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SEEKING THINGS ABOVE
“If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above,
where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. “(Col. 3:1)
Volume II Number 4
July 2021
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How Jesus Faced Temptation
Mike Johnson
Christians often face temptations, and new Christians are especially vulnerable to the “schemes” of the devil (Eph. 6:17). The Bible describes Satan in John 8:44, saying, “. . . He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him . . . he is a liar and the father of it.” He is called the “tempter” (1 Thess. 3:5, Mt. 4:3), and he “walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour” (1Pet. 5:8). Satan is a formidable foe, intent on our eternal ruin.
Satan also tempted Jesus to sin. Shortly after His baptism, the Spirit led Him to the wilderness to face this adversary. First, Christ fasted for forty days and forty nights. After this, Satan, using three attempts, tried to entice Him. We will look primarily at the account of this event in Matthew 4:1-11 and, along with other lessons, will see how Jesus successfully faced these temptations. (Accounts in Mark 1:12-13 and Luke 4:1-13 provide additional information.)
First, Satan told a hungry Jesus that He should prove Himself to be God’s Son by turning stones into bread (4:3). What would be wrong with Jesus doing this? It would satisfy His hunger and show Him to be the Son of God. Also, he had the power to change one substance into another (Jn. 2:1-12), and He used His power to provide food (Mt. 14:13-21, 15:32-39; Jn. 21:1-14). Jesus responded by quoting from Deuteronomy 8:1-3. His reply, “It is written, ‘Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds from the mouth of God.” This section speaks of God sending manna and His care for those in the wilderness. Moses was trying to teach the Israelites that spiritual things are more important than physical. The Israelites needed to learn how they must obey every word from God’s mouth, which was even more important than food. Further, Jesus’ real bread was to do the will of His father. If Jesus had used His miraculous power to relieve His physical suffering, He would have given up His claim of suffering in the flesh like us (Heb. 4:15), and He would have shown a lack of trust in God who led Him into this situation.
Next, the devil took Jesus up to the pinnacle of the temple in Jerusalem and told Him to throw Himself down, and then Satan quoted Psalm 91:11-12, “For it is written: ‘He shall give His angels charge over you,’ and, ‘In their hands they shall bear you up, lest you dash your foot against a stone.’” Now we have Satan quoting Scripture! Again, Jesus responds by quoting from the Word of God, citing Deuteronomy 6:16, which says, “It is written again, ‘You shall not tempt the Lord your God.’” In this passage, Moses reminded the people of when they had tried God (Ex. 17:7). The Israelites had seen much evidence in the wilderness, yet they wanted God to prove Himself continually. Their attitude was one of perpetual doubt.
Why not do what Satan asked? Jesus could float down if He wanted to. The devil addresses this appeal to a man of faith, urging Him to prove His faith by putting God to the test. Asking Jesus to “try God out,” Satan was endeavoring to get Jesus to feel doubt.
The last temptation involved Satan taking Christ to a very high mountain, and while showing Him all the kingdoms of the world, he made an offer. He said, “. . . All these things I will give You if You will fall down and worship me” (9). There was some sense in which Satan could deliver on his enticement. If he could not, Jesus would have been aware of it . . . so where was the temptation? (Note also Luke 4:5-6.)
Imagine Satan asking Jesus to fall down and worship him. The idea of the supreme being worshipping the devil is astonishing. The devil wanted Jesus to transfer His allegiance from God to him; it seems he wanted Christ to rule with him in his domain, making Jesus a subordinate.
How did Jesus respond? He told Satan to “get away” and then appealed to the Scriptures (Deut. 6:13) saying, “You shall worship the Lord your God, and Him only you shall serve.” By responding with the Word of God, Jesus continues with the pattern. He did not respond by using His miraculous power; He had to resist in the same way we do — by relying on the Scriptures.
In thwarting Satan today, God’s Word is a valuable tool. Hebrews 4:12 describes it as “living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword . . . .” Listing the “whole armor of God,” Ephesians 6:17 tells us the sword of the Spirit is the “word of God.” (Facing temptation without the Word of God would be like an unarmed soldier trying to defeat a powerful, well-armed enemy.) In the Parable of the Sower (Mt. 13), the seed which fell by the wayside was quickly snatched from the heart by the “wicked one.” The seed, according to Luke’s account (8:11), is the Word of God. Satan does not want the Scriptures to be in our hearts as it hinders his efforts to entice us.
Consider now a few other lessons from Jesus’ temptation.
- Jesus knew what righteousness was. He was not ignorant of God’s Word. How can we use the Scriptures to counter temptation if we do not know what the Scriptures say? We must study God’s Word, so when tempted, a biblical passage or concept quickly comes to our minds enabling us to resist.
- Jesus practiced what he knew. Many know what is right based on Scriptural teaching, but they do not practice what they know. We must have the knowledge, but we must also do what we know to be correct based on God’s Word.
- Satan also quoted Scriptures. Like the devil, many quote Scripture, but, like him, they misapply it. Today a person may pervert God’s Word (2 Pet. 3:16). We must examine what someone teaches (1 Jn. 4:1) and not be deceived into believing or practicing something sinful.
- Temptation is not a sin. We may contemplate a wrong action and then dismiss it. We have not sinned (Jas. 1:14-15), but we must quickly put temptation away to get out of danger.
- We can not blame our sins on being human. Jesus had a human body, and He did not sin (Heb. 4:15-16).
- Temptation will continue. Simply because Christ successfully met these temptations did not mean Satan was finished with Him. Luke 4:13 points out that Satan “only departed from Him until an opportune time.” Today, after successfully resisting his pull, we can not let our guard down — he will return!
Facing such a foe as Satan may cause apprehension. But rest assured, God is with us. He will not allow temptation above our ability to resist, and He will always make a way of escape (1 Cor. 10:13). James 4:7 tells us we are to submit to God, and then there is this assurance, “. . . Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” Using the right weapon, we can defeat him!
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Necessary Inference
Mike Johnson
Three forms of Bible authority govern us today. These are direct command or statement, approved examples, and necessary inference or conclusion. Most are willing to accept direct commands or statements as forms of Bible authority. However, some may question the concept of approved examples, and a growing number challenge the use of necessary inference as an acceptable form of Bible authority. People challenge necessary inference based on it involving the use of the human mind, i.e., that one needs logic to draw the conclusion and call it a “clumsy interpretative procedure.”
It is essential to understand the Bible in the same way as any other written message. As with any document, we read it, translate the words into mental images, accumulate information, and draw conclusions.
We may often use necessary inference when interpreting the Bible without even realizing it. For example, no statement in the Bible addresses, specifically us. Ananias, for instance, told Saul, “And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.” Yet, most would correctly infer that this command is also intended for them since people today live under the same law and since God does not show partiality (Acts 10:34).
People regularly reason by inference. It would be difficult to conduct our life without this mode of thinking. Therefore, it is absurd to think that we should not use necessary inference in interpreting the Scriptures.
What Is Necessary Inference?
Typically, we convey information either in an “explicit” or “implicit” way. Explicit means there is nothing implied, as we fully state the subject. On the other hand, speaking implicitly indicates that something is not expressly stated — without detail, we infer something instead of directly saying it. For example, if we take what we hear, put two and two together, and draw a conclusion, we conclude by implication. Another word for “implicit” is “inference.” An inference is simply a conclusion reached from premises. (The premises are the two’s in the two plus two.)
More specifically, a necessary inference is one in which “we reach a conclusion because the evidence demands it.” It is a conclusion that unavoidably follows from the premises. However, a conclusion must be NECESSARILY inferred. As stated, the evidence demands the conclusion drawn! Necessary inference is not a hunch or a guess.
Consider some examples from everyday life. Suppose a person is driving down the road, passes a baseball field, and notices it is wet. He might infer that it has recently rained, but he could not necessarily assume this. The person would be unable to conclude that it had recently rained because of the possibility that someone may have just sprayed the field with water to keep it from being dusty. On the other hand, a person might wake up one morning and see snow covering the countryside. Upon seeing this, he might necessarily infer that the temperature is, or at least has been, that which is necessary to produce snow.
Consider a few simple biblical examples. On the day of Pentecost (Acts 2), some people, after hearing the apostles speak in foreign languages, inferred that they were drunk (v. 13-15). Their inference was wrong. In Acts 16:15, we read of the baptism of Lydia and her “household.” Some have inferred that this serves as an example of infant baptism. People might assume this, but they cannot necessarily conclude it because all households do not have infants. Finally, John 9 records the healing of a blind man by Jesus. The healed man concluded that Jesus must be a prophet (v. 17) and must be “of God” because, as he said, “Since the world began it has been unheard of that anyone opened the eyes of one who was born blind. If this Man were not from God, He could do nothing” (vs. 32, 33). He eventually concluded that Jesus was the son of God (v. 38). The healed man drew “necessary” inferences.
Examples in the Scriptures
To begin with, note two simple examples. First, we learn from Genesis 12:10 that Abraham and Sarah went down to Egypt. Lot was with them earlier, but the Scriptures do not tell us that he went with Abraham and Sarah to Egypt. However, Genesis 13:1 says, “Then Abram went up from Egypt, he and his wife and all that he had, and Lot with him, to the South.” Again, it did not say that Lot went down to Egypt, but we would necessarily infer that he did since he came up out of Egypt. The second example involves Jesus’ baptism. Matthew 3:16 says, “When He had been baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water. . . .” The text does not say Jesus went down into the water, but one must necessarily infer He did since He “came up immediately out of the water.”
The Sadducees (a sect during Jesus’ ministry) did not believe in the resurrection and did not believe in consciousness after death. In Matthew 22:23-33, they questioned Jesus about the resurrection. In response, Jesus said, “. . . But concerning the resurrection of the dead, have you not read what was spoken to you by God, saying, ‘I am the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob’? God is not the God of the dead, but of the living.” Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob had been dead for around four hundred years when God made the above statement to Moses (Ex. 3:6, 16). When God spoke of the three who were dead, he spoke of them in the present tense. He did not say “I was” their God, but “I am” their God. Thus, God IS the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob; God IS the God of the living, not of the dead. The necessary inference that Jesus expected the Sadducees to draw was that the three, though physically dead, were alive as spirits.
Consider Luke 15, where the Scriptures record the parables of the lost sheep, lost coin, and lost son. The publicans and sinners had drawn near to Jesus to hear him. Meanwhile, the Pharisees and scribes complained because Christ received and ate with sinners. For Jesus to get His point across, they had to draw inferences from the three parables presented. For example, with the parable of the lost sheep, he noted that if a man had a hundred sheep and lost one, he would leave the ninety-nine, go out, and find the one lost. When found, the man, along with his friends and neighbors, would rejoice. Those listening to Jesus should have inferred this point: “As you would seek and receive a lost sheep, coin, or son, so will I seek and save a lost sinner.” Jesus does not explicitly state this, but it is the necessary inference He expected his critics to draw.
In Acts 10 and 11, we can read of the conversion of Cornelius and the Gentiles. Cornelius saw a vision, and an angel told him to send for Peter, who was in Joppa. Peter, in the meantime, fell into a trance and saw heaven open. Acts 10:11 says he saw “heaven opened and an object like a great sheet bound at the four corners, descending to him and let down to the earth.” Within were all kinds of unclean animals. Then the voice told Peter to rise and eat, but He refused to, even though the voice told him to do so two additional times. Peter was not sure of the meaning of this vision. Finally, the Spirit told him to meet the people who had arrived and go with them. Peter went with them, and when he got to Caesarea, he said to Cornelius and those gathered (10:28), “…You know how unlawful it is for a Jewish man to keep company with or go to one of another nation. But God has shown me that I should not call any man common or unclean. . . .” God did not tell Peter this by direct statement, but He gave Peter the information so he would have to draw that conclusion. The vision, and the Spirit telling him to go, forced Peter to draw the inescapable conclusion that he should not call any man common or unclean! He thus went, taught the Gentiles, and they became Christians.
Hebrews 7:17 cites a prophecy from Psalms 110:4 about Christ. Verse 17 says, “For He testifies: ‘You are a priest forever according to the order of Melchizedek.’” From this passage, the author necessarily infers three facts: 1. There was to be a change in the priesthood (v. 12a); 2. There was to be a change in the law (12b- for a change in the priesthood necessitated a change also in the law) 3. Perfection was not obtainable through the Levitical priesthood (v. 11- for had it been, there would have been no need that another priest should rise after the order of Melchisedec).
Various Questions
Consider various passages and questions where necessary inference comes into bearing.
- Theestablishment of the church -The Scriptures speaks of its establishment on the day of Pentecost in connection with the events of Acts 2. The Bible does not specifically cite this as the time the church started, but from many passages, we can necessarily infer that it was (Mt. 16:18; Mk. 9:1; Acts 1:8, 2:47; Col. 1:13).
- Preaching Christ meant preaching baptism– Acts 8:26-40 records the conversion of the Ethiopian eunuch by Philip. The text says Philip joined the Ethiopian in his chariot and “preached Jesus to him” (v. 36). As they were traveling, “they came to some water. And the eunuch said, ‘See, here is water. What hinders me from being baptized?’” How did he know the need for baptism? We can necessarily infer that “preaching Jesus” means “preaching baptism.” (Also note: Acts 2:38; 22:16; Gal. 3:27; I Cor. 2:2/Acts 18:8.) Some erroneously say that people should just “preach Jesus” and quit preaching about baptism, ignoring the conversion case of the Ethiopian.
- The frequency to partake of the Lord’s Supper– Acts 20:7 says, “Now on the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul, ready to depart the next day, spoke to them and continued his message until midnight.” In this verse, we have an example of the early disciples partaking of the Lord’s Supper on the first day of the week. How often are we to partake of the Lord’s Supper? We determine this by necessary inference. They took it on the first day of the week; every week has a first day; therefore, we must partake of the Lord’s Supper every week. In the Old Testament, people were told to (Ex. 20:8) “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy.” Yet, the command does not say to remember every Sabbath day, but this is the meaning. If it is true that there is no frequency taught for the Lord’s Supper in the New Testament, a person could partake of it only once and would never need to retake it, having satisfied the command to observe it. We must remember that the frequency to take the Lord’s Supper is not taught by direct statement, direct command, or approved example. There is, however, a frequency shown by necessary inference.
Just as specific logical rules determine when an example is binding, particular rules can prove beneficial with necessary inference. Consider them now:
1) If a cause always brings forth a specific result, and the cause is stated, then it must be necessarily inferred that the result follows. As we have seen, the Ethiopian (Acts 8:27-39) was taught and baptized by Philip. But nothing is said about “why” Philip baptized him. Other passages, however, show that baptism is “for the remission of sins” (Acts 2:38). Therefore, we can necessarily infer that when Philip baptized the Eunuch, he received the remission of sins.
2) If a cause always brings forth a particular result, and if the cause is the only way to obtain the result, and the result is stated, then it must necessarily be inferred that the cause occurred. Acts 18:8 tells us that Crispus believed on the Lord with his entire house, but the passage says nothing about what produced his faith. However, Romans 10:17 tells us that faith comes by hearing God’s Word, so it can be necessarily inferred that Crispus listened to the gospel just as the other Corinthians had (8b).
3) If the language structure requires a particular conclusion itself, the conclusion is necessarily inferred though unstated. An example of this would be the “frequency” of the Lord’s Supper, as discussed above. The instance of observing it on Sunday would lead us to conclude that we must take it every Sunday.
Acts 15 records a discussion at Jerusalem about the question of circumcision. Certain ones were teaching that the Gentile Christians had to be circumcised as was required under the Law of Moses (vs. 1, 5). Employed are all three forms of Bible authority in this discussion. First, they draw necessary inferences from events that had occurred (Acts 10:17; 15:6-12, 19, 28). Next, they cite approved examples. They point out that God gave them the Holy Spirit even as he did the Jews (15:8), that they had labored among the Gentiles, and God did signs and wonders (15:12). Finally, direct statements, or commands, are employed. Peter told how God commanded him to go to the house of Cornelius (15:7), and James cited the words of the prophets (15:7).
We see all three forms of authority in various aspects of the Lord’s Supper. The fact that we are to partake of it comes by command (Mt. 26:26-28; I Cor. 11:24); we learn the day that we are to take it by example (Acts 20:7); finally, we know the frequency to partake of the Lord’s Supper (every Sunday) by necessary inference (Acts 20:7).
Necessary inference is a vital form of authority, and we should not neglect it.
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What Kind of Worshipper Are You?
Don McClain
There are several different kinds of worshippers within the body of Christ, or maybe better stated – among those who claim to be members of the church of Christ. – Please seriously consider some of the following examples –
The Spasmodic Worshipper – attends worship services whenever he takes a notion – (and that is not too often). Don’t look for him to show up at any of the Bible classes, gospel meetings, or any other assembly, except for Sunday morning worship. He comes just enough to keep the brethren off his back. Apparently, he is not too concerned about what God thinks about him, nor is he too concerned about his influence on others. What does the spasmodic worshipper reveal about his love for God and his interest in the work of the church? (Matthew 6:33; Hebrews 10:24,25; Psalms 106:2)
The Irreverent Worshipper – whispers, passes notes, and occasionally takes a nap during worship services. Manicures during worship are not unheard of, nor is looking at pictures, playing with the baby in front of them, or day dreaming about the big buck that got away. (Hebrews 10:28; . . . . let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear: For our God is a consuming fire.). What does the irreverent worshipper reveal about his respect for The Almighty God? (Ecclesiastes 12:13).
The Bored Worshipper – watches the clock on the wall or his watch constantly during worship services. He habitually thinks to himself, –
What does the bored worshipper reveal about his affections for God and His grace? (Amos 8:4-8; Psalms 122:1; Psalms 63:1-3)
The Tardy Worshipper – is habitually late. NO, they’re not habitually late for work – why they know they’d get fired. Their children aren’t habitually late for school – they don’t want their children to get a tardy slip and detention. (Maybe we need to start giving tardy slips and detention?). They are only habitually late to events that are not extremely important to them (did I say that?). Consider what the Psalmist said – “My soul longeth, yea, even fainteth for the courts of the LORD: my heart and my flesh crieth out for the living God.” (Psalms 84:2.), Do you think a person with such an attitude would be habitually late for worship? What does the tardy worshipper reveal about his hunger for spiritual things? (Matthew 5:6; Psalms 42:1,2)
The Worldly Worshipper – may have been seen at the dance hall the night before or conducting a shady business deal during the previous week. Such a person ought to know that his worship is not accepted by God (Psalms 66:18). But, then again, a person doesn’t necessarily have to commit some obvious sin to be classified as “worldly.” Some worldly thing that may not be wrong in and of itself has captured his heart. This person simply hasn’t obeyed Paul’s instructions as found in Colossians 3:1,2 and Romans 12:1,2. The love of the world is in this person’s heart – not serving God. The person who lives for the “here and now” is a worldly person. What does such a worshipper really reveal about his priorities? (Matthew 6:33; James 4:4; Matthew 15:8).
The Observant Worshipper – If it were God’s instructions being stringently observed, that’d be great, but – this is not the case with the kind of worshipper under our consideration here. This individual is constantly looking around at what others are wearing, doing, and thinking. Yes, you caught that right – “thinking!” If you don’t believe it, just ask him or her. There is certainly a sense in which we ought to be observant – we ought to observe who’s absent so that we can check up on them, who’s in need so that we can help them, and who has fallen away that we may strive to restore them. But, the worshipper under consideration becomes distracted from his worship by that which is being observed. (John 21:20-22; 1 Corinthians 4:5). What does the worshipper who constantly observes others reveal about his focus upon his worship?
The True Worshipper – will be consistent in his attendance – including Bible classes (because he wants to study and learn all he can about God). The true worshipper will have his attention focussed upon his worship. He will be punctual when it comes to his attendance; after all, he really wants to do it. He will also be consistent in his life — in other words, he will not live for the devil during the week and show up on Sunday to play the hypocrite. He will be deeply concerned about both the “what” and “how” of his worship. –
- “Are the acts of my worship according to God’s word – do I have scriptural authority?”
- “Am I approaching God in sincerity – Is my heart truly in my worship?”
Such an attitude reveals his reverence and devotion in the presence of his Creator. (John 4:24; 1 Samuel 16:7; Psalms 5:7; Psalms 99:5)
“Give unto the LORD the glory due unto his name; worship the LORD in the beauty of holiness.” (Psalms 29:2)
There is ONLY one kind of worshipper that is pleasing and acceptable to God. What kind of worshipper are you?
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You Won’t Want to Miss These
Upcoming Sermons
A preacher in Arkansas really caused a disturbance when he made a public announcement of his upcoming sermons. He mentioned that the theme would be AThe Worthlessness of Our Christianity@ and that some of the lesson titles would be:
- More Important Things To Do Than Study The Bible
- A Little Smoking, Drinking, and Chasing Women Never Hurt Anyone
- We Are Far More Advanced Than The Morals of The Bible
- The Useless Time You Waste In Prayer
- Do As You Please In Spite Of What The Elders Say
- The Stupidity Of Personal Work
- Importance of Spending Money Sensually Instead of Spiritually
- The Greater Value of Television Over Assembling With The Church
What would be your reaction to a preacher that suggested these as sermon titles? We couldn=t imagine such gall, such unmitigated brass, or such unholy subjects being preached on from the pulpit, could we? We would not stand for it, would we? We=d immediately stop the preacher who would do such things, wouldn=t we? But, brethren, we teach by the way we liveC and is that not what some are now preaching by their lives? What are you preaching?
Via The Pekin Bulletin
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A Round Tuit
This is a round tuit. Guard it with your life!
Tuits are hard to come by, especially the round ones.
It will help you become a much more efficient worker.
For years you’ve heard people say, “I’ll do that when I get a round tuit.”
So now that you have one, you can accomplish all those things you put aside until you got a Round Tuit.
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Short Audio Messages
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Where Is the Promise of His Coming
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Greg Chandler
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Editor: Mike Johnson