“Search the Scriptures,
for in Them Ye Think
Ye Have Eternal Life,
and They Are They
Which Testify of Me”
Jesus.
Search the Scriptures every day,
Read them through and through.
Then if your desire is to be saved
You’ll know just what to do.
Do not take what others say
And think that they are right,
But read the Bible for yourself
And you will see the light.
For we are taught in Mark sixteen
The commands the Savior gave
To His Apostles long ago,
Whereby we must be saved.
So just take it as it stands.
Hear it, believe it and obey.
Do not listen to someone else
Lest you be led astray.
For there are many creeds of men,
Different churches of every kind,
But when we search God’s Holy Writ
The church of Christ is all we find.
We turn to Acts in chapter two
And there we see the Simple Way
That Peter taught three thousand souls
On that great Pentecostal day.
He told them how by wicked hands
They took and crucified the Lord.
They saw the great mistake they made
And believed the Holy Word.
So they cried out to the Apostles,
“Men and Brethren, what shall we do?”
“Repent and be baptized,” said Peter,
“And the Lord will pardon you.”
So they believed just what he said,
And confessed their faith that day,
And were baptized into the Lord,
Proceeding on the heavenly way.
So now we turn to Acts nineteen
Where some are found who couldn’t see
Just how to obey the Lord’s command
From sin to be made free.
So there we find old Brother Paul
Who preached to them God’s Holy Word.
And when they heard it they believed
And were baptized into the Lord.
So let us read some more in Acts,
In chapter eight, verse thirty-seven.
There we see what the Eunuch did
That he might get to heaven.
Now don’t get tired, but read some more,
In Acts twenty-two and verse sixteen
What Ananias told Saul of Tarsus.
There the way is plainly seen.
So while you’re passing through this life,
If someone comes and says to you:
“My desire is to be saved
But I don’t know just what to do.”
Just point him to what Peter says
In Acts two, verse thirty-eight,
And tell him to accept it now
Before it is too late.
Also let him read First Peter,
Chapter three, verse twenty-one.
Then he can straightway see
What it is that must be done.
Do not tell him he must wait
Until another day
And look for something he can’t get
In any other way,
For Jesus says, “I am the way,”
Because He rose from the grave,
He also says, “Come unto me,
And you, I will surely save.”
Thus my friend if you’re out of Christ,
You must surely get within
If you expect to reign with Him,
In a land that’s free from sin.
So now’s the time, the accepted time,
Accept it now and be wise.
Just believe his Holy Word,
Repent, confess, and be baptized.
Some preachers are so uninformed
That they cry out very bold
And tell lost wayward sinners
That baptism doesn’t save the soul.
So I point them to First Peter,
Chapter three, verse twenty-one,
“Baptism doth now also save”
Through God’s only begotton Son.
Then if that doesn’t convince them,
I refer them to John three, verse five,
That in order to enter the Kingdom,
They must surely be baptized.
This was said by the Master,
Spoken while on earth He trod,
Unless one of water and Spirit is born,
He cannot see the Kingdom of God.
And it is also plainly written
In Galatians three, verse twenty-seven,
That into Christ they were baptized,
And were on their way to heaven.
So if you’re in a lost condition
And desire a better way,
Just believe the Savior’s teaching,
And accept His Word today.
Lay aside all sin and folly,
Prepare yourself for paradise.
Do not deny what Jesus says:
“Repent, confess and be baptized.”
So search the Scriptures for yourself
And read them every day.
Do not listen to someone else
Or you might go astray.
Yours for the Bible,
CHARLES J. KINCAID
Etowah, Tennessee.
Published in The Old Paths Archive
(http://www.oldpaths.com)
Questions have been raised by skeptics concerning the
Bible’s reliability based on the reports of the Gospel writers regarding
the interval of time that transpired between the crucifixion and the
resurrection of Jesus. As is always the case with such alleged
discrepancies, further study and honest exegesis dispels the allegation.
The Bible refers to this interval in four forms:
“on the third day” (Matthew 16:21; 17:23; Acts 10:40; 1 Corinthians 15:4)
“in three days” (Matthew 26:61; John 2:19)
“after three days” (Matthew 27:63; Mark 8:31)
“three days and three nights” (Matthew 12:40)
On the surface, these four representations certainly appear to be
inconsistent, if not contradictory. Indeed, to the English mind, these
four phrases convey four different meanings. However, upon further
investigation, we discover they are interchangeable expressions
in the New Testament. The evidence from antiquity and from the Bible is
decisive: “three days and three nights” in Oriental expression was an
idiomatic allusion to any portions of the period. This fact stands proven
and is undeniable based on at least three sources: (1) scholarly
historical analysis of ancient idiomatic language; (2) biblical usage
throughout the Old Testament; and (3) harmonization within the passion
texts themselves.
HISTORICAL USAGE
First, a vast array of scholarly sources verifies the use of this
idiom in antiquity. It constituted a loose form of speech to refer to
two days and a portion of a third. A.T. Robertson referred to this usage
as “the well-known custom of the Jews to count a part of a day as a
whole day of twenty-four hours.”1 Likewise, in his monumental volume Figures of Speech Used in the Bible, E.W. Bullinger explains that “the expression ‘three days and three nights’ is an idiom which covers any parts of three days and three nights.”2 The highly respected 17th-century
Hebraist John Lightfoot published a commentary on the New Testament,
incorporating his vast grasp of Hebrew and Aramaic usage, including the
Jewish Talmud and Mishna. In that commentary, he recounts the common
usage of the phrase “three days and three nights” among the Gemarists,
Babylonian Talmud, and Jerusalem Talmud, concluding: “So that according
to this idiom, that diminutive part of the third day, upon which Christ
arose, may be computed for the whole day, and the night following it.”3 The list of scholarly confirmation could be lengthened indefinitely.
BIBLICAL USAGE
Second, the Bible uses the same idiom throughout the Old Testament
and continues into the New. For example, in the account of Joseph’s
dealings with his brothers, Moses wrote: “So he put them all together in
prison three days. Then Joseph said to them the third day,
‘Do this and live, for I fear God…’” (Genesis 42:17-18). Joseph put his
brothers in prison for “three days” (vs. 17) and then released them
“the third day” (vs. 18). The two expressions were viewed as equivalent.
In his pursuit of the Amalekites, David and his men came upon an Egyptian in the field, whom they nourished with food and drink:
So when he had eaten, his strength came back to him; for he had eaten no bread nor drunk water for three days and three nights.
Then David said to him, “To whom do you belong, and where are you
from?” And he said, “I am a young man from Egypt, servant of an
Amalekite; and my master left me behind, because three days ago I fell sick” (1 Samuel 30:12-13).
The inspired writer states unequivocally that the Egyptian had taken
no nourishment for “three days and nights,” which the Egyptian, in his
explanation of his predicament, defined as “three days.”
On the occasion when Jeroboam returned from exile in Egypt and led
the Israelites in a rebellious confrontation of the rightful king
Rehoboam, we are informed:
Then Jeroboam and the whole assembly of Israel came and spoke to
Rehoboam, saying, “Your father made our yoke heavy; now therefore,
lighten the burdensome service of your father, and his heavy yoke which
he put on us, and we will serve you.” So he said to them, “Depart for three days, then come back to me.” And the people departed (1 Kings 12:3-5).
Rehoboam then consulted with the elders of the nation, promptly
rejecting their advice, and then consulted with the young men of his own
generation who had grown up with him. Then the text reads: “So Jeroboam
and all the people came to Rehoboam the third day, as the king had directed, saying, ‘Come back to me the third day’”
(1 Kings 12:12). Lest we fail to grasp the fact that “for three days”
and “the third day” are equivalent expressions, the inspired writer says
so explicitly by equating them and then adding “as the king had
directed.” The parallel account in 2 Chronicles completes the idiomatic
usage by reading: “So he said to them, ‘Come back to me after (ע֛וֹד) three days’” (10:5). This latter allusion is not to—as a westerner would think—the fourth day, but to a point in time “on” the third day (vs. 12—בַּיּ֣וֹם). Hence, “after three days” equals “the third day.”
Yet another instance is found in the book of Esther. Having been
elevated to a prominent position in the eyes of King Xerxes, Mordecai
urged his cousin Esther to use her influence to save the Jews throughout
the Persian Empire from annihilation by Haman. Here was her response:
“Go, gather all the Jews who are present in Shushan, and fast for me; neither eat nor drink for three days, night or day.
My maids and I will fast likewise. And so I will go to the king, which
is against the law; and if I perish, I perish!” So Mordecai went his way
and did according to all that Esther commanded him. Now it happened on the third day
that Esther put on her royal robes and stood in the inner court of the
king’s palace, across from the king’s house, while the king sat on his
royal throne in the royal house, facing the entrance of the house
(Esther 4:16-5:1).
Esther did not change her mind regarding when she would approach the
king. Rather, she did exactly what she told Mordecai she would do.
Hence, “three days, night or day” is precisely the same timeframe as “on
the third day.”
We see the same idiom in the New Testament. One example is the
inspired account of the events leading up to the conversion of the first
Gentiles in Acts 10. Several temporal indicators illustrate the
principle:
“ninth hour of the day” (vs. 3)
“The next day” (“about the sixth hour”) (vs. 9)
“On the next day” (vs. 23)
“the following day” (vs. 24)
“Four days ago” (“the ninth hour”) (vs. 30)
If we count the amount of time that transpired between the appearance
of the angel to Cornelius (vs. 3) and the arrival of Peter at the house
of Cornelius (vs. 24), we find it to be exactly three days, i.e., three
24 hour periods. Yet in Jewish reckoning, the period included three
nights and parts of four days. Thus Peter described the interval as “four days” (vs. 30). See the chart below.
We are forced to conclude that the phrase “three days and three
nights” is not to be taken literally. It was used figuratively in
antiquity. Why take one expression out of the four that are used,
interpret it literally (i.e., 72 hours), and then give it precedence
over all the other passages? Jesus being in the grave one complete day
and night (24 hours) and parts of two nights (36 hours total) satisfies
both the literal and idiomatic expressions. The English reader must not
impose his own method of calculation upon an ancient, alternate method
of reckoning time.
Another instance of the same idiom in the New Testament is seen in Paul’s stay in Ephesus. The text reads:
And he went into the synagogue and spoke boldly for three months,
reasoning and persuading concerning the things of the kingdom of God.
But when some were hardened and did not believe, but spoke evil of the
Way before the multitude, he departed from them and withdrew the
disciples, reasoning daily in the school of Tyrannus. And this continued
for two years, so that all who dwelt in Asia heard the word of the Lord Jesus, both Jews and Greeks” (Acts 19:8-10).
Paul states plainly that he remained in Ephesus for two years and
three months. Sometime later, in his rush to get to Jerusalem in time
for Pentecost, he came to the seacoast town of Miletus from whence he
sent word to the elders of the church in Ephesus to come meet with him.
Among the stirring remarks that he delivered to them on that occasion
were these words: “Therefore watch, and remember that for three years
I did not cease to warn everyone night and day with tears” (Acts
20:31). Once again, it is apparent that the Semitic mind considered that
any portion of a day or year could be counted as a whole day or year.
JEWISH USAGE
Third, it is abundantly clear from the accounts of Christ’s death and
resurrection that this idiom was well recognized and utilized by the
Jews at the time. Specifically, the chief priests and Pharisees
confirmed use of the idiom when they sought an audience with the Roman
Procurator Pilate:
On the next day, which followed the Day of Preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees gathered together to Pilate, saying, “Sir, we
remember, while He was still alive, how that deceiver said, ‘After three days I will rise.’ Therefore command that the tomb be made secure until the third day,
lest His disciples come by night and steal Him away, and say to the
people, ‘He has risen from the dead.’ So the last deception will be
worse than the first” (Matthew 27:62-64).
The Jewish leaders did not insist on the tomb of Jesus being secured
for three 24-hour days. To the western mind, the phrase “after three
days” indicates the need to maintain a guard until the fourth day
had come. But not to the oriental mind. The phrases “after three days”
and “until the third day” were, to them, equivalent expressions.
The evidence from both antiquity and the Bible is decisive: “Three days and three nights” was an idiom. This truth stands as a proven
fact of history. Bullinger was correct when he emphatically stated: “It
may seem absurd to Gentiles and to Westerns to use words in such a
manner, but that does not alter the fact.”4
ENDNOTES
1 A.T. Robertson (1922), A Harmony of the Gospels (New York: Harper and Row), p. 290.
3 John Lightfoot (1823), Horae Hebraicae et Talmudicae or Hebrew and Talmudical Exercitations upon the Gospels of St. Matthew and St. Mark (London: J.F. Dove), 11:202.
Recently I saw a quote posted on facebook my by friend Mike
Richardson from Dr. Wayne Dyer. It’s been on my mind ever since I wrote
it down. It was simple. Succinct. But very profound.
“When you change the way you look at things, the things you look at change.”
This axiom speaks to the issue of perspective. Point of view. And
one’s mental frame of reference. It has to do with our focus in life. It
reveals one’s attitude, whether positive or negative.
When we change our thinking, our feelings follow suit. Our approach
to the circumstances and challenges of life change. Our actions then
lead to a different result. However, two people can look at the same
thing. One sees a problem. The other sees an opportunity.
There’s a great Bible example in the narrative from 1 Samuel 17. It’s
the account of Israel’s on going conflict with the Philistines. This
time they are taunted by a giant named Goliath, who challenged any of
their men to a winner take all fight. Daily Goliath mocked Israel with
these words: “I defy the armies of Israel this day; give me a man, that
we may fight together.”
The Bible describes Goliath as a mountain of a man. He was huge. He
was a warrior. He was a champion. And as a result, King Saul and the
armies of Israel “were dismayed and greatly afraid.”
But along comes young David. A mere lad. A shepherd boy. When he
learns the King will reward the man who defeats Goliath with riches,
exemption from taxes and the King’s daughter in marriage, David said:
“Let no one lose heart on account of this Philistine; your servant will
go and fight him.”
Saul tried to discourage David. He said, “You are only a boy, and
(Goliath) has been a fighting man from his youth.” Yet, David, through
the eye of faith, didn’t see it that way. He had killed both a lion and a
bear in protecting his father’s sheep. Then David confidently affirmed,
“The Lord who delivered me from the paw of the lion and the paw of the
bear will deliver me from the hand of this Philistine.”
Every child knows the rest of the story and has sung the song Just a little boy David. “Five little stones he took.” But he only needed one. Goliath was felled with a single shot from David’s sling.
What a difference in perspective between Saul’s army and young David.
They saw a huge obstacle. They envisioned defeat. They felt afraid. And
they were paralyzed from acting.
David, on the other hand, looked at Goliath as an opportunity. He
focused on his faith in God’s protection. He quelled fears with courage.
And, don’t miss the fact that David was also motivated by the reward.
Three times in the text David asked what the King would do for the man
who killed Goliath. David didn’t look at the problem. David saw an
opportunity.
Someone once quipped that Israel looked at Goliath and saw someone so
big they couldn’t beat him. But David saw someone so big he couldn’t
miss him!
What Goliaths are tormenting you? What obstacles are you facing in
your life? What challenges are you dealing with? What cares are pressing
you down? What decisions are weighing heavily on your mind? What
burdens are you bearing?
Your success or failure in dealing with your circumstances will depend greatly on how you look at them.
What do you see?
Are you fearfully focused on Goliath? Or are you faithfully seeing the reward offered by the Lord?
Just
when I thought I had seen every sort of rainbow there is to see,
well, here is a new one ( to me at least ). A rainbow in the form of
a smile; wonderful. Imagine that, heaven is smiling at
me. The only thing better would be to see Jesus smiling at me. Now,
that would be very good news, indeed!
Speaking
of Good News, I thought of Luke 3 and the message from heaven, not
only to me, but to everyone.
Luke
says...
Luke
2 ( World English
Bible )
1
Now it happened in those days, that a decree went
out from Caesar Augustus that all the world should be enrolled.
2
This was the first enrollment
made when Quirinius was governor of Syria.
3
All went to enroll themselves,
everyone to his own city.
4
Joseph also went up from
Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judea, to the city of
David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and
family of David;
5
to enroll himself with Mary,
who was pledged to be married to him as wife, being pregnant.
6
It happened, while they were
there, that the day had come that she should give birth.
7
She brought forth her
firstborn son, and she wrapped him in bands of cloth, and laid him in
a feeding trough, because there was no room for them in the inn.
8
There were shepherds in the
same country staying in the field, and keeping watch by night over
their flock.
9
Behold, an angel of the Lord stood
by them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were
terrified.
10
The angel said to them, “Don’t
be afraid, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy which will
be to all the people.
11
For there is born to you, this
day, in the city of David, a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.
12
This is the sign to you: you will
find a baby wrapped in strips of cloth, lying in a feeding trough.”
13
Suddenly, there was with the angel
a multitude of the heavenly army praising God, and saying,
14
“Glory to God in the
highest, on earth peace, good will toward men.”
In
a world full of misery, death and sin, God loved us enough to send
his one and only son to give us a way out. A very old message, but
nonetheless a very, very wonderful one.
And
think about this… the way out is still available. You know, I think
God is still in heaven- SMILING!
Today we see similar challenges confronting the church...
False teachers leading many astray
Churches apostatizing, resulting in new religious organizations
With more than 38,000 denominations now existing!
In this series of lessons, I would like for us to examine challenges
we face today...
Certainly not every challenge, for there are many
But a few of the more common ones faced by many churches of Christ
[But first, it might be helpful to carefully distinguish between the
universal church and local church as revealed in the Bible. Let's begin
with describing...]
-- When it comes to the church universal, though, there is just
one!
BEGINS WHEREVER PEOPLE JOIN TOGETHER...
As the gospel spreads and people respond to it, those in a
particular area start a local church when they agree to work
together as one
Just as the church in Antioch began later than the church in
Jerusalem - Ac 11:19-26
-- Whereas the church universal began in Jerusalem on Pentecost,
local churches have begun at different places and different
times!
ENTER BY JOINING OURSELVES...
When one wishes to become an accepted member of the local
church, they must "join themselves" to that church
As Paul sought to do when he came to the church in Jerusalem
- Ac 9:26-28
-- Whereas one is "added" by the Lord Himself to the universal
church, we can seek to "join" a local congregation (if its
members are willing to accept us)
ENROLLED BY HUMAN JUDGMENT...
Whether we are accepted into a local church is a decision made
by the leaders or members of that church
Sometimes people are rejected when they should be received
- 3Jn 5-9
Other times they are accepted when they should be removed - 1Co
5:1-13
-- Evil men may succeed in kicking one out of a local church, but
only the Lord determines who stays in the universal church!
CONSISTS OF BOTH SAVED AND LOST...
Since enrollment occurs through human judgment, fallible
decisions can be made
A local church may therefore have some who are Christians in
name only - cf. Re 3:1-4
-- Hypocrites may become members of a local church; but they don't
sneak by the Lord to become members of the universal church!
DO NOT HAVE TO BE A MEMBER TO BE SAVED...
One can be saved, and not belong to any local church
Such was the case of the Eunuch immediately following his
conversion, and of Paul when he was in transit between Antioch
and Jerusalem - cf. Ac 8:39; 9:26
-- Of course, this should be temporary; in the universal church,
it is impossible!
HAS EARTHLY ORGANIZATION...
A local church when scripturally organized will have bishops
and deacons - Php 1:1
These bishops were also called elders and pastors, whose role
was to oversee and feed the local congregation - Ac 14:23;
20:17,28
-- The only role or position ever given men over the universal
church on earth was the apostles and they were not replaced
when they died - e.g., James in Ac 12:2
CAN BE DIVIDED...
Local churches can easily be divided over doctrine or
personalities
Such was the case with the church at Corinth - 1Co 1:10-13;
3:3,4
-- While we can't divide the universal church, we can be
responsible for dividing local churches!
DEATH DOES AFFECT MEMBERSHIP...
When we die, our membership in a local congregation ends
When Stephen died, he was no longer a member of the Jerusalem
church - Ac 8:1-2
-- But our membership in the church universal continues on after
death!
Identifying the location of the members - 1Th 1:1; 2Th 1:2
-- There is no one official name, but we should use scriptural
names!
CONCLUSION
Understanding the distinction between the church universal and local
is important...
Failure to do so can lead to faulty thinking about the church
Failure to do so can make one susceptible to many challenges
facing the church
Understanding the distinction between the church universal and local
is encouraging...
Most challenges confronting the church today do not affect the
church universal per se
Most challenges confronting the church today involve how local
churches respond to them
The church of Christ universal is in good hands (those of Jesus
Himself). Whether we remain in His church universal is greatly
determined by how we face challenges that affect us as members of local
churches of Christ!
The first challenge we shall examine may be the most important, for it
determines how we respond to all other challenges we may confront:
Authority In Religion!
Pain or grief can cause the night to drag on and on, hour after
hour. In the darkness one waits, longing for the morning light.
Sunlight is important, but light from God is even more important.
The Psalmist says: “I wait for the LORD, my soul waits, And in
His word I do hope. My soul waits for the Lord more than those who
watch for the morning - Yes, more than those who watch for the
morning” (Psalm 130:5, 6).
The morning star gives hope to those who long for a new day.
The morning star is actually the planet Venus, the brightest
celestial body in the sky, after the sun and moon. When you see
the morning star, you know the night is almost over!
Jesus is our morning star!
“I am the Root and the Offspring of David, the Bright and
Morning Star” (Revelation 22:16). Jesus is harbinger of a new day!
He gives hope for a better future.
Balaam called the promised Messiah a rising star: “I see Him,
but not now; I behold Him, but not near; A Star shall come out of
Jacob; A Scepter shall rise out of Israel” (Numbers 24:17).
Christ has come to enlighten us. “Then Jesus spoke to them
again, saying, 'I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall
not walk in darkness, but have the light of life'” (John 8:12).
God “has delivered us from the power of darkness and
conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love” (Colossians
1:13).
Followers of Christ do not walk in darkness. When we follow
Him by heeding the Scriptures, the morning star rises in our hearts.
“And so we have the prophetic word confirmed, which you do well
to heed as a light that shines in a dark place, until the day dawns
and the morning star rises in your hearts” (2 Peter 1:19).
When we see the morning star in the sky it gives us hope for a
new day. But when the morning star has risen in our hearts, we
always see the Morning Star!
Our hope is based on the mercy of God.
When the morning star has risen in our hearts, our hope is
based on the sacrifice of Christ and the grace of God.
“For the grace of God that brings salvation has appeared to all
men, teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we
should live soberly, righteously, and godly in the present age,
looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great
God and Savior Jesus Christ, who gave Himself for us, that He
might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His
own special people, zealous for good works” (Titus 2:11-14).
When the morning star has risen in our hearts, we have good
hope even in the midst of difficulties! “Therefore, having been
justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus
Christ, through whom also we have access by faith into this grace
in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God. And not
only that, but we also glory in tribulations, knowing that tribulation
produces perseverance; and perseverance, character; and
character, hope. Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of
God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was
given to us” (Romans 5:1-5).
“Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in
believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy
Spirit” (Romans 15:13). Jesus gives the morning star to those who persevere!
If we endure to the end, Christ will give us the morning star!
“He who overcomes, and keeps My works until the end, to him I will
give power over the nations ... and I will give him the morning star”
(Revelation 2:26, 28). What have we learned?
Christ is the Morning Star who gives hope to those who long
for a new day. He gives us hope for something better than the
darkness of this world. If we follow Him, He rescues us from the
power of darkness. When we obey the Scriptures, the morning star
rises in our hearts. By the grace of God, this gives us hope of
eternal live. If we endure, Christ will give us the morning star.
Amen.
One of the doctrines of Calvinism that has created a
considerable stir through the years has been the notion of the
“perseverance of the saints”—commonly referred to as “the impossibility
of apostasy” or “once saved, always saved.” In his epistle to the
churches of the Galatian province, Paul wrote a remark that calls that
doctrine into question. The King James Version reads: “Christ is become
of no effect unto you, whosoever of you are justified by the law; ye are
fallen from grace.” Most versions have a similar reading. The
NKJV and NASB also have “fallen from grace.” Quite a few translations
add the word “away” in their rendering—“fallen away from
grace”—including the ASV, ESV, RSV, NRSV, NIV, CEB, CJB, ISV, MOUNCE,
NET, TLV, WEB, WYC, and YLT. The word “away” may leave the impression
that persons were heading toward the state of salvation but, prior to
achieving that state and entering into it, they veered away from it (see
Figure 1).
The Greek term translated “fallen” is from the verb pipto meaning “to fall.” In Galatians 5:4, the word has the preposition ek prefixed to it. This Greek preposition means primarily “out of.” Ekpipto, then, means literally “to fall out of.”1 One
would need to be “in” a realm or sphere in order to “fall out of” it
(see Figure 2). In the case of the Galatians, they had been converted to
become Christians (Acts 18:23) and were counted as being in Christ’s church (Galatians 1:2-3).
Baptist Greek grammarian A.T. Robertson explains the language: “Ye did fall out of grace,” “ye left the sphere of grace in Christ and took your stand in the sphere of law as your hope of salvation.”2 Mounce adds: “to fall from, forfeit, lose.”3 Meyer noted: “Ye have forfeited the relation of being objects of divine grace.”4 And
Eadie explains: “Christ’s method of justification is wholly of grace,
and those who rely on law and merit are in opposition to grace—are
fallen out of it.”5
These observations are buttressed by the fact that in the same verse, Paul says to the Christians: “You have become estranged from Christ.”6 The word means to “dissever from.”7 In
addition to “estranged,” other translations have “severed”
(ASV/ESV/RSV), “alienated” (NIV), and “cut yourselves off from Christ”
(NRSV). Therefore, it is possible at one time to be within the grace of
Christ and thereby saved, and then to so conduct oneself as to be
severed from, to fall out of, and forfeit that grace.
Endnotes
1 Joseph Thayer (1977 reprint), A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), p. 198.
2 A.T. Robertson (1931), Word Pictures in the New Testament (Nashville, TN: Broadman Press), 4:309, emp. added.
3 Robert Mounce (2006), Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan), p. 1137.
4 Heinrich Meyer (1884), Critical and Exegetical Handbook to the Epistles to the Galatians (New York: Funk & Wagnalls), p. 222, italics in orig.
5 John Eadie (1979 reprint), A Commentary on the Greek Text of the Epistle of Paul to the Galatians (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker), 1:384.
6 Frederick Danker, et al. (2000), Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament (Chicago, IL: University of Chicago Press), p. 526.
7 Wesley Perschbacher, ed. (1990), The New Analytical Greek Lexicon (Peabody, MA: Hendrickson), p. 226.
“Often we allow ourselves to get all worked up about things that upon
closer examination aren’t really that big a deal,” wrote Dr. Richard
Carlson in his classic little book entitled Don’t Sweat the Small Stuff.
Carlson illustrates how we may “focus on little problems and concerns
and blow them way out of proportion. A stranger, for example, might cut
in front of us in traffic. Rather than let it go, and go on with our
day, we convince ourselves that we are justified in our anger.”
There are so many little things that can divert our attention from the bigger, more important issues of life.
Slow service at a fast food restaurant.
Listening to criticism that is unjustified from someone who’s uninformed.
Wait in line at the grocery store.
Being stalled in traffic.
Doing most of the work without anyone helping.
What do you do about the small irritants? Complain to Jesus? I know someone who did.
Luke records an occasion where Jesus journeyed to Bethany to visit
two sisters. Mary and Martha. (Lk. 10:38-42). Their brother was Lazarus,
whom Jesus later raised from the dead. Apparently, Jesus had a close
connection and felt a special affinity for this family.
Martha welcomed Jesus into her home and began preparations for a
meal. This would have been a considerable task. Usually, Jesus traveled
with some or all of the apostles. If he did on this occasion, it would
have been a lot of work to prepare a meal for so many people. Remember,
too, this is before the days of modern conveniences. No casseroles
already prepared and in the freezer. No restaurants to deliver food. No
microwave ovens.
Martha was busy. The Bible says she was “distracted with much
serving.” There was a lot on her plate. Because she was doing all the
work by herself.
Where was her sister, Mary?
Sitting at the feet of Jesus listening to His Word.
Martha had enough. She was irritated, anxious and upset. So, she complained to Jesus.
“Don’t you care that my sister has left me to do the work by myself? Tell her to help me!
Think about Martha’s complaint. She has the audacity to accuse Jesus
of not caring. And she tells Jesus what he ought to do–make my sister
help me!
No doubt Martha was expecting Jesus to rebuke Mary and propel her
into action. Ironically, Martha is the one who received a mild reproof.
“Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But
one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not
be taken away from her.”
Jesus was not only telling her not to sweat the small stuff but to refocus her priorities on something of infinitely more value.
Now before, we’re too hard on Martha. She was a good person. A hard
worker. A ministry minded woman. She loved Jesus. But, she was
distracted. She allowed the ‘small stuff” to aggravate her.
There are many lessons from this text. But for today don’t let
yourself get overwrought with the mundane issues of life. Sure, there
are bills to pay. Appointments to keep. A house to manage. A car to
service. People who need our attention. Notes to be written. Events to
attend. Vacations to plan for. And retirement to plan for.
Add to all of these personal responsibilities, the concern of our
community, national and international problems. We worry about our
safety. The economy. World peace. Who’s in the White House. And what
life is going to be like for our children and grandchildren.
Whoa! Slow down. Relax. Take a deep breath. Refocus your thinking.
Practice patience. Live in the moment. Accept the imperfection of
others. Manage your stress. Lighten up. Mind your own business. And
remember Jesus’ advice to choose the good part.
Never forget. Jesus does care.
And by choosing that which is better. It can never be taken away.
This
flexible reading plan allows you the choice of reading from just one
category or up to eight. Currently, I am reading the categories of LAW
and LITERATURE (that is, four chapters a day). Next year I will read
HISTORY AND PROPHECY.
Please note that each category is read
repetitively throughout the year. The Gospels (Matthew - John) are
therefore read one chapter a day and when completed, are read again. For
this year, The second reading starts on 3/31/22.
Today,
I just couldn’t seem to stop looking at this picture. Why? Not
quite sure. Perhaps, it was the feeling of coldness it evokes, which
reminded me of the cold outside ( and YES, it does get cold in
Florida ), or maybe the odd manipulation that comes from applying a
fish-eye lens when taking a picture. Humm, I think it is that lens
effect, for it changes the normal appearance of the picture in a way
that seems to convey a feeling that all the trees are reaching for
the moon. In other words, the moon has become the goal of every tree.
And the goal ( the moon ) seems a twisted, manipulated one; not quite
worthy of all the effort to reach it.
As
I think about this, I wonder… how many lives out there are twisted
into a distorted way of living? People living their lives with goals
that are nothing less than sand flowing through their fingers. Lives
that end in disappointment and ultimate failure because they have
sought the wrong things. And, what are the wrong things? The apostle
John says...
1
John 2 ( World English
Bible )
15
Don’t love the world, neither the things that are
in the world. If anyone loves the world, the Father’s love isn’t
in him.
16
For all that is in the world,
the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life,
isn’t the Father’s, but is the world’s.
17
The world is passing away with
its lusts, but he who does God’s will remains forever.
John’s
answer; a focus on the things of this world is wrong. You know,
things like money, power, pride and the inappropriate desire for
things not worth having.
In
comparison to this are the things of God. When a person seeks God,
even their worst efforts produce goodness. God’s ways are the ONLY
right ways and are ultimately higher than the moon or any star in the
known or even unknown universe.
Today,
ask yourself: What are my goals in life? If you answer seeking God,
then you are on the right path; if not, well, its time to use a
different lens to see clearly!
