What I am Learning

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. All this is from God, who through Christ reconciled us to himself and gave us the ministry of reconciliation; that is, in Christ God was reconciling the world to himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and entrusting to us the message of reconciliation. 2 Cor. 5:17-19

What a beautiful picture we have here, a picture of reconciliation. Reconciliation is something that I think has been difficult for me to grasp in the past. When someone hurts me in some way, my first reaction is usually “I should not continue to be friends with them or be around them.” My thought process is usually “well this is just a Paul and Barnabas situation.”

What a dangerous way to think... 1 John 3:16 says “By this we know love, that he laid down his life for us, and we ought to lay down our lives for the brothers.” Jesus came to earth, lived and was crucified. He bore the wrath of God that was deserved only by us. He did this in order that we believers could be reconciled to the Father. This is love, a great love.

We must love like Jesus loved. If we say that we love the Gospel then we must love what the Gospel is and that is reconciliation. If we do not long for reconciliation then maybe we are not really living out the Gospel as we claim we are doing.

Now, I understand that not every broken relationship will be mended... and in some cases that is not a bad thing. But most times, it seems that broken relationships are because of sin. We must humble ourselves, confess our sin, and desire to be reconciled to our brother or sister. After all, Jesus humbled himself and brought reconciliation to those who in no way deserved it. Let us do the same for our brothers and sisters. We must love this way... it is required of us.

We are one body so let us seek to build up the church and not tear it down.

Grace and Peace

Baptism

I think I could as soon doubt that the deity of Christ is declared as doubt that the baptism of believers is enjoined,for the one thing appears to me as plainly revealed in Scripture as the other. -Spurgeon 

Christ as Priest

In the Old Testament there were three different offices for the people of Israel. These offices were the prophet who spoke the words of God to the people, the priest who offered sacrifices to God and intercede on behalf of the people, and the king who ruled over the people.1 Throughout the New Testament Christ is seen as holding and fulfilling all three of these offices. He is the eternal prophet, priest, and king. The Old Testament picture of these offices was a foreshadowing of what Christ was to fulfill.

Hebrews specifically focuses on Christ as The Great High Priest. In the Old Testament there are commands for what the high priest is supposed to accomplish, but because of the imperfection of the Old Covenant it was never fully fulfilled. Jesus alone can perfectly fulfill these commands of the High Priest. The Old Testament high priest has several duties. He is to offer sacrifices on his behalf and the behalf of the people (Leviticus 9:15-21)2, he is to enter into the presence of God and be the representative of the people (Leviticus 16:17), he is to pronounce benedictions on Israel (Numbers 6:22-27), and stand between the people and God to intercede.

In Jeremiah 33:17 God promises that there will eternally be a high priest. Jesus is that eternal High Priest. Jesus also holds and fulfills these duties as the Great High Priest. Though Jesus does completely fulfill these roles, His priesthood looks a little different than that of the Old Testament priesthood. “Christ's priesthood is perpetual, is in one person, without predecessor or successor, making one offering, once for all; an offering not symbolically effective, deriving value not from appointment alone, but from its nature also.”3 Also, the Old Testament priests were required to come from the tribe of Levi. Jesus did not come from the tribe of Levi, but the tribe of Judah. His office of “Priest” was divinely appointed.4

Hebrews 7:11 tells that the Levitical priesthood could not reach perfection; because of imperfection, a new priesthood had to arise. This priesthood was through Melchizedek. Jesus is in the likeness of Melchizedek, who is a greater high priest than that of the priesthood from Levi. Melchizedek is a foreshadowing of a priesthood that is higher that Aaron and thus fulfilled in Jesus Christ5 Hebrews 7 goes on to say that the Law made nothing perfect and was filled with weaknesses. Because of that weakness a new and better hope is needed. This new hope is found in Christ Jesus.

Since Jesus is viewed as the perfect High Priest, He must fulfill what the Old Testament priests could not fulfill on their own. Christ was to offer the sacrifice for the sins of the people just as the Levitical priests did. Again, Christ's priesthood looks different than that of the Old Testament priesthood. Not only is He offering the sacrifice, but He is the sacrifice. Christ was able to lay the sacrifice “Upon the alter of oblation, and through it appeasing the wrath of God, making reconciliation between God and man, and securing, in its proper presentation, the removal of guilt and punishment from man.” 6 In the Old Testament the priest had first to make sacrifice for himself then for that of the people, but Christ had “No sin of His own for which to atone, he was the Lamb of God, the sacrifice with neither spot nor blemish, the one able to make atonement for the sins of others.”7 Only a perfect and spotless lamb could completely fulfill once and for all the sacrifice that was required for the sins of the people, and this perfect and spotless lamb was Jesus.

Because of this atoning work of Jesus “We have confidence to enter the holy places (Heb. 10:19).” In the Old Testament only the priest was allowed to go into the holy of holies, but we can now enter in with confidence through Jesus. In the Old Testament there was a curtain keeping the holy of holies separate, but at the death of Jesus that curtain was torn (Heb. 10:20). We are no longer separated from God and dependent upon another to enter for us, but we are reconciled to God the Father forever. “As our perfect high priest, he continually leads us into God's presence so that we no longer have need of a Jerusalem temple...but he has gone into the heavenly equivalent to the holy of holies, the very presence of God himself in heaven.” 8

Not only are we reconciled to God, but at the death of Jesus a new covenant is brought forth. Hebrew 9:15-22 tells us that any covenant that is formed must be brought about by the shedding of blood. The Old Testament High Priestly duties were under the Old Covenant. The blood for this covenant was that of animals. Jesus, however, came to initiate a new and better covenant. This covenant is established by the shedding of His own blood. The Old covenant had fault, and therefor we needed a better and everlasting covenant. Hebrews 8:7 says “For if that first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no occasion to look for a second.” This second covenant is initiated by Jesus (Hebrews 6:22). It is called the New Covenant. This New Covenant is promised in Jeremiah 31:31-34. It is promised that David's throne will never be empty, and there will be an eternal sacrifice that is laid before the Father. Also in this new covenant, the Law will be written on the hearts of the people.

Just like the Old Testament priest, Jesus pronounces benedictions upon the people. In Numbers 6:22-24 Aaron is told to bless the people. He says may “the Lord lift up his countenance upon you and give you peace.” We see Jesus using this same language in the New Testament. At the ascension, just before Jesus is taken up, He is said to bless them (Luke 24:51). In John 20:19 when Jesus first appears to the disciples after the resurrection he says “Peace be with you.” This too is a benediction that is being spoken.

Finally, as High Priest Jesus is constantly interceding for us. Because He is eternal He is able to save the uttermost, and He is constantly making intercession for them (Heb. 7:23-25). His intercession is three-fold. First,

“It is justificatory. Jesus presents his righteousness to the Father for out justification. He also pleads the cause of his righteousness for believers who, while previously justified, continue to sin. And finally, it appears, particularly from the instances during his earthly ministry, that Christ beseeches the Father that believers might be sanctified and kept from the power of the evil one.”9

Jesus is able to make specific requests on behalf of believers. In Romans 8:34 and Hebrews 7:25 “The word for intercede is entygchano. This work does not mean merely “to stand as someone's representative before another person,” but clearly has the sense of making specific requests or petitions before someone.”10 Jesus is praying very specifically for the ones God has given to him. He knows and understands their needs even better than they do.

Jesus is able to intercede on our behalf because He is fully man and fully God. Because Jesus is a man he is able to sympathize with us as man. Hebrews 4:15-16 tells us that “We do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne on grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Jesus has experienced our temptation, and our pain. He has experienced our loneliness and our grief. He is able to understand every aspect of the human condition, and that is why we can draw near to Him. We can draw near to this throne of grace, and there we will receive great peace, mercy and grace that only Jesus can give.


1Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (United States: Zondervan, 2000), 624
2The Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007) (All other Scripture is from the ESV unless otherwise noted)
3James P. Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology (Cape Coral: Founders Press, 1977), 291
4James P. Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology, 292
5P. Ellingworth, “Priests,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology: Exploring the Unity and Diversity of Scripture, ed. T. Desmond Alexander, Brian S. Rosner, D.A. Carson, Graeme Golsworthy (Downers Grove: Intervarsity Press, 2000), 700
6James P. Boyce, Abstract of Systematic Theology, 293
7Paige Patterson, “The Work of Christ,” in A Theology for the Church, ed. Daniel L. Akin (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2007), 550
8Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 626
9Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 2009), 787
10Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine, 627

5:42

My Life These Days

The Pervasiveness of Sin

The book of Romans is written to the Church at Rome at approximately A.D. 57. The church at this time is comprised of both Jews and Gentiles. It is possible that “Friction existed between Jews and Gentiles in Rome. Paul wrote to unify the church so they would function harmoniously.”1 He gives a thorough explanation of the Gospel throughout the book of Romans in order to show that neither the Jewish people nor the Gentile people are superior to the other. He begins his argument by showing that “All people... are sinners and in danger of judgement of God.”2 By making this point he is showing that there is equality in the Christian faith. The idea that one human could be superior or inferior to another is non existent. 

This argument that everyone has sinned and therefore is worthy of the wrath and judgement of God is greatly seen in Roman 3:9-20.3 Paul is arguing that no race has an advantage when it comes to salvation. The Jews seemed to be under the impression that they had an advantage because they had the Law, but Paul destroys that thought by quoting from the Psalm 14:1-3 which states that “None is righteous, no not one.” No one is able to gain righteousness, and therefore no one is able to gain salvation on their own. Paul is making it quite clear that every single human has been tainted by sin. Neither Greek nor Jew is left untouched. Because of sin there must be punishment, and the Law was not able to exempt anyone from that punishment. He is wanting them to understand that all are under sin and their only hope is the divine salvation of Jesus.

Paul legitimizes his argument by quoting from the Old Testament. He quotes from Psalms, Proverbs, and Isaiah. He is saying that not only are there no righteous humans, but that no one is even seeking after God on his own. Paul goes on to tell what this unrighteousness looks like. First, Paul shows that sin manifests itself in several ways, but it is “Nowhere more evident than human speech.”4 In verses 13-14 Paul gives images to show just how destructive the tongue alone can be. He claims that their mouths are full of “Curses and bitterness.” “Paul is complaining that those of whom he speaks do more than utter a bitter curse now and then; this kind of speech is habitual with them.”5 It seems to be an indwelling sin that is returned to day after day.

Second, Paul moves on to show how sin “Expresses itself in society.”6 He shows how this sin is put into action. He speaks of people being quick to murder and leave a path of “ruin and misery.” Just like their speech they “Live in such a way that destruction and unhappiness are characteristic.”7 They seem to love their sin and bask in it. Saint Augustine understands and explains how one can love sin more than God when he tells a story of his childhood in Confessions. He tells a story of when he was a child and he stole some pears from a neighbor. He says “For no sooner had I picked them than I threw them away, and tasted nothing in them but my own sin, which I relished and enjoyed. If any part of those pears passed my lips, it was the sin that gave it flavor.” 8 This is exactly the argument that Paul is making; all of mankind loves and seeks after sin instead of loving and seeking after God.

Paul closes his Old Testament quotations by showing the root sin. The root of this sin is not fearing and honoring God. Proverbs 1:7 says that the beginning of knowledge is the fear of God. Paul is submitting that all of humanity does not even have the beginning of this knowledge.

Paul concludes his argument that all are under sin by stating that “Every mouth may be stopped.” In the presence of God no person will be able to justify himself. Their mouths will be closed in the presence of His holiness and perfection. To be sure that everyone understands the vastness of this sin, he goes on to say that “The whole world will be accountable to God.” This is an all encompassing statement. Paul was repeatedly pointing out that every single person is affected by sin, and subject to judgement. The Jews at this time knew that they would face judgement, but they thought they would automatically be saved. “It is this to which Paul is objecting. The whole world (no exceptions!) will be silent as it comes under God's scrutiny, knowing at last that it has nothing to say in the judgement.”9

Not only is this sin inherited by every person, but sin has invaded every part of every human. “It is not just that some parts of us are sinful and others are pure. Rather, every part of our being is affected by sin – our intellects, our emotions and desires, our hearts, our goals and motives, and even our physical bodies.”10 It affects every area of life in every person. There is not one part of any person that is able to escape this inherited sin.

Knowing and understanding the vastness of sin and its appearance in every person will greatly influence all parts of one's theology. One's understanding of sin will affect their doctrine of God, humanity, and salvation. “If God is a very high, pure, and exacting being who expects all humans to be as He is, then the slightest deviation from His lofty standard is sin.”11 However, if God is not viewed as holy and perfect, then sin does not seem like a very serious offense, nor does it need a punishment. If one has a low view of God then their view of sin will become less offensive.

One's View of sin also affects one's view of humanity. “If intended to reflect the nature of God, a human is to be judged not by comparison with other humans, but by conformity to the divine standard. Any failure to meet that standard is sin.”12 Because it is an impossibility to meet this divine standard, then a divine salvation must be initiated and accomplished. On the other hand, if humanity is not being compared to God's perfect standard, then sin is not a condemning, and horrific offense. This also means that a great and divine salvation is unneeded and purposeless. If sin is just being held to a human standard then one only need be better than the next human. “The more severe the problem of sin, the greater is the need for the supernatural, salvific intervention of God.”13

It is clear that Paul has a high and lofty view of God. He knows that God is a holy and perfect God, therefore his view of sin is affected by that. Paul sees sin as that which causes death, and the only hope of life is through Christ. His views are evident throughout Romans 3:19-20. As discussed before, Paul teaches that sin leads to the humans mouths being full of “curses and bitterness” as well as outright actions of “leaving paths of ruin and misery.” Paul teaches that there is no man that can escape this sin. “The overwhelming truth of the Bible is that all people, in all places, are subject to the presence, power, and penalty of sin.” (Akin 452)14 Because of this truth, no man is able to justify himself in any way before God. Later on in Romans 5:12, Paul states “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned.” All humans are from Adam, therefore no one is able to escape this death. If one truly understands the depth, effect and consequences of sin then one will recognize their need for a savior. It will become clear that there is no way to earn righteousness or escape sin. This means that one must have intervention from the divine God.


1Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic, 1998), 22
2Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans (Grand Rapids: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1988),19
3The Bible, English Standard Version (Wheaton: Crossway, 2007) (All other Scripture is from the ESV unless otherwise noted)
4Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 166
5Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 168
6Thomas R. Schreiner, Romans, 167
7Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 169
8Saint Augustine, Confessions (London, England: Penguin Group, 1961), 49
9Leon Morris, The Epistle to the Romans, 171
10Wayne Grudem, Systematic Theology: An Introduction to Biblical Doctrine (United States: Zondervan, 2000), 497
11Millard J. Erickson, Christian Theology (Grand Rapids: Baker Academic. 2009), 580
12Ibed. 581
13R. Stanton Norman “Human Sinfulness,” in A Theology for the Church, ed. Danial L. Akin (Nashville: B&H Publishing Group, 2007), 411
14Ibed. 452

Why Should We Confess?

 In the past 6 months of my life I have moved to Louisville (I was living in Birmingham), transferred to a new school, started attending a new church and joined a new community group. Through my new community group and Church (sojourn community church) the Lord has taught me a lot about the confession of our sins. I have learned the importance of not only confessing my sin before God, but also confessing my sin to my brothers and sisters.

Why is confession of sin important?

We do not just confess sin for the heck of it, or even so we can know whats going on in another persons life. First and foremost we confess our sin because the Bible commands us to. ( I don't know about you, but if the Bible commands it, then I want to do it.) James 5:16 says “Therefore, confess your sins to one another and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person has great power as it is working” (ESV). It is not merely a suggestion, but a command. We also see this in Proverbs 28:13 says “Whoever conceals his transgressions will not prosper,
but he who confesses and forsakes them will obtain mercy” (ESV).

Confession of sin is not easy. Vulnerability can be a terrifying thing. I know that I do not want people to know the worst part of me, the part of me that I hate, the part of me that I try so desperately to hide. I often dread confession time, but then I remember the promises that come along with confession... mercy and healing. Isn't that wonderful? James tells us that with confession comes healing, and Proverbs tells us that confession will bring mercy. I could be wrong, but I really think that the mercy talked about in proverbs is in fact the healing that is spoken of in James.

Challenge.

-Get together once a week (or every other week with a friend or a small group of friends and confess your sin to each other.

-Pray for each other. James 5:16 tells us to pray. Ask for the Lords mercy in your life and the life of your brothers and sisters. Pray that you and your brothers and sisters hate sin just as God hates sin.

-Once someone confesses (in your accountability time), do not simply say “I'll pray for you” and move on. Ask hard questions. Get to the root of their sin. If they confess that they are not reading their Bible then ask questions like “What is wrong in your heart that you are not desiring God?” Sin is often a lot deeper then we realize.

1:11 p.m. Birmingham Blizzard... sorta