SOUNDING
OUT:
Tasting And Savoring The Grace Of God
We received the new-birth
by grace, and thats how we continue to walk, by Gods
grace. Its grace from beginning to end.
Colossians 2:6,7:
As ye have therefore received, paralambano,
Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk ye in him:
7 Rooted and built up in
him, and stablished in the faith, as ye have been taught,
abounding therein with thanksgiving.
Walk is present tense
indicating continuous action at the present time, but
received is aorist or past tense indicating that the
action has already happened. The believers had already
received Christ Jesus the Lord, and Paul was using their
familiarity with it to explain how they were to walk at
the present time. They knew exactly how they received
him, and understood Pauls exhortation to continue to
live the same way.
It says AS not IF. There
is no question as to whether they received Christ Jesus
the Lord. They had, and they had received it by way of
the ministry of Paul. It was the gospel of the grace of
God, the gospel of great mystery of God revealed (Acts
20:24; II Corinthians 11:4; Galatians 1:6).
Bullingers Critical Lexicon
and Concordance lists 17 different Greek words or phrases
translated into English as receive. Received in Colossians
2:6 is the Greek word paralambano. Friberg says
it means to accept or receive to one-self; denoting close
fellowship and agreement. Thayer says paralambano,
when used figuratively, means to accept or acknowledge
one to be such as he professes to be or not to reject
or not to withhold obedience. Paralambano includes
accountability or responsibility. It really connotes and
involves commitment, and there is responsibility involved.
I was taught the new-birth
as an unqualified commitment. I like the term unqualified
commitment. Unqualified can mean unfit or lacking
the necessary or desirable qualifications. In that sense,
no one qualified for the new birth. None of us could have
paid the price; Jesus Christ had to pay it for us. Jesus
Christ was the only one to qualify, and by Gods grace
by the accomplished work of Jesus Christ we qualified
when we obeyed Romans 10:9 and 10. However, unqualified
also means not limited or modified; absolute (as an
unqualified endorsement). Of all the commitments we have
ever made, our new birth is absolute. It is irrevocable
and unlimited.
Lets look at the first
six uses of paralambano and we will see the commitment
and close relationship which paralambano connotes.
Although when following every occurrence through the Word
I dont always see the close fellowship, I do see commitment
and responsibility associated with or to what is taken
or received.
Matthew 1:20-24:
But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel
of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph,
thou son of David, fear not to take, paralambano, unto
thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her
is of the Holy Ghost.
21 And she shall bring forth
a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall
save his people from their sins.
22 Now all this was done,
that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord
by the prophet, saying,
23 Behold, a virgin shall
be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they
shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted
is, God with us.
24 Then Joseph being raised from sleep did
as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took, paralambano,
unto him his wife:
Matthew 2:13,14,20,21:
And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the
Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise,
and take, paralambano, the young child and his mother,
and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring
thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy
him.
14 When he arose, he took,
paralambano, the young child and his mother by night,
and departed into Egypt:
20 Saying, Arise, and take,
paralambano, the young child and his mother, and go
into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought
the young child's life.
21 And he arose, and took,
paralambano, the young child and his mother, and came
into the land of Israel.
In these first few occurrences
of paralambano we see it used regarding the marriage
commitment and the subsequent responsibility of caring
for ones family. We have welcomed Jesus Christ into our
lives. Before we accepted him we were on our own; without
God and without hope. However, now that we have received
him, we are new people. We received a new nature, one
that is unlimited in scope and ability, one that has transformed
us into children of God.
When Paul refers to receiving
Christ Jesus the Lord in Colossians 2:6, he refers to
something they have recognized as happening in their lives.
It was an experiential reality that they did not question
but knew to be true. This unwavering acknowledgment was
most likely founded on the experiential reality connoted
by the root word lambano. They operated manifestations,
as did Joseph in the accounts we read. They partook of
Gods goodness.
Psalm 34:8:
O taste and see that the LORD is good: blessed is the
man that trusteth in him.
Taste and see invites
us to a sumptuous feast which has long been ready. Come
sit at Gods table and partake of His goodness. Make a
trial, an experimental trial, of the goodness of God.
Youll never know unless you taste it for yourself. You
will only know that the Lord is good, really and personally,
by experience. There are some things which can only be
understood by being experienced and which, even then,
are very difficult to describe or articulate in words.
Dont wolf-down the goodness of God. Use your palate;
know and consider them. Enjoy each savory bite and remember
its impact on your palate. Let it linger; dont let it
be forgotten or disparaged.
Some say that all that we
can obtain of spiritual consolation or understanding in
this life is but a taste, the real meal is yet to come.
Yet what an impression a simple taste can make.
When we received Christ
Jesus the Lord we began a committed relationship with
him. This commitment extends also to the word of the gospel
which made him known unto us. Enjoy these other uses of
paralambano.
1 Corinthians 15:1-3:
Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which
I preached unto you, which also ye have received, paralambano,
and wherein ye stand;
2 By which also ye are saved,
if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless
ye have believed in vain.
3 For I delivered unto you
first of all that which I also received, paralambano,
how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;
Galatians 1:9-12:
As we said before, so say I now again, If any man preach
any other gospel unto you than that ye have received,
paralambano, let him be accursed.
10 For do I now persuade
men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet
pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.
11 But I certify you, brethren,
that the gospel which was preached of me is not after
man.
12 For I neither received,
paralambano, it of man, neither was I taught
it, but by the revelation of Jesus Christ.
Philippians 4:9:
Those things, which ye have both learned, and received,
paralambano, and heard, and seen in me, do:
and the God of peace shall be with you.
1 Thessalonians 2:13:
For this cause also thank we God without ceasing, because,
when ye received, paralambano, the word of
God which ye heard of us, ye received, it not as the
word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God,
which effectually worketh also in you that believe.
1 Thessalonians 4:1:
Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort
you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received, paralambano,
of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye
would abound more and more.
Lets commit ourselves to
action. Any one who has tasted that the Lord is good would
surely want to continue their fellowship with Him and
be established in the faith. We have made an unqualified
commitment. It is absolute and unalterable. As we remain
faithful to it we will taste the sweetness of life God
intends for us. Just like we started in and by the grace
of God, we continue to taste and see by the magnificent
grace God bestows upon us.
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