Scripture Revealed

A Revelation of Jesus Christ – Revelation 1:1

Category: Salvation

Repent and Believe the Gospel!

El Greco, The Repentant St. Peter, c. 1600-1605
El Greco, The Repentant St. Peter, c. 1600-1605

This is the second article in a four-part series addressing the subject of salvation and what it means to “believe the Gospel”. The first article was entitled  Salvation – the Gospel.

Mark 1:14-15 (KJV) – “Now after that John was put in prison, Jesus came into Galilee, preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

Salvation begins with believing the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. Our believing allows us to enter into a covenant relationship with Jesus Christ. Our believing should naturally lead us to “repent”. Most of the “Jews” of Jesus’ day “believed” on Jesus. However, these same “believers” were responsible for His death. Jesus cautioned them in the 8th chapter of John when he said:

John 8:30-31 (KJV) – “As he spake these words, many believed on him. Then said Jesus to those Jews which believed on him, If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed; “

The ministries of both John the Baptist and Jesus began and concluded with a call to (...)

Salvation – The Gospel

Scripture imagesSalvation – The Gospel

This is the first in a four part series on “The Gospel”. What is the Gospel? Well, the English word gospel means “good news” or “good message”. And as such it is a correct translation of the original Greek word euangelion (Strong’s #2098). The basic biblical definition of the gospel is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ as found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

1 Corinthians 15:1-4 (KJV) – “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain. For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:

Here Paul, the Apostle, outlines the doctrinal significance of the Gospel as part of the historical account of the early Church. But to convey what is good about the “good news” we need to explain the meaning of these historical (...)

Many Mansions

John of Patmos watches the descent of the New Jerusalem from God in a 14th-century tapestry.
John of Patmos watches the descent of the New Jerusalem from God in a 14th-century tapestry.

John 14:1-2 is an often quoted but many times misunderstood Bible verse. Jesus said that He would go to prepare a “mansion” for those who believe in Him. Many believe that these “mansions” are literal buildings in heaven where they will dwell. Most people consider a “mansion” as a giant home, having everything we ever want or need. Ideally, it would be a place of ultimate contentment and fulfillment. If the “mansions” of which Jesus spoke are physical structures, then it might seem, to some, that all the believers who have died are dwelling in them right now in heaven.

John 14:1-2 (KJV)- “ Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. In my Father’s house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.”

Where is the Monē?

I don’t know about you, but I’m very interested in finding out more about these “many mansions” that Jesus is preparing for us. Now please keep in mind that the English word “mansions” appears but once in (...)

Tongues – Sign of the Infilling of God’s Spirit?

Image of the Pentecost. Duccio di Buoninsegna (1308).
Image of the Pentecost. Duccio di Buoninsegna (1308).

I can still remember the first time I heard about “tongues”. A high school friend of mine was relating how his mother, and some of her friends had spoken in “tongues.” I can vividly remember thinking “what in the world is that all about”! I was very curious to learn more about this speaking in “tongues” stuff. My friend related how his mother and her friends had spoken in “tongues” after receiving the Holy Spirit. Wow! The idea of “tongues” is weird I thought. I was about 16 years old at that time. It would be another 15 years before I understood what “tongues” were all about.

Acts 2:1-4 (KJV) – “And when the day of Pentecost was fully come, they were all with one accord in one place. And suddenly there came a sound from heaven as of a rushing mighty wind, and it filled all the house where they were sitting. And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them. And they were all filled with the Holy Ghost, and began to speak with other tongues, as the Spirit

(...)

The Kingdom of God

330px-Christ_Handing_the_Keys_to_St._Peter_by_Pietro_Perugino
Jesus giving Peter “the keys of the kingdom of heaven”, (Matthew 16:18), painting by Perugino, 1492.

Jesus of Nazareth is the central figure of Christianity. While his followers claimed that He was the Jewish Messiah, He would be put to death as a criminal. Think about that for a moment. Did Jesus fail as the Messiah?  Did He fail in His mission to usher in the Kingdom of God?

Messiah as the King

From the time that the first Roman legionnaires marched into Judea, there was tension throughout Jewish society. People prayed for God’s deliverance from the yoke of Roman rule. The Jews prayed that God would send the promised Messiah during their lifetime.

According to prophets – Messiah, or the “Anointed One”, was to serve as the King of Israel. This Messiah would arrive in Jerusalem with the very power of God. Old Testament prophets told how this “Anointed One” would conquer the enemies of Israel. God would restore the Israelites to their status as God’s chosen people. All nations would come under His rule, and His Kingdom would never end.

Jesus In the Synagogue

On one particular day, a quiet peace settled over the city of Nazareth. (...)

The Case for a Restored Nation of Israel – Scriptural Evidence for a Prophesied Return?

Tissot_The_Flight_of_the_Prisoners
An artist’s depiction of the deportation and exile of the Jews of the ancient Kingdom of Judah to Babylon and the destruction of Jerusalem and Solomon’s temple.

Proof Texts?

Some suggest that the Bible prophesies of a “last days” regathering of the Jewish people to Israel. Various “proof texts” are cited to support this belief. In examining these “proofs”, we find that these scriptures were either already fulfilled during one of the Old Testament exiles or that they foretold of the coming promises of the New Covenant of Jesus Christ. Remember, Jesus’ focus was not on a physical land, but on a spiritual existence in His people!

The 1st Return Of The Jews
The Jews were living as exiles in Egypt when Moses brought the 12 tribes back to the land of Canaan in 1445 BC.

The 2nd Return Of The Jews

The Jews were living as exiles throughout the vast Babylonian Empire which Isaiah perceived as the four corners of the world when Ezra brought only 3 tribes back to the land of Israel in 536 BC. These were the tribes of Judah, Benjamin, and Levi. The other tribes were lost forever. Just prior to 70 AD, Herod destroyed (...)

Mark of the Beast

medical_verichip-apha-101105
Medical Verichip

Revelation 13:16-18 (KJV) – “And he causeth all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and bond, to receive a mark in their right hand, or in their foreheads: And that no man might buy or sell, save he that had the mark, or the name of the beast, or the number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him that hath understanding count the number of the beast: for it is the number of a man; and his number is Six hundred threescore and six.”

There’s been much speculation on the meaning of Revelation chapter 13. Many teach that this scripture refers to a cashless society where all will be required to submit to a computer chip implanted under the skin of the forehead or right hand.  (Why not the left hand?)  And, of course, the technology for this cashless society is already here. But the question is not whether we might soon have a computer chip implanted in our flesh but whether or not Revelation chapter 13 prophesied this.

Christian Book Publishing

Within the last thirty plus years, there have been many books written by the Christian book publishing industry. A recent search for (...)

Blood Moons – Apocalypse Now?

blood moonSigns in the Heavens

The subject of “blood moons” has certainly been in the news lately. Many well-known ministers have gone on record with predictions related to the four “blood moons”. Books have been recently published on the subject.  In fact a movie has even been made.

Most proponents of the “blood moon” lunar eclipses  claim that the four blood moons that have appeared and will soon appear in the skies over America are evidence of a future “world-shaking event.” Some tie these lunar “tetrad” events to biblical prophecies found in Ezekiel chapter 38.  Some declare that Russia and Iran will be totally destroyed during this coming Ezekiel 38 battle.

What’s a Blood Moon?

The blood moons are part of a tetrad, a set of complete and consecutive lunar eclipses that will begin on April 15 and continue at roughly six-month intervals until October 2015. According to NASA, seeing four complete lunar eclipses in a row is very rare. The skies were tetrad-free from 1600 to 1900. But in the 21st century, there will be many.   However, total lunar eclipse tetrads occurred on Passover and Tabernacle festival dates in AD 162–63, 795–96, 841–43, and 860–61, during which no outstanding (...)

The Godhead – Part 3

Holy BibleOne God

If there is one message that resonates throughout the Bible it is that there is one God.

Deuteronomy 6:4 (KJV) – “Hear O Israel: the Lord our God is one Lord.”

 

Galatians 3:20 (KJV) – “Now a mediator is not a mediator of one, but God is one.”

 

James 2:19 – “Thou believest that there is one God: thou doest well: the devils also believe, and tremble.

All must believe in one God. Why even the devils believe and tremble. The Godhead can be understood when we rightly divide the word of God.

1 Timothy 3:16 – “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness, God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory”

This “Mystery of Godliness” that Paul was speaking to Timothy about was not a mystery concerning how three persons of a supposed trinity could be one. Rather it was a mystery concerning how the great God of heaven robed Himself in flesh and dwelt upon mankind.

Christ’s Two Natures

Jesus Christ was both human and divine. As a man he was touched by out (...)

The Godhead – Part 2

Created by His Word

John 1:1-3, 14 (KJV) – “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…”

is-the-godhead-a-mystery-3-728This is one of my favorite scriptures. There’s a lot going on in these verses. One question we must ask: Is the “Word” a person? Is your word your person? Can you separate a man from his word? “Word” is English for the Greek term “logos”. “Logos” means a thought or a concept. In other words the “thought” was with God. The thought but not another divine person. It states that the Word was God. It’s impossible to separate God from His thoughts. The word “logos” is the same term as used in Matthew 8:16 when Jesus cast out devils with His Word. You can think of the Word as the expression of God. God conceived in His thoughts the creation. When the Word was spoken or expressed things became real. When God said “Let there be light, and (...)

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