The Amazing Aspects of the Bible (Part 13)

The Book of Acts describes how salvation occurred when the gospel was preached; the letters written in the New Testament mostly explain the doctrines to be practiced by Christians so that they can remain saved. Luke did not emphasize these various teachings in the Acts of the Apostles, but he did say that the 3,000 who were baptized on the Day of Pentecost "continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine" (2:42). It was not Luke's purpose to provide all of those teachings, but Paul, James, Peter, John, and Jude set them forth for all generations to follow.

Moses had foretold of the Prophet to come (Jesus), Whose voice must be heeded (Deut. 18:15, 18-19); Jeremiah prophesied of the new covenant to come (31:31-34). Jesus began teaching the principles of the kingdom in advance, and the other New Testament writers completed revealing them. Many of the Bible's critics do not even have this basic understanding of the Scriptures. They often quote the Old Testament as though it were still binding on all mankind, having missed the fact that the new covenant has replaced the old (Heb. 8:6-7). It came into effect after Christ's death (Heb. 9:16-17). As we have already noted, the New Testament began to be proclaimed on the Day of Pentecost, and it will remain in effect (without additions, subtractions, or amendments) until Christ returns.

Critics often have no sense of this change of covenants or appreciation for the numerous prophecies fulfilled in Christ and His church. Yet these, along with the miracles, are what caused people in the first century to accept what is an incredible doctrine\Now that the church had been established, what would its teachings be? The citizens of no other kingdom ever had a law like this one. It stresses truth and righteousness while decrying superficiality, hypocrisy, and corruption. The followers of Jesus were to be pure from the inside out. Christianity is not something a person dabbles with.

Romans, Galatians, and Hebrews

Three New Testament letters deal with this very issue. Hebrews, in fact, gives a comparison between the Old Testament system and the New Testament system. The writer shows that Jesus and the new covenant are superior to Moses and the old. Jesus had both a better covenant and a better priesthood. The reason is that the old covenant was not designed to bring man salvation; the blood of bulls and goats could not take away sin (10:4). Jesus is the one sacrifice for sins forever (10:12). Some Christians were tempted to go back to Judaism; thus Hebrews shows the futility of such a thought while showing the blessings of the new system.

Romans and Galatians both have sections that deal with this same issue but from the following perspective: some Jewish Christians were teaching that the Gentile converts must circumcise their children and keep the Law of Moses as well. The apostles and elders dealt with this very problem in Acts 15. The problem is set forth in 15:1 and 5; the solution is given in 15:10, 19-22. Briefly, Gentiles had no obligation to observe the Law of Moses. Actually, neither did the Jews, but most of them continued to keep many of their traditions. But Paul emphatically states that anyone who attempted to justify himself by the Law had fallen from grace (Gal. 5: 4). In Galatians 4, he explains how that the Law was typified by Ishmael, a child of bondage, but that Isaac was a child of promise, representing a covenant of freedom. Those attempting to be under the Law are still in bondage; those in Christ are free (John 8:31-32).

Part of Romans contrasts the works of the law with the covenant of grace. Paul begins by showing that all people\both Jews and Gentiles\are under sin (1-2). But the way out of sin is not through works of merit but through faith in God, which includes obedience (Rom. 1:5; 16:26). To be saved a person must be baptized, which connects him to Jesus' death (6:3-5).

Romans

Each of the preceding books does more than just discuss that one subject. Romans is amazing in that it describes what happened after the Flood. Prior to the Flood, of course, the human race grew progressively evil, thus necessitating the destruction God sent upon it. No record of anything being put in writing exists, nor did anything need to be. The lives of Adam and Methuselah (who died the year of the Flood), overlapped by more than 200 years. Everyone on the face of the earth had access to the truth about the Creation.

After the Flood, the people of the earth were scattered due to their stubbornness in wanting to build the Tower of Babel. God confounded their languages, and they spread into various parts of the earth. They all knew the truth, but they did not glorify God as they should have, nor were they thankful (1:21). They created idols (1:22-23), which would allow them to commit various sins, such as homosexuality (1:24-27). Man has never had any excuse for not knowing that God exists (1:18-20); even Thomas Paine believed that was the fact of the matter, although he rejected the Scriptures. Today's society walks in the same footsteps as those who followed the path of degeneracy back then. Many reject the Scriptures, formulate their own morality, and create their own religion, which they mislabel as Christian, though it contradicts the Bible.

The book of Romans reveals us to ourselves. But deliverance is available through Christ, if we are willing to walk after the Spirit rather than after the flesh (6-8). Romans 8:18, 31-39 provides strength and assurance to Christians who suffer persecution; God will bring us safely through our trials. Being a Christian does not suggest a causal attachment; it is a lifetime commitment, concerning which Paul writes:

I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service. And do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God (12:1-2).

1 Corinthians

How wondrous it is that God still cares for and works with Christians who are considerably flawed! Those with a worldly mindset might write off such imperfect souls, but God gives them an opportunity to receive instruction. Among the problems in Corinth were division, immoral situations, going to law against a brother, being callous toward how one's behavior might affect the brethren, failure to remember properly the Lord's death, abusing spiritual gifts, and showing confusion about the resurrection. The tone is set early pertaining to unity. All Christians must believe the same thing because we all have the same doctrine (Acts 2:42). Reflecting John 17:20-21, Paul wrote:

Now I plead with you, brethren, by the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you all speak the same thing, and that there be no divisions among you, but that you be perfectly joined together in the same mind and in the same judgment (1:10).

The way that those claiming to be Christians today are fractured is a shame and does not reflect the teaching of our Lord. No one should accept the idea of division within the Christian system. Once again, sexual purity is stressed for members of the body of Christ (5:1-13; 6:13-20). If men had written the Bible, they would have advised, "Follow your heart," and, "If it feels good do it," rather than, "Flee fornication." The wonderful "love" chapter (13) was necessary because brethren were not even extending common courtesy toward each other. This letter continues to be among the most fascinating and the most studied, partly due to what it teaches about spiritual gifts, which other letters only touch on. Many do not think that religion has anything to do with logic, but Paul's argument for the resurrection stands as a monument to critical thinking.

2 Corinthians

The church had been instructed to withdraw fellowship from the man living with his father's wife, but in this second epistle, he has repented of his sin; Paul instructs the church to forgive him. Giving is taught in the proper context; Paul did not ask for any money for himself, but he praised the Macedonians for giving beyond what they were able to help the poor saints in Jerusalem (8-9). Personal holiness is again emphasized (7:1), as in the first letter, and being a new creation (5:17) is noted here as it was in Romans.

Paul includes the sobering truth that we shall all stand before the judgment seat of Christ and give an account of what we have done in our bodies, whether it is good or evil (5:10). He then adds that, because we know the terror of the Lord, we persuade men (5:11). Those who are not Christians often wonder why it is that Christians are so evangelistic, always talking to them about their souls. These two verses answer their question. Disciples learn that they should live for Christ, Who died for them (5:15). They also learn that God's grace is sufficient to endure whatever it is that we must face (12:8-10). Just as Paul warned against being over-confident in his first letter to these brethren (10:12), he advises here that we should examine ourselves to see if we are in the faith (13:5).

Galatians

Paul declares that there is but one true gospel (1:6-9). The existence of many gospels in the world today is a discouragement to those seeking salvation, but this passage alerts people to the fact that God gave only one. An encouragement to non-Christians is that in Christ everyone is united (3:26-29). Men, women, Jews, Gentiles, everyone from every nation is invited to be a child of God (Isa. 2:2-3).

What Paul writes here agrees with what he says in Romans about joining in Christ's death (6:3-5) and being a new creation (2 Cor. 5:10). Paul affirms:

I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me (2:20).

Since we died with Christ, we live with Him; in fact, He lives in us. Paul also talks about being dead to the lusts of the flesh (5:19-21) but bearing the fruit of the Spirit instead (5:22-23). Brethren are to bear each other's burdens (6:1-2). Although many think they can cheat in life, it is nevertheless true that "whatever a man sows, that will he also reap" (6:7). One more verse from this letter comes to mind frequently when those outside of Christ are cold or outright hostile: "Have I therefore become your enemy because I tell you the truth?" (4:16).

Ephesians and Colossians

These two letters cover largely the same subject matter and were written by Paul when he was imprisoned in Rome. Colossians has a decided emphasis on Christ, and Ephesians emphasizes the church, which is His body, over which He is Head (1:22-23). There is only one body or church that Jesus established, over which He rules (4:4; 5:23). Jesus has given those in His body "every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places" (1:3). Ephesians 4:4-6 provides a list of seven things that all Christians have in common, including faith, baptism, the church, hope, the Father, the Lord Jesus, and the Holy Spirit. Christians are told that God can grant us above all that we ask or think (3:2), and that He enables us to fight against sin by means of the Christian armor (6:10-17).

As noted earlier, Colossians confirms that Christians are in the kingdom that Jesus established (1:13-14). The book proclaims (as John did) that "all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth." They were created "through Him and for Him," and "in Him all things consist" (Col. 1:16-17). In accord with John 1:14, Paul states: "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily" (2:9). Skeptics are so busy trying to find contradictions in the Scriptures that they very seldom notice how many passages fit so well together. Ephesians 5:19 and Colossians 3:16 both emphasize that singing is aimed at God and that Christians are taught and admonished at the same time.

Baptism is "the working of God," declares Colossians 2:12, thus answering in advance those who later would insist baptism is a work of men. Paul also avers that baptism puts off the body of sin and compares it to circumcision in that respect (2:11). Those who wish to understand the Bible correctly should take notice of the authority principle: "And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus\and and practice must be authorized.

Philippians

Between the previous two epistles lies this one, which was also written during Paul's imprisonment. Paul again stresses unity (1:27; 2:2; 4:2), and he indicates that it might be achieved more easily if we had the appropriate amount of love for one another and were humble instead of acting out of selfish motives. He gives Jesus as the perfect illustration of humility in a passage that also reminds the reader of John 1:1-3, 14.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus, who, being in the form of God, did not consider it robbery to be equal with God, but made Himself of no reputation, taking the form of a servant, and coming in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross (2:5-8).

Paul provides a host of inspirational passages in the New Testament in this book. Below is a sampling:

For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain (1:21).

But indeed I also count all things loss for the excellence of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and count them as rubbish, that I may gain Christ (3:8)

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus (3:13-14).

Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I will say, rejoice (4:4)!

Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus (4:6-7).

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy-meditate on these things (4:8).

Not that I speak in regard to need, for I have learned in whatever state I am, to be content (4:11).

I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (4:13).

Paul was a man who possessed the right priorities. He knew that God would supply all his need (4:19), and he was prepared to live or die for Jesus. Would that all might comprehend these gracious blessings as Paul did!