Work for God’s Good Pleasure
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Otherwise, what do people mean by being baptized on behalf of the dead? If the dead are not raised at all, why are people baptized on their behalf? Why are we in danger every hour?
I protest, brothers, by my pride in you, which I have in Christ Jesus our Lord, I die every day! What do I gain if, humanly speaking, I fought with beasts at Ephesus? If the dead are not raised, “Let us eat and drink, for tomorrow we die.”
Do not be deceived: “Bad company ruins good morals.” Wake up from your drunken stupor, as is right, and do not go on sinning. For some have no knowledge of God. I say this to your shame.
What are the personal implications for the resurrection of the person?
We should not think that we are free to live our lives as we please.
We have been bought with a price and a purpose. The price was Jesus Christ - His death and shed blood. The purpose of His death - so that God’s creation would be/may be redeemed from sin and death, and the wrath of God, through the grace of God and the faith of men (Romans 5:9).
He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.
And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile, knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold,
but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot. He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you
who through him are believers in God, who raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.
If there is no resurrection of the dead, why conduct yourselves with fear and trembling as the Apostle Peter encourages and the Apostle Paul says to the Philippian church?
Therefore, my beloved, as you have always obeyed, so now, not only as in my presence but much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling,
for it is God who works in you, both to will and to work for his good pleasure.
Is it because we believe there is no requirement for eternal life in the Kingdom with God except to punch your ticket by declaring faith in the Lord Jesus Christ? This is not what Paul preaches to the Philippians. He preaches that one is to bring about, produce, to effect one’s own salvation [2716 katergazomai]. How does one effect, bring about, produce one’s own salvation? Through obedience. Paul says, as you have obeyed in my presense, then do so in my absense, obey - work out your salvation, work out your sanctification, do the work of Christ. How does one bring about one’s own salvation? Obey God the Father, and do the work of Jesus - this is our sanctification. “Because it is God who works in you, to will and to work for His good pleasure.” (v.13).
Is God working through you, to effect the world, for his will, work and pleasure? If we are obeying Him, we are effecting the world for His will, work, and pleasure. If not, the world will not be changed. Souls are either gained or lost for the Kingdom of God, based on our obedience to Jesus. But if my knee is not bowed to Christ, His Holy Spirit will not be given room to work and will for God’s pleasing. The word pleasure [2107] is the Greek word eudokia meaning to please, favor, will, purpose, with the idea of benevolence included. God’s pleasure is to be the outcome of God’s goodness. We are to be the vessel of God’s goodness, to the world, which involves us obeying His work on our persons, the Holy Spirit, to enable and fulfill His will and work to His world, our friends, our family, workmates, the local cashier, waiter or waitress, brothers and sisters in the Lord, even strangers and foreignors.
If you were to be given a ticket for being a vessel of God’s goodness, would you, or could you be convicted? Now if the dead in Christ are not resurrected, one has nothing to worry about, but, if they are, as Jesus assures us that we are and will be, will you and I be getting convicted for being a vessel of God’s goodness and God’s pleasure? Let us enjoy ourselves if the dead are not raised, for nothing matters! But, knowing the opposite is true, we are to stop sinning against the Lord, doing our own thing, and be a vessal of God’s goodness to the world around us. Paul says, Stop sinning, come to your senses, stop being deceived and ignorant about God, for I have not done the work I have, facing death every day, fighting wild animals, and danger every hour (v.30-32). The bad company you are keeping, the ones that keep you from the work and will of God, blessing the world will His goodness, is corrupting you and your morals and values, Paul says (v.33). Stop and allow God to use you for His blessing and His pleasure!
Is it God working within you, to will and work for His good pleasure?
Believers were being baptized for the dead in Corinth. Why would believers be baptized for the dead if their was no resurrection? There would be no point, but there is indeed no point, because Paul does not affirm, Jesus does not affirm, the Bible does not affirm baptism for the dead. Some take this to mean “proxy baptism” where the believer is baptized on the behalf of a dead relative, or even strangers. The Latter-Day Saints or the Mormon cult practice this kind of baptism. It is reported that Mormon believers will be baptized on behalf of complete strangers found in obituaries in order that they may have the opportunity to “be saved” in the spirit world. Because once in the “spirit world” one will either be in paradise or in “spirit prison”. Those in paradise have the work of the Lord to do and that includes preaching and teaching those in “spirit prison”. Those in prison will have the chance to respond and affirm belief and acceptance of the baptism performed on behalf of them. If they so choose to do so, they will be freed from prison and experience paradise. If not, they will experience hell where they will stay for a time, and then be released to the lowest level of glory, called the Telestial Kingdom. This is all based on their misunderstanding of 1 Peter 3:18-20 where Jesus makes proclaimation to spirits in prison. The motive is commendable, but their theology is bad and mistaken. Each person is responsible for their own salvation and response to God.
Secondly, the statement “baptism now saves you” (v.21) does not mean that baptism gives you salvation. Mark 16:16 says,
Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned.
The verb translated “has believed” is in the aorist, pisteusas, which is a participle referring to one who believed at some point in the past (a participle is a verb form that can be used as an adjective, to form a verb tense, or to form a passive sentence ie. in the past). Mark goes on to clarify Jesus’ statement, that “whoever does not believe will be condemned”, meaning those who do not believe in Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, given to save us, salvation, by the shedding of His blood, are not saved. Baptism is not mentioned, but a belief in Christ is, as the defining point of salvation. Through out Scripture, teaching (and preaching) preceeds belief and then baptism (Acts 2:38; 10:48; 22:16; Mt 28:19; Eph. 2:8). As we use Scripture to interpret Scripture, the word “baptism” in 1 Peter 3:21 cannot mean baptism isolated from faith, but only as an evidence of the exercise of faith which preceded the baptism.
For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,
The question to ask is: What kind of proclaimation did Jesus make to the “spirits” in prison? 1 Peter 3:19 states simply that Jesus preached. It does not say what He preached. Assumption is made that it was the Gospel, but nowhere does it state that and the word kerusso [2784] does not always mean “preached the Gospel” . It means to herald, to preach, proclaim. It can mean to proclaim or announce religious truth ie. peace, faith, grace, mercy, justice, etc… To assume the Gospel is to put words in the Bible’s mouth. The Greek work euaggelizo [2097] has also not been used which is typically, but not always, used to mean the proclaimation or bringing of the good news, salvation, and/or to publish good tiding or good news.
So, what then was Jesus’ proclaimation? In context of the text, Peter is talking about Jesus’ sufferings (1 Peter 2:21-), did Jesus proclaim the completion of His meditorial work in victory over death and the grave? Preaching His success and completed work, of which He was about to ascend to Heaven and rise from the grave, with the keys of death and Hades in his hands. Preaching His authority and power now complete, even over the ruler of the prince of earth, Satan? The Apostle’s aim appears to be to set forth the completed work and victory of Jesus in His suffering.
It should also be noted that, nowhere in Scripture do we find any indication and teaching that those who die unrepentant, receive a second chance to believe upon and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior. We actually have the opposite teaching - those unrepentant will appear before the Great White Throne Judgment and be divided from the righteous who go onto to the Kingdom of God and eternal life, and those who refused Jesus, to Hell and everlasting torment and punishment.
“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels. For I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me no drink,
I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not clothe me, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.’ Then they also will answer, saying, ‘Lord, when did we see you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not minister to you?’
Then he will answer them, saying, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.’ And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.”
What does Jesus say here? What you and I do here on earth has repercussions for our life to come afterward. The resurrection of the dead has eternal implications: eternal life or eternal torment, we choose by our actions or lack of actions in Jesus. Are we a vessel of God’s work within, to will and work for His good pleasure? Practically…are you and I giving up ourselves to serve the interests of God for His pleasure, not ours? What is for His pleasure? Anything that glorifies God and lines up with His priorities. What are God’s priorities? Love God, Love People, Love Well - the Great Commission and the Great Commandment. For a more practical translation - Serve God, Serve People, Serve Well. Are you serving God? Are you serving people? Many of us are good at being served, but how are we at serving others? Are others number one, and ourselves number two? That is the only way a marriage works as it should, as it was designed by God. Paul spoke about husbands and wives in the letter to the Ephesians 5:22-33, how we are to love and submit to one another as Christ does to the church and vice versa. Paul says, this imagery I am speaking about is a profound mystery, and I am refering to Christ and the church (v.32). Christ serves and loves the church, but are you, the church, loving and serving Christ? Serving each other? Each of us has been called to love and serve as Christ has and does. Are you doing so, not have you, but are you doing so today? A church can only love God as well as it’s least loving. A church can only serve God as well as it’s least serving. Are you loving and serving Christ well?
That’s how Jesus has called us to emulate and imitate Him - He came as a servant, not to be served. What does the picture of Jesus washing His disciples feet mean to you (John 13:1-17)?
even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”
The Mormons believe they are loving God and loving people, and serving them well by being baptized for the saving of their souls, just in case they do not know Jesus, as they believe and now Jesus. But how are you loving and serving people that God has given you access to? The question matters because we will be resurrected and called to account for what we have done on the earth. Mt 12:36-37
I tell you, on the day of judgment people will give account for every careless word they speak, for by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned.”
For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.
So then each of us will give an account of himself to God.
As Jesus said to the religious leaders of His day, who cared more for the rules of the law, religion, than for the Spirit of the Law and one’s relationship with the Messiah,
“Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! You travel over land and sea to make one proselyte, and when he becomes one, you make him twice as fit for hell as you are!
Would we rather hear Woe! from Jesus at His return, or well done good and faithful servant, you have been faithful with what and those I gave to you…welcome to your Lord’s good pleasure and Kingdom? I believe it is a rhetorical question, but is it? What will you I hear on the day of Jesus’ return? What we do in the body in this life will come up for review at the Judgement Seat of Christ, will we be convicted of being a vessel for God and His work, will, and pleasure? Our person is the temple of God, we are to be seperate from the sins of the world (2 Cor 6:14-7:1). When we decide to be a vessel for the world, we compromise and corrupt God’s temple, the Holy Spirit within us (Eph 5:6-17). Have no compromise with the world and sin! There will be a resurrection of the righteous dead and wicked; serve and love as Christ has served and loved you, and the Church. Be transformed today, not just at the resurrection! Let you glory today, as you obey and submit to God’s works in you, to work and will for the pleasure of God out there in the world. Let you light shine. Do not hide it under a basket, in a closet. Love greatly, love passionatly, love well. Serve greatly, serve passionately, and serve well. Amen.