Ministering in the Midst of the Mess with Thanksgiving

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Ministering in the Midst of the Mess with Thanksgiving

The soldier in the midst of war expects to have bullets whizzing by his head.  Causalities are expected.  Difficulties and opposition confront the soldier at every turn and when least expected.  There is nothing pleasant about war.  This reality was certainly understood by William Tecumseh Sherman as he implemented his “scorched earth” philosophy of war literally burning every Confederate city he conquered to the ground.  That is the context of Sherman’s statement in a speech defending his “scorched earth” philosophy – “War is hell.”  The point is that we should avoid it whenever possible. 

          There is a war no one can avoid.  There is a spiritual war that began in the Garden of Eden thousands of years ago and it has never paused for even one moment.  There is no intermission or momentary cease fire.  A large group of angels, led by the Archangel Lucifer, rebelled against God’s sovereign order of creation.  Those fallen angels sought to use every means allowed them to destroy humanity and turn the hearts of men, women, and children away from worshiping and serving God.  This scenario is actually the backdrop of the book of Job.  In the introduction to the first two chapters of Job, we read of Satan’s accusation against humanity.  Satan’s accusation is essentially – “If God does not bless man, man will not worship Him.” 

This is the substance of what the spiritual war between humanity and fallen angels is all about.  What will people do to escape the pain and suffering of living under the curse of the fall of humanity into sin and accepting Satan’s lordship over our lives?  In Adam’s willful act of disobedience to the sovereign will of God, he surrendered himself and all of humanity to the sovereignty of Satan.  Satan became the “god of this world” (II Corinthians 4:4) and the “prince of the power of the air” (Ephesians 2:2).  We all will live in the midst of the curse until the day we die.  In most part, we will minister in the midst of the mess of the curse all of our lives trying to contribute as little as possible to the mess ourselves.  Ministry is about cleaning up as much of the mess as possible one life at a time – beginning with our own mess.

Perhaps there is no better instruction about how to minister in the midst of the mess than Paul’s epistle to the Philippians.  The old battle scarred warrior of the faith sees his purpose in this life very simply.  Paul’s purpose and vision of existence is stated in Philippians 1:21 – “For to me to live is Christ, and to die is gain.”  The historical backdrop for this statement was that Paul was in prison at Rome and was soon to have his head removed by Nero.  Paul had many enemies from both the unbelieving world and from within the midst of the corruptions of heretics exposed by his epistles to the local churches.  This is what real ministry in the midst of the curse always looks like.  In most part, there will be many more people that want to see you dead than those wanting to see you living.  Uniquely, even within these circumstances, the substance of each chapter of Paul’s epistle to the local church at Philippi was rejoicing (Philippians 1:18, 26; 2:16, 17, 18, 28; 3:1, 3; 4:4, and 10).

“¹ Therefore, my brethren dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved. ² I beseech Euodias, and beseech Syntyche, that they be of the same mind in the Lord. ³ And I intreat thee also, true yokefellow, help those women which laboured with me in the gospel, with Clement also, and with other my fellowlabourers, whose names are in the book of life. ⁴ Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice. ⁵ Let your moderation be known unto all men. The Lord is at hand. ⁶ Be careful for nothing; but in every thing by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known unto God. ⁷ And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. ⁸ Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things. ⁹ Those things, which ye have both learned, and received, and heard, and seen in me, do: and the God of peace shall be with you” (Philippians 4:1-9).

Circumstances of life will often put us in perplexing and unpleasant predicaments.  When ministering to try to help people escape the clutches of sin in their lives, we will often experience some of the greatest disappointments.  Often the very people into which we pour our hearts and souls to help will be the very people who will turn and rend us.  It is always the people we love the most who can hurt us the most.  Such people can be very disheartening and discouraging. 

However, perhaps one of the great truths that we learn from Paul’s epistle to the believers at Philippi is to focus upon the successes of ministry, not upon the failures.  Philippi was the first church started after Paul’s miraculous call to Macedonia recorded in Acts chapter sixteen. 

“⁶ Now when they had gone throughout Phrygia and the region of Galatia, and were forbidden of the Holy Ghost to preach the word in Asia, ⁷ After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not. ⁸ And they passing by Mysia came down to Troas. ⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. ¹⁰ And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them. ¹¹ Therefore loosing from Troas, we came with a straight course to Samothracia, and the next day to Neapolis; ¹² And from thence to Philippi, which is the chief city of that part of Macedonia, and a colony: and we were in that city abiding certain days. ¹³ And on the sabbath we went out of the city by a river side, where prayer was wont to be made; and we sat down, and spake unto the women which resorted thither. ¹⁴ And a certain woman named Lydia, a seller of purple, of the city of Thyatira, which worshipped God, heard us: whose heart the Lord opened, that she attended unto the things which were spoken of Paul. ¹⁵ And when she was baptized, and her household, she besought us, saying, If ye have judged me to be faithful to the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. And she constrained us (Acts 16:6-15).

The believers at Philippi were very precious to the Apostle Paul and he was precious to them.  The beginnings of Paul’s experience at Philippi were certainly mixed with great difficulties as well as blessings.  Paul and Silas were beaten by the city magistrates because Paul had cast out a demon from a woman who had been creating great profits for some the leaders in the city.  Then, Paul and Silas were cast into a the “inner prison,” which was most probably what we know as a dark, damp, rat and bug infested dungeon.  As if that horrible place was not bad enough, they were place in wooden stocks with their legs parted to extreme discomfort bent over with their hands and necks similarly fastened making it almost impossible to rest, let alone sleep. 

There are those deep and dark times that can easily bring great sorrow and discouragement in the ministry if we do not control our thought life and what we do in the midst of those times.  Paul and Silas refused to set around feeling sorry for themselves and complaining about their difficulties regardless of how real and painful were those difficulties.  Instead, they decided to be an encouragement to the other prisoners sharing in their discomforts.

“And at midnight Paul and Silas prayed, and sang praises unto God: and the prisoners heard them” (Acts 16:25).

It is often out of the garden of great difficulties that we reap a harvest of the greatest blessings.  Roses always bloom in the midst of thorns.  This was certainly what happened to Paul and Silas as they sang their midnight praises to God in the midst of the mess of their circumstances for simply doing what was right.  They were beaten and put in prison for delivering a woman from her prison of demonic possession.  Difficulties and trials provide faithful believers with great opportunities to be a faithful testimony to God’s enabling grace.  As is often the case, when you are being a great testimony to the grace of God while in the midst of great difficulties, God provides great opportunities.  It is the wise Christian who expects those opportunities and is prepared to minister when such opportunities arise. 

“²⁶ And suddenly there was a great earthquake, so that the foundations of the prison were shaken: and immediately all the doors were opened, and every one’s bands were loosed. ²⁷ And the keeper of the prison awaking out of his sleep, and seeing the prison doors open, he drew out his sword, and would have killed himself, supposing that the prisoners had been fled. ²⁸ But Paul cried with a loud voice, saying, Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:26-28).

It would be a natural reflect response to flee in fear from a dungeon with its walls and ceiling falling in on you; even more so if the building was your prison.  It is remarkable that Paul and Silas give no consideration to escaping from their unfortunate circumstances.  They were having great influence upon the other prisoners.  This is obvious because out of this very fearful, life-threatening earthquake situation, Paul can tell the prison keeper, “Do thyself no harm: for we are all here” (Acts 16:28).

The jailer was accountable with his life for those under his guard.  He would rather die at his own hand than suffer the consequences and public disgrace to his family for allowing his prisoners to escape.  Since all the prisoners were freed from their bars and restraints, there was nothing keeping them from overpowering the jailer, killing him, and escaping into the night.  However, the influence of the spiritual integrity of Paul and Silas was substantial.  We can be confident the other prisoners knew of the circumstances of why Paul and Silas were in prison.  It is not an everyday occurrence to have someone with power over demons in your presence.  It certainly would have seemed bizarre to these other prisoners to hear Paul and Silas singing praise hymns and psalms of thanksgiving to God after just having been beaten within an inch of death and now put in the torment of tortuous stocks. 

The point is that Paul and Silas had a choice in how they were going to respond to the circumstances in which they now found themselves.  Their circumstances had not changed their purpose as Christians or their mission.  All that was changed was the people to whom they ministered.  They could see their ministry ended or they could see the needy people with which they shared a prison.  They could have become preoccupied with the pain and suffering of their circumstances or they could praise God in the midst of the mess of those circumstances.  Sometimes the curse is overwhelming to our senses and sensibilities.  To overcome and continue to minister in the midst of the mess of the curse, we have to bring the reality of our new existence “in Christ” to the forefront of our thought life.  Doing this can be difficult when life in the midst of the curse of this fallen creation seems to dominate, and it often dominates. 

Paul and Silas had been treated unfairly.  They had been unjustly publicly disgraced and imprisoned.  However, we must not forget that Paul and Silas understood that they were ministering exactly where God had sent them.  “⁹ And a vision appeared to Paul in the night; There stood a man of Macedonia, and prayed him, saying, Come over into Macedonia, and help us. ¹⁰ And after he had seen the vision, immediately we endeavoured to go into Macedonia, assuredly gathering that the Lord had called us for to preach the gospel unto them” (Acts 16:9-10).  When a person understands that he is called to be minister in the midst of the curse, he understands that he does so in the midst of the minions of Deceiver.  Yet, he must also understand that he is being sent to minister to the deceived and the very people who often are the greatest opponents of the ministry God has sent him to accomplish.  

There is no doubt in my mind that God foreknew every single circumstance that was going to happen to Paul and Silas.  God had orchestrated and incorporated every single aspect of these chain of events with the goal of producing a local church of faithful believers who knew that each of them were personally the fruits of the operations of the Spirit of God. 

It is out of this seeming dunghill of contradiction against everything good and right that God’s harvest bursts forth.  When we are consumed with the difficulties of living in the midst of the curse, all we can see and smell is the dunghill.  God sees fertilizer.  If we are going to be part of God’s plan and program in the midst of the curse, we have to see the dunghill of our circumstances as fertilizer too. 

“²⁹ Then he {the jailer} called for a light, and sprang in, and came trembling, and fell down before Paul and Silas, ³⁰ And brought them out, and said, Sirs, what must I do to be saved? ³¹ And they said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. ³² And they spake unto him the word of the Lord, and to all that were in his house. ³³ And he took them the same hour of the night, and washed their stripes; and was baptized, he and all his, straightway. ³⁴ And when he had brought them into his house, he set meat before them, and rejoiced, believing in God with all his house” (Acts 16:29-34).

When sitting in the cold darkness surrounded by the fears of the night, it is always wise to keep a fire of hope burning to remind us that the new day will dawn very soon.  This was the hope of Paul and Silas as they sang hymns of praise and thanksgiving to God in the midst of the occasional whimpers of pain from their torments.  God had sent them to Philippi to start a local church.  God had provided two considerable households of believers which would be the seed families for the local church at Philippi.  These people did not become believers in a sterile vacuum environment.  They were “born again” out of the dunghill of this fallen creation of deceived people living in their selfish deceptions while creating more hardships for everyone they touch with their cursed lives. 

The answer to this dilemma of life is not to sit in the light and curse the darkness of deception and the deceived.  Ministry is being light in the midst of the darkness.  Ministry lights the pathway with the Gospel of Jesus Christ and leads the cursed out of the darkness of their own deceptions.  Although Paul and Silas were in the same prison as were the prisoners and jailer, Paul and Silas were already freed.  Paul and Silas knew this.  Therefore, they could rejoice.  It was not enough that they could rejoice, they wanted the others to be freed from their bondages of the curse as well.  We may not be able to deliver everyone from the difficulties they have created for themselves by being seduced by their own temptations and lusts, but we can offer them a new life in Christ “by grace … through faith.” 

It is little wonder that the local church at Philippi became such a blessing to the Apostle Paul.  They refused to forget him.  When God uses men to create something precious in the midst of the curse, God must create sanctified building materials out of cursed building materials.  This process of transfiguring lives is often painful and difficult; sometimes torturous.  When the members of a local church go through this torturous process together, they do not forget those that traveled that pathway with them and helped them along the way.

Church planting ministry (missions) can be difficult, lonely, and often done with very limited resources.  When local churches are started, and become self-supporting, the people that come into those local churches are not knowledgeable of the personal sacrifices of the seed families who were part of the original miracle of New Creation.  The seed families’ vision saw the hope of a future for the generations to follow.  New families who later become part of this New Creation simply see a place that welcomes them and provides a counterculture to living in the midst of the darkness of the curse.  These people often do not ever fully escape the corruptions of worldliness because they really do not see the world as the enemy of God and a contradiction against all that is right and righteous.  Therefore, these same people never really become ministers seeking to help others escape the darkness of the corruptions of this cursed world.  Such people certainly would not be willing to face the difficulties of real ministry as we read of in Acts chapter sixteen. 

Perhaps the greatest failure of modern Christianity is the disassociation of the reality of what is actually involved with ministry in the midst of the curse.  Church services are viewed as merely a place to escape to a social safe-shelter rather than to be refreshed and re-munitioned to get back onto the battlefield.  This kind of scenario can be very discouraging to those with a biblical view of real ministry in the midst of the curse.  Real ministry will always take place in the middle of deep and troubled waters.  When you understand that reality, you will not forget the person who taught you how to swim.  This was certainly true of the people of the church at Philippi.  They were one of the very few of the many local churches started by the Apostle Paul who continued to remember him and fiscally support him in his continuing battles to start other churches and preserve “the faith.”  When Paul was imprisoned at Rome, the church members at Philippi had graciously remembered him and sent their pastor Epaphroditus to Rome with a generous gift for Paul’s use.  What a great joy and encouragement this must have been to the Apostle Paul.

“¹⁰ But I rejoiced in the Lord greatly, that now at the last your care of me hath flourished again; wherein ye were also careful, but ye lacked opportunity. ¹¹ Not that I speak in respect of want: for I have learned, in whatsoever state I am, therewith to be content. ¹² I know both how to be abased, and I know how to abound: every where and in all things I am instructed both to be full and to be hungry, both to abound and to suffer need. ¹³ I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me. ¹⁴ Notwithstanding ye have well done, that ye did communicate with my affliction. ¹⁵ Now ye Philippians know also, that in the beginning of the gospel, when I departed from Macedonia, no church communicated with me as concerning giving and receiving, but ye only. ¹⁶ For even in Thessalonica ye sent once and again unto my necessity. ¹⁷ Not because I desire a gift: but I desire fruit that may abound to your account. ¹⁸ But I have all, and abound: I am full, having received of Epaphroditus the things which were sent from you, an odour of a sweet smell, a sacrifice acceptable, wellpleasing to God. ¹⁹ But my God shall supply all your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:10-19).

It is always a blessing to be remembered, but it is no blessing to be remembered if you do know you are being remembered.  Pray for your missionaries and for one another.  Then tell those people that you prayed for them.  The believers at Philippi remembered Paul and his NEEDS in a very tangible way.  People who remember in tangible ways understand the potential for discouragement involved in ministering in the midst of the curse.  Paul had been in prison at Rome for a considerable length of time.  His detractors, those professing Christians that Paul had exposed as heretics through his epistles, were glad that Paul was taken out of the picture.  They hated him.  However, Paul’s house arrest did not end his ministry or silence his voice.  The epistles to the Ephesians, Colossians, Philemon, and Philippians were all written by Paul while he was imprisoned in his rented home under guard at Rome. 

Paul’s closing comments in Philippians 4:20-22 tells us a lot about ministering in the midst of the mess of the curse.  It is necessary to read the salutation carefully or we will miss the great blessing revealed in these few verses. 

“²⁰ Now unto God and our Father be glory for ever and ever. Amen. ²¹ Salute every saint in Christ Jesus. The brethren which are with me greet you. ²² All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household. ²³ The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen” (Philippians 4:20-23).

The word “salute” is translated from the Greek word aspazomai (as-pad'-zom-ahee).  The central idea of this word is to draw into a loving embrace.  However, the great blessing in this salutation are the words, “chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household.”  The Caesar, or Emperor of Rome was Nero.  Paul brought the light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ into every life with which he came in contact.  To be exposed to the Apostle Paul meant to be exposed to Jesus Christ and the offer in the Gospel of escape from the curse upon this world and its citizens. 

Nero was one of history’s most diabolical figures.  He was an evil, murderous, egotistical maniac with no limitations or boundaries to his self-aggrandizing agenda of promoting himself as god to this world.  He was an antichrist equal with Hitler, Stalin, and Chiang Kai-shek.  However, the Gospel of Jesus Christ was given an entrance into Nero’s household with the imprisonment of Paul.  Paul shared the good news of Jesus Christ with every person of the household of Nero of which God provided opportunity.  Many of those guards and servants of Nero’s household were won to Christ through the testimony of the Apostle Paul.  Josephus, the Jewish historian, tells us that even the Empress Poppaea, Nero’s wife, became a believer.  It is believed that Seneca, the Preceptor (tutor and advisor) to Nero, became a believer.  So, when Paul says, “All the saints salute you, chiefly they that are of Caesar’s household,” this includes some of the world’s most elite.  Never under estimate the Light of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and the extent of its power to touch and change lives.  The Light is the most apparent in the darkest darkness!

Four different times in Psalm 107 out of four differently described scenarios of life within the difficulties of the fallen creation, the Psalmist writes, “Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men!” (Psalm 107: 8, 15, 21, and 31).  The scenarios described in the second statements are of pertinent to the understanding of ministering to people living within the spiritual darkness of the fall encompassing their ignorance of God.

“¹⁰ Such as sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, being bound in affliction and iron; ¹¹ Because they rebelled against the words of God, and contemned the counsel of the most High: ¹² Therefore he brought down their heart with labour; they fell down, and there was none to help. ¹³ Then they cried unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saved them out of their distresses. ¹⁴ He brought them out of darkness and the shadow of death, and brake their bands in sunder. ¹⁵ Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! ¹⁶ For he hath broken the gates of brass, and cut the bars of iron in sunder. ¹⁷ Fools because of their transgression, and because of their iniquities, are afflicted. ¹⁸ Their soul abhorreth all manner of meat; and they draw near unto the gates of death. ¹⁹ Then they cry unto the LORD in their trouble, and he saveth them out of their distresses. ²⁰ He sent his word, and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. ²¹ Oh that men would praise the LORD for his goodness, and for his wonderful works to the children of men! ²² And let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare his works with rejoicing” (Psalm 107:10-22).

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 Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Ministering in Grace

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Studies in the Epistle of Paul to the Romans

Ministering in Grace

In Romans 1:7, the Apostle Paul says, “Grace to you.” This phrase is directly and practically connected to all those “called to be saints” at Rome.  No Christian can live a sanctified life apart from God’s enabling grace.  The statement “grace to you” is an introductory statement that is much more than an empty salutation like good morning.  The word grace speaks to the position of the person living under the divine authority and empowerment of the sovereign Creator of heaven and earth.  The person living under that authority and empowered by God has the power of the Creator at His disposal through prayer and ministry.  Perhaps there is no doctrine more misunderstood and more abused by professing Christians than the doctrine of the grace of God.   

There is a Universal Calling upon All Believer-priests to Minister in “grace”

“⁵ By whom we have received grace and apostleship, for obedience to the faith among all nations, for his name: ⁶ Among whom are ye also the called of Jesus Christ: ⁷ To all that be in Rome, beloved of God, called to be saints {the main occupation of the priesthood of all believers is to cultivate holiness in our own lives and in the lives of other believers}: Grace {the supernatural enabling of the indwelling Holy Spirit} to you and peace from God our Father, and the Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 1:5-7).

There is a common misnomer regarding the doctrine of God’s enabling grace.  That mistake is seeing the enabling Power of God as some impersonal force available to the sanctified believer.  Nothing could be more incorrect.  The enabling Power is the Person of Christ Jesus in the Person of the indwelling Holy Spirit of God.  Only when a believer is Spirit-filled is that believer empowered.  This filling/empowering produces the Christ-life through a believer’s life.  Titus 2:11 clearly teaches us that “the grace of God” was manifested in the Person of Jesus Christ.  The same text (Titus 2:11-15) goes on to explain specific and remarkable expectations of the “teaching” of Jesus as the incarnate “grace of God.” 

“¹¹ For the grace of God {the incarnate Son of God} that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ¹² Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. ¹⁵ These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:11-15).

All “born again” believers receive grace to accomplish their “apostleship” calling in Christ (Romans 1:5).  Grace refers to God’s supernatural enabling power.  Without enabling grace, the believer cannot accomplish anything for Christ.

“⁴ Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. ⁵ I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. . . ²⁶ But when the Comforter is come, whom I will send unto you from the Father, even the Spirit of truth, which proceedeth from the Father, he shall testify of me” (John 15:4-5 and 26).

          With enabling grace, the believer can accomplish anything that is in the will of God.  It is important here that we understand that this enabling grace is potentially available to all believers but it is practically conditioned upon full surrender to Christ in obedience to the teachings of Jesus throughout the Bible.  We often here Christians quote Philippians 4:13 to claim Christ’s strengthening through some difficulty when they are obviously living in disobedience to Christ’s teachings. 

“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me” (Philippians 4:13).

“¹⁰ Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you: ¹¹ Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow. ¹² Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into” (I Peter 1:10-12).

Salvation offered as a gift of grace and received by simple faith has been the same since Adam and Eve.  This is NOT the difficulty the prophets were having regarding “salvation.”  They knew salvation was in the coming Messiah and His work of redemption.  Their enquiry was who would the Messiah be, who could be saved, when would He come, and who would cause His vicarious suffering for the sins of the people.  Jesus answered all of these questions very early in His ministry in John 1:5-13.

“⁵ And the light shineth in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. ⁶ There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. ⁷ The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. ⁸ He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. ⁹ That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. ¹⁰ He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. ¹¹ He came unto his own, and his own received him not. ¹² But as many {whosoever} as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: ¹³ Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God” (John 1:5-13).

          Although there is still a bit of a mystery in answering all the questions the prophets had regarding the Messiah, all of them are answered embryonically in their prophecies.  Christ takes away most of this mystery by His statement in John 1:5-13.

1. “The Light” that “shineth in darkness” (John 1:5) is the eternal Son of God as the Creator.  “He is referred to as “the Light” in that the essence of the spiritual Being that is God is only visible through His radiant holiness, known as His glory, now hidden by the darkness due to spiritual blindness caused by sin and the fall of humanity into sin.  This darkness is a cover protecting the first creation from immediate destruction, which would happen as soon as sin is exposed to the glory of God (Revelation 20:9).

2. Who can be saved is answered in John 1:7 by the words “that all men through him might believe.”  The who can be saved is expanded upon in John 1:12 also.

3. The who question, regarding who would cause the Savior Messiah to suffer, is answered in John 1:11, “He came unto his own, and his own received him not.”  The priesthood of God of the people known as the Jews, who were called out of the world by God and entrusted with the holy Scriptures, would be the people who would apostatize and murder their promised Messiah. 

          I Peter 1:10 tells us the prophets “inquired” and “searched” regarding these questions.  The Greek word translated “inquired” is ekzeteo (ek-zay-the’-o).  They knew that the only place they would find the answers to their inquiry would be in the Scriptures.  In other words, they did not go searching in all the pagan writings and philosophies of men for their answers.  This is the common methodology known as Pluralism. 

Religious Pluralism is the false philosophy that the truth will be discovered within the teachings of all religious beliefs.  Religious Pluralism teaches that all religions have some merit and all should be accepted in that all contain some truth or degrees of truth.  To some degree this is true.  Some of the things Buddha said are true and helpful.  Some of the things Confucius said are true and helpful.  Almost all the pagan religions have some historical reference to Creation and the Great Flood.  However, religious Pluralism is a false and corrupting idea.  Even a broken clock is right twice a day.  Nonetheless, no one would look to that broken clock to find a trustworthy representation of the correct time. 

The Greek word translated by the two words “searched diligently” is exereunao (ex-er-yoo-nah’-o).  The meaning of this word is compared to the gold prospector who searches the mountains to find a few nuggets if gold.  This is known as an inductive methodology.  Obviously, no one can begin with a full and complete knowledge of what God has said unless he is God in the first place.  We all begin in ignorance and work towards knowledge.  That knowledge can and never will be complete.  The more details we know of the parts, the surer we can be of our understanding of the whole.  Therefore, the exacting science of biblical hermeneutics (interpretation of Scripture) must be about details. 

        The prophets also did not understand the things that had been “prophesied of the grace that should come unto you” (I Peter 1:10).  They understood there would be a change in the way God would empower believers, but they did not understand how this was going to happen.  This is still something very much misunderstood by most within professing Christianity.  Again, Jesus explained this change just prior to His crucifixion in John 14:15-24 regarding a radically different way the Spirit of God would operate in the lives of those “born again” of the Spirit after the Day of Pentecost.

“¹⁵ If ye love me, keep my commandments. ¹⁶ And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever; ¹⁷ Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you. ¹⁸ I will not leave you comfortless: I will come to you. ¹⁹ Yet a little while, and the world seeth me no more; but ye see me: because I live, ye shall live also. ²⁰ At that day ye shall know that I am in my Father, and ye in me, and I in you. ²¹ He that hath my commandments, and keepeth them, he it is that loveth me: and he that loveth me shall be loved of my Father, and I will love him, and will manifest myself to him. ²² Judas saith unto him, not Iscariot, Lord, how is it that thou wilt manifest thyself unto us, and not unto the world? ²³ Jesus answered and said unto him, If a man love me, he will keep my words: and my Father will love him, and we will come unto him, and make our abode with him. ²⁴ He that loveth me not keepeth not my sayings: and the word which ye hear is not mine, but the Fathers which sent me” (John 14:15-24).

          What Jesus speaks of in this text is known as Theanthropic Union – God living within His redeemed.  In the Old Covenant, God lived with His redeemed and externally empowered them to live for Him.  In the New Covenant, God would live within His redeemed and internally empower them to live for Him as they yield their wills to the indwelling Holy Spirit.  Peter explains this further in II Peter 1:1-4.

“¹ Simon Peter, a servant and an apostle of Jesus Christ, to them that have obtained like precious faith with us through the righteousness of God and our Saviour Jesus Christ: ² Grace and peace be multiplied {grace was already added in the indwelling; the expression here is to increase as does the planted seed expand exponentially in the fruit it produces} unto you through the knowledge {epignosis; relational and intimate} of God, and of Jesus our Lord, ³ According as his divine power hath given {perfect, passive} unto us all things that pertain unto life and godliness, through the knowledge {epignosis} of him that hath called us to glory and virtue: ⁴ Whereby are given {perfect, passive} unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers {koinonos; sharer or partner} of the divine nature {germination trough the indwelling Holy Spirit thereby producing a new genesis of humanity}, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust” (II Peter 1:1-4).

There are several terms used in the Bible to communicate this newly available enabling grace of God.  These terms are the filling of the Spirit, fellowship (or partnership) with God, and transformed.  God’s enabling grace is released is by the action of the verbs yield, repent, and confess.  Paul explains this new spiritual dynamic of the inward enabling grace of the indwelling Spirit of God in Romans 6:5-16 and Romans 12:1-8.

“⁵ For if we have been planted together in the likeness of his death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection: ⁶ Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin {the word sin in this text refers to the sin nature or the ‘old man’}. ⁷ For he that is dead is freed {perfect, passive} from sin. ⁸ Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with him: ⁹ Knowing that Christ being raised from the dead dieth no more; death hath no more dominion over him. ¹⁰ For in that he died, he died unto sin once: but in that he liveth, he liveth unto God. ¹¹ Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord. ¹² Let not sin therefore reign in your mortal body, that ye should obey it in the lusts thereof. ¹³ Neither yield ye your members as instruments of unrighteousness unto sin: but yield yourselves unto God, as those that are alive from the dead, and your members as instruments of righteousness unto God. ¹⁴ For sin shall not have dominion over you: for ye are not under the law, but under grace. ¹⁵ What then? shall we sin, because we are not under the law, but under grace? God forbid. ¹⁶ Know ye not, that to whom ye yield yourselves servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obey; whether of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness” (Romans 6:5-16)?

“¹ I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. ² And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed {lit. transfigured -present, passive, imperative} by the renewing {to renovate or overhaul} of your mind, that ye may prove {put to the test and find out what is genuine} what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-3).

“Then he answered and spake unto me, saying, This is the word of the LORD unto Zerubbabel, saying, Not by might, nor by power, but by my spirit, saith the LORD of hosts” (Zechariah 4:6).

“A Song of degrees for Solomon. Except the LORD build the house, they labour in vain that build it: except the LORD keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain” (Psalm 127:1).

“For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not” (Romans 7:18).

“⁷ Because the carnal mind is enmity against God: for it is not subject to the law of God, neither indeed can be. ⁸ So then they that are in the flesh cannot please God. ⁹ But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:7-9).

“³ For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: ⁴ (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds;) ⁵ Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ . . .” (II Corinthians 10:3-5).

“¹⁶ This I say then, Walk in the Spirit {the Spirit-filled life}, and ye shall not fulfil the lust of the flesh. ¹⁷ For the flesh lusteth against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh: and these are contrary the one to the other: so that ye cannot do the things that ye would” (Galatians 5:16-17).

          The purpose of enabling grace is for “obedience to the faith among all nations” (Romans 1:5).  God has a purpose in everything He does.  This refers specifically to the spread of Christianity by obedience to the Great Commission.  The purpose of grace is to enable the believer to obey his calling in Jesus Christ.  “The faith” refers to the whole body of Christian doctrine that is to be lived out in the believer’s life.

“¹ I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, ² With all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; ³ Endeavouring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace. ⁴ There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; ⁵ One Lord, one faith, one baptism, ⁶ One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. ⁷ But unto every one of us is given grace according to the measure of the gift of Christ” (Ephesians 4:1-7).

“Beloved, when I gave all diligence to write unto you of the common salvation, it was needful for me to write unto you, and exhort you that ye should earnestly contend for the faith which was once delivered unto the saints” (Jude 1:3).

          All believers have an “apostleship.”  They are sent into the world with a high calling and a Great Commission.  Every believer has received the indwelling Holy Spirit Who will empower him to do whatever God asks him to do once that believer fully surrenders to the will of God.  Every believer will stand before the Judgment Seat of Christ without excuse for the things they either failed to do, or the things they attempted, but did in the flesh.  What we do, we do to exalt and glorify the Name of Jesus.  To be successful, we must do it by the enabling of His indwelling Spirit.  What does fully surrendered look like?

“¹² Put on therefore {middle voice, imperative mood}, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, bowels of mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness, longsuffering; ¹³ Forbearing one another, and forgiving one another, if any man have a quarrel against any: even as Christ forgave you, so also do ye. ¹⁴ And above all these things put on charity, which is the bond of perfectness. ¹⁵ And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful. ¹⁶ Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. ¹⁷ And whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God and the Father by him” (Colossians 3:12-17).

Anonymous comments will not be allowed. 
Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.

Calling Jesus Lord

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Sermon One Audio Link

Sermon Two Audio Link

Calling Jesus Lord

      

   

Matthew chapter five through seven and Luke chapter six give us the message of Christ that defines what it means to be a Christian.  We can be confident that this message was preached by Jesus on numerous occasions as He traveled throughout Israel preaching and teaching.  This message defines the expectations of the New Covenant and how Jesus expected His disciples to live their lives after they were “born again” of the Spirit of God.  None of the statements in Luke 6:37-46 are conditions for salvation.  The statements define a lifestyle for those already saved.  According to Luke 6:40, clearly the text is addressed to those claiming to be “disciples,” or followers of the teachings of Jesus. 

“³⁷ Judge not, and ye shall not be judged: condemn not, and ye shall not be condemned: forgive, and ye shall be forgiven: ³⁸ Give, and it shall be given unto you; good measure, pressed down, and shaken together, and running over, shall men give into your bosom. For with the same measure that ye mete withal it shall be measured to you again. ³⁹ And he spake a parable unto them, Can the blind lead the blind? shall they not both fall into the ditch? ⁴⁰ The disciple is not above his master: but every one that is perfect {complete or spiritually mature} shall be as his master. ⁴¹ And why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but perceivest not the beam that is in thine own eye? ⁴² Either how canst thou say to thy brother, Brother, let me pull out the mote that is in thine eye, when thou thyself beholdest not the beam that is in thine own eye? Thou hypocrite, cast out first the beam out of thine own eye {take care of your own corruptions first because duplicity will corrupt all your ministry attempts}, and then shalt thou see clearly to pull out the mote that is in thy brother’s eye. ⁴³ For a good tree bringeth not forth corrupt fruit; neither doth a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. ⁴⁴ For every tree is known by his own fruit. For of thorns men do not gather figs, nor of a bramble bush gather they grapes. ⁴⁵ A good man out of the good treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is good; and an evil man out of the evil treasure of his heart bringeth forth that which is evil: for of the abundance of the heart his mouth speaketh. ⁴⁶ And why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say” (Luke 6:37-46)?

The ultimate test for anyone’s hypocrisy is to answer a simple question.  “Why call ye me, Lord, Lord, and do not the things which I say” (Luke 6:45)?  The responsibilities that accompany confessing Jesus to be Lord (Jehovah incarnate in human form) are significant.  God has very high expectations for the way His “born again” children live their lives before Him and before the world.  Every “born again” child of God is responsible to represent the character and nature of God to the world.  Matthew chapters five through seven and Luke chapter six define exactly how believers are to represent God to the world.  This representation defines the priesthood of all New Covenant believers.  God expects the lives of His priests to excel in the ways defined by Luke 6:37-46.  Failure in these areas was the failure of the Levitical priesthood of the Mosaic Covenant and the reason God removed them from service.  This removal is the substance of most of the book of Malachi.

“⁶ A son honoureth his father, and a servant his master: if then I be a father, where is mine honour? and if I be a master, where is my fear? saith the LORD of hosts unto you, O priests, that despise my name. And ye say, Wherein have we despised thy name? ⁷ Ye offer polluted bread upon mine altar; and ye say, Wherein have we polluted thee? In that ye say, The table of the LORD is contemptible. ⁸ And if ye offer the blind for sacrifice, is it not evil? and if ye offer the lame and sick, is it not evil? offer it now unto thy governor; will he be pleased with thee, or accept thy person? saith the LORD of hosts. ⁹ And now, I pray you, beseech God that he will be gracious unto us: this hath been by your means: will he regard your persons? saith the LORD of hosts. ¹⁰ Who is there even among you that would shut the doors for nought? neither do ye kindle fire on mine altar for nought. I have no pleasure in you, saith the LORD of hosts, neither will I accept an offering at your hand. ¹¹ For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the LORD of hosts. ¹² But ye have profaned it, in that ye say, The table of the LORD is polluted; and the fruit thereof, even his meat, is contemptible. ¹³ Ye said also, Behold, what a weariness is it! and ye have snuffed at it, saith the LORD of hosts; and ye brought that which was torn, and the lame, and the sick; thus ye brought an offering: should I accept this of your hand? saith the LORD. ¹⁴ But cursed be the deceiver, which hath in his flock a male, and voweth, and sacrificeth unto the Lord a corrupt thing: for I am a great King, saith the LORD of hosts, and my name is dreadful {reverential fear} among the heathen” (Malachi 1:6-14).

          This is the sobering context of the warnings of Jesus to professing disciples in Luke 6:47-49 and Matthew 7:21-27.  The context of the warning to professing disciples (professed followers of the commands and teachings of Jesus) is the subtlety of self-deception regarding the reality of genuine faith/belief in God.  Clearly, the practices of Malachi 1:6-14 reveal religious practices that do not reflect a belief that the God to which those worship practices were directed cared about the way they lived their lives.  The pitiful nature of offering the sick, blind, and lame animals for sacrifice reflected a very low worth put upon God. 

However, more significant to the warning of Jesus is the fact that such “works” actually reflected unbelief on the part of those offering such sacrifices.  Why else would someone offer such pitiful excuses for worship to the Lord of Lords and King of kings?  Would someone dare bring such pitiful excuses for an offering to any earthly king?  Certainly, not!  The earthy king would immediately be offended and have such a person punished, if not killed for such a disgraceful and disrespectful offering.  Why then would someone think he could escape God’s judgment for such wickedness?  This reveals a false faith and a false profession.  This is to where Jesus leads such a person in Luke 6:47-49 and Matthew 7:21-27. 

“⁴⁷ Whosoever cometh to me, and heareth my sayings, and doeth them, I will shew you to whom he is like: ⁴⁸ He is like a man which built an house, and digged deep, and laid the foundation on a rock: and when the flood arose, the stream beat vehemently upon that house, and could not shake it: for it was founded upon a rock. ⁴⁹ But he that heareth, and doeth not, is like a man that without a foundation built an house upon the earth; against which the stream did beat vehemently, and immediately it fell; and the ruin of that house was great” (Luke 6:47-49).

This warning is much greater than merely warning about wasting one’s life on riotous living and worldly philosophies.  The warning is given to those that profess to be “born again” followers of Jesus Christ, but who do not give due diligence to doing what Jesus said to do.  This is not speaking of some type of sinless perfection where a person always does exactly what Jesus taught.  We are all pieces of clay with great weaknesses and cracks.  Jesus wants to see genuine effort, honesty, and transparency as we seek to live the way Jesus taught us to live.  However, when our effort, honesty, and transparency is intended only to deceive other human onlookers while thinking we are something we are not, this is the worst kind of self-deception.  This kind of self-deception will take people to the fires and torments of Hell.  We must never forget that genuinely being part of the Gospel of the Kingdom involves believing and being in subjection to the all-knowing and all-seeing King of the Kingdom. 

“²¹ Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. ²² Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? ²³ And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity. ²⁴ Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock: ²⁵ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock. ²⁶ And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand: ²⁷ And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it” (Matthew 7:21-27).

The double declaration “Lord, Lord” is the public declaration of a subject/servant regarding the sovereign authority and protection of his declared King/Lord.  The rights of citizenship are accompanied with the obligations of citizenship to live in obedience to the dictates and commands of the Sovereign.  To declare one’s self a subject of the King without living in subjection to the King is a contradiction to such declarations.  Even more so, when one willfully makes such a declaration with no real desire to be in obedient subjection, such a contradiction could be viewed as treasonous.  This latter scenario seems to be the substance of the warning of Jesus in Matthew 7:21-27.  The important difference between the warning in Luke chapter six and the warning in Matthew chapter seven is that Jesus connects such disobedience to a false profession of faith.  This is the important transition between Ephesians 2:1-3 into 2:4-9 into the statement of Ephesians 2:10.  If we truly believe that Jesus Christ is the incarnate, omniscient, omnipresent Sovereign Lord, this reality will radically change the way we live our lives before His eyes. 

It is critical to see the transition of expectations from Ephesians 2:1-3 into the next few verses in Ephesians 2:4-10, the word “but” in Ephesians 2:4 begins a juxtaposition (placing these two contrasting statements side-by-side for comparison).  All Church Age believer/priests have many new privileges and responsibilities that are often taken for granted.  This is especially true of Gentile believers who are ignorant of the obligations of the ceremonial and sacrificial aspects of the Mosaic Covenant (the Law).  The contrasts between Ephesians 2:1-3 and Ephesians 2:4-10 are radical. 

“¹ And you hath he quickened, who were dead in trespasses and sins; ² Wherein in time past ye walked according to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience: ³ Among whom also we all had our conversation {practice/manner of living} in times past in the lusts of our flesh, fulfilling the desires of the flesh and of the mind; and were by nature the children of wrath, even as others” (Ephesians 2:1-3).

1. We were “dead in trespasses and sins”

2. In the past, “ye walked according to the course of this world”

3. Ye were once led by “the prince of the power of the air” (Satan)

4. Our lifestyles were exceedingly corrupted by yielding to “the lusts of our flesh”

5. We were “the children of wrath”

          As we read Ephesians 2:4-10, we see the extreme contrast in the believers’ new position “in Christ Jesus” defining extreme new expectations of all believers. By my count, Paul uses this phrase “in Christ Jesus” at least forty times in his epistles, six times in the first three chapters of Ephesians alone.  The phrase is theologically significant as it reveals the believer’s security in his new eternal position in “the regeneration” (Matthew 19:28). 

“⁴ But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, ⁵ Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved {perfect, passive, participle};) ⁶ And hath raised us up together, and made us sit together in heavenly places in Christ Jesus: ⁷ That in the ages to come he might shew the exceeding riches of his grace in his kindness toward us through Christ Jesus. ⁸ For by grace {God’s provision} are {present tense} ye saved {perfect, passive, participle} through faith {man’s response}; and that not of yourselves: {salvation} it is the gift of God: ⁹ Not of works, lest any man should boast. ¹⁰ For we are his workmanship, created {aorist, passive, participle} in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:4-10).

          This juxtaposition begins with the answer to man’s dilemma – “but God.”  Into this horrible and devastating spiritual darkness of humanity’s fallen state bursts forth the wondrous light of the mercy of God’s grace.  All of humanity is hopelessly lost in the condemnation by the righteousness of God.  It is an overwhelming and supernatural problem that requires an overwhelming and supernatural solution.  No person can save himself.  He is “condemned already” (John 3:18).  No one can work himself out of the depth of his fallen and condemned state.  There is no ritual that can cleanse him of the filth of his sin.  There is but one hope – the grace and mercy of God.

          We would think we would find mankind’s history riddle with accounts of men pleading with God to be saved.  Instead, we find God pleading with man to receive His gift of salvation.  This is true because we are blind to our condition before God.  We are blind to the holiness of God and the perfect righteousness of God.  Only God truly understands the totality and depth of our fall into sin and condemnation.  Only God understands what is necessary to our rescue from that fallen state.  God requires a supernatural solution.  Only God can supernaturally provide that solution.  Men foolishly think that they can somehow earn God’s favor and pardon.  Men foolishly think that some ritual or sacrifice can take away our sin and cleanse us before God.  That is what apostate Israel had come to believe by the time of the prophet Isaiah and just before their captivity.  God has always had but one way to reconciliation with Him – “by grace through faith.”  The one way to reconciliation with has NEVER been through religion!  This is, and always has been, Satan’s great corruption of “the faith.”

“¹⁰ Hear the word of the LORD, ye rulers of Sodom; give ear unto the law of our God, ye people of Gomorrah. ¹¹ To what purpose is the multitude of your sacrifices unto me? saith the LORD: I am full of the burnt offerings of rams, and the fat of fed beasts; and I delight not in the blood of bullocks, or of lambs, or of he goats. ¹² When ye come to appear before me, who hath required this at your hand, to tread my courts? ¹³ Bring no more vain oblations; incense is an abomination unto me; the new moons and sabbaths, the calling of assemblies, I cannot away with; it is iniquity, even the solemn meeting. ¹⁴ Your new moons and your appointed feasts my soul hateth: they are a trouble unto me; I am weary to bear them. ¹⁵ And when ye spread forth your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you: yea, when ye make many prayers, I will not hear: your hands are full of blood. ¹⁶ Wash you, make you clean; put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes; cease to do evil; ¹⁷ Learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. ¹⁸ Come now, and let us reason together, saith the LORD: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. ¹⁹ If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: ²⁰ But if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the LORD hath spoken it” (Isaiah 1:10-20).

          The sacrifices and holy days of the Mosaic Covenant were given to be reminders to Israel of the means that gifted to them their promised redemption.  The thrust of God’s rebuke of the children of Israel was that they had gradually made the sacrifices and holy days merely mechanical.  They participated in their continual worship rituals without any real thought of Who God is, what those rituals meant, or any real worship being offered to God.  Worship is the primary offering of everything a believer does.  Worship declares our view of God’s worth in our redemption and our daily life in fellowship with Him.  The rituals of worship soon replaced true worship.  God hates this nonsense. 

This is what always happens when doctrine is corrupted.  When doctrine is corrupted, people proportionately begin to become the focus of worship rather than God.  True doctrine is always God-centered (Theocentric).  The focus is always upon the worth of God in our lives.  False doctrines corrupt worship making it man-centered (anthropocentric).  It is not that man is actually worshiped.  It is that man’s needs and wants become the focus of worship. 

True worship is right doctrine that leads men to the throne of grace to humble themselves at the feet of God.  True worship exposes man for what he is in the eyes of God.  True worship brings that sinner to see and understand all that God is and then offers that sinner God’s benevolent provisions of His grace.  Then, that sinner enters true worship being offered to God.  To receive what God’s benevolent grace offers without returning worship to God is to completely corrupt worship.  This was the corruption of the Mosaic Covenant by the priesthood that God addresses in Isaiah 1:10-20. 

          Isaiah 1:10-20 has similarities to the statement in Ephesians 2:1-10.  The ultimate point of the difference between Ephesians 2:1-3 and 2:4-10 is that God’s intent in everyone’s life (“whosoever”) is to restore them to full fellowship with Him.  This begins by offering the free gift of salvation to all “by grace through faith” and continues in their progressive sanctification “by grace through faith.”  In other words, God is universally benevolent (“the world,” John 3:16).  Salvation just opens the door of opportunity for that fellowship.  God wants to bless people.  God wants to walk with us and talk with us.  God wants us to pray and He wants to answer our prayers.  If we will repent of sin and “dead works,” understand and believe the Gospel, confess Jesus to be Jehovah incarnate, and call on the Name of Jesus to save us from Hell, God will indwell us in the Person of the Holy Spirit.  He will then begin a supernatural work of progressive transfiguration in our lives from within.  We are literally God’s “workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works.”  Wow!  If you cannot find something for which to praise God and for which to worship Him in that truth, you probably better reinvestigate the reality of your understanding of what God has done for you.  God deserves to be worshiped.  Worship should be the preoccupation of every moment of the life of a believer.

God is “rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us” Ephesians 2:4.  What a remarkable statement.  Consider the infinite depth of these few words.  See if you can find a place where the riches of God’s mercy and love do not touch your life.  You will never discover such a place, because God loves us “even when we were dead in sins” (Ephesians 2:5).  God loves you “even when.” 

When we correctly understand the infinite depth and breadth of God’s love, then right doctrine will also generate loving obedience.  Learning Scripture to know, and then do, God’s will become a priority in those that want to truly worship God “in Spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).  Salvation is intended to do much more than merely give us a fire escape from Hell.  Salvation is intended to open a door to fellowship with God that is immersed in our adoration, praise, and worship of God.  Every aspect of Bible study answers the question, is God worthy of worship?  If every aspect of your Bible study does not arrive at that conclusion, your understanding is corrupted.  That is the intent of the emphasis on the word “truth” in Christ’s teaching in John 4:24. None can truly worship God until he truly understands his condemnation, the Gospel, and the overwhelming wonders of the gift of salvation.  God’s love reached into the cesspool of humanity to rescue sinners drowning in the filth of their own degradation.  We will never grasp that analogy until we grasp God’s holiness and purity along with His hatred of impurity. 

People just cannot seem to grasp the concept of what it means to take up our cross and follow Him.  The point is that the Cross of Christ fills our lives.  We must let go of everything else before we can take up that Cross.  It is a complete/total commitment that empties our lives of everything worldly and then fills our lives with everything that is important. 

“Even when we were dead in sins” (Ephesians 2:5a).  Most people view sin as a mere sickness or a deadly disease.  This view of sin is completely corrupt.  When sin entered humanity through Adam, it did not make Adam sick.  Sin slayed Adam.  The words “dead in sins” portray a vivid word picture.  The word “dead” is from the Greek word nekros (nek-ros’).  The root word for this is nekus, which refers to a corpse.  Therefore, the word picture is that of a dead corpse.  In Ephesians 2:1, God tells us we were dead in trespasses and sins.  Then, He repeats Himself and tells us we were “dead in sins.”  Both the words “trespasses” and “sins” are in the locative case.  That is why we have the word “in.”  The words “trespasses” and “sins” describe the location of this dead corpse.  The word picture is more than a dead corpse in a grave.  The word picture is that of a dead corpse buried in a death of eternal separation from God in a place called Hell.  The grace of God in the gift of salvation and eternal life removes the believing sinner out of the location of being “dead in trespasses and sins.”  How can we understand all of this and call Jesus “Lord, Lord” and not do the things He says to do? 

“¹¹ For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, ¹² Teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; ¹³ Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; ¹⁴ Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. ¹⁵ These things speak, and exhort, and rebuke with all authority. Let no man despise thee” (Titus 2:11-15).

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Numerous studies and series are available free of charge for local churches at: http://www.disciplemakerministries.org/ 
Dr. Lance Ketchum serves the Lord as a Church Planter, Evangelist/Revivalist. 
He has served the Lord for over 40 years.