Verse of the Day (November 21, 2019) #BMSeminary – In 1 Corinthians, Paul addresses a church that, like many in our day, is both deeply flawed and greatly loved. To prepare his readers to confront the many challenges to their spiritual maturity, he reminds them that God’s people possess the resources needed for spiritual growth and transformation. We are united to Christ (“in Christ Jesus”; vv. 2, 4). We share fellowship with him and with God as our Father (vv. 3, 9). As a result, we receive the blessings of grace, peace, and the gifts of the Spirit (vv. 3–7). Though we were once defiled by sin, God has now cleansed us and made us his holy people through Christ’s perfect sacrifice (“sanctified,” “saints,” v. 2; “guiltless,” v. 😎. Confidence that we can grow in holiness rests not on ourselves but on the faithfulness of God and of his Son Jesus, who will “sustain [us] to the end” (vv. 8–9). The logic of the epistle is therefore clear: the kind of repentance, holy living, and self-sacrificial love that should characterize believers in Christ can be realized only by the supply of, and dependence upon, gospel provisions. (Gospel Transformation Study Bible)
Verse of the Day (November 21, 2019)
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Verse of the Day (November 20, 2019) #BMSeminary – God’s grace as “the rock of our salvation” (v. 1) provokes the believer to joyful and humble worship. The first sign of joyful worship is singing, which expresses the full range of human emotion, especially love (vv. 1–2; Eph. 5:19–21; Col. 3:16). Humble prayer also characterizes godly worship. Kneeling (Ps. 95:6) is a common posture for prayer in the Bible because it is a physical expression of humility before someone great, especially one greater than demons (v. 3), creation (vv. 4–5), and all people (v. 6). The believer bows to God out of a heart overflowing with gratefulness for who God is and what he has done (vv. 3–7; Eph. 3:14). At the same time, God will not be presumed upon by our adopting any practice that becomes superficial or superstitious. The psalmist reminds the worshipers of the “test” at Massah, when the Israelites grumbled that they had no water (Ps. 95:7b–11). Commenting on this passage, the writer of Hebrews interprets “today” to mean whenever someone hears the call to repentance and “rest” as referring to eternal salvation through Jesus Christ (Heb. 3:7–15; 4:3–7). The opposite of repentance (i.e., turning from sin to God) is going “astray” (Ps. 95:10). Straying begins with discontentment and ends in direct disobedience. Straying sinners do the opposite of what they know God commands. In contrast, joyful obedience results from worshiping God as the great King, Maker, and Shepherd. And it will be the remembrance of his abundant kindness that will melt ungrateful hearts (cf. v. 7; Rom. 2:4)—kindness that finds supreme expression in the sending of his own Son in the fullness of time. (Gospel Transformation Study Bible)
Verse of the Day (November 19, 2019) #BMSeminary – Blessed. Hebrew ʾašrê; often translated “happy” or “fortunate.” It refers to how true happiness comes to those who refuse to identify with the way of the wicked but who instead are rooted in God’s word. (For the other main Hebrew word for blessing, see note on 3:8.) walk in step . . . stand . . . sit. These verbs of bodily motion are metaphors for the progressive internal attitudes and external behaviors of God’s enemies. The progression moves from casual identification (“walk in step”) to complete association (“sit”). The single righteous individual of vv. 1-3 contrasts with the many wicked ones in v. 1; that is, the righteous person is to stand out and away from the crowd. The key to the psalm: success in life depends on saturation in God’s word. delight. The righteous person takes joy or pleasure in God’s word because of the inherently valuable qualities in it; this word elsewhere speaks of a person’s delight in other valuable objects, such as gold, a secure dwelling place, or even a man’s delight in a woman. law of the Lord. Some take this to refer to the law of Moses given in Deuteronomy, others to the larger body of Mosaic laws in Exodus to Deuteronomy, and still others to the entire Pentateuch. meditates. Here, one who delights in God’s law “meditates” on it day and night. Such an attitude is also at the heart of what the ideal Israelite king should display (Deut 17:18-20) as well as the key to Joshua’s leadership (Josh 1:7-8). The underlying idea is something audible. In the ancient world, reading was done aloud, so to “meditate” meant to read aloud and ponder. (Zondervan Study Bible)
Verse of the Day (November 18, 2019) #BMSeminary – The sanctification of Christians is a lifelong process. It involves both a relational component (separation from participating in and being influenced by evil) and a moral component (growth in holiness or moral purity in attitudes, thoughts, and actions). This occurs in the truth, that is, as Christians believe, think, and live according to “the truth” in relation to God, themselves, and the world. This truth comprises the entire Bible, for Jesus says, your word is truth. The Greek word is surprisingly not an adjective (meaning “your word is true”) but a noun (alētheia, “truth”). This implies that God’s Word does not simply conform to some other external standard of “truth,” but that it is truth itself; that is, it embodies truth and it therefore is the standard of truth against which everything else must be tested and compared. (ESV Study Bible)
Verse of the Day (November 17, 2019) #BMSeminary – Happy Lord’s Day to all! The word of God directs us in our work and way, and a dark place indeed the world would be without it. The commandment is a lamp kept burning with the oil of the Spirit, as a light to direct us in the choice of our way, and the steps we take in that way. The keeping of God’s commands here meant, was that of a sinner under a dispensation of mercy, of a believer having part in the covenant of grace. The psalmist is often afflicted; but with longing desires to become more holy, offers up daily prayers for quickening grace. We cannot offer any thing to God, that he will accept but what he is pleased to teach us to do. To have our soul or life continually in our hands, implies constant danger of life; yet he did not forget God’s promises nor his precepts. Numberless are the snares laid by the wicked; and happy is that servant of God, whom they have not caused to err from his Master’s precepts. Heavenly treasures are a heritage for ever; all the saints accept them as such, therefore they can be content with little of this world. We must look for comfort only in the way of duty, and that duty must be done. A good man, by the grace of God, brings his heart to his work, then it is done well. (Matthew Henry’s Concise Commentary)
Verse of the Day (November 16, 2019) #BMSeminary – Illumination is the ministry of the Holy Spirit by which He causes Christians to understand the truths of God revealed in Scripture. The word conviction, meaning “cause to see,” is primarily used of the Spirit’s work in revealing sin in the unsaved (John 16:8). The word understanding is used of the Spirit’s work in revealing other truth in Scripture. Illustration: The psalmist recognized the need for supernatural aid in understanding the Scriptures and prayed that his eyes would be opened (v. 18). This would also be a good prayer for Christians today as they approach the Scriptures. Application: Since the Bible was written by holy men of God, inspired by the Holy Spirit, it should also be read by holy men and women of God illumined by the Holy Spirit. (First Reference, Ps. 119:18; Primary Reference, Ps. 119:18; cf. Deut. 29:29.) (KJV Study Bible)
Verse of the Day (November 14, 2019) #BMSeminary – Here is one of the richest, clearest, and briefest New Testament summaries of the work of Christ. Theologians describe the heart of the gospel as penal substitutionary atonement. Jesus paid the penalty for sins (penal) as a substitute in our place (substitutionary) to undo the effects of our sin and restore us to God (atonement, literally “at-one-ment”). This is precisely what we find in this verse: Christ “suffered once for sins [penal], the righteous for the unrighteous [substitutionary], that he might bring us to God [atonement].” As beautiful as are these gospel truths, the work of Christ accomplished even more. For example, the Devil and his demons are once and for all disarmed. The caring and righteous work of Christ is also an example for us to follow, as Peter himself asserts (2:21). But penal substitution is the fundamental heart of the gospel. The other benefits of Christ’s work all flow from this. Because of the work of Christ proclaimed in the gospel of grace, we are restored to God. The wreckage we have introduced into our lives through sin and failure and error is canceled. All is forgiven, and one day we will be with Christ in the new earth, in perfect joy. (Gospel Transformation Study Bible)