INTRODUCTION
The central theme of
the entire Bible is God’s plan of salvation which he brings to fulfillment
through his Son, the lord Messiah Jesus. This plan, which was foreknown by God before the
creation of the world and foretold by the prophets of the Old Testament, is to
bring about a family of children who will live in intimate fellowship with God
as their Father and share in the glory of his goodness forever. The working out
of this plan of salvation is the thread which ties the whole Bible together
from beginning to end. It brings unity to its diversity and meaning to its
action and thought. The Gospel of John summarizes this plan in words that are
known by many the world over:
For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only
Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life (John
3:16).
The Bible consistently teaches that there are only two
possibilities for the final destiny of man: to receive "eternal life"
or to "perish." Since man is mortal - subject to death (Romans 1:23;
Rom.ans 5:12; Hebrews 9:27), he has no hope for a life that lasts forever apart from
receiving the gift of eternal life from God - Yehovah, who alone is immortal (Romans 1:23;
1 Timothy 6:16). For those who reject God's - Yehovah's way of salvation, the lord Messiah Jesus(John
14:6), the final end or destiny will be to perish after the final judgment. For
those, however, who accept the lord Messiah Jesus there will be a very different destiny -
eternal life. For the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus, this eternal life begins in the
present life with the "firstfruits of the Spirit" (Romans 8:23), and
will be brought to its final completion in the paradise of the kingdom of God
after the lord Messiah Jesus second coming (I Corintians15:20-28).
DEFINING THE TERMS
In the scriptures the terms "salvation," "eternal
life" and "kingdom of God" are closely related to each other and
are often used as almost interchangeable expressions (cp. Luke 18:18-30; John
3:1-18). The word "salvation" is a comprehensive term. It includes
the idea of deliverance from something as well as the result of that
deliverance. When speaking of the eternal salvation of man it refers to being
saved from sin, its consequences, and the final condemnation of the ungodly at
the last judgment. As a result, instead of being condemned to perish, the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus will receive the gift of eternal life.
Scripturally, the term "eternal life" refers to “the
life of the coming age." (1) The scriptures speak of this present period of time
in which we live as the "present evil age" (Galatians 1:4). It is
influenced for the most part by the "god of this age," Satan, and his
spiritual kingdom of darkness (2 Corinthians 4:4; Ephesians 6:10-12; I John 5:19). Though
God - Yehovah is still ultimately sovereign over all (Psalm 103:19), the scriptures teach that this world is fundamentally in rebellion against God - Yehovah (Ephesians 2:1-3). After the lord Messiah Jesus second coming, however, God's - Yehovah's enemies will be destroyed and a new age
will be ushered in - the age of the kingdom of God. In this new coming age
God's righteous and loving rule will be established "on earth as it is in
heaven" for God's kingdom will finally have "come" (Matthew 6:9-
10). This kingdom will be a "paradise" (Revelation 2:7) consisting of
"a new heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 2
3:13; Revelation 21:1ff). It will be everlasting in duration and those who live
within it will have the "eternal life" of that coming age. This
eternal life will be a life that is "immortal" and
"imperishable" (I Corinthians 15:53-54), for it will be life in a kingdom
whose origin is "not of this world" (John 18:36) - a paradise where
all of God's people will enjoy forever "the glorious freedom of the
children of God" (Romans 8:21).
THE SCRIPTURAL PERSPECTIVE
Understanding the scriptural concept of salvation should enable the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus to live this
present life within the proper spiritual framework that the scriptures present. Our
central point of focus should be the lord Messiah Jesus future second coming and the final
establishment of God's kingdom. As followers of the lord Messiah Jesus our daily lives should
be lived with the certainty that godly living in this life will be rewarded at the lord Messiah Jesus future appearing (Colossians 3:23- 24; Titus 2:11-14). For though the scriptures offer the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus promises for the present life (I Timothy 4:8), it
remains true that the fullness of eternal life will only be received in the
life that is to come after the lord Messiah Jesus second coming (I Timothy 6:18-19). Until that
time Christians are still subject to the sufferings of this world - even death
- because we have mortal, perishable bodies and live in the midst of a great
spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:12). Though followers of the lord Messiah Jesus have the assurance of ultimate
victory, it is only at the lord Messiah Jesus second coming that the "perishable will
clothe itself with the imperishable" and "the mortal with
immortality" so that death will finally be "swallowed up in
victory" (I Corinthians 15:50-57). Until that time, the bfollower of the lord Messiah Jesus can
enjoy salvation with the "firstfruits of the Spirit" and with the
full assurance that "our present sufferings are not worth comparing with
the glory that will be revealed in us" (Romans 8:18).
CHAPTER ONE
THE PROMISE OF SALVATION
The scriptures declare that before the heavens and earth were ever created God - Yehovah already existed
"from everlasting to everlasting" (Psalm 90:2). He is, therefore, the
eternal God, "the blessed and only Ruler, the King of kings and Lord of
lords, who alone is immortal and who lives in unapproachable light, whom no one
has seen or can see ..." (I Timothy 6:15-16). As the eternal God whose
kingdom "rules over all" (Psalm 103:19), God's - Yehovah's ways are higher than
our ways and His thoughts are higher than our thoughts (Isaiah 55:9). In fact,
the scriptures declare that God's - Yehovah's judgments are "unsearchable" and His
paths "beyond tracing out" (Romans 11:33). Man is, therefore, limited
in his understanding about the "whys" and "wherefores" of
God - Yehovah, His ways and His creation. God - Yehovah has not, however, left us without a guide
for this life. For He has revealed "everything we need for life and
godliness" (2 Peter 1:3) within the God-inspired Scriptures (2 Timothy 3:14-17). It is here in the holy Scriptures, which are able to make us
"wise for salvation through faith in the lord Messiah Jesus" (2 Timothy 3:15),
that God - Yehovah has graciously revealed to us His reasons for creation, His plan of
salvation and His ultimate purposes for those who love Him.
IN THE BEGINNING
The scriptures clearly teach that God's - Yehovah's eternal purpose and plan were "destined for our glory before time began" (I Corinthians 2:7; Ephesians 1:3-5, 9-11). The creation of the heavens and earth was not, an arbitrary event which simply happened by chance, nor did the world mysteriously evolve out of nothing. Instead, the scriptures declare that the heavens and earth were created by a sovereign, loving and all wise God - Yehovah who acted according to His own divine purpose and will (Genesis 1-2; Proverbs 8:22-31; Job 38-41; Isaiah 40-43).
The first two chapters of the Book of Genesis show that the whole created order
of the heavens and earth, as well as all that was within them, had a set
purpose and proper relationship with its creator, God - Yehovah. Simply put, the heavens
and all the celestial bodies (sun, moon and stars) were made in relationship to
the earth (Genesis 1:14-15). The earth with all its physical elements, plant life
and animal life was made to be ruled and enjoyed by man (Genesis 1:26; I Timothy 6:17). And man, created in God's - Yehovah's own image, was created to glorify God - Yehovah and to
walk in intimate fellowship with Him (Genesis 1:26-27; Acts 17:24-28). In short,
everything that God - Yehovah created was very good, and fit within the divine order of His
plan and redounded to His own glory (Genesis 1:31; Psalm 19:1; Romans 1:20).
THE ORIGINAL PARADISE
After God's - Yehovah's creation had been completed, God - Yehovah placed the
first man (Adam) and the first woman (Eve) in the original paradise of the
garden of Eden. There He abundantly supplied them with all they needed for a
life of fellowship with Him. But He also gave them the freedom to either enjoy
this abundance in harmony with his will or to disobey him and reap the
consequences of that rebellion. Genesis chapter two gives us the details: The
Lord God - Yehovah took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take
care of it. And the Lord God - Yehovah commanded the man, "you are free to eat from
any tree in the garden; but you must not eat from the tree of the knowledge of
good and evil, for when you eat of it you will surely die" (Genesis 2:15-17).
Unfortunately, man and woman under the influence of Satan
(the serpent, cf. Genesis 3:1; Revelation 12:8), chose to sin against God's - Yehovah's command. The
consequences of this decision were cataclysmic for both mankind and the entire
created order. Sin and death entered the world and, as a result, all of life
was thrown into turmoil. Hardship, sickness and death became the constant foes
of all humanity (Genesis 3:7-19). Creation itself fell into "bondage to
decay" and continues to the present time "groaning as in the pains of
childbirth" (Romans 8:21-22). From that day forward mankind's intimate
fellowship with God - Yehovah was broken. In fact, all who were born into the world from
that time onward were spiritually "dead in sin" (Ephesians 2:1) with
physical death the common fate awaiting all (Romans 5:12-14).
THE PROMISE OF PARADISE RESTORED
The sovereign God - Yehovah whose "throne is in the heavens"
(Psalm 103:19) and who "lives forever" (Isaiah 57:15) was not,
however, defeated. For in His infinite wisdom He had foreseen the events which
would occur. Thus, He set in motion His plan of the ages to bring about the
ultimate redemption and salvation of all those who love and obey Him. The first great
biblical promise of this is recorded in the Book of Genesis, chapter three, as
God pronounced doom upon "the serpent" and ultimate victory to God's - Yehovah's people:
And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and
between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike
his heel (Genesis 3:15).
Here, in the colorful language of the Hebrew people, the
spiritual battle of the ages to follow is predicted. Satan and his forces of
evil will be constantly at enmity with God and His people throughout history.
And yet, though the serpent will "strike the heel" of the woman's
"offspring," the day will come when "he" (the woman's
offspring) will "crush the head" of the serpent. This verse is a
wonderful promise for the people of God - Yehovah. For the scriptures reveal this promised
offspring of the woman to ultimately be fulfilled in the lord Messiah Jesus - the
promised redeemer. This promise is, therefore, the assurance that through the lord Messiah Jesus, "the God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet"
(Romans 16:20). When this occurs, the cause of man's oppression will finally be
destroyed and a new and everlasting paradise will be established forever.
OLD TESTAMENT PROMISES
Throughout the history of the Old Testament the faithful
people of God - Yehovah looked forward to the day when God - Yehovah would send His promised savior/redeemer to restore His people to their original and destined purpose with
God - Yehovah(Luke 24:27, 44; Acts 3:17-26; John 8:56). These faithful people lived by
faith in the promises of God - Yehovah. Though living in this world they were, through
the eyes of faith, looking forward to "a better country - a heavenly
one" (Hebrews 11:16) and to a "city with foundations, whose architect
and builder is God" (Hebrews 11:10).2 And yet, despite having persevered in
faith, all of these Old Testament believers died not having yet received these
promises (Hebrews 11:13). For the day in the timetable of God's - Yehovah'splan had not yet
arrived for the promises to be fulfilled (Hebrews 11:39-40).
As the history of the faithful people of God - Yehovah continued
through the later stages of the Old Testament the vision of this coming kingdom
or paradise became even clearer and was foretold by "all the
prophets" (Acts 3:17-26). Examples of these prophecies can be found in the
Old Testament Books of Isaiah and Daniel. Isaiah spoke of a coming ruler
whose righteous kingdom would reign forever:
For unto us a child is born, to us a son is given, and
the government will be on his shoulders. And he will be called Wonderful
Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Of the increase of
his government and peace there will be no end. He will reign on David's throne
and over his kingdom, establishing and upholding it with justice and
righteousness from that time on and forever (Isaiah 9:6-7).
Note:
The name "Wonderful Counselor" is a term that "points to the Messiah as king ... the coming son of David will carry out a royal program that will cause all the world to marvel" (The NIV Study Bible, p. 1030. Zondervan Publishing House).
The term "mighty god" is a kingly designation and is defined by the leading Hebrew Lexicon as a "mighty hero" or "divine hero, reflecting the divine majesty" (Hebrew and English Lexicon of the Old Testament by Brown, Driver and Briggs, p.42, Oxford University Press). This mighty hero is "a warrior and defender of his people, like God - Yehovah himself" (The Catholic Study Bible, p. 888).
The title "Everlasting Father" means one who is "ever devoted to his people" (The Catholic Study Bible, p. 888). According to some Septuagint texts (i.e., 63 a 2nd or 3rd century B.C. Greek translation of the Old Testament) this title should be rendered "father of the age to come" (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 1. p.326).
The title "Prince of Peace" means that his reign will be characterized by peace and that "his rule will bring wholeness and well-being to individuals and to society" (The NIV Study Bible, p. 1030).
The prophet Daniel also spoke of a coming everlasting
kingdom. A kingdom to be brought to pass by "one like a son of man"
and which would replace all other kingdoms and rule so as to establish God's - Yehovah's righteous rule forever:
In the time of those kings, the God of heaven will set up
a kingdom that will never be destroyed ... it will crush all those kingdoms and
bring them to an end, but it will itself endure forever (Daniel 2:44).
In my vision at night, I looked, and there before me was
one like a son of man, coming with the clouds of heaven ... He was given
authority, glory and sovereign power; all peoples, nations and men of every
language worshipped him. His dominion is an everlasting dominion that will not
pass away, and his kingdom is one that will never be destroyed (Daniel
7:13-17).
This everlasting kingdom of righteousness and peace
eventually came to be summed up by the one term - "the kingdom of
God." The many titles of its future ruler were also summed up in one term
- the "Messiah" - God's - Yehovah's anointed savior and
King. It was on this scriptural promise of the coming lord Messia Jesus and the glorious
everlasting kingdom of God which He was to establish that all the hopes of the
Old Testament faithful rested. For then, and only then, would their God - Yehovah whom
they loved "wipe away the tears from all faces," "remove the
disgrace of his people from all the earth" and "swallow up death
forever" (Isaiah 25:8).
CHAPTER TWO
THE PROMISE
FULFILLED
THE BIRTH OF THE MESSIAH
When, in the plan of God, "the time had fully
come" (Galatians 4:4), Jesus the Messiah the promised savior and King, was
miraculously conceived by the power of God’s holy Spirit and then born into the
world (Luke 1:26-2:38). Though the faithful people of God - Yehovah within the Jewish
nation were looking expectantly for his coming, much confusion existed as to
who this "Messiah" would be and as to what kind
of kingdom he would establish. Some four hundred years had passed since the
last Old Testament Book of Malachi and during this inter-testamental period the
Jewish people had been in captivity to the Persian, Greek and, finally, Roman
Empires. As a result, many of the Jewish people of that time were looking for a
Messiah or King who would immediately deliver them from their political
captivity to Rome and establish a kingdom that would restore Israel to its
heights of glory which it had once held under the kingdom of David in the Old
Testament. Jesus was to show, however, that there was much more to his mission
than this. For the lord Messiah Jesus came first and foremost to bring spiritual deliverance to
mankind by destroying the work of the Devil (I John 3:8), thus making possible
man's reconciliation back to his proper and intended relationship with God - Yehovh (2 Corinthians 5:18-19). Only after this was accomplished would he be able to come
again in power and glory to establish the kingdom of God, during his 1,000 year rule on this earth seated on the throne of David at Zion.
THE GOOD NEWS OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus began his public ministry at the age of thirty after
being anointed with the power of the holy Spirit (Luke 3:21-23; 4:16- 21). At
that time he made it his chief mission to proclaim, expound and demonstrate the
true nature of the coming kingdom of God which he was to establish. All four of
the Gospels - Matthew, Mark, Luke and John - show this. Look, for example, at
the Gospels of Mark and Luke:
'The time has come,' he said. 'The kingdom of God is
near. Repent [turn to God - Yehovah] and believe this good news!' (Mark 1:15).
At daybreak Jesus went out to a solitary place. The
people were looking for him and when they came to where he was, they tried to
keep him from leaving them. But he said, 'I MUST PREACH THE GOOD NEWS OF THE
KINGDOM OF GOD to the other towns also, BECAUSE THAT IS WHY I WAS SENT.' And he
kept on preaching in the synagogues of Judea (Luke 4:42-44).
Jesus stated that he was sent by God - Yehovah to preach the
"good news of the kingdom of God.” Why was it good news? Because Jesus, as
the anointed Messiah, promised salvation and eternal life in God's – Yehovah’s coming kingdom to all who repented and believed in him and
his message about the coming kingdom of God. In addition, he also demonstrated
the love, power and deliverance of God's – Yehovah’s kingdom by many miraculous
healings. In this way the power of the kingdom of God was present in the lord
Messiah Jesus, before the kingdom itself was established in earth as
had been foretold by all the prophets. This mighty display of God's – Yehovah’s
love and power was a foretaste of all that God's – Yehovah’s coming kingdom was
to become. It also showed the stark contrast between the goodness of God's –
Yehovah’s kingdom and the oppression of Satan's spiritual kingdom which had
engulfed the world since the time of Adam.
Look at the following verses:
Jesus went throughout Galilee, teaching in their
synagogues, preaching the good news of the kingdom and healing every disease
and sickness among the people (Matthew 4:23).
Then they brought him a demon-possessed man who was blind
and mute, and Jesus healed him, so that he could both talk and see .... But
when the Pharisees heard this, they said, 'it is only by Beelzebub, the prince
of demons, that this fellow drives out demons.' Jesus knew their thoughts and
said to them: 'Every kingdom divided against itself will be ruined, and every
city or household divided against itself will not stand. If Satan drives out
Satan, he is divided against himself. How then can his kingdom stand? And if I
drive out demons by Beelzebub, by whom do your people drive them out? So then,
they will be your judges. But if I drive out demons by the Spirit of God, then
the kingdom of God has come upon you' (Matthew 12:22-28)
Jesus' healings were an invasion of the power of the kingdom
of God, which was then in heaven, into the realm of Satan and his kingdom of
darkness in the world. Since the time of Adam's sin this spiritual darkness and
evil had engulfed the entire world (I John 5:19). Only where God's – Yehovah’s will
be done and God's – Yehovah’s Spirit displayed in power did the light of God's
kingdom penetrate and dispel this spiritual darkness of Satan's kingdom. The
Book of Acts summarizes Jesus' entire ministry in the light of this spiritual
battle as he delivered people from the oppression of the devil:
... how God - Yehovah anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the
Holy Spirit and power, and how he went about doing good and healing all who
were under the power of the devil, because God - Yehovah was with him (Acts
10:38).
Here we see the key point that had been missing in the
understanding of the people of Jesus' day. Their problems and oppression were
not due to the Romans, Greeks or Persians who had held them in captivity.
Instead, the root cause of their oppression was spiritual. Satan and his
spiritual kingdom of evil had, since Adam's day, deceived the whole world and brought
sin, sickness and death into it. The whole world was lying in the web of its
spiritual deception and oppression. Until the spiritual causes of man's dilemma
were defeated and overcome, God's kingdom could not come in all of its power
and glory.
THE TRUE NATURE OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD
Jesus, therefore, opened up the spiritual understanding to his followers. Though God's kingdom would one day fill a new heaven and a new
earth, it would not be a political kingdom based on the worldly standards of
this age. Instead, it would be a spiritual kingdom – that is, a kingdom whose
origin “is not of this world” (John 18:36). To enter, or inherit, that future
kingdom a person must be born from above by God's Spirit (John 3:1-16; I John 5:1).
For as the Apostle Paul was later to state, "... flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God" (I Cornthians15:50). At the time of the lord Messiah Jesus future
second coming all of God's faithful people from all generations will be raised
and transformed so as to have a share, or inheritance, in this new world to
come. In short, the kingdom of God which is to come will necessitate a whole
new order of things where the mortal followers of the lord Messiah Jesus will become immortal, the perishable
become imperishable and the entire creation "delivered from its bondage to
decay" (Romans 8:18-21; I Corinthians15:35-54; Revelatoin 21:1f). Jesus called this the
"making new" or "regeneration" of all things and promised that his followers would be rewarded in that age to come for their faithful
service in this life (Matthew 19:28-29; Luke 18:29-30).
The lord Messiah Jesus had also taught, that in order to enter the
kingdom of God - Yehovh a person's righteousness must "surpass that of the
Pharisees" (Matthew 5:20), for God's - Yehovah's holiness required perfection (Matthew 5:48). However, since man was unable to attain such perfection on his own
(Matthew 19:16-26; Romans 3:23), it was necessary that Jesus give his own life as
the ransom sin- offering sacrifice for man's sins - the righteous for the unrighteous (I Peter 3:18) - so that man could receive righteousness, not by his own merit, but as a
gift from God - Yehovah through faith in the lord Messiah Jesus (Romans 3:21-26; 5:15-19). As Jesus himself
stated, " ...the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and
to give his life as a ransom - a sin-offering sacrifice for many" (Matthew 20:28).
THE TWO-FOLD PURPOSE OF THE MESSIAH
It was therefore for the purpose of doing for sinful man what he was incapable of doing for himself that the lord Messiah Jesus had come into the world. As the savior of the world, the perfect man, it was necessary for him to first defeat the spiritual causes of man's oppression and separation from God: sin, death and Satan. Only after this could he come again in power and glory to bring about salvation in all its fullness by destroying God's - Yehovaha' enemies and establishing on this earth the kingdom of God.
Though this two-fold purpose of the Messiah - his sufferings
on behalf of mankind and his future glory - had both been foretold in the Old
Testament, the first part was not understood by the people of Jesus' day - not
even by his closest followers (Luke 18:31-34). It was only after his sin-offeing sacrificial
death and his resurrection that Jesus was finally able to open the
understanding of his disciples so that they could realize the significance of
his crucifixion and resurrections (Luke 24:44-47). As the "lamb of
God" who was to "take away the sins of the world" (John 1:29)
Jesus freely gave up his own life as the ransom payment - a sin-offering sacrifice, for the sins of all
mankind (2 Corinthians 5:21; I Peter 1:18-21; Isaiah 53). On the third day God - Yehovahraised
him from the dead gaining victory over sin, death and Satan for all of God's
people. After his resurrection the lord Messiah Jesus then appeared to his chosen disciples and
taught them about the significance of his death and the glory of God's kingdom
to come (Luke 24:44-47; Acts 1:1-11). He then ascended into heaven where as the
exalted lord over God's people he poured out the gift of holy Spirit on the day
of Pentecost upon all who were his followers. On that same day, after receiving
the gift of holy Spirit, the apostle Peter set forth a summary of the events
that had just taken place in fulfillment of the plan of God - Yehovah:
Men of Israel, listen to this: Jesus of Nazareth was a man
accredited by God to you by miracles, wonders and signs, which God did among
you through him, as you yourselves know. This man was handed over to you by
God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put
him to death by nailing him to the stake. But God - Yehovah raised him from the dead,
freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to
keep its hold on him .... Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received
from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see
and hear. For David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said:
The Lord - Yehovah said to my lord – the Messiah: Sit at my
right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'
Therefore let all Israel be assured of this: God has made
this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah (Acts 2:22-24, 32-36).
Jesus freely gave up his life as a sacrificial sin-offeing sacrifice on
behalf of mankind, recocilling Mankind to God. In doing this he paid the ransom price for man's sins and
made possible a new covenant9 relationship between God - Yehovah and man. No longer does
sin have to keep man separated from his proper relationship with God. Because
of the lord Messiah Jesus sin-offering sacrificial death, resurrection, and ascension into heaven and his
giving of the holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it is now possible for man
to be reconciled to God - Yehovah and to enjoy the blessings of salvation in this
present age. The following verses explain the significance of these events and
the resulting New Covenant relationship between God - Yehovah and man:
You see, at just the right time, when we were still
powerless, the Messiah died for the ungodly. Very rarely will anyone die for a
righteous man, though for a good man someone might possibly dare to die. But
God - Yehovah demonstrates His own love for us in this: while we were still sinners, the Messiah died for us. Since we have now been justified [declared righteous] by his blood, how much
more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! For if, when we were God's - Yehovah's enemies, we were reconciled to Him through the death of His Son, how much more,
having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this
so, but we also rejoice in God through the lord Messiah Jesus, through whom we
have now received reconciliation (Romans 5:6-11).
For this reason, the lord Messiah Jesus is the mediator
of a New Covenant, that those who are called may receive the promised eternal
inheritance - now that he has died as a ransom to set them free from the sins
committed under the first covenant (Hebrews 9:15).
In solving the problem of sin Jesus also made possible freedom from the bondage of death and, therefore, from the oppression of Satan himself. For it was because of sin that death had come into the world and Satan had gained power over mankind (Romans 5:12). By his sin-offering sacrifice and death and then resurrection Jesus broke the power of death and destroyed Satan's hold on mankind.
The NT Letters to the Hebrews and
Corinthians explain:
Since the children have flesh and blood, he too shared in
their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of
death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in
slavery by their fear of death (Hebrews 2:14-15).
But the Messiah has indeed been raised from the dead, the
firstfruits of those who have fallen asleep. For since death came through a
man, the resurrection of the dead comes also through a man. For as in Adam all
die, so in the Messiah all will be made alive. But each in his own turn: The Messiah, the
firstfruits, then when he comes, those who belong to him (I Corinthians
15:20-23).
the lord Messiah Jesus is the "firstfruits” of those who have fallen asleep; therefore, his resurrection is the guarantee that all who believe in him will also one day be resurrected to share fully in the eternal life of the coming age, his 1,000 year rule over the nations, seated on the throne of David at Zion. With the death and resurrection of the lord Messiah Jesus, along with his giving of the holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, the end of human history in this present evil age has already begun.The spiritual cause of man's oppression, Satan, has already been defeated and his future doom awaits only the second coming of the lord Messiah Jesus. As the "firstborn from the dead" (Colossians 1:18), the lord Messiah Jesus is the beginning [the federal head] of a new people of God (Romans 8:28-30) - called out from every nation, family or race upon earth. Those who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus are now born of God's Spirit becoming children in God's family - hosehold and a part of his New Covenant people - the called-out Assebmly of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus. This Spirit, which the people of God now receive, is the "power of the coming age" (Hebrews 6:5) and the "firstfruits" (Romans 8:23) or "down payment" (Ephesians 1:13-14) of the full harvest of eternal life which will be received at Christ's second coming. In short, the victory has already been won for God's people and history is now moving towards a known climactic end - the second coming of the lord Messiah Jesus and the final establishment of God's kingdom (I Corinthians 15:20-28).
It is precisely this scriptural perspective that dominates all
of the New Testament writings from the day of Pentecost onwards. The lord Messiah Jesus now
reigns at God's - Yehovah's right hand in heaven and gives salvation, through the Spirit,
to all who come to God through him (Hebrews 7:22-25). However, even though his
reign as Lord and Christ has already begun, it will not be fully consummated
until the time of his second coming when all his enemies will be destroyed and
God's kingdom will be established "on earth as it is in heaven." The
time period between the first and second comings of the lord Messiah Jesus is the new age of
the Spirit - that is, the age of the New Covenant relationship which the lord Messiah Jesus has
established between God - Yehovah and His people (2 Corinthians 3:6). For with the giving of
the Spirit on the day of Pentecost the blessings of God's - Yehovah's future salvation have
already begun - even in the midst of this present evil age. Because of this
overlap of the ages (I Corinthians 10:11), this period of time between the lord Messiah Jesus first and second comings is sometimes called "the last days" (Acts
2:17; Hebrews 1:2; etc.), "the last times" (I Peter 1:20) or "the
ends of the ages" (I Corinthians 10:11; Hebrews 9:26). But it is also
called the "day of salvation" (2 Corinthians 6:2), because it is the
period of time in which the salvation made possible through the lord Messiah Jesus first
coming is now being offered to the world (Acts 1:6- 8). For those who choose to
accept it, the blessings of this salvation begin already in this present life
and will be received in all their fullness at the Messiah Jesus second coming.
The Book of Hebrews summarizes the greatness of this
two-fold purpose of the lord Messiah Jesus and the fullness of salvation which awaits those who
believe in him: ...
But now he has appeared once for all at the end of the
ages to do away with sin by the sin-offering sacrifice of himself .... and he will appear a
second time, not to bear sin, but to bring salvation to those who are waiting
for him (Hebrews 9:26-28).
CHAPTER THREE
SALVATION BY GRACE: THE GIFT OF GOD - YEHOVAH
As a result of the life, death, resurrection and ascension of the lord Messiah Jesus into heaven to be lord and Messiah over God's - Yehovah's people a new era has begun in God's - Yehovah's plan of salvation for mankind. A New Covenant relationship has been established between God - Yehovah and His people. No longer is God's - Yehovah's relationship with His people based upon the imperfect sacrifices, rituals or legal code of the Old Testament Mosaic Law. Instead, it is based upon the perfect "once for all time" sin-offering sacrifice of the lord Messiah Jesus and is "sealed" by the Spirit of the living God which is given to all of God's - Yehovah's people (Hebrews 9:15; 2 Corinthians 3:6; Ephesians1:13-14). Those who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus, accepting him as their lord, are born of God's Spirit becoming children in God's - Yehovah's household - family and members of the called-out Assembly of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus. As a result, God's - Yehovah's New Covenant people are now able to know God - Yehovah as their own personal Father and to worship him "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:21-24; Ephesians 2:18-22; Philippians 3:3). For the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, therefore, the blessings of salvation begin in this present life and will be brought to their glorious completion in the life of the coming age at the lord Messiah Jesus second coming.
The Book of Romans tells us specifically how
God's - Yehovah's gift of salvation may be received in this age of the new covenant in
which we live:
That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is lord' and
believe in your heart that God - Yehovah raised him from the dead, you will be saved. For
it is with your heart that you believe and are justified - declared righteous, and it is with your
mouth that you confess and are saved (Romans 10:9-10).
Salvation is received by confessing with your mouth that
“Jesus is lord” and believing in your heart that “God - Yehovah raised him from the
dead.” In these verses the words "confess" and "believe"
are simply two sides of the same coin. To “confess” that “Jesus is lord” is to
state outwardly what you believe to be true inwardly. To “believe” that “God - Yehovah raised him from the dead” is to accept this testimony of God's word as being
true and then to trust or hold to it within your life. This belief and
confession are based on the freewill decision of each individual follower of the lord Messiah Jesus and
mark the beginning of a lifetime relationship of living in faith under the lord Messiah Jesus lordship.
Biblically, Jesus is lord because as the Son of God he died for our sins, offering himself up to his God and Father Yehovah as a sin-offering sacrifice reconcilling Mankind to God - Yehovah and by his shed blood purchasing us for himself and then was raised to life by God - Yehovah to rule as lord and Messiah over God's people and creation.
The Book of Acts explains:
God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses
of the fact. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father
the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear. For
David did not ascend to heaven, and yet he said:
'The Lord [Yehovah] said to my lord [the Messiah]: 'Sit
at my right hand until I make your enemies a footstool for your feet.'
Therefore, let all Israel be assured of this: God has
made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both lord and Messiah (Acts 2:32-36).
Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies concerning the
coming the Messiah by dying as a sin-offering sacrifice for our sins and then being raised from the dead. He was
then exalted to God's - Yehovah's right hand in heaven and "enthroned" as lord
and Messiah in fulfillment of Psalm 110. There he will "reign" until
the time, in God's eternal plan, when he will come again to bring complete
salvation for God's people, destroy God's enemies and establish God's kingdom on this earh (I Cor. 15:20- 28).
It should be understood that the terms "lord,"
"Messiah" and "Son of God" are all messianic titles which
refer to the same essential truths in the Bible. "Lord" means
"ruler or master." "Messiah" means "God's anointed savior and King." And the term "Son of God," when speaking of
Jesus, refers to the one born by divine conception and then sent by God - Yehovah to
fulfill all the Old Testament prophecies concerning the promised Messiah. All of these terms can, therefore, be used almost interchangeably
because when we speak of Jesus as "lord," "Messiah" or
"Son of God" we are speaking of the same person. Compare the
following verses:
Believe in the lord Jesus and you will be saved ... (Acts
16:31).
Everyone who
believes that Jesus is the Messiah is born of God (I John 5:1).
I write these things to you who believe in the name of
the Son of God [Yehoshua] so that you may know that you have eternal life (I
John 5:13).
These are all different ways of expressing the same
essential truths. If we choose to believe this testimony concerning the lord Messiah Jesus, the
biblical promise is that we will be "saved," "born of God"
and have "eternal life."
BY GRACE YOU HAVE BEEN SAVED
Salvation, or eternal life, is a gift from God - Yehovah to man. It is not something that we can work to earn nor is it something that we deserve because of our own inherent worthiness. All men have sinned and fall short of God's perfect standard of righteousness (Ephesians 2:1; Romans 3:23; James 2:10). This is precisely why the lord Messiah Jesus came and gave himself as the ransom sin-offering sacrifice on behalf of all mankind. By his sacrificial death he paid the price for the sins of all people for all time (I John 2:2). Those who choose to accept him receive the benefits of this; the gift of eternal life.
Look at Romans:
For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God - Yehovah is
eternal life in the lord Messiah Jesus (Romans 6:23).
Sin pays a wage and
that wage is death. Since all men have sinned the scriptures say that all men will
also one day die (Romans 5:12; Hebrews 9:27). Simply put, man is mortal and not
even all the wonders of medical science can solve this, the greatest of all
problems. But this is precisely what God - Yehovah has done through the lord Messiah Jesus. For the lord Messiah Jesus is
the firstborn from the dead, guaranteeing that all who believe in him will also
receive the gift of immortality at his second coming (I Corinthians 15:51-54).
The Books of Romans and Ephesians emphasize the truth that
salvation is a gift from God - Yehovah and cannot be earned either by works of religious
ritual or by good works of service to others. Instead, salvation is received
through faith - a humble trust in God - Yehovah and His Son:
Now when a man works, his wages are not credited to him
as a gift, but as an obligation. However, to the man who does not work, but
trusts God – Yehovah who justifies
[declares righteous] the wicked, his faith is credited as righteousness (Romans
4:4-5).
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith; and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – Yehovah; not by works, so
that no one can boast. For we are God's – Yehovah’s workmanship, created in the
Messiah Jesus to do good works, which God - Yehovah prepared in advance for us
to do (Ephesians 2:8- 10).
If righteousness, or salvation, could be earned by working for it then some would be able to boast before God - Yehovah about their goodness. However, the scriptures clearly teach that no one can be good enough to attain salvation through their own merit because we all fall short. Good works in the life of a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus are the fruit of salvation, not the means to attaining it. Salvation is totally by grace, undeserved divine favor from God - Yehovah to man. This absolutely rules out any possibility for man by his own works to be good enough to earn salvation.
As the Apostle Paul states:
And if by grace, then it is no longer by works; if it
were, grace would no longer be grace (Romans 11:6).
Paul elaborates even further on this subject in another
section of the Book of Romans:
But now a righteousness from God - Yehovah, apart from
law, has been made known, to which the Law and the Prophets testify. This
righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus the Messiah to all who
believe. There is no difference, for all have sinned and fall short of the
glory of God - Yehovah and are justified [declared righteous] freely by His grace through the
redemption that came by the Messiah Jesus (Romans 3:21-24).
Through believing in the lord Messiah Jesus, we are
forgiven of our sins and justified, made righteous, in God's – Yehovah’s
sight. This is a result of the Messiah’s sin-offering sacrifice in which he
redeemed us, or set us free, by paying the ransom price for our sins.
Therefore, this righteousness and salvation are now available to all who desire
to receive it through faith in the Messiah (Romans 10:9-10).
All of this is by grace. Why? Because "all have sinned
and come short of the glory of God." Therefore, we all need a savior, and
when we accept him, the same gift of righteousness, salvation or eternal life
is given to all.
SALVATION: PRESENT AND FUTURE
After the day of Pentecost, when the gift of holy Spirit was first given, the New Testament speaks of two aspects of God's - Yehovah's gift of salvation: present and future. The followers of the lord Messiah Jesus have already "been saved" (Ephesians 2:8) and yet they have not yet received the fullness of "the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time" (I Peter 1:5). When a person believes in the lord Messiah Jesus he is born of God's Spirit (John 1:12-13; 3:1-8; I John 5:1), becomes a child in God's family (Romans 8:16; Galatians 4:4-7) and a citizen of God's kingdom (Ephesians 2:18-19, Philippians 3:20). In addition, the believer is incorporated into the lord Messiah Jesus through the Spirit and becomes a member of the church of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus (I Corinthians 12:12-13, 27). In the lord Messiah Jesus, his followers are redeemed, justified and righteous in God's sight (I Corinthians 6:11; Romans 8:10; I Corinthians1:30). All of this is a result of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus receiving the "firstfruits of the Spirit" (Romans 8:23), because the gift of the Spirit is a "deposit, guaranteeing our inheritance" in the future kingdom of God (Ephesians 1:13-14; I Corinthians 15:50ff; 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 5:5).13 Therefore, the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is able to enjoy already, in part, the blessings of God’s - Yehovah's salvation which will one day come in all of their fullness.
Let's look at some examples of how the New Testament Letters speak of
both the present and future aspects of salvation:
But when the kindness and love of God - Yehovah our
Savior appeared, He saved us, not because of righteous things we had done, but
because of His mercy. He saved us through the washing of rebirth and renewal by
the Holy Spirit, which He poured out on us generously through Jesus the Messiah our
savior, so that, having been justified [declared righteous] by His [Yehovah’s] grace, we might
become heirs having the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:4-7).
Here we see clearly both the present and future aspects of God's – Yehovah’s gift of salvation. As the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, we are already saved and justified [declared righteous] and we also have the hope of a future eternal life.
Look at the Letter of I John which also elaborates on
this theme:
See what kind of love the Father has given to us,
that we should be called children of God - Yehovah; and so, we are. The
reason why the world does not know us is that it did not know Him. Beloved,
we are God's – Yehovah’s children now, and what we will be has
not yet appeared; but we know that when he [the lord Messiah Jesus] appears we shall be like him,
because we shall see him as he is. (I John 3:1-2).
We are already God's children! And yet, there is something much greater to come in the future when the lord Messiah Jesus "appears a second time" (Hebrews 9:28). For then we will see the Messiah "face to face" (I Corinthians 13:12) and be instantaneously changed to "be like him."
Let's look at one more example of this "already" but
"not yet" life of the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus:
Our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a savior
from there, the lord Messiah Jesus, who, by the power that enables him [the
power his God and Father Yehovah has given to him] to bring everything under
his control, will transform our lowly bodies so that they will be like his
glorious body (Philippians 3:20-21).
We are already, by
way of the Spirit, citizens of God's – Yehovah’s kingdom, but the day is coming
when the lord Messiah Jesus will be sent down from his place at the right hand
of God, to take his place on the throne of David at Zion to establish God's –
Yehovah’s kingdom "on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10). At
that time all the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus will inherit the kingdom
of God and their "lowly bodies" will be transformed to become like the
lord Messiah Jesus "glorious body" (I Corinthians 15:50-57). That is the
hope of all the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus; for even though they are the
children of God - Yehovah, they still "groan" in their mortal bodies
waiting for the time when mortality will be "swallowed up by life"
and they receive "the redemption of their bodies" (2 Corinthians 5:1-8;
Romans 8:22-23).
THE SECOND COMING OF THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
The scriptures are absolutely clear that the truth of the second coming of the lord Messiah Jesus is the one clear hope of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus. It is only then that the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus will be transformed from mortality to immortality so as to enjoy forever "the glorious liberty of the children of God" (Romans 8:21).
The Book
of I Corinthians gives the details of this incredible transformation which will
take places for all of God's people - whether dead or alive - at the lord
Messiah Jesus glorious second coming:
I declare to you, brothers, that flesh and blood cannot
inherit the kingdom of God, nor does the perishable inherit the imperishable.
Listen, I tell you a mystery: We will not all sleep [die], but we will all be
changed - in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the
trumpet will sound, the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be
changed. For the perishable must clothe itself with the imperishable, and the
mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true:
'Death has been swallowed up in victory.' 'Where, O death
is your victory?' Where, O death is your sting?'
The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through the lord Messiah Jesus (I Corinthians 15:50-57).
We are already the people of God - children in his family and citizens of his kingdom. But the fullness of eternal life will not be ours until "death has been swallowed up in victory." When, then, will this take place? At death? No! Only at the second coming of the lord Messiah Jesus and not before. Death is an enemy that must be defeated (I Corinthians 15:26), not a friend which brings us into immortality with the lord Messiah Jesus. The followers in the lord Messiah Jesus who die are said to be "asleep in the lord Messiah Jesus" and their next conscious thought will be their "awakening" to immortality at the lord Messiah Jesus second coming. They will then be raised to meet him in the air so as to be with him; from that moment on - forever.
The First Letter of Paul to the Thessalonians pinpoints this climactic
moment in God's plan of salvation:
Brothers, we do not want you to be ignorant about those
who fall asleep, or to grieve like the rest of men, who have no hope. We
believe that Jesus died and rose again and so we believe that God - Yehovah
will bring with Jesus those who have fallen asleep in him. According to the lord's
own word, we tell you that we who are still alive, who are left till the coming
of the lord, will certainly not precede those who have fallen asleep. For the lord
himself will come down from heaven with a loud command, with the voice of the
archangel and with the trumpet call of God - Yehovah, and the dead in the
Messiah will rise first. After that, we who are still alive and are left will
be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the lord in the air. And so,
we will be with the lord forever (I Thessalonians 4:13-17).
When will the followers of thelord Messiah Jesus him forever? Only at the lord Messiah Jesus glorious second coming and not before. It is that moment, therefore, that must
be the focal point of all followers of thelord Messiah Jesus hope and expectation. For then, and only
then, will mortality be "swallowed up by life" (2 Corinthians 5:4).
Then, and only then, will the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus "inherit the kingdom of God" (I
Corinthians 15:50; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10). And then, and only then, will God's
– Yehovah’s eternal purpose in the lord Messiah Jesus; destined for our glory
before time began; be fulfilled in all its glory (Romans 8:18-30; Ephesians
1:9-10; I Corinthians 15:20-28, 50-58).
WHO CAN BE SAVED?
Many times, sincere followers of the lord Messiah Jesus do
not think they are worthy of such grace. They feel that they are so sinful that
most certainly God - Yehovah could not accept and forgive them. But this is the
whole point of why the lord Messiah Jesus came and became a sin-offering
sacrifice for all. We must always remember that salvation is the free gift of
God – Yehovah; available to all whom will accept it; because of the sin-offering
sacrifice of the lord Messiah Jesus on behalf of all mankind. The Apostle Paul
speaks directly to this issue:
Here is a trustworthy saying that deserves full
acceptance: The Messiah Jesus came into the world to save sinners; of whom I am
the worst. But for this very reason I was shown mercy so that in me, the worst
of sinners, the Messiah Jesus might display his unlimited patience as an
example for those who would believe on him and receive eternal life (I Timothy
1:15-16).
Paul knew that if there was ever anyone undeserving of God's
– Yehovah’s salvation then surely it was him. For despite his great learning
and rigorous adherence to the religious traditions of Judaism, he was in fact
greatly deceived before the time he accepted the lord Messiah Jesus (Philippians
3:2-9; Titus 3:1-7); so deceived, in fact, that he had zealously persecuted,
even to death, followers of the lord Messiah Jesus. And yet God - Yehovah in His amazng wonderful grace and mercy had forgiven Paul. This incredible "salvation by
grace" serves as an example of the lord Messiah Jesus "unlimited
patience" in waiting for people to recognize their need for him as their
savior and to accept his gracious offer of eternal life. The scriptures call
this decisive change in a person's heart and life "repentance." It is
the recognition of one's unworthy life and a turning to God - Yehovah for the
salvation which he freely gives through faith in the lord Messiah Jesus. It is
God's – Yehovah’s desire "for all men to be saved and to come to a
knowledge of the truth" (I Timothy 2:4). He does not wish for any to
perish but to come to repentance (2 Peter 3:9). Therefore, the invitation
continuously goes out to all in this day of salvation:
'In the time of my favor I heard you, and in the day of
salvation I helped you. I tell you, NOW IS THE TIME OF GOD’S – YEHOVAH’S FAVOR,
NOW IS THE DAY OF SALVATION' (2 Corinthians 6:2).
NOW IS THE TIME, for "our Savior, the Messiah Jesus has destroyed death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel" (2 Timothy 1:10).
Let us therefore accept this gift of salvation
which God - Yehovah has made available through His Son. The Letter of I John
sums up the choice that stands before us all and the gift that can freely be
ours by faith:
And this is the testimony: God - Yehovah has given us
eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has life; he who
does not have the Son of God does not have life. I write these things to you
who believe in the name [Yehoshua] of the Son of God so that you may know that you have
eternal life (I John 5:11-13).
CHAPTER FOUR
THE NEW CREATION IN THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
When a person believes in the lord Messiah Jesus, accepting
him as his risen lord, he is born of God - Yehovah and become a ‘new creation in
the lord Messiah Jesus. As a result, this new follower of the lord Messiah
Jesus identifies with the lord Messiah Jesus in all of the lord Messiah Jesus accomplishments:
past, present and future. "In the lord Messiah Jesus" the follower of
the lord Messiah Jesus has already been judged as to his spiritual standing
before God - Yehovah and the verdict is "not guilty" (Romans 8:1; I
Corinthians 1:30). This is not because of the follower of the lord Messiah
Jesus own righteousness but because of the lord Messiah Jesus sin-offering
sacrifice death and the resulting gift of righteousness which God - Yehovah
gives, or credits, to the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus on the basis of
His grace (Romans 3:21-5:17). The Book of Ephesians speaks about this ‘new
creation’ in the lord Messiah Jesus:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – Yehovah; not by works, so
that no one can boast. For we are God's – Yehovah’s workmanship, created in the
lord Messiah Jesus to do good works, which God - Yehovah prepared in advance
for us to do (Ephesians 2:8- 10).
Becoming a ‘new creation’ created in the lord Messiah Jesus is the work of God - Yehovah, not man. It is a spiritual creation, not physical, and is accomplished by a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus being born of God's – Yehovah’s Spirit and incorporated through that Spirit into the spiritual body of the lord Messiah Jesus [the called-out Assembly].
The Letters
of Ephesians and I and 2 Corinthians explain this truth:
In him you also, when you heard the word of truth,
the gospel – good news of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed
with the promised Holy Spirit, which is the down payment of
our inheritance until God – Yehovah redeems His possession of it to the praise
of His glory. (Ephesians 1:13-14).
Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah, he is a new
creation: the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17).
For the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus all things have become new
because he is now a new creation in the lord Messiah Jesus. He has been baptized with the
Spirit, not water, into the one body of the lord Messiah Jesus. As a result, the believer
stands before God clothed with the righteousness, holiness and redemption that
have been made possible by the lord Messiah Jesus death and resurrection. All of this is
God's own work of grace which he imparts to us, in the lord Messiah Jesus, through the Spirit.
As Paul says:
You were washed, you were sanctified [set apart], you
were justified [declared righteous] in the name of the lord Messiah Jesus and
by the Spirit of our God - Yehovah (I Corinthians 6:11).
It is because of him [God - Yehovah] that you are in the
Messiah Jesus, who has become for us wisdom from God – Yehovah; that is, our
righteousness, holiness and redemption (I Corintians 1:30).
The lord Messiah Jesus died for us and paid the ransom price
– a sin-offering sacrifice for the sins of all mankind (I Timothy 2:4-6). When
we accept this sin-offering sacrifice that the lord Messiah Jesus gave to his
God and Father Yehovah for us; by believing in him as our risen Lord, we
receive the benefits of all that he accomplished for us. The gift of
“righteousness" means that we have been justified – declared righteous, or
acquitted of our sins – pronounce ‘not guilty’, and therefore stand in a new
right relationship with God - Yehovah: accepted and at peace with Him (Romans
4:23-5:2). The word “holy” means that we have been set apart for God - Yehovah
and are now God’s – Yehovah’s "saints" - "holy people” with our citizenship in
heaven (Ephesians 2:19; Philippians 3:20).16 The word “redemption" means
that we have been bought by the sin-offering sacrifice and set free from the
spiritual bondage of sin and of Satan's realm of darkness and transferred into
the dominion of the lord Messiah Jesus kingdom or rule (Colossians 1:13-14).
This redemptive work of the lord Messiah Jesus on our behalf
is a truth that every one of his followers should understand. It is through the
lord Messiah Jesus work that we are redeemed, not through our own work. As a
result of believing in the lord Messiah Jesus and being incorporated as ‘new
creations’ in him, we identify with him in all that he did, is doing, and will
do on our behalf.
The following list shows our spiritual identification with the
lord Messiah Jesus in all of his accomplishments:
"In the lord Messiah Jesus" we as his followers:
were crucified with him (Galatians 2:20),
died with him (Romans 6:3),
were buried with him (Romans 6:4),
were made alive with him (Ephesians 2:5),
were raised up with him (Ephessians 2:6),
are seated in heaven with him (Ephesians 2:6),
will appear with him in glory (Colossians 3:4).
It is precisely because of this spiritual identification of
the believer with the lord Messiah Jesus in all of his accomplishments that we
now stand before God - Yehovah clothed in the righteousness, holiness and
redemption that are ours in the lord Messiah Jesus.
Biblically, the lord Messiah Jesus is the elect or chosen
one of God - Yehovah in whom all of God's purposes are accomplished (e.g. Isaiah
42:1; Luke 9:35; Ephesians 1:1-14). All who are incorporated into the lord
Messiah Jesus; through faith and the Spirit; become a part of God's – Yehovah’s
elect and chosen people and thus share with the lord Messiah Jesus in all of
God's – Yehovah’s purposes "for those who love him" (Romans 8:28; I
Corinthians 2:9; James 2:5). This is all in accordance with God's – Yehovah’s
foreordained plan. In fact, the Book of Ephesians shows that God - Yehovah
actually chose us in the lord Messiah Jesus before the creation of the ages in
order that we would become His children and live in intimate fellowship with Him:
Praise be to the God and Father – Yehovah of the lord
Messiah Jesus, who has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual
blessing in the Messiah. For He chose us in him [the Messiah] before the
creation of the ages to be holy and blameless in His sight. In love He
predestined us [marked us out beforehand] to be adopted as His sons through
Jesus the Messiah in accordance with His pleasure and will; to the praise of His
glorious grace which He has freely given us in the One He loves (Ephesians
1:3-6).
Note: When is says that God – Yehovah chose and marked us
out beforehand to be his children before the creation of the ages, we know that
He did this according to His foreknowledge, for He knows all from the beginning
to the end according to His foreknowledge!
God - Yehovah chose and predestined us [marked us out
beforehand] to be His children before the creation of the ages. This was His
plan of salvation. God - Yehovah knew that man would sin and, in His wisdom,
and love He prepared a plan so that through His Son, the lord Messiah Jesus, we
could be redeemed back to Him. In his wisdom, God - Yehovah knew that people
would believe.
Therefore, in His love, He made it such that when we did believe we would become His children. God's – Yehovah’s choice and predestination of us [marking us out beforehand], therefore, is based on His foreknowledge of a people who would believe but with no interference whatsoever in our freedom to choose. It was our decision to believe. God simply predestined [marked out beforehand] the results of that belief according to His foreknowledge; for us to become His children!
The Book of Romans summarizes these wonderful
truths in God's – Yehovah’s plan of salvation:
“For your sake we are being killed all day long;
we are regarded as sheep to be slaughtered.”
No, in all these things we are more
than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am sure that
neither death nor life, nor angels nor rulers, nor things present nor things to
come, nor powers, nor height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation,
will be able to separate us from the love of God - Yehovah in the lord Messiah Jesus.
(Romans 8:28-39).
In the lord Messiah Jesus, we are God's – Yehovah’s
children. Foreknown before the creation of the ages. Called to be His own
chosen people. Justified so as to be righteous and blameless before Him. And
even though the lord Messiah Jesus has not yet returned, we are assured of
appearing with him in glory.
THE PEOPLE OF GOD - YEHOVAH
All true followers of the lord Messiah Jesus together make up the one family of God - Yehovah and the one called-out Assembly of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus. This is a spiritual family and spiritual called-out Assembly which transcends every manmade denomination, division or sect. The Spirit of God - Yehovah binds all the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus into a new people of God – Yehovah as ‘new creation’ in the lord Messiah Jesus united above and beyond all worldly distinctions. This collective sense of being the new people of God - Yehovah is stated in many different ways within the New Testament Letters. Sometimes Old Testament imagery (e.g. the temple of God - Yehovah) is used to describe God's – Yehovah’s people while at other times completely different and new terminology (e.g. the body of the lord Messiah Jesus) is introduced to describe the new spiritual realities that exist under the New Covenant.
Look at the Old Testament imagery used in the Book of I
Peter:
But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy
nation, a people belonging to God - Yehovah, that you may declare the praises
of Him who called you out of darkness into His wonderful light. Once you were
not a people, but now you are the people of God - Yehovah (I Peter 2:9- 10).
In the Old Testament the nation of Israel was the called and
chosen people of God - Yehovah. The New Testament, however, reveals that
because of the lord Messiah Jesus life, death, resurrection, and his giving of
the holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost a New Covenant ratified by the lord
Messiah Jesus shed blood a relationship has been established between God -
Yehovah and His people. Now all who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus -
irrespective of ethnic, social or religious background are part of the New Covenant
people of God – Yehovah, who have been grafted into spiritual Israel (Romans
11; cp. Matthew 21:33-43; I Pet. 2:4-10; etc.). As Paul says:
It is we who are the circumcision, we who worship by the
Spirit of God - Yehovah, who glory in the Messiah Jesus and who put no
confidence in the flesh (Philippians 3:3; cp. Galatians 6:16).
This is simply Old Testament language being applied to the
new covenant people of God. All that was promised in the Old Testament to God's
– Yehovah’s covenant people, Israel, now becomes the rightful inheritance of
God's – Yehovah’s new covenant people in a way far greater than the Old
Testament people ever saw or conceived. This is all a result of the work of the
lord Messiah Jesus and the giving of God's – Yehovah’s gift of holy Spirit to
all who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus. Look at the following verses from
the Book of Ephesians:
For through him [the lord Messiah Jesus] we both have
access to the Father by one Spirit. Consequently, you are no longer foreigners
and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's – Yehovah’s people and members of
God's – Yehovah’s household, built on the foundation of the apostles and
prophets, with the Messiah Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone. In him [the lord
Messiah Jesus] the whole building is joined together and rises to become a holy
temple in the Lord - Yehovah. And in him you too are being built together to
become a dwelling in which God - Yehovah lives by His Spirit (Ephesians
2:18-22).
What magnificent truths! We are fellow citizens with all of
God's people regardless of ethnic race or national boundaries. We are united
together in a citizenship that transcends and supersedes the national
citizenships of this world. Our allegiance is therefore first and foremost to
God and his kingdom. No national, ethnic or family allegiance can ever take
priority over that.17 We are members of God's household - bound together in
God's family by his Spirit of which we are born. In fact, so great is this new
relationship with God that the Bible teaches that we, as God's chosen people,
are now the temple of the living God. God, the creator of the heavens and the
earth, now lives in us by way of his Spirit!
ONE IN THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
Throughout the New Testament this new special relationship
of God - Yehovah with His people is emphasized over and over along with the
love and care that God's – Yehovah’s people are to have for each other. In Old
Testament times it was often thought that only Israelites or converts to the
religion of Israel could be part of God's – Yehovah’s people. Gentiles, i.e.,
all of the other ethnic groups of the world, were thought to be impure and
unclean. Though it was foretold in the Old Testament that these Gentiles would
one day be blessed by God - Yehovah, it was never thought that they would be
accepted as part of the people of God - Yehovah on an equal basis with Israel.
However, as a result of the life, death and resurrection of the lord Messiah
Jesus and then his giving of the holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost all
barriers dividing God's – Yehovah’s people have been forever broken down (Ephesians
2:11- 18).
Look at the Letters to the Galatian and Corinthian
churches:
You are all sons of God – Yehovah through faith in the
Messiah Jesus, for all of you who were baptized into the Messiah have clothed
yourselves with the Messiah. There is neither Jew nor Greek, slave nor free,
male nor female, for you are all one in the Messiah Jesus (Galatians 3:26-28).
The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;
and though all its parts are many, they form one body. So, it is with the
Messiah. For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body; whether Jews or
Greeks, slave or free; and we were all given the one Spirit to drink (I Corinthians
12:12-14).
Water baptism in the name of the lord Messiah Jesus can be
very meaningful; but it is only symbolic of a far greater spiritual reality. For
it is the Spirit of God - Yehovah in which we are “all baptized”; at the
moment we believe in the lord Messiah Jesus; that truly cleanses us and unites
us together in the one body of the lord Messiah Jesus. For it is a baptism in
the life-giving power of God's – Yehovah’s own Spirit which God – Yehovah Himself,
through the lord Messiah Jesus, pours out upon all who believe (Titus 3:4-7;
cf. John 1:32-34; Acts 1:5; 2:33; 11:15-17; 15:7-9).
As a result of this God – Yehovah given “unity of the
Spirit” (Ephesians 4:3) there are no longer any distinctions among the people
of God - Yehovah on the basis of ethnic race, social and economic status or
national citizenship. It makes absolutely no difference to God - Yehovah
whether a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is black or white, rich or poor, Asian,
European or American because God - Yehovah is no respecter of persons; only of
conditions (Acts 10:34-35).Anyone;- absolutely anyone; who believes in the lord
Messiah Jesus and obeys him is accepted by God - Yehovah into his family on an
equal basis with everyone else because we are "all one in the lord Messiah
Jesus" (Galatians 3:28).
THE MYSTERY OF THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
This truth concerning the equal composition of the called-out
Assembly of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus; the new covenant people of God –
Yehovah; was so revolutionary that it was not immediately understood by the
people of New Testament times. In fact, it was not even revealed by God -
Yehovah until many years after the original outpouring of the holy Spirit on
the day of Pentecost. Instead, it was a "mystery" or
"secret" hidden in God - Yehovah and never before revealed until it
was finally made known to the apostle Paul and then to the other New Testament
apostles and prophets. Paul’s Letters to the Ephesian and Colossian congregations
set forth explicitly the wonderful truth regarding this mystery:
Surely you have heard about the administration of God's –
Yehovah’s grace that was given to me for you, that is, the mystery made known
to me by revelation, as I have already written briefly. In reading this, then,
you will be able to understand my insight into the mystery of the Messiah,
which was not made known to men in other generations as it has now been
revealed by the Spirit to God's – Yehovah’s holy apostles and prophets. This
mystery is that through the gospel the Gentiles are heirs together with Israel,
members together of one body, and sharers together in the promise in the Messiah
Jesus (Ephesians 3:2-6).
This is the gospel that you heard and that has been
proclaimed to every creature under heaven, and of which I, Paul, have become a
servant...for the sake of his body, which is the called-out Assembly. I have
become its servant by the commission God - Yehovah gave me to present to you
the word of God - Yehovah in all its fullness; the mystery that has been kept
hidden for ages and generations but is now disclosed to the saints [holy ones].
To them God - Yehovah has chosen to make known among the Gentiles the glorious
riches of this mystery, which is the Messiah in you, the hope of glory (Colossians
1:23b-27)
As a result of all that the lord Messiah Jesus has
accomplished, Gentile believers in the lord Messiah Jesus now share equally
with Jewish believers in all that God - Yehovah has promised to his people. All
who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus; whether Jew or Gentile; are now
"heirs together," "members together of one body" and
"sharers together in the promise in the lord Messiah Jesus". In addition, the lord Messiah Jesus, by way of
the Spirit of God - Yehovah, now lives in each and every follower of the lord
Messiah Jesus (Romans 8:9-10). So incredible are these truths that had
"the rulers of this age" known about this mystery "they would
not have crucified the lord of glory" (I Corinthians 2:8). In fact, by
instigating the lord Messiah Jesus crucifixion Satan thought he had
accomplished his greatest victory ever over God - Yehovah; but in truth it was
exactly the opposite, because the lord Messiah Jesus sin-offering sacrifice and
his victorious resurrection sealed Satan's doom and gained victory forever for
the people of God - Yehovah (Colossians 2:9-15; Romans 16:20). Now a new people
of God – Yehovah is being formed made up
of all who believe in the lord Messiah Jesus from every nation, family and
ethnic race of the world. In this new people of God - Yehovah "there is no
Greek or Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free,
but the lord Messiah Jesus is all, and is in all" (Colossians 3:11).
What a great truth! For when the lord Messiah Jesus was
personally present on earth he could only be in one place at one time. Today,
however, he is present, by way of the Spirit, wherever there is a follower of
the lord Messiah Jesus. Therefore, as the called-out Assembly of the body of the
lord Messiah Jesus, with the lord Messiah Jesus in each and every member, we
are his representatives wherever we may be in this world. The Apostle Paul sums
up this wonderful truth in God's – Yehovah’s plan of salvation:
I have been crucified with the Messiah and I no longer
live, but the Messiah lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me [as a sin-offering
sacrifice to his God and Father Yehovah] (Galatians 2:20).
As God's – Yehovah’s children, created in the lord Messiah Jesus,
foreknown and chosen before the creation of the ages, it is now our joy,
privilege and responsibility to "declare the praises of Him who called us
out of darkness into His wonderful light" (I Peter 2:9), so as to bring
others into the blessings of God's – Yehovah’s salvation as well.
CHAPTER FIVE
THE MESSIAH – LIKE LIFE OF THE FOLLOWER OF THE LORD MESSAIH
JESUS
When a person accepts
the lord Messiah Jesus as his risen lord he is born of God's – Yehovah’s Spirit
and becomes a ‘new creation’ in the lord Messiah Jesus. As a child in God's –
Yehovah’s family and a member of the called-out Assembly of the body of the
lord Messiah Jesus it is the joy, privilege and responsibility of the follower
of the lord Messiah Jesus to live a Messiah-like life of love and service
towards others. In doing this, the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is able
to live in intimate fellowship with God - Yehovah as his Father, strengthen his
fellow brothers and sisters in the lord Messiah Jesus, and bring the good news
of God's – Yehovah’s salvation to others in the world. The Book of Ephesians
explains the proper relationship of God's – Yehovah’s gift of salvation to the followers
of the lord Messiah Jesus corresponding responsibility of living a life of good
works:
For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith -
and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God – Yehovah; not by works, so
that no one can boast. For we are God's – Yehovah’s workmanship created in the
Messiah Jesus to do good works which God
- Yehovah prepared in advance for us to do (Ephesians 2:8- 10).
Salvation is the gift of God - Yehovah. No one is, or ever
could be, good enough to deserve it. That is precisely why the lord Messiah Jesus
came into the world; to die for the sins of people like you and me. Good works
in the life of a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is a response to God's –
Yehovah’s gracious love, not the other way around. They are the fruit of
salvation; not the means to attaining it;
and are produced through an ongoing relationship of faith as a child in God's –
Yehovah’s family (Galatians 5:5-6). It is important that we always remember
this because trying to be good enough for God - Yehovah, as most religions of
the world endeavor to do, is a losing battle which is sure to tie up a follower
in the lord Messiah Jesus in frustration, doubts and condemnation. Remember, we
are accepted by our God - Yehovah because of His grace, through faith in the
lord Messiah Jesus, not because of any worthiness on our own part. Good works
must spring from this certainty of God's – Yehovah’s forgiveness, acceptance
and love for us as his children - in the lord Messiah Jesus!
THE MIND OF THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
The principal key for the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus
in living a Messiah like life of love and service towards others is learning to
live with the mind of the lord Messiah Jesus (Philippians 2:5; I John 2:6).
This is a deliberate process accomplished by the free-will decision of each and
every follower of the lord Messiah Jesus. It involves a moment by moment and
day by day decision to think as the lord Messiah Jesus would think and live as the
lord Messiah Jesus would live. As we do this God - Yehovah works with us and in
us, by way of His Spirit, to help us to grow as His children and to help us
accomplish His will in our lives (Philippians 2:13; 2 Corinthians 3:17-18). In
short, this way of life is a process of growing and maturing as a child in
God's – Yehovah’s family. Though no one will ever master this way of life
perfectly before the lord Messiah Jesus return, it is still the goal and ideal
for which we strive. As we endeavor to live with this mind of the lord Messiah
Jesus, the Book of Ephesians states:
... we will no longer be infants, tossed back and forth
by the waves, and blown here and there by every wind of teaching and by the
cunning and craftiness of men in their deceitful scheming. Instead, speaking
the truth in love, we will in all things grow up into him who is the head, that
is, the Messiah. From him the whole body, joined and held together by every
supporting ligament, grows and builds itself up in love, as each part does its
work (Ephesians 4:14-16).
As each follower of the lord Messiah Jesus lives with the indwelling
mind of the lord Messiah Jesus. We all grow together as ‘new creations’ in the body of the lord Messiah Jesus. By
speaking and living the truth in love we are able to care for each other as
well as to bring the knowledge of the lord Messiah Jesus and his message about
the coming kingdom of God to the world so that others may hear, be saved and be
brought into the family of God - Yehovah.
THE RENEWED MIND
Living with the mind of the lord Messiah Jesus is
accomplished by the process of renewing our minds. This means that we
consciously decide to change the way we think by replacing thoughts which are
contrary to the lord Messiah Jesus character with those which are in accordance
with it. This renewed mind is continually learning to think and live as the
lord Messiah Jesus enables us to do so by the indwelling presence of his
Spirit. We must by our own free-will decide to live out the mind of lord
Messiah Jesus in our day to day lives; to think as he would think; live as he
would live and love as he would love. God's indwelling Spirit will not take
control of us and force us to live this way, but if we shoes to live out the
lord Messiah Jesus in our lives, He will enable us to do so by His Spirit. The
choice is always ours to live as obedient children in a manner worthy of God's –
Yehovah’s love or to conform to the ways of the world (I Peter 1:13-16). Look
at Romans:
Therefore, I urge you, brothers, in view of God's – Yehovah’s
mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God –
Yehovah, this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not be conformed any longer
to the pattern of this world but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.
Then you will be able to test and approve what God's – Yehovah’s will is;- His
good, pleasing and perfect will (Romans 12:1-2).
As followers of the lord Messiah Jesus who have been saved
by God's – Yehovah’s grace and mercy, we now offer ourselves as living
sacrifices in thankfulness to God - Yehovah. This we do by living a life that
is holy and well pleasing to God - Yehovah. A "holy" life is a life
that has much different standards from those practiced in the world. As
children in God's – Yehovah’s family we live by the principles, standards and
goals which God - Yehovah has set forth within the scriptures rather than by
what the world offers. We do not learn to love by watching television and
saying: "Oh, that must be what true love is!" No, we base our
understanding of love and truth on what the scriptures teach rather than what
the world would have us understand. The scriptures, as God's – Yehovah’s word
in written form, must be our only standard for truth in this life; all else
will only lead to confusion and error (Matthew 4:4; 22:29; 2 Timothy 3:16-17).
THE ESAMPLE OF THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
In learning to live a Messiah like life the follower of
the lord Messiah Jesus should focus in his or her study of the scriptures on
two primary sections of the Bible:
1. The life and teaching of the lord Messiah Jesus as
presented in the Gospels - in the light of their Old Testament background.
2. The New Testament Letters to the followers of the lord
Messiah Jesus - in the light of the New Covenant that has been ratified by the blood
of the lord Messiah Jesus.
In studying the life of the lord Messiah Jesus in the
Gospels we should always remember that it is the principles of love and truth
by which Jesus lived that we are to imitate, i.e., such as preaching the good
news – gospel about the coming kingdom of God, which offers salvation to those who
accept that message. These principles must be applied by us today in the
historical, geographical and cultural contexts of our own lives.
The lord Messiah Jesus summed up the principles by which he
lived and we should live in the two Old Testament commandments which he said
were the sum and substance of all the ethical teaching of the Old Testament
Scriptures. The Gospel of Matthew records this:
Hearing that Jesus had silenced the Sadducees, the
Pharisees got together. One of them, an expert in the law, tested him with this
question: "Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?"
Jesus replied: " 'Love the Lord - Yehovah your God
with all your heart and with all your being and with all your mind.' This is
the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: 'Love your
neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two
commandments" (Matthew 22:34-40).
This statement is the creed of the lord Messiah Jesus
that we should all live by every day of our lives!
Throughout his life and ministry Jesus taught and showed
others how to live this life of love, according to his creed! In doing this, he
went beyond the common understanding of the Old Testament Law of his day and
showed that what God - Yehovah truly wanted were people who would love and
worship him "in spirit and in truth" (John 4:21-24); from the heart; going beyond the external rules and
regulations which governed the affairs of men (Matthew 9:13; Mark. 12:32-34;
Luke 6:1- 11).
No matter how much of a knowledge of the scriptures we may
gain in our lives, it is this law of love, as summarized in the simple and
succinct statements of the lord Messiah Jesus in his creed to love God with all
your heart, mind, being and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself that
will always be the foundation for all the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus
to live out in their lives. We realize that to live out the creed of the lord
Messiah Jesus in our lives is impossible unless we are enabled to do so by his
indwelling spirit.
THE NEW TESTAMENT - COVENANT LETTERS
As a result of the lord Messiah Jesus life, sin-offering sacrifice,
death, resurrection and his giving of holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost, it
is now possible for God's – Yehovah’s people to love and worship God - Yehovah
as their own personal Father in spirit and in truth (Ephesians 2:18-22; Philippians
3:3). With the giving of the Spirit on the day of Pentecost the age of the New Covenant
began. This New Covenant is not based on external ordinances, rituals or a
written code of law. Instead, it is based upon the once for all time sin-offering
sacrifice of the lord Messiah Jesus for the sins of the world and upon the
Spirit of God which is given to every follower of the lord Messiah Jesus (Hebrews
9:15; 2 Corinthians 3:6). As a result, the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus
is now able to live in the freedom and confidence of a child of God - Yehovah
and to serve others with a Messiah like love from the heart. Look at the
following verses from the New Testament Letters:
The lifestyle of living in love, or living in the Spirit, is
the very essence of the Messiah like life of the follower of the lord Messiah
Jesus. This principle is called within the New Testament Letters "the law
of the Messiah" (Galatians 6:2). This is the rule, or principle, by which followers
of the lord Messiah Jesus in the age of the New Covenant are to live. Instead
of being a legal code of rules and regulations this law of the lord Messiah
Jesus is summed up in the all-encompassing concept of his creed: loving God
with all your being and loving your neighbor as yourself. This life of love is
based on the creed of the lord Messiah Jesus. It focuses on loving God –
Yehovah wholeheartedly and loving your neighbor as yourself just as the lord
Messiah Jesus. He was able to do this because the fullness of God’s nature indwelt
him. We need the fullness of the Spirit of God to enable us to keep the creed
of the lord Messiah Jesus, as he did. The New Testament Letters speak of this
lifestyle as living, or walking, in: "love" (Ephesians 5:1-2; Romans
13:8-10), "the Spirit" (Galatians 5:16-25; Romans 8:1-13) or
"the light" (Ephesians 5:8-9; I John 1:5-9). Each of these phrases
emphasizes the same basic truth - a Messiah like life of love and truth based
on his creed! Let's look at some examples from the NT letters:
Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing
debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law.
The commandments, "Do not commit adultery," "Do not
murder," "Do not steal," "Do not covet," and whatever
other commandment there may be, are summed up in this one rule: "Love your
neighbor as yourself." Love does no harm to its neighbor. Therefore, love
is the fulfillment of the law (Romans 13:8-10).
The contrast between the Messiah like life of love according
to his creed and the worldly lifestyle based on the works of the flesh (the
sinful nature) is obvious. The followers of the lord Messiah Jesus should have
no part in the works of the flesh since we are not to be conformed to the world
but instead to be transformed by the renewing of our minds by the Spirit of God
- Yehovah. Since, however, we live in the world it is certain that there will
always be a battle taking place between the godly lifestyle of living in the
Spirit and the world's lifestyle of the works of the flesh. The battlefield for
this ongoing spiritual battle (Ephesians 6:10-12) is primarily in the follower
of the lord Messiah Jesus mind and it is here that the follower of the lord Messiah
Jesus must learn to "take captive every thought to make it obedient to the
lord Messiah Jesus" (2 Corinthians 10:5). When we sin, as we all do, we
come to God - Yehovah as our Father and express our regret and sorrow by
confessing our sins to Him. Since He is our loving Father we have his assurance
that He will always forgive us so that we may continue to walk in intimate
fellowship with Him.
Look at the Letter of I John:
This is the message we have heard from him and declare to
you: God - Yehovah is light; in Him there is no darkness at all. If we claim to
have fellowship with Him yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not live by
the truth. But if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have
fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, purifies us from
all sin.
If we claim to be without sin, we deceive ourselves and
the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just and
will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness (I John
1:5-10).
The life of a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is a life
of living as the lord Messiah Jesus lived. As we live this way, living out the
creed of the lord Messiah Jesus, it is our joy and privilege to walk in
intimate fellowship with God - Yehovah as our Father and with the lord Messiah
Jesus His Son. As children in God's – Yehovah’s family we are "heirs of
God - Yehovah and joint-heirs with the lord Messiah Jesus" (Romans
8:16-17) and we are able to share fully in all that is our inheritance in the
lord Messiah Jesus. Since we now have God's – Yehovah’s Spirit as the "down
payment" of that inheritance we are even now able to walk in fellowship
with God - Yehovah day by day and to enjoy the fruits of that family
relationship. But the intimacy of that fellowship is directly proportional to
our decision to follow the creed of the lord Messiah Jesus, so as to walk in
the light as He is light.
OUR RESPONSIBILITIES AS FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD MESSIAH
JESUS
When we accepted the lord Messiah Jesus as our lord we
became subject to his benevolent rulership as our lord and Messiah (Colossians
3:24). As the head of his congregation, the lord Messiah Jesus now nourishes,
guides and intercedes for his people from the right hand of God - Yehovah in
heaven. As servants of our lord and members of his congregation, we are
responsible to live for him in every aspect of our lives (Colossians 3:17,24).
This includes family responsibilities, job responsibilities or any other area
of our lives. In addition, the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus have two
special responsibilities which God - Yehovah has assigned specifically to the called-out
Assembly.
First, we are responsible to care for and strengthen our
fellow brothers and sisters within the body of the lord Messiah Jesus in
whatever way that we can.
Look at the Book of Philippians:
If you have any encouragement from being united with the
Messiah, if any comfort from his love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if
any tenderness and compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded,
having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of
selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than
yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to
the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of the
Messiah Jesus (Philippians 2:1-5).
Though Christians are instructed to "do good to all
men," they should make a special effort to do good "to those who
belong to the family of believers" (Gal. 6:10). These same thoughts are
repeated over and over within the New Testament Letters and the basic idea is
certainly not difficult to understand. As God's family and members of the
church of the body of Christ, we are all uniquely bound together and therefore
have a special obligation to care for each other (cp. Rom 12:1-15:7; I Cor.
12-13; Eph. 4:1-6:9; Col. 3:1-17). We are to "carry each other's burden's,
and in this way ... fulfill the law of Christ" (Gal. 6:1-2).
The second responsibility which God has specifically
assigned to the church is to share the good news of the kingdom of God and His salvation
with others throughout the world (e.g. Luke 24:44-49; Acts 1:7-8; 28:28-31; Romans
10:8-17).
This responsibility
is called the ministry of reconciliation in the Book of 2 Corinthians (2 Corinthians
3:6-5:21). God - Yehovah has given the called-out Assembly a special role to
play in the accomplishing of His plan of salvation. If others are to hear about
God's love and grace it must come through the efforts of those who have
themselves received God's – Yehovah’s wonderful gift of salvation and have
received and believed the message the lord Messiah Jesus preached about the
coming kingdom of God. As the called-out Assembly and citizens of God's – Yehovah’s
kingdom we are ambassadors for the lord Messiah Jesus within this world.
Look at the following verses:
For the Messiah's love compels us, because we are
convinced that one died for all, and therefore all died. And he died for all,
that those who live should no longer live for themselves but for him who died
for them and was raised again.
So, from now on we regard no one from a worldly point of
view. Though we once regarded the Messiah in this way, we do so no longer.
Therefore, if anyone is in the Messiah, he is a ‘new creation’; the old has
gone, the new has come!
All this is from God - Yehovah, who reconciled us to Himself
through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was
reconciling the world to himself in the Messiah, not counting men's sins
against them. And He has committed to us the message of reconciliation. We are
therefore the Messiah's ambassadors, as though God - Yehovah were making His
appeal through us. We implore you on the Messiah's behalf: Be reconciled to God
- Yehovah.
God - Yehovah made him who had no sin to be sin for us,
so that in him we might become the righteousness of God - Yehovah (2 Corinthians
5:14-21).
As followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, we have the joy and
privilege of "shining like stars in the universe as we hold out the word
of life" (Philippians 2:14- 16). We are ambassadors for the Messiah, and
we represent him in this world. As we share the truths of God's – Yehovah’s
love and salvation with others we are able to help them to believe the gospel
message [about the coming kingdom of God] and thus to be reconciled to God -
Yehovah. What an incredible truth that God - Yehovah has entrusted this
responsibility to us, His people. Though we may not all be wonderful speakers
or evangelists we can all aid in the accomplishment of this ministry of
reconciliation. In our daily lives and in our personal contacts with others we
are witnesses of the lord Messiah Jesus in all that we do. Through our Messiah like
lives, our sharing of God's – Yehovah’s Word [about the coming kingdom of God]
with others, or even through helping those with special ministries in this
regard, we can all do our part in helping others "to be saved and come to
a knowledge of the truth" (I Timthy 2:4).
As Jesus stated, "...if anyone gives even a cup of
cold water to one of these little ones because he is my disciple, I tell you
the truth, he will certainly not lose his reward" (Matthew 10:42).
Let us therefore be faithful to this responsibility which
God has entrusted to us for there is no greater task or more noble purpose to
be accomplished in this life.
THE JUDGMENT OF THE FOLLOWERS OF THE LORD MESSIAH JESUS
After the lord Messiah Jesus second coming each of his
followers will "give account of himself/herself before God - Yehovah"
(Romans 14:9-12) and be judged as to his or her faithfulness in carrying out
their responsibilities as followers of the lord Messiah Jesus in this life (2
Corinthians 5:10). Since "in the Messiah" we have already been judged
and found "not guilty" as regards our acceptance with God - Yehovah
and future salvation (Romans 3:22-24; 5:1-2; 8:1-3), this judgment will be in
respect to rewards which have been earned through faithful service to our lord
Messiah Jesus or else in respect to penalties for wrongdoing (Colossians
3:23-25; I Corinthians 3:8-15). In short, the followers of the lord Messiah
Jesus will stand before the lord Messiah Jesus judgment seat, in their glorified
bodies and in assurance of being "with him forever" since this
transformation takes place instantaneously at the lord Messiah Jesus return
when the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus are "caught up" to meet
him in the air (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:50-57).
As our lord, Jesus will be the judge on God's – Yehovah’s behalf as His agent, and his judgment will be absolutely just (2
Timothy 4:1,8). It will be a judgment based not only on outward acts but also
on the inward motives of the heart (I Corinthians 4:1-5). All who have rendered
faithful service for the lord Messiah Jesus will "receive their own reward
according to their own labor" (I Corinthians 3:8). Those whose work will
prove to be of poor quality will have their work "burned up" but they
themselves "will be saved, though only as one escaping through the
flames" (I Corinthians 3:10-15). Though the scriptures tell us very little
about this future judgment of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, it is
evident that how we live our lives in this present life will have direct
bearing on the privileges, honors, and responsibilities that will be ours in
the kingdom of God of the coming age – the 1,000-year-rule of the lord Messiah
Jesus. Salvation is absolutely by grace, through faith, but the follower in the
lord Messiah Jesus will also be judged in respect to his faithfulness in
carrying out his responsibilities as a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus.
1. The Book of Colossians puts the entire Messiah
like life of the follower of the lord Messiah Jesus in proper perspective for
us:
Since, then, you have been raised with the Messiah, set
your hearts on things above, where the Messiah is seated at the right hand of
God - Yehovah. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you
died and your life is now hidden with the Messiah in God - Yehovah. When the
Messiah, who is your life, appears, then you also will appear with him in
glory.
Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly
nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is
idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God - Yehovah is coming. You used to
walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves
of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander, and filthy language
from your lips.
Do not lie to each other, since you have taken off your
old self with its practices and have put on the new self, which is being
renewed in knowledge in the image of its Creator. Here there is no Greek or
Jew, circumcised or uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave or free, but the
Messiah is all, and is in all.
Therefore, as
God's – Yehovah’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with
compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other
and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as
the Lord - Yehovah forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which
binds them all together in perfect unity.
Let the peace of the Messiah rule in your hearts, since
as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word
of the Messiah dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with
all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs, with gratitude
in your hearts to God - Yehovah. And whatever you do whether in word or deed,
do it all in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thanks to God - Yehovah the
Father through him.
Wives, submit to your husbands, as is fitting in the lord.
Husbands, love your wives and do not be harsh with them. Children, obey your
parents in everything, for this pleases the lord. Fathers do not embitter your
children, or they will become discouraged.
Slaves, obey your earthly masters in everything; and do
it, not only when their eye is on you and to win their favor, but with
sincerity of heart and reverence for the lord.
Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as
working for the lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an
inheritance from the Lord - Yehovah as a reward. It is the Lord the Messiah you
are serving. Anyone who does wrong will be repaid for his wrong, and there is
no favoritism (Colossians 3:1-25).
This is the Messiah like life of the follower of the lord
Messiah Jesus. It is a life of loving service to others based on the truth of
God's – Yehovah’s Word. As we live faithfully for God - Yehovah our Father and the
lord Messiah Jesus we can enjoy the fellowship of that relationship even now
while looking expectantly to the "praise, glory and honor" that we
will receive "when Jesus the Messiah is revealed" (I Peter 1:7).
Therefore:
... my dear
brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the
work of the lord, because you know that your labor in the lord is not in vain
(I Corinthians 15:58).
CONCLUSION
CONTINUE IN THE FAITH
Through-out the New Testament the followers of the lord
Messiah Jesus are exhorted to "continue in your faith, established and
firm, not moved from the hope held out in the gospel" (Colossians 1:23;
cp. Acts 13:43; etc.). For followers of the lord Messiah Jesus, they make is a
lifetime commitment to “continue in the faith”, that should continue until
death or the second coming of the lord Messiah Jesus. The New Testament Letters
often liken the Christian life to a long-distance race, an athletic contest or
even a military battle. Shortly before the end of his life the Apostle Paul put
his own Christian life in perspective in his second letter to Timothy:
I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I
have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness,
which the lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day - and not
only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing (2 Timothy
4:7-8).
Paul, who endured more for the sake of the lord Messiah Jesus
than most of us can even imagine, set his hope fully on the second coming of the
lord Messiah Jesus and the reward for faithful service that he would receive at
that time. His whole life was lived in the light of this great truth. No
sacrifice was too great and no task was too small if it helped in accomplishing
God's – Yehovah’s plan of salvation (I Corinthians 9:1-27). In this lifestyle
Paul was imitating the lord Messiah Jesus, and he continually exhorted his
fellow followers of the lord Messiah Jesus to do the same (I Corinthians
10:31-11:1).
The Letter to the Colossian Congregation provides an
example of Paul's exhortation to the different congregations which he had
founded and continued to nurture:
So then, just as you received the lord Messiah Jesus as lord,
continue to live in him, rooted and built up in him, strengthened in the faith
as you were taught, and overflowing with thankfulness (Colossians 2:6-7).
This is the great goal and challenge for the followers of
the lord Messiah Jesus. To live and grow with God - Yehovah for a lifetime so
as to receive a full reward for our lives of faithful service. The life of a
follower of the lord Messiah Jesus is a life which has abundant blessings now
because of the joy, fellowship and hope which we have as God's – Yehovah’s
children. Since, however, we live our lives within the context of a great
spiritual battle we need to strengthen each other and to "put on the full
armor of God - Yehovah so that you can take your stand against the devil's
schemes" (Ephesians 6:10-12). In order to most effectively do this there
are three very practical things which we can all do on a regular basis:
1. Prayer to God - Yehovah our Father, individually and
together with other believers (Philippians 4:6; I Timothy 2:1-4; Matthew 6:5-13).
2. Read and study the scriptures, individually and together
with other believers (2 Timothy 3:14-17; Romans 15:4; Psalms 1:119).
3. Fellowship together with other like-minded followers of
the lord Messiah Jesus (Acts 2:42-47; Hebrews 10:25; 2 Timothy 2:22; Matthew
18:20).
Prayer is simply talking to God - Yehovah as your heavenly
Father about anything and everything that may be on your heart. The desire to
do God's – Yehovah’s will should always be the foundation upon which prayer is
built (Luke 22:41-42; I John 5:14-15). But we should also learn to bring all
our needs to God - Yehovah in prayer knowing that He will understand and help
us in all of life's situations. In addition, we should offer praise and
thanksgivings to Him for the wonderful love and grace that He has bestowed upon
us as his people.
Reading the Psalms and the many different prayers in the scriptures
is a good way to see how we also can bring our prayers to God - Yehovah.
Reading and studying the scriptures helps us keep our minds focused on what is
truly important in life. It is a good idea to read the scriptures on a regular
basis of some kind. Set some time apart in your daily life just for reading or
meditating on the scriptures or else simply do it whenever you are able.
Generally speaking, the more you read and gain an understanding of the scriptures
the more deeply you will become rooted and grounded in your walk with God -
Yehovah.
Always read in the light of the overall central theme of the
scriptures - God's plan of salvation. This is the plan which God - Yehovah is
working out from the beginning to the end, according to His foreknowledge.
Since we live in the New Testament era after the death and resurrection of the
lord Messiah Jesus, it is the Book of Acts and the New Testament Letters to the
congregations or followers of the lord Messiah Jesus which should be our
primary focus of study. However, these must be read in the light of their Old
Testament background and especially in the light of the life and teachings of the
lord Messiah Jesus as presented in the Gospels.
Once this is understood, the Letters written to different congregations
or followers of the lord Messiah Jesus of the New Testament era can be read by followers
of the lord Messiah Jesus today almost as if they were written directly to us -
with the exception of certain historical, geographical or cultural situations
which have no relevance for us today - because to be a follower of the lord
Messiah Jesus today is the same as it was to be one then. It is also important
that we seek out other like-minded followers of the lord Messiah Jesus who are
also endeavoring to truly live for God - Yehovah.
The followers of the lord Messiah Jesus can meet together
anywhere as long as they are able to help and strengthen each other in an
atmosphere that is "fitting and orderly" (I Corinthians 14:40). The followers
of the lord Messiah Jesus of the New Testament times met in various places but
primarily in their homes because of the situations in which they lived (e.g.
Romans 16:3-5). The word "called-out Assembly" in the scripture never
meant a building. It referred either to the spiritual called-out Assembly of
the body of the lord Messiah Jesus which transcends national, social and
geographic lines or to local groups of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus
who met together in their particular geographic locations. The primary purpose
of believers meeting together is to help and strengthen each other in their
walk with God - Yehovah as well as to be able to worship God – Yehovah together.
In short, anything that can help us to spiritually edify each other and glorify
God - Yehovah together as His family is appropriate. As God's family, chosen
before the creation of the ages to enjoy the blessings of his love and goodness
forever, we have so much to be thankful for. Let us therefore, as Paul, fight
the good fight of faith so that we also may receive the reward for "those
who long for his appearing."
The Letter of I Peter expresses my thoughts in closing:
Praise be to the God and Father of the lord Messiah Jesus!
In His great mercy He has given us new birth into a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus the Messiah from the dead, and into an inheritance that
can never perish, spoil or fade; kept in
heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God's – Yehovah’s power until
the coming of the kingdom of God that is ready to be revealed at the end of
this age. In this you greatly rejoice, though now for a little while you may
have had to suffer grief in all kinds of trials. These have come so that your
faith - of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire
- may be proved genuine and may result in praise, glory and honor when Jesus the
Messiah is revealed. Though you have not seen him, you love him; and even
though you do not see him now, you believe in him and are filled with an
inexpressible and glorious joy, for you are receiving the goal of your faith,
the salvation of your souls – entire being (I Peter 1:3-9).
God's – Yehovah’s plan of salvation is fulfilled in us, His
people. We are the object of His love and the reason for His plan of salvation.
Let us therefore walk worthy of His calling and share the good news of this
salvation with all who desire to hear. For: "No eye has seen, no ear has
heard, no mind has conceived what God - Yehovah has prepared for those who love
Him"; but God - Yehovah has revealed it to us by His Spirit (I Corinthians
2:9-10).
Study Notes:
1. "The expression 'eternal life' (Gk. zoe aionios) ...
is to be understood primarily as life which belongs to God. From the Book of
Daniel onwards 'eternal life' is an expression of the longed-for eschatological
blessings of salvation, life in the age to come (cf. Daniel 12:2). This is a
life that is awaited in the future along with the resurrection of the dead,
just as the term can be used ... alternately with ... the kingdom of God ... to
denote salvation" (The New International Dictionary of New Testament
Theology, Vol. 3, p. 832, The Zondervan Publishing House, Grand Rapids,
Michigan, 1986).
2. The fact that Abraham looked for a "heavenly
country" (Hebrews 11:16) does not mean that Abraham expected to go to
heaven. Instead, he looked forward to the day when God's – Yehovah’s
"heavenly country" would be established in a renewed earth. In scriptural
thought the future inheritance of God's –
Yehovah’s people is "stored up ... in heaven" (Colossians 1:5) until
the time when God - Yehovah will intervene in history to "restore
everything" through his promised Messiah (Acts 3:21). Though the NT the
followers of the lord Messiah Jesus "citizenship" is even now
"in heaven," the follower is still on earth and will receive the
benefits in full only when the lord Messiah Jesus is sent down from heaven to
bring this about (Philippians 3:20-21). Similarly, in I Peter 1:4-7 the NT follower
of the lord Messiah Jesus even now has an "inheritance ... kept in
heaven" (v. 4) but will not receive it until it "is revealed in the
last time" (v. 7). Compare Paul's talking about the "Jerusalem that
is above" (Galatians 4:26; cf. Hebrews 12:22) and "the New
Jerusalem" coming down from heaven at the time of the establishment of the
new heaven and earth (Revelation 21:1-4). The same is true of
"paradise" (cp. Luke 23:42-43; 2 Corinthians 12:1-4; Revelation 2:7;
chapters 21-22). The biblical hope is for God's – Yehovah’s kingdom to come -
so that God's – Yehovah’s will may be fully realized "on earth as it is in
heaven" (Matthew 6:10). The British NT scholar G.R. Beasley-Murray sums up
the biblical perspective well: "While the majority of Christendom has been
in the habit of thinking of 'heaven' as the place for which the children of God
- Yehovah are destined, Jesus makes the startling statement that the meek are
to possess [inherit] the earth]. This accords with the prophetic and
apocalyptic traditions almost in their entirety... The kingdom of God - Yehovah
comes from heaven to earth, and earth will be fitted to be the scene of such
rule" (Jesus and the Kingdom of God, p.163, Eerdmans).
3. Each of these titles foreshadows in exalted and royal
terms the coming human Messiah. Isaiah 9:2-7 together with Isaiah 11:1-9
"describe ... the enthronement of the king of salvation and the equipment
of the new shoot of David's line with the gifts of the Spirit of God. At his
exaltation to sonship, his Father confers upon him names that promise salvation
... The king is none other than God's – Yehovah’s representative on earth. With
his coming, man's history of woe is at an end; he will bring salvation to the
whole world" (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology,
Vol. 3, p. 637, emphasis mine).
The name "Wonderful Counselor" is a term that
"points to the Messiah as king ... the coming son of David will carry out
a royal program that will cause all the world to marvel" (The NIV Study
Bible, p. 1030. Zondervan Publishing House).
The term "mighty god" is a kingly designation
and is defined by the leading Hebrew Lexicon as a "mighty hero" or
"divine hero, reflecting the divine majesty" (Hebrew and English
Lexicon of the Old Testament by Brown, Driver and Briggs, p.42, Oxford
University Press). This mighty hero is "a warrior and defender of his
people, like God - Yehovah himself" (The Catholic Study Bible, p. 888).
The title "Everlasting Father" means one who is
"ever devoted to his people" (The Catholic Study Bible, p. 888). According
to some Septuagint texts (i.e., 63 a 2nd or 3rd century B.C. Greek translation
of the Old Testament) this title should be rendered "father of the age to
come" (The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology, Vol. 1.
p.326).
The title "Prince of Peace" means that his
reign will be characterized by peace and that "his rule will bring
wholeness and well-being to individuals and to society" (The NIV Study
Bible, p. 1030).
4. The phrase “one like a son of man” refers to “a human,
not bestial figure” (The Defense of the Gospel in the New Testament by F.F.
Bruce, p.6). This is in contrast to the beastly representations of the four
Gentile empires in the Book of Daniel which are finally replaced by God's –
Yehovah’s kingdom. The "one like a son of man" is the representative
ruler of "the saints, the people of the Most High," to whom the
kingdom will be given "forever and ever" (Daniel 7).
Jesus identified himself as "the son of man"
and specifically stated that he would be seen "coming on the clouds of
heaven" at the time of his second coming so as to establish God's –
Yehovah’s kingdom on earth forever (Mark 14:62).
5. The term "kingdom of God" literally means “the
reign, or rule, of God”. It refers either to God's – Yehovah’s active rule
(i.e., God's kingly reign - manifested through his power, love, righteousness,
etc.) or to the future realm of paradise where God's – Yehovah’s rule will be
perfectly manifested. God's – Yehovah’s rule has always been in the realm of
heaven "over all" (Psalm 103:19). The scriptural hope, however, is
that God's – Yehovah’s perfect rule will one day be fully manifested "on
earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:9-10) - in the realm of "a new
heaven and a new earth, the home of righteousness" (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation
21). This will only take place after the White Thone Judgement and the earth is
cleansed by fire and God created a renewed heaven and earth, referred to as the
“new Heavens’ and “new earth” in scripture. It is this final, imperishable and
everlasting kingdom of God that is the ultimate hope of all the scriptural writers
(e.g. Luke 20:34-36; I Corinthians 15:20- 28; 50-55; Ephesians 1:10; 2 Peter
3:13; Revelation 2:7; chapters 21-22). Other synonymous terms for "the
kingdom of God" in the scriptures include: "the kingdom of
heaven" (e.g. Matthew 5:3, 10, etc.); "the kingdom of the lord
Messiah Jesus and of God - Yehovah" (Ephesians 5:5); "the kingdom of
our Lord - Yehovah and of His anointed one" (Revelation 11:15). All of
these terms simply emphasize one or another aspect of the same “kingdom of
God.” For further information on the kingdom of God see the article
"Eschatology" in the New Bible Dictionary and, especially, the works
of G.E. Ladd such as The Gospel of the Kingdom; The Presence of the Future and
A Theology of the New Testament (Eerdmans).
6. The words "Messiah" and "Christ" both
literally mean "the anointed one." This was understood to mean
"God's anointed Savior and King." Old Testament kings were anointed
with oil, but the prophesied coming Messiah was to be anointed with the Spirit
of God (Isaiah 61:1-2). The word Messiah is a transliteration from the Hebrew
word "Mashiach" while the word Christ is a translation from the Greek
word "Christos" which is the Greek translation of "Massiah."
The terms may be used interchangeably.
7. Satan and other spiritual powers are described in the
Bible as: "sons of God,” "rulers," "princes,"
"authorities," "powers,” "angels," etc. (cf. Job 1-2;
Daniel 10:13, 20-21; John 12:31; Ephesians 2:1-3; 6:12). They were created and
given responsibilities by God - Yehovah in the spiritual realm (Colossians
1:16). Part of these responsibilities concerned various levels of rulership
over the nations of the world in the spiritual realm - thus the terms
"princes," "rulers," etc. (e.g. Daniel 10; Ephesians 6:12).
This rulership over the nations is probably referred to in Deuteronomy 32:8
(see NIV footnote "sons of God" and compare other versions). It is
evident that these spiritual powers were given freedom of will, as is the case
with humans, and that Satan and forces under his control chose to do evil (John
8:44; I John 3:8). Thus, those aligned with Satan became the "rulers of
the darkness of this world" (literally, "world-rulers of
darkness") and the "spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly
realms" (Ephesians 6:12). According to F.F. Bruce: "The heavenly
realm may be envisaged as comprising a succession of levels, with the throne of
God on the highest of these and the hostile forces occupying the lowest. The
level which they occupy is probably identical with 'the domain of the air,'
ruled (according to Ephesians 2:2) by 'the spirit which now operates in the
disobedient'" (The New Int. Com. on the NT, "the Epistle to the...
Ephesians," p. 406). These powers are the spiritual cause of the evil in
the world today (Revelation 12:9; Ephesians 2:2, 6:12). However, man has the freedom
to choose to resist them and choose to do God's will (Ephesians 6:10-11; I
Peter 5:8-11; James 4:7). Though they have power, it is a limited power which
is strictly defined and ultimately subject to God's – Yehovah’s overall rule
and the working out of his plan of salvation (cp. Job 1-2; Romans 16:20; I Corinthians
15:24-28). It should be emphasized that man's understanding of Satan and all
spiritual matters must be based on what the scriptures specifically teach and
not on speculations or the traditions of men.
8. Jesus was fully human (John 1:14; Hebrews 3:14; I John
4:2) and therefore a man (I Timothy 2:5-6; Acts 2:22-23; 17:31; etc.). However,
he was no ordinary man - he was the Son of God by virtue of his divine
conception (Luke 1:26-38). In addition, he was filled "without limit"
with the power of God's Spirit at the beginning of his ministry (John 3:34;
Luke 3:21-23). As a result, Jesus was able to carry out his mission as the anointed
one of God in accordance with God's –
Yehovah’s will and to fully make known the heart of his Father, God, to mankind
(Luke 4:14-21; Acts 10:38; John 1:18). This is why Jesus could say "anyone
who has seen me has seen the Father" (John 14:9) and that Paul could state
that the Messiah is "the image of the invisible God" (Colossians
1:15). For the invisible God whom "no one has seen or can see" (I Timothy
6:16) was manifested to the world through the person of Jesus the Messiah – the
one in whom "dwells all the fullness of the nature of God’ (Colossians
2:9). It was precisely the fact that Jesus was a man who was "tempted in
every way, just as we are ... yet was without sin" (Hebrews 4:15) that
made it possible for him to redeem - reconcil mankind back to God. Note the
contrasts in the NT between Adam and the lord Messiah Jesus (Romans 5:12-21; I
Corinthians 15:20-21, 42-49).
9. The words "covenant" and "testament"
are equivalent terms when used in reference to the old and new covenants. Today
the word covenant better expresses the biblical concept. A covenant was an
agreement (similar to a contract or treaty) between a greater party (such as a
king) and a lesser party (such as the king's subjects). There are several
covenants mentioned in the Old Testament, but the term "old covenant"
refers to the covenant which God set up with Israel as recorded in Exodus
20-24. The terms of the agreement were set out in the Mosaic Law as recorded in
the Books of Exodus through Deuteronomy. Since Israel as a whole was unfaithful
to this covenant agreement God promised that He would one day establish a
"new covenant" between Himself and Israel (Jeremiah 31:31-34). The
chief features of this new covenant were that all of God's people would know Him
as a personal God; that He would write His law on the hearts of his people; and
that He would remember their sins no more. Jesus established this new covenant
by his sin-offering sacrifice which ratified the New Covenant by his shed blood,
resurrection and pouring out the Spirit of God on the day of Pentecost. He also
instituted the lord's Supper by which its significance could be symbolically
remembered (cp. Luke 22:14-20 and I Corinthians 11:23-33). The new covenant
which was originally promised to Israel became the rightful inheritance of the
true "Israel of God" (Galatians 6:16; Philippians 3:1-3), the called-out
Assembly of the body of the lord Messiah Jesus, as a result of the lord Messiah
Jesus sin-offering sacrifice, death and resurrection. The new covenant came
into force on the day of Pentecost with the giving of the Spirit of God. (Acts
2; 2 Corinthians 3:6) and as with all the blessings of salvation will be
manifested in all its fullness after the lord Messiah Jesus second coming. See
Bible Dictionaries for a more detailed study of the covenant concept.
10. The resurrection of the dead was foretold in the Old
Testament to take place at the end of this age (Daniel 12). Christ, as the
firstborn from the dead, is the beginning of the resurrection. Therefore, from
the scriptural perspective, the end has already begun. The Spirit was also
prophesied to be poured out in the last days. According to Peter, this was
fulfilled on the day of Pentecost (Acts 2:17). Therefore, the last days have
also begun. It should be remembered that God's – Yehovah’s perspective on time
is quite different than man's (2 Peter 3:1-9).
11. Today the lord Messiah Jesus reigns as "lord"
at the right hand of God - Yehovah in the highest realm of heaven after having
passed "through the heavens" (Hebrews 4:14 and see note 7). He is,
therefore, "far above all rule and authority, power and dominion, and
every title that can be given, not only in the present age but also in the one
to come" (Ephesians 1:20-21). The fact that God has raised Jesus to life
and seated him at his own right hand as lord over His creation brings glory to
God - Yehovah when it is acknowledged by our confession (Philippians 2:8-11). The
followers of the lord Messiah Jesus share in this victory because even while on
earth we are "seated in the heavenly realms in the lord Messiah Jesus"
(Ephesians 2:6).
12. The biblical truth of salvation by grace does not give a
follower of the lord Messiah Jesus a license to willfully practice sin (cp. Romans
6:1-23; Jude 3-4). Biblical faith in the lord Messiah Jesus is not just mental
assent; instead, it is an acceptance of, and commitment to, Jesus as lord (Romans
10:9). Salvation by grace is “unto good works” (Ephesians 2:10) and should
issue in an “obedience that comes from faith” (Romans 1:5) or a “faith which
expresses itself through love” (Galatians 5:5-6). God’s people are called to
holiness and the deliberate practice of sin by God’s people cannot be allowed.
Though we all sin and it is self-deception to think otherwise (I John 1:8), to
deliberately practice sin in clear defiance of scriptural teaching for godly
living will result in divine punishment for the offender, either in this life
or at the lord Messiah Jesus return (I Thessalonians 4:3-8; I Corinthians
11:27-34; Colossians 3:25; etc.). The followers of the lord Messiah Jesus are
expressly commanded to not associate with those who profess the lord Messiah
Jesus yet live ungodly lives (I Corinthians 5:1-13; 2 Thessalonians 3:14-15;
Ephesians 5:3ff.). However, love, mercy and forgiveness should be the norm of all
the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus (Ephesians 4:32; I Pet. 4:8) and those
who willfully sin should be reproved with a view to their restoration to the
fellowship of the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus (Galatians 6:1).
13. Those who accept Jesus as lord enter into a living
family relationship with God - Yehovah and His Son through the regenerating
power of God’s holy Spirit (Titus 3:4-7; John 1:12-13, 66 3:3-8; Galatians
4:4-7). This Spirit is God's own life-giving power and presence that now
"lives" or "dwells" in His people (Acts 2:17; I Corinthians
2:10-12; Ephesians 2:18-22; I Corinthians 6:19- 20). God's gift of the Holy
Spirit can also be "manifested" in the lives of God's people in
various ways “for the common good" as listed in I Corinthians 12:1-11 and
as illustrated in the Book of Acts and in I Corinthians 12-14. It is the
cultivation of the "fruit of the Spirit" that is the goal of the
followers of the lord Messiah Jesus daily living (Galatians 5:22-23; Romans
7:6). For more information on this subject see the article “Spirit, Holy
Spirit” by J.D.G. Dunn in New Bible Dictionary.
14. It must be emphasized that "the NT hope for dead
followers of the lord Messiah Jesus is concentrated on their participation in
the resurrection (I Thessalonians 4:13-18), and there is therefore no evidence about
an 'intermediate state'" (New Bible Dictionary, p. 346, Tyndale Pub.).
Though there are a few scriptural verses that may seem to imply that a believer
is consciously with the lord Messiah Jesus immediately after death (e.g. Philippians1:23),
these verses are controversial as to their proper interpretation among Bible
scholars and cannot be used to paint a picture of something that occurs beyond
what the scriptures specifically says about all the followers of the lord
Messiah Jesus. The normal scriptures picture of death is that a person is
metaphorically asleep, without consciousness, until he is awakened at the time
of the resurrection of the dead (Psalm 13:3; 146:4; 6:5; Ecclesiastes 9:4-6,
10; Daniel 12:2, 13). In the New Testament, the followers of the lord Messiah
Jesus who have died are said to be "asleep in the lord Messiah Jesus"
(I Corinthians 15:6, 18, 20, 51; I Thessalonians 4:13, 14, 15; 5:10). The lord
Messiah Jesus is specifically said to be "the firstborn from the among the
dead" (Colossians 1:18) or "the firstfruits of those who have fallen
asleep" (I Corinthians 15:20). All followers of the lord Messiah Jesus who
have died "will be made alive" only "when he comes" (I Corinthians
15:22- 23). The biblical accounts of the death of Jesus (Luke 23:46; John
19:30) and the death of Stephen (Acts 7:54-60) describe exactly what happens to
a follower of the lord Messiah Jesus at the moment of death. The believer
"falls asleep" in death and his "spirit" (i.e., his
“life-force” or “life principle”) is committed to God - Yehovah for
safe-keeping until the time of the future resurrection of the dead at the lord
Messiah Jesus return. Scripturally, this does not imply a conscious existence
of the individual person after death for the scripture views man as a necessary
unity of body and spirit rather than as separable parts that can survive and
exist on their own (cp. Genesis 2:7; James 2:26). The Platonic Greek idea of
the “immortality of the soul” is not found in the scriptures and is totally
contrary to its teachings. The Hebrew and Greek words often translated “soul”
in English Bibles refer to “physical or natural life” and often denote the
entire person himself as in the English words “life,” “being” or “self.” At
times they also refer specifically to the “inner life” of the person including
his thoughts, emotions and desires. The NT specifically teaches that man is
“mortal” (Romans 1:23) and that death is an “enemy” (I Corinthians 15:26);
however, death is not something to be feared by the followers of the lord
Messiah Jesus. For nothing - not even death - can separate the followers of the
lord Messiah Jesus from "the love of God - Yehovah which is in the lord
Messiah Jesus our lord" (Romans 8:37-39). Since the lord Messiah Jesus has
conquered death (Hebrews 2:14- 15), his followers who “sleep in the lord
Messiah Jesus” will be resurrected and transformed – receive immorality at his
return so as to be with him forever in the glorious kingdom of God (I Thessalonians
4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:50- 57). (Luke 20:34-38; 2 Thessalonians 1:1-10).
However, the ungodly “will not inherit the kingdom of God” (I Corinthians 6:9;
Galatians 5:21; Ephesians 5:5). Instead, they will be condemned at the final
judgment [at the White Throne Judgment] and their final end will be to “perish”
in the lake of fire, i.e., not eternal torment, but a final “destruction at the
end of the age to come” (2 Thessalonians 1:9; Galatians 6:8; Philippians.
3:19). For more information see the articles "Life" and “Eschatology”
in New Bible Dictionary and the articles "Soul" and
"Punishment" in The New Int. Dict. of NT Theology.
15. This collection of articlse does not attempt to deal
with aspects of end-time chronology either before or after the lord Messiah
Jesus second coming. Instead, it focuses on the second coming of the lord
Messiah Jesus as the moment when all the followers of the lord Messiah Jesus
are changed from mortal to immortal, become like the lord Messiah Jesus and
inherit the kingdom of God (I Thessalonians 4:13-18; I Corinthians 15:50-58; I
John 3:1- 3). This is the clear and simple focus of the hope of the followers
of the lord Messiah Jesus that all his followers should unite on no matter what
their views on end-time chronology might be. It should be emphasized, however,
that the scriptures specifically states that no one knows the time of the lord
Messiah Jesus second coming except God – Yehovah. (Matthew 24:36; Acts 1:7; I
Thessalonians 5:1-3; etc.). For further information on this subject see the
excellent article "Eschatology" by R.J. Bauckham in New Bible
Dictionary.
16. The "saints," i.e., God's – Yehovah’s redeemed
and holy people, will at the lord Messiah Jesus return, inherit God’s – Yehovah’s
kingdom and reign forever over a renewed and glorious earth (Daniel 7:1-27;
Matthew 6:9-10; Hebrews 12:28; 13:14; Revelation 21:1-22:5, etc.). In fact, the
saints will, with the lord Messiah Jesus, “judge the world” and “judge angels”
(I Corinthians 6:1-3). Even in this present life the saints are already, by way
of the Spirit, citizens and heirs of God’s – Yehovah’s heavenly kingdom to come
with their names written on the heavenly register of God’s – Yehovah’s book of
life (Ephesians 2:18-19; Philippians 3:20-21; 4:3; Galatians 4:26; Hebrews
12:22-24; Revelation 3:5,12). However, the scriptures says nothing at all about
"saints" as a special class of God's – Yehovah’s people who are now
in heaven where they can receive veneration from, and render aid to, God's –
Yehovah’s people. This idea stems from extra-biblical pagan traditions.
Biblically, all of God's – Yehovah’s faithful people are "saints” – “holy
ones” (Ephesians 1:1; 2:19, etc.).
17. Generally speaking, the followers of the lord Messiah
Jesus should be the best of all citizens (Romans 13:1- 7; I Peter 2:13-17), and
the best of all family members (I Peter 3:1-7; Ephesians 6:1-4; I Timothy 5:4-
8; etc.). However, when the darkness of unbelief overwhelms the light of God's
truth the citizens of God's kingdom must hold to God - Yehovah and the truth of
his Word as their first allegiance (e.g. Acts 4:18; 5:29, 40-42; cf. the
examples of Daniel and Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego in the O.T. Book of
Daniel).
18. Baptism with water was a symbolic initiation rite in the
time of the first century. It was practiced in various forms by pagan religious
groups, Jewish religious groups and then by the early Christian believers. For
the early Christian believers water baptism was very meaningful and
significant. It was an outward expression of faith for new converts to the lord
Messiah Jesus - symbolic of the washing away of their sins and expressive of
their acceptance of Jesus as lord (e.g. Acts 2:36-41). Over time, however,
baptism came to take on significance far beyond what the New Testament
scriptures indicate that it should hold; even to the point of being attributed
magical powers so that it could automatically produce (effect) salvation for
the person being baptized. Today there is wide disagreement as to the proper
meaning and practice of baptism within the Christian community. However, for
water baptism to correspond most closely to its NT practice it must be seen as
a symbolic act which, in and of itself, has no saving power. Salvation is
clearly by grace, through faith, and not of works (Ephesians 2:8-10; Romans
4:1-5; 11:6). God - Yehovah is more than able to work either in, or apart from,
ritual because God - Yehovah looks on a person's heart and gives His Spirit in
direct response to faith (Romans 10:9-10; Acts 15:6-11; Galatians 3:14). For
more information see the article “Baptism” by J.D.G. Dunn in New Bible
Dictionary.
19. God - Yehovah loves everyone (John 3:16) and
"causes His sun to rise on the evil and the good" (Matthew 6:45).
However, the blessings of God's – Yehovah’s salvation are for those who meet
the condition which He has set for receiving it: faith in the lord Messiah
Jesus (John 3:16). God's – Yehovah’s continuing love, goodness and withholding
of deserved judgment upon the ungodly should not be misunderstood and, thus,
treated with contempt because God's – Yehovah’s forbearance is specifically
intended to lead the ungodly to repentance (Romans 2:4; Acts 14:14-17). It
should not be thought, however, that this forbearance will continue
indefinitely (2 Peter 3:1-13).
20. This is a fulfillment of the Old Testament Abrahamic
covenant promise that "in you [Abraham] all nations of the earth will be
blessed" (See Galatians 3:6-4:7). However, it was in a way far greater
than ever before revealed. For though it was foretold that the Gentiles would
one day be blessed by God - Yehovah, no one even considered that they would be
blessed on an equal basis with believing Israelites and thus become equal
partners with them in God's new covenant people through faith in Christ. This
was a mystery kept secret in God.
21. The unfolding of this mystery in the forming of God's –
Yehovah’s new covenant people out from among every nation, family and race on
an equal basis with each other is the central focus of God's plan of salvation.
It is precisely this new covenant people of God, the church of the body of the
Messiah, which brings glory to God and displays before the spiritual
principalities and powers in the heavenly realms God's "manifold
wisdom" (Ephesians 3:10- 11, cp. Ephesians 6:12).
22. According to the Gospels of Matthew and Mark, the
Messiah’s second coming will not occur until the good news of God’s kingdom has
fully been made known throughout the world (Matthew 24:14; Mark 13:10; cp. Romans
11:25). Apparently, this will bring about a time of great tribulation which is
climaxed by the appearing of “the man of lawlessness” who will oppose the true
God and even go so far as to proclaim himself as God (2 Thessalonians 2:1-5).
New Testament believers were very much aware that their Christian
responsibilities might bring upon them persecution and hardship in this present
life. As Paul stated, "We must go through many hardships [Gr.
"tribulations"] to enter the kingdom of God" (Acts 14:22; cp. 2
Thessalonians 1-2; 2 Timothy 3:12). It should be noted that persecution can
take many forms, usually dependent on the society and political or legal system
in which a person lives. It can range from words (Matthew 5:11-12) to
imprisonment (Acts chapters 4-7), to even death (Acts 12, etc.). But God's word
is extremely clear that faithful service in this life will bring far greater
rewards in the life to come (e.g. Matthew 19: 28-30; 2Timothy 4:7-8).
