Unlearning Tradition, Relearning Scripture

Tag: Revelation 20:11-15

  • The Son of Man, Our Redeemer

    In my last blog “Jesus Christ, Our Righteousness” I explained that David was not simply trusting God’s immediate deliverance but rather a future vindication based not on his own but the righteousness of Christ Jesus; see Psalms 35:23-24.

    Awake and rouse Yourself for my vindication, for my cause, my God and my Lord! Vindicate me [David], O LORD, my God, according to Your righteousness, and let them not rejoice over me!

    I also pointed out that David’s faith rest particularly on the coming Savior, Jesus Christ, for his utterance of “my God and my Lord” was exactly that of the Lord’s disciple Thomas; see John 20:28 “Thomas answered Him [Jesus Christ], “My Lord and my God.”

    David prophetically confessed faith in the coming Savior, understanding that He is God and the Lord of salvation. On the other hand, after His crucifixion and death, Thomas initially doubted the Lord Jesus Christ until He resurrected back to life and appeared to him in the flesh, then he uttered, “My Lord and My God!”

    The apostle Peter, quoting David, clearly spoke of him as a prophet through his psalms; see Acts 2:25-28.

    For David says concerning Him [Jesus Christ], “I saw the Lord always before me, for He is at my right hand that I may not be shaken; therefore my heart was glad, and my tongue rejoiced; my flesh also will dwell in hope. For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, or let Your Holy One see corruption. You have made known to me the paths of life; You will make me full of gladness with Your presence.”

    Peter actually quoted Psalm 16:8-11 verbatim. Clearly, David was speaking in the psalms on behalf of the LORD, prophesying about the coming Savior, Jesus Christ. In Acts 2:27, a quotation of Psalm 16:10, David spoke about the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. It should be noted that in saying, “For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol (Hades, Greek), or let Your Holy One see corruption,” David anchors his salvation by faith in the Resurrection of Jesus Christ (Acts 13:30-37). So David’s cry for vindication in Psalm 35:23-24 refers to his future redemption from Hades. This ultimate redemption was fulfilled by Christ Jesus at His Second Coming during the Great White Throne Judgment, an event associated with the final fulfillment of His kingdom and the passing away of the old order. See Revelation 20:11-15.

    Then I saw a Great White Throne and Him [Jesus Christ] who was seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it, Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death, the lake of fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire.

    See also Matthew 25:31; Jesus Christ told His disciples: “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the angels with Him, then He will sit on His Glorious Throne.”

    Bear in mind that Matthew chapters 24-25 is a unit, a long discourse by Jesus Christ telling His disciples the correlation of His Second Coming with that of the destruction of Jerusalem and the temple; see Matthew 24:1-3.

    Jesus left the temple and was going away, when His disciples came to point out to Him the buildings of the temple. But He answered them, “You see all these, do you not? Truly, say to you, there will not be left here one stone upon another that will not be thrown down.”

    As He [Jesus Christ] sat on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to Him privately, saying “Tell us, when will these things be, and what will be the sign of Your coming and of the end of the age?”

    As I had mentioned in my previous blog, clearly His disciples had understood that when Jesus spoke of the impending destruction of Jerusalem and the temple, it was about the coming Judgment of God spoken of by the Old Testament prophets. An example may be seen in Daniel 12:5-9.

    Then I, Daniel, looked, and behold, two others stood, one on this bank of the stream and one on that bank of the stream. And someone said to the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream, “How long shall it be till the end of these wonders?” And I heard the man clothed in linen, who was above the waters of the stream; he raised his right hand and his left hand toward heaven and swore by Him who lives forever that it would be for a time, times, and half a times, and that when the shattering of the power of the holy people comes to an end all these things would be finished. I heard, but I did not understand. Then I said, “O my lord, what shall be the outcome of these things?” He said, “Go your way, Daniel, for the words are shut up and sealed until the time of the end …”

    The disciples’ question on the “end of the age [Matthew 24:3]” refers to Daniel’s “time of the end [Daniel 12:4,7-9]” – also “the end of these wonders [Daniel 12:6],” which was the fulfillment of Daniel 12:1-3, see below:

    At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who has charge of your people [Israel]. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time [cf. Matthew 24:21]. But at that time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book. And many of those who sleep in the dust of the earth shall awake, some to everlasting life, and some to shame and everlasting contempt. And those who are wise shall shine like the brightness of the sky above; and those who turn many to righteousness, like the stars forever and ever [cf. Matthew 13:43].

    Revelation 20:11-15 in turn was the fulfillment of Daniel 12:1-3, which occurred at the Return of Christ Jesus our Lord, Matthew 25:31. The disciples understood it’s going to happen in their lifetime because Jesus had told them in advance, see Matthew 16:27-28.

    For the Son of Man is going to come with His angels in the glory of His Father, and then He will repay each person according to what he has done. Truly, I say to you, there are some standing here who will not taste death until they see the Son of Man coming in His kingdom.

    Who were those that Jesus mentioned were standing here? See Matthew 16:24, it’s the immediate disciples of Jesus Christ – Peter, James, John and the rest – not us; the Lord indeed had revealed the time of His coming. Shouldn’t our perspective of Jesus’ Second Coming be aligned with His Words?

    Now back to Psalm 34 & 35, David was looking forward to his vindication by faith in Christ Jesus; see Psalm 34:22. “The LORD redeems the life of His servants; none of those who take refuge in Him will be condemned.” For Christ Jesus was the fulfillment of Psalm 34:18: “The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.”

    See Isaiah 61:1-2.

    The Spirit of the Lord God is upon Me, because the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor; He has sent Me to bind up the broken-hearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and the opening of the prison to those who are bound; to proclaim the year of the LORD’s favor, and the Day of vengeance of our God; to comfort all who mourn …

    Isn’t it obvious that it was Jesus Christ who spoke through the prophet of God concerning Isaiah 61:1-2? In the New Testament Scripture, Luke told us that Jesus indeed came and fulfilled that prophecy. see Luke 4:17-21.

    And the scroll of the prophet Isaiah was given Him [Jesus Christ]. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where it was written, “The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has anointed Me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent Me to proclaim liberty to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.” And He rolled up the scroll and gave it back to the attendant and sat down. And the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on Him. And He began to say to them, “Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing.”

    Jesus stopped reading after He said, “To proclaim the Lord’s favor [Luke 4:19],” because that was exactly what He was fulfilling at the moment. It was at His Return when the rest of Isaiah 61 was fulfilled.

    Today, we may express the same confidence in Jesus Christ just as David did. This Covid-19 has brought about so much hardship and heartache, but the Word of God remains the same and trustworthy. Let us therefore remain faithful and trust Him with all our hearts, saying,

    I will bless the LORD at all times; His praise shall continually be in my mouth. My soul make its boast in the LORD; let the humble hear and be glad. Oh, magnify the LORD with me, and let us exalt His name together! (Psalm 34:1-3)

    Despite the pandemic, Jesus Christ ought to be worshiped. David trusted Jesus’ coming and deliverance. So much more should we now, for Jesus Christ had fulfilled all His promises in Scripture, and is seated at His throne reigning over all His creation. Next, see Psalm 34:4-10.

    I sought the LORD, and He answered me and delivered me from all my fears. Those who look to Him are radiant, and their faces shall never be ashamed. This poor man cried, and the LORD heard him and saved him out of all his troubles. The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and delivers them. Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him! Oh, fear the LORD, you His saints, for those who fear Him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the LORD lack no good thing.

    At the beginning of this pandemic, I saw a lot of people panic-buying in the groceries and other household items stores. Perhaps some may be due to the proclamation of many that soon the return of Jesus Christ is happening, and this pandemic is a sign. Let me assure you that the pandemic has nothing to do with the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, for the Lord had told His disciples it’s happening in their generation.

    I am a full-time independent pastor, serving the Lord Jesus Christ not under the support of any organized Christian or mission organization, yet I saw the hand of God sustaining us through this pandemic. So I say to you also, “Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good! Blessed is the man who takes refuge in Him!” Jesus Christ promised to take care of all our needs, not wants, if we sought His kingdom and righteousness; see Matthew 6:25-27.

    Therefore I tell you, do not be anxious about your life, what you will eat or what you will drink, nor about your body, what you will put on. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothing? Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow and reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they? And which of you by being anxious can add a single hour to his span of life?

    Then, in Matthew 6:33-34, Jesus went on saying,

    But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things will be added to you. Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble.

    The Christian journey is like that of the Israelites after their exodus from Egypt and were in the wilderness. They were in God’s divine providence protecting and providing them their food on a daily basis. Most of us have resources more than enough for one day, yet many would shake in fear when their capacity to earn is hindered or cut off.

    Moses brought Israel out of the slavery of Egypt through the Red Sea. Christians were delivered from the slavery of death through faith in the blood of Jesus Christ; see Hebrews 2:14-15.

    Since therefore the children share in the flesh and blood, He [Jesus Christ] Himself partook of the same things, that through death He might destroy the one who has the power of death, that is, the devil, and deliver all those who through fear of death were subject to lifelong slavery.

    Oh yes, would Christians still experience suffering like now that we are in a pandemic? Sure, Christians are not immune from Covid-19; neither are we indifferent to the necessities of life. But Christians have the promise of eternal life in Christ Jesus. So Paul wrote in Romans 8:31-39.

    What then shall we say to these things? If God is for us, who can be against us? He who did not spare His own Son but gave Him up for us, how will He not also with Him graciously give us all things? Who shall bring any charge against God’s elect? It is God who justifies. Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died – more than that, who was raised – who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword? As it is written, “For your sake we are being killed all the day long; we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.” No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that neither death or life, nor angels nor rulers, not things present nor things to come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord.

    That was the confidence of both David and Paul. Shouldn’t that also be our assurance and trust if we have truthfully claimed faith in Christ Jesus our Lord? Let us therefore live in the confidence of Christ’s love, and share the same faith with others; see Psalm 34:11-17.

    Come, O children, listen to me; I will teach you the fear of the LORD. What man is there who desires life and loves many days, that he may see good? Keep your tongues from evil and your lips from speaking deceit. Turn away from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it. The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears toward their cry. The face of the LORD is against those who do evil, to cut off the memory of them from the earth. When the righteous cry for help, the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles.

    Truthful allegiance in God begins with the Fear of the LORD. In Proverbs 1:7, the Bible says, “The fear of the LORD is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.” Christians ought to have authentic submission to Jesus Christ and His words; no ifs and no buts, just simple obedience.

    It is truly rewarding to trust and rest upon Christ Jesus our Lord. Psalm 34:18-22 says,

    The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, but the LORD delivers him out of them all. He keeps all his bones; not one of them is broken. Affliction will slay the wicked, and those who hate the righteous will be condemned. The LORD redeems the life of His servants; none of those who takes refuge in Him will be condemned.

    Scripture says, Christians will be no stranger to afflictions but the LORD will deliver us from all our troubles. And the greatest trouble that humanity faces is death, yet Jesus Christ promises and says:

    Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears My word and believes Him [God the Father] who sent Me [Jesus Christ] has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life. (John 5:24)

    Jesus Christ, the promised Messiah of the Jewish people, came to fulfill all Scripture. But He came not to ransom or redeem Jew alone but many – that is, both Jew and Gentile; see Matthew 20:28. “Even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give life as a ransom for many.” Jesus Christ – the Son of Man – then is also our Redeemer. The apostle Paul in Romans 8:31-39, which I had quoted earlier, explained the concept of Christ’s redemption thoroughly.

    Life is all about perspective. If there is any positive thing about this pandemic – it caused people to stop from their busyness and allowed them time to reflect on what truly are the necessities of life. David must have had the same predicament when he was down having been pursued by Saul and humiliated by Achish king of Gath. It is always in the stillness of life’s trouble that we hear God’s Word vividly.

    The words of Christ Jesus are timeless. They were for the immediate disciples and for future followers of the Lord as well. In John 17:15-26, Jesus said,

    I do not ask that You [God the Father] take them out of the world, but that You keep them from the evil one. They are not of the world, just as I am not of the world. Sanctify them in truth; Your word is truth. As you sent Me into the world, so I have sent them into the world. And for their sake I consecrate Myself, that they also may be sanctified in truth. I do not ask for these only, but also for those who will believe in Me through their word, that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in Me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that You have sent Me. The glory that You have given Me I have given them, that they may be one even as we are one, I in them and You in Me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that You sent Me and loved them even as You loved me. Father, I desire that they also, whom You have given Me, may be with Me where I am, to see My glory that You have given Me because You loved Me before the foundation of the world. O righteous Father, even though the world does not know you, I know you, and these know that You have sent Me. I made known to them Your name, and I will continue to make it known, that the love with which You have loved Me may be in them, and I in them.

    The goodness of God is not defined by how He had or will deliver us from the worries of life. All of life’s worries will cease at the end of this physical life, Scripture says:

    “By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return. (Genesis 3:19)

    Remember that You [God] have made me like clay; and will you return me to the dust? (Job 10:9)

    If He [God] should set His heart to it and gather to Himself His spirit and His breath, all flesh would perish together, and man would return to dust. (Job 34:14-15)

    You [God] return man to dust and say, ‘Return, O children of man!’ (Psalm 90:3)

    When You [God] hide Your face, they are dismayed; when You take away their breath, they die and return to their dust. (Psalm 104:29)

    All go to one place. All are from the dust, and to dust all return. (Ecclesiastes 3:20)

    Humanity does not live forever, for we are from dust and to dust we will all return. And nothing that was from the dust remains forever; it is susceptible to corrosion and decay. Hence, we ought to learn to accept that our present journey – that is, our lives – is temporal so we shouldn’t expect that it could be sustained forever. The scientific world might be attempting to prolong life, but it may never be made to exist forever.

    Yet, through faith in Jesus Christ – the Son of Man – He has redeemed us from the limitation of this present life, for in Him we have eternal life. In essence, life is to be enjoyed but always in obedience to Christ Jesus our Lord and God. Let us then seek to secure our eternal existence in Christ Jesus our Lord, trusting Him for everything about life and life eternal.

    In conclusion, Psalm 34 & 35, psalms of encouragement for the downhearted and truth about Jesus Christ that was uttered by David, should keep us faithful and true in our confession of faith.

    P.S. You might consider reviewing earlier posts linked to this one. Click here to read “Immanuel, Our Confidence” and “Jesus Christ, Our Righteousness”.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!

  • Small Details May Say A Lot (Introduction)

    Even after posting three blogs on John 9, there is still room for a few insights, particularly on the two interesting remarks of Jesus Christ. First, in John 9:4, “We must work the works of Him who sent Me as long as it is day; night is coming when no one can work.” What does Jesus mean by saying “as long as it is day, night is coming”? And the second, John 9:39, “For judgment I came into this world, so that those who do not see may see, and that those who see may become blind.” Lord willing, both will be explained as we go along in our study of the Gospel of John.

    Continuing my study of the Gospel of John, I came across John 5:1. “After this there was a feast of the Jews, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem.” The Bible does not mention which particular Jewish Feast John was referring to, so this will be my focus in this blog and following blog postings.

    As I noted in my earlier post on Spiritual Blindness, the LORD God established seven Jewish annual feasts in Leviticus 23. These seven feasts can also be grouped into three harvest festivals. Three times each year, Jews traveled from many places to Jerusalem for these gatherings—the Passover Feast, the Feast of Pentecost, and the Feast of Tabernacles. The three harvest festivals followed the agricultural cycles in Palestine: barley, then wheat, and finally fruits or grapes. God’s sovereignty is evident here, don’t you think?

    The first harvest festival begins with the Feast of Passover (Leviticus 23:4-8), culminating with the thanksgiving harvest of barley— the Feast of Firstfruits (Leviticus 23:9–11). The second harvest festival was the Feast of Wheat or Pentecost, celebrating the thanksgiving harvest of wheat (Leviticus 23:15–16). Lastly, the third harvest festival begins with the Feast of Trumpets, then the Feast of Atonement, and finally the Feast of Tabernacles or Booths or Ingathering— it’s the harvest of fruits or grapes (Leviticus 23:33–36).

    Here is the overview of the Jewish Annual Festivals or Feasts. The first four Spring Festivals—from Passover to Pentecost—span the initial three months of the Jewish calendar year. After a four-month summer interval, the final three Fall Festivals follow: the Feast of Trumpets, the Feast of Atonement, and the concluding Feast of Ingathering (Tabernacle or Booths).

    Now, on our study of John 5:1, specifically John’s mention of the “feast of the Jews,” Albert Barnes said: Probably, the Passover, though it is not certain. There were two other feasts – the Pentecost and the Feast of Tabernacles.

    On the other hand, Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary said: The feast of the Jews is probably not the Passover, which John usually refers to by name (John 2:13; John 6:4; John 11:55). It may have been Purim, which is not a divine institution but a Jewish-instigated feast to celebrate the deliverance of the Jews and Queen Esther. It is literally a feast of the Jews.

    Lastly, Robertson’s Word Pictures said: As a matter of fact there is no way of telling what feast it was which Jesus here attended. Even if it was not the passover, there may well be another passover not mentioned besides the three named by John. (John 2:13, John 2:23; John 6:4; John 12:1)

    I reviewed only three Bible commentaries, and their views on John 5:1 do not align, which suggests such sources are not entirely reliable. Grasping the Leviticus 23 Jewish Feasts could help separate fact from fiction. For instance, it might confirm whether Jesus Christ completed three or three and a half years of earthly ministry with His disciples.

    The NNIBC (Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary) correctly identifies three Gospel passages—John 2:13, John 6:4, and John 11:55—that link Jesus Christ to three annual Jewish festivals, including “the Passover.”

    Let us review every verse in John’s Gospel that mentions “Passover.” John 2:13 and John 2:23 point to the first annual Jewish festival involving Jesus Christ. John 11:55; 12:1; 13:1; 18:28; 18:39; and 19:14 address the third and final festival, since the narrative follows Jesus’ final week with His disciples leading to His crucifixion. John 6:4 therefore relates to the second festival during Jesus’ earthly ministry. This internal evidence suggests his ministry spans three successive years of the annual Passover.

    Across all four Gospels, Jesus’ earthly ministry began after His baptism by John the Baptist (John 1:29–39; Matthew 3:13–17, 4:12–18; Mark 1:9–15; Luke 3:21–23), with John 2:13 noting the first Passover festival involving him. Yet before this Passover appearance in John 2:13—which followed His baptism in John 1:29–33—the apostle John described Jesus serving at a wedding in Cana. It follows that Jesus carried out at least three or three and a half years of ministry, starting at age 30, as Luke 3:23 indicates.

    Returning to the “feast of the Jews” described by the apostle in John 5:1, we already recognize that John records three Passover Festivals involving Jesus. We should also see that a complete cycle of the annual Jewish feasts starts with Passover and concludes with the Feast of Booths (Tabernacle or Ingathering). Notably, John explicitly names only one Feast of Booths in his Gospel, at John 7:2. Following the narrative flow, John 6:4, “Now the Passover, the feast of the Jews was at hand,” connects naturally to John 7:2, “Now the Jews’ Feast of Booths was at hand,” presenting a full cycle of the second annual festival involving Jesus.

    As noted earlier, John 11:55—“Now the Passover of the Jews was at hand …”—addresses the third and final Passover tied to Jesus. Because the following account describes Jesus’ arrest, crucifixion, and resurrection, we face one clear choice. I disagree with Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Commentary that John might mean “Purim,” a non-divinely established festival from Esther’s time (Esther 9:23–32), since the content of John 5, especially Jesus Christ’s teaching there, aligns with the core of the Feast of Booths. I will explore that in my next blog post. For now, we can consider the nature of the Passover Feast in relation to Jesus Christ’s ministry.

    John concluded his Gospel with the Passover narrative involving Jesus Christ. From a human viewpoint, this marked the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. From God’s perspective, He became the true offering acceptable to God—the fulfillment of the Leviticus 23 “Passover Feast.” It is worth noting that Jesus Christ came to satisfy all requirements of the first, or Old, Covenant (Exodus 12:2-6). As Matthew 5:17–18 records, Jesus declared:

    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, nor a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

    For in doing so, He would be qualified to inaugurate the second or New Covenant of God. See Hebrews 10:5-10:

    Consequently, when Christ came into the world, He said, “Sacrifices and offerings You have not desired, but a body have You prepared for Me; in burnt offerings and sin offerings You have taken no pleasure. Then I said, ‘Behold, I have come to do Your will, O God. as it is written of Me in the scroll of the book.’” When He said above, “You have neither desired not taken pleasure in sacrifices and offerings and burnt offerings and sin offerings” (these are offered according to the Law), then He added, “Behold I have come to do Your will.” He does away with the first in order to established the second. And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.

    Next, see 1 Corinthians 5:7, the apostle Paul wrote,

    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really were unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed.

    Looking then at both Hebrews 10:5–10 and 1 Corinthians 5:7, without a doubt, Jesus Christ indeed fulfilled both the Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread at the Cross.

    The apostle Paul described believers as “unleavened,” not through their own actions but through the redemptive work of Jesus Christ at the Cross. In Colossians 2:13–14, Paul also noted:

    And you, who were dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our trespasses, by cancelling the record of debt that stood against us with its legal demands. This He set aside, nailing it to the Cross.

    The Feast of Passover and Unleavened Bread having been fulfilled, the cancelling of the record of debt that stood against the believers was then consummated at the cross. So Jesus uttered, “It is finished” (John 19:30), then gave up His spirit. But it should be noted that though atoning sacrifice of Jesus Christ had been completed, yet the Mosaic Law remains and is still in effect at the point of Christ’s death, resurrection, and even after His ascension. Therefore, salvation is assured but has yet to take its full effect, see Hebrews 9:28.

    A side note: Many have long held that because Christ Jesus died on the cross and rose again, everything is complete and salvation is secured forever. We frequently hear the phrase “Once saved, always saved,” which is a common interpretation that can lead believers to assume that regardless of how they live, their claim of faith in Christ guarantees salvation to the end. This is one subtle yet implied traditional idea often presented.

    Let us again look at 1 Corinthians 5:7, but this time we will include the context:

    Cleanse out the old leaven that you may be a new lump, as you really are unleavened. For Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed. Let us therefore celebrate the festival, not with the old leaven, the leaven of malice and evil, but with the unleavened bread of sincerity and truth. I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people – not at all meaning the sexually immoral of the world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler – not even to eat with such a one. For what have I to do with judging outsiders? Is it not those inside the church whom you are to judge? God judges those outside. “Purge the evil person from among you.” (1 Corinthians 5:7-13)

    “Purge the evil person from among you” appears in the Old Testament within the Law of Moses, see Deuteronomy 13:5; 17:7, 12; 21:21; and 22:21, 24. This phrase was also applied against Israel, particularly the Tribe of Benjamin, in Judges 20:13. It served as a call for believers to separate themselves or be sanctified. As Hebrews 10:10 notes, “And by that will we have been sanctified through the offering of the body of Jesus Christ once for all.”

    The Nelson’s New Illustrated Bible Dictionary defined “sanctification” as the process of God’s grace by which the believer is separated from sin and becomes dedicated to God’s righteousness. Accomplished by the Word of God (John 17:7) and the Holy Spirit (Romans 8:3–4), sanctification results in holiness, or purification from guilt and the power of sin.

    I notice two issues in the NNIBD explanation. The first may be a typo: the reference for “accomplished by the Word” in John’s Gospel should be John 17:17 rather than John 17:7. The second involves a common traditional reading of Paul’s use of “Spirit” in Romans 8:4. The dictionary describes it “as the Holy Spirit,” so a quick glance at Romans 8:3–4 might suggest Paul contrasts “flesh” with “Holy Spirit.” However, a careful review of Paul’s broader argument in Romans, such as Romans 7:4–6, could clarify his actual meaning.

    Likewise, my brothers, you also have died to the Law through the Body of Christ, so that you may belong to another, to Him who has been raised from the dead. In order that we may bear fruit for God. For while we were living in the flesh, our sinful passions, aroused by the Law, were at work in our members to bear fruit to death. But now we are released from the Law, having died to which held us captive, so that we serve in the NEW WAY OF THE SPIRIT and not in the old way of the written code.

    In other words, Paul’s usage of “flesh” was actually a reference to the “Law,” contrasting it with the Gospel of Christ. The Gospel is the new way of the Spirit, which is not in the old way of written code— the Law of Moses.

    Another passage to look at such be in 2 Corinthians 3:4-8, Paul wrote:

    Such is the confidence that we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are sufficient in ourselves to claim anything as coming from us, but our sufficiency is from God, who has made us sufficient to ministers of the NEW COVENANT, not of letter but of the Spirit. For the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. Now if the ministry of death, carved in letters on stone, came with such glory that the Israelites could not gaze at Moses’ face because of its glory, which was being brought to an end, will not the ministry of the Spirit have even more glory?

    By “letter,” as against the “Spirit,” Paul was contrasting the Old Covenant with the New Covenant. Therefore, the “letter” refers to the “written code” mentioned also by Paul in Romans, while the “Spirit” refers to the Gospel of Jesus Christ, the New Covenant of God.

    Sanctification, then, is the process of God’s grace displayed on the cross, setting apart believers for God, declaring them therefore “righteous, holy, and pure” from guilt and the power of sin. However, sanctification also is a process by which every believer, now having been declared righteous, free from guilt and the power of sin, should live by. In other words, Christians should walk the talk.

    See Romans 6:17-18:

    But thanks be to God that you who were once slaves of sin have become obedient from the heart to the standard of teaching [the Gospel] to which you were committed, having been set free from sin, have become slaves of righteousness. I am speaking on human terms, because of your natural limitations. For just as you once presented your members as slaves to impurity and to lawlessness leading to more lawlessness, SO NOW PRESENT YOUR MEMBERS AS SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUSNESS LEADING TO SANCTIFICATION.

    To make this clearer, I will restate the passage above, this time with a paraphrased English version that is easier to grasp. The New Living Translation of Romans 6:17–19 notes,

    Thank God! Once you were slaved to sin, but now you wholeheartedly obey this teaching [the Gospel] we have given you. Now you are free from your slavery to sin, and you have become slaves to righteous living. Because of the weakness of your human nature, I am using the illustration of slavery to help you understand all this. Previously, you let yourselves be slaves to impurity and lawlessness, which led ever deeper to sin. NOW YOU MUST GIVE YOURSELVES SLAVES TO RIGHTEOUS LIVING SO THAT YOU WILL BECOME HOLY.

    Note: “Holy” and “sanctification” share the same Greek term. Understanding this nuance helps us recognize that Bible dictionaries, like the commentaries noted earlier, are not entirely reliable. We should learn to study the Bible with care, applying proper exegesis to Scripture rather than letting tradition shape our grasp of God’s Word. Only then can we be confident that our beliefs reflect the true revelation of Scripture.

    Returning to 1 Corinthians 5:7–13, celebrating the festival—meaning Passover and Unleavened Bread—implies believers should align their practice with a confession of faith expressed through sincerity and truth. This is essentially walking the talk. If we claim sanctification through Christ, we should live accordingly. Likewise, Jesus’s statement “It is finished” (John 19:30) signaled His completion of the first two Jewish feasts in Leviticus 23.

    It is misleading to interpret Jesus’ statement in John 19:30 as proof that salvation is finished at the cross; instead, it marks an initial, significant stage in God’s plan. Claiming “once saved, always saved” from that verse is both illogical and unbiblical, particularly because Paul warned of a future judgment in his letter to the same believers in Corinth. See 2 Corinthians 5:10–11.

    For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil. Therefore, knowing the fear of the Lord, we persuade others. But what we are is known to God, and I hope it is known also to your conscience.

    It is also important to recognize that Paul’s statement of judgment in 2 Corinthians 5:10 points to the Second Coming Judgment of Jesus Christ. This aligns with Revelation 20:11–15.

    Then I saw a great white throne and Him who seated on it. From His presence earth and sky fled away, and no place was found for them. And I saw the dead, great and small, standing before the throne, and books were opened. Then another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged by what was written in the books, according to what they had done. And the sea gave up the dead who were in it. Death and Hades gave up the dead who were in them, and they were judged, each one of them, according to what they had done. Then Death and Hades were thrown into the Lake of Fire. This is the Second Death, the Lake of Fire. And if anyone’s name was not found written in the Book of Life, he was thrown into the Lake of Fire.

    In conclusion, believers cannot reasonably assert “once saved, always saved” solely on the basis of Jesus’ one-time sacrifice and death at the cross. If salvation were revoked at God’s judgment because people fall short, Christ’s redemptive work would appear inadequate. Instead, we must recognize that God’s plan requires Jesus Christ to have fulfilled all Seven Jewish Feasts, not merely observed them; only then does salvation become real. This is why Jesus Christ stated in Matthew 5:17–18:

    Do not think that I have come to abolish the Law or the Prophets; I have not come to abolish them but to fulfill them. For truly, I say to you, until heaven and earth pass away, not an iota, not a dot, will pass from the Law until all is accomplished.

    I realize this blog may prompt many questions, as it once did for me before I grasped Scripture more clearly. The more traditions we have absorbed, the harder it becomes to understand the Bible’s true teachings. Untangling these ideas takes time, but as the saying goes, “Patience is a virtue.” Proceed one step at a time. I personally must increase my effort to let the Word of God speak, rather than letting traditional ideas shape my interpretation.

    In closing, returning to John 9:39, “For judgment I came into this world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.” By judgment, Jesus Christ also pointed to the same judgment described by the apostle Paul in 2 Corinthians 5:10 and Revelation 20:11–15, which I discussed earlier. On the other hand, John 9:4–5 makes it clear that “day” refers to, though is not restricted to, the time He was in the world (John 9:5). It covers the brief period after His ascension, when His immediate disciples were sent—this time by Jesus Christ—to carry out the work of God the Father (John 20:21), to believe in Jesus Christ, whom the Father has sent (John 6:29). Meanwhile, “night” aligns with the judgment spoken by Jesus Christ in John 9:39.

    Returning to our conversation on John 5:1, what was biblically anticipated from Jesus Christ’s fulfillment of the Feast of Booths? We will examine John 5 next.

    Peter, in the words of Acts 3:6, declared, “I possess neither silver nor gold, but in the name of Jesus Christ, I offer you what I have.” Share this article freely, for you freely receive. Take note, underlines and highlights are clickable links for definitions or Bible references. Stay updated by heading to our about page and subscribe directly to receive notifications in your inbox. Blessings!