Just as John 3:16 is the "Gospel in a nutshell" because it explains salvation, there is a verse in the New Testament that explains the nature of Jesus and Satan with equal succinctness. It is Luke 13:16, a perfect model of two natures.
To fully appreciate this, there are two Greek words we must learn: δέω (deo) and λύω (leo, pronounced lee-o).
Deo simply means to tie up. I deo my shoe laces when I put on my shoes, the policeman deos the prisoner's hands when he puts them in handcuffs, etc.
Leo simply means to untie. I leo my shoe laces when I take my shoes off, the policeman leos the prisoner when he sets him free, etc.
These are the simple, everyday activities of tying and untying. Nothing complicated here.
In Luke 13:10-17, Jesus healed a woman of a sickness caused by a spirit, she was bent over for eighteen years. The synagogue official became indignant because the healing took place on the Sabbath, then Jesus began to teach us the truth:
"You hypocrites! Don't you all untie (leo) your donkeys and lead them to water on the Sabbath? Shouldn't I also untie (leo) this woman whom Satan has bound (deo) these eighteen years?" Luke 13:15,16
Here is the transliteration of Luke 13:16, the perfect model of the two natures:
ταύτην δὲ θυγατέρα Ἀβραὰμ (this daughter of Abraham) οὖσαν ἣν ἔδησεν ὁ Σατανᾶς ἰδοὺ δέκα καὶ ὀκτὼ ἔτη (that has been tied by Satan these eighteen years)οὐκ ἔδει λυθῆναι ἀπὸ τοῦ δεσμοῦ τούτου τῇ ἡμέρᾳ τοῦ σαββάτου (should she not be untied from her bonds on the Sabbath?)
Satan always ties, and Jesus always unties. You will never see Satan untying someone, and you will never see Jesus putting someone in bondage. Jesus even untied (leo) the donkey before He used it for His purposes (Mark 11:2-7).
And so it is with us. Coming to Jesus we are all tied up by various issues. We come just as we are. We are unable to untie ourselves, as one who is bound can not possibly untie himself. We can only present ourselves to Him and ask to be untied.
Jesus sets us free and puts us into His service. His yoke is easy and His burden is light, and while serving Him we are made completely free.
Turning to the Lord brings us a freedom we can not procure ourselves:
"Whenever a person turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom." 2 Corinthians 3:16,17
When we worship Him, not only does He set us free, but he unchains those around us as well:
Paul and Silas were singing praises to God while in prison, and the prisoners were listening in. Suddenly, an earthquake hit. All the doors were opened and everyone's chains were unfastened. Acts 16:25,26
Jesus promised that if we consistently read His word, we will know the truth, and this truth will set us free (John 8:31,32). Satan binds us with a spirit of doubt, which acts as a sheild against this treasure, and prevents us from being liberated by the word of God.
In the Greek, 1 John 3:8b reads, "The Son of God appeared for this purpose, to leo (untie and release us from) the works of the devil."
This model never fails us. Whenever we see Jesus, He is releasing someone from his or her bonds. Whenever we see Satan, he is tying people up. Through sickness, strife, worry, unbelief, his aim remains the same: to keep people from their God-given destiny - complete freedom in Jesus Christ.
There is never an instance where we see Jesus binding people and Satan releasing them. This is a spiritual principle we can count on.
Satan will make us feel inhibited about worshipping Jesus, as He knows what awaits us when we do . . . total liberation from the binding forces of darkness!
Friday, February 24, 2012
Thursday, January 26, 2012
Homosexuality is just not that special . . .
In the Greek, homosexuality is just another sexual perversion, of which there are many. In American culture, homosexuals have been elevated to a separate class of persons. We can not discriminate on the basis of: race, religion, gender, nationality, handicap, and now . . . sexual orientation, as if to say that homosexuals are in a separate category, a class of their own - like someone in a wheelchair.
This was not the case in ancient Greece and is reflected in the ancient writings. The New Testament does not give homosexuality such distinction or classification. In fact, it is not distinguished at all; it is lumped in with all other perversions of God's way.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 we read:
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."
First of all, the word translated as "homosexual" in the above passage is "ἀρσενοκοίτης" or "arsenocoitus". It is a compound word composed of arren and koite. Arren means male, and koite means coitus (sexual intercourse). Thus, arsenocoitus means "male-intercourse". Effeminate refers to the catamite, a boy kept for sexual relations with a man. These were common practices throughout Greece.
Married men would visit prostitutes, male, female, or young boy. This shocks us down to our puritanical boots, but that's just the way it was in antiquity. I should add that, even today in modern Greece, heterosexual men will on occasion seek sex with other men; it is for their own pleasure and gratification. Americans can not relate to this; nevertheless, never was a male-on-male sexual relationship distinguished as a special case until recent years.
In Paul's letter, the list of sins does not give any special treatment to male-on-male sex. The chapter is on sanctification and how God's people are to come out of worldly behavior because they have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 11).
At this point we might ask, how can anyone derive sexual pleasure by having sex with a child? Though our culture is accepting of homosexuality, it writhes at pedophilia. Not so in ancient cultures.
Our sexual preferences are culturally developed. In some cultures, men are attracted to obese women; in other cultures, thin is in. Heterosexual men in Greece found pleasure in having sex with boys and other men, in addition to female prostitutes. Because this is unacceptable in Western culture, we appease our collective conscience by creating a separate category of people called "gay".
In Paul's first letter to the church in Thessaloniki (also in Greece), he instructs,
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification." 1 Thes. 4:3-7
In the passage exorting the Christian to lead a sexually pure life, men are encouraged not to "defraud their brother"; in the Greek this word (defraud) means to cross the boundary and take advantage of your brother. The topic is sexual purity.
Homosexual relations are not "special". They are just another form of sexual perversion! We can not allow the culture to define our morality. The child of God has clear guidance on all topics in the word of God, the Holy Bible.
This was not the case in ancient Greece and is reflected in the ancient writings. The New Testament does not give homosexuality such distinction or classification. In fact, it is not distinguished at all; it is lumped in with all other perversions of God's way.
In 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 we read:
"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, will inherit the kingdom of God."
First of all, the word translated as "homosexual" in the above passage is "ἀρσενοκοίτης" or "arsenocoitus". It is a compound word composed of arren and koite. Arren means male, and koite means coitus (sexual intercourse). Thus, arsenocoitus means "male-intercourse". Effeminate refers to the catamite, a boy kept for sexual relations with a man. These were common practices throughout Greece.
Married men would visit prostitutes, male, female, or young boy. This shocks us down to our puritanical boots, but that's just the way it was in antiquity. I should add that, even today in modern Greece, heterosexual men will on occasion seek sex with other men; it is for their own pleasure and gratification. Americans can not relate to this; nevertheless, never was a male-on-male sexual relationship distinguished as a special case until recent years.
In Paul's letter, the list of sins does not give any special treatment to male-on-male sex. The chapter is on sanctification and how God's people are to come out of worldly behavior because they have been washed, sanctified, and justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ (verse 11).
At this point we might ask, how can anyone derive sexual pleasure by having sex with a child? Though our culture is accepting of homosexuality, it writhes at pedophilia. Not so in ancient cultures.
Our sexual preferences are culturally developed. In some cultures, men are attracted to obese women; in other cultures, thin is in. Heterosexual men in Greece found pleasure in having sex with boys and other men, in addition to female prostitutes. Because this is unacceptable in Western culture, we appease our collective conscience by creating a separate category of people called "gay".
In Paul's first letter to the church in Thessaloniki (also in Greece), he instructs,
"For this is the will of God, your sanctification; that is, that you abstain from sexual immorality;that each of you know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor,not in lustful passion, like the Gentiles who do not know God;and that no man transgress and defraud his brother in the matter because the Lord is the avenger in all these things, just as we also told you before and solemnly warned you.For God has not called us for the purpose of impurity, but in sanctification." 1 Thes. 4:3-7
In the passage exorting the Christian to lead a sexually pure life, men are encouraged not to "defraud their brother"; in the Greek this word (defraud) means to cross the boundary and take advantage of your brother. The topic is sexual purity.
Homosexual relations are not "special". They are just another form of sexual perversion! We can not allow the culture to define our morality. The child of God has clear guidance on all topics in the word of God, the Holy Bible.
Thursday, December 22, 2011
Self Control Means "In His Dominion"
We read about the fruit of the Spirit in Galatians 5:23,23. One attribute of this fruit is "self-control". In English, it sounds like self is doing the control. In the Greek this word is "enkratia" which, when broken down to its parts of "en" and "kratia", literally means "in + His Dominion". It's God-control. It's not really self that's doing the controlling, though it is up to us to obey Him.
Not to be too nit-picky, but sometimes analyzing the original word helps us apply it to our lives. In this case, understanding that our spirits are to be submitted and governed by the Holy Spirit at all times helps our understanding of Who is doing the controlling. This may help us from being stiff, religious, or legalistic in our walk. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!
Not to be too nit-picky, but sometimes analyzing the original word helps us apply it to our lives. In this case, understanding that our spirits are to be submitted and governed by the Holy Spirit at all times helps our understanding of Who is doing the controlling. This may help us from being stiff, religious, or legalistic in our walk. Where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom!
Friday, September 16, 2011
I Exist Means Under Him I Rule and Reign
In the Greek, "I exist" means "under His Lordship, I rule and reign". It's so much more than just "existing".
In the Greek the word for 'I exist' is 'υπάρχω' (hyparcho). It is made up of two parts: hypo and archo.
Uπό (hypo) is positional, it means under: in this case, under Christ. And aρχω (archo) means to rule and reign. Therefore, under Christ, we rule and reign.
God has given us so much in Christ, it is up to us to stay under his rulership and, from that position, rule in this life.
In the Greek the word for 'I exist' is 'υπάρχω' (hyparcho). It is made up of two parts: hypo and archo.
Uπό (hypo) is positional, it means under: in this case, under Christ. And aρχω (archo) means to rule and reign. Therefore, under Christ, we rule and reign.
God has given us so much in Christ, it is up to us to stay under his rulership and, from that position, rule in this life.
Friday, August 19, 2011
Comfort is Myth
In the Greek, the word for comfort or console, as used in John 11:19,31, is παραμυθέομαι (paramytheomai). Paramythi means fairy tale. Paramytheomai is a combination of two words: para which means from, and myth which means myth. Consolation is from-myth.
The New Testament Greek teaches us that stories that console us might be fictional and need to be examined for their truthfulness. Especially when the consolers are hostile towards Jesus. Let's examine one such instance in John 11:1-45.
The chapter tells us that the people in Judea were hostile towards Jesus (verse 8). They wanted to stone Him. In fact when Jesus resolved to press on towards Judea, Doubting Thomas resigned, "Fine, let us also go, that we may die with him." (verse 16).
These same hostile Jews were consoling Mary and Martha after the death of Lazarus.
We can only imagine what they might have been saying. "It's ok; Jesus didn't come in time, but we're here for you. He could have prevented this tragedy, but I guess He was too busy."
Whatever words these people were using, Mary and Martha were polluted by the consolation as evidenced by their response to Jesus when He did arrive.
Martha said, "If You would have been here, my brother would not have died." (verse 21). She was blaming Jesus for Lazarus' death.
Mary met Jesus separately and also stated the same exact sentiment, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." (verse 32).
I wonder where they got this sentiment. Did the consoling Jews wear them down?
We must consider the stories we use to console ourselves and others.
Are the stories we take comfort in based on fact or fiction? Is our comfort coming from the Comforter, whose job it is to lead us into a deeper revelation of the Gospel? Or is our comfort coming from myths, comfortable substitutes for the truth?
Whenever we make a decision to draw near to Christ, a familiar spirit (something comfortable and consoling) will try to prevent us from going forward. "You don't need to go to church; they're all a bunch of hypocrites anyway."
Or, whatever the consoling myth might be.
Coming into a deeper level of truth always requires that we step beyond our comfort zone.
The New Testament Greek teaches us that stories that console us might be fictional and need to be examined for their truthfulness. Especially when the consolers are hostile towards Jesus. Let's examine one such instance in John 11:1-45.
The chapter tells us that the people in Judea were hostile towards Jesus (verse 8). They wanted to stone Him. In fact when Jesus resolved to press on towards Judea, Doubting Thomas resigned, "Fine, let us also go, that we may die with him." (verse 16).
These same hostile Jews were consoling Mary and Martha after the death of Lazarus.
We can only imagine what they might have been saying. "It's ok; Jesus didn't come in time, but we're here for you. He could have prevented this tragedy, but I guess He was too busy."
Whatever words these people were using, Mary and Martha were polluted by the consolation as evidenced by their response to Jesus when He did arrive.
Martha said, "If You would have been here, my brother would not have died." (verse 21). She was blaming Jesus for Lazarus' death.
Mary met Jesus separately and also stated the same exact sentiment, "Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died." (verse 32).
I wonder where they got this sentiment. Did the consoling Jews wear them down?
We must consider the stories we use to console ourselves and others.
Are the stories we take comfort in based on fact or fiction? Is our comfort coming from the Comforter, whose job it is to lead us into a deeper revelation of the Gospel? Or is our comfort coming from myths, comfortable substitutes for the truth?
Whenever we make a decision to draw near to Christ, a familiar spirit (something comfortable and consoling) will try to prevent us from going forward. "You don't need to go to church; they're all a bunch of hypocrites anyway."
Or, whatever the consoling myth might be.
Coming into a deeper level of truth always requires that we step beyond our comfort zone.
Monday, May 23, 2011
James 1:2 says, "Lead on with joy!"
In the Greek, James 1:2 says, “Lead on with joy my brothers!”
James was advising leaders how to deal with trials, and we should take a lesson as well. Anyone involved in ministry will be opposed. Let’s face it: the devil hates humanity and is out to destroy it anyway he can. When anyone decides to spread the good news of our salvation in Christ, that person will be opposed by demonic forces. How do we cope?
James, the brother of Jesus, instructs us to use joy as a weapon; to take it up, and lead on. Here it is in the Greek:
Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε ἀδελφοί μου ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις
With all joy lead on my brothers when various trials encompass you.
As ministers of the Gospel, we must learn to apply joy to the situation in order to survive the ministry any length of time. Joy will secure the longevity of our ministry. Or so it says . . . in the Greek in James 1:2
James was advising leaders how to deal with trials, and we should take a lesson as well. Anyone involved in ministry will be opposed. Let’s face it: the devil hates humanity and is out to destroy it anyway he can. When anyone decides to spread the good news of our salvation in Christ, that person will be opposed by demonic forces. How do we cope?
James, the brother of Jesus, instructs us to use joy as a weapon; to take it up, and lead on. Here it is in the Greek:
Πᾶσαν χαρὰν ἡγήσασθε ἀδελφοί μου ὅταν πειρασμοῖς περιπέσητε ποικίλοις
With all joy lead on my brothers when various trials encompass you.
As ministers of the Gospel, we must learn to apply joy to the situation in order to survive the ministry any length of time. Joy will secure the longevity of our ministry. Or so it says . . . in the Greek in James 1:2
Monday, April 11, 2011
There are Two Gripping Forces
Believers in Christ should live in the Grip of God's Glory. Unbelievers are in the Grip of dark forces operating in the world.
In the Greek language of the New Testament, we see two gripping forces. One is the Glory of God, and the other belongs to the forces darkness. Both are captivating; both are gripping.
In Colossians 1:11 we are told that believers are gripped by His Glory. In Ephesians 6:12 we are told that our struggle is against world forces of darkness that grip us. Here is a breakdown of the verses, KJV, Greek, and Literal:
Colossians 1:11
KJV "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,"
Greek "ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ"
Literal "Fully empowered by the Grip of His Glory"
"Grip of His Glory" = "κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ"
Ephesians 6:12
KJV " . . . we wrestle . . . against the rulers of the darkness of this world,"
Greek " . . . ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη . . . πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου"
Literal " . . . we wrestle . . . against the world's grip of darkness of this age"
"World's grip of darkness of this age" = "κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου"
Kοσμοκράτορας, cosmokratoras is a ruler; however, it is a compound of two words: world and grip.
In English, we don't think of this world's rulers as having a dark grip on us. In the Greek, we are told that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with world forces that are dark and gripping.
It helps to know that we have a choice to be gripped by the Glory of the Lord or the forces at work in this dark world.
Whose grip are you in? Are you gripped by His Glory or by the world-grip of the darkness of this age?
In the Greek language of the New Testament, we see two gripping forces. One is the Glory of God, and the other belongs to the forces darkness. Both are captivating; both are gripping.
In Colossians 1:11 we are told that believers are gripped by His Glory. In Ephesians 6:12 we are told that our struggle is against world forces of darkness that grip us. Here is a breakdown of the verses, KJV, Greek, and Literal:
Colossians 1:11
KJV "Strengthened with all might, according to his glorious power,"
Greek "ἐν πάσῃ δυνάμει δυναμούμενοι κατὰ τὸ κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ"
Literal "Fully empowered by the Grip of His Glory"
"Grip of His Glory" = "κράτος τῆς δόξης αὐτοῦ"
Ephesians 6:12
KJV " . . . we wrestle . . . against the rulers of the darkness of this world,"
Greek " . . . ἔστιν ἡμῖν ἡ πάλη . . . πρὸς τοὺς κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου"
Literal " . . . we wrestle . . . against the world's grip of darkness of this age"
"World's grip of darkness of this age" = "κοσμοκράτορας τοῦ σκότους τοῦ αἰῶνος τούτου"
Kοσμοκράτορας, cosmokratoras is a ruler; however, it is a compound of two words: world and grip.
In English, we don't think of this world's rulers as having a dark grip on us. In the Greek, we are told that our struggle is not with flesh and blood, but with world forces that are dark and gripping.
It helps to know that we have a choice to be gripped by the Glory of the Lord or the forces at work in this dark world.
Whose grip are you in? Are you gripped by His Glory or by the world-grip of the darkness of this age?
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