Preaching Truth or Opinion?

Preaching Truth = Watered-down Preaching?

Well, noticed some stones lying around that someone had chucked over…guess I’ll toss ‘em back in hopes that eventually Christians will see the lunacy (and sinfulness) of dividing the Church over silly things.

Seems to be some renewed interest in pointing out how wrong we evangelicals are in our doctrine and methodology.  Nothing new in the content, just some renewed fervor (I probably have a theory why - something like trying to stop a mass exodus).  I’ll just address one of the most commonly thrown ones today (may get to more some other time):

Watered-Down Preaching.  Some toss this stone anytime someone doesn’t preach their same convictions regarding Christian living, and with the same fervor and frequency.  Saying this can lead people to believe that evangelicals have no standards for Christian living.  The truth is that evangelicals absolutely believe and teach that Christian conversion/discipleship involves a transformation of the heart, which results in love for God, which helps shift our desires, which makes living in accordance with God’s Word a super-naturally driven desire for us.  These things are being said in ignorance, or in deceit.

Change of heart, results in change of mind, which results in change of life.  Without change of heart, nothing really changes, and with change of heart, everything eventually does…so we place our primary focus on what changes the heart:  God, the Gospel, Jesus.   We then place a secondary focus on the results that manifest from that (see Ephesians for this model:  Chapters 1-3 FIRST set the groundwork, and Chapters 4-6 get into the resulting effects in the Christian).

But let’s be honest - the real issue some have with us is that we try to preach BIBLICAL standards, and when these don't line up with other's opinions, it can expose the error of pre-conceived, traditional opinion.  Simply put, evangelicals tend to avoid preaching our convictions, preferring rather to preach the Word.  We try to stick with Truth, the Word.  Convictions, the practical application of Truth, does not equal Truth.  Evangelicals freely debate conviction (or avoid debate on them).  Some are willing to die on the hill made of their opinions, even those that have little-to-no biblical support, or even those that have Scripture that contradicts them.

Now that I think of it, maybe “watered-down” is an appropriate term…I think the evangelical message actually is diluted with water:  the Living Water, the water that leaves us quenched, the water from the well that never runs dry, the water that satisfied us to the point that we don't have to keep searching for satisfaction apart from God.  Hope you keep using the term, and when you do, I hope people think of Jesus!

Dang Watered-Down Preaching Again

Watering-down Grace with Consequences.

Recently listened to a sermon online from Genesis 6, and then heard our lead pastor preach from the same passage a couple of weeks later.  The contrast in messages was striking to me.

The sermon I heard online had its main point as Noah somehow earning God’s grace by being different from the world.  Although there were some interesting illustrations to support this claim, it was not supported by the passage (you have to flip the verses around to support it).  The exact opposite message was presented by my pastor:  he pointed out that Noah found grace from God first.  Not only does the passage support the second view, but the generally accepted view of grace in general does as well.  You can’t earn grace.  That’s why it’s called grace. 

There is undoubtedly such a thing as consequences shown in the Bible, and Genesis 6 is indeed a picture of the consequences of living far from God’s plan, desire and wishes (ie, sinful living).  But the passage is also about the unmerited favor God shows to man, and should immediately and ultimately cause the Christian to think of the Amazing Grace that He would later send in the form of Christ.  If we work to stay in the good favor of God, what exactly did man do to earn Christ's sacrifice?

There is nothing wrong with preaching on the consequences of living far from God’s plan, but there is definitely something wrong with destroying the old-fashioned doctrine of Grace.  You can preach them both from this passage without doing damage, but if you water-down grace by diluting it with works, you have destroyed it and have plunged into heresy.

A man-centered interpretation of Scripture can easily lead to this error, which is why you hear some folks ranting over the dangers of this philosophy and application of Scripture.  This is a perfect example.

Biblical Grace = unmerited favor; God giving us something we do NOT deserve or earn, because of Christ’s work.  Do not entertain anyone who messes with that.

Consequences = what we deserve for our actions.  We all deserve the death curse by God because of our inherent sinfulness (even Noah, unless you believe he actually was a perfect man). 

If you want to extoll the value of biblical Christian living in response to the Gospel and as a result of being restored to God, it would pay to stick with Scripture that is actually speaking to that directly…see Ephesians 4-6, and many other passages that help add clarity to Christian living. 

Praying that people who hear heresy will recognize it as such and hold their pastor accountable for unbiblical teaching.

Buying the Blessings of God

Buying the Blessing of God

I remembered a thought that I’ve often had over the last few years, and thought I’d write it out to see what it looks like.

If motives matter (and they do) then what are our motivations in doing “churchy” things?  What are our motivations for going to church and being moral?  What are our motivations for doing the right things, rather than doing the wrong things?  As a Christian, our morality should always be grounded in the fact that while we are by nature immoral, God chose to sacrifice Himself so that we could be viewed as morally righteous before Him.  So we as a result have a new additional nature (as well as the old), and in response try to live in a good (righteous) relationship with Him, and live in the ways that He established for us.

Unfortunately, if we are not very careful, we can easily fall into the trap of appealing to human’s sinful selfishness in order to motivate them to “do right”.  How do I know this?  I’ve done it, and experienced it.  Been there, done that, got the T-shirt (shoot, the whole uniform).

There is a gigantic but unseen gulf, that separates valuing the benefits of living in right-relationship with God, and living in right-relationship FOR the benefits that it yields. 

Consider the following contrasts:

Do I live morally (or try to) because God has restored me to Him, and this is normal and natural for a child of God, or do I live morally because I want to stay out of trouble, and want my kids to turn out ok?

Do I go to church because I want to actively engage in being the missional body of Christ in reaching the world, or do I go because I’m hoping my kids habitually continue going to church as adults?

Do I serve at the local church because I have a heart for helping people, or do I value being seen and known in the church as “spiritual”, or a “leader”?

Do I want my children to live for God because I want them to know the joy of living in right-relationship with Him, or do I fear embarrassment and ridicule if they don’t live well?

Do I give money to the church because I really don’t place a high value on superficial financial or material wealth, or do I fear judgment (from God or man) if I don’t…or maybe even worse, maybe I actually believed the horribly misleading church billboard that said, “Need more money?  Try tithing.”

I could ramble on for a while, but you get my point:  there are good motivations for living in right-relationship with God, and then there are self-serving ones.  And it matters which one is your true motivation.  And all of us have some degree of poor motivations.  As I’ve become more acquainted with God, and what it is like to truly experience Him in His Word, in prayer and in worship, I’ve seen my poor motivations become replaced by truer ones.  I’m beginning to see now that His presence is the greatest gift He has ever given us, and all of the other things are secondary at best.  Thank you, God!

So time for a minor rant:  we really shouldn’t be dangling the secondary, yet desirable, results of living in right relationship with God as motivations for people outside the church to “give it a try”.  This could also look like your praising yourself for having those secondary blessings, and attempting to tantalize others outside the church into “trying God”.  That is seriously the equivalent of giving your kid a twenty for acting like they love you, and then, once they get hooked on the twenties, they have formed a habit of acting like they love you.  It may be effective at getting your kid’s behavior to look ok, but it doesn’t change their heart and will likely result in a hugely dysfunctional relationship.  By the same token, if we motivate people to “try God” because He will give them a good marriage, with good kids, and they will be financially secure, we risk them missing the big idea, the central idea, of the Gospel, which is God miraculously restoring us to Him by an immeasurable act of grace.  If we aren’t careful, we turn our theology of God into a magical vending-machine that spits out blessings when we insert good works.

The all-too-often by-products of this:

-          Children grow up to be young adults, and leave church or the faith because they don’t see where there is anything in it to gain.  Don’t blame them for leaving if you’ve trained them to choose God because of what He will give them in return.

-          People who leave the faith, but return when they want something from God.  For me, this looked like my bringing my family back to church because I wanted my kids to be good, moral people.  By the way, God was gracious enough to give good kids, but not without rocking my world along the way to reveal my idols to me (reminder that idols are usually good things turned into god-things).

-          People leave the faith who make all the right moves, but God sends them adversity rather than prosperity.  God doesn’t live up to “His part of the deal”, so they bolt.  Don’t yell at them for not sticking it out if the premise that you’ve built for getting people into the church is that they need God so that they can “get the blessings” that God has to offer.  You sold the deal, don’t get miffed when people discover it was a bill-of-goods and run.

Be quick to sniff-out this flavor of prosperity-gospel, and squash it.  Smoke from this fire:

-          Too much chatter about the church having all of the answers that people need for “successful living.”  Not sure if you’ve looked around lately, but the church is a dang mess (and rightly so, given that it is full of a bunch of humans).  Someone who is sold this load of poop will quickly figure out something isn’t right once they get to know people in the church.  Usually accompanied by explanations for the “bait-and-switch”.

-          Too much chatter about personal choices and sacrifice for God resulting in everything being just grand.  Our choices absolutely do matter, but the reality is that God has a plan for our life that is meant to BRING GLORY TO HIM, not necessarily bring comfort to us on earth.  If your church is promising you a great spouse, great kids, great job and financial security in exchange for your servitude, they simply aren’t preaching the same promise as Jesus Christ, who promised that life on this planet would likely be a trainwreck for his disciples.  Again, look for the explanations for the “bait-and-switch”. 

-          Too much focus on how to extract practical application out of every passage, with disregard for the theology behind it.  Another way of saying this:  the Bible being presented as the “roadmap for life”.  Ummm, no.  The Bible is the history of man’s failure, and the grandness of God’s grace and glory in rescuing us. 

So what’s my point?  Biblically, we need to be clear and teach that we are called into the Kingdom of God for God’s glory, not our earthly blessing.  Using earthly blessings to lure and attract people will at best be revealed as a gimmick once they are exposed as being secondary.  At worst, the earthly blessings become idols.

Hey Redbeard...sit down and shut up.

So I’ve gotten some positive feedback, and some negative, on my posts.  The negative basically says, “hey, shut up…if you think there’s something wrong with another church, it isn’t any of your bizwax.”  "And PS:  everything you say sucks."

And there is some truth to that…stirring up strife isn't good, so if my motives are to stir-up strife, then I shouldn't say a word.

But interestingly, the Apostle Paul made a practice of publishing (by instructing the Church to share his letters) the failures and successes of church leaders and individual churches.  Look for it as you read the Bible (if you don’t read it, as a comprehensive book, then there’s another issue to discuss).  Why did he do this?  Seems pretty clear to me:  expose the sins of a few, and maybe it will preclude the sins of many.  Learn from each other’s mistakes.   We don’t have anything to be proud of anyway (we boast in the cross of Christ, which is a testimony that we are worse than we ever imagined). 

So there is also some truth in the fact that if there are things that are unbiblical about churches, it is okay to talk about them publically, whether it is mine or not.  If there are weird, unbiblical things about my church, the truth is that the church at large (think church, universal, as in the body of Christ) is going to see it.  Those things are going to jump out at the un-churched too.  So what, we just need to sit down and shut up?  We don't really see that modeled for us in Scripture.

My motives, of course, are a critical component of this.  We must expose error with the intent of God’s Kingdom being furthered.  Even if that means our own kingdoms being torn down. 

Can I honestly say that my motives are always pure?  No.  Even as I rejoice as God tears down idols, at times I will simultaneously be smug and happy that I was "right".  And if I do let myself soak in that prideful sin, I will probably be a stumblingblock to God's moving in the hearts of people.

Repent, all of us. 

Church Leaders: As you lead us to the Cross, PLEASE make sure you come with us!

Seems to be a bit of fire in people’s belly about spiritual leadership these days…some observations about biblical spiritual leadership:

Biblical spiritual leaders lead people to the cross.  Not just a really cool song by Phillips, Craig and Dean.  In every letter that Paul writes to the Church, he begins and continues to interweave the Gospel into his writings.  It is not anecdotal, it is fundamental.  It is not worthy of honorable mention, it is worthy of constant mention.  Unless and until people live in the light and shadow of the cross of Jesus, not as an afterthought, but as the preeminent thought, they will not live and lead in the following points either.

Biblical spiritual leaders lead people in humility.  Unbiblical spiritual leaders lead people in pride.  It is great to celebrate what God is doing, but does it seem like your leader(s) only talk about what God is doing at your joint, like God's Kingdom is contained within the edge of your property (or even your group of churches, even)?  If other churches successes are acknowledged, are they minimized?  The cross keeps this sinfulness out of leadership and followship.  If we are the best, doesn’t that just place us at the forefront of those who crucified Him?  It was, after all, the “righteous” who gave him up.  I could be nice and say “Be cautious.” if you are being led toward prideful sentiment, but I would lean toward screaming, “RUN!”.  Prideful self-idolatry is the ever-present sin of man…it can be given no quarter, on any front, or the battle for living for Christ is lost.  As Paul said in Galatians, if we live seeking the approval of man, we will not be the servant of Christ.

Biblical spiritual leaders lead people in repentance.  A great example of the next two points is seen in Galatians and Acts.  Paul publically rebukes Peter for something as seemingly insignificant as not eating with the saved Gentiles, and we also see a great meeting of the minds of church leaders to resolve it.  Peter, publically exposed in sin, also publically repents in Acts 15 as he testifies to the truth that Gentiles can be saved without meeting legal requirements. 

Biblical spiritual leaders lead people in submission to one another.  See above.  Submit ye, one to another, isn’t written to just the “lay people”…it is written to the Church, which consisted of the elders (plural) and the flock.  Submitting to equals, within the church body, is biblically sound, especially for a lead pastor.  Of course, if you only have one pastor that holds ultimate authority in the local church, then the idea of submitting dies on the vine.  Maybe your pastor is solely accountable for the local church, and is accountable to God and the Holy Spirit for where he leads it…sounds good, but it just isn’t very biblical. 

Conclusion:  So you may have leadership, and it may be spiritual in the sense that it leads you in non-tangible things, but is it biblical leadership?  Is it humble leadership?  Does it lead to the cross, first, foremost and continually?  The answer is, because we are human, of course, no.  And that is why biblical spiritual leadership leads in repentance.

Mega Church Madness...

Mega-Church Madness.

Here we go…60+ first time guests at the 9am today, and no idea how many at the 11am…we’ll be overrun by a few thousand college students over the next few months.  We will continue to see the atheists, the prodigals, the de-churched and the never-churched pass through our doors…

They’ll probably be dazzled by some of the most entertaining music they’ve ever heard in a church…

They’ll probably wonder what moves that worship leader to praise God with his whole being (that guy looks really serious about it).  And the folks in the congregation – they’re singing…loud…and raising their hands in worship of God…what’s up with that?

They’ll be impressed with the delivery of the message…how couldn’t they be?  A guy who just has the “gift” when it comes to public speaking, and tons of supporting cast to get it “right”…

The cross is everywhere in our speech, our music, even in our motivations, we would argue…

But if we let them pass through without connecting with them, plugging them into the body of Christ, they may likely fade away.  It will be interesting, and they may even make a “decision” to follow Christ…

But without a faith that lasts, an enduring faith, one that produces fruit, we have no reason to believe that we will see them in eternity (just being biblically honest). 

The call to discipleship is not optional.  It is not a “nice to have” for Christians.  It is the only measurable thing we have to gauge our own faith – in the fruit of our life. 

God, help us not to just let them pass through, content with the moment of first faith of a believer…help us to disciple, and follow others in discipleship.  As Jesus followed you, and as Jesus led others, we too must follow and lead…help us to not forget in the madness of the moment!

The ESV - Doctrinal Heresy?

Well, this is going to be a bit dry and boring, but here we go anyway. 

A few years ago, my family began attending a different church.  The different church used a different translation than the King James Version, which was a huge change for my family.  We’d always been told that anything other than the King James Version was not true, not Scripture and not to be trusted.  I was not aware of any doctrinal issues at the new church, so I wasn’t sure if this was true or not.  The only solution I knew was to investigate it for myself.  So I compiled a list of the commonly accepted core doctrines of the faith, (using a list of Core Doctrines from this website http://christianity.about.com/od/christiandoctrines/a/basicdoctrines.htm) and researched the references that support them, both in the KJV and the ESV.  Below is a listing of them, and the references. 

What is clearly demonstrated is that there really isn't any core doctrine of the faith that is weakened by the ESV (at least none that I thought to look up).  In fact, there are some that are strengthened.  Judge for yourself.

·         There is only one God (Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8; John 17:3; 1 Corinthians 8:5-6; Galatians 4:8-9).

·         You are my witnesses,” declares the Lord, “and my servant whom I have chosen, that you may know and believe me and understand that I am he. Before me no god was formed, nor shall there be any after me.  Isaiah 43:10 (ESV)

·         Thus says the Lord, the King of Israel and his Redeemer, the Lord of hosts: “I am the first and I am the last; besides me there is no god.   Isaiah 44:6 (ESV)

·         Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are my witnesses! Is there a God besides me? There is no Rock; I know not any.” Isaiah 44:8 (ESV)

·         And this is eternal life, that they know you the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John 17:3 (ESV)

·         For although there may be so-called gods in heaven or on earth—as indeed there are many “gods” and many “lords”— 6 yet for us there is one God, the Father, from whom are all things and for whom we exist, and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things and through whom we exist. 1 Cor 8:5-6 (ESV)

·         Formerly, when you did not know God, you were enslaved to those that by nature are not gods. 9 But now that you have come to know God, or rather to be known by God, how can you turn back again to the weak and worthless elementary principles of the world, whose slaves you want to be once more? Gal 4:8-9 (ESV)

·         God is three in one or a Trinity (Matthew 3:16-17, 28:19; John 1:18; John 14:16-17; Romans 5:9; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Acts 2:32-33, John 10:30,17:11, 21; 1 Peter 1:2  **Titus 2:13 and John 1:1-5 – added by Jason).

·         And when Jesus was baptized, immediately he went up from the water, and behold, the heavens were opened to him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and coming to rest on him; 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, “This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased.” Matt 3:16-17 (ESV)

·         Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, Matt 28:19 (ESV)

·         And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:16-17 (ESV)

·         The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Cor 13:14 (ESV)

·         This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. 33  Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing. Acts 2:32-33 (ESV)

·         No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.  John 1:18 (ESV)

·         To them belong the patriarchs, and from their race, according to the flesh, is the Christ, who is God over all, blessed forever. Amen.  Romans 9:5 (ESV)

·         I and the Father are one.” John 10:30 (ESV)

·          And I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, keep them in your name, which you have given me, that they may be one, even as we are one. John 17:11 (ESV)

·         that they may all be one, just as you, Father, are in me, and I in you, that they also may be in us, so that the world may believe that you have sent me  John 17:21 (ESV)

·         according to the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood 1 Peter 1:2 (ESV)

·         waiting for our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior Jesus Christ, Titus 2:13 (ESV)

·         In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3  All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4  In him was life, and the life was the light of men. 5  The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. John 1:1-5 (ESV)

I added the last two references, just because I think they are good to know regarding support of the Trinity.  There is a section in 1 John 5 that has a bit of controversy (will not get into that here) that also supports the Trinity that is not in the ESV because it is not supported in the Byzantine or Alexandrian texts (with the exception of one that was written in the 1500’s), but based on the overwhelming support listed here for the Trinity, I believe it is clear that the ESV does not harm the doctrine, and actually, if you compare some verses to the KJV, you will see a clearer picture of the Trinity and Deity of Christ.

·         God is omniscient or "knows all things" (Acts 15:18; 1 John 3:20, Psalm 139:3-4, Luke 16:15, Prov 15:3).

·         known from of old.  Acts 15:18 (ESV)

·         for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 1 John 3:20 (ESV)

·         You search out my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways. 4 Even before a word is on my tongue, behold, O Lord, you know it altogether  Psalms 139:3-4 (ESV)

·         And he said to them, “You are those who justify yourselves before men, but God knows your hearts.  Luke 16:15 (ESV)

·         The eyes of the Lord are in every place, keeping watch on the evil and the good.       Prov 15:3 (ESV)

·         God is omnipotent or "all powerful" (Psalm 115:3; Revelation 19:6).

·         Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases. Psalms 115:3 (ESV)

·         They were scorched by the fierce heat, and they cursed the name of God who had power over these plagues. Rev 16:9 (ESV)

·         God is omnipresent or "present everywhere" (Jeremiah 23:23, 24; Psalm 139).

·         Am I a God at hand, declares the Lord, and not a God far away? 24  Can a man hide himself in secret places so that I cannot see him? declares the Lord. Do I not fill heaven and earth? declares the Lord.  Jer 23:23-24 (ESV)

·         Where shall I go from your Spirit? Or where shall I flee from your presence? 8  If I ascend to heaven, you are there! If I make my bed in Sheol, you are there! 9 If I take the wings of the morning and dwell in the uttermost parts of the sea, 10 even there your hand shall lead me, and your right hand shall hold me  Psalm 139:7-10 (ESV)

·         God is sovereign (Zechariah 9:14; 1 Timothy 6:15-16).

·         Then the Lord will appear over them, and his arrow will go forth like lightning; the Lord God will sound the trumpet and will march forth in the whirlwinds of the south. Zech 9:14 (ESV)

·         which he will display at the proper time—he who is the blessed and only Sovereign, the King of kings and Lord of lords, 1 Tim 6:15 (ESV)

·         God is holy (1 Peter 1:15).

·         but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct, 16 since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.” 1 Peter 1:15-16 (ESV)

·         God is just or "righteous" (Psalm 19:9, 116:5, 145:17; Jeremiah 12:1).

·         the fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever; the rules of the Lord are true, and righteous altogether. Psalms 19:9 (ESV) (rules also translated as “just decrees”).

·         Gracious is the Lord, and righteous; Psalms 116:5 (ESV)

·         God is love (1 John 4:8).

·         Anyone who does not love does not know God, because God is love.  1 John 4:8 (ESV)

·         God is true (Romans 3:4; John 14:6).

·         By no means! Let God be true though every one were a liar, as it is written,   Romans 3:4 (ESV)

·         Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. John 14:6 (ESV)

·         God is spirit (John 4:24).

·         God is spirit, and those who worship him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24 (ESV)

·         God is the creator of everything that exists (Genesis 1:1; Isaiah 44:24).

·         In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth  Gen 1:1 (ESV)

·         Thus says the Lord, your Redeemer, who formed you from the womb: “I am the Lord, who made all things, who alone stretched out the heavens, who spread out the earth by myself, Isaiah 44:24 (ESV)

·         God is immutable. He does not change (James 1:17; Malachi 3:6; Isaiah 46:9-10).

·         Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change. James 1:17 (ESV)

·         For I the Lord do not change; therefore you, O children of Jacob, are not consumed. Mal 3:6 (ESV)

·         remember the former things of old; for I am God, and there is no other; I am God, and there is none like me, 10  declaring the end from the beginning and from ancient times things not yet done, saying, ‘My counsel shall stand, and I will accomplish all my purpose Isaiah 46:9-10 (ESV)

·         The Holy Spirit is God (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 2:11-12; 2 Corinthians 13:14).

·         But Peter said, “Ananias, why has Satan filled your heart to lie to the Holy Spirit and to keep back for yourself part of the proceeds of the land? 4 While it remained unsold, did it not remain your own? And after it was sold, was it not at your disposal? Why is it that you have contrived this deed in your heart? You have not lied to men but to God.” Acts 5:3-4 (ESV)

·         For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. 12 Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God.  1 Cor 2:11-12 (ESV)

·         Jesus Christ is God (John 1:1, 14, 10:30-33, 20:28; Colossians 2:9; Philippians 2:5-8).

·         In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 He was in the beginning with God.   John 1:1-2 (ESV)

·         And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14 (ESV)

·         I and the Father are one.” 31  The Jews picked up stones again to stone him. 32 Jesus answered them, “I have shown you many good works from the Father; for which of them are you going to stone me?” 33 The Jews answered him, “It is not for a good work that we are going to stone you but for blasphemy, because you, being a man, make yourself God.”  John 10:30-33 (ESV)

·         For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  Col 2:9-10 (ESV)

·         Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Phil 2:5-8 (ESV)

·         Jesus became a man (Philippians 2:1-11, 1 Tim 2:5).

·         Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, 6  who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, 7 but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. 8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross  Phil 2:5-8 (ESV)

·         For there is one God, and there is one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.  1 Tim 2:5 (ESV)

Jesus is fully God and fully man (Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 4:15).

·         For in him the whole fullness of deity dwells bodily, 10 and you have been filled in him, who is the head of all rule and authority.  Col 2:9-10 (ESV)

·         For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15 (ESV)

·         Jesus was sinless (1 Peter 2:22; Hebrews 4:15).

·         He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 1 Peter 2:22 (ESV)

·         For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15 (ESV)

·         Jesus is the only way to God the Father (John 14:6; Matthew 11:27; Luke 10:22).

·         Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 (ESV)

·         All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him Matt 11:27 (ESV)

·         All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows who the Son is except the Father, or who the Father is except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Luke 10:22 (ESV)

·         Man was created by God in the image of God (Genesis 1:26-27).

·         Then God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness. And let them have dominion over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the heavens and over the livestock and over all the earth and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.”27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.  Gen 1:26-27 (ESV)

·         All people have sinned (Romans 3:23, 5:12).

·         for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God  Romans 3:23 (ESV)

·         Therefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned—  Romans 5:12 (ESV)

·         Sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:2).

·         but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear. Isaiah 59:2 (ESV)

·         Jesus died for the sins of each and every person in the world (1 John 2:2; 2 Corinthians 5:14).

·         He is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the sins of the whole world.  1 John 2:2 (ESV)

·         For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died;15 and he died for all,  2 Cor 5:14-15 (ESV)

·         Jesus' death was a substitutionary sacrifice. He died and paid the price for our sins, so that we might live. (Matthew 20:28; Mark 10:45).

·         even as the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Matt 20:28 (ESV)

·         For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.” Mark 10:45 (ESV)

·         Jesus resurrected from the dead in physical form (John 2:20-22).

·         The Jews then said, “It has taken forty-six years to build this temple, and will you raise it up in three days?”21 But he was speaking about the temple of his body.22 When therefore he was raised from the dead, his disciples remembered that he had said this, and they believed the Scripture and the word that Jesus had spoken.  John 2:20-22 (ESV)

·         Salvation is a free gift of God (Romans 4:5, 6:23; Ephesians 2:8-9; 1 John 1:8-10).

·         And to the one who does not work but believes in him who justifies the ungodly, his faith is counted as righteousness,6 just as David also speaks of the blessing of the one to whom God counts righteousness apart from works:  Romans 4:5-6 (ESV)

·         For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God,9  not a result of works, so that no one may boast.  Eph 2:8-9 (ESV)

·         If we say we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.9  If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.  1 John 1:8-9 (ESV)

·         The Bible is the "inspired" or "God-breathed," Word of God (2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Peter 1:21).

·         All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, 2 Tim 3:16 (ESV)

·         For no prophecy was ever produced by the will of man, but men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit. 2 Peter 1:21 (ESV)

·         Those who reject Jesus Christ, after they die, will go to hell forever (Revelation 20:11-15, 21:8).

·         And if anyone’s name was not found written in the book of life, he was thrown into the lake of fire. Rev 20:15 (ESV)

·         The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son.8  But as for the cowardly, the faithless, the detestable, as for murderers, the sexually immoral, sorcerers, idolaters, and all liars, their portion will be in the lake that burns with fire and sulfur, which is the second death.” Rev 21:7-8 (ESV)

·          

·         Those who accept Jesus Christ, after they die, will live for eternity with Him (John 11:25, 26; 2 Corinthians 5:6).

·         Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live,26 and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. John 11:25-26 (ESV)

·         No longer will there be anything accursed, but the throne of God and of the Lamb will be in it, and his servants will worship him.4  They will see his face, and his name will be on their foreheads.5 And night will be no more. They will need no light of lamp or sun, for the Lord God will be their light, and they will reign forever and ever.  Rev 22:3-5 (ESV)

·         Hell is a place of punishment and is eternal (Matthew 25:41, 46; Revelation 19:20).

“Then he will say to those on his left, ‘Depart from me, you cursed, into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels… And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life.” Matt 25:41, 46 (ESV)

·         There will be a rapture of the church (Matthew 24:30-36, 40-41; John 14:1-3; 1 Corinthians 15:51-52; 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12).

·         Christians will be raised from the dead when Jesus returns (Acts 1:11; 1 Thessalonians 4:14-17).

·         There will be a final judgment (Hebrews 9:27; 2 Peter 3:7).

·         Satan will be thrown into the lake of fire (Revelation 20:10).

·         God will create a new heaven and a new earth (2 Peter 3:13; Revelation 21:1).

·         Mary was a virgin

·         But as he considered these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not fear to take Mary as your wife, for that which is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit.21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins.”22  All this took place to fulfill what the Lord had spoken by the prophet:23  “Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel” Matt 1:20-23 (ESV)

·         And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?” 35 And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy— the Son of God. Luke 1:31, 34-35 (ESV)