John 9:1-7
CHAPTER 9
1 And as He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth.2 And His disciples asked Him, saying, "Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he should be born blind?"3 Jesus answered, "{It was} neither {that} this man sinned, nor his parents; but {it was} in order that the works of God might be displayed in him.4 "We must work the works of Him who sent Me, as long as it is day; night is coming, when no man can work.5 "While I am in the world, I am the light of the world."6 When He had said this, He spat on the ground, and made clay of the spittle, and applied the clay to his eyes,7 and said to him, "Go, wash in the pool of Siloam" (which is translated, sent). And so he went away and washed, and came {back} seeing.(NAS)
This story actually fits right in with the Piper book I'm reading right now. Everything that happens fits into God's plan, and eventually glorifies Him. This blind man wasn't blind as some sort of punishment, he was blind so that Jesus could heal him and show His glory. It's the same with other tragedies. They all have a purpose. Our suffering has a purpose. In case you're wondering, the book I'm referring to is Spectacular Sins, by John Piper. The book is all about how God allows terrible things to happen, but how they somehow glorify Him in the end.
As a side note, it's interesting in the story of the blind man to note what Jesus says in verses 4 and 5. It's hard to say for sure, but it seems like Jesus is saying there is only a limited time where these miraculous works (like healing a blind man) will occur. It's only a bit of a theory, but one with historical evidence. After Jesus left, some of the believers performed miraculous signs for a while longer, but these signs eventually stopped.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Tuesday, February 24, 2009
His Words
John 7:16-18
16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.17 "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or {whether} I speak from Myself.18 "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.(NAS)
Jesus' reply here is seen after the Jews wondered how such a man as Jesus could be so educated.
His reply is that His teaching comes from God. Even though Jesus is God, He made himself a man and came to earth to glorify the Father. While on earth, He submitted to the will of the Father, including His death on the cross. The way Jesus acted while on earth in respect to His relationship with the Father is a good example for us. In verse 18, Jesus says that whoever speaks his own words is glorifying himself, but Jesus spoke the Father's words. It seems that the translators assumed the Him to be referring to Christ by capitalizing it (this isn't present in every translation either), but even if that is the case it can still expand to our own lives. As believers, we are God's ambassadors, not our own. I hope and pray that my words never get in the way of God's words.
16 Jesus therefore answered them, and said, "My teaching is not Mine, but His who sent Me.17 "If any man is willing to do His will, he shall know of the teaching, whether it is of God, or {whether} I speak from Myself.18 "He who speaks from himself seeks his own glory; but He who is seeking the glory of the One who sent Him, He is true, and there is no unrighteousness in Him.(NAS)
Jesus' reply here is seen after the Jews wondered how such a man as Jesus could be so educated.
His reply is that His teaching comes from God. Even though Jesus is God, He made himself a man and came to earth to glorify the Father. While on earth, He submitted to the will of the Father, including His death on the cross. The way Jesus acted while on earth in respect to His relationship with the Father is a good example for us. In verse 18, Jesus says that whoever speaks his own words is glorifying himself, but Jesus spoke the Father's words. It seems that the translators assumed the Him to be referring to Christ by capitalizing it (this isn't present in every translation either), but even if that is the case it can still expand to our own lives. As believers, we are God's ambassadors, not our own. I hope and pray that my words never get in the way of God's words.
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Children of God
To anyone patiently waiting for me to blog... OK, I doubt there's that many, if any. Anyway, I've tried a few times lately, but having dial-up, I've had some trouble with the Internet lately. I've been lucky to get my e-mail some nights.
I've also been rather busy of late. I recently took a short trip to California for a scholarship interview at The Master's College, the school I'm planning on going to. I stayed the weekend with some nice friends of the family that live south of LA (the college is north of LA). I spent one night in the dorm at the college, and I met so many great students and staff that I don't remember hardly any of their names (if that makes sense. if it doesn't, sorry).
John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name,13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.(NAS)
This verse is a strong case for predestination. Those who become children of God reach this point not by inheritance (blood), not by the will of the flesh, and not by man's will. Those of us that are children of God are children of God only through God. We received Jesus because he gave us the faith to do so.
Not born of blood means that just because someone's parents are Christians doesn't mean they automatically are. The Greek word translated "flesh" is a word that is often associated with the flesh nature and the sin that comes along with it. It can also mean the physical body, as opposed to the spirit. So, it is apart from our own fleshly desires that we are saved as God's children. It could also imply that it is outside of our own work in the flesh. Not by man's will means nearly the same thing. Even the desire to be a child of God does not come from man. We have to be "encouraged" by the Holy Spirit so to speak.
The fact that God chose us not on merit, but just because he could is encouraging. It means that our salvation is secure. Nothing we did got us salvation, and nothing we do will take it away. I know I probably say all this a lot, but I guess I feel it's important. It's also important to note once again with this what Paul says:
Rom 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?(NAS)
The question is, how to balance eternal security with the need to stop sinning. From Romans 6:2, it seems that being saved from the slavery of sin, we wouldn't want to continue in it. This doesn't mean we'll never sin (on the contrary, in 1 John it says that anyone who claims to be without sin is not a true Christian), but it does mean that the pattern of sin in a believer's life should be less and less as spiritual growth takes place. We should continually be aiming for further Christlikeness.
I've also been rather busy of late. I recently took a short trip to California for a scholarship interview at The Master's College, the school I'm planning on going to. I stayed the weekend with some nice friends of the family that live south of LA (the college is north of LA). I spent one night in the dorm at the college, and I met so many great students and staff that I don't remember hardly any of their names (if that makes sense. if it doesn't, sorry).
John 1:12-13
12 But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, {even} to those who believe in His name,13 who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.(NAS)
This verse is a strong case for predestination. Those who become children of God reach this point not by inheritance (blood), not by the will of the flesh, and not by man's will. Those of us that are children of God are children of God only through God. We received Jesus because he gave us the faith to do so.
Not born of blood means that just because someone's parents are Christians doesn't mean they automatically are. The Greek word translated "flesh" is a word that is often associated with the flesh nature and the sin that comes along with it. It can also mean the physical body, as opposed to the spirit. So, it is apart from our own fleshly desires that we are saved as God's children. It could also imply that it is outside of our own work in the flesh. Not by man's will means nearly the same thing. Even the desire to be a child of God does not come from man. We have to be "encouraged" by the Holy Spirit so to speak.
The fact that God chose us not on merit, but just because he could is encouraging. It means that our salvation is secure. Nothing we did got us salvation, and nothing we do will take it away. I know I probably say all this a lot, but I guess I feel it's important. It's also important to note once again with this what Paul says:
Rom 6:1-2
1 What shall we say then? Are we to continue in sin that grace might increase?2 May it never be! How shall we who died to sin still live in it?(NAS)
The question is, how to balance eternal security with the need to stop sinning. From Romans 6:2, it seems that being saved from the slavery of sin, we wouldn't want to continue in it. This doesn't mean we'll never sin (on the contrary, in 1 John it says that anyone who claims to be without sin is not a true Christian), but it does mean that the pattern of sin in a believer's life should be less and less as spiritual growth takes place. We should continually be aiming for further Christlikeness.
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