You'll meet one someday.

A person filled with the Holy Spirit. Someone full of the love and passion of Jesus Christ, who will unexpectedly do something nice for you. As you momentarily flicker out of your obsessively busy day and into the small space that contains only the two of you, you'll smile and mutter "Thanks," somewhat surprised, but politely dismissing and seeking to lift off again. But as your glance touches theirs, it sticks, and you're knocked a little off balance... this person's eyes can see into your soul, and want nothing more than to help you conquer your innermost fears, addictions and vices. A person who would walk a mile for you in that moment. Two miles. If you try to walk away, they'll speak, "Is there something... anything else I can do for you?"

Stumbling, because they're hoping you'll talk, and reveal what your deepest need is. Of course you probably won't, but if you did... you would be shocked at their immediate response and willingness to bear your burdens. What sort of person is this? Who walks around hoping that they can find out and help with the deepest needs of complete strangers?

Christians. Real ones. Filled with the Spirit of Christ, and walking around filled with love, grace and forgiveness, and a servant's heart. Why? Not for personal gain. Not seeking "rewards" although if anyone on earth was worthy of a reward, it would seem such a person would be. But they don't seek to share your burdens for reward, they do it because they have a deep sense of humility, bearing the marks of contact with a just-but-forgiving Creator.

When this happens, stop. Take a deep breath. Relax, say hello, and tell the truth about what you're feeling and thinking. God has these people out there for YOU. Don't dismiss them because you're cynical. Don't produce your favorite intellectual objection to Christianity. You could say something like, "If God is so good, and so powerful, why are there people starving in Africa?" They might respond, "I don't know, but I can tell you this... I was lost and broken and hopeless, and now I'm found and functional and full of joy." You can't win. To them, its all ridiculously simple, and to you its all insanely complicated. So just talk on a personal level. Tell them about your washing machine that's broken, or how you've been sad lately, or about the job decision you're stressing over, and receive what they have to give. An ear, a hand, something to loan, something to keep. Whatever you need.

Christ is real, and alive, and you're not going to speculate him into or out of existence. He lives where he lives, and you live where you live. He has his ambassadors actively working and serving all over the place. You'll know them when you meet them. When you do meet one, don't let arrogance or someone's jaded blog entry shape your opinion of them. Open up, talk, spend a few minutes, and then consider the effect that a person like that has on the world. Then imagine more of them, in every province and nation, doing the little chores that make life easier. Saying the encouraging words that help people make it through their day. Honoring the name of Jesus Christ, and slowly turning the world on its ear through compassion and caring. Ignore the counterfeits. You'll recognize those by greed and ambition. The real followers of Christ are out there. You'll meet one someday.

You don't meet these people by accident.

Who is Jesus?

Topics:

That Age-Old Problem of MetaPhysics

Who exactly is Jesus? What kind of a person is He?

--      Jesus, the image and personal representation of the eternal God.

--      Jesus, an eternal person, the agent of all creation

--      Jesus, the sustainer of all that exists. The one who keeps/holds all things “in being”.

--      Jesus, the person who lived a life of righteousness and exchanged his reward for your penalty.

--      Jesus, the person who, having permanently joined humanity to His deity, will rule over the world of men in the future.

That Age-Old Problem...

Since at least the days of ancient Greek philosophy, the problem of metaphysics has been speculated upon: 

Q. Is there anything that transcends the physical world?

Q. If so, is there any point where the two worlds intersect, or a way that the knowledge of the real/metaphysical can be touched by the physical?

Q. Is the SOURCE of our “being” a vague force, or something more personal?

Throughout history people have imagined various versions of the “invisible” realm, and its relationship to the things we see.  They have called it the “metaphysical” (above the physical), the realm of pure Ideas, the “noumenal” world (as opposed to the world of observable phenomenon), and MANY other names.

Philosophers struggle with the question of whether we can ever see  or reach the realm of the metaphysical. Many say that we would never be able to understand it if we could. They ponder whether humans are born with some innate knowledge of the “other” world, such as knowing the difference between right and wrong, or the ability to see that the shortest distance between two points is a straight line, versus whether we just reason those things out using some power of our mind. Are the things we see here “shadows” of the “Real” things over on the other side? Is the knowledge that we have, based on some ultimate truth that exists outside of this decaying world? Many say it is impossible for anything here in the so called “phenomenal” realm to reach, or even reason its way across to the noumenal/metaphysical realm. But here’s the even more important question…can it reach across to us?

Christianity contains the clear answers to all these philosophical questions, in the person and life of Jesus Christ.

Q. Can the physical world reason/reach across into the eternal realm?

A. God, the creator of the physical realm (and who still occupies and sustains it, though He also transcends it) has seen fit to reach across from the eternal to the physical world, in order to make Himself known to us. 
This was initially done through delivering messages to men, but finally, God actually joined Himself to humanity by taking on a human body, being born on earth. This God-man, still retained his God-ness (characteristics of deity), and yet took up human-ness as well. As a human, he set us a perfect example for living. However, being God, He also recognized that we had a bigger need than knowledge. We needed more than an example. We had guilt, having harmed our fellow people, and offended the eternal standard of good and evil. So, besides setting the perfect example, while He was here in a human body, He also provided the solution for our deepest need—Redemption. Having taken this extreme step, God now requires that it be acknowledged. To ignore or deny it is an extreme offense against Him.

This funny question is sometimes asked in philosophy classes:

Q: What would happen to the universe if God died?

A: The universe would perish with Him. This is actually quite obvious. 
In the most basic sense, God is the source of our “being”, and it must be derived from Him. If He stopped existing, so would everything else. This is actually not really specific to Christianity, its just basic theism. We are dependent creatures. We are subject to our circumstances, and we don’t even have control over whether we live or die. We don’t have the power of “being” within ourselves. We can cease to “be” without our permission, and if we’re killed, we cannot bring ourselves back to life. God, on the other hand, cannot die. He is self existent and eternal. Again, this particular idea is not specifically Christian, its theism. If anything exists, that is, for anything to “be”, then there must be a self-existent eternal source of “being”, which theologians call “God”. This is simple logic, and merely part of believing that THERE IS ANYTHING at all. That is, you can reason backward from the visible world, saying this thing must have had a creator, and its creator must have had a creator, and that creator must have been created by something, and that also must have had a creator, and so on, until you reach the point where you say, “the first thing I can think of must have been created by God, but then WHO created God?” Of course, no one could have created God, because if there’s someone else farther up the chain, it means you just haven’t gone back far enough yet. God is what we call the first one in the chain of creation, and that means He has to be eternal—having always existed. He can’t be dependent on anyone or anything. If He was, we’d have to go back one more step and call THAT thing God….right?

Some people would argue that, you can’t use the rule about “everything needing a creator” if you’re gonna go and say that God doesn’t need one. But that is a foolish argument, because as humans, we only have two things to go on when we contemplate the origin of creation…our experience of cause and effect, and the revelation that God has given of Himself, and both of them support that explanation as the most logical.

Who is Jesus?  What kind of a person is he? The God kind. God reaching across from the eternal world to our physical world.

Jesus, the image and personal representation of the eternal God.

“God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son…who, being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person…” Hebrews 1

“For it pleased the Father that in Him (Christ) all the fullness should dwell, and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself…Beware lest anyone cheat you through philosophy and empty deceit, according to the tradition of men, according to the basic principles of the world, and not according to Christ. For in Him dwells all the fullness of the godhead in bodily form;” Colossians 1:19,2:8-9

Jesus, an eternal person, the agent of all creation.

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that has been made…and the Word became flesh, and dwelt among us…” John 1

“That which was from the beginning…which we have heard, seen with our eyes, handled…the Word of life—the life was manifested, and we have seen and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us..”1John 1

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, …through whom also He made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2

“He is the image of the invisible God…for by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth…All things were created through Him and for Him.” Colossians 1

Jesus, the sustainer of all that exists. The one who keeps/holds all things “in being”.

“He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.” Colossians 1

“Upholding all things by the word of His power.” Hebrews 1

Jesus, the person who lived a life of righteousness and exchanged his reward for your penalty.

“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:
 Who, being in very nature God,
      did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,
 but made himself nothing,
      taking the very nature of a servant,
      being made in human likeness.
 And being found in appearance as a man,
      he humbled himself
      and became obedient to death—
      even death on a cross!”  Philippians 2

"For you know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, that you through His poverty might become rich.""  2 Corinthians 8:9

"For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."  2 Corinthians 5:21

Jesus, the person who, having permanently joined humanity to His deity, will rule over the world of men in the future.

“God…has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things.” Hebrews 1


Deep subject. More later on Who Jesus is... 

The Living Word ...

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3,14

“God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, …through whom also He made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2

“That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of Life—the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us--” 1 John 1:1

The Son of God, His Word that became flesh, literally takes the thoughts of God and turns them into concrete actions, understandable in human categories. God first gave us His Words through mediators so that we could READ and LISTEN to it, then finally gave us His Word in human form so that the common, sinful man could ask questions, seek explanations, and witness the application of principles in everyday situations. What possible, clearer picture of God’s Word could we ask for than the incarnation of it in human flesh? In lowly circumstances, no less? Subject to trials and oppression as we are? What an honor to stand in His presence! To manifest Himself in such a form, and subject Himself to the same limitations and situations as we have?! What a… humiliation for Him to endure.

Even if God was directly communicating His thoughts into your brain, you could not get a clearer understanding of His mind THAN SEEING IT WALKING AROUND IN SANDALS, LOVING, FEEDING, HEALING, AND TEACHING common people. There is no clearer way to teach something to human beings than the incarnation of words into a human being who can be hugged, questioned, patronized, listened to and leaned upon. The incarnation is simply the PERFECT teaching tool. The PERFECT means of revelation. The Word became flesh for an even greater reason than just to be the perfect teacher, that is, for Atonement, (...atonement is Jesus paying the penalty of sin on your behalf...) but thats a separate discussion.

Picture this: A man makes you a promise, then says, “I give you my word,” and extends his hand toward you, offering a handshake, as a sign, as seal on the contract. You say, “You give me your word?”  You bend down and examine his outstretched hand. “It looks empty,” you say. “I don’t see you ‘giving’ me anything. You just expect me to walk away and BELIEVE you. What good is your word?”

God gives you a detailed written explanation of Himself, His creation, his attitudes, his plan of redemption for human beings. God says, “I give you my Word.” God does not extend a hand toward you. The sound of footsteps is heard. A man appears at the back of the room and walks toward you. He faces you and stops, just a few feet away. “Who are you?” you ask.

“I am the Word, which was given to you.”

Not an empty hand to shake, but two hands, two legs, a strong back, eyes which look into the depths of your soul, and an ear to listen to your thoughts, questions and complaints. The living, breathing, spoken Words of God, applied to the human condition by virtue of being *IN* the human condition.

No longer can anyone pose the question, “What would God do if He was a man? What would God say if He were stuck in an impossible situation, *MY* situation?”

God has simply provided the perfect solution to the problem of metaphysics. By bringing the knowledge of the eternal realm across to the physical world in the only kind of package that human beings could really relate to… a human package.

Only a fool would ask God for more than that.

“This is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son.” 1 John 5:9-10

…in the Written Word

Objection: “That perfect example of living only lasted 3 years, and was limited to one, primitive culture.”

The incarnation of Gods Living Word, His eternal Power, into a speaking, walking human person wasn’t enough? You’re inclined to ask for more? Okay. Christ appointed his own messengers to spread the message of His coming: “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty.”  2 Peter 1:16

They were eyewitnesses. This group of common men was appointed to be evangelists and scribes, to continue the message of this Divine person. To memorialize His speech and actions, and their correct interpretations for all time. Their job was to live out this man’s doctrine over a longer period, across multiple other cultures, and to preserve the record of their experiences of it. So we see it applied in many MORE circumstances, with massive exposition and application to many more common human situations and predicaments than Jesus Himself showed.

Whoa, what do you mean “correct interpretations?” How do we know that the writings of these men are trustworthy. Just because *they* were eyewitnesses, doesn’t mean we can automatically believe what they wrote, does it?

Think about these words:

“No prophecy of Scripture is of any private interpretation, for prophecy never came by the will of man, but holy men of God spoke as they were moved by the Holy Spirit.” 1 Peter 1:20-21

“I write to you this second letter…that you may be mindful of the words which were spoken before by the holy prophets, and of the commandment of us, the apostles of the Lord and Savior…” 2 Peter 3:1-2

Peter reminds readers that the origin of Scripture is the Spirit of God, and urges them to remember two things,  the words of the Old Testament prophets, and the commandments that he and his fellow apostles are writing. Then afterward, he explicitly mentions the letters of Paul, and warns that people will twist them, just like the “rest of the Scriptures”…

                                                                             

“Therefore…be diligent to be found by Him…without spot and blameless, and consider that the longsuffering of our Lord is salvation—as also our beloved brother Paul, according to the wisdom given to him, has written to you, as also in all his letters, speaking in them of these things, in which are some things hard to understand, which untaught and unstable people twist to their own destruction, as they do also the rest of the Scriptures.”2 Peter 3:14-16

Along the same lines, the Apostle Paul writes:

“All Scripture is God-breathed, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness…” 2 Timothy 3:16

The apostles of Jesus Christ, the eyewitnesses of the Word becoming flesh, asserted that their writings were Scripture, just like those of the early prophets who spoke as mediators for God. Paul wrote that Scripture is “breathed-out” by God, that is, has its origin not in the pen of man, but in the mouth of God.

So we have Scripture, breathed-out from the mouth of God, since the ancient prophets. Since then, the Word of God was available to read and study. Then appeared the Word of God personified, Jesus Christ. After His resurrection, he ascended into heaven, and the Holy Spirit came to His apostles, enabling them to write God's testimony about the coming of His Son into the world of human flesh, and His atonement for our sin. They wrote what they had witnessed with their own eyes and ears, and they recorded the meaning/interpretation of the events as they were moved by the Holy Spirit. God has revealed His Word to people in every way that could possibly be meaningful to us.

Do you Believe God?

Believe God

“Abraham believed in the LORD, and He accounted it to him for righteousness.” Genesis 15:6,

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”Romans 4:3,

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”Galatians 3:6,

“Abraham believed God, and it was accounted to him for righteousness.”James 2:23

This verse appears over and over in the Bible, because it is *very* important. When we examine the reason for the repetition, we run smack into one of the biggest themes of the Bible. That is, God is faithful. He can, …He MUST be trusted.

--       What did Abraham believe?

God promised Abraham, “Look now toward heaven, and count the stars if you are able to number them.” And He said to him, “So shall your descendants be.”

--       What did Abraham receive for it?

Righteousness imputed to his account. Not earned, just freely counted on his behalf. Trusting that the eternal God will do

what He says He will do, was all that was required. He believed that the Truth is true. In spite of earthly circumstances

looking bleak.

--       Tell me again, how did Abraham obtain a righteous standing before his Creator?

“HE BELIEVED GOD.”

How can *WE* get righteousness?  Do what Abraham did, “BELIEVE GOD.”

--       Do we need to believe that God will give us descendants numbering as the stars of heaven?

No, that is what He said to Abraham, and Abraham had to believe Him.

--       Do we need to believe that God will send us to free the captives in Egypt?

No, that is what He said to Moses, and Moses had to believe Him.

--       What has God SAID to us that *WE* need to believe?

That Jesus Christ is the eternal Son of God, who came in the flesh to pay the penalty for our sins.

--       Once more, what do we need to get?

Righteousness, imputed to our account. Er, my account? Do I have an account? Yes, and if you have ever “sinned”, then you have a negative balance. A debt to pay. Somehow you’ll have to “fix” it. Pay it off. Make it right. Good luck with that. God was kind enough to explain to us that we cannot earn our standing back. We need the gift of righteousness, which comes through faith in His Words.

--       So all I need is faith? That sounds easy. Faith in what?

Actually its not easy. As a human being, you don’t fully have control over what you believe. You can SAY that you believe something. You can TRY to convince yourself that something is true. But real faith is something that occurs inside of you when you are convinced internally, (in your heart of hearts, so to speak), that something is true. When its really there, it becomes visible as deeds. An analogy is the way a person can say, “I believe that rickety chair will hold me,” but refuse to sit on it. SAYING you believe it gives you no credibility if you refuse to actually prove it. Likewise, faith in the working of God is something akin to “trust,” deep inside of you, which shows itself in a willingness to “prove it,” so to speak. Miraculously, faith comes to a person through hearing the message (the good news) of Christ preached. This is how God chose to give out His gift. While listening to the Word of God, the Holy Spirit can create real faith in you. The conviction that God’s words are true. “Faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” Romans 9:17

Are there other places in the Bible which tell us about this need for righteousness, this gift that I need? Yes, in fact, it’s the theme of the New Testament.

--       “…the righteousness of God through faith in Jesus Christ to all and on all who believe.” Romans 3:21-23

--       “…not having my own righteousness, which is from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ. The righteousness which is from God by faith.” Philippians 3:9

Q: So WHAT are we supposed to believe? What has God SAID to us with these writings that the Holy Spirit gave to Jesus’ disciples?

A: That Jesus Christ is the Son of God, who became a man to exchange his righteousness for our sins.

--       “He made him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 2 Corinthians 5:21

Q: What does it mean, “he became sin?” Did he become a sinner? 

A: No, Jesus was never guilty of sin.

--       “On the cross, Jesus was not a sinner, but God treated Him as if he was. And you’re not righteous, but God treats you as if you ARE!”  -MacArthur, “Election, Essential Truths of the Christian Faith”

God spoke to various people in various ways in ancient history, But the birth of Jesus Christ on earth is the pinnacle of God’s revelation to humanity. God finally spoke definitively through sending His eternal Son to take on human form, a body of flesh. God spoke and testified that Jesus Christ is His Son. To call God a liar is the ultimate grounds for condemnation. To believe Him is righteousness. He lived a perfect life, without sin, then exchanged his reward for your punishment!

--       “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made. ...And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” John 1:1-3,14

--       “For we did not follow cunningly devised fables when we made known to you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received from God the Father honor and glory when such a voice came to him from the Excellent Glory: ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.’” 2 Peter 1:16-17

--       “This is the witness of God which He has testified of His Son. He who believes in the Son of God has the witness in himself. He who does not believe God has made Him a liar, because he has not believed the testimony that God has given of His Son. And this is the testimony: that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son.” 1 John 5:9-10

THAT is what *WE* are supposed to believe. Urged to believe. Commanded to believe. If you don’t believe, you commit a grievous sin, because you assert that God Himself is a liar. He has sent His Son, and commanded that humans turn away from their love for sin, and follow Jesus Christ, trusting and honoring the God of Israel, the Creator of the world.