Do we praise God because we are holy? Do we praise him for knowing that we are no longer the same, but rather a new creation in Christ? John 1:29 – 34 identifies the inception of holiness through baptism. In John 1:32, John identifies the Spirit descending and resting upon Jesus. This occurrence signified Christ’s anointing, his deity... Read More
Matthew 9:14-17 provides an example of Old Testament revelation to describe the arrival of Christ. This description of Christ arriving occurs during Jesus' response to a question about fasting. Jesus responds by telling a parable about wineskins to illustrate his fulfillment of the Old Testament while ushering in something new. Matthew being... Read More
The parable of the wineskins takes place during an inquiry made by the disciples of John about fasting to Jesus. This inquiry originates from a Jewish tradition of fasting. The tradition represents revering God, submitting to God, and mourning of the dead. Therefore, John's disciples wanted to know if Christ was in fact the Son of God. If this... Read More
Do we as Christians rejoice knowing that Christ ushered in something new? In him, we are no longer bound by the 400 hundred plus laws that the Israelites had to obey under the Old Covenant. Do we as Christians fully understand Christ's redemptive power found in the New Covenant? By possessing this understanding of Christ's redemptive power, does... Read More
Ephesians 1: 11 -14 describes praise for the assurance of believer's heritage. Christians praise God, the one who predestined them according to his purpose. Verse 12 states that those who place their hope in Christ will be for God's glorious praise. Therefore, God receives honor from humankind, when they are redeemed from sin. More specifically,... Read More
Chapters 36 and 38 of the Book of Ezekiel identify God establishing his holiness or sanctification by his actions toward the nations and Israel. In Ezekiel 38:23, Ezekiel exemplifies God asserting his supremacy in the eyes of many nations. In Ezekiel 36:23, God demonstrates his supremacy and power amongst the Israelites as well as nations. God... Read More
- God is Love: Nuts & Bolts Pt II
I wanted to know and allow others to know that there is no fear in God’s love and judgment. His love is perfect and complete. However, in His perfect love, God prompts us to respond to make it complete.
- God is Love: Nuts & Bolts Pt I
Background In 1 John, John calls the believers back to a fundamental understanding that God is love. He reveals that God is love later in the book. The first issue that he addresses deals with a split or division between strongly opposed sections or parties, caused by differences in opinion or belief. The opposing ideology known as Gnosticism split the believers into two. In 1 John 2:18 – 23, John reveals that antichrist who denied Christ lived among them. These individuals eventually left the church community, but their false teachings continued to infiltrate the church. 1 John 4:1 – 3 …
- God is Love Pt III
When I started this study, I aimed to prove that God’ love remains complete and that His believers reside in His love. I wanted to demonstrate that when believers are imperfect, God perfectly loves them. This understanding is true. God loved us first, so much so that He sent His Son as our sacrifice. In this sacrificial love, God tells us that we do not need to fear the Day of Judgement. Fearing Judgment Day means that we have not embraced the salvation that He has provided. At this point, I wanted the study to be complete. I wanted to …
