Do you see anywhere in the Scriptures, after Christ's death, that one asks God to forgive him? No, He did that at the cross. He knew our future sins as well as our past, and forgave them all. To ask forgiveness again is to re-crucifies the Savior. We are asking Him to repeat something that He already did.
We do, however, repent but this does not have the meaning that one might think. Its definition is: to rethink, reconsider or think differently. (Strongs)
Repent is to rethink what has been done, nothing more.
February 25, 2007
February 23, 2007
How would you describe a parent who made rules that their child could not keep, rules that, when broken, resulted in punishment?
Would you say they were mean, evil, a saboteur or maybe someone who wanted to exasperate or see their child fail?
What about a God, who makes ten commands that no one could keep, Laws that when violated, resulted in punishment? 1
The Law, in reality, causes us to sin.
The Law came that transgression might increase, and sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, produced more sin. 2
If true, we can conclude that this is an evil, mean God who frustrates His people OR He had another purpose for the Law.
I suggest that God's purpose for the Law was accomplished, once it produced sin in us. When we saw our depravity, that there "is none righteous, not even one", the Law had no further purpose. We now know we are sinners and our righteousness is as filthy rags and the relief is Christ, and His death on the cross.
Once the Law has shown the need for a Savior, its purpose is complete. 3
If we continue to live under the Law, it continues to cause us to sin "the law came in that the transgression might increase".
Now, what happens is noteworthy. The Law brings about sin, sin causes us to feel guilt, to relieve guilt, we get back under the Law. Then, the Law brings about sin, sin causes guilt, we get back under the Law to relieve the guilt… Do you see the cycle?
The Law then remains, for the unregenerated sinner. It keeps him in line and points him to the Savior.
As Believers, we fulfill the Law through love. If God is love, and we have His Spirit, we will then walk in love. Love fulfills the Law.
Even in society, this would be true. For example, a stop sign is used to maintain order, however, a Believer would not need stop signs, or any other law, for that matter, because they would prefer one another. They would yield to another at an intersection. They would maintain speed limits to prefer others. They would not tailgate etc. in preference to another. The Laws governing theft, murder or Domestic Violence would be of no value to the regenerated man who loved.
Now, when we sin, what do we do? Do we ignore it, do we plead forgiveness, do penance?
1) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 1 Cor 15:56
2) And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, Rom 5:20
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Rom 7:5
But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. Rom 7:8
3) But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. Rom 7:6
Would you say they were mean, evil, a saboteur or maybe someone who wanted to exasperate or see their child fail?
What about a God, who makes ten commands that no one could keep, Laws that when violated, resulted in punishment? 1
The Law, in reality, causes us to sin.
The Law came that transgression might increase, and sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment, produced more sin. 2
If true, we can conclude that this is an evil, mean God who frustrates His people OR He had another purpose for the Law.
I suggest that God's purpose for the Law was accomplished, once it produced sin in us. When we saw our depravity, that there "is none righteous, not even one", the Law had no further purpose. We now know we are sinners and our righteousness is as filthy rags and the relief is Christ, and His death on the cross.
Once the Law has shown the need for a Savior, its purpose is complete. 3
If we continue to live under the Law, it continues to cause us to sin "the law came in that the transgression might increase".
Now, what happens is noteworthy. The Law brings about sin, sin causes us to feel guilt, to relieve guilt, we get back under the Law. Then, the Law brings about sin, sin causes guilt, we get back under the Law to relieve the guilt… Do you see the cycle?
The Law then remains, for the unregenerated sinner. It keeps him in line and points him to the Savior.
As Believers, we fulfill the Law through love. If God is love, and we have His Spirit, we will then walk in love. Love fulfills the Law.
Even in society, this would be true. For example, a stop sign is used to maintain order, however, a Believer would not need stop signs, or any other law, for that matter, because they would prefer one another. They would yield to another at an intersection. They would maintain speed limits to prefer others. They would not tailgate etc. in preference to another. The Laws governing theft, murder or Domestic Violence would be of no value to the regenerated man who loved.
Now, when we sin, what do we do? Do we ignore it, do we plead forgiveness, do penance?
1) For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Rom 6:23
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law; 1 Cor 15:56
2) And the Law came in that the transgression might increase; but where sin increased, grace abounded all the more, Rom 5:20
For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death. Rom 7:5
But sin, taking opportunity through the commandment, produced in me coveting of every kind; for apart from the Law sin is dead. Rom 7:8
3) But now we have been released from the Law, having died to that by which we were bound, so that we serve in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter. Rom 7:6
February 03, 2007
Lot's Daughters Bear Children
v.31 Lot's daughters began reasoning "there is not a man in the land to come to us after the manner of the earth". They start with a false assumption and build on that assumption.
Have you ever done this? When you start with a false assumption, you will always come to a false conclusion, as they did. Again, we see Lot's failure as a father as he never taught his daughters to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding".
Now, living on the mountain, they could have said "there is not a man in the land to come to us" and that may have been true, in their present circumstance however, they added "after the manner of the earth". Here we see that they have lived in the land of sin, a place of seeking one's own desires. It is the heart's desire of every woman to find a husband. They wanted to go after a husband and not wait on God for Him to bring it about. Remember, it was God's direction that they flee to this place.
The custom of the time was for the father to initiate the courtship. This man had not taught his daughters the traditions of his forefathers but he allowed them to observe "the manner of the earth" or the 'ways of the world'. They, therefore, wanted to find their own husband.
The daughters thought this was the right way. They learned this 'dating technique' by watching the people of Sodom. Lot should have sat with them and observed the people of Sodom, their actions and behaviors and helped them interpret these actions. It is one thing to allow our children to watch the ways of the world but totally different to sit with them and help them interpret these ways. If they look upon the world from their own perspective, they will misinterpret what they see and begin to emulate it. If they look at it with a wise person to help them understand people's behaviors and the consequences of their actions, only then will they see it as a warning and lesson in life.
This is one of the problems with youth today. They play and associate unsupervised with their peers. They have no way of processing what they observe so they model their own ways after the dress, speech and behaviors of their peers. As a parent supervises the child and helps them process what they observe and hear from the wise perspective of the parent, then the child can judge right from wrong and model their own behavior after that which is right.
Taking matters into their own hands 'after the ways of the earth'; they get their father drunk and lay with him. Not only did they follow the tradition of the world but also of their father.
Didn't Lot wonder, "Where did these babies came from"? Yes, he did for there were no other men on the mountain. But, continuing with his dysfunction, he did not bring to light the sin but rather ignored it and went on as though it never happened. Isn't this the sign of a dysfunctional family today, they see and ignore? And, was it so 'common place' for him to get drunk that he allowed his daughters to get him drunk two nights in a row?
As to the abuse of alcohol, compare what happened to Lot with what happened to Noah after each got drunk. There was a situation of sensuality. It happened with their children. It encompassed the entire family. It had far reaching results for generations. The curse of the act was that the generations of the offenders were always at odds with God's people, bringing worldliness to God's people and death.
The act of drunkenness was by the father but the result was a lack of protection for the children. Finally, it was the last we hear of the men of God. Even though Noah lived several hundred years more. That was the last of his "ministry".
Next, the children they bore and the conclusion of Lot's life.
Two men were born of this iniquity. It is of interest that neither were girls and both were the forefathers of great tribes of people, the Moabites and the Ammonites. These were men who lacked hospitality an important characteristic both to men and God and men who hired Balaam to curse the people of God Deut. 23.
We often don't see the far-reaching effects of our iniquity and in this case, it took generations to be revealed.
The only other time Lot is mentioned is in 2 Pet. 2:7 where he is described as "righteous Lot". At first, it does not appear from the O.T. account that this was God's feeling about Lot because of the way that he is portrayed in the Scripture. However, this is consistent with the curse on Sodom. God said He would withhold judgement if He could find 10 righteous men. There were only six found, three of who fell with the judgment, Lot's wife and the two men promised to his daughters.
"Now these things happened as examples for us" and "what was written in earlier times was written for our instruction". *
This "righteous man" is a type of worldly believer. He lives a life of leisure, identifies with those who are "exceedingly wicked", jokes to the point he is not believed, and is responsible for the death of others. He fails to train his children, which results in a curse for the people of God.
How do you want to be characterized?
A Joker, a Christian who "identifies" with the world, a person whose friends and family don't seek him out for counsel, one who never teaches his children in the ways of the Lord or one whose life long accomplishments and treasures are destroyed in an instant.
*1 Cor. 10:6 and Rom. 15:4
Have you ever done this? When you start with a false assumption, you will always come to a false conclusion, as they did. Again, we see Lot's failure as a father as he never taught his daughters to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and don't lean on your own understanding".
Now, living on the mountain, they could have said "there is not a man in the land to come to us" and that may have been true, in their present circumstance however, they added "after the manner of the earth". Here we see that they have lived in the land of sin, a place of seeking one's own desires. It is the heart's desire of every woman to find a husband. They wanted to go after a husband and not wait on God for Him to bring it about. Remember, it was God's direction that they flee to this place.
The custom of the time was for the father to initiate the courtship. This man had not taught his daughters the traditions of his forefathers but he allowed them to observe "the manner of the earth" or the 'ways of the world'. They, therefore, wanted to find their own husband.
The daughters thought this was the right way. They learned this 'dating technique' by watching the people of Sodom. Lot should have sat with them and observed the people of Sodom, their actions and behaviors and helped them interpret these actions. It is one thing to allow our children to watch the ways of the world but totally different to sit with them and help them interpret these ways. If they look upon the world from their own perspective, they will misinterpret what they see and begin to emulate it. If they look at it with a wise person to help them understand people's behaviors and the consequences of their actions, only then will they see it as a warning and lesson in life.
This is one of the problems with youth today. They play and associate unsupervised with their peers. They have no way of processing what they observe so they model their own ways after the dress, speech and behaviors of their peers. As a parent supervises the child and helps them process what they observe and hear from the wise perspective of the parent, then the child can judge right from wrong and model their own behavior after that which is right.
Taking matters into their own hands 'after the ways of the earth'; they get their father drunk and lay with him. Not only did they follow the tradition of the world but also of their father.
Didn't Lot wonder, "Where did these babies came from"? Yes, he did for there were no other men on the mountain. But, continuing with his dysfunction, he did not bring to light the sin but rather ignored it and went on as though it never happened. Isn't this the sign of a dysfunctional family today, they see and ignore? And, was it so 'common place' for him to get drunk that he allowed his daughters to get him drunk two nights in a row?
As to the abuse of alcohol, compare what happened to Lot with what happened to Noah after each got drunk. There was a situation of sensuality. It happened with their children. It encompassed the entire family. It had far reaching results for generations. The curse of the act was that the generations of the offenders were always at odds with God's people, bringing worldliness to God's people and death.
The act of drunkenness was by the father but the result was a lack of protection for the children. Finally, it was the last we hear of the men of God. Even though Noah lived several hundred years more. That was the last of his "ministry".
Next, the children they bore and the conclusion of Lot's life.
Two men were born of this iniquity. It is of interest that neither were girls and both were the forefathers of great tribes of people, the Moabites and the Ammonites. These were men who lacked hospitality an important characteristic both to men and God and men who hired Balaam to curse the people of God Deut. 23.
We often don't see the far-reaching effects of our iniquity and in this case, it took generations to be revealed.
The only other time Lot is mentioned is in 2 Pet. 2:7 where he is described as "righteous Lot". At first, it does not appear from the O.T. account that this was God's feeling about Lot because of the way that he is portrayed in the Scripture. However, this is consistent with the curse on Sodom. God said He would withhold judgement if He could find 10 righteous men. There were only six found, three of who fell with the judgment, Lot's wife and the two men promised to his daughters.
"Now these things happened as examples for us" and "what was written in earlier times was written for our instruction". *
This "righteous man" is a type of worldly believer. He lives a life of leisure, identifies with those who are "exceedingly wicked", jokes to the point he is not believed, and is responsible for the death of others. He fails to train his children, which results in a curse for the people of God.
How do you want to be characterized?
A Joker, a Christian who "identifies" with the world, a person whose friends and family don't seek him out for counsel, one who never teaches his children in the ways of the Lord or one whose life long accomplishments and treasures are destroyed in an instant.
*1 Cor. 10:6 and Rom. 15:4
February 02, 2007
The Escape
From Genesis 19
In 19:17, Lot was told to escape to the mountains and not look back. What was his response? "Oh no, I can't lest the disaster overtake me and I die". What does that mean? I speculate here that Lot had a lifestyle of leisure and riches that made him fat and unable to climb the mountain. I believe that he feared the exertion would kill him. The angels obviously believed him and therefore allowed him to flee to Zoar, a short distance in the same valley. It was morning, when they arrived, the sun had risen (v.23). It was so close that his wife was able to turn and see the destruction after she arrived in Zoar.
In verse 26, we see that Lot's wife did not heed his warning and turned. Lot had no authority in his voice or home. His sons-in-law thought he was joking and his wife failed to listen. The result was their destruction. What is it that we do, as men, that causes others to think we are joking and our family not listen to us?
In verse 30, Lot leaves Zoar and makes his way up to the mountain where he was originally told to go, "because he was afraid to stay in Zoar". What was his fear? It is possible that he remembered the angel's warning to flee to the mountains because Zoar was under the same curse as Sodom and Gomorrah.
Tomorrow, Lot's daughters bear children
In 19:17, Lot was told to escape to the mountains and not look back. What was his response? "Oh no, I can't lest the disaster overtake me and I die". What does that mean? I speculate here that Lot had a lifestyle of leisure and riches that made him fat and unable to climb the mountain. I believe that he feared the exertion would kill him. The angels obviously believed him and therefore allowed him to flee to Zoar, a short distance in the same valley. It was morning, when they arrived, the sun had risen (v.23). It was so close that his wife was able to turn and see the destruction after she arrived in Zoar.
In verse 26, we see that Lot's wife did not heed his warning and turned. Lot had no authority in his voice or home. His sons-in-law thought he was joking and his wife failed to listen. The result was their destruction. What is it that we do, as men, that causes others to think we are joking and our family not listen to us?
In verse 30, Lot leaves Zoar and makes his way up to the mountain where he was originally told to go, "because he was afraid to stay in Zoar". What was his fear? It is possible that he remembered the angel's warning to flee to the mountains because Zoar was under the same curse as Sodom and Gomorrah.
Tomorrow, Lot's daughters bear children
February 01, 2007
The Result of Loving the World and the Things of the World: Comparing Abraham and Lot
Genesis 11-19
Abraham-walked by faith
Lot-walked by sight
Abraham-settled in the land
Lot-settled in the cities
Abraham-built an altar, memorial to God 13:18
Lot-built a house, memorial to man 19:4
Lot chose to live in a house and Abraham lived in tents 13:13, 19:4
Living in a tent was God's will because his people needed to be able to move at any given time. Living in a house kept them tied to an area and it was harder to leave if there was danger or sin. Having a home also caused them to collect more "things".
The men of Sodom, whom Lot associated with, were exceedingly wicked AND sinners against the Lord but "God spared Lot for Abraham's sake" 19:29.
War was made against the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot was taken captive. It is important to note that "the owner of the house is first taken captive, then the inhabitants" as Jesus said. When we associate with sin, many things take us captive.
Abraham rescued Lot. Instead of dwelling under the protection of an elder man, Lot returned to the city and had to be rescued again.
In chapter 19, the angels came to the city.
Lot saw an opportunity for hospitality. The men of the city saw an opportunity for sensuality.
Do we ever do this?
Late in the evening, Lot prepared a feast for the angels. The men, young and old, sought the men for relations. It is important to note that we too are more susceptible to fall to lust in the late hours.
The Destruction of Sodom
When Lot was warned of the destruction, he was told to get the men promised to his daughters. He appeared to these young me to be joking. What was Lot's relationship with them and others that they couldn't detect his sincerity. Was he always a joker?
This is the next warning in this study, "dead flies make the perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness outweighs wisdom and honor"-proverbs.
The result: these men were destroyed because they did not believe the man who was to be their father-in-law.
In 19:15, Lot was urged to flee but he hesitated. Was this because he was too attached to his possessions or was he acclimated to the sin? Even after men of the city surrounded his home, attempt to run him over and rape his guests, having to offer his daughters up to save his guests, he was not alarmed. He was desensitized to sin and corruption. Again, a warning to the believer, don't live in sin that you get accustomed to it.
The angels said, "flee, lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the city" and in fact, his family did fall to this lower level of depravity 19:35. At first sight, this verse seems to say that they will be swept away by the physical destruction but in reality, they foresaw the result of his living in that debased society, they were 'swept away in the sin' and his daughters later slept with their father.
And he hesitated.
Next blog: The escape.
Abraham-walked by faith
Lot-walked by sight
Abraham-settled in the land
Lot-settled in the cities
Abraham-built an altar, memorial to God 13:18
Lot-built a house, memorial to man 19:4
Lot chose to live in a house and Abraham lived in tents 13:13, 19:4
Living in a tent was God's will because his people needed to be able to move at any given time. Living in a house kept them tied to an area and it was harder to leave if there was danger or sin. Having a home also caused them to collect more "things".
The men of Sodom, whom Lot associated with, were exceedingly wicked AND sinners against the Lord but "God spared Lot for Abraham's sake" 19:29.
War was made against the Kings of Sodom and Gomorrah and Lot was taken captive. It is important to note that "the owner of the house is first taken captive, then the inhabitants" as Jesus said. When we associate with sin, many things take us captive.
Abraham rescued Lot. Instead of dwelling under the protection of an elder man, Lot returned to the city and had to be rescued again.
In chapter 19, the angels came to the city.
Lot saw an opportunity for hospitality. The men of the city saw an opportunity for sensuality.
Do we ever do this?
Late in the evening, Lot prepared a feast for the angels. The men, young and old, sought the men for relations. It is important to note that we too are more susceptible to fall to lust in the late hours.
The Destruction of Sodom
When Lot was warned of the destruction, he was told to get the men promised to his daughters. He appeared to these young me to be joking. What was Lot's relationship with them and others that they couldn't detect his sincerity. Was he always a joker?
This is the next warning in this study, "dead flies make the perfumer's oil stink, so a little foolishness outweighs wisdom and honor"-proverbs.
The result: these men were destroyed because they did not believe the man who was to be their father-in-law.
In 19:15, Lot was urged to flee but he hesitated. Was this because he was too attached to his possessions or was he acclimated to the sin? Even after men of the city surrounded his home, attempt to run him over and rape his guests, having to offer his daughters up to save his guests, he was not alarmed. He was desensitized to sin and corruption. Again, a warning to the believer, don't live in sin that you get accustomed to it.
The angels said, "flee, lest you be swept away in the iniquity of the city" and in fact, his family did fall to this lower level of depravity 19:35. At first sight, this verse seems to say that they will be swept away by the physical destruction but in reality, they foresaw the result of his living in that debased society, they were 'swept away in the sin' and his daughters later slept with their father.
And he hesitated.
Next blog: The escape.
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