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Tag: No condemnation

and he died / and he was not

Genesis chapter 5 lists out ten generations from Adam to Noah.
Generation 1: Adam begat Seth when he was 130 years old, and lived for 930 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:3-5)
Generation 2: Seth begat Enos when he was 105 years old, and lived for 912 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:6-8)
Generation 3: Enos begat Cainan when he was 90 years old, and lived for 905 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:9-11)
Generation 4: Cainan begat Mahaleel when he was 70 years old, and lived for 910 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:12-14)
Generation 5: Mahaleel begat Jared when he was 65 years old, and lived for 895 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:15-17)
Generation 6: Jared begat Enoch when he was 162 years old, and lived for 962 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:18-20)
Generation 7: Enoch begat Methuselah when he was 65 years old, and lived for 365 years: and he was not; for God took him. (Genesis 5:21-24)
Generation 8: Methuselah begat Lamech when he was 187 years old, and lived for 969 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:25-27)
Generation 9: Lamech begat Noah when he was 182 years old, and lived for 777 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:28-31)
Generation 10: Noah begat Shem, Ham & Japeth when he was 500 years old, and lived for 950 years: and he died. (Genesis 5:32 to 9:29)

What is interesting to note is that, of all the ten generations from Adam to Noah, it is said of each, that they begat sons and daughters, they lived for a period of time, and they died, except for one. Of Enoch, the seventh from Adam, it is said, that he was begotten, but instead of stating that he died, it is written, that he was not, for God took him. Enoch escapes physical death because of his walk with God.

Points to ponder:
Those who believe in the Lord Jesus Christ are given the gift of the Holy Spirit of God (Ephesians 1:13) and those who walk after the Spirit and not after the flesh shall have no condemnation (Romans 8:1) i.e., they shall not perish but have eternal life (John 3:16). In other words, of those who believe in Jesus, it shall not be said – and he/she died; but it shall be said – and he/she was not, for God took him/her. At the end of our journey on earth, what shall be said of you and me? Will we stand out as one in ten generations? Will it be said of you and me – “and he/she died” or will it be said of you and me “and he/she was not, for God took him/her?”

Genesis 5:3-31 (KJV)
3 And Adam lived an hundred and thirty years, and begat a son in his own likeness, and after his image; and called his name Seth:
4 And the days of Adam after he had begotten Seth were eight hundred years: and he begat sons and daughters:
5 And all the days that Adam lived were nine hundred and thirty years: and he died.
6 And Seth lived an hundred and five years, and begat Enos:
7 And Seth lived after he begat Enos eight hundred and seven years, and begat sons and daughters:
8 And all the days of Seth were nine hundred and twelve years: and he died.
9 And Enos lived ninety years, and begat Cainan:
10 And Enos lived after he begat Cainan eight hundred and fifteen years, and begat sons and daughters:
11 And all the days of Enos were nine hundred and five years: and he died.
12 And Cainan lived seventy years and begat Mahalaleel:
13 And Cainan lived after he begat Mahalaleel eight hundred and forty years, and begat sons and daughters:
14 And all the days of Cainan were nine hundred and ten years: and he died.

15 And Mahalaleel lived sixty and five years, and begat Jared:
16 And Mahalaleel lived after he begat Jared eight hundred and thirty years, and begat sons and daughters:
17 And all the days of Mahalaleel were eight hundred ninety and five years: and he died.
18 And Jared lived an hundred sixty and two years, and he begat Enoch:
19 And Jared lived after he begat Enoch eight hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:
20 And all the days of Jared were nine hundred sixty and two years: and he died.
21 And Enoch lived sixty and five years, and begat Methuselah:
22 And Enoch walked with God after he begat Methuselah three hundred years, and begat sons and daughters:

23 And all the days of Enoch were three hundred sixty and five years:
24 And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him.
25 And Methuselah lived an hundred eighty and seven years, and begat Lamech.
26 And Methuselah lived after he begat Lamech seven hundred eighty and two years, and begat sons and daughters:
27 And all the days of Methuselah were nine hundred sixty and nine years: and he died.
28 And Lamech lived an hundred eighty and two years, and begat a son:
29 And he called his name Noah, saying, This same shall comfort us concerning our work and toil of our hands, because of the ground which the Lord hath cursed.
30 And Lamech lived after he begat Noah five hundred ninety and five years, and begat sons and daughters:
31 And all the days of Lamech were seven hundred seventy and seven years: and he died.
32 And Noah was five hundred years old: and Noah begat Shem, Ham, and Japheth.

Genesis 9:29 (KJV)
29 And all the days of Noah were nine hundred and fifty years: and he died.

God hates sin, not the sinner (God loved Cain)

Often in Christian circles, we hear the cliche, “Hate the sin, Love the sinner” or a variant of that, which is “God hates sin, not the sinner.” If you searched the Bible for a verse with these words, you would not find one, however, hidden in the Scripture is evidence that supports this meme – God does hate sin, not the sinner. Closer scrutiny of the Scripture reveals that this motif has been in effect since the beginning of time, since Genesis, since Adam and Eve, since Cain and Abel.

Since God hated sin (disobedience) and not Adam & Eve (the sinner); and so Adam & Eve were banished instead of facing the judgment of God, which meant death. (Genesis 3)
Since God hated sin (unacceptable offerings) and not Cain (the sinner); God gives Cain a chance – an opportunity to do what is right (well) and assures him that if Cain did not allow sin to rule over him, God would accept him as well (Genesis 4:7)

In other words, when God asks Cain, “If thou doest well, shalt not thou be accepted?”, what God was expressing is that even though Cain’s sinful (partial) offering was not acceptable, Cain was.

Points to ponder:
Because God hates sin, (and) not the sinner, while we were still sinners, God demonstrated his love for us by sending forth his Only begotten Son, to die for us (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). Even if we have lived a life of sin which was unacceptable to the Lord, irrespective of the gravity of our sin, he gives each one of us, a chance – an opportunity to not let sin rule over us, an opportunity to let Jesus rule over us by walking in his Spirit (Romans 8:1). In other words, though God may not have accepted our life offering in the past, we are not outside his reach … He will accept all who do well – all who believe in Jesus Christ (Ephesians 1:6), who walk not according to the flesh (Romans 8:1). To do well is to believe in Jesus and walk according to his Spirit.

I take solace in the fact, that I, a vile sinner, have a chance, because Got hates sin, and not me, and accepts me for I believe in his Son and know him (John 3:16; John 17:3). God hates sin, not you! Do you believe?

Genesis 4:7 (KJV)
If thou doest well, shalt thou not be accepted? and if thou doest not well, sin lieth at the door. And unto thee shall be his desire, and thou shalt rule over him.

Romans 5:8 (KJV)
But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us.

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

Where is liberty? Are you free?

In a world plagued with addiction, there is a search for freedom – true freedom; liberty from all the things that enslave us. The Bible teaches us that where the Holy Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty (2 Corinthians 3:17) and he whom the Son of God (Jesus Christ) makes free is free indeed (John 8:36).

Points to ponder:
Are you free or under bondage? In other words, do you believe in the Lord Jesus Christ and is He the Lord of your life, for where His Holy Spirit is, there is liberty. When we walk after the Spirit and not after our flesh, there is true liberty and no condemnation (Romans 8:1).

2 Corinthians 3:17 (KJV)
17 Now the Lord is that Spirit: and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.

John 8:36 (KJV)
36 If the Son therefore shall make you free, ye shall be free indeed.

Independence Series :: Liberty not License

Unfortunately, today, many take the grace of God and trample it under foot, by willful disobedience and a lifestyle that displeases God. I will be the first to admit, that I have been guilty of the same. Often we hear sermons, on the grace of God and the fact that there is no condemnation in Christ, but seldom are we told that the suffix to the “no condemnation in Christ” assurance, is that one ought to walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. But sadly, the Liberty we experience in Christ, becomes a license to sin. We get churned into a wheel of sin – ask forgiveness – sin – ask forgiveness – ad infinitum.  Although everything is permissible, not everything is beneficial (1 Corinthians 10: 23) and the Liberty we have in Christ is one that must be exercised with restraint, especially if it could end up becoming a stumbling block to someone else.

Point(s) to ponder:
We may be free in Christ, but we are not at liberty to do what we please, even if it is permissible, when it hampers (becomes a stumbling block) another person’s ability to experience that same freedom in Christ.

1 Corinthians 8:9 (KJV)
9 But take heed lest by any means this liberty of yours become a stumblingblock to them that are weak.

Hebrews 10:26-29 (KJV)
26 For if we sin wilfully after that we have received the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sins,
27 But a certain fearful looking for of judgment and fiery indignation, which shall devour the adversaries.
28 He that despised Moses’ law died without mercy under two or three witnesses:
29 Of how much sorer punishment, suppose ye, shall he be thought worthy, who hath trodden under foot the Son of God, and hath counted the blood of the covenant, wherewith he was sanctified, an unholy thing, and hath done despite unto the Spirit of grace?

Lessons from the Moth – ephemeral to eternal

The moth in the Bible has been used to describe the ephemeral nature of life. The Hebraic word that describes the moth is literally a derivative from the root that mean ‘to fall away’ like moth eaten garments.

Job 4:19 reads “How much less in them that dwell in houses of clay, whose foundation is in the dust, which are cursed before the moth?
Isaiah 50:9 reads “Behold the Lord God will help me; who is he that shall condemn me? lo, they all shall wax old as a garment; the moth shall eat them up”

Closer introspection of these two texts reveal three wonderful hidden truths

  1. the creation of  man,
  2. the aging  and falling away (natural death) of man and
  3. the glorious Truth of Salvation.

The creation of man –
We were created in the imago dei [image of God], formed from the dust of the ground (Gen 1:27; Gen 2:7) and we hold in our clay-molden (jars of clay) bodies, the excellency of the power of God, and the glory of God which is Jesus Christ (2 Corinthian 4:7). Our created bodies dwell in houses of clay and our foundation is the dust (Job 4:19)

The aging and falling away of man –
Isaiah 50:9b states that these jars of clay (our bodies) shall wax old as a garment; that the moth will eat away.  It has been appointed unto man that he should die once and then enter into judgment (Hebrews 9:27). Our days of life are not only numbered, but each day is recorded in God’s calendar and will come to pass. While on this journey on earth, however, let us remember not to count our days but make our days count.

The glorious Truth of Salvation –
Isaiah 50:9a states that the Lord God will help us and questions the reader as to whether there is anyone who shall condemn us.  Jesus (Lord God) is the ONLY way and our helper. In him, there is no condemnation (Romans 8:1). He did not condemn the woman caught in  the act of adultery or the malefactor on the cross. If we ask him to, He will accept us, just as we are, unclean and unworthy. He can transform our ephemeral (short-lived) lives into eternal living (with him). Ask him to, now, if you have not already done so.

Romans 8:1 (KJV)
1There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit.

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