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Tag: Christ

The Christ Child bound in the womb of eternity
A human life is bound in the womb of eternity. In one sense a child is not fully born by its mother into the fullness of life — but only into a helpless and limited mortal life — where babe may become child, child may become man or woman — this quick-passing human life bound in the confines of mortal time followed inevitably by death and judgment.

Born once in a human womb

And the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth.
Gospel of John 1:14

adam bore both sin and death conceived in a womb of measured time, incomplete and nourished in the blood of our mother — growing to burst forth into a glory beyond the bounds of this place to which we have clung for such a brief time — measured time ended beyond the bounds of our dark inner existence.

What once was death separated from our mortal time within these bounds inevitably becomes life beyond humanity’s brief prison lifted into a glory of the everlasting Light beyond.

And inasmuch as it is appointed for men to die once and after this comes judgment,
Hebrews 9:27

So Christ was born a son of man

to bear the sins of many, AND JESUS the SON of GOD, who IS and was God,

will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him.
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See Hebrews 9:
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Ἐμμανουήλ
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Lexicon :: Strong's G1694  [click for pronunciation of the Greek word above- emmanouēl ]
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“BEHOLD, THE VIRGIN SHALL BE WITH CHILD AND SHALL BEAR A SON, AND THEY SHALL CALL HIS NAME IMMANUEL^G1694,” which translated means, “GOD WITH US.”

Christians (and even many unbelievers who have witnessed an annual Christmas pageant) know the Scripture well. But think of its implication as well as the impact of Almighty God entering measured time and mortal flesh.

An anointed Virgin of the Eternal God will have a son by the Holy Spirit of God!

This Son of the Everlasting One IS actually GOD [theos] WITH US [in mortal flesh and blood], BORN — as are all mankind AND who must suffer DEATH as is appointed to EVERY son of man.

Emanu–el – Hebrew Gospel announced in Matthew’s manger

Matthew addresses the genealogy of JESUS EMMANUEL as he would any line of adam.

The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham:
Gospel of Matthew 1:1

I will not detail this linage of the promise of God through Abraham (who was childless) and David (whose Kingdom ended in defeat by Babylon) or that in his Gospel lineage Matthew designates Joseph as the husband of Mary. Matthew then adds that before she conceived JESUS, that is GOD WITH US, by the HOLY SPIRIT [v.18], however note that by these important names Matthew introduces of the LORD GOD in a fragile frame of a HUMAN CHILD.

1:1 βίβλος γενέσεως Ἰησοῦ Χριστοῦ υἱοῦ Δαυὶδ υἱοῦ Ἀβραάμ

Ἰησοῦ – iēsous –

JESUS, in the now common language of the Roman Empire – JESUS, in Greek.

[pronounced]

JESUS Of Hebrew origin יְהוֹשׁוּעַ (H3091)

You should recognize the name of an earlier savior who the LORD sent into the land promised to Abraham after the death of Moses.

Joshua or Jehoshua = “Jehovah is salvation”

From יְהֹוָה (H3068) and יָשַׁע (H3467)

Joshua, almost literally Jesus IS Salvation from the Hebrew of Jacob [Israel], descendants of the promise of Yᵊhōvâ to save.

[yeh-ho-shoo’-ah] יְהוֹשׁוּעַ

יָשַׁע

Χριστός

Lexicon :: Strong’s G5547 – christos

Christ (from the Greek) or Messiah (Hebrew)
- The KJV translates Strong’s G5547 in the following manner: Christ (569x).
- Outline of Biblical Usage [?]
  - Christ = “anointed”
    
    Christ was [and is]1 the Messiah, the Son of God
    
    anointed from χρίω
    
    to anoint
    
    consecrating Jesus to the Messianic office, and furnishing him with the necessary powers for its administration
    
    enduing Christians with the gifts of the Holy Spirit
And Jacob was the father of Joseph the husband of Mary, by whom Jesus was born, who is called [Messiah] Christ^G5547.
Gospel of Matthew 1:16 LSB

Jesus’ Apostles witness Jesus as the Christ – Matthew 16 times in his Gospel and John 19 times in his Gospel plus 11 times in two brief letters and 7 times in Revelation.
Χριστός Christós, khris-tos’;
from G5548; anointed, i.e. the Messiah, an epithet of Jesus:—Christ. – BLUELETTERBIBLE.ORG

The Christ child

NO other term in the New Testament is used more than CHRIST [500+x] to characterize JESUS. ‘Christians‘ should not take lightly any replacement of CHRIST in Scripture with some less characteristic human title.
Roger@TalkofJesus.com

The Good News of Matthew:

Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows:

when His mother Mary had been betrothed to Joseph, before they came together she was found to be with child by the Holy Spirit.

And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man and not wanting to disgrace her, planned to send her away secretly [divorcing his betrothed {with whom they ‘had not come together’}]. But when he had considered this, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying,

“Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take Mary as your wife; for the One who has been conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. And she will bear a Son; and you shall call His name

Jesus,

for He will save His people from their sins.”
- Did you catch that?
The angel of the Lord appears to Joseph in a dream as commands his to call the child, JESUS.

JESUS, unlike Joshua of the same name before, “Jehovah is salvation,” not only is not born of an earthly father but is NOT sent to SAVE the sons of Abraham from earthly enemies or lay claim to an earthly land as a king.

NO, Jesus, a son of man ONLY by the virgin Mary, “will save His people from their sins,” a mercy ONLY God can grant to a condemned son of adam.

The Good News of John

We began consideration of the Apostle’s Christian logic behind the birth of Jesus into time and human flesh. Today I end with his explanation of what also seems convincingly logical from the Savior who John calls ‘The Word‘ (λόγος – logos).
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Thirty years later -- from the Gospel of John 3:
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“Rabbi, we know that You have come from God as a teacher; for no one can do these signs that You do unless God is with him.”

“Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born [from above] he cannot see the kingdom of God.”

“How can a man be born when he is old? ..

Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?”

Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.
“That which has been born of the flesh is flesh, and that which has been born of the Spirit is spirit.

“He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.

Will you be born again (though we are old)?

“Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words [logos] will not pass away.
A word of Jesus Christ from the Gospel of Matthew 24:25

Here is the significance of the Christ child in a manger and the Son of Man Jesus on the cross who was born to save His people from their sins.

Pilate said to them,

“Then, what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?”

Gospel of Matthew 27:22a LSB
December 6, 2022
Acts 14 Pursued through Lycaonia
Fleeing Persecution

After having fled Pisidian Antioch, Roman capital of the Galatian district of Lycaonia, Barnabas and Paul must again go into hiding as they escape persecution in Iconium.

Luke’s detailed account of Paul’s first missionary journey in Acts 14 shows us what will frequently take place in many cities throughout the world. His historic account of the Apostles provides background for understanding of the intense hatred of Jesus Christ by many unbelievers.

Iconium – A Pattern of Persecution

Iconium lies to east of Lake Egirdir on a plain bordered by the Taurus Mountains

Acts 14: Fleeing Iconium

5 And when an attempt was made by both the Gentiles and the Jews with their rulers to mistreat and to stone them, they became aware of it and fled to the cities of Lycaonia, Lystra and Derbe, and the surrounding region; and there they continued to proclaim the gospel.

Lycaonia and the surrounding region

A 21st c. satellite view of the plain east of the Taurus mountains.
(A large man-made lake later provided irrigation to this arid region but would have been a river in earlier centuries.)

Λυκαονία – Lycaonia

Luke mentions that they fled to the cities of Lycaonia.. and the surrounding region. Although Lycaonia was also a city in the southern region of this district set on a plain near the Taurus Mountains, he names the next two cities where they will preach the gospel in addition to other more remote towns of Lycaonia.
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Lycaonia = "wolf land"

a region in Asia Minor, situated between Pisidia, Cilicia, Cappadocia, Galatia and Phrygia, whose chief towns were Derbe, Lystra and Iconium
metaph. of cruel, greedy, rapacious, destructive men 
- Source: BlueLetterBible.org.
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Barnabas and Paul will eventually enter Lystra where Luke records yet another miracle among the gentiles.

περίχωρος – períchōros –
- signifies “country round about,” Luk 8:37; “country about,” Luk 3:3, AV (RV, “region round about”)
NOTE Luke’s Gospel mention of the Lord Jesus using this same reference also points to rejection of the Gospel.

And all the people of the country^G4066 of the Gerasenes

and^G4066 the^G4066 surrounding^G4066 district^G4066 asked Him [Jesus] to leave them, for they were gripped with great fear. And He got into a boat and returned.
Gospel of Luke 8:37 LSB – Strong’s G4066 – perichōros

Rejection of the Gospel of Jesus Christ

“THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME,

BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME TO PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR.

HE HAS SENT ME TO PROCLAIM RELEASE TO THE CAPTIVES,

AND RECOVERY OF SIGHT TO THE BLIND,

TO SET FREE THOSE WHO ARE OPPRESSED,

TO PROCLAIM THE FAVORABLE YEAR OF THE LORD.”
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Gospel of Luke 4:18-19a - Jesus Christ quoting the prophet Isaiah 61
“Today this Scripture has been fulfilled in your [ears].” - The words of Jesus from Luke 4:21
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Acts of the Apostles

And the word of the Lord was published throughout all the region.

But the Jews stirred up the devout and honourable women, and the chief men of the city, and raised persecution against Paul and Barnabas, and expelled them out of their coasts.

– ACTS of the Apostles in Pisidian Antioch 13:49-50 KJV
- Strong’s G5561 – chōra
  - ..the idea of empty expanse; a space of territory (more or less extensive; often including its inhabitants):—coast, county, fields, ground, land, region.
- Strong’s G3725 – horion
  - boundaries for a region, district, land, territory
But they shook off the dust of their feet against them, and came unto Iconium.
Acts of the Apostles 13:51 King James Version

And whosoever shall not receive you, nor hear you, when ye depart thence, shake off G1621 the dust under your feet for a testimony against them. Verily I say unto you, It shall be more tolerable for Sodom and Gomorrha in the day of judgment, than for that city. – Gospel of Mark 6:11 KJV

And it came to pass in Iconium..

ACTS 14:3-7 KJV

Long time therefore abode they speaking boldly in the Lord, which gave testimony unto the word of his grace, and granted signs and wonders to be done by their hands.

But the multitude of the city was divided: and part held with the Jews, and part with the apostles. And when there was an assault made both of the Gentiles, and also of the Jews with their rulers, to use them despitefully, and to stone them,

They were ware of it, and fled unto Lystra and Derbe, cities of Lycaonia, and unto the region that lieth round about:
- Strong’s G4066 – perichōros
  - signifies “country round about,” “country about,” (RV, “region round about”)
And there they preached the gospel.
Acts 14:7 KJV

“The one who listens to you listens to Me,

and the one who rejects you rejects Me.

And he who rejects Me rejects the One who sent Me.”
Gospel of our Lord Jesus Christ – Luke 10:16 LSB

To be continued…

NEXT: Lystra
November 14, 2022
GOD’S WORD for His Church
IN THE BEGINNING

God created the heavens and the earth.

IN THE BEGINNING

was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

‘This people honors me with their lips, but their heart is far from me;

in vain do they worship me, teaching as doctrines the precepts of men.’
Gospel of Mark 7:6b-7a RSV

Doctrine for lost sheep of Christ’s Church

Hear, ye children, the instruction of a father, and attend to know understanding.

For I give you good doctrine, forsake ye not my law.

Proverbs 4:1-2 King James Version

From a chief of sinners zealous for the Word of Scripture:

To my beloved fellow believers of our Lord Jesus Christ:

Why must a believer study doctrine?

In the scriptures of the New Testament the Apostle Paul encourages the Romans of the church, so that with one accord you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.
- Since I have shared several studies of Doctrine from the Bible I will not rehash these in today’s conclusion to this study of Church Doctrine; however if you would like to learn more click continue reading below.
https://talkofjesus.com/what-is-doctrine
- My more recent concern for Church doctrine addressed deconstruction of Bible-based Doctrine presented as a new way to make the church relevant.
A 21st c. RECALL of the CHURCH

These include: Did God really say, Church?, Everythingology for an all-inclusive church & several more..

Why should the sheep become theologians?
- In this current series we have glanced at doctrine from several esteemed theologians, pastors of different churches.
  - Disclaimer: I am NOT a pastor but a church member zealous for the word of the Lord God and Jesus Christ.
  - To any extent you seek to study God from Scripture you become a theologian studying the will of the Lord.
“Now why do you call Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ and do not do what I say?
Gospel of Luke 6:46 Legacy Standard Bible – Question of Jesus Christ to his followers

Can our Pastor Preach a self-defined Jesus?

Best NOT Preach This

For no one can lay a foundation other than the one which is laid, which is Jesus Christ. – 1 Cor. 3:11

And I might add from the Apostle’s letter to the church at Corinth quoted in this previous post:

Let no man deceive himself. If any man among you thinks that he is wise in this age, he must become foolish, so that he may become wise.
1 Corinthians 3:18

Why YOUR shepherd should preach Scripture

In Paul’s letter to Timothy about preaching the Apostle says:

.. you have known the sacred writings which are able to make you wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.
2 Timothy 3:15b Legacy Standard Bible

All Scripture is God-breathed and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness
[Therefore, I ask, what justification can any shepherd of the church offer for correcting God’s word while preaching ‘the bible says..?’]

Applying Scripture to the Church
- Scripture may apply only to the time in which it was written OR
- Old or New Testament Scripture may apply to these last days since the Apostles OR
- a Scripture may apply only until a day it is fulfilled.
But the BIBLE says what God says; nothing more, nothing less and certainly not anything other than the Scripture you may read for yourself.

Whenever the written word of God points to the church the godly must humbly obey. But of course you must know your Bible in order to apply God’s inspired word appropriately.
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(Don't just take some preacher's word for it that 'the Bible says' what he says.)
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In the Apostolic Age

Scripture of Christ by the hand of His Apostle John:

from The Apocalypse of John from Jesus Christ writing to seven churches:
Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come..
- God WAS and IS and WILL BE–the Father of all, the Son Christ Jesus the Ever-living Word of Salvation to redeemed sinners and the Holy Spirit of the Holy God who breaths life into the lifeless souls of sinful man.
- The Lord speaks to His Church through the Spirit and the Word of Scripture.
Scripture of Christ by the hand of His Apostle Paul:

Instead, we have renounced secret and shameful things,

not acting deceitfully or distorting the word of God, but commending ourselves before God to everyone’s conscience by an open display of the truth.

But if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. In their case, the god of this age has blinded the minds of the unbelievers to keep them from seeing the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God.

For we are not proclaiming ourselves but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants for Jesus’s sake.
Second letter from the Apostle Paul to the Church at Corinth 4:2-5 Christian Standard Bible
- How many Christians are there in your local VISIBLE CHURCH?
  - NOT as many as most claim.
    
    For many are perishing, blinded by the god of this age.
In earlier centuries of these last days

.. the Bible possesses reproving power to correct all error unaligned with its teaching.
The Bible Convictions of John Wycliff
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MORE about the Bible translator John Wycliff
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A Doctrine to Die for (as Christ also died for His Church)

No human leader–not even the Pontiff of Rome–can claim to be head of the church on earth. Sovereign headship belongs to Christ alone. “The greater part of the clergy is heretical and the highest are the worst.”
John Wycliff , who hand-copied the first version of the Wycliff English Bible in the year of our Lord, 1382 – source

While it is yet today–until the day of reckoning
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For Yahweh of hosts will have a day of reckoning
Against everyone who is proud and high
And against everyone who is lifted up,
That he may be made low.
- Isaiah 2:12 LSB
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Once more I will defer to the theological trumpet of John Stott from THE RADICAL DISCIPLE

But fundamental to Christian behavior is the lordship of Jesus Christ. “Jesus is Lord” remains the basis of our life.

.. Is the church the lord of Jesus Christ so that it has liberty to edit and manipulate, accepting what it likes and rejecting what it dislikes?
The Radical Disciple on the challenge of ethical relativism

“He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him.”
Gospel of John 14:21

Christ’s Commandment for the Church

And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch. – Acts of the Apostles 11:26

Search the Scriptures and you will find this the only place followers of the way of Jesus Christ, disciples of His teaching and doctrine are called ‘Christians.’

ἐκκλησία – ekklēsia or church is used 114 times in the New Testament.
- If you are a disciple of the teachings (doctrines) of the Lord Jesus Christ do you suppose God’s inspired word chooses to call us out as a church rather than referring to a building for Christians?
What must we do?

Conclusion: Christ’s Doctrine for His Church

The Gospel of Matthew 22:

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the Law?”

And He said to him,

“‘YOU SHALL LOVE THE LORD YOUR GOD WITH ALL YOUR HEART, AND WITH ALL YOUR SOUL, AND WITH ALL YOUR MIND.’
- Do you do that, my fellow disciple of the doctrines of Christ Jesus?
And stretching out His hand toward His disciples, He said,

“Behold My mother and My brothers! For whoever does the will of My Father who is in heaven, he is My brother and sister and mother.”
Gospel of Matthew 12:49-50 LSB

Matthew 18:

“Now if your brother sins against you,

go and show him his fault, between you and him alone; if he listens to you, you have won your brother.
- My beloved brother or sister of the Church, do you do that?
“But if he does not listen to you, take one or two more with you, so that BY THE MOUTH OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES EVERY FACT MAY BE CONFIRMED.
- Do you, my fellow disciple of Jesus, call upon one or two other followers of Jesus from your church to witness such a word against a member of the Lord’s body broken for you?
“And if he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church;
- Can you, my fellow brother in Christ, actually take such a serious division of doctrine or belief to your church?
and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as the Gentile and the tax collector.
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Of course this analogy of Jesus spoke to times before the risen Christ baptized gentiles into the Church. 
The charge of Jesus is to throw him out and have nothing to do with this unrepentant sinner who would lightly claim to be a christian.
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The DOCTRINE of the CHURCH is a life and death issue.

“Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may have eternal life?”
Gospel of Matthew 19:16
- Do you, my fellow disciple of Jesus, know what happened to the man who asked our Lord this question?
Jesus said to him, “If you wish to be complete, go and sell your possessions and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven; and come, follow Me.” .. he went away grieving; for he was one who owned much property.

And He is the head of the body, the church; Who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, so that He Himself will come to have first place in everything.

For in Him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell,

And through Him to reconcile all things to Himself, having made peace through the blood of His cross—through Him—whether things on earth or things in heaven.
Colossians 1:18-20

The Doctrine of the Church is a LIFE and DEATH issue. And also at issue is not only death, but JUDGMENT.

We are NOT SAVED simply by calling ourselves ‘christian,’ clinging to grace yet hiding from God.

“You are My friends if you do what I command you.
“This I command you, that you love one another.
Gospel of John 15:14,17

God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord. To Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen.
October 29, 2022