ECCLESIASTES 2

Solomon tried pleasure to satisfy verse 1- 3

I said in mine heart

Go to now – I will prove you with mirth

therefore enjoy pleasure

and – behold – this also is vanity

I said of laughter

It is mad – of mirth – What does it?

I sought in mine heart to give myself to wine

YET acquainting mine heart with wisdom

AND to lay hold on folly

TILL I might see what was that good for the sons of men

which they should do under the heaven

all the days of their life

Solomon tried building and gathering possessions verse 4- 8

I made me great works – I built me houses

I planted me vineyards

I made me gardens and orchards

and I planted trees in them of all kind of fruits

I made me pools of water

to water therewith the wood that brings forth trees

I got me servants and maidens

AND had servants born in my house

ALSO I had great possessions of great and small cattle

above all that were in Jerusalem before me

I gathered me also silver and gold

AND the peculiar treasure of kings

and of the provinces

I gat me men singers and women singers

and the delights of the sons of men

as musical instruments

and that of all sorts

Solomon tried hard work verse 9- 11

I was great and increased more than

all that were before me in Jerusalem

ALSO my wisdom remained with me

AND whatsoever mine eyes desired I kept not from them

I withheld not my heart from any joy

for my heart rejoiced in all my labor

AND this was my portion of all my labor

Then I looked on all the works that my hands had wrought

AND on the labor that I had labored to do

and – BEHOLD

all was vanity and vexation of spirit

AND there was no profit under the sun

Solomon compares the life of the wise and foolish verse 12- 16

AND I turned myself to BEHOLD

wisdom – and madness – and folly

for what can the man do that comes after the king?

even that which has been already done

Then I saw that wisdom excels folly

as far as light excels darkness

the wise man’s eyes are in his head

BUT the fool walks in darkness

AND I myself perceived also that

one event happens to them all

Then said I in my heart

As it happens to the fool – so it happens even to me

AND why was I then more wise?

Then I said in my heart – that this also is vanity

for there is no remembrance of the wise

more than of the fool forever

Seeing that which now is in the days to come

shall all be forgotten

And how dies the wise man?

as a fool

Solomon concluded all is vanity verse 17

Therefore I hated life

because the work that is wrought

under the sun is grievous to me

for all is vanity and vexation of spirit

Solomon questions future of his labor verse 18- 20

YEA – I hated all my labor which I had taken under the sun

because I should leave it to the man that shall come after me

And who knows whether he shall be wise man or a fool?

yet shall he have rule over all my labor

and wherein I have labored

and wherein I have showed myself wise under the sun

This is also vanity

Therefore, I went about to cause my heart

to despair of all the labor which I took under the sun

Solomon questioned hard work left to lazy verse 21- 23

For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom – knowledge – equity

YET to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it

for his portion

This also is vanity and a great evil

For what has man of all his labor and of the vexation of his heart

wherein he has labored under the sun?

For all his days are sorrows – and his travail grief

YEA – his heart takes not rest in the night

This is also vanity

Solomon realizes man gets good from God verse 24- 26

There is nothing better for a man – than that he should eat and drink

AND that he should make his soul enjoy good in his labor

This also I saw – that it was from the hand of God

for who can eat

OR who else can hasten hereunto

more than I?

For God gives to a man that is good in HIS sight

wisdom – knowledge – joy

BUT to the sinner he gives travail

to gather and to heap up

that he may give to him that is

good before God

This also is vanity and vexation of spirit

COMMENTARY:

DAILY SPIRITUAL BREAKFAST: Young Believers

: 2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it? (8057 “mirth” [simchah] means glee, gladness, joy, pleasure, delight, rejoicing, or state of happiness)

DEVOTION: Solomon gives instructions regarding what is important in life. He wants us to concentrate on things that have meaning in our life. He asks some important questions regarding life on this earth. He compares the life of someone who is industrious and one who is a fool. He states that he has tried every means to find meaning in life here on this earth.

In this verse he is stating that just pleasing our seven senses is not what we should be looking for in life. He is trying to prove something within his own heart.

He starts with mirth or pleasure. He was just going to do everything he could to enjoy life. After all the parties are over he stated that it was all emptiness. There was nothing lasting. Once he recovered from partying for a long time there was only emptiness. He could laugh for a time but it didn’t last.

Laughter and mirth cause foolish to be number one in his live. Laughter is good to the senses. Sensual pleasures amuse us. Sometimes laughter is scoffing at what should be taken seriously.

Some people make pleasure their false god. Some people make work their god. Some people make possessions their god. What is on our list in the place of God? Anything that makes me happy is all that matters.

Solomon tried everything he wanted to try to see if there was meaning in life to be found in his labors. The answer was NO! He says that he tried it and it wasn’t what God wanted for his life.

God has a different purpose in life that will make us JOYFUL. One of the fruits of the Spirit is JOY. There is a difference between JOY and LAUGHTER.

Not that laughter is always bad. Joy is a characteristic that works on the inside out. Laughter is something that is just on the outside. We can laugh at meaningless things. Solomon calls these things vanity or nothingness. It is hard to laugh at serious things.

When we are going through life’s trials we can still practice JOY but we might not be laughing. Solomon thought it was better to go to a funeral than a party because it gave us a good perspective on life.

We are all going to face God one day and we need to seek to glorify HIM in our lifetime. Our purpose is and always will be to bring glory to God. HE does give us JOY! Or are we chasing the wind???

CHALLENGE: Recognize the difference between an inner relationship with the LORD and an external relationship that is barely skin deep. Practice the gift of the Spirit “joy” in all circumstances.

DAILY SPIRITUAL LUNCH: Transitional Believers

:3 “I searched in my heart how to gratify my flesh with wine, while guiding my heart with wisdom, and how to lay hold on folly, till I might see what was good for the sons of men to do under heaven all the days of their lives.” The New King James Version (Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 1982).

(Searched – 8446 תּוּר [tuwr /toor/] v. A primitive root; TWOT 2500; GK 9365; 23 occurrences; AV translates as “search” 11 times, “search out” three times, “spy out” twice, “seek” twice, “chapmen + 582” once, “descry” once, “espied” once, “excellent” once, and “merchantmen + 582” once. 1 to seek, search out, spy out, explore. 1A (Qal). 1A1 to seek out, select, find out how to do something. 1A2 to spy out, explore. 1A2A explorers, spies (participle). 1A3 to go about. 1A3A merchant, trader (participle). 1B (Hiphil) to make a search, make a reconnaissance. James Strong, Enhanced Strong’s Lexicon (Woodside Bible Fellowship, 1995).

DEVOTION: Americans are a lot like Solomon today, they are constantly seeking, exploring or experimenting to see what brings gratification to their lives. In many cases the exploration has brought good merchandise to the consumers and comfort to lives as a result. In their desire to seek pleasurable items their heart has been turned from the worship of the Lord! America is a great nation but has drifted from the original intents of the founding Fathers. Many came originally to find religious freedom and worship that had been refused them in other places. This in turn brought blessings from the Lord and man’s attention was deflected to prosperity and comfort. What was good for society became bad for the spiritual man. As the Lord was replaced by the I’s of man he had wealth but not contentment. (Notice how many times I is used here) Have we lost our way by being intoxicated by material benefits.

CHALLENGE: Consider your spiritual walk today! Was it better when you were struggling or when you are resting in comfort and ease? (Dr. Brian Miller – board member)

DAILY SPIRITUAL SUPPER: Mature Believers

: 21 For there is a man whose labor is in wisdom, and in knowledge, and in equity; yet to a man that has not labored therein shall he leave it for his portion. This also is vanity and a great evil. (3788 “equity” [ishrown] means success, profit advantage, an ability that has been acquired by training or endowed by God, benefit, or skill.)

DEVOTION: Solomon looked at life in this book of Bible with despair because he found that once he was done with life what he had accomplished would not mean anything to others who had not labored to accomplish it.

Too often our children don’t understand all the work we have done to leave them something go an inheritance. They had not worked for it but thought they deserved it and therefore didn’t really appreciate it.

We all have met individuals who have worked very hard to accomplish a lot in their life and accumulated some wealth and found that their children just spent it without thinking to the point that there was nothing left of their parent’s wealth.

Solomon thought that if they next generation didn’t appreciate what their parents had done to give them a good life then it was a waste of time and effort on the part of the parent.

It is important for parents to train their children to understand that it took a lot of work and wisdom to accomplish what they had done. If there is no appreciation than the labor was in vain because the next generation was just going to waste all the work of the parent.

Today we can see this happening in some families where the training was not done right. Children spend with no appreciation of what has happened in the parent’s life. It took years to accumulate wealth that can be wasted by children who don’t understand work.

All of us have to learn how to work for a living. If children are not taught to appreciate what the parents have done for them than it seems to be a waste on the part of the parent.

CHALLENGE; Solomon thought that training was necessary for children to really appreciate what their parents had done but this doesn’t always happen.

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: 26 For God gives to a man that is good, in his sight wisdom, and knowledge, and joy: but to the sinner he gives travail, to gather and to heap up, that he may give to him that is good before God. This also is vanity and vexation of spirit. (2895 “good” [towb] means pleasant, agreeable, joyous, pleasing, desirable, correct, righteous.)

There are two thoughts in this verse.

Solomon is still trying to figure out life. He has been given a special gift of the LORD. He prayed to the LORD for wisdom to lead Israel in a proper manner. The LORD was pleased with his request and gave him more than he asked for. He was one of the richest kings of Israel. He had great wealth to do with as he liked. This chapter gives us an idea of all that he did to find happiness. He didn’t find it in things.

First, he states that God is the one who gives true wisdom. Remember that there are two types of wisdom in the world. There is worldly wisdom that doesn’t manifest and glorify the LORD. Then there is wisdom that comes from God that puts all things in relationship to HIM. It gives a heavenly view of the earth and all that is in it.

Along with wisdom HE gives knowledge and joy. Above we showed the difference between laughing and joy. Joy comes through the ministry of the Holy Spirit in the life of a believer. Knowledge is given to those who are believers to apply to their daily responsibility. God loves to give gifts to HIS children.

The second thought that is conveyed in this verse is that the LORD knows that evil man can become rich in worldly goods. HE knows that rich men are not all followers of HIM. Solomon wants those who read this book to realize that even though wicked people can get rich, their wealth will be turned over to those who please HIM. God promises to provide for the needs of HIS people. HE took wealth from Nabal and gave it to David when he married Abigail.

Remember that we take nothing with us when we die except our faith in Christ. Those without faith in Christ will be lost for eternity.

CHALLENGE: God is the giver of good things to those who please HIM. Our goal must be to please our heavenly Father. Without faith it is impossible to please HIM. Believe HIS Word!!!

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DISCIPLINES OF THE FAITH:

BODY

Chastity (Purity in living)

Fasting (Time alone with LORD without eating or drinking)

Sacrifice (Giving up something we want to serve the LORD)

Submission (Willing to listen to others and LORD)

Solitude (Going to a quiet place without anyone)

SOUL

Fellowship (Gathering together around the Word of God)

Frugality (wise use of resources)

Journalizing (Writing down what you have learned from the LORD)

Study and Meditation (Thinking through your study in the Word)

Secrecy (Doing your good deeds without others knowing but God)

SPIRIT

Celebration (Gathering around a special occasion to worship LORD)

Confession (Tell the LORD we are sorry for our sins on a daily basis)

Prayer (Conversation with God on a personal level)

Silence (Letting the LORD deal with some problems and needs)

Worship (Time to praise the LORD alone or in a group)

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DOCTRINES OF THE FAITH:

Scripture (66 inerrant books of the Bible)

God the Father (First person of the Godhead)

God – Elohim (Creator, Sovereign) verse 24, 26

Hand of God verse 24

Gives wisdom, knowledge and joy to a man that is good in HIS sight verse 26

Gives travail to sinners verse 26

God the Son (Second person of the Godhead –God/man, Messiah)

God the Holy Spirit (Third person of the Godhead – our comforter)

Trinity (Three persons of the Godhead who are co-equal = ONE God)

Angels (Created before the foundation of the world – Good and Evil)

Man (Created on the sixth twenty-four hour period of creation)

Sons of men verse 3, 8, 18, 21, 24

Servants verse 7

Maidens verse 7

Kings verse 8

Singers verse 8

Wise man verse 14, 15

Sin (Missing the mark set by God on man and angels)

Vanity verse 1, 11, 15, 17, 19, 21, 23, 26

Given to wine verse 3

Folly verse 3, 13

Withheld not heart verse 10

Vexation of spirit verse 11, 17, 22, 26

Fool walks in darkness verse 15, 16, 19

Hate life verse 17, 18

Despair verse 20

Great evil verse 21

Sinner verse 26

Salvation (Provided by Christ’s death on the cross for our sins)

Enjoy pleasure verse 1

Wisdom verse 3, 9, 12- 16, 19, 21, 26

Good work ethic verse 4- 11, 19, 21, 22

Knowledge verse 21, 26

Equity verse 21

Good verse 24, 26

Enjoy good of labor verse 24

Joy verse 26

Israel (Old Testament people of God)

Solomon verse 1- 26

Found all was vanity

Made great works

Built houses

Planted vineyards

Made gardens and orchards

Great possessions of great

and small cattle

Gathered

silver and gold

peculiar treasure

singers

delights of the sons of men

Wisdom remained with me

All was vanity and vexation of spirit

Behold wisdom, madness and folly

Wisdom excelled folly

All shall be forgotten

Hated all his labor because he left it

to someone who would not

appreciate it

Jerusalem verse 7, 9

Church (New Testament people of God)

Last Things (Future Events)

No remembrance of the wise more than of the fool verse 16

Dies verse 16

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QUOTES regarding passage

2:2 This continues his proleptic explanation of his conclusions. Laughter was insanity, and fun accomplished nothing. He does not imply that all laughter is to be squelched as an evil; rather, as a solution for the basic problems of life (above all the problem of death), it is a total failure. Throughout the book the Teacher will recommend enjoying life, but here he warns that partaking of pleasure does not of itself give meaning to existence. (Garrett, D. A. (1993). Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of songs (Vol. 14, p. 291). Nashville: Broadman & Holman Publishers.)

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1b–2. Characteristically the conclusion comes before the substantiation. Hedonism shares in the vanity of all earthly phenomena. Two items are specified: laughter (śĕḥôq) and mirth (śimḥâ). The former is superficial gaiety, used of the ‘fun’ of a game (Prov. 10:23) or a party (Eccl. 10:19), or the ‘derision’ which Jeremiah suffered (Jer. 20:7). Though the distinction cannot always be sharply drawn, śimḥâ is thoughtful pleasure, the joy of religious festivals (Num. 10:10; Judg. 16:23), gratitude in serving the Lord (Deut. 28:47), or the proclamation of a king (1 Kgs 1:40). The two kinds of joy receive appropriate verdicts. The first, laughter, is mad. The verbal root (hll) is associated with loss of judgment (cf. Job 12:17; Eccl. 7:7); rather than face life as it is, the merry-maker drowns the hard facts in a sea of frivolity. As for weightier pleasure (śimḥâ), the Preacher simply asks: What does it achieve? Does it produce a fundamental change, any answers, any satisfaction? The implication of the rhetorical question is obvious: all pleasures, highbrow and lowbrow alike, fail to meet the needs of the man whose horizon remains ‘under the sun’. (1b–2. Characteristically the conclusion comes before the substantiation. Hedonism shares in the vanity of all earthly phenomena. Two items are specified: laughter (śĕḥôq) and mirth (śimḥâ). The former is superficial gaiety, used of the ‘fun’ of a game (Prov. 10:23) or a party (Eccl. 10:19), or the ‘derision’ which Jeremiah suffered (Jer. 20:7). Though the distinction cannot always be sharply drawn, śimḥâ is thoughtful pleasure, the joy of religious festivals (Num. 10:10; Judg. 16:23), gratitude in serving the Lord (Deut. 28:47), or the proclamation of a king (1 Kgs 1:40). The two kinds of joy receive appropriate verdicts. The first, laughter, is mad. The verbal root (hll) is associated with loss of judgment (cf. Job 12:17; Eccl. 7:7); rather than face life as it is, the merry-maker drowns the hard facts in a sea of frivolity. As for weightier pleasure (śimḥâ), the Preacher simply asks: What does it achieve? Does it produce a fundamental change, any answers, any satisfaction? The implication of the rhetorical question is obvious: all pleasures, highbrow and lowbrow alike, fail to meet the needs of the man whose horizon remains ‘under the sun’. (Eaton, M. A. (1983). Ecclesiastes: An introduction and commentary (Vol. 18, pp. 76–77). Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press.)

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To most people unlimited money suggests unlimited satisfaction and a life filled with happiness and meaning. We may criticize the extravagant luxuries of others, being sure that we would be more spartan and generous if we had as much money. Thank God for those men and women of wealth who accept their responsibilities for using money wisely. But there are only too many who envy the wealthy and wish they had money to spend on the vain pleasures of the “good life.”

1–2 We notice that this description of Solomon omits mention of immorality but is concerned with the joys of luxury. No serious thinker supposes that a Casanova is on the way to discover the purpose of living (cf. 7:26). The Teacher set his sights on those pleasures that many people considered worthwhile in themselves. He surrounded himself with happy people who kept him amused, but even the jokes and laughter grew stale (cf. 7:1–6). (Wright, J. S. (1991). Ecclesiastes. In F. E. Gaebelein (Ed.), The Expositor’s Bible Commentary: Psalms, Proverbs, Ecclesiastes, Song of Songs (Vol. 5, p. 1156). Grand Rapids, MI: Zondervan Publishing House.)

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Enjoyment (2:1–3). The Hebrew people rightly believed that God made man to enjoy the blessings of His creation (Ps. 104, and note 1 Tim. 6:17). The harvest season was a joyful time for them as they reaped the blessings of God on their labor. At the conclusion of his book, Solomon admonished his readers to enjoy God’s blessings during the years of their youth, before old age arrived and the body began to fall apart (12:1ff). Eight times in Ecclesiastes, Solomon used the Hebrew word meaning “pleasure,” so it is obvious that he did not consider God a celestial spoilsport who watched closely to make certain nobody was having a good time.

Solomon specifically mentioned wine and laughter as two sources of pleasure used in his experiment. It takes very little imagination to see the king in his splendid banquet hall (1 Kings 10:21), eating choice food (1 Kings 4:22–23), drinking the very best wine, and watching the most gifted entertainers (2:8b). But when the party was over and King Solomon examined his heart, it was still dissatisfied and empty. Pleasure and mirth were only vanity, so many soap bubbles that quickly burst and left nothing behind.

Perhaps many of the king’s servants envied Solomon and wished to change places with him, but the king was unhappy. “Even in laughter the heart is sorrowful,” he wrote in Proverbs 14:13, “and the end of that mirth is heaviness.”

Today’s world is pleasure-mad. Millions of people will pay almost any amount of money to “buy experiences” and temporarily escape the burdens of life. While there is nothing wrong with innocent fun, the person who builds his or her life only on seeking pleasure is bound to be disappointed in the end.

Why? For one thing, pleasure-seeking usually becomes a selfish endeavor; and selfishness destroys true joy. People who live for pleasure often exploit others to get what they want, and they end up with broken relationships as well as empty hearts. People are more important than things and thrills. We are to be channels, not reservoirs; the greatest joy comes when we share God’s pleasures with others.

If you live for pleasure alone, enjoyment will decrease unless the intensity of the pleasure increases. Then you reach a point of diminishing returns when there is little or no enjoyment at all, only bondage. For example, the more that people drink, the less enjoyment they get out of it. This means they must have more drinks and stronger drinks in order to have pleasure; the sad result is desire without satisfaction. Instead of alcohol, substitute drugs, gambling, sex, money, fame, or any other pursuit, and the principle will hold true: when pleasure alone is the center of life, the result will ultimately be disappointment and emptiness.

There is a third reason why pleasure alone can never bring satisfaction: it appeals to only part of the person and ignores the total being. This is the major difference between shallow “entertainment” and true “enjoyment,” for when the whole person is involved, there will be both enjoyment and enrichment. Entertainment has its place, but we must keep in mind that it only helps us to escape life temporarily. True pleasure not only brings delight, but it also builds character by enriching the total person. (Wiersbe, W. W. (1996). Be Satisfied (p. 19). Wheaton, IL: Victor Books.)

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2 I said of laughter, It is mad: and of mirth, What doeth it?

I said of laughter; of excessive mirth, which discovers itself by immoderate laughter, and other outward gestures. It is mad; this is an act and sign of madness, more fit for fools, who know nothing, than for wise men, at least in this sinful, and dangerous, and deplorable state of mankind, which calls for seriousness and sorrow from all considerate persons, in which case it is like the laughter of one in a frenzy; and none but a fool or madman can take satisfaction in such light and frothy pleasures, or expect happiness from them. What doeth it? what good doeth it? or how can it make men happy? I challenge all the epicures in the world to give me a solid and satisfactory answer. (Poole, M. (1853). Annotations upon the Holy Bible (Vol. 2, pp. 281–282). New York: Robert Carter and Brothers.)

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Ver. 2. I said of laughter, it is mad, &c.] The risible faculty in man is given him for some usefulness; and when used in a moderate way, and kept within due bounds, is of service to him, and conduces to the health of his body, and the pleasure of his mind; but when used on every trivial occasion, and at every foolish thing that is said or done, and indulged to excess, it is mere madness, and makes a man look more like a madman and a fool than a wise man; it lasts but for a while, and the end of it is heaviness, ch. 7:6; Prov. 14:13. Or, I said to laughter, thou art mad; and therefore will have nothing to do with thee in the excessive and criminal way, but shun thee, as one would do a mad man: this therefore is not to be reckoned into the pleasure he bid his soul go to and enjoy. And of mirth, what doth it? what good does it do? of what profit and advantage is it to man? If the question is concerning innocent mirth, the answer may be given out of Prov. 15:13 and 17:22 but if of carnal sinful mirth, there is no good arises from that to the body or mind; or any kind of happiness to be enjoyed that way, and therefore no trial is to be made of it. What the wise man proposed to make trial of, and did, follows in the next verses. (Gill, J. (1810). An Exposition of the Old Testament (Vol. 4, p. 559). London: Mathews and Leigh.)

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FROM MY READING:

(Remember the only author that I totally agree with is the HOLY SPIRIT in the inerrant WORD OF GOD called THE BIBLE! All other I try to gleam what I can to help me grow in the LORD!!)

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Judges 7

God uses Gideon’s 300 men to rout the entire Midianite army.

INSIGHT

“Not by might nor by power, but by My Spirit” is the work of the Lord accomplished (Zechariah 4:6). Few stories illustrate that principle more clearly than that of Gideon and his army of 300. God wants prepared men to fight His battles with His weapons in His way. His weapons are not earthly but spiritual. His ways are higher than our ways, and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts. We want to offer God our strength and our weapons and our insight but He does not need them. We need Him. Rather than trying to get God to accept our plans, strategies, and goals, we ought to strive to understand His. His way is the way of victory.

(Quiet Walk)

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GOD’S REVELATION

…the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe. 1 Corinthians 1:21
Salvation is something that comes altogether from God. And when we put it like that, do we not see very clearly why it is that so many people reject it? The natural man dislikes the whole idea of revelation. Why? Because he is wise and prudent, so full of his own intellect and understanding. He boasts, “I am not going to be treated like a child. I have it within me and in my own power to arrive at any knowledge that I may desire.” Revelation gives the lie to that.
But men and women do not like that, and Paul puts it like this in 1 Corinthians 1:21: When “the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” Here is a great principle, and if we are wrong at this point, how can we be right anywhere else? The gospel starts by proclaiming that it is a way of salvation. Its message is not something that man has thought of or achieved, but something that comes out of the mind of God. It is something that God shows and gives, that He has revealed; it is altogether from His side, and man contributes nothing to it.
Why is God’s way of salvation a matter of revelation? One of the reasons why it must be revelation and not discovery is the greatness of God. “I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that thou hast…revealed….” Oh, how easy it is to talk cleverly about God and to understand the philosophy of God, to have our religious arguments and discussions. But isn’t half our trouble that we forget altogether who God is and what He is? From eternity to eternity, He is the Creator and sustainer of everything that is.
A Thought to Ponder
The gospel is altogether from God’s side, and man contributes nothing to it.
(From The Heart of the Gospel, p. 112, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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Things We Cannot Do Without
“But wilt thou know, O vain man, that faith without works is dead?” (James 2:20)

We can well do without many things in life, but there are at least seven things a Christian simply cannot do without.

The Lord Jesus Christ. Speaking of the heathen nations before Christ, Paul said: “At that time ye were without Christ,…having no hope, and without God in the world” (Ephesians 2:12).
Christ’s shed blood. “Without shedding of blood is no remission.” “Ye were not redeemed with corruptible things,…But with the precious blood of Christ” (Hebrews 9:22; 1 Peter 1:18-19).
Christ’s sinlessness. The Lord Jesus “was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin” (Hebrews 4:15). Therefore, He could die for our sins.
Faith in Christ. “Without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is” (Hebrews 11:6).
Faith-generated works. True faith in Christ inevitably produces good works. As our text reminds us, “faith without works is dead” (James 2:20).
True holiness. “Follow…holiness, without which no man shall see the Lord” (Hebrews 12:14). Genuine faith in Christ both receives His imputed holiness and also generates practical holiness in the believer.
Heavenly chastisement. Unconfessed and unforsaken sin in a Christian’s life must receive chastisement from the Father. “If ye be without chastisement, whereof all are partakers, then are ye…not sons” (Hebrews 12:8).

Without saving faith in the Lord, we have nothing of eternal value, but with Him, we have “all things” (1 Corinthians 3:21). (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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The Peace of the God of Peace
“And the peace of God, which passeth all understanding, shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7)
For generations, most of the world’s people have longed for peace, but the world continues to be at war. Evolutionists attribute this to ages of violent evolutionary struggle; the Bible attributes it to sin!
But it is wonderfully possible to have real personal peace even in a world at war. This is what the Bible calls “the peace of God,” and it surpasses all human understanding because it is provided by the God of peace, for the writer continues, “The God of peace shall be with you” (v. 9).
The God of peace! There are some wonderful promises associated with this beautiful name of our Lord. For example: “The God of peace shall bruise Satan under your feet shortly” (Romans 16:20). Also: “The very God of peace sanctify you wholly” (1 Thessalonians 5:23).
The provision of God’s perfect peace (Isaiah 26:3) is specifically invoked in 2 Thessalonians 3:16: “Now the Lord of peace himself give you peace always by all means.” Perhaps the greatest promise of all is implied in the concluding prayer of the book of Hebrews: “Now the God of peace, that brought again from the dead our Lord Jesus, that great shepherd of the sheep, through the blood of the everlasting covenant, Make you perfect in every good work to do his will, working in you that which is well pleasing in his sight, through Jesus Christ” (Hebrews 13:20-21).
There is only one other reference to the peace of God: “And let the peace of God rule in your hearts, to the which also ye are called in one body; and be ye thankful” (Colossians 3:15). The peace of God, from the God of peace, can rule in our hearts if we let it rule in our hearts. Then, as promised in our text, it will also keep our hearts! (HMM, The Institute for Creation Research)

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WHAT MAKES US CHRISTIAN?

Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God: and every one that loveth him that begat loveth him also that is begotten of him. 1 John 5:1
The New Testament at once shows us the total inadequacy of the common, current version of what constitutes a Christian. The New Testament terms are regeneration, a new creation, being born again. What makes men and women Christians is something that is done to them by God, not something they do themselves: “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” And then, “Every one that loveth him that begat….” God, according to John, is the one who begets us; it is God’s action, not ours.
Now we need to take time in emphasizing the obvious contrast in each of these subdivisions. How ready we are to think of being a Christian as the result of something we do! I live a good life—therefore I am a Christian; I go to a place of worship—therefore I am a Christian; I do not do certain things—therefore I am a Christian; I believe—therefore I am a Christian. The whole emphasis is upon myself, upon what I do. Whereas here, at the very beginning of the New Testament definition of a Christian, the entire emphasis is not upon man and his activity, but upon God. He who begat, He who produced, He who generates, He who gives life and being. Thus we see we cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us.
But I go beyond that and say that what makes us a Christian is something that makes us like God. “Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God.” That “of” is an important word; it means “out of God”; this is one who has received something of God Himself.
A Thought to Ponder: We cannot be a Christian at all unless God has done something to us. (From Life in God pp. 12-13, by Dr. Martyn Lloyd-Jones)

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