There is so much information we learned from childhood and all through adulthood. Some we determined to be true and kept them in our mind. Some are patently false and we outrightly brand them in our memory as such; that also helps us to learn from our errors and mistakes. Others, we initially thought to be true but later on, we found them to be false and we adjust our understanding. These we learned from people telling us directly, some from reading books, from school, Internet or seminars and other venues. This compilation of information then becomes a composite of who we are, and from which we make decision and take action. But, do we have the same interaction and reaction to secular information when it comes to religious realm? Hopefully, so. Certainly, we can learn from the example and advice from those people in the Bible. Hence, the principles in this article on how to search for spiritual truth:

Test the spirit

When someone tells you about any religious tenet, check it out. Apostle John was clear on this, as in: I John 4:1

“Dear friends, do not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world.”

Indeed,Jesus cautioned us in Mark 13:6 that:

“Many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am he,’ and will deceive many.”

Remember the Bereans?

Acts 17:10-11 “The brothers immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived they went into the Jewish synagogue. Now these Jews were more noble than those in Thessalonica; they received the word with all eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see if these things were so”.

Notice that, while Paul was well known, they did not just believed him but searched the scriptures to see whether the teaching is factual and his interpretation spot on. Should we not learn directly from the Bible instead of just from people ? Similarly, this attitude should be adopted by all. Always factcheck and understand the context.

Be ready to explain your position.

A number of people may question our belief. Can we give them the basis or proof of our beliefs and be confident and convincing enough? The apostle Peter has this to say to us In I Pet. 3:15

“But sanctify the Lord God in your hearts: and be ready always to give an answer to every man that asketh you a reason of the hope that is in you with meekness and fear:”

Grow up and progress.

When can we be ready to eat meat, not just drink milk? Paul said in I Corinthians 3:3;

“I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready.” Also in Heb 5:12 “For at the time when ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God, and have become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat.”

Receive the power to understand

No matter what we do in search of the spiritual truth, we will never “see” it unless God opens our “eyes and ears” to spiritual things by the Holy Spirit. No human, “flesh-and-blood” has the capacity and knowhow can do this. We are spiritually “blind and deaf” until God opens our “eyes and ears”. This principle is demonstrated in:Matt. 16:13-17

“When Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, “Who do people say the Son of Man is?”They replied, “Some say John the Baptist; others say Elijah; and still others, Jeremiah or one of the prophets.”“But what about you?” he asked. “Who do you say I am?”Simon Peter answered, “You are the Messiah, the Son of the living God.”Jesus replied, “Blessed are you, Simon son of Jonah, for this was not revealed to you by flesh and blood (human), but by my Father in heaven.”

Only God has the truth and he is the only one who can give it to us but through the power of the Holy Spirit. Spiritual things can only be discerned with the power of the Holy Spirit. Notice the following verses:

“Eyes will see and ears will hear” (Isaiah 6:10;Jer. 5:21; Ezek. 12:2; Joel 2:28-29;

Matthew 13:15;Acts 28:27;Rom. 11:8) is a prophecy of the coming Holy Spirit of power that will open us to spiritual realm, as they were not sensitive to spirituality.

Joel 2:28-29 “And it shall come to pass afterward, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh; your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, your old men shall dream dreams, and your young men shall see visions. Even on the male and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit.

Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the end of the earth”.

Prov. 20:12, “Ears that hear and eyes that see– the LORD has made them both.”

Matt. 13:16 “But blessed are your eyes because they see, and your ears because they hear.”

This “action” to understand can only happen with “power” vested in us. And this power, Jesus had to receive himself directly post-resurrection from the Father. This power is so crucial for us that man-Jesus had to die for our reconciliation and justification so that after he was resurrected, he received it from the Father to be given subsequently to us-ward. And we receive it only when we believed…

John 7:37-39 (ESV)

On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’” Now this he said about the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were to receive, for as yet the Spirit had not been given, because Jesus was not yet glorified.

And “believing” means we “repent” and be “baptized” with the Holy Spirit. This Holy Spirit is the creative-power that was directly given to Jesus only after ( not before) his resurrection from death. With this power, Jesus (the Potter) can “re-mold the clay”, as in:

Isaiah 64:8 “Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand.”

Jeremiah 18:2-6 “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear[a] my words.” 3 So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. 4 And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do”.

Acts 2:38 ESV

And Peter said to them, “Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit.

LET US GROW UP TOGETHER👍😊🎉😇

Original Post: 1/29/2018

Revised: 12/19/18

Should Christmas be celebrated and if so, when? Others reject its celebration on December 25 as others claim Jesus’ birth was on a September/October. While millions throughout the world are celebrating Yuletide season, some in the Christian world are conflicted. What should we do? What should be our response to those who recognize different dates of Jesus’ birth? And, for that matter, to anyone who summarily discredit Jesus birth?

Historical and Biblical vignettes

The birth of Jesus started in Bethlehem but this has been prophesied by prophets and referred as “seed“,all the way from Genesis 3:15:

“And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.“

Interesting excerpt:

“In addition to celebrating the winter solstice a few days before December 25, Romans in 273 AD already celebrated two festivals on the very day: natalis solis invicti (the “birth of the unconquered sun”) and the birthday of Mithras, the Iranian god of the sun. According to Christianity Today, church leaders thought it would also be a fitting time to honour the son of God. Besides, as Ace Collins, author of Stories Behind the Great Traditions of Christmas, said in a PBS segment, the existing Roman holidays were filled with drinking and debauchery, so this new holiday was a way to teach heathens a lesson about sin and redemption. After Emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and declared tolerance for the religion, Western Christians officially began celebrating December 25 as the birth of Jesus in 336 AD. Those in the Eastern Church continue to recognize another day, January 6, as Christ’s birthday, but nowadays most everyone agrees on the date.“(1)

The arguments against December 25 can be summarized into:

“First, shepherds were in the fields watching their flocks at the time of Jesus’ birth (Luke 2:7-8;no flocks out in the snow?). Second, Jesus’ parents came to Bethlehem to register in a Roman census (Luke 2:1-4). Such censuses were not taken in winter, when temperatures often dropped below freezing and roads were in poor condition. The biblical accounts point to the fall of the year as the most likely time of Jesus’ birth, based on the conception and birth of John the Baptist. It was during this time of temple service that Zacharias learned that he and his wife, Elizabeth, would have a child (Luke 1:8-13). After he completed his service and traveled home, Elizabeth conceived (Luke 1:23-24). Assuming John’s conception took place near the end of June, adding nine months brings us to the end of March as the most likely time for John’s birth. Adding another six months (the difference in ages between John and Jesus (Luke 1:35-36)) brings us to the end of September as the likely time of Jesus’ birth.“(2).

The arguments for December 25 is expressed by:

“J. Stormer, PCC [Pensacola Christian College] Update (Winter 1996), cited by G. E. Veith, “Evidence December 25 is the right day,” has argued for December 25 as a possible date of Jesus’ birth on the basis of the course of temple duties for the clan of Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist (Luke 1:5;8, 1 Chron 24:10). He argues that the 24 courses of the priests each served for one month. However, he did not document that claim, and the OT does not indicate the length of priestly service. Clues in the Mishnah suggest that each course served for one week—not one month—by rotation (see, for example, the note on m. Taanith 2:6 in Danby’s translation of the Mishnah). Josephus and the Talmud confirm that the courses each lasted one week (Joachim Jeremias, Jerusalem in the Time of Jesus [Philadelphia: Fortress, 1979], 119). If, then, the priestly service lasted one week, not one month at time, this causes their entire chronology to break down. Most likely, therefore, each course of the priests served for one week, from Sabbath to Sabbath, two different times each year. Since we cannot be sure whether the course mentioned in Luke was the first or second annual course, and other difficulties are present as well, the information concerning Zechariah’s temple service in Luke 1 is hardly adequate for pinpointing the time of Jesus’ birth.”(3).

With all the questions about the specific date, one may take this advice:

“In any case, our Christian faith should not rest on Christmas (which, after all, with all its trappings is only a human tradition), much less on the date of Christmas as December 25, but rather on the reason for the season—the virgin-born, divine-human Son of God, who came to save sinners by dying a sacrificial, substitutionary death on the cross and rose again on the third day (1 Cor 15:3–4)”(Ibid. 3).

The Reason for the Season

Indeed, our focus should be directed on the “reason for the season“. And to understand the reason for incarnation, one has to begin with the question, who the God/Elohim Creator of everything, the invisible and visible. Without first addressing this, one would miss out as to who, really, is this person Jesus whose birth the world is celebrating. This was none other than El Shaddai, aka, YHVH, the one who incarnated into flesh-composed human , the man-Jesus. The Elohim Creator (Gen. 1:1) is the same El Shaddai/God Almighty( Ex. 6:3, 6-7) to Abraham, Isaac and Jacob; but to Moses he is called YHVH. Paul, speaking of man-Jesus, wrote in Col. 1:16, 17

“For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist”.

Similar identified person and pre-eminence were echoed in John 1:1-3,14

 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” …And the Word was made flesh and dwelt among us…the only begotten of the Father.”

The Elohim in Genesis, the Creator of all, is the same as El Shaddai, YHVH and man-Jesus. Yet, it was the Father who caused Jesus to be the proximate Creator, as in,

Hebrews 1:2 says, “In these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.”

It was “through” Jesus that the Father created everything. Jesus was the proximate Creator. That said, why will a most powerful Creator, spirit-composed, chose to be flesh-composed, a human, lower than “angels“, as in,

Ps. 8:4-7 “What is man, that thou art mindful of him? and the son of man, that thou visitest him? For thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”

This was quoted by Paul also in,

Hebrews 2:6-7″“But there is a place where someone has testified:What is mankind that you are mindful of them,a son of man that you care for him? You made them a little lower than the angels;you crowned them with glory and honor”

Why El Shaddai/YHVH incarnated?

In general, someone trades off a powerful position with something better. But, for him to become human and “lower than angels” that he also created, sounds unconventional. Unless, there is something in being human that eventually be better choice for him. In Heb 1:2, after Jesus’ resurrection as Son of God, he was “appointed heir of all things.” And in Ps. 8:4-7, Jesus was prophesied after resurrection as Son of God to be “crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have dominion over the works of thy hands; thou hast put all things under his feet”.

From the preceding, one can deduce that YHVH CREATOR, as powerful as he was, had limits; and what was referred as glory, honor, dominion overall were granted to him afterwards. Certainly better position than before creation. Moreover, he became a begotten, then born of God as Son; a position he did not have before, although prophesied. Does John 3:16 help to provide an answer, too? Here it is,

“For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.”

Notice that it was the Father’s love that initiated the love that emanates from Jesus. The consistent narrative is that the Father wanted to create everything and he caused YHVH/Jesus to do it. Similarly, the Father wanted to show love to the world and he expressed it through Jesus. On both counts, Jesus agreed voluntarily and is “one” with the Father. 

But, how is this incarnation an expression of love for the world? It still begs the question, what in being human is an expression of love? And, how is this a better trade-off for the Creator YHVH? If one looks back at biblical history, lowering himself to being human for Jesus is only a preliminary path to “create the spirit-composed kingdom of God”. He is the “beginner and finisher” (Heb. 12:2;Rev. 22:13), the “precursor” ;” (Heb. 6:20) of what is to become of humans. Note, that as a human being, Jesus was flesh-composed and became spirit-composed at resurrection. And, only after resurrection (during his life) did the Father give him the creative power of the Holy Spirit for humans to be “one” with the Father, as spirit-composed beings and in choosing right from wrong. Other humans will follow this track that he walked. He was a trail-blazer in creating a God-kingdom made of spirit-composed beings, higher than angelic position and “one” with the Father and Son in deciding which is right or wrong. This was planned by the Father and YHVH/Jesus voluntarily “signed on” to this strategy. 

Strategic plan

Man sinned from the garden of Eden. He did not follow God’s guidance not to “eat the fruit wherein there is knowledge of good and evil.” (Gen. 2:16-17). Adam wanted to be “like God knowing good and evil” by his own “works” of eating the fruit himself. He did not know that another Adam, the second Adam(Jesus), has already been chosen by the Father, as a pioneer/trailblazer, to “eat the fruit“, the human to take on that specific task, for mankind. Adam did not follow the command not to eat that he sinned and brought death to mankind. It was violating the command that made his action sinful and not the “eating of the fruit” per se. He was not informed that in the future through Jesus, this “like God knowing good and evil” will be achieved. The Father chose the man-Jesus to do it, not by his own power, but by the power of the Holy Spirit given to him and under the mechanism of his faith, belief and trust, not by his own works, so “no man can boast“, even man-Jesus (Eph. 2:8-9; I Cor. 1:29). The man chosen has to be “from above”, heavenly; not come “out of the ground”, earthy (John 3:31;8:23).

As sin in the garden of Eden (Gen. 2:17) condemned man to second-death(4,5), the Father accounted all human sins to first-Adam and imputed this death (eternal, irreversible) to one man, Jesus, the second-Adam (Rom. 5:12-21). This was planned from the foundation of the world, before any man did any good works. Jesus , our Passover, believed in this plan and was then crucified and died for us. For which, we were reconciled to the Father and justified. But, through the “faith of Jesus“, in the promise of his resurrection from eternal death, the Father then resurrected him and gave him a “gift of the Holy Spirit” for us to subsequently receive starting at Pentecost that year. 

Without YHVH incarnating into a human, this imputation to one man that came “from above” would not have happened, and the consequence of Adam’s sin, i.e. eternal death, would not have been passed-over for mankind’s reconciliation with the Father. Having been reconciled, we are “saved by/through his life”, as in,

Romans 5:10-11 “For if, when we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life! Not only is this so, but we also rejoice in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received reconciliation.”

Notice that reconciliation was based on belief of Christ that what the Father promised from the foundation of the world, would take effect, regarding imputation of his death to that of mankind. We now received reconciliation through Jesus’ death, which already occurred. But, salvation (which was also promised) is still future, i.e., shall be saved. But how?

Holy Spirt of Power

Having the power of the Holy Spirit is the key to salvation from eternal death. Without it, humanity is doomed. This is the gift promised before the foundation of the world by the Father and believed by Jesus to be given to him for mankind, after resurrecting him from eternal death. This is the power to fulfill the prophecy of John referring to Jesus in:

Mark 1:8 “I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

With this power received by Jesus from the Father, he can then(not before) give it to whoever he so pleases and chooses. Those with “spiritual hearing” (Rom.10:17) will believe and they will be baptized in the Holy Spirit, not with water. And, with this power-tool, aka, Holy Spirit, our “weak body” (Matt. 26:41) will be energized to overcome evil, choose good vs evil towards sanctification. Only “overcomers“(Rev. 2:7; 11, 17; 3:5,12,21; Rom. 2:7), those who “bear fruits of the Holy Spirit” (John 15:2; Matt. 7:19) will eventually receive “in a twinkling of an eye” (I Cor. 15:52) the glorious spirit-composed bodies reserved from heaven. And, with that, salvation from eternal death is achieved and so will Hosea’s prophecy (Hosea 13:14) echoed in Paul’s musing, as in:

I Cor. 15:55 “Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?”

Summary

Not knowing the exact date of Jesus’ birth, whether December, September/October, all should have a respectful and humble response and “get off our high-horse” of claiming moral superiority and a monopoly on truth. Everyone must stop bickering about the date of Jesus’ birth and accept the only fact that it did happen. Instead, celebrate the reason for incarnation, the birth of man-Jesus, at anytime, be it December 25 or otherwise. Failure to celebrate may marginalize the significance of this historic birth, as others have disparaged any date. This incarnation is so monumental for anyone to minimize as it begins the process of reconciliation, justification and future salvation, through his resurrection, “by his life”. Jesus believed on the promises of the Father regarding imputation of all sins of mankind to one human Adam so that the consequence of that sin (eternal death) be accounted to Jesus’ death leading to our reconciliation/justification. Having been reconciled to the Father, humans can now undergo the process of salvation “by his life” through the power of the Holy Spirit given as a gift to Jesus, post resurrection, and subsequently for us to be “baptized in”.

References:
1. When was Jesus born? Retrieved 12/25/17 from https://www.livescience.com/42976-when-was-jesus-born.html

2.When was Jesus Christ born. Retrieved 12/25/2017 from https://www.ucg.org/bible-study-tools/bible-questions-and-answers/when-was-jesus-christ-born-was-jesus-born-on-december

3. Was Jesus born December 25? Retrieved 12/25/2017 from https://www.biblicalfoundations.org/was-jesus-born-on-december-25-with-c-l-quarles/
4. Salvation Series, what? Retrieved 12/28/2017 from http://fact-s.net/2015/10/04/salvation-series-1what/
5. Death, What is? Retrieved 12/28/2017 from https://fact-s.net/2017/05/09/death-what-is/

Original post: December 31, 2017
 For further studies as to what God is, please access https://fact-s.net/2014/06/29/what-is-god-2/

Are both our “faith and works” needed for Salvation?

It is a long-standing Christian tenet that a person has to have faith and do good works, i.e. follow the Ten Commandments, Aseret ha-Dibrot, Torah ( Ex. 20:1-17; Deut. 5:6-21). As to whether our obedience to the Law is an ultimate requirement to be saved, not just faith, is where teachings differ even among those in traditional Christianity. But not to traditional Judaism and Islam that hold “our works” to be essential. On our own, can we really do good works acceptable to the Father? What is the truth? What exactly is the proper role of “our faith and works” to salvation? Do our “faith and/or works” really lead to salvation, or what some believe that having “works” is proof that one is “saved“? That, having “good works” is a natural progression of “being saved“?  Can we have “good works” and still not be saved? Are our good works the “result  of salvation“; that we are “saved now”? If not , when actually are we really “saved”?

Reward for our obedience or “works”/deeds: Eternal Life

Some of us may have this belief of “saved by faith“, stops there and negates our personal responsibility and obligation to do “good works”.What is the truth?

Jesus said in John 5:29 “And shall come forth; they that have done good, unto the resurrection of life; and they that have done evil, unto the resurrection of damnation

Also, notice Rom. 2:6-9:

“Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

The preceding verses clearly support the principle that the reward for those who”have done good”  and in “patient continuance” in “our works” (overcomers of evil) is “immortality, eternal life“; whereas, the consequence of sin is eternal death. Why no mention of reward for our faith? Is this really the contextual truth? Eternal life being the reward of having “works“, the righteousness of obedience or “works“(Rom. 6:16), what happened then to “the righteousness of faith“? What is the end-result of having faith? What then, is in it for “our faith“?

Follow God’s commandments or else?

The Law is the Ten Commandments given to Moses in 2 tablets of stone. This defined sin as a violation of that Law as in

I John 3:4 “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law.”
From Genesis, disobedience (sin) to the Law even before it was given in Mt. Sinai, nevertheless was met with punishment of eternal death. This is the final death (2nd death) from which there is no resurrection; hopeless, were it not for the set plan of Passover Lamb “slain from the foundation”, as a substitute for us, as in:

Rev. 13:8 “…..the Lamb that was slain from the creation of the world.” (NIV)

Contrariwise, a natural death (1st death) is a consequence of being mortal. And as such can die, even when personally, he/she did not commit sin like Job and Jesus. If Adam/Eve did not sin, they would still die the natural 1st death as they were mortals. Having been created, as such, humans already have been destined to die and afterwards the judgment as in:

Heb. 9:2 7 “It is appointed unto men once to die, but after this the judgment:”

On the other hand, eternal death, the 2nd death is the consequence of Adam’s sin. It even includes any human being, peri-Adamic, i.e., any human before, during or after Adam’s life on earth, including the man-Jesus. This principle is based on all sin imputed to one man (Adam), after the Law was given at Mt Sinai, so that death of one man, i.e. man-Jesus’ can also be imputed to and counted as our death, (and that of humanity) as in:

Rom. 5:12-15 “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned: (For until the law sin was in the world: but sin is not imputed when there is no law. Nevertheless death reigned from Adam to Moses, even over them that had not sinned after the similitude of Adam’s transgression, who is the figure of him that was to come. But not as the offence, so also is the free gift. For if through the offence of one many be dead, much more the grace of God, and the gift by grace, which is by one man, Jesus Christ, hath abounded unto many.”

Romans 5:17“For if by the transgression of the one, death reigned through the one, much more those who receive the abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.”

1 Corinthians 15:21 “For since by a man came death, by a man also came the resurrection of the dead.”

The Old Testament (Tanach) clearly confirms that eternal death (2nd death) is a consequence of sin:
Gen. 2:17 “but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.” (Referring to the 2nd and eternal death. Note that Adam and Eve did not actually die after they sinned but was driven out of the garden of Eden, lived and had offspring and died a natural death).

Gen. 3:3 “but from the fruit of the tree which is in the middle of the garden, God has said, ‘You shall not eat from it or touch it, or you will die.”

Ps. 34:21 “Evil shall slay the wicked, And those who hate the righteous will be condemned.”

Ezek. 18:20 “The soul that sinneth, it shall die. The son shall not bear the iniquity of the father, neither shall the father bear the iniquity of the son: the righteousness of the righteous shall be upon him, and the wickedness of the wicked shall be upon him”

The New Testament also confirms that eternal death (2nd) is the punishment for sin:

Rom. 6:23 “For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

James 1:15 “Then when lust has conceived, it gives birth to sin; and when sin is accomplished, it brings forth death.”

Romans 6:16″Do you not know that when you present yourselves to someone as slaves for obedience, you are slaves of the one whom you obey, either of sin resulting in death, or of obedience resulting in righteousness?” (Notice: Righteousness of obedience to the Law or “works”)

Romans 7:5  “For while we were in the flesh, the sinful passions, which were aroused by the Law, were at work in the members of our body to bear fruit for death.”
Notice the fruit of disobedience is (second) death.

Romans 7:11″for sin, taking an opportunity through the commandment, deceived me and through it killed me”

The take-home message from the preceding verses clearly exacts eternal death for those who do not follow the Ten Commandments, and continue living in sin, following the “flesh“.

Role of Faith and “works” in defining righteousness ?

Following the Law is commanded for all, otherwise the punishment is eternal (2nd) death. Righteousness that comes from following the Law (with the gift of the Holy Spirit) has its reward, but not our justification or reconciliation with the Father for Adam’s sin, which comes as a gift from faith as in:

Gal. 2:16 “know that a person is not justified by the works of the law, but by faith in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith in Christ Jesus that we may be justified by faith in Christ and not by the works of the law, because by the works of the law no one will be justified.”

It is putting “our faith in Christ Jesus” that initiated us to be justified and reconciled to the Father. It is the “righteousness of faith, not the righteousness of works”. Our own righteousness that comes with following the Law does not compute, as in:

Isa 64:6“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away”.

Rom 3:10 “As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one”.

Whatever “goodness” we have is not good enough for reconciliation with the Father. Even Job learned that his own “righteousnes of works” following the law on his own, is not what the Father is calling for, in reconciliation or justification. Read the whole Book of Job which shows that God decides what is required for justification even when others consider Job “righteous and an upright man“; God punishes even the righteous as a type for what would happen to man-Jesus.

The narrative in Genesis about being “like God” is not going to come to fruition by the action or “works” of Adam/Eve themselves eating the “fruit“, and for that matter, by any man, except by the man-Jesus himself. Nothing can any man do for justification, except to have faith. Rather, death as a consequence of sin, has to be paid for. And, it was paid in faith, trusting the Father will fulfill his promise. It took the death of man-Jesus, as a Passover Lamb, as proof of belief, to be recognized by the Father as substitution and imputed for the death of humanity. Jesus’ death, which was his “works” (including following the Law) did not gain “righteousness” for reconciliation of mankind. Rather, it was Jesus’ “righteousness of faith” in the Father, not his works, trusting that his death will account for justification and reconciling us back to the Father and against the eternal death of humanity . Trust which was faith-based(evidence-based/substantive) was counted by the Father, in love, as righteousness worthy of reconciliation/justification.
As Paul said, in Rom. 5:6-10

“For when we were yet without strength, in due time Christ died for the ungodly. For scarcely for a righteous man will one die: yet peradventure for a good man some would even dare to die. But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by his blood, we shall be saved from wrath through him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the (belief in the) death of his Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by his life.”

Righteousness as accepted by Father God to initiate reconciliation is the “righteousness of faith“, so no one can boast, not the “righteousness of works”, even that of man-Jesus’. It is the belief that  “death of his Son”, not death itself , would be counted for righteousness.This acceptance in the factual and substantive evidence of the Father that what was promised to come to fruition was acknowledged as “righteousness of faith“.Remember, as a type of what is to come, Abraham believed and credited or counted for “righteousness” (compare Gen. 15:6 and Rom. 4;3). Having been justified, (only after justification/reconciliation) we then shall (future) be saved. We need to be justified first, and be reconciled with the Father, before salvation comes in the future.

Notice that it was not just anybody’s faith; rather it is the faith of Jesus, not Abraham’s faith which is merely a type, to initiate this process, as in

Rom 3:22-23″Even the righteousness of God which is by faith of Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference: for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God”. Notice, “…unto all and upon all…that believe”

Eph. 2:8-10 “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.”

Because of the Father’s love and by his grace, that he counted faith for righteousness; the “righteousness of faith” that was for reconciliation; the belief that results in trust that is substantive,evidence-based or faith-based.

How did we actually and finally get saved?

As Rom. 5:10 states, Jesus’ death, as proof or aftermath of his faith-based trust in the Father that what was promised will come into effect, reconciled us to the Father and ends there. But this “reconciliation/justification” that was an aftermath of his death, was not based on the “good works of Jesus” prior to his death. It was not because of the “righteousness of his works” so “no one can boast”. Rather, it was the “righteousness of Jesus’ faith” that believed and trusted the Father to count his death as full payment for the eternal death of mankind, that reconciled us. That said, while Jesus’ faith was the basis for “reconciliation/justification“, that in itself did not actually or proximately save us.

We are “not yet saved” with reconciliation or justification. Instead, we still (future) “shall be saved by his life“. Meaning, Jesus’ faith (evidence for which he believed and trusted) that the Father would take his death as imputed to mankind’s death, still requires for the Father to resurrect him back to life for us to be saved.; again “faith-based“, not “works-based”.

What then in his resurrection or his life that empowered us to be saved? Consider what Jesus said before he died in John 16:7, that he has to go the Father in heaven to receive the Holy Spirit for us:
“But very truly I tell you, it is for your good that I am going away. Unless I go away, the Advocate will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you.”

Jesus had to be resurrected to receive this promised “power” and “gift” of the Holy Spirit, based again on Jesus’ faith and trust in the Father. Jesus acknowledged this receipt of the Holy Spirit to be crucial, for without which, salvation will not happen even in his life. And with that gift and promise of the Father that with the Holy Spirit in us, what dynamics then will change? John states that this is the power that will help us become “sons of God“,
John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Note that the Holy Spirit is “power“, not a third person of Trinity.  Without this gift , which is the Holy Spirit in us, we will not have the power to become “sons of God”. Power dynamics changed to empower those with the Holy Spirit to do good works recognized by the Father. And having such works or “fruits of the spirit“, rewards us with “immortal/spirit bodies” at resurrection, which is the essence of “salvation” from eternal death. This Holy Spirit is a gift based on the “righteousness of Jesus’ faith”, and not his “works“. And, this was an unwritten covenant between the Father and YHVH/Jesus before any action of Jesus materialized, before the foundation of the world. Hence, trust in the Father that he will fulfill all he promised to YHVH/Jesus and righteousness that comes from “faith instead of works”. Faith or substance/evidence because YHVH/Jesus was with God the Father (Compare Jn. 1:1 and Heb. 11:1 ). He knew the power of the Father by being with him from the very beginning.

Holy Spirit prophesied to come in Old and New Testaments

Ezek. 32:26-27 “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit in you and move you to follow”. Notice that this Holy Spirit of power will be given to us while still in our flesh-composed bodies, our current life.

Ezekiel. 39:29 “I will no longer hide my face from them, for I will pour out my Spirit on the people of Israel, declares the Sovereign LORD.” 

Joel 2:28-29″And afterward, I will pour out my Spirit on all people. Your sons and daughters will prophesy, your old men will dream dreams, your young men will see visions. Even on my servants, both men and women, I will pour out my Spirit in those days” (Compare with Ac.2:14-21)

Isa. 32:15-17 “till the Spirit is poured on us from on high, and the desert becomes a fertile field, and the fertile field seems like a forest. The LORD’s justice will dwell in the desert, his righteousness live in the fertile field. The fruit of that righteousness will be peace; its effect will be quietness and confidence forever.”

Isa.44:3-5 “For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour out my Spirit on your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants. They will spring up like grass in a meadow, like poplar trees by flowing streams. Some will say, ‘I belong to the LORD’; others will call themselves by the name of Jacob; still others will write on their hand, ‘The LORD’s,’ and will take the name Israel”

Zech. 12:10 “And I will pour out upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem”

Matt. 3:11 “I baptize you with water for repentance. But after me comes one who is more powerful than I, whose sandals I am not worthy to carry. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

John. 1:33 “And I myself did not know him, but the one who sent me to baptize with water told me, ‘The man on whom you see the Spirit come down and remain is the one who will baptize with the Holy Spirit.”  Notice that  Jesus had to receive the Holy Spirit from the Father after his resurrection, before Jesus can baptize the Holy Spirit into us.

John. 7:37-39 “On the last and greatest day of the festival, Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, “Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them.” By this he meant the Spirit, whom those who believed in him were later to receive. Up to that time the Spirit had not been given, since Jesus had not yet been glorified.” Notice this will happen also to those “latter fruits“.

John 14:16-17, 26 “And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another advocate to help you and be with you forever— the Spirit of truth. But you know him, for he lives with you and will bein you.But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you.”

John. 15:26-27  “When the Advocate comes, whom I will send to you from the Father—the Spirit of truth who goes out from the Father—he will testify about me. And you also must testify, for you have been with me from the beginning.”

John 16:13 (AMP).“But when He, the Spirit of Truth comes, He will guide you into all the Truth. For He will not speak His own message ; but He will tell whatever He hears , and He will announce and declare to you the things that are to come ”   

Mark. 1:7-8 “And this was his message: “After me comes the one more powerful than I, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to stoop down and untie. I baptize you with water, but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”

Luke 3:16 “John answered them all, “I baptize you with water. But one who is more powerful than I will come, the straps of whose sandals I am not worthy to untie. He will baptize you with the Holy Spirit and fire.”

Luke 11:13 “If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Luke 24:49 “I am going to send you what my Father has promised; but stay in the city until you have been clothed with power from on high.”

Acts 1:8 “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”  Again, notice that the HS is a power, not a person of the Trinity.

Acts 1:5 “For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit.”

Instead of the Ten Commandments written in our “stone heart”, the Holy Spirit was prophesied to come into us (while flesh-composed) and write them in the “fleshly tables” of our heart, of humanity and empower us to follow the Law.

Fulfillment of the Promise:

Acts 2:1-4 “When the day of Pentecost came, they were all together in one place. Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.”

Acts2:32-33″God has raised this Jesus to life, and we are all witnesses of it. Exalted to the right hand of God, he has received from the Father the promised Holy Spirit and has poured out what you now see and hear.”

Acts 2:38-39 “Peter replied, “Repent and be baptized, every one of you, in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins. And you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. The promise is for you and your children and for all who are far off—for all whom the Lord our God will call.”

Rom. 8:11-13 “And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies because of his Spirit who lives in you.Therefore, brothers and sisters, we have an obligation—but it is not to the flesh, to live according to it. For if you live according to the flesh, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.”

Rom. 8:14-17 “For those who are led by the Spirit of God are the children of God. The Spirit you received does not make you slaves, so that you live in fear again; rather, the Spirit you received brought about your adoption to sonship. And by him we cry, “Abba,Father.”The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God’s children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory.”

Eph.3:16 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being,”

Clearly, the preceding verses confirmed that Jesus received this HS from the Father and now has been poured to the apostles starting the day of Pentecost and to many during that time and still being given into us. This will bring life and strength to our mortal bodies for so long as we allowed ourselves, voluntarily and by our choice, to be led by and to walk with the Holy Spirit. With it, we are adopted (not natural son) to “Sonship“, to be (currently still in the womb)”born” (finally) as “sons of God” at resurrection.

Does the presence of the Holy Spirit of power in us, take away our freedom of choice?

Devoid of the Holy Spirit, Adam & Eve had the freedom of choice and they chose wrongly; a bane to whole humanity. Without the Holy Spirit on the other hand, Abraham, also with the freedom to choose, followed God, on faith that his promises to him will be fulfilled. Clearly, even without the Holy Spirit of power, one can choose rightly or wrongly. Nonetheless, no matter how good we are on our own, still we are as “filthy rags“(Isa. 64:6).

However, some teachers have it that the Holy Spirit in us is so powerful that we have no “freedom of choice” and in a way has to follow it. Many instances of “forcible compliance” have been mentioned, for those prior to the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit of power was given. As a classic example, notable among them of God’s prevailing power no matter what, was the story of Jonah. The narrative goes that God commanded him to go and warn Nineveh of impending destruction in the hands of God. But, he was so stubborn that instead, he went the opposite way from Nineveh. He was then swallowed by a “big fish“. He was praying before he died in the belly of the fish. After 3 days and 3 nights, he was vomited in the shore of Nineveh, where he was resurrected to life. Fear, being the beginning of wisdom(Proverbs 9:10), he then voluntarily and by his own choosing, followed God’s command and warned the inhabitants of Nineveh of their impending doom. It can be argued that Jonah was being forced, and he was. Yet, even with that horrible experience, he could still say “No” to God. And there are and will be people in that category, (even with the Holy Spirit in them, that they eventually rejected) that will end up in the “lake of fire“. However, Jonah wised up and instead followed God this time around, as he should.

The preceding example is ample enough to support the principle that even when forced and without the Holy Spirit of power in us, freedom of choice is maintained. Still, it begs the question: what if we have this Holy Spirit of power? Does it negate our freedom to choose? The narrative about Jesus in the garden of Gethsemane incontrovertibly proved otherwise. Fully imbued with the Holy Spirit, still he did not follow his own will. Instead, he “walked in the Spirit” voluntarily for the “joy set before him, endured the cross” (Heb. 12:2) and let the Father’s will “be done“, as in:
Luke 22:42 “Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done.”

This is what the Father wants and hopes (Romans 8:20-25; Titus 1:2) that we will do, to be “one” with him as his way is “the way, the truth and the life“(John 14:6) Our battle is spiritual (Eph. 6:10-18) to overcome the flesh using the power of the Holy Spirit in us. God desires a “mature and willing soldier“, not a robot. A good soldier is a determined volunteer who freely chose to be one, not mercenary, nor drafted or conscripted by force.

Summary:

With man-Jesus’ death, (the aftermath/proof of the faith of Jesus) came reconciliation or justification for mankind’s sin as imputed on the sin of Adam in the garden of Eden, nothing more. This is the faith-mechanism of how all humans can get justified and reconciled to the Father. But, this is applicable only to “believers” at a particular point in time, whether “pre-during-post-millenium“, and “overcomers“as written in the “book of life“(compare Rev.3:5; 20:12; 22:19).

As crucial a first step that is, it is just the beginning of the process of salvation. Having been reconciled, subsequently we then “shall be saved by his life”. We are not yet saved now. Jesus had to be resurrected to receive the gift of the the Holy Spirit for us , as promised by the Father; it takes a live person not a dead one to receive. The “righteousness of faith”, initiated by Jesus and becomes actionable by us, was the acceptable accounting for Adam’s eternal death ( and the whole mankind’s) due to sin that the Father recognized, not the “righteousness of works”, so no man (including man-Jesus) can boast.

Going through with decision and action to be crucified, i.e., “works“, followed “faith” that led to trust in the Father’s promise.While his natural death was proof of his faith in the Father, the proximate basis for justification and reconciliation was Jesus’ belief that led to trust which is faith-based, not his death. It was his belief which is faith-based , before his proof/death, before his “works“, that was counted for righteousness. As in “Abraham believed and this was counted for righteousness“(Compare Gen.m15:6, Rom. 4:3-6, 9, 20-25; Gal. 3:6-9, Heb 11:8-10). Conversely, “righteousness of works” is the principle that will render “reward” i.e., future salvation, eternal life/immortality at resurrection, for those who continue to walk “in the Spirit“, those who “bear fruits of the Holy Spirit“, those who are “overcomers“(Rev. 21:7-8). While actionable by us, these are works/fruitsof the Spirit in us and in conjunction(not forced but”willingly“) with our “spirit of man”, although strictly speaking not ours, per se.

Salvation is attainment of immortality, eternal life (Rom. 2:6-9), not before , while still mortal flesh-composed and deemed to die as such. Jesus proved this with his own resurrection to immortality; he was changed from man-Jesus, flesh-composed, in a twinkling of an eye after 3 days and 3 nights being dead in the tomb, into an immortal, spirit-composed and glorious body. As man-Jesus received the Holy Spirit coming out of the water of the River Jordan and with this power that he followed perfectly, he became “one” with the Father. His works or obedience were the “fruits of the Holy Spirit“, and again, strictly speaking not his own works per se, but given from above. After receiving the Holy Spirit for us from the Father at his resurrection, he then at Pentecost gave his church this gift. Similarly, the “elect” then used this power for sanctification by following the Law, now written, “not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of their heart“, to walk in the Spirit.

Our faith and works are needed indeed. But, how did we have faith and works? Paul stated in:
Rom. 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”

As humans, we were created with ears to hear material things. But, it is God who opens our ears (Matt 16:17) for faith/evidence/substance to come and for us to understand “spiritual truth”, a gift, for us to do “good works”. While these are proximately  our works, they actually are “fruits of the Holy Spirit“, given as a gift based on the “righteousness of Jesus’ faith” and therefore by ” the grace of God”.

Yes, having good “works“, as defined by the Father, is proof of the presence within us of the Holy Spirit. But not that one is already “saved” which is yet future, at resurrection; nor good works the “result of salvation“. Rather, “good works” that come with voluntarily following the Holy Spirit and accepted by the Father are an indication or as a result of the presence of the Holy Spirit in us, the power that our “spirit of man” follows, to bring forth “fruits of the Holy Spirit”.

Faith is evidence-based, i.e., “the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things unseen” (Heb. 11:1). CreatorYHVH/Jesus was with the Father (John 1) from the very beginning and knew of his power and will deliver what he promised. He then believed and trusted the Father with all that was promised him; same systematic process that we should all adhere to.

Righteousness of man-Jesus’ faith led to imputation of his death for the death of humanity. This “righteousness of faith” is for reconciliation/justification of mankind, which then initiates the future of our salvation. On the other hand, “righteousness of man-Jesus’ works” resulted in his reward of “immortality/eternal life”;same process for all of mankind. With his life, he could then receive the promised gift of Holy Spirit from the Father, to then be given to us; as in, we are “saved by his life” (Rom. 5:10). Similarly and on the same mechanism, righteousness of ourfaith imputed our eternal death to the death of man-Jesus for “reconciliation and justification”; righteousness of our “works” results in our reward of “immortality/eternal life”. 

In essence, righteousness of faith brings about reconciliation or justification; whereas, righteousness of works/obedience to the guidance of the Holy Spirit leads to salvation, i.e., immortality/eternal life. Ultimately, all boil down to God’s love that brings about grace for our reconciliation and salvation. He established the plan for both goals. The accounting of faith and Holy Spirit of power are both gifts from the Father. To paraphrase John 3:16,

“God so loved the world that he graced and gifted us with his only begotten Son to die as a Passover Lamb, in faith substituted for our death, counted from faith of Jesus, for those who believed and trusted so that we will be reconciled to him.”

And having done so, we still needed to be saved as promised to his Son. His belief in his death, as seminal it was, was the proximate cause of our justification and subsequent/eventual salvation. It reconciled or justified us to the Father. Jesus’ trust and belief in the promise to receive the Holy Spirit for us,  gave us after his resurrection, the Holy Spirit of power to be “saved as sons and daughters of God”, as in:

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power(Holy Spirit) to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name”.

May God open our eyes and ears to the truth; “before I hear you, now I see you” (Job 42:5).

Original post:November 27, 2017

The worst “natural disaster” and what was done about it?

Recent hurricane Harvey(1), then Irma(2), and concomitantly, earthquake in Mexico City with 8.1 Richter scale(3), followed by Jose and Maria(4) should convince any open-minded person that humans are left with no sustainable preventive recourse against such calamities. We just have to prepare and accept the painful and destructive consequences of these natural disasters. On top of these mayhem is global terrorism plus evil acts of one against another, not only in inner cities but also in suburban towns, places of worship(5) and music concert(6). All of the”preceding events we gripe about, but accept as facts of life, taken as normative and we move on.

As devastating those cataclysms are,  what can be the worst, more natural, and definitive than death itself? Indeed, we are very  and ephemeral! Yet, death is taken with nonchalance in news coverage compared to hurricanes, terrorism and the like? You would not find it in the front pages nor editorial section of newspaper but it is hidden in pages of obituaries. Being so natural, it does not even “move the dial” nor reach a “Richter scale” of our collective attention. It has become so mundane that it suffers “diminishing value” as to favor the call for “live the day” and forget its inevitability. It has been dismissed to the farthest corner of our consciousness as a relic. We limit and consume ourselves with “investing for this life rather than also for the afterlife”.

Yet, our all-knowing and loving Creator takes death to be so defining and existential as to plan and prepare for our “afterlife“, way out from the “foundation of the world”. The least that we can do is to make time to heighten our awareness, be serious about the subject of death and to understand why we die and what God did to end death(7). For indeed, even at our best, we are at a loss and incapable as to what to do to overcome it. But, why can we not forestall it? Will progress in science and technology reverse this destiny? Much as we, together with Mr. Spoch in the starship Enterprise in Star Trek(8), like to “live long and prosper“, our Maker has willed and created our physical bodies to be temporary, as in Hebrews 9:27

“And as it is appointed unto men once, to die but after this the judgment:”(KJV)

From the preceding verse, it is clear that the Creator made our current physical life with expiration date as we are all “once appointed” to die. However, this refers to the “first death“; read also http://fact-s.net/2015/10/04/salvation-series-1what/.   But, what does the phrase “after this is judgment” mean? It appears that as all will die, similarly, all will be judged as in 2 Cor. 5:10

“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” (NIV)

Who are the people judged by God and when?

Notice that in 2 Cor. 5:10, as “we must all appear”, it necessitates judgement to be for those who are alive “to appear” and of “things done while in the body“. In other words, the timing for judgement is when the person is alive and in this material body; not in any other body composition and that the dead are not judged. Moreover, while a person that is judged must have a mental capacity to be responsible for his actions, not immature like children, is that the critical element that a person should have before he/she is judged? What does judgment really mean? And, when does a living person gets judged? Are all judged in this lifetime? And who are judged first? Answers to these questions may come from the experience provided in the history of humanity. Let us now analyze these historical events, and find common denominators that led to their judgement.

Judgment in history as an example for the future

1. Adam’s judgment: In Genesis, we read that Adam & Eve were told by YHVH-God not to eat the “fruit of knowledge of good and evil” , otherwise they die(Gen.2:16-17). Their own action violated this admonition and eternal death came upon them and imputed to all mankind (Compare Gen. 3:1-22; Rom. 5:12-21; I Cor. 15:22-49). Read also http://fact-s.net/2015/10/04/salvation-series-1what/

2. Noah’s flood: In Genesis 6-8, one reads that the earth was filled with acts of violence and judgment was made for mankind to die in the flood except Noah and his family.

3. In Genesis 18 and 19 as well as Ezekiel 16:49–50, Sodom & Gomorrah were punished because of sinful acts.

4. In the book of Jonah, Nineveh was punished because of sinful acts, too. The punishment was delayed when they repented but exacted on them when they went back to sin. The 7th century books of Nahum and Zephaniah proclaim the fall of Ninevah.

5. Because of sinful acts, Israel was punished for her sins with captivity and slavery. Northern Israel went captive to the Assyrians and Southern Israel by the Chaldean or Babylonian empire. (9,10,11).
Notice that all these judgments were punishments for sins committed by living persons in the flesh. However, in 2 Peter 2:6 we learn that God condemned and destroyed the cities as “an example to those who would live ungodly thereafter.”

The predominant voice in the Bible is the deuteronomistic theology that God rewards the righteous and punishes the un-righteous. While a few have followed God, the weighing scale tipped heavier on the overall gravity of their sins as a group or as a nation, resulting in punishment. Nonetheless, their were blessings given to them based on God’s promise and love but not on their weighted merits. All these, nevertheless, are merely an “example” for our learning according to 2 Peter 2:6 and “to those who would live ungodly thereafter” suggesting an afterlife other than this life, i.e., a resurrection;  a life “thereafter“. All who died will be resurrected alive to face “judgment“. Notice that the punishment in history, as grievous as it was, is merely an example of “judgment”, and there is still a future judgment that is final. And, the judgment logically referred to in  2 Cor. 5:10 is about “eternal death”, consistent with what the type of death referred to in Genesis 2:17 regarding the sin of Adam & Eve.

We are made “weak”, so why judge?

It is a well-established teaching that, as presently flesh-composed, we are “weak“(Matt. 26:41; Mark 14:38).  Meaning, we do not have the power to perfectly overcome evil as God wanted us to do to be “one ” with him. On our own, we can decide what we ourselves think is right or wrong; and that is reality. But this decision-making ability is limited by the fact that:

1. Isaiah 55:8-9  “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,” declares the Lord. As the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (NIV)
This is the reason why man was created in the first place, not as spirit-being beings like the angels. As spirit-beings, a third of angels were not “one” with God (Rev. 12:3-9, 9:1; Heb. 12:22; Isaiah 14:12; Luke 10:18). Humans have physical mortal bodies and unlike/lower than angels but planned to be higher than angels and “one” with God at the time appointed in the future when the Holy Spirit of power is given. Compare Psalms 8:4-8 and Hebrews 2:6-18 (12).

2. Our physical composition limits us and affects our decision in favor, rightly so, of self-interest and self-preservation. There are many instances that our decision will be different were it not for the fact that we have physical composition that may put us in jeopardy. We may suffer or die that comes with the decision.
Being composed “weak“, was planned for good reason as in Romans 8:20-21(NIV)

“For the creation/creature was subjected to mataiotes (Greek for inutility, vanity, transientness, depravity, frustration) not by its own choice, but by the will of the one who subjected it, in hope that the creation/creature itself will be liberated from its bondage to decay and brought into the freedom and glory of the children of God”

Notice that our composition was made to be “weak” temporarily “in hope” of being liberated from the bondage of “eternal death“through Jesus’ crucifixion from death/decay to glory and immortality in the future. But, with the limits that we now have structurally, it does not appear fair to undergo “final judgment” in the future on our choice of good and evil. We need to be empowered with a “tool” that will be added (or in-dwell) to our present composition. And God has indeed planned for that to come in the future.

Power to have before future judgment?

The narrative in Gethsemane where Jesus was faced with a dilemma can direct us to bring this to rest. Read Matthew 26:36-46, Mark 14:32-52, Luke 22:39-53, and John 18 for the full story. The epistle of Mark gives context that even Jesus’ will was for the “cup to pass”, i.e. for him not to die by crucifixion for mankind. But when did he decide, with the power of the Holy Spirit in him, to follow the Father’s will and not his own? Mark 14:41-42 has the answer:

“And he came the third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest?It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”

Clearly, it was when, for the third time he saw Peter, James and John asleep (physical bodies have limits), that he said “It is enough; the hour has come. The Son of Man is betrayed into the hands of sinners. Rise, let us be going; see, my betrayer is at hand.”
With his own free will and guided by the Holy Spirit that in-dwelt in him at River Jordan(Luke 4:1-44), on the third time he got finally convinced of human “weakness” and limit that need to be empowered by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit, much like post-incarnated man-Jesus. This Holy Spirit would not have been given as promised by the Father, had not Jesus die and be resurrected to receive this power, to then be subsequently given to humans at Pentecost. Read John 16:7(AMP):

“But I tell you the truth, it is to your advantage that I go away; for if I do not go away, the Helper (Comforter, Advocate, Intercessor—Counselor, Strengthener, Standby) will not come to you; but if I go, I will send Him (the Holy Spirit) to you [to be in close fellowship with you].”

The Pentecost event that year of Jesus’ death and resurrection, proved this in-dwelling in general sense, starting with the apostles (Acts 2:1-13). Those given the Spirit of God then received the power to overcome evil and to have wisdom to freely choose right from wrong.

Who are now being judged?

While currently there are consequences and punishment for sins, these judgments are not about “eternal death”. One can go to prison or be sentenced to death, but he/she will be resurrected in the future. Judgment about “eternal death” begins in the house of God as in:(1 Peter 4:17)
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God: and if it first begin at us, what shall the end be of them that obey not the gospel of God?” 

Correlating what we now understand for fairness, judgment will indeed start with believers who are flesh-composed but have received the power-tool that comes with the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. This started at Pentecost that year. Those without the Holy Spirit will be judged after their resurrection to physical bodies(Ezekiel 37), at which time they will hopefully and voluntarily believe and thereafter receive the Holy Spirit. One has to “believe“before receiving the gift of the Holy Spirit (Acts 2:38-39).

Resurrection for all to be judged

Judgment for all suggests a resurrection for all. But in a separate order: the 1st resurrection into immortal bodies on the return of Jesus on earth, or 2nd resurrection into mortal bodies (Ezekiel 37:1-14) after the 1,000 year-period as in:
Revelation 20:6 – “Blessed and holy [is] he that hath part in the first resurrection: on such the second death hath no power (being immortal), but they shall be priests of God and of Christ, and shall reign with him a thousand years.” 

Revelation 20:5 – “But the rest of the dead lived not again until the thousand years were finished.”

The dead who are blessed to be in the first resurrection will not die the “second death” in the “Gehenna fire”. Instead, at the time of second-coming of Jesus, those partakers of the Holy Spirit and overcomers (Rev. 2:17,26), whether alive or dead, will be “changed from mortal to immortal bodies”(I Cor. 15:51-57), in a “twinkling of an eye” to rule with Jesus on earth. After a thousand years when the Devil is released “from his chains” (Rev. 20:2) there will be resurrection of the “rest of the dead” to mortal bodies, at which time they will be taught about Jesus, believe in Him to receive the Holy Spirit of power to overcome the Devil. As a gift, the overcomers will then transform into spirit-composed bodies while those who rejected the Holy Spirit will be doomed to Gehenna fire for an eternal death.

Summary

Truly, there is nothing worse than death itself. As such, we need to be serious and pay particular attention to what God has planned for us through eternity. A third of angels went with Satan and not “one” with God. Purposely, God did not create spirit-composed beings again to show man that body-composition is secondary to the mind that needs teaching and guidance before being spirit-composed. While we are temporarily created “weak”, mere mortal with physical limits, this was done “in hope” anchored on the choices to be made by a mortal man-Jesus in his life on earth. As a man, he lived his life perfectly, with the Holy Spirit in him, to be an “unblemished Passover Lamb” , with “works” worthy of the reward to be a substitute for humanity’s death.(Compare John. 8: 29,46, 55;I Pet. 2: 22).

He chose, though unwillingly yet voluntarily, to die by crucifixion as propitiation for mankind’s sin and resurrected by the Father to receive the promised gift of the Holy Spirit to be subsequently given to humanity for guidance to be “one” with the Father. This he received as promised, on his belief and trust in the Father and not because of his “works“. On the same mechanics of belief and trust, we received this gift from Jesus, the Son of God.

The critical element that a person should have before he/she is judged about “eternal death” is the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit. Without it, final judgment will not be made. And for that, the person has to believe in what Jesus did for mankind before being “baptized with the Holy Spirit”(John 1:32-33).With the Holy Spirit in the person, he/she is empowered to become an “overcomer” of evil and the Devil. At Jesus’ return on earth to establish his kingdom, the “overcomers” who are still alive will become spirit-composed beings in a “twinkling of an eye” to be with Christ. Whereas, those who died before his return, who were partakers of the Holy Spirit and persevered, will be resurrected at Christ’s return as spirit-composed beings to rule with Him at the Millenium. Those who fought against Jesus at his return will be thrown in “Gehenna fire” towards eternal death. The rest of the dead (Ezekiel 37:1-14) will resurrect into “flesh-composed bodies” after the Millenium to be educated on Jesus, to believe and receive the Holy Spirit. Those who are “overcomers” will be transformed to spirit-composed bodies; those who reject His guidance will go to “Gehenna fire” for eternal death.

It may surprise many, but death is just the beginning and not an end. Truly, as we invest in this current life, we should also seriously invest in learning about the “afterlife“.

References:

1. Hurricane Harvey. Retrieved August 8, 2017 at

http://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/25/us/hurricane-harvey.html
2. Hurricane Irma. Retrieved September 6, 2017 at https://www.wsj.com/articles/hurricane-irma-approaches-the-caribbean-1504608280
3. Earthquake in Mexico. Retrieved September 9, 2017 at https://www.washingtonpost.com/world/massive-earthquake-strikes-off-the-coast-of-mexico-setting-off-tsunami-warnings/2017/09/08/c8114f3a-945b-11e7-aace-04b862b2b3f3_story.html?wpisrc=al_alert-COMBO-world%252Bnation&wpmk=1&pwa=true&outputType=default-article&deferJs=true

4. Retrieved September 10, 2017 at https://finance.yahoo.com/news/hurricane-jose-traveling-east-coast-185800042.html

5.Church shooting. Retrieved October 1, 2017 at http://www.tennessean.com/story/news/religion/2017/09/25/nashville-church-shooting-what-happens-when-violence-invades-sacred-spaces/700326001/

6. Mandalay music concert Retrieved October 3, 2017 at https://www.cbsnews.com/news/shooting-in-las-vegas-news-victims-gunman-stephen-paddock-latest-update/

7. Death, what is? Retrieved October 1, 2017 from https://fact-s.net/2017/05/09/death-what-is/

8. Leonard Nimoy. Retrieved October 1, 2017 at https://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/27/arts/television/leonard-nimoy-spock-of-star-trek-dies-at-83.html

9. Northern tribe of Israel held captive by the Assyrians. Retrieved 10/22/17 at https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Assyrian_captivity

10. Retrieved 10/22/17 at https://www.bibletools.org/index.cfm/fuseaction/Topical.show/RTD/cgg/ID/5805/Assyrian-Captivity.htm

11. Not Lost. Retrieved 10/22/17 at http://www.learnthebible.org/the-ten-lost-tribes.html

12. What is man…? Retrieved 10/27/17 from http://www.christianlibrary.org/authors/Tom_&_George_Butterfield/manmindful.

Original post:October 30, 2017

DEDICATED to a friend whose funeral we attended September 29, 2017 at Palm Coast Florida; post hurricane Harvey. Coincidentally a “Day of Atonement” in Jewish religion.

John 3:16 unraveled

Many Christians know this foundational verse and have memorized this for sometime.
John 3:16 “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life“.(NIV)
It is good to compartmentalize each phrase that comprises this verse to fully understand what makes this a foundational teaching. However, many differ in understanding. So, this commentary may help in the furtherance of truth.

For God.
It is common knowledge that this refers to Father-God. What may not be appreciated is that, in the New Testament, whenever the English word “God” is used, it is translated from the Greek word “Theos” which is a generic word for “God”. By and large, in the NT, when the word God is used, it refers to God the Father, not the Son Jesus. Especially in this verse, since the Son was mentioned, the reference is without doubt. In the Old Testament, the word translated to English from Hebrew is generally El Shaddai, YHVH(Creator), Elohim, Elyon, El , the one who incarnated to man-Jesus. The Ancient of Days (Daniel 7:9,13) refers to the Father. 

So Loved the World.
The emphasis is on love, the basis on which action was taken by the Father. It was love that led the Father to give us grace and gifted us with Jesus, his “only begotten Son“. And this gift was planned even before the foundation of the world, as in “slain from the foundation of the world“(Rev. 13:8); yes, even before the creation of man. That being the case, love was not a reaction or response of God to Adam’s (mankind’s) sin, as sin came after creation. Indeed, “love covers all” no matter how serious our sin is. As heinous as sin can be, the Father has already planned a way for reconciliation and subsequent salvation to those who “bear the fruits of the Holy Spirit” and are “overcomers“. Those who are saved are called so, because they have immortality and eternal life. Yet, there is a consequence to people who continued on sinning, viz., the “lake of fire”, aka, “Gehenna fire”.

Excerpts from reference(1) asked why God make the earth and us along with it. He doesn’t really need us, so why did he create anything? King David asked essentially the same thing:
“When I consider your heavens, the work of your fingers … what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him?” (Psalm 8:3-4, see also Heb. ?).
God made us, not because he needed us: 
“The God who made the world and everything in it … is not served by human hands, as if he needed anything” (Acts 17:24-25)..

Despite not needing us, God chose to create us anyway, out of his great love:
 “I have loved you with an everlasting love” (Jeremiah 31:3). 
Yes, God loved us before he even created us. It’s impossible to get our heads around that idea, but it’s true; that’s what “everlasting” love means.”

He Gave His One and Only Son
Before the foundation of the world, there were no name-identities like Father, man-Jesus, much less Son-Jesus; these descriptive names were yet in the future. There were only the Ancient of Days, YHVH Creator (with other descriptive names) and angelic beings. Yet, even before man-Jesus became a Son of God, he was already prophesied to be so. 
I Pet 1:20 “God chose him as your ransom long before the world began, but he has now revealed him to you in these last days.” (NLT). 
It takes guidance of the Holy Spirit to finally realize in these “last days” that there was an unwritten covenant between the Ancient of Days (Father) and YHVH Creator (Jesus) of the plan, based on love, to be “one” with each other and with humans in a family relationship, i.e., Father-Sons/Daughters of God. 
For this plan to happen, humans have to be created composed of flesh+breath of life/spirit of man. Being flesh-composed and “weak” (Matthew 26:40-45), the first man and all humanity would sin and needs re-creation (or remodeling,Read Jer. 18: 1-4 Isa. 29:16; Isa. 64:Isa. 45:9; Rom. 9:20). 
YHVH/Creator has to incarnate into man-Jesus, die as a Passover for mankind’s sin for reconciliation, be resurrected by the Father to receive from  him the promised Holy Spirit that when given to us, will empower us to “bear fruits of the Holy Spirit” and be “one” with him. On the “faith of Jesus“, he trusted the Ancients of Days (Father) to fulfill these promises to “the seed“(Jesus). 
As Paul wrote:

”Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus: who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but made Himself of no reputation, and took upon Him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: and being found in fashion as a man, He humbled Himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him, and given Him a name which is above every name: that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:5-10).

Whoever Believes in Him
One has to  have faith (evidence ) in Jesus, believe in him and trust that all promises made to him by the Father will be realized towards us, as well. And faith (evidence/substance-based) comes by hearing, as in:

Rom. 10:17 “So then faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God”
We learned to have “faith” or evidence/substance (Heb 11:1) of things hoped for, through man-Jesus, as witnessed by his apostles. And this faith came to us through our “hearing“, with our physical ears only after having been opened by God to spiritual truth(I Cor. 2:14). Because of that evidence learned, we believed and trusted God. Through our belief, we then received the Holy Spirit of power to become “sons of God” as in:

John 1:12 “But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:”

Shall Not Perish but have Eternal Life

According to “our deeds” there is consequence of continual disobedience which is eternal death while obedience leads to eternal life. The reward of having our “spirit of man” ( our mind/psyche in Greek) continuously follow the will of the gifted Holy Spirit in us, not the pull of the flesh, is to have “glory, honor and immortality, eternal life” as in:
Rom. 2:6-9 ” Who will render to every man according to his deeds: To them who by patient continuance in well doing seek for glory and honour and immortality, eternal life: But unto them that are contentious, and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness, indignation and wrath, Tribulation and anguish, upon every soul of man that doeth evil, of the Jew first, and also of the Gentile;”

While these are “our” deeds, they are strictly speaking the “fruits of the Holy Spirit”. Without the “works” through the Holy Spirit, our “own deeds” will not suffice to the Father. As noted, deeds of our own, as good as they are, still are “filthy rags” to God so no one can boast. 
Isa 64:6“But we are all as an unclean thing, and all our righteousnesses are as filthy rags; and we all do fade as a leaf; and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away”.

Glory and honor be to God for his love that brought as grace through Jesus. His faith and works became an example and precursor for us to have as well, “the way” for our salvation. 

Reference:
1. Why did God create man?Accessed 3/31/17 from http://www.christianitytoday.com/iyf/advice/faithdoubt/why-did-god-create-man.html

Originally posted: 4/10/17

Born Again?

Are you a “born-again Christian”? Many in today’s world, claim now to be so (1). That, because we are “saved by faith“, and since we now have faith, that we are saved now and “born again now“. But, is this a tenable teaching? When, really, can one be “born again and when are we saved”?

A Must, to see the Kingdom of God

The critical significance of being “born again” cannot be overemphasized. Jesus himself alluded to this principle when Nicodemus approached him “at night”. Notice the narrative in John 3:1-8 (NIV):

“Now there was a Pharisee, a man named Nicodemus who was a member of the Jewish ruling council. He came to Jesus at night and said, “Rabbi, we know that you are a teacher who has come from God. For no one could perform the signs you are doing if God were not with him.” Jesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.”

Jesus affirmatively without equivocation and emphatically, that the only way to see the kingdom of God, and by common parlance be saved, is to be “born again“. For anyone who was already born, it can be puzzling to be born again. And Nicodemus, a learned and member of the Jewish ruling Council, carried the same doubt. Continuing on:

“How can someone be born when they are old?” Nicodemus asked. “Surely they cannot enter a second time into their mother’s womb to be born!” Jesus answered, “Very truly I tell you, no one can enter the kingdom of God unless they are born of water and the Spirit. Flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Spirit gives birth to spirit. You should not be surprised at my saying, ‘You must be born again.’ The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going. So it is with everyone born of the Spirit.”

From the above narrative, one sees that Jesus acknowledged the difference between the 2 births as far as the original makeup and end-product, i.e., “flesh gives birth to flesh” but the “Spirit gives birth to spirit“.  It originates with flesh/matter and the finished product is flesh; and so does the spirit starts it and finished with spirit-product. There is a physical birth that manifests as flesh-composed and a spiritual birth that manifests as spirit-composed. Also, a flesh-composed birth is visible, whereas, “everyone born of the Spirit” …”you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going“. Spirit-composed person is “invisible” as Jesus is , although with the capacity and power to be seen, as in the narrative between Him and Thomas post-resurrection(John 20:24-29).

Birthing is a Process

As a common knowledge, being born of water in a physical birth is a process. Biologically, it takes a process of fertilization of the ovum by the sperm (both matter) to develop into a zygote, then development into maturity for about 9 months in the womb of a mother before delivery as a full-term newborn flesh-baby, i.e., “flesh gives birth to flesh“. Similarly, and by extension, being born of the Spirit is a process that follows the same stages, spirit to spirit, i.e., the “spirit of man” (psyche/mind, the spirit-component of man) has to be “fertilized” by the spirit of God(baptized by), goes through the process of mind-development in the “womb of the church” through sanctification and guidance of the Holy Spirit of God, develop wisdom, bear fruits shown in action, be an overcomer before delivery into “full-term” immortal glorious-spirit body at resurrection; i.e., “spirit gives birth to spirit”. This spirit-birth is yet future as in:

” For the earnest expectation of the creature waits for the manifestation of the sons of God”(Rom. 8:19). (at the resurrection of the firstfruits.” ( Notice that they “manifest” as spirit-composed sons of God at resurrection as flesh-composed humans “manifest” themselves at birth).

As physical development in the womb may not come to maturity and can “abort“, so can spiritual development in the church may not come to fruition (by not being overcomers) and although “written in the book of life” (Rev. 3:5; 17:8; 20:15; 22:19; Phil. 4:3) may not “bear fruits of the Holy Spirit” and miss out.

Why the need for the Holy Spirit in us?

Man is “weak” as far as the “flesh” is concerned because this “flesh-body” is ephemeral and will die and decay as it was formed from matter, dust, ground, earthy and will go back thereto, as in:

Eccl. 12:7″ and the dust returns to the ground it came from, and the spirit returns to God who gave it.”

It did not come directly from God, unlike the “breath of life” (spirit of man) that made the body a “living being” (compare Gen. 2:7, Jer 18:1-6 and Rom.9:21). But this “spirit of man” gets all its influences from the physical senses and stores them in memory; it becomes a composite of all the flesh experiences.This “spirit of man” (psyche/mind) needs conversion, re-education through the guidance, direction and wisdom of the Holy Spirit, to be strong, be “one” with God, before a “glorious body” will be formed. Jesus alluded to the weakness of man’s flesh in:

Matthew 26:40-45 “And He came to the disciples and found them sleeping, and said to Peter, “So, you men could not keep watch with Me for one hour? “Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” He went away again a second time and prayed, saying, “My Father, if this cannot pass away unless I drink it, Your will be done.” Again He came and found them sleeping, for their eyes were heavy. And He left them again, and went away and prayed a third time, saying the same thing once more. Then He came to the disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and resting? . See also Mk. 14:38-40

It took Jesus 3 times to see the weakness and limits of flesh-composed humans to be convinced that he had to die for mankind and and be resurrected to receive the promise of the gift of the Holy Spirit from the Father. Our flesh-composed bodies have limits, not only about “sleep-deprivation“, but also on “pull of the flesh” and “appointed towards natural death”.

How will man be strengthened ?

Prophesy has been made to achieve this event of empowering man. Consider the following:

Jer. 18: 1-4 The word which came to Jeremiah from the Lord, saying: “Arise and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will cause you to hear My words.” Then I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was, making something at the wheel. And the vessel that he made of clay was marred in the hand of the potter; so he made it again into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to make. (Man sinned and became marred so God remade the clay to be better)

Isa. 29:16 “You turn things around! Shall the potter be considered as equal with the clay, That what is made would say to its maker, “He did not make me”; Or what is formed say to him who formed it, “He has no understanding “?” (we were made clay but marred and incomplete and God has planned for this).

Isa. 64:8 “Yet you, LORD, are our Father. We are the clay, you are the potter; we are all the work of your hand” (God is still working in us through the power of the Holy Spirit).

Isa. 45:9 “Woe to him who strives with him who formed him, a pot among earthen pots! Does the clay say to him who forms it, ‘What are you making?’ or ‘Your work has no handles’?”

Isaiah 40:29-31 “He gives strength to the weary, And to him who lacks might He increases power. Though youths grow weary and tired, And vigorous young men stumble badly, Yet those who wait for the LORD will gain new strength; They will mount up with wings like eagles, They will run and not get tired, They will walk and not become weary” (Whether  young  and vigorous, strength was future, but now is developing, as the Holy Spirit has been given)

Jeremiah 31:25 “For I satisfy the weary ones and refresh everyone who languishes”

Rom. 9:20 “But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to Him who formed it, “Why have you made me like this?” ( we were made flesh + “breath of life” and God planned to empower him in time).

The preceding verses proved that while man was made as such, God will re-visit him to be transformed and “be made again”.

Why make man weak in the flesh and the Ultimate End?

The answer lies in Heb 2:6-18:

“But one in a certain place testified, saying, What is man, that thou art mindful of him? or the son of man, that thou visitest him?Thou madest him a little lower than the angels; thou crownedst him with glory and honour, and didst set him over the works of thy hands:Thou hast put all things in subjection under his feet. For in that he put all in subjection under him, he left nothing that is not put under him. 

But now we see not yet all things put under him. But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honour; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man. For it became him, for whom are all things, and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons unto glory, to make the captain of their salvation perfect through sufferings. For both he that sanctifieth and they who are sanctified are all of one: for which cause he is not ashamed to call them brethren, Saying, I will declare thy name unto my brethren, in the midst of the church will I sing praise unto thee. And again, I will put my trust in him. And again, Behold I and the children which God hath given me.      

Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, he also himself likewise took part of the same; that through death he might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; And deliver them who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. For verily he took not on him the nature of angels; but he took on him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.For in that he himself hath suffered “.

While the above verses refer directly to man-Jesus, being the precursor for humans(author/finisher not only of faith, Heb 12:2), the indirect reference was to humans in general. Essentially, man (same as man-Jesus) was created lower than angels, flesh-composed (weak) but with the “spirit of man” in him. Yet, humans (as man-Jesus) is the best of creation and destined to “reign or have dominion over all” (Gen. 1:26). Even so, he is vulnerable to sickness and natural first death. As Heb. 9:27 states:

“it is appointed for man to die once and after that the resurrection“.

Being matter/flesh-composed, Adam would die a natural death, “asappointed“, which is the 1st death. In general,  all flesh deteriorates, ages and dies, a natural death. The consequence of sin of Adam in Genesis is death, eternal death or 2nd death, not natural death. Since Adam sinned and his sin in the garden of Eden was “counted” or imputed to humanity, this resurrection  referred to for all is towards “damnation” or “eternal or second death” in “Gehenna fire” (John 5:29) unless this eternal/second death has been paid for, and Jesus did.

This is why the Creator YHVH(Jesus) became human to suffer death by crucifixion, (a natural first death being flesh-composed but also to be delivered as promised by the Father from second/eternal death for sins of mankind) so that through his natural death and on his faith, he can “deliver humanity from the fear of (second/eternal) death“. And this, by having his imputed “eternal/second death”, as a promised substitute (Passover-lamb) for mankind’s consequence of sin. Accepting this promise on faith(evidence-based, from which trust and hope emanate) then reconciles humanity to the Father. With the resurrection of Jesus, he was then given the “gift of the Holy Spirit” (by the righteousness of faith of Jesus) to be subsequently given to us. The Holy Spirit in us then “sanctifies” those who follow instead of rejecting his will.

This prophecy that God will re-shape and strengthen man found the start of its general fulfillment for mankind on the Day of Pentecost when the Holy Spirit of God was sent. Read this event in Acts Chapters 1 & 2 when this power was given. The same power that dwells in the “spirit of man”, in the holiest segment of the temple (the holy of holies) which is in us, has been guiding, teaching, nurturing the “spiritual zygote” being developed in us during this “period of sanctification“. Remember that God does not dwell in a “temple made by hands” (Acts 7:48). The Holy Spirit is the power that is writing the Ten Commandments, “not in tables of stones but in the fleshly tables of our heart”(2 Cor. 3:3); yes, while still in these flea have-composed bodies. Paul continued to affirm that this is the power that helps our weakness and strengthens us, as in:

Romans 8:26 “In the same way the Spirit also helps our weakness; for we do not know how to pray as we should, but the Spirit Himself intercedes for us with groanings too deep for words;”

How and to whom this Holy Spirit was given?

For us to answer the question, one has to be clear about the effect of Jesus’ death and resurrection. Specifically, Jesus’ imputed  “second/eternal death” is substitutionary for our “second/eternal death” that came about because of Adam’s sin at the garden of Eden. The consequence of being flesh-composed is “natural first death“ that all humans are appointed to, including man-Jesus. Whereas, the consequence of sin is “second/eternal death“. Jesus died a “natural first death” by crucifixion, having an ephemeral flesh-composed body.  But, because of Jesus’ faith in the Father’s promise that he trusted and hoped for, he did not stayed dead in the tomb or die a “second/eternal death”  which is a consequence of sin; instead he was resurrected to eternal life as promised. All mankind’s sin was imputed to one man Adam (and all died)so that being delivered (as promised) from  “second/eternal death” of one man-Jesus would be imputed to all. The “natural first death” was not the one imputed as we are all appointed to die , being flesh-composed that has “expiration date“, so to speak. Jesus’ trust and hope that is faith-based to be delivered from”second/eternal death” reconciles us to the Father. Again, “faith of Jesus” (not his natural death) was reckoned and imputed by the Father as payment for the consequence of Adam’s sin (representing mankind’s sin) so that we will be reconciled to the Father. As necessary as that natural death is, his natural death did not finally save us. Rather, we are saved by “his life” (has to be resurrected from natural death to life) as in Rom. 5:10 ,

“For if, while we were God’s enemies, we were reconciled to him through the death of his Son, how much more, having been reconciled, shall we be saved through his life!” 

Notice that we were reconciled to the Father through ( not by) the natural first death of his Son, but by the “faith of Jesus”. He needed to die a natural first death, be resurrected to life to go get this Holy Spirit from the Father, as in John 16:7:

“Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you”

Summary:

From the beginning, we were originally composed “flesh” out of clay/ground/earthy, on hope of future change. As such, “the flesh is weak but the spirit is willing“. The “spirit of man” is the “breath of life“(psyche) that did not come from clay but came directly THROUGH “breathing in his nostrils” from a spirit-composed God/YHVH, therefore “heavenly, not earthy“. The flesh is “weak” being mortal and needed change to an “immortal spirit-composed body“. But, before this change, the “spirit of man” needs to be fertilized/baptized/immersed by the in-dwelling of the Holy Spirit in the “holy of holies” (our mind), the temple not made by hands but by “breathing through” directly. And this event, like in Pentecost,to be guided on choosing “good from evil” through a process of sanctification that takes time, writing in the fleshly(not stony) tables of our heart, like being nurtured/developed in the “womb of the church”.

To be “born again” is to manifest as a “glorious spirit-composed body” which can only happen at resurrection, not before and not now; it is still future. Much like flesh-birth that the zygote has to develop before actual birth, spirit-birth is also a process that takes time to develop before it actually happens in a”twinkling of an eye” (I Cor. 15:52). Jesus’ faith on imputed “second/eternal death, reckoned by the Father, paid for the sin of humanity as a consequence of Adam’s sin that reconciled us to the Father. On the faith of Jesus, he was then resurrected as promised by the Father to go to heaven and receive the promise of the Holy Spirit of power. Jesus then subsequently has been giving this power to those who believe,i.e., “the faithful”. Through a process of “sanctification” by the Holy Spirit of God, we then become “one” with the Father. Any “good works, decision or righteousness” that come from us, our “flesh“, without the guidance of the Holy Spirit are as “filthy rags” and as “dung” to God (Isa. 64:6;Rom. 3:10; Phil. 3:8-9). Good works as “fruits of the Holy Spirit“, not “fruit of our own flesh” , are still “our works” but a product of the “gift of God” which is the power of the Holy Spirit. Even Job has to be “lectured” by God that while “perfect” on his own,  he was still dirty in the eyes of God. (Read the whole book of Job).

Our righteousness is the “righteousness of our faith” that started with faith “of” Jesus for which he received from the Father, reconciliation and the promise of the Holy Spirit then given to the faithful to bear “fruits of the Holy Spirit”, not fruits of our flesh. It has to be God’s fruits in us and not our fruits that come from flesh. One can deny or reject the guidance of the Holy Spirit, (be aborted) because freedom of choice is key to the development of wisdom and to be “one” with the Father. Even Jesus with the guidance of the Holy Spirit, has to correctly choose between “his” will and that of the Father’s (Matt. 26:39; Lu.22:42) to be “one” with Him.

May God continually bless us all.

References:

1. History of born again:

http://www.newsmax.com/FastFeatures/Born-Again-Christians-Christianity-Evolution/2015/02/06/id/623238/
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Born_again
http://www.giveshare.org/churchhistory/born%20again.htm
http://about-i-am.net/bornagain.html

Original post:March 12, 2017

INCARNATION, Questions and Controversies?

This is a bedrock teaching of Christianity and provides an anchor to one’s belief. Without it, the whole foundation of this religion will crumble. It is no wonder that believers are passionate about it, being a starting point of the process of salvation. But, it is not without dissenters.

Did it happen?

In the 1st-3rd century, rejection of incarnation has been championed by Ebionites and Gnostics (1). The word itself is not found in the Holy Bible. What is known from the Tanach(Old Testament) and carried through New Testament times was the prophecy of and certainty by the prophet Isaiah, testified also by Luke that a human Messiah would come from God, as in:  
Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord (Adonay/YHVH) himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.“(God with us).
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, Counsellor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace”

 Luke 1:31-33 “And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. He will be great, and will be called the Son of the Most High; and the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, and he will reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there will be no end.”   

Luke 2:11 “For unto you is born this day in the cityof David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Micah 5:2 “But you, O BETHLEHEM Ephrathah, though you are little among the thousands of Judah,Yet OUT OF YOU (Bethlehem) SHALL come forth to ME THE One to be RULER in Israel, Whose goings forth have been from of OLD, from EVERLASTING.”    

Notice that Isa. 7:14 suggests that he himself will give a sign or re-translating the original Greek can be construed as he himself will be given as a sign, although to some this maybe a stretch. In Lu. 2:11, the word “Christ” means Messiah, and the “Lord” is “kyrios” meaning the supreme/YHVH, suggesting he himself will be the Savior. In Micah 5:2, this newborn baby has an everlasting beginning.

While the preceding verses “intimate” the process of incarnation, they were not specific enough nor precise and leave some to doubt the interpretation. These verses may rightly assume but did not actually nor emphatically attest that God will become flesh, i.e., incarnate, in the person of Jesus. No one has seen the moment YHVH ELOHIM incarnated or changed from immortal to mortal human.That being said, an unequivocal proof that incarnation in fact occurred had to come only from testimony from YHVH ELOHIM himself. After all, he was the one who incarnated. That is why that has to begin with Jesus and subsequently attested to by writers of the Bible. This subsequent testimony appears to be a later understanding as progressively revealed and understood about Jesus. Remember that the gospel of John, written way after Jesus’ resurrection, is different in emphasis compared with the previous 3 synoptic gospels(2). 

Notice the following:

The Father God identified Jesus as in Mark 1:11 “And a voice came from heaven: You are my Son whom I love; with you I am well pleased”.
Jesus said in John 8:58 “Before Abraham was, I am”. Jesus himself was quoted as witnessed by John that he lived before Abraham.  Likewise, Jesus clues us in as to his beginning, as in John 17:5 “And now O Father, glorify Me together with Yourself with the glory I had with You before the world was”     

Then, apostle John testified in:          

John 1:1 “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God, And the Word was God”     
John 1:3 “All things were made through Him and without Him nothing was made that was made”   
John 1:14 “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 3:31 “He who comes from heaven is above all”   
John 6:62 “What then if you see the Son of man ascend where He was before”
 I John 1:1 “That which was from the beginning, which we have seen with our eyes, which have looked at and our hands have touched-this we proclaim to you concerning the Word of life.”  
Paul also testified in:
I Timothy 3:16 “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifested in the flesh”  
Colossians 1:16 “For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were made through Him and for Him”    
Hebrews 1:10 “To the Son He says, ‘…You O Lord, in the beginning, laid the foundation of the earth, And the heavens are the work of your hands”       

 
The preceding verses are patently obvious and compelling that YHVH ELOHIM, the Creator of all, came from heaven, that he was with God-Father before the world was and he incarnated into human flesh. Jesus himself testified that he was YHVH/Creator, the “I am”. It is impossible for a human witness to testify to the actual change from immortal to mortal, except the man-Jesus, who “came from above“. As guided by the Holy Spirit, Paul testified to the same fact, in the same mechanism that Peter testified that Jesus was the Messiah(Mk 8:29; Matt. 16:17). And on that truth lies the very essence of incarnation, and by extension salvation, that it is based on faith, anchored on trustworthy testimony of the Creator YHVH Elohim himself, who became man-Jesus.

Why did he incarnate?    

It is very difficult for anyone to voluntarily give up position and power. For a human king, monarch or queen of a kingdom, President or Prime Minister of a country and for that matter, a dictator, a tyrant to step down from a position of honor, respect or power, is inconceivable. Can a Chairman of the Board, CEO or any management position accept a lower position or become an ordinary person ? That would be unheard of. Unless, temporarily and of course, a trade-off was made that would make the person better in whatever capacity. Yet, YHVH Elohim, the Creator of all visible and invisible, did just that. From a spiritual body he became human flesh, for excellent reasons, thus reflecting his love for his creation and “oneness” with the Father as to the ultimate plan for humans.

I heard people gave reasons for incarnation like love and glory of God to be shown. Some may give other altruistic reasons, and rightfully so. Yet, no one should forget the most basic reason alluded to in:
Isaiah 53:10 “Yet it was the Lord’s good plan to bruise him; put Him to grief, make His soul an offering for sin . . .” 

Also, notice the following reason given clearly by Paul:
Romans 5:15, 18-19 “But the free gift is not like the trespass. For if many died through one man’s trespass, much more have the grace of God and the free gift in the grace of that one man Jesus Christ abounded for many. . . . Then as one man’s trespass led to condemnation for all men, so one man’s act of righteousness leads to acquittal and life for all men. For as by one man’s disobedience many were made sinners, so by one man’s obedience many will be made righteous.” (Note: righteousness is of faith (not works) and obedience is to the plan of the Father that attains salvation based on faith (not works of Jesus even); this is not about obedience to the Law/Ten Commandments but to the Law of faith as planned by the Father; see Gal 5:1-26).

Hebrews 9:14 “How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered Himself without spot to God, cleanse your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? “

Hebrews 10:4-5 “For it is not possible that the blood of bulls and goats should take away sins. Therefore, when He came into the world, He said, ‘Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me”  

1 Corinthians 15:22, 45 “For as in Adam all die, so also in Christ shall all be made alive. Thus it is written, ‘The first man Adam became a living being’; the last Adam became a life-giving spirit.”
2 Corinthians 5:21 “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin FOR us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” 
 1 Peter 1:19 “We were redeemed, . . .with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot.”

In essence, all the sins of humanity (whether before or after the garden of Eden narrative) were imputed on (the first) Adam so that righteousness can be imputed from the “second Adam”/Jesus, based on faith and love, not Jesus’ works of the Law/Ten Commandments but his “obedience” or concurrence with the Law of faith (the righteousness  of faith) as planned by the Father, so no one can boast. He took on the consequence of death for mankind; he died the “appointed“(Heb. 9:27) first (temporary) and eternal death . All of us will experience this first death. And he also died the “eternal death” to free us from second “eternal” death( Rev 2:11, Rev 20:6,14, and Rev. 21:8.). By his resurrection as promised by the Father, he proved that we can also be freed from “eternal death”. Jesus then received the Holy Spirit of power (John 16:7) to be given to us  for our “seal and sanctification” along  this process of salvation . With Jesus resurrected as immortal and having himself been freed by the Father from second death, others also will. He died the first death as a mortal man, and the “second death” so we do not have to die the “second/eternal death” as promised by the Father to become “immortal, spirit-composed bodies” through a process of being “born again of the spirit”. As an immortal YHVH, he has to incarnate into mortal flesh, otherwise how could he have died and be a propitiation/atonement for our sins? See I John 2:2.

Moreover, incarnation made YHVH/Creator a “begotten Son” (as we will be “children of God”), a more exalted position than previous.

Mechanics of Incarnation and its sequelae

The story of Nicodemus in John 3:1-12 gives us an inclination of what entails incarnation. In the narrative, Nicodemus was asking how could man be born again. Notice verses 3-6 “ 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 saith unto him, How can a man be born when he is old? can † he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born? Jesus answered, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born of water and of the Spirit, he cannot † enter into the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.”

Here, it is obvious that Jesus was referring to 2 births, viz., first human birth to flesh as in “born of water” (not water baptism which mimics death) and subsequently a second birth as in”born of the Spirit”. There had to be 2 births, otherwise John 3:3 states, no one (including Jesus) will not see the kingdom of God; no salvation without those requirements. He differentiated the 2 births in v-6, ” that which is born of the flesh is flesh and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” The mechanics therefore of YHVH’s incarnation is, from his previous immortal composition, he has to become flesh through the human process of inception, growth and development in-utero of a mother, be delivered from the womb to become an actual live mortal person. This human process is different from any known human existence. Jesus “came from above”, heavenly; unlike other humans that came from the ground, “earthy“. As an incarnate YHVH, he did not sin and therefore did not carry the penalty of death from the sin of Adam. Mary was pregnant with him, not because of Joseph; she was a mother by “surrogacy“, i.e., nothing from Mary’s egg nor Joseph’s sperm contributed to Jesus’ inception; nothing from mortals. Having no sin as imputed to all from Adam’s, Jesus can rightfully be a pure/clean substitute, a Passover, for mankind.

After going through human inception, intrauterine growth and development, birth (born of water), childhood-to-adulthood growth and development, then, and only then can a person, including man-Jesus, be “born of the spirit” through a process of “adoption-Sonship “, starting with “spirit-baptism”. And Jesus went through the process as “first of the firstfruits” for his “church-body” that will individually also has to go through the same. As YHVH-Creator, he created all. When he became Son of God at resurrection, from mortal man-Jesus to immortal, then he received from the Father, the spirit-power to create “his body-church”, “spirit-composed” children of God, a “God-kingdom”. 

As a potter, with the spirit-power given to him by the Father, the prophecy in Jeremiah 18:1-4 (RSV) is being fulfilled:
“The word that came to Jeremiah from the Lord: “Arise, and go down to the potter’s house, and there I will let you hear my words.” So I went down to the potter’s house, and there he was working at his wheel. And the vessel he was making of clay was spoiled in the potter’s hand, and he reworked it into another vessel, as it seemed good to the potter to do.”
He died and resurrected to receive this power as in, 
John 16:7 “Nevertheless I tell you the truth; It is expedient for you that I go away: for if I go not away, the Comforter will not come unto you; but if I depart, I will send him unto you“. 

Acts 2:32-33(ESV)”This Jesus God raised up, and of that we all are witnesses. Being therefore exalted at the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, he has poured out this that you yourselves are seeing and hearing.”

Power of flesh is weak?

Somehow, Christians believe that YHVH incarnated but maintained all his powers as before. As a newborn baby, did Jesus have the consciousness, wisdom and power of YHVH, the Almighty Elohim? If he did, why the need to escape the massacre by Herod? He could have easily overcome that with his power, if he had such power, instead of fleeing to Egypt. Why did they have to wait until Herod’s death before going back? Do these clues suggest “lack of power”? Or, as some assumed, Jesus just chose not use his inherent power?
Intellectually, did the 12-yr.old boy Jesus have the knowledge of the Tanach without reading and/or being taught? It does not appear that, as a human, he somehow just spontaneously got this knowledge. Remember that when he went to the Temple as a child, he was quoted as having a discourse with the Rabbi who was surprised of what he knew (Luke 2:41-52). But, is having an advanced understanding of the Tanach, any more different than anyone who really studied and got immersed in what was written? Many scholars can be outstanding in this regard, as well. In verse 52 of the narrative:

“And Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and man” suggests “growth” and knowledge not intrinsic in him. 

Moreover, the compelling key observation that man-Jesus, being mortal-flesh was weak (Matt 26:41 and did not have spiritual powers was the lack of “miracles” ever performed by him prior to the “spirit-baptism” by the Father at river Jordan (Luke 3:22). Only after he was imbued with the Holy Spirit, seen by John the Baptist as a “dove descending and filling him up”, did he have the power to overcome the temptations of Satan (Matt. 4:1-11) and the 1st miracle of turning water into wine in Cana (John 2:11). The spirit of the Father given to him at river Jordan was for him alone to utilize, much like the spirit we are baptized with at conversion. That is why it was necessary for him “to go away” to receive a specific spirit-power to be given to us for creating his “body/church”, as in Matt. 16:18 and:
1 Corinthians 12:27 “Now you are Christ’s body, and individually members of it.”
Romans 12:4-5 “For just as we have many members in one body and all the members do not have the same function, so we, who are many, are one body in Christ, and individually members one of another.”

Son of God, when and why?

As Jesus said to Nicodemus, one has to be human as in “born of water” before becoming “born of spirit“; “what is born of water is flesh; what is born of the spirit is spirit.”

As mentioned early on in this post, no one voluntarily gives up his position of power unless the trade-off will be better. In fact, YHVH’s trade-off was indeed superior, not only for him but for his creation. And, his choice was not selfish. Rather, it was out of love for his creation and on following the “will” of the Father (Luke 22:42). At the beginning, YHVH Elohim created all, visible and invisible, including angelic beings. But, while he had the power to create a human Adam in Genesis,he did not have the power to create “sons and daughters of the God-kingdom”, spirit-composed. Otherwise, why wait until after his own death and resurrection to receive this creative power? After having “born of the spirit” with immortal spirit-body, as “Son of God”, he becomes that Creator for the ultimate gift to humanity. Humans are currently “lower than angels” (Hebrews 2:5-13) but as “sons/daughters of God” will be higher than them as the “world to come” will not be subject to angels, unlike before. Sons and daughters of God are being created within the “church/body of Christ” environment. The Father planned for humans to be in the God-kingdom not have a human-kingdom. Is it any wonder that all human kingdoms fail? 
With all the powers given to Jesus now manifested as as “Son of God“, all the works of the devil will be destroyed, as in, 
I John 3:8 “For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil.

Summary:

In a nutshell, when YHVH said he incarnated, he actually became human with all that it entails, including “tempted but without sin”, as in:
Heb. 4:15 King James 2000 Bible

“For we have not a high priest who cannot be touched with the feeling of our weaknesses; but was in all points tempted like we are, yet without sin.” 
Yes, he has all the weaknesses (and the strengths) of a human being. He did not maintain the powers of an immortal YHVH Elohim. What in “incarnation” do we not get? Somehow, people wanted man-Jesus to maintain his YHVH powers as from the beginning, not realizing that by this assumption, they are actually diminishing the ultimate faith of YHVH in the promise of the Father regarding the plan of salvation for humanity. Imagine the YHVH Creator agreeing to become “lower than angels” as a man? THAT IS ultimate trust in the Father that is faith-based; the righteousness of faith providing the basis of salvation. 

In the creation of the God-kingdom, the requirements are to have 2 births, viz., born of water as a human and then born in spirit as Son of God. What is born of water is flesh; what is born in spirit is spirit. This is the “unwritten covenant” between YHVH ELOHIM and the Ancient of Days/God-Father (Daniel 7:13): that YHVH will give up all his powers through incarnation (born of water, as man-Jesus), grow and develop as man-Jesus, receive the Holy Spirit of power at baptism at the river Jordan, crucified as a Passover for humanity, “born in spirit” by resurrection as immortal Son of God, receive the Holy Spirit from the Father to be given to humanity for the creation of spirit-composed God-kingdom. Thus providing an example of the path to salvation, Jesus the “beginner(pioneer,author) and finisher(perfecter) of our faith” (Heb. 12:2). And all of this plan was based on supreme faith of Jesus in and unswerving love of the Father. The Son and the Father are “one” and so shall we be “one” with them .

References:

1. Controversy of Christmas. Retrieved 12/19/2016 from http://thecripplegate.com/the-controversy-of-christmas/

2. The Gospel of John. Retrieved 1/8/17 from http://www.mycrandall.ca/courses/ntintro/john.htm

Researched started:12/17/16

Original post: 1/12/17