Close Reading of 1 Thessalonians 4:1-8

This passage of study has caused a degree of inner turmoil within me.  For a while now I have been quite fixated on the doctrine of eternal security, namely that once a person receives Jesus Christ they are forever saved.  However, upon while meditating on this passage I become aware of a much more dynamic understanding of the Christian life.  Christianity cannot simply be understood in terms of doctrine.  Rather, it’s about living out the salvation that God has called us to. Also, that holiness is not optional for a Christian, which is an easy frame of mind to digress to; rather, holiness is imperative.  Paul urges his audience to live holy lives that please God by the abstinence of sexual immorality which is realized through self-control, and Paul’s method of exhortation is executed by drawing on the character of God as the motivation.   

Paul uses repetition of words quite frequent in this passage.  He mentions “Jesus Christ” twice, three times for “God”, three times for “know”, and “you” twelve times.  He also mentions the Holy Spirit once.  It is interesting to note that by the end of this passage—namely, verse 8, Paul has referred to every person of the Trinity.  In verses 4 and 5 Paul uses the word “know.”  In the Greek it is also the same word, that is, οῖδα, which means to know; thus confirming that Paul did indeed use repetition of words between these two verses.  This is intriguing because of the unique role that verses 4 and 5 are serving in Paul’s argument, which will be explored later.  He also employs the literary function contrast twice, and both times referring to holiness and impurity.  The first contrast is found in verses 4 and 5.  The second contrast is found in verse 7.  The general tone of the passage has undergone a significant shift compared to the previous chapters. Now Paul takes on a serious disposition in reference to what he is exhorting them to.  Paul explicitly warns them in regards to wronging each other, and even mentions God as being an avenger (v. 6).  The verses leading up to 4:1 are in a optimistic tone, mentioning names and giving encouragements for specific deeds of faith.  Now, however, Paul changes his tone from verse 4:1 and following.  This is again affirming the seriousness of the tone. In verse 1 it’s as if Paul is “finally” getting at the heart of his purpose in writing the letter after his greetings and disclosing his heart toward the Thessalonians (v. 1).  Paul’s method in his admonishment progresses from a general mention of previous commands to what that command specifically is, and finally a description of what obedience to his command looks like.  Also, Paul is quite particular as to who his audience is, that is, “you”—being the Thessalonians.  This idea is also realized through Paul’s reference to the specific commands that he gave them (vv. 1&2).  It is obvious that Paul has a degree of history with the Thessalonians.

It appears, whether intentional or not, that this passage is chiastic in structure.  Verse 2 is a general statement serving as a segue to the specific command of verse 3, that is, to “keep away from sexual immortality”; this command reveals God’s will in the matter.  Verse 6 correlates to verse 3 in that Paul again mentions God’s heart concerning sexual immorality.  Verses 4 and 5 are situated parallel to each other and, sharing the middle place of the chiastic structure, they are the specifics of what it looks like to abstain from sexual immorality. 

Verse 1 seems to set the theme for this passage—that is, “to live and please God”; and Paul simply becomes more specific in the details of living a God-honoring life, while using the seriousness of the character of God to urge them toward obedience.  In verse 1 Paul reminds his audience of their “received instruction”, and in verse 2 he continues the same thought by reminding them again of the “commands” that he gave.  Notice in verse 1 Paul urges them “in the Lord Jesus”; and in verse 2 he mentions the commands which he gave “through the Lord Jesus.”  He mentions Jesus in these verses probably for the purpose of emphasizing the Lordship of Jesus.  

The conjunction “for” at the beginning of verse 3 connects the progression of thought between verse 2 and 3.  After Paul reminds them of the commands he gave, he specifies exactly what commands were given to the Thessalonians, which has to do with  their “sanctification” (NASB).  Sanctification is “God’s will”—now this starts the theme that will carry on to verse 8—that is, the character and will of God being the incentive for obedience.  The issue that Paul brings up is holiness, which is God’s will, and then Paul discloses exactly what is on his mind when he mentions “sanctification.”  He says, “that you abstain from sexual immorality” (v. 3).  Abstaining from sexual immorality is what God’s will is.

Paul’s admonishment to “abstain from sexual immorality” is apparently too general, so in verse 4 Paul describes what it looks like to abstain from sexual immorality.  His explanation is to know how to control your own body in “holiness and honor” (v. 4).  The word “body” in verse 4 comes from the Greek word σκεῦος.  This word (σκεῦος) can mean either body or wife.  So verse 4 could also be taken as a command not only to control one’s own body in holiness and honor but also one’s own wife. 

As said earlier, verses 4 and 5 share the middle position of what seems to be a chiastic structure.  These verses are also a contrast.  Verse 4 is the practical application of the command in verse 3, that is, to abstain from sexual immorality; and verse 5 is the opposite of the pragmatics composed of in verse 3.  Paul is giving the Thessalonians a very clear picture of what it looks like to disregard sanctification, and give in to sexual immorality.  The “lustful passion” of the Gentiles in verse 5 stands in juxtaposition to the self-control that is described in verse 4.  Notice also in verse 5, Paul attributes the lustful passion to “the Gentiles who do not know God.”  Paul seems to be implying that their lustful passion is a symptom of the fact that they do not know God viz. if one knows God, then as a result they would not engage in “lustful passion” or “sexual immorality.”

Next, in verse 6 Paul maintains the same context, which is sexual immorality, by saying “in this matter.”  This is a rather perplexing part of the passage, because although the context is sexual immorality and the positive command is self-control of one’s body, Paul commands the Thessalonians to not “violate the rights of his brother or take advantage of him” (v. 6).  How do the rights of our brother have anything to do with personal obligation that Paul has been emphasizing on the avoidance of sexual immorality, and controlling one’s own body?  Well, how we translate the word for “body” (σκεῦος) in verse 4 can help shed light on the ambiguity of verse 6.  Remember that σκεῦος can either be translated as body or wife.  If, in verse 4, we understand Paul’s exhortation to not only know how to control their bodies in holiness and honor but also their wives, then it puts a different perspective on Paul’s command in verse 6; this seems reasonable because verse 4 and 5 is the “matter” that sets the context for verse 6.  It seems that Paul is intending his audience to refrain from engaging in any appropriate conduct with their brother’s wife. Also, using or abusing their brother or his wife in a way that is sexually immoral.

Similar to verse 3, in verse 6 Paul again uses the character of God as incentive for obedience.  He says, “because the Lord is the avenger in all these cases” (v. 6).  Also, similar to verse 1 and 2, Paul alludes to past commands and warnings at the end of verse 6.  Paul continues his case in verse 7 with the conjunction “for” (v. 7).  It is quite fitting that Paul would again mention God, because this has been the recurring theme—that is, he gives a command, drawing his audacity from God.  Verse 7 is another contrast, which is between “impurity” and “holiness.”

It seems fitting that Paul would end this passage with God being in perspective, and also mentioning the Holy Spirit, seeing that the topic of this passage is holiness; and indeed the Holy Spirit is a Spirit that is Holy.  Paul again emphasizes the fact that his commands are not just his own opinion, but rather they are from God; and so “consequently” –as Paul says—“the one who rejects this is not rejecting human authority but God” (v. 8).  Paul then ends in verse 8 with this profound statement about God, that He is the one “who gives his Holy Spirit to you.”  If we examine the rest of this epistle it then sheds light on Paul’s motive for mentioning the Holy Spirit.  In chapter 1 Paul mentions the Holy Spirit, and in both instances Paul is referring to his preaching to them, that it was in “power and the Holy Spirit” (1:5); and the second reference to the Spirit has to do with the conversion of the Thessalonians, that it was with “the joy of the Holy Spirit” (1:6).  So it’s as if Paul is reminding them of the blessedness and power that comes through the Holy Spirit; and thus allowing the massive blessing of the Holy Spirit to be a positive reason for obedience.

In conclusion—Paul stresses the importance of holiness; that (1) it is a command given “through the Lord Jesus”; also (2) it is “God’s will”; being (3) consistent with God’s calling; and (4) to reject holiness is to reject God.  It is also a blessing to the Thessalonians (and us) that Paul does not just leave them uninformed concerning the particulars of holiness.  Verse 4 is a description of what it looks like, and verse 5 is a contrast showing what holiness is not.  Paul definitely had a reasonable motive for the placement of 4:1-8 within this epistle. Chapter 3:12-13 is a benediction, encouraging love and holiness.  He picks up on the theme of love again in 4:9. It’s as if 4:1-8 is a detour in his flow of thought between the end of chapter 3 and 4:9—that is, by mentioning holiness in 3:13 Paul then, in 4:1-8, specifies what holiness is and urges his audience to engage in holiness.  The path of holiness as described in 4:1-8 also compliments Paul’s exhortations to love one another, which is situated on either side of 4:1-8, because sexual immorality is offensive to God and other Christians (v. 6).  This passage of study is also relevant to 3:13, because it is God who keeps their “hearts blameless in holiness.”  So, 4:1-8 also serves as the human response to the holiness that God works in Christians.  

Thoughts on the conscience from 2Timothy chapter 1

Serve God with a clear conscience (v. 3)

            Maintaining a clear conscience ought to be a high priority for us.  The Father has such a great love for us, that His desire is to lavish us with the riches of His grace that was bought with the sacrifice of Jesus.  Ephesians 1:7-8 says, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace which He lavished on us.”  Surely there is nothing greater than having the love of God being poured out into our hearts (Romans 5:5).  No amount of earthly wealth or carnal pleasure can be compared to that internal consolation, whereby the Holy Spirit speaks to our spirit and says, “you are Mine.”  When God shines the light of the glory of Jesus Christ everything else in all creation becomes dull and boring.  This is what we were created for; to bath in the love of God; to behold His glory, and to find all our pleasure in the person Jesus Christ who is “the radiance of [God’s] glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power” (Heb. 1:3). 

            God is holy.  He calls us to be pure—“you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect”; “but like the Holy One who called you, be holy yourselves also in all your behavior; because it is written, ‘you shall be holy, for I am holy” (Matt. 5:48, 1Pet. 1:15-16).  Engaging in wrong behavior that is contrary to how God has told us how to live and entertaining evil thoughts will certainly give us an evil conscience.  Sin defiles us.  We cannot simultaneously experience the pleasure and delight of the Lord, and entertain any form of evildoing.  For the sake of the satisfaction of our souls and the glory of God, maintaining a clear conscience is infinitely vital.  May we as God’s dearly beloved children, forsake all carnal thoughts that only entertain the flesh.  May we forsake all deeds that would make Jesus look undesirable.  If once we know the goodness of God and His amazing love, our lives can never be the same.  For the child of the king nothing on Earth can satisfy him.  That is why unconfesed sin affects are whole being.  The heart becomes anxious and loses peace; the mind becomes restless and in desperation does one of two things.  (1)The mind shall either in desperation for pleasure become deceived and pursue carnal pleasure to a much deeper end, and then the state of his being becomes even more dire, or (2)the mind shall remember the Lord and flee at once to cross of Christ, and in that moment he shall find comfort and cleansing.  David knew all too well of the burden of unconfessed sin.  He declares in Psalm 32, “when I kept silent about my sin, my body wasted away through my groaning all day long.  For day and night Your hand was heavy upon me; my vitality was drained away as with the fever heat of summer” (vv. 3-4).  Repentance is necessary for salvation.  It happens at the beginning of one’s conversion, and it continues on through the rest of that person’s life, if they have been truly regenerated.  If you have repented in times past, and have known sin in your life, then may you with rejuvenated urgency repent of your sin once again.  The motivation that caused you to initially trust in Jesus is the same motivation to keep living for Him and obeying His commandments.  When I read the NT, whenever there is a gospel call it is associated with repentance.  Men and woman are to forsake their sin, stop trusting their own righteousness, and embrace with the fullness of their heart the accomplishment of Jesus, and the glory of who He is.  On the flip side, whenever there is a warning in the NT, the warning is to stop engaging in wilful sin.  Of course, after a person tastes something of the riches of Christ and turns back to what the world offers them, they "crucify again to themselves the Son of God and put Him to open shame"; they "regard as unclean the blood of the covenant by which [they were] sanctified" (Heb. 6:6, 10:29). 

If repentance seems difficult to you; if it seems like something you must do to inherit eternal life, then you do not understand the grace of God, and you are in fact still thinking “works salvation”.  Your sin does in fact invoke the holy wrath of God, and hell is the punishment; but think upon the gracious words of Jesus when He says, “It is not the healthy who need a physician, but those who are sick… for I did not come to call the righteous, but sinners” (Matt. 9:12-13).  Your sin also makes you a possible beneficiary of the grace of God.  However, you must realize your lost state, and that you are utterly helpless in changing yourself.  Also nothing can justify your sins except the blood of Jesus Christ.  But, be warned, for after your mind becomes enlightened to what the grace of God is and your helpless state, and your heart is given an opportunity to cast all trust and affection upon Jesus, and if you repose and stall and choose to delight yourself instead with the fleeting pleasures of this world, then know that “it would have been better for [you] to have never known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed to [you]” (2Pet. 2:21).  Indeed sin makes you a possible candidate for the grace of God, but if after tasting God’s grace, you become lethargic in putting your sin to death, then be warned—for the scripture says, “if, after they have escaped the defilements of this world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first” (2Peter 2:20). 

I would like to focus now on blessing have having a cleansed conscience, and just how that becomes possible.  First of all I would like to say that there no better, no sweeter state of being for a person to possess than to have one’s conscience cleansed.  That is why David says in Psalm 32, “how blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered! How blessed is the man to whom the Lord does not impute iniquity, and in whose spirit there is no deceit!”  When the Holy Spirit speaks tenderly to the conscience and says, “clean and forgiven” the sinner would not trade that inner testimony for anything in all creation.  When the love of Christ is poured out into a person’s heart, all things on earth seem dry, dull, and boring; and the sin that so ravished and enflamed their desires seems so absurd to the person’s mind, and they say, “how did that enigmatic thing ever seem like pleasure?” 

So, how to have your conscience cleansed?  Have you ever read the book Hebrews?  It is exalts the supremacy of Jesus Christ. It exalts His deity and the efficacy of His sacrifice.  For now, may we dwell on His efficacious blood, which can wash sin away and cleanse the conscience.  Hebrews 10:21af says, “since we have such a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water.”  So in light of how absolutely amazing and powerful Jesus is, let us…  He did the work that we could not do.  He alone lived righteously, and He died for you.  He offers a perfect righteousness that pleases the Father.  Jesus Christ’s substitutional death on the cross actually takes away yours and my sin.  So that God no longer counts our sin against us; it’s as if we have never sinned, but it goes even further—God looks down on us and says, “you are perfectly righteous.”  How does He do this? Because of the life and death of Christ.  Nothing else can cleanse your conscience.  Nothing else can take away your sin.  Look upon Christ! Meditate on Him; on His death and resurrection.  If the Holy Spirit is opening your heart to the glory of His grace, then with all your heart take hold of Jesus.  His grace if sufficient to heal and cleanse your heart and conscience.  Fix your eyes on Jesus, and let Him be the motivation to confidently draw near to God.            

  

           

SOTERIOLOGY WITHIN HEBREWS: A STUDY RECONCILING APOSTASY AND THE SECURITY OF SALVATION

The book of Hebrews was most likely written to Jewish Christians who were on the verge of apostasy.  These Jewish Christians were enduring heavy persecution, and were tempted to go back to the old practise of Judaism.  Jim George says concerning the Jewish believers, “many find themselves under intense persecution as they try to live out their new found faith in Christ while living in Jewish communities where the Old Testament is the focus of religion” (George 2006, 259).  Although the authorship of the book of Hebrews is uncertain, its message is not.  This book clearly exalts the supremacy of Jesus Christ, and warns fiercely of the danger of abandoning the apparent commitment that these people have to Jesus.  Since the threat of persecution was so intense and the temptation to go back to the old covenant was strong, Hebrews contains some frightening passages, warning Christians to not turn away from the Christ.  There is some tension over the Book of Hebrews, because of a seeming dichotomy.  The author is very exhaustive in proving the effectiveness of Jesus’s sacrifice to save a person completely for all eternity, but the author also warns severely about the danger of abandoning faith in Christ.  The warning passages seem to suggest that people could lose their salvation. Yet other passages exalt the sufficiency of Christ’s sacrifice to not only forgive and cleanse sin, but also the transforming power to create a new heart.  These doctrines cannot coexist.  It is either that the believer is saved forever and their salvation is secure, or when the believer receives forgiveness through faith in Christ, they can still renounce their faith and be pronounced guilty again.  Although the book of Hebrews warns against falling away from Jesus, it also teaches that the true believer does not commit apostasy, but rather perseveres in faith and holiness.     

            Hebrews 6:4-6 is one of the most controversial passages in the book of Hebrews.  Spurgeon said of this passage, “this is one of the texts which have been trodden under the feet of controversy; and there are opinions upon it as adverse as the poles, some asserting that it means one thing, and some declaring that it means another” (Spurgeon 1856).  It describes a dire situation that is a warning to people who have experienced a certain list of blessings poured out from God, that if they fall away “it is impossible to renew them again to repentance” (Heb. 6:6 NASB).  The word that invokes terror is: “impossible.”  The impossibility is about repentance, which implies that a person could potentially come into a state whereby repentance is utterly not possible, and thus salvation is unattainable; or as Hebrews 10:26 puts it: “there no longer remains a sacrifice for sins.”  At a quick reading it would seem as if this passage is about a Christian.  If this passage is about a Christian, a person who is forgiven by God and under the grace of God, then it certainly suggests that a Christian can lose their salvation.  Notice in verse 6 it describes an apostasy which happens after the blessings of verses 4 and 5 are experienced.  Hebrews 6 can either be interpreted as a Christian losing their salvation or an unbeliever that has experienced certain spiritual blessings, and failing to truly put faith in Jesus Christ and finally entering into a dreadful state.

            Although the blessings described in verses 4 and 5 seem to be a by-product of salvation, there is much reason to believe that these specific blessings can most certainly be experienced by unregenerate people.   The first blessing, found in verse 4, speaks on being “enlightened.”  Regarding this blessing of being enlightened, John MacArthur says, “they had received instruction in biblical truth which was accompanied by intellectual perception.  Understanding the gospel is not equivalent of regeneration” (MacArthur 2005, 1850).  Enlightenment is certainly a gift from God, but it must be accompanied with faith.  Faith is man’s response to the gospel when the heart becomes enlightened.  Enlightenment is not in and of itself faith, but rather it gives opportunity for faith.

            The next blessing listed is: “[tasting] of the heavenly gift” (Heb. 6:4).  Although it is unclear as to what the “heavenly gift” is, one thing that is certain is how much participation this hypothetical person has with the heavenly gift.  The word “tasted” suggests that a person can experience the heavenly gift to a certain degree, but then reject it and thus not reap the benefit of the heavenly gift.  It is similar to how one might taste food, but then spit it out, and fail to swallow the food and derive nutrition from it.  Matthew Henry says, “they may taste of the heavenly gift, like people at a market, who taste what they will not buy, who only taste and leave it” (Henry 1708, 2195).

            The language surrounding the next blessing is similar to the previous blessing in that it does not speak of the blessing as being received in full consummation.  The Greek word for “partaker” is metochos.  Metochos is a loose word used for describing having some kind of relationship with something or someone.  It does not necessarily imply the person of Hebrews 6 has experienced the Holy Spirit in a saving way—a regenerating way.  Wayne Grudem says:

to become a ‘partaker’ of the Holy Spirit means to be associated in some way with the work of the Holy Spirit and to share in some of the benefits the Holy Spirit gives”…”regeneration is not the only way for people to partake in the Holy Spirit or receive some of His benefits, and therefore we cannot assume that regeneration is the sense intended here (Grudem 1995, 147 & 148) 

An example of people having some relationship with the Holy Spirit and yet not being a believer is found in Matthew 7.  Jesus said, “many will say to Me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name cast out demons, and in your name perform many miracles?’ And I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you…” (Matt. 7:22-23).   Certainly the Holy Spirit is required to prophecy, or do wonderful miracles, but even these manifestations of the Holy Spirit are not evidence of salvation.  Jesus said, “I never knew you” (Matt. 7:23).  This means that these people had never possessed salvation.

            The last two blessings, found in verse 5, have similar language.  Again, the participation with the next two blessings is described as “tasted.”  The “good word of God and the powers of the age to come” are experienced in partiality (Heb. 6:5).  The good word of God is most likely hearing the scriptures read, and the gospel explained.  The powers of the age to come could be prophecy of some sort, but its full meaning is unclear, and not imperative to understanding the hermeneutic of these verses.  The message that is undeniably clear in these verses is that these blessings are all from God.

            By interpreting the blessings of verses 4 and 5 as gifts from God that can be experienced by regenerate and unregenerate alike, verses 7, 8, and 9 makes perfect sense.  The parable in verses 7 and 8 is a metaphor for two potential reactions when the blessings of verses 4 and 5 are poured out.  The rain is symbolic of the blessings of verses 4 and 5.  The ground is symbolic of the type of heart a person possesses.  The rain does one of two things for a human being.  When the rain falls on the ground and it “brings forth vegetation useful” to God, it describes a person who has experienced the same blessings, but faith is developed and fruit is produced (Heb. 6:7).  When rain falls on the ground and it produces “thorns and thistle”, it describes a person that even after experiencing the blessings of verses 4 and 5 they do not develop faith and commit apostasy (Heb. 6:8).  In light of the dangerous and terrifying description of a person neglecting the gospel of Jesus Christ found in verses 6 and 8, the author then says in verse 9: “Even though we speak like this, dear friends, we are confident of better things in your case—things that accompany salvation” (Heb. 6:9 NIV).

                “Things that accompany salvation” consist of a transformed life that clings to Jesus as Savior, and perseveres in faith and holiness (Heb.6:9).  John Piper says, “the key phrase is "things that accompany salvation." The "better things" that he is confident about are things that always go with salvation (literally, are possessed by salvation). They belong to salvation” (Piper 1996).  Apostasy does not accompany salvation.  Rather, a transformed heart, which is manifested in holiness, is symptomatic of salvation.  The author of Hebrews is quite emphatic on the fact that perseverance is symptomatic of salvation.  Hebrews 3:6 says, “Christ was faithful as a Son over God’s house.  And we are his house, if we hold on to our courage and the hope of which we boast.”  The present tense is “we are his house”, which means one is a Christian; and proof that one is a Christian is the holding on of courage and hope.  In other words, proof that one is currently a believer is if that person continues courageously holding on to the hope that is in Christ.  Hebrews 3:14 is similar, it says, “We have come to share in Christ if we hold firmly till the end the confidence we had at first.”  Now the author emphasizes a past experience.  The past experience is coming into union with Christ—becoming a Christian.  Proof that someone has truly become a Christian is if that person perseveres until the end.  If someone abandons faith in Christ, it only proves that person never truly possessed faith. 

            Perseverance is not only proof of salvation, but it is in fact a by-product of being a beneficiary of Christ’s sacrifice; once a person has truly come into union with Christ, they are forgiven and cleansed for all eternity by the blood of Christ.  Salvation can be summed up as receiving forgiveness of sins, obtaining an eternal redemption, cleansing of the conscience, receiving a new heart, and being perfected or all eternity (Heb 9:12, 9:14, 10:14, 10:16-17).  The author has exhaustively exposited on the implications of the efficacy of Christ’s sacrifice in Hebrews 7, 8, 9, and 10.  Hebrews 10 essentially concludes and reiterates what has been said in the previous chapters.  One of the main concepts is the sufficiency of Christ’s blood to cleanse and make perfect the sinner for all eternity.  Hebrews 10 distinguishes Christ’s blood from the blood of bulls and goats by contrasting their effects.  He says, “it is impossible for the blood of bulls and goats to take away sins” (Heb. 10:4). But of Jesus he says, “we have been made holy through the sacrifice of the body of Jesus Christ once for all” (Heb. 10:10). The writer continues his argument and says:

Day after day every priest stands and performs his religious duties; again and again he offers the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins.  But when this priest had offered for all time one sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God (Heb. 10:11-12).

By Christ taking a seat at the right hand of God, it implies His work is completely finished.  A person is either in Christ, forever perfected, or not in Christ, and remains guilty.  Charles Stanley says, “to say that Christians can lose salvation is to say that the blood of Christ is inadequate to perfect for all time those whom God has sanctified.  To say that is to equate His blood with the blood of bulls and goats” (Stanley 1990, 154).   

A great verse summoning up the purifying power of Christ’s blood and how it affects the sinner is Hebrews 10:14: “by one sacrifice he has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.”  It is through the sacrifice of Jesus that one is cleansed and deemed righteous; and it is through Christ’s sacrifice that a person undergoes sanctification, which is manifested as holiness.  The “being made holy” is a result of a transformed heart, which is accomplished by Christ’s sacrifice.  It is through the sacrifice of Jesus that the “new covenant” is put into place.  “This is the covenant I will make with them after that time, says the Lord.  I will put my laws in their hearts, and I will write them on their minds” (Heb. 10:16).  This is what God had promised in the Old Testament.  It is this transformed heart and mind that causes the believer to grow in holiness and persevere.

Even though the true believer will progressively grow in holiness, this fact does not nullify the importance of the warning passages.  The author of Hebrews does not try and discern who is a Christian and who isn’t.  He writes the warning in such a way that it targets anyone who has spent time with the body of Christ, and has experienced some spiritual blessings as a result.  Obviously for the false converts it is very important to read these warnings.  Hopefully it will spur them on to cling to Jesus as Savior.  The warnings contained in this book are also beneficial for the believer, because it can shake one out of a lethargic state of mind.   The salvation from Christ is too great to neglect, and the doom of failing to put faith in Jesus Christ dreadful beyond imagination.

REFERENCE LIST

George, Jim. 2006. The Bare Bones Bible Handbook. Eugene, Oregon: Harvest House       Publishers

Spurgeon, C.H. 1856. Final Perseverance. 23 March 1856. http://www.spurgeon.org/sermons/0075.htm (accessed 04 February 2012)

MacArthur, John. 2005. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee:             Thomas Nelson Inc.

Henry, Matthew. 1708. The New Matthew Henry Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan:             Zondervan

Grudem, Wayne. 1995. The Grace of God, the Bondage of the Will. Grand Rapids,            Michigan: Baker Books

Piper, John. 1996. When is saving repentance impossible? 13 October 1996.             http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/when-is-saving-repentance-   impossible (accessed 06 February 2012)

Stanley, Charles. 1990. Eternal Security. Nashville, Tennessee: Oliver-Nelson Books

Gospel Poetry

Sin looks down, left, and right

But never up to Heaven’s height

Sin appeals to all flesh

Exalting all but Heaven’s Grace

And says, “Come and eat

                   That you may be complete

                   Come and eat

                   That you may be complete”

The King of Glory did look down

He then came down giving up the crown

Taking sin upon Himself

He then died upon a cross

Heaven’s Host then said, “Never has there been such love

                                           That has been seen from above

                                           Never has there been such love

                                           That has been seen from above”

Death could not hold Him down

 He then was raised taking the crown

Now seated in the highest Heaven

All hail the King of Glory

A Voice cries out, “Look to the One pierced to a tree

                                And you will know what it is to be free

                                Look to the One pierced to a tree

                                And you will know what it is to be free”          

Paul's struggle with sin in Romans 7

 Sin is mankind’s greatest enemy.  It is the reason for all the suffering and death on Earth.  Sin is ultimately the cause for all the sorrow that falls upon man.  Sin tramples on the glory of God and invokes God’s holy wrath.  Apart from the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, sin is terminal.  Paul says in Ephesians 2:3 that man is “by nature children of wrath”(NASB).  Jesus Christ came to earth, died and was raised to life, to set humanity free from the bondage of sin.  That is the gospel, and by faith one receives the grace of God.  Paul explains that the gospel sets a person free from sin, and enslaves them to righteousness.  “But thanks be to God that though you were slaves of sin, you became obedient from the heart to that form of teaching to which you were committed, and having been freed from sin, you became slaves to righteousness” (Rom. 6:17-18).  So when a person receives this amazing grace of God, what does sin look like in in the life of a believer?  Romans 7:14-25 is about the war between the spiritual nature and remaining corruption in Paul's life as a converted man.  This battle is the reality of every believer until separation of the original body occurs.

There has been much debate over Romans 7:14-25, whether this passage is about pre-conversion Paul, or Paul’s struggle with sin as a saved man.  At a quick reading it is difficult to distinguish whether this is converted Paul or not.  This certainly could be a description of a man wrestling with conviction of sin.  However, there seems to be a lot of evidence showing that Paul is talking about his battle against sin during his converted state.  Matthew Henry says regarding Romans 7:14-25, “It seems rather to be understood as referring to the struggles that are maintained between grace and corruption in sanctified souls (Henry 1708, 2026). 

Paul uses very strong language in describing his dealings with sin.  His emotion toward sin is hatred.  It says in verse 15, “…I am not practising what I would like to do, but I am doing the very thing I hate”.  This is significant because in other areas of scripture where Paul talks about the natural unregenerate man, he describes their relationship with sin as hedonistic.  Ephesians 2:3 says, “among them we too lived in the lusts of our flesh, indulging the desires of the flesh and the mind”.  Nothing in the verse from Ephesians would lead one to assume that the subject hates their sin.  Rather it seems that they are utterly engaged, both mind and heart in their sin as absolute pleasure.  Furthermore, Paul says in Romans 1:32 concerning sin, that the unregenerate person gives “hearty approval to those who practise them”. In John Calvin’s exposition on Romans 7:14-25 he says, “this conflict, of which the Apostle speaks, does not exist in a man before he is renewed by the Spirit of God: for man, left to his own nature, is wholly borne along by his lusts without any restraint” (Calvin 1548, 262).

 It is true that when someone in their unregenerate state is under conviction of sin they may be overwhelmed with despair.  Even Judas Iscariot had sorrow, and understood that he was guilty, but he despaired because he possessed no love for Jesus, or the law of God.  True sorrow over sin is a result of hating one’s vices and possessing real love for the Lord.  A person may become sorrowful from conviction of sin, but it is not because they hate the sin they engage in.  It is because the sting of their conscience and the guilt that burdens their soul crushes any happiness that they hope to acquire from the deeds which they think are pleasurable.   

If Romans 7:14-25 is about Paul’s pre-converted state, then he could not say “I delight in God’s law” (Rom. 7:22 NIV).  The natural mind always looks at the law of God as burdensome.  Delighting in the law of God is the outcome of salvation.  It is what God promised of the new covenant.  “But this is the covenant which I will make with the house of Israel after those days, ‘declares the Lord, ‘I will put My law within them and on their heart I will write it…” (Jer. 31:33 NASB).  This is exactly what Paul declares about himself in verse 22.  In his “inner man” he delights in the law of God.  In John Piper’s exposition of this passage he says, “Paul speaks about the Law of God in this passage in a way that sounds like the way a Christian believer would talk about it, not the way an unregenerate, non-Christian Jewish man would talk about it. I am thinking not just of him calling the law "good" (7:16) or even "spiritual" (7:14), but especially 7:22 when he says, "I joyfully concur with the law of God in the inner man” (Piper 2001).  Now it is true that God has written His law on every human beings conscience and on their heart to a certain degree; but it is not in a way like the promise of the new covenant.  Paul says in Romans 2:14-15: “for when the gentiles who do not have the law do instinctively the things of the law, these, not having the law, are a law to themselves, in that they show the work of the law written in their heart, their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing or else defending them”.  This verse simply means that God has made known to everyone what He requires of them.  Notice that through the law being made known to their hearts and consciences they shall be judged by how they responded to that law—“their conscience bearing witness and their thoughts alternately accusing…” (Rom. 2:15).  When God writes the law on a person’s heart according to the new covenant, it is a different result.  According to the new covenant the person loves the law of God.  This is the result of salvation!

There is yet another reason helping to shed light on the proper interpretation of this passage.  It is the fact that he speaks in first person.  In the first thirteen verses of Romans 7 Paul speaks in third person; but from verses 14-25 he speaks in the present tense.  Notice in verse 9 of Romans 7 Paul speaks in the past tense, referring to his pre-converted state: “I was once alive apart from the Law; but when the commandment came, sin became alive and I died.”  Another example of sin and the Law in Paul’s past is found in verse 11, it says, “for sin, taking the opportunity through the commandment deceived me and through it killed me.”  In every verse of Romans 7:14-25, Paul speaks in present tense.  This is clearly implying that the inner turmoil is an ongoing battle in Paul’s life.    If Paul actually meant for his readers to think this was an account of his conviction with sin as an unbeliever, then he most certainly would have written in past tense.  To write in the present tense Paul means to say that he is currently struggling with sin as a converted Christian.

By establishing this passage as Paul’s struggle with sin as a regenerated Christian, one can properly study this passage for what it is—namely, all out warfare between the spiritual nature that accompanies salvation and the remaining corruption in the flesh.  In the chapters leading up to Romans 7:14, Paul has been exhaustive in teaching his readers that mankind is utterly sinful.  Every thought, motive, and deed produced by the natural man is sinful.  Paul says in Romans 3:10, “there is none righteous, not even one”.  The human race is so controlled by the sinful nature that when someone becomes born-again it does not mean they won’t commit sin again.  When a person receives salvation through Jesus the battle with sin starts, and will not end until that person is separated from their natural body.  On the subject of sin, J.C. Ryle wrote:

 So deeply planted are the roots of human corruption, that even after we are born again, renewed, washed, sanctified, justified and made living members of Christ, these roots remain alive in the bottom of our hearts and, like the leprosy in the walls of the house, we never get rid of them until the earthly house of this tabernacle is dissolved (Ryle 1879, 5).

            The question arises—why do Christians struggle with sin even after being saved?  This battle exists because although the Christian’s spirit is made alive, their soul’s abode remains in the natural flesh for the time being.  Paul says in Romans 7:18, “I know that nothing good dwells in me, that is, in my flesh”.  By adding flesh on the end of this statement about himself, Paul means to say that there are remnants of the sinful nature striving to take control of his heart.  The power of sin may be broken; “for sin shall not be master over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14).  Nevertheless, there still arises “sinful desires, which wage war on [the] soul” (1Peter 2:11).  Verse 20 says, “if I am doing the very thing I do not want, I am no longer the one doing it, but sin which dwells in me”.  Paul is not trying to nullify personal responsibility of sin.  Rather, he is implying that the old nature still exists, even though the Christian has a new divine nature.  MacArthur wrote, “Paul’s new inner self, the new “I”, no longer approved of the sin that was still residing in his flesh” (MacArthur 2005, 1528).  This vicious battle is also described in his letter to the Galatians: “for the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another” (Gal. 5:17).  This is clearly indicating that within the heart of a Christian, there is a power struggle between the old sinful nature and the new spiritual nature.

Not only do Christians still commit sin even after receiving the grace of God, but even their good works are somewhat tainted by sin.  “I find this law at work: when I want to do good, evil is right there with me” (Rom. 7:21 NIV).  The old “I” is always at work, never backing down to take control of the Christian.  This reality of the Christian life is what inspired the puritan writer John Owen to write: “who can say that he had ever anything to do with God, or for God, that indwelling sin had not a hand in the corrupting of what he did” (Owen 1656, 29). 

The war between the flesh and the Spirit is so fierce and real in the believer’s life that anyone who denies the reality of this battle in their own life ought to examine themself “to see whether [they] are in the faith” (2Cor. 13:5).  Certainly there is victory in the Christian’s life; the sinful nature progressively loses its grasp on the believer’s heart as time goes on.  But the new divine nature is not satisfied with anything less than perfection.  Since perfection is not attainable in this life, the inner turmoil rages on.  “The inward man may delight in the law of God, but the old nature delights in breaking the law of God” (Wiersbe 1977, 91).  If a person does not feel the friction between the colliding natures, then it most likely means they have not been born-again.  It is important to note that it is not the sin in the believer’s life that is a mark for a Christian—far be it!  Rather it is the reaction to personal sin of a believer that marks salvation.  “For the sorrow that is according to the will of God produces repentance without regret, leading to salvation, but the sorrow of the world produces death” (2Cor. 7:10).  Both types of sorrow have to do with their own personal violation of God’s law.  Godly sorrow is the response corresponding with salvation, whereby one truly despises their sin for what it is.  Worldly sorrow produces death because it possesses no hatred for the vice itself, but rather fears the punishment that comes as a result of the sin.

For the Christian to be rid of this inner turmoil, he/she must be separated from the natural body; “for he who has died is freed from sin” (Rom. 6:7).  For the Christian, death means separation from sin forever more.  Perhaps this is why the psalmist wrote, “precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His godly ones” (Ps. 116:15).  The only other way for Christians to be completely separated from the sinful nature is if the Lord returns during their life on earth.  “We know that when He appears, we will be like Him…” (1John 3:2 NASB).  When Christ comes back to earth, believers “will be changed, in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye…” (1Cor. 15:51-52).  So relentless is sin’s pursuit to take back the citadel of the human heart that the complete annihilation of the flesh is absolutely necessary.  Only then can the Christian worship God unrestrained.  

Since death is the means by which one is released from the struggle against sin described in Romans 7:14-25, perhaps this is what inspired Paul to say, “to die is gain” (Phil. 1:21).  Certainly there will always be sin in a Christian’s life, but that does not mean one should yield to sin.  Sin’s relentless pursuit of the human heart is not grounds to give in to the flesh.  Our flesh does not want to do the will of God, and strains against the new divine nature of the Christian.  The battle described in Romans 7 is often the cause of despair for the Christian, but there is a remedy for this despair.  Paul cries out, “who will rescue me from this body of death? Thanks be to God through Jesus Christ our Lord” (Rom. 7:24-25).  The grace of God, accomplished by the Lord Jesus Christ, is the cause for rejoicing even in the midst of despair, because “though the body is dead because of sin, yet the spirit is alive because of righteousness” (Rom. 8:10).  Therefore, Christians ought to be thankful that they are not “under law but under grace” (Rom. 6:14). 

                                   

                                     REFERENCE LIST

Henry, Matthew. 1708. The New Matthew Henry Commentary. Grand Rapids, Michigan:             Zondervan

Calvin, John. 1548. Calvin’s Commentaries. Grand Rapids, Michigan: Baker Books

Piper, John. 2001. Who Is This Divided Man? Part 3. 24 June 2001. http://www.desiringgod.org/resource-library/sermons/who-is-this-divided-man       part-3 (accessed 04 December 2011)

 Ryle, J.C. 1879. Holiness. Darlington, England: Evangelical Press

MacArthur, John. 2005. The MacArthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, Tennessee: Thomas Nelson Inc.

Owen, John. 1656. The Mortification of Sin. Ross-shire, Scotland: Christian Focus  Publications Ltd.

Wiersbe, Warren. 1977. Be Right. Colorado Springs, Colorado: David C. Cook   

A study of Song of Songs 5

 

Throughout the centuries there has been much debate over Song of Songs. Whether this piece of literature should be understood as simply literal or if there is a deeper meaning pointing to the relationship between Christ and His church.  As we study Song of Songs chapter 5, I am convinced that there is benefit in using both hermeneutics.  Chapter 5 is unique among the other chapters of this book, because it describes the first major disagreement between the two lovers.[1]  Song of Songs 4:1-5:1 is about the wedding and their first night together.  Chapter 5:2 is now a different scene, and what we find is the wife asleep in bed.  However, she still has a level of consciousness probably directed towards her husband—“I was asleep but my heart was awake” (Song 5:2).  Solomon then comes home in a way that seems to surprise his new wife.  This concept is realized in verse 2 where he says, “open to me, my sister, my bride”.  John Macarthur says regarding this passage, “It appears that Solomon returned home earlier than expected and wanted to give his bride a romantic surprise”.[2]  Everything about this scene, so far, is romantic and perfectly showing the wonderful workings of marriage.  That is until Solomon’s wife replies, saying, “I have taken off my dress, how can I put it on again? I have washed my feet, how can I dirty them again?” (Song 5:3).  Her response then causes Solomon to leave the house and disappear into the night.  The feeling that Solomon had which lead him to leave is not known from the text.  The only thing that is communicated to us is the fact that Solomon had “turned away and had gone” (Song 5:6).  The focus so far seems to be on Solomon’s wife, and for the rest of the chapter she is the character that we as readers follow.   After Solomon’s departure, the bride regrets reposing at his invitation, and she then goes on a search for him.  Song of Songs 5:6 says, “… I searched for him but I did not find him”.  In her searching the watchmen find her wandering the streets.  According to verse 7, the watchmen rough her up.   This is definitely a possibility, considering that it was dark out and she would have had unfamiliar features, because she was a Shulamite (Song 6:13).  Her experience was very different with the watchmen than what she encountered in her dream in chapter three.  According to Song of Songs 3:1-4, she dreamt of searching for her beloved in the city and when the watchmen had found her they were unusually helpful.  Quite contrary to what actually took place in chapter five.  Finally, in verse 8 she comes across some women.  It is important to note that when she meets these “daughters of Jerusalem”, she doesn’t complain about the guards (Song 5:8).  Rather, she says to them: “for I am lovesick” (Song 5:8).  Apparently finding her husband was of greater concern than the cruelty of the watchmen. 

Looking closely at this song, one can almost feel the regret she had for not responding to Solomon’s romantic wooing.  And one gets a real sense of the desperation she clearly felt as she searched for her husband in the night.  There is another way to study this passage.  That is to look at it as allegorical.  I am convinced that it would be edifying to study this passage as it relates to Christ and His church.  I want you, dear Christian, to think about the times in your life when you were lethargic in your walk with Christ.  There are many things in this fallen world that beckons us to take our eyes off of Christ.  Indeed there are times for us all when our love and zeal for the Lord cools down.  Oh what a joy to know that even if “we are faithless, He remains faithful” (1Tim. 2:13).  Those whom God has truly saved, He does not let go—Jesus said, “ I give eternal life to them, and they shall never perish; and no one shall snatch them out of My hand” (John 10:28). 

Notice in verse 2 it says, “open to me, my sister, my darling”.  This is a beautiful picture of Christ’s faithfulness and compassion.  When we become stagnant in our faith, God does not abandon us.  He comes in love and His words for us are tender.  Also notice in verse 2, that her “heart was awake”.  When we as Christians are not seeking Christ, our hearts become restless.  Think about your life, about the times when you are preoccupied with the things of this world.  Does this not ring true for you? That your heart still desires Him.  You know that He alone satisfies.  If a person can continue in sin, and never seek the Lord, and not feel any remorse than they ought to examine themselves as the Apostle Paul says, to see if they are “in the faith” (2Cor. 13:5).  Once a person is born-again, only Jesus can satisfy their hearts.

There is a lesson to be learnt from the bride’s response to her husband’s romantic call.  As we have already looked at, she makes excuses and remains in bed.  Matthew Henry says regarding verse 3, “frivolous excuses are the language of a controlling laziness in matters of religious faith; Christ calls us to open up our lives to him, but we pretend we do not have the inclination, or the strength, or the time.”[3]  Solomon then “extends his hand through the opening” (Song 5:4).  Immediately after this, her feelings were “aroused for him” (Song 5:4).  Isn’t it amazing that while we are in the midst of our negligence of cultivating our relationship with God, the Holy Spirit can shine in “our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ” (2Cor. 4:6).  This amazing enlightening work of the Holy Spirit captivates the affections of our heart and gives us all the motivation we need for Christian living.  This is what we find in the text.  Her feelings “were aroused for him” (Song. 5:4).  Immediately after verse 4, she gets out of bed to go to Solomon.  As we know, Solomon had already turned away from the door.  Verse 6 says, “I opened to my beloved, but my beloved had turned away and had gone! My heart went out to him as he spoke”.  Henry says of this verse, “She did not open up to him at his first knock, and now she came too late.  Christ wants to be sought while he may be found (Isa 55:6); if we let the opportunity pass, we may miss our means of access.  Christ justly rebukes our delays and suspends his provision of assurance to those who are careless”.[4]  What shall the Christian do while in this state?  The answer lies in verses 10-16. 

While regretting her foolishness, the bride focuses on her husband’s attributes.  She remembers his character.  Peter exhorts us saying, “prepare your minds for action, keep sober in spirit, fix your hope completely on the grace to be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ” (1Peter 1:13).  We ought to think upon Christ; His grace, His promises, and His beauty—just like the bride exults her husband.  This perfectly depicts the heart of a regenerated sinner.  The driving force behind true Christian faith, is that one may gain Christ.  Surely the Christian is not without sin, but their heart is made new; and only the riches of Jesus Christ can satisfy them.  I wonder if you Christian have ever found yourself in a state of depleted vitality in your faith, and then by the work of God you remember how Christ had so delighted your heart in the past when you were more diligent in seeking Him. 

The church can certainly relate to the bride in this passage of scripture.  May we as Christians listen and obey Christ when He speaks to our hearts.  My prayer is that we will not find ourselves filled with regret at not heeding His tender calling.  Praise God for His tender mercy, and how He treats us with love.

                                                                   Bibliography

Macarthur, John. The Macarthur Bible Commentary. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc. 2005

Henry, Matthew. The New Matthew Henry Commentary. Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2010

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[1] John Macarthur, The Macarthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc. 2005), 749

[2] John Macarthur, The Macarthur Bible Commentary (Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson Inc. 2005), 749

[3] Matthew Henry, THE NEW MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2010), 948

[4]  Matthew Henry, THE NEW MATTHEW HENRY COMMENTARY (Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan 2010), 949