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P.O. Box 416, Gravette, AR 72736
501-787-6026
Dr. Arnold Murray, DRE
Most often, the prepo- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ never change
sition "with" in the New Testament
is translated from the Greek word \ta
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"meta" (met-ah'). As the Gennan word ..,;.;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;;J. all things for the elect's sakes, that
"mit", "meta" simply means with, or
among. There is another Greek word that Paul and Luke
utilized instead of "meta". The Greek word "sun" (soon)
has the meaning to be in or within, indicating a much
closer relationship than may be derived from "meta".
I believe Paul utilized "sun" to nail down the closeness
of our relationship with God. Not only do we walk with
God, we are in Him and He is within us. This fact
may be witnessed as non-Christians become Christians.
When the Holy Spirit touches a heart, the person is
changed from within, not from external forces. Asking
Jesus Christ into our lives and feeling this change from
within makes Christianity a reality, not a religion. Let's
open our Bibles to II Timothy.
/I TIMOTHY 2:1-2 Thou therefore, my son, be strong
in the grace that is in Christ Jesus. z. And the things
that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the
same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able
to teach others also.
Paul is exhorting us to learn the truth, and under­
stand it well enough to teach others.
/I TIMOTHY 2:3-4 Thou therefore endure hardness, as
a good soldier of Jesus Christ. ~ No man that warreth
entangleth himself with the affairs of this life; that he
may please him who hath chosen him to be a soldier.
Do you want to be pleasing to Him that chose you?
Discipline yourself not to become entangled in the things
of this world. Jesus wants soldiers that are ready to
march, when He says march. We are in a spiritual war.
/I TIMOTHY 2:5 And if a man also strive for masteries,
yet is he not crowned, except he strive lawfully.
You can't contend in the games and win, unless you
play by the rules. You must follow the civil laws. If
you don't, Satan has you right where he wants you. Out
of the game.
/I TIMOTHY 2:6-7 The husbandman that laboureth
must be first partaker of the fruits. I Consider what I
say; and the Lord give thee understanding in all things.
Meditate on His Word, and you will receive un­
derstanding from the Lord.
/I TIMOTHY 2:8-9 Remember that Jesus Christ of the
seed of David, was raised from the dead according to
my gospel: j) Wherein I suffer trouble, as an evil doer,
even unto bonds; but the word of God is not bound.
Paul often suffered trouble for Christ's gospel; however,
the truth of God's Word can not be bound, and it will
Newsletter #212 - June 1996
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1/ TIMOTHY 2: 10 Therefore I endure
they may also obtain the salvation
which is in Christ Jesus with eternal glory.
This is no short-tenn arrangement. It is eternal. Why
does Paul endure all things for the elect's sakes? We read
the answer in verse two. He wants them to teach others.
/I TIMOTHY 2:11 It is a faithful saying: "For if we be
dead with Him, we shall also live with Him'
Here we have the Greek word "sun" (soon) utilized
twice. I hope each of you reflected on the awesome sacrifice
Jesus Christ made for you, as we recently celebrated Passover.
Perhaps, you were able to spiritually feel within Him as
He died on the cross.
/I TIMOTHY 2:12-13 If we suffer, we shall also reign with
Him: if we deny Him, he also will deny us: 1J. If we believe
not, yet he abideth faithful: He cannot deny Himself."
It is that simple, friends. God remains faithful to those
that love Him. Can He count on you? If He is within you,
you have the spiritual strength to be a good soldier for
Jesus Christ. Is this a new thing? Let's check out the Old
Testament. Sometimes a better understanding of a Greek
word helps clarify a Hebrew word.
ISAIAH 41:9-10 Thou, whom I have taken from the ends
of the earth, and called thee from the chief men thereof,
and said unto thee, 'Thou art My servant; I have chosen
thee, and not cast thee away. 1il Fear thou not; for I am
with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will
strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold
thee with the right hand of My righteousness.
Those that have God within them have some powerful
promises made to them in these scriptures. We all fall short
at times, but He will not cast those that love Him away.
ISAIAH 41:11-12 Behold, all they that were incensed
against thee shall be as ashamed and confounded: they
shall be as nothing; and they that strive with thee shall
perish. 12 Thou shalt seek them, and shalt not find them,
even them that contended with thee: they that war against
thee shall be as nothing, and as a thing of nought.
God will not allow anyone to "mess around" with His
elect. I have seen this many times. You have nothing to
fear. God will take care of those that get in His way and
in the way of those trying to accomplish His will.
ISAIAH 41:13-14 For I the LORD thy God will hold thy
right hand, saying unto thee, 'Fear not;' I will help thee.
14 Fear not, thou worm Jacob, and ye men of Israel; I
will help thee," saith the LORD, and thy Redeemer, the
Holy One of Israel.
The word "wonn" in this verse emphasizes the weak­
ness of man. Man alone is weak; however, when you
have the Redeemer within you helping you and holding
your hand, you can't lose.
ISAIAH 41:15 "Behold, I will make thee a new sharp
threshing instrument having teeth: thou shalt thresh the
mountains, and beat them small, and shalt make the hills
as chaff.
The truth will thresh the nations. Of course, Jesus
Christ is the new sharp threshing instrument. When He
is within you, you have the truth to thresh nations.
ISAIAH 41: 16 Thou shalt fan them, and the wind shall
carry them away, and the whirlwind shall scatter them:
and thou shalt rejoice in the LORD, and shalt glory in
the Holy One of Israel,
The wind in this verse is the Ruach, or Holy Spirit.
Your enemies can not deal with the power at your disposal,
if He is within you. Let's go to Jeremiah.
J.E.BEMIAH 1:4-5 Then the word of the LORD came
unto me, saying, "-"Before I formed thee in the belly I
knew thee; and before thou camest forth out of the
womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee a prophet
unto the nations,"
God knew Jeremiah's spiritual body before he was
born of woman. Father knew Jeremiah had a "can do"
spirit.
JEREMIAH 1:6-7 Then said I, "Ah, Lord God! behold"
I cannot speak: for I am a child." Z But the LORD said
unto me, "Say not, 'I am a child:' for thou shalt go to
all that I shall send thee, and whatsoever I command
thee thou shalt speak.
Jeremiah was afraid that he wasn't up to the chal­
lenge; however, God knew He would be within Jeremiah
helping him all the way.
JEREMIAH 1:8-9 Be not afraid of their faces: for I am
with thee to deliver thee, saith the LORD. II Then the
LORD put forth His hand, and touched my mouth. And
the LORD said unto me. "Behold, I have put My words
in thy mouth.
That is all it takes. If God calls you, you become
a driven person. You can not refrain from studying and
digging to obtain more truth. You have a burning desire
to share that truth with others. That is God within you
saying "get crackin".
JEREMIAH 1:10 See, I have this day set thee over
the nations and over the kingdoms, to root out, and to
pull down, and to destroy, and to throw down, to build,
and to plant."
You don't tear down someone's beliefs without build­
ing back something better. Tearing down' and building
back is easy, when God is within you. In closing, let's
go back to the New Testament. Let's look at another
instance where Paul utilized the Greek word "sun".
I CORINTHIANS 15:9 For I am the least of the apostles,
that am not meet to be called an apostle, because I
persecuted the church of God.
Paul was a "super sinner", before God struck him
down on the road to Damascus.
I CORINTHIANS 15: 10 But by the grace of God I am
what I am: and His grace which was bestowed upon
me was not in vain; but I laboured more abundantly than
they a 1/: yet not I, but the grace of God which was with
me.
The word "with" in this verse is from the Greek
"sun". Paul didn't take credit for his labour. He gave
credit for his work, which is most of the New Testament,
to God within him.
I CORINTHIANS 15:11-12 Therefore whether it were I
or they, so we preach, and so ye believed. .LZ Now if
Christ be preached that He rose from the dead, how
say some among you that there is no resurrection of
the dead?
The Sadducees of Paul's time taught that there was
no life after death. Paul is asking how Christian's could
possibly believe the dead are in a hole in the ground.
I CORINTHIANS 15:13-14 But if there be no resurrec­
tion of the dead, then is Christ not risen: 14 And if Christ
be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith
is also vain.
Vain means empty. If you don't believe Christ rose
from the dead, why in the world would you want to be
a Christian?
I CORINTHIANS 15:15-17 Yea, and we are found false
witnesses of God; because we have testified of God that
He raised up Christ: Whom He raised not up, if so be
that the dead rise not. 1Ii For if the dead rise not, then
is not Christ raised: 1Z And jf Christ be not raised, your
faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.
A dead man would have no power to forgive your
SlTIs.
I CORINTHIANS 15:18-19 Then they also which are
fal/en asleep in Christ are perished. U If in this life only
we have hope in Christ, we are of al/ men most miserable.
Wouldn't you be miserable. if everything you could
hope for was in this flesh life? There is so much more
to hope and strive for in the spiritual life.
I CORINTHIANS 15:20 But now is Christ risen from
the dead, and become the firstfruits of them that slept.
Jesus went to those in prison after the crucifixion
and gave the prisoners the Word of God. The Word that
can not be bound and sets people free. We are going
to cover one more verse in I Thessalonians. We pick
it up with Paul speaking of Jesus.
I THESSALONIANS 5:10 Who died for us, that, whether
we wake or sleep, we should live together with Him.
Whether we are alive or dead. He is within us. I
hope you have enjoyed this lesson concerning the prepo­
sition '·sun". It is difficult to place in words the full
meaning of this preposition. It is a meaning that one
almost has to feel inside to understand. I know most of
you do understand. You have God within you, and you
are in Him.