God Has Not Imputed Our Sins Unto Us

Are you holy? How do you see yourself before God?

        Paul says,

God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing our sins unto us, For the Father hath made Jesus to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might become righteous with the righteousness of God in Christ.

(KJV) 2Cor 5:19 & 21

Absolute deity in Christ was reconciling the world to Himself, not putting down on the liability side of (our) ledger our trespasses . . . It means that we are made righteous in the sight of God; that is, that we are accepted as righteous, and treated as righteous by God on account of what the Lord Jesus has done. (Barnes)

We are made righteous in God’s sight! We are holy in God’s sight! The Father made us righteous! He made us holy!

Because it is written, Be ye holy; for I am holy.

(KJV) 1Pet 1:16

Hey, if you don’t believe you’re holy don’t shoot the messenger! *see 2Cor 5:20.

King James Version (KJV)—Public Domain/ 1604, King James I of England

Barnes' Notes on the New Testament / by Albert Barnes Published in Philadelphia, August 25th, 1832

Be Ripped

Our text for today is from Ephesians 5:18 *(NIV)

¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

I was sharing this verse tonight at our men’s Wednesday night bible study. We’ve been studying the book of Ephesians for about five months now. No one’s in a hurry. There’s so much “strong meat” ¹ (solid doctrine) it takes time to chew on all of it for a while.

The context of verse 18 is getting drunk.

⁸ For you were once darkness, but now you are light in the Lord. Live as children of light ⁹ (for the fruit of the light consists in all goodness, righteousness and truth) ¹⁰ and find out what pleases the Lord. ¹¹ Have nothing to do with the fruitless deeds of darkness, but rather expose them. ¹² It is shameful even to mention what the disobedient do in secret. ¹³ But everything exposed by the light becomes visible—and everything that is illuminated becomes a light. ¹⁴ This is why it is said:

“Wake up, sleeper, rise from the dead,

and Christ will shine on you.”

¹⁵ Be very careful, then, how you live—not as unwise but as wise,¹⁶ making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil.¹⁷ Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the Lord’s will is.

¹⁸ Do not get drunk on wine, which leads to debauchery. Instead, be filled with the Spirit.

Everyday folks in pubs around the world lift their drafts up singing beer drinking songs! God wants us to do the same thing in the church today. What’s happened to the boisterous Christians of the Second Chapter of Acts? On the Day of Pentecost there were 120 believers filled with the Holy Ghost; talking in tongues; walking around “witnessing in Jerusalem, to those from Judea and Samaria, and the ends of the earth’ (see Acts 1:8) They were speaking in the native dialects of Jewish Pentecostal pilgrims from all over the world.

^{Acts 2:12} Amazed and perplexed, [the pilgrims] asked one another, “What does this mean?” ¹³ Some, however, made fun of them and said, “They have had too much wine.”

The 120 disciples were thought to have been drunk! When was the last time your church service was thought to be a booze party! God wants us to be absolutely blasted in the Holy Ghost!

*New International Version (NIV)

Holy Bible, New International Version®, NIV® Copyright ©1973, 1978, 1984, 2011 by Biblica, Inc.® Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide.

1 Strong meat Heb 5:11

P.S.

Shortly after posting my previous entry, Heavy Revy, I read the next previous entry You will be able to test and approve what God’s will is God absolutely affirmed my relationship with Him.

This might be the craziest Christian blog you've ever read; but that's right where God wants you! I'll leave you with this:

2 Corinthians 5:13 (AMP)
If we are out of our mind [just unstable fanatics as some critics say], it is for God; if we are in our right mind, it is for your benefit.

Heavy Revy

08.23.16 – Tuesday 4am

Today the Lord gave confirmation of certain events in my life. Tomorrow I’m having surgery for a hernia on the left side of my testes. So I used some Nair to chemically remove the hair on my genitals Sunday afternoon. The Revelation of the Lord started this morning as I looked in the mirror at my naked body. This looked so funny. My genitals looked like a chicken with all his feathers plucked off.

Then I remembered the story Ravi Zacharias shared on TV and it went something like this: Stalin was asked by a reporter why he was so cruel toward his own countrymen. He sent over 12 million people to their deaths in the concentration camps of Siberia. Stalin asked a waiter to bring him a live chicken; then Stalin proceeded to pluck the chicken in front of the reporter. Now the chicken was too embarrassed and hid under the table. Then Stalin took a piece of bread and started to feed the chicken. The chicken now followed Stalin wherever he went.

God in His divine mercy brought this illustration back to my mind to remind me of His covenant with Abraham. I’ve been giddy ever since Sunday about how good it felt to see and feel my genitals – I couldn’t express how good it feels! I am not ashamed to write this story – I feel like Adam and Eve, Naked and unashamed. My scrotum has been shrunk and looks like a peach pit. I can squeeze my sac – there are no testes in there, I have no idea where they go! My penis has shrunk and I am so glad it has! God had dealt a death blow to lust by lowering my libido.  

You might be asking what does this have to do with Abraham. Well, [ The Covenant of Circumcision ]

Genesis 17:1 & 11 (NIV)

¹ When Abram was ninety-nine years old, the Lord appeared to him and said, “I am God Almighty; walk before me faithfully and be blameless.

¹¹ You are to undergo circumcision, and it will be the sign of the covenant between me and you.

(TLB)

¹¹ the foreskin of your penis shall be cut off. This will be the proof that you and your descendants accept this covenant.

God showed me this morning how happy Abraham and his descendants were to be circumcised! No wonder they fought so hard with Paul over demanding new believers in Christ to be circumcised. The Bible says,

Psalm 51:17 (NIV)

My sacrifice, O God, is a broken spirit; a broken and contrite heart you, God, will not despise.

What Is An Unbroken Horse? From Jen Davis:

A horse that is labeled unbroken or not broke has not been ridden before and is not considered to be ride-able. These horses are often either too young to break or horses that no one ever got around to training. An adult horse that is not broke has relatively little value and is considered undesirable by most horse owners. An unbroken horse is never a good horse for a beginner or novice rider.

The term "broken" refers to a horse that is considered safe to ride and has all his basic manners. A broke horse should be fairly well trained and responsive to the rider.

This is a horse that a rider with some experience should be able to get on and ride relatively easily and safely, depending on the horse's temperament and personality. Breaking a horse is the practice of training him to be ridden. This process is also referred to as saddle breaking. It involves teaching the young horse to accept a saddle, a bridle and the weight of the rider on his back. It also involves teaching a young horse how to to steer, stop and respond to cues on command when they are given using the reins, leg and seat. http://animals.mom.me/unbroken-horse-2492.html

Do you feel like you are not broken by the Lord and that you have “relatively little value and are considered undesirable?” If you have never experienced the joy of having you life broken by the Lord, now is the perfect time to cry out to him. “Help me Jesus, I surrender my life to you completely!”  

You will be able to test and approve what God’s will is

Romans 12:2

(NIV)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

(AMP)

Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.

2 Tim 2:15

(NIV)

Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.

(AMP)

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

John 6:24-40 & 66-69

(KJV)

When the people therefore saw that Jesus was not there, neither his disciples, they also took shipping, and came to Capernaum, seeking for Jesus.

And when they had found him on the other side of the sea, they said unto him, Rabbi, when camest thou hither?

Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.

Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.

Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?

Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent.

They said therefore unto him, What sign shewest thou then, that we may see, and believe thee? what dost thou work?

Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat.

Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven.

For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world.

Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread.

And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst.

But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not.

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.

For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of Him that sent me.

And this is the Father's will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.

And this is the will of Him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.

From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him. Then said Jesus unto the twelve, Will ye also go away? Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God.

References:

New International Version (NIV)—Copyright © 1973, 1978, 1984 by International Bible Society

Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

King James Version (KJV)—Public Domain/ 1604, King James I of England

Study

2 Timothy 2:15 (*Amplified Bible)

Study and be eager and do your utmost to present yourself to God approved (tested by trial), a workman who has no cause to be ashamed, correctly analyzing and accurately dividing [rightly handling and skillfully teaching] the Word of Truth.

*Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Chronological Order Of The Books Of The New Testament

While no arrangement of these books can be made with absolute confidence, the following dates are sufficiently reliable to serve the purpose of the Bible student.

 

James - 50 A.D. 1st & 2nd Thessalonians - 52-53.   

Galatians - 55. 1st & 2nd Corinthians - 57. Romans - 57-58.   

Philippians - 62-63. Colossians - 62-63. Philemon - 62-63.   

Ephesians - 62-63. Luke - 63. Acts - 64. 1st Timothy - 65.   

Titus - 65. 2nd Timothy - 66. Mark - 66. Matthew - 67. 

Hebrews - 67. 1st & 2nd Peter - 67-68.    Jude - 68. 
Revelation - 68. John - c. 85. Epistles of John - 90-95.

² I suppose I must have read as many myths as most men in Latin and Greek as well as, in translation, in other European and Asiatic languages. They can be helpful. Even now we can “get the message” of the Sirens of Circe about whom Homer wrote nearly three thousand years ago. But, apart from the Book of Revelation, which stands in a class by itself, the New Testament is not a myth. Its sparse vocabulary, its lack of writing for effect, its general atmosphere of understatement is miles removed from the fantastic world of magic and myth.

Here in the dark, cruel, fear-ridden world of what we now call the first century, there came to birth in such unlikely places as Corinth and Ephesus, a new kind of human being and human community. Perhaps I was fortunate in starting, not in some “quest for the historical Jesus,” but in the most intimate imaginative contact with the letters of Paul.

For here I found real people, real situations, real victories, and a few real failures.

Here is irrefutable evidence, that long before any “Gospel” was written, people were being fundamentally changed in character and outlook. This new unquenchable courage and certainty about God was never dreamed up.

The more closely I studied, the more I felt the hallmark of reality and the ring of truth.

³ When and how did the Twelve Apostles die?

Summary:  The Bible only mentions the deaths of two apostles, James who was put to death by Herod Agrippa I in 44 AD and Judas Iscariot who committed suicide shortly after the death of Christ.    The details of the deaths of three of the apostles (John, the Beloved, Bartholomew and Simon the Canaanite) are not known at all, either by tradition or early historians. The deaths of the other seven apostles are known by tradition or the writings of early Christian historians. According to traditions and the Bible, eight of the Apostles died as Martyrs.  At least two of the Apostles, Peter and Andrew were crucified. [Jesus died in 33 AD]

Simon surnamed Peter died 33-34 years after the death of Christ.  According to Smith’s Bible Dictionary there is “satisfactory evidence that he and Paul were the founders of the church at Rome, and died in that city. The time and manner of the apostle’s martyrdom are less certain. According to the early writers, he died at or about the same time with Paul, and in the Neronian persecution, A.D. 67,68. All agree that he was crucified. Origen says that Peter felt himself to be unworthy to be put to death in the same manner as his Master, and was therefore, at his own request, crucified with his head downward.” [Paul had his head cut off]

James the son of Zebedee: He was put to death by Herod Agrippa I shortly before the day of the Passover, in the year 44 or about 11 years after the death of Christ.  From Acts 12: 1-2.

John: No death date given by early writers.  Death date is by conjecture only and is variously assigned as being between 89 AD to 120 AD

Andrew:  No accurate death date given. A variety of traditions say he preached in Scythia, in Greece, in Asia Minor and Thrace.  He is reported to have been crucified at Patrae in Achaia.

Philip:  Again, the Bible does not say when he died nor do we have accurate information.  According to tradition he preached in Phrygia, and died at Hierapolis. Update: FoxNews July 27, 2011 Tomb of the Apostle Phillip is found in Hierapolis.

Bartholomew: There is no information concerning his death, not even by tradition

Matthew: He must have lived many years as an apostle, since he was the author of the Gospel of Matthew which was written at least twenty years after the death of Christ. There is reason to believe that he stayed for fifteen years at Jerusalem, after which he went as missionary to the Persians, Parthians and Medes. There is a legend that he died a martyr in Ethiopia.

Thomas: The earlier traditions, as believed in the fourth century, say he preached in Parthia or Persia, and was finally buried at Edessa. The later traditions carry him farther east.   His martyrdom whether in Persia or India, is said to have been by a lance, and is commemorated by the Latin Church on December 21 the Greek Church on October 6, and by the Indians on July 1.

James Alpheus : We know he lived at least five years after the death of Christ because of mentions in the Bible.  According to tradition, James son of Alpheus was thrown down from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees; he was then stoned, and his brains dashed out with a fuller’s club.

Simon the Canaanite – No information either in the Bible or by tradition.

Jude (Thaddeus): according to tradition Jude taught in Armenia, Syria and Persia where he was martyred.  Tradition tells us he was buried in Kara Kalisa in what is now Iran.

Judas Iscariot: Shortly after the death of Christ Judas killed himself. According to the Bible he hanged himself, (Matthew 27:5) at Aceldama, on the southern slope of the valley of Hinnom, near Jerusalem, and in the act he fell down a precipice and was dashed into pieces.

⁴ According to the period writer Clemens Alexandrinus, as James the Great (the son of Zebedee) was lead to his death his accuser was so moved by his courage and faith that he fell at his feet, accepted Christ, and requested a pardon for James or else martyrdom for himself. Both were beheaded.

John, brother of James the Great, was the only apostle who did not suffer a violent death. An attempt was made, however. After he survived boiling in oil without injury, a divine miracle, he was exiled to the Isle of Patmos where the book of Revelation was written. Then in Ephesus upon his release he found those who were teaching that Jesus was only a spirit when He resurrected; thus his many referrals to Jesus being flesh & bone!

1 Chronological Order:

http://www.biblestudytools.com/resources/guide-to-bible-study/order-books-new-testament.html

2 For This Day, 365 Meditations by J.B. Phillips; Word Books Publisher1975 – February 21.

3 http://amazingbibletimeline.com/bible_questions/q6_apostles_die/

4 http://www.ultimateriddles.com/death-of-apostles-disciples.html

Hot-to-Boiling Faith

Phm 1:6 (KJV)

That the ¹ communication of thy faith may become ² effectual by the acknowledging of every good thing which is in you in Christ Jesus.

active sense of impartation, as communication, contribution, almsgiving.

¹ Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (VWS) Published in 1886 by Marvin R. Vincent

² G1756 – Strong’s; ἐνεργής – energēs (en-er-gace')

From G1722 and G2041; active, operative: - effectual, powerful.

²Strong’s Concordance: Greek & Hebrew Dictionary; Published in 1890 by James Strong

³ effectual – superhuman power,

³ Vincent's Word Studies in the New Testament (VWS) Published in 1886 by Marvin R. Vincent

^{1, 2, 3} Retrieved from e-Sword www.e-sword.net

My Declaration:

The impartation, contribution and communion of my faith with others becomes energized with superhuman power by the full and accurate knowledge of every good thing which is in me in Christ.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

James 5:16 (KJV)

The effectual ⁴ fervent prayer of a righteous man availeth much.

 ⁴ “Fervent" (from Latin fervere, "to boil") Hot-to-boiling

⁴ International Standard Bible Encyclopaedia

⁴ Retrieved from http://www.blueletterbible.org/search/Dictionary

. . . The effectual fervent ⁵G1754 – Strong’s

 ἐνεργέω – energeō (en-erg-eh'-o)

From ⁵G1756; to be active, efficient: - do, (be) effectual (fervent), be mighty in, shew forth self, work (effectually in).

⁵Strong’s Concordance: Greek & Hebrew Dictionary; Published in 1890 by James Strong

(AMP)

. . . The earnest (heartfelt, continued) prayer of a righteous man makes tremendous power available [⁶ dynamic in its working].

⁶ a dynamo; generator; nuclear power plant

My Declaration:

Because I am in right standing with God, my earnest, effectual hot-to-boiling fervent prayers act like a dynamo – able to generate and make tremendous spiritual nuclear power available!

An Open Mind

Often Christians are, asked ‘to keep an open mind,’  by a friend who declares there are many ways to God. I believe that’s a great opportunity and a fantastic open door to witness to our friend for asking us such a loaded question. Here’s a dialog we could possible have,   

My response,

Me: That’s fine. Will you keep an open mind too if I ask you who you believe Jesus is?

They generally will say,

Friend: Yes, He was a great teacher.

Me: Cool, so you trust everything Jesus taught?

Friend: Well, I guess so.

Me: Great! Because Jesus says, ‘you will die in your sin if you don’t believe who I have said I Am.’

Friend: WOW, Who did Jesus say he was?

Me: Jesus says He was God almighty, the Son of God in the flesh!

Our dumbfounded friend utters,

Friend: WOW

Me: Jesus says in one place, ‘I and the Father are One;’ and in another place, ‘I Am the ONLY way to the Father.’

Friend: You mean there aren't many ways to get to God?

Me: Nope, not according to Jesus. So do you still believe Jesus was a great teacher?

Friend: I don’t know.

Me: That’s wonderful, you have done exactly what Jesus teaches us to do!

Friend: It is?

Me: Yes, Proverbs says not to lean upon our own thinking, our own understanding; and Jesus says, you must change your mind and become like a child or you will never be able to see or even enter the kingdom of Heaven.

Friend: What do you mean by ‘change my mind,’ about what?

Me: Jesus says, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand. The word repent is a military term, it means, ‘to change our mind; to make an about face’ about something. We are to completely turn all the way around and change our mind about what we think the kingdom of Heaven is.

As you know, where there is a kingdom there has to be a king. We have to surrender our life and swear allegiance to the King of Heaven. Christianity is not a Democracy. Jesus will not accept allegiance to any other kingdom but His. Jesus is Lord! He’s the King of kings, Lord of lords.

Our friend injects,

Friend: That sounds too simple to do, it sounds so simple even a child could understand it.

Me: You got it my friend! If people only knew how simple it is to change our mind about God, they would be breaking down our front doors, not to rob us, but to wake us up at night begging to hear more about Jesus!”

Friend: WOW, how do I surrender to Jesus?”

Me: It’s all by grace, God’s unmerited favor, it’s a gift from God that we can be part of His Kingdom. He gives us the right to be in His Kingdom. We cannot earn it. In the Bible verses from Romans 10:9-10 it says, ‘If you surrender you life and swear allegiance openly with your mouth that Jesus is Lord, Jesus is God, come in the flesh, and believe in your heart that His Father has raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved. For with your heart you believe everything Jesus taught was true and that causes you now by grace to be in a right relationship with Him, His Father and the Holy Spirit; and now by God’s unmerited favor your mouth’s declaration is turned unto salvation!’

Friend: I don’t know everything that Jesus taught.

Me: That’s good, because nobody does. The Apostle John said if all the WORDS that Jesus taught were written down in books, the world itself could not contain the books that should be written. Amen! We don’t have to know everything about God, only He does, but we do have to believe everything He says is true! How ‘bout it, what do you declare now?

Friend: “WOW, I surrender my life and swear allegiance openly with my mouth that Jesus is Lord, Jesus is God, come in the flesh, and I believe in my heart that His Father raised Jesus from the dead, I am saved! For with my heart I believe all what Jesus has taught was true and that causes me now by grace to be in a right relationship with Him, His Father and the Holy Spirit; and now with God’s unmerited favor my mouth’s declaration is turned unto salvation!”

Me: Bingo!

Both: Glory to God! Praise the Lord! Hallelujah!

Sprang From The Jailhouse Of Darkness

I feel we need to preach the true Gospel (Good News) of what God has done "in Christ" 

[my words are in italics—Jim]

Colossians 1:13 1^st 6 Versions are from *Mark Hankins:

(KJV) who hath delivered us from the power of darkness, and hath translated us into the kingdom of his dear Son:

(New English) He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and brought us away into the kingdom of his dear Son,

(Wade) For God has rescued us from the dominance exercised by the Powers of Spiritual Darkness, and transferred us to the dominion of His Son—the Object of His love—

(Amplified) [The Father] has delivered us and drawn us to Himself out of the control and dominion of darkness and has transferred us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,

(Moffatt) rescuing us from the power of Darkness and transferring us to the realm of his beloved Son.

(Cotton Patch) It was the Father who sprang us from the jailhouse of darkness, and turned us loose in the new world of his beloved Son,

The following commentaries were added, transcribed and edited by Jim Hughes:

(Barnes) And hath translated us - The word rendered here “translated” is often used in the sense of:

• Removing a people from one country to another; see Josephus, Ant. ix. 11. 1.
• They who are Christians have been transferred from one kingdom to another, as if a people were thus removed.
• They become subjects of a new kingdom, are under different laws, and belong to a different community.
• This change is made in regeneration, by which we pass from the kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of light;
• From the empire of sin, ignorance, and misery, to one of holiness, knowledge, and happiness.
• No change, therefore, in a man’s life is so important as this; and no words can suitably express the gratitude which they should feel who are thus transferred from the empire of darkness to that of light.

(Clarke) Translated us into the kingdom, etc - He has thoroughly changed our state, brought us out of the dark region of vice and impiety, and placed us in the kingdom under the government of his dear Son, Υἱου της αγαπης αὑτου, the Son of his love; the person whom, in his infinite love, he has given to make an atonement for the sin of the world.

We have been completely REMOVED from the world we knew before coming to Christ! As far as we are concerned that old world is dead and gone!

2 Corinthians 5:17-19

(KJV)

¹⁷ Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. ¹⁸ And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; ¹⁹ To wit that God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

What does to wit mean in verse 19? 

I’ve combined several online sources that pretty much agree that it’s a legal term meaning "in other words” “in particular" or "namely" or "that is to say" or “as follows” or “for example”

To wit . . .

Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation; in other words God was in Christ reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them: and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.

[Just the “To wit” was changed from the KJV – w/no verse numbers]

The Father was in Christ reconciling us to Himself and He wants any man in Christ also to reconcile others to Himself; He’s committed unto us the word of reconciliation (in other words) the Father is not imputing their trespasses unto them. —Jim

The first 2 versions are from Mark Hankins:

2 Corinthians 5:19

(Beck) In Christ, God was getting rid of the enmity between himself and the people of the world.

(Wand) That ministry is based on the fact that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, wiping out the debit balance of our transgressions and setting His reconciliation to the credit of our account.

(Good News) Our message is that God was making all human beings his friends through Christ. God did not keep an account of their sins, and he has given us the message which tells how he makes them his friends.

(Common English) In other words, God was reconciling the world to himself through Christ, by not counting people’s sins against them. He has trusted us with this message of reconciliation.

(Amplified) It was God [personally present] in Christ, reconciling and restoring the world to favor with Himself, not counting up and holding against [men] their trespasses [but canceling them], and committing to us the message of reconciliation (of the restoration to favor).

(Easy-to-Read) I mean that God was in Christ, making peace between the world and himself. In Christ, God did not hold people guilty for their sins. And he gave us this message of peace to tell people.

Resources:

Amplified Bible (AMP)—Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation

Barnes, Albert (Barnes) Albert Barnes' Notes on the New Testament by Albert Barnes Published in Philadelphia, August 25th, 1832

Beck, William F. (Beck) The New Testament in the Language of Today by William F. Beck, St. Louis, MO Concordia Publishing House 1963

Clarke, Adam (Clarke) Adam Clarke's Commentary by Adam Clarke Published in 1825

Common English Bible (CEB) Copyright © 2011 by Common English Bible

Cotton Patch Version (Cotton Patch)—Copyright © 1968 by Clarence Jordan

Easy-to-Read Version (Easy-to-Read) Copyright © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center

Good News Translation (GNT) Copyright © 1992 by American Bible Society

Moffatt, James (Moffatt) The New Testament by James Moffatt London: Hodder & Stoughton 1913

New English Translation (NET) NET Bible® copyright ©1996-2006 by Biblical Studies Press, L.L.C. http://netbible.com All rights reserved.

Wade, G. Woosung (Wade) The Documents of the New Testament translated by G.W. Wade, London: Thomas Murby & Co., 1934

Wand, J.W.C.; (Wand) The New Testament Letters prefaced and paraphrased by J.W.C. Wand, Melbourne: Oxford University Press 1944

*Hankins, Mark (MHM) The New Creation study guide by Mark Hankins

Mark Hankins Ministries - PO Box 12863 - Alexandria, LA 71315 - (318) 767-2001   

Study guide transcribed by Jim Hughes from 1985 copy — jimhughesgraphics@gmail.com / Jim Hughes is not affiliated with (MHM)