Love Fulfilled Ministry

The central failure of the Old Covenant was not merely that it was "weak," but that its offerings and sacrifices had become repulsive to God. When rituals are performed without a transformed heart, they are not just empty; they are offensive. God would rather us be cold or hot rather than lukewarm (to be clean on the outside and not inwardly). The Levitical system functioned as an external restraint—a system of "fleshly ordinances"—that could never remedy the internal corruption of man. Consequently, God rejected these external attempts at appeasement. In Malachi 2:3 , God speaks regarding the priests who offered sacrifices, declaring He would "spread refuse on your faces, the refuse of your solemn feasts." The Hebrew word for "refuse" here is peresh ( dung ), signifying that the religious acts themselves had become waste in His sight. The propitiation (appealing his wrath and anger) offerings became an offense, instead of a sweet smelling aroma...

Hebrews 11:1 defines faith as: “Now, faith exists assurance, hope, proof (conviction) of things unseen.” This threefold description of  assurance, hope, proof  shows that faith is not vague trust but a God-authored persuasion that produces assurance and conviction. Rooted in the Greek πίστις ( pistis , from πείθω peithō “to persuade”), faith is assurance of God’s promises, hope in him at present and in His future fulfillment, and proof of unseen realities. Each dimension is distinct yet inseparable, forming a holistic picture of faith in Christ, the author and perfecter of faith. It is so important that we teach and understand Faith. By faith we know that God exists and rewards those who seek him and by faith we know God created the world (we can teach about the existence of God and creation but people need faith to believe). Through increasing faith we can avoid false teachings. Without faith salvation is impossible, nor can we please God.  Faith as Assurance ( ὑπ...

The Greek word Paul uses for "elemental principles" is stoicheia . In ancient Greek, this referred to things like the letters of the alphabet (the ABCs) or the basic physical elements of the universe (earth, air, fire, water). Paul uses it to describe a rudimentary level of religion, a pretense of piety without reality, —basic rules about physical things that have no power to change the spiritual condition of a man. When believers return to these elemental things after knowing Christ, Paul considers it a regression from maturity to infancy, and from freedom to slavery.  Elemental Principles have no power to mature or perfect the individual in regards to righteousness and godliness nor to give life. I. Colossians 2: The Failure of Asceticism ("Do Not Touch") In Colossians, the error was the belief that strict self-denial and harsh treatment of the body constituted "perfection." Paul argues that these regulations are merely human commands concerning things t...