Bible Lesson 131

CONNECTING THE DOCTRINES ON THEOLOGY #4 IN SERIES

“I am crucified with Christ; nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave Himself for me.” Galatians 2:20

“Love, in the divine alchemy of life, transmutes all duties into privileges, all responsibilities into joys.” William George Jordan

Whenever we have all the dots connected in our knowledge of God, when we see as we ought and have passed through that strait gate and are keeping to that narrow way that leads to eternal life, then and only then do we understand and see the reality of Christianity. Christianity is all about Christ, and our relationship with Him. We are focused upon Christ and we never follow after anyone else.

Christianity, true Christianity means that the person who can truthfully call themselves a Christian, does not see themselves as much as they see Jesus Christ; because He is in us and we are in Him.

We seem to have made the mistake of looking at ourselves as little individuals who in some way relate to Christ, as we go about our way here on the earth living just as we did before we made a profession of Christ. Hear me well now, dear friends, a profession of faith, without the possession of that new life that comes with true salvation, is as empty as the great salt lake is of water.

Only Jesus Christ can change that and He does so by allowing those who have been awakened by God, and given faith in Christ to have the blessing of Union with Christ. We become spiritually connected to Christ and Christ becomes so real to us that we walk everyday in His presence.

In the Christian faith there are three principal unions that form the foundation of our faith. First there is the union of the three personalities of God, Father, Son Jesus Christ, and the Holy Spirit. The Three in One , are all co-eternal, and co-glorious, and of one mind and they are combined (Inseparable) into our One God, Jehovah. Then, second, we have the union of the Divine and the human natures in the one person of Jesus Christ. Christ was always God, always with God, and He left heaven to come to the creation that He had created, to give us correction, and guidance and to reveal God in a way that man could understand God.

He came to substitute Himself on a cruel cross, in order to pay the sin debt that we all owed. Jesus Christ was God, Immanuel, God with us, and He took upon Himself our sin, and bore the punishment for our sin as He became sin and a curse in order to free us from the chains of sin. Then, third, we have the union of the Church to Christ who is it’s head and who will receive her as His bride at the end of the age.

If we look back to the Genesis of creation we will perceive another union that only God could put together. That union, is the union of man (soul and spirit), who was created from the dust of the earth and joined with an immaterial spirit (the breath of God). Jesus prayed in the High Priestly prayer of John chapter 17, “I in them and Thou in Me, that they may be made perfect in one.” So our union with Christ in the New Birth is the cause of all of the heavenly blessings that accrue to those who are truly saved.

There are some wonderful blessings that truly saved Christians have. Unfortunately, to be honest and trustworthy, we have to remind everyone that the union with Christ only comes to those whom God saves by His Grace and we must not equate church membership to salvation. Church membership is a fruit of Salvation, and if you never go past joining some church group, you are not saved and you do not have the union with Christ. Union with Christ only comes with the new birth (John 3:3, 5; Ephesians 2:10;). Think about it this way, If Jesus had not come and died, been buried, resurrected, and ascended back into heaven to the Father’s right hand, no one could be saved. It’s that simple!

If The Father had not planned and instituted a plan of salvation, and the Son Jesus Christ had not agreed to pay for it, with His life and blood, so that the Holy Spirit could woo you to God, then we all would be destined to spend an eternity in hell. God had decreed that sin, was unacceptable to Him, must be paid for by death: not simply physical death but also Spiritual death which would cause us to go to hell. God the Father had also set in place a plan that would allow Him to justify sinners (and we are all sinners), and still be Just. That plan was’.that He would allow a sinless person to substitute Himself. The only sinless person who could substitute Himself to pay that price that would allow those who would believe to be just before the Father, would be Jesus Christ, God Himself.

Now as we close out our lessons on connecting the dots in our theology we must make it clear that only those who are saved, born again, and obedient to God can ever understand what the Word of God says to us. Oh, they can read the words and understand them on a mental level but that is not the understanding that the Children of God must carry away from the Word of God. To quote from the Bible, the Apostle Paul speaks to us under the inspiration of God and says, “‘my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man’s wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of Power: That your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of God.

Howbeit we speak wisdom among them that are perfect: yet not the wisdom of this world, nor of the princes of this world, that come to naught: But we speak the wisdom of God in a mystery, even the hidden wisdom, which God ordained before the world unto our glory; Which none of the princes of this world knew: for had they known it, they would not have crucified the Lord of Glory. But as it is written, eye hath not seen, nor ear heard, neither have entered into the heart of man, the things which God hath prepared for them that love Him. But God hath revealed them unto us by His Spirit: for the Spirit searches all things, yea, the deep things of God.

For what man knoweth the things of a man, save the spirit of man which is in him’ Even so the things of God knoweth no man, but the Spirit of God. Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God. Which things also we speak, not in the words which man’s wisdom teaches, but which the Holy Ghost teaches; comparing spiritual things unto spiritual. But the natural man receiveth not the things of the Spirit of God: for they are foolishness unto him: neither can he know them, because they are spiritually discerned.”

There you have it ‘.the dots of Biblical Theology cannot be connected by fallen man. It must be interpreted by the Holy Spirit of God; and only those who are the Children of God have that Spirit, so the children of God understand the deeper meaning of the Scriptures; but it is never properly understood by those who are not saved, and that includes Seminary Professors, and Preachers, Pastors and teachers who do not really have a relationship with God.

I know that sounds censorious; however it is not meant to be and it cannot be because it is the clear teaching of the Word of God, the Bible. No serious student of the Bible could help but know that all through the bible, both Old and New Testaments, we are warned over and over again, about those who preach and teach false doctrines. The half-brother of our Savior and Lord, Jesus Christ had this to say in warning to us. “But beloved, remember ye the words which were spoken before of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ; How that they told you there should be mockers in the last time, who should walk after their own ungodly lusts.

These be they who separate themselves, sensual, having not the Spirit.” Jude was in His short epistle that we call Jude, was making the case in his day that the church had failed to be careful about who they laid hands on, and received in the fellowship of their groups. He warned them and us that certain men who had crept in unawares, who were before of old ordained to this condemnation, ungodly men, turning the grace of our God into lasciviousness, and denying the only Lord God, and our Lord Jesus Christ.”

The young church that had walked with Christ and His brother who had been reared with Him, saw the evil that was always attempting to insert itself into the followers of the Way, which is what those who following Jesus Christ were called. We in our day are 2000 years further away from the cross and we have grown cold and hardened by the preaching of error, heresy, misinformation and cheap grace preaching that it is hard for us to put a sentence together with a Biblical meaning that is correct. We have grown so soft and flabby in flattery, and false compassion, and just plain ‘made-up’ theology coming from our pulpits that we don’t really know enough to defend the faith. Some stand and defend what they believe as faith, but it is not saving faith.

How can any student of the Bible sit under preaching that is in error without speaking out’ You may wonder what I’m talking about so let me mention just a couple of things that can be heard from a majority of pulpits in our day. First, when a Pastor says’Jesus loves you just like you are, where do you find that in the Bible’ Jesus will meet you where you are but He does not love any but those who know His commandments and keeps them. If you want Biblical proof, go to the gospel of John chapter 14: 21-24.

How about when you hear ‘Jesus died for the sins of all men. Where can you find that in the Bible, at least in context. For Biblical proof of who Christ died for, go to Hebrews 5:8-9. Next some will argue that even if Christ only loves those who know the commandments and keeps them’.that God the Father loves everybody. Not true according to the Bible ‘go back to John 14:21 and 24.

I can’t be sure why we do not just open the Word of God and do as it says we should do and that is to “preach the Word, in season, and out of season; reprove, rebuke, exhort with all long-suffering and doctrine.” If the Bible does not say it we must leave it alone and if it does say it we must preach it and apply it to ourselves and to those who hear us.(2nd Timothy 4:2). I don’t think that it is any secret that what the majority of denominations and individual churches have decided to do in our time is to build large congregations.

We are into church growth programs and we do whatever it takes to get someone to join our group. If that is what you want, you will have to answer to God for your decision; but let me remind you that it is the Church of Christ and He said in the beginning that He would build His Church. There is one thing certain, we have brought the mission field from the world into the church where we allow them to sit comfortably, as we massage their necks and backs with untruths, half truths and false promises. What people must know is that all you get from joining a church, is the opportunity to call yourself a church member. You must submit and commit to Christ as Lord and Savior in order to be saved.

I hope that we have helped some to see the only way that we can ever connect the dots in our Theology. So I would give you the same admonition that Paul gave to young Timothy, “Study to show thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing ( rightly understanding and preaching) the word of truth.”2nd Timothy 2:15. Think on these things . .’.

Until next time,

may God bless and keep you

This is Bro. Bob