Should Christians Observe Jewish Ritual Circumcision, Sabbath and Dietary Laws?

 

SHOULD CHRISTIANS OBSERVE JEWISH RITUAL CIRCUMCISION, SABBATH  AND DIETARY LAWS?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This question has always propped up in Christian conversations or forums, especially during the season of festivities. Should Christians observe each set of Jewish religious law to the letter? Should we for instance observe the Jewish Sabbath and if so, why do some worship on Sunday? What about the dietary laws observed by Jews? Are these laws binding on Christians and if so, to what extent? 

My view is that Christians have been freed from the bondage of Jewish ritual laws. They are however bound to observe the moral laws that God prescribed for His people and whose value is timeless. 

Christians are however not bound by Jewish circumcision law or the Sabbath worship or dietary laws, except as outlined below. 

I am persuaded from my study of New Testament Scripture that there is no legal or religious obligation for Christians:

1. To worship on the seventh day or on any other day of the week including Saturday or Sunday (Colossians 2:11-23). A Christian community is at liberty to choose a day of worship that is convenient for them.  Whether we worship on Saturday or Sunday is immaterial in my view. What is significant for us is the focus of our worship. 

2. To perform or submit to ritual circumcision. Gentile believers are not bound by Jewish circumcision law. They are spiritually complete in the eyes of God without being circumcised. Paul rebuked the Galatians for giving in to the whims of radical Jews on ritual circumcision (Galatians 3). Ethnic Galatians never circumcised their males. 

I must however place a caveat at this point. It is not my intention to teach that African Christians or any other society that culturally observes male ritual circumcision should avoid the rite altogether! Male circumcision is not repugnant per se. Believers should modify aspects of the traditional rite in order to exclude anything that offends our Christian faith.

Believers from communities that do not practice the circumcision rite are not bound to observe it either. 

3. To observe ritual dietary laws. Gentile believers are not bound by the extensive Jewish dietary laws. They are however forbidden from knowingly consuming food offered to idols and eating ritual blood. This was affirmed under the resolutions of the Jerusalem Council that involved Jewish and Gentile Christian leaders (see Acts 15:22-29). 

Christians are therefore at liberty to consume whatever food is appropriate for their nutrition and health. Any foods or substances that are harmful to our bodies are forbidden. God places high premium on our souls and our bodies and so should we (see 1 Corinthians 6:18-20). 

Finally, believers should abstain from any secular rituals or revelries or celebrations that do not glorify God and have the potential of negatively impacting on their Christian witness and moral standing. Wisdom is required here. Believers, and particularly Christian young men and women, should refrain from secular "End-of-Year" bashes or celebrations that can lead them into moral disobedience. 

God has called us out from this sinful world so that we may glorify Him in our lives (1 Peter 2:9). The Bible exhorts "For this is the will of God, your sanctification: that you should abstain from sexual immorality; 4 that each of you should know how to possess his own vessel in sanctification and honor, 5 not in passion of lust, like the Gentiles who do not know God" (1 Thessalonians 4:3-5, NKJV).

We cannot live as the world does without dimming our gospel light. We are the salt and the light of the world; the bearers of moral etiquette in Christ Jesus wherever we are (Matthew 5:13-16, 1 Peter 3:1-7). 

We have been purchased by Christ through His sinless blood that He shed at Calvary for our redemption. We are His Bride, betrothed and set apart for Him until the day of His coming (Acts 20:28-29; Titus 2:11-14). 

We should therefore keep our garments free from moral stains. 

Shalom. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Do Muslims and Christians Worship the Same God?

DO MUSLIMS AND CHRISTIANS WORSHIP THE SAME GOD?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

This question could be informed by the universalism view that all religions primarily worship the same God. This is best illustrated by the adage that all roads lead to Rome; an attestation of the universalism approach to understanding global religions. 

Universalism proponents argue that since it is logically given that there must be one eternal God, a supreme deity that created all things, religions in their diversities are merely attempts by human societies to relate with this one God in their specific cultural contexts. Each religion, according to universalism adherents, is therefore a culture specific expression and neither is superior nor inferior to the other. 

While this theory has received increasing attention in our postmodernist society, the biblical Scriptures refute its validity. 

Here's how...

The Bible recognizes that there is only one true God who is supreme over all creation and by whom all things in heaven and on earth exist (Genesis 1:1-2; Psalm 24:1-2, 50:10). This, according to Christianity, is the God of Israel whose attributes are described in the Bible. Scripture attests to God's eternity (John 1:1; Rev. 1:8), immutability (Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17), preeminence (Exodus 20:4-6), omniscience (Jeremiah 17:9-10) and omnipotence (Colossians 1:15-18), among other divine attributes. 

According to the Christian faith, the God of Scripture has also revealed Himself in three divine persons that constitute the Holy Trinity. Islam rejects the trinitarian revelation of God. They also reject the divinity of Jesus Christ. 

This implies that a person subscribing to one of the two religions inescapably treats the other as false. This therefore excludes any possibility that another deity or religion can be contemplated outside each faith. 

Timothy Tennent observes the doctrinal distinction between the two major religions as thus:

"It is not as if the texts of the Qur’an and the Bible differ on minor points of eschatology or the precise nature of the soul. They differ on central doctrines of identity such as the Trinity, the deity of Christ, the doctrine of the incarnation, the redemptive power of the cross, and the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. All of these doctrines are central to what we as Christians mean when we say, “We worship God.” For the Christian, the doctrine of God cannot possibly be separated from Christology." 

Islam is founded on the teaching of the Quran which proclaims that Muhammad is God's only prophet. This religion recognizes sections of the Old Testament Scripture as inspired. Islam however rejects the priesthood and prophetic mandate of Jesus Christ as the mediator between God and men. It also rejects Jesus' incarnation and His redemption work. This is perhaps where the conceptions of God in Christianity and Islam are irreconcilable. 

Islam classifies Christianity as a pagan religion and Christianity on its part does not recognize Islam as a related faith in the same way that Judaism is! My view is that the two religions cannot be considered to worship one and the same God. Each has a distinct doctrine, text and eschatology. 

REFERENCE 

Timothy G Tennent: Theology in the Context of World Christianity: How the Global Church is Influencing the Way We Think about and Discuss Theology. Grand Rapids: Zondervan, 2007.

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

How Effective is the Marathon Reading of Scripture?

HOW EFFECTIVE IS A "MARATHON" READING OF THE BIBLE? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

This question was raised in a certain forum after someone argued that the "marathon" study of Scripture is the most effective method that should be applied by Bible readers. He added that the New Testament Scriptures follow one line of thought, making it easier for straight reading through the passages. 

A marathon approach to the reading of Scripture essentially involves a survey or overview related reading through the 66 Scripture books over a given period of time. The primary intention is to cover the entire text of Scripture within the prescribed period. Little emphasis is given to its topical or thematic divisions or theological coherence. 

In some cases, different passages of different books of Scripture are read together each day so that the reader cascades his focus across a number of Scripture books at any given time. 

While this method provides a bird's eye view of the entire text of Scripture, my view is that it leaves the reader with pieces of Scripture information that are largely unrelated. 

I am persuaded that established hermeneutical principles should guide the reader in the study and interpretation of the passages of the books of Scripture so that the full counsel of God is distilled. Besides, internal evidence refutes the notion that New Testament writers follow one line of thought in their letters. The reality is that most of these writers address a number of independent issues that require to be hermeneutically distilled by the reader within their passage contexts.

We should therefore approach the Scriptures with the relevant interpretative principles. 

One primary principle concerns the recognition of the theological harmony in the body of Scripture. No book of Scripture speaks independently of the rest or on absolute terms. Its authority rests on the theological foundation that God's word is one indivisible cannon that collectively conveys the mind of God (2 Timothy 2:15, 3:16-17). 

Secondly, Scripture interprets Scripture. This principle is affirmed in the cannon itself, especially under the New Testament Scriptures. For instance, some Old Testament truths are amplified or illuminated in the New Testament Scriptures. 

Notice also that New Testament writers intermittently make reference to Old Testament Scripture in their work. A good example can be drawn from the authorship of the four Gospel books where Old Testament prophecies and characters are juxtaposingly mentioned. 

The "marathon" study of the books of Scripture under various captions such as "the Bible in one year" are undoubtedly great knowledge adventures. Unfortunately, such approaches, if exclusively embraced, may present serious hermeneutical limitations for the devotional study of Scripture, which is critical to the spiritual development of the child of God. We should study Scripture passages to discern the mind of God in a given context and harmonize its exhortation with the related themes or topics taught elsewhere in Scripture. 

My view is that a marathon reading through Scripture books can obscure the reader's focus on the consolidation of truths taught in the Bible. 

Here's how... 

First, reading through one Gospel book in a marathon without bearing in mind what other Gospel writers or Scripture authors convey on a related passage or topic can be extremely limiting, in my view. 

Secondly, without the benefit of the knowledge drawn from related passages of New Testament Scripture, a marathon reading of, say, Ezekiel, Daniel and Zechariah may be reduced to a text book adventure. 

Finally, such reading ignores the literary construction of Scripture under different genres or writing styles. For instance, poetic sections of Old Testament Scripture that are commonly identified with the wisdom books such as Psalms and Proverbs cannot be interpreted in the manner that the narratives or prophetic writings are done. The reader needs to be armed with the relevant hermeneutics for the interpretative study of each category. 

CONCLUSION 

My view is that Scripture was not intended to be read on a marathon basis if its devotional benefits are to be derived and assimilated. The Bible should be approached in a methodical manner, giving regard to its topical and thematic organization. I would therefore be hesitant to recommend the marathon approach as an exclusive method of study for a serious devotional reader. If one opts for the marathon study method, they should maintain the contextual/thematic method as their primary focus for effective study of Scripture. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

God's Moral Test for Israel - Lessons from Judges 3:1-11

GOD'S MORAL TEST FOR ISRAEL: LESSONS FROM JUDGES 3:1-11. 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

In Judges 3:1-2, the writer records that God deliberately declined to drive away sections of the Canaanite nations from the Promised Land in order to teach the new generation of Israelites war and to test the people's moral fortitude. 

A list of these nations is given in Judges 3:3. They include five lords of the Philistines, the Canaanites, Sidonians, and Hivites. It is instructive that these heathen nations were identified with the following cultural features:

1. They were idolatrous people. Some worshipped more than one deity. They worshipped Baal and Ashtoreths and Asherahs (Judges 2:11,13, 3:7). 

2. The Philistines were among the largest and most prominent in the group. Their influence in the days of the Judges and specifically during the reign of Samson is profound (cf. Judges 3:31,10:7,13:1). 

3. These heathen nations surrounded the people of Israel from all sides. 

4. The Israelites were ill equipped militarily and were therefore disadvantaged in asserting their right to the land without divine intervention. The Canaanites had superior iron weaponry (see Judges 1:19, 4:3). 

A second list of Canaanite nations is provided in Judges 3:5-6 showing those among which the people of Israel specifically dwelt. These were perhaps the closest and most influential among the Canaanite nations at the time. 

A curious statement is conveyed in Judges 3:6. The writer reveals two moral transgressions committed by Israel under the influence of the Canaanite culture:

1. The children of Israel intermarried with these heathen nations contrary to God's express prohibition in Scripture (cf. Deut. 28:15-68; Neh. 13:25).

2. They forsook the Lord and served the Canaanite gods, contrary to the command in Exodus 20:2-6 that forbids the worship of any other God besides Yahweh, the God of Israel. 

This marked the beginning of the cyclical pattern of moral disobedience, leading to God's judgment, followed by the people's cry under Canaanite oppression and God's rescue, and back to disobedience. 

The first judge is Othniel. He was the younger brother of Caleb, the man of valor whose fame was earlier identified with the positive report among the twelve spies sent out by Moses (see Numbers 13-14). Othniel's 40 year reign is narrated in Judges 3:7-11. He was by any standards a godly ruler. His departure marked the next cycle of apostasy in Israel. 

MORAL LESSONS

The passage of Judges 3:1-11 conveys a number of moral lessons to the reader. We shall outline a few lessons below.

1) God tests the obedience of His covenant people in order to prove their moral faithfulness. Job was tested under a painful experience and was later approved by God (Job 1-2, 42). Elsewhere in Scripture, we learn that God permits some trials and afflictions on believers for the purpose of proving their faith (James 1:2-4). 

In our passage of context, the Bible reveals God's intentions in leaving the hostile Canaanite nations to coexist with the children of Israel "...that He might test Israel by them, to know whether they would obey the commandments of the Lord, which He had commanded their fathers by the hand of Moses" (Judges 3:4). There is no ideal environment for our Christian obedience. Every situation that we find ourselves in is a testing environment. What ultimately stands out is our response to the tests. 

2) God sets out clear consequences for disobedience. The people were aware of God's divine standards for them but they still chose to disobey. When they intermarried with the Canaanite nations, God gave them over to their enemies. The Bible  explicitly says that God "...sold them into the hand of Cushan-Rishathaim king of Mesopotamia; and the children of Israel served Cushan-Rishathaim eight years" (Judges 3:8). God's patience has its snapping limits. Choices have consequences. When we deliberately choose to act against God's moral standards in our lives, God is grieved and He will punish us. 

The children of Israel deserved their punishment because of their willful disobedience despite having witnessed God's powerful works of deliverance and provision during their journey. Hebrews 12:6 says "For Whom the Lord loveth, he chastens and scourges every son whom he receives"

3) It is easy to forget the things that God has done for us and to lower the moral standards whenever we experience the comforts of life that come through His blessings.  Someone said that the greatest danger to our spiritual wellbeing does not come from Satan per se but from the trappings of comfort that lull our spiritual consciousness!

In the midst of the progress in the land "flowing with milk and honey" (Exodus 3:8), the people forgot and forsook the very God who brought them into the promised land. Does this experience ring a bell in your ears? The exhortation conveyed in Deuteronomy 8:11-17 is instructive. Moses had warned the people not to forget the Lord in the midst of their prosperity. 

4) God punishes the disobedient. Several passages of Scripture illustrate this truth. The Rich Fool, under the haughtiness of material success, forgot that God was the ultimate source of his prosperity. The statement in Luke 12:20 is instructive: "But God said to him, ‘Fool! This night your soul will be required of you; then whose will those things be which you have provided?’"

5) Godly leadership brings moral stability and political advancement in society. The 40 year reign of Othniel the son of Kenaz brought peace to Israel (Judges 3:7-11). 

CONCLUSION

The Bible is replete with illustrations that reveal that God is in the business of testing the moral fortitude of His covenant people. We should therefore be conscious of this fact in every situation of life so that we are not tossed about by the allures of this passing evil world. We should discern God's will for our lives at all times. Our response to godly trials will depend on our moral prudence. We should depend on God's enabling grace in order to overcome.

 The Bible warns in 1 Corinthians 10:12, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed lest he fall." Jesus' statement in Revelation 16:15 is explicit: "Behold, I am coming as a thief. Blessed is he who watches, and keeps his garments, lest he walk naked and they see his shame.”

Shalom 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Why is the Fall associated with Adam yet it was Eve who was first deceived?

WHY IS THE FALL ASSOCIATED WITH ADAM YET IT WAS EVE WHO WAS FIRST DECEIVED? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

God created Adam and Eve in His image and likeness (Gen. 1:27). The order of creation and God's responsibility for Adam as head is apparently what separates the two, both under Old Testament and New Testament theology. 

Adam was responsible for his wife and this is perhaps the reason God called him out when both he and his wife attempted to hide themselves from God after they fell into disobedience (Gen. 3:8-10).

As head of his family, Adam ruled over his wife and his children and was responsible for them. This model is identified in the New Testament Scriptures as well. Colossians 3:18-20 says "Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. Husbands, love your wives and do not be bitter toward them. Children, obey your parents in all things, for this is well pleasing to the Lord."

Notice also the delegated responsibility that God assigned Adam in naming God's creatures. He was even permitted to assign a name to his wife (Gen. 2:18-25).

Yes, Eve was the first to fall through Satan's deception in the first instance. She subsequently drew Adam into her disobedience so that both ultimately fell (Gen. 3:1-6). 

Turning to the New Testament, we notice that the fall is primarily identified with Adam. 1 Timothy 2:8-14 reveals that God used the order of the creation and the fall as a basis for His design on church leadership. This passage has been recognized as the theological foundation for the complimentarian doctrine held by a number of Christian traditions (cf. 1 Timothy 2:8-14, 3:1-7). The Egalitarian traditions however dispute this doctrine. 

What stands out significantly, in my view, is the fact that Adam is reckoned as the icon of the fall, not because the magnitude of his transgression was higher than Eve's but because of the federal headship responsibility that God recognized in His dealings with him. Adam took ultimately responsibility for the fall because he was God's steward over his wife. 

In the New Testament Scripture, we notice that the federal headship doctrine is modeled on the relationship  between Christ and His church on the one part, and the husband and his wife, on the other part. Christ is head over His church even as the husband is head over his wife. 

Ephesians 5:24 says "Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything." The wife ought to submit to her husband in the same manner that the church should submit to Christ. 

On his part, the husband ought to love his wife sacrificially just as Christ loved the church and died to redeem her. This truth is affirmed in several other passages of New Testament Scriptures.

In conclusion, my view is that, notwithstanding the federal headship doctrine, both Adam and Eve fell into disobedience and both equally deserved God's judgment. 

In the context of New Testament Scripture, those who come to Christ, whether male or female, shall equally share in God's divine heritage in Christ Jesus. 

The Bible says "For you are all sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus. 27 For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. 28 There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is neither male nor female; for you are all one in Christ Jesus. 29 And if you are Christ’s, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise" (Galatians 3:26-29, NKJV).

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Did Judas Exercise Free Will in Betraying Jesus?

DID JUDAS EXERCISE FREE WILL IN BETRAYING JESUS OR WAS HE COMPELLED BY A DIVINE FORCE TO ACT?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

I came across this question in a conversation on a Christian forum. 

A response to this question would largely depend on the reader's theological persuasions. We shall first consider two theological positions below and conclude with my reflection.. 

REFORMED CALVINISTIC VIEW 

A five pointer Calvinist who subscribes to the Reformed Calvinism tradition would state that God caused Judas to betray Jesus. They would in fact go further to argue that Judas had no free will of his own and that God directed every step of the betrayal process so that the prophecy of Zechariah 11:12-13 would be fulfilled with precision!

In this context, Judas is considered as merely a tool at the disposal of an all powerful and controlling creator and that Judas could not resist or act against God's will. 

EVANGELICAL VIEW 

On the other hand, a non-Reformed/Evangelical reader would argue that Judas acted under the compulsion of his own free will in betraying Jesus and therefore rightly stood condemned for his transgression. They would consider that Jesus foresaw and foretold this event ahead of time because of His perfect omniscience and exhaustive foreknowledge as God. They would disagree with the view advanced by Reformed Calvinism that God's causative determinism was behind Judas' action.

MY TAKE 

Whereas God is eternally sovereign over His creation, Scripture reveals that He permits His creatures to exercise free will and is justified in judging them for their transgressions. 

Coming to the context of our question, my view is that Scripture does not teach or imply in any section of the relevant passages that Judas Iscariot was compelled by any external force to betray Jesus other than by His love of money. 

It is important to appreciate what Scripture reveals concerning the moral character of Judas Iscariot. His statement in Matthew 26:14 is instructive of his greed. His response to the religious authorities plainly reveals this moral character. He placed his interests ahead of his ministry calling and was prepared to sacrifice his Master in the process. He asks, "What are you willing to give me if I deliver Him to you?” And they counted out to him thirty pieces of silver. 16 So from that time he sought opportunity to betray Him" (NKJV).

We also learn from John 12:6 that Judas was a thief and that he used to apply the ministry resources that was in his custody for his personal benefit. He was an evil steward. 

We can pick out three important correlations on the issue of free will and human responsibility under two other passages of Scripture relating to three independent characters -  Peter, Adam and Joseph. 

Jesus foretold that Peter would deny him thrice before the cock crowed (Matthew 26:34-35, 75; Mark 14:30, 74; Luke 22:61). This event occurred with divine precision. 

We can observe that both Judas and Peter willfully acted in their disobedience and both later expressed remorse for their actions. 

My view is that God's foreknowledge in both instances does not imply that God causatively compelled them to act the way they did. 

Similarly, God did not cause or orchestrate the fall of Adam (see Genesis 3:1-6). God had plainly warned him in advance about the consequences of his disobedience and this affirms Adam's exercise of free will in this context (Genesis 2:16-17).  

Genesis 37, 49-50 describe Joseph's experience in the hands of his wicked brothers, his afflictions in Egypt under Potiphar, his incarceration in an Egyptian dungeon and his subsequent elevation by God to the highest office in the land. 

Joseph's brothers wilfully sought to harm their brother and cutting him off from their father's heritage but God intervened in the course of time to fulfill His purposes concerning Joseph. God did not compel the sons of Jacob to commit their evil acts.

If the advocates of deterministic theology are consistent, their view would inescapably imply that God was ultimately responsible for the fall of Adam and Eve because, in their view, nothing was beyond Him! 

My view is that deterministic theology is inconsistent with the revelation and authority of Scripture. God cannot act contrary to His revealed nature as a holy and righteous. The Bible proclaims in James 1:17 that God is "the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow of turning." 

Numbers 23:19 says "God is not a man, that He should lie, Nor a son of man, that He should repent. Has He said, and will He not do? Or has He spoken, and will He not make it good?" 

God is neither the cause nor the author of sin or evil. He abhors evil (Isaiah 1:15). 

God can however make His interventions in circumstances of evil so that His purposes are fulfilled. Again, this does not imply that God is party to the circumstances that precipitated the commission of evil. 

Psalm 5:4-6 says "For You are not a God who takes pleasure in wickedness, Nor shall evil dwell with You. 5 The boastful shall not stand in Your sight; You hate all workers of iniquity. 6 You shall destroy those who speak falsehood; The Lord abhors the bloodthirsty and deceitful man." (NKJV).

CONCLUSION 

Yes, Judas Iscariot knowingly and willingly committed the transgression of betrayal upon his Master, handing Him over to His persecutors, in whose hands He was finally crucified. Judas was the son of perdition, a man driven by the spirit of Balaam in pursuing dishonest gain. He, like Balaam, perished in his pursuit of greed (2 Peter 2:15; Jude 1:11). 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Chosen in Christ - A Biblical Exposition of 1 Peter 1

CHOSEN IN CHRIST - A BIBLICAL EXPOSITION OF 1 PETER 1

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION 

First Peter is the first of two Epistles attributed to Apostle Peter. It was primarily written to encourage Jewish believers to remain steadfast in their faith amidst trials and afflictions. It is instructive that the place of writing was concealed. Some Bible scholars say that the reference to Babylon in 1 Peter 5:13 suggests that Peter may have been in hiding or that he was careful to conceal his location because of the persecution of Christians at the time.[1] 1 Peter 1 conveys the apostle’s opening address to Jewish Christians in the ancient cities of Asia Minor that are listed in the passage. The letter was therefore intended for circulation among the listed locations or towns.

Internal evidence reveals that these believers were undergoing persecution on account of their Christian faith (vv. 6-9). Bible scholars believe that the dispersal mentioned by Peter could be directly related to and historically consistent with the Jerusalem persecution described in Acts 12 that saw the martyrdom of Apostle James and the arrest and imprisonment of believers, including the writer himself (Acts 12:1-19).

PASSAGE STRUCTURE 

The passage consists of the traditional epistolary salutation section (vv. 1-2), a doxology or praise on the heavenly heritage of God’s covenant people in Christ (vv. 3-12) and a closing section that captures the author’s call to faithful Christian living and trust in God’s promise in His word (vv. 13-25). We shall briefly examine the three sections in turns below.

THE SALUTATION 

“Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ,

To the pilgrims of the Dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:

Grace to you and peace be multiplied” (NKJV).

In this brief salutation section of the passage, Peter conveys his opening statement. He introduces himself by his name and by his apostolic title – Peter an apostle of Jesus. This is the traditional epistolary statement that is also found in his second letter (2 Peter 1:1). It identifies the author and reveals his apostolic authority. His apostolic oversight over his audience is implied from the address. The pilgrims were members of his Apostolic See at Jerusalem. Some consider Peter’s introduction of himself as “an apostle” as tinged with humility given Jesus’ affirmation of his higher apostolic stature in John 21:15-19.[2] Peter’s restoration was a personal experience and Jesus’ exhortation on feeding the lambs and tending the sheep cannot be exclusively ascribed to Peter alone. It was a core apostolic mandate vested in all the apostles, including Paul who was called into the apostolic office much later (1 Corinthians 9:1-18).

The pilgrims can rightly be described as members of the Jewish Christian community in the Diaspora. Some say that Peter’s use of the term “pilgrims” was in reference to all believers including Gentiles. This view is however not supported by the text, in my view.  The writer was one of the three prominent Christian leaders in the Jerusalem church along with Apostle John and James the brother of the Lord, who is credited with the authorship of the Letter of James (Galatians 2:6-10; James 1:1-2). It is instructive that Apostle James was martyred during the early period of the Jerusalem persecution (see Acts 12: 1-2). Secondly, Peter’s apostolic influence in the wider Gentile territory is insignificant.

RECIPIENTS 

The Letter is addressed to Jewish believers who are metaphorically described as “pilgrims of the Dispersion”. This suggests that they were possibly part of the Jewish Christians who fled the Jerusalem persecution by Herod. The use of the word “pilgrims” to describe these believers is consistent with their circumstances as aliens in their destinations. It is also consistent with the import of the transience of earthly life for the believer as compared to the life to come (cf. Psalm 90:10-12; Matthew 16:26; Mark 8:36). Scripture elsewhere teaches that the Old Testament saints confessed that they were strangers and pilgrims on the earth (Hebrews 11:13). The mention of the five regions in Asia Minor is perhaps indicative of their prominence as predominant locations of Jewish Christian presence rather than an exhaustive list.[3]

ELECTION OF BELIEVERS IN CHRIST

Peter further describes these Christians as “elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ.” (v.2). Two important features relating to believers are captured in this statement – God’s foreknowledge of their election and the method by which this process was achieved. First, we can infer that the election of believers in Christ was conceived in God’s eternal omniscience and His foreknowledge because God sees the end from the beginning. He is the Alpha and Omega (Revelation 1:8); the immutable God – the same yesterday today and forever (Hebrews 13:8).

The second feature of the election of believers relates to the manner in which it was actualized at God’s appointed time. Notice that the statement in v.2 is syntactically unbroken, implying that the process of election is encapsulated in the activities outlined in the entire text and should therefore be construed in its composite sense. God’s foreknowledge is actuated in the atonement of Jesus Christ. It is not causative but futuristic in this context. The activities relating to the election should therefore be consolidated and should be read together in the text. This is one statement where all the members of the Trinity are identified as acting in concert. Here is how....the Father conceived the election in His eternal omniscience even as the Son supplied the atonement by His incarnate coming and the Spirit sanctifies the believer in obedience.

The sanctification of the believer is a broader theological term that contemplates the working of the Holy Spirit beginning with the drawing of the sinner into conviction of sin upon the proclamation of the gospel (cf. John 16:18, Acts 2:37) and into obedience to Christ as a new creation set apart from the sinful world (2 Cor. 5:17). The sprinkling of the blood of Jesus relates to the atonement, the ritual cleansing of sin and the covenant affirmation in His sinless blood (cf. Exodus 24:6-8). The Greek word eklektos is a participle of the verb eklegomai which can be employed as a noun or an adjective depending on the grammatical context.[4] Its application in 1 Peter 1:2 is in its plural sense, indicating that the believers were collectively foreknown as a community of God’s chosen people, a body of God’s faithful people (cf. 1 Peter 2:9). This does not however override the calling of each individual or the obligation of each believer in responding to Christ. Each believer that comes to Christ adds to the number of this community as they are admitted to Christ through His saving grace (1 John 1;12, 3:16-17; Ephesians 2:8-9). The calling demands an individual response and the result is the corporate constitution of believers in Christ as His Church. 

Why was the election in accordance with the foreknowledge of God the Father?

This is because it was in God’s divine omniscience and foreknowledge that He would establish for Himself a people through the redemption works of Christ (Titus 2:11-14, 1 Peter 2:6-9). The reference to sanctification and the Levitical ritual sprinkling of blood is descriptive of both the efficacy and preeminence of Christ’s atonement in the election of believers. Christ’s blood was intended for the cleansing of sin and for maintaining covenant faithfulness in those that come to Christ (1 John 1:8-10, cf. Heb. 9:13, 11:28, 12:24). The phrase “according to the foreknowledge of God” recognizes God’s divine provision in the election. The Greek feminine noun πρόγνωσιν [prognosis] is best translated as “knowing beforehand”. The election of God’s people was therefore conceived in the eternal omniscience of God but the means by which this would be achieved was provided by God at a time when His divine clock synchronized with human history in the incarnate coming of Jesus Christ, the Lamb of God, as the atonement of God (John 1:29). Peter’s statement in 1 Peter 1:2 should be exegetically synthesized with Paul’s statement in Ephesians 1:3-5 that says “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, 4 just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, 5 having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will.” 

Again, the election of believers in Paul’s context is exclusively in Christ as outlined in Ephesians 1:4-5. It is by God’s grace available in Christ’s atonement that sinners are drawn to Christ. This points to the individual election of each believer through repentance and forgiveness of sin as a prelude to the constitution of the corporate body of believers – the church (John 3;16-17). Notice further that the adoption of believers is by the gospel of Jesus Christ (John 1:12; Eph.1:5). This is further highlighted in 1 Thessalonians 1:4-5 where the election of believers is tied to the preaching of the gospel.

Biblical theology in its holistic essence attests that no believer was chosen beforehand outside the works of the cross! The choosing of believers in Him [Christ] before the foundation of the world should therefore be construed and interpreted in its proper theological context as taught in Scripture. It should be consistent with God’s foreknowledge in 1 Peter 1:2 that we earlier examined. As Wayne Jackson aptly opines, election involves God’s redemptive plan, Christ’s sacrificial death, the Holy Spirit’s revelation of truth and man’s obedience.[5] This could not have occurred prior to or outside the work of the cross.

Additionally, nothing in the two passages we have examined above suggests or implies that God secretly determined beforehand the specific number and identity of those to be redeemed or that His atonement in Christ is limited to a given number of sinners who were unconditionally elected beforehand. The election process should therefore be distinguished from the implications of causative determinism, the notion that God causatively predetermined both the number and the means by which those He called in Christ would be identified. This doctrine is advanced by sections of deterministic soteriological groups under the presupposition of unconditional election of a specific group of sinners by God to the exclusion of the rest who, according to deterministic theology, were arbitrarily denied God’s saving grace and predestined to eternal damnation. While the proponents of this doctrine purport to uphold God’s sovereignty in the election of believers, my view is that they inevitably impugn and misrepresent God’s character and distort the divine essence and substance of His redemption plan outlined in Scripture.  God's redemption plan is encapsulated in His revelation in Scripture and this reveals His loving grace for all sinners without discrimination (John 3:16-17, 2 Peter 3:9). 

The Bible authoritatively reveals and proclaims that the atonement of Christ is the exclusive means by which God’s election of His saints is achieved in the singular and corporate contexts. I am persuaded that no sinner could have been chosen for salvation outside Calvary. The individual election of a sinner is therefore conditional to the sinner’s response to God’s grace as taught in Scripture. The sinner must repent of sin upon conviction by the Holy Spirit in order to receive God’s forgiveness and assurance of eternal life. This opportunity is open to any sinner who hears the gospel proclaimed.

D.A. Carson, a leading Reformed scholar observed that the atonement unapplied saves no one. In other words, salvation is conditional to the sinner receiving the atonement by faith. This places into question the theological substance of the limited atonement doctrine advanced under Calvinism. 

God’s sovereignty and human free will are mystically embedded in the process of election. Neither can be discounted. Several passages of Scripture reveal that God sovereignly permitted man's exercise of free will in relating with God. Notice the moral in the Parable of the Wedding Feast (Matthew 22:1-14). The king gave an open invitation but there was a condition attached that had to be satisfied by those to be admitted to the feast. This underlies the expulsion of the man who did not adorn the wedding clothes! The parable metaphorically addressed Israel’s rejection of God’s offer of salvation in Christ, as a result of which God turned to the Gentiles with the gospel.

It is also instructive that no text of Scripture affirms the notion that some sinners or either irresistibly saved against their will or arbitrarily excluded from the influence of God’s saving grace. John Wesley observed that “the true predestination, or fore-appointment of God is that he that believeth shall be saved from the guilt and power of sin… They who receive the precious gift of faith, thereby become the sons of God; and being sons, they shall receive the Spirit of holiness, to walk as Christ also walked. Throughout every part of this appointment of God, promise and duty go hand in hand.” [6]

John 1:12 says of believers, “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name.” The sinner must willingly receive the gift of God’s saving grace in Christ. It is neither imposed nor ascribed to him unbeknown under a divine decree. Similarly, no section of Scripture teaches or implies that God has selectively excluded some sinners from the influence of His saving grace. 2 Peter 3:9 says “The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance.”

God’s foreknowledge is consistent with His knowledge of the future based on His divine essence rather than the causative control of every event or activity in it. God’s foreknowledge in this context cannot be divorced from His revealed will in other sections of Scripture that assign man the free will choice for obedience in response to the gospel. He gave Adam and Eve a free will choice for obedience and outlined the consequences of their disobedience (Genesis 2:16-17, 3:2-6). Scripture elsewhere reveals that God gave His covenant people a choice for obedience. Joshua 24:15 says “And if it seems evil to you to serve the Lord, choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods which your fathers served that were on the other side of the River, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you dwell. But as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.” (NKJV). In Judges 2, the Bible reveals that the people of Israel willfully rebelled against God and were punished by God for their disobedience.

There are numerous other illustrations in the Bible that demonstrate God’s conditional offer of salvation to those who turn from evil. In Genesis 7, we learn that Noah warned the people of his day about God’s judgment even as he built the ark. The fact that the people refused to give heed to Noah’s exhortation is affirmed in the New Testament Scripture (Luke 17:27, 2 Peter 2:5). God finally shut the door of the ark when His appointed time came and the wicked people perished in the floods for forty days (Genesis 7:17). In Genesis 19, Lot warned the people of Sodom and Gomorrah about the coming judgment but only his wife and two daughters heeded his prophetic voice. The rest perished in their rebellion. Those who perished in both cases had a chance for redemption which they willfully forfeited! God gave the wicked people of Nineveh 40 days as the final window of His grace before His wrath was directed to them. When they repented, God's wrath was appeased and they were spared (Jonah 3-4). 

God’s dealing with sinners in Christ is predicated on the same terms. It is based on a free will response to the invitation in Christ through the appeal of the gospel (John 3:16-17, Romans 10:8-13). Peter’s sermon during the day of Pentecost was punctuated by a significant question from his audience. Acts 2:37-38 says “Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”38 Then Peter said to them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.” The sinner must respond to the gospel. This is a condition that God demands of every sinner.

Romans 10:10-12 says “For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. 11 For the Scripture says, “Whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame.” 12 For there is no distinction between Jew and Greek, for the same Lord over all is rich to all who call upon Him. 13 For “whoever calls on the name of the Lord shall be saved.” (NKJV). This passage affirms the conditional offer of election to every sinner.

Ephesians 2:8-9 says “For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, 9 not of works, lest anyone should boast.” This text recognizes the synergy between God’s saving grace and the sinner’s response through faith in the process of salvation. Salvation may arithmetically be described as consisting of the operation of God’s grace 100% and the sinner’s responsibility 100%.  The unconditional election doctrine obfuscates this revelation in its attempt at discounting and expunging the moral obligation of the sinner.

Exhortation on the heavenly heritage of God’s covenant people in Christ.

In the second section of the passage of 1 Peter 1:3-12, the writer proceeds to encourage his audience. This section can be described as a celebration of God’s investiture on believers through His redemption works in Christ. Several adjectives are employed in describing the heavenly heritage awaiting those who are in Christ – living hope (v. 3­) that is incorruptible, undefiled and reserved in heaven (v.4). Meanwhile, believers are kept or preserved by God through faith as they await Christ’s coming (v. 5).  This truth should inspire believers to persevere trials and afflictions (vv. 6-9). The believers are further reminded of their privileged status as God’s chosen people who have experienced God’s saving grace in Christ Jesus in their time, something that the saints of old and the holy angels heard and earnestly sought after but did not receive or experience (vv. 10-12). This again is a soothing exhortation for people who faced great suffering on account of their Christian faith.

Exhortation to Godly Living and Trust in God’s word.

The final section of this passage carries the writers closing appeal. He calls upon believers to gird up their loins of their minds, a figure of speech describing their firmness and decisiveness in their Christian convictions in view of the afflictions that they were undergoing even as they look forward to their spiritual heritage in Christ when He will be revealed (vv. 13-16).  

The call to godly Christian living extends to vv. 17-18 where God’s atonement in Christ is described as precious and incomparable to the world’s top precious metals – gold and silver. Christ is the sacrificial Lamb whose sinless blood was without blemish and was therefore acceptable to God for the atonement. Jesus was foreordained by God before the foundation of the word for the redemption of souls (vv. 19-21). This statement should be understood in the context of the statement in v. 2 read together with Ephesians 1:4 that we discussed in the first section of the passage. It is not suggestive of causative determinism in the election of believers. It is an affirmation of God’s divine foreknowledge in the provision of redemption for sinners.

Peter concludes his exhortation in the first chapter through the closing statements in vv. 22-25. The Jewish believers are reminded of one paramount Christian obligation - that they should love one another with sincere hearts (v.22). This exhortation is intended to build their Christian fellowship even as they struggled with external threats and afflictions by enemies of the Christian faith. A Christian community should not neglect this godly duty (cf. Hebrews 10:25). Believers were begotten by God’s word, a reference to the gospel message by which they were drawn to faith. The word is here metaphorically described as an incorruptible seed, thus underscoring the fidelity of God’s word in growing communities of faithful people through the ages. The writer uses a poetic Old Testament text from Isaiah 40:6-8 to firm up his exhortation (v.24) and concludes with a closing statement touching on the pre-eminence of God’s word in sustaining believers in obedience. 

CONCLUSION & MORAL APPLICATION

The passage of 1 Peter 1 underscores the significance of our redemption in Christ that was conceived in God’s eternal omniscience and fulfilled in Christ’s incarnate coming as the Lamb of God that takes away the sin of the world. Peter speaks to believers today who face various circumstances of difficulty and challenges and especially those undergoing Christian suffering. The Bible encourages us to keep our focus on the hope of God’s faithfulness in Christ Jesus no matter what may arise. We learn that such circumstances are merely for a season, that there is a greater hope awaiting us in Him who was pierced for us. There are no ideal conditions for  Christian living in this world. We are reminded that in all ages of human civilization, God’s remnant such as Joseph, Daniel, have always suffered for their convictions but in all these circumstances they received divine approval. We should therefore cherish our calling in Christ and treasure God’s word and submit to God’s leading at all times. We should also encourage one another in love and exhortation in the way of Christ. We should fix our eyes on Christ no matter how painful the suffering may be. We are to draw strength in the assurance of His eternal word that never fades away.

______________________________________

[The writer is a PhD candidate in theological studies at Africa International University, Nairobi Kenya. He is a pastor with an Evangelical church and an Associate Member of the Insurance Institute of Kenya]

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

References:

               [1] John MacArthur, “Bible Introductions – 1 Peter”, MacArthur Commentary on 1 Peter 1, https://www.blueletterbible.org/Comm/macarthur_john/bible-introductions/1peter-intro.cfm. Accessed 12 August 2022.

               [2] Arthur J. Mason, Ellicott's Bible Commentary, Vol. VIII (Grand Rapids, Michigan: Zondervan Publishing House, 1959), p. 387.

               [3] See Ellicott’s Commentary for English Readers on 1 Peter 1:1-2.

               [4] http://helpmewithbiblestudy.org/9Salvation/ElectionEklektos.aspx accessed 9 August 2022.

               [5] Wayne Jackson, “1 Peter 1:1-2 – Foreknowledge” in Christian Courier, https://www.christiancourier.com/articles/856-1-peter-1-1-2-foreknowledge accessed 10 August 2022.

              [6] John Wesley's Notes on the Bible, Christian Classics Ethereal Library, https://www.ccel.org/ccel/wesley/notes.i.xxii.ii.html. accessed 10 August 2022.

What is Spiritual Maturity? How can I Grow in My Christian Faith?

WHAT IS SPIRITUAL MATURITY? HOW CAN I BECOME MORE SPIRITUALLY MATURE IN MY CHRISTIAN FAITH?

By Ezekiel Kimosop

There is no express biblical definition for spiritual maturity in the Bible but a number of passages of Scripture convey this idea with considerable clarity. 

It is instructive that spiritual maturity is a process rather than an event in the life of a Christian. No believer ever graduates from the school of spiritual growth but there are signs that manifestly affirm that the believer is mature and stable in their faith. 

How do we know that someone is spiritually mature? 

Let us examine some relevant passages of Scripture as our guide to answering this question.

In 2 Timothy 3:15-17 Paul reveals that traditional Jewish religious training had a profound effect on the life of young Timothy and that Scripture is the principal instrument of spiritual instruction. Timothy was Greek but he was raised by two important Jewish women in his life - his mother Eunice and his grandmother Lois.  The two women provided the spiritual foundation from which Timothy grew in spiritual stature before later serving God as a Christian missionary and church minister under apostle Paul. 

In Ephesians 4:1-11, Paul outlines a number ministry gifts and declares that their purpose was to prepare and equip the saints “till we all come to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to a perfect man, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ; 14 that we should no longer be children, tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the trickery of men, in the cunning craftiness of deceitful plotting: (Ephesians 4:13-14, NKJV). 

This is the ideal stature contemplated by Scripture on Christian maturity. It is the capacity to distinguish between right doctrine and error. 

We shall now examine three dimensions of spiritual maturity that we can distil from the passages we have cited and other relevant Scripture passages. 

The first dimension relates to the spiritual stage where the believer is brought into the unity of the faith as a member of God's household of faith. This is where new believers are found. It is the position of initial spiritual consciousness that every child of God experiences in the fellowship of believers - the position of love and affirmation in the Lord. Spirit growth is nurtured under interpersonal relationships and mentorship in a congregational or Christian community setting. The believer is vulnerable at this stage and should be protected from the predatory tentacles of false teachers (see Acts 20:28-31). Paul adjudged the Corinthians as falling into this stage by reason of their schisms. They had not sufficiently matured in the faith (see 1 Corinthians 1:3-4).

The second dispensation is the growth of the believer in his knowledge of Christ and in his intimacy with God as he receives spiritual instruction and exhortation in deeper Christian doctrine.  The believer continues to grow in the discernment of the Person of Jesus Christ and appreciates the purpose of His finished works of the cross. He also learns to walk in obedience to God through the instruction of the word of God and is devoted to Christ by the leading of the Holy Spirit (John 16:13-15). He should be instructed in sound foundational Christian doctrine. The believer is under spiritual supervision at this stage and is unable to instruct other believers independently. He serves under the instruction and direction of a mature believer, Christian elder or pastor. 

One of my seminary professors once stated that there must be a healthy balance between the word and the Spirit. By this he meant that believers should not ignore the word of God at the expense of prayer and other spiritual disciplines because such an imbalance would result in growing "prayer warriors" that have little Scripture knowledge! Conversely, believers should not neglect their spiritual devotion, meditation and prayer at expense of other exigencies of life. A healthy spiritual balance builds our intimacy with God and grows our knowledge of Christ and our capacity to serve. 

Spiritual maturity can therefore be considered as work in progress under an effective discipleship program in the hands of mature believers and spiritual instructors. Apollos was a beneficiary of this process. He was instructed in the way of Christ by a faithful Jewish couple, Priscilla and Aquila, and went on to serve God as a Christian missionary (Acts 18:24-28).

Sadly, poor discipleship accounts for some of the heretical teachings that are are increasingly identified in some Christian communities today. A heretic is a teacher who teaches error and rejects legitimate biblical correction for it when offered to them in love. Heretics mutate into apostates as they draw further and further away from the fundamental truths of God's word. (cf. 1 Timothy 1:20; 2 Timothy 2:16-18). 

Faithful teachers are those who handle Biblical truth with godly fear and are careful to raise other leaders of their kind. Paul exhorted Timothy to commit the word of God to faithful men who shall be able teach others (2 Timothy 2:2). These are mature believers who went through the spiritual cycle under our discussion. 

The third dimension or stage of Christian maturity can be wrapped up through a description of the end process. The mature believer grows to a measure of stature that manifests his fruitfulness in Christ. He demonstrates the fruit of Christian maturity through his spiritual integrity, humility and faithful service (Galatians 5:22). He displays firmness, confidence, consistency and courage in his moral convictions. His knowledge of Christ is firmly anchored in his worldview so that he is no longer tossed about by all manner of doctrines and teachings that contradict Scripture (cf. Psalm 119:10-11,105; Ephesians 4:14). He is accountable and able to teach others (see 1 Timothy 3:1-7). The believer is sufficiently mature at this stage such that he is able to teach and mentor others without direct supervision. He can be assigned ministry duties in line with his gifting. 

One of the telltale signs of spiritual immaturity in a believer is the “nomadic culture" where the believer goes about seeking a “new experience" or "new  revelation” rather than faithfully sticking with a Bible believing Christian community. Some of these "nomads" eventually fall into the hands of apostate sects and cults  that teach heresy. 

The word of God is central to Christian maturity. 2 Timothy 2:15, says “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth" (NKJV). How should we interpret this text? While some would legitimately identify this verse with formal biblical instruction for Christian leaders in the context of seminary training, my view is that the text is not exclusively tied to this context.  Seminary training is a highly valued contribution to the theological development of a Bible teacher. Paul himself was a trained theologian, a Pharisee who was raised under Gamaliel, the revered first century Judaism scholar (see Acts 22:3). My view is that the text affirms that a diligent and skillful interpretation of Scripture authoritatively conveys the mind of God to the preacher's audience with clarity and enhances his ministry capacity and builds his congregation in the way of Christ (cf. 1 Thess. 2:4). 

Paul's exhortation to Timothy therefore speaks to every believer who desires to grow in the knowledge of Christ through the study of Scripture. We must learn to "wrestle" with the word of God so that we continually discover the mystery of God’s revelation in the written Scriptures and grow in the knowledge of Christ.

CONCLUSION 

Spiritual maturity does not merely arise from the study of the word of God alone. A believer must embrace all the spiritual disciplines that the Bible outlines for us. These include obedience to the Great Commission in witnessing for Christ (Matthew 28:19-20), Prayer (Matthew 6:9-15; I Thessalonians 5:17), Christian fellowship (Hebrews 10:25) and Christian service. We should avail ourselves to God as vessels of honor so that our Master can use us in His service and for His glory (2 Timothy 2:20-21). 

As one grows in the knowledge of Christ, they learn to endure Christian suffering and reject worldliness and all its sinful allures (James 1:2-4, 13-15). They also submit to Christian contentment and moderation and discover that God is the ultimate owner of all the resources and skills at their disposal. Spiritual maturity is therefore a process that ultimately draws us closer to Christ and increases our capacity to discern the will of God for our lives so that we are better able to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints (Jude 1:3). It builds us in the most holy faith (Jude 1:20) and shields us from the vagaries of heresy and apostasy. 

No believer outgrows the Christian maturity process no matter how long they have walked in the faith. It is an incremental lifelong process that ends either on death or at the coming of Christ, whichever be the earlier. The Bible says in 1 John 3:2 "Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is" (NKJV). 

Shalom

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Is Tithing an Old Testament Practice?

 IS TITHING AN OLD TESTAMENT PRACTICE?

By Dominic Kirera 

Many questions are asked about tithing. Is it an old testament or new testament practice.  I believe this is the biblical position on this subject.

Is tithing an old testament practice? Was it practiced by early church?

Here are my findings from Malachi 3:8-12

God says...

1. You are cursed with a curse, for you have robbed Me: Because God’s people did not give as He commanded, God did not bless them materially or spiritually the way He would have otherwise. Their stingy hearts proved that their hearts were far from God because God is the greatest giver (John 3:16).

i. Many people with financial problems fail to do the most important thing first: obey and honor God with their resources. When we put God and His kingdom first, He promises to meet our other needs (Matthew 6:33).

2. Bring all the tithes into the storehouse: This was the answer to their problems – to actually do what God commanded them to do, and to bring all the tithes to God. It wasn’t that they didn’t give anything to God; they simply did not bring all the tithes to Him. They must not fall short in giving God everything that He asked for.

i. Under the New Covenant, are we under a similar command to tithe? The New Testament nowhere specifically commands tithing, but it certainly does speak of it in a positive light if it is done with a right heart (Luke 11:42).

ii. It is also important to understand that tithing is not a principle that depends on the Law of Moses. Hebrews 7:5-9 explains that tithing was practiced and honored by God long before the Law of Moses.

iii. What the New Testament does speak with great clarity on is the principle of giving. 1 Corinthians 16:1-4 makes it clear that our giving must be:

· Periodic (done at regular periods).

· Planned (thought of in advance to the giving).

· Proportional (giving in proportion to our blessings).

· Private (not done to make us known as generous givers).

iv. As well, 2 Corinthians 9 tells us that giving must be:

· Generous (giving more rather than less).

· Freely given (not done out of guilt or manipulation).

· Cheerful (given happily and with rejoicing in God).

v. Since the New Testament doesn’t emphasize tithing, one might not be strict on it for Christians (though some Christians sadly argue against tithing on the basis of self-interest). Nevertheless, giving is to be proportional so we should give some percentage so ten percent is a good benchmark. For some, 10% should really be the beginning of their giving.

vi. If our question is, “How little can I give and still please God?” then our heart isn’t in the right place at all. We should have the attitude of some early Christians, who essentially said: “We’re not under the tithe – we can give more!” Giving and financial management are spiritual issues not only financial issues (Luke 16:11).

3. That there may be food in My house: The purpose of the tithe was primarily to support the priests who ministered before the LORD. When the people did not bring their tithes, the priests were not properly supported and there was not enough food for them in the house of the LORD.

i. The tithe in Israel was also to be used to help the poor, and once every three years some of it was put aside for that purpose (Deuteronomy 14:28-29). Still, the main purpose for the tithe was to support the tribe of Levi and the priests (Deuteronomy 14:27).

ii. The same principle carries over in the New Testament. Some claim that a paid minister is an abomination before God, but Paul made it clear that not only do ministers deserve to be supported by those they minister to (1 Timothy 5:18, 2 Corinthians 9:4-14) but also that their support is even more worthy than the poor (1 Timothy 5:17).

4. And try Me now in this: It’s hard to find a comparable passage of Scripture – where the LORD commanded His people to test Him. Here, in regard to giving and His blessing of it, He told His people “try Me now in this.” It was as if God said, “See if you can give to Me and be the poorer for it. See if you can out-give Me.”

i. “The context for God’s words about tithes is the teaching that God is faithful. The matter of tithes is only an illustration of that teaching.” (Boice)

5. Open for you the windows of heaven and pour out for you such blessing that there will not be room enough to receive it: This is the response God promised when His people give as He told them to. He would bless them both with provision and protection (I will rebuke the devourer).

i. The reference to the windows of heaven reminds us of the glorious account of provision in 2 Kings 7, when God provided in a completely unexpected way. God has resources that we know nothing about, and it is often of no help to try and figure out – or worry about – how God will provide.

God bless you.

[Dominic Kirera holds a Master of Arts in Biblical and Theological Studies from Nairobi International School of Theology, ILU. He is currently senior pastor at Nairobi Chapel, Kiambu Road, Nairobi.]

Does the Bible Condemn the Prosperity Gospel?

DOES THE BIBLE CONDEMN THE PROSPERITY GOSPEL?

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

I received a question yesterday from a member of one of my teaching forums who sought to know if Scripture conveys express teachings against the prosperity gospel that is increasingly popular in contemporary Christianity. 

I will attempt an answer to this question from my discernment of the teaching of Scripture. 

The prosperity gospel or theology can be generally described as a set of religious doctrines that promote the offer of "miracle prayers" in exchange for money or material resources. It operates on a transactional relationship. The preachers who promote these doctrines are considered by their followers to possess special powers and "prophetic anointing" by which they purportedly perform all manner of miracles including healings and financial miracles. 

While Scripture may not identify prosperity theology by its pristine name, there are several passages of Scripture that address related issues in context. Some texts of Scripture condemn excessive greed fueled by the ungodly love for money which Paul describes as "the root of all kinds of evil" (1 Timothy 6:6-10).

Secondly, Scripture warns against obsessive compulsion in the pursuit of earthly riches at the expense of our commitment to the things of God and the advancement of the gospel. The love for earthly riches is equated with the spirit of Mammon which is diametrically opposed to God. Jesus taught that no one can serve God and Mammon at the same time (see Matthew 6:24, Luke 16:13). 

Scripture also warns us against insatiable greed for material resources associated with a class of preachers that are driven by the love of money and material gain rather than the exigencies and callings of the Christian faith. 

Peter describes the depravity of these teachers, saying that they have "forsaken the right way and gone astray, following the way of Balaam the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness" 2 Peter 2:15, NKJV).

In the Old Testament Scripture, the narrative on Naaman offers a compelling illustration on the ungodliness of greed for servants of God. We learn from 2 Kings 5 that the Assyrian commander offered silver and gold to prophet Elisha following his healing from leprosy but the prophet declined to receive the gifts. His statement in 2 Kings 5:16 is instructive of his moral convictions. His firm reply to Naaman is thus: "But he said, “As the Lord lives, before whom I stand, I will receive nothing.” And he urged him to take it, but he refused." We learn from this statement that Elisha's moral integrity was beyond reproach. 

Sadly, Gehazi his servant was tempted by the gifts and he secretly pursued the Assyrian commander and lied to him that Elisha had asked for part of the gifts to meet an emergency need. God revealed to Elisha Gehazi's mischief and Elisha proclaimed that the leprosy of Naaman shall fall on Gehazi and his descendants forever. Gehazi immediately turned leprous and went into isolation. 

Why did Elisha decline the gifts? Did he have enough resources for his upkeep? By the standards of today's prosperity preachers, Elisha should should have received what prosperity teachers would describe as "the fruit of his anointing"! Elisha rejected the gift yet he was in great need. The preceding accounts in 2 Kings 4:38-44 reveal that the sons of the prophets who were members of a prophetic school under Elisha's command were in dire need of resources. They lived in squalid conditions. We can confidently conclude from the above passage that Elisha was protecting his moral integrity as a servant of God. He did not wish to profit from what God had done despite his situation of need. The healing of Naaman was a divine act. It cannot be attributed to the servant of God who was merely a steward of God (cf. 1 Corinthians 4:1-2). 

It is further instructive to note that unlike Elisha, Balaam, another Old Testament prophet, was motivated by financial gain during his prophetic ministry and the Bible condemns his misadventures (see Numbers 22-24). Balaam was eventually killed during the battle against the Amorites under the conquest of the territory allotted to Reuben (Joshua 13:15-23). The record of Balaam's death is significant because of his rebellion against God while purporting to speak His mind. The writer of Joshua was careful to demonstrate that this enemy of God's people was finally destroyed under God's judgment. 

Now fast-forward to the New Testament Scripture.... 

Balaam is described in negative light on the three occasions that he is mentioned by New Testament writers - Peter, Jude and John. 

First, he is depicted as a man who "loved the wages of unrighteousness" (2 Peter 2:15). This is a description of a person driven by the lust for dishonest gain. 

Secondly, apostate teachers are described by the writer of Jude as having "run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah" (Jude 1:11). The gain factor and rebellion against God is again contemplated in this context. 

Finally, the doctrine of Balaam is associated with those who "put a stumbling block before the children of Israel, to eat things sacrificed to idols, and to commit sexual immorality" (Revelation 2:14). Those who put stumbling blocks are teachers that mislead God's people into moral rebellion against God's divine standards (cf. Romans 14:13;1 Corinthians 8:9). 

This rebellion was identified with a section of Christians in the compromising Church of Pergamos that earned Jesus' sharp rebuke. Our Lord singled out one Christian faithful martyr, Antipas, for commendation. It appears that Antipas was killed in Pergamos because of his uncompromising convictions (Revelation 2:13). It is highly likely that Antipas had openly condemned the moral excesses of the society of his day and paid for his convictions with his life. 

The old and new apostates described by Jude are of Balaam's kind. They will all eventually perish under God's judgment in the manner that Balaam the false prophet did unless they repented and turned from their wicked ways. 

Having set out the biblical foundation that outlines the greed and moral apostasy identified with prosperity teachers, we can boldly conclude that prosperity teachers that are preoccupied with collecting money from their unsuspecting followers and enriching themselves in the name of God are following after the wicked doctrine of Balaam. These latter day teachers have set aside the sanctity of the gospel of Jesus Christ and chosen to teach a concoction of heretical doctrines that advance their selfish financial interests. They must be condemned by biblically centered Christian communities and called out for what they truly are - promoters of counterfeit Christianity. 

The prosperity gospel is the fastest growing global quasi-religious enterprise in contemporary Christianity today. Africa has not been spared by its menacing tentacles. This religion of mammon is controlled by popular millionaire televangelists and mega-church preachers who collect millions from their deluded followers in the name of God. Many of these prosperity preachers purport to offer "miracles" in exchange for money. They also claim to possess mystical powers including the ability to heal the sick, resurrect the dead, exorcize evil spirits, destroy demonic altars, among other things. These are unverifiable claims that are intended to hypnotize the followers into unquestioning submission and control. Even if it is granted that they posses the powers they claim, it is instructive that no text of Scripture teaches or implies that God demands money in exchange for His healing grace or for the provision of our needs. He lovingly meets the needs of His covenant people according to His divine will (see Matthew 6:5-15, 25-34, 7:7-12; James 1:17).

When the lifestyles of these millionaire preachers are closely examined, one cannot help noticing the disconnect between their avarice and sumptuous living and the condition of their poor followers who struggle to make ends meet. Some of the leading prosperity preachers live in leafy suburbs of their cities, drive top of the range limousines, fly private jets and own vast empires in property worth millions of dollars yet they are not captains of industry!

The Bible does not contemplate this pseudo religion in a biblically centered Christian community. It conveys several warnings to believers to watch lest they fall into the hands of these merchants of greed. 

This is not to suggest that the pursuit of earthly riches and financial prosperity by Christians is ungodly or evil per se. There must be a moral balance informed by godly prudence in line with the teaching of Scripture. The Bible does not teach that believers should subscribe to frugality or a vow of poverty! They should earn their bread through their skills and trades even as they serve God with their increase. 

Several passages of Scripture promote hard work and enterprise initiatives and condemn laziness among Christian communities (see 2 Thessalonians 3:6-15). Paul himself was a tent maker who raised part of his ministry support from his family trade. 

The church requires vast resources to propel the gospel effort. True Christian prosperity must however be consistent with the principles of God's word. Christian communities should faithfully support their church congregations through tithes, offerings and Christian charity giving in accordance with the exhortation of Scripture. These resources should be handled under godly stewardship by accountable congregational leadership. It should modesty support the ministers and church workers and reach out to the needy in their community (see James 1:27). 

My view is that the prosperity gospel being advanced by sections of Pentecostal and Charismatic groups today is a false gospel. It is neither sanctioned by Christ in His word nor does it serve His divine purposes for the church. I am persuaded that true followers of Jesus Christ should keep away from the promoters of this false religious enterprise and submit to the purity and authority of Scripture. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Who wrote the Book of Genesis?

WHO WROTE THE BOOK OF GENESIS? 

By Ezekiel Kimosop 

The Book of Genesis is the first book of the Hebrew Scriptures. Its Hebrew name "Bereshit" that translates "in the beginning" is synonymous with its position as the first text of Scripture. The Book is a Scripture cannon of doctrine for the Hebrew and Christian faiths. 

The Book conveys the foundational teachings on the original of man, his disobedience and fall and its consequences. It also records a series of God's dealings with the Hebrew patriarchs and the founders of the nation of Israel - Jacob and his sons - and their relationship with their Canaanite neighbors. 

A significant portion of the Book is therefore dedicated to Jacob's family including their Egyptian experience. The Book concludes with the deaths of Jacob and Joseph who are the two prominent characters of the Book. 

The author of the Book of Genesis is not mentioned in any of its passages of Scripture. As a result, many speculative suggestions have been advanced on the identity of the author.  

Hebrew tradition assigns the authorship of Genesis to Moses who is also believed to have written the rest of the five books that constitute the Hebrew Pentateuch. Some modern Bible scholars have however disputed this tradition on the basis of theological evidence that they have gathered. They contend that the Book was written long after the death of Moses. I am persuaded by the latter view. For instance, Deuteronomy 34 describes the death of Moses. He could not have been its author. It may be safe to consider that sections of the Pentateuch Scriptures including Genesis may have been authored by Moses but some of the Books may have been written and compiled by unidentified authors who succeeded Moses.

Of significance however is the general view that the text of Genesis was inspired by the Holy Spirit and its canonical authority is not open to dispute. 

The covenants recorded in Genesis are significant to the future of Israel. They affirm that God works through the history of mankind in relating with  His covenant people and punishing the wicked. It is instructive that three major judgements are recorded in Genesis. The judgment of Adam and Eve (Genesis 3) the flood of Noah (Genesis 7-8) and the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah (Genesis 19:1-29). 

Three major covenants involving the patriarchs are also captured in Genesis - the covenants of Noah (Genesis 9), Abraham (Genesis 15) and Jacob (Genesis 28:10-22).

The Book is is structured under 50 chapters. It is theologically classified under the narrative genre. Genesis is thematically identified with the fall of man and the divine promise for Israel that permeates through God's dealings with the patriarchs as reported in the Book.

Some covenant theologians have argued that the promise of Israel's election was partially fulfilled under Israel's nation-state and that the eschatological portion remains to be fulfilled in the redemption and resurrection of the church and the eternal kingdom under Christ. They consider that natural Israel has passed and that the church is the new Israel will be unveiled at the coming of Christ. Dispensationalism theologians however consider God's dealing with Israel as a nation-state to be a distinct theological phenomenon that is separate from God's dealing with the church under the new covenant. 

The Book of Genesis finds fulfillment in the redemption works of Christ at the cross where the curse of Adam was reversed. The forbidden tree in Genesis mirrors the tree of life in Revelation 21 which will be available to the redeemed of Christ in their eternal state.

No matter who the writer(s) of Genesis were, the works they put together were undoubtedly part of God's revelation to sinful man and the preamble to God's calling of lost men to Himself that was ultimately fulfilled in Christ's calling in His gospel recorded in the New Testament Scripture (John 3:16-17). The ultimate author of Genesis and other texts of the cannon of Scripture was the Holy Spirit. 2 Timothy 3:16-17 says "All Scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work." 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022

Generational Leadership Transition and Moral Decline in Israel: Lessons from Judges 2:7-23

GENERATIONAL LEADERSHIP TRANSITION AND MORAL DECLINE IN ISRAEL -  LESSONS FROM JUDGES 2:7-23.

By Ezekiel Kimosop

INTRODUCTION

During our previous devotional study, we examined Judges 2:1-6 where we were introduced to the first cycle of Israel's disobedience. God sent an angel to rebuke them. The people demonstrated evidence of brokenness and remorse. They wept before God at Bochim, a place at which they assembled in solemnity. God saw their remorse and forgave them. It is instructive to note that Joshua was still at the helm of leadership at this point. 

In our passage of study today we shall examine a key historical scene which concerns the passing on of the Joshua generation and the impact of this transition on the lives of the people. 

THE GENERATIONAL TRANSITION AND MORAL DECLINE IN ISRAEL

In Judges 2:7-10, the writer records that the people of Israel served the LORD in all the days of Joshua and all the days of the elders who outlived Joshua. This is a tribute to godly leadership that demonstrates moral consistency.

The Joshua generation was privileged to witness the great works that God had done for Israel through the forty-year wilderness journey and their grand entry into the promised land.

God destroyed the enemies of Israel, including two stubborn kings that stood in the way of God's people in the wilderness. The tribute to God's faithfulness is recorded in Psalm 136 where the psalmist reports the demise of Sihon king of the Amorites and Og king of Bashan (Psalm 136:19-20). 

God protected the people and provided for them the manna that they ate and water to drink through their journey. He made a covenant with them and demanded their covenant commitment, a pledge the people  repeatedly failed to observe. Some of the people perished in their rebellion and some, including  prominent people among them, could not cross the Jordan because of their disobedience (see Deuteronomy 34). 

By God's grace, the children of Israel miraculously crossed the Jordan after God stopped the waters and created a dry path for them (Joshua 3). This marked the conclusion of their wilderness journey. 

There is a notable correlation between godly leadership and moral advancement of people in a given society. A godly community is cultivated by godly leaders who are focused on God and who tremble at His word (cf. Isaiah 66:5). 

With the passing on of the Joshua generation, the Bible records that "another generation arose after them who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel" (Judges 2:10). The fact that they did not know the LORD is evidence of a morally fallen society. What led this generation into moral decadence? How is it that a godly generation with an inspiring leadership could be succeeded by an evil or fallen generation of people "who did not know the LORD nor the work which He had done for Israel"? Where did the rain start beating them? Where did the disconnect arise between the two generations? 

Some Bible scholars say that the Joshua generation was too busy with the conquest of Canaan that they failed to focus on raising godly leaders in their time. The first part of the statement of Judges 2:10 speaks of spiritual ignorance. This is perhaps evidence of poor religious instruction on the post Joshua generation that perhaps commenced in the closing period of the Joshua generation. Their spiritual heritage slipped out of their hands and was lost to the succeeding generation.

The second part of the same text reveals a society that appears to be historically and culturally disconnected from the works of God. This further resulted in a broken trail of oral and religious heritage. Is it possible that the people suffered the syndrome of the Haggai generation that settled down into the comforts of life upon their return to Judah and neglected the things of God? The Haggai group worshipped on the ruins of a destroyed temple for eighteen years without sensing the urgency of reconstruction. God finally rebuked them and they obeyed the voice of God (see Haggai 1). 

Our contemporary society today is wallowing in the innovations and convenience of modern living with little thought on God and His ways. The story is told of a Scandinavian tourist who was once approached with the gospel message by a group of Christian evangelists during his visit to an African country. The man retorted that life in his home country of Sweden was so blissful with modern amenities of life that he did not need the heaven proclaimed under the gospel! The man was possibly an atheist. 

Judges 2:11-23 is a concluding summary of the cyclic events that describe Israel's moral apostasy and decline, God's punishment, rescue and stability under a judge and their subsequent decline. This cycle continued right through to Samuel who was Israel's last judge before the institution of the kingship (see 1 Samuel 7-8). 

Now back to our text... 

Judges 2:10 says "When all that generation had been gathered to their fathers, another generation arose after them who did not know the Lord nor the work which He had done for Israel." 

How do we explain the transitional mishaps identified with the post Joshua generation?

I wish to suggest two ways by which to interpret the statement of Judges 2:10 in the context of the passage of Judges 2:7-23. 

First, we can deduce from the lament by the writer that the succeeding generation was perhaps not adequately instructed in the things of God. They possibly lacked strong spiritual leaders that could shape and inculcate godly prudence in their generation. This raises legitimate questions: What became of the established priesthood in Israel? Did they neglect their spiritual duties? Where did the voice of prophecy go at this point in time? Did the dispersal of the people into their tribal regions affect their corporate religious life that was identified with the wilderness experience? 

Secondly, it is equally possible that the Joshua generation leadership did their best to direct the people in the ways of God but the influence of the heathen Canaanite culture and idolatry took a toll on the people as they settled in the promised land. This appears to be affirmed in Judges 2:1-4. Choices indeed have consequences. The covenant commitment and devotion to God ultimately slipped out of their hearts. 

It is also possible that a combination of the two negative factors came into play in that the Joshua generation may have failed in some respects in incubating godly leadership and direction for God's people and the impact of the Canaanite culture and religion drove the last nail on their moral disobedience.

This is equally true of our fallen society today. The comforts of modern living and the rise in atheism and religious skepticism have witnessed a sharp decline in religious conviction even in regions that had a strong Christian heritage. 

According to the Pew Report (2010) on global distribution of Christians, Europe accounted for 66.3% of global Christianity in 1910. It was the cradle and bastion of the Christian faith and missionary enterprises. 100 years later, and despite the economic and political advancement of Europe, only 26% of global Christians are found there and this number has been rapidly declining. Many church cathedrals have been been turned into business malls! Meanwhile, Asia and Pacific, Sub Saharan Africa and the Americas account for 13%,  24%  and 37% of global Christianity, respectively. The latter two regions jointly account for the largest presence and fastest growth of global Christianity today. Given the rise in Muslim migration and their high birth rates, scholars project that Islam will be the dominant religion in Europe in 50 years time even as European Christianity declines further. 

MORAL LESSONS FROM THE PASSAGE

What moral lessons can we draw from our study of the passage of Judges 2:7-23?

1. Godly leadership should inspire the succeeding generation to maintain the virtues and values of their spiritual heritage. Samuel faithfully fulfilled this task in his generation (see 2 Chronicles 35:18 on the tribute to Samuel the prophet).  We ought to instill religious values in our generation and leave a lasting godly legacy to the next generation. 

2. Spiritual mentorship is a deliberate task that should be consciously undertaken and progressively measured. It requires time and patience to achieve. God is counting on us to take up this mandate at every level of influence in our time. What are you doing in response to this godly duty?

3. There is no perfect leadership under the sun. God qualifies those He calls. We should learn to depend on God for moral direction if we shall ever succeed in our journey of faith (See Proverbs 3:5-6). 

The greatest leaders in Biblical history had their share of weaknesses or flaws but they nevertheless rose from their failures and served God. David was a great warrior who by God's grace ascended to the throne of Israel but he too had his lowest moments recorded in Scripture (2 Samuel 12-13; Psalm 51). He arose from failure and served God and a tribute to his faithful legacy is inscribed in Acts 13:22. 

4. Leadership is for an appointed time (Psalm 75:6-7). We should make the best of our time in positively influencing God's people towards dedicated Christian obedience and service.  

5. We should never forget the things that God has done for us and the far that He has brought us in life. This should draw gratitude and godly prudence in our lives and keep us along the narrow path (see Ecclesiastes 12; Matthew 7:13-14; Luke 13:22-24). 

6. Spiritual decline is a progressive experience informed by neglect of our covenant commitment and procrastination. Never overlook the word of God or the things of God at the altar of expediency.  Never be too busy to study the word of God or to receive spiritual instruction and edification in a Christian congregation. We should not fail to congregate with God's people in fellowship and worship (Psalm 1, Hebrews 10:25). 

Beware of the little foxes that spoil the vines (Songs of Solomon 2:15). They will ultimately destroy the vineyard if left unchecked... 

Keep it Christ. 

© Ezekiel Kimosop 2022