For the Fall and Rise of Many (from a seldom-told event in Jesus’ early life)

Posted on January 5, 2016 by parklinscomb

After Jesus’ birth in a stable and waiting the required period of time for Mary’s purification (40 days), Joseph and Mary did what every set of Jewish parents did after the birth of a firstborn male-child; they traveled the 5 miles from Bethlehem to the Temple to perform the purification sacrifices for Mary (Lev. 13), present their firstborn son to the LORD, and then redeem Him with 5 shekels (Numbers 18:15,16).

While they were there, they experienced a couple of amazing things, prophecies from two separate individuals who were eagerly expecting to see the Messiah. One of them was an old man named Simeon. The Holy Spirit had promised him that he would see the long-awaited Messiah before he died. In the Spirit, Simeon came to the Temple that day and setting his eyes on Jesus, it was revealed to him that this was the Child that would be the Messiah.

Luke 2:34, 35 “And Simeon blessed them and said to Mary His mother, ‘Behold, this Child is appointed for the fall and rise of many in Israel, and for a sign to be opposed– and a sword will pierce even your own soul–to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.’”

On first reading this passage, it’s a little mysterious. That’s often enough to give us a good excuse to just skip this part and move on; but there’s something important here that we should reflect on.

This wonderful Child, Simeon tells us, would not be welcomed by everyone. Many would stumble over Him—just as the Psalms foretold, (Psalms 118:22, 23) “The stone which the builders rejected Has become the chief corner stone. This is the LORD’S doing; It is marvelous in our eyes.” And this is exactly what happened. Jesus pointed this out specifically about Himself in Matthew 21:42.

On the other hand, the Messiah-Child would also grow up to be the cause for many to “rise”. Isaiah 28:16 “Therefore thus says the Lord GOD, ‘Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a tested stone, A costly cornerstone for the foundation, firmly placed. He who believes in it will not be disturbed.’” The term that Simeon uses, “rise”, was a reference to salvation and spiritual resurrection (John 5:25 and Romans 6:3-5).

But sadly, the emphasis of what Simeon says is on the “fall”, since he goes on to declare that Jesus would be a “sign” to be opposed or spoken against. What does he mean by Jesus being a sign? Well, prophets and what they did were often referred to as a sign (for example, Isa. 20:3 or Ezek. 12:6); they themselves and what they were doing were a message for the people. And of course, they and their message from God were often opposed and spoken against—Jesus, even more than others, because of the claims He made. And this is where it gets really interesting.

Simeon prophesied that this Child, the Christ, would be opposed “to the end that thoughts from many hearts may be revealed.” In other words, opposition to or submission to Jesus would make plain the side that a person is really on—God’s or their own. You see, people make a lot claims about about about what they believe and whose spiritual side they’re on, but the heart that resists (opposes) Jesus is really resisting God—His word, His way, His salvation, His redemption, His life, and His promises. The heart that submits to Jesus, on the other hand, is really submitting to God and His way. Many of Israel’s religious leaders and their followers hated, resisted, and finally crucified Jesus—demonstrating their treacherous “devotion” toward the God they claimed to worship. On the other hand, there were many who loved, submitted, and followed Jesus, revealing their true loyalties.

And Jesus is still the Revealer of men’s hearts, whether among Jews or Gentiles. Our response to Him—submission or omission to His word—is the X-ray machine of our hearts about our thoughts toward God, even if we say we are church-goers, “spiritual”, or lovers of God. Our response to Jesus—obedience or convenience—pulls back the veil about our true priorities, our spirituality vs. our carnality, and our love or apathy toward God, regardless of our claims and facades.

The choices Jesus still demands of us remain clear-cut. Jesus in His typical honesty long ago told us, “He who is not with Me is against Me; and he who does not gather with Me scatters” (Matthew 12:30). William Barclay said it well, “Towards Jesus Christ there can be no neutrality. We either surrender to Him, or are at war with Him. And it is the tragedy of life that the pride of man keeps us from making that surrender, wherein is victory.” Our response to Him must be submission to His salvation (contrasted to one of our own foolish imagination), making Jesus our priority (as opposed to a mere religious hobby), and a faithful discipleship to Him (contrasted to an “obedience of convenience”—when it doesn’t interfere with what I want).

Choose Jesus—and rise.

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What Made the Wise Men Wise?

Posted on January 2, 2016 by parklinscomb

The story of the wise men (Magi) who visited Jesus in Matthew 2:1-18 is puzzling to many attentive Bible readers. Why in the world would an elite class of scholars, astrologers, diviners, scientists, and dream interpreters travel about 900 miles to visit a Jewish king (Matthew 2:2 “Where is He who has been born King of the Jews?…”)? And why would they come to worship a king of a small country, which was really just another province of the Roman Empire (Matthew 2:2 “…For we saw His star in the east and have come to worship Him.”)? The Magi had never sent a delegation to any other Jewish king. Why would these men from Chaldea, Babylon, Persia, and/or India have any interest in this Jewish king?

The difference now was the star. The Magi had been around for centuries; in fact, Daniel had been one of them—in fact, more than just one of them, he’d been the chief prefect from a relatively young age (see Daniel 2:48). And Daniel had an edge over the other Magi, he was also a prophet of the true and living God, who foretold future events to Gentile kings, some of which we have recorded (see Daniel 1-12). And since we know he did this, is it not possible that Daniel left a prophecy specific to the Magi themselves about a Jewish king, who would be the divine Savior? And that this prophecy might be given a sign that that the stargazing Magi would be sure to see, and did see?

Even so, why did they follow this sign in the sky, a star? Because they judged that the coming of the Savior of the world was important. Really important. Not important like “Don’t forget to bring home some milk,” or “You need to get an A on this test,” or even “This project could make or break your career.” They appear to have understood that this was on a whole other level of importance—important like, “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what will a man give in exchange for his soul?” (Matthew 16:26).

The Magi doubtlessly knew (Dan. 2:44) that it would be this king’s kingdom that would never be destroyed, that would not be left for another people, that would crush and put an end to all other kingdoms, but itself would endure forever. The wise men were aware of the fact of God, of the next world, of their souls, and of the  transcendent importance of spiritual reality. They had made the calculation that following the star was more important than “me-time”, than a lazy Saturday, than ease, than hobbies, than any obstacles, than any distance, or than anything else that they could conceive of. These were wise men indeed.

And wise men still follow Jesus’ “star” (the Light of the world, John 8:12)—despite any personal sacrifices, any obstacles, any difficulties, any endurance required, or any opposition met. How? Why? They, too, understand the supreme priority of believing in and serving the Lord, the extreme importance of paying attention to their souls, the infinite length (if such a term can be used) of eternity, and the inconceivably high stakes (Heaven or Hell) involved.

This biblical story tells us that Christmas can and should be about much more than warm sentimentality. It also can and should be a time of serious reflection about the incomparable importance of seeking for and following Jesus, the Christ, the Son of the living God. What’s been at the top of your priority list?

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 7, His Reign and Part on the Last Day

Posted on November 16, 2015 by parklinscomb

We’ve looked at a number of aspects of the Bible’s teachings about the Christ, but one about which I’ll be speaking this time, may be the most misunderstood in modern times—Christ’s reign and His part in the Last Day.

The Reign of Christ
It is commonly thought and taught in many religious circles that Jesus will be coming back to earth a second time to establish His kingdom, a millennial paradise on earth. Regardless of how popular the teaching is these days, the Bible is very clear that Christ already established His kingdom on earth in the form of His church. Passages like Mark 9:1, Col. 1:13-14, or Rev. 1:9 are explicit about the fact that the kingdom would be established, had been established, and already existed in the days of the apostles; and would not be physical. Indeed, Jesus plainly told Pilate, “…My kingdom is not of this world. If My kingdom were of this world, then My servants would be fighting so that I would not be handed over to the Jews; but as it is, My kingdom is not of this realm” (John 18:36). Jesus is reigning now as the King of kings and Lord of lords; and we must obey Him to be in His kingdom.

The Return of Christ
Last time we talked about His ascension and its importance. As the apostles gazed into the heavens, at the ascending Jesus, angels appeared to the apostles and said, Acts 1:11 “…Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking into the sky? This Jesus, who has been taken up from you into heaven, will come in just the same way as you have watched Him go into heaven”—apparently, in the air and accompanied by the angels (Matt. 24:31). We’re also told that when Jesus does return, it will be when the Father says so. He told His apostles, “But of that day and hour no one knows, not even the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but the Father alone” (Matt. 24:36).

The Resurrection of All Men
When He does return, there will be a number of things happening pretty close together. It won’t be to establish a kingdom (see above), rather it will be draw this material world to a close—an appropriate deed for the One who created it all. 2 Peter 3:10 tells us “…the heavens will pass away with a roar and the elements will be destroyed with intense heat, and the earth and its works will be burned up.” At roughly the same time we’re told, (1 Cor. 15:52) “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet; for the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised imperishable, and we will be changed.” This resurrection will be of both the good and the sinful (John 5:28,29).  Our immortal resurrection bodies will no longer need the physical world to exist.

The Judgment
But these resurrection bodies will be useful—even needed for the next phase, which appears to happen quickly, standing in judgment before the fully glorified Son of God. While it is true that judgment is often called “God’s judgment” it is a biblical fact that it will be the Christ who will judge—2 Cor. 5:10 “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may be recompensed for his deeds in the body, according to what he has done, whether good or bad.” And (John 12:48) “He who rejects Me and does not receive My sayings, has one who judges him; the word I spoke is what will judge him at the last day.” Yes, His judgment will also be the Father’s (they are One); but this is also logically so, because He is designated the King.

Handing the Kingdom over to the Father
Lastly, the Christ, after the judgment, will hand the kingdom back over to the Father, (1 Cor. 15:24-26) “then comes the end, when He hands over the kingdom to the God and Father, when He has abolished all rule and all authority and power. For He must reign until He has put all His enemies under His feet. The last enemy that will be abolished is death.”

So…?
This aspect of the Christ powerfully highlights the need to obey Him. The Lamb has become the Lion. He is the King of kings and final authority over all. It is He who will return for His own, the church, defined by His word and no one else’s (Mt. 28:18). It is His authoritative and omnipotent call that will raise all the dead, and empty out Hades for all time. It is He who will judge with righteousness based on His own word (the Bible). Obedience to the reigning, returning, resurrecting, and ruling Son of God just makes good sense.

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 6, His Resurrection and Ascension

Posted on November 13, 2015 by parklinscomb

To non-Christians it might be a point of confusion that Christians focus so much and celebrate weekly the cross and death of Jesus Christ. The cruel and unjust crucifixion of the Son of God seems like a really bad reason to celebrate—unless you factor in His resurrection.

Resurrection

Prophecies about the Christ foretold that after He suffered, He’d be resurrected: (Psalms 16:9, 10) “Therefore my heart is glad and my glory rejoices; My flesh also will dwell securely. For You will not abandon my soul to Sheol; Nor will You allow Your Holy One to undergo decay.” Indeed, His resurrection is one of the most powerful proofs of Jesus’ identity as the Christ, the Son of God.

He was raised by the Holy Spirit, who will also raise us on the last day: (Romans 8:11) “But if the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who raised Christ Jesus from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit who dwells in you.”

And His resurrection was not like other resurrections to be found in the Bible. Those resurrections (e.g., Lazarus) were resurrections back to an earthly body, destined to die again. Christ’s resurrection was different: (Romans 6:9) “knowing that Christ, having been raised from the dead, is never to die again; death no longer is master over Him.” His was a spiritual or heavenly body (see 1 Cor. 15:44-49).

The details regarding what this body was like are not complete (1 John 3:2)—we probably couldn’t understand it, if we had them all—but we do know a few things. His spiritual body could be touched, seen, and heard (1 John 1:1-3); and His resurrection body could eat (John 21:12,15). But His resurrection body could also appear and disappear from a locked room. He seems to be able to alter His appearance (e.g., Luke 24:30,31).

How is this important? Two ways.

First, because His resurrection proves that what happened on the cross was effective in saving us from sin; His was no ordinary death. Paul tells us, (Romans 4:25) “He who was delivered over because of our transgressions, and was raised because of our justification.” We know we have forgiveness, a new covenant, and the hope of Heaven, because of Christ’s resurrection.

Second, His resurrection reassures us that death is not the end of life; and we even get a little peek at what our own resurrection bodies will be like. The apostle John tells us (1 John 3:2) “Beloved, now we are children of God, and it has not appeared as yet what we will be. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him, because we will see Him just as He is.” Indeed, Jesus is called the “…first fruits of those who are asleep.” (1 Corinthians 15:20).

What great hope and great assurance we have in this super-significant aspect of what the Bible teaches about the Christ!

Ascension

But the Christ also ascended—before the very eyes of the apostles on the Mount of Olives—and He now sits at the right hand of God’s throne (Eph. 1:20), reigning over the kingdom of heaven (1 Tim. 1:17), serving as the eternal high priest for us according to the order of Melchizedek (Heb. 4:14), has offered His own blood in the true Holy of Holies (Heb. 10:11,12), interceding for us (Rom. 8:34), and awaiting the Father’s word on the Last Day (Matt. 24:36).

And here is blessed assurance! God’s people have an Advocate with the Father (1 John 2:1), gaining our forgiveness through His own blood, conveying our prayers as the only begotten Son.

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 5, His Cross and His Death

Posted on November 11, 2015 by parklinscomb

One of the most central doctrines of the Christ have to do with His cross and death. While there is nowhere near enough room to give this topic a just discussion, here are a few important teachings about it.

Absolutely necessary. One of the fist things that we should know about the cross and death of Jesus Christ is that it was absolutely necessary. There was no other way for God to save mankind. To many, this seems impossible: “Surely, there was some alternate means besides a bloody cross!” But again and again the Bible stresses the “only-ness” of Jesus’ suffering and death for the redemption of man.

  • Matthew 26:39 “And He went a little beyond them, and fell on His face and prayed, saying, “My Father, if it is possible (my emphasis), let this cup pass from Me; yet not as I will, but as You will.”” (and yet we know what happened)
  • Luke 24:25, 26 “And He said to them, “O foolish men and slow of heart to believe in all that the prophets have spoken! “Was it not necessary (my emphasis), for the Christ to suffer these things and to enter into His glory?””

Why?

To Satisfy Justice. Sin, wrongs we do to others and wrongs we do to God, must be punished. Otherwise, justice is never satisfied. And God has told mankind, since the beginning, that the wages of sin is death (Genesis 2:17 and Romans 6:23). The cross of Jesus is the satisfaction (atonement or propitiation) of the justice of God. 1 John 4:10 says, “In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.” You may ask why.

To Be Our Substitution. To satisfy justice, the sinner must suffer death. Yet that is not what our merciful God has ever wanted for us. Instead, what God has mercifully done is provided a substitute. The blood sacrifices of ancient Israel always began by the offerer placing his hands on the head of the animal to be sacrificed, to indicate that this animal was in his place. Now the book of Hebrews tells us that the blood of bulls and goats could never really pay for our sins, for while the animals are innocent, they are not willing. Jesus’ substitutionary offering of Himself in our place, however, provided both an innocent and willing sacrifice. Jesus takes my place. 2 Corinthians 5:21 “He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.”

Reconciliation. One of the outcomes of our sin is separation from God—just like an offense toward a friend or neighbor will estrange us from them. Separation from God (the source of life) is, in fact, the primary way in which we “die” in our sin. Unlike many human relationships, when an offense has occurred, God (the very One who has been offended) has actively sought to reconcile with us. Jesus’ cross and death is the means by which we are reconciled to God: 2 Corinthians 5:18, 19 “Now all these things are from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation.”

Redemption. The idea of redemption is essentially to buy someone out of poverty or slavery. Christ’s death on the cross was the price by which we are freed from sin, Satan, and Hell itself. Galatians 3:13 “Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us–for it is written, ‘CURSED IS EVERYONE WHO HANGS ON A TREE’–”

Salvation. Rescue came to mankind through the cross. Good works are not enough. Peter tells us (Acts 4:12) “And there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved.”

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 4, His Authority on Earth

Posted on October 14, 2015 by parklinscomb

We’ve been exploring various aspects of what the Bible says about Jesus Christ 1) as the second Person in the Godhead, 2) His incarnation and resulting two natures as God and man, and 3) the witnesses of His God-ness, His divinity. And in connection with His divinity while on earth, in this article we’ll be considering His authority. Jesus had authority…

Authority to heal the sick and disabled (Matt. 8:8,9). Jesus was widely known as a healer. It didn’t take long early in Jesus’ ministry to attract large crowds (multitudes) traveling miles from villages to remote country-sides seeking healing for themselves or loved ones. And these miracles were not “smoke and mirrors”, not “plants in the audience”, and not done in private. They were witnessed by thousands, were performed on people widely and long known for being sick or disabled, and were complete recoveries to perfect health. Jesus had astonishing authority to speak a word or grant a touch and give perfect health.

Authority to cast out evil spirits (Mark 1:27 and Luke 4:36). Jesus’ authority on earth also included authority over the evil spirits that possessed people in His day. These demons were rebellious angels who took control over men, women, and children—sometimes causing them to act violent or as if insane, at other times forcing them to harm themselves, and other times giving them false prophecies. But with a word Jesus could cast the demons out and bring sanity, self-control, and truth back to the sufferers of the possession. This is no small thing; authority over spirits demonstrates a power and authority greater than the spirits themselves:

“But if I cast out demons by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God has come upon you. “Or how can anyone enter the strong man’s house and carry off his property, unless he first binds the strong man? And then he will plunder his house.” (Matthew 12:28, 29)

Authority over death (John 11:43). It has been said that Jesus broke up every funeral we read about in the Bible. The most unbreakable of rules in this world is that we die; and once truly dead, there is no return—unless you were raised by Jesus. Modern medical procedures have found ways to revive those whose hearts have stopped, and under special conditions, where decay has been retarded by cold, people have been resuscitated several minutes after death. But Jesus raised men, women, and children with…His command; and in one case, He raised a man, who should have been so far decayed that the body would have created an unbearable stench, by merely saying, “Lazarus, come forth!” What’s even more, Jesus also raised Himself after being in the tomb three days (John 10:18)! Now that’s authority!

Authority to forgive sins (Matt. 9:6). Jesus’ enemies used His claim to be able to forgive sins to accuse Him of blasphemy, because no one but God can forgive sins. But Jesus demonstrated His authority to forgive sins by setting it beside an undeniable miracle (Mk. 2). And He claimed this authority not only on the basis of being God in the flesh, but by virtue of the fact that He was personally going to die in a substitutionary sacrifice for those sins on the cross. Jesus did indeed have authority to forgive sins.

Authority in teaching and judgment (Matt. 7:29 and John 5:22). I reserved the discussion of this authority of Jesus for last, because all the authority that I’ve mentioned above serves as proof that everything that Jesus taught was authoritative and every judgment that He issued was also absolutely and unequivocally authoritative and true. Of course, while He was living on earth some men challenged His authority, hated His teachings, and opposed Him at every turn, because their deeds were evil. But God’s authority is not diminished, because men dislike it; and Jesus’ authority remained as valid as ever, while rebellious men will be called to account for their disobedience. He was authoritative, because He was and is God—the very standard of right and wrong, the one and only true judge of all mankind.

It is this last authority that I’ll give special attention to in this post. Human pride and ignorance still seeks to make His commands mere suggestions and His judgments provisional and tenuous. However, Jesus was no mere rabbi giving teachings and judgments limited to His ancient Jewish audience; rather, Jesus was and is the authoritative Creator God in the flesh and His teachings completely relevant to this and every age and culture—even modern, cosmopolitan people like us. It is still true that, “…All authority has been given to Me [Jesus] in heaven and on earth.” (Mt 28:18).

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 3, Witnesses of His Divinity

Posted on October 12, 2015 by parklinscomb

In our last two posts we spoke about Jesus Christ as the second Person in the Godhead, and we briefly explored His two natures as God and man. But the whole notion of God condescending to be a man is a little bit of a stretch for many in the world—a real sticking point for some. It is the reason why there are so many, even some who call themselves Christians, who will recognize Him only as a good man. Yet, it is a critical, uncompromisable issue of faith for Christianity and a matter of salvation—

“And the testimony is this, that God has given us eternal life, and this life is in His Son. He who has the Son has the life; he who does not have the Son of God does not have the life.”  (1 John 5:11, 12)

So, in brief, what evidence is there that Jesus really was God in the flesh?

We’ll start with the prophetic witness as evidence to His deity. One that Jesus Himself cited is Psalm 110:1-4: “The LORD says to my Lord: ‘Sit at My right hand Until I make Your enemies a footstool for Your feet.’” After which Jesus asked this penetrating question, “If David then calls Him ‘Lord,’ how is He his son?” (Matthew 22:45). The obvious answer is, He is divine. Isaiah 9:6, likewise, asserts that the Messiah would be divine: Isaiah 9:6 “For a child will be born to us, a son will be given to us; And the government will rest on His shoulders; And His name will be called Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.” And Jeremiah 23:6 tell us, “In His days Judah will be saved, And Israel will dwell securely; And this is His name by which He will be called, ‘The LORD our righteousness.’” The prophecies of the Old Testament—which “cannot be broken” (John 10:35)—tell us that Jesus, the Messiah, was indeed the Son of God, divine, and part of the eternal Godhead.

Another of the evidences showing Jesus to truly be God in the flesh are His miracles. While it is true that the miracles were wonderful acts of divine compassion, their main importance were as proofs that His claim of Godhood was neither foolish nor blasphemous. And there were many, many miracles—witnessed by hundreds and even by thousands at a time. Once, when given the opportunity to heal a paralyzed man, He deliberately began by telling the paralyzed man that his sins were forgiven. When Jesus’ critics heard this, they accused Him of blasphemy; because only God can forgive sins. But Jesus wisely and revealingly responded,

“‘Which is easier, to say, “Your sins have been forgiven you,” or to say, “Get up and walk”? But, so that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins,’–He said to the paralytic—’I say to you, get up, and pick up your stretcher and go home.’ Immediately he got up before them, and picked up what he had been lying on, and went home glorifying God. They were all struck with astonishment and began glorifying God; and they were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen remarkable things today.’” (Luke 5:23-26)

Jesus’ claim to be God in the flesh may have been “unbelievable”, but He proved its truth by performing this and many undeniable miracles.

Yet another evidence is His baptism—or rather the Father’s own audible witness from Heaven of Jesus’ identity as He was baptized by John. John himself recognized Jesus’ superiority and probably His divinity before the baptism: (Matthew 3:14) “But John tried to prevent Him, saying, ‘I have need to be baptized by You, and do You come to me?’” But it is after the baptism, as Jesus came up from the water, that the Father in Heaven made Jesus’ divinity an ironclad conclusion,

“After being baptized, Jesus came up immediately from the water; and behold, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending as a dove and lighting on Him, and behold, a voice out of the heavens said, ‘This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well-pleased.’” (Matthew 3:16, 17)

Of course, not everyone heard this testimony from the Father, so it could be said that the Father gave us one final testimony for all to “hear”, Jesus’ resurrection: (Romans 1:4) “[Jesus] was declared the Son of God with power by the resurrection from the dead, according to the Spirit of holiness, Jesus Christ our Lord.” There have been a handful of people who’ve been raised from the dead, but Jesus’ resurrection was different—others died again, Jesus is the firstborn of the ultimate resurrection, in which death will never visit again.

So what? Well, while it is true that “Jesus is Lord (King)”, it is because “Jesus is LORD (YHWH God)”. So, if it is true that as King we must give Jesus due honor, it is especially true and even more important that we know that we cannot afford to be selective about our obedience, careless about our loyalty, or casual about our appraisal and worship of Him. Because He is God.

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What the Bible Says About Jesus Christ 
Part 2, Jesus’ Two Natures

Posted on October 8, 2015 by parklinscomb

Last post we started talking about the Christ, the second person in the Godhead. We talked about His place and His role in the Trinity. But one of the greatest difficulties people have in understanding Jesus Christ is His two natures—God and man.

Perhaps the best place to start discussing this is to note that Genesis 1 points out to us that mankind is a rather uniquely natured creature. Unlike the other creations of God’s hand, we have something quite special…

“Then God said, “Let Us make man in Our image, according to Our likeness; and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creeps on the earth.” God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them.” (Genesis 1:26, 27)

The image of God is not the same thing as being God, of course—we are not eternal, almighty, etc.; but there is something about our spirit (what God is made of, John 4:24) that is the same as God. And that image of God that we are is able to be “wrapped in flesh”. So also Jesus was wrapped in flesh. Paul put it this way, (Philippians 2:7) “but [Christ] emptied Himself, taking the form of a bond-servant, and being made in the likeness of men.” There was some “emptying” of Himself to be done to accomplish the incarnation, it would appear to be just as possible for the Son of God to be incarnated in temptable, mortal flesh as it is for the “image of God” to be. Who we are is our image-of-God spirit; who Jesus was and is His unique and authentic God Spirit—with the same fleshly “wrappers”.

But why? The correction of man’s fall could only be fixed by the incarnation. It is only in flesh that the price for mankind’s sin could be paid in suffering and death (on the cross). In His flesh the Son of God not only taught men what is good but He showed how it was done. It is only in mortal flesh that Christ could truly (experientially) learn about human pain, sickness, and sorrow. Only in flesh (emptied of deity) could He what it is to live in Father-dependent faith—depending on the Father for His daily bread (Mark 8:6) as well as miracles performed (John 11:41-44). Only in flesh could He be fully tempted like we are and feel the full force of human appetite and passion. Only in flesh could He experience everything we experience—even learning obedience by what He was tempted with and suffered—Hebrews 5:8. And only in flesh could He become the “first fruit” of the resurrection, defeating death and giving mankind certain hope.

But what of His divine nature as a man? Here, there are lots of questions. How much of His divinity did He emptied from Himself? Or how much He, therefore, operated by sight rather than by faith? And the truth is, there’s many things we don’t know, but whatever measure of God-ness Jesus chose to leave behind in becoming a man—it was an unimaginable step down for the Son of God. What inexpressible love for mankind this sacrifice alone demonstrates! But we can know a few things. For example, John 6:46 tells us that He knew the Father in a special way: “Not that anyone has seen the Father, except the One who is from God; He has seen the Father”. And John 8:56-58 tells us that He knew firsthand of Old Testament events. And although we don’t know exactly how much of His deity might have contributed to His perfect life, we can know is that His divinity didn’t empty anything from the power of His temptations—the same power that they wield against men.

So what? Christ’s dual nature allows Him to understand and know experientially and fully what it is to be human, and thereby become the perfect intercessor, mediator, and high priest for us between the Father and mankind. Jesus doesn’t just understand in an untouched, intellectual way; He knows the human world intimately. What great news! Jesus really understands us! “Therefore, He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people” (Hebrews 2:17).

But we also learn that despite all the suffering, temptations, distractions, emotions, and passions we don’t have to sin. Our sins are our fully controllable choices. Jesus, living as a human proved it. It’s something we need to remind ourselves next time we’re tempted to justify sin with the “I just couldn’t help it” excuse.

What a marvel! The Creator, coming to live among us to not only understand us intimately, but also to lift us, free us, save us, execute our covenant of adoption, and become the “first fruit” and guarantee of our own resurrection in His flesh. Hallelujah, what a Savior

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What the Bible Says about Jesus Christ, Part 1, His Pre-incarnation

Posted on October 5, 2015 by parklinscomb

If you’ve only read the title of this article, you may be thinking, “Whoa, haven’t you bitten off a little more than you can chew for a bulletin article?” I’ll grant you that this topic is a pretty broad subject and that whole books have been written on it; but my intention is not to get too deep into the heavy theology, but talk about the fundamental wonders to know and believe of our Savior, Jesus Christ.

He is the known as…

  • the Son of God (e.g., Mark 1:1),
  • the Word (e.g., John 1:1-3),
  • the captain of the LORD’s host (Joshua 5:15,16), • the Messiah or Christ (e.g., Psalm 2:2),
  • the Branch (e.g., Jeremiah 23:5),
  • the stem and root of Jesse (e.g., Isaiah 11:1,10), • the son of David (e.g., Luke 18:38),
  • the Savior (e.g., Luke 2:11)
  • and several more

He is, of course, the second person of the Godhead. He is divine, composed of exactly the same “God-stuff” as the Father and the Spirit. The Gospel of John 1:1-3 tells us,

“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was in the be- ginning with God. All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.”

Being part of the Godhead (“and the Word was God”), the Son shares in the perfect and awesome nature of the Godhead: holiness, purity, mercy, justice, love, faithful- ness, grace, wisdom, and more. Along with the Father and the Spirit, He is also all-knowing, almighty, and all- present. And v. 14 tells us that the divine Word became flesh (the theological word is “incarnation”) and was known on earth as Jesus of Nazareth.

Beyond learning about His divinity in John 1, there are also other things that we can learn from this passage. First, He has always existed, He has no beginning and no end. Having no beginning has sometimes been a difficult concept to grasp for human beings, since all that we know in this world has a beginning. However, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are not of this material world, including its dimension of time. The rules of our material universe that apply to us (in this case, “everything has a beginning”) does not apply to Him or Them.

Second, we take note that the Son, the Word, is also specifically the Person of the Godhead who created the all the material universe. Not a created being; He is the Creator being. Colossians 1:16 reflects this, “For by Him [Jesus Christ] all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities–all things have been created through Him and for Him.” And the idea of Jesus being known as the Word and being the Creator dovetails nicely with what we read in Genesis 1:3 “Then God said, ‘Let there be light’; and there was light.”

Other Scriptures also tell us that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are perfectly united with each other on all things, so that it can be accurately said of Them that They are “one” (e.g., Deuteronomy 6:4 and John 17:22). They are equal with one another (Philippians 2:6), and yet there is a perfect, harmonious order of leadership and submission. The Father seems to take the role of Planner, the Son takes the role of Executor of the plan, and the Spirit seems to take the role of Organizer of what has been done. Thus, the Son is subject to the Father (e.g., John 8:28), and the Spirit is subject to the Son (e.g., John 15:26).

And although He became flesh (a man) and lived among us, He has also appeared in Old Testament stories on occasion. He was, for example, among the three “angels of the LORD” who visited Abraham (Genesis 18:1ff; He was the captain of the LORD’s hosts who spoke with Joshua (Joshua 5:15,16), He was in some sense in Israel’s camp (1 Cor. 10:4); and several other appearances (theophanies).

So what? Jesus is no mere man. When men stood before Him, they stood before almighty deity—their Creator, Judge, Sustainer, Savior, and Only Way. When He speaks, it is more than an opinion, more than an option, and more than suggestion; it’s an authoritative command. Though He is kind and generous, He is also the full-natured God of justice and judgment. When we call His name, we do well to do so with respect—and kneeling wouldn’t be over the top at all (Philippians 2:9-11). And when we think of His cross, we should be thinking of the terrible, terrible price that was paid to rescue our souls from Hell.

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Who’s Right?

Posted on September 9, 2015 by parklinscomb

Ezekiel 33:17-20 “Yet your fellow citizens say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right,’ when it is their own way that is not right. When the righteous turns from his righteousness and commits iniquity, then he shall die in it. But when the wicked turns from his wickedness and practices justice and righteousness, he will live by them. Yet you say, ‘The way of the Lord is not right.’ O house of Israel, I will judge each of you according to his ways.”

Israel had become so corrupt that its judgment had become completely skewed—good had become bad, black had become white, folly had become wisdom. And in their arrogance, they were claiming that the Lord’s way was not right.

What wasn’t right? God had declared that a man who’d lived righteously could, in latter days, choose sinful living—and lose his soul. That didn’t seem right to them. “Surely, a few good works would count for salvation, no matter what path you pursued later,” they thought. That’s too harsh a judgment!

And as if that weren’t enough, God had also “mistakenly” declared that evil men could return to God in their latter days—and save their souls. That didn’t sit right with some in Israel either. Forgiveness for past sins and offenses should be “off the table” in their estimation. Grace was for the “good guys”, not for enemies. That’s too much grace!

They had obviously forgotten…Who was God, and who was not. …Who was always right, and who was often wrong. …Who had authority to judge, and who would BE judged. …Who was the very standard of goodness, righteousness, and justice; and who was the poster child of sinfulness. God’s way was right; it always is.

But men make the same mistake today. It is not up to any man to be the law-giver or the judge. The most any man is authorized to do is be the messenger of God’s commands and judgments. And when God gives His judgment on a matter (good and bad, patterns and deviance , truth and falsehood, etc.), who is the man who thinks he can sit in judgment on God? Think about how many religious problems would be solved, if we’d listen to God’s judgment…

  • One authority in heaven and on earth (Matthew 28:18-20)
  • One church, united, composed of the saved (Ephesians 4:4-6; 1 Corinthians 1:10; and Acts 2:47)
  • Baptism is immersion in water in Jesus’ name for forgiveness of sins and our salvation (Acts 2:38 and 1 Peter 3:21)
  • The Bible is true, God-breathed, and authoritative (John 17:17 and 2 Timothy 3:16,17)
  • One Way to the Father, to Heaven (John 14:6)

Let’s just confess it: the very sins that we commit morally, religiously, and doctrinally are often a matter of us judging God’s judgment and ways as being “off”, inadequate, out of date, or not applicable to our situation—not right.

The way of the Lord is always right. Let’s live this next week by His way and His judgment.

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