god

Old Testament Expectation of Miracles for the Messiah

Ken

The miraculous is to be expected whenever God must make a statement to arrest the attention of His intended audience, which serves His purpose, when ordinary means would not be sufficient. This must be so, since He alone determines when the ordinary must be replaced by the extraordinary. Even our day to day obedience, though ordinary, He has promised to inspire and confirm through His New Covenant giving of the Holy Spirit. “And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws” (Ezekiel 36:27 NIV). But, if the Spirit of God can so captivate His children, “If you have faith and do not doubt, not only can you do what was done to the fig tree, but also you can say to this mountain, Go, throw yourself into the sea, and it will be done” (Matthew 21:21). O faith, be inspired to this, and more! 

OT: Messiah would perform miracles, but references to vengeance refer to Christ’s cleansing of the Temple at His First Coming (John 2), as well as pointing to His Second Coming. 

“4 say to those with fearful hearts, Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you. 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:4-6 NIV).  

NT: Jesus performed miracles, as proof of His messiahship, even to John the Baptist. 

“2 When John, who was in prison, heard about the deeds of the Messiah, he sent his disciples 3 to ask Him, Are you the one who is to come, or should we expect someone else? 4 Jesus replied, Go back and report to John what you hear and see: 5 The blind receive sight, the lame walk, those who have leprosy are cleansed, the deaf hear, the dead are raised, and the good news is proclaimed to the poor. 6 Blessed is anyone who does not stumble on account of Me.” (Matthew 11:2-6). 

OT: Messiah would perform miracles with His First Coming, but also vengeance at His Second Coming.

“1 The Spirit of the Sovereign Lord is on me, because the Lord has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to bind up the brokenhearted, to proclaim freedom for the captives and release from darkness for the prisoners, 2 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor and the day of vengeance of our God, to comfort all who mourn” (Isaiah 61:1-2). 

NT: Jesus worked miracles in His First Coming; but notice, He stopped short of mentioning vengeance to His hearers at Nazareth, since that would be for His Second Coming.

“18 The Spirit of the Lord is on Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, 19 to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor” (Luke 4:18-19). 

Significance of Christ’s Miracles 

“37 Do not believe Me unless I do the works of My Father. 38 But if I do them, even though you do not believe Me, believe the works, that you may know and understand that the Father is in Me, and I in the Father” (John 10:37-38). 

“After the people saw the sign Jesus performed, they began to say, Surely this is the Prophet who is to come into the world” (John 6:14). 

“Still, many in the crowd believed in Him. They said, When the Messiah comes, will He perform more signs than this man?” (John 7:31). 

Though Christ had ample reason to perform miracles, He did not perform His first miracle until He created wine from water at Cana of Galilee (John 2). This indicated His divine authority and messiahship. Miracles serve the purpose of arresting our attention to gain God the opportunity of hearing His Word and establishing or reestablishing His relationship to us. 

May we seek Him for more than His miracles!

“23 Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:23-25). 

Synopsis of John 2

Ken

In our survey of the Gospel of John, I was asked to speak on John, chapter 2.  

But first, let us pray. 

Father, anoint me that I may reveal the truth as it is in Jesus (Ephesians 4:21). Cause us to be satisfied with nothing less than a faith in Jesus requiring total commitment to You. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

In our survey of John 2, Jesus was just beginning His earthly ministry, when He and His disciples were invited to attend a wedding. 

Evidently, the addition of the extra guests caused a shortage of wine. 

He consented to his mother’s request to remedy the situation by creating wine from mere water (about 180 gallons of the Good Stuff). 

This was His very first miracle (John 2:11), which was an indicator of both His divinity and His messiahship to His disciples. 

The OT predicted the Messiah would work miracles, even as Jesus did. 

“4 Say to those with fearful hearts, Be strong, do not fear; your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you. 5 Then will the eyes of the blind be opened and the ears of the deaf unstopped. 6 Then will the lame leap like a deer, and the mute tongue shout for joy. Water will gush forth in the wilderness and streams in the desert” (Isaiah 35:4-6 NIV). 

If we were alive at that time, would we be as spiritually attentive and receptive to understand the part of Isaiah’s prophecy speaking of healing referred to Messiah’s First Coming, and the part speaking of vengeance pointed to His cleansing of the Temple, as well as Messiah’s Second Coming? Would we have identified Jesus as the Messiah? And, that the Messiah was Yahweh? (Compare Jesus’ rejection at Nazareth, Luke 4:18; Isaiah 61:1-2). 

Reflecting back on the birth of Jesus, there was a devout Jew by the name of Simeon, “waiting for the consolation of Israel” (Luke 2:25), who was ready for the Messiah; as well as a devout, prophetess Anna, who “worshipped night and day fasting and praying” (2:36), who recognized Jesus as the Messiah. They both were ready. 

But again, are we ready for the Lord’s soon return and appearing as Simeon and Anna were?

In John 2, Jesus then proceeded on to Jerusalem, where He cleansed the Temple, in keeping with the Psalmist: “For zeal for Your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult You fall on me” (Psalm 69:9 NIV). 

Then again, wouldn’t the cleansing of the Temple agree with the portion of Isaiah’s prophecy that cryptically referred to “your God will come, He will come with vengeance; with divine retribution He will come to save you” (Isaiah 35:4)? No doubt Messiah has plenty left to fulfill Isaiah’s prophecy at His Second Coming! 

Before we rightly condemn the Jews of Christ’s day, would we have had enough spirituality to have known better about His messiahship? And, His divinity? 

Finally, the most profound portion of John 2 is in verses 23 and 24, the last part of the chapter. 

“23 Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:23-24 NIV). 

Let us pause the narrative for one moment and consider this, that many people believed on the name of Jesus. This believing was the Greek word pisteuō. But also, notice very carefully, “Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them” (2:24). Entrust was also from the Greek word pisteuō. Both “believed in His name” and “would not entrust Himself to them” are translated from the same Greek word, pisteuō.

Why was that?  

Because “He knew all people” (2:24), He knew their faith was insincere and insufficient for Him to entrust Himself to them, to commit to them, and to believe in them. This provides us with the realization that our faith is not enough for Jesus to commit Himself to us, unless we have genuinely committed ourselves to Him. 

Pisteuō is used about 250 times in the NT. Pisteuō is translated as believe 240 times. Pisteuō is translated as commit eight times, in the KJV. 

John 3:16 is properly translated, “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes [Greek, pisteuō, COMMITS] in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). 

Commit, as in commitment, is more of a long term investment for those who have counted the cost. 

Commitment is what God is waiting for from the Church; and, all this time, the Church was under the impression that declaring ourselves as having trusted in Jesus as our Savior was mission accomplished, the end purpose of evangelical faith. 

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, If you hold to My teaching, you are really My disciples” (John 8:32 NIV). Small wonder Christ spoke to His disciples as those who believed on Him, and He emphasized those remaining, continuing, and enduring with Him are really His disciples. This is True Commitment! 

“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain” (1Corinthians 15:2). This is a daunting statement about commitment until we recall the purpose for the giving of the Holy Spirit is to inspire and confirm us in obedience. “And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws” (Ezekiel 36:27). We have the power of the Almighty to succeed, so much more than the fear of failure the devil taunts us with in our dark moments. 

“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2John 1:8-9). Wouldn’t it be a strange thing, if the faith or commitment of a small child or the mustard seed faith of the youngest disciple was not sufficient for our Heavenly Father to overcome the enemy and the world for the benefit of His Little Ones? Of such are the Kingdom of God! 

Let us pray. 

Father, may we reform our understanding of faith from only an intellectual concept to a commitment of our all in all to Jesus for ever and ever. In Jesus’ name, we pray. Amen and amen. 

Sermon on John 2

Ken

I’d like to share with you from the Gospel of John 2. 

But first, let us pray. 

Heavenly Father, prepare our hearts to give and receive the truth of Your Word by Your Spirit that You would receive all the glory. In Jesus’ name, amen. 

[DISPLAY OUTLINE OF JOHN 2]

Two events are portrayed in John 2, which are: 

(1) Christ’s miracle of creating wine from water (2:1-12) and 

(2) His cleansing of the Temple to announce Jehovah’s dealings with His people Israel (2:13-22). 

But, of greatest significance to the Church of Christ today is an overlooked distinction made by John based upon one Greek word pisteuō, translated as believe, commit, and entrust (2:23-25). 

(1) The First Event was the Wedding at Cana of Galilee of John 2:1-12. 

[DISPLAY JOHN 2:1-12 ON SCREEN] 

“1 On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there, 2 and Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding. 3 When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, ‘They have no more wine.’ 4 ‘Woman, why do you involve Me?’ Jesus replied. ‘My hour has not yet come.’ 5 His mother said to the servants, ‘Do whatever He tells you.’ 6 Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons. 7 Jesus said to the servants, ‘Fill the jars with water’; so they filled them to the brim. 8 Then He told them, ‘Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet.’ They did so, 9 and the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside 10 and said, ‘Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now.’ 11 What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which He revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him. 12 After this He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples. There they stayed for a few days” (John 2:1-12 NIV). 

Jesus was just beginning His public ministry. 

He and His disciples (Simon Peter, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, and John) were also invited to the wedding. 

His mother Mary was there and probably was the reason for His invitation, but they added six additional guests, which may account for the shortage of wine. 

Addressing His mother as “woman [Greek, gunē]” was not considered disrespectful or rude by the Greeks, and was also used by Jesus as a title of respect such as “lady” to address the woman at the well (John 4:21) and Mary Magdalene after His Resurrection (John 20:15).

Mary informed Jesus of the shortage, knowing full well He is the miraculous Son of God. 

He informed the servants to fill the six empty jars with water and bring some to the master of the banquet. Why was the “Good Stuff” held back until now? 180 gallons of wine would be a substantial wedding gift even today. 

Just as Yahweh had created man out of dirt, Jesus had just created wine out of water. 

Because the Early Church believed in taking the words of the Gospel of John literally, they rejected the spurious writing called “The Infancy Gospel of Thomas” as part of our New Testament Canon of Scripture, because it falsely claimed Jesus performed miracles in His childhood, when it was clearly stated the transforming of the water to wine at “Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs [Greek, sēmeion, miracles] through which He revealed His glory” (2:11).

(2) The Second Event was the Cleansing of the Temple of John 2:13-22. 

[DISPLAY JOHN 2:13-22 ON SCREEN] 

“13 When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem. 14 In the temple courts He found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money. 15 So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. 16 To those who sold doves He said, ‘Get these out of here! Stop turning My Father’s house into a market!’ 17 His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for your house will consume me. 18 The Jews then responded to Him, ‘What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?’ 19 Jesus answered them, ‘Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days.’ 20 They replied, ‘It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?’ 21 But the temple He had spoken of was His body. 22 After He was raised from the dead, His disciples recalled what He had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken” (John 2:13-22 NIV). 

The First Temple was built by Solomon [957 BC] and destroyed by the Babylonians [586 BC]. The Second Temple was rebuilt by Zerrubabel [516 BC] and later Herod began remodeling the Temple about 46 years earlier.

To our knowledge, Jesus cleansed the Temple twice. Once at the beginning and also at the end of His approximately 3 1/2 year ministry. 

The Gospel of John is instrumental in establishing this as the first Passover Jesus observed during His ministry (2:13), along with two others (6:4; 11:55-57). “Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry” (Luke 3:23 NIV). 

Jesus was angry with the commercialization of the holy business of Yahweh’s Temple. 

John cited Psalm 69: “Zeal for Your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult You fall on me” (Psalm 69:9). 

Anger is righteous, if you are angry at what God is angry. 

It took Herod 46 years to build this present Temple, what gives you the right to do this? 

Jesus declared, “Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19), referring to His resurrection from their upcoming crucifixion of Himself. 

Ancient prophecy demanded a literal Messiah [Hebrew, mâshı̂yach] in Daniel 9:25-26. It was not just an idea. Unfortunately, the Jews apparently wanted more of a deliverer from the Romans, not simply from their sins (Isaiah 53:1-12). Likewise, many today may be more prone to look for an easy Rapture exit than a plan for Spirit filled obedience in building His Kingdom. 

(3) The Closing Words of John 2 are a Distinction Based Upon the Word Pisteuō (John 2:23-25).

[DISPLAY JOHN 2:23-25 ON SCREEN] 

[ALSO DISPLAY ON TOP OF JOHN 2:23-25: 

Our faith is not enough for Jesus to commit Himself to us, unless we have genuinely committed ourselves to Him.]

“23 Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed in His name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust Himself to them, for He knew all people. 25 He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:23-25 NIV). 

“Signs” or miracles [Greek, sēmeion] were being performed and people “believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (2:23). 

“But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:24). 

Pisteuō can properly be translated commit, as in commitment, giving us a more forceful grasp of the meaning of this foundational, consequential, evangelical word. Commit gives us the sense we are making a long term investment in Christ, since we have counted the cost. In the KJV, in all but a handful of the 250 verses it appears in the New Testament, pisteuō is translated as some form of the word believe; in eight verses, it appears as some form of the word commit, and in three verses, it appears as trust. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth [Greek, pisteuō, commits] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). 

Pisteuō is translated some 240 times out of 250, as believe. “Believe [Greek, pisteuō] in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household” (Acts 16:31). “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe [Greek, pisteuō] in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9).  

“But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:24).

The same Greek word pisteuō is here translated as entrust [NIV] and commit [KJV]. 

Q: Why would Jesus refuse to entrust or commit Himself to these Jews in John 2, if they had “believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (John 2:23)? 

A: Since “He knew all people” (2:24), He knew their faith was insincere and insufficient for Him to entrust Himself to them, to commit to them, and to believe in them. This simple but significant statement informs us that our faith is not enough for Jesus to commit Himself to us, unless we have genuinely committed ourselves to Him.

This does not upend the validity of faith in our salvation, but it cautions us from the uselessness of promoting a “faith without deeds” (James 2:20). Instead, we should reevaluate John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes [literally, COMMITS] in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). 

“He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:25).

This is not a works salvation but an ongoing relationship with the only One who truly knows us, loves us, and genuinely seeks our highest good.

How can we not in return commit ourselves to Him and count upon His Spirit to work in us “to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13)? 

This Brings Us to Our Commitment to Christ 

[DISPLAY ON SCREEN: Commitment is what God is waiting for from the Church; and, all this time, the Church was under the impression that declaring ourselves as having trusted in Jesus as our Savior was mission accomplished, the end purpose of evangelical faith.] 

Pisteuō would be an appropriate choice for your Word Study this year. 

Pisteuō can properly be translated commit, as in commitment, giving us a more forceful grasp of the meaning of this foundational, consequential, evangelical word. Commit gives us the sense we are making a long term investment in Christ, since we have counted the cost. 

We commit an act, but when we pledge ourselves to Christ, we are committing to Christ. Only the uncommitted ask, how much is enough to show our commitment? The Spirit of God presents to our heart the sin of not committing to Christ, the rightness of that commitment, and our worthiness of judgment for the lack of commitment. Our reasonable service to God is our spiritual worship of Christ, which flows from our commitment to Him. In the NIV, of the 14 verses in the NT, only three times does the word commit mean anything positive. As in the OT, commit predominantly is attached to some sin; but, doesn’t that mean it’s something consequential? Jesus committed Himself to the Father, when He was dying on the Cross (Luke 23:46). Paul committed the Ephesian elders to the Word of God’s grace (Acts 20:32). Peter exhorted sufferers to commit themselves to their “Faithful Creator” (1Peter 4:19). Commitment is what God is waiting for from the Church; and, all this time, the Church was under the impression that declaring ourselves as having trusted in Jesus as our Savior was mission accomplished, the end purpose of evangelical faith. 

“To the Jews who had believed Him, Jesus said, “If you hold [Greek, menō, abide] to My teaching, you are really My disciples” (John 8:31 NIV). Small wonder Christ spoke to His disciples as those who believed on Him, and He emphasized those remaining, continuing, and enduring with Him are really His disciples. This is True Commitment! 

“By this gospel you are saved, if you hold firmly to the word I preached to you. Otherwise, you have believed in vain” (1Corinthians 15:2). This is a daunting statement about commitment until we recall the purpose for the giving of the Holy Spirit is to inspire and confirm us in obedience. “And I will put My Spirit in you and move you to follow My decrees and be careful to keep My laws” (Ezekiel 36:27). We have the power of the Almighty to succeed, so much more than the fear of failure the devil taunts us with in our dark moments.

“Watch out that you do not lose what we have worked for, but that you may be rewarded fully. Anyone who runs ahead and does not continue in the teaching of Christ does not have God; whoever continues in the teaching has both the Father and the Son” (2John 1:8-9). Wouldn’t it be a strange thing, if the faith or commitment of a small child or the mustard seed faith of the youngest disciple was not sufficient for our Heavenly Father to overcome the enemy and the world for the benefit of His Little Ones? Of such are the Kingdom of God!

On the opposite side, we see the irredeemable demons believing on Christ without any True Commitment. “You believe that there is one God. Good! Even the demons believe that — and shudder” (James 2:19 NIV). Only with wholehearted commitment to Christ are we any different from the demons that believe! Commitment means unreserved obedience to Christ! 

Even Judas Iscariot, the Apostle who betrayed Jesus, was among those who had been given “power and authority to drive out all demons and to cure diseases” (Luke 9:1 NIV). But, he obviously did not have True Commitment, or he would have been among those who “stands firm to the end” (Matthew 10:22). Is the Spirit of God inspiring us to stand for Jesus to the end? 

In conclusion, let us take our Communion together.

If Communion is all about remembering Christ’s sacrifice for us, then our Commitment to Christ would be our reasonable service in return to Him. “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:1-2 KJV).

Let us pray.

And may we pray from a full heart even with our eyes wide open.

Heavenly Father, too long have we spoken of faith as if it could be accomplished without any noticeable consequences, but Your Word has informed us that True Faith demands complete commitment to You.

Cast out all of our former misconceptions of a faith that hold back on complete commitment.

May we be transformed in the smallest and greatest things in our life as we begin to comprehend the simple act of believing is committing to You our all in all for ever and ever.

Change us and we will be changed in our perception of believing that we may see what Your disciples saw at Pentecost.

Revolutionize our expectations of what believing You and Your Word truly means.

I pray that our understanding of what it means to believe becomes so fully transformed by the idea of commitment that we would never think or talk about believing without total commitment to You.

And, may we never look back, but go on to a greater day, as we keep our hand on the plow, awaiting the soon appearing of Your Son. In Jesus’ All Powerful Name, we pray. Amen and amen.

How to Know That You Know You’re a Christian

Ken

You’ve prayed the sinner’s prayer, been baptized, attend or joined in membership to a church, volunteered your service with the church, and even contributed financially to support the church, which is all fitting and right. But, Scripture is actually very specific about how to know that you know you’re a Christian. The Apostle John was inspired to write a letter or epistle dedicated to his little children about this very subject. “These things have I written unto you that believe [Greek, pisteuō] on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe [Greek, pisteuō]  on the name of the Son of God” (1John 5:13 KJV). 

Pisteuō can properly be translated commit, as in commitment, giving us a more forceful grasp of the meaning of this foundational, consequential, evangelical word. Commit gives us the sense we are making a long term investment in Christ, since we have counted the cost. In the KJV, in all but a handful of the 250 verses it appears in the New Testament, pisteuō is translated as some form of the word believe; in eight verses, it appears as some form of the word commit, and in three verses, it appears as trust. “For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth [Greek, pisteuō, commits] in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16). 

Back to our topic of how to know that you know you’re a Christian.

Let us examine 1John 2:3-5. 

2:3 

 “And hereby we do know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments” (1John 2:3). 

Here is how we know that we know Jesus, if we presently, actively keep His commands. John plainly exhorts us to walk in present obedience, in order to know that we know Jesus.

2:4  

“He that saith, I know Him, and keepeth not His commandments, is a liar, and the truth is not in him” (1John 2:4). 

Just as plainly, declaring a present knowledge of Jesus, while walking in disobedience, makes one a liar. The truth cannot exist in a liar, for John further declares, “All liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death” (Revelation 21:8). This is very blunt language. 

2:5 

“But whoso keepeth His word, in him verily is the love of God perfected: hereby know we that we are in Him” (1John 2:5). 

Truth and obedience perfect God’s love. Actively keeping God’s Word is the perfection of God’s love. This is the only means to know that we know Him and are in Him. All other methods do not represent exactly what God says about how to know that you know you’re a Christian. 

Analyzing 1John 2:3-5 

First, spiritual knowing and intellectual knowing are different. What your mind intellectually remembers is not necessarily the same as what you spiritually know. When God says you spiritually know something, then you know it. Otherwise, your intellectual recall of praying the sinner’s prayer, being baptized, attending  or joining in membership to a church, volunteering your service with the church, and even contributing financially to support the church, all are what you intellectually know. But, walking in present tense, heart obedience to Jesus Christ is the only way to spiritually know that you know Him. “He that saith he abideth in Him ought himself also so to walk, even as He walked” (1John 2:6). 

Second, everything then can be reduced to walking “in step with the Spirit” (Galatians 5:25 NIV). If we walk in step with the Spirit, then our intellectual knowledge will coincide with our spiritual knowledge. When disciples backslide into carnality, they insist their intellectual knowledge of past events is correct. This is called self deception. “For if a man think himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceiveth himself” (Galatians 6:3). 

Third, the great mistake made still by those insisting on this understanding of how to know that you know Him, is not understanding the significance of God’s Spirit working in us “to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). Unless properly understanding the Spirit’s role, you can easily develop a pharisaical, arminianism, i.e., my obedience makes me righteous. 

A- God’s presence through His creation of the physical world (Romans 1:20) puts us on notice He is the One with whom we have to do, and He alone can save. “Look unto Me, and be ye saved, all the ends of the earth: for I am God, and there is none else” (Isaiah 45:22). 

B- God’s Word enables our salvation. “The law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple” (Psalm 19:7). 

C- In this New Covenant age, God has given His Spirit to inspire us to obedience. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). This was the great achievement of the outpouring of His Spirit at Pentecost— not the miracle of tongues (Acts 2:4), but the giving of the Holy Spirit to those who gladly received God’s Word. “Repent, and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins, and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost” (Acts 2:38). 

D- The Gift of the Holy Spirit is evidenced not by speaking in tongues but by obedience. “And we are His witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Ghost, whom God hath given to them that obey Him” (Acts 5:32). We obey Him “because He first loved us” (1John 4:19). He granted us “repentance to the acknowledging of the truth” (2Timothy 2:25). Understanding our ability and responsibility to obey, we know we never will obey without God’s help. “For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of His good pleasure” (Philippians 2:13). 

All of this brings us back to how you know that you know you’re a Christian. 

“Hereby know we that we dwell in Him, and He in us, because He hath given us of His Spirit” (1John 4:13). 

If you can live without obedience, you can live without His Spirit, and you can live without the assurance of how you know that you know you’re a Christian. But, may God grant you the joy of knowing Him! 

How to Control Your Thoughts

Ken

“Casting down imaginations, and every high thing that exalteth itself against the knowledge of God, and bringing into captivity every thought to the obedience of Christ” (2Corinthians 10:5 KJV). Mind control is not an external force demanding compliance, but it is the inner direction of the indwelling Holy Spirit inspiring and persuading us to pattern ourselves into the image of Jesus Christ. “For whom He did foreknow [us], He also did predestinate [us] to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren [us]” (Romans 8:29). 

First, it is possible to control all our thoughts for the LORD, or we would not be commanded to do so (2Corinthians 10:5), because “His commands are not burdensome” (1John 5:3 NIV). 

Second, thought control requires complete submission to God. “That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus [Lordship of Christ], and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved” (Romans 10:9).

Third, thought control must be total or not at all. “No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon” (Matthew 6:24; Luke 16:13). 

Fourth, thought control must be directed by the Holy Spirit inspiring us to obey God. “And I will put My Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in My statutes, and ye shall keep My judgments, and do them” (Ezekiel 36:27). 

Fifth, thought control requires our complete cooperation, as if we were following in the steps of Christ.  “For even hereunto were ye called: because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that ye should follow His steps” (1Peter 2:21). 

Sixth, thought control necessitates us to think and have the heart attitude, What would Jesus do in this circumstance? “What wilt Thou have me to do?” (Acts 9:6). 

Seventh, thought control must be God’s normal means of building His Kingdom, and requires (of course, not all at the same time):

A- Hearing, reading, studying, and meditating on the Word of God, i.e., “Thy words were found, and I did eat them; and Thy word was unto me the joy and rejoicing of mine heart: for I am called by Thy name, O LORD God of hosts” (Jeremiah 15:16).

B- Singing God’s Word, which is worshipping God, i.e., “O come, let us sing unto the LORD: let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation” (Psalm 95:1). 
“Speaking to yourselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody in your heart to the Lord” (Ephesians 5:19).  

C- Praying in the Spirit, quietly or out loud, i.e., “Likewise the Spirit also helpeth our infirmities: for we know not what we should pray for as we ought: but the Spirit itself maketh intercession for us with groanings which cannot be uttered. And He that searcheth the hearts knoweth what is the mind of the Spirit, because He maketh intercession for the saints according to the will of God” (Romans 8:26-27). 

If we are so occupied with God, He will be in all our thoughts. The wicked are not so. “The wicked, through the pride of his countenance, will not seek after God: God is not in all his thoughts” (Psalm 10:4). 

Father, may You inhabit all our thoughts, for You are worthy. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your Name, we pray. Amen and amen.

Jesus Knows All About Us

Ken

“He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:25 NIV). Of course, Almighty God knows everything about us. He is our Creator. “And He is before all things, and by Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17 KJV). This is what makes this matter of trusting in His name so vital. He knows when we sincerely believe Him and when we are trusting Him for selfish, self-serving reasons, such as the Jews who wanted to make Him a king because He had performed miracles for them. “23 Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:23-24 NIV). 

Here’s the problem. 

Believing in Jesus is absolutely necessary to get to Heaven, i.e., “Believe [Greek, pisteuō] in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household” (Acts 16:31). 

However, insincere, selfish believing is unacceptable to Jesus, and He will refuse to commit Himself to us, as His children. “But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:24). 

How do we know they had insincere, selfish believing? 

“Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (2:23). These were the same people “Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (2:24). 

All of this sounds plausible, but is that what it is really saying? Yes. 

“23 Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name. 24 But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:23-24 NIV). 

Even, Paul insisted, believing was essential to salvation. Notice that Paul qualified the believing as the sincere, “I-really-mean-it” kind of faith, when he wrote, “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe [Greek, pisteuō, commit] in  your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). 

Translators chose to render pisteuō as “believe” in John 3:16, but they could have just as easily chosen “commit” to function as the equivalent. Commit gives us the sense of commitment. This is exactly what some have complained is missing from the recitation of the “Say-It-And-Forget-It” Sinner’s Prayer. But, is that fair to say? After all, it is supposed to be “praying-Jesus-into-your-heart.” That is where the “it-is-necessary-to-be-baptized-to-be-saved” insist upon the one being baptized proclaim “Jesus-is-Lord” at their baptism. “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe [Greek, pisteuō] in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9 NIV). 

As you can see, both are in agreement on the necessity of heart commitment, but disagree on the mechanics of the commitment. 

Both praying the Sinner’s Prayer approach to salvation and the “it-is-necessary-to-be-baptized-to-be-saved” approach to salvation can be circumvented by the insincerity of the faith of the one believing, as we have seen by John’s inspired statement: “But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:24 NIV). Jesus knew what? He knew the sincerity of their heart, when they said, “I believe.” A sincere heart is what God accepts. “Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength” (Mark 12:30). 

Father, we know that this discussion will not solve everyone’s questions about the nature of salvation, but we pray it will take down barriers in our understanding preventing us from presenting salvation to those around us for whom Christ died. Cause Your Spirit to work in us and those around to give us a willing heart to repent, believe, and obey the Gospel. Grant us confidence in You as the One who knows us, loves us, and deserves us to submit to You for now and for Eternity. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen and amen.

Commentary on the Gospel of John 2

Ken

Two events are portrayed in John 2, which are Christ’s miracle of creating wine from water (2:1-21) and His cleansing of the Temple to announce Jehovah’s dealings with His people Israel (2:13-22). But, of greatest significance to the Church of Christ today is an overlooked distinction made by John based upon one Greek word pisteuō, translated as believe, commit, and entrust (2:23-25).   

I would like to further preface my remarks on John 2. 

Augustine said, 

In essentials, Unity. 

In non-essentials, Liberty.

In all things, Agapé. 

He also said, 

The New Testament is in the Old Testament concealed, while the Old Testament is in the New Testament revealed. 

I believe in the verbal inspiration and infallibility of the Word of God, which demands the literal inerrancy of His Word, and you should, too. You and I ought to take God as literally as possible with His Word; in other words, take God at His Word, just as you would receive the words of anyone, who has integrity. 

If God says,

“For truly I tell you, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished” (Matthew 5:18 NIV).

Believe it. 

If He says, 

“It is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19:24). 

Believe it, but know assuredly, 

“With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible” (19:26). 

Likewise, God’s Ceremonial Law for Temple Worship and Civil Law for the Ancient Nation of Israel has long passed away, but God’s Moral Law of “Love never fails” (1Corinthians 13:8 NIV). “The moral laws are such as grow out of the nature of things, and which cannot, therefore, be changed – such as the duty of loving God and his creatures. These cannot be abolished, as it can never be made right to hate God, or to hate our fellow-men” (from Barnes Notes on Matthew 5:18). 

The Ten Commandments represent God’s Moral Law. Not one jot or tittle (Matthew 5:17, 18) of God’s Moral Law of Love or any other part of His Inspired Word, for that matter, can fail or pass away until all is fulfilled, as we shall see in John 2. 

Now, let us examine John 2. 

Chapter 2 

Wedding at Cana — The First Miracle of Jesus (2:1-12)

John 2:1 

“On the third day a wedding took place at Cana in Galilee. Jesus’ mother was there” (John 2:1). 

A marriage in Cana of Galilee is here recorded, where Mary the mother of Jesus was present. 

John 2:2 

“And Jesus and His disciples had also been invited to the wedding” (John 2:2 NIV). 

From the previous chapter, we learn Jesus and His disciples, Simon Peter, Andrew, Philip, Nathanael, and John, were also invited. 

John 2:3 

“When the wine was gone, Jesus’ mother said to Him, They have no more wine” (John 2:3 NIV). 

Mary already had thoughts about the potential help of her miraculous Son, when she approached Jesus. Possibly the addition of Jesus and His five disciples made necessary more wine than Mary originally planned. 

John 2:4 

“Woman, why do you involve Me? Jesus replied. My hour has not yet come” (John 2:4 NIV). 

Addressing His mother as “woman [Greek, gunē]” was not considered disrespectful or rude by the Greeks, and was also used by Jesus to address the woman at the well (John 4:21) and Mary Magdalene after His Resurrection (John 20:15). Mary’s request to Jesus may seemed to have been initially rebuffed, but her importunity in asking, evidently made clear that Jesus was willing to answer her request. 

John 2:5 

“His mother said to the servants, Do whatever He tells you” (John 2:5 NIV). 

Mary already knew to take Jesus at His word, and told the servants to likewise obey His directions. 

John 2:6 

“Nearby stood six stone water jars, the kind used by the Jews for ceremonial washing, each holding from twenty to thirty gallons” (John 2:6 NIV). 

180 gallons of wine is a considerable amount of wine, even today. 

John 2:7 

“Jesus said to the servants, Fill the jars with water; so they filled them to the brim” (John 2:7 NIV). 

This reminds us of Elijah directing the trench around the sacrifice in front of the prophets of Baal to be filled with water, then ordering his sacrifice to be drenched three times with water until the “water ran down around the altar and even filled the trench” (1Kings 18:35 NIV). And, in answer to his prayer, the LORD sent fire to consume the sacrifice and “licked up the water in the trench” (18:38). 

John 2:8 

“Then He told them, Now draw some out and take it to the master of the banquet. They did so” (John 2:8 NIV). 

Jesus wanted the miracle to become known, since this was the beginning of His ministry. Advertising does have its place, but we shall see Jesus did not always need or want it. 

John 2:9 

“And the master of the banquet tasted the water that had been turned into wine. He did not realize where it had come from, though the servants who had drawn the water knew. Then he called the bridegroom aside” (John 2:9 NIV). 

The banquet master recognized the wine to be the “good stuff.” 

John 2:10 

“And said, Everyone brings out the choice wine first and then the cheaper wine after the guests have had too much to drink; but you have saved the best till now” (John 2:10 NIV). 

Just as the LORD created in the Beginning, Jesus was also creating, this time, wine out of water. Not realizing the miracle, the banquet master objected to the waste of the best wine on those who were too full to appreciate. Most probably, the over abundance of quality wine would be a marriage gift to the newly married couple. Thank you, Jesus! 

John 2:11 

“What Jesus did here in Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs through which He revealed His glory; and His disciples believed in Him” (John 2:11 NIV). 

Because the Early Church believed in taking the words of the Gospel of John literally, they rejected the writing of “The Infancy Gospel of Thomas” as part of our New Testament Canon of Scripture, because it falsely claimed Jesus performed miracles in His childhood, when it was clearly stated the transforming of the water to wine at “Cana of Galilee was the first of the signs [Greek, sēmeion, miracles] through which He revealed His glory” (2:11). 

John 2:12 

“After this He went down to Capernaum with His mother and brothers and His disciples. There they stayed for a few days” (John 2:12 NIV). 

Evidently, some of Jesus’ immediate family, e.g., James, Joses, Simon, and Judas, were accompanying Jesus, along with His mother Mary, and the other five, newly christened disciples. 

Jesus Cleanses the Second Temple (2:13-22) 

The First Temple was built by Solomon [957 BC] and destroyed by the Babylonians [586 BC]. The Second Temple was rebuilt by Zerrubabel [516 BC] and later Herod began remodeling the Temple about 46 years earlier than that present time.  

John 2:13 

“When it was almost time for the Jewish Passover, Jesus went up to Jerusalem” (John 2:13 NIV). 

The Gospel of John is instrumental in establishing this as the first Passover Jesus observed during His ministry (2:13), i.e., His second Passover (6:4), third Passover (11:55-57). How long was Jesus’ ministry? About 3 1/2 years. “Jesus Himself was about thirty years old when He began His ministry” (Luke 3:23 NIV). 

John 2:14 

“In the temple courts He found people selling cattle, sheep and doves, and others sitting at tables exchanging money” (John 2:14). 

Either the merchants were selling in sacred areas of the Temple grounds or the transactions trivialized the real need of the people to look to God for the atonement of their sins. 

John 2:15 

“So He made a whip out of cords, and drove all from the temple courts, both sheep and cattle; He scattered the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables” (John 2:15). 

Though our Lord’s First Advent was to present Himself as a Saviour from our sins, “God is angry with the wicked every day” (Psalm 7:11 KJV). And, this was a day to remind Israel that a Holy God was not happy with turning sacrifice and forgiveness into simply a moneymaking business. 

John 2:16 

“To those who sold doves He said, Get these out of here! Stop turning My Father’s house into a market!” (John 2:16 NIV). 

John then cited Psalm 69: “Zeal for Your house consumes me, and the insults of those who insult You fall on me” (Psalm 69:9). Jesus treated the merchants’ insults against His Father as an insult against Himself. God will not always restrain His anger. 

John 2:17 

“His disciples remembered that it is written: Zeal for Your house will consume Me” (John 2:17 NIV). 

Uncommon intensity and devotion to God characterized Jesus and unsettled the religious establishment of the Jews, whose interpretation of prophecy required a different kind of Messiah. 

John 2:18 

“The Jews then responded to him, What sign can you show us to prove your authority to do all this?” (John 2:18). 

They challenged Jesus, “Who do you think you are to do all this?” This was not a question from an earnest seeker of the truth. 

John 2:19 

“Jesus answered them, Destroy this temple, and I will raise it again in three days” (John 2:19). 

Jesus answered according to their heart opposition, knowing it would help those, who would eventually repent and harden those who would not. He referred to His body as God’s Holy temple, just as “you yourselves are God’s temple and that God’s Spirit dwells in your midst” (1Corinthians 3:16). He was referring to His Resurrection from the dead (Mark 9:31).

John 2:20 

“They replied, It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and you are going to raise it in three days?” (John 2:20 NIV). 

King Herod made improvements upon the Second Temple starting 46 years earlier. 

John 2:21 

“But the temple He had spoken of was His body” (John 2:21). 

Jesus was not speaking figuratively but literally, for He literally would die at their hands and resurrect. 

John 2:22 

“After He was raised from the dead, His disciples recalled what He had said. Then they believed the scripture and the words that Jesus had spoken” (John 2:22). 

Ancient prophesy demanded a literal Messiah (Isaiah 9:6-7; Daniel 9:25-26). It was not just an idea. Unfortunately, the Jews apparently wanted more of a deliverer from the Romans, not simply from their sins (Isaiah 53:1-12). Likewise, many today may be more prone to look for an easy Rapture exit than a plan for Spirit filled obedience in building His Kingdom. 

Jesus Knows What Is In Each Person (2:23-25) 

John 2:23 

“Now while He was in Jerusalem at the Passover Festival, many people saw the signs He was performing and believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (John 2:23). 

“Signs” or miracles [Greek, sēmeion] were being performed and people “believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (2:23). Pisteuō is the same Greek word used in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes [Greek, pisteuō] in Him shall not perish but have eternal life.” “Believe [Greek, pisteuō] in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved — you and your household” (Acts 16:31). “If you declare with your mouth, Jesus is Lord, and believe [Greek, pisteuō] in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved” (Romans 10:9). Pisteuō is translated some 240 times out of 250, as believe. 

John 2:24 

“But Jesus would not entrust [Greek, pisteuō] Himself to them, for He knew all people” (John 2:24). 

The same Greek word pisteuō is here translated as entrust [NIV] and commit [KJV].  

Why would Jesus refuse to entrust or commit Himself to these Jews in John 2, if they had “believed [Greek, pisteuō] in His name” (John 2:23)? Since “He knew all people” (2:24), He knew their faith was insincere and insufficient for Him to entrust Himself to them, to commit to them, and to believe in them. This simple but significant statement informs us that our faith is not enough for Jesus to commit Himself to us, unless we have genuinely committed ourselves to Him. 

This does not upend the validity of faith in our salvation, but it cautions us from the uselessness of promoting a “faith without deeds” (James 2:20). Instead, we should reevaluate John 3:16. “For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes [literally, COMMITS] in Him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16 NIV). 

John 2:25 

“He did not need any testimony about mankind, for He knew what was in each person” (John 2:25). 

This is not a works salvation but an ongoing relationship with the only One who truly knows us, loves us, and genuinely seeks our highest good. 

How can we not in return commit ourselves to Him and count upon His Spirit to work in us “to will and to act in order to fulfill His good purpose” (Philippians 2:13)? 

Let us pray. 

Father, You have been amazingly patient with us to make Your point to us that faith is meaningless unless Your Spirit has inspired us to obey You. Work in us all Your good pleasure. And, may we keep our hand to the plow until Your Trumpet announces it is dinner time for the Marriage Supper of the Lamb. In Jesus’ Name, we pray. Amen and amen.

I Found None

Ken

What a sad state, when God cannot find anyone to do His bidding! “And I sought for a man among them, that should make up the hedge, and stand in the gap before Me for the land, that I should not destroy it: but I found none” (Ezekiel 22:30 KJV). Our feeble hands are insufficient to stop the enemy! What are we to do? “And He saw that there was no man, and wondered that there was no intercessor: therefore His arm brought salvation unto Him; and His righteousness, it sustained Him” (Isaiah 59:16). Do everything consistent with righteousness, but seek deliverance only from God. He alone can deliver! “So shall they fear the name of the LORD from the west, and His glory from the rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in like a flood, the Spirit of the LORD shall lift up a standard against him” (59:19). Strong crying to Yahweh alone will fix our situation. If He instructs us to get up and get busy, then we must act. But, our activity alone does not presently seem to be the key. “It is time for Thee, LORD, to work: for they have made void Thy law” (Psalm 119:126).  Where do we not need healing, deliverance from demonic opposition, diminishing of the opposition to our doing the right thing? Paul complained of a “thorn in the flesh” (2Corinthians 12:7), to which he referred as a “messenger [Greek, aggelos, angel, i.e., evil angel or demon] of Satan to buffet [literally, torment] me” (12:7). Do we have more opposition than we realize? Then, we need all the more deliverance only God can provide! Father, it is not an unrighteous thing for us to cry out for deliverance. May we repent, trust, and obey, as we should. But, may that only clear the way for You to act. “O our God, wilt Thou not judge them? for we have no might against this great company that cometh against us; neither know we what to do: but our eyes are upon Thee” (2Chronicles 20:12). In Jesus’ name we pray. Amen and amen.

Secrets With God

Ken

Sharing a secret with God is not the same as refusing to confess Jesus before man, for those who refuse to acknowledge Jesus as Lord before others have no part in His kingdom. “But whosoever shall deny Me before men, him will I also deny before My Father which is in heaven” (Matthew 10:33 KJV). God’s children share a secret place and secret things known only between ourselves and Yahweh. A secret place of shelter is offered by Almighty God to His trusting children. “He that dwelleth in the secret place [literally, shelter] of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty” (Psalm 91:1). Secret giving, secret prayer, and secret fasting are things God shares with His children. Open reward is promised to only those, who seek to keep their secret with God. “4 That thine alms may be in secret: and thy Father which seeth in secret himself shall reward thee openly. 6 But thou, when thou prayest, enter into thy closet, and when thou hast shut thy door, pray to thy Father which is in secret; and thy Father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly. 18 That thou appear not unto men to fast, but unto thy Father which is in secret: and thy Father, which seeth in secret, shall reward thee openly” (Matthew 6:4, 6, 18). Manifestations of godly living will be inescapable though not intentionally sought. 

Father, may we be like Jesus, who has a secret name “no one knows knows except Himself” (Revelation 19:12 NET), since His glory cannot be seen by man while we continue to live, unless the Almighty places us in the cleft of the rock to see His back side as He passes by. Cause us to be more concerned with keeping our secrets with You than any vain show to man. Lord Jesus return quickly. In Your name, we pray. Amen.

Only Sustainable Solution

Ken

Sustainability, by definition, is the means of configuring civilization and human activity so that society, its members and its economies are able to meet their needs and express their greatest potential in the present, while preserving biodiversity and natural ecosystems, planning and acting for the ability to maintain these ideals for future generations. Who wouldn’t be in favor of that kind of sustainability? Yet somehow, Christianity has been depicted in opposition to sustainability. But, what saith the Scripture? 

Even before God had given any other command to His newly created human image bearers, “God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth” (Genesis 1:28 KJV). He blessed them and approvingly gave His command to multiply their offspring with dominion over all living things. But most significantly, humanity is to “replenish” (1:28) and equally to “subdue” (1:28) our planet. The significance of near space and outer space is important only in relation to how it affects our primary dominion over earth. 

The depiction of ravaging the planet in the name of monetary profitability may be acceptable to some economic systems, but God’s economic model must feature subduing the planet, while replenishing it (Genesis 1:28). This only meets the requirement of God’s original directive to man. Any human system — public or private — must optimize these features of subduing and replenishing, if it reflects God’s original intention for humankind. 

God Alone Is Sustainable 

But, the concept of sustainability is truly feasible only to the extent it represents obedience to the command of the Creator God. This is true because Jehovah alone is sustainably everlasting. “The eternal God is thy refuge, and underneath are the everlastings arms: and He shall thrust out the enemy from before thee; and shall say, Destroy them” (Deuteronomy 33:27). Only a God capable of sustaining Himself from everlasting to everlasting is able to promote true sustainability. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall He come forth unto Me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). And, it is unsurprising in our New Covenant times that Jesus Christ is the embodiment of true sustainability. “Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever” (Hebrews 13:8). 

Sustainability Possible Because God Commands It 

God never gives a command which cannot be obeyed, because God is faithful. “For this is the love of God: that we keep His commandments. And His commandments do not weigh us down” (1John 5:3 NET). No one can say to God His commands are burdensome, impossibly grievous, and unthoughtfully weighing us down. When we have treated Yahweh as a burdensome taskmaster rather than a Loving Father or Faithful Creator, then we are prone to interpret our profitability more in terms of subduing our planet rather than also replenishing it. 

Sustainability Advocated by the World, Laudable But Impossible 

Advocated by the world, True Sustainability is not possible. The Second Law of Thermodynamics speaks of a running down process counterintuitive to an evolutionary principle. Sustainability should not be opposed on the grounds the world lacks theological justification, but it should be understood as truly supported by solid biblical principle. Sustainability scientifically modeled may be practically feasible but becomes burdensome without the realistic goal of duplicating the Creator’s intention. “Know therefore that the LORD thy God, He is God, the faithful God, which keepeth covenant and mercy with them that love Him and keep His commandments to a thousand generations” (Deuteronomy 7:9 KJV). God’s faithfulness models His intention of sustainability and promotes His glory when sustainability is achieved. 

Sustainability in Economic Model and Resources Unachievable 

Viewing manmade programs from the perspective of sustainability should direct our involvement or reluctance to be involved. To the degree sustainability is understood to align with God’s faithfulness, it is achievable; but, when others promote sustainability short of that understanding, sustainability should only be pursued with the understanding God will sustain His own people regardless of the consensus of the surrounding world. “And Moses stretched forth his hand toward heaven; and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days: They saw not one another, neither rose any from his place for three days: but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings” (Exodus 10:22-23). 

Sustainability Is Truly God’s Faithfulness 

“But my God shall supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:19). The world can require sustainability, but it cannot achieve it without the Invisible Hand of God working. We do not want to discourage the world from seeking sustainability, but we do desire them to see their goal truly achieved by seeking the Everlasting God. “Blessed be the LORD God of Israel from everlasting to everlasting: and let all the people say, Amen. Praise ye the LORD” (Psalm 106:48). Sustaining us now and forevermore is our understanding of Jesus Christ. “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). God’s blessing of sustainability can be noticed by those outside of our understanding of faith because of the conduct of our trusting in God’s sustainability. “And Laban said unto him, I pray thee, if I have found favour in thine eyes, tarry: for I have learned by experience that the LORD hath blessed me for thy sake” (Genesis 30:27). 

Father, may Your people look upon You as the Eternal Sustaining God. May You promote and preserve Your people as You sustain our planet. May those around us sense their blessing comes from our presence. But, may your blessing of sustaining us be to your glory and not our credit. Continue to work until our purpose is fulfilled on this planet. Lord Jesus, return quickly. In Your Name, we pray. Amen.