¿Qué se esconde bajo esa capa?

“Si yo no hubiera venido y les hubiera hablado, no tenían pecado; pero ahora no tienen excusa para su pecado” (Juan 15:22).

¿Qué quiso decir el Señor aquí cuando dijo que si Él no hubiera venido, los judíos incrédulos que había mencionado en el versículo anterior “no habrían pecado”? ¡Seguramente habían pecado, haya venido Él o no!

Para saber lo que quiso decir, tenemos que definir una palabra que no usamos muy a menudo, la palabra “cloke”, que en nuestros días se escribe manto. Una capa es una prenda holgada y sin mangas que se usa sobre otra ropa, y casi la única vez que este escritor escucha mencionar la palabra es cuando alguien pone su abrigo en el guardarropa de un restaurante. Si no puedes imaginarte cómo sería una capa, pero puedes imaginarte al personaje mítico Drácula, siempre se lo representa con una capa.

Ahora bien, lo que pasa con una capa es que puedes ocultar fácilmente algo debajo de una prenda holgada y sin mangas, como una daga. Esto ha dado lugar a la expresión capa y espada, una figura retórica que hace referencia al espionaje. Por esta razón, cuando esta palabra se usa como verbo, encubrir algo significa ocultarlo. Los fanáticos de Star Trek recordarán que las naves klingon y romulanas estaban equipadas con dispositivos de camuflaje que hacían que no se pudieran ver venir sus naves. Y no, no soy un geek, ¡tuve que buscar eso!

Todo esto nos ayuda a entender lo que el Señor quiso decir cuando dijo que si Él no hubiera venido, no habrían tenido pecado. Él no dijo “no tenían pecado, luego vine y ahora tienen pecado”. Más bien dijo: “No tenían pecado, luego vine y ahora no tienen excusa para su pecado”. En otras palabras, Él estaba diciendo: “Ahora que he venido, ya no pueden ocultar su pecado”, y creo que tenía un pecado específico en mente, uno que lo abarca todo y que menciona en el siguiente versículo.

“El que me odia a mí, odia también a mi Padre” (Juan 15:23).

El pecado general que estos incrédulos estaban encubriendo con tanto éxito antes de que viniera el Señor era el odio al Padre. Dado que la Ley ordenaba a los judíos amar al Padre (Deuteronomio 6:5), era pecado odiarlo, y durante siglos los judíos incrédulos habían ocultado su odio hacia Dios con su religión, que les proporcionaba la cobertura perfecta. Practicar el judaísmo hacía parecer que los judíos no salvos amaban al Padre, pero como el Señor dijo de ellos: “Este pueblo se acerca a mí con su boca, y con sus labios me honra; pero su corazón está lejos de mí” (Mateo 15:8 cf. Isaías 29:13).

Si se pregunta cómo la venida del Señor develó su odio hacia el Padre, recuerde que Él representó a Dios el Padre encarnado, y cuando Él apareció y lo odiaron, demostró que odiaban al Padre.

Pero note en nuestro texto que no fue sólo la venida del Señor lo que develó su pecado. Él dijo: “Si yo no hubiera venido y les hubiera hablado, no tenían pecado” (v. 22). ¿Cómo revelaron sus palabras su odio? Bueno, recuerde, Sus palabras fueron las palabras del Padre (Juan 3:34; 8:26; 12:49). Entonces, cuando el Señor habló las palabras del Padre y ellos odiaron Sus palabras, ¡en realidad estaban odiando las palabras del Padre!

Si no está convencido de que esto es lo que el Señor tenía en mente, considere lo que continuó diciendo:

“Si yo no hubiera hecho entre ellos obras que ningún otro hombre hizo, no habrían tenido pecado; pero ahora me han visto y me han aborrecido a mí y a mi Padre” (Juan 15:24).

Esto se parece mucho a lo que dijo en nuestro versículo de texto, pero recuerde que allí dijo que Sus palabras desenmascararon su odio, mientras que aquí afirmó que Sus obras lo desenmascararon, hablando de las obras milagrosas que hizo entre ellos. Si se pregunta cómo sus obras revelaron su odio hacia el Padre, recuerde que dijo que “el Padre que habita en mí, él hace las obras” (Juan 14:10). Y así, cuando los incrédulos en Israel atribuyeron Sus obras milagrosas a Beelzebú (Mateo 12:24), su odio hacia Sus obras era en realidad odio hacia las obras del Padre. Así es como las palabras y obras del Señor desenmascararon su odio hacia, como Él dice aquí, “tanto a mí como a mi Padre”.

Todo esto nos recuerda que si estás buscando un determinado libro en Internet, normalmente verás anuncios emergentes que dicen algo como: “Si te gusta este libro, es posible que también te guste…”, y luego continúas probándolo. para venderle otros libros similares al que había estado buscando y encontrado. De manera similar, si no te gusta el Señor Jesucristo, no te gusta Dios el Padre. Podrías decir que sí, como lo hacen los seguidores de muchas religiones, ¡pero en realidad no es así! Las religiones que afirman amar a Dios pero rechazan a Su Hijo no son más que disfraces para ocultar el odio al Padre, ¡y usted tiene la Palabra de Dios en ellas!

¿Por qué no un muro?

“Y pusieron el altar sobre sus bases; porque tenían miedo a causa de la gente de aquellos países…” (Esdras 3:3).

A primera vista, este versículo no parece tener mucho sentido. En los días de Esdras, las murallas de una ciudad eran su principal línea de defensa. Los ciudadanos de Jericó se sentían muy seguros dentro de los confines del enorme muro que los rodeaba. Entonces aquí, si el miedo hubiera caído sobre los judíos a causa de los enemigos que los rodeaban, ¿por qué construirían un altar y no un muro?

Bueno, como quizás sepas, hubo un tiempo en que Jerusalén tenía un muro, pero cuando Nabucodonosor conquistó Israel, sus ejércitos “derribaron el muro de Jerusalén” (II Crón. 36:19). Y el pueblo de Israel sabía por qué Dios había permitido que esto sucediera. Él les había advertido,

“…si no escuchas la voz de Jehová tu Dios…una nación feroz…te asediará…hasta que tus muros altos y cercados caigan…” (Deuteronomio 28:15,50,52).

De modo que el pueblo de Dios sabía que, si continuaban en pecado, ni el muro más fuerte podría protegerlos. Pero también sabían que si escuchaban la voz del Señor, Él los protegería. Y ahora que Dios les había permitido regresar a la tierra después de su cautiverio en Babilonia, escuchar la voz del Señor incluía construir este altar para que pudieran guardar la Ley al observar la fiesta de los tabernáculos con un holocausto (Esdras 3: 4 cf. Levítico 23:34-36).

En el venidero reino de los cielos en la tierra, cuando el pueblo de Dios será lleno del Espíritu y será hecho escuchar Su voz (Ezequiel 36:27), Dios les ha prometido que Él será “un muro de fuego alrededor” de ellos. (Zacarías 2:5). En aquel día, “la salvación pondrá Dios por muros y baluartes” (Isaías 26:1). ¡Eso es parte de lo que lo convertirá en el paraíso en la tierra!

Pero aquí tenemos una diferencia dispensacional. Tu salvación no es ninguna defensa contra los enemigos terrenales. No estás en el reino de los cielos en la tierra y no estás bajo la Ley que prometió a Israel que Dios los protegería si eran buenos. Como miembro responsable del Cuerpo de Cristo, debes tomar todas las precauciones necesarias para protegerte de los hombres malvados.

Una vez conocimos a una adolescente que salía a correr por la noche y le aseguraba a su madre que “el Señor me protegerá”. Obviamente había estado escuchando a predicadores que nos habían aplicado las promesas de la Ley o las promesas del reino. Si bien lo que dijo suena muy espiritual, ¡no sigas su ejemplo! Ésta es un área en la que no dividir (trazar) correctamente la Palabra de verdad podría costarle la vida.

Escuchar al padre hablar

“La voz de tu trueno estaba en el cielo: los relámpagos
iluminó el mundo; la tierra tembló y se estremeció” (Salmo 77:18).

Afortunadamente, papá era constructor, porque con una familia de diez personas y misioneros y maestros de la Biblia tan a menudo entretenidos como invitados, se necesitaba una casa grande para acomodarnos a todos.

No sólo teníamos una casa grande; También era la casa más alta de la ciudad de Paterson, Nueva Jersey, con su balcón trasero en el segundo piso que ofrecía una vista imponente de la ciudad y sus alrededores.

Este balcón tuvo su uso más memorable durante las tormentas eléctricas. A menudo, cuando se avecinaban tormentas de este tipo, papá decía a la madre y a nosotros, los hijos:

“Salgamos y escuchemos hablar al padre”.

¡Nunca olvidaremos esas ocasiones impresionantes! Desde nuestros asientos en las “tribunas” vimos muchas tormentas eléctricas dramáticas y nos emocionó “escuchar al Padre hablar” entre los truenos mientras Sus nubes derramaban su lluvia sobre la ciudad.

Al llevarnos a ver esos “espectáculos” (los espectáculos de Dios), papá logró dos propósitos. Nos ayudó a librarnos del miedo excesivo a las tormentas eléctricas que inquietan a tanta gente y nos dio un pequeño vistazo de la grandeza infinita de nuestro gran Dios.

Following Hard – I Timothy 6:11-12

While I was growing up on the farm, we had dog that loved to chase rabbits. Many times I saw him running for all he was worth after a rabbit that was trying to elude him. The rabbit would swerve back and forth, change directions on a dime, and sometimes go deep into a hole burrowed in the field. Undeterred, our dog relentlessly dug until he could reach in and get his prey. No matter how difficult, he was single-minded on obtaining his objective.

Paul’s instructions to Timothy were to both flee and follow. He wrote: “But thou, O man of God, flee these [carnal] things; and follow after righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness. Fight the good fight of faith, lay hold on eternal life…” (I Timothy 6:11-12). A man or woman of God, doing what they should do, will flee, like a frightened rabbit, from “the love of money” (vs. 10). Paul reminded Timothy that he brought nothing into this world and will take nothing material out when he dies. As long as he has food, clothing, and the pursuit of godliness, he is to be content (vss. 6-9). But a man or woman of God also must follow hard after several things. We must pursue “righteousness” (vs. 11). This word means an equity of character, or doing right. “Godliness” refers to devoutness, seeking to be holy, or like God in conduct. “Faith” means a persuasion, conviction. or constancy of belief. We should be like a dog pursuing a rabbit in seeking to obtain these qualities as a consistent part of our character. But we also need more. We must pursue an agape “love,” meaning an unconditional affection, for others. Paul told the Thessalonians they were “taught of God to love one another,” but they must seek to “abound” in this love and do so “toward all men” (I Thessalonians 4:9; 3:12). We need “patience,” meaning endurance, rather than fainting in our seriousness about living for the Lord. The servant of the Lord also needs “meekness,” which means gentleness in all situations. If we have these qualities, we can then “fight the good fight of faith” (I Timothy 6:12) in truly living for Christ, and lay hold on the importance of eternal life given to us.

We pursue many things in life: fun, a mate, monetary gain, friendships, security, and more. However, as a child of God, we must be as relentless as a dog chasing a rabbit in our pursuit of these godly qualities.


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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


They Don’t Know They’re Dead – I Timothy 5:6

Some childhood memories are more vivid than others. As a child, I remember my father bringing home 500 rooster chicks. They grew quickly, and we began butchering those chickens to provide food for our family. It freaked me out every time but, the first time I saw my father remove the heads of several chickens, it scared me to death. Without a head, those chickens ran around frantically for several minutes, as if they were trying to find their heads. When I asked how that was possible, my brother told me: “They’re dead, they just don’t know it yet.”

In the spiritual realm, the same can be true even for a believer. We can be dead spiritually and not even know it. In I Timothy 5:6, the Apostle Paul explained the proper care for godly widows. Then he wrote about widows who are not dedicated believers, saying: “But she that liveth in pleasure is dead while she liveth.” It is possible, perhaps even common, for believers to be running around like chickens with their heads cut off in a frantic effort to pursue the things of the world, to the neglect of their walk with the Lord. It’s a matter of focus and priority.

When each of us are saved, we are made “…a new creature; old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new” (II Corinthians 5:17). Our hearts are filled with joy over receiving eternal life as an unmerited gift of grace. Our minds develop a sense of gratitude over having escaped eternal punishment. Our soul yearns to live apart from sin and “…unto Him which died for them and rose again” (II Corinthians 5:15). But the flesh is weak. It is easy for the cares of this world to dull our spiritual senses. It is natural to drift toward a focus on worldly things and away from a close walk with Christ. Particularly in America, where we have so much abundance, our affections for things often crowd out our love for the Lord. God tries to draw us back to Him every day. But if we are not diligent in our quiet time with Him and looking always for truth to transform our lives, we can become spiritually dead, and not even know it.

Take your spiritual heartbeat. If it’s not as strong as it once was, it’s time to “awake…and arise from the dead” (Ephesians 5:14).


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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Living God’s Word – I Timothy 4:12

The most godly example I’ve known was my Grandma Fredericksen. She was exceptional. She was hard not to like, but, more importantly, she was an extremely godly woman with a vibrant testimony for Christ. She faced many difficulties in life: marrying a widowed man with two children, a house fire, a lawless rebellious son, mistreatment by family members, and much more. Yet through it all, she had a sweet spirit and unwavering faith.

In Paul’s first epistle to Timothy, he urges him to become a powerful example in godliness that everyone in the church could follow. God’s leaders have always been held to a higher standard of godliness. Ezra had learned three things that made him effective. “For Ezra had prepared his heart to seek the law of the Lord, and to do it, and to teach in Israel statutes and judgments” (Ezra 7:10). Notice the sequence: an open heart seeking to obey the Lord, living what God taught him, and then not merely lecturing with cold, hypothetical facts, but sharing an overflow of what God had done in his life. Similarly, Paul told Timothy: “…be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (I Timothy 4:12). The words spoken by Timothy needed to be pure and Christ-worthy. His “conversation,” or manner of life, must be godly, and Christ honoring. His “charity,” or love, needed to be genuine as he exhibited a godly affection for all saints and the Lord. His “spirit,” meaning his thinking and attitude, needed to demonstrate the sweetness of close communion with Christ. His “faith,” or confidence, in all he believed needed to be unwavering as he lived what he learned from the doctrines of grace, and he needed to live in moral “purity.” If Timothy did all this, then he would be prepared to be a leader in the local church and to teach the saints God’s Word with effectiveness.

While this is the standard for leaders in the church, this is God’s standard for every believer. Being an effective spiritual influence on others is more than accumulating doctrinal facts and rightly dividing the Scriptures. Our lives must be undergirded by godliness to give us credibility when we share these truths. Are we seeking to live what we learn in God’s Word and to be “an example of the believers” in these six areas? Starting right now, which one aspect do you need to ask God to transform?


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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Words Mean Things – I Timothy 3:1-13

Someone we know often uses the phrase: “Words mean things.” As a Bible teacher, he goes through a passage emphasizing key words, and aids the understanding of those he teaches, by defining words. Particularly when coming to instruction that some of us may resist because it challenges previously held positions, or that simply speaks to the heart about a needed change, he uses his phrase. With a wry smile, he’ll say: “Words mean things.” Then he’ll let the truth of that Scripture sink into the soul. His point is that God says what He means, and we have the obligation to conform to His written Word.

When Paul wrote to Timothy about elders and deacons, in I Timothy 3:1-13, he uses key words to describe the qualifications for any who might serve in these offices. Before we even begin to look at God’s instructions, let’s remind ourselves that the local church is God’s work. He, and only He, has the right and authority to mandate who is to lead and serve in His local work. Regardless of what any church constitution may say or require, the requirements in God’s Word trump any man-made document. Now, lets look with an open heart into the words that describe these offices. God says a man must “desire” the office of an elder. One should not be coerced into serving. Instead, he must have a desire, not for power or prestige, but only to serve the Lord by providing wise scriptural leadership. He must be “blameless.” This does not mean he must be totally without sin. It means he must have a good testimony of godliness with no major areas in which he could be accused of wrongdoing. Paul says he “must.” That means what follows is not an optional suggestion. It is an unwavering standard, regardless of public opinion, even within the church. An elder must “be apt [given to, able, or ready] to teach.” Leaders in God’s work must “have their senses exercised to discerned both good and evil” (Hebrews 5:14). The only way for a man to have the depth of knowledge needed to properly function as a leader in the local church is to be in the Word as a teacher. This is God’s requirement for God’s work.

These, and other requirements for leaders in the local church, are often ignored because they are not popular today. But words mean things. Can God count on you to stand for these standards in your local church?


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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Four Kinds of Prayer – I Timothy 2:1

A woman raised in a Christian home has maintained a rebellious and bitter spirit for decades. Her parents trusted in Christ when she was eleven. From that point on, the parents immersed themselves and their children in a Bible-teaching local church. Each of the children made professions of faith, but this woman was always the spiritually-rebellious one. She pushed the boundaries, made it clear she did not want to attend church, and resisted spiritual input. For decades after college, she seldom contacted her parents unless she wanted, or needed, something from them. Hers was not a loving relation or interaction, it was more a “what can you do for me now” attitude.

A believer does not need to have a rebellious or bitter spirit to interact with the Lord in prayer almost exclusively on the level of wanting things. We can drift into an imbalanced practice of prayer, only asking God to give us things or do things for us. But the Apostle Paul gives us a more mature picture of prayer when he writes: “I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks be made for all men” (I Timothy 2:1). Notice there are four different kinds of prayer listed in this passage. “Supplications” literally means to petition, make a request, or beg. Paul’s instruction in verse two reveals he believed, and wanted Timothy to believe, God sometimes intervenes in our circumstances in response to our prayers. Verse three explains that bringing our needs to the Lord in prayer “is good and acceptable in the sight of God our Saviour.” But Paul teaches that our interaction with the Lord should also include “prayers.” Specifically, this is a communication of worship. Our prayers should contain a balanced amount of acknowledging the greatness of our Lord’s attributes, such as His mercy, longsuffering, power, love, wisdom, and more. “Intercessions” refer to making requests, not for ourself, but for others. Paul’s letters are full of examples of him praying for the spiritual growth and well being of other believers. Finally, prayer should include “giving of thanks.” We live in times when gratitude and giving thanks to humans, and to the Lord, is becoming more uncommon. But for the believer, large portions of prayer time should include giving God thanks for all He has done and will do on our behalf. It’s part of a grateful, mature, and appreciative heart.

When you pause to pray, include all four of these aspects of prayer.


Free Mail Subscription

Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."


Remisión de pecados

“¿Es lo mismo la remisión de los pecados que el perdón de los pecados?”

Las palabras bíblicas a menudo pueden definirse por la forma en que los escritores del Nuevo Testamento citan el Antiguo Testamento. Por ejemplo, sabemos que las palabras liberación y salvación son las mismas, porque cuando Pablo cita a Joel, cambia la palabra “liberación” por “salvo” (Joel 2:32; Romanos 10:13). De la misma manera, sabemos que remisión y perdón son lo mismo, porque al citar a Jeremías, el escritor de Hebreos cambia la palabra “perdonar” por “remisión” (Jer. 31:34; Heb. 10:17,18).

Además, sabemos que Dios presentó a Cristo “como propiciación… para declarar su justicia para la remisión de los pecados pasados” (Romanos 3:25). Eso no se refiere a los pecados que ya pasaron en tu vida, sino a la remisión de los pecados de los santos del Antiguo Testamento como Abraham y David. Entonces, cuando leemos que Abraham también fue “justificado” (Ro. 4:1-3), y David fue “perdonado” (Ro. 4:7), tenemos que concluir que la remisión de los pecados también equivale a la justificación. como perdón.

Finalmente, si buscas la palabra “remitir” en un buen diccionario, una de las palabras que se utilizan para definirla es “perdonar”, y viceversa.

Violating One’s Conscience – I Timothy 1:5

When our daughters were still school age, my wife and I had very restrictive finances. Years earlier we had made a decision to make a particular provision for our daughters that we thought essential to their spiritual well-being. However, it had become increasingly more expensive and difficult to follow through with that decision. So, with great reluctance, we stopped that provision. For the next three weeks, I could not sleep at night, nor concentrate during the day, as I agonized over the impact our recent decision might have on our daughters. Then, not knowing how we were going to pay for it, we recommitted to the original provision for our girls. We simply could not violate our conscience any longer. By the way, God provided.

Twice in I Timothy 1, the Apostle Paul wrote to his son in the faith, Timothy, about the importance of not violating one’s conscience. Our God-given conscience is that inner judge that accuses us when we have done something wrong. Romans 2:15 describes the work of our conscience as a standard “…written in our hearts, their conscience also bearing witness, and their thoughts the mean while accusing or else excusing one another.” When Paul gave Timothy firm directives about ministry, he wrote: “Now the end of the commandment is charity [or love] out of a good conscience, and of faith unfeigned” (I Timothy 1:5). In order for Timothy to be effective in ministry and unhindered in his relationship with the Lord, one of the top three things he needed to maintain was a conscience that did not accuse him of wrong doing. The maintenance of his conscience was a directive so important that he referred to it not as good advice or mere instruction. Instead, he called it a “commandment.” Then, in verse 19, Paul continues by saying Timothy must also continue: “Holding faith, and a good conscience; which some having put away concerning faith have made shipwreck.” Paul was essentially saying that to violate one’s conscience is a slippery spiritual slope that had made others slide downward into error, and become unprofitable in the cause of Christ. At all costs, Timothy must never violate his inner conscience.

Dear believer, never violate your conscience. If you are doing something that your mind accuses as wrongdoing, cease immediately. If you are pondering a path you know will violate your conscience, don’t go there. Choose another path. It is extremely important to maintain a clear conscience before the Lord.


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Start each day with short, devotional articles taken from the book Daily Transformation by Pastor John Fredericksen. As Pastor Fredericksen writes in the introduction:

"We welcome you, as you journey with us..., to not only learn information, but to benefit from examples of faith and failure, and seek to apply God’s Word to every day life. Together, let’s transition from only studying theories of doctrine, to applying God’s truths in a practical way every day. May God use these studies to help you find daily transformation."