Tag: peripoiesis

2 Thessalonians 2:14 – Let Your Light Shine!

Posted on by Will

to which He called you by our gospel, unto the acquisition of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

In heaven we will shine with the brilliant glory of God.

 

Behind the Words

The word “called” is translated from kaleō, which means “to invite someone to come or to go somewhere or do something.”

“Gospel” is from euangellion, which is a compound word made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of angello, meaning “to proclaim” or “to tell.” Thus, euangellion literally means “good news.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek noun translated “acquisition.” This word is composed of peri, meaning “around,” indicating acquisition, and poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, the noun peripoiēsis literally means, “the things gathered around oneself.” It is a picture of someone gathering possessions all around himself or herself. The verb form of this word is most often translated as “gather, acquire, or purchase.”

The word “glory” is from the Greek noun doxa, which primarily means “thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion.” In a secondary sense it means “reputation, praise, honor, or splendor.” Doxa is often used to refer to the splendid appearance or brightness of God’s Shekinah glory. This seems to be the sense in which it is used here.

 

Meaning Explained

Once again we have a verse that is linked to a previous thought, so we have to look back at a previous verse to see what the connection is. The words “to which” are a reference to “salvation” in the previous verse. Not only were we chosen by God for salvation, as we learned in yesterday’s verse, but He then called us to this salvation by the gospel message.

This is a good verse for those who claim that if God chose who would be saved, then we don’t have to worry about witnessing to others. After all, if God chose them, then they’ll get saved without us having to do anything. However, according to Paul in this verse, it is through the proclamation of the gospel message that we are called to salvation. This should be very familiar to those who have carefully read the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. There he said,

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Also notice that both in Romans 8:30 and in today’s verse, the ultimate consummation of our salvation will be that we will have the same magnificent glory as God. I believe that the reason Adam and Eve suddenly knew that they were naked after eating the forbidden fruit is because they lost this glory. In the future, when we are completely justified (without sin) we will have the same Shekinah glory as God. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were no longer justified and lost that glory. And, the prophet Daniel alluded to this glory when he said,

Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

 

Application

Some day we will shine as brightly as the stars. Until that day, let your gospel light shine and share the good news with everyone you meet.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – Why We Fight!

Posted on by Will

Because God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

We need to realize what God has given us and fight for Him.

 

Behind the Words

“Because” is from hoti, meaning “that” or “because.” It serves to introduce something that is the reason for what was just said.

The Greek word translated “appoint” is tithēmi, which means “to set” or “to put in place.” Here it means that God did not place us in a position in which we would receive His wrath.

“Wrath” is from orgē, which properly means “strong desire” or “excitement of the mind,” that is “strong passion.” By implication it means “punishment,” but it is most often translated as “wrath.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek word translated “obtain.” It is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, peripoiesis carries the meaning of surrounding yourself with things. It is most often translated with the English words “acquire” or “obtain.”

“Salvation” is translated from sōtēria, which refers to “safety, deliverance, or preservation from danger or destruction.”

 

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul exhorted us to put on the breastplate of faith and love as well as the helmet of salvation. This is to be followed by being of a sober mind, thinking logically and rationally with a mind that is not under the influence of extreme thought patterns. You may know Christians who are so worried about losing their salvation that they have a difficult time moving forward in their Christian walk. Others are caught up in experiencing miraculous demonstrations of God’s Spirit and become distracted when they aren’t seeing such signs in their own lives. Still others are so bound by legalism that they spend all their effort trying not to break the rules their church has bound them with. All of these types of Christians are wearing so much spiritual fluff and have their minds so filled with distractions that they can’t effectively engage the enemy. As a result, they are easily defeated when they face spiritual battles.

Instead, Paul wants us to be dressed for battle and mentally prepared. The source of that mental preparation is knowledge of what the Bible actually teaches. The only way we can do this is to engage in regular, consistent reading and studying of God’s Word.

So, why should we always be prepared for spiritual battle? Why shouldn’t we live like the world, like those who have no clue regarding what the future holds? Because God did not put us here to receive His wrath; we will not experience the Day of the Lord. Instead we will be resurrected from the earth and granted complete salvation, that salvation which only comes from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, out of a heart of true thanksgiving and gratitude, we should take up sides, put on the battle gear, and get ready to do battle for Him!

 

Application

Consider what God has done for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Consider what He has promised us, both now and eternally. Given what He has already done, how can we possible just drift through life? We need to get in the race! We need to engage in battle! We need to give our all to serving Him who gave us the most precious gift we could possible get!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2016 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:14 – Our Eternal Guarantee

Posted on by Will

who is the earnest of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Truth to Learn

If you are saved, you are permanently saved.

 

Behind the Words

“Earnest” is translated from the Greek word arrabōn, which is actually transliterated from the Hebrew word. The Hebrew word refers to “a deposit given as evidence and proof that some act will be done and the deposit is not returned until the act is completed.”

The word “inheritance” is from klēronomia, which is derived from klēronomos. This is made up of klēros, which refers to “a lot” or “a portion” and nemō, meaning “to hold or have in one’s possession.” Thus, klēronomos refers to “having a right to receive a portion of an inheritance,” that is “an heir,” and klēronomia refers to the substance of the inheritance.

Apolutrōsis is the Greek word translated “redemption.” It is made up of apo, meaning “from” and a form of the verb lutroō, meaning “to receive a ransom.” Therefore, we see that apolutrōsis means “to release as a result of having been paid a ransom.”

 “Purchased possession” is the translation of the Greek word peripoiēsis, which is made up of peri, indicating acquisition of something and poieō, meaning “to make.” So, we see that peripoiēsis means “that which was acquired or purchased.”

 

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul taught us that when we first believed the gospel message, the truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we were sealed, or branded, with the Holy Spirit (notice that we were sealed “with” the Holy Spirit, not “by” the Holy Spirit.) The Holy Spirit is our seal! In the current verse Paul tells us that the Holy Spirit, with whom we have been branded, is our guarantee. He said basically the same thing to the Corinthians:

and He who is confirming you with us into Christ, and did anoint us, is God, who also sealed us, and gave the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. (2 Corinthians 1:21, 22)

This is very much like earnest money in a real estate transaction. When an offer is made on a house or other property, it is accompanied with earnest money. If for some reason the purchasing party backs out of the deal, the earnest money is forfeited. The earnest money cannot be taken back, it is a binding part of the transaction.

An Old Testament example of this earnest, or pledge, is given to us in Genesis 38:17-18 where Judah promised Tamar that he would pay her for her services with a young goat on the following day. She was given his seal and staff as earnest until the transaction was completed. Since Judah never sent the payment, Tamar kept the seal and staff.

Too many people read over today’s verse and completely miss what Paul is telling us. Since God has given us the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of our salvation, God has promised that He will complete the transaction or forfeit the guarantee. In other words, if we were to get “unsaved” then we would get to keep the Holy Spirit, God couldn’t take it back. There are those who say, “Yes, but if I choose to walk away from God and cancel the transaction myself, I would have to return the earnest.” However Christ said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  (John 10:27-28)

In other words, you can’t cancel salvation’s transaction because even you can’t take yourself out of His hand!

And, even if you could cancel the transaction, how would you give the Holy Spirit back to God? You didn’t take Him to yourself in the first place, God sealed you with Him. Let’s go back to the cattle analogy. When a cow is branded by the owner, it’s not something the cow does, it’s something the owner does and the cow can’t give back the brand because it isn’t his (or hers) to give or take, it’s all the owner’s doing. It’s just as absurd to imagine how a Christian would accomplish giving the Holy Spirit back to God as it is to imagine how a cow would somehow remove a brand and give it back to its owner.

I’ve had this discussion with numerous Christians who, after reading these verses, say, “Yes, but what about …” Then they quote a passage that seems to imply that we might somehow lose our salvation. They never refute the facts presented in these verses. Paul is very clear here and very specific. When a person confesses Christ as Lord and Savior, he or she is permanently sealed with the Holy Spirit, an action that can’t be undone!

 

Application

If you are saved, you are securely, eternally saved, period! There is nothing that you or anyone else can do to unsave you because you possess the Holy Spirit, God’s irrevocable guarantee!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2015 Will Krause. All rights reserved

2 Thessalonians 2:14 – Let Your Light Shine!

Posted on by Will

to which He called you by our gospel, for the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.

Truth to Learn

In heaven we will shine with the brilliant glory of God.

Behind the Words

The word “called” is translated from kaleō, which means “to invite someone to come or to go somewhere or do something.”

“Gospel” is from euangellion, which is a compound word made up of eu, meaning “good” or “well” and a form of angello, meaning “to proclaim” or “to tell.” Thus, euangellion means “good news.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek word translated “obtaining.” This word is composed of peri, meaning “around,” indicating acquisition, and poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, peripoiēsis literally means, “gathering things around oneself.” It is a picture of someone gathering possessions all around himself or herself. It is most often translated as “gather, acquire, or purchase.”

The word “glory” is from the Greek noun doxa, which primarily means “thought or opinion, especially favorable human opinion.” In a secondary sense it means “reputation, praise, honor, or splendor.” Doxa is often used to refer to the splendid appearance or brightness of God’s Shekinah glory. This seems to be the sense in which it is used here.

Meaning Explained

Once again we have a verse that is linked to a previous thought, so we have to look back at a previous verse to see what the connection is. The words “to which” are a reference to “salvation” in the previous verse. Not only were we chosen by God for salvation, as we learned in yesterday’s verse, but He then called us to this salvation by the gospel message.

This is a good verse for those who claim that if God chose who would be saved, then we don’t have to worry about witnessing to others. After all, if God chose them, then they’ll get saved without us having to do anything. However, according to Paul in this verse, it is through the proclamation of the gospel message that we are called to salvation. This should be very familiar to those who have carefully read the eighth chapter of Paul’s letter to the Christians in Rome. There he said,

Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified. (Romans 8:30)

Also notice that both in Romans 8:30 and in today’s verse, the ultimate consummation of our salvation will be that we will have the same magnificent glory as God. I believe that the reason Adam and Eve suddenly knew that they were naked after eating the forbidden fruit is because they lost this glory. In the future, when we are completely justified (without sin) we will have the same Shekinah glory as God. When Adam and Eve sinned, they were no longer justified and lost that glory. And, the prophet Daniel alluded to this glory when he said,

Those who are wise shall shine Like the brightness of the firmament, And those who turn many to righteousness Like the stars forever and ever. (Daniel 12:3)

Application

Some day we will shine as brightly as the stars. Until that day, let your gospel light shine and share the good news with everyone you meet.

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

 

1 Thessalonians 5:9 – Why We Fight!

Posted on by Will

For God did not appoint us to wrath, but to obtain salvation through our Lord Jesus Christ,

Truth to Learn

We need to realize what God has given us and fight for Him.

Behind the Words

“For” is from hoti, meaning “because.” It serves to introduce something that is the reason for what was just said.

The Greek word translated “appoint” is tithēmi, which means “to set” or “to put in place.” Here it means that God did not place us in a position in which we would receive His wrath.

“Wrath” is from orgē, which properly means “strong desire” or “excitement of the mind,” that is “strong passion.” By implication it means “punishment,” but it is most often translated as “wrath.”

Peripoiēsis is the Greek word translated “obtain.” It is made up of peri, meaning “around” and a form of poieō, meaning “to make” or “to do.” Thus, peripoiesis carries the meaning of surrounding yourself with things. It is most often translated with the English words “acquire” or “obtain.”

“Salvation” is translated from sōtēria, which refers to “safety, deliverance, or preservation from danger or destruction.”

Meaning Explained

In the previous verse, Paul exhorted us to put on the breastplate of faith and love as well as the helmet of salvation. This is to be followed by being of a sober mind, thinking logically and rationally with a mind that is not under the influence of extreme thought patterns. You may know Christians who are so worried about losing their salvation that they have a difficult time moving forward in their Christian walk. Others are caught up in experiencing miraculous demonstrations of God’s Spirit and become distracted when they aren’t seeing such signs in their own lives. Still others are so bound by legalism that they spend all their effort trying not to break the rules their church has bound them with. They’re wearing so much spiritual fluff and have their minds so filled with distractions that they can’t effectively engage the enemy. As a result, they are easily defeated when they face spiritual battles.

Instead, Paul wants us to be dressed for battle and mentally prepared. The source of that mental preparation is knowledge of what the Bible actually teaches. The only way we can do this is to engage in regular, consistent reading and studing of God’s Word.

So, why should we always be prepared for spiritual battle? Why shouldn’t we live like the world, like those who have no clue regarding what the future holds? Because God did not put us here to receive His wrath; we will not experience the Day of the Lord. Instead we will be resurrected from the earth and granted complete salvation, that salvation which only comes from faith in our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, out of a heart of true thanksgiving and gratitude, we should take up sides, put on the battle gear, and get ready to do battle for Him!

Application

Consider what God has done for us through the sacrifice of His only begotten Son. Consider what He has promised us, both now and eternally. Given what He has already done, how can we possible just drift through life? We need to get in the race! We need to engage in battle! We need to give our all to serving Him who gave us the most precious gift we could possible get!

In God's service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2012 Will Krause. All rights reserved

Ephesians 1:14 – Our Eternal Guarantee

Posted on by Will

Ephesians 1:14  – Our Eternal Guarantee

who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory.

Truth to Learn

If you are saved, you are permanently saved.

Behind the Words

“Guarantee” is translated from the Greek word arrabōn, which is actually transliterated from the Hebrew word. The Hebrew word refers to “a deposit given as evidence and proof that some act will be done and the deposit is not returned until the act is completed.”

The word “inheritance” is from klēronomia, which is derived from klēronomos. This is made up of klēros, which refers to “a lot” or “a portion” and nemō, meaning “to hold or have in one’s possession.” Thus, klēronomos refers to “having a right to receive a portion of an inheritance,” that is “an heir,” and klēronomia refers to the substance of the inheritance.

“Purchased possession” is the translation of the Greek word peripoiēsis, which is made up of peri, indicating acquisition of something and poieō, meaning “to make.” So, we see that peripoiēsis means “that which was acquired or purchased.”

Meaning Explained

In yesterday’s verse Paul taught us that when we first believed the gospel message, the truth that Jesus died on the cross to pay the penalty for our sins, we were sealed, or branded, with the Holy Spirit. In the current verse he tells us that the Holy Spirit, with whom we have been branded, is our guarantee. This is very much like earnest money in a real estate transaction. When an offer is made on a house or other property, it is accompanied with earnest money. If for some reason the purchasing party backs out of the deal, the earnest money is forfeited.

An Old Testament example of this earnest, or pledge, is given to us in Genesis 38:17-18 where Judah promised Tamar that he would pay her for her services with a young goat on the following day. She kept his seal and staff until the transaction was completed. Since Judah never sent the payment, Tamar kept the seal and staff.

Too many people read over today’s verse and completely miss what Paul is telling us. Since we have been given the Holy Spirit as a seal and guarantee of our salvation, God has promised that He will complete the transaction or forfeit the guarantee. In other words, if we were to get “unsaved” then we would get to keep the Holy Spirit, God couldn’t take it back. There are those who would say, “Yes, but if I cancel the transaction myself, I would have to return the earnest.” However Christ said:

My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me. And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand.  (John 10:27-28)

In other words, you can’t cancel salvation’s transaction because even you can’t take yourself out of His hand!

Application

If you are saved, you are securely, eternally saved, period! There is nothing that you or anyone else can do to unsave you because you possess God’s irrevocable guarantee!

In God’s service, for His glory,

Copyright © 2011 Will Krause. All rights reserved.

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