In Search of the Historical Christ: Part Two

I Timothy 3: 16

It is essential to have a personal Christology, that is, a confident belief in who Jesus Christ was. I Timothy 3: 16 offers these six insights.

HIS VIRGIN BIRTH. He was “manifested in the flesh.”

Anybody with an elemental knowledge of conception and childbirth knows it is impossible for a virgin to have a baby. It is contrary to the laws of nature. True, but it isn’t contrary to the laws of God. To accept the virgin birth is to take a step affirming the entrance of the supernatural into the realm of the natural. 

Every person is born with an old sin nature. Jesus being born of a virgin had no old sin nature. Thus, when He died on the cross He died for our old sin nature. We are not accountable for our personal sins until we are old enough to be responsible for them. Upon reaching the age of accountability we must receive Christ as Savior to have our personal sins forgiven. Question, “How about the eternal condition of the infant which dies before reaching this age of accountability, but who has an old sin nature?” Jesus Christ, born of a virgin, had no old sin nature so when He died on the cross He died for the old sin nature of every one. Therefore, an infant that dies goes directly to heaven.

HIS VIRTUOUS LIFE.   He was “preached…believed on in the world.”

His life reveals the mind, heart, will of God the Father in a form that can be comprehended. In Jesus Christ is seen life as God intends you to live it. He knows your world.  “He has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.” (Hebrews 2: 18)

At His trial Pilate concluded, “I find no fault in Him at all.” (John 8:38)

On the cross the Roman executioner said, “Truly this Man was the Son of God.” (Mark 15: 39) He did what no other has ever done, He lived a sinless life.

HIS VICARIOUS DEATH.  He was “seen of angels.”

To have prevented His death He could have called 72,000 angels. They witnessed and waited to rescue Him. 

“But God demonstrates His love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us.”  (Romans 5:8) “…Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust….”  (I Peter 3:18)

HIS VINDICATING RESURRECTION. He was “justified in the Spirit.”

Jesus Christ was “…declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the Spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” (Romans 1: 4)

The purpose of His death and resurrection are tied together in Romans 4:25. Therein Jesus Christ is described as the One “who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.”

HIS VALEDICTORY ASCENSION. He was “received up into glory.”

“He was received up into heaven, and sat down at the right hand of God.”  (Mark 16:19)

HIS VICTORIOUS RETURN. In the presence of 500 persons Christ ascended into heaven. An angel then spoke: “Men of Galilee, why do you stand gazing up into heaven? This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” (Acts 1: 11)

In Search of the Historical Christ: Part One

Colossians 2: 8, 9

Jesus Christ was an historical figure. Competent correspondents chronicled His birth, life, and death. At least six persons who knew Him wrote their independent accounts giving diverse and distinct details of His earth-walk.

This is questioned by skeptics. The faithful have reason to believe this.

John records what made Him unique. Remember the word “unique” needs no adjective for it means “no other like it.” John said He was the “Logos.”  To understand the meaning of a word see how it was used. “Logos” was a word used in the time of Jesus by Philo which meant “all that is known and knowable about God.” 

John further identifies Him as “the only begotten Son of God.” This phrase translates “mono,” meaning “only one,” and “gensis,” meaning “kind.” Thus, He is God’s only one of a kind Son.

Matthew referred to Him as “God with us.”  (Matthew 1:23)

Luke revealed that at His birth the angel announced, “There is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11)

Paul noted “There is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus ….”

Suppose you were a chess player and noticed there was one move your opponent could make that would defeat you. Then you notice a move you could make that would prevent that move and make you the winner. It is now your move. What move would you make?  Would you not instantly make that one winning move if you desired to win?  Of course you would.

Satan is no less a strategist. He sees there is one move you can make to enable you to obtain the prize of life, salvation, eternal life. That move is to trust Jesus Christ as your personal Savior, your mediator between you and God the Father. Satan knows that for him to defeat you and win He must do what is necessary to discredit Jesus Christ and cause you not to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ to be saved. Satan has just made a bold move to attempt to discredit Christ and decoy persons away from Him as their Savior.

There is no record of the era in which Jesus lived, sacred or secular, written by friend or foe, that hints of Him as being anything less than these scriptures represent Him as being. The historical record disputes and refutes the fantasy of carnal and corrupt, 20th Century, depraved and deceived minds. Establish your own Christology; that is, your own beliefs about who Jesus Christ really was, and what He really is to you.  Anchor your faith in the six biblically-based, historical points about Him as noted in Scripture such as I Timothy 3:16, which follow in the next post.

Who Jesus is, is important. Who He is to you is strategically important.

Name Him and claim Him as your personal Savior and Lord to follow.

Cain and Abel: Brother’s Keeper or Killer 5/17/98

Genesis 4:1-16
Page 5 Come Alive Bible

JESUS CHRIST wants to take you with your background and any bitterness it might have produced and turn it into blessings.

He takes us with our differences and diversity and works to produce through us that which gives gladness to us and glory to God. This is a clear cut, classic example of diversity found in Genesis 4. It is the story of the first two persons given natural birth on planet earth.

Science has overlooked the fourth chapter of Genesis and thus is misreading our history of origins. Homo Sapiens did not start off as cavemen and evolve upward. We did not begin on a low anthropoid or simian state as is commonly assumed. Our human ancestors were on a very high physical and intellectual level. Sin resulted in degradation. Instead of evolution there was devolution, the down- grading of man intellectually and physically.

Eve conceived from Adam but knew the child was “from the Lord.” “From” means “with the help of.” Thus, the sanctity of life is staked out in the first conception in the Bible. She knew this child was a token of God’s faithfulness for He had promised a “seed of woman” would deliver her and all who trusted in Him.

In Genesis 3: 15 God declared that two seed would emerge and be in conflict until the “seed of the serpent” was ultimately overcome by the “Seed of woman.” In Genesis 4 these two distinctly different seeds emerge as prototypes of humankind.

I. THE CHARACTER OF THE TWO SONS
A. CAIN, the name means “acquisition.” His birth brought such joy to Eve that she exclaimed “I have gotten a man from the Lord (4:1). It just may be that in her naivete she thought this was to be her Redeemer.

The seed, Cain, grew an immediate root of bitterness. Out of a root comes a shoot which produces fruit. Everything in his life evidenced the true root of bitterness. This bitterness produced:
1) Anger (4: 5, 6). Perhaps he resented his parents for having enjoyed the blessings of Eden and having robbed him of it. This anger took command of his total personality.

2) Blaming Others. From the beginning he blamed others for his unhappiness. He had a “Why me?” complex.

3) Murder (4:8). His anger expressed itself ultimately in the murder of his brother. Jesus warned that anger is a prelude to murder (Matt. 5: 21, 22).

4) A Smart Mouth (4:9). Cain even wised off to God. He is impudent and hardened. He lied by saying he didn’t know where his brother was and then he seeks to exonerate himself by asking God a question: “Am I my brother’s keeper?”

5) Self-exoneration (4:13). He even protested God’s justice.

6) Forsaking God (4:16 – 24). He even walked away from God and started his own civilization. This was the emergence of humanism.

I John 3:12 is a summary of Cain’s disposition:
a. He was of the wicked one.
b. His works were evil.
c. He hated his brother’s righteous works.

Cain was religious but not righteous.

B. ABEL, means “frail.” For a better understanding of this shepherd boy we can look to the New Testament.

1) Jesus described him as “righteous” (Matthew 23: 35).

2) His works were righteous (I John 3:12).

We need to remember he was reared by the same parents in the same home. The only difference in him and Cain was their attitude and responses.

Do you have a root of bitterness as is spoken of in Hebrews 12: 15 as being defiling? If so admit it. Confess it to God. Share it with the person or persons toward which you hold it and ask their forgiveness. Deal with your bitterness.

II. THE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE TWO SACRIFICES
A. CAIN’S SACRIFICE was “the fruit of the ground.” This suggests a casual sacrifice. In Eden God had set in motion the standard for worshipful sacrifices in that era as being a living sacrifice. Cain asserted his will to worship as he pleased.

However, it was not the nature of the offering that made it unacceptable, but the spirit. Later the Law of Moses specifies many different kinds of vegetable and meal offerings as natural offerings of grateful people. In the sacrificial system the blood offering always came first. Cain wanted to do it his way. He was willing to engage in ritualistic worship as long as it was done in his way.

Notice the sequence. God did not “respect Cain” is first. The fact that Cain’s motivation and attitude was unacceptable is what made his sacrifice unacceptable. The Hebrew word translated “respect” is SHA’AH and means “to regard with favor.”

Cain did not offer “in faith” (Hebrews 11: 4). God offered Cain an opportunity for a new and right relationship with Him (4: 7). This was an appeal for him to stop the progressive steps away from His love. This reveals that bitterness can be overcome and anger can be conquered. People can change.

Genesis 4: 7 is God’s way of saying “I love you Cain as much as I do Abel. It is your attitude and actions that are unacceptable.” The same is true of us today. This verse does not imply that our works make us acceptable to God. What it actually questions is “have you forfeited your acceptability by sin?”

It was not only the sacrifice of Cain that was unacceptable. Cain himself was unacceptable. “The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the Lord…” (Proverbs 15: 8).

Thus, Cain started the world’s first false religion. It, as is true of all false religions was characterized by:
a) Falsehood (4:9) “I don’t know.”
b) Futility (4: 10 – 12) “A fugitive and a vagabond.”
c) Fear (4:13 – 15) “My punishment is too great.”

B. ABEL’S OFFERING was acceptable because Abel himself was acceptable because of his motivation and spirit. Abel gave with the attitude and spirit God demanded. Cain did not.

Abel gave the blood offering first as an indication of his awareness of and desire for sin to be forgiven. He gave what God wanted with the spirit He demanded.

Abel’s sacrifice was better because it represented the obedience of faith. Obedience does not bring faith but faith always brings obedience. A sacrifice is acceptable only if it is an outward expression of a devoted and obedient heart.

III. THE CONSEQUENCE OF THE TWO SEED
A. CAIN started with a root of bitterness which developed into resentment of his parents, rejection of God, and reached its culmination in the murder of his brother. He refused any form of repentance.

Cain feared vengeance from people. Who were these people? Genesis 5: 19 clearly states that Adam and Eve had many other sons and daughters. At the time Cain murdered Abel he was likely 129 years old. Statisticians have concluded that the world population by this time could well have been about 32,000.

In Genesis 4: 17 the wife of Cain is spoken of. Who was she? She had to be one of these many other sisters. There is no other answer.

As Cain walks off the pages of the Old Testament, he travels through a land called Nod (4:16) which means “flight and banishment.”

He left behind a rebellious prodigy which is the model for all sinners apart from God. They are representative of the “seed of the serpent.”

B. ABEL was the first human being to be murdered. Being cut off he had “no generation” physically. However, Abel lost his life because he chose to serve the Lord and manifest righteousness.

God honored Abel by providing a spiritual seed in the person of Seth (Gen 4: 25). The name Seth means “the appointed.” He was appointed to pick up the fallen banner of righteousness carried by Abel. The line of Seth is described as “calling upon the Lord” (4:26). According to Luke 3: 38 Jesus Christ descended from Seth and is the true “Seed of the woman” (Galatians 3: 16, 19 & 4:4).

It’s Love That Makes the World Go ‘Round: Part Five

Colossians 2: 1 – 3

Jesus said, “If you love Me keep My commandments.” (John 14: 15) He then said, “By this shall all men know that you are My disciples, that you love one another.” (John 13: 35)

When encouragement is given, endearment follows: “Being knit together.”

For warmth on a cold day consider which would keep you warmer – gloves or mittens?  Mittens, because the fingers are all together and can share warmth. Gloves isolate the fingers and they get colder that way.

That is illustrative of the fact we need to share social, emotional, and spiritual warmth together. That is one reason our Lord instituted the church. Togetherness requires time.

In courtship, time is a dominant factor. Time is a pivotal factor. Everyone knows time is valuable. To spend time with a person indicates you value that person. It is a way of saying, “I love you.”

Of all the critical time shortages there is none comparable to that of dads and their children.

Praise is essential to endearment. The Bible says God finds praise “beautiful.” (Psalm 33:1) God loves praise and those created in His image love it also. A little well timed praise goes a long way. Thanks is offered for things. Praise relates to the nature of a person. 

It is good to express thanks for things done, but the person also needs praise. It is good to say thanks for things done, but it is essential to acknowledge personal traits such as thoughtfulness, patience, kindness, and other personal traits.

Encouragement and endearment result in enlightenment. It offers “full assurance of understanding.” This necessitates consideration being given. 

“Consideration” is defined in a dictionary as “thoughtfulness for others and their feelings.”  That’s love. It does not seek its own.

Leo Tolstoy, the renowned Russian author, wrote often of living a life of love. The most poignant thing I have ever read about him personally was written by his wife:

“There is so little genuine warmth about him; his kindness does not come from his heart, but merely from his principles. His biographers will tell how he helped the laborers to carry buckets of water, but no one will ever know that he never gave his wife a rest, and never in all these thirty-two years, gave his child a drink of water or spent five minutes by his bedside to give me a chance to rest a little from my labor.”

Don’t be like Tolstoy. Give your time and yourself to those around, and then let the concentric waves of love reach others.

Above all, be considerate of those around you, love compels it.

Pastor Search Process

These insights are provided for Pastor Search Team members. 

Be aware many people are praying for you. Personally resolve to pray often personally.

Take your time. Wait on the Lord. The length of time required should not be a primary factor.

Be patient. Don’t become discouraged.

Maintain the confidentially of the committee. 

Expect to be lobbied. 

Pray a lot.

There will likely be a lot of people recommended. The committee should write a profile of the type pastor they are seeking. If someone is recommended that does not fit the profile it is not expedient to further evaluating that person. Evaluate ones in which there is interest in light of the profile.

In seeking recommendations it is not wise to ask persons in the candidates present church. Ask person in the person’s former church. It is wise to get a cross segment of recommendations. Be sure the person being asked doesn’t have “an ax to grind.”

As interest develops in a person or persons ask for a confidential “preliminary interview.” Stress it is preliminary, that no decision has been made, the interview is simply part of the process.

Pray a lot.

Technology has advanced to the point more candidates can be evaluated in more detail. If information is asked of a potential pastor be clear it is an early part of seeking God’s will.

Visit churches covertly. No more than two members of the committee should sit together. You don’t want to be disruptive of the church.

Once a good file is compiled on a candidate ask for a subsequent interview. It might be wise to go to a neutral town for the interview. Make certain the pastor’s wife is present.

EXPEDIENT AREAS TO EXPLORE: 
DOCTRINE, FAMILY LIFE, ACADEMIC TRAINING, PHILOSOPHY OF MINISTRY, WORK ETHIC, EXPERIENCE IN SOCIAL MEDIA, DENOMINATIONAL INVOLVEMENT, PREFERRED PREACHING STYLE, PERSONAL STUDY HABITS, HOBBIES, EXTRA CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES, INVOLVEMENT IN PERSONAL EVANGELISM, PREFERRED STYLE OF MUSIC, FORM OF CHURCH GOVERNANCE PREFERRED, WORSHIP STYLE, AND COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT. 

Ask questions in such a way as to not signal what answer you want.

Pray an awful lot.

DOCTRINES OF IMPORTANCE TO BE REVIEWED:    
THE BIBLE: What is his view of inspiration?

THE DEITY OF CHRIST: Is He the Son of God or God the Son. Mormons believe He and all humans are sons of God. This overly humanizes Jesus. He is God the Son, Immanuel.

THE RESURRECTION: Was Jesus bodily resurrected?

CALVINISM (PREDESTINATION): This is a hot topic. Covert Calvinists often seek to avoid detection until elected. Ask if the candidate believes what comes first, salvation or faith.  Calvinists believe God saves a person and then the person has faith.
If your church has not had a Calvinist as pastor, bringing in one who is can be very disruptive. It is not a thing to be taken lightly.
Traditionally, it is believed the Bible teaches a person believes on the Lord Jesus Christ and expressed faith in Him as Savior and as a result God saves them.

PERSONAL SOUL WINNING: Ask the candidate to share a recent experience of personally leading a person to faith in Jesus Christ.

STUDY HABITS: How much time is spent is researching and sermon preparation?

USE OF ALCOHOL: A growing number of young ministers believe it is acceptable.

Pray even more.

As the relationship with the candidate progresses consider these things: How does the candidate relate to his staff? When do they meet, pray, and plan together?

Time away is important. How many days a week is the pastor expected to be “on duty?” Let the candidate know what vacation time is available. Make it clear.

Obtain written permission to have credit and background checks made.