Glory (δόξα)

and exchanged the proper opinion (glory) of the incorruptible God with the likeness of an image of corrupt man and birds and four-footed animals, and crawling things – Romans 1:23.

Glory means, “to have or express a proper opinion”. Its root concept is grounded in an opinion, notion, or judgment concerning someone.

When we express glory to God, we are actually voicing a proper view of Who He is. In the first chapter of the book of Romans, we see the impact on those who reject a proper opinion of God as they change His image to be that of corrupt humans, birds, four-footed animals, and even creeping things, while not giving the Creator glory. That is, not expressing a proper opinion of Who God really is.

Due to Adam’s trespass and sin, we all have fallen short of God’s opinion of us – for all sinned and fall short of God’s proper opinion, Romans 3:23 (Romans 5:12 – Adam’s sin is passed to all of us). God never expects us to live up to His glory, for He shares His glory with no one (Isaiah 42:8). Romans 3:23 is referring to His opinion of us as Humans. When God created Adam, He blessed Him (Genesis 1:28). When Adam ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil, his conscience became aware of the difference between what is beneficial and what causes calamity. However, in determining to break God’s law, Adam separated himself from God in his spirit, bending his nature to corruption, which he passed down to all of us (Genesis 5:3). He corrupted what God blessed. Although we have a corrupt nature, we still have a conscience and the knowledge of good and evil; therefore, God’s opinion of all humans involves their ability to […]

Glory (δόξα)Luther Walker2023-11-25T07:58:50-08:00

2 Corinthians Not Being Cowardly

We Are Not Cowardly, 2 Corinthians 4:1-2

The Ministry Paul Has, 2 Corinthians 4:1

The Ministry of the New Covenant, 2 Corinthians 3:6

A Covenant That Surpasses the Glory of the Mosaic Law, 2 Corinthians 3:7-8

Not the New Covenant for Israel, Jeremiah 31:33

We Are Not Cowardly, 2 Corinthians 4:1

Cowardly (Do Not Lose Heart [NASB]; We faint Not [KJV])

Comes from a word meaning, “to behave badly”

Often translated as “grow weary” or “be weary”, but not the same

Weary from sin and heavy-laden, Matthew 11:28

Weary from a Journey, John 4:6

Cowardly and Weary, Galatians 6:9

Not being cowardly because of Paul’s tribulations, Ephesians 3:13

In that which is bad (lacking in character) – one who turns out to be of those who are bad; hence, to behave badly or loose courage or faint

Renouncing the Hidden Things of Shame, 2 Corinthians 4:2

The Walk of Those Who Are Enemies of the Cross, Philippians 3:18-19

Those in the Church Who Have Crept In, Jude 4,13

The Doctrine of the Laodicean Church, Revelation 3:18

In Standing Against the Hidden things of Shame We Are Not Judging Others, 1 Corinthians 4:5

The Hidden Things of Shame are Done in the Darkness

Darkness is a way of life, Romans 2:19

The works of Darkness, Romans 13:12

It is a darkness of the heart, Romans 1:21

Comes from rejecting the truth, 1 John 1:6

We walk in the light, Ephesians 5:8

Not […]

2 Corinthians Not Being CowardlyLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:18:46-08:00

The Definition of Love – Not Puffed Up

Love is longsuffering, love is kind, love is not jealous, love does not brag, is not puffed up … 1 Corinthians 13:4

The concept of being puffed up is typically viewed as a person that is conceited. They have and are showing an excessively high opinion of themselves. As an example to the saints in Corinth, Paul used himself and Apollos to show that no one should be puffed up about themselves.

Now these things, brethren, I have figuratively transferred to myself and Apollos for your sakes, that you may learn in us not to think beyond what is written, that none of you may be puffed up on behalf of one against the other. – 1 Corinthians 4:6

We are not to let our freedom in understanding of false idols puff us up, for let us not forget we also followed them before God saved us. You never followed a false idol? Never bowed down to a statue of stone or wood? Do you think that those who are idolaters are ignorant and simpletons to do such a thing? Have you ever coveted what another person has?

Therefore put to death your members which are on the earth: fornication, uncleanness, passion, wrong desire, and the covetousness, which is idolatry. – Colossians 3:5

Yes, it is true that idols are nothing, but let us not allow our knowledge to puff us up.

Now concerning things offered to idols: We know that we all have knowledge. Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies. – 1 Corinthians 8:1

And do not let those who follow idolatry persuade you into it also by using false humility and the worship of angels while intruding into things that are not seen and […]

The Definition of Love – Not Puffed UpLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:34:00-08:00

The Calamity of Disobedience

Because of this, just as through one man the sin entered the world and through the sin the death, also thus unto all men the death passed, on the basis that all sinned. – Romans 5:12

Through Adam sin came into the world and the impact of his action was a penalty of death upon all those who come from him. When Adam took of the fruit from the tree in the garden, which God specifically instructed him not to eat from, he knowingly broke God’s rule.

and Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceived and came to be in a transgression- 1 Timothy 2:14

God told Adam that if he ate from this tree, it would bring death.

But from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you will not eat, because in the day in which you eat dying you will die. – Genesis 2:17

As humans at this time, we were in a state of innocence. This means we relied solely upon God to instruct us on what was beneficial and what caused calamity in our lives. God walked with Adam each day for this very purpose. Eve was tricked into believing that by eating she would be more like God with the knowledge of good and evil, not understanding the full ramifications of her actions. However, Adam did understand and still chose to eat of the fruit. It was never about the fruit, it was about obedience. In each dispensation God shows us something about ourselves. Why does God permit wickedness? It comes down to the fact that we as humans chose it. In the garden there was no wickedness among humans. We lived in a perfect environment totally relying upon God. This […]

The Calamity of DisobedienceLuther Walker2023-12-14T08:37:35-08:00

The First Dispensation

The Dispensation of Innocence

The first dispensation begins when God creates mankind and places him in a garden in Eden, Genesis 2:8. Its title comes from the characteristics of the dispensation. Humans are in a state of being innocent, not knowing good (that which is beneficial) or evil (that which causes calamity).

Adam is given instruction by God concerning the standard by which he and those of the household are to live.

And Yahweh Elohim commanded unto Adam saying, “From every tree of the garden eating you will eat, but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil do not eat from it because in the day you eat from it dying you will die.”, Genesis 2:17

Failure of the Dispensation

Adam chose to knowingly disobey God by eating from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

And the woman saw that the tree was good to eat and that it was desirable to the eyes, and a tree of delight to make wise, then she took from its fruit and she ate and she gave also to the man with her and he ate, Genesis 3:6

And Adam was not deceived, but the woman was thoroughly deceived having come to be in a transgression, 1 Timothy 2:14

The Result of Failure

The woman will have to work hard and now will have pain in child birth and her desire will be unto her husband.
The man will have to work hard to cultivate the earth for food.
Adam’s nature becomes bent due to his determination to disobey God.
Adam and Eve die spiritually – they are separated from God in their spirit.
Adam […]

The First DispensationLuther Walker2018-11-12T10:08:21-08:00

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