Christian Liberty

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We have added Lesson 2 to Unit 5 of our on-line Syllabus on Reformed Theology. The topic is “Christian Liberty and Liberty of Conscience.” It deals with Chapter 20 of the Westminster Confession of Faith.

There are many opinions about what it really means to be “free.” The Lesson deals with how the concept is defined and applied in Scripture. Once the basic principles are known we gain way of evaluating the cultural questions that so often divide and confuse Christians in our changing world.

The Lesson does not get into giving answers to specific application questions such as the morality of various controversial practices which some condemn as “worldly”, while others freely engage in them. Issues such as moderate drinking of alcoholic beverages, smoking, dancing, wearing various kinds of jewelry, eating meat, playing occult type games at parties, watching certain movies (or all movies), etc. are best dealt with independently in separate articles. We have taken up many of these issues in our Thursday night Webchat times and will continue to address them as questions arise.

The purpose of this newly posted lesson is to lay out sound biblical principles that can be used in making decisions about specific issues that may trouble the conscience, but are not directly addressed in the Bible.

Dr. G. I. Willimason in his lessons on the Westminster Confession wisely comments, “It has been said, there is a Pope in every man’s heart. We are all tempted to think that we could improve our fellow Christians if we had charge of their conscience.”

Jesus Christ is Lord of our conscience. His written word informs us of the details of how we honor that lordship.

A Lesson in Humility from 1 Peter 5:6

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A Lesson in Humility from 1 Peter 5:6

by Bob Burridge ©2011

Humility doesn’t come easily. Our fallen human nature naturally tends to put itself first. It puts its own comfort and peace above the needs of others. It also tends to take for itself that that are God’s. The Sabbath Day is reduced to remembering God for a few hours on Sunday morning. Tithes and offerings are redefined so we have more to spend on our own needs. God’s glory is directed toward the creature rather than the Creator. Basically, fallen souls want to do what they want, even if God says otherwise.

Humility is the opposite of all that. It puts God first. It honors him with what is his. It obeys what God tells us to do and not to do. It gives him all the glory for all that is good.

Our verse for this study comes from what the Apostle Peter wrote in his first Epistle.

1 Peter 5:6, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time:”

The context of this verse is extremely important. Before we can understand the lesson about humility here we need to see how it fits into what the Apostle was writing about. Chapter 5 begins with a command from God to the Elders of the church.

The Elders he’s talking about here are not just the older people in the church. They are the Church officers, they are the “Presbyters”. The word “Elders” here is Presbuteroi (πρεσβυτεροι). They are the men called and ordained to teach and lead God’s People. The word was defined by Scripture long before Christ came, and the office was carried over into the church after his resurrection. Elders were appointed by the Apostles as each new congregation was formed.

Biblically the church is to be run by Local Elders. That’s why the Rule of Elders is called the Presbyterian form of church government. It’s the form followed by all the Reformed and Presbyterian churches. Even the “Reformed Baptists” are organized under the rule of Local Elders. They should be looked to with respect for their office.

In verses 1-4 of 1 Peter 5 it tells what Peter commands them to be and to do:

(1) The Elders who are among you I exhort, I who am a fellow elder and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that will be revealed: (2) Shepherd the flock of God which is among you, serving as overseers, not by compulsion but willingly, not for dishonest gain but eagerly; (3) nor as being lords over those entrusted to you, but being examples to the flock; (4) and when the Chief Shepherd appears, you will receive the crown of glory that does not fade away. Submit to God, Resist the Devil

The Elders are to be shepherds of the congregation. They are to care tenderly for the spiritual needs of the members. They are to be overseers of the congregation. The word for “overseers” is Episkopoi (επισκοποι) which means literally “those who watch over something”. In older times this word was translated as “Bishops”. It’s where the Episcopal form of Church government comes from. That’s the form followed by the Anglicans (Episcopalians) and Methodists. But the word as used here clearly isn’t referring to a separate group of officers. It’s one of the jobs of all the Elders.

Their work is to be done not by force, or by greed for office, but by being humble examples. Their reward will come at the time of Christ’s final appearing as the Chief Shepherd of the church. They will receive God’s reward of glory for their faithful work.

The final word to them is that they should be submissive to God. It’s only as they are humble before God and follow Christ as their Shepherd that they can effectively shepherd God’s flock.

Then he adds that they need to resist the Devil. Satan is a spirit who is out to actively destroy the church and to get her off track. The Elders need to be resistant to all the Devil’s efforts.

Next Peter turns to those who are to be led by these Elders in verses 5-9

The word for “younger people” here is neoteroi (νεωτεροι), It comes from the Greek word neos (νεος) which fundamentally means “new”. They are the less experienced in the congregation, the members under the leadership of the Elders. They are to submit to the leadership and example of the Elders as long as those Elders are rightfully exercising the authority and responsibilities God has assigned to them.

However, this verse calls God’s people to do more than just submit to church leaders. It says they should all be submissive one to another. He’s talking about living humbly. Not always promoting their own glory, accomplishments or skills. Not always trying to have their own way. Not sulking or complaining when things go a way they didn’t want. Instead they’re to wear humility as if it was their clothing.

Then Peter reminds his readers of God’s attitude toward the proud and toward the humble. He refers to Proverbs 3:34, “Surely He scorns the scornful, But gives grace to the humble.”

Peter doesn’t quote this verse directly from the original Hebrew text. There is says he “scorns the scorner”, here Peter says he “resists the proud”. Peter is quoting from the Septuagint, the Greek translation of the Old Testament which was in common use then. The Septuagint has the same word Peter uses here, antitasso (αντιτασσω). It means “to oppose” or “to resist”. James 4:6 quotes the same verse in the same way Peter does here. That was the proper understanding of what the verse in Proverbs 3:34 meant.

The meaning of the quote is clear. God looks with anger upon those who are unsubmissive. His blessing of grace is upon those who are humble, submissive to God’s ways and authority. That includes those God calls to represent his authority on earth in the church (as the context here shows), in the home, in the work place, and in the civil government.

Then we come to the verse we are considering in this study. 1 Peter 5:6 says, “Humble yourselves therefore under the mighty hand of God, that he may exalt you in due time”

In all things, you are to submit yourselves to God’s rulership. Particularly as you are led in the church by God’s Elders. But the point is that all of us should follow God’s ways. The Elders are there to show God’s people those ways.

God’s promise is that he will exalt the humble.
The reward God promises here doesn’t come by a person’s own aggressive behavior to seek and to seize blessings for himself. It is a gift of God that he attaches to the obedience he puts in a person’s heart when he is saved by grace alone. No one can find true peace, happiness, security, and satisfaction in life unless it comes from God as he blesses the obedience he stirs up in a redeemed heart toward and by Christ.

This is accomplished by casting all your care upon him because he cares for you (verse 7). Rather than arrogantly looking to yourself, or to things merely made by God as a way of getting things, you put all your hope and concerns upon him who is your Loving Lord and Good Shepherd. You humble yourselves. You lay aside your own glory and personal wants for Christ’s glory and desires, and you do the same regarding the needs of others.

You can and should do that because, he cared for you and died to make you acceptable to God, and able to obey him.

Peter ends this section by turning our attention to God, the one who makes us able to obey.

(10) But may the God of all grace, who called us to His eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after you have suffered a while, perfect, establish, strengthen, and settle you. (11) To Him be the glory and the dominion forever and ever. Amen.

There is no other proper response to God’s enabling us, than to worship him, to praise him, and to honor him by our obedience. The humble bow before God and consider him worthy of all their devotion and service. They steal nothing from him. All he calls them to do they do. They don’t put their own desires or interests before what their Lord knows is best.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

How To Escape Temptation

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How To Escape Temptation

by Bob Burridge ©2010

People love to watch illusionists who seem to escape from locks, chains and ropes. But since it’s just an illusion, they’re not really captives or in need of escape. It’s just entertainment.

There’s a real danger of being taken in by a temptation to where it holds you and hurts you. To escape these temptations, you need to follow God’s advice.

A classic passage is 1 Corinthians 10:13.

There hath no temptation taken you but such as is common to man: but God is faithful, who will not suffer you to be tempted above that ye are able; but will with the temptation also make a way to escape, that ye may be able to bear it.

We could also translate the word temptations as “tests by trial”. They give you a choice either to do right or to do wrong. In a sense everything that comes along is a test. We can respond in ways that either honor God, or in ways that put our own desires above his.

If someone invites you to join them doing something wrong, the right answer is “No.” When you have a chance to do something good, the right answer is “Yes.”

Moral questions put your soul to the test. Your answer will either reveal your obedience to God’s work in you, or the lack of it.

You should be prepared and determined to say “No” when you’re tempted. It may be by some immoral behavior, or to take part in any improper forms of worship. Sometimes it could be to take what’s not rightfully yours, to covet what God gave to someone else, to show disrespect to those God made responsible for you, or to engage in the many other things God says offend him.

Instead, you should make preparations to say “Yes” to the good choices that come along. Don’t pass up a good opportunity to worship, to pray, to keep the Sabbath, to faithfully tithe, to encourage others, to be kind, patient, truthful, and to be a diligent witness for Christ to those who need to hear the gospel.

You can either decide to neglect what God calls you to do, or to obey him. That’s the test.

Thankfully the temptations you face are limited. The words “but such as is common to man” are originally three words: “if not human”. There are no temptations that are not human. They all come from our common fallen nature. The circumstances might differ, but the urges are the same as others have to deal with.

As fallen humans we are weak. If we don’t admit that weaknesses, we will surely fall under the weight of temptation.

God is faithful and provides a way to escape for each temptation that comes along. What we call the means of grace point out the path to overcoming temptation:

1. You need to know what’s right and true by studying Scripture regularly and diligently. His word not only points out what things you shouldn’t be tempted to do. It is also filled with directions that point the way to escape.

For example there are verses like Philippians 4:8 that give practical help.

“Finally, brethren, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there be any praise, think on these things.”

There’s a battle for your mind and affections. That verse tells us that what fills our thoughts shapes our lives and desires. If you think about and expose yourself to things contrary to God’s ways, you will take on those ways and values. If you think about things that honor God regularly, your values will develop properly and help you with self-control and spiritual growth.

The Bible warns that you can’t win the battle with a dead heart. Your efforts and methods will fail unless you have a spiritual birth by trusting in the completed provision made by Jesus Christ. By trusting him for your eternal hope and in nothing else, you become part of the ancient promise and are enabled with spiritual life.

2. You need to pray for God to deliver you from temptation’s grip. Pray whether you feel like it or not. Prayer isn’t just a pious pastime. It’s a means by which God directs his comfort and help into your life.

3. You need to worship faithfully and partake of the Lord’s Supper with expectant confidence. Our Lord established this ordinance promising strength when you rightly engage in it. Be regular in worship where you draw regularly from that source of power.

4. Be encouraged by other believers who share your values and hope in Christ. Have a good network of spiritually mature friends to be there for you when you need them most. When temptation comes along, don’t be among those who will encourage you to sin. Be with those fighting the battle with you to learn to do things God’s way.

By these means there is a sure and sound way of escape.

You need to make sure of these things now so they’re ready when temptations come. Plan just as you would prepare for hurricanes or other storms during threatening seasons. Don’t wait until you’re taken in by lies and dangerous offers. Make your salvation sure now, and start making plans to overcome temptation.

Don’t start looking to God’s word in the time of moral crisis. Start learning it now so you don’t have years of Bible education to squeeze in when a temptation grips you.

Don’t start prayer only when you’re already in deep trouble. Make it your regular habit all through every day to avoid the trouble. Be regular in payer so that your conversation with God doesn’t seem like talk with a stranger.

Don’t wait to go to worship like the hypocrite. They are content to gather with God’s people only when things get rough.

Don’t save making Christian friends for some future time of need. You need to be a brother or sister to them regularly, every day. They will be there for you, and you for them when they need you.

Have an escape plan ready. Have all you need to overcome temptations already active in your life. Have those godly thought habits well established, and good values already guiding you. Have something planned in advance to which you can immediately turn when specific temptations come along. Know exactly what you’ll do or where you’ll go the next time sin’s lure entices you.

If you do, God is faithful to help you to be able to bear up under it.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.)

Predicting the Future

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Predicting the Future

by Bob Burridge © 2010

There’s something in us as humans that makes us wonder about the future. For some, the focus stays pretty narrow. They just want to know what the next day is going to be like. For others, they want to know about the more distant and general things.

When I was in High School I belonged to a book club at my school. One of my favorite books was a 1964 publication called “Profiles of the Future” by Arthur C. Clarke. Here are some of the predictions he made about 46 years ago.

  • By about 1970 we will orbit a space lab, then men will land on the moon.
    Close! Of course the moon landing took place in 1969, and the space lab came some years later.

  • Machines will some day be able to translate languages.
    Today anyone can go to Altavista’s Babel Fish web site, or Google and others to do that.

  • We will have personal wireless communications by the late 1980s.
    Today just about everyone carries some kind of cell phone around.

  • There will be a global library by the early 2000’s.
    The internet has fulfilled his vision beyond anything he could have imagined.

Clarke’s detailed descriptions show that he didn’t quite anticipate the way these would actually come to pass. But he was very insightful.

On the web site of audiencedialogue.org I once found a list of interesting past predictions:

  • In 1926, Lee de Forest, the father of radio, said, “While theoretically and technically television may be feasible, commercially and financially I consider it an impossibility, a development on which we need waste little time dreaming.”
  • Darryl F Zanuck, in 1946 said, “Television won’t be able to hold onto any market it captures after the first six months. People will soon get tired of staring at a plywood box every night.”
  • In about 1880, Alexander Graham Bell predicted, “One day there will be a telephone in every major city in the USA.”
  • In 1900 a group of British experts said, “The telephone may be appropriate for our American cousins, but not here, because we have an adequate supply of messenger boys.”
  • In 1943,Thomas Watson, head of IBM said, “I think there is a world market for as many as 5 computers.”
  • in 1949 Popular Mechanics magazine made the bold prediction that “Computers in the future may weigh no more than 1.5 tons”
  • As late as 1977, the founder of Digital, Ken Olsen said, “There is no reason anyone would want a computer in their home.”
  • Frenchman Marshal Foch said in 1912, “Aircraft are interesting toys, but of no military value.”
  • In 1903 the President of Michigan Savings Bank advised Henry Ford’s lawyer not to invest in the Ford Motor Company. He said, “The horse is here to stay, but the automobile is only a novelty.”
  • Harper’s Weekly, in August 1902 wrote, “The actual building of roads devoted to motor cars is not for the near future, in spite of many rumors to that effect.”
  • In 1943 aviation publicist Harry Bruno said, “Automobiles will start to decline as soon as the last shot is fired in World War 2. Instead of a car in every garage, there will be a helicopter.”

Anticipating what’s coming and knowing what it will be like are not the same thing. Even the smartest people can be way off in projecting what is yet to come.

Of course God’s predictions in the Bible have all come true exactly as he said they would.

At the Christmas season we are always reminded about the detailed information given about the promised Messiah. The Bible clearly predicted that he would be born of a virgin in the city of Bethlehem. That he would come out of Nazareth and be Immanuel (God With Us).

At Easter time we hear those many passages about his suffering and death for the sins of his people. His victory over evil was predicted as far back as the Garden of Eden in Genesis 3:15. His agony and the purpose of his death is described amazingly well in Isaiah 53.

Of course there are also the many predictions given in ancient times to people like Noah, Abraham, Moses, Daniel, and others. All came to pass exactly as God said they would. They were not always fully understood before they were fulfilled, but with out privilege of hind-sight we see how perfectly accurate they all were.

There remain promises God has made about the future too. Interpreters might debate about the details of how they will all come to pass, but as sure as in the past, all will take place just as God has said.

In Deuteronomy 18:22 God gave us this test for anyone daring to predict what will come to pass,

“When a prophet speaketh in the name of the LORD, if the thing follow not, nor come to pass, that is the thing which the LORD hath not spoken, but the prophet hath spoken it presumptuously: thou shalt not be afraid of him.”

In warning Israel God spoke in Ezekiel 12:25 saying,

“For I am the LORD: I will speak, and the word that I shall speak shall come to pass; …”

Our confidence rests in the character of God himself. There is no power that can derail his plan. God knows all things eternally and his word to us can never fail. We rest in the hope that is before us, a hope that cannot fail.

Hebrews 6:18, “That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us: “

Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the King James Version unless otherwise noted.

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How We are Made Right with God

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How We are Made Right with God

by Bob Burridge ©2010

The good news of the gospel isn’t anchored in our own efforts or feelings. It’s anchored in the work of Christ in fulfillment of God’s promise.

The person who needs to hear about Christ needs to be taken beyond his sorrow for sinning. If we just scare him with the fires of hell we drive him to whatever he believes is the escape. Often that’s not to the true deliverance they can have in Christ.

The statistics of emotionally charged revival campaigns are not very encouraging. The large majority of those who allege to come to Christ under those conditions show no change in their lives. After a few weeks they are never heard from again by the churches.

We need to point them to the work the Savior did, not to an emotional leap in the dark. They may come to God for mercy, but mercy comes only through Christ. Cries for mercy based on anything else are not the way to salvation.

First we need to be sure they understand the atonement. They may not know the word. You may not know the full theological definition of it yourself. But you need to lead them to the truth of it.

1 Peter 3:18, “For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit”

The Demands of Justice
This verse begins with these words, “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, …”

We humans are all unjust. We are sinners who stand accused before God. We are law-breakers.

As we see in Romans 3:23, “… all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God.” Sin has a penalty as the Apostle Paul explained in Romans 6:23, “For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.’

As those who sinned in Adam, and as those who sin by our own imperfect moral nature, we are guilty and condemned in the eyes of God.

Satisfying Those Demands
1 Peter 3:18 gives more detail about how that gift of God can benefit the sinner. Jesus died for the unjust. He was just one, innocent of any moral guilt. He suffered for the unjust. We are the ones who are not innocent.

Jesus only had to suffer once for all. He was that infinite sacrifice needed to cover so much guilt. The infinite God who is infinitely powerful, absolutely innocent and just, took on a full human nature to represent us just as Adam did.

Only the Messiah, God and man in perfect union, could stand as our representative. Adam represented the human race. Jesus represented those chosen by God. They weren’t chosen because of anything good in them. They were chosen by grace alone (Ephesians 1:4-5) — an act of a perfect love.

Our Savior died in the place of those God called to life by taking on their guilt and penalty. He suffered infinitely to pay our infinite debt. With the barrier of guilt removed we can be reconciled with God. This is what today’s verse teaches us, “… that he might bring us to God”

The guilt barrier is removed. God is reconciled with us and we with him. Aside from his atonement God is offended by us and we are alienated from him. In Christ there is reconciliation: The offense is removed so that God is not separated from us any longer.

With the separation between us and God ended, we have life in Christ.

The Benefits of Satisfied Justice
This important verse ends with this promise, “being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:”

Jesus died in the flesh. His human body and spirit were separated as a consequence of our sins. Then Jesus was made alive again by the act of the Triune God. His body was raised as ours will be some day. It was reunited with his human soul because the sin that caused physical death was paid for.

In him we are made alive again too because the guilt of sin has been removed. We are re-united with God by being born-again, made alive spiritually, regenerated. At death our bodies will be separated from our souls only temporarily. At our resurrection our bodies will be glorified and re-united with our souls forever. That union will be in full fellowship with God eternally.

This is the good news the person who doesn’t know Christ needs to know. We need to explain it in the best way we can and urge others to trust in it.

(Note: The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.)

The Nature of God’s Law

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The Nature of God’s Law

by Bob Burridge © 2010

This article is a taken from our lager Syllabus lesson about God’s Law. It deals with just one brief aspect of that holy law. For the details, support texts and a more complete presentation read through the lessons on God’s Law in Unit 5, Nomology in our Syllabus. The following paragraphs were excerpted from the first lesson in this Unit.

The Nature of Law

Law is a concept many tend to isolate and examine as if it had an existence of its own. We tend to think of individual precepts and rules that bind us morally or civilly as various conditions arise. However, law ultimately has its origin in the unified and independent nature of God. It is what pleases him, and what is consistent with his purpose as Creator and Sustainer. It defines what is moral and right.

Matthew 5:17-20
The ancient sects of the Scribes and Pharisees had departed from a right understanding of God’s law and confused its use. They made it into a superficial set of regulations which they saw as a means of salvation, and as a cause for personal pride and judgmentalism. Jesus explained to them how their attitude toward the law was wrong. The context of Matthew 5 contrasts their perversions of moral law with what God had actually said and intended. He also countered the charge that he in any way degraded the ancient law given through Moses. He said …

17. Do not think that I came to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I did not come to abolish, but to fulfill.
18. For truly I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not the smallest letter or stroke shall pass away from the Law, until all is accomplished.
19. Whoever then annuls one of the least of these commandments, and so teaches others, shall be called least in the kingdom of heaven; but whoever keeps and teaches them, he shall be called great in the kingdom of heaven.
20. For I say to you, that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the scribes and Pharisees, you shall not enter the kingdom of heaven.

Jesus denied that his coming was intended to abolish or to destroy the law or the words of the prophets. The Greek term he use in 5:17 is kataluo (καταλυω), which means to throw down, destroy, demolish, abolish, or annul.

He immediately added the positive side showing what his purpose was regarding the law. He came to fulfill it. The word he used for fulfill is plaerosai (πληρωσαι), which means “to fulfill, accomplish, complete or to bring something to its full measure.”

John Calvin stated in his commentary, “Christ, therefore, now declares, that his doctrine is so far from being at variance with the law, that it agrees perfectly with the law and the prophets, and not only so, but brings the complete fulfillment of them.”

Jesus accomplished this in his three offices. As Prophet he brought the law to it fullest revelation by showing us the meaning underlying the symbols and practices of the ceremonial law. As Priest he was the Sacrificial Lamb satisfying the demands of the law in the place of his people. He represented them both in the keeping of the law perfectly, and in the suffering and dying to satisfy the demands of divine justice for their sin. As King he pronounced the curse of the law upon those who remain the enemies of God and of God’s Kingdom.

The perpetuity of the law is compared with the persistence of the created universe. Beginning with the solemn declaration “truly” (αμην), he said that the law would last as long as the universe lasts. It would remain until the heaven and earth pass away. Those who imagine that Jesus was declaring the elimination of the law should observe the stars and mountains and conclude that such an end to the law has not yet taken place.

He then showed that the law as a whole persisted. Not even the smallest parts were being canceled out. He illustrated with references to the forms of letters in the Hebrew alphabet, the language of the law and the Old Testament. It is represented in Greek by the gospel writer.

The smallest letter in Greek is called the iota. It is like our letter “i” (ι). Matthew uses this to represent the Hebrew letter yodh, (translated “jot” in the KJV). It is a small mark raised above the line (י) representing the letter “y”, or as a helping consonant to lengthen the vowel “i”. The “stroke” he spoke of is the keraia, a Greek word representing the little extension on some forms that distinguish between certain Hebrew letters. For example the “b” (ב) in Hebrew and the “c” (כ) look similar. The difference is the hook or projection on the bottom right which is called the “tittle” in the KJV.

The analogy in English would be to say that not a dot over an “i” or a cross on the “t” would pass away from the law until all has been accomplished. That is the attitude of Jesus regarding the stability of God’s law.

To clarify even further Jesus condemned as least in the Kingdom of Heaven anyone who would dare annul and teach the annulment of even the least of these commandments. The rabbis had divided the law into 613 commandments. They identified 248 of them as stated positively and 365 as stated negatively. They debated which were the heavier or lighter commandments. According to many the lightest was found in Deuteronomy 22:6-7 which says that if you find a bird’s nest with young or eggs, and the mother of the bird is with them, you may take the eggs but you may not take the mother. The most weighty was generally agreed to be Deuteronomy 6:5 which requires that we love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, and might. In Luke 10:27-28 Jesus accepted the answer about the weightiest law when it was offered to him by an expert in the law.

Jesus’ comments clarify what he meant by not coming to destroy the law but to fulfill it. All the points of God’s moral law, expanded upon in the context of Matthew 5:21-48, are perpetual and are not annulled or set aside in the coming of Jesus as the Messiah. Jesus came to complete the law for us, not to take it away.

We must lay hold of the law in its true sense as a moral and perpetual revelation of God’s commanded holiness. This ought to make us live more honorably to the Lord who has transformed us by grace, than did those hypocritical critics the Scribes and Pharisees.

John Calvin comments, “If we intend to reform affairs which are in a state of disorder, we must always exercise such prudence and moderation, as will convince the people, that we do not oppose the eternal Word of God, or introduce any novelty that is contrary to Scripture. We must take care, that no suspicion of such contrariety shall injure the faith of the godly, and that rash men shall not be emboldened by a pretense of novelty.” (Calvin’s Commentary on the Harmony of the Gospels, table 1-43)

Though Jesus seemed to disobey the law, it was really only their perverted interpretations of the law that he disobeyed. He did not abolish the law by fulfilling it. This is directly denied by his own words. Instead of abolishing the law he fulfilled it.

Summary of the Practical Importance of God’s Law
To summarize the practical importance of the law of God for believers living in this age of the ascended Savior, a few principles may provide a helpful guide.

1. God’s moral law reveals what is pleasing to the Eternal King.
It shows us what is right and true. The revealing of the nature of God is presented in Scripture as a prime purpose of all things made (Psalm 19:1-6; Romans 1:20). Therefore making himself known must also be a prime purpose of his specially revealed moral law. The more we understand God’s law, the more we will respond with proper worship regarding his glory.

2. God’s law exposes our fallen nature and inability to please God.
The more we understand God’s law, the more we are humbled before the perfectly pure holiness and justice of our Heavenly Father. It shows how unworthy we are of his blessing, and how impossible it is for us to keep the law sufficiently to please God, even in one little point.

3. God’s law foreshadows the work of Jesus as the Messiah.
The ceremonial law illustrates dramatically that our sin deserves death. It teaches that unless God provides a substitute for his people by a gracious covenant, there is no hope for any one. The symbolic animal sacrifices of the Old Testament foreshadowed the sacrifice of Jesus Christ.

Since his death for his people has been completed, the rituals of the Levitical code have ceased to have a purpose. But what was required by divine justice remains: Death for sin is required of everyone descending from Adam by ordinary generation. The only satisfaction in place of the sinner would be a perfect Redeemer who was also the infinite God who was the party offended. The ritual laws continue to drive us to Christ as we study the principles underlying them which are now made clear in the New Testament.

4. God’s law is a perfect guide for showing us how we ought to live.
The believer is made alive spiritually. This compels him by the renewed disposition of his heart to give thankful obedience to his Savior. The law of God shows what is pleasing to the object of our love. Otherwise we would not know how to honorably show our gratitude.

5. God’s law restrains sin for the benefit of the covenant people.
The general effects of the law are applied by God to society in general to provide a restraining effect that keeps depravity from expanding into total moral chaos. Ungodly societies have laws against murder, civil violence, theft, and such crimes that would disrupt societal tranquility. These laws are not imposed by them to honor the true God, but to benefit their own peace and prosperity. There is no true benefit to this kind of obedience for the unbeliever. The beneficiary of this restraint is the redeemed people of God.

God’s law continues to have great uses and benefits today. Though some legal duties may have only temporal applications, there is an eternal element to all of God’s law. The moral principles underlying the revealed precepts are never done away. We need to learn to honor that law and to be holy even as the Lord our God is holy (Leviticus 19:2).
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When It’s Hard to Agree With God

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When It’s Hard to Agree With God

by Bob Burridge ©2010, 2018

1 John 1:9, “If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The word confess can mean different things to different people. We need to be careful that we don’t confuse what John is writing about in this First Epistle by understanding this passage in a wrong way.

Confession is not just listing our sins in prayer, or reciting them to a Priest or Pastor. Sometimes people think that doing something good or giving up some pleasures for each sin on the list helps to get God to forgive them. But, forgiveness isn’t dependent upon something we say or do. Its foundation is God’s grace alone which sent our Savior to pay the full price for his people’s sins on the cross of Calvary.

The word for “confess” in the original Greek text of 1 John 1:9 is homologomen (ομολογωμεν), from the root word homologein (ομολογειν). It’s a compound word meaning, “same-saying” or “to say the same thing”. The closest word in English is “to agree with”.

When we confess our sins to God we are saying the same thing about them that God is saying. We are “agreeing with God” about how morally wrong we are and have been. It’s more than listing our sins. It’s recognizing our moral unworthiness in the eyes of a perfectly holy God. While we should address the individual sins of which we are aware, we also should be agreeing with our Creator that we are lost in Adam, and that aside from the righteousness of our Savior Jesus Christ being credited to us by grace, we are undeserving of the forgiveness for which we pray.

It’s the work of Christ as our sin-bearer that pays the horrible price our sins deserve. He purchased forgiveness and restoration to fellowship with God.

In true confession of sin we are agreeing with God that our sin condition makes us worse than we can fully appreciate in our creaturely limitations. We admit that there is real guilt and offense against the one to whom we owe all that we are and ever hope to be.

This is the hard thing: agreeing with God that we are sinners, unworthy of forgiveness, and that our only hope is in the work of Jesus Christ, and that there is nothing we can do as fallen creatures to atone for our sins.

This wonderful Bible verse then goes on to tell us about God’s promises. He is both faithful and just.

God is faithful to all the promises he has made. He will always be and do what he tells us about himself in his word. No promise ever fails or is turned aside by a power outside of himself. When God stirs his redeemed people to admit their offenses against their Creator, they can be assured that there will be forgiveness. This admitting of personal sinfulness is an evidence of God’s saving grace at work in the lost heart.

This does not mean that we are forgiven only if we remember each sin we have committed. The context of this passage shows a contrast. Those agreeing with God about their sinfulness are set in contrast with those who deny that they sin (1 John 1:8,10).

Failure to remember a sin, even if a person dies while committing it, will not prevent forgiveness to one who puts all his hope in the finished work of Jesus Christ. The promise here is the assurance that this sincere admitting of our sins as God brings them to our minds will result in forgiveness for all those who have first placed their faith in God’s grace and the atonement of the Savior.

God is not only faithful to his promises, he is also just. He always upholds the demands of justice. Forgiveness is based upon justice being satisfied by the perfect Redeemer. Guilt isn’t simply set aside or ignored. That would violate God’s basic attribute of Justice. Instead, the good news, the Gospel, is that Jesus has fully paid the debt of justice for his people.

This doesn’t make confession unimportant. It means something more profound than making a “please forgive me for the following sins” list. It’s admitting the horrors of your sin and guilt before God himself. It’s admitting that your thoughts, words, and deeds include things offensive to him. It means that you are sincere and fully agree with God about all he says in his word about your own sins and how offensive they are. It means you sincerely grieve for all you have done and want to overcome your sins.

When you pray, remember what God says about you and about the righteousness of Jesus Christ with which you are clothed by grace as you come to him. Be assured that no matter how horrible your sins have been they are fully satisfied by the life and death of your Loving Savior who took your place in all the suffering he endured. Rest assured that God’s forgiveness cannot fail.

[The Bible quotations in this article are from the New King James Bible unless otherwise noted.]

The Name of Jesus

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The Truth About Christmas

by Bob Burridge ©2010


This article concludes a series of studies about the events surrounding the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The series begins with, Called To Bethlehem. There is also a complete index for all the articles telling The Truth About Christmas.

Part 13 The Name of Jesus

When God’s angel spoke to Mary to tell her about the child she would bear he said in Luke 1:30-33, “… Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name Jesus. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

The name for her baby wasn’t explained to her at this time. The name “Jesus” in the original Greek text is iaesous (Ιησους). But this was Luke’s translation for the Greek readers. The angel probably would have addressed Mary in Aramaic or Hebrew. He would have used the name Yeshua (ישע). That’s a shortened form for Yehoshua. Literally the name means “Yahveh (Jehovah) saves / helps”.

We are used to many biblical names beginning with the letter “J” (Jesus, Joseph, Jehovah, Jeremiah, and so on). There is no “J” in either the Hebrew of the Old Testament, or in the Greek of the New Testament. English tends to turn the Hebrew “Y” sound into a “J”. In German the letter “J” has the sound of our English letter “Y”, so the early European translations kept the letter “J”. Eventually it lost the original “Y” sound. So we say the Name of God is Jehovah, but in Hebrew it is originally Yahveh (יהבה). This is why we say “Jesus” in English instead of “Yesus,” or the Aramaic “Yeshua” (ישע), or “Iaesous” (Ιησους) as it would read in Luke’s Greek version.

Jesus was a common name among the Jews at that time. Historical records show that there were others at that time named Jesus. There are even others by that name in the Bible.

When the angel appeared to Joseph he more directly explained the significance of the name. In Matthew 1:21 the angel said to him, “And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name Jesus: for he shall save his people from their sins.”

Salvation implies that there is some danger from which to be saved or delivered. It wasn’t the danger of Roman oppression as so many Jews had come to believe. It was a more important danger, one more horrible than any persecution or personal depression. Jesus would deliver his people from the cause of all mankind’s sufferings: He would save them from sin itself!

The root of all our horrors, of all our struggles, and of all our problems is the corruption and depravity we inherit as a race from Adam, our representative in Eden.

This is the Christmas message: It’s not about decorations and gifts. It’s not even about days off and family dinners. It’s about the one real solution for all of man’s problems which all come from sin. Jesus came to save us from the guilt and disabilities that come from sin itself.

We learn more about Jesus by the titles he was given when the angel spoke to Mary about her son in Luke 1:32-33, “He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end.”

Mary’s son would be great. He wouldn’t simply grow up to be another citizen of Nazareth. He was destined for greatness in the eyes of God. It would not even be the kind of greatness known to other outstanding humans remembered in the record of the history of the world.

He will be called Son of the Most High. What an astounding title! Others are called sons of the Most High God too, but the expanding information of the angel spirals upward to amazing heights. This was obviously a special title unlike the normal honor every covenant child bears. Otherwise the angel wouldn’t have said it as he did.

This Son of God will reign forever in the kingly office promised to David. This was the peak of the mountain of information Mary was hearing. The lost and suppressed kingship of David’s throne would be revived in her son. A much longed for promise would be fulfilled in him.

Every Jew knew the words the angel referred to. The prophet Nathan said long ago to the great King David, in 2 Samuel 7:12-13, “And when thy days be fulfilled, and thou shalt sleep with thy fathers, I will set up thy seed after thee, which shall proceed out of thy bowels, and I will establish his kingdom. He shall build an house for my name, and I will stablish the throne of his kingdom for ever.”

Then again in verse 16 Nathan concluded the promise to David, “And thine house and thy kingdom shall be established for ever before thee: thy throne shall be established for ever.”

We could add to the angel’s words those titles given to our Savior by the Prophet Isaiah:

Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.”

Isaiah 9:6 “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

Jesus is also called the Christ. The word “Christ” is from the New Testament Greek term christos (Χριστος), which means “anointed”. It translates the Hebrew word Mashiakh (משיח), which also means one who is “anointed” or “set aside for special office”. We usually see this Hebrew word translated as “Messiah”.

In the revealed order of God’s law, prophets, priests, and kings were all anointed when they took up their office. Sometimes it was done by ceremonies common to their contemporary culture. At other times they were set aside by the simple declaration of some one who had the authority to appoint them to their office.

As the promised Redeemer, Jesus came to be Prophet, Priest, and King. All others who were anointed to serve in these offices were part of how God would reveal the special authority of our Savior. He was the one anointed from all eternity to reveal more fully the plan of God to redeem his people, to make the one true sacrifice for sin, and to rule forever as King over the Kingdom of God.

This is the one whose birth we celebrate on this day we set aside called “Christmas.”

As we exchange gifts we should remember the greatest gift ever given, the gift purchased by the humble life and death of Jesus Christ.

He took the place of all who repentantly trust in him alone for what he accomplished during his mission to earth over 2000 years ago. He bore the just penalty they deserve for their sins, and he gives them his righteousness to make them acceptable to live joyfully forever in fellowship with the Creator and Sovereign Lord of all that is. He truly deserves our worship, our devotion, our service.

To learn more about our Wonderful Savior you need to be a careful student of the Word of God preserved for us supernaturally in the book we call the Bible. To help you in that study we invite you to study through our on-line Syllabus as it reviews the many teachings of God’s word. Let us know how we can help you grow in your appreciation of this amazing gift of God.

The Worship of the Wise Men

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The Truth About Christmas

by Bob Burridge ©2010


This article continues a series of studies about the events surrounding the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The series begins with, Called To Bethlehem. There is also a complete index for all the articles telling The Truth About Christmas.

Part 12 The Worship of the Wise Men

It was only after the wise men left Jerusalem that they were guided by a star. It led them to the very house where our Lord was living.

When they arrived, Matthew 2:11 tells us what they did, “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh.”

The word used here for house shows that he was no longer lying in a manger in a shed. The word in the original Greek text is oikia (οικια). It was the common word for a simple family residence. Mary and Joseph were staying in a regular home by this time.

As we saw in the previous article, Jesus was probably about one year old by the time the wise men from the East arrived. The census crowds would have left by then so there would have been space available with relatives who lived in Bethlehem. It is also possible that Joseph was able to do some carpentry and earn enough money to buy a house, or perhaps to build one himself.

The Magoi worshiped Jesus when they found him. By the work of God’s grace on their hearts they recognized him for who he really was. This little toddler, no longer an infant, was the Promised Redeemer. The hope of all the ages was being fulfilled before their eyes.

Like these wise men, the Eastern Magoi, we need to put the worship of Jesus Christ above everything else in our lives. They left their comfortable homes and honored positions in life to make an 800 mile trek to find and worship the new born King of the Jews, the Messiah. They freely gave valuable treasures they could have used to improve their life-style. They could have bought more luxuries, fine clothes, or feasted on lavish meals. But they understood a higher responsibility than serving their own personal comforts.

They humbly submitted themselves to a higher King than the one they served back in the East. They found a better and more self-satisfying investment for their riches than saving up for toys, luxuries, or adventures.

The thing we need to focus on most in or lives is our worship of Christ. Give him your time and resources to see that his work is carried out here on earth. Obey his moral principles, regardless of luring temptations. Be devoted to Sabbath worship with the congregation of which you’re a part. Make sure that your behavior at home, at school, at work, and in the community reflects your gratitude for this greatest gift ever given, ever imagined.

Jesus Christ is the one sought by the truly wise. He’s the one enjoyed by those who trust in him and in all he taught. He’s the Good Shepherd and Lord of all.

Next Study: The Name of Jesus

The Star of the Wise Men

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The Truth About Christmas

by Bob Burridge ©2010


This article continues a series of studies about the events surrounding the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ. The series begins with, Called To Bethlehem. There is also a complete index for all the articles telling The Truth About Christmas.

Part 11 The Star of the Wise Men

In Matthew 2:2 we read the account of the wise men who came to worship Jesus, the one born King of the Jews. They came to Jerusalem, not to Bethlehem. Jerusalem was the capital city where they would have expected to find a king. They came to Herod and asked, “Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.”

God sent this very special star to bring these men to Jesus. It appeared on the night Jesus was born. Somehow, God used it to reveal to them that the promised King of the Jews had been born. Ages ago, during the Jewish Captivity in Babylon, Daniel the Prophet lived there. He had become one of the Magoi (wise scholars) of Babylon. His influence and teachings were probably passed down in the traditions of those scholars. He would have told about the Promised One, the Messiah, who would be born to the Jews.

Every year poorly informed news broadcasters and newspapers interview astronomers trying to look for some natural explanation for this star that appeared when Jesus was born. From the descriptions we have of its appearance and movement, it could not have been an actual star, a comet, a super-nova, or a conjunction of planets. The natural explanations unbelievers read into the story don’t fit the facts in the Bible.

The original word translated as “star” is aster (αστηρ), which simply means a light in the sky. It was a word sometimes used to describe stars, planets, meteors, comets, or any bright object in the sky.

Notice that the Bible doesn’t say that the star lead them there. They didn’t even come to Bethlehem after they saw it. They went to Jerusalem, a natural place to come looking for a Jewish King. The image of three kings following a star across the deserts is pure fiction. The Bible does not tell the story that way.

It was as they left Jerusalem to go to Bethlehem that the star appeared again and led them. Matthew 2:9-10 says, “When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.”

No actual star, meteor, comet ,or conjunction of planets could behave that way. It appeared while they were in the East. Then appeared again almost a year later to guide them south from Jerusalem to Bethlehem. It pointed out the actual place where Jesus was living. No natural explanation could account for that. This was a special light sent from God unlike anything we have observed in nature.

There is no star mentioned appearing over Bethlehem on the night of Jesus’ birth. The star was seen by the wise men while they were back in the East on that night. It may or may not have been visible from Bethlehem or from Jerusalem on the night of his birth.

It was only after they left Jerusalem to go to Bethlehem that the same supernatural light in the sky guided them to the home where Jesus was then living.

Next Study: The Worship of the Wise Men