Author: petebeck3

Pete Beck III ministered as a pastor and Bible teacher in Burlington for over 34 years. He is married to Martha, with whom he has four children, ten beautiful grandchildren, and four amazing great grandchildren. He ministers in his local church as a Bible teacher and counselor. He has published two books - Seeing God's Smile and Promise of the Father - as well as a wide variety of Bible-related articles which he has compiled into books in PDF form.

Was the Virgin Birth Truly Necessary?

The virgin birth is one of the key doctrines of Christianity. In this article, I will show why it is so essential and necessary.

The true story of Jesus begins with his mother Mary receiving an incredible announcement from the angel Gabriel.

In the sixth month of Elizabeth’s pregnancy, God sent the angel Gabriel to Nazareth, a village in Galilee, 27 to a virgin named Mary. She was engaged to be married to a man named Joseph, a descendant of King David. 28 Gabriel appeared to her and said, “Greetings, favored woman! The Lord is with you!” 29 Confused and disturbed, Mary tried to think what the angel could mean. 30 “Don’t be afraid, Mary,” the angel told her, “for you have found favor with God! 31 You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will name him Jesus. 32 He will be very great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his ancestor David. 33 And he will reign over Israel forever; his Kingdom will never end!” 34 Mary asked the angel, “But how can this happen? I am a virgin.” 35 The angel replied, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the baby to be born will be holy, and he will be called the Son of God. Luke 1:26-35 (NLT)

Why would God use something that is seemingly impossible, even ridiculous to some, as the means of bringing His Son into the world? Isn’t the resurrection a big enough hurdle for the modern rational mind without injecting a virgin birth into the Gospel story before we even get started? Why did God ask Mary to endure what was an apparent very large blemish on her character? I feel sure that most doubted her story. She must have endured the critical gaze of those who thought she was a loose woman with an illegitimate son. And how about the pain and confusion this abnormal birth caused Joseph? Couldn’t God have done this some other way? Apparently not.

The Bible reveals that Jesus is the God-Man, fully human and fully God. The human part is easy to grasp. The God element is more difficult and is something we must see by faith and revelation.

After his resurrection, Jesus confronted Thomas the doubter, who previously announced that he would not believe that Jesus rose until he put his fingers in the nail holes and his hand into his side. When Jesus suddenly appeared to him in answer to his request, Thomas blurted out: “My Lord and my God!” (John 20:28) It was rather easy for him to arrive at that conclusion while standing in the presence of the risen Lord. The Holy Spirit must open our spiritual eyes for us to believe.

John the Baptist announced to the world that Jesus is the Lamb of God. What a shocker that message must have been to his listeners! Jesus was to be a human sacrifice! Most who heard those words probably concluded that John was just using poetic language. Even Jesus’ disciples, who heard the Lord tell them repeatedly that he would die on a cross, lived in denial regarding his coming crucifixion. No one grasped up front that Jesus would be God’s blemish-free substitutionary sacrifice for the sins of mankind.

Jesus had to be a man without sin who also was fully God in order to become the perfect sacrifice who could pay the just penalty for our sins.

Jesus also had to become a true man because the first man, Adam, sinned against God and earned the death penalty for the entire human race. Since then every human being has become a co-conspirator by personally sinning. Jesus had to be truly God because only God is perfect enough to make a perfect offering.

In order for Jesus to be a human and at the same time avoid being born with a wicked and debilitating sin nature, which the rest of us inherit from Adam and our own natural fathers, he had to be supernaturally begotten by God with a human mother.

For Christianity to work, this had to be. It is the divine logic. Jesus became the “second Adam,” the spiritual progenitor of a new race of people. His mother was a “standard issue” human being, but his Father was God. He was conceived by the operation of the Holy Spirit, which made him the most unique and important person ever to walk this earth. He had to be in order to accomplish his mission.

Adam, the first man, was made from the dust of the earth, while Christ, the second man, came from heaven. 1 Corinthians 15:47 (NLT)
The Miracle of the New Birth

But Jesus is not the only person who has experienced a miraculous birth. His virgin birth prepared the way for a multitude of equally amazing births in which God is also the Father.

Through the miracle of the New Covenant, which was inaugurated by Jesus’ death and resurrection, every person who puts his or her faith in Christ is born miraculously. It’s called the new birth.

Jesus replied, “I assure you, no one can enter the Kingdom of God without being born of water and the Spirit. 6 Humans can reproduce only human life, but the Holy Spirit gives birth to spiritual life. 7 So don’t be surprised when I say, ‘You must be born again.’ John 3:5-7 (NLT)

The only way for a sinful human being to become a child of God is for Christ to be born or formed inside him. The Bible uses different metaphors or images to communicate what happens through the new birth process. Jesus told Nicodemus that he must be born again. Obviously, Jesus did not mean that Nicodemus had to go back into his mother’s womb.

The new birth takes place when God’s life is planted inside a person causing him or her to come alive in the spirit.

Paul called it the new creation.

Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (ESV)

Peter wrote that the new birth is a result of God’s seed being planted inside a person, an obvious analogy to the biological conception process.

since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; 1 Peter 1:23 (ESV)

The truth God wants us to apprehend is that, through the new birth, we who believe become authentic children of God.

But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God. John 1:12-13 (ESV)

The new birth, like the virgin birth, is not religious jargon. It is real. It is a brand new beginning in God. It is the gateway to eternal life. It is the greatest gift of all!

The Divine Logos, who existed for all eternity as the Only Begotten Son of the Father, chose to become flesh so that we hopelessly estranged and lost humans could become part of the divine family and reconnected to God’s eternal purpose.

The Holy Spirit, the Spirit of Christ, comes to live inside all born again people, giving us the same relationship with the Father  as sons that Jesus has, minus the divinity.

That is why we too can cry out, “Abba, Father,” and have it mean something.

For you did not receive the spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you have received the Spirit of adoption as sons, by whom we cry, “Abba! Father!” 16 The Spirit himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God, Romans 8:15-16 (ESV)

If you think it’s hard to believe that God would humble himself to become a man, just consider how amazing it is for God to allow humans to become part of his divine family! And it all started with the virgin birth!

Oh, my dear children! I feel as if I’m going through labor pains for you again, and they will continue until Christ is fully developed in your lives. Galatians 4:19 (NLT)

In the verse above, Paul takes things a step further. He not only wanted his readers to believe the gospel and be born again; he also was vitally concerned that his disciples be conformed to Christ’s image or likeness in how they thought, spoke, and acted. He understood that our focus should not be on mere outward conformity. Instead, transformation must begin on the inside, in the spirit, where the seed of God is planted and where the Holy Spirit dwells.

It is in the spirit that we are united with God’s Spirit, and it is from there that the life of God permeates our entire being as leaven spreads throughout a lump of dough.

When the life within completes its course, we will look, act, speak, and think like our Lord. He will have been fully formed inside us, conforming us to his image. Then we will have come full circle, so to speak. The Logos (the eternal Word of God, Jesus) became flesh through what is called the incarnation so that humans could become like the divine Logos through the new birth (a repeat of the incarnation) and the ongoing inner transformation by the Spirit.

So, is the virgin birth something essential? Yes, it is, and so is Christ’s resurrection and the new birth. All are miracles from God that have elevated believing humanity out of oppression and hopelessness into the glorious privilege of being children of God!

Why did God use things that are so “abnormal” and, to the world, incredible? It was because there was no other way.

God uses what the world has a hard time believing to deliver those who have faith. Faith itself is a gift from God, something the Holy Spirit imparts. Without God’s gracious help, no one could ever really understand the Gospel message, but when our eyes and hearts are opened, we are born again!

If you have never believed in your heart that Jesus is who the Bible says he is, but something deep inside of you is drawn to this wonderful message of hope, you can ask God’s Spirit to help you. One of his names is the Helper. He will lead you into all truth. He will help you to know Christ through revelation. He will help you to become a true believer. You too can experience the miracle of the new birth, too. Perhaps now is the time for you to offer a prayer from your heart. God will hear you. If you open the door, he will come in.

A Sample Prayer

Dear Lord, I want to be part of your family. I need your help. Holy Spirit please open my spiritual eyes, unstop my deaf ears, and soften my hard heart so that I can believe. Jesus, I ask you to come into my life and change me on the inside. I ask for the forgiveness and life that you died to give me. I surrender my life to you. Now I depend on you to do the rest. Amen.

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Have We Been Inoculated Against the Gospel?

If we are inoculated against a disease, we are given a weak form of it to stimulate the development of antibodies so that later we will be able to defend ourselves against the actual disease. Is it possible to be inoculated against the gospel?

Some who call themselves Christian quite often act no differently from those who do not confess the name of Jesus. Why is that? Our opinions have little consequence, but our convictions are what really matter. A conviction is the result of our believing in something or someone so strongly that we feel compelled to act upon it. Conviction leads to commitment. Belief without commitment to act is not the faith of the Bible.

If  our profession of faith in Jesus the Lord does not change how we live, it likely was not accompanied by faith in our hearts.

If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 (NLT)

The confession part is relatively easy. We can intellectually agree that we want to escape hell and go to heaven without ever received true revelation of who Jesus is. People can say all sort of things with their mouths, but only God knows what is happening at the heart level.

What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don’t show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 15 Suppose you see a brother or sister who has no food or clothing, 16 and you say, “Good-bye and have a good day; stay warm and eat well”—but then you don’t give that person any food or clothing. What good does that do? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn’t enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. 18 Now someone may argue, “Some people have faith; others have good deeds.” But I say, “How can you show me your faith if you don’t have good deeds? I will show you my faith by my good deeds.” 19 You say you have faith, for you believe that there is one God. Good for you! Even the demons believe this, and they tremble in terror. 20 How foolish! Can’t you see that faith without good deeds is useless? James 2:14–20 (NLT)

From a spiritual point of view, if we are not changed, the gospel has done us no good. In fact, it may have actually harmed us because at the Last Judgment we will be held accountable for knowing the truth and rejecting it.

I call this being “inoculated” against the gospel.

This can happen if we understand just enough of the truth to be deceived into thinking we are just fine with God, without ever seeing who Christ is by revelation in our hearts or truly acknowledging him as Lord as well as Savior.

Consider the following words of Jesus:

I know your works: you are neither cold nor hot. Would that you were either cold or hot! 16  So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I will spit you out of my mouth. Revelation 3:15-16 (ESV)

Sadly, the condition of being lukewarm describes countless churchgoers. It means we have little or no ardor or zeal, no joyful desire to follow Jesus wherever he may lead, no wish to dedicate our lives for his glory, and no willingness to sacrifice and suffer for him as may be required.

Lukewarm people are loyal to themselves, not to Jesus.

Do Christians live much differently than those who do not confess Christ? I quote from The Scandal of the Evangelical Conscience: Why don’t Christians live what they preach? by Ronald J. Sider.

To say there is a crisis of disobedience in the evangelical world today is to dangerously understate the problem. Born-again Christians divorce at about the same rate as everyone else. Self-centered materialism is seducing evangelicals and rapidly destroying our earlier, slightly more generous giving. Only 6 percent of born-again Christians tithe. Born-again Christians justify and engage in sexual promiscuity (both premarital sex and adultery) at astonishing rates. Racism and perhaps physical abuse of wives seems to be worse in evangelical circles than elsewhere. This is scandalous behavior for people who claim to be born-again by the Holy Spirit and to enjoy the very presence of the Risen Lord in their lives.

In light of the foregoing statistics, it is not surprising that born-again Christians spend seven times more hours each week in front of their televisions than they spend in Bible reading, prayer, and worship.1 Only 9 percent of born-again adults and 2 percent of born-again teenagers have a biblical worldview.2

Perhaps it is not surprising either that non-Christians have a very negative view of evangelicals. In a recent poll, Barna asked non-Christians about their attitudes toward different groups of Christians. Only 44 percent have a positive view of Christian clergy. Just 32 percent have a positive view of born-again Christians. And a mere 22 percent have a positive view of evangelicals.3

Evangelicals rightly rejected theological liberalism because it denied the miraculous. In response, we insisted that miracle was central to biblical faith at numerous points including the supernatural moral transformation of broken sinners. Now our very lifestyle as evangelicals is a ringing practical denial of the miraculous in our lives. Satan must laugh in sneerful derision. God’s people can only weep.

The Core Issue: Do We Know Who Jesus Is?

At one point during Jesus’ three-year itinerant ministry, he asked his disciples a very important question.

  • Who do you say I am?

People in Jesus’ day, and through the years, have held various opinions about Jesus’ identity. His contemporaries regarded him as a prophet and a teacher. Some even thought that he was the long awaited Messiah, the coming king in the line of David. Others saw him as a trouble maker, a dangerous imposter, a blasphemer, or a threat to political stability and Israel’s favored status with Rome.

The question of Jesus’ identity is the most important one in our lives. How we answer that question will determine how we live.

If our answer regarding Jesus’ identity does not make a practical difference in our lives, we can know for sure that we do not yet know him as the Bible presents him – the Risen Lord of Lords and King of Kings.

The proper and expected response made by those who wake up to who Jesus truly is will be to lay down all previous plans and dreams in order follow him wherever he may lead.

Becoming a follower of Christ is like signing a blank check and handing it to the Lord with the understanding that he can and will fill in the amount when and how he decides.

This no doubt sounds extreme to those who have grown accustomed to a mere “churchianity” that requires no more of us than some level of church attendance, giving, and, perhaps, serving in some capacity at scheduled services.

When Jesus asked his disciple band, “Who do you say that I am?,” Peter responded in a way that has reverberated through the ages.

Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” 17  And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. Matthew 16:16-17 (ESV)

The word “Christ” is the Greek equivalent of the Hebrew word “messiah,” which means anointed one. The implication was that he was and is the promised king in David’s line. The Jews eagerly waited for this Messiah King who, they thought, would liberate them from Roman tyranny and restore Israel’s political, social, and spiritual fortunes. The phrase “son of God” most likely was another way of saying he was the Messiah. Jesus acknowledged that Peter received this revelation from his heavenly Father.

This was how Jesus gauged the activity of the Spirit in his disciples. Had they yet seen and understood who he really was and is? The same is true today. Have we yet seen as we should?

Peter was ready to follow his messianic king all the way to victory, even if he died along the way. Peter’s view of Jesus propelled him forward as a faithful follower. However, Peter’s understanding of Christ’s identity was still incomplete and insufficient to give him the strength to keep going during the difficult tests that lay ahead. When the populace welcomed Jesus to Jerusalem just prior to his crucifixion, they viewed him hopefully in the same light as Peter. The Bible records that they shouted:

…“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” 10  And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred up, saying, “Who is this?” 11  And the crowds said, “This is the prophet Jesus, from Nazareth of Galilee.” Matthew 21:9-11 (ESV)

They believed Jesus was a prophet, the coming messianic king, but, like Peter, their understanding was not complete or sufficient, and, unfortunately, many who claim the name of Christian today also have an incomplete understanding of who Jesus is.

When Jesus did not deliver the expected “goods” 2000 years ago, the people quickly turned on him and assisted the Jewish rulers in putting him to death. People are eager to follow someone who will give them success, wealth, health, and power, but Jesus did the very opposite. He offered his disciples the opportunity to suffer for his name as they took the gospel message to the ends of the earth.

Today many so called Christians face similar crises of faith when Jesus does not turn out to be who we expected.

What Peter did not understand is that Jesus is not only the prophet and the expected messianic king, but he is also the Lamb of God and the prophesied Son of Man, the victorious Lord of Lords mentioned in the Book of Daniel. Peter did not realize that Jesus had to suffer as God’s Lamb in order to restore us back to a right relationship with his heavenly Father. This was confusing and offensive to Peter. Jesus’ arrest in the garden, shook Peter’s faith to the core. He was ready to fight for his messiah king, but not at all prepared to watch him die as God’s Lamb. Unknown to Peter, suffering had to precede glory. The cross had to come before the resurrection. The Lamb ministry prepared the way for Christ’s glorious role as the risen Son of Man.

The role of suffering is not understood by many of us. We are willing to give allegiance to someone who will bless us, but not to a Lord who might requires us to suffer. (2 Timothy 2:12)

Who Is Jesus to Us?

Conversely, many us who call ourselves Christians only see Jesus as the crucified Lamb of God who provides forgiveness of sins and the promise of eternal life. We do not truly believe or act as if he is the undisputed Lord of all. We may attend church services on a regular basis and give to the ministry, but otherwise we are content to live as if Jesus has no actual claim upon the rest of our lives.

We act as if we believe that Jesus simply wants to get us to heaven, but has no great interest in how we live here and now.

Jesus’ resurrection changed everything. According to Paul, he arose in power in order to bring the nations to “the obedience of faith.” (Romans 1:4-5)

Faith has two components. One is agreeing with and receiving God’s truth about Jesus. The other is declaring allegiance to the King.

If our belief in Christ does not result in our declaring unqualified allegiance to him, we have not really believed.

Confessing that Jesus is Lord is the door through which every child of God must pass in order to partake of the new birth and salvation. (Romans 10:9) It is instructive that Paul did not tell us to confess that Jesus is God’s Lamb and our Savior. He told us to confess his lordship. The early Christians were not put to death for proclaiming that Jesus was their personal Savior. No, they refused to back off from declaring that he was and is Lord, even over Caesar.

“Why do you call me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and not do what I tell you? 47  Everyone who comes to me and hears my words and does them, I will show you what he is like: 48  he is like a man building a house, who dug deep and laid the foundation on the rock. And when a flood arose, the stream broke against that house and could not shake it, because it had been well built. 49  But the one who hears and does not do them is like a man who built a house on the ground without a foundation. When the stream broke against it, immediately it fell, and the ruin of that house was great.” Luke 6:46-49 (ESV)

In Jesus’ day, plenty of people were ready to call him Lord, but far fewer were prepared to live as if they meant it. If Jesus is our Lord, he asks us to bring every area of our lives under his dominion. This is the nature of true repentance.

Those who simply want a free pass into heaven without surrendering their lives to Jesus’ lordship cannot truthfully call themselves disciples. Maybe they can claim the title of “believer,” but even that is suspect, if we translate faith as allegiance.

Conclusion

The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that salvation is by faith-allegiance to Christ in light of his finished work on the cross and his resurrection. Paul summarized:

If you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For it is by believing in your heart that you are made right with God, and it is by confessing with your mouth that you are saved. Romans 10:9-10 (NLT)

I firmly believe in the doctrine of justification by faith. By placing our faith in Christ and his finished work, we partake of all the benefits of what he did and who he is. The Holy Spirit comes to live inside every disciple to begin a lifelong transformation process of conforming us to think, speak, feel, and act as Jesus. Jesus made it very clear, however, that wolves disguise themselves in sheep’s clothing.

Only God knows the heart. We must judge by what we observe. As Jesus said, we can know people by their “fruit,” in other words, by what they do.

True faith bears good fruit (the fruit of the Spirit, the results of our ongoing character transformation); whereas, a bad tree produces bad fruit. (Jesus’ own words) It’s important for us who claim the name of Christ to be fruit inspectors, beginning with our own tree. Do our lives match our profession? Do we live as if we truly believe that Jesus is Lord of Lords, or have we settled for something far less? What would happen if the entire church would start living as if we believed that Jesus is the coming glorious Son of Man instead of a mere personal savior? Why don’t we find out?

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Holiness Is Probably Not What You Think It Is

 

Holiness is one of the unchangeable attributes of God and a part of the Christian life, but it is probably not what you think it is.

In God’s case, it refers to his absolute purity and separation from everything impure or defiled, which includes sin. According to Jesus, only the pure in heart, a characteristic of holiness, will see God.

Blessed are the pure in heart, for they shall see God. Matthew 5:8 (NASB)

 

Anyone who seriously follows the Lord understands that separating ourselves from that which defiles the heart, mind, and spirit is an important part of the discipleship journey.

Paul wrote…

Because we have these promises, dear friends, let us cleanse ourselves from everything that can defile our body or spirit. And let us work toward complete holiness because we fear God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 (NLT)

What exactly is holiness? If we fail to properly answer this, we may pursue the wrong thing.

Defining Holiness

Through the centuries, we Christians have wrestled with what it means to be holy, consecrated, pure in heart, or set apart to God. What does it look like? How do we achieve it?

Ideas about holiness can be broken into two main sub-categories: separation FROM and consecration TO.

The “Separate FROM” category is quite often what is understood about holiness. The Judaism of Jesus’ day largely focused on what not to do – foods to avoid, people and things not to touch, labor on the Sabbath that was prohibited, and sins to avoid. Surprisingly and provoking much anger among the Jewish leaders, Jesus taught that what goes on inside a person is more important than external observances. He taught that the foods we eat and ritual hand washing, for example, do not affect our relationship with God.

Then Peter said to Jesus, “Explain to us the parable that says people aren’t defiled by what they eat.” 16  “Don’t you understand yet?” Jesus asked. 17  “Anything you eat passes through the stomach and then goes into the sewer. 18  But the words you speak come from the heart—that’s what defiles you. 19  For from the heart come evil thoughts, murder, adultery, all sexual immorality, theft, lying, and slander. 20  These are what defile you. Eating with unwashed hands will never defile you.” Matthew 15:15-20 (NLT)

Here Jesus highlighted separation from that which breaks our communion with God, which is an important part of holiness. We are unable to properly serve two masters.

Being holy means we must leave behind that which detracts from our relationship with God and pursue that which enhances it. Jesus seemed to be more interested in what it means to be consecrated TO God and his will.

That is the only explanation of why he left heaven and came to earth to die for his enemies as God’s sacrificial Lamb. He certainly did not have any sin from which to separate himself.

Jesus’ challenge was to consecrate himself to God’s will, no matter what the personal cost.

During a particularly dark time in the history of the West, the monastic movement was a reaction to society’s and the organized church’s corruption. Adherents to the holiness FROM philosophy fled from the world to pursue their version of contemplative holiness in isolation. On the positive side, God used the monastic movement to preserve much of what was in danger of being lost, including the Bible, but the down side was that it was built upon a defensive “fortress” mentality.

Sadly, any time the church turns inward, the Great Commission tends to fall to the bottom of the priority list.

Thankfully there were exceptions to the rule. Some monastic orders were quite evangelistic.

Going farther down history’s road, members of the Methodist “Holy Clubs,” who were definitely evangelistic, were committed to asking one another rigorous questions that probed into what sins its members had struggled with during the week. On the surface this sounds like a very aggressive way to promote holiness through accountability, but I don’t recall Jesus ever doing this with his disciples. Do you? Although confession can be a good thing, it is decidedly focused on separation FROM, not consecration TO, and I find very little in the New Testament to indicate it was a common practice in the early church. The one place it’s mentioned is in reference to healing.

Are any of you sick? You should call for the elders of the church to come and pray over you, anointing you with oil in the name of the Lord. 15 Such a prayer offered in faith will heal the sick, and the Lord will make you well. And if you have committed any sins, you will be forgiven. 16 Confess your sins to each other and pray for each other so that you may be healed. The earnest prayer of a righteous person has great power and produces wonderful results. James 5:14–16 (NLT)

Just to be clear, holiness viewed as separation FROM sin and the evil world system is certainly a valid focus for holiness. Serious followers of Christ realize that Jesus holds his followers to a high standard of righteous living, one which only the Holy Spirit can accomplish in and through us.

However, this same Paul knew that focusing on separation FROM sin and all that defiles people lends itself to the bondage of becoming overly sin conscious. Instead of the victorious and joyful experience of living by grace, it tends to promote what some have called a joyless sort of “sin management” and legalism.

This is where some groups go off track by making all sorts rules for what is forbidden. Focusing on managing our sin will likely lead us into the gloom of despair, the coldness of cynicism, or nauseating hypocrisy, any of which demoralizes God’s people and repulses those whom we have been commissioned to reach with the gospel.

To reinforce this point, Paul wrote in Romans Chapter Seven:

And I know that nothing good lives in me, that is, in my sinful nature. I want to do what is right, but I can’t. 19  I want to do what is good, but I don’t. I don’t want to do what is wrong, but I do it anyway. 20  But if I do what I don’t want to do, I am not really the one doing wrong; it is sin living in me that does it. 21  I have discovered this principle of life—that when I want to do what is right, I inevitably do what is wrong. Romans 7:18-21 (NLT)

Been there. Done that. Got the T-shirt. No longer interested…

If our version of living for Christ is built around a quest to manage our sin, we likely will have little motivation to share this so called “good” news with others and invite them to join us in our miserable struggle.

People on the “outside” looking at our misguided way of pursuing Christ will likely decide that they simply are not interested. How many people have rejected the gospel because the church has demonstrated a joyless version of what it means to follow Christ?

The Gift of True Holiness

Legalistic sin management finds its cure in receiving what Jesus already accomplished for us.

There is only one perfect person who ever lived: his name is Jesus. He served his Father with perfect joyful obedience. His life was not a struggle to obey his Father. Jesus’ heart is reflected in these words by the psalmist.

Then I said, “Look, I have come. As is written about me in the Scriptures: 8  I take joy in doing your will, my God, for your instructions are written on my heart.” Psalm 40:7-8 (NLT)

As the Second Adam and the progenitor of the rebirth of humanity, Jesus lived the way God originally intended, in complete reliance upon, partnership with, and obedience to the Creator of the universe.

He earned a glorious reward for his obedient life and sacrificial death. In doing so, our Lord paid the price for our sins and mistakes, our horrible failures at life the way God intended.

When Jesus rose again victoriously, he freely provided for us his perfect standing and relationship with God, which is based on his already having lived a perfect life, thus ending forever our need to strive for sinless, mistake free living.

The Bible calls this justification. Through faith in Christ, we have been given a right standing with God. We are perfect and without fault in his sight.

Therefore, since we have been made right in God’s sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. 2  Because of our faith, Christ has brought us into this place of undeserved privilege where we now stand, and we confidently and joyfully look forward to sharing God’s glory. Romans 5:1-2 (NLT)

If we lose sight of this, we easily descend into a graceless kind of living that is based on our own vain attempts to make ourselves holy. It’s not going to happen..

A big secret to victorious living is focusing every day on what Jesus did for us and who he is for us and in us. A great spiritual truth is that we are transformed into the image of what or whom upon which we focus our attention.

But whenever someone turns to the Lord, the veil is taken away. 17  For the Lord is the Spirit, and wherever the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom. 18  So all of us who have had that veil removed can see and reflect the glory of the Lord. And the Lord—who is the Spirit—makes us more and more like him as we are changed into his glorious image. 2 Corinthians 3:16-18 (NLT)

We were never intended to focus on what is wrong with us in a misguided attempt to perfect ourselves.

All that does is strengthen what is wrong. (The strength of sin is the Law… 1 Corinthians 15:56)

God wants us to focus on our Savior and Lord, trusting in his finished work, his grace, and the indwelling Holy Spirit to transform us from the inside out into his likeness as we consecrate ourselves TO him and his mission.

Such a focus will move us from sin consciousness to God consciousness. It will move us from sin avoidance to the pursuit of God. It will produce an inner joy that is contagious and set the stage for an outward focus upon what is important to God.

Love, the Maturity of Holiness

Have you ever wrestled with these words from Jesus?

But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:48 (NLT)

We have already seen that he did not intend for us to become self-absorbed sin managers. His burden is easy, not the heavy weight of legalism.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

What then did Jesus mean when he told his followers to be perfect?

The context of this saying was a teaching on loving our enemies.

You have heard the law that says, ‘Love your neighbor’ and hate your enemy. 44  But I say, love your enemies! Pray for those who persecute you! 45  In that way, you will be acting as true children of your Father in heaven. For he gives his sunlight to both the evil and the good, and he sends rain on the just and the unjust alike. 46  If you love only those who love you, what reward is there for that? Even corrupt tax collectors do that much. 47  If you are kind only to your friends, how are you different from anyone else? Even pagans do that. 48  But you are to be perfect, even as your Father in heaven is perfect. Matthew 5:43-48 (NLT)

This teaching strikes a fatal blow at the fortress mentality. Allow me to reword what Jesus said: “If we only want to love and hang around other Christians, how do we reflect God’s love?”

Our English word “perfect” comes from the Greek word teleios, which literally means “having reached its end” or “complete” – in other words, “maturity.” We can think of this kind of perfection as fruit that has ripened and come to maturity. Such fruit is ready to be eaten and reproduce itself. When we are “ripe” or mature in the Spirit, we are ready for the Master’s use and attractive to those who are open to the gospel. We are capable of reproducing ourselves in new disciples, thus fulfilling the Great Commission.

The kind of perfection of holiness God wants from us can be summarized as a coming into a maturity of love, which is the result of God’s Spirit transforming us on the inside.

Pursuing love is even more challenging than trying to manage our sin, but without the demoralizing effect. Pursuing love is other focused, outward looking, and God’ glorifying. It motivates us to venture out of our Christian church fortresses into the world.

Here is my working definition of true holiness.

Holiness is a deep inner call from the Holy Spirit, drawing us toward worship of God and glorifying him through expressing his loving heart to the people of the world.

Separated to the Gospel

Listen to the Great Shepherd’s heart.

When he [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them because they were confused and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd. 37  He said to his disciples, “The harvest is great, but the workers are few.38 So pray to the Lord who is in charge of the harvest; ask him to send more workers into his fields.” Matthew 9:36-38 (NLT)

Love is what gave Jesus eyes to see people in their true condition. Love is what propelled him out of the comforts and glories of heaven into this sin wracked world to “seek and save the lost.” (Luke 19:10)

Love will open our eyes to the true condition of those around us. It will lead us to prioritize seeking first God’s kingdom and righteousness. It will prod us out of our lethargy to go after harassed and helpless sheep and spiritual orphans, many of whom live in our own neighborhoods.

Jesus specifically asked us to pray for more laborers to be sent into the harvest. He did not ask us to pray for more intercessors, leaders, teachers, or worshipers, as important as these ministries are. He commanded us to ask the Lord of the Harvest to raise up people with a shepherd’s heart who will leave the comforts of home to do the work of evangelists and disciple makers in their neighborhoods, cities, and even in the remotest parts of the earth. This is a big part of what it means to be consecrated to the gospel and to the Lord.

Are you willing join Jesus in this prayer? Are you willing to be the answer?

May we grow to be so in love with Jesus and so separated to the gospel that everything else comes up a distant second place in our hearts. This is the true meaning of holiness.

Prayer

Lord, forgive us and deliver us from the apathy and lukewarmness of casual, comfortable Christianity. Infuse and overwhelm us with your love for the lost, people who have not yet discovered the amazing love of the Good Shepherd. Prod and propel us out of our cozy cocoons into the adventure of sharing the good news with neighbors, coworkers, and even strangers. Amen.

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How we see Jesus will determine our eternity.

When we consider Jesus, what do we see, a man, a prophet, a teacher, a blasphemer, a fool, or someone great beyond comprehension?

How we see Jesus will determine our eternity.

For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:40 (NASB)

Jesus told us that seeing who he really is by revelation will lead to our having faith and pledging our allegiance to him. Unless the Spirit of God opens our eyes to behold Jesus correctly, we may miss him entirely, just as most of the Jewish leaders of his day did. Some of them regarded him as a blasphemer who was a threat to the nation. Others regarded him as a fool, even those of his own family at times. Others said he was demonized. His disciples, however, followed him because they saw him in a far different light by revelation from the Holy Spirit.

The magi saw a king. John the Baptist saw the Lamb of God, the Baptizer in the Spirit, and the Messianic Son of God. The first disciples imperfectly glimpsed him as their hoped for Messiah (John 1:43-49). Peter famously proclaimed him to be the Messiah, when Jesus asked him who did men say he was. (Matthew 16:15-20) Few understood that the Lamb of God ministry required him to die upon the cross for our sins. The rest of the disciples tried to skip that and go straight to his exalted kingship, not realizing that suffering had to precede glory. (Luke 24:25-26) When Jesus rose from the grave, his followers saw him in an entirely new light. Their eyes were opened to see some of his glory, just as God had previewed to Peter, James, and John on the mount of transfiguration.

Each revelation we receive regarding Christ’s identity impacts us deeply.

Today many see him as the Lamb of God who died for our sins. We love Jesus deeply for the sacrifice he made on our behalf. This is the beginning of our revelation of Jesus true identity. Seeing him as the glorious risen Lord inspires us to worship and surrender our lives to him. Seeing him as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit empowers us to be his witnesses and join his disciple making army in fulfilling the Great Commission. But there is another revelation the Spirit wishes to impart to us. It is the one Jesus self-identified with when he stood on trial before the Sanhedrin.

How amazing it will be one day to see him as the glorious Son of Man who will come in glory on the Last Day to judge the living and the dead!

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63  But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64  Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65  Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. Matthew 26:62-65 (NLT)

We have heard what John the Baptist said about Jesus. We have read what Peter said about Jesus, but should we not be even more interested in what Jesus had to say about himself when the chips were down?

Jesus told his tormentors that he was and is the divine being prophesied in Daniel who will one day judge all men,  including those who were condemning him. This claim was so outlandish in the eyes of the Jewish leaders that they pronounced him to be a blasphemer and condemned him to death. Can you imagine telling God’s only begotten Son, the eternal Word of God, the Creator and Sustainer of the universe, that he is a blasphemer? And yet, that is exactly what they did!

If you see Jesus as he really is, you will fall down and worship him. If you do not, you will either ignore, despise, or want to kill him.

Followers of Christ are rarely persecuted for claiming that Jesus is their personal savior. We might be ridiculed or pitied for having such a belief, but probably will not be perceived as being much of a threat. But when we proclaim Christ’s divinity, lordship, and dominion over all creation, that is another matter altogether.

The Son of Man revelation is a fault line that divides humanity. We must choose one side or another as we wait for the great unveiling of the truth at his Second Coming.

The  word “apocalypse” means a revealing, the uncovering of something previously hidden.

The Second Coming will be a grand revelation or uncovering of the truth about Jesus.

When he returns on the clouds with glory, the Bible says that every eye will see him as he truly is, requiring every knee to bow to him. He will judge every person who ever lived, assigning them to their eternal destinies. Right now, Jesus’ true identity is hidden from the vast majority of people. They cannot see him seated on the throne of God waiting until his enemies be made his footstool. (Acts 2:34-36)

Only those whose eyes have been opened by the Spirit know who he is, and we only know imperfectly. When he returns, unbelievers will suddenly realize how mistaken they had been, and we who know him imperfectly will all know as we are known. (1 Corinthians 13:12)

God designed things this way as a judgment upon the cleverness of those whose hearts are not submitted to God.

At that time Jesus prayed this prayer: “O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, thank you for hiding these things from those who think themselves wise and clever, and for revealing them to the childlike. 26  Yes, Father, it pleased you to do it this way! 27  “My Father has entrusted everything to me. No one truly knows the Son except the Father, and no one truly knows the Father except the Son and those to whom the Son chooses to reveal him.” Matthew 11:25-27 (NLT)

Only the pure of heart are able to see God, and only God can purify our hearts.

No one deserves to have his or her spiritual eyes opened, but God in his mercy chooses to do so for many. The good news is that if we are at all drawn to Jesus, it is because the Spirit is at work in us. Jesus said he will never cast aside anyone who comes to him. (John 6:37) The Holy Spirit is the one who opens our eyes to behold Jesus as he really is.

I asked him over fifty years ago to reveal to me if Jesus is really the one the Bible says he is. It did not take long for that prayer to be answered, about two weeks! How about you? Are you hungry to know Jesus’ true identity? if you already believe in him, do you want the Spirit to reveal more to you?

The greater our revelation of Jesus, the greater our love and commitment to him will be.

Commitment without revelation is simply legalism. Revelation without commitment is a plant with no roots. Jesus came to satisfy the hungry heart. He will not let us down if we seek him.

Keep on asking, and you will receive what you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door will be opened to you. 8  For everyone who asks, receives. Everyone who seeks, finds. And to everyone who knocks, the door will be opened. Matthew 7:7-8 (NLT)
Prayer

Holy Spirit, I want to see Jesus as he really is. Open my spiritual eyes, unstop my ears, and soften my heart that I may behold him in his glory. Change me forever and let me be sold out to him with nothing holding me back. Amen.

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When the Lamb Became a Lion

Jesus died on the cross as the sacrificial Lamb of God, but when he rose from the dead he did so as the Lion of the Tribe of Judah.

In C.S. Lewis’ classic, The Chronicles of Narnia, Aslan the lion represents Jesus Christ. Aslan allows himself to be put to death by the evil witch, but returned to life to destroy her rule and release all those who had been enslaved through her magic. Below is one of the more memorable passages.

“Aslan is a lion- the Lion, the great Lion.” “Ooh” said Susan. “I’d thought he was a man. Is he-quite safe? I shall feel rather nervous about meeting a lion”…”Safe?” said Mr Beaver …”Who said anything about safe? ‘Course he isn’t safe. But he’s good. He’s the King, I tell you.”

People like to imagine that Jesus is quite safe, sort of a household god who can be relied upon to rescue us from hell and take care of our needs along the way. However, just as was the case with Aslan, Jesus has never been really “safe.” It can be extremely unnerving to be his follower, and we never know what he may do or ask us to do next. But he is always good, and he is the King whose glory and power now fill all things. When he emerged from the tomb, the Lamb had become a Lion.

The Lamb of God

Just as John the Baptist prophesied, Jesus died on the cross as the Lamb of God, taking upon himself the guilt and punishment for our rebellion against God.

He was oppressed and treated harshly, yet he never said a word. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. And as a sheep is silent before the shearers, he did not open his mouth. Isaiah 53:7 (NLT)

Jesus’ role as the Lamb of God was the safest for us and the most costly for him. He did nothing to retaliate against his accusers and oppressors. He gave no demonstration of his power and authority. He simply and quietly submitted to death at their hands to fulfill God’s plan. Some people imagine that is how he always is.

His first coming to the earth accomplished God’s purpose to redeem and reconcile a remnant of humanity back to the Father and bring the world back under God’s proper authority and dominion as the Second Adam, the head and source of a new race of people through the new birth.

As the Lamb, Jesus did all the heavy lifting on our behalf. By rebelling against God, we earned the sentence of death, which is the unavoidable consequence of sin. Father God asked Jesus to lay down his life for us by taking upon himself God’s righteous anger and condemnation against our sin.

But he was pierced for our rebellion, crushed for our sins. He was beaten so we could be whole. He was whipped so we could be healed. 6  All of us, like sheep, have strayed away. We have left God’s paths to follow our own. Yet the LORD laid on him the sins of us all. Isaiah 53:5-6 (NLT)

The law of sin and death is part of the law of sowing and reaping. If we sin, we die. By taking our just condemnation upon himself, Jesus released us from the law of sin and death.

For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (NLT)

Instead of remaining under God’s judgment, according to Romans 8:1-2, we who believe are now under a new law, which is called the law of the Spirit of life.

It might be summarized as follows: we sinned, Jesus died, and now we live. Quite a deal the Lamb worked out for us! As Jesus put it:

I tell you the truth, those who listen to my message and believe in God who sent me have eternal life. They will never be condemned for their sins, but they have already passed from death into life. John 5:24 (NLT)

The only way we can pass from death to life is because Jesus already did. He died and rose again. When we put our faith and allegiance in Christ, we participate in his victory over sin and the grave!

As God’s Lamb, Jesus invites us to come to him and be released from the burden of our sin and the requirement to perfectly keep the Law.

Then Jesus said, “Come to me, all of you who are weary and carry heavy burdens, and I will give you rest. 29  Take my yoke upon you. Let me teach you, because I am humble and gentle at heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30  For my yoke is easy to bear, and the burden I give you is light.” Matthew 11:28-30 (NLT)

This is the “safe” Jesus, the Lamb who laid down his life for us and offers rest for our weary souls.

This is the one who bears our burdens for us and takes care not to overload us. This is the only way many people know Jesus, but it is only part of the story. The Lamb is also a Lion.

The Lion of the Tribe of Judah

When Jesus rose from the dead, he emerged from the tomb as the Lion of the tribe of Judah. John the Revelator was privileged to see a vision of the risen Lamb who had become a Lion and passed it on to us.

Then I began to weep bitterly because no one was found worthy to open the scroll and read it. 5  But one of the twenty-four elders said to me, “Stop weeping! Look, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the heir to David’s throne, has won the victory. He is worthy to open the scroll and its seven seals.” 6  Then I saw a Lamb that looked as if it had been slaughtered,... 7  He stepped forward and took the scroll from the right hand of the one sitting on the throne. 8  And when he took the scroll, the four living beings and the twenty-four elders fell down before the Lamb. Each one had a harp, and they held gold bowls filled with incense, which are the prayers of God’s people. 9  And they sang a new song with these words: “You are worthy to take the scroll and break its seals and open it. For you were slaughtered, and your blood has ransomed people for God from every tribe and language and people and nation. 10  And you have caused them to become a Kingdom of priests for our God. And they will reign on the earth.” 11  Then I looked again, and I heard the voices of thousands and millions of angels around the throne and of the living beings and the elders. 12  And they sang in a mighty chorus: “Worthy is the Lamb who was slaughtered— to receive power and riches and wisdom and strength and honor and glory and blessing.” 13  And then I heard every creature in heaven and on earth and under the earth and in the sea. They sang: “Blessing and honor and glory and power belong to the one sitting on the throne and to the Lamb forever and ever.” Revelation 5:4-13 (NLT)

This amazing vision reveals that the risen and ascended Jesus still retains his identity as God’s Lamb, but in a transformed way. Even though the Lamb carries the marks of death, he is alive and is also a glorious lion-like figure.

This visionary symbol takes us back to the first book of the Bible when Jacob blessed his sons upon his deathbed, looking far into the future as a prophet.

Judah, my son, is a young lion that has finished eating its prey. Like a lion he crouches and lies down; like a lioness—who dares to rouse him? 10  The scepter will not depart from Judah, nor the ruler’s staff from his descendants, until the coming of the one to whom it belongs, the one whom all nations will honor. Genesis 49:9-10 (NLT)

As you no doubt guessed, in Matthew’s gospel, although Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit, Joseph, Jesus’ adoptive father, descended from the tribe of Judah, provided Jesus with full legal rights as a member of that tribe. He was the one about whom Jacob prophesied in Genesis. He is the Lion, the King whom all nations will honor.

When Jesus rose from the dead, Paul said he was declared to be the Son of God, which can be understood as the long awaited divine Messianic King descended from King David.

and he [Jesus] was shown to be the Son of God when he was raised from the dead by the power of the Holy Spirit. He is Jesus Christ [Messiah] our Lord. Romans 1:4 (NLT)

Before his resurrection, Isaiah prophesied that he would be despised and rejected by men, which happened. (Isaiah 53:3)

But now, having risen from the dead, Jesus is not one to take lightly. He is the Lord.

King David wrote these prophetic words centuries ago as he, by the Spirit, looked forward to the Lamb who became the Lion King.

Now then, you kings, act wisely! Be warned, you rulers of the earth! 11  Serve the LORD with reverent fear, and rejoice with trembling. 12  Submit to God’s royal son, or he will become angry, and you will be destroyed in the midst of all your activities— for his anger flares up in an instant. But what joy for all who take refuge in him! Psalm 2:10-12 (NLT)

This is not the safe version of Jesus. This is not Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane who passively yielded to the soldiers. This passage paints a picture of the coming King who will exact vengeance upon his enemies. Do we know this Jesus?

The lion-like Messianic King is a dangerous person for those who resist his rule. He is still the Lamb for those who know him as their shepherd, though. The choice is ours regarding how we will know and experience him.

The Glorious Son of Man

Paul wrote that one day every knee will bow to Jesus and every mouth acknowledge his majesty and glory. This will happen when he returns in the clouds with his people and the angels at his side to execute God’s righteous judgment upon all people both living and the dead.

The Lamb who became a Lion will appear in the sky as the glorious Son of Man, whom Daniel the prophet saw prophetically and wrote about so long ago.

As my vision continued that night, I saw someone like a son of man coming with the clouds of heaven. He approached the Ancient One and was led into his presence. 14  He was given authority, honor, and sovereignty over all the nations of the world, so that people of every race and nation and language would obey him. His rule is eternal—it will never end. His kingdom will never be destroyed. Daniel 7:13-14 (NLT)

When Jesus stood before the Sanhedrin the night before his crucifixion, he humbled himself by allowing a mockery of a human court to judge him, God’s Son, as a blasphemer and sentence him to a brutal death. But before they led him away to die as God’s Lamb, our Lord’s gave his final testimony before that court, identifying himself as the Son of Man in Daniel’s prophecy.

Then the high priest stood up and said to Jesus, “Well, aren’t you going to answer these charges? What do you have to say for yourself?” 63  But Jesus remained silent. Then the high priest said to him, “I demand in the name of the living God—tell us if you are the Messiah, the Son of God.” 64  Jesus replied, “You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God’s right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven.” 65  Then the high priest tore his clothing to show his horror and said, “Blasphemy! Why do we need other witnesses? You have all heard his blasphemy. Matthew 26:62-65 (NLT)

When the Lamb of God who was slain returns  in the clouds as the mighty Lord of Lords, the Lion of Judah, and the glorious Son of Man, those who accused and condemned him come before him to be held accountable for what they said and did. What do you think they will say? Will they still despise him? Will they not fall on their faces in absolute dread and horror for their heinous crime of rejecting the Messiah and putting him to death? And what about those of us who still refuse his offer of forgiveness and still choose not to acknowledge his Lordship? What will we say on that day?

Conclusion

Christ’s resurrection was a great day in the history of the world.

But consider this. As great as the resurrection was, the Second Coming will be even more glorious.His resurrection was witnessed by a few, but his glorious return will be seen by the whole earth.

When Jesus sits on the judgment seat as the glorious Son of Man, every person who ever lived will be forced to acknowledge his glory and greatness. We presently have the privilege of acknowledging his glorious lordship before that terrible day of the Lord. All those who choose to put their trust and allegiance in Christ and surrender their lives to his loving rule will be saved from their sins and brought into the family of God. His Second Coming will hold no terror for us, because as God’s Lamb he took our condemnation upon himself, bringing us into a proper alignment with him.

We know how much God loves us, and we have put our trust in his love. God is love, and all who live in love live in God, and God lives in them. 17  And as we live in God, our love grows more perfect. So we will not be afraid on the day of judgment, but we can face him with confidence because we live like Jesus here in this world. 18  Such love has no fear, because perfect love expels all fear. If we are afraid, it is for fear of punishment, and this shows that we have not fully experienced his perfect love. 1 John 4:16-18 (NLT)

The gospel is an invitation to lay down our rebellion against God and enter into a love-servant relationship with the Lamb who became the Lion King of Judah.

The greatest transforming power in the universe if God’s love. It is the key to everything, and it is only available through the Lamb of God.

“For God loved the world so much that he gave his one and only Son, so that everyone who believes in him will not perish but have eternal life. John 3:16 (NLT)

If you have never done so, let today be the day that you publicly acknowledge that he is both your Lord and your Savior, your Lion and Lamb. Don’t miss this golden opportunity! If you have already confessed that Jesus is the Lord, recommit yourself to follow him with all your heart. Ask the Holy Spirit to make you a bold witness to his lordship.

Prayer

Jesus, you are far greater and more glorious than I previously imagined. I choose to bow my knee before you. I acknowledge that you are the Lord. I thank you for dying for my sins as God’s Lamb. I receive your forgiveness and the life you provide in your Spirit. Help me to live for you from this day forward. Amen.

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Water Baptism: Our Pledge of Allegiance to the King

 

Water baptism is a public pledge of allegiance to Jesus the King.

One of the core parts of the Gospel is that Jesus fulfilled God’s promise to King David that one of his descendants would occupy Israel’s throne forever.

“When your days are complete and you lie down with your fathers, I will raise up your descendant after you, who will come forth from you, and I will establish his kingdom. 13  “He shall build a house for My name, and I will establish the throne of his kingdom forever.” 2 Samuel 7:12-13 (NASB)

When Jesus rose from the dead, he was confirmed as the promised Davidic King, the Jewish Messiah, the glorious Lord of Lords, who now sits at God’s right hand, possessing all authority in heaven and earth and ruling over his kingdom until his enemies are completely subdued. One day he will come again as the glorious Son of Man in Daniel 7:13-14 to judge the living and the dead and share his glory and authority with those who declare their allegiance to him.

And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19  “Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20  teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” Matthew 28:18-20 (NASB)

The only proper response to make to such a Person is to give him our allegiance, trust, love, and loyal service.

An Old Testament Example of Pledging Allegiance

When David, the called and anointed but yet to be crowned king of Israel, was hiding in the wilderness to escape King Saul’s jealous and murderous pursuit, men began to recognize David’s leadership and calling and realized that he was the future king of Israel. They heard about Samuel’s prophecy over him and how that prophet had poured oil over his head to anoint him as Israel’s future king. They knew that David had killed the giant and led Israel’s armies to victory over her enemies. The Holy Spirit inspired many to join his rag tag band of believers in the wilderness.

One such man was a leader named Amasai, who approached David at his hideout. When David questioned his intentions, whether he came as friend or foe, the Bible says that Amasai was “clothed” with the Holy Spirit, which means that Amasai become a spokesman for God at that moment. What came out of his mouth was a huge encouragement to David on two accounts. Here is what he said, which has been recorded for our benefit.

Then the Spirit clothed Amasai, chief of the thirty, and he said, “We are yours, O David, and with you, O son of Jesse! Peace, peace to you, and peace to your helpers! For your God helps you.” Then David received them and made them officers of his troops. 1 Chronicles 12:18 (ESV)

On the one hand, Amasai spoke words of affirmation and encouragement to David. He prophesied that God would give David and his supporters success (shalom) in every way – peace, prosperity, health, wholeness, and victory. When he said, “your God helps you,” he described perfectly one of the most important ministries of God’s Spirit, whom Jesus called the “Helper” in John 14:16. He is the one who is called alongside and now lives inside true believers to enable us to enjoy God’s presence and fulfill God’s purposes for our lives. David was in a very stressful and discouraging situation, and these words must have refreshed his soul.

In addition, Amasai’s words were a  declaration of allegiance to King David and a model for us with respect to King Jesus, David’s promised descendant. It was a threefold declaration of faith: an acknowledgement of David’s identity as king, a profession of loyalty, and a dedication to service. This is what it means to “believe” in our Lord.

Being a Christian is much more than agreeing with a doctrinal statement of faith: it is trust in and loyalty to the risen King.

The Gospel Call to Allegiance

A good Gospel presentation should include the declaration that after his resurrection Jesus ascended into heaven and now sits at God’s right hand as the reigning Lord of all, who will come again in glory to judge the living and the dead. Peter preached these words to Cornelius in the first Gospel presentation to Gentiles with the promise that “everyone who believes in him receives forgiveness of sins through his name.” (Acts 10:43) It should be clear that the belief to which Peter refers is that Jesus is Lord of all. Paul confirms this in his famous rendering of the essence of what it means to become a follower of Christ.

because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved. 10  For with the heart one believes and is justified, and with the mouth one confesses and is saved. Romans 10:9-10 (ESV)

We confess what we believe; so, if we confess that Jesus is Lord, it is because that is what we believe. Confession of Christ’s lordship presupposes that we properly respond as his subjects, which is to give allegiance, honor, trust, love, and obedient service to him. Those who do this are forgiven of their sins of disobedience and disloyalty to God and his Messiah King. It’s really very simple, but often misunderstood. We are not asked merely to confess that Jesus is our merciful Savior who died for our sins as God’s Lamb, but who does not require anything from us. Rather, we are told to confess that he is Lord, which presupposes our love, loyalty, and obedience.

Any Gospel presentation that does not major on Christ’s identity as the risen Lord is deficient. Our response to this amazing news must include a declaration of allegiance to the Lord, or we are little more than Christian consumers who are looking for a “get out of jail free” card.

When we confess that Jesus is Lord, we acknowledge his true identity, declare our allegiance, and devote ourselves to a lifetime of service, just as Amasai did toward King David so long ago.

Water baptism is our public formal declaration of allegiance to King Jesus.

It is one thing to privately ask Jesus to be our Lord and Savior, but something else altogether to seal it by being baptized in water. Have you stood up for Jesus in public yet?

Prayer

You may wish to pray the following as a prelude to taking the step of publicly declaring allegiance to King Jesus.

Jesus, I recognize you are indeed Lord of all, just as the Bible says. When you rose from the dead and ascended to God’s right hand, you became my Lord. I bow my knee to you and pledge my loyalty to you. I give my life to you to use me as you see fit. Thank you for forgiving my sins and giving me eternal life! Help me to tell others about this great Good News and help them to be disciples, too. Holy Spirit, fill me and empower me to live the Christ life and to be a fisher of men. Amen.

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Chapter 87: Discipleship as Spiritual Warfare

Discipleship is a form of spiritual warfare called force multiplication.

Jesus commissioned the church to go and make disciples and duplicate itself in others who will be able to multiply our efforts and carry on when we are not present or after we physically die.

And the things that you have heard from me among many witnesses, commit these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  2 Timothy 2:2 (NKJV)

God’s first commandment after creating Adam and Eve was to be fruitful and multiply. Our Lord never rescinded that command. It applies both to biological reproduction and discipleship. The devil hates all forms of reproduction and tries to convince people to refrain from having children at all or at least very few. He even works to convince people that it is to their advantage to abort children in the womb for a variety of reasons. Satan tries to convince people that children are an inconvenience, too expensive, or barriers to pursuing our personal goals. Rather than viewing children negatively, God sees all children as precious and the key to the future.

Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from him. Psalm 127:3 (NLT)

His desire is for the earth to be filled with people who will become part of his eternal family. He wants us to be part of that process by winning people to Christ through the gospel and discipling them to do the same.

Even some in the church have also been affected by a negative view toward spiritual reproduction.

We may prefer the convenience and comfort of relating to our spiritual “clique” instead of accepting the challenge to go out into the world to “catch” people and disciple them. Obviously, this something for which we should repent.

The psalmist wrote:

Children born to a young man are like arrows in a warrior’s hands. 5 How joyful is the man whose quiver is full of them! He will not be put to shame when he confronts his accusers at the city gates.  Psalm 127:4–5 (NLT)

An arrow extends the ability of the archer to inflict damage on the enemy.

Children, both natural (if they become disciples) and spiritual, extend and expand our impact in spiritual warfare.

US Army Special Forces operate behind enemy lines to carry out guerilla operations and to train and equip indigenous guerilla fighters to continue warfare after they leave the area. This is a fine example of force multiplication which parallels Christian discipleship.

If we fail to make disciples, when we physically die, who will be left to carry on the work? The church will cease to exist without the continuous making of new disciples. But we are not to be concerned with merely continuing to exist. Our job is to participate with God in growing the church and expanding the kingdom of God through evangelism and disciple making.

Parents and spiritual leaders are charged with teaching children and disciples how to love God, love people, make disciples, and successfully negotiate this thing called life.

Disciple making simply means that we teach others to live and serve God as we do.

Whatever we prioritize will likely be adopted as being important by our disciples. If we only pay lip service to some aspect of the Christian life, it will likely be viewed as non-essential by those we influence.

Special forces operators are some of our most elite and best trained soldiers. When they make disciples, they make them in their own image.

The better the trainer, the better will be the disciple.

A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is perfectly trained will be like his teacher.  Luke 6:40 (NKJV)

The more joyfully committed the disciple maker, the more committed will be the disciple. We can train people to be full of joy in their service to God or to become dour legalists.

Woe to you, scribes and Pharisees, hypocrites! For you travel land and sea to win one proselyte, and when he is won, you make him twice as much a son of hell as yourselves.  Matthew 23:15 (NKJV)

We cannot escape the law of sowing and reaping when it comes to discipleship. We can only give away what we have. We can only reproduce after our own likeness. God is calling us to commit to becoming the best disciples possible and duplicate ourselves in our followers.

The longest lasting action in spiritual warfare is making disciples.

The goal of evangelism is to add people to God’s family. The goal of discipleship is to multiply workers who bring people into God’s family and continue to multiply workers.

God’s plan is for his kingdom to expand and fill the earth, and this can only happen through making disciples. It is not enough for us to find eternal life for ourselves. This would be equivalent to viewing our time here on the Earth as being only for our own personal enjoyment, without regard to our commission to be fruitful and multiply. God wants us to accept the commission to make disciples and then ask him to assist us in carrying it out.

I believe we should earnestly ask God to give us disciples. If we have young children in our home, we should ask God to help us do the best job we can to teach them to be disciples of our Lord. This means we should also ask the Lord to help us to be the best disciples and disciple makers we can be. Jesus taught quite a lot on what is required for his disciples, most of which is extremely challenging. In fact, it is quite impossible to be a disciple without the help of the Holy Spirit.

The first step of using discipleship as an act of war is to make the decision to become a committed follower of Christ.

This requires us to evaluate our willingness to accept the associated costs.

Or what king would go to war against another king without first sitting down with his counselors to discuss whether his army of 10,000 could defeat the 20,000 soldiers marching against him? 32 And if he can’t, he will send a delegation to discuss terms of peace while the enemy is still far away. 33 So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.  Luke 14:31–33 (NLT)

Once again, as we face the challenge of discipleship, we must turn to the Holy Spirit for help. The Christian life was never meant to be lived on our own. We are dependent beings designed to be led and empowered by God.

When those who look to us for leadership see that we are willing to pay the cost associated with discipleship, it will encourage them to do the same.

If we are unwilling, we will likely produce disciples afflicted with the same lack of commitment.

We will only be able to teach others to obey Christ in those areas where we obey him.

Disciples learn more by what we do than from what we say, if our words are not backed up by actions. Paul wrote;

Therefore I exhort you, be imitators of me.  1 Corinthians 4:16 (NASB95)

Paul modeled discipleship in a multitude of ways.

But you, Timothy, certainly know what I teach, and how I live, and what my purpose in life is. You know my faith, my patience, my love, and my endurance. 11 You know how much persecution and suffering I have endured. You know all about how I was persecuted in Antioch, Iconium, and Lystra—but the Lord rescued me from all of it.  2 Timothy 3:10–11 (NLT)

This is how we pass on to others what we have. We cannot give away something we do not have. Unless we live as a disciple, we will not be able to make disciples.

Jesus told us that continuing faithfulness to his Word makes us his disciples.

Jesus said to the people who believed in him, “You are truly my disciples if you remain faithful to my teachings. 32 And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.”  John 8:31–32 (NLT)

Therefore, it is an act of spiritual warfare to read, study, meditate upon, and put into practice Christ’s teachings, since that is the essence of discipleship. This fits perfectly with the Great Commission in which Jesus taught us to teach others to keep his commandments. We can only teach others to keep what we keep.

Paul wrote to Timothy:

Until I come, give attention to the public reading of Scripture, to exhortation and teaching. 14 Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you, which was bestowed on you through prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery. 15 Take pains with these things; be absorbed in them, so that your progress will be evident to all. 16 Pay close attention to yourself and to your teaching; persevere in these things, for as you do this you will ensure salvation both for yourself and for those who hear you.  1 Timothy 4:13–16 (NASB95)

The more closely we attend to our own walk with Jesus, the better we will be at making disciples.

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The “Lite” Gospel Could Send Us to Hell

In an effort to make the gospel more appealing to the masses, some people preach what I call a “lite” version, which can send us to hell instead of saving us. “Lite” beer and diet colas are designed to taste as much like the real thing as possible, but with fewer calories. We are always looking for ways to cheat the natural consequences of our behavior. Sadly, the substitute ingredients are often harmful to our health, and usually the “lite” version does not taste as well as the original. Surprisingly, such lite versions can work to add weight instead of what they claim. Almost always the more costly and “real” way of producing something will yield superior results, but people who have grown accustomed to the inferior product may actually prefer it over the original.

When it comes to the gospel, the same sort of thing is true.

Over the years, well meaning people have crafted the “gospel” in such a way as to make it quicker, easier, more “palatable,” and less costly to become a Christian in order to mass produce conversions.

Below I will compare and contrast the true gospel with what I perceive to be an inferior “lite” version.

  The True Gospel Gospel Lite
Message Jesus is the Lamb of God who died for our sins. He rose again as Lord of Lords and commissioned his church to go and make disciples. Afterward he ascended to heaven, from where, as the Baptizer in the Holy Spirit and Lord of the Harvest, he poured out the Holy Spirit on the church, empowering her to fulfill the Great Commission. He will come in again in glory as the divine Son of Man to judge all peoples and rule over God’s kingdom forever. Jesus died to provide forgiveness for our sins.
Desired Response Repent from our self-directed lifestyle, confess that Jesus is our Lord, receive the forgiveness he provides whereby we are made part of God’s eternal family, declare our allegiance to him through water baptism, receive the baptism in the Spirit, and join his Great Commission army. Repent and receive forgiveness for your sins, whereby our membership in God’s eternal family is assured.
Big Difference The true gospel emphasizes surrender to Christ’s lordship and participation in the Great Commission. Gospel lite may lead to receiving the blessings of the gospel without a true surrender to Christ’s lordship.
Methods The Holy Spirit must work in the heart of the hearer to bring him or her to a place of revelation of Christ’s lordship and surrender to it. This cannot be rushed. The preacher looks for some evidence of a true conversion. Receiving the Lord is made straight forward and “easy.” If you want what the gospel has to offer, simply repeat the sinner’s prayer, as is often led by the person sharing the gospel. Afterward, you are told that you are saved, no matter what interaction the person has made with the Lord at the heart level.
Results A life of surrendered discipleship. A belief that one is saved and going to heaven.
Danger A person may realize the high cost of following Christ as a disciple and choose not to become one. A person may never truly “see” who Jesus is (Lord of Lords and King of Kings), but may merely go for the sales pitch – Pray this prayer and you can go to heaven.
Distinguishing Marks A person coming to Christ under the true gospel will call Jesus Lord. A person who is a product of Gospel Lite may only recognize Jesus his or her “personal Savior.”

The Gospel Lite salvation process may be more like an assembly line than the fine work of a craftsman.

If we want to maximize the number of people who get “saved” at a church service or evangelistic meeting, we should streamline the process, making it quick and simple. It might go something like this. After explaining that all men are sinners and need a savior because otherwise we are destined to hell, the preacher might invite all present who want to receive Jesus as their Savior, to raise a hand or come forward and pray the “sinner’s prayer” as led by the preacher. Such a process provides people with a simple one-step process to become a child of God and provides ministers with an easy way to count conversions. Afterward, the one who prayed is assured that he or she is now saved and going to heaven. But is this indeed the case?

Jesus said that it is necessary to “behold” him, to see who he really is, in order to believe in him and be saved. (John 6:40) This can only happen when the Holy Spirit opens our eyes. Faith is two-fold: it includes both trust and allegiance. When we behold the Lord, we surrender our lives to him and receive from him all he died to give us.

Jesus liked to ask people who they thought he is. He wanted to see what the Spirit of God had revealed to them.

Like our Lord, we should be observing what the Spirit is revealing to people about the Lord.

When Jesus asked his disciples, “Who do you say that I am?,” he did not ask them to repeat his leading words: “You are the Messiah King who will die for my sins and rise again as Lord of Lords.” Instead he simply allowed them to speak. When Peter confessed his faith in Jesus’ being the Messiah, our Lord knew that God had revealed this to him.

We likewise should encourage people to seek the Lord until they find him, ever watching to see what God is doing in their lives.

When they are ready, we can assist in the birthing of a new person into God’s kingdom, as a kind of spiritual midwife. Salvation is always a miracle of recreation and transformation orchestrated by the Master Craftsman, the Holy Spirit.

God saved you by his grace when you believed. And you can’t take credit for this; it is a gift from God. 9  Salvation is not a reward for the good things we have done, so none of us can boast about it. 10  For we are God’s masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things he planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:8-10 (NLT)

If we package the Gospel in a “lite” version, leaving out the time needed for the Spirit to do his work, we may unwittingly abort the conversion process.

Sadly, if we prompt someone to believe they are saved before they know that Christ is Lord by faith in their hearts, we may actually “inoculate” them against the possibility of a true conversion, leaving them convinced they are already “saved” without their ever having been born again.

During the first Great Awakening in the colonies in the late 18th century, preachers encouraged their hearers to seek God and, if necessary, to “wrestle” with him, until they found him, knowing that those who truly belong to Jesus will eventually “hear his voice.” (John 10:27)

Just as there is no way to instantly produce a human being, there is no shortcut to birthing someone into the kingdom of God.

Why, then, do we leave out the seeking the Lord part of the process, preferring to shorten things down to simply repeating a prayer? Do we skip the step of requiring people to seek God for themselves because we do not believe Jesus is able to communicate adequately with the seeker? Have we failed to grasp that unless the Spirit of God draws a person, they cannot come to Christ? (John 6:44) Do we not realize that no one can know the Father unless Jesus wills it and reveals the Father to them? (Matthew 11:27) Are we unwilling to simply leave people in the hands of God, knowing that he loves them far more than we do? Do we believe that the new birth depends more on us than on God?

Conclusion

Having made my point, that we must allow for the Spirit to do an inner work in a person before leading them to believe they are saved, let me emphasize that sometimes, many times, people are genuinely and deeply saved by responding to the preacher’s call to “pray after me.” That is because the Spirit has already been at work in their lives and prepared them for that moment. But in the case of those who are merely responding to a man, we must not lead them into the deception of thinking they already are saved, because they may cease the process of seeking the Lord.

Compounding the problem, our consumer culture draws people toward a message that encourages them to receive all the benefits of the gospel at the lowest possible cost to themselves.

They do not realize that when we receive all that Jesus died to give us, he asks us to give all of ourselves to him and his mission.

Confessing him as Lord is much different that asking him to be Savior.

According to Paul, the confession of Christ’s lordship is what actually saves us. (Romans 10:9)

The gospel does include receiving forgiveness of sins and eternal life, but those glorious benefits are not the whole gospel or even the heart of the gospel. They are benefits of our believing the gospel.

The gospel is not only about my personal forgiveness and regeneration, which are indeed important, but it is about the restoration of all things under the Lord Jesus.

As Peter put it in another place:

Repent therefore, and turn again, that your sins may be blotted out, 20 that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord, and that he may send the Christ appointed for you, Jesus, 21 whom heaven must receive until the time for restoring all the things about which God spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets long ago.  Acts 3:19-21 (ESV)

The early Christians were hounded, persecuted, and put to death because they proclaimed that Jesus is Lord over all things, even Caesar. Christians were taught to be loyal subjects of the empire (pay taxes, obey magistrates, give respect), but they could not obey the government if they were commanded to acknowledge that the supposedly divine Caesar was Lord over all.

It is unlikely that Rome would have persecuted a group who merely claimed that Jesus is a personal Savior.

Jesus is much more. He deserves our complete allegiance and will ultimately rule over every nation and kingdom. Every knee one day shall bow to him. Proclaiming such a gospel will likely get us into trouble with those who hate Christ’s rule because it means that we can and will only give a qualified form of allegiance to every other person and institution. The evil and worldly powers that want to dominate and rule us do not like this.

So what do we do with all of this?

I believe that it is crucial that we adjust how we present the gospel to conform to the message preached by Peter and the other early apostles.

We must not limit ourselves to the plan of salvation and merely ask for decisions for Christ. Instead, we must ask for and expect repentance, baptism in water, the infilling of the Spirit, and a commitment to the Great Commission. We must expect believers to immediately become disciples – followers of Christ and fishers of men, who apply Christ’s radical rules for living to their lives. We have short changed ourselves and God for far too long!

Prayer

Lord Jesus, forgive me for seeing you and presenting you in a partial, self-serving way. Forgive me for stripping the gospel of its power and minimizing it to a mere plan of salvation. Help me to fully devote myself to you and your kingdom. Help me to faithfully share your gospel every chance I get. Make me your follower and a fisher of men. Give us disciples who will go and make disciples. Amen.

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The Gospel’s Claim on Us

The gospel has a claim on our lives. When prospectors in the Old West mined or panned for gold, they would “stake a claim,” meaning they would stake off the boundaries of the land they legally claimed or owned to keep claim jumpers at bay if they happened to find gold.

The Bible says that God chose us before he ever created the world. (Ephesians 1:4) In a very real way, Jesus staked his claim on us when he died for us. When we believed the gospel, we agreed to that transaction, and we now belong to him. (1 Corinthians 6:19) Every time the gospel is shared, it requires the hearer to make a decision regarding Christ’s lordship and ownership.

The gospel makes a claim on everyone who hears it, forcing us to respond in some fashion. We can declare allegiance to Jesus, ignore the message, or fight against it.

The Jewish leaders of his day made their decision. Most of them rejected him, his message, and his kingdom. Fulfilling Jesus’ prophetic parable about the wicked tenants, they put the Son of God to death. (Luke 20:9-18) When Peter made his first gospel presentation on Pentecost, his Jewish hearers were pierced to the heart when he accused them of complicity in the treacherous betrayal and regicide of the Messiah. They had played a part in the murder of God’s Chosen One, the Son of David, the coming Judge of the whole earth. On hearing Peter’s words and realizing their guilt, they were desperate to try to set things straight. This was the response for which Peter and God were looking.

We were not in the crowd that yelled, “Crucify him,” but we have been among those who have rejected his claims to Lordship. We too are guilty of rebellion against God’s rule. Just as those who heard Peter’s first sermon begged for a way to get things right, the gospel should stir us to want to be forgiven and reconciled to the coming King and Judge. The glorious good news of the gospel demands a response greater than simply agreeing with its facts. If we are not motivated to do something to get right with God, it is doubtful that we have really understood.

Asking for forgiveness, turning away from a self-directed way of life, and declaring allegiance to God’s King is the response God desires.

If we reject the gospel’s claim on our lives, we will one day encounter the Judge of all the earth and give account for that decision. Indifference is just one more form of rebellion that begs for judgment. How can God excuse our being uninterested in the most important person in the universe and rejecting his gracious offer to be reconciled? But, if we respond properly, knowing and enjoying God for all of eternity opens up to us.

Let all the house of Israel therefore know for certain that God has made him both Lord and Christ, this Jesus whom you crucified.” 37  Now when they heard this they were cut to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, “Brothers, what shall we do?” 38  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. 39  For the promise is for you and for your children and for all who are far off, everyone whom the Lord our God calls to himself.” 40  And with many other words he bore witness and continued to exhort them, saying, “Save yourselves from this crooked generation.” 41  So those who received his word were baptized, and there were added that day about three thousand souls. Acts 2:36-41 (ESV)
Prayer

Jesus, up to now I have never truly understood who you are. Now I see that you are the focus of the entire Bible. You are the Lamb of God who gave your life for me. I receive all you died to provide for me. Thank you for forgiving my sins, giving me eternal life, giving me a right standing with God, making me God’s child, and setting me free on the inside so I can serve you. Please baptize me in the Holy Spirit and empower me to be your witness. I surrender my entire life to you, my glorious Lord. Use me as you see fit. I ask especially that you will give me opportunities to share the gospel with others and to mentor those who come to you in repentance and faith. Amen.

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The Gospel Raises the Dead

The gospel has the power to raise people from the dead. Jesus told his disciples:

And as you go, preach, saying, 'The kingdom of heaven is at hand.' 8  "Heal the sick, raise the dead, cleanse the lepers, cast out demons. Freely you received, freely give. Matthew 10:7-8 (NASB)

Jesus commissioned his disciples to announce the presence and power of God’s kingdom by preaching the good news of his, the king’s, arrival and ministry and by demonstrating the king’s delegated power and authority. This was done by healing, setting people free from demonic oppression, and raising people physically from the dead. Jesus also promised all who would follow that we would do even greater works than he did after his ascension into heaven (John 14:12).

Our Lord sent his Holy Spirit to empower us to preach the gospel and do miracles in his name as a testimony to the truthfulness of our words. (Acts 1:8)

In my lifetime I have seen God heal and set people free from demons, but not once have I witnessed a physically dead person being brought back to life. I must add, however, that I have heard of that happening and have even talked to people who said that they saw it happen in other countries. Why is this not taking place where we live? Is it a sign that we lack faith? Will this miracle become more prevalent as we draw closer to Christ’s Second Coming? I imagine the answer to these last two questions is yes and yes. But, let us consider another side to this.

Every single person who is born into this world, according to the Bible, is “dead in sins.” (Psalm 51:5, Ephesians 2:1) This is because we inherit Adam’s fallen nature. We come into this world separated spiritually from God with an inborn default propensity to pursue selfish and rebellious desires and to try to live independently from God. When we act on these propensities, we add our sin to the cauldron of evil that calls for God’s judgment. The wages of sin is death. (Romans 6:23)

Jesus came to rescue us from this nightmare situation. He paid the penalty for our sins, taking our judgment of death upon himself. After three days, God raised him from the dead, making him the Author of Life. In Jesus’ own words, he is the “resurrection and the life!”

Jesus said to her, "I am the resurrection and the life; he who believes in Me will live even if he dies, 26  and everyone who lives and believes in Me will never die. Do you believe this?" John 11:25-26 (NASB)

Each time someone is spiritually reborn through faith in Christ, God brings a dead person back to life. 

He gives us everlasting life in the spirit. Unless Christ returns first, every one of us will die physically, but Jesus taught that our new spiritual life transcends physical death. When we who believe die physically, we will experience a “seamless” transition into the manifest conscious presence of God. This is because everyone of us is already there spiritually.

But God, being rich in mercy, because of His great love with which He loved us, 5  even when we were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ (by grace you have been saved), 6  and raised us up with Him, and seated us with Him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, Ephesians 2:4-6 (NASB)

When we share the gospel and our hearer responds in faith, we have a part in God’s raising him or her from the dead spiritually speaking, which will one day result in his or her receiving a new resurrection body at the Second Coming. (John 6:40)

Being spiritually made alive again is a far greater thing than simply restoring life to a physical body.

Born again people will live forever with God, even after they die bodily. People who are merely physically raised from the dead will one day die again, and, if they are not reborn through the gospel, they will suffer eternal death.

Every single person who confesses that Jesus is Lord and believes in his or her heart that God raised him from the dead becomes a brand new creation, made alive from the dead, never to experience eternal death and separation from God.

Therefore if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creature; the old things passed away; behold, new things have come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 (NASB)

The new birth is a miracle of the first magnitude that rivals creation.

The light (revelation) of Christ shining into our sin darkened hearts is even greater in some way than the light God spoke into existence during creation, because it reverses the curse upon sin and causes a dead person to come alive and be brought into God’s family to live eternally.

For God, who said, "Light shall shine out of darkness," is the One who has shone in our hearts to give the Light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. 2 Corinthians 4:6 (NASB)

The new birth is a spiritual resurrection.

For this reason it says, "Awake, sleeper, And arise from the dead, And Christ will shine on you." Ephesians 5:14 (NASB)

So, do not be intimidated or feel like a failure if you have never physically raised someone from the dead. Perhaps one day we will even witness dead bodies coming to life again. Until then, however, every time we preach the gospel, we put ourselves in a position to see an even greater demonstration of Christ’s life giving power, the spiritual resurrection of a spiritually dead individual. That gives us a good reason to share the gospel and glorify God as we await the return of Christ and the glorious resurrection of all the dead.

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