The LiMP

This is the series introduction episode. Christ’s parables are given to the true believers in Christ to understand. And it is up to us to take what we learn from the parables and so apply it to our lives that we become disciple-making disciples of Jesus Christ. That was God’s original desire for Israel. But by their continual rebellion and unbelief, they judged themselves unworthy of these mysteries for now. But may we never forget that salvation is of the Jew first, then also the Gentile.

2 Corinthians 5:15-16 says, “And [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”

The apostle Paul approaches what we see in 2 Corinthians 5 on the heels of verse 18 of the previous chapter. After discussing God’s great power in ministry and how he lives and conducts his ministry by faith, he talks about the inevitable affliction that service to Christ brings on him from the world. But he calls it light affliction as he compares the sufferings to the exceeding and eternal weight of glory promised to Him by the Lord (v. 17).

So verse 18 says, “…we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” First of all, what does he mean by we do not look at the things which are seen? Is Paul saying that we are to simply ignore the visible, material world? Of course not, some other passages give us clues to what he means.

In this episode we look at why Paul says we no longer know anyone after the flesh...

2 Corinthians 5:15-16 says, “And [Jesus] died for all, that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for Him who died for them and was raised again. Therefore, from now on, we regard no one according to the flesh. Even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him thus no longer.”

The apostle Paul approaches what we see in 2 Corinthians 5 on the heels of verse 18 of the previous chapter. After discussing God’s great power in ministry and how he lives and conducts his ministry by faith, he talks about the inevitable affliction that service to Christ brings on him from the world. But he calls it light affliction as he compares the sufferings to the exceeding and eternal weight of glory promised to Him by the Lord (v. 17).

So verse 18 says, “…we do not look at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen. For the things which are seen are temporary, but the things which are not seen are eternal.” First of all, what does he mean by we do not look at the things which are seen? Is Paul saying that we are to simply ignore the visible, material world? Of course not, some other passages give us clues to what he means.

In this episode we look at why Paul says we no longer know anyone after the flesh...

2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

Jesus, the God-Man, lived the perfect life, and died the perfect death for the sin of the world. But who does that atoning death actually cover? Is it all of those who confess the name of the Lord? Or is it those whom the Lord knows are His? Or is it both? One thing’s for sure, Christ knows…

2 Timothy 2:19 says, “Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: "The Lord knows those who are his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness."

Jesus, the God-Man, lived the perfect life, and died the perfect death for the sin of the world. But who does that atoning death actually cover? Is it all of those who confess the name of the Lord? Or is it those whom the Lord knows are His? Or is it both? One thing’s for sure, Christ knows…

On this two-part episode we will let God define for us what it is to believe and to be saved, and how it shows us that the doctrine of the eternal security of the Believer in Christ is sound. We will do so by examining God’s involvement in our salvation.

On this two-part episode we will let God define for us what it is to believe and to be saved, and how it shows us that the doctrine of the eternal security of the Believer in Christ is sound. We will do so by examining God’s involvement in our salvation.

On this two-part episode we will let God define for us what it is to believe and to be saved, and how it shows us that the doctrine of the eternal security of the Believer in Christ is sound. We will do so by examining God’s involvement in our salvation.

On this two-part episode we will let God define for us what it is to believe and to be saved, and how it shows us that the doctrine of the eternal security of the Believer in Christ is sound. We will do so by examining God’s involvement in our salvation.

Have you ever seen red? No I’m not talking about the color red. I’m talking about being angry. It is believed the term originates with the art of bullfighting and how it seems the read cape of the bullfighter enrages the bull, and causes it to charge. Or have you ever been beside yourself… with anger? People of ancient history believed that under times of great emotional stress, the soul could temporarily leave the body, and exist in close proximity to its host. As silly as it sounds, these characterizations are how we essentially find Jonah at the end of the biblical account of his ministry. In fact, Jonah told God that he was mad enough to die. I guess that’s similar to phrases like “Just shoot me” or “Kill me now” which many people flippantly use today. But believe me, Jonah wasn’t playing. He was so livid he could die (see Jonah 4:3)! But wow! How did a prophet of God get to the point in his life where he was literally angry at people’s positive response to his message...

God sent Jonah on a mission of mercy and grace. Jonah was to preach that Nineveh had 40 days to turn to God from their wicked ways or God would overthrow their city. It wasn’t about restitution or reparations. It was simply about being reconciled to God. We know this by the very last verse of the last chapter of Jonah where God says that there are 120,000 people there who don’t know their left hand from their right. God was interested in the souls of lost Ninevites.

Jonah only saw people that deserved to be punished the way they had punished others. And he was worried that God would give them the same opportunity He had afforded his own people the Jews, though they were never as wicked as the Ninevites, and were usually the ones oppressed by other people.

I’d like to illustrate by saying that Jonah foresaw the wicked, deplorable Ninevites essentially pole-vaulting out of sin, over and across the slime-pit of all of the heinous atrocities they committed in the world (and to the Jews), and right into the loving arms of the God who is not a respecter of persons! And boy! Jonah did not like that!