He Gently Leads Me

Have you ever read the conversations Jesus had with His disciples and noticed the disconnect between what they were saying and what Jesus said? The disciples would talk between themselves about matters that were important to them, but Jesus seemed to be on an entirely different plane of thought and wouldn't entertain their foolishness.

A case in point is Mark 8:13-22 where we find that the disciples worried that they didn't have enough bread. While they're caught up in the momentary crisis, Jesus tries to tell them not to allow the dullness of the Pharisee's to rub off on them. They completely ignore Jesus' words, which shows that they already had.

When I read Mark 8:16, I sense a bit of annoyance in Jesus' tone, “Why do you reason because you have no bread? Do you not perceive, nor understand? Is your heart still hardened?” Jesus is slightly irritated because he had been with his disciples a long time and yet they still didn't understand the purpose of His miracles, which are packed more tightly into Mark's gospel than any of the others.

Only days before, Jesus had fed 5,000 men with 5 loves of bread and 2 fish. Similarly, earlier that day he had fed 4,000 men with 7 loaves of bread. After reviewing this with the disciples, he asks them in verse 21, “How is it that you still do not understand?” According to Mark 6:52 they had been missing what Jesus was trying to teach them through His miracles because of their hardness of heart. The Pharisee's had rubbed off on them quite a bit.

A short time later, Jesus restored sight to a blind man. The blind man could see for the first time – but he's not the only one who was made to see. It seems that Jesus' words about their spiritual blindness had been percolating in their minds, and the disciples realized that Jesus had a purpose for doing so many great works. He wasn't just a nice magician and they weren't just his groupies.

Jesus, probably knowing that they finally understood, turns to his disciples in Mark 8:27 and asks them “Who do men say that I am?” They answered by saying, “John the baptist; but some say Elijah, and others, one of the prophets.” Then Jesus makes the question personal, “But who do you say that I am?” Peter pipes up and answers, “You are the Christ!”

Finally they understood! Their hard hearts had obviously been impacted by Jesus' stern words. Now that they understood this, Jesus raised the bar and told them things He had never told them before, namely that “the Son of Man must suffer many things, be rejected... and killed, and after three days rise again.” (Mark 8:31) Peter couldn't believe it and if you can believe it, he rebuked Christ for His words. That's when Jesus rebukes Peter by saying, “Get behind me Satan!” The disciples finally understood who Jesus was, though they still didn't understand His purpose for coming.

It wasn't until his disciples understood who Jesus was that He was transfigured on the mountain. I think this is because Jesus wanted the disciples to come to faith without spelling everything out for them so that their faith would have depth – naturally grown rather than being grafted in. On the mountain when Jesus was transfigured, the Father speaks to the disciples by telling them, “This is my beloved Son. Hear Him.” (Mark 9:7) The implication seems to be that it was because of their lack of willingness that it took so long for them to learn who Jesus was. That was also why they couldn't understand the purpose of Christ's coming to suffer, die, and rise again.

When coming down the mountain with Peter, James, and John, Jesus finds the rest of his disciples amidst a large crowd of people fighting with the scribes, something they had never done before. We are not told what the disciples were fighting with the scribes about, but I can only infer that it was about the fact that Jesus was the Christ. Jesus sees this as an opportunity, and in the hopes of teaching the listening masses who He is, He calls out to the scribes, “What are you discussing with them?” (Mark 9:16) But that's as far as He gets.

Sadly, we all have the same problem. None of us are good at doing what the Father told Peter, James, and John to do, to “hear Him.” We often become too focused on what we think is our greatest need that we don't listen to what we really need. That was the case with a distraught woman from the crowd. She literally cuts Jesus off and begs Him to exorcise a demon from her son. Once again, Jesus shows His irritation over the hardness of human hearts. He wants to teach them things that really matter, but they can't get their eyes off what is immediately in front of them. For this reason Jesus vents, “O faithless generation! How long shall I be with you? How long shall I bear with you? Bring him to me.” (Mark 9:19)

No one present seemed to be willing to listen so instead of doing what He wanted to do – teach them – He did what the masses wanted Him to do. He healed them.

When I read this passage of scripture I am amazed to see the patience God has with us. We are so unwilling to listen, and though He is so eager to teach, He is also so willing to bear with our weaknesses. He gently led the disciples to the truth of who He is, and then raised the bar to try to help them understand why He came. The rest of the world continued to only care about the fact the Jesus could heal their immediate distress, and though He wanted to teach them about their greatest need He never gave up on them.

He still patiently bears with the world today. As I look back on my life I see that He has led me along with the same gentle touch, though I'm sure my hardness of heart has irritated Him a time or two.

“Lord, thank you for being so patient and leading me in gentleness. I know that there are many times that must irritate you because of my hard heart, so Father help me to hear your Son. Give me a true vision of what my needs are so that I will not become distracted by what is immediately before me. In your gracious name I pray, Amen.”

The "Impossible" Problem of Hebrews 6

In video games, if you make a wrong move you often get to start over as many times as you need until you finally get it right. Wouldn't it be nice if life were like that? Wouldn't it be nice to have a redo button that we could access at any time we wanted?

Everyone has thought about what mistakes they would correct if they could go back in time. At multiple times we've all had the conversation about what life would be like if it we hadn't made that one mistake, or if we would have taken that other job offer instead of the one we did.

Our desire to redo our mistakes isn't something that just happens as we get older. Children try to get out of their mistakes more than anyone else. If you've ever played games with kids you know what I mean. Every time they make a mistake they say something like, “OOH! I didn't mean to do that. Can we do it again?” Then, if you refuse too often, they throw a fit or don't want to play anymore because “It's not fair!”

But life isn't like a video game where you get to start over as many times as you would like. Instead, it's like a game of competition chess. You only have so much time to make a move, and once you've made your move, there's no going back. We have to be very intentional about what we do and the way we live.

Many people don't realize it, but the Bible speaks very pointedly on this subject. We are told in Hebrews chapter 6 that we cannot undo our mistakes. Once we've made our move, it is etched into the stone tablet of our lives and there is no going back. Time is a fixed constant, and unlike a child who begs for a redo and is often granted for the sake of not making a scene, God is not swayed by our petitions to correct our mistakes. There is no going back.

What about Hebrews 6?

In an article entitled, ⁱWhat about Hebrews 6? on R.C. Sproul's website, the opening line confesses “Hebrews 6 is one of the most difficult passages of Scripture to understand...”. I fully agree! Personally, I have wrestled with this passage for hours trying to understand what it means. I have witnessed fear strike the heart of some who have read it, and I've seen the passage drive others to clearly unbiblical thinking. Most Sunday school teachers ought to be ready to calm a war whenever the time comes to teach on Hebrews 6 because there is so much controversy that follows whenever it is brought up.

The debate is centered around the verses 4 through 6 which state, “For it is impossible... if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance...”. This sentence has caused great upheavals among individuals and churches alike because of the word “impossible”.

We are told elsewhere is scripture that nothing is impossible with God, so how do we understand this word “impossible?” It presents a real problem, that's why I call this “the impossible problem”. The problem is that the word “impossible” signifies that the condition of this individual cannot be reversed. If they fall away, there is no turning back.

If the author chose to say, “it is difficult,” or “it is not likely,” or “there's not much chance of reversing their condition,” then this verse would be much easier to swallow. But the confidence that the author demonstrates by stating that it is impossible causes many people to feel insecure and uneasy. How do we deal with this “impossible problem”? Let's look at three common interpretations.

Three Common Interpretations

These are 3 common ways that people have dealt with the problem of interpreting Hebrews 6:4-6.

1. Loss of Salvation – After one has lost it, they cannot get it back.

2. Unbeliever – The person in view has had a religious experience and was close to salvation, but has rejected Christ once and for all.

3. Believer – The person in view has backslidden to the point of no return.

ⁱⁱMany liberal theologians take the first view, which makes it easy for the rest of us get so wrapped up in defending against it that we forget to interpret what the verse actually does mean. As far as my research goes both R.C. Sproul and John Piper take the position that an unbeliever is in view, which seems to be the most reasonable position of those who can't conceive that a believer can get to the point of no return – something I agree with. In the past, I have taken the view that the verse is speaking of a backslidden believer, though it never seemed to fit quite right.

That was the case until a friend pointed out a fourth option that, as far as I know, no one else has considered. This fourth option is the position that I hold today, and that I would like to share with you. It is the position that asserts the writer intended for us to understand that if we “fall away” we are still saved, but it is impossible get saved again (i.e. be “renewed to repentance”) to wipe away our past mistakes. The sin is forgiven, but we must deal with the consequences.

In order to explain why I have switched my view, and why I don't believe that any of the three most common interpretations listed above are an accurate representation of the text, I need to begin by pointing out the central theme of the book of Hebrews. As I do, I want to be careful not to put down faithful men who have studied and taught the Bible longer than I have, (because I sincerely appreciate these men) but I have greatly struggled to understand Hebrews 6 and none of the three most common interpretations have ever fully satisfied me. In the past, when I tried to fit all the pieces together using one of these three interpretations a sense of haze has clouded clear understanding which I can only attribute to the pieces not fitting exactly right. Then, I heard the fourth option, and when I put it to the test all the haze was gone.

The Central Theme of Hebrews

Talk Thru The Bible, a useful Bible Study tool which gives an overview of each book in the Bible introduces the book of Hebrews by saying, “Many Jewish believers, having stepped out of Judaism into Christianity, wanted to reverse their course in order to escape persecution by their countrymen. The writer of Hebrews exhorts them to 'go on to perfection' (6:1).” According to Talk Thru the Bible, Hebrews 6 is central to the theme of the book which is “better,” or superior. To clarify, Christ is superior than the old Judaic system of law. “The writer develops this theme to prevent the readers from giving up on the substance for the shadow by abandoning Christ and retreating to the old Judaic system. This epistle also was written to exhort them to become mature in Christ and put away their spiritual dullness and degeneration.”

The three most common interpretations do not fit:

As the writer further develops the theme of Hebrews, the security of the believer is greatly stressed. The Word of God “proves steadfast” (2:1) and Christ is the “sure and steadfast” “anchor” (6:19) for believers. Therefore, we ought to “hold fast our confession” (4:14) because Christ has died “once for all” (9:12; 10:10) by fulfilling the “law” to bring in “a better hope through which we draw near to God” (7:19)

Interpretation 1

From these quotations throughout Hebrews, it becomes clear that the security of the believer cannot be questioned in Hebrews 6 or anywhere else in the book. It's purpose is entirely opposed to that false notion. It stresses that the New Covenant, which is explained in great detail in chapter 8, is better than the Old because Christ has fulfilled the Mosaic law, making way for us to have “full assurance” (6:11) by which we may “come boldly to the throne of grace” (4:16).

Interpretation 2

ⁱⁱⁱThe opinion that Hebrews 6 refers to unbelievers also does not line up with the theme of Hebrews. Six times the writer calls his recipients “brethren”. He writes to his brothers to warn, challenge, and encourage them to not reject Christ, which is the specific sin he has in mind throughout the book, especially in 3:13 and 12:4. This is the sin of “falling away” referred to in our hotly debated passage – Hebrews 6:4-6. Therefore, having such a specific focus, upholding Christ as superior so that his brothers would not reject Christ, why would the author randomly insert a comment about an unbeliever who was close to salvation, but turned away? It simply doesn't fit.

Not only that, but the author also seemed to really care that his readers understood his warning was addressed to believers by describing them using five phrases. In verses four and five he says they were “enlightened,” having “tasted the heavenly gift.” They had also “become partakers of the Holy Spirit,” and have “tasted the Word of God” as well as “the powers of the age to come.”

What's more, when word “tasted” was used the way it is is our passage, it does not imply a small nibble as some have suggested, but it means that they fully experienced whatever they tasted, having taken it all in. Whenever the word is used in the ^ivfigurative sense, as it is here, it always denotes a full experience. The word is also used of Christ who “tasted death for everyone” (2:9). To those who say the word “tasted” means anything less than a full experience I must ask the question, “When Christ died, was He dead, dead or did he just come close?” As far as I have seen, the only reason someone has taken the position that the warning refers to an unbeliever in spite of such great evidence to the contrary is because they cannot conceive a believer getting to the point of no return.

Interpretation 3

The final interpretation, that Hebrews 6 refers to a believer who has backslidden to the point of no return, is the most consistent with the theme and surrounding context, but it's a near miss. There are two reasons why I have come to disagree with it.

^vReason 1: Hebrews 6:6 says that if we “fall away” we “crucify again for [ourselves] the Son of God”. My question is how? How do we re-crucify Him? I can't think of any good reason why our falling away would re-crucify the Savior given this interpretation because if it is true that we re-crucify Christ when we backslide, collectively Christians have been re-crucifying Him around the clock since the dawn of Christianity. Every little sin we commit is backslidding to one degree or another. Or, is it just the big sins that Christ is re-crucified for? If you ask me, that route is a slippery slope.

Here is one reason people have come up with to explain why backslidding to the point of no return (i.e. “falling away”) is a sort of re-crucifying the Savior. They say something like, “When we shame Christ we re-crucify Him.” I have been shamed many times, but it would be a stretch to say people crucify me every time they do.

There is only one other reason I know of that someone might use to say that we crucify Christ through backslidding. Proponents of this view might say that we re-crucify Christ when we deny Him and to deny Christ is to give him over to crucifixion. But we must remember that Christ died “once for all” (9:12; 10:10). Christ died for any believer who denies Him, and he did it once for all. “All” refers to all men, all sin, and all time. This is what makes His sacrifice better than that of “bulls and goats” which “could never take away sin” (10:4). It cannot be said of Christ that He is re-crucified through our denial, because that would weaken the finality of our salvation. He only needed to die once.

I haven't heard one reason that fully satisfies the question “How does our backslidden behavior cause Christ to be re-crucified?” Some come close, but as I said before, it's a near miss. However, if you are still not convinced, and you sense the same haze that I had before I knew of the fourth way to interpret Hebrews 6, maybe my second reason why I cannot interpret “falling away” to mean “backslidding to the point of no return” will make it clear that this interpretation is not valid.

Reason 2: The Spirit of God indwells believers. He works miracles within our hearts and minds. To say that a believer can get to a point of no return is to restrict the Spirit who abides within us. Along with those who take the position of an unbeliever, I simply cannot believe that God can't or won't work in the heart of a believer to bring him to repentance after he has denied Him. That's contrary to the very nature of God as I understand Him.

None of the common interpretations line up with the text. When tested, each one fails. Though some fail more severely than others, none of them perfectly line up with the theme of the book, the context of Hebrews 6, and the character of God as I understand Him. That's why I want to share a less common interpretation which solves our “impossible problem” once and for all. Let's examine the fourth interpretation and see how it lines up.

The Fourth Option

As already stated, the position I believe perfectly fits the text is the position that asserts the writer intended for us to understand that if we “fall away” we are still saved, but we cannot get saved again (i.e. be “renewed to repentance”) to wipe away our past mistakes. The sin is forgiven, but we must deal with the consequences. Let's see how this lines up with both the theme of Hebrews and the context of chapter 6.

Does it match the theme?

The theme of Hebrews, as already stated, is “better.” Christ is superior to the Judaic system, therefore we should never deny him, even when faced with persecution. In Hebrews 6:6 we are told that if we fall away, it is impossible to be renewed again to repentance.

Imagine that you were in the position of the Hebrews at the time this letter was written. You would be tempted to return to the mosaic law as they were, but if you did, in due time you would realize your mistake. You would realize that you had rejected your Lord and Savior. What could be worse?!

We all want to wipe away our worst mistakes in life. We all wish we could go back in time and fix what we've done, but that's not possible. According to Hebrews 6:6, it's impossible to be renewed to repentance. The mistakes that we make will remain with us as long as we live. If they have consequences, we must bear those consequences for the rest of our lives. Christ took our sin, but that does not make our sin without consequence.

^viWe all will have to stand before Christ, to whom “all things are naked and open” and to whom “we must give account.” (4:13) This is a grave warning that is reiterated throughout the book. When the author asks in at the beginning of Hebrews in 2:3 “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation?” he's speaking of the eye of Christ. Jesus is always watching and one day He will demand us to tell Him why we neglected His greatest gift for the sake of personal preservation or worldly gain.

This warning flows throughout the book and is reiterated again in 12:25, “See that you do not refuse Him who speaks. For if they did not escape who refused Him who spoke on earth, much more shall we not escape if we turn away from Him who speaks from heaven?” In the face of temptation, the author tells his readers to be prepared to tell Christ why they rejected Him. We cannot wipe away our mistakes and act as though they never happened, even though we are forgiven.

This interpretation fits well with the theme of the book. Now, let's turn to the immediate context and see if it fits there as well.

Does it match the immediate context?

In order to explain why Christ is better than the old Judaic system, the author needed to explain how Christ is part of a better priesthood, the Melchizedekian priesthood. He wanted to go deep into the the truths surrounding that priesthood in order to impart greater faith in Christ, but he was afraid that His readers were not ready to receive what he wanted to tell them because their faith in the foundational truths of God were not grounded as deeply as they should have been. According to 5:12, they only had a diet of milk, and not solid food. This means that they have only been taught the Word, but they have not yet fully digested it. In other words, they believe the foundational truths of God, but they have not yet fully internalized those truths, seating them in the deepest part of their being. This is evidenced by the fact that they are being tempted to reject Christ, despite their apparent faith in Him. For this reason, he takes a break from sharing about Christ's better priesthood, to warn them of what could happen if they did not become fully grounded in the “elementary principles of Christ” and move on to maturity (6:1).

As stated above, He makes it abundantly clear that he is talking about a believer in verses four and five in order to clear up any confusion that may result from the warning he is about to give. The reason why he goes to such great lengths to ensure his readers understand he is talking about a believer by using five phrases that only pertain to believers is because he needs to state the following warning in such a way that it will strike them at the core of their being. He says it is impossible for a believer, if he falls away, to be renewed again to repentance (6:4-6).

He couldn't have said what he wanted to say with any more power than by those breathtaking words, and that was his intention. He wanted them to know how serious a mistake it would be to reject Christ. Once you have rejected Him, you cannot take it back. You will stand before Him with that mistake weighing on your soul. You cannot wipe your slate clean by repenting like you did when you first got saved. You can only be born again once. After that, every move you make counts, and you will take what you have done with you when you stand before Christ.

He makes his warning more sever by stating that, hypothetically, even “if” you could get saved again, thereby wiping away your mistakes, you would have to “crucify again for [yourself] the Son of God, and put Him to open shame” (6:6). Christ died once for all, so that's not going to happen, but even if it were possible, you wouldn't want to go back. You wouldn't want to expose the Savior to shame yet again. Once was bad enough!

Next, in verse 7, he moves from conjecture to reality. If you ground yourself in the elementary principles of Christ you will be able to resist the temptation to reject Christ in the face of persecution and your works will be like useful “herbs”. You will be a shining example and God will use you. On the other hand, according to verse 8, if you do not get grounded enough in the elementary principles of Christ and thereby expose yourself to the possibility of falling away, your works will be “burned”. In that case, your works would be like “thorns and briers” which only prevent those who produce useful herbs from being as fruitful as they could be without you.

Having stated what he wanted to say in the most severe way he could, in verse 9 he seeks to encourage them with his confidence. He says that he is sure they will ground themselves and move on to maturity. In fact, he's already seen fruits of their maturity, which are the “things that accompany salvation” though he spoke in such a severe manner.

As further encouragement he reminds them in verse 10 that the opposite of what he just warned them about is also true. He reminds them that just as they cannot take back their mistakes because we will have to give an account for those things, God will also not forget their “work and labor of love”. What a relief!

Conclusion

In my opinion, this interpretation clearly fits the passage. There is no haze, and no unanswered questions. Everything falls into place when we interpret Hebrews 6:6 to mean that it is impossible repent unto salvation a second time. This interpretation solves the “impossible problem” by asserting the writer does not mean to say that it is impossible for God to allow someone to go back in time to fix their mistakes, but that he will not allow it, making it impossible for us.

In conclusion, I feel the need to emphasize the fact that we are fully secure. We have been saved to the furthest degree and nothing will change that, however we must live with the consequences of the mistakes we make. Though we are eternally secure, we will still “suffer loss” for not remaining faithful to God as He has been faithful to us (1 Corinthians 3:15).

We all love the idea of being able to fix our past mistakes, but that's outside the realm of possibility. The only thing we can do is “go on to perfection.” We will have to live with our mistakes, but that's a good thing because our mistakes remind us of the need to be sober minded and grounded in the truth of God. The more sober and grounded we become, the easier it will be to resist temptation, making way for the Spirit of God to do great works in our lives. Praise God for the perimeters that He has set, making some things impossible. May they spur us on to maturity.

“^viiArm me with jealous care

As in Thy sight to live;

And Oh, Thy servant, Lord, prepare

A strict account to give.”

ihttp://www.ligonier.org/learn/devotionals/what-about-hebrews/

iiThomas Hewitt, The Epistle to the Hebrews: An Introduction and Commentary The Tyndale Press: London, 1960, pages 106-111

iiiA.B. Davidson, The Epistle to the Hebrews with Introduction and Notes T & T Clark, Edinburgh, 1959, pages 120-122

ivMatthew 27:34 and Luke 14:24 can be used to counter my argument by saying that in both of these cases, a small nibble is suggested, not the full experience. I agree, but in both of those cases the word “tasted” is used literally, which is why I was careful to emphasize that the author used the word in a figurative sense. When words are used literally they have a certain meaning, and when they are used figuratively they take on a different meaning. For instance, if I say “You're killing me!” I don't mean that I am lying on the ground about to die, but that I don't like what you are saying. Or if I say, “Let's chill!” I mean that I want us to relax, not that I want to stand in a refrigerator with you. Whenever the word “taste” is used in the figurative sense, it denotes a full experience.

vThe first two paragraphs of “Reason 1” represent the two reasons John Piper gives to my question “How does our backslidden behavior cause Christ to be re-crucified?” He gives these reasons in his sermon When Is Saving Repentance Impossible? http://www.desiringgod.org/sermons/when-is-saving-repentance-impossible

viLiddon, Henry Parry Sermons to the People: Preached Cheifly in St. Paul's Cathedral Longmans, Green: London, 1894-98, Pg. 33

viiPark, Edwards Amasa, The Sabbath Hymn Book: For The Service of Song In The House Of The Lord Mason brothers:New York, 1858, Pg. 211

Can You Clean With a Mirror?

Ben: “Hey, George, you're lookin' good? Did you get a new mirror?”

George: “No, I found something new!”

Ben: “Something new! What do you mean something new? There's nothing but mirrors, and people have been using mirrors to get clean since the dawn of time.”

George: “Yea, it's true, and that's why we still stink!”

Ben: “Hey, I do not stink!”

George: “Yes you do, and so did I. But I don't anymore because I found something else.”

Ben: “Alright, smart guy. What did you find?”

George: “Blood!”

Ben: “That's disgusting!”

George: “I know, it sounds disgusting, but our stench is also disgusting.”

Ben: “I smell better than I ever have. In fact, this new mirror I've found has changed my life. There's no other mirror like it. I'm cleaner than I have ever been.”

George: “You don't get it do you?”

Ben: “Get what?”

George: “When God gave us mirrors He meant them to reveal how unclean we are, not for us to clean ourselves with them! It took me some time to realize that, but once I finally did take a look in the mirror I couldn't believe how disgusting I was.”

Ben: “Well I have bled a lot in my life, but I've never gotten any cleaner by it, so I don't get why you think blood is going to cure the problem.”

George: “That's just it! You're blood has no power to clean, nor does mine or anyone else's. The only blood that has power to clean is the blood of God's Son. He offered himself as a sacrifice to clean us, and He's the only one who could because He's the only one who isn't filthy like the rest of us.”

Ben: “Yea, I know that Jesus' death was important, but I have to do something! I can't just say, “Jesus clean me with your blood!” and expect him to do everything. We've got to use the mirrors that God has given to us too!”

George: “You still don't get it do you?”

Ben: “Get what!”

George: “The mirrors that God has given us are to show us that we are dirty. The blood that He offers us is to make us clean. They have two different purposes. The purpose of the mirror is not to clean yourself with it, but to realize that you need to get clean. The blood of God's Son is the only thing that can make us clean. Only He can make us clean, and Him alone.”

Ben: “Well I've got to do something! We've all got to do something. It wouldn't be right to just expect God to do everything.”

George: “So what are you going to do? Keep scrapping away with your mirror to get rid of the dirt and make your skin as raw as ever!?”

Ben: “That's what we've always done. And some mirrors are better than others. Like I said, this new mirror – it's revolutionary!”

George: “I hope that some day you will realize the purpose of the mirror.”

Ben: “And I hope you don't tell anyone else about your theories on blood. That's disgusting! If you keep that up, I'm not sure how many friends you will have left. You're lucky that I have stuck around this long. Later George!”

George: “See ya later Ben.”

There is only one way to use a mirror, by looking into it. Other than that you can only have fun breaking a mirror, but that is not the proper way to use a mirror. So it is with God's law. You can look into it and see that it reveals your sin, or you can have fun breaking it, but to try to keep God's law to clean up your life is not a proper use of the law. It's purpose as clearly stated in the Bible is to reveal our sin, not to cleanse us from it through obedience. If you use the law appropriately it will reveal to you that it's impossible to keep it because you're just too sinful.

The purpose of the law is to reveal sin; The purpose of Christ's blood is to cleanse us from it. There is no use in trying to keep the law to cleanse you from sin. The only thing was intended to cleanse us from sin is the blood of Jesus.

“For the law made nothing perfect; on the other hand, there is the bringing in of a better hope, through which we draw near to God.” (Hebrews 7:19)

“Now we know that whatever the law says, it says to those under the law, that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God. Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law comes the knowledge of sin.” (Romans 3:19, 20)

“Therefore the law entered that the offense might abound, but where sin abounded, grace abounded much more.” (Romans 5:20)

“What shall we say then? Is the law sin? Certainly not! On the contrary, I would have not known sin except through the law. For I would not have known covetousness unless the law had said, “You shall not covet.” (Romans 7:7)

According to James 1:21-27 the law is like a mirror, which reveals our sin. James tells us that it if we look in the mirror of God's law and walk away without doing anything about it, it's as though we have forgotten what we have just seen. We need to do something. So, what do we do?

As said before, if we look deeply enough into God's law it reveals that obedience is not possible. Not to mention, even if obedience were possible, our previous stains would still remain. The only option is to use the blood of Jesus to cleanse us from sin.

“But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” (1 John 1:7)

“To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood.” (Revelation 1:5b)

“Knowing that you were not redeemed with corruptible things, like silver or gold, from your aimless conduct received by tradition from your fathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” (1 Peter 1:18, 19)

“For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you upon the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood that makes atonement for the soul.” (Leviticus 17:11)

“In whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins.” (Colossians 1:14)

The blood of Christ cleanses us from sin when we have faith that God sent His Son to redeem us and that we can do nothing to save ourselves. Have faith and Christ's blood will cleanse you from all sin!

“For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.” (Ephesians 2:8, 9)

Does Jesus Deny His Own?

For if we died with Him,

We shall also live with Him.

If we endure,

We shall also reign with Him.

If we deny Him,

He also will deny us.

If we are faithless,

He remains faithful;

He cannot deny Himself.

(2 Timothy 2:11-13)

How do the words of this scripture passage impact you when you read them? Are you confused? Are you encouraged? Are you challenged?

Many are confused. After all, this passage sounds like a riddle to all those who aren't familiar with the subjects it references. To others who have read and understood those subjects the passage is more of an encouragement. But I wonder how many people would say that they are challenged to be a better disciple of the Lord Jesus Christ.

That may sound like quite a jump if you're not familiar with the other New Testament passages that explain this passage, but that's why it is very important to study them. Doing so will help us gain a full understanding of what the author meant to be conveyed. This passage is a creed – a sentence or short set of sentences that capture a snippet of God's revelation – and like many other creeds, it is meant to be further explained using the rest of God's revelation. There is a very good reason why.

Why Creeds Often Required an Explanation

The New Testament is composed of letters which were written by the Apostles to preserve and spread God's revelation. It is because God's Word was preserved and spread that we can be confident that we have the pure Word of God. However, the epistles that form the New Testament were not written immediately after God gave the revelation. Further, it took some time for the early church to spread the epistles among the churches. Because of this time gap there was a need for the early church to maintain doctrinal purity as well as a need to quickly and easily spread the truth of God. On top of that, the culture of those times did not rely as heavily on paper as we do today. Instead they preferred oral distribution of knowledge over written distribution. For these reasons, creeds like the one found in 2 Timothy 2:11-13 were created

ⁱA creed is the next best thing to paper for the preservation and distribution of knowledge. The creeds the early church used were short so they could be easily memorized. Memorization of creeds preserved important truths and made them easy to relay. The only area where creeds fall short of paper is in length. On paper it is easy to give a full explanation, whereas an explanation must be supplied to a creed.

That is why I say that the creeds of the early church often required an explanation, and that's also why I have written this article, to supply the explanation of the 2 Timothy 2:11-13 creed – but not all of it. I want to focus our attention on the second half.

Explanation of the 2 Timothy 2:11-13 Creed

From my experience, most people have a fairly good grasp on the first half of the creed, it's the second half people seem to struggle to understand. Dying with Christ that we may live with Him and enduring that we may reign with Him are mostly clear subjects for a large majority of believers. The subjects are referenced throughout the New Testament, and most specifically addressed in Romans chapter 6 and Revelation chapter 20. On the other hand, Christ's denial of His own is much harder to digest, and is not a subject that is addressed in many places.

We are told that if we deny Christ, He will deny us. “Christ deny His own!” one may ask, “How is that possible?” That is the question I would like to address for the rest of this article. I believe that in realizing how and why God would deny His own, you will be spurred on to be a better disciple of Christ. We must realize the seriousness of the warning within this beautiful creed. Doing so will make it all the more meaningful.

The Logical Explanation:

Before we answer the question “how could Christ deny His own” I want to point out to you an apparent contradiction the second half of the creed seems to make with itself. This will help us gain a full understanding of what the author intended to convey in only a few words.

The apparent contradiction has to do with the faithfulness of God. We are told that God is faithful even when we are not. He will not deny us, according to this verse, because to do so would be to deny Himself. The reason: we are one with Him. Jesus was the first to teach about the oneness man may have with God. While praying to His Father, He said in John 17:21 “That they all may be one; as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be one in us so that the world may believe that you have sent me.” Since we are one with God, He cannot deny us, because to do so would be to deny Himself.

This is the perceived contradiction the text makes with itself. First we are told that God will deny us if we deny Him, and yet in the next breath we are told that God cannot deny us. How do we reconcile this contradiction? It's easy.

This apparent contradiction is cleared up very simply when we realize that I can deny a thing about someone and uphold another truth about him at the same time. For instance, sometimes my son is not very obedient. I may then deny that he is obedient, but that doesn't mean that he ceases to be my son. So then, I can deny and acknowledge my son simultaneously. It is this awkward use of grammar the author of our creed employs to enhance its poetic feel.

Some will argue and say that in my example I am denying and upholding a truth about my son, whereas the text says that Christ will deny us personally. Christ did not say He will deny a truth about us, but that he will deny us. To that I will ask the pointed question, What does it mean to deny a person? How would you answer that?

The truth is, it is impossible to deny a person. Even to deny a man's existence is to deny a truth about him. To deny him in this case would be to deny the truth that he exists. Therefore, when we come to this verse the questions we must ask are “what truth about His own is Christ going to deny” and “what truth will He uphold”. The answer to these questions will help us understand how it's possible for Christ to deny His own, and clear up the apparent contradiction the text seems to make with itself.

The Biblical Explanation:

In order to bring further clarification, I will now take you to the scripture the author of our creed likely had in mind when he composed it. Our Lord Jesus Christ told his disciples he would deny them if they denied Him in Matthew 10.

Matthew 10 is probably the most important passage of scripture for anyone who is serious about discipleship. Jesus was just about to send his disciples out on their first evangelistic crusade, but before He did He chose to give them some practical advice. This advice was clearly not intended for them only, but also for future disciples, therefore it applies to us too. It's in this context of speaking to His disciples about the cost of discipleship that Jesus gives the warning that if we deny Him, He also will deny us.

Jesus warns His disciples that being a disciple will cause great division even among the closest human bonds in verse 21. Next, He warns them that to be a disciple means to be hated by all for His names sake in verse 22. His third warning is from verses 23 to 25. He warns them they will be reviled even more than He was during His earthly ministry, but encourages them that their enemies can do nothing to destroy the soul in verse 28. Mere men can only harm our bodies.

His focus switches in verses 29 through 30 to the care that God has for His disciples. The value God places on a disciple is so great that He knows how many hairs we have on our heads. Further, Jesus said we are more valuable than animals, which God takes great interest in. In this vein of thought about our value, Jesus tells us that if we confess Him before men who are apt to harm us, He will acknowledge us before His Father in heaven.

This verse is especially meaningful when considered in its context. We value our closest human relationships (v. 21), as well as what others think about us (v. 22), and our bodies (vv. 23-25). That's natural – but the context leads us to ask the question, do we value Jesus more? If we do, we will be willing to give up our dearest relationships to brokenness, our bodies to death, and our reputation to complete loss. If we value Jesus more, we count it all loss for the sake of knowing Him and confessing him before men who will harm us for our testimony. (Philippians 3:7, 8)

The Value of a Disciple

As a reward for giving up all for Christ, we are told in verse 32 that Jesus will commend us before the Father as valuable disciples. Only those who value Christ can be considered valuable disciples. In other words, the value we place on Christ determines our value as disciples. We show we value Christ more than the natural things everyone values when we confess Him before the world who will strip us of what earthly things we value most.

In the same way that Jesus will acknowledge us before the Father because we acknowledged Him, if we deny Him, He also will deny us.

Often times this verse has been taken to mean that Jesus will deny us salvation. I have already shown that is not the case through examining the context, which has nothing to do with salvation. I would also like to point out that this verse does not speak of our intrinsic value. Your value as a person is not in question here, but rather your value as a disciple. Jesus has demonstrated our value as people is not cheapened by our actions when He died on the cruel cross for the worst of sinners. This verse speaks of our worth, our value, and as Jesus goes on to tell us, about our worthiness to be called disciples.

Jesus will deny the worth of any disciple who refuses to acknowledge Him before men. By refusing to acknowledge Him a man reveals his heart – that he does not value Christ more than his closest relationships, his body, and his reputation.

This warning is amplified when we take into account the whole of what Jesus said. He did not simply say that He will deny our worth as disciples and leave it at that. In that case, He might deny us in an empty room, as though to reprove us in private. Instead He adds the notation, “before my Father who is in heaven”.

This is an event which will take place in heaven at the Judgment Seat of Christ where believers will either be rewarded or shamed. (2 Corinthians 5:10) Jesus said He will deny the worth of any disciple that denies Him before the Father. Personally, I would rather have Christ reprove me before all the angelic host and before the entire human race than before the Father. A disciple's value is based on his faithfulness to the cause of the gospel. On the other hand, God's value cannot be measured because He is the one who defines all worth. The Father is of equal worth as the Son, whose worth cannot be measured. To have one whose worth cannot be measured deny your value before another whose worth cannot be measured is more than just serious, it's something that inspires fear – the fear of God's disapproval! (2 Corinthians 5:11) The ⁱⁱshame of whatever disciple makes this prophecy come true will be devastating.

Some are not Worthy

Further clarity of what it means that Christ will deny His own is received when we take into account what Christ says next. According to Christ, some men are not worthy to be called disciples.

Jesus continues in verse 34 by reiterating what He said where I began in Matthew 10:21. He reiterates the fact that being a disciple comes at a great cost by once again telling His disciples that even the closest human bonds are in great jeopardy when one is serious about discipleship. He says, “He who loves father or mother more than me is not worthy of me. He who loves son or daughter more than me is not worthy of me. And he who does not take up his cross and follow after me is not worthy of me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for my sake will find it.” (Matthew 10:37-39) If you do not take up your cross you may be saved, but you are not a disciple. You are not worthy of such a high title.

To take up your cross is to perform the work of a disciple, therefore the unconscious excuse we all make, “I won't deny Him, but I won't necessarily acknowledge Him either”, crumbles in the face of Christ's words. Discipleship is an active lifestyle. To be a disciple is to make disciples. It requires effort, pain, loss, even the suicide of all you hold dear that is not Christ. This is what it takes to be worthy of the title “Disciple.”

Conclusion

The question is not “will Jesus deny your intrinsic value” or “will Jesus deny you salvation”. Christ came for all men, and if you have accepted the death of Christ as payment for your sin, God remains faithful to you because you are one with Him and He cannot deny Himself. What is at stake here is your worth, your value, and your worthiness of being called a disciple. The question is are you worthy of the title “Disciple”? Are you willing to restrain Jesus' powerful gospel because you fear it will damage the relationship you have with your father, your mother, your son, or your daughter? Or, are you willing to climb the hill of Calvary, ⁱⁱⁱbearing the cross of shame, for the opportunity to be called a disciple? If you are not, you are just “saved,” but you are not a disciple.

With that said, 2 Timothy 2:11-13 takes on a deeper meaning than most of us have ever given it credit for. Within this simple creed is a call to faithfulness. It means to challenge us to be disciples.

Do not deny Him. In the same way, do not restrain His gospel, because to restrain it for the sake of what this world has to offer is just another form of denying Him. Take up your cross and follow Him, even if it leads to Calvary.

If we deny Him,

He also will deny us

[the privilege of being called a disciple]

If we are faithless,

[because we counted the things of this world of

greater value than Christ and so denied His worth]

He remains faithful

[to give us the salvation we don't deserve because]

He cannot deny Himself.

i There are many other places in the New Testament where creeds were recorded. In some cases we can know for sure that a creed is being referenced, in other cases it is much more difficult to determine. I have listed examples of both cases.

Sure Creeds of the Early Church:

1 Corinthians 15:3-7

1 Timothy 3:16

2 Timothy 2:11-13

Possible Creeds of the Early Church:

1 Thessalonians 1:9, 1; 4:16, 17; 5:8

1 Corinthians 1:30; 6:11; 8:6; 12:3, 13 16:22

2 Corinthians 1:21, 22

Romans 1:3, 4; 3:23-26; 4:24-25; 6:3, 4; 10:9

Philippians 2:6-11

Galatians 4:27, 28; 4:6

Colossians 1:15-20;

Ephesians 4:4-6; 5:14

1 Timothy 6:15, 16

2 Timothy 1:9, 10;

Titus 3:4, 7

1 Peter 1:18-21; 2:21-25; 3:18, 19

1 John 4:7-10

Revelation 4:11; 5:9, 10; 5:12-14

iiFor more information on the topic of shame in heaven read this short article: http://www.grace-bible.org/blakesblog/2012/10/fear-and-shame-in-heaven/

iiiEveryone will face shame, either before men for bearing the name of Jesus, or before the Father in heaven. The greater shame is reserved for those who are unwilling to bear it now.