Bible - New Testament

26/07/2006
When Jesus was on the cross, He said, “My God, My God, why have you forsaken Me?” What does that mean?

For a period of time when Jesus was on the cross, the Father had to turn away from Jesus. 2 Corinthians 5:21 says “He who knew no sin was made to be sin for us that we would be made the righteousness of God.” Jesus took all of our sins on the cross. He took your sin; He took my sin. He became sin.

As far as the Father was concerned, He rejected Jesus at that moment because He was rejecting sin. The Father turned away from Jesus so that He could turn toward us. We didn’t deserve to get God’s acceptance, but God had to reject Jesus as a substitute for us. Jesus was in an intimate fellowship with God for eternity, but then on that cross He lost His fellowship with God so that we could have fellowship with God.

Bible - New Testament

26/07/2006
The Book of Romans says that we are justified by our faith. The Book of James says we’re justified by works. Which is right?

It’s both. Paul is saying in Romans that we’re not justified by the works of the law. Obeying the laws of the Old Testament will not justify us; that will not save us. We’re only saved by faith in Jesus Christ and in His blood.

When James says that we’re justified by works, he is not talking about the works of the law. Rather, he’s saying that if you’re really a believer, if you’re really putting your faith in Jesus Christ, there will be corresponding action to validate, to prove, to demonstrate your faith. You’re going to want to serve God; you’re going to want to do the right thing – not by the works of the Old Testament but by the works of love, kindness, serving other people, and honoring God.

Bible - New Testament

26/07/2006
Will you explain what being lukewarm means in regard to Revelations 3:15-18?

That’s a great question. It’s really simple. Jesus said in that verse that he rather you be hot or cold, but if you’re lukewarm He will spew you out of his mouth. What does it mean to be lukewarm? It means that you’re half in, you’re half out, you’re half-hearted. Part of you is serving God and part of you is serving your flesh.

That’s the condition of many Christians. They are not hot for God, not on fire for God, they’re not willing to drop whatever they’re doing. They are willing to let God come and tickle them, but they’re not willing to let God move in. They are willing to let god come and visit them and touch and bless them, but they are not willing to let God move in and bring all his furniture into their lives with Him. God just doesn’t want to come and visit you every so often, he wants to be married to you. He wants to come and abide with you, he wants to come and live with you.

That’s what it means to be lukewarm: when you just want to visit with the Lord but you don’t want to have an all-out relationship with Him; you want to date Him, but you don’t want to marry Him.

Bible - New Testament

26/07/2006
I have a question on Hebrews 6:4-6 where it says that if you taste God and turn away that you cannot be restored. Could you explain those verses a little more please? And what’s the “subjecting him to public disgrace”? What’s that about?

I know there’s a lot of controversy around that scripture. It’s referring to once somebody has tasted of the Heavenly gift and been a partaker of the Holy Spirit, and they fall away, it’s impossible to renew them again to repentance. And what Paul is saying there is it’s impossible for that person to ever need to be saved again.

Have I ever fallen away from the Lord? Yes. Have you ever fallen away from the Lord? Yes. We’ve all fallen away from the Lord at one time or another. To what degree must he be talking about in falling away from the Lord? He doesn’t describe the definition of what “falling away from the Lord” is. I think there have been times where I’ve been away from God in my heart or my heart has grown cold. I think that’s true about every person. I don’t think anybody is ever just always on fire for God. So, if we assume that he’s talking about the typical falling away, the typical blowing it, the typical person who feels like they’re distant from God, which I do believe he’s referring to, then what he’s saying is, it’s impossible to renew them again to repentance, meaning it’s impossible for Jesus to have to come down to this earth again and die on the cross again for our sins. He’s done it once. He will never have to do it again.

He’s died “once for all,” Hebrews chapter 9 talks about. And there’s no more sacrifice that can be made for the person who falls away meaning there’s nothing more Jesus can do for that person. What He’s done is enough. The person whose fallen away can come back to God on the basis of what Jesus already did the first time; he doesn’t need Jesus to do something for him a second time. That’s how I interpret that verse and that’s what it means to me.

Subjecting Jesus to public disgrace meaning to have to put Him to open shame again on the cross. If we fall away, He’s not coming back to the earth to die on the cross again, He’s not going to die for our sins again, He’s not going to be put to open shame or public disgrace again on the cross. He did that once for all and He’s never going to need to do that again. And so, to my brothers and sisters and friends who have fallen away from God, they can come back to God without needing to be saved again. They can come back to God without needing Jesus to die on the cross again for their sins.

Bible - New Testament

26/07/2006
My question comes from I Peter 1:20. I’m just trying to get some understanding on that where it states that he was chosen and foreordained and brought out to public view.

You’re talking about I Peter 1:20 that says, “Who was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifested in these last times for you.” Well, you've got to go back to the earlier verse where it says in verse 18, “You were not redeemed with perishable, corruptible things like silver or gold from your futile way of life inherited from your forefathers, but you were redeemed or you were purchased with precious blood as of the Lamb, unblemished and spotless, the blood of Christ. For He was foreknown before the foundation of the world, but has appeared in these last times for the sake of you.”

What God is saying there is that God knew before the world ever began, before He created anything, He knew that Jesus would need to come to this earth and die on the cross for our sins. He knew that. That’s what it means when He said, “He foreordained.” He knew that Adam and Eve were going to sin. He knew that sin was going to come into the world. He already had a plan. That’s what it means when He said He foreordained it. He already had made up his mind that if Adam and Eve do, in fact, sin, He was going to send Jesus to the earth. And there’s a difference between God having it in His mind that He was going to do it and then when Jesus actually appearing 2,000 ago to actually die for our sins.

God knew the timing that He wanted to do it in. He picked the perfect timing. He did it for you and me. And the precious blood of Jesus has purchased us. And now we are, to God, as valuable as Jesus Himself is. That’s what He means in these verses. That you weren’t purchased with silver and gold. You were purchased with something much more precious than that. And that is the blood of Jesus Christ.