John 6:64
This topical discussion will answer the title question by asking a series of do you believe questions beginning with the creation story as recorded in Genesis 1:1which states, “In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth”, if we believe the scriptures; we are saying yes there is a God who is supreme and there is no other God accept Him. Do we believe that man was created in the likeness and image of God; man being created last in the creation process we see the love, care and responsibility God gave man. Also, man (humanity) was a special creation of God and not a product of evolution as some would have us to believe. Given the fact that man and woman were created in the image and likeness of God authenticates God’s desire to have a fellowship with man and we are to love Him as He loved us and reflect His glory and holiness. Man is to do this by knowing God and obeying Him because man possesses a moral likeness to God for he was sinless, holy and possessing wisdom, a heart of love and the will to do the right thing. In other words, man lived in complete harmony with God where there was fellowship and communication and total obedience until Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden.
What is man’s moral likeness to God? Man was created as personal beings with a spirit, mind, emotions, self-consciousness and the power to choose. In man’s emotions he/she have the capabilities to cry, feel, hurt and care about things of interest. Man being created in the image of God does not means that he is divine, but was created on a lower order and mankind is depended on God from beginning to end.
Do you believe when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and sin entered the world caused the downward spiral of humanity? Their disobedience caused a divide between man and God thus the plan of salvation was implemented because man needed a propiator to redeem him back to God. God promised humanity a redeemer; however it was forty-two generations for this promise to be fulfilled. Between the generations of man’s first sin and Christ’s coming to earth, man had become progressively wicked thus set in motion God’s moral laws, The Ten Commandments. What are some of the events that lead to God giving the Ten Commandments? We have the pre and post flood sins of humanity; only Noah and his family along with two animals of every kind was saved from that generation. During the post-flood generation, man continued in his idolatry and rebellion until God dispersed the human race by fragmenting their language and culture and scattered the human race throughout the earth. God made covenants after covenants which man failed to keep.
Do you believe the Ten Commandments are God’s moral laws and if obeyed by man some of society’s ills would be none existence? The Ten Commandments was written by God Himself and given to Moses on two tablets for the nation of Israel as to how they were to live. The Ten Commandments is a summary of God’s moral laws for Israel and describes Israel’s obligation to God and their fellowman. The same Ten Commandments remain obligatory for all humankind today that was confirmed by Christ and His apostle during the New Testament writings. Reflecting on the Ten Commandments we see the love we should have for God, our fellowman as well as the jealous nature of God when stated “Thou shall have no other god before me” (Exodus 20:3 KJV).
Do you believe God will get angry and bring punishment to the whole human race as depicted during Noah’s time? Romans 1:18 tell us, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of man, who hold the truth in unrighteousness.” Let’s explore God’s wrath which expresses His anger and response to all manner of sin. His wrath is provoked by the sins of individuals and nations alike. In the past God displayed His anger with the great flood (Genesis 6-8), famine, plagues (Ezekiel 6:11), annihilation of the land (Deuteronomy 29:22-23), scattering (Lamentations 4:16), and even burning the land (Isaiah 9:18-19). Currently we see God’s anger displayed by giving His people over to a reprobate mind for their sins which brings ruin and death to all that disobey His commandments (Romans 1:18-20; 6:23, Ezekiel 18:4; Ephesians 2:3). God’s wrath results in man being eternally separated form God for all who remain in sin. God in His love for humanity provided an escape route which is in Jesus Christ.
Since we have established that God does get angry and punishment is the results of His anger, but He provided a way for man to repent of his sins and be freed from the bondage of sin. The way is Jesus Christ. First, man has to admit he is a sinner. Second, confess his sins and third, turn for his sins all of which is based on the individual believing in Jesus Christ and accepting Him as God’s Son. This brings the writer to a series of questions regarding your beliefs of who is Jesus. Do you really believe that Jesus is God’s Son and was present during creation? Do you believe that Jesus is the second person in the Godhead? Do you believe He is the incarnated Christ and is eternal from the heavens and was not created along with all other creation? Do you believe Jesus was present with God the father and the Holy Spirit during creation? Genesis 1:26 records God saying “Let us.” Who is the “us”? The “us” is God the father, the Son, Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Believers who have accepted Jesus as their personal Savior will say “And we believe and are sure that thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:69). What do you believe?
Author’s contact information: Email- white3285@sbcglobal.net
Blog: http://willie-writing.blogspot.com
Website: www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com.
Friday, August 22, 2008
Thursday, August 14, 2008
Christ, our pathway to God
Hebrews 4:14-16
Let us begin this topical discussion by establishing who is Christ? First, Christ is God’s Son that He gave to be humanity’s propiator for our sins. Second, Jesus Christ is the second person in the Trinity and is reference in scripture as “the only begotten.” The phrase does not mean that Christ was created sometime in the distance past, but solidifies Christ’s unique relationship with God the Father and Christ as the only son of God from all eternity. Reflect with the writer to Jesus’ baptism, when all three persons of the Trinity appeared and God the Father authenticated who Jesus was with the statement, “Thou are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Who makes up the Trinity? The Godhead, Trinity is comprised of God, the Father, Christ, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. The one God exists in three identifiable persons operating in complete unity, which was demonstrated at Christ’s baptism. Third, John 1:1 refers to Christ as the “Word.” Here John represents Jesus Christ as the personal Word of God. Both Hebrews 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3 declares Christ as “the manifold Word of God,” thus giving rise to who Christ is.
Let’s explore John 1:1 a bit further by looking at the three characteristics of Christ being the Word of God. (A) Christ as the Word in relationship to the father, He was preexistent “with God.” Also, Christ is divine having the same nature and essence as the father (Colossians 2:9, Mark 1:11). (b) John depicts the “Word” in His relationship to the world that through Christ God the father created and sustains the world (v.3; Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2). (c) Finally, John presents Christ as “the Word” in relationship to humanity, where “the Word” was made flesh” (v.14) with the sole purpose of dying for humanity’s sins. What does this mean, it means that God’s Son took on human nature but remained sinless. Christ was the only one worthy and able to become mankind’s propiator.
Given all that we have discussed on who is Christ, and if there remains a question of how is Christ our pathway to God, then let’s answer the question from this perspective; Christ is eternal from the heaven. He has always existed with God the father and the Holy Spirit. His human birth was not the beginning of His existence. With His human birth He became God-man, meaning He was both God and human. While here on earth, Christ never lost His divinity. To further expound on the question, because of humanity’s sins there was a divide between God the father and man which resulted in God needing someone to bridge the gap. God the father Himself could not look on sin therefore; it required a sinless person to reconcile man back to God; the only person found suitable for this mission was Jesus Christ. During the reconciling process Christ took on humanity’s sins, thus becoming the shield that hides our sins from God, and when God looks at humanity He does not see our sins only if we, mankind has accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. So then the final answer to the question, Christ is our pathway to God in order for mankind to have access to the father, we must go through Jesus Christ for He is our Savior. The question now becomes, how did Christ become our Savior? Christ died for our sins at Calvary; accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, believers are made right with God the father. All who believe in Jesus Christ are no longer enemies of God. Furthermore, accepting Jesus as our Savior, we become children of God. What a blessing?
If humanity is wondering what Christ gave mankind to become our bridge/pathway to God, look to the synoptic gospels where they tell us of Christ laying down His life for humanity’s sins. Christ willingly gave His life for the sins of the world all in love for humanity. During the heavenly meeting when God the father needed someone to come to earth and reconcile man, God’s prize creation, Christ told His father to prepare Him a body and He would come to earth and save a sin sick world; this He did. What is it called? It is known as God’s gift of salvation, where mankind is safely delivered from the bondage of sin. In the saving process, there is several processes at work in the believer’s life; we are delivered from sin, we are made right with God, we are set aside and then believers take on a new beginning (birth/life). Therefore, when Christ presents us to God His father, what the father sees are His sinless believers (creatures) whom He loves dearly and wants a loving fellowship. Our relationship with God has been restored. This was done through Christ’s shed blood. What love? Thank God for Jesus and their working together to restore mankind (believers).
Finally to close this topical discussion with a summary question, why did God use Christ as our pathway to Him? First, God Himself is holy and cannot look on sin. Through Adam sin entered the human race and God pronounced the whole world guilty before Him and from that, it was declared that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Thus it mattered not of how righteous mankind tried to be because according to scripture “all of our righteousness is as filthy rags before God.” Given the truth of scripture then mankind was domed to die, because Romans 6:23states, “For the wages of sin is death’ but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Therefore, the whole human race was found unfit to save himself and was destined for eternal separation from God. The restoration requirements were someone without sin and Jesus Christ met all of the requirements.
Most of all Christ willingly gave His life to reconcile the human race back to His father. This was done in love for mankind. In doing so Christ became our Savior; accepting Him as Lord of our lives is a requirement if we want to see the father. Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is priceless given the price Christ paid. Therefore, Jesus bought humanity’s freedom from sin with His blood. Have you accepted our pathway to God? There is a standing invitation. Christ is waiting with out stretched arms saying, “Come unto me (Matthew 11:28); I am the way, truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Our sin bill is marked paid in full.
Author’s contact: email white3285@sbcglobal.net, www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com, http://willie-writing.blogspot.com.
Let us begin this topical discussion by establishing who is Christ? First, Christ is God’s Son that He gave to be humanity’s propiator for our sins. Second, Jesus Christ is the second person in the Trinity and is reference in scripture as “the only begotten.” The phrase does not mean that Christ was created sometime in the distance past, but solidifies Christ’s unique relationship with God the Father and Christ as the only son of God from all eternity. Reflect with the writer to Jesus’ baptism, when all three persons of the Trinity appeared and God the Father authenticated who Jesus was with the statement, “Thou are my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased” (Mark 1:11). Who makes up the Trinity? The Godhead, Trinity is comprised of God, the Father, Christ, the Son, and God, the Holy Spirit. The one God exists in three identifiable persons operating in complete unity, which was demonstrated at Christ’s baptism. Third, John 1:1 refers to Christ as the “Word.” Here John represents Jesus Christ as the personal Word of God. Both Hebrews 1:1-3 and John 1:1-3 declares Christ as “the manifold Word of God,” thus giving rise to who Christ is.
Let’s explore John 1:1 a bit further by looking at the three characteristics of Christ being the Word of God. (A) Christ as the Word in relationship to the father, He was preexistent “with God.” Also, Christ is divine having the same nature and essence as the father (Colossians 2:9, Mark 1:11). (b) John depicts the “Word” in His relationship to the world that through Christ God the father created and sustains the world (v.3; Colossians 1:16, Hebrews 1:2). (c) Finally, John presents Christ as “the Word” in relationship to humanity, where “the Word” was made flesh” (v.14) with the sole purpose of dying for humanity’s sins. What does this mean, it means that God’s Son took on human nature but remained sinless. Christ was the only one worthy and able to become mankind’s propiator.
Given all that we have discussed on who is Christ, and if there remains a question of how is Christ our pathway to God, then let’s answer the question from this perspective; Christ is eternal from the heaven. He has always existed with God the father and the Holy Spirit. His human birth was not the beginning of His existence. With His human birth He became God-man, meaning He was both God and human. While here on earth, Christ never lost His divinity. To further expound on the question, because of humanity’s sins there was a divide between God the father and man which resulted in God needing someone to bridge the gap. God the father Himself could not look on sin therefore; it required a sinless person to reconcile man back to God; the only person found suitable for this mission was Jesus Christ. During the reconciling process Christ took on humanity’s sins, thus becoming the shield that hides our sins from God, and when God looks at humanity He does not see our sins only if we, mankind has accepted Jesus Christ as our personal Savior. So then the final answer to the question, Christ is our pathway to God in order for mankind to have access to the father, we must go through Jesus Christ for He is our Savior. The question now becomes, how did Christ become our Savior? Christ died for our sins at Calvary; accepting Jesus Christ as our personal Savior, believers are made right with God the father. All who believe in Jesus Christ are no longer enemies of God. Furthermore, accepting Jesus as our Savior, we become children of God. What a blessing?
If humanity is wondering what Christ gave mankind to become our bridge/pathway to God, look to the synoptic gospels where they tell us of Christ laying down His life for humanity’s sins. Christ willingly gave His life for the sins of the world all in love for humanity. During the heavenly meeting when God the father needed someone to come to earth and reconcile man, God’s prize creation, Christ told His father to prepare Him a body and He would come to earth and save a sin sick world; this He did. What is it called? It is known as God’s gift of salvation, where mankind is safely delivered from the bondage of sin. In the saving process, there is several processes at work in the believer’s life; we are delivered from sin, we are made right with God, we are set aside and then believers take on a new beginning (birth/life). Therefore, when Christ presents us to God His father, what the father sees are His sinless believers (creatures) whom He loves dearly and wants a loving fellowship. Our relationship with God has been restored. This was done through Christ’s shed blood. What love? Thank God for Jesus and their working together to restore mankind (believers).
Finally to close this topical discussion with a summary question, why did God use Christ as our pathway to Him? First, God Himself is holy and cannot look on sin. Through Adam sin entered the human race and God pronounced the whole world guilty before Him and from that, it was declared that “All have sinned and come short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23). Thus it mattered not of how righteous mankind tried to be because according to scripture “all of our righteousness is as filthy rags before God.” Given the truth of scripture then mankind was domed to die, because Romans 6:23states, “For the wages of sin is death’ but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.” Therefore, the whole human race was found unfit to save himself and was destined for eternal separation from God. The restoration requirements were someone without sin and Jesus Christ met all of the requirements.
Most of all Christ willingly gave His life to reconcile the human race back to His father. This was done in love for mankind. In doing so Christ became our Savior; accepting Him as Lord of our lives is a requirement if we want to see the father. Accepting Christ as Lord and Savior is priceless given the price Christ paid. Therefore, Jesus bought humanity’s freedom from sin with His blood. Have you accepted our pathway to God? There is a standing invitation. Christ is waiting with out stretched arms saying, “Come unto me (Matthew 11:28); I am the way, truth and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me” (John 14:6). Our sin bill is marked paid in full.
Author’s contact: email white3285@sbcglobal.net, www.goodshepherdwritingandpublishing.com, http://willie-writing.blogspot.com.
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