Warnings about falling away:
Romans 11:20-21
Hebrews 10:29-31 and 3:12-19
Promises of eternal life:
Ephesians 1:13-14 and 2:8-10
Romans 10:9
John 10:9 and John 10:27-29
There's a lot more, and I will update this list, but the purpose is to stir up the spiritual gift inside of us by making us aware of God's tenderness and severity.
P.S. speaking of promises I think I'm gonna make my own version of God's little promise book that I intend to more accurately describe the promises made to Christians.
Saturday, May 07, 2005
Wednesday, May 04, 2005
Interesting Verse
Genesis 4:7 is a very interesting passage of scripture, it has numerous translations and interpretations by many renowned commentators. But none of them, no matter what translation or text they use or perfer use textual variations to prove their points, which makes me think that there aren't any. Of course, no doctrines pivot on this verse, because everything that the different commentators claim the passage asserts is asserted somewhere else in the Holy Writ. But I figured I would comment myself on one of the plausible meanings that is easily inferenced when using more modern translations like the NIV or NASB. Here is the ESV translation: The LORD said to Cain, "Why are you angry, and why has your face fallen? If you do well, will you not be accepted? And if you do not do well, sin is crouching at the door. Its desire is for you, but you must rule over it."
(Gen 4:6-7)
The desire of sin is to rule over us and have our lives, it's been said that we can be slaves to righteousness or sin. It's also been said that he who sins is a slave to sin. But it's also been said that we are to be holy. And if this sin nature is after us, and seeks to be the ruling factor in our lives, rather than us being whole men who are in the image of God, then we must indeed master. We should allow our sinful selves no ground whatsoever. This means boldly resisting sin, even to the point of shedding blood, for some of us have not yet resisted sin that much. Of course, this can't be done without God's power within us. There is just no way, we can't please Him without faith, and we also can't fight sin unless His Spirit who is God Himself dwells within us. So with fighting unstoppable, and discipline unshakeable the people of God should master sin in their lives. So here's a prayer to pray. Father God, please give me the fortitude and discipline to fight sin, for I was saved to be righteous, and not the same as I was before You converted me. So please Holy Spirit, give me sweet desires to do Your will and accomplish Your righteousness in the world. Also give me the the power to preach Your Gospel to the church and to myself Lord Jesus, and it's under Your authority that I pray. amen.
If indeed I have misinterpreted this verse, I hope that the lesson I taught is still true, and I ask for the forgiveness of any who would notice and correct me. Just in case though, read Hebrews chapter 12 for information about God disicplining us to be holy and fight sin. Also read the words of Christ in Mattew 5:29, here our Lord speaks about mastering the desires of our flesh for the good of the kingdom. An alternate interpretation of Genesis 4:7 is that God is saying that Cain will be master over sin in that he will always do what his sinful desires pull him towards. This is assuming that being master of something is that same as being given to it in Ecclesiates 8:8. Another interpretation is that 'it' referring to sin, is actually supposed to be 'him' referring to Cain. Here is the KJV rendering: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." This is said to be the Lord consoling Cain saying that Abel is still subject to him as the younger son even if Abel had given the offering properly and Cain hadn't. Either way, this is just me covering my bases in case I am indeed incorrect in my assertion above. The only reason I assume I'm correct in the above section of this blogging is that I trust the translators of the NASB and NIV to have translated the verse properly, and that the exhortation to become master over the evil desires in your heart seems more in line with God's way of doing things than a consolation over a purely material right as older son. But who said He was tame, or into doing things my way.
(Gen 4:6-7)
The desire of sin is to rule over us and have our lives, it's been said that we can be slaves to righteousness or sin. It's also been said that he who sins is a slave to sin. But it's also been said that we are to be holy. And if this sin nature is after us, and seeks to be the ruling factor in our lives, rather than us being whole men who are in the image of God, then we must indeed master. We should allow our sinful selves no ground whatsoever. This means boldly resisting sin, even to the point of shedding blood, for some of us have not yet resisted sin that much. Of course, this can't be done without God's power within us. There is just no way, we can't please Him without faith, and we also can't fight sin unless His Spirit who is God Himself dwells within us. So with fighting unstoppable, and discipline unshakeable the people of God should master sin in their lives. So here's a prayer to pray. Father God, please give me the fortitude and discipline to fight sin, for I was saved to be righteous, and not the same as I was before You converted me. So please Holy Spirit, give me sweet desires to do Your will and accomplish Your righteousness in the world. Also give me the the power to preach Your Gospel to the church and to myself Lord Jesus, and it's under Your authority that I pray. amen.
If indeed I have misinterpreted this verse, I hope that the lesson I taught is still true, and I ask for the forgiveness of any who would notice and correct me. Just in case though, read Hebrews chapter 12 for information about God disicplining us to be holy and fight sin. Also read the words of Christ in Mattew 5:29, here our Lord speaks about mastering the desires of our flesh for the good of the kingdom. An alternate interpretation of Genesis 4:7 is that God is saying that Cain will be master over sin in that he will always do what his sinful desires pull him towards. This is assuming that being master of something is that same as being given to it in Ecclesiates 8:8. Another interpretation is that 'it' referring to sin, is actually supposed to be 'him' referring to Cain. Here is the KJV rendering: "If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him." This is said to be the Lord consoling Cain saying that Abel is still subject to him as the younger son even if Abel had given the offering properly and Cain hadn't. Either way, this is just me covering my bases in case I am indeed incorrect in my assertion above. The only reason I assume I'm correct in the above section of this blogging is that I trust the translators of the NASB and NIV to have translated the verse properly, and that the exhortation to become master over the evil desires in your heart seems more in line with God's way of doing things than a consolation over a purely material right as older son. But who said He was tame, or into doing things my way.
Recklessly Moral
This seems like a contradiction in terms, but it really isn't at all. The reason it seems contradictory is that morality tends to be safe, that's why things are moral, they work for the best for people. Sadly we live in a fallen world, and here, even though the wrong thing is destructive and reckless people do the wrong things, many people actually do the wrong thing because it's easier. So many times I say what isn't gonna rattle the nerves of my listeners just because it'll be easier for them rather than better, I skip out on doing righteousness to avoid being badly thought of. I won't talk to the gay guy cause I might be thought to be gay, won't talk to girl of bad repute, I may be thought to be a lecherer. Sometimes the safest route, ie, the route that does what's best for everybody involved it really the most dangerous. It takes a bit, if not a lot of recklessness to be able to do righteousness without second thought, without thinking a way out of it. By the way, I remember Jesus' parable about not hastily following him without considering the cost, but I also remember what he told the man who thought about the things of the world before following him, "Let the dead bury their own dead", or "If you're not willing to do this one thing you can not follow me." So, perhaps a time when showing love with no remorse, and being recklessly moral has come. If I can't be moral because of the temporal benefits of doing the wrong thing I have no business in heaven. So go ahead Christian, say words that make people squirm, encourage everybody all the time, and let the words of God overflow from thy mouth and drip from thy tounge.
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