The center of Christianity is Jesus Christ. He is full Godhead (Trinity) of Father, Son, and Holy Spirit in body (Colossians 2:9), and He is one with Father (John 10:30, John 17:1-15). Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Hebrews 1) and He is the Creator (John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:10-15). Jesus is the God of Israel, Jehovah (Romans 10:9, understand that LORD is the English for Jehovah). Through Old Testament Christ appears during Creation, "Let Us make man in our image." (Genesis 1:26). It is Jesus who dies for sins of mankind (Romans 5:8) and who is coming back to judge (Revelation 19:1-15). The Father has exalted Jesus, His Begotten (not made, the word use to mean to begot, to come forth or to be sent, but now it means in modern vernacular to birth, but Jesus was not made, He has always existed with the Father, and Holy Spirit).
Jesus Christ is God in the flesh, in body (John 1:1) and He came first to save man from sin and separation, and through Him eternal life is gained by those who believe in Him (John 3:16, Romans 10:9). For some reason though, many in world, from atheist to the old vine of Judaism have a problem with Jesus. Why would anyone take issue with God who came to pay the penalty of sin and save man from death, and hell? What is so controversial about Christ Crucified? Shouldn't people be elated their sins are forgiven if they believe? What threat is the Word of God to the world of men? Is He not the reconciler between Man and God (2 Corinthians 5:18, Colossians 1:20)? That is just it, there are many who do not want to be reconciled, nor recognize that saving power of the One and only way to eternal life, Jesus Christ (John 14:6). For many it is postmodernism and univeralism, the desire for all religions to be 'right' that makes Jesus offensive to them, but there is actually a more sinister reason. People love sin. For many sin is connected to pleasure, like lust, gluttony, and even greed. But actually what it means is that people enjoy being penitential, having to trust their own merit and works to acquire salvation for themselves. These good works make men feel superior, confident, and that they Hercalian. The image of Jesus Chrsit Crucified is a reminder that only God can forgive sin, and that is is by "For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith--and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God--Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it." (Ephensians 2:8-9, NIV, NLT).
People find the Alpha and Omega offensive because they cannot let go of their own path to save themselves, nor will they own that are hopless to save themselves and need Jesus Christ, the only one who can save them from their own sinful nature. Religion, the spirit thereof and institutional agencies that sometimes have the name church, often convince these very lost people to believe they can "work out their salvation with fear and trembling." (Philippians 2:12). What they fail to tell the people is that you cannot "work out salvation" without Jesus Christ, and you must do it through Him, by trusting in Him, and His sacrifice. This is the reason so many Jews did not understand Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah. The Pharisees and Sadduccess were content with their piety and platitudes; their own path to salvation, which was based on law keeping and perfection. Jesus Christ was direct threat to this path, which included lucrative gains from lost souls visiting the Temple. Others did not want to embrace the Alpha and Omega in the flesh because they did not understand the Prophets, who fortold that the Messiah would both be the Suffering Servant who would die for sin (Isaiah 53) and the King of Kings (Revelation 19). This confusion is expressed when it says, "they tried to sieze him by force and make Him king, but he slipped away." (John 6:15). Jesus Christ certainly is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, but in 33 A.D. He had come to "Therefore I will give him a portion among the great, and he will divide the spoils with the strong, because he poured out his life unto death, and was numbered with the transgressors. For he bore the sin of many, and made intercession for the transgressors," (Isaiah 53:12) and "make the nations come and He will be their God." Only later, during His Return and Second Coming will he establish his kingdom on the Throne of David, "Blessed and holy are those who share in the first resurrection. The second death has no power over them, but they will be priests of God and of Christ and will reign with him for a thousand years." (Revelation 20:4-6).
Misunderstandings about Jesus abound because of cultural motifs. For many Jews, Jesus seems more like Roman, or Greek, than a Son of David that He truly was. The Gentilization of Jesus Christ has caused confusion for the original root, but this is understandable, for Christians in as early as 40 A.D. began to distance themelves from the Old Vine, and "put new wine in new wineskins." The resistance to the Redeemer by the People of Israel created a fracture, "He came to his own and they received him not," () and "I Paul if I could would go to hell if it meant saving my people." (). The hurdles to having faith in Jesus Christ can often be cultural, a belief that Jesus is either Judeo or Greco-Roman, when He was a Jew (Matthew 1, Luke 1) who reached out to the Gentiles (John 4:21-26), and who created them all (John 1:1-5, Colossians 1:10-18). Jesus Christ is thus not racist, partistan, or exclusivist about whom He calls to be His disciples, for it is written, "The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. Instead he is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance." (2 Peter 3:9), and "This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth." (1 Timothy 2:3-4). The anyone and all people mean every kind of person, wither they be Jew or Gentile, black or white, male or female, for it is written, "Then Peter began to speak: “I now truly understand that God does not show favoritism, but welcomes those from every nation who fear Him and do what is right. He has sent this message to the people of Israel, proclaiming the gospel of peace through Jesus Christ, who is Lord of all," (Acts 10:34-36), and "There is neither Jew nor Gentile, neither slave nor free, nor is there male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus; And now that you belong to Christ, you are the true children of Abraham. You are his heirs, and God's promise to Abraham belongs to you." (Galatians 3:28-29).
Jesus Christ desires that all come to Him for eternal life. The promise of salvation through Jesus Christ belongs to anyone who will "confess Jesus as Lord (Jehovah, God), and believe in their heart that God raised Him from dead, and they shall be saved," (Romans 10:9), and "For God So loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, and who sover believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Jesus Christ is the key, He is God in body and He sits the Right Hand of Father interceding for us (Romans 8:34) and mediating for us (1 Timothy 2:5). Yet still, despite that the Divine Son of God dashes the barriers of ethnicity, race, politics, and even fear; people still struggle. They struggle because Satan, the enemy of the Truth does not want them to be free of their "self made religion" (Colossians 2:23), "holding to a form of godliness they have denied its power ," (2 Timothy 3:5), and "always learning they never are able to come to the knowledge of the Truth (John 14:6)" (2 Timothy 3:7). After all the Alpha and Omega, Jesus Christ has done, suffering under Pontius Pilate, being flogged forty times, a crown of thornes beaten into his skull, carrying his cross (one beam alone is 150-200lbs), and is nailed to cross via wrists and feet, and left to suffocate. Jesus did all that to save mankind from his sins, but too many "glory in their shame" (Philippians 3:19) and cannot let go of their need to make amends in their asceticisms and austerities (Colossians 2:23-25). Others simply do not care, and want to live as they see fit, convinced hell is full of sinners playing poker and having sexual escapades; when in reality it is eternal torment and undending fire and suffering (Mark 9:48, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). Still others cannot let go of the Forbiden Fruit in the Garden of Eden, they want to decide "what is right or wrong, good or evil," and refuse to let go of it and let Jesus Christ, God Incarnate who is the only one that is Good (Matthew 10:18, Colossians 2:9) and sinless (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21) decide. In the end, man's control is what keeps him at odds with Christ. Man controls by religion (I can do it, I can be good enough), reckless abandon (I don't care, just wanna have fun, even in hell), rebellion (I defy God and His Laws, I will control my own destiny!), and regulation (I can make Utopia, I can be God and decide what is good and evil).
Jesus Christ desires that all come to Him for eternal life. The promise of salvation through Jesus Christ belongs to anyone who will "confess Jesus as Lord (Jehovah, God), and believe in their heart that God raised Him from dead, and they shall be saved," (Romans 10:9), and "For God So loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, and who sover believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Jesus Christ is the key, He is God in body and He sits the Right Hand of Father interceding for us (Romans 8:34) and mediating for us (1 Timothy 2:5). Yet still, despite that the Divine Son of God dashes the barriers of ethnicity, race, politics, and even fear; people still struggle. They struggle because Satan, the enemy of the Truth does not want them to be free of their "self made religion" (Colossians 2:23), "holding to a form of godliness they have denied its power ," (2 Timothy 3:5), and "always learning they never are able to come to the knowledge of the Truth (John 14:6)" (2 Timothy 3:7). After all the Alpha and Omega, Jesus Christ has done, suffering under Pontius Pilate, being flogged forty times, a crown of thornes beaten into his skull, carrying his cross (one beam alone is 150-200lbs), and is nailed to cross via wrists and feet, and left to suffocate. Jesus did all that to save mankind from his sins, but too many "glory in their shame" (Philippians 3:19) and cannot let go of their need to make amends in their asceticisms and austerities (Colossians 2:23-25). Others simply do not care, and want to live as they see fit, convinced hell is full of sinners playing poker and having sexual escapades; when in reality it is eternal torment and undending fire and suffering (Mark 9:48, Matthew 25:41, Revelation 20:10). Still others cannot let go of the Forbiden Fruit in the Garden of Eden, they want to decide "what is right or wrong, good or evil," and refuse to let go of it and let Jesus Christ, God Incarnate who is the only one that is Good (Matthew 10:18, Colossians 2:9) and sinless (Hebrews 4:15, 1 Peter 2:22-23, 2 Corinthians 5:21) decide. In the end, man's control is what keeps him at odds with Christ. Man controls by religion (I can do it, I can be good enough), reckless abandon (I don't care, just wanna have fun, even in hell), rebellion (I defy God and His Laws, I will control my own destiny!), and regulation (I can make Utopia, I can be God and decide what is good and evil).
You have to decide which word with letter r you want, redemption or religion, reckless abandon, rebellion, and regulation. O frail man, what folly do you dance with to believe you are in control. God tried to spare us eternal delusion of control, by shortening our lives, "Then the LORD God said, "Look, the human beings have become like us, knowing both good and evil. What if they reach out, take fruit from the tree of life, and eat it? Then they will live forever!" (Genesis 3:22). Death was mercy, because eternal life in sin means delusional belief of being in control, being separate from God, and never ending heart ache. God who is Jesus Chrit remedied this by redeeming us and giving us eternal life through His death on cross. Now we may live forever with God in heaven, then the New Heaven and New Earth (Revelation 21:1) rather than be trapped on this fallen Earth.
Jesus Christ is "The Way, The Truth, and the Life. None shall come to Father except through Me (Jesus)." (John 14:6). In Jesus Christ is eternal life, salvation, and abundant life (John 10:10). Choose to cast aside your illusion of control, that Forbidden Fruit our ancestors Adam and Eve first plucked, now put it down and placed The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ in its place! Let Him be in control of your life, "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it," (Matthew 10:39), and, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it," (Matthew 16:25, Luke 9;24), "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me," (Luke 9:23), and "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). This means surrender, to lose your life and to deny it as you destine it, control it, and rule it; and to instead let "God's Kingdom Come, God's Will be done" (Matthew 6:10), and "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:33). Are you ready to relinquish control, the illusion of control that you believe you had from birth? That seed from Forbidden Fruit (Genesis 2:5-25) that still tries to convince you, with Satan's help, that you can be "master of your fate, captain of your soul." Let go of this lie, and instead let Jesus Christ be Lord of your life. For He knows better than you what you need, He can see into your heart (1 Samuel 16:7), He formed you in womb (Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13-14), and He made everything (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16). Jesus Christ is God (Colossians 2:9, John 10:30, John 17, Colossians 1:8-18) and so He knows all things (Hebrews 4:13), and in Him is all knowledge and Wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3). You exchange your illusion, delusion, and lie of control for Jesus Christ who is in control of all things (John 5:22, Matthew 28:18, John 17:1-2, Philippains 2:8-11, Hebrews 1). Let Jesus Christ be in control, For He already is and if you give your life to Him you will have it (Matthew 10:39) because Jesus is Life (John 14:6). Amen.
Addendum
Essentially here is the situation, Satan convinced man and woman that they could be God, that they could do a better job, and control things by discerning good and evil (Genesis 3:1-7). In fact they did become like One of Trinity, "And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (Genesis 3:22). To restore man and God's relationship and to even make it possible for man to relinquish control and playing God, required God coming to die as a man, "God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten (not made) Son (Jesus Christ), and whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Jesus Christ requires we let go of our control and letting Him be God (Colossians 2:9, Matthew 10:9, John 17:1-2) instead of us playing God with good and evil. You have to decide, will you play God and go to hell, or let God be God and let go of the control.
Jesus Christ is "The Way, The Truth, and the Life. None shall come to Father except through Me (Jesus)." (John 14:6). In Jesus Christ is eternal life, salvation, and abundant life (John 10:10). Choose to cast aside your illusion of control, that Forbidden Fruit our ancestors Adam and Eve first plucked, now put it down and placed The Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ in its place! Let Him be in control of your life, "Whoever finds their life will lose it, and whoever loses their life for my sake will find it," (Matthew 10:39), and, "For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it," (Matthew 16:25, Luke 9;24), "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross daily and follow me," (Luke 9:23), and "Then Jesus said to his disciples, "Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me." (Matthew 16:24). This means surrender, to lose your life and to deny it as you destine it, control it, and rule it; and to instead let "God's Kingdom Come, God's Will be done" (Matthew 6:10), and "Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need." (Matthew 6:33). Are you ready to relinquish control, the illusion of control that you believe you had from birth? That seed from Forbidden Fruit (Genesis 2:5-25) that still tries to convince you, with Satan's help, that you can be "master of your fate, captain of your soul." Let go of this lie, and instead let Jesus Christ be Lord of your life. For He knows better than you what you need, He can see into your heart (1 Samuel 16:7), He formed you in womb (Jeremiah 1:5, Psalm 139:13-14), and He made everything (John 1:3, Colossians 1:16). Jesus Christ is God (Colossians 2:9, John 10:30, John 17, Colossians 1:8-18) and so He knows all things (Hebrews 4:13), and in Him is all knowledge and Wisdom (Colossians 2:2-3). You exchange your illusion, delusion, and lie of control for Jesus Christ who is in control of all things (John 5:22, Matthew 28:18, John 17:1-2, Philippains 2:8-11, Hebrews 1). Let Jesus Christ be in control, For He already is and if you give your life to Him you will have it (Matthew 10:39) because Jesus is Life (John 14:6). Amen.
Addendum
Essentially here is the situation, Satan convinced man and woman that they could be God, that they could do a better job, and control things by discerning good and evil (Genesis 3:1-7). In fact they did become like One of Trinity, "And the LORD God said, "The man has now become like one of us, knowing good and evil. He must not be allowed to reach out his hand and take also from the tree of life and eat, and live forever." (Genesis 3:22). To restore man and God's relationship and to even make it possible for man to relinquish control and playing God, required God coming to die as a man, "God so loved the world that he sent his only begotten (not made) Son (Jesus Christ), and whosoever believes in Him shall not perish but have eternal life." (John 3:16). Jesus Christ requires we let go of our control and letting Him be God (Colossians 2:9, Matthew 10:9, John 17:1-2) instead of us playing God with good and evil. You have to decide, will you play God and go to hell, or let God be God and let go of the control.
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