A
It is finished, the battle is over;
A
It is finished, there=ll be no more war;A
It is finished, the end of the conflict;A
It is finished and Jesus is Lord.@For those who don
=t recognize the words above, they are from a song by Bill and Gloria Gaither from back in the seventies. It was sung by Bill=s brother Danny who has since gone to be with the Master, but it was sung with incredible emotion in recognition of the completed work of Christ.For all the enthusiasm the music stirred at concerts we attended, one would think Christians understood the significance of the words; yet, there is a disconnect. That disconnect is evident in a lot of the songs we see and sermons we hear.
Again and again, we are encouraged to see Jesus as victorious over sin and death, all the while the message preached indicates that is not the case at all. Without argument, the cross is the pivotal point in both redemptive and chronological history. Christ
=s appearance in the flesh changed the world forever. Nevertheless, we are told His work is incomplete. Let=s consider the problem this creates for the message of victory.When Christ proclaimed on the cross,
AIt is finished@, we must ask, AWhat was finished?@ Careful examination of the scripture helps us to realize that He was talking about the completion of the sacrifice for sin. It is clearly obvious from even a casual reading of the text there were yet other things to be accomplished in the redemptive schema.He still had to descend into Hades, proclaim the gospel message to the saints held there, be resurrected, ascend to the throne of God to be glorified and take His place with the Father. He still had to send the Spirit, He still had to overcome all His enemies, and He still had to appear a second time to announce salvation in His name. That
=s just a quick sketch of what remained when Christ proclaimed, AIt is finished.@In 1 Corinthians 15:26, your translation probably says something like,
AThe last enemy to be destroyed is death.@ The context is that of Christ making His enemies His footstool. It is clear from the text that every enemy but death had been subjected by the time this letter was written.It is true that Christ personally overcame death at His resurrection, but the ministry of death that brought sin was that of the Law and it had to be removed before death could be defeated. Of course, the accurate translation of this passage is,
AThe last enemy being destroyed is death.@Do not miss the importance of this alteration of the text by the translators. The Greek has the present participial form but the translators, holding a futuristic view, determine that the inspired text must be wrong and change it to conform to their view. Folks regularly ask me why it is important to do word studies when the Bible
A...says what it means and means what it says@. This singular demonstration of the importance of language should be compelling. Consider for a minute the difference it makes if Athe last enemy@ was being destroyed 2000 years ago.Obviously, every other enemy had already been destroyed and death (sin death) was
Abeing destroyed@ when Corinthians was written. How can anyone today rightly say that it remains for Christ to deal with His enemies in fulfillment of old covenant prophecy?Are there still enemies of the kingdom today, certainly. However, the prophecies with their promises are old covenant promises to Israel through which all the nations of the earth would be blessed.
Remember that in this same context, Paul tells the Corinthians,
AThe sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the Torah/law@ (v. 56) It follows then that if death was being destroyed, its power (the old covenant law) was being removed at that time. This is consistent with what we saw previously in Hebrews 8:13, AWhen He said, >A new covenant,= He has made the first obsolete. But whatever is becoming obsolete and growing old is ready to disappear.@ The old law A[was] being@ removed then; therefore, the power of sin was being removed and hence, death was being defeated at that time.The fall of Jerusalem in A.D. 70 and the events surrounding it marked the final blows which abolished death in the first century generation just was the promises indicated.
Why is this important? Death gave way to life. What is life from death? Resurrection! We
=ve talked before about the meaning of this word in the Greek (anastasis). Although it is certainly used in reference to physical life, physical resurrections pointed to something greater, namely deliverance from spiritual death. Literally, the word means to Aagain stand@ with the idea of restored standing.When Adam and Eve ate the forbidden fruit, they died that very day just as God had promised. Since they lived physically for hundreds of years beyond that point, it is obvious the death they died was not physical but spiritual. Even at that dark day of
Athe fall@ there was a promise of restored standing through the Seed of the woman Who would crush the Serpent.It is obvious from scripture that he was not crushed at the cross. Paul writes in Romans 16:20 that he would be crushed
Ashortly@ and that was about 57 A.D., well after Christ sacrificed. Himself for mankind.In Matthew 12:29 Jesus explained His casting out of demons by indicating that the strong man had to be bound before his property could be plundered. This is a clear indication that Satan was bound during the ministry of Jesus. He was to be loosed again and it is obvious that he was rampaging
Aas a roaring lion@ at least from the stoning of Stephen until the final judgment in 70 A.D.There isn
=t space to develop all of this at length but I hope you will begin to explore at these things for yourself and see the the beauty of Christ=s completed work. The price for sin was paid in full at the cross, but there was much to be done before the kingdom came in its fulness.It is a common misconception that the Mosaic Covenant ended at the cross. I was raised and trained with that view but the scripture simply will not support it. We must be honest with ourselves and one another if we are to grow in the knowledge of Christ which God has revealed to us.
I urge you to read Acts and the epistles again watching for evidence that the old law was still being practiced. Though the covenant it represented was replaced by a new covenant, the system remained. The tension we see in the new testament is in fact the result of those who refused to abandon the old, and those who embraced the new. They co-existed for 40 years whild God refined believers just as He had done with the Israelites in the wilderness. Their persecutors were His refiners fire.
However, He was faithful to His word and He brought relief to that generation while some of them yet lived.. They had the promises in earnest in the Holy Spirit but they were eagerly expecting the appearance of the realization of those hopes before they died. How cruel it would be if God gave them such promises, urged their enduring faithfulness on the promise that their trials would soon end, and never gave them the promised relief and vindication.
The price for sin was paid at the cross, but power of sin and death under the Law was not completely broken until the old covenant was completely removed in A.D. 70. It is impossible to accurately argue that the keeping of the Law was unnecessary for believers living that period of transition. The Jerusalem Council alone provides compelling evidence to the contrary.
As the gospel went to the Gentiles, there were some who wanted to impose observance of the Law on them. That single fact should tell us that Jewish believers were still practicing the tenets of their prior faith. Scholars differ over just how much of the old covenant they continued to observe but scripture itself tells us they at least kept it in part. The decision of the Council is evidence they kept it in a greater degree than what they imposed on Gentiles, that they
A...abstain from things sacrificed to idols and from blood and from things strangled and from fornication....@That there is even discussion about law-keeping tells us it continued to be observed by believers. In 2 Corinthians 3:7, Paul refers to the
Aletters engraved in stone@ as the Aministry of death@It is of extreme importance to note that in the giving of the Law, the scripture says of the first tablets of stonre,
AAnd the tablets were God's work, and the writing was God's writing engraved on the tablets@ (Ex. 32:16). However, Moses= breaking of those tablets can be seen as a symbol of the people having broken the covenant they made with God before they ever even heard its terms (Ex. 19:8)When Moses had returned to the mountain of the Lord the second time, God required him to cut our the stone tablets and engrave them with his own hands. God
=s work was rejected by the people and man=s work was substituted in its place. This is completely contrary to the nature of the covenant God cut with Abraham whereby God was the sole surety of its performance.The Mosaic Covenant was never designed to endure. It is not the least bit surprising that when Daniel interpreted Nebuchadnezzar
=s dream he identified a stone hewn out of the mountain without hands which would subdue the nations. Throughout scripture, the imagery of that stone is seen as the Messianic promise. Christ came into this world through the work of God, not man. His ministry was completely that of the Father. It did not issue from His humaness because He only did that which he saw his father doing.Nevertheless, in fulfilment of prophecy, He became the stone the builders rejected. A the chief cornerstone He was a
Astumblingstone and a rock of offense@ to those who rejected him. Those who could not accept His reign from on high would be ground to dust by that stone if they did not repent. History is clear, they perished because they did not repent.Failure to see the significance of the passing of the Mosaic Covenant invariable leads to problems in understanding the biblical text. The covenant of death was to stand until everything the law and the prophets said of Christ had been fulfilled (Matt. 15:19-20). Of course, these two witnesses not only proclaimed His sacrifice but His coming in glory and power.
Therefore, if Christ has not come in the majesty and glory of the Father, the Mosaic Covenant still stands and sin and death still reign. Such is the silent affirmation of any futuristic eschatology.
Praise be to God, Christ defeated all of His enemies and in doing so put an end to the law of sin and death!
AThere is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus@ (Romans 8:1).Middle East Myth
When tensions escalated in the Middle East recently, it didn
=t take long for prophecy gurus to begin seizing the opportunity to hawk their goods by promoting the soon coming of Christ. Throngs of Christians, eager to escape the supposed coming tribulation, are so locked into their way of thinking that refuse to question their understanding long enough to listen to the voice of reason.As things heat up, it grows increasing difficult to bite my tongue and sit quietly by as many well-meaning brethren here in the states insist we have to support the modern state of Israel. Recalling history and observing that modern Jews are not people of the Mosaic Covenant but merely heathen who have adopted the tenets of Judaism as their state religion, seemingly does not diminish their support by Christians in American.
Even when Christian here understand that their support for modern Judaism is resulting in the persecution and death of their Christian brethren in the Middle East, their demand for the support is undeterred. In a recent conversation, one gentleman told me that such undesirable outcomes are hard to reconcile with scripture but we still have to support Israel nonetheless.
Excuse me, but where in God
=s word are we ever told it is acceptable to be a party to the wanton persecution and murder of anyone, much less our Christian brothers and sisters? Those who say that one=s view of eschatology doesn=t really matter need to seriously consider the ramifications of what they believe.With a large segment of the Christian community having been duped into supporting the present war, our federal government has a ready pretext for its imperialistic activity. As important as Bible study is, the proper application of proper study is most important. There is no room for a careless or lackadaisical attitude toward any study which has such profound implications. My prayer is that Christians will educated themselves on these serious matters.
When I watch interviews of those whose lives are terrorized by the outworking of U.S. aid and support of Israel, my heart joins them in longing for peace in which to live their lives quietly and raise their families. Knowing that Christians play a significant role in the hardship they are enduring saddens me more than I can say.
Radical elements at home and abroad disrupt the lives of multitudes of people out of their desire for world domination. It is high time Christians realized that apart from Christ there is no peace, and it is high time our county to stop meddling in the affairs of others around the world in the name of
Aworld peace@ or self-interest. Any individual who thinks Israel should be supported has the liberty to pack their bags and go there to help all they want. Demanding that our country do so is to demand that we violate our own law, and doing that places us where God cannot be a party to our actions.A
We have nothing to fear but . . . A.Most Americans can easily finish FDR
=s famous quote. The problem is that most have failed to integrate its meaning into their thinking, if they think at all.Roosevelt was correct in pointing out that a mindset of fear is something to be feared. People who are motivated by fear frequently do the very thing which makes their situation even worse. History is replete with examples but I
=ll pull one from the Dallas Morning News back in the sixties (actually it may have been in the Dallas Times Herald but the Morning New has since bought The Herald).I forget just where the incident occurred but it was reported that a man had been driving awhile when he realized there was a rattlesnake in the seat beside him. I don
=t remember with accuracy the chain of events which followed but, terrified of the snake, he lost control of his car and took out a mailbox, a telephone pole and a fence before driving his car through the side of a house; at that point, the snake bit him.As unfortunate as the scene was, it was tragically humorous. Had the driver carefully pulled the vehicle over to the curb and stopped gently, he might well have been able to escape the vehicle without incident. His response generated by fear destroyed property and endangered the lives of others and ultimately resulted in the very thing he feared, getting bitten by the snake.
Fear is a powerful motivator! It is no surprise that government wants to motivate people to give up their rights and become slaves of the state. The manipulation of government controlled media (i.e. propaganda) showers families with messages of fear continuously: mad cow disease, bird flu, west Nile, ebola, e-coli, global warming, super storms, supernovas, meteorites and more - everything is a threat of major proportion. And that is to say nothing of threats from tobacco growers, gun manufacturers and gun owners, and people who believe the Constitution should be used to control the federal government. We are told to become a county of informers who, like in Hitler
=s Germany, constantly view their neighbors actions with suspicion and turn them over to the Gestapo at the drop of a hat. Our motto has become, AIn Government We Trust.@We are instructed to tell the government everything so it can decide how to handle our affairs. A sense of personal responsibility is now a thing of the past. Apart from Almighty God, there are few things we encounter that are more terrifying than government out of control; and make no mistake about it, our government is out of control.
Instead of being our servant, it has become our master. Polls show again and again that the vast majority of Americans are afraid of the government. The tragic irony is that the same people, whether by default or by choice, not only support but demand that our government continue to do the very things which terrorize them. Anyone looking in from the outside would have to be really perplexed by such a disconnect.
In 1970, cartoonist Walt Kelly created a Pogo poster for earth day. It was on this poster the following famous words were first recorded,
AWe have met the enemy, and he is us.@ Americans need to quit focusing on terrorists around the world who potentially threaten us. We must realize that the greatest terrorism we encounter is from the very government which we created to secure our liberty.It has been well said,
AYou can have safety, or you can have liberty; pick one.@ With liberty comes responsibility which always involves risks. May God grant His people that measure of courage which is required to be free, regardless of the cost.The Apprentice
=s JournalThis summer has been a whirlwind of activity. We hit the ground running back in May and haven
=t had time to look back! Now, at the end of July, there is a brief respite and I=m rushing to wrap up the newsletter while it is still July!The hubbub started back on Memorial day when we decided to buy some new furniture to replace what had been in our living room for over 20 years. That led to the need to paint and install new floor covering. Along the way we decided to add crown molding and replace some light fixtures.
With the exception of a couple of weekends, we
=ve been occupied with other things, so most of the projects had to be done in the evening after getting off work. Except for a little touch-up painting and hanging window treatments, this phase of the project is finally complete.In the meantime, the yard has turned into a jungle and the thought of tackling it is daunting. I
=ve managed to keep the lawn mowed with some regularity, but the flower beds need some serious weeding and the ponds desperately need attention.We have been getting regular rains and that is somewhat unusual this time of year. The temperature and humidity have been oppressive but we manage to stay inside most days. The garden is horribly overgrown with nutgrass around the tomatoes. As soon as that crop is in, I plan to hit the whole area with RoundUp to see if I a can get it rid of the stuff.
The okra is coming in like gangbusters and should do well until frost. We got a couple of pepper plants and they supply more than we need. I hope to get the giant pumpkin seeds in the ground this next week but I fear that will only encourage the weeds to spread.
The local battalion of hummingbirds is beginning to assemble and we
=re really enjoying their antics. The Bluebirds never raised any young this year. They did build a nest but for some reason they left without using it.We now have three squirrels that will eat from my hand and I
=m beginning to wonder if that is a good thing or not. Now, when they see me they shift into expectant mode and begin looking for me to present them with shelled pecans. There are plenty of other tree rats in the area but they still keep their distance.The toads have not made any significant appearance this year. They were around for a couple of nights last month but didn
=t approach the noise level or number they have in previousyears. The tree frogs have been around more this summer than last year and it is good to hear their chorus instead of the toad! The cicadas have also appeared this year. We really haven=t had any in the past few years, but for some reason this year produced a bumper crop.
The honeybees were out in full force earlier this year but they have been replaced with bumblebees (those big black and yellow monsters). How anyone can doubt creation by design while considering those things is beyond me!
Of course, the fire ants always thrive and it is way past time to treat for them. The mosquitos are also around in greater number and i suspect that reflects the need for me to clean up around the ponds. The regular rains, coupled with all the cover there is around the area provides an ideal breeding ground for them.
We=re still anxiously awaiting the arrival of our next grandchild. If I=m as late getting the newsletter out next month as I am this time, I may be able to make that announcement. Sharon is already gearing up to go spend a week or two with Laura while she recovers from the delivery and starts to get the handle on dealing with four children. I=m confident she will do just fine.
The grandsons are having a grand time this summer. Last weekend we were at a family reunion with part of Sharon=s family. I avoided the pool and the crowd until the sun went down and then went out to enjoy a quiet swim. It was a short-lived excursion as the kids soon returned to the pool but it was a good time.
Geren, the oldest grandson, swam over to me grinning from ear to ear and said, AGrandfather, I=m having an excellent
time!@ Indeed he was, even though he had a little more sun on his cheeks than he preferred. Grandson #2, Joshua, is truly an outdoors type and has really come into his own in the pool. David, #3, is less accomplished at age 2, but he refuses to be left out! It was something to see him walk out on the diving board and dive in - well, it was more of a belly flop than a dive, but few kids his age are even swimming much less braving the diving board.The most obvious missing "person" from the celebration was Maggie. For almost 16 years, it was my self-appointed duty to try to keep up with her in such assemblies. Well-meaning children could stress her out or give her things she shouldn=t eat. She could easily slip out the door or get crushed in the stampede of humans around her. Nevertheless, she always enjoyed being a part of such gatherings.
When she tired of being chased, she would show up at my feet so I could hold her. I=ve spent untold hours with her sleeping in my arms at family get-togethers. At the reunion, I was acutely aware of her absence and reminded once again of how very much a part of our lives she was.
It was nice not to have to be concerned about her health and safety, but such concerns were a small price to pay for the companionship we shared all those years. Life goes on and that is as it should be. To be able to consider the past and enjoy the good times while learning from the bad ones is a true gift of God.
May your summer be blessed with lots of opportunities to make wonderful memories, and may you make the most of them for the sake of God=s kingdom and to His glory! ~ Jim