515. JESUS BECAME A HUMAN TO SAVE HUMANS. Hebrews 2:5-18

Posted on January 14, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

In this section of Hebrews, the writer builds on the truths shared in chapter 1, namely that Jesus was a better messenger than the angels because of who He was as the Son of God and because of the ministry He had exercised as the Redeemer of humankind. In this chapter, the writer spells out in more detail why Jesus became a human and how His suffering through death brought a perfect salvation to guilty sinners who turned to Him in faith.

1]. GOD MADE HUMANS TO HAVE DOMINION OVER THE WORLD BUT THEY FAILED

As we read the opening chapter of Genesis we learn of God’s plan to create a world and as a climax of creation to create humans to have dominion over the world, “Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” Genesis 1:26. However sin entered the world with dramatic consequences [Genesis 3:16-24] and humans lost that dominion over the world.

God in His eternal plan and purpose for the world would eventually bring into the world a perfect person as a human, who would die for the sins of humans and bring victory to fellow humans through His resurrection from the dead. That of course was His own eternal Son, Jesus Christ. There is a problem in understanding who “man” refers to in verses 6 to 9. It could be said that in verses 6 to 8 it is a reference to humans as a whole and then in verse 9 the focus shifts to the perfect human, Jesus. “5 For it was not to angels that God subjected the world to come, of which we are speaking. 6  It has been testified somewhere, “What is man, that you are mindful of him, or the son of man, that you care for him? 7  You made him for a little while lower than the angels; you have crowned him with glory and honour, 8  putting everything in subjection under his feet.” Now in putting everything in subjection to him, he left nothing outside his control. At present, we do not yet see everything in subjection to him.” Hebrews 2:5-8. It is true that God created humans to have dominion over the world and were superior to angels, but when they sinned they lost that authority and became for a time less than angels.  They were initially crowned with glory and honour at creation and will eventually be honoured that way when Christ returns and takes them to glory. 

2]. JESUS AS THE PERFECT HUMAN NOW RULES THE WORLD. BUT HOW?

i]. By Becoming A Human. 2:9

The attention now shifts to Jesus as the “him” in verse 9, “But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely Jesus, crowned with glory and honour because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.” Hebrews 2:9. Jesus was and is the eternal Son of God but in a passage of time He humbled Himself by coming into the world as a human baby. In this sense He was made ”lower than the angels” in the purpose of God as He set aside the privileges that were His as the Son of God. However, He fulfilled the purposes of God in suffering death on the cross for humans as the long-promised Suffering Messiah and was again “crowned with glory and honour.” Not only was He the Son of God but through His life, death and resurrection, He became Perfect Man and is seated at the right hand of God in glory.

ii]. By Dying As A Human For Humans. 2:10

The writer says, “For it was fitting that he, for whom and by whom all things exist, in bringing many sons to glory, should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” Heb 2:10. 

“Fitting” is [prepō; πρέπω] meaning it is proper, it is right. It was in accord with God’s purposes that Jesus “should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering.” It was in order that He should bring “many sons to glory.”

But what is meant by the phrase “should make the founder of their salvation perfect through suffering?” Jesus was always perfect in every way, so how could he be made perfect through suffering? “Perfect” is from [teleioō; τελειόω] which can mean to execute fully, to bring to completion. Jesus’ suffering on the cross completed God’s plan of saving the world and so bringing many sons to glory.

iii]. By Bringing Believers Into The Family Of God. 2:11-13

Jesus is not only the perfect human but He has brought believers into the family of God.  As the perfect human, He could see human believers as brothers in the same family under the same Heavenly Father, “For he who sanctifies and those who are sanctified all have one source. That is why he is not ashamed to call them brothers, 12  saying, “I will tell of your name to my brothers; in the midst of the congregation I will sing your praise.” 13 And again, “I will put my trust in him.” And again, “Behold, I and the children God has given me.” 2:11-13. What a great privilege it is to belong to the children of God and to know that Jesus sees us as His brothers. 

3]. THE RESULTS OF HIS DEATH AS THE PERFECT HUMAN FOR HUMANS

i]. His Death As The Perfect Human Set Humans Free From Their Bondage To The Devil.  2:14.  “Since therefore the children share in flesh and blood, he himself likewise partook of the same things, that through death he might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil.” When sin entered into our world death came with it. The author of sin and death is the Devil. The coming of Christ destroyed the works of the Devil in the sense that Christ paid the penalty for sin so that the devil as diabolos [the accuser] can no longer hold this power of accusation over believers. 

ii]. His Death Set Humans Free From Bondage To Their Fear Of Death. 2:15

“and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.” 

It is true that humans have a strong fear of death. Some people realise their lives have not been perfect and fear that they may have to suffer some punishment for their sins in the afterlife. However, when believers recognise that Christ has atoned for their sins and God no longer sees them as guilty, they lose their fear of death. They see death as passing from this world into the presence of Christ, so there is nothing to fear. 

iii.]. His Death Atoned For The Sins Of The World. 2:16-17

Jesus Christ helps believers, described here as “the offspring of Abraham.” “Helps” here is [epilambanomai: ἐπιλαμβάνομαι.] This has the meaning to lay hold of, take possession of, overtake, attain,  to rescue one from peril, to help,  “For surely it is not angels that he helps, but he helps the offspring of Abraham. 17  Therefore he had to be made like his brothers in every respect, so that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in the service of God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” 2:16-17. 

He “helped” believers by paying the penalty for their sins as the writer describes later in Heb 10:12-14. “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13  waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14  For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.” This single sacrifice achieved a “propitiation.” The word “propitiation” is from  [hilaskomai; ἱλάσκομαι] meaning to appease, to conciliate to one’s self. The NIV and CSB versions translate the word as “makes atonement.” It has the idea of not only getting rid of sin, but also bringing about a reconciliation between God and humankind.

iv. His Suffering in death Means He Is Now Able To Help Those Being Tempted. 2:18

Heb 2:18  “For because he himself has suffered when tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.” Jesus knows what it is like to live life as a human. He faced all the temptations humans suffer except to a far greater degree, without ever sinning.  He knows how to overcome temptation as a human and so He is able to help those being tempted. 

“Help” is from [boētheō; βοηθέω] meaning to run to the aid of those who cry for help; to advance to the assistance of anyone, to help, to aid. Jesus faced temptations to the nth degree and is thus is able to help believers to resist when they are being tempted. He understands the complexity and the strength of the temptations humans face and is able to help them overcome temptation.

SUMMING UP

The writer is reminding Hebrew readers that Jesus is not only the Son of God but through becoming a human He brought salvation to guilty humans through His sacrificial death on the cross. Thus He understands their suffering temptations and is able to help them when they are being tempted. The writer expands on this truth  in Heb 4:15  “For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin.” 

The Hebrew readers could take confidence that Jesus becoming a human was not a sign of His weakness. Rather it showed that He became human in the purposes of God in order to die a perfect death for humans. This was to enable those who trusted  in Him to receive His help in their temptations on earth and to be able to take them home to glory when they died. 

Jesus is the Son of God and the  Perfect Son of Man who is able to help the people of God as they seek to live for Him in their daily lives! 

Blog No.515 posted on Sunday 14 January 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Coping With Personal Grief, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

514. THE DANGER OF NEGLECTING THE SALVATION GOD OFFERS US. [Hebrews 2:1-4.]

Posted on January 12, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

The letter to the Hebrews contains wonderful promises of God’s rich blessings to those who respond to Him in faith. But it also contains strong warnings to those who reject His message given through angels and especially through His Son. As the writer expressed it in the previous chapter, Heb 1:1  “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2  but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world.” In that chapter the writer had gone on to describe the supremacy of Jesus because He is the creator and sustainer of the universe and the One who fulfilled God’s plan of redemption through the sacrifice of Himself on the cross. 

The First Warning

This then is the first warning, Heb 2:1  “Therefore we must pay much closer attention to what we have heard, lest we drift away from it. 2  For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3  how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation? It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4  while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” [ESV.]   The readers of the letter were to “pay much closer attention to the message.”

The Important Message They Were Not To Ignore

These are powerful words stressing the importance of the message.  Thus, “pay much closer attention to the message.”

“Much closer”  is [perissōs; περισσῶς] meaning exceedingly, beyond measure,  abundantly, vehemently.

“Attention” is from [prosechō; προσέχω] which means literally to hold the mind. In other words, they were to fix their minds on the message Christ brought in His ministry of words and deeds. 

“Drift” is an interesting word [pararreō; παραρρέω] which means to flow beside, to carelessly let slip away, to fail to grasp. This meant that they had to focus on the message, act on it and not let it drift away from their attention.

The warning is intensified as the writer adds, “For since the message declared by angels proved to be reliable, and every transgression or disobedience received a just retribution, 3  how shall we escape if we neglect such a great salvation?” Heb 2:2-3. God means what He says. He showed that in the history of Israel. When He warned the nation through angelic messengers and they ignored or rejected His message, there were consequences. If God brought judgment on those who rejected His message through angels then how could they possibly escape if they neglected the message of salvation given through His much greater messenger, His Son, Jesus?

The Salvation Jesus Came To Bring. 2:3-4 

The writer described this salvation as “such a great salvation.” He or she  then added why it was such a great salvation in verses 3 and 4.,“It was declared at first by the Lord, and it was attested to us by those who heard, 4  while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.” We look at these words more closely. 

i]. “It was declared at first by the Lord” 

Throughout the whole history of Israel, God had been speaking to His people through angels and through human messengers. He was preparing His people for the salvation that would be accomplished through Christ. This was God Himself taking the initiative in His grace and letting His people know His will, how He wanted them to belong to Him and how to behave as His people.

ii]. “and it was attested to us by those who heard” 

“Attested” is from [bebaioō; βεβαιόω] meaning to confirm, establish or make sure. The writer is saying that he or she, together with those who had heard the message could vouch for the truth and reliability of the message they received. So the readers or hearers of this letter should accept what God had spoken especially through His Son and act upon that message. 

iii]. “while God also bore witness by signs and wonders and various miracles and by gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to his will.”  Verse 4.

God Himself also bore witness to the message.  “Witness” is from [martureō; μαρτυρέω] to be a witness, to bear witness, i.e. to affirm that one has seen or heard or experienced something. God bore witness to the message brought by Christ by confirming it in ways that only He could do. These included the following.  

  • “Signs” is from [sēmeion; σημεῖον] meaning something that pointed beyond itself to a truth. The signs pointed to the truth about Jesus.
  • “Wonders” is from [teras; τέρας] meaning a prodigy, portent, a miracle. These were special revelations from God to confirm His message. 
  • “Various miracles”  is from [poikilos; ποικίλος = various, diverse, manifold]  and 
  • “Miracles” [dunamis; δύναμις] meaning power or strength. The power of God at work! We see how Jesus described the origin of His words and His works as being from the Father working through Him, ““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 authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” John 14:10.
  • “Gifts of the Holy Spirit distributed according to His will.”  These are not just human abilities but manifestations of the presence of God. It is the Holy Spirit Himself who distributes the gifts, not humans.  “Gifts” here is not the same as in 1 Corinthians 12 [charismata] but is from [merismos; μερισμός] meaning a separation or distribution. The Lexham English Bible accurately translates this phrase as “and distributions of the Holy Spirit according to His will.“

Summing up

After outlining the pre-eminence of Jesus in chapter 1, the writer spelt out what that involved for humans. God had spoken through His Son and had accomplished “such a great salvation” through His sacrifice on the cross. There was an urgency for the readers to act on the message 

They had received the message of salvation and had to act on it and not let it drift away through neglect. [“Neglect” in Hebrews 2:3 is ameleō; ἀμελέω = not to care for, to disregard.] To make light and disregard such an important message would bring the Lord’s just penalty. 

In just these 4 verses we see the amazing grace of God in revealing His purposes in Jesus and how the people needed to respond to Jesus by faith to receive the promise of salvation. That is our choice today. Shall we act on the message of salvation in Christ or will we neglect it by letting ourselves drift by it and suffer the penalty for our neglect?

Blog No.514 posted on Friday 12 January 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, spiritual warfare, Temptations | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

513. Reflections on life. Life with my beloved Carole

Posted on January 10, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

When I began writing blogs in 2011 I chose the title “Reflections on life in general and on healing in particular.” As I have reflected on my life since then, I realise that 2 great significant events in my life have blessed me enormously. The first was giving my life to the Lord in an encounter with Him on New Year’s Eve 1958. That encounter was life-changing. It gave a meaning and purpose to life that utterly transformed my life. I realised that God loved me and had a purpose in bringing me into the world. I discovered that I had a great joy in studying God’s word [the Bible] and sharing what I learned with others. That eventually took me from my job as an Industrial Chemist in the Queensland Government Railway Laboratory in North Ipswich Railway Workshops to going to Ridley Theological College in Melbourne almost 2000 kilometres away.

I came back to Ipswich during a vacation to visit my parents and to meet up with a beautiful, attractive talented young woman [Carole Tapsell] who had written frequently to me while I was in college. We had been on a few day trips together with other members of the Youth Group I had been leading and it seemed to me that the Lord had brought her into my life for a purpose. It was during this vacation that we had been on a long trip together and had pulled up at a rest area for a break before we arrived back in Ipswich. I have written elsewhere how we began to talk about our futures and for some reason I found myself saying, “What would you say if I asked you to marry me someday?” She replied instantly, “I would say Yes!” It just seemed logical then to say, “Will you marry me?” And how wonderful it was to hear her reply, “Yes, of course I will!” My life was changed forever at that moment. From that moment we were committed to each other for eternity. That was on 22 August 1964 and we married on the 22 January 1966 and lived happily together until the Lord called her home on 31 October 2019.

As I reflect on my life just 12 days short of what would have been our 58th wedding anniversary, I am still amazed how gracious the Lord was in bringing her as a 4 year old child from Kharagpur in India to Australia so that I could meet her, fall in love with her and enjoy almost 54 years of married life together. Carole was a talented athlete, swimmer and field hocker player and a brilliant educator who retired as Senior Head Teacher in TAFE NSW after leading her section of TAFE to being the biggest of its kind in Australia. She was a runner-up in the annual presentation awards of the entire Public Service in NSW. Being married to someone you love is such a great privilege for anyone. Being married to the girl whom I thought was the most attractive and multi-talented female in the world was not just a privilege but a manifestation of the amazing grace of God who gave me more than I could ever have desired or deserved. Though I miss her terribly I know she is in bliss with the Lord.

My reflections on our life together made me want to look at a few photos of Carole at various stages of her life as a reminder to me of God’s amazing grace in bringing into our lives those who show His love to us in our most sacred relationships. I share the 12 photos with you.

Blog No.513 posted on Wednesday 10 January 2024

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Posted in Bible verses. Comments, Coping With Personal Grief, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Mini Reflections, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, SPORT, TOPICS, Tributes | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

512. JESUS CHRIST IS A BETTER MESSENGER THAN THE ANGELS. Hebrews 1:4-14

Posted on January 8, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

One of the features of the Epistle to the Hebrews is how Jesus is described as being ”better” in many ways to emphasise His pre-eminence in the universe. In chapter 1:4-14 He is described as being better than the angels in the following ways. 

How Is Jesus Better Than The Angels?

i]. The Name He Has Inherited Is More Excellent Than Theirs

Heb 1:4  “having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”   The “name” in the Bible stands for all that the person is and has done. Jesus’ name is superior for God has made Him His heir as the Son, “whom he appointed the heir of all things.” Hebrews 1:2.

ii]. He Is The Son, Not Just A Messenger

Heb 1:5  “For to which of the angels did God ever say, “You are my Son, today I have begotten you”? Or again, “I will be to him a father, and he shall be to me a son”? Angels were just ministering servants and did not belong to the family of God. Only of Jesus at His baptism did God declare, “You are my Son.” It was never said to any angel at any time. Jesus is the eternal Son of God.

iii]. He Is To Be Worshipped By Angels As The Divine King Of An Eternal Kingdom

Heb 1:6  “And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says, “Let all God’s angels worship him.”  7  Of the angels he says, “He makes his angels winds, and his ministers a flame of fire.” 8  But of the Son he says, “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever, the sceptre of uprightness is the sceptre of your kingdom.”

Angels had their place and functions in the purposes of God but they were to worship the Son, Jesus. The writer quotes Psalms 45:6  as God declaring this truth about Jesus, 6  “Your throne, O God, is forever and ever.“ Jesus is the eternal Son of God and far superior to any angel. 

iv]. He Was Anointed By God With The Oil Of Gladness

Heb 1:9  “You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness; therefore God, your God, has anointed you with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.” 

The writer uses the word [chriō; χρίω] to describe Jesus being anointed by God and thus Jesus became known as the [Christos; Χριστός]  the anointed One.  Jesus’ “companions” probably were His disciples who were also anointed by the Holy Spirit but the anointing of Jesus was of much greater significance because of Who He was and because of the magnitude of the task He came to earth to fulfil as the Messiah.

v]. He As The Lord Created The Universe But He Himself Is Beyond Creation

Heb 1:10  And, “You, Lord, laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the work of your hands; 11  they will perish, but you remain; they will all wear out like a garment, 12 like a robe you will roll them up, like a garment they will be changed. But you are the same, and your years will have no end.”

Jesus as the Creator made everything, as the apostle John wrote, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:13. However Jesus stands above creation, for He is unchanging and never aging. His creation may begin to wear out but Jesus can change it if He so wills as the Sustainer of the universe. The creation is great but Jesus as the Creator-Sustainer is infinitely greater. He is supreme over the whole universe. 

vi]. God Has Seated Him At His Right Hand In Glory

Heb 1:13 “And to which of the angels has he ever said, “Sit at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet”? 14  Are they not all ministering spirits sent out to serve for the sake of those who are to inherit salvation?”

The role of angels is here spelt out. They are to serve those who become saved. They are ministering spirits sent forth to serve and are not part of the family of God. It was only to Jesus that God said, “Sit my right hand.” This is the place of honour in the presence of God. Jesus had fulfilled the Father’s will in dying for the sin of humankind and making forgiveness available for the people of God. As the writer had penned a few verses before, “After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high.” 1:3. His single sacrifice of Himself accomplished the redemptive plan of God and so He could be seated at the right hand of God for His saving work was done. 

The Hebrews whom the writer was addressing, held the angels of God in high esteem. But throughout this chapter the writer tried to show the pre-eminence of Jesus as being the Sovereign King over all things and over all beings. 

[One final note. We may not realise it but we as believers belong to the family of God as His adopted children. St Paul had earlier written in Ephesians, Eph 1:5 “he predestined us for adoption to himself as sons through Jesus Christ, according to the purpose of his will.“

We are more privileged than the angels because God tells us that He sees us as believers actually sitting with Christ at the right hand of God. Just ponder this truth to realise how privileged we are to be called “the children of God.” Eph 2:4  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved— 6  and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, 7  so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

By the grace of God through what Jesus accomplished on the cross, He sees us now as being with Christ in the place of acceptance, of honour and of authority. In gratitude to Him we should be dying to self and letting Jesus impart His life in and through us, to His glory and praise!

The Writer Showed That Jesus Christ Was And Is A Better Messenger Than The Angels.

Blog No.512. Posted on Monday 08 January 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, New Covenant, Prayer, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

511. THE JESUS WHO CANNOT BE IGNORED. [Hebrews 1:1-4.]

Posted on January 6, 2024 by Jim Holbeck

In the first four verses of this epistle, the writer describes Jesus as being pre-eminent in every way, both in his Personhood and in His ministry on behalf of humans.

1]. Jesus Revealed God’s Will To Humans. [1:1-2]
Heb 1:1 “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, 2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son.”
The writer reminds Jewish readers that God has revealed Himself and His will through many prophets over a long period of time. But in the last days [meaning with the coming of Jesus Christ into the world] He has spoken through Jesus His Son.
St John recorded the words of Jesus when He said, “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 authority, but the Father who dwells in me does his works.” John 14:10. Jesus was saying that the words He spoke and the works He did, originated with the Father, not Himself. God the Father was speaking and acting through His Son.

2]. Jesus Is The Inheritor Of All That Is. [1:2]
“whom he appointed the heir of all things.” The whole universe belongs to Jesus according to His will. St Paul taught, “He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. 16 For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. 17 And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” Colossians 1:15-17. Though there are many who resist the plan and purpose of God, Jesus will ultimately have sovereign power over the whole universe. It is His and ultimately only His will, will be done in the universe.

3]. Jesus Is The Creator Of The Universe. [1:2]
“through whom also he created the world.” As Colossians 1:16 above says, He created everything. St John wrote in his prologue, “All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3). The whole universe and everything in it owes its origin to Him.

4]. Jesus Manifests The Glory Of God. [1:3]
Heb 1:3 “He is the radiance of the glory of God.“ Radiance is [apaugasma; ἀπαύγασμα] from a compound [apo; ἀπό] meaning off or from and [augazō; αὐγάζω] meaning to beam or shine forth. St John in his gospel wrote of the coming of Jesus into the world, “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:14. When we read the gospels it seems that Jesus’ deity was very much veiled during His life but the disciples were privileged to see God’s glory resting on Him at His transfiguration. St Peter wrote, “For we did not follow cleverly devised myths when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of his majesty. 17 For when he received honour and glory from God the Father, and the voice was borne to him by the Majestic Glory, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased,” 18 we ourselves heard this very voice borne from heaven, for we were with him on the holy mountain.” 2 Peter 1:16-18.

5]. Jesus Fully Expresses the Character And Nature of God. [1:3]
“and the exact imprint of his nature.” The term “exact imprint” is [charaktēr; χαρακτήρ] means an impress, an exact expression. Jesus is the exact expression of the Father. As Jesus said of Himself, “Whoever has seen me has seen the Father.” John 14:9. “Nature” is [hypostasis; ὑπόστασις ] meaning setting under, essence, or person, substance. Jesus is the very essence of the Father, nothing less.

6]. Jesus Sustains The Universe. [1:3]
“and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. “
His word of power brought the whole universe into being. He now sustains and upholds it by that same word of power. “He’s got the whole world in His hands” as we used to sing.

7]. Jesus Made Purification from Sin Available To All Humans. [1:3-4]
“After making purification for sins.” The writer now declares something about what Jesus has done. “Purification” is from [katharismos; καθαρισμός] meaning a cleansing, or purging. Jesus paid the penalty for our sins by His sacrifice of Himself on the cross. We will see that this is a major part of this epistle and that the whole purpose of God in bringing forgiveness to humans would be through that single sacrifice for sin Jesus offered on the cross, “But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. 14 For by a single offering he has perfected for all time those who are being sanctified.“ Hebrews 10:12-14.

8]. Jesus Sits At The Right Hand Of God in heaven. [1:3-4]
“he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, 4 having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.”
It is significant that Jesus, having made purification for sin, sat down at the right hand of God. Significant because the priests’ work was never completed. They had to stand daily offering sacrifices that could never take away sin. This is taken up later in Hebrews in these terms, “And every priest stands daily at his service, offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God.” Hebrews 10:11-12. The work of redemption was complete. Sin had been atoned for. Through Christ’s sacrifice believers have access into the kingdom of God. Or as St Paul wrote, “In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace, 8 which he lavished upon us, in all wisdom and insight.” Ephesians 1:7-8.

This is great news for those who believe. The most significant person in the universe offered the most significant sacrifice for sin to bring us back into a right relationship with God. This is God’s amazing grace being extended to sinful humanity. It cannot be ignored for there is no other way to be forgiven by God. He is offering us forgiveness of all our sins and a new life, if we put our trust in Christ.

But it is bad news for those who refuse to believe. When you ignore Jesus of Nazareth you are ignoring the One who created the world, who keeps it going, and who died the death to free us from our sins. It is the sin of not trusting in who Jesus is and in the significance of what He has done for us. Jesus warned that when the Holy Spirit came He would convict the unbelieving world of its sin of unbelief, “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment: 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in me.” John16:8-9.

It is easy to believe in Jesus. All that is involved is repentance of our sin and faith in Jesus. The ABCD prayer I prayed 65 years ago as I committed my life to Christ was something like this, “Lord I Admit that I am a sinner in Your sight. I Believe that Jesus Christ died on the cross to take away my sins. I Consider the cost of becoming a Christian. I know it costs me nothing but it cost Jesus His life. I know I have to Do something to invite Jesus to be my Saviour from sin and so I invite You Lord Jesus into my life to be my Saviour from sin and to be the Lord and Master of every moment of my life from this time forward, for evermore. Thank You Lord Jesus for coming into my life. AMEN!” Why not pray a similar prayer right now?
Blog No.511. Posted on Saturday 06 January 2024.

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Creation, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, HEBREWS. A study of the Epistle, Holy Spirit, Judgement, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

510. A New Creature on New Year’s Eve 1958

Posted on December 31, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

I became what the Bible describes as a New Creature just before midnight on New Year’s Eve 1958. In other words, I made my decision to follow Christ after several weeks of battling with the challenge that presented. I knew I had to make that decision and by the grace of God, I did so.

Here are links to some articles I wrote about my conversion to Christ experience written from slightly different angles at different times. After reading them why not send the links on to family or friends who need the encouragement to get right with God.

Wishing you all A VERY BLESSED NEW YEAR and a wonderful 2024 in Him!

These are the links

New Year’s Eve messages from Jim Holbeck’s blog site.

No 106. https://jimholbeck.blog/2013/01/01/106-another-new-year-resolution-or-a-new-beginning-2-corinthians-514/

No.307.  https://jimholbeck.blog/2018/12/31/307-people-really-can-change-new-creatures-for-a-new-year-2-corinthians-517/

No.338.  https://jimholbeck.blog/2019/12/31/338-new-years-eve-greeting-2019-from-jim-holbeck/

Much love in Christ

Jim

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509.The Greatest Christmas Gift Given To You And Me

Posted on December 24, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

What will I preach tonight? That was the question I faced many years ago when I was the Dean of St Peters Cathedral in Armidale, New South Wales. I had been the Dean of Armidale for several years up to that time and wondered what short message I could give to the congregation in a Christmas Eve service that would go past midnight.  The words of the Hymn came into my mind. “Tell my people I love them;
tell my people that I care.
When they feel far away from me, tell my people I am there.” Today I  heard a lovely version of that song on this link, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2ybT3Me6i50

I remember feeling quite free as I preached such a  wonderful liberating truth. We all need to be reminded that we are loved. I had the privilege and the joy of having a beautiful attractive woman in my life who began telling me she loved me after I had confessed that I had fallen deeply in love with her. Mind you, I did initially express it in highly romantic terms, “I think I’m beginning to like you very much.” When she seemed to appreciate that initial outburst, it made it much easier to say, “I love you very much!” We kept telling each other how much we loved each other for the 54 years of marriage before the Lord took her home just 4 years ago. And yes, I do deeply miss hearing those words from her lips. 

I was surprised to see a message taped to the rear window of a utility vehicle being driven in front of me, as I drove home from church today. In large lettering was written this message, “You are Loved!” I thought what a great positive message that was to share with the world. Some people might feel threatened by such a message if their own relationships were fragile or broken. But for someone like me who had experienced the love of God through a fellow human, it brought comfort. As St Paul wrote about the love of God, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5. For over 50 years I had experienced that love of God through the love of my Spirit-filled wife Carole. 

Today as I write, it is Christmas Eve. I don’t have the opportunity to preach a sermon at midnight, but I can share the truth that I, you, we, are loved. Many will hear over Christmas, the words of the “gospel in a nutshell” from John 3:16,  “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Others might hear these words from St Paul, “but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.” Romans 5:8. His birth at that first Christmas led eventually to His death for us, as He the righteous one died for all guilty sinners so that they might be saved by His grace. And the wonderful truth we read about the love of God, is this, “No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us. 38  For I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to come, nor powers, 39  nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Romans 8:37-39. The message on that utility vehicle is true, “You are loved!” By God Himself!

What God in His love has done for us and how He now sees us. Ephesians 2:4-7

  • He made us alive together with Christ. Eph 2:4  “But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved—”
  • He raised us up together with Christ. 2:6  “and raised us up with him 
  • He seated us together with Christ in the heavenlies, “and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” God tells us how He sees us right now as being now in the place of honour,  acceptance and authority. We can never be more acceptable to Him than we are right now. More useful, more available to Him for sure, but never more acceptable. We are fully accepted in the beloved. 

Why God has done that for us in His love 

  • 2:7  “so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.”

God has shown us so much of the riches of His grace in accepting us in Christ and promising that nothing can ever separate us from His love. But He has so much more in store for us in His love. The word “immeasurable” is from [hyperballō; ὑπερβάλλω] which means to throw over or beyond, to surpass or excel and occurs in Ephesians in 3 of the 5 references in the New Testament. 

Paul prays that his readers in Ephesus might come to experience more of God’s power and love. Eph 1:19  “and what is the immeasurable greatness of his power toward us who believe, according to the working of his great might.” AND Eph 3:19 “and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.” If the immeasurable riches of God’s grace can lead to being filled with all the fulness of God, then there can be nothing beyond that incredible experience. And that is what God has for us in His love for us. 

The first Christmas Day was the day the Messiah, the Son of God entered this world to begin the whole process of redemption and salvation. May this Christmas Day be the day millions throughout the world accept this Christmas gift of salvation in Christ and give their lives over to live for Him!

Blog No.509 posted on Sunday 24 December 2023

Posted in BIBLE PASSAGE OUTLINES, Bible verses. Comments, Christmas, Evangelism, Faithfulness, Forgiveness, Glorification, Healing, Holy Spirit, Justification, Mental Health, Prayer, Real Life Stories, Salvation, Sanctification, Second coming of Jesus, spiritual warfare, Temptations, TOPICS | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

508. 2 Thessalonians 3:5. A PRAYER TO PRAY FOR EACH OTHER!

Posted on December 9, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

We realise as believers in our Lord Jesus Christ that we should pray for others, but what can we pray? We can follow the example of St Paul as he prayed for his friends in the church at Thessalonica. He told them what he was praying for them in 2 Thessalonians 3:5, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.” A very simple prayer but what did he mean? 

1].       “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God.”

“Direct” is [kateuthunō; κατευθύναι]  “direct” your hearts to the love of God.

The word is found also only in

Luke 1:79 – Guide.  Luke 1:79  “to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death, to guide our feet into the way of peace.” This was part of Zechariah’s prophecy concerning his son, John the Baptist. John’s ministry would be as a prophet to introduce the Messiah Jesus to the world. One outcome of his ministry was that he would guide the people of God into the way of peace. He would be a guiding light to bring people out of darkness and to introduce them to Jesus as the Prince of peace. 

1 Thessalonian 3:11 – Direct. “Now may our God and Father himself, and our Lord Jesus, direct our way to you.” St Paul was looking to God the Father and Jesus His Son to direct his way to the Thessalonians. By this he appears  to mean that he was trusting God to overrule in all his circumstances so that he could arrive safely at Thessalonica.

So we return to 2 Thess. 3:5. – Direct. “direct your hearts to the love of God.” St Paul wanted the very best for his converts in Thessalonica. He wanted them to experience the [agape] love of God and then to manifest it in their relationships with one another [as he had written in his previous epistle,  “and may the Lord make you increase and abound in love for one another and for all, as we do for you, 13  so that he may establish your hearts blameless in holiness before our God and Father, at the coming of our Lord Jesus with all his saints.” 1 Thessalonians 3:12-13. ]

2].        “May the Lord direct your hearts to ….. the steadfastness of Christ. 

Steadfastness is  [hypomonē; ὑπομονὴν] “steadfastness of Christ.” This can mean 

patient endurance; patient awaiting; patient frame of mind; patience, perseverance. 

The New Testament writers saw the ministry of Jesus as involving great endurance. For example, the writer to the Hebrews wrote,  “Looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.” Hebrews 12:2. 

St Paul realised that patient endurance was not easy in a world hostile to God so he pointed to the steadfastness of Jesus as the perfect example for the Thessalonians to follow. Later he was to write to the believers in Rome that suffering brings endurance which builds character and character produces hope, “Not only that, but we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, 4  and endurance produces character, and character produces hope.“ Romans 5:3-4.

In this Romans passage he makes the link between endurance, character, hope and the love of God as he continued to write, “and hope does not put us to shame, because God’s love has been poured into our hearts through the Holy Spirit who has been given to us.” Romans 5:5.

What a wonderful prayer then it is to pray for our family and friends, “May the Lord direct your hearts to the love of God and to the steadfastness of Christ.”

 It will help immensely if our own lives are characterised by love and by patient endurance or steadfastness. 

Blog No.508 posted on Saturday 09 December 2023.

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507. A Prayer Based On Romans 12:1-2. Total Commitment

Posted on November 23, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

I was surprised recently to notice that one of my short articles which I posted originally almost 12 years ago is still being viewed frequently at the end of 2023. It was No.051 with the title above. It has been viewed almost 11,000 times around the globe over those years. It is a prayer based on Romans 12:1-2 and my hope is that people personally pray the prayer to get into the centre of the will of God for themselves as individuals. To be in the centre of His will is to be in the place of unimaginable blessing.

Romans 12:1  “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. 2  Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.” (ESV)

The Prayer

Heavenly Father, I thank You for all the mercies You have bestowed on me.

I thank You for the forgiveness of my sins and for the gift of eternal life You have given me in Your Son Jesus Christ.

I thank You that He gave Himself for me, so that I might give myself to You.

I now present to You, all I am and all I have, as a living sacrifice to You. It’s my logical response to Your love for me. It’s my spiritual act of worship to You.

Transform me as a person by renewing my mind by Your Spirit, so that I think the way You want me to think about everything, especially about You and about Your will.

Give me discernment by Your Spirit, as I seek to put Your will into practice in my everyday life. Enable me to recognise Your will, and discover as I seek to do it, that it truly is good, acceptable and perfect.

I ask these things so that You may be honoured and glorified, in and through my life, in Jesus’ name I pray. AMEN.

 Blog No.507 posted on Thursday 23 November 2023

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506.“Encourage the Fainthearted.” [Oligopsuchos, ὀλιγόψυχος]

Posted on November 17, 2023 by Jim Holbeck

It is disappointing that the translators of the Authorized Version of the Bible [the King James Version] translated 1 Thessalonians 5:14 with these words, “Now we exhort you, brethren, warn them that are unruly, comfort the feebleminded, support the weak, be patient toward all men.”  “Feebleminded” translates the Greek word [oligopsuchos,  ὀλιγόψυχος]. This comes from oligos, ὀλίγος = small, few, light, slight,  and  psuchē,  ψυχή meaning breath , life, inner self, soul. 

The word “feebleminded” in our day seems to imply some form of diminished mental ability but that may not be the true meaning of the word. It is the only use of this word in the New Testament in 1 Thessalonians 5:14 where it is translated in the Christian Standard Bible as “comfort the discouraged” and in the English Standard version as “encourage the fainthearted.” This seems to imply a state of mind which can be strengthened through encouragement and comfort. 

We may find some help by looking at the Greek translation of the Old Testament called the Septuagint [the LXX]. One modern English translation of the Septuagint is the NETS version [The New English Translation of the Septuagint] which we will use to find how the word is translated in the verses in which it occurs. 

The word [oligopsuchos,  ὀλιγόψυχος] is found in the following verses.

  • Proverbs 14:29, “A man slow to anger is abundant in prudence, but an impatient man is extremely foolish.” This is not a reference to a feeble mind but to an inappropriate response to a stressful situation. 
  • Proverbs 18:14, “A “sensible attendant calms a man’s anger, but who can endure a faint-hearted man?  Here the reference is to the difficulty of dealing with a man who is not strong emotionally. An angry man’s anger can be dealt with using the right treatment, but a person of weak emotional strength is more difficult to know how to handle.  
  • Isaiah 35:4  “Give comfort, you who are faint of heart and mind! Be strong; do not fear! Look, our God is repaying judgment; yes, he will repay; he himself will come and save us.“ The faint of heart and mind are able to bring comfort to others as they are themselves strengthened and lose their fear.
  • Isaiah 54:6 “The Lord has not called you as a forsaken and faint-hearted woman, nor as a woman hated from youth, your God has said.”  The nation as the bride of God had known exile for its sin and perhaps was emotionally weak as a result. But they would again experience His love for them.
  • Isaiah 57:15 “This is what the Lord says, the Most High, who dwells forever in lofty places— Holy among the holy ones is his name, the Lord Most High who rests among the holy ones and gives patience to the faint-hearted and gives life to those who are broken of heart:” Israel’s holy God promises that He will give patience and the ability to cope to those He had formerly deserted because of their sin. 

It seems overall that feebleness of mind is not what is really meant by this word. Rather the actual “little or weak in spirit” or emotionally weak seems to be the true meaning. As such it could apply to all believers from time to time. There will be times in the lives of all of us when we feel emotionally weak, confused or even anxious about the future. So it is comforting to know that the Lord has a real ministry to those who feel this way, as is shown in the ESV translation of 1 Thessalonians 5:14, “And we urge you, brothers, admonish the idle, encourage the fainthearted, help the weak, be patient with them all.” 

Encouragement rather than rejection is a ministry we can share with one another for the word for “encourage” here is [paramytheomai, παραμυθέομαι] meaning to exercise an influence by using words  to soothe, comfort, console, as seen in the other occurrences of the word in the New Testament, namely John 11:19, “and many of the Jews had come to Martha and Mary to console them concerning their brother.”  John 11:31, “When the Jews who were with her in the house, consoling her, saw Mary rise quickly and go out, they followed her, supposing that she was going to the tomb to weep there.” And 1Thessalonians 2:12, “we exhorted each one of you and encouraged you and charged you to walk in a manner worthy of God, who calls you into his own kingdom and glory.”

Encouraging, consoling, comforting, strengthening the ‘fainthearted.” That is our privilege and responsibility.

Blog No.506 posted on Friday 17 November 2023. 

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