Ways to study your Bible...

 Chapter Ten:

One of the most accurate and primary ways God speaks to mankind is through the Bible.  One cannot ever say "God doesn't speak to me!", because God does...through the Scriptures.  The Bible is God speaking to us.  There are several ways you can study your Bible and we will look at what some of those different ways are.

Let's look at three ways that you can get the Word of God into your life:

First:  Hearing (Luke 11:28 says, "He replied, 'Blessed rather are those who hear the word of God and obey it'".)  

Second:  Reading (Deuteronomy 17: 18-20 says, "When he takes the throne of his kingdom, he is to write for himself on a scroll a copy of this law, taken from that of the priests, who are Levites.  It is to be with him, and he is to read it all the days of his life so that he may learn to revere the Lord his God and follow carefully all the words of this law and these decrees and not consider himself better than his brothers and turn from the law to the right or to the left.  Then he and his descendants will reign a long time over his kingdom in Israel".)

Third:  Studying (Acts 17:11 says, " Now the Bereans were of more noble character than the Thessalonians, for they received the message with great eagerness and examined the Scriptures every day to see if what Paul said was true."   Second Timothy 2:15 says, "Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a workman who does not need to be ashamed and who correctly handles the word of truth.")

It's not only important that you become a person of prayer, but also an avid studier of the Bible.  Remember that the Bible is arranged by subject, not chronologically.  If you do read it chronologically you may understand it better.   I believe you can go on the internet and find how the Bible can be read chronologically if that's how you'd like to read it.  Remember the most important point as you read and study your Bible...all Scripture was inspired by God to equip us for living our lives and becoming more like Christ. 

 

People choose different ways to study their Bible.  Here are examples of three ways:

A)  Studying one chapter of a book at a time.  First, read the whole book through one time to get an overview and then focus on that particular chapter. As you do:

1.  Pick out key words and phrases of the chapter

2.  List principle people who are in the chapter

3.  Write a summary of the chapter, capturing it's central lesson

4.  List principle subjects in the chapter

5.  Look for key verses of the chapter

6.  Make a list of questions you may have that come to mind as you read the chapter

7.  Look specifically for what the chapter says about God and Christ

8.  Ask the Lord how He wants this chapter applied to your life

B)  Topical study is where you decide on a specific topic you'd like to study in the Bible.

1.  Decide upon your topic of interest (ie, sin, marriage, prayer)

2.  Gather your Bible and other references you may want to use  (ie, some people use a "Strong's Concordance", which is a Biblical reference book that provides an index to the Bible.  It is not going to give you content or commentary about the Bible.  It allows you to find words where they appear in the Bible.  It can help you  re-find a phrase or passage that you're having a difficult time finding.  It also lets you directly compare how the same word may be used elsewhere in the Bible.  It offers a more accurate understanding of text.  If you look at one, you will notice that it has the 8,674 Hebrew root words used in the Old Testament, and the 5,624 Greek root words used in the New Testament.  Some people enjoy looking into the meaning of a particular word in Scripture as it can give better understanding of what the word really meant in the original language.)  

Other references you can use can be commentary's written by other authors, such as Matthew Henry's "Concise Commentary on the Whole Bible".  Some people enjoy using the "Vine's Complete Expository Dictionary of Old and New Testament Words" as it helps you study the meaning of over 6,000 biblical words in the original languages, without have to learn Greek or Hebrew.  

3.  Study every reference and write out what it has to say about the subject you're studying

4.  Write out any questions you may have

5.  Go back through and look over your notes and write out your conclusions

6.  Ask the Lord how He wants you to apply this to your life

C) The life of a person.  This can be very meaningful to you as you begin to understand how the individual lived, what they had to deal with, how the Lord worked in their life and how they were changed because of it.

1.  Decide on what person you want to study (ie, Christ, David, Moses, or maybe one of the disciples of Christ)

2.  Do the same steps as you would do if you were doing a topical study, but this time instead of studying a topic, you're studying the life of a particular person.  

 

Next time we will look at memorizing the Word of God as a way of drawing closer to Him and hiding the Word in your heart. 

Why it is so important you study your Bible and not just read it...

Chapter Nine:

Previously, we have looked at an overview of the books of both the Old and New Testament.  Now that you have a basic overview of the Bible, it's time to get a better idea of how to actually study the Bible, not just read it as if it's just a regular book.  I cannot overemphasize the importance of studying the Bible as it is crucial to becoming a strong Christian.  There are several reasons you need to study your Bible:

First, it helps you to get a better understanding of what your salvation really means and what it cost Christ to be able to offer it to mankind.  It helps you to see what the Church has gone through these past centuries and how the sins that mankind struggled with back then are still the same sins we struggle with today.  It helps you to be able to reach out to others in the hope that they, too, will see their need for the atoning power of the cross and will become fellow disciples.  You'll read stories of people who had struggles and problems and how they overcame them with God's help.  It will inspire you when you, yourself, have trials that you are facing, knowing that you are going through what others have had to endure.  You'll be encouraged during your difficulties as you read about others being helped by the Lord during their difficulties.  What you will ultimately realize, however, is that walking with  God is not an easy road.  My prayer for you is that you will see that the cost is worth it,  and you will press into God regardless of how others may try to pull you away.

Second, Psalm 119:11 says, "I have hidden your word in my heart that I might not sin against you." It's very important that we know what the Scriptures say in order to walk holy before God.  

Third, so that you are not deceived by others.  Scripture tells us that especially in the last days there will be many false prophets and deceivers who will be so subtle and convincing, that unless you really know your Bible, you may be easily tricked into following someone who is not really a servant of God.  Peter warned the church in 2 Peter to be on guard against false teachings and challenged them to be steadfast. 2 Peter 2:1 says, "But there were also false prophets among the people, just as there will be false teachers among you.  They will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the sovereign Lord who bought them...".   

Matthew 7:21-23 says, "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord , Lord' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven.  Many will say to me on that day, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophecy in your name, and in your name drive out demons and perform many miracles?  Then I will tell them plainly, 'I never knew you.  Away from me, you evildoers!' .  God is referring to the fact that these false prophets will so convince Christians that they are servants of God, and therefore are worthy to be followed, that they will even be able to do miracles, but these miracles will not be through the power of God but from Satan, who is intent on deceiving Christians. I Timothy 4:1 says, "The Spirit clearly says that in later times some will  abandon the faith (you cannot abandon something if you haven't been a follower!) and follow deceiving spirits and things taught by demons."   You have to be in the Word so that you can discern who is really a servant of God and who is not.

 

In the next chapter we will begin to look at the different ways you can study your Bible.  Until then, continue reading and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to you how you can personally apply what you are reading.  Remember, we don't just study the Bible to gain knowledge...we study it so we can apply it to our own lives as our goal is to become more like Christ.

Just what is the "Trinity"?...

Chapter Eight:

I'd like us to look at a very important Christian doctrine that separates Christianity from other religions and cults.  It is referred to as the "Trinity".  The doctrine of the Trinity tells us that God is actually three divine persons:  the Father, the Son (Jesus Christ) and the Holy Spirit.  These three persons are distinct, yet coexist in unity and are co-equal, and co-eternal.  

Many religions reject the Trinity on the grounds that it sounds like Christians worship three Gods, not one.  But perhaps a stronger reason for their rejection is that the doctrine of the Trinity makes Christ  co-equal with God the Father.  Many other religions will not admit to who Christ really is or what His purpose on earth was really for.  They want to keep people thinking of Him merely as another prophet, or a holy, wise man of God, rather than being God in the flesh, who came to save humanity from their sins.  Many want to deny the deity of Christ as it is the cornerstone of Christianity;  some even go so far as to say that he was just an angel who was stripped of his angelic nature and became a regular man. Therefore, it was this regular man who was crucified on the cross and a regular man's death can, in no way, atone for the sins of mankind.  And with being only a man, the resurrection of Christ is merely a myth. Therefore, the Trinity is understandably a particular target of critics who adhere to other religions or beliefs.  

The New Testament clearly states that God is one, yet here you find evidence that the unity of God, His oneness, involves three "persons".  In Matthew 28:19 Jesus tells His disciples, "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit...".  Paul's closing greeting to the church of Corinth in II Corinthians 13:14 says, "May the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ, and the love of God, and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all."  

 In addition, note that Jesus frequently referred to Himself as God. John 14:9,10 says,..."Anyone who has seen me has seem the Father.  How can you say 'show us the Father'?  Don't you believe that I am in the Father and that the Father is in me?  The words I say to you are not just my own.  Rather it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work."  In the book of John, Chapters 14-16,  it tells how the Holy Spirit enjoys the same inter-relationship with the Father that Jesus does.  The Son, Jesus Christ, is the God-man who was perfectly human and perfectly divine.  He was one person having two distinct and separate natures (Galatians 4:4,5; Philippians 2:6,7).  The reason some people have difficulty with the Trinity is because they try to see God as some kind of "large entity".  How three persons can be only one (the Trinity) is a puzzle to natural reasoning. But God is much larger than our finite, natural reasoning.

Christians understand that God can operate in separate functions, with each function having a different task to do:

First, as Father God, the Creator.  Genesis 1:1 says, "In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth."  Matthew 23:9 says, "...for you have one Father, and He is in heaven."

Second, as the Son, Jesus Christ, who came to earth to die for the sins of mankind, was crucified on the cross and was resurrected.  John 1:14 says, "The Word became flesh and lived for a while among us.  We have seen his glory, the glory of the one and only Son, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth".  Jesus, as is recorded in Romans 8:34, is constantly interceding on our behalf to the Father...it says, " Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died—more than that, who was raised—who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us."

Third, as the Holy Spirit, who is our counselor, our comforter and our teacher.  John 14:26 says, "But the counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you."  This was Jesus' words to His disciples in order to encourage them that they were not going to be on their own.  John 20:22 says, "...receive the Holy Spirit."   Scripture tells us in Mark 1:10 of the Holy Spirit descending in the form of a dove when Jesus was being baptized by John..." As Jesus was coming up out of the water, he saw heaven being torn open and the (Holy) Spirit descending upon him like a dove."

 

Therefore, the Holy Spirit is God; the Son of God is God; and the Father is God. They are all three, God. We have one God, and He's manifest in Father, Son, and Holy Spirit.

Overview of the New Testament...

Chapter Seven:

There is a 400 year time span between the last Old Testament book of Malachi, and the first New Testament book of Matthew. This four hundred year interval has been referred to as "the dark period".  Some believe that this is due to this being a period of time where there were no prophets or writers. 

 Others, however, disagree and believe that there are, indeed, books that were written during this 400 year time period.  It's referred to as Apocrypha, or "the lost books of the Bible."  There is much disagreement within various religious communities as to whether these fourteen hidden books are factual and valid.  The Apocrypha are documents that were not accepted into the canon of the New Testament by the orthodox church, and therefore do not appear in many versions of the Bible.

 I do not intend to debate whether these lost books are valid, as I am not a theologian nor a true Bible scholar, so I will continue with the layout of the Bible that I use, which begins with the first book of the New Testament, the book of Matthew.

Keep in mind, as you begin reading the New Testament, what the history of Israel has been up to this point.  It was several hundred years earlier that Jerusalem had been overthrown and the Jewish people carried into exile in Babylon as punishment by God for their unfaithfulness and in the hope that it would bring about repentance.  After seventy years of being punished, the Babylonians were overthrown by the Persians.  Cyrus, the emperor of Persia, allowed the Jews to return to Israel.  Under the leadership of Zerubbabel, approximately five thousand Jews returned.  After many setbacks, the rebuilding of the Temple was finally completed.  Years later, Ezra returned to Jerusalem with a small group of Israelites and restored the Law and the ritual.  A few years later, Nehemiah returned to Jerusalem to become governor and rebuild the walls.  Once again, there was a Jewish state in Judea, which was under Persian rule, until the time of the Romans.

So, this is where we find ourselves at the beginning of the New Testament.  The Jewish remnant has been back in Judea for approximately one hundred and fifty years.  Jerusalem, the walls and the Temple have been rebuilt, and the rituals and the Law has been restored.  However, there is still a very large group of people who have yet to return to their homeland.

Matthew:  the first of the four books of the New Testament, referred to as "The Gospels".  Its purpose is to witness to the Jewish people that Jesus was the promised Messiah as was foretold in the Old Testament.  There was a popular belief in that day that the Messiah would be a military leader who would overthrow the Romans in order to restore the throne of David.  However, this book portrays Jesus as not being a military leader, but as the son of God who came to tell of the Kingdom of Heaven.

Mark:   the second book of "The Gospels".  Mark describes the miracles of Jesus, and gives detail of the crucifixion and death of Jesus.  The key verse is Mark 10:45, which says "For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many."

Luke:  the third book of "The Gospels".  Luke was thought to be a doctor.  This book gives the most complete look at the life of Jesus and the author uses eyewitnesses as sources for his writings.  Jesus' humanity is strongly referred to, as is the power of the Holy Spirit and of prayer.

John:  the fourth book of "The Gospels".  John is oftentimes thought of as the most important book of the Gospels.  This book was written so that humanity would realize that Jesus is the Son of God, and therefore the Redeemer to all who believe in him and in the Kingdom of God.  The resurrection of Jesus is a key point in this book.  The main emphasis is that Jesus is the manifestation of God.  John gives many examples of miracles that Jesus performed as signs that he was indeed the Son of God.  This book contains the key verse of Christianity, which for many is the first verse of Scripture they ever hear.  It is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."  Verse 17 goes on to say, "For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him".  

 

Acts:  describes the first-century church, its foundation and its activities.  It tells of the problems and struggles the first Christians faced, as well as how they overcame them.  It describes the power, given by the Holy Spirit, to a select number of men at Pentecost in order to promote the Gospel.  It traces Paul's missionary journeys as he helped form churches throughout Rome, southeastern Europe and Asia Minor.

Romans:  is the story of Paul, who had lived his life by persecuting the Christians.  He had a personal encounter with the Living God and was converted.  Afterwards, he was instructed to become a minister to the Gentiles.  He discusses the sinfulness of mankind in God's eyes and that without Christ all would face death as a result.  Christ is presented as being an acceptable sacrificial substitute as he was a  man without sin. Paul encourages the Gentiles to accept what Christ has done for them and to follow Christ and become a "disciple".  Paul goes on to explain the difference between the Gentiles and the Jews, and the end of all things when Christ returns to the earth to establish God's Kingdom.  The key verses in this book is Romans 1: 16,17 which says, " For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ; for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first, and also for the Greek. For in it the righteousness of God is revealed from faith to faith; as it is written, "The just shall live by faith".  

 I  Corinthians:   written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Corinth.  It tells of his having to deal with false teachings and problems that were in this newly formed church.  As most members were from a background of pagan immorality, Paul was encouraging them to change their way of living.  Some in the church were also trying to mix the Law of Moses with the teachings of Christ.

II Corinthians:  also written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Corinth.  His words were an attempt to give guidance and instruction on several issues that were causing division within this church.  He gives encouragement, and teaches on the suffering that many believers face.  He teaches that he has come to realize that God can work through him best when he is at his weakest.  One of the main emphasis of this book is the comfort that God can give to us all.  The key verse for this is II Corinthians 1: 3,4 which says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and God of all comfort; who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God."

Galatians:  also written by the Apostle Paul to the church at Galatia.  It focused on the divisions that Jewish Christians were causing among the new Gentile converts.  They were trying to convince the Gentiles that Paul's authority had not really come from God, and that they needed to be circumcised in order to be saved.  Paul teaches that both Gentile and Jew can enjoy Christ's complete salvation, and that reliance on The Law would not give them the life and freedom they wanted.  Paul spoke strongly against how legalism perverts the true nature of the Gospel.  

Ephesians:  also written by the Apostle Paul.  It is thought to be one of several letters which were circulated to the different churches in Asia as it was written during Paul's first imprisonment in Rome.  Paul's emphasis is on the blessing and spiritual riches we can find in Christ, so that believers would follow in Christ's steps and change their behavior to live like Christ lived.

Phillipians:  also written by the Apostle Paul.  He outlines his own beliefs and admonishes others not to be self-centered.  He challenges them to look to Christ as an example of self-sacrifice so that all believers are one in their purpose.  It is thought that Paul wrote this while he was in prison.

Colossians:  also written by the Apostle Paul.  He wrote this in response to the heresies and errors he had heard had crept into the church.  They were worshipping angels, had come to believe that certain religious rituals and self denial was the real way to spirituality, and some were claiming special knowledge they had found outside the Gospel of Christ.  Paul wrote that these errors were based on traditions of man and, therefore, worthless in God's eyes.  He taught about humility, love, and the need to submit to authority.

I & II Thesalonians:  The state of the dead in Christ is the main focus of these letters.  The focus is on their resurrection and the future Kingdom of God.  It appears Paul wrote these letters because of the many newly baptized believers in Thessalonica.  He had been forced to leave the city by jealous Jews. In the second letter, he gives further encouragement regarding the punishment of the wicked men who are persecuting them.

I & II Timothy:  written by Paul.  He is giving encouragement to Timothy and is reminding him of the work at hand.  Paul tells Timothy of his fears that there are dangers within the church.  He also gives advice for all to follow in order to have godly conduct.  These two letters to Timothy, along with that to Titus are often referred to as the Pastoral letters, because they were not addressed to the churches themselves, but to pastors and leaders of the churches.

Titus:  this letter was written to Titus by Paul, when Paul was in Nicopolis.  Titus was teaching the churches on the island of Crete.  It provides instruction and advice for his conduct as a man of God, as well as guidance for dealing with the believers in Crete.

Philemon:  a letter from Paul to Philemon, whose slave named Onesimus had run away to Rome.  While in  Rome, Onesimus met Paul and converted to Christianity.  Paul is sending him back to Rome and his rightful owner, with a letter recommending he accept him back with love.

Hebrews:  believed to be written by Paul, he is presenting the distinctiveness of Jesus Christ as God's Son.  Written primarily to Jewish Christians who're wavering between Judaism and Christianity.  The primary message is to prove that Christ was the fulfillment of all Old Testament prophecy.  There is no longer any need for animal sacrifices, etc., required under the Mosaic Law.  Christ, the High Priest, is now mediators of all believers throughout the ages who look unto God for salvation.

James:  written by James, it contains practical information pertaining to life as a Christian.  Not directed at any church in particular, but rather to Jewish believers.  It focuses on several things: living through trials and the necessity of going through trials as it causes growth to become more like Christ; the need to use one's faith and reach out to others to help them; and that a changed life is one of the main purposes being a disciple of Christ.  The key verse is James 2:26, which says" For as the body without the spirit is dead, so faith without works is dead".  James is encouraging believers to show their faith by going out and helping others.  James encourages them to put their faith into action by helping others.

I Peter:  written by Peter to Christians in Asia Minor who were facing coming persecution.  He was encouraging them to try to maintain joyful hope even in the face of persecution.  He warned that persecution would come and that they must stand fast against it.

II Peter:  also written by  Peter.  The newly formed church, being threatened by false teachers, is exhorted to be aware of this danger.  He explains that false teachers had come into the church and were trying to undo the true doctrine of the Gospel so as to cause confusion in the hopes that many would fall away.

I John:  written by  the apostle John.  It was written to a community who faced heresy.  He teaches them how to walk in the light and to remember the sacrifice that the Lord Jesus Christ made for them.

II John:  also written by the apostle John.  It was written to an "elect lady" who is advised to have minimal fellowship with unbelievers.  The ideas of love, truth and obedience are emphasized.

III John:  also written by the apostle John.  This letter commends Gaius for allowing Christian teachers to use his home and for helping them financially.  He is urged to receive only good men, who are known by their works, and to shun evil men.

Jude:  written by Jude. He warns of the dangers of the false teachers who have unknowingly slipped in among the newly converted Christians.  He outlines the past judgments upon the evil men who forsook the Word of God and perverted it into the traditions of men.

Revelation: written by the apostle John.  This is the final book of the New Testament and the Bible as a whole.  John is shown events down the ages that affect the true believers, and the events leading up to the return of Christ (the Second Coming), and the establishment of the Kingdom of God.  His visions are highly symbolic, and shows the corruption of the churches as well as the judgments on those who are held accountable.

The book of Revelation ends with a warning in verses 18-20, "I warn everyone who hears the words of the prophecy of this book:  If anyone adds to them, God will add to him the plagues described in this book.  And if anyone takes words away from this book of prophecy, God will take away from him his share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which are described in this book.  He who testifies to these things say, "Yes, I am coming soon."

In conclusion:  One of the things that is most profound to contemplate is that all of Jesus' Apostles were later killed for their beliefs.  Most of them died horrific deaths, some were skinned alive, others were crucified, and some were stoned to death.  Being a disciple of Christ is a costly endeavor, and you need to consider this when you decide to follow Jesus.  Do you want to be a Christian in name only, or are you willing to be slandered, persecuted, ridiculed, rejected and possibly killed by others for following Christ?  Many follow the Christian faith for what they can get out of it, when in reality we are to follow Christ with the willingness to give up everything and anything in order to become more like Christ, to help spread the Gospel and bring forth the Kingdom of God.  Consider these words carefully, my friend, because the life of a "true" disciple is not easy.  Choosing the narrow path will be the hardest decision you'll ever have to make.  But, it will also be the most fulfilling.

Overview of the Old Testament...

 Chapter Six:

Note: Chapter Five has somehow been omitted.  Please continue reading the blog with this chapter.

Now that you have a personal relationship with God, it's time to begin studying the Bible, which is God's main way of speaking to mankind.  Use whatever version of the Bible you find easiest to understand.  The Bible is composed of 66 books, which are divided into two major sections:  39 books are in the Old Testament, and 27 books are in the New Testament.

First, I'm going to give you an overview of  the books of the Old Testament.  I know that for those who are reading the Old Testament for the first time, it can be easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when you have to read through all the family trees of the many who came before Christ.  But it is important that you understand this history you are learning.  

It tells us not only of the lineage of Christ, but it also shows repeatedly how God gave Israel  many chances to follow Him and what the consequences were when she chose to disobey.  But God in His ever-loving compassion, always had His hands open, waiting to receive a repentant Israel.  He was always willing to restore her to her rightful place.  It is the same way with all humanity.  God waits for us to come to Him, and even when we willfully wander away after other things, He patiently waits for our return.  When we wander away He has no choice but to allow the consequences, in the hope that we will see the error in our judgment and return to Him. 

Some may think the Bible is a book that only scholars can really understand.  However, it's really not that difficult once you understand that it's basically 66 smaller books that are all part of a bigger book.  The amazing thing is that as you become familiar with the Bible after reading it, you'll see how it all fits together as one book, even though it was written by many different authors.

The Old Testament was written between the 12th and 2nd centuries B.C. (Before Christ). The original language of the Old Testament was Classic Hebrew, but it was later translated into Greek, Latin and other languages. 

Genesis:  is the book of beginnings, the creation of the earth and the beginning of man.  It talks about Creation, followed by the first man and woman, who were deceived by Satan, God's enemy, and who were subsequently banished from the Garden of Eden, thus bringing sin into the world.  It records the wickedness that grew in the earth that brought the flood in which Noah and his family were the only survivors.  The rest of the book is the early history of the Israelites and introduces Abraham, Isaac, Jacob and Joseph.  This is the first of the first five books of the Old Testament which are referred to as the Torah or Pentateuch. Torah is the Hebrew name for them, and the word Pentateuch is Greek.

Exodus:  how God used Moses to lead the captured Hebrews out of Egypt, the plagues God brought upon Egypt, and God's giving the Law at Mount Sinai.  The book concludes with a description of the order of worship which centers around the Law of Moses.  This is the second book of the Torah or Pentateuch.

 Leviticus:  this book takes its name from one of the twelve sons of Jacob, Levi.  It's  how the family of Levi was chosen by God to act as priests in the Tabernacle, and how the priests were to serve God.  It is also instructions to all the other Israelites on how to serve God.   Animal sacrifice was introduced as a covering for the individual and national sins of the people.  This is the third book of the Torah or Pentateuch.

Numbers: is a historical book, whose name refers to the two censuses, or counting, of the people of Israel.   It mainly tells of the rebellion of the Israelites in the desert after their escape from Egypt.  Because of the rebellion, only two adult men who had left Egypt eventually entered into Canaan, the land promised to Abraham in Genesis.  The rest died.   This is the fourth book of the Torah or Pentateuch.

Deuteronomy:  Moses reminding the children of Israel about the Law that God had given them and how important it was for them to obey it, prior to them entering the promised land of Canaan.  Moses died before entering the promised land. The law was given on the plains of Moab to Israel prior to their entrance to the promised land of Canaan, under the command of Joshua.  Repeating the law was very important to the welfare of this new generation, as most who had escaped Egypt were dead.  This is the fifth, and last book, of the Torah or Pentateuch.

Joshua: what Joshua did as the Israelite's leader, after he led them into the promised land. The book outlines the conquest and occupation by Israel under his military leadership. God explicitly states that all the inhabitants of the land were to be utterly driven out or destroyed in order to ensure spiritual purity and complete devotion to God by the Israelites.

Judges: when God gave the Israelites judges to rule them before they had kings.  This is 450 years of history when Israel was ruled by judges. Covers from Joshua's death to Samuel's birth.  There was great immorality as the Israelites failed to drive out the inhabitants of the land.  The book closes with the Israelite's desire for a human king.

Ruth:  the woman called Ruth and her story of trusting in God during what was a period of immorality and national decline.  God preserved a remnant who could serve as the core for future revival.  Ruth's descendant would be David, from whom the Messiah would come.

I and II Samuel:  these are two books named after the prophet, Samuel.  They give account of his birth and life.  Samuel was God's prophet who chose Saul to be the first king of Israel.  He later appointed David as king,  in order to replace Saul.  These books give account for the time up until Saul died and David became the king of Israel.

I and II Kings:  two books that give Israel's history during the time they had kings reign over them, the first being Kind David,(who died around 970 B.C.), and their last being King Zedekiah. The Jewish nation is divided into Judah in the South, and Israel in the North.  I Kings tells of Israel in its glory.  II Kings closes with Israel in ruins.

I and II Chronicles:  two books containing the stories of the Israelites that weren't written in either the first or second books of Kings. It was written to remind the nation of their entire history, and of their position among other nations, emphasizing the history of priestly worship from the death of Saul to the end of the Babylonian captivity.

Ezra:   the story of the priest who served the Israelites during the time they were in captivity in Babylon. Also covers the Jews returning from the Babylonian captivity, the decline of Babylon and its eventual overthrow by the Persians, which enable the Jews to return to Jerusalem. The Jews are allowed to return to Judah to rebuild the Temple. The Temple is completed and dedicated to God during this period.

Nehemiah:   Nehemiah returns from Babylon as Governor of Jerusalem, appointed by Artaxerxes, king of Persia. He plans and oversees the rebuilding of the city walls despite opposition and disunity. The wall is completed and more exiles are returned and registered as Jewish citizens. Nehemiah’s dedication to God drives him to make several religious reforms.

Esther:   written during the period of captivity, it is the story of a Jewish woman who became the wife of the King of Persia, Ahasuerus. Haman, prime minister to the king plots to exterminate the Jews.  Esther stops the plot.

 Job:  story of Job who suffers many trials and difficulties in his life and how he continues to serve God. God eventually intervenes and Job is restored to health and prosperity after he submits to God's will.  Satan is  mentioned frequently as he had challenged God that the only reason Job obeyed God was due to the blessings God has given Job.  In the end, it showed that even with Job's losing everything he had been given by God, and the horrible sufferings he had to endure, he still continued to serve God faithfully.  

Psalms:  Psalms means "hymns".  The content of the Psalms includes prophecy of Christ, praise to God, and visions of the future Kingdom of God and its glory. David is named as author of approximately half of the Psalms. A handful of other men are responsible for about fifteen, while the remainder are unnamed.

Proverbs:  a book of wise sayings, which many believe were nearly all written by King Solomon. Throughout the book, the view is presented that all men fall into two basic classes. Both are known by their habits, their deeds, their "fruits", their chosen "ways" in life, and their fitting ends. They are either with God or without Him, good or evil, or wise or foolish.

Ecclesiastes:   the book forms a collection of many wise sayings and proverbs of Solomon. Solomon, having lived a full life with all its pleasures, concludes that life is empty apart from God.  Without God, life would be meaningless, and all his worldly possessions would amount to nothing. Therefore, the conclusion of his studies states that man should love and fear God and obey His commandments.

The Song of Solomon:   a love story, written by King Solomon, in the form of poetry. It depicts the beauty and pure love between a man and a woman which develops into a mature, undying relationship. Some believe that it shows the relationship between Christ and His bride, the body of believers, which will be consummated at His return.

Isaiah:  written by the prophet, Isaiah, who ministered during the rule of Uzziah, Jotham, Ahaz and Hezekiah. His primary focus was the coming judgment on the southern kingdom of Judah due to its great wickedness. Isaiah identified the root of Judah’s trouble as its idolatry and apostasy. Although he spoke of judgments on other nations as well, he urged the kings and the people to put their trust in God rather than in alliances with earthly powers. He comforted his people with the realization that God loves those who are faithful to Him and keep His commandments. He spoke of the future Messiah who would come to redeem the nation and restore the Kingdom.

 Jeremiah:  written by the prophet, Jeremiah.  He warns of the impending force of Babylon that would destroy Jerusalem and enslave the Jews.  He's urging Jerusalem to turn from its wicked ways, but no one listens and he warns of false prophets who are leading the people astray with falsehoods.  Not heeding his warnings, Israel is taken to Babylon.  He predicts they will return after seventy years to rebuild the Temple and Jerusalem.

Lamentations:  also written by the prophet, Jeremiah, who had also been taken captive.  In it he tells of Israel's troubles because they disobeyed God, as well as the troubles of surrounding nations.  It emphasizes the result of divine judgment for the people's sins and underlines the lessons that Jerusalem should learn from its troubles.  It also reflects the love and sorrow of God for His people as He is punishing them.

Ezekiel:  written by the prophet, Ezekiel, who was also taken captive to Babylon.  He records his activities while in Babylon and his message is directed to his countrymen who were still in Palestine, and later to his fellow captives.  He reassures his fellow captives that they would be restored to their own land after God's chastening.

Daniel:  named after the prophet, Daniel, who was of the royal line of Jewish kings and had also been taken captive as a young man to Babylon. The book of Daniel predicts the destiny of two opposing powers:  The Kingdom of Men and the Kingdom of God.  His prophecies dealt more with the nations that controlled Israel. 

Hosea:  named after the prophet, Hosea, it tells of the patient long-suffering of God towards rebellious and unfaithful northern kingdom of Israel.  A theme is Hosea's marriage to unfaithful Gomer, which is symbolic of the relationship between God and Israel.

Joel:    tells of Joel's love for God and his obedience to God by his warning the people to repent  and of wars which were coming and how nations would fight one another.  The last portion of the book is concerned with events associated with the "Day of the Lord". 

Amos:  named after the prophet, Amos, who was a shepherd and called by God to pronounce judgment by denouncing Israel's luxurious living, idolatry and moral depravity.  He urges the people to repent. He foretold the dispersion of the Israelites, but points to a day when God would regather them in the land of their forefathers.

Obadiah:  written by the prophet, Obadiah, it only has one chapter.  It pronounced judgment upon the nation of Edom for its antagonism against Israel.  Edom is the nation that descended from Esau, the twin brother of Jacob, who had his name changed to Israel.  Edom was to be punished for the violence against Israel they committed when invading the land.

Jonah:   God had sent Jonah to warn Ninevah, the capital of Assyria,  to repent and obey God so that they might avoid destruction.  Jonah was reluctant to obey God and found himself in the belly of the fish for three days.  Upon release, he preaches and to Ninevah, who believe his message and repent and are spared by God.

Micah:  written by the prophet, Micah, who was in the Southern kingdom of Judah.  He was as Amos was to the Northern kingdom of Israel. 

Nahum:  written by the prophet, Nahum, approximately 140 years after the recorded events in the book of Jonah.  Ninevah had turned from its repentant attitude and had taken the Northern kingdom of Israel into captivity.  Nahum gives an indictment of doom upon Ninevah.  They who were once used as God's tool against the people of Israel will now be destroyed because of their great wickedness.

Habakkuk:  written by a man who loved God and couldn't understand God's failure to judge the wicked nation of Babylon  He is shown that he must continue to trust in God's mercy regardless of the circumstances.  The wicked appear to prosper while the righteous are chastened, however this prosperity is only temporary.

Zephaniah:  Zephaniah prophesied during King Josiah’s reign, who was responsible for a great religious reformation. This followed the wicked reigns of Kings Manasseh and Amon, who led the nation into various forms of idolatry. Zephaniah pronounces inescapable judgments against Jerusalem for their sins, and exhorts national repentance. He further speaks of the "day of the LORD", when God will intervene to judge sin.

Haggai:  written by the prophet, Haggai, it forewarns of troubled times to come.  Spoken to the few Jews who have returned to Judah from captivity in Babylon.  He exhorts them to complete the Temple whose foundation had been laid eighteen years prior,  and the Temple was eventually completed in 516 B.C.  He pronounces that pagan empires will be overthrown by God, and Judah will be elevated during the time of the Messiah.

Zechariah:  written by the prophet, Zechariah, a younger contemporary of Haggai.  He also encouraged rebuilding the Temple.  Like Daniel and Revelation, this contains visions symbolizing future events and contains detailed references to the coming Messiah.  It concludes with descriptions of the enemies of Jerusalem being judged and of the future glory of God's Kingdom.

Malachi:  the last book in the Old Testament.  Malachi’s message comes to the people in a time of great spiritual decline. It is approximately eighty years after the rebuilding of the Temple, and the promises of the coming Messiah have not yet happened. As a result, the people had become lax and had an increasingly casual attitude toward God and worship. Malachi states that their sacrifices were unacceptable to God, husbands were unfaithful, and the priests had neglected God’s covenants.

How you have been changed...Now God is your Father!

Chapter Four:  How you are changed...the new you:

As I mentioned previously, you may or may not "feel" a change within you.  But believe me there has been a huge change!  You are now a part of the family of God and with that comes many blessings as well as responsibilities.  Let's first talk about the blessings and changes that have occurred within your spirit.  I will refer to several Scriptures as I go along, and if you would, I would like you to follow along with me in your Bible (and if you do not yet have a Bible, I suggest you purchase one as a future teaching will be on how to study your Bible).  Learning the Bible and getting it into your heart is a crucial part of being a Christian and being able to learn more about God and His will for your life.

Romans 6: 1-6 says that you have died with Christ and died to the power of sin's rule in your life.  That is a terrific piece of news!  Sin no longer has a hold over you, as long as you decide to fight against it, as it will assuredly try to raise its ugly head and dominate you once again.  But when it does you have the power, through prayer, to tell it to flee, and it must, now that you are a son/daughter of the most high God.

Galatians 2:20 says that you have been crucified with Christ and it is no longer you who live, but Christ lives within you.  Just imagine,  the Son of God lives inside you!

Ephesians 2:18 says that you have direct access to God through the Spirit.  This means that you do not need a go-between to reach God or to talk to Him or to pray to Him.  You have a direct line to God!

Ephesians 3:12 says that you can approach God with boldness, freedom and confidence.  You do not have to grovel in front of him or beg Him for things.  As His son/daughter you have the right to boldly talk to him and ask for whatever you need (if it's in His will, of course..he won't give you just anything you ask for).  But you will find that over time, if you do truly follow Him and His teachings, that your desires and wants will begin to change and will come in alignment with what He desires for your life, so then when you do ask Him for something it will be granted.

Colossians 1:13 says that you have been delivered (rescued) from the domain of darkness (Satan's rule) and transferred to the Kingdom of Christ.  You are no longer a slave to sin and Satan, but are now free to be a son/daughter of God.  By accepting Christ, Satan has lost his hold on you; but be careful, he doesn't give up easily!

II Timothy 1:7 says that you have been given a power of power, love and self-discipline.  You no longer need to live in fear.

Hebrews 2:11 says that because you are sanctified and are one with Christ, He is not ashamed to call you His brother.  Imagine, you are now a sister or brother of Christ!

Hebrews 4:16 tells you again that you have the right to come boldly before the throne of God (the throne of grace) to find mercy and find grace in your time of need.

The Bible goes on to say that you are:  a child of God; Christ's friend and brother/sister; you have been chosen by God; you are a joint-heir with Christ sharing in His inheritance with Him.  You are a new creation, a new person; you are a part of God's family; you were chosen by God and are dearly loved by God; you are a son of light and no longer in darkness; you are now an alien, a stranger to this world in which you temporarily live; you are a child of God and when Christ returns, you will be more like Him than yourself; you are a sheep of His pasture, and have everything you need.

I know that all this can seem a little overwhelming at first, but as time goes on and you get closer to God and study your Bible, it will all begin to fall in place.  The most important thing to remember is that you are now a son/daughter in God's family, and He has good things in mind for your life!

Chapter Five:  God, our Father

At one time or another, we all give serious thought to the question of who God is and what He is like. What thoughts does it bring to your mind when you hear that God is your father?  Usually it reminds us of our own relationship with our own father...that can be good, but it can also be bad. If you had a father who was loving, caring and supportive, then your image of God will most likely be of Him being benevolent, protective, warm and loving.  Unfortunately, in a world with so many broken homes and abuse, that is not always the case.   If you have not known and experienced a kind, caring earthly father, you may have a distorted view of your heavenly Father's love.   Our concept of God can also come from other sources:  preachers, the people in the church we attend, what other people have said to us (good or bad), or what we've read in the Bible.  We need to learn about who God really is firsthand, and not go by our experience with our earthly father, if that experience was not good.  We need to know God intimately and this can take a lifetime. 

Getting a proper perspective on who He is as your "father" is very important for your life as His child.  Many people do not know God as a loving Father.  They doubt they can trust Him, and don't think of Him as being worthy of their absolute loyalty and commitment. Even though we may long to know Him personally, our idea of what He's like may stand in the way.

Your heavenly Father was there when you were first conceived, when you took your first step, when you said your first words.    He was there through your hurts and disappointments.  He has been present and always will be, whether you feel it or not.  You were briefly given to human parents who were to raise you as He would have raised you, with love, understanding and support.  You were to have been showered with love as He would have showered you with love.  You are and always will be a child of God and He awaits, even now, with outstretched arms.

Unfortunately, some people do not  think of God as a loving Father.  They do not think of Him as someone to love and trust, someone who is worthy of loyalty and commitment.  Many imagine Him as a remote, impersonal Being who cannot be known.  Others yearn for a relationship with Him, but cling to the misconception that He sits in Heaven as judge. The central message of the Bible is the cry of the heart of God to have a relationship with us.  He created humans for this very reason…intimacy. We can call him “Abba, Father” (Romans  8:15). 

For those who were fortunate to grow up in a loving family, you still may have difficulty relating to God because you were taught to respect Him, and that may mean you're to address Him as  "Thou", or other such respectful salutations.  Using informal terms such as "Daddy" or "Papa" may seem disrespectful and difficult for you.  Yet the Bible teaches us to call God "Our Father.." when we pray (Matthew 6:9), and that He wants to have a close, intimate relationship with us, who are His children.

Author, John Dawson, talks about five different areas of misconception concerning God and His love for us that I'd like you to read and think about.  As you read through these, ask yourself if the relationship you had with your earthly father has in any way affected your attitude or perception of God as your heavenly father.

The first misconception is that God is harsh and vindictive; he's a judge just waiting to pass sentence at the first instant you do or say something wrong.  To the contrary, God's authority is gentle and long suffering.  God is slow to anger and delights to be merciful.  He may discipline us for our disobedience but only because He wants the best for us, not because He's cruel.  God is perfect love and it was He who gave this command to parents in Ephesians 6:4, "Parents don't keep on scolding and nagging your children, making them angry and resentful.  Rather, bring them up with the loving discipline the Lord Himself approves." 

The second misconception regards His faithfulness.  Do we really believe that we can trust Him or only in certain situations?  Scripture tells us that every promise of God will be fulfilled.  His one motive remains the same through all time...to show love and forgiveness to a hurting world. He never changes.  His only desire is that we totally trust Him.  You are God's child and He knows you by name.  Psalm 68:5 says God is “A father to the fatherless…”.  Scripture tells us that He even knows the number of hairs on your head!  Deep in your heart do you doubt his faithfulness?  Maybe you had no father growing up due to death or divorce.  Maybe you were neglected by the demands of your father's career.  Is your heart soft towards God or hardened by cynicism and distrust? He says in Scripture, "I will never desert you, nor will I ever forsake you...I am with you always even until the end of the age." (Hebrews 13:5; Matthew 28:20).  Psalm 27:10 says, “Though my father and mother forsake me, the Lord will receive me.”

The third misconception is that He is not generous.  The truth is that he is innately generous.  Just look at the world around you...the beautiful animals He created for our enjoyment, the beautiful scenery He created for our pleasure, the depths of the seas that are full of beautiful, delightful surprises.  Just look at the giraffe, or the penguin, or even the elephant...what fun He must have had creating such funny and delightful animals, just so that we would have them to enjoy.  He could have made everything boring and mundane...instead He chose to bless us with a delightful array of  curious wonders.  He did this because of who He is...He wants to bless us with everything He can because He loves us that much!

The fourth misconception is that He is unavailable and too busy to be bothered with our daily, mundane lives and that He doesn't care what happens to us.  God was there when you were conceived and He is the only one who has the capacity to be with you 24 hours a day...even the most loving parent doesn't have that ability.  First Peter 5:7 says, "Let Him have all your worries and cares, for He is always thinking about you and watching everything that concerns you."  Where your parents are sometimes preoccupied with other things, God is always there, concerned about even the smallest detail of your life.  Jeremiah 33:3 says, "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know."                   

The fifth misconception is that He doesn't accept us for who we are.  We live in a performance-based society, where acceptance seems to be conditional...if you did good at school, if you have worked your way up to a good position at work, if you make enough money.  The Kingdom of God is a kingdom of unconditional love, where God loves us regardless of what we do.  He simply loves us, period, no strings attached. 

Do you have any of these misconceptions about God?  If you do, it will hinder your ability to receive God's love and see Him as the true "Father" that He is.  Have you transferred your ideas/attitudes that you developed from being around your earthly father to your heavenly father?  God does not want us to be afraid of Him.  He calls himself "father" because he loves us and wants to share things with us out of love.  He yearns to be close to all of His children.  The Bible reveals to us a God who is gentle, forgiving and who wants to be intimately involved in each and every detail of our lives.  I John 3:1 reads, “See how great a love the Father has bestowed upon us, that we should be called children of God…”.    Jesus was God, in human form.  From reading Scripture, we see Jesus as being faithful, kind, caring, generous, concerned and  willing to give His life for us at Calvary…the ultimate expression of His love. God never changes.  He is predictable.  He is not like earthly fathers.  He is always there when you need him, even on those days that you are doing okay, and do not pay much attention to Him.  He is everything you wished your real dad had been.  In 2 Corinthians 6:18 He says, “I will be a Father to you, and you will be my sons and daughters…”.  So many have suffered hurt and rejection by their fathers that it is hard for them to see God as He really is.  Understanding the character of God is essential if we are to love Him, serve Him and strive to be like Him. 

Our ability to trust God comes from how much we know Him.  If we don't trust Him it's because we don't know Him well enough. Become curious as to what God is like, as a Father.  Look to the Bible to see what God is really like.  Scripture describes God as a merciful, forgiving, kind and loving Father.  All we have to do is look at Jesus’ life to see what God is like.   John 14:9 says, “…anyone who has seen me has seen the Father…”.  The central message of the Bible is the cry of the heart of God to have a relationship with us.  Tell Him how you feel, the struggles you have...perhaps the doubts you have about Him and what He is really like.  Ask Him to reveal to you who He truly is and be prepared for His answer.  More than anything, He wants you to have a proper perspective of who He is and how much He loves you.  He truly does want to be your Father!

Welcome to my discipleship blog & Chapters 1-3

The first thirty, or so, chapters of this blog will be focused upon the basics of Christianity: receiving Christ as Savior, growing in the knowledge of Him, learning to pray, realizing who our enemy is, and how we can begin to grow in maturity and holiness.  This will be considered "Section One".

Once that groundwork has been laid, "Section Two" will look at the challenges one faces as they walk out their daily lives as Christians and shows us ways of becoming even more mature and holy.

I hope that you will also enjoy my other blogs, which can be found to the right of this blog under the heading "My Blog List".

 

Introduction:

Christians who have been discipled is becoming a thing of the past.  In fact the term "Christian" itself is used very loosely in our society.  When you ask a person if they're a Christian, they'll more than likely say yes if they're not Jewish or Muslim or an atheist or involved in some other religion.  It's become more of a label of "I'm not a Muslim or a Jew, so I must be a Christian".  However the word "Christian" really means being a follower of Christ, adhering to His teachings and allowing Him to change you from the inside out.

Christ came to earth to not only be an example to us on how to live, but more importantly to show us the Father, the one and only true God.  He also came to die upon the cross in order to take mankind's sins upon himself and destroy the works of the devil.  And while he was here on earth, doing his ministry, he gathered up people who would follow him and he called them his "disciples".

Matthew 28:18,19, commonly known as "The Great Commission", says, "Then Jesus came to them and said 'All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Therefore, go and make disciples of all nations...".  As a Christian, we are not here on this earth merely to enjoy our new life in Christ, and to spread the Gospel, but we also supposed to be discipling others so that they can grow.  But how can we disciple another if we, our self, have never really been discipled?  

My personal belief is that while the modern-day church may be doing its job in bringing people to Christ, that's where it seems to stop.  I've seen many a church's street ministry go out to the highways and byways, talk to people about accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior, pray with them and invite them to church,  or even just tell them to now go find a church of their choosing.  And even if they do go to church, discipleship is often overlooked.  You may get  a rousing sermon from the pastor every week ,  sing some good hymns/songs, but still receive little in the way of  true discipleship.  My objective in the forthcoming months will be to help you learn how to become a disciple of Christ, so you can, in turn, go out and disciple others.  We will start off with the basics, the very foundation of what it means to be a Christian, and we will branch out from there.

Chapter One:  The foundations of Christianity:

So, what is the foundation of being a disciple of Christ?  I believe it is that we know in our hearts that we are in right standing with God and that we can know if we are "saved" or "born again".  But what do these two terms mean?  Basically, they're words that describe the principle that as a new Christian we have been changed from a life in which we are slaves to sin, slaves to this world and our flesh, and have been freed in order to follow Christ as one of his disciples.

Romans 3:10-18 tells us that the natural condition of all people is to be separated from God, that we all have an in-born tendency, passed down from Adam's original sin in the Garden of Eden... a tendency towards evil and selfishness.  I once heard of an analogy comparing our slavery to sin to the institution of slavery.  When you are born into the slave market, in order to get out, you  must be purchased by someone who pays a fee or a price for you.  Becoming free from the slave market is impossible unless we are purchased by someone outside of the slave market.  The person who can, and wants to purchase us and free us, is Christ.  But he doesn't do it with money as would be done in today's slave markets.  Instead,  He paid for every one of us to become free by dying on the cross at Calvary.  The purchase price for paying for every person in the world...past, present and future...was so huge, so large an undertaking, that that was the only way it could be done.

Another analogy is the criminal who has been brought into court before the judge for not paying his debts and therefore was sent to debtor's prison.  The judge looks around the court room and asks if anyone will step forward and take the criminal's place,  pay his debt, and take on any sentence that will go along with his crime.  No one steps forward.  Then, unexpectedly, the judge gets down from his bench and says "I will step forward and take this criminal's place and pay for his crime, whatever the penalty."  The criminal is thus set free and the judge is now to pay the price.  It was the same way with Christ.  He is the judge who stepped down and took our place.  Christ is the only one able to pay for the crime, because as Hebrews 4:14-15 tells us He was without sin.     I Peter 3:18 says "He was able to take our place and pay the penalty--being righteous He had no debts of His own."

If you've ever wondered about heaven and how you can know whether you will go there when you die, the good news is that you can know.  I John 5:13 says, "I write these things to you who believe in the name of the Son of God so that you may know that you have eternal life".  When we talk about sin, you have to remember that just as in the analogy of the criminal not paying his debts, there are consequences for living a sinful life.  Romans 6:23 says, "For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord".   John 14:6 goes on to say, "Jesus answered 'I am the way the truth and the life, no one comes to the Father except through me."

Many people would look at this and consider the Christian faith to be one of exclusion, to be a faith that says there are no other ways of getting into heaven, and you know what, they would be absolutely correct.  While it's not politically correct these days to say or believe this, it is Scriptural.

True Christianity is not a "one size fits all" faith.  It's not a "it doesn't matter what you believe or what God you believe in, we'll all get to heaven, just by different means" belief system.  The Bible tells us in Matthew 7:13-14, "Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction.  But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it."  So, you see, there is only one way to get to heaven and that's by accepting Christ's sacrifice for your sins and becoming one of His followers.  Next time, we will look at how one accepts Christ's sacrifice, how one can have assurance they will go to heaven and how to start a new life in Christ.

Chapter Two:  Salvation:  God's gift to us:

The way to accept Christ's sacrifice and to be brought out of our slavery to sin,  is actually a very easy thing to do.  For some reason religion, in general, regardless of denomination or creed,  has often made it out to be a difficult thing to do.  Many people have the idea that they have to work hard to make sure they get into heaven, or have to donate enough money...the most severe case of a person's thinking they have to do something to get into heaven is self-flogging and self-punishment.  God did not intend ANY of these ways to be the way one gets into heaven...these are either self-imposed ideas we have put upon ourselves (If I'm good enough I'll get into heaven...thus we strive but are never sure if we've done enough), or are ideas that we have accepted from outside sources.

In fact, Scripture tells us that we cannot do anything to be good enough to get into heaven.  It is impossible because we have been born with sin in our hearts and it is only Christ that can pay for our sins.  Many scoff at the idea that they won't get into heaven because they believe they have been good  and therefore that should account for something.  However, Ephesians 2:8,9 says, "For it is by grace you have been saved, through (your) faith--and this is not from yourselves (not as a result of anything you have done).  It is the gift (a present) of God  - not by works, so that no one can boast."  Scripture is telling us here that it is a gift from God...but that's where many get stuck.  It's hard to believe that we simply have to reach out and accept this great gift from God, when we feel in our hearts or have been told that there is something that we have to do.  But there isn't...it's simply accepting this gift from God.

For example, during certain times of the year we give gifts to one another.  It may be Christmas, someone's birthday, or another special occasion.  At that time, you usually do not question being given the gift,  you simply accept it and say thank you.  It's the same way with salvation.  It is a gift, a present, if you will, from God because He loves you and wants to be in your life.  What makes this gift, this present, so valuable is how much it cost God.  Do you give your loved ones cheap gifts or do you try to give them the best that your finances will allow?  God paid the highest cost for His gift to us, and that cost was Jesus dying on the cross.  Christ had to die on the cross in order to pay for the sins of humanity.

 

So, reach out and accept this gift from God.  There's nothing you need to do.  You don't need to wait until you're "good enough" because none of us are good enough nor ever will be.  Even the most trustworthy, honest, and giving person isn't ever going to be good enough.  Regardless of our deeds, we still can't overcome the sin that was passed down to us from Adam due to his disobedience to God.  I know it doesn't seem fair that one man's disobedience is passed on to every one of us, but it just is.  Think of  Adam as being the first person on everyone's family tree, if that will make it easier for you to understand.  Because of his actions in the Garden of Eden where he disobeyed God, everyone's entire family tree has been tarnished with sin and has to pay the penalty, and that penalty is being separated from God.

And, because we are all born into this world as sinners, our natural tendencies lean towards selfishness.  Selfishness is putting our own happiness first and seeking our own good because it is to our benefit. Granted most of us have never committed horrible acts of  murder or robbed a bank, but the predisposition to do those terrible acts are within all of us.  God knows that each one of us has the capacity, and often the desire, to sin.  For example, the Bible says that while you may not have ever actually committed adultery, "...anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart." (Mathew. 5:28).  The realization of our need for God's forgiveness by repenting of our sins is key to walking with  God.  He sees our repentance as absolutely necessary for His being able to apply what Jesus did on the cross to our lives.  We need to have a broken heart over how we have lived, otherwise we can never truly appreciate the beauty of the Gospel, the glory of the cross, and the ultimate sacrifice Christ paid for us.   Whether we want to admit it to ourselves or not, we are all sinners in need of help, and it's this sinful state that we are in that is at the root of our being separated from God.  

But we don't need to be separated from  God any longer.  We can be made righteous through Jesus' sacrifice.  Hebrews 9:28 says, "...so Christ was sacrificed once to take away the sins of many people; and He will appear a second time.  Not to bear sin (as He did the first time He was here on earth), but to bring salvation to those who are waiting for Him."  Acts 3:19 tells us how we accept this gift from God.  It says, "Repent, then, and turn to God, so that your sins may be wiped out, that times of refreshment may come from the Lord."  Repenting means to make a change from living a sinful life to living a holy life for God.  

 Romans 3:22 tells us that "This righteousness from God comes through faith in Jesus Christ to all who believe."  It is ONLY your faith in Jesus that will get you into heaven.  God is the only one that has the power to forgive us of our sins.  Ephesians 1:7 says, "In Him we have redemption through His blood (Jesus' sacrifice on the cross), the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace...".  The Old Testament tells us that people were required to sacrifice animals in order to receive God's forgiveness for their sins, but when Jesus came to earth in the form of a man (as is accounted for in the New Testament), He did away with that necessary ritual once and for all.  He did this by becoming the sacrifice himself... the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind, past, present and future.  Scripture tells us that Jesus willingly paid the price for all.

Revelation 3:20 tells us that God is eagerly waiting for us to reach out and ask to become part of His family...to get us out from under the curse of being in Adam's family tree and being accepted into Jesus' family tree.  It says, "Here I am!  I stand at the door and knock (I'm knocking on the door of your heart).  If anyone hears my voice and opens the door (by accepting the gift of eternal life from God), I will come in and eat with him and he with me (Jesus will accept you into his family tree and you will become a son/daughter of God).  Once you do this you will be forever changed.  Second Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone (your sinful past has been forgiven), the new has come (you are now a part of God's family and no longer under the power of sin or Satan).  Romans 10:9,10 says, "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord", and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.  For it is with your heart that you believe and are justified, and it is with your mouth that you confess and are saved."

There's no special prayer you have to pray.  You don't have to go to a church to do this.  You can simply do it wherever you are, even if it's sitting in front of your computer reading this.  Just close your eyes and ask God to forgive you for how you've lived your life, that you accept what Jesus did on the cross by paying for your sins with his sacrifice, and that you want Jesus to come and live in your heart and show you how to live for Him.  It's that simple...God's greatest gift is being offered to you, will you accept it?

Next time, we'll look at what has happened in your life now that you have become cleansed by the blood of Jesus. The angels in heaven are all rejoicing now that you are part of God's family.  You are now a son or daughter of the most high, Almighty God! 

Chapter Three:  What's happened to me?

Now that you've made the biggest decision of your life, you're probably wondering what does it really mean?  What has happened to me?  For some, they "feel" as if there's been a change in them...they feel different, as if a big burden has been lifted from their shoulders...others begin to realize that their outlook on life, their likes/dislikes, the things they want to do or the people they want to hang around begin to change.  For others, however, they don't "feel" anything has changed, and this can make it difficult to believe and accept that a change has really happened.  But please don't go by how you feel.  Scripture tells us in Ephesians 2: 8, 9 that, "For it is by grace that you have been saved, through faith..."  It doesn't say because you "feel" different that you have been saved, but because of your faith.  Not all of us are emotional-type people, so you may not have the same experience that another has when he/she decides to follow Jesus.  Just accept that if you sincerely meant it when you repented and do want to follow Christ, that you are now a son/daughter of God!  The feelings may come later...or may not come at all...depending upon your individual personality type.  Besides, God doesn't want us to be hung up on our feelings...He requires us to walk by faith.

What is faith?  Faith is believing, with strong conviction about something.  It's standing firm in what you think, regardless of what others around you may say or do.  It's a firm belief in something in which there may be no tangible proof...it's complete trust or devotion to God.  Faith is the exact opposite of doubt.  Hebrews 11:6 states, "And without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him."

So, regardless of how one feels, the same thing has happened in all of us who have become disciples of Christ.  We all have been changed on the inside, and now we will begin to grow in our knowledge of the things of God and in our relationship with Him.  

But first, let me help you understand a little better about what has actually happened to you now that you are part of God's family.  By accepting Christ, some things have happened behind the scenes, so to speak, of which you may not entirely be aware of, or even completely understand.  After reading through my previous writings, you do now know the necessity of why Jesus had to die for our sins and of your need to receive him doing this for  you...what you may not know is that the  term for this is "atonement".  I talked earlier about Jesus becoming the blood sacrifice for all of us, which took the place of the Old Testament's requirement of blood being shed as a need to  pay for one's sins, and that is what atonement is all about.  Jesus atoned for your sins.

The second thing that has happened is called "regeneration".  This means that we have now been given spiritual renewal.  God has brought us into a new life by breathing new life into us, as we had been "dead in (our) transgressions and sins" (Ephesians 2:1).

The third thing that has happened to us is "justification".  This means that we have received God's full pardon.  He has taken away our guilt and cancelled the penalty for our sins...this is the basis of us being forgiven.  Acts 13:38-39 tells us that, "Through him everyone who believes is justified from everything you could not be justified from by the law of Moses".  Romans 4:25 goes on to tell us that, "He (Jesus) was delivered over to death for our sins and was raised to life for our justification."  It describes God's act of declaring or making a sinner righteous through Christ's atoning sacrifice.

The fourth thing is "righteousness".  This means that because of what Jesus did in paying for our sins that we are declared without guilt or sin in God's eyes.  When He looks at us, He doesn't see what we've done in our lives, but He sees what Jesus did on our behalf, by standing in for us and taking on our punishment.  It is because of Jesus alone that we are considered righteous (in good standing) before God.

Another wonderful thing that has happened to us is that we are now "sanctified".  This means that we have been set apart for His divine purpose.  In the Old Testament, the only way people could sanctify themselves was by certain customs or rituals which would make them stand out to others (and they hoped, to God) as being different and belonging solely to God.  John 17:16 tells us that, "They are not of the world, even as I am not of the world".  Sanctification is a state of separation unto God; all believers enter into this state when they are born of God.  Sanctification also refers to the way we live our lives, in that we become obedient to the Word of God in our life, and through this others will see that we are separated from the world and its ways.

So, as you can see, many miraculous things happened to you when you accepted Christ as Lord and Savior.  Isn't it truly wonderful!  Next time, we will talk about the new "you", now that you are a believer, because you are now a changed person.