The Bible. 

It isn’t just old, it’s eternal.

It doesn’t just tell us what happened, but what always happens.

It is a lens through which we look to make sense of eternity and the what’s going on in the world.

Do you need a word from God?

Then open up the Word of God!

Want to hear from God? Read it!

Want to audibly hear from God? Read it out loud!

In the past God spoke through prophets, but not He has spoken (past tense) in His Son. We have all we need for life and godliness and revelation is complete. 

The Holy Spirit speaks through the Word of God, and only the Word of God. The Spirit speaks through the Word and not directly to us. 

This Word was affirmed by signs and wonders, and since God has completed that revelation in His confirmed Word, we no longer need those miracles, as revelation is completed.

The Bible is Sufficient for all we need and we need look no further for miracles or personal direct revelation. The Apostles, and only the Apostles, were promised to be led into all truth. They left that for us as the faith once for all delivered to the saints.

If it’s true, it isn’t new. And if it’s new, it isn’t true!

Imaginative contemplation is a powerful method for engaging with narrative texts in the Bible, allowing individuals to immerse themselves in the stories of scripture and gain fresh insights. Rooted in Ignatian spirituality, this practice invites believers to use their imagination to envision biblical events, making them more relatable and personally meaningful. By stepping into the narrative, we can foster a deeper understanding of the underlying messages and themes.

The Essence of Imaginative Contemplation

At its core, imaginative contemplation involves using one’s senses and emotions to visualize scenes from the Bible. This method encourages readers to interact with the text actively rather than passively. The practice typically involves the following steps:

1. Preparation: Begin by finding a quiet space and reflecting on a specific biblical passage that resonates with you.

2. Visualization: Close your eyes and picture the scene in detail. Who are the characters? What are their emotions? What surroundings envelop them?

3. Engagement: Consider your reactions to what is happening. What stands out to you? How might this impact your understanding of the passage?

4. Reflection: Take time to reflect on the encounter and write down any insights or feelings that emerged.

Examples of Imaginative Contemplation

1. The Good Samaritan (Luke 10:25-37): Imagine yourself walking along the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. Visualize the dusty terrain and the sounds of travelers. As you come upon the beaten man, feel his pain and vulnerability. Consider the reactions of the priest and Levite, followed by the Samaritan’s compassion. By placing yourself in this moment, you can explore themes of mercy, prejudice, and the call to love one’s neighbor.

2. The Prodigal Son (Luke 15:11-32): Picture the home of the father, the bustling atmosphere, and then the emptiness when the younger son leaves. As the son experiences life away, reflect on his feelings of regret and longing. When he returns, visualize the father’s exuberant embrace. This scene provides profound insights into forgiveness, grace, and the dynamics of familial love.

3. Jesus Calms the Storm (Mark 4:35-41): Envision yourself in a small boat with Jesus and the disciples as the storm begins to rage. Hear the howling winds and see the crashing waves. Feel the fear of the disciples and the contrasting calm of Jesus. This narrative not only illustrates Jesus’s authority over nature but also serves as a reminder of faith in the midst of life’s storms.

Conclusion

Imaginative contemplation offers a transformative approach to engaging with the Bible’s narrative texts. By actively participating in the stories, we deepen our understanding and appreciation of biblical themes, fostering a more profound relationship with God. Whether exploring narratives of compassion, forgiveness, or divine authority, each imaginative experience invites us to apply these lessons to our own lives.

References

1. Ignatius of Loyola. *Spiritual Exercises*.

2. Harris, Charles. *The Art of Imaginative Prayer: A Guide to Applying Ignatian Spirituality*. Ignatius Press, 2019.

3. Flaherty, Patricia. *Praying with Imagination: Ignatian Spirituality for Today*. Paulist Press, 2018.

4. O’Leary, John. *Finding God in All Things: Ignatian Spirituality in Daily Life*. Loyola Press, 2021. 

Through these practices and reflections, we cultivate a deeper relationship with scripture, enriching our spiritual journey. Engage with a passage today, and experience the transformative power of imaginative contemplation.

When it comes to the textual criticism of the New Testament, the debate between the Byzantine and Alexandrian text families remains one of the most significant in biblical scholarship. Advocates for the Byzantine text family (commonly represented by the Textus Receptus) argue for its reliability based on factors such as manuscript count, historical usage, and doctrinal consistency. This post will explore these arguments and present a case for the Byzantine text family as a more reliable source for biblical texts compared to its Alexandrian counterpart.

The Numerical Superiority of Byzantine Manuscripts

One of the most compelling arguments for the Byzantine text family is the sheer number of surviving manuscripts. The Byzantine tradition boasts approximately 5,000 manuscripts written in Greek, significantly more than the Alexandrian family, which has around 1,500. This higher manuscript count suggests that the Byzantine texts were more widely used and accepted in the early Christian world, indicating a broader ecclesiastical endorsement. The proliferation of Byzantine manuscripts in various regions demonstrates that these texts were not only popular but were also deemed reliable by early church communities.

Contradictions Between Sinaiticus and Vaticanus

Key manuscripts of the Alexandrian text family include Codex Sinaiticus and Codex Vaticanus, both of which date back to the 4th century and are often championed for their age. However, a closer examination reveals significant contradictions between them, which raises questions about their reliability. For instance, discrepancies occur in the Gospels, affecting both textual integrity and doctrinal clarity. While earlier manuscripts can provide insight into the text’s origins, their limited use in early Christian practices could point to a lack of consensus around their reliability.

Historical Context of Heresies in Alexandria

The Alexandrian school is historically linked to various heretical movements, such as Arianism and Gnosticism. These doctrines gained traction among early Christians, which led to theological disputes and schisms within the church. The presence of these heresies in an area reputed for producing Alexandrian texts can lend credence to the argument that the biblical texts originating from this tradition may have been more susceptible to theological bias and alteration. In contrast, the Byzantine tradition maintained a more consistently orthodox trajectory and a unified doctrinal stance across its manuscripts.

The Influence of the Byzantine Text on English and Spanish Translations

The Byzantine text family’s influence is not just restricted to scholarly debates; it has had a profound impact on biblical translations. Many essential translations for English-speaking Christians trace their roots to Byzantine manuscripts or the Textus Receptus. This includes:

1. King James Version (KJV) – Published in 1611, one of the most widely read translations based on the Textus Receptus.

2. New King James Version (NKJV) – A modern update of the KJV that retains the Byzantine text foundation.

3. Modern English Version (MEV) – Another contemporary translation based on the Textus Receptus.

In Spanish, the Reina-Valera translation (first published in 1569) relies on the Byzantine text, preserving many of its features and readings. This text has been vital for Spanish-speaking Protestant communities.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the Byzantine text family’s numerical superiority, the contradictions present in Alexandrian manuscripts, and the historical context of heresies originating from Alexandria lend substantial weight to the argument for its greater reliability. The wide acceptance and enduring use of Byzantine manuscripts throughout church history further support its validity as a trustworthy source for understanding the New Testament.

References

1. Comfort, P. W., & Barrett, W. (2001). The Complete Guide to Bible Translations. Baker Books.

2. Ehrman, B. D. (2006). Misquoting Jesus: The Story Behind Who Changed the Bible and Why. HarperCollins.

3. Kenyon, F. G. (1939). Handbook to the Textual Criticism of the New Testament. Macmillan.

4. Murdock, D. (1851). The Origin and History of the New Testament. William Smith.

5. Robinson, M. (2005). The New Testament in the Original Greek According to the Textus Receptus. Conservative Bible Foundation.

Much of our everyday existence is filled with routine. While some things are only done occasionally, there are a whole host of things that we do on a daily basis that are so routine that we may not even realize that we do them. And that’s not always a bad thing, for there are spiritual and temporal habits that are healthy and should be second nature to us. What I want to talk about are the things we ought to do on a daily basis so that they become part of who we are, but that get relegated to one day a week or times of deep distress and spiritual need. The apostle Paul, in his letter to the Colossians talked about some of those things.

Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom, teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord. And whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him. (Colossians 3:16, 17 NKJV)

The foundation for all of this, is letting the word of Christ dwell in you. But not just a sparingly, but richly. We need to have an overflowing abundance of the Word of God inside of us, so that it is always coloring whatever we do on a daily basis. Now I don’t care how good your preacher or teachers are, they cannot get this level of the Word into you, any more than you could sit down one day and eat enough physical food to nourish your body for the rest of the week! We have to hunger and thirst after spiritual food, and that happens when we go to the Word and take it in on a daily basis.

In the physical realm, there comes a point when someone is starving that they lose their appetite. In time, they become so weak that they lack the energy and will to eat. The same thing can happen spiritually if we do not feast in the Word of God. What is amazing about the Word of God is that the more you read it, the hungrier you get for it. We need to feast on the Word in order to grow and thrive.

as newborn babes, desire the pure milk of the word, that you may grow thereby, (I Peter 2:2 NKJV)

What will the result of an overflowing abundance of the Word of God be in our lives? We will begin to have the Word come to mind just when we need it, or when someone else needs it. We can be a resource to help others along the way. We also begin to see things from a scriptural perspective, which is good, because in the end, it only really matters what God thinks about things, not what our own opinions are.

Your word I have hidden in my heart, That I might not sin against You. (Psalms 119:11)

If we continually feast on the Word, there can press on towards the time when whatever we say and do will be affected by what we have taken in from our consumption of the truths of God’s Word. Does that mean that we cannot do anything at all without chapter and verse to authorize it? Of course not. Try finding a verse that says to floss your teeth! But the point is that when we start to see the pattern, albeit through a glass darkly, of how God thinks and the principles that we should live by, we can slowly move to conform our daily lives into ones that honor God and our Savior Jesus Christ. We can start doing things “in His name”, for we are His ambassadors here on the earth.

The natural and continual by product of this type of living is a spirit of thanksgiving. Our gratitude will be another thing that permeates out thinking and our actions. In turn, that gratitude will spur us on to greater love and good works. Which will make us grateful, etc. it’s a continual upward spiral! But again, the foundation is a continual taking in of the Word. If we stop and depend on what we read in the past alone, we will grow weak, lose our spiritual appetite, and starve. We will also be ungrateful.

So the next time you pick up the table, try doing this: open it up, pray, and then as you begin to read say, “lets eat!” and spiritually chow down. After all, you have to be full before you can overflow.

There is nothing like a good fish story, especially when you hear it the second time and remember how big the fish was the first time you heard it. There is a fish story in the Bible that happens to be true! And I believe it has some application to those of us today as well. You will see what I mean in a minute.

I am sure that most of us have had the misfortune of working with someone who had a bad attitude. They hate what they are doing and make sure everyone else regrets being there as well. It is a mystery of the universe how such folks ever accomplish anything at all in life. But, as with all things, what is impossible with man is possible with God.

The prophet Jonah was just such a man. He was a prophet of God, and he received a commission to go and preach. Seems like that would be a simple task. But Jonah was blinded by his racism, hatred and overall meanness to the point of direct disobedience to the command of God. Here was his simple job description:

Now the word of the Lord came to Jonah the son of A-mittaī, saying, “Arise, go to Nine-veh, that great city, and cry out against it; for their wickedness has come up before Me.” (Jonah 1:1, 2 NKJV)

Sounds pretty simple, right? But from the beginning, you can almost hear the wheels turning in Jonah’s mind. He hated the people of Nineveh with a passion. The last thing he wanted was for them to repent. “If I flee in the other direction, then the will not get the message, will not repent, and will be destroyed!”
So Jonah heads to the sea port of Joppa and gets passage clear to the other side of the Mediterranean at Tarshish, which was around Gibraltar.

Well, to make a long story short, the people of Nineveh end up being preached at by the worst possible candidate for a preacher. He is racist and hates them, he doesn’t want to be there, he doesn’t want them to accept his message, and he makes the message as short and blunt as he can. Sounds like a recipe for a failure. But God uses the message to turn the hearts if the people and they repent. The city is spared, and Jonah does not get to watch them being judged with fire from heaven.

Jesus, when talking to the Pharisees, alludes to the people of Nineveh.

The men of Nineveh will stand up at the judgment with this generation and condemn it; for they repented at the preaching of Jonah, and now something greater than Jonah is here. (Matthew 12:41 NIV)

The hardness of their hearts caused them to reject the message from the perfect messenger, the One who is the very Word of God. They will stand condemned by those who repented at the preaching of the most flawed of prophets. But what does that have to do with us today?

There has never been more access to the Bible in our language as there is today. Free resources abound with access to multiple translations of the text. In addition, study helps are easier than ever to obtain that can aid us in understanding what we are reading. We have access to audio, video and printed teaching (paper and electronic) that our forefathers could not even dream about. But can we truly say we know our Bibles as well as those of a generation ago? Many of them grew up in homes with one family Bible and didn’t get their own copy until they were grown. But they studied it and committed it to memory. We, on the other hand, are so distracted by what the world flashes in front of us that we have little time for plumbing the depths of the Word of God.

Those who struggled to obtain the Scriptures in the past, along with those in countries where the Bible is forbidden and must be read in secret, will rise to condemn those of us in countries where most Christians have multiple Bibles and study helps galore, yet do not take full advantage of such. We would be foolish to assume that our access to the Word will always be unfettered.

When I was headed over for Desert Storm, we stopped in the Philippines. I spoke to some missionaries there who spoke of soldiers who would memorize sections of the Bible, just in case they were ever captured. What would happen to us if the Bible was suddenly classified as “hate speech” and banned? What if we were imprisoned for our faith? Would we know enough Bible to live on spiritually?

May the ease with which we can become familiar with the Bible never become a cause for contempt, or a reason to take His Word for granted.

Does God Require Doctrinal Perfection? The Mosaic Law was perfect, but it could not be perfectly kept by fallen humans. In fact, Jesus Christ was the only one to ever keep it. But it still served a useful purpose in that it convicts of sin and brings us to the foot of the cross with the realization that “all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” (Romans 3:23). Jesus died and freed us from the law of sin and death that was against us, nailing it to the cross.

But did He in effect transfer us from a Law that demanded moral perfection into a new law that requires doctrinal perfection? I don’t believe He did. But let me also quickly state that I am not saying that false teaching has no consequences, or that we are free to disregard the teaching of Scripture. Jesus himself said that is we love Him, we will keep his commandments (John 14:15)

What we need to focus on is that all of the commandments and doctrine of the New Testament points in one direction — Jesus. Jesus not only taught the truth, He is the truth! (John 14:6). Correct doctrine and practices are a means to an end, not the final goal. For too long we have scoured the scriptures to find what is allowed and what is not. While I am all for a diligent study of the Bible, trying to extract a legal code from the New Testament instead of reading it to draw closer to our Savior and to know Him better is to misuse Scripture. Israel used to be under a “letter of the law” covenant where perfect performance was demanded and nothing specifically authorized was permitted. But we are under a new covenant that changes our hearts instead of just our actions. Where there is no specificity, we follow the spirit of the law.
Paul described it this way in his second letter to the church at Corinth:

You are our letter, written in our hearts, known and read by all men; being manifested that you are a letter of Christ, cared for by us, written not with ink but with the Spirit of the living God, not on tablets of stone but on tablets of human hearts. Such confidence we have through Christ toward God. Not that we are adequate in ourselves to consider anything as coming from ourselves, but our adequacy is from God, who also made us adequate as servants of a new covenant, not of the letter but of the Spirit; for the letter kills, but the Spirit gives life. (2 Corinthians 3:2-6 NASB)

We no longer are under a system where anything not specifically authorized is a sin. Again, we are not free to violate specific commandments, because that is sin.

We do not earn salvation by our perfect interpretation of the Bible, any more than we earn it by our good works. It’s not that doctrine doesn’t matter. But we do need to make a distinction between what is essential, and what honest Christians can read and still end up coming to differing conclusions on. Plus, who of us has never had an erroneous idea that was later disproven by something we read or by a deeper understanding? There has to be room to grow in the truth as we grow closer to Christ.

In fact, if we make doctrinal perfection a condition of salvation, we are not trusting in the finished work of Christ, but instead are placing faith in our ability to properly interpret the Bible. No fallen man will ever have a mind so perfect that he will achieve perfect doctrine. And keep this in mind as well. On our best, most mentally alert day, dripping in spiritual anointing, and seeing more clearly than we ever have before, we still “see through a glass darkly.” (1 Corinthians 13:12).

If you want to read about some messed up churches, both in doctrine and practice, read about Corinth, or some of the churches in Revelation chapters 2-3. There were definite consequences to their error, but at no point does Jesus say they have lost their salvation. They were expected to change in the light of the truth Jesus was speaking to them or they would die out as congregations.

So in the end, what shall we do? I would say to be firm on that which is plainly commanded (like what must I do to be saved, and who Jesus Christ is, the Gospel, etc) and where there is no specific directive, or just one example of a way a thing may be done, follow the spirit of the law without violating other principles of the Word. Avoid the works of the flesh, and cultivate the fruit of the Spirit. Realize that we are all at differing levels of understanding and that as long as we love the truth and draw closer to Jesus, we will finish the journey to our eternal home.

First of all, what I am writing is not some new revelation from God. This is a non-prophet blog. 🙂 But I have had this nagging feeling. It’s something that I started doing awhile ago and thought I would share it. No, you are not disobeying God by not doing it, too!
I am not certain of what lies ahead for American Christians. Whether persecution will be our lot or we continue to worship and spread the Good News (Gospel) freely. But here is what I am doing because of that uneasy gut feeling, and you might want to do it, too. Or you might not.

Start collecting Bibles. By that I don’t mean get a stack of printed Bibles, although it is always nice to have them to give away. I mean every format you can get. Save CDs, DVD, flash drives, and any electronic medium that can be used to transmit over the internet. We do not know when the Bible may be labelled as “hate speech” and banned or restricted.
Gather up good, solid, biblical teaching on any of the above mediums. If we are forced to be in hiding and/or in small house fellowships, good teaching may be hard to find. Its best to already have it so that your spiritual diet can be well rounded.
Find and keep song books. They can be the old hymns, choruses, or whatever. PDF files may be best. But be prepared to sing them acapella. You won’t want to be using music that will be loud enough to get you discovered if you must worship in secret. Even musical CDs and mp3 files are good, but make sure you have headphones for them.

And I would have a few blank books around for keeping a record of what happened to and through God’s people when times get tough. You never know who, generations from now, will be encouraged by them.
Again, this is not some dire prophecy, but rather emergency preparedness. If nothing happens, you will still have a valuable library of sound teaching that you can transmit to brothers and sisters in Christ around the world. So it’s a win-win proposition!

Despite accumulating more medical knowledge than any generation before us, heart disease is still the number one killer of adults. A variety of new advances have come about which has enabled doctors to do intricate surgery on hearts and fix them, or even transplant in a new one! Things are being done now which would have been science fiction 50 years ago.

But God has been in the heart transplant business for thousands of years!
He sent Jesus to “heal the broken hearted” (Luke 4:18). Way back in Ezekiel’s day, God promised that someday He would be performing spiritual heart transplants.
“I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will take the heart of stone out of your flesh and give you a heart of flesh.” (Ezekiel 36:26 NKJV)
Then how do we check on our heart health? How do we know what kind of shape our hearts are in? By the way we hear and receive the Word of God, and by looking to see if it is bearing fruit in our lives.

Jesus Christ described different heart conditions in Matthew 13 in He called the Parable of the Sower.

Then He spoke many things to them in parables, saying: Behold, a sower went out to sow. And as he sowed, some seed fell by the wayside; and the birds came and devoured them. Some fell on stony places, where they did not have much earth; and they immediately sprang up because they had no depth of earth. But when the sun was up they were scorched, and because they had no root they withered away. And some fell among thorns, and the thorns sprang up and choked them. But others fell on good ground and yielded a crop: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. He who has ears to hear, let him hear! (Matthew 13:3-9 NKJV)

Unfortunately, there is a problem with this parable. Actually, the problem is with us. We have heard this parable so many times that there is a tendency to say, “okay, I know this part” and skim over it without digging deeper for more. For there surely is more for us here. So let’s try to take a fresh look at tis parable and find some things to apply to ourselves.

I believe that one major mistake we have traditionally made with the parable is to only apply it to those who are hearing the Gospel for the first time. We use it to show why not everyone responds to the salvation message, or to show why they do respond but then fall away. But Jesus does not limit the interpretation to salvation, and neither should we. This parable applies to the heart condition every one of us have on a daily or weekly basis when we read the Word or hear it preached and/or taught! So with that in mind, let’s take a fresh look at the explanation Jesus gives for the symbols and apply them to ourselves instead of others.

Therefore hear the parable of the sower:
When anyone hears the word of the kingdom, and does not understand it, then the wicked one comes and snatches away what was sown in his heart. This is he who received seed by the wayside. But he who received the seed on stony places, this is he who hears the word and immediately receives it with joy; yet he has no root in himself, but endures only for a while. For when tribulation or persecution arises because of the word, immediately he stumbles.
Now he who received seed among the thorns is he who hears the word, and the cares of this world and the deceitfulness of riches choke the word, and he becomes unfruitful.
But he who received seed on the good ground is he who hears the word and understands it, who indeed bears fruit and produces: some a hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty. (Matthew 13:18-23 NKJV)

In this short discourse, Jesus reveals the heart conditions of those who hear His message.
Hard heart = characterized by the habit of hearing the message but refusing to take it in and apply it to ourselves. Doing this for an extended period may cause you to lose the ability to understand the message and how it applies to you at all. Can you remember the last time a Bible passage or a sermon changed something in your life? If not, or if you do remember and it was awhile ago, you have symptoms of a hard heart. This can only be cured by repentance, so that your heart soil is prepared to have the Word planted in it.
Heart Stones = also a dangerous condition. This is caused by not preparing your heart to receive the word by growing deeper in your walk with God. Only by prayer, diligent study of the Word, and the encouragement and fellowship of other believers can we put down deep roots. The more we practice these things, the more the Word becomes a part of us and we do not stumble when trials and tribulation comes. Ever read something in the Bible or heard a truth and said, “that’s okay, but no need to get radical about it”? One big symptom of this condition is a string of enthusiastically learning things, but just trying them out to see if they work instead of totally trusting God and doing what His Word says for us to do.
Distracted Heart = also known as spiritual ADD. This happens when we hear or read the Word and say that it is great, but are afraid of what people will think of us if we put it into practice. Or even hearing the truth about something and refusing to change because it might cost us wealth or position if people found out we were sold out to Jesus. A warning sign of this is when you see the truth but the first thought that goes though your mind is, “what would people think if I did that?”. The cure for this condition is the fear of the Lord. Our first thought, upon understanding the truth, should be one of joy at the opportunity to be obedient to God. It should not occur to us to disobey the commandments of God because we love Him more than anything on earth, and even life itself.
Healthy Heart = this is characterized by striving to find something about ourselves in every message and Bible reading that we can change to become more like Christ. Or to find something new that we had not known that will equip us to love and serve Him more fully. Results of this condition will be fruitfulness in our walk with God and ever increasing growth in our spiritual lives.

So how about it? What kind of soil do you have right now? Does your heart seem to go through different phases of soil quality and preparation? Mine does. Let’s be ever diligent to keep our hearts right, and in so doing keep our lives healthy and our doctrine sound, that we may be fruitful in His Kingdom!

“Watch your life and doctrine closely. Persevere in them, because if you do, you will save both yourself and your hearers.” (1 Timothy 4:16 NIV)

Questions are an important part of life and learning. Some are trivial while others are vital. There are three questions that I believe are vital to your eternal salvation. These are the very basics, the foundation, of what it means to be a Christian. Get any or all of these questions wrong, and the consequences are fatal.

For example, look at the foundation of a house. If the foundation is bad, it does not matter how well you build the rest of the house. You may make some mistakes later, but you can fix them because you have a proper foundation to work with. Another example is a mathematical equation. If you make a mistake at the beginning, the rest of the problem is wrong, not matter how well you do it.

Question #1. Who do you say that I am? Matthew 16:13-16

When Jesus came into the region of Caesarea Philippi, He asked His disciples, saying, “Who do men say that I, the Son of Man, am?”So they said, “Some say John the Baptist, some Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter answered and said, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.”

It does not matter what others think about Jesus. Not your parents, your spouse or your friends. The question you must answer is “who do YOU say that Jesus is?”

He is the eternal Son of God

John 1:4, 14 1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. 4 In Him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5 And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it. And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.

Jesus is the only way to God. There are other roads but they all lead to destruction. All roads do NOT lead to God. Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.(John 14:6)

Notice he uses “the” instead of “a” to show that He is the one and only way to God. This is affirmed again by the apostle Peter in Acts 4:12 where he said, “ 12 Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

And Jesus is the one and only mediator between God and man. 1 Timothy 2:5-6

For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus, 6 who gave Himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.

Whenever any organization sets themselves up between you and Christ, they are false and you should run the other way.

He was not just fully God, but as the previous verse said, Jesus was also a man. You see we needed a perfect man to atone for the sins of man. But if He were just a man, His death would only atone for one other man’s sins. No, he had to also be deity so that He could make an eternal sacrifice for all! Hebrews 4:11-14 states

“11 And every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. 12 But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, 13 from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.

While Jesus Christ was hanging on that cross, suspended between heaven and earth, He was both God’s perfect man, and man’s perfect God!

Question #2. By what authority do you do these things? Matthew 21:23 23 Now when He came into the temple, the chief priests and the elders of the people confronted Him as He was teaching, and said, “By what authority are You doing these things?”

EXAMPLE: Matthew 4 with Jesus’ temptation in the wilderness. For every temptation, Jesus responded with His greatest weapon – “It is written.”

Jesus NEVER quotes the oral or written traditions of the fathers except to condemn it. Mark 7:13 making the word of God of no effect through your tradition which you have handed down. And many such things you do.”

The Word of God is the most powerful force in the universe, yet you can keep it out of your heart and life with something called “tradition.” Watch out for those who would say that we need to follow both the written word and holy tradition. Jesus promised the Apostles that the Holy Spirit would be sent to lead THEM into all truth. That’s why in Acts 2:42 Doctor Luke wrote, “ 42 And they continued steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine and fellowship, in the breaking of bread,

Even after that time, the writings of Paul carried the weight of the Word of God.

1 Thess 2:13 For this reason we also thank God without ceasing, because when you received the word of God which you heard from us, you welcomed it not as the word of men, but as it is in truth, the word of God, which also effectively works in you who believe.

And this word of God was delivered once for all. It did not get lost and have to be delivered again.

Jude 3 3 Beloved, while I was very diligent to write to you concerning our common salvation, I found it necessary to write to you exhorting you to contend earnestly for the faith which was once for all delivered to the saints.

That brings us to the “so what?” question. If the first two questions are answered correctly, what difference does that make for me? Glad you asked!

Question #3. What must I do to be saved? (Acts 2:37)

Now when they heard this, they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Men and brethren, what shall we do?”

Peter gave them an answer, but it was based on where they were at in the salvation process. They had just then heard and believed, so Peter starts with repentance in verse 38. But let’s take a look briefly at the overall process.

a. Hear the Gospel message – Why is this one first? Because salvation requires faith, and

b. Repent – Acts 2:38 states it plainly “repent and be baptized”. This means not just to

c. Confess – Matt 10:32-33

d. Baptism – time will not permit me to go to every scripture that talks about baptism, so

according to Romans 10:17, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of

God.” So once someone hears and understands the Gospel (which an infant cannot

do), they must believe it and have faith that it is true.

They then repent, which is more that to turn from sin, but turn to God.

“Therefore whoever confesses Me before men, him I will also confess before My Father who is in heaven. 33 But whoever denies Me before men, him I will also deny before My Father who is in heaven.

For baptism, let’s focus on one passage – Romans 6

Or do you not know that as many of us as were baptized into Christ Jesus were baptized into His death? 4 Therefore we were buried with Him through baptism into death, that just as Christ was raised from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life. For if we have been united together in the likeness of His death, certainly we also shall be in the likeness of His resurrection, 6 knowing this, that our old man was crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves of sin. 7 For he who has died has been freed from sin. 8 Now if we died with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him, knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, dies no more. Death no longer has dominion over Him. 10 For the death that He died, He died to sin once for all; but the life that He lives, He lives to God.

What about the sinner’s prayer? There is never a record in the New Testament of ANYONE praying a prayer to be saved. This was an invention of D.L. Moody in the 19th century. But if you must have a sinner’s prayer, here is what the Bible says.

Acts 22:16 16 And now why are you waiting? Arise and be baptized, and wash away your sins, calling on the name of the Lord.’

And here in 1 Peter 3:21 Corresponding to that, baptism now saves you–not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience—through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, NASB

It is not a sinner’s prayer and then baptism. Baptism IS the sinner’s prayer.

In conclusion, make sure your life is built on the solid foundation of truth. Study it and be solid in your convictions so that the enemy cannot move you from the sure rock of the Word of God.

Make sure that you fellowship with a congregation that at least has these basics correct. If these are not right, you can save yourself some time because it means everything else is wrong.

Now that you know the truth, obey it. If you really believe it is true, you must do something about it. Your true beliefs will determine your actions. And your foundation will determine your destiny.

Hearing The Testimony You Are Seeing

I arrived a little early to work today, and parked the van along the tree line at the back of the parking lot. After only a moment, an American Goldfinch landed on top of a thistle that had some blossoms which had turned to fluff. This tiny bird immediately began picking off tiny slivers of fluff to carry back to her nest. These birds know how to build a nest that is so well put together that it holds water. All this after flying back up to Wisconsin for the summer after spending the winter in Mexico.

As I sat there watching this marvel of nature, it baffled me that someone could see a little bird, which is more complex than any machine or computer we can make, and believe this was the result of a huge explosion, followed by change, spontaneous generation, and random mutations.

Paul, in Romans chapter 1 wrote, “For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly seen, being understood through what has been made, so that they are without excuse. For even though they knew God, they did not honor Him as God or give thanks, but they became futile in their speculations, and their foolish heart was darkened.” (Romans 1:20, 21 NASB)

To observe such complexity and design, and at the same time deny the existence of the designer is illogical at best. But satan still uses such tactics to deceive millions. Why? Well, other than the pleasure he takes in human destruction, it is an attempt to deflect credit that would otherwise go to God. In the throne room vision of Revelation 4, it is recorded that this praise goes out continually to God.
“Worthy are You, our Lord and our God, to receive glory and honor and power; for You created all things, and because of Your will they existed, and were created.” (Revelation 4:11 NASB)
Yes, creation itself, from the tiniest particle, to the expanse of the universe, is an expression of worship to God!
“You alone are the LORD. You have made the heavens, The heaven of heavens with all their host, The earth and all that is on it, The seas and all that is in them.
You give life to all of them And the heavenly host bows down before You. (Nehemiah 9:6 NASB)

It is also an attempt to give credit for creation to someone or something other than God. And by publishing the lie that the universe created itself, he rocks the faith of some and causes them to stumble, or even to never search for God at all. But we, as Christians know this is a deception from the evil one.
By faith we understand that the worlds have been framed by the word of God, so that what is seen hath not been made out of things which appear. (Hebrews 11:3 ASV)

So, thank you mr and mrs goldfinch, for your fine devotional lesson this morning! You spoke to one of God’s children through your building of a nest. And you also were yet another reminder that, “The fool has said in his heart, ‘There is no God.’ ” (Psalm 14:1a NASB)