Category Archives: Trinity

Marriage, Trinity

Foundation 1: God’s Plan for Marriage

I am sharing a 9-part series from Bible.org. Walking through this series with your spouse or future spouse will bring you closer together in understanding one another and God’s intent for marriage. I hope it blesses you as it has me!

—Link to Bible.org: 1-foundation-one-god-s-plan-marriageBible.org

—Link to PDF: Foundation One_ God’s Plan for Marriage _ Bible.org

This is the first of 9 parts in a series. I have a link to part 2 toward the end of the article.

Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.” So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them. God blessed them and said to them, “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground… The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’…For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Genesis 1:26-28, 2:18, 24

In this session, we will consider God’s plan for marriage as primarily seen in the Genesis narrative. Most married couples miss God’s best simply because they do not know what God desires for marriage. If you don’t know the purpose of something, it is destined for misuse. Therefore, over 50% of marriages end in divorce, and a large number of those who remain married continue to miss God’s purpose for their union.

Today, we will help move your marriage or future marriage in the direction God desires through studying his Word. In this session, we will consider five aspects of God’s plan for marriage.

God’s Plan for Marriage Is to Reflect His Image

Then God said, ‘Let us make man in our image, in our likeness, and let them rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air, over the livestock, over all the earth, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.’ So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.
Genesis 1:26-27

The Bible teaches Adam and Eve, as husband and wife, were created in the image of God and, therefore, were meant to bear God’s image—to be in his likeness. Marriage was meant to model and display God’s glory to all of creation.

In what ways is the image of God reflected in the marriage union?

We see his image is in the plurality and unity of marriage. God said, “Let us make man in our image,” and then the text says, “male and female, he created them” (v. 26, 27). When God made man, he made a plurality. He made man and woman, and later in the narrative, he said they would become “one flesh” (Gen 2:24). The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit; they are one and yet still individual persons. When a couple gets married, they are meant to demonstrate this. Marriage demonstrates two individual people becoming “one” for the rest of their lives while maintaining their individuality.

With that said, there are other Trinitarian implications to the marriage union. In the Trinity, Jesus the Son submits in all things to God the Father (cf. John 5:19, 1 Cor 15:27) and the Holy Spirit submits to both (cf. John 14:26, 15:26). There is perfect submission in the Godhead. In the same way, when God made man and woman in his image, there was meant to be order in the relationship. First Corinthians 11:3 says: “Now I want you to realize that the head of every man is Christ, and the head of the woman is man, and the head of Christ is God.”

Paul says in the same way that the head of Christ is God, so the head of the woman (better translated wife) is man. God made the husband and wife relationship to mirror the Godhead specifically in the area of authority. Therefore, Ephesians 5:24 calls for wives to submit to their husbands in everything.

Another Trinitarian implication is love in marriage. The wife submits to the husband and the husband loves his wife. Consider Ephesians 5:25-27:

Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her to make her holy, cleansing her by the washing with water through the word, and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless.

The submission of the wife happens in a perfect loving relationship with her husband. Similarly, throughout eternity, the Godhead has always dwelled in a perfect relationship of love and authority. The Father loves the Son and the Son submits to the Father. The Father does not oppress the Son and make him submit. He loves the Son, and within this perfect love, the Son submits to God. The Holy Spirit loves and submits to both. In fact, 1 John 4:8 simply says, “God is love.”

In the same way, wives are called to submit to their husbands, and husbands are called to love their wives. It is not that the wife does not love her husband or that the husband never submits to his wife (cf. Eph 5:21). It’s just that the defining characteristic of the woman’s service to her husband should be submission, and the defining characteristic of the husband’s service to his wife should be love. This is part of the way we see the image of God in the marriage relationship.

Ephesians 5:25 gives us a picture of what the husband’s love should look like. It should reflect Christ. The husband is called to love his wife as Christ loved the church. How did Christ love the church? He died for her, and he also teaches her the Word of God. The husband must love his wife sacrificially and lead his wife spiritually.

When the world looks at a Christian marriage, they should see a husband who makes daily sacrifices for his wife and actively leads the home spiritually. He leads his family to a Bible preaching church. He leads family devotions. He serves his wife and edifies her with his words. He sacrifices to please her and build her up. The wife honors him as her head and submits to him in everything (Col 3:18). This is a redemptive picture of the gospel.

Marriage should demonstrate the perfect love and submission in the Godhead. It should also reflect the perfect sacrificial love of Christ for the church and the church’s submission to Christ. People should be encouraged and challenged by watching a godly marriage. They should see something of the glory and the greatness of God.

Therefore, when a marriage is not functioning correctly, it displays a marred image of God and distorts its intended message. With so many marriages ending in divorce or continuing in disarray, the glory of God has been greatly dimmed. It is no surprise that so many people doubt God’s existence or are falling away from him. The light in marriages has often become darkness, which in turn pushes people away from God. In marriage, it should be our desire to reflect God and bring glory to him since that was his original plan.

God Plan’s for Marriage Is to Raise Godly Children

God blessed them and said to them, ‘Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it.
Genesis 1:28

At one point, raising children was considered the pinnacle of marriage and revered by all. However, many now see children as a burden and the ultimate kill-joy for a married couple and sometimes even for society. One of the key differences between angels and mankind is the fact that God made man to procreate, to create new beings as he did. When a couple relinquishes the prospect of having children for job, hobbies, freedom, etc., they are missing out on one of the grandest and most awesome desires of God for marriage. This is further supported by what God said through the prophet Malachi:

Has not the LORD made them one? In flesh and spirit they are his. And why one? Because he was seeking godly offspring. So guard yourself in your spirit, and do not break faith with the wife of your youth.
Malachi 2:15

This passage clarifies God’s command for people to be fruitful and multiply in Genesis 1:28. It is not just children he wants but godly children. He wants children who are holy and driven to see the kingdom of God advance. One of the parents’ highest purposes is to teach their children the Bible, to help them grow in character, and to help them find their spiritual gifts and calling in serving the Lord.

Now, it must be noted that obviously it is not God’s will for everybody to have children. Physical issues keep some from having children. For others, God simply never called for them to marry. However, in general, it has been God’s will from the beginning for man to be fruitful and multiply (Gen 1:28). Having children should be considered as a way of obeying God and building his kingdom. Therefore, we should pray about it and plan for it as we do with any ministry.

God’s Plan for Marriage Is to Establish and Build His Kingdom

God blessed them and said to them… fill the earth and subdue it. Rule over the fish of the sea and the birds of the air and over every living creature that moves on the ground.
Genesis 1:28

After telling Adam and Eve to be fruitful and multiply, God told them to subdue and rule over the earth. They were to be co-rulers over his creation and to be stewards of it. This is expanded in the New Testament as marriage is described as a spiritual gift given to build up the body of Christ and to advance his kingdom. Consider what Paul said in 1 Corinthians 7:7:

Sometimes I wish everyone were single like me–a simpler life in many ways! But celibacy is not for everyone any more than marriage is. God gives the gift of the single life to some, the gift of the married life to others. (The Message)

Here Paul taught that marriage is a spiritual gift, just as singleness is. And since all gifts are given to build up God’s body and his kingdom (cf. 1 Cor 12:7), a godly marriage is a powerful weapon for the kingdom of God. They build the kingdom through raising godly seed, corporate prayer, service to God’s church, and evangelism of the world.

Certainly, each couple will have unique gifts and a unique way God has called them to build his kingdom. One couple may excel in worship, another in teaching, another in hospitality, another in missions, etc. Each couple must discern the way God has uniquely called them to build his kingdom.

How is God calling you and your mate to uniquely build his kingdom?

God’s Plan for Marriage Is Companionship

The LORD God said, ‘It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.’
Genesis 2:18

God has put an innate desire in mankind for intimate companionship. This is why so many single people, though they have family and friends, covet something more and often have bouts of loneliness. God made man to be married to a woman and woman to a man.

Certainly some in the world have the gift of singleness, a very special gift given to allow for a deeper devotion to God and his work (cf. 1 Cor 7:32). The gift of singleness is a gift that needs to be restored to the church, as singles have accomplished some of the greatest work for God’s kingdom (i.e. Jesus and Paul). But, with that said, this gift is not for everyone. God wants most people to have a mate: someone to fellowship with, to dream with, to serve with, and to be heirs of life together with. It is a beautiful experience and a great gift.

Solomon gave several reasons that companionship is good. Ecclesiastes 4:9-12 says:

Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.

Though these apply to any companionship, they most definitely apply to marriage. He said that two are better than one because of the productivity of their work. Many couples have seen themselves more productive in finishing school, working in business, growing in the Lord, doing ministry, etc., because of the marriage union. God desires to increase one’s productivity through marriage.

Solomon also said that a companion is helpful when one falls down because a friend can help him up. Life has many ups, downs, discouragements, trials, and even mountain-top experiences. However, many times there are more downs than ups. When a marriage is working properly, it will help navigate the trials and discouragements of life. A good spouse will speak words of encouragement and faith to her mate, enabling him to get up when he has fallen down. She will make him strong when he is weak and vice versa.

Sadly, marriages that are not functioning properly will actually wear one another down instead of building one another up. Be careful to never speak words of discouragement over your spouse. Decide to always speak gracious words over their lives to edify them, even when you don’t feel like it or you feel like they don’t deserve it. Ephesians 4:29 says, “Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen.”

Do you practice speaking words of faith and encouragement over your mate to help build them up?

Marriage also has many other practical benefits such as keeping oneself warm and providing for daily needs, but one of the greatest benefits is protection. Solomon said two can defend themselves (Ecc 4:12). This is especially important in a Christian marriage because of the attacks of the enemy in spiritual warfare. Satan realizes the tremendous potential in every marriage, and consequently, he always attacks them. Expect warfare in marriage. Satan will do everything he can to keep a couple out of the Word of God, out of prayer, away from commitment to the church, and fighting with one another. He does this because he realizes that two people unified and on fire for the kingdom of God can do incrementally more than one.

Therefore, it is important for couples to use their spiritual weapons to protect one another. These weapons are praying over one another daily, consistent Bible reading, speaking the Word of God over one another, commitment in serving the body of Christ, and having accountability with other Christians.

Have you given thought to the increased warfare that will happen in the marriage union? Many find themselves overpowered in marriage for lack of understanding the nature of their new warfare.

God’s Plan for Marriage Is for a Couple to Make a New Family Unit

For this reason a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife, and they will become one flesh.
Genesis 2:24

After God made a woman for Adam, he said that a man will leave his father and mother and be united to his wife. This means that in marriage, a couple is starting a new family unit.

This does not mean that they are no longer their parents’ children, but it does mean that the priorities of a man and woman have changed. Their priority must now be their marriage. This is very important because one of the top reasons for divorce is in-laws. The wife battles between submitting to her parents’ expectations and that of her husband, and it’s the same for the husband. Every time the couple fights, the husband’s mom or the wife’s father has something to say.

Married couples must be very careful of this. They are always called to honor their parents and even care for them in old age (1 Tim 5:4, 8), but they must honor their spouse first.

The fact that a man is called to leave his father’s house also implies that he must be able to support himself and his new wife financially. It implies independence. Young couples who are still dependent upon their parents financially often invite unnecessary tension in their marriage. The parents’ financial support typically comes with a certain amount of control or expectations that can be detrimental to their marriage.

Couples who are ready to get married should consider whether they are financially prepared to get married. They should consider if they are ready to leave their families and cleave to their mate and also if they are ready to make their mate their primary focus after God.

Conclusion

In conclusion, it important to remember the reasons God created marriage, because if we forget them, the marriage relationship is destined for abuse. Instead of building God’s kingdom, raising godly children, or providing companionship, couples neglect these pursuits for other things which ultimately cripple their marriage. Let us always remember God’s plans for the marriage union so that we can honor them and fulfill God’s purposes.

    1. God’s plan for marriage is to reflect his image.
    2. God’s plan for marriage is to raise godly children.
    3. God’s plan for marriage is to establish and build his kingdom.
    4. God’s plan for marriage is companionship.
    5. God’s plan for marriage is for married couples to make a new family unit.

God’s Plan for Marriage Homework

Answer the questions, then discuss together.

1. What was new or stood out to you in this session? In what ways were you challenged or encouraged? Were there any points/thoughts that you did not agree with?

2. Why do you want to marry this person? Give five reasons other than love.

3. If marriage is a spiritual gift meant to advance the kingdom of God, evaluate yourself and your spiritual gifts. How has God uniquely gifted you to build up his church (teaching, encouraging, serving, helping, mercy, etc.)? If you are not sure, ask your mate or friends what they would consider your spiritual gifts to be.

4. What are your mate’s spiritual gifts? How do you see God using your mate to build the kingdom of God, serve the church, etc.? How can you help him/her in that pursuit?

5. Solomon discussed some of the benefits of companionship that we find in marriage such as: being productive in work, helping when the other stumbles, and protecting one another. What are your common pitfalls or circumstances where you find yourself prone to discouragement or sin? What are the triggers to those pitfalls (problems with career, family, depression, worry, spiritual life, etc.)? How do you navigate these trials and what role can your spouse play to help you out?

6. The weapons we use in spiritual warfare and the trials of life are primarily spiritual. Discuss your spiritual disciplines (prayer, reading the Word, accountability, fasting, church attendance, service, etc.) and how you implement them daily/weekly. How do you think your mate is in his/her spiritual disciplines and how can you encourage one another in them so you can more effectively overpower the enemy?

7. God’s desire for most marriages is to be fruitful and multiply, producing godly children. How many children do you want? How many does your mate want? Have you discussed family planning? Will you use contraception? If so, what types? It is important to research this before the wedding as some methods are abortive and therefore immoral.

8. What type of relationship do you have with your parents? Do you foresee your family having any problems with your marriage (i.e. not accepting your spouse, cultural problems, distance, etc.)?

9. What type of relationship do you have with your mate’s parents? In what ways do you think you could better minister to or get to know your mate’s parents in order to honor them (cf. Eph 6:2)?

10. Do you foresee any problems in your marriage with putting the union first over one’s parents? Explain.

11. Do your parents or your mate’s parents have any serious sicknesses? God’s call on couples is to care for their parents in old age (1 Tim 5:4, 8). Have you and your mate discussed the possibility of caring for parents in old age? How would you handle this? Share any thoughts or concerns.

12. After completing this session, in what ways do you feel God is calling you to pray for your future marriage? Spend some time praying.

Continue with Foundation 2: Gender Roles in Marriage

For all those who read through the whole article, well done. I hope it serves you well by giving some additional insight into God’s purpose in marriage.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please strengthen marriages among Your people who are called by Your name. Let our marriages bring glory and honor to You and lead others to You, even as they enrich our personal lives and relationships and bring us joy. Amen. 

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Arrogance, Jesus (hearing from God), Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Lying / Deceiving, Scripture (e.g. Bible), Study the Word, Teachable, Truth, Unteachable / Foolish

When God Invites You to a Deeper Understanding of Truth, Pursue It

It seems the Pharisees and Sadducees, the religious leaders of the time, those most educated and trained in the formal practices of religion, never tired of spending time and energy trying to trick Yeshua while at the same time never had any energy to try to accept Him for whom He claimed to be… God and Messiah.  The same is still true for many people today. They spend all their effort trying to explain away Yeshua rather than accepting Him as Lord and submitting their lives to Him.

We have been discussing the earlier scriptures in Matthew 22 which document a list of questions which were brought to Yeshua and His answers.  He answered every question with clarity and wisdom. Still they are reluctant to consider He may indeed be who He says He is… Messiah. Finally, He asks them a question in return.

Matthew 22:41-46

      41Now while the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them a question: 42“What do you think about the Christ, whose son is He?” They said to Him, “The son of David.” 43He said to them, “Then how does David in the Spirit call Him ‘Lord,’ saying,

      44‘THE LORD SAID TO MY LORD,
“SIT AT MY RIGHT HAND,
UNTIL I PUT YOUR ENEMIES BENEATH YOUR FEET”’?

45“If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” 46No one was able to answer Him a word, nor did anyone dare from that day on to ask Him another question.

After responding to the questions He was asked, Yeshua then challenged the Pharisees and Sadducees with a question. They could not answer it and realized Yeshua was much wiser than they… but they still refused to acknowledge Him as Messiah and God. Their minds were already made up and they were not seeking truth and understanding… instead they sought only to discredit Jesus.

The question Yeshua asked them was actually quite important… and it was clear they did not understand it. Yeshua was pointing out that the anticipated Messiah was not just a descendant of David, a secular king or prince. If so, how could David, as an ancestor, call him Lord. No, the Messiah was not only “Son of God” but “God in the flesh”. Hence, David called Him Lord. Yeshua at once opened a door to show these men a deeper understanding of the Messiah and also revealed how little they truly understood. It is also very important to note that He did not simply claim something, like Messiah is God, and say the Spirit revealed it to Him. Rather He pointed to specific scripture to develop and prove the point. We should do likewise.

God invited the Pharisees and Sadducees to a deeper understanding of truth. They rejected the opportunity and instead stopped the conversation. They were unwilling to become humble and seek the wisdom Yeshua offered, but instead remained proud and plotted against Him. They had already made up their minds against Him.

I invite you to pray with me:

Father, please help me to be humble and to seek You and learn from You. Help me submit to You and learn from You. Let me seek truth and follow evidence, which will lead me to You. May I not be so prideful as to miss what You have for me because I insist that I already know and already understand. Help me challenge and update my current understanding of truth based on Your word and Your spirit. Help me to fully embrace that Yeshua was not just a “good teacher” or prophet, but God in the flesh, come to dwell among us.  Help me to do as Yeshua did and look to Your Torah and the writing of the prophets to confirm the truth about You. Amen.

Shalom.

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Faithful, Father / Yahweh, Loving / Kind, Protector / Deliverer, Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Seeking God, Thankfulness

We Are Not Interchangeable Parts in God’s Eyes

Reading the context of Matthew 18 preceding verses 12-14, we see emphasis put on humbling oneself like a child to come to the kingdom of God and caution against causing those who do to stumble and turn away from Yahweh.

Yeshua continues in this teaching by calling out a metaphor of a shepherd who looks for any of his lost sheep. He is not content to simply return with most of them or even almost all of them. He wants all of his sheep. So, too, our Father wants for all of us who have humbled ourselves like a child and put our trust in Him as Father to continue in relationship with Him. If one of us strays, He will seek after us. It makes an important point. Each of us as individuals matter to our Father. We are not just part of a big flock. We are not interchangeable.

Matthew 18:12-14

Ninety-nine Plus One

      12“What do you think? If any man has a hundred sheep, and one of them has gone astray, does he not leave the ninety-nine on the mountains and go and search for the one that is straying? 13“If it turns out that he finds it, truly I say to you, he rejoices over it more than over the ninety-nine which have not gone astray. 14“So it is not the will of your Father who is in heaven that one of these little ones perish.

Perhaps another way to think of this is to think of the Father / child relationship that Yahweh gives us so many times in scripture. Would a father be content to leave one child behind if he had three? What if he had 10? He would surely leave the others  behind in safety and pursue the one that was missing. Yahweh loves each of us in this way who have humbled ourselves and submitted to Him as Father.

Note that there is not indication in this scripture that the lost sheep will always be recovered. It simply states that He will pursue them.

Pray and give thanks to our Father that He loves each of us as individuals and that we are not simply interchangeable parts of a flock or herd in His eyes. Reflect on that. The Creator and Master of all loves each of us as individuals. He cares for us. He does not want to lose any one of us. Really take time to let that set in. No matter what you face in your personal life, you can see that you have value and purpose when you submit to Yahweh.

For those whom the Holy Spirit may convict as being a lost sheep, do not lose heart. Turn back to Him and ask His help. He wants you to come back to Him. Turn from the ways of the world and seek after our Father in Heaven. He is looking for you!

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

 

Am I on the path?, Faith / Trusting God, His Timing Not Ours, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Hope, How do I get started?, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Salvation, Satan, Study the Word

Who Do You Say That I Am?

“Who do you say that I am?”

In reference to Yeshua, how we truthfully answer this question frames up how we relate to our heavenly Father. It is a simple question, but one of immense importance.

Matthew 16:13-20

Peter’s Confession of Christ

      13Now when Jesus came into the district of Caesarea Philippi, He was asking His disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” 14And they said, “Some say John the Baptist; and others, Elijah; but still others, Jeremiah, or one of the prophets.” 15He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” 16Simon Peter answered, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17And Jesus said to him, “Blessed are you, Simon Barjona, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven. 18“I also say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build My church; and the gates of Hades will not overpower it. 19“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; and whatever you bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall have been loosed in heaven.” 20Then He warned the disciples that they should tell no one that He was the Christ.

Let us keep in mind that even Satan knows Yeshua is Son of the living God. Recognizing this, do not be overconfident that you are on in right relationship with our Father just because you acknowledge Yeshua as Christ. However, if you do not at least get this question right, you will surely not get the right relationship with our Him or our Father.

A second key point would be that the Father has to reveal this to us. We can tell someone over and over and lay out all the evidence, but if the Father does not reveal it to them, they will not see and acknowledge it. So if you want to truly reach someone, be sure to ask the Father to open their eyes to the truth. Once He reveals it to us, it is then that we have the chance to accept Him truly.

Third, and this is important and often misunderstood… the rock upon which the church will be built is not Peter. He was too fallible, as we all are, to be spoken about in this context. In fact, only 5 verses later, Yeshua calls Him out in a very harsh and dramatic way in verse 23. The rock is the fact that Yeshua is the Christ, the Son of the living God.  Nothing can overcome this foundation of solid rock. It is upon this solid rock that we build our faith and our relationship with Yahweh. It is upon this solid rock that we find our hope and salvation and nothing can come against it.

What is a bit confusing to me is that Yeshua told His disciples not to tell others. This is intriguing. I am not going to try to address this in this article, but encourage anyone interested to do more study. You can consult the commentaries for possible opinions on the matter and can pray and ask Yahweh to show you.

Shalom

Devotion by John in service to Christ

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Fear / Reverence for God, Grace / Forgiveness, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Jesus (hearing from God), Repenting from Sin, Salvation, Seeking God, Submitted / Servant

Yeshua Teaching About ‘the Unpardonable Sin’ Should Catch our Attention

There are a few verses in Matthew 12 which should catch the attention of any person serious about drawing near to our Creator. Yeshua speaks about the unpardonable sin and clearly states that there is no “neutral” when it comes to our relationship with the LORD. We are either with Him, or against Him. It is that simple. There is no gray. Neutral then falls in the category of “against”.

Matthew 12:30-32

The Unpardonable Sin

      30“He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters.

      31“Therefore I say to you, any sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven people, but blasphemy against the Spirit shall not be forgiven. 32“Whoever speaks a word against the Son of Man, it shall be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it shall not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.

There can be much interesting study and discussion about the “unpardonable sin”. I will not fully develop all that here in this article. I believe the unpardonable sin is to continually reject the Holy Spirit as He seeks to draw you to Him and to our Creator. All else can be forgiven through the grace of God demonstrated by the sacrifice of Christ on our behalf on the cross.

We can be forgiven, but we must accept  Christ as our Lord. If we reject Him, we reject the forgiveness He already provided.

In a small way, I can compare it to someone trying to give you a great gift, like a car. They can buy it for you, but if you refuse to accept it and take the keys, then you have walked away from the gift.

The reason it is unpardonable is not because God wants to hold a grudge for this one. Quite the opposite, He is offering forgiveness to us in this scenario through the Holy Spirit drawing us to Him. However, if forgiveness comes through submission to Christ, then how can we be forgiven the sin of rejecting the Holy Spirit as it seeks to draw us to Him?

In the example with the car above, we would not get angry with the person offering to give the car, but rather the responsibility for not receiving the gift remains solely with the one who would not accept it. So too, we should not get angry with God because people choose to reject His free gift of forgiveness.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Faith / Trusting God, Father / Yahweh, Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Loving / Kind, Miracles, Miracles, Peace / Rest, Teachable

“Come to Me” – Yeshua

The context of Matthew 11:25-27 is building off of prior verses in which Yeshua speaks about how some in certain cities have witnessed many miracles and yet they still have not chosen to repent and follow Yeshua. The punchline is that will be very bad for them (Matthew 11:22 “Nevertheless I say to you, it will be more tolerable for Tyre and Sidon in the day of judgment than for you.)

Matthew 11:25-27

Come to Me

      25At that time Jesus said, “I praise You, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that You have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants. 26“Yes, Father, for this way was well-pleasing in Your sight. 27“All things have been handed over to Me by My Father; and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him.

      28“Come to Me, all who are weary and heavy-laden, and I will give you rest. 29“Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and YOU WILL FIND REST FOR YOUR SOULS. 30“For My yoke is easy and My burden is light.”

There are several key concepts of which we should take note:

  • Some things are hidden from the wise that are revealed to those who are simpler. In this context it certainly points to knowing our LORD and dwelling in relationship with Him. One easy example to apply this is to imagine two people witnessing the same miracle, perhaps someone coming back to life in a hospital. One who is wise in his own eyes, perhaps a smart doctor, may declare there is a “scientific” or “medical” explanation that he just can’t identify. He sees the miracle, but dismisses it. The second person perhaps simply embraces the miracle that God has clearly delivered and gives God the glory. We must rely on God, not ourselves and our own wisdom.
  •  All things have been handed over to Yeshua by the Father. Yeshua is mediator and has authority over all.  This is consistent with Matthew 28:18“ And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth.” Let us remember this if we are tempted to fret and worry. Yeshua is over all. We can pursue Him and submit to Him and trust in Him!
  • No one can truly and fully know the Father but the Son, and vice versa. They are infinite and far above our ability to fully comprehend. Recognize this, but don’t let it deter you from pursuing an intimate relationship with them!
  • No one can know the Father, except those to which the Son reveals Him. Let us thank Yeshua for our opportunity to know the Father rather than get arrogant about how great we are because we know Him. Let us similarly pray for the lost rather than scorn them.
  • Life is hard. We often feel like we are carrying heavy burdens. Yeshua calls us to Him. He wants us to share a yoke with Him, not to help Him, but to help us! He is the strong “ox” in this metaphor and we are the weak. This is not a call for us to take on a heavy load He is pulling, but rather to let Him help us carry our load. In Yeshua, we find rest for our souls.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Prophecy, Study the Word, Through Prophets

Did Jesus Really Claim to be God?

Most of us who accept Yeshua as Messiah already know the answer. He claimed to be Messiah, God in the flesh. Some who deny Christ as Messiah can not deny that He existed and walked on this earth. The evidence is too overwhelming. So instead, they claim that Yeshua was only a good teacher or a prophet. This can not be so, however, because Yeshua claimed to be Messiah.

If someone claims to be Messiah, there are three options…  he is crazy, he is a liar, or he is Messiah. Good teacher and prophet are not rational choices as they would not claim to be Messiah.

As a result of that logic, some then say that Yeshua never claimed to be Messiah. The truth is that there are many examples where He did so. In fact it is so obvious, that we could simply point out that this is fundamentally why the Pharisees wanted to kill Him. They understood who He claimed to be very clearly.

Matthew 11 provides one example where Yeshua claimed to be Messiah, in response to John’s (the Baptist) inquiry. These examples are good to understand so we can defend the truth of the gospel against common arguments that people use to draw people away from following Yeshua.

Matthew 11:1-6

John’s Questions

      1When Jesus had finished giving instructions to His twelve disciples, He departed from there to teach and preach in their cities.

      2Now when John, while imprisoned, heard of the works of Christ, he sent word by his disciples 3and said to Him, “Are You the Expected One, or shall we look for someone else?” 4Jesus answered and said to them, “Go and report to John what you hear and see: 5the BLIND RECEIVE SIGHT and the lame walk, the lepers are cleansed and the deaf hear, the dead are raised up, and the POOR HAVE THE GOSPEL PREACHED TO THEM. 6“And blessed is he who does not take offense at Me.”

Rather than me building out the background context and details myself, I will quote from a section or Barnes commentary, available at BibleHub.com. It is not that Barnes commentary is authoritative, but in this case it is well laid out and documented.

Excerpt from Barnes commentary on Matthew 11:

Matthew 11:3 And said unto him, Art thou he that should come, or do we look for another?

Art thou he that should come? – That is, Art thou the Messiah, or the Christ? The Jews expected a Saviour. His coming had been long foretold, Genesis 49:10; Isaiah 9:1-6; Isaiah 11:1-5; Isaiah 35:4-6; Isaiah 53:1-12; Daniel 9:24-27. See also John 6:14. Compare Deuteronomy 18:18-19. In common language, therefore, he was familiarly described as “he that was to come.” Luke adds here Luke 7:21, that at the time when the messengers came to him, Jesus “cured many of their infirmities, and plagues, and of evil spirits.” An answer was therefore ready to the inquiries of John.

Matthew 11:4 Jesus answered and said unto them, Go and shew John again those things which ye do hear and see:
Go and show John again … – Jesus referred them for an answer to these miracles. They were proof that he was the Messiah. Prophets had indeed performed miracles, but no prophet had performed so many, or any so important. Jesus, moreover, performed them “in his own name” and by his own power. Prophets had done it by the power of God. Jesus, therefore, performed the works which none but the Messiah could do, and John might easily infer that he was the Christ.

The poor have the gospel preached to them – It was predicted of the Messiah that he would preach good tidings to the meek Isaiah 61:1; or, as it is rendered in the New Testament, “He hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor,” Luke 4:18. By this, therefore, also, John might infer that he was truly the Messiah. It adds to the force of this testimony that the “poor” have always been overlooked by Pharisees and philosophers. No sect of philosophers had condescended to notice them before Christ, and no system of religion had attempted to instruct them before the Christian religion. In all other schemes the poor have been passed by as unworthy of notice.

Matthew 11:6 And blessed is he, whosoever shall not be offended in me.

And blessed is he … – The word “offence” means a “stumbling-block.” See the notes at Matthew 5:29. This verse might be rendered, “Happy is he to whom I shall not prove a stumbling-block.” That is, happy is he who shall not take offence at my poverty and lowliness of life, so as to reject me and my doctrine. Happy is the one who can, notwithstanding that poverty and obscurity, see the evidence that I am the Messiah, and follow me. It is not improbable that John wished Jesus publicly to proclaim himself as the Christ, instead of seeking retirement. Jesus replied that he gave sufficient evidence of that by his works; that a man might discover it if he chose; and that he was blessed or happy who should appreciate that evidence and embrace him as the Christ, in spite of his humble manner of life.

Clearly, Yeshua claimed to be Messiah, and He referred to the Torah and writings of the prophets to convey that message.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Knowing, Grace / Forgiveness, Healer, Jesus (hearing from God), Jesus Christ / Yeshua, Miracles, Miracles, Prophecy, Prophecy, Through Prophets, Truth

Yeshua Identified Himself as Son of Man, Messiah

Some claim that Yeshua never claimed to be God, that He was only a prophet or teacher. This is simply and importantly not true. Here is one example where clearly He spoke in a way that communicated He was God. In Matthew 9, Yeshua is recorded as clearly claiming He could forgive sins, which the Jewish people associated with authority that God alone possessed. Further, Yeshua refers to Himself in the same passage as Son of Man, which refers back to Daniel 7 where we find a Messianic prophecy. Yeshua is clearing indicating that He is the Messiah anticipated in Daniel’s prophecy. This is confirmed by the response of those who did not believe He was God as they conclude He is blaspheming. They clearly understood what He was claiming.

Matthew 9:1-8

A Paralytic Healed

      1Getting into a boat, Jesus crossed over the sea and came to His own city.

      2And they brought to Him a paralytic lying on a bed. Seeing their faith, Jesus said to the paralytic, “Take courage, son; your sins are forgiven.” 3And some of the scribes said to themselves, “This fellow blasphemes.” 4And Jesus knowing their thoughts said, “Why are you thinking evil in your hearts? 5“Which is easier, to say, ‘Your sins are forgiven,’ or to say, ‘Get up, and walk’? 6“But so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins”—then He said to the paralytic, “Get up, pick up your bed and go home.” 7And he got up and went home. 8But when the crowds saw this, they were awestruck, and glorified God, who had given such authority to men.

Daniel 7:13-14

13“I kept looking in the night visions,
And behold, with the clouds of heaven
One like a Son of Man was coming,
And He came up to the Ancient of Days
And was presented before Him.

      14“And to Him was given dominion,
Glory and a kingdom,
That all the peoples, nations and men of every language
Might serve Him.
His dominion is an everlasting dominion
Which will not pass away;
And His kingdom is one
Which will not be destroyed.

A few additional thoughts not to miss…

Yeshua points back to and validates the continued importance of the Torah and the writings of the prophets. They are not obsolete and have not lost any meaning with His coming in the flesh.

Yeshua validates fulfillment of the prophecy given Daniel and recorded in Daniel 7. We should be greatly encouraged about the authority of scripture when we see how prophecies made hundreds of years earlier are shown to come to pass. There are many such examples in scripture. We can also be encouraged that Yahweh is not surprised. He does not need a “plan B”. He knows all that will happen as if it has already happened.

Lastly, let us not overlook a miraculous healing Yeshua did to physically heal the man. I find it interesting when such a significant aspect of the scripture could almost be overlooked. There is a lot packed into this scripture!

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

All Powerful / King of All, Father / Yahweh, Learning To Pray Effectively, Protector / Deliverer, Provider

Father Knows Best

The verses in Matthew 7 related to prayer, specifically answered prayer, are often misunderstood and taken out of context. Some are also even led away from the faith because they misunderstand this verse.

Matthew 7:7-12

      7“Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you. 8“For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. 9“Or what man is there among you who, when his son asks for a loaf, will give him a stone? 10“Or if he asks for a fish, he will not give him a snake, will he? 11“If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father who is in heaven give what is good to those who ask Him!

Let me preface my comments by saying that I am sure there could be a deep study on this subject and these verses. I mean that. I am going to keep it high level and try to leverage the metaphor the LORD gives us to shed some light on the surface.

People sometimes take this scripture to mean that whatever they ask for will be granted, as if Yahweh is some vending machine where we place our order and pull the handle to get what we want. When they ask for something He does not provide, they declare He is not real or the Bible is not trustworthy.

Read it from the context given, that He is our loving Father. Loving fathers do not always give their children everything requested. Of course the verse says we will not give a snake if they ask for a fish. That is true. But so also we can conclude a good father will not give a poisonous snake to a son who asks for it either.

The point is that when we ask for and seek after righteous things that are pleasing to the LORD, that He wants for us to have, to experience… it is then that He will answer.

The next point is one of timing. Again let us use our context of a father and son. If my son asks to know me better and spend more time together, that is awesome. Every dad should want that. Of course we can’t give that to our son in one sitting, all at once as it were. There is time required to be invested by both father and son to come to know one another better. Even if I simply want to give my son a fish he asks for, I still may need time to prepare for it. I may not give him a fish at that moment. I may prepare to give it to him later.

Let us trust that our Father is a loving father. He knows best. We should seek after things that please Him and draw us near to Him. Then let us trust in His timing to deliver as we continue to pursue relationship with Him.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.

Adultery / Sex Outside Marriage, Am I on the path?, Anger (unrighteous anger), Controlling Thoughts, Divorce, Forgive Others / Seek Forgiveness, Grace / Patience, Guide, His Ways Are Not Our Ways, Holy Spirit / Ruach HaKodesh, Humility, Kindness / Gentleness, Murder, Purposeful / Intentional, Self Control, Strife, Submitted / Servant, Teachable, Tongue / Gossip / Slander

Truly Being a Light for Christ May Seem Challenging

Earlier in Matthew 5, Yeshua was teaching about the beatitudes and then about disciples being salt and light and pursuing righteousness. Now he continues to expound on that by speaking about personal relationships. The context is still continuing in the line of how to be salt and light and righteous… we are to act very differently than the world around us. If we truly consider the high standard and take it to heart, it can be intimidating. However, rather than throw up your hands and say “I can’t do that”, simply recognize that this is the goal we should be moving towards and ask the Spirit to help you get there.

Matthew 5:21-48

Personal Relationships

      21“You have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT MURDER’ and ‘Whoever commits murder shall be liable to the court.’ 22“But I say to you that everyone who is angry with his brother shall be guilty before the court; and whoever says to his brother, ‘You good-for-nothing,’ shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever says, ‘You fool,’ shall be guilty enough to go into the fiery hell. 23“Therefore if you are presenting your offering at the altar, and there remember that your brother has something against you, 24leave your offering there before the altar and go; first be reconciled to your brother, and then come and present your offering. 25“Make friends quickly with your opponent at law while you are with him on the way, so that your opponent may not hand you over to the judge, and the judge to the officer, and you be thrown into prison. 26“Truly I say to you, you will not come out of there until you have paid up the last cent.      27“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL NOT COMMIT ADULTERY’; 28but I say to you that everyone who looks at a woman with lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart. 29“If your right eye makes you stumble, tear it out and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to be thrown into hell. 30“If your right hand makes you stumble, cut it off and throw it from you; for it is better for you to lose one of the parts of your body, than for your whole body to go into hell.

31“It was said, ‘WHOEVER SENDS HIS WIFE AWAY, LET HIM GIVE HER A CERTIFICATE OF DIVORCE’; 32but I say to you that everyone who divorces his wife, except for the reason of unchastity, makes her commit adultery; and whoever marries a divorced woman commits adultery.

33“Again, you have heard that the ancients were told, ‘YOU SHALL NOT MAKE FALSE VOWS, BUT SHALL FULFILL YOUR VOWS TO THE LORD.’ 34“But I say to you, make no oath at all, either by heaven, for it is the throne of God, 35or by the earth, for it is the footstool of His feet, or by Jerusalem, for it is THE CITY OF THE GREAT KING. 36“Nor shall you make an oath by your head, for you cannot make one hair white or black. 37“But let your statement be, ‘Yes, yes’ or ‘No, no’; anything beyond these is of evil.

38“You have heard that it was said, ‘AN EYE FOR AN EYE, AND A TOOTH FOR A TOOTH.’ 39“But I say to you, do not resist an evil person; but whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn the other to him also. 40“If anyone wants to sue you and take your shirt, let him have your coat also. 41“Whoever forces you to go one mile, go with him two. 42“Give to him who asks of you, and do not turn away from him who wants to borrow from you.

43“You have heard that it was said, ‘YOU SHALL LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR and hate your enemy.’ 44“But I say to you, love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, 45so that you may be sons of your Father who is in heaven; for He causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the righteous and the unrighteous. 46“For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax collectors do the same? 47“If you greet only your brothers, what more are you doing than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? 48“Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.

I do not assume we are to take literally the part about removing our body parts if they cause us to offend, but the language certainly drives home the point. If there are things in our lives, even things dear and close to us, that cause us to stumble before our Father, we should remove them.

Really reflect on the behaviors and the high standard laid out here that is required and desired to separate us and help us stand out as the light to others. We are not to blend in and it is not simply by quoting scripture, but by the very manner in which we live that we are to distinguish ourselves as a light. We truly need help from the Spirit to live it out and we need to remain humble and seek forgiveness along the way as we stumble.

—-

Do you know for sure if you will go to heaven or hell when you die? Are you experiencing in your life the peace and joy of a personal relationship with our Creator and Father? Learn more about salvation through The Message of the Cross.