Acts 26:16-18 – “But get up and stand on your feet. For I have appeared to you for this purpose, to appoint you as a servant and a witness of what you have seen and will see of me. I will rescue you from your people and from the nations. I am sending you to them to open their eyes so that they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God, that they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified by faith in me.”
As Paul makes his defense before King Agrippa, he reveals the purpose for which Messiah had called him. He was to be a witness and a catalyst of deliverance for both Jews and the nations.
There has been much ink spilled over the centuries in Christian theological circles regarding how the “Gentiles” were to receive salvation through the preaching of Paul. But if we understand the overall context of Paul’s mission, I believe those of us who are non-Jews will have a deeper understanding and respect for our position in Messiah.
Those to whom Paul was sent were not just “Gentiles” anywhere and everywhere he could get to. Paul was specifically sent to reach out to both the Jews (those of the tribe of Judah and Benjamin) along with the ten tribes that had been scattered throughout the known world by that time. This is why he would always begin in the synagogue in the community, and only afterwards reach out to others in the area. When it says Paul was commissioned to the nations, these are the ones he is commissioned to call to Messiah: the former ten tribes who had become assimilated into the surrounding nations and absorbed into the wider Roman empire of Paul’s day.
This was the “good news” that Paul was bringing! Even though they had been lost to the nations, God was calling them back to be re-grafted into the original “holy root” of the forefathers through the work of Messiah!
Romans 11:16-18 – Now if the firstfruits are holy, so is the whole batch. And if the root is holy, so are the branches. Now if some of the branches were broken off, and you, though a wild olive branch, were grafted in among them and have come to share in the rich root of the cultivated olive tree, do not boast that you are better than those branches…
This is why the gospel had to be of faith and not of blood lineage anymore, because their bloodlines had become mixed among the nations and they had, from the strict Jewish orthodoxy perspective of the day, become “Gentiles.” This is also why the Jews who heard the message of the gospel were so enraged at Paul’s teaching, because they feared that their self-identification as God’s “chosen people” was being cheapened in offering it to those whom they did not consider worthy.
Through faith in the true Messiah of Israel, the scattered ten tribes were to be reunited with their believing brothers and sisters in Judah and Benjamin, fulfilling the ancient prophecies that all of the tribes of Israel would be reunited.
Ezekiel 37:19, 21-24 – “tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to take the stick of Joseph, which is in the hand of Ephraim, and the tribes of Israel associated with him, and put them together with the stick of Judah. I will make them into a single stick so that they become one in my hand.’ … “tell them, ‘This is what the Lord GOD says: I am going to take the Israelites out of the nations where they have gone. I will gather them from all around and bring them into their own land. “I will make them one nation in the land, on the mountains of Israel, and one king will rule over all of them. They will no longer be two nations and will no longer be divided into two kingdoms. “They will not defile themselves anymore with their idols, their abhorrent things, and all their transgressions. I will save them from all their apostasies by which they sinned, and I will cleanse them. Then they will be my people, and I will be their God. “My servant David will be king over them, and there will be one shepherd for all of them. They will follow my ordinances, and keep my statutes and obey them.
And this was the key to God reaching out to the rest of the world, and how he would get past the nation of Israel alone being his chosen people. By making the condition of the New Covenant by faith in Messiah, then ANYONE who believed in the Messiah of Israel would also be brough into the commonwealth of Israel, even if they had no genealogical connection whatsoever! This is not only good news, but GREAT news for everyone else in the world who would come to recognize Yahweh as the God of all creation. God’s forgiveness would be available through repentance to anyone in the world who would come to him, and so it is to this day.
This is the GREAT news of the gospel: forgiveness is available to all who repent of their rebellious ways. Those of us called by his grace and mercy can now and always “have a share among those who are sanctified” by faith in Messiah Yeshua.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
The proverbs of Solomon carry so much practical and helpful information, I find it is extremely fruitful to glean its depths for ongoing inspiration and godly motivation. My personal practice is to continually review its content each month. Since there are thirty one chapters, it’s easy to review a chapter a day, doubling up as needed on months with less than thirty one days.
In our ongoing topic of vigilance and watchfulness in righteous actions, this passage toward the end of the fourth chapter (Proverbs 4:24-27) provides some helpful admonitions to ensure we are staying on the right path.
“Don’t let your mouth speak dishonestly, and don’t let your lips talk deviously.”
This wise advice from Solomon is easily nested as a further description of the ninth commandment, to not bear false witness against anyone. We should always be ensuring that our speech remains truthful and honest at all times.
“Let your eyes look forward; fix your gaze straight ahead.”
When we are distracted from our main focus, it is easy to get led astray. Instead, as we keep our eyes on the goal before us, we will be much less likely to deviate from the purpose that God has called us to.
Philippians 3:12-14 – “I don’t mean to say that I have already achieved these things or that I have already reached perfection. But I press on to possess that perfection for which Messiah Yeshua first possessed me. No, dear brothers and sisters, I have not achieved it, but I focus on this one thing: Forgetting the past and looking forward to what lies ahead, I press on to reach the end of the race and receive the heavenly prize for which God, through Messiah Yeshua, is calling us.”
“Carefully consider the path for your feet, and all your ways will be established.”
Many times, where we run into problems in our walk is that we move forward impulsively without due consideration or prayer ahead of time. In those times we can find ourselves quickly removed from the path that God has called us. Better to take our time and carefully consider our options and responses ahead of time. Doing so provides the confidence that we are continually moving in the right direction in the way God has established.
“Don’t turn to the right or to the left; keep your feet away from evil.”
Similar to the admonition to keep our gaze fixed straight ahead is the further prompting to ensure our actual progress stays on track, even if we may be temporarily distracted in our focus. Whatever may gain our immediate attention “off-path,” we should be sure our steps remain “on-path,” and to not mindlessly drift toward evil actions.
Overall, each of these actions requires a sense of vigilance and discipline regarding the monitoring of our own behaviors. At the beginning of the passage, Solomon provides a specific key that helps us maintain this sense of vigilance.
Proverbs 4:20-21 – “My son, pay attention to my words; listen closely to my sayings. Don’t lose sight of them; keep them within your heart.”
Just as Solomon encouraged his son to follow his wisdom, we can do so with the wisdom of our Father if we also don’t lose sight of his instruction, his torah, by keeping it within our heart. This is, after all, the goal and fulfillment of the New Covenant.
Jeremiah 31:33 – “Instead, this is the covenant I will make with the house of Israel after those days” – Yahweh’s declaration. “I will put my teaching within them and write it on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people.
God’s people are those who have his teaching, his torah, within their hearts. This is how we are enabled to remain on the path he has laid out for us, when we are vigilant in guarding that which he has graciously provided. Only then can his purpose be established in each generation.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
This is a role of believers that some are unwilling to accept.
Psalm 38:19-20 – “But my enemies are vigorous and strong, And many are those who hate me wrongfully. And those who repay evil for good, They oppose me, because I follow what is good”.
If anybody knew about having enemies, it was King David. He was responsible for not only ruling over Israel, but for subduing surrounding peoples from the borders of Egypt all the way to the Euphrates River. All of these surrounding nations became vassals of Israel, and in this process David was sure to stir up some ongoing conflict.
But in reading the history of his life and reign in the books of Samuel and Chronicles, we find he had enemies within his own people, as well.
It is not without good reason then that he cries out to God for assistance. Notice he says, “many are those who hate me wrongfully.” There were many who hated him, but their hatred was not based on the truth.
Most significantly, I find that he struggled with adversaries who hated him specifically because he “followed what is good.” Doing what’s right in situations will almost certainly create tensions with those who may not agree with your views.
Proverbs 29:27 – An unjust person is detestable to the righteous, and one whose way is upright is detestable to the wicked.
This is no reason to not stand up for what’s right; in fact, it’s likely an indicator that you are headed down the right path. Integrity is not a committee decision; it is a bold and blatant individual stand for doing the right thing. This takes courage and conviction, two things many of those who may consider themselves as adversaries likely do not have.
One thing that becomes quickly apparent in studying the life and ministry of Yeshua; he was (and still is) a polarizing figure. People always took sides either for or against his perspectives. This is the nature of integrity: it creates space between the false, the hypocritical, and the compromising, thereby becoming even more apparent, as a light in the darkness.
Recognize, accept, and own that doing what is right is what believers in Messiah are called to, following in the footsteps of the faithful saints who have gone on before, and in the footsteps of our Lord.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
How can these differences help us understand our purpose?
Many of you who follow this blog may recognize that I have made this distinction between the “church” and the kingdom in the past. You may also notice that is one of the reasons I typically avoid using the word “church” in my articles, not because I don’t believe in it, just because I think that word has evolved over time to take on non-biblical meaning.
What do I mean by that? Well, when we drive down the road and see a building with a steeple, we may call that a “church.” This building may technically be where a “church” (that is, a group of called-out people) meets, but it is only a building, not an actual church. In reality, the church is the group of people that meet in that location, the building is just a building.
The word that we translate as church in our bibles is actually from the Greek word ekklesia, which simply means an assembly of people. In Greek usage, it doesn’t even really have any religious overtones; it could be an assembly of people at a rally, or a political event. This is why instead of using the word church, I will typically employ the word congregation, as I think that conveys more of an accurate meaning.
Why is this kind of semantic difference important? It is because I think in today’s culture, just like the confusion between the building and the people who meet in the building, the lines between church and kingdom have become blurred, to the point of the terms being used interchangeably. This has no biblical precedent and was never intended by any of the biblical writers, or even by Yeshua himself.
I believe Yeshua defined how the term ekklesia should be used when he introduced the concept to his disciples in Matthew 16.
Matthew 16:15-18 – “…who do you say that I am? ” Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” Yeshua responded, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, because flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but my Father in heaven. “And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my ekklesia, and the gates of Hades will not overpower it.”
Yeshua said this his ekklesia would be built on the “rock” of the declaration of Peter: “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.” This is all that is required to be a “member” of the local assembly: faith in Yeshua as Messiah. Based on that statement, assemblies would be formed to live out his teachings in their local communities. Neither the death of Yeshua nor the death of any of the believers (i.e., the “gates of Hades”) would be able to stop the number of local congregations from continuing to grow.
However, the ekklesia is not the kingdom, it is simply the local outpost of where the kingdom principles are being exhibited in the lives of the believers. The kingdom is the everlasting reign of God over all the earth; the congregation is the local gathering of believers in Messiah who are living out the kingdom values in that community.
In an excerpt from his article titled “The Church vs. the Kingdom,” a church-planting minister by the name of Jim Botts provided how he views some of the following differences between the church and the kingdom.
“KINGDOM PEOPLE OR CHURCH PEOPLE? Though the church and its activities can fit into the Kingdom, you cannot squeeze the Kingdom into the Church. When we try to fit the Kingdom into our church-box, we create church people, instead of Kingdom people! And there is a huge difference between the two: Church people – have reduced ministry vision and can’t see past church-bound categories for ministry (i.e., usher, greeter, children’s worker, inviter-of-lost-friends, etc.). Kingdom people – have Kingdom vision to think/dream/act outside the box (read church here). They want to heal the wounds in their neighborhood, workplace, and community (fatherlessness, addictions, marriages). Church people – see the gospel in terms of good news about the afterlife (it’s how you can be sure you’re going to heaven after you die). Kingdom people – see the gospel in terms of good news about Kingdom life (it’s about life in God and with God, both now and forever). Church people – understand discipleship as primarily about enjoying a closer relationship with God that grows me to spiritual maturity. Kingdom people – understand discipleship as the call to lose their life for Christ’s sake so they can participate in His family for His mission. The Kingdom is not a means to a bigger church; the church is a means to demonstrating the Kingdom!”
I think these are some healthy distinctions, and help us understand that Yeshua’s primary mission was to usher in the kingdom, not to start a new religion which would become called “the Christian Church.” This is a primary misunderstanding of all that he came to accomplish.
Instead, as we work through our local congregations (i.e., “churches”) to live out the overarching principles of the kingdom, we will find that the kingdom itself will continue to grow on the earth with each succeeding generation, just as the Bible prophesied it would.
Daniel 7:14 – “He [one like a Son of Man] was given dominion, and glory, and a kingdom; so that those of every people, nation, and language should serve him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not pass away, and his kingdom is one that will not be destroyed.”
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
If God is our Father, exhibiting compassion is in our spiritual DNA.
Core of the Bible podcast #50 – Being compassionate is not what you do, but who you are
Today we will be exploring the topic of compassion, and how our relationship with God obligates us to demonstrate compassion with others. Through our shared experiences and trials in growing the kingdom of God, along with our close communion with God as our Father, we should be sharing the comfort we receive with those who need it most.
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 – “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah! He is the Father who is compassionate and the God who gives comfort. He comforts us whenever we suffer. That is why whenever other people suffer, we are able to comfort them by using the same comfort we have received from God.”
This wise admonition of the apostle Paul contains within itself the makings of a simple truism: If we have received comfort from God through some trouble, then we have the ability, and the responsibility, to comfort others with that same comfort that we had received. In this sense, these verses contain a kind of “pay it forward” mentality. God comforts us, therefore we comfort others.
While this is a good and worthy application of this truth, looking at the passage in context can give us a broader perspective of how Paul was directly applying this truth with the Corinthian congregation. Perhaps as we see how he was applying this truth, we may find new perspective for our own application today.
First of all, let’s look at the entire context of this passage to get the wider margins of understanding about what Paul is speaking about here. The passage itself kind of breaks evenly between verses 3-7 and 8-11. Let’s look at the first section up through verse 7.
2 Corinthians 1:3-7 – Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Yeshua Messiah, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Messiah overflow to us, so also through Messiah our comfort overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.
Okay, so now we can see that the kind of suffering or affliction that Paul is referring to, he labels as the “sufferings of Messiah” which have “overflowed to us.” So these are not just generic sufferings or troubles he is talking about here, like sickness or car troubles or losing one’s job; no, these are sufferings related to the Messiahship of Yeshua. What kind of sufferings were associated with the Messiahship of Yeshua?
Roy Yates, in an article in the Evangelical Quarterly, provides an overview of Paul’s hardships that he encountered during his ministry due to his conviction of the Messiahship of Yeshua.
“During the period of his Ephesian ministry (Act 19: 1-20: 1) St. Paul suffered several traumatic experiences, including personal dangers and possible imprisonments. The Acts of the Apostles mentions only the riot caused by Demetrius the silversmith (Acts:19:23-41), but there are a number of references in the Epistles which lead us to suppose that the troubles Paul experienced at Ephesus were more serious and more numerous than Luke would have us believe. The opposition reachedsuch a pitch that Paul refers to it as ‘fighting with wild beasts’ (1 Cor. 15:32). He also uses the language of the spectacle in the arena to describe the ignominy to which he had been subject in his work as an apostle (1 Cor. 4:9). At a later date he was in such serious trouble that he considered death to be the inevitable outcome of his afflictions (2 Cor. 1:8-10), and his escape as a divine deliverance. He gives a lengthy catalogue of sufferings and hardships endured for the sake of the Gospel (2 Cor. 11 :23-9), some of which must have happened to him during his stay at Ephesus. He tells of Prisca and Aquila who risked their necks for him (Rom. 16:4); warns Timothy of his adversary Alexander the coppersmith who had done him great harm (2 Tim. 4: 14-17); and describes his work in Ephesus in terms of ‘an open door . . . and many adversaries’ (1 Cor. 16:9).”
As Roy mentions in his article, later in the 2nd Corinthian epistle, Paul catalogues a list of many troubles he encountered during his ministry that were endured for Messiah.
2 Corinthians 11:23-28, 32-33 – “Are they servants of Messiah? I’m talking like a madman — I’m a better one: with far more labors, many more imprisonments, far worse beatings, many times near death. Five times I received the forty lashes minus one from the Jews. Three times I was beaten with rods. Once I received a stoning. Three times I was shipwrecked. I have spent a night and a day in the open sea. On frequent journeys, I faced dangers from rivers, dangers from robbers, dangers from my own people, dangers from Gentiles, dangers in the city, dangers in the wilderness, dangers at sea, and dangers among false brothers; toil and hardship, many sleepless nights, hunger and thirst, often without food, cold, and without clothing. Not to mention other things, there is the daily pressure on me: my concern for all the congregations. … In Damascus, a ruler under King Aretas guarded the city of Damascus in order to arrest me. So I was let down in a basket through a window in the wall and escaped from his hands.”
Even a cursory review of these events demonstrates how all of these tribulations were endured for the sake of Messiah. These were the types of hardships encountered during his missionary journeys throughout Europe, Asia, and Greece.
Now in the second section of the 2 Corinthians 1 passage beginning in verse 8, we find Paul zeroing in on some event that was so overwhelming, he and his companions despaired of death.
2 Corinthians 1:8-11 – We don’t want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, of our affliction that took place in Asia. We were completely overwhelmed — beyond our strength — so that we even despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt that we had received the sentence of death, so that we would not trust in ourselves but in God who raises the dead. He has delivered us from such a terrible death, and he will deliver us. We have put our hope in him that he will deliver us again while you join in helping us by your prayers. Then many will give thanks on our behalf for the gift that came to us through the prayers of many.
Thankfully, Paul maintains they were delivered by God “who raises the dead;” a sort of allusion to what must have seemed like a type of resurrection from the type of living death they were experiencing in their persecution in Asia.
Quoting again from the Roy Yates article provides some interesting background on this event:
“Paul’s troubles in Ephesus came to a head in the experience referred to in 2 Cor. 1 :8-10. He had come so close to a terrible death that he had given himself up as lost. When deliverance came it was greeted as a miracle of resurrection, and as the action of God in response to prayer. The nature of the crisis is not specified in the epistle, but the Corinthians knew well what he was referring to, for they are meant to take comfort and hope from Paul’s suffering and deliverance (2 Cor. 1:3-7). He is eager to open up his heart to them on the matter and tell them of the joy and the sorrow which are inseparably and paradoxically joined together in the preaching of the Gospel. The weakness and suffering of the Apostle only serves to make him rely even more on the power of God, who works through him, and not on himself (2 Cor. 4:7-5:10).”
Regardless of what the event itself was, it was something that caused the apostle to rely even more upon God. This is the crux of what Paul is getting at. Because the “sufferings of Messiah” had “overflowed” to them, they were then able to provide comfort to the disciples as they experienced their own versions of the “suffering of Messiah.
Psalm 34:19 – One who is righteous has many adversities, but Yahweh rescues him from them all.
The Psalmist writes that the righteous don’t just coast through life with the best of everything. To the contrary, those who are righteous have many adversities to endure. Paul also confirms this as he writes to Timothy:
2 Timothy 3:10-12 – But you have followed my teaching, conduct, purpose, faith, patience, love, and endurance, along with the persecutions and sufferings that came to me in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra. What persecutions I endured – and yet Yahweh rescued me from them all. In fact, all who want to live a godly life in Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted.
The apostle Paul pulls no punches; anyone wanting to live a godly life in Messiah Yeshua will be persecuted. But the good news is that through these shared tribulations, Yahweh will deliver them, just as Paul was delivered through his. He is encouraging the disciples to build one another up in their most holy faith by providing the comfort and insights they had received through these common experiences of persecution and affliction; this is what builds up the faith of the congregations.
In a moment, we’ll take a look at another aspect of why this type of shared compassion is necessary, and it has to do with a type of spiritual DNA.
As we look back to the beginning of the passage in 2 Corinthians 1, we are instructed here by Paul that God is “the Father who is compassionate.” Other versions render this phrase as:
the Father of mercies
the Father who is merciful
merciful Father
Father of compassion
The Pulpit Commentary puts this phrase into perspective:
“This corresponds to a Hebrew expression, and means that compassionateness is the most characteristic attribute of God, and an emanation from him. He is the Source of all mercy; and mercy is an attribute of God himself. He is ‘full of compassion, and gracious, long-suffering, and plenteous in mercy and truth’ (Psalm 86:15). ‘The Law,’ says the Talmud, ‘begins and ends with an act of mercy. At its commencement God clothes the naked; at its close be buries the dead’ (‘Sotah,’ f. 14, 1).”
As compassion is one of the primary qualities of God himself, Paul is right to encourage believers to provide the same level of compassion and mercy to others that they have received themselves. It’s only fair that we should do so; in fact, it is our obligation. When we neglect acts of compassion towards others, we are in effect rejecting a key component of our spiritual DNA. Exhibiting compassion for others is not only something we are expected to do, it is who we are expected to be, just like our Father.
Matthew 5:48 – “Be perfect, therefore, as your heavenly Father is perfect.”
So many believers today are so overly focused on God’s comfort for them, or on striving after how they can receive more comfort and encouragement from God, that they overlook the glaring and unmistakable needs of the those who are all around them.
One of the reasons I believe we are not faithful in sharing the comfort we have received from God is because we are not truly experiencing the “sufferings of Messiah” to receive God’s comfort in the first place. When was the last time any of us were beaten or imprisoned for our faith in Messiah? Have any of us been excommunicated from our local congregation because of some radical belief we hold about Messiah? Have any of us been in physical conditions of hardship such as no food or shelter during a missionary journey? These are the types of situations that can be considered the sufferings of Messiah, and these are the types of things that God sustains believers through. Some of you listening to this may indeed have experienced some level of this type of suffering, and I’m certain you would carry some great testimony of God’s faithfulness through your trial.
Ultimately, we have to remember that being a believer in the God of the Bible is not about us, it’s about him. When we take great personal risk in order to continue to grow the kingdom of God, we then are forced to rely on God’s care and provision for our needs. Even the Lord’s Prayer contains the clause, “Give us this day our daily bread.” The provision of God that Yeshua teaches us about is for each day, one day at a time, not for unending provision with no consequence. It is when we are in the situations that cause us to rely fully on him that he is able to provide real, tangible comfort for our needs.
I can recall as a young, single, idealistic believer, I had become convinced that God was calling me into a local ministry at our congregation, yet I had no formal training or college. I was so convinced that was where God wanted me that I had quit my job and put the offer to work for the congregation for only $400 a month. At the time, that would meet all of my immediate needs, and I was trusting God for the opportunity. It took weeks while I remained steadfast in prayer, and ultimately, it came to pass. In that role of music and leading some small study groups, I grew spiritually by leaps and bounds as I was forced to rely on God for just about everything. I continued to grow in faith as I saw God’s provision, sometimes daily, and I experienced many powerful spiritual lessons that I still carry with me and share today, many times through these podcasts and daily articles. And because of that period of relying on God’s provision, I can testify today that God is sufficient.
Through our faith in Messiah, and because we believe God is our Father, we should, if for no other reason than this close spiritual and familial association with him, begin to exhibit the same characteristics that he has demonstrated in our lives. If God is compassionate, we should be also. If God has comforted us through affliction and sharing the sufferings of Messiah, we are obligated to comfort others also with the same comfort we have received. This is who we are in Messiah.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
Luke 6:31 – “Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.
This saying, which has become known as the “Golden Rule,” has appeared in many other cultures in some form or another, even other religious traditions.
Christianity: “Do for others what you want them to do for you: This is the meaning of the Law and the teaching of the Prophets” (Matthew 7/12) Judaism: “What is hateful to you, do not to you fellowman. That is the entire law: All the rest is commentary”. (Talmud, Shabbat 3id) Islam: “No one of you is a believer until he desires for his brother that which he desires for himself” (Sunnah) Buddhism: “Hurt not others in ways that you yourself would find hurtful: (Udana-Verga 5/18) Hinduism: “This is the sum of duty! Do naught unto others which would cause you pain if done to you. (Mahabharata 5/1517) Confucianism: Is there one maxim which ought to be acted upon throughout ones life? Surely it is the maxim of loving kindness. Do not unto others what you would not have them do unto you? (Analects 15/23). Taoism: “Regard your neighbours gain as you own gain and your neighbour’s loss as your own loss” (Tai Shang Kan Ying P’en) Zoroastrism: “That nature alone is good which refrains from doing unto others whatsoever is not good for itself”. (Dadistendinik 94/5)
Yet, if we really desire to understand how Yeshua interpreted and intended it to be applied, we would do well to keep it within the context of the rest of the passage of his teaching. Each bullet point provides its own convicting refinement of this principle.
Luke 6:27-31 – “But I say to you who listen:
Love your enemies, do what is good to those who hate you,
bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.
If anyone hits you on the cheek, offer the other also.
And if anyone takes away your coat, don’t hold back your shirt either.
Give to everyone who asks you, and from someone who takes your things, don’t ask for them back.
Just as you want others to do for you, do the same for them.”
But what if, instead of being written as admonitions to believers, these maxims were instead originally directed at those who reject God? What if Yeshua wanted to teach non-believers how to be able to truly identify God’s own people? Perhaps Yeshua might have phrased this teaching a little differently.
“Because I have instructed my disciples to follow me, they are obligated to act only in ways that I would act; in ways that honor God and bring glory to his name. “Even though you consider them your enemies, they will have to demonstrate genuine love to you. “Even though you may hate them, they will only be able to do what is good for you. “If you curse them out, they will be forced to pronounce blessings on you. “If you mistreat them, they will stop to pray for your needs. “If you hit them, they will still stand by you to absorb your anger. “If you take their coat, they will offer you additional clothing you may want. Whatever you ask, they will give. If you take from them, they won’t ask for it back, because God provides for all of their needs. “They will only be able to respond in a way they would want to be treated themselves. “These are my people, these are the ones who truly believe in me.”
Perhaps if Yeshua’s people acted more like this, the kingdom would be growing even faster than it is.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
Matthew 5:44-48 – “But I tell you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who mistreat you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father who is in heaven. For he makes his sun to rise on the evil and the good, and sends rain on the just and the unjust. For if you love those who love you, what reward do you have? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? If you only greet your friends, what more do you do than others? Don’t even the tax collectors do the same? Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”
We have looked at this passage in several different articles regarding different aspects of meaning that are present here. But one of the key questions that can be brought up is this, does God expect more of us than he expects of himself? Yeshua instructs us to love our enemies. Has God really demonstrated love for his enemies?
Romans 5:6, 8, 10 – “For while we were still helpless, at the right time, Messiah died for the ungodly. … But God proves his own love for us in that while we were still sinners, Messiah died for us. … For if, while we were enemies, we were reconciled to God through the death of his Son, then how much more, having been reconciled, will we be saved by his life.”
I remember a preacher once teaching on this topic and saying, “If your salvation depended on my only son dying in your place, then I’m sorry, you would not be saved.” This tongue-in-cheek statement drove home the point of how much love God demonstrated for those who could be considered his enemies due to their rebellion and sinfulness. And yet God was willing to have his own Son die for them.
Romans 10:20-21 – “And Isaiah says boldly, I was found by those who were not looking for me; I revealed myself to those who were not asking for me. But to Israel he says, All day long I have held out my hands to a disobedient and defiant people.”
Does Yeshua exhort us to love our enemies? Yes, so that we might become “children of God.” As we have seen from the apostle Paul, God indeed demonstrated love for those who had made themselves his enemies, enough to have his own Son die for them. If in this fashion we become his children, then we must exhibit the same characteristic of our Father. All day long, we must hold our hands out to the disobedient and defiant people of our generation.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
2 Chronicles 1:11-12 – “God said to Solomon, “Because this was in your heart, and you have not asked riches, wealth, honor, or the life of those who hate you, nor yet have you asked for long life; but have asked for wisdom and knowledge for yourself, that you may judge my people, over whom I have made you king, therefore wisdom and knowledge is granted to you. I will give you riches, wealth, and honor, such as none of the kings have had who have been before you had, and none after you will have.””
This request that was granted to Solomon by God was a huge measure of trust and faith in God on the the part of Solomon. He was in the perfect position to understand the need of the moment and he did not let it go to waste. His request demonstrated how in tune he was with the promise of God. Because of his faith and trust in the promise of God, his request was granted. Note the conditions just prior to God’s response to him:
2 Chronicles 1:8 – And Solomon said to God: “You have shown great and faithful love to my father David, and you have made me king in his place.
Solomon recognized his place in the scheme of the kingdom. He had been entrusted with the representative role of king in the shadow of one of the most charismatic and influential leaders of Israel, ever. More importantly, he knew that his role was one of promise.
2 Chronicles 1:9 – “Yahweh God, let your promise to my father David now come true. For you have made me king over a people as numerous as the dust of the earth.
His statement of faith was one of complete trust in the promise of God that had been bestowed previously upon his father David through the prophet Nathan.
2 Samuel 7:16, 28-29 – “Your house and kingdom will endure before me forever, and your throne will be established forever.’ ” … Lord Yahweh, you are God; your words are true, and you have promised this good thing to your servant. Now, please bless your servant’s house so that it will continue before you forever. For you, Lord Yahweh, have spoken, and with your blessing your servant’s house will be blessed forever.
Solomon’s request was granted because it was in complete accord with the will of God for David’s house; to have his throne endure forever. The question isn’t in asking how God could answer Solomon’s request, but how could he have not?
For us to have an audience with God is not in a thousand sacrifices, but in a sincere and honest heart of trust and faith in his Word, recognizing our place within the kingdom of God. We need to know his instruction so fully that when we do provide requests, what we ask for is in alignment with his purpose and will. This is the type of faith that moves mountains, when God’s will, not ours, is for a mountain to move.
God desired to bless Solomon because he had promised David he would do so. God has also promised that his kingdom would fill the earth. Any requests and prayers we may ask that are in line with this purpose of God are sure to be answered in haste.
Matthew 6:10-11 – “Your kingdom come. Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”
Psalm 119:169-173 – Let my cry reach you, Yahweh; give me understanding according to your word. Let my plea reach you; rescue me according to your promise. My lips pour out praise, for you teach me your statutes. My tongue sings about your promise, for all your commands are righteous. May your hand be ready to help me, for I have chosen your precepts.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
Praying all the time demonstrates what’s really important…to you.
While common to all major religions, prayer is viewed differently by different belief systems. Prayer is typically viewed as requesting something from God, and therefore prayer becomes an instrument of communication only when some desired object or situation arises.
Biblical prayer should be something that sets believers in Messiah apart from others; this is a dynamic of the holiness of believers. There are many different biblical aspects to prayer, and one of the main facets that is encouraged is an idea of constancy; we are to pray continually.
Luke 18:1 – “Now he told them a parable on the need for them to pray always and not give up.”
Yeshua provides the example of the “persistent widow” who continued day after day to bring her request before the judge. When we pray for some need we may have or situation that arises, do we have the perseverance to continue in prayer, or do we simply give up after mentioning it once or twice in an off-hand way? I believe Yeshua desires our prayers to be genuine, and genuine prayers that remain at the forefront of all of our thinking and actions. These are the requests that demonstrate real needs exist. Flippant or careless prayers for this or that only show that whatever that issue is must not be a real need, otherwise urgent prayer for that thing would continue. So the persistence is not a demonstration to God of how important something is (since he already knows), but it is a demonstration to ourselves of what we consider important enough to bring before him day after day.
Ephesians 6:18 – “Pray at all times in the Spirit with every prayer and request, and stay alert with all perseverance and intercession for all the saints.” Colossians 1:3 – “We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for you…”
Whew, that is a lot of praying! Again, the emphasis is on the constancy for every and all situation that can relate to the kingdom of God in our daily lives, and the lives of our brothers and sisters in Messiah. Praying in the Spirit of God implies that those things that are prayed about relate to the kingdom of God, since that is God’s overarching purpose in the world: seeing the kingdom manifested in all things. When our prayers align with God’s purpose all the time, we will find that God’s Spirit will enable us to better accomplish his will, and it will happen all around us in real time!
Constancy in prayer is one of my personal challenges, and I hope that by highlighting these few examples, you are challenged to review your own prayer practices, as well. If we can unite in prayer for one another as brothers and sisters in Messiah, then we can both experience his kingdom coming to pass in our respective circles of influence!
1 Thessalonians 5:17 – “…pray constantly…”
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
Psalm 127: 1 – “If Yahweh doesn’t build a house, the work of its builders is useless. If Yahweh doesn’t watch over a city, it’s useless for those on guard duty to stand watch over it.”
Yeshua encourages us to be vigilant over what spiritual doctrine we imbibe, and to guard our steps with severe discipline to ensure we stay on the true and narrow path. Yet sometimes we become vigilant over things that have no bearing on our spiritual life or the kingdom of God and these things can consume us. In this psalm, we are reminded that unless the foundation of our vigilance is rooted in the things of God, there is no need for us to continue to guard and protect those things that are not of him.
Psalm 127:2 – “In vain you get up early and stay up late, to eat the food of painful labor – yes, he gives sleep to the one he loves.”
The Psalmist continues that we can become consumed with our work to the point of losing sleep, yet God knows how to provide us the rest we need along with the food we need. We can only guard and protect so much, and then we need to ultimately rely on God’s provision.
It is a fine line and in our day and age of being “on” 24/7 where any distinctions between the essential and the unnecessary can get blurred or simply erased in the stream of digital overload. Yet, we must remember that our roles should never overstep their boundaries, even within the kingdom of God. Paul speaks to this in the ministry of himself and Apollos:
1 Corinthians 3:5-7, 9 – “What then is Apollos? What is Paul? They are servants through whom you believed, and each has the role the Lord has given. I planted, Apollos watered, but God gave the growth. So then neither the one who plants nor the one who waters is anything, but only God who gives the growth. … For we are God’s coworkers…”
While we have roles to play within the purpose of God, we must remember that it is God who ultimately gives the increase in all things. We must be vigilant primarily in the things that concern the kingdom, and then allow him to work through us. If he builds the house, if he founds the city, if he tells us to plant and water, then it is appropriate to continue and watch over these ventures with extreme vigilance. We are then appropriately his co-laborers. However, if we instead spend the bulk of our time protecting and guarding that which is not of him, we may be watching over empty borders that never needed protecting in the first place.
If you enjoy these daily blog posts, be sure to visit the growing archive of the Core of the Bible podcast. Each week we take a more in-depth look at one of the various topics presented in the daily blog. You can view the podcast archive on our Podcast Page, at Core of the Bible on Simplecast, or your favorite podcast streaming service.
Now also on YouTube! Just getting started, but new videos will be added regularly on many different topics, find us at: Core of the Bible on YouTube.
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