Why Does God Save?
Rise up, be our help, and redeem us for the sake of Your lovingkindness. Psalm 44:26 NASB
For the sake of – Let’s think about salvation. Some Hebraic ideas help us clarify the notion that salvation is about forgiveness of sins and eternal life. We should note that the Hebrew idea of salvation is associated with deliverance from present danger. It is much more about our current reality than it is about our eventual destiny. The doctrinal notion that we are saved in order to go to heaven receives virtually no emphasis in Scripture. Our deliverance from danger is tied to a different idea.
In this verse, the Hebrew word translated “for the sake of” is lema‘an. It is unusual. Its root (‘ana) indicates a response, verbal or otherwise. As a preposition, it is found in two other forms meaning “in order that” or “in view of.” But here the meaning is probably closer to “as befits” rather than “for the sake of.” Why is this important? Because the psalmist appeals to hesed as the grounds for God’s help and redemption. The psalmist suggests that God has established a relationship of responsibility, a covenant community, that involves rescue. Hesed is the display of God’s willingness to act on behalf of His people. It is not simply God’s ability to deliver; rather it is God’s desire to deliver. Hesed is the answer to the question, “Why does God save?”
Christian theology often portrays God’s appetite to save as a result of His love for His creation. We recall the frequent use of John 3:16 in this regard. But careful examination of even this familiar passage reveals that love is the motive for giving the sacrifice, not the motive for the redeeming plan itself. The Tanakh is clear. Hesed is the single word that captures the foundational motivation for deliverance. Because God loved, He gave His Son, but the sacrifice stood on the ground of covenant relationship.
“Redeem us as befits Your hesed” makes it clear that God is entirely willing to rescue, that He has the power to rescue and that He has obligated Himself to do so. Redemption is the logical, moral and ethical consequence of hesed. Forgiveness does not result from Yeshua’s death on the cross. The death on the cross is a display of God’s willingness to deliver. Forgiveness comes because God wills it in the form of this sacrifice. God does not redeem in order to achieve hesed. He does not help in the interest of hesed. He does not forgive as an end done in itself. God wills the covenant obligation and willingly accepts its implications. God forgives because He desires to.
We often struggle with the thought that God is capable of forgiving us, but He might not actually want to forgive us. We see our guilt magnified by our self-inspection and determine that we are truly unworthy. We are hardly capable of forgiving ourselves. How, then, can a holy God forgive and redeem us. Hesed destroys this heresy. God wills to redeem. Everything about Him speaks of His desire to restore. He runs to meet us on the returning road because His hesed overflows. He is willing. Are you?
Topical Index: hesed, lema’an, for the sake of, as befits, forgiveness, Psalm 44:26
Shalom Beloved’s. I willingly and gratefully accept this redemption and commit to keep all the commands because in keeping it one draws us closer to our Father and shows one’s love for Him.
Shalom Shalom!
Come, ye sinners, poor and wretched,
Weak and wounded, sick and sore;
Jesus, ready, stands to save you,
Full of pity, joined with power.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.
He is able, He is able;
He is willing; doubt no more.
Come ye needy, come, and welcome,
God’s free bounty glorify;
True belief and true repentance,
Every grace that brings you nigh.
Without money, without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
Without money, without money
Come to Jesus Christ and buy.
Come, ye weary, heavy laden,
Bruised and broken by the fall;
If you tarry ’til you’re better,
You will never come at all.
Not the righteous, not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Not the righteous, not the righteous;
Sinners Jesus came to call.
Let not conscience make you linger,
Nor of fitness fondly dream;
All the fitness He requires
Is to feel your need of Him.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.
This He gives you, this He gives you,
’Tis the Spirit’s rising beam.
Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended;
Pleads the merit of His blood.
Venture on Him; venture wholly,
Let no other trust intrude.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
None but Jesus, none but Jesus
Can do helpless sinners good.
I am kind of disturbed about the sentence: “Forgiveness does not result from Yeshua’s death on the cross.” Didn’t Paul say in Eph 4:32 “And be ye kind one to another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, even as God for Christ’s sake hath forgiven you.”
Doesn’t the Yom Kippurim services show that He is our substitute? If His death is just a display of God’s willingness then He is just an example and it is not really necessary to believe into Him. I agree that God forgives because He desires to, but His justice requires payment. Rom 4:24-25: But for us also, to whom it shall be imputed, if we believe on him that raised up Jesus our Lord from the dead; Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.
As Carl wrote: “Lo! The Incarnate God, ascended; Pleads the merit of His blood.”
Acts 4:12 Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.
But notice carefully what the verse you cite actually says. It says “even as God for Christ’s sake.” God forgives. He forgives on the basis of the sacrifice of Yeshua, a sacrifice that covers the requirement of the law for justice and punishment. The death on the cross results in the payment of the redemptive price. That is the basis of forgiveness. The death pays and God forgives. Yes, He is our substitute. Yes, only His death can make atonement. But often it seems to me that Christians suppose that Jesus DEATH forgives them.
Yes, we are so close to the “mother-lode” here.. — “even as God for Christ’s sake.”– Amein!!
let us move in and examine this closely..
~ David asked, “Is there anyone still left of the house of Saul to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan’s sake?” ~ “for Jonathan’s sake”
and what was the special relationship between Jonathan and David? The were blood-covenant friends. Excuse me.. but blood-covenant friends!! Oh hallelujah! Friend -do you have a clue what this means? What this is all about?
We, (you and I) because of the new covenant- because of the shed blood of the Passover Lamb are in blood-covenant relationship with the King of kings and the LORD of lords. He (does) call us friends. Please know (and hurriedly so..) He may call me His friend, but I still (and always) will refer to Him as LORD. But dear ones..- the LORD is our Shepherd (and because of the blood covenant established for us and for our sake by Christ) we shall never be in want (or in need..)
Be not dismayed whate’er betide,
God will take care of you;
Beneath His wings of love abide,
God will take care of you.
God will take care of you,
Through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
Through days of toil when heart doth fail,
God will take care of you;
When dangers fierce your path assail,
God will take care of you.
All you may need He will provide,
God will take care of you;
Nothing you ask will be denied,
God will take care of you.
No matter what may be the test,
God will take care of you;
Lean, weary one, upon His breast,
God will take care of you.
God will take care of you,
Through every day, o’er all the way;
He will take care of you,
God will take care of you.
And what is this new covenant relationship? -When you pray, say “our Father..” ABBA Father.
JESUS’ DEATH WAS THE PROPITIATION FOR GOD’S WRATH UPON US ALL…
I FOUND THIS ON MY FACEBOOK WALL THIS MORNING – AGAIN, ABOUT THE EZER KENEGDO:
https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=2734785085449&set=a.1167969556040.26122.1131979829&type=1&theater¬if_t=close_friend_activity
Jennifer Shacklett
A Special Hatred
The assault on femininity-its long history, its utter viciousness-cannot be understood apart from the spiritual forces of evil we are warned against in the Scriptures. This is not to say that men (and women, for they, too, assault women) have no accountability in their treatment of women. Not at all. It is simply to say that no explanation for the assault upon Eve and her daughters is sufficient unless it opens our eyes to the Prince of Darkness and his special hatred of femininity.
Turn your attention again to the events that took place in the Garden of Eden. Notice-who does the Evil One go after? Who does Satan single out for his move against the human race? He could have chosen Adam . . . but he didn’t. Satan went after Eve. He set his sights on her. Have you ever wondered why? It might have been that he, like any predator, chose what he believed to be the weaker of the two. There is some truth to that. He is utterly ruthless. But we believe there is more. Why does Satan make Eve the focus of his assault on humanity?
Because she is captivating, uniquely glorious, and he cannot be. She is the incarnation of the Beauty of God. More than anything else in all creation, she embodies the glory of God. She allures the world to God. He hates it with a jealousy we can only imagine.
And there is more. The Evil One also hates Eve because she gives life. Women give birth, not men. Women nourish life. And they also bring life into the world soulfully, relationally, spiritually-in everything they touch. Satan is a murderer from the beginning (John 8:44). He brings death. His is a kingdom of death. And thus Eve is his greatest human threat, for she brings life. She is a lifesaver and a lifegiver. Eve means “life” or “life-producer.”
Put those two things together-that Eve incarnates the Beauty of God and she gives life to the world. His bitter heart cannot bear it. He assaults her with a special hatred. Do you begin to see it?
(Captivating , 82-85)
Daily Devotional from Ransomed Heart Ministries
Hi Jan,
I tried to connect with the Facebook page you listed, but it comes back with an error. I would like to contact Jennifer Shacklett about Guardian Angel, but I don’t know where to find her. Can you help?
HERE IS HER FACEBOOK SITE & THEN YOU CAN EMAIL/SEND A MESSAGE FROM THERE – I DON’T HAVE HER PERSONAL EMAIL THAT WOULD COME INTO MY GMAIL ACCOUNT – I DON’T THINK – WE DON’T COMMUNICATE THAT WAY…
SHE DID ORDER & HAS READ GUARDIAN ANGEL – I TOLD HER ABOUT IT & HER HUSBAND ORDERED IT FOR HER & SHE THANKED ME PROFUSELY…
https://www.facebook.com/jshacklett HERE IS THE LINK, IF THIS DOES NOT OPEN UP FOR YOU THEN LET ME KNOW & WE’LL GO FROM THERE… ♥ JAN
There is only one flaw in the reasoning of why the Asp went after Eve. Eve was not predisposed to give life until after her betrayal of God’s trust. It was only after her own weakness of curiosity and convincing Adam to share in her betrayal that God “cursed” her with giving birth. Before their eyes were opened, they knew nothing of sex, or were even drawn to each other in that capacity.
Biblical verse can be confusing. In Genesis 1:28, God says “be fruitful and increase,” yet it isn’t until Genesis 2:21 that he creates Eve, and at that time she still has not been named Eve. She is not named until Genesis 3:20 when Adam names her. It is also between Genesis 3:14-20 that God places the serpent on his belly. Was he upright before? Also, the serpent is never identified as male or female.
It is finally in Genesis 4:1 that Adam lays with his wife, Eve and she conceives giving birth to Cain.
“It is not simply God’s ability to deliver; rather it is God’s desire to deliver.”
The ability God has to forgive and deliver is never the point. It’s His desire to forgive and deliver that compels me to return to Him and walk in His ways. Likewise, when it comes time for me to forgive one who has injured me or someone under my care the focus of my intention and energy is not well placed on my ability to forgive. The issue at hand is my desire to forgive; as opposed to my desire for revenge.
Also some good information about starting out the New Year – 10 SIMPLE & DELIBERATE ACTIONS TO JUMPSTART 2012
http://stickyjesus.com/2011/12/10-simple-and-deliberate-actions-to-jumpstart-2012/
JAN
TO SKIP & ALL HERE AT HEBREW WORD STUDY…
THIS IS THE ORGANIZATION/CAMPAIGN “NOT FOR SALE” THAT SOME OF YOU HERE HELPED ME ATTEND THEIR CONFERENCE THIS OCTOBER IN SUNNYVALE, CALIFORNIA – THIS IS WHAT THEY HAVE ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR:
http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/news/2011/12/26/what-happened-this-year-at-not-for-sale/
AND AGAIN, THANK YOU ALL FOR GIVING INTO MY LIFE TO HELP ME GET TO THE CONFERENCE & ALL THAT I ABSORB HERE FROM ALL OF YOU… ♥
PLEASE BE PRAYING I HAVE AN INTERVIEW WITH A BANK/IBC HERE IN OKC TOMORROW AT 1:00PM – GOD HAS BEEN MY SAFETY & REFUGE & TOTAL PROVISION WITH THE HELPING HANDS/POCKETS OF MY BROTHERS & SISTERS IN THE LORD IN THIS LAST 16 MONTHS & I HAVE ENJOYED NOT WORKING WHEN I DID NOT LET FEAR SET IN – I HAVE LEARNED TO RELAX IN HIM & ROLL MY BURDENS OVER ON TO HIM – HIM WHO TOOK THEM 4 ME… ♥ JAN
I HAVE LEARNED THAT I CAN ACTUALLY BELIEVE HIS WORD THAT I NEED NOT WORRY WHAT TO EAT OR WHAT TO WEAR THAT IS HE IS MY TOTAL PROVISION WHEN I LET HIM BE… ♥