Tuesday, July 30,
2013, 7:15 a.m. – Several songs are going through my mind this morning: “Near the Cross,” “Oh, To Be Like Thee,” “Have
Thine Own Way, Lord,” and “Fully
Surrendered.” They are all songs (hymns) of commitment, submission and
surrender to Christ Jesus and to the cross of Christ. Speak, Lord, your words
to my heart. I read Hebrews 1-2
(ESV): http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Hebrews%201&version=ESV;
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=hebrews%202&version=ESV
By His Son
“Long
ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets,
but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the
heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance
of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the
universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat
down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…” ~ Heb. 1:1-3 ESV
But
of the Son he says,
“Your
throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter
of your kingdom.
You
have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore
God, your God, has anointed you
with
the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
And,
“You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning,
and the heavens are the work of your hands;
they
will perish, but you remain;
they will all wear out like a garment,
like
a robe you will roll them up,
like a garment they will be changed.
But
you are the same,
and your years will have no end.” ~ Heb.
1:8-12 ESV
Jesus Christ was and is the fulfillment of the law and of
the prophets, for they all pointed to him and to our salvation. So, all we need
is now found in him and in his word. In Old Testament times, God spoke to
people through prophets who spoke the exact words of God to the people. Their
words are recorded and are now scripture, i.e. they are God’s God-breathed and
written words. But, this says, God now speaks to us by his Son.
Yet, this is not to say he no longer uses human instruments
to get out the gospel of Jesus Christ and/or to share words of counsel,
encouragement, hope, edification, instruction and/or healing to the body of
Christ. He does (See Mt. 5:14-16; 28:18-20; Ac. 1:8; Ro. 12; 1 Co. 12; and Eph.
4, etc.). Yet, we are no longer dependent on a human prophet to tell us what
God says, because we have the written word of God, and because those of us who
are in Christ have the Holy Spirit of God within us teaching us all things -
counseling, leading and guiding us into all truth.
Yet, the spiritual gift of prophecy still exists within the
church for the edification of the body of Christ, and scripture teaches we
should not despise prophecies, but it does tell us we are to test everything.
Our measure for testing is two-fold – the teachings of Christ and of the
apostles (God’s written word) and the knowledge of God’s divine character and
will. We should never put God in a box and say he won’t work a certain way or
use a particular method. He is not bound by our reasoning and logic, so he may
use whatever is at his disposal, which is everything and everyone, as long as
those means and methods are not contrary to the teachings of Christ and of the
apostles, and/or to his divine character and will for us as his people.
Remember, he once used a donkey to speak to a man. That had never been done
before, that we know of, but that didn’t make it wrong.
Jesus Christ has the authority of God to speak God’s exact words
directly to us because he is God, he is the Son of God, and he is our creator;
because he upholds the entire universe by the word of his power; because he
became our perfect Lamb sacrifice and offering for our sins through his death
on a cross; because he conquered death, hell, Satan and sin on our behalf
through his resurrection from the dead; and because he now sits at the right
hand of God the Father where he reigns supreme over all things.
I mentioned here that the test to see if something is of God,
or not, is two-fold – the first being Christ’s teachings and those of the
apostles (the gospel of Christ), and secondly that of God’s divine character
and will for his people. Well, we get a glimpse of God’s character here in
Jesus Christ. The scepter (symbol or character of his rule and authority) is
one of uprightness (honesty, decency, morality, and honor). He loves
righteousness, but he hates wickedness (evil, sin, lies, malice, immorality,
etc.). So, if one who says he hears from God and speaks messages from God does
not also teach what is in agreement with God’s divine character and will, then
we should question whether or not what is taught is of God.
What We Have Heard
Therefore
we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away
from it. For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and
every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, how shall we
escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the
Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, while God also bore witness
by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit
distributed according to his will. ~ Heb. 2:1-4 ESV
Since
therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of
the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power
of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death
were subject to lifelong slavery. For surely it is not angels that he helps,
but he helps the offspring of Abraham. Therefore he had to be made like his
brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high
priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.
For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who
are being tempted. ~ Heb. 2:14-18 ESV
I believe there is a message here both for the non-believer
in Jesus Christ and the believer, as well as for those who claim to know
Christ, but may not truly know him, but only know of him. If you have heard the
gospel of Jesus Christ, but you have not yet accepted God’s invitation to make
Jesus Christ your Lord and Savior, then the encouragement here is that you pay
closer attention to what you have heard so that you don’t drift away from it
and never come to a saving knowledge of Jesus Christ, thus neglecting such a
great salvation, and then condemning yourself to eternal punishment in hell.
When this passage of scripture uses the phrase “Pay closer
attention to what you have heard,” this is not speaking about merely taking in
more information, but it means to heed what you have heard, too, i.e. it means
to take what you have heard and to put it into practice in your life. This
applies to non-believers, professing Christians only, and to those of us who
have genuinely trusted in Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior.
We are still in this world, and we are still in flesh bodies
and are thus subject to temptation even as Christ was tempted when he walked
the face of this earth, yet without sin. So, it is imperative, if we want to
live godly and holy lives for Jesus Christ while we still live in this world
that we pay close attention to what the word teaches us, and what the Holy
Spirit says to us in our hearts, and that we put into practice what we have
heard. Otherwise, we may drift away to non-belief, casual Christianity,
lukewarmness in our faith and practice and/or back to a life of living for self
and sinful pleasure (See Mt. 13:1-23). We must remain in Christ and his word
must remain (and take hold) in us. Jesus said so (See John 15).
Yet, we cannot do this in our own flesh or of our own
willpower. We can only have the desire to come to Christ in faith by the Father
in heaven drawing us to Christ. We can only come to Christ through the working
of the Holy Spirit of God in our hearts and lives in transforming us from living
for self and sin to walks of obedience to Christ, as we cooperate with that
work (by faith). And, we cannot live righteous and holy lives in human strength
and reasoning. It is Christ living us which gives us all we need for godliness
and holy living.
As well, Jesus Christ, through his death on a cross for our
sins, set us free from slavery to sin, so that through faith in him we should
no longer be held captive to sin’s deceitfulness, but we should be liberated by
the Spirit of God to walk in the Spirit in Christ’s righteousness and holiness
within us. And, because he suffered like we suffer and because he was tempted
like we are tempted, yet without sin, he is able to help us when we are
tempted, and he will and has provided a way of escape out from underneath that
temptation so that we don’t have to give in. Through Jesus Christ, who loved us
and who gave himself up for us, we are more than conquerors!
My Savior, My God / Aaron Shust
I am not skilled to understand
What God has willed, what God has
planned
I only know at his right hand
Stands one who is my savior
I take him at his word and deed
Christ died to save me this I read
And in my heart I find a need
For him to be my savior…
My savior loves, my savior lives
My savior's always there for me
My God he was, my God he is
My God he's always gonna be…
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