Sermon extras from 1Peter 3:8-22

Posted 18 Sep, 2009 by Ben Gooley

In response to the questions last night, Tony Payne’s article explaining his position on 1Peter 3 can be found on the Matthias Media website.

My personal translation of the key verses is:

For Christ also suffered, once for sins, the righteous for the sake of the unrighteous, in order that he might bring us to God, on the one hand being put to death in [the] flesh, on the other hand being made alive in [the] spirit, in which also to the spirits in prison he went and preached – to the formerly disobedient, while the patience of God waited. In the days of Noah, while the ark was being built – into which a few (that is eight souls) were saved through water – which also [as] an antitype now saves you: baptism – not of the flesh (the removal of dirt) but the pledge of a good conscience to God through the resurrection of Jesus, who is at the right [hand] of God, proceeded to heaven, angels and authorities and powers being put in subjection to him.

Answers to questions on Psalm 95

Posted 16 Sep, 2009 by Ben Gooley

Q: Psalm 95:1-2 talks about “coming into his presence”. Aren’t we always in God’s presence? This is also in direct context of singing. Does singing “bring” us into God’s presence? You mentioned how emotions are tied in with this, these are often confused, how do we steer clear of this?

The answer is along the lines of that the presence of God in the Old Testament is particularly associated with the Temple.

So come in to the temple with songs of praise and thanksgiving because the temple is the spatial reminder of God’s presence amongst you, his awesome power and his amazing love, because your sins are atoned for.

It’s not a causal link, it’s a idea of “along with”. The Christian is already seated with Christ in the heavenlies (Eph 2:6) and is united with Christ in life and death (Rom 6, Gal 2) and so we are the temple of God (1Peter 2). Hence nothing except faith and repentance moved by God’s gracious action can “bring us into the presence of God”. So singing does not ever “bring us into the presence of God” but being in the presence of God we should sing and over flow with thankfulness (Col 3:16; 2:7)

Now I assume he means that emotions are often confused – actually I suspect he really means misleading – how can we avoid this? We don’t avoid emotions, there is no scriptural call, or possibility in reality I think. We are all emotional beings, it just runs quieter in some of us. Rather, we are to strive to keep our emotions shaped by the word of God, by obedience and practice. So we are not to plunge into debauchery, sensuality, passions, drunkenness and orgies, but be self-controlled and sober-minded for the sake of our prayers. (1Peter 4:3-7) or in a more Pauline way – “And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs” (Eph 5:18–19). So renewe the old self in the image of it’s creator. Be changed inside by the operation of the Spirit in the Word, and be thankful.

Q: When Israel hardened their hearts at Meribah, what makes you say they were praising God? It appears (to me) that they are completely rejecting YHWH, not doing lip-service to him.

That’s true, in Exodus 17 they were no longer giving lip-service to God, but before that they had been. Check the End of Ex 15 – after the song of Moses they all wend dancing and singing, and at the end of 14, “the people feared the LORD and they believed in the LORD and in his servant Moses.”

However, the point really is that David is saying to them not to say one thing and do another. The Israelites of Exodus are accused of hardening their hearts despite all that God had done, so you Israel, now, who have the trappings of religiosity and worship, you are in danger of being just like them, in hardening your heart. So don’t!

Hosea 1-3 Q&A

Posted 8 Jun, 2009 by Ben Gooley

Last night, there were some questions I wasn’t sure what to say. Well I had a think and read, and this is what I’ve come up with…

Q. Why is Jezreel suddenly positive in 1:11?

The answer to this one is a little tricky. In 1:11, there isn’t enough data to say, for sure. There’s a clear reversal to ALL THREE of the children’s names, but how the Jezreel one works doesn’t actually get explained until 2:21-22.

In 2:22, we meet Jezreel again, but there, we’re given more info. The trouble is that there’s a Hebrew pun going on!!

Jezreel in Hebrew means “God will sow”, and so the idea is that on the day of Jezreel, God will do the sowing, not the so-called fertility baals. Have a read of the sections and see if you can spot it. Whereas the reversal for the other two kids is fairly straightforward, the reversal for Jezreel is subtler, because it involves the Hebrew etymology.

So there you go. I wish I’d known that on Sunday, but it was one of those things I’d meant to look up and hadn’t.

Q. Is there any particular significance to the ‘betrothed’ language in 2:19-20?

I’m not sure that there’s much to say here except that this is the only place in Hosea that the language of “marry” is actually used. In other places, it’s things like “go and take a wife” and so on. I don’t think there’s necessarily anything significant about that…but there might be. That the ‘betrothal’ language only appears in this very positive context may not be an accident, but it’s hard to make a strong point from it.