Month: June 2013

JESUS IS EVERYTHING

/ thesouldoctor / Leave a comment

the_holy_trinity“And in Jesus Christ his only Son, our Lord.”

Christianity has always been Trinitarian. There are many rebels, thieves and plunderers who would attempt to steal that crown and change the glory of the incorruptible Creator into the image they desire-but it will not happen.

The word “Trinity” comes from the Latin noun “trinitas” meaning “three are one.”  God is one Being made up of three distinct persons who exist in co-equal essence and co-eternal communion as the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. I have found by a thorough study of scripture and the interpretation of scripture by the Creeds and Councils of the church, that this is the best expression of this biblical truth. They are great bunker busters for those who are heretics and deny the human or divine nature of Christ.

When we speak of Christ we speak of him as the Son of God or God the Son, the second person of the Trinity. He was begotten before all worlds. This is called the doctrine of eternal generation which will really bake your noodle. He did not become Son when he was born; he always was the Son by eternal generation.

“The doctrine of eternal generation essentially teaches that God the Father ETERNALLY and BY NECESSITY generates or begets God the Son in such a way that the substance (divine essence) of God is not divided. The Person of God the Son derives His deity from this generation. In other words, there is a communication of the whole, indivisible substance of the Godhead so that God the Son is the exact representation (or express image) of God the Father.

The book of Colossians says, “The Son is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.”  (Col. 1:15). This verse is replete with meaning and in conjunction with this series presents powerful truth.

Paul teaches that Jesus Christ is not merely a chip off the old block, he just does not look like the Almighty God.  It entirely a different thing when Adam was made in God’s image (Gen 1:26) and Jesus being God’s image. How?

Jesus Christ is whatever God is-omnipotent, omnipresent and omniscient. Jesus Christ is the perfect, absolutely accurate image of God. He did not become the image of God at the incarnation, but has been that from all eternity.

Paul affirms that Jesus is the Creator of all things (Col. 1:16-17) in which He calls Christ “firstborn” of all creation. As Creator, Christ has supremacy over all creation. Christ existed before all created beings and is not a created being. Hebrews 1:3 describes Jesus as “the radiance of [God’s] glory.” Christ reflects God’s attributes, as the sun’s light reflects the sun.  Jesus is the exact likeness of God.

BUSTED

/ thesouldoctor / Leave a comment

800px-La_conversion_de_Saint_Paul_G“Not that I have already obtained all this, or have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.” (Phil. 3:12).

I found this to be a fascinating verse.

The King James says that God “apprehended” Paul.

That word at first blush seems very strong to us, a word used in police work.

Was Paul was arrested, collared and even “busted” by God?

Well, having seen the actions of Saul of Tarsus now called Paul, this does not seem so far-fetched. Once, he thought he believed right and lived right-better than anyone he knew. But later, he described himself as the foremost of sinners on God’s most wanted list and an insolent opponent of the gospel of Christ (see 1 Tim 1:12-17).

Christ took hold of him right on the street as it were, not even in “church.”  He was not a religious clone like so many today. He was saved by grace not human method’s. A light from heaven flashed and it incapacitated and blinded him (Acts 9). Jesus stopped him in his tracks wondering why Saul continued to persecuted HIM.

Paul was attempting to stop the gospel of Jesus and Jesus stopped him.

Thank God the religious right, or “progressive” left had no say in this! Paul at worst was not executed, nor thrown into prison or at best given community service.  In fact, Paul would be God’s favored instrument, “to turn people from darkness to light and from Satan’s control to God’s.” (Acts 26:16). 

Paul says that Christ took possession of him that day and made him his own. The word used for “take hold of” or “apprehend”  is katalambanō and Thayer describes it as “Christ by his holy power and influence laying hold of the human mind and will, in order to prompt and govern it.”

That is an awesome description of salvation. 

Salvation was the intervention of God and his kingdom in the human heart. Christ had to put the brakes on Saul’s deception that would have destroyed him. He dried up his religious momentum with one phrase, “I am Jesus!” 

He was blinded to his deeds for God and confronted with Christ, by Christ. All his deeds all his religious beauty became pale, his pious strength drained from him, and his theological vigor disappeared and his ecclesiastical energy was gone (see Dan 10:8). He found nothing mattered to the one true God except the person and work of his beloved son, Jesus. 

Some would be resistant (no pun intended) to this God being so enterprising in his saving grace. But the biblical understanding surely shows that God is eager to save us from our sins and give us eternal life. Salvation is found only in Christ.

The words “I am Jesus” are the words that bring light to the darkest of hearts and thank God today we are busted by his grace.

JESUS, THE TENDER SAVIOR

/ thesouldoctor / Leave a comment

handMen and women I hope this helps you today.

Take the time to read this not just “like it.” It is medicine for a sick soul.

“He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged. He will not falter or lose heart until justice prevails throughout the earth. Even distant lands beyond the sea will wait for his instruction.”

Isaiah’s prophecy shows how tender Jesus is to those who are weak and fragile.

He gives the picture of a reed and a wick used in oil lamps describing his people. In the Middle East Reeds are actually quite strong.

This analogy would normally show people who are spiritually healthy and useful.

Flax is actually made into thread for linen cloth, nets and twine.

This is should be picture of strength and right living since the saints garments are identified as such linen.

The issue is that the reed and wick are seen as problematic, weak and frail.

The reed is crushed and the wick smoldering and about to go out. It is a picture of a person who is unstable and unusable.

This is where Jesus comes in!!!

Christ is never harsh with us but gentle and tender when we fail. He heals us when we are broken and restores us so we burn with full flame.

Sometimes as Christians we are ashamed at how weak and problematic we are.

We have been hurt and we feel unloved and unattractive.

Then we are far more smoke than fire because we pray so little and neglect His word. Our testimony is depressing.

Jesus helps us when others just are not comfortable identifying or helping us. He does not, “brush aside the bruised and the hurt and he won’t disregard the small and insignificant.” He, in his own wonderful way, mends and restores broken people.

He lifts up and helps those who are exploited, overlooked and abused. He makes them useful and strong again.

The word falter is the same word as smoking in smoking flax.

He will not lose heart or be discouraged is the same word as bruised.

He was once bruised and broken for us. His flame of life was put out on Calvary for us but NOW the Risen Jesus is unbroken and full of fire! He is a perfect Savior.

He is invincible in his redemption and omnipotent in his salvation.

He will not give up on you but will restore you to health.

That is good news for some today. (SG)