Saturday, January 24, 2004
Mr. Sloth's Saloon
Thursday I was talking about malicious verbal abuse in relation to condemnation. In the case of Hannah and the barren womb, Peninnah was not just (or right) in her condemnation. Peninnah was guilty of pride, verbal abuse, and picking on (pestering) Hannah for something that only God had control over. (Why aren't you pregnant? What is the matter with you? Don't you know how to get pregnant? Forgetting that God is the one who gives life and takes it away, who opens the womb and closes it.) So Hannah was condemned by Peninnah, but it was not a righteous condemnation.
When an unrighteous person condemns you, and it is not justice, because you have done nothing wrong, then God will defend you. But when the Righteous and Holy God condemns you, because you have sinned and the punishment is just and very much deserved, then who will save you? That is the question. What is the meaning of katakrino? [google search on katakrino, katakrima]
Let's consider the case of two business owners who might have their buildings condemned by the Mayor and City Council. Let's call the first Mr. Pilgrim, and the second Mr. Sloth. Well, Mr. Pilgrim has had a bakery in the city for 20 years - "Pilgrim's Pastries" and he is a good and hard-working man, rising every morning at 4:00 AM to bake his bread and pastries. Mr. Pilgrim sells all his tasty treats at reasonable prices. Mr. Pilgrim is well liked in the community and even donates a lot of food each week to several local charities that care for the poor. Mr. Pilgrim always pays his taxes, and keeps his building in excellent shape, following all the city, county and state building codes and ordinances.
In contrast, Mr. Sloth has been in business for only 3 years, and is running "Sloth's Saloon -- a gentleman's night club". Mr. Sloth is looking to get rich quick and frequently hosts "business lunches" with free booze and scantily clad young ladies serving the tables. Mr. Sloth is 3 years behind on his city taxes, was cited once for operating without a liquor license, and is currently arguing with city hall about violations to the city building code. On top of this, a young girl was recently injured when she walked by Mr. Sloth's building and a gutter fell off the roof and hit her on the head, nearly killing her.
The Mayor and City Council meet on Tuesday night and condemn Mr. Pilgrim's building to be torn down. They say nothing about Mr. Sloth's building. (Secret motive: Mr. Pilgrim's building must be removed to clear the way for a new shopping mall that will 'modernize the city' and 'stimulate the local economy'. -- Not to mention that the land developer pushing the new shopping-mall-concept is the Mayor's cousin.) So Mr. Pilgrim's business and building is CONDEMNED. Mr. Pilgrim will receive a small payment from the city, and the demolition of his building will begin in 2 months. Where is justice? Why are the innocent condemned and the guilty are not punished?
According to God's Word, we are all sinners and we are all guilty, just like Mr. Sloth -- but most of us don't believe that. So when we see this phrase in Romans 8:1 (no condemnation) we are thinking, so big deal, no condemnation, I wasn't guilty anyway. But as we continue in our study, we will see that we (all humans on the planet) are more wicked than Mr. Sloth and that our condemnation is just -- but there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because He was condemned, so we could be set free. Stay tuned...
When an unrighteous person condemns you, and it is not justice, because you have done nothing wrong, then God will defend you. But when the Righteous and Holy God condemns you, because you have sinned and the punishment is just and very much deserved, then who will save you? That is the question. What is the meaning of katakrino? [google search on katakrino, katakrima]
Let's consider the case of two business owners who might have their buildings condemned by the Mayor and City Council. Let's call the first Mr. Pilgrim, and the second Mr. Sloth. Well, Mr. Pilgrim has had a bakery in the city for 20 years - "Pilgrim's Pastries" and he is a good and hard-working man, rising every morning at 4:00 AM to bake his bread and pastries. Mr. Pilgrim sells all his tasty treats at reasonable prices. Mr. Pilgrim is well liked in the community and even donates a lot of food each week to several local charities that care for the poor. Mr. Pilgrim always pays his taxes, and keeps his building in excellent shape, following all the city, county and state building codes and ordinances.
In contrast, Mr. Sloth has been in business for only 3 years, and is running "Sloth's Saloon -- a gentleman's night club". Mr. Sloth is looking to get rich quick and frequently hosts "business lunches" with free booze and scantily clad young ladies serving the tables. Mr. Sloth is 3 years behind on his city taxes, was cited once for operating without a liquor license, and is currently arguing with city hall about violations to the city building code. On top of this, a young girl was recently injured when she walked by Mr. Sloth's building and a gutter fell off the roof and hit her on the head, nearly killing her.
The Mayor and City Council meet on Tuesday night and condemn Mr. Pilgrim's building to be torn down. They say nothing about Mr. Sloth's building. (Secret motive: Mr. Pilgrim's building must be removed to clear the way for a new shopping mall that will 'modernize the city' and 'stimulate the local economy'. -- Not to mention that the land developer pushing the new shopping-mall-concept is the Mayor's cousin.) So Mr. Pilgrim's business and building is CONDEMNED. Mr. Pilgrim will receive a small payment from the city, and the demolition of his building will begin in 2 months. Where is justice? Why are the innocent condemned and the guilty are not punished?
According to God's Word, we are all sinners and we are all guilty, just like Mr. Sloth -- but most of us don't believe that. So when we see this phrase in Romans 8:1 (no condemnation) we are thinking, so big deal, no condemnation, I wasn't guilty anyway. But as we continue in our study, we will see that we (all humans on the planet) are more wicked than Mr. Sloth and that our condemnation is just -- but there is no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus, because He was condemned, so we could be set free. Stay tuned...
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Thursday, January 22, 2004
Malacious Verbal Abuse
Moving on in our study of Romans 8 -- "[There is] therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit." (8:1) There is a parallel (related) passage in Romans 5:1 -- "Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ"
I was looking at the TSK and thinking about this phrase "no condemnation" and it pointed me back to my study from Dec 26, 2003 on ungodly where we found that -- Sometimes rasha` is an adjective (criminal, ungodly,wicked) and other times a verb (to be wicked, act wickedly, to be guilty, to condemn, be condemned). See Isa 54:17 - "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn"
The tongue is a powerful weapon of condemnation and a powerful force for blessing. In 1st Samuel 1, we find the example of Hannah, who was condemned by her rival partner (Peninnah) in the household of Elkanah. These two wives of Elkanah could not get along (another good reason why polygamy is put away) because Peninnah was constantly condemning Hannah. This malacious verbal abuse by Peninnah continued on year after year. The NIV says "And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her." (1st Samuel 1:6) NASB says "Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. " The CEV (Contemporary English Version) says "Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children..." And 1st Samuel 1:7 says "This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD , her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat."
Just as the Pharisees mouths were shut when the man with the withered hand was healed, so Peninnah was silenced when God gave a baby son (Samuel) to Hannah (who had the barren womb). Hannah prays and sings for joy at God's sovereign power and wisdom, "My heart rejoices in the LORD; There is no one holy like the LORD ; Do not keep talking so proudly, or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.... The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. "
Finally, malicious verbal abuse is exposed for what it really is -- sinful pride, despising the grace of God -- thinking that they are a "great person" because they have two good hands or a productive womb -- as if they are so great, they have accomplished all this by themselves. Woe is me if I ever forget that everything I have is a gift from God.
I was looking at the TSK and thinking about this phrase "no condemnation" and it pointed me back to my study from Dec 26, 2003 on ungodly where we found that -- Sometimes rasha` is an adjective (criminal, ungodly,wicked) and other times a verb (to be wicked, act wickedly, to be guilty, to condemn, be condemned). See Isa 54:17 - "No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue [that] shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn"
The tongue is a powerful weapon of condemnation and a powerful force for blessing. In 1st Samuel 1, we find the example of Hannah, who was condemned by her rival partner (Peninnah) in the household of Elkanah. These two wives of Elkanah could not get along (another good reason why polygamy is put away) because Peninnah was constantly condemning Hannah. This malacious verbal abuse by Peninnah continued on year after year. The NIV says "And because the LORD had closed her womb, her rival kept provoking her in order to irritate her." (1st Samuel 1:6) NASB says "Her rival, however, would provoke her bitterly to irritate her, because the LORD had closed her womb. " The CEV (Contemporary English Version) says "Peninnah liked to make Hannah feel miserable about not having any children..." And 1st Samuel 1:7 says "This went on year after year. Whenever Hannah went up to the house of the LORD , her rival provoked her till she wept and would not eat."
Just as the Pharisees mouths were shut when the man with the withered hand was healed, so Peninnah was silenced when God gave a baby son (Samuel) to Hannah (who had the barren womb). Hannah prays and sings for joy at God's sovereign power and wisdom, "My heart rejoices in the LORD; There is no one holy like the LORD ; Do not keep talking so proudly, or let your mouth speak such arrogance, for the LORD is a God who knows, and by him deeds are weighed.... The LORD brings death and makes alive; he brings down to the grave and raises up. The LORD sends poverty and wealth; he humbles and he exalts. "
Finally, malicious verbal abuse is exposed for what it really is -- sinful pride, despising the grace of God -- thinking that they are a "great person" because they have two good hands or a productive womb -- as if they are so great, they have accomplished all this by themselves. Woe is me if I ever forget that everything I have is a gift from God.
Wednesday, January 21, 2004
OHCC NT Greek Class
Monday night we had our first OHCC N.T. Greek class. A lot of people signed up for this very difficult class. Why? Do we really know what we are getting into? I will be memorizing hundreds of Greek words in the next few months (and their meanings).
Why? The only good reason for doing this, is so that you can proclaim the Gospel with more conviction and boldness, knowing that you are not mangling the interpretation of a word or phrase or emphasizing something that isn't really there.
We are using the book "Basics of Biblical Greek" by William D. Mounce (which also comes with a helpful CD-ROM from teknia)
Why? The only good reason for doing this, is so that you can proclaim the Gospel with more conviction and boldness, knowing that you are not mangling the interpretation of a word or phrase or emphasizing something that isn't really there.
We are using the book "Basics of Biblical Greek" by William D. Mounce (which also comes with a helpful CD-ROM from teknia)
