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pamphletstoinspire · 4 years ago

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Today is the Third Sunday of Advent - Gaudete Sunday (December 13, 2020)

The Third Sunday of Advent takes its common name from the Latin word Gaudete (“Rejoice”), the first word of the introit of this day’s Mass.

The Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, iv. 4-7.

Rejoice in the Lord always; again, I say, rejoice. Let your modesty be known to all men. The Lord is nigh. Be nothing solicitous; but in every thing, by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your petitions be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasseth all understanding, keep your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus our Lord.

by Bishop Ehrler, 1891

“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord.” (John I: 23.)

In my text of to-day, my dearly-beloved, St. John calls himself a voice, thereby giving his disciples plainly to understand that he was not the “Word made flesh,” but simply the voice of that Word. And those who listened to him knew that the Son of God could not then be far off, inasmuch as they already heard his voice in the person of the Baptist. As the voice prepares the way for the word, so that it may come forth intelligibly from the mouth of man, so also John, through his voice, (that is, through his preaching and baptism) prepared the hearts of men for the coming of Christ. Hence, he says that he is that voice which Isaias had long before foretold as crying out: “Make straight the way of the Lord.” In what did this preparation principally consist?” He preached the baptism of penance, for the remission of sins (Luke 3 : 3).” He consoled the people, and after he had imbued them with faith in the Redeemer, he animated them still further to love him and confide in him:

I. Through the hope of pardon; II. Through the hope of grace; and III. Through the hope of glory. This three-fold hope, my brethren, is the necessary fruit of that three-fold faith of which we spoke, last Sunday. From the faith of the commandments, springs the hope of pardon; from the faith of miracles, the hope of grace; and from the faith of the promises, the hope of glory. We will, to-day, examine the foundations of these three truths.

I. Every sinner, no matter how often or how grievously he mav have violated the Commandments of God, has a sure hope of pardon. It is true that, when a hardened offender turns to God, and calls upon him for forgiveness, the abyss of evil cries out to the abyss of mercy; or as the Psalmist expresses it: “Deep calleth upon deep.” (Ps. 41 : 8.) But, though this abyss of wickedness be ever so deep and fathomless, that of God’s mercy is still greater and more profound; where sin hath abounded, grace more fully abounds. “Turn ye to me, saith the Lord of Hosts: and I will turn to you (Zach. 1 : 3).” Yea, He promises still further: “If the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done (Ezech. 18 : 21-22).”

Moreover, He not only invites the sinner to repentance, my dear brethren, but He waits long and patiently for his conversion. “I desire not the death of the wicked,” He declares by the mouth of his prophet, “but that the wicked turn from his ways and live (Ezech. 33 : 11).” “The Lord is compassionate and merciful (Ps. 112 : 8).” He is merciful to all sinners, He is long-suffering toward the perverse and obdurate, so that they may be converted from the evil of their ways; or, as the Wise Man says in his apostrophe to the Most High: “Thou overlookest the sins of men for the sake of repentance (Wis. 11: 24).” Why, then, do you delay your repentance, unhappy sinner? “Despisest thou the riches of His goodness, and patience, and longsuffering? Knowest thou pot that the benignity of God leadeth thee to penance (Rom. 2: 4)?” Long and zealously did St. John the Baptist preach to the Jews “the baptism of penance,” for no other purpose than “for the remission of their sins”! Yet, how often might he not have said to them: “Be not as your fathers, to whom the former prophets have cried, saying: Thus saith the Lord of Hosts: turn ye from your evil ways, and from your wicked thoughts: but they did not give ear (Zach. 1: 4).” I beseech of you now, my brethren, to take warning from the example of that hardened and stiff-necked people, and listening, to follow with docility and faith “the voice of one crying in the wilderness.” Making straight the way of the Lord by the faith of the Commandments, you will not only enjoy the assured hope of pardon for past sins, but also, if you will humbly beg it from God, the hope of grace that will prevent you from committing sins in the future.

II. The hope of pardon, my dear Christians, is far from being so attractive to the sinner as the hope of continued grace. He knows that God’s forgiveness for the past will avail him nothing, if he continues to offend Him anew by fresh sins. He also knows that, of himself, he is utterly unable to avoid evil; and that “it is God who worketh in him both to will and to accomplish according to His good will (Phil. 2: 13).” The Wise Man declares that: “To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike; “and when the converted sinner remembers that he was once an object of hatred to that good God, and reflects at the same time that he is now His friend and favorite, what can he do but cry out gratefully with St. Paul: “By the grace of God, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15 : 10)!” adding with the Psalmist: “What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things that He hath rendered to me (Ps. 115 : 12)?” The recollection of one’s past misery is the first happy effect of grace, as well as the first step toward future holiness.

But this knowledge, my brethren, is due altogether to the ineffable goodness of God. “The Lord is my light and my salvation (Ps. 26: 1)!” O ye poor, blinded sinners! no matter how deeply you may be sunk in misery, “Come ye to him, and be enlightened (Ps. 33: 6).” Seeing, you will understand the danger from which you have been rescued by the mercy of God; and understanding, you will learn to dread a relapse into sin.

Grace is alike necessary to convert the sinner and to preserve him in the divine friendship after his conversion. The soul of a Christian is like a fortified city, which is surrounded on all sides by enemies. “Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it (Ps. 126: 1).” Our spiritual enemies are most numerous, their plans most cunningly devised for our destruction; and we are obliged to contend constantly with the traitorous foe within the walls–our own miserable concupiscence. A man’s enemies, says the Lord, are they of his own household (Mich. 7 : 6). But, for our consolation, let us be firmly assured that God will not desert us, unless we first turn our backs on Him; and it is especially written of the just: “The Lord keepeth all them that love Him (Ps. 144: 20).” God does not constrain the free will of man; but His grace is always ready to co-operate with that free will in the grand work of salvation. “He has created us without our aid,” says St. Augustine, ” but He will not save us without our co-operation.” His assistance is so essential to the success of our undertakings, that no one can begin, continue, or complete any work without the all-powerful help of God. He has, then, a just right to issue His commands, since His gracious help encompasses His children on every side, mercifully and efficaciously enabling them to keep His commandments to the end. See, O dearly beloved! how firm and consistent is the hope of grace, to the heart of the repentant and converted sinner!

III. The hope of glory is that strong and intimate confidence which supports the just, and enables them to persevere in the performance of their good works. “He that shall persevere unto the end, he shall be saved (Matth. 10 : 22),” says our Saviour. In what does this being saved consist?” One can truly receive the happiness of the elect,” says St. Augustine, “but one can never properly estimate it.” “I can more easily tell what is not in heaven than what is there.” Death shall be no more in that kingdom of delights; and sorrow, and weakness, and sickness shall be at an end; neither shall hunger, nor thirst, heat, disappointment, or any other misery, afflict the children of God. “They shall be inebriated with the plenty of Thy house: and Thou shalt make them drink of the torrent of Thy pleasure (Ps. 35: 9).” “And they shall reign with God forever and ever (Apoc. 22: 5).” “Oh, true life! Oh, eternal life! Oh, eternally happy life!” exclaims in an ecstasy the great Bishop of Hippo–unable to find words to express the feelings of his heart, when he would depict the ineffable joys of Paradise. And if any thing further were needed to encourage us, we shall find it in the exhortation and promise of our Saviour which is jointly the foundation of our hope: “Rejoice, and be exceeding glad: because your reward is very great in heaven (Matth. 5 : 12).” St. Bernard, speaking of this same reward, says: “It is so great that one can not exhaust it; and so precious that one can not sufficiently value it.”

And what does God require from us, my brethren, in order to merit this heavenly recompense? If He exacted of us to serve him for half an eternity, the demand would not be too great. “The days of man are short (Job 14: 5).” “Our days upon earth are but a shadow” (Job 8: 9), and they “are passed more swiftly than the web is cut by the weaver (Job 7 : 6).” Should we not, then, apply these few brief days to serving our Creator, and keeping His commandments? “His commands are not heavy (1 John 5: 3).” This short life may be filled with miseries, I will admit, my dear fellow-sufferers, but, with the Apostle of the Gentiles, “I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory to come, that shall be revealed in us (Rom. 8: 18).” That which we suffer is only temporary, and “our present tribulation, which is momentary and light, worketh for us above measure exceedingly an eternal weight of glory (2 Cor. 4: 17).”

Peroration. Therefore, “prepare ye the way of the Lord,” beloved Christians, and “trust in Him, all ye congregation of people (Ps. 61: 9).” “Being justified by faith, let us have peace with God, through our Lord Jesus Christ: by Whom, also, we have access through faith into this grace, wherein we stand, and glory in the hope of the glory of the sons of God (Rom. 5: 1-2).” God receives us back into His friendship even after we have frequently and basely insulted him. He upholds us by His all-powerful grace in the path of righteousness; and he promises us, moreover, an eternal reward if we serve Him faithfully during the short days of our life. Dearly beloved, have we not here three signal mercies of our good God, sufficient to excite us to the thorough and lasting reformation of our lives? Ah! yes, let us put our hope in his divine power and goodness; and persevering bravely with His help in the path of virtue, let us hope to love, for all eternity, that gracious God in whom we have believed and hoped unwaveringly here below. Amen.

#gaudete sunday

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god-whispers · 3 years ago

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dec 8

well, it seems as if yesterday was a time of weeping. i don't know what was going on in the spirit world but it must have been something. i was weeping all day long. often, for no apparent reason, i would just start crying. all i know is, it was not for myself. no one likes to spend their day in tears, but i was privileged to know that God would share His tears with me.

perhaps they were tears needed to water a new birth into the kingdom. there could be many reasons. we obey without knowing now, the reason behind it. "passing through the Valley of weeping (baca), they make it a place of springs; the early rain also fills [the pools] with blessings." psa 84:6 amp

what does our precious word say? "weeping may endure for a night, but joy comes in the morning." psa 30:5 how can we restrain ourselves from joy when we know we have been redeemed? free and yet we willing submit ourselves to servitude. "but if the servant shall plainly say, i love my master, my wife, and my children; i will not go free." exo 21:5 then it is said they are to pierce his ear and he will be the master's servant for life. has your ear been pierced for your master? are you unwillingly to leave?

slavery in america was a horrible thing. slavery throughout the world was. but can we pay for the sins of our fathers? it is burden enough to pay for one's own sin. will payment for another's be required of us? not so according to the word. "fathers shall not be put to death for their children, nor shall children be put to death for their fathers; a person shall be put to death for his own sin." deut 24:16 yet, this is the dichotomy that life in Jesus brings. to be forgiven, one must forgive. to really be free, one must submit their will to His. to save one's life, they must lose it.

this certainly was not in my plans of writing about this day. i thought it was to be about forgiveness. then again, maybe God has tied all this together brilliantly, as usual. we can all spend out lives feeling used and abused; neglected or ignored. or we can decide to forgive those who have hurt and wounded us and feel sympathy for those who persist in such things. "but if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head." rom 12:20 the coals of fire being the receipt for their deeds coming due.

i cannot begin to imagine the torments that some blacks have gone through. even now the prejudice remains in the hearts of some. i am old enough to remember when there were separate drinking fountains for blacks and whites. and yes, they were required to sit at the back of the bus. perhaps it was even worse in some parts of the world. it was the slave trader, john newton, that penned the song "amazing grace". but neither can i imagine the torment and fear a young child feels as they are being abused; physically, mentally or sexually.

just because i cannot know your torment doesn't mean i cannot feel your pain. it certainly doesn't mean that God wasn't there to see your pain. they will, in the end, receive their judgements. now, the primary thing in those with bitterness, is to get them set free. free from the invisible wounds that influence their every action. freedom requires forgiveness.

honestly, i do not know yet if i would be able to forgive someone who had grievously injured me. no one ever has. at least to the extent that it affected me. i just know, it is the hurts that wound us deepest, they are the ones we must give to Him. lay all those feelings of hurt and hatred at the cross. if we all really ready to release it, He will release us. we must keep confessing it until it becomes truth. keep acting as though things were the same until it is no longer an act.

we do this knowing there is a righteous judge at the bench. how would we desire Him to rule on our own misdeeds? "do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap." gal 6:7 i speak not for others, but for myself. i would rather have my sins forgiven, than to retain the sins of another. Jesus took their sins upon the cross as much as He did mine. what an overwhelming idea.

whenever we start to think that we are "special" in some way, He will certainly humble us to know that we are only forgiven. has He not said, "so the last will be first, and the first last.” matt 20:16 "but by the grace of God i am what i am." 1 cor 15:10

we all stand only by grace, and grace is freely given. as He has given to me, so must we all give to others. would you know His peace? "peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid." john 14:27 i pray you all will dwell in the peace He offers.

linda

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bibleteachingbyolga · 4 years ago

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The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise. (Psalm 51:17)

I can still see the moment clearly in my mind. At a Christian conference, a friend whom I had been studying the Bible with that semester shared with our group that he was ready to follow Jesus. He broke down in tears. We were football players. We didn’t cry. I honestly couldn’t believe it. He not only accepted my invitation to attend the conference, but he even repented of sin and believed upon Christ for the forgiveness of sins. I sat watching it unfold in absolute awe.

Afterward, I talked with the campus minister about how amazing my friend’s conversion had been. The minister, an older man, shared that he had witnessed many such conversions — and that not all had lasted. I didn’t have categories at the time for what the minister said.

Had the minister not been there? My friend spoke, “I want to follow Jesus,” so clearly; no doubt he felt some truths deeply; he soon sung hymns so sweetly, as the crowd sang with him. But time proved that repentance was not his truest praise. The talk, the tears, the newfound happiness soon led to a crossroad. A sinful relationship with a girl proved harder to give up, for him, than Jesus.

Fruit of Lifelong Repentance

If someone’s conversion to God is true, lifelong repentance will follow. The mouth of one not born again can say true things for a time. Unchanged eyes can cry. A dead tongue can sincerely sing worship songs for a season. And turning away from Christ, repenting of him, can prove it all was false.

This is what the minister had seen time and time again. He witnessed seed fall on rocky soil — someone who received the word “with joy,” yet because they had no root, they fell away eventually (Matthew 13:20–21). Though they seemed to experience the Spirit’s transformation and fellowship with other believers, they finally “were not of us; for if they had been of us, they would have continued with us” (1 John 2:19). And the pain of watching them leave us can be unbearable.

True repentance, then, is lifelong. Martin Luther, in the first of his ninety-five theses, began, “When our Lord and Master Jesus Christ said, ‘Repent,’ he willed the entire life of believers to be one of repentance.” Luther is capturing what Scripture attests to, for example, when John the Baptist instructs, “Bear fruit in keeping with repentance” (Matthew 3:8). The wringing of our hearts over our sins, the sighs and groans of remaining corruption, our turning away from sin and looking to Christ will follow us to the grave — if we’re true.

Saints Still Sin

Now, do not misunderstand: Christians sin, and at times sin grievously. But they do not make a lifestyle of sinning. It is impossible to do so. “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning, for God’s seed abides in him; and he cannot keep on sinning, because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). Those with the Spirit repent of sin and turn away from it, encouraged by the discipline of a loving Father.

Repentance, we learn in Scripture, is not figuring out the secret passwords to get into heaven. We do not begin an immoral relationship, get confronted in our sin, and continue on in that immoral relationship. We confess our wrongness before God, understand how we’ve conspired against him, and prayerfully cast the sin into the fire, like Paul cast away the poisonous viper fastened to his hand on the island of Patmos (Acts 28:3).

Have you continued in a life of repentance? Have you continued in true contrition over sin, accompanied with a true impulse to renounce that sin? Have you continued to wonder how you could so offend your dearest Friend, grieve his indwelling Spirit, and dishonor your heavenly Father? Have you asked, How could I indulge the sin that Christ died to redeem me from?

Contrition Draws God Near

If you have persisted in repentance, do not forget that your God does not despise this brokenness: “The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart, O God, you will not despise” (Psalm 51:17). He does not stand in heaven cross-armed, scowling. Contrition draws him near. As with the Prodigal Son, we do not need to bring our mere promises to do better next time; we bring bended knees and lowly hearts. We ask him to cover our disgrace and lavish us with fresh mercy flowing from the cross of his beloved Son who died to take away our sins.

This is an immovable part of our praise to God: agreeing with him that our sin is horrible, that we deserve punishment for it, but that Christ died for our forgiveness, and gave us his Spirit to put it to death. We vow to turn from it, yes, but only in the strength, forgiveness, and acceptance that he provides through grace alone.

Having seen more men walk away after sin, having witnessed the painful sights the minister has seen, I plead with you: Continue to offer God this truest, deepest, and sweetest of praises to God. “Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out, that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord” (Acts 3:19–20).

Desiring God partnered with Shane & Shane’s The Worship Initiative to write short meditations for more than three hundred popular worship songs and hymns.

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dalyunministry · 5 years ago

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Word Ministration

Topic: Holy Spirit

By - Min. Calvin Nii Bannerman

🔥

It may be helpful to some to notice that there is another spirit mentioned frequently throughout the Scriptures, and in opposite terms, namely, “The Spirit of Fear,” “The Spirit of Bondage,” “The Spirit of the World,” “The Spirit of Error,” “The Spirit of Divination,” “The Spirit of Antichrist,” “The Spirit of Slumber.” No one thinks that these various definitions, if unitedly considered, would justify the thought that there are two or more Satans.

This is my take on the subject of the Holy Spirit.

“For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God ...Ye have received the spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit that we are the children of God.” Rom 8:14-16

“And it shall come to pass, afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit upon all flesh.” Joel 2:28.

THE GREAT work of the Atonement could not be properly considered, nor clearly understood, if the work of the holy Spirit, in connection therewith, were overlooked or ignored. The holy Spirit has much to do with the presentation of the Atonement making manifest to the believer the divine forgiveness, as well as guiding him into full reconciliation of heart to God. It was under the begetting influence of the holy Spirit, received by our Lord Jesus at his baptism, at the beginning of his ministry, that his consecrated heart was enabled to see clearly and distinctly the Father’s will, the proper course, the narrow way of sacrifice, and to appreciate the exceeding great and precious promises, whose fulfilment lay beyond his humiliation, ignominy and death at Calgary.

But this subject of the holy Spirit, its office and operation, has been grievously misunderstood by many of the Lord’s people for centuries: and only in the light of the rising Sun of Righteousness in the light of the parousia of the Son of Man is this subject becoming thoroughly clear and reasonable, as it evidently was to the early Church, and in harmony with all the various Scriptural testimonies pertaining to it. The doctrine of the Trinity, which, as we have seen, began to rise in the second century, and reached a large development in the fourth century, is responsible, in considerable measure, for much of the darkness which blends with the truth on this subject in many Christian minds, much to their disadvantage confusing and mystifying all religious convictions.

By the holy Spirit, therefore, our Redeemer was enabled to perform his great work, being guided thereby to do that which was pleasing and acceptable before the Father, and which provided the ransom for all humanity. Similarly the holy Spirit is identified with the Church: all who have accepted the merits of the great sin-offering, and who have come unto the Father through the merit of the Son’s sacrifice, and who have presented themselves living sacrifices, in harmony with the high calling to the divine nature held out to such during the Gospel age, have needed and had the holy Spirit’s aid. Only in proportion as any receive the holy Spirit of God are they able to come into proper lines of fellowship with the Father, and with the Son, so as to be able to “prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God,” and to do it. Only by the holy Spirit are we guided beyond the mere letter of the divine testimony, into a true appreciation of “the deep things of God,” and all those things which God hath in reservation for them that love him, which the human eye hath not seen, the human ear hath not heard, neither hath entered into the human heart to understand and appreciate. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10.

There is consistency in the Scripture teaching that the Father and Son are in full harmony and oneness of purpose and operation, as we have just seen. And equally consistent is the Scripture teaching respecting the holy Spirit that it is not another God, but the spirit, influence or power exercised by the one God, our Father, and by his Only Begotten Son in absolute oneness, therefore, with both of these, who also are at one or in full accord. But how different is this unity of the Father, the Son and the holy Spirit from that held and taught under the name of Trinitarian doctrine, which in the language of the Catechism (Question 5 and 6) declares There are three persons in the One God the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost: “these three are one God, the same in substance , equal in power and glory.”

The careful student of the preceding chapters has found abundant testimony from the Scriptures, to the effect that there is but one All-mighty God Jehovah; and that he has highly exalted his First Begotten Son, his Only Begotten Son, to his own nature and to his own throne of the universe; and that next to these in order of rank will be the glorified Church, the Bride, the Lamb’s wife and joint-heir otherwise styled his “brethren.” These shall be made associates of his glory, as in the present age they are required to be associates in his sufferings. The students have noticed also, that all scriptures harmonize and agree in the above testimony; and further, that there are no scriptures whatever which, either directly or indirectly, actually or apparently, conflict with these findings.

• The question then arises, Who, Where, What, is the holy Spirit?

The holy Spirit is variously defined in the Scriptures, and to rightly understand the subject these various definitions must be considered together, and be permitted to throw light upon each other. Notice that the holy Spirit is variously styled“The Spirit of God,” “The Spirit of Christ,” “The Spirit of Holiness,” “The Spirit of Truth,” “The Spirit of a Sound Mind,” “The Spirit of Liberty,” “The Spirit of the Father,” “The Holy Spirit of Promise,” “The Spirit of Meekness,” “The Spirit of Understanding,” “The Spirit of Wisdom,” “The Spirit of Glory,” “The Spirit of Counsel,” “The Spirit of Grace,” “The Spirit of Adoption,” “The Spirit of Prophecy.”

These various titles, repeated many times, and used interchangeably, give us the full, proper assurance that they all relate to the same holy Spirit indeed, frequently the word “holy” is added in, combined, as for instance, “The holy Spirit of God,” “The holy Spirit of Promise,” etc. We must seek an understanding of the subject which will reject none of these appellations, but harmonize them all. It is impossible to harmonize these various statements with the ordinary idea of a third God ; but it is entirely consistent with every one of them to understand these various expressions as descriptive of the spirit, disposition and power of one God, our Father; and also the spirit, disposition and power of our Lord Jesus Christ, because he is at one with the Father and also to a certain extent it is the spirit or disposition of all who are truly the Lord’s, angels or men, in proportion as they have come into oneness or harmony, with him.

All naturally and properly enough recognize the meaning of these terms, as signifying in general the wrong spirit the spirit, disposition or power which has its chief exemplification in Satan; the spirit manifesting itself in all who are in harmony with sin and Satan. Very properly also, none think of these as personal spirits. No more should any one consider the various applications of the word “spirit” in a good sense, as signifying different spirit beings, nor as signifying unitedly another God. These terms, considered unitedly, represent various features of the character, the disposition, the Spirit of our God, Jehovah, and proportionately the spirit or disposition of all who have received his Spirit, become partakers of his disposition and come into harmony with the divine mind.

And the wrong thoughts respecting the Spirit of God and the spirit of man have been intensified and deepened by the fact that the translators of our Common Version English Bible have ninety-two times used the phrase “Holy Ghost” without the slightest authority the original Greek word being pneuma spirit. And the word “ghost,” to the uneducated, has a very vague meaning, which, nevertheless, is very positively identified with the thought of personality . It is worthy of note that in the Revised Version of the New Testament twenty-one of these occurrences of the word “Ghost” were changed so as to read “Spirit,” and that the American Revision Committee recorded its protest in respect to the use of the word “Ghost” in the remaining seventy-one occurrences. And yet both the English and American Committees were composed of strict Trinitarians.

It is urged by some that our Lord’s reference to the holy Spirit, recorded in Joh 14:26 , proves that the Spirit is a person, because our Common Version reads this passage thus: “But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.” But a glance at the Greek text of this passage shows that the translators were influenced by their prejudices on the subject, for there is no ground for the use of the words “whom” and “he.” The Diaglott renders this verse thus: “But the helper, the holy Spirit which the Father will send in my name, shall teach you all things and remind you of those things which I said to you.”

There is absolutely no ground whatever for thinking of or speaking of the holy Spirit as another God, distinct in personality from the Father and the Son. Quite to the contrary of this, notice the fact that it was the Father’s Spirit that was communicated to our Lord Jesus, as it is written, “The Spirit of the Lord God is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the Gospel.” Luke 4:18 ) Turning to the prophecy from which this quotation is made, we read there, in the Hebrew, “The Spirit of the Lord Jehovah is on me, because Jehovah hath anointed me to proclaim good tidings to the humble.” Isaiah 61:1 ) And to the same purport we read again, “And the Spirit of Jehovah shall rest upon him, the spirit of wisdom and understanding, the spirit of counsel and might, the spirit of knowledge and of reverence of Jehovah.” Isaiah 11:2-3 ) Similarly the same Spirit in Christ is referred to as “The Spirit of Christ,” the mind of Christ“Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ Jesus our Lord.” Philippians 2:5.

Take another illustration“When he the Spirit of truth is come, he will guide you into all truth; for he shall not speak of himself ; but whatsoever he shall hear that shall he speak; and he shall show you things to come. He will glorify me, for he shall receive of mine and shall show it unto you.” John 16:13-14 ) In this passage the Greek word, heautou , is translated “himself,” yet the same word is frequently properly translated “itself.” In our Common Version this word heautou is rendered in the masculine, feminine, common, and neuter genders. For instance, in the above text it is rendered.

The same criticism is applicable to the seventeenth verse of the same chapter, which, in our Common Version, reads: “The Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him , but ye know him , for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.” Here the expression, “Spirit of truth,” is evidently used in contrast with the “spirit of error.” The passage has no reference whatever to a person, but to the influence of the truth, and the effect of the same upon the Lord’s people. The Diaglott translation of this verse reads: “The Spirit of truth, which the world cannot receive, because it beholds it not, nor knows it ; but ye know it ; because it operates with you and will be in you.”

• What qualities or qualifications of the divine character or power are represented by the word “spirit?”

The answer will best be found by first of all examining the strict meaning of the word “spirit,” and then examining all the different methods of its use throughout the Scriptures.

• The Meaning of the Word “Spirit”

The question, then properly arises, what senses or meanings attach to the words “holy Spirit” as used in the Scriptures?

Because the wind is both invisible and powerful , these words, ruach and pneuma , gradually took on much wider meanings, and came to represent any invisible power or influence, good or bad. And since divine power is exercised through channels and by agencies beyond human sight, therefore this word “spirit” came more and more to be applied to all of the Lord’s dealings. Naturally also it came into common use in connection with such human influences as are invisible; for instance, to represent the breath of life, the power by which the man lives, which is invisible , designated the “spirit,” or “breath of life”; also for the power of the mind, which is invisible , called “the spirit of the mind.” Life itself is a power and is invisible, and hence it also was called spirit by the ancients. A few illustrations of these various uses of the Hebrew word ruach and the Greek word pneuma may be helpful.

The word “spirit,” in the Old Testament, is the translation of the Hebrew word ruach , the primary significance or root-meaning of which is wind . The word “spirit” in the New Testament comes from the Greek word pneuma , whose primary significance or root-meaning likewise is wind . But let no one hastily conclude that we are about to attempt to prove that the holy Spirit is a holy wind, for nothing could be farther from our thought. But we desire to present this obscure subject in such a manner as will be helpful both to the learned and the unlearned: hence we begin with the acknowledged root-meaning of these words, that we may ascertain how and why it was used in this connection.

Pneuma in the New Testament is translated (besides “ghost” and “spirit”) “life,” “spiritual,” and “wind,” as follows:

“To give life to the image of the beast.” Rev 13:15

“Forasmuch as ye are zealous of spiritual gifts.” 1Co 14:12

“The wind bloweth where it listeth and ye hear the sound thereof.” Joh 3:8

And let us not forget that all of these various translations were made by Trinitarians. We do not object to these translations they are quite proper: but we call attention to them as proofs that the words ruach and pneuma , rendered “spirit,” do not signify personality , but do signify invisible power or influence .

“God is a Spirit”; that is to say, he is a powerful but invisible being; likewise the angels are called spirits, because they also, in their natural condition, are invisible to

men, except as revealed by miraculous power. Our Lord Jesus, while he was a man, was not designated a spirit being, but since his exaltation it is written of him, “Now the Lord is that Spirit” he is now a powerful and invisible being. The Church of this Gospel Age is promised change of nature, to the likeness of her Lord, as it is written, “ We shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is.” The Church is spoken of as being spiritual, inasmuch as she is in harmony with the Lord and is declared to be begotten again by the Spirit to a new nature, a spirit nature , with the assurance that that which is begotten of the Spirit will, in the resurrection, be born of the Spirit. This use of the word spirit, it will be perceived, is related to personality spirit beings. 2 Corinthians 3:17 ; 1st John 3:2 ; John 3:6.

Ruach in the Old Testament is translated “blast” 4 times, “breath” 28 times, “mind” 6 times, “smell” 8 times, “wind” and “windy” 91 times. In every instance the thought behind the word is an invisible power or influence . Samples of these translations of ruach are as follows:

“With the blast of thy nostrils the waters were gathered together.” Exo 15:8

“All flesh wherein is the breath of life.” Gen 6:17 ; Gen 7:15

“In whose hand is the... breath of all mankind.” Job 12:10.

Another use of the word spirit is in the sense of generative power or fecundity, as in Gen 1:2 , “And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters” that is to say, the power of God, his vehicle of energy, fecundated waters, or rendered them fruitful, prolific. Similarly, “Holy men of old spoke and wrote as they were moved by the holy Spirit,” the holy influence or power of God fecundated their minds, causing them to bring forth thoughts such as God wished to have expressed. 2Pe 1:21 ) Similarly, the skilled workmen whom Moses selected to prepare the paraphernalia of the Tabernacle were brought under the influence of the divine power, to the energizing or quickening of their natural faculties, without affecting them in any moral sense, even as the waters of the great deep were not affected in a moral sense.

Thus it is written: “The Lord hath called by name Bezaleel...and hath filled him with the Spirit of God, in wisdom, in understanding, in knowledge, in all manner of workmanship, and to devise curious works; to work in gold, and in silver, and in brass; and in covering of stones, to set them; and in carving of wood, to make any manner of cunning work. And he hath put in his heart that he may teach, both he and Aholiab,...them hath he filled with wisdom of heart to work all manner of work, of the engraver and of the cunning workman, and of the embroiderer.” Exo 35:30-35 ; Exo 28:3 ; Exo 31:3-4.

• Gifts of the Same Spirit, the Same Lord, the Same God

“There are diversities of gifts, but the same Spirit , as there are differences of administration, but the same Lord ; there are divers operations, but it is the same God which worketh all in all. But a manifestation of the Spirit is given to every man [in the Church] to profit withal. For to one is given, by the Spirit, the word of wisdom; to another the word of knowledge, by the same Spirit; to another faith, by the same Spirit; to another, the gifts of healing, by the same Spirit; to another, the working of miracles; to another, prophecy; to another, discernment of spirits; to another, divers kinds of tongues; to another, the interpretation of tongues; but all these worketh that one and selfsame Spirit, dividing to every man severally as he will.” 1Co 12:4-11

• Divine Will, Influence, Power, Spirit

From the foregoing we perceive that a broad definition of the words “Spirit of God,” or “holy Spirit,” would be the divine will , influence , or power , exercised any and everywhere, and for any purpose in harmony with the divine will, which, being a holy will, implies that the steps and operations of the holy Spirit will be in harmony with holiness. God exercises his Spirit or energy in many ways, using various agencies in accomplishing various results. Whatever is accomplished by the Lord through either mechanical or intelligent agencies, is as truly his work as though he were the direct actor, since all those agencies are of his creation. Just as, amongst men, the contracting builder may not be actually working on every part of the construction, but every workman is his representative and under his control: the work, as a whole, is the contractor’s work, though he may never have lifted a tool upon it. He does it with his materials and through his representatives and agents.

Thus, for instance, when we read, “Jehovah God created the heavens and the earth” Gen 2:4 ), we are not to suppose that he personally handled the elements. He used various agencies“He spake and it was done [he gave orders and they were promptly executed]; he commanded, and it stood fast.” Psa 33:6 , Psa 33:9 ) Creation did not spring instantly into order; for we read that time was used six days or epochs. And while we are distinctly informed that “All things are of the Father” by his energy, his will, his Spirit, yet that energy, as we have previously seen, was exercised through his Son, the Logos .

In the light of the Scriptures we may understand the holy Spirit to mean:

(a) God’s power exercised in any manner, but always according to lines of justice and love, and hence always a holy power.

(b) This power may be an energy of life, a physically creative power, or a power of thought, creating and inspiring thoughts and words, or a quickening or life-giving power, as it was manifested in the resurrection of our Lord, and will again be manifested in the resurrection of the Church, his body.

(c) The begetting or transforming power or influence of the knowledge of the Truth. In this aspect it is designated “The Spirit of Truth.” God rules his own course according to truth and righteousness; hence, God’s Word, the revelation of his course, is called Truth“Thy word is Truth.” Similarly, all who come under the influence of God’s plan of Truth and righteousness are properly said to be under the influence of the Spirit or disposition of the Truth: they are properly described as begotten of the Truth to newness of life.

The Father draws sinners to Christ through a general enlightenment of the mind, a conviction of sin and of their need of a Redeemer. Those who accept Christ as their Savior and Advocate, and come to the point of full consecration to God, through Christ, are said to be begotten of God, “begotten by the word of truth,” begotten by the Spirit of God to a newness of life. That is to say, having come into harmony with divine conditions and regulations, God accepts this consecrated attitude as the proper one, and passing by or covering the weakness of the flesh with the robe of Christ’s righteousness justification by faith, he accepts such as “new creatures in Christ Jesus,” whose desire is to be guided by his Spirit into all truth, and to be led by that holy disposition or Spirit into full obedience to the extent of self-sacrifice, even unto death. Such are said to have received “the Spirit of adoption,” because from thenceforth God, through Christ, enters into a special covenant with these as sons.

And the Father, through the Captain of their Salvation, guarantees to such that if they abide in the Spirit of the Truth he will cause that all the affairs and incidents of life shall work together for good to them to the development in them of more and more of the spirit of righteousness, truth, peace, joy; they shall have more and more of the holy Spirit, as they progress in obedience to the Spirit of Truth. Hence the exhortation to such is, “Be ye filled with the Spirit,” “walk in the Spirit,” “let the Spirit of Christ dwell in you richly and abound, and it shall make you to be neither barren nor unfruitful.” This holy Spirit operating in the believer from the time of his full consecration to the Lord, is the same holy Spirit or disposition of the Father which operated in our Lord Jesus Christ, and hence it is also styled “the Spirit of Christ,” and we are assured, “if any man have not the Spirit of Christ he is none of his.” Rom 8:9

Thank you

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dailybiblelessons · 6 years ago

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Wednesday: Reflection on the Thirty-third Sunday in Ordinary Time

This week's blog post is here. It has information about apocalypses and summaries and links for the week ahead.

More information about the complementary and semi-continuous series is here: Which Series?

Complementary Hebrew Scripture from The Twelve Prophets: Zechariah 12:1-13:1

An Oracle.

The word of the Lord concerning Israel: Thus says the Lord, who stretched out the heavens and founded the earth and formed the human spirit within: See, I am about to make Jerusalem a cup of reeling for all the surrounding peoples; it will be against Judah also in the siege against Jerusalem. On that day I will make Jerusalem a heavy stone for all the peoples; all who lift it shall grievously hurt themselves. And all the nations of the earth shall come together against it. On that day, says the Lord, I will strike every horse with panic, and its rider with madness. But on the house of Judah I will keep a watchful eye, when I strike every horse of the peoples with blindness. Then the clans of Judah shall say to themselves, “The inhabitants of Jerusalem have strength through the Lord of hosts, their God.”

On that day I will make the clans of Judah like a blazing pot on a pile of wood, like a flaming torch among sheaves; and they shall devour to the right and to the left all the surrounding peoples, while Jerusalem shall again be inhabited in its place, in Jerusalem.

And the Lord will give victory to the tents of Judah first, that the glory of the house of David and the glory of the inhabitants of Jerusalem may not be exalted over that of Judah. On that day the Lord will shield the inhabitants of Jerusalem so that the feeblest among them on that day shall be like David, and the house of David shall be like God, like the angel of the Lord, at their head. And on that day I will seek to destroy all the nations that come against Jerusalem.

And I will pour out a spirit of compassion and supplication on the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, so that, when they look on the one whom they have pierced, they shall mourn for him, as one mourns for an only child, and weep bitterly over him, as one weeps over a firstborn.¹ On that day the mourning in Jerusalem will be as great as the mourning for Hadad-rimmon in the plain of Megiddo. The land shall mourn, each family by itself; the family of the house of David by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Nathan by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the house of Levi by itself, and their wives by themselves; the family of the Shimeites by itself, and their wives by themselves; and all the families that are left, each by itself, and their wives by themselves.²

On that day a fountain shall be opened for the house of David and the inhabitants of Jerusalem, to cleanse them from sin and impurity.

¹This prophecy is fulfilled at Jesus' death (John 19:28-37). ²Jesus refers to these verses when he foretells the coming of the Son of Man in the end times (Matthew 24:29-31). This passage is also quoted in the Prologue to Revelation (Revelation 1:4-8).

Semi-continuous Hebrew Scripture from The Former Prophets: 1 Kings 8:22-30

There is a parallel passage at 2 Chronicles 6:12-40.

Then Solomon stood before the altar of the Lord in the presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread out his hands to heaven. He said, “O Lord, God of Israel, there is no God like you in heaven above or on earth beneath, keeping covenant and steadfast love for your servants who walk before you with all their heart, the covenant that you kept for your servant my father David as you declared to him; you promised with your mouth and have this day fulfilled with your hand. Therefore, O Lord, God of Israel, keep for your servant my father David that which you promised him, saying, ‘There shall never fail you a successor before me to sit on the throne of Israel, if only your children look to their way, to walk before me as you have walked before me.’ Therefore, O God of Israel, let your word be confirmed, which you promised to your servant my father David.

“But will God indeed dwell on the earth? Even heaven and the highest heaven cannot contain you, much less this house that I have built! Regard your servant's prayer and his plea, O Lord my God, heeding the cry and the prayer that your servant prays to you today; that your eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the place of which you said, ‘My name shall be there,’ that you may heed the prayer that your servant prays toward this place. Hear the plea of your servant and of your people Israel when they pray toward this place; O hear in heaven your dwelling place; heed and forgive.”

Complementary Psalm 13

How long, O Lord? Will you forget me forever? How long will you hide your face from me? How long must I bear pain in my soul, and have sorrow in my heart all day long? How long shall my enemy be exalted over me?

Consider and answer me, O Lord my God! Give light to my eyes, or I will sleep the sleep of death, and my enemy will say, “I have prevailed”; my foes will rejoice because I am shaken.

But I trusted in your steadfast love; my heart shall rejoice in your salvation. I will sing to the Lord, because he has dealt bountifully with me.

Semi-continuous Psalm 3

O Lord, how many are my foes! Many are rising against me; many are saying to me, “There is no help for you in God.” Selah

But you, O Lord, are a shield around me, my glory, and the one who lifts up my head. I cry aloud to the Lord, and he answers me from his holy hill. Selah

I lie down and sleep; I wake again, for the Lord sustains me. I am not afraid of ten thousands of people who have set themselves against me all around.

Rise up, O Lord! Deliver me, O my God! For you strike all my enemies on the cheek; you break the teeth of the wicked.

Deliverance belongs to the Lord; may your blessing be on your people! Selah

New Testament Gospel Lesson: Mark 13:9-23

There are parallel passages at Matthew 24:15-28 and Luke 21:20-24.

“As for yourselves, beware; for they will hand you over to councils; and you will be beaten in synagogues; and you will stand before governors and kings because of me, as a testimony to them. And the good news must first be proclaimed to all nations. When they bring you to trial and hand you over, do not worry beforehand about what you are to say; but say whatever is given you at that time, for it is not you who speak, but the Holy Spirit. Brother will betray brother to death, and a father his child, and children will rise against parents and have them put to death; and you will be hated by all because of my name. But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

“But when you see the desolating sacrilege set up where it ought not to be (let the reader understand), then those in Judea must flee to the mountains; the one on the housetop must not go down or enter the house to take anything away; the one in the field must not turn back to get a coat. Woe to those who are pregnant and to those who are nursing infants in those days! Pray that it may not be in winter. For in those days there will be suffering, such as has not been from the beginning of the creation that God created until now, no, and never will be. And if the Lord had not cut short those days, no one would be saved; but for the sake of the elect, whom he chose, he has cut short those days. And if anyone says to you at that time, ‘Look! Here is the Messiah!’ or ‘Look! There he is!’—do not believe it. False messiahs and false prophets will appear and produce signs and omens, to lead astray, if possible, the elect. But be alert; I have already told you everything.”

Year B Ordinary 33 Wednesday

Selections from Revised Common Lectionary Daily Readings copyright © 1995 by the Consultation on Common Texts. Unless otherwise indicated, Bible text is from Holy Bible New Revised Standard Version with the Apocryphal / Deuterocanonical Books (NRSV) copyright © 1989 by the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All right reserved. Footnotes in the Hebrew Scriptures that show where the passage is used in the Christian Scriptures are based on information from the Complete Jewish Bible (Updated) (CJB) by David H. Stern, Copyright © 1998 and 2006 by David H. Stern, used by permission of Messianic Jewish Publishers, www.messianicjewish.net. All rights reserved worldwide. When text is taken from the CJB, the passage ends with (CJB) and the foregoing copyright notice applies. Parallel passages are as indicated in Modern English Version (MEV), copyright © 2014 by Military Bible Association. Used by permission. All rights reserved. When text is taken from the MEV, the passage ends with (MEV) and the foregoing copyright notice applies. Note: The links in the titles above take you to Amazon, where you can purchase them and benefit The Lectionary Company. Image credit: Lots family flee while Sodom burns by an unidentified engraver via Wikimedia Commons. This image is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 license.

#B Ordinary 33 Wednesday #Lord #Jerusalem #God #Judah #heaven #suffering #David #servant #Israel #wives

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pamphletstoinspire · 5 years ago

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THIRD SUNDAY OF ADVENT - GAUDETE SUNDAY

The Third Sunday of Advent takes its common name from the Latin word Gaudete (“Rejoice”), the first word of the introit of this day's Mass.

The Epistle of St. Paul to the Philippians, iv. 4-7.

by Bishop Ehrler, 1891

“I am the voice of one crying in the wilderness: make straight the way of the Lord.” (John I: 23.)

I. Every sinner, no matter how often or how grievously he mav have violated the Commandments of God, has a sure hope of pardon. It is true that, when a hardened offender turns to God, and calls upon him for forgiveness, the abyss of evil cries out to the abyss of mercy; or as the Psalmist expresses it: “Deep calleth upon deep.” (Ps. 41 : 8.) But, though this abyss of wickedness be ever so deep and fathomless, that of God's mercy is still greater and more profound; where sin hath abounded, grace more fully abounds. “Turn ye to me, saith the Lord of Hosts: and I will turn to you (Zach. 1 : 3).” Yea, He promises still further: “If the wicked do penance for all his sins which he hath committed, and keep all my commandments, I will not remember all his iniquities that he hath done (Ezech. 18 : 21-22).”

II. The hope of pardon, my dear Christians, is far from being so attractive to the sinner as the hope of continued grace. He knows that God's forgiveness for the past will avail him nothing, if he continues to offend Him anew by fresh sins. He also knows that, of himself, he is utterly unable to avoid evil; and that “it is God who worketh in him both to will and to accomplish according to His good will (Phil. 2: 13).” The Wise Man declares that: “To God the wicked and his wickedness are hateful alike; “and when the converted sinner remembers that he was once an object of hatred to that good God, and reflects at the same time that he is now His friend and favorite, what can he do but cry out gratefully with St. Paul: “By the grace of God, I am what I am (1 Cor. 15 : 10)!” adding with the Psalmist: “What shall I render to the Lord, for all the things that He hath rendered to me (Ps. 115 : 12)?” The recollection of one's past misery is the first happy effect of grace, as well as the first step toward future holiness.

Grace is alike necessary to convert the sinner and to preserve him in the divine friendship after his conversion. The soul of a Christian is like a fortified city, which is surrounded on all sides by enemies. “Unless the Lord keep the city, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it (Ps. 126: 1).” Our spiritual enemies are most numerous, their plans most cunningly devised for our destruction; and we are obliged to contend constantly with the traitorous foe within the walls–our own miserable concupiscence. A man's enemies, says the Lord, are they of his own household (Mich. 7 : 6). But, for our consolation, let us be firmly assured that God will not desert us, unless we first turn our backs on Him; and it is especially written of the just: “The Lord keepeth all them that love Him (Ps. 144: 20).” God does not constrain the free will of man; but His grace is always ready to co-operate with that free will in the grand work of salvation. “He has created us without our aid,” says St. Augustine, ” but He will not save us without our co-operation.” His assistance is so essential to the success of our undertakings, that no one can begin, continue, or complete any work without the all-powerful help of God. He has, then, a just right to issue His commands, since His gracious help encompasses His children on every side, mercifully and efficaciously enabling them to keep His commandments to the end. See, O dearly beloved! how firm and consistent is the hope of grace, to the heart of the repentant and converted sinner!

From: https://www.pamphletstoinspire.com/

#third sunday in advent

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