Blog
January 7th Coffeehouse
Just a heads up: we’ll get together again like we did on black Friday for a “coffeehouse” hangout. This time it’s Saturday January 7 at 7:30 pm. Same place as usual (H.S. Auditorium). It would be good to have the time together before people go back to school. (Not to already have you thinking about the end of winter break…). Let us know if you think you’ll be there…
The Believer’s Relationship to Sin: Notes From Last Night
Last night we looked at how John describes what our relationship with sin should be as believer’s in Christ. We mainly focused on 1:5-2:2.
First, in 1:8 & 10, we looked at John’s description of people who are claiming to not have any sin, and not to have ever sinned. Basically, John says that if we say these things, we are basically saying that we do not need Jesus, specifically His work on the cross. It is to look at Jesus and say He was meaningless as far as we are concerned. We don’t need forgiveness. His death was a waste, at least on us. “To say ‘we have no sin’ is to conceive of oneself as at least somewhat free from transgression and its penalty despite failure to give full acknowledgment to Jesus.” (Yarbrough 60)
The opposite of this would be what John describes in 1:9, “confessing” our sin. If we see the connection between 1:7 (“walking in the light”) and 1:9 (“confessing our sin”), as we discussed in the group time, we see that to “confess” means the same thing as “walk in the light” –it means we are acknowledging our sin (to God and people). This leads to: 1. forgiveness 2. cleansing
The connection can be illustrated in a chart:
Bad Condition Good Condition Outcome/Verdict
| (v.6) walk in darkness | we lie and do not practice the truth. | |
| (v.7) | we walk in the light | the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin |
| (v.8) say that we have no sin | we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us | |
| (v.9) | confess our sins | [He will] forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness |
| (v.10) say that we have not sinned | make Him a liar, and His word is not in us |
Then we looked at 2:1-2 and saw how Jesus is the remedy:
- He is our propitiation: that is, the wrath of God was taken for us. It is settled in the past.
His Sacrifice is big enough for all your sins—it’s big enough for the whole world! - He is our advocate: that is, He is presently working on our behalf in Heaven.
(see Rom 8:34, 1 Tim 2:5, Heb 7:24-25, 9:24)
The righteous one is our advocate before the Father. God is 100% for you!
Applications:
1. For those who say they can live the way they want don’t need God’s forgiveness, (becasue they don’t really have sin that needs to be forgiven): God’s word, here 1 John, says they are self-deceived (because they’re just wrong) and they are calling God a liar (because He’s said they do have sin.) They are calling Christ’s work on the cross meaningless, or a deception. Conversely, this is also what we’re saying by saying “I don’t need Jesus.” (1:8&10)
2. For those who say they can continue to sin because, “nobody’s perfect, and everyone sins” : they are (at best) out of step with God.
– So, what is the believer’s relationship with sin?
- We confess it when it happens. (1:9)
- We can know that this leads to being cleansed and knowing they’re forgiven.
- As much as the Holy Spirit is working in us, we desire, like the Holy Spirit who inspired John, “that we would not sin.” (2:1)
- We know that “walking in darkness” (1:6, which is parallel to not “confessing sin”) or if we will not keep his commandments (2:4) makes our life a lie. Walking openly (“in the light”) with freely confessed and forsaken sin shows we really know God. (1:7, 2:5)
- The believer wants no relationship with sin at all! Jesus suffered God’s wrath for sin (2:2). He came to take it away (3:7).
3. For those who worry about the fact that, even though they are believers, they still find sin in their lives, you can know this: The punishment for sins has already been suffered (2:1). You have Jesus Himself pleading your case before the father, and on the basis of His righteousness (not yours). You can simply walk in the light, hating sin (2:1) and confessing it whenever it occurs (1:9). You can know that you are forgiven and constantly being cleansed by the power of what Jesus did on the cross.
Get strengthened by a guy with a great beard.
Many of you know that the pastors at Calvary Philly always recommend the writings of C.H. Mackintosh, the Irish pastor from the mid-1800’s. He’s just great–kind of like Spurgeon but a lot shorter and easier to read. I can literally say I have never sat down to read him and not been blessed. If you want someone deep, yet warm enough to read devotionally, who will keep your mind riveted on Christ and the things that really matter, while making you want to worship and live for Jesus, then CHM is your man. You just might start shaving your chin and growing your neck hair out.
You can get a short bio of him here. We have several of his books left in print at the bookstore (look in ‘Classic Christian Authors” section), but if you’d like a free test drive, you can get his all his writings (for free) at www.stempublishing.com/authors/mackintosh.
So you get a sense for him, here’s a section from the article Gideon and His Companions (which is available in print in the big green Mackintosh Treasury):
There is one truth which shines out with uncommon lustre in the Book of Judges, and that is, that God is ever to be counted upon, even amid the darkest scenes of human history; and, moreover, faith can always count upon God; God never fails a trusting heart No, never. He never has failed, never will, never can fail the individual soul that confides in Him, that takes hold of His precious word, in the artless simplicity of a faith that trusts Him in the face of man’s deepest and most humiliating failure and shortcoming.
This is most consolatory and encouraging, at all times, and under all circumstances. True it is — alas! how true! man fails in everything. Trace him where you will; mark him in whatever sphere of action or responsibility he occupies, and it is the same sad tale, over and over again, of unfaithfulness, failure, and ruin. Let man be set up in business, as often as he may, with the largest capital and the fairest prospects, and he is sure to become a bankrupt. It has ever been so, from the days of Eden down to the present moment. We may assert, without fear of contradiction, that there has not been one solitary exception to the dismal rule, in the history of Adam’s fallen race. We mast never forget this. True faith never forgets it, in its highest flights and brightest visions. It would be the blindest folly to attempt to ignore the fact that ruin is stamped, in characters deep and broad, upon the entire of man’s story, from first to last.
But, in the face of all this, God abideth faithful. He cannot deny Himself. Here is the resource and the resting-place of faith. It recognises and owns the ruin; but it counts on God. Faith is not blind to human failure; but it fixes its gaze on divine faithfulness. It confesses the ruin of man; but it counts on the resources of God.
“…so that your joy may be full.”
A sneak preview of Monday Night’s study–John’s logic in 1 John 2:1 and its implications for believers:
Jesus Christ is the Righteous One.
And He is our “advocate” before the Father.
The Father is God. God is the offended party “if anyone sins.”
But remember, a totally perfect Man (the Righteous One) advocates before the offended One. God will hear Him, and by implication, agree.
But Jesus Christ is also God. Therefore, what John reports is that when we sin God advocates to Himself for us. And He does it on the basis of a perfect human righteousness that He earned in Jesus Christ. (As if He says: “They may not be perfect, Father, but I am.”)
The upshot of all this? Everyone who trusts in this Advocate can know that God is for them–100%
Defeating Temptation (Part 2)
This post follows yesterday’s, where we looked at the similarities between the accounts of the temptation of Eve in Genesis 3 and Joseph in Genesis 39. First we looked at similarities in the stories (both situations involved someone given authority with one thing they were forbidden), and then charted the process of Eve’s temptation and eventual defeat by the temptation.
Today we’ll look at Genesis 39 and watch Joseph’s trial–of course, the outcome of his is the opposite of hers. This time, I’ll paraphrase Joseph’s response to Potiphar’s wife in order to see, point by point, what helped him to defeat the temptation.
- “Potiphar is my master.” We shouldn’t miss the significance of Joseph calling Potiphar “master” in verse 8. Even though he was wrongly betrayed and sold by his brothers into his current position as slave to Potiphar, Joseph acknowledged Potiphar’s authority over him as legitimate. As we read on, we can discern that this is because Joseph recognized that God granted Potiphar that authority.
- “Potiphar gave me responsibility.” (v.8) We should notice that Joseph took this seriously. It was a (sacred) trust, not to be despised.
- “With that responsibility, Potiphar gave me great privilege.” No spider-man reference here…That’s what’s behind his statement in verse 9–“no one in the house is greater than I.”
- “But you are outside of my privilege.” As he says it: “neither has he kept back anything from me, except yourself” (v.9). This is key. Here we see how Joseph’s story repeats Adam and Eve’s. He was made ruler over all, with one exception, and it was in relation to this one exception that he was tried. Potiphar’s wife was a sign of Potiphar’s ultimate authority over Joseph. To ignore that would be to deny Potiphar’s authority, and to usurp his place. It would be to act as if Potiphar (her husband) didn’t exist. In other words, to fail in this one point would be to fail in everything.
- “This would be wickedness.” (v. 9) No moral relativism here. No cutting himself slack because of his hard circumstances. No justifying the sin because of some failing of his boss. Joseph declares her request pure evil.
- “Behind it all is God, and this would be a sin against Him.” (v.9) And this is where we get to the heart of the issue. It further highlights Joseph as a picture in Genesis of God’s intention for humanity (and thereby, looking forward, as a picture of Christ).
And now we’re ready to look at why Adam and Eve failed and Joseph succeeded.
In the first (#1) and last (#6) statements, we see that Joseph recognized, first and foremost, God’s total authority over him. He saw that authority as legitimate, so that if God wanted to sell him down to Egypt to slavery in Potiphar’s house, He could! This enabled Joseph to work faithfully without despising Potiphar. So when Potiphar’s wife came to him with what seemed to be a simple temptation to give in to lust, he was able to see the real issue: this actually was a temptation to violate Potiphar’s, and therefore God’s, authority. He was set up to succeed.
Eve was tempted in this same respect, but she got stuck contemplating the actual fruit. The fruit was so good looking, she couldn’t see that Satan was actually inviting her to ignore God’s authority, or even to take it to herself. He was inviting her to act as though she had authority over the fruit, when she did not. When Adam and Even bit the fruit, they were only physically acting out the seismic spiritual shift that was already occurring inside: They had moved God out of His place and claimed that territory for themselves.
What does this tell us about our own battles? When we’re being tempted one of the key things for us to remember is that temptation is always a battle for authority. Will we acknowledge, in that moment, God’s authority over us? Or, being tempted, will we declare in thought and action that we are the authority over ourselves? In any tempting circumstance, we should acknowledge, consciously in our thoughts: “God, you are king over me. You are Lord.” We should just pray it up to Him. (For a great meditation on this (and Joseph’s story) see 1 Peter 3:13-18 & 4:1-6.)
Thinking like Joseph will predispose us to defeating temptation. We’ll be quick to look up to God and want to honor Him. We’ll be quick to sniff out anything that would undermine His authority in our lives. And we’ll be able to look through a temptation to see the tempter behind it–and the God he’s fighting over it all.
Ski Trip Update: Registration Deadline
On Monday night I announced that we have booked the King’s barn for the Ski Weekend January 27-29.
A reminder: We need to have 20 people register and pay the $70 deposit by 12/24 (Christmas Eve). That’s our deadline to cancel without losing our deposit for the barn.
In other words, if we don’t have 20 peeople registeredby that date, we will most likely cancel the trip. As of Monday night, we had 9 people (including myself) express interest. So…if you want to go, let us know! (Bill Eaton is your contact on Monday nights for all ski trip info.)
Defeating Temptation (Part 1)
This will be the first in a two-part post looking at a couple stories in Genesis which help us think through how to defeat temptation: first, the story on Eve and the serpent in chapter 3, then the story of Joseph and Potiphar’s wife in chapter 39. I recently finished Genesis in my morning reading, and I was struck by the similarities in the two stories. In both, someone is blessed and given authority (dominion) over an area in order to tend it for a higher authority. Adam and Eve are given responsibility for the garden in 1:28 and 2:15 and Joseph is given responsibility over Potiphar’s house in 39:5. And in both circumstances, the “higher power” (God in chapter 2 and Potiphar in 39) puts one thing off limits to those he grants authority to. In the garden it was the fruit of the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil, and in Potiphar’s house it was his wife. (This really comes out in Eve’s reply to the serpent in 3:2-3 and Joseph’s reply to Potiphar’s wife in 39:9.) Looking at how the two “temptees” respond can be very instructive in our own battle against temptation.
Today, a look at the process of Eve’s conversation with the serpent (or more properly, with Satan, the spiritual power behind the serpent):
- Satan draws attention to a prohibition in God’s will. Specifically, he questions a prohibition in God’s word, questioning (probably) both if and why it was spoken. (3:1)
- Eve responds with a fact of reality about what they are permitted to do. (3:2)
- …but she also adds a prohibition which God didn’t expressly state. (not touching the fruit – 3:3)
- Satan ignores her explanation and deals with the consequence of sin, directly contradicting God’s word. (3:4)
- Satan offers new information, changing the nature of the discussion. He slanders the character of God and claims that the restriction is more about a problem God has than it is about Adam and Eve. The rule about the tree is really (Satan says) about control and about God protecting His own place, as if God fears His own creation.
- Satan states that the thing God has prohibited actually offers some new experience that is to be desired, and for which there will be no consequences. (3:4&5)
- Listening to these suggestions opens up a space in Eve’s mind for her to contemplate the forbidden object on its own terms: how beautiful and tempting it really is! (3:6) In fact, how good it is and would be for her…
All that’s left at this point is the consummation.
Tomorrow we’ll look at how different Joseph’s response is.
The Website Jose Was Talking About…
Last Monday night when we had Jose Ortiz out to share about outreach opportunities we could get involved in, he put up the website for Global Media Outreach on the screen. This is the site where you sign up to get emails to share the gospel with people all over the world. A few of you have asked, so here’s how to get involved: Look around at their sites with the links below, and if you want to join in, don’t sign up through them, email Jose at jortiz@ccphilly.org and he’ll take you through the Calvary Philly sign-up process he’s worked out with them.
(You have to see the live updating animation on the first link. Its amazing…)
- http://www.greatcommission2020.com/
- http://www.globalmediaoutreach.com/
- http://www.jesus2020.com/
- http://www.globalmediaoutreachnews.com/releases.html
- on facebook: http://www.facebook.com/GlobalMediaOutreach
Update on Ben Spector
Here’s the latest news on Ben. Funny note on getting care in another context…
Hey all,
Just wanted to send a quick update. I had another doctors appointment yesterday to find out the results of the blood tests. It went well, and I am not fatally ill. When I asked the doctor if he knew what was wrong said “yes” smiled, and kept typing up a report for my appointment. I guess that is all you get when you speak different languages! I asked him if it could be anything fatal, deadly, or if I was going to die and he again smiled and said “no chance!” That was about it. We are hoping that it was just virus related and needed to run its course.
I got off the pain killers Sunday night. Since I haven’t had any episodes and I am feeling better! Praise the Lord for His faithfulness and thank you for all your prayers! Between finding this private clinic, an English speaker there, the services being relatively cheap, the results, the right doctor (as little as we spoke, he was helpful), and my health returning, the Lord was faithful to provide and sustain us. He is good.
Let’s keep praying for Ben and Emily as they work with the Calvary Chapel in Split, Croatia.
Tools for Life
Here’s a Christmas gift idea (for yourself or a friend): The Young Adults Bible Study Starter Pack. A small library of reference books is an ideal way to help you deepen your knowledge of Gods word through your own personal study–a few key books can help grow your ability to search the scriptures to know God and strengthen your faith. And it’s something you can build on for the future. Every Christian family should have at least a basic study library if they can. Why not start your family’s before your family starts?
Here’s what the pack includes:
Unger’s Bible Dictionary
Use this to look up everything from place names to people to concepts. Includes maps and full color pictures.
Nelson’s Cross Reference Guide to the Bible
This is like a center column reference guide for your Bible on steroids. Look up any verse and it will give you cross references with other verses to look up that relate to every phrase in the verse. It’s an updated version of a work I’ve used since college, The Treasury of Scripture Knowledge.
Mounce’s Complete Expository Dictionary
Mounce’s dictionary that lets you get in depth definitions fo Greek and Hebrew words that lie behind the English translations we read. Keyed to both the Strong’s and GK numbering systems.
Lectures in Systematic Theology
By Henry Theissen. This is a great concise systematic theology, ideal for looking up any subject pertaining to Christian doctrine and increasing your knowledge of the Bible’s teaching in that area.
NIV Compact Bible Commentary
By John Sailhamer. This short commentary on every chapter in the Bible helps you quickly get your bearings in understanding whatever text you’re reading and see the connections in the text to read every part in light of the whole biblical revelation. Sailhamer is especially strong in the Old Testament.
How to Study the Bible/Know Your Bible
Really short, and really good. You could read these two books in a half hour and quickly gain a foundation in personal bible study.
After putting this list together for a friend, I asked Josh Sorenson (who runs the church bookstore) if he could package these titles together and give us a special price for our group, and he did–$75 for the pack, which is basically at cost. See Josh or email him at jsorenson@ccphilly.org for more info…