Renewal

A life liberated by His love.

Supreme Significance

It is important for us as believers to understand what happened on the cross, and that it was of supreme significance.  Jesus’ crucifixion on a tree is far more than simply the site of a Jewish man’s execution-this was the solution to mankind’s biggest problem: sin and the resulting alienation from God.  The crucifixion of Jesus is the divine transaction that saves us.  Only the blood of Christ can cleanse us from sin and reconcile us to the Father.

Although the Jews and the Romans viewed the crucifixion as the execution of a criminal, God saw the death of His Son as the perfect atoning sacrifice, which allowed for the justification of sinful mankind.

Commentary from the In Touch devotional by Charles Stanley, May 18, 2020.

Trust

Fret and worry indicate a lack of trust in God’s wisdom, sovereignty, or power.  Delighting in the Lord and meditating on His Word are a great antidote to anxiety (Psalm 1:2).

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Philippians 4:6.

A Test?

The tree of the knowledge of good and evil may have been given that title because it was a test of obedience by which our first parents were tried, whether they would obey God or disobey His command.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Genesis 2:9.

An Endless Life

Because He is the eternal Second Person of the Godhead, Christ’s priesthood cannot end.  He obtained His priesthood, not by virtue of the law, but by virtue of His deity.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Hebrews 7:16.

How Will We Know?

Jesus will return to earth in the same manner in which He left (Acts 1:9-11; Daniel 7:13,14; Revelation 1:7). The psalmist said that God uses “clouds” as His chariot (Psalm 104:3), and Isaiah 19:1 pictures the Lord riding on a cloud.  Although these “clouds” could be natural, they more likely describe the supernatural “glory cloud” that represented God’s presence in Old Testament Israel.  While Christ possesses “great power and glory,” His return will be accompanied by visible manifestations of that power and glory – He will redeem the elect, restore the devastated earth, and establish His rule on earth.

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Mark 13:26.

Free Indeed

The term for “alienated” means “estranged,” “cut off,” or “separated.”  Before they were reconciled, all people were completely estranged from God (Ephesians 2:12,13).  The term for “enemies” can also be translated “hateful.”  Unbelievers hate God and resent His holy standard because they love “wicked works” (John 3:19,20; 15:18,24,25).  Actually there is alienation from both sides, since God “hates all workers of iniquity” (Psalm 5:5).  Christ’s substitutionary death on the cross that paid the full penalty for the sin of all who believe made reconciliation possible and actual (Romans 3:25;5:9,10;8:3).

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Colossians 1:21.

Do This and You Will Live

“Do and live” is the promise of the law.  But since no sinner can obey perfectly, the impossible demands of the law are meant to drive us to seek divine mercy (Galatians 3:10-13,22-25).

Commentary from the MacArthur study Bible, notes for Luke 10:28.