Thursday 30 August 2012

The Name of Jesus

Have you noticed how easily many people can use God as one of their curse words. Have you noticed how many people can use the name of Jesus sinfully- they take the precious name of Jesus and mix it in the muck and mire. They have no problem to blaspheme the name of the Lord, the One who gave them life on this earth, and (by His will) gives them every breath. They have no problem to blaspheme the name of the Lord, the One who died for sinners on the Cross, to make the only way (John 14:6) for them to be forgiven for their sins, and be reconciled to God, if they put their faith in Him.

The Bible says in Philippians 2:9-11 KJV, 'Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.'

Any person that does not bow down to the name of Jesus, and confess Him as Lord on this side of eternity, will on the other side, but then it will be without the mercy and the grace of God: And as it is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgement (Heb. 9:27 KJV). They will bow the knee to Him, and confess Him as Lord (you can be sure about that), before they go to their eternal destination, the Lake of Fire (Rev. 20:15). The Bible says, 'But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire brimstone: which is the second death' (Rev. 21:8 KJV).

There is only mercy and grace to be found this side of eternity. Don't wait until the other side of eternity to bow the knee to the name of Jesus, and confess Him as Lord, and go to hell, but come to Him now. The Lord Jesus Christ step out of heaven (fully God), was born as flesh (fully human) but One Person (the Person of Christ), lived a sinless life, died for sinners on the Cross and secured the salvation for each believer, paying their sin debt in full. The Bible says in Ephesians 1:7 LITV, in whom we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace. Jesus was buried, and on the third day, He rose from the dead (Luke 24:46-47 and 1Cor. 15:3-4). He has made the way (He is the way) for you to come to God, to be forgiven of your sins, and go to heaven (when you die) and to be with Him forever, but you must receive this free gift by God's grace, by repentace and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ.

The Bible teaches, 'But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through His name' (John 20:31 KJV). The Bible says, 'For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him, should not perish, but have everlasting life' (John 3:16 KJV).

The Bible says, 'Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved' (Acts 4:12 KJV). The Bible says, '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' (Eph. 2:8-9).

Repent toward God (which means a change of mind and heart toward God) and put your complete faith in Lord Jesus Christ and trust in Him to save you by His death, burial, and resurrection, and be saved (Acts 20:21)

Tuesday 7 August 2012

A glimpse of the Trinity in the First Book

We will look in the first book in the Bible, the Book of Genesis. In Genesis 1:26a-27 KJV, the Bible says, 'And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness.' You notice the pronouns in the first part of this verse- The Bible says, 'And God said, Let us (this is a plural pronoun) make man in our (this is a plural pronoun) image, after our (this is a plural pronoun) likeness.  Let us continue in verse 27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them. The Bible says, 'So God created man in his (that is a singular pronoun) own image, in the image of God (this is singular) created he him.

You will notice the plural pronouns in verse 26, but singular pronoun in verse 27. In verse 27, you notice when it refers to God, it refers to God as one God, not plural gods. The reason we can understand that verse 26 does not refer to plurality of gods but something other, but the plural pronouns found in verse 26 cannot refer to something other than God; let me explain- In verse 26, the Bible says, 'And God said, Let us make man in our image.' In verse 27, it identifies what 'our image' is- The Bible says, 'So God created man in his own image.' It means 'God's image'. This means that the plural pronouns found in verse 26 must refer to God. What does this mean? It means that there is one God, but more than one person in the God-head. This is a glimpse of the Trinity in the very first chapter of the Bible. Later on when God gives more revelation, and made clear in the New Testament, the plural pronouns found here refer to the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit- These three persons are the three persons of the God-head, but ONLY One God, the only ONE true God.

The Called by Dr. Steven J. Lawson