Believe it or not, there were legitimate reasons for studying those words prior to delving off into a lengthy chapter in that text book. You were going to come across those words and being able to not only recognize them, but understand their meaning was essential to having better comprehension of the material you were covering. And many of us, I presume, were/are experts at just skirting over a ‘hard-word’ that made no sense and never bat an eye in the process.
IF only...that jet pilot had known what the word ‘eject’ meant before he pushed that silly red button while flying at the speed of sound over some ocean. ;-)
In all the years I’ve been a part of any number of churches, I don’t ever recall anyone suggesting or offering up vocabulary list before a study in the bible. Oh sure, many a preacher can get heavily involved expounding on word meanings they come across them in their sermons...often giving you way more info than you ever thought of processing mentally. And no doubt, there is a time and a place for that. But isn’t it interesting how we can read over words in our bibles regularly that if asked by a new convert for their meaning, we might find ourself stumbling at best, if not backpedaling in trying to define those words and making them understandable.
For example...words like ‘holy or holiness’, and ‘righteousness’ and ‘godliness’; or what about ‘sanctification’? You have obviously heard those before...maybe even have them underlined in various passages in your own bible. It’s kind of amusing to hear folks offer up well-rehearsed definitions for some of those bible terms like ‘sin’ and ‘grace’. You’ve heard those acronyms and have probably shared them yourself...’God’s Riches At Christ’s Expense’. The one I often scratch my head over is the one that defines ‘sin’ as -- - ”Missing the Mark”. “Huh”?
Try incorporating that into statements Jesus uttered in place of the word ‘sin’. “Go, and miss the mark no more or something worse will happen to you’ (John 5:14). Or ‘whoever misses the mark is a slave to missing the mark’. (John 8:34). Even Paul might have got tripped up asking “How shall we who died to missing the mark live any longer in it?” (Rom 6:2). I think you get my point.
This may come as a surprise to some, but the bible is pretty good about defining a lot of those words, bypassing all the extra ‘fluff’ we like to add.
What if we just look at 1 John 3:4 where John says plainly: “sin is breaking (God’s) law.”
That word ‘righteousness’ gets batted around frequently and can really mess with people’s doctrines. Case and point...we know God looks down and declares that there is ‘none who are righteous’. (Romans 3:10). But the way you hear some teachings on this subject concludes that since we could never ‘be righteous’ enough in God’s eyes, that simply by believing and/or trusting in Christ and what He did on the cross for all of us ‘automatically’ makes us ‘righteous’ in the eyes of God...provided we ‘profess our faith’ in Him. I even heard it taught years ago that our simple faith was like getting a ‘Jesus suit or costume’ we wore and when God looks down on us, He doesn’t see our miserable wretchedness and sin filled hearts, but instead, ‘sees Jesus’ which grants us access to all the benefits and good things of His kingdom.
Probably too complex of a subject for this posting today as it can skirt real close to a fine line where people think they can ‘be righteous’ on their own which seems to smack face on with what scripture has to say about ‘now a righteousness that comes by faith’. But let me just say here that there is just a tad more to this than getting and wearing the ‘T-Shirt’ that states in neon letters you believe in Jesus. Again, I only point to John’s writings where he states “everyone who practices righteousness is born of Him.” And...”Little children, let no one deceive you. He who practices righteousness is righteous, just as He is righteous.” (1 Jn 2:29 and 3:7) [note the use of word ‘practice’]
Those two verses are worth some time studying and reflecting on. I don’t want to hurt anyone’s feelings but declaring that one is ‘righteous’ because they believe in Jesus does not necessarily ‘make them righteous’. Truth be told, I think we would all do well to avoid making claims of ever ‘being righteous’...as it just comes across as sounding a little off. But we can discuss that another time.
Where I would like to direct our attention to is that big word- ‘sanctification’.
It (along with the word sanctify) is used about a dozen times in the New Testament, depending on what version you study/read. Before we dive in to its meaning though, let me offer up a good reason as to WHY it would be beneficial to understand that word’s meaning. But first I have to refer to a text I bring up regularly from Matt. 7:21 along with 1 John 2:17.
Jesus said this: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My father in heaven.”
John would write in his first letter after admonishing us to ‘not love the world or the things in the world...because the world is passing away...but that “he who does the will of God abides forever”. Soooo...what would be a logical and legitimate question to ask after reading those two passages?
How about: “what IS...the ‘will of God’”? And a good follow up question with the obvious answer stated there would be: ‘and why is this important to ‘DO the will of God’? (go back and read what both Jesus and John said about ‘doing the will of God.)
Now I’m not trying to lead anyone down a rabbit hole here. I simply am wanting to bring to light some passages we have all read and quoted from our bibles over the years...but have we really latched on and let them resonate within us? Do the questions I pose here seem unreasonable?
My focus here is not about ‘being saved’. I have purposefully avoided that quagmire of religious debate and have felt compelled to direct much of these studies on ‘abiding’ in Christ. IF...we are abiding in Him, we are in a good place. And for what reason would any believer offer up as to Why they would not want to abide in Him continually?
So what is...the ‘will of God’? I am not talking about who you should marry or where you should live or do for a living, etc. But Paul does help us out here in his first letter to the Thessalonians where he says: For THIS... is the will of God...(drum roll and cue lights and music)....Your Sanctification. (2:13). Might also look at Eph. 5:17 as well.
Now, without even having defined this word yet, does anyone reading automatically sit up with greater interest in what this might mean...given the sequence of passages I have shared with you here?
I don’t want to get ahead of myself, but I will tell you that the Greek word used in the text in Thessalonians is the same word used in Hebrews 12:14 where we are instructed to “pursue peace with all people, and sanctification, without which... NO ONE will see the Lord.” In that passage, the word ‘holiness’ is used in place of sanctification. (NKJV)
I have a pretty good idea what is going on in the heads of many of you right now. Some of you...your eyes have glazed over and this just seems so confusing, if not a little unnerving, and you just want to stop reading, go put your ‘Jesus T-Shirt’ on that reminds you that you ‘got saved’ when you were 15 and just don’t want to mess with this any longer.
On the other hand, I would hope some of you are taking pause and possibly saying to yourself: “I have never really seen those verses in this light before”; with an added caveat of “If these mean what they say, this is rather serious and worthy of more prayerful study. To that....I would agree wholeheartedly.
See you tomorrow?
Comments
Post a Comment