Monday, January 3, 2011

come out

Romans 4:14 So if you claim that God's promise is for those who obey God's law and think they are "good enough" in God's sight, then you are saying that faith is useless. And in that case, the promise is also meaningless. 
   How many people that Jesus healed were "saved"?  The only one that comes to mind is Lazarus.  Lazarus had been with Jesus as part of a privileged few.  The inner circle of followers had information that the public was not privy to.  Lazarus believed Jesus and became a good friend of His.
   Lazarus' sisters were very upset that Jesus did not make it in time to heal him.  Jesus saw an opportunity for God to show His Glory, and for a third time God's audible voice was heard during Jesus' earthly ministry.
  After Lazarus was raised from the dead many had come to believe, and this caused quite a turmoil among the Jewish leaders.  They had come to see Lazarus and the One who had raised him.
John 12...Jesus said..."Father, glorify Your name." Then a voice came from heaven, saying, "I have both glorified it and will glorify it again." 29 Therefore the people who stood by and heard it said that it had thundered. Others said, "An angel has spoken to Him." 30 Jesus answered and said, "This voice did not come because of Me, but for your sake.
   The New Living translation says in verse 29 that some of the people there thought it had thundered some said it was an angel that spoke.  The author of the passage (John) heard God's voice.  God did not speak for Jesus benefit , but for the people to believe.
Later in the chapter....
 42 Many people, including some of the Jewish leaders, believed in him. But they wouldn't admit it to anyone because of their fear that the Pharisees would expel them from the synagogue. 43 For they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
   Lazarus was not raised from the dead because he was "good enough" to deserve it.  He believed God had come as Messiah in Jesus.  When Jesus said "Lazarus, come out!", Lazarus heard His voice and came out---alive.  When the Voice from Heaven came, some that were there did not hear.  When Jesus calls out COME UP HERE! , the ones who think they are deserving will not hear--they will think it thunder...or an angel--because they loved human praise more than the praise of God.
   The promise is the new Covenant God has made with man --apart from works--
Romans 10:9....If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.
-------------COME OUT --------------be blessed---c

1 comment:

  1. Re: Lazarus had been with Jesus as part of a privileged few.

    LazarusComeForth.com has a free Bible study that simply compares scripture with scripture in order to highlight some facts about Lazarus, the "friend" who "Jesus loved", that are often overlooked. It may be worth your time to consider the presentation of biblical evidence that it offers.

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