“For this reason it is by faith, in order that it may be in accordance with grace, so that the promise will be guaranteed to all the descendants, not only to those who are of the Law, but also to those who are of the faith of Abraham, who is the father of us all, (as it is written, “A FATHER OF MANY NATIONS HAVE I MADE YOU”) in the presence of Him whom he believed, even God, who gives life to the dead and calls into being that which does not exist. In hope against hope he believed, so that he might become a father of many nations according to that which had been spoken, “SO SHALL YOUR DESCENDANTS BE.” Without becoming weak in faith, he contemplated his own body, now as good as dead since he was about a hundred years old, and the deadness of Sarah’s womb; yet, with respect to the promise of God, he did not waver in unbelief but grew strong in faith, giving glory to God, and being fully assured that what God had promised, He was able also to perform. Therefore, IT WAS ALSO CREDITED TO HIM AS RIGHTEOUSNESS.” (Romans 4:16-22)
It is no surprise that Abraham is the father of the faith and, therefore, the father of us all as believers in Christ (verse 16). How can anyone measure the degree and/or quality of faith in God it took him to “Go forth from your country, and from your relatives and from your father’s house, to the land which I will show you” (Genesis 12:1). And this of a man whose entire religious experience to that time had been the worship of pagan gods. In spite of his willingness to step out in faith, it took many trials and tests of faith to bring him to the place where he could be fully assured that God could fulfill His promises. As Paul teaches in Romans 4, the avenue to be credited with God’s righteousness is a willingness to trust God in extreme situations and to believe the most unbelievable promises.
El Shaddai
Paul begins this passage by saying that it must start with faith so that it can “be in accordance with grace” and makes the promises “guaranteed to all descendants.” This kind of faith can believe in something that does not yet exist! It does not waver because it recognizes its total dependence on God doing it. In verse 20, Paul says Abraham did not waver in unbelief (concerning God’s promises) but grew strong in his faith in what God had promised. It was always about His promises. In Genesis 17:1-8, God Almighty (El Shaddai) spoke to Abram as a ninety-nine-year-old and told him to “walk before Me and be blameless”. Abram’s response was to fall on his face, and this is when God told Abram that His covenant was with Abram, and He was now changing Abram’s name to Abraham. God was telling Abraham things that could not be believed unless El Shaddai would do it. Faith places its complete confidence in the One who would fulfill it.
Since the new covenant is with each believer individually, it assures each one with the same confidence as Abraham had once the believer exercises his faith. Future generations would also enjoy being fully assured as Hebrews 11:13-16 tells us: “All these died in faith, without receiving the promises, but having seen them and having welcomed them from a distance and having confessed that they were strangers and exiles on the earth. For those who say such things make it clear that they are seeking a country of their own. And indeed, if they had been thinking of that country from which they went out, they would have had the opportunity to return. But as it is, they desire a better country, that is, a heavenly one. Therefore, God is not ashamed to be called their God; for He has prepared a city for them.” Real faith happens when each believer recognizes he is a stranger and an exile on the earth, never getting too attached to the material world.
Anchor of the Soul
For when God made the promise to Abraham, since He could swear by no one greater, He swore by Himself, saying, “I WILL SURELY BLESS YOU, AND I WILL SURELY MULTIPLY YOU.” And so, having patiently waited, he obtained the promise. For men swear by one greater than themselves, and with them, an oath given as confirmation is an end of every dispute. In the same way, God, desiring even more to show to the heirs of the promise the unchangeableness of His purpose, interposed with an oath so that by two unchangeable things in which it is impossible for God to lie, we who have taken refuge would have strong encouragement to take hold of the hope set before us. This hope we have as an anchor of the soul, a hope both sure and steadfast and one which enters within the veil, where Jesus has entered as a forerunner for us, having become a high priest forever, according to the order of Melchizedek. (Hebrews 6:13-20)
The foundation for full assurance, complete confidence is the unchangeableness of God (He cannot lie) and His purpose, represented by His promises and His oath. The promises made to Abraham had substance, equipping Abraham to patiently wait, accompanied by His oath, the reinforcement of a person’s word by calling on God as witness to the truth. These become an anchor for the soul, so we are more than willing to change our desired course for His unchangeable purpose that always leads us to triumph in Christ (2 Corinthians 2:14). Consider the following:
The Lighthouse
I once heard a story about a battleship at sea. The ship had come under severe weather, and the captain got a report that there was light up ahead. “Is it steady or moving?” the captain called out. The lookout replied, “Steady, captain.” This meant that the ship was on a collision course. The captain sent out a message to the vessel up ahead warning, “We are on a collision course; advice you change course 20 degrees.” But the reply that came back said, “Advisable for you to change course 20 degrees.” The captain was furious and retorted, “I’m a battleship! You change course 20 degrees.” The reply flashed back, “I’m a lighthouse.”
The unchangeableness of God is our lighthouse, our hope and it brings the believer “within the veil” where the presence of God is found and where Jesus, like Abraham, has become our forerunner in the faith. This kind of hope or confident expectation is the source for our salvation, as in Romans 8:24-25, “For in hope we have been saved, but hope that is seen is not hope; for who hopes for what he already sees? But if we hope for what we do not see, with perseverance, we wait eagerly for it.” Like the lighthouse seen from a distance, we wait eagerly for the promises of God to be fulfilled and for the ultimate conclusion of all things. Within the veil of the new covenant, there is great security.
In Matthew 13:58, we’re told Jesus did not do many mighty works in His hometown of Nazareth “because of their unbelief.” Why couldn’t Jesus heal in Nazareth?
I’ve heard pastors declare that Jesus couldn’t heal many because Nazareth’s unbelief somehow drained His ability to heal; that He was in some way insufficient to overcome their lack of faith. This teaching is all over the Church! It’s used by Word of Faith preachers to declare if you only had more faith, you’d be healed! And by other less charis-manic preachers, this passage is used as the flagship example to illustrate that Jesus doesn’t always heal. But both these views present their own problems.
Was Jesus Short-Circuited by Unbelief?
Let’s cut to the chase. Jesus did not heal many in Nazareth not because His power to heal was somehow reduced. The towns before and after Nazareth brought their sick and lame to Him, but in Nazareth—due to their unbelief—they did not, therefore not many were healed. Jesus’ power to heal remained consistent; He knew who He was and Nazareth’s unbelief did not potter Him. Nazareth’s cynicism did not shake our Lord’s identity, His faith nor His power to heal. Mark 6:5 speaks of the same moment:
“He could do no mighty work there, save that he laid his hands upon a few sick and healed them.”
But as we read further into Mark 6, we next see Jesus imbuing the apostles with power to witness, deliver and heal the sick all over Judaea. Since the apostles were new to this, I wonder how much of their faith or authority was fueling those healings and deliverances? I would argue “not much” as it likely wasn’t as much their awesome faith as it was Jesus’ authority and His faith that His word would be carried out!
Continuing through Mark 6, Jesus feeds thousands with five loaves and two fish! Did He need the apostles’ faith to do this? Maybe the crowd’s? Of course not.
Then in Mark 6:45-52, Jesus walks on water. Again, did He need the apostles’ faith? They were terrified! They thought they were seeing a ghost! Finally:
53 When they had passed over, they came into the land of Gennesaret and drew to shore. 54 When they came out of the ship, the people immediately recognized him, 55 and ran throughout the whole region, carrying the sick in their beds to wherever they heard he was. 56 Wherever he entered into villages, cities, or country, they laid the sick in the streets, and besought him that they might touch even the border of his garment and as many as touched him were made whole. (Mark 6:53-56)
This response is a stark contrast to Nazareth’s! Gennesaret (pronounced jen·sr·ay) had the faith to bring their sick to Jesus and to reach for the hem of His garment; Nazareth did not. But Gennesaret’s faith in Jesus did not add to Jesus! Gennesaret’s faith in Jesus did not fuel His identity, His faith, His authority nor His power; it fueled their response. And so, by their faith, they positioned themselves to receive their healing. This is what Nazareth failed to do.
But Jesus Doesn’t Always Heal, Does He?
Once you rightly understand what happened in Nazareth, it should pull the legs out from under this single supposed example of Jesus not healing people. The truth is, according to the Gospel record, Jesus healed all who came to Him. There is not a single scriptural example of Jesus trying to heal someone and not being able to, where He shrugs and says, “Well, I guess it’s just not your time.” Even when the apostles failed to heal the epileptic boy, Jesus admonished them for their unbelief and healed the boy (Matthew 17:14-23, Luke 9:37-43). When the apostles ask why they couldn’t deliver the boy, Jesus says, “This kind does not go out but by prayer and fasting.” In other words, their faith was beaten by the dramatic visuals of the boy’s epileptic fit. How we see and what we magnify has a large impact on how we pray and the fruit we see. Therein lies one of the greatest challenges facing every believer across the ages to today.
But yes. To set the record straight, when Jesus prayed, all were healed. Every time. I think the question is, do we know Him, in whose name we pray, and do we believe His words are true.
Christian apologetics is the branch of theology that focuses on providing logical, rational, and evidence-based arguments to defend the Christian faith. It is an essential aspect of Christianity, as it helps believers understand and defend their beliefs against skeptics, critics, and non-believers. In this article, we will explore some examples of Christian apologetics and how they can be used to defend the faith.
The Historical Evidence for the Resurrection of Jesus Christ
One of the most significant events in Christian history is the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The resurrection is the cornerstone of the Christian faith and is the foundation of Christianity. The resurrection of Jesus is not only a historical event but also a theological one. It is the event that demonstrates that Jesus is the Son of God and that He is alive. The historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ is one of the most powerful arguments for the Christian faith.
There are several pieces of historical evidence that support the resurrection of Jesus Christ. The first piece of evidence is the empty tomb. The empty tomb is a historical fact that is supported by both Christian and non-Christian sources. The second piece of evidence is the testimony of the witnesses. The witnesses to the resurrection of Jesus Christ include the apostles, Mary Magdalene, and other women. The third piece of evidence is the transformed lives of the witnesses. The witnesses of the resurrection of Jesus Christ were transformed from fearful and doubtful individuals to bold and courageous proclaimers of the gospel.
The Cosmological Argument for the Existence of God
The cosmological argument for the existence of God is one of the oldest and most popular arguments for the existence of God. The cosmological argument is based on the idea that everything that exists must have a cause. The argument states that the universe must have a cause, and that cause must be God.
The cosmological argument is based on the idea that the universe had a beginning. The universe cannot be eternal, as it would mean that an infinite amount of time would have passed before the present moment, which is impossible. The universe must have had a beginning, and this beginning must have a cause. The cause of the universe must be an uncaused, eternal, and necessary being, which is God.
The Teleological Argument for the Existence of God
The teleological argument for the existence of God is based on the idea that the universe and everything in it displays signs of design and purpose. The argument states that the universe and everything in it must have been created by an intelligent designer, who is God.
The teleological argument is based on the idea that the universe and everything in it displays signs of design and purpose. The universe is not a random collection of matter and energy, but it is a complex and ordered system. The universe and everything in it is fine-tuned for life, and the fine-tuning cannot be explained by natural causes. The fine-tuning of the universe and everything in it must be the result of an intelligent designer, who is God.
The Moral Argument for the Existence of God
The moral argument for the existence of God is based on the idea that morality is objective and that it cannot be explained by natural causes. The argument states that the existence of morality is evidence for the existence of God.
The moral argument is based on the idea that morality is objective and that it cannot be explained by natural causes. Morality is not a product of human opinions or cultural traditions, but it is a part of the natural order of things. Morality is not a human invention, but it is a part of the natural order of things. The existence of morality is evidence for the existence of God, who is the source of all morality.
The moral argument is also based on the idea that human beings have a sense of morality and a moral conscience. This sense of morality and moral conscience cannot be explained by natural causes, but it must be the result of an intelligent designer, who is God. The moral argument also states that without God, there would be no objective morality, and moral values would be reduced to personal preferences and cultural traditions.
Summary
In conclusion, Christian apologetics is an essential aspect of Christianity, as it helps believers understand and defend their beliefs against skeptics, critics, and non-believers. The examples discussed in this article, such as the historical evidence for the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the cosmological argument for the existence of God, the teleological argument for the existence of God, and the moral argument for the existence of God, are just a few examples of how Christian apologetics can be used to defend the faith. By understanding and utilizing these arguments, believers can better understand and defend their beliefs in a logical and rational manner.
Shadrach Aliu is the editor-in-chief at Churchreaders.com, a Christian blog covering topics on prayers, Bible verses, spirituality and ministers’ biographies. When he is not blogging, he is busy reading up on latest SEO trends and doing keyword research.
Turn to these prayers for the sick to guide you in praying for healing of your mind and body. Secure peace when illness threatens to steal your joy.
Sickness can be quite a challenging thing to go through, especially when it lingers over a while. Not only does it affect you physically, but it can also do a number on your mental and emotional health. Even as Christians, it becomes harder to trust God when all you can see is the ailment.
But the Lord didn’t leave us helpless. He provided us with a tool that will guarantee us victory. And this tool is called “prayer”.
Prayer is how you can seek healing and also find peace in dark times. It stirs the confidence that comes from knowing that God is in control and He will see you through.
Prayer lifts the pressure and anxiety you may feel because of illness. It helps you remember that God is greater than the ups and downs in your life.
Need help in talking to God about your sickness or that of someone else? You can use this great selection of Christian prayers for the sick to bring healing, recovery, and comfort to you, your friends, or your loved ones.
12 Prayers for the Sick
A Prayer for Personal Healing
Father,
I thank You for the opportunity I have to come before Your presence this morning. Forgive me of my sins and cleanse me of all unrighteousness. Lord, I may be ill in my body, but I know that You can make me whole. You’ve done it time and time again.
Please begin Your healing in my body and my life. Take away this disease that affects my body and restore me to perfect health. I want to spend a lot of time on earth, loving those around me and following Your plan for my life. When my faith is weak, Lord, strengthen me, for I will not die but live to give You praise all the days of my life.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A Prayer to Heal the Mind
Lord Jesus,
I thank You for Your unending love for me. I am before You today to ask for healing for my mind.
A man’s spirit sustains him when his body is sick, but who can bear an ill spirit? I know You love me and You won’t let me stay down.
I ask that You heal me from fear, anxiety, depression, addictions, and every other mental issue that I am not aware of. Help me to heal from whatever hurt that people or life’s challenges have inflicted on me. Free me from the shackles of my mind so that I can serve You in wholeness. Refine me into the person that You have made me to be so that I can fulfill Your will for my life.
We ask this in the Name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, Amen.
Prayer for Healing from a Chronic Illness
My Father,
Thank You for paying for our sickness and infirmities on the cross.
Today, I bring my diagnosis of this chronic illness before You.
You’re the same God who healed the woman with the issue of blood, even when doctors had given up on her case. You healed the man who had been lame for all 38 years of his life, You even raised the already dead back to life. I trust in Your unchanging power and Your willingness to rid me of this illness that also plagues me.
That is why I lay this sickness down at Your feet and trade it for perfect health. I know that I have the right to healing and I await a physical manifestation.
But even before the healing comes, I ask that You help me endure the pain and continue to have faith in this time. I know You work all things together for good, even this illness, so please help me not to lose sight of You and Your hand in my life.
I pray in the precious name of Jesus, Amen.
Prayer for Peace in Sickness
Almighty God,
I admit that this period of sickness has been a very tough one for me. I am constantly filled with anxiety about what the future holds for me. I know that true peace comes from You alone, as do health and wholeness.
So I ask that in my pain and heaviness, You speak Your peace that defies all logic and human understanding to my heart. Fill me with an awareness of Your presence and teach my heart to rely on Your promises.
Grant me the serenity to understand that You are always in control, even when I can’t see it or feel it.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Short Prayer for Healing and Recovery
Loving Father,
Thank You for Jesus, through whom You healed the sick in His time on earth and all Your children to this very day. I ask today that You extend this healing power to my life, and give me rest from this illness that plagues me, causing me so much pain. The doctors have done all they can, and I ask that You perfect it all.
Give me also the grace to be patient through my recovery process. Carry me on this journey to full recovery, which is only possible by Your power. Help me to wait on You and my total healing. In my weakness, be my strength. In my doubt, help my unbelief. Draw me closer to You with each passing day. This I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Healing for a Friend
Lord,
Your Word is filled with Your promises to heal and restore Your children, and I am grateful for them.
Today, I come before You on behalf of my friend who is ill. I claim those promises over them and ask that Your healing power be made known in their lives.
Father, we trust in You, but being ill of health is never easy. So I also ask that You give my friend the grace to keep trusting You, even as You continue Your work in their life. Shield them from the voices that try to discourage them and dampen their faith. Help them keep their eyes on You, and not their circumstances.
Surround them and their family with peace and strength. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Healing and Strength in the Face of Sickness
Dear Lord,
I pray for strength. Your Word tells me that You give strength to the weary and power to the weak.
And in all honesty, I admit that I am weak and this illness threatens to drown my faith. But Father, I also know that one with You is the majority.
Remind me each day that I don’t have to be afraid of anything because I have You. You alone know the struggles I face daily, please be with me through them all. Carry me and wrap me in Your arms. When I stumble because of my doubt, forgive me and replenish my trust with Your Word.
Help me so that at the end of this season of my life, I will be standing tall, singing Your praises for the world to hear.
I pray in Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer for Good Health
Mighty God,
Thank You for sending Jesus to die on the cross for us all. By His death, resurrection, and glorification, we not only have a hope of life after death but also access to good health of mind and body here on earth. He has broken the curse of sickness and established a covenant of new life, bearing all our afflictions and pain.
Grant to each of us an awareness of all that we have received through Christ so that we may live in that reality. Increase our faith in Your healing power so that even when we feel sick in our bodies, we can be assured that we will always recover. Keep our minds also from anxiety and all other illnesses that afflict the heart.
Thank You Great Physician. Amen.
A Prayer for a Sick Loved One
Father,
Thank You for Your healing power made available to Your children in Christ Jesus. I ask for healing over (name) who is so dear to my heart. Sickness vanishes at the mere whisper of Your command and so I ask Lord that You will only speak over their bodies and mind.
Restore their energy and let Your life-giving power flow through every cell or fiber of their being that is broken.
I declare that they will not die, but live to declare Your goodness in the land of the living.
Even when it seems hard, light their hearts with hope. Be their refuge and fill their hearts with peace. Thank You, for You always listen to my voice and prayer.
Prayer Against Disease
Father,
Thank You for Your Word helps me understand that You have given us victory over every disease and whoever believes in You will not perish but have eternal life. You demonstrated Your power over the forces of illness while you were here on earth. You healed every sickness and cast out every devil. No ailment can stand before You.
It is with this confidence that we pray that no disease will come near us or our dwelling places because we have You. Set a wall of protection around us so that no affliction will come close. Help us to enforce our authority over all the powers of darkness and grant us good health so that we may live to praise and glorify Your name. In Jesus’ name, Amen.
Prayer to Ease Pain
Mighty God,
Thank You for Your loving-kindness towards me. Your Word tells me that You are near to the brokenhearted and save the crushed in spirit. I admit that this pain in my body has indeed crushed my spirit. I ask, Lord, that You save me from this pain and be near to me in this hard time.
Bring an end to all my agony and suffering. Reinforce my faith and supply my body with Your strength. Sustain me by Your grace that I will not give in to this pain. Inspire me with Your word, so that every cloud of doubt, depression, or darkness will be chased away and faith will break through. Thank You Father for You are ever with me when I feel utterly alone.
In Jesus’ name, Amen.
A Prayer for Healing the World
Father God,
The world You created has been ravaged by diseases and is hurting. Many of Your children need healing. Healing from ailments, past hurts, physical pain, and a broken spirit.
We ask You to stretch Your hand over Your people, mend them and make them whole.
Free them from illness and make them aware of the power of restoration that is available to them in You.
Only then can we also bring healing to the world around us and show people Your strength at work in us and with us.
In Jesus’ name, Amen!
Conclusion
Praying for healing is the best way to keep yourself reminded that God is able and willing to take ailment away from your body. The recovery process, however, differs for each person. These prayers for the sick offer comfort when the situation seems to get the better part of you.
Though believers are not promised a life without pain, Scripture helps you understand that one day, you will be raptured to the paradise that the Father has prepared. A life without the pain of sickness or loss forever. Going through life with this hope is how we can truly have victory over sickness and death.
Build your confidence in God with these tips and prayers. By trusting Him, you will find your inner peace. https://www.bestdailyprayer.org/
“15 So when they had finished breakfast, Jesus said to Simon Peter, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love [agapao] Me more than these?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know [oida –intuitive] that I love [phileo] You.’ He said to him, ‘Tend My lambs.’ 16 He said to him again a second time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love [agapao] Me?’ He said to Him, ‘Yes, Lord; You know that I love [phileo] You.’ He said to him, ‘Shepherd My sheep.’ 17 He said to him the third time, ‘Simon, son of John, do you love [phileo] Me?’ Peter was grieved because He said to him the third time, ‘Do you love Me?’ And he said to Him, ‘Lord, You know all things; You know [ginosko – experiential] that I love [phileo] You.’ Jesus said to him, ‘Tend My sheep.’” (John 21:15-17)
So much of Jesus’s efforts during the last days and weeks of His life on earth was trying to prepare the disciples for life without Him physically there. In this exchange with Peter in verses 15-17, Jesus is teaching Peter how he and the disciples will be able to express their love to Jesus after He is ascended by asking questions and giving them the answers.
As the disciples finally recognize, “It is the Lord” (verse 7) on the beach, they respond with affection that has been accumulating toward Jesus over the three-year period they were with Him. They eat breakfast together and now Jesus confronts Peter with three similar, but very different questions that appear to put him on the defensive. To fully understand the passage, we must understand that there are four different Greek words that are translated “love” in English. These are:
storge represents love within the family between siblings, between parents and children, etc.,
eros speaks of love between a man and woman in an intimate relationship,
phileo is usually related to love between friends, and
agapao is love between God and man and has an unconditional characteristic.
In this exchange, Jesus and Peter use phileo and agapao which obviously can change the meaning.
He who has found his life will lose it
Jesus’s first question to Peter is: Do you love me with God’s love more than the physical things in life that you have attached yourself to, including friends, family, money, position, etc.? God is a jealous God (Exodus 34:14) and He desires our primary devotion. In Matthew 10:37-39, Jesus taught this principle when He said, “He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me; and he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. “And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. “He who has found his life will lose it, and he who has lost his life for My sake will find it”. Notice that Jesus asks about loving with God’s love, while Peter answers with phileo, speaking of the love he had for Jesus as a friend. Jesus is trying to tell Peter that his friendship love is not going to be enough. In either case, Jesus’s answer is, “Tend my lambs” meaning your love for me should be expressed in the way you take care of the sheep (believers) of God.
The second question is focused completely on the quality of Peter’s love for Jesus and is not a comparative. Instead, He asks Peter for the kind of love that is different than Peter had ever experienced before; speaking of total devotion to Jesus. Of course, it needed to be more than friendship. I am sure Peter remembered what happened when Jesus was taken away for trial and Peter denied knowing Him three times (Luke 22). The fact is that this kind of love does not reside with man, but is only possible when we consider the quality of God’s love for us (1John 4:19). A successful believer is one who learns to live the supernatural life that begins with God’s love! Jesus’ response was basically the same as the first: “Shepherd My sheep”.
Tend my sheep
In the third question, Jesus uses the Greek word phileo instead of agapao. He is asking Peter if the relationship Peter has with Him has changed since His resurrection. Peter is now grieving at the question because he thinks that Jesus should know (Greek word ginosko, meaning knowledge by experience) that Peter is a devoted friend. Again, the answer Jesus gives is “Tend My sheep”. Whatever type of love we have for Jesus, the answer is always the same, take care of the sheep. This reminds us of Jesus’s teaching in Matthew 25:34-40 which concludes with the statement, “Truly I say to you, to the extent that you did it to one of these brothers of Mine, even the least of them, you did it to Me”. In the passage, Jesus speaks of feeding the hungry and thirsty, visiting the stranger, clothing the naked, and visiting the sick and imprisoned as some ways we show our personal love of Jesus. In Galatians 5:6, faith works by agapao love.
No longer living for me
“14 For the love [agapao] of Christ controls us, having concluded this, that one died for all, therefore all died; 15 and He died for all, so that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf. 16 Therefore from now on we recognize no one according to the flesh; even though we have known Christ according to the flesh, yet now we know Him in this way no longer”. (2 Corinthians 5:14-16)
The apostle Paul teaches this principle of agapao love in 2 Corinthians 5:14. This love is meant to “control” us, literally to be closely held by love. The basis of this happening in a believer’s personal life is that he finally comes to the conclusion that Jesus’s death means that he died too. It means that because Jesus was willing to die for each believer personally and therefore a sufficient reality, it means each believer need no longer live for personal interest, but are now controlled by agapao love. In 1 Corinthians 6:19-20, “…and that you are not your own? For you have been bought with a price…”
Then in verse 16, he speaks of recognizing or knowing no one according to the flesh, not even Jesus. Our relationship with others, spiritually speaking, should no longer be according to any type of love that is natural, of the flesh, because that kind of love is still conditional. Only God’s love is unconditional and therefore the Christian requires this kind of love. This means there needs to be a decision to die to one’s own personal interests and only then can he find agapao love. This is the very same message Jesus was trying to teach Peter and the disciples on the beach. This agapao love is also the basis of the relationship between believers within the body of Christ.
Forgiveness
The most obvious evidence a believer has of God’s love is knowing he is forgiven without doing anything other than believe (Romans 5:8). In Luke 7:40-50, the woman who was of questionable character (a sinner in verse 37) is moved to tears as she wipes her tears and very expensive perfume on Jesus’s feet. She is demonstrating love toward Jesus because her faith believes in who Jesus is and that she is forgiven. And the expression of that forgiven condition is loving much. Jesus commends her as an example of one who recognizes the degree of forgiveness and is now divinely enabled to love Jesus with agapao love. The opposite condition is also true, as Jesus says, “but he who is forgiven little, loves little” (verse 47). The love cycle begins with God’s love toward us (“We [agapao] love because He first [agapao] loved us” (1 John 4:19).
When we talk about forgiveness, we must also talk about the debt that has been forgiven. Paul says that the only debt we should have in Romans 13:8 is to owe agapao love to others. Once we come to grips with the fact that we have no debts because of Jesus, we are ready to take on His debt, which is the agapao love of others. In fact, he says that this agapao love of others fulfills the law and relates this love to the fulfillment of a number of the Ten Commandments. When Jesus was asked by a scribe “which is the great commandment in the law?” His response in Matthew 22:35-40 was that you shall love God and love your neighbor. In Verse 40, “On these two commandments depend the whole Law and the Prophets”. The essence of our faith in Jesus is the expression of agapao love in loving God and loving others.
Security in God’s love
“10 I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me. 11 Come, my beloved, let us go out into the country, let us spend the night in the villages. 12 Let us rise early and go to the vineyards; let us see whether the vine has budded and its blossoms have opened, and whether the pomegranates have bloomed. There I will give you my love. 13 The mandrakes have given forth fragrance; and over our doors are all choice fruits, both new and old, which I have saved up for you, my beloved.” (Song 7:10-13)
Falling in love with God is not something that takes place immediately, but like any relationship it is a process. The Song of Solomon, written by Solomon, is the account of a romance between King Solomon and a Shulammite woman. It is also a picture of the love relationship between the bride (the church) and the bridegroom (Jesus Christ). In looking at this process of love between the two, we can glean from three particular verses what this process looks like from the bride’s (Christian’s) perspective. In the first (Song 2:16), the bride says, “My beloved is mine, and I am his”. The idea is expressed that He belongs to me first, then I belong to Him. In Song 6:3, “I am my beloved’s and my beloved is mine”. Notice that she now recognizes that she belongs to Him first, then He belongs to her. We go through the same process in the growth of our relationship with Jesus, becoming more and more confident in His love. In the context of Song of Solomon, Song 2:16 takes place before the wedding and Song 6:3 afterwards.
The third verse above completes the process, “I am my beloved’s, and his desire is for me”. The woman is so convinced about the bridegroom’s love for her that she does not need to express it. This is the fulfillment of God’s love for us and how we become more and more secure in that love. Our passage above in Song 7 continues with the bride and bridegroom going out into the country, in the villages, going to the vineyards, and looking at the fruit of the vine, the pomegranate, and the mandrake. When the believer is fully convinced of Jesus’s personal love for him, he is excited to participate in the work of God in the world to love others, thus producing fruit of all kinds. In verse 12, “there I will give you my love”. Loving others becomes an integral part of our relationship to Jesus.
A way of life
We see the ultimate picture of agapao love in Romans 12:9-13 with the principles of being diligent, devoted to one another, preference others in honor, devoted to prayer, contributing to the needs of others, and practicing hospitality. This type of love produces a way of life within the believer and is the fulfillment of God’s agapao love in us (1John 4:12). The transforming life of the Holy Spirit produces an amazing change in the believer’s heart to live the supernatural life of agapao love!
There are a series of accounts of disciples encountering the risen Lord that, like Mary Magdalene in the John 20 account, did not recognize Jesus right away. In fact, in each of the accounts, it was a different stimulus that caused the disciple to finally know it was Him. In Mary’s case, it was when Jesus said her name, “Mary” in verse 16. She had originally thought Him to be the gardener even after he asked her why she was weeping. It is clear from this and other accounts of Mary that the relationship was a close and meaningful one to her. Jesus’s use of her name, not just the name, but the unique way he spoke it was so very familiar to her and caused a light to go off in her mind: this is not the gardener. It is Rabboni, my teacher.
Once she recognized Him, there was His command, “stop clinging to Me”. Scholars do not agree on the reason for this command. One thing is clear, Jesus had not yet ascended to His Father. We also notice that Jesus tells Mary to go to “My brethren”, not friends or other intimate terms. This signifies that the relationship with the Risen Jesus was to be different than before, thus “brethren”. The nature of an intimate relationship with the Risen Lord was to be much different than before, no longer physical, and His disciples needed to learn that. It would take the experiences of watching Jesus ascend to heaven from Mount Olivet (Acts 1:9), meeting in the upper room in anticipation of Pentecost (verses 13-14), and the moving of the Holy Spirit on that special day (Acts 2) to initiate that change.
My Lord and my God
Then, in the same chapter, there was Thomas, doubting Thomas. Jesus had visited with most of His disciples on a day when Thomas was not present. As his friends told Thomas about the Risen Lord with excitement, he admitted to them than this was just too difficult to believe. He would have to have the physical evidence or he could not accept it. When finally confronted directly with the Risen Lord, Jesus told him to get the proof he needed by putting his finger and hand in the wounds and this would be enough for Thomas to answer, “My Lord and my God”! Thomas could now acknowledge Jesus as Lord and God, a statement that he most likely had never made before. Then Jesus addresses us, future believers who have never had this opportunity to see yet could believe Jesus as Lord and God. Like the disciples, we must believe that Jesus is risen in order to recognize Him as Lord!
Burning hearts
And then there were the two disciples traveling on the road to Emmaus who had an experience with the Risen Lord in Luke 24. As Jesus begins walking with them, the account from Luke tells us in verse 16 that “their eyes were prevented from recognizing him” without any explanation as to why. The same event (we believe) covered by Mark in 16:12 says that he appeared “in a different form” so it appears He looked differently than they were used to. But according to Luke’s account, He was just a normal guy walking on the same road and they started this conversation about the events that had just taken place in Jerusalem. The disciples admitted that they had been hoping that Jesus was to be the one who “was going to redeem Israel” (verse 21). It was clear from their testimony that they did not yet believe that Jesus was the One who would redeem Israel. Since they had not yet fully grasped the events and that this was Jesus, He began to explain to them “the things concerning Himself in all the Scriptures” (verse 27).
And their response to His commentary was, “were not our hearts burning within us while He was speaking to us on the road” (verse 32). It wasn’t until they broke bread with Jesus that they finally recognize Him (verse 31). If we are to see Jesus as the Risen Lord, we must understand that Jesus Christ is the fulfillment of the Old Testament Scriptures. As Jeremiah specifies in Jeremiah 15:16, “Your words were found and I ate them, and Your words became for me a joy and the delight of my heart; for I have been called by Your name, O Lord God of hosts.” The Word of God, if understood accurately, becomes food for the believer. Jesus’s words in Matthew 4:4, “MAN SHALL NOT LIVE ON BREAD ALONE, BUT ON EVERY WORD THAT PROCEEDS OUT OF THE MOUTH OF GOD” are applicable. The Word of God is our spiritual food!
Recognizing the miraculous
Finally, we have the disciples fishing in the Sea of Galilee in John 21, something they had done many times before and Jesus appears on the beach. Knowing that they had not yet caught any fish, Jesus encouraged them to put their nets in a different place and “you will find a catch”. I’m sure this event was reminiscent to them of an earlier time found in Luke 5:4-7 where Jesus had instructed Peter to put down his nets in deep water for a great catch and it happened just as Jesus said. In John 14:11, “Believe Me that I am in the Father and the Father is in Me; otherwise believe because of the works themselves.” Our ability to fully understand that Jesus is the Risen Lord is tied to our experiences as Jesus has made Himself real in our lives through miraculous conclusions. He is the God of the impossible (Matthew 19:26) and He wants us to recognize Him this way.
Living for the Risen Lord
How we recognize the Risen Lord is addressed by Paul in 2Corinthians 5:14-17, that we recognize no one according to the flesh, not even Jesus. The apostle Paul wrote these words from personal experience, that he, as Saul of Tarsus and a contemporary of Jesus’s public ministry, did not recognize Jesus as Messiah until he had a personal experience with the Risen Lord in Acts 9:3-6. It took Saul of Tarsus’ confrontation with the Jesus of Nazareth for him to finally recognize the Risen Lord and become almost immediately commissioned as the apostle Paul. In the same way, Paul encourages believers to, “know Him in this way no longer”. The key to it is found in verse 15, “that they who live might no longer live for themselves, but for Him who died and rose again on their behalf”, the Risen Lord. In verse 17, “new things have come”.
The motive that causes a believer to choose to live for Jesus is defined for us by Paul in Galatians 2:20. Jesus’s personal love for the believer, as demonstrated by His death on our behalf (Romans 5:8), is the foundation of this relationship. This type of love is self-sacrificing yet a controlling love (2Corinthians 5:14) and it takes a real faith in this personal love of Jesus to bring one to this dynamic relationship where His priorities become the believer’s priorities. Any dramatic change in the depth of a relationship with Jesus can only happen in the light of a newfound appreciation of His personal love. In Romans 14:7-9, “For not one of us lives for himself, and not one dies for himself; for if we live, we live for the Lord, or if we die, we die for the Lord; therefore whether we live or die, we are the Lord’s. For to this end Christ died and lived again, that He might be Lord both of the dead and of the living.
Set your mind on God’s interests
Peter’s amazing response to Jesus when asked, “and who do you say that I am?” is noteworthy when Peter said, “you are the Christ, the Son of the living God” and Jesus acknowledged that flesh and blood did not reveal it to Peter, but the Father. Yet within a short period of time, Peter rebukes Jesus when He told the disciples He would need to suffer and die at the hands of the scribes and Pharisees, yet be raised on the third day (Matthew 16:21). In verse 23, we get the real reason behind Peter’s rebuke when Jesus points out to him that, “you are not setting your mind on God’s interest, but man’s”. The Greek word is phroneo and it has the meaning of being mindful of or devoted to according to Spiros Zodhiates. This passage demonstrates that man decides what interest upon which he is setting his mind. In one moment, Peter speaks the testimony of the Father and then the next, his own self-interest that Jesus could not leave the disciples behind. These are decisions of the will, the affections, and the conscience.
The Apostle Paul sums it up for us in Romans 8:5-6 (same Greek word) by comparing and contrasting two mindsets, the one on fleshly, earthly, and natural things verses the mind set on spiritual things. The natural, fleshly, earthy mindset ultimately results in death the spiritual mindset produces life and peace. In Philippians 3:18-20, Paul says, “For many walk, of whom I often told you, and now tell you even weeping, that they are enemies of the cross of Christ, whose end is destruction, whose god is their appetite, and whose glory is in their shame, who set their minds on earthly things. For our citizenship is in heaven, from which also we eagerly wait for a Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ.” This fleshly mindset is an enemy of the cross since it never recognizes the greatest work of God on our behalf, Christ’s death and resurrection on our behalf which is the evidence of our heavenly citizenship. This new citizenship produces a new mindset with the believe living in great expectation, eagerly awaiting the Savior.
Upward call
Paul acknowledges in his pastoral epistles that the work of the Lord has purchased for us a new position, seated above, in heavenly places (Ephesians 2:6) and that this position raises us up by faith in God’s work: In Colossians 2:12, “having been buried with Him in baptism, in which you were also raised up with Him through faith in the working of God, who raised Him from the dead.” This position is an ascending position and brings with it an ascending experience in God. Paul says in Philippians 3:14, “I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus.” This new mindset keeps the believer pressing on to the upward call of God which is the ultimate prize this life has to offer.
The Risen Lord ordains a path for each of us to follow which Paul defines as “in Him’, or “in Christ”, etc. This path is a place to walk and it establishes us in the faith and produces gratitude. Paul warns us of the war that is constantly trying to arrest our minds from the life and peace of the spiritual mindset. In Colossians 2:8-10, the god of this world uses philosophies and empty deceptions according to the traditions of men to keep men attached to worldly interests so that he never comes to know the fullness of God found in a spiritual relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ.
Fellowship in suffering
I believe Philippians 3:10 to be Paul’s signature statement about his relationship with God, that it was about knowing Him. This Greek word, ginosko has the sense of coming to know as a process, through experience. Paul was saying that this coming to know Jesus is the process of experiencing the power of His resurrection and the fellowship of His suffering. Both experiences are essential for the believer to truly know God in all of His fullness. Before Easter Sunday, there was Good Friday; before the resurrection, there was His suffering. To experience the Risen Lord, we must identify with the One who suffered and this process in being conformed to His death. Suffering then becomes an integral part of a spirit-filled believer’s life.
“but if anyone suffers as a Christian, he is not to be ashamed, but is to glorify God in this name. For it is time for judgment to begin with the household of God; and if it begins with us first, what will be the outcome for those who do not obey the gospel of God? AND IF IT IS WITH DIFFICULTY THAT THE RIGHTEOUS IS SAVED, WHAT WILL BECOME OF THE GODLESS MAN AND THE SINNER? Therefore, those also who suffer according to the will of God shall entrust their souls to a faithful Creator in doing what is right.” (1 Peter 4:16-19)
The greatest evidence
The greatest evidence that a disciple has experienced the Risen Lord is his willingness to suffer. When we look at the first century disciples after Pentecost, we see men who were willing to suffer for their faith. Fox’s Book of Martyrs is a sobering picture of what happened to men and women of faith who were willing to obey to the point of death. Below are some excerpts from the first chapter of this great chronicle:
Stephen – Acts 7 gives us a description of Stephen’s execution by stoning and it began a period when about two thousand Christians, with Nicanor, one of the seven deacons, suffered martyrdom during the “persecution that arose about Stephen.”
James the Great – one of the Son’s of Zebedee and the elder brother of the Apostle John. The account given us by an eminent primitive writer, Clemens Alexandrinus, ought not to be overlooked; that, as James was led to the place of martyrdom, his accuser was brought to repent of his conduct by the apostle’s extraordinary courage and undauntedness, and fell down at his feet to request his pardon, professing himself a Christian.
Philip – was born at Bethsaida, in Galilee and was first called by the name of “disciple.” He labored diligently in Upper Asia, and suffered martyrdom at Heliopolis, in Phrygia. He was scourged, thrown into prison, and afterwards crucified, A.D. 54.
Matthew – whose occupation was that of a toll-gatherer, was born at Nazareth. He wrote his gospel in Hebrew, which was afterwards translated into Greek by James the Less. The scene of his labors was Parthia, and Ethiopia, in which latter country he suffered martyrdom, being slain with a halberd in the city of Nadabah, A.D. 60.
James the Less – the half-brother of Jesus. He was elected to the oversight of the churches of Jerusalem; and was the author of the Epistle ascribed to James in the sacred canon. At the age of ninety-four he was beat and stoned by the Jews; and finally had his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club.
Matthias – Of whom less is known than of most of the other disciples, was elected to fill the vacant place of Judas. He was stoned at Jerusalem and then beheaded.
Andrew – Was the brother of Peter. He preached the gospel to many Asiatic nations; but on his arrival at Edessa he was taken and crucified on a cross, the two ends of which were fixed transversely in the ground. Hence the derivation of the term, St. Andrew’s Cross.
St. Mark – was born of Jewish parents of the tribe of Levi. He is supposed to have been converted to Christianity by Peter, whom he served as an amanuensis, and under whose inspection he wrote his Gospel in the Greek language. Mark was dragged to pieces by the people of Alexandria, at the great solemnity of Serapis their idol, ending his life under their merciless hands.
Peter – among many other saints, the blessed apostle Peter was condemned to death, and crucified, as some do write, at Rome. Jerome saith that he was crucified, his head being down and his feet upward, himself so requiring, because he was (he said) unworthy to be crucified after the same form and manner as the Lord was.
Paul – the apostle, who before was called Saul, after his great travail and unspeakable labors in promoting the Gospel of Christ, suffered also in this first persecution under Nero. Abdias, declareth that under his execution Nero sent two of his esquires, Ferega and Parthemius, to bring him word of his death. They, coming to Paul instructing the people, desired him to pray for them, that they might believe; who told them that shortly after they should believe and be baptized at His sepulcher. This done, the soldiers came and led him out of the city to the place of execution, where he, after his prayers made, gave his neck to the sword.
Jude – the brother of James, was commonly called Thaddeus. He was crucified at Edessa, A.D. 72.
Bartholomew – preached in several countries, and having translated the Gospel of Matthew into the language of India, he propagated it in that country. He was at length cruelly beaten and then crucified by the impatient idolaters.
Thomas – called Didymus, preached the Gospel in Parthia and India, where exciting the rage of the pagan priests, he was martyred by being thrust through with a spear.
Luke – the evangelist, was the author of the Gospel which goes under his name. He travelled with Paul through various countries, and is supposed to have been hanged on an olive tree by the idolatrous priests of Greece.
John – the “beloved disciple,” was brother to James the Great. The churches of Smyrna, Pergamos, Sardis, Philadelphia, Laodicea, and Thyatira, were founded by him. From Ephesus he was ordered to be sent to Rome, where it is affirmed he was cast into a cauldron of boiling oil. He escaped by miracle, without injury. Domitian afterwards banished him to the Isle of Patmos, where he wrote the Book of Revelation. Nerva, the successor of Domitian, recalled him. He was the only apostle who escaped a violent death.
Fixing our eyes on Him
“fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith, who for the joy set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. For consider Him who has endured such hostility by sinners against Himself, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.” (Hebrews 12:2-3)
