The Cleveland team was dreadful. It showed on the field and in the stands, where they drew an average of 199 fans after their first 16 home games. Only 6,088 fans watched them play that year, an average of 145 diehards per home game. They were so bad, they decided to play most of their games on the road.
Neal Pollard
Inexplicably, I remain a Colorado Rockies fan when many of my Denver-area friends have abandoned ship with this historically bad baseball team. The Rockies are last in total pitching and fielding (defense) and seventh-worst in hitting. That means they can’t pitch, hit, or field. They go into the All-Star game 22-74, on pace to join some dubious, infamous company. In the “modern era” (since 1901), there was the 1916 Philadelphia A’s who won 36 and lost 117. The 1935 Boston Braves and 1962 New York Mets were almost as bad. Closer to the present, you’d have to include the 2003 Detroit Tigers (43-119) and the 2024 Chicago White Sox (41-121). But, the symbol and epitome of terrible baseball has to be the 1899 Cleveland Spiders. They finished that season 20-134! But, their hard luck was more of a business decision.
The 1898 team boasted Hall of Famers Cy Young, Jesse Burkett, and Bobby Wallace, but the owners, who also owned the St. Louis Browns, felt that a good team would draw more fans in Missouri than Ohio. So, they depleted the Spider roster and stocked the Browns roster. The Cleveland team was dreadful. It showed on the field and in the stands, where they drew an average of 199 fans after their first 16 home games. Only 6,088 fans watched them play that year, an average of 145 diehards per home game. They were so bad, they decided to play most of their games on the road. To commemorate the centennial “celebration” of Clevelands wandering exiles, J. Thomas Hetrick memorialized them in his 1999 book, Misfits! Baseball’s Worst Team Ever. Apparently, the Spanish-American war, a failed effort to clean up bad language on the field, and “too many games” (expanding to 154; today, it’s 162) had already cut into fan attendance, but watching a “sideshow” like the Cleveland Spiders led to a disastrous end to a once-proud, championship-caliber franchise.
To fail in athletics may lead to a less than desirable footnote in sports history. To fail in academics and economics can create a legacy that stains one’s family name. But, in just about every arena, failure need not affect one’s spiritual standing. Think of biblical underdogs that had little chance of success, if God was not factored in. Why, all of Israel were sitting ducks against the Canaanites without God (Deut. 7:24; Josh. 21:44)! David looked like no match for Goliath (1 Sam. 17:33)! Hezekiah and lowly Judah, on paper, were no match for Sennacherib and the Assyrians (Isa. 37:14-20)! Even the early church seemed overwhelmed in their objectives and mismatched in their mission (1 Cor. 1:26-29)!
How do we explain this? How can we seem to lack the talent, resources, exposure, and influence of the world, and yet still be described as over-comers (John 16:33), conquerors (Rom. 8:37), victors (1 Cor. 15:57), and greater (1 John 4:4) than the world? Perhaps this helps. The final tally has not been recorded, and it will not be in this life! Evaluation day will surprise the whole world, when we stand before The Judge (Mat. 7:13-14, 21-23; Rev. 20:11-15). God’s not going to reward the most accomplished by earthly measurements. Our eternal success or failure will be tied to our response to the One who defeated death and the devil (Heb. 2:14-15). If we trusted and obeyed Him and His blood covers our sins, we will go to heaven even if we don’t have a nickel to our name, a well-defined skill in our toolbox, a diploma or degree on our wall, or a celebrity in our family tree. Maybe others deem you a “loser,” but if you are a “winner” with God that’s the record you want to have!
Sometimes, we read in the Old Testament about events, people, and things, wondering its significance. But, if we keep reading, we will often see why they are there. Brent discusses one of those today.
Brent Pollard
An intriguing aspect of the Day of Atonement—frequently neglected—is the significance of the scapegoat. In Leviticus 16.10, the English Standard Version designates the scapegoat as Azazel. In contemporary discourse, scapegoat refers to an individual unjustly laden with blame during strife or turmoil. Remarkably, that concept traces back to the holy observance established by the Lord for the Day of Atonement.
We often focus on the goat whose blood the priest sprinkles on the mercy seat (Leviticus 16.15). And rightly so—this initial offering represented reconciliation, a blessing we yearn for profoundly. A definition of atonement is “making amends by offering something of equal value for a wrong done.” To put it succinctly, because the result of wrongdoing is death (Romans 6.23), the goat’s demise satisfied God’s just wrath.
However, the second goat—the one designated for removal—holds an equally important significance. Once offering the initial goat, the High Priest placed his hands upon the head of the scapegoat, proclaiming the people’s transgressions before releasing it into the wilderness (Leviticus 16.21–22). I have a deep appreciation for the way the NASB1995 translates verse 22:
“The goat shall bear on itself all their iniquities to a solitary land; and he shall release the goat in the wilderness.”
This vivid image reminds me of Psalm 103:12, “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” While this imagery may not resonate with flat-earthers, round-earthers understand that traveling east or west never ends—you never “arrive.” Similarly, the scapegoat symbolically carried the people’s sins to a distant place where they could never return.
The significance for Christians is deeply impactful. The Lord Jesus, the Lamb of God, offered His blood, establishing a lasting atonement for our transgressions (1 John 2.2; see Hebrews 9.12; 10.10). Yet He also embodied the scapegoat—removing our sins (see 1 John 3.5). Both were essential for our purpose. For reconciliation, death was necessary; therefore, Jesus took on the role of our Paschal Lamb. However, reconciliation with the Divine necessitated the removal of sin—and it is in this context, the symbolism of the scapegoat fulfills its purpose.
Ultimately, the scapegoat is extremely important to believers. It reminds us that Jesus paid the price for our sins and took them away altogether. Jesus bridges the gap between us and God by dying and absolving our sins. He is both the slain Lamb and the scapegoat who carried our sins away. Through this dual work, we experience forgiveness, freedom, and reconciliation—a gift we should never take for granted.
Abel is the first true victim in the Bible, if not the first hero. In fact, he is the first character about whom there is only good spoken of in the Genesis record. Abel comes onto the scene offering God acceptable worship and he leaves a martyr for righteous conduct. But, writers as late as John and the Hebrews’ author look back on his life near the beginning of time and make distinct, New Testament points. He is a vital biblical character we can learn at least three important things from.
We see the importance of Abel’s offering (Gen. 4:4). It was his “firstlings.” The Lord had respect for His offering. John would write, “This is the message you have heard from the beginning: We should love one another. We must not be like Cain, who belonged to the evil one and killed his brother. And why did he kill him? Because Cain had been doing what was evil, and his brother had been doing what was righteous” (1 Jn. 3:11-12). Abel worshipped God the way God wanted to be worshipped, and how does He want to be worshipped? Jesus plainly answers that. “God is spirit, and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (John 4:24).
We see the importance of Abel’s blood (Heb. 12:24). Blood sacrifice has been a vital part of man’s spiritual relationship with God since the dawn of time. Blood is vital to life. Giving of blood is the greatest expression of sacrifice. Abel died as the result of innocence and righteousness. That blood even “cried out to God” after Abel’s murder (Gen. 4:10-11). Yet, Abel, as righteous as he was, was a sinner. Add to that, his blood saves no one from sin. As important as his shedding of blood is to the unfolding of history, Jesus’ blood is superior (Heb. 12:24). He was perfectly innocent, and His death was an offering of the just for the unjust (1 Pet. 3:18). His sacrifice is also the way man is saved from his sins (Eph. 1:7).
We see the importance of Abel’s faith (Heb. 11:4). Among the mighty in faith throughout the ages, Abel’s name is prominently etched. Of him we read, “It was by faith that Abel brought a more acceptable offering to God than Cain did. Abel’s offering gave evidence that he was a righteous man, and God showed his approval of his gifts. Although Abel is long dead, he still speaks to us by his example of faith.” Here, we see what Abel’s faith was: (1) active, (2) saving, (3) notable, and (4) influential. First, his faith acted. He offered a sacrifice. Next, his faith was productive. God counted him righteous as the result of his faith. He didn’t earn that recognition, but God granted it as the result of his faith. Then, his faith is noteworthy. It was such faith that God testified of Abel’s sacrifice, the product of his faith. Finally, his faith is influential, as it is still upheld, now nearly 6,000 years later, as an example for us to follow. Though he is dead, his faith is still living and leading people today. Today, we can learn from and imitate the type faith Abel had.
What a hero for the ages! Such adjectives as faithful righteous, innocent, and better describe him and what he did. Let us learn from and imitate this patriarchal giant, that we can continue to shine as a beacon of faith, sacrifice, and obedience even after we depart this life!
Old System — Priest had to make a sacrifice for himself first, because he’s fallible, too.
New System — Jesus was a perfect sacrifice; he never made a mistake.
Old System — Priest was mortal, so his viewpoint was confined to his lifespan, altitude, and number of people he knew.
New System — Jesus came from an all-knowing, immortal father. His perspective spans all of time, and he has a bird’s-eye view of all of earth.
Old System — Priest had to bring blood that didn’t belong to him. In fact, it was just the blood of an animal. That wasn’t enough to forgive everyone’s mistakes!
New System — Jesus brought his own blood, which has enough power to forgive anyone who seeks him.
Old System — Priest had to make sacrifices constantly, both on a regular schedule, and whenever someone brought a sin offering.
New System — Jesus made one sacrifice, which was and remains all we need.
Old System — Priest could only enter the most special place one time per year.
New System — Jesus lives to enter the father’s presence every single time we pray.
Old System — No sin could really be forgiven, and every sin required restitution.
New System — Our sins are completely forgiven, and Jesus keeps us pure with his own blood.
We might take this new system for granted, but our king Jesus is the most perfect high priest. We will live forever because of what he’s done (and continues to do) for us!
Guilt is a struggle that many Christians deal with frequently in their walk with God. Those moments of weakness where we give in to sin often leads to guilt. In fact, we should have a godly guilt that leads to repentance (2 Cor. 7:10). But if we aren’t careful, guilt can hinder us from pursuing a relationship with God.
I John 1:7 is a reminder of our complete and total forgiveness in Christ, but it is conditioned on our willingness to walk in the Light. Walking in the light means scripture is our guide. It shapes our worldview, our behavior, our teaching, our relationships, and our faith. True Christian living takes letting Christ impact our daily lives.
If, in this continual effort we fall short, Jesus’ blood continually removes sin and keeps our conscience clean before God. This does not mean that once we are saved, we’re always saved and can do nothing to fall from grace. Paul clearly states in Romans 6:1-2, “What, should we continue to sin that grace might grow? May it never be.”
Others have gone to the other extreme and teach that one sin is enough to cause someone to fall from grace and walk in darkness. This is not what scripture teaches! As Christians we can have confidence in our salvation (Romans 8:1; Hebrews 4:16; Romans 8:38-39; John 3:16). The problem is teens and adults sing songs about crucifying Christ “every time they fail.” How do we expect to live guilt free if we are constantly worried that our relationship with God is in jeopardy?
Several years ago when my faith was not mature and in need of growth, I had the mindset that I had to just hope for the best. That if I died it would be in a moment where I was in good standing with God. Sadly, you ask most Christians if they are going to be with God for eternity and the majority will answer with “I hope so.” There should be no doubt in our minds concerning our spiritual standing with God!
Guilt can be an effective tool that Satan uses on Christians, but we must also not be so willing to take advantage of God’s grace.
As Gary Pollard so wisely once said, “Truth exists, as it usually does, in the middle of two extremes.” If our life is not characterized by sin but by genuinely seeking after God and following His word, the blood of Jesus continually cleanses us. Don’t let ungodly guilt keep you from learning and growing in Christ.
It’s existed since the beginning. We’ve heard it ourselves and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. We’ve studied it and touched it with our own hands. This is the word of life, and this life was shown to us. Everything we’ve heard and witnessed and told you about is this eternal life. He came from the father and was revealed to us. We’ve told you everything we’ve seen and heard so you can partner with us. We have this partnership with the father, as well as with his son Jesus Christ. We’re writing this to you to make our joy complete.
The message that we’ve been hearing from him is the same one we’re giving you: God is made of light, and no darkness exists in him whatsoever. If we claim to be partners with him while our lives are defined by walking in darkness, we’re liars and can’t even practice the truth. But if our lives are defined by walking in light, we have partnership with each other. On top of that, the blood of God’s son Jesus gets rid of any and all sins we have!
If someone says they don’t have sin, they’re lying – no truth exists in them. If we admit that we have sin in our lives, he is consistent and morally pure, so he’ll forgive us and get rid of our moral impurity. If someone says they’ve never even sinned, they make God a liar. His word will have nothing to do with them.
My children, I’m writing all of this to you to help you avoid sin. But when we do sin, we have someone who came from God and who advocates for us: Jesus Christ, the morally perfect one who gets rid of every one of our sins. He doesn’t just take care of our sins, he does the same thing for everyone in the world!
We can know for sure that we know him if we do what he’s told us. Anyone who claims to know God but doesn’t do what he’s told us is a liar. The truth doesn’t exist in them. If we do what he’s told us to do, the truth is in us and God’s love is, too. That’s how we know we’re with him. If we claim to be with him, we’re obligated to live by the same standard Jesus lived by.
Loved ones, I’m not giving you a new commandment here. It’s the same one that’s existed since the beginning of time: love each other deeply. You’ve heard this before. It is new in a way, though. The same truth that existed in Jesus now exists in you. Darkness is disappearing and the true light is already shining through.
If someone claims to be in this light but hates their Christian family, they’re actually in darkness. If you love your Christian family, you’re a part of this light. You don’t trip other people in their walk, either. Anyone who hates their spiritual family lives and walks in darkness. They’re lost because the darkness has blinded them.
Children, I’m writing to you because Jesus forgave your sins.
Fathers, I’m writing to you because you’ve known this from the beginning.
Teens, I’m writing to you because you’ve defeated the evil one.
Children, I’m writing to you because you’ve always know the father.
Fathers, I’m writing to you because you’ve known this from the beginning.
Teens, I’m writing to you because you’re strong. God’s word lives in you, and has defeated the evil one.
My loved ones, do not love this world or anything in it. If you love the world, God doesn’t love you! There’s nothing good in this world. Unhealthy sexual desire, materialism, and unhealthy pride are not from God. They’re exclusive to the world, which is disappearing along with everything in it. Anyone who does what God wants, though, will live forever.
Little children, the end is coming soon. You’ve already heard that enemies of Christ are coming. Well, many of those enemies are already here. That’s how we know the end is coming soon. They left us, but they were never really with us or they would’ve stayed. They showed their true colors when they left.
But you have been chosen by the holy one, and you know everything you need to know. I’m not writing to you because you don’t know the truth, but because you do know it, unlike those who lie.
Anyone who denies that Jesus is the chosen king is a liar. Anyone who rejects the father and the son is an enemy of Jesus. Anyone who rejects Jesus rejects his father, too.
But anyone who acknowledges Jesus partners with the father, too! It’s important that you stick to what you’ve heard from the start. If you do, you are partners with the son and the father. Through this message we’ve been promised eternal life.
I’m writing to you because people are trying to deceive you. He chose you, and that stands – no one needs to teach you anymore about it. When he chose you, you learned everything you needed to know. His choosing you was true, not a deception. Stick with him. Stick with him so that when he comes back, we can have confidence without having to feel ashamed. You know that he’s morally perfect.
Look into the kind of love the father gave us: we can be called “God’s children,” and we actually are! The rest of the world doesn’t know us, but that’s because they never knew God.
We are God’s children right now, but we have no information about what we’re going to be in the future. What we do know is this — when it’s made known, we’ll be just like him. We know this because we’ll be able to see him the way he is now! Anyone who has the kind of hope that comes from him is pure, the same way he’s pure.
Anyone who continuously, consciously sins is anti-law. Sin itself is anti-law. We’ve known that Jesus was revealed to everyone1 so that he could lift away sin, and sin doesn’t exist for you when you’re partners with him. Everyone who sticks with him avoids sin – if you continuously sin, it means you’ve never seen or known him.
Children, don’t let anyone fool you. If you continually practice moral excellence, you’re as pure as he is. If you continuously practice sin, you’re an ally of satan. He’s been a sinner since the very beginning.
God’s son was sent here for a specific reason: to destroy satan’s work. Anyone who joins God’s family for real is able to avoid sin. How? His very essence lives in you, so you’re unable to commit sin because you came from God.
This is how you can tell the difference between God’s family and satan’s family: if they aren’t practicing moral goodness, they aren’t God’s. If they don’t selflessly love their Christian family, they aren’t God’s.
This is what you’ve heard from the beginning: you should love each other. Don’t be like Cain, he was evil. He slaughtered his own brother. Why would he do that? Because he did evil things, and his brother was morally pure.
Don’t be surprised, family, if the world hates you. You know you’ve transferred from death to life when you love your Christian family. Those who don’t love their Christian family are still dead. Anyone who hates their Christian family is a murderer — and you know that no murderer lives forever.
This is how we know what love is: Jesus gave up his own life for everyone. We owe each other our lives, too. Let’s say one of you is living life to the fullest, financially comfortable and stress-free. If you notice that one of your brothers or sisters needs basic necessities and you suppress your feelings of compassion, can God’s love exist in you at all? Children, don’t just say you love each other — prove it by how you treat each other.
This is how we know we exist in the truth: we can pacify our guilty consciences in front of God whenever our hearts condemn us. God is more powerful than our hearts and he knows everything! Loved ones, if our hearts don’t condemn us, we can be completely confident when we pray to God. If we ask him for something, he’ll give it to us. This is because we do what he’s asked and we listen to his commands.
These are his commands: believe in his son (Jesus, the king), and selflessly love each other. Everyone who carefully practices those commands is with God, and God is with them.
This is how you know you’re with him: he gave us his spirit. Loved ones, don’t believe every spirit, but really put them to the test to see if they came from God. You’ll need to test them because a whole lot of fake teachers were sent to the world.
This is how you know if a spirit came from God: every spirit that comes from God will acknowledge that Jesus was sent to earth as a human. If a spirit refuses to acknowledge this, it isn’t God’s. In fact, it’s the spirit of Jesus’s enemies. You heard that the spirit of Jesus’s enemy was coming — it’s here now.
Young ones, you are from God and have already beaten these spirits. How? Jesus is far more powerful than his enemies, and he’s with you. These enemies come from the world, so they talk like it — and the world listens to them. But we came from God. If you know God, you’ll listen to us. God’s enemies are the ones who don’t listen to us. This is how you can tell the difference between a legitimate spirit and a fake one.
Loved ones, we should make a habit of showing each other selfless love. This is because love comes from God. Everyone who makes a habit of showing love is part of God’s family. They show that they know God well, too. If someone fails to practice selfless love, they don’t know who God is. God is love.
This is how we know God loves us: he made it pretty clear when he sent his only son to earth to give us life forever. That was real love — not the same way we love God. No, God loved us so much that he sent his one son for the purpose of taking away all of our sins. Loved ones, since God showed us that kind of love, we owe each other love, too.
At no point has anyone ever taken a good look at God. But since we love each other, he’s with us. He continues to grow his love in us!
This is how we know that we’re with him and he’s with us: he gave us his spirit. We were there, we saw firsthand that the father sent his son on a mission to save the world. Whoever agrees that Jesus is actually God’s son is with God, and God is with them. Because we saw him, we came to believe and really understand the kind of selfless love that God has for us. God is love. The one who practices love is with God, and God is with them.
This love is being matured in us for a reason: so we can be completely confident on the last day when everyone is judged. If we have selfless love, we’re considered to be as pure as Jesus was when he was on earth. Love leaves no room for being afraid. If we mature our love, that love keeps us from being afraid. If we live in fear of judgment day, it’s because we haven’t matured in our love.
We practice love because he loved us first. If someone says, “I love God,” but still hates their Christian family, they’re a liar. How’re you supposed to love a God you can’t see while failing to love a Christian family you can see? It’s not possible. Remember the commands he gave us: we have to love God and love our Christian family, too.
Everyone who believes that Jesus is the king who came from God should also love everyone who belongs to God. When we love God and practice what he commanded, that’s how we know we love his family, too. We prove that we love God when we do what he’s commanded, and those commands aren’t difficult to live out.
If you’re a part of God’s family, you’ve already beaten the world. Our faith is how we’ve won — if you believe that Jesus is God’s son, you’ve won against the world already!
Jesus Christ is the one who came to earth with water and blood — notice that he didn’t just come here through water, but also with his own blood. And the true spirit attested to this, because it’s true. In fact, there are three proofs of who Jesus is: the true spirit, the water, and the blood. All three of these agree with each other. We accept what people say about Jesus when it’s true, but God’s testimony about Jesus is far superior.
This is what God said: if you keep believing that Jesus is God’s son, you have God’s approval. If you don’t believe God, you make him a liar. It means you never believed what God said about his son. God gave us eternal life, which exists only in his son. If you have his son, you have life. If you don’t have the son, you don’t have life.
We’re writing this to you so you’ll know you have life forever. This is for those of you who believe the name of God’s son. We can be confident when we talk to God — if we make a request that aligns with his will, he listens to us. We know he listens whenever we ask, and that he’ll give us what we ask for.
If one of you sees a Christian family member sin (not the kind that causes death), ask God to give them life, and he will. This only applies to the kind of sin that doesn’t cause death. There is a kind of sin that leads to death, and I’m not saying you should pray for someone who commits that kind of sin. Every morally wrong act is sin, but there are sins that don’t lead all the way to death.
We know that no one in God’s family continues to sin. God’s son personally protects us, and evil can’t affect him at all. We know that we belong to God, but evil controls the whole world. We know that when God’s son came to earth, he gave us the ability to understand the true one. We live in truth through his son, Jesus Christ. He is the truth, and he is life forever. Children, keep each other away from idols.
“Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, ‘I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life’” (John 8:12).
In the first century, the word “light” carried with it a deeper meaning. Light often described knowledge from the spiritual realm. Light meant true knowledge, in contrast with the darkness of ignorance. Knowing this gives more power to Jesus’s statement here. By saying these words Jesus is claiming to be the one who brings the true knowledge of God from heaven.
Jesus isn’t just saying “I am a light” but that He is the light! The only way to know God is to recognize that Jesus is the ONLY light. Not Joseph Smith, or Buddha, but Christ alone is the light.
Christ illuminates knowledge for this dark world. Jesus gives us real answers to the fundamental questions of life. Who am I? Where did I come from? What is my purpose? Where am I going?Questions that billions have struggled with are all answered by Jesus. Without Jesus, these questions will never be answered. Life following Jesus is a clear and wonderful life, a life where we have a purpose. We know who we are, and where we are going?
Do you want to know why most people have nightlights in their homes? Because some guy was tired of hitting household objects when he got up in the middle of the night. We’ve all experienced it, perhaps the worst pain you can ever feel. Stubbing your pinky toe on a table or dresser at night. Think about a world without the true light. It’s futile. It’s a life spent stumbling and tripping in the dark. Living a life contrary to Christ’s teachings is “to walk in darkness.” The world is filled with people who live in darkness.
They stumble through this world with no purpose or direction, groping around like people in a dark room. Picture Velma from Scooby-Doo. She was useless without her glasses, and when she dropped them she got on her knees and had to feel around and hope for the best. John makes it very clear that those who live in darkness have no fellowship with God, because God is light (1 Jn. 1:5). Why do people live in darkness? Some have never heard of Jesus while others reject Jesus because of their love for the darkness of sin.
John 3:19 says, “‘And this is the judgment: the light has come into the world, and people loved the darkness rather than the light because their works were evil.’” On the other hand, those who have chosen to follow Jesus, “come to the light,” and are walking in the light (1 John 1:9). These people have a clear direction in life. They know what pleases God, and they make the right changes.
These are the Christians that have true joy. These are the Christians that experience the blessing of having their sins continually cleansed by the perfect blood of Christ.
Which one am I? Have I accepted Jesus as the light of the world? Does Jesus give me my direction and purpose? Darkness or light are the two paths, and we must choose where to walk.
I’ll be repeating the book of I John in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an “essentially literal” translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
Jesus Christ is the one who came to earth with water and blood — notice that he didn’t just come here through water, but also with his own blood. And the true spirit attested to this, because it’s true. In fact, there are three proofs of who Jesus is: the true spirit, the water, and the blood. All three of these agree with each other. We accept what people say about Jesus when it’s true, but God’s testimony about Jesus is far superior.
This is what God said: if you keep believing that Jesus is God’s son, you have God’s approval. If you don’t believe God, you make him a liar. It means you never believed what God said about his son. God gave us eternal life, which exists only in his son. If you have his son, you have life. If you don’t have the son, you don’t have life.
Ephesians 3:20-21 says, “Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”
In 1999, Australian Bill Morgan was a truck driver who got in a pretty bad accident that left him in coma. After 12 days and despite doctors giving him zero chance of surviving, he miraculously woke up and was, shockingly, completely fine! Feeling lucky for surviving, he went on and bought a scratch lottery ticket and won 18,000 dollars and a new car.
Normally winning a car wouldn’t have made it to the news but, because of Morgan’s accident story, Channel 9 decided to do a feature on the man who was “clinically dead and came back to win the lottery.” While filming, they asked him to buy a lottery ticket so they could re-enact the winning scratch. He happily obliged and started scratching the ticket on camera. But suddenly he stopped. He looked at the camera, and said “I just won $250,000.”
Bill is a man that we would say has some pretty good luck. He was supposed to be dead, but instead he woke up, won a car, and $250,000 dollars. There was a point in our lives where we were spiritually dead, and Christ brought us back to life. But Christ doesn’t stop there. He saves us and continues to bless the faithful. Each and every person that has come in contact with the blood of Christ is no longer dead, plus His blood continually cleanses us of sin if we walk in the light (1 John 1:9).
As lucky as Bill Morgan was, I’d like to suggest that those who are added to the body of Christ are blessed far beyond physical possessions. Our faith in Christ leads to eternal life!
I’ll be repeating the book of I John in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an “essentially literal” translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
Partnership
It’s existed since the beginning. We’ve heard it ourselves and we’ve seen it with our own eyes. We’ve studied it and touched it with our own hands. This is the word of life, and this life was shown to us. Everything we’ve heard and witnessed and told you about is this eternal life. He came from the father and was revealed to us. We’ve told you everything we’ve seen and heard so you can partner with us. We have this partnership with the father, as well as with his son Jesus Christ. We’re writing this to you to make our joy complete.
The message that we’ve been hearing from him is the same one we’re giving you: God is made of light, and no darkness exists in him whatsoever. If we claim to be partners with him while our lives are defined by walking in darkness, we’re liars and can’t even practice the truth. But if our lives are defined by walking in light, we have partnership with each other. On top of that, the blood of God’s son Jesus gets rid of any and all sins we have!
If someone says they don’t have sin, they’re lying – no truth exists in them. If we admit that we have sin in our lives, he is consistent and morally pure, so he’ll forgive us and get rid of our moral impurity. If someone says they’ve never even sinned, they make God a liar. His word will have nothing to do with them.
A common practice for thousands of years was to drain “bad blood” out of the body. In fact, there are still some cultures today that practice this. The greatest doctors who were thought to be extremely smart would commonly drain the “bad blood” out of their patients if they were sick. For the longest time it was believed that if you were sick you needed to let this poisonous blood out of your body in order to be healed.
Leviticus 17:11 says, “For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it for you on the altar to make atonement for your souls, for it is the blood that makes atonement by the life.”
December 13th 1799 a man was riding a horse through his plantation. It was a day like any other, and everything was perfectly normal. Little did this man know that in less than two days he would be dead. The decision he made that day in December proved to be fatal. While he was out riding he got caught in the rain, and when he returned home he decided to hold off on changing out of his wet clothes because he didn’t want to be late for his dinner party. The next morning, he worked outside in the bitter cold as he had the day before. The whole day he worked through the pain that had developed in his throat. Nevertheless he pushed on and tried to ignore it.
That evening his symptoms worsened, but he decided to see if they would improve by the morning. This man woke up and things had only gotten worse. He called in three well-known physicians and he received good news that it was just a cold and a slight fever. The physicians assured the man that he would be just fine. All they had to do was drain the sickness out of his body and he would be healed.
This fatal decision resulted in the death George Washington.
Bloodletting is now seen as an incompetent practice. Yet it was practiced worldwide until the late 1800s. Millions of people died thanks to this lack of understanding, but guess who knew NOT to do this right from the start? The life is in the blood and God is the one who revealed this fact to us.
Sometimes we are a little slow in catching on to the wisdom that God has revealed in His Word. If God was right about the blood, what else could He be right about?
For the next several weeks, I’ll be repeating the book of I Peter in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an essentially literal translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
I Peter I – Hope’s Value
The prophets who told us about this rescue were very curious about it. They investigated and obsessed over the identity and timing of the rescuer Christ’s Spirit was telling them about. He told the prophets that he would suffer at first, but would gain everything after. He told the prophets that their writings were for people in the future, not for them. You are those people in the future! Through God’s influence, people told you about our hope for rescue. By the way, even angels are deeply interested in the hope you have right now!
Since you have this hope for rescue, don’t ever let it go. Everything you do must be influenced by this hope. Make sure you’re mentally preparing yourself for spiritual combat. Make sure you have self-control going into this. We’ll be rescued when we see Jesus, so hang on tight to hope.
Don’t go back to your old lives. You had those old, unhealthy desires before you knew any better. Instead, you must live like God wants you to. Jesus did! God’s word said, “You have to be morally pure, just like I am.” You know that God will judge everyone without bias. Live like you know this, and let that give you a healthy dose of fear. He didn’t use an unstable asset like money to secure your rescue. He used the most valuable thing in existence: his own flawless blood.
Jesus’ plan was in motion before we were even created! He recently made his appearance just for us. Because of him, we believe in God, who brought Jesus back to life and gave him recognition and power. We believe in him. We have hope because of God.
Fragment containing 1 Peter 1:23–2:5 on Papyrus 125 (3rd/4th century).
For the next several weeks, I’ll be repeating the book of I Peter in present-day terminology. It’s not a true translation of the book, as I am not qualified to do so. It will be based on an exegetical study of the book and will lean heavily on the SBL and UBS Greek New Testaments, as well as comparisons with other translations (ESV, NASB, NIV, ERV, NLT). My goal is to reflect the text accurately, and to highlight the intent of the author using concepts and vocabulary in common use today.
This is not an essentially literal translation, and should be read as something of a commentary.
I Peter I – Intro to Hope
I am Peter, one of the special messengers that Jesus chose to follow him. This is for the chosen ones who had to leave their homes; they are spread out over Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia.
You were chosen by our father, God, because that was his plan. It was his Spirit that made you special people who live differently from everyone else. He chose us [Christians] to be the ones who obey him. He chose us to enjoy grace through Jesus’s blood, the one who came here to rescue us. May you have plenty of grace and peace.
God, the father of our master Jesus (the one who saved us), deserves our love and praise! He has so much good will for us that he gave us new life and a hope that can never die. We have that hope because Jesus came back to life.
This hope is for something we’ll get when we die: a brand new, untouched, permanently perfect place to live forever. It’s reserved for you right now, protected in heaven. God’s power is protecting you right now because of your faith. He’ll make sure you get the results of your hope when it’s revealed at the end of time.
Someone once said, “There are two reasons I know the devil exists. Number one, the Bible tells me so. Number two, I’ve done business with him.” There is no denying that the world is filled with sin. Romans 3:23 tells us that “all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” The penalty for sin is condemnation. The wages of sin is death. Every time we sin, death is the payment.
Under the old law, people would watch as an innocent animal was slaughtered on their behalf. They would watch as these animals bled to death knowing that it was THEIR sin that caused it. In the New Testament we learn that our sins brought about the the death of Jesus. A pure and holy sacrifice, sent once and for all mankind (Romans 5:8).
But the death of God’s Son brings hope to mankind. This sacrifice means that our sins are not unforgivable. We can come before the throne of God and have them taken away. The Bible tells us of God’s love for us, and how badly He wants us to live with Him for all eternity. John 3:16 says, “for God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish, but have eternal life.”
This message is a life-changer. But it will only change our life if we listen and obey it. Each and every person can be saved because God “shows no partiality…” (Acts 10:34). Salvation can be found, but only if we are willing to change and live according to God’s will.
“The times of ignorance God overlooked, but now he commands all people everywhere to repent…” (Acts 17:30).
Some of the most powerful messages are often delivered through song. If you want to really show someone how much you love them, you write a song. If you want to tell others about yourself or your family, you write a song. Songs are a great way to get across a message in a powerful way. In the church we sing songs for several reasons.
Paul tells us in Col. 3:16, “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”
We sing to help the word of God dwell in our hearts. We sing to teach each other. We sing admonish and correct. We sing out of thankfulness for God. Since there are so many different reasons we sing, each song has a different message. Some are encouraging, some are reminders, and some are a plea to the sinner. We call some of these “invitation songs. ” And usually these are sung after a lesson as a way to encourage lost souls to respond and return.
“Though Your Sins Be As Scarlet” identifies a major problem that has plagued man since the Garden of Eden, our sin. The choices we make, the way we live, has stained us. This song calls to our attention the sin problem of man. This song is based on Isaiah 1:18, “Come now, let us reason together, says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they are red like crimson, they shall become like wool.”
This invitation song shows us the blessing that Christ has given. Though we’ve been stained by sin, they shall become like snow. Pure, holy, undefiled. If you’ve ever spilled grape juice on a white T-shirt, that’s the imagery.
Sin has ruined our hearts, but Christ is the perfect stain remover. He is able to remove every spot and blemish. Rom. 3:23 tells us that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Do we really think that we could live up to the glory of God himself? Could we have fixed this sin problem on our own? No. And we sing this song to remind us of WHO our solution is.
Through the gift of Christ they will be removed. Though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow.
On an old rugged crossJesus paid it all, and all to him I owe. I come just as I am, but I surrender all. Will you cherish the old rugged cross? Do you recognize the blessing and the blood that has washed us whiter than snow?
One of my favorite preachers delivering the invitation in Lexington, KY (2018)
The world’s most expensive new car is $18,000,000 (Bugatti La Voiture Noire). The most expensive house is around $2,000,000,000. According to Google, the most expensive thing in the world is apparently Walmart. It’s either Walmart or a $4,800,000,000 gold yacht. On the average US salary for a family it would take 100,000 households’ total income to purchase. Or, it would take one person 100,000 years.
For most of us, those numbers are unattainable. That kind of value is totally out of reach.
Jesus did something that makes those numbers look pathetic. He paid our insurmountable debt with something that cannot be valued with any mortal currency (I Peter 1.18,19; Acts 20.28).
He values His church at one eternal blood sacrifice (Hebrews 9). We could not possibly drum up enough money over all history and economies to even approach one eternal blood sacrifice. And He paid that for us. God gave up everything to “buy” our spiritual freedom.
I doubt myself constantly and even feel somewhat worthless at times. It’s part of our humanity! We instinctively know that we’re insignificant in this universe (Ps. 8; Ps. 144). But like David said (twice), He does care for and think about us, despite our insignificance.
Spending eternity with God will be incredible by itself, but knowing that at death we will be face-to-face with the One who sees us as being that valuable is so exciting!! Knowing this, let’s do whatever it takes to make it there (I Cor. 6; 7; I Pet. 1.18f; Rev. 22.14-17).
To the Devil, the scribes, and Pharisees, a sign of their supposed victory (Heb. 2:14; John 19:6ff).
To the mob, apparent weakness (Mat. 27:42).
To the disciples, seeming defeat (John 21:3).
To those who lived rebelliously, nothing (1 Cor. 1:17).
To those who died in disobedience, an essential but missing element (cf. John 6:53).
To those who lived obediently, atonement (Eph. 1:7).
To those who died having walked in the light, everything (1 Jn. 1:7).
Untold millions are unaware of the value of the blood of Jesus. You and I must decide what the blood of Jesus means to us. Interestingly, in four different ways, the Bible tells us that what the blood does for us we obtain the benefit of through baptism.
—The blood of Christ sanctifies (Heb. 13:12). We are sanctified by baptism (Eph. 5:25-27).
—The blood of Christ washes away sins (Rev. 1:5-6). Sins are washed away at baptism (Acts 22:16).
—The blood of Christ remits sins (Mat. 26:28). Sins are remitted through baptism (Acts 2:38).
—Jesus shed His blood in His death (John 19:34). We contact the dead of Jesus at baptism (Romans 6:3-4).
The Bible makes clear not just what the blood of Christ means to our souls, but also how we get the benefit of that blood. May we do what God says do to receive the benefits of Jesus’ blood and continue to walk in the light of Christ in order to have that blood continually cleanse us from all unrighteousness (1 Jn. 1:7).
The topic above should cause one’s mind to focus on some precise areas. Naturally, the blood of Christ implies thoughts of the “incarnation” of Christ (that Christ took on the form of man, while all God, and thus had blood coursing through His veins; Philippians 2:8). The blood of Christ further induces from one’s thoughts the atonement Christ made for all mankind through the shedding of His blood on the cross (cf. Hebrews 9:12-14). The blood of Christ also elicits reflection upon the suffering and death of the sinless man from Nazareth (1 Peter 2:24). And on one might reflect.
The phrase, the blood of Christ, appears verbatim in the New Testament in four verses. With each reference one finds important lessons about the function and significance of His blood. Christ’s blood is central in the Father’s plan of salvation and life within His favor. What does the blood of Christ bring to needy man?
The Blood of Christ Brings Redemption (1 Peter 1:19)
In 1 Peter 1, one sees the inspired apostle speaking to persecuted (1), predestined (2), purified (2), and pliant (2) people of God. What would cause a Christian to suffer wrong for doing right? What would cause a Christian to search out from the Scriptures the term of election, accept the terms of pardon, and follow the terms of Christian living? Simply, an understanding of redemption.
Perhaps the verse most loved and quoted is John 3:16. Yet, so be known and familiar, this verse is sorely misunderstood and under applied. Jesus, the speaker of the words recorded in this verse, foretells the act of redemption. With His divine foreknowledge, Christ understood that the gift of the Father’s only begotten Son (Himself) meant the shedding of His blood at Calvary. The purpose of that shed blood, He knew, was to redeem the lost race of man from the power and hopelessness of sin. Paul says, “But when the fullness of the time was come, God sent forth His Son, made of a woman, made under the law, to redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons” (Galatians 4:4,5). By inspiration, Paul reinforces this with Titus (Titus 2:14).
The Blood of Christ Brings Removal (Hebrews 9:14)
The King James Version uses, in this verse, the word “purge” in translating the effect of the blood of Christ upon the conscience of one to whom that blood is applied. Purge means “to purify, especially of sin, guilt, or defilement” (The American Heritage Concise Dictionary, 1994). Thayer shows the original word translated “purge” in this verse means “free from the guilt of sin” (The New Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon, 312). Clearly, the Spirit-guided writer of Hebrews speaks of the effect of the applied blood of the Savior. The audience of Hebrews, of which modern man is a part, needs some agent to remove the guilt of sin (dead works) from their lives. The blood of Christ is that agent. For the agent to be effective (to do the job as it was intended to do), one must come in contact with it. Where does one come in contact with the blood?
Jesus shed His blood when He died (John 19:34). Paul writes “that so many of us as were baptized into Jesus Christ were baptized into his death” (Romans 6:3). One cannot literally go over to Jerusalem to a hill called Mt. Calvary and find the man Jesus bleeding to death on a cross. Furthermore, because one cannot do this, one cannot in some literal way reach up to Him and take some of His shed blood and apply it to himself. Thus, there is no literal, physical way for today’s man or woman to contact the actual, shed blood of our Lord.
Yet, Revelation 1:5 reveals that Christ, on His cross, washed us from our sins in His shed blood. God would not allow His Son to shed His life-blood and then provide no means for mankind to contact that blood in some way. And, there is a way and only one way. In identifi[cal] terminology, Acts 22:16 says that baptism washes away sins. In summation, Christ shed His blood in His death. We are buried with Christ in baptism. Christ washed our sins with His blood. We wash away our sins in the act of baptism. The blood of Christ and baptism, inseparably joined, remove the sins of those who recognize and submit to the authority of Christ in being baptized for the remission of sins (Acts 2:38; 1 Peter 3:21).
The Blood of Christ Brings Return (Ephesians 2:13)
At the creation of man, there was no need for means whereby man could return to a right relationship with Jehovah. The idea in Ephesians 2 that, specifically here, the Gentiles were “far off” implies the need to return. How could they come back to God? Paul stresses the fact that Christ’s blood was the only means whereby reconciliation could be made. Thus, Paul penned the glorious fact that Christ “made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself” (Colossians 1:20). As if an inseparable gulf was crossed by Adam and Even through their sinning at Eden, that gap of sin separated man from God (cf. Isaiah 59:1, 2; Note: This is not to suggest that all inherit Adam’s sin – the false idea of Hereditary Depravity – but rather that through Adam sin entered the world, Romans 5:17; and, consequently, all have sinned, Romans 3:23). Not with acts of goodness or meritorious works could man ever earn his salvation (Titus 3:5). Yet, there are conditions that God expects man to meet in order to have past sins forgiven and the restoration of a right relationship with the Father (Titus 2:12; Hebrews 5:9; Ephesians 2:8). By shedding His blood, Christ paved a road of return (i.e., the “narrow road” of Matthew 7:13, 13) to take us back to God. There was no access before and without Him and after sin was in the world (cf. 1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:6). How did Christ affect this return with His blood?
He took the first, old covenant God made with Moses and Israel out of the way by dying on the cross (Ephesians 2:12, 14-15). He placed all believers in the faith into one body [the church] (Ephesians 2:14, 15, 16; 4:4). He provided the message of reconciliation in commissioning the preached word to all men (Ephesians 2:17; Acts 1:8). He opened the avenue of prayer by His death on the cross, encouraging petitioning the Father to enhance our relationship with Him (Ephesians 2:18). He sets aside a place in the Kingdom [the church] for all the faithful obedient into which all spiritual blessings flow (Ephesians 2:19-22; 1:3; Matthew 16:18-19). To all who obey the commandments of God relative to entrance into His church, reconciliation and return to God are provided.
The Blood of Christ Brings Remembrance (1 Corinthians 10:16)
As Eden shows the importance God stressed in mankind before the cross to anticipate that great event, this verse shows the importance God stresses in mankind after the cross remembering it. Those washed in the blood of Christ, contacted in baptism, are added to the church (Acts 2:41-47). Therein, those added (Christians) are governed by the Word of God in worship and conduct. A vital part of New Testament worship is the weekly participation in the Lord’s Supper (Acts 20:7). Why has God authorized that Christians do so, and with such frequency?
The answer is “communion.” In connection with the Lord’s Supper, this word is translated “communion” only once in the New Testament. Yet, the original word from which it is translated is koinonia, among the most recognized of all Greek words even among those who have little knowledge of that language. Most often, koinonia is translated as “fellowship.” “Fellowship” is also employed by the inspired New Testament writers to make reference to the “Memorial Feast.” The apostles and early Christians continued steadfastly in the fellowship of the Lord’s Supper (Acts 2:42). The fellowship of the Lord’s Supper was not to be defiled by the presence of idolatry at Corinth (1 Corinthians 10:20), but rather the communion was to be exclusively with the Lord.
In 1 Corinthians 10:16, Paul stresses that there is communion. That fellowship is with the blood of Christ, which suggests a multitude of things. First, the blood of Christ places one into the one body (the church – Colossians 1:18; Acts 20:28). Therefore, the fellowship of the Lord’s Supper involves corporate (collective) activity. Together, children of God are drawn closer to one another remembering the Savior whose blood purchased them from sin. This communion, then, is a means of expressing encouragement and thanksgiving together as the redeemed. The Lord’s Supper cannot, then, have significance to those not members of the body as there is no celebration and fellowship with Christians. Also, the Lord’s Supper provides a communion between the individual Christian and his Lord. Thus, Paul instructs each to “examine himself” (1 Corinthians 11:28). None other can obey the command of self-examination and remembrance for another in the Lord’s Supper or in any spiritual matter. Yet, the Lord’s Supper is special because of both the sharing with others and the individual responsibility. As an institution, the Lord’s Supper is, in both regards, a crucial means whereby Christians remember the sacrifice, suffering, and death of Christ in shedding His blood on the tree.
The blood of Christ purchased man’s pardon (1 Peter 1:19). The blood of Christ purges man’s conscience (Hebrews 9:14). The blood of Christ propels man closer to God (Ephesians 2:13). The blood of Christ provides recollection of atonement (1 Corinthians 10:16). His blood was important in prophesy (Isaiah 53:3-5). His blood was important [physically] (John 19:34). His blood is important in perusal (Matthew 26:28; 1 Corinthians 11:28).
As one who has been possessed of gray hair since college, I was particularly intrigued by the article I ran across from Popular Science. A cream developed for a skin condition called “vitiligo” helped to restore lost pigment in the skin of some of those suffering from it. Researchers believe it might do the same thing for those with gray hair. The theory is that those with gray hair have too much hydrogen peroxide in their hair follicles and shafts. They believe this cream could reduce that and restore a person’s natural hair color (via FASEB Journal, http://www.fasebj.org).
Reversing gray hair, restoring bald hair, shedding those extra, stubborn pounds, and similar ambitions appeal to our vanity, but they are not necessary for our souls. Millions try product after product to address such perceived needs, willing to spend money and make sacrifices in such pursuits. After all, we want to do what we can to look our best.
Yet, the greatest need of every generation has a 100% success rate for every one who has ever obtained it. It goes beyond skin deep. It reaches to the soul. It may not change the outward appearance, but it renews the inner person (2 Cor. 4:16ff).
It is baffling that so many more do not move heaven and earth to address this true need. Many are unaware they suffer from it. So many more are in denial. Still others are not dedicated to doing what it takes to have it. The reasons are varied, but the majority do not want this cure.
Jesus’ blood. It cost Him His life to make it available (John 19:34). But, it is the unfailing cure (Eph. 2:13; Heb. 13:12; 1 Jn. 1:7; etc.). Long after these bodies have decayed and disappeared in the ground, it will be working for us. It has an eternal guarantee. You cannot beat that, but you definitely must have it! If you would like to know how to obtain this cure, read more about it here.
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