I AM The Way, the Truth and the Life - Part 973

Moving beyond the two covenants -- the old and the new (of which the latter is actually referred to as a testament defined by the blood shed by our Lord God and Saviour on the cross), we begin to understand the uniqueness of the gospel message of Jesus and His kingdom. 

That is, the same God who created us in the beginning so loved the world - meaning you and I - that He gave His only begotten Son so that WHOSOEVER believes in Him should not perish but shall have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

Think about this for a moment. For God so loved! A love so deep for His creation that He openly and willingly declared "peace" to one and all. And, in so doing, He ushered in a brand new covenant in which we could know our Lord God and Saviour personally. A last will and testament offered to us who were not God's chosen people but now are God's chosen people by adoption -- which can only be understood through the ultimate sacrifice made on the cross. 

Through Jesus, we are able to share in the world's greatest love story ever told. His Word that was with God in the beginning and WAS God, became flesh and dwelt among us so that we could have life everlasting. (John 1:1-18) 

The love of God that is far greater than anyone’s pen or tongue could ever tell. John, motivated by the Holy Ghost 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. 

Note however, that 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 through His grace and mercy.

For it is written, that JESUS was conceived of the Holy Ghost. Indeed, JESUS is the SEED of the Holy Ghost - the very life giving blood of His Spirit flowing within the veins of the man JESUS. This is why at Calvary, blood and water came forth from JESUS' side. And, as prophesied in the old covenant, not one bone of JESUS' body was broken. 

Still, all of the aforementioned were sinless, not under the curse for they were the SEED of the Holy Ghost. 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 hangs on a tree.'

It is in this context that there is no other gospel worth noting. No other gospel whereby God was willing to sacrifice His humanity for you and I. 

For within the life of the man JESUS the Christ, we are introduced to the manifestation of God Himself. 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 worshiping 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 and proselytes 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 twelve 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 the book of Acts, the people were instructed to "Repent and be baptized in the name of JESUS the Christ for the remission of sins and ye shall receive the gift of the Holy Ghost." (Acts 2:37-42) In response, 3000 people repented and were baptized in Jesus' name that very day.

This good news gospel message of Jesus and His kingdom 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. 

"There is no other name GIVEN whereby men can be saved." Let him who hath ears to hear, hear. Stand in the offering plate.