alex1939...Hiya Guy Gbu very good question...Jesus had no sin but according to the law he cd not offend in any place till all was fulfilled...Moses law cd not be offened in any place till all was fulfilled..I come not to do away with the law but to fulfill the law...Moses law said that 2 turtle doves had to be washed by running water and the Jordan was running water and 1 of the doves had to be a sacrficial Dove...He had to be killed and his blood sprinkled on the living bird...Thats what the dove the H.G. was trying to tell us when he descended on Jesus...And John said he that has the bride is the bridegroom...Husbands love your wives as Christ LOVED THE church and gave his life for it..One dove had to give his life for the living bird...Thats y that dove descened on Jesus....Jesus had no sin but he had to be washed by running water b/c of Moses law...In Song of Solomon the 2 lovers are Christ and the Church and they refer to each other as having doves eyes...Jesus was our sacrificial Dove that had to be washed by running water the Jordan and killed and his blood sprinkled on the living bird the Church...Then the living bird was set free in an open field..Whom the son sets free is free indeed..As the king sets at his table my spicknard sends forth a sweet smell..thats when Mary broke the alabaster box sending a sweet smell all thru the house...Moses law said that if the leperous house was made clean a sweet smell had to be OFFERED UP all thru the house...Jesus was in the house of Simon the leper when Mary broke her alabaster box...We are all in the house of Simon b/c of sin..But Jesus said you are made clean by the word i have spoken unto you..Jesus answers to that sacrificial dove whos blood was sprinkled on the living bird the Church...As Jesus was the living word made flesh and blood..But it was only b/c of the law of Moses that Jesus was water baptised..Not for sin...Jesus cd not offend, thus he became our sacrificial dove..Thats y the dove descended on Jesus.
Even when we act in the flesh as ww often do, we grieve the Holyspirit and the urge we get on the inside to correct ourselves comes from the Holyspirit. Paul says it best in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."
I can speak a little on Jesus' baptism. I do agree with the things GiGi has shared in that the triune nature of God was revealed during His baptism.
But as far as Jesus being baptized to be cleansed of sin, you are correct in saying He has no sin. So we can rule out that as being the purpose for His baptism.
If we look at Matthew Chapter 3, we see Jesus coming to John to be baptized by him. But John didn't want to do it.
In Matthew 3:15, Jesus answers and says to John, allow it to be for now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered, (or allowed) Him.
Notice it says becomes "us" to fulfill all righteousness.
It is the fulfillment of Exodus 29:4. to fulfill all righteousness! And there are some things that are very interesting about Jesus' coming.
At 30 years of age, that is the age of the priesthood. According to Numbers 4:30, it was 30 years of age.
The priest had to go through a MIKVEH, (a baptism). They had to be baptized from head to toe. The washing, or the MIKVEH of the priesthood is in Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 4.
But, Moses was supposed to do the baptizing! That is interesting because here is John the baptizer standing there and Jesus says this is for "us" to fulfill all righteousness.
And so John is stepping in the place of Moses and baptizing Jesus for the priesthood. The anointing of the priesthood is in Exodus 29:7. They were anointed with oil.
Now all of this information is to bring us back to our text. Jesus was 30 years of age, and in order for Him to officially, according to the law, enter into His priesthood according to the Jews, He would have to be baptized.
So that is why He was baptized, not to be cleansed from sin, as you rightfully said, but to fulfill a requirement for Him to enter into His ministry.
Why did Jesus get baptized? Matthew 3:15...And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to FULFIL ALL RIGHTEOUSNESS. Then he suffered (baptized) him.
Jesus was our example. He did no sin, but he went through the process he expects us to go through. As for the Holy Ghost, it appeared in the bodily shape of a dove. And remember God spoke saying, "this is my son in whom I am well pleased." What this shows you is God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost (or as some say, The Trinity). God is not Jesus and Jesus is not God. They are two seperate beings.
John 1:1...In the beginning was the Word (notice the capitalization), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
I submit to you God as in God the Son. Not God the Father. I have the same last name as my father, but I'm NOT my father. Hopefully that makes sense.
Genesis 1:26...And God said, Let us (us means more than one, so who else was he talking to? Jesus! Remember, he was from the beginning) make man in OUR (there's another word that means more than one) image, after OUR likeness: and let them have ominion...
If on some point you either misunderstand them or disagree with them . You stop and face each other and either get the misunderstanding resolved or come into agreement and carry on or if impossible you part company .
Paul is not an easy man to follow ,but we are in good company because Peter found somethings " hard to understand" .
Nevertheless what did Paul speak of those ministers to the church are to do?
Perfect the body " till we all come to a unity of THE faith"
To the same understanding ,of the same mind not his or mine or yours but Christs . " Let this mind be in you as it was in christ.
Not blindly ( without understanding) following the blind but as the Holy Spirit leads them so He leads you for did not Paul say " be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ "?
We have too many of Gods people blindly following they know not who or what who not only are hirelings but make " merchandise of Gods people"
Is it not written that if the Holy Spirit dwells in you ," you have no need of any to teach you" some then say ' well I have the Holy Spirit your not teaching me!. But that is not so. For has not zGod seen fit to give " teachers" to the church? Pray for them for they will have to answer to Almighty God how they have and what they have taught .
But it does mean that even as the Spirit of truth has borne witness with their spirit that they are now the children of zGod if so be that is the case . Then He the Spirit of truth will bare witness to the truth as it is also spoken in Christ .
Or not as the case may be . Thus by Ora time we learn to discern good from evil.
It is not then the blind leading the blind but the Holy Spirit leading us all .
For is it not written by John that if any be of God they will receive my words"?
We are not meant to blindly follow anyone . Least of all politicians and self appointed religious leaders .
The finest exponent of this is Paul the beloved Apostle .
The finest examples of it are the letters to the Romans and Hebrews .
In one of the UK newspapers they regularly publish the findings of the Appeal courts judgements .
I'm no lawyer but what they do is state the case which is up for appeal and then argue line line upon line step each following step till they reach their conclusion, A trained mind can follow the argument and if the argument is sound will reach the same conclusion . Thus Justice is seen or understood to be done by all .
But if the argument is not sound or has some fault in it then there may well be grounds for an appeal for you cannot reach the conclusion (whatever it is) if the steps do not properly follow the other ,
For you must start with the truth and with each step speak the truth and by such means you can ,if you follow the argument arrive at the truth . And the appeal is dismissed or upheld in law.
Paul in both those letters speaking primarily to Gentiles and Jews is seeking to prove some thing. To the Jews that Jesus was and is the promised messiah among other things .
To the Gentiles concerning the Law among other things and proving both Jew and gentile are both sold unto sin and the answer fir both .There is much more but what he is doing is arguing his case going from step to step climbing a mountain and as everyone does ,he stops for a rest and like everyone does looks back and sees where he has come thus far and says " therefore " in the light of all that has been said so far " count yourself dead to sin.." let's that sink in and continues the climb stopping here or there for the same reasons.
"How can two walk together unless they agree"? If anyone has ever had a serious conversation with their father or someone they respect you walk . Not looking at one another but often with heads down as you listen carefully to each other and considering what they say .
Just because their bodies did not die for another 800 years does not mean they did not die on the very day that they did eat of it .
Personally I think God had created man with so much life it took that long for that death that now reigned in him to manifest itself .Now it only takes 70 years or so .
For are we not " dead in trespasses and in sin"? Yet we are to all appearances alive .
Many will have Christmas trees in their living rooms . They look green and alive . But because they are cut off at the root they are in fact dead and that death will soon begin to manifest itself anon.
And all the lights and tinsel and even the false fruit of those baubles will not make it otherwise .
So we should believe God that he means what he said and he says what he means .
For then we might come "to know Him who is from the beginning "
It was not believing God that in the day ye eat if it "you shall surely " and believing the lie " ye shall not surely die " that has led the world and all of mankind into the sorry mess it is in now .
For the devil not only "changed the truth into a lie" by simply adding ' not' but told a half truth , for on the face of it they did not .
Are we now to think the devil speaks the truth and God has the character of the devil !?
God was right in the beginning and has always spoken the truth and is right now also and every will be.
The devil on the other hand that arch deceiver was a liar in the beginning and is the father of all lies .
That day and hour when he will be forced to bow his knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord will not be to his salvation but everlasting contempt and damnation.
Indeed that victory has already been accomplished when Jesus died for sin and thus stripped him of all power and authority .
For the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law .
But that victory obtained unseen will also one day be manifested but we can by faith enjoy it now .
Saul of Tarsus was indeed a very gifted man full of zeal " but without knowledge" when he was converted he was still full of zeal but now with knowledge and a proper understanding of the scriptures which his knowledge of all those languages did not give him.
Your right it does not specifically say that Paul spent 3 years in the Arabian desert unlearning and learning and getting an understanding of the scriptures he had not got sitting at the feet of Gamaliel who was considered the greatest teacher of his day .
But given we are instructed to " rightly divide " the Word of God is it unreasonable the Lord showed him how to do so?
The letter to the Romans ( gentiles) and the letter to the Hebrews are in my humble opinion the greatest examples of the lost art of Biblical argument .Where he not only leads up,the mountain of exposition but also stops (as all men do climbing one)and looks back and says in effect in the light of all this " therefore consider yourselves dead to sin and alive unto God." Then leads us further up,the hill .occasionally stopping as before .
I find him not an easy man to follow or to walk with , but goodness me well worth the effort and I'm in good company because Peter had the same problem .
I'll say therefore again knowing Greek or Hebrew is no guarantee and I'm thankful to him who pointed it out with regards to predestination . I can't argue in Greek . But while it may say destined in Greek (though I do wonder if that's all it says or means )it would be wrong to put it in English . It must be predestined in English . For no man is destined for that would make him have some inherent characteristic which would make him worthy of it .
It is due to the foreknowledge and predetermined will and working of God . Thus it must be PRE destined .
Yet a careful reading of the scriptures shows they actually stated in Jerusalem . Perhaps thinking that as the Lord said it in that order we must do it in that order . It was not until persecution came that those 3000+ disciples were scattered to the four winds " preaching the gospel" that the whole world soon knew of it . There is written evidence that the gospels reached the shores of the UK in only 30 to 50 years of Gods fulfilment of His promise to mankind in the garden of Eden.
No wonder the great host of heaven being a very disciplined lot were silent while the angel gave the message to the shepherds but once given could no longer keep their joy to themselves and let loose! And heaven broke its banks .
I would suggest the church has lost much ground for what that generation achieved in spite of great persecution we seem to have achieved very little . Some seem to think those of the reformation has very little faith . Yet they with their " little" turned the world upside down ,yet they who boast in so much do very little .
I'm reminded of the Tower of Babel . For God told that generation to go out into all the world. But they found a nice spot and said let us make a name for ourselves and build us a tower .
Yet if that Greek is true and it was 'destined ' that word destined in English would imply if not state that there was or is something inherently worthy of that which it is destined for .
That clearly and theologically and doctrinally is impossible .
For no man is worthy of anything and there is nothing in man that is destined for anything but hell and damnation .
Therefore while you can argue the Greek word means 'destined ' in the context of zGod Almighty the right English word to be used is " predestined" pre - before . For anything we might become has nothing to do with us or inherent in us ( for in our flesh there is no good thing) but was and Is due to the foreknowledge and determined council of His own will and it's out working .
As for any other translations they simply make the matter worse .
This is no slight on the previous writer ,but rather to show how translations cannot be automatically go from one to the other .
It is an awful responsibility to translate the Word of God and no man should take it upon himself to do so. For to get it wrong iscto at best mislead and confuse people who read it thinking they have the light when in fact it is darkness .
For the record ,I do not know Greek or indeed Hebrew . But I do know English . If then someone says they have a better understanding of the text in the original language let them explain their understanding in English . If they can't or don't or say you are not qualified then you should seriously doubt their understanding .
Another writer explained wisely how in Pakistan he had to be careful in making sure the translators had it right . So do we in English .
Thanks for that ,I find languages fascinating. Having married a French woman it was interesting how many English words and French are much the same but used very differently.
Desolate being one . In English desolation is like a land stripped bare of vegetation after some catastrophe or a city in ruins . In France if you went into a shop and they did not have what you wanted in stock they would say ( in French) I am desolated we don't have any . A somewhat exaggerated form of "I'm sorry ".
In comparison the French language is very limited English being very rich and of a much greater range of its expressive forms .
Capable of expressing quite abstract and complex concepts .
I have no objections at all in people wanting to learn Hebrew or Greek ( how could I?) what my contention is if you will is that learning ' the original text' no more guarantees you understanding the Word of God as knowing English does . My argument to uphold that is that neither Saul of Tarsus or many of the Pharisees or Sadducee's or Drs of the law despite it being their mother tongue understood it either . Subjecting the Word of God to their intellect rather than subjecting their minds to the Spirit of God .
Saul who later became Paul spent three years unlearning what he had learnt at the feet of Gamaliel and got things so right at the feet of Jesus .
As I have already said many if not most of the new translations boast in their " better understanding" but show their lack in the very first verse of the very first book ! I know of two versions that have wrongly translated a verse in revelations 3 from " IN" to 'ON' and so make themselves God .
How is that possible?
Men lean more upon their own understanding either of Greek hebrew or English ! Rather upon Him who leads us into all truth .
I think if a man learns Greek or Hebrew which cannot be unprofitable has to be even more careful to lean not upon his understanding for reasons given above in those examples .
That's 1 way to look at it. Day definition as span of time. Psalms 90:4, 2Peter 3:8,
Genesis 3, Also a Spiritual death, that happened immediately, the results of which were immediate fear, instead of trust to their creator. Feeling naked before GOD, & man etc. Matthew 8:22, Luke 9:60, Romans 5:12-21,
I'm sorry , my fault I guess I didn't make myself clear , when God said that in the day thou eatest thou shalt die , and then on the day that Adam and Eve ( 24hour day) did eat , they did not die , but lived another 800 years as Gerald said , then a possible explanation of that is because , one day is a thousand years and a thousand years is as one day to God as stated in 1st Peter I think . Sorry for not being clear in my post .
Thank you brother for that pertinent message focussed on Truth. Just to share a little of my own experience in Pakistan on this matter of the Word of God, which is Truth, & how it can be translated & give a different meaning to another of a different language group.
In preparation to share in a Bible study with a group of believers, I spoke to my Pakistani brother, who was fluent in both Urdu & Punjabi, about certain words that I would refer to in the study. My passage was from 1 John 4:7-11. As is common practise, the speaker would first verify certain words that the translator may not be familiar with or if the meaning given is different to what the Bible teaches. I didn't refer to the Greek here, as this was unnecessary for the audience, but asked this brother how he understood & would translate the word, 'propitiation' (as in verse 10)?
He mentioned the Urdu word he would use in his translation, would be 'kaffare', as this is the word given in the Urdu Bible. I then asked what he personally understood of that word. He replied, 'when we see that word, it means 'atonement'. I asked, 'do you see any other meaning in it?' Apparently not. So, I needed to include the full meaning of propitiation, which is not just an atonement, but really an appeasement of an Holy God angered by sin & its hold on man. The brother didn't know any of this & hopefully, by using my English Bible (& by the way, the Greek also agrees to it), some believers were brought to a better knowledge of the "breadth, length, depth and height" of God's love towards us sinners.
So, in one sense, we are a different language group to those of NT days who spoke other languages, with the NT written in Koine Greek. As much as our KJV NT is properly translated from Greek, often a better appreciation can be had if we could actually read it in Greek & not rely on a translation which at best may not deliver the best meaning in English. What we have is good & profitable; the original would be better.
Who is the owner of this physical world ..aaj in whose hands this world has been taught....we have taught the truth according to the Bible ... O brother, I am not accepting anything (other brother pastor) says that God is the master of this physical world.
The 12 apostles did hat God had commanded them to do, go into all of the world and make disciples of all nation, not just the Jews. They baptized new believers in water as Jesus commanded in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They healed people of diseases and did miracles. They dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel of Jesus to all who would receive it and be converted. The spread of Christianity to the whole known world at that time is attributed to all of these people called by Jesus along with Paul. And I am thankful they all were obedient even to the point of martyrdom, which happened to all but John.
Dear Gerald, Interesting reply. I always find it helpful to know the Greek or Hebrew meaning of words used in our English Bibles.
On another trac. The Scripture nowhere says that Paul's time in the desert with the Lord was to teach Paul to "rightly divide the
Scriptures" as you stated. Although I do think that Jesus opened up the Scriptures to Paul as He did to the apostles before He ascended. I do think that Jesus enlightened Paul's intellect to gain deep understanding of the Gospel Jesus preached, concerning grace and the law, and connecting the O.T. to what Jesus told Him about Himself.
Jesus chose a very gifted man, Paul, to be the be a missionary evangelist on a large scale and an inspired writer of Scripture to help the Christians in the churches he planted and spoke in their congregations multiple times. Paul knew the O.T. better than most Scribes and Pharisees. He had first-hand experience with the Greek and Roman world, knew Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and was used of God to spread the one Gospel Jesus taught Him and the apostles to communicate to the world. Paul was chosen by God to write the profound spiritual truths Jesus taught him in ways that others can understand and wrote out defenses for the faith against false teachers. The other apostles did the same thing, but we do not have their writings preserved like Paul's.
Those who put together the canon of the New Testament did have many writings to consider, but chose the ones that had been read to most of the churches over time, were accepted as Scriptural truth by most of the churches of the time, and presented doctrine in truthful ways. Paul was one of a select group of disciples to have written letters to their congregations and many of his letters were well preserved with multiple copies of the same letters to check for accuracy. Thus, the epistles are filled mostly with Paul's writing.
The other disciples/apostles, bishops, elders, preached and wrote the same things Paul preached and wrote.
I have to agree with you in that we can humble ourselves. I don't think I ever said that we cannot humble ourselves so I'm not sure where the disconnect is coming from?
I do believe that I can humble myself. But if I am doing the humbling then I have to contribute it to my flesh doing so. There is a difference between my flesh doing the humbling and the Lord doing the humbling.
You may not agree with me but I believe there is a difference between my flesh and the Spirit of Christ who lives in me. My flesh wants nothing to do with the things of the Lord.
It is God's Spirit in me that causes me to remain in submission to Him, not my flesh. My flesh will never humble itself before the Lord. Therefore, I must be humbled, and it has to come from Him. My flesh will never do anything spiritually pleasing to the Lord. It's His Spirit in me that causes me to be humbled before Him.
But can we humble ourselves? Yes we can. But if we're doing the humbling in the flesh, what is that to the Lord? In my own human effort, I can humble myself towards other people, but not toward the Lord.
I do have a question for you. Where you said you will find yourself in trouble and eventually humble yourself, my question is: in trouble with who?
Thank you for responding. I do appreciate the things you share.
You are right, Guy, Jesus as big fully God from eternity was consubstantial with the Father and the Spirit and at conception, as bring fully human, He was full of the Spirit in His human nature, too.
The baptism of Jesus happened to reveal to us the Triune nature of God, I believe. God is everywhere present, therefore each Person of the Godhead is everywhere present. But also, while being omni-present, each Person of the Godhead can be specifically present in a point in time and place and in us while still being everywhere present. Jesus' baptism is a good example of this.
No, we enter heaven with a resurrection body that us our earthly body purified, changed to be incorruptible and immortal, freed from the sinful nature, and completely restored to the perfection of Adam and Eve before the fall.
This chapter reminds me that we all needed to be cleansed by the washing of the word and the blood of Jesus to be acceptable in the sight of the Father. We should not want to bring our filthy bodies, soiled clothing, nor stained handiwork to present ourselves before God. The bathing in this chapter reminds me of the cleansing power of the Word, the washing of the clothing reminds me of the white raiment of Christ's righteousness we are clothed with, and the cleansing of any of our handiwork reminds of doing every work unto the glory of God.
The Israelites were instructed how to be cleansed in such a way to stand in the tabernacle before God. The idea of being unclean until evening (which is the beginning of the new day for the Israelites) reminds me that whenever we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from sin, thus starting anew just as the Israelites could start their new day clean before God having completed the requirements of this chapter. Behold, I make all things new! ( Revelation 21:5)
"even so let us walk in the newness of life" ( Romans 6:5) just as Jesus was raised to life from the dead.
The previous chapter was addressing skin contagions and the God-ordained process to deal with these infirmities and what a person is to do to be considered clean and thus able to join the congregation in the tent of meeting.
In this chapter God is addressing bodily issues. These are liquids that flow from private parts. The first part of the chapter speaks of a man having an infectious discharge. The middle part of the chapter speaks of a man emitting seminal fluid either involuntarily or during intercourse with his wife. The last part of the chapter speaks of the bleeding that happens when a woman does not become pregnant and thus sheds the uterine build up of the lining that builds up to receive a newly conceived implanted child. When conception does not happen, then menses follow. Also, it speaks to ta continued bleeding of a woman not related to a normal menses.
It is interesting how specific God is about determining cleanness of someone who will enter the tabernacle to worship Him. The infection is not in itself sinful. Neither seminal flow, nor intercourse, being normal relations between husband and wife by which they are fruitful and multiply as God commanded in Genesis 1. Neither is it sinful for a woman not to become pregnant and thus have her menses. The cycle of fertility is designed by God and good. So, I wonder why they are to offer a sin offering or burnt offering for things that are not in themselves sinful? I understand how they should bathe and wash clothing and for others to avoid touching them for hygienic reasons, but God is speaking more than about hygiene or disease control.
I think that God has these laws concerning normal bodily functions that are not sinful to remind the Israelites and us that we are fallen creatures even when we are not directly sinning. We are sinful through and through due to the fall of Adam and Eve. This is why we do not enter heaven in our this life's body...continued
John the Baptist denied not the truth but confessed the truth "He was not the Christ"
Jesus " gave a good confession before Christ"
With the heart a man believes and with his mouth confession is made unto salvation .
"God demands we speak the truth in the inward man "
"If we say we have no sin the truth is not in us"
God is light and when we draw near to God He reveals that which is hidden .
For man is lost and in darkness and does ot know even the condition of his own heart. " The heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all others and who can know it?"
But God in his great mercy and love leads us to the truth about our own heart .
In such a manner it is irrefutable and undeniable to ourselves and in private .
If we can't recognise the truth about ourselves who we do know ,how then could E recognise the truth about God who we don't?
And if we do not speak the truth ( confess it to God) about ourselves who we do know . How then could we speak the truth about God who we don't yet know?
False religions do not speak the truth about God about themselves or about you .
Yet all claim to know God and say theirs is the way .
Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father accept by me"
He spoke the truth did the truth walked in the truth and was and is the truth and the Light of the world .
Acts 3:16 is one I missed and a great example.
I'm also traveling and trying voice command that Isn't going well!
You have to have perfect pronunciations. I'm originally from Louisiana
I didn't realize my speech has so many issues.
I generally don't like to respond until I'm at home on the desktop.
GB
Even when we act in the flesh as ww often do, we grieve the Holyspirit and the urge we get on the inside to correct ourselves comes from the Holyspirit. Paul says it best in Romans 7:18, "For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will is present with me; but how to perform that which is good I find not."
GB.
I can speak a little on Jesus' baptism. I do agree with the things GiGi has shared in that the triune nature of God was revealed during His baptism.
But as far as Jesus being baptized to be cleansed of sin, you are correct in saying He has no sin. So we can rule out that as being the purpose for His baptism.
If we look at Matthew Chapter 3, we see Jesus coming to John to be baptized by him. But John didn't want to do it.
In Matthew 3:15, Jesus answers and says to John, allow it to be for now, for thus it becometh us to fulfill all righteousness. Then he suffered, (or allowed) Him.
Notice it says becomes "us" to fulfill all righteousness.
It is the fulfillment of Exodus 29:4. to fulfill all righteousness! And there are some things that are very interesting about Jesus' coming.
At 30 years of age, that is the age of the priesthood. According to Numbers 4:30, it was 30 years of age.
The priest had to go through a MIKVEH, (a baptism). They had to be baptized from head to toe. The washing, or the MIKVEH of the priesthood is in Exodus Chapter 29 Verse 4.
But, Moses was supposed to do the baptizing! That is interesting because here is John the baptizer standing there and Jesus says this is for "us" to fulfill all righteousness.
And so John is stepping in the place of Moses and baptizing Jesus for the priesthood. The anointing of the priesthood is in Exodus 29:7. They were anointed with oil.
Now all of this information is to bring us back to our text. Jesus was 30 years of age, and in order for Him to officially, according to the law, enter into His priesthood according to the Jews, He would have to be baptized.
So that is why He was baptized, not to be cleansed from sin, as you rightfully said, but to fulfill a requirement for Him to enter into His ministry.
The Lord is able to meet every need.
God is good ALL THE TIME.
Please pray for the (6 men) people on the bus yesterday. They all needed Jesus. So lost and broken.
:-(
Jesus was our example. He did no sin, but he went through the process he expects us to go through. As for the Holy Ghost, it appeared in the bodily shape of a dove. And remember God spoke saying, "this is my son in whom I am well pleased." What this shows you is God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost (or as some say, The Trinity). God is not Jesus and Jesus is not God. They are two seperate beings.
John 1:1...In the beginning was the Word (notice the capitalization), and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
I submit to you God as in God the Son. Not God the Father. I have the same last name as my father, but I'm NOT my father. Hopefully that makes sense.
Genesis 1:26...And God said, Let us (us means more than one, so who else was he talking to? Jesus! Remember, he was from the beginning) make man in OUR (there's another word that means more than one) image, after OUR likeness: and let them have ominion...
If on some point you either misunderstand them or disagree with them . You stop and face each other and either get the misunderstanding resolved or come into agreement and carry on or if impossible you part company .
Paul is not an easy man to follow ,but we are in good company because Peter found somethings " hard to understand" .
Nevertheless what did Paul speak of those ministers to the church are to do?
Perfect the body " till we all come to a unity of THE faith"
To the same understanding ,of the same mind not his or mine or yours but Christs . " Let this mind be in you as it was in christ.
Not blindly ( without understanding) following the blind but as the Holy Spirit leads them so He leads you for did not Paul say " be ye followers of me even as I am of Christ "?
We have too many of Gods people blindly following they know not who or what who not only are hirelings but make " merchandise of Gods people"
Is it not written that if the Holy Spirit dwells in you ," you have no need of any to teach you" some then say ' well I have the Holy Spirit your not teaching me!. But that is not so. For has not zGod seen fit to give " teachers" to the church? Pray for them for they will have to answer to Almighty God how they have and what they have taught .
But it does mean that even as the Spirit of truth has borne witness with their spirit that they are now the children of zGod if so be that is the case . Then He the Spirit of truth will bare witness to the truth as it is also spoken in Christ .
Or not as the case may be . Thus by Ora time we learn to discern good from evil.
It is not then the blind leading the blind but the Holy Spirit leading us all .
For is it not written by John that if any be of God they will receive my words"?
We are not meant to blindly follow anyone . Least of all politicians and self appointed religious leaders .
Nor indeed to blindly follow true men of God .
The finest exponent of this is Paul the beloved Apostle .
The finest examples of it are the letters to the Romans and Hebrews .
In one of the UK newspapers they regularly publish the findings of the Appeal courts judgements .
I'm no lawyer but what they do is state the case which is up for appeal and then argue line line upon line step each following step till they reach their conclusion, A trained mind can follow the argument and if the argument is sound will reach the same conclusion . Thus Justice is seen or understood to be done by all .
But if the argument is not sound or has some fault in it then there may well be grounds for an appeal for you cannot reach the conclusion (whatever it is) if the steps do not properly follow the other ,
For you must start with the truth and with each step speak the truth and by such means you can ,if you follow the argument arrive at the truth . And the appeal is dismissed or upheld in law.
Paul in both those letters speaking primarily to Gentiles and Jews is seeking to prove some thing. To the Jews that Jesus was and is the promised messiah among other things .
To the Gentiles concerning the Law among other things and proving both Jew and gentile are both sold unto sin and the answer fir both .There is much more but what he is doing is arguing his case going from step to step climbing a mountain and as everyone does ,he stops for a rest and like everyone does looks back and sees where he has come thus far and says " therefore " in the light of all that has been said so far " count yourself dead to sin.." let's that sink in and continues the climb stopping here or there for the same reasons.
"How can two walk together unless they agree"? If anyone has ever had a serious conversation with their father or someone they respect you walk . Not looking at one another but often with heads down as you listen carefully to each other and considering what they say .
Just because their bodies did not die for another 800 years does not mean they did not die on the very day that they did eat of it .
Personally I think God had created man with so much life it took that long for that death that now reigned in him to manifest itself .Now it only takes 70 years or so .
For are we not " dead in trespasses and in sin"? Yet we are to all appearances alive .
Many will have Christmas trees in their living rooms . They look green and alive . But because they are cut off at the root they are in fact dead and that death will soon begin to manifest itself anon.
And all the lights and tinsel and even the false fruit of those baubles will not make it otherwise .
So we should believe God that he means what he said and he says what he means .
For then we might come "to know Him who is from the beginning "
It was not believing God that in the day ye eat if it "you shall surely " and believing the lie " ye shall not surely die " that has led the world and all of mankind into the sorry mess it is in now .
For the devil not only "changed the truth into a lie" by simply adding ' not' but told a half truth , for on the face of it they did not .
Are we now to think the devil speaks the truth and God has the character of the devil !?
God was right in the beginning and has always spoken the truth and is right now also and every will be.
The devil on the other hand that arch deceiver was a liar in the beginning and is the father of all lies .
That day and hour when he will be forced to bow his knee and confess Jesus Christ is Lord will not be to his salvation but everlasting contempt and damnation.
Indeed that victory has already been accomplished when Jesus died for sin and thus stripped him of all power and authority .
For the sting of death is sin and the power of sin is the Law .
But that victory obtained unseen will also one day be manifested but we can by faith enjoy it now .
Your right it does not specifically say that Paul spent 3 years in the Arabian desert unlearning and learning and getting an understanding of the scriptures he had not got sitting at the feet of Gamaliel who was considered the greatest teacher of his day .
But given we are instructed to " rightly divide " the Word of God is it unreasonable the Lord showed him how to do so?
The letter to the Romans ( gentiles) and the letter to the Hebrews are in my humble opinion the greatest examples of the lost art of Biblical argument .Where he not only leads up,the mountain of exposition but also stops (as all men do climbing one)and looks back and says in effect in the light of all this " therefore consider yourselves dead to sin and alive unto God." Then leads us further up,the hill .occasionally stopping as before .
I find him not an easy man to follow or to walk with , but goodness me well worth the effort and I'm in good company because Peter had the same problem .
I'll say therefore again knowing Greek or Hebrew is no guarantee and I'm thankful to him who pointed it out with regards to predestination . I can't argue in Greek . But while it may say destined in Greek (though I do wonder if that's all it says or means )it would be wrong to put it in English . It must be predestined in English . For no man is destined for that would make him have some inherent characteristic which would make him worthy of it .
It is due to the foreknowledge and predetermined will and working of God . Thus it must be PRE destined .
No wonder the great host of heaven being a very disciplined lot were silent while the angel gave the message to the shepherds but once given could no longer keep their joy to themselves and let loose! And heaven broke its banks .
I would suggest the church has lost much ground for what that generation achieved in spite of great persecution we seem to have achieved very little . Some seem to think those of the reformation has very little faith . Yet they with their " little" turned the world upside down ,yet they who boast in so much do very little .
I'm reminded of the Tower of Babel . For God told that generation to go out into all the world. But they found a nice spot and said let us make a name for ourselves and build us a tower .
That clearly and theologically and doctrinally is impossible .
For no man is worthy of anything and there is nothing in man that is destined for anything but hell and damnation .
Therefore while you can argue the Greek word means 'destined ' in the context of zGod Almighty the right English word to be used is " predestined" pre - before . For anything we might become has nothing to do with us or inherent in us ( for in our flesh there is no good thing) but was and Is due to the foreknowledge and determined council of His own will and it's out working .
As for any other translations they simply make the matter worse .
This is no slight on the previous writer ,but rather to show how translations cannot be automatically go from one to the other .
It is an awful responsibility to translate the Word of God and no man should take it upon himself to do so. For to get it wrong iscto at best mislead and confuse people who read it thinking they have the light when in fact it is darkness .
For the record ,I do not know Greek or indeed Hebrew . But I do know English . If then someone says they have a better understanding of the text in the original language let them explain their understanding in English . If they can't or don't or say you are not qualified then you should seriously doubt their understanding .
Another writer explained wisely how in Pakistan he had to be careful in making sure the translators had it right . So do we in English .
Well spoken brother.
Desolate being one . In English desolation is like a land stripped bare of vegetation after some catastrophe or a city in ruins . In France if you went into a shop and they did not have what you wanted in stock they would say ( in French) I am desolated we don't have any . A somewhat exaggerated form of "I'm sorry ".
In comparison the French language is very limited English being very rich and of a much greater range of its expressive forms .
Capable of expressing quite abstract and complex concepts .
I have no objections at all in people wanting to learn Hebrew or Greek ( how could I?) what my contention is if you will is that learning ' the original text' no more guarantees you understanding the Word of God as knowing English does . My argument to uphold that is that neither Saul of Tarsus or many of the Pharisees or Sadducee's or Drs of the law despite it being their mother tongue understood it either . Subjecting the Word of God to their intellect rather than subjecting their minds to the Spirit of God .
Saul who later became Paul spent three years unlearning what he had learnt at the feet of Gamaliel and got things so right at the feet of Jesus .
As I have already said many if not most of the new translations boast in their " better understanding" but show their lack in the very first verse of the very first book ! I know of two versions that have wrongly translated a verse in revelations 3 from " IN" to 'ON' and so make themselves God .
How is that possible?
Men lean more upon their own understanding either of Greek hebrew or English ! Rather upon Him who leads us into all truth .
I think if a man learns Greek or Hebrew which cannot be unprofitable has to be even more careful to lean not upon his understanding for reasons given above in those examples .
GB
Genesis 3, Also a Spiritual death, that happened immediately, the results of which were immediate fear, instead of trust to their creator. Feeling naked before GOD, & man etc. Matthew 8:22, Luke 9:60, Romans 5:12-21,
Eternal life, reference too Psalms 82,
Hopefully this is helpful
Psalms 24:1, & 1Corinthians 10:26,
Hopefully this is helpful
In preparation to share in a Bible study with a group of believers, I spoke to my Pakistani brother, who was fluent in both Urdu & Punjabi, about certain words that I would refer to in the study. My passage was from 1 John 4:7-11. As is common practise, the speaker would first verify certain words that the translator may not be familiar with or if the meaning given is different to what the Bible teaches. I didn't refer to the Greek here, as this was unnecessary for the audience, but asked this brother how he understood & would translate the word, 'propitiation' (as in verse 10)?
He mentioned the Urdu word he would use in his translation, would be 'kaffare', as this is the word given in the Urdu Bible. I then asked what he personally understood of that word. He replied, 'when we see that word, it means 'atonement'. I asked, 'do you see any other meaning in it?' Apparently not. So, I needed to include the full meaning of propitiation, which is not just an atonement, but really an appeasement of an Holy God angered by sin & its hold on man. The brother didn't know any of this & hopefully, by using my English Bible (& by the way, the Greek also agrees to it), some believers were brought to a better knowledge of the "breadth, length, depth and height" of God's love towards us sinners.
So, in one sense, we are a different language group to those of NT days who spoke other languages, with the NT written in Koine Greek. As much as our KJV NT is properly translated from Greek, often a better appreciation can be had if we could actually read it in Greek & not rely on a translation which at best may not deliver the best meaning in English. What we have is good & profitable; the original would be better.
Part 2.
The 12 apostles did hat God had commanded them to do, go into all of the world and make disciples of all nation, not just the Jews. They baptized new believers in water as Jesus commanded in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit. They healed people of diseases and did miracles. They dedicated their lives to spreading the Gospel of Jesus to all who would receive it and be converted. The spread of Christianity to the whole known world at that time is attributed to all of these people called by Jesus along with Paul. And I am thankful they all were obedient even to the point of martyrdom, which happened to all but John.
On another trac. The Scripture nowhere says that Paul's time in the desert with the Lord was to teach Paul to "rightly divide the
Scriptures" as you stated. Although I do think that Jesus opened up the Scriptures to Paul as He did to the apostles before He ascended. I do think that Jesus enlightened Paul's intellect to gain deep understanding of the Gospel Jesus preached, concerning grace and the law, and connecting the O.T. to what Jesus told Him about Himself.
Jesus chose a very gifted man, Paul, to be the be a missionary evangelist on a large scale and an inspired writer of Scripture to help the Christians in the churches he planted and spoke in their congregations multiple times. Paul knew the O.T. better than most Scribes and Pharisees. He had first-hand experience with the Greek and Roman world, knew Hebrew, Greek, and Latin and was used of God to spread the one Gospel Jesus taught Him and the apostles to communicate to the world. Paul was chosen by God to write the profound spiritual truths Jesus taught him in ways that others can understand and wrote out defenses for the faith against false teachers. The other apostles did the same thing, but we do not have their writings preserved like Paul's.
Those who put together the canon of the New Testament did have many writings to consider, but chose the ones that had been read to most of the churches over time, were accepted as Scriptural truth by most of the churches of the time, and presented doctrine in truthful ways. Paul was one of a select group of disciples to have written letters to their congregations and many of his letters were well preserved with multiple copies of the same letters to check for accuracy. Thus, the epistles are filled mostly with Paul's writing.
The other disciples/apostles, bishops, elders, preached and wrote the same things Paul preached and wrote.
I have to agree with you in that we can humble ourselves. I don't think I ever said that we cannot humble ourselves so I'm not sure where the disconnect is coming from?
I do believe that I can humble myself. But if I am doing the humbling then I have to contribute it to my flesh doing so. There is a difference between my flesh doing the humbling and the Lord doing the humbling.
You may not agree with me but I believe there is a difference between my flesh and the Spirit of Christ who lives in me. My flesh wants nothing to do with the things of the Lord.
It is God's Spirit in me that causes me to remain in submission to Him, not my flesh. My flesh will never humble itself before the Lord. Therefore, I must be humbled, and it has to come from Him. My flesh will never do anything spiritually pleasing to the Lord. It's His Spirit in me that causes me to be humbled before Him.
But can we humble ourselves? Yes we can. But if we're doing the humbling in the flesh, what is that to the Lord? In my own human effort, I can humble myself towards other people, but not toward the Lord.
I do have a question for you. Where you said you will find yourself in trouble and eventually humble yourself, my question is: in trouble with who?
Thank you for responding. I do appreciate the things you share.
The baptism of Jesus happened to reveal to us the Triune nature of God, I believe. God is everywhere present, therefore each Person of the Godhead is everywhere present. But also, while being omni-present, each Person of the Godhead can be specifically present in a point in time and place and in us while still being everywhere present. Jesus' baptism is a good example of this.
No, we enter heaven with a resurrection body that us our earthly body purified, changed to be incorruptible and immortal, freed from the sinful nature, and completely restored to the perfection of Adam and Eve before the fall.
This chapter reminds me that we all needed to be cleansed by the washing of the word and the blood of Jesus to be acceptable in the sight of the Father. We should not want to bring our filthy bodies, soiled clothing, nor stained handiwork to present ourselves before God. The bathing in this chapter reminds me of the cleansing power of the Word, the washing of the clothing reminds me of the white raiment of Christ's righteousness we are clothed with, and the cleansing of any of our handiwork reminds of doing every work unto the glory of God.
The Israelites were instructed how to be cleansed in such a way to stand in the tabernacle before God. The idea of being unclean until evening (which is the beginning of the new day for the Israelites) reminds me that whenever we confess our sins, God is faithful and just to forgive us and cleanse us from sin, thus starting anew just as the Israelites could start their new day clean before God having completed the requirements of this chapter. Behold, I make all things new! ( Revelation 21:5)
"even so let us walk in the newness of life" ( Romans 6:5) just as Jesus was raised to life from the dead.
The previous chapter was addressing skin contagions and the God-ordained process to deal with these infirmities and what a person is to do to be considered clean and thus able to join the congregation in the tent of meeting.
In this chapter God is addressing bodily issues. These are liquids that flow from private parts. The first part of the chapter speaks of a man having an infectious discharge. The middle part of the chapter speaks of a man emitting seminal fluid either involuntarily or during intercourse with his wife. The last part of the chapter speaks of the bleeding that happens when a woman does not become pregnant and thus sheds the uterine build up of the lining that builds up to receive a newly conceived implanted child. When conception does not happen, then menses follow. Also, it speaks to ta continued bleeding of a woman not related to a normal menses.
It is interesting how specific God is about determining cleanness of someone who will enter the tabernacle to worship Him. The infection is not in itself sinful. Neither seminal flow, nor intercourse, being normal relations between husband and wife by which they are fruitful and multiply as God commanded in Genesis 1. Neither is it sinful for a woman not to become pregnant and thus have her menses. The cycle of fertility is designed by God and good. So, I wonder why they are to offer a sin offering or burnt offering for things that are not in themselves sinful? I understand how they should bathe and wash clothing and for others to avoid touching them for hygienic reasons, but God is speaking more than about hygiene or disease control.
I think that God has these laws concerning normal bodily functions that are not sinful to remind the Israelites and us that we are fallen creatures even when we are not directly sinning. We are sinful through and through due to the fall of Adam and Eve. This is why we do not enter heaven in our this life's body...continued
"Thy Word is truth " confessed Jesus .
John the Baptist denied not the truth but confessed the truth "He was not the Christ"
Jesus " gave a good confession before Christ"
With the heart a man believes and with his mouth confession is made unto salvation .
"God demands we speak the truth in the inward man "
"If we say we have no sin the truth is not in us"
God is light and when we draw near to God He reveals that which is hidden .
For man is lost and in darkness and does ot know even the condition of his own heart. " The heart of man is desperately wicked and deceitful above all others and who can know it?"
But God in his great mercy and love leads us to the truth about our own heart .
In such a manner it is irrefutable and undeniable to ourselves and in private .
If we can't recognise the truth about ourselves who we do know ,how then could E recognise the truth about God who we don't?
And if we do not speak the truth ( confess it to God) about ourselves who we do know . How then could we speak the truth about God who we don't yet know?
False religions do not speak the truth about God about themselves or about you .
Yet all claim to know God and say theirs is the way .
Jesus said "I am the way the truth and the Life no man cometh unto the Father accept by me"
He spoke the truth did the truth walked in the truth and was and is the truth and the Light of the world .