B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #161

B.A.S.I.C. NEWSLETTER #161

I Cor.. 16:9  ‘For a wide door for effective work has opened to me, and there are many adversaries.’
January 30, 2010

News – Pastor Baker of the CLC-USA is teaching in India in  the BELC especially with Pastor Deepak. We thank the Lord for this work in His kingdom.

A passage explained = Is. 53:7

“He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet He opened not His mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is dumb, so He opened not his mouth.” This is a prophecy pointing to Holy Week when Jesus was taken, interrogated and tortured. For instance in Jn. 19:9 Jesus does not speak, but then in v.11 He does. Before Herod (Lk. 23:9) Jesus made no answer. In Mk. 15:5 He made no further answer to Pilate. In Mk. 14:61 He was silent and made no answer to the Chief Priest. But when the Chief Priest adjured(commanded by oath) Him to answer, He did. Mt. 26:63

This prophecy is fulfilled in that Jesus would not speak to defend Himself or cause Himself to be set free. The silence was necessary when carried out to allow His enemies to proceed to condemn Him to death, as He had to pay for the sins of all people. It was not total silence from Jesus, but a silence at times when He knew to speak would interfere with the will of God that He die. He would not speak up for Himself in any way that would alter the slaughter of the Lamb of God.

A passage explained = James 2:24

“You see that a man is justified by works and not by faith alone.” This passage taken alone would seem to contradict what Paul wrote about being saved by grace through faith without the works of the law. Eph. 2:8-9 But the passage has to be read in its context. In v. 22 James tells us that the faith he is writing about is a living faith and not one of mere words and not of the heart and life. “You see faith was active along with his works, and faith was completed by works…” In v. 26 James gives us an analogy that sets forth clearly what he means, “For as the body apart from the spirit is dead, so faith apart from works is dead.”

The dying thief on the cross was saved simply by faith. He could  not do works. If he had been released then he would have done those things that his faith moved him to do in love of Christ. Paul also right after stating we are saved by grace through faith without the works of the law explains then that works are for us, “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” Eph. 2:10 James and Paul both speak of a living faith and not a dead faith which is no faith at all, but like dust that blows away in the wind.

A passage explained = 1 jn. 3:6

“No one who abides in Him sins; no one who sins has either seen Him or known Him.” We know from the analogy of Scripture that we sin daily and much. In the explanation to the fifth petition we admit this. Paul in Romans seven points up the struggle of the Christian in doing what he does not want to do and not doing what he should do. This is a life long struggle, because we still have the sinful flesh. If that is the case then what does John mean? The idea is continuing in sin as a habit and way of life. In Romans seven we see the true Christian struggles with sin daily and Christ and His Spirit help us in our weakness. The one who lives in his sin does not follow Christ. Impenitence breaks the Christian apart from Christ. To sin and not repent or to sin and not care is what John warns against. John’s point against hypocrisy of saying we believe but not living the faith is again shown after the illustration of showing love in v. 18 “Little children, let us not love in word or speech but in deed and in truth.”

A passage explained = 1 Pet. 4:6

“For this is why the Gospel was preached even to the dead, that though judged in the flesh like men, they might live in the spirit like God.” When someone dies, the time of grace is ended. There is no more chance to repent and believe. So Peter is not talking about those who are dead physically, those whose spirit has left the body. He refers to those who are dead spiritually. It is the same use as Paul has in Eph.2:1, “And you He made alive, when you were dead through the trespasses and sins…”

In v. 5 we know Peter is referring to those dead physically, “but they will give account to Him who is ready to judge the living and the dead.” The ‘living and the dead’ refers clearly to judgment day. Scripture must be read carefully, with the words seen in their context. Here in two verses right next to one another the same word ‘dead’ is used in two different ways.

Angel Study part #3

The Angel of the Lord This is a special expression used in Old Testament times showing how our Lord before His incarnation appeared on earth and carried out God’s will in a variety of ways.  The expression is ‘mal’ak Jehovah,’ How do we know in each of the references below that it is no ordinary angel but ‘the angel of the Lord’ God Himself?

• Hagar – Gen. 16:7-16
• Abraham – Gen. 22:11-19
• Moses – Ex. 3:2-12
• Joshua 5:13-6:7
• Gideon – Judges 6:11-24
• Manoah’s wife – Judges 13:3-23
• Zech. 3:1-4
• Mal. 3:1-4

There are other references also.

Those Who are Angels No More Satan was the leader of the angels who rebelled in heaven against God.  They were cast down.  2 Pet. 2:4, Jude 6, Rev. 20:1-2, Is. 14:12 Satan

• Transforms himself to look like an angel of light – 2 Cor. 11:14
• He is already condemned – John 16:11
• He is under the control of God – Job 1:12
• He roams the earth – I Pet. 5:8, Job 1:7
• He is cunning – Eph. 6:11
• He harms man’s body – Lk. 13:16
• He takes man’s possessions – Job 1:12f
• He harms men’s souls – Acts 5:3
• He promotes unbelief – 2 Cor. 4:4
• He spreads false doctrine – Mt. 13:25
• He tempts the faithful – 2 Cor. 12:7
• He is a liar and murderer – John 8:44
• He may enter the presence of God if God requires it, or allows it –

Job. 1:6,7,  2:1,2

• He will flee with God on our side – James 4:6,7

The evil angels who were cast down with the devil are also called demons.

• They wage war against the believer – I Tim. 4:1,2
• They follow a pattern when tempting the saints – I Tim. 4:1,2
• They are spirit beings – Eph. 6:12
• They know about Jesus – Mk. 1:23-24
• They are well organized – Mt.12:24
• They deceive us – I Tim. 4:1
• They can occupy humans and animals – Mk 5:8-12, Acts 16:16-19
• They  can have names – Lk. 8:30
• They speak – Lk. 4:33-34, 41,  8:28-30
• They experience emotions – Lk. 8:28, James 2:19
• They are powerful – Acts 19:16f, Mk. 5:3

In the end the devil and all who follow him will be cast into the lake of fire to be tormented forever.  Rev. 19:19-21,  20:7-10

Pastor Koenig