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Jesus Grants Access to the Tree of Life (Revelation 2:7)
"Out of the ground the Lord God caused every tree to grow that is pleasing to the sight and good for food; the tree of life was also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of good and evil." (Genesis 2:9)
"The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God." (Revelation 2:7)
This lesson explains the original purpose of the tree of life, where the tree of life is now, that we overcome the world through faith in Christ, and that Jesus will grant to eat from the tree of life.
Consider. What was the original purpose of the tree of life in the garden of Eden? Why did God later prevent Adam from eating of the tree of life?
1. The Original Purpose of the Tree of Life
The original purpose of the tree of life was to preserve life. The tree of life was a special tree in the garden of Eden that God provided for the purpose of preserving life. Genesis 3:22 tells us if Adam had stretched out his hand and taken from the tree of life and eaten its fruit that he would have lived forever.
However, Adam lost access to the life-giving tree of life. Why? Adam sinned against God by disobeying God's command not to eat from the other special tree in the garden, the tree of the knowledge of good and evil (Genesis 2:9, Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:6-7). After Adam had sinned, God drove him out of the garden of Eden. God stationed cherubim [angelic beings, Ref. 1] to guard the way to the tree of life (Genesis 3:24). God is merciful in that he prevented Adam (and prevents us as Adam's descendants) from living forever in a state of disobedience and sin. 2. Where the Tree of Life is Now
The tree of life now is in the Paradise of God (Revelation 2:7). Paradise is where believers will be with Jesus after death. This is the same Paradise that Jesus spoke about to the penitent thief on the cross. "Truly I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise" (Luke 23:43; "Paradise, Jesus, and the Penitent Thief" -- Ref. 2).
In the future heavenly holy city, new Jerusalem (Revelation 21:1-2, Revelation 21:10), the tree of life will be on both sides of the river of the water of life (Revelation 22:1-2, Ezekiel 47:12). 3. We Overcome the World through Faith in Christ
In Revelation 2:7, Jesus said, "The one who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. To the one who overcomes, I will grant to eat from the tree of life, which is in the Paradise of God."
Jesus promises he will grant to eat from the tree of life to the one who overcomes. To overcome means to conquer and to come off victorious (HELPS Word-studies, Ref. 3). We overcome through faith in Jesus, faith in the One who has already overcome. Jesus said, "These things I have spoken to you so that in Me you may have peace. In the world you have tribulation, but take courage; I have overcome the world" (John 16:33). The apostle John confirms that we overcome by faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ. "For whoever has been born of God overcomes the world; and this is the victory that has overcome the world: our faith. Who is the one who overcomes the world, but the one who believes that Jesus is the Son of God?" (1 John 5:4-5). Faith in Christ means believing in, trusting in, and having confidence in Christ (Ref. 4). 4. Jesus Will Grant to Eat from the Tree of Life
To the one who overcomes through faith in Christ, Jesus promises to grant (give, Ref. 5) to eat from the tree of life (Revelation 2:7). To eat from the tree of life is a gracious gift from God. Compare Revelation 2:7 with Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gracious gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
Adam, through disobedience to God, lost access to the tree of life. As Adam's descendants, we overcome the world through faith in Jesus, and he will grant us to eat from the tree of life.
Apply. Put your faith in God's Son, Jesus Christ. Believe in, trust in, and have confidence in him.
Related Lessons
"What is Eternal Life?"(John 17:3) "Paradise, Jesus, and the Penitent Thief"(Luke 23:43) "Biblical Definition of 'The World'" (John 1:10)
References
1. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3742.htm - Strong's Exhaustive Concordance 2. https://www.scriptureway.com/home/paradise-jesus-and-the-penitent-thief 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/3528.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/4102.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/1325.htm
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God's Favor is for a Lifetime - Psalm 30:5 - Pixabay photo - Used under license
"For His anger is but for a moment, His favor is for a lifetime; Weeping may last for the night, But a shout of joy comes in the morning." (Psalm 30:5)
Consider. Do you understand the meaning of God's favor?
This lesson explains the two meanings of God's favor in the Old Testament and the meaning of God's favor in the New Testament.
The Scripture references below are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Ref. 1) unless noted otherwise.
1. God's Favor is Grace (First Meaning in the Old Testament)
The Bible often speaks about God's servants finding God's favor. "Noah found favor [Hebrew word chen - Ref. 2] in the eyes of the Lord" (Genesis 6:8, brackets added). Abraham, Moses, and Gideon found favor with the Lord, and the Lord granted their requests (Genesis 18:3, Exodus 33:12-17, Judges 6:17). When David and his servants fled Jerusalem because of Absalom's conspiracy, David, the king, said to Zadok, "Return the ark of God to the city. If I find favor in the sight of the Lord, then He will bring me back and show me both it and His habitation" (2 Samuel 15:25).
In the Old Testament verses above, the Hebrew word for favor is chen, which means grace (Ref. 2). So, in the Old Testament, the first definition of God's favor is God's grace. When God's servants found God's favor, they found God's grace.
2. God's Favor is Acceptance and Delight (Second Meaning in the Old Testament)
The Old Testament Hebrew has a second word, ratson, that the NASB and King James Version (KJV) translate as favor, delight, acceptable, or acceptance (Ref. 3). The following verses provide us additional insights into God's favor. These verses teach us that God's favor and delight are available to God's people.
a. God's favor is durable, lasting a lifetime and beyond - Psalm 30:4-5
b. God's favor surrounds the righteous as a shield - Psalm 5:12 c. Those who seek wisdom find life and obtain favor from the Lord - Proverbs 8:35 d. A good person will obtain favor from the Lord - Proverbs 12:2 e. People who deal faithfully are God's delight - Proverbs 12:22 f. The prayer of the upright is God's delight - Proverbs 15:8 g. When people are obedient to God, God makes them joyful in his house of prayer, and their offerings and sacrifices are acceptable to God (Isaiah 56:6-7) h. God's Servant will proclaim the favorable (acceptable in the KJV) year of the Lord (Isaiah 61:2 NASB, Isaiah 61:2 KJV). Luke 4:14-21 describes the Sabbath day when Jesus quoted this Scripture. Jesus said, "Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing” (Luke 4:21). 3. God's Favor is Grace and Kindness (Meaning in the New Testament)
In the New Testament, the meaning of God's favor is grace and kindness (Ref. 4). This meaning of God's favor in the New Testament closely aligns with the "grace" definition of God's favor in the Old Testament (section 1 above).
Luke chapter 1 provides the first New Testament mention of a person finding favor with God (Luke 1:30). Luke 1:26-27 tells us that God sent the angel Gabriel to Mary. When Gabriel greeted her, he said, "Greetings, favored one! The Lord is with you" (Luke 1:28). Mary was "very perplexed at this statement, and was pondering what kind of greeting this was" (Luke 1:29). Then, the angel said to her, "Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God" (Luke 1:30).
In Luke 1:30 the Greek word for favor is charis, which means grace and kindness (Ref. 4). According to Thayer's Greek Lexicon, charis "is used of the kindness of a master toward his inferiors or servants, and so especially of God toward men" (Ref. 4).
Mary did not earn God's favor through her works. Mary was highly favored because she was receptive to God's grace (HELPS Word-studies, Ref. 5). Through her faith and trust in God, Mary believed that God would accomplish through her what God had promised (Luke 1:31-38). Luke 2:52 also mentions God's favor. "And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man" (Luke 2:52 NIV).
God's favor (grace, kindness) is not something we can earn through our own efforts. As a result of Christ's sacrifice for us, we now receive God's favor (grace) through faith in Christ as God's Son. The Apostle Paul teaches, "For by grace [Greek charis] you have been saved through faith; and this is not of yourselves, it is the gift of God; 9 not a result of works, so that no one may boast" (Ephesians 2:8-9, brackets added).
Prayer. Thank you, God, for your favor. Thank you for accepting us and blessing us each day with your kindness not based on our own merits but on the merits of your Son, Jesus Christ, our Savior and Lord. Amen.
Sinner Praying - Luke 5:31-32 - Can Stock Photo Inc - Used under license
Consider. Jesus came to be the Great Physician for people afflicted with the greatest disease -- sin. Jesus calls sinners -- then and now -- to repentance.
Read Luke 5:27-32
Jesus Calls Levi (Matthew) "27 After this he went out and saw a tax collector named Levi, sitting at the tax booth. And he said to him, 'Follow me.' 28 And leaving everything, he rose and followed him. 29 And Levi made him a great feast in his house, and there was a large company of tax collectors and others reclining at table with them. 30 And the Pharisees and their scribes grumbled at his disciples, saying, 'Why do you eat and drink with tax collectors and sinners?' 31 And Jesus answered them, 'Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick. 32 I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance.'"
The Luke 5:27-32 scripture includes "tax collectors," "sinners," "Pharisees," and "scribes." A related lesson defines who these people groups were. For an explanation, please refer to "Jesus Receives Sinners - Then and Now" (Ref. 1, Luke 15:1-2).
1. Who needs the Great Physician?
As the spiritual Physician, Jesus gracefully went about his work with the people who needed him the most -- people who were diseased with sin. God draws such people -- then and now -- to Jesus (Luke 15:1). Jesus came to be with sinful people -- people the Pharisees and scribes held in contempt. Jesus conversed with them, instructed them, and called them to repentance (will discuss more in Section 3).
In contrast with the tax collectors and sinners who welcomed Jesus, the Pharisees and scribes did not see their need for Jesus. In their own opinion of themselves, they were free from the taint of sin. Thus, they thought (falsely) that they were well. When a person -- then and now -- thinks they are free from sin, they deceive themselves. "If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us" (1 John 1:8).
2. Who does Jesus call to repentance?
Jesus said, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32).
Jesus said that he had come to call sinners to repentance. "Sinners," in the Biblical technical sense, are hamartólos, people who miss the mark of what God approves (Ref. 2). That actually includes all of us. "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). In the eyes of the Pharisees and scribes, sinners not only were those with blatant moral problems (such as prostitutes), but also those who did not observe the Pharisees' and scribes' strict and rule-oriented interpretation of the law -- which was most everybody else (Mark 7:5-7). 3. What is repentance?
Jesus said, "I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance" (Luke 5:32, italics added for emphasis).
The biblical definition of repentance means to turn about, to have a change of mind, to express regret (Greek: metanoia, Ref. 2, Ref. 3). Thus, repentance is much more than being superficially sorry for one's sins. Repentance includes a sincere heart change that turns from sin towards God and purposes to lead a more righteous and holy life. The prophet Joel says, "'Yet even now,' declares the Lord, 'return to me with all your heart, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; 13 and rend your hearts and not your garments'” (Joel 2:12-13, italics added for emphasis).
God says through the prophet Isaiah, "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth! For I am God, and there is no other" (Isaiah 45:22). John, the apostle and disciple of Jesus, wrote to believers, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness" (1 John 1:9). 4. Repentance and belief go together.
Repenting and believing go together. Repentance is integral to our believing in Christ. Note what Jesus said early in his ministry. "Now after John was arrested, Jesus came into Galilee, proclaiming the gospel of God, 15 and saying, 'The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand; repent and believe in the gospel'" (Mark 1:14-15). Not just "repent." Not just "believe." Jesus said, "Repent and believe."
Both repenting of our sins and believing in Christ should be ongoing in our walk with Christ and not just a one-time occasion. Even as believers, when we sin (in thought, word, or deed), we should repent of that sin, receive God's forgiveness already provided for us in Christ's sacrificial death, and continue to walk in the newness of life that God gives us through his Son (1 John 1:9, Matthew 5:21-22, Matthew 5:27-28, Romans 6:4).
Apply. Are you up to date on repenting from any sin that may be affecting your relationship with the Lord? Consider the main principles in this lesson:
"Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you shall be saved" - Acts 16:31 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
This lesson is the second in a series on what "to be saved" means in the Bible. The first lesson described what "to be saved" means in the Old Testament (Ref. 1). This lesson describes what "to be saved" means in the New Testament.
This lesson uses scripture quotations from the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Ref. 2).
Consider. What do the words, "to be saved," mean to you? How does a person become saved?
1. "To be saved" in the New Testament means "to be delivered out of danger into safety" and "to be made well or whole."
The Greek word, sózó, translated as saved in Acts 16:31 occurs over 100 times in the New Testament (Ref. 3). Sózó (pronounced sode'-zo) means to deliver, heal, make whole, preserve, and save (Ref. 3). When God saves us, God delivers us out of danger into his provisions (safety).
Items "a," "b," "c," and "d" below provide examples from the New Testament for what it means to be saved.
a. Jesus saves people through storms(1). Jesus saved his disciples when they were afraid
Matthew 8:25-26 -- "And they went and woke him, saying, 'Save us, Lord; we are perishing.' 26 And he said to them, 'Why are you afraid, O you of little faith?' Then he rose and rebuked the winds and the sea, and there was a great calm." (Read the entire account: Matthew 8:23-27.)
(2). Jesus saved Peter when he doubted
Matthew 14:30-31, brackets added -- "But when he [Peter] saw the wind, he was afraid, and beginning to sink he cried out, 'Lord, save me.' 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, 'O you of little faith, why did you doubt?' " (Read the entire account: Matthew 14:22-33.)
Notice in these examples that Jesus saved them even when they had little faith. Let that thought encourage you and calm you in whatever storm you are going through. b. Jesus saves people when they are lost
Luke 19:8-10 -- "And Zacchaeus stood and said to the Lord, 'Behold, Lord, the half of my goods I give to the poor. And if I have defrauded anyone of anything, I restore it fourfold.' 9 And Jesus said to him, 'Today salvation has come to this house, since he also is a son of Abraham. 10 For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.'" (Read the entire account: Luke 19:1-10).
In Luke 19:10, the Greek word for lost, apollumi (ap-ol'-loo-mee), has a more severe meaning than just needing directions to point the way. Apollumi (being lost) implies to die with the implication of ruin and permanent (absolute) destruction by experiencing a miserable end (Ref. 4). Jesus Christ came to save Zaccheus, you, and me from experiencing ruin, permanent destruction, and a miserable end. c. Jesus saves suffering people and makes them well (healed and whole)
The Greek word sózó which means save also means make well, heal, and restore to health (Thayer's Greek Lexicon, Ref. 3). The New Testament strongly teaches the healing nature of being saved.
(1). Jesus healed the woman with a hemorrhage
Mark 5:33-34, brackets added -- "But the woman, knowing what had happened to her, came in fear and trembling and fell down before him and told him the whole truth. 34 And he said to her, 'Daughter, your faith has made you well [saved you]; go in peace, and be healed of your disease.'" (Read the entire account: Mark 5:25-34.)
(2). Jesus healed Bartimaeus from blindness
Mark 10:51-52, brackets added -- "And Jesus said to him, 'What do you want me to do for you?' And the blind man said to him, 'Rabbi, let me recover my sight.' 52 And Jesus said to him, 'Go your way; your faith has made you well [saved you].' And immediately he recovered his sight and followed him on the way." (Read the entire account: Mark 10:46-52.)
(3). Church elders are to pray for the sick to be restored (saved)
James 5:14-15, brackets added -- "Is anyone among you sick? Let him call for the elders of the church, and let them pray over him, anointing him with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 And the prayer of faith will save [restore] the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven."
When you are suffering and need healing, seek the Lord Jesus Christ in prayer and faith, and trust him for the results.
d. God will save people who call on him from the day of the Lord and from the wrath of God against sin(1). People who call upon the name of the Lord will be saved from the day of the Lord
The prophet Joel describes the day of the Lord in Joel 2:30-32. In Joel 2:31, he describes the day of the Lord as "great and awesome [where awesome means to be feared]" (Ref. 5). Then, Joel adds "And it shall come to pass that everyone who calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved [delivered, escape]" (Joel 2:32, brackets added; Ref. 6). On Pentecost, the Apostle Peter quoted Joel 2:28-32 in Acts 2:17-21.
"Calling on the name of the Lord" means "to adore and worship" the Lord and "to invoke" [petition, appeal to, and make an earnest request to] the Lord in prayer (Ref. 7, Ref. 8). God has promised -- people who call on him (adore, worship, appeal to, and pray to him) will be saved. When you believe in Christ, the time of his return will be a time of salvation, not a time of fear. Thank God and rejoice in that promise. (2). God will save believers in Christ from the wrath of God against sin
Romans 5:8-10 -- "but God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since, therefore, we have now been justified by his blood, much more shall we be saved by him from the wrath of God. 10 For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his Son, much more, now that we are reconciled, shall we be saved by his life."
According to HELPS Word-studies, the wrath of God refers to God's fixed, controlled, passionate feeling against sin (Ref. 9). As believers in Christ, we are justified [made righteous] by the blood of Christ (Ref. 10, Romans 5:9). That is why we who believe in Christ will be saved by him from the wrath of God against sin (Romans 5:9-10). 2. Biblical Principles about Being Saveda. God was so moved by his love for the world that he has already provided the way for the world to be saved
John 3:16 -- "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life."
b. God sent his Son not to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through him
John 3:17 -- Jesus said to Nicodemus, "For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but so that the world might be saved through Him." Nicodemus, a Pharisee (John 3:1), may have been expecting a Messiah that would destroy Israel's Gentile enemies (Ellicott's Commentary on John 3:17, Ref. 11). Jesus came at that time not to initiate the final judgment of the world, but to provide the way for the people of the world -- Gentiles and Jews -- to be saved.
c. For those who believe in Christ, God has saved us from our former life of sin
Romans 5:8 -- "But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
Ephesians 2:4-5 -- "But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, 5 even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." d. God has provided his Son, Jesus Christ, as the only way by which people are saved
Acts 4:10,12 -- The Apostle Peter referred to Jesus Christ of Nazareth when he said, "And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
e. Our only "to do" to become saved is to believe in Jesus Christ, God's Son
Acts 16:30-31, brackets added -- "Then he [the Philippian jailer] brought them [Paul and Silas] out and said, 'Sirs, what must I do to be saved?' 31 And they said, 'Believe in the Lord Jesus, and you will be saved, you and your household.'"
The Greek word for believe means trust in, have faith in, and have confidence in (Ref.12). 3. Salvation Prayer
Apply. If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, tell him you are sorry for all the sins in your life (1 John 1:9), and put your faith and trust in him. Tell Jesus that you believe in him and that you believe he died for you (Romans 5:8). Tell Jesus that you believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead (Romans 10:9). Thank Jesus for being your Savior and Lord.
"Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved" (Romans 10:13).
Related Lessons
"What Does 'To Be Saved' Mean in the Old Testament?" (Psalm 18:3) "God's Offer of Salvation and Eternal Life" (John 3:16)
References
1. http://www.scriptureway.com/home/what-does-to-be-saved-mean-in-the-old-testament 2. https://www.biblegateway.com/ 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/4982.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/622.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/3372.htm 6. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/4422.htm 7. https://biblehub.com/greek/1941.htm 8. https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/invoke 9. https://biblehub.com/greek/3709.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/1344.htm 11. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/john/3.htm 12. https://biblehub.com/greek/4100.htm
Psalm 18:3 - Photo by Whitney V. Myers
This lesson explains what "to be saved" means in the Old Testament of the Bible. In the Old Testament "to be saved" means to be delivered by God into safety.
This lesson uses scripture quotations from the English Standard Version (ESV) and the New American Standard Bible (NASB) (Ref. 1) unless noted otherwise.
Consider. What do the words, "to be saved," mean to you in the religious sense?
1. "To be saved" in the Old Testament means "to be delivered"
The Old Testament Hebrew word for saved is yasha, pronounced (yaw-shah'). Yasha means to deliver (Ref. 2). To be saved means to be delivered with the implication of being delivered by God into safety. Strong's Exhaustive Concordance translates yasha as help, preserve, rescue, be safe, and savior (saviour) (Ref. 2). Brown-Driver-Briggs adds the meanings of to make wide, spacious, and liberate (Ref. 2).
Items "a" through "d" below provide examples from the Old Testament for what it means to be saved. a. Delivered by God from all enemies
Psalm 18:3 -- "I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, and I am saved from my enemies." David wrote this psalm of deliverance early in his reign when God had recently delivered him from the Philistines as well as from Saul (2 Samuel 21:15-2 Samuel 22:4). In Hebrew, the tenses of David's calling upon the Lord and being saved are frequentive (present), describing "David’s habitual experience of God’s readiness to answer prayer" (Ref. 3).
b. Delivered by God from all foes - physical and spiritual(1). Calamities and distresses
1 Samuel 10:19 -- The prophet Samuel said to the Israelite people, "But today you have rejected your God, who saves you from all your calamities and your distresses, and you have said to him, ‘Set a king over us.’ Now therefore present yourselves before the Lord by your tribes and by your thousands."
(2). Troubles
Psalm 34:6 -- David writes, "This poor man cried, and the Lord heard him and saved him out of all his troubles." Note that this verse does not say that as God's people we will have no troubles. This verse says that God hears us and delivers us out of our troubles.
(3). Adversaries
Exodus 14:29-30 -- "But the people of Israel walked on dry ground through the sea, the waters being a wall to them on their right hand and on their left. 30 Thus the Lord saved Israel that day from the hand of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore." God saved the Israelites that day to make his power known -- to them, to succeeding generations, and to us. See Psalm 106:7-12.
2 Chronicles 32:22 -- "So the Lord saved Hezekiah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem from the hand of Sennacherib king of Assyria and from the hand of all his enemies, and he provided for them on every side." (4). Wounds and sicknesses
Jeremiah 17:14 -- The prophet Jeremiah writes, "Heal me, O Lord, and I shall be healed; save me, and I shall be saved, for you are my praise."
The Lord saved (delivered) Hezekiah in two respects - first, from his enemy, Sennacherib (2 Chronicles 32:22), and second, in regard to his health (Isaiah 38:19-20). For background on Hezekiah's illness, prayer, and healing, read Isaiah 38:1-8. (5). Wild animals
Psalm 22:21 -- David writes, "Save me from the mouth of the lion! You have rescued me from the horns of the wild oxen!"
(6). Sin, Idols, and Moral Troubles
Ezekiel 37:23 -- "They shall not defile themselves anymore with their idols and their detestable things, or with any of their transgressions. But I will save them from all the backslidings in which they have sinned, and will cleanse them; and they shall be my people, and I will be their God." The context of this verse is the reunion of Judah and Israel into one kingdom, one nation. See Ezekiel 37:15-22.
2. God invites people to be saved (Old Testament)a. God is our Savior (Saviour). There is no other.
Isaiah 45:21 -- "And there is no other God besides Me, A righteous God and a Savior; There is none except Me."
Compare Isaiah 45:21 with Acts 4:10, 12. b. God invites all the world to turn to him and be saved.
Isaiah 45:22 -- "Turn to me and be saved, all the ends of the earth!"
Becoming saved in the religious sense requires turning away from our false gods and sins and turning towards (by implication, facing) God (Ref. 4). "The direction to look to God for salvation implies a deep conviction of helplessness and of sin; and a deep conviction that he only can save" (Ref. 5). God extends the invitation of salvation to all the world. Compare Isaiah 45:22 with John 3:16. c. God desires to save people despite their (our) sin and rebellion.
Psalm 106:6-8 -- "We have sinned like our fathers, We have gone astray, we have behaved wickedly. 7 Our fathers in Egypt did not understand Your wonders; They did not remember Your abundant kindnesses, But rebelled by the sea, at the Red Sea. 8 Nevertheless He saved them for the sake of His name, So that He might make His power known."
Compare Psalm 106:6-8 with Romans 5:8-9. d. Our response as God's people to being saved is to rejoice and to praise God.
Isaiah 25:9 KJV (italics added) -- "And it shall be said in that day, Lo, this is our God; we have waited for him, and he will save us: this is the Lord; we have waited for him, we will be glad and rejoice in his salvation."
Isaiah 38:20 NIV -- "The Lord will save me, and we will sing with stringed instruments all the days of our lives in the temple of the Lord." Psalm 95:1 -- "Oh come, let us sing to the Lord; let us make a joyful noise to the rock of our salvation!
Apply. Turn to God, and he will save you from your idols and sins. Pray to God, and he will deliver you out of your troubles as he has promised (Psalm 34:6). Rejoice in God your Savior, and praise him for his salvation.
Related Lessons
"God's Offer of Salvation and Eternal Life" (John 3:16) "What Does 'To Be Saved' Mean in the New Testament?" (Acts 16:31)
Woman Praising God - Ephesians 2:4-5 - 123RF Photo - Used under license
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ—by grace you have been saved." (Ephesians 2:4-5)
God has made believers in Christ alive together with Christ. We identify with the resurrection of Christ, and God gives us a new quality of life -- eternal life.
Consider. If you are a believer in Christ, how would you describe to an inquisitive unbeliever or a new believer what it means to be "made alive together with Christ"?
1. Who is Paul writing to?
Paul begins his letter, "Paul, an apostle of Christ Jesus by the will of God, to the saints who are in Ephesus, and are faithful in Christ Jesus:" (Ephesians 1:1). The Greek word for saints is hagios (hag'-ee-os) which means different or holy. Christians are different from the world because we are like the Lord (Ref. 1). Clearly, Paul is writing to believers in Jesus Christ.
2. What was the former spiritual condition of the Ephesian believers before God made them alive together with Christ?
Paul writes, "And you were dead in the trespasses and sins in which you once walked, following the course of this world ..." (Ephesians 2:1-2). In the same way, without Christ, we were dead in our trespasses and sins. We inherited our spiritual "deadness" from Adam (Genesis 2:16-17, Genesis 3:6). Romans 5:12 says, "When Adam sinned, sin entered the world. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned" (Romans 5:12 NLT).
Trespasses are a lapse or deviation from the truth, a slip-up, or an error that can be unintentional or willful (Ref. 2). Sins are thoughts, words, or deeds where we miss the mark or target (Ref. 3). 3. Even when we were dead in our trespasses and sins, before we were in Christ, God loved us.
God's divine attributes of mercy and love moved God to plan for and provide for our salvation (Ephesians 1:3-5, Ephesians 2:4-5, Colossians 2:13-14). Romans 5:8 tells us, "But God shows his love for us in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." Jesus said about himself, "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but in order that the world might be saved through him" (John 3:16-17).
4. Together with Christ, God has made us alive.
Ephesians 2:5 tells us (believers) that God has made us alive together with Christ. In the Greek, the verb does not just say "made alive." It says, "made alive together with" (Ref. 4). Strong's Exhaustive Concordance defines this verb, suzóopoieó (sood-zo-op-oy-eh'-o), as "to reanimate conjointly with, (figuratively) -- quicken together with." As believers in Christ, we identify with and are co-joined with Christ in his resurrection. Paul writes, "If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved" (Romans 10:9).
5. When God makes us alive together with Christ, God gives us a new quality of life -- eternal life.
When we believe in Jesus Christ and in his resurrection, God makes us alive together with Christ. God gives us a new quality of life -- eternal life (Romans 6:23). Eternal life begins for the believer when they put their faith and trust in Christ, and continues after their physical death (John 11:25-26, Ref. 6).
Being made alive in Christ results in a new quality of life. The Greek word for eternal in eternal life is aiónios, which means perpetual, unending, age-long (Strong's Concordance, Ref. 5, Ref. 6). Aiónios includes the character of that which lasts for an age, as contrasted with that which is brief and fleeting (Ref. 5, Ref. 6). "Aiónios does not focus on the future per se, but rather on the quality of the age it relates to. People who are alive spiritually in Christ live in eternal life right now, experiencing this quality of God's life now as a present possession" (Helps Word-studies, Ref. 5, Ref. 6).
Apply. If you already are a believer in Jesus Christ, praise God that God has made you spiritually alive together with Christ. Thank God for the quality of new life that he has given you in Christ. If you are not yet a believer in Jesus Christ, put your faith and trust in him today. He will forgive your trespasses and sins. He will make you spiritually alive together with himself, and he will give you a new quality of life -- eternal life.
Related Lessons
"What is Eternal Life?" (John 17:3) "Jesus is the Resurrection and the Life (Job's Question, Jesus' Answer)" (Job 14:14, John 11:25-26) "Jesus Christ is the Life - John 14:6" "Jesus is the Way to Heaven" (John 14:6)
References
1. https://biblehub.com/greek/40.htm 2. https://biblehub.com/greek/3900.htm 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/266.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/greek/4806.htm 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/166.htm 6. http://www.scriptureway.com/home/what-is-eternal-life
Woman Praying Alone with God - Psalm 68:19 - Can Stock Photo - Used under license
This lesson explains how God, our majestic Lord, willingly comes beside us and invites to cast (throw) our burdens (load) onto him.
Consider. What burdens, or load, are you carrying today? God is willing to share your burdens. Will you cast your burdens on God today?
God as Our Majestic Lord
The same God who is willing to carry our burdens is also our majestic Lord. In the first half of Psalm 68 (Psalm 68:1-18), we see David's emphasis describing the majesty and power of God. The name, Lord, is the English translation of the Hebrew word, Adonay (ad-o-noy'), and is a proper name for God (Psalm 68:17-19, Ref. 1). See in your mind the image of God leading his people in the wilderness, with cloud by day and fire by night (Psalm 68:7, Exodus 13:21). See in your mind thousands upon thousands of angels and chariots attending God in holiness at Sinai (Psalm 68:17, Deuteronomy 33:2). See in your mind the day the Bible describes in Psalm 68:18 and Ephesians 4:8 when Christ ascended on high leading a host of captives.
God as Our Burden Bearer
Notice the abrupt change in verse 19 to the wonderful thought, "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden" (Psalm 68:19). God, the Lord (Adonay), is blessed (adored with bended knees) and daily (day by day, continually) bears our burden (carries our load) (Ref. 1, Ref. 2, Ref. 3, Ref. 4). The same God who majestically led his people through the wilderness comes beside us today and willingly carries our baggage. "What a thought that is - a God that carries men's loads!" (Alexander MacLaren, Ref. 5, Ref. 6).
The ultimate fulfillment of "Blessed be the Lord, who daily bears our burden" (Psalm 68:19), occurs in God's Son, Jesus Christ. Isaiah prophesied, "Surely he has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows" (Isaiah 53:4). The Apostle Peter writes, "He himself bore our sins in his body on the cross" (1 Peter 2:24). Jesus invites us, "Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened (weighted down), and I will give you rest" (Matthew 11:28, italics added, Ref. 7, Ref. 8). For those who trust in him, Jesus Christ is our Lord and our burden-bearing Savior. What We Should Do with Our Burdens - Cast and Release them onto the Lord
God lovingly invites us to cast our burdens onto him. God wants us to cast our burdens on him because he cares. Psalm 55:22 says, "Cast your burden upon the Lord and He will sustain you; He will never allow the righteous to be shaken." 1 Peter 5:7 says, "Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you."
In both the Old Testament and the New Testament cast means to throw or fling (Ref. 9, Ref. 10). The two disciples who brought the colt to Jesus cast (threw) their outer garments (cloaks, robes) onto the young animal in their reverence and love for their Lord before Jesus rode into Jerusalem (Luke 19:35, Ref. 10, Ref. 11, Ref. 12). Unlike fishing where we cast our weighted line into the sea and then pull it back to cast it again, casting our burdens on the Lord should be a one-way trip -- "cast and release," not "cast and retrieve." Let God help you. Cast (throw) your burdens onto the Lord, and release them to him. Trust him to carry your load (Psalm 68:19). He will care for you (1 Peter 5:7). He will sustain you (Psalm 55:22). He will give you rest (Matthew 11:28). Listen - "I Must Tell Jesus" Music Video
For an uplift, listen as Delores "Mom" Winans sings "I must tell Jesus, I must tell Jesus, I cannot bear my burdens alone ..." Here is the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xGCKzQap43g
Apply. Whatever your burdens are, take them to the Lord in prayer. Cast all of your burdens on him, and trust him to carry your load.
For Additional Reading
References
1. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/136.htm 2. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/1288.htm 3. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/hastings/psalms/68-19.htm 4. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/6006.htm. 5. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/maclaren/psalms/68.htm 6. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alexander_Maclaren 7. https://biblehub.com/greek/5412.htm 8. http://www.scriptureway.com/home/jesus-invitation-come-to-me-and-rest 9. https://biblehub.com/hebrew/7993.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/1977.htm 11. https://biblehub.com/greek/2440.htm 12. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/vws/luke/19.htm
Redemption at the Cross of Jesus - Ephesians 1:7 - Can Stock Photo - Used under license
"In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace ..." (Ephesians 1:7)
This lesson explains the New Testament biblical definitions of redemption, forgiveness, trespasses, and sins.
Consider. Think for a moment. How would you define redemption in your own words? How would you explain your redemption through Christ to an inquisitive unbeliever or a new Christian?
1. Redemption is the action of buying back or repurchasing what was previously forfeited or lost.The transliteration of the Greek word for redemption in Ephesians 1:7 is apolutrosis (ap-ol-oo'-tro-sis) (Ref. 1). The Strong's Concordance definition of apolutrosis is a release effected by payment of ransom (Ref. 1). Helps WORD-studies adds that apolutrosis (redemption) literally means buying back from, repurchasing what was previously forfeited (or lost) (Ref. 1). Note that Jesus said, "For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost" (Luke 19:10). In the New Testament, the primary idea in "redemption" is deliverance from a bondage, the bondage of sin itself (Ref. 2, Titus 2:13-14, Hebrews 9:13-15). "Into that bondage man has plunged himself; God’s mercy redeems him from it at an unspeakable price" (Ref. 2, Romans 5:12, John 3:16, 1 Peter 1:18-19). 2. Jesus Christ Has Paid the Ransom Price -- His Blood -- For Our RedemptionJesus said, "For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Mark 10:45). The transliteration of the Greek word for ransom is lutron (loo'-tron), which literally is the ransom money (price) to free a slave (Ref. 3). Jesus Christ has paid the lutron, the ultimate "liberty price" -- the blood of Christ -- to purchase (ransom) believers, freeing them (us) from all slavery to sin (Ref. 3). 1 Peter 1:18-19 -- "Know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, 19 but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish." Hebrews 9:11-12 -- "But when Christ appeared as a high priest of the good things having come, He entered through the greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made by hands, that is, not of this creation; 12 and not through the blood of goats and calves, but through His own blood, He entered the holy place once for all time, having obtained eternal redemption." "Jesus sought me when a stranger, Wand’ring from the fold of God; He, to rescue me from danger, Interposed His precious blood" (Robert Robinson, the hymn, "Come, Thou Fount of Every Blessing" - Ref. 4). 3. As the result of our redemption by Christ, believers in Christ have complete forgiveness of our trespasses and sins - past, present, and future.In Christ, we have complete forgiveness of our trespasses and sins. Christ procured the forgiveness of our sins by his full, perfect, and sufficient offering (propitiation) of himself for the sins of the human race (Ref. 2, Ref. 5, 1 John 2:2, 1John 4:10). The Greek word for forgiveness in Ephesians 1:7 means sending away, releasing from obligation or debt, and pardon (Ref. 6). Trespasses are a lapse, slip-up, or error that can be unintentional or willful (Ref. 7, Matthew 6:14-15, Ephesians 1:7, Ephesians 2:1-2, Colossians 2:13-14). Sins are thoughts, words, or deeds where we miss the mark or target (Ref. 8, Matthew 26:26-28, Ephesians 2:1-2, Colossians 1:12-14). In Acts, a Gentile named Cornelius sent for and invited the Apostle Peter to speak to his relatives and friends (Acts 10:30-32). Peter spoke the good news of Jesus to these Gentile people. Peter concluded his message with "And he commanded us to preach to the people and to testify that he is the one appointed by God to be judge of the living and the dead. 43 To him all the prophets bear witness that everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name" (Acts 10:42-43, italics added). 4. As believers in Christ, we have redemption and forgiveness of our trespasses and sins because of the grace of God.Our redemption is a free gift by God to us, believers in Christ, according to the riches [abundance, wealth, fullness] of God's grace (Ref. 9). The Apostle Paul teaches us, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of his grace" (Ephesians 1:7, italics added). The grace of God is a gift to us. Paul writes, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, 24 and are justified by his grace as a gift, through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus" (Romans 3:23-24, italics added). The New Testament Greek word for grace is charis, which means a gift or blessing brought to man by Jesus Christ, favor, and kindness (Ref. 10). Even though God's grace-full gift of redemption to us, believers in Christ, was free, that free gift of redemption was immensely costly to God (John 3:16, 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Summary. Redemption is the action of buying back or repurchasing what was previously forfeited or lost. Redemption is a release effected by payment of ransom. Jesus Christ has paid the ransom price -- his blood -- for our redemption. As the result of our redemption by Christ, believers in Christ have complete forgiveness of our trespasses and sins - past, present, and future. As believers in Christ, we have redemption and forgiveness of our trespasses and sins because of the grace of God.
Apply. How will you purpose to live today and each day in light of your redemption by Jesus Christ, God's Son? Give thanks for God's gracious gift.
References
1. https://biblehub.com/greek/629.htm 2. https://biblehub.com/commentaries/ellicott/ephesians/1.htm 3. https://biblehub.com/greek/3083.htm 4. https://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Come_Thou_Fount_of_Every_Blessing/ 5. https://biblehub.com/greek/2434.htm 6. https://biblehub.com/greek/859.htm 7. https://biblehub.com/greek/3900.htm 8. https://biblehub.com/greek/266.htm 9. https://biblehub.com/greek/4149.htm 10. https://biblehub.com/greek/5485.htm |
Daily Bible Verse
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