ou me – Ministry of Grace Church

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Romans 4:8 – Blessed Through Faith

Posted on November 2, 2017 by Will

Blessed is the man whose sin the lord will no way take into account."

Truth to Learn

God considers those who believe His promises as sinless. As a result, He shows His favor to them.

Behind the Words

The word translated “Blessed” is makarios. We looked at the verb form of this word two verses back. It refers to one who possesses the fullness of God’s favor. Aristotle contrasted this word with endeēs, meaning “one who is lacking or in need.”

Another translation element that we want to look at are the words “no way.” This is the translation of the two Greek words ou me. The word me indicates relative negation and the word ou indicates absolute negation. In English, a double negative is not proper, but in Greek it is a form of emphasis. So the expression ou me means “absolutely not” or “no way.”

“Take into account” is from a Greek word that we have looked at before. It is the word logidzomai, which means, “to put to one’s account.” It is sometimes translated as “impute, reckon, credit or count unto.” It is an accounting term meaning that someone’s account has been (or hasn’t been) credited as having something. In this verse it says that the person unto whom God will not credit sin is full of God’s favor.

Meaning Explained

This verse is directly tied to the previous verse and it contains the crux of what Paul is trying to demonstrate. These two verses are quoted from Psalms 32:1, 2. In both these verses David describes the person as blessed. This is different from one who is happy because happy implies good luck (the root hap means “luck as a favorable circumstance”). A blessed person is one who is in the world but not of the world. That is, his or her satisfaction comes from God, not favorable circumstances. A person who is blessed of God is someone who experiences peace with or without pleasure.

What David is saying is that the person whose sins and acts of lawlessness are forgiven and the person unto whom God will absolutely not credit with sin is a recipient of God’s greatest favor. What is just as interesting is what David said at the end of this particular Psalm:

Many sorrows are to the wicked; but he who trusts in the LORD, mercy shall embrace him. Be glad in the LORD and rejoice, you righteous ones; and shout for joy, all you upright in heart! (Psalms 32:10-11)

David tells us to be glad, to rejoice, and to shout for joy because we have not been credited with sin.

What Paul is getting to is this: the person who does not earn (or deserve) salvation but believes God, not only does not have sin credited to his or her account but does have righteousness credited to his or her account. Let’s see, do I want God to see me as a sinner or as sinless? Hmmm. That’s not very hard to decide, is it?

Application

Deep down inside we all know that we are sinners and God knows us even better than we know ourselves. But through faith, the blood of Christ covers our sins and God sees us as righteous and without sin. That’s God’s grace, that’s God’s supreme favor, that’s blessedness!

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Peter 2:6 – Chief Cornerstone

Posted on November 22, 2016 by Will

Therefore it is also contained in the Scripture, "Behold, I lay in Zion a chosen, precious chief cornerstone, and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame."

Truth to Learn

Jesus Christ is the main foundation stone of the church.

Behind the Words

“Chief cornerstone” is translated from the Greek words, lithon akrogōniaios. Lithon refers to “a building block” and akrogoniaios is a compound word made up of akro, meaning “highest, extreme, or most important” and gōnia, meaning “corner.” Hence, it means “most important cornerstone.”

The expression “by no means” is translated from the two Greek words ou mē. Both of these Greek words imply negation. Me expresses a conditional negation, implying that one believes or supposes a thing not to exist. Ou, on the other hand, expresses the direct and full negation independently and in an absolute sense. When the two words are used together, as in this verse, it expresses the emphatic, absolute, unconditional negation.

Meaning Explained

Peter has just talked about us being living stones built up as a spiritual house. He now refers to the foundation that this house is built upon. He also takes this occasion to demonstrate that this is none other than the Messiah referred to in the Old Testament. He does so by quoting Isaiah 28:16.

The cornerstone was the most important part of a foundation in those times. It was the stone which determined the location, direction, and elevation which the entire building was to occupy. If it was incorrectly placed, it would affect the entire building. If it was not strong and sturdy enough, it could jeopardize the entire structure. Jesus is the cornerstone of our faith and of the church. Everything we do as Christians must be founded on who He is and what He did.

The expression “chief corner” is used in only one other place in the Bible, Ephesians 2:20. Reading that passage sheds a little more light on the cornerstone of our faith:

So, therefore, you are no longer strangers and foreigners, but fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, having been built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief cornerstone, in whom the whole building, being fitted together, grows into a holy temple in the Lord, in whom you also are being built together into a dwelling place of God in the Spirit. (Ephesians 2:19-22)

The final phrase of today’s verse, “and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame.” is taken from the Septuagint (the Greek translation of the Old Testament). A direct translation of the original Hebrew version actually reads, “and he who believes on him shall not make haste.” The notion is that one who is disgraced or confounded often runs away, which is why the translators of the Septuagint, believing this to be the intended meaning, rendered it as “disgraced.”

Application

We are to be an integral, active part of the church. We, all saved believers, are the body of Christ as we are told in Romans 12:5 and 1 Corinthians 12:27. And, we are to be building up the body. You can’t do this if you are isolated from the rest of the body. So, are you building the church based on your own works or the finished work of Jesus Christ?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 5:3 – Peace and Destruction

Posted on June 10, 2016 by Will

For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, like labor pains of childbirth. And they shall not escape.

Truth to Learn

The Day of the Lord will begin with a period of peace.

Behind the Words

Hotan is the Greek word translated “when.” It is composed of hote, meaning “when” and the preposition an, indicating uncertainty or possibility.

The words “they say” are from legō, meaning “to relate in words” or “to say.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of action.

“Safety” is translated from asphaleia, composed of a, meaning “without” or “not” and sphallō, meaning “to throw down” or “to fail.” Thus, asphaleia refers to “security” or “safety.”

The word “sudden” is from aiphnidios. This word is composed of the negative particle a, meaning “not” and a form of phainō, meaning “to shine” or “to make apparent.” Therefore, aiphnidios means “not apparent,” “unexpected,” or “suddenly.”

“Destruction” is translated from olethros. This is from ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Olethros refers to “destruction” or by implication, “death.”

The words “labor pains of childbirth” are from the Greek words ōdin en gastri, which literally translates to “pain in the stomach” or “pain in the womb,” that is, “birth pain.”

The word “not” is from ou mē, a double negative indicating “absolutely not” or “no way!”

“Escape” is from ekpheugō, made up of ek, meaning “out of” and pheugō, meaning “to flee.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is now teaching about the Day of the Lord, called the Tribulation or Daniel’s seventieth week (see Daniel 9:24-27). It is a time period in which God will both judge the world (the earth dwellers) and accomplish the final salvation of the “remnant” of Israel (see Zephaniah 3:13 and Romans 9:27).

Keep in mind that Paul is writing this letter to the Christians in Thessalonica and all Christians in general. Back in 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17 Paul repeatedly used the personal pronouns “you” and “we” referring to Christians and the rapture. Now in today’s verse, observe that he is using the personal pronouns “they” and “them.” Paul is not talking about Christians, he is talking about those who will be on this earth when the Day of the Lord arrives. Notice that “they shall not [no way] escape.” This is further evidence that the rapture and the Day of the Lord are separate events. It is also evidence that Christians will not be on earth when the Day of the Lord arrives. This is because, as we have already learned, the rapture will occur before the Tribulation (the Day of the Lord).

Now we learn a little bit about the conditions on earth when the Day of the Lord arrives. This time of God’s judgment will begin with a period of peace (perhaps world-wide, but at least for Israel.) Then, suddenly, that peace will evaporate and the world will be consumed by destruction (see the first two of the four horses of the Apocalypse in Revelation 6:1-4).

Application

Once again, we have an opportunity to give thanks to God for His loving care of His children (Christians). Is it time to pray?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 4:15 – Any Day Now

Posted on June 2, 2016 by Will

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Truth to Learn

The rapture could happen any day now!

Behind the Words

The word “alive” is from the verb dzaō, which means “to be alive” or “to have life.” It is expressed here as a present participle, so it could be translated as “the living.”

“Remain” is translated from perileipō. This word is made up of peri, meaning “around” and leipō, meaning “to leave” or “to have a lack of something.” Hence, perileipō means “to leave around” or “to leave behind.” This verb is also expressed as a present participle, so it could be translated as “the ones left behind” (when the others died).

Parousia is the Greek word translated “coming.” This word is derived from pareimi, meaning “to be present.” It can refer either to the presence of something or it can refer to the coming of someone into our presence.

“By no means” is the translation of the two Greek words ou mē. Ou represents the absolute negative and mē represents the relative negative. When the two words are used together it indicates the strongest form of a negative, meaning “absolutely not” or “no way.”

The word translated “precede” is phthanō, which means “to be beforehand” or “to precede.” When the King James Version of the Bible was by far the most frequently read translation, many people became confused about this verse. The reason is that the word phthanō was translated as “prevent.” At the time the KJV was translated, the word “prevent” meant “to come before,” not “to keep from happening” as it does today. Nearly all modern translations use the word “precede,” meaning “to happen before something else.”

Meaning Explained

Paul is currently teaching about the rapture, indicating in verse thirteen that it is a future hope that belongs to all Christians. In yesterday’s verse we learned that when Jesus Christ comes back at the rapture, He will bring with him everyone who has died having a saving faith in his work on the cross.

He now makes a statement about why we should believe what he is telling us. He says, “For this we say to you by the word of the Lord.” In other words, this is not just some hair brained idea that Paul came up with. This is teaching directly from the mouth of God, His Word.

Some Christians believe that this is a description of the “second coming of our Lord” which takes place at the end of the tribulation as described in Revelation 19:11-14. However, in that passage (verse 14) those who come with Him are clothed in fine linen, white and clean. This is an indication that those who come with Him have already been presented before the Father, which must occur after the Bema Seat Judgment, which happens after the Rapture. Therefore, this must be a description of the Rapture and not the Second Coming.

Paul’s message here is that Christians who are alive at the time of the rapture will not receive their heavenly bodies before those who are asleep in Jesus (Christians who have died). Finally, notice that Paul said “we who remain.” He fully expected the rapture to occur within his lifetime!

Application

The rapture hasn’t happened yet, but we (like Paul) believe it could occur any day now. Christians should be serving God faithfully now, looking forward to Christ’s return when “we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.” (1 John 3:2)

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 5:3 – Peace and Destruction

Posted on August 24, 2012 by Will

For when they say, "Peace and safety!" then sudden destruction comes upon them, as labor pains upon a pregnant woman. And they shall not escape.

Truth to Learn

The Day of the Lord will begin with a period of peace.

Behind the Words

Hotan is the Greek word translated “when.” It is composed of hote, meaning “when” and the preposition an, indicating uncertainty or possibility.

The words “they say” are from legō, meaning “to relate in words” or “to say.” It is expressed here in the subjunctive mood, indicating the possibility or probability of action.

“Destruction” is translated from olethros. This is from ollumi, meaning “to destroy.” Olethros refers to “destruction” or by implication, “death.”

The words “labor pains” are from the Greek words ōdin en gastri, which literally translates to “pain in the stomach” or “pain in the womb,” that is, “birth pain.”

The word “not” is from ou mē, a double negative indicating “absolutely not” or “no way!”

“Escape” is from ekpheugō, made up of ek, meaning “out of” and pheugō, meaning “to flee.”

Meaning Explained

Application

Once again, we have an opportunity to give thanks to God for His loving care of His children (Christians). Is it time to pray?

In God's service, for His glory,

1 Thessalonians 4:15 – Any Day Now

Posted on August 16, 2012 by Will

For this we say to you by the word of the Lord, that we who are alive and remain until the coming of the Lord will by no means precede those who are asleep.

Truth to Learn

The rapture could happen any day now!

Behind the Words

The word “alive” is from the verb dzaō, which means “to be alive” or “to have life.” It is expressed here as a present participle, so it could be translated as “the living.”

The word translated “precede” is phthanō, which means “to be beforehand” or “to precede.”

Meaning Explained

When the King James Version of the Bible was by far the most frequently read translation, many people became confused about this verse. The reason is that the word phthanō was translated as “prevent.” At the time the KJV was translated, the word “prevent” meant “to come before,” not “to keep from happening” as it does today. Nearly all modern translations use the word “precede,” meaning “to happen before something else.”

Application

In God's service, for His glory,