Tu’apulelulu ‘Okatopa 20, 2022

A DEBT WE COULDN'T PAY

KO E MO‘UA NA’E ‘IKAI TE TAU LAVA KE TOTONGI

COLOSSIANS 2:13-14

When you were dead in your transgressions and the uncircumcision of your flesh, He made you alive together with Him, having forgiven us all our transgressions, having canceled out the certificate of debt consisting of decrees against us, which was hostile to us; and He has taken it out of the way, having nailed it to the cross.

KOLOSE 2:13-14

Ko kimoutolu foki, lolotonga na‘a mou mate ‘i ho‘omou ngaahi faihala, pea ‘i ho‘omou ta‘ekamu, ‘a ē ko ho‘omou kei kakano‘ia, na‘a ne kaungā fokotu‘u hake kimoutolu mo ia, hili ‘ene fakamolemole ‘etau ngaahi faihala kotoa pē. ‘Io, hili ‘ene tāmate‘i ‘a e tohi ne fakamo‘ua kitautolu ‘aki hono ngaahi tu‘utu‘uni, ‘a e tohi ko ia na‘e tu‘u ko hotau fili: ‘io, kuo ne ‘ave ‘a e tohi mo ‘ene pūnufu‘u mai, he na‘a ne tukifa‘o ia ki hono Kolosi; 15mo ne hu‘ihu‘i meiate ia ‘a e kau pule mo e kau ma‘u tu‘unga, ‘o ne mātu‘aki faka‘ali‘ali kinautolu, he‘ene sipikaki kinautolu ‘i He‘ene ‘Afio.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe   

What one person owes for himself, he cannot pay for a person. But nothing prevents such a payment, when the person is a public character, who may act both in his own name and in the name of those whom he represents. He who pays what he owes for himself, cannot by the same thing make a payment for others, unless he has voluntarily made himself a debtor for them, in which case he can. For, although he may be a debtor, yet this character arises from his own voluntary act-the debt which he has to pay for himself is a debt which, were it not for his own voluntary deed, he is not bound to pay, and hence, while he is paying for himself, he may, by the same act, pay for another.

So Christ, who became man, not for His own sake, but for our sakes, was under obligation to fulfill the Law in order to merit life, not for Himself, but for us.

FRANCIS TURRETIN

Ko e mo’ua ‘a e tokotaha, ‘e ‘ikai te ne lava ke totongi ki ha tokotaha kehe, kapau ko ha mo’ua fakafo’ituitui.  Kā ‘oku ‘ikai ke ta’ofi ha totongi mo’ua, kapau ko ha tokotaha ‘oku ‘ilo ‘e he kakai, kapau te ne fai ha ngaue ma’ana pe ko ha’ane fakafofonga ha kakai kehe.  Ko ia te ne totongi ha’ane mo’ua fakafo’ituitui, ‘e ‘ikai lava ke ne totongi ‘a e mo’ua ‘a e kakai kehe, tukukehe kapau te ne loto ke ne fakamo’ua’i ‘e ia ia ma’a e kakai kehe, pea te ne toki lava leva ke ne totongi honau mo’ua.  Ko ia, neongo ko e tokotaha mo’ua ia, kā ‘oku mahulu hake ‘a e ngaue kuo ne fai he kuo ne loto ke mo’ua koe’uhi ko e kakai kehe, ko e mo’ua ‘oku ne totongi ma’ana, ‘oku ne lava ke ne fai ‘a e ngaue ke totongi ai mo e mo’ua ‘a e kakai kehe.

Ko ia ai ko Kalaisi, na’e hoko ‘o tangata, ‘o ‘ikai ma’ana pe ka koe’uhi ko kitautolu, pea na’a ne fuesia ‘a e tu’utu’uni kotoa ‘a e lao ka ne ma’u ‘a e mo’ui, ‘o ‘ikai ‘uhinga ko ia, ka koe’uhi ko kitautolu. 

Pulelulu ‘Okatopa 19, 2022

THE NEW COVENANT

KO E KOVINANITE FO’OU

GALATIANS 5:14

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

KALETIA 5:14

He ‘oku ‘osiki ‘a e Lao kotoa ‘i ha fo‘i lea; ‘a ‘eni, Te ke ‘ofa ki ho kaungā‘api ‘o hangē ko ho‘o ‘ofa kiate koe.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe   

Though the apostle Paul attributes the blessedness of the saints to the remission of sin which flows from the blood of Christ (Romans 4:7), yet it does not follow from this that all our righteousness, and the whole of the satisfaction made by Christ, are founded in His Passion. For the apostle does not argue from the pardon of sins being precisely equivalent to the imputation of righteousness and its proceeding precisely from the same thing in the Atonement; but from the indissoluble connection among the blessings of the new covenant, a connection so intimate that everyone who obtains pardon of sin, necessarily and immediately obtains a right to life and becomes an heir of the kingdom of heaven.

In the same way Paul treats of love to our neighbour, and the fulfilling of the whole Law, as the same thing (Galatians 5:14); because, when love to our neighbour exists, all the other duties of the law will necessarily be performed.

FRANCIS TURRETIN

Neongo ‘oku lau ‘e Paula ko e tapuaki ‘a e kau lotu mo’oni fekau’aki mo hono fakamolemole’i ‘enau angahala ‘oku tafe mei he ta’ata’a ‘o Kalaisi (Loma 4:7), ka ‘oku ‘ikai ‘uhinga ia ko e kotoa ‘o ‘etau ma’oni’oni, pea mo e ngaue lavame’a ‘a Kalaisi, na’e fai kotoa ‘i he’ene pekia.  ‘Oku ‘ikai ke fakamatala ‘a e ‘apositolo ki he fakamolemole angahala ‘o pehe ‘oku tatau mo hono ‘omi ‘o ‘ene mā’oni’oni fou ‘i he totongi huhu’i; kā ‘i he fetu’utaki ‘o e ngaahi tapuaki ‘o e kovinanite fo’ou, ko ha fekau’aki vāofi ‘oku ma’u ‘e kinautolu kuo fakamolemole ‘enau angahala, ‘oku nau ma’u ‘a e mo’ui pea kuo nau hoko ko e ‘ea ki he pule’anga ‘o Hevani. 

‘Oku talamai ‘e Paula ko e ‘ofa ki hotau kaungā’api pea mo e fakakakato ‘o e lao ko e ongome’a tatau pe ia (Kaletia 5:14); koe’uhi, ‘i he taimi ‘oku tau ‘ofa ai ki hotau kaungā’api, kuo kakato ‘a e toenga ‘o e ngaahi lao mo e ngafa ko ia, he ‘oku kapui kotoa ‘e he ‘ofa.

Tusite ‘Okatopa 18, 2022 

WHOLLY TO CHRIST

LI‘OA MA‘A KALAISI

1 THESSALONIANS 1:4

For we know, brothers loved by God, that he has chosen you,

1 TESALONAIKA 1:4

kae‘uma‘ā ko ‘emau ‘ilo, si‘i kāinga ‘ofeina ‘e he ‘Otua, ko e kakai kimoutolu kuo fili mo‘oni.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe   

Many persons want to know their election before they look to Christ, but they cannot learn it thus; it is only to be discovered by "looking unto Jesus." If you desire to ascertain your own election, after the following manner shall you assure your heart before God. Do you feel yourself to be a lost, guilty sinner? Go straightway to the cross of Christ, and tell Jesus so, and tell Him that you have read in the Bible, "Him that cometh unto me, I will in no wise cast out." Tell Him that He has said, "This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners."

Look to Jesus and believe on Him, and you shall make proof of your election directly, for so surely as thou believest, thou art elect. If you will give yourself wholly up to Christ and trust Him, then you are one of God's chosen ones; but if you stop and say, "I want to know first whether I am elect," you ask you know not what. Go to Jesus, be you never so guilty, just as you you are.

CHARLES SPURGEON

‘Oku tokolahi ‘a e kakai ‘oku nau fie’ilo pe ‘oku nau kau ki he kakai fili ‘a e ‘Otua´ ka kuo te’eki ai te nau tafoki ‘o hanga kia Kalaisi.  ‘Oku ‘ikai malava ke nau ‘ilo honau tu’unga fakalaumālie totonu kae ‘oua ke nau “tafoki ‘o hanga kia Kalaisi.”  Kapau ‘oku ke fie’ilo mo’oni ki ho kaha’u fakalaumalie, pea ke fai eni mei he takele ‘o ho loto ‘i he ‘ao ‘o e ‘Otua.  ‘Oku ke ongo’i hifo ho tu’unga kuo ke hē mei he hala totonu, ko e halaia koe mo e angahala?  ‘Alu hangatonu ki he kolosi ‘o Kalaisi, ‘o tala kia Sisu ‘a e ngaahi me’a ko ia, pea ke talaange kiate Ia kuo ke lau ‘i he Tohitapu, “ko ia ‘oku ha’u kiate Au ‘e ‘ikai te u tuli.”  Talaange kiate Ia, ‘oku ne talamai, “ko e ngaahi lea mo’oni eni, pea ‘oku taau ke tali, na’e ha’u ‘a Sisu Kalaisi ki mamani ke fakamo’ui ‘a e kau angahala.”

Hanga kia Sisu ‘o tui kiate Ia, pea te ke ma’u ‘a e fakamo’oni kuo ke kau ki he’ene kakai fili, he ko kinautolu kuo tui pikitai kiate Ia, ko kinautolu ia ‘a e kakai fili ‘a e ‘Otua.  Kapau kuo foaki kakato koe ma’a Kalaisi mo ke tui falala kiate Ia, kuo ke kau ‘i he kakai kuo fili ‘e he ‘Otua; ka ‘okapau ‘oku ke pehe, “ ‘oku ou loto ke u ‘uluaki ‘ilo pe ‘oku ou kau ‘i he kakai kuo fili,” ‘oku ke kole ‘a e me’a ‘oku ‘ikai malava ke ke ‘ilo ki ai.  ‘Alu kia Sisu, ‘i ho tu’unga halaia ka ne fakatonuhia koe.

Monite ‘Okatopa 17, 2022 

WHAT KIND OF MAN IS THIS?

KO E TANGATA HA ENI?

MATTHEW 8:27

The men were amazed, and said, “What kind of a man is this, that even the winds and the sea obey Him?”

MATIU 8:27

Pea ofo ‘a e kau tangata ‘o nau pehē, Ko e tangata hā ‘eni! He na‘a mo e matangi mo e tahi, ‘oku na fakaongo kiate ia!

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe    

Soon after the world was created, and from age to age, He has been doing great things, bringing events to pass, accomplishing wonders without number, often overturning the world in order to do it. He has been causing everything in the state of mankind, and all revolutions and changes in the habitable world, from generation to generation, to be subservient to this great design. Surely this must be some great and extraordinary person, and a great work indeed it must needs be, about which He is coming.

We read (Matthew 21:8-10) when Christ was coming into Jerusalem, and multitudes ran before Him, having cut down branches of palm trees, and strewed them in the way; and others spread their garments in the way, crying, "Hosanna to the Son of David," that the whole city was moved, saying, "Who is this?" They wondered who that extraordinary person should be, that there should be such preparation made on occasion of His coming into the city.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

‘i he hili pe ‘a hono fakatupu ‘o mamani´, pea mei he kuonga ki he kuonga, naʻe fakahāhā ai pe ‘e he ‘Otua´ hono ivi lahi´ ‘o fou ‘i he ngaahi fītaʻa fakatalutalu ‘i he ‘univeesi´, ‘o a’u pe ki he’ene liukava ‘a e ngaahi pule’anga ke fakaeʻa ai hono mafi´. Naʻe fuoloa kāliu pe ‘a e fai meʻa fakaofo ‘a e ‘Otua´ ‘i mamani ‘i he ngaahi toʻutangata´ ke fakamahino ‘oku laloʻaoa ‘a e meʻa kotoa kiate Ia. Ko ha toki tokotaha makehe mo fungani eni, pea ko ha ngaue lahi faufau ‘e fiemaʻu ke fakahoko ke teuteu ki heʻene hoko mai.

‘Oku tau lau ‘ia Matiu 21:8-10, ‘i he hū ‘a Kalaisi ki Selusalema´, naʻe ʻaukolo mai ‘a e kakai ‘o nau tutuʻu hifo ‘a e laʻi paame´ ‘o fola ‘i he hala´ pea fola ‘i he niʻihi honau ngaahi pulupulu´ ‘o nau kalanga: “Hosana ki he Hako ‘o Tevita,” pea naʻe feʻekenaki ‘e he fuʻu kakai´, “pe ko hai ‘a e tangata ni?” Naʻa nau fifili pe ko hai ‘a e tokotaha makehe ko eni, ke fai ai ha fuʻu teuteu mo ha talitali pehee fau ki heʻene hoko mai ki he kolo´.

Sapate ‘Okatopa 16, 2022

REVIVED TO LIFE

FOKOTU‘U KI HE MO’UI FO’OU

1 PETER 1:21

who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God.

1 PITA 1:21

‘a kimoutolu ‘oku nofo ko e kau tui pīkitai ki he ‘Otua ‘iate ia, ‘a ‘Ene ‘Afio na‘a ne fokotu‘u ia mei he pekia, mo ne ‘ange kiate ia ke lāngilangi‘ia: ko ia ‘oku sio ki he ‘Otua ‘a ho‘omou tui mo ho‘omou ‘amanaki foki.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe   

Our salvation may be thus divided between the death and the resurrection of Christ: by the former sin was abolished and death annihilated; by the latter righteousness was restored and life revived, the power and efficacy of the former being still bestowed upon us by means of the latter. Paul accordingly affirms that He was declared to be the Son of God by His resurrection (Romans 1:4), because He then fully displayed that heavenly power which is both a bright mirror of His divinity, and a sure support of our faith; as he also elsewhere teaches that "though he was crucified through weakness, yet he liveth by the power of God" (2 Corinthians 13:4).

In perfect accordance with this is the passage in Peter, that God "raised him up from the dead, and gave him glory, that your faith and hope might be in God" (1 Peter 1:21). Not that faith founded merely on His death is vacillating, but that the divine power by which He maintains our faith is most conspicuous in His resurrection.

JOHN CALVIN

Ko hotau fakamoʻui´ ‘oku vahe ua ‘i he pekia mo e toetuʻu ‘a Kalaisi: ‘i he pekia´, naʻe fakangata ai mo fakaʻauha ‘a e angahala´ mo mate; pea ‘i he konga hono ua´ (toetuʻu´), naʻe fakafoki mai ‘a e maʻoniʻoni´ pea fakaake ‘a e moʻui´, neongo ‘oku kei ngaue mai pe ‘a e nunuʻa ‘o e muʻaki meʻa´ (angahala). ‘Oku fakamoʻoni mai ‘a Paula, “...‘na‘e mātu‘aki fakae‘a [‘a Sisu] ko e ‘Alo ‘o e ‘Otua´... he‘ene toetu‘u mei he pekia” (Loma 1:4), he naʻa ne fakahā ‘a hono mafai faka-‘Otua´, ‘a ia ko e sioʻata ‘o langi pea mo e fakahāʻanga ‘o ‘etau tui´; pea ‘oku ne toe talamai, neongo “...‘oku mo‘oni na‘e kalusefai ia ko ‘ene vaivai, ka ‘oku ne mo‘ui ko ‘ene mālohi mei he ‘Otua” (2 Kolinito 13:4).

‘Oku fehūmalieʻaki eni mo e fakamatala ‘a Pita, heʻene pehee, “...’a ‘Ene ‘Afio na‘a ne fokotu‘u ia mei he pekia, mo ne ‘ange kiate ia ke lāngilangi‘ia: ko ia ‘oku sio ki he ‘Otua ‘a ho‘omou tui mo ho‘omou ‘amanaki foki" (1 Pita 1:21). ‘Oku ‘ikai ‘uhinga eni ‘o pehee ko e tui ‘oku tau maʻu ‘i he pekia´ ‘oku fetōʻaki, ka ‘oku ‘uhinga, ko e ivi faka-ʻOtua ‘oku pukepukeʻaki ‘etau tui´ ‘oku fakaeʻaeʻa ‘i heʻene toetuʻu´.

Tokonaki ‘Okatopa 15, 2022 

HIS PRESENCE AND POWER

KO HONO LOTOLOTONGA´ MO HONO IVI´

ISAIAH 41:10

‘Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not be afraid, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, I will also help you, I will also uphold you with My righteous right hand.’

‘AISEA 41:10

‘Oua ‘e manavahē, he ‘oku ou ‘iate koe ‘e au; ‘oua ‘e kilokilo holo, he ko ho ‘Otua au: te u poupou koe ‘e au; ‘io, te u tokoni kiate koe; ‘io, te u pukepuke koe ‘aki ‘a e to‘omata‘u ‘o ‘eku faitotonu.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe    

We shall do well to stand toward Christ as those who are conscious of His power and presence. Brethren, our Lord is with us. The best of all is that He is with us indeed and of a truth. If we are with Jesus, and preach His truth, Jesus is assuredly with us; for He said, "Lo, I am with you always, even unto the end of the world." That promise was not a pretty piece of romance; it is true that He is with us at this hour. Let us believe it, and act accordingly.

If we do not always feel His brightness, let us, like the flowers, turn toward the Sun. When the sun is not shining, the flowers know where there is most of light, and their faces turn that way. Let us be true heliotropes, or turners to the Sun.

CHARLES SPURGEON

Ko ‘etau lelei ‘oku ma’u ia ‘i he’etau tu’u ‘ia Kalaisi ‘i hono ivi pea ‘i hono ‘ao.  Kaungā fononga, ‘oku ‘iate kitautolu ‘a e ‘Otua.  Ko hotau tapuaki he ‘oku ne kau mo kitautolu.  Kapau ‘oku tau ‘ia Kalaisi pea ‘oku tau malanga’i ‘ene mo’oni, ‘oku kau ‘a Sisu mo kitautolu; he na’a ne ‘osi tala, “ ‘io pea teu ‘iate kimoutolu ma’u ai pe ‘o a’u ki he ngata’anga ‘o mamani.”  Ko e palomesi ko ‘eni na’e ‘ikai ko ha tu’unga lea pe; ko e fo’i mo’oni eni he ‘oku ne ‘iate kitautolu ‘i he lolotonga ni.  Tau tui ki he mo’oni ko eni pea tau laka ‘i he maama ko ia.

Kapau ‘oku ‘ikai te tau ongo’i ‘a ‘ene hulungia kitautolu, tuku ketau hangē ko e matala’i’akau, ‘o tau hanga hake ki he la’aa.  ‘I he taimi ‘oku ‘ikai ke ulo mai ai ‘a e la’aa, ‘oku ‘ilo’i pe ‘e he ngaahi matala’i’akau ‘a e potu ‘oku ma’u mei ai ‘a e maama pea nau hanga hake ki he potu ko ia.  Tau ako mei ai ketau hanga hake ki he la’aa ‘o hotau laumālie.

Falaite ‘Okatopa 14, 2022

LIVING WATER

KO E VAI MO’UI

JOHN 4:10

Jesus answered and said to her, “If you knew the gift of God, and who it is who says to you, ‘Give Me a drink,’ you would have asked Him, and He would have given you living water.”

SIONE 4:10

Pea tali ‘e Sīsū ‘o ne me‘a ki ai, Ka ne ke ‘ilo ‘a e me‘a‘ofa ‘a e ‘Otua, pea ka ne ke ‘ilo pe ko hai ia ‘oku ne pehē atu, ‘Omi haku inu; pehē ko koe ne ke fai ‘a e kole kiate ia, pea kuo ne ‘atu ha vai mo‘ui.

 

Solus Christus - Christ Alone - Ko Kalasi pe   

The saints have both their spiritual excellency and blessedness by the gift of the Holy Ghost, or Spirit of God, and His dwelling in them. The Holy Spirit becoming an inhabitant is a vital principle in the soul: He, acting in, upon, and with the soul becomes a fountain of true holiness and joy, as a spring is of water, by the exertion and diffusion of itself, John 4:14: "But whosoever drinketh of the water that I shall give him, shall never thirst; but the water that I shall give him, shall be in him a well of water springing up into everlasting life."

Compare with John 7:38-39: "He that believeth on me, as the Scripture hath said, out of his belly shall flow rivers of living water; but this spake he of the Spirit, which they that believe on him should receive." The sum of what Christ has purchased for us is that spring of water spoken of in the former of those places, and those rivers of living water spoken of in the latter.

JONATHAN EDWARDS

Ko e kau tui (kau mā’oni’oni) ‘oku nau ma’u honau tāpuaki fakalaumālie mei he me’a’ofa ‘a e Laumālie Mā’oni’oni ‘o e ‘Otua ‘i he’ene nofo’ia kinautolu.  Ko e nofo’ia ‘e he Laumālie Mā’oni’oni ‘a e mo’ui ‘a e kalisitiane ko e tu’unga mahu’inga ia ki ai; ‘oku ne hoko, ‘i he mo’ui ‘a e kalisitiane, ko e fauniteni ‘o e haohaoa mo’oni mo e fiefia, ‘o hangē ha vai ‘oku mapunopuna, ‘i he Laumālie Mā’oni’oni, Sione 4:14: “ ka ‘ilonga ‘a ia te ne inu mei he vai te u ‘atu ‘e au, ‘e ‘ikai ‘aupito te ne toe fieinua ‘o ta’engata; ka ko e vai te u ‘atu kiate ia ‘e au te ne tupu ‘i loto ‘i he tokotaha ko ia, ko e matavai mapunopuna hake ‘o iku ki he mo’ui ta’engata.”

Vakai kia Sione 7:38-39: “ ‘ilonga ‘a ia ‘oku tui pikitai kiate au, pea hange ko e lau ‘a e Tohitapu, ‘e tafe atu mei hono manava ha ngaahi vaitafe ‘o e vai mo’ui; ka na’e kau ‘ene lea ko ia ki he Laumālie, ‘a ia ka ma’u ‘e kinautolu ‘e tui pikitai kiate Ia.”  Ko e katokatoa ‘o e koloa na’e fakatau ‘e Kalaisi ma’a kitautolu, ko e vai mapunopuna ia ‘oku hā ‘i he potutohi ko ‘eni pea mo e matavai kuo palomesi ‘e he folofola ‘a Sisu.