Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?

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 “For I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God that brings salvation to everyone who believes: first to the Jew, then to the Gentile.  For in the gospel the righteousness of God is revealed—a righteousness that is by faith from first to last, just as it is written: “The righteous will live by faith.”” [Romans 1:16-17]

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 "The just shall live by faith."

Paul was not ashamed to take God’s good news to sophisticated Rome, even though the message had proved to be a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Greeks, for he knew that it is the power of God to salvation—that is, it tells how God by His power saves everyone who believes on His Son. This power is extended equally to Jews and Greeks.  The order for the Jew first and also for the Greek was fulfilled historically during the Acts period. While we have an enduring obligation to God’s ancient people, the Jews, we are not required to evangelize them before going to the Gentiles. Today God deals with Jews and Gentiles on the same basis, and the message and timing are the same to all.

The righteousness of God refers to the perfect standing which God provides for those who believe on His Son. Those who are not in themselves righteous are treated as if they were righteous because God sees them in all the perfection of Christ. Righteousness is imputed to their account.  The righteousness of God seems to refer especially to His way of justifying sinners by faith.


The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel. First the gospel tells us that God’s righteousness demands that sins be punished, and the penalty is eternal death. But then we hear that God’s love provided what His righteousness demanded. He sent His Son to die as a Substitute for sinners, paying the penalty in full. Now because His righteous claims have been fully satisfied, God can righteously save all those who avail themselves of the work of Christ. God’s righteousness is revealed from faith to faith, by faith from start to finish.

God’s righteousness is not imputed on the basis of works or made available to those who seek to earn or deserve it. It is revealed on the principle of faith alone.  This is in perfect agreement with the divine decree in Habakkuk 2:4, “The just shall live by faith,” which may also be understood to mean “The justified-by-faith ones shall live.”

Why do men need the gospel? The answer, in brief, is because they are lost without it.

Do you have the saving faith?

Turn your eyes upon Jesus.
Take hold of His powerful hand.
He will lift you up in His mighty love.
In the strength of your God you can stand.



"I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting"

 “As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him.  He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”  “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.   “I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied.”  [Acts 9:3-5]

 



Jesus washes disciples' feet

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 “Jesus answered him, "What I am doing you do not understand now, but afterward you will understand."  Peter said to him, "You shall never wash my feet." Jesus answered him, "If I do not wash you, you have no share with me." Simon Peter said to him, "Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!” [John 13:7-9]

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 'Lord, not my feet only but also my hands and my head!'

The day before the crucifixion, the Lord Jesus knew that the time had come for Him to die, to rise again, and to go back to heaven. He had loved His own, that is, those who were true believers. He loved them to the end of His earthly ministry, and will continue to love them throughout eternity. But He also loved them to an infinite degree, as He was about to demonstrate.

Jesus, who was conscious of His deity, was performing a slave's task.  He knew the work that had been committed to Him; He knew that He had come from God and hat He was already on His journey back to God.

In eastern lands, the use of open sandals made it necessary to wash one's feet frequently. It was common courtesy for a host to arrange to have a slave wash the feet of his guests. Here the divine Host became the slave and performed this lowly service. "Jesus at the feet of the traitor--what a picture! What lessons for us!"

Peter was shocked to think of the Lord's washing the feet, and he expressed his disapproval that One so great as the Lord should condescend to one so unworthy as he. " The sight of God in the role of a servant is disturbing."

Jesus now taught Peter that there was a spiritual meaning to what He was doing. Foot-washing was a picture of a certain type of spiritual washing.  Peter knew that the Lord was performing the physical act, but he did not understand the spiritual significance. He would know it soon, however, because the Lord explained it. And he would know it by experience when later he was restored to the Lord after having denied Him.

Peter illustrates the extremes of human nature. He vowed that the Lord would never wash his feet-- and here "never" literally means "not for eternity." The Lord answered Peter that apart from His washing, there could be no fellowship with Him. The meaning of foot-washing  is now unfolded. As Christians walk through the world, they contract a certain amount of defilement. Listening to vile talk, looking at unholy things, working with ungodly men inevitably soil the believer. He needs to be constantly cleansed. This cleansing take place by the water of the Word. As we read and study the Bible, as we hear it preached, and as we discuss with one another, we find that it cleanses us from the evil influences about us.  On the other hand, the more we neglect the Bible, the more these wicked influences can remain in our minds and lives without causing us any great concern.

Now Peter shifted to the other extreme. A minute ago, he was saying, "Never." Now he said, "Wash me all over."

On the way back from the public bath, a person's feet would get dirty again. He didn't need another bath but did need to have his feet washed. There is a difference between the bath and the basin. The bath speaks of the cleansing received at the time of one's salvation. Cleansing from the penalty of sin through the blood of Christ takes place only once. The basin speaks of cleansing from the pollution of sin and must take place continually through the Word of God.

Lay aside the garments that are stained with sin,
And be washed in the blood of the Lamb;
There’s a fountain flowing for the soul unclean,
O be washed in the blood of the Lamb!



"Jesus Washes His Disciples' Feet"

 “After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him.”  [John 13:5]

 





By faith in the name of Jesus...

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 “Taking him by the right hand, he helped him up, and instantly the man’s feet and ankles became strong. He jumped to his feet and began to walk. Then he went with them into the temple courts, walking and jumping, and praising God.”  [Acts 3:7-8]

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 'By faith in the name of Jesus...'

It was 3:00pm when Peter and John went up together to the temple in Jerusalem at the hour of prayer. As they approached the temple, they saw men carrying a crippled beggar to his customary spot at the gate call Beautiful.

The helpless condition of this man, lame since birth, is in marked contrast to the beauty of the architecture of the temple. The lame man had obviously given up hope of ever being cured, so he contended himself to ask for a handout.

Instead of looking on this man as a helpless wretch, Peter saw him as one in whom the mighty power of God might be demonstrated! "If we are led by the Spirit, we will fix our eyes on those whom God intends to bless. Peter's command, "Look at us," was not intended to attract publicity to John and himself, but merely to insure the undivided attention of the beggar.

Still expecting nothing more than financial help, the cripple gave them his attention. Then he heard an announcement that was both disappointing and thrilling to him. As far as a handout was concerned, Peter had nothing to give. But he had something better to give. By the authority of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, he commanded the lame man to rise up and walk.

While the man held on to Peter and John, all the people were astonished and came running to them in the place called Solomon’s Colonnade. When Peter saw this, he said to them: “Fellow Israelites, why does this surprise you? Why do you stare at us as if by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac and Jacob, the God of our fathers, has glorified his servant Jesus. You handed him over to be killed, and you disowned him before Pilate, though he had decided to let him go. You disowned the Holy and Righteous One and asked that a murderer be released to you. You killed the author of life, but God raised him from the dead. We are witnesses of this. By faith in the name of Jesus, this man whom you see and know was made strong. It is Jesus’ name and the faith that comes through him that has completely healed him, as you can all see.

"But these are written so that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name." John 20:31

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?



"Silver and Gold have I none"

 “Then Peter said, “Silver or gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, walk.”  [Acts 3:6]

 



'...who meditates on His law day and night'

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 “This book of the law shall not depart out of thy mouth; but thou shalt meditate therein day and night, that thou mayest observe to do according to all that is written therein: for then thou shalt make thy way prosperous, and then thou shalt have good success.”  [Joshua 1:8]

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 '...who meditates on His law day and night'

Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the wicked, nor stands in the way of sinners, nor sits in the seat of scoffers; but his delight is in the lawof the LORD,    and on his law he meditates day and night. He is like a tree planted by streams of water that yields its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. In all that he does, he prospers. [Psalm 1:1-3]

The truly blessed person is the one who steers clear of the lifestyle of the ungodly. In his contacts with them he avoids complicity with them or even tacit approval of their sin and scoffing. This does not mean that the happy man isolates himself completely from the wicked. Instead he witnesses to them of “sin, righteousness, and judgment,” and seeks to introduce them to Christ, the one source of lasting pleasure. The happy man is a real friend to the ungodly, but he is not a partner with them.

It is impossible to visualize a happy man who is not also a man of God’s Book. He has an insatiable hunger for the Word of the Lord. He loves the Bible and mediates on it day and night. By this means his own life is enriched and he becomes a channel of blessing to others.

The man who is separated from sin and separated to the Scriptures has all the qualities of a strong, healthy, fruitful tree:

Planted by the rivers of water—he has a never-failing supply of nourishment and refreshment.  It brings forth its fruit in its season—he displays the graces of the Sprit, and his words and actions are always timely and appropriate. Its leaf also shall not wither—his spiritual life is not subject to cyclical changes but is characterized by continuous inner renewal. As D.L. Moody put it, “All the Lord’s trees are evergreen.”

This kind of man shall prosper in everything he undertakes. The reason of course, is that he is living in fellowship with the Lord, and all his service is therefore guided by the efficient and successful in the Christian life is to be led by the Spirit of God. Self-directed activity is an enormous waste of time, money, and effort!

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?



"A tree planted by streams of water"

 “That person is like a tree planted by streams of water,
which yields its fruit in season
and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers”  [Psalm 1:3]

 





Are you born again?

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 “Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.”  [John 3:3]

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 'Are you born again?'

Are you born again? This is one of life's most important questions. Jesus answered him, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3).

First of all, John wrote: “No one born of God makes a practice of sinning...” (I John 3:9). “We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him.” (I John 5:18).

A person, who has been born again, or regenerated, does not habitually commit sin. But the true Christian hates sin, flees from it, fights against it, considers it his greatest plague, resents the burden of its presence, mourns when he falls under its influence, and longs to be completely delivered from it.

“If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.” (I John 1:8). But he can say that he hates sin and that the great desire of his soul is not to commit sin at all. He cannot prevent bad thoughts from entering his mind, or shortcomings, omissions, and defects from appealing in both his words and his actions. He knows that “we all stumble in many ways” (James 3:2).

Second, John wrote: “Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God...” (I John 5:1).

A man who is born again, or regenerated, believes that Jesus Christ is the only Savior who can pardon his soul, which He is the divine person appointed by God the Father for this very purpose, and beside Him there is no Savior at all. In himself he sees nothing but unworthiness. But he has full confidence in Christ, and trusting in Him, he believes that his sins are all forgiven.

Third, John wrote: “If you know that he is righteous, you may be sure that everyone who practices righteousness has been born of him” (I John 2:29).

The man who is born again, or regenerated, is a holy man. He endeavors to live according to God's will, to do the things that please God and to avoid the things that God hates. He wishes to continually look to Christ as his example as well as his Savior and to prove himself to be Christ's friend by doing whatever He commands. He knows he is not perfect. He is painfully aware of his indwelling corruption. He finds an evil principle within himself that is constantly warring against grace and trying to draw him away from God. But he does not consent to it, though he cannot prevent its presence.

Fourth, John wrote: “We know that we have passed out of death into life, because we love the brothers. Whoever does not love abides in death” (I John 3:14).

A man who is born again has a special love for all true Disciples of Christ. Like his Father in heaven, he loves all men with a great general love, but he has a special love for those who share his faith in Christ. Like his Lord and Savior, he loves the worst of sinners and could weep over them; but he has a peculiar love for those who are believers. He is never so much at home as when he is in their company.

Fifth, John wrote: “For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith” (I John 5:4).

A man who is born again does not use the world's opinion as his standard of right and wrong. He does not mind going against the world's ways, ideas and customs. What men think or say no longer concerns him. He overcomes the love of the world. He finds no pleasure in things which seem to bring happiness to most people. To him they seem foolish and unworthy of an immortal being.

Sixth, John wrote: “the one who was born of God keeps him safe' (I John 5:18).

A man who is born again is careful of his own soul. He tries not only to avoid sin but also to avoid everything which may lead to it. He is careful about the company he keeps. He knows that evil communications corrupt the heart and that evil is more catching than good, just as disease is more infectious than health. He is careful about the use of his time; his chief desire is to spend it profitable.

How should we react to these things? We can logically come to only one conclusion—only those who are born again have these six characteristics, and those who do not have these marks are not born again. This seems to be the conclusion to which the apostle intended us to come. Do you have these characteristics? Are you born again?

Are you washed in the blood,
In the soul cleansing blood of the Lamb?
Are your garments spotless? Are they white as snow?
Are you washed in the blood of the Lamb?



"Give us this day our daily bread"

 “Give us this day our daily bread,and forgive us our debts,  as we also have forgiven our debtors. And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil”  [Matthew 6: 11-13]