How often do you google information for medical, food, or general advice? I frequently search the internet when I want to know something more about someone else’s ailment or surgery. But other times, I want to know what to do or how to do something to change my habits. Recently, I looked up two things; the first was more information about what is involved in a heart valve repair since my friend just underwent that surgery. The other was tips for reducing my allergy symptoms (beyond taking OTC medicine) for my reaction to the oak pollen being blown around on windy days. On multiple websites, I was advised to wash my face and hands when I came inside, take a shower, change my clothing, and put Vaseline on my nose to “catch” the pollen before I inhaled it. Just knowing this didn’t help me, so I started to put some of it into practice when I came inside after walking GG. Searching for spiritual information out of intellectual curiosity is like looking up the details of heart surgery. The Bible has been given to us to know things about God, especially the gospel, and to put it into practice. The Bible teaches us that the gospel is revealed by the Holy Spirit inwardly and spiritually seals our salvation when we submit to Christ by His power. As believers, we should strive to make the best possible application of this knowledge to be passionate worshippers of Him. We have all we need to practice living the gospel, although our understanding may be limited, like that of Nicodemus.
What Jesus Taught Nicodemus
“Now there was a man of the Pharisees named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews. This man came to Jesus by night and said to him, ‘Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher come from God, for no one can do these signs that you do unless God is with him.’ Jesus answered him, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born again he cannot see the kingdom of God.’ Nicodemus said to him, ‘How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?’ Jesus answered, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. Do not marvel that I said to you, “You must be born again.” The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.'” (John 3:1-8) “According to Jesus, the starting point in the Christian life is rebirth. Before his new birth a man is a child of wrath. He is alienated from God, as Nicodemus was, and he has no real understanding of spiritual things. God comes to him to plant saving faith within his heart, for we are told that even faith does not come from ourselves; it is the gift of God (Eph. 2:8). Then God brings the words of Scripture to our attention. Finally, the Holy Spirit takes the words of Scripture and plants them within the womb of our heart with the result that life is conceived. Hereafter the man can declare, ‘If any one is in Christ, he is a new creation.’” (1) The gospel is revealed in the Old and New Testaments, and the Holy Spirit applies Christ’s sacrificial, substitutionary atonement to save our otherwise condemned souls. Are we, like Nicodemus, questioning God about His work, or are we actively applying God’s internal work of the gospel—to be passionate worshippers of God who live through, in, and for Christ?
An Internal Work For God’s Glory
“But a Jew is one inwardly, and circumcision is a matter of the heart, by the Spirit, not by the letter. His praise is not from man but from God.” (Romans 2:29) “[A believer is one] who has an internal work of grace upon his soul: who has not only an outward name, but an inward nature; not the law of God in the hand, but in the heart; not an external righteousness only, but internal holiness; and who is not a mere outward court worshipper, but a worshipper of God in Spirit and in truth…And circumcision is that of the heart; which God requires, and he himself promises to give…the Holy Ghost produces this spiritual work instrumentally, by the preaching of the Gospel.” (2) “The Holy Spirit writes God’s law on our hearts, giving love for God’s moral standards and power to obey them. The Holy Spirit, whose powerful, life-giving ministry is characteristic of the new covenant, does bring and alone can bring new life. Though He was active in the lives of God’s people under the old covenant, new covenant believers experience His ministry in far greater measure.” (3) As Paul concluded his letter to the Romans, he sought to impress upon them the eternality of the gospel. “Now to him who is able to strengthen you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery that was kept secret for long ages but has now been disclosed and through the prophetic writings has been made known to all nations, according to the command of the eternal God, to bring about the obedience of faith—to the only wise God be glory forevermore through Jesus Christ! Amen.” (Romans 16:25-27) “The mystery of the Gospel is made manifest by the preaching of the apostles being witnessed to by the law and prophets in all its doctrines; particularly justification by Christ’s righteousness, remission of sins through his blood, and salvation by his sufferings and death…for this end, that many souls may be brought to submit to the righteousness of faith, to embrace the doctrine of faith, make a profession of it, be subject to the ordinances of it, live by faith on Christ, and also soberly, righteously and godly in this world.” (4) “The word “mystery” does not necessarily refer to something puzzling or difficult to grasp, but to something that was previously hidden and is now revealed…The prophetic writings are the OT Scriptures. The gospel is not only a mystery that has been revealed but also a prophecy that has been fulfilled…Paul now comes to the main point of the doxology. The God who has planned salvation history in this way is all wise, and he deserves glory forevermore. Romans could not end in a more fitting way, as God’s glory is to be the theme of Christians’ lives and the joy of their hearts.” (5) Is God’s glory the theme of our lives?
Sealed For God’s Praise
To the Ephesians, Paul wrote: “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” (Ephesians 1:13-14) “The Spirit is not only a fulfillment of God’s promise to indwell His people, but also a guarantee that He will bring them to their final inheritance. As a down payment or first installment on their full redemption, the Spirit is a foretaste of the glory of the age to come…The goal of the Spirit’s sealing work is that it be ‘unto the praise of His glory’…the overriding main point of all of vv. 3-14 is that the work of the Trinity in electing, redeeming, and sealing is to the glory of God…[and] God can receive glory for the work of redemption only if that work is all of God. If believers could contribute anything independently to their salvation, then Paul could say that they get a share of the glory, but instead, he says all the glory belongs to God.” (6) “The participle rendered ‘When you believed’ makes the time of sealing coincident with the time of believing. The seal of the New Covenant is spiritual and inward; the reality, of which the circumcision was the outward sign, wrought by the Spirit in the heart. The guarantee points back in authenticating, and forward promising completion, as a part payment made in advance.” (7) Do we appreciate and make the best possible application of God’s internal work of the gospel? Are we passionate worshippers of God who live through, in, and for Christ. Because “you, who once were alienated and hostile in mind, doing evil deeds, [Christ] has now reconciled in his body of flesh by his death, in order to present you holy and blameless and above reproach before him, if indeed you continue in the faith, stable and steadfast, not shifting from the hope of the gospel that you heard, which has been proclaimed in all creation under heaven.” (Colossians 1:21-23) It’s time to put our hope to work.
Related Scripture: Exodus 19:5; Deuteronomy 7:6; 10:16; 30:6; Psalms 16:5-6; 51; Jeremiah 4:4; 31:31-34; Ezekiel 36:25-27; Joel 2:28-29; Acts 2; 10:44-46; Romans 5:1-5; 11:29; 2 Corinthians 1:22, 5:5, 17; Galatians 3:14; 4:6; Ephesians 4:30; Philippians 3:3; 1 Thessalonians 2:4; Hebrews 8:8-12; 9:13-14; 1 Peter 3:4.
Notes:
1. Boice, James, Boice Expositional Commentary Series, John 3:3, Baker Books, Software version, 1998.
2. Gill, John, John Gill’s Exposition on the Whole Bible, passage, https://www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/romans-2.html.
3. The Reformation Study Bible, 2 Corinthians 4:6, Reformation Trust Publishing (Ligonier Ministries), Sanford, Fl., 2015.
4. Gill, Ibid, Romans 16:25-26, www.studylight.org/commentaries/geb/romans-16.html.
5. English Standard Version Study Bible Notes, Romans 16:25-27; 11:25, (digital edition), Crossway, 2008.
6. Reformation Study Bible Notes, Ephesians 1:13-14, Ibid.
7. Zondervan Bible Commentary, F. F. Bruce General Editor, Ephesians 1:13-14, One-Volume, Illustrated Digital Edition.
April 18, 2024
Divine Wisdom for Daily Living by Joanne Colvin 