Fix Our Eyes On Jesus

Hebrews 12:2, "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus!" 

“In the beginning, God (Elohim) created the heavens and the Earth.” Gen. 1:1

John 1:1, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.”

We all know the creation account in Genesis chapters 1:1 through 3:24. Chapters that require much study. And those of us who have put in much study (relatively) need to put in much more study...unless we think we know it all (again, relatively and with all due respect).

Discourse or Violence

Charlie Kirk said, “When discourse ends, violence begins.”

And Jesus said, “It is finished.”

The dialogue began with Adam (a-dam’ = man). God had much to say to Adam, considering he was a brand new creation, one of his kind, not another like him. Adam may not have had any questions, but God had much knowledge to give him... and a warning-- “Do not eat of that one tree of the knowledge of good and evil, for in the day that you eat of it you, dying you shall surely die” Gen. 2:17. And then the violence began.

Paul, the WORST of Sinners… What?

1 Timothy 1:16 says, However, for this reason I obtained mercy, that in me first Jesus Christ might show all longsuffering, as a pattern to those who are going to believe on Him for everlasting life.

Is there any misunderstanding as to what this verse says? “For this reason” Paul obtained mercy... Right? I will address “for what reason” in a moment, but for now, the verse is saying that Paul obtained mercy because he was a sinner so that Jesus Christ might show forth His patience AS A PATTERN to those who are “going to” believe on Him for everlasting life. Can anyone understand this verse differently? Absolutely some do because they won’t let go of their religion. But this verse is more complicated because Paul says IN ME FIRST (protos).

The Glory of the Redeemer

John 1:10-14 says, He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. He came to His own (that which belongs to Himself) and His own people (fellow countrymen) did not receive Him. But as many as received Him, to them He gave the power (authority) to become children of God, to those who believe in His name: who were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made 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.

How Many Gospels?

"Strong objection is offered by Covenant theologians to a distinction between the gospel of the kingdom as preached by John the Baptist, Christ, and the other disciples and the gospel of the grace of God. One of them states that to make such a distinction is “unfortunate” and “dangerous.” He with others contends that the kingdom gospel is identical with the gospel of divine grace. Here nevertheless will arise an absurdity which does not deter this type of theologian, namely, that men could preach the grace gospel based as it is on the death, burial, and resurrection of Christ when they did not believe Christ would die or be raised again (cf. Luke 18:31-34)." ~Lewis Sperry Chafer, founder and first president of Dallas Theological Seminary 

CARNAL OR SPIRITUAL?

“For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace”.
Rom. 8:6 is my opening text, but for anyone desiring “context” I would suggest reading at least chapters 1-8. And then read also 1 Cor. chapters 1, 2 and 3. I would even go further to say that IF you are not studying the WHOLE Word of God, then you will seriously be lacking “context”.

LIFE...DEATH...LIFE

We (you, me, everyone) will die. That is Simple, is it not? It is an inescapable fact. To leave it at that, though, is ignorant, reckless, irresponsible, and foolish beyond measure. Do you think so little of yourself? Do you think we are as frogs, or herring, or prairie dogs, or wildebeests that just come and go with little consequence (except as food for snakes, whales, coyotes and lions)? Have you watched the "Circle of Life" movie too many times?  If "birth to death" is all there is, then we (as a most intelligent, sophisticated, potential-of-a-creature) are a most pitiful, momentary breath in the eons of time. However, the significance of all these (animals), and others, is as nothing compared to the worth of man. The Bible says…

"Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings (one penny), and not one of them is forgotten before God? But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: you are of more value than many sparrows" Luke 12:6-7.