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Written by Administrator
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Friday, 09 October 2009 23:35 |
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THE BELIEVERS VOICE
A PUBLICATION OF CITAS THEOLOGICAL UNIVERSITY
(CHRIST INSTITUTION OF THEOLOGICAL ARTS AND SCIENCES)
WHAT IS A PARABLE?
Before you can understand one of the most familiar parables in the scripture, it is necessary to know something of literary nature of parables. A parable is a short, fictitious narrative which illustrates a principle of doctrine. “Parable”, derive from the Greek PARABOLA, is a compound word: “PARA”, meaning “beside”, and “BOLA”, “to throw”; together they denote “to set alongside”. In other to understand the spiritual aspect of a parable, one must match up the story with the principle of doctrine.
For example, in the parable of the prodigal son, the father represents God the father and the two sons are analogous to believers in various stages of calamity and spiritual; the interpretation of the parable require deduction compatible with know a doctrine. The character and incidences are figurative or typical, and proper names or specific geographic location are never used. For example, the story of Lazarus and the rich man is not a parable because specific names and location are given. Thus you can distinguish between an actual historic event and a parable.
The narratives of a parable has an outward literal. Meaning which either the believers or unbelievers can understand; but parable are directed primarily towards the believer who has Bible doctrine in his soul. Only the believer with doctrine is able to understand the spiritual signification of the story. When He was speaking before large crowds, Jesus often used this form of communication to teach doctrine to the believers who were present. Unbelievers and ignorant believers missed the boat completely and never grasped the implication of the analogy.
MIXED GRILL FAITH
This type of faith is found with the mixed multitudes. This is every – WIND OF DOCTRINE BASE. That is, Ceaser’s should be given to Ceaser while that of God should be given to God also. The faith that is always wavering is called mixed multitude type of faith. This faith is very Roman in nature. The scripture elaborates more on this. And the children of Israel journeyed from Rameses to Saccoth, about six (Hebrew only) hundred thousand on foot that were men beside children. And a MIXED MULTITUDE went up also with them and flocks and herds even every cattle – Ex. 2:38-38.
Generally, wisdom is the ability to discern, and apply the appropriate knowledge to a given circumstance. On the other hand, knowledge is acquired from a believers constance exposure to accurate teaching of the infallible word of God. Undoubtedly, wisdom cannot exist apart from knowledge without possessing wisdom. But no one can have wisdom without accumulating knowledge. The ability to apply knowledge comes from God. “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without first, it is estimated that about 6 million people started the great exodus (600,000 soldiers + 600,000 wives) (other men + wives 400,000) (children 2,434,320) (mixed multitude) – 2,030, 600 and others – 12,880). In the study of TYPES, we see Moses as a type of Jesus Christ as well as Isaac, who was another sacrificial Lamb of God in the old testament, that is under typology. Here there is an issue of paralytical and topical resemblance. Many a times in the Mosaic era, peoples kindred, nations and religion were equated with their beliefs, thoughts, traditions and customs. Israel in this dispensation represents God’s own given and established nation while any other people or peoples, kindred and race outside this given ecclesiastical setting falls into the category of the uncircumcised Gentle nations. And at that point in time, Israel reflect Elohim and God alone whereas other nations and people were said to:
Represent heathenism, however this was made before the second Adam was made manifest. This same faith in God prompted Abraham to instruct his servant Eleazar as thus – And Abraham said unto him, Beware that thou bring not my son thither again. And my master made me swear, saying, thou shall not take a wife to my son of the daughter of Canaanite in whose land I dwell. But thou shall go unto my father’s house, and to my kindred and take a wife unto my son. [Gen. 24:6, 37, 38]
At this point, Abraham was very near to the grave in righteousness. He commanded the head servant Eleazar thus:-
Do not marry for my son from any of these heathen nations especially from Canaan because their faith and beliefs are quite different from ours, even though I am presently staying in their land, though God has given it to us, for an inheritance forever.
I am sure, I’m speaking the mind of father Abraham. Why was he specific in his instruction concerning his son’s marriage?
Finding fault, and it will be given to him, (James 1:5) God gave Solomon wisdom becaude he had asked for it (I Kings 3:16-28).
What many believers seem to be lacking is wisdom. An accumulation of Bible doctrine is the step, the proper application of this Bible doctrine is wisdom. A baby is a baby. For this very reason, the word of God demands that mature believers should make room for the spiritual growth of these new babies, or converts, in the Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, we are to assist, guide and tolerate them with and attitude of grace.
In as much as it’s the plan of God, after salvation, for every believer is to detach himself spiritually from this world. The new convert are not to be yoked (Acts 15:10) or burdened with legalistic rules. In respects to not making spiritual growth difficult for new convert, James had this to day; “Now then, why do you try to test God by putting on the neck of the disciples {students} a yoke {legalism} that neither we {the apostle} nor our father {previous believer} have be enable to bear? (Acts 15:10-11). |
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Last Updated on Friday, 17 September 2010 09:57 |
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Written by Administrator
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Friday, 09 October 2009 23:35 |
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THE NEW BIRTH
The background for the parable of the prodigal son is Luke 15. In verse one, Jesus Christ addresses Himself to publicans and sinners who have gathered to hear him. Noting His compassion for these sinners, the Pharisees and Scribes came to criticize (Luke 15:2)
1. CARNALITY: The state in which the old sin nature controls the life of the believer, grieving the holy spirit.
2. SPIRITUALITY: The state in which God the holy spirit controls the believer while he is in fellowship. The means of spiritually is rebound, the private confession of personal sins to God the father (I Jn. 1:9). Spiritually is absolute, in contrast to growth, which is relative.
R. B. Thieme, Jr., Rebound and keep moving!
He received publicans and sinners. He even dined with them. The publicans (tax collectors) and sinners (prostitutes) were the lowest social order in Jewish society. No self-respecting Jew would ever be seen in the company of these people, much less fraternize with them. Yet here was one who, claiming to be their messiah, flagrantly ignored all their traditions and customs. He would not comply with their legalism, preferring instead the companionship of the untouchable. Blinded to their own spiritual condition, the self-righteous religious leaders would not recognize that he was the son of man …, “Come to seek and to save that which was lost”. (Luke 19:10).
He had not come to be their king. They could not understand that Jesus Christ would go to any length possible, compatible with his own charter, to persuade those who were without hope and without salvation to come by faith to and he would do anything to draw them to himself through the gospel, for he was the only solution to the sin problem, the only hope of eternal life (Acts 4:120 the religious leaders knew well this passage in their old testament scriptures.
But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities, the chastisement of peace was upon him, and with his stripes bruise, we are healed (draw together) all we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own on him (God the son) the iniquity of us all. (Isa. 53:5-6).
Yet, how little they cared for God’s plan for a lost and dying world. To these legalistic parishes and scribes Jesus had said, “you must be born again”. (John 3:7), these men were sincere do-gooders. Men who lived by the golden rule and obeyed or though they obeyed every letter of the law. Jesus said that all their morality and human good was not sufficient needed to be born again. Even the rich young ruler, a very moral and upright man who was confident he had kept the entire law. Was declared to be still lacking. Later, to his surprised disciples, Jesus explained that the trouble with the rich young rulers was that he had not followed him in the sphere of regeneration (Matt. 19:21, 25-28). The only people who are the children of God are those who are born into the family of god by faith in Christ.
3. LEGALISM: Man’s futile attempts to gain salvation, spiritually or the approbation of God through human good.
For you all are sons of God through faith in Christ Jesus (Gal. 3:26) as many as received him. To them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name. (John 1:12) this is the only way to be born again. With the reflection of the religion do gooders. Jesus offer salvation to the sinners, who had no illusions about their true condition before God.
To answer the criticism of the scribes and Pharisees, the first two parables in the passage are related to salvation (Luke 15:3-9). They both describe someone who has not received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour. The sinner is compared in the first parable to an animal, in the second, to an inanimate object, a coin in conclusion Jesus slates a principle:
I say unto you, that likewise joy shall be in heaven over one sinner that repenteth changes his mental attitude towards Christ more than over ninety and nine just (righteous) persons, which need no repentance. (Luke 15:7)
In the third parable the analogy changes; a new subject is introduce. In this story there are two sons who are analogous to believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. The subject changed from salvation to rebound, and a certain man had two sons (Luke 15:11).
The key to this relationship that exists between a father and his two sons when the passage is concluded, the same relationship still exists – father and two sons; they are BOTH SONS! Both believers in the Lord Jesus Christ. There is no such thing as the universal sonship of man and the universal fatherhood of God. This is a like right from the devil’s mouth (John 8:44). The only sonship which the Bible recognizes is the son-ship of regeneration – believes in the family of god. The certain man, declared to be their father, represents God the Father, the first person of the trinity. The two sons portray two believers in the Lord Jesus Christ therefore these two sons, by way of analogy, have already personally believed in Jesus Christ as Saviour. As a matter of fact, I like to think of the prodigal sons as the ‘lost sheep, a sinner but saved, and the second son, the elder brother, as the lost coin, found and also saved”. The lost sheep and the lost coin had both come to the cross. They are no longer lost, they are believers in Jesus Christ. They had received the son of God as Lord and Saviour and had been entered into union with the Lord Jesus Christ, which I call the top circle.
R.B. Thieme Jnr, is a pastor of Berachah Church, Houston USA, President of R.B. Thieme Jr. Bible Ministries. He teaches the WORD from the original languages and has written hundreds of books articles and pamphlets with videos and cassettes tapes. |
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Last Updated on Friday, 17 September 2010 10:01 |
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