2 Mark 14:53-54 Peter follows Jesus.

B3 Mark 14:66-72 Peter denies Jesus 3 times.

B4 John 21:1-19 Jesus appears to the 7 disciples and restores Peter.

A3 Notes

B1 Peter denies Christ. What does deny mean?

C1 Definitions

D1 To say something is not true

D2 To refuse a request

D3 Synonyms

E1 Dispute, controvert, oppose, gainsay.

E2 Deny, contradict both imply objecting to or arguing against something.

E3 To deny is to say that something is not true: to deny an allegation.

E4 To contradict is to declare that the contrary is true: to contradict a statement. 5. renounce, abjure.

E5 Source: deny. Dictionary.com. Dictionary.com Unabridged. Random House, Inc. http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/deny (accessed: March 30, 2015).

C2 Biblical

D1

D2 More or less has the same meanings as English

B2 Free Will Baptist Treatise

C1 Article # APPENDIX TO CHAPTER XIII Adopted July, 1969

C2 Quote: "2. We believe that a saved individual may, in freedom of will, cease to trust in Christ for salvation and once again be lost. This we hold in distinction from those who teach that a believer may not again be lost."

B3 Some Scripture

C1 "But he denied it before them all, saying, "I do not know what you are saying." And when he had gone out to the gateway, another girl saw him and said to them there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazarene." But again he denied with an oath, "I do not know the Man!" (Matthew 26:70-72, EMTV)

C2 "Who is a liar but the one who denies that Jesus is the Christ? This is the antichrist, the one who denies the Father and the Son." (1 John 2:22, EMTV)

C3 "But whoever denies Me before men, I also will deny him before My Father who is in heaven." (Matthew 10:33, EMTV)

C4 "If we endure, we shall also reign with Him. If we deny Him, He also will deny us." (2 Timothy 2:12, EMTV)

C5 "For certain men have crept in unawares, who long ago were marked out for this condemnation, ungodly men, changing the grace of our God into licentiousness and denying the only Master God and our Lord Jesus Christ." (Jude 1:4, EMTV)

C6 "But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies, even denying the Master, the One having bought them, and bringing upon themselves swift destruction." (2 Peter 2:1, EMTV)

C7 To Pergamos. "I know your works, and where you live, where Satan's throne is. And you hold fast to My name, and did not deny My faith in the days in which Antipas was My faithful witness, who was killed among you, where Satan dwells." (Revelation 2:13, EMTV)

C8 To Philadelphia. "I know your works. Behold, I have set before you an open door, and no man can shut it; because you have a little strength and have kept My word, and you have not denied My name." (Revelation 3:8, EMTV)

B4 What is the difference between Peter's denial and those who deny the Lord Jesus and "lose" their salvation?

B5 What type of denial did Peter do? How do we know?

B6 How do we avoid such a condition?

A4 Questions

B1 Was Peter courageous? Yes!

C1 Then Simon Peter, having a sword, drew it and struck the servant of the high priest, and cut off his right ear. And the servant's name was Malchus. (John 18:10, EMTV)

C2 But Peter followed Him from a distance, right into the courtyard of the high priest, and he was sitting together with the attendants and warming himself at the fire. (Mark 14:54, EMTV)

B2 What was the motive for Peter's denial? What was the motive for Judas's denial?

B3 Peter's denial of the Lord Jesus is a very humiliating time in Peter's life.

C1 Why do you think this is recorded for us? If this happened to Peter, it might happen to us. We can repent.

C2 Does this record lend credibility to the infallibility of the Scriptures? Normally one would think that the humiliating aspects would not be included, yes positive things.

B4 Did the Lord Jesus know beforehand or was it decreed to have to happen? Technically it doesn't say, but to me, it seems most reasonable that Jesus foreknew this. If Jesus had decreed it to happen, then he led Peter to sin, which doesn't happen.

B5 "And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before a rooster crows, you will deny Me three times." (Luke 22:61, EMTV) After denying Jesus these 3 times, Jesus looked at Peter. What type of look was it? Was it an angry look, a loving look, or an I-told-you-so look?

B6 After repenting and asking forgiveness, Peter is asked 3 times by Jesus, "Do you love me?" What action/attitude is Jesus showing? That Peter was really forgiven and that he had not forfeited a ministry to serve Jesus.

B7 Response to denial.

C1 Peter's response to his denial: "And going outside, Peter wept bitterly." (Luke 22:62, EMTV)

C2 Judas Iscariot's response: "Then Judas, the one betraying Him, seeing that He was condemned, feeling regret, returned the thirty silver coins to the chief priests and elders," (Matthew 27:3, EMTV)

C3 What was the difference between these two men? "For godly sorrow brings about repentance leading to salvation, without regret; but worldly sorrow brings about death." (2 Corinthians 7:10, EMTV)

B8 How would something like this affect Peter's life and how he served Jesus?

B9 How many of the disciples did stumble when Jesus was betrayed? All

B10 Why did they all have to stumble? They didn't, but God knew this.

B11 Did Peter take God's name in vain when it says, "Then he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know this Man whom you are speaking of" (Mark 14:71, EMTV)

C1 No

C2 The Greek word for curse is to "bind one's self under a curse and judgment." This word would be used to prove he was not lying, that is, he called for God to curse and punish him, if he was lying.

C3 The Greek word for swear is to "make an oath."

B12 Some would say that we cannot trust the Bible, because of the contradiction in the Gospels concerning the number of times that the rooster crowed and when Peter denied Jesus.

C1 Passages

D1 The prophecy.

E1 Jesus said to him, "Assuredly, I say to you that this night, before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times" (Matthew 26:34).

E2 Then He said, "I tell you, Peter, the rooster shall not crow this day before you will deny three times that you know Me" (Luke 22:34).

E3 Jesus answered him… "Most assuredly, I say to you, the rooster shall not crow till you have denied Me three times" (John 13:38).

D2 The fulfillment.

E1 And immediately a rooster crowed. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus who had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times" (Matthew 26:74b-75).

E2 Immediately, while he was still speaking, the rooster crowed. And the Lord turned and looked at Peter. And Peter remembered the word of the Lord, how He had said to him, "Before the rooster crows, you will deny Me three times" (Luke 22:60-61).

H3 Peter then denied again [3rd time]; and immediately a rooster crowed (John 18:27).

D3 The above compared to Mark

E1 The prophecy: "...that today, even this night, before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times" (Mark 14:30).

E2 The fulfillment.

F1 Peter denied knowing Jesus, then he again denied knowing Jesus--"went out on the porch, and a rooster crowed" (Mark 14:68).

F2 After Peter's third denial of Jesus, the rooster crowed "...a second time. Then Peter called to mind the word that Jesus had said to him, 'Before the rooster crows twice, you will deny Me three times' " (Mark 14:72)

D4 The problem is that it appears that the rooster would not crow until Peter had finished all the denials, but in Mark the rooster crowed before Peter finished all the denials.

C2 Answers

D1 Some say the Peter denied Jesus a total of six times and that the rooster crowed after each triad. To me this seems stretched. (See here)

D2 Some say the rooster crowed 2 times in a row. (CARM/Matt Slick). The reading of the text does not seem to allow this. (Mark 14:66-72)

D3 Jesus was indicating the crow would be the main crow which was the second crow. (Apologetic Press, Eric Lyon)

D4 Different observers and different accounts. (behindthebadge)

D5 Original manuscript did not have "second", it was added to later manuscripts for unknown reasons. (New International Version notes and others).

D6 Mark's, Luke's, and John's account has Jesus giving this prophecy in the upper room, while Matthew given the account having left the upper room and on their way to the garden. Thus when Jesus repeated in on the way to the garden, he mentioned the two crows. (Many).

B13 John 21

C1 How many disciples present? 7

C2 Where are they? By the Sea of Tiberius (Lake Galilee)

C3 What does Peter want to do? Go fishing.

C4 How long did they fish? All night.

C5 At sun rise whom did they see? A man--Jesus.

C6 Did they recognize Jesus at first? NO

C7 What did the man (Jesus) tell them to do? Throw the net out the right side of the boat.

C8 Why the right side? Would it have made any difference? Who cares, but Jesus specifically said the right side, so it is best. The disciples believed Jesus and did so.

C9 Would it be hard for these to throw that net out after catching nothing all night? Would we obey some dude on the beach who told us this?

C10 What happened? They caught lots of fish.

C11 What couldn't they do with the net? Haul it in, because it was so full.

C12 How did John know that this man was Jesus?

C13 Why did Peter react the way he did?

C14 How many fish did they catch? 153

C15 Why didn't the net tear?

C16 When they reached the shore, what did Jesus ask them to do? "Come and eat."

C17 Who served the food? Jesus.

C18 Can we learn something about God's character from this? Will it affect us?

C19 How many times did this make of Jesus's appearing? 3

C20 How many times did Jesus ask Peter a question? 3

C21 When Jesus asked Peter to feed His sheep, did this make Peter the first pope? No

C22 Who are these sheep? Those who trust in Jesus.

C23 What does feed mean? Is Jesus asking Peter to provide food for them or spiritual service? Spiritual service.

C24 Did Jesus trust Peter after Peter failed so miserably? Yes. Why?

C25 Is there hope for us when we fail? Yes.

C26 Is there any sin that Jesus cannot forgive when we ask for forgiveness? No

C27 Does verse 23 (John 21:23) help us in interpreting the Bible? Yes, we must interpret it in its plain, normal sense.

Colossians 4:7-18

 

Final Greetings and comments


 

A1 Scripture

B1 Tychicus, our beloved brother and faithful minister, and fellow servant in the Lord, will tell you all things about me. I am sending him to you for this very thing, that he may know your circumstances, and he may encourage your hearts, with Onesimus, the faithful and beloved brother, who is one of you. They will make known to you all the things happening here. Aristarchus my fellow prisoner greets you, with Mark the cousin of Barnabas (about whom you received instructions: if he comes to you, receive him), and Jesus who is called Justus. These alone are my fellow workers for the kingdom of God who are of the circumcision; they have proved to be a comfort to me. Epaphras greets you, who is one of you, a bondservant of Christ, always struggling for you in his prayers, that you may stand mature and complete in all the will of God. For I bear him witness that he has much zeal for you, and those in Laodicea, and those in Hierapolis. Luke the beloved physician greets you, also Demas. Greet the brothers who are in Laodicea, and Nymphas and the church in his house. And whenever this letter is read before you, see that it is also read in the church of the Laodiceans, and that you also read the one from Laodicea. And say to Archippus, "Take heed to the ministry which you received in the Lord, that you fulfill it." This greeting by my own hand—Paul. Remember my chains. Grace be with you. Amen. (Colossians 4:7-18, EMTV)

B2 Our dear friend Tychicus, who is a faithful worker and fellow servant in the Lord's work, will give you all the news about me. That is why I am sending him to you, in order to cheer you up by telling you how all of us are getting along. With him goes Onesimus, that dear and faithful friend, who belongs to your group. They will tell you everything that is happening here. Aristarchus, who is in prison with me, sends you greetings, and so does Mark, the cousin of Barnabas. (You have already received instructions to welcome Mark if he comes your way.) Joshua, also called Justus, sends greetings too. These three are the only Jewish believers who work with me for the Kingdom of God, and they have been a great help to me. Greetings from Epaphras, another member of your group and a servant of Christ Jesus. He always prays fervently for you, asking God to make you stand firm, as mature and fully convinced Christians, in complete obedience to God's will. I can personally testify to his hard work for you and for the people in Laodicea and Hierapolis. Luke, our dear doctor, and Demas send you their greetings. Give our best wishes to the believers in Laodicea and to Nympha and the church that meets in her house. After you read this letter, make sure that it is read also in the church at Laodicea. At the same time, you are to read the letter that the believers in Laodicea will send you. And tell Archippus, "Be sure to finish the task you were given in the Lord's service." With my own hand I write this: "Greetings from Paul" Do not forget my chains! May God's grace be with you. (Colossians 4:7-18, GNB92)

A2 Outline

B1 Tychicus

C1 Beloved brother

C2 Faithful minister

C3 Fellow servant of the Lord

C4 Will bring an update on me (Paul)

D1 He may know what is happening at Colossae.

D2 He may (will) encourage your hearts.

B2 Onesimus

C1 Faithful and beloved brother.

C2 One of you (native of Colossae).

B3 Aristarchus--fellow prisoner of mine

B4 Mark

C1 Cousin of Barnabas

C2 Welcome him.

B5 Jesus (Justus)

B6 The three.

C1 (Aristarchus, Mark, and Justus are Jews)

C2 They are a comfort to me.

B7 Epaphras

C1 Native of Colossae.

C2 Bondservant of Jesus

C3 Prayer warrior.

D1 Praying that they may be mature.

D2 Praying that they may be complete in all the will of God.

C4 Zealous for those in Colossae, Laodicea, and Hierapolis.

B8 Luke-- the physician

B9 Demas--says "Hi."

B10 Paul

C1 Greet the believers in Laodicea.

C2 Greet Nympha (sister in Christ)

C3 Greet the church that meets in her house.

C4 Read the letter here, then in Laodicea.

C5 Read the letter to Laodicea in Colossae also.

C6 Tell Archippus to be sure to finish the task you were given in the Lord's service.

C7 I'm writing this salutation with my own hand. (Greetings from Paul)

C8 Don't forget my chains (prison, thus pray for me).

C9 God's grace for with all of you.

A3 Notes

B1 Ten people are mentioned here.

B2 Basic descriptions of each. What would we be remembered for?

B3 Mark had been rejected as a faithful laborer but is now a faithful laborer. (Acts 13:13)

B4 Tychicus

C1 Gentile

C2 Fellow servant--a missionary preacher like Paul.

C3 Faithful brother--faithful to Jesus Christ and His teaching as well as faithful to Paul.

C4 Paul wrote Colossians during his first imprisonment (in Rome) and Tychicus was present with him. This is why Paul writes that "he will tell you all things about me."

C5 Was with Paul traveling to Jerusalem. He was with him to deliver the offerings of the saints to help the poor Christians in Israel. And Sopater, a Berean, was accompanying him to Asia—also Aristarchus of the Thessalonians, and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus, the Asians. (Acts 20:4, EMTV)

C6 Was the person who brought the Epistle to the Laodiceans and the Colossians.

C7 Sent to Titus. "Whenever I shall send Artemas to you, or Tychicus, hasten to come to me at Nicopolis, for I have decided to spend the winter there." (Titus 3:12, EMTV). He was the replacement for Titus, so Titus could join Paul in Nicopolis.

C8 Sent to Timothy. "And Tychicus I have sent to Ephesus." (2 Timothy 4:12, EMTV) He was sent to replace Timothy, so that Timothy could come and comfort Paul before Paul had to be executed for his faith.

B5 Onesimus

C1 We find the first mention of him in Philemon. Onesimus is a runaway slave owned by Philemon. Philemon had become a Christian and so had Onesimus. The letter to Philemon was an appeal to him for Onesimus.

C2 Evidently he was a thief as well as a poor worker. After conversion, he assisted Paul. Paul wrote that whatever Onesimus stole, he would repay.

B6 Aristarchus

C1 Gaius and he were seized by the Ephesians in Acts 19:29. "And the whole city was filled with confusion, and they rushed with one purpose into the theater, having seized Gaius and Aristarchus, Macedonians, traveling companions of Paul."

C2 Was from Thessalonica. "And Sopater, a Berean, was accompanying him to Asia—also Aristarchus of the Thessalonians, and Secundus, and Gaius of Derbe, and Timothy, and Tychicus and Trophimus, the Asians. (Acts 20:4, EMTV)

C3 Traveled to Rome with Paul. "And having boarded a ship of Adramyttium, scheduled to sail to the ports along the Asian coasts, we put to sea. Aristarchus, a Macedonian of Thessalonica, being with us. (Acts 27:2, EMTV)

C4 He was a prisoner with Paul.

B7 Mark--the writer of the second Gospel.

B8 Jesus (Justus)--not much is known except that he was a fellow worker with Paul.

B9 Epaphras--Was the missionary to the Colossians. "just as also you learned from Epaphras, our beloved fellow servant, who is a faithful minister of Christ on your behalf." (Colossians 1:7, EMTV)

B10 Luke--the physician.

B11 Demas--the one who left Paul, because he loved the world. "For Demas has forsaken me, having loved this present world, and traveled to Thessalonica—Crescens to Galatia, Titus to Dalmatia." (2 Timothy 4:10, EMTV)

B12 Nympha might be Nymphas. The word is unclear. The former is a woman, the latter a man. The church make in her/his house. This house must have be large enough to hold a congregation.

"Salute Nymphas (or Nympha?), and the church which is in her (his? their?) house." Nymphas was apparently the leading Christian at Laodicea, the "Philemon of Laodicea," as Moule calls him. Compare Phm. 1:1-2. There has been much dispute as to whether the name of this person was Nymphas or Nympha. (The Greek form Numphan, an accusative sing., may stand for either spelling.) Also there is uncertainty as to whether the text should read "her" house, "his" house, or "their" house. The 1966 Greek text of the United Bible Societies gives the reading "her" house, but gives manuscript evidence for the other readings in the footnotes. No certain decision about the reading here is possible at present." From the commentary note in the College Press Commentary.

B13 This letter was written by an assistant, but Paul wrote this salutation with his own hand. He did this to authenticate his letters.

Sympathy vs. Malice

Brothers, do not be children in your understanding; rather, in malice be children, but in understanding be men. (1 Corinthians 14:20, EMTV).

Understanding. The Greek word φρήν
phren means the diaphragm area of the body referring to not only the anatomy but the source of feeling, emotions, etc. By extension it means thinking, understanding, mind, etc. Probably the best word for today would be sympathy. The understanding would be when someone listens to another and states, "O, now I understand" being used in sympathetic situation.

Malice is the hate of heart, mind, and actions.

What the apostle (under inspiration) is telling us that there is a contrast between sympathy and malice. We are to be like children regarding malice and sympathy as adults. We are to lay aside malice, be ignorant of it, and not be an expert in it. We are to grab hold of sympathy, be well acquainted with it, and be an expert in it. This God does for us, and we need to do for others.

The hate and death culture that is all too common today is not to be the culture of the Christian.

Why Animals Sacrifices in the Old Testament?

Humans believe that we are the center of the universe, thus the selfie, the arguments, the fights, and the wars. We think our way, thoughts, ideas, etc. are what is best. If only everyone would agree with us.

When God had Moses write Leviticus, the sacrificial animals are mentioned frequently. Some feel this is because the Judaism of those days was based on the pagan religions around them, but why would God have Moses write Leviticus to remove mankind away from paganism when the ideas themselves come from paganism?

The sacrificial animals are a reminder that forgiveness of sins, getting right with God, and pleasing God cannot be done by ourselves. No human can atone for their unrighteous deeds. We may think our way is best. Cain thought this when he offered the best of his garden. Leviticus reminds us that our way, for once, is not the right way. Sin must be punished. We have been humiliated that we cannot do this for ourselves. Good works do not pay for past sins. This is part of the intention of God—to show us what we cannot do.

The true sacrifice, of course, was Messiah Jesus. He is the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. We cannot atone for our own sins.

1. "For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins." (Hebrews 10:4, EMTV).
   
2. "But Christ came as a High Priest of the good things to come, through the greater and more perfect tabernacle not made with hands, that is, not of this creation. Not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered once for all into the Holies, having obtained eternal redemption. For if the blood of bulls and goats and the ashes of a heifer, sprinkling those having been defiled, sanctifies for the purity of the flesh, by how much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works in order that we might serve the living God? And on account of this He is the Mediator of the new covenant, so that, since a death has occurred for redemption of the transgressions at the time of the first covenant, that those having been called may receive the promise of the eternal inheritance. (Hebrews 9:11-15, EMTV)
   
3. For the law, having a shadow of the good things to come, and not the image itself of the things, can never with the same sacrifices, which they offer continually every year, make those approaching perfect. Otherwise they would not have ceased to be offered, because the worshippers, once purified, would have had no more consciousness of sins. But in them there is a reminder of sins every year. For it is not possible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins. (Hebrews 10:1-4, EMTV)
   
4. Which was a symbol pointing to baptism, which now saves you. It is not the washing off of bodily dirt, but the promise made to God from a good conscience. It saves you through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, (1 Peter 3:21, GNB92)
   

Resource referenced to in this article: "This the Law of the Burnt Offering" from the 27 Mar 15 Temple Institute Newsletter. The Temple Institute.

How is God Good?

What is "good," and what is "bad?"

We can only know what is good or bad by God's interaction with creation. God is totally consistent. We sees God's goodness in God sending the rain on the just and unjust. We see God's goodness in that He sent His only begotten son, Jesus Christ, to be the savior of whosoever will. Now, it must be said, we are not born "good." We are evil to the core. We have original sin which is we choose our own way and thoughts as being the best, the ultimate, and our own comfort is first. Nor, is there some spark in us that in our own strength we can see God. We do not seek God! "

What then? Are we any better? Not at all. For we previously charged both Jews and Greeks that they are all under sin. Just as it is written: "There is none righteous, no not one. There is none who understands; there is none who seeks God. All have turned aside; together they became unprofitable; there is not one doing kindness, there is not so much as one." (Romans 3:9-12, EMTV)

Salvation is initiated by God Himself. If God did not initiate salvation, no one would ever be saved, forgiven, or go to heaven.

I know what evil is, because God shows us His character, which is good. The opposite then is bad, evil. God has a way of life:

1. "For I have known him, in order that he may command his children and his household after him, that they keep the way of the LORD, to do righteousness and justice, that the LORD may bring to Abraham what He has spoken to him." (Genesis 18:19, NKJV)
   
2. Who is wise? Let him understand these things. Who is prudent? Let him know them. For the ways of the LORD are right; the righteous walk in them, But transgressors stumble in them. (Hosea 14:9, NKJV)
   
3. He said, "O full of all guile and all craft, you son of the devil, you enemy of all righteousness, will you not cease perverting the straight ways of the Lord? (Acts 13:10, EMTV)
   

Sinners (all of us) have a different way of life.

1. Who in the generations gone by permitted all the Gentiles to walk in their ways. (Acts 14:16, EMTV)
   
2. For we have spent enough of our past lifetime to accomplish the will of the Gentiles—having walked in wantonness, lusts, drunkenness, revelries, drinking parties, and abominable idolatries. (1 Peter 4:3, EMTV)
   

Dr. Roger Olsen penned an article on his Patheos blog that is a very worthy read.

C. S. Lewis Said It: God's "Goodness" Cannot Be Wholly Other

For years now I have been insisting that the main reason I am not a Calvinist (or any kind of divine determinist) is that, taken to its "good and necessary consequences," Calvinism makes God morally monstrous. I fully realize and understand that many Calvinists do not see this and disagree. Of course they do. In my opinion, most simply close their eyes to the fact that if God creates some people, created in his image and likeness, for hell or even merely "passes over some" when he could save them (because election is unconditional and grace irresistible), then God is not good in any meaningful sense. If God does this, then "God is good" means nothing other than "God is God"—a tautology. "Good" tells us nothing about God in addition to "he is God."

When I push this "button" on Calvinism to a Calvinist he or she usually retreats…

The difference between a Calvinist (full TULIP) and Classical/Reformed Arminian is wide. This article definitely is worthy of 5 minutes of your time.

Success

What is the Christian's method of success?



Being in the Scriptures. The promise to Joshua was not just to him; we can also apply it to us. "This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8 NKJV)

1. Memorize--Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You. (Psalms 119:11 NKJV)


2. Study--I will meditate on Your precepts, and contemplate Your ways. (Psalms 119:15 NKJV)


3. Think about it--Oh, how I love Your law! It is my meditation all the day. (Psalms 119:97 NKJV)


4. Meditate--I have more understanding than all my teachers, For Your testimonies are my meditation. (Psalms 119:99 NKJV)

Memorize will give instant recall to situations we face every day.

The "meditate" for point two is the idea of study. For the Psalmist it was studying God's rules (precepts) in the Old Testament of which there are 613. Contemplate would be to think deeply. It is an active thinking, not passive. God's ways are the ways the He lives, the rules He lives by, and the things He does.

The "meditate" for point three is a different word indicating stopping and thinking about how God's ways and rules can apply to the situation that I'm facing. It would be facets of application. Again, this is active, not passive. Passive would be to blank the mind or even go into a trance.

Meditating in the fourth verse is the same word as point three and deals with how study, thinking, and applying God's rules and ways make us wiser than any other teacher we have ever had.

If we would follow this, we would truly be successful in life. Successful does not necessarily mean financially well off, but successful in relationships between all.