A Wonderful Beginning to a New Year

While studying this morning the Spirit opened me to a more complete understanding of our Lord’s name. It is not unusual while reading/studying the Word I come upon words/titles/scenes/histories which cause me to seek a better understanding from commentaries by believing authors. Today the name “Christ Jesus/Jesus Christ” captivated my attention. The below commentary is from Vine’s Expository Dictionary of New Testament Words. I hope it stirs you as it did me.

In the Epp. Of James, Peter, John, and Jude, men who had companied with the Lord in the days of His flesh, ‘Jesus Christ’ is the invariable order (in the R.V.) of the Name and Title, for this was the order of their experience; as ‘Jesus’ they knew Him first, that He was Messiah they learnt finally in His resurrection. But Paul came to know Him first in the glory of heaven, Acts 9:1-6, and his experience being thus the reverse of theirs, the reverse order, ‘Christ Jesus,’ is of frequent occurrence in his letters, but, with the exception of Acts 24:24, does not occur elsewhere in the R.V.
“In Paul’s letters the order is always in harmony with the context. Thus ‘Christ Jesus’ describes the Exalted One who emptied Himself,
Phil. 2:5, and testifies to His pre-existence; ‘Jesus Christ’ describes the despised and rejected One Who was afterwards glorified, Phil. 2:11, and testifies to His resurrection. ‘Christ Jesus’ suggests His grace, ‘Jesus Christ’ suggests His glory.” (emphasis added).

How beautifully stated! I know this in my head knowledge, but then someone says it just right and the Spirit illuminates it giving me heart knowledge. (Side Note - Is this the difference of the Greek words ginosko and oida?).

I think now about Romans 3:21-24. We so often quote verses 22-23 but neglect to follow with verse 24.

“21 But now a righteousness from God, apart from law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. 22 This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe. There is no difference, 23 for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,
24 and are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.”

When we don’t follow with verse 24, do we unknowingly short-change the Word of God? Can we understand the glory without understanding the grace? Can we understand the grace without understanding the glory?

I think now about how I first “companied” with the Lord – how I came to know Him. I think it is very rare our first encounter with Him is as it was with Saul (Paul). For most I think it was as with the apostles. Not many (actually I know none other than Saul, maybe Isaiah 6:1-6) are “picked-up”, no for me and for most He “came down” – “…you stoop down to make me great,…” Ps 18:35.

I don’t think the real question is How or Where or in which Order we came to know Him but Do we know Him? Do we know Him both as the Son of God (Christ Jesus) and the Son of Man (Jesus Christ)? Do we know Him as John does in Jn 1:1-5,14?

- Our Lord’s Eternity of Being: “In the beginning was the Word.”
- His Distinct Personality: “The Word was with God.”
- His True Deity: “The Word was God.”
- His Unchanging Relationship: “The same in the beginning.”
- His Full Creatorial Glory: “All things were made by Him.”
- His Life-giving Power: “In Him was life.”
- His Incarnation: “The Word became flesh.”
Ironside’s: The Gospel of John

I love knowing His forms, His nature: “Who being in very nature God,…taking the very nature of a servant,…” Phil 2:6-8.

I love you LORD. I thank you for a wonderful beginning to a new year, for opening my heart and mind to a deeper understanding of You. Yes as the psalmist wrote, I also lift up my voice and sing “As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, O God”. I pray You give your children (those known and those who will be known) a driving hunger and an unquenchable thirst to know you more fully – for You will provide. And as you bless us, may we freely give as we have received. May we worship you in Truth and in Spirit being thankful in heart. May our desire be your will - for we love you with all our heart, soul and strength.


Happy New Year,
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Psalm 18:25-27

To the faithful you show yourself faithful, to the blameless you show yourself blameless, to the pure you show yourself pure, but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.

I am buffeted and intrigued by this verse.

I am strengthened by its truth because the LORD has said “Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God,…” Deut 7:9 (I almost think “the” should be capitalized don’t you?). I am encouraged because “The one who calls you is faithful and he will do it.” I Th. 5:24. But most of all I am thankful, humbled, held and comforted because “if we are faithless, he will remain faithful, for he cannot disown himself.” Tim 2:13. Deut 7:9, I Th 5:24 and Tim 2:13 is almost summed up by the verse “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith – and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God” Eph 2:8. To know He is faithful when I am faithless is an understanding of truth words cannot express – only my heart. Thank you God for knowing this heart of mine. It also makes me think about Joshua 1:5 …” So I will be with you; I will never leave you nor forsake you.” Chuck Swindoll’s paraphrase of this verse has stuck with me and gives me a better understanding: For I will never leave you and I will NEVER LET YOU GO. How can we not praise Him?

My being blameless before Him is only done by Christ. Sometimes when I’m praying I see myself before the throne of God. I know it is not me He sees but his Son. I know the answered prayer(s) are not to me but to His own Namesake. What an awesome God he is! What a privilege to be a part of the communing between God the Father and Christ his son. What other position in this life would we want? To know Him as a blameless God can only be understood by the Spirit which He has given us. How beautiful your Being is God –

I believe the pure in heart will not only see the purity of God – his attributes of love, righteousness and justice but also His very face. He has told us so in the blessing and promise of Mat 5:8 “Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God.” I know I am not the only one who longs for this day and cries “Create in me a pure heart, O God…” Ps 51:10. Why doesn’t every believer desire this? Why, why, why? I know He has made each person different – different personalities, different appearances, different gifts and different ways. But to every believer He has given us one heart and that for Himself. Even I cannot trust my own heart, but I can trust Him who holds it and makes it pure.

The saddest part of this whole verse is “…but to the crooked you show yourself shrewd.” Do you think this is why non-believers think he his an angry and/or a capricious God? They cannot see his faithfulness, his blamelessness nor his purity – how dark it must be to them. How alone they must feel. Or worse yet, how prideful they must be. It would be better to be lost and hear His call than to walk in pride, for “…arrogance (is) like the evil of idolatry.” I Sam 15:23. When God gave the commandment “You shall have no other gods before me.” and “You shall not make for yourself an idol…” Deut 5:7-8, it included ourselves.

This makes me think about the two thieves on either side of Jesus on Calvary. One was lost and heard his call, the other was prideful. One asked, received, and lives, the other never bowed the knee and is dead.