Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To Eternal Life - Part One
We have considered how Jesus is truly The Way to many good things: He is The Way:
To a better life (by correcting misconceptions and teaching us to seek new goals)
To forgiveness of sins (by offering Himself as a propitiation, or sacrifice, for our sins)
To God (by helping us first to comprehend God, then to be able to approach Him in a close,
personal relationship)
Out of religious confusion (through His own example, and by guiding us through His apostles’
doctrine)
In this study, we shall see why we can also say Jesus is The Way To Eternal Life. Please Note: In this study we shall be considering those passages which use the expression "eternal life" as a future hope, which will be realized after this life. In the writings of John, the expression "eternal life" is often used differently, referring to that "abundant life" which stresses a new relationship with God and Jesus, and is a present possession of those who have come to "know" them - see for example Jn 17:3; 1 Jn 5:13,20
First, let’s note several reasons why Jesus is the way to eternal life. He has prepared a place for us as He told His disciples the night before His crucifixion "for I go to prepare a place for you" - Jn 14:2. He will come and receive us to Himself as He told His disciples - Jn 14:2-3 "There are many rooms in my Father's house. I wouldn't tell you this, unless it was true. I am going there to prepare a place for each of you. After I have done this, I will come back and take you with me. Then we will be together." As Paul wrote of this wonderful event - 1 Th 4:15-17 "Our Lord Jesus told us that when he comes, we won't go up to meet him ahead of his followers who have already died. With a loud command and with the shout of the chief angel and a blast of God's trumpet, the Lord will return from heaven. Then those who had faith in Christ before they died will be raised to life. Next, all of us who are still alive will be taken up into the clouds together with them to meet the Lord in the sky. From that time on we will all be with the Lord forever."
He will judge as to who will enter life eternal as depicted in the final judgment scene - Mt 25:31 "When the Son of Man comes in his glory with all of his angels, he will sit on his royal throne.", 41 "Then the king will say to those on his left, "Get away from me! You are under God's curse. Go into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels!" Also described by Paul - 2 Co 5:10 "After all, Christ will judge each of us for the good or the bad that we do while living in these bodies."
Jesus is what makes eternal life wonderful together with God, who will dwell with men - Re 21:1-4 "I saw a new heaven and a new earth. The first heaven and the first earth had disappeared, and so had the sea. Then I saw New Jerusalem, that holy city, coming down from God in heaven. It was like a bride dressed in her wedding gown and ready to meet her husband. I heard a loud voice shout from the throne: God's home is now with his people. He will live with them, and they will be his own. Yes, God will make his home among his people. He will wipe all tears from their eyes, and there will be no more death, suffering, crying, or pain. These things of the past are gone forever." They shall be the "temple" - Re 21:22 "I did not see a temple there. The Lord God All-Powerful and the Lamb were its temple." Jesus will be the "light" - Re 21:23 "And the city did not need the sun or the moon. The glory of God was shining on it, and the Lamb was its light." They shall be a source of "the water of life" - Re 22:1-5 "The angel showed me a river that was crystal clear, and its waters gave life. The river came from the throne where God and the Lamb were seated. Then it flowed down the middle of the city's main street. On each side of the river are trees that grow a different kind of fruit each month of the year. The fruit gives life, and the leaves are used as medicine to heal the nations. God's curse will no longer be on the people of that city. He and the Lamb will be seated there on their thrones, and its people will worship God and will see him face to face. God's name will be written on the foreheads of the people. Never again will night appear, and no one who lives there will ever need a lamp or the sun. The Lord God will be their light, and they will rule forever."
Jesus makes eternal life what it is, which explains Paul’s aspirations - 2 Co 5:8 "We should be cheerful, because we would rather leave these bodies and be at home with the Lord."; Ph 1:23 "It is a hard choice to make. I want to die and be with Christ, because that would be much better." When we understand all this, would there be eternal life without Jesus? Not according to the Bible! Jesus is truly The Way to eternal life! Since Jesus is the way to eternal life, in our next continuing lesson we will consider what Jesus has to say about it...?
Sunday, November 27, 2005
Sunday, November 20, 2005
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part Two
Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part Two
Notice that those who gladly responded in faith, repentance and baptism were "added". To what and by whom were they "added"? We find the answer in verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord's church (His "ekklesia"). This "called-out" assembly or group was created when the gospel was proclaimed and people responded to it.
At first, the church existed only in Jerusalem and then expanded through preaching of the gospel. As the gospel spread, and people responded to it, groups of these saved people in various
cities met together. Each group became known as a church in a local sense (in contrast to the church universal which is made up of all those saved throughout the world). For example, during Paul's first missionary journey, many such churches were established - Ac 14:21-23 "Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in Derbe and won some people to the Lord. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, "We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God's kingdom." Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches. Then they went without eating and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders." By simply teaching the gospel of Christ, a local church was formed when those who obeyed the gospel joined together in their work and worship.
These local churches were then edified through the Apostle’s doctrine. Though united in Christ, these local churches were independent of any human association or federation of churches. Christ directed them through His inspired apostles, as they taught them how to worship and work together - Ac 2:42 "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together." Sometimes this teaching by the apostles was done directly, other times by appointed emissaries - 1 Co 4:17 "That's why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church." Just as often, the teaching was done through the epistles or letters written by the apostles - 1 Co 14:37 "If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know that I am writing only what the Lord has commanded."; 1 Ti 3:14-15 "I hope to visit you soon. But I am writing these instructions, so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."; 2 Th 2:14-15 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. My friends, that's why you must remain faithful and follow closely what we taught you in person and by our letters."; 3:14 "Be on your guard against any followers who refuse to obey what we have written in this letter. Put them to shame by not having anything to do with them." When we read what the Bible says us about the Lord’s church, we learn that by responding to the gospel and paying close heed to the "apostles’ doctrine" (cf. Ac 2:42), people in the first century were able to be Christians only, without all the confusion prevalent today.
Is it possible for us to do this today? Yes! Here is how. First, the way out of religious confusion is to accept the call of the gospel. Remember, Christ calls us into His ekklesia (church) through the gospel. Therefore, we can begin by obeying the same instructions that Peter gave on the Day of Pentecost - Ac 2:38 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit." Repenting of our sins, and being baptized for the remission of our sins, we then receive the same blessings as did the 3000 on that day: salvation! By being saved in this manner, we know that the Lord truly adds us to His church just as He added them - Ac 2:47 "while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved."
-- What then...? Follow the example of the early Christians. The early Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine - Ac 2:42 "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together." They joined no other religious organization, and neither should we! In Christ, we are automatically united with all others who are in Him! As members of the Lord's church, we should study carefully the New Testament description of the church that continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. This description is found in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles which follow it. It is here that we will find instructions from the Lord's apostles on how:
To worship the Lord acceptably.
To be scripturally organized as local congregations.
To live and work together as Christians, spreading the gospel of Christ through.word and example.
Since the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit, we may be sure their instructions were exactly what Jesus wanted them to be! If we duplicate the early churches by following the apostles' instructions, we will simply be "Christians", and we can be certain the Lord is pleased with us. As Jesus said to His apostles about those who would receive or reject their instructions:
"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." - Lk 10:16
Simply being a Christian, and duplicating a New Testament congregation is not as difficult as one might think. There are literally thousands of such congregations throughout the world. There is likely one in your area right now! (Feel free to contact me if you would like to try and locate the nearest one.). There is also the option of starting a congregation in your own home by following the example and teachings of Jesus, as revealed by His apostles, we can be led out of
the religious confusion that dominates the religious world today! Do you want to be simply a Christian, a member of the Lord's church we read about in the New Testament...? If so, then I plead with you to first render obedience to the gospel of Christ as proclaimed by Peter and all the apostles - read Ac 2:36-38. You have the assurance of God's Word that you will then be added by the Lord Himself to His church - read Ac 2:47. Then, you have the responsibility to learn and follow the apostles' doctrine as you serve the Lord Jesus in your life - read Ac 2:42. If you have not yet responded to the commands of the gospel as put forth by Peter in Ac 2:38, why not let the reaction of those who did on the Day of Pentecost describe your actions today:
"Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." - Ac 2:41
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part Two
Notice that those who gladly responded in faith, repentance and baptism were "added". To what and by whom were they "added"? We find the answer in verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord's church (His "ekklesia"). This "called-out" assembly or group was created when the gospel was proclaimed and people responded to it.
At first, the church existed only in Jerusalem and then expanded through preaching of the gospel. As the gospel spread, and people responded to it, groups of these saved people in various
cities met together. Each group became known as a church in a local sense (in contrast to the church universal which is made up of all those saved throughout the world). For example, during Paul's first missionary journey, many such churches were established - Ac 14:21-23 "Paul and Barnabas preached the good news in Derbe and won some people to the Lord. Then they went back to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch in Pisidia. They encouraged the followers and begged them to remain faithful. They told them, "We have to suffer a lot before we can get into God's kingdom." Paul and Barnabas chose some leaders for each of the churches. Then they went without eating and prayed that the Lord would take good care of these leaders." By simply teaching the gospel of Christ, a local church was formed when those who obeyed the gospel joined together in their work and worship.
These local churches were then edified through the Apostle’s doctrine. Though united in Christ, these local churches were independent of any human association or federation of churches. Christ directed them through His inspired apostles, as they taught them how to worship and work together - Ac 2:42 "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together." Sometimes this teaching by the apostles was done directly, other times by appointed emissaries - 1 Co 4:17 "That's why I sent Timothy to you. I love him like a son, and he is a faithful servant of the Lord. Timothy will tell you what I do to follow Christ and how it agrees with what I always teach about Christ in every church." Just as often, the teaching was done through the epistles or letters written by the apostles - 1 Co 14:37 "If you think of yourself as a prophet or a spiritual person, you will know that I am writing only what the Lord has commanded."; 1 Ti 3:14-15 "I hope to visit you soon. But I am writing these instructions, so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."; 2 Th 2:14-15 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ. My friends, that's why you must remain faithful and follow closely what we taught you in person and by our letters."; 3:14 "Be on your guard against any followers who refuse to obey what we have written in this letter. Put them to shame by not having anything to do with them." When we read what the Bible says us about the Lord’s church, we learn that by responding to the gospel and paying close heed to the "apostles’ doctrine" (cf. Ac 2:42), people in the first century were able to be Christians only, without all the confusion prevalent today.
Is it possible for us to do this today? Yes! Here is how. First, the way out of religious confusion is to accept the call of the gospel. Remember, Christ calls us into His ekklesia (church) through the gospel. Therefore, we can begin by obeying the same instructions that Peter gave on the Day of Pentecost - Ac 2:38 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit." Repenting of our sins, and being baptized for the remission of our sins, we then receive the same blessings as did the 3000 on that day: salvation! By being saved in this manner, we know that the Lord truly adds us to His church just as He added them - Ac 2:47 "while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved."
-- What then...? Follow the example of the early Christians. The early Christians continued steadfastly in the apostles' doctrine - Ac 2:42 "They spent their time learning from the apostles, and they were like family to each other. They also broke bread and prayed together." They joined no other religious organization, and neither should we! In Christ, we are automatically united with all others who are in Him! As members of the Lord's church, we should study carefully the New Testament description of the church that continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine. This description is found in the Book of Acts and in the Epistles which follow it. It is here that we will find instructions from the Lord's apostles on how:
To worship the Lord acceptably.
To be scripturally organized as local congregations.
To live and work together as Christians, spreading the gospel of Christ through.word and example.
Since the apostles were guided by the Holy Spirit, we may be sure their instructions were exactly what Jesus wanted them to be! If we duplicate the early churches by following the apostles' instructions, we will simply be "Christians", and we can be certain the Lord is pleased with us. As Jesus said to His apostles about those who would receive or reject their instructions:
"He who hears you hears Me, he who rejects you rejects Me, and he who rejects Me rejects Him who sent Me." - Lk 10:16
Simply being a Christian, and duplicating a New Testament congregation is not as difficult as one might think. There are literally thousands of such congregations throughout the world. There is likely one in your area right now! (Feel free to contact me if you would like to try and locate the nearest one.). There is also the option of starting a congregation in your own home by following the example and teachings of Jesus, as revealed by His apostles, we can be led out of
the religious confusion that dominates the religious world today! Do you want to be simply a Christian, a member of the Lord's church we read about in the New Testament...? If so, then I plead with you to first render obedience to the gospel of Christ as proclaimed by Peter and all the apostles - read Ac 2:36-38. You have the assurance of God's Word that you will then be added by the Lord Himself to His church - read Ac 2:47. Then, you have the responsibility to learn and follow the apostles' doctrine as you serve the Lord Jesus in your life - read Ac 2:42. If you have not yet responded to the commands of the gospel as put forth by Peter in Ac 2:38, why not let the reaction of those who did on the Day of Pentecost describe your actions today:
"Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them." - Ac 2:41
Saturday, November 12, 2005
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part One
Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part One
Many people who wish to follow Jesus are repelled by the multitude of denominations and
conflicting doctrines and practices taught by those professing to be Christians. Such distaste for denominational division is in keeping with the spirit of the New Testament. Jesus prayed fervently for unity - Jn 17:21 "I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me." Paul condemned religious division - 1 Co 1:10-13 "My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don't take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. Several people from Chloe's family have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. They have said that some of you claim to follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or Christ. Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name?" While some denominational leaders like to justify their existence, we know that religious confusion does not come from God...! God is the author of peace, not confusion - 1 Co 14:33 "God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order." Religious strife is indicative of carnality, and a work of the flesh - 1 Co 3:3-4 "You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world. Some of you say that you follow me, and others claim to follow Apollos. Isn't that how ordinary people behave?"; Ga 5:19-21 "People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom." Even so, is it possible for people today to simply be Christians, and not a contributor to the denominational division of today? The answer is Yes! And Jesus shows us The Way Out Of Religious Confusion! Notice Jesus’ own example in the religious climate of His day.
In the example of Jesus, note the religious climate of His day. When Jesus came to this earth, the Israelites were living under God’s law given by Moses. In that law, God had not made any provision for the division of His people into religious sects or parties. Yet, by the time of Jesus, the Jews had formed several distinct religious parties:
Pharisees (somewhat conservative)
Sadducees (very liberal, the "modernists" of their day)
Essenes (radical isolationists)
Herodians, Zealots (political religionists)
It was assumed that all who were serious about religion would be associated with one of these groups.
However, Jesus maintained a nonsectarian relationship with God. To which of these groups did Jesus belong? He belonged to none of these groups! Instead, He maintained a "nonsectarian" relationship with God to the very end. As an Israelite, living at a time when the Law of Moses was still in effect, He was simply an "Israelite". In addition, He encouraged all to live by the Law while it was still in effect - cf. Mt 5:17-20 "Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen. If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." In other words, He encouraged all to simply be what the Law of Moses intended them to be (i.e., "Israelites").
This brings up to question of what would Jesus be today? Would He be a Baptist, or Catholic, or Presbyterian, or Methodist, etc.? If He was simply an Israelite then, would He not simply be a "Christian" today? That was certainly what His disciples came to be called - cf. Ac 11:26 "He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians."
The example Jesus has set for us is clear: just be what God originally intended under the Law which is in effect. Since in the New Testament (the "law of Christ", 1 Co 9:21 "And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ.") the disciples of Christ were called "Christians", so we should be! Not only should we be content with being "called" Christians, we should also be concerned with "just being Christians." Nothing more, nothing less! But how can we be sure that we are simply Christians, members of the church we read about in the New Testament?
It helps to see what the Bible tells us about the Lord’s church. Jesus promised to build His church - Mt 16:18 "So I will call you Peter, which means "a rock." On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it." The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means "a called-out group, an assembly, a congregation". Jesus was promising to create His own group of people who have been "called" to come to Him. How does this "calling" take place? According to Paul, we are "called" by the gospel - 2 Th 2:14 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting (calling) you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." On the first Pentecost after the ascension of Christ, we see by preaching the gospel Peter
"called out" those who were willing to express their faith in Jesus - Ac 2:38-41 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live." Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, "I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people." On that day about three thousand believed his message and were baptized." 47 "while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved." Notice that those who gladly responded in faith, repentance and baptism were "added". To what and by whom were they "added"? We find the answer in verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord's church (His "ekklesia"). This "called-out" assembly or group was created when the gospel was proclaimed and people responded to it. (To be continued in Part Two)
Jesus, The Way Out Of Religious Confusion - Part One
Many people who wish to follow Jesus are repelled by the multitude of denominations and
conflicting doctrines and practices taught by those professing to be Christians. Such distaste for denominational division is in keeping with the spirit of the New Testament. Jesus prayed fervently for unity - Jn 17:21 "I want all of them to be one with each other, just as I am one with you and you are one with me. I also want them to be one with us. Then the people of this world will believe that you sent me." Paul condemned religious division - 1 Co 1:10-13 "My dear friends, as a follower of our Lord Jesus Christ, I beg you to get along with each other. Don't take sides. Always try to agree in what you think. Several people from Chloe's family have already reported to me that you keep arguing with each other. They have said that some of you claim to follow me, while others claim to follow Apollos or Peter or Christ. Has Christ been divided up? Was I nailed to a cross for you? Were you baptized in my name?" While some denominational leaders like to justify their existence, we know that religious confusion does not come from God...! God is the author of peace, not confusion - 1 Co 14:33 "God wants everything to be done peacefully and in order." Religious strife is indicative of carnality, and a work of the flesh - 1 Co 3:3-4 "You are jealous and argue with each other. This proves that you are not spiritual and that you are acting like the people of this world. Some of you say that you follow me, and others claim to follow Apollos. Isn't that how ordinary people behave?"; Ga 5:19-21 "People's desires make them give in to immoral ways, filthy thoughts, and shameful deeds. They worship idols, practice witchcraft, hate others, and are hard to get along with. People become jealous, angry, and selfish. They not only argue and cause trouble, but they are envious. They get drunk, carry on at wild parties, and do other evil things as well. I told you before, and I am telling you again: No one who does these things will share in the blessings of God's kingdom." Even so, is it possible for people today to simply be Christians, and not a contributor to the denominational division of today? The answer is Yes! And Jesus shows us The Way Out Of Religious Confusion! Notice Jesus’ own example in the religious climate of His day.
In the example of Jesus, note the religious climate of His day. When Jesus came to this earth, the Israelites were living under God’s law given by Moses. In that law, God had not made any provision for the division of His people into religious sects or parties. Yet, by the time of Jesus, the Jews had formed several distinct religious parties:
Pharisees (somewhat conservative)
Sadducees (very liberal, the "modernists" of their day)
Essenes (radical isolationists)
Herodians, Zealots (political religionists)
It was assumed that all who were serious about religion would be associated with one of these groups.
However, Jesus maintained a nonsectarian relationship with God. To which of these groups did Jesus belong? He belonged to none of these groups! Instead, He maintained a "nonsectarian" relationship with God to the very end. As an Israelite, living at a time when the Law of Moses was still in effect, He was simply an "Israelite". In addition, He encouraged all to live by the Law while it was still in effect - cf. Mt 5:17-20 "Don't suppose that I came to do away with the Law and the Prophets. I did not come to do away with them, but to give them their full meaning. Heaven and earth may disappear. But I promise you that not even a period or comma will ever disappear from the Law. Everything written in it must happen. If you reject even the least important command in the Law and teach others to do the same, you will be the least important person in the kingdom of heaven. But if you obey and teach others its commands, you will have an important place in the kingdom. You must obey God's commands better than the Pharisees and the teachers of the Law obey them. If you don't, I promise you that you will never get into the kingdom of heaven." In other words, He encouraged all to simply be what the Law of Moses intended them to be (i.e., "Israelites").
This brings up to question of what would Jesus be today? Would He be a Baptist, or Catholic, or Presbyterian, or Methodist, etc.? If He was simply an Israelite then, would He not simply be a "Christian" today? That was certainly what His disciples came to be called - cf. Ac 11:26 "He found Saul and brought him to Antioch, where they met with the church for a whole year and taught many of its people. There in Antioch the Lord's followers were first called Christians."
The example Jesus has set for us is clear: just be what God originally intended under the Law which is in effect. Since in the New Testament (the "law of Christ", 1 Co 9:21 "And when I am with people who are not ruled by the Law, I forget about the Law to win them. Of course, I never really forget about the law of God. In fact, I am ruled by the law of Christ.") the disciples of Christ were called "Christians", so we should be! Not only should we be content with being "called" Christians, we should also be concerned with "just being Christians." Nothing more, nothing less! But how can we be sure that we are simply Christians, members of the church we read about in the New Testament?
It helps to see what the Bible tells us about the Lord’s church. Jesus promised to build His church - Mt 16:18 "So I will call you Peter, which means "a rock." On this rock I will build my church, and death itself will not have any power over it." The word "church" comes from the Greek word ekklesia, which means "a called-out group, an assembly, a congregation". Jesus was promising to create His own group of people who have been "called" to come to Him. How does this "calling" take place? According to Paul, we are "called" by the gospel - 2 Th 2:14 "God used our preaching as his way of inviting (calling) you to share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ." On the first Pentecost after the ascension of Christ, we see by preaching the gospel Peter
"called out" those who were willing to express their faith in Jesus - Ac 2:38-41 "Peter said, "Turn back to God! Be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ, so that your sins will be forgiven. Then you will be given the Holy Spirit. This promise is for you and your children. It is for everyone our Lord God will choose, no matter where they live." Peter told them many other things as well. Then he said, "I beg you to save yourselves from what will happen to all these evil people." On that day about three thousand believed his message and were baptized." 47 "while praising God. Everyone liked them, and each day the Lord added to their group others who were being saved." Notice that those who gladly responded in faith, repentance and baptism were "added". To what and by whom were they "added"? We find the answer in verse 47: "And the Lord added to the church daily those who were being saved." The day of Pentecost was the beginning of the Lord's church (His "ekklesia"). This "called-out" assembly or group was created when the gospel was proclaimed and people responded to it. (To be continued in Part Two)
Saturday, November 05, 2005
Jesus, The Way To God
Jesus, The Way
Jesus, The Way To God
In the last lesson, we saw that by His death on the cross, Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. When our sins are forgiven, we are no longer the objects of God’s anger - Ro 5:9 "But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life's blood, we will also be kept safe from God's anger.". As wonderful as being justified by the blood of Jesus may be, we need more than this...we need the kind of close friendship that existed between God and Adam before the "Fall". But if a close relationship is to exist between God and ourselves, we must understand God and feel comfortable in approaching Him.
When we contemplate the difference between God and man, we can see that this is not easy. Let’s look at some of those differences. When we consider the nature of God as revealed in the Bible and nature, we see:
One with unlimited power, unlimited wisdom, unlimited holiness
One who is the creator of all things, the sustainer of all things, the knower of all things
One who is eternal, immortal, and invisible
Indeed, this Supreme Being fills the entire universe with His presence - Jer 23:23-24 "I am everywhere-- both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from me."
On the other hand, man is mortal, finite in knowledge and understanding. The created one, sustained by God who supplies all his needs - Ac 17:24-28 "This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said."
The difference between God and man is so great, it ought to overwhelm man with awe. Note the reflections of David as expressed in Psalms - cf. Psa 139:1-12 "You have looked deep into my heart, LORD, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say, and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. I can't understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me. Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, "I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over." But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you." In the Bible, whenever man came even close to approaching God in His Glory, it was terrifying! When God first spoke to Moses, he was afraid - Exo 3:6 "I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face." The Israelites at Mount Sinai were terrified - Exo 20:18-21 "The people trembled with fear when they heard the thunder and the trumpet and saw the lightning and the smoke coming from the mountain. They stood a long way off and said to Moses, "If you speak to us, we will listen. But don't let God speak to us, or we will die!" "Don't be afraid!" Moses replied. "God has come only to test you, so that by obeying him you won't sin." But when Moses went near the thick cloud where God was, the people stayed a long way off."
How then can man hope to comprehend God and approach Him in a close relationship during this life? This difficulty was experienced and expressed by Job - Job 9:32-33 "God isn't a mere human like me. I can't put him on trial. Who could possibly judge between the two of us?"
[But what may have been true in Job’s day (that there is no "daysman", or "mediator") is no longer true today! Jesus is the means by which man can comprehend God and also approach Him in such a way as to enjoy a loving relationship with Him!
Let’s see how Jesus is the way to God by helping us comprehend God. In coming to this earth, Jesus declared or manifested God to us - Jn 1:18 "No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." How was Jesus able to "declare" (manifest) God? For one thing, He came to this earth from God, and is the only one who has truly seen Him - Jn 6:46 "The only one who has seen the Father is the one who has come from him. No one else has ever seen the Father." But also, He is God Himself! - Jn 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God." Who is this "Word" that was with God and was God? The One who came in the flesh! - cf. Jn 1:14 "The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us." The "Word" was Jesus!
Therefore, it is in seeing Jesus that we are able to comprehend the Father. Just as Jesus told His disciples - Jn 14:7 "If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."’ In similar fashion, the apostles of Jesus proclaimed that He was the complete manifestation of God - Co 2:9 "God lives fully in Christ."; He 1:1-3 "Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven." Yes, it is in Jesus that God is revealed in terms that mortal, finite man can comprehend and personally relate to. Therefore, as we study the gospels, we see Jesus and His attributes (power, wisdom, holiness, love, mercy, divine wrath). As we see Jesus, we see God and His attributes!
But Jesus also provides the way to God by helping us approach God. This we touched upon in our previous lesson. How that by offering Himself as a propitiation for our sins Jesus has made it possible for a sinful man to approach God who is supremely holy and just. Jesus helps us to approach God in yet another way, as our High Priest in heaven. Though Jesus was truly God (as stated by John and Paul), by becoming man He fully understands our difficulties - He 4:14-15 "We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!" With such a wonderful high priest, One who is both God and has been man, Jesus makes it possible for us to approach God with great confidence - He 4:16 "So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." Yes, through Jesus we can both comprehend God and approach God, making it possible to have a close relationship with our Heavenly Father, enjoying all the blessings such a relationship provides!
To better appreciate the beauty of this relationship available with God through Jesus, let's briefly notice some terms used in the New Testament to describe this relationship. First, there are terms which proclaim a special relationship with our Heavenly Father, for example, we are called the "children" of God - Ga 3:26 "All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus."; 4:6-7 "Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised." Also, we are called the "house" (family) of God - 1 Ti 3:15 "so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."
Second, there are also terms which proclaim a special relationship with a Holy, Supreme Being. One describes us as a special dwelling place of God: the "temple" of God - 2 Co 6:16 "Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, "I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Another speaks of our role in service to God: a "royal priesthood" - 1 Pe 2:5 "And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.", 9 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done."
Other terms might be considered, but these suffice to show that it is possible for those who were
once lost in sin to enjoy a new, personal, intimate and fulfilling relationship with the Majestic God in heaven! And what a wonderful relationship it is! One that offers promises that overwhelm you; for example, this one where God promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (He 13:5). But let us be clear in our understanding. Jesus is the "The Way", the only way to God - Jn 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." Only those in Jesus have the assurance of enjoying this wonderful relationship with God! How can we be sure that we are in Jesus, and as such the children of God? By taking to heart and life the truth of God’s Word...! By becoming the children of God through faith and baptism - Ga 3:26-27 By remaining the children of God by abiding faithfully in the teachings of Christ - 2 Jn 9
Have you become a child of God by receiving Christ in faith and baptism? If not, why not today?
If you have, are you maintaining your relationship with both the Father and the Son by abiding in the doctrine of Christ? If not, why not be restored to God today (through repentance and prayer)? Only in so doing can you let Jesus be your way to God! Please contact me personally if you are ready to become a child of God. jnlnewsted@nts-online.net
Jesus, The Way To God
In the last lesson, we saw that by His death on the cross, Jesus made possible the forgiveness of our sins. When our sins are forgiven, we are no longer the objects of God’s anger - Ro 5:9 "But there is more! Now that God has accepted us because Christ sacrificed his life's blood, we will also be kept safe from God's anger.". As wonderful as being justified by the blood of Jesus may be, we need more than this...we need the kind of close friendship that existed between God and Adam before the "Fall". But if a close relationship is to exist between God and ourselves, we must understand God and feel comfortable in approaching Him.
When we contemplate the difference between God and man, we can see that this is not easy. Let’s look at some of those differences. When we consider the nature of God as revealed in the Bible and nature, we see:
One with unlimited power, unlimited wisdom, unlimited holiness
One who is the creator of all things, the sustainer of all things, the knower of all things
One who is eternal, immortal, and invisible
Indeed, this Supreme Being fills the entire universe with His presence - Jer 23:23-24 "I am everywhere-- both near and far, in heaven and on earth. There are no secret places where you can hide from me."
On the other hand, man is mortal, finite in knowledge and understanding. The created one, sustained by God who supplies all his needs - Ac 17:24-28 "This God made the world and everything in it. He is Lord of heaven and earth, and he doesn't live in temples built by human hands. He doesn't need help from anyone. He gives life, breath, and everything else to all people. From one person God made all nations who live on earth, and he decided when and where every nation would be. God has done all this, so that we will look for him and reach out and find him. He isn't far from any of us, and he gives us the power to live, to move, and to be who we are. "We are his children," just as some of your poets have said."
The difference between God and man is so great, it ought to overwhelm man with awe. Note the reflections of David as expressed in Psalms - cf. Psa 139:1-12 "You have looked deep into my heart, LORD, and you know all about me. You know when I am resting or when I am working, and from heaven you discover my thoughts. You notice everything I do and everywhere I go. Before I even speak a word, you know what I will say, and with your powerful arm you protect me from every side. I can't understand all of this! Such wonderful knowledge is far above me. Where could I go to escape from your Spirit or from your sight? If I were to climb up to the highest heavens, you would be there. If I were to dig down to the world of the dead you would also be there. Suppose I had wings like the dawning day and flew across the ocean. Even then your powerful arm would guide and protect me. Or suppose I said, "I'll hide in the dark until night comes to cover me over." But you see in the dark because daylight and dark are all the same to you." In the Bible, whenever man came even close to approaching God in His Glory, it was terrifying! When God first spoke to Moses, he was afraid - Exo 3:6 "I am the God who was worshiped by your ancestors Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob." Moses was afraid to look at God, and so he hid his face." The Israelites at Mount Sinai were terrified - Exo 20:18-21 "The people trembled with fear when they heard the thunder and the trumpet and saw the lightning and the smoke coming from the mountain. They stood a long way off and said to Moses, "If you speak to us, we will listen. But don't let God speak to us, or we will die!" "Don't be afraid!" Moses replied. "God has come only to test you, so that by obeying him you won't sin." But when Moses went near the thick cloud where God was, the people stayed a long way off."
How then can man hope to comprehend God and approach Him in a close relationship during this life? This difficulty was experienced and expressed by Job - Job 9:32-33 "God isn't a mere human like me. I can't put him on trial. Who could possibly judge between the two of us?"
[But what may have been true in Job’s day (that there is no "daysman", or "mediator") is no longer true today! Jesus is the means by which man can comprehend God and also approach Him in such a way as to enjoy a loving relationship with Him!
Let’s see how Jesus is the way to God by helping us comprehend God. In coming to this earth, Jesus declared or manifested God to us - Jn 1:18 "No one has ever seen God. The only Son, who is truly God and is closest to the Father, has shown us what God is like." How was Jesus able to "declare" (manifest) God? For one thing, He came to this earth from God, and is the only one who has truly seen Him - Jn 6:46 "The only one who has seen the Father is the one who has come from him. No one else has ever seen the Father." But also, He is God Himself! - Jn 1:1-2 "In the beginning was the one who is called the Word. The Word was with God and was truly God. From the very beginning the Word was with God." Who is this "Word" that was with God and was God? The One who came in the flesh! - cf. Jn 1:14 "The Word became a human being and lived here with us. We saw his true glory, the glory of the only Son of the Father. From him all the kindness and all the truth of God have come down to us." The "Word" was Jesus!
Therefore, it is in seeing Jesus that we are able to comprehend the Father. Just as Jesus told His disciples - Jn 14:7 "If you had known me, you would have known the Father. But from now on, you do know him, and you have seen him."’ In similar fashion, the apostles of Jesus proclaimed that He was the complete manifestation of God - Co 2:9 "God lives fully in Christ."; He 1:1-3 "Long ago in many ways and at many times God's prophets spoke his message to our ancestors. But now at last, God sent his Son to bring his message to us. God created the universe by his Son, and everything will someday belong to the Son. God's Son has all the brightness of God's own glory and is like him in every way. By his own mighty word, he holds the universe together. After the Son had washed away our sins, he sat down at the right side of the glorious God in heaven." Yes, it is in Jesus that God is revealed in terms that mortal, finite man can comprehend and personally relate to. Therefore, as we study the gospels, we see Jesus and His attributes (power, wisdom, holiness, love, mercy, divine wrath). As we see Jesus, we see God and His attributes!
But Jesus also provides the way to God by helping us approach God. This we touched upon in our previous lesson. How that by offering Himself as a propitiation for our sins Jesus has made it possible for a sinful man to approach God who is supremely holy and just. Jesus helps us to approach God in yet another way, as our High Priest in heaven. Though Jesus was truly God (as stated by John and Paul), by becoming man He fully understands our difficulties - He 4:14-15 "We have a great high priest, who has gone into heaven, and he is Jesus the Son of God. That is why we must hold on to what we have said about him. Jesus understands every weakness of ours, because he was tempted in every way that we are. But he did not sin!" With such a wonderful high priest, One who is both God and has been man, Jesus makes it possible for us to approach God with great confidence - He 4:16 "So whenever we are in need, we should come bravely before the throne of our merciful God. There we will be treated with undeserved kindness, and we will find help." Yes, through Jesus we can both comprehend God and approach God, making it possible to have a close relationship with our Heavenly Father, enjoying all the blessings such a relationship provides!
To better appreciate the beauty of this relationship available with God through Jesus, let's briefly notice some terms used in the New Testament to describe this relationship. First, there are terms which proclaim a special relationship with our Heavenly Father, for example, we are called the "children" of God - Ga 3:26 "All of you are God's children because of your faith in Christ Jesus."; 4:6-7 "Now that we are his children, God has sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. And his Spirit tells us that God is our Father. You are no longer slaves. You are God's children, and you will be given what he has promised." Also, we are called the "house" (family) of God - 1 Ti 3:15 "so that if I am delayed, you will know how everyone who belongs to God's family ought to behave. After all, the church of the living God is the strong foundation of truth."
Second, there are also terms which proclaim a special relationship with a Holy, Supreme Being. One describes us as a special dwelling place of God: the "temple" of God - 2 Co 6:16 "Do idols belong in the temple of God? We are the temple of the living God, as God himself says, "I will live with these people and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be my people."
Another speaks of our role in service to God: a "royal priesthood" - 1 Pe 2:5 "And now you are living stones that are being used to build a spiritual house. You are also a group of holy priests, and with the help of Jesus Christ you will offer sacrifices that please God.", 9 "But you are God's chosen and special people. You are a group of royal priests and a holy nation. God has brought you out of darkness into his marvelous light. Now you must tell all the wonderful things that he has done."
Other terms might be considered, but these suffice to show that it is possible for those who were
once lost in sin to enjoy a new, personal, intimate and fulfilling relationship with the Majestic God in heaven! And what a wonderful relationship it is! One that offers promises that overwhelm you; for example, this one where God promises: "I will never leave you nor forsake you." (He 13:5). But let us be clear in our understanding. Jesus is the "The Way", the only way to God - Jn 14:6 "I am the way, the truth, and the life!" Jesus answered. "Without me, no one can go to the Father." Only those in Jesus have the assurance of enjoying this wonderful relationship with God! How can we be sure that we are in Jesus, and as such the children of God? By taking to heart and life the truth of God’s Word...! By becoming the children of God through faith and baptism - Ga 3:26-27 By remaining the children of God by abiding faithfully in the teachings of Christ - 2 Jn 9
Have you become a child of God by receiving Christ in faith and baptism? If not, why not today?
If you have, are you maintaining your relationship with both the Father and the Son by abiding in the doctrine of Christ? If not, why not be restored to God today (through repentance and prayer)? Only in so doing can you let Jesus be your way to God! Please contact me personally if you are ready to become a child of God. jnlnewsted@nts-online.net
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