GOD wants to personally and corporately circumcise our hearts, cut away impurities from our lives.
Statement of FaithWE BELIEVE IN GOD THE FATHER, an infinite, personal Spirit perfect in holiness, wisdom, power, and love, and that He concerns Himself mercifully in the affairs of men. We believe that He hears and answers prayer, and that He saves from sin and death all who come to Him through Jesus Christ. (Genesis 1:1; Deuteronomy 6:4; Matthew 28:19; John 10:30)
WE BELIEVE IN JESUS CHRIST, GOD's only begotten Son, John 10:33); conceived by the Holy Spirit. We believe in His virgin birth, Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23; Luke 1:34-35) in His sinless life, (Hebrews 4:15, 7:26); and in His miracles and teaching (John 2:11). We believe in His substitutionary atoning death, (1 Corinthians 15:3; Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 2:9) His bodily resurrection, (John 11:25; 1 Corinthians 15:4) and His ascension into heaven where He sits at the right hand of the Father. (Mark 16:19) We believe in His personal, visible return to earth, and the establishment of His Kingdom. (Acts 1:11; Revelation 19:11-16)
WE BELIEVE IN THE HOLY SPIRIT, who convicts the world of sin, righteousness, and judgment, and who regenerates, sanctifies, and empowers for ministry all who believe in Christ. We believe the Holy Spirit indwells every believer in Jesus Christ, and that He is an abiding Helper, Teacher, and Guide. We believe in the present ministry of the Holy Spirit, and in the exercise of all Biblical gifts of the Spirit. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)WE BELIEVE That the BIBLE is the only inspired, infallible, and authoritative Word of GOD. (2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 1:21).
WE BELIEVE in the absolute necessity of regeneration by the Holy Spirit for salvation and that all PEOPLE are sinners by nature and choice, and therefore regeneration by the Holy Spirit is essential. (John 3:3) .We believe that repentance (turning away) from sin and acceptance of Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior is the only way to come into relationship with GOD. (john 14:6). We believe that Jesus Christ baptizes the seeking believer with the Holy Spirit to empower the believer for service, and that this often occurs after salvation. (John 3:16-19; 5:24; Romans 3:23, 5:8-9; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5)
WE BELIEVE In the resurrection of all people, both the saved and the lost; they that are saved unto eternal life in heaven, and they that are lost unto eternal damnation in hell. (John 5:28-29)
WE BELIEVE It is important to uphold the Scriptural practices of the early church. Therefore, we hold to the practice of water baptism (Mark 16:16, Acts 2:37-39) and the regular taking of communion (Luke 22:19-20, Acts 2:42). We do not believe that either of these practices is essential for salvation, but that they serve as a demonstration of our living faith in Christ.
WE BELIEVE In the spiritual unity of believers in our Lord Jesus Christ. (Romans 8:9; 1 Corinthians 12:12-13; Galatians 3:26-28)
WE BELIEVE In the present ministry of the Holy Spirit by Whose indwelling the Christian is enabled to live a godly life. (Romans 8:13-14; 1 Corinthians 3:16, 6:19-20; Ephesians 4:30, 5:18)
Our Values
We value JESUS CHRIST. We desire His person, His love, His mercy and His power to shine through all we do. (Colossians 1)
Ministry Requirements
The following are prerequisites for being released in ministry at L.W.F.
A person must ...be born-again (John 3:31)
be water baptized (Acts 2:38)
be in agreement with essential beliefs at L.W.F (Amos 3:3)
be committed to financially support the ministry at L.W.F. in a Biblical fashion (Mal. 3:10)
be committed to being part of a small relational group (Acts 2:24)
be committed to attendance at our regular corporate gatherings (Hebrews 10:25)
be committed to Christian service (1 Peter 4:10)
complete the Life on the Rock Class (2 Cor. 8:11)
fill-out and turn in the L.W.F. Profile Sheet
We will realize that Mission/Vision through helping all who will be touched by Living Water Fellowship to:
Discover Faith,
Be Nurtured in Faith,
Grow in Faith,
Live in Faith and
Share Faith
Trinity of God
The validity of the Doctrine of the Holy Trinity is disputed among Christians. The concept of a triune nature in the Godhead has lead to major divisions among Christians. The doctrine is basically defined as,
"There is one God. There are three separate, distinct, and equal persons in God- Father, Son, Holy Spirit- and each is fully God; but, NOT a god."
It should come as no surprise, that trying to understand the Divine Nature of God in our limited human perspective is impossible. We can only know, what He has revealed to us about His Nature, through the Bible.There are those who rightly claim that the word "Trinity" does not appear in Holy Scripture. But what about the concept of the three-fold (triune) nature of God?
There are many verses in Scripture, which when viewed together give us a glimmering of the nature of the Godhead. The purpose of these pages is to present some of the them, thereby giving the background for the belief in the Trinity of God.
One of the major stumbling points in trying to define God is that we try to do it in human terms. Trinitarians teach that there are three, separate, equal, & distinct, Persons in God and that each is fully God; but, that there is only one God, not three. This doesn't make sense to the human mind. All the examples set forth by believers in the Trinity are inadequate and do not fully explain the Godhead. Non-Trinitarians cannot envision the concept of a triune nature in the Godhead, since Holy Scripture flatly proclaims "There is only one God." It really matters little what man believes about the Nature of God. It is, what it is!
God has revealed some aspects of His Nature in His 'inspired word', the original manuscripts of the Bible. Unfortunately, man in making various translations (versions) of Scripture has clouded, and in some cases changed, what God revealed to the original writers. If you believe that,
" All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness- "
(2Timothy 3:16)
you may find some help in understanding God's Nature on the following pages.The following pages examine some of the many verses of Holy Scripture, which clearly show a plurality of beings/persons in the Godhead. They form part of the basis for the Trinity Doctrine.
Genesis 1:26, 3:22, 11:7 & Isa 6:8
Genesis 18 & 19
Isaiah 48:16
Isa 61:1-2 & Luke 4:18-19
Jeremiah 23:5-6
Zechariah 10:12
Matthew 28:19
John 1:1-3
John 14:23 & 1John 2:24
2 Corinthians 13:14
Colossians 2:2
Hebrews 1:8-10
Hebrews 3:7-11
1 Peter 1:2
Revelation 3:21What about verses such as Deuteronomy 4:35, Isaiah 43:10, & Isaiah 44:6, which proclaim that there is only one God? Non Trinitarians point to these, and similar ones, claiming that they disprove the Trinity Doctrine. This stems from a misunderstanding of the Trinity belief, on their part. Trinitarians do NOT believe that there is more than one God. They believe that,
"the Father, Son, & Holy Spirit" are each fully God; but, not that each is a god.
The closest, but not perfect, human analogy, that comes to mind, is a Tribunal, a three Judge court. The three Judges comprise "The Court" and can be referred to as such. Each Judge is a separate, distinct, person, yet each has the power & authority of the Court; each can individually act as the Court; and individually each can be referred to as, "The Court", or by their own names. The imperfection in this analogy is that, although the Court is a single entity, it is basically a committee of three; and, there the analogy fails when applied to God. Although imperfect, the analogy can give us a small glimmering concerning the nature of the divine, spiritual, being, who is "God."There are a number of people who claim that the Trinity is based on pagan beliefs, popular at the time of the early Christian Church. A fellow Christian, Robin Brace, discusses this claim on his page
"Is the Trinity Pagan?"
Also on his page, is a well put together table showing biblical evidence of various titles of God being attributed to The Father, The Son, & The Holy Spirit. You will find additional evidence of the Trinity of the Godhead on his page.Salvation Lost ?
An area of contention among Christians is, if Salvation, once granted, can be lost. One group supports the “Once saved; always saved (OSAS)” school of thought; while, the other says that Salvation can be lost through sin (OSOL). Both sides have a large following; however, large followings do not necessarily mean sound Scriptural doctrine. The underlying doctrinal difference between these groups is that one believes in Salvation through the Grace of God; while the other believes in Salvation through works. Another difference is that those, believing that salvation is secure accept the Bible as it is written; while those claiming that you can lose salvation interject human reasoning into Scripture. Which is correct? Is there a middle ground between the two? Let’s delve in to Holy Scripture to see what it says on the subject.
"All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will by no means cast out. For I have come down from heaven, not to do My own will, but the will of Him who sent Me. This is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all He has given Me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up at the last day."
(John 6:37-39)
"And I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; neither shall anyone snatch them out of My hand. My Father, who has given them to Me, is greater than all; and no one is able to snatch them out of My Father's hand."
(John 10:28-29)
The Apostle Paul, inspired by the Holy Spirit, amplifies this last statement.
"For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come, nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)
In John 6 & 10, Jesus says He will not cast out anyone who believes in Him: and, that no one is able to remove a believer from Him. He also states that those believing in Him will never perish. You’ll notice that there are no qualifiers in Jesus’ statements. So, if you believe Jesus’ word then, "Once saved; always saved", is what He is saying here.Those who claim that one can lose their salvation, point to verses such as, "Therefore I say to you, every sin and blasphemy will be forgiven men, but the blasphemy against the Spirit will not be forgiven men. Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come."
(Matthew 12:31-32)
"If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death. “If anyone sees his brother sinning a sin which does not lead to death, he will ask, and He will give him life for those who commit sin not leading to death. There is sin leading to death. I do not say that he should pray about that. All unrighteousness is sin, and there is sin not leading to death."
(1 John 5: 16-17)
These verses would seem to contradict what Jesus said in John 6 & 10. Do we have a Lord and Saviour who makes contradictory statements, or remembers to add qualifiers in a later statement? I know that we don’t! So, why the difference? Consider what Eaton’s Bible dictionary has to say about the use of the word ‘blasphemy’ in this verse, 'Blasphemy against the Holy Ghost is regarded by some as a continued and obstinate rejection of the gospel, and hence is an unpardonable sin, simply because as long as a sinner remains in unbelief he excludes himself from pardon.' The majority view however, is that 'Blasphemy against the Holy Spirit' means attributing the works of the Holy Spirit to the deceiver or his agents. For a Christian, who has the in-dwelling Holy Spirit, to do such a thing is, I believe, impossible. Therefore verses such as the above two, provide no basis to believe that salvation can be lost.Believing that one can lose their salvation infers that:
- - Jesus has failed in the commission He accepted from the Father; ("I should lose nothing")
- - That He is makes mis-statements (“I will not cast out” & "will never perish.")
- - We have a Creator, who knowing in advance that we are, and will be, sinners, gives us a gift that is dependent upon not sinning.
Additionally, if salvation can be lost, then it is not gift of “Grace (Mercy)” freely given by God; but, something we must earn or work to keep, which is totally contrary to God’s Word.It is for these reasons that I believe, the Bible teaches,true Salvation, once received can not be lost. You will note that I said ‘true Salvation’. We have those who proclaim, 'I believe in God, so I’m going to Heaven'.
James 2:19 has this to say,
"You believe that there is one God. You do well. Even the demons believe and tremble!"
We have those who pay lip service, saying, 'Yes, I’ve believe in Jesus as My Lord and Savior, so I’m going to Heaven'. Yet, they are unproductive. They sit, and vegetate.
James 2:20 & 26 has this to say,
"But do you want to know, O foolish man, that faith without works is dead? For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead also."
There are also those who feel that because they say they believe in Jesus Christ that nothing else is required. They continue on in the same old lifestyle believing that they now have a free ticket to Heaven. Jesus has this to say,
"Repent!"Repentance embodies a change and a striving to do better.
No change - No striving = No repentance = No salvation..
(For a more in-depth commentary, & study, see Eternal Security.
Second Coming
of Jesus Christ
Image courtesy of Virginia Smart."They will see the Son of Man coming in a cloud with power and great glory."
(Luke 21:27)The second coming of Jesus Christ is a favorite topic of speculation among the members of the Christian religion. Holy Scripture has been misinterpreted and bent to support the various claims by self appointed prophets, claiming to know when the second coming will occur. This is nothing new. It began with the early church and will continue until Jesus' 2nd coming. There are quite a few who call themselves preachers, prophets, church leaders, etc., who claim to know when the second coming will take place. Holy Scripture labels ALL such people, churches, denominations, groups, etc., as False Prophets. Anyone who claims that the time of the second coming has been revealed to them either through study or direct Divine revelation is a False Prophet. Those who claim that the 2nd coming has already taken place, Preterists & Jehovah Witnesses to name two such groups, have no valid biblical basis for their claims. The Jehovah Witnesses, who claim to be Christian, and have angelic messengers, have predicted the date of Jesus' second coming in excess of 100 times. After all their predicted dates passed without Jesus' glorious return, they gave up the predicting and now claim that Jesus' Second Coming has already occurred. The Bible clearly makes mention of God's feelings concerning false prophets.
- - "When a prophet speaks in the name of Jehovah, if the thing does not follow nor come to pass, that is the thing which Jehovah has not spoken. The prophet has spoken it presumptuously. You shall not be afraid of him."
(Deu 18:22)
The Hebrew word used for 'afraid,' in this verse, means to abide with, assemble with, or follow. Clearly, God says to get away from such prophets, teachers, etc. Under the Levitical Law these people were to be stoned to death. Under the New Covenant we know that God will deal with them.Men in their arrogance, set dates for the second coming even though God's Word clearly states we will not know.
- - "But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, but My Father only."
(Matthew 24:36)
- - "For it will come as a snare on all those who dwell on the face of the whole earth. "
(Luke 21:35)In most cases, the false prophets have changed from naming exact dates; to naming a year, or group of years.
Well, what's wrong with that, you might ask?
Each time a date is set and it passes, God's Word is held in greater disrepute. Trust in the validity of Holy Scripture is eroded. More apathy towards the Second Coming of Jesus is generated. Many (Preachers ) are making their livings, and much more, by claiming to be wise enough to read between the lines of Scripture, or they have solved the biblical code, allowing them to fathom the mystery of the date.
Whose work are they really doing?
Who would benefit by eroding trust in the validity and reliability of Holy Scripture, and generating apathy towards Jesus' 2nd Coming?
The answer is quite simple, although they may believe they are serving God, they are doing the work of Satan.However, we can understand that His Second Coming is getting closer.
- - So they asked Him, saying, "Teacher, but when will these things be? And what sign will there be when these things are about to take place?"
(Luke 21:7)
- - "So you also, when you see these things happening, know that the kingdom of God is near."
(Luke 21:31)What things are we to look for?
Many passages of Scripture tell us. Here is a summary of a few of them.
- "many will come in My name, saying, 'I am He,' and, 'The time has drawn near."
(Luke 21:8 & Mat 24:5)
- "when you hear of wars and commotions, do not be terrified; for these things must come to pass first, but the end will not come immediately."
(Luke 21:9 & Mat 24:6)
- "Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom."
(Luke 21:10 & Mar 13:8)
- "there will be great earthquakes in various places, and famines and pestilences; and there will be fearful sights and great signs from heaven."
(Luke 21:11 & Mat 24:7)
- "And there will be signs in the sun, in the moon, and in the stars; and on the earth distress of nations, with perplexity, the sea and the waves roaring."
(Luke 21:25, Mat 24:29, & Isa 13:10)
- "Men will be lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boasters, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, unloving, unforgiving, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, despisers of good, traitors, headstrong, haughty, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God."
(2Ti 3:2-4)
- "Let not anyone deceive you by any means. For that Day shall not come unless there first comes a falling away, and the man of sin shall be revealed, the son of perdition, who opposes and exalts himself above all that is called God, or that is worshiped, so that he sits as God in the temple of God, setting himself forth, that he is God. "
(2Th 2:3-4, Mat 24:15, & Dan 9:27)Now that we know what to look for, we know that the Second Coming is near. "Near" such an imprecise term. What does it mean, tomorrow, next week, next month, next year, ten years from now, forty or more, years from now? The only certainty is that the 2nd coming is closer today than it was yesterday.
"For as in the days before the flood,
they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noah entered the ark, and did not know until the flood came and took them all away, so also will the coming of the
Son of Man be."
(Mat 24:38-39)We, as Christians, need to live our lives as if we knew Jesus was coming in the next second. If knowing the date and time of Jesus' second coming would make a difference in the way we live and act, we have missed the true Gospel message. This fruitless speculation about the date of the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, serves not God, but Satan (the great deceiver).
"For as the lightning comes out of the east
and shines even to the west, so also will be
the coming of the Son of Man."
(Mat 24:27)The Good Shepherd
& His Sheep"I am the good shepherd; and I know My sheep,
and am known by My own."
(John 10:14)As with all of His statements, this is a concise, to the point, pronouncement by Jesus Christ. Yet, it embodies much more than the picture of a shepherd and his flock. To fully understand the scope of Jesus' word picture, it helps to understand the role of a shepherd and the nature of sheep.
A good shepherd did not envision his responsibility as just a job. Sheep, at the time of Jesus, were very valuable critters. They provided food and wool for clothing. The care and protection of the flock was the shepherd's life. Jesus points out in further biblical statements, that a good shepherd would give his life for his flock. The shepherd would lead his flock to pasture and water; tend to their wounds; guide them; calm them; keep them together; and, rescue them from pitfalls and briar patches. He was the sole provider of all that the flock needed.
Sheep are single minded, skittish, near-sighted, critters. They are one of the few creatures who, if let on their own, will totally destroy their pasture. They are easily terrified and prone to wandering off from the flock. They require constant attention. They will continually repeat wandering and getting into dangerous situations without ever learning to avoid them.
The relationship between a shepherd and his flock is very unique. Jesus outlines part of this relationship in John 10. It was common, at various times, for shepherds to bring their flocks into community pens at night. Several flocks would be housed together. Yet, when it came time to separate the flocks all that was necessary was for the shepherd to call out to his sheep to lead them out of the pen.
"To him the doorkeeper opens, and the sheep hear his voice; and he calls his own sheep by name and leads them out. And when he brings out his own sheep, he goes before them; and the sheep follow him, for they know his voice."
(John 10:3-4)The flock depends on the shepherd for all that it needs. David, who was a shepherd, before being a king, was familiar with the relationship between a shepherd and his flock.
"THE LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want. He makes me to lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside the still waters. He restores my soul; He leads me in the paths of righteousness For His name's sake. Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me."
(Psalm 23:1-4)
The shepherd kept the flock together by calling wandering individuals back to the fold and, when necessary, brought hard- headed sheep back by gentle application of his staff. Should one of the sheep manage to get separated, and lost, the shepherd would actively seek that lost sheep until it was found. If necessary, he would risk his own life to save that sheep from any dangerous situation that it got itself into. Should a predator attack the flock the shepherd would willingly give his life to protect his sheep. The bond between the shepherd and the flock is very similar to that of a father and his family. Another facet of this relationship is that the shepherd picks the sheep; it is not the sheep, which pick the shepherd.Jesus used many similes in describing the relationship between His people and Himself. All are pretty basic representations of the bond, which exists between God and His children. Yet, all entail a depth of meaning far greater than the word pictures they generate. Each, although being comprised of several verses, could fill volumes with what is actually being said. Each clearly expresses the love of God for His children.
Who is Jesus Christ?
"Who is Jesus Christ?" A fairly straightforward question. Yet, the answer depends upon, who you ask. Much division concerning who Jesus is/was exists between believers & non-believers alike. A listing of some of the answers includes:
He was fictional,
just a good man or historical figure,
a prophet,
the Messiah,
a god,
or
Almighty God,
It all depends upon a person's beliefs. Even among those claiming to be followers of Jesus Christ, Christians, divisions exists about who He is/was. It is this last group that this study is primarily designed for. Of course, others may also find this study informative.It would be possible to fill several hundred pages on the subject of Jesus Christ; however, I will try to limit myself. On the following pages, I will attempt to give an overview on the matter of Jesus Christ, and who he is.
While going through this study of Jesus Christ, I ask that you would put aside your preconceptions, & any denominational dogma, & any preconceptions you might have. Open yourselves to the guidance of the Holy Spirit and of Scripture. I will attempt to let Scripture speak for itself, without interjecting my own beliefs, and opinions.
While there is some historical evidence concerning the existence of Jesus, the main source of information concerning Him is, quite naturally, the Bible. Many beliefs about Him are on a spiritual level, hence Scripture provides a wealth of information, & revelation, concerning Him.
God
One of the major divisions among all those who call themselves Christians, is whether, or not, Jesus Christ is God. On the surface, Old Testament seems to support that He is not. Yet let us see what else Scripture has to say on the subject.
- - "Thy throne, O God, [is] age-during, and for ever, A sceptre of uprightness [Is] the sceptre of Thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness and hatest wickedness, Therefore God, thy God, hath anointed thee-."
Psalm 45:6-7
(The entire context of this Psalm confirms that it is speaking of Jesus.)
- - "For a Child hath been born to us, A Son hath been given to us, And the princely power is on his shoulder, And He doth call his name Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Father of Eternity, Prince of Peace."
Isa 9:7
- - "Lo, the virgin shall conceive, and she shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel,' which is, being interpreted `With us [he is] God."
Mat 1:23
- - "I and the Father are one.....The Jews answered him, saying, `For a good work we do not stone thee, but for evil speaking, and because thou, being a man, dost make thyself God."
John 10:30 & 33
- - "And Thomas answered and said to him, `My Lord and my God;-."
John 20:28
(For an in-depth study on the importance of this verse see John 20:28)
- - "-whose are the fathers, and of whom is the Christ according to flesh, He being God over all, blessed forever. Amen."
Romans 9:5 (MKJV)
- - "For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily; and you are complete in Him, who is the head of all principality and power."
Colossians 2: 9-10
- - "And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory."
1 Timothy 3:16
- - "-waiting for the blessed hope and manifestation of the glory of our great God and Saviour Jesus Christ,-."
Titus 2:13
- - "But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom. Thou hast loved righteousness, and hated iniquity; therefore God, [even] thy God, hath anointed thee with the oil of gladness above thy fellows. And, Thou, Lord, in the beginning hast laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:-."
Heb 1:8-10
The above verses clearly name Jesus as being God.Compare the following verses of the Book of Revelation with Isa 44:6:
- - "I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending, saith the Lord, which is, and which was, and which is to come, the Almighty."
Rev 1:8
(Note, as set forth in verses 1: 1-2, this book is the revelation and testimony of Jesus Christ.)
- - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last,-"
Rev 1:11
- - "-And he laid his right hand upon me, saying unto me, Fear not; I am the first and the last:-"
Rev 1:17-18
(Note, Alpha is the first letter of the Greek alphabet, while Omega is the last letter.)
- - "And to the angel of the church in Smyrna write, These things says the First and the Last, who was dead, and came to life:-,"
Rev 2:8
- - "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, the First and the Last."
Rev 22:13
- - "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, And his Redeemer, the LORD of hosts:' I am the First and I am the Last; Besides Me there is no God."
Isa 44:6
If Jesus is not God, then Isaiah 44:6, and similar Scriptural passages, create a significant contradiction in Holy Scripture. Yet, we know that the Bible speaks of both Jesus and God and flatly proclaims that there is only One God. If you go to the One God page this seeming disparity is addressed
One God
Holy Scripture flatly proclaims that there is one, and only one, God. Throughout the Bible we are reminded time and again that there is one God. So as not to fill this study with page upon page of verse references, I will limit them to just a few.
(Note don’t go running off because you see the name"Jehovah".)
- "Thus said Jehovah, king of Israel, And his Redeemer, Jehovah of Hosts: `I [am] the first, and I the last, And besides Me there is no God."
Isa 44:6
- "You are My witnesses, says Jehovah, and My servant whom I have chosen; that you may know and believe Me, and understand that I am He. Before Me no God was formed, nor shall there be after Me. I, I am Jehovah; and there is none to save besides Me."
(Isa 43:10-11)
- "It was shown to you so that you might know that Jehovah is God, and no one else beside Him."
(Deu 4:35)From the verses listed above, and other similar ones I have not cited, we can conclude that the Bible proclaims only one God. We also find verses such as:
- "It is written in the Prophets, 'And they shall all be taught of God.' Therefore everyone who hears and learns from the Father comes to Me."
(John 6:45)
- "Jesus answered, 'If I glorify Myself, My glory is nothing; it is My Father who glorifies Me, of whom you say that He is your God."
(John 8:54)
which proclaim that The Father is God. Yet, what about the statements made throughout Scripture concerning Jesus Christ. (If you haven’t been to my study "Who is Jesus Christ" on the page"God", you will find listings of verses there, which apparently contradict the verses cited above by stating that Jesus is God. Additional verses can be found on the "Jesus is God, YHWH/JHVH" page.) If there is only one God, how can both The Father & Jesus be named by the Bible as being God? What are we to conclude? Is Scripture flawed? How can we possibly resolve the seeming disparity between these two groups of verses?In the three verses cited at the beginning of this page the word ‘besides’ is used. This word is translated from the Aramaic ‘milebad’ and the Hebrew ‘bilade’ both of which are only used in the context of ‘apart from’. To sum up the verses it is clear that they state,
there is no God apart from Jehovah (Yaweh).
Is Scripture showing us that Jesus & The Father are both Yaweh (Jehovah)? How can that possibly be? It doesn’t make sense; or, does it?Knowing that all Scripture is inspired by God (2 Ti 3:16), reconciling these two different sets of verses would mean that the being (entity) God (YHWH - JHVH) is comprised of more than one being. Aside from the above sets of verses, does Scripture give us any indication that this is true? "Yes!" There are a number of verses such as,
- "And God (YHWH - JHVH) said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."
(Gen 1:26)
(For a more in-depth discussion of this verse, & similar ones, visit "The Us of God" page. Other appropriate verses are listed on the "Trinity" study page.)
which indicate there is more than one person in the entity we call, "God"What about the various verses that flatly proclaim there is one God?
A study into the original manuscripts, or at least checking Concordances & Lexicons, reveals that the word translated as one is echad this word was not used to denote a singular entity. It was however, used to denote a unit composed of more than one- for example, it would be used in the context One Army but would NOT be used in the context of One Person. There are other Hebrew, & Aramaic, words, which were used to denote a singular entity, object, etc. Since,
"All Scripture is God-breathed....."
it is no mistake that the original wording is echad.
Jehovah - JHVH,
Yaweh - YHVH, YHWHThe name of God
"And God said to Moses again, You shall say this to the sons of Israel, Jehovah (YHWH) the God of your fathers, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, has sent me to you. This is My name forever, and this is My title from generation to generation."
(Exodus 3:15)Jehovah, or Yaweh, is claimed by many to be the actual Name of God. Unfortunately, this is not entirely true; while it is representative of God's Name, it is not His actual name. Nowhere in the original manuscripts of Old Testament will you find the actual name, Jehovah, Yehovah, or Yahweh. What you will find is a grouping of four Hebrew consonants, which are equivalent to YHVH, JHVH, or YHWH in the English language. This grouping is called by Bible Scholars, "the tetragrammaton." This set of four letters was used by the Hebrew people to signify the incommunicable Name of God. Wherever it appears in the original manuscripts, it refers only to the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, in other words, the God of Israel. It was considered by the Hebrew people to be representative of the sacred, holy, name of GOD. Again, it was never used to represent anyone other than, the self existent, eternal, GOD.
The Names Jehovah, Yehovah, or Yahweh are merely a pronounceable rendering of JHVH, YHVH, or YHWH, none of the renderings are the actual incommunicable name of GOD. The KJV Bible, and other versions, render JHVH, YHVH, YHWH as, LORD. As we can see, none of these are the actual true name of GOD; but we can know that where they appear in the Bible they refer only to the Self Existent, Eternal One, GOD. Also we find that a contracted form of the name of God is used in scripture and is pronounced as YAH, which gives more credence to a rendering of the tetragrammaton as Yaweh instead of Jehovah.
Some history about the tetragrammaton
There are quite a few theories concerning how YHWH became JHVH. In fact there is doubt as to how YHWH was pronounced in Moses' time. Ancient Hebrew had no written vowels, or superscript/subscript vowel markings, it was just understood by the pre-captivity Hebrew what the sound of each of the four written consonants should be. Rabbinical Scholars tell us that after the Great Captivity, it was considered to be blasphemy to speak the name YHWH. Therefore, it is clear that the original pronunciation of the tetragrammaton has been lost. My further studies have indicated that there was no letter 'J' in the ancient Hebrew, hence there was no 'J' sound, which makes JHVH and the name Jehovah pretty unlikely. Even the names Yahweh, or Yehovah, are somewhat questionable, since they are dependent upon the intersection of the vowels from adonai. About the only clear certainty is that YHWH means in Hebrew, The Eternal, Self-Existent One, who was understood to be the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob/ The God of Israel. Most scholars attribute the beginning of shift from Yahweh to Jehovah, to the beginning of the use of superscript and subscript punctuation and vowel marks in Hebrew writing, and the translation of ancient manuscripts, in the 5th & 6th centuries A.D.Jesus, Creator & God
(Part of the Hebrews 1:8-10, Jesus God,
& Effective Bible Study web page groups.)"You, Lord, have laid the foundation of the earth in the beginning, and the heavens are the works of Your hands."
(Heb 1:10)
"All things came into being through Him, and without Him not even one thing came into being that has come into being."
(John 1:3)The above two biblical verses about Jesus, taken in the entire context of Holy Scripture, proclaim Him to be the Creator.
(Note this page is a part of a study of Hebrews 1:8-10, which is part of the Effective Bible Study group of pages. You may wish to view those pages to get further insight into the Scriptural teaching that Jesus is God and Creator.)Following are some of the verses of the Bible concerning the Creator:
- - "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."
(Gen 1:1)
- - "For in six days Jehovah made the heavens and the earth, the sea, and all that is in them, and rested the seventh day."
(Exo 20:11)
- - "By the Word of Jehovah were the heavens made; and all the host of them by the breath of His mouth."
(Psa 33:6)
- - "A Prayer of Moses, the man of God. O Jehovah, You have been our dwelling-place in all generations. Before the mountains were brought forth, or ever You had formed the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting You are God. "
(Psa 90:1-2)
- - "I said, O my God, take me not away in the midst of my days; Your years are through the generation of generations. Of old You have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the work of Your hands."
(Psa 102:24-25)
- - "So says Jehovah God, He who created the heavens and stretched them out, spreading out the earth and its offspring; He who gives breath to the people on it and spirit to those who walk in it. "
(Isa 42:5)
- - "So says Jehovah, the Holy One of Israel, and the One who formed him, Do you ask Me of things to come? Do you give command to Me about My sons, and about the work of My hands? I have made the earth, and created man on it; I with My hands have stretched out the heavens; and all their host have I commanded. "
(Isa 45:11-12)
- - "Jehovah of Hosts. He has made the earth by His power; He has established the world by His wisdom, and has stretched out the heavens by His understanding."
(Jer 51:14-15)The first group of verses cited from the Bible, identify Jesus as the Creator; while the second group identifies Jehovah, Yahweh, as the Creator. For there not to be a significant contradiction in Holy Scripture, thereby breaking the validity of Scripture. it follows that Jesus is Jehovah, Yahweh . Since Jehovah, Yahweh, stems from the tetragrammaton JHVH (YHWH), which the Hebrews use to denote the incommunicable name of the One, True, God (Exodus 3:15), Jesus is also the Creator & God, Almighty.
(See Jesus, God for further biblical proofs).As further proof that Jesus is God and Creator,Jehovah (Yahweh), consider the following Scriptural verses:
- - " Come near to Me, hear this; I have not spoken in secret from the beginning. From its being, I was there; and now the Lord Jehovah, and His Spirit, has sent Me. So says Jehovah, your Redeemer, the Holy One of Israel, I am Jehovah your God who teaches you to profit, who leads you by the way that you should go. "
(Isa 48:16-17)
- - "And God said, Let Us make man in Our image, after Our likeness."
(Gen 1:26)
- - "And Jehovah God said, Behold, the man has become as one of Us, to know good and evil."
(Gen 3:22)
- - "Come, let Us go down and there confuse their language, so that they cannot understand one another's speech. "
(Gen 11-7)
- - "And I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for Us? "
(Isa 6:8)
(You can view the studies of these verses at The US of God & Isaiah 48:16-17)
From effective bible study techniques, we find the teaching of the Scriptures, and revelation concerning the Nature of the Creator, God - Jehovah (Yahweh), & Jesu
Jesus
Mediator, High Priest, &
Head of the Church.Jesus Christ, is the Only Mediator, High Priest & Head of the Church. The interjection of anyone else between God & man has no biblical basis; and, it implies that Jesus is not fully capable of being the mediator, high priest, & head of His church. As we look at each of these titles, or responsibilities, we will see why only Jesus, God Incarnate, has the capability of being the Mediator between God & man, the High Priest of His Church, & the Head of the Christian Church.
Mediator
"For there is one God and one Mediator
between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus-."
(1Ti 2:5)Mediator is translated from the Greek, mesites, which means a go between, intercessor, a reconciler, a mediator. Basically, one who intervenes between two parties. To be effective, a mediator must understand both sides that he is intervening between. Only Jesus, God Incarnate, who also was the Man, Jesus, is capable of acting as a mediator between Divine nature and human nature. Only Jesus has the ability to reconcile man to God. Only Jesus can act as the intercessor between man & God. No one else is capable to fulfill, or aid in the fulfillment, of the responsibilities of the Office of Mediator.
High Priest
"Therefore in all things it behoved him (Jesus)
to be made like His brothers, that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of His people."
(Heb 2:17)The main duty of the High Priest is to offer the atonement sacrifice for his followers. Jesus did just that. Once, willingly and for all time, Jesus offered Himself as the atonement sacrifice for all those who follow Him. The sin debt of mankind is such that, it required a Divine sacrifice for its remission. No other being was capable of providing and offering the price of man's redemption. Since Jesus' sacrifice paid the sin debt, no other sacrifice is required, and the Office of High Priest for His people is forever filled by Him.
Head of the Church
"-even as Christ is the head of the church-"
(Eph 5:23)
"And He is the Head of the body, the church,
who is the Beginning, the First-born from the dead, that He may be pre-eminent in all things."
(Col 1:18)We see that the Bible proclaims Jesus as the Head of the Christian Church. No other person, or group of persons is named in God's Word, because no other has the right, ability, perfection, or authority to be the Head of Jesus' Church.
We have seen that the Bible proclaims that Jesus is the only one capable of being the Mediator between God & man, the High Priest of His Church, and the Head of the Church He founded. No one else has the capability of fulfilling these Offices. There are those who proclaim that Jesus must rely on another intermediary between Himself & man. Intentionally, or unintentionally, these groups are proclaiming is, that Jesus, God Incarnate, is incapable of fulfilling the duties of Mediator, High Priest, & Head of the Church, without relying on created beings to assist Him. This is not the proclamation of the Bible!
"And He has put all things under His feet
and gave Him to be Head over all things to the church, which is His body, the fullness of Him who fills all in all."
Eternal Security
"For God so loved the world that He gave His only-begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life."
(John 3:16)Eternal Security is one of the most debated & misunderstood doctrines among Christians. There are a number of mainstream schools of thought on the subject. One maintains that, "once you are saved you can never lose your salvation." Another that, "Salvation can be lost through sin." While another claims that a Christian can walk away and turn his back on God, thereby losing his salvation. These groups all claim that the Bible teaches & supports their belief. However, we know that the Bible can not teach contradictory doctrines. So, who is correct? Does the Bible teach "Once Saved Always Saved, OSAS;" or the belief that "One Sin Salvation is Lost, OSSL," or that you can willingly forfeit your salvation by turning away from God, "free will damnation"?
To determine if there is eternal security, if salvation can be lost through sin, or you can lose your salvation by choosing to walk away from God, let's set aside man's teaching on the subject of salvation and focus solely on the Bible's teaching. Jesus, the Author of Salvation, tells us:
- - "Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life."
(John 5:24)
- - "All that the Father gives Me shall come to Me, and the one who comes to Me I will in no way cast out."
(John 6:37)
- - "And this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all which He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day."
(John 6:39)
- - "No one can come to Me unless the Father who has sent Me draw him, and I will raise him up at the last day."
(John 6:44)
- - "My sheep hear My voice, and I know them, and they follow Me.
And I give to them eternal life, and they shall never ever perish, and not anyone shall pluck them out of My hand.
My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."
(John 10:27-29)The Bible's teaching is quite clear on the subject of eternal security. (See Salvation Lost?? for an in-depth explanation.) The diverging beliefs of OSAS, OSSL, and free will damnation, are all based on the Bible. However, the beliefs in OSSL & free will damnation are based upon a misunderstanding of the word "believer." The Bible, in its entirety, address the non-believer, the true believer, & those, who claim they are believers. Most, if not all, congregations are composed of a mix of these three. The majority of the Epistles, especially Paul's, address all three groups. The believer's in eternal security, OSAS, acknowledge this mix, while the OSSL & free will damnation groups overlook the distinction. The various biblical references cited, concerning eternal security, address the true believer.
The true believer follows Jesus and has eternal security. However, this does not mean that they will never sin again. The Apostle Paul shows us in Romans 7, that at times he still sinned, although he had been saved by the grace of God. Jesus teaches us that the true believer has been drawn to Him by the Father; and Paul, who received his teachings from Jesus, (Gal 1:12), further explains in Romans 8:30 & 2Co 1:22,
- - "-whom He called, those He also justified. And whom He justified, these He also glorified."
- - "And He has sealed us and having given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts. "
Therefore, the Bible teaches us, that the true believer has been "called, justified, glorified, & sealed by God."This does not mean that the true believer has a free ride, a license to sin. A true believer strives to follow Jesus; but being human they will sometimes stumble. Any true believer will tell you, that having been sealed with the Holy Spirit, they cannot remain in a prolonged sinful lifestyle; because, the Spirit will not allow them peace until they abandon that lifestyle. Additionally, God's outpouring of love to His children does not allow the true believer to be comfortable with prolonged sin. God's love and the action of the Holy Spirit will never allow a true believer to permanently walk away and turn his back on God.
The opponents of eternal security point to Bible verses Mat 12:31 & 1 John 5:16,
- - " Therefore I say to you, All kinds of sin and blasphemy shall be forgiven to men, but the blasphemy against the Holy Spirit shall not be forgiven to men."
- - " - There is a sin to death -."
They claim that this proves salvation can be lost by the believer. We have seen that the Bible teaches that salvation can not be lost & then regained. We have also seen that Jesus gives eternal life to the true believer and that, He further tells us,
- - "My Father who gave them to me is greater than all, and no one is able to pluck them out of My Father's hand."
(John 10:29)
We know that the Bible cannot teach diverging doctrines. We also know that Scripture must be interpreted by Scripture. We find that the overwhelming majority of fundamental verses concerning salvation show that there is eternal security for the true believer. Therefore Mat 12:31 & 1 John 5:16 must be seen in this light. The "sin to death" & the "unpardonable sin" are interpreted as, "The continued, obstinate, refusal to believe the Gospel message." It is the Spirit who testifies to the validity of the Gospel message, so disbelief in effect calls the Spirit a liar, which is blasphemy.The free will damnation group holds that it is possible to simply walk away and turn your back on God. To choose to stop following Jesus and that causes the loss of salvation. That the true believer can do this is an impossibility, and is in direct opposition to biblical teaching. (See John 10:27-29 & Romans 8:38-39)
Those who believe in eternal security, "Once Saved; Always Saved, OSAS" acknowledge that salvation is a gift given by God, which is in accordance with scriptural teaching. The opponents of eternal security, the "One Sin Salvation Lost, OSSL" & free will damnation groups, for the most part, say they believe that salvation is a gift. However, in practicality, they are actually denying that salvation is a gift, for a gift is not something, which you must earn or pay for to keep! These two groups, in effect, teach that ultimately salvation is dependent upon man, not upon God's Sovereign Will & Grace.
" For I am persuaded that neither death, nor life,
nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature,
shall be able to separate us from the love of God
which is in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(Romans 8:38-39)
The Biblical Order
of Salvation(Part of the Baptism, what the Bible teaches web page group.)
"And there is salvation in no other One (Jesus, the Christ); for there is no other name under Heaven given among men by which we must be saved."
(Acts 4:12)The Holy Bible, God's inspired word, provides a very definitive order of events concerning a person's salvation. The purpose of this page is to detail the order of events, citing appropriate scriptural references, that must take place for a person to be saved. It is my hope that this Bible study will help Christians, and others, in understanding how salvation comes about & the priceless gift that it truly is.
Before Salvation
To understand the biblical order of salvation, we first need to establish the scriptural teaching concerning the state of mankind before salvation. The Bible's teaching concerning all humanity (mankind) is summed up in Psalm 14 and Romans 3:
"Jehovah looked down from Heaven on the sons of men, to see if there were any who understood and sought God. All have gone aside, together they are filthy; there is none who does good, no, not one."
(Psalm 14:2-3)
"-as it is written: 'There is none righteous, no not one; there is none that understands, there is none that seeks after God."
(Romans 3:10-11)
We must keep in mind that Scripture is talking about, seeking the One, True God. We know that the history of humanity is littered with numerous gods. Therefore it is crystal clear that, the Bible teaches that humanity, in its natural state, has never sought, nor will ever seek, the True God.
Through bible study, we find that the message of salvation is contained in the Gospel, good news, of Jesus, the Christ. However, we also find that Scripture teaches in 1 Co 2:14,
"But the natural man does not receive the things of the Spirit of God, for they are foolishness to him; neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned."
From birth we know that all humanity falls into the classification of "natural man" Since the message of the Gospel must be spiritually discerned it is abundantly evident that the biblical teaching is that mankind, because of its nature, will never seek God, nor understand the salvation message of the Gospel or respond to it, unless something happens to change its nature.
Salvation - The order of events
We have seen from the previous, that mankind in its natural state can never receive the Gift of Salvation. It is for this reason that Jesus teaches us in John 3:3,
"Truly, truly, I say to you, Unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God."
How is it possible for a person to be born again? Jesus is not talking about reincarnation. He is teaching us that natural man must be spiritually awakened. In effect, He teaches that natural man must be born again as spiritual man. Jesus tells us how this is possible in John 6:63,
"It is the Spirit that makes alive, the flesh profits nothing."
We see that Jesus teaches that the first step of salvation is that the Holy Spirit quickens, makes a person spiritually alive. Natural man is born again as spiritual man. Scripture, in John 3:8, also shows us that this quickening, awakening, or rebirth, is by the Holy Spirit's will,
"The Spirit breathes where He desires-."
The next step is two-fold. A person must become aware of the Gospel message of salvation and believe in Jesus, the Christ. This is proclaimed throughout the Gospel message. Two biblical reference are John 3:36 & 5:24,
"He who believes on the Son has everlasting life-"
"Truly, truly, I say to you, He who hears My Word and believes on Him who sent Me has everlasting life and shall not come into condemnation, but has passed from death to life."
We see that the Bible teaches that belief (Faith) is the Key to salvation. Also we find that scripture tells us, in Ephesians 2:5 & 2:8, that Faith is a gift of grace from God.
"(even when we were dead in sins) has made us alive together with Christ (by grace you are saved)."
"For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God-."We also find the Bible teaches in Ephesians 1:13, Romans 8:11, & Ephesians 4:30, that in conjunction with belief, the person being saved is sealed with, and in-dwelt by, the Holy Spirit until the day of redemption.
"in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise."
"But if the Spirit of the One who raised up Jesus from the dead dwells in you, the One who raised up Christ from the dead shall also make your mortal bodies alive by His Spirit who dwells in you."
"And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you are sealed until the day of redemption."Imagine the great gift that God gives to the born-again Christian! In the person of the Holy Spirit, He makes them spiritually alive (quickens them); provides the Gospel message of salvation; gives the gift of faith; and then He seals them through the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit.
Afterword
If you arrived at this page from anywhere other than Baptism, what the Bible teaches, you may be wondering why baptism is not listed in the above sequence of events in a person being saved. The Bible teaches that being baptized is a result of Salvation, not a method for obtaining it. For an in-depth Bible study on the subject visit the above page or visit Acts 10, Cornelius and his household
Baptism
what the Bible teaches(Part of the Effective Bible Study web page group.)
"Jesus answered, 'Truly, truly, I say to you,
Unless a man is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God."
(John 3:5)
"Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit"
(Mat 28:19)These two Gospel verses, both quoting Jesus Christ, form the basis for the Christian practice of Baptism. There is no quicker way to generate controversy among a large gathering of Christians than to start a discussion about baptism. Beliefs on the subject vary among denominations, churches, etc. Yet, we are told in Holy Scripture, Ephesians 4:4-6
- - "There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all."
These verses of the Bible clearly state, 'one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God.' So why are there different beliefs concerning baptism? Because, there are varying interpretations of what Jesus meant by these verses. They are often interpreted on a stand-alone basis, without considering the complete context of the Holy Bible. Using Effective Bible Study techniques, let's consider what the Bible teaches about baptism.
(Note: This page deals with baptism from a Scriptural perspective, setting aside church & denominational dogma. It is not an anti-baptism site, as you will find by reading through to the end of the study.)What does the word 'Baptism' mean?
In the original manuscripts of Scripture, all the various forms of the word baptize are translations from the Greek word 'baptizo', which comes from the root word 'bapto'. The usage of these words according to Greek Scholars is:
-- 'bapto' -- (1) to whelm, i.e. cover wholly with a fluid;
-- (2) in the New Testament only in a qualified or special sense, i.e. (literally) to moisten (a part of one's person).
-- 'baptizo' -- (1) to immerse, submerge; to make whelmed (i.e. fully wet);
-- (2) used only (in the New Testament) of ceremonial ablution.
As you can see, the meaning depends upon the context of the entire passage where the word is used, for it can mean immersion, moistening, or ceremonial washing. This is what fuels the controversy between 'sprinklers' and 'dippers'. (More on that subject as we progress)What does Baptism do? What is its effect?
In the matter of salvation, the pure and simple answer is, "It gets you wet, in one way or another!" There are two diverging beliefs among Christians, concerning baptism. One teaches 'baptism before salvation', while the other teaches 'salvation before baptism.' It doesn't matter what your church, denomination, or group teaches; because there is only one Biblical teaching on the subject.Because Jesus was baptized and then the Holy Spirit came upon Him and due to His placing water before the Holy Spirit in John 3:5, it is reasoned by some, that salvation is the result of baptism. This is faulty biblical reasoning, since we find verses in the Bible such as:
- - "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. "
(Eph 2:8-9)
- - "-in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise,"
(Eph 1:13)
- - "For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ, for it is the power of God unto salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek."
(Rom 1:16)
- - "and that from a babe you have known the Holy Scriptures, which are able to make you wise to salvation through faith in Christ Jesus. "
(2Ti 3:15)
Scripture proclaims it is 'Faith (belief)' in Jesus Christ, given through God's Grace, that brings salvation.Clearly, the Bible teaches that baptism before belief is a useless gesture!
- - "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned."
(Mar 16:16)
If you do not truly believe, or are incapable of belief, in Jesus Christ, baptism means absolutely nothing! The baptism of infants therefore carries no spiritual significance, since they are incapable of belief. Infant baptism is really nothing more than the parents choosing to symbolically dedicate the child to God.Is there Salvation without baptism?
Many teach that the answer, in every case, is a resounding, 'NO!' Referring to Scripture verses such as John 3:5 & Mar 16:16, it is maintained that unless a person is baptized they cannot be saved. There are a great deal of biblical contradictions this belief would generate IF it were true.
- We find the following account in the Gospel of Luke (23:42-43),
- - "And he said to Jesus, Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom. And Jesus said to him, 'Truly I say to you, Today you shall be with Me in Paradise."
Without a doubt, the thief received the gift of Salvation. There was no water baptism; but there was an 'immersion' in Jesus Christ through belief.
- The Bible teaches that salvation is an act of God.
- - "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves,
it is the gift of God,
not of works, lest anyone should boast."
(Eph 2:8-9)
- - "So then it is not of the one willing, nor of the one running,
but of God, the One showing mercy."
(Rom 9:16)
This contention would relegate Jesus' sacrifice on the cross to merely being an adjunct to baptism.
The belief that baptism is an absolute necessity for salvation presents a very grave contradiction to Scriptural teaching, which teaches that salvation is by God's Sovereign Grace. Since water Baptism is something that man chooses, it is an act of man. To believe, and teach, that 'you must be baptized to obtain salvation' makes salvation an act of man, not of God! This in effect, proclaims that man is more powerful than his Creator!We also find the following Biblical verses, in Acts 10:44-45
- - "While Peter was still speaking these words, the Holy Spirit fell on all those hearing the Word. And those of the circumcision, who believed (as many as came with Peter), were astonished because the gift of the Holy Spirit was poured out on the nations also."
And Eph 1:13
- - "-in whom also you, hearing the Word of Truth, the gospel of our salvation, in whom also believing, you were sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise-"
The teaching is clear, 'the Spirit quickens + you hear the Word + you believe the Word = You are sealed with the Holy Spirit. Which according to 1Co 3:16 means,
- - "Do you not know that you are a temple of God, and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?"To contend that without baptism there is no salvation again raises serious contradictions to the Bible's teaching. As already established, water baptism is an act of man. If there were no salvation without water baptism, it again would make man more powerful than his Creator, Almighty God. It would mean that man has the power to remove the seal placed on him by God and that man has the power to evict the Holy Spirit. For further study on what the Bible teaches about the act of being saved visit The Biblical Process of Salvation and Acts 10, Cornelius & his household.
It would belittle the pain, suffering, death, amp; resurrection of Jesus Christ. IF baptism is necessary for salvation, it would mean that Jesus' sacrifice was not sufficient to grant salvation.What about John 3:5?
Jesus states in John 3:5, that a man must be born of water and the Holy Spirit to enter heaven. To understand this verse it is necessary to consider, who Jesus was speaking to. We know from verse 4, that He was speaking to Nicodemus, who was a Pharisee, a member of the Sanhedrin, and a Scriptural Scholar & teacher. The word 'water' was often used in the Scriptures figuratively, and metaphorically, to mean the "Grace of God" see Eze 36:25, for an example. Being a Scriptural authority, this was something that Nicodemus could be expected to understand. Interpreting John 3:5 in the entire context of Scripture shows, that this is the correct interpretation.
- - "For by grace you are saved through faith, and that not of yourselves, it is the gift of God"
What Jesus said to Nicodemus was, 'a man must be born of God's Grace & the Holy Spirit to see the Kingdom of Heaven (Paradise). To further prove this interpretation, consider the thief in Luke 23:42-43. The thief believed [God's gift of Grace] and calling Jesus 'Lord' asked Him to remember him when Jesus came into His Kingdom [Inspiration of the Holy Spirit]. Jesus told him he would be with Him in Paradise [Salvation].What is Baptism?
According to the teachings of Holy Scripture, it is merely an outward sign of our spiritual rebirth by the 'quickening' of, regeneration by, the Holy Spirit, through being washed in the Blood of Jesus Christ. That is the only significance of Baptism. It holds no special power and grants no spiritual gifts, or guarantees.Then, "Why be Baptized?"
The answer to this question is the answer to, What is a Christian? By definition, 'a Christian is a follower, and emulator, of Jesus Christ'.
- - "he who does not take up his cross and follow Me is not worthy of Me."
(Mat 10:38)
'Follow' is interpreted from the Greek manuscripts word 'akoloutheo', which in this usage means - 'to be in the same way with.' (Figuratively, to walk in someone else's shoes.) A follower of Jesus Christ believes what He believes & teaches, and emulates His life. We are told in the Bible (Mat 3:13, Mar 1:9, Luke 3:21), that Jesus sought out John, the Baptist, and was baptized.
Why was the Son, God incarnate, baptized?
- - "And He who sent Me is with Me. The Father has not left Me alone, for I always do those things which please Him."
Being Christian, means following the Christ's example. That baptism has a part in the Church founded by Jesus Christ, is evidenced by,
- - "After these things Jesus and His disciples came into the land of Judea. And He stayed there with them and baptized."
(John 3:22)
- - "Therefore go and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."
(Mat 28:19)
A true follower of Jesus Christ will be baptized with water, unless circumstances completely beyond their control prevent it. Our Lord & Savior set the example and established water baptism as an ordinance of His Church.
- - "He who believes and is baptized will be saved, but he who does not believe will be condemned."
(Mark 16:16)
Jesus places the major emphasis on 'belief' in this verse. He also showed us that, 'true belief leads to baptism'."Dipping" vs. "Sprinkling"
One group will tell you that 'believer's baptism' is only accomplished by immersion. The other says that moistening the forehead is acceptable. We have seen previously in this study that 'baptize' can mean immersion, moistening, or ritual washing. Personally, I wanted baptism by immersion; because that's the way I believe the Bible teaches it should be done. The disagreement between 'dippers' and 'sprinklers' is reminiscent of the Pharisee's of Jesus' time. Being more interested in the form of the law, than in its meaning, they claimed spiritual superiority over everyone else, maintaining that their method was the only one acceptable. Any reader of the Bible knows what Jesus said about them and their actions. The important thing about baptism is, 'what it is symbolic of, not if it is done by immersion in water or sprinkling with water.'Baptism was symbolized in Levitical Law by ablution, ritual washing. Scripture tells us that Jesus was in the river Jordan.
- - "And Jesus, when He had been baptized, went up immediately out of the water."
(Mat 3:16)
The implication is clearly that He was most probably completely immersed, 'whelmed', in the river. Yet, depending upon how you interpret the verse, it could simply mean that Jesus was standing in the river for ritual ablution, or to have water poured over Him.That baptism is to be by water is clearly established in the Bible. The method can be interpreted either way. Shouldn't we be more concerned with its symbolic meaning, than with a legalistic dispute over the method.
Hell, Hades
Sheol, GehennaFrom time to time I get inquiries from Christians, such as, Is hell a real place? or Don't Hades, Sheol, Gehenna simply mean the grave? I have received e-mail flatly stating that there is no such thing as hell, or a place of eternal punishment. On this page, I will review the meaning of the words hades, gehenna, sheol, and hell.
You will note, that I said the meaning of the words hades, sheol, gehenna, & hell. All these words can be simply translated as, 'grave, pit, death, or hell.' However, their meaning is more involved than just a simple translation. We need to consider the meaning of these words to the authors of the original Bible manuscripts to be able to understand the concept they are trying to convey. Because of cultural and language differences reliance on simple word translation is very misleading; and many are using this to mislead others. Using the principles of Effective Bible Study will give a clearer meaning to the use of these words.
Sheol
- - The concept sheol conveys is the the underworld. The abode of the dead. A place:
of no return;
where there is no praise of God;
where the wicked were sent for punishment.
A place of exile from God.
The righteous are not abandoned to it.
The place of torment, commonly called hell, where devils and damned spirits are; hither the souls of the wicked go immediately upon their departure from their bodies.Hades (Hell)
- - The word hades (hell) is derived from name Pluto (Hades) who the ancient Romans & Greeks believed was the god of the underworld, the nether world, the realm of the dead. Therefore it conveys a dwelling place.
Gehenna
- - Gehenna is derived from the Hebrew, Ge-Hinnom, the valley of Hinnom. A valley of Jerusalem that was used to dump dead animals and waste in. The heaps of refuse were then burned. It was figuratively used to designate a place of eternal dwelling and eternal punishment.
We can see that the words gehenna, sheol, hades(hell) meant more to the authors of the original biblical manuscripts than simply a hole in the ground called a grave. These words signified to all the writers of the manuscripts, a dwelling place of eternal punishment. This was, and is, the concept they meant their readers to envision.
"And in hell (hades) he lifted up his eyes, being in torments,
and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame. "
Luke 16:23-24Several Hebrew & Aramaic words were used to denote 'grave, sepulchre, tomb' by the authors of the original scriptural manuscripts. They are transliterated as: qatat, qeber, pathach, beiy, shachath, & qeburah. The only Greek word, used by the authors of the original Bible manuscripts, to denote the grave, sepulchre, or tomb, was transliterated as, mnemeion. The Hebrew words to signify 'death' were: maveth & muth (the most common); mohth; tsalmaveth; & temuthah Several Greek words were used by the authors to signify 'death.' They were: thanatos & thanatoo (the most commonly used); teleute; echo; anairesis; & anaireo. As you can see hell, hades, gehenna, and sheol were not used to denote the grave or death.
Further scriptural evidence showing that hades(hell), gehenna, & sheol, represent
a place rather than just a grave can be found at
Eternal Punishment
(Damnation - Condemnation)"These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment,
but the righteous will go to eternal life."
(Mat 25:46)The Bible speaks of only two destinies for mankind - Eternal Life or Eternal Punishment (Condemnation, Damnation). Christianity seems to have drifted away from the 'hell fire & brimstone' preaching that was prevalent for a long time. While it is much better to focus on God's Love; His sense of Justice, and man's reprobation, should not be overlooked, or swept under the rug. Mankind needs to know that these are its only true destinies; yet, we find many of today's Christian Preachers & Teachers failing to address the issue of Eternal Punishment. We even have whole segments of supposedly Christian Denominations, Churches, now teaching that there is no such thing as Eternal Damnation (Condemnation). Their reasoning is that since "God is love" (1 John 4:16) He could not possibly sentence someone to be punished for eternity. It is no mystery that these groups are becoming extremely popular. Their message is pleasing to hear. Just imagine, "No matter what, everyone is going to Heaven." Scripture addressed this situation,
- - "The time will come when people will not listen to sound doctrine, but will follow their own desires and will collect for themselves more and more teachers who will tell them what they are itching to hear. They will turn away from listening to the truth and give their attention to legends."
(2Ti 4:3-4)Regardless of the beliefs of some, the Bible clearly teaches Eternal Punishment (Condemnation - Damnation). On a another page, I have already established that Hell is a real place, not just symbolic of the grave. For those interested in the truth concerning God's Justice, I have listed appropriate verses below. May the Holy Spirit guide & enlighten you as you study them.
"The Son of Man shall send out His angels, and they shall gather out of His kingdom all things that offend, and those who do iniquity, and shall cast them into a furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
(Mat 13:41-42)
"So it shall be at the end of the world. The angels shall come out and separate the wicked from among the just, and shall cast them into the furnace of fire. There shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth."
Mat 13:49-50
"Then he will say to those on his left, 'Away from me, you that are under God's curse! Away to the eternal fire which has been prepared for the Devil and his angels!"
"These, then, will be sent off to eternal punishment, but the righteous will go to eternal life."
(Mat 25:41 & 46)
"And if your foot offends you, cut it off. It is better for you to enter into life lame than to have two feet to be cast into hell, into the fire that never shall be quenched where
their worm (conscience) dies not, and the fire is not quenched."
(Mark 9:45-46)
"And in hell he lifted up his eyes, being in torments, and saw Abraham afar off, and Lazarus in his bosom. And he cried and said, Father Abraham, have mercy on me and send Lazarus so that he may dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, for I am tormented in this flame."
(Luke 16:23-24)
"He who believes on Him is not condemned, but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only-begotten Son of God. And this is the condemnation, that the Light has come into the world, and men loved darkness rather than the Light, because their deeds were evil."
(John 3:18-19)
" - in flaming fire taking vengeance on those who do not know God and who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ, who shall be punished with everlasting destruction from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power, ...."
(2Th 1:8-9)
"And a third angel followed them, saying with a great voice, If anyone worships the beast and its image, and receives a mark in his forehead or in his hand, he also will drink of the wine of the anger of God, having been mixed undiluted in the cup of His wrath. And he will be tormented by fire and brimstone before the holy angels, and in the presence of the Lamb. And the smoke of their torment goes up forever and ever. And they have no rest day or night, those who worship the beast and its image, and whoever receives the mark of its name."
(Rev 14:9-11)
"And if anyone was not found having been written in the Book of Life, he was cast into the Lake of Fire."
(Rev 20:15)
"But the fearful, and the unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, will have their part in the Lake burning with fire and brimstone, which is the second death."
(Rev 21:8)It is abundantly clear that in addition to teaching, God is Love, it also teaches Eternal Damnation (Punishment Condemnation) for the unbeliever.
"False prophets appeared in the past among the people, and in the same way false teachers will appear among you. They will bring in destructive, untrue doctrines, ..."
(2 Peter 2:1)
Effective Bible Study Basics
Effective Bible Study Basics is a systematic and comprehensive program of Scriptural study, which leads to a clearer understanding of God's Word, the Holy Bible. There is a vast difference between Bible study and Bible reading. Understanding the true meaning of what you have read is dependent upon effective Bible Study. It can only be accomplished when you keep in mind that:
- The Bible is one complete work that begins with Genesis and ends with Revelation. (The Testaments are not isolated from each other but are intertwined. They are parts of a single spiritual document, as are all the books of Scripture.)
- Since the original manuscripts were inspired by God, there can be no significant contradictions in their content. Also, in the areas of doctrine and our knowledge of God there can be no contradictions at all.
- It is the only true and accurate source for studying and understanding the Nature of God, the Person of Jesus Christ, the work of the Holy Spirit, the gift of Salvation, and all other spiritual matters.
- That the original manuscripts were written in Aramaic, Hebrew, and Greek; and sometimes it is necessary to view the usage of an original word to understand the true depth of meaning of the translated word.
- Also it must be kept in mind when studying the Epistles, that they were written to believers, not to the unsaved.
For these reasons it is readily apparent that no verse, chapter or book can be considered on a stand alone basis. It must be considered in relation to the entire context of the Bible. Occasionally, the meaning of the original language must also be considered. And, that Holy Scripture is a spiritual document and addresses matters of the spirit.Why is effective Bible study necessary?
Much of the doctrinal differences seen throughout what is called the 'Christian Community' stems from lifting a verse, or collection of verses, out of Holy Scripture and then developing a dogma from this verse, or group of verses, while completely ignoring the remainder of Scriptural content. Current trends in Bible study, and the development of various churches, are 'to decide what you want to believe then pick and choose the verses of Scripture that support that belief', while ignoring, or explaining away, any content that contradicts your belief. One glaring example would be the belief of some self-proclaimed Christians in Universal Salvation. Based on verses such as 2 Peter 3:9,
- - "The Lord is not slow about his promise as some count slowness, but is forbearing toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance."
They contend that all will be saved. By focusing on this, and similar verses, they ignore the overall message of Scripture which is shown in verses such as,
- - "The one who believes and is baptized will be saved, but the one who doesn't believe will be condemned."
(Mark 16:16)
- - "But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the polluted, as for murderers, fornicators, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their lot shall be in the lake that burns with fire and sulphur, which is the second death."
(Rev 21-8)
This is a glaring example of why correctly studying the Bible is a necessity. It also shows why personal study, & understanding, of Holy Scripture is a requirement. It does not matter what you are told from the pulpit, lectern, etc. the only thing of eternal importance is God's word, which He has given to us in Holy Scripture. When you ultimately stand before Him you will be judged according to His Word not man's interpretation, or misinterpretation, of it. That you lived faithfully according to what you were taught by preachers, elders, priests, teachers, etc. will not matter, if it differs from the Bible in its original form. That you thought you were living righteously will be no defense against damnation. Our Almighty God and Savior has given us all that we need to discern what is necessary for salvation and righteousness, in the form of His Word, the Bible, and the guidance of the Holy Spirit.- - "There is one body and one Spirit, even as you are called in one hope of your calling, one Lord, one faith, one baptism, one God and Father of all, who is above all and through all and in you all."
(Eph 4:4-6)
If you also consider 1Co 14:33,
- - "For God is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints."
You should come to the realization of why effectively studying Scripture is a necessity. All that we see around us that assumes the title 'Christian' is not necessarily deserving of the title. We are told in Scripture that there is only One Faith, and that God is not the author of confusion; therefore it follows that there is only one acceptable system of beliefs and God has given it to us in Holy Scripture. Confusion comes when man, with the aid of Satanic influence, interprets the Bible according to what he wants it to say.What is required to effectively study the Bible?
First, and foremost, you must spend some time on a routine basis and put forth the effort to study. No fancy degrees are required to read and understand the Bible. It was written to shepherds, beggars, etc. as, well as to Kings and wise men. There are a number of aids available to effectively study Holy Scripture.
- The guidance of the Holy Spirit.
- A Literal Translation of the Bible.
* * * A book, or software, which gives the exact translated wording of the original Scriptural manuscripts. All of the other translated versions of the Bible have rearranged, sometimes changed, the wording of the originals to make for easier reading, and they claim more understandable.
- A good Concordance.
* * * A tool used to provide information about words used in today's translations of the Bible. It provides the word from the original language of the Scriptural manuscript and shows how the word was used and what it meant to the writer of the manuscript, and the people of that time.
- A quality Lexicon.
* * * A book, or software, used to identify the vocabulary of a language. It is similar to a Concordance.
- A Parallel Passages Source.
* * * A book, or software, that lists similar verses from the opposite Testament you are reading. In the case of New Testament verses, it lists the Old Testament source verses.
- Topical Indexes
* * * An index grouping verses by subject. i.e. Under the subject 'Salvation' you would find a comprehensive listing of the verses relating to salvation.
- Other helpful aids
* * * Commentaries, Biblical Encyclopedias and Dictionaries, Treasuries of Scriptural knowledge, etc.
Using any tool as the only basis for bible study is not recommended, since they are all subject to the opinions and beliefs of the writers.It is fairly expensive to purchase the tools needed to effectively study Holy Scripture. The purchase of good Bible study software. or books, can cost well over $200. However, with internet access comes the ability to freely use all the tools you will ever need. My Bible Study Tools page provides links to on-line free resources and an exceptional free downloadable Bible browser and study tool, which provides 70+ easy to use resources.
Ephesians 5:23
The husband is the head of his wife as Christ is the head of the church.
It is his body, and he is its Savior.
(Eph 5:23)
Ephesians 5:23, appears to be a fairly straightforward statement. Or, is it? For different reasons, men & women focus on the 1st portion of the verse, while ignoring the remainder of the passage along with the verses of Ephesians (Eph) 5, which follow. As is the case with all verses of Scripture, they can not be interpreted on a stand-alone basis. Doing so gives one a skewed interpretation of what is being presented. Some women resent this verse, feeling that it impinges on their equality. Too many men use this verse as an excuse to be dictators within their families. However, by reading all of Ephesians 5 a much different picture of the relationship God desires between a husband & wife is presented.
To properly understand Ephesians 5:23 it is necessary to consider not only the entire verse; but, also the context it is contained in. The purpose of this page is to examine Eph 5 to determine what God says is the ideal relationship that should exist between a husband & wife. To do this we will examine both the the entire verse along with several following ones.
The 2nd portion of the first sentence of Ephesians 5:23 says,
“as Christ is the head of the church”
and further on in Eph 5:25 we find the following,
“Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.”
Therefore, the relationship between a husband & wife should be the same as that between Jesus & the body of believers called His Church. The Church is subject to His authority in everything; yet He, by choice, is a servant of the body of believers. He aids, comforts, strengthens, uplifts, and consoles them. He is considerate of them, listening & responding to their problems, worries, and fears. This is the type of relationship God desires His children to have.Further on in Ephesians, we find the following two verses,
“So husbands must love their wives as they love their own bodies. A man who loves his wife loves himself.”
(Eph 5:28)
“But every husband must love his wife as he loves himself, and wives should respect their husbands.”
(Eph 5:33)
To paraphrase, 'A man must treat his wife the same way he wants to be treated.' A man wants to be treated lovingly, with respect. He wants others to be considerate & respectful of his feelings, suggestions, opinions, and ideas. He does not want to be dictated to, ignored, abused, or be treated as a slave, or piece of furniture. He wants others to be quick to cheerfully help when he needs assistance. This is what God desires a marriage between His children to be. Ephesians 5 teaches that a husband should treat his wife as a co-equal, who is just as important as he is.Ephesians 5 describes a partnership, which is what marriage should be. It is a well known fact, that for any two person partnership to be truly successful, one of the partners has to be the managing partner. No matter how well matched, two people will not agree on every decision that has to be made in a partnership. If there were no managing partner then there would be no action taken on any decision upon which the partners disagree. What God has done in Eph 5:23 is assign the role of managing partner to the husband. This is in agreement with His intent in creation.
Then the LORD God said, "It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who is right for him."
(Gen 2:18)Marriage was never intended to be a union between a woman and a tyrant, dictator, or ogre. God intends for it to be a loving, considerate, respectful, partnership between a man & woman. This is the true teaching surrounding Ephesians 5:23.
Christian Doctrine of Election
Sovereign Grace, Will, Salvation
What is the Christian Doctrine of Election?
Election, sometimes called predestination or predeterminism, teaches, that due to the corrupted nature and spiritual depravity of man, God according to His Sovereign Grace & Will, and for His own purposes, has chosen, elected, those who will receive salvation. That without Election, an act of Mercy, Love, on God's part, man will reap the fruits of his corruption and depravity, which is eternal damnation. Basically, that it is the action of God, and God alone, which brings one to salvation, and that this sovereign act is irresistible & irrevocable.The belief is sometimes referred to as Sovereign Grace Salvation, Sovereign Will salvation, or Calvin's Doctrine of Election , since John Calvin was the most notable author of a Scriptural study in to the Sovereignty of God in man's salvation. The Scriptural Scholar, and well-known Bible Commentator, John Gill is also an accepted authority on Sovereign Grace Salvation, Election. However, what these two scholars support is of little importance, the only important doctrine is what the original manuscripts of the Bible teach and show to be a valid belief. What is presented here is the Scriptural basis for the belief in the validity of salvation by God's Sovereign Grace, election.
Some refer to it as a 'Doctrine of Satan', although it is the only salvation doctrine, which proclaims the Sovereignty of God and does not subjugate His Will or Grace to the choices of mankind.
The Biblical basis for Election:
- - - -(Links in the verses provide the Greek source word & definition)
- - "For many are called, but few are chosen."
(Matthew 22:14)
- - "And this is the will of the Father who sent Me, that of all which He has given Me I should lose nothing but should raise it up again at the last day."
(John 6:39)
- - "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God."
(John 1:12-13)
- - "Now when the Gentiles heard this, they were glad and glorified the word of the Lord. And as many as had been ordained to eternal life believed."
(Acts 13:48)
- - "And we know that all things work together for good to those who love God, to those who are the called according to His purpose. For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom He predestined, these He also called; whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified."
(Romans 8:28-30)
- - " - for the children not yet being born, nor having done any good or evil, that the purpose of God according to election might stand, not of works but of Him who calls-".
(Romans 9:11 )
- - "So then it is not of him who wills, nor of him who runs, but of God who shows mercy."
(Romans 9:16)
- - "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who has blessed us with every spiritual blessing in the heavenly places in Christ, just as He chose us in Him before the foundation of the world, that we should be holy and without blame before Him in love, having predestined us to adoption as sons by Jesus Christ to Himself, according to the good pleasure of His will, to the praise of the glory of His grace, by which He made us accepted in the Beloved."
(Ephesians 1:3-6)
- - "giving thanks to the Father who has qualified us to be partakers of the inheritance of the saints in the light. He has delivered us from the power of darkness and conveyed us into the kingdom of the Son of His love,"
(Colossians 1:12-13)
- - "Therefore, as the elect of God, holy and beloved, put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, longsuffering;"
(Colossians 3:12)
- - "-knowing, beloved brethren, your election by God."
(1 Thessalonians 1:4)
- - "But we are bound to give thanks to God always for you, brethren beloved by the Lord, because God from the beginning chose you for salvation through sanctification by the Spirit and belief in the truth,"
(2 Thessalonians 2:13)
- - "- who has saved us and called us with a holy calling,
not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,"
(2 Timothy 1:9)
- - "Of His own will He brought us forth by the word of truth, that we might be a kind of firstfruits of His creatures."
(James 1:18)
- - "Elect according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience and sprinkling of the blood of Jesus Christ:"
(1 Peter 1:2)Other Scriptural Evidence
Jesus' salvation teachings which support Election
Doctrine of Election IntroApparent Biblical Contradictions to the Doctrine:
There are many verses in the Bible, which if taken out of context, or are misunderstood, seem to contradict the Doctrine of Election. These verses are then used to question the validity of the belief in Sovereign Grace, Will, salvation. It is a common practice to read, or add, things into these verses, that are not there. I will cover some of them below.
- - - - (Just click on the link for the explanation.)
John 3:16
John 12:32
1 Timothy 2:3-4 & 2 Peter 3:9
Titus 2:11
Matthew 13:3-9 Parable of the "Sower & the Seed."
Matthew 22:1-14 Parable of the "Wedding Feast."
1 John 4:8
Acts 16:30-31
Hebrews 6:4-6Why is Election one of the most disputed doctrines of the Bible?
To accept the Doctrine of Election you must acknowledge that man is a totally unrightous being, who left on his own, will not seek out or accept the true God; and, that man can do nothing of his own accord to obtain salvation, nor would he want to. Basically, it acknowledges that man's fate is in the hands of his Creator; that God is all-sovereign; and that man can not and does not have any control over his ultimate destiny. (See Natural Man & Spiritual Depravity sections.) This admission grates on man's pride and his belief that he is basically good. It also contradicts man's contention that through hard work, and doing the right things, he can earn what he needs.Other objections raised to the Doctrine:
- - - - (Click on the link for a discussion about the validity of the objection.)
- Election would mean that God is unfair!
- God is "Just" and election would mean that He does not treat everyone the same and this would mean that He is unjust.
- If God elects people to salvation, why bother believing, repenting, obeying, etc. (See The Answer.)
- Yes the Bible teaches election, but it only applies to Jewish believer's.
- If God elects, predestines, some to salvation, then it means He predestines some to damnation; and nowhere in the Bible will you find that God predestines people to hell. (See A Word Game.)
- Everyone has a God given conscience, so man cannot be spiritually depraved. Also, this conscience is able to lead him to God. (See Man's Conscience.)
- Man must be drawn to the Gospel message by God, but then he can choose to accept or reject its salvation message. (See Consider.)
- Some verses in the Bible clearly state that man can suppress the truth and can reject God. If man has the capacity to 'suppress' and 'reject' then it follows that he also has the capacity to 'believe' and 'accept.' (See Human Reasoning.)
- Election only applies to being chosen to an office or position, such as apostle, minister, elder, prophet, etc.
- Since man is created in the image and likeness of God, he will seek God.Further Comments:
Among those who say they accept election, are those who proclaim that, "God, looking over all of creation, saw who would be receptive to the Gospel's salvation message and it was those people He elected." (See, why Scripture teaches it's not true.)
Consider the entire tone, context, and fabric of the Bible. (See Holy Scripture's Proclamation.)
What about man's free will?
Why then have we been given the Great Commission?
Don't Just Talk the Talk
Walk the WalkBeing a child of God brings with it some awesome responsibilities. One of the most troublesome is that it is not enough to just "Talk, the talk" we are required to "Walk, the walk," following in the foot steps of Our Lord & Savior Jesus Christ.
As Christians we like to Talk the talk (discuss the depth of our faith.) Yet this is not enough, as we are reminded in the Epistle of James:
" But someone will say, 'You have faith, and I have works.' Show me your faith without your works, and I will show you my faith by my works."
(James 3:18)
" Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead."
(James 3:17)
From the above verses we can see that it is of greater importance to Walk the walk, we can talk all we want; but, if our faith does not cause us to act then it is worthless.To walk the Christian walk is totally alien to our humanity. Pride, greed, lust, deceitfulness, and anger all provide stumbling blocks to our walk. As do, striving for: career advancement; self-gratification: personal recognition; control over our lives; and not being satisfied with what we have.
We are called to be humble and truthful. Dealing with others in the same manner we want them to deal with us. Acknowledging that control of our lives is in the hands of Our Heavenly Father, who provides all that we need. Being as, or more, concerned about others as we are about ourselves.
It is much easier for us to testify (talk) about Our Lord & Savior than to proclaim Him through an unworldly lifestyle (walk). Yet we are called to do both. Not because it earns us points, or favor, with Our Heavenly Father; but, because that is the way He wants us to be. We as fleshly creatures will never attain perfection in these requirements; but we are called to strive for perfection. When one of the stumbling blocks trip us up, we are required to get up, acknowledge our mistake(s), ask for help, and keep striving secure in the knowledge that He is with us to help, guide, and uplift.
A lifetime of talking about our faith, can be undone in another person's eyes by our actions. I am reminded of the old, tried, & true statement:
"Actions speak louder than words!"
