Christ in Jude

~ Jesus Christ Is The Returning Bridegroom ~

The Bible is about Jesus Christ  ~  “Jesus said to them, ‘How foolish you are, and how slow of heart to believe all that the prophets have spoken!  Did not the Christ have to suffer these things and then enter His glory?’  And beginning with Moses and all the Prophets, He explained to them what was said in all the Scriptures concerning Himself” (Luke 24:25-27).

Jesus Christ in the Book of Jude  ~  Jesus Christ is the source of our sanctification, the Merciful One, our Advocate, the Preserver, and the Coming Judge.  “Jude, a bondservant of Jesus Christ, and brother of James, to those who are called, sanctified by God the Father, and preserved in Jesus Christ: mercy, peace, and love be multiplied to you” (Jude 1-2). 

A key teaching of this short letter is that natural man’s evil nature has remained the same throughout history.  His enemies have always been godless people.  Jude compares evil people of his day with Old Testament examples:  “But these speak evil of whatever they do not know; and whatever they know naturally, like brute beasts, in these things they corrupt themselves.  Woe to them!  For they have gone in the way of Cain, have run greedily in the error of Balaam for profit, and perished in the rebellion of Korah” (Jude 10-11). 

Comment  ~  We have only touched the surface of Christ in the book of Jude.  The Apostle Paul told us the Scriptures present many shadows of things to come but the reality is found in Jesus Christ (Colossians 2:17). 

~~~ EXPLANATORY “JESUS CHRIST IN EVERY BOOK OF THE BIBLE” SERIES ~~~   

(1)  Approximately once a month ALN posts an overview of how Jesus Christ is seen in a specific book of the Bible.

(2)  In most cases these posts only scratch the surface regarding Jesus Christ in the particular book.

(3)  These posts will typically be in the same order as the books are found in the Bible.

(4)  These serial posts are in addition to our other ALN postings.

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~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

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Fact Check, 58

~ Angelic At Death ~  

Bible Quotation?  ~  “At death God gains another angel.” Or, “When you die God transforms you into an angelic being.”

The Bible Says  ~  Not a Biblical concept! 

“Therefore we must give the more earnest heed to the things we have heard, lest we drift away.  For if the word spoken through angels proved steadfast, and every transgression and disobedience received a just reward, 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, God also bearing witness both with signs and wonders, with various miracles, and gifts of the Holy Spirit, according to His own will?  For He has not put the world to come, of which we speak, in subjection to angels.  But one testified in a certain place [Psalm 8:4-6], saying: ‘What is man that You are mindful of him, or the son of man that You take care of him?  You have made him a little lower than the angels; You have crowned him with glory and honor, and set him over the works of Your hands.  You have put all things in subjection under his feet.’  For in that He put all in subjection under him, He left nothing that is not put under him.  But now we do not yet see all things put under him.  But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels, for the suffering of death crowned with glory and honor, that He, by the grace of God, might taste death for everyone” (Hebrews 2:1-9).

“Concerning this salvation, the prophets, who spoke of the grace that was to come to you, searched intently and with the greatest care, trying to find out the time and circumstances to which the Spirit of Christ in them was pointing when he predicted the sufferings of Christ and the glories that would follow.  It was revealed to them that they were not serving themselves but you, when they spoke of the things that have now been told you by those who have preached the gospel to you by the Holy Spirit sent from heaven.  Even angels long to look into these things” (1 Peter 1:10-12).

The Significance  ~  Human beings are human beings and angels are angels. 

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .

Learn From Gideon, 22

~ God Responds to Honest Doubt ~

The Biblical account of the life of Gideon provides for one of the most interesting character studies in all of Scripture.  In this series we will discover practical lessons for living the Christian life today.  

Scripture  ~  ‘So Gideon said to God, ‘If You will save Israel by my hand as You have said—look, I shall put a fleece of wool on the threshing floor; if there is dew on the fleece only, and it is dry on all the ground, then I shall know that You will save Israel by my hand, as You have said.’  And it was so.   When he rose early the next morning and squeezed the fleece together, he wrung the dew out of the fleece, a bowlful of water.  Then Gideon said to God, ‘Do not be angry with me, but let me speak just once more: Let me test, I pray, just once more with the fleece; let it now be dry only on the fleece, but on all the ground let there be dew.’  And God did so that night.  It was dry on the fleece only, but there was dew on all the ground” (Judges 6:36-40).

Learn From Gideon  ~  There is a huge difference between challenging or testing God  compared to honest doubt and seeking confirmation. 

1. Gideon, like many of us, doubted his own ability.  He also doubted that God was real and powerful enough to do what He said.  Fortunately, God responds to honest doubt—in the Scripture above God responded to Gideon’s honest skepticism and doubt. 
2. We serve a patient God.  Even after confirmation of his own request Gideon is not satisfied.  God knowing honest doubt God confirms a second time!  God is never upset with a seeker who is honestly seeking truth. 
3. Notice that even after his calling from God, Gideon continued to make excuses and question God.
4. This completes Judges Chapter 6.  As we continue into the story of Gideon in Judges Chapter 7 we will see that God can raise up and elevate an honest doubter who learns to trust God. 

Challenge For Us  ~  Can you and I trust God without fear of death and without demanding a sign?   

concluding comment  ~  We learn about Gideon primarily from Judges 6-8, but also Isaiah 9:1-7, and Hebrews 11:1-3, 32-34.

~ Robert Lloyd Russell, ABUNDANT LIFE NOW

NOTES:

(1)     The current TOP 10 ALN posts are listed at the very bottom of this home page.

(2)     There is an INDEX of all ALN posts accessed by scrolling down the left column.

(3)     You may LINK to any ALN posts on your own blog or website. 

(4)     You may COPY any ALN post, but please credit ALN as the source by prominently displaying the following statement:  Reprinted from “Abundant Life Now,” a free blog which offers inspiring moments, thought-provoking comments, and solid Biblical insight at http://RobertLloydRussell.blogspot.com/ .