This week, I am exploring the 2nd half of Hebrews 6. There are several awe-inspiring characteristics of God in verses 13-20! The overarching theme is that God is greater! Why? Because He is God. Because unlike man and man-made things, He is unchanging and all He says and does is unchanging. Because He is truthful in all He says and promises. And because He offers a hope that is "an anchor of the soul" (6:19).
First: the idea of God's promise and oath. 6:13 says, "...since He could swear by no one greater, he swore by Himself." When I read this verse, I can't help but smile. God knows--and points out to His people--He is greater than anyone or anything. Commentary by Marie Isaacs states that Philo, a Jewish exegete, "adds the oath taken was 'an oath benefiting God; you mark that God swears not by some other thing, for nothing is higher than He, but by Himself, who is best of all things'".
Second: the unchageableness of the promise. If the promise that God makes is consistent with His character, then God is also unchageable and His purpose through the promise was unchaging. All that God has said cannot/will not change. And if God is sovereign and perfect, His original intent is not going to change. (Chapters 7 and 8 deal more specifically with the promise itself--I will go into more promise details next time.) 6:17 shows that God wants His people to understand His promise and to recognize that His purpose is unchanging. He is not a God of confusion, but of clarity! Because God's promise has never changed and will never change, we see that God can never lie.
Third: 6:18--"so that by two unchageable things in which it is impossible for God to lie..." God's promise and His oath are the two things that are unchageable and because God is faithful and true, we can trust this promise. I think it is interesting that God solidifies His promise with an oath. Because He is God, He cannot lie, His word is Truth and unchaging. Shouldn't this be enough for His people? I believe that the main reason God chose to solidify His promise with an oath is to reinforce its importance.
Fourth: a new hope. The last few verses put much emphasis on the hope that will be received due to the promise. Again showing that God is not a God of confusion--He wants His people to be certain in the hope they now have. "A hope both sure and steadfast". Like God's unchanging promise, our hope will remain sure.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Thursday, March 4, 2010
Just
With an active discussion of Hebrews 6 this week, I am attempting to see what this confusing passage has to say about God the Father.
6:4-6 brings much question to interpretation, and seems to contradict much of what I have heard about God protecting His children from being snatched out of His hand. (John 10:28-29). But after looking into various commentaries and journals and after discussion in class, I see some consistency in God's character, not the opposite. In various OT accounts, God has denied repentance to His people who choose to renounce Him. There have been many who "experienced God's benefit, but still scorned the law" (Nongbri article). In the wilderness generation, God provided His people with His protection, His guidance, food and water, and a promise of their forefather's land. Still, the Isrealites refused to believe and trust God even after being enlightened of God's promises and tasting of His power and provision. Because of their lack of faith and renunciation of God, He refused to offer them repentance and denied them the Promise Land. But "GOD IS NOT UNJUST" verse 10 tells us.
Verse 7 gives hope that if we are drinking in God's word, accepting His work within us and His promises, we will receive blessing. His grace is offered time and time again but if we completely deny Him, He is still just in denying us repentance. The argument that there is a distinct God of the OT-- a God of justice and wrath, and a God of the NT--a God of love and mercy, is false. He is both, always. There is always love, there is always the offer of grace and mercy, but there is always justice. If our purpose as humans is to bring praise and glory to God, does he not have the right to deny us repentance if we choose to scorn His name? Numbers 14, Daniel 9:11-12 and Deut. 11:26-28 are Old Testament examples of God's people scorning the name of the Father and Him removing their opportunity to repent.
Monday, February 22, 2010
Omniscient and Omnipotent
Hebrews 4: 13 says, “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight. Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of him whom we must give accounts.”
Today, I was listening to a podcast by one of my favorite speakers, Matt Chandler. Matt Chandler is the lead pastor at The Village Church in Dallas. He does a great job walking through Scripture slowly and with great detail and on February 26, 2006, he spoke to his congregation about this verse proclaiming the omniscience of God.
He first starts talking about the fear of being exposed that lies within humanity—especially those in the church. Multiple times Chandler says, “secrets don’t exist”. Despite our attempts to mask our secrets, mask who we really are and the sin we struggle with, God knows. Nothing is hidden from His sight. In Psalm 139: 7-10 David talks about God’s presence being inescapable. We may not always recognize or respect God’s presence in our lives, our hearts, or our minds, but nevertheless, He is here. What an incredible aspect of His character! And convicting…there is absolutely nothing I can think, say, or do that He is not aware of. No motivation, no hope, no success and no failure that He is not aware of. We serve a God that is omniscient AND omnipresent! Verse 14 says that “we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.” Chandler emphasized the word through. Jesus, the Son of God, is outside of time and space: He has gone through the heavens so that He is not limited. He is everywhere.
The last few verses of chapter 4 are key to understanding the life and purpose of Jesus, the heart of the Father, and our personal salvation. “let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (4:14-16).
Because we are fallible, we cannot fix ourselves…we are in desperate need of a Savior, someone to come who can be a mediator between God and man, someone to defend humanity to God and someone who can make a sacrifice for our sins. This is the description of a high priest. This is (partly) a description of Jesus. The idea that this high priest must be able to sympathize with our weaknesses is huge. This high priest—Jesus—must be able to fully understand our weakness and our sins so that we can approach God. This is an incredible picture of the heart of God. God wants to relate to humanity once again. He sees the need to send His Son (Himself in human form) so that humanity can once again enter into His presence and approach the “throne of grace”. Chandler comments here what a great oxymoron the “throne of grace” really is. Throne gives the idea of power, rule, authority and justice, where grace is the idea of mercy. Justice and Mercy are 2 incredible and distinct characteristics of God and beautiful when meshed together as one. Because God knows what it is like to feel burdened by temptation, to the feel the weight of sin (while not actually having sinned), He is able to offer Mercy. Because God knows our personal burdens of temptation and sin, He is able to offer strength and grace so that we can overcome. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize God’s love and mercy extended to us because of, and through, Jesus Christ. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize God’s authority and presence everywhere. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize how deeply God knows us and is able to sympathize with us.
Below is a link to read the entire sermon written and delivered by Matt Chandler "He Knows" sermon
Today, I was listening to a podcast by one of my favorite speakers, Matt Chandler. Matt Chandler is the lead pastor at The Village Church in Dallas. He does a great job walking through Scripture slowly and with great detail and on February 26, 2006, he spoke to his congregation about this verse proclaiming the omniscience of God.
He first starts talking about the fear of being exposed that lies within humanity—especially those in the church. Multiple times Chandler says, “secrets don’t exist”. Despite our attempts to mask our secrets, mask who we really are and the sin we struggle with, God knows. Nothing is hidden from His sight. In Psalm 139: 7-10 David talks about God’s presence being inescapable. We may not always recognize or respect God’s presence in our lives, our hearts, or our minds, but nevertheless, He is here. What an incredible aspect of His character! And convicting…there is absolutely nothing I can think, say, or do that He is not aware of. No motivation, no hope, no success and no failure that He is not aware of. We serve a God that is omniscient AND omnipresent! Verse 14 says that “we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God.” Chandler emphasized the word through. Jesus, the Son of God, is outside of time and space: He has gone through the heavens so that He is not limited. He is everywhere.
The last few verses of chapter 4 are key to understanding the life and purpose of Jesus, the heart of the Father, and our personal salvation. “let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need” (4:14-16).
Because we are fallible, we cannot fix ourselves…we are in desperate need of a Savior, someone to come who can be a mediator between God and man, someone to defend humanity to God and someone who can make a sacrifice for our sins. This is the description of a high priest. This is (partly) a description of Jesus. The idea that this high priest must be able to sympathize with our weaknesses is huge. This high priest—Jesus—must be able to fully understand our weakness and our sins so that we can approach God. This is an incredible picture of the heart of God. God wants to relate to humanity once again. He sees the need to send His Son (Himself in human form) so that humanity can once again enter into His presence and approach the “throne of grace”. Chandler comments here what a great oxymoron the “throne of grace” really is. Throne gives the idea of power, rule, authority and justice, where grace is the idea of mercy. Justice and Mercy are 2 incredible and distinct characteristics of God and beautiful when meshed together as one. Because God knows what it is like to feel burdened by temptation, to the feel the weight of sin (while not actually having sinned), He is able to offer Mercy. Because God knows our personal burdens of temptation and sin, He is able to offer strength and grace so that we can overcome. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize God’s love and mercy extended to us because of, and through, Jesus Christ. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize God’s authority and presence everywhere. How powerful and mysterious it is to recognize how deeply God knows us and is able to sympathize with us.
Below is a link to read the entire sermon written and delivered by Matt Chandler "He Knows" sermon
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Glory
This week, I am looking at a few verses from Hebrews 2:9-11: "But we see Him who was made for a little while lower than the angels, namely Jesus, because of the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, so that by the grace of God He might taste death for everyone. For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things, and through whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to perfect the author of their salvation through sufferings. For both He who sanctifies and those who are sanctified are all from one Father; for which reason He is not ashamed to call them brethren."
This verse struck me as I contemplated the significance of God's grace in Jesus' death. Many times when we think about our salvation and the gift of grace we have received, it is only through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. While that is key to our understanding of faith and salvation, this act shows us much about who God is.
Why was it necessary to send Jesus to earth and die for the sins of the world?
Many commentaries stress the idea that God wanted to restore glory to humanity. His purpose in creating man was for His glory, and after the fall He needed to fulfill His original plan. The only way God could do this was to send Jesus (who was "perfectly qualified") to be the Savior of God's children. Because of Christ's sufferings, we can now enter into God's Kingdom and family.
While it is an honor to realize that God sent His Son to die for us because God loved us so much and wanted us to be a part of His Glory, it is important to keep a Christ-centered belief. This is not a truth that should raise up pride and selfishness in humanity, but increase our gratitude and appreciation for what God has done. We are to recognize His acts of love and grace for HIS glory, not ours.
Through this we also see God's faithfulness. He longs to sanctify His people, and "He is not ashamed to call them brethern" (2:11). God did not let sin keep Him from fulfilling His purpose to bring us to Himself. And that is reason enough to praise Him! F.F. Bruce said, "sanctification is glory begun and glory is sanctification completed". And sanctification brings our identity as children of God. One day that identity will be made complete and we will be able to experience God's glory...another picture of God's incredible love.
What a blessing it is to know that God is not ashamed to call us His own. And that Jesus, as a reflection of God's character, has kindly considered us brothers and sisters. When God allowed Jesus to be the mediator between Himself and man, He allowed man to experience a family relationship with Himself. But again, this should in no way cause us to think highly of ourselves, for we know we are still an imperfect people who are slowly being sanctified and prepared to experience God in the fullness of His glory. How wonderful is His patience!
Research from: The Epistle to the Hebrews by F.F Bruce and The Epistle of the Hebrews: commentary on Greek Text by Paul Ellingworth
This verse struck me as I contemplated the significance of God's grace in Jesus' death. Many times when we think about our salvation and the gift of grace we have received, it is only through Jesus Christ and his death on the cross. While that is key to our understanding of faith and salvation, this act shows us much about who God is.
Why was it necessary to send Jesus to earth and die for the sins of the world?
Many commentaries stress the idea that God wanted to restore glory to humanity. His purpose in creating man was for His glory, and after the fall He needed to fulfill His original plan. The only way God could do this was to send Jesus (who was "perfectly qualified") to be the Savior of God's children. Because of Christ's sufferings, we can now enter into God's Kingdom and family.
While it is an honor to realize that God sent His Son to die for us because God loved us so much and wanted us to be a part of His Glory, it is important to keep a Christ-centered belief. This is not a truth that should raise up pride and selfishness in humanity, but increase our gratitude and appreciation for what God has done. We are to recognize His acts of love and grace for HIS glory, not ours.
Through this we also see God's faithfulness. He longs to sanctify His people, and "He is not ashamed to call them brethern" (2:11). God did not let sin keep Him from fulfilling His purpose to bring us to Himself. And that is reason enough to praise Him! F.F. Bruce said, "sanctification is glory begun and glory is sanctification completed". And sanctification brings our identity as children of God. One day that identity will be made complete and we will be able to experience God's glory...another picture of God's incredible love.
What a blessing it is to know that God is not ashamed to call us His own. And that Jesus, as a reflection of God's character, has kindly considered us brothers and sisters. When God allowed Jesus to be the mediator between Himself and man, He allowed man to experience a family relationship with Himself. But again, this should in no way cause us to think highly of ourselves, for we know we are still an imperfect people who are slowly being sanctified and prepared to experience God in the fullness of His glory. How wonderful is His patience!
Research from: The Epistle to the Hebrews by F.F Bruce and The Epistle of the Hebrews: commentary on Greek Text by Paul Ellingworth
Sunday, February 7, 2010
Reflection
After reading some commentaries, I would like to expand on my previous post before I delve further into my study of Hebrews. I think it is only fair that my future posts consist of my reflections as well as academic and theological reflections. But for now, let's continue with chapter 1.
One thing I overlooked last week in 1:1 was the idea that God spoke through the prophets and has now spoken to us through His Son. I guess I overlooked that because to me speaking is a natural and repetitive part of life. I speak...a lot. But God the Father, who reigns in Heaven as the Creator of the world, speaking? Kind of a big deal. By God's word alone the whole earth came into being, and that is hardly something to skim over. It is interesting to realize that by God speaking to the prophets in the Old Testament they could speak the words of God to His people. But because the prophets were human--fallible and finite--"God's speech was necessarily fragmentary and partial". So this makes the decision for God to send His Son as the mediator between God and man an incredible act of graciousness and love. Desiring His people to hear and know His word fully, He sent Jesus as a man but also fully God! So it is no wonder that Jesus, being the "exact representation of God would be able to sustain all things by his powerful word" (1:3). The same power and authority that is in God to create the world by His voice, is in the word of Christ.
I mentioned last week my enthusiasm for Jesus being the "radiance of God's glory". Through study, I found that this idea of radiance means reflection...as an "unblemished mirror" or true "image". Not just radiance as the sun is radiant when it shines brightly in the sky. Jesus is not simply radiating a portion of God's glory, but he is a mirror, a true reflection of God's glory! No wonder people were healed by simply touching Jesus' robe.
Majesty...another one of my favorite words in this text. 1:3 says Jesus "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high". In the Greek, majesty is megalasyne which translates greatness and on high represents the power and status of God as the Father of all creation. Commentators suggest the importance of giving God such a name that stems from OT references exalting God and calling Him great. I definitely learned some awesome insights and I look forward to researching and studying more of the text!
Commentary was taken from: Hebrews: a Commentary by Luke T. Johnson and The Epistle of the Hebrews: a commentary on the Epistle of the Hebrews by Harold W. Attridge
One thing I overlooked last week in 1:1 was the idea that God spoke through the prophets and has now spoken to us through His Son. I guess I overlooked that because to me speaking is a natural and repetitive part of life. I speak...a lot. But God the Father, who reigns in Heaven as the Creator of the world, speaking? Kind of a big deal. By God's word alone the whole earth came into being, and that is hardly something to skim over. It is interesting to realize that by God speaking to the prophets in the Old Testament they could speak the words of God to His people. But because the prophets were human--fallible and finite--"God's speech was necessarily fragmentary and partial". So this makes the decision for God to send His Son as the mediator between God and man an incredible act of graciousness and love. Desiring His people to hear and know His word fully, He sent Jesus as a man but also fully God! So it is no wonder that Jesus, being the "exact representation of God would be able to sustain all things by his powerful word" (1:3). The same power and authority that is in God to create the world by His voice, is in the word of Christ.
I mentioned last week my enthusiasm for Jesus being the "radiance of God's glory". Through study, I found that this idea of radiance means reflection...as an "unblemished mirror" or true "image". Not just radiance as the sun is radiant when it shines brightly in the sky. Jesus is not simply radiating a portion of God's glory, but he is a mirror, a true reflection of God's glory! No wonder people were healed by simply touching Jesus' robe.
Majesty...another one of my favorite words in this text. 1:3 says Jesus "sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high". In the Greek, majesty is megalasyne which translates greatness and on high represents the power and status of God as the Father of all creation. Commentators suggest the importance of giving God such a name that stems from OT references exalting God and calling Him great. I definitely learned some awesome insights and I look forward to researching and studying more of the text!
Commentary was taken from: Hebrews: a Commentary by Luke T. Johnson and The Epistle of the Hebrews: a commentary on the Epistle of the Hebrews by Harold W. Attridge
Saturday, January 30, 2010
Majesty
As I first start reading through Hebrews, I remember how thoroughly Jesus Christ is discussed and what an incredible picture we see of God through human flesh.
My favorite verse in chapter 1 is verse 3: "The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven." (!!)
In this verse alone we can see a few things about God's character by the description of Jesus that I will explore further next week!
1) God has so much glory! If I think about the way we uphold the person of Jesus--praising him for his sacrificial life (and death), his way of loving and teaching, bringing truth and redemption to a fallen world--that sense of honor and fame is still a limited example of the glory of God.
2) If Jesus is the exact representation of God's being, then all the characteristics we see in Christ's life, are true of God's character as well!
3) Jesus sustains all things by his powerful word...but the authority of Jesus was given to him first by the powerful word of God! 1:5 gives examples from the Old Testament (Ps. 2:7 and 2Sa 7:14) of God calling Jesus his Son.
4) God's love for humanity and desire for them to find life in Him is certainly expressed in the way that He sent Jesus to be the purification of the world's sin. Words like grace, mercy, and faithfulness flood my mind when I think of this as a way to describe God!
5) Majesty...Jesus sits down next to "the Majesty in heaven". God's name here is a characteristic of himself. In the dictionary "majesty" is described as supreme greatness or authority; sovereignty. Well, I would say those are very accurate descriptions of God; wouldn't you?
As I dive deeper into the Word of God and study the works of other scholars and theologians, I know I will see more of God's character by looking at the life of Jesus!
Saturday, January 16, 2010
Mystery
Well, here I am, trying to wrap my mind around the start of another semester. I am excited to study the Word of God in more depth; ready for new questions and new revelations!
As I read and study Hebrews, I hope that I can begin to discover more about who this God I claim to love truly is.
Brennan Manning, in his book, The Relentless Tenderness of Jesus, says that our descriptions of God "are feeble and inadequate, as are all human words, because Mystery is spoiled by a word."
This quote has stuck with me, and while I agree that God is so much more than anything we can fully comprehend, I believe He has graciously given us a glimpse. So with humility and joy, I am seeking to discover and hope to gain a greater understanding of God's incredible character!
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