DOCTRINAL ISSUES
a) Atonement
The Hebrew word kà‚phar refers to making reconciliation and is a required act to obtain pardon and appease justice. Atonement is necessary between God and man because ‘...all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;’ (Romans 3:23) God’s provisions of atonement were acts of pure mercy. In the Old Testament, specific animals (bulls, goats, etc.) were required to be sacrificed, as sin was symbolically transferred to the animal, and the animal slaughtered to shed blood, for ‘ without shedding of blood is no remission [of sins].’ (Hebrews 9:22)
Lev 1:4 And he shall put his hand upon the head of the burnt offering; and it shall be accepted for him to make atonement for him.
In the New Testament, Hebrews 10 describes how God had in mind a more effective and permanent atonement in His Son Jesus, which would mean there would be ‘no more offering for sin.’ (Hebrews 10:18)
Rom 5:11 And not only so, but we also joy in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, by whom we have now received the atonement.
Now that I have accepted Jesus as the atonement for my sin, the passages in Leviticus regarding blood sacrifices carry much more meaning. All of humankind stands guilty in sin before a holy God. And now God convicts sinners through the Holy Ghost, and in His love and mercy provides atonement through the Good News of the Gospel!
Joh 3:16 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
b) Deity Of Christ
If wicked men - or, by extension Satan - can undermine the Deity of Christ, reducing Him to just a prophet, a teacher, or a good man in history like other good men, then Jesus can be dismissed and relegated to the pages of history books. But note well, wicked men (Satan), the Jesus of the Bible - the Risen Christ - cannot be set aside or dismissed, for He forever reigns and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God in heaven! (Hebrews 12:2)
The Bible overwhelmingly demonstrates the Deity Of Christ, and anyone who carefully and prayerfully consults the whole counsel of God will discover that:
Jesus Is Eternal
Joh 10:28 And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.
Joh 10:29 My Father, which gave them me, is greater than all; and no man is able to pluck them out of my Father's hand.
Joh 10:30 I and my Father are one.
To give eternal life, Jesus must be an eternal Being.
Jesus Is Equal With God
John 14:9 is clear that ‘...he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Show us the Father?’
And in John 10:30, Jesus states clearly, ‘I and my Father are one.’
Yes, Jesus Himself made the claim, and many did not like it:
Joh 5:18 Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.
Other verses such as Matthew 28:19 and Philippians 2:6 also point to Jesus’ equality with God. Amazing!
My wife Sheri came to know Jesus as Lord and Saviour largely through the revelation that Jesus was God in John 14. I thank God for the Holy Ghost who illuminates Scripture!
Jesus Is God Incarnate
Matthew 1:23 (from Isaiah 7:14) says, "Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us." Jesus walked upon the earth, among us, and Scripture could not be more clear - He was God incarnate!
Jesus Is Divine
With myriad references to His divine names in the Old and New Testaments, Scripture reveals that Jesus is not only Saviour (Luke 2:11) but “everlasting Father” and “The mighty God” (Isaiah 9:6)
His divine nature is revealed in a most poignant way in John 20:28 when He is called “My Lord and my God” by Thomas.
Jesus had creative powers over nature, and even power over His own life and death!
Luk 8:24 And they came to him, and awoke him, saying, Master, master, we perish. Then he arose, and rebuked the wind and the raging of the water: and they ceased, and there was a calm.
Luk 8:25 And he said unto them, Where is your faith? And they being afraid wondered, saying one to another, What manner of man is this! for he commandeth even the winds and water, and they obey him.
Joh 10:17 Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again.
Joh 10:18 No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father.
Jesus Forgives Sins
Mark 2:5-11 reveals Jesus as One who can forgive sins. Though the religious sect hated Jesus in His claim to forgive sins, I am eternally grateful that, not only does He forgive me when I confess my sins to Him, He is also the One who bore the penalty of death on the cross for my sins. In this deeper sense, He alone is qualified to forgive me and wash me clean of my sins.
c) Justification
Rom 3:23 For all have sinned, and come short of the glory of God;
Rom 3:24 Being justified freely by his grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.
In a general sense, humankind has missed the glorious standard of God. As He is our Creator, we are accountable to Him. While He is perfectly just and must judge sin, He is also perfectly merciful and has provided Jesus to redeem us from the penalty of sin, and give us victory over the power of sin.
In a personal sense, we have each sinned against God in specific ways, sins that must be paid for with death and the shedding of blood - praise God, Jesus paid our sin debt in full! (Matthew 26:28)
1Co 6:11 And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
In 1 Corinthians 6, Paul is addressing Christians that are suing one another before the unbelievers (1 Corinthians 6:6). Then he expands his rebuke to include all the Corinthian believers who had come out of sinful lifestyles, but now had been justified in Jesus, and filled with the Holy Spirit. For this reason, Paul exhorts them to walk in their new identity as Christians. Then and now, this is only possible as we abide (remain, NIV) in Jesus.
d) Salvation/Conversion
Joh 3:1 There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews:
Joh 3:2 The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him.
Joh 3:3 Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
Nicodemus was a religious teacher who had seen the power of God manifest through Jesus. He had only known law and religion, but recognized that God must be present for Jesus to perform the miraculous. And though Nicodemus may have had sincere questions, Jesus immediately directed the conversation towards the greatest need of salvation, exposing the huge spiritual chasm between the dead religious world of Nicodemus, and the eternal life available only through Jesus Christ.
Joh 3:15 That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life.
e) Sanctification
1Th 4:1 Furthermore then we beseech you, brethren, and exhort you by the Lord Jesus, that as ye have received of us how ye ought to walk and to please God, so ye would abound more and more.
1Th 4:2 For ye know what commandments we gave you by the Lord Jesus.
1Th 4:3 For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication:
1Th 4:4 That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour.
Php 1:6 Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:
Joh 17:17 Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth.
Though we as born-again believers have accepted God’s forgiveness through His Son, we become pure and holy through believing and obeying the Word of God (Heb 4:12). As we meditate on Scripture (Psalm 1:2) and let it do its purifying work in us through application and obedience (James 1:22), God’s Word leads us to repentance and confession of sin, refreshes our relationship with Jesus, and keeps us on the path of righteousness.
f) The Bible (Holy Scriptures)
Rom 10:17 So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.
It is through the reading, hearing, meditating, and believing the Word Of God by faith that God is able to transform our hearts and minds (Romans 12:2), that we may know His perfect will and obey it - not through mere intellectual ascent. The Holy Bible is no mere textbook, although mountains of man-made books have been written in analysis and study of the Holy Scriptures. The Bible is ‘...quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.’ (Hebrews 4:12)
There are many interesting facts about the Bible - written in Hebrew, Aramaic, and Greek by royalty, farmers, fishermen, a tentmaker, homeless prophets, a doctor, a professional scribe, vocational musicians, pastors, etc. over 1500 years with miraculous consistency, and selling more copies than any book in history! However, the most extraordinary fact about the Bible is that it is God’s Word, written under the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, not by the will of man.
2Pe 1:19 We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts:
2Pe 1:20 Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
2Pe 1:21 For the prophecy came not in old time by the will of man: but holy men of God spake as they were moved by the Holy Ghost.
Finally, the Bible is our primary way to expose doctrinal error and test the spirits (1 John 4:1), and stay on the path of righteousness.
2Ti 3:16 All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness
g) The God Head (Trinity)
The Trinity, while not specifically named in Scripture is alluded to as far back as Genesis. Note the first use of the words ‘us’ and ‘our.’
Gen 1:26 And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.
Mat 3:16 And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him:
Mat 3:17 And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.
The Father, The Son, and the Holy Ghost are all shown to be in relationship in these verses, and further, Jesus promises that after He is risen, He will send the Holy Ghost, who is very God, to live in us. How awesome!
Joh 14:16 And I will pray the Father, and he shall give you another Comforter, that he may abide with you for ever;
Joh 14:17 Even the Spirit of truth; whom the world cannot receive, because it seeth him not, neither knoweth him: but ye know him; for he dwelleth with you, and shall be in you.
The concept of the Trinity cannot be fathomed in our natural minds, but only by God’s supernatural revelation in Scripture.
h) Virgin birth of Christ
Isa 7:14 Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.
Mat 1:18 Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as his mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost.
It is amazing that the virgin birth of Jesus is prophesied seven hundred plus years before He was born! Equally amazing is the virgin birth itself, a supernatural event hotly debated by unbelieving scholars, but celebrated by born-again Christians across the world. Jesus had to be conceived supernaturally but born naturally in order to be both fully God and fully man. Immanuel...God with us...Hallelujah!
1 Corinthians 12:7-11 : A Concise View
The supernatural distribution of the spiritual gifts by the Holy Ghost should neither be denied nor taken for granted. The Body Of Christ is healthiest when we receive all of these gifts joyfully, refine them and use them to serve the whole Body of Christ, not ourselves, and seek to utilize them in the context of love. In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul upholds love as the greatest gift.
1Co 13:13 And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love. (NIV)