Paradox is a statement seemingly absurd or self-contradictory, but really found in truth. It is God’s way of hiding the truth on a purpose and Jesus glorified God the father for having that way.
At that time Jesus, full of joy through the Holy Spirit, said, "I praise you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because you have hidden these things from the wise and learned, and revealed them to little children. Yes, Father, for this was your good pleasure. Luke 10:21 NIV
There are many paradox in the bible we can find that the Lord Jesus used to convey the truth to the hearers of the Word of God. Actually, there are two ways Jesus used to convey his message which contains hidden truth.
• Parables – Jesus narrates things and events to illustrate moral or spiritual lesson, so the hearers could easily understand the truth.
Jesus spoke all these things to the crowd in parables; he did not say anything to them without using a parable. So was fulfilled what was spoken through the prophet: "I will open my mouth in parables, I will utter things hidden since the creation of the world." Matt 13:34-35NIV
• Paradox – Jesus speaks a very contradicting statements which many hearers becomes so perplex, it becomes so hard and difficult to understand.
Example:
Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. John 14:26-27 NIV. But in Matt 10:34-35, Jesus said, "Do not suppose that I have come to bring peace to the earth. I did not come to bring peace, but a sword.
Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you... On hearing it, many of his disciples said, "This is a hard teaching. Who can accept it?" Aware that his disciples were grumbling about this, Jesus said to them, "Does this offend you? From this time many of his disciples turned back and no longer followed him. John 6:53-66NIV (Jesus is God and Man which is a paradox)
Through the parables, the hearers heard plainly the truth but regarding about the paradox, God is hiding the truth which makes the hearers to misunderstood and misinterpret the scriptures. The truth is, God hides the truth for the sole purpose of making the wise in the standard of this world to become fools in his sight, to frustrate the intelligent and to destroy the wisdom of the wise (1 Cor 1:19). While the so called ‘’foolishness of God’’ makes wise those who are being saved.
Two kinds of hearers:
• The Wise (by the standard of the world) – A kind of hearer who are proud of themselves.
• The ‘’Little Children’’ – A child-like kind of learning attitude who have a humble and teachable spirit.
God hides the truth, and this was for his own good pleasure. Therefore, let us all become like of those little children because Jesus loves the little children (those who change and become like them Mat.18:3). He loves to show to them hidden things, unsearchable things, great and mighty things, and difficult things which are hard to understand.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
Wednesday, September 1, 2010
The Law: A very vital part of Salvation
Many saved person were not aware that the law which is the Ten Commandments is a very vital part of Salvation. In fact they ignore them saying the law is obsolete and it doesn’t need to keep to be saved. Actually that is true a person can be saved not because he obey and keep the law but because of Eph 2:8 and 9.
However, there are two distinctions regarding the teachings of the law in the bible:
The Law of Moses
• They are written in the two tablet of stone
• Jesus called them, “the law heard of long ago”
• Cannot saved a person
The Law of Christ
• Written in the heart
• Christ called them, “But (now) I tell you”
• Can save a saved person from the danger of the fire of hell
Teaching of Christ on the law is all about the concerns a saved person might be in danger of the fire of hell if he breaks them (habits of breaking them such as lying, stealing, lustful look etc.). Look at the teachings of Jesus about the law which is in the Ten Commandments:
Jesus teaching on the 6Th Commandment
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matt 5:21-22 NIV
Jesus teaching on the 7th Commandments
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt 5:27-29NIV
“And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die,and the fire is not quenched”.Mark 9:47-48NIV
Christ teach the importance of the law and in the New Testament the apostles highlights many teachings on the Law- the Ten Commandments. They make the law not void (Rom 3:31), they establish them as a very vital part in the life of a saved person in order to be saved from the danger of the fire of hell.
Those teachings of Jesus about the law or the commandments refers more so on the saved person. Therefore, the Law "Now" is a very vital part of Salvation. See “ The Paradox of the Biblical Salvation”.
However, there are two distinctions regarding the teachings of the law in the bible:
The Law of Moses
• They are written in the two tablet of stone
• Jesus called them, “the law heard of long ago”
• Cannot saved a person
The Law of Christ
• Written in the heart
• Christ called them, “But (now) I tell you”
• Can save a saved person from the danger of the fire of hell
Teaching of Christ on the law is all about the concerns a saved person might be in danger of the fire of hell if he breaks them (habits of breaking them such as lying, stealing, lustful look etc.). Look at the teachings of Jesus about the law which is in the Ten Commandments:
Jesus teaching on the 6Th Commandment
"You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, 'Do not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgment.' But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to his brother, 'Raca,' is answerable to the Sanhedrin. But anyone who says, 'You fool!' will be in danger of the fire of hell. Matt 5:21-22 NIV
Jesus teaching on the 7th Commandments
"You have heard that it was said, 'Do not commit adultery.' But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart. Matt 5:27-29NIV
“And if your eye causes you to sin, pluck it out. It is better for you to enter the kingdom of God with one eye than to have two eyes and be thrown into hell, where their worm does not die,and the fire is not quenched”.Mark 9:47-48NIV
Christ teach the importance of the law and in the New Testament the apostles highlights many teachings on the Law- the Ten Commandments. They make the law not void (Rom 3:31), they establish them as a very vital part in the life of a saved person in order to be saved from the danger of the fire of hell.
Those teachings of Jesus about the law or the commandments refers more so on the saved person. Therefore, the Law "Now" is a very vital part of Salvation. See “ The Paradox of the Biblical Salvation”.
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