Author: Stan Cox

A discussion of the allegory used by the Apostle Paul in Galatians 4:21-31, using Hagar and Sarah to discuss the two covenants of God.

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In Acts 8, a eunuch from Ethiopia was traveling a road from Jerusalem back to his home. He was reading from the prophet Isaiah, specifically the beginning of chapter 53 when he met the evangelist Philip. When the eunuch asked Philip, “of whom does the prophet say this, of himself or of some other man?”, Philip correctly answered that the prophecy was about Jesus Christ (Acts 8:34-35).

In truth, there is much said about the Christ in Isaiah’s book of prophecy.  The interesting thing about chapter 53 is that it pictures a Messiah that the Jew of Jesus’ time would have a hard time accepting.  Let’s explain:

“For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of dry ground. He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him” (Isaiah 53:2). Continue reading “The Rejected Savior of Mankind” →

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth. The earth was without form, and void; and darkness was on the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God was hovering over the face of the waters” (Genesis 1:1-2). This was the initial state of God’s created universe.  A big question is asked by many — How much time passed between this statement by Moses in Genesis 1:1-2, and the word “Then” which begins the third verse. The answer is, nobody knows. It has not been revealed.

What we do know is that the week of creation described by Moses in verses 3-31 was described by Jesus as being part of the beginning. Jesus said in Matthew 19, “And He answered and said to them, ‘Have you not read that He who made them at the beginning made them male and female,’” (4). The idea that billions of years passed between verse 2 and verse 3 does not jibe with Jesus’ words. However, a relatively short time, whatever it might be, does no damage to Jesus’ claim that God instituted marriage at the beginning of His creation. Continue reading “In the Beginning” →

Here is the danger of the false teacher. He uses sophistry to allure the elect. We have obeyed the truth and escaped from a life lived in error. But, the false teacher seeks to turn us back to corruption.  That corruption brings slavery to sin. “Do you not know that to whom you present yourselves slaves to obey, you are that one’s slaves whom you obey, whether of sin leading to death, or of obedience leading to righteousness?” (Romans 6:16).

This allurement can bring total apostasy. As the gospel is the sole means of escaping error, another gospel (a perversion, cf. Galatians 1:6-7), if embraced, causes you to reject that sole means of obtaining salvation! (cf. Romans 1:16).

Peter has a sobering truth to share about those who reject the truth they once embraced. “For it would have been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered to them” (21). A careful consideration clearly shows this to be true.

In Titus 2, Paul exhorted the evangelist, “But as for you, speak the things which are proper for sound doctrine.”  This answers the question, “Is doctrine important?” Yes!

But it leads to another question. “What kind of doctrine is sound?” The Greek word translated “sound” (hygiain?) signifies wholeness, wellness (and in the realm of doctrine) uncorruptness. As Thayer put it, “Metaphorically, the phrase is used of one whose Christian opinions are free from any admixture of error.”

Put simply, sound doctrine is teaching that is based solely on God’s word. This is as it has always been, as men have sought to ensure their standing with God. Jesus Himself said, “If you love Me, keep My commandments” (John 14:15).

The scriptures are where we gain access to God’s will. Paul wrote that scripture is inspired of God, and is sufficient for man. It is “profitable for doctrine” and in it alone the “man of God may be complete, thoroughly equipped for every good work” (2 Timothy 3:16-17).

As the Psalmist so wonderfully exclaimed, “How can a young man cleanse his way? By taking heed according to Your word. With my whole heart I have sought You; Oh, let me not wander from Your commandments! Your word I have hidden in my heart, that I might not sin against You” (Psalms 119:9-11).

What did God name His church?  Do we know? Does it matter? Turns out it has significant consequences, and an understanding of these matters is of significance!

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Hebrews 3:7-19 has some very important thoughts regarding Our call to be faithful to God.  The reason for our call, the consequence of unfaithfulness, and instructions on how to be faithful to Him.

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In Romans 1 the apostle Paul wrote about a society (the Romans) who didn’t like to think about God. They “suppressed the truth” (18), “they did not glorify Him as God, nor were they thankful” (21), they “changed the glory of the incorruptible God into an image made like corruptible man” (23), they “exchanged the truth of God for the lie” (25). Paul summarized their attitude by writing, “they did not like to retain God in their knowledge” (28). He made it clear to his readers that because they acted this way, God “gave them over” to the debasement they preferred (28).

This has happened many times throughout history. It happened in Israel. Hosea recorded God as saying, “My people are destroyed for lack of knowledge. Because you have rejected knowledge, I also will reject you from being priest for Me; because you have forgotten the law of your God, I also will forget your children” (4:6). I dare say that this is a large cultural problem in our day as well. Continue reading “Some Just Don’t Like Thinking About God” →

Peter here calls for love of your brethren in Christ. Not just any love — love that is sincere (unhypocritical) and pure (singular, without any corrupting influence).

The reason Peter gives for this love is a response to our redemption through Jesus Christ. Being “born again.” Here though, he emphasizes the gospel of Jesus Christ, a gospel that he describes as “the word of God which lives and abides forever.”

This word is the incorruptible (imperishable) seed that brings about conversion. Paul agrees with this assessment saying in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.”

Put in a nutshell: God has delivered for us the perfect vehicle to save us. The death, burial and resurrection His only begotten Son! As this is proclaimed, it brings faith to men, and salvation. As we receive this great gift, our response must be love for one another!

The phrase salty language in our time has reference to crude or angry speech.  Since sailors have a reputation for such —  cussing like a sailor. The salt in the ocean gives us the image from which the phrase has its origin.

In scripture there is also a reference to salty language or speech, but it is a positive one.  For example, in Colossians 2:5-6 Paul exhorted, “Walk in wisdom toward those who are outside, redeeming the time. Let your speech always be with grace, seasoned with salt, that you may know how you ought to answer each one.” In Paul’s reference the speech that should be characteristic of the child of God is that which is gracious and wise, seasoned with truth and a beneficial relevance to those who hear.

As with all things Christian, it is speech that emanates from a place of love. As the Lord’s people, our desire and action should be to improve mankind. Things like anger, malice, profanity, innuendo, bitterness, lying, gossip, slander etc., do nothing for others, and so should be absent from our conversation!

“But now you yourselves are to put off all these: anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy language out of your mouth.  Do not lie to one another, since you have put off the old man with his deeds, and have put on the new man who is renewed in knowledge according to the image of Him who created him” (Colossians 3:8-10).

A discussion of Judges 7:2, noting the danger of self-exaltation and forgetting our dependence upon the Lord.

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There is an interesting passage in Romans 13:11-14, which describes our preparation for eternity in the presence of God.  Paul wrote, “And do this, knowing the time, that now it is high time to awake out of sleep; for now our salvation is nearer than when we first believed. The night is far spent, the day is at hand. Therefore let us cast off the works of darkness, and let us put on the armor of light. Let us walk properly, as in the day, not in revelry and drunkenness, not in lewdness and lust, not in strife and envy. But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.”

The text clearly indicates the imperative of preparation. It also shows that Christian preparation is found in holy living and obedience to God. Paul uses phrases such as “cast off the works of darkness”, “put on the armor of light,” “walk properly,” a walk not characterized by “revelry and drunkenness” … “lewdness and lust” … “strife and envy.” Finally, to make “no provision for the flesh, to fulfill its lusts.” Continue reading “Put on Christ” →

The prophetic book titled “Jonah” begins with a command of God to the prophet. “Arise, go to Nineveh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” We are familiar with Jonah’s response.  Instead of obeying the voice of God, “Jonah arose to flee to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord. He went down to Joppa, and found a ship going to Tarshish; so he paid the fare, and went down into it, to go with them to Tarshish from the presence of the Lord” (2:3).

Tarshish was the opposite direction from Nineveh.  But there is nothing in scripture that indicates that God is not to be found there. It is doubtful that Jonah, a prophet of God, really thought that he could flee to a place where God could not reach him. In Psalm 139, David wrote:

“Where can I go from Your Spirit?
Or where can I flee from Your presence?
If I ascend into heaven, You are there;
If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.
If I take the wings of the morning,
And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,
Even there Your hand shall lead me,
And Your right hand shall hold me.”

                                                                         (7-10)     Continue reading ““From the Presence of the Lord”” →

Here James continues his denunciation of the showing of partiality. Prosperity was the basis of separation in this context. James showed the foolishness of dishonoring the poor man by pointing out that God had chosen the poor of the world to be “rich in faith and heirs of the kingdom” (5).

In contrast, the rich often are the cause of our own oppression. How peculiar it is for us to court those who have no concern or care for us.  And yet, it is a typical thing both then and now.

In verses 8 and 9 of the text, James makes a typical application of the call God makes to love one another. He refers to it as the “royal law according to the scripture” and notes that it is required by God. It is in fact, that upon which the entire law of God hangs (cf. Matthew 22:40).

So to show partiality (racism, ageism, sexism, disdain for the poor, etc.) is to show a lack of love. This is a violation of God’s commands, and convicts a Christian of sin against Him.

In Deuteronomy 23:3-4, God punished the Ammonites and Moabites for their opposition to Israel by denying any of them entrance into the assembly of God. At the time of Nehemiah, the remnant in Israel read from the Book of Moses, and rediscovered this decree. Nehemiah 13:1 reads, “So it was, when they had heard the Law, that they separated all the mixed multitude from Israel.”

Under Moses’ law, Israel was the chosen people of God. Their consecration secured the genealogy of the Savior, and prepared the world for the fulfillment of God’s scheme of redeeming man. As Paul wrote in Galatians 3, “Therefore the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith. But after faith has come, we are no longer under a tutor.”

Today it is the Christian who is chosen by God, and separated from the world. Paul refers to Christians as inward Jews, whose “circumcision is that of the heart” (Romans 2:29).

Although Christians can come from every nation, it remains important that we separate ourselves from the world, through holiness. God’s promise remains, this time to us, as Paul instructed us, “Come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord… and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty” (2 Corinthians 6:17-18).