Tag: ktisis

Romans 8:39 – Eternally Secure

Posted on by Will

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Truth to Learn

There is nothing that can cause us to lose our salvation. Nothing!

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “height” is hupsōma, which is the noun form of hupsoō, meaning “to elevate, to lift up, or to exalt.” This word refers to a place that is elevated or high up. As used here it is most likely a reference to the heavenly places (both physical and spiritual).

“Depth” is from bathos, which is derived from bathus, meaning deep. Bathos refers to that which is deep. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to Hell which is deep in the heart of the earth.

The words “created thing” are from the Greek word ktisis, which is the noun form of the verb ktidzō, meaning “to create, form, or found.” Earlier in this chapter we discussed whether ktisis referred to a single created thing or to all of creation. The use here is clearly a reference to “any other created thing.”

“Separate” is from coridzō, which we looked at back in verse thirty-five. It means “to put distance between” or “to make things separate from one another.”

 

Meaning Explained

We are reading about the answer to the question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In yesterday’s verse Paul gave us a list of things, and in today’s verse he completes the list. This list is a delineation of those things which can’t separate us from God’s love.

In this verse we are told that height and depth are included in the list. Paul uses these words as metonyms (where the name of one object is used to represent some related thing or things) to represent all the inhabitants of Heaven and Hell. In the first part of this verse he is saying that there is nothing in the heavens above or in Hell below or any other created thing that can separate us from God’s love.

You will recall that Paul is talking about those of us who have been adopted as God’s children, that is, those who are born-again Christians. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is a very clear reference to the fact that we cannot get un-saved. We cannot even un-save ourselves according to this verse. If we are saved we cannot “renounce” our salvation, because no created thing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Some may try to argue against this and say, “But God loves all people; isn’t that what John 3:16 says?” Unfortunately, the answer to that is “No.” As we will see in the next chapter, particularly in verse thirteen where it is said of God, “As it is written, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’"

 

Application

This verse highlights one of the greatest facts about our adoption by God. We don’t have to worry about losing something we didn’t earn and we don’t deserve. God did it entirely himself out of His love for us. He will never lose that love and there is nothing that can separate us from that love. Nothing! That means we are completely and eternally secure in our salvation! That’s something to think about. More than that, that’s something to praise God about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:19 – Eagerly Anticipated Revelation

Posted on by Will

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Truth to Learn

All of God’s physical creation is anticipating the glory that we will receive one day from our Heavenly Father.

 

Behind the Words

The words translated, “earnest expectation” are translated from the Greek word apokaradokia. This is a double compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “before,” kara, meaning “the head,” and a form of dokeō, meaning “to think, suppose, or watch.” Putting these all together we see that it literally means “to watch or look forward with the head.” Thus we can see why this word has the meaning of “intense anticipation” as one would strain the neck forward looking intently into the distance expecting to see something very soon.

“Creation” is a translation of the Greek word ktisis. This word means “a thing created,” but it can be taken to mean a single created thing (creature) or the singular collection of all created things (creation).

The word translated “revealing” is apokalupsis. This is a noun form of apokaluptō, which we looked at in yesterday’s verse. It refers to that thing which is “uncovered” or “revealed.”

 

Meaning Explained

Here, once again, we have a verse of Scripture that has been highly debated for centuries. The controversy revolves primarily around the word translated “creation.” Without going into an extensive exposition of this word, let me simply state that I’m in the camp of those who believe it refers to all of creation (apart from mankind and angelic creatures). Others who believe that it refers to Christians as “a created thing” (for we are a “new creation” according to 2Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15) have a valid a reason to believe that as the correct interpretation. However, Paul uses this word repeatedly in this and the following few verses, and in verse twenty-two he refers to “the whole creation,” literally “all the creation (singular).” Therefore, since he uses the same word throughout and makes no obvious distinction, it is reasonable to assume that he uses the term the same in all of these verses.

One could reasonably ask why this would refer to all of creation apart from mankind and angelic creatures rather than all of creation including mankind and angelic beings. Much of mankind (those who are not saved) clearly is not eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God, and angelic beings were not subjected to futility as declared in the next verse.

In the previous verse Paul stated that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us some day (when our salvation is consummated and we receive our glorified bodies). In this verse I believe he is saying that all of physical creation is eagerly anticipating this revealing of the true sons of God in our revealed glory.

 

Application

If all of creation is figuratively straining its neck in eager anticipation of the revelation of the glorified sons of God, how much more should we be eagerly anticipating it, we who will receive that glory. When we Christians suffer for our witness, we need to keep in mind that we will receive such marvelous glory from our Heavenly Father that the revelation of that glory is eagerly anticipated by all of creation. That’s something to think about!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Peter 2:13 – Submit to Authority

Posted on by Will

Submit yourselves to every institution of man for the Lord's sake, whether to the king as being supreme,

Truth to Learn

We are to submit to whatever government we might live under.

 

Behind the Words

The word translated “submit” is hupotassō, a compound word made up of hupo, meaning “under” or “beneath” and tassō, meaning “to place in order” or “to place in an orderly fashion.” Hence, it means to place something in an orderly manner under something else. This is a military term that implies being placed in rank under the authority of someone else. It is expressed here in the passive voice indicating action done to the subject, and it is expressed in the imperative mood indicating a command. Putting this all together we see that Peter is ordering us to be submitted.

“Institution” is translated from the Greek word ktisis, meaning “that which has been formed or created.” Given the context, it is clear that Peter is referring to laws and authorities created by man.

 

Meaning Explained

Throughout history the Israelites have refused submission to any monarch, whether called king, emperor, caesar, or any other name. Theirs was a theocracy ruled by God rather than a monarchy ruled my man. Peter, however, is telling the early believers (many of them new converts from Judaism), and those of us in the following millennia, that it is God’s will for us to submit to human government. Even Christ, Himself, declared this in the books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke when asked whether it is lawful to give tribute to Caesar:

Give therefore to Caesar the things which are Caesar's and unto God the things which are God's.

The thing that makes Peter’s message all the more important is the fact that Nero was ruling over the Roman world at the time he wrote this, and Nero hated Christians. Peter does not declare that we are to submit only to the laws that are fair to Christians, but to every institution of man.

The only exception to this type of submission is when human government orders us to do that which is contrary to the commands of God. For example, when Peter and John were commanded by the rulers of the Jews to cease preaching Jesus as the Messiah, they refused:

And having called them, they commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus. But answering them, Peter and John said, “Whether it be right in the sight of God to listen to you more than to God, you judge. For we cannot but speak what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20)

This is a hard lesson for us to hear in a society where morality is declining and many (perhaps most) of our government officials have no fear of God. What we need to keep in mind is that God is in control and He will prevail.

 

Application

Jesus willingly submitted himself to the ruling authorities of His day and it resulted in His being crucified. Are you willing to submit yourself that completely?

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Romans 8:39 – Eternally Secure

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:39 – Eternally Secure

nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Truth to Learn

There is nothing that can cause us to lose our salvation.

Behind the Words

The word translated “height” is hupsōma, which is the noun form of hupsoō, meaning “to elevate, to lift up, or to exalt.” This word refers to a place that is elevated or high up. As used here it is most likely a reference to the heavenly places (both physical and spiritual).

“Depth” is from bathos, which is derived from bathus, meaning deep. Bathos refers to that which is deep. Most scholars agree that this is a reference to Hell which is deep in the heart of the earth.

The words “created thing” are from the Greek word ktisis, which is the noun form of the verb ktidzō, meaning “to create, form, or found.” Earlier in this chapter we discussed whether ktisis referred to a single created thing or to all of creation. The use here is clearly a reference to “any other created thing.”

“Separate” is from coridzō, which we looked at back in verse thirty-five. It means “to put distance between” or “to make things separate from one another.”

Meaning Explained

We are reading about the answer to the question, “What shall separate us from the love of Christ?” In yesterday’s verse Paul gave us a list of things, and in today’s verse he completes the list. This list is a delineation of those things which can’t separate us from God’s love.

In this verse we are told that height and depth are included in the list. Paul uses these words as metonyms (where the name of one object is used to represent some related thing or things) to represent all the inhabitants of Heaven and Hell. In the first part of this verse he is saying that there is nothing in the heavens above or in Hell below or any other created thing that can separate us from God’s love.

You will recall that Paul is talking about those of us who have been adopted as God’s children, that is, those who are born-again Christians. Nothing can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus. This is a very clear reference to the fact that we cannot get un-saved. We cannot even un-save ourselves according to this verse. If we are saved we cannot “renounce” our salvation, because no created thing can separate us from God’s love in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Some may try to argue against this and say, “But God loves all people; isn’t that what John 3:16 says?” Unfortunately, the answer to that is “No.” As we will see in the next chapter, particularly in verse thirteen where it is said of God, “As it is written, ‘Jacob have I loved, but Esau have I hated.’”

Application

This verse highlights one of the greatest facts about our adoption by God. We don’t have to worry about losing something we didn’t earn and we don’t deserve. God did it entirely himself out of His love for us. He will never lose that love and there is nothing that can separate us from that love. Nothing! That means we are completely and eternally secure in our salvation! That’s something to think about.

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:

Romans 8:19 – Eagerly Anticipated Revelation

Posted on by Will

Romans 8:19 – Eagerly Anticipated Revelation

For the earnest expectation of the creation eagerly waits for the revealing of the sons of God.

Truth to Learn

All of God’s physical creation is anticipating the glory that we will receive one day from our Heavenly Father.

Behind the Words

The words translated, “earnest expectation” are translated from the Greek word apokaradokia. This is a double compound word made up of apo, meaning “from” or “before,” kara, meaning “the head,” and a form of dokeō, meaning “to think, suppose, or watch.” Putting these all together we see that it literally means “to watch or look forward with the head.” Thus we can see why this word has the meaning of “intense anticipation” as one would strain the neck forward looking intently into the distance expecting to see something very soon.

“Creation” is a translation of the Greek word ktisis. This word means “a thing created,” but it can be taken to mean a single created thing (creature) or the singular collection of all created things (creation).

The word translated “revealing” is apokalupsis. This is a noun form of apokaluptō, which we looked at in yesterday’s verse. It refers to that thing which is “uncovered or revealed.”

Meaning Explained

Here, once again, we have a verse of Scripture that has been highly debated for centuries. The controversy revolves primarily around the word translated “creation.” Without going into an extensive exposition of this word, let me simply state that I’m in the camp of those who believe it refers to all of creation (apart from mankind and angelic creatures). Others who believe that it refers to Christians as “a created thing” (for we are a “new creation” according to 2Corinthians 5:17 and Galatians 6:15) have a valid a reason to believe that as the correct interpretation. However, Paul uses this word repeatedly in this and the following few verses, and in verse twenty-two he refers to “the whole creation,” literally “all the creation (singular).” Therefore, since he uses the same word throughout and makes no obvious distinction, it is reasonable to assume that he uses the term the same in all of these verses.

One could reasonably ask why this would refer to all of creation apart from mankind and angelic creatures rather than all of creation including mankind and angelic beings. Much of mankind (those who are not saved) clearly is not eagerly waiting for the revealing of the sons of God, and angelic beings were not subjected to futility as declared in the next verse.

In the previous verse Paul stated that our present sufferings are nothing compared to the glory that will be revealed in us some day (when our salvation is consummated and we receive our glorified bodies). In this verse I believe he is saying that all of physical creation is eagerly anticipating this revealing of the true sons of God in our revealed glory.

Application

If all of creation is figuratively straining its neck in eager anticipation of the revelation of the glorified sons of God, how much more should we be, we who will receive that glory. When we Christians suffer for our witness, we need to keep in mind that we will receive such marvelous glory from our Heavenly Father that the revelation of that glory is eagerly anticipated by all of creation. That’s something to think about!

In God’s service, for His glory,

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Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

If this message or this link was forwarded to you by a friend and you wish to receive future verses directly to your inbox, send an e-mail to:e-mail address