When Looking to Jesus, there's Always More to See: There's Always "More Beyond"

The Challenge: Keep “fixing your eyes on Jesus, the founder and perfecter of faith.” Hebrews 12:2

When it comes to the Person of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, there is always more beyond. There will always be more to discover. As we keep looking unto Jesus in His Word, there is always more beyond what we presently know. When it comes to the knowledge of our gracious Master and Savior, Jesus Christ, there will always be more to learn (cf. 2 Peter 3:18).

Before the days of Christopher Columbus in the latter part of the fifteenth century, the Spanish proclaimed on their coins the Latin words Ne Plus Ultra, which meant “No More Beyond.” As they looked to the ocean and saw nothing beyond, their conclusion was there was nothing more than more water. But after the explorations of Columbus, the Spanish changed the inscription on their coins to read Plus Ultra, “More Beyond.” This inscription is found on a monument in honor to Columbus:

In Valladolid, Spain, where Christopher Columbus died in 1506, stands a monument commemorating the great discoverer. Perhaps the most interesting feature of the memorial is a statue of a lion destroying one of the Latin words that had been part of Spain’s motto for centuries. Before Columbus made his voyages, the Spaniards thought they had reached the outer limits of earth. Thus their motto was “Ne Plus Ultra,” which means “No More Beyond.” The word being torn away by the lion is “ne” or “no,” making it read “Plus Ultra.” Columbus had proven that there was indeed “more beyond.” (http://bible.org/node/10347)

Leading up to the challenge in Hebrews 12:2 to keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus,” we find what has been called “the great hall of faith.” We have our “Halls of Fame” throughout our land that have been established to honor those who have had success in sports arenas. But in Hebrews 11 we have a “Hall of Faith.” The believers of the days before Christ proclaim to us their success before God as they lived out their faith. Just before the Spirit moved the author of Hebrews to write of some of the specific acts of their living faith, he provides a definition of faith in 11:1.

Now faith is the reality of what is hoped for, the proof of what is not seen.  Holman Christian Standard Bible (HCSB)

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. New King James Version (NKJV)

Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. New American Standard Bible (NASB)

Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see. New International Version (NIV)

Notice that the underlined words are variously translated in Hebrews 11:1. Whenever this is observed among good translations of the Bible, it is a safe assumption that the translators are wrestling with the meaning of the Greek terms. The words “substance,” “assurance,” “reality” and “being sure” are translations of hupostasis. This word is used of God’s Son, Jesus Christ in Hebrews 1:3, where it is translated “nature” (NASB, HCSB), “being” or “person” (NKJV) (cf. Hebrews 3:14). The words translated “conviction,” “certain,” “proof” and “evidence” are from elenkos. Each of these translations is helpful in gaining an appreciation for the meaning of the words used. Each translation therefore provides more insight so that we can appreciate the meaning and application of this verse.

There is a progression of thought from the order of the translations given above. The truth of God and His Word provides for the objective “reality” of our faith (HCSB). Therefore our faith may have “substance” (NKJV). It then may become that which provides “assurance” (NASB). The NIV expands upon this idea and presents the strongest statement about faith. Faith is “being sure” and “certain” that what God has promised will come true. This was the testimony of the believers of Hebrews 11. Their behavior, their living faith, provides the “proof” (HCSB) of their strong confidence in the Lord and His promises. Underlying their actions was their faith in God and His Word

Since the believers of the Old Testament had the assurance that God was a God of truth and since they had convictions about their future with God beyond this life, they acted upon what they understood about God and His plan. These believers were sure of God's promises and were certain about what they could not see. And their lives revealed the quality of their faith.

Their faith had substance. The faith in their souls was an attitude or way of thinking that was based upon reasonable evidence. They counted on the reality of things they could not see physically. They had good reason to believe that they were not laying down their lives for nothing. What they did by faith would matter forever. God would reward them for their faith in Himself and in His Word (11:6, 16-17). Because of the quality of their faith they were truly successful in life from God’s view.

These acts of faith of the Old Testament believers recorded in Hebrews 11 were built upon their knowledge of God. Gresham Machen offers this concerning faith and knowledge:

That knowledge of God is regarded by the Bible as involved in faith and as the necessary prerequisite of faith. We can trust God, according to the Bible, because He has revealed Himself as trustworthy. The knowledge that God has graciously given us of Himself is the basis of our confidence in Him; the God of the Bible is One whom it is reasonable to trust.

These seven principles are drawn from Hebrews 11 and 12 about having a faith that endures unto maturity in Christ:

(1) Having a faith that endures is essential in pleasing God for “without faith it is impossible to please” Him.

Now without faith it is impossible to please God, for the one who draws near to Him must believe that He exists and rewards those who seek Him. Hebrews 11:6, HCSB

(2) Having a faith that endures is revealed in doing “the will of God,” acting upon our faith in deeds done in the power of the Spirit to the glory of God. Hebrews 10:36 – 11:38; cf. John 14 – 16

(See information below under, “Keep Looking to the Son and Have a Faith that Endures.”)

(3) Having a faith that endures may mean letting go of certain things in life. 11:24-26, 35-38; 12:1

(4) Having a faith that endures is encouraged by the witness of the Old Testament faithful. 12:1

The testimony of the acts of faith of the “great cloud of witnesses” (believers of Old Testament times) is especially encouraging because they “did not receive what was promised” (11:39-40). They lived before the coming of the promised Messiah.

Hebrews 11:40 states from the NKJV, “. . . they should not be made perfect apart from us.”

(5) Having a faith that endures means that we keep on laying aside “the sin …” in our lives. 12:1

(6) Having a faith that endures may result in a longer life. 12:4-11; cp. 10:36-39

(7) In order to have a faith that endures unto maturity in Christ we must keep “fixing our eyes on Jesus, “the founder and perfecter of faith.” 12:2-3; cp. 3:1

Jesus is our supreme example of living by faith. He is the “founder, author, leader,” or “source” of faith. These are all possible translations of the original archegon (cf. Hebrews 2:10). It has been said that Jesus is the “one who has in his own person raised faith to its perfection and so set before us the highest example of faith” (searchgodsword.org). The noun translated “perfecter” is teleiotes, which only occurs here in the New Testament. However the verb form, teleioo, occurs three times in Hebrews with reference to Jesus (2:10; 5:9; 7:28; cp. 7:19; 9:9; 10:1, 14; 11:40; 12:23).

Jesus is the founder or author of faith in that He established it from the beginning. He is the One that enabled people to live by faith--from Abel to those who first read and studied the Epistle to the Hebrews. So the faith that Jesus authored and completed is a reference to the living faith that was within Him and should be within us that results in the application of the truth in our walk with God.

Because the Christ Jesus has perfected faith in His life and ministry, we should look to Him and endure in our confidence in Him and live by faith in the application of His Word.*

We may endure or persevere in our faith more and more as we keep prominent in our thinking the Person of Christ and what He endured for us on the cross of Calvary.  Keep looking to Jesus in whom there will always be more beyond! 

How Can We Live by Faith More Consistently?

by Eldon

First, here is an explanation for those of you who may be new to this site and maybe don't know the intended context of the question, "How can we live by faith more consistently?"  The faith being addressed here is the belief that God exists and has revealed Himself and His plan in the Bible and that He rewards those "who diligently seek Him" (Hebrews 11).

People live by faith in the Lord God and His Word because they are convinced or persuaded that who He is and what He has revealed about Himself and His plan is in fact true.  And believers in Christ Jesus should live like they truly believe what they say they believe.  The problem is this: we are often weak and frail and fail do this as we should.  Our faith waivers.  We become entangled or weighed down with sin.  If we are convinced that Jesus is the Christ and provided deliverance from sin and death and eternal life with Himself forever by means of sacrificing Himself through His awful and horrible death, we should live by faith in thankfulness to Him.  But why don't we do this more consistently?  The most important explanation and answers are given in the letter to the Hebrews in the Bible.  We do not keep on "fixing our eyes on Jesus" as we should (Hebrews 12:1-3).  We do not set aside the sin that so easily entangles us.  And when we do confess our sin we often do not ponder the truth of Christ and His love for us following our confession (1 John 1:5 - 2:2).  We live by faith more and more consistently as we keep on looking unto Jesus, bringing to mind who He is, what He has accomplished for us, and most importantly, how much He loves us.

The people who first read the letter to the Hebrews (or more often than not heard it read or cited from memory in their time) struggled to live by faith much like we do.  So the Spirit of the Lord moved the author of this wonderful epistle to include the great "hall of faith," as it has been frequently called (Hebrews 11).  Believers in the Lord who had great faith lived out their faith in the Lord and revealed this in their decisions to act upon what they had become convinced was true.  Believers such as Moses who could have settled for a comfortable life as a prince in Egypt but instead identified himself with his relatives, the children of Israel (Jacob).  The amazing thing about these believers of great faith like Moses was that they lived before Christ Jesus came to earth.  And yet they showed they had great faith by the way that they lived!  Shame on us who live after the cross and resurrection of Christ for not living by faith more consistently.  And what's our problem?  We just don't fix our eyes on Jesus and ponder who He is and what He has done for us.  We do not renew our confidence and trust in Him like we should from day to day and hour to hour.

Notice I said we!  I'm right there with you.  I often do not live by faith like I should.  But I'm crying out to Jesus for the grace to live be faith and please Him more today than I did before.

So what's our Lord Jesus, our Savior, calling you to do this day to express your confidence in Him, obviously showing that you have been persuaded that His Word is true?

Grace to Think Like Jesus Thinks

A number of years ago WWJD became a popular challenging question. Yes, it is a good thing to ask ourselves, "What Would Jesus Do?" when facing decisions about what to do in a given circumstance. But before we can do what Jesus would have us do (quite franky we can't do what He did in many respects), we have to think like He thought. We have to have God's viewpoint--the divine viewpoint that applies to a particular course of action.

There are verses in the Bible that tell us what was at the very heart of Jesus' thinking. And believe me, we can't begin to think like He thought in the way He thought about His life and ministry without God's grace to do so.

"Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:3-8; New American Standard Bible)

Need I say more than what the Apostle Paul has declared by the Spirit in these verses? But maybe a few thoughts will be helpful.

In order to serve us the One who existed as God in all eternity past decided to not express all that He was as God. In joining Himself to a human body like ours he "emptied Himself" by setting aside the complete and free exercise of all that He is as God. The One who owns everything looked out for our interests and our greatest need in doing this.

It has been said that grace is personified in the Lord Jesus Christ. Just think about it! Jesus loved you so much--He looked out for your interests--by dying for you so that you could live with Him and enjoy Him and all who have believed in Him forever.

Do you struggle with being self-centered like I do? Cry out to Jesus to think more like He thinks so that you will look out for the interests of others, serving them in meaningful ways.

Ask God to give you the grace to think more like Jesus thinks.

God's Grace for No-Fear Love

God wants to pour out His grace upon us so that we will experience no-fear love. How often do we fail to reach out to others to meet their needs because fear disables us from doing so?

How fantastic an experience it is to focus on the Lord Jesus and His love and receive the grace from Him and His Spirit that casts out fear in our life. With all that is going on in this fallen sinful world we live in there could be great cause for fear; fears that disable us. But as 1 John 4:18a declares, "Perfect love casts out fear!" Here's a translation, partly from The Amplified Bible:

"There is no fear in love (dread does not exist), but full-grown (complete, perfect, mature) love casts out fear!"

The verses that lead up to this declaration have drawn a great deal of attention to the awesome love God has for us as demonstrated by the sacrifice of the Lord Jesus (4:7-17). The Lord Jesus came to this earth in a real human body so that He could ultimately suffer and die in our place, bearing our sin and thereby satisfying (propitiation) the righteous and just demands of our holy God (1 John 3:16; 4:1-6). Jesus clearly has shown us what God's love means. God the Father has shown us how His love is defined by sending His Son to give His life for us. The Father sent the Son to earth and the Son willingly came to do battle for us and win the victory over sin, death and all evil.

When we become more and more occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us, we will find that His love has cast out our fears more and more.

A 5-year old boy named Johnny was in the kitchen as his mother made supper. She asked him to go into the pantry and get her a can of tomato soup, but he didn’t want to go in alone. He said, “It’s dark in there and I’m afraid.” She asked again, but the boy continued to resist because of his fear of what might be lurking in the dark. Finally Johnny’s mother said, “It’s OK—Jesus will be in there with you.” Johnny walked hesitantly to the door of the dark pantry and slowly opened it. He peered into the darkness of the pantry, but his fear began to overcome him and he started to close the door. But suddenly an idea came to him. He said, “Jesus, if you’re in there, would you hand me that can of tomato soup?”

We chuckle at Johnny and his way of dealing with his fear of entering the dark. But we might be very much like that five year old boy when it comes to fear of other things in our life. We may wish that Jesus would suddenly appear from the darkness and put an end to what we fear. We should know that in a real sense Jesus is available to us and wants to appear from the darkness to shine the light of His Word upon the solution to our fears. The Lord certainly does not want us to be plagued by fears that disable us.

Nearly everyone (if not everyone) has experienced disabling fears to some degree or another. Disabling fears are those fears that keep us from doing what we would really like to do. For believers in Christ Jesus who want to please and honor Him, the most frustrating of all disabling fears are those fears that keep them from doing what they know Jesus wants them to do.

There are a lot of ways people have overcome their fears through counsel and psychological maneuverings. But, as 1 John 5:18 indicates, God's love brought to maturity in us is what casts out fear.

How does God’s love reach a level of maturity in us so that it casts out fear? By being occupied with the love God has shown us in the person and work of Jesus Christ. (Study and ponder 1 John 3:16-18 and 4:7-17 to appreciate the context leading up to 4:18.)

I remember vividly the time in my life when I begin to realize that the fears that had previously kept me from doing what I knew the Lord wanted me to do seldom hindered me any longer. What had happened? By God's grace I had become more occupied with Christ and what mattered was pleasing Him. I no longer was plagued by concern over what others thought of me and what I was doing or not doing. What mattered most was pleasing the One that had given His life for me.

A main result of being occupied with Jesus Christ and His love for us is a change in our relationships with others. When our perspective is there you are as we look to meet the needs of others and not here I am (no longer being occupied with self or being occupied with self less and less), fears are “cast out” of our life because God has given us His mature love by His Word and His Spirit. A mature love that is primarily concerned about others and not what is happening to us.

Occupation with Christ Jesus and His love and grace demonstrated by His person and work provides the knowledge base required so that the Spirit of God can bring you to the place where you can express no-fear love.

Yes, God's love brought to maturity in us casts out fear! This is God's work in us by His grace for His glory.

It's About Time!

by Eldon DeBoer

When the New Year rolls around we find ourselves saying things like this:

It hardly seems possible that a new year has rolled around already.

We will have to get into the habit of writing 2012.

Where did the past year go?

It’s only natural that our thoughts more frequently turn to how quickly time is passing us by when we put up our new calendars.

The New Year is the time when we hear or read from the media things like, “The year in review.” And it is a good thing to look back and think about our own personal “year in review.”

A question serious believers in Christ may ask themselves is, “How much of the time did I invest for Christ last year? Another way of asking this question is this: “How much of last year was invested by walking in the light in fellowship with Jesus Christ?”

A passage in Romans may be viewed as the basis for this last question. Maybe this following section of Paul’s letter has come to your attention, especially now at the turn of the calendar year.

Romans 13: (NIV)

9b. "Love your neighbor as yourself."

10. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

This challenge first given to the believers at Rome is fitting for us to consider as we are more thoughtful of the passing of time at the turning of the calendar year. And we shall see that loving your neighbor as yourself is to put on “the armor of light,” which is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ.

Following the teaching about the role of government in our life, the Spirit inspired Apostle Paul brings into view that the main thing we owe one another is love that is of God.

The context of the verses:

7. Give everyone what you owe him: If you owe taxes, pay taxes; if revenue, then revenue; if respect, then respect; if honor, then honor.

8. Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.

9. The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your neighbor as yourself."

10. Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore love is the fulfillment of the law.

11. And do this, understanding the present time. The hour has come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed.

12. The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light.

13. Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in orgies and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy.

14. Rather, clothe yourselves with the Lord Jesus Christ, and do not think about how to gratify the desires of the sinful nature.

Since the “night is nearly over” and “the day is almost here,” let’s “put aside” sinful deeds. Off with the bad and on with the good. Let’s get serious about investing time by putting on the “armor of light” (13:10).

The “Day” Time Is Near

But what is meant by the “night” being “far spent” (NKJV) and the “day” being “at hand” or “almost here?” To help us answer this question, the New Living Translation (NLT) provides this interpretation of Romans 13:10-12:

Love does no wrong to others, so love fulfills the requirements of God’s law. This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here. So remove your dark deeds like dirty clothes, and put on the shining armor of right living.

From the larger context of the teachings of the New Testament, the NLT provides a good interpretation of the text. The “night” time of the darkness of sin and evil upon the world will come to an end. The “day” time will soon come when the light of Jesus Christ will shine throughout the earth and He will put an end to the free expression of sin.

But, however soon Jesus’ return and the establishment of His kingdom will be and the creation of the new heaven and new earth that follows, we should be mindful that time is fleeting and we will very soon be standing before our gracious judge, Jesus Christ (Romans 14:10-12; 2 Corinthians 5:10). It won’t be long before our time here on earth will be over and the fruitfulness of our life will be evaluated by the Lord Jesus at His judgment seat for believers. Time invested by putting on the armor of light will be rewarded by our Savior.

The Passing of Time and the Final Judgment

The Apostle Peter by the Spirit of God warns mockers of God’s Word that they should not assume God’s promise is not good when it addresses the coming day of judgment and the end of the world as we know it (2 Peter 3:3-18). In this passage Peter makes reference to how God views time from Psalm 90:4.

2 Peter 3:8-9 has application to unsaved people who might scoff at the biblical teaching of the return of Christ. They should not conclude that the promise of Jesus Christ’s return is not true and will not be fulfilled for it only seems that a long time has passed since the warning of a day of final judgment from God was given from their limited perspective. They should understand that God does not view the passing of time as we do.

How God Views the Passing of Time

The inspired song written by Moses tells us how God views time in Psalm 90:4

For a thousand years in Your sight

Are like yesterday when it is past,

And like a watch in the night.

A thousand years is a long time for us, but not for God. He does not view the passing of time like we do. So from God’s perspective we should think of the first coming of Christ Jesus as having taken place only two days ago.

If you ever have an opportunity to get in on a conversation in which people scoff at the promise of a coming day of judgment, you might want to direct them to this passage and ask the question, “How much time has passed since God created the world and then brought judgment upon His creation?” Scientists who are experts in the field of geology recognize that there is evidence for a catastrophic event in history that brought death to most of the world’s population (Scott Garney, “Did a Comet Cause the Great Flood,”Discovery, November, 2007, 66-67).

Since God does not view the passing of time like we do, in light of His patience, we should always have an awareness of the judgment that we will escape by His grace.

Yes, another year has come and gone and still Jesus has not returned to rapture His people and set in motion the events that lead up to His glorious return. Will Jesus return this year? Only time will tell. But a longing and love for His coming is to be characteristic of all our days (2 Timothy 4:5-8). We are to be serious about the reality of “day” time of Christ Jesus.

Since we understand, since we know what time it is on God’s clock, there should be at least five results in our life:

(1) Since you know God’s time, you should keep on responding to God’s spiritual wake-up call. Romans 13:11

As you think about applying this passage to your life, keep in mind what has been stated in Romans 12:1-2 (cp. James 4:12-17).

(2) Since you know God’s time, “put off the deeds of darkness.” 13:12a

Romans 12:13 points out what some of the “deeds of darkness” are:

Let us behave properly as in the day, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual promiscuity and sensuality, not in strife and jealousy. (NASB)

(3) Since you know God’s time, “put on the armor of light.” 13:12b

Whenever you apply the truth of God’s Word in the power of the Spirit, you are putting on the armor of light.

When you love your neighbor as yourself, you are putting on the armor of light.

(4) Since you know God’s time, “love your neighbor as yourself.” 13:7-10

(5) Since you know God’s time, “put on the Lord Jesus Christ.” 13:14 (cf. Ephesians 5:8, 14-18)

Romans 13:14 (NASB)

But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh in regard to its lusts.

To love your neighbor as yourself is to put on the armor of light which is to put on the Lord Jesus Christ. When we love one another with the self-sacrificial love of Christ we are shining forth His character, His integrity. This is how we are to invest our time.

What Year Is It?

When we distinguish time historically we usually refer to the present time as A.D. A.D. is the abbreviation for Anno Domini (pronounced ainou dominai) the year of our Lord, dated from the year of Jesus birth.

It probably won’t warm your heart to read that it is quite likely that our calendars are five years off, give or take a year. Technically speaking, we would be more accurate by writing 2017 A.D. for this year. This is because after our Christian calendar became popular in the Western world following the twelfth to the fifteen centuries A.D., chronologists realized we made a four to six year mistake. From historical events uncovered and from comparatively recent archaeological discoveries dated to the time contemporary to the time of Jesus’ early life we can determine with reasonable accuracy the year of Jesus’ birth. One of the key events in determining the time Jesus was born was the death of King Herod who demanded the death of the infants in Bethlehem. As contradictory or strange as it may sound to our ears, Jesus most likely was born about 5 B.C.

Whatever the date might be that we find printed on our calendars, the fact that time passes ever so quickly should be very sobering to us. The night and darkness of this evil world will soon be over and the way we can make a difference is by cloaking our life with the light of the truth of God’s word.

Question of Application: Since I will see my Savior very soon, how serious am I about investing time for His glory by putting on the “armor of light” in the application of His Word?