You are My God – I Cannot Be My Own Master: Augustine on Psalm 143

[In the February 21 sermon on Psalms 142 and 143, I quoted from Augustine’s commentary on 143:10. As mentioned in a December blog post, we do well to interact with believers who are not our contemporaries, for they will often see in Scripture what we miss. I commend to you, therefore, these excerpts from Augustine’s comments on Psalm 143:5-11, based on this 19th century English translation. I have made some edits, updating the verb forms, generally replacing the cited Scriptures with the ESV, adding Scripture references, and clarifying some sentences. So I pray that you may profit from this 1600-year-old exposition! – Coty]

[Verse 5] In all the works of God then, and in meditation on all the works of God, [David] introduces grace, he commends grace, he boasts that he has found grace, the grace whereby we are saved without price…. Why do you boast of your own righteousness? Why lift yourself up, being ignorant of the righteousness of God? Because you contributed to your salvation? What did you contribute to being made a man? Look back then upon the Framer of your life, the Author of your substance, of your righteousness, and of your salvation: meditate upon the works of His hands, for even the righteousness in you, you will find, is the work of His hands [Ephesians 2:9-10]…. Turn from your own work, to His work Who made you; He fashioned you, and let Him refashion what He fashioned and you destroyed. For you exist because He made you; you are good – if you are – because He made you good.…

[Verse 6] And what did I do when I saw that every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and comes down from the Father of lights, with Whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning [James 1:17]? When I saw this, I turned from the evil work which I had wrought in myself, and I stretched forth my hands unto You…. Indeed, my soul is as a land without water to You. Rain upon me to bring forth from me good fruit…. I can thirst for You; I cannot water myself. My soul thirsts for the living God. When shall I come to Him [Psalm 42:2], save when He has come to me?

[Verse 7a] “Answer me quickly, O Lord!” For what need of delay to inflame my thirst, when already I thirst so eagerly? You delayed the rain, that I might drink Your flow. If then You delayed for this cause, now give, for my soul is as a land without water to You…. Let Your Spirit fill me, for my spirit has failed me. This is the reason why You should quickly hear me…. I am now poor in spirit; make me blessed in the kingdom of heaven [Matthew 5:3]…. But quickly hear me, O God, rain on me, strengthen me, that I be not dust which the wind drives away from the face of the earth [Psalm 1:4]. Quickly hear me, O God; my spirit has failed: let not my need suffer longer delay…. “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” [2 Corinthians 5:17]. Old things pass away in our own spirit, they are made new in Your Spirit.

[Verse 7b] “Hide not Your face from me.” You hid it from me when I was proud. For once I was full, and in my fulness I was puffed up. Once in my fulness I said, … “I shall not be moved.” I knew not Your Righteousness, and tried to establish my own; … but from You came whatever fulness I had. And to prove to me that it was from You, You hid Your Face from me, and I was troubled. After this trouble, … then I became like a land without water to You: hide not Your Face! … Hide not Your Face from me, because, if You hide it, I shall “be like them that go down into the pit.” What does “go down into the pit” mean? … He no longer believes in Providence, or if he does believe, he thinks that he has no longer anything to do with it. He sets before himself license to sin, the reins of iniquity being let loose now that he has no hope of pardon. He does not confess his sin…. “Hide not Your face from me or I shall be like them that go down into the pit.”

[Verse 8a] “Let me hear in the morning of Your steadfast love, for in you I trust.” Behold, I am in the night, yet I have trusted in You, until the iniquity of the night passes away. For we have, as Peter says, “the prophetic word more fully confirmed, to which you will do well to pay attention as to a lamp shining in a dark place, until the day dawns and the morning star rises in your hearts” [2 Peter 1:19]. He calls “morning” the time after the end of the world…. “If we hope for what we do not see, we wait for it with patience [Romans 8:25] The night requires patience, the day will give joy.

[Verse 8b] But what do we do until the morning comes? For it is not enough to hope for the morning; we must … seek Him…. Since then we must thus hope for the morning, and bear this night, and persevere in this patience until the day dawn, what meanwhile must we do here? So that you will not think you should do anything of yourself to earn your being brought to the morning, he says, “Make me know the way I should go.” That is why God lit the lamp of prophecy, that is why He sent Jesus in the vessel, as it were, of the flesh…. Walk by prophecy, … walk by the word of God. As yet you do not see the Word as He was in the beginning, God with God [John 1:1]: walk by the Form of [the Word as] a servant, and you shall be conformed to the Form of God. “For to You I lift unto up my soul.” I have lifted it up to You, not against You. With You is the Fountain of life: to You have I lifted up my soul. I have brought my soul as a vessel to the Fountain: fill me, therefore, for unto You have I lifted up my soul.

[Verse 9] “Deliver me from my enemies, O Lord, for I have fled for refuge to You.” I who once fled from You, now flee to You…. I think not here of human enemies. We wrestle not against flesh and blood. But against whom?… The rulers of this world, of this darkness, the rulers of the wicked [Ephesians 6:12]; against these you wrestle. Great is your conflict, not to see your enemies, and yet to conquer. Against the rulers of this world, of this darkness, the devil, that is, and his angels….

[Verse 10a] “Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.” Glorious confession! glorious rule! “For You are my God.” To another I would hasten to be re-made, if by another I was made. You are my all, for You are my God. Shall I seek a father to get an inheritance? You are my God, not only the Giver of my inheritance, but my Inheritance itself [Psalm 142:5]…. Shall I seek a patron, to obtain redemption? You are my God. Lastly, having been created, do I desire to be re-created? You are my God, my Creator, Who created me by Your Word, and re-created me by Your Word. But You created me by Your Word [the Son], Who was with You: You re-created me by Your Word, made Flesh for our sakes. Teach me then to do Your will, for You are my God. If You do not teach, I shall do my own will, and my God will abandon me. Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God. Teach me: for it cannot be that You are my God, and yet I am to be my own master. See how grace is commended to us. This hold fast, this drink in, this let none drive out of your hearts, lest you have a zeal for God, but not according to knowledge [Romans 10:2]; lest, being ignorant of the righteousness of God, and going about to establish your own righteousness, you submit not yourselves to the righteousness of God [Romans 10:3]….

[Verse 10b-11] Your good Spirit, not my bad one, … shall lead me into the right land. For my bad spirit has led me into a crooked land. And what have I deserved? What can be reckoned as my good works without Your aid, through which I might … be worthy to be led by Your Spirit into the right land? What are my works? … Listen, then, with all your power, to the commendation of Grace, whereby you are saved without price. “For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, You shall make me live.” You shall make me live. “Not to us, O LORD, not to us, but to your name give glory” [Psalm 115:1]. “For Your Name’s sake, O Lord, You shall make me live in Your righteousness;” not in my own righteousness. Not because I have deserved to live, but because You have mercy. For I deserve nothing of you except punishment. You have pruned from me my own merits; You have grafted in Your own gifts.

Gospel Resolutions for the New Year

The year 2022 will soon exit stage right, and the year 2023 will make its grand entrance and take center stage. Time indeed marches on. And with this inevitable transition also comes the equally inevitable, and infamous, “New Year’s resolution.” Undoubtedly, we will soon be inundated with a deluge of suggested New Year’s resolutions whether we like it or not. In fact, just a quick Google search has already revealed the likes of “40+ New Year’s resolution ideas to help you achieve…”; “23 New Year’s Resolutions for 2023”; “55 Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas for 2023”; “50 Best New Year’s Resolution Ideas to Start 2023 off Right”; “27 New Year’s Resolutions…”; “72 Ultimate Best List…” — the lists go on and on. And apparently there is no consensus as to how many “resolutions” should be suggested. With all the noise, we as Christians might wonder what we should think about making resolutions.

In one of his “Look at the Book” passage studies at DesiringGod.org, John Piper digs into 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 to ask this question, “Should Christians make resolutions?” I’ll sum up his study here. But first, the passage reads:

2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 — 11 To this end we always pray for you, that our God may make you worthy of his calling and may fulfill every resolve for good and every work of faith by his power, 12 so that the name of our Lord Jesus may be glorified in you, and you in him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Based on 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12, Piper answers the question of whether or not we as Christians should make resolutions with a resounding “YES!” And, Piper unpacks this passage in order to show how Christians should go about making those resolutions. First, when we make (what I will call) gospel resolutions to do good, we do so from a posture of faith. We recognize, as Piper points out, that we are fully and prayerfully dependent on God to fulfill our gospel resolves by turning them into works of faith. This is what Paul prays here. Paul prays that God would “make” the Thessalonians “worthy” of God’s calling. Piper equates “make worthy” to “walk(ing) in a manner worthy of the calling” in Ephesians 4:1. Piper helps us avoid a legalistic landmine here by observing that “worth,” is not a testament to our worthiness based on performance. Rather, it is a testament to the worth of the calling. In Piper’s words, “To be worthy of a high calling is to walk in a way that calls attention to the worth of the calling.”[1] So, when God ultimately does fulfill our gospel resolve for good and produces a work of faith, Christ is glorified in us, and we are glorified in him (v. 12). In short, Piper distills the how of making gospel resolutions in this way:

When we make resolutions, we make them (1) “by God’s grace”; (2) “through faith in God’s power”; and (3) “for God’s glory”.[2]

Amen! Now, I would like to dig a little deeper. As Piper points out, at the bottom of all of our gospel resolve for good is the grace of God. And this grace is yours because of God’s resolve. That is, ultimately, our gospel resolves to do good and our works of faith can be traced back to God. All of our gospel resolves to do good and all of our good works do not originate with us. Rather, they were first forged in furnace of God’s gracious resolve to do good to us. But don’t take my word for it.

One of richest passages of Scripture regarding our salvation is Ephesians 1:3–14. Here, Paul sweeps the reader up into his worship of God by heralding the glories of God’s sovereign plan of salvation. The passage is dense. Indeed, in the original Greek, it’s actually one long sentence. Paul waxes eloquent the glories of God and riches of salvation in Christ. There’s certainly much to tease out. But, if you were to put your finger on the pulse of Paul’s praise, it would likely beat to the rhythm of this declaration:

“4…In love 5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ…6 to the praise of his glorious grace, with which he has blessed us in the Beloved. 7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us…” (Ephesians 1:4–5, 7–8).

Notice, I left out a portion of v. 5. What does that bit read? Do you recall? Verse 5 in full states, “5 he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will”. Consider the word “purpose”. This is the same word that Paul uses in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12 that we translate “resolve”. It’s the Greek noun εὐδοκία (eudokia). It conveys the idea of good will, good pleasure, desire, and/or satisfaction. That is, it was God’s good pleasure, his desire, to do good to you by making you his son or daughter through Jesus Christ. Or, to say it another way — taking our cue from 2 Thessalonians 1:11 —, it was God’s resolve to save you. And what did God save you for? Well according to Scripture, he saved you in part for good works.

Paul declares in Ephesians 2:10,

10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should walk in them (Ephesians 2:10).

Gospel salvation translates into gospel works. And just like our salvation, God has prepared — before the foundations of the world —good works for each of us to walk in. Remember Paul’s prayer in 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12. His prayer was that God would make the Thessalonians worthy of their calling. That is, Paul prayed that Christians would walk in a manner worthy of the gospel (Ephesians 4:1). God does this by fulfilling our every resolve for good by turning them into good works of faith that he prepared beforehand. Christians make gospel resolutions to do works of faith because this is what God predestined us to do. To not resolve to do good is to go against our very nature. God resolved to save us for good works; therefore, we in faith resolve to do those good works with full confidence that he will bring those good works to fruition.

So, 2023 approaches steadily and somewhat rapidly, whether we are ready for it or not. New Year’s resolutions abound, and as Christians, yes, we can and should make resolutions as well — and not just in honor of the new year. We should always be making resolutions. But let us make gospel resolutions. So, as we step into this new year, let us resolve to do good works of faith. And rest assured, Christian, that God already has good works for you to do. Thus, through your faith in Christ, God will birth gospel resolves in your heart this year. And, God will fulfill those gospel resolutions, by turning them into those works of faith he has prepared in advance. So enter 2023 full of confidence not in your ability to do good works, but in his power to fulfill your every resolve. Resolve to do good works because he first resolved to save you for good works.

[1] John Piper, “New Year’s Resolutions: 2 Thessalonians 1:11–12,” Look at the Book, https://www.desiringgod.org/labs/new-years-resolutions.

[2] John Piper, “New Year’s Resolutions.”

Draw Near to God Part II

[I derived portions of this post from two past sermons I have preached on Hebrews 4:14–16 and Hebrews 10:11–23 as well as from a past article I wrote. This post is the second in a two-part series. You can read the first article, “Draw Near to God Part I”, here. For context, I have kept a large portion of the introduction to Part I here.]

A few weeks ago I preached on Mark 1:1–13. I pointed out that Mark uses the same language at the beginning of the book at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:10–11) as he does at the end of the book at Jesus’ death on the cross (Mark 15:37–39). They each read:

Mark 1:10–11—10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

Mark 15:37–39—37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

I observed that Mark frames Jesus’ earthly ministry with proclamations of his identity as the Son of God paired with the tearing open of the heavens and the temple curtain. He does this in order to point us to this reality—Jesus secures access to the Father.[1] Here, I hope to take a deeper dive into what exactly that means for you if indeed your life is hidden in Christ. To do that, I turn to the book of Hebrews.

 

Drawing Near to God in Hebrews

The book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to exhort Christians to draw near to God. Along with many great promises, Hebrews highlights two foundational reasons for us to draw near to God: (1) Jesus is our great high priest, and (2) Jesus is the perfect offering for sins. These two realities go hand-in-hand. In Part I of this two-part post, we dived deeply into the reality of Jesus as our great high priest. We noted that in the midst of sin, we are often tempted to unbelief in Jesus’ high priestly ministry; therefore, we often hesitate to draw near to God in repentance. Rather, we linger in a sinful sense of guilt and shame. But Heb 4:14–16 reveals that because of Jesus’ high priestly ministry we are welcomed with open arms into God’s presence and should draw near to him confidently. But Hebrews doesn’t stop there. It continues to pile on the reasons for why we should confidently draw near to God even in the day of our sin. Here in Part II we turn our attention to Jesus, the perfect offering for sins and how that too bolsters our confidence to draw near to God in repentance.

 

Jesus our Offering for Sins

Hebrews 10:19–22—19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

Here, Hebrews 10:19 proclaims that “we have confidence to enter the holy places.” Therefore, Heb 10:22 exhorts us to “draw near.” The reason for our confidence is twofold. First, we are confident “since we have a great high priest over the house of God,” which we unpacked in Part I. The other reason for our confidence?—the blood of Jesus: “we have confidence to enter the holy places, by the blood of Jesus” (Heb 10:19). The author of Hebrews binds up our confidence to draw near to God with Jesus’ sacrificial offering for sins on the cross. He sharpens his point by comparing Jesus’ offering for sins to the sin offerings under the Old Covenant. In doing so he shows the vast superiority and completeness of Jesus’ offering for sins. Consider a few verses just prior to vv. 19–22.

 

Our Perfect Offering for Sins

Hebrews 10:11–14—11 And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.

For we as Christians, to not draw near to God in repentance because of a particular sin or sins is to effectively say that Jesus’ sacrifice is not enough, whether we realizes it or not. The author of Hebrews recognizes our proneness, even as believers, to unbelief. Therefore he offers us a glorious reminder of the reality of Jesus’ offering for sins so that we might never minimize its effectiveness. Here, Hebrews 10:11–14 compares the sin offerings of priests under the Old Covenant to that of Jesus’ sin offering of himself in order to show the superiority of Jesus’ offering. Notice the details of Old Covenant priests’ sacrificial work:

      • Every priest
      • Every priest has stood daily
      • Every priest repeatedly offers
      • Every priest repeatedly offers the same sacrifices
      • Every priest repeatedly offers the same sacrifices, which can never remove sins

Before Jesus, every priest under the Old Covenant had to repeatedly offer sacrifices for sins every single day, hence their daily standing (Heb 10:11). Furthermore, these sacrifices could not even take away sins! (Heb 10:11). But the one great high priest, Jesus, when he “offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God” (Heb 10:12). After his sacrifice, Jesus’ sacrificial work was done, having sealed his victory (Heb 10:13). Where Old Covenant offerings could not take away sins, Jesus’ offering did away with sins forever and established the New Covenant in his blood (Heb 10:16–17; Jer 31:33–34). Indeed, “by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified” (Heb 10:14). The message is clear,  by his perfect offering for sins, Jesus perfects his people.

 

Access Secured

Hebrews 10:19–22—19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.

So we turn our attention back to Hebrews 10:19–22. All of the details regarding Jesus’ perfect offering perfecting his people are packed into this one phrase, “by the blood of Jesus.” It’s Jesus’ blood alone that is our confidence to draw near to God. When the blood and water poured from Jesus’ side (John 19:34), “our hearts [were] sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies [were] washed with pure water” (Heb 10:22). An “evil conscience” is the equivalent of “an evil, unbelieving heart” (Heb 3:12). The very unbelief, then, that would tempt us to not draw near to God is what Jesus struck down when he died on the cross. Thus, because of this perfectly purifying work of Jesus’ perfect offering for sins on the cross, we have “full assurance” (Heb 10:22) to draw near to God, just as the author of Hebrews exhorts. And, by the same sacrifice, Jesus also made the way into God’s presence. Jesus opened what Hebrews 10:20 calls “the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh.” This should bring to mind Jesus’ crucifixion in Mark 15:37–39, referenced above. There, at his death on the cross, the curtain of the temple tore—a divine sign that complete access into God’s presence had been granted through Jesus’ bodily death. So, Jesus’ perfect offering for sins perfected us for God’s presence and opened for us a way into God’s presence. This is why you should confidently draw near to God. Even in the day of your sin you should confidently draw near to God. Even in the day of that one particular sin that seems to continually plague and beset you—draw near to God confidently, because your sin and this purpose, your drawing near to God, are the very reasons Jesus offered the perfect sin offering, his life.

 

Jesus our Great High Priest and our Perfect Offering for Sins

Jesus’ dual role as the great high priest of our faith and the perfect offering for our sins clears the path for us as Christians to fly to God in repentance, not away from him in shame. Take encouragement in this, brothers and sisters. And when you find yourself weary in your continuing battle with the flesh, don’t pick up again that old helmet of unbelief. Instead, remember to don your helmet of salvation—salvation won for you by Jesus our great high priest and our perfect sin offering—and continue to fight. And, fly back to the throne of grace, where you are always welcome with open arms, and where Jesus sits ready to pour upon you mercy and grace to help in time of need (Heb 4:16).

Draw Near To God Part I

[I derived portions of this post from two past sermons I have preached on Hebrews 4:14–16 and Hebrews 10:11–23. This post will be the first in a two-part series.]

 

A few weeks ago I preached on Mark 1:1–13. I pointed out that Mark uses the same language at the beginning of the book at Jesus’ baptism (Mark 1:10–11) as he does at the end of the book at Jesus’ death on the cross (Mark 15:37–39). They each read:

 Mark 1:10–11—10 And when he came up out of the water, immediately he saw the heavens being torn open and the Spirit descending on him like a dove. 11 And a voice came from heaven, “You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.

Mark 15:37–39—37 And Jesus uttered a loud cry and breathed his last. 38 And the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom. 39 And when the centurion, who stood facing him, saw that in this way he breathed his last, he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”

I observed that Mark frames Jesus’ earthly ministry with proclamations of his identity as the Son of God paired with the tearing open of the heavens and the temple curtain. He does this in order to point us to this reality—Jesus secures access to the Father.[1] Here, I hope to take a deeper dive into what exactly that means for you if indeed your life is hidden in Christ. To do that, I turn to the book of Hebrews.

 

Drawing Near to God in Hebrews

The book of Hebrews goes to great lengths to exhort Christians to draw near to God. Along with many great promises, Hebrews highlights two foundational reasons for us to draw near to God: (1) Jesus is our great high priest, and (2) Jesus is the perfect offering for sins. These two realities go hand-in-hand. Here we will consider Jesus as our great high priest. In a forthcoming post, we will consider Jesus as our perfect sin offering.

 

Jesus our Great High Priest

Hebrews 4:14–16—14 Since then we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus, the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. 16 Let us then with confidence draw near to the throne of grace, that we may receive mercy and find grace to help in time of need.

In light of this passage and the reality that God is the source of our life and joy, the natural question is, “Why does Scripture need to exhort us as Christians to draw near to God?” The short answer is, (1) we still sin, and (2) we are prone to unbelief. Thus, in response to a particular sin or sinful moment, the sin of unbelief tempts us to not trust in the work of Jesus. Therefore, we do not draw near to God in repentance. Rather, we often linger just outside the throne room of grace choosing to stay in our sense of guilt. This passage, though, gives us astounding reasons to not hesitate but to instead make a confident mad dash to our heavenly Father, even in the day of our sin. And these reasons find their footing in Jesus as our great high priest.

According to Hebrews 4:14–16, we should draw near to God because of two amazing realities: (1) Jesus is our great high priest, who has passed through the heavens, and (2) Jesus is our sympathetic high priest. Let’s consider these in turn.

 

Our Great High Priest Who Has Passed through the Heavens

First, Hebrews 4:14 encourages us to hold fast to our confession and draw near to God, because we have a great high priest, God’s own Son, who has passed through the heavens. In order to better understand the significance of Jesus’ high priestly ministry and his passing through the heavens, it is helpful to consider the Old Testament (OT) office of high priest that anticipated him. Thankfully, Hebrews gives us help here.

Recall, the location and length of the OT high priest’s work. He made atonement for the people in the tabernacle or temple. Specifically, he entered into the most holy place, behind the curtain where the ark of the covenant and God’s presence rested. He entered here only once a year (Lev 16:15–19; Heb 9:7). Furthermore, the ministry of each OT high priest only lasted as long as he lived. It was not permanent because he eventually died. Hebrews makes clear, as we will see below, that this location of ministry and this length of ministry were limiting factors with regard to atonement. The work of OT high priests was never going to solve man’s sin problem. The weight of man’s sin against an infinitely holy God demanded eternal priestly work in heaven itself, a place only one of divine nature could enter.

Unlike the OT priests, Jesus passed through the heavens (4:14). That is, in love, God sent Jesus, his Son, to earth in order to die, rise from the dead, and ascend beyond the heavens back into eternity. And Jesus did ascend, passing through the heavens. And he entered into the very throne room of God. And there he lives forever to make intercession for you! Only Jesus the high priest, as fully God and fully man, could enter into God’s presence to minister forever on behalf of men. Hebrews strikes this glorious chord of God’s salvation plan over and over.

Hebrews 7:24–25—24 but he holds his priesthood permanently, because he continues forever. 25 Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them.

Hebrews 8:1–2—1 Now the point in what we are saying is this: we have such a high priest, one who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, 2 a minister in the holy places, in the true tent that the Lord set up, not man.

 Hebrews 9:24—For Christ has entered, not into holy places made with hands, which are copies of the true things, but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God on our behalf.

Therefore, we can confidently draw near to God, into his very throne room, because Jesus, the Son of God, our eternal great high priest has gone in before us on our behalf.

 

Our Sympathetic Great High Priest

Second, Hebrews 4:15 encourages us to draw near to God, because we have a sympathetic high priest in Jesus. Again, Hebrews reminds us of the nature of OT high priests so that we can appreciate Jesus’ priestly ministry all the more.

The OT high priest was able to “deal gently with the ignorant and wayward” because of his own human nature and weakness (Heb 5:2). Now, we might be tempted to think that because Jesus never sinned, he could never relate to or understand our struggles. However, it is precisely the opposite. Because Jesus never sinned, he understands our struggles more than any other high priest ever could. Consider an illustration, which I heard from a former pastor of mine.

Imagine you go to the local fair or circus. There you see a strong man performing great feats of strength. This strong man takes a sturdy metal bar in his mighty grip. And, using his great strength, he cranks down on the bar until it finally gives under the extreme pressure and bends. This same strong man then takes another metal bar in his hands. Again, he cranks down on the bar using just as much force as before. This time, however, the bar does not bend. So he regathers himself, mustering up every last ounce of strength he has, and he cranks on the bar with greater and greater force. Still, the bar does not bend.

So now, I pose to you the same question my former pastor posed: Which bar endured the most force? Well the answer is obvious, isn’t it? The bar that never bent endured the most force. What’s the point? Well, we, of course, are the bar that bends. When temptation applies enough force on us, we give in to the pressure and sin. Often this does not require much force at all. However, Jesus is the bar that never bent. Because he never sinned, Jesus endured infinitely more pressure from temptation than you or I ever have or ever could. Therefore, Jesus is more intimately acquainted with temptation than any man before or after. Thus, Jesus understands you and sympathizes with you more infinitely and more intimately than you could ever imagine. This is Jesus’ disposition toward sinners. He is sympathetic, understanding, and welcoming.

We can confidently draw near to God, into his very throne room, because Jesus, our sympathetic high priest intercedes for sinners based on his sinless life.

 

Access Secured

Just as we saw in Mark’s gospel, Jesus our great high priest has opened the curtain to heaven’s mercy seat for us. Notice the purpose of our drawing near in Hebrews 4:14–16. We draw near in order to receive mercy and find grace to help in a time of need. When are we ever in greater need of help than in a moment of sin? Answer: Never. And what awaits us if we will but draw near to God? Answer: The very grace and mercy we need. In Jesus our great high priest, we find abundant reasons to not linger outside the throne room. Just look through the torn opening into the heavenly throne room, as Hebrews 4:14–16 invites us to. What do we see? There we see Jesus, our eternal, sympathetic high priest, sent for us by God, interceding on our behalf. And suddenly, our breath catches in our chest as he turns to look at us with a smile. And we hear an unbelievable, heavenly invitation ring out from the throne of our Triune God, who bids, “Why do you linger? Draw near. And come in boldly, my child. You are welcome here.” Let us heed these words joyfully, especially in the day of our sin.

[1] See Mark L. Strauss, Mark, ZECNT (Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2014), 72.

Be Confident Because of God’s Passion for His Glory

Is God’s passion for His glory an encouragement to you?

Scripture tells us again and again that God is determined to magnify His fame; all peoples must recognize His holy character. Isaiah 48:9-11 is particularly explicit:

“For my name’s sake I defer my anger; for the sake of my praise I restrain it for you, that I may not cut you off. Behold, I have refined you, but not as silver; I have tried you in the furnace of affliction. For my own sake, for my own sake, I do it, for how should my name be profaned? My glory I will not give to another.”

The New Testament is just as clear. We are to do good works for the glory of the Father (Matthew 5:16). Lazarus was sick and a man was born blind for the glory of God (John 11:4, 9:3). We could list a hundred other examples.

Upon seeing this truth, many become uneasy. For we do not like people who magnify their own glory. Such people are uncaring and inconsiderate, self-absorbed and self-promoting. Do we really want to follow a God like that?

The prophet Samuel helps us to see that we need not have such uneasiness. Indeed, God’s passion for His glory is the basis for our hope!

Recall the setting of 1 Samuel 12. No Israelite has served as king in the years after God brought His people out of Egypt. Instead, God Himself has been their king. Yet the people have asked God to make them like other nations, providing a king for them. God acquiesces; following God’s instruction, Samuel anoints Saul king. The prophet lets the people know, however, that their request is a rejection of God, and thus is sinful.

The people therefore ask:

“Pray for your servants to the LORD your God, that we may not die, for we have added to all our sins this evil, to ask for ourselves a king.” (1 Samuel 12:19)

Samuel responds:

“Do not be afraid; you have done all this evil. Yet do not turn aside from following the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart. And do not turn aside after empty things that cannot profit or deliver, for they are empty. For the LORD will not forsake his people, for his great name’s sake, because it has pleased the LORD to make you a people for himself.” (1 Samuel 12:20-22)

This expanded paraphrase attempts to highlight Samuel’s logic:

You indeed have sinned. You deserve God’s judgment; indeed you deserve His rejection. But remember how you became His people! He did not choose you because you were obedient or powerful; He made you His people because it pleased Him to do so. That has not changed! He promised that you are His – and He is faithful to His every promise, for He is passionate for His glory. He always acts consistently with His character, so that His glory might be displayed in all the earth. Therefore, acknowledge your sin – and then serve the LORD with all your heart! You belong to Him – so repent! Worship Him! Don’t turn away from Him, turning aside to other gods, or to anything else that you think might benefit you! None will! You belong to Him! In Him alone will you find joy and fulfillment and peace! So serve Him alone.

Friends, God’s reputation is all wrapped up with His forgiving and perfecting His people – that is, all who come to Him through Jesus. It is God’s good pleasure to act this way, and thus to display His mercy, grace, love, and justice to the entire created order. God’s passion for His glory is thus for our good, for our joy (unlike the passion of any human for his own glory).

So delight in the God-centeredness of God – particularly when you sin! He will never forsake His people, for His great name’s sake.

Grace Greater Than All Our Sins

[The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz (1905-1998) is a profound novel set in Sweden, describing how God brings to faith, sanctifies, and uses His servants. Written from a Lutheran perspective, the novel displays powerful insight into God’s work and His sovereign, loving care for His people.

In the first third of the novel, a young Lutheran curate, Savonius, serves as assistant to an elderly pastor and dean. This young man is much caught up with the world: he wants to impress the young women around him; he wants to dress well; he thinks he belongs in academia and not among the poor and unlearned. During a reception with prominent people – a reception that Savonius is much enjoying – the dean receives word that a dying man named Johannes needs a pastoral visit. Much to Savonius’ dismay, the dean tells him to leave the reception and minister to Johannes. In a powerful scene, Savonius is completely incapable of helping this man who is very conscious of his sinfulness and doubts his salvation. But a young woman comes, a strong believer, who speaks the Gospel to him. Savonius then administers the Lord’s Supper, and the dying man sees and accepts the grace of God. When Savonius departs, a peasant leaves a verse with him, Luke 22:32, Jesus’ words to Peter after prophesying his denials: “But I have prayed for you that your faith may not fail. And when you have turned again, strengthen your brothers.” The following excerpt contains Savonius’ response – Coty]

 

Two waves of feeling alternated within him. From one direction, came resentment. Did this peasant mean to imply that he was not converted? From the other came a mighty surge drowning every other feeling and filling his consciousness  to the brim. This was not the word of a man-it was the Word of God, a sternly clear statement about his condition.

Not converted, supported by the prayer of Another, and yet called to strengthen his brethren! He saw it with almost supernatural clarity, as from outside: he saw himself, slightly intoxicated, red garter rosettes at the knees, stepping into the carriage in the summer night with his head full of gavotte melodies and his heart of selfish concern for his own honor. He had not thought at all about the sick man; he had had no sympathy to spare for him, and much less, any thought for his salvation. He had completely forgotten him who had commissioned  him. But far beyond the pale sky of the summer night sat One enthroned who in limitless mercy had prayed for his unworthy servant, prayed that his wretched, bloodless faith might not die completely in the chill night air of raillery and jesting, but that it might be made to burn anew with a warm and living flame. He saw it all as a panorama: the forest road on which Henrik Samuel Savonius, God’s unworthy servant, was carried toward the abyss of humiliation, supported by the Savior’s intercession, himself forgetful of all that was holy, but remembered by the Holy One he had forgotten. And, in the same melancholy dimness, on another road that stretched before him like a white ribbon, he saw a lone woman, guided by that same great Mercy, rendering the service in which the incompetent servant of the Word had utterly failed. Unprofitable-but still not rejected. Had not God permitted  him to administer the Holy Sacrament with his unworthy hands? Had he not been allowed to turn the key that, by the authorization of the Savior, opened the gates of heaven? Had he not been privileged to be the celebrant at the heavenly joy feast at which Johannes on his death bed beheld the angels of God? And had not God now, to cap it all, sent him this message, so overwhelming in its undeserved and overflowing grace: “Strengthen thy brethren.” God wanted to use him after all!

He sank to his knees, rested his elbows on the rickety desk, and pressed his forehead against the knuckles of his folded hands.

“Lord, Lord, how canst Thou? Lord, is it thus Thou rewardest my transgressions? Dost Thou clothe me in grace because I have so deeply despised Thee? Lord, I am too insignificant. Lord, I am not fit. Thou knowest my pride. Thou knowest that I have wanted all the glory for myself. Thou knowest that I wanted to be seen and admired, but not to serve and bear Thy cross. Lord, have mercy upon me! If Thou still art not done with me, take me completely!”

He knelt in silence. He seemed to feel that his whole being flowed slowly into the hands of God, that he was lifted out of all the past and gradually poured into a new mold, a new life and a new will which took him in its strong grip. And when God took his soul in his hand, he felt the challenge, “Strengthen thy brethren,” as an all-constraining and dominating call.

“Dear Lord,” he murmured, “if Thou wilt use me, I will go at Thy bidding.”

Now he seemed to see before him the gray, malodorous crowd in homespun, these Swedish commoners, forsaken by their leaders, in danger of drinking themselves to death, and in their desperation being dished out a few miserable sermons, concocted of fine phrase…. It was to these he was now sent, and he would go forth in the power of God.

[From The Hammer of God by Bo Giertz (1941 in Swedish; English 1960, revised 2005. This edition © 2005 Augsberg Fortress. Link to Amazon page. By the way, God’s work is not done at this point: Savonius has several more failures ahead of him.]

 

Does God Reward Your Works?

[From a sermon preached by Edward Veal in 1675 on Psalm 62:12. You can read the entire sermon at this link.]

Learn to admire the grace of God in rewarding your works, It is much that he accepts them and what is it then, that he rewards them? It is much that he doth not damn you for them, seeing they are all defiled, and have something of sin cleaving to them; and what is it, then, that he crowns them? You would admire the bounty and munificence of a man that should give you a kingdom for taking up a straw at his toot, or give you a hundred thousand pounds for paying him a penny rent you owed him: how, then, should you adore the rich grace and transcendent bounty of God in so largely recompensing such mean services, in setting a crown of glory upon your heads, as the reward of those works which you can scarcely find in your hearts to call good ones! You will even blush one day to see yourselves so much honoured for what you are ashamed of, and are conscious to yourselves that you have deserved nothing by. You will wonder then to see God recompensing you for doing what was your duty to do, and what was his work in you; giving you grace, and crowning that grace; enabling you to do things acceptable to him, and then rewarding you as having done them.

Take heed therefore now of rivalling God’s grace, or Christ’s merits; of inverting his praises, and ascribing anything to yourselves which belongs only to him. Set the crown upon the right head; let him have the honour of the work that hath done it, the glory of your reward that hath purchased it. Say with yourselves, “What am I, and what are my services, that ever God should thus plentifully reward them? I never prayed but I sinned; never confessed sin, never begged pardon of it, [strove] against it, but I did at the same time commit it. I never heard a sermon, received a sacrament, did any good duty, but with some mixture of coldness, deadness, distractedness. I never had any grace but what God gave me, nor acted any but what he stirred up in me. All the good I ever had or did I received from him; and therefore I owe all to him. I am a thousand ways his debtor: — for my life and being, for the good things of this life, for the means and offer of eternal life, for the knowledge of his will, conviction of sin, restraint from sin, the change of my heart, the reformation of my ways, the graces of his Spirit, the privileges of his children conferred upon me. I am his debtor for all the evils he hath delivered me from, all the good he hath offered me, wrought in me, done by me. And doth God take so much notice of such poor things? Will he indeed reward such weak endeavours, such lame performances? Must I live in heaven, that never deserved to live on earth? Must I wear the crown of righteousness, who never deserved anything but the punishment of mine iniquities? Must eternal glory and honour be my portion, who have deserved nothing better than ‘shame’ and ‘everlasting contempt?’ (Dan. xii. 2.) I have nothing to boast of, nothing to glory in. I must cry, ‘ Grace, grace.’ (Zech. iv. 7.) All I have, and to eternity am to have, is grace. The foundation of my salvation was laid in grace; and so will the top-stone too. It was grace [that] sent Christ to redeem me and grace will send him at last fully to save me. I have received all from God; and therefore desire to return the praise of all to him: it is but just that all should be ascribed to him from whom all came.”

Sin and Confession

[This Sunday in our journey through the book of Psalms we reach the prayer of confession David prayed after committing both adultery and murder. We will only briefly review on Sunday the events leading up to this confession; here are edited excerpts from a sermon preached twenty years ago from that narrative. You can read the entire sermon – preached at the height of the Clinton-Lewinsky scandal – at this link. The four principles are taken from a sermon by Gary Vanderet – Coty]

The political leader of a great nation commits adultery and murder; an accuser then stands before him and confronts him with his sin. How does that political leader react? What insights does this give us into the nature of sin? We’ll learn four key principles about sin as we follow the story in 2 Samuel 11 and 12.

One clear night King David is out on the roof of his palace, looking down on his capital. He must be feeling some sense of pride and accomplishment when he notices a movement on another, lower roof. A lantern; water splashing. David peers and sees — a woman undressing, then bathing. He notices her great beauty.

Now, David already has multiple wives; if he simply wanted to engage in sexual relations, he had several women to choose from. But I suggest this was part of the problem, not part of the solution. Instead of following God’s intention that one man should be united in marriage with one woman in a one flesh relationship, David has followed the pattern of other prosperous men in the surrounding nations, indulging his sexual appetites by bringing attractive women into his harem. Indulgence inevitably leads not to satisfaction but to more and more indulgence.

So David figures this will be one more case of the same, one more beautiful woman for the harem. He inquires about her — but doesn’t get the answer he wants. He supposes this young woman to be unmarried, but not only is she married — her husband is one of David’s most loyal men, Uriah.

David now has a choice; either to commit adultery, explicitly breaking one of the Ten Commandments, and cuckolding one of his best friends — or to control himself. David chooses adultery.

Think about this: God uses David as a type of Christ, a foreshadowing of Jesus; God has called him a man after His own heart (1 Samuel 13:14). David himself has written “I delight to do your will, O my God; your law is within my heart” (Psalm 40:8). Yet David violates that very law, explicitly, knowingly. Why?

Here we come to our first principle: Sin always deceives. Sin always promises something it cannot deliver. When we hear such promises, we are tempted to give in, to accept the deception and justify our actions. David must have done that; he knows he is doing wrong, but he tries to justify himself, perhaps by saying

  • “It’s only one night — I can go back to delighting in God’s law tomorrow;” or,
  • “She’s willing — we’re just consenting adults;” or,
  • “No one is hurt by this; Uriah will never know; indeed, no one will ever know;” or,
  • “Think of all I’ve done for this country; surely I deserve this one little fling!”

Have you ever heard such temptations? Satan is the deceiver, a liar and the father of lies, and he uses similar lies with all of us. Satan presents sin to us as the way to life, the way to enjoyment, the way to fulfillment — when really it is the way to death and destruction. Satan persuades us that engaging in sin will fulfill our desires, when sin gives satisfaction only to our least important desires, and that only briefly, leaving us dying for true love, for true joy, and for true peace. Sin always deceives.

David and Bathsheba have their fling, and she returns home. Weeks pass. David doesn’t see her again, and figures it is all over. Then one day he receives a message: “David, I’m pregnant.” Now, Uriah has been away from Jerusalem for months; when Bathsheba’s belly starts to grow, her adultery will be evident to all. According to the law, she should then be stoned — along with her accomplice (Leviticus 20:10).

David tries to think quick: “Let’s see, this many weeks have passed. It’s not too unusual for children to be born several weeks early. If I can just get Uriah home, he and Bathsheba will have sexual relations. Surely no one will raise questions then.”

So David has Joab send Uriah home. He and David discuss the war; then David encourages him to go home. But Uriah does not do so, telling David the next day,

“The ark and Israel and Judah are staying in tents, and my master Joab and my lord’s men are camped in the open fields. How could I go to my house to eat and drink and lie with my wife? As surely as you live, I will not do such a thing!” (2 Samuel 11:11)

Uriah’s statement must have cut David to the quick. Uriah has not seen his wife for months, but will not even visit her. What a contrast to David, who should have been out in the field with the army, but instead chose to indulge his sensual appetites — and to do that not with his own wives, but with the wife of this most loyal subordinate.

David proceeds to get him drunk that evening, hoping that this will overcome his loyalty, and that he will then sleep with Bathsheba. But even a drunk Uriah shows considerably more restraint that a sober David; Uriah does not go home. He sleeps on a mat at the palace with David’s servants.

So David has to come up with Plan B, and a monstrous plan it is. He writes a letter instructing Joab, the commander, to put Uriah in the front lines and then have the other soldiers abandon him. And then David has Uriah carry instructions for his own execution — because he trusts him! He knows this loyal servant will never think of opening the letter. This is murder, plain and simple.

Joab is more crafty than David, and manages to have Uriah killed without causing soldiers to ask questions. But the deed is done.

So what started as a one night stand, as a consensual relationship between two people, has led to destruction and death. And the destruction and death are far from over, as we will see. This is our second principle: Sin always destroys. Sin destroys our relationships to man and God, sin destroys what is best in us, sin destroys whatever we love most.

Don’t listen to anyone who tries to tell you that there is a sin that hurts no one. Sin always destroys.

Bathsheba mourns for her husband, and then moves into the palace as David’s wife. She grows great with child — and everyone in the palace is able to count. Everyone knows that Uriah had come home but never saw his wife. So at least the palace insiders know exactly what happened. Behind the king’s back, people are talking. But David pretends that this is a natural occurrence, that he is doing his old friend a favor by taking care of his widow. Bathsheba gives birth to a healthy boy — and to David all seems well. It looks like he has gotten away with adultery and murder.

However, “the thing David had done displeased the LORD.” (2 Samuel 11:27)

God acts by sending the prophet Nathan to David. He tells the king a story about a rich man who stole a pet lamb from a neighbor to prepare a meal for a guest. David is incensed, saying “As surely as the LORD lives, the man who did this deserves to die!” (2 Samuel 12:5). Nathan replies, “You are the man!” He continues speaking God’s words to David:

“I anointed you king over Israel, and I delivered you from the hand of Saul. I gave your master’s house to you, and your master’s wives into your arms. I gave you the house of Israel and Judah. And if all this had been too little, I would have given you even more. Why did you despise the word of the LORD by doing what is evil in his eyes?” (2 Samuel 12:7b-9a)

David thought all was covered up; he pretended that no one knew. Well, other people did know, but more importantly, God knew. God always knows.

This is our third principle: Sin is always discovered. In the long run, there are no secret sins. As Jesus Himself states, “There is nothing covered up that will not be revealed, and hidden that will not be known. (Luke 12:2)

Satan tempts us to believe that no one will ever know, that we can hide our sin; Satan is so effective in this that many of us are lying to ourselves, thinking that our sins are known only to us, thinking that we have succeeded in covering our tracks. But God sees all; everything is laid bare before his eyes; God will not be mocked. Sin is always discovered.

What is David’s reaction? Does he try to justify himself? Does he attack his accuser? Does he argue that Nathan shouldn’t have brought up the matter, saying, “This is private, and none of your business. Leave me alone! Let me deal with this among my wives and children!” No. David confesses simply, “I have sinned against the LORD.”

No excuses. No attempt to mitigate the seriousness of the sin. So Nathan replies immediately, “The Lord has taken away your sin.” This is our fourth principle: Confessed sin is always forgiven.

What is the nature of true confession? We can identify three characteristics from Psalm 51, David’s song of repentance, written on this occasion:

 (1) True confession addresses all those affected by the sin.

This was not a private matter between David and Bathsheba, or David and Uriah’s relatives. The king sinned, and all Israel suffered. So David must confess before all Israel.

(2) True confession admits that punishment is justified

We must be broken and contrite when we come before God and those we have sinned against; we must not downplay our sin or blame the other person, but admit that we deserve judgment.

(3) True confession depends on God’s mercy alone.

David calls out for God to act in accordance with his unfailing love, in accordance with his great mercy. He calls out to God to cleanse him, to wash him, and then — since the external washing is not sufficient — to change his very heart, to create a new heart within him.

David deserved death for his sin, both the ending of his life on earth and eternal separation from God. God forgave him; those of us who are saved will join David in praising God eternally, and David did not die on earth in punishment for adultery and murder.

But note that there were other temporal consequences of David’s sin. The judgment that Nathan states prior to David’s confession still holds. Israel and, in particular, David’s family suffer immensely from this sin. And Uriah remains dead. Forgiveness does not imply the absence of temporal consequences for sin. But, praise God, when we come to God with broken and contrite hearts, when we call out to God pleading for His mercy, when we depend only on the shed blood of Jesus to cover all our sins, God never turns his ear away. God always listens. Confessed sin is always forgiven.

So examine your own heart. Paul tells us, “If you think you are standing firm, take care that you don’t fall.” What sin are you knowingly engaged in? Are you loving the Lord your God with all your heart, and all your soul, and all your strength, and all your mind? Are you loving your neighbor as yourself?

My dear friends, sin always deceives. Sin always destroys. Sin is always discovered. Let us take the occasion of great sins by a great man to ask God with David:

Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting. (Psalm 139:23-24)

When He shows you the sin in your heart, confess it — and then know the joy of living a life blameless before Him. Confessed sin — Praise God! — is always forgiven, by the blood of Jesus.

 

 

Mercy and Justice

Arise, O God, defend your cause; remember how the foolish scoff at you all the day! Do not forget the clamor of your foes, the uproar of those who rise against you, which goes up continually! (Psalm 74:22-23)

Jesus is speaking from the cross: “Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.” (Luke 23:34)

Jesus has just been condemned unjustly, beaten, and nailed to the cross. And He asks God to forgive the perpetrators.

In Psalm 74, Jerusalem has just been conquered by the Babylonians, with her temple destroyed, her God mocked, and her citizens murdered and raped. And the psalmist asks for God to honor His Name through implementing justice.

Are these inconsistent responses to evil?

No.

Jesus Himself promises or calls for justice again and again:

“Will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them?  I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily.” (Luke 18:7-8a)

“Truly, I say to you, all sins will be forgiven the children of man, and whatever blasphemies they utter, but whoever blasphemes against the Holy Spirit never has forgiveness, but is guilty of an eternal sin”– for they were saying, “He has an unclean spirit.” (Mark 3:28-30)

And if your eye causes you to sin, tear it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than with two eyes to be thrown into hell, ‘where their worm does not die and the fire is not quenched.’ (Mark 9:47-48)

We see similar calls for justice throughout the Bible, New Testament as well as Old Testament. Revelation even pictures martyrs rightly crying out for justice from the heavenly altar of God (Revelation 6:9-11). They are promised that justice will come.

  • God is a god of justice. Justice is central to His character. He must punish every wrong, and He will. We rightly call on God to display His character, to implement justice, when we are faced with evil.
  • And God is a god of mercy. Mercy is central to His character. We rightly call on God to have mercy, to show forgiveness to those who harm us personally.

How does God show both aspects of His character?

Mercy and justice come together at the Cross. Indeed, God planned the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of His Son in order that He might justly show mercy, in order that He might mercifully show justice (Romans 3:21-26).

In the end, there are only two categories of people: Those who deserve eternal punishment for their rebellion against God, and receive that punishment, all the while continuing in their rebellion; and those who deserve eternal punishment for their rebellion against God, whose punishment God the Father transfers to God the Son on the cross. United to Christ, forgiven in Him, having His Law written on their hearts, having received the gift of the Holy Spirit, they then delight in Him above all else and live to His glory.

So, yes, call out for justice. And come to the Father for mercy through the sacrifice of His Son. Do all this for the glory of God.

 

Entering the Kingdom of Heaven

Who will enter the Kingdom of Heaven?

In Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus speaks explicitly five times about entering the Kingdom. Let’s look at these verses plus some context to help us answer the question.

Matthew 5:17-20, 48  “Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them.  18 For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.  19 Therefore whoever relaxes one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever does them and teaches them will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.  20 For I tell you, unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. . . . [Jesus then elaborates on the true meaning of the Law. He concludes this section:] 48 You therefore must be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”

Matthew 7:21-23  “Not everyone who says to me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  22 On that day many will say to me, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?’  23 And then will I declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.’”

Matthew 18:3 “Truly, I say to you, unless you turn and become like children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven.”

Matthew 19:23-26   And Jesus said to his disciples, “Truly, I say to you, only with difficulty will a rich person enter the kingdom of heaven.  24 Again I tell you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God.”  25 When the disciples heard this, they were greatly astonished, saying, “Who then can be saved?”  26 But Jesus looked at them and said, “With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.”

Matthew 23:13 “But woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you shut the kingdom of heaven in people’s faces. For you neither enter yourselves nor allow those who would enter to go in.”

The Pharisees expected the promised Kingdom to come, in which their Messiah would reign (Luke 17:20). They rejected Jesus as that Messiah – but they believed they would be in the coming Kingdom.

In these verses, Jesus makes at least 11 points about entering the Kingdom:

1)      “Salvation” and “entering the Kingdom” are at least very similar concepts – perhaps identical, according to Jesus (Matthew 19:23-26).

2)      Those in the Kingdom do not rejoice in shutting out others (Matthew 23:13).

3)      Entrance to the Kingdom does not come about through external obedience to a set of rules. The Pharisees were experts at such obedience (Matthew 5:20).

4)      Nor does the entrance to the Kingdom come about through calling Jesus ‘Lord,’ or through speaking in His name, or through performing great deeds in His name (Matthew 7:21-23).

5)      The rich have no special access to the Kingdom – on the contrary, there are tremendous barriers blocking their entrance, seemingly impossible to overcome (Matthew 19:23-24).

6)      Jesus is the ultimate arbiter of who enters the Kingdom (Matthew 7:23).

7)      Anyone can enter the Kingdom (Matthew 19:25-26).

8)      Entrance into the Kingdom is a result of God’s work, not ours (Matthew 19:26).

9)      We must humble ourselves like children if we are to enter the Kingdom. We cannot think we deserve to enter, or that we can earn the Kingdom if we just work a little harder. We must look to Jesus as our hope, our joy, and long for relationship with Him (Matthew 18:3).

10)   Thus, Jesus’ conception of the Kingdom is markedly different from the Pharisees’ conception, and if they continue in their ways, they have no hope of entering the true Kingdom (Matthew 23:13). Jesus teaches that we enter into the Kingdom by God’s grace through coming to our Savior humbly, confessing our sin and seeking His favor.

11)   The Law is a reflection of the character of God – and if we are citizens of His Kingdom, if we are His children, we are to take on this character through being transformed by His power (Matthew 5:17-48, in light of Romans 8:29).

So: Enter the Kingdom!

Invite others to join you in the Kingdom!

The invitation is to all. The joy is for all.

The glory is all His.