John 1
Relationship between Father and Son verse 1- 5
In the beginning was the Word – and the Word was with God
and the Word was God
The same was in the beginning with God – all things were made by HIM
and without HIM was not any thing made that was made
In HIM was life – and the life was the light of men
and the light shines in darkness
and the darkness comprehended it not
John the Baptist a witness of the Light verse 6- 9
There was a man sent from God – whose name was John
the same came for a witness – to bear witness of the Light
that all men through him might believe
He was not that Light – BUT was sent to bear witness of that Light
that was the true Light
which lights ever man that comes into the world
Rejection of Jesus by Jewish people verse 10- 13
HE was in the world – and the world was made by HIM
and the world knew HIM not
HE came to HIS OWN – and HIS OWN received HIM not
BUT as many as received HIM
to them gave HE power to become the sons of God
even to them that believe on HIS name
which were born – NOT of blood
NOR of the will of the flesh
NOR of the will of man
BUT of God
Word became flesh verse 14
The Word was made 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
John the Baptist presented Jesus verse 15
John bare witness of HIM – and cried – saying
This was HE of whom I spoke
HE that comes after me is preferred before me
for HE was before me
Jesus reveals Father verse 16- 18
And of HIS fullness have all we received – and grace for grace
FOR the law was given by Moses
BUT grace and truth came by Jesus Christ
No man has seen God at any time = the only begotten Son
which is in the bosom of the Father – HE has declared HIM
Testimony of John the Baptist
to religious leaders verse 19- 28
And this is the record of John
when the Jews sent priests and Levites from Jerusalem
to ask him Who are you?
And he confessed – and denied not
but confessed – I am not the Christ
And they asked him
What then? Are you Elijah?
And he said
I am not
And they asked him
Are you that Prophet?
And he said
No
THEN they said unto him
Who are you? that we may give an answer to them that sent us
What say you of yourself?
He said – I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness
Make straight the way of the Lord – as said the prophet Isaiah
and they which were sent were of the Pharisees
and they asked him
and said to him
Why baptizes you then – if you be not that Christ
nor Elijah – neither that Prophet?
John answered them – saying
I baptize with water – BUT there stands ONE among you
WHOM you know not
HE it is – who coming after me is preferred before me
whose shoe’s latchet I am not worthy to unloose
These things were done in Bethabara beyond Jordan
where John was baptizing
Lamb of God verse 29- 31
The NEXT day John sees Jesus coming to him
and says
BEHOLD the Lamb of God
which takes away the sin of the world
This is HE of whom I said
After me comes a man which is preferred before me
FOR HE was before me
AND I knew HIM not
BUT that HE should be made manifest to Israel
THEREFORE am I come baptizing with water
Baptism of Jesus verse 32- 34
And John bare record – saying
I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove
and it abode on HIM
And I knew HIM not
BUT HE that sent me to baptize with water
the same said unto me
Upon WHOM you shall see the Spirit descending
and remaining on HIM
the same is HE which baptizes with
the Holy Ghost
And I saw – and bare record that this is the Son of God
Calling of Andrew and Peter verse 35- 42
Again the NEXT day after – John stood – and two of his disciples
and looking on Jesus as HE walked – he said
BEHOLD the Lamb of God
AND the two disciples heard him speak – and they followed Jesus
THEN Jesus turned – and saw them following
and said to them
What seek you?
They said unto HIM
Rabbi (which is to say – being interpreted – Master)
Where dwell YOU?
HE said to them
Come and see
They came and saw where HE dwelt
and abode with HIM that day
FOR it was about the tenth hour
One of the two which heard John speak
and followed HIM
was Andrew – Simon Peter’s brother
he first finds his own brother Simon
and said unto him
We have found the Messiah
which is – being interpreted – the Christ
And he brought him to Jesus
and when Jesus beheld him – HE said
You are Simon the son of Jona
you shall be called Cephas
which is by interpretation
A stone
Calling of Philip and Nathanael verse 43- 51
The day following Jesus would go forth into Galilee
and finds Philip and said to him – Follow ME
Now Philip was of Bethsaida
the city of Andrew and Peter
Philip finds Nathanael – and said unto him
We have found HIM of whom Moses in the law
and the prophets did write
Jesus of Nazareth – the son of Joseph
And Nathanael said unto him
Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?
Philip said to him – Come and see
Jesus saw Nathanael coming to HIM – and said of him
BEHOLD an Israelite – in whom is no guile
Nathanael said unto HIM
Whence know YOU me?
Jesus answered and said unto him
Before that Philip called you
when you were under the fig tree
I saw you
Nathanael answered and said unto HIM
Rabbi – you are the Son of God
you are the King of Israel
Jesus answered and said unto him
Because I said to you
I saw you under the fig tree – believe you?
you shalt see greater things than these
And HE said to him
Verily – verily – I say to you
Hereafter you shall see heaven open
and the angels of God ascending
and descending upon the Son of man
COMMENTARY:
DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers
: 5 And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not. (2638 “comprehended” [katalambano] means overpower, gain control over, overcome, suppress, to lay hold of, to take into one’s self, appropriate, take possession of, to detect, catch, to understand, or to learn)
DEVOTION: Jesus is called many names in this chapter. We have counted seventeen different names for Jesus. This chapter is a very important chapter. The first verse is one that is mistranslated by the cults to read, “…and the Word was a God.” There is no way that it can be translated with the “a” in it from the original text but they do it anyway to try to say that Jesus is not God. The whole chapter tells us that HE is God.
Jesus is the God/man who came to this world to save us from our sin. The verse quoted above tells us why the world can’t follow Christ. It tells us why many who think that they are Christians are not really followers of the Lord. There are only three types of people in this world: the natural man – who is unsaved; the carnal Christian – who is being chastened of the Lord; and the spiritual Christian – who is living for the Lord but is not sinless but keeping short accounts with God.
The first type of individual is the one who is in darkness. The natural man does not understand the things of the Lord. Darkness does not detect light. Jesus is the LIGHT. They don’t understand the difference between the worldview of the Christian and that of the non-Christian. The worldview of those outside of Christ is one of darkness. They just don’t get it. They think that all those who are followers of Christ have something wrong with themselves.
One of the promises in this verse is the fact that the darkness cannot overcome the LIGHT of Jesus Christ. There are days that we think that the entire world is in darkness. However, Christians are the only light the world has to show them the way to Jesus. We are to be lighthouses. Our Biblical churches are to be lighthouses. There are many people who are headed for eternity in Hell.
We are the ones God chooses to use to talk to them about Jesus Christ. HE came into the world so that all men would have an opportunity to believe. No one will stand before the Great White Throne judgment and say that they never had an opportunity to follow Christ. This is especially true here in America. There are churches that preach the Gospel in most towns. There are Christian radio and television programs that inform people on what they need to do to become a follower of Christ. This is not true in all the countries of the world.
Darkness is not winning. Darkness cannot overcome the Light of the Word of God. Darkness is a choice many make because they don’t want to follow the LORD.
Don’t get discouraged by the news in the media. The LORD is still on the throne. HE is still in control. HE is working HIS plan. Yes, it seems like the return of Christ is going to happen soon.
CHALLENGE: Our responsibility is to be light in a dark world. Be the light that shows people to the TRUE LIGHT OF THE WORLD. Shine in the darkness!!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers
: 15 John bare witness of HIM, and cried, saying, This was HE of whom I spoke, HE that comes after me is preferred before me: for HE was before me. (1096 “preferred” [ginomai] means to enter or assume a certain state or condition, take place, to come into existence, become someone, or be ordained to be)
DEVOTION: John is a cousin to Jesus. He was born six months before Jesus. He started his public ministry six months before Jesus because thirty was the age that was necessary to begin their ministry. To come into existence, to come to pass,
He was teaching people about the coming Messiah. He was baptizing people who repented of their sins. He had a crowd following him because they knew he was a prophet come from God.
God revealed things to John the Baptist that helped him in his ministry. It also helped understand who Jesus really was. Remember he jumped in the womb when Mary came to visit her cousin Elisabeth.
Now he makes a statement twice in this chapter that helps him promote the ministry of Jesus. He knew that Jesus was coming after him. He knew that Jesus existed before the foundation of the world. He knew that Jesus was greater than him.
CHALLENGE: We have to know the truth of the pre-existence of Jesus. HE created the world. HE came as the angel of the LORD in the Old Testament. HE is coming again.
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: 17 For the law was given by Moses, but grace and truth came by Jesus Christ. (5485 “grace” [charis] means kindness, loving-kindness, good will, thanks, mercy, gratitude, favor, acceptable or gift)
DEVOTION: Two major covenants that represent the Old Testament and the New Testament are called Law and Grace. Moses received the Ten Commandments during the trip from Egypt to the Promised Land. During this time period Moses also received more instruction from the LORD regarding the way the Old Testament saints were to live. It is thought that the giving of the Law was negative. The Law gave the standard of righteousness. The Pharisees made it more negative. So people living in Jesus day would have thought negatively about the Law because of how it was presented to the people by the religious leaders.
Jesus came and restated the Old Testament commands and also brought in the New Covenant. The coming of Jesus was to be considered a positive event. The Messiah came to cover the sins of the world by HIS blood on the cross. HE met the standard of righteousness given by God to Moses and because HE met the standard the Father can offer us the gift of salvation through that sacrifice on the cross. The Holy Spirit gives us the conviction of sin in our life and the offer of this gift. Jesus came to fulfill the Law with HIS sacrifice.
John is showing a contrast between Law and Loving-kindness. Jesus confronted the religious leaders for their mistreatment of the Law to the point where it was not moving individuals closer to the LORD. Jesus presented the truth of the Word of God in a new way to those HE met on a regular basis. HE stated that HE was not come to break the Law but to give grace for grace to the world. The standard of righteousness was presented in a positive way by Jesus Christ.
Our message to the world is one of the loving-kindness of the LORD toward those who would become followers of Jesus Christ. Jesus showed the love of God to those around HIM. HIS teaching gave them hope whereas the teaching of the religious leaders just gave them discouragement and pride.
CHALLENGE: Our message needs to be one of loving-kindness and truth. Our love for those we are witnessing to should show through as the love of Christ showed through to those HE witnessed to. We need to speak the truth in love!!!!
DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers
: 47 Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and said of him, Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! (1388 “guile” [dolos] means deceit, craft, shrewdness, treachery, to trick into, cunning, deception, or slyness)
DEVOTION: Remember that Jesus is omniscient. HE knows everything because HE is equal with the Father and the Holy Spirit. They all have the same attributes. They all know the plan for our world. It was made up before the creation of the world. God the Father, Son and Holy Spirit are never surprised by what happens in our world. They live outside of time. We live in time.
Here we find Jesus here on this earth meeting with one of HIS future disciples. Nathanael has some doubt that anything or anyone good could come out of Nazareth. He didn’t know that Jesus was born in Bethlehem because Jesus had lived in Nazareth for a majority of HIS life.
Now he meets Jesus who makes a statement that shows that HE still had some of HIS omniscience. HE emptied HIMSELF when HE came to this earth. How much HE emptied HIMSELF of we are not sure. We know that HE was still God but also wholly man.
The fact is that HE knew where Nathanael was when he talked with his brother. He was under a fig tree. HE knew that there was no guile or falsehood in Nathanael. Nathanael was an honest man.
Jesus’ statements to Nathanael confused him. He couldn’t understand how Jesus knew so much about him. The same is true in our life. Jesus knows everything about us.
In spite of this fact, Jesus still loves us and gives us salvation as a free gift. HE offers the gift to everyone in the world but the majority never accepts the gift of salvation.
CHALLENGE: He is calling us to service for HIM.
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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:
BODY
Chastity (Purity in living)
Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)
Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)
Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)
Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)
SOUL
Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)
Frugality (wise use of resources)
Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)
Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)
Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)
SPIRIT
Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)
Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)
Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)
Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)
Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)
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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:
Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)
Law verse 17, 45
Moses verse 17, 45
Elijah verse 21, 25
Prophet verse 21, 25, 45
Isaiah verse 23
God the Father (First person of the Godhead)
Father (only begotten of – Word) verse 14
Father (bosom of – only begotten son) verse 18
God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)
Word verse 1, 14
God verse 1
(Creator) verse 3, 10
Life verse 4
Light verse 4- 5, 7- 9
Flesh verse 14
Full of grace and truth verse 14, 17
Jesus verse 17, 29, 36- 38, 42, 43, 45, 47, 48, 50
Christ verse 17, 25, 41
Jesus Christ verse 17
Only begotten Son verse 18
Lord verse 23
Preferred before John verse 27, 30
Lamb of God verse 29, 36
Take away sin of the world verse 29
Man verse 30
Son of God verse 34, 49
Rabbi (Master) verse 38, 49
Messiah (Christ) verse 41, 42
Jesus of Nazareth verse 45
Son of Joseph verse 45
Rabbi verse 49
King of Israel verse 49
Son of man verse 51
God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)
Spirit (as a dove) verse 32, 33
Holy Ghost verse 33
Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)
God verse 1, 2, 6, 12, 13, 18, 29, 34, 36, 49, 51
Sons of God verse 12
Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)
Angels of God verse 51
Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)
All men verse 7
Every man verse 9
Will of man verse 13
Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)
Not receiving Christ verse 11
Sin verse 29
Guile verse 47
Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)
Witness verse 7, 8, 15
Believe verse 7, 12, 50
Receive HIM verse 12
Power verse 12
sons of God verse 12
born of God verse 13
Grace verse 14, 16, 17
Truth verse 14, 17
Baptized of the Holy Spirit verse 33
Bare record verse 34
Follow Jesus verse 37
Israel (Old Testament people of God)
Man = John the Baptist verse 6, 15, 19- 37, 40
HIS own verse 11
Jews verse 19
Priests verse 19
Levites verse 19
Jerusalem verse 19
Elijah verse 21, 25
Prophet verse 21, 25
Isaiah verse 23
Pharisees verse 24
Bethabara verse 28
Jordan verse 28
Israel verse 31, 49
Baptizing with water verse 31, 33
Galilee verse 43
Bethsaida verse 44
Nazareth verse 45, 46
Israelite verse 47
Church (New Testament people of God)
Andrew (Simon Peter’s brother) verse 40, 44
Simon Peter (Cephas) verse 41, 42, 44
Philip verse 43- 46, 48
Nathanael verse 45- 49
Last Things (Future Events)
Heaven open verse 51
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QUOTES regarding passage
Yet it was not the final stage because the full characteristics of God in a personal embodiment of grace (loving-kindness) and truth (genuine steadfastness and fidelity) could not be revealed except through “Jesus Christ.” (Borchert, G. L. (1996). Vol. 25A: John 1–11. The New American Commentary (123). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)
Is preferred before me (ἔμπροσθέν μου γέγονεν). Lit., “is become,” so Rev., “or is here (compare 6:25) before me.” Before is used of time, not of dignity or rank. The expression is enigmatical in form: “my successor is my predecessor.” The idea of the superior dignity of Christ is not a necessary inference from His coining after John, as, on that interpretation, the words would imply. On the contrary, the herald who precedes is inferior in dignity to the Prince whom he announces. (Vincent, M. R. (1887). Word studies in the New Testament (Vol. 2, p. 55). New York: Charles Scribner’s Sons.)
Beareth witness (μαρτυρει [marturei]). Historical (dramatic) present indicative of this characteristic word in John (cf. 1:17f.). See 1:32, 34 for historical examples of John’s witness to Christ. This sentence is a parenthesis in Westcott and Hort’s text, though the Revised Version makes a parenthesis of most of verse 14. The witness of John is adduced in proof of the glory full of grace and truth already claimed for the Incarnate Logos. Crieth (κεκραγεν [kekragen]). Second perfect active indicative of κραζω [krazō], old verb for loud crying, repeated in dramatic form again for emphasis recalling the wonderful Voice in the wilderness which the Beloved Disciple can still hear echoing through the years. This was (οὑτος ἠν [houtos ēn]). Imperfect indicative where John throws the tense back in past time when he looked forward to the coming of the Messiah as in Acts 3:10 where we should prefer “is” (ἐστιν [estin]). Gildersleeve (Syntax, p. 96) calls this the “imperfect of sudden appreciation of the real state of things.” Of whom I said (ὁν εἰπον [hon eipon]). But B C and a corrector of Aleph (Westcott and Hort) have ὁ εἰπων [ho eipōn] “the one who said,” a parenthetical explanation about the Baptist, not the words of the Baptist about Christ. After me (ὀπισω μου [opisō mou]). See also 1:27. Later in time John means. He described “the Coming One” (ὁ ἐρχομενος [ho erchomenos]) before he saw Jesus. The language of John here is precisely that in Matt. 3:11 ὁ ὀπισω μου ἐρχομενος [ho opisō mou erchomenos] (cf. Mark 1:7). The Beloved Disciple had heard the Baptist say these very words, but he also had the Synoptic Gospels. Is become (γεγονεν [gegonen]). Second perfect active indicative of γινομαι [ginomai]. It is already an actual fact when the Baptist is speaking. Before me (ἐμπροσθεν μου [emprosthen mou]). In rank and dignity, the Baptist means, ὁ ἰσχυροτερος μου [ho ischuroteros mou] “the one mightier than I” (Mark 1:7) and ἰσχυροτερος μου [ischuroteros mou] “mightier than I” (Matt. 3:11). In John 3:28 ἐμπροσθεν ἐκεινου [emprosthen ekeinou] (before him, the Christ) does mean priority in time, but not here. This superior dignity of the Messiah John proudly recognizes always (John 3:25–30). For he was before me (ὁτι πρωτος μου ἠν [hoti prōtos mou ēn]). Paradox, but clear. He had always been (ἠν [ēn] imperfect) before John in his Pre-incarnate state, but “after” John in time of the Incarnation, but always ahead of John in rank immediately on his Incarnation. Πρωτος μου [Prōtos mou] (superlative with ablative) occurs here when only two are compared as is common in the vernacular Koiné. So the Beloved Disciple came first (πρωτος [prōtos]) to the tomb, ahead of Peter (20:4). So also πρωτον ὑμων [prōton humōn] in 15:18 means “before you” as if it were προτερον ὑμων [proteron humōn]. Verse 30 repeats these words almost exactly. (Robertson, A. T. (1933). Word Pictures in the New Testament (Jn 1:15). Nashville, TN: Broadman Press.)
1:15. John the Baptist gave a continuing testimony to Jesus. The present tense of the Greek verbs testifies and cries out stresses this. Jesus was younger and began His ministry later than John. But John said that because of His preexistence (and thus His true nature) He … has surpassed me. (Blum, E. A. (1985). John. In J. F. Walvoord & R. B. Zuck (Eds.), The Bible Knowledge Commentary: An Exposition of the Scriptures (Vol. 2, p. 273). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
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John summarized what John the Baptist had to say about Jesus Christ (John 1:15–18). First, He is eternal (John 1:15). John the Baptist was actually born six months before Jesus (Luke 1:36); so in this statement he is referring to our Lord’s preexistence, not His birth date. Jesus existed before John the Baptist was ever conceived. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). The Bible exposition commentary (Vol. 1, p. 286). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)
1:15 He was before me: Jesus was born after John the Baptist (Luke 1:36) and began His ministry later than John the Baptist. Yet John the Baptist said Jesus was before him, meaning that Jesus’ existence is from eternity past (v. 30). John is an excellent example of the singlemindedness that is needed to fulfill a person’s ministry before God. He knew the specific message God gave him to preach and he did not deviate from that message. (Radmacher, E. D., Allen, R. B., & House, H. W. (1999). Nelson’s new illustrated Bible commentary (Jn 1:15). Nashville: T. Nelson Publishers.)
Ver. 15. John bare witness of him, &c.] Which was his office and business, for which purpose he was sent, ver. 6, 7, 8 and cried; this agrees with his work and office, according to the prophecy of him in Isa. 40:3 and with the time of his ministry, the year of jubilee; and with the nature of his ministry, which was clear, open, and public; and performed with vigour, and in a powerful manner, with much assurance and certainty, with boldness and intrepidity, and with great zeal and fervency, and in an evangelical way; for it was such a cry as debased the creature, and exalted Christ: this was he, of whom I spake; when he first entered upon his ministry and baptism, before he saw Christ, or baptized him; see Matt. 3:11 he that cometh after me; for Christ came into the world after John; he was born six months after him; he came after him to be baptized by him, and attended on his ministry; and came later into the public ministry than he did; is preferred before me; by God, the father, in setting him up as Mediator; constituting him the head of the church; causing a fulness of grace to dwell in him; appointing him the Saviour of his people; and ordaining him judge of quick and dead. And by the prophets, who spake much of him, and sparingly of John; and of him as the Messiah and Saviour, and of John only as his harbinger: and by John himself, who represents him as coming from above, and as above all; and himself as of the earth, earthly: and by all Gospel ministers, and every true believer; and good reason there is for it: for he was before me; which can’t be meant of honour and dignity; for this is expressed before; and it would be proving one thing by the same: nor of his birth, as man; for John in that sense was before him, being born before him; besides, being born before another, is no proof of superior worth; others were born before John, whom he yet excelled: but of his eternal existence, as the word, and son of God, who was before John, or any of the prophets; before Abraham, and Noah, and Adam, or any creature whatever: the Arabic and Persic versions read, for he was more ancient than me; being from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. (Gill, J. (1809). An Exposition of the New Testament (Vol. 1, p. 745). London: Mathews and Leigh.)
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FROM MY READING:
I don’t like to confess the fact that, for the most part, Christians seem to be a very sad people. They are not the happy sort that they ought to be, and that is why their testimony is wavering and ineffective. The gleam has gone out of most Christian eyes and the shine has disappeared from the countenance and the testimony is no longer sparkling and contagious. (p. 422, TozerSpeaks vol. 1 by A. W. Tozer)
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CONFESSING CHRIST
Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God. 1 John 4:15
John’s whole case is that you cannot believe that Jesus is the Son of God unless God dwells in you and you in God; that is his argument. “Whosoever shall confess that Jesus is the Son of God, God dwelleth in him, and he in God.” And the way in which God dwells in us is by the Holy Spirit. So we can say that the people who do confess that Jesus is the Son of God have the Holy Spirit already within them. Or to put it another way, they cannot believe that Jesus is the Son of God without possessing the Holy Spirit.
Now this is a doctrine that is common to the whole of the New Testament. The apostle Paul puts it like this: “But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory: which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory…. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God” (1 Corinthians 2:7-8, 10).
You see, the whole case can be put like this: Even the princes of this world, the great men of the world, looked at Jesus of Nazareth and saw nothing but a man, a carpenter. They may have regarded Him as a kind of unusual religious genius, but they did not know He was the Lord of glory. Why not? Well, says Paul, because they had not received the Holy Spirit. But you and I, he says to the Corinthians, we understand these things, we believe them. Why? Because God has revealed them to us by His Spirit, the Spirit who searches all things, “yea, the deep things of God.”
A Thought to Ponder: God has revealed “the deep things of God” to us by His Spirit
(From The Love of God, pp. 119-120, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)
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A Montana school has come under fire for effectively banning a Christian student club because they don’t like its Biblical beliefs on marriage.
The situation began earlier this year when four female students complained about Bozeman High School’s Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA) club and and its position on homosexual relationships.
The FCA’s statement of faith is very clear on the issue: “God instituted marriage between one man and one woman as the foundation of the family and the basic structure of human society,” it reads. “For this reason, we believe that marriage is exclusively the union of one man and one woman.”
The students, however, believed that this declaration went against Bozeman’s motto of “acceptance, respect, and integrity.”
The mom of one of the girls, Sara Callow, insisted that her daughter’s objection was not directed at the group’s Christian faith specifically, but rather out of concern for vulnerable LGBTQ students at the school. “These girls have no problem with a Christian club. They’re not anti-Christian or against kids having a safe place at school to share their faith together,” she said, according to NBC Montanna.
Bozeman School Superintendent Bob Connors praised the girls for coming forward. “They’ve handled it appropriately. I’m glad they took an active role in questioning the policy and procedures,” he said, according to the Bozeman Daily Chronicle.
“Young adulthood is a time when you have a lot of questions about yourself, and it’s not the school district’s place to judge one way or the other, because right or wrong isn’t the issue.”
As a result of the action, the FCA was given two choices: it must either change its name and align itself with the school’s policy on inclusion, or it must disassociate itself with Bozeman High School entirely, becoming an unofficial club.
Still, that was not enough for the complainants, who deemed the school’s response to be too slow.
“I think we aren’t completely satisfied with the outcome if it just ends up being that they’re just an unofficial school club, mostly because it doesn’t really address our first concern, which is that students in our school might feel unwelcome by the organization’s values that it has on its website,” one of the students said before the school board.
FCA’s state director, Bob Veroulis, insisted that the group does not discriminate and noted that the club’s leaders would be retaining legal representation to ensure their freedoms are protected moving forward.
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Titus 3
Those who believe in God should be careful to maintain good works.
INSIGHT
It is difficult for us to separate our hope of heaven from our good works. We instinctively feel that we must be good to get to heaven. While God certainly wants us to live good lives, none of us can live a life good enough to get to heaven. One sin disqualifies us, and everyone has sinned more than once. “Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us . . . that having been justified by His grace we should become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (vv. 5, 7). Salvation is a gift. (Quiet Walk)
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Peacemakers
“Blessed are the peacemakers: for they shall be called the children of God.” (Matthew 5:9)
In this seventh (out of nine) of the Beatitudes with which Christ began His Sermon on the Mount occurs the first mention in the New Testament of the important word “peace.”
But how can one be a peacemaker? Note that Christ did not say: “Blessed are the pacifists.” There are many today who talk about peace, but how does one make peace?
The answer lies in the example of Christ Himself. He is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6), and He “made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself” (Colossians 1:20).
The real problem is that there can be no lasting peace between man and man as long as there is enmity between man and God. “Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1). “And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:18).
With that problem settled, we are now in a position to become true peacemakers, for we also can lead others to God through Jesus Christ. He “hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. Now then we . . . pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God” (2 Corinthians 5:18-20).
As ambassadors for Christ, we are true ambassadors for peace. The best possible contribution we can make toward world peace, racial peace, industrial peace, family peace, or personal peace is to help people become reconciled to God through faith in the peace-making work of Christ on the cross. “These things I have spoken unto you,” says the Lord Jesus, “that in me ye might have peace” (John 16:33).
(HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)
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