Shalom Aleichem...
Reflections is a weekly Christian Teaching Ministry. Each week we will talk about the Bible and lessons we can put to use in our daily life. We will try to, on a weekly basis, provide to you stories, thoughts, and just easy ways to live your life on a straight path.
THIS WEEK'S TEACHING....December 4, 2017
A very happy and blessed Christmas Season to each of you. I pray the Lord is with you all this time of year.
I have been questioned in our Revelation Bible Study about a subject that is near and dear to my heart:)
I was recently asked these two questions:
Why is salvation by works the predominantly held viewpoint?
Why do so many people believe that we can be saved by the things we do?
The simple answer is that salvation by works seems right in the eyes of man. One of man’s basic desires is to be in control of his own destiny, and that includes his eternal destiny. Salvation by works appeals to man’s pride and his desire to be in control. Being saved by works appeals to that desire far more than the idea of being saved by faith alone. Also, man has an inherent sense of justice. Even the most ardent atheist believes in some type of justice and has a sense of right and wrong, even if he has no moral basis for making such judgments. Our inherent sense of right and wrong demands that if we are to be saved, our “good works” must outweigh our “bad works.” Therefore, it is natural that when man creates a religion it would involve some type of salvation by works.
Because salvation by works appeals to man’s sinful nature, it forms the basis of almost every religion except for biblical Christianity. Proverbs 14:12 tells us that “there is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death.” Salvation by works seems right to men, which is why it is the predominantly held viewpoint. That is exactly why biblical Christianity is so different from all other religions—it is the only religion that teaches salvation is a gift of God and not of works. “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast” (Ephesians 2:8–9).
Another reason why salvation by works is the predominantly held viewpoint is that natural man does not fully understand the extent of his own sinfulness or of God’s holiness. Man’s heart is “deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked” (Jeremiah 17:9), and God is infinitely holy (Isaiah 6:3). The deceit of our hearts is the very thing that colors our perception of the extent of that deceit and is what prevents us from seeing our true state before a God whose holiness we are also unable to fully comprehend. But the truth remains that our sinfulness and God’s holiness combine to make our best efforts as “filthy rags” before a holy God (Isaiah 64:6; cf. 6:1–5).
The thought that man’s good works could ever balance out his bad works is a totally unbiblical concept. Not only that, but the Bible also teaches that God’s standard is nothing less than 100 percent perfection. If we stumble in keeping just one part of God’s righteous law, we are as guilty as if we had broken all of it (James 2:10). Therefore, there is no way we could ever be saved if salvation truly were dependent on works.
Another reason that salvation by works can creep into denominations that claim to be Christian or say they believe in the Bible is that they misunderstand passages like James 2:24: “You see then that a man is justified by works, and not by faith only.” Taken in the context of the entire passage (James 2:14–26), it becomes evident that James is not saying our works make us righteous before God; instead, he is making it clear that real saving faith is demonstrated by good works. The person who claims to be a Christian but lives in willful disobedience to Christ has a false or “dead” faith and is not saved. James is making a contrast between two different types of faith—truth faith that saves and false faith that is dead.
There are simply too many verses that teach that one is not saved by works for any Christian to believe otherwise. Titus 3:4–5 is one of many such passages: “But when the kindness and the love of God our Savior toward man appeared, not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to His mercy He saved us, through the washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Spirit.”
If you learn nothing else from this teaching, keep this at the forefront of your mind:
Good works do not contribute to salvation, but they will always be characteristic of one who has been born again. Good works are not the cause of salvation; they are the evidence of it.
While salvation by works might be the predominantly held viewpoint, it is not an accurate one biblically. The Bible contains abundant evidence of salvation by grace alone, through faith alone, in Christ alone (Ephesians 2:8–9).
DID YOU EVER WONDER???
I read this and thought of my Mom. Hope it reminds you of yours.
The night was cold and dark, with the continuous downpour of rain, coupled with the howling winds...people were rushing for shelter and protection. But he was the only one who remained calm,unaware of all the confusion outside...for he knew, from the loving hands that held him close,his mother would always be there for him.
Ask a person about their mother and you will see a sudden spark in their eyes...as they talk about the person they love the most! She is our first companion in life and a bond of a lifetime is formed even before we enter this world. A mother's love is one of the purest of all forms and beyond comparison. She is perhaps the only one who can understand our feelings without any exchange of words. Her presence is a sense of comfort, her love and support, like an oasis in a desert...she knows how to make us smile and at the same time, knows how to make us toe the line! She's been there through all our ups and downs in life...and every sad day in life will always get better, just by seeing her loving eyes and encouraging smile.
As Agatha Christie once said... "A mother's love for her child is like nothing else in the world."
She is our warrior,our friend,our adviser and most importantly, the one who endures all difficulties beforehand herself in order to smooth our path of life.
To put it in a nutshell, our mother was, is and will always be our first and best friend forever!!!
BOOKS OF THE BIBLE...A TEACHING
The Gospel of Matthew continues....
The Death of John the Baptist
14 At that time Herod the tetrarch heard about the fame of Jesus, 2 and he said to his servants, “This is John the Baptist. He has been raised from the dead; that is why these miraculous powers are at work in him.” 3 For Herod had seized John and bound him and put him in prison for the sake of Herodias, his brother Philip’s wife, 4 because John had been saying to him, “It is not lawful for you to have her.” 5 And though he wanted to put him to death, he feared the people, because they held him to be a prophet. 6 But when Herod’s birthday came, the daughter of Herodias danced before the company and pleased Herod, 7 so that he promised with an oath to give her whatever she might ask. 8 Prompted by her mother, she said, “Give me the head of John the Baptist here on a platter.” 9 And the king was sorry, but because of his oaths and his guests he commanded it to be given. 10 He sent and had John beheaded in the prison, 11 and his head was brought on a platter and given to the girl, and she brought it to her mother. 12 And his disciples came and took the body and buried it, and they went and told Jesus.
Jesus Feeds the Five Thousand
13 Now when Jesus heard this, he withdrew from there in a boat to a desolate place by himself. But when the crowds heard it, they followed him on foot from the towns. 14 When he went ashore he saw a great crowd, and he had compassion on them and healed their sick. 15 Now when it was evening, the disciples came to him and said, “This is a desolate place, and the day is now over; send the crowds away to go into the villages and buy food for themselves.” 16 But Jesus said, “They need not go away; you give them something to eat.” 17 They said to him, “We have only five loaves here and two fish.” 18 And he said, “Bring them here to me.” 19 Then he ordered the crowds to sit down on the grass, and taking the five loaves and the two fish, he looked up to heaven and said a blessing. Then he broke the loaves and gave them to the disciples, and the disciples gave them to the crowds. 20 And they all ate and were satisfied. And they took up twelve baskets full of the broken pieces left over. 21 And those who ate were about five thousand men, besides women and children.
Jesus Walks on the Water
22 Immediately he made the disciples get into the boat and go before him to the other side, while he dismissed the crowds. 23 And after he had dismissed the crowds, he went up on the mountain by himself to pray. When evening came, he was there alone, 24 but the boat by this time was a long way from the land, beaten by the waves, for the wind was against them. 25 And in the fourth watch of the night he came to them, walking on the sea. 26 But when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were terrified, and said, “It is a ghost!” and they cried out in fear. 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, “Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid.”
28 And Peter answered him, “Lord, if it is you, command me to come to you on the water.” 29 He said, “Come.” So Peter got out of the boat and walked on the water and came to Jesus. 30 But when he saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, “Lord, save me.” 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, “O you of little faith, why did you doubt?” 32 And when they got into the boat, the wind ceased. 33 And those in the boat worshiped him, saying, “Truly you are the Son of God.”
Jesus Heals the Sick in Gennesaret
34 And when they had crossed over, they came to land at Gennesaret. 35 And when the men of that place recognized him, they sent around to all that region and brought to him all who were sick 36 and implored him that they might only touch the fringe of his garment. And as many as touched it were made well.
THE DEATH OF JOHN THE BAPTIST
Herod Antipas hears of Jesus. The reports trouble him, because he has recently executed John the Baptist (14:1–12). Something about Jesus reminds him of John. He is worried that the prophet has sprung to life again, with supernatural powers.
Matthew tells us briefly what happened to John. John was imprisoned for speaking out against the king’s adultery. The king was afraid to harm him further, because John was so well known as a prophet. But the queen (rather like Jezebel in the old days) was his sworn enemy. She took advantage of the king’s drunken promise—and had John beheaded.
Two generations of Herods
When Herod the Great dies, in 4 BC, his kingdom is divided among his three sons: Archelaus, Antipas and Philip. Herod Archelaus is soon deposed for misusing his power, and the Romans take over the government of Judea and Samaria. One of the governors of Judea is Pontius Pilate.
Herod Antipas is a tetrarch, ruling the little kingdom of Galilee and Perea, but he himself is governed by the Romans. During his long reign he builds the city of Tiberias in honour of the Roman emperor.
It is Herod Antipas who imprisons John the Baptist. We can guess something of his crafty character when Jesus calls him ‘that fox’ (Luke 13:32)! He is eventually deposed by the emperor Caligula in AD 39.
The third son, Philip, rules the territory to the north and east of the sea of Galilee until his death in AD 34.
JESUS FEEDS 5,000 JEWS
Jesus withdraws to get time to himself. He must avoid arrest. He needs to mourn John’s death. He wants to train his disciples. But the crowds find him, and his heart goes out to their need. They are hungry and far from home, and Jesus feeds them with a miraculous supply of bread and fish (14:13–21).
All the Gospels tell us about this miracle of the loaves and fishes. Jesus is surrounded by a huge crowd of needy people. He cares for them like the good shepherd he is—healing, teaching and feeding them by the power of God.
Matthew highlights the miracle by telling us there were twelve baskets of scraps left over—a sure sign that there was plenty and some to spare. Twelve is the number that stands for the people of God—the twelve tribes of Israel and the twelve apostles of Jesus.
This feeding is like the old days, when Moses led the people through the wilderness and God gave them manna to eat. It is also a taste of the future, when God’s people will feast with him in his kingdom. In the meantime it is a glimpse of the Christian church, meeting in the presence of Jesus to break bread and share his life together.
JESUS WALKS ON WATER—AND SO DOES PETER
There has been some risk in feeding the 5,000. It looks as though Jesus can raise and support an army. John’s Gospel says that the people try to make him king.
Jesus defuses the situation. He sends the disciples away from the excitement, disperses the crowd and withdraws to pray. It is a tough decision. Conjuring bread and ruling the world are two of his greatest temptations!
The disciples, rowing their boat across Galilee, have a hard battle against the wind and waves. Towards dawn, Jesus walks across the water to join them. Peter, in his usual impetuous way, wants to walk out to meet him—and nearly drowns. The first Christians treasure this story. It shows Jesus’ power over the forces of nature and the storms of life. It also portrays his readiness to rescue a failing follower (14:22–36)
Christ as Son of God
Matthew also refers to Jesus as the “Son of God” who is obedient to his Father’s will. Although the title “Son of Man” is used frequently in Matthew, he deviates little from its Markan usage as a public title, describing Jesus’ earthly authority, his suffering under the Jewish leaders and Gentiles, and his end-time return in glory. Matthew’s favorite titles are “Son” or “Son of God” (e.g., 2:15; 3:17; 4:3, 6; 14:33; 16:16; 17:5; 26:63; 27:40, 54; 28:19). The designation “Son” finds its OT roots in Yahweh’s covenant with Israel, who became God’s “firstborn son” (Exod 4:22–23); in this way, Matthew uses the title “Son” to indicate Jesus’ role as the true Israel.
“Son of God” is a confessional title, except when used by Jesus’ adversaries (26:63; 27:40, 43). In Jewish tradition it often referred to Israel’s king (see 2 Sam 7:14–16; Ps 2:6–9), as did “Son of David.” Both the disciples (Matt 14:33; 16:16) and the confessing Roman soldiers (27:54) utter this title by a revelation from God (16:17). Eventually the entire church, Jew and Gentile alike, will acknowledge Jesus as the Son of God, although here the title’s significance extends beyond the original notions of kingship/messiahship to focus on Jesus’ unique relationship with God the Father. The title “beloved Son” (“my Son, the Beloved”) appears in contexts where Jesus is completely obedient to his Father’s will (3:15–17; 17:5); the same may also be said of “Son of God” in certain passages (4:3–10; 27:54). Because of Jesus’ special relationship to God, he can address God as “my Father” (10:32–33; 12:50; 16:17). Disciples may also relate to God as “father” (5:16, 45, 48) when they become “children of God” (5:9, 45).
Puskas, C. B., & Crump, D. (2008). An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts (p. 95). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company.
Puskas, C. B., & Crump, D. (2008). An Introduction to the Gospels and Acts (pp. 94–95). Grand Rapids, MI; Cambridge, U.K.: William B. Eerdmans Publishing Company..
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 423). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 423). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 423). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
Knowles, A. (2001). The Bible guide (1st Augsburg books ed., p. 423). Minneapolis, MN: Augsburg.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 14:34–36). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 14:22–33). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 14:13–21). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
The Holy Bible: English Standard Version. (2016). (Mt 14:1–12). Wheaton: Standard Bible Society.
HAVE A SAFE AND BLESSED WEEK:)
Ho'omaikaʻi ka Pua iā kākou