revisited my insights file archive... it seems ive gone far for too long.. i hope i could go back to writing for Him again... :)
January 20,2008
Before i prepare for our cell meeting tomorrow, i want to write down the very glorious truth that the Lord reminded and revealed to me as i listened to this morning's preaching.
The topic was a continuation about how the conscience is cleansed (Main verse Hebrews 10:22). One of the main truths pointed out was that a guilty conscience is caused by an awareness that we have sinned against God and that the consciences He gave each of us can never be silenced until the soul that sinned is accepted by the Father when it is already cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our sins make us deserve to die, this is why if we sinned against God we will be haunted by our conscience for as long as we are alive.
When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, His death was actually the death which the believers deserve because they sinned against God, their conscience accusing them. The sinner must die. SIn can never enter into the holy Presence of God. This is why Christ died. Because only He could bear the sins of the world against God, only HIs shed blood can really bring the death punishment of man that will satisfy God's justice. And only His holy life and perfect righteousness can be imputed on those who will believe in Him is acceptable to God so we could stand before Him on that great day. Paul's words in Galatians 2:20-21 means deeper to me now -- "I have been crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." O what grace! O what mercy! O what goodness of the Lord!
O, may i never lose sight of this truth and keep it in my heart! May this new life from Christ that I now live really do what honors and glorifies Him. Lord, please help me not to be afraid to wholly live for You.
_____
November 17,2007
Matthew 19:1-12
Christ's Teaching on Divorce
The fact that the pharisees asked Christ about divorce in order to test him proves that this issue is really controversial even among them at that time when they were serious readers of the Scriptures. Maybe they were waiting either for Jesus' confirmation whether this was lawful or not. They were testing how much Christ really knows about the law.
But Christ always led them into the view of God on the law, particularly on this matter of divorce and eventually on remarriage and celibacy. He went back to God's intention when Eve was given to Adam to be his wife, way before the law of Moses was given. In God's sight their relationship was beyond that of parents with their children, they now belong to each other and are reckoned as one being. It is God who brings them together. This is a sacred institution. In fact, this is the kind of relationship that best describes Christ's relationship with his church. Thus, to the pharisees' query on whether it was lawful to divorce, he said it was not, for it is a sin against what God has established.
So it is not lawful, but how come Moses, God's instrument to give the law to his people allowed the giving a certificate of divorce, they asked. Surely he cannot command something that is contrary to the will of God. Christ answered that this is just a compromise on the part of Moses, still bearing authority from God, because of the sinfulness of man's heart. The holy and beautiful purpose of marriage has been corrupted by sin, especially and particularly by sexual immorality. In fact, if a woman is divorced by her husband, anyone who marries her commits adultery, an implication that in the sight of God, she is still connected with her husband as long as he lives.
The literal translations of the Bible shows a clause between divorce and adultery in this passage. It is the exception of sexual immorality. It seems that this great sin breaks the unity of marriage, it has corrupted its sanctity. The wife, in this example has left her husband instead of cleaving to him. One party has broken faith. Thus, it is likely that if the reason for the separation is this sin, the person who does it and then marries another does not necessarily commit the sin of adultery for his union with the first wife has been cut-off.
But we must always remember that this is just a compromise because of the hardness of man's heart. This was not so in the beginning.
After listening, the disciples realized that it is better to stay unmarried because one cannot leave or divorce his spouse just for any reason. And Christ answered them by stating the situation of eunuchs who were not able to marry anymore. Some were destined to be such, while others chose to follow this course for the sake of the kingdom of God. But Christ also teaches here that although one may not be gifted with celibacy, one may still choose to remain single if he can accept this.
The heart of the matter? Marry and keep married for God's glory and stay single for the sake of His kingdom. This goes beyond this earthly life.
---
December 25,2007
This morning, by the grace of God, I finished once more the gospel according to Matthew. I think i have finished reading for the 5th time now after 13 years. However, i can say that this time is the most remarkable for me. One thing to note is that i finished it on celebration of Christmas Day.
Our Bible 101 lessons and the cell's series on how to read the Bible was used of God to make me see this book in another beautiful way. This time i viewed it as a whole, a complete account of one main Character - Jesus Christ. No wonder it is called a gospel book -- it's about who He is and what He has done. From His birth to His resurrection it was seen that He indeed is God though He became fully man.
Most people think that the Deity of Christ is manifested in His ability to do miracles, control nature and know what are in other people's hearts. Indeed, these do glorify Him as God. And yet there are many other manifestations too-- and Matthew, through the Holy Spirit, shows it all throughout his book. I note down some of these:
Christ was the only One whose birth was announced by many many angels. They were fitting first heralds of the good news for they knew exactly who He was -- the Son of God who was with the Father from the beginning and whose mission was so great and so costly that He would purchase His chosen ones to be with Him for eternity... Come to think of it, He was the only One who all throughout His life was clearly ministered unto by His angels -- from conception to ascension...
There were so many fulfillments from Old Testament Prophesy. Even Gentile magi heeded the call to worship Him whose birth and Person was foretold.
His humility to be veiled in flesh, though He was God. Just the thought that He sat down at the mountainside to teach the people is something only a very loving and condescending God would do. Oh! i have no other words left to speak on this wonderful truth!
He was filled with compassion toward the people... He knew how to answer their every question and satisfy their deepest and truest need... He is indeed God to have such a heart and ability to provide...
He had as much authority to cast out evil spirits as well as authority to teach the people and strongly rebuke the errors of the religious leaders... they tried to find error in His words through many questions and He silenced them with only one... He is indeed God to have such great wisdom that the truth of God may prevail...
He extended unlimited patience as He taught and trained His disciples. He knew His church will continue through them. Its continuity depended definitely not on their abilities but His Presence going with them through His Holy Spirit...
His perseverance to finish the mission that the Father has appointed. Three times He pleaded that the cup of suffering pass from Him, a proof of how much sorrow consumed Him..and yet He willingly drank it for the glory of God alone...
His resurrection from the dead. Only God can have the victory over death, satisfying the demand of God's justice for this penalty of sin... and ascend into heaven to sit at the right hand of God just as He said to His accusers...
I know that there are even much much more to know about the person of my Lord. I am grateful that i have been taught these truths. I have to pray for humility always for knowledge in this flesh can be very deceiving...
Oh that all His children become more and more like their Savior! And surely they will be for the Lord has purchased their redemption for them... Come Lord Jesus!!!
January 20,2008Before i prepare for our cell meeting tomorrow, i want to write down the very glorious truth that the Lord reminded and revealed to me as i listened to this morning's preaching.
The topic was a continuation about how the conscience is cleansed (Main verse Hebrews 10:22). One of the main truths pointed out was that a guilty conscience is caused by an awareness that we have sinned against God and that the consciences He gave each of us can never be silenced until the soul that sinned is accepted by the Father when it is already cleansed by the blood of Jesus Christ. Our sins make us deserve to die, this is why if we sinned against God we will be haunted by our conscience for as long as we are alive.
When the Lord Jesus died on the cross, His death was actually the death which the believers deserve because they sinned against God, their conscience accusing them. The sinner must die. SIn can never enter into the holy Presence of God. This is why Christ died. Because only He could bear the sins of the world against God, only HIs shed blood can really bring the death punishment of man that will satisfy God's justice. And only His holy life and perfect righteousness can be imputed on those who will believe in Him is acceptable to God so we could stand before Him on that great day. Paul's words in Galatians 2:20-21 means deeper to me now -- "I have been crucified with Christ, therefore I no longer live but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God who loved me and gave Himself for me." O what grace! O what mercy! O what goodness of the Lord!
O, may i never lose sight of this truth and keep it in my heart! May this new life from Christ that I now live really do what honors and glorifies Him. Lord, please help me not to be afraid to wholly live for You.
_____
November 17,2007
Matthew 19:1-12
Christ's Teaching on Divorce
The fact that the pharisees asked Christ about divorce in order to test him proves that this issue is really controversial even among them at that time when they were serious readers of the Scriptures. Maybe they were waiting either for Jesus' confirmation whether this was lawful or not. They were testing how much Christ really knows about the law.
But Christ always led them into the view of God on the law, particularly on this matter of divorce and eventually on remarriage and celibacy. He went back to God's intention when Eve was given to Adam to be his wife, way before the law of Moses was given. In God's sight their relationship was beyond that of parents with their children, they now belong to each other and are reckoned as one being. It is God who brings them together. This is a sacred institution. In fact, this is the kind of relationship that best describes Christ's relationship with his church. Thus, to the pharisees' query on whether it was lawful to divorce, he said it was not, for it is a sin against what God has established.
So it is not lawful, but how come Moses, God's instrument to give the law to his people allowed the giving a certificate of divorce, they asked. Surely he cannot command something that is contrary to the will of God. Christ answered that this is just a compromise on the part of Moses, still bearing authority from God, because of the sinfulness of man's heart. The holy and beautiful purpose of marriage has been corrupted by sin, especially and particularly by sexual immorality. In fact, if a woman is divorced by her husband, anyone who marries her commits adultery, an implication that in the sight of God, she is still connected with her husband as long as he lives.
The literal translations of the Bible shows a clause between divorce and adultery in this passage. It is the exception of sexual immorality. It seems that this great sin breaks the unity of marriage, it has corrupted its sanctity. The wife, in this example has left her husband instead of cleaving to him. One party has broken faith. Thus, it is likely that if the reason for the separation is this sin, the person who does it and then marries another does not necessarily commit the sin of adultery for his union with the first wife has been cut-off.
But we must always remember that this is just a compromise because of the hardness of man's heart. This was not so in the beginning.
After listening, the disciples realized that it is better to stay unmarried because one cannot leave or divorce his spouse just for any reason. And Christ answered them by stating the situation of eunuchs who were not able to marry anymore. Some were destined to be such, while others chose to follow this course for the sake of the kingdom of God. But Christ also teaches here that although one may not be gifted with celibacy, one may still choose to remain single if he can accept this.
The heart of the matter? Marry and keep married for God's glory and stay single for the sake of His kingdom. This goes beyond this earthly life.
---
December 25,2007
This morning, by the grace of God, I finished once more the gospel according to Matthew. I think i have finished reading for the 5th time now after 13 years. However, i can say that this time is the most remarkable for me. One thing to note is that i finished it on celebration of Christmas Day.
Our Bible 101 lessons and the cell's series on how to read the Bible was used of God to make me see this book in another beautiful way. This time i viewed it as a whole, a complete account of one main Character - Jesus Christ. No wonder it is called a gospel book -- it's about who He is and what He has done. From His birth to His resurrection it was seen that He indeed is God though He became fully man.
Most people think that the Deity of Christ is manifested in His ability to do miracles, control nature and know what are in other people's hearts. Indeed, these do glorify Him as God. And yet there are many other manifestations too-- and Matthew, through the Holy Spirit, shows it all throughout his book. I note down some of these:
Christ was the only One whose birth was announced by many many angels. They were fitting first heralds of the good news for they knew exactly who He was -- the Son of God who was with the Father from the beginning and whose mission was so great and so costly that He would purchase His chosen ones to be with Him for eternity... Come to think of it, He was the only One who all throughout His life was clearly ministered unto by His angels -- from conception to ascension...
There were so many fulfillments from Old Testament Prophesy. Even Gentile magi heeded the call to worship Him whose birth and Person was foretold.
His humility to be veiled in flesh, though He was God. Just the thought that He sat down at the mountainside to teach the people is something only a very loving and condescending God would do. Oh! i have no other words left to speak on this wonderful truth!
He was filled with compassion toward the people... He knew how to answer their every question and satisfy their deepest and truest need... He is indeed God to have such a heart and ability to provide...
He had as much authority to cast out evil spirits as well as authority to teach the people and strongly rebuke the errors of the religious leaders... they tried to find error in His words through many questions and He silenced them with only one... He is indeed God to have such great wisdom that the truth of God may prevail...
He extended unlimited patience as He taught and trained His disciples. He knew His church will continue through them. Its continuity depended definitely not on their abilities but His Presence going with them through His Holy Spirit...
His perseverance to finish the mission that the Father has appointed. Three times He pleaded that the cup of suffering pass from Him, a proof of how much sorrow consumed Him..and yet He willingly drank it for the glory of God alone...His resurrection from the dead. Only God can have the victory over death, satisfying the demand of God's justice for this penalty of sin... and ascend into heaven to sit at the right hand of God just as He said to His accusers...
I know that there are even much much more to know about the person of my Lord. I am grateful that i have been taught these truths. I have to pray for humility always for knowledge in this flesh can be very deceiving...
Oh that all His children become more and more like their Savior! And surely they will be for the Lord has purchased their redemption for them... Come Lord Jesus!!!
No comments:
Post a Comment