Month: August 2012

Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.
Act 2:38

How we rejoice in the response of the apostle to the people when they realized they were guilty of the blood of the Lamb of God!  We are all guilty of that precious blood because it was for sin that Christ died, and Rom 3:23 tells us all have sinned.  What should be done to such a people?  In the response to the parable of the wicked husbandmen that killed the only son of the landowner, the Jews speak truthfully about the landowner’s rightful response to such men: “He will destroy those wicked men miserably…” (Mt 21:41) That judgment should be the inheritance of the entire human race, but God in His great mercy offers hope when there should be none!  “But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” (Rom 5:8) Hallelujah, what a Savior!!!

So, when the people asked, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”, thank God that Peter didn’t say, “There’s no hope for you now!”  He gave them hope and said, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins…”  Now, the easy part of that statement is “be baptized”.  Water baptism is a work of man.  Anyone can get in the baptism waters and leave no better than when he came.  Should you be baptized following true repentance?  Absolutely!  God commands it, and none of God’s commands should be ignored.  But we must be clear: baptism, just like every other work of man, does not save you!  Many have been baptized whose hearts were never changed, and even now, they live in rebellion abiding under the wrath of God!

If the emphasis of what you must do to have your sins forgiven was to be baptized, Peter would have given different advice in the next chapter of Acts.  He speaks to a new group of people here, and, again, he brings the sin of killing the son of God to bear upon them in Ac 3:14-15.  This time, however, as he reveals their only hope of finding forgiveness, baptism is not mentioned once!  His word to them is: “Repent therefore and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out…” (Ac 3:19) Only repentance is mentioned!  This should be no surprise since this is exactly the message that Jesus came preaching (Mt 4:17) and the message He’s committed to His church (Lk 24:47).  Sadly, repentance is too often the missing message in many pulpits today!

As I’ve already stated before, there is no work we can do to save ourselves.  “Salvation is of the Lord!” (Jon 2:9) “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Eph 2:8-9) But some will ask, “Isn’t repentance a work of man?”  Actually, true repentance is a work of God because it stems from faith which is the gift of God!  Did you know that Judas repented according to Mt 27:3?  Some translations may remove the word from that verse, but in the Greek it literally reads: “Then Judas, the one betraying Him, seeing that He was condemned, repenting, returned the thirty pieces of silver…”  Judas repented, yet died in his sins!  Why?  Because his repentance came as a work of his flesh, not that which is given of God.  Listen to how the Scripture reads when the Jewish Christians began to realize God was saving Gentiles.  “When they heard these things they became silent; and they glorified God, saying, ‘Then God has also granted to the Gentiles repentance to life.'” (Ac 11:18) In 2 Tim 2:25, we are told to teach others “in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance…”  True repentance is a work of God in the heart of those He saves!

“So, what’s the big deal”, you ask?  The answer to that question is what distinguishes Christianity from every religion of the world.  The problem is that if we add any work of our own to be saved, then Christ’s work is made of no effect!  Paul dealt with the Galatians on this very issue as some were trying to convince them they had to add to the finished work of Christ (didn’t He say on the cross, “It is finished”?).  The issue among them was circumcision.  Listen to how devastating it would have been to their eternal well-being if they had been circumcised in order to be saved.  “Behold, I, Paul, say to you that if you are circumcised, Christ will profit you nothing.” (Gal 5:2) Every religion of the world is based on man working to please God.  In contrast, God teaches us by His word that we are accepted by Him based on what He has done for us through the work of the beloved Son of God! (Eph 1:6, Rom 4:2-5, Eph 2:8-9, Tit 3:5).  Our works of obedience now are simply expressions of love toward God because He did what we could not do for ourselves. (Jn 14:15, Eph 2:10, 1 Jn 5:3) The message of the gospel is simply, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and you will be saved…” (Ac 16:31) There’s a reason the church sings, “Jesus paid it all…all to Him I owe!”

Jamie

This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.
Acts 2:32

This statement may seem like a simple one, but in light of past events, we understand that there is great boldness in the words of the apostle Peter in our text.  Remember, it had only been a little over a month before that we read of him, “Then he began to curse and swear, saying, ‘I do not know the Man!'”  He that vehemently denied even knowing the Lord now proclaims himself to be a witness to the fact that Christ has been raised from the dead.  What a difference the indwelling Spirit makes in a man!

Have you ever considered how very alone the Lord Jesus was as he walked upon the earth?  How often did He turn to those close to Him and reveal His inmost thoughts, and yet we read that they “did not understand”? (Lk 9:45, Jn 8:27, 10:6) It wasn’t until after His resurrection and ascension that the light finally came on for the disciples! (Jn 12:16) Even as a child, when He spoke of being about His Father’s business, we read that Joseph and Mary “did not understand the statement which He spoke to them”. (Lk 2:50) We’ve felt out-of-sync with others before but never with everyone!

Not only was He spiritually and mentally alone, but He was left physically alone at the cross.  Where were the multitudes now that had begged for His healing touch, of whom we find “He healed them all”? (Mk 12:15) Where were the crowds that had shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David! ‘BLESSED IS HE WHO COMES IN THE NAME OF THE LORD!’ Hosanna in the highest!” as He entered Jerusalem? (Mt 21:9) We even read that the disciples, those closest to Him, “all forsook Him and fled” when He was carried away to bear His cross.  Jesus was left alone.

But, the truth is that it had to be this way.  Jesus had to bear this load alone for no one else could accomplish what He came to do.  In this low place, He would encourage Himself in His relationship with His Father.  “Behold, the hour cometh, yea, is now come, that ye shall be scattered, every man to his own, and shall leave me alone: and yet I am not alone, because the Father is with me.” (Jn 16:32) But, upon Calvary’s hill, He would even cry, “MY GOD, MY GOD, WHY HAVE YOU FORSAKEN ME?” (Mt 27:46) We don’t understand what it means to be that alone!

Understanding what He willingly did, what He alone could do, is He not worthy of all our glory, honor, and praise?  Heb 1:3 says of the Son of God, “who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high…”  He did it all by Himself!!  We have a singular purpose now if the Spirit of God dwells in us.  We, like Peter, “are all witnesses”!  Peter, who had previously run and hid and then denied the Christ, now claimed Him boldly as Lord of all because he finally fully understood, by the Spirit, just Who Christ was and what He came to do.  Have you seen the same truth?  Then sing that new song along with all the saints, “You are worthy…and have redeemed us to God by Your blood” because we couldn’t do it ourselves! (Rev 5:9) There is hope in no other…

Jamie

Him, being delivered by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God, you have taken by lawless hands, have crucified, and put to death;
Act 2:23

I love this verse because it is perhaps the simplest statement in all of Scripture that reveals the unstoppable, sovereign power of God while also clearly showing the responsibility of man.  Men have wrestled with these two realities for thousands of years.  How can God be a Creator who “works all things after the counsel of His will” (Eph 1:11) and yet hold man accountable for sin? (Rom 9:18-19) The fact is that, whether we can wrap our minds around it or not, the word of God repeatedly declares that God is absolutely sovereign while man is absolutely responsible for his sin.  God says, “as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are My ways higher than your ways, and My thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9) Whether we can fully explain it or not, we should accept what He says as truth!

Let’s break this verse down a bit and understand the fullness of what these words reveal regarding God’s sovereign power.  Our verse states Jesus was delivered to be put to death “by the determined purpose and foreknowledge of God”.  According to Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance, “determined” means “to mark out or bound”.  Jesus may have been taken by lawless hands and put to death, but there were boundaries established by God that limited what those lawless hands were permitted to do.  When the soldiers came to speed up the death of the thieves dying next to Jesus, Jn 19:32 says the soldiers broke their legs.  When they came to Christ though in v. 33, He was already dead, so they didn’t break His legs.  Coincidence?  Not according to v. 36!  “For these things were done that the Scripture should be fulfilled, “NOT ONE OF HIS BONES SHALL BE BROKEN.”  The soldiers were limited in what they were allowed to do so that God’s purposes would be fulfilled!

God’s “purpose” is the next key word in our text.  Strong’s says it means “volition”, a word that Webster’s defines as “the power of choosing or determining”, i.e. the “will”.  Much is made in churches today regarding man’s will, but, too often, little is made of that will which matters most–the will of the sovereign Almighty!  God’s will is the only will that cannot be thwarted!  Nebuchadnezzar received a lesson in that fact when he foolishly declared that he had gained his great kingdom by his own strength and power and for his own glory. (Dan 4:30) While he was speaking, within that very hour, the Scripture says God took his sense from him, and he ended up growing his hair and nails out like a wild man and eating grass like an ox! (v. 33) When God in His mercy brought the king back from his insanity, he knew the truth regarding the sovereign will of God: “All the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing; He does according to His will in the army of heaven and among the inhabitants of the earth.  No one can restrain His hand or say to Him, ‘What have You done?'” (Dan 4:35)

Finally, our text says Jesus was delivered by the “foreknowledge” of God.  Most of us would simply assume this word means God knew about it ahead of time, but as our other words have clearly shown, God was an active participant in these events rather than simply an observer.  The word “foreknowledge” declares that fact as well because Strong’s says it means “forethought”.  Turn that word around, and we understand, God thought this up before it happened.  At the very outset of creation, immediately after man fell into sin, God prophesied to the serpent of Christ’s crucifixion and ultimate victory over Satan.  “And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.” (Gen 3:15)  Rev 13:8 says Christ was “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world“.  Calvary happened according to God’s plan from the beginning of creation!  In fact, before man even fell into sin, Jesus was intended to shed His blood for the deliverance of His people, being “foreordained before the foundation of the world”. (1 Pet 1:20) Jesus being delivered into wicked hands was a choice made by God before we were ever created!

I hope this verse will bring you great comfort, dear believer, when you are surprised by the events that spring up in your life.  They may shock you, but they didn’t surprise God!  He has planned them  to work out for your good (Rom 8:28), and lawless hands are limited by His eternal decree!  Certainly, the powers of darkness would annihilate the children of God if they had liberty to do so, but as the first two chapters of Job reveal, God limits Satan and those that follow him so that any destruction they are permitted to bring will only work as a fire to purge out our impurities and cause us to shine more brightly as gold for God’s glory.  Job never blamed Satan for his trial.  He always knew it was directed by God’s hand.  “But He knows the way that I take; when He has tested me, I shall come forth as gold.” (Job 23:10)

Jamie

“But this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel…”
Acts 2:16

The spiritual man responds to the events taking place in the world around him as Peter did on the day of Pentecost–he views his experience through the lens of the word of God.  Some beheld these miracles on this day with amazement while others mocked, but Peter simply said that these things were happening just like God said they would.  Do we experience life with the same steadfastness, or are we easily shaken by the news in our land?  Do the events of the day present opportunities for us to share the word of God, or do we stand dumbfounded like everyone else?  If our gaze is fixed on Christ, we’ll find that in that hour we’ll have an answer when everyone else is speechless.

In Paul’s day, many in the church in Thessalonica were disturbed by the suggestion of some that Christ had already returned and they had missed it!  Paul rebukes the church there by basically stating they should know better.  Just listen to 2 Th 2:1-3: “Now, brethren, concerning the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ and our gathering together to Him, we ask you, not to be soon shaken in mind or troubled, either by spirit or by word or by letter, as if from us, as though the day of Christ had come.  Let no one deceive you by any means; for that Day will not come unless the falling away comes first, and the man of sin is revealed, the son of perdition…”  The rebuke comes in v. 5: “Do you not remember that when I was still with you I told you these things?”  Remember what you’ve been taught, Christian!  To remember, you’re going to have to maintain a Christ-consciousness, not a world-centered one.

Jesus has told us what to expect ahead of time so that we might not fear but instead be strengthened in our faith:

“Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.  You have heard Me say to you, ‘I am going away and coming back to you. ’ If you loved Me, you would rejoice because I said, ‘I am going to the Father,’ for My Father is greater than I.  And now I have told you before it comes, that when it does come to pass, you may believe.” (Jn 14:27-29)

I understand that the context of this passage is that Jesus is leaving and sending the Spirit, but the principle is a common one in the life of the believer.  God reveals the truth to us, giving us discernment by His Spirit, so that we might be able to faithfully declare His word as history unfolds.  Remember, “you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you know all things.” (1 Jn 2:20)  You have the Spirit of God in you, and He will reveal what God is doing in the earth if you are listening!  “Surely the Lord God does nothing, unless He reveals His secret to His servants the prophets.” (Am 3:7)

You say, “I don’t know how to respond if someone asks me about this thing.”  That’s ok!  It’s not your job to know what to say.  That’s God’s job!  “But when they deliver you up, do not worry about how or what you should speak. For it will be given to you in that hour what you should speak; for it is not you who speak, but the Spirit of your Father who speaks in you.” (Mt 10:19-20) Our job is simply to remain faithful.  God will take care of the rest.  You are His special treasure.  He will deal with His church in a unique fashion, giving them the grace they need for each hour!  “Then He turned to His disciples and said privately, ‘Blessed are the eyes which see the things you see…'” (Lk 10:23)

Jamie