Falaite Tisema 1, 2017

Faufaua ‘ene kelesí

( All of grace )

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - MIKA EDMONDSON (cont…)

Finally, God freely and mercifully made this exchange. The catechism is careful to point out that the cause of God punishing Jesus in order to rescue us was "mere mercy." The language "mere mercy" means grace alone, grace apart from any other considerations. As the great preacher C. H. Spurgeon famously wrote, salvation is "all of grace." Although this grace trains us to avoid ungodliness, it does not depend upon our obedience in any way. As we consider the besetting sins and ongoing weaknesses of our lives, we have to cling to the "mere grace" aspect of the gospel. God did not give his beloved Son in view of what he would get out of our lives, but merely because he loves us. Now that's good news.

Tu‘apulelulu Novema 30, 2017

Angahala ‘a e tokotaha, afuhia kotoa

( All were affected by the sin of one )

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - MIKA EDMONDSON (cont…)

Perhaps the most startling aspect of Isaiah's language is that it "pleased" the Lord to make this exchange. Somehow, it actually pleased the Lord to hand his innocent Son over to be mocked, brutalized, and crucified. That's a nearly impossible truth to fathom until you realize why God was pleased by this. Certainly, God was not pleased by the sin of Judas who betrayed Jesus, the religious leaders who hated him, Pilate who unjustly sentenced him, or the misguided crowd who rejected him. But God was pleased by the active and passive (through suffering) obedience of his Son, who continued to trust God and love his people no matter the cost.

God was pleased to lay his judgment upon the Son in order to save his sinful people. God was pleased because, through the cross, the Son of God would be glorified, the people of God would be saved, the justice of God would be satisfied, and the love of God would be revealed. The cross was not a tragic accident. It was God's will, his plan to save his people through the work of the Redeemer and to reveal the immeasurable riches of his glorious grace.

Pulelulu Novema 29, 2017

Na‘e tokonaki tokotaha pe ‘e he ‘Otua

( God, himself, provided a way )

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - MIKA EDMONDSON

The catechism tells us that God freely and mercifully satisfied the demands of his own justice on our behalf. According to Isaiah 53, God made the righteous life of his servant (Jesus Christ) to be a sub-

stitutionary offering for the unrighteous. In obedience to God's will, Jesus Christ lived the life we should have lived and so fulfilled the just requirements of God's law on our behalf. Yet he also died the death we should have died. Isaiah's graphic language of the servant being "crushed" and "put to grief" (Isa. 53:10) reminds us of the heavy price of our sin. At the cross, Jesus bore the full weight of God's curse against sin and so fully satisfied the demands of God's just condemnation against sin. So we have a righteous life that satisfies the justice of God for us and an atoning death that satisfies the justice of God for us. This great exchange is the heart of the gospel itself.

Tusite Novema 28, 2017

Tautapa ki he‘ene meesi

( Appeal to His mercy )

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - MIKA EDMONDSON

The movie theater experience just isn't the same without the lights off. I learned this firsthand when, after the first thirty seconds of Star Wars: The Force Awakens accidentally played in a lit theater, three irritated guys stormed out and demanded that the staff turn the lights down. A dark backdrop contrasted against a light image adds volume and drama to the total experience.

We might say that the catechism is set up that way as well. God's just and righteous judgment against our sin provides the dark back drop against which the glory of the gospel shines through. After we've understood the depth of our calamity, we can better appreciate the true magnitude of God's rescue plan for us.

Monite Novema 27, 2017

Ko e tau‘ataina mo‘oní

True freedom

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - JONATHAN EDWARDS (cont…)

And there we have the most affecting manifestation of God's hatred of sin, and his wrath and justice in punishing it; as we see his justice in the strictness and inflexibleness of it, and his wrath in its terribleness, in so dreadfully punishing our sins, in one, who was infinitely dear to him and loving to us. So has God disposed things in the affair of our redemption, and in his glorious dispensations, revealed to us in e gospel, as though every thing were purposely contrived in such a manner as to have the greatest possible tendency to reach our hearts in the most tender part, and move our affections most sensibly a strongly. How great cause have we therefore to be humbled to dust that we are no more affected!

Sapate Novema 26, 2017

Ko e puipuitu‘a ‘o e ongoongolelei

Backdrop to the good news

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - JONATHAN EDWARDS (cont…)

All the virtues of the Lamb of God, his humility, patience, meekness, submission, obedience, love and compassion, are exhibited to our view in a manner the most tending to move our affections of any that can be imagined; as they all had their greatest trial, and their highest exercise, and so their brightest manifestation, when he was in the most affecting circumstances; even when he was under his last sufferings, those unutterable and unparalleled sufferings he endured from his tender love and pity to us. There also, the hateful nature of our sins is manifested in the most affecting manner possible; as we see the dreadful effects of them in what our Redeemer, who undertook to answer for us, suffered for them. 

Tokonaki Novema 25, 2017

Kuo motu hotau vā mo e ‘Otuá

Broken fellowship with God

Fehu‘i #19

‘Oku ‘i ai nai ha founga ‘oku malava ke tau hao ai mei he tauteá pea toe fakafoki kitautolu ki he hoifua ‘a e ‘Otuá ?

( Is there any way to escape punishment and be brought back into God's favor?)

‘Io, na‘e ‘osi fakakakato pe ‘e he ‘Otuá , ‘iate Ia pe, ‘a e ngaue ke fakafiemālie‘i ‘ene fakamaau totonú , ‘i he‘ene meesí  ‘ata‘atā pe, pea ne fai hotau fakaleleí  pea ne fakahaofi kitautolu mei he angahalá mo hono tauteá , ‘o fou ‘i he Fakamo‘uí .

( Yes, to satisfy his justice, God himself, out of mere mercy, reconciles us to himself and delivers us from sin and from the punishment for sin, by a Redeemer )

‘Aisea 53:10-11

Ka na‘e finangalo ‘a Sihova ke laiki ia; kuo ne tuku ke ne mahaki‘ia: Ka ke ka ‘atu hono laumālie ko e feilaulau-halaia, te ne sio ki hano hako, te ne fakalahi hono ngaahi ‘aho, pea ko e finangalo ‘o Sihova ‘e tu‘umālie ‘i hono nima. Te ne mamata ki he fua ‘o e mamahi ‘o hono laumālie, ‘o ne fiemālie: ko e me‘a ‘i he‘ene poto ‘e ngaohi ke angatonu ha tokolahi ‘e he‘eku Sevāniti faitotonu; pea te ne fafa ‘enau ngaahi hia.

ISAIAH 53:10-11

Yet it was the will of the LORD to crush him; he has put him to grief; when his soul makes an offering for guilt, he shall see his offspring for guilt, he shall see his offspring; he shall prolong his days; the will of the LORD shall prosper in his hand. Out of the anguish of his soul he shall see and be satisfied; by his knowledge shall the righteous one, my servant, make many to be accounted righteous, and he shall bear their iniquities.

Commentary - JONATHAN EDWARDS

But is there any thing which Christians can find in heaven or earth, so worthy to be the objects of their admiration and love, their earnest and longing desires, their hope and their rejoicing, and their fervent zeal, as those things that are held forth to us in the gospel of Jesus Christ? In which not only are things declared most worthy to affect us, but they are exhibited in the most affecting manner. The glory and beauty of the blessed Jehovah, which is most worthy in itself to be the object of our admiration and love, is there exhibited in the most affecting manner that can be conceived of, as it appears, shining in all its lustre, in the face of an incarnate, infinitely loving, meek compassionate, dying Redeemer. 

Falaite Novema 24, 2017

Hinga atu pe ki ho‘o meesi

Falling on your mercy

Fehu‘i #18

‘E faka‘atā pe nai ‘e he ‘Otuá  kitautolu ke tau talangata‘a mo tauhi ‘aitoli ta‘e te ne tautea‘i kitautolu?

(Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? )

‘Ikai, ko e fo‘i angahala kotoa pe ‘oku ne fakafepaki‘i ‘a e pule aoniu, ma‘oni‘oni mo e lelei ‘a e ‘Otuá  pea mo ‘ene lao haohaoá  pea ‘oku houhau hono finangaló  ‘i he‘etau angahalá  pea te ne tautea‘i ‘i he‘ene fakamaau haohaoá ‘i he maama ko ení  mo e maama ka hokó.

( No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of

God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. )

‘Efesō 5:4-5

seuke, ‘oku mahino ia kiate kimoutolu, he ‘oku mou ‘ilo, ‘ilonga ha fe‘auaki, pe ha anga‘uli, pe ha mānumanu, (ko e toko taha tauhi ‘aitoli ia) ‘oku ‘ikai hano tofi‘a ‘i he Pule‘anga ‘o Kalaisi mo e ‘Otua. ‘Oua na‘a tuku ke kākaa‘i kimoutolu ‘e ha taha ‘aki ha koto lau pē: he ‘oku hoko mo‘oni ‘i he ngaahi me‘a pehē ‘a e houhau ‘a e ‘Otua ki he hako ‘o talangata‘a.

EPHESIANS 5:5-6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Prayer

Righteous Lord, if we think that we are good, we deceive ourselves. We deserve your wrath. We have broken your commands, and we have not loved you with our whole hearts, minds, and strength. We can only plead the righteousness of Christ and ask you to let our punishment fall on him. Amen.

Tu‘apulelulu Novema 23, 2017

‘Oku tu‘unuku mai ha ‘aho

( Judgment is coming…)

Fehu‘i #18

‘E faka‘atā pe nai ‘e he ‘Otuá  kitautolu ke tau talangata‘a mo tauhi ‘aitoli ta‘e te ne tautea‘i kitautolu?

(Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? )

‘Ikai, ko e fo‘i angahala kotoa pe ‘oku ne fakafepaki‘i ‘a e pule aoniu, ma‘oni‘oni mo e lelei ‘a e ‘Otuá  pea mo ‘ene lao haohaoá  pea ‘oku houhau hono finangaló  ‘i he‘etau angahalá  pea te ne tautea‘i ‘i he‘ene fakamaau haohaoá ‘i he maama ko ení  mo e maama ka hokó.

( No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of

God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. )

‘Efesō 5:4-5

seuke, ‘oku mahino ia kiate kimoutolu, he ‘oku mou ‘ilo, ‘ilonga ha fe‘auaki, pe ha anga‘uli, pe ha mānumanu, (ko e toko taha tauhi ‘aitoli ia) ‘oku ‘ikai hano tofi‘a ‘i he Pule‘anga ‘o Kalaisi mo e ‘Otua. ‘Oua na‘a tuku ke kākaa‘i kimoutolu ‘e ha taha ‘aki ha koto lau pē: he ‘oku hoko mo‘oni ‘i he ngaahi me‘a pehē ‘a e houhau ‘a e ‘Otua ki he hako ‘o talangata‘a.

EPHESIANS 5:5-6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

ALISTAIR BEGG (cont…)

The idea that God is too kind ever to condemn sin and that everyone in the end will go to heaven does not actually find a basis in the Bible itself. Paul's warning in Ephesians 5 is to those who have professed faith in Jesus, so that they will not pay attention to those who suggest other than what he's teaching them, namely, that this day will come - a day that is fixed, a day that will be absolutely fair, and a day when the judgment rendered will be absolutely final.

Pulelulu Novema 22, 2017

Malanga‘i fefeka ‘a e fakamaau ‘a e ‘Otuá

( Boldness to declare God’s judgment )

Fehu‘i #18

‘E faka‘atā pe nai ‘e he ‘Otuá  kitautolu ke tau talangata‘a mo tauhi ‘aitoli ta‘e te ne tautea‘i kitautolu?

(Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? )

‘Ikai, ko e fo‘i angahala kotoa pe ‘oku ne fakafepaki‘i ‘a e pule aoniu, ma‘oni‘oni mo e lelei ‘a e ‘Otuá  pea mo ‘ene lao haohaoá  pea ‘oku houhau hono finangaló  ‘i he‘etau angahalá  pea te ne tautea‘i ‘i he‘ene fakamaau haohaoá ‘i he maama ko ení  mo e maama ka hokó.

( No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of

God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. )

‘Efesō 5:4-5

seuke, ‘oku mahino ia kiate kimoutolu, he ‘oku mou ‘ilo, ‘ilonga ha fe‘auaki, pe ha anga‘uli, pe ha mānumanu, (ko e toko taha tauhi ‘aitoli ia) ‘oku ‘ikai hano tofi‘a ‘i he Pule‘anga ‘o Kalaisi mo e ‘Otua. ‘Oua na‘a tuku ke kākaa‘i kimoutolu ‘e ha taha ‘aki ha koto lau pē: he ‘oku hoko mo‘oni ‘i he ngaahi me‘a pehē ‘a e houhau ‘a e ‘Otua ki he hako ‘o talangata‘a.

EPHESIANS 5:5-6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

ALISTAIR BEGG

When Paul preached before Felix and Drusilla, he essentially had three points--righteousness, self-control, and the judgment to come (Acts 24). The fact that Felix and Drusilla were in an adulterous relationship did not prevent Paul from speaking very clearly about the justice of God. It was, if you like, almost a hallmark of his preaching. At the end of his address in Athens he says the same thing: "God has fixed a day on which he will judge the world" (Acts 17:31). The Bible makes it clear that we won't escape detection or conviction or sentence forever. There is going to be a payday.

Tusite Novema 21, 2017

Ko e tauteá  ko e ngaue totonu ke fakahoko

( Punishment is a necessity of rightness )

Fehu‘i #18

‘E faka‘atā pe nai ‘e he ‘Otuá  kitautolu ke tau talangata‘a mo tauhi ‘aitoli ta‘e te ne tautea‘i kitautolu?

(Will God allow our disobedience and idolatry to go unpunished? )

‘Ikai, ko e fo‘i angahala kotoa pe ‘oku ne fakafepaki‘i ‘a e pule aoniu, ma‘oni‘oni mo e lelei ‘a e ‘Otuá  pea mo ‘ene lao haohaoá  pea ‘oku houhau hono finangaló  ‘i he‘etau angahalá  pea te ne tautea‘i ‘i he‘ene fakamaau haohaoá ‘i he maama ko ení  mo e maama ka hokó.

( No, every sin is against the sovereignty, holiness, and goodness of

God, and against his righteous law, and God is righteously angry with our sins and will punish them in his just judgment both in this life, and in the life to come. )

‘Efesō 5:4-5

seuke, ‘oku mahino ia kiate kimoutolu, he ‘oku mou ‘ilo, ‘ilonga ha fe‘auaki, pe ha anga‘uli, pe ha mānumanu, (ko e toko taha tauhi ‘aitoli ia) ‘oku ‘ikai hano tofi‘a ‘i he Pule‘anga ‘o Kalaisi mo e ‘Otua. ‘Oua na‘a tuku ke kākaa‘i kimoutolu ‘e ha taha ‘aki ha koto lau pē: he ‘oku hoko mo‘oni ‘i he ngaahi me‘a pehē ‘a e houhau ‘a e ‘Otua ki he hako ‘o talangata‘a.

EPHESIANS 5:5-6

For you may be sure of this, that everyone who is sexually immoral or impure, or who is covetous (that is, an idolater), has no inheritance in the kingdom of Christ and God. Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons of disobedience.

Commentary - CHARLES HADDON SPURGEON

Not to punish the guilty were to exact the penalty of suffering from the innocent. Think what an injury and injustice would be inflicted upon all the honest men in London if the thieves were never punished for their roguery. It would be making the innocent suffer if you allowed the guilty to escape. God, therefore, not out of arbitrary choice, but from very necessity of rightness, must punish us for having done wrong.

Monite Novema 20, 2017

Malava pe ke hoko ‘a e leleí  ko e ‘aitoli

Turning good things into ultimate things

Fehu‘i #17

Ko e hā ‘a e tauhi ‘aitoli?

( What is idolatry? )

Ko e tauhi ‘aitolí, ko e tu‘u ‘ete falalá ‘i he ngaahi me‘a fakatupú ‘o ‘ikai ‘iate Ia na‘a ne fakatupú, ke ma‘u mei ai ‘a ‘ete ‘amanakí mo e fiefiá, mo hoto mahu‘ingá mo e malu‘í.

( Idolatry is trusting in created things rather than the Creator for our hope and happiness, significance and security )

Loma 1:21, 25

21) Koe‘uhi neongo na‘a nau ‘ilo ki he ‘Otua, ka na‘e ‘ikai te nau fakahīkihiki‘i ia, pe fakafeta‘ia, ‘o ngali ko e ‘Otua: kaekehe na‘e taka launoa ‘enau ngaahi fakakaukau; pea po‘uli tu‘u honau loto ta‘e‘ilo…25) he fa‘ahinga ko ia na‘a nau tuku ‘a e mo‘oni ‘a e ‘Otua, ka nau fai‘aki ‘a e koto loi; ‘o nau lotu mo tauhi ki he me‘a kuo ngaohi, ‘o laka ‘iate ia na‘a ne ngaohi, ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio ‘oku ‘o‘ona ‘a e fakamālō ‘o lauikuonga. ‘Ēmeni."

ROMANS 1:21, 25

For although they knew God, they did not honor him as God or live thanks to him, but they became futile in their thinking, and their hearts were darkened. .. . They exchanged the truth about God for a lie and worshiped and served the creature rather than the Creator…

Commentary - TIMOTHY KELLER (Cont…)

So what's important to grasp is this: sin is not just doing bad things. It's turning good things into ultimate things, because it ruins your soul, destroys community, and dishonors God.

Prayer

Creator God, forgive us for worshiping the things you have made. No person or thing should be our hope or our trust. You alone are self-existent and all sufficient. May you be our all in all. Amen.