Jesus Christ

The Lord: Saviour of the World

The Holy Bible gives God's Son manifold titles. 

However, the one that means so much to all of us as poor, helpless sinners is "Saviour"- which immediately instills hope within one's heart concerning salvation.

The very name Jesus means "salvation." Matthew 1:21 states, Thou shall call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins.

Multitudes today are trusting in man-made rituals to get them inside God's heaven. Yet, there isn't a ceremonial rite in all of Christendom's churches that can save a man. Jesus Christ alone is the only way to eternal life.

Christ's saving power

In that tremendous portion of Scripture often described as the "Magnificat," Mary, the mother of Jesus, cried out, My soul doth magnify the Lord, and my spirit hath rejoiced in God my Saviour (Luke 1:46,47).

In Luke 2, the angel of the Lord appeared to the shepherds, saying, Behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord (verses 10,11).

Also in Luke 2, Simeon had been waiting for the consolation or hope of Israel. He jubilantly exclaimed, Lord, now lettest thou thy servant depart in peace, according to thy word: For mine eyes have seen thy salvation (verses 29,30). He was looking upon the Christ child as he spoke those words.

Again in John 4, a wicked woman-who had five husbands and who was living under common law with number six-turned to Jesus Christ for forgiveness. Then she excitedly ran back to the city and told the people about her newfound joy in this Saviour who had blotted out her sordid past. The men of that city listened to the Lord's discourses for two days and exuberantly stated, Now we believe, not because of thy saying: for we have heard him ourselves, and know that this is indeed the Christ, the Saviour of the world (verse 42).

In Acts 5, Peter and some of the apostles were threatened with punishment, even unto death (verse 33). However, the great Apostle Peter so loved Jesus. He believed so strongly in the fact that Jesus was the only way of salvation and eternal life that he was willing to die in order that the message might be proclaimed. I can almost hear this impulsive preacher saying, We ought to obey God rather than men. The God of our fathers raised up Jesus, whom ye slew and hanged on a tree. Him hath God exalted with his right hand to be a Prince and a Saviour (verses 29-31). Acts 13:23 calls Him a Saviour, Jesus. Ephesians 5:23 says, Christ is the head of the church: and he is the saviour of the body.

Compare this verse with: 1 Corinthians 12:13, For by one Spirit are we all baptized into one body. 

The body of Christ, into which one is implanted at the time of regeneration, is the Church, and Ephesians 5:23 states that Christ is the Saviour of this body. Baptism, reformation, confirmation, works, creeds, and human efforts cannot place one into the true Church because only the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour of this body. Amen!

The Apostle Paul stated that one of the reasons he was willing to endure suffering, torture, and even death was because of his trust in the Saviour. Death could only mean that the One who saved him would welcome him home to heaven. Hear him in 1 Timothy 4:10. For therefore we both labour and suffer reproach, because we trust in the living God, who is the Saviour of all men, specially of those that believe.

In 2 Timothy 1:9 and 10, Paul went on to say that it was not a system of self-attainment through works that would place him eternally in the glory land, but rather a precious Saviour whose name was Jesus Christ. Listen to the simplicity of these instructive verses. [God] hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began. But is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ, who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel [or through the good news].

Again, He hath abolished death. What wonderful words! And [He] hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel. Immortality speaks of eternal life-and it comes through the gospel or the "good news."

Do you get the impact? Eternal life is through the gospel and gospel means "good news."

This good news is explained in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 where we find that Christ died, was buried, and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures. Put it all together and it simply says that everlasting life does not come through one's denominational record or good works.

It comes as a result of one's acceptance of the Saviour's death by the shedding of blood and of His resurrection. Titus 2:13 speaks of Christ's return by stating, Looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Notice that it is not Buddha, Mohammed, or Zoroaster who is the Saviour, but only the Lord Jesus Christ.

There is no other Saviour-Jesus is the only way. Second Peter 1:1 again calls Him our Saviour Jesus Christ.

Christ's earthly ministry

"Saviour" is not some honorary title which was bestowed upon the Lord Jesus Christ in recognition of His wonderful teachings.

Rather, it depicts His ministry upon earth and speaks of His saving power.

Presently, we are living in a time of rebellion. Corrupted mankind is trying to destroy all of our foundational structures.

This trend can also be witnessed in the religious world as apostate, liberal clergymen mock the doctrines of the virgin birth, the deity of Christ, His blood atonement upon the cross, and His bodily resurrection.

Many laugh at the statement "Jesus Saves" as if the word "saves" were an invention of some simpleton.

Our God predicted this would happen, and it is one of the signs of the end. 

Second Peter 2:1,2: But there were false prophets also among the people, even as there shall be [one of the signs] false teachers among you, who privity shall bring in damnable heresies, even denying the Lord that bought them, and bring upon themselves swift destruction. And many shall follow their pernicious ways; by reason of whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of.

There are two things one can do for these poor misguided souls: 

(1) pray for them, and (2) thank God for their presence because it means that Jesus Christ is coming soon to call Christians home. Let them laugh. The term saved was placed in the Bible scores of times by a holy God. One had better investigate and accept this truth if he is interested in eternal life.

I could quote numerous verses proving that salvation is of God and that God put this word in the Bible.

However, let's limit our discussion to those which speak exclusively about Christ being the way of salvation:

Thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins (Matthew 1:21).  

For the Son of man is come to save that which was lost (Matthew 18:11).  

God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him [Jesus] might be saved (John 3:17). 

Jesus said, I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved (John 10:9).  

I came not to judge the world, but to save the world (John 12:47). 

Paul said, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved (Acts 16:31). 

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ [not rites, ceremonies, rituals, the Sermon on the Mount, the Golden Rule, or the Ten Commandments, but the gospel or the good news of Christ]: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth (Romans 1:16).  

We shall be saved from wrath through him (Romans 5:9).  

If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved (Romans 10:9).

In 1 Corinthians 15:1,2 we find this statement, Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel [the good news] which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved.

How? 

Verses 3 and 4: Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; and...he was buried, and...he rose again the third day according to the scriptures. This alone is the message of the gospel, the good news, the only way of salvation. Christ died, shed His blood, and rose again.

Christ's redeeming blood

Christ's power to save all the world was wrought through His precious blood shed on Calvary. 

Leviticus 17:11: It is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. 

Acts 20:28: The church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood. 

First Peter 1:18,19: Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot. 

Revelation 1:5: Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood. Yes, 

Hebrews 9:22 without [the] shedding of blood [there] is no remission [of sins] .

It is not enough simply to state that Christ died-as so many intellectuals do today in order to do away with the sacrifice of His blood. A bloodless death on the cross would not have saved anyone. Let me repeat that. Had Christ died of a heart attack or of suffocation upon the cross, mankind would have been lost forever, for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul. Because of this fact, Christ came to earth to take upon himself a body with blood so that He might shed that blood for our sins (see Hebrews 10:5). When one receives this sacrifice of the shed blood of Jesus Christ, he is saved immediately.

Christ's redemptive purpose

If the Lord Jesus Christ is the Saviour and has saving power, we may conclude that He came to earth because sinners need saving. 

This is exactly what Paul said. This is a faithful saying, and worthy of all acceptation, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

Not only does this statement include everyone we know, but ourselves as well. Christ would have all men to be saved, including you and me (see 1 Timothy 2:4). [Christ] gave himself a ransom for all (1 Timothy 2:6).

The only reason some people will never get saved is that they do not realize that they are lost. They think they were born into sainthood just like the Pharisee in the temple.

He said, I thank thee, that I am not as other men are (Luke 18:11). However, Jesus said in Matthew 5:20, Except your righteousness shall exceed the righteousness of the scribes and Pharisees, ye shall in no case enter into the kingdom of heaven.

Why? 

The Pharisees were so caught up in the admiration of their own goodness that they were convinced they needed nothing from God-nothing at all! 

Yet, God says in Isaiah 64:6, We are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags. Galatians 3:22: The scripture hath concluded all under sin. Thus, God not only wants to save mankind from the misery of sin in this life, but also from the eternal penalty into which sin will drag those who reject Christ. He that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth [eternity] on him (John 3:36). 

Why? 

Because he won't receive the Son.

Oh, my friend, if you are lost, the Saviour longs to save you. 

You need saving because all are sinners and only through His blood can you be washed white. 

You may be whitewashed because you've had all the rituals of the Church performed upon you, but you really need to be washed white to inherit eternal life! 

Why not call on Him right now, saying, "Lord Jesus, come into my heart."

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Wise Men Still Seek Him (2)

'You will seek Me and find Me, when you search for Me with all your heart.' Jeremiah 29:13 NKJV

Notice where the wise men didn't find Christ: in the business world. Every motel in Bethlehem was sold out with a 'No vacancy' sign.

Not much has changed, eh?

1: Thirty percent of all retail sales in department stores take place over the Christmas-time holidays.
2: Fifty percent of all parties are held during Christmas and New Year.
3: One out of every ten litres of alcohol is sold then too.

Clearly, Jesus is good for business.

The trouble is, we prefer the myth to the Master. 

• We want a Santa but not a Saviour. 
• We want the fairy tale but not the fact. 

What fact? That Jesus Christ came into the world to save sinners (1 Timothy 1:15).

The story's told of a child who was chosen to play the innkeeper in the Christmas nativity, telling

Mary and Joseph that there was no room for them at the inn. But on the night of the big event, he stood onstage, looked into the faces of the audience, froze in fear, then smiled and announced, 'I'm not supposed to do this, but come on in anyway!' 

The hymnist wrote, 

'Room for pleasure, room for business, but for Christ the crucified; not a place that He can enter, in the heart for which He died.'

Instead of ending this Christmas exhausted, disappointed, and in debt, invite Jesus into your life. 

You may be looking back with regret on some bad decisions you've made this year, but making Jesus your Lord and Saviour this Christmas is the best decision you'll ever make.

SoulFood: Job 24-28, John 1:6-18, Ps 113, Ecc 10:10-14

Bob and Debby Gass
Tuesday, 24 December 2013

APPS available here

Wise Men Still Seek Him (1)

'...Wise men...came to Jerusalem, saying, Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?' Matthew 2:1-2 NKJV

Why would someone leave the comfort of their home, travel thousands of kilometres by camel, brave blistering deserts fraught with robbers and hazards to follow a star to an unfamiliar destination? 

There’s only one answer: wise men and women have always hungered for God. 

It’s said that the three most sought-out words on the internet today are ‘work’, ‘sex’ and ‘God’. 

Work addresses our need for security; sex addresses our need for companionship and intimacy; God addresses our need to be forgiven, to experience peace and joy, and understand our life’s purpose on earth.

It’s why primitive tribes who don’t know God make gods out of mountains, trees and rocks. Deep down we all have a need to experience something bigger than ourselves; someone capable of loving us, protecting and directing us. 

When his life fell apart Job cried, ‘Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, that I might come to His seat!’ (Job 23:3 NKJV) 

The ancient Greeks had an altar on Mars Hill with the inscription, ‘To the unknown God’. Then Paul told them, ‘…What you worship as something unknown I am going to proclaim to you.’ (Acts 17:23 NIV) 

The good news of Christmas is, you can seek God and find Him, by coming to know Jesus as your own personal Saviour. 

Hosea called Israel back to God with these words: ‘Oh, that we might know the Lord! Let us press on to know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn…’ (Hosea 6:3 NLT)

SoulFood: Job 21-23, Luke 2:1-7, Ps 128, Ecc 10:5-9

Monday, 23 December 2013

APPS available here

Wise Men Still Seek Him (4)

'Search the Scriptures, for...these are they which testify of Me.' John 5:39 NKJV

The birth of Jesus divides history into two parts: B.C. (before Christ) and A.D. (after Christ).

History is - His story!

Let's observe where else the wise men didn't find Christ: in the church. Amazing, isn't it?

Teachers and theologians pored over their dusty parchments as they had done for generations.

They taught their congregations the Messiah was coming, but they failed to recognise or acknowledge Him when He arrived.

Yet the Old Testament Scriptures they read were filled with it. 

They described His ancestry: God told Abraham, '...All peoples on earth will be blessed through you and your offspring' (Genesis 28:14 NIV).

They identified the tribe from which He would be born: 'The sceptre shall not depart from Judah, nor a lawgiver from between his feet, until Shiloh [the Prince of Peace] come; and to Him shall be the obedience of the people' (Genesis 49:10 NKJV).

They described His family of origin: 'A shoot will come up from the stump of Jesse [father of David]; from his roots a Branch will bear fruit. The Spirit of the Lord will rest on Him...' (Isaiah 11:1-2 NIV).

They foretold His virgin birth: '...The virgin will be with child and will give birth to a son, and will call Him Immanuel [which means God with us]' (Isaiah 7:14 NIV).

The prophet Daniel actually declared the time of His birth (Daniel 9:25).
And this God of precision and forethought has a plan for your life too - the only plan that can satisfy and bring you happiness.

And the good news is: He comes by invitation.

So invite Him into your life today.

Soul Food: Job 29-31, Luke 2:8-20, Ps 117, Ecc 10:15-19

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Thursday, 26 December 2013

APPS available here

Wise Men Still Seek Him (3)

'That they should seek the Lord, in the hope that they might...find Him, though He is not far from each one of us.' Acts 17:27 NKJV

When Jesus was born, the biggest issue of the day was wanting lower taxes and a different government.

Sound familiar?

In Jerusalem, the capital, we read, 'When Herod the King heard [about Jesus], he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him' (Matthew 2:3 NKJV).

As a result, he committed one of history's greatest atrocities by killing every Jewish baby boy under the age of two, in order to get at Jesus.

And today Jesus still forces a reaction in the hearts of men and women! 

That's why some people want to take Him out of the classroom, the courtroom and government. The forces of darkness are set on a course of trying to remove His name, His influence and His authority from all public life.

Why? Because when you do away with God, there's no higher power than yourself, so you get to play God! 

Lenin, the father of Russian Communism, is reputedly said of Christ, 'His kingdom is invisible, His rule is in the hearts of men, so He can't be tolerated.' As a result, over 20 million people died during the Russian Revolution in an attempt to build an atheistic state.

But fighting God is futile; it's a battle you can't win, because ultimately '...every knee shall bow... and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord' (Philippians 2:10-11 NIV).

Every prophecy concerning Christ's first coming was fulfilled to the letter, and every prophecy concerning His second coming will be too.

So if you want to meet Him in peace, surrender your life to Him today and accept Him as your Saviour. 
4cm Editors note:{How to be Saved} 

Soul Food: Isa 7:14, Isa 9:6-7, Micah 5:2-5a, Matt 1:18-25 (Christmas Day)

Written by Bob & Debby Gass
Wednesday, 25 December 2013

APPS available here

Deity of Christ

The thought of an eternal God being born may seem to be a contradiction of terms, but when one studies the God-man, the Lord Jesus Christ, insurmountable evidence supporting this truth manifests itself upon the pages of Holy Writ.

The teachings of Christ's deity must be an accepted truth if one is to enter the eternal home of the redeemed.

John, in his first epistle, makes this dogmatic assertion: That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life; (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and show unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us) (1 John 1:1,2).

There is no doubt that the One John saw, heard, and touched was that Eternal Life which was with the Father.

In chapter 2, verse 22, of this same epistle, John goes on to say, Who is a liar but he that denieth...the Father and the Son. When one denies that Christ is the eternal One who came to earth clothed in human flesh, this skeptic or doubter immediately is classified as a liar and an antichrist. Since no liar or antichrist may enter the presence of God in that condition, it is abundantly clear that the one who denies the eternity of Christ is lost.

In 1 John 4:1 another warning is presented. Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. 

How does one recognize the false prophets? 

Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: and every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist... (verses 2-3). Since spirits refers to teachers or preachers, the apostle is saying that preachers denying the doctrine of God coming in the flesh are preachers or teachers possessed by the spirit of Antichrist. God wrote it. I only quote it, but I believe it.

Then John states in chapter 5, verse 1, Whosoever believeth that Jesus is the Christ is born of God. Messiah, translated Christus or Christ means "the Sent One".

Since He was sent from the Father, the conclusive proof is that He already existed. If He preexisted His mission to earth, He did not begin in Bethlehem's manger. The teaching of the Holy Bible is that He eternally existed as God, the second member of the Trinity, and came to earth to be clothed with a body containing blood so that He might die for sinners.

• Is He really God? 
• Did He really exist before His birth upon earth? 
• What does the Holy Spirit state in the Word of God?

Christ’s deity in the Old Testament

Isaiah 9:6 states, For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder. This prophet speaks about Christ's incarnation and humanity in the phrase a child is born and about His eternity and deity in the other phrase a son is given. Incarnation comes from the Latin words in and carnis, meaning "flesh" or "in the flesh". Thus, at this incarnation or coming in the flesh, He was the child born. However, as the son given. He always existed-uncreated and unborn.

Micah 5:2 states, ... Whose [His] goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. This again points to the uncreated, eternal Son of God. Psalm 45:6: Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: the sceptre of thy kingdom is a right sceptre.

This great Old Testament scripture, addressed to God, is about the Lord Jesus Christ.

Who said so?

The greatest authority in heaven and earth-Jehovah, the Father.

Prove it? I will!

In Hebrews 1:8 we find Jehovah God of the Old Testament speaking: Unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.

Isn't this fantastic?

The Father calls Christ "God" for ever and ever. 

Followers of Jehovah would be wise to listen to His voice and give Christ the glory due His holy name. God had His Son with Him from all eternity past. Christ was present when the human race was created. The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit were involved in Genesis 1:26 when God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. The pronouns us and our speak of a plurality or trinity of personages. This same Christ was present when the earth was formed and set into motion. Proverbs 30:4: Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son's name, if thou canst tell? The Son is present in the Old Testament scriptures hundreds of years before His human birth occurs in the New Testament. Rational, logical contemplation makes one realize that He preexisted as God, the Son.

Christ's deity in the New Testament (The Trinity)

The title of "God" is given to our Saviour on numerous occasions. Matthew 1:23 declares, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. In the first chapter of John, Christ is called "the Word." Verse 14: And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us.

The only member of the Trinity who became flesh was Christ. 

Since the term Word is synonymous with Christ, as has just been proven, let's put the term Christ in place of Word in John 1:1-3 and see the results. In the beginning was [Christ], and [Christ] was with God, and [Christ] was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by [Christ]; and without [Christ] was not any thing made that was made.

John 1:10 states, He [Christ] was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

Now we have just heard from the Author of this book, the Holy Spirit, who said that Christ was from the beginning, that He was God, and that He created the world. Yes, Christ shared this creative ministry with the Father and Holy Spirit. This is so because all three members of the one Godhead always existed.

To prove that the Holy Spirit was also present at the time of creation, one need only study Genesis 1:1,2. In the beginning God [this is the plural noun Elohim, meaning "more than one"] created the heaven and the earth. And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters.

The combining of John 1:10 and Genesis 1:1,2 proves conclusively that the entire Trinity was present at the creation of the world.

Some scoff at the teaching of a Trinity. 

They say, "The word Trinity is not found in the Bible, so there can't be such a doctrine." Well, the word Bible is not found in the Bible either, but I guarantee that there is such a book-and the teaching of the Trinity is found repeatedly throughout God's Word. Man has given the title "Trinity" to the doctrine because the meaning of the word is "three."

Since there are three- Father, Son, and Holy Spirit-"Trinity" is a properly designated theological term.

Let's continue our search of the scriptures concerning the deity of Christ. 

The Philippian jailor cried out in Acts 16:30, ... Sirs, what must I do to be saved?  Paul and Silas replied, Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shall be saved, ... and thy house (verse 31).

The entire family made a commitment to this Christ and verse 34 finds them rejoicing.

Why? Because they believed in God with all their house. Here is unequivocal proof that Christ is God. Compare the two verses again. Acts 16:31: Believe on the Lord Jesus Christ, and thou shalt be saved, and thy house. Verse 34 says he believed in God- the Christ of verse 31.

Again we see the truth in Romans 9:5 which states, ... Christ came, who is over all, God blessed for ever....  First Timothy 3:16 declares, ... Great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh... , Hebrews 1:8 says, But unto the Son he saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever...

This is Jehovah God telling the world that His Son is God. 

Never mind the book peddlers who run from door to door with their teaching of Christ being an inferior God, a little created God. Some even call Him Michael, the archangel. Jehovah knows everything for He is omniscient and all-wise, and He calls Jesus "God."

I say with Paul in Romans 3:4, ... Let God be true, but every man a liar...

Christ’s Deity through a comparison of Old and New Testament texts

Perhaps the most interesting and exciting proof of Christ's deity is discovered when one compares the statements of God in the Old Testament with His revealed truth in the New.

For example, in Isaiah 42:8, God states, I am the LORD: that is my name: and my glory will I not give to another, neither my praise to graven images. Since Jehovah will not give His glory to another but is willing to share it with Christ, it is only logically deductible to say that they must be one and coequal.

The sharing of this glory takes place when God's people lay their crowns at the feet of the Saviour in Revelation 4:11, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created

Again the King of glory is Jehovah in Psalm 24:10. Who is this King of glory? The LORD of hosts, he is the King of glory. The noun LORD in this text is the Hebrew word Jehovah, the name of the Father.

However, when one examines 1 Corinthians 2:8, he discovers that the Lord of glory was crucified. Thus Christ is also called the Lord of glory. Will you Bible manipulators tell me how there can be two Lords of glory, coequal, if there is no Trinity?

Once again Isaiah 9:6 calls the child born and the son given, ... The mighty God, The everlasting Father...

If these are titles of the Son, how many mighty Gods and everlasting Fathers are there?

The answer is one because of the unity and oneness of the Trinity. Jesus said, I and my Father are one (John 10:30). Psalm 10:16 says, The LORD [Jehovah] is King for ever and ever... Again we have problems if there is no Trinity because we now have two kings.

When one studies Revelation 19:11,16, he finds that Christ, the King of kings, comes to set up His kingdom upon this earth. And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and he that sat upon him was called Faithful and True. Verse 16: And he hath on his vesture and on his thigh a name written, KING OF KINGS, AND LORD OF LORDS.

This constant reiteration of identical names and titles for both Father and Son can mean only one thing to honest, searching hearts. It is that Christ is God, coequal with the Father and Holy Spirit. Isaiah 45:5 states, There is no god [but Jehovah] and yet 1 Timothy 3:16 tells us that ... God was made manifest [came] in the flesh... The only solution is the doctrine of the Triune God which the saints of all ages have proclaimed. The only groups in the annals of history that ever fought this precious truth were rebel-rousing heretics.

Mr. Scoffer, you who would make Christ but a mere man, what will you do with Jonah 2:9? ... Salvation is of the LORD. Or Isaiah 43:11 which says, I, even I, am the LORD [Jehovah]; and beside me there is no saviour.

If there is no other Saviour but Jehovah, and Christ is called "the Saviour" scores of times in the Bible, then He and the Father must be one or there are two Saviours. Christ is the God who left the bosom of the Father to die on Calvary's cross. There He shed the pure sinless blood that coursed through His veins so that sinners might be eternally saved. The Bible teaches that He is the only Saviour.

Acts 4:12: Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved. Since both Jehovah and Christ are called "Saviour," let's believe that the Trinity alone presents the answer.

Christ was incarnated, not created

There are those who teach that the Father always existed and that Christ was created.

Perish the thought!

Christ always existed and was not created. Isaiah 43:10 states, ... Before me there was no God formed, neither shall there be after me. In simple English, no God was created before or after Jehovah.

They coexisted as a Trinity eternally. 

Thus Christ was from all eternity or He wasn't. Either He always existed or He didn't. Since no God was created before or after Jehovah, we take Micah 5:2 for what it says about the One who was to come to earth and experience a human birth. He was ... from of old, from everlasting. Thus, His human birth was not His creation. Rather, as we discussed earlier in this chapter, the word incarnation comes from the Latin words in and carnis, meaning "in the flesh."

An eternal God having a birth is not contradictory. 

In eternity He was God. 

To become a man, a birth had to occur.

None of us can become another species without the miracle of a birth. God had to become incarnated (become flesh) so that He could shed the pure, sinless blood that flowed in His veins. The miracle of the Holy Spirit's insemination of the virgin Mary's ova and womb with the body and blood of God the Son made this shedding of blood possible. This was a necessity because the blood of animals could not take away sin, only cover the sinner's transgression.

Hebrews 10:4 states, For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. So verse 5 has Christ saying, ... A body hast thou prepared me. God lived in that body, went to the cross in that body, shed the blood in that body to take away the sins that had only been covered, died in that body, arose three days later in that same body, ascended to heaven in that body, and will throughout eternity live in that body in which He had the birth. For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9).

There it is. The eternal God left heaven to be born into human flesh because a body could contain sinless blood through a virgin birth. That blood was shed for sins and can wash you from every stain and taint of this world's defilement when you put your trust in the God in whom the Philippian jailor trusted, the Lord Jesus Christ.

Do it today.

A MESSAGE OF HOPE FROM DR. JACK VAN IMPE

Christ in OT

Christ's Death and Resurrection In the Old Testament

“And I will pour on the house of David and on the inhabitants of Jerusalem the Spirit of grace and supplication; then they will look on Me whom they pierced…” — Zechariah 12:10

“…Thus it is written, and thus it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day:” — Luke 24:46

After his resurrection, Jesus met two men on the road to Emmaus, and he expected them to already understand through the Scriptures that Christ was meant to suffer and die. “And beginning at Moses and all the prophets, he expounded unto them in all the scriptures the things concerning himself,” (Luke 24:26–27).

We would all have loved to be there on the road to Emmaus that day, walking with the resurrected Jesus himself as he detailed the different prophecies that concerned his death and resurrection. Still, the apostles and other New Testament writers do a good job of filling us in. The Old Testament is filled with prophecies and types of Jesus’ suffering and death and resurrection as payment for the sins of the world, and the New Testament points those out.

Psalm 16:8–11

Simon Peter starts out on the day of Pentecost explaining that Jesus the Messiah had risen from the dead, “Whom God hath raised up, having loosed the pains of death: because it was not possible that he should be holden of it,” (Acts 2:24). Peter then pulled from the Psalms to prove the truth of his testimony.

“For David speaketh concerning him, I foresaw the Lord always before my face, for he is on my right hand, that I should not be moved: Therefore did my heart rejoice, and my tongue was glad; moreover also my flesh shall rest in hope: Because thou wilt not leave my soul in hell, neither wilt thou suffer thine Holy One to see corruption. Thou hast made known to me the ways of life; thou shalt make me full of joy with thy countenance.

“Men and brethren, let me freely speak unto you of the patriarch David, that he is both dead and buried, and his sepulchre is with us unto this day. Therefore being a prophet, and knowing that God had sworn with an oath to him, that of the fruit of his loins, according to the flesh, he would raise up Christ to sit on his throne; He seeing this before spake of the resurrection of Christ, that his soul was not left in hell, neither his flesh did see corruption. This Jesus hath God raised up, whereof we all are witnesses.” — Acts 2:24–32

Psalm 22

The sacrifice and resurrection of the Messiah are throughout the Old Testament. Psalm 22, written by King David a millennium before Christ, gives us the very perspective of the Lord hanging on the cross. It describes how the people mocked Christ (Psalm 22:7–8; Mat 27:41–43), how they cast lots to divide up his clothes (Psalm 22:18; Mat 27:35), how his bones were out of joint (Psalm 22:14), how the wicked had surrounded him and pierced his hands and feet (Psalm 22:16) – the scars of which Thomas later got to touch and feel (John 20:27). 

Psalm 22 ends by saying God’s righteousness would be declared to “a people that shall be born” (Psalm 22:31).

The Sign of Jonah

The Bible is also full of types and foreshadowings. Jesus Christ is throughout the Old Testament in a variety of details. 

For instance, before his death and resurrection, Jesus offered simply the “sign of Jonah” as a foreshadowing of how long he would be dead.

“For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” — Matthew 12:40

Isaiah 53

Isaiah 52:13–53:12 offers one of the most profound prophecies in the entire Old Testament, written over 700 years before Christ’s death and resurrection.

“He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not. Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.” — Isaiah 53:3–6

Some have argued that this passage refers to Israel, but in the context that explanation makes little sense. Isaiah clearly says in verse 53:8, “for the transgression of my people was he stricken.” That is, “he” stands in contrast to Israel, Isaiah’s people.

In the next verse 9, Isaiah says: “And he made his grave with the wicked, and with the rich in his death; because he had done no violence, neither was any deceit in his mouth.”

It cannot be said of Israel that there was no deceit in her mouth.

On the other hand, Jesus was crucified between two thieves (Mark 15:27), and yet was buried in the grave of Joseph of Arimathaea, a wealthy man with enough standing to go ask Pilate for Jesus’ body (Mark15:43–46).

In Isaiah 53:10, we get a hint at a resurrection, because after his soul is made “an offering for sin” he will then “prolong his days.”

In the end, Isaiah says in verse 12 that God would reward this righteous servant (numbered with the transgressors, but not one himself), “he shall divide the spoil with the strong; because he hath poured out his soul unto death: and he was numbered with the transgressors; and he bare the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors.”

Our Redeemer Lives

In the oldest book of the Bible, written even before Moses wrote the Pentateuch, Job prophesied from the ash heap where he suffered. He declared in verses 19:25–26:

“For I know that my redeemer liveth, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth. And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God.”

Passover

These prophecies are just the beginning, of course. Exodus 12:1–28 describes the feast of Passover. It was set up as a type of Christ, one that gave the Hebrews an understanding of the use of a perfect lamb as a sacrifice, the blood of which would protect those under it from the wrath of God, the angel of death. The Jews were to prepare for the feast by removing all leaven from their homes, symbolic of removing sin from their lives.

Paul the scholar writes in 1 Corinthians 5:7, “Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us.”

The Pure Spotless Lamb

Peter describes how we are saved by “the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.” Just as John the Baptist understood, Jesus was the fulfillment of the Levitical system of blood sacrifice (e.g. Lev 8–9). Jesus was the true spotless lamb whose blood could take away sins. The sacrifice of bulls and goats could never take away sin, as the writer of Hebrews noted in verses 10:4–5, quoting Psalm 40:6:

“For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and of goats should take away sins. Wherefore when he cometh into the world, he saith, Sacrifice and offering thou wouldest not, but a body hast thou prepared me.”

The sacrifice of Jesus Christ for the sins of humanity was not an afterthought of God. It was always the plan from the beginning. Revelation 13:8 calls Jesus, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.”

Throughout the Law and the Prophets, God revealed His eternal plan of redemption to mankind. In advance, He described the sacrifice and resurrection of the Messiah. It was a plan He had purposed before He had even formed humanity. He then accomplished it, and through Jesus Christ we have the victory now and forever.

Praise the King!

“He will swallow up death in victory; and the Lord GOD will wipe away tears from off all faces; and the rebuke of his people shall he take away from off all the earth: for the LORD hath spoken it.” — Isaiah 25:8


from the March 26, 2013 eNews issue
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