In the Midst of the Paradise of God - Part 627

What is eternal life? This question is answered repeatedly by Jesus in the scriptures. For example, Jesus stated in John 17:3-4, “And this is life eternal that they might know Thee – the only true God and Jesus Christ.”

Still, many people today have only ‘heard’ of Jesus. Unfortunately for them, the ‘knowing’ Jesus consists only of a sprinkling of knowledge. They possess only a minimum understanding of the Lord God who would later become their Saviour. As a consequence, our social fabric misses the most important ingredient for our world. That is, each and every one of us getting to know our Lord God and Saviour personally. As the scriptures state, all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. Therefore, in all our endeavours to conform to the ways of this world, we fail to understand the real meaning of eternal life. 

The encounter between Jesus and Nicodemus offers us an example of the knowing that comes with eternal life. Herein, Jesus said, “Ye must be born again.” Of course, we know that Nicodemus already knew from the miracles that Jesus performed that He must be from God. He acknowledges this point in John 3:1-21. But at the same time, Nicodemus was still focused on earthly things. “How can this be?” he asked Jesus. Similar to Jesus' response to Nicodemus, Jesus encourages us to seek Him with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds. Indeed, Jesus invited individuals to knock and the doors of heaven would be opened unto them. (Luke 11:9-13)

Further, as new believers read the Word, they begin to experience a measure of closeness that comes only from a personal relationship with Jesus. The pressing in to Jesus type of knowing that we yearn for in our inner souls. Meditating on the Word and then willingly doing His will in the days that follow. When we are committed to getting to know Jesus, we are transformed.  Passed from death to life. Our transgressions covered by the precious blood of Jesus. As well, we will be clothed in the righteousness that only pressing into Jesus the good Shepherd can bring. “As the Father knows me, even so know I the Father and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (John 10:14-18)

Jesus died for our sins. He was bruised for our iniquities. He loves us more than we can ever imagine. Therefore, seek Jesus today and know the love of Christ that passes all knowledge and understanding. Be filled with the fullness of God. The scriptures state: “Unto Him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us.” (Ephesians 3:19-20) 

Similarly, hold fast to the Word. Know in whom you have believed. “Be persuaded that He is able to keep that which we have committed unto Him against that day.” (II Timothy 1:12-13) Remember too that Jesus said that He will give us “to eat of the tree of life; which is in the midst of the paradise of God.” (Revelation 2:7) Eternal life, indeed. Stand in the offering plate.

Herein is Love - Part 626

There is no denying that God loved us enough to become our Saviour. That the same God who created the world decided before the world was formed to become a propitiation for our sins. Indeed, if we love Him enough to confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, then we will be saved. (Romans 10:9) 

While no man hath seen God at any time, if we love one another, God dwells in us. His love is perfected in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us His Spirit. This is the record that God hath given to us -- eternal life on earth as it is in heaven -- through the name of Jesus. The Lord of lords and King of kings. 

This is why the scriptures state that there is no other name whereby we can be saved. Jesus -- the only mediator between God and man. The Alpha and Omega. He made a way for you and I when there was no way of salvation. As a consequence, how could we -- the "whosoever" who had nothing to offer in return -- ever begin to fathom how the same God who created us in the beginning would love us so very much that He would shed His precious holy blood on the cross?

As John wrote, "In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because God sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live though Him." (I John 4:9) Jesus -- Almighty God in the flesh. The mystery hid in the bosom of the Father until the appointed time. Herein is love. Stand in the offering plate.

Hereby Know We the Spirit of Truth - Part 625

"Hereby perceive ye the love of God because He laid down His life for us." (I John 3:16)

As a consequence of Jesus' ultimate sacrifice that paid the price for our transgressions once and for all -- combined with His love -- His abundant grace -- His endless mercy -- His free gift of salvation to you and I, we can know without a doubt that we have passed from death unto life. The scriptures state: "By this we know that we love the children of God, when we love God and keep His commandments." (I John 5:2) The scriptures here are not referring to Old Testament Law or the Ten Commandments dictated to those under the old covenant. Rather,  as Matthew 22:40 states: Jesus gave only two commandments and "on these two commandments hang all the law and the prophets." (Matthew 22:40)

These commandments? "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul and with all my mind." This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like unto it, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself." (Matthew 22:37-40)

When we begin to willingly do His will and practice these commandments, we become partakers of the blessed gospel in Jesus. We become victorious in our daily lives. Why? Because the Bible states: "Greater is He that is in you than he that is in the world." (I John 4:4) There is a justified rationale for this. They that are of the world speak only of the world and the world hears only them. But for those of us who trust in our Lord God and Saviour and know that He hears us, "hereby know we the spirit of truth." (I John 4:5-6) Think about this. If God so loved us enough to become the Saviour of this world -- and if we love Him enough to confess with our mouth the Lord Jesus, and similarly believe in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead, then we can rest in His blessings. The peace that passes all understanding.  

At the same time, we ought also to love one another. (Romans 10:9) While no man hath seen God at any time, if we love one another, God dwells in us. His love is perfected in us. Hereby we know that we dwell in Him and He in us because He hath given us His Spirit. The Comforter that was promised from the beginning. 

Therefore we are no more strangers and foreigners in the gospel, but fellow citizens with the saints, and of the household of God. We are built upon the foundation of the apostles and prophets, Jesus Christ Himself being the chief corner stone. In whom -- as members of the body of Christ -- we also are builded together for an habitation of God through the Spirit.

The following conversation with Jesus in the book of Matthew is telling. "While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them, saying, "What think ye of Christ? Whose Son is He? " They said unto Jesus, "The Son of David." And then Jesus said unto them, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand, till I make thine enemies thy footstool. If David then call Him Lord, how is He His Son?" And as we see from the text, no man was able to answer Jesus. Not a word. Not even the lawyer could respond. In fact, "neither durst any man from that day forth ask Him any more questions."" (Matthew 22:42-45)

Give Jesus your heart today. Ask our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ to have His way in your life. For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, that He would grant you -- according to the riches of His glory -- to be strengthened by His Spirit. Be rooted and grounded in Jesus' love. There is no other. Stand in the offering plate.

Who Is The Word? Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus - Part 624

If God be for us, who can be against us? (Romans 8:31) Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril or sword? Nay, in all things we are more than conquerors through Him that loved us." (Romans 8:35-39)

Further, "whosoever is born of God overcomes the world and this is the victory that overcomes the world, even our faith." (I John 5:1-4) But this begs the question. "Who is He that overcomes the world?" Verse five responds with the announcement that the individual who "believes that Jesus is the Son of God" has overcome the world. Indeed, people who believe the same Jesus is the only begotten of the Father. The First and the Last. The Everlasting. The Almighty God in the flesh. The Alpha and Omega. (Revelation 1:8) 

Indeed, Jesus -- The Word. The scriptures verify this point. I John 5:7 states: "there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." 

God descended. And man ascended. But throughout history, God revealed Himself to His people as a faithful creator .. a loving Saviour .. a holy Redeemer and  in these latter times, our forever friend. In the beginning God. (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... and the Word became flesh." (John 1:1-14)

In other words, God did not send someone else to suffer the pain and agony of the cross. Or to pay the price for our transgressions. Rather, God Himself left His throne of glory, taking upon Himself the form of a servant in order that we might have salvation. That we as believers in Jesus might experience His abundant grace. His mercy. His love that surpasses all human understanding. 

God knew throughout that He would purposely be crucified, dying an unusually cruel death upon a Roman cross. Not that He as a Son did anything to deserve such cruel punishment. Still, Jesus stood before the judge to be tried, being falsely accused. As it is written in the scriptures, “They hated me without having a cause.” In fact, we read in the scriptures that Jesus' accusers fanatically mocked, scoffed, whipped, spat, and pulled at his beard before placing a crown of thorns upon His head.

Nevertheless, even in His death, He reigned supreme. Throughout, God was in the man Jesus. In fact, Jesus was the two Seeds of promise given by the Holy Spirit of God. The promise prophesied in the Old Testament, being “that the seed of a woman would bruise the serpent’s head.”  This promise was fulfilled by Jesus at Calvary, where Jesus laid down His natural life, offering His life as a sacrificial substitution for you and I. 

Our Lord God and Saviour Jesus who had never sinned gave up His own life for man’s redemption, providing an opportunity for Adam’s prone to sin race -- us -- to return to the God who loved us even before the world was shaped. The Spirit indwelling Jesus being Almighty God who for our sake manifested Himself as a Son - the Holy Spirit veiled in flesh. All the fullness of the Godhead did dwell within that body. God manifested as a Son in that body. What do the scriptures state?

If you have seen me, said Jesus, then you have seen the Father. I and my Father are one. The same God who made the world was in the world. Jesus then is the wisdom that was hid in the bosom of the Father until the appointed time - the very Word of God manifest. The book of John records that he had seen, and handled the Word of Life. The Word of life referred to here is Jesus. 

Moreover, the Holy Spirit who indwelt the man Jesus, raised the man Jesus from death prior to the body of Jesus entering the state of corruption. The Holy Spirit saying that He would not leave His body to see corruption. Therefore, when Jesus arose from the tomb He did so not as one of Adam’s descendants. Rather, Jesus died and was raised to life as a new Adam - the New Adam being the Lord God Himself -- still clothed in flesh but it was a new kind of flesh - a spiritual flesh.

In sum, the body of Jesus was the Holy Spirit body, for it was God who had laid aside His glory for our sake. The greatest love story ever told. Trust in Jesus today. Love Him because He first loved us. (I John 4:19) Become more than a conqueror through Jesus who loves us. Stand in the offering plate. 

The Glorious Gospel of Jesus - Part 623

The good news is that we can trust Jesus with all our hearts, with all our souls and with all our minds because it was He -- God in the flesh -- that made a way of salvation when there was no way. Indeed, Jesus made His light to shine in our hearts so that He could  share with us the knowledge of the glory of God that is evident in the face of Jesus the Christ. (II Corinthians 4:6) 

But unfortunately, the gods of this age have blinded the minds of many. To the point whereby unbelievers are unable to comprehend "the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God." (II Corinthians 4:4) Rather, these same people fail to understand that our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ is the promised Messiah, and as such, we can rest in His blessed assurance. That you and I can be wholly satisfied in the knowledge that His light -- the gospel of Jesus that came about as a consequence of the cross -- can shine brightly within our hearts. 

Still, the gospel encourages believers in Jesus to "arise and shine and let our Lord God and Saviour Jesus Christ give them light." (Isaiah 60:1) The light that breaks forth like the dawn so that thy healing -- whatever healing that is needed -- quickly appears. Then, as the scriptures state, "will your righteousness go before you. The glory of the Lord will be your rereward. Then shall thou call and the Lord shall answer. Thou shalt cry and he shall say, Here I am." (Isaiah 58:8-11)

Jesus' invitation is for all of us who are weary and heavy laden, Jesus invites each and every one of us to come to Him. Come to Jesus -- your Lord God and Saviour. The Almighty God who is the first and the last. The beginning and the end. The Alpha and the Omega. The only mediator between God and man whereby we can be saved.

This is the light of the glorious gospel. The light that when "we all, with open face behold as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord." (II Corinthians 3:18)

It is this salvation that we yearn. John writes in I John 3:2 that "now we are the children of God and what we will be has not yet been made known." But what we do know is that "when He appears, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is."

This is why those who sleep need to awaken from their slumber. Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think anything as of ourselves but to fully recognize that our sufficiency is in God our Saviour. Remembering the sentence of death in ourselves, that we should not trust in ourselves, but in God which raises the dead. [He] who delivered us from so great a death and doth deliver -- in whom we trust that He will yet deliver us." (II Corinthians 1:9-10) For we preach not ourselves but Christ Jesus our Lord. (II Corinthians 4:5) 

"Therefore, if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature; old things are passed away and behold all things are become new. And all things are of God who hath reconciled the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation. Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us; we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God." (II Corinthians 5:17) 

"For He hath made Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin, that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him." (II Corinthians 5:18-21) Therefore, let the light that is inherent in the gospel of Jesus rise in the darkness, so that our night can become like the noonday sun. (Isaiah 58:8-10)  Stand in the offering plate. 

Tasting the Good Word of God - Part 622

"Today if ye will hear His voice, harden not your hearts. For if Jesus had given them rest, then would He not afterward have spoken of another day. There remains therefore a rest to the people of God. For he that is entered into His rest, he also hath ceased from his own works as God did from His." (Hebrews 4:8-9)

Indeed, the gospel encourages believers to enter into His rest. In fact the scriptures encourage us to enter into His heavenly places. Hebrews 4:5 states: "If they shall enter into My rest." If we as believers in Jesus would "enter into the peace of God which passes all understanding" our hearts and minds would be kept in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7)What an awesome place.

"The Word of God is quick and powerful and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart." (Hebrews 4:12)

Therefore, trust in our Lord God and Saviour. Be enlightened and taste of the heavenly gift that Jesus willingly gives to those who willingly do His will. Moreover, be partakers of the Holy Ghost as outlined in Acts chapter two. Finally, taste the good Word of God and the powers of the world to come. You will never be the same again. Stand in the offering plate.

Destined to Become a Living Soul - Part 621

Jesus said, "This is my commandment ... that you love one another as I have loved you." (John 15:12)

When our Lord God and Saviour formed man from the dust of the ground, He breathed into man's nostrils the breath of life. Thus, from that time forward, man became a living soul. (Genesis 2:7) In the days ahead, humans struggled with perfection and the freedom that God had given them. Indeed, the more we tried to abide by the letter of the law and the ten commandments, for example, the more we failed miserably. Our intellect got the best of us. This is why this same heavenly Father that created us in the beginning knew --- even before the world was created -- that He -- the Almighty God -- would become flesh and shed His precious holy blood on a cross so that we might be saved. (John 1:1-14)

"Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace that should come unto you. searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow." (I Peter 1:10-11)

As a consequence of the sufferings of Christ and the glory that should follow, He is forever able to make "all grace abound unto us so that we always have all sufficiency in all things that may abound to every good work." (II Corinthians 9:8) "For all things are your sakes so that the abundant grace might -- through the thanksgiving of many -- redound to the glory of God." (II Corinthians 4:15) 

In other words, His grace and mercy -- His abundant love for His creation -- is imparted to us in the revelation of Jesus Christ. Our first act of faith when we ask Jesus into our heart. "That as sin hath [previously] reigned death, even so might grace reign [forever more]." (Romans 5:21) 

Therefore, when Jesus died on the cross, He paid the price for our sins once and for all. The veil that had kept us captive to the old covenant law was torn from top to bottom. As a result, we no longer live under the law but under the dispensation of grace. The mystery which from the beginning of the world "hath been hid in God." Kept secret from humankind since the world began. Hid from ages and from generations. (Ephesians 3, Romans 16:25, Colossians 1:26) That is, until the coming of Jesus.

Unfortunately, there were those who did not recognize Jesus as God in the flesh. Their motives differed from the commandments that Jesus taught. Rather than accept that there were only two commandments -- that is to love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, with all thy soul and with all thy mind and second, to love one another as Jesus has loved us -- these learned men relied upon the traditions of their historical fathers.

Matthew 15 offers a prime example of this. Herein, we read that the learned intellectuals of the day accompanied by the Pharisees wanted to accuse Jesus' disciples of breaking the traditions of elders. The traditions and institutional form that men had legislated even though these traditions deviated from the old covenant scriptural teachings. 

Hoping to snare Jesus. they asked Him, "Why do your disciples break the tradition of the elders?"

The accusers here were referring to the washing of hands that man's tradition had dictated should always be done before one eats. Within the culture, Jews did not eat unless they gave their hands a ceremonial washing. Similarly, when these same men would come from the marketplace, the traditions of men demanded that they not eat any food unless they had washed.

But Jesus knew their hearts. He was aware that these intellectuals had no interest in truth or pursuing the love that God desired for His creation from the beginning. So He asked them, "And why do you break the command of God for the sake of your tradition? For God said, "Honour your father and mother" and "Anyone who curses his father or mother must be put to death." But you say that if a man says to his father or mother, "Whatever help you might otherwise have received from me is a gift devoted to God. He is not to "honour his father" with it. Thus, you nullify the Word of God for the sake of your tradition."

Further, Jesus said, "You hypocrites! Isaiah was right when he prophesied about you. "These people honour me with their lips but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain. Their teachings are [as nothing] but rules taught by men." (Matthew 15:1-9)

Then Jesus called the crowd to Him and said, "Listen and understand. What goes into a man's mouth does not make him unclean but what comes out of his mouth. That is what makes him unclean." (Matthew 15:10-11)

Then the disciples came to Jesus and asked, "Do you know that the Pharisees were offended when they heard this?" Jesus replied, "Every plant that my heavenly Father has not planted will be pulled up by the roots. Leave them. They are blind guides. If a blind man leads a blind man, both will fall into a pit."

But the apostle Peter did not understand what Jesus had said. He asked for further explanation. You see, even though the apostles sojourned with Jesus daily, there were times when even they had to be taught.

Jesus replied, saying, "Don't you see that whatever enters the mouth goes into the stomach and then out of the body. But the things that come out of the mouth come from the heart, and these make a man unclean. For out of the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, sexual immorality, theft, false testimony, slander. These are what make a man unclean. But eating with unwashed hands does not make him unclean." (Matthew 15:15-20)

After Jesus silenced the Pharisees, he reproved them for their hypocrisy and wickedness of hearts. They had nullified -- or made void -- the commandments of God through their traditions. There are still those intellectuals and Pharisees today that would have believers ignore the Biblical scriptures, desiring instead that we follow their religious and institutional traditions. The traditions of men. This is why the letter of the law contained within the Old Testament -- the old covenant -- is so often preached and dictated to believers.

But Jesus brought a new covenant. The dispensation of grace. Indeed, Jesus said there are only two commandments. That is to love our beloved Lord God and Saviour Jesus with all our heart, with all our soul, and with all our mind and to love one another. This is the grace that covers our transgressions. Because even before the world was formed, our Lord God and Saviour loved us. His name is Jesus. It is He that wants the sin that once reigned in our hearts to be covered by His precious blood shed on the cross. The grace of Jesus now reigning in our hearts. Search the scriptures. Willingly do His will. Stand in the offering plate.

Thy Word Have I Hid in My Heart - Part 620

"For this cause, we also, since the day we heard the [gospel] do not cease to pray for you and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of His will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding that ye might walk worthy of the Lord unto all pleasing, being fruitful in every good work, and increasing in the knowledge of God. Strengthened with all might, according to His glorious power, unto all patience and long suffering with joyfulness, giving thanks unto the Father, which hath made us meet to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in light, who hath delivered us from the power of darkness." (Colossians 1:9-12)

Therefore, we should willingly desire to be filled with the knowledge of His will. In all wisdom and spiritual understanding, we should desire the "unsearchable riches of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus." Equally important, seek for yourself the revelation that according to the scriptures has been "hidden in the bosom of our Father" from the beginning of time and only revealed in this day so that we could personally experience the fullness of grace and mercy of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus.

Paul writes in the book of Ephesians: "Surely you have heard about the administration of God's grace that was given to me for you. That is, the mystery made known to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then, you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of Christ which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men as it is now revealed." (Ephesians 3:2-21) 

In other words, the new covenant -- the New Testament -- was established so that all men and women are able to understand "the plan of the mystery, which from the beginning of the ages has been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ." (Ephesians 3:9) So that we would not be ignorant of the mystery that had been concealed in the bosom of God since the beginning. (Romans 11:25) Indeed, God's plan of salvation that had been decided before the world was even formed was hidden within His bosom until the appointed time so that we -- each and every one of us -- could see the glory of God in the face of Jesus Christ. 

Jesus who is "the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature."  (Colossians 1:15) "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost and these three are one."(I John 5:7) Philip said to Jesus, "Show us the Father and that will satisfy us." Jesus said "Have I been so long time with you and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? He that has seen Me has seen the Father." (John 14:8-9) In other words, I am the Lord thy God and beside Me, there is no other. 

How often did Jesus state that He and His Father are one? Throughout the New Testament, Jesus is revealed. Not as a triune God but rather as the Word in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God ... and the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) As a consequence, this mystery of godliness as revealed in I Timothy 3:16 can no longer be concealed or hidden from ordinary people by the scribes and Pharisees of this day.  No longer are the gospel truths given only to a sacred priesthood. In fact, as a result of Jesus sacrifice for our sins on the cross, we are all -- each and every one of us -- privy to the knowledge and truths contained within the Word. Indeed, no man or woman is excluded from the knowledge and understanding that the same God who created us in the beginning loved us so much that He Himself would become flesh and shed His precious blood on the cross for us. 

The apostle Paul was clear on this point. No longer would there be hidden truths or supposed revelations given only to a select few. He wrote: "We speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory, which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of glory." (I Corinthians 2:7-8)

The scripture Romans 16:25 reiterates this same point: "Now to Him who is of the power to establish you according to my gospel and the preaching of Jesus Christ according to the revelation of the mystery which was kept secret since the world began. But now is made manifest, and by the scriptures of the prophets, according to the commandment of the everlasting God, made known to all nations for the obedience of faith."

Further, today is the day that the Lord hath made. Therefore, do not become like the foolish Galatians, who were so soon removed from Him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel. Galatians 1:9 states that, "If any man preach any other gospel unto you than that which ye have received, let him be accursed."

So, in this context then, what do we do with Matthew 28:19? Or, for that matter, those religious leaders who refer to the "trinity" or Almighty God as a "tri-une God," particularly when neither terminology or wording is mentioned in the scriptures. We do as we were instructed to do. That is, search the scriptures for the truth. The wisdom and knowledge that was hidden in the bosom of the Father until this time. And if, or when, we find the religious teachings contrary to what God reveals in the scriptures, we ask why.

What follows then here and below this post is a partial list of evidence disputing the authenticity of Matthew 28:19 compiled in "A Collection of Evidence Against the Traditional Wording of Matthew 28:19" written by Clinton D. Willis [CWillis@ipa.net] 

Catholic Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger:(today’s pope ref.) He makes this confession as to the origin of the chief Trinity text of Matthew 28:19. "The basic form of our [Matthew 28:19 Trinitarian] profession of faith took shape during the course of the second and third centuries in connection with the ceremony of baptism. So far as its place of origin is concerned, the text [Matthew 28:19] came from the city of Rome." The Trinity baptism and text of Matthew 28:19 therefore did not originate from the original Church that started in Jerusalem around AD 33. It was rather, as the evidence proves, a later invention of Roman Catholicism -- completely fabricated. Unfortunately, very few know about these historical facts. 

But what we do know is that when the Apostles baptized believers in the Bible -- indeed, every single instance whereby someone was baptized -- they did so in the name of the Lord Jesus. Further, when Peter stood with the other apostles and responded to the question, "What shall we do?" Peter told the three thousand to "Repent and be baptized in the name of Jesus for the remission of sins ..." (Acts 2:38-42) 

Additional references to the actual origin of Matthew 28:19 follow the conclusion of this post.  There are others as well. However, in the interim, remember that the new covenant was written directly for and to you and I. It was for us that the Word of Salvation was sent -- the Word being Jesus -- God Almighty in the flesh. The only name under heaven whereby we can be saved. Peace be to one and all. Stand in the offering plate.

Additional References:

"The Demonstratio Evangelica" by Eusebius: Eusebius was the Church historian and Bishop of Caesarea. On page 152, Eusebius quotes the early book of Matthew that he had in his library in Caesarea. According to this eyewitness of an unaltered Book of Matthew, it could have been the original book or the first copy of the original book of Matthew. Eusebius informs us of Jesus' actual words to his disciples in the original text of Matthew 28:19: "With one word and voice He said to His disciples: "Go, and make disciples of all nations in My Name, teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you." That "Name" is Jesus. 

On page 61 Professor and Church historian Walker, reviles the true origin and purpose of Matthew 28:19. This text is the first man-made Roman Catholic Creed that was the prototype for the later Apocryphal Apostles' Creed. Matthew 28:19 was invented along with the Apocryphal Apostles' Creed to counter so-called heretics and gnostics that baptized in the name of Jesus Christ! Marcion although somewhat mixed up in some of his doctrine still baptized his converts the Biblical way in the name of Jesus Christ. Matthew 28:19 is the first non-Biblical Roman Catholic Creed! The spurious Catholic text of Matthew 28:19 was invented to support the newer triune - Trinity -doctrine. Therefore, Matthew 28:19 is not the "Great Commission of Jesus Christ." Matthew 28:19 is the great Catholic hoax! Acts 2:38, Luke 24:47, and I Corinthians 6:11 give us the ancient original words and teaching of Jesus! Further to this point, is it not also strange that Matthew 28:19 is missing from the old manuscripts of Sinaiticus, Curetonianus and Bobiensis? 

The Catholic University of America in Washington, D. C. 1923, New Testament Studies Number 5: "The Lord's Command To Baptize An Historical Critical Investigation." by Bernard Henry Cuneo. Quoting from page 27, "The passages in Acts and the Letters of St. Paul. These passages seem to point to the earliest form as baptism in the name of the Lord. ... Is it possible to reconcile these facts with the belief that Christ commanded his disciples to baptize in the trine form? Had Christ given such a command, it is urged, the Apostolic Church would have followed him, and we should have some trace of this obedience in the New Testament. No such trace can be found. The only explanation of this silence, according to the anti-traditional view, is this the short christological (Jesus Name) formula was (the) original, and the longer triune formula was a later development." 

Jesus Asked - Believest Thou This? - Part 619

"Unto me who am less than the least of all saints is this grace given." (Ephesians 3:5)

Paul is speaking here of salvation --- and the "unsearchable riches of Christ" that allows all men and women to see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ, and is intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly places, might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God -- if we only believe in Him. (Ephesians 3:8-10)

That we -- as believers in Jesus -- should know the mystery that has been hid in God from the beginning. Whereby when we read the Word, we may understand the knowledge in the mystery of Christ, which in other ages was not made known unto the sons of men. According to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I Timothy 3:16 states: "And without controversy, great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."

Why did God become flesh and then shed His holy precious blood on a cross for our transgressions? Just the idea of our Creator loving us so much that He would willingly hang on a cross so that we might be saved runs contrary to our human thinking. But the following points might serve as a starting point for offering some form of response to the question.

First, so that Jesus the Christ may dwell in our hearts by faith. Second, so that we, being rooted and grounded in love may be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth and depth and height of our Father's love for His people. Third, so that we could know the love of Christ, which passes all knowledge and understanding. Fourth, so that we might be filled with all the fullness of God. Fifth, so that we could love God with all our hearts, all our souls and all our minds, and then love one another in the same way that our Lord God and Saviour loved us.

For when He ascended on high, He -- Jesus -- God in the flesh -- led captivity captive once and for all. Jesus said, "I am the resurrection and the life. He that believeth in Me, though he were dead, yet shall he live. And whosoever lives and believes in Me shall never die." (John 11:25-26)

And then Jesus asked, "Believest thou this?"

Do you believe that God who is rich in mercy -- His great love wherewith He loved us even when we were dead in sins -- hath quickened us together with Christ? Do you believe that through grace we are saved and as a consequence, we will be raised up together and made to sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus? That in the ages to come He will show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us through Christ Jesus? If so, praise Jesus!

For by grace are ye saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, "It is the gift of God." Not of works lest any man should boast for we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (Ephesians 2:4-10)

The next step in our walk is to be baptized every one of us in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins so that we shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost. (Acts 2:38-42)

"Now unto Him that is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us ... unto Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus through all ages, world without end. Amen." (Ephesians 3:20-21) Be ye therefore followers of our Lord God and Saviour as dear children. Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus Knew The Hour Had Come - Part 618

 These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour is come; glorify Thy Son that Thy Son also may glorify Thee. As Thou hast given Him power over all flesh, that He should give eternal life to as many as Thou hast given Him.

And this is life eternal that they might know Thee, the Only true God and Jesus Christ whom Thou hast sent. I have glorified Thee on the earth. I have finished the work which Thou gavest me to do.

And now O Father, glorify Thou Me with Thine own self with the glory which I had with Thee before the world was. I have manifested Thy name unto the men which Thou gavest me out of the world. Thine they were and Thou gavest them me; and they have kept Thy Word. 

Now they have known all things whatsoever Thou hast given Me are of Thee. For I have given unto them the words which Thou gavest me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send me.

I pray for them. I pray not for the world but for them which Thou hast given Me for they are Thine. And all mine are Thine, and Thine are mine; and I am glorified in them. And now I am no more in the world but these are in the world, and I come to Thee.

Holy Father, keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as we are. While I was with them in the world, I kept them in Thy name. Those that Thou gavest me, I have kept and none of them is lost but the son of perdition, that the scripture might be fulfilled.

And now come I to Thee; and these things I speak in the world that they might have my joy fulfilled in themselves. I have given them Thy Word; and the world hath hated them because they are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

I pray not that Thou shouldest take them out of the world but Thou shouldest keep them from the evil. They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world.

Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy Word is truth. As Thou hast sent me into the world, even so have I also sent them into the world. And for their sakes, I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth.

Neither pray I for these alone but for them also which shall believe on Me through their word; that they all may be one; as Thou Father art in Me and I in Thee, that they also may be one in us; that the world may believe that Thou hast sent Me.

And the glory which Thou gavest me I have given them; that they may be one, even as we are one: I in them, and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one; and that the world may know that Thou hast sent me and hast loved Me, and hast loved them, as Thou hast loved Me. Father, I will that they also, whom Thou hast given Me, be with Me where I AM; that they may behold My glory, which Thou hast given Me; for Thou lovest Me before the foundation of the world.

O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee,and these have known that Thou hast sent Me.

And I have declared unto them Thy name and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved Me may be in them, and I in them. 

John 17 -- the chapter in its entirety. Stand in the offering plate.

The Saviour is Waiting for You - Part 617

Jesus states that He wanted none -- not any one of us -- to miss an opportunity to experience His abundance of love toward us. His grace and mercy. His ongoing commitment towards His creation. "That as sin hath reigned unto death, even so might grace reign" even more. (Romans 5:21) This is why the depth of our Father's love becomes evident when Jesus is praying, just prior to being taken to the cross. Jesus' prayer also serves as a reminder of how much our Lord God and Saviour loved us -- that even when He was destined for the cross, His heart shone on you and I. Paul attempted to capture this thought when he said in Ephesians 8, "Unto me who am less than the least of all saints, is this grace given that I should preach among the Gentiles the unsearchable riches of Christ." John 17 further elaborates on this point. Therein, Jesus lifted up His eyes to Heaven and prayed because the hour had come. The appointed time, decided before the world was formed. Indeed, beyond Jesus praying, the entire chapter of John 17 shares with how Jesus had manifest His name unto the world -- the precious name of Jesus -- so that we would know "all things whatsoever that Thou hast given are of Thee." (John 17:7) He is not referring to Biblical scholars here -- but rather, each and every one of us. Biblical commentator Matthew Henry makes a similar observation about Jesus prayer in John 17. Henry writes, "Thou gavest them Me, as sheep to the shepherd, to be kept; as a patient to the physician, to be cured; as children to a tutor, to be taught: thus He will deliver up His charge." These words spake Jesus, and lifted up His eyes to heaven, and said, "Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee." Jesus was going to be no more in this world. Still, as a good Shepherd, He loved those who would remain in the world and prayed earnestly that the Father would "keep through Thine own name those whom Thou hast given Me, that they may be one, as we are one." (John 17:11) Jesus wanted none to be lost (except the son of perdition). Indeed, He wanted those who loved Him to have His "joy fulfilled in themselves." (John 17:14) To live knowing and believing the words that He had given to be truth. Further, Jesus prayed, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world. Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy Word is truth, as Thou has sent Me into the world even so have I also sent them into the world." (John 17:17-18) In the beginning God. (Genesis 1:1) In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God .. and the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) "For there are three that bear record in heaven; the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost; and these three are one." (I John 5:7) Jesus said, "For I have given unto them the words which Thou hast gavest Me; and they have received them, and have known surely that I came out from Thee, and they have believed that Thou didst send Me." (John 17:8) "I and my Father are one." I am thy Lord your God and Saviour. There is no other beside Me. (Hosea 13:4, Isaiah 43:11, 25, 43, Isaiah 45:5, Malachi 3:6, Matthew 1:20-23, John 10:11, Hebrews 13:8) It is no wonder that Jesus concluded His prayer with the following words: "O righteous Father, the world hath not known Thee; but I have known Thee and these have known that Thou hast sent me. And I have declared unto them Thy name -- [Jesus] -- and will declare it; that the love wherewith Thou hast loved me may be in them, and I in them." (John 17:25-26) Shortly after Jesus finished, we read that a band of men and officers from the chief priests and Pharisees came over the brook Cedron and into the garden where Jesus had ventured with His disciples. "Jesus knowing all things that should come upon Him went forth and said unto them, Whom seek ye?" (John 18:1-4) The men answered Jesus saying, "Jesus of Nazareth." Jesus responded saying, "I AM He." As soon as these words were spoken, the scriptures record that the men fell backward to the ground. Once again, Jesus asked, "Whom seek ye? I have told you that I AM He. If therefore ye seek me, let these go their way." (John 18:6-8) This statement was recorded in this manner so that the saying, "Of them which Thou gavest Me have I lost none" might be fulfilled. (John 18:9) Indeed, our Lord God and Saviour loved us enough to become as one of us and shed His precious holy blood on the cross for our sins. So that we might experience His abundant love. His grace. His mercy. For God so loved the world -- you and I -- even before the foundation of the world was formed. Moreover, on the cross Jesus said, "It is finished." (John 19:30) His blood shed so that our sins -- our transgressions -- would be forgiven once and for all. That is, if we would only believe on Jesus. Come to Jesus today. Ask Jesus to fill your soul with His peace and joy. Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus Raised Up a Horn for My Salvation - Part 616

When our Lord God and Saviour -- the Messiah -- visited us, He raised up a horn of salvation. Indeed, "The Lord is my rock and my fortress, and my deliverer. The God of my rock; in Him will I trust. He is my shield,, and the horn of my salvation, my high tower and my refuge, my Saviour; thou savest me from violence. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy to be praised. So shall I be saved from mine enemies. (II Samuel 22:1-4)

Psalms 18:2 cites a similar scripture, stating, "The Lord is my rock, my fortress and my deliverer. My God is my rock, in whom I take refuge. He is my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold."

Certainly, throughout the Old Testament scriptures, prophesies repeatedly foretell of the coming Messiah. We can also take hold of the fact that Jesus was the only begotten child of God. (John 3:16) Similarly, as it is written, we learn that He is the Seed of the Holy Spirit. Indeed, in the veins of Jesus did flow the very life and the humanity of God. Therefore, the blood in Jesus' veins was not like our blood. Why? Because in our blood flows the sinful nature acquired from our forefather Adam in the Garden of Eden.

However, as we recall from the book of Genesis, Adam and Eve were disobedient to the words of their Father who created them. Their initial desire to forever commune with the Lord had changed. As a consequence, we are all now born with a prone to sin nature, which no man of himself or herself can rectify. The Bible states that all men have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God. There are none righteous, no, not one.

Therefore, in order to obtain the gift of salvation, we must recognize that Jesus was not the natural seed of Abraham. Rather, Jesus was -- and indeed is -- the promised Seed of the Holy Spirit.  God in the flesh. In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. And the Word became flesh. (John 1:1-14) Jesus came forth from Mary in whose womb the promised Seed of the Holy Spirit was clothed in sin prone flesh. 

In other words, Mary became a willing surrogate (as pertaining to the flesh) but He who was inside that veil of flesh was none other than the Seed life of the Holy Spirit. Mary was blessed because she believed in the promised Seed of the Holy Spirit. She herself rejoiced to be the handmaiden of the Lord, sharing with everyone that the Lord her God had become Her Saviour. God our Creator was willing to take on the form of man so that we might have salvation.

This is not to suggest that Abraham believed God any less. Certainly that belief was accredited to him as if he were righteous. But of course he was not, for he also lived in a prone to sin natural body. Rather, it was the application of faith that brought upon him unforeseen blessings. God told Abraham that in his Seed would all the nations of the earth be blessed. We are not speaking here of Abraham‘s natural seed. In fact, most of Abraham’s natural seed even today do not believe in the promised Seed of the pure, holy, undefiled Seed of the Holy Spirit, which Seed is Jesus the Christ. 

Still, this is why the door into God’s kingdom is through faith in the Seed of promise Jesus the Christ. It is also why new believers willingly acknowledge that God Himself laid down His life as a Son for each and every one of us. That He alone offers eternal life as a free gift. That by grace are we saved through faith. Stand in the offering plate

Surely the Lord Jesus is In This Place - Part 615

And looking upon Jesus as He walked, he saith, "Behold the Lamb of God. (John 1:36) "Jesus of Nazareth the King of the Jews" -- posted on the cross at Calvary for all to read, including the Jews -- but also written in Hebrew and Greek and Latin just in case there would ever be any question arise regarding the authenticity of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus. (John 19)

But before Jesus was crucified, we read in the book of John that Jesus went forward into Galilee asking Philip of Bethsaida to follow Him. Philip later happened upon Nathanael -- a worthy Israelite walking righteously before His Maker -- and said unto him, "We have found Him of whom Moses in the law and the prophets did write. Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph." (John 1:43-51)

But Nathanael asked Philip, "Can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?" In other words, is it possible that the Messiah could come out from amidst the corruption that was prevalent in Nazareth? Further, like many others, Nathanael may have been thinking, "Is this not the son of Joseph the carpenter and Mary?" After all , the Jews at the time were expecting the King of kings. The Lord of lords. God Almighty in all His glory. How could this be that this man named Jesus might be the prophesied Messiah? Was He not born in a stable? For Nathanael, there were more questions than answers.

Still, Philip invited Nathanael to "come and see." Come and see Jesus for yourself, he said. In other words, Philip was not going to try and convince Nathanael that Jesus was the prophesied Christ. Rather, he invited Philip to come and see for himself that Jesus was the Christ which was prophesied by the prophets.

"For unto us a child is born. Unto us a son is given, and the government shall be upon His shoulder; and His name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor. The mighty God. The everlasting Father. The Prince of Peace." (Isaiah 9:6) 

But Nathanael wasn't so easily convinced.  How can Jesus be the prophesied Christ -- God Almighty in the flesh - who loved us so much -- even before the world was shaped -- that He would become our Lord and Saviour? Could this really be the Messiah prophesied of in Isaiah chapter 53? 

"Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. [Indeed] 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 not esteem Him, smitten of God and afflicted. 

[Still] 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. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted. Yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. So He openeth not His mouth. 

He was taken from prison and from judgement, and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was He stricken. 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.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin. He shall see His seed. He shall prolong His days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied. By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear their iniquities.

Therefore, will I divide Him a portion with the great, and 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." (Isaiah 53:1-12)

Jesus knows our hearts. This is why when Jesus saw Nathanael coming, He said of him, "Behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile." Jesus knew his heart. This is why Nathanael asked Jesus, "Whence knowest thou me?" Jesus answered and said unto him, "Before that Phiilip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee."

At that point, Nathanael knew that here was the Messiah -- the Lord of lords and King of kings. He recognized right there and then that Jesus was the King of Israel. No doubts whatsoever. But Jesus wasn't going to let Nathanael's change of heart off that easy. So Jesus asked him, "Because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? Thou shalt see greater things than these."

And Jesus said unto him. "Verily, verily, I say unto you. Ye shall see heaven open, and the angels of God ascending and descending upon the Son of man." (John 1:51) For those who might have difficulty understanding this last verse, the "ascending and descending" is further elaborated in Jacob's dream found in Genesis 28:12-16. 

Most importantly, Nathanael knew that Jesus was the He that said, "I will not leave thee until I have done that which I have spoken to thee of." Praise you Jesus. Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus Bruised for Our Iniquities - Part 614

"Who hath believed our report? And to whom is the arm of the Lord revealed? For He shall grow up before Him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: He hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see Him, there is no beauty that we should desire Him. [Indeed] 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 not esteem Him, smitten of God and afflicted. 

[Still] 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. He was oppressed, and He was afflicted. Yet He opened not His mouth. He is brought as a Lamb to the slaughter and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb. So He openeth not His mouth. 

He was taken from prison and from judgement, and who shall declare His generation? For He was cut off out of the land of the living; for the transgression of my people was He stricken. 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.

Yet it pleased the Lord to bruise Him. He hath put Him to grief. When thou shalt make His soul an offering for sin. He shall see His seed. He shall prolong His days and the pleasure of the Lord shall prosper in His hand. He shall see of the travail of His soul and shall be satisfied. By His knowledge shall my righteous servant justify many; for He shall bear there iniquities.

Therefore, will I divide Him a portion with the great, and 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." (Isaiah 53:1-12)

Traditional Religion or Jesus? Choice is Yours - Part 613

Often, as new believers in Jesus, we are tempted to get caught up in the institutional religious form associated with church-ianity. Once there, we often adopt the respective established doctrines or creed as presented without ever questioning whether the doctrine(s) in question have a credible scriptural basis. As a consequence, when we hear John 5:39 quoted, we expect that the religious leader - whether it be minister or priest -- has already searched the scriptures for clarity and direction. "For in them ye think ye have eternal life; they are they which testify of me." (John 5:39)

But there is another passage whereby Jesus also spoke on this topic that is often missed. Reading in John 7:16-19, Jesus said to the Jews, "My doctrine is not mine, but His that sent me. If any man will do His will, he shall know of the doctrine, whether it be of God, or whether I speak of myself. He that speaketh of himself seeketh his glory that sent him, the same is true and no unrighteousness is in him."

And then Jesus asks, "Did not Moses give you the law, and yet none of you keepeth the law? Why go ye about to kill me?" (John 7:19)

Herein, Jesus was giving the people a choice. This is the same choice that is extended to us today. That is, are we willing to do His will as in "if any man will do His will." (John 7:17) In essence then, these scriptures are giving us an opportunity to pursue the will of God and apply His liberty to our very being. In so doing, as the scriptures state, we will know in our hearts whether the scriptural teachings and doctrines that are being presented by man-made organizations are true. 

Remember that Jesus told us to "Beware of the scribes which love to go in long clothing and love salutations in the marketplaces, and the chief seats in the synagogues and the uppermost rooms at feasts. Which devour widows' houses and for a pretence make long prayers." Jesus warned us that these "shall receive greater damnation." (John 7:38-40)

So instead of falling into an institutionalized form, how do we will to do His will? 

Jesus said that the first of all the commandments is "The Lord our God is one Lord. And thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy mind and with all thy strength. This is the first commandment." (Mark 12:29-31) 

And the second is like, namely this, "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself. There is none other commandment greater than these." (Mark 12:29-31, Matthew 22:37-40)

It is on these two commandments that hang all the law and the prophets. The basis of the New Testament -- the New Covenant. This is our starting point. Read the New Testament scriptures for yourself so that you too can know the doctrines that are true. Will to do His will today. 

Admittedly, there will be questions. Even when the Pharisees (the learned of the community) gathered together, the scriptures state that they were unable to answer Jesus when He said, "What think ye of Christ? Whose son is He?"

When the Pharisees responded with "The son of David" Jesus said, "How then doth David in spirit call Him Lord, saying, "The Lord said unto my Lord, Sit thou on my right hand till I make thine enemies thy footstool. If David then call Him Lord, how is He His son?"

The promise to those who will to do His will is that we will know the doctrines of Jesus. The Word that was in the beginning and became flesh so that you and I could experience salvation. The greatest love story ever told. The love of our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ.

Therefore, desire in your heart to do His will -- be willing to do the will of Jesus in all our endeavours. He who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ will know His doctrines, whether they are of God as Jesus declared -- "whether I speak of myself" -- or whether these teachings are of man. Indeed, Jesus never fails. Embrace His teachings today. Stand in the offering plate.

Jesus Paid the Ultimate Price For You and I - Part 612

Jesus the Christ was the only begotten child of the Holy Spirit of God. The scriptures state that God Himself was manifest in the flesh as a Son which is why we have an opportunity to experience the salvation of our Lord God and Saviour. God in the manifestation of Jesus (God with us) had a plan for all of His creation -- including you and I. Indeed, the promise is to us, our offspring and to those who are afar off. This is why it is important to understand that in Jesus did all the fullness of the Godhead dwell bodily.

We read in the Bible that Jesus said to Philip, "If you have seen Me, then you have seen the Father." Why? Because "I and my Father are one. He that has seen Me has seen the Father." 

Jesus was conceived of the Holy Spirit - the Holy Spirit providing the new blood line that is in the Christ. God Himself as a Son seeded us. For it is written, "We are the seed of Jesus the Christ." The seed of Jesus the Christ is the Word of God. For we have been born again not of corruptible seed but rather by the incorruptible Seed which is the Word of God.

Jesus being the very same Word and wisdom that indwelt God. "For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one." (I John 5:7) Yes, one and the same. Jesus the Word coming forth from the innermost being of God, becoming for our sake God manifest in the flesh as a Son. God was manifest in visible form like unto Adam‘s sin prone race, appearing in such humiliated form to destroy the evil works and destruction of the devil. To pay the price of our salvation once and for all.

In fact, there was no other way. This is why our Lord God and Saviour Jesus purposely came in this condescended form so that we might have life eternal. Jesus did not descend into our midst to condemn us. Rather, Jesus came that we might have an opportunity to be brought out from the bondage of the law of sin and death. Into His freedom. The law of liberty that only Jesus could proclaim for His people.

The same God who was indwelling the man Jesus the Christ who desired from the beginning of time to reconcile fallen man to Himself. As many as received Jesus so shall they receive life. This is God's promise to one and all. For God SO Loved the World that He would give His only begotten Son so that whosoever believeth in Him would not perish but have everlasting life.  (John 3:16) Stand in the offering plate.