John is hosting the chapter on Sanctification this week. Gotta love this topic. Did you know “sanctification” has three meanings in the Old Testament? You should probably check this out.

64. Where did Jesus cure the blind man? Mark 8:22-25 vs. John 8:59-9:6

I love the choice of words here: “the blind man”

Mark 8:22-25
And they came to Bethsaida. And some people brought to Him a blind man and begged Him to touch him. 23 And He took the blind man by the hand and led him out of the village, and when He had spit on his eyes and laid His hands on him, He asked him, “Do you see anything? 24 And he looked up and said, “I see men, but they look like trees, walking.” 25 Then Jesus laid His hands on his eyes again; and he opened his eyes, his sight was restored, and he saw everything clearly.

John 8:59 – 9:7
59 So they picked up stones to throw at Him, but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple.

1 As He passed by, He saw a man blind from birth. 2 And His disciples asked Him, “Rabbi, who sinned, this man or his parents, that he was born blind?” 3 Jesus answered, “It was not that this man sinned, or his parents, but that the works of God might be displayed in him. 4 We must work the works of Him who send me while it is day; night is coming, when no one can work. 5 As long as I am in the world, I am the light of the world.”

6 Having said these things, He spat on the ground and made mud with the saliva. Then He anointed the man’s eyes with the mud 7 and said to him, “Go, wash in the pool of Siloam” (which means Sent). So he went and washed and came back seeing.

Do these two stories have anything in common, except for a blind man and some spit?

Mark’s story:

• Takes place in Bethsaida
• People brought the blind man to Jesus.
• Jesus spit on his eyes.
• The man wasn’t completely healed the first time.

63. How many of Bethlehem and Netophah’s offspring returned from Babylon? Ezra 2:21-22 vs. Nehemiah 7:26

It’s been a while, but this is about the billionth time we’ve hit this one.

It started with Adin’s family … then Adonikam’s family came up, then Arah’s and Asaph’s and Azgad’s and Bani’s and Bebai’s. It’s weak. It’s really weak that they make each one a different line on the poster, because it’s the same conversation. It’s here.

The term “adoption” is only used four times in scripture:

Romans 9:4 - 
…who are Israelites, to whom pertain the adoption, the glory, the covenants, the giving of the law, the service of God, and the promises;

Romans 8:15, 23 –
For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, “Abba, Father.” … Not only that, but we also who have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, eagerly waiting for the adoption, the redemption of our body.

Ephesians 1:5 –
… having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according t the good pleasure of His will,

Galatians 4:5 –
… to redeem those who were under the law, that we might receive the adoption as sons.

It’s interesting that the term never appears in the Old Testament. Adoption is a miracle of the New Covenant in Christ.

We know that Jesus is “the only begotten Son” of the Father. The rest of us are adopted, and only through faith in Christ. We like to say, sometimes, that all people are God’s children, but are they? Jesus is the only one with the right to call God His “Father,” by birth. The rest of us are granted that right by His mercy and grace, through faith in His sacrifice, as adopted sons and daughters.

But without that faith, we aren’t adopted. Which would mean that not everyone actually is a child of God.

A creation of God? Yes. Loved by God? Absolutely.

But a child has rights and privileges of relationship that others don’t have. Torrey comments:

“Regeneration is a change of nature. Adoption is a change of position or relation.”

He lists four results of adoption, as indicated by these four passages of scripture:

1. God sends the Spirit into our hearts (Galatians 4).
2. We are delivered from bondage and fear (Romans 8).
3. We are delivered from the bondage under the law to serve in the freedom of sons (Galatians 3 and 4).
4. We are made heirs of God with Jesus (Romans 8).

Adoption may be a huge reason that the New Covenant is called the “better” covenant.

Thoughts? What does it mean that “adoption” is not found in the Old Testament? Are all people children of God?

We’re on “The New Birth” this week, and John is hosting. Here’s a piece:

But Jesus says “You must be born again.” There is no maybe this or that. There are no other options. There are no other plans. There is only one way. You must be born again.

Join the conversation over at his place.

This is kind of a long chapter, but the topic is so good, and it’s one that doesn’t get taught much in churches, so I’m gonna outline the whole beautiful thing.

What does Justify mean?

To “justify” in Biblical usage, signifies not “to make righteous,” but to “reckon,” “declare,” or “show to be righteous.” A man is justified before God when God reckons him righteous.

That’s so fantastic.

How are men Justified?

1. No one is justified by works of the law.
2. We are justified as a free gift by God’s grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
3. We are justified in Christ’s blood – i.e., on the ground of His propitiatory death.
4. We are justified on condition of faith in Jesus.
5. I am justified by faith apart from works.
6. The faith that leads to justification is a faith with my whole self.
7. Faith that justifies is real faith that leads to action accordant with the truth professed.
8. Jesus was raised because of our justification.
9. We are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and in the Spirit of our God.

The extent of Justification

1. In Christ, everyone who believes is justified from all things.
2. The believer is made the righteousness of God in Christ. He has a righteousness not of his own, but a “righteousness which is of God upon faith.”

The time of Justification

“The moment a man believes in Christ, that moment he becomes united to Christ, and God reckons the righteousness of God to Him.”

The results of Justification

1. Being justified by faith, we have peace with God through Jesus Christ.
2. No one can lay anything to the charge of the justified person.
3. Being justified by God’s grace, we are made heirs according to the hope of eternal life.
4. Being justified in Christ’s blood, we will be saved from the coming wrath of God.
5. The one God justifies He will also glorify.
6. Those who are justified will reign in life through Jesus Christ.

I think we do a terrible job, personally, of teaching justification, especially to new believers. How many meet the Lord, and have a great salvation experience, mess up after they’ve passionately promised never to sin again, and fall into terrible condemnation? How many don’t know that they have peace with God? How many don’t really believe that they can’t earn this justification?

Did you learn this when you were first saved? Is any of this still new? How do we do better at teaching the doctrine of justification to the Church?

62. When did Jacob rename Luz to Bethel? Genesis 28:18-19 vs. Genesis 33:18 and Genesis 35:6-7

I’m not really sure what Genesis 33:18 has to do with the point, so I’m leaving it out. You can read it here.

Genesis 28:18-19
Then Jacob rose early in the morning, and took the stone that he had put at his head, set it up as a pillar, and poured oil on top of it. 19 And he called the name of that place Bethel; but the name of that city had been Luz previously.

Genesis 35:6-7
So Jacob came to Luz (that is, Bethel), which is in the land of Canaan, he and all the people who were with him. 7 And he built an altar there and called the place El Bethel, because there God appeared to him when he fled from the face of his brother.

There really isn’t much of a contradiction here.

Genesis 35 parenthetically clarifies that Luz is the place Jacob previously named Bethel. It does not say that he renamed it at that time, but that he called it “El Bethel,” which is different from “Bethel.”

In chapter 28, Jacob is running away from his angry older brother who means to kill him. He rests for the night, has a vision, hears from God, and changes the name of the place from Luz to Bethel. Verses 16 and 17 quote Jacob’s reaction to the encounter that he had. He recognized that God was in that place, so he named it, literally, “house of God.”

If we read on, we see that Jacob made a vow at Bethel, that if God would provide for him on his journey and bring him home one day in peace, the Lord would be his God (verses 20 through 22).

By Genesis 35, Jacob has returned to the land in peace, and well provided for. He has two wives, lots of children, servants, and livestock, etc. He’s a wealthy man. And when he meets his estranged brother, it’s a happy reunion and all is well. God honored Jacob’s vow.

Genesis 35 consistently refers to the place as “Bethel,” from the first verse. God tells Jacob to go back to “Bethel” to set up an altar, etc. Verse 6 clarifies that this place is still the one formerly known as Luz, and in verse 7, Jacob calls it “El Bethel,” because he is honoring the vow he made to the Lord when he was there so many years before. “El Bethel” literally means “God of the House of God.” Jacob was finishing his vow by making the Lord whom he met at Bethel his God.

Short answer: When he fled from his brother in Genesis 28

‘Cause sometimes we “walk the walk” of our Christian lives based on what we assume, what our Western church culture implies, and what seems to be just a little more righteous than the world’s way of doing things.

But we rarely take a step back and question our walk.

Is it actually the path that Jesus calls us to? We have some good discussions on Wednesday nights, and last Wednesday we opened it up by talking about the Christian response to media and entertainment.

Some scripture that we highlighted:

• Romans 12:2 – Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind …
  Which verse not only charges us to not be like the world, but implies that the turning of our minds dictates the development of our persons.
• Luke 11:33-34 discusses the concept that when your eye is “clear” (i.e. “single, simple, sound”), your whole body will be full of light. Jesus introduces the idea that Paul expresses in Romans 12:2.
• Philippians 4:8 tells us what kinds of things to meditate on and consider. (Very few of them are found in movies.)
• Matthew 12:34 tells us that what’s in our hearts will come out of our mouths, and Matthew 15:18-20 tells us that the evil that comes out of our mouths is what defiles us. Proverbs 4:23 tells us to guard our hearts with all diligence … probably for this reason.

But we live in a world saturated with media. We’d have to become hermits to avoid it entirely. We’d have to become very strange people to never engage with television or movies or secular books, etc.

The verse that comes up here is usually this:

• 1 Corinthians 9:20-22 – I became all things to all men that I might win some.

So what’s the answer?

Some ideas that came out of the dicussion:

• We have to go where people are if we’re going to see anyone saved. That means being able to talk to them about their world, and not coming off as “too good” for their lives.
• What’s innocent for one person may be a serious stumbling block for another, so you can’t really make hard and fast rules.
• Purity is a direction, not a line.
• As we’re renewed in the Spirit, we lose our taste for a lot of worldly entertainment anyway. It becomes less about, “I’m not allowed to,” and more about, “I don’t really want to.”
• People all over the world give up WAY more than movies and television for their faith. Sometimes sacrifice speaks louder to the unsaved than anything else.

Thoughts? Does media affect us, or is it really “just a movie”? Is it about setting, intention, timing and/or balance? Is it ridiculous to abstain from secular media, or do we just think it is because we’re Western (probably lukewarm if we’re honest) Christians? 

This is such a not-happy-feeling chapter, but it’s so crucial at the same time.

John is hosting the conversation this week, and I’m glad it’s him and not me. He rightly starts by commenting,

“This is a subject most offensive and appalling to the unbeliever, to believe in such a thing in the 21st century.”

No one likes to talk about this, but, as Torrey emphasizes as well, it HAS to be talked about. It’s an uncomfortable topic but an even more uncomfortable reality. Jump in the conversation here.

I have to say, I wasn’t really into The Loft Sessions project that this team released in January. I appreciate what they were doing with art and community, but I think their music really shines in it’s original setting – full instrumentation, big volume, etc. Be Lifted High was a powerful album, and For The Sake Of The World, recorded live at Bethel Church in California, definitely brings that experience back.

The style is a little looser than Be Lifted High, and it’s interesting to watch the team go from a very structured sound on Be Lifted High, through the intimate atmosphere of The Loft Sessions, and come out with this beautiful, original composition. These songs have all the structure and production of excellent music well produced, but there are also a couple spots on the album that break off into spontaneous, free-form worship. Through all of it, though, the same Spirit and passion preside.

If you’re a believer who likes to have good worship music at home, check this out. If you’re a worship leader who is always looking for great music for your congregation, check this out.

The album releases tomorrow, and it’s more than just 13 songs. From the press release:

For the first time, Bethel Music also releases an iTunes LP. The For The Sake Of The World LP features all 13 audio and video tracks on the CD and DVD, all five behind-the-scenes videos, plus 11 song charts, a Photo Gallery, Album Credits, social media links for Bethel artists and the Worship U Video feature information on the Online Bethel School of Worship.

That’s quite a package.

You can also check out the website for video, audio, pics, chord charts and download links.