In previous articles I have dealt briefly with the subjects of grace and forgiveness, but what is grace exactly? I have heard it defined as undeserved favour, or getting something we don’t deserve. However, I think that definition falls short of conveying the true power and import of grace.
I, and many of my contemporaries, have grown up in a culture of entitlement, where we have begun to think that we deserve the plenty that we enjoy—that it is our right. However, we in fact have no right to grace because we DON’T deserve it. Furthermore, grace given is always the prerogative of the giver—nobody can extract grace from someone else by either force or favour.
I discovered an excellent definition of grace on Webster-dictionary.net specifically in regards to God’s grace, which is the only standard we ought to use. “The divine favor toward man; the mercy of God, as distinguished from His justice; also, any benefits His mercy imparts; divine love or pardon; a state of acceptance with God; enjoyment of the divine favor.”
For many years I have believed grace and mercy to be two separate entities, not necessarily dependent upon each other. However, I believe the definition above is one of the best I have seen for grace because it is in fact dependent on God’s mercy. Mercy could be defined as undeserved compassion, or not getting something we do deserve. Webster’s defines mercy as, “Forbearance to inflict harm under circumstances of provocation, when one has the power to inflict it.”
The phrase “his mercy endureth forever” appears no less than 41 times in the King James Bible. In other words, mercy is part of God’s infinite and eternal nature, which allows him to extend grace to sinners. However, God’s justice is never set aside to make room for mercy—both aspects of his character must be satisfied.
God’s mercy cannot extend grace to sinners unless justice is served, “for the wages of sin is death.” (Rom 6:23) God says that “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment,” (Heb 9:27) for God MUST judge sin. God CANNOT accept us because we are all sinners. We may well ask the same question posed by Bildad thousands of years ago, “How then can man be justified with God? Or how can he be clean that is born of a woman?” (Job 25:4)
Unlike Bildad, who asked the question in a rhetorical manner, we have the definitive answer. Almost two thousand years ago, “when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman” (Gal 4:4) to die in our place. “For he [God] hath made him [Jesus] to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” (2 Cor 5:21)
But praise be to God, he did not remain in the state of death! When the mourners went to the intended tomb of the son of God it was empty, and an angel was there to declare, “He is not here: for he is risen.” (Mt 28:6) As a result, “whosoever believeth in him shall receive remission of sins.” (Acts 10:43) Any in that condition can declare with utmost certainty, “Who is he that condemneth? It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” (Rom 8:34)
-A.N. Scharf
Mercy and truth unite,
Oh, 'tis a wondrous sight,
All sights above!
Jesus the curse sustains,
Guilt's bitter cup He drains,
Nothing for us remains,
Nothing but love.
-T. Kelly
Friday, March 16, 2012
Friday, March 9, 2012
Forgiven Offenders
I heard a quote from recently that is relevant to the subject of grace.
"I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders." -Ted Nugent
I have to say that rings true to my sense of justice. However, God has something entirely different to say.
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." -Jesus Christ (Luke 23:34)
Not long after he said that, the repentant thief that was dying beside him experienced the power of that forgiveness.
"Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
-A.N. Scharf
BEHOLD the Lamb, whose precious blood
Drawn from His riven side,
Had power to make our peace with God,
Nor lets one spot abide.
The dying thief beheld that Lamb
Expiring by his side,
And proved the value of the Name
Of Jesus crucified.
His soul, by virtue of the blood,
To paradise received,
Redemption's earliest trophy stood,
From sin and death retrieved.
We, too, the cleansing power have known
Of Christ's atoning blood,
By grace have learnt His name to own,
By which we're brought to God.
To Him, then, let our songs ascend,
Who stooped in grace so low:
To Christ, the Lamb, the sinner's Friend,
Let ceaseless praises flow.
-G. Rossini
"I don't like repeat offenders, I like dead offenders." -Ted Nugent
I have to say that rings true to my sense of justice. However, God has something entirely different to say.
"Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do." -Jesus Christ (Luke 23:34)
Not long after he said that, the repentant thief that was dying beside him experienced the power of that forgiveness.
"Jesus said unto him, Verily I say unto thee, To day shalt thou be with me in paradise." (Luke 23:43)
-A.N. Scharf
BEHOLD the Lamb, whose precious blood
Drawn from His riven side,
Had power to make our peace with God,
Nor lets one spot abide.
The dying thief beheld that Lamb
Expiring by his side,
And proved the value of the Name
Of Jesus crucified.
His soul, by virtue of the blood,
To paradise received,
Redemption's earliest trophy stood,
From sin and death retrieved.
We, too, the cleansing power have known
Of Christ's atoning blood,
By grace have learnt His name to own,
By which we're brought to God.
To Him, then, let our songs ascend,
Who stooped in grace so low:
To Christ, the Lamb, the sinner's Friend,
Let ceaseless praises flow.
-G. Rossini
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Wondrous Grace
We yearn for justice; we plot retribution; we seek vengeance: such things are the natural desires of our hearts, and yet justice demands the sentence of death for all of us. This is because God says that “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God” (Rom 3:23) and the “wages of sin is death.” (Rom 6:23) It is a dichotomy really, that we who deserve judgment of the harshest sort seek it so zealously for others.
This penchant for vengeance is partly a façade, for if we focus on the faults of others we are not so prone to see our own. The Lord Jesus made reference to that in Matthew 7:3 when he asked, “Why beholdest thou the mote that is in thy brother’s eye, but considerest not the beam that is in thine own eye?” Is it not because we don’t want to see what is in our own eye? I don’t want to acknowledge that MY “heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked.” (Jer 17:9)
We read stories of the horrors of the German holocaust, Stalin’s bloody purges, or a host of other things and we begin to seethe with righteous indignation, horrified with what men can do to one another. And rightly so: but do we pause to consider the even more horrific fact that all of us are capable of such atrocities?
“Never!” you say. However, do you suppose that a representative German soldier that marched Jews to their deaths at Auschwitz in 1944 considered that he would do such things when he was sitting at home reading the newspaper in 1939? In most cases no! And yet, when the circumstances arose that “legalized” such things, he participated in one of the worst injustices of the 20th century.
We all deserve to die because we have all fallen short of God’s standard. When God created Adam in the perfect paradise of Eden he gave him only one commandment. “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat: but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, thou shalt not eat of it: for in the day that thou eatest thereof thou shalt surely die.” (Gen 2:16, 17) Adam was to instruct his wife, Eve, of God’s standard, and so continue in harmony and communion with God.
However, when Satan entered the Garden Eve was deceived and Adam freely ate of that tree, willfully breaking God’s standard and thereby falling short of his glory. As a result, “by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” (Rom 5:12)
Adam should have died right then and there! And he did, spiritually speaking, for he was cast out of the Garden and separated from communion with his creator. “So he drove out the man; and he placed at the east of the garden of Eden Cherubims, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to keep the way of the tree of life.” No longer did he have access to the tree of life, but he continued to live physically for a very long time. However, the summation of his life was just as God had said, for “all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.” (Gen 5:5)
But the fact that Adam continued to live another moment is the first example of one of the most amazing attributes of God’s character: Grace! God could not overlook Adam’s sin—the consequence was as sure as God’s word. However, when Adam sinned by disobeying God’s direct order the first death was not his, but that of an animal. “Unto Adam also and to his wife did the LORD God make coats of skins, and clothed them.” (Gen 3:21) Adam and Eve had tried to cover their nakedness when “they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons” (Gen 3:7) but that was not sufficient, for no blood was shed in death. God himself killed an animal—the first death in the world—to shed the blood and provide coats of skins for rebellious man.
An even more amazing example of grace was the promise that God gave to Eve that her seed would bruise or crush the serpent. (Gen 3:15) Millennia passed before this promise was fulfilled, but it came to pass in the person of Jesus Christ, the eternal Son of God.
When we are introduced to this promised seed in John 1:1, he is introduced as the Word. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life; and the life was the light of men.” (Jn 1:1-5) Furthermore, as a fulfillment of the promise made to Eve so may years before, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Full of GRACE and truth! And what grace! “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: not of works, lest any man should boast.” (Eph 2:8,9) There was nothing that Adam could do to reverse or even mitigate the sentence of sin, but God in his grace stepped in with an animal sacrifice to die in his stead. It was God’s gift. Adam could not buy it—God gave it.
So too with God’s gift of his eternal, only begotten Son. “God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.” (Jn 3:17) “This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners.” (1 Tim 1:15) That is free, unmerited, wondrous GRACE!
“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him.” (Rom 5:7-9)
Grace has not replaced justice—justice had to be satisfied. After all, the Word is grace AND truth. However, the judgment of our sin was meted out upon the holy, spotless Lamb of God. “But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” (Is 53:5) God’s requirement for sin is satisfied as a result. “He shall see of the travail of his soul, and shall be satisfied: by his knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for he shall bear their iniquities.” (Is 53:11)
God’s grace is a wondrous thing, but it will come to an end. “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (2 Peter 3:9) However, “the heavens and the earth, which are now, by the same word are kept in store, reserved unto fire against the day of judgment and perdition of ungodly men.” (v. 7)
Grace has saved me, and grace will save you too if you haven’t already taken it as God’s gift to you!
-A.N. Scharf
Grace is the sweetest sound
That ever reached our ears,
When conscience charged and justice frowned,
‘Twas grace removed our fears.
‘Tis freedom to the slave,
‘Tis light and liberty;
It takes its terror from the grave,
From death its victory.
Grace is a mine of weatlth
Laid open to the poor;
Grace is the sov’reign spring of health;
‘Tis LIFE FOR EVERMORE.
Of grace then let us sing!
(A joyful, wondrous theme!)
Who grace has brought, shall glory bring,
And we shall reign with him.
Then shall we see His face
With all the saints above,
And sing for ever of His grace,
For ever of His love.
-T. Kelly
Sunday, March 4, 2012
The Road Map
In any journey one cannot hope to reach the intended destination without knowledge of the way to get there, usually accomplished with a map. If we have gone a certain way before we may have the map in our heads, knowing which roads to take, where we need to turn, and where we may pause for a break in the journey. There are times when we may have no knowledge of the road before us, but can reference a published document with the routes available between point A and point B. Other times we may have neither knowledge nor document available to us, or we are uncertain of the map’s direction, at which time a knowledgeable and trusted guide is of inestimable value.
The same is true in our journey of life, and the only map available that is worthy of our trust is the Word of God. As I referenced before, the “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps 119:105) God alone can declare the “end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” (Is 46:10) Furthermore, the same God declares that “my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9)
The scriptures are the revelation of an infinite God to finite man for the benefit of the latter to bring him into a relationship with the former. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim 3:16) Without it we would be lost in our own speculations as to the purpose and direction of our lives, just as the multitudes who have rejected the claims of God on them. “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom 1:21,22)
“God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24) “hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” (Heb 1:2) Not only that, but the Son promised that “when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” (Jn 16:13)
However, the words which he has spoken cannot be understood intellectually, for “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:14) That is, we need the Spirit of God to understand the things of God, for “the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor 2:11)
How then do we receive the Spirit? That, praise be to God, is so simple that a child can grasp it. In fact, the Lord said “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Lu 18:17) because it requires nothing but simple trust. When the Philippian jailor enquired, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:30, 31) That is present tense! Not tomorrow, not next week, not when you get a few things straightened out in your life: right NOW! There is nothing simpler than that!
When an individual becomes like a child in that simple act of trust “old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:17) That person will be able to join with the prophet Jeremiah in declaring that “thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” (Jer 15:16) As time goes on he will discover that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor 2:9, 10)
At this point I must pause in the trajectory of my subject and consider a rather sensitive matter that may at first seem tangential, but in fact is of utmost importance to understanding the scriptures. The scriptures, or Holy Bible that we have today, was not written in our native language—in my case English—but was written in the ancient tongues of Hebrew, Greek, and some Aramaic. We therefore must rely upon an accurate translation to get the message that was originally intended by the Spirit of God in inspiration to the original writers.
Today we have a plethora of English translations, most of them produced in the last 150 year or less. There are many options to choose from, but as with any smorgasbord the quality and value of the “eating” will be a direct result of the choices made. Unfortunately, I believe most of the choices available on the Bible translation menu are of poor quality at best and toxic at worst.
It is not my intent to go into a long dissertation of the sundry issues pertaining to the translations available to the English speaking world, but hopefully to inspire the reader to consider the source of their Bible.
I suspect that most people are as I was in thinking that all the translations come from the same sources, but in fact they do not. Most of the translations since 1881 have relied upon a set of manuscripts compiled by Brooke Foss Wescott and Fenton John Anthony Hort. These men were in fact heretics by Biblical standards, and were champions of so-called textual criticism, which called almost every aspect of the authority of the scriptures into question. The seeds of this scholarly criticism have borne the fruits of apostasy today. Furthermore, the more recent a translation is the more it has been affected by this apostasy, but that is an entirely different subject, which I will not address at this time.
Some of the modern versions are not translations at all, but are paraphrases, such as The Message. I believe they should be classified as commentaries at best because they are merely the interpretation of their authors, not translation of the inspired text—no matter what manuscript is used. Some, like the New Living Translation, purport to be translations of thoughts. Once again, this is not a true translation, but an interpretation of a thought or section in the original text. Since it is interpretation and not translation, it is left wide open for error on the part of the interpreter.
Consider, for a moment, that you wanted to read Victor Hugo’s seminal work “Les Miserables” but you do not speak French; you must then rely upon a translation. Many such have been done into English, but some are adaptations and not translations. If you want to read Victor Hugo’s book, you either have to learn French or get an English translation that is as close as possible to the original. That is, a word for word translation with changes in word order only for grammatical convention.
Only a word for word translation is able to accurately convey the meaning of the original text. It may be more difficult to follow at times due to the grammatical rules of the original and translated languages, but that in itself leads to an increased knowledge on the part of the reader, both of the Biblical text and the language in which he reads.
Due to the considerable influences of heretics such as Wescott and Hort on the Biblical text, both in manuscript form and its translation, I believe it is crucial to use an English translation that predates the so-called “higher criticism” and “textual criticism” of the late 19th century. Personally I use the 1611 King James Version, which has stood the test of time of over 400 years. It is sometimes called the Authorized Version, but I don’t particularly like that nomenclature because it was authorized only in the sense that King James authorized the translation work to be done for the Church of England.
I must hasten to add that I do NOT believe, as some mistakenly do, that the King James Version is inspired in its English form, but is still a translation from the original inspired languages. As such, it is not perfect, but is as close to it as I can get in my native tongue, and it has been blessed by the Lord in the saving of souls and subsequent growth “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
Consequently, any scriptural quotations I use will be from the KJV. I do reference other literal translations from time to time as a study help, but only as one would reference a dictionary or concordance.
For me there are several practical benefits to this as well. First of all, the scripture I have committed to memory has been the King James, which gives me that map in my head that I alluded to at the outset. Secondly, the English of 1611 was far richer than the language we use today and thereby more specific. One such example is the personal pronouns “thee, thou, thine etc” versus “ye, you, yours, etc.” The former is always singular and the latter is always plural, making it much easier to determine the force of a given passage as being individual or collective. The King James also gives the reader a larger vocabulary, making it easier to understand both specifics and nuances of the text. This gives me the fine detail that I need to understand God’s ways and means in the map that he has given. Finally, there is an abundance of doctrinally sound study helps that have been compiled over the course of four centuries as a guide in understanding those details.
Some who read this may wish to defend the modern translations by pointing out errors in the KJV. As I mentioned before it is not perfect, but the imperfections are few and are widely known due to the length of time that it has been in circulation. Furthermore, in most cases these imperfections do not change the meaning of the passage, unlike many modern translations. A good example would be Acts 12:4 where the term Easter is used. It has been correctly pointed out that Easter was not celebrated as a “Christian” holiday until long after this point in history, probably not until at least the second century AD. As a result, the original word should be translated Passover, as it is in every other occurrence of the word in the New Testament. However, the intent of the passage is to describe a series of events at a certain time of year, and Easter and Passover are roughly the same time, so the meaning of the passage is not changed despite the incorrect term.
All of this is to say that in this our journey called life we need a map that is accurate, detailed, and true. Only the inspired Word of God can fill all requirements, but we must be exceedingly careful that it is an accurate copy and that it is interpreted correctly. There is nothing worse—or more dangerous—than trusting a map that does not have all three characteristics, especially if it purports to be the Word of God.
-A.N. Scharf
The same is true in our journey of life, and the only map available that is worthy of our trust is the Word of God. As I referenced before, the “word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.” (Ps 119:105) God alone can declare the “end from the beginning, and from ancient times the things that are not yet done.” (Is 46:10) Furthermore, the same God declares that “my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Is 55:9)
The scriptures are the revelation of an infinite God to finite man for the benefit of the latter to bring him into a relationship with the former. “All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness.” (2 Tim 3:16) Without it we would be lost in our own speculations as to the purpose and direction of our lives, just as the multitudes who have rejected the claims of God on them. “When they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools.” (Rom 1:21,22)
“God, which hast made heaven, and earth, and the sea, and all that in them is” (Acts 4:24) “hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds.” (Heb 1:2) Not only that, but the Son promised that “when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth.” (Jn 16:13)
However, the words which he has spoken cannot be understood intellectually, for “the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.” (1 Cor 2:14) That is, we need the Spirit of God to understand the things of God, for “the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God.” (1 Cor 2:11)
How then do we receive the Spirit? That, praise be to God, is so simple that a child can grasp it. In fact, the Lord said “Whosoever shall not receive the kingdom of God as a little child shall in no wise enter therein” (Lu 18:17) because it requires nothing but simple trust. When the Philippian jailor enquired, “What must I do to be saved?” Paul replied, “Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved.” (Acts 16:30, 31) That is present tense! Not tomorrow, not next week, not when you get a few things straightened out in your life: right NOW! There is nothing simpler than that!
When an individual becomes like a child in that simple act of trust “old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” (2 Cor 5:17) That person will be able to join with the prophet Jeremiah in declaring that “thy words were found, and I did eat them; and thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart.” (Jer 15:16) As time goes on he will discover that “eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love him. But God hath revealed them unto us by his Spirit: for the Spirit searcheth all things, yea, the deep things of God.” (1 Cor 2:9, 10)
At this point I must pause in the trajectory of my subject and consider a rather sensitive matter that may at first seem tangential, but in fact is of utmost importance to understanding the scriptures. The scriptures, or Holy Bible that we have today, was not written in our native language—in my case English—but was written in the ancient tongues of Hebrew, Greek, and some Aramaic. We therefore must rely upon an accurate translation to get the message that was originally intended by the Spirit of God in inspiration to the original writers.
Today we have a plethora of English translations, most of them produced in the last 150 year or less. There are many options to choose from, but as with any smorgasbord the quality and value of the “eating” will be a direct result of the choices made. Unfortunately, I believe most of the choices available on the Bible translation menu are of poor quality at best and toxic at worst.
It is not my intent to go into a long dissertation of the sundry issues pertaining to the translations available to the English speaking world, but hopefully to inspire the reader to consider the source of their Bible.
I suspect that most people are as I was in thinking that all the translations come from the same sources, but in fact they do not. Most of the translations since 1881 have relied upon a set of manuscripts compiled by Brooke Foss Wescott and Fenton John Anthony Hort. These men were in fact heretics by Biblical standards, and were champions of so-called textual criticism, which called almost every aspect of the authority of the scriptures into question. The seeds of this scholarly criticism have borne the fruits of apostasy today. Furthermore, the more recent a translation is the more it has been affected by this apostasy, but that is an entirely different subject, which I will not address at this time.
Some of the modern versions are not translations at all, but are paraphrases, such as The Message. I believe they should be classified as commentaries at best because they are merely the interpretation of their authors, not translation of the inspired text—no matter what manuscript is used. Some, like the New Living Translation, purport to be translations of thoughts. Once again, this is not a true translation, but an interpretation of a thought or section in the original text. Since it is interpretation and not translation, it is left wide open for error on the part of the interpreter.
Consider, for a moment, that you wanted to read Victor Hugo’s seminal work “Les Miserables” but you do not speak French; you must then rely upon a translation. Many such have been done into English, but some are adaptations and not translations. If you want to read Victor Hugo’s book, you either have to learn French or get an English translation that is as close as possible to the original. That is, a word for word translation with changes in word order only for grammatical convention.
Only a word for word translation is able to accurately convey the meaning of the original text. It may be more difficult to follow at times due to the grammatical rules of the original and translated languages, but that in itself leads to an increased knowledge on the part of the reader, both of the Biblical text and the language in which he reads.
Due to the considerable influences of heretics such as Wescott and Hort on the Biblical text, both in manuscript form and its translation, I believe it is crucial to use an English translation that predates the so-called “higher criticism” and “textual criticism” of the late 19th century. Personally I use the 1611 King James Version, which has stood the test of time of over 400 years. It is sometimes called the Authorized Version, but I don’t particularly like that nomenclature because it was authorized only in the sense that King James authorized the translation work to be done for the Church of England.
I must hasten to add that I do NOT believe, as some mistakenly do, that the King James Version is inspired in its English form, but is still a translation from the original inspired languages. As such, it is not perfect, but is as close to it as I can get in my native tongue, and it has been blessed by the Lord in the saving of souls and subsequent growth “in grace, and in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.” (2 Peter 3:18)
Consequently, any scriptural quotations I use will be from the KJV. I do reference other literal translations from time to time as a study help, but only as one would reference a dictionary or concordance.
For me there are several practical benefits to this as well. First of all, the scripture I have committed to memory has been the King James, which gives me that map in my head that I alluded to at the outset. Secondly, the English of 1611 was far richer than the language we use today and thereby more specific. One such example is the personal pronouns “thee, thou, thine etc” versus “ye, you, yours, etc.” The former is always singular and the latter is always plural, making it much easier to determine the force of a given passage as being individual or collective. The King James also gives the reader a larger vocabulary, making it easier to understand both specifics and nuances of the text. This gives me the fine detail that I need to understand God’s ways and means in the map that he has given. Finally, there is an abundance of doctrinally sound study helps that have been compiled over the course of four centuries as a guide in understanding those details.
Some who read this may wish to defend the modern translations by pointing out errors in the KJV. As I mentioned before it is not perfect, but the imperfections are few and are widely known due to the length of time that it has been in circulation. Furthermore, in most cases these imperfections do not change the meaning of the passage, unlike many modern translations. A good example would be Acts 12:4 where the term Easter is used. It has been correctly pointed out that Easter was not celebrated as a “Christian” holiday until long after this point in history, probably not until at least the second century AD. As a result, the original word should be translated Passover, as it is in every other occurrence of the word in the New Testament. However, the intent of the passage is to describe a series of events at a certain time of year, and Easter and Passover are roughly the same time, so the meaning of the passage is not changed despite the incorrect term.
All of this is to say that in this our journey called life we need a map that is accurate, detailed, and true. Only the inspired Word of God can fill all requirements, but we must be exceedingly careful that it is an accurate copy and that it is interpreted correctly. There is nothing worse—or more dangerous—than trusting a map that does not have all three characteristics, especially if it purports to be the Word of God.
-A.N. Scharf
Friday, March 2, 2012
Light for the Path
Over the course of the last few days I have embarked upon a journey. Not a journey to reach a destination necessarily, but rather a journey of illumination of the path of a Christian in the peculiar time of earth’s history in which I find myself. This illumination has exposed things of great interest and things of great danger—the two not necessarily divorced one from the other. The closest description I can think of is a minefield in a meadow bursting with a profusion of sensory delights. The best single word I can think of to describe that picture in my mind is “deceptive.”
I grew up in what some might call a sheltered environment—one which I am thankful for in retrospect, even if I didn’t always appreciate it at the time. In his infinite love and grace, the Creator and Saviour of the world placed me in an environment in which his word—the Word of God—was the ultimate authority. I have no great conversion story in which I was rescued from the streets, or pulled from the brink of an abyss of addiction. However, I have been heretofore a recipient of no less a miracle in that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed my soul and kept me by his grace. Oh, that is not to say I have not sinned grievously, for that would be a lie and a sin in itself. However, I count myself as another miracle of God’s grace no less than one saved from the lowest estate.
The reason for that is the very character of sin—a word which has almost disappeared from our modern vernacular. We make mistakes, errors, exhibit poor judgment, and a host of other acknowledged shortcomings, but never sin. God, however, has a different dictionary than we do—one that does not change with the passage of time because it is unswerving and unerring Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), therefore he sets the standard, not us. That standard says that “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10) and consequently “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23). In other words, it doesn’t matter how “big” the sin is, sin is a departure from God’s standard.
In the story of the prodigal son the repentant profligate says, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight.” (Luke 15:21) Even though he had squandered the father’s resources and besmirched his reputation, the sin was against heaven—against God. The sin was evident to the father because he knew God’s standard, but the offence was against God, not man. As a result, sin must be judged by God.
This judgment is unavoidable, “for the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23) and “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek 18:4, 20) That is not the end however, for “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb 9:27) That judgment is meted out by the God against whom all sin is committed. (Rev 20:11-15)
There is, however, a remedy for sin—provided by the same God who judges sin—in the person of his eternal son, Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) There is no other way, for the rest of the verse quoted previously from John 14:6 states that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Anyone who does not believe in the only begotten son of God “is condemned already.” (John 3:18)
Why is that? How can someone be condemned already just because he or she does not believe in this self-proclaimed son of God? “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
So we have come full circle—no one can meet God’s standard, so God had to send a substitute to meet the standard for us. And herein lays the crux of the matter, and my real purpose in writing. If no one can meet God’s standard, why did he give Moses the law and require the Israelites to keep it? If there are none righteous, and only a substitute from God himself would suffice, what was the purpose of the law given in the Old Testament with its multitude of ordinances, sacrifices, and feasts? Furthermore, do they apply to a Christian as well as to the children of Israel to whom they were given?
It is my intention, with the Lord’s help, to write a little on these subjects each day. I do not intend it to be an exhaustive study by any means, but rather an overview of what God’s word says on these very important matters. There are many questions that plague us when it comes to God’s plan and purposes, but that is because we put far too little value on what he HAS revealed to us. The Psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105) We will never have the peace and contentment that God desires for us until we trust God’s word in all matters, one step at a time.
My opinion is of no value—and neither is anyone else’s. It matters not what any one of us “thinks” about an issue—it only matters what God says about it. For that reason, my hope and prayer is that any who read this delve into the scriptures themselves to discover what God has to say about these things. There are many disagreements among Christians, and they are all because of one simple fact, or rather the antithesis of fact: error. That may seem like a harsh thing to say, but God is not the author of confusion. If two Christians disagree on a matter of scripture, one or the other—or quite possibly both—are in error and not in communion with the Spirit of God on the matter. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Cor 14:33)
May the Lord help every believer in him, this writer most of all, to put his Word above all else. After all, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
I grew up in what some might call a sheltered environment—one which I am thankful for in retrospect, even if I didn’t always appreciate it at the time. In his infinite love and grace, the Creator and Saviour of the world placed me in an environment in which his word—the Word of God—was the ultimate authority. I have no great conversion story in which I was rescued from the streets, or pulled from the brink of an abyss of addiction. However, I have been heretofore a recipient of no less a miracle in that the Lord Jesus Christ has redeemed my soul and kept me by his grace. Oh, that is not to say I have not sinned grievously, for that would be a lie and a sin in itself. However, I count myself as another miracle of God’s grace no less than one saved from the lowest estate.
The reason for that is the very character of sin—a word which has almost disappeared from our modern vernacular. We make mistakes, errors, exhibit poor judgment, and a host of other acknowledged shortcomings, but never sin. God, however, has a different dictionary than we do—one that does not change with the passage of time because it is unswerving and unerring Truth. Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6), therefore he sets the standard, not us. That standard says that “There is none righteous, no, not one” (Rom 3:10) and consequently “all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” (Rom 3:23). In other words, it doesn’t matter how “big” the sin is, sin is a departure from God’s standard.
In the story of the prodigal son the repentant profligate says, “Father, I have sinned against heaven, and in thy sight.” (Luke 15:21) Even though he had squandered the father’s resources and besmirched his reputation, the sin was against heaven—against God. The sin was evident to the father because he knew God’s standard, but the offence was against God, not man. As a result, sin must be judged by God.
This judgment is unavoidable, “for the wages of sin is death” (Rom 6:23) and “the soul that sinneth, it shall die.” (Ezek 18:4, 20) That is not the end however, for “it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment.” (Heb 9:27) That judgment is meted out by the God against whom all sin is committed. (Rev 20:11-15)
There is, however, a remedy for sin—provided by the same God who judges sin—in the person of his eternal son, Jesus Christ. “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.” (John 3:16) There is no other way, for the rest of the verse quoted previously from John 14:6 states that “no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” Anyone who does not believe in the only begotten son of God “is condemned already.” (John 3:18)
Why is that? How can someone be condemned already just because he or she does not believe in this self-proclaimed son of God? “And this is the condemnation, that light is come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than light, because their deeds were evil.” (John 3:19)
So we have come full circle—no one can meet God’s standard, so God had to send a substitute to meet the standard for us. And herein lays the crux of the matter, and my real purpose in writing. If no one can meet God’s standard, why did he give Moses the law and require the Israelites to keep it? If there are none righteous, and only a substitute from God himself would suffice, what was the purpose of the law given in the Old Testament with its multitude of ordinances, sacrifices, and feasts? Furthermore, do they apply to a Christian as well as to the children of Israel to whom they were given?
It is my intention, with the Lord’s help, to write a little on these subjects each day. I do not intend it to be an exhaustive study by any means, but rather an overview of what God’s word says on these very important matters. There are many questions that plague us when it comes to God’s plan and purposes, but that is because we put far too little value on what he HAS revealed to us. The Psalmist declared, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path” (Psalm 119:105) We will never have the peace and contentment that God desires for us until we trust God’s word in all matters, one step at a time.
My opinion is of no value—and neither is anyone else’s. It matters not what any one of us “thinks” about an issue—it only matters what God says about it. For that reason, my hope and prayer is that any who read this delve into the scriptures themselves to discover what God has to say about these things. There are many disagreements among Christians, and they are all because of one simple fact, or rather the antithesis of fact: error. That may seem like a harsh thing to say, but God is not the author of confusion. If two Christians disagree on a matter of scripture, one or the other—or quite possibly both—are in error and not in communion with the Spirit of God on the matter. “For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.” (1 Cor 14:33)
May the Lord help every believer in him, this writer most of all, to put his Word above all else. After all, “the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” (John 1:14)
Thursday, June 2, 2011
Voice of Power
It is estimated that an average lightning strike produces 1000 Gigawatts of power. To put that in perspective, that’s how much power the mighty Colorado’s Hoover Dam produces.
If you had about 500 of them.
And that’s in a single lightning strike! So consider a night such as this, in which I watched the entire western sky illuminated with sheets and bolts of lightning, ever increasing in frequency and intensity. Occasionally a jagged bolt of lightning would rip a momentary gash across the night sky, as if to sever the curtain of darkness for a fraction of an instant and offer a glimpse of the power of heaven itself. Too far away to hear the resulting clash of thunder as the super heated air expanded at supersonic speeds, only the light of this magnificent transfer of power could be seen from my vantage point.
Perhaps that is how it is with God sometimes. We can see him and the manifestations of his power, but we cannot hear his voice. Sometimes that is by design, as Elijah experienced when a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire passed by in 1 Kings 19:11,12. The Lord’s voice was only heard in a still small voice, a voice that in all likelihood would be missed by an undiscerning ear.
Other times the Lord does speak through mighty thunderings, as Elihu reminded Job and his three so-called friends. “Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when is voice is heard. God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.” (Job 37:1-5) Just as I could not hear the thunder tonight by reason of distance from the source, sometimes we don’t hear God’s voice because we are not close enough to him to hear it. Or we simply choose not to listen.
It seems that in recent times mighty winds, earthquakes, and fires of various sorts have passed by, the meaning of which we often cannot comprehend, but all of which are surely in the hands of God. After all, “He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” (Ps 33:9) Moreover, “He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” (Ps 104:32) And yet, despite the obvious manifestation of his power, many do not hear his voice. There will come a day when the whole world will recognize such calamities as the hand of God, but even then they will not hear his voice to “turn from their wicked ways.” (2 Chr 7:14) “And the kings of the the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev 6:15-17)
How much better to hear his voice—whether it be the still small voice that calls us to repentance, or the mighty voice that warns of judgment and wrath—and listen! If God can unleash the power of 500 Hoover Dams in an instant, who can stand against the onslaught of his wrath? Indeed, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” (Heb 2:3) “Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.” (Nah 1:6) Surely no one can, but it is wonderful to know that if we put our trust in him we will pass unharmed beneath the shadow of his wrath, just as the firstborn in Egypt who abode within the houses stricken with blood upon their doorposts. Nahum rejoices in the very next verse that “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nah 1:7)
If you had about 500 of them.
And that’s in a single lightning strike! So consider a night such as this, in which I watched the entire western sky illuminated with sheets and bolts of lightning, ever increasing in frequency and intensity. Occasionally a jagged bolt of lightning would rip a momentary gash across the night sky, as if to sever the curtain of darkness for a fraction of an instant and offer a glimpse of the power of heaven itself. Too far away to hear the resulting clash of thunder as the super heated air expanded at supersonic speeds, only the light of this magnificent transfer of power could be seen from my vantage point.
Perhaps that is how it is with God sometimes. We can see him and the manifestations of his power, but we cannot hear his voice. Sometimes that is by design, as Elijah experienced when a great wind, an earthquake, and a fire passed by in 1 Kings 19:11,12. The Lord’s voice was only heard in a still small voice, a voice that in all likelihood would be missed by an undiscerning ear.
Other times the Lord does speak through mighty thunderings, as Elihu reminded Job and his three so-called friends. “Hear attentively the noise of his voice, and the sound that goeth out of his mouth. He directeth it under the whole heaven, and his lightning unto the ends of the earth. After it a voice roareth: he thundereth with the voice of his excellency; and he will not stay them when is voice is heard. God thundereth marvelously with his voice; great things doeth he, which we cannot comprehend.” (Job 37:1-5) Just as I could not hear the thunder tonight by reason of distance from the source, sometimes we don’t hear God’s voice because we are not close enough to him to hear it. Or we simply choose not to listen.
It seems that in recent times mighty winds, earthquakes, and fires of various sorts have passed by, the meaning of which we often cannot comprehend, but all of which are surely in the hands of God. After all, “He spake, and it was done; he commanded, and it stood fast.” (Ps 33:9) Moreover, “He looketh on the earth, and it trembleth: he toucheth the hills, and they smoke.” (Ps 104:32) And yet, despite the obvious manifestation of his power, many do not hear his voice. There will come a day when the whole world will recognize such calamities as the hand of God, but even then they will not hear his voice to “turn from their wicked ways.” (2 Chr 7:14) “And the kings of the the earth, and the great men, and the rich men, and the chief captains, and the mighty men, and every bondman, and every free man, hid themselves in the dens and in the rocks of the mountains; and said to the mountains and rocks, Fall on us, and hide us from the face of him that sitteth on the throne, and the wrath of the Lamb: for the great day of his wrath is come; and who shall be able to stand?” (Rev 6:15-17)
How much better to hear his voice—whether it be the still small voice that calls us to repentance, or the mighty voice that warns of judgment and wrath—and listen! If God can unleash the power of 500 Hoover Dams in an instant, who can stand against the onslaught of his wrath? Indeed, “How shall we escape, if we neglect so great salvation.” (Heb 2:3) “Who can stand before his indignation? And who can abide in the fierceness of his anger? His fury is poured out like fire, and the rocks are thrown down by him.” (Nah 1:6) Surely no one can, but it is wonderful to know that if we put our trust in him we will pass unharmed beneath the shadow of his wrath, just as the firstborn in Egypt who abode within the houses stricken with blood upon their doorposts. Nahum rejoices in the very next verse that “The Lord is good, a strong hold in the day of trouble; and he knoweth them that trust in him.” (Nah 1:7)
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
The Day After
It is the day after the historic inauguration of Barack Hussein Obama as the 44th president of the United States of America, and I cannot help but think of one verse of Scripture that sums it all up. "Let no man deceive you with vain words: for because of these things cometh the wrath of God upon the children of disobedience." (Eph 5:6) The context of this verse is one of immorality, and surely the nation--indeed the world--is steeped in it. On one hand I shudder to think of what is coming upon this world, but on the other hand I rejoice "for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh." (James 5:8)
Although I wasn't surprised, I was nevertheless saddened to to see millions of people flocking to see a mere mortal man ascend to the presidency, almost as though he were some sort of messiah. It made me think of another man in whom the whole world will mistakenly place their hope and trust--the antichrist. How much better to put our trust in the true Messiah, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Those of us who have put our trust in him can truly say with the apostle Peter, "Whom having not seen, [we] love; in whom, though now [we] see him not, yet believing, [we] rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:8) Someday my Lord is coming back to reign, and only then will the affairs of the world be set right.
But in the here and now there is really only one thing needful, and it is of paramount importance for every man, woman and child. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
Although I wasn't surprised, I was nevertheless saddened to to see millions of people flocking to see a mere mortal man ascend to the presidency, almost as though he were some sort of messiah. It made me think of another man in whom the whole world will mistakenly place their hope and trust--the antichrist. How much better to put our trust in the true Messiah, the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. Those of us who have put our trust in him can truly say with the apostle Peter, "Whom having not seen, [we] love; in whom, though now [we] see him not, yet believing, [we] rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory." (1 Peter 1:8) Someday my Lord is coming back to reign, and only then will the affairs of the world be set right.
But in the here and now there is really only one thing needful, and it is of paramount importance for every man, woman and child. "Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved." (Acts 16:31)
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