God's Exception

So whether we are at home or away, we make it our aim to please him. For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil (2 Corinthians 5:9–10).

God has given mankind freewill to act (Joshua 24:15; Romans 12:2), but He will judge everyone impartially (Ecclesiastes 11:9–10; 12:13–14; Romans 2:6–11; Hebrews 9:27). Thankfully, God has not condemned everyone, although we, because of our willingness to sin, deserve it (Romans 3:23; Galatians 3:22).

“For while we were still weak, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly” (Romans 5:6). “For we ourselves were once foolish, disobedient, led astray, slaves to various passions and pleasures, passing our days in malice and envy, hated by others and hating one another. But when the goodness and loving kindness of God our Savior appeared, he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit, whom he poured out on us richly through Jesus Christ our Savior, so that being justified by his grace we might become heirs according to the hope of eternal life” (Titus 3:3–7).

Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only Son of God. And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil. For everyone who does wicked things hates the light and does not come to the light, lest his works should be exposed. But whoever does what is true comes to the light, so that it may be clearly seen that his works have been carried out in God (John 3:18–21).

God’s exception to eternal condemnation is the humble soul willingly following His commands — seeking Him diligently (Hebrews 11:6). When the apostle Peter preached the gospel to the household of Cornelius, he made is clear “that God shows no partiality, but in every nation anyone who fears him and does what is right is acceptable to him” (Acts 10:34–35).

Doing what is right is not left to us to decide; in other words, we don’t determine what are good and bad deeds — “For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10).

“For this you know, that no fornicator, unclean person, nor covetous man, who is an idolater, has any inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience. Therefore do not be partakers with them. For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Walk as children of light (for the fruit of the Spirit is in all goodness, righteousness, and truth), finding out what is acceptable to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:5–10).

“And this I pray, that your love may abound still more and more in real knowledge and all discernment, so that you may approve the things that are excellent, in order to be sincere and blameless until the day of Christ; having been filled with the fruit of righteousness which comes through Jesus Christ, to the glory and praise of God” (Philippians 1:9–11).

God’s exception is His one and only Son — “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him” (John 3:16–17; also see John 1:14, 18). “Whoever believes in the Son has eternal life; whoever does not obey the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God remains on him” (John 3:36).

Obedience means we’re zealously doing what God commands because His words are eternal life (Titus 2:11–14; John 6:68; 12:48–50). And God’s commands are not burdensome (1 John 5:3–5). “If you keep my commandments, you will abide in my love, just as I have kept my Father’s commandments and abide in his love. . . . You are my friends if you do what I command you” (John 15:10, 14).

Judgment is coming for everyone (Rom. 14:12). It will be fair and just. Yes, we all deserve God’s wrath because of our own sins against Him; but He has provided an exception — “Or do you not know that all of us who have been baptized into Christ Jesus have been baptized into His death? Therefore we have been buried with Him through baptism into death, in order that as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, so we too might walk in newness of life” (Romans 6:3–4).

Pursuing Christ’s Holiness

Therefore do not be ashamed of the testimony about our Lord, nor of me his prisoner, but share in suffering for the gospel by the power of God, who saved us and called us to a holy calling, not because of our works but because of his own purpose and grace, which he gave us in Christ Jesus before the ages began, and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel (2 Timothy 1:8–10).

The apostle Paul urged his readers to: “Be imitators of me, just as I also am of Christ” (1 Corinthians 11:1). Because “the goal of our instruction is love from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith” (1 Timothy 1:5). The Lord Jesus Christ fulfills every single one of these characteristics fully—the pure heart, good conscience, and sincere faith. And the apostolic charge, the divine charge, is that we strive to become like Him: “But like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘You shall be holy, for I am holy’ ” (1 Peter 1:15–16).

Notice that righteous men are not our standard: Paul didn’t urge the Corinthians to imitate him, per se, but to imitate him as he imitated Jesus Christ. Jesus is our standard—“For we are not bold to class or compare ourselves with some of those who commend themselves; but when they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are without understanding” (2 Corinthians 10:12).

And He gave some as apostles, and some as prophets, and some as evangelists, and some as pastors and teachers, for the equipping of the saints for the work of service, to the building up of the body of Christ; until we all attain to the unity of the faith, and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a mature man, to the measure of the stature which belongs to the fullness of Christ. As a result, we are no longer to be children, tossed here and there by waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, by craftiness in deceitful scheming; but speaking the truth in love, we are to grow up in all aspects into Him who is the head, even Christ, from whom the whole body, being fitted and held together by what every joint supplies, according to the proper working of each individual part, causes the growth of the body for the building up of itself in love (Ephesians 4:11–16).

Growth is essential to life: if we’re not growing, then we’re dying. But spiritual growth that will reach into eternity is not growth for the sake of growth, rather it is growth based upon the word of Christ (Romans 10:17; 14:23;  Colossians 1:4–6;  2 Thessalonians 2:13–14). Again, Christ being our only standard.

Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us also lay aside every encumbrance and the sin which so easily entangles us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart (Hebrews 12:1–3).

More than that, I count all things to be loss in view of the surpassing value of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them but rubbish so that I may gain Christ, and may be found in Him, not having a righteousness of my own derived from the Law, but that which is through faith in Christ, the righteousness which comes from God on the basis of faith, that I may know Him and the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His sufferings, being conformed to His death; in order that I may attain to the resurrection from the dead. Not that I have already obtained it or have already become perfect, but I press on so that I may lay hold of that for which also I was laid hold of by Christ Jesus (Philippians 3:8–12).

So how do we go about this pursuit of Christ’s holiness? Is it even possible? “With man it is impossible, but not with God; for all things are possible with God” (Mark 10:27;  Acts 17:27;  Hebrews 11:6).

Our pursuit begins with a desire to know of Him (Luke 9:23–27; Romans 10:17;  2 Peter 3:18). We go to the gospel accounts of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John. When was the last time we read through the gospels?

Jesus is not just another historical figure. Jesus is God with us (Matthew 1:23;  John 1:1–5, 14–18). As He said to His apostles, “He who has seen Me has seen the Father” (John 14:9).

In closing, notice how many passages show us that Jesus wants us to follow Him—Matthew 4:19; 8:22; 9:9; 10:38; 16:24; 19:21;  Mark 1:17; 2:14; 8:34; 10:21;  Luke 5:27; 9:23, 59; 18:22;  John 1:43; 10:27; 12:26; 13:36; 21:19, 22. “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked” (1 John 2:6). He has revealed Himself to us so that we can, through Him, live eternally (John 3:16;  Philippians 3:20–21).

The Enormity of What God Has Done

For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though he was rich, yet for your sake he became poor, so that you by his poverty might become rich (2 Corinthians 8:9).

It is very humbling to meditate upon the enormity of what God has done for all of us by approaching mankind as that which He created — “Yet you have made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor” (Psalm 8:5). As the psalmist so beautifully asks: “What is man that You take thought of him, and the son of man that You care for him?” (v. 4). And what God has done for mankind is so unique that there’s only way the story can be told: in the light of the gospel (1 Corinthians 15:1-5 / 2 Timothy 1:8-10).

“For God so loved the world …” (John 3:16). “By this the love of God was manifested in us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world so that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins. … We love, because He first loved us” (1 John 4:9-10, 19). Without God’s love, there would be no love at all.

The purpose, though, for our humility in light of the gospel and what God has done for us through His Son on the cross is not simply to make us feel bad (though we, at times, should). God’s love is designed to elevate us — “For God has not destined us for wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ, who died for us so that whether we are awake or asleep we might live with him. Therefore encourage one another and build one another up, just as

you are doing” (1 Thessalonians 5:9-11).

This “elevation” is not just to make us feel better about ourselves — although that might happen as a result of the relief which comes from our realization and acceptance that our sins have been completely forgiven in Christ — but to also help us be better in every station of life: whether at home (as parents and children), work (whether as an employee or employer), school, or even when we’re alone and no one but God knows what we’re up to. In Christ we find a fresh start, a new beginning, and an ultimate hope of heaven where “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and death shall be no more, neither shall there be mourning, nor crying, nor pain anymore, for the former things have passed away” (Revelation 21:4 / Isaiah 25:8).

With a new year beginning today, we generally like to view things as “new.” The calendar has indeed changed, but really just from one day to another. So how can we see a change within ourselves? The real benefit today is that we, as Jesus’ followers, are coming together as His body to worship Him and to remind ourselves of His indescribable gift (2 Corinthians 9:15) as we participate in the Lord’s Supper — “The cup of blessing that we bless, is it not a participation in the blood of Christ? The bread that we break, is it not a participation in the body of Christ? Because there is one bread, we who are many are one body, for we all partake of the one bread” (1 Corinthians 10:16-17).

Furthermore, we come together to pray to and worship in spirit and truth the God of the universe, and to encourage one another by stirring up love and good works (Hebrews 10:24-25). In other words, we look up and we look around in our time together in worship and spiritual refreshment; if you will, our time together is a kind of spiritual huddle — where we plan and then go out into the world to put into play God’s wonderful words of salvation.

Our adversary, the devil, wants us to miss out — and the more we miss worship and Bible studies, the weaker we become spiritually. As Paul said to the Corinthians about their abuses of the Lord’s Supper, “For those who eat and drink without discerning the body of Christ eat and drink judgment on themselves. That at is why many among you are weak and sick, and a number of you have fallen asleep [i.e., died spiritually]” (1 Corinthians 11:29-30).

God’s salvation is offered freely (Isaiah 55:1-7 / John 6:27). Take full advantage of this opportunity before it’s eternally too late (­2 Peter 3:8-13).

His Indescribable Gift

In the familiar passage concerning monetary contributions — i.e., "giving" — the apostle Paul concludes with the exultant cry: "Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!" (2 Corinthians 9:15).

I realize the term "grace" seems to be overused, and maybe even abused. Reading that statement again, I must admit that one cannot really over-use such a wonderful term, but it is abused by many to cover everything. And grace does not cover everything: grace covers everything sought in the Lord:

For the grace of God has appeared, bringing salvation to all men, instructing us to deny ungodliness and worldly desires and to live sensibly, righteously and godly in the present age, looking for the blessed hope and the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus, who gave Himself for us to redeem us from every lawless deed, and to purify for Himself a people for His own possession, zealous for good deeds. These things speak and exhort and reprove with all authority. Let no one disregard you. (Titus 2:11-15)

Grace instructs us to deny and look. We are instructed by God's grace to deny — ungodliness and worldly desires. Of course the world will not understand nor appreciate this, but those who are striving to think on things above (Colossians 3:2) will. 

The world seems to dwell on the sinister, and sometimes even applauds evil things. For example, how many popular shows are about "the dark side" of life? We are often entertained by these things. The contrast set before us in God's word is that we're to dwell on things that are true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, and of good reputation (Philippians 4:8). These "things" don't come easy to our restless minds: It requires effort, and often it is also requires quiet. 

The desire may well be there, but finding the requisite "peace and quiet" may not be so easy. But if we will make the time to find a peaceful moment, and if we will use that quiet time for dwelling on God's immeasurable grace, we will find ourselves overwhelmed.

I don't believe we will ever understand or appreciate God's grace (Romans 5:6-8). We are all undesirable, and would be forsaken forever, if it weren't for God's grace.

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. … He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him" (John 3:16, 36).

For God has shut up all in disobedience so that He may show mercy to all. Oh, the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are His judgments and unfathomable His ways! For who has known the mind of the Lord, or who became His counselor? Or who has first given to Him that it might be paid back to him again? For from Him and through Him and to Him are all things. To Him be the glory forever. Amen. (Romans 11:32-36)

The Bruising of Jesus' Heel

Messianic prophecy didn't take long to develop in the Bible. The first reference to God's work through Jesus comes pretty early in the text of Genesis: After Satan's deception of Eve, and Adam's consequent sin, God said to Satan — "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel." (Genesis 3:15)

"Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery." (Hebrews 2:14-15)

God is not trying to save our bodies! He created these "tents" from the "dust from the ground and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and the man became a living creature." (Genesis 2:7; 2 Corinthians 4:16 – 5:7)

"… when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him." (1 Peter 3:20-22)

The brutality of crucifixion is attested throughout history. I don't think anyone today would find crucifixion an acceptable form of execution. That Jesus was crucified was necessary:

• "And if a man has committed a crime punishable by death and he is put to death, and you hang him on a tree, his body shall not remain all night on the tree, but you shall bury him the same day, for a hanged man is cursed by God. …" (Deuteronomy 21:22-23)
• Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us — for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hanged on a tree" (Galatians 3:13)

The apostles do not hide the fact that Jesus was hanged on a tree (Acts 5:30; 13:29; 1 Peter 2:24). Again, it was needful for Him to die in this manner; not just that He died in some way, but in this specific way so that He would become the curse for us, and remove the curse from us.

How incomprehensible it must have been to Satan when Jesus, by the glory of the Father (Romans 6:4), was raised from the dead!

It is no wonder, then, that we must DIE to sin, be BURIED, so that we too might walk in NEWNESS of LIFE (Romans 6:1-7).

And here's a simple outline from the Holy Spirit through the apostle Paul:

• FAITH (Romans 4)
• GRACE (Romans 5)
• BAPTISM (Romans 6)

Faith and baptism are connected by grace (John 3:3-7; Titus 3:3-7).