Mustard Seed Ministry Online
Alexandra Navarro
Bible Study
July 24, 2011
Paper Pastor Made Me Write…and I’m Glad he Did.
‘I hope it doesn’t rain today.’
‘I hope dad will get home soon.’
‘I hope Marilyn or Joellen brought pizza tonight.’
Hope. What is it? We hear this word many times in our day to day lives, whether from friends’ mouths or our own. But what does it really mean? According to the Merriam Webster Online Dictionary, the definition of hope is, “desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment.”(Merriam Webster) Whenever we use the word hope, we are usually speaking of something that we WISH to come to pass. However, if we look at the biblical term of hope, we can see it takes that meaning a little farther. Retired Pastor, Jack Weaver, wrote on his blog ‘Ex-preacher man’,
Psalm 33:22 “Let thy mercy, O Lord, be upon us, according as we hope in thee.” Hope in this verse is the Hebrew word, “yachal” meaning “trust.” Psalm 39:7 “And now, Lord, what wait I for? My hope is in thee.” Here we see a slightly different Hebrew word “towcheleth“ but with the same root but meaning “expectation.” These and many, many more verses illustrate the Psalmist’s reliance upon the trustworthiness of the Lord. The Lord CAN be trusted. Now, in the New Testament we see the word “Hope”…This word…is an absolute, a guarantee without a doubt. It is the Greek word “elpis” meaning “to expect or anticipate with pleasure.” (Weaver)
Throughout this paper, I will be discussing the meaning of this “Christian hope” and how it impacts our actions and lives by answering the following questions.
Those questions are:
1) How can we be confidant that Jesus is returning?
2) Why are personal testimonies important in sharing the gospel?
3) If a person is a Christian, does it matter how they live their life?
So first off, how can we be confidant that Jesus is returning? There are several verses in the bible speaking of the second coming of Christ. John 14:3 says, “And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.”(Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 1140) Revelation 22:7 says, “Behold, I come quickly: blessed is he that keepeth the sayings of the prophecy of this book.”(Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 1323) Jesus told us, several times that he would come back for us. But how can we trust him? How do we know he’s telling us the truth?
John 14:6 says, “I am the way, the truth and the life. No man cometh to the father but by me.” (Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 1140) Through out the Old and New Testaments, what God has spoken was true, and no contradictions have been found. Dr. Kent Hovind even offered $1000,000,000 to anyone who could find a flaw in the bible. None have been found. God’s word is true and infallible. Because of this, we can trust that Jesus will in fact return to bring his elect people home. We have hope of his coming; we know he is coming…and we can’t wait.
Moving now to the second question, why are personal testimonies important in sharing the gospel? There are two reasons that make personal testimonies extremely powerful things. Firstly, they help people who have gone through the same struggle or who are just curious how you have been affected personally. It helps them feel connected and like they aren’t the only person with a problem.
Secondly, you cannot argue with a personal testimony. Where you can debate and argue opinions and facts with a non-Christian all day, a personal testimony stops them dead in their tracks. For example, in John 9, Jesus had just healed the blind man. The blind man went around, telling everybody about this miraculous event, which soon caught the attention of the Pharisee’s ears.
“The Pharisees questioned his conversion theologically up one side and down the other, but all their arguments fell flat in light of the blind man's testimony of a changed life.”
“He replied, ‘Whether he is a sinner or not, I don't know. One thing I do know. I was blind but now I see!” John 9: 25. (CFM)
1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:” (Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 1290) We must always be ready to give a testimony to others about the hope that we have. Jesus has saved us from eternal damnation and our sins, and he has prepared a special place for us, that we might spend an eternity with him.
Finally, the last question I will be answering is, if a person is a Christian, does it matter how they live their life? In the book, “Intelligent Design vs. Evolution; Letters to an Atheist”, the author, Ray Comfort, had a long debate/discussion with atheist James D. Franz. At one point, Comfort talks about hypocrites. Franz agrees that hypocrites are horrible people, especially hypocritical Christians. “They disgust me as much as I’m sure they disgust you,” he writes. Comfort than adds (as a side note), “It’s interesting to note that the world hates hypocrisy. They don’t want a godly person to be a fake.”(Comfort, Pg 62-63) Hypocrisy comes from the Greek word hypokrisis which meant, ‘playing a part’ (acting) or ‘putting on a mask’. In Greek theater, actors were called hypocrites; they were people pretending to be someone or something else that they weren’t. However, in reality, being a hypocrite was (and still is) universally recognized as WRONG. Hypocrites are untrustworthy and deceitful. No one likes a hypocrite.
There are many people out there who claim to be Christians, but continue to live in iniquity. They lead others astray through their lies and deceit…but nothing will come of it but eternal punishment. Job 27:8 says, “For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?”(Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 604) ‘Christian’ hypocrites are the worst types of hypocrites. Once the hypocrite is found out, no one listens to his opinions or his faith because he is now untrustworthy. They create distrust and hate in the eyes and minds of those who have witnessed their hypocrisy. I read an article last week written by a person who felt ‘hurt and angry’ with “Christian” hypocrites. This person was tired of seeing these so called ‘godly and upright people’ to be wallowing in sin and iniquity and it made him angry how distrust worthy these people were. (Note: this person was not religious)
People are watching us. They watch to make sure that we practice what we preach. And why shouldn’t they? We are supposed to be living for Christ, which means leaving the cares and sin of this world behind and looking to His higher cause. We are to preach the His word to the world. Matthew 28:19, “Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost:” (Thompson Chain Reference, Pg 1051) WE cannot effectively show the love of Christ and the hope we have in him unless we act like Christ. Mahatma Gandhi once said, “I like your Christ, but I don’t like your Christians. They are so unlike your Christ.” (Manning)
As Christians, we need to be ready to spread the word about Christ everywhere we go, whether it be through the passing out of a Gospel tract, explaining the meaning and significance of the Trinity, or through a simple smile. Everywhere we go, in everything we do, we must represent Christ and the love he has for us all. Do you love your fellow man? Share the hope we have in Christ.
Works Cited
Comfort, Ray. Intelligent Design vs. Evolution: Letters to an Atheist. Orlando, FL: Bridge-Logos, 2006. Print.
Fellowship, Christian Military. "Personal Testimony Development." Christian Military Fellowship. 2007. Web. 30 July 2011. <http://www.cmf.com/Ministries/TrainingDiscipleship/PersonalTestimonyDevelopment/tabid/134/Default.aspx>.
"Hope - Definition and More from the Free Merriam-Webster Dictionary." Dictionary and Thesaurus - Merriam-Webster Online. Merriam Webster Inc. Web. 30 July 2011. <http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hope?show=1>.
Manning, Brennan, and Mahatma Ghandi. "Like Christ, Not like Christ." The Quotables. 22 June 2010. Web. 30 July 2011. <http://thequotables.wordpress.com/page/2/>.
Thompson, Frank Charles, and G. Frederick Owen. Thompson Chain-reference Bible: Containing Thompson's Original and Complete System of Bible Study ... Indianapolis, IN: B.B. Kirkbride Bible, 1988. Print.
Weaver, Jack. "What Is Hope? | Notes From A Retired Preacher." Notes From A Retired Preacher | Retired Pastor — 82 Year Old Narrow-minded Conservative Christian. Wordpress. Web. 30 July 2011. <http://expreacherman.wordpress.com/2006/11/20/what-is-hope/>.
Timothy Navarro
Sagecreek Church
9/10/2011
Doubt vs. Faith
Everyone has a weakness. Superman faints at the sight of kryptonite. My mother is easily swayed by chocolate. Toddlers can be reduced to crying banshees by a simple correction. Even Christians can have weaknesses, the biggest of which is questions concerning their faith. A mere challenge to our faith is enough to bring a strong Christian to doubt. Many Christians have fallen to the world because they don’t know how to defend their faith. This is a dangerous situation for us to be in. We cannot let any doubt into our hearts, and yet it happens every day! How can we stop this? I believe that if Christians understand their faith, they will not be swayed. Enter apologetics. The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry says, “Apologetics is the branch of Christianity that deals with the defense and establishment of the Christian faith. Christian Apologetics is something every true believer should be involved in, even if it is only a little” (Slick). If we want to stay faithful to God, we need to be able to defend our belief. 1 Peter 3:15 says, “But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear” (Thompson). God wants us to stay strong, to be unmovable as steadfast as a mountain. But how can we when the world keeps throwing challenge after challenge at us? We need to put on the armor of God. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. I believe that to better defend our faith we must first understand it. So today we will look at three very important questions and try to get a better understanding of them.
The first of question is: “Did Jesus claim to be God?” Now Jesus only really came out right to say “I am God” twice. Claim #1 is in John 4:28 Jesus told the Pharisees, “I and My Father are one” (Thompson) implying that he is God. Claim #2 is in Matthew 4:5-7: “Then the devil taketh him up into the holy city, and setteth him on a pinnacle of the temple, and saith unto him, If thou be the Son of God, cast thyself down: for it is written, He shall give his angles charge concerning thee: and in their hands they shall bear thee up, lest at any time thou dash thy foot against a stone. And Jesus said unto him, It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God” (Thompson). The rest of the time he wasn’t as blatant about it. Instead he gave us subtle hints. For example, in Isaiah 44:6 God told Isaiah “I am the first and I am the last; and beside me there is no God” (Thompson). Yet in Revelation 1:11 Jesus says: “I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” (Thompson) Here we see Jesus comparing himself with God, but God even said “beside me there is no God!” Here we can see that Jesus subtly claimed to be God, meaning He didn’t exactly say “I am God. Exodus 3:14 says: “And God said unto Moses, I AM THAT I AM: and he said, Thus shalt thou say unto the children of Israel, I AM hath sent me unto you” (Thompson). Those two words strongly implied that I AM is God. John 8:58 says: “And Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, before Abraham was, I am” (Thompson). Notice how he doesn’t say, “I was.” Rather he uses the present tense word “am.” I believe this is one of his subtle hints that He and God are one. He gave us these clues so we could figure it out. Jesus is God!
And apparently the disciples and apostles got His hints because through the New Testament they tell us that Jesus is God. The biggest way they do this is in the ending of their letters. Philemon 1:25 ends saying: “The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with your spirit. Amen” (Thompson). The clue is in the word Lord. Noah Webster defines that word in this way: “In Scripture, the supreme Being; Jehovah” (Webster). Lord, in the Bible, means God. The New Testament calls Jesus Lord/God! God even calls Jesus God! In Hebrews 1:8, Paul writes: “To his Son (capital S meaning Jesus) he says, ‘Your throne, O God endures forever and ever”(Thompson). John 1 also tells us that Jesus was in the beginning, that Jesus was with God, and that Jesus was and is God. God equates himself with Jesus through his scripture! Now in case you have any doubt about this I will end with this. God is holy, which means He can’t sin, meaning He can’t tell a lie, which means when He says Jesus is God, He is telling the absolute truth. Jesus is God, the Messiah, our Savior, Emmanuel, The Lord, and the Son of God and of Man.
Another question that puzzles some Christians is, “Did Jesus need to be born of a virgin?” Why couldn’t He just have a human dad? The answer to the former question is a resounding, YES! To clarify, suppose for a minute, that Jesus had a physical, human father. That would mean he would have all the attributes of a human which means He would have the sin nature. There is a term used by apologists called Original Sin. This is a term used to describe the effect of Adam’s sin on his descendants. Specifically, it is our inheritance of a sinful nature from Adam. The sinful nature originated with Adam and is passed down from parent to child and so on. Romans 5:12 says “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:”(Thompson)
The Christian Apologetics & Research Ministry says, on the topic of original sin, “Original sin is not a physical corruption, but a moral and spiritual corruption. It could be compared to the Reformed Doctrine of Total Depravity which states that sin has touched all parts of what a person is: heart, mind, soul, will, thoughts, desires, etc”(Slick). This is the one main reason Jesus had to have no earthly father. As I said, if He had one, He would have inherited the sin nature. Jesus had to be holy, perfect and spotless in order to save us from the wrath of God. If Jesus had not died for our sins, we might as well just say goodbye to our chances of ever getting to heaven. Romans 3:23 says, “For the wages of sin is death” (Thompson). We needed salvation because we were going to hell. Hell is described as having “Unquenchable fire” (Thompson) Mt. 3:12-“weeping and gnashing of teeth” (Thompson), Mt. 8:12- “blackness and darkness forever” (Thompson), 2 Pet. 2:17. And worst of all God is going to cast us out of his presence. God is holy and cannot let any bit of sin in his presence.
We needed a sacrificial lamb. During the first Passover, God told the people of Israel to take a white lamb without any blemish and to kill and pain the blood on their doors. Jesus was our Lamb. He was the only person without blemish. That’s why he was the only one that could save us. Jesus loved us so much; he was willing to die for us in the most brutal way invented by man. He was beaten, He wore a crown of thorns, had nails driven into His feet and hands, suspending Him about five to eight feet above the ground for us. John 3:16, “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” (Thompson). He became our sacrificial lamb. And only His blood can make us white as snow. As Robert Lowry hymn goes: “What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; what can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; Oh! Precious is the flow, that makes me white as snow; no other fount I know, nothing but the blood of Jesus” (Lowry). Only Jesus could save us, because only Jesus was pure enough to turn away God’s wrath. That is the reason Jesus needed to be born of a virgin.
Now that we know we can be saved from eternal condemnation, does it matter how I live my life? Now that we are in God’s hands can we star sinning again? To answer this let’s look at Romans 6:1-2. “What shall we say then? Shall we continue in sin, that grace may abound? God forbid. How shall we, that are dead to sin, live any longer therein?” (Thompson). Just because we have been saved doesn’t mean we should live like we used to. There are three ways we need to fix in our lives. We need to Live for Christ, we need to Love Christ, and we need to be the Light of Christ.
Starting off with how we Live for Christ. How do we live for Christ and why do we need to? Corinthians 10:31 says “So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God” (Thompson). The essential duty of man is to glorify God. We must live our lives to glorify God. That means everything you do, whether it be sleeping, reading, or watching the Vikings, must purposefully show people Gods power. Casting Crowns, a Christian rock band sings in their song Lifesong, “Lord I give my life, a living sacrifice. To reach a world in need, to be Your hands and feet. So may the words I say, and the things I do. Make my Lifesong sing, bring a smile to You” (Hall). If God made us for his glory, then it is clear that we must glorify him with our lives.
We need to Love Christ. Love is an action, not a feeling. So when we are told to Love Christ we are supposed to live like we love him. One way we can do this is by being grateful to him for saving us from hell. We can be faithful to him by following his laws. Jesus tells us in John 14:15, “If ye love men, keep my commandments” (Thompson). That means we must have no other gods then the one, true, living God. We won’t worship and idols. We won’t take the Lords name in vain but use it with reverence. We will keep the Sabbath day holy. We will honor our parents and elders. We will not murder. We will not commit adultery. We will not steal. We will not tell a lie. And we will not covet anything. If we truly love God, we will follow these laws.
And finally we need to be the Light of Christ. The gospel of Matthew closes with Jesus giving us the great commission. Matthew 28:18-20 says: “And Jesus came and spoke to them, saying, ‘All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 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, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.’ Amen” (Thompson). When we live for Christ and Love him, we must then become his Light unto the whole world. We must separate ourselves from the worldly religions and people. 1 Timothy 4:12 says “Let no man despise thy youth; but be thou an example of the believers, in word, in conversation, in charity, in spirit, in faith, in purity” (Thompson). We need to do our best to live like Christ. If we can successfully live our lives the way we are supposed to, people will see us and wonder what separates us from the world. In the song, Until the Whole World Hears, Casting Crowns says: “Lord I want to feel your heart; and see the world through your eyes. I want to be your hands and feet. I want to live a life that leads. Let us shine the light of Jesus in the darkest night. Ready yourselves. May the powers of darkness tremble as our praises rise. Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out. Lord let your sleeping giant arise. Catch the demons by surprise. Holy nation sanctified. Let this be our battle cry. To see you set the captive free. Until the whole world hears; and I pray that they will see more of you and less of me. Lord I want my life to be the song You sing. Until the whole world hears Lord we are calling out. Lifting your name up for all to hear the sound. Like voices in the wilderness we're crying out. As the day draws near, we'll sing until the whole world hears”(Hall). To end this section, I’ll quote Matthew 5:16. “In the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven”(Thompson). Live for Christ, Love Him and be the Light unto the world.
I hope that after today you to will be ready to defend your faith. If we have faith in Jesus Christ, then all things are possible. Jesus told his disciples in Matthew 17:20 “…verily I say unto you, If ye have faith as a grain of mustard seed, ye shall say unto this mountain, Remove hence to yonder place; and it shall remove; and nothing shall be impossible unto you” (Thompson). Superman may have his weakness to kryptonite; moms can fall for chocolate and toddlers can blubber away, but we Christians, the soldiers of Jesus Christ, our God, Lord and Savior, will not be moved. We need to put on the armor of God. The belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, the shoes of the Gospel, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation and the sword of the spirit. Defend yourself against the arrows that the devil and his minions throw at us. Remember your eternal life is at risk. You cannot afford to let any doubt creep into your mind. Because when doubt enters the Christians mind, it is extremely hard to bring them back to the Light. Trust the Lord our God. Never lose your faith in Him, and he will reward you beyond imagination. The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, our Savior be with you always.
Works Cited
Hall, Mark. "Until The Whole World Hears Lyrics - Casting Crowns." Lyric, Lyrics, Song Lyrics, Music Lyrics,New Lyrics,Lyrics Search,Top Country Lyrics,Alors on Danse Lyrics, Celebrity News and Gossips. Web. 03 Aug. 2011. <http://www.6lyrics.com/until_the_whole_world_hears-lyrics-casting_crowns.aspx>.
Matt, By. "What Is Original Sin? | Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry." CARM - Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry. Web. 03 Aug. 2011. <http://carm.org/questions/about-doctrine/what-original-sin>.
Lowry, Robert. Timless Truthes. Web. 3 Aug. 2011. <http://library.timelesstruths.org/music/Nothing_but_the_Blood/>.
Thompson, Frank Charles, and G. Frederick Owen. Thompson Chain-reference Bible: Containing Thompson's Original and Complete System of Bible Study ... Indianapolis, IN: B.B. Kirkbride Bible, 1988. Print.
Webster, Noah. An American Dictionary of the English Language. New York: Johnson Reprint, 1970. Print.
Elizabeth’s Essay
When you believe in something, are you willing to stake you’re life on it? Are you willing to trust in it with all your heart? Every day, we Christians are faced with challenges concerning our faith. But while answering non believers doubts, are we also answering ours. Are we really remaining strong in our faith and trusting in the Lord with all our hearts and minds. Today I will be answering three questions based on the word belief, Did Jesus claim to be God, How can we be confident that Jesus is coming, and finally, if a person is a Christian does it matter how they live their life? John 1:1, 14 says, "In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God...14And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." In this passage John explains that If God is the Word and the Word is God, and the Word came and dwelt as a man, then Jesus is God. Even though Jesus never said the exact words I am God, He implied to his disciples that he was and encouraged them to believe it. In the Ten Commandments it says Thou shalt worship only one God. In Luke 23:52 it says, “And they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy.” If God commanded them to worship only one God, than why would he let them worship Jesus if he was not God? John 20:27-28 says, Then saith he to Thomas, Reach hither thy finger, and behold my hands; and reach hither thy hand, and thrust [it] into my side: and be not faithless, but believing. And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God. And that is who Jesus is, My Lord and My God.
The second question I will be answering is how can we be confident that Jesus is coming Matthew 25:31 says, when the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: If we believe that Jesus is God, than we can believe that he will never lie. If Jesus says he is coming, than he is coming. We as Christians need to trust and obey our master, when we doubt his omnipotent’s we are doubting our faith. Our belief becomes shattered and broken. Peter 3:9-10 says The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance. But the lord will come as a thief in the night; In the which the heavens shall pass away with a great noise, and the elements shall melt with fervent heat, the earth also and the works that are therein shall be burned up.
Peter even tells us we should not be doubtful of Christ returning. He says that the Lord will not forget his promises. Christ promises that he will return. So we as Christians must trust him and believe in him.
Now my third and final question. If a person is a Christian does it matter how they live their life? If you are trying to witness to someone, do you think they would want to become a Christian if they see you are acting in a negative way? John 13:35 says “By this shall all [men] know that ye are my disciples, if ye have love one to another.” Jesus tells us that in order for people to know we are Christians, we must love one another and show it outwardly. When we become Christians, shouldn’t we be happy and joyful? Shouldn’t we be longing to serve the Lord our God? Our love for one another should separate us from the world, and make us who we are. I think the words of Steven Curtis Chapman put it very clearly. You’re picking up toys on the living room floor for the 15th time today Matching up socks and sweeping up lost Cheerios that got away You put a baby on your hip and color on your lips and head out the door And while I may not know you I bet I know you Wonder sometimes does it matter at all We’ll let me remind you it all matters just as long as you Do everything you do to the glory of the One who made you Cause He made you to do
Every little thing that you do to bring a smile to His face And tell the story of grace With every move that you make And every little thing you do. With every little thing you do, you need to bring glory to God. Whether its just cleaning up your house, God created you and died for you, don’t you want to praise him for that? Our own lives tell stories about us. If we were to act as unbelievers do you think anybody would think we are believers? When God looks at us, he sees his son, don’t you want other people to look at you and see Christ too? So the answer to my third question is yes, we as Christians need to show that we are Christians, not only outwardly, but inwardly. If you show some one that you love them by your actions but you don’t love the inwardly, they can see that no matter how hard you try to hid it. If you are trying to learn to love someone, you need to do two things, 1st pray to God to give you love for that person, 2nd, remember that Christ died for that person just as he died for you. If you do those two things, you will learn the love that covers a multitude of sins.
In conclusion, is Jesus God? Yes, and we as believers must learn to trust and believe in him. Second, how can we be confident Jesus is returning. If we have a everlasting belief in God, we trust his every word. If Jesus says he is coming then he is coming. And finally, If a person is a Christian does it matter how they live their life? Our belief in God should make us see that everything we do must glorify our maker, when we do not do this, we are rejecting our belief and thinking that God is not very important. So every day when you go about your businesses remember that God is in control, and that he loves you and will always love you. Joseph’s Essay Question One: Did Jesus claim to be God? John 8:56-59 [Jesus said] “’Your father Abraham rejoiced to see my day: and he saw [it], and was glad.’ Then said the Jews unto him, ‘Thou art not yet fifty years old, and hast thou seen Abraham?’ Jesus said unto them, ‘Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I AM.’ Then took they up stones to cast at him: but Jesus hid himself, and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by.” One of the names that God told his people to call Him in the Old Testament was I AM (Exodus 3:14). Jesus always chose His words carefully, and so it is highly, highly unlikely that he made a grammatical error. According to the laws that govern any language, He should have said, ‘before Abraham was, I was.’ However, Jesus knew exactly what he wanted to say, and here claimed for himself the same name that the great I AM had given to the Hebrews centuries before. Also, Christ was identifying himself as being eternal (i.e., before Abraham), and there is only one eternal being in the universe, one without beginning and without end. The Jews clearly understood His meaning, and to them it was abominable blasphemy. In fact, there was and is only way to interpret Christ’s saying: I AM GOD. It is interesting to note throughout the scriptures that Christ never referred to himself as God directly, he never said the words, “I am God.” Throughout the Scriptures is the evidence that Jesus is, in fact, fully God. People, angels, and the whole earth will worship him (Revelations 5). Also keep in mind the fact that the testimony of Jesus is to worship God (Revelation 19:20). If He were not God, and were keeping true to his testimony, he would not have permitted such blasphemous behavior from created beings. Now, if it is true that Jesus is God, why did he not directly point out that fact? The short answer: I do not know. However, I think we are looking at this all backwards: if Jesus is not God, why would he claim for Himself the title of the Great I AM of the Old Testament? Why would he claim for himself the attribute of being eternal when we know that God is the only eternal one? Why would he permit others to worship Himself when His entire testimony was for us to worship God? It is quite plain to see that Jesus did claim to be God in more ways than just saying it. His actions, and the actions He permitted others to do (worshipping Him) are more than enough evidence that He did, in fact declare Himself to be God. Question Two: How do arguments for the existence of God influence your view of the supernatural? Ever since the beginning of known history, mankind has struggled with the concept of God. “What is God?” “Who is God?” “Is there a God?” These are some of the most common questions, but the one we are focused on right now is the last: is there a God? The primary argument that is brought up for the existence of the Creator is that of Creation itself. Many arguments have been given throughout history by well-known theologians such as Josh McDowell, C.S. Lewis, Martin Luther, and Matthew Henry to “prove” the existence of at the very least a god. What this does to our views of the supernatural is to first show us that in order to create Nature/the known universe, the Creator had to be outside or different from Nature, not the same thing as it. Now, because there is a God, and because He is outside/different from Nature, that implies that there is a realm above Nature as we know it, in other words: a Supernatural. To summarize, if the arguments for the existence of God are valid, that implies at the least that there is a Supernatural realm, but it also hints at more. Not only does this mean that there is a Supernatural, but that the Supernatural interacts with the Natural realm. This is proven by the very fact that God created Nature. The Supernatural created the Natural. This proves that the Supernatural at least once interacted with the Natural. Also, if God is real, He obviously has shown great care in His creation of other beings namely, Mankind. He clearly made a masterpiece when he made us. It would seem odd, no, terrifying if God were the kind of being who would make another living soul that could think, feel, and make moral decisions and then leave it on its own: thus to abandon his Creation. Is God that type of being? Well according to some worldviews today, God is just that. He made the World, and then washed His hands of it. However, the presence of atoms is enough to dispel this notion. Atoms are generally recognized as the building blocks of all matter: they hold the universe together. Atoms are also too small to see with either the naked, clothed, or microscopically enhanced eye. However, don’t underestimate their size, since you are made up of them. Trillions and trillions of atoms make up the human body, and that number exponentially increases for the universe itself. However, scientists have found that despite everything about atoms, they have found that seemingly nothing holds them together! They just float around in space, and if it weren’t for some supernatural force holding them together, they would just fly off. Colossians 1:17 “He is before all things, and in him all things hold together.” The Supernatural holds all things together. The Supernatural keeps the atoms together. The arguments for the existence of God, at least for me, indicate at the very least that if there is a God, then He is immanently involved in His Creation. He has not abandoned it, and not a sparrow falls from a tree without him knowing it. Our God has made Creation and was, is, and will be its Great Caretaker. Question Three: If a person is a Christian, does it matter how they live their life? To answer this question, I will pose another question: IF YOU WERE ACCUSED OF BEING A CHRISTIAN, WOULD THERE BE ENOUGH EVIDENCE TO CONVICT YOU? Matthew 7:17 says: “Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.” If we are truly followers of Christ, as we say we are, the fruit will be the evidence of our claim. Galatians 5:22 tells us that the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, and temperance. If we do not yield these virtues, then we might as well just keep our mouth closed about our supposed faith, because we will damage the name of Christ if we claim we follow in His footsteps. Keep in mind the rest of Matthew 7, “A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither [can] a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.” It matters not only to the name of Christ, and to those who you would feign witness to, but also to yourself it you do not live the life of a Christian. Matthew 7:21-23: “Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.” The way we live our life reflects on Christ, it reflects on us, and it will either witness to, or alienate the lost. The choice is yours, will you follow after Christ and blossom with the fruits of the Spirit, or will you live a life of selfishness, intent on performing works of iniquity, only caring about yourself, and smearing the name of the One who died for you? Karen’s Essay In Frank Peretti’s fictional story of the supernatural battle raging around Christians, Sally Beth Roe is a wandering soul running from a terrible past. In college she had become deeply involved in the occult and its practices. While being possessed by her spirit guide whom she had been taught to channel, she ends up killing her infant child. After spending time in jail and a subsequent 10 years as a nobody the occult begins the chase for the information she holds. The Holy Spirit draws the saints of the community to pray. These prayers give strength to the angelic warriors battling demonic forces for the soul of this woman. “It was as if the Lord God was waiting for just this moment, just this particular cry from His people. He began to move His sovereign hand.” The angelic warriors receive their instructions from the Lord and rush to execute His commands. After another furious battle between forces Sally is alone and begins to pray to the Lord. Here is an exerpt from the book: Above, as if another sun had just risen, the darkness opened, and pure, white rays broke through the treetops, flooding Sally Beth Roe with a heavenly light, shining through to her heart, her innermost spirit, obscuring her form with a blinding fire of holiness. Slowly, without sensation, without sound, she settles forward, her face to the ground, her spirit awash with the presence of God. All around her, like spokes of a wondrous wheel, like beams of light emanating from a sun, angelic blades lay flat upon the ground, their tips turned toward her, their handles extending outward, held in the strong fists of hundreds of noble warriors who knelt in perfect, concentric circles of glory, light, and worship, their heads to the ground, their wings stretching skyward like a flourishing animated garden of flames. They were silent, their hearts filled with a holy dread. As in countless times past, in countless places, with marvelous, inscrutable wonder, the Lamb of God stood among them, the Word of God, and more: the final Word, the end of all discussion and challenge, the Creator and the Truth that holds all creation together-most wondrous of all, and most inscrutable of all, the Savior, a title the angels would always behold and marvel about, but which only mankind could know and understand. He had come to be the Savior of this woman. He knew her by name; and speaking her name, He touched her. And her sins were gone. A rustling began in the first row of angels, then in the next, and then, like a wave rushing outward, the silken wings from row upon row of warriors caught the air, raising a roar, and lifted the angels to their feet. The warriors held their swords Heavenward, a forest of fiery blades, and began to shout in tumultuous joy, their voices rumbling and shaking the whole spiritual realm. Guilo(the captain of the guard) as brilliantly glorified as ever he was, took his place above them all, and swept his sword about in burning arcs as he shouted , “Worthy is the Lamb!” “Worthy is the Lamb!” the warriors thundered. “Worthy is the Lamb!” Guilo shouted more loudly. “Worthy is the Lamb!” they all answered. “For He was slain!” “For He was slain!” Guilo pointed his sword at Sally Beth Roe, prostrate, her face to the ground, still communing with her newfound Savior. “And with His blood He has purchased for God the woman, Sally Beth Roe!” The swords waved, and their light pierced the darkness as lightning pierced the night. “He has purchased Sally Beth Roe!” “Worthy is the Lamb who was slain,” Guilo began, and then they all said the words together with voices that shook the earth “to receive power and wealth and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and praise!” Then came another roar, from voices and from wings, and another flashing of hundreds of swords. The wings took hold, and the skies filled with warriors, swirling, shouting, cheering, worshiping, their light washing over the earth for miles around (Peretti, 1989,p.321). In the example above, we see a colorful description of angelic activity. What an incredible thought of the rejoicing of the angels as one soul is saved from eternity in hell. There is a distinction between the mortal and the spiritual realm but both have been created with the same end in mind. Supernatural is defined by Webster’s Dictionary as ‘existing or occurring outside the normal experience or knowledge of man; not explainable by the known forces or laws of nature, specifically involving or attributed to God or a god; of ghosts, spirits, the occult, etc.’(Webster). When believing in supernatural forces as described by the Bible, we must first look at the inerrancy of our source. We believe that the Bible is absolutely True. Basically, we know this because of general and specific revelation. General revelation is how God reveals himself to us through nature and then specifically through his inspired word. Romans 1 says that “all men are without excuse” referring to knowing of the existence of God in their hearts, and that his invisible qualitie are clear for all men to see. 2 Timothy 3:16 says “all scripture is given by inspiration of God”. If the scripture is inspired then it is completely error free and trustworthy. Extra biblical writings also prove the historical accuracy of the Bible such as texts from Flavius Josephus who was a court historian and lived between 37 and 97 AD (. Cornelius Tacitus is considered the greatest historian of ancient Rome. He lived between 55 and 120 AD and describes the crucifixion in detail including the role of Pontius Pilate (http://www.westarkchurchofchrist.org/library/extrabiblical.htm). There are multiple other accounts of Christ’s miracles and life on earth as well as overwhelming archeological evidence for Old and New Testament locations, events, and people. Beginning with a foundation of a completely accurate Bible gives it supreme authority. From there belief in the supernatural seems only natural. Angels are mentioned approximately 300 times in the Old and New Testament and demon forces are referenced close to 100 times. Angels are used as messengers, warriors, and comforters, executing the Lord’s commands. Angels have brought instructions and both good and bad news to man. In Numbers, an angel of the Lord stands in the path of Balaam and his donkey. The donkey sees the angel and refuses to go any further, Balaam is enraged and begins to beat the animal. The angel opens the eyes of Balaam, and after eating some humble pie is then given the Word of the Lord (Numbers 22:22). Angels also brought the good news to Mary, Joseph, and the shepherds(Matthew 1:20, Luke 1:28, Luke 2:9). In Revelation, angels are used to carry out God’s terrible decrees, to sound the trumpets and pour out vials and bowls of wrath on the Earth in the end times. Early in 2 Kings, Elisha’s servant questioned how they would fare against the large invading Syrian army. God answers Elisha’s prayer for his servant’s eyes to be opened to this sight: “the mountain was full of horses and chariots of fire round about Elisha” (2Kings 6:17). Later on one angelic warrior alone slays an enemy of 5,180 soldiers (2Kings 19:35). Angels have also been sent to give comfort. After 40 days and 40 nights of fasting in the desert, Jesus was tempted mercilessly by the devil. Angels appear immediately after satan exits to minister unto the Lord (Matthew 4:11). Not only do supernatural beings exist and supernatural evens occur, but we have direction concerning them. Ephesians 6:10-12 says “Finally my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armor of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Then it goes on to describe the pieces of armor and the purpose for each, with the implication that the armor is to deflect, protect and defend against Satan’s schemes. It doesn’t say to put on the armor to battle other human beings. Realizing this war is being fought on a whole different level should change our thinking to an eternal mindset. This in turn should affect your actions and choices in your day to day life. For myself, it changes how I see other people, especially when they don’t treat me the way I feel I deserve, or when it seems they are out to get me. Instead, if they are lost, I see them as captives completely under the devil’s control. Captives needing to be set free. If there was no war, there would be no captives. I also see other Christians then as fellow soldiers each needing to keep up their own armor. We don’t share pieces or only use the pieces we are good with. We don’t say “I will use the shield Monday through Thursday and you can have it the other days.” You don’t prepare for battle with a comrade and let them walk out the door without their boots or their belt. Personal time in the Word, accountability, encouragement, and fellowship then become vital in a Christian’s daily walk. In 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 Paul explains: “For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war after the flesh: (For the weapons of our warfare are not carnal, but mighty through God to the pulling down of strong holds ;). He is reminding us that although we live in this world, the war and the weapons we have access to extend far beyond mere flesh and blood. Wondering at the supernatural realm can be overwhelming. Not all questions are answered or fully explained. The Bible contains all the truth I need to know, but may not give exact answers to specific questions. This is where we should recognize the limitations of the human mind. Romans 11:33-36 sums up how we should approach this limitation. “O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out! For who hath known the mind of the Lord? or who hath been his counselor? Or who hath first given to him and it shall be recompensed unto him again? For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.” This is actually a magnificent view of the complexity of the mind of God. It is a solid reason to worship the incomprehensible God. We cannot plumb the depths of his greatness. If we could understand him, He would not be God. Searching the scriptures in all areas of study allows for new opportunities of worship in strengthening our faith and developing a more solid trust of His sovereignty, until we, like Thomas, can say ‘my Lord and my God’(John 20:28). References Extra-biblical Historical Evidence for the Life, Death, and Resurrection of Jesus. Retrieved August 21, 2011, from http://www.westarkchurchofchrist.org/library/extrabiblical.htm Peretti, Frank.(1989). Piercing the Darkness. Westchester, IL: Crossway Books. Webster, Noah. New World Dictionary. Second college edition, 1974. World Publishing CO., Inc. Victoria Navarro Sagecreek Church What I really believe is really true about what I really believe is really real Throughout the years of human history, a barrage of questions about Christianity and the bible have been rained onto Christians. We have struggled to come up with satisfactory answers to all of them but the answers provided vary from person to person. When it comes to answering these questions we have to answer with what we really believe is really true about what we really believe is really real. Not just what we think we believe is true or what we really believe might be true, but what we really believe is really true about what we really believe is really real. So, I have decided to use what I really believe is really true about what I believe is really real to answer three questions that have been asked. These questions I will address in the following order: “Did Jesus need to be born of a virgin?”, “Did Jesus claim to be God”? and “Does it matter if Jesus was raised physically, or is spiritual resurrection sufficient?” Did Jesus need to be born of a virgin? Yes, for four reasons. 1. Everything God does is for a purpose. Everything He does is necessary in order to attain that purpose. God made it so that Jesus was born of a virgin; therefore, Jesus needed to be. 2. It was the sign that Jesus was the Son of God. If Mary had not been a virgin than people would have believed that Jesus was just another man. Because Mary was a virgin Jesus could have only come from God 3. Our claims of Jesus being God in a human form would have not been reasonable. If Mary was not a virgin than Jesus would have been fully man because His father would have been human. We would have no reason to say that He was the Son of God. As Matthew Slick, President and Founder of the Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry says, “Without the virgin birth, we cannot substantiate the doctrine of the incarnation of Jesus being God in flesh.” 4. It was a sign. In Isaiah 7:14 it says, “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” It wouldn’t have been much of a sign if it had said; a woman will have a child named Immanuel. I don’t think it would have stood out very much if a woman had a kid named Immanuel. In America alone there are 28, 078 men named Immanuel and the name has to be equally or more popular in Israel. So who’s to say which one he would be talking about? The fact that the child was born of a virgin made it a sign. Anyone who was not born of a virgin but claimed to be the Christ was obviously lying. Did Jesus claim to be God? Yes, He says it out front and implies it. First, in John 8:58 He says, “…Verily, verily, I say unto you, Before Abraham was, I Am.” Thus using the name that God uses for Himself in Exodus 3:14. In John 10:30 it Jesus says, “I and the Father are one.” Can’t get any clearer than that. Jesus is definitely saying that He is God. Jesus also implies that He is God in Matthew chapter 4. In verse one it says that Jesus was sent into the wilderness to be tempted by the devil. In verse 6 the devil is trying to tempt Jesus and Jesus answers in verse 7, “It is written again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Because it says in verse one that Jesus was to be tempted of the devil, the devil is tempting Him, not someone else. Because Jesus responds to the devil by saying, “Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.” Jesus is implying that He is God. So Does Jesus claim to be God? Yes. As Mark Mittleberg says in his book, The Reason Why, “Jesus’ claims of equality with the Father were unmistakable, and they would have been blasphemy-had they not been true.” One of the reasons why the Pharisees were so upset with Jesus was because he claimed to be God. As Josh McDowell says, “Why don't the names of Buddha, Mohammed, Confucius offend people? The reason is that these others didn't claim to be God, but Jesus did.” Does it matter if Jesus was raised physically, or is spiritual resurrection sufficient? Yes, it is one of the most essential doctrines of the Christian faith. There are two reasons why I believe this. 1. If Christ’s resurrection was not physical, than ours will not be. Paul says in Romans 6:5, “For if we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of his resurrection.” 2. We cannot be saved. As Paul says in 1 Corinthians 15:19, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins.” This is because our old man or old sin nature was crucified with Christ and our new man rose with Him. In Romans 6:6, “Knowing this, that our old man is crucified with Him, that the body of sin might be destroyed, that henceforth we should not serve sin;” and in verse 8, “Now if we be dead with Christ, we believe that we shall also live with Him.” If our old man was crucified with Christ than it is our new man that will live with Him. If our Christ was not resurrected than our new man could not have risen with Him and we are yet in our sins. If Christ did not rise than verse 19 of 1 Corinthians 15 will hold true when it says, “Than they also which are fallen asleep in Christ are perished.” The belief that Christ was raised spiritually and not physically is not only faulty but is saying that the Bible is wrong. Christ even says that He was not a spirit and that He was raised physically in Luke 24:39 when he says, “Behold my hands and my feet, that it is I myself: handle me, and see; for a spirit hath not flesh and bones, as ye see me have.” Also Jesus ate a few times after His resurrection; He couldn’t have if His resurrection had been spiritual. If Thomas had still wanted to, he could’ve stuck his finger into the holes in Jesus’s hands; this was because Jesus’s resurrection. If we cannot believe these parts of the bible, than what’s to say that we can believe the rest of it? Over the years of human history, a barrage of questions about Christianity and the bible have been rained onto Christians. But, though we struggle, if we use the proper tools and say what we really believe is really true about what we really believe is really real, we will always be able to provide good and satisfactory answers. All the answers we need can be found in the Bible. Thus I conclude my answers to the three questions: “Did Jesus need to be born of a virgin?” “Did Jesus Claim to be God?” and “Does it matter if Jesus was raised physically, or is spiritual resurrection sufficient?”This has, in essence been an essay on what I really believe is really true about what I really believe is really real. I hope that my answers may be considered good and satisfactory.
August 29t, 2011