Hebrews chapter 13 - Commentary

The writer list several things that we are to do:

A. Continue in brotherly love (vs. 1)

B. Be kind to strangers (vs. 2)

C. Be married, don't fornicate (vs. 4)

D. Follow the faithful that have spoken the word to you (vs. 7, 17, 24).

Hebrews chapter 12 - Commentary

The writer declares for us to run this race with patience as a result of the litany of heroes mentioned in the previous chapter. The writer declares that non of us will suffer to the degree that Jesus suffered (vs. 1-4).

Writer also exhorts us not to despise the chastening of the Lord for it's for our good and continued holiness (vs 5-11).

Verses 13-17 commands us  to walk uprightly and holy. The believer's righteous lifestyle aids in bringing the unregenerate to Christ. No one is brought to faith by osmosis. God uses men to deliver his word to convict all of sin.

Finally, the writer recounts what happened in Exodus 19 and 20 when the children of Israel were at Mt. Sinai and were forbidden to go near the mountain when God through Moses gave the decalogue (i.e. ten commandments).

Writer contrasts that account with the reality that we have been brought to Mount Zion, the city of the living God, where an innumerable company of angels dwell. This is our final glorious destination  (vs. 18-24).

Hebrews Chapter 11 - Commentary

This chapter deals with the heroes of the Faith. These individuals are regarded as godly examples of those who exhibited great faith in God in all types of circumstances. True faith in God is what declares one righteous in the sight of God.

Key verse - Hebrews 11:6, "but without faith it is impossible to please God, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a re-warder of those that diligently seek Him."

Those described in this chapter:

- Abel vs. 4
- Enoch vs. 5
- Abraham vs. 8-9
- Sarah vs. 10
- Isaac  vs. 20
- Jacob vs. 21
- Joseph vs. 22
- Moses vs. 22-29

All these people and more believed God, looking forward to the promise(s) of God having never obtained them fully in their lifetime.

Enduring faith believes God unto death, not just a little while. This type of faith is patient, bold and fearless. This type of faith walks in full persuasion, trust and confidence in the word of God without wavering (2 Cor 4:18). This faith is motivated by love; hope and believes all things, and endures. This type of faith does not fail(Luke 22:31-32).

True faith always has the right object as it's bedrock, the Lord Jesus Christ (John 14:1).

Hebrews Chapter 10 - Commentary

Once again the writer reminds his readers that the sacrifice of bulls and goats could never remove sins; rather the ongoing sacrifices were a constant reminder of their sins. Their consciences were tainted because of sins (vs. 1-4).

In fact, the Lord never desired burnt sacrifices; they were merely types and shadows of the once and for all sacrifice of Jesus Christ himself on the cross [(God the Father's altar) (vs. 5-10 from Psalm 40:6-8)].

Jesus sacrifice on the cross ratified the new/everlasting covenant of Jeremiah 31:31-32, (vs. 11-18). Vs. 18 is the same as Hebrews 9:22.

Verse 22 fulfills the O.T. ritual of the High Priest on the Day of Atonement when he washed in the basin outside the tabernacle after which he would put on the holy garments to sprinkle blood on the mercy seat in the Holy of Holies to atone for his sins, his family and the entire nation (vs 19-22).

We're to keep believing in what Christ did for us without any doubt. God is faithful vs. 23.

Verses 26-31 gives severe warnings regarding our conduct toward what Jesus did for us; not to treat what he did with contempt for that's the attitude of the non believer. God will avenge himself on people with that type of evil mindedness. We are to fear God.

Verses 32-39 provide encouragement to Hebrew believers.

Verse 39 in particular proves that true believers will remain faithful. Why? Because God always preserves his chosen so that final salvation will be realized.

Born Dead

And you who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him having forgiven us all our trespasses.
                                                                                                                                      - Colossians 2:13


The phrase "born dead" is an oxymoron. How can one be alive and dead at the same time? Well, that is the way all mankind is born due to Adam and Eve's original sin in the Garden of Eden. Man is physically alive, but spiritually dead. He has no life inside of him - a zombie, a corpse - seriously living on borrowed time.

Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day, "Woe to you scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you are like whitewashed tombs which appear beautiful, but within (italics added) are full of dead people's bones and all uncleaness. So you outwardly appear righteous, but within (italics added) you are full of hypocrisy and lawlessness" (Matt 23:27-28).

            This is a vivid description of the living dead.

The prophet Isaiah 59:1-17 sums up the sinner's predicament perfectly.

Behold, the Lord’s hand is not shortened,

That it cannot save;

Nor His ear heavy,

That it cannot hear 

2 

But your iniquities have separated you from your God;

And your sins have hidden His face from you,

So that He will not hear.

3 

For your hands are defiled with blood,

And your fingers with iniquity;

Your lips have spoken lies,

Your tongue has muttered perversity.

4 

No one calls for justice,

Nor does any plead for truth.

They trust in empty words and speak lies;

They conceive evil and bring forth iniquity.

5 

They hatch vipers’ eggs and weave the spider’s web;

He who eats of their eggs dies,

And from that which is crushed a viper breaks out.

6 

Their webs will not become garments,

Nor will they cover themselves with their works;

Their works are works of iniquity,

And the act of violence is in their hands.

7 

Their feet run to evil,

And they make haste to shed innocent blood;

Their thoughts are thoughts of iniquity;

Wasting and destruction are in their paths.

8 

The way of peace they have not known,

And there is no justice in their ways;

They have made themselves crooked paths;

Whoever takes that way shall not know peace

9 

Therefore justice is far from us,

Nor does righteousness overtake us;

We look for light, but there is darkness!

For brightness, but we walk in blackness!

10 

We grope for the wall like the blind,

And we grope as if we had no eyes;

We stumble at noonday as at twilight;

We are as dead men in desolate places.

11 

We all growl like bears,

And moan sadly like doves;

We look for justice, but there is none;

For salvation, but it is far from us.

12 

For our transgressions are multiplied before You,

And our sins testify against us;

For our transgressions are with us,

And as for our iniquities, we know them:

13 

In transgressing and lying against the Lord,

And departing from our God,

Speaking oppression and revolt,

Conceiving and uttering from the heart words of falsehood.

14 

Justice is turned back,

And righteousness stands afar off;

For truth is fallen in the street,

And equity cannot enter.

15 

So truth fails,

And he who departs from evil makes himself a prey.

Then the Lord saw it, and it displeased Him

That there was no justice.

16 

He saw that there was no man,

And wondered that there was no intercessor;

Therefore His own arm brought salvation for Him;

And His own righteousness, it sustained Him.

17 

For He put on righteousness as a breastplate,

And a helmet of salvation on His head;

He put on the garments of vengeance for clothing,

And was clad with zeal as a cloak. 

With this clearly speaks of is man's inability and unwillingness to come to the Lord on his own. There isn't a vestige of virtue in man to do that. Why? Because man loves his sin and continually walks in darkness. Unregenerate man never runs to God, he runs away from God, lest he comes to the light of the gospel truth and his sins are exposed (John 3:20). God alone is the one who HAS the power save us or else no one can ever be saved.

In Romans 8:6-8 we read, "For to set the mind on the flesh is death (the state of the unbeliever), but to set the mind on the Spirit is life and peace. For the mind that is set on the flesh is hostile toward God, for it does not submit to the law of God; indeed it can not. Those who are in the flesh can not please God."

The carnal man that is devoid of the Spirit can do nothing no matter how philanthropic, benevolent, or noble to please his maker because it comes from a wicked heart; it's self righteousness. Man's righteousness the  bible says is a filthy rag (Isaiah 64:6)

Proverbs 15:8 says, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord, but the prayer of the upright is His delight."

Proverbs 21:27 says, "The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination; how much more he when brings it with evil intent."

God despises the wicked's sacrifices and gifts. They do not glorify Him at all.

         The sinners works are just as dead as they are.

Realizing that man is totally impotent due to his deadness in his sins is there a cure? Can man somehow be resurrected from spiritual  dead unto spiritual life? Here's the answer:

"How can a young man (or woman) keep his way pure? By guarding it according to your word."
(Psalm 119:9).

The first thing the sinner has to do is expose themselves to the power of God's word for it saves all those  who believe [italics added for emphasis (Romans 1:16)].

The preaching of the gospel will convict all of sin so that their evil deeds are exposed so that upon receiving positively the gospel message, one is granted repentance and faith to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ for salvation (2 Tim 2:25; Eph 2:8,9). This is all God's doing. Since a dead man can not do anything but be dead, God has to bring him back to life.

Romans 6:5 says, "For if we have been united with Him in a death like His, we shall certainly be united with Him in a resurrection like His."

When Jesus died for our sins on the cross, the above passage says we died with Him; obviously not literally, but spiritually by faith. When he rose from the grave, that power raised us from our spiritual graves. We were infused with life on the inside. Our spirits were made alive by his resurrection when we believed. This speaks  of our identity with him in death and life.

Ephesians 2:1-6, says, "And you who were dead in trespasses and sins (italics added) in which you once walked, following the course of this world, following the prince of the power of the air (the devil, italics added), the spirit that is now at work in the sons of disobedience - among whom we all once lived in the passions of our flesh, carrying out the desires of the body and the mind, and were by nature (i.e. our Adamic nature) children of wrath even as the others. But God (not us) who is rich in mercy because of the great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses (italics added) made us alive (italics added) together with Christ - by grace you have been saved, and raised us up with Him and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus."

Very rich and powerful revelation from the apostle Paul. He clearly explains fallen man's condition before divine intervention. Only God has the power to raise the dead. God is aggressive in the regeneration process. Man is a sole benefactor and adds nothing to this process for he is dead prior to God commanding him to rise from his deadness so that he can have of newness life.

In the final analysis, all those that are forgiven of sin are those who are alive to God and dead to sin. The role has been reversed for us - we're no longer living for sin and dead to God. We must understand this truth.

Those who refuse to believe the gospel of Jesus Christ are just the like religious leaders Jesus rebuked in Matthew 23:27-28 - their appearance is beautiful on the outside, but inside their dead rotteness bones who's sinful stench reaches up to heaven which is an affront to a holy God.

Their damnation is wide awake now unless they repent, otherwise they will die eternally (2 Peter 2:3).

Who's your Daddy?

A very popular phrase we use in today’s contemporary culture. However, I’m asking the question in a biblical context. Everyone who’s been born has or had a natural father. It’s also true that everyone has a spiritual father. And guess what? Everyone that’s ever lived and living now will spend eternity with your spiritual father.

You need to determine from the Bible who your father is for this will determine your eternal destiny.

Jesus told the religious leaders in John 8:44 that, “you are of your father the devil, and the lusts/desires of your father you want to do. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he speaks a lie, he speaks from his own, for he is a liar and the father of lies.”

So we see here that the Pharisees and scribes did not recognize who Jesus was; that he was the Messiah come from heaven for they asked Him, “who is your Father?” (John 8:19a). Jesus replied to them saying, 

“You know neither me or my Father. If you had known Me, you would have known my Father also (John 8:19b).” Jesus was making a clear distinction between parentage. Their father (the devil) was not His Father.

This exchange is parallel to what Jesus said to Phillip in John 14:9b…”He who has seen me has seen the Father.”

Jesus declared in John 10:30 and John 17:22, “I and my Father are one.”

In John 15:23 said, “He who hates Me hates my Father also.” The religious leaders were blind and couldn’t see this fact. They were arguing with their creator, God manifested in the flesh. They treated him with contempt and ultimately condemned Jesus to death. They said He was of Satan, a drunk, a glutton, and a bastard (Matt 11:19; John 8:41, 48).  They were indeed what Jesus called them, a brood of vipers. He told them they were not of God and they were not his sheep (John 8:47; 10:25-26).

Jesus said they were actually headed for hell (Matt 23:15,33).

Jesus said his sheep hear his voice, He knows them and he provides them with eternal life (John 10:27-30).

Those who love Jesus obey Him, and the Father will  love him (the obedient servant [John 14:23]). This love speaks of relationship.

John 1:12 says, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right (italics added for emphasis) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.

The preceding verse describes a child of the living God, the God of the Heaven and earth.

Those that practice sin are of their father the devil (I John 3:8). Children of God sin, but do not practice sin as a way of life. They recognize their sin and confess it unto God so he can forgive (I John 1:9). Satan can not forgive sins for he is the chief of sinners. The most ruthless father who loves to hate his children.

In John 3:10 we read this, “In this the children of God and the children of the devil are manifest; Whosoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is he who does not love his brother.

How you behave determines who your Father is.

The child of God is an overcomer (I John 5:4). This blessing is indicative of one being in Christ Jesus. The end of the child of the devil is the eternal Lake of Fire where the beast and false prophet are (Rev 19:20;20:10, 15).

On the other hand, those in Christ inherit everlasting life (Matt 1:21; John 3:16, 36; I John 4:12-16; 5:11,13,20).

The scripture is replete with this theme of those that are in Christ belonging to the Father. Jesus is the bridge that closes the gap between us and the Heavenly Father. Jesus provided the access so that when we pray, the Father hears us (I John 5:13).

So again I ask you the question, who’s your Daddy?

What is double predestination?

Double predestination is the idea or belief that God predetermines some people to go heaven and others to hell. Is this true?

As usual, we must go to the source of all truth the Bible.

In Romans 3:23, “For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God.” The word all in this context is exclusive. Mean all human beings have sinned. This is what scholars call a universal negative.

In the Old Testament we read in Proverbs 20:9, “Who can say I have made my heart clean? Who can say I am clean my from sin?”

The obvious answer is no one can or is willing to clean their own heart or cleanse themselves from sin.

Ephesians 2:1 says we were dead in trespasses and sins.

Colossians 2:13 says you were dead in your trespasses and in the uncircumcision of your flesh.

Point being is that God only predestines the elect, the chosen. He does not predetermine the non elect go to hell. They go to hell because of their rejection of the finished work of Jesus Christ through willful unbelief.
No greater expression of love has ever been displayed on earth, and to reject that perfect love offering deserves immediate damnation.

The Lord is passive in condemnation whereas he's active, and aggressive in salvation.

The Bible teaches that all of us were hell bound, and some point in time, that was the fate of all men.

In Ephesians 2:4-5 we read, “But God being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even while we were dead in our trespasses and sins made us alive together with Christ – by grace you have been saved.

Ephesians 2:12 says that, “remember that you were at that time separated from Christ, alienated from the commonwealth of Israel and strangers to the covenants of promise, having no hope and without God in the world (italics added).

Ezekiel 18:31-32 the prophet speaking to Israel says, “Cast away from you all transgressions that you have committed and make yourselves a new heart and a new spirit! Why will you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies (i.e. wicked) declares the Lord God; so turn, and live.”

The Bible teaches only the predestination of the chosen, those whom God desires to save. Understand the chosen do not choose God, he chooses them (John 15:16). We will never seek God on our own so God HAS to save us or else no one would ever be saved (Psalm 14:1-2; Psalm 53:1-2; John 6:44; Romans 3:10-11).

God chooses the elect because it pleased him to do so (Psalm 115:3; Ephesians 1:5, 11).

The unsaved are justly condemned because they reject the only way to salvation when the gospel is preached to them (John 3:36; 8:24; 10:26).

Those that are chosen will always come to saving faith when the effectual call of God is manifested in their hearts (Romans 8:28-39).<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]-->

The difference is that the wicked will be called by God, but will refuse to respond and thus be condemned. Why? Because they love their evil deeds (John 3:19).

There is essentially no difference between the elect of God and non elect. Pound for pound we are the same, born into sin and shapen in iniquity (Psalm 51:5). But spiritually, we are polar opposites because of parentage. Those whom were chosen before the foundation of the world belong to the Heavenly Father (Ephesians 1:4). Those not chosen belong to their father the devil (John 8:44).

Those who are chosen are a gift from the Father to the Son. That is why the Son was sent to earth, to  rescue those whom the Father commanded Him to save (John 6:37-40). Please understand that is why the chosen sinner comes to Christ because they are snatched out of the fire of eternal destruction where they were going and still deserve to go! Hell is just for all people – even God’s chosen.

It’s due to the inexplicable grace of God that we escape hell and enter into heaven. Naturally we do not want biblical salvation; it goes against the dictates of our corrupt minds.

God knowing this had to perform a supernatural work. He lovingly made the unwilling chosen sinner willing  by opening up his heart and mind, filling it with His love and power to bring an awareness of sins so that he would repent, believe and be saved. This only occurs because God is the initiator and culminator of salvation. Man is passive in salvation; he’s the blessed recipient of the love of God.

With the condemned man, he’s left in his depravity, because that is what he wants; he loves his sin, and God grants him that. God reaches His hands to him as well, but he refuses to take it; he rather not be rescued from the fires of hell where he’s headed. He rejects God so God grants him what he wants, that is out of 

God’s presence forever.

The only thing left for the sinner is judgment of their sins from God. He rejects God’s offer of salvation through the preaching of the gospel of repentance. This proves the unsaved are not predestined to go to hell before the foundation of the world. For if they were, God would not love on them the way He does by showing them the way to salvation in Jesus Christ.

They go to hell because of their rejection of Jesus Christ knowingly, the only way to salvation.

                                                                  

                                                                 Conclusion

If God decided to save everyone as some teach then it would (to the writer) depreciate the power of His saving grace. There would be no contrasting just condemnation of sinners to amplify the unmerited power of His saving grace.

God is completely balanced in that he saved some from his just wrath, and others he has reserved for judgment.

God then displays his mercy on those whom he saves and justly condemns those who have rejected him.

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<!--[if !supportFootnotes]-->[i]<!--[endif]--> Just because God chooses some for salvation, doesn’t negate personal responsibility of the sinner to repent, believe and be saved. What we have going on here is divine sovereignty in election from God and human responsibility in tandem. God chooses who he will save, uses the gospel message as the means to bring the chosen sinner to saving faith. The unsaved are given that same message and refuse to repent justifying their damnation.

Some opponents of this doctrine of election will question the fairness of God and say, “Why does God choose some and pass by others?” Scripture says who are we to question God, Will the thing formed say to him that formed it why have you made me like this (Romans 9:20)?” The question is not why God saves some, but why does he save any? For none of us ever deserved to be saved.

For more info, please read my article here: http://gospelofrepentance.blogspot.com/2012/04/sovereign-election-part-ii.html