Post by George on Feb 23, 2008 13:37:31 GMT -5
But Now
I would like to pose something to you all for your consideration, meditation and possibly (hopefully) study.
Did you know the apostle Paul used the simple little phrase “but now” 23 times in his writings in the New Testament? The way I figure it, if the Lord decides to put something into the Bible 23 times it is something to which I had better pay attention.
Now if you are of the folks who believe Paul also wrote the book of Hebrews then the count goes up. However the figure of 23 comes strictly from the books of which Paul has been proven to be the author. Let me give you a couple of examples to hopefully arouse your interest:
(Rom 6:20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (Rom 6:21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (Rom 6:22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Here is a very important “but now.” We once were the servants of sin and had no righteousness of our own. These things lead to death, not only the possibility of our physical death as seen in verse 23 following, but also eternal death. Then Paul uses the “but now.” But now we are free from sin, no longer serve sin but have become servants of God. Incidentally, the word “servants” in these verses has the sense of meaning a slave. We are no longer the slaves of sin but of God. Please understand we are not in slavery by any type of force or coercion but are supposed to be willingly enslaved.
(1Co 15:16) For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: (1Co 15:17) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1Co 15:18) Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (1Co 15:19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1Co 15:20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Here is another really important one. The writing here is posing the hypothetical state of man if Christ had not risen from the dead. If He had not then we are still in our sins, slaves to our sins and our faith is in vain. In other words if Christ had not risen from the dead we might as well sell our Bibles on eBay and go out and start partying. Then Paul puts in the reality of the situation. But now is Christ risen from the dead. I can almost hear the force in his writing as he entered this phrase. I believe he meant it most emphatically.
So you see, doing a little study on the times and reasons Paul uses this little phrase made up of two very common words is not only worth it but also to those who love their Bibles I believe it will also be fun. I enjoyed it very much.
In Christ,
George
I would like to pose something to you all for your consideration, meditation and possibly (hopefully) study.
Did you know the apostle Paul used the simple little phrase “but now” 23 times in his writings in the New Testament? The way I figure it, if the Lord decides to put something into the Bible 23 times it is something to which I had better pay attention.
Now if you are of the folks who believe Paul also wrote the book of Hebrews then the count goes up. However the figure of 23 comes strictly from the books of which Paul has been proven to be the author. Let me give you a couple of examples to hopefully arouse your interest:
(Rom 6:20) For when ye were the servants of sin, ye were free from righteousness. (Rom 6:21) What fruit had ye then in those things whereof ye are now ashamed? for the end of those things is death. (Rom 6:22) But now being made free from sin, and become servants to God, ye have your fruit unto holiness, and the end everlasting life.
Here is a very important “but now.” We once were the servants of sin and had no righteousness of our own. These things lead to death, not only the possibility of our physical death as seen in verse 23 following, but also eternal death. Then Paul uses the “but now.” But now we are free from sin, no longer serve sin but have become servants of God. Incidentally, the word “servants” in these verses has the sense of meaning a slave. We are no longer the slaves of sin but of God. Please understand we are not in slavery by any type of force or coercion but are supposed to be willingly enslaved.
(1Co 15:16) For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: (1Co 15:17) And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (1Co 15:18) Then they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished. (1Co 15:19) If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable. (1Co 15:20) But now is Christ risen from the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Here is another really important one. The writing here is posing the hypothetical state of man if Christ had not risen from the dead. If He had not then we are still in our sins, slaves to our sins and our faith is in vain. In other words if Christ had not risen from the dead we might as well sell our Bibles on eBay and go out and start partying. Then Paul puts in the reality of the situation. But now is Christ risen from the dead. I can almost hear the force in his writing as he entered this phrase. I believe he meant it most emphatically.
So you see, doing a little study on the times and reasons Paul uses this little phrase made up of two very common words is not only worth it but also to those who love their Bibles I believe it will also be fun. I enjoyed it very much.
In Christ,
George