THE LORD IS MY SHEPHERD - PART 422

For God so loved the world - you and I - that He gave His only begotten Son so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but shall have everlasting life. (John 3:16)

Herein lies the message of the gospel. That is, God So Loved! The love of God is far greater than anyone’s pen or tongue could ever tell. John, motivated by the Holy Spirit portrays the life of JESUS openly declaring to readers that if all the things JESUS began both to say and do were to be written -- the world itself would be unable to contain all the books that would be authored as a consequence. There was an addendum to this point. John said - however these things are written so that you might believe that JESUS IS the Christ!

Yes God so loved! He so loved us that He gave His ONLY begotten Son. The JESUS here is the ONLY begotten Son! JESUS was not begat as we are. And no, God did not send someone else in His place. God Himself came as a Son so that we might receive salvation.

For it is written, that JESUS was conceived of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, JESUS is the SEED of the Holy Spirit - the very life giving blood of the Holy Spirit that flowed within the veins of the man JESUS. This is why at Calvary, blood and water came forth from JESUS' side. Please note here that not one bone of JESUS' body was to be broken. Still, all of the aforementioned were sinless, not under the curse for they were the SEED of the Holy Spirit. Conversely, the body which was sin prone but yet remained sinless was offered as the redeeming sacrifice for sin. That sin prone body was more marred than any other human body has ever been. In fact, all that remained was as a shell of a man.

Therefore, the willing sacrificial death of JESUS' sinless body broke all the fetters of sin which had befallen man resulting from Adam's disobedience, where the curse of sin was awarded to Adam and his future offspring. It was this curse that Jesus took upon Himself. For it is written, "Cursed is everyone who is hung on a tree."

It is in this context that there is no other gospel. For within the life of the man JESUS the Christ, we are introduced to the manifestation of God Himself! For as it is written, "In JESUS, did dwell all the fullness of the Godhead bodily." Now if all the fullness of the Godhead dwells bodily within JESUS and God is the One Spirit unseen, then JESUS is God manifest. We do right in worshipping JESUS who is God manifest. We further read in the scriptures about those who asked JESUS if they should look for another. JESUS replied, "If you do not believe that I AM [HE], you shall die in your sin."

In Acts chapter 2, the JEWS on the day of Pentecost -- which incidentally was the opening day of this dispensation of God's grace and mercy toward all men -- were told by the 12 apostles that JESUS who was crucified at Calvary was indeed the Lord of Glory. As a result of hearing these words they were convicted in their heart crying out to the apostles, "Men and brethren, what must we do?" As we read in Acts, the people were instructed to "Repent and be baptized into the name of JESUS the Christ." In response, 3000 people repented and were baptized that very day.

This message has not changed. And it will not change regardless of the efforts made by some to misconstrue the scriptures. JESUS is GOD with us. And He bears the Name JESUS which name is given of God. As the scriptures clearly state, "There is no other name GIVEN whereby men can be saved." Peace to one and all!