Lent

Got a Question define lent  a period of fasting, moderation, and self-denial traditionally observed by Catholics and some Protestant denominations. It begins with Ash Wednesday and ends with Easter Sunday In which they give up their favourite items; for example, your favourite beverage, or food Its six weeks of self-discipline. Lent began as a way for Catholics to remind themselves of the value of repentance. The austerity of the Lenten season was seen as similar to how people in the Old Testament fasted and repented in sackcloth and ashes (Esther 4:1-3; Jeremiah 6:26; Daniel 9:3).

While there is value in repenting and fasting, and pleases God when we repent of sinful habits. There’s absolutely nothing wrong with setting aside some time to focus on Jesus’ death and resurrection. However, repenting of sin is something we should be doing every day of the year, not just for the 46 days of Lent.

To me, we should be spent more on time focusing on Jesus death on the cross and His resurrection from the grave.

George Macleod wrote these words, “I simply argue that the cross should be raised at the center of the marketplace as well as on the steeple of the church. I am recovering the claim that Jesus was not crucified in a cathedral between two candles, but on a cross between two thieves; on the town’s garbage heap; at a crossroad so cosmopolitan that they had to write His title in Hebrew and Latin and Greek … at the kind of place where cynics talk smut, and thieves curse, and soldiers gamble. Because that is where He died. And that is what He died for. And that is what He died about. That is where churchmen ought to be and what churchmen ought to be about.”

 Stuart my brother told me this story about Jesus carrying the cross-prior to his execution. He kept falling down, however, He kept getting back up because He had a mission to accomplish to be obedient His Father will and this work had to be accomplished. While this narrative is not found in the Bible. Yet, His  mission was to take mankind place because of the curse of sins. On the account of Adam and Eve disobeying  God’s ordinance by eating the forbidden fruits. 

 

1 Timothy 1;15-17  This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”—and I am the worst of them. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience for instance to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. 17 Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen

1:15 This saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance. Trustworthy is adjective meaning worthy of confidence or able to be relied on as honest or truthful. The Greek word is pistikos original is word πιστικός meaning: genuine, pure, or trustworthy. Amplified Bible wrote, The saying is sure and true and worthy of full and universal acceptance, 

NIV Study Bible Notes wrote A clause found nowhere else in the NT but used five times in the Pastorals (here; 3:1; 4:9; 2Ti 2:11; Titus 3:8) to identify a key teaching. Believer Bible Commentary wrote, “Men can afford to believe this statement with implicit trust. Indeed, to disbelieve it is unreasonable and unwise. It is worthy of all acceptance because it applies to all, tells what, God has done for all and extended the gift of salvation to all.”

1:15 “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners”    In Jesus said Matt. 9:13; For I didn’t come to call the righteous, but sinners and furthermore he states Luke 19:10.  For the Son of Man has come to seek and to save the lost and, lastly he utter these words to  Nicodemus in John 3:17  For God did not send His Son into the world that He might condemn the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. Sum up why Jesus came to save sinner

 KJV Commentary wrote, “The prime purpose of Christ’s coming was not to teach nor to heal nor to be an example, but to save sinners !

Believer Bible Commentary, “That he can somehow contribute to his own salvation. But, the gospel insists that all the glory for the work of salvation must go to Christ alone, that man does nothing but the sinning, and that the Lord Jesus does all the saving. Why did He come? To save sinners. It was not to save good people (there were none!). Neither was it to save those who kept the law perfectly (none had done this either.

 Matthew Henry sum it up well,” Here we have the sum of the whole gospel that Jesus Christ came into the world. The Son of God took upon him our nature, was made flesh, and dwelt among us, John 1:14. He came into the world, not to call the righteous but sinners to repentance, Matt. 9:13. His errand into the world was to seek and find, and so save, those that were lost, Luke 19:10.” As scripture declares, ”you are to name Him Jesus, because He will save His people from their sins!!!!

 

1:15 I am the worst of them or chief of sinner Remember the apostle Paul was Saul Tarsus who witness and approve the stoning of Stephen. The first martyr and proceed  to eradicate the church in infancy stage Where he went to the high priest and requested letters from them,  so that if he found any men or women who belonged to the Way. If He not encounter Jesus on Damascus Road, he would likely eliminate the Church. Believer Bible Commentary wrote, Reverting to the story of his life, Paul recounted the savage, and unremitting campaign he waged against the followers of the Christian faith. With all his strength, he opposed the name of Jesus of Nazareth. With authority from the chief priests, he imprisoned many of the Christians in Jerusalem. When they stood trial before the Sanhedrin, he cast his vote against them consistently. Over and over again he arranged punishment for those whom he found in every synagogue, and he did all he could to force them to deny their Lord.

In 1Timothy 1:13 In  one who was formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an arrogant man Believer Bible Commentary wrote That Paul had broken the Ten Commandments before his conversion is abundantly evident from this verse. He speaks of himself as formerly a blasphemer, a persecutor, and an insolent man. As a blasphemer, he spoke evil concerning the Christians and their Leader, Jesus. As a persecutor, he sought to put Christians to death because he felt that this new sect posed a threat to Judaism. In carrying out his evil plan, he took delight in committing insolent, violent, and outrageous acts against the believers. Where in Acts 22:4; 26:10, 11. Describes his intention  

Where Jesus forgave  him and commission him to preach the gospel among the Gentiles. Where Jesus stated these words, “I will rescue you from the people and from the Gentiles. I now send you to them  to open their eyes so they may turn from darkness to light and from the power of Satan to God that by faith in Me they may receive forgiveness of sins and a share among those who are sanctified.” In Paul own words he wrote,” For I am the least of the apostles, unworthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God.” And This grace was given to me—the least of all the saints—to proclaim to the Gentiles the incalculable riches of the Messiah

Believe Bible Commentary wrote n 1 Corinthians 15:9 (written about A.D. 57), Paul called himself “the least of the apostles.” Then in Ephesians 3:8 (written about A.D. 60), he called himself “less than the least of all saints.” Now in 1 Timothy 1:15, written some years later, he calls himself the chief of sinners. Here, we have an outline of Paul’s progress in Christian humility. 

NIV Study Bible Notes wrote The closer one gets to a holy God, the more the magnitude of one’s sin becomes evident (cf. Isa 6:5; see 1Co 15:9; Eph 3:8

The closer the believer walks with God. The more wretched they feel. They come realize that God is holy. As Isaiah declares, Woe is me for I am ruined because I am a man of unclean lips and live among a people of unclean lips, and because my eyes have seen the King,  the Lord of Hosts. 

1:16   But I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them. The Orthodox Study Bible wrote, “ Paul, as a former rebel toward God and persecutor of the Church (Acts 9:1–3), gives glory to God for his calling as an apostle. Throughout the OT and NT and church history, the greatest sinners have often become most notable saints (Moses, Rahab, David, Photini—the woman at the well, Matthew, Paul, St. Mary of Egypt). Believer Bible Commentary wrote This explains why Paul obtained mercy. It was so that he might be an exhibit of the longsuffering of Jesus Christ. Just as he had been the chief of sinners, so now he would be the chief display of the untiring grace of the Lord. He would be “Exhibit A,” a living example, as William Kelly said, of “divine love rising above the most active hostility, of divine longsuffering exhausting the most varied and persistent antagonism. 

 

The Apostle Paul was a Hebrew of Hebrews from the tribe of Benjamin, and a member of the Pharisees who demanded the strictest obedience to the Jewish law and enforced  it. When he encounter Jesus on the Damascus Road, He changed thinking and saw himself as good for nothing miserable wretched man, Jesus forgave him and declared Paul righteous   Paul never forgot the Damascus Road experience found in Acts 9:1–9; Acts 22:6–11; and  Acts 26:9–20. Where Jesus forgave him, and chose mercy instead justice  and was commission by Christ to preach the gospel among the Gentiles Galatians 1:11-16. 

1:16 Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience. Pass failure does not mean God will nullify any future blessing. Usually, a ministry starts in the individual life and men and women know that they have been forgiven, and no longer bear the guilt of sin. Orthodox Study Bible, Throughout the OT and NT and church history, the greatest sinners have often become most notable saints (Moses, Rahab, David, Photini—the woman at the well, Matthew, Paul, St. Mary of Egypt)

For example, Moses committed murder 2:12  by killing Egyptian because he was beating a Hebrew slave, one of his people, and buried his body in the sand, He wrote first five of the Tora and Jewish into promise land. He wrote first five of the Tora and Jewish into promise land. He also predicted a prophet Deuteronomy 18:18 that prophet was Jesus Christ is our Mediator.   

King David committed adultery, murder, and covered it up. He composes 75 psalms Psalm 51, and Psalms 32, and 40:12  my sins have overtaken me; I am unable to see. They are more than the hairs of my head, and my courage leaves me Known by God as a man after my own heart; he will do everything I want him to do. Jesus Christ our Savour was a descendant of David who redeemed mankind from the curse of sin. 

Manasseh son of  king Hezekiah was most wicked more wicked than Amorites. He sacrificed his own son in the fire, practiced divination, sought omens, and consulted mediums and spiritualists. So God sent the Assyrians that captured Manasseh and took him away to exile (2 Chronicles 33:11). While in exile, “In his distress he had sought the favor of the Lord his God and humbled himself greatly before the God of his ancestors. And when he had prayed to him, the Lord was moved by his entreaty and listened to his plea; so he brought him back to Jerusalem and to his kingdom. Then, Manasseh knew that the Lord is God” (2 Chronicles 33:12–13) 

Apostle Peter denied Jesus Christ three times, preached the first gospel Acts 2;22-38 was leader in Christian movement boldly proclaim the gospel through out Acts and wrote two epistles in The New Testament  and lifted and encourages the persecuted saints throughout Asia

John Mark  Acts 13:13  on first missionary trip pack he’s and went home. The apostle Paul didn’t accept it (15:38) create dissension between Paul and Barnabas (15:36–40 He  trained under Apostle Peter and Paul known as second greatest missionary and wrote the gospel of Mark

Susan Atkins was charged for committing seven murder and found guilty  While Susan Aiken holding Sharon Tate she pleaded with Tex and Susan to spare her, and her eight-month baby, she uttered these words, ”Look bitch, I don’t care about you. I don’t care if you’re going to have a baby or not. You’re going to die, and I don’t feel anything about it.” She felt no guilt in her mind Sharon look like store mannequin.

In September of 1974, Jesus knocked  her hardened heart, and she accepted Jesus as my personal Savior and Lord went was her bitter heart, and replace with a soft heart. According to Susan Christ, she was assured  that  from the depths of her soul that  she was forgiven and “Old things had passed away and behold all things have became new,”  II Corinthians 5:17   Her favourite verse is  Matthew 3;8   Therefore produce fruit  consistent with repentance. On her death, she uttered Psalm 23; Even when I go through the darkest valley, I fear no danger, for You are with me; Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me. When she encounter Jesus He utter  these words, For I will forgive their wickedness and will remember their sins no more.” On the  account His sacrifice on the cross where her terrible deed she committed on August ninth and tenth will remember their sins no more

Tex Watson committed seven murders On November 30th, 1969 he was arrested charge seven count murder was  found guilty. One day He was attending chapel service, and  he heard a message on one 1Timothy1; 15-16; “ This is a trustworthy and deserved full acceptance: “Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners “–and I am the worst of them. But, I received mercy for this reason, so that in me, the worst of them, Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience for instance to those who would believe in Him for eternal life. Tex than confess repent, and believed in Christ.  There was a peace and ecstatic joy that he never felt before in his life. When he had gone back to his  cell, he looked into the mirror, and he saw a smile on his face that brightened up his cell.

 Both Tex and Susan learned over  time that bitterness is an awful weed that consumed your heart, soul, and mind As scripture states,  has changed and became a new creature In Christ he learned to forgive himself as Christ did.

Susan Labianca daughter of Rosemary Labianca forgave Tex for killing her parents view as a brother in Christ.

According to  since Susan became a follower of Christ as a Christian she felt an obligation to forgive Tex for killing his mother and step dad, because Tex was a bro preserved her in the Lord, and has committed his life to Christ. 

  Never mind David Berowitz known as son of Sam who six people and wounded seven others Ted Bundy admitted to killing 36 young women Jeffery Duhmar murder dismembered eat them and preserved the body 17 young boys All these people found Christ and took ownership of their crimes. 

NKJV Study Bible wrote’” All those who place their trust in Jesus for salvation will be saved from the coming judgment.”

 

1:16 Christ Jesus might demonstrate His extraordinary patience. The prophet Jeremiah was chosen by God before he formed in the womb to be a prophet. The Apostle Paul set aside at birth by God, Jesus declare to Ananias “Go! For this man is My chosen instrument to take My name to Gentiles

 

1:16 for instance to those who would believe {pisteuein}  in Him for eternal life; believe on Him: is found over 185 times in the NT.  

In  John 3;14-16   Jesus predicted these words to Nicodemus,  “so the Son of Man must be lifted up, {crucifixion}15 so that everyone who believes in Him will have eternal life.  So that, everyone who believes in Him will not perish but has eternal life.” 

Note; for eternal life. Jesus promise those who believe in His atoning on the cross. They would inherit eternal life  

NKJV Study Bible wrote, “The sole condition given for salvation is belief, having faith or trust in Jesus Christ. The gospel is that Christ died for our sins, was buried, and rose on the third day. All those who place their trust in Jesus for salvation will be saved from the coming judgment.” 

1:17  Now to the King eternal, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.    

John MacArthur wrote,” God receives all the praise for sovereignly saving Paul. This is one of the many doxologies Paul wrote (cf. Rom. 11:33–36)

Orthodox Study Bible, “Paul, as a former rebel toward God and persecutor of the Church (Acts 9:1–3), gives glory to God for his calling as an apostle.” 

Holman New Testament wrote,” the foundation of Christian belief that God is—to this trustworthy, incomparable, self-existent God of is rich in mercy and love be honor and glory for ever and ever.

The women who led to the Lord gave me some advise simply just say thank you for forgiving me for all my sins.  

 

 

 

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