30th Mar 26 | 13:54
Studies by Book
Luke 16 19-31 Released from self cetredness 32 God’s eternal purpose
📖 Luke 16:19-31
04Jun2020 - *God’s eternal purpose* - _Luke 16:19-31_ - Bible reading: _Ephesians 3:9-11_
_Luke 16:25 But Abraham said, 'Son, remember that in your lifetime you received your good things, and likewise Lazarus evil things; but now he is comforted and you are tormented._
We have established the three reasons for the evil in our world. The bad news.
1. Man is dead (Though dead he is still the ruler over God's creation)
2. Man is arbitrating good and evil from the place of death.
3. Satan is inflicting death into the whole of creation, through man, who has become a vassal of Satan
The good news is that God has not left us staggering in our state of evil, which we have caused to ourselves, but He has stepped into man’s predicament and has provided us with the comprehensive solution. God has dealt specifically with each of the reasons for evil.
We have already considered the victory that Jesus has provided for us at the cross, over the first two reasons for evil in our world. We will now look at how Jesus has provided triumph for us over the third reason for evil in our world, which is Satan inflicting death over all of God’s creation.
_Hebrews 2:14-15 Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, (15) and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage._
Jesus came in the flesh and through His death, He has destroyed the devil, who had the power of death. In doing so, Jesus has released us from the captivity of Satan.
Satan has complete sway over the world. _I John 5:19 We know that we are of God, and the whole world lies under the sway of the wicked one._ How was Satan able to have command over the whole world?
_II Timothy 2:25-26 in humility correcting those who are in opposition, if God perhaps will grant them repentance, so that they may know the truth, (26) and that they may come to their senses and escape the snare of the devil, having been taken captive by him to do his will._
When we sinned against God, we thought we were now free to do our own will but that was a delusion. We came into the captivity of Satan. Satan is now exercising his evil plans and agenda over God’s creation, through man, who is in his captivity. Satan is thus able to bring about all his evil plans to fruition.
The devil’s sway over the world was total that he had the audacity and arrogance to tell the Owner of all of creation that he could give Him (the Owner) the authority over the kingdoms of the world, for that authority was given to him (Satan).
_Luke 4:5-7 Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment of time. (6) And the devil said to Him, "All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish. (7) Therefore, if You will worship before me, all will be Yours."_
This was a legal claim that the devil was asserting to the Owner. If this was not true then the Owner should have confronted the lie of the devil at that very moment, but He did not. What Satan was claiming was a fact in the sense that we, who were given the legal position to be the regal rulers over God’s creation, abdicated our position to Satan, when we sinned against God. Satan was the ruler of the world by proxy and by deception. Satan had to be cast out.
_John 12:31 Now is the judgment of this world; now the ruler of this world will be cast out. John 16:11 of judgment, because the ruler of this world is judged._
Satan was defeated at the cross. _Colossians 2:13-15 And you, being dead in your trespasses and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He has made alive together with Him, having forgiven you all trespasses, (14) having wiped out the handwriting of requirements that was against us, which was contrary to us. And He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross. (15) Having disarmed principalities and powers, He made a public spectacle of them, triumphing over them in it._
Satan has been defeated and we who were once in his clutches have been released from his bondage. Hallelujah! Praise the Lord!. This victory that Jesus has secured for us, by His death on the cross, He now gives to the church.
_Ephesians 3:9-11 and to make all see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hidden in God who created all things through Jesus Christ; (10) to the intent that now the manifold wisdom of God might be made known by the church to the principalities and powers in the heavenly places, (11) according to the eternal purpose which He accomplished in Christ Jesus our Lord,_
This is God’s eternal purpose, that the church would be a display of God’s wisdom over principalities, rule and authority and establish the kingdom rule of God once again over all of creation.
*Thought to ponder*
```Is the Church of Jesus, aware and completing the purposes of God?```