[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.

Ephesians 3

[God] raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. Ephesians 2:6-7

I maintain a pause of my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series, to continue my study of Ephesians for 3 days per week as I participate in a Discipleship (D) Group that is part of my church. Today, I move on to my study of Ephesians 3 Day 2 - with a specific focus on v8-13.  For those inclined (I recommend it), John Piper provides a 9-part series on this text via his Lab videos on DesiringGod.com. This morning, I use part 1, which Piper names "Gospel Ministry Before Angels and Demons".  Piper's core point in this video is how Paul had a cosmic purpose to reveal "the manifold wisdom of God" not just to and within the church (Jews and Gentiles - all nations), but in heavenly places so that even angels and heavenly bodies would stoop down to see God's glory and lift Him up in worship and praise. There is also a larger, eternal purpose: that our understanding of the wisdom of God would then lead us to be bold and confident in our faith, and so that - using v13 that in light of v1-12 - believers would not look at how Paul is imprisoned (or any suffering for that matter) and be strengthened and not lose heart.

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God - thank You for revealing the gospel to me, for giving me a heart of flesh so that I could be saved!  I am not deserving of course of this nor any blessing You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues....daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.   

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.”

Isaiah 6

And he touched my mouth and said: “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Isaiah 6:7

I continue my deep dive of Isaiah, based on the Precept Upon Precept study series.  On day 13 of my study, I look more closely at the holiness of God and our response, including how are driven into the arms of the Lord based on His amazing grace.  Isaiah 6:3 refers to God's holiness and the study urges us to look elsewhere in scripture where God is depicted as holy.  One such reference is in Leviticus 11:44-45 where in v45, God says:

You shall therefore be holy, for I am holy. Leviticus 11:45

The study also refers us to Deuteronomy where God discusses what may qualify a king to serve over Israel:

[The king] shall write for himself in a book a copy of this law, approved by the Levitical priests. And it shall be with him, and he shall read in it all the days of his life, that he may learn to fear the Lord his God by keeping all the words of this law and these statutes, and doing them, that his heart may not be lifted up above his brothers, and that he may not turn aside from the commandment, either to the right hand or to the left, so that he may continue long in his kingdom, he and his children, in Israel. Deuteronomy 17:18-20

Knowledge of the Lord is key - as I have posted a few days ago.

Knowledge of the Lord reveals our sin and points us back to Him for forgiveness and His mercy.

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My Prayer: Lord You are an awesome God who is Holy and seeks for me to be Holy.  You give me Your Word so that I can know and worship You appropriately - through confession, etc.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of You grace and mercy.  Thank You for Your Word and The Holy Spirit so that I can better understand You Word. I am not deserving of these blessings.  My sins continue...daily.  Please forgive me Jesus and help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.”

 Leviticus 5-6

Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. For I would not have known what it is to covet if the law had not said, “You shall not covet.” Romans 7:7

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing with chapter six - When We Are Guilty - covering Leviticus 5:14-6:7, looking specifically at the theme - God Provides for the Cancellation of Our Guilt.  Here, the commentary is rich with takeaways as it starts with the sub-heading God Requires Realization of Sin. It describes how the phrase "realizes his guilt" appears in Leviticus 6:4 and upon closer inspection we can see this phrase six times, emphasizing how an acknowledgement of sin is critical to our faith. To see the need for Jesus, you must first acknowledge your sin. The commentary digs deeper and writes how such an acknowledgement is not based on a worldly view of right and wrong but instead on God's view alone, and as written in the Bible; and the more we read the Bible, the more we should be drawn to God, because God reveals our sin to us in the Bible - we are pointed to Romans 7:7 as an example. Of course our brothers and sisters in Christ also play a role in "sharpening" us, as does the Holy Spirit. The commentary points us to Martin Luther's writings (see commentary on 3:19) on the role of the Law in helping us see our sin. 

The commentary then pivots to the next sub-heading God Requires Restitution for Sin (as described in v5:16, 6:4) and here it describes how we are to have Godly-grief over sin vs worldly grief (see 2 Corinthians 7:9-10). Such grief leads to true repentance - and changed behavior/lives - which is the restitution God seeks from us over our sin. 

Finally, the commentary writes in the sub-heading God Requires Receiving His Atonement that Jesus death on the cross is what God wants for us - He knew the Old Testament sacrificial system was going to be insufficient for our atonement so He sent His Son.  Isaiah 53:10 prophecies such a plan:

Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the Lord shall prosper in his hand. Isaiah 53:10

We must acknowledge our sin as we all sin, are in need of Savior, and Jesus Christ is that Savior.

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who gives atonement for my sin - through Jesus Christ.  Thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time.  Yet I am undeserving of such grace and compassion.  My sin continues every single day.  Please forgive me Jesus.  Help me overcome and turn from my sin towards You.  Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.

“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed....Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin.

Leviticus 4

“If anyone of the common people sins unintentionally in doing any one of the things that by the Lord's commandments ought not to be done, and realizes his guilt, or the sin which he has committed is made known to him, he shall bring for his offering a goat, a female without blemish, for his sin which he has committed....Yet if it had not been for the law, I would not have known sin. Leviticus 4:27-28, Romans 7:1

This morning, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - starting chapter four - How God Deals with Sin - covering Leviticus 4:1-35, looking specifically at the theme God Frees People from Past Sin.  Here, the commentary looks at how sin is made known to us so that we may make atonement for our sin.  First, God gives us salvation and faith through redemption and justification, and we then have this freedom from sin.  We then are progressively sanctified as God makes known sin to us through the Word and Holy Spirit, and further refines us as we submit to Him. My commentary points out how in the Old Testament God frees the Israelites from bondage in Egypt, giving them freedom; He then gives them the law - again to make sin known to us where we then have path to atonement through the sacrificial system.  We are urged to see the order of freedom then the giving of the law - this order is important. For believers in Christ Jesus, while the sacrificial system (animal sacrifice) is done away with, my commentary describes this same process applies. "First comes His redemption, then comes His law.  Praise God, He frees people from past sin!"  

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My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for both my freedom in Christ and for giving me the law so that I can know sin.  I seek to become more like You and seek to rid myself of as much sin as possible - I know that through Christ this is possible!  You are a God like no other!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of this and all the blessings - which my words cannot describe - You pour out for me. Help me love You with all of my heart, soul, and mind and love others as You love me.  Help me grow in my faith.  Give Lisa and myself wisdom and strength.  Please heal Lisa of her cancer and from the side effects of chemo.  Help us lead Zach and Dustin to You Jesus and for them to choose You as their Lord and Savior.  Please provide Godly friends and spouses to Zach and Dustin.  Help me serve You, my family, my church, and others.  Help me understand, be obedient to, and apply Your message for me today and every day.