Devotional Reflection Based on the Incident of Peter Cutting Off Malchus's Ear: “Then one of those standing near drew his sword and struck the servant of the high priest, cutting off his ear.” ( Mark 14:47, Today's Korean Version ) 1. Identifying the People Involved: The person who stood beside Jesus and drew the sword was Simon Peter . The servant of the high priest was named Malchus . “Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. The servant’s name was Malchus.” ( John 18:10 ) 2. Jesus' Response to Peter's Action: (a) Jesus said: “Permit even this.” ( Luke 22:51, KJV: “Suffer ye thus far”; RSV: “No more of this” ) The Greek words clarify this: “ἕως τούτου” (“heōs toutou”) = “up to this point” or “even this” “ἐᾶτε” (“eate”) = “allow it,” “let it be,” “leave it alone” Therefore, Jesus is essentially saying: “Let them do what they are doing. Do not resist any further.” “If ...
We are under obligation
[Romans 8:12-13]
Look at Romans 8:12-13: “So then,
brethren, we are under obligation, not to the flesh, to live according to the
flesh-- for if you are living according to the flesh, you must die; but if by
the Spirit you are putting to death the deeds of the body, you will live.” The Bible says that we are under obligation
(v. 12). All mankind is under
obligation. People of the past, people
of the present, and people of the future are all under obligation. It is one of two things: one who is under obligation
to the body or one who is under obligation to the Spirit. All descendants of Adam are under obligation
to the flesh. We too were under
obligation to the flesh until we were born again by God (before we were regenerated)
(1 Jn. 5:1, 4). How do those who are
under obligation to the flesh live? Look
at Ephesians 2:2-3: “in which you formerly walked according to the course of
this world, according to the prince of the power of the air, of the spirit that
is now working in the sons of disobedience.
Among them we too all formerly lived in the lusts of our flesh,
indulging the desires of the flesh and of the mind, and were by nature children
of wrath, even as the rest.” When we
were under obligation to the flesh, we followed the evil ways of the world and
obeyed the devil, lived according to the lusts of the flesh and lived according
to the desires of the flesh and the mind.
In this way, we lived as those who were under obligation to the flesh. But at some point (whether we know it or not)
we are transformed into those who are under obligation to the Spirit. When did John the Baptist become a man who was
under obligation to the Spirit? Look at
Luke 1:15 – “For he will be great in the sight of the Lord; and he will drink
no wine or liquor, and he will be filled with the Holy Spirit while yet in his
mother's womb.” John the Baptist was
filled with the Holy Spirit from his mother's womb. In other words, he became the man who was
under obligation to the Spirit from the time of his mother's womb. So when Mary greeted Elizabeth (v. 36), who
was six months pregnant with John the Baptist, the Bible said, “The baby (John
the Baptist) leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit”
(v. 41). John the Baptist himself was
not sure when he was filled with the Holy Spirit. But when he grew up his mother, Elizabeth,
would have told him. The believers who
were born in Christian families often do not know when they were regenerated or
when they became the people who were under obligation to the Spirit. But sometimes we know when we became the
people who are under obligation to the Spirit.
For example, Cornelius and his relatives and close friends in Acts 10
knew (v. 24), and Peter and some brethren from Joppa (v. 23) knew that they
were under obligation to the Spirit.
Look at Acts 10:44-45: “While Peter was still speaking these words, the
Holy Spirit fell upon all those who were listening to the message. All the circumcised believers who came with
Peter were amazed, because the gift of the Holy Spirit had been poured out on
the Gentiles also.”
Those who are under obligation to the Spirit are indebted to the
Holy Spirit. The Apostle Paul uses the
conjunction “So then” at the beginning of Romans 8:12. This conjunction connects the preceding
verses. Therefore, now those who are in Christ Jesus (v. 1), because
the law of the Spirit of life has set him free from the law of sin and death
(v. 2), we no longer live according to the flesh, but according to the Spirit
(v. 4). Because we think of the things
of the Holy Spirit (v. 5), the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace (v. 6). Now that the Holy Spirit is in us, we are
controlled by the Holy Spirit (v. 9). The
Holy Spirit is the Spirit of the One who raised Jesus from the dead, and will
also give life to our mortal bodies (v. 11). Therefore, we are under obligation (v. 12). The Apostle Paul said, “So then, brethren,”
in Romans 8:12, where “brethren” refers to the saints of the Roman church. Here, the word “brethren” is an intimate
nickname, and Paul said that they are all believers in Jesus Christ, and they
are all under obligation to the Spirit, that is, regenerated ones, and the
debtors to the Holy Spirit. That is,
those who are under obligation to the Spirit and their mind set on the Holy
Spirit is life and peace (v. 6). But the
mind set on the flesh is death (v. 6), is enmity with God (v. 7), and cannot
please God (v. 8). Those who are under
obligation to the Spirit have the spirit alive [(v. 10), “the spirit is alive
because of righteousness”]. In other
words, those who are under obligation to the Spirit are regenerated.
Jesus took the dead daughter (Lk.8:49) of Jairus (v. 41), the
ruler of the synagogue, by the hand and said, “Child, arise!” (v. 54). And the Bible says that “her spirit returned”
(v. 55). Jesus went to his tomb of
Lazarus (Jn. 11:38) who was dead (v. 14) and said, “Remove the stone” (v. 39)
and cried out with a loud voice, “Lazarus, come forth” (v. 43). As a result, the man who had died came forth,
bound hand and foot with wrappings (v. 44).
Lazarus also came out alive as his
spirit was united in his body. His
spirit returned and united with his body, and he came to life. The Holy Spirit raised our spirits, who were
dead in trespasses and sins (Eph. 2:1). This spirit is eternal. The mind set on the Holy Spirit is life (Rom.
8:6), and that life is eternal. The Holy
Spirit not only gave life to our dead spirits, but He will also give life, that
is eternal life, to our mortal bodies (v. 13). When? It is the time when the last trumpet sounds (1
Cor. 15:52). Then, in the twinkling of
an eye, the dead will be raised to life incorruptible, and we will all be changed
(v. 52). The Holy Spirit will give life to our spirits and bodies to
live forever. This is the perfection of
eternal life!
Therefore, the Apostle Paul says that we are under obligation not
to the flesh, to live according to the flesh (Rom. 8:12). We are no longer indebted to the flesh.
Therefore, we must not lose to the flesh and live according to the flesh. What does it mean to lose to the flesh and
live according to the flesh? Look at
Galatians 5:19-21: “Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are:
immorality, impurity, sensuality, idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife,
jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, envying,
drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as
I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the
kingdom of God.” Look at Colossians
3:5-6: “Therefore consider the members of your earthly body as dead to
immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed, which amounts to
idolatry. For it is because of these
things that the wrath of God will come upon the sons of disobedience.” As we are under obligation to the Spirit (the Holy Spirit),
we must not lose to the flesh and live according to the flesh. Rather, we must walk according to the Spirit.
Then we will not fulfill the lusts of
the flesh (Gal. 5:16). Also, the Apostle Paul says that if by the Spirit we put to
death the deeds of the body, we will live (Rom. 8:13). Although we will die forever if we live as a
debtor to the body, if we kill the deeds of the body (living as a debtor to the
body) as the Spirit (the Holy Spirit), we will surely live. This is the result of living as a debtor to
the Holy Spirit who is under obligation to the Holy Spirit. We will live forever. When? It
is the time when the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout, the
voice of the archangel, and the trumpet of God (1 Thess. 4:16). Then the dead in Christ will rise first (v.
16). That is, they will come back to
life.
We are under
obligation to the Holy Spirit. Therefore,
we must live according to the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit dwells within us (Rom. 8:9)
and protects us from the power of Satan.
Also, the indwelling Holy Spirit gives us the strength of life, gives us
wisdom, produces fruit, and gives us victory. The Holy Spirit gives us the power to preach
the gospel of Jesus Christ, so He does the work of raising those who are
spiritually dead. The Holy Spirit will
give life to our bodies and spirits at the Second Coming of the Lord so that we
may live with Him forever.
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