Behold the Lamb of God

“Who is Jesus, and what was his ultimate mission? Some today say that he was a kind of philosopher or moral reformer who teaches us all to share our toys and behave on the playground of life. But these views presuppose that the human predicament is that we simply need a little advice or enlightenment, and not something drastic like eternal redemption from sin, death, and hell.”

That is the opening statement from the January 20, 2013 White Horse Inn program.

Here is the audio. http://www.whitehorseinn.org/whiarchives/2013whi1137jan20.mp3

Soli Deo Gloria!

 

Our Redemption in Christ

by Mike Ratliff

21 Νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, 22 δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας. οὐ γάρ ἐστιν διαστολή, 23 πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ 24 δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· 25 ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ [τῆς] πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων 26 ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. (Romans 3:21-26 NA27)

²¹But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being attested to by the Law and the Prophets, ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all those who believe for there is no distinction. ²³ For all sinned and come short of the glory of God. ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus; ²⁵ whom God displayed as a propitiations through faith in his blood for a display of his righteousness because of the passing by of the previous sins ²⁶ because of the forbearance of God for the display of his righteousness in the present time for him to be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

I listened to part of President Obama’s 2^nd Inaugural speech and I want to reiterate to all of you reading this with discernment that we should not be surprised when leaders who are not Christians do and say unchristian things. I wrote about this over a year ago in a post I called Evil Personified.  We live in an evil world in a dark time in which the visible church has become dominated by those attempting to redefine the Gospel to make it more palatable to the post-modernism while at the same time blatantly ignoring what God’s Word clearly teaches about what is evil and what he judges and what genuine Christians are really to be about. On the other hand, God has always kept a remnant within the visible church, which is the True Church, and it has remained faithful. This post and what we are teaching here is meant for those Christians. In fact, I suggest that what we are about to study will “offend” many of those who call themselves Christians, but who are really just attempting to be religious while sanctifying what they do in the flesh. 

Brought Near by the Blood of Christ

by Mike Ratliff

11 Διὸ μνημονεύετε ὅτι ποτὲ ὑμεῖς τὰ ἔθνη ἐν σαρκί, οἱ λεγόμενοι ἀκροβυστία ὑπὸ τῆς λεγομένης περιτομῆς ἐν σαρκὶ χειροποιήτου, 12 ὅτι ἦτε τῷ καιρῷ ἐκείνῳ χωρὶς Χριστοῦ, ἀπηλλοτριωμένοι τῆς πολιτείας τοῦ Ἰσραὴλ καὶ ξένοι τῶν διαθηκῶν τῆς ἐπαγγελίας, ἐλπίδα μὴ ἔχοντες καὶ ἄθεοι ἐν τῷ κόσμῳ. 13 νυνὶ δὲ ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ ὑμεῖς οἵ ποτε ὄντες μακρὰν ἐγενήθητε ἐγγὺς ἐν τῷ αἵματι τοῦ Χριστοῦ. 14 Αὐτὸς γάρ ἐστιν ἡ εἰρήνη ἡμῶν, ὁ ποιήσας τὰ ἀμφότερα ἓν καὶ τὸ μεσότοιχον τοῦ φραγμοῦ λύσας, τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν τῇ σαρκὶ αὐτοῦ, 15 τὸν νόμον τῶν ἐντολῶν ἐν δόγμασιν καταργήσας, ἵνα τοὺς δύο κτίσῃ ἐν αὐτῷ εἰς ἕνα καινὸν ἄνθρωπον ποιῶν εἰρήνην 16 καὶ ἀποκαταλλάξῃ τοὺς ἀμφοτέρους ἐν ἑνὶ σώματι τῷ θεῷ διὰ τοῦ σταυροῦ, ἀποκτείνας τὴν ἔχθραν ἐν αὐτῷ. (Ephesians 2:11-16 NA27)

¹¹ Therefore remember that once you, the Gentiles in the flesh, the ones being called “Uncircumcision” by the ones being called “Circumcision,” done in the flesh by hand– ¹² that you were at that time without Christ, having been alienated from the citizenship of Israel and strangers of the covenants of the promise, having no hope and without God in the world. ¹³ But now in Christ Jesus you, the ones once being far off, have been brought near by the blood of Christ.  ¹⁴ For he, the one having made the two one and having broken in his flesh the partition of the middle wall of hostility is our peace. ¹⁵ In so doing he annulled the law of the commandments in ordinances that he might create the two in himself into one new man, making peace, ¹⁶ and might reconcile the two in one body to God through the cross having killed the hostility by it. (Ephesians 2:11-16 a personal translation of the NA27 Greek text)

We have been looking at our Justification, which is of course, by grace alone through faith alone apart from works. This truth cannot be challenged by anyone who is devoted to Sola Scriptura and abides to true exegetical standards of Biblical exposition. There are, of course, those who want to add things to this such as “Church Tradition” and “works” et cetera. When I have had face-offs with some of these people they cannot hold their ground unless they first can try to dilute Sola Scriptura in some way. However, I digress. Many others and I have become convinced that the visible church in the West has come under the judgment of God. That is why truth is watered down within and rare. That is why God has taken away solid leadership within it. Look what happened with the Louie Giglio fiasco with President Obama’s Inaugural. I am old enough to remember when the leaders in the Church in this country would never have considered even being a part of such an evil event, but when Giglio was disinvited because he had once preached a Biblically true sermon about how homosexuality is a sin and God is calling all sinners to repentance, what did he do? He gave a half-hearted “apology” and crept away with his tail between his legs. Where was the spirit-filled righteous indignation over such an evil event that is celebrating such a thing as homosexuality as being a celebrated civil right from within the leadership of the visible church? 

Boasting Excluded

by Mike Ratliff

27 Ποῦ οὖν ἡ καύχησις; ἐξεκλείσθη. διὰ ποίου νόμου; τῶν ἔργων; οὐχί, ἀλλὰ διὰ νόμου πίστεως. 28 λογιζόμεθα γὰρ δικαιοῦσθαι πίστει ἄνθρωπον χωρὶς ἔργων νόμου. 29 ἢ Ἰουδαίων ὁ θεὸς μόνον; οὐχὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν; ναὶ καὶ ἐθνῶν, 30 εἴπερ εἷς ὁ θεὸς ὃς δικαιώσει περιτομὴν ἐκ πίστεως καὶ ἀκροβυστίαν διὰ τῆς πίστεως. 31 νόμον οὖν καταργοῦμεν διὰ τῆς πίστεως; μὴ γένοιτο· ἀλλὰ νόμον ἱστάνομεν. (Romans 3:27-31 NA27)

²⁷ Therefore, where is boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of principle? Of works? No, but through a principle of faith. ²⁸ For we maintain that a man is justified by faith apart from works of the Law. ²⁹ Or is God the God of the Jews only? Is he not the God of the Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since there is one God who will justify the circumcision by faith and the uncircumcision through faith. ³¹Therefore, do we annul the Law through faith? May it never be! Rather, we confirm the Law. (Romans 3:27-31 a personal translation of the Greek Text from the NA27)

As I translated Romans 3:27-31 I had to do some research on how others had rendered νόμου in v27, v28, and v31. The NASB renders it as “law” and “Law” meaning a principle in the v27, but then as the O.T. Law in v28 and v31. The ESV renders it as “law” in all four cases. As I looked at the context though I could see what Paul was saying very clearly in v27 in his rhetorical questions so I rendered νόμου, “nomou”, “principle, law, the Law” in v27 as “principle.” 

God’s Righteousness Through Faith

by Mike Ratliff

21 Νυνὶ δὲ χωρὶς νόμου δικαιοσύνη θεοῦ πεφανέρωται μαρτυρουμένη ὑπὸ τοῦ νόμου καὶ τῶν προφητῶν, 22 δικαιοσύνη δὲ θεοῦ διὰ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ εἰς πάντας τοὺς πιστεύοντας. οὐ γάρ ἐστιν διαστολή, 23 πάντες γὰρ ἥμαρτον καὶ ὑστεροῦνται τῆς δόξης τοῦ θεοῦ 24 δικαιούμενοι δωρεὰν τῇ αὐτοῦ χάριτι διὰ τῆς ἀπολυτρώσεως τῆς ἐν Χριστῷ Ἰησοῦ· 25 ὃν προέθετο ὁ θεὸς ἱλαστήριον διὰ [τῆς] πίστεως ἐν τῷ αὐτοῦ αἵματι εἰς ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ διὰ τὴν πάρεσιν τῶν προγεγονότων ἁμαρτημάτων 26 ἐν τῇ ἀνοχῇ τοῦ θεοῦ, πρὸς τὴν ἔνδειξιν τῆς δικαιοσύνης αὐτοῦ ἐν τῷ νῦν καιρῷ, εἰς τὸ εἶναι αὐτὸν δίκαιον καὶ δικαιοῦντα τὸν ἐκ πίστεως Ἰησοῦ. (Romans 3:21-26 NA27)

²¹But now apart from the Law the righteousness of God has been manifested, being attested to by the Law and the Prophets, ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all those who believe for there is no distinction. ²³ For all sinned and come short of the glory of God. ²⁴ Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption in Christ Jesus; ²⁵ whom God displayed as a propitiations through faith in his blood for a display of his righteousness because of the passing by of the previous sins ²⁶ because of the forbearance of God for the display of his righteousness in the present time for him to be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. (Romans 3:21-26 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

Those who trained me in Biblical exegesis made sure to emphasize those “changes in the flow” of the text that is meant to summarize previous points or to go to new point based upon a previous argument with a solid “therefore” for instance. In this case Paul begins Romans 3:21 with “Νυνὶ δὲ”, which could be translated as “in fact,” but here we are using “But now” because Paul is making a change in the flow of his arguments. In the previous verses of Chapter 4 he refers to God’s righteous judgment and justice being rightly deserved because “All have sinned…” and how the Law cannot justify anyone, but through it can only come the knowledge of sin. Here Paul begins his proclamation of the Good News that there is justification available to believers apart from Law, but there is only one way and it is completely apart from works. 

The Saving Righteousness of God

The Righteousness of God Through Faith 

^3:21 But now the righteousness of God has been manifested apart from the law, although the Law and the Prophets bear witness to it— ²² the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ for all who believe. For there is no distinction: ²³ for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, ²⁴ and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, ²⁵ whom God put forward as a propitiation by his blood, to be received by faith. This was to show God’s righteousness, because in his divine forbearance he had passed over former sins. ²⁶ It was to show his righteousness at the present time, so that he might be just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus. 

²⁷ Then what becomes of our boasting? It is excluded. By what kind of law? By a law of works? No, but by the law of faith. ²⁸ For we hold that one is justified by faith apart from works of the law. ²⁹ Or is God the God of Jews only? Is he not the God of Gentiles also? Yes, of Gentiles also, ³⁰ since God is one—who will justify the circumcised by faith and the uncircumcised through faith. ³¹ Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law. 

Abraham Justified by Faith 

^4:1 What then shall we say was gained by Abraham, our forefather according to the flesh? ² For if Abraham was justified by works, he has something to boast about, but not before God. ³ For what does the Scripture say? “Abraham believed God, and it was counted to him as righteousness.” ⁴ Now to the one who works, his wages are not counted as a gift but as his due. ⁵ And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness, ⁶ just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works: 

         ⁷ “Blessed are those whose lawless deeds are forgiven,

                  and whose sins are covered;

         ⁸ blessed is the man against whom the Lord will not count his sin.”        

⁹ Is this blessing then only for the circumcised, or also for the uncircumcised? For we say that faith was counted to Abraham as righteousness. ¹⁰ How then was it counted to him? Was it before or after he had been circumcised? It was not after, but before he was circumcised. ¹¹ He received the sign of circumcision as a seal of the righteousness that he had by faith while he was still uncircumcised. The purpose was to make him the father of all who believe without being circumcised, so that righteousness would be counted to them as well, ¹² and to make him the father of the circumcised who are not merely circumcised but who also walk in the footsteps of the faith that our father Abraham had before he was circumcised. 

The Promise Realized Through Faith 

¹³ For the promise to Abraham and his offspring that he would be heir of the world did not come through the law but through the righteousness of faith. ¹⁴ For if it is the adherents of the law who are to be the heirs, faith is null and the promise is void. ¹⁵ For the law brings wrath, but where there is no law there is no transgression. 

¹⁶ That is why it depends on faith, in order that the promise may rest on grace and be guaranteed to all his offspring—not only to the adherent of the law but also to the one who shares the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, ¹⁷ as it is written, “I have made you the father of many nations”—in the presence of the God in whom he believed, who gives life to the dead and calls into existence the things that do not exist. ¹⁸ In hope he believed against hope, that he should become the father of many nations, as he had been told, “So shall your offspring be.” ¹⁹ He did not weaken in faith when he considered his own body, which was as good as dead (since he was about a hundred years old), or when he considered the barrenness of Sarah’s womb. ²⁰ No unbelief made him waver concerning the promise of God, but he grew strong in his faith as he gave glory to God, ²¹ fully convinced that God was able to do what he had promised. ²² That is why his faith was “counted to him as righteousness.” ²³ But the words “it was counted to him” were not written for his sake alone, ²⁴ but for ours also. It will be counted to us who believe in him who raised from the dead Jesus our Lord, ²⁵ who was delivered up for our trespasses and raised for our justification. (Romans 3:21-4:25 ESV)

Witnesses to the Deity of Jesus Christ

by Mike Ratliff

30 Οὐ δύναμαι ἐγὼ ποιεῖν ἀπ᾽ ἐμαυτοῦ οὐδέν· καθὼς ἀκούω κρίνω, καὶ ἡ κρίσις ἡ ἐμὴ δικαία ἐστίν, ὅτι οὐ ζητῶ τὸ θέλημα τὸ ἐμὸν ἀλλὰ τὸ θέλημα τοῦ πέμψαντός με. (John 5:30 NA27)

³⁰ “I am not able to do from myself. As I hear I judge and my judgment is just because I do not seek my will but the will of the one who sent me.” (John 5:30 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

Our Lord Jesus Christ, as the Apostle John said in John 1:1-5, “Ἐν ἀρχῇ ἦν ὁ λόγος, καὶ ὁ λόγος ἦν πρὸς τὸν θεόν, καὶ θεὸς ἦν ὁ λόγος. οὗτος ἦν ἐν ἀρχῇ πρὸς τὸν θεόν.  πάντα δι᾽ αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο, καὶ χωρὶς αὐτοῦ ἐγένετο οὐδὲ ἕν. ὃ γέγονεν ἐν αὐτῷ ζωὴ ἦν, καὶ ἡ ζωὴ ἦν τὸ φῶς τῶν ἀνθρώπων·  καὶ τὸ φῶς ἐν τῇ σκοτίᾳ φαίνει, καὶ ἡ σκοτία αὐτὸ οὐ κατέλαβεν.”, and in v14, “Καὶ ὁ λόγος σὰρξ ἐγένετο καὶ ἐσκήνωσεν ἐν ἡμῖν, καὶ ἐθεασάμεθα τὴν δόξαν αὐτοῦ, δόξαν ὡς μονογενοῦς παρὰ πατρός, πλήρης χάριτος καὶ ἀληθείας.”, translated as, “In the Beginning was the word and the Word was with God and God was the Word. This one was with God in the Beginning. All things came to be through him and without him not one thing came to be which came into being. In him was life and the life was the light of men and the light shines in the darkness and the darkness did not grasp it.” and in v14, “And the Word became flesh and tabernacled among us and we gazed upon his glory, glory as of the only one from the Father, full of grace and truth.” Our Lord Jesus Christ, being God the Son, the second person in the Holy Trinity became flesh and “tabernacled” among us. The Gospel of John was written by the Apostle as a “witness” of our Lord’s incarnation and is without a doubt the most profound exposition of Jesus as both God and man. 

Who Has Eternal Life?

by Mike Ratliff

24 Ἀμὴν ἀμὴν λέγω ὑμῖν ὅτι ὁ τὸν λόγον μου ἀκούων καὶ πιστεύων τῷ πέμψαντί με ἔχει ζωὴν αἰώνιον καὶ εἰς κρίσιν οὐκ ἔρχεται, ἀλλὰ μεταβέβηκεν ἐκ τοῦ θανάτου εἰς τὴν ζωήν. (John 5:24 NA27)

²⁴ “Amen, amen I say to you that the one who hears my Word and believes him who sent me has eternal life and does not come into judgment, but has been transferred out of death into life. (John 5:24 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

I was listening to a discussion today between several theologians as they contrasted the reaction the 1^st Century Jews had to Jesus’ claim to deity with that of the heretics who came later. These 1^st Century Jews took Jesus’ words in John 5 about his relationship to the Father as claims of deity, that is, making himself equal with God (John 5:18). Heretics who were not from the time of our Lord and were not Jews of that period were the ones who came up with Arianism, Modalism, et cetera. Each of these types of attack on doctrine of the Holy Trinity are proofs that those doing this may have indeed heard the truth (Jesus’ Word), but they have most certainly not believed the Father who sent him. If so they would most certainly not attack that wonderful doctrine that is so hard for the unregenerate to accept let alone believe. What did Jesus say about those who hear his Word and believe him who sent him? These have been granted eternal life. 

Our Father Who is in Heaven

by Mike Ratliff

9 Οὕτως οὖν προσεύχεσθε ὑμεῖς· Πάτερ ἡμῶν ὁ ἐν τοῖς οὐρανοῖς· ἁγιασθήτω τὸ ὄνομά σου· (Matthew 6:9 NA27)

⁹ “You, therefore, pray in this way: ‘Our Father who is in heaven, let your name be hallowed, (Matthew 6:9 a personal translation of from the NA27 Greek Text.) 

As one who desperately wants to stay on the narrow way, bearing my own cross as I follow my Lord each and every day, I have found that there are times when my circumstances seem to overwhelm me and there is anything but peace in my life as those very circumstances appear to be about to consume me or destroy me or something indeed horrible. It is as I am driven to prayer as per Hebrews 4:14-16:

[14] Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. [15] For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. [16] Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need. (Hebrews 4:14-16 ESV)

that my perspective is altered and what seemed such a large problem is seen in a completely different light. Do the issues or problems still exist? Yes they do, but when viewed from the perspective of a child who has come before his heavenly father who has properly prayed for him to reveal himself, his majesty, his power, his grace, his mercy, his love, et cetera to me in a way that brings him glory in and through me then I know that my temporal problems are nothing when it comes to eternity. 

Interpreting Scripture by Scripture

by Mike Ratliff

[16] All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, [17] that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work. (2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV)

I have a Bible that was given to my grandfather by all his children as a gift after several life changing events took place in his life (the death of my grandmother, him having to retire from the pastorate for heath reasons, et cetera). He was born in 1877 and I was born in 1951 so my memory of him was always of a very old man. He became a Baptist preacher in the late 1800’s after his wife led him to Christ and taught him to read and write. Here is the note they wrote to him that is pasted to the inside cover.

“Dear Dad,

         We have said we love you many times, but we want to say it again in this way. The knowledge that you have put this Holy Word above all things will stay with us always.” 

Then each of his children and their spouses signed the note. This had to have happened in the early 1950’s when I was very young. My grandmother died when I was 3 years old. My grandfather died in 1963 on Christmas Eve. His funeral was held at the First Baptist Church in Purcell, Oklahoma and it was packed. Before my Dad got Alzheimer’s Disease and died and we could still discuss these things I asked him many times about Granddad’s theology and how he handled scripture and what he would have done with all the nonsense going on in the church visible right now. He wouldn’t say much except to say that people’s own interpretations of things meant nothing to him. God’s Word was authoritative and if you could not back up what you were doing or saying from it then watch out. It did not bother him one bit to confront those in error. Also, celebrity preachers were an anachronism to pastors like my Grandfather.

The Wisdom of This World is Folly With God

by Mike Ratliff

18 Μηδεὶς ἑαυτὸν ἐξαπατάτω· εἴ τις δοκεῖ σοφὸς εἶναι ἐν ὑμῖν ἐν τῷ αἰῶνι τούτῳ, μωρὸς γενέσθω, ἵνα γένηται σοφός. 19 ἡ γὰρ σοφία τοῦ κόσμου τούτου μωρία παρὰ τῷ θεῷ ἐστιν. γέγραπται γάρ· ὁ δρασσόμενος τοὺς σοφοὺς ἐν τῇ πανουργίᾳ αὐτῶν· 20 καὶ πάλιν· κύριος γινώσκει τοὺς διαλογισμοὺς τῶν σοφῶν ὅτι εἰσὶν μάταιοι. (1 Corinthians 3:18-20 NA27)

¹⁸ Let no one deceive himself; if anyone supposes himself to be wise among you in this age, let him become foolish that he may become wise. ¹⁹ For the wisdom of this world is folly with God. For it has been written, “He catches the wise in their craftiness.”  ²⁰ and again, “The Lord knows the reasoning of the wise and they are vain.” (1 Corinthians 3:18-20 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

I remember it like it was just the other day. It was in the Spring of 2006. I was preparing to teach my Bible Study class on Sunday morning to young couples. There were about 5 in there that were usually there and then another couple that were preparing to be married and a fellow about their age that I didn’t really know. I got ready to start the class. I asked for prayer requests then I prayed. Before I began the young lady who was preparing to be married asked me if she could ask a question. I said, “Sure!” She asked me to tell her what Paul meant in Ephesians 1with the terms “Predestined” and “Elected.” I simply read those passages, put them in context and before I could even begin to give an explanation her fiancé and the fellow who was with them began a tirade. I was never given a chance to explain anything. I finally put my Bible down, gave them the look I used to give the fellows under me in Boot Camp in the Navy and it got real quiet. I asked, “Do you have a problem with me or the Apostle Paul? Perhaps it’s the Holy Spirit who inspired Paul to write this…” By then some of the other people in the class told them to shut up or leave. That was the beginning of the end of my time at the church. 

Remove The Evil Man From Among Yourselves

by Mike Ratliff

9 Ἔγραψα ὑμῖν ἐν τῇ ἐπιστολῇ μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι πόρνοις, 10 οὐ πάντως τοῖς πόρνοις τοῦ κόσμου τούτου ἢ τοῖς πλεονέκταις καὶ ἅρπαξιν ἢ εἰδωλολάτραις, ἐπεὶ ὠφείλετε ἄρα ἐκ τοῦ κόσμου ἐξελθεῖν. 11 νῦν δὲ ἔγραψα ὑμῖν μὴ συναναμίγνυσθαι ἐάν τις ἀδελφὸς ὀνομαζόμενος ᾖ πόρνος ἢ πλεονέκτης ἢ εἰδωλολάτρης ἢ λοίδορος ἢ μέθυσος ἢ ἅρπαξ, τῷ τοιούτῳ μηδὲ συνεσθίειν. 12 τί γάρ μοι τοὺς ἔξω κρίνειν; οὐχὶ τοὺς ἔσω ὑμεῖς κρίνετε; 13 τοὺς δὲ ἔξω ὁ θεὸς κρινεῖ. ἐξάρατε τὸν πονηρὸν ἐξ ὑμῶν αὐτῶν. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13 NA27)

⁹ I wrote to you in the epistle not to mix with fornicators, ¹⁰ not meaning complete dissociation from the fornicators of this world or greedy and swindlers or idolaters, since you would have to then go out from the world. ¹¹ But now I wrote to you not to mix with anyone who is called a brother if he is a fornicator or a greedy man or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or a swindler. Do not eat with such a man. ¹² For what do I have to do with the judging of outsiders? Is it not the ones within you are to judge? ¹³ But the ones outside God judges. Remove the evil man from among yourselves. (1 Corinthians 5:9-13 a personal translation from the NA27 Greek text)

As the true Gospel is proclaimed with power it is always accompanied by the Law which is used by the Holy Spirit to reveal to the lost their utter need for a Saviour and the complete helplessness to save themselves from the coming wrath of God upon all sin that has not been covered by blood of Christ through his atoning work on the Cross. Those who have not been justified by faith alone through grace alone through believing the Gospel and receiving Christ as Lord and Saviour are those mentioned in the passage above that are “outsiders.” He also makes it clear that many are “called a brother,” but their actions of an unrepentant lifestyle reveal that they are subject to being judged according to “Church Discipline” and cast out of the local body of believers. 

Have Peace In the Midst of Tribulation and Take Heart

by Mike Ratliff

 

“I have said these things to you in figures of speech. The hour is coming when I will no longer speak to you in figures of speech but will tell you plainly about the Father. In that day you will ask in my name, and I do not say to you that I will ask the Father on your behalf; for the Father himself loves you, because you have loved me and have believed that I came from God. I came from the Father and have come into the world, and now I am leaving the world and going to the Father.”          His disciples said, “Ah, now you are speaking plainly and not using figurative speech! Now we know that you know all things and do not need anyone to question you; this is why we believe that you came from God.” Jesus answered them, “Do you now believe? Behold, the hour is coming, indeed it has come, when you will be scattered, each to his own home, and will leave me alone. Yet I am not alone, for the Father is with me. I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” (John 16:25-33 ESV)

I love talking with dedicated believers who are relatively new in their faith as we discuss the pressures that they are dealing with in this life that, in many cases, their plastic, “seeker-sensitive” or “emergent” form of religiosity has in no way prepared them for. Yes we are all in process and no, none of us have become so mature that we never struggle with the fires of tribulation that the world can bring to bear upon us at times. I had a recent discussion with a young man who is a growing disciple yet I have noticed that the fervent heat of his faith has really gone into the background lately. I watched him for a few days before we talked and noticed how he was still very much engrained into the entertainment and ways of the world that are so prevalent with those of his age group (college student). We had some private time and I said nothing about any of that. What I did say to him was that for the believer, seeking fulfillment from any fleshly source is deadly to our walk and designed by our enemy to distract us from humble service. I also said that I could not name one thing the world had to offer that gave me more fulfillment than spending time rightly dividing the Word of Truth and teaching others what the Holy Spirit taught me. I could see the working of the Holy Spirit in him as we talked. I pray that the next time we see each other we can talk some more about it.

Do You Really Know Him?

by Mike Ratliff

[6] For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. (Isaiah 9:6 ESV)

Isaiah 9:6 is part of a magnificent prophecy given to the prophet Isaiah about 800 years prior to the advent of our Lord being born of a virgin according to the will of God the Father in order to fulfill his eternal will and plan of redemption of his people. Of course there are those who scoff at this prophecy being about the Messiah or that the Lord Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of that prophecy. However, those who make those assertions, even if they call themselves Christians, are not of us and never have been of us (1 John 2:19). Some who do believe this prophecy is true, however, do not believe that it in any way is in effect at this time, but is for some time in the distant future. I counter that with Matthew 28:16-20…[Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”]