Blog Archives - Created through Him

Created Through Him

Truth

1/31/2013

37 Pilate therefore said unto him, Art thou a king then? Jesus answered, Thou sayest that I am a king. To this end was I born, and for this cause came I into the world, that I should bear witness unto the truth. Every one that is of the truth heareth my voice. 38 Pilate saith unto him, What is truth? And when he had said this, he went out again unto the Jews, and saith unto them, I find in him no fault at all (John 18:37-38).

Pilate did not want to condemn Christ. In fact he tried to let Christ go free. But in the end he responded to the pressure of the people, and condemned Christ to death. Notice too what Pilate says about truth. Truth to Pilate is relative and he clearly doesn’t believe in absolute truth. This lack of acknowledgment of truth is really what leads Pilate to condemn Christ. The fact is, there is absolute truth, and what we believe as truth really matters. Relative thought is dangerous since it leads to a lack of direction and ultimately a lack of a moral compass. There is no falsehood in truth.

The Prayer

1/30/2013

19 And for their sakes I sanctify myself, that they also might be sanctified through the truth. 20 Neither pray I for these alone, but for them also which shall believe on me through their word; 21 That they all may be one; as thou, Father, art in me, and I in thee, that they also may be one in us: that the world may believe that thou hast sent me (John 17:19-21).

In this passage, Christ is praying for His disciples and for all those who will come to saving faith through their testimony. This includes us. Christ is interceding on behalf of us before the Father. The intercessory work of Christ is essential since it is through Christ and Christ alone that we come into a relationship with the God the Father. There is a oneness of the relationship between the Son, the Father, and those that believe. And it is through this unity that we have the fullness of life.

Peace

1/29/2013

33 These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world (John 16:33).

There is no doubt that at times in this world we will have trouble. The trouble may be subtle or outright severe. The trouble results from the conflict that living according to God’s ways has with the ways of the world. These ways are essentially diametrically opposed. And at times, it is like mixing oil in water. But Christ reminds us that He has already overcome the world and that we can be reassured of ultimate salvation. This reassurance is the peace that we have in Christ.

Abiding

1/28/2013

3 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me (John 15:3-4).

Christ has the power to change people through His word. The word of God as recorded in scripture must cause an action in the believer. That action through the word spoken by Christ is for us to abide in Him. To abide in Christ is to rely, trust and obey Him. So it is through hearing the word of God, and God’s subsequent action in the heart of the believer that we come to trust and obey God. And in doing so, we abide fully in Christ. There is no true life apart from the abiding life we have in Christ.

Let not your heart be troubled

1/27/2013

14 Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also (John 14:1-3).

These are words of reassurance from Christ. Christ prepares a place for each believer. Each believer will be with Christ. There is also the promise of Christ’s return contained in verse 3. Christ will return. From this verse the purpose of the return is to receive or gather people to Himself. To me, this is about the resurrection of believers. Remember the purpose of this particular verse is one of reassurance and there is no mention of other purposes or of timing. Except that the timing was in future. These other details or purposes are described elsewhere in scripture, but the first 3 verses of John 14 are a general statement of hope for the believer. Maranatha.

Receiving Him

1/26/2013

20 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that receiveth whomsoever I send receiveth me; and he that receiveth me receiveth him that sent me (John 13:20).

Christ is giving these words to the disciples on the night he was turned over to be crucified. The words are designed to be encouraging to the disciples so that they would understand that Christ’s authority was ultimate. This ultimate authority also has the purpose of strengthening the believer since it precedes from God the Father. Therefore the reception of Christ as Lord is the reception of His position and authority as God. These words by Christ are to us as well, and they are a call for the spread of the Gospel.

The response

1/25/2013

26 If any man serve me, let him follow me; and where I am, there shall also my servant be: if any man serve me, him will my Father honour (John 12:26).

We are to be servants. Servants should always have an object of their service. The object of service for us is Christ Himself. When we serve Christ we do what He requires and this results in a benefit to us. That benefit is eternal. When we serve Christ, God the Father is pleased. He is pleased eternally. It is important to note that service is a response, a response ultimately to God’s call and desire. It is not that we earn anything from God, but rather that we respond to God in service. This response by us is for our own good, but it is not saving rather it is edifying. Our service then is a response to our salvation. Salvation being an action already taken on our behalf. We are asked simply to respond through service as a result of what is already done for us.

From death to life

1/24/2013

41 Then they took away the stone from the place where the dead was laid. And Jesus lifted up his eyes, and said, Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me. 42 And I knew that thou hearest me always: but because of the people which stand by I said it, that they may believe that thou hast sent me. 43 And when he thus had spoken, he cried with a loud voice, Lazarus, come forth. 44 And he that was dead came forth, bound hand and foot with graveclothes: and his face was bound about with a napkin. Jesus saith unto them, Loose him, and let him go. 45 Then many of the Jews which came to Mary, and had seen the things which Jesus did, believed on him. 46 But some of them went their ways to the Pharisees, and told them what things Jesus had done (John 11:41-46).

If there is ever is a time that you feel that worries or fears will overtake you, remember that our Lord has power even over death. Christ is the Creator that called the Universe into existence, and He is sovereign as Lord. When we, through faith, believe on Christ, we have passed from death to life. This life is a life in which Christ Himself eternally protects us. This eternal protection is a promise of God. A promise of God is the only sure thing in this world. Notice too that our faith is not just by what is seen, as some that witnessed Lazurus being raised from the dead did not believe that Christ is God. And so the true miracle of the ages is the raising of the heart from the grips of sin and death. This is the miracle of the new birth in Christ.

God is one

1/23/2013

30 I and my Father are one (John 10:30).

These words by Christ verify the oneness of God. God is one, eternally existent in three persons of one substance. Christ is the fullness of the Godhead bodily, true God from true God, being of one substance with the Father (Nicene Creed). Those that heard Christ declare the He was one with God tried to stone Him. Rather than understand and see the connection between Christ’s words and actions in term of miracles, they, through unbelief wanted to kill Him. While it may be perceived as a bold statement by Christ; to claim to be one with God but when you consider the miracles, the fulfilled prophecies and changed lives as a result of Christ’s life truer words have never been spoken. These are words of profound impact and ultimately are the authority by which Christ can save. This salvation is the purpose of His first coming and is the good news of the Gospel.

Acceptance

1/22/2013

33 If this man were not of God, he could do nothing. 34 They answered and said unto him, Thou wast altogether born in sins, and dost thou teach us? And they cast him out. 35 Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him, Dost thou believe on the Son of God? 36 He answered and said, Who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? 37 And Jesus said unto him, Thou hast both seen him, and it is he that talketh with thee. 38 And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped him. 39 And Jesus said, For judgment I am come into this world, that they which see not might see; and that they which see might be made blind (John 9:33-39).

The difference between acceptance and rejection of God is not a difference of degrees but it is a difference of absolutes. Either Christ is accepted by people, or He is rejected by people. There is no real ambivalence as Christ is either believed by people to be God, or the He is not. Those that fail to acknowledge Christ and follow Him will be judged without Christ as defender. This judgment will be based solely on their own actions. They are not judged for unbelief per se, but rather their unbelief means that they are accountable for all they have done. This is not a position anyone should want to be in, for we all fall short and need a Savior to pay our debt.

Created Through Him