Tag: work - Bible studies

“… which will allow us to understand why Jesus asked the apostle Peter three times: – “Simon , son of Jonah, do you love me?”, since the repeated questions of the Lord Jesus show us that it is not enough just to say: – ‘Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!'”

The Work that demonstrates Love to God

Presentation

What was pertinent to the world of ideas, to “should be”, becomes categorical and tangible in the world of being. Love ceases to be a religious and moral experience, or a one-sided expression of the soul, of the human psyche, and comes to rest in new categories.

The way in which the Author leaves aside the Greek categories on love, so usual when dealing with the subject, and replaces them with a safe and unique category that exists in the Old Testament is innovative. This rereading made me redimension the understanding of several biblical passages, among which the one is that contains the important warning of Christ: – “No servant can serve two masters; because, or you’ll hate one and love the other.” (Lk 16:13). The Author’s conception of biblical ‘love’ evidenced in this book is surprising.

The way he approaches complex biblical passages is peculiar and interprets outside of trivial hermeneutics. By comparing some biblical passages, the author leads the reader to an intriguing investigation and, at times, even generates a certain suspense that culminates in a surprising conclusion about the true meaning of such common biblical terms, such as love and hate.

While reading this work, the vision of love according to the romanticism and humanism that is so dear to us is quickly, replace by a conception of love that takes on aristocratic and noble airs, a common scenario in the context in which the Scriptures has produced.

The fog of subjectivism permeated by the idealism that religious conceptions prescribe through the term ‘love’ is quickly replaced by a grave and objective imperative, which coats the theme with a unique new meaning.

Where I saw feeling, after reading this book, I see behavior. Love transcends the world of ideas, subjectivism, and idealism and claims its rightful place as action.

Introduction

“My little children’s let us not love by word or tongue, but by work and in truth.” (1 John 3:18).

free When we hear about God, we has seized with reverent attitudes, a feeling of devotion invades us, and emotion speaks loudly. Often, when we read about God’s love for humanity, willingness comes to the surface and we want to turn our feelings and emotions into service.

When he went to fetch the ark of the cove from the house of Abinadab, King David was filling with devotion, full of emotions, overflowing with joy and reverent attitudes. David feasted with the people, with all sorts of musical instruments, attitudes that demonstrate how happy he was to bring the ark of the Lord to him.

With his vision clouded by joy, David let himself be carried away by the desperate attitude of the Philistines who, in distress because of hemorrhoids, returned the ark of the Lord on a chariot drawn by cows (1 Samuel 6:11). David and all the people of Israel forgot God’s ordinance and carelessly carried the ark using the means of transportation prepared by the priests and diviners of the Philistines (1 Samuel 6:2).

Everyone sang and played happily and following the ark that was on a new ox cart. When they reached Nachom’s threshing floor, the ark nearly fell because of the stumble of the oxen, and Uzzah, who was driving the chariot, reached out to catch it and was struck down by God (2 Samuel 6:6-7). That is when King David feared and asked the following question:

– “How will the ark of the Lord come to me?”

The biblical passage that narrates the return of the ark of the Lord to the house of Israel serves as a warning. We are being willing to do a work according to our conjecture. Alternatively, we are we aware of what God requires of us according to his word.

Have you ever asked yourself – “What is the work that demonstrates your love for God?”; “What is the biblical concept of love?”; “What does God require of man?”

The event that awakened King David to seek (obey) God as God had commanded (1 Chronicles 15:2 and 13), made me wonder: a car pulled by cows?”; “Are we loving God as He commanded?”

During two millennia of Christianity, there were numerous cultural revolutions. Civilizations and cultures disappeared, while others flourished. Every civilization and every culture that came and went had its own concepts and ideas about love. Numerous religions arose and each priest, magician, diviner, mystic, minister, leader, government, etc., adopted or developed, according to their interests, a concept of love.

The purpose of this book is to help you understand what ‘love’ God requires of us, as well as the meaning of the term love used in the New Testament, which will allow us to understand why Jesus asked the apostle Peter three times: – “Simon , son of Jonah, do you love me?”, since the repeated questions of the Lord Jesus show us that it is not enough just to say:

– “Yes, Lord, you know that I love you!”

The work required in the epistle of James who says he has faith (belief) is the work that perseverance ends (Jas 1: 4), that is, it is to remain believing in the perfect law, the law of freedom (Jas 1:25) .

The epistle of James

Introduction

James the Just, possibly one of Jesus’ brothers (Mt 13:55; Mark 6: 3), is the author of this epistle.

Brother James was only converted after Christ’s resurrection (John 7: 3-5; Ac 1:14; 1 Cor 15: 7; Gal 1:19), becoming one of the leaders of the church in Jerusalem, and is appointed as one of the pillars of the church (Gal. 2: 9).

The epistle of James is dated around 45 AD. C., well before the first council in Jerusalem, that took place around 50 d. C., which makes the oldest New Testament epistle. According to the historian Flávio Josefo, Tiago was killed around the year 62 d. Ç.

The addressees of the epistle are scattered Jews converted to Christianity (Jas 1: 1), hence the austere tone and language peculiar to the Jews.

When he wrote this epistle, James sought to oppose the Jewish teaching of having faith in the one God, with the teaching of the gospel, which is to have faith in Jesus Christ, because it is useless to say that he believes in God, but that he does not obey the commandment of God. God, which is to believe in Christ. James’ approach reminds us of what Jesus taught: “DO NOT let your heart be troubled; you believe in God, you also believe in me” (John 14: 1), showing the relevance of the subject addressed in terms of the target audience: Jews converted to Christianity.

However, a misunderstanding about the epistle of James spread throughout Christendom, that he defended salvation by works, opposing the apostle to the Gentiles, who defended salvation by faith.

The misunderstanding of James’ approach made Martin Luther loathe this epistle, calling it “straw epistle”. He failed to see that James’ teaching is no different from that taught by the apostle Paul.

Summary of the Epistle of James

The epistle of James begins with an exhortation to perseverance in the faith, since in perseverance the work of faith is concluded (Jas 1: 3-4). Whoever endures trials without fading is blessed, since he will receive the crown of life from God, which will be given to those who obey (love) him (Jas 1:12).

James uses the term ‘faith’ in the sense of ‘believing’, ‘believing’, ‘trusting’, unlike the apostle Paul, who uses the term both in the sense of ‘believing’ and in the sense of ‘truth’, and this the latter meaning is much more used than that.

Then, James presents the essence of the gospel, which is the new birth through the word of truth (Jas 1:18). After asserting that it is necessary to receive the word of the gospel as an obedient servant, which is the power of God for salvation (James 2: 21), James exhorts his interlocutors to fulfill what is determined in the gospel, not forgetting the doctrine of Christ (James 2: 21).

James recalls that anyone who is attentive to the truth of the gospel and perseveres in it, not being a forgotten listener, is doing the work established by God: believing in Christ (James 2:25).

In view of the work required by God, James demonstrates that to be religious without restraining what comes from the heart, is to deceive oneself, and that individual’s religion proves to be in vain (James 2: 26-27).

Again, James calls his interlocutors brothers, and then he calls them not to show respect to people, since they professed believers in Christ (Jas 2: 1). If someone says that he is a believer in the Lord Jesus, he must proceed according to that belief: not respecting people because of origin, language, tribe, nation, etc. (Jas 2:12)

Tiago’s approach changes again through a serious one: – ‘My brothers’, to ask them if it is beneficial to say that they have faith, if they have no works. Is it possible for a belief without saving works?

The term work in context must be understood according to the view of man of antiquity, which is the result of obedience to a commandment. For men at the time, a master’s command and a servant’s obedience resulted in work.

The approach changes from people to salvation. First, whoever has faith in Christ cannot respect. Second: Whoever says he has faith that God is one, if he does not do the work required by God, he will not be saved.

The issue is not about someone who claims to have faith in Christ, but someone who claims to have faith is faith in one God. Whoever has faith in Christ will be saved, for this is the work required by God. You cannot save someone who claims to have faith in God, but who does not believe in Christ, since he is not the doer of the work.

The work required of those who say they have faith (belief) is the work that perseverance ends (Jas 1: 4), that is, it is to remain believing in the perfect law, the law of freedom (Jas 1:25).

As Christian converts among Jews knew that the work required by God is to believe in Christ, by arguing that it is not enough to say that he has faith, James was emphasizing that it is harmless to believe in God and not to believe in Christ.

The approach in chapter 3 changes again when it is said: my brothers (Jas 3: 1). The instruction is aimed at those who wanted to be masters, however, for this ministerial exercise it is essential to be ‘perfect’. To be ‘perfect’ in the context is not to stumble over the word of truth (Jas 3: 2), and thus will be able to lead the body (the students).

After examples of what the word is capable of promoting, again the approach is changed, to address the impossibility of proceeding with different messages from the same person, contrasting the knowledge of God versus the wisdom and human tradition (Jas 3:10 -12).

Finally, the instruction is that Christians converted from among Jews should not speak ill of one another (James 4:11), and, by figure (wealthy), make reference to the Jews who killed Christ.

The epistle is closed by addressing the initial theme: perseverance (Jas 5:11), encouraging believers to be patient in suffering.

The main misconceptions of interpretation

Understand that Tiago is concerned with issues such as social justice, income distribution, charitable actions, etc;
To consider the severe rebuke to the ‘rich’ who accumulate goods as a rebuke to those who held material wealth is to fail to observe that the term ‘rich’ is a figure that applies to Jews;
Understand that James’ letter is antagonistic to the teaching of the apostle Paul, who presents salvation by faith in Christ Jesus. In fact, James shows that believing in God is not what God requires for salvation, but rather, believing that Jesus is the Christ, the work of faith;
Understand that good deeds are required to authenticate those who have genuine faith. Whoever has faith in Christ according to the Scriptures, has genuine faith, for this is the work required by God;
Confuse good works with the fruit by which the tree is identified.