John 8:2-12 "Now early in the morning He came again into the temple, and all the people came to Him, and He sat down and taught them. Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, "Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do you say?" This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, "He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first." And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, "Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?" She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said to her, "Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more." Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, "I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life."
This is an example of a present sin that the woman had just committed, at that very moment. Jesus did not hold it against her. As we shall see in John 13, Jesus told Peter about three future sins that he would commit, but Jesus did not hold those sins against Peter. Notice also that the accusers were convicted by their own conscience and left, beginning with the oldest and even to the last. The longer we live, the more we have sinned. We are all in need of the free gift of righteousness available through Jesus. Jesus was able to not judge and condemn her according to the Law because He was going to pay the penalty for her sin and all of our sins at the cross.
Notice the difference between the Old Testament Law of Moses, which would have the Jews stone this woman to death, and the grace of Jesus under the New Testament. Jesus did not condemn her. He told her to go and sin no more. John 1:17 states "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." Right after He does not condemn her, Jesus said, "I am the light of the world (grace and truth). He who follows Me (by offering grace and not condemning people) shall not walk in darkness (accusing and condemning others for their sins), but have the light of life (which is grace)."
Jesus Himself defines what light and darkness is in John's gospel. The light is His grace and love. The darkness is accusing and condemning others for their sins. If we apply these ideas of light and darkness to John's epistle of 1 John, it gives a whole new meaning to the epistle. Every minister I have ever heard teach 1 John chapter 1 defines light as walking in holiness and darkness as walking in sin. But that is not the way John defines it in his gospel. Let us read 1 John chapter 1 in light of this.
1 John 1:5-9 "This is the message which we have heard from Him and declare to you , that God is light (grace and truth; love) and in Him is no darkness (accusation or judgment or condemnation) at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him (if we say that we know God or represent Him), and walk in darkness (accusing and condemning others for their sins), we lie and do not practice the truth (which is grace). But if we walk in the light (His grace and truth) as He is in the light (grace and truth), we have fellowship with one another and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin (the actions and deeds of sin). If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves and the truth (His word of grace) is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness."
Notice how defining light and darkness correctly, according to John's gospel, gives a whole new meaning to 1 John chapter 1. This is one of the main passages where ministers teach that we are out of fellowship with God each time we sin and we must confess our sin to get back into fellowship with Him. They teach that because they incorrectly define light as holiness and darkness as walking in sin. This incorrect interpretation would mean that God has forgiven us of past sins, but is counting our present and future sins against us until we get those sins confessed. This is error and contradicts 2 Corinthians 5:19, which states that God is not counting our sins to us. This idea contradicts many other verses throughout the New Testament.
Notice also that there are two cleansings listed in verses 7 and 9. In verse 7, the blood of Jesus Christ cleanses us from all sin. In verse 9, we are cleansed from all unrighteousness. This is how we know that verse 9 is referring to a one-time confession of sins to receive Christ as our Savior. We are only cleansed once of unrighteousness before God. Otherwise this verse would be in conflict with other verses that declare that we are the righteousness of God in Christ when we receive Jesus. Verse 7 shows that we are cleansed from the actions and deeds of sin on an ongoing basis throughout our lives. Righteousness and holiness are two different things. Righteousness before God is a gift and instantaneous when we receive Jesus. Learning to walk in holiness is a ongoing process.
Keith Oliver
Thursday, December 31, 2015
Wednesday, December 30, 2015
John Chapter 4 - Righteousness and the Holy Spirit
John 4:5-14 "So He came to a city of Samaria which is called Sychar, near the plot of ground that Jacob gave to his son Joseph. Now Jacob's well was there. Jesus therefore, being wearied from His journey, sat thus by the well. It was about the sixth hour. A woman of Samaria came to draw water. Jesus said to her, "Give Me a drink." For His disciples had gone away into the city to buy food. Then the woman of Samaria said to Him, "How is it that You, being a Jew, ask a drink from me, a Samaritan woman?" For Jews have no dealings with Samaritans. Jesus answered and said to her, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The woman said to Him, "Sir, You have nothing to draw with, and the well is deep. Where then do You get that living water? Are you greater than our father Jacob, who gave us the well, and drank from it himself, as well as his sons and livestock.? Jesus answered and said to her, "Whoever drinks of this water will thirst again, but whoever drinks of the water that I shall give him will never thirst. But the water that I shall give him will become in him a fountain of water springing up into everlasting life."
There are many things to point out about this story, but I would like to focus on things that I have not heard discussed and that helped me understand this story more clearly. Jesus said in verse 10, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The gift of God and the living water are references to the Holy Spirit. Jesus clearly defined this in John 7:38-39. He said the rivers of living water are a reference to the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Jesus also mentions thirst in verses 13-14. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (filled with righteousness)." This helped me to see more clearly from this story that understanding righteousness is the key to allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Jesus is the One who gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. But He is the One who would bear our sins first and give us the free gift of righteousness. This is what then allows the Holy Spirit to do His work in our hearts and lives. The Holy Spirit then becomes a fountain of water springing up within us to everlasting life, satisfying our thirst and cleansing us from the inside to the outside. This ties to what we learned in John chapter 1, that Jesus would take away the sin of the world and baptize us with the Holy Spirit. Let us see this process in the Samaritan woman, even though she could not yet receive the Holy Spirit because He was not yet given, because Jesus had not yet become our sin sacrifice.
John 4:15-30 "The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call you husband, and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither worship on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman: yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or "Why are You talking with her?" The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" Then they went out of the city and came to Him."
The woman asked for the water so that she would not thirst. Then Jesus, in a kind manner, revealed both her past and present. He did not condemn her though. Then Jesus tells her about God and reveals God as the Father. Then He reveals Himself as the Messiah. Her response is not shame but excitement. She went and told the whole city about Jesus. Jesus extended grace and righteousness to the woman and she believed and trusted in Him. Notice the pattern. Jesus reveals righteousness to us first, then introduces us to a loving heavenly Father. When we see that Jesus knows about our sin but has forgiven us and given us the free gift of right-standing with God by His grace, our lives are transformed. We experience joy, and our natural reaction is to tell others. We learn to worship the Father for who we are in the spirit and in truth. We are made righteous in our spirit. All our sins are forgiven and set aside. We worship Him through this gift of righteousness, and He leads us to walk out the truth in our actions. That is holiness or sanctification.
I became a Christian when I was 18. The Holy Spirit came to live within me. A short time later I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and prayed in tongues, as the disciples experienced in Acts chapter 2. Yet I did not have a clear understanding of righteousness through much of my adult life. I believed my past sins were forgiven, but I was taught that my present and future sins caused me to be out of fellowship with God each time I sinned, until I got the sin confessed. Within a few years, I lost much of my joy and enthusiasm for the Lord. God dwelt in me through the Holy Spirit, but it didn't seem to make much difference in my life. I prayed in tongues and was faithful in church. But because of the way I was taught, I spent much of my adult life in condemnation, not understanding His grace and gift of righteousness. Only when I came to a clear understanding of righteousness did my joy return and I started to share my faith again. Our foundation must be correct, or the rest of our lives will be unstable. Our foundation is righteousness. Jesus paid for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future. He paid for every sin we have ever committed in the past and every sin we will ever commit in the future. He set them all aside and is not dealing with us according to our sins. He is dealing with us through His grace and His gift of righteousness to us. Knowing this has brought lasting peace and joy to my heart. Understanding righteousness is what allows the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. I believe this is the main point of the story of the Samaritan woman.
Keith Oliver
There are many things to point out about this story, but I would like to focus on things that I have not heard discussed and that helped me understand this story more clearly. Jesus said in verse 10, "If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, 'Give Me a drink', you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water." The gift of God and the living water are references to the Holy Spirit. Jesus clearly defined this in John 7:38-39. He said the rivers of living water are a reference to the Holy Spirit, whom those believing in Him would receive, for the Holy Spirit was not yet given, because Jesus was not yet glorified. Jesus also mentions thirst in verses 13-14. In Matthew 5:6, Jesus said "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, for they shall be filled (filled with righteousness)." This helped me to see more clearly from this story that understanding righteousness is the key to allowing the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. Jesus is the One who gives us the gift of the Holy Spirit. But He is the One who would bear our sins first and give us the free gift of righteousness. This is what then allows the Holy Spirit to do His work in our hearts and lives. The Holy Spirit then becomes a fountain of water springing up within us to everlasting life, satisfying our thirst and cleansing us from the inside to the outside. This ties to what we learned in John chapter 1, that Jesus would take away the sin of the world and baptize us with the Holy Spirit. Let us see this process in the Samaritan woman, even though she could not yet receive the Holy Spirit because He was not yet given, because Jesus had not yet become our sin sacrifice.
John 4:15-30 "The woman said to Him, "Sir, give me this water, that I may not thirst, nor come here to draw." Jesus said to her, "Go, call you husband, and come here." The woman answered and said, "I have no husband." Jesus said to her, "You have well said, 'I have no husband,' for you have had five husbands, and the one whom you now have is not your husband; in that you spoke truly." The woman said to him, "Sir, I perceive that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, and you Jews say that in Jerusalem is the place where one ought to worship." Jesus said to her, "Woman, believe Me, the hour is coming when you will neither worship on this mountain, nor in Jerusalem, worship the Father. You worship what you do not know; we know what we worship, for salvation is of the Jews. But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth." The woman said to Him, "I know that Messiah is coming" (who is called Christ). "When He comes, He will tell us all things." Jesus said to her, "I who speak to you am He." And at this point His disciples came, and they marveled that He talked with a woman: yet no one said, "What do You seek?" or "Why are You talking with her?" The woman then left her waterpot, went her way into the city, and said to the men, "Come, see a Man who told me all things that I ever did. Could this be the Christ?" Then they went out of the city and came to Him."
The woman asked for the water so that she would not thirst. Then Jesus, in a kind manner, revealed both her past and present. He did not condemn her though. Then Jesus tells her about God and reveals God as the Father. Then He reveals Himself as the Messiah. Her response is not shame but excitement. She went and told the whole city about Jesus. Jesus extended grace and righteousness to the woman and she believed and trusted in Him. Notice the pattern. Jesus reveals righteousness to us first, then introduces us to a loving heavenly Father. When we see that Jesus knows about our sin but has forgiven us and given us the free gift of right-standing with God by His grace, our lives are transformed. We experience joy, and our natural reaction is to tell others. We learn to worship the Father for who we are in the spirit and in truth. We are made righteous in our spirit. All our sins are forgiven and set aside. We worship Him through this gift of righteousness, and He leads us to walk out the truth in our actions. That is holiness or sanctification.
I became a Christian when I was 18. The Holy Spirit came to live within me. A short time later I was baptized in the Holy Spirit and prayed in tongues, as the disciples experienced in Acts chapter 2. Yet I did not have a clear understanding of righteousness through much of my adult life. I believed my past sins were forgiven, but I was taught that my present and future sins caused me to be out of fellowship with God each time I sinned, until I got the sin confessed. Within a few years, I lost much of my joy and enthusiasm for the Lord. God dwelt in me through the Holy Spirit, but it didn't seem to make much difference in my life. I prayed in tongues and was faithful in church. But because of the way I was taught, I spent much of my adult life in condemnation, not understanding His grace and gift of righteousness. Only when I came to a clear understanding of righteousness did my joy return and I started to share my faith again. Our foundation must be correct, or the rest of our lives will be unstable. Our foundation is righteousness. Jesus paid for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future. He paid for every sin we have ever committed in the past and every sin we will ever commit in the future. He set them all aside and is not dealing with us according to our sins. He is dealing with us through His grace and His gift of righteousness to us. Knowing this has brought lasting peace and joy to my heart. Understanding righteousness is what allows the Holy Spirit to work in our lives. I believe this is the main point of the story of the Samaritan woman.
Keith Oliver
Tuesday, December 29, 2015
John Chapter 3 - Grace and Truth
John 3:14-18 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. 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. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. He who believes in Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God."
Jesus made a reference to an Old Testament story back in Numbers 21:4-9. The people had spoken against God and against Moses. Under Old Testament Law, they had a conditional covenant. If they obeyed God, blessing would be theirs. If they disobeyed God, they would be cursed. When they sinned, serpents came and bit them and many people died. When they confessed their sin, God told Moses to make a fiery serpent out of bronze and put it on a pole, and whoever had been bitten, when they looked upon the bronze serpent, shall live. The bronze serpent on a pole was a type of Christ being lifted up on the cross for our sins. This Old Testament story also shows that Jesus suffered for our healing. When they looked at the fiery bronze serpent, they were healed from the serpent bites. When we look at Christ lifted up on the cross for our sins, we receive forgiveness for our sins. When we see that He was beaten and bruised for us, we see that by His stripes we are healed. Jesus healed people of every type of sickness and disease during His earthly ministry, as well as forgiving people of their sins. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But notice a major difference in the New Testament with the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God initiates sending His Son to bear the punishment for our sins when we were already under condemnation from the Old Testament Law. Grace is unconditional. God initiated this action independent of our obedience to Him. God so loves us that He sent Jesus, even when we were helpless. This is the difference between the Old Testament law and New Testament grace.
God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Notice what Jesus said in verse 18. He who does not believe is condemned already. This described John with his Old Testament Law mindset of condemnation. It describes the state we are in before we believe in Jesus; we are in condemnation in our thinking. When we try to earn our right-standing before God by our performance, we will always end up in condemnation. But when we believe in the gift of righteousness that Jesus extends to us by grace, we are no longer condemned. What grace!
John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that the Light (the grace of God shown in Jesus Christ) has come into the world, and men loved darkness (condemnation and judgment of others) rather than light (grace and truth), because their deeds were evil (motivated by pride or independence from God). For everyone practicing evil (self-righteousness or independence from God and His grace) hates the light (grace) and does not come to the light (grace) lest his deeds should be exposed (his pride and independence from God). But he who does the truth comes to the light (grace), that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God (in union or dependence upon God and His grace)."
John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." This wrath of God is the Old Testament mindset of condemnation. This mindset of the wrath of God comes from the Old Testament Law. When we believe in New Testament grace through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we have everlasting life and the darkness of condemnation is expelled from our thinking.
Keith Oliver
Jesus made a reference to an Old Testament story back in Numbers 21:4-9. The people had spoken against God and against Moses. Under Old Testament Law, they had a conditional covenant. If they obeyed God, blessing would be theirs. If they disobeyed God, they would be cursed. When they sinned, serpents came and bit them and many people died. When they confessed their sin, God told Moses to make a fiery serpent out of bronze and put it on a pole, and whoever had been bitten, when they looked upon the bronze serpent, shall live. The bronze serpent on a pole was a type of Christ being lifted up on the cross for our sins. This Old Testament story also shows that Jesus suffered for our healing. When they looked at the fiery bronze serpent, they were healed from the serpent bites. When we look at Christ lifted up on the cross for our sins, we receive forgiveness for our sins. When we see that He was beaten and bruised for us, we see that by His stripes we are healed. Jesus healed people of every type of sickness and disease during His earthly ministry, as well as forgiving people of their sins. He is the same yesterday, today and forever.
But notice a major difference in the New Testament with the grace of God through our Lord Jesus Christ. God initiates sending His Son to bear the punishment for our sins when we were already under condemnation from the Old Testament Law. Grace is unconditional. God initiated this action independent of our obedience to Him. God so loves us that He sent Jesus, even when we were helpless. This is the difference between the Old Testament law and New Testament grace.
God did not send His Son Jesus into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved. Notice what Jesus said in verse 18. He who does not believe is condemned already. This described John with his Old Testament Law mindset of condemnation. It describes the state we are in before we believe in Jesus; we are in condemnation in our thinking. When we try to earn our right-standing before God by our performance, we will always end up in condemnation. But when we believe in the gift of righteousness that Jesus extends to us by grace, we are no longer condemned. What grace!
John 3:19-21 "And this is the condemnation, that the Light (the grace of God shown in Jesus Christ) has come into the world, and men loved darkness (condemnation and judgment of others) rather than light (grace and truth), because their deeds were evil (motivated by pride or independence from God). For everyone practicing evil (self-righteousness or independence from God and His grace) hates the light (grace) and does not come to the light (grace) lest his deeds should be exposed (his pride and independence from God). But he who does the truth comes to the light (grace), that his deeds may be clearly seen, that they have been done in God (in union or dependence upon God and His grace)."
John 3:36 "He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." This wrath of God is the Old Testament mindset of condemnation. This mindset of the wrath of God comes from the Old Testament Law. When we believe in New Testament grace through Jesus' sacrifice on the cross, we have everlasting life and the darkness of condemnation is expelled from our thinking.
Keith Oliver
John Chapter 1 Continued
John 1:29-34 "The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world. This is He of whom I said, "After me comes a Man who is preferred before me, for He was before me. I did not know Him; but that He should be revealed to Israel, therefore I came baptizing with water." And John bore witness, saying, "I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and He remained upon Him. I did not know Him, but He who sent me to baptize with water said to me, "Upon whom you see the Spirit descending, and remaining on Him, this is He who baptizes with the Holy Spirit." And I have seen and testified that this is the Son of God."
Jesus came for two main purposes, according to John the Baptist: Jesus was the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, and He is the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. His main goal was not to remove the sin of the world. His main goal was to baptize or immerse us in the Spirit of God, so that we are reunited with God again and His Spirit can live in us. No one in the Old Testament had the Spirit of God dwelling in them permanently. For God to dwell in us permanently by the Holy Spirit, Jesus had to bear our sin and suffer the penalty of sin. We are freely justified before God by His grace, demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus. He can now come and live in us because the debt for sin has been paid.
This saying that Jesus would be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world would have been shocking to the ears of the Jewish people who heard it. In the Old Testament, the lamb sacrifice was just for the sins of the Jewish people. John was proclaiming that Jesus would take away the sin of the whole world. This would have to be for every sin that we have committed in the past or ever will commit in the future. You and I were not even born yet. Every sin you and I have ever committed in the past or ever will commit in the future were all future sins when Christ died. 1 John 2:2 "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." So John said the same thing in the epistle of 1 John that he said in the gospel of John. Even for those in the world who have not accepted the gospel, Jesus has already paid for their sins. All they have to do is hear and believe the Good News, then God can come and dwell in them by the Holy Spirit.
The lamb sacrifice in the Old Testament is a type and shadow of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The sacrifices under the Old Testament were for only one sin at a time, or at best for all the sins committed in ignorance for one year, according to Hebrews 9:7. But Hebrews 10:12 states that Jesus made one sacrifice for sins forever. This is in complete contrast to the daily sacrifices and one yearly sacrifice under the Old Testament.
The water baptism of John in the wilderness was a type and shadow of the baptism in the Holy Spirit that Jesus came to give us under the New Testament. Even though the people were immersed in the waters of the river Jordan by John the Baptist, the water was not in them. But when Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God dwells within us and upon us. If the sins of our entire lifetime were not already paid for, God could not dwell in us by the Holy Spirit. The very fact that He dwells in us shows us that our sins are remitted. Our Christian growth really begins with the acceptance of the fact that our sins are forgiven. In 1 John 2:12 "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." John is speaking to little children in the faith. The first thing we should learn is that our sins are forgiven. Unfortunately, far too many churches teach that our past sins are forgiven, but our present and future sins are new offenses that separate us from fellowship with God. This teaching will cause us to stay baby Christians and keep us from maturity in Christ. These types of ideas will leave us insecure in our relationship with God. Know that Jesus made one sacrifice for sins forever, as Hebrews 10:12 states. He paid for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future.
Keith Oliver
Jesus came for two main purposes, according to John the Baptist: Jesus was the Lamb of God who took away the sin of the world, and He is the One who baptizes us with the Holy Spirit. His main goal was not to remove the sin of the world. His main goal was to baptize or immerse us in the Spirit of God, so that we are reunited with God again and His Spirit can live in us. No one in the Old Testament had the Spirit of God dwelling in them permanently. For God to dwell in us permanently by the Holy Spirit, Jesus had to bear our sin and suffer the penalty of sin. We are freely justified before God by His grace, demonstrated to us in Christ Jesus. He can now come and live in us because the debt for sin has been paid.
This saying that Jesus would be the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world would have been shocking to the ears of the Jewish people who heard it. In the Old Testament, the lamb sacrifice was just for the sins of the Jewish people. John was proclaiming that Jesus would take away the sin of the whole world. This would have to be for every sin that we have committed in the past or ever will commit in the future. You and I were not even born yet. Every sin you and I have ever committed in the past or ever will commit in the future were all future sins when Christ died. 1 John 2:2 "And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only, but also for the whole world." So John said the same thing in the epistle of 1 John that he said in the gospel of John. Even for those in the world who have not accepted the gospel, Jesus has already paid for their sins. All they have to do is hear and believe the Good News, then God can come and dwell in them by the Holy Spirit.
The lamb sacrifice in the Old Testament is a type and shadow of the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross. The sacrifices under the Old Testament were for only one sin at a time, or at best for all the sins committed in ignorance for one year, according to Hebrews 9:7. But Hebrews 10:12 states that Jesus made one sacrifice for sins forever. This is in complete contrast to the daily sacrifices and one yearly sacrifice under the Old Testament.
The water baptism of John in the wilderness was a type and shadow of the baptism in the Holy Spirit that Jesus came to give us under the New Testament. Even though the people were immersed in the waters of the river Jordan by John the Baptist, the water was not in them. But when Jesus baptizes us with the Holy Spirit, the Spirit of God dwells within us and upon us. If the sins of our entire lifetime were not already paid for, God could not dwell in us by the Holy Spirit. The very fact that He dwells in us shows us that our sins are remitted. Our Christian growth really begins with the acceptance of the fact that our sins are forgiven. In 1 John 2:12 "I write to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake." John is speaking to little children in the faith. The first thing we should learn is that our sins are forgiven. Unfortunately, far too many churches teach that our past sins are forgiven, but our present and future sins are new offenses that separate us from fellowship with God. This teaching will cause us to stay baby Christians and keep us from maturity in Christ. These types of ideas will leave us insecure in our relationship with God. Know that Jesus made one sacrifice for sins forever, as Hebrews 10:12 states. He paid for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future.
Keith Oliver
John Chapter 1 - Grace and Truth
The gospel of John reveals Jesus as being full of grace and truth. Jesus is a complete contrast from the Old Testament law, which produced condemnation. John 1:17-18 "For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jesus revealed Him as full of grace and truth)."
This opens up the main themes of the gospel of John represented in two major passages. John 8:31-32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you continue in My word (the word of grace and truth, not the Old Testament Law), you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." When we continue in the Word of grace brought by Jesus, we are His disciples. When we extend that grace and love to others, people can actually see that we are His disciples. As we continue in the Word of grace, it cleanses us of the guilt and condemnation in our hearts that we experienced under the Old Testament Law. Then that grace and love are extended through us to other people. His Word of grace will have come to full fruition in our lives. Grace is His gift of righteousness to us, forgiving us of all our sins. Truth is God working in and through us, as we extend grace to others and walk in love toward them.
The gospel of John reveals John's transition from an Old Testament mindset of Law and condemnation to seeing God's grace and love through the Person of Jesus Christ. John was raised as a Jew under the Old Testament Law. In Luke 9:51-56, John and his brother James wanted to call down fire to destroy a village that did not receive Jesus, in a manner similar to Elijah in the Old Testament. In Luke 9:55-56 Jesus rebuked them and said "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." This event was part of John's transition to understand God's grace and love. John saw that God, Who in the beginning created the heavens and the earth, is full of grace toward people.
Jesus used the words light and darkness often in the gospel of John. As we shall see, the light represents the grace and love of God that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ. God gives us grace and righteousness as a free gift through His Son Jesus. The darkness represents the accusations and condemnation and judgment produced under the Old Testament Law given through Moses. The Law of Moses is just and holy and good. But when we try to earn our right-standing with God through our own attempts at self-righteousness by trying to keep the Old Testament Law, it produces condemnation and shows us our need for a Savior. When Jesus forgave the woman caught in the midst of adultery in John chapter 8, He said "I am the light of the world (grace and love); he who follows Me (in not condemning people for their sins but offering them grace) shall not walk in darkness (accusing and condemning others for their sins), but shall have the light of life."
John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." In the beginning is a reference to Genesis 1:1 and the story of creation. John is stating that this God Who created the world in the beginning is a God Who is love. 1 John 4:8 states that God is love. His very life and nature is love and grace. That life, that grace and love, was the light of men.
John 1:5-14 "And the light (His grace demonstrated through Jesus) shines in the darkness (condemnation in the hearts of people), and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light (grace and truth) to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him (know that God is love). He came to His own (the Jewish people), and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
It is easy to see that Jesus is the Light. He is full of grace and truth. So the light is the grace of God extended to us through Jesus. Darkness or condemnation from the Old Testament Law is expelled from us when we receive the Light.
John 1:16-18 "And of His fullness (Jesus is full of grace and truth) we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jesus revealed God to be full of grace and truth and love for us)."
John is making a complete contrast between the Old Testament law, given through Moses, and the grace and truth by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The Old Testament Law brings the knowledge of sin and fear of punishment. But Jesus died for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future. We are made righteous by what Jesus did for us. We should have no more fear of punishment from God.
Keith Oliver
This opens up the main themes of the gospel of John represented in two major passages. John 8:31-32 "Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him, "If you continue in My word (the word of grace and truth, not the Old Testament Law), you are My disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Also John 13:34-35 "A new commandment I give to you, that you should love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another." When we continue in the Word of grace brought by Jesus, we are His disciples. When we extend that grace and love to others, people can actually see that we are His disciples. As we continue in the Word of grace, it cleanses us of the guilt and condemnation in our hearts that we experienced under the Old Testament Law. Then that grace and love are extended through us to other people. His Word of grace will have come to full fruition in our lives. Grace is His gift of righteousness to us, forgiving us of all our sins. Truth is God working in and through us, as we extend grace to others and walk in love toward them.
The gospel of John reveals John's transition from an Old Testament mindset of Law and condemnation to seeing God's grace and love through the Person of Jesus Christ. John was raised as a Jew under the Old Testament Law. In Luke 9:51-56, John and his brother James wanted to call down fire to destroy a village that did not receive Jesus, in a manner similar to Elijah in the Old Testament. In Luke 9:55-56 Jesus rebuked them and said "You do not know what manner of spirit you are of. For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men's lives but to save them." This event was part of John's transition to understand God's grace and love. John saw that God, Who in the beginning created the heavens and the earth, is full of grace toward people.
Jesus used the words light and darkness often in the gospel of John. As we shall see, the light represents the grace and love of God that was demonstrated in Jesus Christ. God gives us grace and righteousness as a free gift through His Son Jesus. The darkness represents the accusations and condemnation and judgment produced under the Old Testament Law given through Moses. The Law of Moses is just and holy and good. But when we try to earn our right-standing with God through our own attempts at self-righteousness by trying to keep the Old Testament Law, it produces condemnation and shows us our need for a Savior. When Jesus forgave the woman caught in the midst of adultery in John chapter 8, He said "I am the light of the world (grace and love); he who follows Me (in not condemning people for their sins but offering them grace) shall not walk in darkness (accusing and condemning others for their sins), but shall have the light of life."
John 1:1-4 "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men." In the beginning is a reference to Genesis 1:1 and the story of creation. John is stating that this God Who created the world in the beginning is a God Who is love. 1 John 4:8 states that God is love. His very life and nature is love and grace. That life, that grace and love, was the light of men.
John 1:5-14 "And the light (His grace demonstrated through Jesus) shines in the darkness (condemnation in the hearts of people), and the darkness did not comprehend it. There was a man sent from God, whose name was John (John the Baptist). This man came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all through him might believe. He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light. That was the true Light which gives light (grace and truth) to every man coming into the world. He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him (know that God is love). He came to His own (the Jewish people), and His own did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name; who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word (Jesus) became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth."
It is easy to see that Jesus is the Light. He is full of grace and truth. So the light is the grace of God extended to us through Jesus. Darkness or condemnation from the Old Testament Law is expelled from us when we receive the Light.
John 1:16-18 "And of His fullness (Jesus is full of grace and truth) we have all received, and grace upon grace. For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him (Jesus revealed God to be full of grace and truth and love for us)."
John is making a complete contrast between the Old Testament law, given through Moses, and the grace and truth by Jesus Christ in the New Testament. The Old Testament Law brings the knowledge of sin and fear of punishment. But Jesus died for the sins of our entire lifetime, past, present and future. We are made righteous by what Jesus did for us. We should have no more fear of punishment from God.
Keith Oliver
Friday, December 18, 2015
Our Identity in Christ and in the kingdom of God - Matthew chapters 16 and 17
Jesus is teaching His disciples in a systematic manner in the gospel of Matthew. He tells them about their identity in Christ and what they look like in the spirit or in the kingdom of God.
Matthew 16:13-19 "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Phillippe, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon answered and said 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Peter first recognizes Jesus for Who He is, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter recognizes Jesus for Who He is spiritually, the Son of God, God dwelling with them in the flesh. Jesus then calls Simon by his given name, but then calls him Peter. Jesus sees Simon spiritually as well and calls him Peter, which means rock or stone. Jesus then says that upon this rock I will build my church. This rock is not Peter, but the revelation that God will live in people. God did not dwell in any of the Old Testament saints, but He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus is going to show the disciples what they look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God in the beginning of chapter 17. God dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit is the rock upon which the church is built. It is the key to understanding the kingdom of God within us.
Matthew 16:21-23 "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus did not say that Peter was Satan. He was saying that Peter was not thinking about spiritual matters but upon the natural things of men. Peter had changed from thinking about spiritual realities just a few moments ago, recognizing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Matthew 16:24-28 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (deny his identity in the flesh) and take up his cross, and follow Me (recognize who we are in the spirit realm). For whoever desires to save his life (psyche or old thought life) will lose it (his new spiritual identity), but whoever loses his life (his old thought life) for my sake will find it (his new spiritual identity). For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul (his spiritual identity)? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (his thought life or his new identity)? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Luke 9:27 makes this more clear to our thinking. "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
Jesus is getting ready to reveal to some of His disciples, Peter, James and John, what we look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God, which is within us when we are born again. Many teachers describe the Mount of Transfiguration in different ways and to mean different things. But it doesn't help me to know that Jesus was transfigured in the past or that He will be transfigured in the future when He appears. It does benefit me to know what I look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God right now. God is dwelling in me by His Spirit. My spirit has been transformed and shines as light on the inside of me. That is what Jesus is revealing to His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration in the first verses of Matthew 17.
Matthew 17:1-5 "Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Peter refers to this experience in the epistle of 2 Peter. 2 Peter 1:4 "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (promises) you may be partakers of the divine nature (the glory of God inside of us when we are born again), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (our flesh that is not yet redeemed).
He continues to refer to this experience later in the first chapter of 2 Peter. Verse 16-19 "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed (we have a more sure word of prophecy, more sure than what we heard or saw on the holy mountain), which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;"
Of all the things that Peter could have said, what is the conclusion that Peter drew from this experience? We are to pay close attention to the revelation that Jesus gave us of who we are, until the light dawns within our hearts and the morning star (sun) arises in YOUR HEARTS. We are to hold on to the revelation of who we are in the spirit realm or the kingdom of God until the kingdom of God is revealed in and through us.
Keith Oliver
Matthew 16:13-19 "When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Phillippe, He asked His disciples, saying, "Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?" So they said, "Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets." He said to them, "But who do you say that I am?" Simon answered and said 'You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God." Jesus answered and said to him, "Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah, for flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. And I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven."
Peter first recognizes Jesus for Who He is, the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Peter recognizes Jesus for Who He is spiritually, the Son of God, God dwelling with them in the flesh. Jesus then calls Simon by his given name, but then calls him Peter. Jesus sees Simon spiritually as well and calls him Peter, which means rock or stone. Jesus then says that upon this rock I will build my church. This rock is not Peter, but the revelation that God will live in people. God did not dwell in any of the Old Testament saints, but He dwells in us through the Holy Spirit in the New Testament. Jesus is going to show the disciples what they look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God in the beginning of chapter 17. God dwelling in us through the Holy Spirit is the rock upon which the church is built. It is the key to understanding the kingdom of God within us.
Matthew 16:21-23 "From that time Jesus began to show to His disciples that He must go to Jerusalem, and suffer many things from the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day. Then Peter took Him aside and began to rebuke Him, saying, "Far be it from You, Lord; this shall not happen to You!" But He turned and said to Peter, "Get behind Me, Satan! You are an offense to Me, for you are not mindful of the things of God, but the things of men."
Jesus did not say that Peter was Satan. He was saying that Peter was not thinking about spiritual matters but upon the natural things of men. Peter had changed from thinking about spiritual realities just a few moments ago, recognizing that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God.
Matthew 16:24-28 "Then Jesus said to His disciples, "If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself (deny his identity in the flesh) and take up his cross, and follow Me (recognize who we are in the spirit realm). For whoever desires to save his life (psyche or old thought life) will lose it (his new spiritual identity), but whoever loses his life (his old thought life) for my sake will find it (his new spiritual identity). For what profit is it to a man if he gains the whole world and loses his own soul (his spiritual identity)? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul (his thought life or his new identity)? For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works. Assuredly, I say to you, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom."
Luke 9:27 makes this more clear to our thinking. "But I tell you truly, there are some standing here who shall not taste death till they see the kingdom of God."
Jesus is getting ready to reveal to some of His disciples, Peter, James and John, what we look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God, which is within us when we are born again. Many teachers describe the Mount of Transfiguration in different ways and to mean different things. But it doesn't help me to know that Jesus was transfigured in the past or that He will be transfigured in the future when He appears. It does benefit me to know what I look like in the spirit realm or in the kingdom of God right now. God is dwelling in me by His Spirit. My spirit has been transformed and shines as light on the inside of me. That is what Jesus is revealing to His disciples on the Mount of Transfiguration in the first verses of Matthew 17.
Matthew 17:1-5 "Now after six days Jesus took Peter, James and John his brother, led them up on a high mountain by themselves; and He was transfigured before them. His face shone like the sun, and His clothes became as white as the light. And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him. Then Peter answered and said to Jesus, "Lord, it is good for us to be here; if You wish, let us make here three tabernacles: one for You, one for Moses, and one for Elijah." While he was still speaking, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them; and suddenly a voice came out of the cloud, saying, "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. Hear Him!"
Peter refers to this experience in the epistle of 2 Peter. 2 Peter 1:4 "by which have been given to us exceedingly great and precious promises, that through these (promises) you may be partakers of the divine nature (the glory of God inside of us when we are born again), having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust (our flesh that is not yet redeemed).
He continues to refer to this experience later in the first chapter of 2 Peter. Verse 16-19 "For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: "This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased." And we heard this voice which came from heaven when we were with Him on the holy mountain. And so we have the prophetic word confirmed (we have a more sure word of prophecy, more sure than what we heard or saw on the holy mountain), which you do well to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts;"
Of all the things that Peter could have said, what is the conclusion that Peter drew from this experience? We are to pay close attention to the revelation that Jesus gave us of who we are, until the light dawns within our hearts and the morning star (sun) arises in YOUR HEARTS. We are to hold on to the revelation of who we are in the spirit realm or the kingdom of God until the kingdom of God is revealed in and through us.
Keith Oliver
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