Christianity and Gentile Beliefs - Victory over Gentile Beliefs



CHRISTIANITY – A TRIUMPHANT WAY OF LIFE


Four Beliefs of the Gentiles

Mat 6:31-33: Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

The Gentiles have four basic beliefs which causes their anxiety in their seeking.

I.     Belief in chance

They believe in chance -  not the providence of God
They see no purpose in the things that happen.
It just happened
They believe it was a coincidence or chance.

Are we able to surrender our hearts to the fact that all things come to us by the hand of God? "And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose," ROM 8:28.
Do you believe in chance or are you truly able to surrender your heart to the providing hand of God? He provides, and He sends every difficulty.

One time I was in the greatest difficulty that I had ever been through. The Lord came to me with a passage of Scripture, "Think not that I am come to send peace on earth: I came not to send peace, but a sword," MAT 10:34. All of a sudden I had to see that that very trial, as crucifying to my flesh as it was, was sent by the hand of the Lord. It did not come by chance. That belief in chance is the first belief of the Gentile.

II.  Belief in Fate

They believe in fate.
In a fatalistic belief there is a cold, careless attitude.
They believe they have to do this and see what happens because it could go either way.
Many people who teach the doctrines of the sovereignty of God get caught in Satan's trap of fatalism.
Their reasoning is, "If I'm going to be saved, I'll be saved, so there is nothing I can do, we must just wait and see."
This is absolutely Satanic.
It is the same unbelief that is a characteristic of the Gentiles.
It is contrary to Scripture.
We are to seek after God while He may be found. We are to repent and seek after Christ.

III.             Belief in superstition

They believe in superstition.
This witchcraft is a fear of evil spirits, a fear of the unknown, a mystical fear of great evil.

IV.   Belief in self or humanism

A belief in self or humanism.
It is a belief in one's own works and achievements, and one's own storehouses.
This is part of the unbelief of the Gentiles.
Such people believe in their own works; it is their skill, education, or experience which will see them through their problems.
They are going to be successful, lucky, have a good year, store up wealth, make an empire, build an inheritance for their children.
They build confidence in humanism.
That is a belief of the Gentiles.


Worry is the result of gentile beliefs

If you or I have anxiety, we must examine our hearts to see which of these Gentile beliefs are captivating us.
The fruit of these views is anxiety about the unknown future.
We need to see through something here.
If God is not the root, if the knowledge of God for our every need is not the foundation of our hope, there is not peace.


What the gentile have done?

Romans 1 : 25  Who changed the truth of God into a lie, and worshipped and served the creature more than the Creator, who is blessed for ever. Amen. {more: or, rather}
 (KJV)


This was the solution the worry of gentiles about their future.


Our premise:

God is called the true God in opposition to idols, which are called false gods. There is but one real or true God, and all others are false.

Into a lie - into idols, or false gods.  
Idols are not un frequently called falsehood and lies, because they are not true representations of God

The sun, moon and stars and all other heavenly bodies are created by God.
Man is above all creations of God in this world.

Leviticus 20 :  23 And you shall not walk in the customs of the nation which I am casting out before you; for they did all these things, and therefore I abhorred them.    (RSV)


Triumph of Christians


2 Corinthians 2 : 14 But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumph, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere.     (RSV)

1.      Christ lead us in triumph
2.      Christ lead us in triumph always (every day, every moment)
3.      Our life spreads the fragrance of the triumphal celebration.


What is the meaning of ‘triumph’?

What does the word triumph represent here?

It is the Roman Celebration given in the honour of the victorious military general returning from defeating the enemy and conquering the land.
It is the greatest honour a Roman citizen can dream of.

·      A triumph, among the Romans, to which the apostle here alludes, was a public and solemn honour conferred by them on a victorious general, by allowing him a magnificent procession through the city.
·      It is the greatest honour a Roman citizen can dream of.
·      This was not granted by the senate unless the general had gained:

i.      a very signal and decisive victory, and
ii.    conquered a province

·      Triumph is countable victory
·      It is not just the victory declared by faith
·      It is beyond that – a countable victory


Leviticus 20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

Inherit – (yarash,  yaw-rash' ; or yaresh, yaw-raysh') - a primitive root;

i.      to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place)
ii.    magistrate

Triumph is final victory and conquering possessions


Whom do we triumph over?

Jesus celebrated his triumph over the principalities and powers by defeating and disarming them.

Colossians 2 : 13 - 23
13   And you, who were dead in trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, God made alive together with him, having forgiven us all our trespasses,
14   having canceled the bond which stood against us with its legal demands; this he set aside, nailing it to the cross.
15   He disarmed the principalities and powers and made a public example of them, triumphing over them in him.
16   Therefore let no one pass judgment on you in questions of food and drink or with regard to a festival or a new moon or a sabbath.
17   These are only a shadow of what is to come; but the substance belongs to Christ.
18   Let no one disqualify you, insisting on self-abasement and worship of angels, taking his stand on visions, puffed up without reason by his sensuous mind,
19   and not holding fast to the Head, from whom the whole body, nourished and knit together through its joints and ligaments, grows with a growth that is from God.
20   If with Christ you died to the elemental spirits of the universe, why do you live as if you still belonged to the world? Why do you submit to regulations,
21   "Do not handle, Do not taste, Do not touch"
22   (referring to things which all perish as they are used), according to human precepts and doctrines?
23   These have indeed an appearance of wisdom in promoting rigor of devotion and self-abasement and severity to the body, but they are of no value in checking the indulgence of the flesh.  (RSV)

Colossians 2 : 15           And having spoiled principalities and powers, he made a shew of them openly, triumphing over them in it. {in it: or, in himself}   (KJV)

Verse 15.  And having spoiled – Plundered - as a victorious army does a conquered country.

The terms used in this verse are all military
Christ has completely subdued our enemies by his death.
A complete victory was achieved by his death, so that everything is now in subjection to him, and we have nothing to fear.

Christ has achieved for us such a victory, and has subdued all the foes of man
We should not be led captive, but should regard ourselves as freemen.
We should not be made again the slaves of custom, or habit, or ritual observances, or superstitious rites, or anything whatever that has its origin in the kingdom of darkness.
We are bound to assert and to use our freedom, and should not allow any hostile power, in the form of philosophy or false teaching of any kind, to plunder or "spoil" us,

Colossians 2: 8 Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.
                          {rudiments: or, elements} {make a prey: or, seduce you, or, lead you astray}  (KJV)

The Christian is a freeman.
His great Captain has subdued all his enemies, and we should not allow them again to set up their dark empire over our souls.
The argument of the apostle in these verses Colossians 2:13-15 is derived from what Christ has done for us.

He mentions four things.

(1)   He has given us spiritual life;
 (2) He has forgiven all our trespasses;
 (3) He has blotted out or abolished the "ordinances" that were against us; and
 (4) He has triumphed over all our foes. From all this he infers Col 2:16, seq. that we should not be made captive or subdued by any of the rights of superstition, or any of the influences of the kingdom of darkness.


The purpose of Christ’s coming to this world

Luke 4 : 18 - 21
 18 "The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he has anointed me to preach good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed,
 19 to proclaim the acceptable year of the Lord."
 20 And he closed the book, and gave it back to the attendant, and sat down; and the eyes of all in the synagogue were fixed on him.
 21 And he began to say to them, "Today this scripture has been fulfilled in your hearing."
       (RSV)

This is found in Isaiah 61:1; but our Lord immediately adds to it Isaiah 42:7.

Deliverance to the captives -  
This is a figure originally applicable to those who were in captivity in Babylon.
They were miserable.
To grant deliverance to them and restore them to their country -- to grant deliverance to those who are in prison and restore them to their families--to give liberty to the slave and restore him to freedom, was to confer the highest benefit and impart the richest favour.
In this manner the gospel imparts favour.
It does not, indeed, literally open the doors of prisons, but it releases the mind captive under sin; it gives comfort to the prisoner,
It will finally open all prison doors and break off all the chains of slavery, and, by preventing crime, prevent also the sufferings that are the consequence of crime.

To the captives (aichmalôtois)
Prisoners of war will be released
(aichmê, a spear point, and halôtos, from haliskomai, to be captured). Captured by the spear point.


How did Jesus triumph over the enemy – His method of fight and defeating

Luke 11 : 21, 22
21 When a strong man, fully armed, guards his own palace, his goods are in peace;
22 but when one stronger than he assails him and overcomes him, he takes away his armor in which he trusted, and divides his spoil.
(RSV)


We are triumphant

Colossians 2 : 8 – 10
 8 See to it that no one makes a prey of you by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the universe, and not according to Christ.
 9 For in him the whole fulness of deity dwells bodily,
 10 and you have come to fulness of life in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.
 (RSV)

Leviticus 20:24 But I have said unto you, Ye shall inherit their land, and I will give it unto you to possess it, a land that floweth with milk and honey: I am the LORD your God, which have separated you from other people.

Inherit – (yarash,  yaw-rash' ; or yaresh, yaw-raysh') - a primitive root;

i.             to occupy (by driving out previous tenants, and possessing in their place)
ii.    magistrate


1 Peter 2 : 9   But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light: {peculiar: or, purchased} {praises: or, virtues}

Psalms 82: 6  I say, "You are gods, sons of the Most High, all of you;  (RSV)

Ye are my representatives, and are clothed with my power and authority to dispense judgment and justice, therefore all of them are said to be children of the Most High.


1 John 4:4    Little children, you are from God and have overcome them, for he who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.


Psalms 121 : 6 - 8
 6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.
 7 The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.
 8 The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.
(KJV)

Amos 5 : 8, 9
8   Seek him that maketh the seven stars and Orion, and turneth the shadow of death into the morning, and maketh the day dark with night: that calleth for the waters of the sea, and poureth them out upon the face of the earth: The LORD is his name:
9   That strengtheneth the spoiled against the strong, so that the spoiled shall come against the fortress. {spoiled: Heb. spoil}
     (KJV)

Job 9 : 7 - 9
7   Which commandeth the sun, and it riseth not; and sealeth up the stars.
8   Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea. {waves: Heb. heights}
9   Which maketh Arcturus, Orion, and Pleiades, and the chambers of the south. {Arcturus...: Heb. Ash, Cesil, and Cimah}
10 Which doeth great things past finding out; yea, and wonders without number.
     (KJV)

Psalms 115 : 4 - 8
4   Their idols are silver and gold, the work of men's hands.
5   They have mouths, but they speak not: eyes have they, but they see not:
6   They have ears, but they hear not: noses have they, but they smell not:
7   They have hands, but they handle not: feet have they, but they walk not: neither speak they through their throat.
8   They that make them are like unto them; so is every one that trusteth in them.
     (KJV)


Professor Jacob Abraham
www.professorjacobabraham.com

Parable of two sons



Luke 15:17-20
17     And when he came to himself, he said, How many hired servants of my father's have bread enough and to spare, and I perish with hunger!
18     I will arise and go to my father, and will say unto him, Father, I have sinned against heaven, and before thee,
19     And am no more worthy to be called thy son: make me as one of thy hired servants.
20     And he arose, and came to his father. But when he was yet a great way off, his father saw him, and had compassion, and ran, and fell on his neck, and kissed him.
         (KJV)

The parable of two sons begins with an incident that was quite legal. The second son among the two sons of a rich man demanded his share. There is nothing wrong in asking for his share by an adult. In the old testament too we see Achsah asking for a more opulent share from her father.
 
Joshua 15:18, 19
 18    And it came to pass, as she came unto him, that she moved him to ask of her father a field: and she lighted off her ass; and Caleb said unto her, What wouldest thou?
 19    Who answered, Give me a blessing; for thou hast given me a south land; give me also springs of water. And he gave her the upper springs, and the nether springs.
         (KJV)

So the father gave his share gladly. There is no sign of hesitation from the father in the parable. But the young man had an evil intention. He sold out all his properties and left his father’s house. He went away to a distant land of evil countrymen. There he gathered many evil friends and wasted away all his wealth.

The problem with is not that he asked for his legitimate share, but that e left his father’s house. The father has no dislike to his children asking or enjoying their legitimate share of wealth. He expresses his pleasure in his children enjoying their wealth in his talk with the elder son at a later time.
 
Luke 15 : 31 And he said unto him, Son, thou art ever with me, and all that I have is thine. (KJV)

So his mistake is that he left his father’s presence and wasted his inheritance with strange evil people. The father is not responsible for it. He had the absolute freedom of choice to choose to live with his father or leave him. He selected the later. Hence he had to bear the fruit of it. He lost everything, suffered poverty and humiliation.

Poverty, frustration and humiliation made him turn aside. The parable’s brilliant part is this incident of turning away from sins and its consequences. Bible records that he came to himself. He turned to himself. He had certain realizations.

1.    He realized his present condition.

Ignorance is hindrance to deliverance. Ignorance of one’s present situation is the greatest hindrance to deliverance. But this young man turned to himself and realized his present condition.
He was theologizing over his condition. He did not try to find a theological explanation to justify his suffering. He could argue his lineage to a rich man. He could boast of his family traditions, his membership in a church, his past spiritual experiences etc. But that would not lead him to any deliverance. He understood that he is in deep bondage.

Ignorance of one’s present condition is not a blessing, but a reason for being in the bondage.

Jesus, as he approached Jerusalem on the back of an ass as the declaring himself as the King of the Jews, looked at the city and cried. He knew what waits for him and the city. So He wept for the city. Here are his words:

Luke 19: 41-44
41     And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
42     Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
43     For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
44     And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
         (KJV)

Jesus is using an image from the Old Testament period. It is process of siege of a town or country by the enemies.

The siege is done through 5 steps.

i.                     Enemies shall cast a trench about
ii.                   Compass thee round
iii.                  Keep thee in on every side
iv.                 Lay thee and your children with the ground
v.                   Shall not leave one stone upon another.

This is the process.
The word trench now means commonly a pit or ditch. When the Bible was translated, it meant also earth thrown up to defend a camp (Johnson's Dictionary). This is the meaning of the original here. It is not a pit or large ditch, but a pile of earth, stones, or wood thrown up to guard a camp, and to defend it from the approach of an enemy. This was done at the siege of Jerusalem. Josephus informs us that Titus, in order that he might compel the city to surrender by famine, built a wall around the whole circumference of the city. This wall was nearly 5 miles in length, and was furnished with thirteen castles or towers. This work was completed with incredible labour in ten days. The professed design of this wall was to keep the city in on every side. Never was a prophecy more strikingly accomplished.

The enemies shall dig deep trench about the town so that none goes out and none comes in. No food, no medicine, no help shall come to you. No spiritual and physical blessings shall come to you. You are totally isolated.


They compass you round. Enemies on the left, enemies on the right. Enemies everywhere. Enemies in the neighborhood. Enemies in the working place. Enemies in the business field. Enemies, enemies and enemies …

They will keep themselves there. They will not leave you alone. They will exercise such pressure on you. You are pushed to this side and that. You are pulled to here and that. Torture, humiliation, betrayal and many more painful experiences.

Shall lay thee and your children even with the ground. This was literally done. Titus caused a plough to pass over the place where the temple stood.
All prosperity of your home is lost. Your children remain jobless. Divorce and break up of family relationship occur. Your income and health is lost. Diseases increase in number.

The last stage. Your town is totally destroyed and even every brick is uprooted. You house is pulled down. The enemy shall leave no sign behind that you ever lived here.

Jesus was prophesying about the future of Jerusalem. His prophecy came true by AD 70 when Jerusalem was attacked by the Roman General Titus. We are not discussing the fulfillment of the prophecy. We are deducing the methods of an enemy in attacking God’s children.

Are you at any one of the above described stages of siege? If yes, it is time to turn around to your father’s house.

2.       He realized that he cannot save himself from this bondage.

The young man tried to save himself by accepting a job with a rich man of the town. He tried to quench his hunger by eating the husks that the swine did eat. But he could not get even that. Then he remembered the fact that “in his father’s house there is plenty”.

3.       He realized that only his father can save him from this deplorable condition. Only Jesus can save us from the bondages of Satan.

4.       He decided to go back to his father’s house.

5.       He acted upon his decision. He stood up and walked back to his father’s house.

In our father’s house, there is plenty. Even the hirelings in the house eat and spare. There is abundance in our father’s house.
There is healing, prosperity and more in our father’s house.

There is another significant thing that he mentions.
He is talking about the hirelings in the father’s house. Hirelings are the lowest category of servants. They are below the slaves of the master. They are daily workers hired in the morning. The master has no responsibility towards except to give their wages in the evening. The young man remembers that even those hirelings have plenty in his father’s house.

Spiritually, all those who call upon the Lord are delivered in the last days. 
 
Joel 2:32    And it shall come to pass, that whosoever shall call on the name of the LORD shall be delivered: for in mount Zion and in Jerusalem shall be deliverance, as the LORD hath said, and in the remnant whom the LORD shall call.  (KJV)

All spiritual hirelings calling on the Lord are delivered in the last days. They are receiving healing and prosperity.
If the hirelings are being saved, how much more shall those who are saved by the blood of Christ?
If we are not delivered, we are worse than the hirelings.

How come the hirelings are delivered? Because they are in the Father’s House. Deliverance is there in the Father’s House. Being in the Father’s House is the only way to be delivered.

On the Cross of the Calvary where Christ triumphed over sickness, curse, poverty and sin, there is total deliverance available to all who rely on it by faith. None else is available deliverance from sin, sickness and poverty. On the Cross there is abundance.

Let us turn back to the Father’s House.
Let us remain fast in the Father’s House.

Professor Jacob Abraham