"And this same Lord shall go forth as a mighty man." (Isaiah 42:13)
This same Lord our God had already decided before the foundation of the world was formed that He Himself would have to save His people from their sins. The same God who formed us in our mother's womb had devised a plan to redeem us from our sin. And as a consequence of repenting and being baptized in His name -- the precious name of Jesus, we can be confident that our names are written in the Lamb's book of life. (Acts 2:37-42)
How can this statement be made? Because when we repent and are baptized in the name of Jesus as commanded by Jesus through the Holy Ghost, we receive His Spirit. (Acts 1:1-2) The same Holy Ghost that Jesus promised we would receive while He walked on earth but could not come until Jesus had been taken up. (John 14:5-21; John 14:26; John 15:26; Acts 1:1-2) Not another God. Not a second person within a trinity but the one and only same God who breathed upon the face of the waters in Genesis, now breathing into us His holy Spirit. The first and the last. The beginning and the end. Alpha and Omega.
"And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of His Son into your hearts crying "Abba, Father." (Galatians 4:6)
His name is Jesus. This is why John wrote: "He that believeth on Him is not condemned but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed "in the name" of the only begotten Son of God. (John 3:18)
Throughout the old and the new, the scriptures clearly point to one God who loved His creation -- you and I -- so much that He Himself who knew no sin would take upon Himself our sin so that we might know Him personally as our Lord God and Saviour. Willing to shed His precious holy blood on a cross so that we might have life.
Every scripture pointing to the prophesied Christ so that we could all become the children of God by faith in Christ Jesus. "For as many of you as have been baptized into Christ have put on Christ." (Galatians 3:26-27)
"I have called thee by thy name; thou art Mine ... For I am the Lord thy God, the Holy One of Israel, thy Saviour." (Isaiah 43:1-3)
"Thus saith the Lord the King of Israel, and His redeemer the Lord of hosts, "I am the first, and I am the last, and beside Me there is no Saviour." (Isaiah 44:6)
"I am the Lord, and there is none else. There is no God beside Me. I girded thee, though thou hast not known Me, that thy may know from the rising of the sun, and from the west, that there is none beside Me. I AM THE LORD AND THERE IS NONE ELSE." (Isaiah 45:5-6)
He did not send another. Almighty God alone became our Saviour. No Jehovah Junior as the modern day religious culture would have you believe. Not a second person of a false teaching known today as the trinity. Not one of three Gods or God in three persons, who apparently must vie for position and authority within the Godhead, as some proclaim, making Jesus a lesser God than God Almighty.
Rather, God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16) Jehovah Himself from the old covenant became flesh and dwelt among us. The mystery that was hid from the beginning of the world. The fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in Him. (Colossians 2:9) This is why Luke referred to Jesus as a holy thing. "And they shall call His name JESUS for He alone shall save His people from their sins." (Matthew 1:21-23)
"In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by Him and without Him was not any thing made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. And the light shineth in darkness, and the darkness comprehended it not ... He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not but as many as received Him" -- received who? -- received Jesus, "to them gave He power to become the sons of God, [even] to them that believe on His name." (John 1:1-18)
He was the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (John 1:1-18; Hebrews 9:15-18)
"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. Of the increase of His government, there shall be no end, upon the throne of David, and upon His kingdom to order it, and to establish it with judgement and with justice from henceforth even for ever. The zeal of the Lord of hosts will perform this." (Isaiah 9:6-7)
"One Lord, One faith, One baptism, One God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all." (Ephesians 4:5-6)
Indeed, when Thomas put his hand in Jesus side, he accurately proclaimed Jesus to be who He still is today. That is, as Thomas said when he put his hand in Jesus' side, "My Lord and my God." (John 20:27-28)
And to make all [men] 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 to the intent that now unto the principalities and powers in heavenly [places] might be known by the church the manifold wisdom of God -- according to the eternal purpose which He purposed in Christ Jesus our Lord, in whom we have boldness and access with confidence by the faith of Him ... 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." (Ephesians 3:3-15)
And just in case one is still not sure of the truth, note what the apostles said when apostles Peter and John were being condemned by the courts and council of the day. (Acts 4:1-2) Note that after they were let go (having been forbidden to preach in the name of Jesus), they went to their own company and reported all that the chief priests and elders had said unto them. What did they do?
They lifted up their voice to God with one accord, and said, "LORD, THOU ART GOD, WHICH HAST MADE HEAVEN AND EARTH AND THE SEA AND ALL THAT IN THEM IS ..." (Acts 4:24)
These proclaimed to one and all -- "Lord, Thou ART God."
Just like Stephen when he was being stoned. Stephen call upon God. The scripture said, "And they stoned Stephen, CALLING UPON GOD AND SAYING, "LORD JESUS, RECEIVE MY SPIRIT." And he kneeled down and cried with a loud voice, "Lord, lay not this sin to their charge." And when he had said this, he fell asleep. (Acts 7:59-60)
Yes, Jesus Christ is the Father. He is Almighty God. The fullness of God dwelling bodily in a sin-prone flesh, yet without sin. One Lord, One faith, One baptism. One God and Father of all -- His name in this dispensation of grace is Jesus.
Therefore, "hold fast the form of sound words, which thou hast heard of me, in faith and love which is in Christ Jesus -- that good thing which was committed unto thee keep by the Holy Ghost which dwelleth in us." (II Timothy 1:13-14)
And be thou not ashamed of the testimony of our Lord but partakers of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace, which was GIVEN US IN CHRIST JESUS BEFORE THE WORLD BEGAN ... but is now made manifest by the appearing of our Saviour Jesus Christ who hath abolished death, and hath brought life and immortality to light through the gospel." (II Timothy 1:8-10)
Stand in the offering plate.
No comments:
Post a Comment