...Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Romans 5

...Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come. 1 Thessalonians 1:10

I maintain a pause of my study of 1 Corinthians as I continue using DesiringGod.com's Solid Joys daily devotion, which today shares details of the eternal damnation of those who spurn God's love and reject Him as Lord and Savior.  Piper starts the devotion by sharing 1 Thessalonians 1:10 where Paul describes the hope he has in Jesus who delivers believers from "the wrath to come."  Piper then provides several verses that share the ominous details of what it will be like for those damned for eternity: Romans 2:8, Ephesians 5:6, Revelation 14:10-11, Revelation 20:15, Revelation 19:15, and Revelation 14:20.

Besides 1 Thessalonians 1:10, Piper provides Revelation 22:17 and 21:4 to encourage believers with what awaits them in Heaven.  

As Piper concludes the devotion for today, he urges believers with: encouragement and a message to save others from the fire: "I tremble with joy that I am saved! But oh, the holy wrath of God is a horrible destiny. Flee this, brothers and sisters. Flee this with all your might. And let us save as many as we can!" 

[H]ave mercy on those who doubt; save others by snatching them out of the fire[.] Jude 22-23a

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are an awesome God who loves me and who is full of grace and mercy for me - thank You Jesus for saving me from the wrath to come.  I am not deserving of such love and grace.  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.

This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.” For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness[.]

Hebrews 7

This becomes even more evident when another priest arises in the likeness of Melchizedek, who has become a priest, not on the basis of a legal requirement concerning bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life. For it is witnessed of him, “You are a priest forever, after the order of Melchizedek.”  For on the one hand, a former commandment is set aside because of its weakness and uselessness[.] Hebrews 7:15-18

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. This morning, my focus is on Hebrews 7:11-22, as I lean on my commentary, and how it unpacks the third division "The Eternal Priesthood of the Son," which refers to Hebrews 7:15-18.  Here, the commentary highlights two key points in the text.  First, Jesus's priesthood is not based on "bodily descent, but by the power of an indestructible life" (v16).  The commentary shares that "[s]omething infinitely greater and eternally superior (than bodily descent) qualifies him for the position—namely, an indestructible life."  The text and the commentary then pivots to shortcomings in the law and how obedience to the law is always insufficient for our salvation - works cannot save anyone, only Jesus can.  Examining the language of the text, the law may always be useful (2 Timothy 3:16-17) but it is weak in its regard to save.

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, You are a great God and You accomplished what obedience to the law never can - my salvation!  Thank You Jesus!  I am not deserving of my salvation.  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.

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his.

Hebrews 4

So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, for whoever has entered God's rest has also rested from his works as God did from his. Hebrews 4:9-10

I continue my study of Hebrews, assisted by the commentary Christ Centered Exposition: Exalting Jesus in Hebrews. My focus this morning is Hebrews 4:1-13, as I move on to what the commentary describes as the second division "Entering by Urgency," which looks at Hebrews 4:3-10. The commentary describes how the text, since Hebrews 3:7, maintains an emphasis on how believers can only enter "God's rest" through believe and faith in Jesus Christ.  It states that this repetition is important because "[t]his is a message stubborn sinners need to hear over and over again."  The commentary then highlights how the text uses the word "today" (2x in v7) to urge those hearing the gospel message to not delay in placing their faith in Christ: "God has appointed today for us so that we might respond to his call in faith and not harden our hearts. We cannot presume upon tomorrow. Today may be the only day we have left. But as long as you have today, you have an invitation to faith." The commentary wraps for this division by stating: "[l]ike John 3:16, Hebrews 4:10 powerfully captures the message of the gospel in a single verse. The gospel is not morality. The gospel is not external religion. Nor is it a seven-step program for obtaining a better life. The gospel is the message of Christ’s accomplishments on our behalf so that we might “rest” from our works by trusting in his work. When we trust in Christ’s work, we rest from trusting our own."  Believe in Jesus Christ, who died for the sins of all humanity, so that You can enter God's rest! 

Comment and discuss this post.

My Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank You for giving me rest from a works-based salvation and rest for eternity!  I am not deserving of such a gift - the greatest gift of all time.  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.