Matthew 25:37-39 - Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee?
NOTE: Notice the humility of the righteous. They don't even realize all the good they have worked. Contrast with the bold, brash bragging of the lost, who keep score of their deeds and point to their works as qualification for heaven (Matthew 7:22).
Matthew 7:22 - Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
NOTE: So anxious to inflate themselves, they stand before Jesus, Who truly did many wonderful works, and call their own works both "many" and "wonderful."
VM
Showing posts with label False Religion. Show all posts
Showing posts with label False Religion. Show all posts
Sunday, October 5, 2014
Thursday, November 1, 2012
If A Man Say, I Have Faith
James 2:14 - What doth it profit, my brethren, though a man say he hath faith, and have not works? can faith save him?
"For a man to have faith, and to say he has faith, are two different things; the apostle does not say, If a man have faith without works, for that is not a supposable case; the drift of this place of scripture is plainly to show that an opinion, or speculation, or assent, without works, is not faith; but the case is put thus, If a man say he hath faith, etc. Men may boast of that to others, and be conceited of that in themselves, of which they are really destitute." - Matthew Henry's Commentary
"For a man to have faith, and to say he has faith, are two different things; the apostle does not say, If a man have faith without works, for that is not a supposable case; the drift of this place of scripture is plainly to show that an opinion, or speculation, or assent, without works, is not faith; but the case is put thus, If a man say he hath faith, etc. Men may boast of that to others, and be conceited of that in themselves, of which they are really destitute." - Matthew Henry's Commentary
Saturday, April 14, 2012
Unbelieving Disciples in John chapter 6
John 6:26 - Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
"They 'believed' on Him not as their Lord and Saviour, but as a wordly messiah to supply their needs and defeat their enemies." - D. Cloud.
These depart, John 6:66.
John 6:66 - From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
This type of disciple is explained in John 2:23-25; John 6:15; John 6:26; I Corinthians 15:2b; I John 2:19.
VM
"They 'believed' on Him not as their Lord and Saviour, but as a wordly messiah to supply their needs and defeat their enemies." - D. Cloud.
These depart, John 6:66.
John 6:66 - From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
This type of disciple is explained in John 2:23-25; John 6:15; John 6:26; I Corinthians 15:2b; I John 2:19.
VM
Thursday, April 5, 2012
John Chapter 1 Notes
John 1:1 - In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.
"WORD" = Greek "LOGOS: word, expression, concept." Vine's Dictionary says, "the 'Word,' the personal manifestation, not of a part of the Divine nature, but of the whole Deity."
Jesus is the Word / Expression of God, very God in totality. He reveals God to man: Matthew 1:23; John 10:30; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3, etc.
John calls Jesus the Word: John 1:1; John 1:14; I John 1:1; I John 5:7; Revelation 19:13.
John 1:2 - The same was in the beginning with God.
Compare Deuteronomy 32:39 - "There is no god with me." Jehovah's Witness Bible says, "The word was a god." Contradicts Deut. 32:39. Jesus IS God!
The eternal nature of Christ: Micah 5:2; John 17:5; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 13:8; I John 1:1-2; I John 5:20; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:13.
John 1:4 - In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
This note at John 14:6, "I am...the LIFE" - John 1:4; John 3:15-16; John 3:36; John 5:21; John 5:26; John 6:33; John 6:51; John 6:57: John 6:68; John 10:10; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 14:19; John 17:3; Acts 3:15; Romans 6:23; Colossians 3:4; Galatians 2:20; II Timothy 1:1; I John 1:1-2; I John 5:11-12.
John 1:11 - He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
THE RESPONSE OF THE JEWS: (1) Rejected His prophets and preachers, Matthew 23:37. (2) Refused His tender love, Matthew 23:37. (3) Resisted the Holy Ghost, Acts 7:51.
John 1:14 - ...(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)...
Compare Isaiah 42:8 - "...my glory will I not give to another." Jesus is not another because Jesus IS God!
John 1:21 - ...Art thou that prophet?
"That prophet" that should come, promised Deuteronomy 18:15-18. This prophet is Christ: John 6:14; John 7:40; Acts 3:22-24; Acts 7:37.
VM
"WORD" = Greek "LOGOS: word, expression, concept." Vine's Dictionary says, "the 'Word,' the personal manifestation, not of a part of the Divine nature, but of the whole Deity."
Jesus is the Word / Expression of God, very God in totality. He reveals God to man: Matthew 1:23; John 10:30; Philippians 2:6; Colossians 1:15; Hebrews 1:3, etc.
John calls Jesus the Word: John 1:1; John 1:14; I John 1:1; I John 5:7; Revelation 19:13.
John 1:2 - The same was in the beginning with God.
Compare Deuteronomy 32:39 - "There is no god with me." Jehovah's Witness Bible says, "The word was a god." Contradicts Deut. 32:39. Jesus IS God!
The eternal nature of Christ: Micah 5:2; John 17:5; Colossians 1:17; Hebrews 13:8; I John 1:1-2; I John 5:20; Revelation 1:8; Revelation 1:11; Revelation 2:8; Revelation 21:6; Revelation 22:13.
John 1:4 - In him was life; and the life was the light of men.
This note at John 14:6, "I am...the LIFE" - John 1:4; John 3:15-16; John 3:36; John 5:21; John 5:26; John 6:33; John 6:51; John 6:57: John 6:68; John 10:10; John 11:25; John 14:6; John 14:19; John 17:3; Acts 3:15; Romans 6:23; Colossians 3:4; Galatians 2:20; II Timothy 1:1; I John 1:1-2; I John 5:11-12.
John 1:11 - He came unto his own, and his own received him not.
THE RESPONSE OF THE JEWS: (1) Rejected His prophets and preachers, Matthew 23:37. (2) Refused His tender love, Matthew 23:37. (3) Resisted the Holy Ghost, Acts 7:51.
John 1:14 - ...(and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,)...
Compare Isaiah 42:8 - "...my glory will I not give to another." Jesus is not another because Jesus IS God!
John 1:21 - ...Art thou that prophet?
"That prophet" that should come, promised Deuteronomy 18:15-18. This prophet is Christ: John 6:14; John 7:40; Acts 3:22-24; Acts 7:37.
VM
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Luke 11:1 - Teach Us to Pray
Luke 11:1 - And it came to pass, that, as he was praying in a certain place, when he ceased, one of his disciples said unto him, Lord, teach us to pray, as John also taught his disciples.
"Teach us to pray" is "Teach us how to pray." It is not "teach us what to pray." Notice Matthew 6:9 says "After this manner therefore pray ye." Not "in this formula" or "with these words" but "after this manner." This model prayer is not given to be recited (Matthew 6:7-8) but to be emulated. The difference between recitation and emulation is as subtle but as vast as the difference between the religious heathen and the child of God.
"Teach us to pray" is "Teach us how to pray." It is not "teach us what to pray." Notice Matthew 6:9 says "After this manner therefore pray ye." Not "in this formula" or "with these words" but "after this manner." This model prayer is not given to be recited (Matthew 6:7-8) but to be emulated. The difference between recitation and emulation is as subtle but as vast as the difference between the religious heathen and the child of God.
Matthew 7:12 - The Golden Rule
Matthew 7:12 - Therefore all things whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them: for this is the law and the prophets.
XRF - Matthew 22:39-40, where this same note could be applied.
The Golden Rule "is the law and the prophets." The New Testament teaches that the purpose of the law is to show us our lack, our unrighteousness - for we can never keep it. Galatians 3:10-25, etc. So if the Golden Rule "is the law" according to Christ, then its purpose is to show us that we are in violation of the law, for we can never perfectly keep this rule. It is also "the prophets" according to Christ. The purpose of the law is to show our lack, while the prophets point us to Christ to fulfill our lacking (e.g., Isaiah 53, etc). Christ is the only One Who kept the Golden Rule, yea more, when He died for us, loving His neighbor as Himself. So the Golden Rule "is the law and the prophets" because as "the law" it shows us our need and as "the prophets" it points us to Christ as the One Who meets that need. It is not a religion unto itself as the liberal would have it. It is a pointer to Christ for the one who realizes he is a sinner fallen short.
VM
XRF - Matthew 22:39-40, where this same note could be applied.
The Golden Rule "is the law and the prophets." The New Testament teaches that the purpose of the law is to show us our lack, our unrighteousness - for we can never keep it. Galatians 3:10-25, etc. So if the Golden Rule "is the law" according to Christ, then its purpose is to show us that we are in violation of the law, for we can never perfectly keep this rule. It is also "the prophets" according to Christ. The purpose of the law is to show our lack, while the prophets point us to Christ to fulfill our lacking (e.g., Isaiah 53, etc). Christ is the only One Who kept the Golden Rule, yea more, when He died for us, loving His neighbor as Himself. So the Golden Rule "is the law and the prophets" because as "the law" it shows us our need and as "the prophets" it points us to Christ as the One Who meets that need. It is not a religion unto itself as the liberal would have it. It is a pointer to Christ for the one who realizes he is a sinner fallen short.
VM
Friday, January 21, 2011
Matthew 12:43-45
When the unclean spirit is gone out of a man, he walketh through dry places, seeking rest, and findeth none. Then he saith, I will return into my house from whence I came out; and when he is come, he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished. Then goeth he, and taketh with himself seven other spirits more wicked than himself, and they enter in and dwell there: and the last state of that man is worse than the first. Even so shall it be also unto this wicked generation. Matthew 12:43-45
THE STATE OF THE FALSE RELIGIOUS CONVERT
V. 44 - "he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished."
EMPTY - The man is found devoid of any spirit, including the Holy Spirit. Now he is even more susceptible to unclean spirits (cp. v. 29) and to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1-3), etc.
SWEPT - Cleaned up. Dusted. Cleaned off some on the outside but not from within. Not scrubbed. Not washed. Not "white as snow" or "as wool" (Isaiah 1:18); not washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Not made clean in the eternal record books. Simply swept. A few habits temporarily broken, a few disgusting sins temporarily hidden from the view of others. A few things swept under the rug.
GARNISHED - Decorated. From the Greek "COSMEO" -->English "Cosmetics." Well-ordered decoration; well-arranged adornment. Outward religious trappings added to make the man more attractive in his and others' sight.
Garnished illustration: When I first started working as a waiter, the cook told me that no plate ever leaves that kitchen without garnish - a piece of parsley, a small green onion or some such. I insisted that it would not be eaten and was therefore of no practical use and a waste of time and money. The cook said the use was to make the plate of food look more appealing. I looked at the juicy steak, loaded baked potato and steamed vegetables on the plate and said it looks mighty appealing to me as is. I was told not to argue, just put the parsley on the plate. In like manner, the life of one biblically and truly converted to Christ is appealing enough without the useless garnishment of man's religious traditions. The falsely converted however insist on such garnishment because no inward change has made their life any more appealing than before their false conversion. Like a well-trained cook in the longstanding tradition of parsley and green onions, the well-trained religious one refuses to hear anything to the contrary against their traditional garnish.
WORSE THAN BEFORE - "the last state of that man is worse than the first." His false religious conversion has insulated him against the truth. Not only does the original unclean spirit return, not only do the original habits and wickedness come back with a vengeance, but sooner or later new depths of depravity are sought with the gusto of one convinced of his position.
VM
Developed during daily Bible reading, January 2011
THE STATE OF THE FALSE RELIGIOUS CONVERT
V. 44 - "he findeth it empty, swept, and garnished."
EMPTY - The man is found devoid of any spirit, including the Holy Spirit. Now he is even more susceptible to unclean spirits (cp. v. 29) and to seducing spirits and doctrines of devils (I Timothy 4:1-3), etc.
SWEPT - Cleaned up. Dusted. Cleaned off some on the outside but not from within. Not scrubbed. Not washed. Not "white as snow" or "as wool" (Isaiah 1:18); not washed in the Blood of the Lamb. Not made clean in the eternal record books. Simply swept. A few habits temporarily broken, a few disgusting sins temporarily hidden from the view of others. A few things swept under the rug.
GARNISHED - Decorated. From the Greek "COSMEO" -->English "Cosmetics." Well-ordered decoration; well-arranged adornment. Outward religious trappings added to make the man more attractive in his and others' sight.
Garnished illustration: When I first started working as a waiter, the cook told me that no plate ever leaves that kitchen without garnish - a piece of parsley, a small green onion or some such. I insisted that it would not be eaten and was therefore of no practical use and a waste of time and money. The cook said the use was to make the plate of food look more appealing. I looked at the juicy steak, loaded baked potato and steamed vegetables on the plate and said it looks mighty appealing to me as is. I was told not to argue, just put the parsley on the plate. In like manner, the life of one biblically and truly converted to Christ is appealing enough without the useless garnishment of man's religious traditions. The falsely converted however insist on such garnishment because no inward change has made their life any more appealing than before their false conversion. Like a well-trained cook in the longstanding tradition of parsley and green onions, the well-trained religious one refuses to hear anything to the contrary against their traditional garnish.
WORSE THAN BEFORE - "the last state of that man is worse than the first." His false religious conversion has insulated him against the truth. Not only does the original unclean spirit return, not only do the original habits and wickedness come back with a vengeance, but sooner or later new depths of depravity are sought with the gusto of one convinced of his position.
VM
Developed during daily Bible reading, January 2011
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