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Better (The Book of Hebrews)

A good keyword for the book of Hebrews might well be Better (a term used a dozen times in the book). The writer wants to show his Jewish readers that in Christ we have a better High Priest, with a better sacrifice, better promises based on a better covenant, and so on. In the opening verses (Heb. 1:1-3) he refers to the prophets who “spoke in time past,” demonstrating how the Son of God is infinitely superior.

  1. He is “heir of all”–His unique ownership
  2. He is the Creator of the universe–His unique power
  3. He is “the brightness of His [the Father’s] glory–His unique splendour
  4. He is “the express image” of God–His unique nature
  5. He is “upholding all things”–His unique work
  6. He “by Himself purged our sins”–His unique salavation
  7. His is seated “at the right hand of the Majesty on high”–His unique place

Spiritual Babies

There are a couple of passages that speak of the stunted spiritual growth of certain believers. Though there should be signs of development, they remain spiritual babies, existing on a diet of spiritual baby food. One such passage is First Corinthians 3:1-4 in which Paul says that the divisions in the church at Corinth show some of them to be “babes in Christ” (not a complimentary term in the context!).

Another passage is Hebrews 5:11-14. There, the concern is that the readers are not using and applying the truth they know. “Solid food belongs to those who are of full age, that is, those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil” (vs. 14).

Either because of sin in the life that is not confessed and forsaken, or because of a lack of diligence in applying God’s Word to daily experience, the individual can fail to progress out of spiritual babyhood. Think of what human babies are like, and you will see a number of applications to carnal, immature Christians!

  1. Babies live on milk and mush. They can’t handle adult fare.
  2. Babies have to be bottle or spoon-fed by others, and sometimes have to be coaxed to eat.
  3. Babies are in many ways weak and helpless, carried about by others, and handed from one to another (cf. Eph. 4:14).
  4. Babies sleep a lot.
  5. Babies are selfish and self-centred.
  6. Babies fuss over little things, and make a lot of noise about them.
  7. Babies can’t discern between what is helpful and what is harmful.
  8. Babies lack self control (e.g. of bodily functions).

Dullness of Heart

A tragic but revealing incident is recorded in Leviticus 10. Nadab and Abihu were sons of Aaron with priestly duties to perform in the tabernacle, Israel’s centre of worship. One of these was to carry fire and incense into the holy place, and burn incense on the little golden altar there. But the Bible says they used “profane fire” to ignite the incense. “Profane”–the Hebrew word refers to that which is alien, and does not belong there.

We are not told, in the context, what the problem was. But we do know that the fire on the altar of sacrifice (the bronze altar in the outer courtyard) was ignited by God Himself (Lev. 15:24). And it was coals from this altar that were later carried into the tabernacle to ignite the incense (Lev. 16:12). But it would seem that the two men carelessly brought fire from some other source into the tabernacle.

The symbolism is significant. The rising smoke of the incense typified the prayers and praises of God’s people ascending to God. But their worship was not acceptable unless it was founded upon the shed blood of the sacrifice. Further, it was to be a worship empowered by the Spirit of God, not by the energy of the flesh.

God judged Nadab and Abihu for their folly, and they died (vs. 2). Then, immediately after, the Lord warned that those involved in ministry in the tabernacle should not imbibe intoxicating drinks (vs. 8-11). The reason? “That you may distinguish between holy and unholy, and between unclean and clean” (vs. 10). The implication is strong that the lack of discretion shown by Nadab and Abihu was due to drunkenness. Alcohol clouds the judgment and weakens the individual’s powers of discernment. While those who are intoxicated may believe their abilities are enhanced thereby, the truth is they are less able than before to act in a way that pleases God.

Anything which dulls our insight and discernment at critical moments is dangerous, anything that clouds our judgment regarding the line of separation between the things of God and those of the world, the flesh and the devil. A number of things could be listed that present this danger, things the Christian should avoid or be extremely cautious of.

  1. Drugs or alcohol (Lev. 10:9-10; Eph. 5:18)
  2. Lack of needful rest (Ps. 127:2; Mk. 6:31)
  3. Untimely leisure (II Sam. 11:1-4)
  4. Wrong companions (Ps. 1:1; I Cor. 15:33; cf. Jude 1:20-23)
  5. Wrong values and pursuits (Matt. 13:22; I Jn. 2:15-17)
  6. Neglect of communion with God (Ps. 53:4; Dan. 9:13)
  7. A failure to apply the truths we know (Heb. 5:11-14)

A Sudden Turning

The Israelites were delivered from bondage in Egypt by the mighty power of God. Then the Lord led them to the foot of Mount Sinai, where Moses ascended to receive the Law of God. But after he had been absent from the camp for days, the people got tired of waiting. They not only rejected Moses’ leadership, but rebelled against the God who had been so gracious to them, saying to Aaron, “Come, make us gods that shall go before us” (Exod. 32:1).

Sadly, Aaron went along with this folly. He collected gold earrings from the people, melted and molded them into the image of a calf–which was further enhanced by engraving (vs. 2-4). Then he built an altar before it and proclaimed a day of feasting–which became unrestrained drunken and immoral revelry (vs. 5-6, 18-19, 25).

Meanwhile, up on Sinai, the Lord told Moses to return to the camp, saying the people had “corrupted themselves” and, “They have turned aside quickly out of the way which I commanded them. They have made themselves a molded calf, and worshiped it, and sacrificed to it, and said, ‘This is your god, O Israel, that brought you out of the land of Egypt’” (vs. 8).

Consider the multiple sins in this.

  1. They turned aside from (transgressed) God’s law. Since idolatry is clearly condemned throughout the Word of God, any form of idolatry is a departure from Him and His righteous standard.
  2. They did so quickly, seemingly without careful thought (cf. their recent vow, 24:3, 7). The devil wants to hurry us into sin. And we see where impatience can lead us!
  3. Rejecting Jehovah God, they demanded new gods. They felt the need to fill the “worship vacuum” with something–as we all must.
  4. Under Aaron’s leadership, they made themselves a golden calf, a self-made god which was likely a remnant of Egyptian idolatry (cf. Apis, the bull god of Egypt).
  5. They worshiped the golden calf, violating the first and second commandments (Exod. 20:1-6).
  6. They offered sacrifices to the idol and “played” before it. W. C. Kaiser says that word refers to “drunken immoral orgies and sexual play,” with music and dancing to suit the mood (vs. 18, 19). The NKJV says the people were “unrestrained” (vs. 25). The old KJV uses the word “naked.” The Hebrew literally means a casting off, either of clothing or of self-discipline.
  7. They blasphemously identified the idol as the god that had delivered them from Egyptian bondage (cf. 20:2). How could this be? Note that Aaron proclaimed, “Tomorrow is a feast to the Lord” (vs. 5). Either that he realized things were getting out of hand, and he wanted to include Jehovah in their worship; or he wanted them to see the idol as a physical representation of the true God!

An idol is anything in our lives which is so admired and desired that it begins to dominate the use of our resources, our priorities and our decision making. And no compromise with idolatry is possible. When Moses arrived on the scene, he did not…

  1. Redefine the idol as a “worship aid”
  2. Refashion it into something more attractive and benign.
  3. Relocate it where it would be less of a temptation

Moses destroyed the idol, reducing it to powder (vs. 20). The act of mixing the powder with water and having the Israelites drink it was a way of forcing them to face their responsibility, graphically illustrating that their inner attitudes were the source of the problem,. With the hymn writer we say, “The dearest idol I have known, / Whate’er that idol be, / Help me to tear it from Thy throne / And worship only Thee.”

Who Rules Your Life?

When Pilate brought the Lord Jesus before the raucous crowd he said, “Behold your King!” The response of the people was, “We have no king but Caesar” (Jn. 19:14-15). That startling statement needs due consideration. It is true that there was no king on the throne of Israel at the time (cf. Hos. 3:4), and that the Jews were ruled by the Roman Caesar (however reluctantly!). But they did have other masters that controlled their lives. We may, as well! How many of the following hidden rulers dominate our own?

The evidence shows they–especially the Jewish leaders–were ruled:

  1. By Satan, as a part of his kingdom of darkness (Jn. 8:44; Acts 26:17-18; cf. Col. 1:12-14)
  2. By self-centred pride (Lk. 18:11-12; cf. Paul, Phil. 3:4-6)
  3. By tradition and empty ritual, claiming thereby to be righteous (Matt. 23:3; Mk. 7:6)
  4. By expediency, because they saw an opportunity to be rid of Christ, freeing Barabbas instead (Jn. 18:39-40). So much for their loyalty to Caesar; Barabbas was an insurrectionist (Mk. 15:7)!
  5. By materialism, as they refused to believe the spiritual and eternal message of Christ (Matt. 23:14; Mk. 7:11-12)
  6. By a lust for power and position, as they saw their control of the people threatened (Matt. 23:5-7; Jn. 9:33-34; 11:9-11)
  7. By sinful rebellion, because they rejected God’s Anointed (Jn. 1:11; 19:15)

The Ideal Congregation

Every preacher wishes he had a congregation like the one that gathered in the home of Cornelius to listen to Peter. Cornelius tells the apostle, “We are all present before God, to hear all the things commanded you by God” (Acts 10:33).

  1. They were in their places early (vs. 24). No wandering in at the last minute–or after the meeting had started. I was at a pastor’s conference at Moody Bible Institute a few years back. About 1200 pastors were asked to join in singing “The Church’s One Foundation.” This we began to do, when some late-comers sauntered down the aisle and began working their way past others to empty seats. “Just a minute!” said the song leader, bringing the singing to a halt. “This is a hymn to be sung to the praise of God, not music to walk in by. We’ll wait till you’re seated.” (I was glad I was in my place on time!)
  2. They had invited friends and relatives to join them (vs. 24). (When is the last time you invited someone to church?)
  3. They saw themselves as gathering in the presence of God (cf. Matt. 18:20). Many of us look to see if our friends are there, or look forward to some special speaker or musician being there. But are we conscious of the presence of a holy God in our midst?
  4. They expected God to speak to them through His servant. The sermon was not viewed as mere entertainment, but as a directive from the Lord (cf. Ezek. 33:31-32).
  5. They listened to what was said and were receptive (vs. 44; cf. Matt. 13:9).
  6. They believed and obeyed God’s Word, expressing their faith through believer’s baptism (vs. 47-48; cf. 11:1, 18).
  7. God blessed the assembly in a special way. The particular manifestation of the Spirit that day provided a sign for the Jews that God was including Gentiles in the body of Christ, vs. 45-46. Though the results will differ today, we can expect the ready reception of the Word to bear fruit.
  8. They were eager to receive more teaching (vs. 48). (What a contrast to those who fret if the Sunday morning service extends beyond the noon hour!)

The Problem With Idol Worship

In his discourse before the Sanhedrin (Acts 7), Stephen reviews the history of his people. He speaks of the day when, at the foot of Mount Sinai, they bowed before a golden calf, made with the help of weak-willed Aaron (Exodus 32). “They offered sacrifices to the idol, and rejoiced in the work of their own hands,” he says (Acts 7:41). As Romans puts it, Idolaters have “exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator” (Rom. 1:25). There are many things wrong with the worship of idols. Let’s note a few.

  1. To worship an idol is to reject the revealed Word of God about Himself (Exod. 20:2-6), and reject the general revelation about Him in nature (Rom. 1:19-20).
  2. To worship an idol is to exchange the truth of God about His Person for Satan’s lie (Rom. 1:25). (The lie is that God is not uniquely transcendent, that other beings or things can be His equal or replace Him. The devil himself craved this place (Isa. 14:12-15), and he tempted man with the same deceit (Gen. 3:5).)
  3. To worship an idol is to give what is created that which only the Creator deserves.
  4. To worship an idol is to celebrate the artistic accomplishments of men as though they were creators on a level with God (Acts 7:41).
  5. To worship an idol is folly, given its utter impotence (Ps. 115:3-8; Jer. 10:3-5). (They are called “vanities” in the Bible, I Kgs. 16:13, KJV–empty nothings, but are treated with superstitious reverence by the misguided, cf. II Kgs 18:4.)
  6. To worship an idol opens one to greater temptation, and the influence of demon powers which are at work behind the idols. (This often shows itself in sexual immorality related to idol worship.)
  7. To worship an idol invites the certain judgment of God. He calls Himself a “jealous” God who will brook no rival (Exod. 34:14).
  8. To worship an idol is not something only naked savages or primitive tribes do. God calls covetousness idolatry (Col. 3:5). Any person, thing, or activity (etc.) that begins to consume our time and control our lives can be an idol.

A Good Thing To Do

Acts 20:35 contains the only inspired record of words, outside the Gospels, spoken by Christ during the years of His earthly ministry. The Apostle Paul says, “You must support the weak. And remember the words of the Lord Jesus, that He said, ‘It is more blessed to give than to receive.’”

giving

It may be more pleasurable and popular to latch on to a winner, to follow in the train of one who is successful, but grace met us when we were spiritually down and out, and God wants us to reflect that same spirit toward others. And in the Greek language, a continuous tense is used– it is keep on helping the weak.

Some are weak in body, some in mind (or soul), and some in spirit. It is easy–and perhaps tempting at times–to take advantage of them. But Jesus taught that it is more blessed to give to them what is right and needful. We are to be burden bearers (I Thess. 5:14; cf. Rom. 15:1). That is part of our responsibility to all, but especially toward our brothers and sisters in Christ (Gal. 6:10; Heb. 13:3).

The Lord calls us to engage in the blessed activity of giving. And why should we do so?

  1. Because the Lord commands it (Prov. 3:9; Lk. 6:38; II Cor. 9:6-8). It is the essence of true Christ-like love, which sums up all God requires of us (Rom. 13:8-9; Jas. 2:8).
  2. Because it reflects the image of God who is a giving God. In Himself He is the eternally self-sufficient One, and has need of nothing. It may be that His greatest delight is found in giving (Jn. 3:16; II Cor. 9:15).
  3. Because it shows confidence that God will meet our needs (Phil. 4:15, 19).
  4. Because there continue to be needy people around us (Deut. 15:11; Mk. 14:7).
  5. Because doing so is a joy for the child of God (II Cor. 8:1-2).
  6. Because the eternal rewards of doing so are greater by far than the value of temporal things, since we cannot take the things of this life beyond the grave (I Tim. 6:7).

“If You Forgive The Sins Of Any…” (John 20:23)

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Question: Carol asks, “What is the meaning of John 20:23, (Jesus, speaking to the disciples) ‘If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained’?”

Answer: Rather than answering this question myself, I have provided quotations from a number of commentaries. This manner of response, a little different from my usual, will serve, I hope, a couple of purposes. It will show the general consensus among conservative evangelical scholars as to the meaning of the text. Not that we decide on a proper interpretation by some kind of majority vote. But it is helpful, and surely significant, when reputable students of the Word agree. My other reason for approaching the answer this way is to recommend the volumes I have quoted. They would be valuable additions to any library.

  1. “This verse does not give authority to Christians to forgive sins. Jesus was saying that the believer can boldly declare the certainty of a sinner’s forgiveness by the Father because of the work of His Son, if that sinner has repented and believed the gospel. The believer with certainty can also tell those who do not respond to the message of God’s forgiveness through faith in Christ that their sins, as a result, are not forgiven.” (The MacArthur Study Bible, Word Publishing, 1997)
  2. “Jesus was giving the apostles (and by extension, the church) the privilege of announcing heaven’s terms on how a person can receive forgiveness. If one believes in Jesus, then a Christian has the right to announce his forgiveness. If a person rejects Jesus’ sacrifice, then a Christian can announce that person is not forgiven.” (The Bible Knowledge Commentary, Vol. II, SP Publications, 1983)
  3. “Since only God can forgive sins (Mk. 2:7), the disciples and the church are here given the authority to declare what God does when a man either accepts or rejects His Son.” (The Ryrie Study Bible, Expanded Edition, Moody Press, 1986)
  4. “It was not the work of the disciples to forgive sins, but the work of the Holy Spirit through the disciples as they fulfilled the Great Commission (Matt. 28:18-20). Christ gave the disciples authority to state that forgiveness of sins was possible.” (The Parallel Bible Commentary, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1994)
  5. “The disciples were given the right to declare sins forgiven….The disciples go out preaching the gospel. Some people repent of their sins and receive the Lord Jesus. The disciples are authorized to tell them that their sins have been forgiven. Others refuse to repent and will not believe on Christ. The disciples tell them that they are still in their sins, and that if they die, they will perish eternally.” (The Believer’s Bible Commentary, by William MacDonald, Thomas Nelson Publishers, 1995)
  6. “The commission to forgive sins is phrased in an unusual construction. Literally, it is: “Those whose sins you forgive have already been forgiven; those whose sins you do not forgiven have not been forgiven….God does not forgive people’s sins because we decide to do so, nor does He withhold forgiveness because we do not grant is. We announce it; we do not create it.” (The Expositor’s Bible Commentary, Abridged Edition, Zondervan, 1994)
  7. “It has been claimed by some that these disciples were the first bishops of the Church, and the Lord was giving them the authority to remit [forgive] sin and retain sin, and that they were to go out into the world and people were to confess sins to them, and they would tell them what penance to do and thus obtain remission of their sins. I do not find anything like that here.
    One of the most important of the group, the Apostle Peter, was there that day, and Peter went forth in the name of the Lord to proclaim remission of sins. How did he do it? Did he say, “You come to me and confess your sins to me and I will forgive them?” Did he say anything like that? Let us see. In Acts 10 we find Peter preaching the gospel in the household of Cornelius. He tells of Christ’s wonderful life. “The word which God sent unto the children of Israel, preaching peace by Jesus Christ: (He is Lord of all)….To Him give all the prophets witness, that through His name whosoever”–confesseth his sins to a priest–“shall receive remission of sins.? Is that right? Do you have your Bible open? What does it say? “That through His name whosoever believeth in Him shall receive remission of sins.”
    Believe on Jesus and you will get remission. That is the commission that every servant of Christ has. We go out to the world and say, We are commanded by Jesus Christ to offer you remission of sin if you will believe on Jesus. And when they do, we dare to say, “Your sins are forgiven or remitted.” And if they do not believe, what then? We say to them, “Your sins are retained.” How do we know it? Because He said so.” (John, a commentary by Harry Ironside, Loizeaux Brothers Incorporated, 1971)
  8. “John 20:23 must not be interpreted to mean that Jesus gave to a select body of people the right to forgive sins and let people into heaven….As the early believers went forth into the world, they announced the good news of salvation. If sinners would repent and believe on Jesus Christ, their sins would be forgiven them….All that the Christian can do is announce the message of forgiveness; God performs the miracle of forgiveness. If sinners will believe on Jesus Christ, we can authoritatively declare to them that their sins have been forgiven; but we are not the ones who provide forgiveness.” (The Bible Exposition Commentary, Vol. I, by Warren Wiersbe, SP Publications, 1989)

Newspaper Article: Unbelief

Question: The following is a response to an article which appeared recently in a local newspaper. It invites others to contribute, but not quite as I have! The writer mocks and derides the Bible, calling on others to do the same. “Come out of the closet,” he says. Write and tell us what in the Bible you are unsure of, or do not believe.” I have written instead to defend the Word of God. How would you have answered him?

Answer: On April 12, 2007, an article appeared in The Lloydminster Source written by Norman Laird of Grace United Church. The writer presents a rambling attack on the Bible, making a number of sweeping and unsubstantiated claims. They deserve a response.

Mr. Laird begins, “To say, ‘The Bible is the word of God’ is a statement of faith, not of fact. To say ‘the Bible is not the word of God’ is also a statement of faith, not of fact.” Very well. Then let me be counted as one who believes the Bible to be, in its entirety, the inspired, infallible Word of the living God. (And I convinced this is a “fact.”)

The Bible certainly claims to be the revelation of God. Over 2,000 times in the Old Testament alone we read phrases such as “and God said,” or “thus saith the Lord.” And the Bible declares that “All Scripture is given by inspiration of God [literally, it is God-breathed]” (II Tim. 3:16). And that, “Holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit” (II Pet. 1:21).

But having positioned himself among those who dismiss (or doubt) the divine origin of the Scriptures, the author makes this absolute assertion: “There is no one who believes everything in the Bible is true.” What? No one? Has Mr. Laird questioned all six billion of us to find out? Hardly! Many individuals I know personally would reject his claim. But he goes on, “Even those who say the Bible is the inerrant word of God ignore certain passages.” Again, has he questioned us all on this? Obviously not. But rather than put words in the mouths of others, and if I may be forgiven for the personal references, let me speak of my own experience.

I have been studying the Bible intensively for about half a century, and have read it through from Genesis to Revelation many times over. I have written my own (unpublished) commentary on all 1,189 chapters of the Bible. (It is now at about 250,000 words, and still growing daily.) I have preached thousands of sermons, and taught the Scriptures for years in the college classroom. I write a devotional newspaper column that has appeared for years in several newspapers, and a have website through which I receive and answer Bible questions from all over the world. No verse or passage has been “ignored.” Yet all those years of study have only served to confirm the trustworthiness and divine authority of the Bible over and over.

Mr. Laird next proposes to give us proof of how fallible the Bible is, citing First Corinthians 15:22 as his “clearest example.” The verse says, “As in Adam all die, even so in Christ all shall be made alive.” The writer comments, “I have been told that the word ‘all’ in the first part of the verse means every person that has ever lived and will ever live. There are no exceptions. On the other hand, the same word later in the verse means only those people who have accepted Jesus as saviour. Many exceptions. The definition of the word ‘all’ changes mid-sentence to suit the believer.”

This mishandling of the text is both sad and silly. Sad, because it totally misses a wonderful truth that affects the eternal destiny of each human being–including Norman Laird. And silly because it fashions an argument using mere smoke and mirrors. “All” means all! It translates precisely the same Greek word (pas) in each case. It is the two phrases–all in Adam, all in Christ–that are in contrast, not the word all.

Let us turn to the Book. The Bible records how the Lord formed Adam of the dust of the earth, and breathed life into him (Gen. 2:7). He was the first human being, the crown of God’s creation (Ps. 8:5-6). All of humanity comes from him. In Eden, God tested Adam’s willingness to believe and obey Him. But he sinned against his Maker and reaped the promised judgment (Gen. 2:17; 5:5). Not only did Adam begin to age and die physically the moment he sinned, but in his fallen state he was in danger of eternal separation from God. This is true of all of us, since sin’s corrupting effects have been passed on to the whole human race through Adam (Rom. 5:12).

That is the bad news. But the text so maligned by Mr. Laird also gives us the good news–that God, in His amazing grace, has provided a remedy for sin. God the Son took on our humanity and walked among us (Jn. 1:1, 14). His purpose in coming was “to give His life a ransom for many” (Mk. 10:45). Norman Laird says he does not believe “that Jesus’ death was a sacrifice for sin atonement.” That is his choice. But “what if some [do] not believe? Will their unbelief make the faithfulness of God without effect? Certainly not! Indeed, let God be true but every man a liar” (Rom. 3:3-4).

Of the work of Christ the Word of God says, “Christ died for our sins” (I Cor. 15:3). “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph. 1:7). “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God” (I Pet. 3:18). That is the gospel (a word meaning good news!)–that God has provided an answer for all who will receive it by faith. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life” (Jn. 3:16). “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23).

Each one who trusts in the saving work of Christ is placed into Christ as to his legal standing before God. That is, God views him as having been “in Christ” when He paid sin’s penalty, just as surely as he experienced sin’s corruption “in Adam.” Those who are “in Christ” are credited with His righteousness. “For He [God the Father] made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him”(II Cor. 5:21). And “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold all things have become new” (II Cor. 5:17). This is “the righteousness of God, through faith in Christ Jesus, to all and on all who believe” (Rom. 3:22).

Norman Laird’s article includes a dozen other things in the Bible which he says he does not believe. I cannot take the time to respond to them all here, but have tried to deal with his “clearest example.” A careful handling of the text, and a diligent comparing Scripture with Scripture, will answer every one of his concerns. The problem is not with the Bible, but with the spiritual perception of the one who purports to explain it away.

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