The New Birth, Geoff Thomas

Banner of Truth ^ | July 22, 2008 | Geoff Thomas

[HiTech RedNeck]

And not just some abstract favor, but favor to receive all the things that God bestows as an element of His love. Our problem is to release our pride. Our pride takes the place in our heart that God’s love belongs in.

[HiTech RedNeck]

And our pride is what makes sin possible. But God’s love makes up for the deficit of grace that the bible (and we) call sin. Accept God’s sacrifice empowering you to give your life back to God, and it’s game over for Satan’s ultimate hopes in that person’s life.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Well He would certainly get the high muckety mucks very curious. Even the Roman rulers were curious. Who’s this bloke who keeps talking about a superior “kingdom of God” that nobody can see? Is he daft? Is he planning some kind of rebellion (not that we can see)? What is this Satan, who hadn’t made very many biblical appearances by name, and why should we care so much about him getting his proverbial ass kicked?

[American Constitutionalist]

The greatest of all sin is ?

The great biggie that caused all mankind to fall in the garden of Eden ?
When satan planted doubts into Eve's mind ? when he said " Hath God said ? "

The great big all time ( sin, singular ) of man kind that all ( sins, plural ) derive from ? unbelief of God and in God.
The writer of the book of Hebrews goes into this a lot in talking about how the children of Israel because of unbelief did not enter into God's rest for them into the promised land.
The book of Hebrews says, that unbelief is in fact a sin and it angered God greatly that he swore with a oath that they would never enter into the promised land because of their unbelief and hardness of heart because of unbelief.
Anyone wonder what the writer of the book of Hebrews means when they said " If we willfully continue to sin after we have received the truth " ? well ? the book of Hebrews writer already told us what that sin is...... unbelief.
For if we continue to willfully not believe the message of the cross and Christ's anointing work on that cross through his blood, the truth of Jesus Christ, if we continue to reject it, defy it, resist it, and continue in that ? there is no more sacrifice for sins available for you and will receive the wrath of God.

[American Constitutionalist]

Pride also takes the form of unbelief.

Please read a sermon by Charles Spurgeon called : Unbelief.

It's a real eye opener.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Hebrews requires embracing the entire narrative to parse it out intelligibly. The part you quote talks about discipline that God metes out on a local scale to disobedient, yet still saved, believers. They will be given a hellish experience, a sample of what it would be like to live without salvation, in order to teach them that their proper progress is towards heaven, not towards hell. I am confident about that reading because God put a very mulish me, personally, through such an ordeal. It makes sense, especially given that the Hebrews narrative ends up telling its audience that they are destined for better things. Nothing like having been there and done that to understand!

[HiTech RedNeck]

Of course, because faith is part of receiving God’s grace. The Garden act of disbelief plays out in spades. Fortunately the cross trumps all that, if accepted.

[jodyel]

That’s just it...I have seen some miracles done on my behalf.

Still would have been cool to be with Jesus in the flesh though.

Just an interesting thought.

[jodyel]

I don’t think any of us have ever known that kind of crazy love.

Maybe it is akin to what a mother feels for her child?

Never had any so cannot say.

[American Constitutionalist]

I do believe your talking about a later chapter in the book of Hebrews ? the chastisement of God ?
Do not harden you hearts when God chastises us ? yes, that's later in the book of Hebrews in chapter 12.
What I am talking about is in the 10th chapter.

[jodyel]

FYI, smvoice said she’d be glad to help you out in understanding the pre-trib rapture view since I didn’t do such a good job of it. Just message her.

[jodyel]

The Church age believers are promised a special blessing because they have not seen and have still believed.

[HiTech RedNeck]

Yes, I mean 10:26ff.

These are also a chastisement situation. “The Lord will judge His people” is the telling phrase to me. If they aren’t His people that does not apply. This is chastisement of believers. The theme recurs in the 12th chapter. Chapters were a system imposed later on New Testament writings. Before that, all we had were paragraphs (and some bibles helpfully use bold type or other conventions to mark new paragraphs).

[American Constitutionalist]

The passover was a foreshadow of what is to come.
Jesus Christ is the passover lamb.

The image ? the lessen from it ?

Those who place their trust, hope, faith, life in Jesus Christ ? judgement has already " Passover " them.

But some will say ? " but wait, doesn't the bible tell us that we will stand before the judgement seat ? "

Uhmmmmmm, yeah.

But ? let's look into what the word Judgement actually means.

Most if not all put a negative connotation, or put it in a bad light of what judgement really means.

Of course ?

The association with the word and meaning of judgement for the unbeliever, the unsaved sinner is ? the sinner will face God's full wrath and judgement, make no mistake about that.

However ?

Christ came to save which was lost.

Now ?

If you were the injured party in some auto accident, or business deal would you not hire a lawyer and go to court and hope that the judge would " Judge " in your favor ?

When a judge makes a judicial decision in your favor would it not be a settled judgement ?

How about America's got talent ? they have judges.

Or ?

Some contest, or judges at a county fair ?

Some bring farm animals, or food to the country fair in hope that they either inspect it, or test it and make a decision and you win the contest and get the blue ribbon.
The sinner would bring the lamb to the high priest and the high priest inspects the lamb to see if it's spotless, without any flaws.

We stand before God and God's judges us, searches us, to see ? if the blood of Christ is applied.

Yes, we will stand before the judgement seat of Christ and will have to give a account for our lives, and God is going to see if the blood of Christ is applied.

So you see ?

Judgement is not always a bad thing as in the case if you were to go to court and hope the judge will rule in your favor, or at a country fair if you hope to win a contest.

Having said all of that, now I get to the crux of my point.

There is a difference between God's judgement and God's chastisement of his loved ones, his children.


In Hebrews chapter 12 it does not even give a hint of even considering that this means judgement in the context of eternal judgement and damnation to hell.

The text in Hebrews 12 talks to us, it encourages us not to faint, not to become weary, not to become harden when God is chastising us.

For the one in whom God chastises, in whom he loves as his child.

For if God didn't chastise us as his own ? we would be bastards.

Once again, here to the word chastisement is taken in a negative light.
Some will take it to the extreme and see it as judgement.
The word chastisement also simply means ? correction.

God loves us so much that he corrects us when we go astray.
My friend ? do not become dishearten when God is chastising you, for whom he loves he chastise.

[verga]

The Church age believers are promised a special blessing because they have not seen and have still believed.

That is the point I was making.

[jodyel]

Sorry.

Good on you!

[jodyel]

Reminds me of Zacchaeus.

Don’t you know that despised little man sure loved Jesus.

When you have not been shown much love in life, the love of Jesus is even sweeter.

Love the story of Zacchaeus!

[jodyel]

Haven’t gotten any audibles, but plenty of verses of Scripture applied to circumstances in my life where the outcome was just as the verse said it would be.

[jodyel]

Will have to look that one up. Love Spurgeon.