Bible Study

We live in a fast paced world. Everyone seems to be in a rush. Yet in all this activity, few have found any lasting satisfaction. As Christians, we should be different.

Jesus Christ came "that (we) might have life, and that (we) might have it more abundantly.'' (John 10:10)

Jesus desires that we have peace, satisfaction, joy.

The abundant life of which Jesus spoke comes through spiritual growth. The more mature a person becomes as a Christian, the more he will experience an abundant life. It is not instantaneous or easy. It takes dedication and commitment.

In order to grow as a Christian, there are some requirements. A baby needs food, shelter, love, medical care and many other things in order to be healthy and to grow. A Christian needs Bible study, prayer, fellowship, witnessing and obedience in order to mature spiritually. These are the topics for the next few postings.

The Bible is more than a history book or a theology textbook. It is God's personal letter to you. As God moved the men who wrote the Bible, He looked through time and considered you and your situation. The Bible contains every thing God wants to say to you as an individual.

Because the Bible was inspired by an all knowing, eternal God, it contains eternal truth that applies to your life. The Bible is the primary way in which God reveals His will to us. Without an increasing understanding of God's Word, it is impossible to grow spiritually.

Every Christian should have a schedule for Bible reading, Bible study and memorizing Scripture. Bible reading gives us an overview of the contents of the Word. Bible study applies the teaching of Scripture to our life. Memorizing Scripture gives us the means to overcome sin and witness to others.

Jesus Christ is King

Jesus came to this world the first time as an infant. His purpose was to serve man. He humbled Himself and willingly died for man. He was born to die. That was His mission.

When Jesus returns, He will not be an infant. He will not be a servant. He will not die again. Jesus will return as King of Kings and Lord of Lords. He will rule this world as God.

"And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse; and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness He doth judge and make war. His eyes were as a flame of fire, and on His head were many crowns; and He had a name written, that no man knew, but He Himself. And He was clothed with a vesture dipped in blood: and His Name is called the Word of God.'' (Revelation 19:11-13)

When Jesus returns, He will sit as Judge over everyone. At that time, every person who has ever lived will bow to Him. Those who did not believe in Him as Saviour will be sent to the Lake of Fire. Those who trusted in Him will spend eternity with Him.

Some day you will submit to the authority of Christ. It is best to make Him your King now. The greatest purpose a person can have in life is to please Jesus Christ.

Jesus Christ is Savior

The name Jesus means savior. The main purpose for God becoming a man was to save mankind from the penalty for sin. "For the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give His life a ransom for many.'' (Mark 10:45)

A man had to pay the penalty for man's sin in order for any person to have fellowship with God. However because all mankind is sinful, there was no one worthy to pay for our sin. God's holy nature demanded a perfect sacrifice.

Because God loves us and He knows that we cannot rescue ourselves from sin, God became a man in order to pay for man's sin. Not only does God's holy nature demand a perfect sacrifice, it also demands a blood sacrifice. God told Moses, "The life of the flesh is in the blood: and I have given it to you upon the altar to make an atonement for your souls: for it is the blood that maketh an atonement for the soul.'' (Leviticus 17:11)

God through His Son did all that was necessary to pay for our sin. As Jesus suffered on the cross, God poured out upon Him the punishment for the sin of every person that will ever live. Jesus paid the complete price for all sin including your sin.

When the holiness of God was satisfied, Jesus said, "It is finished.'' The payment for sin had been made in full.

However in order for you to be forgiven for your sin, God requires that you humble yourself. You must admit to God that you are sinful. You must realize that you cannot save yourself. You must trust in Jesus as your savior.

"If thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation.'' (Romans 10:9, 10)

The death of Jesus paid for our sin; the resurrection of Christ proves it. The resurrection of Jesus Christ proves that He is God and that He defeated sin, death and hell. Because death could not conquer Him, we know that through Him we can conquer death. "The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.'' (1 Corinthians 15:56, 57)

Jesus Christ is Man

Jesus Christ is God in the flesh. He is both God and man. God became a man so that He could be the perfect sacrifice for man's sin. Jesus was also God's greatest expression of Himself. Jesus being God lived exactly the way God wants us to live.

God became a man by placing life in the womb of Mary who was a virgin. He became her child. This child was Jesus. Mary was His mother. God was His Father! No human man was involved.
A messenger from God appeared to Joseph, the fiancee of Mary. Joseph had just discovered that Mary was pregnant. The messenger said, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call His Name Jesus: for He shall save His people from their sins.'' (Matthew 1:20, 21)

Joseph went ahead with his marriage to Mary. When Jesus was born, Joseph acted as His step-father. Joseph taught Jesus to be a carpenter. Jesus grew up as a regular child under the authority of His mother and step#father. Luke tells us that Jesus "was subject unto [Joseph and Mary].'' (Luke 2:51)

Jesus, as a man, endured all life's experiences. He made friends. He had to deal with His younger brothers and sisters. He felt the pain of losing His step-father when Joseph died. As the oldest son, He had the responsibility of taking care of His family.

After He began His ministry, He had victories and disappointments. His own brothers, the sons of Joseph and Mary, rejected Him. The crowds came and went. He was tempted as every person is tempted. The book of Hebrews describes Jesus as our High Priest. Hebrews tells us, "We have not a High Priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities, but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.'' (Hebrews 4:15)

Jesus Christ is God

The entire Word of God centers on the person of Jesus Christ. The Old Testament looks forward to the coming of the Messiah. Jesus Christ was the Messiah. The New Testament tells us about His life, death, resurrection and about His continuing ministry through the lives of His followers. To understand Scripture we must understand Jesus Christ.

Christians also need to know about Jesus because we represent Him. Christian means like Christ. If we call ourselves by His Name then we should represent Him as He truly is.

Jesus Christ is the Son of God and a member of the Trinity. The New Testament in many passages teaches that Jesus is God. The Apostle Paul wrote, "[Jesus Christ] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature. . . . For in Him dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.'' (Colossians 1:15,2:19)

Even the Old Testament in prophesy proclaims that the Messiah would be God. "For unto us a Child is born, unto us a Son is given: and the government shall be upon His shoulder: and His Name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, the mighty God, the everlasting Father, the Prince of Peace.'' (Isaiah 9:6)

Jesus Christ is God. He is not a creation of God; He is the Creator. He is not one of many gods; He is the one true living God. He did not become God; He has always been God. He is not just part of God; He alone is God. He is the only God. He is completely God. Jesus said, "I and My Father are One.'' (John 10:30)

Man's Eternal Destiny

A lifetime is short. No matter how long our physical life lasts it is short when we consider eternity. Every person on this earth is rushing towards an appointment with death. We cannot avoid it.

However, death is not the end. The Bible views death as a separation. Physical death is separation of our body from our soul and spirit. Our body may no longer be alive, but our soul and spirit are eternal. "And as it is appointed unto man once to die, but after this the judgment.'' (Hebrews 9:27)

There is life after death. The most important question a person can ask is, "Where will I spend eternity?''

If we believe the Bible, God's Word, there are only two possible answers to that question. Either we will be forever in torment or forever with God.

"And the Devil that deceived them was cast into the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, where the Beast and the False Prophet are, and shall be tormented day and night forever and ever. . . . And Death and Hell were cast into the Lake of Fire. This is the second death. And whosoever was not found written in the Book of Life was cast into the Lake of Fire.'' (Revelation 20:10, 14, 15)

Hell is not the eternal home of those who reject God. Hell is a "holding cell''. The Lake of Fire is the eternal home and place of torment for all who never trust in Christ. This is a very sad fact. This is why it is important to tell people about Jesus Christ.

Heaven is God's primary dwelling place. Jesus is there now in His physical body. When those who have been born again die physically, their soul and spirit go to Heaven. In the future Christ will give us new bodies and we will live on a new earth for eternity. "And I saw a new heaven and a new earth: for the first heaven and the first earth were passed away; and there was no more sea. And I, John, saw the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming down from God out of Heaven, prepared as a bride adorned for her husband. And I heard a great voice out of Heaven saying, Behold, the tabernacle of God is with men, and He will dwell with them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself shall be with them, and be their God.'' (Revelation 21:1-3)

The only difference between those who will have eternal torment and those who will have eternal peace is their relationship with Christ. This is because we cannot please God by our own deeds. In order to please God we must have our sins forgiven on the basis of Christ's death. Nothing else determines our eternal destiny.

Admit you are a sinner, ask God for forgiveness, believe Jesus died for your sins and rose from the grave, and you will spend eternity with God in perfect peace and joy.

Man's Relationship with God

God desires to enjoy a personal relationship with every person. Adam and Eve had a perfect relationship with Him in the garden. God placed on them only one limitation. There was a specific tree whose fruit they were not to eat. God placed this limitation on them so that they could choose to obey or disobey Him. God even today wants willing followers not unwilling slaves.

Satan in the disguise of a snake deceived Eve into disobeying God. Adam willfully followed Eve into sin, which is disobedience of God. "Adam was not deceived, but the woman being deceived was in the transgression.'' (1 Timothy 2:14)

This first sin by man brought about several tragic results. Sin entered the physical universe and brought with it, pain, death, natural disasters, disorder and decay. God's judgment for sin fell on man. God had warned that if they ate the fruit of the tree they would die. In the original Hebrew language, God's warning is literally, "dying you shall begin to die.''

God was speaking of two types of death: physical and spiritual. When Adam and Eve ate the fruit their bodies began to wear out physically. They began to die physically. However, as soon as they ate the fruit, they did die spiritually. The Bible considers death to be separation. Sin immediately separated Adam and Eve from God.

They lost their fellowship with God. The relationship was ruined. They became enemies of God, children of Satan. They had fallen from perfection and were no longer worthy to approach God.
Not only was their relationship with God ruined but they put the entire human race into sin. Every descendant of Adam has been born with a sin nature, a desire to disobey God's laws, a tendency to do evil. "By one's man's disobedience many were made sinners.'' (Romans 5:19)

We were all born with a sin nature and we all have disobeyed God. "For all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.'' (Romans 3:23)

This means that no one can establish a relationship with God on their own. Sin has separated us from God and we are powerless to bridge the gap. Man's only hope was that God would find a way for us to enter back into fellowship with Him.

"God commendeth His love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Much more then, being now justified by His blood, we shall be saved from wrath through Him. For if, when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by the death of His Son, much more, being reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.'' (Romans 5:8-10)

Jesus Christ is God's way for us to come back into fellowship with Him. Because He will not force anyone to serve Him, He does not force us into a personal relationship with Him. It is your choice.

Even now as you read this the Holy Spirit may be speaking to your spirit, drawing you to God. God is reaching out to you, offering you eternal life, hope, peace and a relationship with Him. All that He requires is that you admit to Him that you are a sinner, that you desire to obey Him, and ask for His forgiveness believing that Jesus died for you. At that point, God's Holy Spirit will enter your spirit and establish fellowship with you forever!

Sin ruined man's relationship with God but Jesus came to restore that relationship.

Parts of Man

Three parts make up an individual person. We all have a body, a soul and a spirit.

Our body is the physical part of our make#up. It is the only part of us that is visible. We know more about our bodies then our soul or spirit because it is physical.

Because we cannot examine them, it can be hard to distinguish between our soul and spirit; however, the Bible explains that they are distinct. "For the Word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any two edged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit.'' (Hebrews 4:12)

This verse tells us that it is possible to divide the soul and the spirit. The soul is that part of us that contains our mind, our emotions, our will and our desires. The spirit of man is the part of us that is aware of the existence of God. God created the spirit of man to have fellowship with Him. Both the soul and the spirit are eternal.

Creation of Man

The Bible answers all man's most important questions about Himself such as: Where did we come from? Why are we here? What is after death?

The first two chapters of the Bible, Genesis 1 and 2, explain how God created the physical universe that is our home. In six days God put in place everything that man needed to live. During the sixth day God made the land animals and He made man.

Man was God's greatest creation. "God created man in His Own image.'' (Genesis 1:27)

God made no other creature in His image. Man is the only physical creature that God gave an eternal soul. "The Lord God formed man of the dust of the ground, and breathed into his nostrils the breath of life, and man became a living soul.'' (Genesis 2:7)

God created mankind to be very special. He made man in His image and He gave man an eternal soul. Eve, the first woman, was also made in a unique way. God performed the first operation and made the woman from material taken out of the side of man.

God did not make Eve until Adam was aware that He needed a helper suited to him. Adam and Eve, man and woman were created to work hand in hand, to complement each other, to form a life long bond in marriage. Both are made in God's image and both have eternal souls.

The Trinity

The subject of the Trinity is one of the most misunderstood of all Bible subjects. The Bible teaches that there is only one true and living God; however, it also refers to God as having three separate personalities. This appears to be a contradiction.

We must be careful not to limit God. Man can never completely understand Him because He is beyond our limited wisdom. God has chosen to reveal Himself to us in three persons not to confuse us but so that we can better understand Him! God is so wonderful and complex that one personality cannot fully express who He is. Even though God reveals Himself in three persons, still all three make up the one true God!

The Trinity is God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit. To simplify their three personalities, we could say that God the Father is the Planner or Designer; God the Son is the One who fulfills the plans of the Father; God the Holy Spirit is the Administrator who works out the details of the Father's plans.

The way in which the Trinity works together can be seen in God's gift of eternal life. The Father planned how He would rescue man from sin. The Son, Jesus Christ fulfilled the Father's plan by paying for man's sin with His death. The Holy Spirit administers the plan by convicting people of their sin, giving life to a person's spirit when they trust in Jesus and working in the lives of those who are God's children.