Fixing Our Eyes Upon Jesus

Paul gave his readers three tasks to perform, and they are: lay aside everything that hinders one’s walk in Christ, lay aside the sin-principle (the old man) before which we have no power to overcome, and run the race before us with endurance (Hebrews 12:1). But, one may ask: How is this done? Well, Paul gives us the answer in the very next verse (Hebrews 12:2). We are able to make the necessary sacrifices, overcome the enemy over whom we have no power and run the race faithfully only by fixing our eyes upon Jesus.

 

The City with Foundations

According to Hebrews 11:8 God called Abraham to leave the place where he lived and go to another place, which he would inherit later. Specifically, Abraham was called by the Lord to leave his father’s house to go to a country that the Lord would show him (Genesis 12:1-4). In other words, it doesn’t appear that Abraham knew what land that would be. Abraham obeyed God (Hebrews 11:8) and left the land where he dwelt, and his father’s house, just as the Lord had commanded. The Lord also promised a reward for Abraham’s obedience. Abraham would become a great nation, would be a blessing to all nations, and the Lord would protect him (Hebrews 11:8; Genesis 12:1-4). However, it wasn’t until Abraham actually arrived in the land of Canaan that God specifically promised to give that particular land to his descendants (Genesis 12:7).

 

The Finished Work of Salvation

In chapter ten of his Epistle to the Hebrews, Paul reminds his readers that the work of salvation has been completed, but they need to be patient before they receive the rewards. There is an element of immanency in this epistle that needs to be taken seriously, because “hope deferred makes the heart sick, but when the desire comes, it is a tree of life (Proverbs 13:12). There was a very real danger of Paul’s readers losing their reward, because, as we shall discover in this study, Jesus foretold that many, some conclude the majority, of them (Matthew 24:10) would be in danger of falling away, giving it all up in the face of persecution. In this epistle Paul tried to stem the tide, if, perhaps, he could save some from doing what they knew in their heart of hearts was wrong (cp. 1Corinthians 9:20-22).

 

All Must Repent, and All Must Be Forgiven!

from Google Images

Jesus reminded the disciples of what he had told them before they arrived in Jerusalem, namely, that all things written in the scriptures concerning him must be fulfilled (Luke 24:44). Moreover, this pertained to how he would be mistreated and mocked by the Jewish leaders, and how he would be scourged and crucified by the gentiles, but he would rise again on the third day (cf. Luke 18:31-34; 24:25-26). He then began to open their understanding of the scriptures (Luke 24:45; cf. Acts 16:14), but this may not have been like switching on a light in order to dispel their darkness. Rather, it may have taken several appearances, before the disciples fully understood and embraced what Jesus had been telling them for some time (cf. Acts 1:3). One doesn’t rid himself of false doctrine very easily or all at once.

 

Why Seek the Living One Among the Dead?

from Google Images

The women who waited on Jesus during his lifetime (Luke 8:2-3) came to clean his body, to anoint him and to dress his corpse for burial. All the burial preparations on the day of his death were done quickly. Even the tomb where he had been laid was used because it was close by (John 19:41-42). When they arrived at the grave site, the appearance of the tomb was not what they had expected. The stone had been removed from the opening of the tomb, and when they looked into the sepulcher the body of Jesus was no longer there (Luke 24:3)! As the women wondered over these things, two angels stood with them and asked, “Why do you seek the Living among the dead” (Luke 24:4-5)? They reminded the women of what Jesus told them earlier in Galilee concerning his death and resurrection (Luke 24:6-8). Then they remembered his words and ran to tell the disciples and everyone else!

 

The Rich Young Ruler

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The rich young ruler asked how he might inherit eternal life (Luke 18:18). The idea behind his question was what he could do in order for him to obtain it as a possession. He viewed it as he did the rest of his great possessions. Jesus told him, if this was truly what he desired, then all he needed to do was keep the commandments of God (Luke 18:20; cf. Leviticus 18:5).

 

How Is the Believer Justified?

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Jesus has given us a good look at our own self-righteousness in the parable about the Pharisee and the Publican in Luke 18:9-14. For the purpose of not bringing into this story some preconceived notions, I would like to set aside the title of Pharisee and publican and give these two individuals names. I’ll call the Pharisee Eddie and the publican Boomer.

Two men went up to the Temple of God to pray. The first man’s name was Eddie, and he prayed like this: “Oh God, thank you for your input in my life. I am so glad that I am not as some men that I see in this world. I have seen men who have destroyed their lives and families and brought great dishonor to their parents, because they had no character or self-discipline.

 

The Pharisee and the Publican

from Google Images

In Luke 18:9 Jesus began speaking another parable, but this time it seems he was talking to the Pharisees, because the reason for the parable is that “some trusted in themselves and despised others.” The main characters in this parable are a Pharisee and a publican (Luke 18:10). No doubt Jesus chose these two groups, because, not only were they natural enemies, but the one group did trust they were righteous, while the second knew they were not. The one group was readily received into Jewish society, but the other was looked upon with suspicion and hate.

 

Striving at the Gate of the Kingdom

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In Luke 13:23 Jesus was questioned by a rabbi concerning who and how many would populate the Kingdom of God. Jesus replied to the question with the parable of the straight gate (Luke 13:24-30). It is not that Jesus tries to avoid answering the question put to him, but, rather the rabbi’s question simply isn’t a valid one. The rabbi assumes the question of entering the Kingdom of God can be addressed as an either /or proposition. It is similar to the question: “Do you still beat your wife?” How does one answer that question, if one never beat or abused his wife? If he says “No!” his answer implies that he at one time beat his wife. If he says “Yes!” he agrees outright that he beat his wife. A person who has never beat or abused his wife cannot answer the question according to its content, because the question isn’t valid. It begins with a presumption that isn’t true.

 

Are There Few to Be Saved?

from Google Images

Luke tells us that a person in the crowd asked Jesus a question (Luke 13:23). Most commentaries treat the question as legitimate, some even concluding that it is a question many ask even today. However, was the question as innocent as most commentaries make it seem? I have my doubts. It seems to me that the person who questions Jesus in Luke 13:23 is either a rabbi or one of the rabbi’s disciples. I believe he is probably baiting Jesus for a debate of sorts or in some manner seeking to discredit him. This was a question often debated among scholars of Jesus’ day, but as we shall see it precludes a direct or simple answer from Jesus, because it lacks a basic understanding of the Scriptures.

 

The Gospel in Jesus’ Prayers

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Luke records Jesus at prayer eleven times in his Gospel., and if taken together, we would find the Gospel preached to us. Luke’s choice of Jesus’ prayers (and there are other prayers in the other Gospel narratives) lets us see a progression of belief, even a progression to belief, in the Gospel of Jesus. I was quite surprised with what I found here, not that anything is new, but to find these things collected into one place (labeled prayer) was, indeed, surprising. What Jesus puts in prayer is a picture of God reaching out to mankind in such a manner that causes mankind to reach out to him. In other words, Luke has Jesus praying out salvation (the Gospel).

 

Living Without License

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In Galatians 5:13 Paul addresses the Galatians as brethren, showing he doesn’t consider that they have lost their salvation, as some assume through a misapplication of Galatians 4:19. If asked if I thought the freedom we are offered in Christ was absolute or liberty in measure, I would have to say that such freedom must be absolute. Otherwise, we are not free at all. We would continue to be subject to the authority of something (or someone) else.

 

Paul’s Argument of Maturity

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In Galatians 3:25-29 Paul argues that, as the mature sons of God, we are no longer under our childhood guardian or schoolmaster. After faith has come—that is, after our salvation appears or after Jesus’ crucifixion and resurrection (the object of our faith)—after this appears, we are no longer under the custodian, which Paul explains is the Law (Galatians 3:25). Rather we are under Jesus in whom we trust.

 

Paul’s Scriptural Argument

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It had always been known that salvation would come to the gentiles, because it had been promised to Abraham that in him all nations would be blessed. Because Abraham is the father of the Jewish nation, it was put forth by the Judaizers that the gentile Galatians could be saved only by their becoming Jews. The reasoning was that, because the Jews point to Abraham as their father, and the gentiles would be blessed through him, the blessing could occur only if the gentiles became Jews. By identifying with God through circumcision, which God had given Abraham, they would become Jews and be subject to the Law of Moses, just as Jews.

 

Paul, the Apostle of God

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From the very beginning of his letter to the Galatians Paul identifies himself as an apostle by Jesus Christ and the Father. He words it this way: “an apostle not of man…” presumably because it had been told the Galatians by Jewish visitors that Paul’s apostleship was given him by one or more of the Twelve, and probably Peter figured prominently in their story. The sense is that if he was ordained by men, Paul couldn’t preach anything new. His Gospel must be the very same as the Gospel preached by those at Jerusalem.