2 Corinthians (Program #15) – The Ministers of the New Covenant (7b)

All genuine believers in Christ know that an essential of the Christians faith is that Christ our Savior is sinless. In fact the Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians that He did not know sin. Yet the very same verse tells us that this One that did not know sin, was made sin. Here is chapter 5:

21 “Him who did not know sin He made sin on our behalf that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

What mysterious, marvelous language. He, Who did not know sin, was made sin on our behalf. We, who believed treasure the fact that He died for our sins. Yet do we really have the proper understanding, a proper appreciation of the fact that according to God’s word that He was made sin on our behalf?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

2 Corinthians (Program #6) – The Ministry of the New Covenant (2)

Metaphors play an important role in Scripture. Webster says a metaphor is the use of one set of words to describe or illustrate a similar point.

John uses the technique when he speaks of Jesus approaching him in the gospel. “Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world.” Surely he wasn’t saying that Jesus was a literal “lamb”. But the metaphor or picture gives us a much richer and clearer understanding.

The apostle Paul was also very fond of metaphors, particularly when conveying his deepest thoughts in teachings. We see it used intensively in 2 Corinthians. For example in 2 Corinthians chapter 2:14 he says “But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in the Christ”  Here, the metaphor is the triumphant possession of captured and vanquished folks after a Roman battle. And Paul says that we, the believers had become such vanquished ones in the train of the victorious Christ.

Now, we come to another marvelous metaphor in the very next chapter, chapter 3 of 2 Corinthians begins this way:

1-3 “Are we beginning again to commend ourselves? Or do we need, as some do, letters of commendation to you or from you? You are our letter, inscribed in our hearts, known and read by all men, Since you are being manifested that you are a letter of Christ ministered by us, inscribed not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tablets of stone but in tablets of hearts of flesh.”

Living letters of Christ. This is our topic today.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

1 Corinthians (Program #45) – Dealing with the Gifts (1)

To our natural understanding the structure of a book like 1 Corinthians may seem random and really lacking any particular significance. But if we realize that the book is specifically arranged with the last half of the book focused on how God is administrating the entire universe for the accomplishment of His eternal purpose, we will have a key to open a much deeper understanding and appreciation of this portion of Scripture. It’s particularly important to use this key when we come to the matter of the gifts of the spirit in 1 Corinthians chapter twelve.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #154) – The Ingredients of the Compound Spirit Typified by the Compounded Ointment

At the time of the New Testament, there were many teachings regarding Christ.  Was He God or just a man?  Or was He a God-man, possessing both divinity and humanity?  The speculations then were not that different than they are today.   How can we be sure that we are not being led astray in our understanding and knowing the truth?   Well 1 John in the New Testament gives us the key and Exodus chapter 30 gives us the picture of the very Christ as God intends us to know Him.  You won’t want to miss today’s life study of the Bible.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #150) – The Holy Anointing Oil (2) Materials, Spices and Function

Of the three of the Godhead or Trinity, surely the Spirit is the most difficult to understand.  We can easily relate to God the Father and we appreciate Christ the Son is our Redeemer and Savior.  But how do we understand and apply the Spirit?  We get some real help on this crucial need of all believers on today’s life study of the Bible.

The matter of the Spirit is one of the great mysteries in the Bible.  The evidence of that must be the wide diversity of teaching and understanding that exists among God’s people today regarding the Spirit.  Why is it that we believe that this revelation of the holy anointing oil form Exodus 30 can be invaluable for all God’s people in gaining both an understanding and may be more important, an application of the Spirit?

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS