Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. |
Who believes what we've heard and seen? Who would have thought God's saving power would look like this? The servant grew up before God - a scrawny seedling, a scrubby plant in a parched field. There was nothing attractive about him, nothing to cause us to take a second look. He was looked down on and passed over, a man who suffered, who knew pain firsthand. One look at him and people turned away. We looked down on him, thought he was scum. But the fact is, it was our pains he carried - our disfigurements, all the things wrong with us. We thought he brought it on himself, that God was punishing him for his own failures. But it was our sins that did that to him, that ripped and tore and crushed him - our sins! He took the punishment, and that made us whole. Through his bruises we get healed. We're all like sheep who've wandered off and gotten lost. We've all done our own thing, gone our own way. And God has piled all our sins, everything we've done wrong, on him, on him. He was beaten, he was tortured, but he didn't say a word. Like a lamb taken to be slaughtered and like a sheep being sheared, he took it all in silence. Justice miscarried, and he was led off - and did anyone really know what was happening? He died without a thought for his own welfare, beaten bloody for the sins of my people. They buried him with the wicked, threw him in a grave with a rich man, Even though he'd never hurt a soul or said one word that wasn't true. Still, it's what God had in mind all along, to crush him with pain. The plan was that he give himself as an offering for sin so that he'd see life come from it - life, life, and more life. And God's plan will deeply prosper through him. Out of that terrible travail of soul, he'll see that it's worth it and be glad he did it. Through what he experienced, my righteous one, my servant, will make many "righteous ones," as he himself carries the burden of their sins. Therefore I'll reward him extravagantly - the best of everything, the highest honors - Because he looked death in the face and didn't flinch, because he embraced the company of the lowest. He took on his own shoulders the sin of the many, he took up the cause of all the black sheep. Isaiah 53...the message |
himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. Hebrews 2:14-15 |
glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. Hebrews 2:9 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 2 Cor 5:14 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me. Gal 2:20 For as in Adam all die, even so in Christ shall all be made alive. 1 Cor 15:22 And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. John 12:32 I used to wonder just why anybody had to die.... I would think, "what did I do that was so bad that Christ had to die for me? Then it started to dawn on me that if I am a sinner by nature, I didn't do anything to make me a sinner....I was born that way. As I progressed in that thinking, I would make jokes about how Adam was going to get one more "beatin" when I get to heaven for saddling all of us with the sin nature. Things would go so much better for us if we weren't compelled to SIN!!! I just hate it. But, in all honesty, I have to admit that there is one good thing about sin...it makes me call on Jesus! And I believe that was it's whole purpose. It reveals how helpless we are within ourselves. Once I realized that sinning was written into Adam and Eve's script I stopped holding a grudge against them. In fact, I stopped holding grudges, period. Isn't it amazing that the God of the universe came up with a plan like that to draw us close to Him? Isn't it amazing that He wants us? Evidently, we needed sin to take us through some process in this earth life that brings us to the end of ourselves. We read in the Bible that the lamb of God was slain before the foundation of the world. Because of that we can be assured that He never had in mind to burn billions of people in some endless inferno. Death, not hell, was the wages of sin and Jesus tasted it for everyone of us. Not only did He taste it, He conquered it when He came back to life. Paul said to the Corinthian church, "in Adam all die and in Christ ALL are made alive." Even us pitiful humans won't punish someone if his crime has already been paid for.... but we think God will?? We just haven't understood the reality and the power of the cross. Here's how Isaiah saw it...... |
- God's judgments have a purpose. Of course, the main judgment, we didn't even have to bear, Christ bore it for us
at the cross. His death and resurrection put humanity back in right standing with God. But, now, there is this matter
of obedience. Paul told the heathen, idol worshippers in Athen that God commands all men everywhere to repent.
He said that Christ will reign until everything and everyone is subjected to him. (1 Cor 15) Why is this? Why is God
so concerned with those who don't even know who He is? Because all creation is made by God and FOR God.
Aswesome isn't it?
This scripture in Isaiah pretty much explains the purpose of God's judgment.....
"With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy
judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness" Isaiah 26:9
It is God's intention for all of us to rely on Him or believe in Him. Some of us are privileged to learn early in life
about God and His redemption of man. As Israel was God's chosen people, I believe those of us who have heard
and believed the gospel of Christ are "chosen" also. We are ambassadors for Christ..... ministers of
reconciliation. Christ lives in us and touches people through us as we are conformed more and more to His own
image.
God in His sovereignty choses who He wills and when He wills. The Bible speaks of vessels of honor and vessels
of dishonor, both are necessary. Pharao and Judas are good examples of vessels of dishonor. The plan of God
could not have been as it was without those guys. I personally believe that if Judas had not killed himself, that
Jesus would have looked him up just like He did Peter, to allow him to make things right in his own heart.
What about the unbelievers? Well, they have the same punishment as the fearful and the liars. Do you know
anybody that is a liar? Do you know someone who says they are a believer but they lie from time to time? Are you a
believer? Do you lie from time to time? Do you "embellish" the facts because it makes you appear smarter or more
together? Are you fearful? Are you afraid that someone is going to get more recognition that you? Are you afraid
that your reputation is going to be tainted? Are you afraid of dying? Are you afraid to go for your yearly doctor's
exam for "fear" of what they might find? If you can answer yes to these questions it means you may not have come
to the place of total trust and reliance on Christ. That's not necessarily a bad thing, it'a a human thing. How much of
the "fire" of God we go through depends on how much we allow Him to get in our business and change us. The
word repent means to change our thinking and actions. In this case, it's changing to God's way of thinking. The lake
of fire is discussed on the "scary words" page.
I believe the bottom line is, we were made for God and God's we will be. Jesus said, "And I, if I be lifted up
from the earth will draw ALL men unto myself." Jesus was indeed lifted up from the earth and He knew full
well what he was doing. Hanging on the cross, He said, "It is finished." Eventually we all bow down. We all
confess He is Lord.
Here are some links to articles on judgment:
The Two Hands Of God
name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. |
Behold the Lamb of God who taketh away the sin of the world. |
Just what happened on that Cross? (The Judgment of the World) It's the same story and you have probably heard it before, yet it comes in many forms. I am talking about the story that most Christians tell the world when they want to explain how Jesus Christ is the savior of the world, while simultaneously professing that he will NOT save most people at all. Here is how it usually goes: "It's like if a boat is sinking and the Coast Guard tosses a life vest to a drowning man. The Coast Guard officer is the savior, but it is up to the drowning man to accept the vest." Or how about this one? "It's like if someone is in a burning building, and the fireman wants to save the person, but the person doesn't want to be saved." Try this one on for size: "Supposing a parent leaves money on the table for his kid to get his haircut. But the kid doesn't accept the money and so does not get the haircut. The parent tried." As a young Christian scratching your head, did you ever hear one of these demonstrations from a fellow pew mate? You can see a certain tortured logic at work here. On one hand they need to say "Jesus Christ is the savior of the world!" But at the same time, they must find a way to rationalize how Jesus also is NOT the savior of the world, since they must also believe that most people will actually not be saved! Nice, huh? But, taking a look at the sketches above we can see how truly flawed they are, and how far removed they are from God's true character. If a boat is sinking, the Coast Guard does not simply throw a vest into the water, then give up if the vest is not taken. He will dive into the water and drag the drowning man to safety! A fireman does not wait for approval. He drags every living thing out of the burning building before they have time to think about why they might not want to be rescued! And if a parent wants their child to get a haircut, a parent drags the child to the car, drives them to the barber, and sits there while the child gets it done. That's called love: Luke 15:4 Suppose a man has 100 sheep and loses one of them. Doesn't he leave the 99 sheep grazing in the pasture and look for the lost sheep until he finds it? The answer, of course, is "yes." In this paper, we will discover the meaning of the cross and what Jesus Christ did there. In doing this, the fact that Christ is the savior of the world will never be disputed, nor will it be watered down into non-existence by silly analogies. These are things you may never hear in church, because we will establish that Jesus Christ can actually finish the work he started. As a rescuer rescues, a fireman puts out fire and as a parent loves a child, the savior of the world is not just in title only, but by actual results. Note: throughout this paper, certain points of scripture will be underlined, bolded and italicized for emphasis. The Meaning Of The Cross At the suggestion that Jesus Christ will save the world, many people wonder "If that were so, then why did Christ have to die on the cross?" An odd question since he died on the cross to save the world. Nevertheless, in this paper we will take a look at a deeper meaning of Jesus' death on the cross, and his consequent resurrection, and how both events affect the world at large. Here is one of the most misunderstood scriptures in the Bible, yet it figures deeply into the meaning of the cross of Christ: Phi 2:12 Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. This scripture does not mean we are to figure out our own salvation, to put it into our minds to find out what it means. Certainly, there is nothing wrong with doing that, only that is not what this scripture means. Notice that the term "work out" is translated from the Greek word "katergazomai." According to Strong's Concordance the word means "cause, do (deed), perform, work (out)." It means to outwardly work. Here are a couple examples: Romans 5:3 And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh (katergazomai) patience. Romans 7:18 For I know that in me (that is, in my flesh,) dwelleth no good thing: for to will (meaning to want to do good) is present with me; but how to perform (katergazomai) that which is good I find not. This tends to make Christians nervous. Anytime you mention "works" you get a raised eyebrow. So, let's nip it in the bud right away. We should understand first, that salvation is a gift from God and cannot be received by man's working. As the scripture says: "By grace ye are saved, not of works, but faith. And that not of yourselves, it is a gift from God." (Eph 2:8). We can therefore also understand, that having received salvation as a gift, we then perform or work it outwardly from within us. We bear the fruits of salvation, rather than attaining it through works. Big difference. As the Bible says "If someone listens to God's word but doesn't do what it says, he is like a person who looks at his face in a mirror, studies his features, goes away, and immediately forgets what he looks like" (Jam 1:23) Think about this: healing, and prophecy. Are they works? Yes. And, they are also gifts. They are the works of the Spirit within us. The book of 1 Corinthians 12 speaks all about it. Grace is as Grace does By grace we are saved! How many times in church are we taught that Grace equates to God's ignorance? Many people in the Christian church believe that grace is how God cannot see man's sin, he can only see Christ on the cross. Or worse yet, he sees it but ignores it. After all, we are not justified by works, but by faith right? Therefore if we have faith, our sins are forgiven and we can "get into heaven" no matter what we do. Christ was judged in our place right? This is such a shallow understanding of the cross. The scripture is utterly clear with a child's logic: 1 John 3:7 Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as He (God) is righteous. It seems John was concerned about a certain deception floating around the churches, by way of whispered theories and vain teachings: That because Christ died for the world, even those who work depravity and all forms of foul wickedness may be considered righteous by God. God says "Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness; that put bitter for sweet, and sweet for bitter!" (Isa 5:20). The Lord does not consider evil men to be good men, and any such deception subverts the true meaning of the cross. Certainly, Jesus died for us, but by understanding grace, and what it actually does, we will enter into a deeper understanding of what "Christ died for our sins" really means. The word "grace" comes from a Greek word "charis" meaning good will, favor, benefit etc. Grace comes through faith. The Bible says that we "have access into grace by faith" (Romans 5:2). So once we have faith, let's take a good hard look at just how God shows his grace, His good will and favor to our benefit: Titus 2:11-14 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching (Greek - paideuo) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Savior Jesus Christ; Who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works. Wow! What a rich understanding of how God uses his undeserved, unmerited, favor to our benefit through the gift of faith. He chastises us. That's right. The word "teaching" in the above verse is translated from the Greek "paideuo" meaning "to chasten." See how it is used in other contexts: Hebrews 12:5-7 And ye have forgotten the exhortation which speaketh unto you as unto children, My son, despise not thou the chastening of the Lord, nor faint when thou art rebuked of him: For whom the Lord loveth he chasteneth (paiduo), and scourgeth every son whom he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God dealeth with you as with sons; for what son is he whom the father chasteneth not? That is how God shows his grace and mercy toward us! By CHASTENING the sin right out of us, so that we may live Godly lives and be zealous of good works! Grace is not chastisement itself. God shows his grace by doing alot of things, like giving spiritual gifts that they may be worked through the saints. Jesus Christ wishes to "PURIFY unto himself a peculiar people who are zealous for good works by faith in Him." Acts 15:8 And God, which knoweth the hearts, bare them witness, giving them the Holy Ghost, even as he did unto us; And put no difference between us and them, purifying their hearts by faith. God does not look the other way, he PUTS sin away. If God does not see our sin, because all he can see is Christ on the cross, how then can he chasten us, rebuke us, scourge us, so that we can be free from sin? Do we not see that by faith we have access to this chastening, that through chastening we are being shown mercy, because it frees us from sin? He gets involved. God does something about sin! As the scripture says: John 1:29 The next day John (the baptist) seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world. Here is where the orthodox Christian church begins to spiral downward in its understanding of what it means for Jesus Christ to take away the world's sin. Let's look at it with a child's logic: If sin is still there, is it taken away? Of course not! If sin is there, IT'S STILL THERE. But if it is taken away, IT'S GONE. Pretty darn simple, huh? But, the church believes that since Christ died on the cross, Jesus took the punishment, and now God cannot see our sins. He only sees the blood of Jesus. But, we see clearly that God's Grace chastises us to live godly (SINLESS) lives, and to be zealous (hungering) for good works in Him. Again, if sin is chastised out of us, does it remain? Or, through chastisement is it taken away? It is truly taken away, so that what remains is the fruit of righteousness (virtue, integrity, purity of life): Hebrews 12:11 Now no chastening for the present seemeth to be joyous, but grievous: nevertheless afterward it yieldeth the peaceable fruit of righteousness unto them which are exercised thereby. Look very closely at what John says "the Lamb who taketh (TAKES) away the sin of the world." Jesus TAKES (not took) away the sin of the world. It is present tense. It is a continuing process of Jesus taking our sins away by his grace. Discover how he takes it away. The Likeness of Sinful Flesh (The judgment of the world) Jesus said something of considerable weight just before he died, something that once understood in its fullness sheds light on the judgment of the whole world: John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. How many Christians understand that the Cross is the judgment of the world? They say that the Cross is the way OUT of judgment, but Christ says that God judges the whole world BY the cross, and that the time had come. That was 2,000 years ago. That statement signified what death Jesus would die. As Hebrews states: "If we endure God's chastening, he deals with us as sons." Now let's get this straight: Jesus never sinned. Yet to show Love, God sent his son to die for us. But, does that mean that God sent Jesus to die as a criminal, so that we could remain criminals and not be chastised into purity? You can only believe that by throwing out the book of Hebrews, and Corinthians etc. Romans 8:3 For what the law could not do, in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, and for sin, condemned sin in the flesh: That the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Christ came in the LIKENESS of sinful flesh, but he knew no sin. So, as he was in the likeness (Greek - homoiomia - likeness, representation, figure, image), he wasn't ACTUALLY sinful. We know who is ACTUALLY sinful. The Bible says "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Rom 3:23) That means Christ came in OUR likeness, the likeness of OUR flesh. What happened next? Jesus died on the cross. That means that the sinful flesh died (remembering that this act is a likeness, the actuality will soon follow). Now if the likeness of sinful flesh died, what does that make the cross? The cross therefore is likeness of the death of the sinful flesh. See here what Jesus did: He condemned sin in the flesh. Jesus gave sin a death sentence. The cross is a proclamation to the world of what would happen in them who carry the Spirit through grace by faith. The RESULT of this death, is that the virtue, the goodness, the righteousness of the Law may be fulfilled in us who walk after the SPIRIT. Baptism (into Christ's Death) According to the church, Jesus died so we would not have to. What a lie. The Bible says the opposite. The truth is that Jesus died, so that we could join him in his judgment, his death. Then we can walk in newness of life: Rom 6:3-9 Know ye not, that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death? Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his death, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin. For he that is dead is freed from sin. This is an absolutely astonishing scripture! So much about the cross, and what happened there, is understood in this simple passage. When we are baptized, we JOIN Christ in his death. We know that Christ's flesh was the likeness of sinful flesh. We know that our flesh is actually sinful. Remember that Jesus came in the likeness of us. That means if he literally died, WE die in His likeness. Therefore, when we die to sin, we are set free. And our newness of life is therefore in the LIKENESS of his literal resurrection. We are resurrected from sinful lives. But, which baptism into this death is being spoken about here? Do we join Christ's death, of the sinful flesh, through the carnal act of being dipped in physical water? Or does that water represent the much more powerful Holy Spirit (the water of life)? Observe the method the Apostle Paul used to baptize people: Acts 19:3 And it came to pass, that, while Apollos was at Corinth, Paul having passed through the upper coasts came to Ephesus: and finding certain disciples, He said unto them, Have ye received the Holy Ghost since ye believed? And they said unto him, We have not so much as heard whether there be any Holy Ghost. And he said unto them, Unto what then were ye baptized? And they said, Unto John's (the baptist's) baptism (note JOHN BAPTISED WITH WATER). Then said Paul, John verily baptized with the baptism of repentance, saying unto the people, that they should believe on him which should come after him, that is, on Christ Jesus. When they heard this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands upon them, the Holy Ghost came on them; and they spake with tongues, and prophesied. Notice something very important here. The Bible distinguishes between John's baptism and and another much higher baptism. When Paul came upon believing disciples, he asked if they received the Holy Spirit. They had never heard of it. They had been baptized according to John. John, at it is well known, had done this with water. How interesting that Paul did not take them back out into the river to wash them with water again. Paul's baptism was done by laying hands on upon them and when he did this, the Spirit came upon them. They were baptized then into Jesus Christ's death. Acts 1:5 For John truly baptized with water; but (HOWEVER) you shall be baptized with the Holy Ghost not many days hence. John himself says: Luke 3:16 John answered, saying unto them all, I indeed baptize you with water; but one mightier than I cometh, the latchet of whose shoes I am not worthy to unloose: he shall baptize you with the Holy Ghost and with fire. There is according to scripture, ONE baptism. Ephesians 4:4-5 There is one body, and one Spirit, even as ye are called in one hope of your calling; One Lord, one faith, ONE BAPTISM. IF there is ONE baptism, which one is it? Water or spirit? And if there is one baptism, and that is by Spirit (a much more mighty baptism than John's by his own mouth) do we not see that when the Spirit enters into us, we are baptized into Christ's death on the cross? When we are baptized into Christ's death, the Spirit comes upon us and into us, that God may CHASTISE us by grace through faith to live Godly lives! Henceforth: we die with Jesus Christ, the death of OUR sinful flesh. Henceforth, being set free from sin, we may work this salvation outwardly in the form of healings, ministry, laying on of hands, in short: love. Judgment begins with the House of God Lest we forget, let us return to the simple truth about the judgment of the entire world: There is only ONE judgment of it. As Christ said himself: "NOW is the judgment of the world. NOW shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I if I be lifted up from the earth will draw ALL men to me. He said this to signify the death that he would die." First of all, there is no other judgment of this world than the death that Jesus died, the death of the sinful flesh. If anyone thinks that there is another judgment than the cross, then they still have no idea what the judgment of the world is, even though Jesus himself declared it. Once gain, it is the death that Jesus died and that happened 2000 years ago. And that is the judgment we are baptized into by the Spirit today in our daily walk. Thank God his judgments produce the peaceable fruit of righteousness in us. 1 Peter 4:16-17 Yet if any man suffer as a Christian, let him not be ashamed; but let him glorify God on this behalf. For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God? Now, if the judgment of the world is the death that Jesus died, and judgment also begins with the House of God, what do we know? Both judgments are ONE and THE SAME. The judgment of the cross, FIRST begins with the House of God, and what will become of them that do not obey? THE JUDGMENT OF THE CROSS. Is judgment fun? No, but it does produce the fruit of God's desire: Isaiah 26:9-10 With my soul have I desired thee in the night; yea, with my spirit within me will I seek thee early: for when thy judgments are in the earth, the inhabitants of the world will learn righteousness. Let favor be showed to the wicked, yet will he not learn righteousness: in the land of uprightness will he deal unjustly, and will not behold the majesty of the LORD. Jeremiah 23:19-20 Behold, the storm of the LORD! Wrath has gone forth, a whirling tempest; it will burst upon the head of the wicked. The anger of the LORD will not turn back until he has executed and accomplished the intents of his heart. In the latter days you will understand it clearly. According to Isaiah, if God shows favor to the wicked, will he learn righteousness? No, he will deal unjustly and will not behold the majesty of the Lord. SO BEHOLD a whirlwind of anger goes forth upon the wicked, and does not return, until it executes the thoughts of HIS heart. What are the thoughts of his heart? THAT THE WORLD LEARN RIGHTEOUSNESS. That is the purpose of his judgments in the earth, and this blazing fire FIRST begins with the house of God: James 1:2-3 My brethren, count it all joy when ye fall into divers temptations (various trials); Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience. 1 Peter 1:6-7 Wherein ye greatly rejoice, though now for a season, if need be, ye are in heaviness through manifold temptations (great trials): That the trial of your faith, being much more precious than of gold that perisheth, though it be tried with fire, might be found unto praise and honor and glory at the appearing of Jesus Christ God does not desire the death of the wicked, but would rather they mend their ways and live (Ezekiel 33:11). So the purpose of his judgments, the intent of his heart, is that they mend their ways and live. This great trial, this great judgment by God's blazing fire, what does that produce? What does this judgment - that FIRST begins with the House of God - produce? Patience, experience, hope, and a faith that is much more precious than any gold. And when patience, hope, experience and faith are produced in us, what happens to our sinful flesh? Matthew 16:24 Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself (his sinful flesh), and take up his cross, and follow me (unto the death of the sinful flesh). It is put to death, so that we may be resurrected into a newness of life. Through this baptism in the Spirit, our sinful flesh is judged daily out of us. Jesus Died for the Whole World Again, we must remind ourselves always that there is one judgment of this world, ONE. John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world: now shall the prince of this world be cast out. And I, if I be lifted up from the earth, will draw (Greek - helkuo) all men unto me. This he said, signifying what death he should die. Christ did not die for Christians alone. He also did the same for the whole world (1 John 2:2), and he will draw all men to himself. The word for "draw" in the above scripture is the Greek helkuo. According to Thayer Bible Dictionary the word means "to draw, drag off." In order for Christ to submerge all men in the death of the sinful flesh, is there any doubt that he must drag them (even if kicking and screaming) to him, to the death that he died? Look at some other contexts: John 21:10 Jesus saith unto them, Bring of the fish which ye have now caught. Simon Peter went up, and drew (helkuo) the net to land full of great fishes, a hundred and fifty and three: and for all there were so many, yet was not the net broken. Do fish want to be caught? What happens when you bring a fish out of the depths of the water? They flop around in protest. They must be dragged into the boat by a stronger hand. Peter is instructed to DRAG the fish into the boat. Sooner or later, Christ would make Peter a fisher of men (Matt 4:19). Jesus himself will drag all men into the death of their sinful flesh. EVERY TIME the word helkuo is used in the scripture it is used to describe it happening to an unwitting, or unwilling subject: John 6:44 No man can come to me, except the Father which hath sent me draw (helkuo - drag) him: and I will raise him up at the last day. James 2:6 But ye have despised the poor. Do not rich men oppress you, and draw (helkuo - drag) you before the judgment seats? Does not the sinful flesh resist being DRAGGED to the cross? Act 16:19 And when her masters saw that the hope of their gains was gone, they caught Paul and Silas, and drew (helkuo- dragged) them into the marketplace unto the rulers, And brought them to the magistrates, saying, These men, being Jews, do exceedingly trouble our city, Act 21:30 And all the city was moved, and the people ran together: and they took Paul, and drew (helkuo - dragged) him out of the temple: and forthwith the doors were shut. Yes, speaking about his own death, Christ said I will DRAG ALL MEN TO ME! In case we do not believe that Jesus was sent to be the savior of all men, let us consult the scripture: Romans 5:5-8 We're not ashamed to have this confidence, because God's love has been poured into our hearts by the Holy Spirit (by baptism), who has been given to us. Look at it this way: At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for ungodly people (who were in the sinful flesh). Finding someone who would die for a godly person is rare. Maybe someone would have the courage to die for a good person. Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us. Romans 5:16 And not as it was by one that sinned, so is the gift: for the judgment was by one to condemnation, but the free gift is of many offenses unto justification. Romans 5:17-19 For if by one man's offense (Adam) death reigned by one; much more they which receive abundance of grace (which chastises us to live Godly lives) and of the gift of righteousness shall reign in life by one, Jesus Christ. Therefore as by the offense of one judgment came upon all men to condemnation; even so by the righteousness of one the free gift came upon all men unto justification (Greek - dikaiosis) of life. For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so by the obedience of one shall many BE MADE RIGHTEOUS. By ONE MAN (Adam) many, that is all, were made sinners, by ONE MAN (Jesus) shall many, that is all, be MADE righteous. Let's look into the very next chapter as Paul clarifies how this is done. Here is what justification means: Romans 6:5 For if we have been planted together in the LIKENESS of his death, we shall be also in the LIKENESS of his resurrection: Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not SERVE SIN. For he that is dead is freed (dikaioo) from sin. Justification is FREEDOM from sin. The Greek word dikaioo means to free, to MAKE just and righteous. But HE THAT IS DEAD is freed from sin. That does not mean literal death. We have been planted together in the LIKENESS of Christ's death by the baptism of the Spirit we receive. And the great news, the glorious gospel, is that this gift of justification has been promised to ALL MEN on the cross. Jesus didn't just condemn sin for some people, but for ALL people. It was a gift given on the cross, and it is FULFILLED in the Spirit when he puts the sin in us to death by our baptism in the Spirit. Justified By Faith (The promise of the Cross fulfilled in us daily) Now we see why justification comes by faith: "To declare, I say, at this time his righteousness: that (God) might be just, and the justifier (the liberator) of him which believeth in Jesus." (Romans 3:26). The word dikaioo carries the weight of being rendered, being made, being conformed to purity, not simply considered pure when actually evil. God never considers evil to be pure or right. Therefore, if justification is freedom from sin, and he that is dead to sin is free, we now can understand why believing in Jesus does it: Titus 2:11-12 For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men, Teaching (chastising) us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; By believing in Jesus, we are able to come into knowledge of God. And knowledge of God is absolutely essential in understanding His ways. We are freed from sin when the Spirit of Christ puts our sin to death, by the cross we take up to follow him, so that we may adopt his ways. Both the death and resurrection of Jesus is represented in our daily walk: 2 Corinthians 4:10-11 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. For we which live are always delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. The reason God does not impute our sins when we have faith, is because by faith we access Grace. That means the death of the Cross is within us. When God chastises, it is not the fruit of Him lacking forgiveness. It is not the fruit of holding our sins against us, or making us guilty. It is the fruit of love booting the sin out of our lives, thereby freeing us from guilt! God's discipline is the most merciful thing he could do for us. This is summed up here: Romans 5:1-3 Therefore being justified (dikaioo) by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not only so, but we glory in tribulations also: knowing that tribulation worketh patience; That is why we are told not to despise the chastening of the Lord. When we were in the sinful flesh, Christ came in the flesh to CONDEMN sin on our behalf. When he was resurrected, we received the Spirit. Therefore, Jesus FULFILLS the death sentence against sin, by filling us with the Spirit, and removing that power of sin in our lives that we may no longer serve it. When he died on the cross, it was a promise to all man, not just they who call themselves Christian, that by grace God will chastise the sin out of the entire mass of human hearts, that we will all die with him. ALL MEN were reconciled when Christ died on the cross. It is done, and cannot be added to or subtracted from. And, this reconciliation is FULFILLED in the Spirit, and will continue to be fulfilled, until it fills the whole of creation. You see, we are not justified by God considering us righteous, when we are not. God MAKES us righteous, when before we could not, and he does that by the Spirit. |