Jesus

The Only Way to be Saved

by

by Cody Francis

The Only Way to be SavedThere are many pleasing theories in the world today that are very comfortable to the carnal mind. I was talking with a man about religion one time, and he presented his version of the Lord and the way to be saved. He said that really we were all going to the same place. He didn’t think that any religion was necessarily correct. Buddhists, Hindus, Christians, Muslims, pagans, they are all going to the same place, just taking a different route, he said. They all have different beliefs, but God isn’t that particular, his view was that they really are all the same. You could do anything, say anything, believe anything, and you would still be headed to heaven, he said. There is no doubt about it; this view is a comfortable idea. You don’t need to worry if you are on the right path or not because every path leads to the same place. You don’t need to worry about anything; everything will be all right. Although this is pleasing to the senses, is this really what the Bible teaches? Does the Bible teach that it doesn’t matter what you believe or do? All that matters is that your heart is in the right place? Are there many roads to heaven or is there only one way to be saved?

The Only Name

“Let it be known to you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom you crucified, whom God raised from the dead, by Him this man stands here before you whole. This is the ‘stone which was rejected by you builders, which has become the chief cornerstone.’ Nor is there salvation in any other, for there in no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.” Acts 4:10-12. Peter, speaking as he was moved by the Holy Spirit, (vs. 8) emphatically states that there is no other name under all of heaven by which we, or anyone else, may find salvation. There is only one name in which there is power to save–and that is the name of Jesus Christ our Lord and Saviour. It may sound nice to think that there are hundreds of ways to be saved, that a person can go in any direction that he chooses and still be acceptable to God; the problem is, it simply doesn’t hold up with Scripture. It is only through Jesus that a person can find salvation, as we discover in John 3:16, 17. “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” The only name by which we can be saved is the name of Jesus, because He is the only begotten Son of God. God has only one begotten Son, and since the Lord of Glory has only one Son, then there is only one way to be saved. Jesus Himself made this very clear, “I am the door. If anyone enters by Me, he will be saved, and will go in and out and find pasture.” John 10:9. Jesus likened God’s church to a sheepfold with only one door. The only way that you could lawfully get into the sheepfold was through the door. There are not five or ten different doors through which a person may enter, there is only one, and that only way is through Jesus, our Lord and Saviour.

While it is true that the only name by which anyone can be saved is through Jesus, the plan of salvation is more involved than just that. There are going to be many people who knew Jesus’ name, but will end up being lost. Even demons know Jesus’ name. “Now there was a man in their synagogue with an unclean spirit, and he cried out, saying, ‘Let us alone! What have we to do with You, Jesus of Nazareth? Did You come to destroy us? I know who You are–the Holy One of God!'” Mark 1:23, 24. Not only did the demon know Jesus’ name, but he also knew that Jesus was the Holy One of God! Certainly there is more to salvation than just knowing Jesus’ name, or else this demon would be among the saved. What a revolting thought! To think that a terrifying demon would be saved! We have no need to fear, for that will not be. The Lord has already cast Satan and all his fiends out of heaven (Rev. 12:7-9, 4) and they will not gain admittance again.

Not only do the demons know that Jesus is the Holy One, but there are going to be many people who will claim to know and believe that Jesus is Lord, but this will not save demons or people. “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!'” Matthew 7:21-23. Here is a group of people who think that they are saved. They think that they have a right to enter through the pearly gates into the New Jerusalem, but alas, too late they find that they have been duped! They call Jesus ‘Lord.’ They work miracles in HIS name! They cast out demons in HIS name! They prophesy in HIS name! But, even though, they have prophesied and done all of these wonders in Jesus OWN name, they themselves are lost. Certainly if they are calling Jesus ‘Lord’ and work miracles in His name, they know the name of Jesus, the only way to be saved, but that is not enough. They are sadly deceived. They think that they were saved, when they really do not know the only way that they can be saved. How is it that demons and well-meaning Christians could be lost while knowing the name of Jesus?

Knowing Jesus

Simply knowing the name of Jesus is not enough. A person can know that Jesus lived, he can know that Jesus died, he can know that Jesus rose, but simply having the knowledge will save no one. It is true that there is no other name by which a person may be saved, but there is more involved than just knowing that Jesus existed. In order for a person to be saved he must truly know Jesus. Jesus rebuked the disciples because they did not TRULY know Him. “Have I been with you so long, and yet you have not known Me, Philip?” John 14:9. Not only is it possible to know about Jesus, and even spend a great deal of time with Him and still not know Him (as with the apostles experience), but tragically this sad fate will happen to billions.

We know many people in this world. We have business acquaintances. There are family friends. There are great-aunts and third cousins. There are the neighbors. We know all these people, but there is a difference in the way we know them and the way we know our spouse, children, or best friend. So there is a difference in the way that people know Jesus. Some know Jesus as an historical figure. Others know Jesus as a good man and mighty teacher. Others know that He is the foretold Messiah of the old covenant, the Son of God. And still others know Him as their personal Lord and Saviour. For some people the only time that they call upon Jesus is when they are swearing. Others spend an hour each week with Jesus as they serve their time at church. Some spend five or ten minutes a day while going through their prayers. But still others spend time with Jesus as they are walking down the street, as they are at their workplace. He is their constant companion and the hours they spend with him are not limited to time or place. They are not isolated from the world in some monastery, but moment by moment they are communing with their Lord.

Jesus said, “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent.” John 17:3. It is only this personal companionship with our Lord that will amount to anything at all. It is only by personally knowing our Lord and Saviour that we can be saved. This personal relationship with Jesus as, not just a good person, not just a mighty teacher, not just the Messiah, but as our personal friend, Lord and Saviour, is the only way to be saved.

The Pharisees knew Jesus. They could not deny His existence. He lived and walked and taught among them, but Jesus said that they did not know Him. “Jesus answered, ‘You know neither Me nor My Father. If you had known Me, you would have known My Father also.'” John 8:19. Even though they knew that He existed, even though they had talked and disputed with Him, they did not truly know Him. Jesus emphatically said that they did not know Him or the Father. They did not have a personal acquaintance with Him. He was not their personal friend, but rather their enemy. So today many know of Jesus. They know that He is the only way to be saved, but they do not really know Him. His life and teachings rebuke their lives and even though they know that He is true, they do not want to learn of Him. They desire to go their own way and do their own thing and that is exactly what they do. Like the Pharisees they may think that they know Him, but Jesus says, “I do not know you.” Luke 13:25, 27.

The throng that followed Jesus, knew Jesus. They had seen His miracles. Many of them had even experienced His miracles. They had friends or relatives who had been healed by the Saviour. Many had been among the thousands that miraculously received food from His hands at the feeding of the five thousand and the feeding of the four thousand. This was the class who it was said, “And the common people heard Him gladly.” Mark 12:37. But even though they were the ones who heard Jesus’ words with gladness, it didn’t go much deeper than that. They were not with the Pharisees who were caviling and trying to find fault with everything that Jesus said, but they still didn’t truly know Jesus. When Jesus uttered some of the more testing truths, the truths that struck against the natural inclination of humanity, it was mournfully said of them, “From that time many of His disciples went back and walked with Him no more.” John 6:66. They knew Jesus. They knew His words, His life, His teaching, but they didn’t really know Him. When it came to leaving their preconceived ideas behind, when they had to go against their own desires, when Jesus’ teaching cut across the besetting sins in their lives, they refused to go any further. They had all the externals of being good followers of Jesus, but it didn’t reach down into their hearts. “Then He said to them all, ‘If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me.'” Luke 9:23. They refused to lift the cross. There are many in our world who have the same experience as the throng who pressed about Jesus. They come to church, they do all the things that “good Christians” should do, but when the Lord convicts their hearts of some besetting sin that needs to be given up for His name, instead of heeding the voice of God’s Spirit speaking to them, they harden their hearts. (Hebrews 3:8, 12, 15) Although they think that they know Jesus, as Jesus said to the Pharisees so He will say to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, I do not know you.” Matthew 25:12. All because they thought they knew Jesus, but they did not REALLY become acquainted with Him, the only way to be saved.

There were another group of men who were the most closely associated with Jesus of anyone upon the earth. These were the twelve disciples. In order for them to follow Jesus, they had to make many sacrifices. They left behind the comforts and amenities of home life to follow Him. “Then Peter began to say to Him, ‘See, we have left all and followed You.'” Mark 10:28. They picked up their cross and followed Him. They walked with Him along the way. They heard the wonderful words of life as they dropped from His lips. They saw the mighty miracles that He performed. They ate with Him, they were constantly with Him. But, even though, they were constantly with Him, there were still many things that they needed to learn. Jesus said, “Let these words sink down into your ears,” Luke 9:44. It was only those who allowed Jesus’ sayings to sink down into their ears who truly knew Him. Those who, not only traveled and ate with Him, but hung upon His every word truly knew Him. The eleven faithful disciples gained this experience after the crucifixion, but at least one had a deeper connection than any of the others. He it is who is our example of how we can truly know our Lord, how we can truly know Him who is the only way to be saved. This disciple was none other than John, the son of thunder (Mark 3:17), but who earned the endearing title, the beloved disciple (John 21:20-25.) It was John who was leaning upon Jesus’ bosom at the Last Supper. (John 13:23.) It was John who could not bear to be separated from His Lord and followed Him into the courtyard of the high priest. (John 18:15.) It was John to whom Jesus committed the care of His mother. (John 19:25-27.) It was John who was the first of the twelve to reach the tomb on the resurrection morn. (John 20:2-4.) It is the experience of John, the beloved disciple, which teaches us the only way to be saved. His relationship with Jesus was more than just a form. His relationship was not limited to mere externals, it was a deep, inwrought experience of the heart. He did not just say that he knew Jesus, but he really and truly did know Jesus.

It was John, writing many years after Jesus’ crucifixion, after he had spent decades in the service of his beloved Lord and Master, that gave us the clearest insights into this concept of truly knowing Him. “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, concerning the Word of life–the life was manifested, and we have seen, and bear witness, and declare to you that eternal life which was with the Father and was manifested to us–that which we have seen and heard we declare to you, that you also may have fellowship with us; and truly our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son Jesus Christ.” I John 1:1-3. John, writing to the churches probably fifty to sixty years after the cross, reminds his hearers that he had personally seen, heard, and handled the Lord of Glory. It was his earnest desire that his readers may have the fellowship with Jesus that He had developed over the years. To John, his relationship with Jesus was not just knowing Him. It had gone far beyond that, it was a fellowship that they had one with another. This fellowship was the result of personally knowing Jesus as his personal Lord and Saviour. John further continues, “If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth. But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.” I John 1:6, 7. If we are walking and abiding in the light of truth, as Jesus is, we are going to have fellowship with each other. Amazing thought! Beyond the comprehension of our mortal minds. Weak, finite beings may rise to the height of fellowship with the Infinite One! This most precious experience that John had, he sought to lead others to have as well. This experience is by no means limited to two thousand years ago, but can, and is to be a part of our experience. How can we have that intimate fellowship with our Lord? How can we know Him better than we know anyone else?

Knowing His Death

In order to have that intimate fellowship with Jesus, it is essential to know why He had to die, the experience that He went through at His death, and what His death has accomplished.

Why did Jesus have to die? He did not have to die, but He chose to die. We have no choice. “Therefore, just as through one man sin entered the world, and death through sin, and thus death spread to all men, because all sinned” Rom. 5:12. By one man death spread its dark shadows over our fallen world. Because Adam and Eve disobeyed God in the Garden of Eden, the results of their sin passed upon all men. We are all descendants of Adam and Eve (not from some monkeys or amoebas) and because of our lineage to Adam and Eve, we are all destined to die. But that was not so with Jesus. He is not a descendant of Adam and thus the curse of death did not pass to Him. He chose to die for us. “Therefore My Father loves Me, because I lay down My life that I may take it again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down of Myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This command I have received from My Father.” John 10:17, 18. Jesus was not forced to die for us, He chose of Himself to lay down His life for us. Between the Father and the Son there was a most mysterious counsel and a counsel that we shall never be able to fully understand. The Bible calls it the counsel of peace. “Behold, the Man whose name is the BRANCH! From His place He shall branch out, And He shall build the temple of the Lord; Yes He shall build the temple of the Lord. He shall bear the glory, and shall sit and rule on His throne; So He shall be a priest on His throne, And the counsel of peace shall be between them both.” Zechariah 6:12, 13. By comparing the other Old Testament prophesies of the Messiah, it is easy to see that the Branch is another name for the Messiah. (Isaiah 4:2; 11:1; Jeremiah 23:5; 33:15.) The counsel of peace was to determine how the justice and righteousness of God’s throne (Psalms 89:14) could be maintained; and also how He could condescend to save lost mankind. When Adam and Eve fell, there was indeed silence in heaven. Man had forfeited the wonderful promises and the Paradise that God had provided for them. But at that moment, when everything looked as if it were lost for humanity, Jesus, the Infinite Son of God, stepped in and volunteered to die in man’s behalf. It was not something He was forced or coerced into doing, He voluntarily chose to take man’s place. Thus it could be said of Him, “the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world.” Revelation 13:8. From the very establishment of this world, Jesus made the commitment to die for lost man. Then when the “fullness of the time had come,” (Galatians 4:4) a voice was heard in the courts above, “Behold, I come; in the scroll of the Book it is written of me.” “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire, but a body You have prepared for Me.” Psalms 40:7; Hebrews 10:5. The Infinite Son of God, the one equal with God (Philippians 2:6), chose to come down to rescue poor, sinful, fallen mankind. It was a voluntary act, a voluntary sacrifice.

Jesus said in John 12:23, 24, “The hour has come that the Son of Man should be glorified. Most assuredly, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls into the ground and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it produces much grain.” That very week Jesus was going to be crucified and die for the sins of the world. His hour had now come. Throughout the book of John the phrase, “for His hour was not yet come” keeps repeating (See John 2:4; 7:30; 8:20), but a change was taking place. Now His hour was come. As Jesus thought of the awful cup of which He was even then beginning to drink, He said, “Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name.” John 12:27, 28. His soul trembled at the thought of the anguish that awaited Him, but then He remembered that it was for this very cause that He came into the world. Jesus was born into this world in order that He might die on our behalf. He used the illustration of a grain of wheat. If you preserve a grain of wheat all you have is one grain, but if you plant it, it will produce a hundredfold. So Jesus, by giving His pure and holy life for mankind, was to save millions. If He were not to give up His life, though, He would remain alone; for the only way that mankind could be saved was by the death of the Lifegiver. Jesus was fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, “When You make His soul an offering for sin, He shall see His seed, He shall prolong His days,… He shall see the travail of His soul, and be satisfied. By His knowledge My righteous Servant shall justify many, for He shall bear their iniquities. Therefore I will divide Him a portion with the great, and He shall divide the spoil with the strong,” Isaiah 53:10, 11, 12. Jesus looked by faith to those who were to be saved through His great sacrifice. He saw “His seed,” justified “many,” and was then able to “divide the spoil with the strong.” Through His sacrifice, the undeserving sons of Adam could be justified and could become once again the “sons of God.” (John 1:12, I John 3:1.) “For it was fitting for Him, for whom are all things and by whom are all things, in bringing many sons to glory, to make the author of their salvation perfect through sufferings.” Hebrews 2:10. In order for Jesus to bring many “sons to glory,” He must be made perfect through the sufferings of the cross.

The only way that mankind could be saved was through the death of the One through whom “all things were made.” John 1:3. The only sacrifice that could wash away the debt of man’s sins was the One who had power to lay down His life and to take it again. (John 10:17, 18.) The claims of God’s holy Law are so great that God could not do away with His Law in order to pardon man. No, the claims of the Law had to be met. The price had to be paid, and the only One who could do that was the One of whom it was said, “in Him was life, and the life was the light of men.” John 1:4. That is why Jesus’ death does not abrogate the Law. On the contrary, it exalts and establishes it. “Do we then make void the law through faith? Certainly not! On the contrary, we establish the law.” Romans 3:31. The death of the One who “is before all things, and in Him all things consist” (Colossians 1:17) was the only way that the price of our sins could be paid. It was only thus that God could be “just and the justifier of the one who has faith in Jesus.” Romans 3:26.

Jesus’ death was not just an ordinary death. That alone could never be sufficient. Jesus’ death was the anguish of our sins being laid upon Him. The just for the unjust, the innocent for the guilty, the pure and spotless One, for the stained and polluted, such was Jesus’ love for us. “For He made Him who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21. It was not the physical suffering that caused the death of Jesus, but the weight of the sins of the world that were laid upon Him. Jesus only hung upon the cross for six hours. (Mark 15:25, 34.) To us that may seem like an eternity, but it was frequent that criminals would spend hours, and even days, hanging upon the cross until they were finally suffocated by their own body weight causing their death. But not so with Jesus. Jesus expired in six hours, surprising both Pilate and the guards. (Mark 15:44, 45.) It was not the pain and physical suffering of the cross that killed our Saviour, it was our sins. It had been prophesied hundreds of years earlier, “Surely He has borne our griefs and carried our sorrows; yet we esteemed Him stricken, smitten by God, and afflicted. But He was wounded for our transgressions, He was bruised for our iniquities; the chastisement of our peace was upon Him, and by His stripes we are healed.” Isaiah 53:5, 6. As He suffered upon the cross; our griefs, our sorrows, our transgressions, our iniquities were all laid upon Him. The one who had never transgressed felt the heavy curse of transgression fall upon Him. The only One who had never done iniquity, felt the iniquities of the entire world bear upon His holy soul. The most unbearable weight that has ever been placed upon humanity was laid heavily upon Him. Truly He was made to be sin for us. He suffered the awful weight and guilt of sin as it pressed upon His innocent soul. He suffered, not just the first death that all men die, but He suffered the pangs of the second death for all of mankind. He was made a curse for us, that we might be freed from the curse. (Galatians 3:13.) But the most terrible of all was that Jesus, the One who had been with the Father from the days of eternity, (John 1:1; 17:5; Malachi 5:2) was separated from the Father. Sin was so awful; and in order to drink fully of the cup of human suffering and woe that He had put to His lips, He had to be cut off from God. (Matthew 26:38, 39.) Sin bore so heavily upon Him that He felt as if He would be cut off from the Father–forever. This terrifying thought wrung from His pale, quivering lips the mournful cry, “My God, My God, why have You forsaken Me?” Matthew 27:46. The enormity of sin was so great that He felt the broad black gulf that sin makes between man and His Creator. It was almost more than Jesus could bear. Truly He trod the winepress of God’s wrath alone. (Isaiah 63:3; Revelation 14:19.) He stood between God and man without an intercessor. (Isaiah 59:16.) As one writer puts it, “Upon Christ as our substitute and surety was laid the iniquity of us all. He was counted a transgressor, that He might redeem us from the condemnation of the law. The guilt of every descendant of Adam was pressing upon His heart. The wrath of God against sin, the terrible manifestation of His displeasure because of iniquity, filled the soul of His Son with consternation. All His life Christ had been publishing to a fallen world the good news of the Father’s mercy and pardoning love. Salvation for the chief of sinners was His theme. But now with the terrible weight of guilt He bears, He cannot see the Father’s reconciling face. The withdrawal of the divine countenance from the Saviour in this hour of supreme anguish pierced His heart with a sorrow that can never be fully understood by man. So great was this agony that His physical pain was hardly felt.” Desire of Ages, 753. No, Jesus did not just die an ordinary death, nor even a martyrs death, He died the most excruciating, awful death of separation from the Father on account of our sins. Wonder of all wonders! The most full, complete display of eternal love possible.

Jesus’ death is everything to us. Without His death we are without God, and without hope. (Ephesians 2:12.) Wanderers in this strange world of ours, without an aim and without purpose. But since Jesus’ death, we can be freed from the endless drudgery of this life and be placed on a higher purpose. It is only through Jesus’ death that our sins can be forgiven. Jesus died that we might live. He took our sins upon Him in order that our sins might be taken from us. “For this is the blood of the new covenant, which is shed for many for the remission [margin, forgiveness] of sins.” Matthew 26:28. Jesus spilled out His blood in order that His blood might cover our sins. “Who is a God like unto thee, that pardoneth iniquity, and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage? He retaineth not His anger for ever, because He delighteth in mercy, He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us; He will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” “As far as the east is from the west, so far has He removed our transgressions from us.” Micah 7:18, 19, KJV; Psalms 103:13. By Jesus’ death upon Calvary, these precious promises can become a reality. Our sins can be thrown into the very depths of the sea and can be removed from us as far as the east is from the west. “Being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus, whom God set forth to be a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness, because in His forbearance God had passed over the sins that were previously committed.” Romans 3:24, 25. Through faith in Jesus’ precious blood that was spilt for us, all of our sins that were previously committed can be passed over. It doesn’t matter how great or how many there may be, they can be thrown into the very lowest depths of the sea, if we only come to Him in repentance and confession. The greatest sinner in the world will be freely pardoned, if he will only come in humiliation to the foot of the cross. When the hearers on the day of Pentecost were convicted of their sins and of the righteousness of Jesus, they asked, “What should we do?” Peter’s assuring answer came, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins;” Acts 2:38. There must be a true sorrow for our sins. Without that true sorrow for our sins, we will never experience the cleansing from Jesus’ blood. There must be that “repentance to salvation not to be repented of” in order for Jesus’ blood to be applied to the soul. II Corinthians 7:10, KJV. Not only does there need to be true, heartfelt, deep repentance, there needs to be confession of our sins to our Great Sin Bearer. “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” I John 1:9. We must come to Him in prayer and tell Him that we are sorry for our sins, confess our sins to Him, and ask Him to take them upon Himself. When we come to Him in true faith, He will not turn us down. Our sins will be washed away by the blood of the Lamb, but there is more to knowing Jesus than just knowing His death.

Knowing His Life

His death, as important as it is, is not the only element of Jesus’ life that we need to know in order to truly know Him. We must know His life, as well. “For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life.” Romans 5:10. Paul says that we become reconciled to God through the death of Jesus, but that we will be saved by His life. (There is more to being saved than what many realize. For more information on this important topic see Steps to Life’s booklet, Once Saved, Always Saved?.) If we shall be saved by His life, obviously we need to know His life. Without knowing His life, we will not be saved by it.

“Always carrying about in the body the dying of the Lord Jesus, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our body. For we who live are always delivered to death for Jesus’ sake, that the life of Jesus also may be manifested in our mortal flesh.” II Corinthians 4:10, 11. It is the life of Jesus that we are to show to the world. As we truly know the life of Jesus, we shall be able to manifest His life in our lives. Jesus death was all-sufficient to forgive and to wash away our sins; however, forgiveness of our sins is not the end, but really the beginning. As we come to Jesus in repentance and humiliation at the foot of the cross, and ask Him to cast our sins into the depths of the sea, Jesus, in His love and through the merits of His death, does just that. But, He desires to do more. It is then Jesus’ purpose to write His life in our lives, and that is what knowing His life is all about. “For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps: ‘Who committed no sin, nor was guile found in His mouth’; who, when He was reviled, did not revile in return; when He suffered, He did not threaten, but committed Himself to Him who judges righteously;” I Peter 2:21-23. Jesus lived His life of perfect obedience to God’s holy Law to give us an example that we should follow Him. Not only did Jesus take our penalty of death upon Him, but he also lived a life of perfect obedience to give us an example to follow. “For I have given you an example, that you should do as I have done to you.” John 13:15.

For four thousand years, the devil had been accusing God and telling man that God’s requirements were too much, that God was asking the impossible. (The devil is using the same arguments today.) All had sinned, (Romans 6:23) all had fallen under the power of the devil, and not one had been able to live in perfect obedience to the God of Heaven. From Adam to John the Baptist, not one had lived up to God’s perfect standard. But Jesus came to this world to prove the devil a liar and father of it. (John 8:44.) In order for Jesus to prove that God’s claims were “holy and just and good” (Romans 7:12), He had to come in our likeness and defeat the devil on His own turf. In order for Jesus to prove that, through the grace and power of God, obedience is possible, He had to come in the likeness of fallen man. “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that He by the grace of God should taste death for every man…. Forasmuch then as the children are partakers of flesh and blood, He also Himself likewise took part of the same; that through death He might destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil; For verily He took not on Him the nature of angels; but He took on Him the seed of Abraham. Wherefore in all things it behooved Him to be made like unto His brethren that He might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people.” Hebrews 2:9, 14, 16, 17, KJV. Jesus voluntarily left His glory behind and was made lower than the angels in order that He might destroy the devil. Jesus went to the lowest depths, He took upon Him the seed of Abraham. He took upon Him, the likeness of sinful, fallen flesh. He took our nature with all its weaknesses and defects. Amazing love! The Creator of the universe would stoop to take our weakened, fallen nature. Jesus did not just take Adam’s nature before the fall; He took our nature after the fall. “Remember that Jesus Christ of the seed of David was raised from the dead according to my gospel:” II Timothy 2:8. Why did He have to come in the seed of David, in man’s nature after the fall? “For what the law could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God did by sending His own Son in the likeness of sinful flesh, on account of sin: He condemned sin in the flesh, that the righteous requirement of the law might be fulfilled in us who do not walk according to the flesh but according to the Spirit.” Romans 8:3, 4. God’s Law has a weakness, it cannot give the suppliant power to keep it. It points out the sins of the sinner and it also points the way the sinner should walk, but it does not and cannot give the sinner power to obey it. It was this weakness that God was remedying through sending His only Son in the likeness of our sinful flesh. Jesus lived a life of perfect obedience to God’s Holy Law in the likeness of our sinful flesh, in order to give us the example and the power to obey. Jesus condescended to this low estate in order that the “righteous requirement of the Law” could be fulfilled in us.

Jesus’ life shows all the heavenly beings, all mankind, and all the hosts of hell, that God is perfectly just and fair in His requirements of mankind. Jesus showed that it IS possible to live in complete obedience to God’s Law and His Word. Jesus, in our nature, defeated the devil once and for all in order to show to us that we, likewise, can be victors over the devil. Our part is to follow in the footsteps of the Master Teacher and rely upon His power. “He who sins is of the devil, for the devil has sinned from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that He might destroy the works of the devil. Whoever has been born of God does not sin, for His seed remains in him; and he cannot sin, because he has been born of God.” “Because the carnal mind is enmity against God; for it is not subject to the law of God, nor indeed can be. So then, those who are in the flesh cannot please God…. For if you live according to the flesh you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the deeds of the body, you will live. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God.” I John 3:8, 9; Romans 8:7, 8, 13, 14. Jesus said to all those who desire to become Christians, “let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.” Mark 8:34. We must follow in the perfect example that our Lord, the Son of Man, gave to us. This following Him and death to our fleshly nature (sinful nature) is what the Bible refers to as the new birth. “Most assuredly, I say to you, unless one is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” John 3:3; II Corinthians 5:17. As we understand and truly know how we are saved by Jesus’ life, we see that there is much more to the only way to be saved, than just the cross. The cross is where the journey begins, then the sins that have so long beset us must be laid aside (Hebrews 12:1, 2), we must follow the example of our precious Saviour, Jesus, and only then will the journey end at the mansion that Jesus is preparing. This is why Jesus, in His messages to the seven churches, repeatedly urged, “To Him that overcomes.” (Revelation 2:7, 11, 17, 26; 3:5, 12, 21.) In order to reign with Jesus, we must overcome our sins here in this world. “To him who overcomes I .will grant to sit with Me on My throne, as I also overcame and sat down with My Father on His throne.” Revelation 3:21.

Knowing His Mediation

“Who was delivered up because of our offenses, and was raised because of our justification.” “Who is He who condemns? It is Christ who died, and furthermore is also risen, who is even at the right hand of God, who also makes intercession for us.” Romans 4:25; 8:34. The third crucial element of knowing Jesus, is knowing His mediation and intercession for us. Paul states that He was raised again for our justification. Further explaining, he says that Jesus is making intercession for us before the Father. He was raised for our justification in order that He could ascend to the Father and intercede on our behalf. Salvation does not end at the cross. Jesus’ ministry for us does not even end at the cross. The cross is, indeed, an all-sufficient sacrifice for sin, but it is just the beginning of Jesus’ ministry and of the Christian life.

At Jesus’ ascension, He ascended to the throne of God in the heavenly sanctuary and began His heavenly ministry for us. “Now this is the main point of the things we are saying: We have such a High Priest, who is seated at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens, a Minister of the sanctuary and of the true tabernacle which the Lord erected and not man.” Hebrews 8:1, 2. Jesus is now officiating as our High Priest before the throne of God. Jesus’ work did not stop when He ascended to heaven. He is not now idly waiting for His people to get ready so that He can come to claim His own. He is earnestly working and interceding on their behalf. It is Jesus who is our mediator to the Father. “For there is one God and one Mediator between God and men, the Man Christ Jesus,” I Timothy 2:5. Jesus is our Intercessor, Mediator and High Priest to the Father. The one who took our nature upon Him and died in our behalf is now pleading His blood that we might be saved. This third part of Jesus’ work is just as important as His death and His life, for it is only through His mediation that we will be able to live His life of obedience. “Therefore He is also able to save to the uttermost those who come to God through Him, since He ever lives to make intercession for them. For such a High Priest was fitting for us, who is holy, harmless, undefiled, separate from sinners, and has become higher than the heavens;” Hebrews 7:25, 26. Jesus is able to save to the uttermost. He is able to save the absolute worst sinner upon the face of the earth, because He is living and making intercession before the Father. Without His continual intercession we would be lost through the attacks and sophistry of our adversary, the devil.

“My little children, these things I write to you, that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous.” I John 2:1. John shows us why it is so essential that we have our Saviour mediating before the throne of grace for us. He divulges His reason for writing, in order that we may not sin. He longs for the church to fully live the example that Jesus laid down for us, of a spotless life, but then he adds that if we do fall, we have an advocate with the Father–Jesus Christ our righteous Saviour. Jesus is even now ministering in the heavenly courts in order that we may be given the power to sin not. Precious thought! Not only did Jesus live as our example, die on our behalf, but now He is mediating for us to enable us to overcome all sin. If perchance, we fall, He is there ready to catch us and present His blood of forgiveness if we will only call upon Him. Our high ideal that is set before us is “sin not,” but if we stumble and fall, Jesus, our Advocate, is interceding for us; and because of this we can come to Him and find His precious pardon. Not only is the promise that He is there, but it goes deeper than that, He even knows all the experiences that we go through. “Seeing then that we have a great High Priest who has passed through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin. Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.” Hebrews 4:14-16. Your wonderful Saviour and advocate knows exactly what you are going through. There may not be another person on the face of the earth who can understand the stress and turmoil that you are enduring, but Jesus can sympathize with you for He has been there before. Our Advocate was tempted in all points like we are. There is not a temptation that can be brought to bear upon us that our Saviour did not overcome, and now, with the knowledge of the fierceness of temptation He pleads for us. When we are tempted to give way to doubt and discouragement, He lifts His holy hands and pleads with the Father, “Behold, I have graven” them “upon the palms of my hands.” Isaiah 49:16, KJV. He pleads His shed blood to cover our sins and pleads His spotless character to be imputed to us. (Zechariah 3:1-6.) It is through this wonderful assurance of His advocacy and high priestly ministry that we can truly “be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.” Matthew 5:48. Because of His intercession, we have the assurance that we can come boldly to the throne of grace to obtain the mercy and grace that are so essential if we are going to overcome. Our Saviour is mediating at the throne of God to secure our forgiveness and to give us power to overcome.

The Everlasting Gospel

The true knowledge of our Saviour, His death, His life, and His mediation is the only way to be saved. It is this message that prophecy foretells as going to the entire world. “Then I saw another angel flying in the midst of heaven, having the everlasting gospel to preach to those who dwell on the earth–to every nation, tribe, tongue, and people–saying with a loud voice, ‘Fear God and give glory to Him, for the hour of His judgment has come; and worship Him who made heaven and earth, the sea and springs of water.'” Revelation 14:6, 7. The whole world is going to make a decision; whether they will accept this wonderful everlasting gospel or whether they will turn to their own way. God’s requirements are not hard and difficult, but they do require a complete surrender. Without this complete surrender to Him to forgive us for our sins and to give us the grace to overcome our sins, we shall be among those who cry, “The great day of His wrath has come, and who is able to stand?” Revelation 6:17. The everlasting gospel is simple, so simple that an unlearned child can understand it. This gospel is knowing Jesus, the only way to be saved. “And the knowledge of the Holy One is understanding.” “As His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of Him, who called us by glory and virtue.” Proverbs 9:10; II Peter 1:3. Friend, do you know Him? You have heard of Him from your childhood. The stories are familiar, but do you really know Him? Do you know Him personally? Do you know what He has done and what He is still doing for you? If you come to Him in repentance and humiliation, and tell Him that you want to know Him more and more everyday, if you comply with the simple conditions of repentance and confession at His nail pierced feet, He will say to you as He said to the woman caught in sin two thousand years ago, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” John 8:11. The gospel could be put in no simpler terms than in those ten words. Jesus offers freedom from the condemnation of sin for all who know Him, who confess and repent of their sins; and then He gives the power to “go and sin no more.” Billions have rejected the only way to be saved because they clung to their terrible sins. Sins that crucified the precious Saviour. They loved their sins more than their Saviour. They were unwilling to overcome through His power and through His name. They cling to their sins and with their sins they will be destroyed by the fires of the last day. They did not truly know their precious Saviour. They do not know what He has done through His death, life and mediation. Do you know? Do you want to know more? Will you be among the glad company who have experienced the words of the everlasting gospel? Will you confess your sins to Jesus and be freed from the guilt and condemnation of sin and then choose, through the power that His mediation gives you, to overcome? Will you be among the group who, with Paul, can say, “I know whom I have believed” II Timothy 1:12?

All emphasis the authors unless otherwise stated.
All texts from the New King James Version unless otherwise noted.

Sources:

  • The Desire of Ages, Ellen G. White, 1898.
  • The Ministry of Healing, Ellen G. White, 1905.

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Life Sketches – The Called

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The New Testament teaches that all Israel will be saved, but the question is, Whom does God account as being part of Israel today? The apostle Paul said that not everyone who thinks he is part of Israel really is.

In the first part of the Bible, the Torah, written by Moses, tells the children of Israel of the curses, the awful things that will happen to them if they are not obedient. We read in Deuteronomy 28, verses 36 and 37, “The Lord will bring you and the king whom you set over you to a nation which neither you nor your fathers have known, and there you shall serve other gods—wood and stone. And you shall become an astonishment, a proverb, and a byword among all nations where the Lord will drive you.” He goes on to explain in more detail what is going to happen. These curses that were pronounced by Moses upon the children of Israel, if they would not be obedient, were fulfilled.

“All the leaders of the priests and the people transgressed more and more, according to all the abominations of the nations, and defiled the house of the Lord which He had consecrated in Jerusalem. And the Lord God of their fathers sent warnings to them by His messengers, rising up early and sending them, because He had compassion on His people and on His dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God, despised His words, and scoffed at His prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against His people, till there was no remedy. Therefore He brought against them the king of the Chaldeans, who killed their young men with the sword in the house of their sanctuary, and had no compassion on young man or virgin, on the aged or the weak; He gave them all into his hand” (2 Chronicles 36:14–17).

Verses 19, 20: “They burned the house of God, broke down the wall of Jerusalem, burned all its palaces with fire, and destroyed all its precious possessions. And those who escaped from the sword he carried away to Babylon, where they became servants to him and his sons until the rule of the kingdom of Persia.”

The reason for this is that the words of Jeremiah the prophet would be fulfilled. Jeremiah predicted that Israel would be taken captive to Babylon and they would stay there for 70 years, before coming back again. In other words, a whole generation would pass. It would be their children and grandchildren that would be able to return to the land of their fathers, on condition that they would be obedient and not go again into idolatry.

One of the people that was taken from Judah into the land of Babylon was a young man by the name of Daniel, who wrote a book in the Old Testament bearing his name; Daniel lived to be a very old man, until the end of this 70 year period. In Daniel 9:2 it says, “In the first year of his reign,” referring to Darius the Mede, “I, Daniel, understood by the books the number of the years specified by the word of the Lord through Jeremiah the prophet, that he would accomplish seventy years in the desolations of Jerusalem.”

Daniel knew that these 70 years were about up, and he began to pray a long prayer, starting in verse 4: “I prayed to the Lord … and said, ‘… we have sinned and committed iniquity, we have done wickedly and rebelled, even by departing from Your precepts and Your judgments.’ ” He notes in verse 7 that they have been unfaithful. As he continues his long prayer of confession on behalf of the children of Israel, in verses 8 through 14, he prays, “We have sinned against You.” “We have rebelled.” “We have not obeyed the voice of the Lord.” “All Israel has transgressed.” “We have not obeyed His voice.” He concludes in verse 15 with “We have done wickedly.” He makes a long prayer of confession on behalf of all the children of Israel, God’s chosen people, the descendants of Abraham and those that have accepted the faith of Abraham.

In answer to his prayer, an angel was sent from heaven. In the latter part of Daniel 9 it is recorded, “While I was speaking, praying, and confessing my sin and the sin of my people Israel, and presenting my supplication before the Lord my God for the holy mountain of my God, yes, while I was speaking in prayer, the man Gabriel, whom I had seen in the vision at the beginning, being caused to fly swiftly, reached me about the time of the evening offering” (verses 20, 21).

This angel, Gabriel, in answer to Daniel’s prayer, had a special message and prophecy to give to him. He says, in verse 23, “At the beginning of your supplications the command went out, and I have come to tell you, for you are greatly beloved; therefore consider the matter, and understand the vision” (of the 2300 days). Verse 24, first part, says, “Seventy weeks are determined [cut off] for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression,” or it could also be translated, “to finish the rebellion.”

Daniel mentions several times in his prayer about their lack of obedience and because of this they had been taken captive, Jerusalem was destroyed, and it was a reproach and a byword to all the peoples of the earth. They said that these people claim to be God’s special people and look, they are scattered as prisoners of war, as servants and slaves all over the earth, and their nation is desolate. Their capital city and their temple is desolate. In Daniel’s prayer, he noted that the Lord had promised that their captivity would last for 70 years. Since the 70 years were about up, he wondered what was going to happen.

The angel said, “Seventy weeks are determined,” or cut off, “for your people and for your holy city, to finish the transgression …” in other words, to bring to an end the rebellion, “…to make an end of sins, to make reconciliation for iniquity, to bring in everlasting righteousness” (verse 24, second part).

It was during this 70 week period that everlasting righteousness was to be brought in. Everlasting righteousness can only be brought in by God Himself. The Bible is very clear that you and I do not have any righteousness of our own. As the result of the sin of our first parents, we have a sinful nature and cannot generate righteousness. The only way that we can have righteousness is if it is brought to us by somebody else who does not have a sinful depraved nature like we do.

In the 70 week prophecy, the angel predicts that during these 70 weeks, that everlasting righteousness is going to be brought in and the rebellion is to be finished. It says, “To bring in everlasting righteousness, to seal up the vision and prophecy, and to anoint the Most Holy” (verse 24, last part). “Know therefore and understand, that from the going forth of the command to restore and build Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince, there shall be seven weeks and sixty-two weeks; the street shall be built again, and the wall, even in troublesome times” (verse 25).

This is one of the more astounding prophecies in all of the Bible. The angel says to Daniel, “From the time that the decree goes forth …,” in other words, from the time that the decree is implemented to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until Messiah the Prince is going to be seven weeks and threescore and two weeks (or sixty-nine prophetic weeks). Sixty-nine weeks is four hundred and eighty-three days. That would be between one and two years of literal time. But when we study the prophecy carefully, by comparing it with Daniel 7 and 8, and the prophecies in Ezekiel and Numbers, we see that the angel is using a common symbolic usage of the word time as is done with other prophets.

For example, Ezekiel is told in Ezekiel chapter 4:4–6, literal translation, “Lie on your left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it. According to the number of the days that you lie on it, you shall bear their iniquity. For I have laid on you the years of their iniquity, according to the number of days, three hundred and ninety days; so you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Israel. And when you have completed them, lie again on your right side; then you shall bear the iniquity of the house of Judah, forty days. I have laid on you a day for a year.” Notice, every day in the prophecy equals a year of literal time. This is a common symbolic usage of the word time in both the books of Daniel and Revelation. In fact, when we start computing it this way, we find the prophecy works out exactly. If you do not use this measuring stick, then the prophecy not only doesn’t work out, but it doesn’t make any sense.

But when you use the measuring stick of one day of prophetic time to equal one year of literal time, the prophecy works out perfectly. There are differences between calendars among the different nations and ancient nations, but we will convert the time into our time and we use AD and BC. BC was the time before Christ, and AD is the time after Christ. We are living about 2,000 years after the beginning of time when Christ came.

When we go back to when this decree was issued, when it was implemented to go and restore Jerusalem, we find that it was in the later part of 457 BC.

If you are using simply literal time, then you should be looking for the Christ, the Messiah, to come approximately sometime in 455 BC. However, nobody appeared in 455 BC. But, if you use the prophetic measuring stick for prophetic time, and a symbolic time prophecy of a day of prophetic time equaling a year of literal time, you will be astonished at what you come up with, because, in the New Testament, we find in Luke the 3rd chapter, the exact time when Jesus was baptized. It was at His baptism that He was anointed with the Holy Spirit and with power. You can read about it in Acts 10:38.

When we look in Luke 3 we find that it happened in the 15th year of Tiberius Caesar, which began in the fall of AD 27. If you go from the fall of 457 BC, which was when the decree was implemented to restore and rebuild Jerusalem, until the time when Jesus was anointed; in other words, when He became the Anointed One, the Messiah, then you have a period of exactly sixty-nine weeks or four hundred and eighty-three years.

Mark 1:14, 15 says, “Now after John was put in prison, Jesus came to Galilee preaching the gospel of the kingdom of God, and saying, ‘The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe the gospel.’ ” Daniel 9:25 had just been fulfilled. The Messiah had arrived, but for how long? In Daniel 9:26, it says, “After the sixty-two weeks Messiah shall be cut off.” There were 7 weeks and then 62 weeks, for a total of 483 days, or 483 literal years, which brings us to AD 27 in the fall when Jesus was baptized, recorded in Luke 3.

But then after that time it says that the Messiah was to be cut off, but not for Himself. “Then He [the Messiah] shall confirm the covenant with many for one week.” That’s the 70th week. “But in the middle of the week He shall bring an end to sacrifice and offering” (verse 27), a week would be 7 years, the middle of the week would be 3 ½ years.

Did Jesus bring an end to sacrifice and offering, at the end of 3 ½ years after He was baptized? Yes, He did. Notice what it says in Hebrews 10:11–14: “Every priest stands ministering daily and offering repeatedly the same sacrifices, which can never take away sins. But this Man, after He had offered one sacrifice for sins forever, sat down at the right hand of God, from that time waiting till His enemies are made His footstool. For by one offering He has perfected forever those who are being sanctified.”

Verse 18: “Now where there is remission of these, there is no longer an offering for sin.” Jesus came and offered one sacrifice. It is by this sacrifice that people are saved. After this, there is no more offering for sin. That one sacrifice is sufficient to take away the sins of all those who believe in Him.

So, when Jesus offered His life upon the cross of Calvary as an offering for sin, that brought an end to sacrifices and offerings. Sometimes the Lord teaches us by what He says and sometimes He teaches us by what He does.

It says, in Matthew 27:50, 51, “Jesus cried out again with a loud voice and yielded up His spirit. Then, behold, the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were split.” “The veil of the temple was torn in two.” What did that represent? Oh, friend, that showed that the way into the holy places of the heavenly sanctuary were now open to the believers, and the earthly sanctuary and the sacrifices of lambs, and goats, and bullocks had no more value, as Paul explains in Hebrews 10. The true Sacrifice had come. That happened in the middle of the 70th prophetic week, exactly 3 1/2 years after Jesus’ baptism. As you follow Jesus’ life there, you will find the first Passover after His baptism would have been the Passover in AD 28 (see John 2).

The 2nd Passover after His baptism would have been the Passover when Jesus went to the Jews and they had the huge argument in John 5. It’s very clear there that it was a feast of the Jews and this feast occurred after John 4, which had occurred just 4 months before harvest time.

Remember, Passover was harvest time. If you go then to the 3rd Passover after Jesus’ baptism, then you are at John 6, the feeding of the 5,000. That would be AD 30. And the 4th Passover after the baptism of Jesus was the time when He was crucified, during Passover time in AD 31, exactly as predicted in Daniel 9.

Jesus is the majesty of heaven. He is part of the Godhead. He is the One that made everything. What is going to happen to the people who won’t accept His lordship? They will not accept Him as the Messiah; they will not accept Him as their religious leader; they will not accept Him at all.

The details of Jesus’ life in this world were predicted throughout the Old Testament by the various prophets. For example, Daniel predicted when He would become the Messiah. We just read about that in Daniel 9. Micah predicted that He would be born, in Bethlehem (see Micah 5:2). Isaiah predicted where He would have the largest part of His ministry in Galilee (see Isaiah 9). Isaiah also predicted that He would be rejected by the Jewish people (see Isaiah 53; Psalm 69). His death on the cross was also predicted (see Psalm 22). The various details of Jesus’ life were all predicted.

What happens, then, to people, even God’s chosen people, if they reject God Himself, if they reject the Prince of Heaven, the Majesty of Heaven? (See Matthew 21:33–39.) It is a very interesting parable about the wicked vine dressers. The vine dressers represented the Jewish leaders, and the Son of the householder whom they killed represented Jesus Christ. The others that they killed represented the prophets and servants that had been sent to them. Verses 40, 41 say, “Therefore, when the owner of the vineyard comes, what will He do to those vinedressers? They said to Him, ‘He will destroy those wicked men miserably, and lease His vineyard to other vinedressers who will render to Him the fruits in their seasons.’ ”

“Jesus said to them, ‘Have you never read in the Scriptures: “The stone which the builders rejected, [He] has become the chief cornerstone. This was the Lord’s doing, and it is marvelous in our eyes”? ‘Therefore I say to you, the kingdom of God will be taken from you and given to a nation bearing the fruits of it’ ” (verses 42, 43).

Jesus, talking to God’s chosen people said, because you have rejected the Messiah, the kingdom of God is going to be taken from you, and it is going to be given to somebody else.

Then He says, “And whoever falls on this stone will be broken; but on whomever it falls, it will grind him to powder” (verse 44). When would the kingdom of God be taken from them?

The kingdom of God, even after the crucifixion of Jesus, was not taken from the Jews right away. The apostles went first to Jerusalem to preach the gospel to give them even another chance. In fact, at Pentecost, Peter is talking to the people who are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus, and he tells them, “Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:38). There were many Jews who became Christians at that point in time, but, unfortunately, the majority of the nation did not. The leaders did not. In fact, their opposition to the gospel, their opposition to the idea of Jesus Christ being the Messiah, became so vehement, so fierce, and so bitter, that eventually, they came to the end of the line.

They stoned to death one of the Christian leaders. Stephen was the first Christian martyr. Before His stoning he said to them, “You stiff-necked and uncircumcised in heart and ears! You always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you” (Acts 7:51). He accused them of becoming the murderers of the Just One who was sent to them saying, “And they killed those who foretold the coming of the Just One, on whom you now have become the betrayers and murderers” (verse 52).

He was filled with the Holy Spirit and they were so angry that they gnashed their teeth and drew him out of the temple, and out of the town, and stoned him to death. When they were doing this, he said, “Look! I see the heavens opened and the Son of Man standing at the right hand of God” (verse 56)!

O friend, when Jesus is sitting down on His throne, that’s one thing, but when He stands up, that is a time of decision-making, a time of judgment. After that time the gospel went to the Gentiles and the Jews as a nation were no longer God’s chosen and special people.

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)

Pastor John J. Grosboll is Director of Steps to Life and pastors the Prairie Meadows Church of Seventh-day Adventists in Wichita, Kansas. He may be contacted by email at: historic@stepstolife.org, or by telephone at: 316-788-5559.

Bible Study Guides – Feeding the Multitude

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June 25 – July 1, 2017

Key Text

“Jesus said unto them, They need not depart; give ye them to eat” (Matthew 14:16).

Study Help: The Desire of Ages, 364–371.

Introduction

“Often we hesitate, unwilling to give all that we have, fearing to spend and to be spent for others. But Jesus has bidden us, ‘Give ye them to eat’ (Matthew 14:16). His command is a promise; and behind it is the same power that fed the multitude beside the sea.” The Desire of Ages, 369. [Emphasis author’s.]

Sunday

 1   THE HUNGERING MULTITUDE

  •  Besides the disciples, who else accompanied Jesus? John 6:1, 2.

Note: “Christ had retired to a secluded place with His disciples, but this rare season of peaceful quietude was soon broken. The disciples thought they had retired where they would not be disturbed; but as soon as the multitude missed the divine Teacher, they inquired, ‘Where is He?’ Some among them had noticed the direction in which Christ and His disciples had gone. Many went by land to meet them, while others followed in their boats across the water. The Passover was at hand, and, from far and near, bands of pilgrims on their way to Jerusalem gathered to see Jesus. Additions were made to their number, until there were assembled five thousand men besides women and children. Before Christ reached the shore, a multitude were waiting for Him.” The Desire of Ages, 364.

  • What was the spiritual condition of the people? Mark 6:34.

Note: “He [Christ] ‘was moved with compassion toward them, because they were as sheep not having a shepherd’ (Mark 6:34). Leaving His retreat, He found a convenient place where He could minister to them. They received no help from the priests and rulers; but the healing waters of life flowed from Christ as He taught the multitude the way of salvation.” The Desire of Ages, 364, 365.

Monday

 2   TEMPORAL NUTRITION

  •  Besides satisfying the spiritual needs of the people, with what else did Jesus concern Himself? John 6:3–5.

Note: “He who taught the people the way to secure peace and happiness was just as thoughtful of their temporal necessities as of their spiritual need. The people were weary and faint. There were mothers with babes in their arms, and little children clinging to their skirts. Many had been standing for hours. They had been so intensely interested in Christ’s words that they had not once thought of sitting down, and the crowd was so great that there was danger of their trampling on one another. Jesus would give them a chance to rest, and He bade them sit down. There was much grass in the place, and all could rest in comfort.” The Desire of Ages, 365, 366.

  • What did Jesus say to Philip and with what intention? John 6:5, 6.
  • What did Philip answer Jesus? John 6:7.

Note: “The day seemed to them [the people] like heaven upon earth, and they were utterly unconscious of how long it had been since they had eaten anything.

“At length the day was far spent. The sun was sinking in the west, and yet the people lingered. Jesus had labored all day without food or rest. He was pale from weariness and hunger, and the disciples besought Him to cease from His toil. But He could not withdraw Himself from the multitude that pressed upon Him.

“The disciples finally came to Him, urging that for their own sake the people should be sent away. Many had come from far, and had eaten nothing since morning. In the surrounding towns and villages they might be able to buy food. But Jesus said, ‘Give ye them to eat’ (Luke 9:13), and then, turning to Philip, questioned, ‘Whence shall we buy bread, that these may eat?’ (John 6:5). This He said to test the faith of the disciple. Philip looked over the sea of heads, and thought how impossible it would be to provide food to satisfy the wants of such a crowd. He answered that two hundred pennyworth of bread would not be nearly enough to divide among them, so that each might have a little.” The Desire of Ages, 365.

Tuesday

 3   AVAILABLE PROVISION

  •  What information did Andrew give to Jesus? John 6:8, 9.

Note: “Jesus inquired how much food could be found among the company. ‘There is a lad here,’ said Andrew, ‘which hath five barley loaves, and two small fishes: but what are they among so many?’ (John 6:9).” The Desire of Ages, 365.

  • What plan did Jesus suggest to keep order among the hungry multitude? John 6:10.

Note: “Jesus directed that these [the five barley loaves and two fishes] be brought to Him. Then He bade the disciples seat the people on the grass in parties of fifty or a hundred, to preserve order, and that all might witness what He was about to do.” The Desire of Ages, 365.

  • Explain the sequence of actions Christ took in multiplying the food. John 6:11; Matthew 14:19.

Note: “When this [order] was accomplished, Jesus took the food, ‘and looking up to heaven, He blessed, and brake, and gave the loaves to His disciples, and the disciples to the multitude’ (Matthew 14:19). ‘And they did all eat, and were filled. And they took up twelve baskets full of the fragments, and of the fishes’ (Mark 6:42, 43). …

“Christ never worked a miracle except to supply a genuine necessity, and every miracle was of a character to lead the people to the tree of life, whose leaves are for the healing of the nations. The simple food passed round by the hands of the disciples contained a whole treasure of lessons. It was humble fare that had been provided; the fishes and barley loaves were the daily food of the fisher folk about the Sea of Galilee. Christ could have spread before the people a rich repast, but food prepared merely for the gratification of appetite would have conveyed no lesson for their good. Christ taught them in this lesson that the natural provisions of God for man had been perverted. And never did people enjoy the luxurious feasts prepared for the gratification of perverted taste as this people enjoyed the rest and the simple food which Christ provided so far from human habitations. …

“Selfishness and the indulgence of unnatural taste have brought sin and misery into the world, from excess on the one hand, and from want on the other.” The Desire of Ages, 365–367.

Wednesday

 4   SPIRITUAL LESSONS (I)

  •  What lesson did Jesus teach the disciples after feeding the multitude? John 6:12, 13.

 Note: “After the multitude had been fed, there was an abundance of food left. But He who had all the resources of infinite power at His command said, ‘Gather up the fragments that remain, that nothing be lost’ (John 6:12). These words meant more than putting the bread into the baskets. The lesson was twofold. Nothing is to be wasted. We are to let slip no temporal advantage. We should neglect nothing that will tend to benefit a human being. Let everything be gathered up that will relieve the necessity of earth’s hungry ones. And there should be the same carefulness in spiritual things. When the baskets of fragments were collected, the people thought of their friends at home. They wanted them to share in the bread that Christ had blessed. The contents of the baskets were distributed among the eager throng, and were carried away into all the region round about. So those who were at the feast were to give to others the bread that comes down from heaven, to satisfy the hunger of the soul. They were to repeat what they had learned of the wonderful things of God. Nothing was to be lost. Not one word that concerned their eternal salvation was to fall useless to the ground.” The Desire of Ages, 368.

  • What lessons of cooperation can we learn from this experience? Mark 6:37–40; Luke 6:38; Galatians 6:6, 10.

Note: “In Christ’s act of supplying the temporal necessities of a hungry multitude is wrapped up a deep spiritual lesson for all His workers. Christ received from the Father; He imparted to the disciples; they imparted to the multitude; and the people to one another. So all who are united to Christ will receive from Him the bread of life, the heavenly food, and impart it to others. …

“Christ is the great center, the source of all strength. His disciples are to receive their supplies from Him. The most intelligent, the most spiritually minded, can bestow only as they receive. Of themselves they can supply nothing for the needs of the soul. We can impart only that which we receive from Christ; and we can receive only as we impart to others. As we continue imparting, we continue to receive; and the more we impart, the more we shall receive. Thus we may be constantly believing, trusting, receiving, and imparting.” The Desire of Ages, 369, 370.

Thursday

 5   SPIRITUAL LESSONS (II)

  •  What additional spiritual lessons can we learn from the multiplication of the food? Mark 4:26–28.

Note: “In feeding the five thousand, Jesus lifts the veil from the world of nature, and reveals the power that is constantly exercised for our good. In the production of earth’s harvests God is working a miracle every day. Through natural agencies the same work is accomplished that was wrought in the feeding of the multitude. Men prepare the soil and sow the seed, but it is the life from God that causes the seed to germinate. It is God’s rain and air and sunshine that cause it to put forth, ‘first the blade, then the ear, after that the full corn in the ear’ (Mark 4:28). It is God who is every day feeding millions from earth’s harvest fields. Men are called upon to co-operate with God in the care of the grain and the preparation of the loaf, and because of this they lose sight of the divine agency. They do not give God the glory due unto His holy name. The working of His power is ascribed to natural causes or to human instrumentality. …

“The miracle of the loaves teaches a lesson of dependence upon God. When Christ fed the five thousand, the food was not nigh at hand. Apparently He had no means at His command. Here He was, with five thousand men, besides women and children, in the wilderness. He had not invited the large multitude to follow Him; they came without invitation or command; but He knew that after they had listened so long to His instruction, they would feel hungry and faint; for He was one with them in their need of food. They were far from home, and the night was close at hand. Many of them were without means to purchase food. He who for their sake had fasted forty days in the wilderness would not suffer them to return fasting to their homes. The providence of God had placed Jesus where He was; and He depended on His heavenly Father for the means to relieve the necessity.” The Desire of Ages, 367, 368.

Friday

 PERSONAL REVIEW QUESTIONS

 1      What was Christ’s main interest in the people?

2      Why did Jesus supply the physical necessities of the people?

3      Explain Christ’s method to maintain the hungry multitude in order.

4      How did Jesus include the disciples in the work of feeding the people?

5      After feeding the people, what other important lesson did Jesus teach?

Copyright © 2004 Reformation Herald Publishing Association, 5240 Hollins Road, Roanoke, Virginia. Reprinted by permission.

Grafted Into Christ

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Christ, in teaching His disciples, said: “I am the True Vine, and My Father is the Husbandman. Every branch in Me that beareth not fruit He taketh away: and every branch that beareth fruit, He purgeth [pruneth] it, that it may bring forth more fruit” (John 15:1, 2). He who is united to Christ, partaking of the sap and nourishment of the Vine, will work the works of Christ. The love of Christ must be in him or he cannot be in the Vine. Supreme love to God, and love to your neighbor equal to that which you bear to yourself, is the basis of true religion.

Christ inquires of everyone professing His name: “Lovest thou Me?” If you love Jesus you will love the souls for whom He died. A man may not bear the most pleasant exterior, he may be deficient in many respects; but if he has a reputation for straightforward honesty, he will gain the confidence of others. The love of truth, the dependence and confidence which men can place in him, will remove or overbear objectionable features in his character. Trustworthiness in your place and calling, a willingness to deny self for the purpose of benefiting others, will bring peace of mind and the favor of God.

Those who will walk closely in the footsteps of their self-sacrificing, self-denying Redeemer will have the mind of Christ reflected in their minds. Purity and the love of Christ will shine forth in their daily lives and characters, while meekness and truth will guide their way. Every fruitful branch is pruned, that it may bring forth more fruit. Even fruitful branches may display too much foliage and appear what they really are not. The followers of Christ may be doing some work for the Master and yet not be doing half what they might do. He then prunes them, because worldliness, self-indulgence, and pride are cropping out in their lives. Husbandmen clip off the surplus tendrils of the vines that are grasping the rubbish of earth, thus making them more fruitful. These hindering causes must be removed and the defective overgrowth cut away, to give room for the healing beams of the Sun of Righteousness.

God purposed through Christ that fallen man should have another trial. Many misunderstand the object for which they were created. It was to bless humanity and glorify God, rather than to enjoy and glorify self. God is constantly pruning His people, cutting off profuse, spreading branches, that they may bear fruit to His glory and not produce leaves only. God prunes us with sorrow, with disappointment and affliction, that the outgrowth of strong, perverse traits of character may be weakened and that the better traits may have a chance to develop. Idols must be given up, the conscience must become more tender, the meditations of the heart must be spiritual, and the entire character must become symmetrical. Those who really desire to glorify God will be thankful for the exposure of every idol and every sin, that they may see these evils and put them away; but the divided heart will plead for indulgence rather than denial.

The apparently dry branch, by being connected with the living vine, becomes a part of it. Fiber by fiber, and vein by vein, it adheres to the vine till it derives its life and nourishment from the parent stock. The graft buds, blossoms, and produces fruit. The soul, dead in trespasses and sins, must experience a similar process in order to be reconciled to God and to become a partaker of Christ’s life and joy. As the graft receives life when united to the vine, so the sinner partakes of the divine nature when connected with Christ. Finite man is united with the infinite God. When thus united, the words of Christ abide in us, and we are not actuated by a spasmodic feeling, but by a living, abiding principle. The words of Christ must be meditated upon and cherished and enshrined in the heart. They should not be repeated, parrot-like, finding no place in the memory and having no influence over the heart and life.

As the branch must abide in the vine to obtain the vital sap which causes it to flourish, so those who love God and keep all His sayings must abide in His love. Without Christ we cannot subdue a single sin or overcome the smallest temptation. Many need the Spirit of Christ and His power to enlighten their understanding, as much as blind Bartimaeus needed his natural sight. “As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in Me” (verse 4). All who are really in Christ will experience the benefit of this union. The Father accepts them in the Beloved, and they become objects of His solicitude and tender, loving care. This connection with Christ will result in the purification of the heart and in a circumspect life and faultless character. The fruit borne upon the Christian tree is “love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance” (Galatians 5:22, 23).

Testimony Treasures, vol. 1, 512–514.

Life Sketches Series – The Resurrection

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The resurrection of Jesus is one of the most attested facts of history, without which there never would have been such a thing as the Christian church.

One of the most amazing stories in the Bible is about a man who was the most bitter and relentless persecutor of the church of Christ who later became the most able defender of the church and the most successful herald of the gospel. This man wrote over half the books in the New Testament. With the apostolic brotherhood, those Galilean peasants who had been disciples of Jesus, the Lord chose to associate a man who had never seen the Lord while He had dwelt among men. In fact, not only had he never seen Him, but he had only heard the name of Jesus spoken in unbelief and contempt. How did this happen? There are in the universe Beings who the Bible says have infinite intelligence and infinite wisdom and were able to discern beneath the blindness and prejudice of this strict Pharisee a heart that was loyal to truth and duty. The result was that the voice from heaven made itself heard above the clamors of his pride and prejudice.

In the promulgation of the gospel, in the first century right after the resurrection of Christ, divine providence decided to unite with the zeal and devotion of the Galilean peasants a man who would bring the fiery vigor and the intellectual power of a rabbi from Jerusalem to lead in the battle against pagan philosophy and Jewish formalism. Saul of Tarsus was chosen to lead in that battle. He himself had witnessed the debasing power of heathenism and had endured the spiritual bondage of Pharisaical exaction. But, before he became a Christian he was the most bitter and relentless persecutor of the church of Christ. He says in Galatians 1:13, 14, concerning his former life, “You have heard of my former conduct in Judaism, how I persecuted the church of God, beyond measure and tried to destroy it. And I advanced in Judaism beyond many of my contemporaries in my own nation, being more exceedingly zealous for the traditions of my fathers.”

Saul of Tarsus was a Jew, not only by descent, but by the stronger ties of lifelong training and patriotic devotion of religious belief and faith. He was a Roman citizen who was born in a Gentile city, but he had been educated in Jerusalem by the most eminent of the Jewish rabbis; he had been diligently instructed in all the laws and traditions of the Jews. He talks about this to the Jewish leaders in public many years afterward when they were attempting to kill him. “He said, ‘I am indeed a Jew, born in Tarsus of Cilicia, but brought up in this city (Jerusalem) at the feet of Gamaliel, taught according to the strictness of our father’s law, and was zealous toward God as you all are today. I persecuted this Way to the death, binding and delivering into prisons both men and women, as also the high priest bears me witness, and all the council of the elders, from whom I also received letters to the brethren, and went to Damascus to bring in chains even those who were there to Jerusalem to be punished’ (Acts 22:2–5).”

He shared fully the hopes, the aspirations, the lofty pride, and the unyielding prejudice of the Jewish nation. He claimed “he was a Hebrew of the Hebrews.” In Philippians 3:4–6, he said, “if anyone else thinks he may have confidence in the flesh, I more so: circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of the Hebrews; concerning the law, a Pharisee; concerning zeal, persecuting the church; concerning the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.” Paul was a Pharisee of the Pharisees, he was the leading persecutor of the Christian church. In common with his nation, he had the hope that there would be a Messiah sent to the world who would reign as a temporal prince and who would break the Roman yoke from the neck of the Jews and exalt the Jewish nation to the throne of universal empire.

Paul had no personal knowledge of Jesus’ mission, but readily imbibed the scorn and hatred of the rabbis toward One who was so far from fulfilling their ambitious hopes. So, after the death of Christ, he joined with the priests and rulers in the persecution of His followers as a proscribed and hated sect. He describes it this way: “For I am the least of the apostles, who am not worthy to be called an apostle, because I persecuted the church of God. But by the grace of God I am what I am, and His grace toward me was not in vain; but I labored more abundantly than they all [the rest of the apostles], yet not I, but the grace of God which was with me” (1 Corinthians 15:9, 10).

The Pharisees thought that Jesus’ disciples would be cowered into submission and fear. After seeing what happened to their leader, they thought that the disciples would never promote the teachings of Christ again. They thought that the work of Christ would end with Him and when the voice of Jesus was no longer heard, the excitement would die down, and the people would return to the doctrines and traditions that they had been taught by the Jewish religion. But instead of that happening, they witnessed the marvelous scenes of the day of Pentecost when the disciples were endowed with power and energy that they had never known before. They preached Christ to the vast multitude that had been assembled there from all parts of the world for the feast.

There were also signs and wonders which confirmed their words, and the result was that in the very stronghold of Judaism, in Jerusalem and in Judea, there were thousands who declared their faith in Jesus of Nazareth. Notice how direct Peter was in his preaching: “This Jesus God has raised up, of which we are all witnesses. Therefore being exalted to the right hand of God, and having received from the Father the promise of the Holy Spirit, He poured out this which you now see and hear. For David did not ascend into the heavens, but he says himself: ‘The Lord said to my Lord, “Sit at My right hand, Till I make Your enemies Your footstool.” ’ Therefore, let all the house of Israel know assuredly that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Christ” (Acts 2:32–36).

His audience was the people that were responsible for crucifying Christ, and here he offers them forgiveness for what they have done. Salvation and the hope of eternal life is freely offered to them but first they must face the reality of what they have done. The people were accosted by Peter’s sermon. He told them that they were the ones who had crucified Jesus, but informed them that He is not dead anymore. He is raised up and He has gone to heaven.

“Now when they heard this, they were cut [stabbed, pierced, pricked] to the heart, and said to Peter and the rest of the apostles, ‘Men and brethren, what shall we do?’ Then Peter said to them, ‘Repent, and let every one of you be baptized in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission [forgiveness] of sins; and you shall receive the gift of the Holy Spirit. For the promise is to you and your children, and to all who are afar off, as many as the Lord our God will call.’ And with many other words he testified and exhorted them, saying, ‘Be saved from this perverse generation.’ Then those who gladly received his word were baptized; and that day about three thousand souls were added to them” (verses 37–41).

Just a few weeks after the crucifixion, about 3,000 people in the very heart of Judaism, the very system and religion that had crucified the Lord Jesus, recognized that they had been mistaken and had crucified the Messiah. Devastated, they said, “What shall we do?” Peter said, “Repent.” The word repent simply means to change your mind – change your mind about Jesus, change your mind about sin, change your mind about being the boss of your own life and yielding to the sovereignty of Jesus Christ and His government.

Repent means to be sorry for your sins, be sorry enough to quit. What love was demonstrated to those who were guilty of crucifying the only One who could save them. Repent and you will be forgiven. Three thousand decided to repent that day and be baptized. They declared their faith in this Person whom the Jews said was a malefactor and a deceiver. They believed the evidence, Jesus was the Messiah, He was crucified, and He rose again and offered forgiveness to all who repented.

Have you ever thought about the fact that those people there are not the only people that are responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus? Notice what the apostle Paul says about this: “I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures …” (1 Corinthians 15:3). Why did Jesus die on the cross? The apostle Paul said that Jesus died on the cross for our sins. Romans 3:23 says that we have all sinned; we have all come short of the glory of God. So, if all have sinned then all are also responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus because He died for the sins of the world. Later in his life, Paul, writing to the Hebrew people who had become Christians, said, “According to the law almost all things are purged with blood, and without shedding of blood there is no remission [no forgiveness]” (Hebrews 9:22).

All are sinners and responsible for the crucifixion of Jesus, but through heart-felt repentance and a willingness for the Holy Spirit to create in them a clean heart and renew a right spirit in them (Psalm 51:10), the Holy Spirit will give the gift of repentance and a sorrow for sin enough to turn away from it.

A short time after Pentecost Peter and John went up to the temple. It was at the time of prayer. “A certain man lame from his mother’s womb was carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple which is called Beautiful, to ask alms from those who entered the temple; who, seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, asked for alms. And fixing his eyes on him, with John, Peter said, ‘Look at us.’ So he gave them his attention, expecting to receive something from them. Then Peter said, ‘Silver and gold I do not have, but what I do have I give you: In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk.’ And he took him by the right hand and lifted him up, and immediately his feet and ankle bones received strength. So he, leaping up, stood and walked and entered the temple with them—walking, leaping, and praising God. And all the people saw him walking and praising God. Then they knew that it was he who sat begging alms at the Beautiful Gate of the temple; and they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened … ” (Acts 3:2–10).

It says that “all the people ran together.” They wanted to see this mighty miracle that had been worked. And when they came, the apostles declared to everybody that this man whom they all knew was healed in the name of Jesus of Nazareth. Everyone was astonished. It was the talk of the whole city. The apostles said that it was in the name of Jesus of Nazareth, whom they had crucified and who was now ascended into the heavens, that this man had been made whole. It was Jesus of Nazareth who had imparted this power to His followers to heal the sick and to uplift those who were in trouble. The apostles fearlessly charged the Jews again with the crime of Jesus’ rejection and murder.

In verses 12–16 it says, “When Peter saw it, he responded to the people: ‘Men of Israel, why do you marvel at this? Or why look so intently at us, as though by our own power or godliness we had made this man walk? The God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified His Servant Jesus, whom you delivered up and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he was determined to let Him go. But you denied the Holy One and the Just, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, and killed the Prince of Life, whom God raised from the dead, of which we are witnesses. And His name, through faith in His name, has made this man strong, whom you see and know. Yes, the faith which comes through Him has given him this perfect soundness in the presence of you all.’ ”

Then Peter made an appeal: “Now, I know you didn’t understand what you were doing. You did it through ignorance, and so you need to repent” (verses 17, 19, literal translation). There were some who did repent, but there were others who resisted and became more furious than ever. After all, what do you do when a man is healed and made whole in the name of Jesus, whom you say is still dead?

Peter said, “To you first, God, having raised up His Servant Jesus, sent Him to bless you, in turning away every one of you from your iniquities” (verse 26). The leaders of the Jewish religion were not happy at this and decided to arrest Peter and John. Force is always the last resort of every false religion. If you are searching for the true church, you should examine carefully to see if they persecute other people that do not believe the way they do. The words of the apostles could not be refuted and the only thing left for those who refused to believe the truth was to get rid of those promoting it. If you kill them, or at least cast them into prison, then they will not be able to deliver their message to the people.

Force is something that Jesus never used nor taught His disciples to use. That is not New Testament Christianity. However, it is one of the primary marks that indicates that you are dealing with a false religion. Force is the last resort of every false religion and you can be sure that a religion that uses force is not the religion of Jesus Christ.

“Now as they spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them, being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them, and put them in custody until the next day, for it was already evening. However, many of those who heard the word believed; and the number of the men came to be about five thousand” (Acts 4:1–4).

The bitterness, the malice of these religious leaders was unchanged, even though the evidence of the resurrection was too great to be denied.

Oh, friend, the evidence for the resurrection of Jesus has not diminished since that time. In fact, it is overwhelming. It is one of the most attested facts of history, far more than almost anything that you could read in a history book. Without Christ’s resurrection having happened, there never would have been a Christian church.

There was an attempt to keep the early church from developing, but the evidence in favor of the resurrection of Jesus was too strong.

One day we are all going to appear at what the apostle Paul calls the judgment seat of Christ. We are all going to give an account of the life we have lived in this world. Accountability is probably the main reason why people do not like to believe that Jesus came into this world. It is going to happen whether we believe it or not, just as in Noah’s day when the warning was given about the coming flood. It came whether the people believed or not. But the question is, What are you going to believe? Are you going to check it out and follow the weight of evidence or put your head in the sand and hope it all goes away?

(Unless appearing in quoted references or otherwise identified, Bible texts are from the New King James Version.)