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Saturday, May 17 2008
by Wayne Blank
"3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart" (2 Corinthians 3:3 KJV) refers to how God's Law is ultimately spiritual (but just as much in effect) because only those who repent and obey God's Law will be granted salvation (as Jesus Christ plainly said, "19:17 if thou wilt enter into life, keep the commandments. 19:18 He saith unto him, Which? Jesus said, Thou shalt do no murder, Thou shalt not commit adultery, Thou shalt not steal, Thou shalt not bear false witness, 19:19 Honour thy father and thy mother: and, Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself" Matthew 19:17-19 KJV) - and in the Kingdom of God, God's Law of True Freedom will be the basis of eternal life i.e. "21:6 I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end. I will give unto him that is athirst of the fountain of the water of life freely. 21:7 He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. 21:8 But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death" (Revelation 21:6-8 KJV).
"3:1 Do we begin again to commend ourselves? or need we, as some others, epistles of commendation to you, or letters of commendation from you? 3:2 Ye are our epistle written in our hearts [see A Pure Heart], known and read of all men: 3:3 Forasmuch as ye are manifestly declared to be the epistle of Christ ministered by us, written not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God; not in tables of stone, but in fleshly tables of the heart [see also Frontlets and Phylacteries].3:4 And such Trust have we through Christ to God-ward: 3:5 Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think any thing as of ourselves; but our sufficiency is of God; 3:6 Who also hath made us able ministers of the new testament; not of the letter, but of the spirit: for the letter killeth, but the spirit giveth life." (2 Corinthians 3:1-6 KJV)
Christ "divorced" (see the Fact Finder question below) the ancient physical Israelites (see A Journey Without A Destination; also Why Did Christ Put Moses To Death?) because they were unfaithful i.e. they did not obey God. Spiritual Israel, by means of the Holy Spirit, will obey God, will be faithful by obeying God, and will thereby become the bride of Christ from which the children of God will be born (see Spiritual Conception, Born Again, How and When? and the Fact Finder question below).
"3:7 But if the ministration of death, written and engraven in stones, was glorious, so that the children of Israel could not stedfastly behold the face of Moses for the glory of his countenance [see The Veil of Moses]; which glory was to be done away: 3:8 How shall not the ministration of the spirit be rather glorious? 3:9 For if the ministration of condemnation be glory, much more doth the ministration of righteousness exceed in glory. 3:10 For even that which was made glorious had no glory in this respect, by reason of the glory that excelleth. 3:11 For if that which is done away was glorious, much more that which remaineth is glorious.3:12 Seeing then that we have such hope, we use great plainness of speech: 3:13 And not as Moses, which put a veil over his face, that the children of Israel could not stedfastly look to the end of that which is abolished: 3:14 But their minds were blinded: for until this day remaineth the same veil untaken away in the reading of the old testament; which veil is done away in Christ [see Why Was It Torn?]. 3:15 But even unto this day, when Moses is read, the veil is upon their heart. 3:16 Nevertheless when it shall turn to the Lord, the veil shall be taken away. 3:17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty. 3:18 But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (2 Corinthians 3:7-18 KJV)
2 Corinthians Chapter 4
From the perspective of God's Word, Conscience means a conscious (i.e. awake) awareness of good and bad - and the ability to make a choice.
"4:1 Therefore seeing we have this ministry, as we have received mercy, we faint not; 4:2 But have renounced the hidden things of dishonesty, not walking in craftiness, nor handling the word of God deceitfully; but by manifestation of the truth commending ourselves to every man's conscience in the sight of God. 4:3 But if our gospel be hid, it is hid to them that are lost: 4:4 In whom the god of this world hath blinded the minds of them which believe not, lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them [see A Brainwashed World]. 4:5 For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake. 4:6 For God, who commanded the light to shine out of darkness, hath shined in our hearts, to give the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ.4:7 But we have this treasure in earthen Vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us. 4:8 We are troubled on every side, yet not distressed [see No Pain, No Gain]; we are perplexed, but not in despair; 4:9 Persecuted, but not forsaken; cast down, but not destroyed; 4:10 Always bearing about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our body. 4:11 For we which live are alway delivered unto death for Jesus' sake, that the life also of Jesus might be made manifest in our mortal flesh. 4:12 So then death worketh in us, but life in you.
4:13 We having the same spirit of faith, according as it is written, I believed, and therefore have I spoken; we also believe, and therefore speak; 4:14 Knowing that he which raised up the Lord Jesus [listen to the Sermon Christ's Passover: The Death And Birth Of The Saviour from our Sermons page] shall raise up us also by Jesus [see When Will You Be Judged?], and shall present us with you. 4:15 For all things are for your sakes, that the abundant grace might through the thanksgiving of many redound to the glory of God.
4:16 For which cause we faint not; but though our outward man perish [see What Happens When You Die?], yet the inward man is renewed day by day. 4:17 For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; 4:18 While we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal." (2 Corinthians 4:1-18 KJV)
2 Corinthians Chapter 5
"5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad" (2 Corinthians 5:10 KJV) is a plain-as-day statement that everyone will judged, in due time (see When Will You Be Judged? to understand when judgment will happen; see also Could Christ Return Tonight?).
"5:1 For we know that if our earthly house of this tabernacle were dissolved, we have a building of God, an house not made with hands, eternal in the heavens [see Mansions]. 5:2 For in this we groan, earnestly desiring to be clothed upon with our house which is from heaven: 5:3 If so be that being clothed we shall not be found naked. 5:4 For we that are in this tabernacle do groan, being burdened: not for that we would be unclothed, but clothed upon, that mortality might be swallowed up of life. 5:5 Now he that hath wrought us for the selfsame thing is God, who also hath given unto us the earnest of the Spirit.5:6 Therefore we are always confident, knowing that, whilst we are at home in the body, we are absent from the Lord [see Born Again, How and When?]: 5:7 For we walk by faith, not by sight: 5:8 We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. 5:9 Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him. 5:10 For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ [see also Christ's Mercy Seat; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad [see A Reward For Everyone]" (2 Corinthians 5:1-10 KJV)
"5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation" (2 Corinthians 5:18 KJV) portrays how The Messiah is the atoning High Priest of humanity (see Why Blood? and What Is Jesus Christ Doing Right Now?).
"5:11 Knowing therefore the terror of the Lord, we persuade men; but we are made manifest unto God; and I trust also are made manifest in your consciences. 5:12 For we commend not ourselves again unto you, but give you occasion to glory on our behalf, that ye may have somewhat to answer them which glory in appearance, and not in heart. 5:13 For whether we be beside ourselves, it is to God: or whether we be sober, it is for your cause. 5:14 For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead: 5:15 And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again [see Christianos and The Process Of Conversion].5:16 Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more. 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 5:18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; 5:19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation. 5:20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ [see Bind and Loose], as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God. 5:21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him." (2 Corinthians 5:11-21 KJV)
Fact Finder: Was Christ ever "married"? Was Christ ever "divorced"? Will Christ ever be "remarried"?
Listen to the Sermon The Divorce and Remarriage of Jesus Christ from our Sermons page.
Today's Word
The Holy Bible was primarily written in Hebrew, Greek and Aramaic. Today's Word examines the pronunciation and literal meaning of one of those actual words of the Holy Scriptures and how it is usually translated into English-language Bibles.
The Hebrew word pronounced tsaw-baw means army. It is most often translated for use in English language Bibles as host, army, battle or war.
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Today's Quote
"Military force, especially when wielded by an outside power, cannot bring order in a country that cannot govern itself."
Robert McNamara (1916 - )
U.S. Secretary of Defense during the Vietnam War
This Day In History, May 17
218: The 7th recorded perihelion passage of Halley's Comet.
395: Upon the death of Emperor Theodosius I, the Roman Empire was no longer ruled by a single leader. Theodosius had divided the empire into western and eastern portions, thereby creating the prophesied "two legs" of Daniel's Statue.
1377: Pope Gregory XI restored the papacy to Rome from Avignon, France, where it had resided for 72 years. It had been moved there by French Pope Clement V in 1305, to escape the political turmoil in Italy at the time.
1562: The Edict of St. Germain permitted the Huguenots (Protestants) in France.
1620: The first merry-go-round at a fair, in Philippapolis, Turkey.
1756: Britain declared war on France, beginning the French and Indian War.
1773: The Resolution, under Captain James Cook, became the first ship to enter Antarctic waters.
1792: 24 merchants formed the New York Stock Exchange at 70 Wall Street.
1809: The Papal States were annexed by France.
1814: Denmark ceded Norway to Sweden.
1875: The first Kentucky Derby was run at Louisville.
1912: Captain Robert Scott's expedition reached the South Pole, a month after Roald Amundsen of Norway.
1939: The Nazi government in Germany prohibited Jews from working as dentists, veterinarians and chemists.
1940: Germany occupied Brussels, Belgium and began the invasion of France.
1945: The Soviet Red Army liberated and occupied Warsaw, Poland, from German forces.
1966: A U.S. B-52 bomber collided in mid-air with a refueling tanker over Spain. 8 people were killed, and the bomber released its H-bomb into the Atlantic.
1973: The Senate Watergate Committee began its hearings.
1991: "Operation Desert Storm" began against Iraq.
