Passover or “Pesach” in Hebrew is a feast celebrated by Jews all around the world commemorating the exodus of the Israelites from Egypt. But Passover and the story of the exodus have great significance for Christians too. The Bible tells us that Jesus Christ is the Passover Lamb (1 Corinthians 5:7).
Origin of Passover
The origin of Passover is outlined in the book of Exodus. God promised to deliver His people, the Israelites, from Egyptian bondage and slavery (Exodus 6:6). God sent Moses to Pharaoh, the King of Egypt with the command to “let the people of Israel go” (Exodus 6:10-11).
When King Pharaoh refused, God brought ten plagues on the land of Egypt: 1) plague of blood, 2) plague of frogs, 3) plague of gnats, 4) plague of flies, 5) plague against livestock,6) plague of boils, 7) plague of hail, 8) plague of locusts, 9) plague of darkness and, 10) the death of all the firstborn in Egypt.
The night of the tenth and worst plague was the night of the first Passover.
God instructed every Israelite household to select a year-old male lamb or a young goat without blemish for a sacrifice (Exodus 12:5) and keep it in their house for four days. They are to slaughter the lamb on the night of the “pass over,” making sure that none of its bones are broken, and sprinkle some of its blood on the sides and tops of the door frames of the houses where they eat them (Exodus 12:7, 22).
The Israelites were also given specific instructions on how to eat the lamb,“with a belt on your waist, your sandals on your feet and your staff in your hand. You should eat the meal in urgency for it is the Lord’s Passover”(Exodus 12:11). In other words, the people had to be ready to travel because God will set them completely free from the Egyptians.
On that fateful night at midnight, God passed through the land of Egypt and struck down all the firstborn, both man and beasts to execute judgment against all the gods of Egypt (Exodus 12:12; Exodus 12:29), and there was a great cry in Egypt for there was not a house where there was not one dead (Exodus 12:30).
But when the Lord passed through the nations to strike the Egyptians, He “passed over”every household that has the lamb’s blood on its door and did not allow the destroyer to strike it (Exodus 12:23). The blood was a sign for the Israelites on their houses for God to“pass over”them and not be destroyed. So in a very real way, the Israelites were saved from death because of the blood of the lamb.
Jesus Became the Passover Lamb
Going into the New Testament, the writers referred to Jesus as the Lamb of God and the Passover Lamb several times (John 1:29, 35-36; 1 Corinthians 5:7; 1 Peter 1:19; Revelation 5:6, 13:8). The significance of the phrase “Lamb of God”as it refers to Jesus is that He is the sacrifice for sin which God Himself has provided.
Just as each Hebrew family was instructed to select an animal and keep it for four days in their home to make sure it was perfect before sacrificing it to the Lord for Passover; Jesus came and dwelt among Israel. Just before Passover, Jesus moved into Jerusalem where the Temple was built along with the rest of Israel (The Triumphal Entry– Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44; John 12:12-19). Living in Jerusalem before Passover was like the lamb living in the family’s house.
In the story of Abraham and Isaac (Genesis 22:1-14), we see a foreshadowing of Jesus as the sacrificial lamb. At the instruction of God, Abraham took his son Isaac to Mount Moriah to sacrifice him there as a burnt offering to God. When the boy asked where the sacrificial lamb was, Abraham replied,“God will provide for Himself the lamb for a burnt offering”(Genesis 22:8).
Abraham was willing to offer his beloved son Isaac, but God stopped him and provided a ram to be sacrificed instead. On a greater scale, God provided the Lamb for us – His own Son. Two thousand years ago at Mount Calvary, God offered His beloved Son to be the sacrificial Lamb for us; a sacrifice that is truly sufficient for our atonement (Hebrews 9:12, 14).
The people of Israel were familiar with lambs for the sacrifices because at Passover, each family had to have a lamb, and during the year, two lambs a day were sacrificed at the Temple altar, plus all the other lambs brought for personal sacrifices. But while those lambs were brought by men to men, Jesus is God’s Lamb given by God to men.
The blood of the lamb in the Old Testament did not only serve as the protector of the Israelites but it is also seen as the atoner for them so that they could commune with God. It is because of the blood of the lamb that they were spared from death.
Jesus’ sacrifice does the same for us. It is Jesus’ blood that atones for our sins and restores our relationship with God. Just as the Passover lamb’s blood applied to the Israelites doorposts caused the destroyer to “pass over” each household, the blood of Christ applied causes God’s judgment to “pass over” sinners to give life to believers (Romans 6:23).
Jesus Christ fulfilled the Old Testament sacrificial system when He became the “once for all” offering for our sins (Hebrews 10:1-18). It is by His sacrifice that our communion with God is restored and by His blood covering that we are spared from eternal death.
Conclusion
The Passover was instituted by God to protect the Israelites from the final plague, the death of the firstborn. A lamb without defect was killed and its blood was sprinkled on the doorposts and lintel of the house, as a sign for God to “pass over” them, sparing the firstborn of that house.
Today, Jesus is our Passover Lamb who was sacrificed for us. Jesus’ death was the fulfillment of the original Passover night. His blood not only saves the firstborn son’s life but every person who trusts in Him. It is because of His blood that our sins are forgiven and we are spared from God’s judgment – everlasting death.
As the first Passover marked the Israelites’ release from Egyptian slavery, so, the death of Christ marks our release from the slavery of sin and death (Romans 8:2). While the Jews celebrate the first Passover as an annual feast, Christians are to memorialize the Lord’s death in communion until He returns (1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
Psalm 51 is the first of fifteen consecutive psalms in Book Two attributed to David. It is also the fourth of the penitential psalms (see Psalm 6; 32; 38) and it is King David’s prayer of confession and repentance at the time that Nathan the prophet confronted him with his sins.
It must be noted that during his lifetime, King David did what was pleasing to the Lord; he had been walking uprightly with God and had done everything the Lord has commanded him to do, which is why God called David“a man after His own heart”(1 Samuel 13:14 & Acts 13:22).
However, this was not the case with Uriah the Hittite (1 Kings 15:5) and his wifeBathsheba(2 Samuel 11:2-5). King David clearly despised the commandment of the Lord and did evil in His sight when he took Bathsheba to be his wife after having her husband Uriah killed (2 Samuel 12:9).
Photo Credits: Free Bible Images
After Bathsheba mourned for the death of her husband Uriah, David took her home to the palace and she became one of his wives. Bathsheba bore him a son and David thought everything went well as planned. But the Lord was displeased with what David had done so He sent Nathan to him (2 Samuel 11:26-27).
After committing adultery with Bathsheba, God sent the prophet Nathan to confront David with his sins. And as soon as David realized how dreadfully he had sinned, he confessed and asked forgiveness from God.
In his prayer, David expressed three major requests:
cleanse me
restore me
use me
Cleanse Me
Psalm 51:1-7
After realizing that he had sinned, David asked for God’s mercy and asked God to blot out his transgressions.“Blot out”refers to a debt that must be paid (Psalm 130:3 & Isaiah 43:25) and “wash” refers to the cleansing of dirty clothing (Isaiah 1:18; 64:6).
In the Jewish society of that day, to wash and change clothes marked a new beginning in life (Exodus 19:10). So in asking God to blot out his transgressions and wash him from his iniquities, David was asking God to help him make a new start.
What dirt is to the body, sin is to the inner person. So it was right for David to feel defiled because by committing adultery and murder, he had willfully rebelled against God. David knew the truth of God’s word and loved it, yet he deliberately broke God’s Law.
And because no atonement was provided in the law for such deliberate sin (Leviticus 20:10; Numbers 35:31-32), David could only appeal to God’s grace, mercy and love (Exodus 34:6-7).
*Upon realizing that we have sinned, do we ask mercy from God like King David did? Or do we blame others, give all sorts of excuses, try to avoid God or try to cover up our sins? David could have blamed Bathsheba for tempting him; he could have tried avoiding God by refusing to see the prophet Nathan.
But David didn’t do any of the above. Instead, he acknowledged his sins, cried out to God and asked for God’s mercy and forgiveness. David exemplified“true repentance”by getting right with God the moment he realized what he had done.
“True repentance leads a person to acknowledge his sin and prove he’s sorry with a 180-degree change in direction.”
If we claim to be a“true child”of God, we must cry out to God and beg for His mercy when we commit sin. First, we must acknowledge our sins, confess them to our Heavenly Father whom we have sinned against and receive His forgiveness.
We can be confident that God will forgive us if we acknowledge and confess our sins because He has promised in His word that He will (1 John 1:9) and because of the finished work of Christ on the cross (John 19:28-30).
Restore me
Psalm 51:8-12
David knew such a high cost of committing sin because it had affected his whole person; his eyes, mind, ears, bones, hands, lips, heart and spirit, so David asked for more than just cleansing; he wanted his entire being to be restored so he could serve the Lord acceptably.
He wanted the joy of the Lord in him which he had lost as a result of his sin and rebellion against God. So David asked God for truth and wisdom in his innermost being and asked that the Holy Spirit be not taken from him.
Psalm 51:10 is the central verse of this psalm which expresses the heart of David’s concern. David was aware that the inner person –the heart– was the source of his trouble as well as the seat of his joy and blessing. But David also knew that he was incapable of changing his own heart for only God could work the miracle (Jeremiah 24:7; Ezekiel 11:19; Ezekiel 36:25-27).
*When we have committed sin, we feel burdened as with a heavy load. We feel depressed, weary and tired. But after receiving forgiveness, we feel that the heavy load has been lifted, we feel free and can once again rejoice.
But there are times when even after God has forgiven us, we still find it difficult to forgive ourselves. We tend to beat ourselves up and keep on thinking how stupid of us to have done such a thing. This guilt is what makes us uneasy and troubled deep inside.
Christians who feel undeserving of God’s mercy and forgiveness are struggling spiritually, which is hindering them from effectively serving the Lord with joy and gladness. If you have truly repented of your sins, receive God’s mercy and experience the liberating effects of being forgiven.
During the Old Testament times, prior to Christ’s death, resurrection and ascension into heaven, it is believed that the Holy Spirit had a“come and go” relationship with people. This is quite evident in the lives of King Saul and King David (1 Samuel 16:13-14).
Today the Holy Spirit abides with (genuine) believers forever; to comfort, teach and guide them into all truths (John 14:15-18; John 16:13). What a joy and encouragement knowing that the Holy Spirit takes permanent residence in our lives.
After receiving God’s forgiveness, David wanted to be used by God as a witness to the lost and wandering and bring them back to the Lord, and he wanted to sing praises to the Lord. Although David was wealthy enough to bring many sacrifices to the Lord, he knew that this would not please the Lord.
David was not denying the importance or validity of the Jewish sacrificial system; he was affirming the importance of a repentant heart and a spirit yielded to the Lord (Isaiah 57:15). God could not receive broken animals as sacrifices (Malachi 1:6-8) but He will receive a broken heart.
*As a result of being forgiven, we can now joyfully sing aloud the righteousness of God, declare His praises and offer sacrifices to God. We will also have that burning desire to help others repent and turn to God by sharing with them the Gospel of Jesus Christ.
Let us offer our lives as a pleasing sacrifice unto God and allow Him to mold and use us for His purpose and glory.
God is loving and forgiving, yet He is just and righteous. Let us not fall into the lie that we can keep on sinning because God will always forgive us anyway. God doesn’t let sin slide and God’s forgiveness doesn’t come cheap for Jesus Christ had to pay the price with His own life on the cross.
Do we only give praise to God when we come together for worship once a week? God deserves our praise and adoration not only for the good things He has done and is doing for us, but because He is great and He alone is worthy to receive honor and glory (Psalm 96:4; Revelation 4:11).
Let us learn to sing praises to God every day for His greatness and love in forgiving our sins.
The Lord is pleased when we offer sacrifices in the right spirit, which means God does not desire our sacrifices when our sins remain unconfessed. God can only accept our sacrifices after we have come before Him with a broken and a contrite heart and have cried out to him for forgiveness.
Conclusion
This psalm shows how deep David’s repentance was, how he cried out to God and how much he valued the forgiveness of God. So whenever we sin, our only recourse is to confess and cry out to God for His mercy and forgiveness.
Whether we have committed sin against our brother, sister or neighbor, our greatest responsibility is to the Lord because all sins are primarily offenses against the Lord. The Bible defines sin as “breaking God’s Law” (1 John 3:4 NLT).
When confronted with sin we should never give any excuses or alibi. Instead, we must acknowledge right away and make things right with God. Let us come to God with a broken and contrite heart and a spirit that is completely surrendered to Him.
It is a serious problem when society misunderstands or disregards sin and repentance. But when the church neglects these doctrines, the impact is profound. This book unfolds the nature and necessity of biblical repentance, but for the church in particular.
Roberts’s in-depth study heavily references both the Old and New Testaments, and includes chapters on the myths, maxims, marks, models, and motives of repentance, as well as the graces and fruits that accompany it. There is also wise warning about the dangers of delayed repentance.
One of the most powerful truths that we can offer whenever we are placed in a position to engage with the world in order to defend our Christian commitment is true hope. For only Jesus Christ offers real hope for the hopeless.
Someone once said that people can survive with little food, water, clothing, shelter, transportation, and even affection but not without hope. Hope is the essence of the Christian faith. We hope that God answers us when we call to Him; we hope that our labor will not be in vain and we hope that someday we will go to heaven to spend eternity with God.
What is Hope?
Outside of the Christian context, the word “hope” entails wishful thinking or the desire to receive something we might not receive. For instance, we may hope for a better job or good health, without assurance if we will receive them. We may hope for a better day yet we do not really know what a day may bring.
But the Christian hope refers to an assurance concerning the future; it is a desire for something we are certain to receive. No matter how uncertain our circumstances, we know for certain that God will work all things together for our good (Romans 8:28).
One question that Christians have often asked over the years is whether or not there will be animals in heaven. Do pets or any animals go to heaven when they die? And if you have researched this topic, I’m sure you have seen and heard many different answers and opinions.
Most people have pets and they love them dearly like family. Couples who are childless even consider their pets as their own children. Our family has pets, cats and dogs, and we love them like family. Unfortunately, we have lost quite a number already. And I am left wondering if I will ever see my dearly departed pets again.
We know from the Bible that there are only two destinations for man when he dies, heaven or hell. Hebrews 9:27 says, “And as it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment.” Clearly, man faces judgment immediately upon death. In other words, we will know right away where exactly we are headed the moment our physical life on earth ends.
A Very Sad Day
The day that I had to fly back to the Middle East where I am currently based, our one-month-old puppy Darna succumbed to her death due to dysentery. It was already too late when we realized what was going on with her. Had we known earlier that she was terribly ill; we would have done something to save her.
Everybody was sad, especially my mom, because she was the one who adopted Darna. Our neighbor’s dog gave birth to four lovely puppies and decided to give one to us. Mom named her Darna and we all thought it was perfect for her. We all loved and adored her even though she was a bit stubborn at times.
But after just a month or so, we had to say goodbye to her. It was a very sad day indeed, because not only did we lose the newest member of the family, but it was also the day that I had to go away again because my vacation days are over.
Maybe some of you are thinking, “C’mon, it’s just a dog.” You know what; the pain of losing anyone of our pets is real. If you are a pet owner, I’m sure you can totally relate. We are deeply affected by the loss of our pets because we love and treat them as family, especially when they have been with us for years.
What Does the Bible Say?
While many Christians believe that God will allow our pets to cross over into heaven after they die, there are also a significant number of Christians who believe otherwise. But what does the Bible say?
It is very difficult to give a precise answer to this question because the Scriptures do not conclusively tell us whether our pets will make it to heaven. God does not specifically say one way or the other whether or not any of our personal pets, or any animal for that matter will be crossing over to be with us in heaven.
Many of the noted Bible scholars and theologians also agree with this opinion as they could not find any passages or verses in the Bible that gives us a definitive answer to this question. Nevertheless, I believe that the Bible does provide us with some significant clues on the subject matter.
But before going any further, it is very important to state that if pets do go to heaven, their owners will also have to go to heaven to see them and be with them. The Bible makes it pretty clear that the vast majority of people won’t make it to heaven (See Matthew 7:13-14 and Luke 13:23-25).
The road to heaven is extremely small and most people, even those who call themselves Christians, will not find it. In fact, even people who think they will go to heaven just because they call Jesus “Lord,” and have done many wonders in the name of Jesus may not make it (Matthew 7:21). That’s why it is critical that we get right with God, otherwise, our chances of seeing our dearly departed pets are zero.
What Does the Bible Say about Animals?
First of all, the Bible does not explicitly say that animals have souls. However, it states that both man and animals have the “breath of life;” (Genesis 2:7; Genesis 1:30; Genesis 7:15, 22) that is, both man and animals are living beings. While I agree that animals are not saved, applying general biblical principles, I believe we can conclude that animals do have souls. They have the capacity to think and feel.
The primary difference is that man is made in the image and likeness of God, while animals are not. And being made in the image and likeness of God, man, like God, is capable of spirituality, with a mind, emotion, and will and they have a part of their being that continues after death. Man has the capacity to choose or reject God’s gift of salvation while animals do not.
A. In the Garden of Eden
Before God even created man, there were already animals and various types of living creatures in the Garden of Eden. God had literally created the animals before creating Adam. Perhaps God did this so Adam would have everything he would need to be happy and fulfilled.
Although God saw that Adam needed a helper comparable to him (Genesis 2: 18) besides the animals, the fact that God had created animals and these living creatures in the first environment He had set up for us speaks volumes of their importance in living with us on this earth. If God did not think animals were important in the big picture, He would have never created them in the first place.
Photo Credits: The Atlantic
B. In Heaven
God did not only put all these animals on earth but there may also be animals living up in heaven right now.
Revelation 19:11-14 describes Jesus Christ riding on a white horse as He comes back to earth in His Second Coming. And not only He will be riding on a white horse, but so will all of His saints who will be coming back down with Him.
If Jesus and all of His saints are going to be coming down from heaven on these white horses, then there literally has to be white horses up in heaven right now. And there could easily be other types of animals and creatures living up there as well.
C. In the Coming Millennium
Scripture tells us that not only has God put animals upon this earth when He created it and has kept them here after Adam and Eve were cast out of the Garden of Eden, but He will also still allow animals to exist in the coming millennial kingdom where the King, our Lord Jesus will be ruling the entire earth from the city of Jerusalem.
Isaiah 11:6-9 says that there are going to be wolves, lambs, leopards, goats, calves, lions, cows, bears, and cobra snakes in the coming millennium kingdom. And there are probably going to be a lot of the animals that God has created in the past as well.
And take note that these wild animals that existed during the millennium will not be wild and won’t be attacking anyone like many of them do today.
Will There be Animals in the New Heaven and the New Earth?
Will our pets be with us?
Revelation 21:1-2 describes a new heaven and a new earth, for the first heaven and earth had passed away. God will also be bringing with Him the holy city of the New Jerusalem where both He and Jesus will rule forever and ever.
But is God still going to have animals, like our pets, existing and living among us in this New Heaven and New Earth?
The Bible does not give us a clear and definite answer to this question and tradition has often leaned more toward a “No.” However, I do think there are good grounds to hope that God will raise our deceased friends.
The Bible says we only “know in part” (1 Corinthians 13:9-10) while we are living down here on this earth. So yeah, the question of whether pets go to heaven is probably one that we will have to wait until we get to heaven in order to see who has guessed it right.
In Romans 5:5, the apostle Paul says, “Hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” I believe we can rest on the certain truths that whatever heaven is like and whatever God has decided on this or any issue for that matter, it will be good, perfect, and without error.
Three Reasons to Hope that We will See our Pets in Heaven
1. God Loves Animals too and has Ensured their Survival.
Going back to the creation narrative in Genesis, God releases His blessings for the first time to the animals He created (Genesis 1:21-22). God not only saw His work as “good,” but He blessed the creatures He has made.
Did you know that this is the first time the word “bless” is used in the Bible? God’s blessings enabled the animals and other creatures to reproduce abundantly and to enjoy all that He had made for them.
God’s blessing of progeny is later given to man in Genesis 1:28 with the added gift of “dominion” over all creation.
Later in Genesis 6:18-19 when God decides to destroy the earth with a flood because of its increasing wickedness, God makes a covenant with Noah reaffirming the blessing to be “fruitful and multiply,” at the same time ensuring the survival of every kind of animal.
Photo Credits: ArchitectureIMG.com
2. Animals are an Integral Part of the Bible’s Story.
Can you honestly tell the story of the Bible or the story of the cross without animals? Animals are interwoven into Scripture narratives either as actual actors or important metaphors.
Here’s to name just a few:
a) Many of the plagues of Egypt include animals as servants of God’s will (frogs, lice or gnats, flies, livestock, locusts).
b) Jonah is swallowed up by a large sea creature (Jonah 1:17).
c) Balaam’s donkey displays the power of God by speaking (Numbers 22:27-30).
d) Jesus rides as King on a donkey in Jerusalem (Matthew 21:4-7).
e) The Devil takes the form of a serpent (an animal) in order to deceive Adam and Eve.
f) Jesus is described by John as the Lamb who takes away the sins of the world (John 1:29) and the Lion of Judah (Revelation 5:5).
With all these references to animals, many of which are integral to the story of the Scriptures, it seems strange for God not to make a way for them to be with us in the afterlife. God obviously loves animals and He knows that we do too.
3. God is Good and He Loves Us.
God loves us and He wants us to be happy. God demonstrated His love for us while we were yet sinners, by giving His only begotten Son to die on the cross to pay for the penalty of our sins so that everyone who believes in Him will not perish but will have everlasting life (Romans 5:8; John 3:16).
To want to see our dearly departed pets and ask that they’ll be with us in the future is not to say that God is not enough to make us happy and content. Of course, in the presence of God, there is fullness of joy (Psalm 16:110) but God also promised that He will make everything new.
Will our pets be present in God’s new kingdom? We do not know for sure. But if animals populated the Garden of Eden, there is a precedent for believing that they will populate “restored” Eden as well.
Conclusion
In closing, I would just like to say that while we cannot say for certain if the pets we enjoy today and those we have lost will make it to heaven, some of the keenest thinkers like C.S. Lewis and Peter Kreeft are convinced that not only animals in general but pets in particular, will be restored in the resurrection.
Listen to what Dr. Michael Brown, a Jew who believes in Yeshua as the Messiah, has to say as regards the question of pets going to heaven.
If God will be giving us all a glorified body at the resurrection, who is to say that God cannot resurrect our pets so they will be able to live with us in heaven and then eventually in the New Heaven and New Earth for all eternity?
God resurrecting our pets would be in total keeping with His overwhelming grace, love, and goodness. Do I hope to see my pets in heaven? Absolutely! I could be wrong, but I personally trust God that at the end of the day, He knows what makes me happy and always has my best interest at heart. So no matter what, I know it will be what’s best.
Do you also hope to see your pets in heaven? Please do share with me your thoughts by leaving your comments below.
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Signs from beloved pets are seen by thousands every day.
Some communications are received in ways that do require an acute awareness as well as more interpretation. From the Heavens above, signs are shared by deceased pets to connect with the families they left behind.
Many times, these gifts are unseen or are difficult to identify. Learning to speak the Language of Spirit requires practice but once identified, the joy of hearing from your pet in spirit can bring great comfort.
This book is an ABC narrative for identifying signs, messages, and signals from the afterworld. It shares a simple way to look for, and read, communications from pets in the hereafter.
For anyone looking to continue their relationship with a beloved pet in the afterlife, this book can help you identify their gifts from heaven.
We often pray or sing, “I want to be like Jesus.”But however noble this desire may be, what exactly do we mean by this? What is the character of Christ that we must imitate and must be conformed to as it says in Romans 8:29?
In order to be like Jesus and be conformed (or transformed) into His image, we are to emulate Him in more than just one point. And we are only able to do this if we know who Christ really is. That is why we need to know the character of Christ.
This article is an attempt to tell what kind of person Jesus really was according to the Scriptures.
A. Loving
In the Bible, our Savior’s love was manifested in two ways: to His Father and to mankind.
To the Father
Christ’s love for the Father was evident in His complete obedience to Him. Anyone reading the gospel of John cannot but be impressed with the place the Son takes in obedience to His Father’s will. Where every other man sought to do his own will, Jesus sought only His Father’s will (John 5:30; John 6:38; John 17:4; John 19:30).
Jesus Christ delighted in His Father’s will, even if it meant death for Him, for we hear Him speak of it as an expression of His love to the Father in obedience, where He says in John 14:31, “But that the world may know that I love the Father, and as the Father gave Me commandment, so I do.”
* Through His death, Jesus not only kept the law to love the Lord His God with all His heart and His neighbor as Himself but His obedience to His God and Father infinitely transcended what was required of man by the law; for Jesus’ life of obedience exhibited God’s nature and character of love.
Photo Credits: Revolution Church
To mankind
Christ showed His love first by coming to earth from heaven. The opening verses of the gospel of John and Philippians 2:5-8 present Jesus Christ in divine glory, existing in eternity with God the Father and the Holy Spirit, as the creator of all things, and as the one who has life in Himself. Yet, He willingly left His throne, emptied Himself of His Godhead form to become a man that He might pay the penalty for our sin and save us from punishment in the lake of fire.
The supreme proof of the love of Christ was voluntarily dying for us (John 15:13). Sometimes people may give their lives willingly for a friend, relative or other “good” people who they deem as worthy, but Christ’s love goes beyond that.
The love of Christ toward mankind was demonstrated in so many ways, but He ultimately proved it through His suffering, death, and resurrection. Christ’s love extends even to those who are most unworthy of it. He gave the most He could give for those who deserved it the least. Romans 5:6-8 says that Christ died for the ungodly and He died for us even when we were still in our sins.
* Knowing how much Christ loves us and what He had to sacrifice in order to save us, must compel us to love Him by submitting to Him and obeying Him. As Christ showed His love to the Father through His obedience, we also show our love to Him by obeying Him (John 14:15; 23-24).
* How do we love like Jesus? Only He can provide the strength and ability to give the same love to another person. God loves us unconditionally and He wants us to love Him and love others the same way (Matthew 22:37-39). To love others unconditionally means putting others’ needs above our own and doing what’s best for them regardless of how we feel.
B. Holy
Holiness means free from defilement; so to say that Christ was absolutely holy is to say that He is absolutely pure. The New Testament teaches clearly that Jesus was and is absolutely holy, for He was without sin (Hebrews 4:15; 1 Peter 1:19; 1 Peter 2:22; 1 John 3:5; and 2 Corinthians 5:21).
Moreover, Jesus did not commit any sin and always did which was correct and pure. He manifested his holiness in loving righteousness and hating iniquity as seen in His cleansing of the temple (John 2:13-22) and His denunciation of sin and hypocrisy (Matthew 7:3-5; Matthew 23:27; Romans 12:9).
Jesus hates sin so much that He was willing to die on Calvary to defeat sin and offer righteousness to all who believe in Him (Romans 3:25).
“The sinlessness of Christ does not merely serve as an example to us. It is fundamental and necessary for our salvation. Had Christ not been ‘the lamb without blemish’ He not only could not have secured anyone’s salvation but would have needed a Savior Himself. The multiple sins Christ bore on the cross required a perfect sacrifice and that sacrifice had to be made by one who was sinless.”– R.C. Sproul (Essential Truths of the Christian Faith)
* God calls us to be holy (1 Peter 1:16) and to be holy means to be “set apart” or to be “separate.” When God calls us to holiness, it means that we are to be set apart from the world unto God, separate from all sin. The Bible exhorts us to not conform to the pattern of this world (Romans 12:2) but be transformed by the renewing of our minds.
* This is the stage in our salvation called “sanctification,” where we grow in our spiritual walk with the Lord by reading and meditating the word of God and applying them in our lives.
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C. Meek and humble
Meekness
Matthew 5:5 says, “Blessed are the meek for they shall inherit the earth.”
The concept of biblical meekness must not be confused with wimpiness or fear, lack of strength and moral character. Meekness is the attitude of the mind that is opposed to harshness and contentiousness. It manifests itself in gentleness and tenderness toward others. Jesus was meek and yet He spoke out boldly, even knowing that it would lead to torture and execution.
Jesus Christ manifested meekness in not breaking the bruised reed or quenching the smoking flax (Matthew 12:20), in his gentle and tender reproof of Judas Iscariot who betrayed Him (John 13:21; 27), in His gentle rebuke of doubting Thomas (John 20:29), in his tender rebuke of Peter’s self-confidence and unfaithfulness, and in praying for His murderers (Luke 23:34).
Humility
“Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” – Matthew 11:29 (NIV)
Jesus was not only meek, but He was also humble. But you might say, “Christ isn’t humble. How could He be humble when He is Lord of creation? If being humble means seeing oneself lower than others, then, of course, God cannot be humble.”
What does it mean to be humble? Like meekness, humility is a word that is often misunderstood and a quality that is often viewed as weakness. Funk and Wagnalls define humble as being free from pride or vanity; being modest, respectful and unpretentious.
Jesus Christ was humble for He sought not His own glory (John 8:50), washed His disciples’ feet (John 13:4-5), kept silent under outrageous charges (Isaiah 53:7; 1 Peter 2:23), associated with publicans and sinners (Luke 15:1-2) and humbled himself even to the point of death (Philippians 2:8).
Jesus washes His disciples’ feet
* 1 Peter 3:15 is a text that challenges Christians to defend their faith; we are to make a case for Christ but present it with gentleness and respect. Christians are not called on to condemn those who are curious about our hopefulness. Nor are we vindictive, vengeful, proud or insulting to those who disagree. We display a Christ-like character of meekness and humility by explaining it without harshness or dismissiveness.
D. Compassionate
The word compassion, as it is used in the Bible means,“to be moved inwardly, to yearn with tender mercy, affection, pity, and empathy.”It refers to the deepest possible feelings.
The Bible tells us that God is a compassionate and gracious God, slow to anger and abounding in love and faithfulness (Psalm 86:15). Jesus Christ exemplified all of His Father’s attributes and characters, including compassion. The gospels tell us how Christ was moved deeply in his inner being by the needs of those around Him and He demonstrated it with actions.
When Lazarus died, Jesus felt compassion for His friends and wept alongside them (John 11:33-35). Jesus was moved with compassion by the suffering of others that He healed the large crowds who came to Him (Matthew 14:14), healed the blind (Matthew 20:34; John 9) and cleansed the lepers (Mark 1:40-41; Luke 5:12-15).
We also read in Matthew 9:36 and Mark 6:34 that Jesus was moved with compassion over the multitudes. When He saw them wondering and weak without a shepherd, He saw the great work that needed to be done and He started teaching them.
* Compassion is not just pity and sympathy; it needs to be accompanied by a desire to help change things. Compassion moves us to do something! It is not enough to have pity for someone. We need a deep awareness of the suffering of others and have the desire to do something for others.
E. Prayerful
Jesus was a man of prayer. Being one of us while on this earth, Jesus was subjected to the same temptations, joys, sorrows and frustrations that affect us all today. And through it all, Jesus did not simply offer up prayers and petitions; He prayed with passion.
Why did Jesus pray? Prayer was an important part of Jesus’ life because it was His way of communicating with God the Father. Having an eternal relationship with the Father, Jesus enjoyed talking to Him continually and regularly. Jesus’ prayer life also serves as a model for Christians to follow. Just like our Lord Jesus, we need to pray and rely on the power of God every day to help us walk with Him, whether in a season of great success or great trial.
How did Jesus pray? Jesus prayed all night (Mark 1:35; Luke 6:12), He prayed in submission to the Father (Matthew 26:42), He prayed openly to the Father for miracles (Matthew 14:19; John 11:41-42), He prayed before great experiences such as baptism, temptation, etc. (Luke 3:21; John 6:15) and He prayed for others (Matthew 19:13; John 17:6-12).
Jesus not only taught His disciples to pray but also told us to do likewise (Matthew 6:9-13). And although Jesus sometimes prayed with His disciples (Matthew 14:13; Luke 9:28; Luke 22:31-32), He often sought to be alone in prayer (Luke 5:16, and He ended His earthly life with a prayer (Luke 23:46). Jesus Christ is still praying for us even now in heaven at His Father’s right hand.
No man prayed as Jesus prayed. To Him, prayer occupied no second place. Prayer was the secret of His power, the law of His life, the inspiration of His toil and the source of His wealth, His joy, His communion, and His strength.
* If we are to act like Christ, our prayer lives must be conformed to His. Jesus modeled a lifestyle of prayer and He is still our example today. We do not have to sweat blood in our prayers but we can be passionate about prayer. The Bible exhorts us to pray without ceasing (1 Thessalonians 5:17), whether we need anything from God or not, for God loves it when we earnestly and passionately seek and trust Him.
*To pray without ceasing does not mean we put our life on hold and be on our knees all the time. Prayer is our means of communicating with God, which we can do anytime, anywhere. But even if we can talk with God upon waking up or while getting ready for work, in the car and even when we are at work, it is still important to set aside a specific time of the day to commune with God. This is what is known as our “quiet time,” our appointment with God in order to pour out our heart to Him, worship Him and listen from Him.
* In the same way that Jesus prayed for others, we also ought to pray for one another and for everyone with all prayers, petitions, and supplications (Ephesians 6:18; Philippians 4:6; 1 Timothy 2:1). How is your prayer life???
Conclusion
The New Testament reveals Jesus Christ to be the perfect standard by which to measure our character, personal growth, and development as a Christian. But how are we supposed to imitate Christ and be conformed to His image?
If we are going to develop the character of Christ, we must aim to really do it. Let us build our life on the teachings of Jesus by applying the principles of Scriptures to our thoughts and conduct, conforming to the will of God in all things.
When we allow the word of God to mold and renew our mind, a transformation occurs and we begin to take on the qualities of character that every child of God should have.
While it is a fundamental revelation that the Holy Spirit is a Person, there have been a lot of misconceptions about the Holy Spirit. The personality of the Holy Spirit has been misunderstood, attacked and reduced to merely an inanimate force such as electricity which is very powerful but completely devoid of any sort of life, or Divine life.
As a Bible-believing Christian, I believe that the Holy Spirit is a living Person, for He can be approached or shunned, trusted or doubted, loved or hated, adored or insulted. The Bible makes it very clear that the Holy Spirit is a Person, in the sense that the Father is a Person and the Son is a Person.
The Holy Spirit was sent by the Father and Son to indwell and guide believers and being God, He is equal to and in no way inferior to the other two.
An Encounter with Young JW’s
One Saturday morning while I was writing an article about John 3:16 as it relates to the doctrine of salvation, a group of young Jehovah’s Witnesses came knocking at our door to give us a copy of their latest Watchtower Magazine.
I really had no intention of inviting them in for sharing or discussion, but seeing how young they were (one of them just completed a college degree while the other two are still in school) made me curious to know how prepared they really are to defend what they believe in case somebody would try to challenge them.
Since the cover of the Watchtower magazine is about the greatest gift one could ever receive, I asked them what the best gift they’ve received so far was. To be honest, I was a bit surprised when they said that the greatest gift they have received was Jesus Christ, who was sent by the Father.
I then took that as a sign to dive right in on the topic of the Trinity. According to them, Jesus is the Son of God but He’s not God. Then I asked what they believe about the Holy Spirit. As expected, they said that the Holy Spirit is an impersonal force through which God does His works.
Proofs from Scripture that the Holy Spirit is a Person
So why do I believe that the Holy Spirit is a person?
1) The Bible uses personal pronouns in referring to the Holy Spirit.
In the Greek language the pronoun for “spirit” is ordinarily in the neuter gender. However, in several instances such as in John 15:26, John 16:7-8 and John 16:13-15, the Greek masculine pronoun He ( “skeinos”) is used for the Holy Spirit 12 times.
The same use of the masculine may be observed in the use of the relative pronouns in Ephesians 1:13-14, and in such a connection and supporting the thought of personality. The use of personal pronouns in relation to the Holy Spirit in Scripture is sufficiently frequent to justify a conclusion that He is a Person.
“He is introduced as a person so often, not merely in poetic or excited discourse, but in simple narrative, and in didactic instructions; and his personality is sustained by so many collateral proofs, that to explain the use of the personal pronouns in relation to him on the principle of personification, is to do violence to all the rules of interpretation.”– Charles Hodges
2) The Holy Spirit is a person for He possesses certain personal characteristics.
All the distinctive characteristics of personality, knowledge, feeling, and will, are ascribed to the Holy Spirit in the Bible. When we say that the Holy Spirit is a person, we’re not saying that He’s human like us with a physical form; having hands, feet, eyes, nose, and so on.
When we say that the Holy Spirit is a person, we mean that He is not merely an influence or power that God sends into our lives but that He is a being who knows, feels, and wills; for anyone who has these three characteristics is a person.
“If you deny the Trinity, you’ll lose your soul. If you try to explain the Trinity, you’ll lose your mind.” – Augustine
During our Bible sharing and discussion on Facebook regarding the doctrine of the Trinity, I was trying to explain that the concept of “God as one in being and three in person” is not a contradiction, when a Unitarian accused me of reducing God’s nature into a mere human by saying that He is a Person. Needless to say, I was shocked!
a) Knowledge
In 1 Corinthians 2:10-11, knowledge is ascribed to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is not just some kind of illumination that comes into our minds, but He is a Being who knows the deep things of God and who teaches us what He Himself knows.
b) Feelings
Love is ascribed to the Holy Spirit in Romans 15:30. The Holy Spirit is a person who loves as tenderly in the same way that the Father and the Son Jesus Christ do. Sadly, while we think of the love of the Father and the love of Christ every day of our lives, only a few of us meditate upon the love of the Spirit.
“Now I beg you, brethren, through the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the love of the Spirit, that you strive together with me in prayers to God for me.” – Romans 15:30
We kneel down every day looking up into the face of the Father and our Lord Jesus Christ, thanking them for their great love. But how often do we kneel down and thank the Holy Spirit, considering that we owe our salvation not only to the love of the Father and the love of the Son but also to the love of the Spirit?
The Holy Spirit does not only love but can also be grieved (Isaiah 63:10 & Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit is a person who not only dwells in our hearts to observe all that we say, do and think but He is a person who is grieved by anything we think, do and say that is impure, selfish or evil in any way.
We also read in Matthew 12:31-32 that the Holy Spirit can be blasphemed. Only a person can be blasphemed; you cannot blaspheme an influence or power. We are told further that blasphemy against the Holy Spirit is an unforgivable sin.
c) Mind and Will
Mind is ascribed to the Holy Spirit in Romans 8:27. The word translated as “mind” here is a comprehensive word that includes the ideas of feeling, thought, and purpose.
We also read in 1 Corinthians 12:11 that the Holy Spirit is a Divine Person who uses us according to His will; He is not a mere influence or power which we are to use according to our wills.
“But one and the same Spirit works all these things, distributing to each one individually as He wills.” – 1 Corinthians 12:11
* Furthermore, the Holy Spirit can be insulted (Hebrews 10:29), lied to (Acts 5:3) and blasphemed (Matthew 12: 31-32).
* The Holy Spirit is a person because He thinks, feels, purposes, knows, wills, loves, and grieves. He is certainly not merely an influence, for He has the abilities of intelligence and emotions which are foreign to inanimate objects.
3) The Holy Spirit does things that only a person can do.
a) Teaches
We read in John 14:26 & John 16:12-14 that the Holy Spirit, who is called the Spirit of truth, teaches and guides the believer into all truths. In these passages, the Holy Spirit is set forth as a teacher of the truth who personally comes to us to teach us the truth, not a mere illumination that enables our mind to see the truth.
b) Guides
The Holy Spirit is represented in Romans 8:14 as our personal guide who takes us by the hand to direct and lead us into doing things that are pleasing to God. In Acts 16:6-7, we see the Holy Spirit taking command of the life and conduct of a servant of Jesus Christ when He did not permit Paul and his companions to preach in Asia and Bithyna. We also see the Holy Spirit calling men to work and appointing them to office in Acts 13:2 and Acts 20:28.
c) Comforts
We are told in John 14:16-17 that the Holy Spirit is to be “another Comforter” who would take the place of our Savior Jesus Christ who has gone back to be with the Father. The word translated “comforter” means so much more than just the word itself and that is why the revisers found a great deal of difficulty in translating the Greek word.
The Greek word “parakleetos” means one who stands by your side as your helper, counselor, comforter, and friend. Jesus, Himself had been the parakleetos to His disciples; the one who stood by their side
“I will not leave you orphans; I will come to you.” – John 14:18
When Jesus was about to leave the disciples, He said that He would not leave them orphaned (John 14:18), but that He would pray to the Father to send them another Comforter to take His place. It wouldn’t have made sense for Jesus to say this if the One who was going to take His place was only an influence or power and not a person.
Conclusion
The Scriptures make it plain that the Holy Spirit is a Person. I honestly think that most of us believe this. But do we really treat Him as a person in our real thoughts and in our practical attitude toward Him? Do we regard Him as a real person as Jesus Christ, worthy of our love, adoration, and surrender? Do we constantly walk in conscious fellowship with Him?
Understanding the doctrine of the personality of the Holy Spirit is of the highest importance because if we think of the Holy Spirit only as an impersonal power or influence, we will be constantly thinking about how to get hold of and use Him. But if we acknowledge the Holy Spirit as a divine Person, we will be constantly thinking about how He can get hold of and use us.
The Holy Spirit not only walks by our side every moment of every day; He dwells in our hearts and lives and is always ready to take complete possession of our lives. Being fully submitted and surrendered to the Holy Spirit is the secret of a real Christian life, a life of fullness, joy, power, and liberty.
Recommended Resource:
Understanding the Personality of the Holy Spirit: The Holy Spirit’s Work in You
By Fuchsia Pickett
Dr. Fuchsia Pickett reveals the character of the Holy Spirit in understandable language. He is here to take possession of you and to work out God’s plan and predestined will in you, for you, and through you. Learn to acknowledge the Person of the Holy Spirit and thank Him for His love. (128 pages)
John 3:16 is a familiar verse about salvation which most Christians often quote without considering what it really teaches about salvation. Of the doctrines that are important for us to master, salvation is one of the most important.
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” – John 3:16
So let us take a look at what the text actually teaches.
The Nature of God’s Love
In our text, God’s love is the ultimate cause of salvation. The love that motivated God to create us is also what motivated Him to save and restore us to a positive relationship with Him.
When man rebelled against God by choosing to willfully disobey Him, God was in no way morally obligated to save him, yet He did because of love. We must understand that God is not full of love, He is love. It is because of love that the Father gave His Son for the world.
“Realizing how much the Father loves the Son helps us understand His love for the world.”
Have you ever stopped to wonder why God would send His beloved Son, whom He loved infinitely and eternally, to die on the cross for us? Why would God even bother to save a world that rebelled against Him?
God’s love is the only explanation! God is love but He is also just. There was no way God would just let sin slide. No one and nothing else will be able to satisfy God’s justice but because God is love, He will not also let man suffer eternally in hell. God made a way for man to be reconciled back to Him because He is love.
But we will never truly understand the depths of God’s love for us and the world until we realize how much the Father loves the son. The mutual love between the Father and the Son is repeatedly emphasized in the gospel of John (John 3:35; John 10:17; John 14:31 & John 17: 24).
“The cross makes love believable.”
The love that John describes reveals an intimate relationship, an affection expressed in self-giving sacrifice. To save the world He loved, God was willing to endure the pain of losing His Son.
Parents and children who love each other can relate to John’s description of divine love, even though our love can never be a shadow of the mutual love between the Father and the Son. In the face of what God sacrificed, to doubt the love of God for us is unbelief that wounds His heart.
The Meaning of the World
The world is the object of salvation. God not only loved His obedient Son, but also the world that did not know Him and opposed Him. God’s love for the world is a constant reminder for us that He wants everyone to believe in Jesus and receive salvation (2 Peter 3:9).
However, there are different interpretations from Bible teachers, scholars and denominations as to who are embodied in the “world.” Some say that God’s special love only is for Israel and for the righteous.
But God loved everyone. There is no group of people or any individual beyond the pale of God’s love. Jesus shed His blood for all!
“Salvation is for whoever believes.”
However, just because God gave His Son for the world does not mean everyone is automatically saved; it means salvation was made available for anyone. The Bible emphasizes that God’s purpose in sending His Son was not to condemn the world because it was already condemned (John 3:17).
God sent His Son to save the world. Jesus became the sacrifice that appeased God’s anger for the sins of the entire world (1 John 2:2). Salvation is given freely for “whoever believes,” not just for the elect or the nation of Israel (Galatians 3:28).
“If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” – Romans 10:9
How God Gave His Son
Man’s salvation is motivated by the love of God, but it was giving His Son that made it available. God did not simply say abstractly, “I love you.” He provided the ultimate demonstration of love by giving His own Son to die on the cross. This is how “God loved the world.”
It’s February, commonly called “love month.” It’s when everybody likes to speak of love. But love means different things to different people and often times; true love in the romantic sense turns out to be not so true after all.
“The best definition of love anytime, anywhere is still found in the Bible.”
If you’re looking for the best definition and illustration of love anytime, anywhere, it is found in the Bible. The greatest love story ever told is how God gave His only begotten Son to suffer and die on the cross in order to make salvation available to whoever believes.
Who is God’s only Begotten Son?
The term “one and only Son” (John 3:16 NIV) was especially appropriate for a particularly beloved child, normally one’s only child. It’s important to note that this phrase is used to highlight Abraham’s obedience to God in his willingness to sacrifice his beloved son, Isaac (Genesis 22:15-16).
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1
John thinks of God’s Son in John 3:16 in terms of the eternal relationship that Jesus has with the Father. In his opening prologue (John 1:1), John emphasized that Jesus is God and yet distinct from the Father.
In other words, Jesus is God the Son, not the Father. Likewise, toward the end of John’s gospel, Thomas confesses Jesus as his Lord and his God (John 20:28).
And Thomas answered and said to Him, “My Lord and my God!” – John 20:28
It is important to reiterate the point of “one and only Son” or “only begotten Son” in John 3:16. The one whom God gave was His “one and only Son.” John highlights the immeasurable love God had for the world in giving His beloved Son Jesus.
What Saving Faith Involves
Some are offering an appealing message that everyone will be saved. However, John 3:18 says that people stand under judgment until they put their trust in God’s only begotten Son.
Yes, God has provided the gift of salvation for all and it’s free, yet it does not mean that individual’s salvation is automatic. John 3:16 declares that people must still receive God’s gift; they must “believe”which means they must depend on the gift.
“A true, saving faith must persevere to the end.”
Another appealing idea is that if anyone believes at any moment, he will be saved whether or not he continues to believe in Jesus. But the present tense used for “believes” in the text (John 3:16) implies continuing faith. Faith must persevere to the end if it is true, saving faith.
In Whom Saving Faith Must Rest
Saving faith as described in John 3:16 is “believing in Him”– in Jesus as God’s Son and as God. Saving faith affirms more than Jesus as a mere prophet, miracle worker or God’s messenger.
Throughout the gospel, Jesus reveals His identity often in explicit “I am” statements (John 8:24, 58; John 10:11; John 15:1) and climaxes with Thomas’ recognition that Jesus is Lord and God (John 20:28).
“Saving faith has a specific content.”
Different New Testament passages talk about salvation in different ways but all of them share a common thread: we come to God only through Jesus Christ (John 14:6). Jesus has already paid the price in full; now people must respond. No church or religion can save you, only Jesus Christ can.
What Eternal Life Means
Eternal life is given to “whoever believes.” But what is eternal life? Jesus talked with Nicodemus shortly before John 3:16 about new birth which is the beginning of a new life – eternal life. Romans 6:23 also promises eternal life in Christ Jesus as God’s gift.
Although eternal life is commonly perceived as the life of the coming world expected after the resurrection of the dead in the future, eternal life is a present tense possession (John 3:36). It’s not something that begins only when we get to heaven.
“Eternal life is knowing God.”
John 17:3 defines eternal life as “knowing God.” But the word “know” here is speaking of much more than intellectual knowledge. When Jesus said eternal life is “knowing God,” He was speaking of having an intimate, close, personal relationship with God.
“True eternal life begins with a personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.”
If you have received forgiveness of your sins and received Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life but you’re just waiting to get to heaven to start living eternal life, then you’re missing the point of salvation.
If you have been saved by grace through your faith in the Lord Jesus (Ephesians 2:8), you have actually already begun eternal life. Live it to the full and experience the life of the coming age as you live in relationship with God and with fellow believers under the true and rightful Lord of humanity, our Creator and Savior Jesus Christ.
Conclusion
If you died today, would you go to heaven or hell? This is the most important question to which a person needs to know the answer. In the beginning, man was good. Man was created by God in His own image as the crowning work of His creation (Genesis 1:27).
But by his free choice, man sinned against God. And every person afterward inherited a nature and an environment inclined toward sin (Romans 3:23). How does God deal with sin?
Salvation is God’s way of forgiving sin and providing a means for man to receive eternal life now and in heaven. On the cross, Jesus Christ made the “once for all” sacrifice for man’s sin and its penalty. This salvation was and is offered to everyone on God’s own initiative, as an expression of His love for sinners.
“But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” – John 1:12
Why not receive salvation today by believing in Jesus and putting your faith in what He has done for you on the cross of Calvary? You no longer have to rely on your good deeds to save you, but on the gift of eternal life that God is offering through Jesus Christ because of His great love.
The problem of evil in the world has always been the reason why many people doubt the existence of God. Whenever tragedy strikes, people through the ages have asked why something like this or that have to happen.
Just think about the pain the friends and relatives of the almost three thousand people who were killed in the terrorist attacks in New York and Washington on September 11, 2001, have wrestled with.
If God exists, why did He allow this tragedy to happen? Why do good people suffer? And what does it say about God that such things occur?
The Problem of Evil
Before answering the question, it’s important that we first lay out a few preliminary thoughts about evil. Please note that evil is not something that has existed all on its own; rather, it is a corruption of that which already exists.“Evil is the absence of something good.”
For example, tooth decay can exist only as long as the tooth exists. Rot can exist only as long as the tree exists. Evil exists as a corruption of something good; it does not have essence by itself. Norman Geisler says, “Evil is like a wound in an arm or moth-holes in a garment. It exists only in another but not in itself.”
This is not to say that evil is unreal. Evil may not be an actual substance or entity but it is a real corruption in an actual entity. Tooth decay, rotting trees, brain cancer, the death of a loved one, are all examples of how evil is a corruption of something good. Yes, evil is real; it’s not just an illusion.
The infinite reference point for distinguishing good from evil can be found only in the person of God, for God alone can exhaust the definition of absolutely good. God is good, God is all powerful, yet evil exists. How can evil exist in a world created by God?
Today we face the reality of both moral evil and natural evil. Moral evil is evil committed by free moral agents, involving such things as war, cruelty, crime, slavery, discrimination, suicide bombings and various injustices. Natural evil involve such things as hurricanes, earthquakes, floods and the like.
The Origin of Evil
The original creation was “very good (Genesis 1:31).” There was no evil, no sin, no pain and no death. Yet today the world is permeated with evil, sin, pain and death. What brought these things about? The Bible tells us that it all started the moment Adam and Eve used their God-given free will to choose to disobey God (Genesis 3).
Couldn’t have God created humans in such a way that we would never sin, thus avoiding evil together? The fact is, such a scenario would mean that we were not truly human because we would not have the capacity to make choices and to freely love.
Love is voluntary. God could have made us like robots who would act only in programmed ways – like a chatty doll whose string you pull and it says, “I love you.” God apparently thought it worth the risk of creating us as we are.
Matthew 22:37
God wanted Adam and all humanity to show love by freely choosing obedience which is why God gave Adam and all other humans a free will. A free choice, however, leaves the possibility of a wrong choice. J.B. Phillips said, “Evil is inherent in the risky gift of free will.”
God’s plan had the potential for evil when He bestowed on humans the freedom of choice, but the actual origin of evil came as a result of a man who directed his will away from God and toward his own selfish desires.
Norman Geisler and Jeff Amanu note, “Whereas God created the fact of freedom, humans perform the acts of freedom. God made evil possible; creatures make it actual.”
And ever since Adam and Eve made evil actual on that first occasion in the Garden of Eden, a sin nature has been passed on to every man and human (Romans 5:12; 1 Corinthians 15:22), and it is out of the sin nature that we continue today to use our free will to make evil actual (Mark 7:20-23).
What is God’s Purpose in Allowing Evil?
If God is so good and all-powerful why does He allow evil to happen? Made in God’s image, man was given the freedom to decide how he will act and the ability to make moral choices. Every one of us is capable of making selfish, self-centered and even evil choices.
God could have eliminated all evil from our world by simply removing our ability to choose. But if God is to both preserve freedom and defeat evil, the best way to do it is to allow each person to make his own free choice to determine his destiny. And evil is overcome in that, once those who reject God are separated from others, the decisions of all are made permanent.
It did not take God by surprise when man used his God-given free choice to disobey God. C.S. Lewis suggests that God in His omniscience “saw that from a world of free creatures, even though they fell, He could work out . . . a deeper happiness and fuller splendor than any world of automata would admit.”
Man sinned against God but God has not left us alone in this fallen world. God allowed evil and suffering in the world to bring His Son to the cross so that we might have the opportunity to obtain eternal life. God is working within the fallen world today to effect change and He uses fallen people to accomplish His will.
It’s also possible that God is letting evil occur so that on the day of judgment, the condemned will have no right to say that their sentence is unjust. God is not stopping people from exercising their free will.
God may have other reasons for allowing evil to exist that we simply cannot understand. But as Christians, we must have confidence in God knowing that His ways are above our ways (Isaiah 55:8-9).
Conclusion
Too often people fall into the trap of thinking that because God hasn’t dealt with evil yet, He is not dealing with it at all. The late Dr. Walter Martin used to say, “I’ve read the last chapter in the book and we win!”
Yes, evil will one day be done away with. Just because evil is not destroyed right now does not mean it will never be. One day in the future, Christ will return, strip away power from the wicked and hold all men and women accountable for the things they did during their time on earth (Matthew 25:31-46; Revelation 20:11-15).
Justice will ultimately prevail and those who enter eternity without having trusted in Christ for salvation will understand just how effectively God has dealt with the problem of evil in the world.
Reference Material: Who Made God? And Answers to Over 100 Other Tough Questions of Faith Edited by Ravi Zacharias & Normal Geisler
Why does God allow evil to exist? Good question, says Geisler. Addressing metaphysical, moral, and physical complexities, he surveys evil’s nature, origin, persistence, and purpose; offers a biblical discussion of why a loving God allows some people to experience hell; and shares personal stories of believers who found real-life solutions to the conundrum of pain and suffering. 176 pages, softcover from Bethany.
Matthew 8:22 which records Jesus saying to one of His disciples,“Follow me and let the dead bury their (own) dead,”is one of the most misquoted and misinterpreted texts in the Bible. What is really the meaning of Jesus’ statement“Let the dead bury their dead?”
A couple of weeks ago, my mom told me how my aunt (my late dad’s half-sister) was planning to dig up my grandfather’s bones (her dad’s), buried in one of his properties far from where we are at present, in order to bury them next to her mom’s grave.
Although the elderly in our town has determined that my grandfather’s remains must be buried next to his first wife, my dad’s mom, my aunt who is the second family of my grandfather decided otherwise. This is because the wife of my uncle, my dad’s only remaining sibling, did not agree to the concept of digging up a loved one’s bones and having them buried in a new grave.
My aunt’s disagreement with the idea of digging up a family member’s bones and transferring them to a new grave stem from her misinterpretation of Matthew 8:21-22. She thinks the Bible condemns this practice based on Jesus’ harsh response to one of his disciples.
What did Jesus mean when He said “Let the dead bury their own dead?”
A major mistake that people make when interpreting the Bible is that they do not interpret it based on context. In order to properly interpret any passage in the Bible; you have to understand its meaning based on the context of the author’s culture and perspective.
Matthew 8:21-22 is one classic example of how many Bible readers miss the context because they are attempting to interpret it from the Bible alone. When we do this, we can come up with a wide variety of interpretations.
Christians who are not in favor of giving our dead loved ones a proper burial use this text to justify their belief. They argue that Jesus Himself did not give it that much importance as evidenced by His answer to one of His disciples requesting for a leave of absence in order to bury his father.
Interpreting Jesus’ Words
In this passage, Jesus and His disciples were crossing to the other side of the lake when one of His disciples hesitated so he made an excuse to first go bury his father. But Jesus rebuked him with a statement of irony and challenged the disciple to follow Him.
Some consider what Jesus said to be harsh, suggesting that He was encouraging His disciples to break the 5th commandment,“Honor your father and mother”(Exodus 20:12), by not giving their fathers a proper burial. If Jesus was in fact telling this disciple to ignore his father’s burial, He would be causing a violation of this commandment.
Some also suggest that what Jesus really meant is,“Let the spiritually dead (or unregenerate) bury the physically dead.”Those who hold to this interpretation generally omit the words‘their own’to distinguish between two meanings of the word dead. “Let the spiritually dead bury the physically dead.”
However, there’s no need to spiritualize the text regarding thedeadbecause they are both dead. The text indicates that both occurrences ofdeadare connected in a reflexive possessive relation.
This interpretation of the text means that the burial of a dead family member should never get in the way of a Christian’s ministry of preaching and sharing the gospel of Jesus Christ. Instead, he should just let the non-Christian members of his family take care of the burial ceremony.
A second incident is recorded in Luke 9:59-60. Another disciple asked to first go bury his father when Jesus called him to be His follower. Jesus rebuked him with the same stern statement and added the phrase, “But you go and preach the kingdom of God.”
The man was not supposed to postpone accepting the call to follow Jesus as an active disciple. And the same applies to anyone who wants to become a follower of Jesus today.
The problem I see with these two interpretations is that they are not consistent with the text and with Jewish burial practices of the first century AD.
According to first-century Jewish burial customs, when a person died, they were normally buried immediately (usually on the same day) in the family burial cave that had been hewn out of bedrock.
This custom is based on the injunction found in the Mosaic Law not to leave the corpse of an executed person on the tree overnight (Deuteronomy 21:22-23).
After the body was placed in a burial cave and is left to decompose, the family will separate itself and mourn for seven days. This initial mourning period is calledshivahwhich is followed by a less intense 30-day period of mourning calledshloshim.
However, the entire mourning period was not fully over. The final act of mourning is when the family would return after a year to gather all the bones and place them with the bones of other family members on another shelf or the floor. This is now the secondary burial, also referred to asossilegium.
Note:Having been influenced by Roman and Greek practices, Jewish burial became much more costly. Part of this extravagance was to take the bones of the dead and place them in anossuary(bone box) with the name of the dead written on the box, instead of placing them on a shelf or floor.
The Secondary Burial
Burial customs from about 20 BC to AD 70 in the vicinity of Jerusalem involved a reinterment of the bones a year after the initial burial, once the flesh had rotten away.
In the Jerusalem Talmud, it says,“When the flesh had wasted away, the bones were collected and placed in chests (ossuaries). On that day (the son) mourned, but the following day he was glad because his forebears rested from judgment”(Moed Qatan 1:5).
I believe it is this secondary burial that is in view in Jesus’ response. As Jesus would have never told someone not to bury their father, the only conclusion is that the man was referring to this second burial.
The disciple’s request and Jesus’ response make good sense in light of the Jewish custom of secondary burial.
When the disciple requested time to bury his father, he was actually asking for time to finish the rite of secondary burial. His dead father had already been placed in the family burial cave; his family had gone throughshivahandshloshim, and he was requesting anywhere from a few weeks up to 11 months to finish the ritual of ossilegium before returning to Jesus.
Jesus’ Response
When Jesus said,“Let the dead bury their own dead,”in reply to the disciple requesting for a leave of absence to go bury this father, He must be referring to two different kinds of the dead in the tomb: thebones of the deceased which had already been placed in ossuaries and thefatherswho had yet to be buried. The phrase “own dead” indicates the inclusion of the fathers among the dead.
It should be noted that traditional Jewish burial customs require dead family members to be buried in a common family sepulcher. So in the tombs, along with the fathers, were other family members who had died, some awaiting secondary burial, others already placed in ossuaries.
Jesus was saying in essence,“Look, you have already honored your father by giving him a proper burial in the family burial cave. Instead of waiting for the flesh to decompose, go preach the kingdom of God and tell the people that faith alone in Christ is the only true means of atonement.”
Conclusion
Does Jesus forbid Christians from burying their dead family members? No! Does Jesus forbid the second interment? Not at all! Jesus does not condemn primary and secondary burials but how you conduct your burial is what matters.
We may have some traditions that do not line up with the Word of God before we came into the knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus. Most of us try so hard to hold on to them and we don’t want to let go, especially those funeral activities we inherited from our forefathers.
But now that we are in Christ, we must put the Word of God above any other authority. We must prioritize the Kingdom of God above anything else and be faithful to our calling. God and His kingdom must take first priority in our lives.
When the disciple asked to be removed from following Jesus for 11 months, Jesus rebuked him in order to challenge and encourage him to faithfully follow Him. Jesus was letting the disciple know that following Him must take first priority (Matthew 10:37-38).
Photo Credits: Light of Christ
The disciple’s request for a leave of absence in order to bury his father meant a long postponement of the discipleship Jesus was offering him. Jesus’ reply may have sounded harsh but so as His words in many other places such as in Matthew 10:37-38 & Luke 14:26.
Of course, Jesus does not advocate actually hating one’s family. What He was saying is that everyone who wants to follow Him has to love and serve Him more than anything else, their own lives and even their own families.
There is a sense of urgency to go preach the good news of salvation into all corners of the earth, especially now that we are already in the last days. Jesus would come back at any time so we must be all the more eager to fulfill the great commission (Matthew 28:19-20).
True born-again Christians have a personal relationship with God through the Lord Jesus Christ, the One who baptizes with the Holy Spirit and with fire (Luke 3:16). But how should Christians keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their lives? How do Christians stay on fire for the Lord?
Jesus taught His disciples the importance of having the Holy Spirit because it’s through the Holy Spirit that we may become witnesses from our Jerusalem (home base) to the ends of the earth. Before Jesus was taken up to heaven, He commanded His disciples not to depart from Jerusalem but they should wait for the Holy Spirit to baptize them (Acts 1:4-5).
Perhaps you have been on fire for God before, but now you do not seem to remember anymore how that felt like; you are left wondering if that fire that once burnt in you can ever be rekindled.
Planetshakers’ Live Conference in Manila, Philippines
Yesterday, January 13, 2018, I was blessed to have attended the Planetshakers’ Conference in the Philippines, held at the Araneta Coliseum. I’d say the event was a victorious one, glory be to God.
We arrived at the venue just before 7 AM thinking we were early, only to see a very long line of people, mostly youths, waiting to get in. Contrary to what I was expecting, the place was packed with people waiting to jam in worship with the Australian City Church music band and to listen from God.
While in line, I had the opportunity to converse with their senior pastor Russel Evans, who took some time to check out the people waiting to get in, a couple of hours before the event kicked off.
Pastor Russel Evans and his wife Sam
It was also a blessing to have met in person a fellow believer in Christ whom I came to know through our Bible Sharing group on Facebook.
Everybody had a blast during the praise and worship and we felt the Holy Spirit’s awesome presence all over the place. As I looked around the jam-packed coliseum, I saw how everybody was having a great time singing, shouting, jumping, and dancing for the Lord.
But to me, the greatest takeaway was the message delivered by the youth pastor of the Planetshakers City Church during the first session. And it is this message that I will be sharing with you in this blog today.
Youth Pastor Andy Harrison
How to Keep the Fire of the Holy Spirit Burning
Youth pastor Andy Harrison talked about the fire of the Holy Spirit working in the life of every believer. And he mentioned three things Christians can and should do to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their lives.
A – Fuel the fire of the Holy Spirit by regularly reading the Bible.
Just as fire needs fuel to keep it burning brightly, spiritual passion also needs fueling or refueling to keep it burning brightly. The spiritual fuel is none other than the Word of God – the Bible.
You may notice that people who are no longer on fire for God do not have time for the Scriptures. They have lost their passion for the Word. If you are in this situation, it’s time to replenish your spiritual energy with the Word of God in order for you to get back to normal.
It’s important to fuel your fire by staying with the Word. Feed your fire. Don’t depend solely on your pastor or worship leaders in your church. You got to have a fire-feeding device of your own. Go the extra mile for God by making it a habit to read the Bible every day.
When a Christian does not take in spiritual food by reading the Bible daily, his spiritual fire will grow dim and flickering. You need the Word of God if you want the fire of the Holy Spirit to burn afresh in your heart.
B – Maintain fellowship with other believers.
You’ve got to stay where the fire is. Being in fellowship with believers who love the Lord and are on fire for God will keep you on fire.
You may have heard or read the story of a certain believer who used to be on fire for God. But after some time, he stopped going to church. So, his pastor went to visit him in his house and found him sitting before a roaring fireplace.
The pastor sat next to the man but did not say a word. Suddenly he reached over and pulled a lump of red-hot coal out of the fire and laid it on another side of the fireplace. Within a few minutes, the red-hot coal became a smoldering ember and eventually a cold white ember emitting no heat.
As they both observed what just happened, the man looked at the pastor and said he would be back in church.
It’s evident that when you separate a lump of coal from the rest, it will die.
Church: A Community of Believers
It’s the same thing with Christians. Believers need each other to keep the fire of the Holy Spirit burning in their lives. Some Christians think they do not need to go to church. They think they will do just fine on their own. However, the Word of God warns us against forsaking the assembling of ourselves together (Hebrews 10:25).
Spiritual growth is never a lonely route and that is why Jesus established the church. The church is a community of believers who worship together, work together, serve together and grow together to lend each other support.
We need other Christians in order to grow. We need regular interaction, fellowship, and mutual support. We are to encourage and edify one another (1 Thessalonians 5:11). Christians who choose to isolate themselves do not grow, they are seldom strong and effective.
By the way, you should be careful as to who you hang around with. The old saying, “Birds of the same feather flock together” is true. You may think you won’t get influenced by non-Christians but the Bible is very clear in saying, “Bad company corrupts good character”(1 Corinthians 15:33 NIV).
This is not to say you must stay away from unbelievers. By all means, you should befriend them so you will have the opportunity to share the gospel with them. But you must know where and when to draw the line. If you really want to keep your spiritual fire burning, be with Christians who are on fire for the Lord.
No matter how small or big your church is, as long as they love the Lord and they preach the Word, I encourage you to attend your church and support it faithfully.
C – Be a candle and go light your world.
The Word of God says Christians are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14). Christians are candles, and as such, we should go out there and light the world. Believers in Christ are commissioned to share the Gospel into all the world (Matthew 28:19-20).
What if you’re the only Christian in your family? It doesn’t matter as long as you keep your light burning because one candle released can fill the whole house. When the fire of the Holy Spirit is burning bright and clear in your life, you’ll be able to help the people in the dark see clearly.
Always keep your fire burning because the more the flame burns, the less wax is produced. The wax symbolizes the sins, filth, and weaknesses in your life. When the fire of the Holy Spirit is burning brightly in your life, you will be walking and living under the will of God.
More than anything else in the world today, we need a demonstration of the power of the Holy Spirit. Let us keep the flames burning and take the fire of God’s Spirit to a lost and dying world.
Conclusion
One of the most noted and greatest events in the history of mankind was the Day of Pentecost where the Holy Spirit was poured out; tongues of fire sat upon the disciples and they spoke in other tongues (Acts 2:1-4).
In order to keep the fire burning, we need to constantly be tapping into the gifts of the Holy Spirit. We should not put out or extinguish the fire of the Holy Spirit (1 Thessalonians 5:19).
How is the fire of the Holy Spirit in your life? Is it burning bright and strong? Or is it flickering and may die out soon? You may want to examine yourself. Do you feel tired? Have you lost your spiritual appetite? Are you still energetic in serving God and others?
Greater than your theology, bigger than denominations, beyond all we can imagine, the Holy Spirit is God’s gift to the church and to you.
The debate about the Holy Spirit has been around for a long time. In Holy Fire, best-selling author and respected theologian R. T. Kendall set the record straight about the Holy Spirit’s role in our lives and in the life of the church.
If you want to increase your knowledge of this most misunderstood member of the Trinity, or if you long to experience His presence in your life in a deeper way than ever before, this book is for you.
Are you charismatic? He is bigger than your signs-and-wonders events. Are you Reformed? He will not be limited by your theology. As Jesus said of the Holy Spirit, “He blows where He will” (John 3:8).
