Tag: end

Romans 10:4 – Condemned or Forgiven?

Posted on by Will

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who is believing.

Truth to Learn

Christ completely fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law. We achieve His righteousness by faith in His blood.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “end” is the Greek word telos, which means, “the point aimed at as a limit, that is, (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state.” This word telos can also mean “the design or object of something.”

“Everyone” is the translation of the word panti, which means “all, the whole, or everyone.”

 

Meaning Explained

Paul has just told us that in spite of their zeal for God, the Israelites were ignorant of God’s righteousness and, as a result, tried to establish their own righteousness. The Law and the Prophets prescribed what was required for anyone to satisfy God’s righteousness. In fact, it is much more than just the Ten Commandments. Anyone who has read through the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy quickly becomes aware of all the ceremonial practices that the Jews were required to perform. Included in these was the annual sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb whose blood covered over the sins of the people.

If you compare these practices to what Jesus Christ went through, you will see that He perfectly fulfilled what the Law required of the Pascal Lamb. In fact, the practices prescribed in the Old Testament were an image, a foreshadowing, of what the real Sacrificial Lamb would do for the people. Jesus completely fulfilled the requirements of the Law. Not only did He live without sin but He offered His blood as the payment for all of our sins. Recorded in the book of Matthew we find what Christ Himself said in the Sermon on the Mount;

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

In the current verse Paul says that Christ is the end of the law, that is, the conclusion or fulfillment. Christ said of Himself that He came to fulfill the Law. Paul now tells us that He did just that. He completed it.

As we pointed out in Behind the Words, telos also means “the design or object of something.” Christ also fulfilled this meaning of the word because He is what the Law had in view as the object when it was first given. So we see that not only was the death of Christ foreseen and foreshadowed by the Law, but His death was the full satisfaction of it in every way.

 

Application

Paul tells us that the righteousness of God is a reality only for those who believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus as the Lamb of God. He says that this righteousness is applied to everyone who believes God’s promises. No one who believes in Christ will be left out. However, for those who don’t believe in Christ, righteousness cannot be achieved no matter how hard they try and no matter how zealous and sincere they are. They can’t achieve it by works and they are still responsible for their own sins. They will stand before God condemned instead of forgiven!

How will you stand before God?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 4:7 – End-Time Actions

Posted on by Will

But the end of all things is near; therefore be clear minded and self-controlled unto prayers.

Truth to Learn

The end is very near, so be serious about what you do and how you pray.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “end” is telos, which is derived from the verb tellō, meaning “to set out for the goal or target.” Hence, telos refers to “the goal, the end, or the completion.”

“Is near” is from the Greek verb engidzō, which means “to approach or to make near.” It is expressed here in the perfect tense indicating past completed action with an ongoing effect, but the emphasis is on the effect. Hence, it means that the end has approached and, therefore, is now close at hand.

 

Meaning Explained

There is some disagreement as to what Peter means by “the end is very near.” There are three predominant views. The first is that Peter is referring to the end of the Jewish temple worship in Jerusalem. In Peter’s mind, as in the minds of many early church believers, Christianity was simply an extension of the Jewish belief system. At the time of the writing of this epistle (around 65 AD), the Roman government was increasingly displeased with the Jewish resistance to Roman rule. As it turns out, not many years after the publication of this letter, the Jewish temple along with much of the city of Jerusalem was, in fact, destroyed by the Romans.

The second interpretation of this phrase is that it refers to the coming of the Messiah to judge the nations. It was the belief of the early church that the return of Christ was not a distant future event, rather something that could occur at any time.

The third interpretation is that Peter simply means the end of earthly life for the suffering believers to whom he is writing. This interpretation seems to lend itself to the subject matter that Peter has been talking about in the previous verses; although, any of the interpretations could be valid.

However you interpret the opening phrase of this verse, the message from Peter is that since time is running short we need to take some specific action. There is something sobering about believing the end is near that causes us to take stock of our lives, knowing how quickly life can end.

Peter is telling us to take stock now, since time is short. Be sober minded and let our sober attitude result in prayers. We Christians have a hope that the world doesn’t understand. We know that existence doesn’t end when we die. In fact, for a Christian, that is when it really begins. What we have here on this earth is simply the preliminary part of our lives when we will determine how the eternal part is spent.

Life on this earth is short; it can end quickly, and Jesus Christ could return at any moment. All the prophetic events that precede His return have occurred with the exception of the rapture of His church. Let us not waste our last remaining days on this earth with frivolous activities. Instead, let us be sober minded and spend our time in watchful prayer, especially for those who have not yet received the gift of salvation.

 

Application

The end is near! Therefore, let us watch… and pray… and witness, with our lives as well as our mouths!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2017 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Corinthians 1:8 – Preserved Blameless

Posted on by Will

who will also confirm you to the end, that you may be blameless in the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

Christians are now, and will always be, blameless according to Jesus Christ’s judicial action on our behalf.

Behind the Words

The verb “confirm” is from the word bebaioō, which we looked at a couple of verses back. It means “to be made certain or secure.” In verse six it was expressed in the aorist tense, indicating action completed at a point in time in the past. In today’s verse, however, it is expressed in the future tense, indicating action that will take place in the future.

Heōs is the Greek word translated “until.” As it is used here it means “all the way until.”

“The end” is translated from telos, which refers to “the end point or the completion.” Here it refers to “the day of our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The word “blameless” is from the Greek anegklētos, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and egkaleō, which means “to accuse in court.” Anegklētos literally means “unaccused” or “free from any legal charge.”

Meaning Explained

This is an excellent verse for those who believe that if we sin intentionally, commit a particularly heinous sin, or insult God too many times, we will lose our salvation. Remember that salvation is an act of God, in which by His grace He records us as sinless because Jesus Christ has paid for all our sins (past, present, and future). Paul tells the Corinthians (and us) that just as our salvation was confirmed in us by the gifts we received (see verse six), He will also confirm us (make us certain and secure) to the end. If you are a genuine born-again Christian, there is nothing you can do to “undo” your salvation because God has confirmed it and will confirm it until the end. Therefore, unless you are stronger than God, once you are saved, you are saved forever!

Now, look carefully at what specifically is confirmed about us when we get saved. Paul says, “who will also confirm you to the end blameless …” Once we have been saved and cleansed from sin by the blood of Christ, we cannot be blamed for anything in God’s courtroom. “But,” you might ask, “what about Revelation 12:10, where it says that Satan accuses us day and night?” We needn’t be worried about Satan’s accusations for two reasons. The first is that we have a defense attorney in heaven according to the Apostle John:

… And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. (1 John 2:1)

The second reason is in today’s verse: God will preserve us blameless to the end. Satan may accuse us, but our defense attorney will testify on our behalf and, through His shed blood, have the case thrown out of court because we are blameless.

Application

Every person who ever lived (except Jesus Christ) and who will ever live is a sinner because we have a sin nature that causes us to sin. Christians, however, have had the penalty for those sins paid for by the blood of Christ. Does that mean that we no longer sin? No, but it means that the debt has already been paid, and we are innocent of any charge brought before our God and Judge!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Romans 10:4 – Condemned or Forgiven?

Posted on by Will

Romans 10:4 – Condemned or Forgiven?

For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to everyone who believes.

Truth to Learn

Christ completely fulfilled the righteous requirements of the Law. We achieve His righteousness by faith in His blood.

Behind the Words

The word translated “end” is the Greek word telos, which means, “the point aimed at as a limit, that is, (by implication) the conclusion of an act or state.” This word telos can also mean “the design or object of something.”

“Everyone” is the translation of the word panti, which means “all, the whole, or everyone.”

Meaning Explained

Paul has just told us that in spite of their zeal for God, the Israelites were ignorant of God’s righteousness and, as a result, tried to establish their own righteousness. The Law and the Prophets prescribed what was required for anyone to satisfy God’s righteousness. In fact, it is much more than just the Ten Commandments. Anyone who has read through the books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy quickly becomes aware of all the ceremonial practices that the Jews were required to perform. Included in these was the annual sacrifice of the Pascal Lamb whose blood covered over the sins of the people.

If you compare these practices to what Jesus Christ went through, you will see that He perfectly fulfilled what the Law required of the Pascal Lamb. In fact, the practices prescribed in the Old Testament were an image, a foreshadowing, of what the real Sacrificial Lamb would do for the people. Jesus completely fulfilled the requirements of the Law. Not only did He live without sin but He offered His blood as the payment for all of our sins. Recorded in the book of Matthew we find what Christ Himself said in the Sermon on the Mount;

Do not think that I came to destroy the Law or the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill. (Matthew 5:17)

In the current verse Paul says that Christ is the end of the law, that is, the conclusion or fulfillment. Christ said of Himself that He came to fulfill the Law. Paul now tells us that He did just that. He completed it.

As we pointed out in Behind the Words, telos also means “the design or object of something.” Christ also fulfilled this meaning of the word because He is what the Law had in view as the object when it was first given. So we see that not only was the death of Christ foreseen and foreshadowed by the Law, but His death was the full satisfaction of it in every way.

Application

Paul tells us that the righteousness of God is a reality only for those who believe in the sacrificial death of Jesus as the Lamb of God. He says that this righteousness is applied to everyone who believes God’s promises. No one who believes in Christ will be left out. However, for those who don’t believe in Christ, righteousness cannot be achieved no matter how hard they try and no matter how zealous and sincere they are. They can’t achieve it by works and they are still responsible for their own sins. They will stand before God condemned instead of forgiven!

How will you stand before God?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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