Scripture memory should be a part of every Christian’s regular disciplines, but it seems to have fallen out of practice with far too many believers. There are many good reasons to memorize verses from the Bible. Here are a few.
Colossians 3:1-3 If ye then be risen with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ sitteth on the right hand of God. 2 Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth. 3 For ye are dead, and your life is hid with Christ in God.
In this passage, Christians (i.e. those who are “risen with Christ”) are told to keep their focus on heaven and not Earth. Then we read something rather strange. Paul writes, “For ye are dead…” Huh? I thought we were made “alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord.” (Romans 6:11) What does it mean that we are dead!
When we read the word “dead” in the Scriptures, it needs to be understood as “separated”. Death is always a separation. Physical death is a separation of our spiritual part from our physical body. Spiritual death is the separation of a person from God. We are told in Romans 6:2 that believers are “dead to sin”, which in context means separated from its penalty, and by extension, its power. When one is dead to something, the thing in question has no power.
So in the passage above, believers are dead to the things of this world. Therefore, the things of the world should not be our focus. The life of the believer is “hid with Christ in God.” It is “hid” in the sense that it cannot be found on the Earth. It is where Christ is, and that is in heaven. Christian need to keep looking to Him.
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. (Genesis 1:1)
I thought it would be good to start off the beginning New Year with a verse on the beginning. This foundational verse reveals much to us about our world and God.
First, God exists. The Bible does not try to prove God’s existence, but rather assumes His existence as evidenced by His creation (Psalm 19:1) and revelation of Himself (Colossians 2:8-9; 1 Timothy 3:16).
Second, God existed before the universe was created. He was there before the beginning. He is eternal in His very nature and is separate from His creation (transcendent).
Third, God created all that exists, including the celestial bodies and life on Earth. As is shown in the remainder of Genesis 1, macro-evolution is untrue. God created the different kinds of living creatures; they did not evolve from lower forms of life. The biological processes which are observed today are those which were there in the beginning. Living creatures reproduce after their own kind (Genesis 1:11, 12, 21, 24, 25).
Fourth, there was a beginning. God set everything in order. Although mankind chose sin rather than obedience, God had a plan of salvation through Jesus Christ to deliver us from our sin and renew all things to their original perfection.
Romans 8:21-25 Because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God. 22 For we know that the whole creation groaneth and travaileth in pain together until now. 23 And not only they, but ourselves also, which have the firstfruits of the Spirit, even we ourselves groan within ourselves, waiting for the adoption, to wit, the redemption of our body. 24 For we are saved by hope: but hope that is seen is not hope: for what a man seeth, why doth he yet hope for? 25 But if we hope for that we see not, then do we with patience wait for it.
This is the ending that God has in store for us started with His beginning in Genesis 1:1.
Genesis 12:1-3 Now the LORD had said unto Abram, Get thee out of thy country, and from thy kindred, and from thy father’s house, unto a land that I will shew thee: 2 And I will make of thee a great nation, and I will bless thee, and make thy name great; and thou shalt be a blessing: 3 And I will bless them that bless thee, and curse him that curseth thee: and in thee shall all families of the earth be blessed.
In this passage God institutes a covenant with Abraham. This covenant has three major promises and is important not only for the nation of Israel, but for the human race as a whole. Continue reading
Christians often talk about “doing the Lord’s work” or “serving God”, but what is the ultimate work of God? Jesus provides us with a definition that may surprise you.
John 6:28-29 Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God? 29 Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. Continue reading