What is the Trinity?

In our studies so far we’ve continually seen three persons referred to as God. We’ve seen God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

Because of these mentions of these three persons we thought that now would be a good time to take a break to define each of these persons which in Christianity are known as the Godhead.

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The Trinity Explained

What Is The Trinity? – Transcript

Now we have to start with a stipulation.

God is Beyond the ability of a human to fully comprehend.

Therefore, all man’s attempts to explain the three persons of the Godhead, what’s known as the Trinity, are limited, incomplete and imperfect.

God is beyond the ability of a human to fully comprehend.

Therefore, all man’s attempts to explain the three persons of the Godhead, what’s known as the Trinity, are limited, incomplete and imperfect.

God simply cannot be explained in human terms. How could he possibly be?

He’s outside of all that exists. He’s eternal which means He never began, and He’ll never end. The mind of man is incapable of rationalising that.

The only way we can truly know Him is through faith.

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen, that’s Hebrews 11:1.

The hardest part of explaining the Trinity is man’s inability to grasp that there could be a being far beyond man’s own intelligence and capabilities. It just won’t compute to most people. In other words, If something can’t be explained it must not exist.

Despite this we live in a world where we’re surrounded by the unexplainable and the existence of a great many of those unexplainable things is beyond dispute, yet where God’s concerned, man’ll do almost anything to deny His existence and there’s a very good reason for that and the answer lies throughout our bible study.

Now, we don’t find the word “Trinity” in the Bible, yet the doctrine of the Trinity is there in many places, in fact throughout the whole book.

The Trinity means there is one God who is revealed in three distinct Persons, all of the same Substance, co-equal, co-existent, and co-eternal, and known as the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. However, The Father is God, Jesus is God and the Holy Spirit is God.

The Trinity is explained in diagram form.

Note: No crudely created diagram can ever go close to explaining our unexplainable God! It’s simply a way of challenging our human logic and thought patterns.

Look at this Syllogism. A syllogism is an argument, a logical conclusion, a deduction, or a reasoning.

If it can be shown that:

There are three persons mentioned in the Bible,

And, that these three persons are all called “God”,

And that there is only one God,

Then the three persons must be the one God whether we understand it or not.

Can this be shown in the Bible? Yes, it can!

First, there is only one God.

James 2:19 – You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe—and tremble!

1 Corinthians 8:4 – …there is no other God but one.

Deuteronomy 6:4 – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

Second, The Hebrew word for “God” (Elohim) is plural but is used with a singular verb.

Genesis 1:26 – Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image…”

Genesis 1:27 – So, God created man in His own image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.

Genesis 11:7 – Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language…

Genesis 11:9 – …there the LORD confused the language of all the earth; and from there the LORD scattered them abroad over the face of all the earth.

Third, the Hebrew word for “one” (Deut. 6:4) is not yachad, which means “absolute mathematical oneness,” but echad meaning “composite unity” or “united one.”

Genesis 1:5 – So the evening and the morning were the first day. One (echad) day.”

Genesis 2:24 – Therefore, a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one (echad, the same as One God) flesh.

Numbers 13:23 – …and there cut down a branch with one (echad, the same as One God) cluster of grapes.

Deuteronomy 6:4 – Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God, the LORD is one!

Fourth, Jesus revealed God as Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Matthew 28:19 – …baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit…

Fifth, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are all called “God.”

The Father is God.

1 Peter 1:2 – …according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…

2 Peter 1:17 – For He received from God the Father honour and glory when such a voice came to Him from the Excellent Glory: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.”

The Son is God.

Hebrews 1:8 – But to the Son He says: “YOUR THRONE, O GOD, IS FOREVER AND EVER; A SCEPTER OF RIGHTEOUSNESS IS THE SCEPTER OF YOUR KINGDOM.

Titus 2:13 – …looking for the blessed hope and glorious appearing of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, …

Romans 9:5 – …of whom are the fathers and from whom, according to the flesh, Christ came, who is over all, the eternally blessed God. Amen.

The Holy Spirit is God.

Acts 5:3 – But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and keep back part of the price of the land for yourself? then to the next verse, verse 4, You have not lied to men but to God.”

1 Corinthians 6:19 – Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

2 Corinthians 6:16 – As God has said: “I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.” We are indwelled by the Holy Spirit after we believe!

Sixth, The Father, Son, and Holy Spirit exist as three eternal and distinct persons.

John 14:16 – “And I will pray the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may abide with you forever…” This also disproves the teaching that the Father becomes the Son, who becomes the Holy Spirit.

The Father is not the Son, the Son is not the Spirit, and the Spirit is not the Father. Jesus is sent by the Father, and He and the Father send the Spirit (John 14:26, 15:26, 16:7, 17:8, 20:21).

Therefore, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are three persons of the one God, not three manifestations of God, which was the belief and heresy of the third-century priest and theologian Sabellius.

This proves that God (Elohim–plural) is one (echad–composite unity) and is three separate persons–Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Verses that tell us of the Trinity.

The following verses all contain each member of the Godhead.

Matthew 28:19 — Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, …

Notice Jesus said to baptize in the “name” (singular), not “names” (plural). Then 3 separate persons are listed: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Greek uses “and the” between each person, clearly distinguishing them as separate from each other.

2 Corinthians 13:14 — The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the communion of the Holy Spirit be with you all. Amen.

1 Peter 1:2 — …according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ…

Matthew 3:16-17 — The Father speaks, the Son is baptized, and the Holy Spirit descends.

John 15:26 — “But when the Helper (The Holy Spirit) comes, whom I shall send to you from the Father, the Spirit of truth who proceeds from the Father, He will testify of Me.

Other verses — Acts 7:55, Luke 1:35, 3:21-22, Eph. 2:18-20, 4:4-6, 5:18-20, 1 Cor. 12:4-6, Isa. 48:16, Zech. 12:10, John 14:16-17, 26, 1 Thess. 1:2-5, 2 Thess. 2:13-14, Titus 3:4-6 1 John 5:6-9

Who Indwells the True Believer?

God the Father

2 Corinthians 6:16 – …I WILL DWELL IN THEM AND WALK AMONG THEM. I WILL BE THEIR GOD, AND THEY SHALL BE MY PEOPLE.

Philippians 2:13 – …for it is God who works in you both to will and to do for His good pleasure.

Jesus Christ

2 Corinthians 13:5 – …Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?…

Galatians 2:20 –  I have been crucified with Christ; it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me…

Colossians 1:27 – …what are the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles: which is Christ in you, the hope of glory.

The Holy Spirit

1 Corinthians 6:19 – Or do you not know that your body is the temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and you are not your own?

John 14:17 – the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees Him nor knows Him; but you know Him, for He dwells with you and will be in you.

2 Timothy 1:14 – That good thing which was committed to you, keep by the Holy Spirit who dwells in us.

Romans 8:9 – But you are not in the flesh but in the Spirit, if indeed the Spirit of God dwells in you. Now if anyone does not have the Spirit of Christ, he is not His.

Who Raised Jesus From the Dead?

God the Father.

Acts 3:15 – …and killed the Prince of life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses.

Acts 3:26 – To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities.

1 Thessalonians 1:10 – …and to wait for His Son from heaven, whom He raised from the dead, even Jesus who delivers us from the wrath to come.

Acts 2:32 – This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses.

Acts 17:31 – …because He has appointed a day on which He will judge the world in righteousness by the Man whom He has ordained. He has given assurance of this to all by raising Him from the dead.

Jesus raised Himself.

John 2:19-22 – Jesus answered and said to them, “Destroy this temple, and in three days I will raise it up.” Then the Jews said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will You raise it up in three days?” But He was speaking of the temple of His body. Therefore, when He had risen from the dead, His disciples remembered that He had said this to them; and they believed the Scripture and the word which Jesus had said.

The Holy Spirit

Romans 8:11 – But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

1 Peter 3:18 – For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit…

Who Will Raise the True Believer from the Dead?

God the Father

1 Corinthians 6:14 – And God both raised up the Lord and will also raise us up by His power.

Jesus Christ

John 5:25-29 – Most assuredly, I say to you, the hour is coming, and now is, when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God; and those who hear will live. For as the Father has life in Himself, so He has granted the Son to have life in Himself, and has given Him authority to execute judgment also, because He is the Son of Man. Do not marvel at this; for the hour is coming in which all who are in the graves will hear His voice and come forth—those who have done good, to the resurrection of life, and those who have done evil, to the resurrection of condemnation.

John 6:40, 44 – And this is the will of Him who sent Me, that everyone who sees the Son and believes in Him may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” The Jews then complained about Him, because He said, “I am the bread which came down from heaven.” And they said, “Is not this Jesus, the son of Joseph, whose father and mother we know? How is it then that He says, ‘I have come down from heaven’?” Jesus therefore answered and said to them, “Do not murmur among yourselves. No one can come to Me unless the Father who sent Me draws him; and I will raise him up at the last day.

Philippians 3:20-21 – For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.

The Holy Spirit

Romans 8:11 – But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.

God Is…

God is Sovereign.

He is absolute.

Psalm 8:4 – What is man that You are mindful of him, And the son of man that You visit him?

Romans 9:19-21 – You will say to me then, “Why does He still find fault? For who has resisted His will?” But indeed, O man, who are you to reply against God? Will the thing formed say to him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” Does not the potter have power over the clay, from the same lump to make one vessel for honour and another for dishonour?

Everything that comes into being is a result of the sovereign choice and creation of God. Consequently, we should never question God, “Why did you make me as I am?” You are God’s unique creation. We live and move under a Sovereign God.

God is Grace and Love.

God’s attitude toward even the worst of sinners is that He wants to save him.

Romans 5:8-11 – But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. And not only that, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Romans 5:20-21 – Moreover the law entered that the offense might abound. But where sin abounded, grace abounded much more, so that as sin reigned in death, even so grace might reign through righteousness to eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord.

God is Infinite.

He is without end – without limit. Scientists tell us that the universe is expanding outward at a tremendous speed, but God is always beyond it. The universe will never go beyond our infinite God.

God is Omnipresent.

He is everywhere, always present.

Psalm 139:7 – 17 – here can I go from Your Spirit? Or where can I flee from Your presence?

If I ascend into heaven, You are there; If I make my bed in hell, behold, You are there.

If I take the wings of the morning, And dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea,

Even there Your hand shall lead me, And Your right hand shall hold me.

If I say, “Surely the darkness shall fall on me,” Even the night shall be light about me.

Indeed, the darkness shall not hide from You, But the night shines as the day; The darkness and the light are both alike to You.

For You formed my inward parts; You covered me in my mother’s womb.

I will praise You, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Marvelous are Your works, And that my soul knows very well.

My frame was not hidden from You, When I was made in secret, And skilfully wrought in the lowest parts of the earth.

Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.

How precious also are Your thoughts to me, O God! How great is the sum of them!

God is Omniscient.

He is all-knowing. There is not, or was not, or will never be a time when God had to seek advice or to consult someone or some source outside Himself, or study something out. Certainly, within the Godhead there was counsel, but it was immediate, there was no debate among the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

God is self-existent.

He has no beginning; He has no end.

In Genesis 1:1, “God” refers to the Trinity – God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

This Triune God is Spirit, invisible, intangible.

He is unable to be comprehended with the senses of man. But in

Colossians 1:15, speaking of Jesus, it says, “Who is the image of the invisible God, …”

John 1:1 to 3, In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

He was in the beginning with God.

All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.

 

God became visible in the flesh; He became touchable.

In summary, there is absolutely no doubt that the Bible clearly portrays The Trinity.

As individuals we have the God given right of free will to believe what the Bible says or to reject what the Bible says, however there’s one thing we cannot say!

We cannot say that the Bible doesn’t teach the Trinity, the Triune nature of God.

How Can I Be Saved?

What is Salvation and why do I need it? What happens to me if I’m not saved and what happens to me if I am saved? How can a person be saved and know it for certain?

Salvation is the basic foundation on which Christianity is built an in fact all of life is built, whether we know it or not or whether we believe it or not.

In this episode we uncover these questions and show the way to salvation from the Bible.

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How Can I Be Saved? – Transcript

Many of the things that most people are searching for in life are given in the Bible.
For example, it tells us how we and the universe we live in came into existence.
It explains the cause of the evil that’s in the world; and it gives us our ultimate purpose for existence.

The Bible also speaks about the cause of death.
It says in Romans 5:12,
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.
The Bible tells the story of how the first man, Adam, was disobedient towards God and even though he lived physically for a very long time, he died that very day spiritually. It’s called the fall of man. His fall from relationship with his Creator, God.
When he fell and died spiritually this fallen nature that he now had, this nature that was alienated from God, introduced sin and death into the world that was until then perfect.
The Bible shows us how that nature, that sin nature, of the first man was passed on right through the entire line of humans that would ever be born from Adam, right down to you and me today.

Because of that fall of man, there’re two things we can be sure of in this life, and we find them in Hebrews 9:27,
…it is appointed for men to die once, but after this the judgment,
Every person will die because of their sin, both physically and spiritually, and then every word they ever spoke, every deed they ever did, and every thought they ever had will be judged by God’s righteous standard.
How will the judgment turn out?
In Romans 2:6-9 we see that.
God “will render to each one according to their deeds”:
eternal life to those who by patient continuance in doing good seek for glory, honour, and immortality; …but to those who are self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness—indignation and wrath, tribulation, and anguish, on every soul of man who does evil…
Evil will be punished for eternity with anguish and wrath, but the righteous will be rewarded with eternal life.
But here. of course, is a huge problem: There is none that are righteous.
Romans 3:10-12 tells us that,
There is none righteous no not one;
There is none that understands; There is none that seeks after God.
The have all turned aside; They have together become unprofitable (meaning rendered useless to God, spoiled); There is none who does good no, not one.”

We, each and every one of us, are headed for eternal damnation in hell!
You’re probably shocked at that. How can we talk about such an awful thing in this day and age? I thought God was love.
How can we make such a harsh statement that’s so all-encompassing and final and how can we know that we’re not good enough to get into heaven?
Well, through the Bible we can answer these questions.
We can know what our fate is on Judgment Day by using God’s standard of judgment. We can also see that although God is Love He’s also a God of perfect Justice.

In Deuteronomy 32:4 we read about the nature of God,
He is the Rock, His work is perfect; For all His ways are justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright is He.

But, I’m a good person, you say! I don’t go out of my way to harm anyone and I’m not a criminal. I don’t see how God can refuse me entry into heaven and eternal life when there’re many much worse than me!

In the Books of Exodus and Leviticus we see a set of laws that God gave to the nation of Israel, God’s chosen people. There were 10 specific commandments and 613 amendments.

How can we do a check to see if we are actually eligible for eternal life on that day that we leave this physical body and depart this natural world?
Thankfully the Bible clearly explains that right throughout, from beginning to end.
It explains that since were all descendants of the first man Adam, we’re all cursed with sin, death, and we all fall way short when it comes to righteousness as we just saw in Romans 3.
We see it again in Romans 5:12,
Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned.

As a result, God in his perfect justice can’t let any person tainted with unrighteousness into his perfect and eternal home.
All unrighteousness is worthy of eternal condemnation in what The Book of Revelation calls the lake of fire in Revelation 21:8,
But the cowardly, unbelieving, abominable, murderers, sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars shall have their part in the lake which burns with fire and brimstone, which is the second death.”

The best way to discover whether we’re good enough to go to heaven is to examine how we compare to God’s standard of righteousness – the divine law, not to other humans either the ones we associate with every day or the people of history.
You see, if we compare ourselves to any other human, living or dead, such as the world’s mass murderers, a rapist, a murderer, or a thief, we may come up looking pretty good. But sadly, we’d be using the absolute wrong standard to judge ourselves by.
Used properly, the Bible says that the law we just saw will reveal any sin found in our nature and will indicate if we’re qualified for heaven. See only by the law can we see our true selves.

Let’s find out how we measure up to that law.
Exodus 20:16,
You shall not bear false witness against your neighbour.
Have we ever told a lie? Even a small one a long time ago? Then that makes us a liar and in danger of the lake of fire as Revelation 21:8 says as we’ve just looked at.
One of the things God hates is a lying tongue in Proverbs 6:16-17, and you can look that up.
Exodus 20:15 says,
You shall not steal.
Ever stolen anything? Even something small a long time ago like something from an employer maybe? Then that makes us a thief and puts us out of the running for entering the Kingdom of God. You can confirm this in 1 Corinthians 6:10.
Exodus 20:14 says,
You shall not commit adultery.
Now just in case you think you’re doing ok on that one Jesus expanded the meaning of this and other laws in the Gospel of Matthew. In Matthew 5:28 Jesus said,
But I say to you that whoever looks at a woman to lust for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.
Have you ever looked upon a person of the opposite sex with lust? If so, even a fleeting thought, then Jesus says you have committed adultery in your heart.
The only difference between the internal desire and the outward action is a given opportunity.
Then in Exodus 20:17 the law says,
You shall not covet…
Have we ever desired someone else’s possessions? If we have, then this shows the real condition of our heart and our desire to follow after its lusts and desires. Ephesians 2:1-3 expands on this.

These are just a few of God’s laws that are written on the conscious of man, but which we continually break. The Bible says in James 2:10,
For whoever shall keep the whole law, and yet stumble in one point, he is guilty of all.
Just one minor point, one minor failure at keeping any of these laws and we’re guilty of breaking them all!

In Romans 1 verses 18 and 19 we read,
For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because what may be known of God is manifest in them, for God has shown it to them.
See this verse says that in the Bible’s revelation of the wrath of God, which will come against all ungodliness and unrighteousness, we see what God has revealed to us about Himself. He, being perfectly righteous, simply cannot turn a blind eye to sin.
Romans 3:20 tells us how the law is what makes us realise just who and what we really are,
Therefore, by the deeds of the law no flesh will be justified in His sight, for by the law is the knowledge of sin.

Breaking God’s law means facing an eternal life sentence which will be spent in anguish and torment in the place the Bible describes as hell.
Through these laws, God has not only revealed the standard by which we’ll be judged but also that not a single person who has ever lived on earth from the line of Adam has been able to keep these laws and since we’ve all broken those laws, we’re condemned automatically.

There’s not one of us that measure up to God’s standard of righteousness, not one. As a result, we’re all condemned because of our sin, and we must accept the consequences whether we like it or not or whether we agree with God or not.
Romans 6:23 we read,
For the wages of sin is death…
And then in 2 Thessalonians 1 verse 9,
These shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power…
Where will this take place? Mark 9 verse 44 tells us,
where ‘THEIR WORM DOES NOT DIE AND THE FIRE IS NOT QUENCHED.’

It’s first and foremost through realising and coming to the understanding of man’s (and each of us’) depraved condition before God, that we see our need for salvation from this judgment.
We don’t need salvation from cyclones, thieves, murderers, or poverty as much as we need salvation from a more permanent and eternal condition – sin, and the judgment of God against that sin which is the death of the spirit, eternal separation from God and His presence.

Let’s look at Micah 6:8,
He has shown you, O man, what is good; And what does the LORD require of you But to do justly, To love mercy, And to walk humbly with your God?

The law was given to teach what the Lord requires. Meditation on the law taught judgment, the severe punishments of the law demanded mercy, and through the sacrifices and prayers of the Old Testament humility was openly displayed as thousands of animals bled as sacrifices for sins.
Judgment, mercy, and humility were divinely revealed to humanity so that even today the world’s religions hold them up as the most noble religious pursuits.
Of course, the entire law is summed up in just two of those laws that Jesus identified: love God and love your neighbour as yourself.
Matt 22:40 Jesus says,
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.

However, after thousands of years of living under the law one thing is evident: no one is righteous, that’s Romans 3 verse 10 to 12 again as we’ve just seen. No man can give God what he requires. It’s simply impossible to do all that God requires. The purest requirements of judgment, mercy, love, and humility remain only dreams to a cursed world.
The apostle Paul after receiving revelation directly from Jesus Christ Himself wrote in Galatians 3:24,
Therefore, the law was our tutor to bring us to Christ, that we might be justified by faith.
Christ accomplished all that God required.
Jesus Christ fulfilled the righteous judgment of God against sin through his death on the cross as we see Paul explain in Romans 3 verse 25, speaking of Christ,
whom God set forth as a propitiation (which means an atonement or an appeasing) by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.
The richness of God’s mercy was shown through Jesus, Who was God in the flesh, Immanuel, God with us, and Who provided life, eternal life, to sinners.
See, it was Christ who humbled himself being made in the likeness of men so that He could do what no one else could:
We see this in Philippians 2:8,
And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to the point of death, even the death of the cross.
Also in Romans 5:8,
But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.
And in the great passage of Ephesians 2:4-10,
But God, who is rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), and raised us up together, and made us sit together in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, that in the ages to come He might show the exceeding riches of His grace in His kindness toward us in Christ Jesus.
For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (That’s our own works, our own goodness, our own attempts to keep the law)
For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.

Today, God does not require anything from us because Christ has done everything required to provide free justification to all who believe.
How incredible is the realisation of Romans 4:5,
But to him who does not work (that’s those who do not attempt to be righteous by keeping God’s law) but believes on Him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is accounted for righteousness.

If we think the Bible is simply a book telling us what God requires, then we’re still living under the law, and, as we’ve clearly seen, that path can’t possible lead us to salvation, only death.
We would’ve missed the gospel of God’s grace detailing what God has given us in Christ’s finished work.
Are you struggling to meet God’s perfect requirements?
Stop struggling!
You can never succeed no matter how hard or how long you try.
You might begin to produce good works after you have salvation but it’s so important to understand that these works would be as a result of salvation not in order to earn it!
Put your faith in Christ’s fulfillment of God’s requirements and receive the spiritual benefits of God’s righteousness freely as Romans 3:24 says,
being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus!
Salvation comes by believing what’s written here in God’s Word.
We are saved from sin and death when we trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross and his bodily resurrection. His sinless blood pays for our sins, earns forgiveness, and gives us eternal life.

Salvation is the gift of God by grace as God’s Word clearly explains. It’s not a product of:
– Prayer
– Popes
– Baptism
– Confession
– Good works
– Turning from sin
– Commandments
– Church membership
– Mass or the Lord’s Supper.
We receive that gift through faith and faith is the only way we can please God as Hebrews 11:6 tells us,
But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.
Faith plus nothing! This is the gospel of the grace of God.
Only Believe!
One thing we must not do is think that being saved or being spiritual has anything to do with a feeling.
That lady that always cries during the songs at church does not feel salvation or spirituality any more than anyone else, as emotional as she may be.
We learn from the Bible that being saved and walking through life spiritually is by faith not feelings.
Hebrews 11:1,
Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.
Our natural flesh produces a lot of feelings, but the spirit is that by which we can know the things of God.
1 Corinthians 2:12,
Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might know the things that have been freely given to us by God.
It has nothing to do with an emotion, a feeling.

Now, we can speak directly to God and tell Him that by our free choice that He’s given us we accept what His Word says about us, that we are sinners and can’t save ourselves and that we turn to Him and accept the salvation He provided for us. It’s not a ritual prayer that must be said to somehow seal salvation, it’s just the start of a relationship with God where we can talk to Him in prayer, knowing that He always hears us.
It’s the start of a journey that will open up truth and reality and the purpose that God has for us. That truth, reality and purpose will come as God’s Word, the Bible, becomes the central foundation on which everything else in life is built.
God bless you on your incredible journey.

The Real Church

To most people the word church is associated with a building, usually with a steeple and stained-glass windows.

A newer perception may be more along the lines of a concert hall or even an office block. Along with the building is a hierarchy of board members, a preacher, a congregation, and, overseeing it all, an organisation. It could be Baptist, Catholic, Anglican, Uniting, Assemblies of God or one of many thousands of others.

Church is generally perceived to be a place that you go to.

But is this the church that’s described in the bible?

No!

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The Real Church – Transcript

The biblical meaning of church is not that of a building, but of people.

The church is the body of Christ, of which He is the head.

Ephesians 1:22–23 says, “And God placed all things under his feet (Jesus’ feet) and appointed him to be head over everything for the church, which is his body, the fullness of him who fills everything in every way.”

The body of Christ is made up of all believers in Jesus Christ from the day of Pentecost (Acts 2) until the day the whole true church will be snatched from the earth at the end of the church age.

The church is in two forms, the universal church and the local church.

The universal church consists of everyone, everywhere, who has a personal relationship with Jesus Christ. “For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—and we were all given the one Spirit to drink” (1 Corinthians 12:13). This verse says that anyone who believes is part of the body of Christ and has received the Spirit of Christ as evidence.

The Bible presents the church as an entity made up of redeemed followers of Christ from every nation and era (Matthew 16:18; Hebrews 12:23). When the Bible speaks of a “church,” it means believers in Christ (1 Corinthians 12:27; Romans 12:5).

So, all those who have received salvation through faith in Jesus Christ comprise the universal church. The universal church is built on nothing else but Jesus Christ – The Rock. Matthew 16:17-18 and 1 Corinthians 10:4.

The local church is described in Galatians 1:1–2: “Paul, an apostle . . . and all the brothers with me, to the churches in Galatia.” Here we see that in the province of Galatia there were many churches. These churches were gatherings of groups of believers.  The early Christians did not have designated buildings for their meetings. They met in private homes (Colossians 4:15; Philemon 1:2).

For the first 300 years after the day of Pentecost, when the Church (the body of Christ) was born, it suffered hideous persecution from a succession of Roman emperors. Execution and diabolical torture of Christians was commonplace and a constant threat to everyone who professed Jesus Christ as their Lord and Saviour. Yet, in spite of this ever present threat, the church grew at a rapid pace, spreading throughout the known world.

It’s hard for us today, who still enjoy a freedom to choose our beliefs, to imagine the depth of conviction it must have taken to be a believer in Jesus Christ, knowing that at any time you and your family could be tortured and executed.

It should, however, never be forgotten that millions of Christians around the world still face this persecution today.

How did the concept of church as a building become common?

The change occurred in the year AD 313 with the emperor Constantine.

Constantine claimed to have had a vision one night before a battle. In this dream he supposedly saw the Chi-Rho symbol, the first two letters of the Greek word for Christ, which some believed was a symbol of Christ, shining above the sun.

Constantine remained a pagan who worshipped the gods of Rome, including the sun god. It wasn’t until much later, just before his death, that he supposedly converted to Christianity. However, his Christianity was very different from the Christianity of the early New Testament Church.

In one of his first major decisions as emperor, Constantine issued an edict that ended persecutions of Christians. Soon after, Christianity became the official religion of the Roman. The Roman Catholic church was born.

In this new “legal” Christianity, the organised, institutionalised church grew with its many pagan rituals becoming commonplace such as the replacement of Passover feast with easter, the worship of the sun on Sunday and countless others.

Opportunities for amassing great wealth and power were quickly spotted by every shyster and hustler with access to the power base. The organised church began to dictate what and how people were to believe and bought down harsh punishment for those who dissented.

Anti-Semitism grew with its hatred for and persecution of God’s chosen people, the Jews.

Cruel manmade rituals and traditions were given root.

The Bible was only printed in Latin, and not in the local language. And printing was controlled by the church by a system of censorship. Catholic Mass, the Church’s chief religious service, was also in Latin. This meant the people could not check whether what the priest said was actually correct.

The church sold tickets of indulgences (forgiveness) from sins for money. This suggested that the rich could buy their way into Heaven while the poor could not – quite the opposite of what the Bible says. (See Gospel of Matthew 19:24)

Purgatory was invented to make the people believe that their loved ones who had died were in a place between heaven and hell and by paying indulgences to the church those loved ones could be released from purgatory and make their way to heaven.  This almost inconceivable evil is still practiced today in many places.

Religious posts were often sold to whoever was willing to pay the most money for them, see Simony. This meant many priests did not know anything about Christianity. What they taught had very little to do with what was written in the Bible.

The organised church continually grew more corrupt and crueller with its inquisitions, tortures and executions.

In the 16th century, the Protestant Reformation took place. This was a series of events that happened because of corruption in the Catholic Church, some people saw that the way it worked needed to change. People like Erasmus, Martin Luther and John Calvin saw the corruption and tried to stop it. This led to a split in the church, into Catholics and various Protestant churches.

The invention of the printing press at around this time helped spread awareness of the Church’s abuses. The Bible began to be translated into various local languages. For example, John Wycliffe and William Tyndale worked on translating it into the English language. Much of Tyndale’s translation was used in the King James version of the Bible. Luther translated the Bible into German.

The common people were starting to understand the Word of God again.

People began to read the Bible in their own language, and many could see for themselves how the Catholic Church had let the Christian faith become corrupted. The Pope re-established the Inquisition to combat heresy and many thousands of common people were tortured and murdered.

Jump to the mid 1800s and we see the rise of powerful preachers and teachers such as DL Moody, Charles Spurgeon. There was a huge revival amongst Christians who flocked to hear the Word of God preached in local churches, tents and halls.

This era gave birth to a new freedom in the worship of God and the study of His Word.

Many great bible schools and seminaries sprang up and the influence of God’s Word spread near and far.

However, since then this great period of bible literacy has dramatically disappeared.

Once packed local church buildings made to hold the large local congregations are abandoned or almost empty. An aged remnant of that heyday struggle to keep these organisations viable.

In contrast there has been a rise in the “mega church”.

The organisations are largely tailored for the young and the age-old message of the Gospel, that every man is a sinner and needs the redemption made available to by Jesus Christ’s death and resurrection, has been significantly watered down.

Songs with words that make a person drop to their knees have been replaced by a Sunday concert where it is almost impossible for the congregation to raise their voices in unity and praise.

Methods and life lessons on how to succeed have replaced the teaching of the powerful, everlasting words of God.

Increasing attendance numbers through “Christian entertainment” and positive lifestyle messages has become a priority. High pressure messages to give are hammered out to raise cash to pay for the large mortgages and expenses of the buildings and human infrastructure.

The “falseness” of the church seems to be returning to the world in spades. It’s now very difficult to find a true bible believing local church.

Many people are turning away from the simple faith and belief in the Lord Jesus Christ and his redemption.

Of course, this is fully prophesied in the bible.

2 Timothy 4:3-4 (KJV) says, For the time will come when they will not endure sound doctrine; but after their own lusts shall they heap to themselves teachers, having itching ears;

And they shall turn away their ears from the truth and shall be turned unto fables.

While the new politically correct and popular style of church is attractive to immature Christians and even the outside world, it seldom addresses the one overriding message the world desperately needs to hear today. That is that man is hopelessly lost in sin, but God has made a way where he can be redeemed and bought back into full relationship with Him.

Many churchgoers believe that the act of regular church attendance is a requirement for a Christian. Some even believe it’s the ONLY requirement.

They can go sit in the pew and half hear the message of the day. They can sing a couple of songs and bow their heads in prayer for a moment. They can even give of their bounty, help when required. and support other members. These are all good things to do but we must never, ever believe that they count in any way to earning God’s favour. The only way to eternal life and relationship with God is through Jesus Christ. There is NO other way by which man can be saved.

Jesus is the only way to heaven and eternal life. Such an exclusive statement may confuse, surprise, or even offend, but it is true, nonetheless. The Bible (the ONLY authority of the church) teaches that there is no other way to salvation than through Jesus Christ. Jesus Himself says in John 14:6, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” He is not a way, as in one of many; He is the way, as in the one and only. No one, regardless of reputation, achievement, special knowledge, or personal holiness, can come to God the Father except through Jesus. The righteousness of man is as filthy rags to the Lord according to Isaiah 64:6.

In summary, the local church, and the church organisation you belong to may be good.

It is a very rewarding thing to be able to fellowship with other believers, sing praises to God together and hear the unwatered down, pure Word of God preached in a local church. However, Jesus Christ and the Word of God are the only authority and source of truth for the Body of Christ. If the preacher, the board, the organisation that your local church belongs to are representing themselves as the authority for the doctrine they preach and are teaching anything at all other than the whole Word of God, you are in trouble. If your church does not use the bible as its sole source of doctrine it is a waste of your time at best and an eternal life-threatening deception at worst.

A church building can be important, but whether a church uses a building, a tent, a private house, or a grand stadium, it should teach biblical doctrine, proclaim the gospel of salvation, and glorify Christ.

There is only one way to eternal life, and it is not through church attendance or being a good person. No human is good, not one! We have ALL fallen short of the glory of God. We are each of us a sinner and we are in desperate need of a saviour. We have One. His name is Jesus Christ. Call on His name and believe on Him before it’s too late.

In The Beginning

The evidence that all humanity sees every day in the heavens and the earth screams of an Almighty Creator and that evidence is so loud that it takes an enormous amount of willful blindness to believe that random chance could have designed and created it.

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In The Beginning – Transcript

I’ve never believed that all life evolved from nothing!
To me, the unimaginable complexity of every life form could never have been the result of random chance.
For many years I would debate those who believed that in the beginning there was absolutely nothing, then it exploded and all life as we know it evolved from that chaotic explosion.

In my later years, I avoid those debates as they are largely futile. I came to realise that most people in the “civilized” world today CHOOSE to be blind to the existence of God. No matter what logic, competent analysis, self-evident truth, or scientific argument you put forward to the willfully blind, they will not see.

All Evidence

An honest seeker of the truth will look at ALL evidence, not just that which seems to fit their belief. But honest searchers are more and more rare in today’s world.

The evidence that all humanity sees every day in the heavens and the earth screams of an Almighty Creator and that evidence is so loud that it takes an enormous amount of willful blindness to believe that random chance could have designed and created it. The best that random chance can ever do is form shapes, such as the side of a cliff carved from the weather, but never a design. It is even less likely to create a highly complex life system that needs every part to pop into existence fully completed and working at the same time for that system to work at all. Add to that the countless other systems required to support that one system such as night and day, tides, sunlight, rain, oxygen, CO2, cell regeneration, food and waste systems and the whole idea of a gradual evolution becomes insanely absurd.

Even the honest searcher of truth will encounter what seems like an impossible idea, that there is a God who created everything in the universe, including the universe itself. I believe there are reasons for this.

Traps We Fall Into

Firstly, we fall into an error that will prevent us ever really understanding God.

The error is that we see God as we see ourselves. We compare Him and His qualities to a human. When we relate this comparison to creation, we tend to think of a being that is like a very intelligent man. He’s very old and wise and has spent many hours in his laboratory designing each life system. When we look at God from this perspective, the belief that He created all life is clearly a ridiculous impossibility. I am convinced that many evolution leaning people, along with many professing Christians, see God in this way, even though unconsciously. The reality is much different. God explains Himself to us in His Word, the Bible, as being so far above man and all the rest of His creation that even through the eons of eternity we will never fully grasp His power, His might, His wisdom, and His love for us.

Secondly, we have become victims of our education and the all-powerful information media of today.

These institutions have been highly successful in convincing us that evolution and the gradual appearance of all life from nothing is a scientifically proven fact. Moreover, if a person dares to think outside these boundaries they are alienated and cast into the realm of the deranged. How could anyone argue with the SCIENCE? However, the greatest scandal of the modern world is that the evolution of life from nothing is NOT a scientifically proven fact, not by any means. Just because almost all schools educate our children in this belief and just because David Attenborough says it’s so while commenting on in his remarkable photographic images does NOT make it fact.

For a renowned scientist to believe that there is no God and that the universe itself is responsible for its own creation from nothing, he must hold a deep-seated religious belief. His science has never revealed even a spark of how matter and energy emerged from nothing and then became so intelligent that it formed itself into the impossibly complex system we see everywhere. He will interpret what he sees through his microscope and through his calculations from his foundational belief like anybody else. For a scientist to be totally impartial when analysing what he sees is just as hard as for anyone else. Most scientists, teachers and media workers are as much chained to their foundational belief, and those of their employers, as the rest of society.

There is also a fact that is very much hidden from the majority today; that is that there is a huge, and growing, number of scientists who do not accept the popular beliefs of this world. For a great many scientists what they see in their research is the evidence of the works of a mighty Creator.

Thirdly, for most humans the idea of being accountable to God is an abominable idea. The very thought that we are not in complete control of our destiny is unacceptable.  To be answerable to someone or something who will judge us one day is very difficult for man and his free will.

Belief Is A Choice

Each one of us must consciously choose to accept and trust in either the confusing lie of evolution or the plainly visible evidence that points to Almighty God who created all things by the power of His Word.

To really trust in someone or something, we need to know that our trust is not in vain, that we are not trusting in something that will fail and bring us down with it.

The foundation that our faith is built on must be solid rock not shifting sand.

So, how we be sure that the One in whom we have placed our faith is worthy of that trust?

How can we KNOW beyond a doubt that God is both willing and able to fulfill that which He has promised?

One of the greatest testimonies to the solidness of our God is His signature in nature. Everything in nature has God’s signature on it.

“The heavens declare the glory of God; the skies proclaim the work of his hands” (Ps. 19:1). It is impossible to live on earth without recognising God, as all of nature testifies to His existence.

The Voice of Heaven

The earth and the heavens have a voice.

“Day after day they pour forth speech; night after night they display knowledge. There is no speech or language where their voice is not heard” (Ps. 19:1-3).

That voice screams out to every person in a language that is universal so everyone can clearly hear and understand it. We cannot understand life by human wisdom, or from books, education, or worldly knowledge or even science. However, we can see God’s unique and beautiful signature in our lives and in the world in which we live by hearing that voice of His creation.

In Romans 1 :18 – 20 We have a very stern message; God’s anger is revealed from heaven against all the sin and evil of the people whose evil ways prevent the truth from being known.

God punishes them, because what can be known about God is plain to them, for God himself made it plain.

Ever since God created the world, his invisible qualities, both his eternal power and his divine nature, have been clearly seen; they are perceived in the things that God has made. So those people have no excuse at all!

In Colossians 1:15 – 17 We see Jesus Christ as God the Creator. Christ is the visible likeness of the invisible God. He is the first-born Son, superior to all created things.

For through him God created everything in heaven and on earth, the seen and the unseen things, including spiritual powers, lords, rulers, and authorities. God created the whole universe through him and for him.

Christ existed before all things, and in union with him all things have their proper place.

Isaiah 40:26 tells us to look up to the skies. Who created all those stars? Who created all those “armies” in the sky? Who knows every star by name? He is very strong and powerful, so not one of these stars is lost.

I urge you to set aside all your preconceptions and watch the amazing video below. Then ask yourself in complete honesty, “Can there be any other explanation than GOD!”

Who Is Jesus?

The answer to this question, Who Is Jesus, is what separates every religion, cult, and new-age human philosophy from Christianity. A Christian is simply a follower of Christ, The Jew’s Messiah, The soon-coming King, The Redeemer of Man, and The Saviour and most of The Son of God – God in the flesh!

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Who Is Jesus? – Transcript

The answer to this question, Who Is Jesus, is what separates every religion, cult, and new-age human philosophy from Christianity. A Christian is simply a follower of Christ, The Mesiah, The soon coming King, The Redeemer od Man, The Saviour.

A Christian has the unshakeable belief that Jesus is God.

Every other belief in the world, without exception, believes He is not.

Some religions say He was just another human prophet, others that He was a created angel. Some say He was Satan’s brother; others say he is one of many gods. Teacher, do-gooder, rabbi – the list goes on and on – but never God.

Of course, the most common religion of today, Atheism, believes He never existed at all.

The Christian Belief

We, as Christians, believe that He is God, Who created the universe, and us, and that He was able to enter into humanity by becoming a man while remaining fully God.

He is one of the three “parts” or “personalities’ of what we know as “The Godhead”. God is a unity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit. One God in three manifestations.

How this could be is a mystery locked in the incredible power and glory of God. God makes it very clear to us in His Word  (the Bible) Who He is, but He doesn’t give us details that are impossible for us to grasp.

Countless volumes have been written trying to fully explain the triune nature of God. They all fail to fully explain it in a way that our limited minds can grasp. Hey, we can’t even explain the information process of DNA which is common to every living thing. How could we fully explain the trinity?

We Are Created In His Image

We can see a little more into the nature of God when we understand how God created us. We are created in His image.

We ourselves are three parts in one.
We areSpirit (the “real” us, the eternal part that never ceases to exist. It is the part of us that is “made new” when we accept Jesus Chris as our Lord and Saviour.)
We have a Soul (the emotions, thoughts, feelings and desires), which will also never ceases to exist. The Soul is not made new instantly when we come to God but is constantly changing as we learn more about God and begin to trust Him with the details of our lives.
We have a Body (our earthly flesh which will die but will one day be resurrected in a glorified state the same as the body of Jesus after His resurrection).

In the future, God willing, I hope to present some discussion on how we can undeniably prove for ourselves that Jesus is Who He says He is. But that isn’t the purpose of this piece.

A Child Is Born – A Son Is Given

When Jesus took on the form of humanity in the little town of Bethlehem 2000 years ago, he was born a child. However, He was given as a son.

The book of Isaiah tells us in chapter 9 verse 6,

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.

And, probably the most familiar bible verse of all time,

John 3:16  For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believes in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

The “child” was born in Bethlehem, but the “Son” was “from everlasting.”

The incarnation of our Lord, the promised Messiah who would take away the sin of the world, is the awesome wonder of our lifetime.

That the Creator Himself chose to enter His creation to undertake a mission that would lead to His horrific torture and death on our behalf strains the imagination of any thoughtful person. It is staggering in the extreme!

The “Son is given” occurred at Golgotha outside Jerusalem on a Roman cross 33 years after the “child was born”. This was a fulfill­ment of the promise given on the day man fell into sin. It was planned before the foundation of the Earth.

Easter

Although, as a secular society we have degraded Easter into an unrecognisable party holiday, it was once the very peak of the ceremonial year for the Christian. It was the celebra­tion of the empty tomb that vali­dated that Jesus Christ was indeed the long-promised Redeemer who would sacrifice Himself for the sin of man and rise again on the third day, defeating death and the grave and making the way by which every fallen human can get back to a full relationship with God.

His story is a love story written in blood on a wooden cross that was erected in Judea two thou­sand years ago.

So, Who is Jesus Christ?

Let’s see what the Word of God says.

He is the King of the Jews (Matthew 2:2, Mark 15:2 and others)
He is the King of Israel (Mark 15:32 and others)
But He’s also
King of all the Ages; (1 Timothy 1:17)
King of Heaven; (Daniel 4:37)
King of Glory; (Psalm 24:10)
King of Kings; (Revelation 17:14)
and Lord of Lords. (Revelation 17:14)

He is
a prophet before Moses;
a priest after Melchizedek;
a champion like Joshua;
an offering in place of Isaac;
a king from the line of David;
a counsellor above Solomon;
beloved, rejected, and exalted like Joseph;
The Heavens declare His glory, and the firmament shows His handiwork.
He is, was, and always will be. He is the first and the last, the Alpha and Omega, the Aleph and the Tau, the A and the Z;
He is the “I AM that I AM” (Exodus 3:14) that spoke to Moses on Mt Sinai, the voice of the burning bush, the Captain of the Lord’s Host, the conqueror of Jericho
He is our Kinsman-Redeemer and He is our Avenger of Blood;
He is our City of Refuge;
He was crucified on a cross of wood, yet He made the hill on which it stood.
By Him were all things made that were made; without Him was not anything made that was made; (John 1:3)
By Him, all things are held together!
In Him dwells the fullness of the Godhead bodily; He is very God of very God.
He became the first fruits of them that slept.
He has many names, among them is Wonderful, Counsellor, The Mighty God, The everlasting Father and the Prince of Peace.
He is our Performing High Priest; Our Personal Prophet; Our Reigning King.
He is enduringly strong; entirely sincere; eternally steadfast;
He is sovereignly powerful; immortally graceful; impartially merciful;
He stands alone in Himself:
He’s unique, pre-eminent, supreme, unparalleled:
He’s the loftiest idea in literature;
He’s the highest personality in philosophy;
He’s the fundamental doctrine of theology;
He’s the supreme problem in “higher criticism”!
He’s the Son of God!
There is no means of measuring his limitless love:
It was written in blood, on that wooden cross erected in Judea 2,000 years ago.
He was born of a woman so that we could be born of God;
He humbled Himself so that we could be lifted; (Philippians 2:8)
He became a servant so that we could be made joint-heirs; (Philippians 2:7)
He suffered rejection so that we could become His friends;
He denied Himself so that we could freely receive all things;
He gave Himself so that He could bless us in every way.
He is available to the tempted and the tried; Blesses the young; Cleanses the lepers; Defends the feeble; Delivers the captives; Discharges the debtors; Forgives the sinners; Franchises the meek; Guards the besieged; Heals the sick; Provides strength to the weak; Regards the aged; Rewards the diligent; Serves the unfortunate; Sympathizes and He saves!
His reign is righteous; (Jeremiah 23:6)
His promises are certain; (Numbers 23:19)
His goodness is limitless;
His light is matchless;
His love never changes; (Hebrews 13:8)
His grace is sufficient; (2 Corinthians 12:9)
His mercy is everlasting;
His word is enough;
His yoke is easy and
His burden is light! (Matthew 11:28-30)
He’s indescribable;
He’s incomprehensible;
He’s irresistible; (Philippians 2:9-11)
He’s invincible! (Colossians 1:15, 18-20)
The Heaven of heavens cannot contain Him; Man cannot explain Him.
The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him but soon learned that they couldn’t stop Him;
They railroaded Him through six illegal trials,  and yet the witnesses couldn’t agree against Him and the personal representative of the ruler of the world couldn’t find any fault with Him;
Herod couldn’t kill Him, death couldn’t handle Him, and the grave couldn’t hold Him!
He has always been and always will be; He had no predecessor and will have no successor;
You can’t impeach Him or vote Him out and He isn’t going to resign!
His name is above every name; That at the name of Yeshua, every knee shall bow, every tongue shall confess That Jesus Christ is Lord!
His is the kingdom, and the power,  and the glory, forever, and ever, Amen!

Using The Bible

There are many methods available to us today to study the bible, the Word of God to mankind. Even in countries that violently oppose the bible, study tools are available via the internet or on-air broadcasts.

Read more

How To Insult God

Contrary to the belief of the masses, science does not explain the origin of life, even though most people think it’s a proven scientific fact that life evolved from the chaotic explosion of – nothing!

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How To Insult God – Transcript

Do we know enough?
Have you ever formed an impression on a person only to find that when you got to know them, they were entirely different to your impression?

The same goes for places such as towns or cities. It even occurs with opinions that are generally accepted by the majority as facts.

In the fields of medicine and technology this is very common. We are programmed to believe that science is a summary of truth and fact, yet science is not a summary of the truth about everything.

Science is the process of summarising the things we’ve already discovered, and then changing that summary as we acquire new knowledge through observation and experimentation.

Science is never finished. Every discovery leads to more questions, new mysteries, and something else that needs explaining. It’s a case of ‘the more we know, the more we know we know nothing at all’. Just look at the countless scientific discoveries that were once accepted as truth but are now rejected even laughed at.

Contrary to the belief of the masses, science does not explain the origin of life, even though most people think it’s a proven scientific fact that life evolved from the chaotic explosion of – nothing!

All this in the midst of a creation of which a master designer is self evident.

What an insult to God!

Whenever we make a judgement about someone or something from our own human intellect, we usually end up totally wrong. We just do not know enough to make a judgement call.

I must admit that as I get older and look back on my life, I am embarrassed at the times my human powers of deduction have led me to wrong conclusions.

A Person’s Words Paint An Accurate Picture

Where people are concerned, we can make more accurate judgements about who and what they are by simply getting to know them better. As we find out more about them our picture of them becomes more real. Most often, the knowledge of who they are comes through the words they speak.

Jesus told us in Matthew 12:34 and Luke 6:45 that out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. The more a person speaks the more accurate the picture they paint of themselves because they are speaking from the heart, the inner person, or the spirit. What’s in their heart is who they really are.

You want to know someone better? Listen to what they’re saying! However, we’ll need more that a one or two sentence conversation with them. We’ll need to spend the time to really listen and hear all their words. Husbands and wives know each other well through each other’s words over a long period of time so their picture is mostly accurate.

This is no truer than in our knowledge of God.

If we are to know Him and understand His ways, we must hear His words.

God has given us a summary of all the words He’s spoken to man. It’s called the Bible.

It is only by hearing those words that we can know Him.

If, in our human relationships, we only hear one or two sentences of others say, our knowledge of them will be limited. The same applies to God.

If we will only hear the odd verse from the Word that He’s left us, we’ll never know Him and our view of Him will be distorted and incomplete.
The WHOLE Counsel Of God
Therefore, it’s vital to hear His whole Word.

In Acts 20:27 we see that the Apostle Paul taught “the whole counsel of God”.

The whole counsel of God includes some things that are difficult to hear. For example, in both the New and the Old Testament we see God’s wrath and His anger unleashed as in Exodus and many other places. We see supposedly evil men get rewarded and good men get punished. We see God relegating some obedient and Godfearing people to a life of suffering such as Job and we see nations of people destroyed without mercy as in Joshua and many other places.

We hear that we ourselves are dead in sin and deserving of God’s wrath (Ephesians 2:1–3) and the fact that we cannot save ourselves through works (Ephesians 2:8–9).

Sometimes, we hear these words and our human sensibilities rebel. We decide God is unfair, unjust, or even wrong. This is so dangerous because we are, in effect, doing exactly what Satan did when sin was found in him. He deluded himself into believing he knew more than God. He was above God! It’s what Adam and Eve did when they followed Satan’s deception. They believed they could be above God. It’s also what countless others do every day.

We believe we know better than God! When we believe this, we effectively raise ourselves above God.

This is the greatest insult to God.

Do we mere humans know how to create a band of DNA?

We cannot explain the intricate complexity of a butterfly’s wing let alone make one.

We can’t work out why people die of diseases such as cancer or why an innocent child dies yet the problem is NOT with God. It’s with our own limited understanding.

If we don’t understand the why of God’s dealings, it’s not because there’s not a good and sufficient reason. The difficulty is with us and our understanding.

Let me give a very simple example.

The other day I was teaching someone how to do something on the computer. Now, I had worked on this thing for many hours and made many mistakes working on this until I finally worked out a system of how to complete the task. I began teaching this person how to do it. They insisted on trying to shortcut my system and do it their own way and immediately began to run into problems. You see they approached it from their own viewpoint and did not see the difficulties that I had already overcome..

Their way SEEMED right to them, but it caused failure.
It SEEMS Right
There is a way that people think is right, but it leads only to death. Proverbs 14:12

The LORD says, “My thoughts are not like yours. Your ways are not like mine. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so my ways are higher than your ways, and my thoughts are higher than your thoughts.” Isaiah 55:8 – 10

Yes, God’s riches are very great! His wisdom and knowledge have no end!  However, No one can explain what God decides. No one can understand his ways. Romans 11:33

As the Scriptures say, “Who can know what is on the Lord’s mind? Who is able to give him advice?” Rom 11:34

The answer to this question is No one! No one knows the mind of the Lord.

Not once did Jesus ask advice while he was on this earth.

“Who has ever given God anything? God owes nothing to anyone.” Rom 11:35

Yes, God made all things. And everything continues through him and for him. To God be the glory forever! Rom 11:36

For I know the plans I have for you,” says the LORD. “They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope. Jeremaiah 29:11

Man has tried to be happy without God, and the book of Ecclesiastes shows the absurdity of the attempt. It is King Solomon’s dramatic account of the time he turned from God and looked for satisfaction in the world. Although Solomon had more wealth and more wisdom than any man before or since, his attempt to live life without God made all that he had worthless.

What business have we, with our pinprick of understanding, telling God what He should and should not be doing.

This is God’s universe, and He has the sovereign right to do with it as He pleases. If we disagree with His ways, maybe we need to create our own universe and then we can make our own rules. In the meantime, we are on His turf and He sets the rules.

No, if we are to partake of the glory of God and His perfect plan for us, we must come to Him by faith. But, without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Hebrews 11:6.

God is Love and in Him is mercy, grace and complete justice but there is also much more to Him.

If we see our Lord Jesus Christ as only a lovey dovey, gentle Jesus, meek and mild who just loves us so much He let’s us do as we please, we are not understanding Him at all. He is also the fearful figure of revenge in the book of Revelation.

Whenever we’re puzzled or discomforted by something in His Word, we should set it aside and ask the Lord to reveal it to us. We always should take the position that since God is perfectly just and knows our needs.

We should never forget one of the most important verses of scripture to a Christian; Romans 8:28, And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to His purpose.

Why God?

We, as onlookers to the world around us and the lives of those with whom we share this world see struggle, pain and pure evil and we wonder, why God?

“Speed Slider”

Why God? – Transcript

Why God?
Why, if God is good and God is love, is there a hell?
Why, if God is good and God is love, does He permit evil to reign?
Why does God allow innocents such as children to suffer?
Why is there death, sickness, addiction, crime, corruption, poverty and evil in general?
Why, if God exists and is a God of love, grace and mercy, do the very ones who believe in Him often suffer the most?
How does a person watch a deeply loved friend, spouse, child or family member suffer and die and still believe God is real, loving and merciful?

We, as onlookers to the world around us and the lives of those with whom we share this world see struggle, pain and pure evil and we wonder, why God?
Why doesn’t God move in and do something about the evil in the world? If God is good and loving why doesn’t he just do away with all that’s bad and make everything good?
Why doesn’t He just end suffering and pain?
If He truly is all-powerful God could just eradicate evil and we would all live in a wonderful Eutopia.
Aren’t these the most asked question of the human race, Why God?
For most people, the journey from cradle to grave is lived under a cloud of question marks. However most never seek the answer!

Lots of people use these questions as an excuse to reject God. Rather than seek the answer to these questions they use them as some sort of explanation why God is not real.
How often have we heard this; if God is real how come there’s so much evil in the world?
This unanswered question is used as a basis for believing God doesn’t exist.
However, that’s like saying that rain caused a flood which destroyed my house and I don’t understand it so, rain doesn’t exist. It’s quite absurd.

In the oldest book in the Bible, the Book of Job, the question that Job and his friends spend most of the book talking about is why God permitted evil to come to him.

The old Testament prophets asked this question also. They watched as the nation that is God’s chosen people suffered repeatedly at the hands of their enslavers.
Although they tirelessly warned the people of forthcoming slavery unless they turned from their evil, the prophets were horrified at the brutality and the completeness of the conquering of Israel. How could God let this happen to His people?

The prophet, Habakkuk asked precisely that. Why was God permitting evil to manifest itself and run rampant in the nation of Israel? Why does God permit evil? Why would a holy, gracious, good God permit these things to take place?
Habakkuk 1:2-4 says, and I’m reading from the New Living Translation,  How long, O LORD, must I call for help? But you do not listen! “Violence is everywhere!” I cry, but you do not come to save. Must I forever see these evil deeds? Why must I watch all this misery? Wherever I look, I see destruction and violence. I am surrounded by people who love to argue and fight. The law has become paralyzed, and there is no justice in the courts. The wicked far outnumber the righteous, so that justice has become perverted.

Habakkuk is telling God that He is refusing to answer his prayers as he cries out in despair amidst the violence among his people. And God is doing nothing and saying nothing.

Jeremiah, the so-called weeping prophet, wrote the little book of Lamentations where he bitterly mourns the destruction of Jerusalem. He had warned of this coming destruction and the slavery of the nation by the Babylonians under the command of King Nebuchadnezzar, but no one would listen.
Jeremiah stands among the ashes weeping.
Lamentations 1:1. Jerusalem, once so full of people, is now deserted. She who was once great among the nations now sits alone like a widow. Once the queen of all the earth, she is now a slave.

The first explanation for the fall of the city comes in Lamentations 1:8;
Jerusalem has sinned greatly, so she has been tossed away like a filthy rag. All who once honoured her now despise her, for they have seen her stripped naked and humiliated. All she can do is groan and hide her face.
Jerusalem has geatly sinned!

Throughout the Bible, we see again and again God warning His people through His prophets, sometimes many decades in advance. Then we see His people failing to acknowledge Him and then destruction finally engulfing them.
We don’t like to hear about the fierce anger of God today. That aspect is often left out of the gospel message in the modern church.
Perhaps we need God as a crutch, a prop of goodness in the middle of an evil world. We seem to need at least some hope that there is still a force for goodness and righteousness, but we fall into a trap.
The trap is that we want that goodness and righteousness based on our own, pitifully inadequate viewpoint of what it really is.
In fact, we want goodness and righteousness without the justice. We hate justice, especially when it’s us being judged. So we try to change God to make Him something He’s not. We try to make Him a good, righteous God full of mercy and grace but who is without justice.
This doesn’t work. We’re making an idol.

God is, for sure, that assurance of good amongst evil, but we need to face up to the fact that God’s righteous includes perfect justice along with His love.
God judges sin, and He is righteous in doing so, however, He never forgets to be merciful. There’s always a way out for God’s people if they’ll come His way.
We can get no comfort from a fairy tale god who doesn’t exist.
The real God is much more wonderous and, in the middle of His fierce wrath and His ultimate justice, we begin to realise an important truth.

God is love and He is merciful and full of grace but, it is because of His character that He must also be the God of perfect justice.
No one, not even the most devout Christian can get God to turn a blind eye to justice.
Can it be any other way?

Look at the dismal failure of our man-ruled court system where more and more the criminal is the victim and is pitied and shown mercy whereas the true victims of crime are left alone to suffer.
Fair go, you can murder someone today and be out of prison in a few years, and you will enjoy many creature comforts and benefits while you’re in there.
As much as we don’t want to hear it, God gets angry. He judges sin.
This is a total necessity for a complete, whole and free universe.
Prisons are required if freedom is to work. Hell is the safeguard of heaven.
A state that doesn’t punish crime is doomed and a God Who tolerates evil without judging it is not a good God.

If God failed to judge evil there would be no security and no peace. The world’s history is a parade of kings, dicatators and governments who punish good and reward evil.
They’ve ruled their subjects with hatred and murder when those subjects didn’t conform to the rulers’s will, even when that will was born from injustice and evil.

We’re living in a universe where there is a God, a living God, a God whose heart goes out in love and yearning over all of us. However, we must never forget that if you turn your back on Him, He will judge you even though He still loves you.
Our God is the righteous God of this universe who judges it from perfect love and with perfect justice.
Hell exists because He is a God of love and a God of righteousness and a God of holiness. The whole universe, including Satan himself, will admit that God is righteous and just in all He does. We dare not trifle with Him.
God does what He does because He is righteous. He cannot shut his eyes to evil. When His own children disobey Him, God must discipline them, even though it breaks His heart.

Jeremiah reveals to us the heart of God: when Jeremiah weeps, God is weeping; when he sorrows, God is sorrowing. When we don’t understand what is happening, the important thing is to trust in knowing that God is righteous in what He does.
He was right in letting Jerusalem be destroyed and in letting the people go into captivity, just as He is right in letting happen whatever will happen in our own lives even though it breaks His heart. It’s just that we struggle understand why.

In the modern church, God is either a religious icon who is only known through statues, paintings and the traditions of man, never taken seriously or counted as relevant in the everyday lives of the churchgoers. Or He is a “nice” God who only exists to be our friend and rich relative who loves us so much He’ll turn a blind eye to our wrongdoings and instead, gives us our every desire.

The real God, the God Who reveals Himself to us in His Word is much different. The real God reveals that it is He who controls the universe, not man and not His enemy, Satan.
The real God was still God amidst the horrors of the millions murdered in Auschwitz and Birkenau, Sobibor and the other 100 Nazi extermination camps.
He was still God during the battle of the Somme, Flanders and Gallipoli.
He was still God in the pogroms of Russia where millions were murdered and tortured and, during Pol Pot’s murder spree which saw approximately 2 million of the Cambodian population murdered.
God was still God during the reign of terror that was the French revolution and the more modern “mini” reigns of terror from serial killers like Jeffery Darmer, Jack the Ripper, and the Yorkshire ripper.
There has never been an economic crash or a death-inducing famine, or a flood or a fire where God was not in control.
Likewise, there is not now nor never has been an inept, corrupt or evil government in power in the earth where God was not in control.
In the godless atheism of the modern-day through the absurdity of evolution that’s passed off as scientific fact, God is in control!

Notice, that God is in control, not His enemy Satan as modern churchgoers often think. Satan could not exist even for one moment if God was not sustaining him. Even this, the ultimate source of evil, is subject to God and His will.
Now, I’m firmly convinced that if God sat me down and tried to explain to me every minute circumstance surrounding this world’s catastrophes, I’d be pathetically unable to understand the complexity of it.
To demonstrate, when I got prostate cancer my brilliant doctor took great pains to explain the treatment we would undergo. There were snippets here and there that I could understand but only if he kept his description reduced to laymen’s terms.
Whenever he strayed even slightly into deeper medical explanations all I could do was look at him blankly. I simply didn’t understand it all.
What I was left with was a choice. I could walk out because I didn’t understand every detail or I could simply put my trust in him, which is what I did. In the operating theatre, even though I was nervous about what was about to happen, and even though I could not understand the complex operation and the radium treatment that followed, I still trusted that doctor. As a result, I have been cancer-free for five years.

Perhaps, the most misunderstood factor in life is the utter devastation and the magnitude of the evil of man’s sinful nature. We have no ability to understand just how completely the fall of man affected every molecule in the universe.

So, in summary, can we answer, “Why God, does evil abound and why does it fall on the innocent? Why me Lord?”
Yes, we can answer but it won’t satisfy the natural mind. Why? Because we simply can’t see the complexity of the circumstance that make up everything that happens in life.

Christians were never promised a rose-covered pathway of health, wealth and happiness in this life. That’s reserved for the next phase, the upgrade.
When we suffer, as we all will, our challenge is to learn that in the middle of our failure to understand why life is still worth living.
More than anything else suffering applies burning coal to our faith.
Do I really believe that God is working all things for my good as He promises in Romans 8:28?
Is my mind made up to trust in God’s plan for my life – even if I don’t understand it?

We’re being educated for eternity, and one of the main lessons concerns the breaking of our arrogance and pride. It’s that pride that is the sole ingredient of sin. It demands to know everything. We need to learn to reject that pride and exchange it for trust.
When we surrender our lives to God’s care, trusting in Him alone for everything we need, we forsake our demand to understand and we become aware of how deeply our understanding differs from God’s.
We simply can’t fully understand everything now but we can trust in His Word. He is in control, and I know, someday soon, He’ll make it all crystal clear to me.
1Corinthians 13:12 says,  “For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known.”
We’re left with just one option; we trust Him. Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.  Proverbs 3:5-6.
How do we trust in Him with all our hearts?

We accept and believe that the drama, the catastrophe that has befallen humanity known as sin and the resulting eternal death that it brings has been handled.
It was paid for by the Lord Himself in His death on a cruel cross 2000 years ago and by His burial and His resurrection according to ancient scripture.
We accept Jesus’s promise to us in John 11:25-26, “I am the resurrection and the life. He who believes in Me, though he may die, he shall live. And whoever lives and believes in Me shall never die. Do you believe this?”

God said it, I believe it, that settles it!