Unnatural Conduct Someone recently emailed me about a devotional he had read. In it, the author, writing to believers, asserted that “you are still capable of your worst sin.” If that’s true, then does it really matter whether we believe we have one nature or two natures? I absolutely believe we have only one nature….
Greek lesson of the day: There are two Greek words rendered flesh or body in the New Testament. These words are sarx, and soma.The difference between soma (your body) and sarx (the flesh) is important.Your soma (your physical body) is the temple of the Holy Spirit.(1 Corinthians 6:19) Sarx (the flesh, which wars against the…
The designs of natural humanity are also called the things of the flesh, carnal things, the lust of the flesh, and so on.The designs of our Father are also called the things of the Spirit, spiritual things, what is unseen, and so on. The world’s design sees everything as based on merit.It declares that we…
So, as it relates to God and one another, there is knowledge of facts. This is knowing things about God. Then there is knowledge of God Himself. This is knowing who He is personally and knowing what He is like in His character, intimately.
It’s important not to miss the fact that this is teaching us about the Kingdom and these virgins are all wanting to meet the Bridegroom. The parable says, “the Kingdom is like this” and then goes on to explain that not everyone gains entry.
Wrath is a form of indignation against evil. It doesn’t need to be caused by God because it is the natural effect of evil upon righteousness.
Moses was a mediator between God and the people of Israel (see Galatians 3:19-20). Then under the New Covenant we are told that there is one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus (see 1 Timothy 2:5).
As we travel through enemy territory here in the valley of the shadow of death, we can remember that the Lord Jesus has subdued our enemy so that we can drive him out quickly.
Perhaps this is what James had in mind in James 4:7 when he wrote, “resist the devil, and he will flee from you.” (NASB 2020)
2 Peter 3:18 (NASB 2020) urges us to “grow in the grace and knowledge of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.” This “knowledge of our Lord” is another pertinent use of close.
I think all fleshliness grieves and quenches Holy spirit.
To speak of grieving Him is to speak of the effect fleshliness has on the Spirit of God in us. He wants better for us, and it breaks His heart, so to speak, when we live as though we were still in the flesh.
None of us enjoy the trials and tribulations we face here in the valley of the shadow of death. Even though we are the children of God and the ambassadors of Christ here in the domain of darkness, we are not exempt from the effects of its fallen state. We all suffer hardship.
What this passage is telling us is that adversity makes us stronger. As we persevere through hard times, we learn the value of staying the course. We come to see that hard times don’t last forever, that there is light at the end of the tunnel.
God is Love and His voice always sounds like Him.
The doctrine of the Trinity is the best way we have found to represent this three-yet-one, one-yet-three God, but like all such doctrine it is imperfect due to our limitations.
Some people find the Bible confusing because in places such as Ezekiel 18:24 it says that a righteous person who turns from righteousness and sins will die. This confusion comes from a failure to account for what covenant was in force when these things were said.
I hold a very unpopular view on despotic government. It is my belief that we who are in Christ are to continue sacrificially Loving those around us. I think we are called to be ready to provide an answer for the hope we have to those who ask. I believe we are to continue to express Christ in every situation.
We react almost instinctively, so when we are not watching closely enough it appears as though there was no opportunity for a decision at all. This is a subtle lie from our enemy and once we recognize it, we can become more aware of those moments in which we choose ungodly attitudes and actions.
Paul says that sin lives in his members, in his body. The Greek here is (melos) which means members or parts of one’s physical body. For me, this is crucial because it helps me understand the Biblical use of (sarx-flesh) more readily.
If the dough rises, however, you can be sure there is living yeast in it. Risen dough is evidence that there is life in the yeast. James said something similar; “You see that a person is justified by works and not by faith alone.” (James 2:24, NASB 2020)
Is the Bible inspired? What is plenary inspiration? What is verbal inspiration? Is it important?
The word behind “sanctify” (hagiazo) in verse 23 uses a rare form called the optative mood. Out of 28,121 verbs in the New Testament, this form occurs only about 68 times. It is the form used in Romans 6:15 when Paul asks whether we should just keep on sinning since we are not under Law, but under grace. His response is an emphatic “Far from it!” or “God forbid!” This verb form indicates the word is to be applied in the strongest terms. That’s why the translators render it “sanctify you completely.”
Sometimes what it says may be unclear. Sometimes what it says is different from what we initially think it says. To figure that out, we examine a particular text using a few rules to help us avoid reading our own ideas into it.
Reading these passages in context, we find Jesus stating that He did not come to bring peace, but a sword. This is very curious since He is called the Prince of Peace.
There’s a lot of noise out there. There’s teaching that leaves us confused, even fearful. There’s teaching that seems to call us to divide ourselves from those who understand things differently. This doesn’t sit well with the Spirit within us.
Deception seems to be everywhere. Escaping it requires wisdom and knowledge. Jesus offers both.
Over the course of my life, I discovered that when I was thinking of sinning, thoughts came up saying things like “you’ll feel better about yourself if you don’t go through with this.” I also found that while I was sinning, thoughts of Christ living in me would often come to mind. Almost always after I carried out my sinful plan, I felt unsettled in a way that wasn’t really guilt. It was more like heartbreak or disappointment in myself.
