Tag: name

Romans 10:13 – Admission, Submission, and Appeal

Posted on by Will

For "Everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD will be saved."

Truth to Learn

Admission, submission, and appeal are all important aspects of our salvation.

 

Behind the Words

The words “calls upon” are translated from the Greek word epikaleō, which we looked at in the previous verse. In both these verses the word is expressed in the middle voice. In Greek grammar, the middle voice expresses an action that is done by a person to, or about, himself or herself.

This same word was used by the Apostle Paul when he stood before Festus accused of a crime worthy of death. Knowing that he was innocent, Paul called upon Caesar to judge him. In Acts 25:11 it is translated this way: “I appeal to Caesar.” Thus, we see that this word expresses more than simply naming a name or acknowledging a higher authority. It implies an appeal that a person makes by himself for himself to a higher authority who is able to pass judgment on the person making the appeal.

“Name” is translated from onoma, which is “the word or words by which a person is known or called.” It is often used as a reference to a person’s position or authority. Referring to the name of a person is a reference to that person himself. For example, Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower.” That is, God Himself is a strong tower.

 

Meaning Explained

One of the most amazing things about the gospel message is its simplicity. Paul states that “Everyone who calls upon the name of the LORD shall be saved.” It does not require obeying a lot of rules, it does not require an animal sacrifice, and it does not require payment of a large sum of money. It simply requires the penitent sinner to realize his or her helpless condition and to appeal to God to save him or her.

There are two things we want to mention about this simple act, however. First, the expression “call on the name” means to call upon God Himself. The second thing is the implication made by this calling on the Lord. This implication is that the person calling realizes that he or she needs saving. In other words, before one can be saved, he or she must realize that he or she needs to be saved. This realization along with the act of appealing to God indicates a submission on the part of the sinner. Speaking to God or invoking the name of Jesus and demanding salvation will produce nothing. But for a person who realizes that he or she is a sinner deserving of Hell who cannot save him or herself, appealing to God for salvation is an act of submission that produces the guarantee of salvation.

Therefore, calling on the name of the Lord means:

(1)  Admission – we know we have sinned against God and that we deserve the judgment of Hell.

(2)  Submission – to call upon him is to acknowledge him as our God, our Lord, and our Master; therefore, it is an indication that we submit ourselves to Him.

(2)  Appeal – Since He alone can pardon us, it is natural that if we are to obtain pardon, we should appeal to God.

 

Application

Do you know that you are a sinner destined for Hell because of your sins? Do you recognize God as the supreme authority over you and your life? Have you appealed to Him for salvation?

In God's service, for His glory,

 

Copyright © 2018 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 3:6 – Judgment With Love

Posted on by Will

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which you received from us.

Truth to Learn

There are times when Christians are supposed to judge others.

 

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “command” is parangellō, which we saw back in verse four. It refers to a command given by a superior officer which is passed on from one person to the next.

The word “name” is from onoma, which specifically means “name.” However in the common usage of the first century it usually referred to the title or authority or someone.

“Withdraw” is from a form of stellō, meaning “to set fast,” that is, “to repress or avoid.” In the middle voice, as it is here, it means “to withdraw oneself from.”

Adelphos is the word translated “brother.” It specifically refers to someone from the same womb, hence, “a brother or sister.” It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to “a brother or sister in the Lord,” that is, another Christian.

“Disorderly” is translated from ataktōs, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of tassō, meaning “to arrange in an orderly manner.” Thus, ataktōs refers to a person who is disorderly or neglectful of their responsibilities.

 

Meaning Explained

A couple of verses back, the Apostle Paul expressed his faith that the readers of this letter would continue obeying the commands that he was passing along. He now gives one of those commands, specifically stating that we are to withdraw ourselves from other Christians whose lives are not demonstrating obedience to God.

There are two things that we can learn from today’s verse. The first is that we are supposed to judge the behavior of other Christians. Even though Christ said, “Judge  not, that you be not judged.” In Matthew 7:1, he was referring to not having a judgmental attitude. There are several examples in the New Testament where we are told to make judgments about others and this is one of them. Paul does not tell us here that we are to condemn these disorderly and disobedient brothers and sisters, we simply are to withdraw ourselves from them. The reason for withdrawing from them is two-fold. It sends a message to the disobedient ones that their actions are inappropriate and it keeps us from being adversely affected by their behavior. It’s hard enough to walk the Christian walk without having others affecting our actions by their bad example.

The other thing we need to learn from today’s verse is that we should not carry this teaching to extremes. There are some churches which teach that if a brother or sister is not withdrawing himself or herself from another Christian who is disorderly, then we should break fellowship with them. Carried to an extreme, this isolates such churches from nearly all other Christians. Such churches become very legalistic and completely lose their effectiveness in ministering to others and witnessing to the lost.

 

Application

We need to make judgments concerning other Christians, but we need to do so in love, as our Lord would do. We also need to be willing to welcome them back into the fold when they repent. Let love and mercy guide your actions, not vengeance.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 1:12 – His Glory!

Posted on by Will

so that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ will one day receive all the glory and all the praise that is due to Him alone.

 

Behind the Words

Onoma is the Greek word translated “name.” It can be used to refer to a name, a title, or the person. Throughout the Old Testament, the name of God reveals and represents the character of God. It is likely that Paul used the word here in the same way, referring to the person Jesus Christ.

“May be glorified” is from the verb endoxadzō, which in verse ten we saw means “to be enveloped in glory” or “to appear glorious.” The root of this word is doxa, which primarily means “thought” or “opinion,” especially a favorable opinion. In a secondary sense it means “reputation, praise, honor, splendor, or light.”

The words “according to” are translated from the preposition kata. This word primarily means “down” or “down upon,” but it is often used metaphorically to express a relation in which one thing stands toward another and is usually translated as “according to.”

The word “grace” is from the Greek noun charis. This word is based on the verb chairo, meaning “to rejoice.” Charis means “that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, or acceptance as a result of a kindness granted.” It is often translated as grace, thanks, or favor.

 

Meaning Explained

The main purpose of this second letter to the Christians in Thessalonica is to give more information concerning the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The entire second chapter of the letter will focus on this event exclusively. This first chapter serves as a prelude to the circumstances of His return.

Notice how Paul comes back again to the “glory of Jesus Christ.” The Christian era, from the cross to the rapture, is a demonstration of God’s grace toward sinners who deserve His wrath, but who will be blessed instead. The seven year period we refer to as the Tribulation will demonstrate God’s judgment against those who reject Him. His return is not to give attention to those of us who believe, nor is it to focus all of creation on His judgment against unbelievers. The central focus of Christ’s return is to highlight the glory of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In fact, if you read through the Bible carefully, you will see that the reason for all of creation is to focus attention on God. Many Christians are quick to point out that unbelievers are focused on themselves and reject God because it takes the focus off themselves and their lives. But, we Christians have the same tendency. We think that salvation is all about us and living for God means doing what we have to in order to get the most blessing possible from God. The peak of the crescendo of all creation will be the return of Jesus Christ when He will receive all the glory and all the praise.

 

Application

Let’s practice giving God all the glory and all the praise. It’s what He deserves and what He will receive when He comes.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 3:6 – Judgment With Love

Posted on by Will

But we command you, brethren, in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, that you withdraw from every brother who walks disorderly and not according to the tradition which he received from us.

Truth to Learn

There are times when Christians are supposed to judge others.

Behind the Words

The Greek word translated “command” is parangellō, which we saw back in verse four. It refers to a command given by a superior officer which is passed on from one person to the next.

The word “name” is from onoma, which specifically means “name.” However in the common usage of the first century it usually referred to the title or authority or someone.

“Withdraw” is from a form of stellō, meaning “to set fast,” that is, “to repress or avoid.” In the middle voice, as it is here, it means “to withdraw oneself from.”

Adelphos is the word translated “brother.” It specifically refers to someone from the same womb, hence, “a brother or sister.” It is used throughout the New Testament to refer to “a brother or sister in the Lord,” that is, another Christian.

“Disorderly” is translated from ataktōs, which is made up of the privative a, meaning “not” and a form of tassō, meaning “to arrange in an orderly manner.” Thus, ataktōs refers to a person who is disorderly or neglectful of their responsibilities.

Meaning Explained

A couple of verses back, the Apostle Paul expressed his faith that the readers of this letter would continue obeying the commands that he was passing along. He now gives one of those commands, specifically stating that we are to withdraw ourselves from other Christians whose lives are not demonstrating obedience to God.

There are two things that we can learn from today’s verse. The first is that we are supposed to judge the behavior of other Christians. Even though Christ said, “Judge  not, that you be not judged.” In Matthew 7:1, he was referring to not having a judgmental attitude. There are several examples in the New Testament where we are told to make judgments about others and this is one of them. Paul does not tell us here that we are to condemn these disorderly and disobedient brothers and sisters, we simply are to withdraw ourselves from them. The reason for withdrawing from them is two-fold. It sends a message to the disobedient ones that their actions are inappropriate and it keeps us from being adversely affected by their behavior. It’s hard enough to walk the Christian walk without having others affecting our actions by their bad example.

The other thing we need to learn from today’s verse is that we should not carry this teaching to extremes. There are some churches which teach that if a brother or sister is not withdrawing himself or herself from another Christian who is disorderly, then we should break fellowship with them. Carried to an extreme, this isolates such churches from nearly all other Christians. Such churches become very legalistic and completely lose their effectiveness in ministering to others and witnessing to the lost.

Application

We need to make judgments concerning other Christians, but we need to do so in love, as our Lord would do. We also need to be willing to welcome them back into the fold when they repent. Let love and mercy guide your actions, not vengeance.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2013 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

 

2 Thessalonians 1:12 – His Glory!

Posted on by Will

that the name of our Lord Jesus Christ may be glorified in you, and you in Him, according to the grace of our God and the Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ will one day receive all the glory and all the praise that is due to Him alone.

Behind the Words

Onoma is the Greek word translated “name.” It can be used to refer to a name, a title, or the person. Throughout the Old Testament, the name of God reveals and represents the character of God. It is likely that Paul used the word here in the same way, referring to the person Jesus Christ.

“May be glorified” is from the verb endoxadzō, which in verse ten we saw means “to be enveloped in glory” or “to appear glorious.” The root of this word, doxa, which primarily means “thought” or “opinion,” especially a favorable opinion. In a secondary sense it means “reputation, praise, honor, splendor, or light.”

The words “according to” are translated from the preposition kata. This word primarily means “down” or “down upon,” but it is often used metaphorically to express a relation in which one thing stands toward another and is usually translated as “according to.”

The word “grace” is from the Greek noun charis. This word is based on the verb chairo, meaning “to rejoice.” Charis means “that which causes joy, pleasure, gratification, or acceptance as a result of a kindness granted.” It is often translated as grace, thanks, or favor.

Meaning Explained

The main purpose of this second letter to the Christians in Thessalonica is to give more information concerning the return of our Lord Jesus Christ. The entire second chapter of the letter focuses on this event exclusively. This first chapter serves as a prelude to the circumstances of His return.

Notice how Paul comes back again to the “glory of Jesus Christ.” The Christian era, from the cross to the rapture, is a demonstration of God’s grace toward sinners who deserve His wrath, but who will be blessed instead. The seven year period we refer to as the Tribulation will demonstrate God’s judgment against those who reject Him. His return is not to give attention to those of us who believe, nor is it to focus all of creation on His judgment against unbelievers. The central focus of Christ’s return is to highlight the glory of God in the person of our Lord Jesus Christ.

In fact, if you read through the Bible carefully, you will see that the reason for all of creation is to focus attention on God. Many Christians are quick to point out that unbelievers are focused on themselves and reject God because it takes the focus off themselves and their lives. But, we Christians have the same tendency. We think that salvation is all about us and living for God means doing what we have to in order to get the most blessing possible from God. The peak of the crescendo of all creation will be the return of Jesus Christ when He will receive all the glory and all the praise.

Application

Let’s practice giving God all the glory and all the praise. It’s what He deserves and what He will receive when He comes.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

Romans 10:13 – Admission, Submission, and Appeal

Posted on by Will

Romans 10:13 – Admission, Submission, and Appeal

For “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.”

Truth to Learn

Admission, submission, and appeal are all important aspects of our salvation.

Behind the Words

The words “calls upon” are translated from the Greek word epikaleō, which we looked at in the previous verse. In both these verses the word is expressed in the middle voice. In Greek grammar, the middle voice expresses an action that is done by a person to, or about, himself or herself.

This same word was used by the Apostle Paul when he stood before Festus accused of a crime worthy of death. Knowing that he was innocent, Paul called upon Caesar to judge him. In Acts 25:11 it is translated this way: “I appeal to Caesar.” Thus, we see that this word expresses more than simply naming a name or acknowledging a higher authority. It implies an appeal that a person makes by himself for himself to a higher authority who is able to pass judgment on the person making the appeal.

“Name” is translated from onoma, which is “the word or words by which a person is known or called.” It is often used as a reference to a person’s position or authority. Also, referring to the name of a person is a reference to that person himself. For example, Proverbs 18:10 – “The name of the LORD is a strong tower.” That is, God Himself is a strong tower.

Meaning Explained

One of the most amazing things about the gospel message is its simplicity. Paul states that “Whoever calls on the name of the LORD shall be saved.” It does not require obeying a lot of rules, it does not require an animal sacrifice, and it does not require payment of a large sum of money. It simply requires the penitent sinner to realize his or her helpless condition and to appeal to God to save him or her.

There are two things we want to mention about this simple act, however. First, the expression “call on the name” means to call upon God Himself. The second thing is the implication made by this calling on the Lord. This implication is that the person calling realizes that he or she needs saving. In other words, before one can be saved, he or she must realize that he or she needs to be saved. This realization along with the act of appealing to God indicates a submission on the part of the sinner. Speaking to God or invoking the name of Jesus and demanding salvation will produce nothing. But for a person who realizes that he or she is a sinner deserving of Hell who cannot save him or herself, appealing to God for salvation is an act of submission that produces the guarantee of salvation.

Therefore, calling on the name of the Lord means:

(1)  Admission – we know we have sinned against God and that we deserve the judgment of Hell.

(2)  Submission – to call upon him is to acknowledge him as our God, our Lord, and our Master; therefore, it is an indication that we submit ourselves to Him.

(2)  Appeal – Since He alone can pardon us, it is natural that if we are to obtain pardon, we should appeal to God.

Application

Do you know that you are a sinner destined for Hell because of your sins? Do you recognize God as the supreme authority over you and your life? Have you appealed to Him for salvation?

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2010 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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