Category: Salvation

manna: more than bread

SHORTLY AFTER THE LORD set them free from Pharaoh, the Israelites started to grumble against Moses in the desert, saying, “What shall we drink?” for the water was bitter. God told Moses to throw a log into the water, and instantly the water became sweet (see Exo. 15:22). People then complained of having nothing to eat, saying, “Would that we had died by the hand of the LORD in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the meat pots and ate bread to the full, for you have brought us out into this wilderness to kill this whole assembly with hunger” (Exo. 16:2-3).

Manna is a white coriander type of seed that tastes like wafers and honey. The word manna means, “What is that?”

God heard the grumblings of the Israelites and said to Moses, “Behold, I am about to rain bread from heaven for you, and the people shall go out and gather a day’s portion every day, that I may test them, whether they will walk in my law or not” (Exo. 16:4). In the morning, dew lay around the camp. When it dried, there was a fine, flake-like frosting on the ground, which the Hebrews called manna, literally meaning, “What is that?” They survived on manna till they came to the border of the land of Canaan, the land of promise.

Although manna was a physical manifestation, it is also meant to remind us that God is the source of all our needs. Manna is about receiving provision from God. The instruction to gather enough manna for each day was meant to build trust in God for provision and care. If a person tried to collect more than needed or to store the manna for the future, it would grow wormy and foul (see Exo 16:20).

In speaking about the manna God provided from heaven, Jesus said, “Truly, truly, I say to you, it was not Moses who gave you the bread from heaven, but my Father gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world” (John 6:32-33). He added, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst” (6:35). Jesus is the living bread. If anyone eats of this bread, he will live forever. Jesus said, “And the bread that I will give for the life of the world is my flesh” (6:51).

Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

whoever makes a practice of sinning

WE ARE CALLED TO be righteous. In his first epistle, John says, “Whoever practices righteousness is righteous, as he is righteous” (1 John 3:7). We have been given a covering of righteous before God because of the work Jesus did on the cross. Paul writes, “I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith for faith, as it is written, ‘The righteous shall live by faith” (Rom. 1:16-17). Although we have been set free from the bondage of sin, we have not yet been delivered from temptation. And so, we must work out our salvation daily, yearning after righteousness.

His Spirit in us produces righteousness as a part of the process of sanctification.

We have not been left powerless against the lust of the flesh. Paul says, “…the law of the Spirit of life has set us free in Christ Jesus from the law of sin and death” (Rom. 8:2). By sending His Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, the Father has done for us what the Law was not able to do—condemn sin in the flesh in order that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us through Jesus. To better explain this, Paul says, “For those who live according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who live according to the Spirit set their minds on the things of the Spirit” (Rom. 8:5). John tells us in chapter two of his first epistle that every person who lives a consistently righteous life give evidence that he or she is born of God.

John tells us whoever makes a practice of sinning is of the devil. No one born of God makes a practice of sinning. Why? Because “…God’s seed abides in him, and he cannot keep on sinning because he has been born of God” (1 John 3:9). Not wanting to leave us with a lopsided equation, John adds, “…whoever does not practice righteousness is not of God, nor is the one who does not love his brother” (3:10b). The Greek word “practice” is ποιῶν (poiōn), a present-tense active participle, suggesting a conscious choice. One who practices sin acts, brings about, commits, considers, does, exercises, observes, performs, sows, works, or produces sin. Such person continues to be dominated by the devil.

The Bible tells is that with every temptation to sin comes a way of escape. This is a good thing, because as we mature in Christ, the battle with sin does not get easier. Rather, it tends to get harder. Our resolve not to sin is made stronger by striving to grow in the stature of Christ, not in exercising our I shall not sin! muscles. In fact, the harder I tried not to watch pornography, the more I thought about pornography. Dangerous liaisons formed between me and the devil. “Well, it’s been a long time since I last watched porn, so at least I’m getting better.” Victory over habitual sin comes not from “trying” to avoid sin, but from setting our eyes on Christ and practicing righteous living.

Evan Milton said in his blog, “There’s a difference between committing sin and practicing sin. Committing sin is when you occasionally stumble in your walk with Christ into sin. Practicing sin is sinning on a repeated, ongoing basis without any care at all about whether or not what you’re doing is evil or immoral.”1 We must not deliberately go out of our way to sin, but we are prone to falling into sin. For some individuals, their “go to” sin is an addiction or mental stronghold. Others tend to return to old coping skills when stressed or troubled. But those who turn to sin on a daily basis without a sense of regret or conviction do not have the Spirit of Christ in them.

If, when we sin, we confess our sins to God, He will forgive us (1 John 1:9). I remember hearing the lyrics to a song by the Goads years ago that said, “A man who falls by the side of the road can pick himself up, dust himself off, and start all over again.” So, get back up and try again. Focus on the victory we have in Christ through his death and resurrection. Do not focus on “not sinning.” We no longer have to be slaves to sin. But if we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, Jesus is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness (see 1 John 1:8-9).

Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM

Unless otherwise noted, all Scripture contained herein is from the English Standard Version (ESV).

Footnotes
1 Evan Milton, “Does Repetitive Sin Mean We Are Not Saved?” Cerebral Faith (a blog), retrieved Feb. 2, 2024, https://cerebralfaith.net/does-repetitive-sin-mean-we-arent-saved/

worship is more than singing

MANY OF US BELIEVE worship means praising God in song and dance. We call singing the worship portion of the service; the musician are called the worship team. For the most part, this is a harmless distinction. However, worship is much more than this. To limit the definition of worship to singing can cause us to limit or compartmentalize our worship. We can avoid this by having a full understanding of the word worship. Certainly, worship means to giving praise, glory, honor, and service to God. But, in addition to singing, we must also worship God by living in obedience to Christ, emulating His life and teachings.

Our worship, regardless of its form, must be wholehearted!

Jesus told the woman at the well, “…the hour is coming, and is now here, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for the Father is seeking such people to worship him. God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth” (John 4:23-24). We should worship from our position in Christ. Part of taking up our cross is identifying the center cross as our cross. When we do this, we identify with Christ as our proxy; our substitute; our propitiation; the very sacrifice for our sins. Carrying this through to the end, we realize we have also been resurrected to new life in Christ.

Peter said we are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for God’s own possession, called out of darkness into His marvelous light (see 1 Pet. 2:9). As such, we are “set aside” by God to worship and serve Him. Paul tells us the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable (Rom. 11:29). The depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God are unsearchable. From Him and through Him and to Him are all things (Rom. 11:36). Paul writes, “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship (Rom. 12:1).

In the original Greek, the phrase “your bodies” is not merely a paraphrase for the word “yourselves,” but emphatically commands that we dedicate to God the very part of us which has an occasion to sin. Moreover, Paul is speaking about our bodies, hearts, and minds. We are called to serve God with our physical capabilities and with our intellectual and spiritual faculties. I believe the phrase “living sacrifice” includes being healthy and fit for service; being a good steward of the financial resources and assets with which God has blessed us in our present circumstances. Ready to go forth in obedience to God.

In closing, our worship must be comprehensive. God loves to hear us rejoicing in song, praising His name with dancing, making melody to him with tambourine and lyre (see Psa. 149). David wrote, “Be exalted, O God, above the heavens! I will sing and make melody! Awake, my glory! Awake, O harp and lyre! I will awake the dawn!” (Psa. 57:5a, 7b, 8). When we acknowledge the fulfillment of God’s promise to send a Savior to His people, we pause and worship Him. We worship God when we pray: Our Father in heaven, hallowed be Your name. Paul writes, “For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be glory forever” (Rom. 11:36). It is after this that he tells us to present our bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is our spiritual worship.

Remember, as you go forth each day, to strive for bringing honor and glory to God in all you say and do.

Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

test yourself

PAUL ADMONISHED THE CHURCH at Corinth, “Examine yourselves, to see whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves” (2 Cor. 13:5a). He was returning to Corinth for a third time to address the sinful behavior of believers who were claiming to be in Christ. Apparently, many failed to take seriously the power of evil, and their behavior was causing divisions in the church. This was unfortunately true of some members of the clergy as well. Therefore, Paul told everyone to evaluate their conduct in light of the tenets of the Christian faith. In perhaps his harshest criticism, he said, “Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?—unless indeed you fail to meet the test” (13:5-10).

A transliteration of verse 5 reads, …examine yourselves whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Or do you not recognize yourselves that Jesus Christ is in you unless indeed you fail the test? The Greek phrase “examine yourself” (πειράζετε, peirazete) is from the root peirazó, meaning “make proof of; to attempt, test, tempt.” This is similar to “try” or “trial,” as in a courtroom where one examines the evidence presented.

Paul instructed the Corinthians to test whether they were “in the faith” because many had not repented of the impurity, sexual immorality, and sensuality they practiced prior to knowing Christ (2 Cor. 12:21). The “practice” of sin suggests a deliberate and habitual undertaking that would seem to “disqualify” them as followers of Christ. Paul argued that true believers are identified as “those who have sinned in the past” (προημαρτηκόσιν, proēmartēkosin). Bible Hub’s interlinear translation breaks down the Greek in verse 21 as a perfect participle, “to sin before,” referring to those who before conversion had been guilty of vices especially common the Gentiles (see also 2 Cor. 12:21; 2 Cor. 13:2).1

This was not the first time Paul had admonished the believers at Corinth on their intentional sin. In his first letter, he remarked that many believers were participating in the Lord’s Supper in an unworthy manner. He wrote, “When you come together, it is not the Lord’s supper that you eat. For in eating, each one goes ahead with his own meal. One goes hungry, another gets drunk. What! Do you not have houses to eat and drink in” (1 Cor. 11:20-22). Paul reminded them that the Lord’s Supper was meant to proclaim the Lord’s death until he returns. He then added, “Whoever, therefore, eats the bread or drinks the cup of the Lord in an unworthy manner will be guilty concerning the body and blood of the Lord. Let a person examine himself, then, and so eat of the bread and drink of the cup” (vv. 27-28).

Paul was worried about the spiritual well being of the believers at Corinth. Without reservation, he said if they were truly “in the faith” then they would know that Jesus Christ lives inside them. The Holy Spirit would be working on them, promoting spiritual maturity, ongoing sanctification, and moral living. To this end, he adamantly said, “Test and evaluate yourselves to see whether you are in the faith and living your lives as [committed] believers. Examine yourselves [not me]! Or do you not recognize this about yourselves [by an ongoing experience] that Jesus Christ is in you—unless indeed you fail the test and are rejected as counterfeit” (2 Cor. 13:5, Amplified Bible). We must also examine ourselves. Is there evidence of the Holy Spirit in our daily living? Do we live according to the example given by Jesus? I challenge you to make this your New Year intention.

Steven Barto, BS Psy, ThM

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

References
1 Bible Hub, “Interlinear Bible,” retrieved Jan. 2, 2024, https://biblehub.com/interlinear/2_corinthians/12.htm

the parable of the narrow door

WHY MUST THE DOOR be narrow? Certainly, there will be more than ample room in heaven for everyone. Its vastness is beyond anything we can imagine. Scripture tells us that God desires everyone to be saved. Paul urged Timothy to make supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings for all people, for God our Savior desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth (see 1 Tim. 2:1-4). So, why this “narrow door” image of the way to salvation? What is this urgency that we stay on the narrow way? Let’s take a look.

“He went on his way through towns and villages, teaching and journeying toward Jerusalem. And someone said to him, ‘Lord, will those who are saved be few?’ And he said to them, ‘Strive to enter through the narrow door. For many, I tell you, will seek to enter and will not be able'” (Luke 13:22-24).

It is not about the mathematics of who gets into heaven and who does not; neither the number nor the percentage of earth’s population are what matter here. It requires a humble and repentant heart to respond properly to the gospel. When Jesus says, “Strive to enter through the narrow door,” He is urging people to respond properly to Him before it is too late and the Father (“the owner of the house”) closes the door. This is why Jesus contrasts the narrow gate to the “broad road.” The broad road (the “freeway of this world”) will always be crowded with people on a highway to hell.

Our citizenship in heaven comes when we enter into a relationship with Christ.

Only Certain People

When Jesus was asked whether only a few will be saved, He did not directly answer with “yes” or “no.” The point is not how many individuals make it into heaven. Rather it is about a proper response to the gospel, for it is only through believing in Christ that we can take the next exit off the broad road and head toward the narrow gate. Citizenship in heaven, if you will, is made possible by the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, but our entrance is not guaranteed. Although Jesus died for our sins, we have the responsibility of believing that we were crucified and raised up with Him to new life. We must believe that His death removes our sin and guilt.

The way to destruction is easy, but the way that leads to life is narrow and hard (see Matt. 7:13-14).

Concluding Thoughts

Jesus is the narrow way. He is the only way to the Father (see John 14:6). He is the only way of salvation (see Rom. 10:9-11). He lived and ministered on earth to provide detailed instructions for us to follow Him. We are to walk as He walked. Following in His footsteps, living as He lived, is the way to progressive sanctification. He is the gate of the sheep (see John 10:7); the bread of life (John 6:35); and the resurrection (John 11:25). L. Thompson writes, “The Gateway to Life is small. It is filled with many trials designed to refine and reveal our faith…It is not a selective process but a daily slaying of our flesh to allow God’s Spirit to resonate through us.” He added, “… I find that the more I seek to know the Lord, serve Him, and live for Him that the road has become less crowded.”1

God desires for all men to be saved. The parable of the narrow door reminds us of the harsh truth that not everyone will make it into heaven. Jesus tells us to strive, yearn for, pursue, chase after the narrow gate. The gate is “narrow” because the opportunity for entrance into heaven is meant only for those who call upon the Name of Jesus and be saved.

Steven Barto, BS PSY, ThM

Unless otherwise specified, all Scripture references contained herein are from the English Standard Version (ESV).

References
1 L. Thompson, The Narrow Road, July 8, 2020, retrieved Dec. 10, 2023, https://lthomason.wordpress.com/2020/07/08/the-narrow-road/