Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel.

 Mark 1:14-15

Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, and saying, “The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel. Mark 1:14-15

I continue my study of Mark, leaning on the Christ-Centered Exposition commentary series volume for Mark.  Today, I focus on a commentary-assisted review of Mark 1:14-15, which is the text for the first of three divisions per the commentary.  Excerpts from the commentary:

• Believers are encouraged to "fish for people" by proclaiming the Good News
• There are four components of Jesus' message: "(1) [t]he time is fulfilled, (2) the kingdom of God is near, (3) repent, and (4) believe in the gospel."
• "With the appearance of the Messiah-King, the “kingdom of God” has drawn near. In the person of Jesus Christ, men are confronted head-on with the kingdom—the reign of God. What should be our response? Jesus gives His hearers two commands."
• The first command is to repent, which is "to change [one's] mind leading to a change in behavior."  Of course, we must turn towards God.
• The second command is to believe.  Repentance is complemented by belief - this is how we turn towards God. This turn towards God is not a one-time event but a "life altering change" as we become a new creation. "[a] King has arrived who rightly demands that we follow and radically obey Him. This is the unchanging and uncompromising message and vision of the eternal kingdom of God."  

As the commentary implies, this message of repent and believe requires something not just of a new believer, but all believers over the course of their entire life.  Despite being "born again" (aka regeneration), we continue to have sin until glorification when we meet Jesus face-to-face in Heaven.  On a daily basis, we must go to God to continue a work in us through sanctification.  Sanctification only works if we remain and abide in Him - see also John 15:1-8 and this post from John Piper on DesiringGod.com.    

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer:  Father God, You are an awesome God who saves, provides mercies that never cease and that are new every morning, and who is full of grace and patience to continue a work in me through sanctification. I am undeserving of my salvation and for all that You pour out for me.  My sin is great and it continues...sometimes in very frustrating ways.  Please forgive me 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 continue to 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.

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.

1 Peter 2:24

He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. 1 Peter 2:24a

I agree with this post on DesiringGod.com that states that Holy Week is the most important week in all of history. As such, I continue with one of the recommendations from the post to prepare for Holy Week, which is to read John Piper's 50-day devotional Fifty Reasons Why Jesus Came to Die. Today I read reason #30: That We Might Die to Sin and Live to Righteousness.  In this devotion, Piper describes how Christ's death on the cross means that not only does Christ die but those who put their faith in Him as Savior also die - Piper then clarifies how this means that believers' old way of life is put to death and we are given new life - reborn.  See also Romans 6:5, 2 Corinthians 5:14, and Galatians 2:20.  Piper continues by sharing how baptism is a portrait of this death and rebirth of our new selves - see also Romans 6:4 and Colossians 2:12.  Piper summarizes this for us: "[t]herefore, becoming a Christian means death to sin. The old self that loved sin died with Jesus. Sin is like a prostitute that no longer looks beautiful. She is the murderer of my King and myself. Therefore, the believer is dead to sin, no longer dominated by her attractions. Sin, the prostitute who killed my friend, has no appeal. She has become an enemy."  As believers "put on our new selves" (see Ephesians 4:24), submit to Christ, and His desires become our desires (sanctification), we "live to righteousness."  Piper concludes the devotion by referring us to Romans 6:13 where believers are commanded to become "instruments for righteousness."  Rejoice in Him who died for us, taking our sin and old sinful way of life on the cross with Him so that through sanctification we could become more like him and "instruments for righteousness."

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Father God, You are an awesome God who loves me, and who took my old sinful way of life to the cross, giving me new life.  Thank You Father God.  I am not deserving of such a gift and the many blessings You pour out for me.  My sin continues and it is daily.  Please forgive me 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 continue to 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.

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him....For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

Everyone who believes that Jesus is the Christ has been born of God, and everyone who loves the Father loves whoever has been born of him....For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:1,4

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school at my church on 20OCT, where our class will be looking at 1 John 5:1-4.  Today, for my preparation, I lean on the Christ-Centered Exposition Commentary volume for 1-3 John.  The commentary outlines five divisions for 1 John 5:1-4:

1. We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1).
   
2. We Have Been Born of God (5:1,4).
   
3. We Love the Father and His Family (5:1-2).
4. We Obey His Commands (5:2-3). 
5. We Have Overcome the World (5:4).

The commentary includes all of these divisions in chapter entitled The Birthmarks of the Children of God.  My focus today is first two divisions and the commentary for this text as well as the introduction to the commentary's chapter.

Excerpts from the introduction to the commentary's chapter:

• "In the letter of 1 John, the last living apostle has repeatedly drawn attention to three overarching birthmarks of the children of God. They are right belief (the doctrinal mark), right love (the moral mark), and right behavior (the ethical or social mark)."
• "Now in 1 John 5:1-5 he is going to draw out necessary implications of these three birthmarks and highlight six specific identifying evidences that a person is a child of God."
• "John wants true believers to be assured that they are children of God, and he is fully aware of the fact that there are spiritual deceivers in their midst who could raise questions and cast doubts (2:26). John wants believers to have a rock-solid assurance that they have been born again, that they belong to Jesus, and that they can enjoy right now the gift of eternal life (5:13)."
  

Excerpts from the first two divisions from the commentary:

We Believe That Jesus Is the Messiah (5:1):

• "We must believe “that Jesus is the Messiah.” We must believe—trust in the truth—that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Christ, the hoped-for and promised deliverer. Such a confession is a birthmark that we have been born of God and that we are children of God." 
• Furthering the implications, the commentary shares that we must believe that Jesus is the Prophet, the Priest, and the King of the Church and as such He is the Anointed to reveal (as Prophet) the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  I must accept Him as the Priest who offered the sacrifice - Himself - so that I could be saved. I must also accept Him as King and His law and seek to not only submit to Him but also seek to "hate what He hates, and love what He loves? Do I live to praise Him? Do I, as a loyal subject, desire to see His kingdom come and His will done on earth as it is in Heaven?"
  

We Have Been Born of God (5:1,4):

• "In these verses John makes three observations about the new birth and the evidences related to this birthmark. First, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by confessing that Jesus is the Messiah (v.1). Second, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by loving Father God and His children (v.1). Third, those who have been born of God give witness concerning their new birth by continually overcoming the world (v.4)."
• "In this new birth God does not just give you a new name; He gives you a new nature. He gives you the very nature of God Himself as you enter into His family."
• "[Jesus] came to dramatically, personally, radically, and eternally transform us and make us new people. It is by the new birth that He accomplishes this glorious work. Therefore, you must be born again." 

Believe in Jesus and experience the blessings of being born again in His image!

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and love for - exercising incredible patience with me as You mold me into more of Your image.  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of the love, grace and patience 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.

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith.

1 John 5:1-4

For everyone who has been born of God overcomes the world. And this is the victory that has overcome the world—our faith. 1 John 5:2-4

I continue my preparation for leading Sunday school at my church on 20OCT, where our class will be looking at 1 John 5:1-4.  For this morning, I lean on DesiringGod.com's Look at the Book video for this text.  Excerpts from the video:

• Faith: being born again is what produces faith; our spiritually dead hearts are made alive by Christ and we can begin to see Him in His glory for who He is; we are then drawn to believe; we are warned not to believe in this as a fact because even Satan believes Jesus is the Christ - instead our belief is driven not by logic but a change in spiritual condition.
• Faith: believing in Jesus (new birth) results in love for the Father
• Love for Father results in love for God's children (other believers)
• Love of Father and His children also results in obedience to Him
• Love of God results not just in obedience but in an obedience that is NOT burdensome and Piper explains that this is breakthrough relative to the OT and ceremonial law given how this law was burdensome - instead the law as given by Jesus is joyful
• Our love of God and His children overcome the world including sin, death, everything that makes the commandments of God burdensome (see also 1 John 2:15-17) > we treasure God so much that the world is exposed as unsatisfying
• Piper lays out the sequence as described in the text: new birth > faith > love of God > overcoming the world > we keep His commandments joyfully > this is what John calls loving believers.
  

Lord Jesus, help me see the world as unsatisfying and not love anything in it above You.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and compassion for me - despite my sin.  Thank You Jesus for Your amazing grace!  I am not deserving of my salvation, nor any of the mercies and blessings You pour out for me every single day.  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.

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Leviticus 11

But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves of God, the fruit you get leads to sanctification and its end, eternal life. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:22-23

This evening, I continued my study of Leviticus using the Christ-Centered Exposition series commentary for this book - continuing chapter eleven - Eating for God's Glory - covering Leviticus 11:1-47, looking specifically at the third theme - We Seek to Reflect God's Holiness.  Here, similar to my post yesterday where the focus in the commentary was to be set apart, the focus tonight is the why God wants us to be set apart. Although, my post from a couple of days ago was clear that we don't need an explanation from God to be obedient, here the commentary offers one with regards to why God wants us to be holy.  The commentary encourages us to look at v45 where the sequence is important: first, God brought the Israelites out of Egypt to be their God; second, therefore the Israelites, and believers in Christ by extension, are to be holy because God is holy. For believers in Christ, we are, like the Israelites, redeemed first, then God sanctifies us over the period of our earthly life - making us into more of His image until the day when we meet Jesus face to face in Heaven when we are glorified.  The commentary says it well - when God comes into our lives and hearts the expectation is that now that He has made us new (reborn) and given us a new identity, we are act accordingly. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer:  Lord Jesus, You are an amazing God who loves me and who has redeemed me and I know You have sanctified me - and I have seen the miraculous work You have done in my life and I know You are not done.  Thank You Jesus.  I am not deserving of what You have done for me.  I worry.  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.

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his.

Romans 6

For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we shall certainly be united with him in a resurrection like his. Romans 6:5

This morning, I continued my study of Romans.  Using my commentary - Exalting Jesus in Romans (eBook) - I moved on to chapter eight Raised to Walk in Newness of Life, which covers Romans 6.  My focus today is Romans 6:1-10 which my commentary refers to under the heading Truths We Must Know. First, following his discussion of grace (see yesterday's post), we see Paul challenging any believer who thinks that we have a free pass to sin in light of the abounding grace we have in Christ for the sin we commit (v1-2) - my commentary refers to such an attitude as antinomianism. We are encouraged to see how our old self (sinful self - v6) has died and we are reborn just as Jesus rose from the dead. We are "baptized into his death" (v3) and as a result experiencing "newness of life" (v4).  We then see Paul further describing how this newness manifests itself: we are "no longer enslaved to sin" (v6). This newness in life (slave to God - see Romans 1:1) is not just life to the full now (John 10:10) but also eternity in Heaven with Him. 

My commentary emphasizes Romans 6 as describing how believers experience "union with Christ" (v5). We have this new identity, and we experience what Jesus did at the cross and with the resurrection. Sin and death lose their power over believers lives as a result. The commentary reminds us that the period between justification and glorification as sanctification and this new identity enables the sanctification process. 

Comment and discuss this post here.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who freed me from the tyranny of sin and death - thank You Jesus!  The greatest gift of all time!  I am not deserving of such a gift.  My sin continues - worry, anger, etc. 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 Your 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.