12 Fight the good fight of the faith. Take hold of the eternal life to which you were called and about which you made the good confession in the presence of many witnesses.
Paul speaks of the faith as including a good fight. He commands Timothy to fight the good fight. As we may extrapolate from Paul’s use of this description of the Christian life, to be in a fight implies two outcomes. A winner and a non-winner, what was called a loser in years past! Is this a message that Paul crouches in this metaphor? I will leave that to my gentle reader to consider.
Moving on, Paul speaks of taking hold of eternal life. At the risk of sounding sarcastic, why would any believer need to take hold of something he already possesses, and that he has contractual agreements signed and sealed at his disposal? You see, while I was in the OSAS camp, I was under the impression that when I repented, and trusted in Christ, I entered into a binding covenant with God that could not be nullified. Now before someone blows up and starts claiming I am a heretic, God’s faithfulness in never-ending, keeping His covenant with a believer perfectly, protecting, guiding and providing for His child as the perfect Father. He is beyond our frail attempt to describe in terms of faithfulness to His child.
Paul’s topic is not God in this verse but the believer, and the believer’s faithfulness to God. Paul is telling the believer to take hold, to firmly grip, to grasp tightly or to seize upon eternal life.
Timothy had been called by God. Timothy had openly confessed a faith in front of witnesses. Now Timothy – wrestle with it, fight to understand and obey the message. Grab on and don’t let go for anything. Seize the message, hang on to the feet of Jesus and when the going get’s tough, is unbearable and you loose heart, remember two things.
We are a faithless bunch, weak and willing to walk. We cannot consider ourselves to be up for the challenge, outside of the grace of God.
He is faithful, and willing to strengthen, direct, teach, encourage and discipline us, for our good, in order that we may mature and become the people of God.
Look to Him. Fight to focus on the goodness of God and not the evil of man. Struggle with the truths of the Scripture, to understand the message He has provided and to not simply accept a teaching. Prove yourself to be a believer in your thoughts, attitudes and actions.
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9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
This passage contains one of the most wrongly quoted verses in the Word of God. How often have you heard someone tell you that money is the root of all evil?
This is ludicrous. Money is an inanimate object, a tool for an exchange of services, a method of allowing equitable exchange of talents for goods. Money, as a subject of discussion is not a moral agent. It does not make choices of good or evil, but is simply a tool for moral agents to use in pursuing good or evil. So many in our culture want to assign personal responsibility to inanimate objects. How far have we drifted from common sense!
No, Paul is teaching us that the problem is the constant craving. Even the craving, this desire within us is not necessarily evil, for the term is used elsewhere in the New Testament to describe a craving for a noble office
1 Timothy 3:1 The saying is trustworthy: If anyone aspires to the office of overseer, he desires a noble task.
Elsewhere, an apostle speaks of pilgrims leaving behind the temporal cities of this earth, craving a better country.
Hebrews 11:16 But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared for them a city.
So money doesn’t contain a bucket of evil within it, staining every person who touches it. Even the craving for something doesn’t necessarily carry with it a sense of wickedness.
It is the marrying of these two topics that causes concern. And before I forget, this isn’t a rich man’s disease, for the poor man is as susceptible to this trap as the rich man. Paul does not say that the love of lots of money is the root of all evil. No no no.
Love a dime? You got a potential problem! What will you allow in your life in order to gain a nickel? What type of evil will accompany your that craving you succumb to for that nickel?
But back to our topic at hand for the believer. Paul is writing to a young pastor, seeking to guide him into fruitful service for the Master, providing him examples of believers who have caused damage to their faith. For Paul, he describes the outcome of a believer’s love of money as two fold.
Wandered away from the faith.
Notice the definite article, directing Timothy to the truth provided by the Scriptures. The believer who wanders off based on a craving for money, leaves behind the truth of the Scriptures. May I ask my reader if a believer is a believer if he doesn’t believe the message of his belief?
Leaving behind the message of the Scriptures in an effort to satisfy a craving, in this case Paul speaks of money, puts the believer in a dangerous situation!
Pierced themselves with many pangs
When Paul speaks of piercing, he uses a word that means to pierced thoroughly, completely. To fully pierce. The term is only used once in the NT and it is describing the result of following after the craving of loving money, loving an inanimate article that is a tool for good or bad. (Are we not to love the good, not the tool?)
Suffice it to say, the piercing is thorough, and the result is to experience pangs, or as other translators understand, griefs. This term does not necessarily refer to suffering physical torments, but of distress, and I can imagine this may be the result of one who uses people to make money, as opposed to one who uses money to make people. We so often get it all backwards!
It is interesting that Paul prescribes a number of Christian characteristics after this death trap of loving money. One of these characteristics is tithing, giving money away, placing offerings in a plate.
Did you read the passage? It said nothing of the sort. Paul speaks to Timothy, telling him to pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness.
Why does he not tell him to give all his money away? Again, let us remember it is a heart issue. A destitute man can still have an insatiable craving for cash, a longing that will allow for many “allowances” in his Christian life.
Whatever funds, possessions, stocks, bonds, real estate, coins, investments, vehicles, or such that you own, it is your decision to be ready to loose it all for Him. Holding onto the penny, or chasing the nickel will produce pangs of grief eventually, and in the end, it will prove to be temporal. A temporary tool.
Use the possessions you have to make people, to minister to those who need encouragement, to feed those who are in need (in deed) and to provide assistance for those less fortunate. As Paul mentions above, pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. Seek after these qualities, and when the topic of money comes up, let these qualities direct your goals!
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9 Do not be led away by diverse and strange teachings, for it is good for the heart to be strengthened by grace, not by foods, which have not benefited those devoted to them.
10 We have an altar from which those who serve the tent have no right to eat.
11 For the bodies of those animals whose blood is brought into the holy places by the high priest as a sacrifice for sin are burned outside the camp.
12 So Jesus also suffered outside the gate in order to sanctify the people through his own blood.
13 Therefore let us go to him outside the camp and bear the reproach he endured.
14 For here we have no lasting city, but we seek the city that is to come.
To be led away.
What is the apostle speaking of when he makes this remark
Well let’s consider the context of this passage.
First off, I do not want to appear to ignore a passage that would speak against conditional security! You see, the once saved always saved (OSAS) adherent would appeal to verse 5 in their defense, and I will be the first to agree with them in the faithfulness of the Lord. He will never leave us nor forsake us.
Yet this is not spoken out of a vacuum, for the reason the apostle speaks thus is to challenge the Master’s followers to be likewise, to not forsake the Master, to never leave the ways of the Master. The verse speaks of the great faithfulness of the Lord as an encouragement to His followers to be likewise faithful.
This thought continues through verse 7, speaking of the Lord’s faithfulness, and now includes our previous faithful leaders.
Hebrews 13:7 Remember your leaders, those who spoke to you the word of God. Consider the outcome of their way of life, and imitate their faith.
The Great Example of faithfulness is the Lord Jesus Christ, and the apostle summarizes his though in verse 8.
Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever!
Out of this context, the apostle begins a warning for his readers. Granted this is not one of the major warning sections most scholars consider to be hubs in the argument of the book (see below for list of 5 warning passages), yet we know the tenor of the book – that is the Lord is better than any religious competition – and the repercussions for the believer to this truth is to remain faithful. And why would the believer not remain faithful to Him? His is the best!
So let us consider the passage we are looking at today.
The apostle speaks of diverse and strange teachings the Hebrew believers may be tempted to go after. But the apostle speaks somewhat stronger than the believers simply going after them.
The believers, it seems to me, have the potential of being carried away by these teachings. To be diverted from the good path we have been granted, that is of being strengthened by grace. It is of interest that the apostle speaks of the “foods” not benefitting those devoted to them. For the Hebrew believer this must have brought to mind those who were committed to the diet of the religious Jew.
Now I am of the opinion that this book was written just prior to 70 AD, just prior to the time when the Romans would come in and completely destroy the nation of Israel, the city of Jerusalem and the Temple of God.
Yes – those devoted to these strange and diverse teachings surely did not benefit from them. Destruction awaited them as the course of history has testified.
My friends, this passage speaks of our need to separate from teachings that will drag us off in the wrong direction, to a path that misses the altar we have been provided. To follow after strange and diverse teachings allows us to stay in the camp, “safe” amongst those who also adhere to them.
But that is not our call, for we are to go outside the camp, escaping this city of destruction, and head to the city that is to come (verse 14).
My friends, to follow after strange and diverse teachings, teachings that are not founded on the rock of the Lord Jesus Christ, and through the teachings of His apostles, is to abandon the way. To seek other teachings is to allow yourself to be carried away from the truth of Jesus and His Word. And strange and diverse teachings will surely carry us away from Him!
Seek the Lord Jesus, and discover Him in the Word. The Word is truly abundant in teachings of grace for the believer and contains a wealth of blessing we abandon at our own risk.
As mentioned above, find the five warnings of Hebrews below.
Five Warning Passages of Hebrews
Hebrews 2:1-4
Hebrews 4:12-13
Hebrews 6:4-8
Hebrews 10:26-31
Hebrews 12:25-29
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16 as he does in all his letters when he speaks in them of these matters. There are some things in them that are hard to understand, which the ignorant and unstable twist to their own destruction, as they do the other Scriptures.
17 You therefore, beloved, knowing this beforehand, take care that you are not carried away with the error of lawless people and lose your own stability.
Stability. Quite the concept for the Apostle Peter to bring up, and yet it is fitting, for he is writing as one who had obtained a faith of equal standing with those to whom he wrote. He was intimately knowledgeable of instability, of how the Lord had brought him back from having denied his Master.
As Peter is closing his last epistle to his brethren, he describes the patience of the Lord, and commends Paul’s writings, that were hard to understand. Even for Peter?
Nevertheless, Peter describes Paul’s writings as Scripture, and that there are some ignorant and unstable readers twist the scripture to their destruction.
Twist or distort. The term “twist” has the connotation of to be tortured, to twist or pervert. In my thoughts (which are worth less than the wind), I imagine these ignorant and unstable readers taking a truth from Paul’s writings and forcing it to say something it never was meant to convey. Can you imagine the picture Peter is trying to form in his readers mind. A truth provided by an apostle being tortured until a different message is understood!
This speaks of the willingness of our hearts to accept what the text says, after comparing with other texts within the Word. Is there something in the Word that you have to explain away in order to feel comfortable? Can you hear the text being tortured?
It is good to remember that the text is sometimes offensive, difficult to understand, upsetting to our sensibilities, even disturbing at times.
Peter is careful to describe those ignorant and unstable as twisting the text to their own destruction. Now I can hear many say that these ignorant and unstable are not believers, for their end is destruction, and I would have nothing to argue with you on this point.
The issue is that Peter is warning his people, believers who had obtained a faith of equal standing with Peter (verse 1) of the message the ignorant and unstable were providing, the error of the lawless people. The message they tortured out of the text was bringing about their destruction. Is Peter warning his people of their own destruction? He certainly is warning them of staying away from the wrong message and thereby avoiding the same end the ignorant and unstable will experience.
And what is the cure, what is Peter’s last message for the church?
2 Peter 3:18 But grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. To him be the glory both now and to the day of eternity. Amen.
Instead of listening to those who torture the text, or to your thoughts when they are wanting to hear something instead of the truth, seek after the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, to increase in His knowledge and grace, to come to understand who He is and what He has done.
Focus on Him and the truth provided through the Word. Stay away from the ignorant and unstable, for they produce a destroying message! (Note that the ignorant and unstable will often make glorious claims of deep or new understandings in order to “justify” their tortured message!)
Just let the Word speak without torture!
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41 Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” 42 And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? 43 Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. 44 Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. 45 But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming, and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, 46 the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. 47 And that servant who knew his master’s will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. 48 But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
Who is this story for? Peter askes for clarification on a previous parable about readiness, with Jesus providing this portion of Scripture in response. Is He speaking to believers, servants of the Lord, or everyone? Personally, I don’t see it as everyone, for there would be no degradation of an unbelievers actions, for they are by nature without a manager, they do not submit to a Master.
It doesn’t seem to apply to the unregenerate.
Yet if this parable is meant for believers, this poses another problem. What is it to be cut in pieces?
To be cut in pieces refers to a cruel punishment of the Hebrews, very similar to what our Lord suffered prior to the crucifixion. To be cut in pieces is actually what the original punishment meant, to be cut in half – a form of execution, but in our passage, it likely refers to a scourging, or severe whipping.
If it is a believer/servant Jesus is referring to, and the believer/servant considers he has opportunity (since in his estimation the master will not return very soon), he transitions from servant to tyrant, abusing his fellow servants, and indulging in his fleshly desires. This servant ignores his responsibility of feeding the Masters servants and instead indulges himself instead.
So was he never a servant? Notice that after the scourging, the Master places this servant/believer with the hypocrites. It is interesting that the term hypocrites in Luke is the term ἄπιστος ápistos. With the “a” before the common term pistos, (meaning faith or faithful), this word refers to a unbeliever.
So this servant/believer who was not ready, He is severely punished and then associated with those who do not believe.
Is this “servant” still a believer? If not, when did this transition from believer to non believer happen? In his actions or his thoughts?
Or was he a hypocrite/unbeliever throughout the parable, with the opportunity to indulge merely showing off his inner desires?
Who then is the faithful and wise manager?
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Colossians 2:18-19 Let no one disqualify you, insisting on asceticism and worship of angels, going on in detail about visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind, and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
Disqualify Christians?
Who is Paul talking to here? Is he speaking to those on the fringe of the church, those who may not be totally committed to the Savior. Maybe this passage is intended for those on the outside looking in, those who have not made a commitment, that are not believers yet. No – that can’t be since Paul has addressed this letter to the saints and faithful.
Colossians 1:2
To the saints and faithful brothers in Christ at Colossae: Grace to you and peace from God our Father.
No this warning can’t be for those on the fringe of the church. Since we have established this warning to true believers, then we must understand what it means to be disqualified for a believer?
First, what is it to be “disqualified”? What does the Greek word actually mean? Let us refer to Strong’s definition to begin.
It is a compound word in the Greek, made up of kata – “against” and brabeus – “an umpire”, and refers to those false teachers in the church who are acting as judges or umpires regarding the truth, fighting against the teaching Paul has provided.
Disqualified from Christian leadership?
Some may approach this verse in conjunction with Paul’s teaching in other passages where the apostle (or any other Christian leader) would be disqualified from further service due to sin or lapse in faithfulness. This certainly is a truth in the Word, but I struggle finding this theme in this passage. It appears Paul is talking to all the saints and faithful in Colossae
Disqualified from Christian rewards?
To be disqualified in this verse is to loose the opportunity for some (or all) the rewards possible for a believer when he passes from this earth. This is the common fall back position I took when I was invested in OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved). This may have some connection to the previous topic of service, and may be the correct interpretation, if the theme of rewards may be found in the earlier verses. Can you find the theme of rewards in this passage?
Disqualified from Christian life?
Although the grimmest of end results, that is the apostacy of the believer being referred to here in verse 18 , the very next verse may direct me to this conclusion. Paul speaks of being disqualified, and then speaks of the believer “not holding fast to the Head”
Colossians 2:19
and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
When might we think that not holding fast to the Head would be an acceptable condition for salvation?
Although I typically use the ESV throughout my posts on this blog, I do refer to other translations occasionally, and in this instance found two translations that speak of an apostacy.
Colossians 2:19 NIV
They have lost connection with the head, from whom the whole body, supported and held together by its ligaments and sinews, grows as God causes it to grow.
Colossians 2:19 NLT
and they are not connected to Christ, the head of the body. For he holds the whole body together with its joints and ligaments, and it grows as God nourishes it.
Also, though my understanding of the English word disqualified may not be worth much, when I see the term “disqualified” I understand the word to mean that the participant is ejected from the competition, that he or she is no longer allowed to be involved, that upon some decision or act of the participant, a rule was broken (or in my understanding a relationship was rejected).
Rejecting the Head for an alternate method of reaching God. Foolishness yet a very real threat in this age, as we have multitudinous false teachers seeking to pull us away from the truth of the gospel.
Jesus is the only way, and any teacher that distracts you from the simple truth of Jesus the Messiah, crucified for you is a deadly distraction.
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17 As for the rich in this present age, charge them not to be haughty, nor to set their hopes on the uncertainty of riches, but on God, who richly provides us with everything to enjoy. 18 They are to do good, to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, 19 thus storing up treasure for themselves as a good foundation for the future, so that they may take hold of that which is truly life.
Paul is amazing in his instruction, for as some of my dear brothers may suggest, to follow after the Christ is to give up all possessions, to sell your stuff and leave it all behind. For some this is the appropriate call on their lives, and to those so called, it is a high calling.
Yet Paul does not leave the rest of us without a responsibility in relation to the riches in this present age. To be rich in this present age – a phrase that speaks of the source or foundation of the riches, as opposed to the time we experience the riches. He is instructing Timothy to admonish those who have accumulated “things of this world”, material wealth, goods and investments with the following instruction . As we consider this passage, we can see that Paul is speaking of two worlds that the believer lives in, the material and the spiritual.
If a believer is not called upon to physically leave behind his goods to follow the Master (which also has a trap of producing a prideful attitude), the saint is then challenged with the requirement to prioritize his goods to a much lower level in the believers life.
Note what it is that Paul focuses on. Two “don’ts” and three “do’s”.
Don’t be haughty
A large (or medium, even a small bank account) is no reason to consider yourself better than a brother in the Lord. As I speak to my brothers in my blog, we tend to measure our success in life with the toys we have.
This is a mindset that needs to be rejected.
Paul is speaking of our current attitude toward others in this verse, based on the riches of this present age.
Don’t hope in material goods
Paul then breaches our faith, or our hope for the future, based on the riches we have accumulated. This is tantamount to opposing our faith in God. Each of us who have material goods needs to wash our minds and hearts of any detrimental hope we may have in our savings.
Wisdom dictates we store up for the future, that we do what we can to prepare for the future, yet our hope is not on the material goods we accumulate, but on the God who gives us the strength each day to work, love and care for others.
Do good
Paul speaks of our actions to enter into as one who may have trusted in his goods. Do good. Simple. He simply speaks of doing good, and leaves it up to the believer to find opportunities to “do” good.
Be generous
The next two “do’s” are better described as who we are to become, and not exactly specific (or even general) actions or works we are to enter into.
It is a state of being, to “be” generous. When an opportunity arises that can be taken care of, a generous man will do what he can to relieve it. It will be an automatic response, not necessarily a calculated response.
Be ready
Not only are we to be generous, but we are to be ready. This speaks of continuing in the attitude of generosity.
In all of this charge to the rich of this world, Paul instructs Timothy to inform the rich that this life will produce a “good foundation” for the future” in order that the rich maytake hold of life.
May take hold of life?
Isn’t he speaking to believers? Do they not have in their possession the life of God by faith in the Messiah? What is all this talk of a foundation for the future, of them leading lives that produce conditions to take hold of life?
Am I suggesting that providing generous gifts to charities and churches will get you to heaven? Not so! There is only one way and we all know it isn’t by our actions.
And yet, it is our actions that prove we have the life.
How are your actions and attitudes lately? Have you considered the life you are living in relation to Paul’s exhortation to Timothy?
Do good – Paul did not put any limits on this command, and be generous as the Lord directs.
Grab the life in this life. Paul gives us the instructions on how to do it!!!
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4 For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world–our faith. 5 Who is it that overcomes the world except the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?
The faith we live is the victory we are granted to walk in and I understand the victory to be a daily occurrence, a battle with the influences of this old world.
A personal story may help me explain my thoughts.
My wife and I were recently out for a meal with some folks and a lady requested if I had seed a recent movie. I understood this movie had an agenda, and I mentioned this to her. Now before we go any further, let me confess this lady is a believer, she attends a conservative church, does many charitable works and confesses the Lord. Yet she found my understanding of the movie to be offensive.
I made a comment to the effect that the movie appealed to her since it fit her worldview. It did not “fit” my worldview as it was peddling what I considered a radically progressive worldview, seeking to normalize an offensive lifestyle unto the populace.
We are both believers, but I would suggest that if my estimation of “the world” is correct, she may not be overcoming “the world” in this area. Now before someone think I am judging harshly, I readily admit my own worldview, or how I perceive truth, is not any better, for I have blind spots and opinions that are in opposition to the faith I confess.
With this being said, I would suggest the faith we have is to be in opposition to the world, that as believers we are to be a counterculture, a people that tests the thoughts being offered to us, filter those thoughts through the Word, and reject all that do not line up with the general teaching of the Word.
But let us not reject out of a position of pride, but handle the position we take out of humble spirit, always seeking to provide a loving answer, a solid response and to act in grace with mercy to those who oppose.
In my study of this verse, I tripped over a Matthew Henry quote that seems to capture many of my suspected thoughts on this verse.
Self-denial is required, but true Christians have a principle which carries them above all hindrances. Though the conflict often is sharp, and the regenerate may be cast down, yet he will rise up and renew his combat with resolution. But all, except believers in Christ, are enslaved in some respect or other, to the customs, opinions, or interests of the world. Faith is the cause of victory, the means, the instrument, the spiritual armor by which we overcome. In and by faith we cleave to Christ, in contempt of, and in opposition to the world. Faith sanctifies the heart, and purifies it from those sensual lusts by which the world obtains sway and dominion over souls. It has the indwelling Spirit of grace, which is greater than he who dwells in the world. The real Christian overcomes the world by faith; he sees, in and by the life and conduct of the Lord Jesus on earth, that this world is to be renounced and overcome. He cannot be satisfied with this world, but looks beyond it, and is still tending, striving, and pressing toward heaven. We must all, after Christ’s example, overcome the world, or it will overcome us to our ruin.
Are you overcoming the world, or is it overcoming you?
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Hebrews 12:18-25 18 For you have not come to what may be touched, a blazing fire and darkness and gloom and a tempest 19 and the sound of a trumpet and a voice whose words made the hearers beg that no further messages be spoken to them. 20 For they could not endure the order that was given, “If even a beast touches the mountain, it shall be stoned.” 21 Indeed, so terrifying was the sight that Moses said, “I tremble with fear.” 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, 24 and to Jesus, the mediator of a new covenant, and to the sprinkled blood that speaks a better word than the blood of Abel. 25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking. For if they did not escape when they refused him who warned them on earth, much less will we escape if we reject him who warns from heaven.
The Old Covenant and the New Covenant compared, with the responses associated with the covenants included. At least with the experiences of the Old Covenant. Terror. Even the mediator of the Old Covenant spoke of trembling with fear. The sight of the mountain, that physical place where the covenant was ratified with the children of Israel, that mountain was a place of terror, of blazing fire, of darkness, of gloom and a tempest. It must have been a horrible, frightening experience, a physical experience that set the tone of the relationship between God and His new nation.
The author provides a stark contrast for New Covenant participants, in that we have come to persons (angels, assembly of the firstborn, God spirits made righteous, Jesus) and not a physical mountain that could not be touched.
The Old covenant was based on rules, a fear inducing agreement between God and a nation and destined for failure, due to our inherent weakness and rebellious nature! So impersonal, so distant, such a separation between participants in the covenant!
Not so with the New Covenant! The New Covenant is personal, individual (to a point) and has the full revelation of the Lord’s loving sacrificial nature at the center of it!
Now, after understanding the difference in the covenants, is it wise to refuse him who is speaking? Judgement was a natural consequence of the law, but when I break a law – say by speeding, I pay a fine and move on. If I were to break my relationship with my wife or child, there is no coming back from it. Some healing may occur, but damage is done to one I love. Much deeper cut. Much harsher pain.
Both covenants had consequences, but I would argue that the New Covenant, based on the sacrifice of the Master, and not simply on an agreement over some rules (I am being somewhat glib at this point) provides deeper consequences.
The apostle even compares the sourcing of the warnings as a comparison of the covenants, and therefore the differences in the consequences. Under the law the warnings were from earth, but our warnings are from heaven.
Note that this is the second time the apostle brings up the topic of believers “not escaping”. A good self study for those interested would be to compare what the Old Testament saint would escape from in the Old Covenant, and consider the corollary for the New Testament saint.
Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
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14 Strive for peace with everyone, and for the holiness without which no one will see the Lord. 12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God; that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled; 12:16 that no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal. 12:17 For you know that afterward, when he desired to inherit the blessing, he was rejected, for he found no chance to repent, though he sought it with tears.
Hold up!
It is by faith that we will see the Lord, by faith that we will approach our Maker and our Redeemer. Why would the apostle bring the concept of holiness into the equation? As a matter of fact, he also includes our striving to be at peace with EVERYONE! As a side bar to this topic, the striving for peace with everyone does not mean that we are at peace with everyone. Peace is dependent on two parties, and the apostle is simply placing our responsibility for peace making on us. We are to strive for peace with everyone.
This is a forgotten discipline in the Christian faith, for we think we have rights, and can be easily offended by others, harboring resentment and anger, and thinking we are in good standing with the Lord. Striving for peace does not provide any shelter for the believer to harbor ill feelings towards any.
Now to the actual attainment of peace with everyone, some may reject any effort to bring peace into a relationship. We are not responsible for their actions, but we are to seek peace with all continually. This means the rejection of an offer of peace does not provide us the freedom of harboring ill feeling to the one who rejects us. We are to strive!
Back to our topic!
We are to strive for peace and the holiness (or the sanctification) believers are to grow in. As the alternate option to seeking peace and sanctification, the apostle brings to the audience a reminder of an Old Testament character who eventually sold his birthright for a single meal. A single meal! How could anyone do that? (Does anyone hear the Lord’s reproach to the disciples when he spoke of the “flesh being weak”?)
Let’s take a moment to consider the example the author brings to our attention.
The apostle speaks of failing to obtain the grace of God, which is the equivalent of a root of bitterness springing up and causing trouble. In Esau’s case, this root of bitterness may very well have been the result of his own decisions, for he did decide to sell his birthright to Jacob. A major regret! Out of that decision, Jacob, through deception, attained Esau’s blessing. Birthright and blessing lost, for without the birthright, the blessing would be hobbled. Jacob needed the birthright to get the upper hand and continue with his dominance over Esau.
If someone stole that which was rightfully yours, or at least traded you stew for riches, would you not experience a root of bitterness erupting in your heart? Out of this bitterness, Esau’s immediate and extended family were impacted, with an extended separation from each other. The bitterness continues to fester, and as we know, what is in the heart comes out. This bitterness most certainly controlled Esau in many ways, and affected many he came into contact with.
He did seek to find restoration, to find his place in the family, through seeking the blessing from Isaac. But he was rejected. He found no chance to repent. Now wait a minute. It looks like he sought it with tears, and he desired to inherit the blessing. Why was he rejected?
The cast had been set. The birthright had been sold, and the blessing had been granted. His chance to repent had passed. He may have been sincere, truly seeking restoration, and yet the conditions of the situation did not allow the blessing to be taken from Jacob and granted to Esau.
As we go about our daily lives today, consider Esau and his decision making process. He prioritized a breakfast over a birthright. Out of that thought process, he also lost the blessing.
Now it turns out that Esau came to grips within himself later in life as we can see in a future meeting with Jacob. As we see in Genesis 33, Esau sought reconciliation with Jacob, Esau exhibited the desire to find peace with the one who abused his weakness and stole his blessing.
Genesis 33:4 But Esau ran to meet him and embraced him and fell on his neck and kissed him, and they wept.
Yes Esau, due to his foolishness in his youth, lost out on his rightful potential as the patriarch of the nation of Israel. The nation that sprang from his seed was known as Edom, and became a thorn in Israel’s side. But Esau, it appears found peace in himself and from that peace actually sought peace with Jacob, the one who abused and cheated him of his rightful place in the family. Let’s remember that Jacob was the very focus of Esau’s bitterness, the reason Esau allowed bitterness to fester in his life. Yet he sought peace later in life, with the very one who could be blamed for the bitterness.
If someone has hurt you badly, taken advantage of you, emotionally scarred you, seek peace with that person. This is the call of God on your life.
We are to be peacemakers.
Matthew 5:9 “Blessed are the peacemakers, for they shall be called sons of God.
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Hebrews 12:10-13 10 For they disciplined us for a short time as it seemed best to them, but he disciplines us for our good, that we may share his holiness. 11 For the moment all discipline seems painful rather than pleasant, but later it yields the peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it. 12 Therefore lift your drooping hands and strengthen your weak knees, 13 and make straight paths for your feet, so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed.
The apostle continues in this passage with an exhortation to endure, and not only endure but to be strengthened by the very outcome of the discipline being experienced. Truly this is a challenge, and yet knowing the intent of the Father’s discipline should spur us on. It is not that the Father is disciplining us out of anger or frustration, or that He is simply considering His own reputation. His intent is to bring about peaceable fruit of righteousness in His children. But is that what the apostle wrote? Let us read it again. His intent is to bring about “peaceful fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it”. That qualifier is what grabs my attention.
You see, all who claim Christ go through trials, and as I glibly read this passage, it appears that all believers gain from these trials. At least that is what I used to think, for I did not consider those who may not be trained by the trials they are going through. Consider one who may be experiencing a difficult trial, even a discipline from the Lord, and though may struggle and doubt for a period of time, at one point they simply say – that is enough. They make the internal decision to “not be trained.” To reject the discipline. What might the apostle be referring to in this instance, and yes I do understand this is inference to our topic! Yet the statement is qualified by our active participation in the discipline.
Where does that leave the one who refuses to enter and remain under the discipline of the Lord?
Verse 12 and 13 speak of the apostles hope for the believer who is struggling with understanding the discipline of God in their lives. We all need to understand the motivation of God (love) , and the outcome of the endurance (peaceful fruit of righteousness), and from these two truths, be encouraged, strengthened and renewed to continue in our faith, to endure doubts and struggles, even to the point of shedding blood as he refers to in verse 4.
Be trained by the discipline my brothers and sisters. There is great love bringing this time of testing to you and a great outcome will be realized after the trial has passed and you have endured. Therefore, endure for the current time, and during this time of trial, look to Jesus, who set the example, who …
endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.
He is good and He is good all the time.
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Hebrews 12:6-9 6 For the Lord disciplines the one he loves, and chastises every son whom he receives.” 7 It is for discipline that you have to endure. God is treating you as sons. For what son is there whom his father does not discipline? 8 If you are left without discipline, in which all have participated, then you are illegitimate children and not sons. 9 Besides this, we have had earthly fathers who disciplined us and we respected them. Shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live?
In the book of Hebrews, the author gives us 5 warnings as believers throughout the book. We are entering the fifth warning here and the author is developing the Father/son relationship, emphasizing the corrective posture of both our earthly father and our heavenly Father.
Within this particular passage, it is possible to understand the authors intent to simply spur on believers in the midst of trials. Many of the exhortations may focus on spurring on believers, and not enter into any conditional security topic. And yet, some of them may breach our topic of consideration in this series. With that said, for the next few posts, we are going to sit in this chapter and consider a few of the author’s messages in Hebrews 12 to the first century Hebrew believer.
In our first entry into this amazing chapter, we come to verse 6, where the author lays down the topic of discipline for the believer, and the reason believers experience this painful turn of events in their lives. He is quick to define the Lord’s motives, and that is not out of anger or frustration, which many earthly father’s experience, but out of pure love for His children. Don’t get me wrong – a good father, though angry and frustrated, will attempt to correct his son out of a foundation of love for the child. A non child, a neighbors child, or a young one he comes across in the grocery store does not affect the father as his own son’s bad behavior. No – it is the relationship that is emphasized in this passage as the motivating factor of discipline, and out of that, the proper response we are to exhibit towards our heavenly Father.
The exhortation to endure is a key element in this passage from the author. To endure takes on many descriptions throughout the book of Hebrews, but for brevity of this post, note the varied ways the author speaks of enduring just in chapter 12.
12:5 do not regard lightly the discipline of the Lord, nor be weary when reproved by him
12:9 shall we not much more be subject to the Father of spirits and live
12:13 so that what is lame may not be put out of joint but rather be healed
12:15 See to it that no one fails to obtain the grace of God
12:15 See to it ….that no “root of bitterness” springs up and causes trouble, and by it many become defiled;
12:16 See to it …. no one is sexually immoral or unholy like Esau, who sold his birthright for a single meal
12:25 See that you do not refuse him who is speaking
Some of these phrases we will deal with in later posts, but for our current passage, note verse 8 & 9, where I believe the author speaks of living in relation to discipline. Our mental and spiritual repose before the Father, that of respect and subjection to His authority over our lives, provides assurance of our continuing in the life He has provided us out of grace and mercy.
Be subject to the Father and live.
Does this ring of an ongoing relationship with the One who saved us? Of a continual ongoing respect to the Father that is required in order to live?
Of course, if my thinking is correct, I have to consider the apostles reference to “live”” as being alive in Christ, to be of a resurrected reborn man or woman of God, one who has claimed and practiced the Christian life. This seems obvious to me at this time, for why would the apostle simply speak of physical life. If only physical life, the very discipline of the Father, which may end in martyrdom, would be contradictory.
For example, might the apostle be trying to say – Endure discipline, to the point of physical death so that you may live (physically?) It doesn’t make sense to me, but I am open to your comments, and hope to hear your thoughts on this passage.
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1 For freedom Christ has set us free; stand firm therefore, and do not submit again to a yoke of slavery. 2 Look: I, Paul, say to you that if you accept circumcision, Christ will be of no advantage to you. 3 I testify again to every man who accepts circumcision that he is obligated to keep the whole law. 4 You are severed from Christ, you who would be justified by the law; you have fallen away from grace. –
In Paul’s writing, I do not recall a time when he is harsher, more blunt or shocking than in this passage. There may be a passage in Romans or 1 Corinthians, but I gotta remind myself – this isn’t a competition. This passage is simply a tough one to take in no matter how you approach it.
Tough Issue 1
Paul is in the midst of reprimanding the church in Galatia for their desire to use the law for a basis of sanctification, for living correctly in front of God, for maintaining a relationship with the Lord. The first issue that is tough for me to understand is the fact that Paul does not speak of sanctification in this passage, but justification. The same justification the same author speaks of in Romans 3:24
…justified by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus
or how about Romans 5:1
…since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ
My point is bringing these two (out of many possible verses) to our discussion is that Paul refers to justification as a past act, not a continual act. That is, when I repented, and placed my faith in the Lord Jesus and His sacrifice for me, I was (past tense) justified. At that point, as I understand the Word, the process of sanctification began, a continual process of becoming like Him, of following His and His will for me, frail and incomplete as that is.
So why does Paul bring up justification, as opposed to sanctification? He is addressing his message to believers, and he is going back to the very foundation of their Christian life, the point of rebirth! Are we to see this dependence on the law, circumcision in this particular instance, to be so serious that justification is nullified?
Ok, might Paul be referring to those who simply think they are Christians in the Body, and trying to reveal to them their utter error in never trusting Christ? Why would Paul address them as believers if they are not? Does that not introduce confusion into the passage, especially for those who truly are believers? I don’t understand Paul shifting gears in relation to who he is talking to in this passage.
Tough Issue 2
To be severed!
Tough issue number two. When Paul speaks of “severed” from Christ, he is referring to one who had not been severed earlier. Let me try to explain my thought.
When my son is cooking chicken for his ol’ dad to enjoy a good supper, I see him with his cleaver “severing” the leg from the body. The leg was attached, but upon the act of severing, it is no longer attached. For something to be severed speaks of it being attached previously. For Paul to use such a term speaks of separation from Christ (by their choice – for it surely is not the Lord’s choice), that by choosing to trust in some religious act instead of in Him, they are in reality choosing that religious act over finding life in Christ. It is an either/or situation, not a “let’s improve the Christian life with the law” type of situation!
Tough issue 3
Fallen away from grace.
Either the reader of this letter trusts in Christ or trusts in an outward act of religious show, but out of this decision flows the issues of life and death. To be fallen from grace, by attaching oneself to the Law, is an act that for Paul has dire consequences.
The term used for fallen away is ἐκπίπτω ekpíptō, and it is in the aorist tense. Since I am no Greek guru, I understand from my research this is typically considered to be an act in the past, a completed act, as the English translation communicates. It isn’t a process of falling, but of having fallen. Although it may seem I am laboring with tenses in many of the points I bring up, it is my desire to be clear with the text, to try to take the text and understand his original message.
And that message is a tough one!
If I were to summarize Paul’s message, I would have to say. Trust Christ and do not trust religion! Religion will kill you!
And if you teach that religion is the way of life, take a gander at Galatians 5:12. Surely there was no love lost between Paul and those who would unsettle believers from their trust in the Savior
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Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. Hebrews 2:2 For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, Hebrews 2:3 how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard,
We have been working through multiple passage under this series and it is somewhat surprising that this passage has been neglected till now. It is such a powerful passage warning us of our tendency to drift away from the message of the grace of God, and the great salvation He has provided!
When I embraced the OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) teaching, I looked at this verse as a passage that was delivered to the lost, and the danger of their rejecting the great salvation the Lord provided for the world. This was the result of reading the third verse only, with a set of OSAS goggles on, interpreting the verse the way I was told to interpret it.
Lets consider the immediate context, and the specific message of the third verse.
Context
The author is speaking to Christians, including himself! Notice how he refers to “we” a couple of times in the first verse. Yes I have heard that the we could be referring to Hebrews, and not Christians since the author may have been Jewish, but honestly, this seems to be such a stretch to avoid the obvious. Consider the author’s fear of drifting away in the first verse. The direction of movement is away from the gospel, which implies there may have been a time when the audience (and the author) were closer to the message.
The entire book of Hebrews is speaking to believers who are on the edge of abandoning their faith, and for the author to change the audience in this small passage makes no sense for me. There will be a number of these passages in Hebrews, where the author addresses the audiences dangerous position. His audience contains Christians, those who believed in the Jewish Messiah, leaving behind a dead religion, a religion whose purpose was to bring them to faith, not to be a competition to the truth!
Specific Message
Again, as an OSAS adherent, I read the third verse thusly.
Hebrews 3:3 how shall we escape if we neglectreject such a great salvation?
How often have you heard a preacher or teacher read this verse, and then go on as if he is teaching it to an audience of lost souls, that they are rejecting the gospel? As if the church is full of lost souls, and that if any believers are in attendance, they are allowed to listen, but it doesn’t really apply to them.
The term the apostle uses is neglect, and refers to an attitude of negligence, carelessness of disregarding the truth we have been given. A few chapters later, the apostle uses this same Greek word in a bit different way, for he speaks of God showing no concern.
Hebrews 8:9 not like the covenant that I made with their fathers on the day when I took them by the hand to bring them out of the land of Egypt. For they did not continue in my covenant, and so I showed no concern for them, declares the Lord.
The same Greek word (ἀμελέω ameléō, G 272), but the one “neglecting” is God, and the ones being neglected are the very ones who considered the truth they had been provided as unimportant. Note that the author reminds the Hebrew believers that the Hebrews of history did not continue in the covenant they had been provided! Might it be that the Hebrews of old neglected the covenant, made light of the covenant? Surely this is the authors intended message!
Don’t make light of the gospel. We are in a life and death battle, a battle that will have consequences.
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18 This charge I entrust to you, Timothy, my child, in accordance with the prophecies previously made about you, that by them you may wage the good warfare,
19 holding faith and a good conscience. By rejecting this, some have made shipwreck of their faith,
20 among whom are Hymenaeus and Alexander, whom I have handed over to Satan that they may learn not to blaspheme.
Rejection. Paul is warning Timothy of the results of ignoring a good conscience. No – that is not right! It is not a matter specifically of ignoring to maintain a good conscience, which by the way is dangerous, but Paul speaks of some, who we will meet soon, as rejecting faith and a good conscience.
Two actions are being described in this verse.
Holding
G2192 – ἔχω échō To have, to hold, to own or possess.
This is a typical term to define ownership or to keep within close proximity, to cling to or to be closely joined to. The thought communicated is typical of Paul’s writings, and that is to maintain a close relationship with the Lord, and the two vehicles to maintain this relationship is faith and a good conscience. Paul is highlighting Timothy’s continued efforts for his ministry.
Rejecting
G683 – ἀπωθέομαι apōthéomai. To push off, cast away or to thrust away from. This seems to be a deliberate action on the part of the subject. This isn’t a matter of human frailty, in that we all fall down occasionally. Paul is using a word here that speaks of a decision to reject faith and a good conscience. To be able to reject something implies the possession of the thing being rejected – how can you reject something you do not have!. May we safely assume that the two men mentioned in this passage were believers at one time?
Two men are given as examples, who have rejected faith and a good conscience.
Hymenaeus
Hymenaeus shows up in one other passage in the New Testament. Paul is speaking of him as swerving from the truth, and upsetting the faith of some. Pray tell, Paul – what is Hymanaeus teaching that is so bad that you are calling him out for it?
2 Timothy 2:16-18
But avoid irreverent babble, for it will lead people into more and more ungodliness, and their talk will spread like gangrene. Among them are Hymenaeus and Philetus, who have swerved from the truth, saying that the resurrection has already happened. They are upsetting the faith of some.
Only that the general resurrection has occurred in the past! Consider if you were a believer during this time, and heard that you missed the resurrection. Talk about gutting the gospel! The fellow was causing tremendous damage in the church, and is to be considered an enemy of the gospel in my opinion. And in Paul’s opinion too, if I’m reading him right.
Alexander
There are a number of Alexanders in the New Testament, or at least there could be. We just don’t know. I tend to lean to the thinking Paul is referring to Alexander the coppersmith in our passage to Timothy, since Timothy is in Ephesus and the riot in Ephesus was lead by Alexander
Acts 19:33 Some of the crowd prompted Alexander, whom the Jews had put forward. And Alexander, motioning with his hand, wanted to make a defense to the crowd.
Another reference to Alexander , that Timothy would recognize and may be the one Paul is referring to in our passage in 1 Timothy, is Alexander the Coppersmith. Personally I would find it difficult to think this is a different man Paul refers to but I will leave that up to my reader
2 Timothy 4:14 Alexander the coppersmith did me great harm; the Lord will repay him according to his deeds.
Both Hymenaeus and Alexander have rejected a good conscience and faith. The results do not appear to be characteristic of good Christian living, so I ask you my friend.
What is the result of their rejecting a good conscience and faith?
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5 The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith. 6 Certain persons, by swerving from these, have wandered away into vain discussion, 7 desiring to be teachers of the law, without understanding either what they are saying or the things about which they make confident assertions. 8 Now we know that the law is good, if one uses it lawfully, 9 understanding this, that the law is not laid down for the just but for the lawless and disobedient, for the ungodly and sinners, for the unholy and profane, for those who strike their fathers and mothers, for murderers, 10 the sexually immoral, men who practice homosexuality, enslavers, liars, perjurers, and whatever else is contrary to sound doctrine, 11 in accordance with the gospel of the glory of the blessed God with which I have been entrusted.
What a fantastic passage on the purpose of the law. When I first came to know the Lord, this basic truth, that the law was provided for sinners, law breakers, rebels and such, stunned me. I thought it was to provide guidance for the morally upright, and to a point this may be true, but external standards are provided to show we cannot maintain the standard without help, without inner strength, without the desire to please someone.
Yes, the law is good and holy, but as Paul mentions, we have to use it lawfully, or for the purpose for which it was given. It provides condemnation! But before I delve into that topic, let us consider how the passage above applies to the topic of this series.
How does 1 Timothy 1:5-11 read in relation to conditional security? I have read this passage many times, and confessedly, always dwell on the law topic within the verses, but let me refer you to verse 5 & 6.
First off, Paul speaks of the goal of his teaching or instruction. He aims to direct believers into love. This love comes from a pure heart. This love comes from a good conscience. This love comes from a sincere faith. Love is the aim of the apostles teaching. Not a spurious, feely touchy love that ebbs and flows with emotional highs and lows. This love is to be a consistent, nature based loved, a love based on character, a character developed by knowing the Lord, as opposed to knowing a law.
I hope this isn’t shocking to any of my readers, for love is the core of Christianity. Love that is found in and sourced out of the Lord Jesus, and His self sacrificial life. Paul saw the destination (or was aiming at) this condition for the believers as he taught them.
But what if believers decide this isn’t to be the focus of their faith, the target to shoot for as they live amongst others? Paul speaks of these that have swerved from this target, wandering into vain discussion. They have swerved! I understand this to mean they were on course at one time, they had caught sight of the target and was well on the way. Until. Until something pulled them away. Something distracting, tantalizing, shiny and bright!
The law.
Oh how the law feeds to the pride we live in. If (when) I focus on the law, I become a judge. A judge that has to condemn, and that conveniently turns a blind eye to my own rebellion. Love has to be jettisoned from our focus in life, for the law has no room for mercy, love or patience.
These believers that Paul refers to as swerving are not understanding what they are dabbling in, becoming those who teach (instead of learning?) and disassociate from the just, turning to the lawless to provide guidance for life. Yet the law was intended to condemn. My friend, the law either condemns, or feeds a self righteous heart.
I don’t know about you, but I want to know of the grace of God, the love of Jesus, the consolation of the Spirit, the encouragement of the saints.
Decades ago, I heard a preacher quote this diddy
The law commands but gives me neither feet nor hands, A better thing the gospel brings, it bids me fly and gives me wings!
Trust in the Living God, and out of this trust, from following the Messiah, the law will be worked out in your life, without focusing on it.
Focusing on the law will not provide the growth, encouragement or joy the gospel provides. It will not! This passage reminds me of many passages in the New Testament that speak to this topic, but to close, I offer Galatians 5:7-10.
Note Paul’s warning of the teacher in verse 10
Galatians 5:7-10
7 You were running well. Who hindered you from obeying the truth? 8 This persuasion is not from him who calls you. 9 A little leaven leavens the whole lump. 10 I have confidence in the Lord that you will take no other view, and the one who is troubling you will bear the penalty, whoever he is.
Thanks for reading, and I pray that the Spirit will give illumination to each of us as we seek to follow.
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13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Paul exhorts his true son in the faith to continue in his acquired learning, in that which he has believed. If, as I understand the OSAS (once saved always saved) teaching, this continuance in the faith must be delegated to the rewards teaching. And that may be the correct understanding. But it is an option of understanding, even an understanding that brings into the text some presuppositions.
Lets take a look at the context, starting in 3:10.
2 Timothy 3
10 You, however, have followed my teaching, my conduct, my aim in life, my faith, my patience, my love, my steadfastness, 11 my persecutions and sufferings that happened to me at Antioch, at Iconium, and at Lystra–which persecutions I endured; yet from them all the Lord rescued me.
Paul is reminding his young disciple of his past commitment to his teaching, and out of that teaching, the non-didactic character of the apostle, of Paul’s purpose, faith, love, steadfastness, and his persecutions
His persecutions! He settles on the persecutions topic in the next verse, expanding his description of his sufferings, by reminding Timothy of Antioch, Iconium and Lystra. Let’s remember with Timothy of those incidents in those cities.
Antioch
Paul’s time in Antioch may be found in Acts 13:13 – 52. Paul and Barnabas had success in Antioch, even to the point that the people begged that these things might be told them the next sabbath. The people were hungry for the truth, and eventually a church grew in the city. This was bad news for those who enjoyed a tendency towards jealousy. Yes, the Jews, upon seeing the crowds following after Paul’s teaching, grew jealous, and as 13:50 states, they stirred up a persecution against Paul and Barnabas, eventually driving them out of the city. The text doesn’t describe the persecution, whether it be political, social or physical, but only the reason for it. Jealousy controlled the Jews, and the Jews drove the apostles out!
Timothy wasn’t present in Antioch, for we don’t meet him until Acts 16, but the stories swirled about and the witness of the believers included the story of the Antioch persecution.
Iconium
Iconium was Paul and Barnabas’s next stop after Antioch, and the passage referred to may be found in Acts 14:1-21. After a period of preaching, a great number of Jews and Greeks believed. Paul and Barnabas were quite successful in reaching out to the Greek population. But the text also relates of the success of the Jews in reaching out to the Greek population. The unbelieving Jews reached out to the Greeks, influencing their minds against Paul. They actually became somewhat zealous in their actions for the Greeks. Nevertheless, the city became polarized over the teaching, leading to an attempt to stone Paul and Barnabas. Upon finding out the population’s intent, Paul and Barnabas headed for the next city.
It turns out Paul and Barnabas just put off the inevitable!
Lystra
Lystra was the next stop for Paul and Barnabas, (Acts 14:8-23) and again the message was received, albiet with some misunderstanding. For Paul and Barnabas, they had to correct the Lystrian population from understanding they were gods having come down to them. After some corrective teaching, the Lystian’s settled down, but still had too high of a view of the apostles. Nevertheless, the Jews from Antioch and Lystra arrived on the scene, ready to fix that. After a short period of persuading the crowds, they stoned Paul and dragged him out of the city.
How fickle these Lystrian folk were!
Summary
Paul experienced the physical persecution we most commonly associate with the apostle Paul’s missionary journeys in Lystra. Yet these three cities are brought to Timothy’s mind in describing persecution, and it appears not only that of physical persecution. Prior to the stoning, it is obvious that intimidation, gossip, backbiting, malicious rumors, emotional blackmail, and numerous other non physical efforts at derailing the gospel were tried. Persecution is not only physical, and in mentioning these three cities as a group, Paul may be bringing this to Timothy’s mind.
12 Indeed, all who desire to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted,
The core issue! All who live godly shall suffer persecution! This is the subject of this passage. Timothy – get ready, for if you continue in the faith, as you have seen Paul in his faith, persecution will be your reward, your companion in your ministry. Now that we have a context somewhat established, let’s continue with the portion we began with.
13 while evil people and impostors will go on from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived. 14 But as for you, continue in what you have learned and have firmly believed, knowing from whom you learned it 15 and how from childhood you have been acquainted with the sacred writings, which are able to make you wise for salvation through faith in Christ Jesus.
Some will go from bad to worse, while you Timothy, you need to go in the opposite direction. There is no neutrality here, for Paul’s introduction of these evil people and their moral degradation, is a contrast to Timothy’s expected growth in the Lord. But in this growth, there will be resistance, and that resistance may take some form of persecution.
Paul’s exhortation then to continue is in the context of persecution, not simply believing in some fact of the gospel in some past decision. Is it fair to say that Timothy’s expected growth will include persecution, and if denied, growth will not occur? If so, does this imply that a deadness has settled on Timothy’s life and witness?
My friends, be honest with the text and consider Paul’s thoughts here. Is he simply speaking of rewards, and that if persecution is avoided, we only loose some rewards? Or might it be that if no persecution occurs, this may speak of greater things than what we want to admit? If we avoid every possible hint of persecution, is this a red light that should be going off in your mind, alerting us to a truth we naturally want to avoid?
Let me know your thoughts.
Thanks for considering these thoughts and may the Lord teach us all that which we need to know!
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Paul is writing to a church he has never visited but he has heard of some troubling teaching in this church, and he sets out to provide these believers the correction we find in this epistle.
It seems there were those who entered into the young church in order to influence believers into a life of religion, or a way of rule keeping on the surface as opposed to cultivating a heart that seeks to listen to God’s spirit. It is so common, for there will always be those gospel gunslingers that seek to put another notch in their belt when they can influence one more soul into their way of minimizing the Christ and maximizing their way of life. With that said, let us consider the passage below, and see if it has any relevance to the “Conditional Security” teaching that we are discussing in this series.
Colossians 2:4-8
I say this in order that no one may delude you with plausible arguments. For though I am absent in body, yet I am with you in spirit, rejoicing to see your good order and the firmness of your faith in Christ. Therefore, as you received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him, rooted and built up in him and established in the faith, just as you were taught, abounding in thanksgiving. See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.
First, let us all agree that Paul is addressing believers, and not just any believers, but that are firm in their faith in Christ. They are solid, and depending how long they had been following Christ when Paul writes this, may be considered mature believers. They had received Christ Jesus the Lord in the past. Sometime in the past, they had entered into life by confession of sin, repentance and faith in the crucified One.
Paul then provides some teaching, even a command for these believers to follow.
So walk in Him. Does Paul provide any guidance on the way to walk in Him? Yes of course, for we are to walk in Him in like manner that we entered into life with the Son. By confession of sin, repentance and faith.
You know I was very surprised when I performed a study years back, a study on the word repentance, and I sought to find out all I could about the term. Although I am convinced that repentance is fundamentally a “change of mind”, this “brain switch” brings about a life change inevitably. What shocked me in my study was that the preponderance of times repentance was preached, it was directed to those of the community of faith. Not to ordinary dirty sinners! What? Sinners are to repent, and they will upon their realization of who God is and of His authority. But so much repentance preached to those of faith!
Yet the Word seems to emphasize the need for the faithful to repent of sinful attitudes and actions. I understand that when Paul says to walk in Him, he is directing us to a life a repentance and submission to Him, and that is how we “So walk in Him”.
Have you went through a period of repentance towards God in some attitude or action recently? A life of repentance is a life of holiness, realizing the dominance of sin in your life, and a life of humility, realizing your utter dependency on the Savior.
So, Paul says, as you have received Him, so walk in Him. This action of walking speaks of a day to day experience, a continuation of that initial seed of faith.
It was of concern to my previous OSAS (Once Saved Always Saved) way of thinking that after he speaks of faithfully walking with the Messiah, Paul mentions the danger of being taken captive. The term captive speaks of being taken away as booty, to be lead away from the truth.
Now I don’t want to make too much of this term, for I know some consider this phrase as describing the believers condition as being restricted from his full potential, even held back from living the true life, of being held under the sway of bad teaching.
As the mind goes, so goes the life!
Nevertheless, the term does speak of the one deceived as being led away as a captive, even as a slave. Might the implication be that the ownership has changed? To become a slave implies an ownership exchange.
No that can’t be what Paul is teaching, for then he would be in error, because (as I used to think) the Bible teaches OSAS, and any verses that may seem like a challenge must be ignored, or at least understood under the OSAS teaching.
Dang – It sure was easy when I let a man tell me what to believe!
What think ye?
Might Paul be hinting around, warning these mature believers, those who are firm in their faith, that they may need to consider their standing before God? He has been of this concern before with some in his churches…
1 Corinthians 10:12 Therefore let anyone who thinks that he stands take heed lest he fall.
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Now I would remind you, brothers, of the gospel I preached to you, which you received, in which you stand, and by which you are being saved, if you hold fast to the word I preached to you–unless you believed in vain. – 1 Corinthians 15:1-2
As a hardcore OSAS, this is one of the first passages that I figgered Paul got wrong.
Since I am eternally secure, and my initial faith equaled a one time contractual negotiation with God, how could the apostle Paul say such a difficult saying that seems to bring question to the remainder of the Word. A number of items arise in this passage that just scrambled my brain as an OSAS adherent.
Brothers
Paul called them brothers. Why would he call them brothers if they had not given evidence of their faith in the Living God? His time with them gave him ample evidence of the Spirit of the Living God residing in them. Remember that Paul was with this church for 18 months, not three weekends like the Thessalonians, or the very short time he had with the Philippians. He witnessed first hand what the gospel produced in these people.
Received
Paul declared that they received the gospel. To receive is to take, acquire or accept. Paul understood that at the preaching of the gospel, these brothers took the gospel, accepted it as truth and received the message into their lives. I may be overreaching to say that they did not merely accept it intellectually due to the time the apostle spent with this congregation. To receive the gospel is to become the brother he referenced them as earlier.
Note that this verb is aorist tense, that is that they received the gospel at a point in time in the past.
Stand
Paul wrote that they stood in the gospel. When I read of standing in the gospel, I am reminded of Paul’s use of the term in Ephesians 6:14, speaking to believers concerning their responsibility in their Christian life, to be firm in their convictions, to be active in their faith, to be established in the faith.
Note that this verb is perfect tense, that is the Corinthians live in the gospel, they are active believers in the Messiah.
Being Saved
Paul said they were being saved by the gospel. Now this was where I started to go off the rails in my thinking with Paul. It is amazing that he could slip from the truth of OSAS so quickly, but I would be forgiving towards him, in that I would simply “ignore” his mistakes, like he is slipping into here!
Yet the passage speaks of being saved. Describing believers (who are saved) as being saved! Why are you muddying the waters of my OSAS mind, Paul? What are you saying? It seems the salvation we received, and as believers, are standing in, is an active living salvation, that the salvation we have is working in our lives, bringing us to a maturity that is not only expected, but that God will perform in our faith.
If
Then comes that dreaded word. IF.
Some may think Paul intended to say since, instead of if here. In my research, I have found no support for this term to be translated as since. The word “if” speaks of a conditional state, dependent on someone to perform an action. “If’” is a primary particle of conditionality. Something Paul’s writes next will be what the brothers will require to perform in order to maintain their current status as brothers.
Hold fast to the word Paul preached. Do not let it slip away, as the author of Hebrews describes the falling brother in chapter 2.
Hebrews 2:1 Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it.
Of course, if the brothers do let the gospel slip from them, if they do not hold fast to the message Paul preached, – well what does that mean? Paul’s conclusion is that they believed in vain. Did they not really believe at the initial preaching of the gospel? Is that what believing in vain refers to?
Of might it mean that they believed “in a random” sort of manner, to no purpose, to be void of result, empty. To be void of result, to not complete the initial faith they exhibited in the Messiah. Might this be where Paul is taking us. The believers in Corinth had placed their faith in the Messiah, yet it appears this “faith” may not produce the end result intended.
The argument comes down to this.
Never Brothers
Is Paul graciously calling these folks brothers, (though if OSAS is correct, Paul fears some are not) and these “never brothers” are falling away from Christ because they had no (a vain) faith? In other words, is Paul just being kind calling them brothers, but in reality have never believed in the Savior?
Currently Brothers
Is Paul accurately calling his audience brothers, and is expressing his fear of their slipping away, a danger of leaving the faith, of an apostacy within the church? Is Paul expressing a fear of their not holding fast to the word that was preached unto them?
How do you see this passage?
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Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. And being made perfect, he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obey him,
In addressing this couplet of verses, in relation to conditional security, we need to address the New Testament understanding of what it means to believe in Jesus the Messiah. You see, the verse speaks of obeying Him, and some may consider this obedience the initial act of faith, and there is truth in that statement. The initial act of faith was an obedient act of the will of the sinner to a call of grace, to a call from the Crucified One.
Yet if we look at the tense of the verb, we find the following. If you notice on the right, BlueLetterBible.org provides a bubble which includes the parsing of the verb. (The link will take you directly to the page being referred to.)
On the left is a listing defining what these letters in the bubble refer to.
For example, the first letter, “V” teaches us that the word “obey” is a verb. The second letter speaks of the tense of the verb. In English, we think of past present and future tense. The Greek word translated as obey is in the present tense.
For the most part, as the clip on the right teaches, this is directly equivalent to our present tense, and is translated as such in this verse.
So in review, let’s consider what we have learned.
The verse does not say
…he became the source of eternal salvation to all who obeyed him. (As in referring to the initial obedience of faith)
Nor does it say
…he became the source of eternal salvation to all who believe him. (Though if we understand to believe is to obey, we could without conflict understand it as such.)
The issue is current obedience.
Where are you at in hearing the voice of God in your life. Is He speaking about something specific, that needs to obeyed? Is He allowing a period of quiet in you life, simply to provide you time to put into practice the teachings you know to be true and faithful.
The Christian life is a life of obedience, discipleship and death to self on a daily basis. Obedience is synonymous with faith, and is simply the path to life.
Do you believe?
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That is true. They were broken off because of their unbelief, but you stand fast through faith. So do not become proud, but fear. For if God did not spare the natural branches, neither will he spare you. Note then the kindness and the severity of God: severity toward those who have fallen, but God’s kindness to you, provided you continue in his kindness. Otherwise you too will be cut off.
You too will be cut off? Who is Paul speaking to here?
Romans 9-11 is sometimes considered the hotbed of Calvinism, and I tend to think this is an accurate statement since the strength of their argument for determinism is found in a few verses within this passage. When we come to Romans 11:20-22 though, Paul is finishing up his teaching on the relationship of national, ethnic Israel with the New Creation, the Body of Christ.
Paul just finished with a typical theoretical gentiles comment reflecting an attitude of superiority, when in v 19, he writes
Romans 11:19 Then you will say, “Branches were broken off so that I might be grafted in.”
The Gentile Christian in Rome may be considering the history of the nation of Israel, see their rejection of the Messiah (as a nation) and conclude that the nation of Israel was rejected, broken off, in order to bring the Gentiles in, implying the Gentiles were superior to the nation of Israel.
Will this pride thing ever stop? Earlier the Jews were warned of living in pride (Romans 2:17) and now the Gentiles are entering into proud attitudes and ideas.
Paul turns the actions of God in relation to ethnic Israel back onto the new believers, warning them of God’s severity. He acted in severity towards a nation He created, loved, was patient with, and constantly reached out to for centuries, yet they rejected His call out of pride and envy. Now they are cut off! To be an ethnic Jew is of no consequence with God. They are in the same boat as all the world and without Jesus, they have no hope!
Note that Paul speaks of God’s kindness extended to believers, provided believers continue in his kindness. We must continue in His kindness for His sake and ours.
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Revelation 22:18 – 19 I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book: if anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book, and if anyone takes away from the words of the book of this prophecy, God will take away his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book
God will take away a believers share in the tree of Life?
Oh Carl – how can you say that it is a believer, a Christian who experiences this loss in the tree of life? Note that it is taken away, implying strongly that the one had full right of possession to the tree of life. Now I ask you – who has access to the tree of life if it is not the believer?
However you may understand Revelation 22, this passage speaks of one who has a share in the tree of life that will be taken from him. This is definitely scary stuff, yet the reason for this “taking” is due to one taking away from the words of this letter John was writing. I have not come to any settled understanding what that means, and if my readers have a reasoned suggestion I would appreciate hearing from you.
Nevertheless, in the last chapter of the book of Revelation, John gives us a dire warning from God about the eternal ownership of a share in the tree of life.
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11 And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12 And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13 But the one who endures to the end will be saved.
In our last post on Matthew 24, we looked at the previous two verses, describing the effects persecution has on some (many) believers. Many believers upon experiencing persecution / tribulation will fall away, betray one another and hate one another. I suggested this is not the character of one who follows after the Savior.
In this passage, we are not considering how believers react to persecution, but how believers react to lies.
False prophets were on the rise in the first century (how much more so in our day!) and Jesus spoke of “many” led astray. (In the previous set of verse, the “many” fell away) As an aside, I find it interesting that lawlesness is associated with false prophets, that lawlessness is a result of false prohets dragging off believers into lies. May the root cause of a societies rot be the result of believers listening to false prophets?
Jesus mentions that many will experience a love that grows cold, but the exception is the one who endures to the end, he is the one who will experience a salvation. The implication, as I understand it is that due to lawlessness, a believers love may grow cold. My question for my reader is this.
The one who endures, is he amongst those whose love has grown cold?
No matter where the enduring one finds himself, it is a matter of endurance, not a high pitched, emotional experience of love that results in salvation. The theme of endurance for the sake of a reward, whether it be eternal salvation, physical deliverance or winnning in a marathon, is throughout the Word. Emotional experience doesn’t make the difference, for many may read this reference to “love grown cold” and automatically think of the emotional feeling of love. I am not convinced that is the intent of the warning.
Might a believer experience a cooling of love and yet still endure in the faith, seeking to follow Jesus, though with less passion than before? Out of personal experience, (which is a poor way of judging truth), I will confess my love toward Jesus and our Father has waned and weakened, even cooled at times, yet I knew He was caring for me, watching over me, guiding me through dark periods.
An emotional love tends to vary from peaks to pits, and we ride the rollercoaster out of necessity. Endurance is a choice, and He has provided us the opportunity to follow Him whatever emotional experience we are in the midst of. Of course, it is so much the better when the emotion feeling is peaking, but we need to go through the valleys with Him to truly know His hand of guidance, comfort and wisdom.
Endure my brother and sister, hang on to the faith once delivered to the saints, looking unto Jesus who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame….
His endurance made our lives possible. Do not give up the faith, for there is a life to be gained as we follow Him.
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9 “Then they will deliver you up to tribulation and put you to death, and you will be hated by all nations for my name’s sake.10 And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another.
Matthew 24. The mini – apocalypse, the passage that speaks of the end times, judgement, apostacy. Scary stuff, full of dramatic images and threats, with so many opinions on what the Lord was trying to communicate to His followers.
Some who follow this topic of Conditional Security on Considering the Bible may have wondered why this passage has not shown up in the series previously. It seems it is such a slam dunk passage to support the Conditional Security position, and it may well be.
Let’s take a look at it for a few moments.
Jesus is speaking to His disciples at this time, addressing the disciples questions about His coming, and the end of the age. The very first words out of His mouth need to be heeded – “See that no one leads you astray”
He warns His disciples first and foremost of deception in this topic of His future coming into His kingdom, and that they were to be vigilant in understanding the times to come. Just before the verses we are considering today, the Lord warns His disciples that there is only one Christ, and that self proclaimed substitutes would be many. The disciples will hears of many wars and rumors of wars – Don’t be worried. There is still time.
Christians will be persecuted, even hated by other for His names sake. Tribulation will be the believers experience, and this tribulation will result in death for some, with the nations, the heathen, those who are outside the faith, hating believers.
This persecution, or this tribulation the believer experiences will result in the falling away. Because of this hatred (from the nations), many will fall away, they will skandalizō, they will be offended, they will fall away.
Who are these “many” who will fall away? Context demands that the word “many” refer to those who would be delivered up to tribulation, those who follow as disciples.
Persecution will provide opportunity for followers to fall away. Yet does this mean a loss of salvation, the abandonment of the Christian life, the turning away from following Him? It appears that the two descriptors in verse 10 describe the non-Christian, in that the non Christian is allowed to betray one another, and to hate one another. Just the very verse prior, the nations are described as hating others!
The true believer, in following Jesus is faithful to those he knows, and loves those he comes in contact with. Is Jesus describing a believer when he decides to betray instead of exercising faith, to hate instead of to love? Is that the desciption of a believer?
This is a difficult passage to understand, but the warning seems obvious, for even in persecution, to follow Jesus is to be faithful, to be one who exercises sacrificial love to those he comes in contact with.
To those reading this post, don’t wait for persecution to come to your life to decide to love others and to be faithful. Live the Christian life each day, and pray for strength to follow when persecution does arrive, for we know we all must experience some persecution in our lives. Be faithful. Love those around you with a sacrifical love.
In doing so, we may be preparing for times that will provide greater challenge than we expect.
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