Hate Without Cause

If the world hates you, you know that it has hated Me before it hated you. If you were of the world, the world would love its own; but because you are not of the world, but I chose you out of the world, because of this the world hates you. Remember the word that I said to you, ‘A slave is not greater than his master.’ If they persecuted Me, they will also persecute you; if they kept My word, they will keep yours also. But all these things they will do to you for My name’s sake, because they do not know the One who sent Me.  If I had not come and spoken to them, they would not have sin, but now they have no excuse for their sin. He who hates Me hates My Father also. If I had not done among them the works which no one else did, they would not have sin; but now they have both seen and hated Me and My Father as well. But they have done this to fulfill the word that is written in their Law, ‘THEY HATED ME WITHOUT A CAUSE.’ 

“When the Helper comes, whom I will send to you from the Father, that is the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify about Me, and you will testify also, because you have been with Me from the beginning. John 15:18-27

Why would the world hate Jesus and His Church? What’s not to love? Answer: Absolute, uncompromising truth. Sovereign authority. Our assurance of salvation through one Man. Our confidence in His perfect provision. Our sense of peace because of His faithfulness to His chosen ones.  Our preaching of grace to all who will hear of His finished work.

“If” the world hates you, believers, (1^st class condition—and it does), that’s because it hated Jesus before it knew to hate us. We are not of the world-system. Our citizenship is in heaven, therefore we can have no friendship with the world. Friends must have something in common; a mutual appreciation of important issues in life. Jesus stressed to His men that they must expect to be persecuted, just as He was, because they were His. If He, the master, was ill-treated and despised, they should be prepared to face nothing less. Because they were not of the world, because He had chosen them out of the world; there is an exclusivity of the brotherhood of the saints. The world rejects this. The world does not understand this. The world resents this. The world hates this.

There are those in and from the world who are willing to believe, so Christians always have the responsibility to teach God’s word. The ones who are positive to Jesus’ message will be positive to our teaching also, but the majority of worldlings will reject and hate the messengers of Christ.

Jesus came to Israel, the representatives of the Law of Moses. They were misrepresenting that law, and they despised the Lord for challenging and correcting them. If they had truly known the God they pretended to represent, they would have recognized and believed the Son of God. He came specifically to them to speak His truth and do His miraculous works. By these things they should have known Him. They did not, because they didn’t know the Father Who sent Him. Their system was a lie. Religion posing as reality. They could have claimed ignorance, had He not come to them with truth. As it is, their sin was exposed and they were now without excuse and aware of their sin (guilty). God has made provision for those who recognize their own sin. Receive the atonement of the Lamb of God, which takes away our sin and replaces it with His righteousness. They didn’t want His atonement. They wanted to continue in their religion, because it afforded them power over the masses. What does the world do when it doesn’t like the truth? It rejects the truth and the one who brings it. It plots to remove the messenger of truth, by murder if necessary. Then it murders; but strangely, the truth remains and increases and exposes the guilt of the world. So the world, in its impotence against truth, hates.

They hate absolute truth, because they want to see every issue as situational, iffy; in shades of grey. That means every man for himself, to do as he sees fit, no matter what God has said. They prefer the lie.

They hate authority, because it means someone is in charge and it is not them. It means some rules we obey, just because God has decreed them, whether we understand the reason or not. It means some persons are commissioned to certain positions in life, and others are not, no matter how we feel about it. There is a hierarchy in the plan of God. We who know Him and love His word are willing to submit to that system, thereby growing in grace and knowledge of our Lord Jesus Christ. They prefer rebellion.

They hate our assurance of faith alone in Christ alone for salvation, because they want to believe there are many ways to God. They consider it arrogance on the part of the Church to teach Jesus as the ONLY way. That would mean their other gods aren’t capable of getting the job done, and their human good is not good enough. It would require humility to simply accept and depend on the finished work of Jesus Christ as the full payment for our sins. They prefer their mysticism or their prideful points systems.

They hate our confidence in His perfect provision. They want us to believe the earth is choking on her own waste and it is all our fault. They want us to believe humanity is a terrible burden on the earth, and she would be better off without us. They hate that we know God built this planet for man’s dwelling, and that He has promised it will support us as long as we need it. And when it is time for our departure, He will fetch us home. They prefer gloomy uncertainty and fearmongering.

They hate our sense of peace in spite of adversities, because we know all things will work together for our good. They prefer whining and blaming someone, anyone, everyone. Especially those arrogant Christians.

They hate grace. The world, and religion, prefers legalism. Even pagans have their do-good systems that they believe everyone must observe, or suffer dire consequences. Religion has its laws, rules and rituals to prove how spiritual they are, and those things have nothing to do with spirituality.

Jesus came to seek and save that which was lost: fallen humanity. He brought grace and truth. He, Himself fulfilled His own law and paid our penalty. Worldlings despise and ridicule Him for His grace.

I John 4:17 “This is how love is made complete among us so that we will have confidence on the day of judgment: In this world we are like Jesus.” And in this world we are hated for it.

The Helper was coming, though, from the Father. He, the Holy Spirit always testifies of Jesus. Jesus’ disciples testified of Him, also, having been with Him.

And we testify of Him, because we know Him, too.

Love Commanded

“This is My commandment, that you love one another, just as I have loved you. Greater love has no one than this, that one lay down his life for his friends. You are My friends if you do what I command you.  No longer do I call you slaves, for the slave does not know what his master is doing; but I have called you friends, for all things that I have heard from My Father I have made known to you. You did not choose Me but I chose you, and appointed you that you would go and bear fruit, and that your fruit would remain, so that whatever you ask of the Father in My name He may give to you. This I command you, that you love one another. John 15:12-17

The Law of Christ: Love the Brethren. It is His command. How do we do this? Just as He loved us. Completely. Unconditionally. Without exception. As a matter of policy.

The greatest demonstration of love is to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. This does not mean to die, physically, although it can include physical death. Laying down one’s life means to put others’ needs before one’s own. It is the exact opposite of “free spirit” living, in which one has no consideration for anyone else’s sensibilities or expectations, and does it “my way.” Laying down one’s life is what a mother does, to protect and provide for her young. She could theoretically be soaking up rays on a beach, sipping rum punch instead of diapering,  cooking, cleaning, running errands, kissing boo-boos and cuddling the whining little ones twenty-four-seven. Laying down one's life is what husbands and wives do, putting each other's wants and needs before their own. Laying down one’s life is what the shepherd does, rather than just putting the sheep out to pasture, at the mercy of the wolves, while he eats, drinks and pursues happiness all day. It takes patience, compassion and sensitivity to the spiritual and physical needs of others. It is family responsibility. We are Royal Family of God.

Jesus came to die for our sins and be resurrected. That was His finale in the earthly mission. To get to that, He first had to leave His glorious home in the heavenlies, be born a helpless infant under the authority of limited humans; live and work in a body of flesh among smelly, ignorant people for 33 years; preach His precious truth to an obstinate, self-righteous people who were hostile to Him; recruit and train these ordinary working men for discipleship. Then the time came for Him to face the terrible ordeal of being separated from the Father and Spirit on that cross, while being crushed under our sins. His dismissal of His spirit was His exit from the drudgery He had endured in those years of laying down His life for us. Finally, it was finished and He could return home. I marvel at the sacrifice He made by condensing and confining His eternal being into that individual human body for those years, submitting to the limits of time and space. He didn’t have to do it. It was done for love, to give us life.

John 10:11 I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep.

10:15 even as the Father knows Me and I know the Father; and I lay down My life for the sheep.

10:17 For this reason the Father loves Me, because I lay down My life so that I may take it again.

10:18 No one has taken it away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again. This commandment I received from My Father.”

John 15:14 “You are My  friends (philos—personal, intimate, familiar friends) if  you (3^rd class condition—maybe you will) do what I command you.

This is a new intimacy Jesus introduced to the eleven as He approached the cross. They were no longer servants, but His friends, with whom He was sharing the mysterious doctrines of the Church, decreed by the Father. This information would become real to them after the Holy Spirit baptized and indwelt them in the very near future. They had been chosen and ordained by Him, and given these truths to remember and cherish. These were divine operating assets that would enable them to continue His work in the world—preaching, teaching and producing divine good for eternity.

In order to fulfill those responsibilities, they would have to stick to the priorities He had given them, beginning with love for one another. The brethren. Believers of the same kind. There is strength in brotherhood, and comfort and confidence. In a hostile world they and we need all of that we can get. This is not superficial “warm fuzzies,” but honest, straight-forward, no-nonsense, deliberate kindness, consideration and intercessory prayer support for the spiritual well-being of our fellow believers, in whom Christ lives.

I John 3:16 We know love by this, that He laid down His life for us; and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.

The True Vine

“I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me. I am the vine, you are the branches; he who abides in Me and I in him, he bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing. If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned. If you abide in Me, and My words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so ^[prove to be My disciples. Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love. If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father’s commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. John 15:1-11 

“I AM”…Jesus is the genuine vine. The source of life. We cannot produce anything from ourselves alone.

“takes away”…non-productive, neutralized branches are cut off. There is no fruit there, and they hinder the production of the other branches. This is God’s discipline of His own. Divine discipline of believers includes being removed from one’s position or removed from this life, because of disobedience, arrogance or self-sufficiency, as in the case of King Saul. I Cronicles 10:13-14 Saul died because he was unfaithful to the Lord; he did not keep the word of the Lord and even consulted a medium for guidance, and did not inquire of the Lord. So the Lord put him to death and turned the kingdom over to David son of Jesse.

 Prune: to remove (dead or superfluous twigs, branches, etc) from (a tree, shrub, etc), esp by cutting off.

The only way for a believer to produce divine good is to abide in (remain in close fellowship with, identify with, be occupied with, totally depend on) Christ. The ones who abide in Christ bear much fruit. Those who don’t abide in Him lose their spiritual vitality and have no testimony for the Lord.

The nation Israel had been the degenerate vine; religion masquerading as reality. Fickle. Traitorous. Idolatrous. This was the pronouncement of the prophets. Isaiah 5:2,4,6:

Then He expected it to produce good grapes,
But it produced only worthless ones.
What more was there to do for My vineyard that I have not done in it?
Why, when I expected it to produce good grapes did it produce worthless ones?
“I will lay it waste;
It will not be pruned or hoed,
But briars and thorns will come up.
I will also charge the clouds to rain no rain on it.”

Jeremiah 2:21
“Yet I planted you a choice vine,
A completely faithful seed.
How then have you turned yourself before Me
Into the degenerate shoots of a foreign vine?

We have the perfect source of life in the dispensation of the Church. It is the Lord of life, Himself. The way to produce good fruit is not to hustle and compete and count points, but to simply remain as close as possible to Him in our daily life. We must saturate our souls with His Word. Then we are functioning from the mind of Christ. When He is in everything we think and do, what we produce will be divine good…good fruit, more fruit, MUCH fruit. Then, when our work is evaluated, our divine production will remain; the human good produced by the neutralized branches will be burned.

Conclusion: believers who are not bearing fruit will be purged, so as not to hinder the production of the vine. Believers who are producing fruit will be pruned (trimmed, groomed, honed, trained, shaped up) to enable the production of more abundant and even better fruit. Often, when it seems there are problems and irritations in our lives and we whine to God to remove those distractions, He will eventually make it clear that the thing, situation, person who is distracting you is His pruning tool, forcing you to focus more clearly on His Word and depend more completely on His loving care. By pruning we learn obedience, humility and unconditional love. That combination produces good fruit.

Verse 11: He taught us this so that we could share in His joy, and that the very happiness of God in us would be complete.

Another Helper

I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it does not see Him or know Him, but you know Him because He abides with you and will be in you.

“I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. After a little while the world will no longer see Me, but you will see Me; because I live, you will live also. In that day you will know that I am in My Father, and you in Me, and I in you. He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.” Judas (not Iscariot) *said to Him, “Lord, what then has happened that You are going to disclose Yourself to us and not to the world?” Jesus answered and said to him, “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We ⁽will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me ⁽does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father’s who sent Me.

“These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you.  But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you. Peace I leave with you; My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Do not let your heart be troubled, nor let it be fearful. You heard that I said to you, ‘I go away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. Now I have told you before it happens, so that when it happens, you may believe. I will not speak much more with you, for the ruler of the world is coming, and he has nothing in Me; but so that the world may know that I love the Father, I do exactly as the Father commanded Me. Get up, let us go from here. John 14:16-31

First order of business for the ascended Christ: ask the Father to give the believers another Helper, to be with us forever. And He will. These details were already decreed, as indicated by Jesus’ explanation of Who this Helper would be and how He would help. He is identified as the Spirit of truth. He would be known only to born-again believers, because the world cannot perceive or receive Him. He is God the Holy Spirit. He is our contact with Jesus and the Father. He lives with us and in us. Jesus didn’t explain all the details of the baptism and indwelling of the Holy Spirit to these men at this time, because they obviously were already suffering from information overload, and it had only just begun. It was sufficient at this time to assure them the Comforter was coming, and that after He came, they would understand.

This is another new operating asset for the Church age. In Old Testament times, and during Jesus’ earthly ministry, the Holy Spirit could and would temporarily empower the believers for certain works, under the authority of Jesus. Now, when Jesus is physically gone from us, the Holy Spirit permanently indwells every believer from the moment of salvation, to energize, inform and make intercession for us as we live and work. The world no longer sees Jesus. We believers see Him in each other, but especially in His Word. He continues to live, in His Church, through His written Word and through the indwelling Holy Spirit.

Because of the Holy Spirit’s help, we can see that the Father and Son are one, and we are in union with His eternal essence. This is the basis of our Christian dynamics—God’s grace provision in saving us, teaching us, and bringing us to maturity in the faith. Believers’ positive volition to Bible doctrine is the determining factor in spiritual growth and is the key to loving Jesus. That is our means of learning the techniques of the Christian Way of Life. Believers who ignore Bible doctrine really don’t come to know and Him much better than unbelievers; those believers are “flying by the seat of their pants” and judging their own spirituality by “feelings,” therefore they have no foundation for loving Him. Those who do know and love Him will have close communion with Him, because they are equipped to perceive His word and His will. The Father has decreed this close fellowship with those who obey the Son (v.21).

Jude was curious about the mechanics of the believers being able to see Jesus, but not the world. In verse 23, there’s that 3^rd class condition “if” again: “if a man loves me (and maybe he won’t, but if he does), he WILL guard My Word. It is a given. Loving Jesus = guarding, observing, practicing His Word, thereby growing in grace and being in fellowship with Him and the the Father. Very simple. If you don’t love Me, you won’t keep My word. This is evidence of our fellowship, or lack of fellowship with God. Well, the world certainly does not know or love Jesus, or have any reverence for His Word, and they do not have the Holy Spirit indwelling/helping, therefore they cannot perceive Jesus. They make false assumptions based on some superficial readings of His message to the Jews, but they do not and cannot know Him. Faith comes first. Then understanding. Then love.

Jesus had to teach them about the Holy Spirit’s indwelling and leadership while He was still with them, because His time was short. They didn’t grasp the information at that time, but He assured them that they would later. The Holy Spirit would bring these things to their remembrance after He became part of their lives, on the day of Pentecost. Jesus knew they were totally befuddled now, but later on, when they needed it, the stored knowledge would become clear. That was the Helper’s job. Jesus’ going to the Father was to their advantage, because the Father’s spiritual power would be more far-reaching than Jesus could be in His humanity.

He had told them beforehand, so they would understand when it happened, and believe in His deity. Now Satan was coming on the scene, and the showdown was about to begin. Jesus had nothing to fear from him, because he had no power over God the Son. It was just one more fact to deal with at that time.

Everything Jesus did was  in direct obedience to the Father. Things were about to change drastically. He was preparing the eleven as best those bewildered humans could be prepared, before the fact.

“OK, guys, let’s move on, now.”

God-Man

If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also; from now on you know Him, and have seen Him.”

Philip *said to Him, “Lord, show us the Father, and it is enough for us.”  Jesus *said to him, “Have I been so long with you, and yet you have not come to know Me, Philip? He who has seen Me has seen the Father; how can you say, ‘Show us the Father’?  Do you not believe that I am in the Father, and the Father is in Me? The words that I say to you I do not speak on My own initiative, but the Father abiding in Me does His works. Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves. Truly, truly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do, he will do also; and greater works than these he will do; because I go to the Father. Whatever you ask in My name, that will I do, so that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask Me anything in My name, I will do it.

If you love Me, you will keep My commandments. John 14:7-15

At the incarnation, God the Son, the Second person of the one triune God, was forever joined to true humanity. This joining together has been designated as the hypostatic union. Hypostatic is from the Greek word hupostasis which is found in:
Hebrews 1:3 (NKJV) who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, (hupostasis) and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, Hebrews 11:1 (NKJV) Now faith is the substance  (hupostasis) of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hupostasis means: "substance or essence." In theological language, it means person. So the doctrine of the hypostatic union is the doctrine of the personal union of the two natures, the divine and the human, of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is 100% God and 100% man. This is where we get the theological term "theanthropic" which comes from theos, which means: "God" and "anthropos," which means: "man." Jesus Christ is the God-Man. He is One person with two natures.

In the koine Greek language which is the original language of the New Testament, the little word “if” can have much more specific meaning than we English speakers are accustomed to. There are four conditions: 1^st class—if and it is true. 2^nd class—if and it is not true. 3^rd class—maybe it’s true, maybe not. 4^th class—I wish it were true, but it isn’t.

After Thomas asked in verse 6 “how can we know the way?” and Jesus made it clear that He, Himself is the ONLY way, He then began to try to make them see His deity. Verse 7: “if you had known Me (2^nd class condition—but you didn’t), you would have known My Father..”

They had seen only His humanity these three years, and though they believed He was the Messiah, the Son of God, they just didn’t have the capacity to understand that He also IS God. Not half and half, but all and all. They knew Him as Master and Lord. They loved His compassion and His power and His authority; they had seen the miracles, and even participated in some, but their minds were limited to the physical, visible being before them. The all-powerful, all-encompassing spirit that is God the Father was beyond their mentality. It would take growth in grace through the Holy Spirit’s enablement for them to grasp Who this Savior really was.

Jesus assured them that they would soon realize they had known God the Father, and had actually seen Him. Philip pressed the issue: “show Him to us.” Jesus’ answer: “I am here before you, Philip.” My words are the Father’s words. My works are the Father’s works. You have heard the words and seen the works, and you know they are real. Not only that, but you who believe in Me will do these same divine works, and in greater quantities, because I am going to the Father.

As long as Jesus remained in His earthly body, the power was localized in Him. He would now return to the Father, and by so doing would be commissioning His Church and sending them out to perform His works on a global scale, through the multiplication of grace in spirit-led believers.

Here’s how: we ask in His name, meaning on His authority. We requisition what we need for His work from Him, Who supplies our knowledge and equipment. It is a new system for a new dispensation. It is advanced spiritual technique. Of course, they couldn’t understand this, but they would remember it and apply it in the very near future.

There were more “ifs:” verse 14, “if you ask Me anything” (3^rd class condition—you believers may do this, and maybe you won’t. Some will. Prayer is volitional.) “If you ask in My name, I will do it.” We cannot accomplish any divine good in our own power. Any divine work we do must be done under the power of the Holy Spirit. Just as creation is God’s work and our salvation is God’s work, the building and growth of His kingdom is God’s work, and can be done only through Him.

Verse 15: “if you love Me” (3^rd class condition—maybe you’ll love Me, or maybe you won’t.) (!) What?? A born-again believer who does not love Jesus? Yes. We cannot love whom we do not know, and some who have believed in Jesus for salvation just don’t follow through with learning about Him, living day to day for Him, making His word the priority of their lives. Love gives. Love cherishes. Love keeps—His commandments. It means to guard, preserve and practice His principles of life.

There are a lot of “ifs” in the Christian life. We are not clones, or robots. Submitting to God’s will, learning to know and love our Lord, are conscious decisions on the part of the individual believer. The world judges us by what they think they know about Jesus’ teachings. We who believe in Him and are fashioning our lives to conform to Him are operating on these divine assets He introduced, privately, to the eleven. The world doesn’t know Jesus. We who are learning to know Him have a way of life the world can never comprehend. It is an intimate brotherhood of love.

Our Dwelling Place

“Do not let your heart be troubled; believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father’s house are many dwelling places; if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you. If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself, that where I am, there you may be also. And you know the way where I am going.” Thomas *said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going, how do we know the way?” Jesus *said to him, “I am  the way, and  the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through Me. John 14:1-6

The meal was finished, Jesus had washed their feet and dismissed Judas. Now the private teaching was beginning, for those who would become His Church. Believers only. He had spent three years offering the kingdom of God to the Jews. The Jews did not want His spiritual kingdom. They wanted Him to become an earthly king and continue the religion they had always practiced, while overthrowing the rule of Rome. In chapters 14 through 17 of John’s gospel, Jesus intimately taught and prayed for these men and those who would believe through them. In these three chapters, there is no mention of the Jews. These deep truths of God would be shown to the eleven, before they had to face the final offering of their Master as the Lamb of God, for their sins and ours.

Continuing with His discourse, He commanded them: “don’t worry.” Command: “believe in God.” Command: “believe also in Me.”

Jesus knew about His Father’s house. He came from there. Now, He would ascend back to there and prepare our eternal dwelling place. Then He will personally return for us, so we can be with Him forever.  They knew His meaning about the Father’s house, but Thomas wanted to hear more explanation. “We don’t know, Lord, and how can we know the way?”

“I AM the way”…the only access to the Father.

“the truth”…all truth. The Word of God.

“the life”…the source of all life.

“no one comes to the Father but through Me.”

This leaves no room for speculation about other possible means of salvation. This denies any possibility that people who practice religions will receive admission into the presence of God. There is no such thing as “good enough.” Human works are not an option.

I’ve heard professing Christians say that when someone tells them that faith in Jesus Christ is the only way of salvation, they don’t want to hear anything else that person has to say.

Well, Jesus Christ Himself said it, more than once, but this is the most forceful and unmistakable of His statements on the subject. It cannot be explained away. You either believe that He is the only way, or you believe He is a liar.

Jesus also said this, in John 3:18: “He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

And this, in John 3:36: “He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him.”

Jesus came to earth as a man to present His Father’s plan of grace, which would purchase the redemption of every human who will believe. He lived among us until the appointed time and then He executed that perfect plan. It is finished. He is the ONLY way. This discourse with the eleven took place before the physical execution of the plan, but the plan was a reality from eternity past. Those who lived before looked forward to the atonement of the cross. We who live after are looking back to the atonement of the cross. Same plan. Same atonement. Same Savior. Same means of access: faith.

Same eternal dwelling place: the Father's house. 

Preparing to Depart

When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him.  If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come.

“A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another."

Simon Peter asked him, “Lord, where are you going?”

Jesus replied, “Where I am going, you cannot follow now, but you will follow later.”

Peter asked, “Lord, why can’t I follow you now? I will lay down my life for you.”

Then Jesus answered, “Will you really lay down your life for me? Very truly I tell you, before the rooster crows, you will disown me three times! John 13:31-38

And it was night. (John 13:30). Jesus’ hour had come. The powers of darkness were gathering to engulf Him. Judas had been dismissed. Now, Jesus was alone with the eleven who believed and loved Him. Only now, after all those years of ministry together, Jesus began to teach them about the Church age. This was private family time.

Now came the time for His glorification, with His Father, through the atonement of the cross. That event was rapidly approaching, and Jesus was already feeling the oppression of it. He knew exactly what was coming. He was preparing the disciples (“My children”) for His departure. He inwardly grieved for their fear and confusion as they endured the horrors they would soon see happen to Him. It would only be a little while. He was going where they could not come.

Here’s what to do, children, throughout the coming calamity and all you will experience as My Church: Love one another. As Jesus loved us. That’s completely. Unconditionally. Not because we are lovable, but because He IS love, and we are His. Christ loves from the source of His own essence; because of Who He is. We love from the source of our position IN CHRIST; because of Whose we are. We love our Christian brethren because they, too, are IN CHRIST. They, and we, share His destiny. We are strangers and pilgrims in the world. The world hates us, but because of our shared faith in the unique Son of God, we understand and support each other. And just in case we don’t have the divine perspective to see that for ourselves, we have been given this command: “Love one another.” Christian love is not an emotion. Love is a decision that we make. I Corinthians 13:4-8:

Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres.

Love never fails.

Peter demanded to know where Jesus was going. After being told again that he could not go there yet, he said assuredly that he was ready to lay down his life for Jesus.

We know he meant it. Jesus knew he meant it. But Peter was a mere man. He couldn’t know what he was vowing to endure, and had not yet even comprehended what Jesus was telling them about His upcoming ordeal. Peter was emotionally “all in” as the saying goes, but the key word is emotional, and that characteristic was about to work against him, as he would face the shocking events just hours later that would take his Master to the cross. As a boisterous fisherman who had survived in the world by bluster and bluff, his instinct in crisis would be to “lay low” until the smoke cleared and he could assess the damage.

Jesus’ omniscience saw it coming, but Peter didn’t, and even Jesus’ warning to him didn’t penetrate his confidence at the time. Only later would he remember these words, with shame.

Confronting Betrayal

“I am not referring to all of you; I know those I have chosen. But this is to fulfill this passage of Scripture: ‘He who shared my bread has turned against me.’

“I am telling you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe that I am who I am. Very truly I tell you, whoever accepts anyone I send accepts me; and whoever accepts me accepts the one who sent me.”

After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.”

His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.”

Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?”

Jesus  answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him.

So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. John 13:18-30 NIV

Jesus had stated earlier that the disciples were clean, “but not all of you.” He said again: “I am not referring to all of you..”

Jesus Christ is God. His essence is the same as that of the Father. His omniscience knows the end from the beginning. Nothing takes Him by surprise. He knew from the time He accepted Judas as a disciple that Judas would not believe in Him as Savior, and would betray Him. This is difficult for us to grasp, but we can learn a great deal from both the situation and the personalities involved. Jesus knew everything about the men He had chosen, and that one was a traitor.

Quoting Psalm 41:9: “Even my close friend, someone I trusted, one who shared my bread, has turned against me.” 

Jesus announced that from here on, He would prepare them ahead of time for what was coming, so they would understand His deity (“I Am who I Am”). Only omniscience knows the future.

Apparently Judas was the only other one in the room who knew who He was talking about. That’s because Judas was the subject. Speaking this truth to His men was troubling for Jesus. He is also human, and Judas had been with them for these three years. Also, it meant the time of His atonement was almost here. This was what Jesus came to do, willingly, for fallen humanity, and He always knew it would not be easy. The men with Him, and we, could not possibly understand His anguish at this time.

Like small children, the men started to question Him about it. Uh-Oh. What does He mean? Who can it be? Surely it is not I? Interestingly, they didn’t immediately suspect Judas. This means Judas had all of them hoodwinked. It is commonly believed that Judas, as a man, was a good man. No bad habits. A nice guy, who inspired others’ confidence. They allowed him to be their treasurer, if you please. No one suspected him of thievery until after this exposure. Jesus had apparently made no difference in His dealings with Judas during their ministry. He went on the evangelism tours and exercised the “gifts” Jesus had authorized in them, as far as we can know. It was not their own personal faith, but the authority of Jesus that made those gifts work, because they were representing Him. Furthermore, Jesus had just washed Judas’ feet along with the others. His grace knows no limits. It is the unbelief of the sinner that prevents his salvation.

Jesus took the sop, told them the one receiving it was the traitor, and presented the bread to Judas, who took it and was immediately emboldened by Satan.

“Do it quickly,” Jesus said, and Judas went out. The eleven were still dumbfounded. They thought, since Judas had the money, Jesus was sending him on a purchasing errand, or a benevolence mission.

Of the many lessons here, one stands out to me. You cannot tell by a person’s appearance or behavior pattern whether he is a believer or not. As we saw in Galatians 5, it is the Holy Spirit Who produces the fruit of love in the believer. It is entirely the work of the Spirit, not human good, that accomplishes God’s will and receives reward. A favorite Bible teacher of mine used to say “if an unbeliever can do it, it is not the Christian Way of Life.”  When we think that through, an unbeliever can do most of the overt things that are deemed by others to be divine production. The difference is, the unbeliever does not have eternal life and is not amassing eternal rewards. Whatever his motive, it is not to do God’s will.

Judas was a nice guy, but he was the embodiment of evil. His fellow disciples did not know that until he was exposed by Jesus, Who knows all. We don’t need to speculate about who is or is not real in the faith. We need to make certain our own faith is real, and the Lord will sort it all out at the proper time.

Judas took the bread and went out.

And it was night.

Personal Instruction

It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.

The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.

 

He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?”

Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.”

“No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.”

Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.”

“Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!”

Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. John 13:1-11 NIV

Jesus had spent about three years of His incarnation evangelizing His people, the Jews, and recruiting disciples for training in His ministry. Those early years were extremely busy and active, with Jesus presenting His credentials as the Son of God, confirming His Messiahship with miraculous signs and healings, teaching eternal truths by way of Old Testament references and parables, expressing the Word of the Father Who sent Him. I notice that when worldlings quote Jesus and make reference to the person He was (He IS, but they say was), it is that public teacher they always remember. The private, personal, intimate Jesus is the one John shows us in chapters 13-17. This Jesus had some important truths to impart to “His own” before He departed the earth.

Now, in chapter 13 of John’s gospel, we see Jesus as His hour approaches. He took the disciples into private fellowship with Him and began to give them personal, detailed instruction regarding their new relationship with God through Jesus Himself. He loved “his own,” the disciples “to the end,” meaning completely; to the fullest extent.

Judas had been indwelt by Satan and was prepared to betray Jesus. Jesus was prepared to minister to His disciples in an unusual manner, not normally done by a Jewish host. After they had celebrated the meal together, Jesus stripped down to a towel and proceeded to wash the feet of the disciples. This was a courtesy normally performed by Gentile slaves, never the Jewish householder. It was a very demeaning chore, considered humiliating, but something customary in the culture of the time.

Peter was appalled that his Lord would stoop to do such a thing, and objected. As always, there was profound meaning in this act of Jesus. He was teaching the need for periodic cleansing from daily sins of the person already wholly purified by the atonement. The imagery was of a man returning to his house from the public baths. He was already bodily washed, but his feet would have been defiled in the walk home. The believer is completely forgiven the guilt of sin by the blood of Christ, but needs continual cleansing from the defilement of sin in the world. Thus, the need for frequent confession of sin to the Father, to remain in fellowship with Him. “Christ cannot have communion with a defiled saint, but He can and will cleanse Him.” (Scofield note on John 13:10). So, no, Peter, you don’t need to be saved all over again, but you do need to come to the Lord and have your feet washed. This is the Church Age version of operating clean from our priesthood, as in Exodus 30:17-21. That rule was for the Aaronic priesthood of Israel. In the Church Age, each believer is a priest.

Jesus knew not every one of them was clean. Judas, the unbeliever in the group, had made his decision to betray the Lord. It was just a matter of timing, and that was coming close.

When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:12-17

Jesus confirmed to them His authority as their Teacher and Lord. Since He had ministered to them in this humble way, to illustrate the importance of maintaining fellowship, they should continue to minister to one another in the same way. He set the example. The servant is not greater than his master. As the master has done, so also we should do. See to the spiritual and physical needs of our fellow believers. There is blessing in that kind of obedience.

Regarding the servant not being greater than the master: this is a principle we modern believers should keep in mind as we carry the message of Christ in the world. This is what comes to my mind when professing Christians take to the streets and airwaves, shouting and making a public spectacle of themselves, openly challenging those in authority. Jesus did not do this. He took His message of God’s love and grace to the people He was sent to save, without ever defying Caesar or practicing any kind of politics (Isaiah 42:1-3).

Our lifestyle and voting practices reflect our beliefs, if we have beliefs. We are what we think. If we think divine viewpoint, we will produce divine good. If enough of us think divine viewpoint and produce divine good, our political system will reflect what we stand for.

It is enough to be AS our Lord.

Marks of Jesus

See what large letters I use as I write to you with my own hand!

Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised. The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.  Not even those who are circumcised keep the law, yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh. May I never boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, through which the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world. Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision means anything; what counts is the new creation. Peace and mercy to all who follow this rule—to the Israel of God.

From now on, let no one cause me trouble, for I bear on my body the marks of Jesus.

The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit, brothers and sisters. Amen. Galatians 6:11-18

“large letters,” probably because of poor vision. His poor vision didn’t prevent Paul from learning, teaching and writing about the gospel of Christ and the Christian way of life. Many of his epistles were dictated to an assistant, as we saw in Romans, and Paul would add a signature greeting to authorize the work.

Paul would not close this epistle without recapping his very serious admonition to the Galatians against the legalism of the Judaizers. He says they do this for show, to avoid persecution themselves, and to boast about having influenced the Gentiles to be circumcised (against the teaching of Paul). Paul says, OK, so they are circumcised and brag about it, claiming points for a bodily scar, but they themselves do not keep the law. It is a power grab, plain and simple, by a people who have always used religion to control others. In this case, they are calling it Christianity, but teaching religion. False doctrine. Wolves dressed as sheep.

Paul had nothing to boast about except the cross of Jesus, through which the world lost all meaning to him. Physical marks don’t count as spiritual production. Through the cross, believers in Christ become a new creation. We are a new species in the earth, and for all eternity. Not Jews, not Gentiles. Church. Children of God. “The Israel of God” are those who were Jews by nationality and became Christians, the spiritual seed of Abraham. They are those who understand that they are new species, and are enjoying the peace and mercy of God.

Paul was dismissive of those who would trouble him about physical marks. He certainly had marks, other than his circumcision. His marks were from torture he had received from Jewish persecution—just as did Jesus Christ Himself, before Paul. “Brand marks,” he called them, of the Lord Jesus.

“Five times I received from the Jews the forty lashes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods, once I was pelted with stones…” 2 Corinthians 11:24-25

Note: the same religious Jews who persecuted and crucified Jesus also persecuted Paul, because of Jesus. Paul was in the unique position of having been as they were: a religious Jew who persecuted the Church, and was now and forever Church; himself being persecuted because of the grace he adamantly taught.

He signed off the epistle with God’s grace to his Galatian brethren .

The following is borrowed from J. Vernon McGee’s comments on Galatians:

1. It is a stern, severe, and solemn message (Galatians 1:6-9; 3:1-5). It does not correct conduct, as the Corinthian letters do, but it is corrective — the Galatian believers were in grave peril. Because the foundations were being attacked, everything was threatened. The epistle contains no word of commendation, praise, or thanksgiving.

There is no request for prayer, and there is no mention of their standing in Christ. No one with him is mentioned by name (Galatians1:2). Compare this with the other epistles of Paul.

2. The heart of Paul the apostle is laid bare, there is deep emotion and strong feeling. This is his fighting epistle — he has on his war paint. He has no toleration for legalism. Someone has said that Romans comes from the head of Paul while Galatians comes from the heart of Paul. “Galatians takes up controversially what Romans puts systematically.”

3. It is the declaration of emancipation from legalism of any type. This was Martin Luther’s favorite epistle, and it was on the masthead of the Reformation. It has been called the Magna Charta of the early church, the manifesto of Christian liberty, the impregnable citadel, and a veritable Gibraltar against any attack on the heart of the gospel. “Immortal victory is set upon its brow.”

4. It is the strongest declaration and defense of the doctrine of justification by faith in or out of Scripture. It is God’s polemic on behalf of the most vital truth of the Christian faith against any attack.

Not only is a sinner saved by grace through faith, but the saved sinner lives by grace. Grace is a way to life and a way of life.

Gentle Restoration

Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other’s burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ. If anyone thinks they are something when they are not, they deceive themselves. Each one should test their own actions. Then they can take pride in themselves alone, without comparing themselves to someone else, for each one should carry their own load. Nevertheless, the one who receives instruction in the word should share all good things with their instructor.

Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows. Whoever sows to please their flesh, from the flesh will reap destruction; whoever sows to please the Spirit, from the Spirit will reap eternal life. Let us not become weary in doing good, for at the proper time we will reap a harvest if we do not give up. Therefore, as we have opportunity, let us do good to all people, especially to those who belong to the family of believers. Galatians 6:1-10

Sometimes believers get themselves into wrong situations. One little temptation, yielded to, can lead to a major downward spiral that will block one’s fellowship with God and completely neutralize one’s Christian testimony. Fellowship with the Church is also hindered by such actions. When believers are not working together in the Spirit, fellowship and friendships suffer. That’s why it is both legitimate and important for a spirit-led Christian brother to speak to the carnal brother, gently, to restore that fellowship. This must be undertaken very carefully, so as not to become judgmental or even overcome by the same temptation that has ensnared the wayward brother. We must be certain of our own standing, as well as certain of the problem we seek to remedy. We must be aware of our own weaknesses, also, and guard against them.

The law of Christ is: treat your brethren with love, as you yourself would be treated. Help however you can in relieving the stressful burdens of your brethren. This does not mean to meddle in our brethren’s business in a judgmental way, but to be available with doctrinal advice, intercessory prayer and brotherly support. We must not ever be too confident of our own spiritual strength. At the very point that we think we are invulnerable Satan will strike. That’s a guarantee. Thinking we are above temptation is self-deception. In evaluating our own spiritual service and areas of spiritual strength, humility is the order of the day. Comparison of our own spirituality with that of our brethren is folly, for it leads to prideful competition. We are not saved to compete, but to serve Christ and the Church by spreading the gospel and teaching disciples.

We don’t just automatically know systematic theology from the moment of salvation. That’s why God has given us pastor-teachers to instruct us in the Word. That person should be financially and spiritually supported in his work. Pastoring done right is a full time job. The pastor must be compensated by his congregation, so he can devote his time to studying and teaching the Word of God; feeding his flock.

Every moment of every day there are decisions to be made, regarding our own attitudes and behaviors. The flesh will demand our attention as long as we are in it, but the flesh does not have to be appeased. That’s the advantage of having the indwelling Holy Spirit. We can cultivate the old sin nature, hinder the Spirit and reap corruption, or we can submit to the leadership of the Holy Spirit and reap the blessings of eternal life.

There is a day of reward coming, for our Spiritual service. Let’s not become discouraged in our daily devotion to duty. There is great joy in knowing we are workers together with Jesus Christ in bringing the gospel message wherever we go. Life is short. We should make the most of every opportunity for testimony of our Lord’s work.

Doing good as we go along in life is a character trait of the believer in fellowship with the Lord. That’s doing good to everyone, but especially to our Christian brethren.

Everyone you meet is an unbeliever for whom Christ died, or a believer in whom Christ lives.

Jesus Christ is always the only issue.

Fruit

You, my brothers and sisters, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the flesh; rather, serve one another humbly in love. For the entire law is fulfilled in keeping this one command: “Love your neighbor as yourself.” If you bite and devour each other, watch out or you will be destroyed by each other.

So I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. For the flesh desires what is contrary to the Spirit, and the Spirit what is contrary to the flesh. They are in conflict with each other, so that you are not to do whatever you want. But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.

The acts of the flesh are obvious: sexual immorality, impurity and debauchery; idolatry and witchcraft; hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions  and envy; drunkenness, orgies, and the like. I warn you, as I did before, that those who live like this will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law. Those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires. Since we live by the Spirit, let us keep in step with the Spirit. Let us not become conceited, provoking and envying each other. Galatians 5:13-26

We are free IN CHRIST. Our salvation is assured. It is not, however, a license to continue sinning. Our freedom enables us to serve Christ and the Church. Groveling in guilt is not service, and it stands in the way of Christian service. Legalism, with its lists of dos and don’ts is not service, and keeping score just distracts from the true issue, which is Jesus Christ and Him crucified. It is about Whose we are, and that is our freedom. We are as He is to the Father.

The Christian life calls for a relaxed mental attitude toward fellow believers. Live and let live. Our brother belongs to God, and answers to God, just as we do. Our objective is to learn and grow together in grace until we reach maturity in the faith, having the mind of Christ. Arguing and judging each other is destructive and obscures our purpose of honorably representing our Lord.

The way to keep things in proper perspective: walk by the Spirit. Each believer in Jesus Christ is indwelt by the Holy Spirit, but our personal volition decides whether we allow the Spirit to control, or our old sin nature. When we are yielding, or submitting our will to the Spirit, we are thinking Jesus’ thoughts and our work is divine good. To do that, we must keep our slates clean before God by regular, private,  confession of sin to God the Father (I John 1:9), thereby being filled with the Spirit and equipped to serve. By not doing that, anything we think or do is in the flesh (sarx—carnality--sinful nature). The flesh cannot please God. Even if those works are not considered evil, any good done in carnality is human good and worthless for the kingdom of God. In the Spirit, we are not under the law.

In verses 19-21 Paul lists acts (plural) of the flesh (old sin nature). These are the behaviors and attitudes that sin produces in unregenerate man. They are also produced in carnal believers, who selfishly cater to their fleshly desires. They are acts of rebellion, inconsiderate treatment of fellow man, lasciviousness.  These acts indicate immaturity, hindrance of the Spirit and willing disregard of Bible doctrine. These acts are characteristic of unbelievers, who have no part in the kingdom of God. Is this who we want to be?

No. We want to produce the fruit (singular) of the Spirit. That fruit IS LOVE.

Love does no wrong to a neighbor; therefore love is the fulfilling of the law. Romans 13:10

Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things. Love never ends. I Corinthians 13:4-8

The production of the Holy Spirit in the life of a mature believer IS LOVE.

Mature Christian Love is characterized by: joy, peace, forbearance, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. If one produces love, the modifying characteristics indicate that genuine Christian love. How else can love be known? It is shown by these lovely, appealing traits. It is demonstrated by these relaxed, peaceful attitudes. It is an air of calm and confidence, because of the absolute security of our permanent position IN CHRIST, and the knowledge that our brethren share that position. There is a serenity, an inner happiness in the mature believer who is producing love, which no carnally minded person can know or understand, because it is the production of the Holy Spirit. It cannot be “worked up” or faked, or competed for.

There is no law against true Christian love, for it is the production of God.

Freedom

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery.

Mark my words! I, Paul, tell you that if you let yourselves be circumcised, Christ will be of no value to you at all. Again I declare to every man who lets himself be circumcised that he is obligated to obey the whole law. You who are trying to be justified by the law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace.  For through the Spirit we eagerly await by faith the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love.

You were running a good race. Who cut in on you to keep you from obeying the truth? That kind of persuasion does not come from the one who calls you. “A little yeast works through the whole batch of dough.” I am confident in the Lord that you will take no other view. The one who is throwing you into confusion, whoever that may be, will have to pay the penalty.  Brothers and sisters, if I am still preaching circumcision, why am I still being persecuted? In that case the offense of the cross has been abolished.  As for those agitators, I wish they would go the whole way and emasculate themselves! Galatians 5:1-12

Jesus has set us free by His perfect redemption. There is no reason to enslave ourselves again to the law. The circumcision Paul wrote about here is the circumcision required by the Mosaic law of all Jewish male children and all Gentile males  who opted to join themselves to the Jewish religious system. That was Old Testament practice, before the coming of the Messiah and His perfect atonement for our sins.

Most of us in western civilization have seen to the circumcision of our infant boys for health and hygienic reasons, and there is good evidence that that is a legitimate health practice. We’ve heard about those boys and men who had to have it done later in life, because of painful problems that developed in the uncircumcised organ. We’ve also seen stats regarding the low instance of cervical cancer in women with circumcised partners. Paul, however, is warning about doing it for religious reasons, as a requirement for salvation or spirituality. That is not legitimate. It is works-based and has nothing to do with Biblical Christianity.

Paul says don’t let yourselves be bullied by the legalists to do this unnecessary thing to your bodies. If you are being circumcised to prove spiritual justification, you are submitting to a needless burden. You are not believing in the finished work of Jesus Christ. You are out of fellowship with Him. You have left behind the grace that saved you. So, you submit to circumcision for justification; well there are hundreds of other laws to observe. Picking and choosing which ones to keep is not permitted. Circumcision, or the keeping of any of the laws adds nothing to our salvation. Being uncircumcised, or not observing the Old Testament law takes nothing away. Bodily marks and certain behaviors are not the issue in salvation. Jesus Christ’s atonement is the only issue. The proof of our justification is how love demonstrates our faith.

You were off to a good start, Galatians. Now someone has interfered with your progress by distracting you from the truth. You didn’t learn this false doctrine from Paul, or from Jesus Christ.

Yeast, or leven, grows and multiplies itself throughout the whole lump of dough, eventually affecting the entire batch. That’s how false doctrine works. And sin, and all evil. The insidious infiltrators will eventually reap the consequences of this evil, but Paul is concerned about the consequences the foolishly duped Galatians will have to face, as well. Paul, the circumcised one, isn’t teaching circumcision. Proof of that is his being persecuted by the Jews for preaching grace. “If I were encouraging you to be circumcised, why are the Jews still persecuting me?” Your salvation is based on the atonement of Jesus’ crucifixion! Any other doctrine conflicts with that truth. Faith in the finished work of Jesus on the cross is offensive to the pride of religious humans. They’d rather cut themselves and do “good works” to have something to show.

Here is Paul’s level of contempt for the legalism of the Judaizers: if they insist that circumcision is spiritually productive, why not just go ahead and castrate themselves?! If a little is good, let’s take the whole organ. That ought to really score points.

Children of the Free

Tell me, you who want to be under the law, are you not aware of what the law says? For it is written that Abraham had two sons, one by the slave woman and the other by the free woman. His son by the slave woman was born according to the flesh, but his son by the free woman was born as the result of a divine promise.

These things are being taken figuratively: The women represent two covenants. One covenant is from Mount Sinai and bears children who are to be slaves: This is Hagar. Now Hagar stands for Mount Sinai in Arabia and corresponds to the present city of Jerusalem, because she is in slavery with her children. But the Jerusalem that is above is free, and she is our mother. For it is written:

“Be glad, barren woman,
you who never bore a child;
shout for joy and cry aloud,
you who were never in labor;
because more are the children of the desolate woman
than of her who has a husband.”

Now you, brothers and sisters, like Isaac, are children of promise. At that time the son born according to the flesh persecuted the son born by the power of the Spirit. It is the same now. But what does Scripture say? “Get rid of the slave woman and her son, for the slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free woman’s son.” Therefore, brothers and sisters, we are not children of the slave woman, but of the free woman. Galatians 4:21-31

Be careful what you wish for. You Galatians want to be under the law? You don’t know what you ask. These people were already saved, by grace. The issue here is not salvation, but the christian way of life. The Jews were promoting a system to the Galatian believers about which the Galatians, themselves, had no first-hand knowledge. The giving of the law was a terrifying experience (Exodus 19-20). The effort to keep the law was full-time, fruitless work for weak, sinful humans. Paul’s historical example of the two systems is the story of the sons of Hagar and Sarah in Genesis 16.

Hagar was Sarah’s handmaiden, an Egyptian slave, and the instrument Sarah used in her “help God” project to hasten the birth of the son God had promised to Abraham. Conniving woman + easily manipulated husband + helpless slave = wrong decision, wrong action, eternally adverse consequences.

Sarah couldn’t wait for God to fulfill His promise, so she came up with the scheme to impregnate Hagar. Abraham didn’t seem to mind. They should've waited. This human interference did nothing to further God’s plan, and it brought sorrow to Abraham after the son of promise was born and the two women and their two sons were in conflict. No good came of it. Hagar was abused in the process, she and her son were cast out because of his jealous harassment of Isaac, and the descendants of both sons have been in conflict ever since. Serious, violent conflict.

In all references, Hagar the slave represents law. Earthly Jerusalem.The son of the bondwoman, Ishmael is a slave. Sarah represents God’s grace provision; faith in Christ. Heavenly Jerusalem. The son of the free woman, Isaac is free. Abraham couldn’t keep both. He had to make a choice. The order was: send away the slave woman and her son. The slave woman’s son will never share in the inheritance with the free. It is a matter of God's authority to fulfill His promise to those who believe. What God has promised, He will do. He graciously provided for Hagar and her son, but they could never have the position of Sarah and Isaac.

The Judaizers are identified with Hagar, Sinai and the law and did not have the blessing of God. God’s blessing is on His grace provision: faith in His plan of redemption through Jesus Christ. The son of the slave woman hated and persecuted the son of the free then, continued through the time of the early Church and continues today. Legalists hate grace. Under grace, one cannot boast about what one did to be saved, or what one does to stay saved. Under grace, the religious leaders have nothing with which to control the believers. We did nothing to achieve or maintain salvation, because it is entirely God’s work for us.

Works systems just increase our indebtedness. “Help God” projects do not help God, or us. If salvation is not freely received by faith, we are not saved. Anything the believer does which is not of faith is sin. Human good is no good and it clutters up and confuses our relationship with our Lord.

We are children of the free.

Turning Back?

Formerly, when you did not know God, you were slaves to those who by nature are not gods. But now that you know God—or rather are known by God—how is it that you are turning back to those weak and miserable forces? Do you wish to be enslaved by them all over again? You are observing special days and months and seasons and years!  I fear for you, that somehow I have wasted my efforts on you. I plead with you, brothers and sisters, become like me, for I became like you. You did me no wrong. As you know, it was because of an illness that I first preached the gospel to you, and even though my illness was a trial to you, you did not treat me with contempt or scorn. Instead, you welcomed me as if I were an angel of God, as if I were Christ Jesus himself. Where, then, is your blessing of me now? I can testify that, if you could have done so, you would have torn out your eyes and given them to me. Have I now become your enemy by telling you the truth?

Those people are zealous to win you over, but for no good. What they want is to alienate you from us, so that you may have zeal for them. It is fine to be zealous, provided the purpose is good, and to be so always, not just when I am with you. My dear children, for whom I am again in the pains of childbirth until Christ is formed in you, how I wish I could be with you now and change my tone, because I am perplexed about you! Galatians 4:8-20

The Galatian believers had formerly been pagans. Celtic Gauls. They worshipped and served false gods which must be appeased. Now, they have come to know freedom and be known by the One True God, and Paul is astonished at how easily they are influenced to turn back; not to paganism, but to legalism, which is the same principle. Either way, it is reversionism; slavery to a worldly system which cannot save. That system requires Sabbath keeping (days), High Holy Days (months), seasons and Jubilees (years), very much like the astrological superstitions of their pre-salvation lives. Paul states that they ARE observing these things…and he is not happy about it. He was actually quite upset with them over this reversionism. How could this be? He was afraid they were abandoning true doctrine for false religion.

I have to defend the Galatians just a bit. Coming to Christ as an adult who has known only worldly teachings and superstitions, one is easily confused and more than a little insecure about what is and is not the Christian Way of Life. At first, many of us feel that there must be some works required of us, some rules of behavior to prove to the world and to ourselves that we really do belong to Jesus. Paul was not constantly present with this Church to keep them focused on truth. They were baby believers, and because they were being flattered, pressured and threatened by the Judaizers to perform a certain way, they may have believed it was necessary for their spiritual growth and witness. It can happen today, among young believers seeking how to fully participate in the Christian “experience.” The Word of God is more important than any experience, but it takes some maturing to come to realize that. These people were immature, zealous and maybe more than a little unstable. That made them easy prey for the legalists. And it made Paul angry. “Have I been wasting my time with you?”

They were Gentiles, with no background in Judaism. Clean slates, as born again believers. Paul, a former Pharisee had only Judaism in his background. Because of what he had learned from the risen Jesus, his slate was cleaned, too. Old cliché: “the ground is level at the foot of the cross.” Paul had become as a Gentile, in Christianity. He admonishes the Gentiles to become as Gentiles, too, not bound by legalisms and traditions, but completely free IN CHRIST. They had received him joyfully when he brought them the gospel, welcoming him as the messenger of Christ that he actually was. He was sick at the time, and they listened to his teaching with  patience and positive reception and great love for him. “You loved me then. Question: does telling you the truth make me your enemy now?”

Sometimes, it does. People are very sensitive about their personal beliefs and human attachments, and can become hostile when their practices are challenged. The Judaizers had been “loving up” the Galatians in Paul’s absence, and turning them from the doctrine Paul taught. That was not productive for the Galatians, who should have been approaching maturity in the faith, but had been set back by this nagging from the Jews. Paul was trying to lead them on to maturity “until Christ is formed in you,” and now would essentially have to start at Basics # 1 to get them back on track.

Paul realized he was coming across harshly in this letter, and wished to be face-to-face with the Galatians, so as to be able to speak with them in a less abrasive manner, and refocus their priorities. This side-tracking of their faith was a matter of great urgency to Paul, and his letter expresses that urgency. The objective is to grow IN GRACE! Legalists will confuse you every time, if you are not on solid doctrinal footing, confident of the perfect atonement of Jesus Christ and your permanent position IN HIM.

Born of a Woman

What I am saying is that as long as an heir is underage, he is no different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. The heir is subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his father. So also, when we were underage, we were in slavery under the elemental spiritual forces of the world. But when the set time had fully come, God sent his Son, born of a woman, born under the law,  to redeem those under the law, that we might receive adoption to sonship. Because you are his sons, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts, the Spirit who calls out, “Abba, Father.”  So you are no longer a slave, but God’s child; and since you are his child, God has made you also an heir. Galatians 4:1-7

As we saw in Romans 8, a minor child, in the culture to which Paul was writing, was treated as property under the authority of slaves, who were responsible for his proper training. Although the child was an heir, he had no authority over the estate, and was subject to servants in his father’s household. Therefore, the minor child himself was as a slave to a slave, until his father decreed him an adult (adopted him as a son).

In ancient Rome, a child born into a family was treated as chattel for the first 14 years. Slaves in the household actually had the rule over him, to see to his upbringing and education. The child wore a robe of a certain design, identifying him as a child. At age 14, the child was adopted in a special ceremony and declared a legal adult, with all the privileges of adulthood. In that ceremony, the father took off the robe of childhood and dressed the brand new adult in the “toga virilis” (robe of manhood). He could now vote, manage money, get married, and enter military service. ( Adoption, posted March 16, 2012).

“When we (Jews) were underage” we were enslaved to the legalism of Jewish religion. The law (“elemental spiritual forces”) had authority over the Jews, in their early existence as a people. But the Father had a time set  for pronouncing His people fully adopted sons. God's timing is always perfect.

And when that time came, God had a fully human woman, born under the law, prepared to conceive in her womb His unique Son. Mary had an old sin nature and was subject to the law. It is IN ADAM (by one man) that all die. It was Adam who was held responsible for the fall of humanity. It was Adam who, having the authority and knowing the consequences, made the wrong choice to disobey God’s direct command in the garden. Therefore, it is the male who passes on the death-inducing sin nature to humanity. Women are human, and also carry the old sin nature, but women do not pass it on in procreation. There is an interesting thing that happens to chromosomes just before fertilization of the ovum that enables this phenomenon. It is termed mitosis and meiosis and has to do with cell division and chromosome reduction in the reproductive process.

Our salvation depends on the virgin conception and birth of the Savior. So, impregnation by the Holy Spirit produced in the virgin a sinless human baby boy; the unique Son of God. He was the only human ever born who could qualify to atone for our sins, redeeming us from slavery to the law, so that we could be adopted as sons. As sons, we are no longer subject to law, but enjoy a fully adult relationship with the Father.

Now, God the Holy Spirit has a people with whom He can communicate and in whom He can work. After the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus, He established His Church which is His Body on earth, to carry on the preaching of the gospel throughout the earth and to teach His people His perfect Word of Truth; producing in us the mind of Christ.

This could not happen under the law. The law had to be fulfilled and the Spirit given before we, the Church, could realize our purpose and destiny as sons of God. God is Abba, our Father. We are no longer slaves, but heirs of the Kingdom. Returning to the law is like reverting to childhood helplessness. It negates the benefits of grace and renders us incompetent babies.

We who have believed in Jesus Christ are all grown-up now. Let’s behave like adult sons.

Abraham's Seed

Brothers and sisters, let me take an example from everyday life. Just as no one can set aside or add to a human covenant that has been duly established, so it is in this case. The promises were spoken to Abraham and to his seed. Scripture does not say “and to seeds,” meaning many people, but “and to your seed,” meaning one person, who is Christ. What I mean is this: The law, introduced 430 years later, does not set aside the covenant previously established by God and thus do away with the promise. For if the inheritance depends on the law, then it no longer depends on the promise; but God in his grace gave it to Abraham through a promise. Galatians 3:15-18

Just as we cannot arbitrarily break a contract in the human realm, so the covenant God made with Abraham is binding. The promises of the covenant apply to Abraham and His seed, singular. Jesus Christ, the Messiah. Conditions cannot be added to that covenant. It is sealed.

So, 430 years later, God gave the law to Moses, establishing a way of life for the people of God. A new nation was born: Israel. That nation needed laws and standards of living that reflected the God Who saved them and chartered them as a people for His Name. The law was not to qualify them for the inheritance. The inheritance was secured to Abraham and his seed by God’s promise. The law was to set them apart from Egypt, in which they had been held captive for centuries, and other pagan nations around them. But mainly, the rituals and customs of the law of Moses symbolized the Seed Who was to come, and the policies of His kingdom.

The manmade laws that the Jews later added just represented religion, and obscured the grace of the covenant promises of God and complicated the issue of faith. God didn’t need religion’s help. His simple, perfect plan of grace covers everyone’s sin. We, like Abraham, believe and are saved.

Why, then, was the law given at all? It was added because of transgressions until the Seed to whom the promise referred had come. The law was given through angels and entrusted to a mediator. A mediator, however, implies more than one party; but God is one.

 Is the law, therefore, opposed to the promises of God? Absolutely not! For if a law had been given that could impart life, then righteousness would certainly have come by the law.  But Scripture has locked up everything under the control of sin, so that what was promised, being given through faith in Jesus Christ, might be given to those who believe.  Before the coming of this faith, we were held in custody under the law, locked up until the faith that was to come would be revealed.  So the law was our guardian until Christ came that we might be justified by faith. Now that this faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian. Galatians 3:19-25

The law cannot provide salvation. Only faith in the atonement of Christ can provide salvation. The law cannot give life. Man is already dead in sins. Only faith in Christ can give life. Why is there a law? So we could see that we are dead in sin and need salvation. We are all condemned by being born spiritually dead. That’s ALL of humanity. Therefore, ALL can be saved by believing in Jesus Christ. It is the only way. There can be no combination and no compromise. It is all grace. Available to every human. No exceptions. No degrees of goodness can contribute anything to the finished work of Jesus, just as no degrees of sin can affect our condemnation. We were all born condemned IN ADAM (all die). Now that Christ has made His atonement, the law holds no authority over us. IN CHRIST, we are alive and free.

So in Christ Jesus you are all children of God through faith, for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourselves with Christ. There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus.  If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise. Galatians 3:26-29

How are we all children of God? By physical birth? No. We are condemned by physical birth. Not by any human relationships or genealogies or education or religious practices. There is no universal Fatherhood of God/brotherhood of man. Jesus made this perfectly clear to the Jews  in John 8:43-45:

Jesus said unto them, If God were your Father, ye would love me: for I proceeded forth and came from God; neither came I of myself, but he sent me.Why is my language not clear to you? Because you are unable to hear what I say. You belong to your father, the devil, and you want to carry out your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, not holding to the truth, for there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks his native language, for he is a liar and the father of lies. Yet because I tell the truth, you do not believe me!

How are we children of God? Not by being members of the human race. Here’s how we are children of God:

“in Christ Jesus, through faith.”

That is the only way we become children of God. There are no works that will earn us that position. He freely bestows it upon those who believe on His Son, Jesus Christ, the Seed of Abraham.

When we receive by faith Jesus’ atonement, we are baptized into Him by the Holy Spirit. We are clothed with Him. IN HIM, we are not Jew or Gentile, slave nor free, male or female. We are all one IN CHRIST JESUS. It is a technical term. It is a permanent position. Eternal. Only IN CHRIST are we Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.