To look for a picture of Jesus as “The Christ”, we can go to Genesis 3:15 or Genesis 3:21. I will skip 3;15 and use 3:21 as a picture. Genesis 3:21, “The LORD God made garments of skin for Adam and his wife and clothed them.” (NIV) Although there is no direct statement of where the “skins” came from, it is only logical to assume that the death of an animal had to have occurred. Again from Adam Clarke we read, “It is very likely that the skins out of which their clothing was made were taken off animals whose blood had been poured out as a sin-offering to God…”[1] In hindsight, we see this very clearly as a picture of Jesus as “The Christ”. Another commentary tells us, “The Hebrew [kaatªnowt (OT:3801) `owr (OT:5785)], coverings of skin, because the latter word is singular, not plural: one skin was sufficient for both.”[2] This would make sense as with Christ, one died for all; here one animal would have been sacrificed to cover the “sin” that Adam and Eve had committed. Another way we correlate this as a picture of Christ, is that we see in Genesis 3:14, that the animals have now become cursed, “Cursed are you above all the livestock and all the wild animals!” (NIV) Although the animals had done nothing wrong, they became cursed because of the sin of man. We find the same with Christ as He became the curse because of our sin. The Apostle Paul tells us in Galatians 3:13, “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the law by becoming a curse for us, for it is written: "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."” (NIV)
Pablito
[1] Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft (Genesis 3:21)
[2] Jamieson, Fausset, and Brown Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1997 by Biblesoft. (Genesis 3:21)
Thursday, May 22, 2008
Wednesday, May 21, 2008
Three Pictures of Christ in Genesis - Part 1
The next three posts are from a discusion board question in my Old Testament Survey class at Liberty University. The discusion is: Find three ways that Jesus Christ is pictured in the book of Genesis and discuss how each one relates to Jesus either in His person (deity) or in His work. Be specific.
From the very beginning of the book of Genesis, we can see Jesus, because as we read anything of God, one can never picture God without picturing Jesus and the Holy Spirit there. The Trinity is made of three persons, but of one essence. Therefore anything involving one, in effect involves all three. As God spoke the world into being in Genesis 1, we correlate that with John 1:2-3, “He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (NIV) We cannot look at the very beginning words of Genesis without seeing the deity and person of Jesus. Adam Clarke’s Commentary puts it this way,
…GOD is said to have created all things: in this verse, Christ is said to have created all things: the same unerring Spirit spoke in Moses and in the evangelists: therefore Christ and the Father are ONE. To say that Christ made all things by a delegated power from God is absurd; because the thing is impossible.[1]
Clarke goes on to explain,
God cannot delegate his omnipotence to another: were this possible, he to whom this omnipotence was delegated would, in consequence, become God; and he from whom it was delegated would cease to be such: for it is impossible that there should be two omnipotent beings.[2]
Pablito
[1] Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft, (John 1:3)
[2] Ibid
From the very beginning of the book of Genesis, we can see Jesus, because as we read anything of God, one can never picture God without picturing Jesus and the Holy Spirit there. The Trinity is made of three persons, but of one essence. Therefore anything involving one, in effect involves all three. As God spoke the world into being in Genesis 1, we correlate that with John 1:2-3, “He was with God in the beginning. 3 Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.” (NIV) We cannot look at the very beginning words of Genesis without seeing the deity and person of Jesus. Adam Clarke’s Commentary puts it this way,
…GOD is said to have created all things: in this verse, Christ is said to have created all things: the same unerring Spirit spoke in Moses and in the evangelists: therefore Christ and the Father are ONE. To say that Christ made all things by a delegated power from God is absurd; because the thing is impossible.[1]
Clarke goes on to explain,
God cannot delegate his omnipotence to another: were this possible, he to whom this omnipotence was delegated would, in consequence, become God; and he from whom it was delegated would cease to be such: for it is impossible that there should be two omnipotent beings.[2]
Pablito
[1] Adam Clarke's Commentary, Electronic Database. Copyright (c) 1996 by Biblesoft, (John 1:3)
[2] Ibid
Saturday, May 17, 2008
Is There Anything They Won't Try Now Days?
There seems to be no end to what people try to get away with these days. I swear I don't know what is going through these people's minds when they come up with things like this. It is apparent as a believer, that what the Apostle Paul said is VERY true, "our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." (Eph 6:12-13 NIV)
Headline:
"Middle School Draws Controversy Over 'Most Likely to Get Pregnant' Survey"
"a teacher reportedly forced her 6th grade class to vote who among their classmates were the most likely to get pregnant, contract HIV, go to jail, or die by the age of 19."
One of the greatest comments ever made was by Jeff Goldblum's character in the movie "Jurassic Park" when he stated, "You were so busy worrying about if you could, you never stopped to think about if you should!" Is that the lot of the people of the world today? "Let's see how far we can push it and how much we can get away with".
Lord I fear you wait too long in your return, but I trust that you alone know what you are doing!
Pablito
Thursday, May 15, 2008
Should I Stay or Should I Go?
There is a song by "The Clash" called "Should I Stay or Should I Go". It is probably a question most of us have asked for one reason or another at one point in our life. As I was reading my Bible the other day, it took on a whole new meaning for me as I pondered my namesake, the Apostle Paul's, words in:
Philippians 1:21-24 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (NIV)
Paul's entire existence after his Damascus road conversion was Christ and this passage summed it up for him. Basically he says that everything about his life is Christ. Christ means everything to him and and his entire purpose for existing now was to preach the Gospel of Christ and disciple the believers.
The key to how Paul feels comes in the next verse as he ponders his life. How great it is to be here, alive and in his body, because he gets to do the work of his Savior. But, on the other hand, wouldn't it be great to go ahead and die, because then he would get to be in the PRESENCE of his Savior! Paul is actually "torn" in this choice. The Greek word here means that it is like he is caught between two things and squeezed or compressed. He does say that to go ahead and die "is better by far". In the end, he knows that it is more important to stay and assist the churches that he was discipling.
The main reason that Paul could make these statements is because he was SURE in his salvation. He knew the truth of salvation and eternal life in Christ and that gave him the assurance that if and when he died, he would be with his Savior forever. He also KNEW what awaited him in the glory of heaven and the presence of God, but that story is for another time!
Should we stay or should we go? I feel that those of us who reach heaven, will no doubt wonder why we dallied so long here on earth, but until that time, we should continue as Paul did, with "fruitful labor" for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Pablito
If you want to hear the song, here is a link to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk2LIjUnrx0&feature=related
Philippians 1:21-24 For to me, to live is Christ and to die is gain. If I am to go on living in the body, this will mean fruitful labor for me. Yet what shall I choose? I do not know! I am torn between the two: I desire to depart and be with Christ, which is better by far; but it is more necessary for you that I remain in the body. (NIV)
Paul's entire existence after his Damascus road conversion was Christ and this passage summed it up for him. Basically he says that everything about his life is Christ. Christ means everything to him and and his entire purpose for existing now was to preach the Gospel of Christ and disciple the believers.
The key to how Paul feels comes in the next verse as he ponders his life. How great it is to be here, alive and in his body, because he gets to do the work of his Savior. But, on the other hand, wouldn't it be great to go ahead and die, because then he would get to be in the PRESENCE of his Savior! Paul is actually "torn" in this choice. The Greek word here means that it is like he is caught between two things and squeezed or compressed. He does say that to go ahead and die "is better by far". In the end, he knows that it is more important to stay and assist the churches that he was discipling.
The main reason that Paul could make these statements is because he was SURE in his salvation. He knew the truth of salvation and eternal life in Christ and that gave him the assurance that if and when he died, he would be with his Savior forever. He also KNEW what awaited him in the glory of heaven and the presence of God, but that story is for another time!
Should we stay or should we go? I feel that those of us who reach heaven, will no doubt wonder why we dallied so long here on earth, but until that time, we should continue as Paul did, with "fruitful labor" for our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
Pablito
If you want to hear the song, here is a link to it.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sk2LIjUnrx0&feature=related
Thursday, May 8, 2008
Christian Character - 3
III. What motivation should we have to develop our character?
I skipped over the part about our motivation in Col 3:6 "Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (NIV) This is talking about those worldly attributes. We want to skip that whole “Wrath of God” thing that is coming down. Our desire to develop Christian characteristics should be because they prove the change and repentance in our lives. Remember what the Apostle Paul told King Agrippa, Acts 26:20 "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." (NIV) These deeds are our actions (remember our definition of character from the other day, "our character determines our actions and reactions"), therefore, our actions and reactions prove our character. Paul said that these deeds prove our repentance, therefore, our character PROVES (or disproves) our repentance!
Pablito
I skipped over the part about our motivation in Col 3:6 "Because of these, the wrath of God is coming." (NIV) This is talking about those worldly attributes. We want to skip that whole “Wrath of God” thing that is coming down. Our desire to develop Christian characteristics should be because they prove the change and repentance in our lives. Remember what the Apostle Paul told King Agrippa, Acts 26:20 "I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds." (NIV) These deeds are our actions (remember our definition of character from the other day, "our character determines our actions and reactions"), therefore, our actions and reactions prove our character. Paul said that these deeds prove our repentance, therefore, our character PROVES (or disproves) our repentance!
Pablito
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Christian Character - 2
II. What are some of the specific flaws that Christians sometimes have in their character?
Christians are like everyone else. We STILL have flaws. Find me a perfect Christian, and I will show you Jesus, because He is the only one. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with his flaws. In Romans 7, he says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…(21)When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (NIV) Christians still struggle with anger, envy, lust, impatience and all the other worldly characteristics. Just because we become Christians, doesn’t mean that it’s what we call “easy street”. Back to my favorite verses, Col 3:1-11 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above…Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (NIV) Wouldn’t it be nice if the junk in our lives just disappeared when we believed! It doesn't, it takes effort on our part of drawing close to God and having Him draw close to us.
This passage tells us that after we believe, after we are baptized, we STILL struggle with the world and we must "put to death" that which is of the world. Being a Christian and having Christian character is about daily choices of how we are are going to live. Every choice we make reveals what our character is.
Pablito
Christians are like everyone else. We STILL have flaws. Find me a perfect Christian, and I will show you Jesus, because He is the only one. Even the Apostle Paul struggled with his flaws. In Romans 7, he says, “I do not understand what I do. For what I want to do I do not do, but what I hate I do…(21)When I want to do good, evil is right there with me.” (NIV) Christians still struggle with anger, envy, lust, impatience and all the other worldly characteristics. Just because we become Christians, doesn’t mean that it’s what we call “easy street”. Back to my favorite verses, Col 3:1-11 Since, then, you have been raised with Christ, set your hearts on things above…Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry…You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. 8 But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language from your lips. 9 Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your old self with its practices 10 and have put on the new self, which is being renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. (NIV) Wouldn’t it be nice if the junk in our lives just disappeared when we believed! It doesn't, it takes effort on our part of drawing close to God and having Him draw close to us.
This passage tells us that after we believe, after we are baptized, we STILL struggle with the world and we must "put to death" that which is of the world. Being a Christian and having Christian character is about daily choices of how we are are going to live. Every choice we make reveals what our character is.
Pablito
Sunday, May 4, 2008
Christian Character
2 Peter 1:5-7 ...make every effort to add to your faith goodness; and to goodness, knowledge; and to knowledge, self-control; and to self-control, perseverance; and to perseverance, godliness; and to godliness, brotherly kindness; and to brotherly kindness, love (NIV).
I. Why is the character of a Christian important?
Our character always defines us. As a Christian, our character should define us as Christians. They should prove who we are. How can we preach change to others if we haven’t changed ourselves? How can we preach love to others when we have none ourselves? Basically, how can the Spirit of God be in us if we have no characteristics of the Spirit? Jesus said it best in Luke 3:8, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (NIV)
If you say you changed an apple into an orange, but it still looks like an apple, smells like an apple, tastes like an apple and has apple seeds in it, guess what? You didn't change it into an orange! It's still an apple. Same with a Christian, if you say you've changed and you still act like a sinner, talk like a sinner, hang out with sinners and still like to sin, guess what? You didn't change!
Why do people shy away from Christianity? Because too many people "talk the talk", but don't "walk the walk".
The proof is in the fruit!
Pablito
I. Why is the character of a Christian important?
Our character always defines us. As a Christian, our character should define us as Christians. They should prove who we are. How can we preach change to others if we haven’t changed ourselves? How can we preach love to others when we have none ourselves? Basically, how can the Spirit of God be in us if we have no characteristics of the Spirit? Jesus said it best in Luke 3:8, "Produce fruit in keeping with repentance." (NIV)
If you say you changed an apple into an orange, but it still looks like an apple, smells like an apple, tastes like an apple and has apple seeds in it, guess what? You didn't change it into an orange! It's still an apple. Same with a Christian, if you say you've changed and you still act like a sinner, talk like a sinner, hang out with sinners and still like to sin, guess what? You didn't change!
Why do people shy away from Christianity? Because too many people "talk the talk", but don't "walk the walk".
The proof is in the fruit!
Pablito
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