Posts Tagged ‘ Sin ’
He made the one who did not know sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
2 Corinthians 5:21, CSB
Jesus is our life and power, sharing His righteousness and power to overcome sin and death with us by the power of the Holy Spirit.
It is a great day! Pi Day Friday! Celebrate mathematics and get a slice of pie! 🥧
Firstly, let me acknowledge what I am sure most of you are surely and most absolutely thinking (and for full clarity, /mild sarcasm): I know the original Greek letter is pronounced like our English letter, p. But in the maths, we generally call it “pie” for delicious and practical reasons.
Secondly, why talk about mathematics and π on a biblical blog? I’m glad you asked! I was going to get around to it! (😉)
The symbol of pi is what is called a constant number (universally true), an irrational number (not simple, reducible, or strictly finite, like “1” or “3” or “42” or “1/3” or “70”), and a fun number (at least by me), and it is used to help find the circumference (length of the outside) and area of a circle, as well as so much more. As far as we know, it has an infinite number of decimal places, starting with 3.1415926……
Hence Pi Day being celebrated on March 14, or as the US and a few others annotate it, 3/14 or 3.14.
To circle back to our primary purpose, we see the use of this rounded of non-round numbers actually appear in the Bible: 1 Kings 7:23 – the bronze/metal/molten sea/basin that is used for ritual washing in the Temple. It’s measurements were 10 cubits across (about 15 feet/4.5 meters, diameter) and 30 cubits around (about about 45 feet/13.7 meters, circumference). Thay works out to roughly 3, or close to pi.
It has to do with being a constant and irrational number.
Pi is a reminder of the Trinity: the constant God that does not make perfect sense to our finite minds.
God’s faithful love is constant.
Psalm 52:1b, CSB
“For I the Lord do not change; therefore you”
Malachi 3:6a, ESVJesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
Hebrews 13:8, CSB“And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever. He is the Spirit of truth.”
John 14:16-17a, CSB
Pi serves as a reminder that Christ taking on humanity puts a human element in the Trinity, which sounds irrational and like more than 3 in 1 (like 3.14?), which also sounds irrational to our finite minds. (To be clear, I am not saying that humans are now part of the Trinity or that we become God!)
Pi is also a reminder that simple things are not necessarily easy things to understand and can seem foolish to others.
But the person without the Spirit does not receive what comes from God’s Spirit, because it is foolishness to him; he is not able to understand it since it is evaluated spiritually.
1 Corinthians 2:14, CSBbut we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to the Jews and foolishness to the Gentiles. [24] Yet to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ is the power of God and the wisdom of God, [25] because God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strength.
1 Corinthians 1:23-25, CSB
So, on Pi Day, get some pie, and remember that the Cbristian life may seem irrational, but it is grounded in the constant God who cleanses and purifies us, who brings our lives full circle to be in relationship with Him through the forgiveness of sins by the work of Christ in the power of the Holy Spirit to the glory of the Father.
Simple as pi[e].
The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, “Look, the Lamb of God, who takes away the sin of the world!”
John 1:29, CSB
We can all share the good news of Jesus’ life, death, and resurrection. Let us point everyone to Jesus who took our sins on the cross and offers eternal life to all who believe.
For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God; they are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
Romans 3:23-24, CSB
We are called to call others to Jesus, knowing we have all sinned against Him and need His grace and forgiveness to be right with God.
“The Lord your God is among you, a warrior who saves. He will rejoice over you with gladness. He will be quiet in his love. He will delight in you with singing.”
Zephaniah 3:17, CSB
God fights for us, saving us from sin and wrath and bringing us peace and eternal life.
“For where two or three are gathered together in my name, I am there among them.”
Matthew 18:20, CSB
We are saved in Christ alone, and we come together to call out sin to lead each other to repentance in the power of the Holy Spirit and with the direction of His Word.
Therefore, there is now no condemnation for those in Christ Jesus
Romans 8:1, CSB
We are called to unity in Christ, forgiving each other and knowing we are forgiven in Christ. We help each other get past our sins, knowing God has removed all guilt and shame.
“Blessed are those who mourn, for they shall be comforted.”
Matthew 5:4, ESV
We are called to wisdom, and wisdom shows us our sinfulness and need for God. May we mourn our sin and seek the Savior from God’s wrath and Comforter of our souls and hearts.
Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.
John 5:24, ESV
God can do anything, and by the power of His Word and by His grace through faith in that Word even the worst sinner can be saved from God’s judgment.
Repent and believe!
For the word of God is living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.
Hebrews 4:12, ESV
God can do anything, and by His Word He even gets past our thoughts, feelings, and sins to change us from the inside out and give us new life.
a simple man of God 