“And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”” (Luke 23:43)

Crucifixion is one of the cruellest forms of execution ever invented by man. Unlike other forms of capital punishment, where the convicts could expect a quick dispatch, with crucifixion the condemned person is tied or nailed to a large wooden cross, beam or stake and left to hang until eventual death. In the Roman Empire, this punishment was reserved for the most hardened of criminals. Jesus, the eternal Son of God, had to endure this form of punishment, not because of his own sin but for the sins of those who the Father gave to the Son.

In his commentary on the future death of Christ, Isaiah, the prophet who lived 700 years before Christ, prophesied in Isaiah 53:4-5, “Surely, he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But he was pierced for our transgressions; he was crushed for our iniquities; upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace, and with his wounds we are healed.”

The day before, Jesus had been betrayed by one of his disciples (Matthew 26:47-56), which was also foretold centuries prior in Psalm 41:9. The events leading up to his crucifixion did not take place in a corner; it was a front-page news. He was summarily arrested while praying with his disciples and initially arraigned before the Jewish Council (Matthew 26:57-68). However, lacking the authority to condemn someone to death, the Council took him to Pilate, the Governor overseeing Jerusalem at the time. After much back and forth, Pilate eventually cowered to the demands of the Jewish crowd and handed Jesus over to be crucified.

The date and time for the crucifixion was finally set. It was the most anticipated event at the time. It was a frenzied atmosphere as the young and old, rich and poor, men and women, the powerful and the lowly all made their way outside the city gates to witness what was the most consequential event in the history of the universe, as the Author of Life succumbed to death.

The fact that Jesus was going to be crucified on the day was no secret; for those who had gathered at the “Place of a Skull”, it was the reason they were there. However, as you read the account of the crucifixion, it is not immediately clear if the crowd had any idea there would be two criminals who would be crucified alongside Jesus.

As I peer in two thousand years later, it is the conversation between Jesus and the two criminals that piques my interest as I re-read Luke’s account of the crucifixion recently.

The Three-Way Conversation

St. Luke reveals the three-way conversation that transpired between Jesus and the two criminals who were crucified along with him. Interestingly, only Luke records this conversation in detail.

“One of the criminals who were hanged railed at him, saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!” But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.” And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

The fact that these three men still had the energy to have a conversation on the cross is still a mystery to me, but that is precisely what happened. The accounts of Matthew and Mark seem to suggest that both criminals reviled Jesus (Matthew 27:44; Mark 15:32). It is unclear at what point the criminal on the right hand (according to tradition) had a change of heart, but in Luke’s account, only one criminal is mentioned to have reviled Jesus. Without remorse for his evil actions, he “railed at him [Jesus], saying, “Are you not the Christ? Save yourself and us!”

Is this not how the world often reacts toward God? Through our rebellious actions, we have brought the beautiful world He created into ashes. Yet, our heart frequently rages against him for the evil we see around us (Proverbs 19:3). Even when he has provided a way to restore his good creation, we spurn his grace and instead continue to dictate how we want him to save us. The posture of the first criminal perfectly describes our fallen world—a rebellious people who refuse to repent even when we are faced with the consequences of our actions.

But the criminal on Jesus’ right hand provides a picture of God’s grace and what repentance can accomplish in our lives. Luke tells us, “But the other rebuked him, saying, “Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed justly, for we are receiving the due reward of our deeds; but this man has done nothing wrong.”

A Right View of Self and God Leads to Repentance

The fact that he was suffering was unquestionable, yet he acknowledged the holiness and justice of God to judge him for his sin. He knew that his actions deserved the just condemnation of God. King David hinted at this in his model repentance prayer in Psalm 51:3-4: “I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me. Against you, you only, have I sinned and done what is evil in your sight, so that you may be justified in your words and blameless in your judgment.”

This criminal did not only acknowledge his sinfulness and the justness of God’s punishment, but he also understood the sinlessness of Christ and somehow perceived through the eyes of faith that Jesus had the power to change his situation. The fact that he was a condemned criminal deserving of death was not lost on him, but like that contemporary hymn, he knew, “What love could remember no wrongs we have done; Omniscient, all knowing, He counts not their sum; Thrown into a sea without bottom or shore; Our sins they are many, His mercy is more.”

It was this divinely given revelation that inspired his request to Jesus in verse 42, “And he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” How did this hardened criminal, condemned to the highest form of punishment within the Roman Empire, come to the realization that there was a paradise of which he could be part? I don’t believe he had woken up that morning rehearsing what he would ask Jesus when they hangout on the cross together. However, through a divine act of grace that enabled him to see Jesus as the Christ and himself as a condemned criminal, he received pardon for all the crimes he had committed from his birth until the moment of his crucifixion.

Oh, that we might receive this divine eye-opening grace that would enable us to see Jesus for who he is and who we truly are: criminals who rightly deserve our condemnation!

It is important to remember that this is true not only for those who are yet to be saved but even for those who are already saved. Apostle John, in his appeal to the saints in Asia Minor, wrote,

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:8-9).

A Promise of Paradise

After acknowledging his sin and the justness of God’s judgment, the criminal on the right hand of Jesus threw himself at the mercy of the God who has revealed himself as “The LORD, the LORD, a God merciful and gracious, slow to anger, and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness, keeping steadfast love for thousands, forgiving iniquity and transgression and sin…” (Exodus 34:6-7).

No one would ever receive a greater promise than what was received by this criminal on the day of his crucifixion. In verse 43, we read Jesus’ response, “And he said to him, “Truly, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise.” What a grace and what a mercy! This criminal brought nothing to the table except his sin, yet even he was not beyond the reach of God’s loving arm. He woke up in prison but reclined in the evening in paradise. The good news is that this promise is not only for him; it is for all who would repent and put their trust in the risen Saviour.

If you are not yet a follower of Christ, just like this criminal, no sin is too great, and no distance is too far. “Jesus ready, stands to save you, full of pity, love and power.” So, “Arise and come to Jesus; He will embrace you in his arms.” For, “In the arms of your dear Saviour, O, there are ten thousand charms.”

And if you are already a blood-bought follower of Christ, what a joy to know that if you died today, you will be with Jesus in paradise. Hallelujah!

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As a sequel, this is the third and final in a three part series; Psalm 25: Praying A Psalm. Previously, we looked at Prayer For Guidance  and Prayer For Protection. Today’s title is Prayer For Forgiveness of Sin.

Remember your mercy, O LORD, and your steadfast love, for they have been from of old. Remember not the sins of my youth or my transgressions; according to your steadfast love remember me, for the sake of your goodness, O LORD”(v.6) “For your name’s sake, O LORD, pardon my guilt, for it is great.” (v11). “Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.” (v18).

As you ponder over life, what do you consider your greatest need? If God did ask you to make one request, what would that be? According to the bible our greatest need is not food or clothes, neither is it shelter. Our greatest need is deliverance from our greatest predicament, which is the wrath of God. The bible tells us in Romans 3:23; “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God“. We have all rebelled against a holy God, we have each gone astray and told God to get out of our lives. We have lied, we have cheated, we have stolen, we have murdered with our hearts. We have committed adultery in our hearts, we have coveted our neighbour’s property. Every sin, you name it we have committed it. And you know what that means? The answer is found further on in the same book of Romans 6:23, reads “For the wages of sin is death….” David understood this well. He knew the predicament of every human soul. In Psalm 130:3, he writes; “If you, O LORD, should mark iniquities, O Lord, who could stand?”

Our sin is so great that we need a great Saviour. No amount of good deeds can atone for our sins. Unless the LORD shows mercy we are lost and lost forever. Augustus Toplady captured this so well in the hymn, Rock of Ages, in the 2nd and 3rd stanzas he writes:

All the labours of my hands
Could not meet Thy law’s demands
Could my zeal no respite know,
Could my tears forever flow
All for sin could not atone,
Thou must save, and Thou alone
Nothing in my hands I bring,
Simply to Thy cross I cling
Naked come to Thee for dress,
Helpless, look to Thee for grace
To Thy fountain, Lord I fly,
Wash me Saviour or I die.

Christ is the only perfect sacrifice for our sin. He left all His glories and splendour and came into our world to identify with us. He lived the perfect life that we could not live, and died the death we deserved. He was crucified on a heinous cross but on the third day he was raised from the dead, which was a seal of the Father’s approval. The verdict was that anyone who will repent from sin and put their faith in Christ, will be credited with the perfect life of Christ. “…the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God…” This is the only hope to find forgiveness with a holy God. We see across the entire bible that, our hope of forgiveness is not found in some good deed we have done. David understood this as he repeatedly appeals not to his own goodness or righteousness, but to the goodness and mercy of God.

This should be a great encouragement to all of us. God knows exactly where you are, right now at this moment, he sees all the dirt and mess you’re in right now. Today may be the day of your salvation, do not harden your heart because this offer is not open ended. In the book of Acts 17:31, Peter said “…he has fixed a day on which he will judge the world in righteousness by a man whom he has appointed; and of this he has given assurance to all by raising him from the dead.”

On that day it will be too late. On that day Jesus will not be a Saviour, he will be a judge. I plead with you not to wait till that day but turn from your sin today and trust in Jesus for the salvation of your soul.

Sin is destructive. It goes against everything God wanted for us, joy, peace, love and fellowship. So when we conceal it, it saps away our joy and peace. In verse 16-18, David recounts his afflictions and troubles and pleads for forgiveness. He prays “Turn to me and be gracious to me, for I am lonely and afflicted.  The troubles of my heart are enlarged; bring me out of my distresses. Consider my affliction and my trouble, and forgive all my sins.”  There is no joy in concealing  sin. We must be constantly confessing and forsaking our sins. When we harbor sin, our fellowship with God is broken and the joy of the Lord is taken away. (Psalm 32:3-4).

These are the three requests David makes of God. What weaves them together is the desperation expressed in all of them. In this Psalm we see a great God and a great sinner. Our need is so great that only a great God could meet it. Our enemies are many and relentless; our need for guidance is more acute than ever before in a world of competing voices and our need for forgiveness is so essential that without it we are doom to perish forever. As you examine your prayers over the last few months, what do they say about you? Do they reveal a person who is passionate about pleasing the Lord and advancing his Kingdom purposes or it just about you and your self-serving wants?

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Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree, that we, being dead to sins, should live unto righteousness: by whose stripes ye were healed (1 Peter 2:24KJV).

Many have twisted this text to preach a health and wealth gospel. But that is a great error. We are no where in this text promised physical healing. It is only a wrong reading that leads to that interpretation. Our greatest predicament as human beings is not poverty or sickness. Therefore the offering of health and wealth as the solution to all our problems is false and no gospel at all.

Our greatest predicament as humans is sin, hence our greatest need is the forgiveness of sin.

Death: The Wages Of Sin

Romans 3:23 condemns all human beings under sin separated from the glory of God. To be separated from the glory of God is man’s greatest problem and no amount of money or good health can make up for that void.  Sin is a sickness that plagues all humankind. And the wages of this sin is death the Bible says (Rom 6:23). We are not only sick of sin. We are dead in sin! “We are dead in sin” That is terrible. Looking at our ourselves we can identify the havoc sin causes in our lives and the lives of people we know. Sin is not only of earthly consequences. It has eternal consequences. Sin separates from God.

The prophet Isaiah wrote this of God’s people – a description that is characteristic of all fallen man:

Ah, sinful nation, a people laden with iniquity, offspring of evildoers, children who deal corruptly! They have forsaken the Lord, they have despised the Holy One of Israel, they are utterly estranged. Why will you still be struck down? Why will you continue to rebel? The whole head is sick, and the whole heart faint. From the sole of the foot even to the head, there is no soundness in it, but bruises and sores and raw wounds; they are not pressed out or bound up or softened with oil (Isaiah 1:4-6 ESV)

This is the state of our sickness and our sin; which the prophet graphically likens to sores and bruises that have covered the whole body from head to toe. This is the sickness of sin Christ died to heal us of that we might live to righteousness! How tragic that 1Peter 2:24 which deals with the grave situation of the life estranged from God by sin; and the glorious promise of redemption through the substitutionary sacrifice of the Lord Jesus will be cheapened to one of material significance!

Healed Of Our Sins And Restored Unto Rigtheousness

“by whose stripes ye were healed“. Peter quotes Isaiah 53:5 to tell us how we were healed. How? by Christ’s stripe. Healed of what? Sin. And how are we healed of this? Christ bore our sins in his body. That is good news. God has made a way to reconcile us unto Himself by putting our sins on Christ: “Who his own self bare our sins in his own body on the tree”. This is what theologians call double imputation. Our Sin is imputed to Christ and His righteousness imputed to us. Oh, what good news. Our sins are all forgiven when we trust in Christ.

The result of this imputation is that we “should live unto righteousness“.

Righteousness  simply is right standing with God as if we have never sinned. In Christ we who previously were sick and dead in sin are healed and made alive and  reconciled to God: “And you hath he quickened [made alive], who were dead in trespasses and sins” (Eph. 2:1KJV). “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him”(2Corinthians 5:21KJV).

Have you experienced this exchange; your sin for Christ’s forgiveness? If not seek His forgiveness. On the other hand, if you have, you can break forth into doxology and sing:

Praise, my soul, the King of heaven;
to his feet your tribute bring.
Ransomed, healed, restored, forgiven,
evermore his praises sing.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise the everlasting King!

Praise him for his grace and favor to his people in distress.
Praise him, still the same as ever, slow to chide, and swift to bless.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Glorious in his faithfulness!

Fatherlike he tends and spares us; well our feeble frame he knows.
In his hand he gently bears us,
rescues us from all our foes.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Widely yet his mercy flows!

Angels, help us to adore him;
you behold him face to face.
Sun and moon, bow down before him,
dwellers all in time and space.
Alleluia, alleluia!
Praise with us the God of grace!

~ Henry F. Lyte, 1834

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You may have heard of the teaching by some today that sin has been eliminated from the believer’s life as a result of the redemptive work of Christ on the cross of Calvary. These hold that believers have no need to confess their sins (even when they do sin). To such, sanctification is merely a function of one’s ‘acceptance of his sinless status’ and “confession”. Confess “I am holy”, “I am the righteousness of God” and that settles it. “Name it, and claim it”, it is as simple as that, we are told. In the same vein, these false teachers teach that the believer has received a supernatural body, which is immune to sickness and disease – because sin has been eliminated from the body. But has it really? Is this the Biblical teaching on sanctification? Have believers indeed obtained sinless perfection? Is this something the Bible promises to us whilst here on earth? If doctrine determines our practice, then it behoves us to carefully examine this question in the light of the Scriptural teaching.

We turn our attention to the book of Romans, chapters 6-8. Paul there deals with the subject of sanctification in his usual forceful way. He addresses a question that is often asked when sanctification is taught properly – “shall we continue to sin, that Grace may abound?” Paul is too shocked that the teaching of sanctification is misconstrued by others as antinomianism. His response is a bewildered “God forbid!”

The Bible does not endorse sin in any shape or form. The New Testament abounds with warnings to flee from every appearance of sin; as well as admonitions to keep sin under and walk in step with the Spirit. The Bible is clear on the fact that sin has not been eliminated from the body. Apostle John in his epistle pointed this out when he said the proof that we are walking in fellowship with Jesus is the fact that His blood “cleanses us from all sin” – clearly an admission that believers do sin, and need to be cleansed daily by the blood of Christ. He continues, “If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us.” (1John 1:8-10). Interestingly, preachers of sinless perfection skip this chapter in their interpretation of the rest of this epistle by John.

Paul tackles this subject thoroughly. He starts off with the union with the Lord in Romans 6. By this union, the believer participates in the death and resurrection of Christ – his ‘old man’ is crucified and he resurrects a new man; a regenerate soul. What the preachers of the elimination of sin don’t realise is that, while the believer’s soul or spirit is regenerate, his body remains unchanged, awaiting redemption at the last day – what the Bible calls ”glorification” (Romans 8: 23; 28-30; 1Corinthians 15: 48-54;  Philippians 3:21). This is the final stage of our salvation. Paul writes later on that “but we ourselves, who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, groan inwardly, as we wait eagerly for the adoption as sons, the redemption of our bodies” (8:23).

In this body we groan, says Paul, because it is not yet redeemed. That is why we age, and that is why we die. Similarly, because the body has not been redeemed, it is prone to disease and deterioration. The Bible does not teach that believers have obtained a supernatural body like that of the resurrected Christ; no, this is a future event (cf Philipians 3: 20-21)– and that is why we live in hope. Paul continues, “For in this hope we were saved. Now hope that is seen is not hope. For who hopes for what he sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience.” (8:24-25). If believers have already been glorified, then why do they need to wait in hope for a new heaven and a new earth, wherein dwells righteousness (2Peter 3:13; Rev 21)? Both it and the spiritual, glorified body are things that the Bible promises us will happen in the age to come (see 2 Corinthians 5:1-2).

Clearly the New Testament and indeed the entire Scriptural teaching does not support the erroneous notion that the bodies of believers have been immortalised or glorified whilst here on earth.

We have already established the body has not yet been redeemed. This means, the believer battles constantly with the flesh longing to express its sinful desires and the new man or the regenerated spirit also longing to express the new life. A careful study of chapter 7:7-25 will reveal how Paul agonises about this. He points us to this conflicting nature, the regenerated self and the residuals of indwelling sin, what he refers to as “this body of sin”.

These two are constantly opposed to each other. Does the fact that a residual sin dwells in the body even after redemption mean that believers don’t do anything about it? Paul’s response, as noted before is a grave, “God forbid!” We are called to renew our minds with the truth of God’s word (Romans 12:1-2). The fact that sin dwells in the body, and constantly wars against the regenerated nature calls us to daily rely on the strength of the Holy Spirit to put to death the deeds of the flesh. It is also a sharp reminder that this fallen world is not our final destination. It calls us to hope for the world to come, and to endure the sufferings of this present time, in view of the eternal weight of glory that awaits us in heaven (8:18).

Though this body be destroyed by disease, and though it ages and dies, we eagerly await our eternal dwelling, a building not made with hands; prepared by God Himself, who in guarantee of this has given us His Spirit (Romans 8:11; 2Cor5:1-5).

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Psalms 51

You might have read or heard of the infamous story of David and Bathesheba. David committed adultery with Bathsheba, and as if that was not enough, he had her husband killed at the war front! He has shed innocent blood in an attempt to cover up his adulterous sin. For a while it appeared as if all was well. But was it really? The prophet Nathan, sent by God, confronts David with his sins(2Samuel 11-12:1-15). Alas, he has been found out, and there’s no hiding place. Overcome with guilt, the man after God’s own heart owns up to his acts. He has missed the mark! He has committed sin.

The Bible uses a number of terms to describe sin. Sin means to miss the mark; God’s perfect, righteous standard. It means to deviate from the right way or to depart from an appointed pathway. The Bible also describes sin as a deliberate breaking of a covenant and a positive transgression of law. Yet other terms used in the Bible for sin are guilt, unfaithfulness, rebellion, vanity and a perversion of nature.

Now, David, agonizing over what he had done, and pleading to God for forgiveness, wrote the 51st Psalm. In his prayers are embedded many valuable lessons about how believers wrestle with sin.

Sin, A Contrast To The Believer’s New Nature

By reason of regeneration by the Holy Spirit, believers have received the life of God implanted in their souls; disposing them to do the things that please God (good works, see Eph. 2:10). Living in sin therefore goes against the nature of the believer; the seed of God planted in them. Because of this, when a believer sins, it produces guilt and agony of soul. That said, the Bible does acknowledge that believers are not sinless — meaning though saved, we still struggle with a residue of sin however we don’t make sin a habit (1John 1:8; 2:9). David in his prayer, graphically expresses this agony:

For I know my transgressions, and my sin is ever before me.(v.3).

This verse speaks of the accusation of the conscience; as a result of transgressing God’s holy commands. Contrary to the erroneous claims of some today that confession of sins has no place in the life of the believer, the New Testament actually teaches that agonizing over our sins is a vital part of our fellowship with God, and of prayer. Our Lord taught us to pray for forgiveness, as John also affirms in his first epistle. The author of Hebrews in the 10th chapter, vv.21-22 speaks of an evil conscience in connection to prayer. He says to approach God in prayer with a “heart that is clean from an evil conscience”.

When we have unconfessed and unrepented sins in our lives, our conscience condemns us. David rightly cries out to God in his anguish: “Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean; wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow… Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me.”

David not only laments over his sin, but he acknowledges what is true of all human beings. He was  born with a sin problem. David acknowledges there is something fundamentally wrong with his nature, as indeed is the case with all humans born by natural conception. We inherited the consequence of the fall of Adam.

Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me. (v.5)

In Romans 7, Paul also narrates his battle with the pollution of sin. It is only a regenerate soul who knows the agony of the flesh’s conflict with their spiritual nature. Despite our fallen nature, God still “delights in truth in the inward being…” So how does one deal with this conflict between the old self and the regenerated self?

There Must Be An Exchange

Romans 6 makes us understand that if any man is in Christ, he is no longer in Adam; he is a new creature (Cf 2Corinthians 5:17). Paul wrote to the Ephesian Christians to put off their old way of life (“the old man”, KJV), to renew their minds, and to put on the new. To “put off” here means to forsake, to renounce and to lay aside completely. This “old man” or sin nature is the same in every one of us, and is as old as Adam; because we all inherited it from Adam. As David said, we are all by birth depraved, sinful and evil. But here’s the interesting part.

Romans 6 further tells us our old nature was crucified with Christ at our regeneration and union with Christ. How do we put off someone that has already been crucified?
Here’s the answer: the very fact that the old man is dead, crucified with Christ is the very reason we can put him off! But it is not going to be without a fight. The old nature will always seek to regain entry into our new life. This is why Paul reminds us to renew our minds, and to put on the new man. Renewing our minds practically involves “considering ourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus” and “not letting sin therefore reign in our mortal body…” (Romans 6:11-12).

We must give up the habits of the old man and not do any of the things it used to do, because he’s dead! Rather, we are called to be the new man that we are in Christ. This is a daily discipline of renewing our minds with the truth of God’s word. Scripture abounds with teachings on the means we can do this – namely the spiritual disciplines.

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For this reason, because I have heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love toward all the saints, I do not cease to give thanks for you, remembering you in my prayers,” (Ephesians 1:15-16).

If you are asked to name two attributes that best describe a Christian, what would it be? What is it that you would hold up as the convincing proofs that one has truly being born again? For Paul, the two things that testifies to a true change of life as a result of the new birth are one’s

1) Saving Faith
2) Love For The Brethren

In many of his epistles written to Saints in different places during the first century, the universal characteristics Paul mentioned, as testament to new life  in Christ were these two (cf. Colossians 1:3-4, 2 Thessalonians 1:3, Philemon 1:5-7). From the repeated mention of these two attributes, faith and love, we see they are a vital test of true conversion.

Saving Faith

No one can be saved without saving faith in Christ. A Christian is one who has confessed faith in Christ as Lord and Saviour. To confess Jesus as Lord is to publicly affirm as true what Scripture has revealed about Christ and  all that is true about His person – His incarnation, His deity, His life of perfect obedience to God, His death and resurrection. In the first century church and throughout Christian history, confessing Jesus Christ as Lord was not to be taken lightly because it came with dire consequences such as persecution.

Much as the outward expression of faith in the Lord Jesus Christ  was a solemn act, borne from a heart-felt belief and trust in Christ, with possible grave consequences, we see the in the New Testament that the early Church was careful to prove one’s confession, before admitting them into the Christian Church. A case in point is that of Phillip and the Ethiopian eunuch.

In Acts 8, the Spirit of the Lord led Philip to meet this court official of the Queen of Ethiopia, returning from Jerusalem and he expounded to him the prophecies concerning Christ to in response to which he offered himself for baptism. Instead of rushing to baptise him, which then would have signified a public proclamation of his faith, and conversion to Christianity, Philip hesitated; enquiring to be sure that the eunuch knew what he was doing. “And Philip said, “If you believe with all your heart, you may.” And he replied, “I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.” (Acts 8:37). In Matthew 16:22-24, Jesus taught on the cost of discipleship; what it means to follow Him. Faith in Christ is not a decision to be taken in haste. It comes with a cost.

True faith in Christ is not a matter to be glossed over. Faith in the Lord Jesus is a testament to true conversion. It is of foremost importance. The question that needs to be answered by all is this – do you believe that Jesus Christ is Lord?

Love For The Brethren

When a baby is born, its first cry is a sign of life. It is a proof of life. Like the new-born, so is the Christian. The new (spiritual) life of a believer in the Lord Jesus Christ needs to be expressed. This expression of the new life of the believer can be looked at as “The Tests of Life”, as Rev Robert Law rightly puts it.

God is love. He doesn’t only love, He is love. That is His nature. And He calls His children to imitate Him by walking in love: “Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. And walk in love, as Christ loved us and gave himself up for us, a fragrant offering and sacrifice to God” (Ephesians 5:1-2).

Our Lord demonstrated His love for us by condescending even  to the point of washing His disciples feet. He did this as an example for us to follow (see John 13:1-15). But His love did not stop there; He went all the way to the cross, dying a sinner’s death. A death He didn’t deserve, but died out of love. This was God’s love in action and we are to demonstrate this same love (1John 4:7-9). We love because we have first been loved by Him. John further tells us love is the proof we have passed from darkness to light:

Whoever says he is in the light and hates his brother is still in darkness. Whoever loves his brother abides in the light, and in him there is no cause for stumbling. But whoever hates his brother is in the darkness and walks in the darkness, and does not know where he is going, because the darkness has blinded his eyes.” (1 John 2:9-11).

Love is a proof that we have passed from darkness into Light, as God is Light. To John, not to love the brethren is synonymous to hatred. And the absence of love, according to this passage simply means we are still in darkness. Darkness here connotes a life of ignorance; ignorance of the life of God, for God is light. Love however is a proof we have passed from death to life (1 John 3:14)

John intimates that our love is proof of passage from darkness to light. Here he takes the argument further by saying, our love is the evidence that we have the new life of God. This means, love is the proof of our sonship; the fact that we have the life of God in us. Whosoever does not love his brother is not of God.

Another compelling reason love is a litmus test for new life is our membership of the body of Christ. The new testament gives us an analogy of  the Church as a body. In Romans 6, a believer is united with Christ by the Holy Spirit at regeneration and becomes one with the Lord. (see also 1Cor. 12:13). As members of one body therefore, there is an intrinsic, organic and vital unity which exists amongst us, just like the parts of the physical body are intrinsically and organically joined to one another and share the same life. To love one another must therefore be natural with us because we have what it takes by the power of the Holy Spirit. We are members of one another, if we are truly joined to Christ and therefore members of the invisible body of Christ.

Finally, Christ Himself said:

“…just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another. By this all people will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.” (John 13:34b-35).

Do you have the life of Christ? These two must be evident: faith in Christ Jesus and love for the brethren. They are a vital test of life!

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Romans 10:3-9

Jesus paid it all,
All to Him I owe;
Sin had left a crimson stain, He washed it white as snow.
~ Elvina M. Hall; 1865

Imagine this scenario with me. A man who owes the creditors a huge sum of money is dragged before the court. He admits that even if all his property were sold, it wouldn’t be enough to clear all his debt. Suddenly, a ‘good Samaritan’ offers to settle all the debt to the last penny. If it were you, what would be your reaction? Now imagine further, if instead of accepting the good Samaritan’s benevolent offer, this debtor rejects it; choosing rather to make up for his debt by suffering a lifetime of hard labour in prison.

Who would do such a thing? Sounds outrageous doesn’t it? Yet in the passage from Romans 10 above, Paul suggests the actions of the Jews amounted to just that. They, to whom God gave the Law had spurned God’s Son, Jesus Christ, and rejected His offer of salvation through faith. In his description, Paul writes, “For, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and seeking to establish their own, they did not submit to God’s righteousness” (Romans 10:3). The phrase “seeking to establish their own righteousness” (in the authorised translation, “going about to establish their own righteousness”) connotes a strenuous effort to establish one’s own righteousness instead of relying on God’s.

The Law and Man’s Inability

God gave the Law to man with this caveat “…the person who does the commandments shall live by them.” (Romans 10:5b). Which means one could attain righteousness and eternal life by fully obeying the law without faulting at any point (Deuteronomy 30:15-20, James 2:10). In our fallen state, God’s verdict is that no one could keep the law no matter how hard we try. The Jews were therefore wrong in thinking that they could work out their own righteousness before a holy and perfect God. God requires sinless perfection. Jesus in Matthew 5:20-48 clearly teaches that the benchmark is not 99% but a 100%.

It is therefore tragic that anyone would try to attain righteousness by their own effort and good works. Many today go to great lengths to be good, fast, pray and obey the 10 commandments — all in an attempt to save themselves. God demands perfect obedience with all of one’s heart, mind, soul and strength, and one ought to continue doing so unfailingly in order to maintain righteousness (Matt 22:36-38; Rom 10:5). The plain truth is that none of us is equal to such a task.

The law points to the fact that we need God’s help in order to be saved. It shows us how inadequate we are in terms of fulfilling God’s Law; yet offers us no remedy. On this, John Bunyan writes, “To be under the law as it is a Covenant of Works, is to be bound, upon pain of eternal damnation, to fulfil, and that completely and continually, every particular point of the Ten Commandments, by doing them.“¹

Paul, recounting his own experience wrote:

For I do not understand my own actions. For I do not do what I want, but I do the very thing I hate. Now if I do what I do not want, I agree with the law, that it is good. For I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh. For I have the desire to do what is right, but not the ability to carry it out. Wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord! (Romans‬ 7:15-16, 18, 24-25‬a ESV)‬.

John Bunyan further comments,

So long as people are ignorant of the nature of the law, and of their being under it – that is, under the curse and condemning power of it, by reason of their sin against it – so long they will be careless, and negligent as to the inquiring after the true knowledge of the Gospel.”²

If we truly understood what the law required of us in order to be saved, we\’ll come flying to the foot of the Cross.

The Good News: Christ, The End of the Law

Jesus, as the last Adam, was the only one who was able to wholly and completely obey God’s Law. This is what Paul meant by saying Christ is the end of the Law. Not that He abolished it; but rather because He fulfilled all its righteous requirements. But He is the end of the Law only to those who believe in Him. To these, the law is no longer binding in justifying sinners before Christ. Through faith in the finished work of Christ, sinners are freed from the guilt of the Law and from God’s wrath. Christ’s life of sinless obedience and His death on the cross fully satisfied God’s wrath against sin for all who believe in Him.

God therefore offers righteousness to all who believe in Christ alone, free of charge. This does not require any strenuous effort from us — only faith in Christ and what He has done on our behalf.

There’s no need to strenuously seek to establish your own righteousness. Jesus paid it all — all the debt we owed God for disobeying His Holy Law and its repercussions; eternal death. This is the reason for the Cross. Celebrate this season with understanding. If you haven’t already, come to saving faith in Christ now; He is willing and ready to save you.

Notes:

1: John Bunyan, The Doctrine of the Law and Grace Unfolded

2:ibid

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Genesis is the first book of the Bible. It is also the book of beginnings because it tells us the origins of life and accurately explains the main problem of the world–Sin. From the first two chapters of Genesis, we are made to know there is a Creator who created the world and all that dwells in it (Genesis 1:1, 31, 2:26-27). After creation, God saw that everything He had created was good (Genesis 1:31). But today, in contrast to Genesis 1:31, the world in its current state is not good. It is a world filled with pain, tragedy, wickedness, cruelty and every horror imaginable. How do we reconcile the current state of the world with God’s proclamation that “everything that he had made…was very good”. The answer is that sin entered the world. So;

What Is Sin?

Sin is any want of conformity unto, or transgression of, the law of God [a]. Lev 5:17;   Jas 4:17;   1 John 3:4

~Westminster Shorter Catechism Q14

In these words we see what sin is. Sin is breaking God’s law by omission or commission. In modern English, the words, “want of conformity” will read something like inability to conform to the law of God or failure to measure up to or obey God’s command. In Greek, the word hamartia is used in explaining what sin is. Sin is “missing the mark” and rightly so, we are all sinners because we have missed the mark of God’s righteous standard (Romans 3:23).

Now, how did sin enter the perfect world God created? We again go back to Genesis, the book of origins. In Genesis 2:16-17, we read of a commandment God gave Adam, the first created man, “And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, “You may surely eat of every tree of the garden, but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die”. Fast foward to Genesis 3, Adam disobeyed God; he ate of the forbidden tree and by that act of disobedience, sin entered the world.

Adam in the garden of Eden was acting as a federal head for all of humankind therefore his fall became the fall of all who will ever walk this earth: “Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned”(Romans 5:12).

Except Jesus who lived a perfect life without sin, all humankind inherited the consequences and effects of Adam’s fall; physical and spiritual death. Our nature was badly corrupted and we were alienated from God. The Psalmist said “Behold, I was brought forth in iniquity, and in sin did my mother conceive me” (Psalm 51:5).

What he means here is that he was born with a sin problem. He inherited sin. We are by ourselves unable to please God: “None is righteous, no, not one; no one understands; no one seeks God. All have turned aside; together they have become worthless; no one does good, not even one.” (Romans 3:11-12). These words describes the helpless state of humankind without Christ. They are enemies of God, separated from Him and guilty of eternal damnation.

However God didn’t leave sinners to our fate to try to work our way to Him. God made the first move towards reconciling sinful humankind to Himself. If you read Genesis 3 again, we see that even in their sins, God’s mercy was manifested. Firstly, God proclaimed what theologians refer to as protoevangelium–the first gospel. God announced His plans towards reconciliation. A curse was pronounced and a remedy for that curse was also revealed:

I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel (Genesis 3:15).

The seed of the woman being referred to here is Christ who the Bible speaks of by saying “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil”(1John 3:8). The works of the devil is sin that separated us from God. And it is this, Jesus died to destroy. He took the punishment that belonged to sinners. He died in our place to appease for our sins and reconcile us to the Father. Our sins was imputed to Him. He became our substitutionary atonement  (Isaiah 53:5-6).

Secondly, God covered the nakedness (guilt and shame) of Adam and Eve revealing a type of Christ’s imputed righteousness to those who will come to Faith through Jesus Christ. Paul aptly captures this saying, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God” (2Corinthians 5:21).

Christ was murdered on the cross because of the sins of you and I. And He resurrected to give eternal life to all who will come to Him in Faith  If you have not come to saving faith through Christ, you are condemned to eternal damnation and an enemy of God. One day, you will have to answer for your sins before a Holy God and nothing you will present will measure up to God’s Holy standard. Your good works outside of Christ are like filthy rags. Repent from your sins and turn to Christ for forgiveness.

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“My son, do not forget my teaching, but keep my commandments with your heart, for length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you” (Proverbs 3:1-2).

Imagine you are in your old age, about to depart this life; you call your children to your bedside to distribute your wealth. What would be the most valuable inheritance you think you will hand down to your children? Or perhaps you are that son or daughter and your father calls you to his bedside, what would you consider the most precious inheritance? A house, the company stocks, acres of land, the stashed bank account sitting in investments or may be the top end education your parent were able to provide? What would it be? When all is said and done, what will be the most precious inheritance you will bequeath to your children or you will receive from your parent?

Together, lets glean some wisdom from the most prosperous man who ever lived on what he thought was the most precious inheritance to give or to receive. This is a man who was wealthy beyond measure, the richest man to have lived on earth. He didn’t think his greatest inheritance to his children were material. From chapter to chapter in the book of Proverbs, he admonished his son to treasure his teachings and commandments. It is however intriguing though that Solomon gives such an advice because his own life was a tragedy.

He started well in 1 Kings 3:3, but by the time we get to 1 Kings 11:6, he was living in disobedience to God. What therefore makes Solomon so qualified to give such an advice is probably the fact that he himself had experienced the consequences of neglect and forgetfulness of a father’s instruction.

A Command Against Forgetfulness

Solomon, perhaps out of his own experiences, warns against forgetfulness: “Do not Forget” “my son, do not forget my teaching”.

Teaching or commandment in the text refers to the same thing; instruction based on the word of God. Note how Solomon states his instruction in the negative sense “do not forget”. He knows that as sinful humanity, we are prone to forgetfulness. Remembering and keeping the word of God is a daily battle we must fight. There is so much going on in and around us that seek to drown the word of God in our lives. All through scripture, we see the people of God consistently disobeying his word either through sheer disobedience or forgetfulness (Judges 2:10).

Forgetfulness is the greatest enemy to obedience, and that is why Solomon instructed his son not to forget. In his own life, he had experienced firsthand the dangers of a forgetful attitude towards the word of God. God had instructed the Israelites against intermarriage with the nations around them (Deut. 7:1-4), however Solomon did not pay heed to the Lord’s commands. As a result his heart was led away from the Lord.

The question then is, how do we guard against forgetfulness in our own lives?

The Role of The Heart

Solomon writes in the latter part of verse 1, “…but let your heart keep my commandments”.

See the contrast he draws here, “don’t forget” but “keep with your heart”. When the Bible uses the heart, it usually is not referring to the organ that pumps blood. It is pointing to our very being. Now, forgetfulness has to do with the mind. So I can forget something I have read or heard. But I cannot forget something that has entered my heart. Once something enters your heart, it becomes an integral part of who you are and hence difficult to forget. Bruce Ware says “We must let the word of God travel from our head to our heart”. Paul says in Colossians 3:16 that we must let the word of God dwell in us richly.

Unfortunately for many of us, the word of God never makes the journey from our heads to our hearts. Perhaps that explains why obedience is so difficult. We read it, we hear it preached, but when we are called upon to live out our faith, we are found wanting. Could it be that the word of God has not fully found its way into our hearts? Is it possible that perhaps for a long time Jesus has been calling you, but you have chosen to forget his voice? Solomon’s plea to his son was urgent and desperate “my son, do not forget my teaching”.

The Valuable Inheritance

For length of days and years of life and peace they will add to you

So back to my opening analogy, what in your estimation is the most valuable inheritance to pass on to your children at your death bedside? Solomon further tells his son the reason not to forget his instructions. Because there is a reward. We all love rewards, don’t we? Even Jesus loves reward (Hebrews 12:2). Paul said in Philippians 3:14 “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” Rewards make sacrifices worthwhile. When Jesus calls his followers to deny themselves and follow him, he also promises a far superior reward than what the world could ever offer. In the same way Solomon, tells his son about the colossal reward of obeying the word of God. There is a two-fold reward he mentions in our text.

(i) “For length of days and years of life”, and
(ii) “Peace”

“For length of days and years of life”

I must admit the first time I read this, I wasn’t particularly impressed with the first reward. “Length of days and years of life”. Who wants to live in this world for so long? In a world full of turmoil, pain and heartache who wants to live in it forever? However, as I thought further about this, it became clear from the Bible that as Christians, length of days and years of life has more meaning than just a long life on earth.

Long life for the believer is a life of eternal bliss with our heavenly Father, where we will behold his face and never depart from him again. Our greatest reward for obedience to God’s word is eternal life. So Jesus told his disciples “In my Father’s house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also”(John 14:1-3).

This is why as Christians we should not be scared, as we age or see our outward bodies decay and waste away. It was this hope in everlasting life, which made the apostle Paul declare “For I am sure that neither death nor life…will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 8:38-39). As we obey the word of God, our lives are eternally hidden with God in Christ Jesus.

“Peace”

The other reward for obedience according to our text is peace. In a world filled with tribulation and chaos, Jesus says “let not your hearts be troubled” (John 14:1), because “… I [He] have overcome the world” The Psalmist declares in Psalm 119:165 “Great peace have those who love your law; nothing can make them stumble.” Are you experiencing chaos in your life right now? Perhaps it is the uncertainty about your future or finances or your job or your children or anything for that matter? The word of God offers peace that transcends understanding as we come to Jesus. The secret to peace of mind is loving the word of God and obeying it. And beyond the peace that the word of God provides in this life, there is a greater peace that obedience to the word of God brings–peace with God through faith: “Therefore, since we have been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ” (Romans 5:1)

As we obey the word of God and repent of our sins and believe in Jesus, we gain peace with God. And friends that’s the peace you need more than any other. If you think there is chaos in this world, try a life away from God in eternity. What those of us who have been justified have is a peace with God that can never be taken away.

What has been your attitude towards the word of God? Does it play any role at all in your life, or it’s just one of the many items on your to do list? I don’t know what you consider to be your greatest inheritance, but for Solomon, the richest and wisest man who ever lived, he came to the end of his life acknowledging that indeed the word of God is the most precious of all. Hold it dear and it will bring length of days and peace of mind.

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Most Christians would not like to talk about it.  However, in an age of information where every imaginable information is available at the click of a button, you might have come into contact with pornography in one shape or form in your life.  The truth is that nudity is no longer a hushed subject in today’s society. Men and women, young and old alike are constantly inundated with nudity in the print and electronic media.

Recently, I had a Bible study with some Christian friends on Ephesians 5:3-4, during which I shared my testimony of how the Lord delivered me from what could have easily become an addiction to pornography. What humbled me was the fact that a number of them afterwards admitted how they too had experienced the enthralling captivity of pornography, or knew other Christians who had or were still indulging in it.The question that begs answering is, what does the Bible say about Pornography? Do we have Biblical grounds to call it sin? In this article I present 6 Biblical reasons why I believe pornography is a ‘no’ for Christians.

To start with, I invite you to review with me the verse we discussed.  Paul there says “But sexual immorality and all impurity or covetousness must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints. Let there be no filthiness nor foolish talk nor crude joking, which are out of place, but instead let there be thanksgiving. “For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God.”(Ephesians 5:3-5).

Simply put, all who practice the above will not make it to heaven.

We may ask, what does sexual impurity mean in this text?
In answer I will say sexual impurity or immorality is anything that goes against the God – ordained and prescribed use of sex and sexuality as described in the Bible. By saying in the text above that those who do these will not inherit the kingdom of God, Paul means that those who practice these things as a lifestyle (not the believer who falls into sin for example; but those who live in sin) are destined for hell. 1Corinthians 6:9-10, a parallel to this verse carries this same meaning.

If you or someone you know is caught up in addiction to pornography, here are six things I trust will encourage you to deal with this sinful behaviour:

1 Pornography Is Not God Glorifying

Pornography does not lead to the giving of thanks. We are called upon to avoid filthiness and in contrast, give thanks! (Ephesians 5:4b). Another way to put this, is to say that whatever does not lead to the giving of thanks to God, is out of place for the believer. Colossians 3:17 also affirms that whatever we do should lead to the giving of thanks, and to the Glory of God. I’m yet to meet anyone who after watching pornography can straightaway give thanks to God for watching it. Nor can we watch a pornographic movie in Church on Sunday. That’s because we know it’s not glorifying to God and out of place. We are called upon to think on things that are true, honourable, pure, lovely, commendable, and excellent, worthy of praise – Philippians 4:8. I doubt any one will say pornography has any of these holy attributes.

2 Pornography Is Sexual Sin

Engaging in pornography is committing sexual sin. Even if a married couple engage in it together, they are violating the first sacred rule of marriage, which is that the marriage bed is holy and honourable and undefiled (Hebrews 13:4); and private – something that God ordained to be shared between only two people, and not a spectator sport to be watched by the whole world.  If these things are true (and they are), then it means that our viewing of Pornography is an express statement of our acceptance, and endorsement, and promotion of a sinful lifestyle. We should not join in celebrating sin.  It is sinful to partake in sin. Ephesians 5:11 says to have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather to expose them.

3 Pornography Is Defilement Of The Body

Paul admonishes us to not take our bodies (which are members of the Body of Christ) and join them to a prostitute (1Cor. 6:15-16). He explains that if we did this, we’ll be one flesh with them.  If looking at a woman with lust is adultery according to Jesus, then watching pornography is adultery for the married and fornication for the unmarried. Jesus calls us to purge out our eyes instead of committing adultery. Jesus died to purify us (Titus 2:14). He died to save us from sin, adultery included. Why would we want to play with it? Choosing to endorse and enjoy impurity is akin to crucifying Christ yet again. 2Corinthians 7:1 says to cleanse ourselves from every defilement.  Pornography does not advance our holiness. It defiles the mind and takes away from our spirituality and holiness.

4  Pornography Revels In Works Of Darkness

Someone has noted in a song that when you’re watching a sexually explicit movie, it’s actually the movie that is watching you! It’s like you’re held in prison – you hide what you’re doing and you’re constantly looking over your shoulder. Jesus said in John3:19-21 that the reason we prefer darkness to light is because we know what we’re doing is evil. Watching nudity in secret suggests that we know it is something that doesn’t belong to the light.

5 Pornography Celebrates Immodesty

1Timothy 2:9 admonishes Christian women to adorn themselves in respectable apparel; in modesty and self-control. Watching pornography directly endorses women who do the exact opposite and bare their bodies on screen and promote the height of immodesty. It contradicts our beliefs as Christians, and amounts to hypocrisy.

6 Pornography Degrades Human Dignity

Pornography is unloving to women (and I believe to men – for women who indulge in it as well). Pornography invites a third party; a competitor into a marriage. Pornography uses women as sex objects. It is a devilish ploy to turn many a man’s thoughts and desire away from their wives.

Pornography reduces women to sex toys. Addicts see women as objects to satisfy their sexual desires only; however there is more to intimacy between man and wife than just sex. The Biblical teaching is that a wife is a help ‘meet’ for the husband; not a sex partner only. Pornography also promotes unholy sexual practices, such as lesbianism, homosexuality and sex orgies. Pornography promotes lust. Lust gives birth to sin. (James 1:14-15) Romans 14:23 says whatever does not proceed from faith is sin.

It is important to note that all the aforementioned hold for all forms of nudity in movies, electronic and print media.

Need I say more?

Just going through these points sends a shiver of holy trepidation and trembling down my spine, to think that indulging in pornography as children of God means our promoting everything that assaults the holiness of God. And I trust that every child of God will come to the realization that pornography is a tool of the devil that is aimed at defiling something holy and honourable and sacred, that God created to be enjoyed only in the sacredness of the marriage covenant.

I pray that each of us will, with the power of the Holy Spirit, vow from today to never condone sexual immorality in any shape or form. Amen.

Recommended Reading:

How can I overcome an addiction to internet porn?

Can I break pornography addiction?

No Such Thing As Free Porn

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