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Lecture QA: The Fire That Consumes: A Biblical and Historical Study of Hell
BAPTISM — A CLOSER LOOK COMING UNDER THE NAME OF JESUS
Based on Who He Is: the Prophesied Messianic Lord Whose
Resurrection Presages Divine Salvation From Sin and the
Arrival of the Last Days (Acts 2:14-38).
A. The occasion: first gospel proclamation/conversion
of Jews.
B. The proclamation: Jesus (14-36).
C. The response: conviction (37).
D. The apostolic reply (38-39).
1. Repent (plural) and be baptized (singular) for
forgiveness of sins (plural) and receive the Holy
Spirit (plural).
2. “In the name of Jesus Christ” (epi- based upon who
Jesus is and what he has done).
II. Baptism in Jesus’ Name Means Coming Into Relation to
Jesus as the Powerful Lord who Conquers Satan and Brings
God’s Messianic Kingdom (Acts 8:12-16).
A. The occasion: first gospel proclamation/conversion of
Samaritans.
B. The powerful proclamation: Jesus (5-7, 12).
C. The conversion response: faith and baptism (12, 16).
“In the name of the Lord Jesus” (eis- into relationship with).
D. The aftermath: Holy Spirit later given through apostolic
hands (14-16).
III. Baptism in Jesus’ Name Means Obeying the One By
Whom God Forgives Believers and Will Judge the World
(Acts 10:34-48).
A. The occasion: first gospel proclamation/conversion of
Gentiles (Acts 10:34-48).
B. The proclamation: Jesus (34-43).
C. God gives the Spirit to faith (44-47).
D. Peter commands water baptism in the name of Jesus
(en- by the authority of).
IV. Baptism in Jesus’ Name Means Committing to Live as a
Representative of Jesus Thereafter (Acts 9:14-18; 22:16).
V. Baptism in Jesus’ Name is Not a Mere Formula, but Means
Entrusting Oneself to Jesus Who Gives the Spirit (Acts
19:1-7).
VI. Baptism in Jesus’ Name Means Invoking His Name in Prayer
While Being Baptized (Acts 22:16).
VII. Baptism in Jesus’ Name Means Yielding Allegiance to
Jesus Who Was Crucified, and Who Permits No Lesser
Sectarian Loyalties (1 Cor. 1:10-17).
BAPTISM — A CLOSER LOOK THE GOOD NEWS TO WHICH BAPTISM RESPONDS
I. The Gospel is Not “Good Do’s” (Moralisms) or “Good Views” (Doctrinal
Systems), but “Good News” (Evangel). Not History, Commands,
Exhortations or Prophecy, but an Announcement.
A. Isa. 43:10-13 – God declares, saves and proclaims.
B. 2 Tim. 1:9 – God foretold, saved and called us.
II. The Good News is the Announcement that God has Forgiven us and Made
Us His Friends, and That He Will Finally Restore All That Has Gone
Wrong in His Universe.
A. Eph. 1:13 – It is the “good news” of our salvation!
B. Eph. 1:10; Rom. 8 – God will sum up and redeem “all things.”
III. There are Many Ways of Talking About What God Has Done.
The Reality is Greater Than Any Attempt to Describe It.
A. Glimpses from Jesus’ human encounters.
1. Father of the wayward son (Lk. 15:11ff).
2. Woman caught in adultery (John 8:1-11).
3. Zaccheus (Lk. 19:1-10).
4. “Come to me all who labor” (Matt. 11:28-30).
5. Thief on cross (Lk. 23:39-43).
B. Metaphors from business and commerce.
1. Prison: was guilty — now pardoned
2. Court: was accused — now acquitted
3. Baths: was dirty — now cleansed
4. Street: was forsaken — now adopted
5. Home: was estranged — now reconciled
6. Inn: was hungry/thirsty — now filled
7. Bank: was impoverished — now enriched
C. Analogy of the covenant with its stipulations, blessings
and curses (more later).
IV. God Did All This in Jesus of Nazareth.
A. Jesus says “Yes” to all God’s promises so we may say “Amen.”
1. 2 Cor. 1:20.
2. Acts 3:18ff.
B. The core of the good news is that Jesus personally took our
place and acted in our stead. He became our representative,
our substitute, our proxy before God in all he did and in all
that was done to him.
1. This is the meaning of his priesthood (Exod. 28; Lev. 16;
Heb. 8-10).
2. Jesus was thus “born of a woman” (man), “born under the
Law” (Israel), to rescue Israel and humankind and set them
right with God (Gal. 4:4).
a. He is the righteous remnant, true Israel.
(1) John 15:1 (contrast Isa. 5:1-7).
(2) Matt. 1-5 – retracing Israel’s footsteps.
b. He is the Second Adam, true humanity.
(1) Lk. 3 – baptism and genealogy.
(2) Phil. 2 – retracing Adam’s footsteps.
c. Adam and Israel had covenant with God (Lev. 26; Deut.
28). Jesus accomplished what neither Adam or Israel
did: he kept the covenant stipulations and earned the
covenant blessings, then took on himself the covenant
curses in place of his people (Isa. 53:4-5; Gal.
3:13-14; 2 Cor. 5:21).
d. This involved Jesus’ perfect doing (active obedience)
and in his perfect dying (passing obedience).
(1) His perfect “doing” (Heb. 10; Rom. 5).
(2) His perfect “dying” (Heb. 9; Isa. 53).
3. Jesus himself has become the “covenant” (basis of
relationship) between God and sinners, not external
stipulations, blessings and curses (Isa. 42:6; 49:8).
4. Jesus himself is our wisdom, righteousness, holiness and
redemption. We can glory only in him.
a. 1 Cor. 1:30-31.
b. Jer. 23:5-6 and 33:15-16.
c. Jer. 30:21-24.
d. Phil. 3:3-11.
V. The Work That Accomplished Salvation is Done.
A. The testimony of the scriptures.
1. 2 Cor. 5:19 – God was in Christ, reconciling the world
to himself.
2. Col. 1:19-22 – God has reconciled us to himself.
3. John 6:37-40 – Jesus came to do God’s will and save his
own.
4. John 17:4; 19:30 – Jesus did what he came to do.
5. Isa. 53:11 – God saw the result of Jesus’ work and was
satisfied.
6. Rom. 4:25 – He was put to death because of our
transgressions and was raised again because of our
justification.
B. We cannot alter it, improve on it, add to it, diminish from it
or make it more complete or sure than it already is.
C. This saving work was done outside of us, but for us — before
we ever heard about it. Nothing we think, do or feel is any
part of the work which accomplished our salvation.
D. Because this saving work of Christ occurred outside of us and
our experience, we must trust entirely in it and not in
ourselves. We either accept it, rely on it and respond to it
— or we disbelieve it and ignore it at our peril.
GracEmail special
THE ASSIGNMENT
The first rays of morning gradually illumined the volcanic mountains before me, and the cobblestone streets of Antigua glowed softly beneath my feet. It was August 2007, and I was in this picturesque Guatemalan village on professional retreat with my employer, the Lanier Law Firm of Houston, Texas. During this early morning walk, I was asking God for a new assignment — something he would enable me to do to bless others and to bring him honor.
the answer
Within hours, I began to sense an answer. I was to encourage some of God’s people by writing a new commentary on Hebrews. Like the Book of Hebrews itself, this book would focus entirely on Jesus Christ — the Son of God who became a man to bring fallen human beings to their intended glorious destiny.
Over the following months, the details unfolded step by step, and the assignment seemed to gain a life of its own. Specifically, this book would tell the Jesus story, as Hebrews does, based on four Old Testament Psalms. I would work from the original Greek text, but my book would contain no Greek words. This commentary would present the cream of scholarly research — stated in non-technical language. It would explain Hebrews verse-by-verse, using the narrative style of a regular book. God would also embolden me to ask Haddon W. Robinson, President of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and author of Biblical Preaching, to contribute a foreword, which he would generously do.
the fulfillment
Fulfilling that assignment has been my preoccupation for the past 19 months — months containing many joyful 14-hour days. At age 29, I had published a commentary on Hebrews titled Our Man in Heaven. F.F. Bruce contributed its foreword and God graciously used that book to encourage and strengthen many readers around the world. Now, as I approach my 65th birthday, Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today, harvests the fruit of 35 more years of maturing, studying and preaching from this wonderful, mysterious, Jesus-centered, New Testament book.
From that sunrise prayer walk in Guatemala two years ago until now, I have keenly felt God’s blessing on this assignment. That blessing has been evident in the valuable assistance of many friends, in the warm-hearted sponsorship of my friend and employer Mark Lanier, and in the skillful craftsmanship of my friend and publisher Leonard Allen, director of Leafwood Publishers/ACU Press.
the affirmations
Along the way, we invited nearly 100 Bible scholars and church leaders to read the manuscript and to give us their impressions. From the USA, Canada, India, Australia and New Zealand, 36 responded — and they were enthusiastic in their affirmations. There is not space to share their remarks here, but please look at the thoughtful comments of reviewers such as Will Willimon, Simon Kistemaker, David Fleer, Sarah Sumner, Rubel Shelly, and Brian McLaren by clicking here. The endorsements include a link to my bookshelf, where you can order this book.
I praise God for giving me this assignment and for enabling its fulfillment. I invite you to join me now in asking him to use Hebrews: Ancient Encouragement for Believers Today to encourage many and to bring him glory.
THE KINGDOM OF GOD – 3
Because Jesus personally embodies God’s kingdom, New Testament writers do not mind saying that those who believe in Christ through the gospel even now participate to some extent in kingdom membership and blessings (Rom. 14:17; Col. 1:13; Rev. 1:9). Yet the church as institution is not the kingdom. A simplistic identification of the two always results in self-conceit and triumphalism by the church and disillusionment and unbelief by the world.
The church must continue to pray for God’s kingdom to come on earth as it is in heaven (Matt. 6:10). We live in hope, awaiting entrance into the kingdom’s eternal fullness (2 Pet. 1:11). Then all that can be shaken will have fallen and only God’s immovable kingdom will remain (Heb. 12:26-29). Then God will swallow up death for all time and wipe away tears for ever (Isaiah 25:7-8; Rev. 21:4). Cleansed of all evil, the universe will resonate with the song “Glory to the Righteous One!” (Isaiah 24:16; 2 Peter 3:14.)
The surprising element in all this, from the standpoint of human expectation, is the gap in time between the Already and the Not Yet — the centuries between the Messiah’s suffering and his visible glory, the interval between the kingdom’s past inauguration and its future consummation.
The earliest apostolic preaching summarized the past, present and future aspects of God’s kingdom program in these words: “The things which God announced beforehand by the mouth of all the prophets, that His Christ should suffer, He has thus fulfilled [past]. Repent therefore and return, that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord [present]; and that He may send Jesus, the Christ appointed for you, whom heaven must receive until the period of restoration of all things [future] . . . (Acts 3:18-21). So much has occurred already, but so much also remains. We serve God during this interim between the times, our eyes fixed on Jesus who has come and who is coming, waiting expectantly . . . “until.”
THE MAGI MEET THE MASTER (2)
“Who were the wise men that visited Baby Jesus? Where did they originate? What does their visit mean?”
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The Magi seem to have been familiar with astrology but not with the Hebrew Scriptures, suggesting that they probably were not Jews (Matthew 2:2). Their heavenly sign reminds us of the oracle of Balaam the soothsayer, who lived in the days of Moses: “I see him, but not now; I behold him, but not near; a star shall come forth from Jacob, and a scepter shall rise from Israel (Num.24:17).
The story of the Magi also brings to mind the prophecy of Isaiah, who revealed with greatest clarity the salvation of the nations through the anticipated Jewish Messiah. “Nations will come to your light; and kings to the brightness of your rising,” Isaiah had prophesied, seven centuries before Jesus. “The wealth of the nations will come to you. . . . All those from Sheba will come; they will bring gold and frankincense, and will bear good news of the praises of the LORD” (Isaiah 60:3-6).
The baby born to the Virgin Mary was the descendant of Jacob, born to reign as king. He was the Light of the World, who enlightens Jew and Gentile alike. He is worthy of our gifts, regardless of our national or ethnic origin. Like the Magi of old, wise men and women still are privileged to bow before this Jesus in adoration and in awe.
THE OLD PATHS
A brother in Singapore hears some persons urge that we should “follow the old paths” and resist changes in the church. He asks what Scripture says that and in what context. “Is there an ‘old path’ for us Christians today?”
* * *
“Ask for the old paths and walk therein” is a quotation from the King James Version of Jeremiah 6:16. By saying that, the prophet was calling the people of Judah back from idolatry and immorality to the Law of Moses as given at Sinai. He was challenging them to return from a disregard and neglect of their relationship with God to a hearty love for him and commitment to do his will.
In the early years of this century, certain preachers and religious debaters commonly quoted this verse when urging their people to maintain biblical doctrines and practices despite pressures from the world, the flesh and the devil. So long as the particular doctrine or practice under consideration was truly grounded firmly in the Word of God, that was not a bad application of this Old Testament passage — although it was certainly a secondary usage beyond the prophet’s original intention.
But preachers also used the verse very carelessly at times, when they simply wished to defend the religious or ecclesiastical status quo. Then they misused Jeremiah’s words to protect human traditions — something Jesus himself often taught against — especially when those traditions were elevated to the level of God’s Word and when living by them meant behaving toward people in a destructive and unloving manner. Whenever people use Scripture to prove they are more righteous than others, they are misusing the Bible and likely are wrong about their favorite doctrines as well.
At the very least, any person who argues for or against something based on “the old paths” needs to be very sure that what he or she wishes to preserve or perpetuate is fully 1900 years old (back to the New Testament or the Bible) and does not simply go back to the 1950’s when they were growing up and forming their own opinions. Those paths are not nearly “old” enough to justify using this verse in their defense! If we truly go back to the Bible, we will preach Jesus and his finished work of salvation, not some particular church, plan, pattern or system of doctrine to which Jesus Christ is at best peripheral and at worst totally irrelevant.
REFORMED AND NON-REFORMED
Several gracEmail subscribers have asked for some explanation of the difference between “Reformed” and “non-Reformed” theologians as mentioned in a recent piece.
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“Reformed” sometimes means “Calvinistic” but I use it in the broader sense to refer to the general framework of understanding held by the principal reformers Luther, Calvin and Cranmer as well as Augustine long before them. It includes a belief that the human race fell in Adam and that all humans since then (except Jesus Christ) are born “sinners” with an aptitude toward sin. The Reformed view holds that Jesus actually accomplished the salvation of those for whom he died (though they had not yet heard about it or experienced it). It understands that before the world began God chose for salvation those for whom Christ died (which I believe includes everyone except those who knowingly reject God’s fellowship and grace). It believes that God will preserve through faith everyone whom God has saved and that none of them will finally be lost.
“Non-Reformed” refers to the understanding held by the reformer Zwingli, Arminius the counter-Calvinist, Pelagius much earlier in Augustine’s day (more extreme wing) and John Wesley long after the Reformation. Many non-Reformed people believe that all people start out morally “neutral” as Adam did and are not predisposed toward sin. The non-Reformed view holds that Jesus didn’t actually save anyone at the cross but that he made salvation possible for everyone. It understands that God’s choosing before the world began was based on what he saw in advance in those whom he chose. It believes that those who are saved can later be lost unless they persevere in faith until the end.
These are important differences that deserve serious study and concerning which both sides appeal to Scripture for their respective views. We need not be overly disturbed by such differences of understanding, however, so long as we remember the fundamental truths which both sides hold in common. For the fact is that Reformed and non-Reformed Christians agree on points about which Scripture is crystal clear: that we all are undeserving and helpless sinners; that God loves us profoundly; and that because of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection, whoever trusts in him enjoys God’s favor now and will live with God forever.