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LA MUERTE DEL TRAIDOR
Mucho se ha dicho con respecto a la muerte del traidor más grande de todos los tiempos (Judas). El N.T cita unas 15 veces aproximadamente el nombre Judas Iscariote sin embargo también podemos leer indirectamente en el A.T a manera de profecía varias veces la obra de este individuo quien llegó a ser el traidor. En internet en una búsqueda rápida bajo este personaje usted se sorprenderá la cantidad de discusión con preguntas incluso un tanto escépticas tales como: ¿Fue Judas creado para Traicionar a Jesús?, ¿Si Dios sabía que Judas iba a traicionar al Señor, porqué Jesús mismo lo escogió como discípulo?. De cierta manera hay un grado de curiosidad en las preguntas, aunque no negamos que la intención de aquellos críticos de la Biblia es malvada y siempre buscará desacreditar al santo libro, la Biblia. Observaremos de cerca el pasaje contenido en Hechos 1:18 y 19 para determinar con más precisión la muerte del traidor y la controversia alrededor de este acontecimiento.
Antes de avanzar un poco más, la primera pregunta necesita una respuesta concreta. ¿Fue Judas creado para traicionar a Jesús? La respuesta es NO. La intención detrás de la pregunta cuestiona a la persona misma Dios. Amigo lector, Dios jamás hace nada incoherente, injusto, arbitrario o a “obligadas”. Dios en su omnisciencia (todo lo sabe) observó que el Maestro sería vendido por 30 piezas de plata. Esa cantidad (30 piezas de plata) en el tiempo de Zacarías era el salario de un día de trabajo para un jornalero, un precio muy bajo (Zc.11:12-13). En tiempos del Exodo era el precio de un esclavo al que se le daba muerte (Ex.21:32). Dentro de la simbología en representación al Señor Jesús esto es significativo, pero también son profecías indirectas de lo que en realidad sucedería. Dios no está limitado por tiempo o espacio, siendo El Creador del universo debe de estar fuera de todas las leyes que rigen al mismo, por lo tanto puede observar con anticipación (esta palabra es clave y es usada por Pedro en Hechos 2:23) lo que sucederá en el futuro sin ser, El mismo El causante de ello. Durante este año visité la ciudad de Guanajuato Mexico, y en un monumento esculpido en honor al “Pípila”( Héroe de la Independencia de México) se puede observar toda la ciudad desde ese punto. Mientras conversábamos el hermano Wade Webster hizo un comentario que realmente explica de manera sencilla y correcta como funciona el anticipado conocimiento de Dios, él dijo: “ Dios está igual que nosotros en este momento, usted puede ver aquel carro que viene del lado Izquierdo de la ciudad y puede ver los lugares por done va a pasar ese carro sin moverse usted del mismo lugar y puede observar que más adelante hay huecos en la calle donde pasará y que aquel carro sufrirá eso, puede ver aquellos niños jugando en la misma calle, mientras el carro acelera la velocidad… es completamente inevitable pensar que ahí ocurrirá una tragedia si aquel vehículo continua sin disminuir la velocidad, pero las personas que están abajo no están viendo la misma imagen que nosotros desde aquí estamos viendo”. Así, de igual forma trabaja la omnisciencia de Dios, El está observando la escena completa sin embargo y al mismo tiempo está fuera de la escena. En Hechos 1:18 el escritor Lucas es claro en decirnos que Judas por su propia iniquidad… Dios no lo creó para traicionar al Señor, aunque inevitablemente el Señor observó la escena completa y la traición de este hombre anticipadamente por el peso de su propia iniquidad. Dicho esto, tornaremos nuestra mirada al texto en cuestión: “Este, pues, con el salario de su iniquidad adquirió un campo, y cayendo de cabeza, se reventó por la mitad, y todas sus entrañas se derramaron. Y fue notorio a todos los habitantes de Jerusalén, de tal manera que aquel campo se llama en su propia lengua, Acéldama, que quiere decir, Campo de sangre.” (Hechos 1:18-19).
Una de las razones principales que dio ánimo a este artículo, que precisamente usted está leyendo es la supuesta contradicción en la muerte del traidor. Aquí Lucas dice que “cayendo de cabeza, se reventó por la mitad…”, mientras que Mateo escribe que “saliendo fue y se ahorcó” (Mt.27:5). No existe contradicción alguna entre las dos narraciones, sino que se complementan, puesto que lo más probable es que haya salido corriendo a colgarse y después de ahorcado su cadáver haya caído de cabeza y reventado por la mitad como lo narra Lucas. Al Inicio de Hechos leemos que Lucas fue e indagó con más detalle y más profundidad los Hechos… y precisamente es lo que está narrando aquí en el 1:18-19, en más detalle lo que sucedió con el cuerpo de Judas. El hermano H.Leo Boles en su comentario del libro de los Hechos describe lo siguiente:
Judas obtuvo o adquirió este campo indirectamente con el dinero que recibió cuando traicionó a Jesús (Mt.26:14-26; 14-26; 27:3-8). Los versículos 18 y 19 no son parte del discurso de Pedro, sino que parecen haber sido incluidos por Lucas a manera de paréntesis. El campo fue comprado con dinero que Judas recibió como recompensa por haber traicionado a Jesús y que había tratado de devolver tirándolo a los pies de los sacerdotes.Estos no quisieron poner el dinero en el tesoro, sino que lo usaron para comprar esa propiedad (Mt.27:5-8). Este campo fue comprado por el sumo sacerdote para ser usado como cementerio para los indigentes y forasteros. Mateo dice que ese terreno se llamó campo de Sangre (Mt.27:3-8). (Gospel Advocate, comentario de Hechos por Leo Boles, 1964, pg.29).
Una historia bastante triste con un final perturbador, aunque todos nosotros sabemos que ese no es el final. Dos lección sobresalientes a aprender con respecto a la muerte del traidor Judas son: 1) La Biblia no se contradice, a como el carácter de Dios es imparcial y siempre justo para con todos. Realmente algunas traducciones del sagrado libro no son las más adecuadas pero el mensaje original como tal, no posee ni una sola contradicción por más alto que lo griten los ateos y los escépticos. ¡Hay 101 contracciones en la Biblia! alegó un ateo en cierta ocasión, nosotros tenemos 102 explicaciones para cada una de esas “supuestas” contracciones que no son nada más que ignorancia pura, disfrazada de inteligencia y 2). Todos los traidores tienen un final trágico al igual que Judas. Si alguien no conoce a Dios y si alguien abiertamente niega conocer a Dios, eso es traición de la creación para con su creador. Peor aún alguien quien alegue conocer a Jesús, caminar con Jesús, cenar con Jesús pero en su interior es un traidor el final no será menor al de Judas. Mateo 7:21-23 “no todo el que dice Señor, señor entrará…” Serán muchas personas las que clamarán conocer al Señor, pero la pregunta es ¿Lo reconoce el Señor a Usted? Tantas personas alegan ser cristianos… 40, 50 años en el cristianismo… apelan ellos, sin embargo, han pertenecido a una secta hecha por hombres y nunca han estado realmente en el cristianismo que ellos con tanto entusiasmo proclaman. Amigo de acuerdo al Señor, en el futuro eso pasará. Realmente espero que su fin y el mío no sea como el de Judas, traicionando al Señor, sino que sea un final feliz como el del resto de los apóstoles. Ellos murieron con y en Cristo y no contra y sin Cristo. ¡Dios le bendiga!.
Checking the Obituaries
Checking the Obituaries
We’ve all heard the jokes and comments – maybe even made a few of them ourselves. “The first thing I do when I wake up in the morning is to check the obituaries. As long as I’m not listed, I know it’s going to be a good day,” or, “Any day above ground is a good one,” or some other, similar comment which is often heard to emanate from the lips of a Christian. But is such really the case? Do we as Christians truly believe that a day spent within the reach of sin, evil, sickness, death, and the devil, is ultimately better than one spent with and amongst the saints in paradise (Lk. 16:22-25); or even face to face with, and around the throne of the God who promised to wipe away every tear from our eyes in a place where death, sorrow, pain and crying have ceased to exist (Revelation 21:4)? The apostle Paul certainly didn’t think so (Philippians 1:21-23).
You see, the fact is that none of us ever know exactly when that final day is going to arrive in which we won’t wake up to experience another. We never know when the doctor is going to deliver the devastating news that, “There’s nothing we can do,” or, when some totally unexpected and instantaneous death stroke may suddenly strike us during some earthly accident we never saw coming. And so, what each new day actually is, is another God-given and grace-laden chance to better prepare for our last day here, and the inescapable meeting with the Lord God almighty which we all – young and old, rich and poor, healthy and sick – will eventually, inevitably, and individually then be forced to face. What each new day is, is a divine gift and loving investment in you and your eternity, by the grace and mercy of the Lord God almighty. It is yet another much-needed (and hopefully enough appreciated) opportunity for each of us who is blessed enough to receive one, to use it wisely by getting to know the Lord and His word better; to draw ever closer to and become ever more like Him; and to serve Him and His cause even more deeply and sacrificially than we did the day before.
Conversely, it is a complete and total waste of God’s incredible investment of providing us with another day to thus prepare for the time when we won’t be given another one here, to spend it totally in pursuit of those worldly things which will mean absolutely nothing to us when our final day does arrive. Someone once said something akin to: “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow may never be. Today is a gift. That’s why they call it ‘the present.’” If and whenever, you may be blessed enough by God, to be given the gift of another day from now on, don’t waste it – ever (Hebrews 3:1-4:16)! It just possibly might be the last one you ever receive…
Posted in Doug Dingley
Tagged death, eternity, obituaries, obituary
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The Reason Why the World Does not Know Us
The Reason Why the World Does Not Know Us
See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.
1 John 3:1
I would like to comment on the second part of this verse first because of something that happened to me last week. As I’m sure you’re aware, there is much furor in our country over same-sex marriage, its acceptance by some, and whether not accepting it is a form of hateful bigotry. Businesses owned by Christians who declined to work for same-sex weddings on the fear of condoning an event which they consider to be immoral are being successfully sued and fined, which has led to the debate of whether Christians in the United States of America have the freedom to follow the dictates of their religion and conscience. Last week I found myself in a conversation with an individual who obviously was not a Christian and was very much a proponent of same-sex marriage and homosexual rights. When I pointed out that my rights as a Christian to follow the dictates of my religion were in danger of being ignored and that I could even be punished for following my religion, he responded with nothing but disdain.
So I understand when John tells me, “The reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know him.” Our society is becoming more and more godless. Less young people now than ever before identify themselves as religious, much less as Christian. My fellow Americans who are trying hard to be faithful Christians and have been used to living in a society where more people than not identified with Christianity, we must recognize that we are coming closer and closer to living in a culture in which people will not know (understand) us as faithful Christians…and the reason for this is because they do not know (understand) our God.
Yet…we are still God’s children. “See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are…” We are still children of the Most High God. Jehovah has still saved us by his love and grace. We still have the undeserved, highest honor of wearing the name “Christian” (1 Pet. 4:16). We are still heaven-bound. We still serve a greater Cause, in fact the greatest Cause. Whatever persecution comes our way, let us rejoice and be glad for it, because it comes because we are servants of Jesus Christ (Matt. 5:10-12; James 1:2-4).
Posted in Jon Mitchell
Tagged christian, homosexual, same sex, world
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Direct Intervention on the Heart
The Gospel’s Two-Part Invitation
I have been told that the Spirit’s direct intervention on the heart of the lost is an integral part of the God’s plea to save them. Often, the idea is drawn from an understanding of Acts 16:14: “One who heard us was a woman named Lydia, from the city of Thyatira, a seller of purple goods, who was a worshiper of God. The Lord opened her heart to pay attention to what was said by Paul.” The phrase “[T]he Lord opened her heart” is attributed to the work of the Spirit upon the heart of Lydia to help her understand and obey the word.
What I have heard stated is that the Spirit works “in conjunction with,” “beyond the influence of”, or “directly, but in support of,” the word. Regardless of the preferred semantics, the idea that the Spirit works in some way to support directly the preached gospel is integral to the newest variants of teaching regarding the Holy Spirit in the church.
The problem is not just a matter of words. It is a fundamental problem of doctrine. The most significant issue is that the Bible has already established, by direct statement, the Spirit’s method of “convicting the world concerning sin” (John 16:8). That method is neither ambiguous, nor mystical. It is objective, knowable, discernable, and, by present standards, boring. The Holy Spirit appeals to the lost through the avenue of His word. The Bible states: “The Spirit and the Bride say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who hears say, ‘Come.’ And let the one who is thirsty come; let the one who desires take the water of life without price” (Revelation 22:17). Two actors are present in the preceding verse: 1) The Spirit; and 2) The Bride. The most common understanding of identifying these actors is that the “Spirit” refers to the Holy Spirit and the “bride” refers to the church. If we take that approach to be the correct one then the gospel’s invitation is sent out from two actors: The Holy Spirit, and people in the Lord’s church. However, both actors are using the same approach in providing that offer. The verse states that both actors are “saying” the invitation of obey the Gospel. Both are “saying” the gospel to the lost. Both are using words to appeal to the heart of those needing to find the “new Jerusalem.” The Spirit is doing so through the words He inspired. The Bride is doing so through the proclamation of those same words now inscripturated. There is the manner of the Holy Spirit’s offer of salvation to the lost.
The Holy Spirit appeals to the lost through His word. No other means of approach to the human heart can be sustained from scripture. There is no ambiguity or mysticism in the way the Spirit appeals to humanity. He does it through the living and active word He inspired and infused with His power.
What must be remembered is that His appeal works, not in conjunction with His word, but together with the appeal of the Bride. If the church (meaning the individual efforts of the members of His body) fails to offer its part of the invitation, the Spirit’s influence on the lost is muted. God has chosen the “foolishness of preaching” to save the world. The Spirit provided a powerful message but relies on each of us to ensure the lost have an opportunity to be saved. Are you doing your part to connect people to the power of the Holy Spirit?
Posted in Jonathan Jenkins
Tagged gospel, Holy Spirit, power, Salvation
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God’s Expectations vs. Man’s Expectations
God’s Expectations vs. Man’s Expectations
There are major differences between our expectations and God’s expectations. God’s expectations are objective and real. Our expectations are subjective and can be mistaken.
An expectation is a personal desire or belief relative to future events. God’s expectations can never be disappointed because He has full knowledge of the future. Our expectations, however, may be disappointed because we have no knowledge of the future.
When we have expectations, specifically in regard to other people’s behavior, we risk becoming an unrighteous judge(James 4:11-12). If others fail to meet our expectations, and we become unhappy about it,we risk disappointment, which can have an impact on our joy (Philippians 4:4). Expecting other people to behave in certain ways (even if God does expect such behavior) risks putting us in the position of making our subjective beliefs the standard of others’ behavior.
It isn’t the case that others must meet our expectations. They must meet God’s expectations. (We are not co-standards with God!) Let God be true! (Romans 3:4). So, it is best to generally avoid forming expectations about others’ behavior, and let God’s expectations stand on their own. My task is to love my neighbor (Matthew 22: regardless of how he behaves toward me–to be gracious to him even as Jesus was gracious to those who killed him (1 Peter 2:18-25).
Having said that, there are some situations that call for us to form expectations. As a father, I let my children know what are my expectations for their behavior. I also let them know that these expectations come from God, not me, and that God has empowered me to train them (Ephesians 6:1-2). Even so, my expectations must be holy (separate from sinful desires and especially envy and pride) or they will produce unholiness in my life.
God bless you, and I love you.
Posted in Kevin Cauley
Tagged behavior, expect, expectations, future
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