Podcasts about perfect god

Hi Folks. Thanks for joining me as we move ahead in our study of Hebrews. We're moving on to verses 2 and 3 of chapter one today but before we do that, I want to tell you about a friend of mine. He is no longer with us. His name was Joel (name changed for confidentiality purposes) and he was Jewish. He suffered from depression and always proclaimed forcefully that his depression was due to a chemical imbalance that required multiple medications to treat it. The treatment was never effective. He would sometimes say to me, “Art, I guess God wants me to be depressed”. Joel made a profession of faith in Jesus about 25 years ago. Now folks, please keep this true anecdote in mind because Hebrews was written to Jewish people some of whom may have been like Joel.Hebrews 1:1–3 NKJV1 God, who at various times and in various ways spoke in time past to the fathers by the prophets, 2 has in these last days spoken to us by His Son, whom He has appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the worlds; 3who being the brightness of His glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high,Last time we went over verse 1 and we talked about how God spoke to the ancient Hebrews through the prophets at many different times and in various ways. The prophets refers to the Old Testament prophets of course including the 16 writing prophets as well as those prophets who did not write specific books in the Old Testament that have been categorized as books of prophecy. Writing prophets would include those such as Isaiah, Jeremiah, and Ezekiel. The 16 writing prophets are divided into major and minor prophets but I need to mention at this point that what I am referring to as the 16 writing prophets would be in the Jewish tradition only 15 in number. The difference is Daniel. Hebrew tradition does not include Daniel in the Nevi'im, or Prophets. Daniel is included in the last or third section of the TaNaKh which is the Ketuvim or the writings.Now folks, we can say from Hebrews 1:2 alone that Jesus' ministry marked the beginning of the last days. Maybe that surprises you. But listen please.Hebrews 1:2 NIVbut in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.Folks, God spoke many things to the Jewish people of first century Israel through His Son Jesus and much of what He said has been preserved for us to read today. We will cover some of those things in our study of this book. But let's talk now for a minute or so about Jesus as God's Son. Jesus is God's Son in a very different way than we are sons and daughters of God. We are told that we are sons and daughters in the Gospel of John:John 1:12–13 NIVYet to all who did receive him, to those who believed in his name, he gave the right to become children of God—children born not of natural descent, nor of human decision or a husband's will, but born of God.This verse talks about what happens to us when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior; we are born again and are transferred from being in Adam to being in Messiah or Christ. That's what John 1:12-13 is talking about and as incredible as that is - we becoming sons and daughters or children of God - we are not sons in the sense that Jesus is the Son of God. Because Jesus is not a created being and He is the one and only Son of God, He has to be of the same substance and nature as His Father. He has to be divine, He has to be deity. So please recognize that Jesus is the only unique Son of God and He is a Son - the Son - in a different way than we are. I also just want to remind you that God said He has a Son in the Old Testament in Psalm 2 and in Proverbs 30 and we talked about that last time. God's Son here is the Messiah.But getting back to Hebrews 1:2:Hebrews 1:2 NIVbut in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.In trying to grasp the profound meaning of this verse I think we can get some help by looking at John's Gospel:John 1:1–3 NIVIn the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. He was with God in the beginning. Through him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.Now please take a look at Genesis 1:1:Genesis 1:1 NIVIn the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.Folks, God's Son did this. So, Who is this Son? We've already said that He is a Son like no other Son and that He is divine - He has the attributes of deity. But can we get a better understanding of that? I think we can. In John chapter 1 He is called the Word which in Greek is Logos and we are told that in the beginning He was with God and was God and that without Him nothing was made that was made. So, how is He, the Logos or Word and also God? Thanks to Arnold Fruchtenbaum, I've come to understand that the idea behind the Greek word Logos is better understood by the Aramaic word Memra, which also means word, and which was used in the Jewish Targums or paraphrases of the Hebrew Scriptures, recognized by many rabbis, to describe a visible appearance of God, somewhat similar to, yet different from, the Shekinah glory of God, like the pillar of fire that stayed with the Israelites in the desert following the Exodus. Sometimes this Memra would appear as the Angel of the LORD or the Angel of Yahweh such as we see in:Exodus 3:2 NIVThere the angel of the Lord appeared to him in flames of fire from within a bush. Moses saw that though the bush was on fire it did not burn up.AND:Exodus 3:4 NIVWhen the Lord saw that he had gone over to look, God called to him from within the bush, “Moses! Moses!” And Moses said, “Here I am.”Can you see from these 2 verses that there is an equivalence between the Angel of Yahweh and the LORD, meaning Yahweh Himself? The Apostle John was a Jewish man and would have been familiar with the Memra which means word. Logos was the closest Greek equivalent to Memra and so John used Logos as he was inspired to do by the Holy Spirit. This gives us an understanding of how Jesus is the Logos and God. He came as God in the flesh, God incarnate, and He was and is the same Divine Being that he was in the Old Testament where He temporarily came as the Angel of Yahweh. These appearances, in the Old Testament, were of the preincarnate Christ. Folks, this is mind blowing, is it not? But it's true!So, the Son of God - the Logos, or Memra, or Word - is like no other Son. Understanding this will help us greatly in this study of the letter to the Hebrews. And as the Divine Son of the Father, it becomes understandable that Yahweh, the Father, would appoint His one and only Son the Heir of all things. Likewise it makes sense that YHWH would appoint His Son to make the Universe, that the Universe would be made through Him. Folks, I don't want to get ahead of myself. We are in deep waters here but what wonderful deep waters they are! The Shema tells us that God is One but He is a complex or plural One. He is one God with a plural nature. We cannot fully understand this. But God allows us to understand it enough to know that it is absolutely true and that is a wonderful gift to us!But, getting back to the Scripture:Hebrews 1:2 NIVbut in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.So, what did the Son speak to us - and that applies to you and me - in these last days? Let me give you just a few things that He said:John 3:3 NIVJesus replied, “Very truly I tell you, no one can see the kingdom of God unless they are born again.” And Jesus also said this:John 3:16 NIVFor God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. This is perhaps the most well known verse in the Bible. Both the essence and the assurance of salvation is encapsulated in this one verse.And Jesus said this:Matthew 22:36–40 NIV“Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law?” Jesus replied: “ ‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.' This is the first and greatest commandment. And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.' All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” Folks, this is the essence of The New Covenant. This is the law that we are to follow now and it is a law that we can keep with the help of the Holy Spirit who indwells all believers.And Jesus also said this:John 19:30 NIVWhen he had received the drink, Jesus said, “It is finished.” With that, he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. Jesus finished the work of salvation. At a cost that we cannot comprehend, He has done it all.Folks, let's move on to verse 3 of chapter 1:Hebrews 1:3 (NIV)‌The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.The Jewish religious leaders were angry when Yeshua called Himself the Son of God. Because He was equating himself with deity.Let's look at John 5:18 NIV:‌For this reason they tried all the more to kill him; not only was he breaking the Sabbath, but he was even calling God his own Father, making himself equal with God.Yeshua is calling God His own Father or if I can take the liberty, His very own Father. In the Greek His own is idios. By using this word, idios, Yeshua is saying that God was His own private, personal, unique Father. If that were not so He would have used the usual Greek word for own which is autos.What about Jesus being the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of His being. How can we understand that better?Let's see if we can we get an idea of the glory of God from the Old Testament because those were the Scriptures that the writers of the New Testament had. Let's look at Psalm 97:1-6 NIV:The LORD reigns, let the earth be glad; let the distant shores rejoice. [2] Clouds and thick darkness surround him; righteousness and justice are the foundation of his throne. [3] Fire goes before him and consumes his foes on every side. [4] His lightning lights up the world; the earth sees and trembles. [5] The mountains melt like wax before the LORD, before the Lord of all the earth. [6] The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all peoples see his glory.This is God's glory folks! Now let's look at something else:‌Exodus 24:9–10 (NASB95)Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.Now this was a glorious sight! They saw the God of Israel. But wait a minute! How could that be? Because if you see God you die, right? Now how do we know that?Leviticus 16:2 (NIV) The LORD said to Moses: “Tell your brother Aaron that he is not to come whenever he chooses into the Most Holy Place behind the curtain in front of the atonement cover on the ark, or else he will die. For I will appear in the cloud over the atonement cover.AND:Exodus 33:19-23 (NIV) And the LORD said, “I will cause all my goodness to pass in front of you, and I will proclaim my name, the LORD, in your presence. I will have mercy on whom I will have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I will have compassion. [20] But,” he said, “you cannot see my face, for no one may see me and live.” [21] Then the LORD said, “There is a place near me where you may stand on a rock. [22] When my glory passes by, I will put you in a cleft in the rock and cover you with my hand until I have passed by. [23] Then I will remove my hand and you will see my back; but my face must not be seen.”Now let's read the passage again from Exodus 24:Exodus 24:9–10 (NASB95)Then Moses went up with Aaron, Nadab and Abihu, and seventy of the elders of Israel, and they saw the God of Israel; and under His feet there appeared to be a pavement of sapphire, as clear as the sky itself.So, they saw God here. Why didn't they die? I think the reason that they did not die is because Who they saw was the pre-incarnate Christ, the Messiah, the Word of God, the Memra! And when you see the Messiah, you don't die because He is both God and man in one person.Folks, Jesus is the exact representation of the Father. He is God. He is God incarnate, God in the flesh, Perfect God and Perfect man. Not two separate beings inside one person. No, Jesus' nature and character embody perfect God and perfect man in one person. He was and still is today the God-Man. He had to be in order to be our Savior - the Savior of mankind. We'll hear more about that as we go on further in this epistle.Folks, let's continue with Hebrews 1:3:“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”Jesus sustains all things by His powerful word. What does that mean? Word in Hebrews 1:3 is not the Logos. Word here in the Greek is rhema and it means spoken word. So just as God spoke the universe into existence with incomprehensible power in Genesis, Jesus upholds or sustains all things by His spoken word, or we could phrase it like this: Jesus upholds all things by the power of His word. Let's look at just one example of the power of God's spoken word in the Hebrew Scriptures, in Genesis:Genesis 1:14–15 (NIV) And God said, “Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years, and let them be lights in the vault of the sky to give light on the earth.” And it was so.And God said. The word for said in Hebrew is amar. You could translate it as declared. God declared that the sun and the moon and the stars and the planets come into existence out of nothing and that's exactly what happened. And we know that all things were made through Yeshua. We read that earlier in John 1:3; let's read it again:John 1:3 NIVThrough him all things were made; without him nothing was made that has been made.That includes the sun and the moon and the stars and the planets! And in like manner, Yeshua/Jesus sustains or upholds all things by the power of His word.Moving on in Hebrews 1:3 “The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”‌How did Yeshua provide purification for sins?Before we try to answer that question, let me pose another question: Could God have merely declared all our sins forgiven without the cross? Would that have taken care of everything? WAS THE CROSS REALLY NECESSARY? I'm going to ask you to keep that question in mind for a minute or two. We'll come back to it.Now let's look at something that might seem slightly off the topic, but it isn't. Let's talk about justification. Justification is when God as judge makes a judicial decision, and He states it as a judge in a courtroom would do. He declares it. He declares that our sins are forgiven, and our unrighteous nature is exchanged for the perfectly righteous nature of Christ. God pours out our sins on the Messiah – He takes our sins, and His perfect righteousness is imputed or credited to us. An exchange occurs. God declares us justified. That's exactly what He did for Abraham. He declares you and me righteous when we are saved. He gives us the status of righteousness. The power of God's word is beyond what we can comprehend. It created the universe, and it accomplishes our justification.So, back to the question I asked you to keep in mind a minute ago. Could God have simply declared that all our sins are forgiven and have done nothing more? No. Why not? There are several reasons. For one, the wrath of God must be turned away from us. Something called propitiation is necessary. There must be a sacrifice, a blood sacrifice of infinite value, to appease a wrathful God, and Jesus Christ is the only One who can do that. Please know, folks, that if a preacher denies the wrath of God and says that a declaration of forgiveness from God with nothing else behind it is enough, that preacher is teaching his congregation a false gospel. No, folks, an incalculable price was paid for you and me to be justified. The Son of God gave His life on the cross in payment for our justification. Should this be of particular interest to Jewish people? Yes. In fact, I have a question for my Jewish listeners:What if the temple and the Jewish priesthood and all the accoutrements of the temple service were recreated tomorrow and the blood sacrifices of animals without defect was resumed? Would that accomplish what the cross accomplished? No. Why?Let's take a look at Romans chapter 6:Romans 6:4-7 (NIV) We were therefore buried with him through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. [5] For if we have been united with him in a death like his, we will certainly also be united with him in a resurrection like his. [6] For we know that our old self was crucified with him so that the body ruled by sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin— [7] because anyone who has died has been set free from sin.The things described in these verses – being buried with Christ, being united with Christ, our old self, our old man or old woman, dying in Him on the cross, and then being resurrected, raised to newness of life, in Him – all these things require Yeshua's substitutionary death on the cross. Because He did not come only to forgive our sins but to make us new men and women. We are born again. No animal sacrifice can ever do that.‌In closing, let's read Hebrews 1:3 once more and make a final comment or two:Hebrews 1:3 :“The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.”Jesus sits down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven. He died for us, He was buried, He was raised from the grave by the power of God, proving that He was the Son of God, and 40 days later He ascended to heaven and sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven, in victory. He finished it all and sat down. Folks, a person sits down when the task assigned to him has been completed. That's why Jesus said “It is finished”.What God has done for us is beyond comprehension. Before I close, let's not forget that He sent His Son so that each one of us could spend eternity in heaven with Him. If you don't know Him, if you are not saved, if you are not born again, please call upon Him today and say “Lord, I know that I'm a sinner. I don't want to pay the price of eternal separation from you - eternal death – because of my sins. Please pay the debt that I owe and cleanse me so I can spend eternity with you. Thank you, Lord Yeshua.”And now, Folks, I want to go back to my friend Joel, who was depressed. Joel professed faith in Messiah but he never read the Bible and he never regularly attended any congregation. He said that God wanted him to be depressed. Folks, I believe that what God wanted was for Joel to ask Him for help. I don't know if Joel ever did that. I believe that had Joel sincerely called upon the Lord, He would have helped him abundantly. Joel could have come before the throne of grace. Please listen to this verse:Hebrews 4:16 NKJV16 Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.My friends, until the next time, this is Art Wolinsky. God bless you. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit awolinsky.substack.com

How do we go about rightly being fallible Human Mortals following and effectively accessing the Perfect God among Imperfect Humans in A Stormy and Unsafe Universe? This sermon "gropes for truth" as to these questions through the powerfully unvarnished and candid Patriarchal Narratives of Genesis.

We often celebrate the heroes of the Old Testament for their great faith. This is especially true of the Old Testament Patriarchs, namely Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. These are some of the most mentioned characters in the Bible, and the Lord used these individuals to tell an amazing story of his faithfulness. However, when we read of their lives they were far from perfect, much of the story of Genesis is filled with men who fail to trust the Lord, take matters into their own hands, and manipulate and deceive others for their own selfish gain. These characters' lives were quite messy. What this tells us is that a Perfect God can use Imperfect People to fulfill his perfect plan, he is faithful to his promises and there is nothing we can do to thwart his purposes. Throughout the book of Genesis, God continues to make a way out of no way, using what is meant for evil for his ultimate good. It was the promise of land, seed, and blessing made to Abraham and his offspring that God would hold up, and it was through this promise that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to earth and brought the hope of salvation to the world. This is good news, as God still saves and uses imperfect people to accomplish his purposes!We hope you're encouraged by this podcast! If you have questions about our church or what it means to follow Jesus, we'd love to hear from you! Check out our Instagram @fellowshipya, website www.fellowshipar.com/young-adults, or send us at email at youngadults@fellowshipar.com.

We often celebrate the heroes of the Old Testament for their great faith. This is especially true of the Old Testament Patriarchs, namely Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. These are some of the most mentioned characters in the Bible, and the Lord used these individuals to tell an amazing story of his faithfulness. However, when we read of their lives they were far from perfect, much of the story of Genesis is filled with men who fail to trust the Lord, take matters into their own hands, and manipulate and deceive others for their own selfish gain. These characters' lives were quite messy. What this tells us is that a Perfect God can use Imperfect People to fulfill his perfect plan, he is faithful to his promises and there is nothing we can do to thwart his purposes. Throughout the book of Genesis, God continues to make a way out of no way, using what is meant for evil for his ultimate good. It was the promise of land, seed, and blessing made to Abraham and his offspring that God would hold up, and it was through this promise that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to earth and brought the hope of salvation to the world. This is good news, as God still saves and uses imperfect people to accomplish his purposes!In this message, our Fellowship YA Resident, Logan Moss, covers the life of Jacob. Jacob is one of the most troubled of the four patriarchs. His life is marked by one besetting sin; a false sense of self-sufficiency. We constantly see him taking matters into his own hands. He deceives and manipulates those around him to get what he wants. This finally catches up to Jacob in Genesis 32, when God overpowers him by his grace and transforms into a man who is dependent on the Lord. Jacob's life teaches us where it is we find God's grace, the Lord often uses our desperation, our desolation, and our defeat to overwhelm us with his transforming grace. It is ultimately in Jacob's defeat that he realizes the futility of his sense of self-sufficiency and recognizes God's love for him. This story ultimately anticipates the cross, as the Lord Jesus Christ willingly chose weakness and defeat, what the world saw as humiliation, to achieve the ultimate victory over sin and death. It is because of the cross of Jesus that we can taste of this sweet, overpowering grace for ourselves and can embrace our own weakness, being transformed further into the image of Jesus Christ.  We hope you're encouraged by this podcast! If you have questions about our church or what it means to follow Jesus, we'd love to hear from you! Check out our Instagram @fellowshipya, website www.fellowshipar.com/young-adults, or send us at email at youngadults@fellowshipar.com.

We often celebrate the heroes of the Old Testament for their great faith. This is especially true of the Old Testament Patriarchs, namely Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, and Joseph. These are some of the most mentioned characters in the Bible, and the Lord used these individuals to tell an amazing story of his faithfulness. However, when we read of their lives they were far from perfect, much of the story of Genesis is filled with men who fail to trust the Lord, take matters into their own hands, and manipulate and deceive others for their own selfish gain. These characters' lives were quite messy. What this tells us is that a Perfect God can use Imperfect People to fulfill his perfect plan, he is faithful to his promises and there is nothing we can do to thwart his purposes. Throughout the book of Genesis, God continues to make a way out of no way, using what is meant for evil for his ultimate good. It was the promise of land, seed, and blessing made to Abraham and his offspring that God would hold up, and it was through this promise that the Messiah, Jesus Christ, came to earth and brought the hope of salvation to the world. This is good news, as God still saves and uses imperfect people to accomplish his purposes!In this week's message, Brock Dowdy, Fellowship's Local Missions Pastor, walks us through the life of Isaac. Isaac's life was plagued by one specific sin, his own selfishness. We see throughout his life that Isaac is continuously selfish with his relationships, his comfort, his safety, and his legacy. It is easy to scoff and question why God would ever use such a selfish person to carry on his plan of salvation, but in Isaac's selfishness we can see our own tendency to be selfish with our relationships, comfort, safety, and legacy. This ultimately points us forward to the only person in whom no selfishness lived, Jesus Christ. We can see in the person and work of Jesus that all of these selfish qualities were redeemed, Jesus was the most selfless person to ever live, and because of his selflessness, him giving himself for us, salvation has been freely offered to us by grace through faith and the promise that was carried on through Isaac is fulfilled! Now, in Christ, we are controlled by the love of God to no longer live for ourselves but for others for the sake of the gospel. We hope you're encouraged by this podcast! If you have questions about our church or what it means to follow Jesus, we'd love to hear from you! Check out our Instagram @fellowshipya, website www.fellowshipar.com/young-adults, or send us at email at youngadults@fellowshipar.com.

Psalm 19:1-4 Romans 1:18-20

Daily Dose of Hope July 22, 2025   Scripture - Matthew 27:32-56   Prayer:  Holy and Perfect God, Thank you for your divine plan.  Thank you for not giving up on your people and sending Jesus.  Your love and care for us is hard to comprehend.  Help us be a better reflection of your love in all we do.  Amen.   Welcome back to the Daily Dose of Hope, a deep dive into the Gospels and Acts.  Today, we are diving into part two of Matthew 27, which includes the crucifixion and the death of Jesus.   Let's start with the crucifixion.  Matthew has a lot of detail.  We meet Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry Jesus' cross.  While Simon certainly had no choice in the matter, I'm guessing his life was never the same after that.  He had carried the cross for the Savior of the world.  Jesus is offered wine with gall (which was very bitter and possibly offered to dull pain) but he tastes it and then refuses it.  His clothes are divided among the soldiers.  A sign is placed above him that says, “King of the Jews.”  And then there are all the insults hurled at him, from passers-by but also from those crucified next to him.  So much humiliation.   However, for those who witness Jesus' actual death, it is life-changing.  The sky gets dark and Jesus cries out the first line of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” At the time, people would reference a psalm by stating the first line and the rest of the psalm would be assumed.  Psalm 22 was written by David, and it's a psalm that expresses abandonment and despair in the face of sorrow.    But this leads to some questions.  Did Jesus really feel abandoned by God at that moment on the cross?  I mentioned this in when we discussed Mark 15 and I think it's important to emphasize again. By quoting Psalm 22, Jesus is actually expressing confidence in the face of suffering.  He is trusting that God will ultimately deliver him. We gain confidence in this interpretation because it is faithful to our understanding of the Trinity as inseparable - one part of the Godhead can't abandon another part of the Godhead.  There is also a distinct union of Jesus' divine and human natures.  All of this comes together on the cross.  Let's read Psalm 22, verses 1-8...   My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?    Why are you so far from saving me,    so far from my cries of anguish? 2 My God, I cry out by day, but you do not answer,    by night, but I find no rest. 3 Yet you are enthroned as the Holy One;    you are the one Israel praises. 4 In you our ancestors put their trust;    they trusted and you delivered them.5 To you they cried out and were saved;    in you they trusted and were not put to shame. 6 But I am a worm and not a man,    scorned by everyone, despised by the people. 7 All who see me mock me;    they hurl insults, shaking their heads. 8 “He trusts in the Lord,” they say,    “let the Lord rescue him. Let him deliver him,    since he delights in him.” And as the psalm continues (it is a bit long to real in full here), we see how the psalmist begins to express trust in the Lord and praise his name.  He knows that God will deliver him.  The bottom line seems to be that on the cross, Jesus bore the weight of our sin as the Son of God, but the Father did not literally abandon him, as that would divide the Trinity and undermine Christ's saving work.  Jesus knew that God would deliver him but also provide a way to deliver the whole world.  Right before Jesus breathed his last breath on the cross, the curtain in the Temple was torn down the middle. This is the curtain that separated the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place (the Holiest of Holies) where the ark of the covenant was kept and the presence of God remained. When the curtain tore, it was a sign that the New Covenant was instituted. Because of Jesus' sacrifice (the final sacrifice for sin), those who believe in him can now go directly to the throne of God's grace. When holy God looks at us, he doesn't see our sinfulness but the blood of Christ. Thus, there are no more barriers that can separate us from God.  Hebrews 10 refers to this incredible phenomena...   Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, 20 by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near to God with a sincere heart and with the full assurance that faith brings, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22   Matthew also adds that when Jesus died, the earth also shook and that some who were already dead were brought back to life. The centurion who was guarding the tomb declared that this man, Jesus, must have been the Son of God.   There are two questions that are important to answer when discussing today's topic: Why was Jesus killed? and then, Why did Jesus die? They are both critical questions and the answers are different. I'm going to keep this brief but I want to at least address this.    Why was Jesus killed?  Well, a number of groups colluded to kill him.  First, Jesus was killed because the Jewish leaders felt threatened by him.  They feared him.  He threatened all they thought was right and they were unwilling to open their minds to God doing something differently.  They refused to believe that he was the Messiah, or we could say he wasn't the kind of Messiah that they were expecting.  And they didn't like the way he had the support of the common people.  But let's be clear, Jesus was also killed because his crucifixion was a political act by the Romans.  They didn't want anyone out there claiming to be king of the Jews.  They wanted to ensure that the only one with authority was the Roman government.   Now, why did Jesus die?  That's a whole different question.  Jesus died so that we could be cleansed of sin and walk intimately with a holy God.  Jesus, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy, became the final sacrifice for all sin for all time.  Ever since the fall, God had been on a mission to redeem the world.  The Law was part of that but the people could not keep the Law.  What the Law did was demonstrate how broken, flawed, and sinful us humans really are.  Something much more drastic was needed.  So, God sent Jesus.    Jesus was God with flesh on.  When we say that Jesus is the Son of God, that means that he was the second person of the Trinity, God himself.  He came to earth to live among us and demonstrate to us a new way of doing life, one in which God reigns as King.  Everything Jesus did – his whole life as well as his death and resurrection, was intended to demonstrate the fundamental values of God's Kingdom.  Of course, one of those values was love.  Jesus was and is love.  We see this on the cross.  We've read about all the human actions that led to the cross but this was God's divine plan.  Jesus knew it had to happen.  Jesus knew this was the only way.  So he went voluntarily to the cross.  He was God and he could have called a legion of angels down to save him.  But he didn't.  He went through with all the humiliation and torture.  For us.  For all of us.  He died for us.   Blessings, Pastor Vicki  

The Illarramendi family has miraculously come out of an impossible darkness into a marvelous Light. (Isaiah 9:2)In this episode:“As each one has received a special gift, employ it in serving one another as good stewards of the multifaceted grace of God.” 1 Peter 4:10When we do something it is, ‘How can we serve Jesus?' while doing it. – Ivan (13 years old)Remember everything we think, see, hear, say or do is a representation of Christ. – MarthaIn the morning as we are heading off to school, we pray and we talk about it. What is today going to be like? How we can let God control everything in our life and we don't control it. – Sofia (10 years old)We want our children to see us as broken people that areimperfect, but we follow a Perfect God. I want them to see my love for God and my love for others. – Ivan (Dad)It took a while for me to not just condemn myself for being such a terrible father in their early years. – Ivan (Dad)It is so amazing to have a Dad that is there and loves spending family time. Like that is his basis, first let me spend time with my family. – Ivan (13 years old)Family Motto:We follow ChristTo love like ChristTo grow through ChristTo lead others through ChristFor marriage conferences:Weekend to RememberPrograms to help overcoming porn are on the Parent Compass Resources page and the links below:ParentCompass.TV/ResourcesFREEDOM From Porn For MenFREEDOM From Porn For WomenUnchained LeaderFor shows and more subscribe at parentcompass.tv/subscribe or download the Parent Compass App. To support this ministry financially, visit: https://www.oneplace.com/donate/1493/29

Introduction: Two Ways of Seeing I. The Lens of Election Rightly Estimates the Holiness of God and the Depravity of Man II. The Lens of Election Draws Broken People to a Perfect God by the Force of His Bountiful Grace III. The Lens of Election Centers on the Necessity of Atonement IV. The Lens of Election Preserves, Protects, and Provides a Glad People unto God Conclusion: Perception and Position

Visit the Bible in a Year Website at https://brave.church/teaching to download notes and access additional resources. Learn more about Brave Church at https://brave.churchPRAYER: https://brave.churchcenter.com/peopleGIVING: https://brave.church/give​​DECIDE TO FOLLOW JESUS?: https://brave.church/followjesus​​Follow on Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/bravechurch/​​

One of the dearest and clearest marks of our Christian faith is having peace in and through Jesus, even in a broken, frustrating and fear-filled world!  Jesus has put us at peace with God!  The Bible is clear…broken and busted sinners are at peace with the Holy, Righteous, Pure and Perfect God through Jesus!  But once given that peace with God, we are then people of peace, living peacefully ourselves and giving that peace to others as well!  Today we remember from God's Word “The New Peace” that Jesus has given to us! 

One of the dearest and clearest marks of our Christian faith is having peace in and through Jesus, even in a broken, frustrating and fear-filled world!  Jesus has put us at peace with God!  The Bible is clear…broken and busted sinners, are at peace with the Holy, Righteous, Pure and Perfect God through Jesus!  But once given that peace with God, we are then people of peace, living peacefully ourselves and giving that peace to others as well!  Today we remember from God's Word “The New Peace” that Jesus has given to us! 

Dada Vedaprajinananda tackles the question of evil and injustice in a world created by God, using concepts from yoga philosophy (karma and reincarnation), yoga cosmology (the Brahmachakra) as well as physics and chemistry to show that there is no contradiction between the world and God.

https://media.urclearning.org/audio/janbazian/msj-2025-03-09_acts-15-36-16-5.mp3

In this episode we look at The Church from the perspective of the good, the bad & the ugly. Church is complex because of the people, but the people are what makes up the church. Take a deep dive into this episode to hear about “Broken People, Perfect God.” 

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Sunday February 9, 2025 at the Hub City Church Lessons From a Lame Beggar's Story | Acts 3:1-26 The Birth of the Church | a teaching series through Acts Sermon by Matt Davidson | Students Pastor Sermon Notes: Lesson #1: Jesus Christ is the GREATEST SOURCE of MANKIND'S HEALING. Lesson #2: All TRUE Christians have something that they CAN GIVE to people; the GOSPEL. Matthew 10:19-20 Lesson #3: Don't point to our own POWER or PIETY, but point to our POWERFUL and PERFECT God! Matthew 5:14-16 // Colossians 3:17 // 1 Corinthians 10:31 Take Away: Lesson #4: Repent and be REFRESHED by the PRESENCE of God, then GO PRAISE God! Psalm 67:1-7 // Luke 14:23 The Hub City Church is a local expression of the church in Crestview, Florida, making disciples Who Believe the Gospel, Abide in Christ and Obey the Word to the glory of God. Join us next Sunday at 10am. 837 W James Lee Blvd, Crestview, FL 32536.

Perfect God John 5:16-29 Perfect Union One in Work (17) One in Will (19) One in Love (20) One in Authority (21) One in Trust (22) One in Honor (23) One in Life (26) Perfect Future Understanding Death - entering into the judgment and condemnation of God. TO Understand Life - Absent from the body and present with the Lord.

Our relationship with our fathers profoundly affects us. That's why, when Jesus is revealed as another Father, our relationship with Him becomes even more personal. However, we often project our experiences with our earthly father onto our Everlasting Father, leading to misconceptions. So, what do we need to know about God the Father? Your Father is Present: The name Immanuel means "God with us." Jesus reassured His disciples of His constant presence through the Holy Spirit. God is omnipresent, meaning He is everywhere at all times. This truth is especially comforting during the holiday season when loneliness peaks. Even if your earthly father was absent, your Heavenly Father is always present, emotionally and physically. Your Father is Perfect: God's perfection means He is complete and makes no mistakes. Trusting in God's perfection helps us rely on His plans rather than our feelings. Life's challenges may make us feel off course, but God's timing and plans are always perfect. This Christmas, trust not only in God's love and power but also in His perfection. Your Father is a Protector: The Bible frequently describes God as a shield, offering protection, shade, and shelter. Sometimes, God's protection is evident in closed doors and unanswered prayers, safeguarding us from harm and poor decisions. We often realize the extent of His protection only in hindsight, acknowledging His guidance and care throughout our lives. Your Father is a Provider: God delights in providing for His children, whether it's comfort in sorrow, healing in sickness, or wisdom in decision-making. He doesn't just meet our physical needs but also our spiritual needs, offering grace and forgiveness through Jesus' sacrifice. Watch this message from Pastor Todd Crews to experience Jesus as an Everlasting Father. #EverlastingFather #HisNameShallBe #LiquidChurch

How can a Perfect God desire something imperfect?This is like asking a blue-haired furry what a woman is...and Charlie had absolutely no answer. Why?He Is Politically Red Pilled & Theologically Blue Pilled.The red pill answer is that God desires everything to be perfect. That's the whole point.Charlie could have absolutely red pilled the internet...if only he could see the big picture.

DJ Leaks shares some of the hardest moments in his life, and how they led him to doubt God. But through God's word, he learned to trust in Him. Romans 8:31

Are there Masses being said in Heaven? If God is perfect, how could he have created evil? Does the Vatican tithe? and more on today's Open Line with Fr. John Trigilio.

Are there Masses being said in Heaven? If God is perfect, how could he have created evil? Does the Vatican tithe? and more on today's Open Line with Fr. John Trigilio.

Perfect God, imperfect manYou are going to be inspired, challenged, and enlightened.September 28th, 2024Find more about Gian here: mygiancarlo.com#VictoryChurch #OdessaTX

Luke 18:9-14, Romans 3:23, Isaiah 57:15, Psalm 51:15, 1 Corinthians 1:31, Micah 6:8. There is incredible danger in pride. God requires humility. Jesus told this story of two prayers - and the two pray-ers. One prayed about his own righteousness, the other prayed in humility and repentance. Which man went home forgiven? “To those who were confident of their own righteousness and look down on everyone else, Jesus told this parable.” (Luke 18:9). This is a targeted story. It is a targeted parable as Jesus speaks to people who are spiritually proud and tend to look at everyone else with disdain. What was true in Jesus day remains true today. Many times we judge others by our own standards rather than God's and very often we are quick to see the failings of others, but ignore our own weaknesses. People can outwardly put on a form of religion but inwardly deny its real power. The parable tells of two people who went to the temple to pray. The pharisee stood by himself to pray - he was perceived as religious, dedicated, devout. Many saw him as the “good guy.” But does Jesus? Here's what the pharisee says, “God I thank You that I am not like other people: robbers, evil doers, adulterers, or tax collector. I fast two times per week and give a tenth of all I receive.” (i.e.: look how great I am!) Then Jesus describes the prayer of the tax collector, who stood at a distance and would not even look up to heaven, but beat his breast and said “God have mercy on me, a sinner.” No excuses, not list of accomplishments. The difference in these two prayers are profound and Jesus turns the “good guy” (pharisee) and the “bad buy” (tax collector) story inside out and upside down. Jesus say of the tax collector, “This man went home justified before God, for those who exalt themselves will be humbled and those who humble themselves will be exalted. The Father desires, above all else, humility from His children. God desires a broken and contrite heart (Psalm 51:15). Repentance is what our Holy God desire and what our sin condition demands. God desires the we are humble before Him. We compare ourselves to others, but instead the true standard is that we compare ourselves to a Holy, Perfect God and then we see we are all sinners in need of a Savior in order to stand before our Father. We need a Savior and Jesus is that Savior, the perfect sacrificial Lamb, the One needed because by us all because we are all sinners. We need humility in order to come before God and say, “Lord have mercy on me a sinner.” Fallen people need a Savior and we need to recognize our need for Him. As we have all sinned. God is gracious and we are needy: -- We need a Savior, Jesus -- We need forgiveness -- We need cleansing -- We need renewal -- We need rebirth Are we boasting about our lives? Accomplishments? How religious we are? How good we are? We need to hear Jesus' voice in this parable and realize our only boasting is to be in the Lord and what He has done (1 Corinthians 1:31). Humility before God is not weakness, it is strength. Humility before God is not an indication of our failing, it is an indication of God's mercy and grace to those who recognize they need a Savior. https://www.awakeusnow.com The Parables of Jesus is part two of our Two Year Study of the Gospels. Jesus is known for telling some of the greatest stories ever told. In telling these stories He uses the form of a parable which is an earthly story with a heavenly meaning. Jesus' parables resonate in every culture and in every generation around the world. This study is great for large group. small group or home group Bible study.

Lessons on the attributes of God

How we see and what we learn about God

In this episode, Michelle and I discuss family ministry, specifically looking at the importance of parents and ministry leaders passing on their faith to the next generation. We present multiple tools and resources that I believe you will find helpful on your journey as you think about personal discipleship, family ministry, and impacting generations to come. Quotes for Notes:“It's not about us being perfect but about pursuing a perfect God together.”“What starts as an invitation from Jesus to follow Him, obey Him, and love Him…. turns quickly into performing for Him and being enough for Him so that He will love us.”“If you are a to-do list person, change that to a to-be list.”Links:https://michelleanthony.orghttps://michelleanthony.org/books/https://www.amazon.com/Family-Ministry-Essentials-Childrens-Ministries/dp/0781412978/ref=sr_1_1?crid=8PUVLE3CGMM5&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.nVL6_22tf9FHttRJI9C-UlbAONq6ZqwopigAGFHUbg59wYVc_HbCXHxI5DPIAzFfqq6mnRLTFlDvmI62OZQaNVlkjMgsKzN9KY6GD8BZo_XYDCWlvV_NcI2nDe7bhwk6XmkBpmpVLGQhAeYvYsz0TNSxUr3C2BQM6GyrdDVragkuI70Wavr2qfBrQoYEKbeJ1UnXQXcdpVZ2ZK8UgMFkZJ59XMn-w-Rzkv1X41iY2vM.AXtPA1DksNvOFgDSI3zhacDSA3Vdka2c7jiEbfvTFL8&dib_tag=se&keywords=7+family+ministry+essentials&qid=1722090641&sprefix=7+family+ministry+%2Caps%2C108&sr=8-1 https://www.amazon.com/s?k=michelle+anthony&crid=1Y4G0ADPB8LA8&sprefix=michelle+anthony%2Caps%2C110&ref=nb_sb_noss_1https://the-iff.com

This week we look at the UK election; Nigel Farage and Boris Johnson on Ukraine; Politicians gambling; John Swinney on Pride;  Biden, Kamala and Abortion;  Edinburgh and Taiwan; Country of the Week - Iceland;  Islamic Terrorism in Dagestan; More Nigerian Christians Murdered; Climate measures bite in the Netherlands and Victoria; The WEF on who will travel; Carla Denyer, Green Leaders, hypocrisy; The Euros; Afghanistan beat Australia; David Tennant v. Kemi Badenoch; Tik Tok bans Womens Sports group; Trans and Thomas the Tank Engine; Decolonising English Folk Music; Donald Sutherland; SEEK 40 - The Perfect God; Feedback; and Psalm 130 - with music from Grease; the Volfgang Twins; Orchestral Manouevres in the Dark; Steeleye Span; and the Getty's.  

Episode 270 –Bible: Cornerstone and Context 2 – Infinite Salvation Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. In John 14:6, Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life.” The goal of Anchored by Truth is to encourage everyone to grow in the Christian faith by anchoring themselves to the secure truth found in the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. Script: For there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus, who gave himself as a ransom for all people. 11 Timothy, Chapter 2, verses 5 and 6, New International Version ******** VK: Hello! Welcome to Anchored by Truth brought to you by Crystal Sea Books. I’m Victoria K. We’re so happy to have you with us today on Anchored by Truth as we continue with the series that we began in our last episode. We’re calling this series “The Bible: Cornerstone and Context.” Our goal on Anchored by Truth is to help people understand that the Bible is the inspired, inerrant, and infallible word of God. And one powerful way for people to come to that awareness is for them to realize that the Bible is a pre-eminently reasonable book. Some people may come to the Bible and think that the various books and stories contained in the Bible were just sort of randomly assembled. But nothing could be further from the truth. The Bible is a unified revelation. To help us continue this invaluable discovery, today in the studio we have RD Fierro, an author and the founder of Crystal Sea Books. RD, why did you decide to do a series you call “Cornerstone and Context?” RD: Well, I’d also like to welcome everyone joining us here today as we continue our new series. We’ve talked often on Anchored by Truth that in our day and age there is widespread Biblical ignorance in our culture. And surprisingly that Biblical ignorance extends even into our churches. If you talk to the average person sitting in a pew on Sunday morning and ask them whether they believe the Bible is the word of God the vast majority will say yes. But when you ask them to explain to you why they believe that you get a lot of blank stares. It’s not that they are not sincere in their belief. It’s that all too often they have only a cursory understanding of the faith they claim and even more cursory understanding of the Bible. That’s sad but it’s also perilous – because a Christian who can’t provide a reasoned explanation of what they believe and why they believe it is just chum to the cultural sharks who swarm in school buildings, the media, academia, corporate hallways, and government. Some surveys have said that as many as three-quarters of the kids raised in Christian homes lose their faith when the leave home. VK: What you’re saying is that our culture is no longer a safe place to be a Christian. While there are a lot of platitudes hurled around that talk about freedom of thought and expression, the truth is that the consistent target for denigration today is evangelical Christianity. Now we shouldn’t be surprised by this. Jesus told us that his people would be a target for the world and the devil. In what may be Jesus’ best-known discourse on the end times he said this: “Then you will be handed over to be persecuted and put to death, and you will be hated by all nations because of me. At that time many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other, and many false prophets will appear and deceive many people.” That’s the Gospel of Matthew, chapter 24, verses 9 through 11. RD: Yes. Note that in those verses Jesus warned that “many will turn away from the faith and will betray and hate each other.” Since Jesus said that these people would “turn away” that means that for at least some time there would be people who were seemingly His followers, seemingly Christian, but they really weren’t. And the occasion for those people abandoning their false profession of faith was because of persecution. We all need to take Jesus’ warning to heart and make sure that we aren’t among the group that turns away. We need to make sure that we – and our families and friends – are firmly grounded in their faith. VK: … that they are “anchored by truth” in other words… RD: Yes - anchored by truth. That’s why we named this show what we did. People with a shallow faith are going to be swept away when waves of persecution come. We’re already seeing that all around us. The fastest growing religious group in America today is the so-called “nones.” These are the people who possess no religious faith. VK: But that’s really a deceptive label isn’t it. People may say they don’t believe in any religion but they are just lying to themselves. It’s just that they have substituted a false idol for faith in the One True God. And while in our society they are certainly free to do that they are not free to do that without consequences. Because God has been very clear that He will one day call all people to account. The Apostle Paul wrote “For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each of us may receive what is due us for the things done while in the body, whether good or bad.” That’s 2 Corinthians, chapter 5, verse 10. The consequence of people rejecting Christ in this life is that Christ will not recognize them as His people when they stand before Him at judgment. RD: Yes – and that’s actually what I wanted to talk more about today - salvation. I’d guess that if you asked a lot of Christians to explain exactly how Christ provides salvation to His people we would get a lot of blank stares. VK: Well, I think a lot of people would say something like “we’re saved by Christ’s death on the cross” or “we’re saved because Jesus took our sins away.” RD: I think they would and both of those statements are accurate. But they are incomplete in terms of the basis for our salvation. Both of those statements are essentially statements about the result of Christ’s atoning death – and it is a glorious result indeed. But a complete understanding and explanation of how Christ provided salvation to His people means going beyond just the result to the origin of the need for salvation and the process used to bring about the result. VK: In other words the cornerstone and context of our salvation. RD: In so many words yes. VK: Well, I think many people might say “I don’t need to know how I was saved. I just need to know that I am saved. RD: And that would be unfortunate for a number of reasons but let’s just mention one for today. Studying scripture is not optional for God’s people. In Paul’s epistle to the Philippians he told them to “work out [their] salvation with fear and trembling.” That’s Philippians, chapter 2, verse 12. Now Paul is not telling the Philippians to be afraid of the work. He is telling them that they must be diligent about being obedient to his admonitions and the commands of scripture because expects His people to do their best. We should be afraid of not doing our best for Jesus because as Paul pointed out earlier Jesus gave up a heavenly throne to provide our salvation. In other words, God and Jesus gave us the greatest blessing possible – eternal salvation – but to do that God had to send His only begotten Son to die for us. It’s incumbent on us then to express our gratitude by at least taking the trouble to understand what God did for us. In addition to the instruction God gave to the Philippians Paul also gave his follower Timothy, and us, an express command to study scripture. VK: You’re thinking of 2 Timothy, chapter 2, verse 15. In the Amplified Bible that verse says, “Study and do your best to present yourself to God approved, a workman [tested by trial] who has no reason to be ashamed, accurately handling and skillfully teaching the word of truth.” RD: Right. God commands us to study God’s word, the Bible. And if we do that we will be able to explain not only the result of our salvation but why it was necessary in the first place. And, even more wonderfully, we will be able to explain the true elegance of the plan of redemption. VK: And one thing that can help everyone with developing a complete understanding of how and why Jesus saved us is by returning to the grand story that the Bible tells. In our last episode of Anchored by Truth we mentioned that the Bible is a single book about a single plan centered on a single man. The plan was God’s plan to redeem a people for Himself. The man who is the center of God’s plan of redemption, and all of history for that matter, is Christ Jesus. Christ Jesus is the cornerstone of the Bible and History. And the grand saga that the Bible relates is a saga of creation, fall, and redemption. RD: So, one thing that we can immediately see by returning to the big story, the grand saga, is the origin of the need for Jesus to die an atoning death on the cross – the fall of man that occurred in the Garden of Eden. If Adam and Eve had obeyed God’s command to not eat from the Tree of Knowledge of Good and Evil man would never have fallen. So, the origin of the need for the sacrifice of God’s only Son lies in the fall of man that is reported in chapter 3 of the book of Genesis. VK: If man had not fallen, sin would not have entered the created order. And therefore man would not have to have been redeemed from the consequences of sin. But once man fell, God had to do something to save His elect because if God had done nothing everyone would have been lost. RD: Correct. So, let’s work our way through the chain of salvation step by step. In chapter 1 of Genesis we hear the overall story of creation. Then in chapter 2 we get more detailed information about how created the pinnacle of creation, man and woman. At the end of chapter 2 everything is good – in fact very good – within the created order. VK: Sadly, all that changed in the opening verses of chapter 3 of Genesis – because in the first verse of chapter 3 we start to hear about the serpent. The serpent is really the devil in disguise. We learn about that from chapter 12 of the book of Revelation. RD: So, obviously the devil already existed at that time. And the devil had already rebelled against God and most likely already led a third of the angels into following him. So, in chapter 3 of Genesis we find out that Adam and Eve are now going to be tested to see whether they will be obedient to God or whether they are going to succumb to temptation. And from the fact that Satan presents an initial temptation for Eve to doubt God that she resists we learn that she could have resisted subsequent temptations if she had simply done what she did at first – which was to repeat God’s truth back to Satan when he tempted her. VK: And we also learn from this encounter that temptation is not sin. We can be tempted and still not sin. I think this confuses a lot of people. They think that just because they are experiencing temptation that they have sinned. But just encountering temptation is not necessarily sinful. Now it may be our sin that leads us to rush into places where we will encounter temptation more readily, but we can also encounter temptation even if we haven’t done that. Temptation is all around us – unfortunately. But just because we are tempted does not mean we have sinned. One of Satan’s favorite tricks is to discourage us by convincing us we sinned when all we really experienced was temptation. RD: I agree. At any rate Eve did ultimately succumb to Satan’s temptations and Adam followed right along with her. That lapse, that first sin changed everything – not just for mankind but for all of creation. So, at that point man was lost. Man had incurred an infinite debt. VK: Man is finite creature. All creatures are finite. But God is infinite. So, the consequences of man’s rebellion were infinite because man had offended a Being of infinite proportions and attributes. Even in our society we recognize that the consequences of our action are dependent on not just the offender but the offended. Lie to your neighbor and that may or not be a crime. Lie on a loan application and it is likely a criminal offense. Betray a friend and you’re a false friend. Betray your country and its treason. The severity of an action is dependent on both sides of the transaction. RD: Yes. So, after Adam and Eve rebelled, sinned, in the Garden of Eden they and all of their children would have been eternally condemned had God not immediately began a plan of redemption. But He did. God immediately announced that Satan’s dark plan for the downfall of man would one day result in Satan’s eternal death. God said that one of Eve’s descendants, the “seed of the woman” as the King James Version puts it, would crush Satan’s head. Crushing the head of a serpent is a fatal blow. But defeating Satan wouldn’t come without cost. The serpent would strike the heel of the One who would crush his head – a painful but not fatal blow. VK: So, immediately, even before the Bible’s account of the first sin has ended we already have 3 elements that help us begin to understand how Jesus accomplished our salvation. Element number 1 is that the coming hero would be the “seed of a woman” but not of a man. Element number 2 is that whoever this hero is going to be it is going to be a man. Most versions that translate Genesis, chapter 3, verse 15 use the pronoun “he” to talk about the person who is going to crush Satan’s head. And third we can understand that for the curse of sin to be reversed it is going to take a Person of infinite value. As we have said the debt Adam and Eve incurred in the Garden was an infinite debt. And a finite man cannot pay an infinite debt no matter how hard he tries or how long he works. RD: Right. So, even just knowing the beginning of the grand story is of immense value to understanding how Jesus saved us by his sacrificial death on the cross. We leave the third chapter of the first book of the Bible with three criteria that are going to be true of the coming Messiah. And more criteria will be added as the plan of redemption proceeds. Redemptive history began in the Garden of Eden began there but it most certainly didn’t end there. From chapters 6 through 9 of Genesis we find out that the coming Messiah would be descendant of Noah – because only Noah, his 3 sons, and their wives were the only people who survived the worldwide flood. In chapter 12 of Genesis we find out that the Savior will be a descendent of the patriarch Abraham because God tells Abraham that all the peoples on earth will be blessed through him. And in chapter 14 of Genesis we first hear of the mysterious figure “Melchizedek.” We find out in Psalm 110, verse 4 that this figure Melchizedek is a figure who presages the kind of priest that the Messiah will be. VK: And we find out that Jesus fulfilled this priestly role by three separate references in the book of Hebrews. Those verses are Hebrews, chapter 5, verse 6, and chapter 7 verses17 and 21. And in scripture a three-fold repetition of something is significant, isn’t it. RD: Yes. There aren’t many three-fold repetitions of words or phrases in scripture they are always used by God as a form of emphasis. In the case of the Messiah God was telling the Jews that the Messiah would be not only be a priest but also a king. He was also telling them that the Messiah would not be from the priestly tribe of Levi. And God continued to add criteria and attributes throughout the Old Testament that would allow the Jews and the world to know Jesus was the Messiah when Jesus arrived in the world. Jesus would be born in Bethlehem, enter Jerusalem on a donkey’s colt, be crucified between two thieves, buried in a rich man’s tomb, but rise again to sit at the right hand of God. All of these signs of the Messiah, and others, were given to the Jews in their scriptures were fulfilled in Jesus’ life. VK: And the point is that because we know that God’s grand plan and the big story of the Bible is all about creation, fall, and redemption we can trace a consistent path through the Old Testament. Immediately after the fall God told Adam and Eve that a Deliverer would come and God immediately gave them distinctive criteria that would mark the Messiah. So, by getting a firm grasp on the larger context in which all the various events, stories, and prophecies of the Old Testament are set we can see the progress of redemptive history. When God gives a new criteria that will mark the life of the Messiah, like being born of a virgin, we can look and see if we have evidence that that criteria was fulfilled in the life of Jesus. Context keeps the lights on for our pathway. So, by keeping the larger context in mind we can better organize our study to ensure we get the most out of time with scripture. RD: Yep. So, now let’s start to put all these ideas together and see God’s perfect elegance in both establishing the plan of salvation and then shepherding it to completion. God warned Adam and Eve that if they ate from the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil they would die. VK: In other words, the consequence of disobedience was death. Or as the Apostle Paul said in Romans, chapter 6, verse 23 “the wages of sin is death.” RD: Yep. Well, Adam and Eve did eat from the forbidden tree and they experienced death. Not only did they die but everyone who would descend from them would also die. The curse of death, the sting of death, would have been an eternal part of the created order if God had not intervened. VK: And God had to intervene – because man had incurred an infinite debt to God. And as we have said a finite man cannot pay an infinite debt. The only Infinite Being that exists is God. So, God had to figure out how to pay that infinite debt if any people were ever to be saved. Man’s sin estranged man from God. Restoration required reconciliation. But man couldn’t do what was necessary for reconciliation. Only God could. And God did. RD: And this is where our opening scripture fills in a key thought. In our opening scripture from 1 Timothy Paul tells Timothy that “there is one God and one mediator between God and mankind, the man Christ Jesus.” A mediator must be capable of representing both sides of a transaction. So, the mediator between God and man had to be able to represent both God and man. VK: Which is why the 2nd Person of the Trinitarian Godhead had to take on a human nature. This is the miracle of the incarnation. Biologically speaking Jesus was born of Mary but the baby in Mary’s womb had actually resulted from the Holy Spirit coming “on her” as most translations put it. Now we don’t understand exactly how the Holy Spirit did but an infinite God who created the entire universe and all life in the universe wouldn’t have any trouble creating a baby in a virgin’s womb. So, Jesus was the Son of a human mother but in a very real sense He was also the Son of a Divine Father. RD: Yep. Because God brought Jesus into the created order the way He did Jesus came equipped to be the mediator to reconcile man to God. VK: What remained was for Jesus to live a “spotless” life because a Perfect God can only accept a perfect sacrifice. And Jesus did live a sinless life, a perfect life before God. This fulfilled the Covenant Works which Adam and Eve had violated in the Garden. RD: Yep. And that sinless Jesus died unjustly on a Roman cross fulfilling the mandated consequence that death be the wage paid for sin. VK: But Jesus had no sin of His own. He did not need to pay the price for His own sin. That meant that He could pay for our sins. And since Jesus is fully God as well as fully man his sacrificial death had infinite value. And all of this had been clearly set forth in the Old Testament as the way that God would redeem His people. Most of the Jews of Jesus day, including the religious elites did not understand it. A few did but not many. So, in the New Testament the writers began to unpack the Old Testament prophecies in sufficient details to make it clear. Sounds like the religious elites could have done well to understand the cornerstone and context. RD: Quite possibly. We are fortunate in a way that the elites in 1st century Israel were not. We have the New Testament as well as the Old. We now understand exactly how Jesus fulfilled the role of being a priest forever according to Melchizedek because an inspired writer has spelled it out for us. And we understand that there will be two comings of the Messiah. The first coming was as the suffering Servant, the sacrificial Lamb. The second coming will be as the Conquering Lion. We can see clearly the meaning of ideas and themes that they could only perceive dimly. That’s a huge blessing. But it is no blessing at all if we neglect to use the scriptures that God has provided. But when we do we see that far from our Christian faith being a “leap in the dark” what we are actually doing is placing our faith in the abundant evidence that God has supplied. And if we understand the evidence we can explain it to others. That’s how we fulfill the Great Commission Jesus gave in Matthew 28 to make disciples of all nations. VK: Well, our thought-provoking journey into the cornerstone and context of the Bible continues. It should be a great encouragement to everyone to know that God never expected us to turn off our brains while we follow our hearts in response to His outreach of love. Hopefully, listeners will let others know about this series. It really can be a valuable resource to the skeptic and the believer alike. This sounds like a great time to pray. Today let’s listen to a prayer for the celebration of the day that our Lord rose out the earth by His own power. In doing so He conquered death for all who would place their trust in Him as Lord and Savior. Because of Jesus’ resurrection we can boldly ask “O grave where is your victory? O death where is your sting?” And the answer we receive is that they are gone and we will live eternally in the light of God’s blessed radiance. ---- PRAYER FOR EASTER VK: We’d like to remind our audience that a lot of our radio episodes are linked together in series of topics so if they missed any episodes or if they just want to hear one again, all of these episodes are available on your favorite podcast app. To find them just search on “Anchored by Truth by Crystal Sea Books.” If you’d like to hear more, try out crystalseabooks.com where “We’re not perfect but our Boss is!” (Bible Quotes from the New Living Translation) 1 Samuel, Chapter 17, verses 5 through 7, New Living Translation https://www.baslibrary.org/biblical-archaeology-review/8/4/1 https://patternsofevidence.com/2018/10/26/david-battles-goliath/)

Transcript:Hello this is Pastor Don of Christ Redeemer Church. Welcome to The Kingdom Perspective. One of my favorite ancient creeds, the Athanasian Creed (c. 6th century), though not written by its namesake (A.D. c. 296-373) is nonetheless appropriately attributed to him. Athanasius was the great 4th century church leader who defended the Trinity against false views that followed a general pattern of denying or twisting one biblical truth to make it more “rationally compatible” with another. So, for example, if the Bible says there is only one true God, then there cannot likewise be three divine persons. How is it “rational” for God to be both one and three at the same time? The problem of course is that this is precisely what the Bible does claim.  And so, with precision and eloquence the Athanasian Creed* summarizes the divine mystery of the Triune God: … we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the divine essence.For there is one person of the Father,another of the Son,and another of the Holy Spirit. But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one,the glory equal, the majesty coeternal…. The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal.  And yet they are not three eternal beings but one eternal beingAs also there are not three uncreated beings nor three incomprehensible beings, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible being. Well put! Beautiful and true! Something to think about from The Kingdom Perspective. “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.'”~ Matthew 28:18-20 (ESV) *Athanasian Creed1. Whosoever will be saved, before all things it is necessary that he hold the catholic faith; 2. Which faith except every one do keep whole and undefiled, without doubt he shall perish everlastingly. 3. And the catholic faith is this: That we worship one God in Trinity, and Trinity in Unity;4. Neither confounding the persons nor dividing the substance.5. For there is one person of the Father, another of the Son, and another of the Holy Spirit. 6.  But the Godhead of the Father, of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit is all one, the glory equal, the majesty coeternal. 7.  Such as the Father is, such is the Son, and such is the Holy Spirit. 8.  The Father uncreated, the Son uncreated, and the Holy Spirit uncreated. 9.  The Father incomprehensible, the Son incomprehensible, and the Holy Spirit incomprehensible. 10. The Father eternal, the Son eternal, and the Holy Spirit eternal. 11. And yet they are not three eternals but one eternal. 12. As also there are not three uncreated nor three incomprehensible, but one uncreated and one incomprehensible. 13. So likewise the Father is almighty, the Son almighty, and the Holy Spirit almighty. 14. And yet they are not three almighties, but one almighty. 15. So the Father is God, the Son is God, and the Holy Spirit is God; 16. And yet they are not three Gods, but one God. 17. So likewise the Father is Lord, the Son Lord, and the Holy Spirit Lord; 18. And yet they are not three Lords but one Lord. 19. For like as we are compelled by the Christian verity to acknowledge every Person by himself to be God and Lord; 20. So are we forbidden by the catholic religion to say; There are three Gods or three Lords. 21. The Father is made of none, neither created nor begotten. 22. The Son is of the Father alone; not made nor created, but begotten. 23. The Holy Spirit is of the Father and of the Son; neither made, nor created, nor begotten, but proceeding. 24. So there is one Father, not three Fathers; one Son, not three Sons; one Holy Spirit, not three Holy Spirits. 25. And in this Trinity none is afore or after another; none is greater or less than another. 26. But the whole three persons are coeternal, and coequal. 27. So that in all things, as aforesaid, the Unity in Trinity and the Trinity in Unity is to be worshipped. 28. He therefore that will be saved must thus think of the Trinity. 29. Furthermore it is necessary to everlasting salvation that he also believe rightly the incarnation of our Lord Jesus Christ. 30. For the right faith is that we believe and confess that our Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God, is God and man. 31. God of the substance of the Father, begotten before the worlds; and man of substance of His mother, born in the world. 32. Perfect God and perfect man, of a reasonable soul and human flesh subsisting. 33. Equal to the Father as touching His Godhead, and inferior to the Father as touching His manhood. 34. Who, although He is God and man, yet He is not two, but one Christ. 35. One, not by conversion of the Godhead into flesh, but by taking of that manhood into God. 36. One altogether, not by confusion of substance, but by unity of person. 37. For as the reasonable soul and flesh is one man, so God and man is one Christ;38. Who suffered for our salvation, descended into hell, rose again the third day from the dead; 39. He ascended into heaven, He sits on the right hand of the Father, God, Almighty; 40. From thence He shall come to judge the quick and the dead. 41. At whose coming all men shall rise again with their bodies; 42. And shall give account of their own works. 43. And they that have done good shall go into life everlasting and they that have done evil into everlasting fire.44. This is the catholic faith, which except a man believe faithfully he cannot be saved.

The Ladies of LoveTalk dialogue about the Moms within the Bible. Most of these Moms demonstrated obvious imperfections, yet they believed God and trusted in His promises. For example, Rehab was a prostitute, but she honored God and sheltered her family during Israel's seige on Jericho. In return, Jesus was born through her bloodline. The program relates the stories of many Biblical Moms who, though imperfect, chose to serve a perfect God.

The Ladies of LoveTalk dialogue about the Moms within the Bible. Most of these Moms demonstrated obvious imperfections, yet they believed God and trusted in His promises. For example, Rehab was a prostitute, but she honored God and sheltered her family during Israel's seige on Jericho. In return, Jesus was born through her bloodline. The program relates the stories of many Biblical Moms who, though imperfect, chose to serve a perfect God.

National security expert Elizabeth Neuman talks about a recent foiled terror plot in Idaho, about the renewal of FISA, and why it's important for our nation's presence on the world stage to promote peace.  Faith Chang, author of "Peace Over Perfection," talks about the problems of Christian perfectionism, and understanding God's love is not diminished when we fall short of His perfection. Faith Radio podcasts are made possible by your support. Give now: Click here

ABOVE ALL ELSE #13Hey Friend, What comes up inside when you hear the phrase, “Done is better than perfect”? Great, I don't care anyway. Perfection is overrated, and honestly, I've got better things to do than fuss over every little detail. Let's just get it done and move on.Good, I'm tired of trying. I'm exhausted from striving for perfection and done is definitely better than perfect at this point. I just need a break from trying so much.No way, I can't NOT do it “right”. I struggle believing anything less than perfect is acceptable. I always aim for excellence, even if it means sacrificing my time.No matter your response, there's a little bit of PERFECTIONISM in all of us.That's because we're made in the image of a PERFECT God, but we have IMPERFECT hearts living in an IMPERFECT world, and we'll never reach PERFECTION this side of heaven.So instead of WASTING TIME bowing to the idol of PERFECTION, let's admit we are NOT good enough, but He IS with the 3 steps to let go of this lesser thing that likely is getting too much of your time, attention + affectionAnd embrace PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION as instead of looking to yourself to be perfect, you look to Him to perfect you.I pray this blesses, challenges and moves you to action!L.Y.L.A.S. (Love Ya Like A Sis)LissaP.S. REDEEM your FREE Ticket (& Time) by registering for the CEOs DECLUTTER SHOULD-DO's Workshop Series April 9-11….and get access to the EARLYBIRD Bonus Guide 3 CEO Foundational Decisions for a Well-Built Business WITH-GodP.P.S. Take your next best step and submit your application to a BUSYNESS BREAKTHROUGH CALL…and discover the key to stop chasing the clock and start REDEEMING your Time in both Life + Biz WITH God.Visit the REDEEM Her Time Website https://redeemhertime.comJoin the conversation inside the REDEEM Her Time CommunityGrab the free FILL YOUR CUP FIRST Guide + Coaching Video

ABOVE ALL ELSE #13Hey Friend, What comes up inside when you hear the phrase, “Done is better than perfect”? Great, I don't care anyway. Perfection is overrated, and honestly, I've got better things to do than fuss over every little detail. Let's just get it done and move on.Good, I'm tired of trying. I'm exhausted from striving for perfection and done is definitely better than perfect at this point. I just need a break from trying so much.No way, I can't NOT do it “right”. I struggle believing anything less than perfect is acceptable. I always aim for excellence, even if it means sacrificing my time.No matter your response, there's a little bit of PERFECTIONISM in all of us.That's because we're made in the image of a PERFECT God, but we have IMPERFECT hearts living in an IMPERFECT world, and we'll never reach PERFECTION this side of heaven.So instead of WASTING TIME bowing to the idol of PERFECTION, let's admit we are NOT good enough, but He IS with the 3 steps to let go of this lesser thing that likely is getting too much of your time, attention + affectionAnd embrace PROGRESS, NOT PERFECTION as instead of looking to yourself to be perfect, you look to Him to perfect you.I pray this blesses, challenges and moves you to action!L.Y.L.A.S. (Love Ya Like A Sis)LissaP.S. REDEEM your FREE Ticket (& Time) by registering for the CEOs DECLUTTER SHOULD-DO's Workshop Series April 9-11….and get access to the EARLYBIRD Bonus Guide 3 CEO Foundational Decisions for a Well-Built Business WITH-GodP.P.S. Take your next best step and submit your application to a BUSYNESS BREAKTHROUGH CALL…and discover the key to stop chasing the clock and start REDEEMING your Time in both Life + Biz WITH God.Visit the REDEEM Her Time Website https://redeemhertime.comJoin the conversation inside the REDEEM Her Time CommunityGrab the free FILL YOUR CUP FIRST Guide + Coaching Video

Pastor Lutzer points out two groups in whom God's holiness is displayed: the wicked and the righteous. God has made a way to approach Him in His moral perfection.

What comes to mind when we think about the holiness of God? Moses sang of the holiness of God after crossing the Red Sea. Pastor Lutzer points out two groups in whom God's holiness is displayed: the wicked and the righteous. God has made a way to approach Him in His moral perfection. Editors Note: This episode was originally published January 7, 2019.

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Acts 13 reminds us that God sent a perfect Savior and He alone deserves the glory. As imperfect people, we can be used by God in humility, but deserve none of the credit. Join us as Pastor Phil teaches on this topic.

Today Big Josh isn't with us so come along with Small Josh and Brandon as they talk about tyrannical governments, the school system, pedophiles, are trans people just shape shifting skinwalkers?, good morals, health care, being woke is a new religion, new Twitter CEO, voting out politicians, the Hearing Protection Act, and much more!!! Thanks … 76Tuesday Podcast 086 – PERFECT GOD VS IMPERFECT HUMAN Read More »

Today's transcript ITALY - MAY 22-JUNE 1, 2023, with Dr. Troy Hinkel and Susan Pieper, click here for more details! The Daily Rosary Meditations is now an App! Click here for more info. We depend on donations from exceptional listeners like you. A small monthly gift goes a long way to help us deliver this podcast. To donate, click here To find out more about The Movement and enroll: https://www.schooloffaith.com/membership Prayer requests | Subscribe by email | Download our app | Donate