I knew that would make you look.
Unless we set a framework, there’s no way to talk about contemporary issues, so a primer on Christian belief is necessary. Why do Christians talk about God in Three Persons? Doesn’t that make them polytheists and separate them from their Jewish beginnings? According to Jewish religious authorities, yes. I would make the case that nothing has changed from the beginning. Genesis 1 In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. 2 And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep. And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. You have 2 distinct persons in this passage, God,, the Father and God the Holy Spirit, and it is plain to see. While John in the New Testament goes to great lengths to explain that Jesus was the Word of God, we have more basic proofs The term for God in many of these earliest writings is Elohim (plural) actually it implies at least 3. Used for judges, not just for God Almighty .you can accept that the early Jewish writers were polytheists, or see that they understood there were different functions in God. So where is Jesus, the Son of God? Let’s jump to Isaiah and a description of the Messiah, the Son of David, (meaning descended from David, inheritor of David’s throne) Isaiah 9:6 For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace. Isaiah prophesied in app. 700 BC. So for hundreds of years, Jews believed in a coming Messiah, who was not just man, but God. Deuteronomy 6:4 "Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one! We whole heartedly believe in one God, with the three Persons. Did Jesus say he was the Messiah? John 10:36 then what about the One whom the Father sanctified and sent into the world? How then can you accuse Me of blasphemy for stating that I am the Son of God?... 38But if I do, though ye believe not me, believe the works: that ye may know, and believe, that the Father is in me, and I in him. Mark 8:27Then Jesus and His disciples went on to the villages around Caesarea Philippi. On the way, He questioned His disciples: “Who do people say I am?” 28They answered, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others say You are one of the prophets.” 29“But who do you say I am?” He asked. Peter answered, “You are the Christ.” 30And Jesus warned them not to tell anyone about Him. Mark 14: 60So the high priest stood up before them and questioned Jesus, “Have You no answer? What is it these men are testifying against You?” 61But Jesus remained silent and made no reply. Again the high priest questioned Him, “Are You the Christ, the Son of the Blessed One?” 62“I am,” said Jesus, “and you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.” Christ means the anointed one, the savior or redeemer, ie.. the Messiah. I have also just proven that yes, Christ was an acceptable title for Messiah, or anointed one, not something made up be gentile believers after His death burial and resurrection. And that Jesus said he would return. Does becoming a Christian mean you will speak in tongues? Is that the only proof of being indwelt by the Holy Spirit? This goes back to the scene in Acts where Peter and the other apostles had tongues of flames above their heads, a rushing wind, and went out and spoke in every language of those gathered around, garnering thousands of believers in one day. Acts2:1When the day of Pentecost came, the believers were all together in one place. 2Suddenly a sound like a mighty rushing wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. 3They saw tongues like flames of a fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. 4And they were all filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them. 5Now there were dwelling in Jerusalem God-fearing Jews from every nation under heaven. 6And when this sound rang out, a crowd came together in bewilderment, because each one heard them speaking his own language. 7In wonder and amazement, they asked, “Are not all these men who are speaking Galileans? 8How is it then that each of us hears them in his own native language? 9Parthians, Medes, and Elamites; residents of Mesopotamia, Judea and Cappadocia, Pontus and Asia,a 10Phrygia and Pamphylia, Egypt and the parts of Libya near Cyrene; visitors from Rome, 11both Jews and converts to Judaism; Cretans and Arabs—we hear them declaring the mighty works of God in our own tongues!” 12Amazed and perplexed, they asked one another, “What does this mean?” 13But others mocked them and said, “They are drunk on new wine!” 14Then Peter stood up with the eleven, lifted up his voice, and addressed the crowd: “Men of Judea and all who dwell in Jerusalem, let this be known to you, and listen carefully to my words. 15These men are not drunk as you suppose. It is only the third hour of the day! 16No, this is what was spoken by the prophet Joel: 17‘In the last days, God says, I will pour out My Spirit on all people; your sons and daughters will prophesy, your young men will see visions, your old men will dream dreams. 18Even on My servants, both men and women, I will pour out My Spirit in those days, and they will prophesy. 19I will show wonders in the heavens above and signs on the earth below, blood and fire and clouds of smoke. 20The sun will be turned to darkness, and the moon to blood, before the coming of the great and glorious day of the Lord. 21And everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved.’b 22Men of Israel, listen to this message: Jesus of Nazareth was a man certified by God to you by miracles, wonders, and signs, which God did among you through Him, as you yourselves know. 23He was handed over by God’s set plan and foreknowledge, and you, by the hands of the lawless, put Him to death by nailing Him to the cross. 24But God raised Him from the dead, releasing Him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for Him to be held in its clutches. But do you know when the apostles were actually filled with the Holy Spirit, sealed, as all future believers would be? John 20: 19 It was the first day of the week, and that very evening, while the disciples were together with the doors locked for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them. “Peace be with you!” He said to them.20After He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. The disciples rejoiced when they saw the Lord. 21Again Jesus said to them, “Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, so also I am sending you.”22When He had said this, He breathed on them and said, “Receive the Holy Spirit. 23If you forgive anyone his sins, they are forgiven; if you withhold forgiveness from anyone, it is withheld.” On the day of Jesus’ resurrection! Pentecost did not happen until 50 days after Passover! The tongues of fire, this baptism of the Holy Spirit, never happened again, and was a powerful demonstration for the Jews,, yes, Jews, no gentiles at this time,,, that the time of their visitation had occurred, they had denied Him, and led to repentance and new birth as believers in Jesus Christ, and equipped the disciples for their mission, You are saved, by grace (a gift nothing you can earn) the moment you believe, It is quiet, though some people become emotional. This is not to deny my fellow believers who deal with and are encouraged by the gifts of the Spirit, but there are many gifts. Did Jesus only die for the Jews? Genesis 22: 15Then the angel of the LORD called to Abraham a second time from heaven, 16and said, “By Myself I have sworn, declares the LORD, because you have done this thing and have not withheld your son, your only son,17indeed I will greatly bless you, and I will greatly multiply your seed as the stars of the heavens and as the sand which is on the seashore; and your seed shall possess the gate of their enemies. 18“In your seed all the nations of the earth shall be blessed, because you have obeyed My voice.” John 3: 16For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that everyone who believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life. 17For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him. 18Whoever believes in Him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe is already condemned, because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son. 19And this is the verdict: The Light has come into the world, but men loved darkness more than light, because their deeds were evil. 20Everyone who does evil hates the Light, and does not come into the Light for fear that his deeds will be exposed. 21But whoever practices the truth comes into the Light, so that it may be clearly seen that what he has done has been accomplished in God.” The message of Christ dying for our sins..every sin ever committed by any human being throughout time, was first brought to the Jews, through whom God worked out the plan of redemption, and except for a couple of cases,, the centurion Cornelius and his family in Joppa, brought to knowledge by Peter, and the eunuch,, who did worship the God of Abraham Isaac and Jacob, but was not from Israel, so it is not obvious if he was actually Jewish, taught and baptized by Philip…for 4 years the apostles taught and brought into the Body of Christ.. Jews, that was their mission. God’s offer of redemption, including a future kingdom, to Israel, was genuine, but so was his message about the whole world, through Abraham. Things changed with the death of Stephen, overseen and approved by Saul of Tarsus, believed to be in about 34 AD. Saul, that fire breathing Pharisee, who was persecuting the “heretics” for a minimum of six months (time for letters of authority and travel) would later be converted directly by Jesus on the road to Damascus. He left and lived alone, learning of the word of God, not from the disciples but by Jesus himself, for 3 years. Galations 1: 11 For I would have you know, brothers, that the gospel that was preached by me is not man’s gospel.3 12 For I did not receive it from any man, nor was I taught it, but I received it through a revelation of Jesus Christ. 13 For you have heard of my former life in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God violently and tried to destroy it. 14 And I was advancing in Judaism beyond many of my own age among my people, so extremely zealous was I for the traditions of my fathers. 15 But when he who had set me apart before I was born,4 and who called me by his grace, 16 was pleased to reveal his Son to5 me, in order fthat I might preach him among the Gentiles, I did not immediately consult with anyone;6 17 nor did I go up to Jerusalem to those who were apostles before me, but I went away into Arabia, and returned again to Damascus. 18 Then after three years I went up to Jerusalem to visit Cephas and remained with him fifteen days. 19 But I saw none of the other apostles except James the Lord’s brother. 20 (In what I am writing to you, before God, I do not lie!) 21 Then I went into the regions of Syria and Cilicia. 22 And I was still unknown in person to the churches of Judea that are in Christ. 23 They only were hearing it said, “He who used to persecute us is now preaching the faith he once tried to destroy.” 24 And they glorified God because of me. Barnabus, who first presented Saul to the disciples in Jerusalem, went and found him when there was a need in Antioch, and brought him to preach and teach, the beginning of ministry to the gentiles. Some place this as late as 47 AD. We know Saul, who is later referred to by his Roman name Paul, resided in Damascus for a time. God gave the Jews many years to repent rejection of the messiah. We Christians believe that this miracle, of God calling out a peculiar people, gentile believers, the age of grace, is absolute proof of God’s mercy. God did not reject the Jews, though he allowed the temple to be destroyed and dispersed them into every country in the world. Until 1948, we had no proof that God was ready to fulfill all the promises left to be completed in his dealings with Israel, This has led to many heresies; replacement theology, unbelief in biblical prophecy as being literally fulfilled, etc. We now know better, and have even more reason to study the whole Bible.. not reject the Old Testament, or Paul’s writings, but learn the whole book. So there is a peek into the foundation of Christian belief, also exemplified in this simple statement..the Apostles creed I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth. I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord, who was conceived by the Holy Spirit and born of the virgin Mary. He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried; he descended to hell. The third day he rose again from the dead. He ascended to heaven and is seated at the right hand of God the Father almighty. From there he will come to judge the living and the dead. I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen. No the apostles did not write it, it simply states what they taught, and catholic means universal, not a particular sect. Based on what we believe, and using biblical text, we can now move into studying current social dilemmas and a Christian response..next time! Maranatha |
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