Job 38:7 When the morning stars sang together, and all the sons of God shouted for joy?
God rules over the universe through angelic beings in a delegated capacity!
When He created the earth, God created and anointed a ruler over it i.e, Lucifer.
Since NO human being was present at the time the heavens and the earth were created, then sons of God are angels.
God created Man to replace Satan as ruler over the earth. This explains why Adam was the son of God-Lk. 3:38 …Adam, the son of God.
It is NOT automatic for faith to come merely because one is hearing the Word of God.
For faith to come, a Christian MUST hear CORRECTLY hence the admonition to take heed HOW we hear−Lk. 8:18.
A Christian can ONLY hear CORRECTLY when the Word of God is rightly divided−2 Tim. 2:15.
To rightly divide the Word of God is to studying God’s Word the way God gave it by beginning at Moses and comparing Scripture with Scripture, focusing on Jesus Christ, all the while relying on the Holy Spirit.
FAITH is believing that which God has SAID about amatter in His Word!
Rom. 10:17 So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
Does faith AUTOMATICALLY come merely because one is hearing the Word of God?”
When an individual adds to or removes from God’s Word,it NO LONGER becomes feasible for him/her to exercise biblical faith!
When an individual develops a negative attitude towards God’s perfect provision of His Word by consuming it in a different format from what He instructed, it is NOT feasible for him/her to exercise biblical faith!
When an individual quotes/interprets God’s Wordoutside of its context, it NO LONGER becomes feasible for him/her to exercise biblical faith!
Heb. 11:1 Now faith (to the saving of the soul) is the substance ofthings hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. 2 For by it the elders obtained a good testimony.
The Holy Spirit picked certain individuals who, by having faith to the saving of the soul, pleased God and as a result, they obtained a good testimony.
Contextually, God Himself testified, bore record and/or had a good (honest) report of the individuals mentioned in Heb. 11.
Heb. 11 begins and ends with the same statement regarding the individuals in view having obtained a good testimony on account of their faith, to the saving of the soul–Heb. 11:2 For by it (faith to the saving of the soul) the elders obtained a good testimony…39 And all these, having obtained a good testimony through faith (to the saving of the soul), did not receive the promise, 40 God having provided something better for us, that they should not be made perfect apart from us.
Heb. 11:6 But without faith (to the saving of the soul) it is impossible to please Him...
According to this verse, it is IMPOSSIBLE to please God without faith, to the saving of the soul.
On the flipside, it is very much possible to please Him ONLY by faith, to the saving of the soul.
A Christian who chooses to live according to the fleshhabitually by setting his/her mind on the things of the flesh resulting in death CANNOT please God-Rom. 8:5-8.
In God’s economy, unbelief is evil. ‘Unbelief’ literally means ‘not believing’ and thus describes a lack of faith.
Failing to believe or lacking faith is evil in God’s eyes and it is no wonder that such a CHOICE does NOT please Him.
Heb. 10:38 Now the just shall live by faith; But if anyone draws back, My soul has no pleasure in him.”
It is inferred that if the just live by faith, to the saving of the
soul, the Lord’s soul has pleasure in such a one.
Isa. 46:9 Remember the former things of old, For I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like Me, 10 Declaring the end from the beginning, And from ancient times things that are not yet done, Saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, And I will do all My pleasure,’
Lk. 12:32 “Do not fear, little flock, for it is your
Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.
Heb. 11:6 But without faith (to the saving of the soul) it is impossible to please Him…
Heb. 11:1 Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
What is Faith? For many a Christian today, Heb. 11:1 defines faith, but does it?
The definition of ‘faith’ is found in the word itself i.e., simply put, faith means belief.
However, within the confines of the Scriptures, BIBLICAL FAITH is believing that which God has SAID about a matter. What God has said about a matter is recorded in His Word, ruling out the possibility for anyone to have faith or believe minus the Word of God–Rom. 10:17.
Paul preached the gospel/good news of the Christ to the Churches of Galatia much in every same way as he did with the Churches of the Thessalonians and the one at Corinth–Gal. 1:11.
Nevertheless, a false doctrine soon found its way among them–Gal. 1:6-9.
This doctrine emphasized the persuasion that justification is by works of the law–Gal. 2:14-16.
However, Paul instructs the Churches of Galatia that justification is ONLY by faith–Gal. 3:11 But that no one is justified by the law in the sight of God is evident, for “the just shall live by faith.”
Rom. 1:17 For in it the righteousness of God is revealed fromfaith to faith; as it is written, “The just shall live by faith.”
The phrase ‘from faith to faith’ stresses the necessity for therecipients of this epistle (us today) to continue believing the gospel of the Christ AND highlights the maturing process of a saved individual with respect to the salvation of his/her soul.
Paul stresses the importance and necessity to believethe gospel of the Christ and continue in it–Col. 1:21-23; 2:6-7.Peter writes to newborn babes (those who recentlyunderstood the Word of the Kingdom) inviting them to intensely yearn for the unadulterated spiritual milk which will enable them to make progress in [their] salvation (of the soul)–1 Pet. 2:1-3.
Paul wrote the letter called ‘Romans’ while residing in Corinth at the end of his third missionary journey. He addressed it to the church in Rome-Rom. 1:1, 7.
Paul expressed his readiness/willingness to preach the gospel−Rom. 1:15 So, as much as is in me, I am ready topreach the gospel to you who are in Rome also.
Paul was ready and willing to preach the gospel of the Christ which he was not ashamed of, because it is the power of God to everyone who believes-Rom. 1:16.It is ONLY the gospel of the Christ which has the POWER of God to transform every willing Christian who makes the CHOICE to believe it!
The righteousness of God is revealed in the gospel of the Christ from faith to faith-Rom. 1:17.
The writer of Hebrews contrasts TWO CHOICES availableto his recipients, partakers of the heavenly calling [Heb. 3:1] i.e., the CHOISE to either live by faith or to draw back−Heb. 10:38.
Biblical faith, which is in view in God’s Word, meansbelieving what God has said in His Word.
A CHOICE to draw back is a CHOICE to live apart from believing what God has said in His Word and this brings NO pleasure to the Lord!
A CHOICE to live by faith is a CHOICE to believe what God has said in His Word and this brings pleasure to the Lord!The TWO CHOICES available to the just/righteous willresult in TWO OUTCOMES−Heb. 10:39.
The just who choose to live by faith will receive thesalvation of their soul while the just who choose to draw back do so to perdition!
b. Immediately after the fourth warning, the writer of Hebrews invites the recipients of his letter to ‘recall the former days in which, after you were illuminated’ pointing to a time immediately following their coming into a mature understanding of the gospel of the glory of Christ−Heb. 10:32-34.
Prior to his death, Moses spoke to the second generation of the Israelites who would soon enter the Promised Land and among many things, he invited them to remember the days of old-Deut. 32:7-9.
Prior to the nation of Israel being taken captive by the Assyrians, the Lord sent His servant Isaiah inviting the nation to remember the former things of old-Isa. 46:8-10.
Why did the writer of Hebrews admonish the beneficiaries of his letter to recall the former days; not to cast away their confidence and to have need for patient endurance?
It is because of the imminent return of Jesus Christ-Heb. 10:37 For yet a little, a very little while, and He who comes will come and will not delay. (Wuest)
The letter of Hebrews is written to believers whounderstood their heavenly calling i.e., the purpose for their redemption, matters to do with the coming kingdom, the 7th Day, the Word of the Kingdom−Heb. 3:1, 12: 10:19; 13:22.
This epistle is about a salvation to be inherited in the age to come for which Christ is bringing many sons to glory−Heb. 1:14; 2;5, 10. Sonship and glory portend RULERSHIP.
The letter provides five warnings which we MUST constantly remind ourselves IF our desire is to inherit salvation in the age to come, being part of the many sons that Christ is bringing to glory.
Carrying on the thought from the fourth warning, the writer of Hebrews admonishes the recipients of his letter to ‘recall the former days’ which refers to the time ‘after you were illuminated.’ This is a time immediately following their coming into a mature understanding of the gospel of the glory of Christ-Heb. 10:32-34.
Faithfulness is NOT automatic in the life of a believer! This is part of the outworking of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer who chooses to cooperate with the Lord thereby be transformed by the renewing of the mind−Rom. 12:1-2.
Automatically, a believer who expresses a desire to be faithful with the end in mind finds himself in warfare against the enemies of the faith who will work either independently or together to ensure that the believer does not realize this goal−Gal. 5:16-17.
Thankfully, if the believer chooses to engage in warfare according to the instructions that the Lord has provided in His Word, he/she will be victorious, bringing forth fruit−Gal. 5:22-25.
The emphasis in the four parables we have looked at is the CLARION CALL to FAITHFULNESS−Matt. 24:40-25:30; Lk. 19:12-26.
Prov. 20:6 Most men will proclaim each his own goodness, But who can find a faithful man?
Ps. 12:1 Help, Lord, for the godly man ceases! For the faithful disappear from among the sons of men.
Jesus Christ Himself said He will build His Church−Matt. 16:18 And I also say to you that you are Peter, and on this rock I will build My church…
These words that Jesus spoke constitute the Word of God!
The Lord is actively watching over His Word to fulfill it i.e., to perform it, to do it−Jer. 1:12 Then the Lord said to me, “You have seen well, for I am [actively] watching over My word to fulfill it.” (AMP)
As far as the building of His Church is concerned, Jesus Christ is actively watching over His Word to fulfill it!
i. Abraham sent his oldest servant to go to his family to take a wife for his son and this is a picture of God the Father sending the Holy Spirit to search for and procure a bride for Jesus from among believers. This is synonymous with the building of the Church seen in the foundational type in Gen. 2:21-23.
ii. The wife whom the servant would take for Isaac pictures believers who will form the Church that Christ is presently building, who will be His Bride!
With respect to the building of His Church, Christ declared that the gates of Hades shall NOT prevail against it−Matt. 16:18 ...and the gates of Hades shall not prevail against it.
Christ used the phrase to mean that although He had to die, death COULD NOT prevent Him from building His Church!
The wedding guest who showed up without a garment was bound hand and foot, taken away and cast into the darkness, the outer.
He represents believers who will be adjudged unfaithful and thereby excluded from Christ’s coming rule because they did NOT cooperate with the Lord and therefore, NOT part of the Church He was/is building.
Matt. 22:14 “For many are called, but few are chosen.”
This verse highlights the truth that while MANY believers are CALLED, through the proclamation of the Word of the Kingdom, FEW will be CALLED OUT from them−Matt. 7:13-14.
Believers who avail themselves of the BLOOD and WATER constitute the Church that Christ is presently BUILDING and they will be presented back to Himself−Eph. 5:27-32.
The Scriptures affirm that God is faithful - Deut. 7:9 “Therefore know that the Lord your God, He is God, the faithful God...
A choice to be FAITHFUL, is a choice to imitate God! Eph. 5:1 Therefore be imitators of God as dear children.
i. In the type, Moses was faithful in God’s house (Israel) as a servant.
ii. In the antitype, Christ is faithful as a Son over His Father’s house.
The Scriptures are replete with descriptions of Jesus Christ as faithful.
Jesus ascended to heaven, a far country to receive for Himself a kingdom and to return−Matt. 25:14; Lk. 19:12. He is inviting us to imitate Him by being FAITHFUL−1 Cor. 11:1 Imitate me, just as I also imitate Christ.
Our FAITHFULNESS must be our LIFESTYLE! There is NO ROOM to take breaks−Rev. 2:10.
Should anyone of us choose to be unfaithful, the Lord will remain faithful for that is Who He is−2 Tim. 2:11 -13.
IF we are FAITHFUL in the present as servants (like Moses), then the day will come when we will experientially become sons (like Christ)−Heb. 2:10.
The chastisement of the two servants who didnothing with their talent/mina was twofold; firstly, they forfeited the positions of authority/rulership that could have been theirs and these were given to the faithful servants and secondly, they were cast into the darkness, the outer.
After the destruction of the cities, Abraham representing a faithful Christian, is seen on the mountain from where he looked toward the destroyed cities and all the land of the plain.
After the destruction of the cities, ii. Lot and his daughters, representing unfaithful Christians are seen dwelling in a cave in the mountains.
No sooner had Isaac finished blessing Jacob than Esau came in from his hunting and having made savory food, he presented it to his father with a view to being blessed by him.
However, Isaac told him that he had eaten hunted game and subsequently blessed Jacob.
In that very instant, Esau KNEW without a shadow of doubt, that which could have been his but was once and for all taken away from him! This realization left him with no recourse but to let out an exceedingly great and bitter cry−Gen. 27:34.
After realizing that he had lost the birthright and that it was irretrievable, he was completely beside himself and he became unglued, so to speak, longing to be blessed by his father.
There are ONLY two outcomes that await a Christian at the judgment seat of Christ; either receiving a reward or suffering loss! The former is associated with faithfulness arising from trading/doing business with one’s talents/minas while the latter is associated with unfaithfulness arising from doing nothing with one’s talents/minas!
Contextually, suffering loss is in relation to one’s soul i.e., unprofitable servants will suffer the loss of their souls−Matt. 16:24-26.
Being cast into the darkness, the outer is therefore synonymous with suffering the loss of one’s soul.
Since a parable is one truth cast alongside another to explain previous truth, let us examine the previous three parables to understand how suffering the loss of one’s soul is presented-Matt. 24:40-25:13.
In the first parable, the unfaithful servant was left i.e., not received as a close associate by the master. In the second parable, the evil servant was appointed his portion with the hypocrites where there will be the weeping and the gnashing of teeth. In the third parable, the five foolish virgins were denied entry into the wedding festivities, the door being shut on them.
Perhaps Peter’s account presents a poignant picture of what being cast into the darkness, the outer entails.
Our being found FAITHFUL at the time of settling accounts starts with being instructed in the Word of the Kingdom−Matt. 13:10-13.
Having been instructed in the Word of the Kingdom, our being found FAITHFUL depends on our choice to do business with our talents/minas, the Word of the Kingdom. If we do, we will realize profit i.e., bearing fruit−Matt. 13:23; Mk. 4:24-25; Lk. 8:18.
The unfaithful servants were rebuked by their master who described them as wicked and lazy. They also forfeited their positions of authority/rulership. Last of all, they were to be cast into the outer darkness!
The grammatical construction of the phrase ‘outer darkness’ is one that places emphasis on the ‘darkness’ and not ‘outer.’ As such, this phrase is literally translated, ‘the darkness, the outer’ and this is how it should be understood whenever it is used in the Scriptures.
The darkness, the outer is a realm immediately outside of another realm! Those cast out are removed from a sphere associated with light and placed outside in a sphere associated with darkness. While faithful believers who receive positions of authority/rulership will be in the Lord’s Presence, associated with light, the unprofitable servants will be cast out from the light into the darkness−Rev. 22:14-15.
The darkness, the outer does not refer to a literal place. Rather, this phrase is a metaphor and/or figure of speech used to describe the dreadful outcome that awaits the unfaithful Christian AND to demonstrate the severity with which the Lord will regard those who have rejected that which He has offered to them, by doing NOTHING with the talents/minas delivered to them!
The darkness, the outer is associated with ‘the weeping and the gnashing of the teeth’ which is a phrase used to express the excruciating pain, the extreme anguish and utter despair of those believers who will be excluded from the millennial rule of Christ!
