2 Corinthians (Program #22) – Transformed into the Image of the Lord by Beholding and Reflecting (1)

The teachings of Confucius, the great Chinese philosopher were quite outstanding in their moral and ethical standard. In fact many early missionaries in China commented that the teachings of Confucius were just like the teachings of the Bible. But to compare the Bible to the writings of Confucius or any other philosophical or religious writings is like comparing gold to brass or copper.

All the philosophy or religious teachings can do is to improve our human behavior. But the intrinsic focus of the Bible is not about modifying our behavior is about transforming us gradually into the image of Christ.  2 Corinthians chapter 3:18 says it,

“But we all with unveiled face, beholding and reflecting like a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory, even as from the Lord Spirit.”

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Exodus (Program #172) – The Making of the Tabernacle with Its Furniture and the Garments for the Priests

When the children of Israel were escaping Egypt, the Lord granted them favor and allowed them to take much gold, silver and other precious materials with them.  Later they used that gold to make an idol, offending God to the uttermost.  But after being reconciled to Him they were able to offer this gold once again.  This time for the building of God’s House.  This brought in God’s full blessing.  This is a wonderful lesson for us today.

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Exodus (Program #145) – The Propitiation Silver (1) Formation of an Army, Military Censors, God’s Move

Precious minerals and metals have deep meaning in Scripture.  Gold points us to the holy nature of God Himself and bronze or brass typifies His righteous judgment.  Silver is also a clear type of the redeeming Christ, our Savior.  But the silver is not only meaningful for our initial redemption, it also typifies the very Christ that we experienced and then can offer to God for His satisfaction.  We will see more on today’s life study of the Bible.

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1 Corinthians (Program #24) – Transformation for the Building

In the New Testament book of 1 Corinthians we are told specifically and clearly that every believer during the course of their days on the earth is engaged in a building work.

How we build, what we build and what we build with are the crucial questions that we all must explore during our course of days on this earth.

1 Corinthians 3 tells us very clearly, ” ……let each man take heed how he builds upon it. For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, The work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one’s work, of what sort it is.”

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1 Corinthians (Program #21) – The Building Work with Natural Materials

In the realm of Christian service and ministry many things are done in the name of Christian work.  But 1 Corinthians 3 is a key chapter that points out absolutely clearly that the unique work all of us as the believers should be engaged in is a building work.  Verse 11 and 12 in this chapter say it:

“For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, “

Two categories of materials. And the first category, the materials are mineral, very precious and enduring gold, silver and precious stones.  In the second category however the materials are all perishable and natural  wood, grass and stubble.  The significant of these two categories becomes very relevant for us and the Christian work in the very next verses.

“The work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire, and the fire itself will prove each one’s work, of what sort it is. If anyone’s work which he has built upon the foundation remains, he will receive a reward;  If anyone’s work is consumed, he will suffer loss, but he himself will be saved, yet so as through fire. “

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1 Corinthians (Program #20) – The Building Work with Transformed Materials (1)

The goal of the Christian life is not merely to live a proper and upright life, died and then go to heaven. The goal as presented in 1 Corinthians has to do with being built up into a spiritual building that ultimately becomes God’s dwelling place on earth with His people. In short this building is the church becoming the real temple of God on earth.

What a high calling, our real work in the Christian life is a building work.  And to this end Paul instructed the Corinthians believers and us in chapter three of 1 Corinthians :

“For we are God’s fellow workers; you are God’s cultivated land, God’s building. According to the grace of God given to me, as a wise master builder I have laid a foundation, and another builds upon it. But let each man take heed how he builds upon it. For another foundation no one is able to lay besides that which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. But if anyone builds upon the foundation gold, silver, precious stones, wood, grass, stubble, the work of each will become manifest; for the day will declare it, because it is revealed by fire. ”

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1 Corinthians (Program #16) – The Church, God’s Farm, God’s Building (1)

The first two chapters of Paul’s first letter to the Corinthians are very rich in their presentation of Christ. Paul clearly was doing all he could to bring the troubled Corinthians to Christ in their experience.

But in Chapter three Paul turns his focus to the church. Though not in shallow or superficial language rather he speaks in marvelous profound expressions referring to the church in types.  First as a farm growing, producing a rich crop. Then as a building and ultimately as a temple, a divine dwelling place, build out of priceless materials such as gold, silver and precious stones. Of course these materials are not literally either but types of the transformation work that the Holy Spirit is engaged in with all of us, God’s redeemed.

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Exodus (Program #86) – The Ark of the Testimony (3)

After giving Moses the ten commandments, Jehovah God continued to unveil the details and plan for the tabernacle.  In the center of the tabernacle was the ark, the preeminent piece of all the items in the tabernacle.  Over the place of the ark was placed a cover or a lid.  This very spot was to become the place, the unique place where God would meet and speak with man.  What does this cover represent today?  This holy spot, the propitiation cover is the focus of our life study today.

We are exploring the furniture in the tabernacle that God instructed Moses and the children of Israel to build.  In the center of the tabernacle was this most important of all the items and that was the Ark of the Testimony.  The Ark, simply speaking was a box, made of wood and overlay with gold.  Why are the wood and the gold significant as we look at the Ark?

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Ezekiel (Program #4) – The Four Living Creatures

Ezekiel is a book of figures or pictures that portrays spiritual things. For example in the beginning of the book, in the first 4 verses it says, “The word of Jehovah came expressly to Ezekiel the priest…And I looked, and there came a storm wind from the north, a great cloud and a fire flashing incessantly; and there was a brightness around it, and from the midst of it, there was something like the sight of electrum, from the midst of the fire.” These four items, the wind, the cloud, the fire and the electrum actually depict various aspects of how we experience God. God is like a wind to us, He overshadows and broods over us like a cloud; At times He’s a burning refining fire to purify us; and He’s also like a shining glowing electrum of gold and silver depicting His divine nature and Christ’s redemption. But if we genuinely experience God in these aspects, it will also produce something which we also come to today in verse 5, “And from the midst of it there came a likeness of four living creatures. And this was their appearance: They had the likeness of a man.”

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1 Peter (Program #5) – The Full Salvation of the Triune God and Its Issues (3)

In his first epistle, the apostle Peter compared the testing or proving of our faith with the refining process that purifies gold.   Gold, precious and valuable as it is,  is still a perishable commodity.  Yet our faith must stand the test even of eternity.  Surely if something temporary such as gold must pass through the fire of refinement, our faith which is a far more precious possession must also be tested, refined, purified and proved.

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