“I Have No Need”

~ In Reality You Have No Excuse! ~

note:  This is one in a series of Biblical answers to objections some individuals raise when presented with the Good News of salvation through Jesus Christ. 

 “I will not bother to personally conduct a serious investigation of Jesus Christ because I really don’t need anything—and I certainly do not need a ‘Savior.’” 

This is like saying, “I will not bother to personally conduct a serious investigation of Jesus Christ because I am perfectly okay as I am.” Such a response doesn’t stand up to the test of logic. But logic is not the main issue. What does God say?

You Are Guilty Before God  ~  “All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God” (Romans 3:23).

“For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse; for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who does not continue in all things which are written in the book of the law, to do them’” (Galatians 3:10).

The Penalty of Your Guilt Is Spiritual Death  ~  “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord” (Romans 6:23).

In Your Present Condition You Will Incur the Wrath of God  ~  “He who believes in the Son has everlasting life; and he who does not believe the Son shall not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him” (John 3:36).

Refusing to Investigate the Claims of Christ Is No Excuse  ~  Jesus said, “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God” (John 3:18).

God Has Provided for Your Salvation Making You Accountable  ~  “How shall we escape if we neglect so great a salvation, which at the first began to be spoken by the Lord, and was confirmed to us by those who heard Him” (Hebrews 2:3). 

You Cannot Earn Salvation On Your Own  ~  As Jesus was teaching He gave an illustration, “‘I fast twice a week; I give tithes of all that I possess.’  And the tax collector, standing afar off, would not so much as raise his eyes to heaven, but beat his breast, saying, ‘God, be merciful to me a sinner!’ I tell you, this man went down to his house justified rather than the other; for everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 18:12-14).

If You Accept God’s Provision You Will Be Saved Eternally  ~  “Why? Because they did not seek it by faith, but as it were, by the works of the law. For they stumbled at that stumbling stone. As it is written: ‘Behold, I lay in Zion a stumbling stone and rock of offense, and whoever believes on Him will not be put to shame’” (Romans 9:32-33).

There Is Only One Path To Salvation  ~  “They don't seem to realize that this comprehensive setting-things-right that is salvation is God's business, and a most flourishing business it is. Right across the street they set up their own salvation shops and noisily hawk their wares. After all these years of refusing to really deal with God on his terms, insisting instead on making their own deals, they have nothing to show for it” (Romans 10:3, The Message). 

“Jesus said to him, ‘I am the [only] way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me’” (John 14:6). 

summary: “The basic reality of God is plain enough. Open your eyes and there it is! By taking a long and thoughtful look at what God has created, people have always been able to see what their eyes as such can't see: eternal power, for instance, and the mystery of His divine being.

So nobody has a good excuse.

What happened was this: People knew God perfectly well, but when they didn't treat him like God, refusing to worship him, they trivialized themselves into silliness and confusion so that there was neither sense nor direction left in their lives. They pretended to know it all, but were illiterate regarding life” (Romans 1:19-22, The Message).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Law vs. Grace, 12of12

~ Motivated by Pride vs. Motivated by Love ~

introduction:  The Apostle Paul wrote the Book of Galatians to the believers of this local church at a time when they were beginning to reject the gospel of grace and were instead moving backward toward obedience of the Mosaic Law as the means of winning favor with God. Paul’s purpose in writing was to point out the dramatic differences between Law and Grace. 

Motivated by Pride vs. Motivated by Love

LAW  ~  “For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. For not even those who are circumcised keep the law, but they desire to have you circumcised that they may boast in your flesh. But God forbid that I should boast except in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom the world has been crucified to me, and I to the world” (Galatians 6:3, 13-14).

GRACE  ~  “For you, brethren, have been called to liberty; only do not use liberty as an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself’ [Leviticus 19:18]"  (Galatians 5:13-14).

summary:  The bottom line of understanding Law vs. Grace is a theology of “DO or DONE!” Are you still trying to DO things to earn your salvation, or do you understand that it was DONE for you on the Cross of Calvary by Jesus Christ—you only need to accept/trust His provision on your behalf?

“Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus” (Romans 3:24). “Not by works of righteousness which we do, but according to His mercy He saves us” (Titus 3:5a).

notes:  (1) The fourth Tuesday of each month during 2013 ALN will look at one aspect of “Law vs. Grace” as seen in the Book of Galatians.

(2) In addition to this series of 12 posts on Law vs. Grace, you might take a look at two previous ALN posts.  Law vs. Grace (July 6, 2010) and Law vs. Grace, 2 (July 5, 2011), as well as The Core Message of the Bible #2 (February 1, 2011).

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Christ—Son of Man

~ Consider 7 Aspects of the “Son of Man” ~

The Son of God became the Son of Man so that the sons of men could become sons of God.  In the New Testament the title “Son of Man” is interesting in that it was primarily used by Jesus Christ referring to Himself.  His disciples never used it when speaking directly to Him or in casual conversation about Him.  In one sense the Son of Man signifies His true humanity as distinguished from His true Divinity and also from fallen humanity. 

note:  When Jesus Christ referred to Himself as the Son of Man He was also referencing His direct access to God the Father (a subject of a future post)—see Daniel 7:13-14. 

Son of Man in Service and Suffering  ~   Jesus said, “For John came neither eating nor drinking, and they say, ‘He has a demon.’  The Son of Man [referring to Himself] came eating and drinking, and they say, ‘Look, a glutton and a winebibber, a friend of tax collectors and sinners!’  But wisdom is justified by her children” (Matthew 11:18-19).  “But He [Jesus] turned and rebuked them, and said, ‘You do not know what manner of spirit you are of.  For the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives but to save them.’  And they went to another village” (Luke 9:55-56). 

Son of Man Coming to Save  ~  “And Jesus said to him, ‘Today salvation has come to this house, because he also is a son of Abraham; for the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost’” (Luke 19:9-10).  Jesus said, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him” (John 6:27).

Son of Man Suffering Unto Death  ~  Jesus said, “The Son of Man must suffer many things, and be rejected by the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised the third day” (Luke 9:22).  “Then He [Jesus] answered and told them, ‘Indeed, Elijah is coming first and restores all things.  And how is it written concerning the Son of Man, that He must suffer many things and be treated with contempt?’” (Mark 9:12).  

Son of Man as the Sacrifice for Sin  ~  Jesus said, “And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:14-15).  “The people answered Him, ‘We have heard from the law that the Christ remains forever; and how can You say, “The Son of Man must be lifted up?”’  Who is this Son of Man?’” (John 12:34). 

Son of Man Risen from the Dead  ~  At the very heart of Christianity is a crucial distinctive—we do not serve a dead leader, but the risen Messiah.  “He is not here, but is risen!  Remember how He spoke to you when He was still in Galilee, saying, ‘The Son of Man must be delivered into the hands of sinful men, and be crucified, and the third day rise again’” (Luke 24:6-7).  Jesus said, “Anyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man, it will be forgiven him; but whoever speaks against the Holy Spirit, it will not be forgiven him, either in this age or in the age to come.” (Matthew 12:32).  “Now as they came down from the mountain, Jesus commanded them, saying, ‘Tell the vision to no one until the Son of Man is risen from the dead’” (Matthew 17:9). 

Son of Man Glorified in Heaven  ~  “But he [Stephen], being full of the Holy Spirit, gazed into heaven and saw the glory of God, and Jesus standing at the right hand of God, and said, ‘Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God!’” (Acts 7:55-56).   “Then I [John] turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength” (Revelation 1:12-16).

Son of Man Coming Again in Judgment  ~  Jesus said, “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be” (Matthew 24:27).  Jesus said, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory.  All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats.  And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left.  Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world’” (Matthew 25:31-34).

the key question: “Who do you say that I am?” (Matthew 16:15). This is the most important question you will ever answer. If you do not answer it, or answer it incorrectly, you have made the biggest mistake anyone can make!

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

Messiah, 131

~ Messiah Is God ~

“Search the Scriptures—they testify of Me.”

— Jesus Christ (John 5:39)

The Scripture

“For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given; and the government will be upon His shoulder. And His name will be called Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6).   

The Messiah 

“In the beginning was the Word [Jesus Christ], and the Word [Jesus Christ] was with God, and the Word [Jesus Christ] was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. In Him was life, and the life was the light of men” (John 1:1-4). 

“For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. No one has seen God at any time. The only begotten Son, who is in the bosom of the Father, He has declared Him” (John 1:17-18). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “MESSIAH” NOTES ~~~   

(1)  Each Saturday ALN posts an example of a Hebrew Scriptures prophecy (or foreshadowing) related to the coming Messiah which was fulfilled in the birth, life, death, or resurrection of Jesus Christ.

(2)  While extensive it will not be a complete list—there are hundreds of prophecies of the coming Messiah which have been fulfilled by one man—Jesus Christ at His First Coming.

(3)  It is important that there are many more prophecies of the Messiah, yet unfulfilled, which Christians believe will be fulfilled at the time of His Second Coming.  A particularly relevant Scripture verse in this regard is: “Do not despise prophesies” (1 Thessalonians 5:20).

(4)  These posts will typically consist only of Scripture—which speaks for itself.  Sometimes italicized or bold font will be used by ALN for emphasis.

(5)  The numbering of these fulfilled prophecies of the Messiah is used to differentiate individual posts. It is not chronological (either by time of the prophecy or by sequence in the life of the Messiah).  The posting sequence will, for the most part, be in the order that the prophecies appear in Scripture.

(6)  Because of the chosen methodology (#5 above) we will find many specific prophecies repeated multiple times throughout the Scriptures.

(7)  These serial posts are in addition to our regular Tuesday ALN postings on random topics.

(8)  Subscription to ABUNDANT LIFE NOW blog is simple—just use the link on the left sidebar.  Once subscribed you will not miss future posts.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

The Red Sea Crossing

~ Was It a Miracle? ~

There is an old story from unknown source which I like—not a little!

“A new convert was reading his Bible when he called out, ‘Wow!  Praise the Lord!’  A liberal minister heard him, and asked him what the noise was about.  The young Christian replied with great enthusiasm, ‘This is incredible.  It says here that God performed a miracle of deliverance by opening up the Red Sea for the Jews to march through!’

“The minister replied, ‘Owing to tidal patterns around that time of year, the Red Sea was a swamp that was only three-inches deep.’

“Somewhat subdued, the young man continued reading, but soon exclaimed, ‘Wow!  Praise the Lord!’

“‘What’s the matter now?’ asked the minister.

“To which the Christian replied, ‘God has just drowned the whole Egyptian army in three inches of water!’

“Over 3,000 times, the Bible speaks of its inspiration by God.  His Word is true, and you can believe every word of it.”

closing thought:  This might be a good time to re-read the historical account of the Red Sea crossing (Exodus 14-15:19; Psalm 136; Hebrews 11:29). 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW