Podcasts about since christ

Jesus told his disciples that people will know that they are his disciples by their love for one another. Since Christ laid down his life for us we are to do the same. But what keeps us from showing that love? And what does it look like to love in deed and in truth? Join us as we continue to journey through this marvelous letter of John!1) A negative example2) A positive exampleText: 1 John 3:11-24

Calvary Chapel McKinney Pastor James Marini continues a midweek Bible study series through 2 Corinthians. This week's verse by verse study is 2 Corinthians 5. From Wednesday, April 9th, 2025.2 Corinthians 5 Take Aways1. As Paul lived his life looking forward to a resurrection in eternity with assurance, we too should be heavenly minded, knowing that our hope will be fulfilled in eternity as we trust in the completed work of Christ—“For our citizenship is in heaven, from which we also eagerly wait for the Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, who will transform our lowly body that it may be conformed to His glorious body, according to the working by which He is able even to subdue all things to Himself.” Philippians 3:20-212. As Paul explained and Jesus affirmed, a rewards judgment lies ahead for all men, which in turn should motivate us to live with a heart and mind that is set on pleasing the Lord Jesus—Hebrews 12:28 “Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom which cannot be shaken, let us have grace, by which we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear."3. Since Christ died to bring reconciliation between God and humanity, we are to be zealous ambassadors who live to preach the Gospel of reconciliation to all men—“Christ gave Himself for us, that He might redeem us from every lawless deed and purify for Himself His own special people, zealous for good works.” Titus 2:13 

Previously ... • The Jews were expecting two things from God • The incarnation of Christ: the God-man • The virgin birth of Christ • Why a virgin birth? – Part 1 Why was the virgin birth necessary for Christ's birth? Listen to this lesson to learn that men pass down the sin nature to each member of the human race. Since Christ was fully God as well as fully man, He could not have a sin nature in order to qualify to die for the sins of all. Learn the role of the Holy Spirit in the virgin birth and how when anyone believes in Christ they receive the imputation of Christ's righteousness.

Why was the virgin birth necessary for Christ's birth? Listen to this lesson to learn that men pass down the sin nature to each member of the human race. Since Christ was fully God as well as fully man, He could not have a sin nature in order to qualify to die for the sins of all. Learn the role of the Holy Spirit in the virgin birth and how when anyone believes in Christ they receive the imputation of Christ's righteousness.

Sermon by Fr. Peter Smith8th Sunday of EpiphanyQuestions for Group DiscussionGod is not like us.  What emotions does that statement cause you to feel?God's glory is above and beyond all created things.  What dangers do we face when we make God like us?Throughout the story of Scripture, in what ways has God mediated his glory to human beings?Since Christ is now the perfect mediator of God's glory, what's changed about our relationship to God and his glory?What might it look like for Christ's glory to rub off on you?This Lent, what wilderness might God want you to walk in, or what mountain might God want you to climb in order to see more of his glory?

Since Christ died and rose again for us, our right motivation is to live for Him! 1. Right motivation: healthy fear of God, not fear of man. (v.11-13)2. Right motivation: the love of Christ for us. (v.14)3. Avoiding a wrong motivation (living for self), instead living for Christ. (v.15)Where do our motivations fit into the Christian viewpoint?What does the Bible say about good/bad fear? 1 John 4:18How can love co-exist alongside of fear? 1 John 4:18What did Paul write about the life he was living? Gal. 2:20

Since Christ has been raised from the dead, we have eternal hope in him and are fully forgiven from our sins. 

You are commanded to love."A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another." Jn 13:34 NKJVLove is not an emotion, because you cannot command someone to feel a certain way.Loving someone is a choice that manifests itself in your attitudes and actions toward that person. Jesus said, "A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another; as I have loved you, that you also love one another. By this all will know that you are My disciples, if you have love for one another" (vv. 34-35 NKJV). Jesus called this "a new commandment." What's new about it? These words: "as I have loved you." Since Christ lives in you, you can love others with His love. Jesus always put His disciples first-washing their feet, saving them from storms, patiently teaching them. He didn't look out for number one; He looked out for the twelve. You say, "But how can I love someone I don't even like?" Jesus answers, "As I have loved you." C. S. Lewis tells of how he came to view others' faults differently: "There is someone I love, even though I don't approve of what he does. There is someone I accept, though some of his thoughts and actions revolt me. There is someone I forgive, though he hurts the people I love the most. That person is me...lf I can love myself without approving of all I do, I can also love others without approving of all they do." And what Jesus commands you to do, He empowers you to do: "The love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us" (Ro 5:5 NKJV).You are commanded to love"You are My disciples, if you have love for one another."Share This DevotionalSend us a textSupport the showChanging Lives | Building Strong Family | Impacting Our Community For Jesus Christ!

Well hey there! Hello to ya today. Welcome to episode number 200 of The Burt (Not Ernie) Show podcast. I'm so excited and grateful that you're listening today. Let's jump right in!   You're listening to The Burt (Not Ernie) Show, part of the Spark Network, playing via the Edifi app. This is episode number 200, and we're looking at some promises from 1 Peter.   So recently during my prayer time I started jotting down thoughts that I had while I was praying. It was for sure not just me thinking these things in my own mind - it was really the Holy Spirit encouraging me. Let me share what I wrote down.   Make a promise or keep a promise; which means more? Boastful speech with little love or fewer words and a God-honoring life; which is better? Loving God and loving others or making excuses for a cold, hard heart; which describes me? Dancing with the world or bowing at His feet; which do I do daily? Living for pleasure or living for Him; what do my daily choices reveal? Preparing for the King's return or preparing by default for eternal hellish torment: there is no more time.   So, yeah. Very encouraging, very convicting, very sobering and that last bit, there is no more time, was somewhat heavy. I had the sense that I ought to share this on the podcast, because I'm guessing I am not the only one who needs to be reminded often that how I spend my time, how I love others, how I honor the Lord, what I live for matters and I only have so much time. My lifespan is not unlimited on this earth (although it will be unlimited in eternity). It's important to pause, evaluate the condition of my heart, to discover yet again that there is a beam sticking out of my eye and I need to remove it before pointing out the toothpick in someone else's eye.  Sharing this was not exactly what I wanted to do. It felt pretty personal, ya know? But obedience to the leading of the Lord is important, because Jesus said those who love Him will obey Him in John 14:23.    1 Peter 4:7-9 and 10-11 from the NLT:  The end of the world is coming soon. Therefore, be earnest and disciplined in your prayers. Most important of all, continue to show deep love for each other, for love covers a multitude of sins. Cheerfully share your home with those who need a meal or a place to stay. God has given each of you a gift from His great variety of spiritual gifts. Use them well to serve one another. Do you have the gift of speaking? Then speak as though God Himself were speaking through you. Do you have the gift of helping others? Do it with all the strength and energy that God supplies. Then everything you do will bring glory to God through Jesus Christ. All glory and power to Him forever and ever! Amen.   In the Amplified Bible, verse 7 reads like this: The end and culmination of all things is near. Therefore, be sound-minded and self-controlled for the purpose of prayer (staying balanced and focused on the things of God so that your communication will be clear, reasonable, specific and pleasing to Him).    This is the passage the Lord led me to read after I wrote down what I read to you a moment ago. This is not a portion of the Bible that I have memorized, where I know by the reference exactly what it says. I ought to, because this is good stuff, but I didn't just know in my knower what the passage said when the Holy Spirit led me to read 1 Peter, and in particular these verses from chapter four of 1 Peter.   And these words go hand in glove with what I wrote down during my prayer time that morning.   Listen carefully. God's Word never returns to Him void but always accomplishes that for which He sends it forth. And so it will do what He wants it to do. God keeps His promises. He is unfailing in His faithfulness. His love and compassion know no bounds, His mercies are new every morning. He is a good God, a good Father. And this portion of Scripture says the end and culmination of all things is near…therefore, we need to be sober minded, earnest in our prayers, focused on Him, staying balanced in what we are focusing on so that our communication with Him in prayer and with others in our lives will be clear, not muddled or confusing, and reasonable, and specific, not vague, not bouncing all over the place, and pleasing to Him.    So what matters more? Making a promise or keeping a promise? Which is better?  And if the end and culmination of all things is near, is it important for us to know that God does not just make promises and throw them around willy nilly and leave it at that, but He keeps every single promise perfectly and to perfection? Yes, that's something we need to know, each of us individually, as the end of the world is coming soon, as the NLT says. Do you personally know that God is keeping, has kept and will keep all the promises He has made? And that you have promises from Him that He is keeping and will keep right til the end of it all? It's so important to know that. And to know it for yourself.    As I think about verse 11, as a podcaster and speaker, it's convicting but also encouraging to consider that each episode is me using the gift He gave to hopefully serve everyone who listens. And you serve when you use your gifts. Now maybe nobody has told you this in a while, or maybe ever, but when you do what the Lord equips you to do in service, that's invaluable. It's truly more precious than most of what we spend our lives on. You being the you that God created you to be is serving. Thank you for serving the way that only you can. You know, only my husband can give our grandchildren a hug that is from grandpaw. Nobody else can give them a grandpaw hug. It's not possible. That's how it is with your gifts. Nobody else can do what you do the way that you do it. So please keep doing it and thank you for doing it. You glorify God when you do so - and that's the Biblical truth. It's right here in verse 11.    Let me read 1 Peter 4 verses 1 and 2 from the J.B. Phillips New Testament.  Since Christ had to suffer physically for you, you must fortify yourselves with the same inner attitude that He must have had. You must realize that to be dead to sin inevitably means pain, and you should not therefore spend the rest of your time here on earth indulging your physical nature, but in doing the will of God.    That's not a Bible translation we often read from, but it phrases these verses really well.  Part of the promise for us as Christians is that we will suffer, because we follow Jesus and He suffered. We must fortify ourselves with the same inner attitude Jesus had. We must realize that to be dead to sin will inevitably lead to pain. We should not spend the rest of our time here on earth indulging our physical nature, but in doing the will of God.    Make a promise or keep a promise; which means more? Boastful speech with little love or fewer words and a God-honoring life; which is better? Loving God and loving others or making excuses for a cold, hard heart; which describes me? Dancing with the world or bowing at His feet; which do I do daily? Living for pleasure or living for Him; what do my daily choices reveal? Preparing for the King's return or preparing by default for eternal hellish torment: there is no more time.   Let's lay aside the boastful speech with little love and choose to perhaps speak fewer words and live a God-honoring life, because that's truly better. Let's love God and love others, and stop making excuses for our cold, hard hearts.  Let's stop dancing with the world and get serious about bowing at the Lord's feet daily. Let's be done with living for pleasure and choose to live for Him.  Let's be prepared for Jesus' return, because otherwise what are we preparing for by default?  And that last bit, there is no more time…my friend, we don't have many more days to waste. When the Holy Spirit led me to write down those words, “There is no more time,” and then led me to open 1 Peter chapter 4 in my Bible, well, this is no coincidence. The enemy Satan has no reason to quote unquote trick me into readying myself for the Lord's return, to trick me into loving the Lord more and living a life that honors Him, to trick me into bowing at His feet rather than dancing with the world, to trick me into preparing for His return. See, that wouldn't make sense. I know many people do not believe that Jesus is returning soon.  And I know many people, students of the Word, see things lining up for His return and they are doing what Jesus said we are to do in Mark 13, verses 34-37, “The coming of the Son of Man can be illustrated by the story of a man going on a long trip. When he left home, he gave each of his slaves instructions about the work they were to do, and he told the gatekeeper to watch for his return. You, too, must keep watch! For you don't know when the master of the household will return - in the evening, at midnight, before dawn, or at daybreak. Don't let Him find you sleeping when He arrives without warning. I say to you what I say to everyone: Watch for Him!”   Those are the very words of Jesus. And He doesn't say that since no man knows the hour or t he day, just don't think about it, don't talk about it, don't preach any sermons about it, don't keep yourself ready for His return, just say that there's another fifty or one hundred years yet to go (which is kind of funny - why is it always, always fifty or one hundred more years? Just strikes me as a funny go-to for those who don't believe we are actually in the very end of the end times.)   Jesus said not to let Him find us sleeping when He arrives without warning. Those who are kind of sleeping among the Church today are those who say, oh we've got time…we've got fifty more years at least, possibly a hundred years. We are told to keep watch. And if we are saying, oh we've got time, well, that's not keeping watch.    Will you live today with Jesus as fully Lord of your life? All of your life? Will you be prepared for Jesus' return? Because on a podcast about God's promises, and for the 200th episode no less, the Holy Spirit led me to talk about this, which is a promise so great, so important, that we ought to live with this in mind every day…that promise is the promise of Jesus' return. And on the great and terrible day of the Lord, nothing else will matter outside of the fact that He will be here. And with that in mind, can I boldly challenge you with the thought that if this promise is true, and it is, then nothing else matters more than being prepared for the moment that promise is fulfilled?   Thanks for listening today. Get ready and stay ready. Because Jesus? Oh, He's a comin' again, and soon.   I'll see you next time. Bye bye. 

Introducing 'Catholic Kernel of Truth' from TruthPop! Dive into short, digestible, and catechetical knowledge that will help you learn and grow in your Catholic faith. Learn about the 'Confession' in this CKoT.Jesus Christ is the divine physician of our bodies as well as our souls. In addition to the Anointing of the Sick, the Sacrament of Reconciliation is the other sacrament under the category of healing. James 5:16 states: “Confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.”The CCC states that although Christians were washed, sanctified, and justified through Baptism, humans have an inclination to sin tradition calls concupiscence and therefore we are in need of continuing conversion and purification. Jesus instituted the sacrament when he showed himself to his apostles on Easter when  He breathed on them and said “receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any they are retained. Since Christ entrusted his apostles the ministry of reconciliation, bishops who are their successors, and priests, bishops' collaborators, continue to exercise this ministry. By virtue of the sacrament of Holy Orders, priests and bishops have the power to forgive all sins in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. CCC 1461Prior to receiving this sacrament, the penitent must make examination of conscience in the light of the word of God. The passages best suited to this can be found in the Ten Commandments, moral catechesis of the Gospels, and apostolic Letters such as the Sermon on the Mount. CCC 1454The structure of the Sacrament of Reconciliation are first a greeting and blessing from the priest, the confession of sins to the priest, the acceptance of a penance, the absolution given by the priest, and a prayer of thanksgiving and dismissal. CCC 1480All mortal sins of which the penitent is conscious of must be recounted. Confession of every day faults, also called venial sins, are strongly recommended to be confessed. This helps us form our conscience, fight against evil tendencies, let ourselves be healed by Christ, and progress in the life of the Spirit. By receiving the sacrament more frequently we are spurred to be merciful as our Heavenly Father is merciful. CCC 1458Each one of the faithful is bound by an obligation to confess sins in the sacrament at least once a year. Anyone who is aware of having committed a mortal sin must not receive Holy Communion without having first received sacramental absolution unless he has a grave reason and there is no possibility of going to confession. CCC 1457 "Priests who hear the confessions are bound under very severe penalties to keep absolute secrecy regarding the sins that his penitents have confessed. This is called the sacramental seal because it must remain sealed by the sacrament." CCC 1467“The spiritual effects of the sacrament of Penance are reconciliation with God, reconciliation with the Church, remission of the eternal punishment incurred by mortal sins, remission at least in part of temporal punishments resulting from sin, peace and serenity of conscience, spiritual consolation, and an increase of spiritual strength for the Christian battle. “ CCC 1496Confession not only reconciles us to God it reconciles us to the Church. If you or a loved one is away from the faith, the sacrament of reconciliation is an opportunity to come back into the family of God, the Church. You are never too far gone and Jesus' mercy will always be greater and more powerful than your sins. Some people may say, why can't I just confess my sins directly to God?” In the sacrament of reconciliation the priest is Persona Christi and you are confessing your sins directly to Jesus. Many people have found that saying their sins out loud and hearing the absolution from the priest helps relieve the burden of shame and guilt and find true freedom. Go to confession and go often because heaven would not be the same without you. 

Since Christ came, many individually inspired believers have tried to share the Father's true heart for his children, but have often gained only mild momentum for radical change in His people. Ryan Hannay preaches on the importance of realizing our true calling as God's church.

Revelation, Session Five Christ the Savior, Anderson SC Fr. Anthony Perkins Sources: The translation of the Apocalypse is from the Orthodox Study Bible. Lawrence R. Farley, The Apocalypse of St. John: A Revelation of Love and Power, The Orthodox Bible Study Companion (Chesterton, IN: Ancient Faith Publishing, 2011), Bishop Averky, The Epistles and the Apocalypse (Commentary on the Holy Scriptures of the New Testament, Volume III. (Holy Trinity Seminary Press, 2018). Andrew of Caesarea, Commentary on the Apocalypse, ed. David G. Hunter, trans. Eugenia Scarvelis Constantinou, vol. 123, The Fathers of the Church (Washington, DC: The Catholic University of America Press, 2011). Jack Norman Sparks, The Orthodox Study Bible: Notes (Thomas Nelson, 2008), 1712. Venerable Bede, The Explanation of the Apocalypse, trans. Edward Marshall (Oxford: James Parker and Co., 1878). William C. Weinrich, ed., Revelation, Ancient Christian Commentary on Scripture (Downers Grove, IL: InterVarsity Press, 2005). Review – from the Orthodox Study Bible Introduction and Blessing 1:1. The Revelation of Jesus Christ, which God gave Him to show His servants – things which must shortly take place. And He sent and signified it by His angel to His servant John. 2. Who bore witness to the Word of God, and to the testimony of Jesus Christ, to all things that he saw. [speaking of the Gospel of St. John]  3.  Blessed is he who reads and those who hear the words of this prophecy, and keep those things which are written in it; for the time is near. Greeting to the Seven Churches 4.  John, to the seven churches which are in Asia: Grace to you and peace from Him who is and who was and who is to come, and from the seven Spirits who are before His throne,  5.  and from Jesus Christ, the faithful witness, the firstborn from the dead, and the ruler over the kings of the earth.  To Him who loved us and washed us from our sins in His own blood,  6.  and has made us kings and priests to His God and Father, to Him be glory and dominion forever.  Amen. (OSB) 7.  Behold, He is coming with clouds, and every eye will see Him, even they who pierced Him.  And all the tribes of the earth will mourn because of Him.  Even so, Amen. 8. “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, says the Lord (God), who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty.” 10.  I was in the Spirit on the Lord's Day and I heard behind me a loud voice, as of a trumpet,  11.  saying, “I am the Alpha and the Omega, the First and the Last.” And, “What you see, write in a book and send it to the seven churches which are in Asia: to Ephesus, to Smyrna, to Pergamos, to Thyatira, to Sardis, to Philadelphia, and to Laodicea. 12-13.  Then I turned to see the voice that spoke with me.  And having turned I saw seven golden lampstands, and in the midst of the seven lampstands One like the Son of Man, clothed with a garment  down to the feet and girded about the chest with a golden band.   New Material – from the Orthodox Study Bible 14-20.  His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire; His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last.  I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.  And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.  The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches.   1:14. His head and hair were white like wool, as white as snow, and His eyes like a flame of fire OSB.  Further, Christ is here described as God, His hair (v. 14) being that of Daniel's vision of God as the “Ancient of Days” (7:9; see also 1En 46:1). His eyes signify knowledge; His feet (v. 15), permanence and stability; His voice, authority or teaching; His right hand (v. 16), power; His two-edged sword, complete discernment. This imagery continues throughout Revelation to affirm the preexistence and eternal divinity of the Son of Man (see also Jn 1:1–18). Thus, in Christ man (v. 14) and God (vv. 15, 16) are united. St. Bede.  14. white. The antiquity and eternity of majesty are represented by whiteness on the head, to which all the chief ones adhere, as hairs, who, because of the sheep which are to be on the right hand are white, like wool, and because of the innumerable multitude of the white-robed and the elect, who come forth from heaven, are glistering like snow. eyes. The eyes of the Lord are preachers, who, with spiritual fire, bring light to the faithful, and to the unbelieving a consuming flame. Andrew of Caesarea. 1:14. His head and his hair were white as white wool, as snow, and his eyes as a flame of fire. For even though he is recent amidst us, nonetheless he is ancient; rather, he is before time. His white hair is a symbol of this. And his eyes are as a flame of fire, on the one hand, illuminating those who are holy and, on the other hand, burning the sacrilegious. 1:15.  His feet were like fine brass, as if refined in a furnace, as if refined in a furnace, and His voice as the sound of many waters; OSB. 1:15 Dan 2:31–44 indicates this mysterious metal foundation not only provides stability but has the ability to forcibly crush all opposition as well. These images are contrasted with the feet of clay found in Dan 2:33, 43: the kingdoms of this world are not permanent, nor ultimately triumphant. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  1:15a. And his feet were like glowing brass, red-hot as in a furnace. [21] The divine Gregory also understood that the feet meant the divine condescension through the flesh. For his feet by treading on the divinity achieved our salvation. The feet are also the foundations of the Church, like glowing brass, which physicians say is a sweet-smelling incense, which they call masculine incense. Or otherwise: On the one hand, meaning the human nature by the glowing brass, and on the other hand the divine nature by the incense, through both of which is also shown the sweetness of the faith and the unconfused union . Or the fine brass signifies the beautiful melody of the gospel proclamation, and the incense is the return of the nations by which the bride is summoned. And the feet of Christ are also the apostles, who have been tested by fire in the furnace of trials in imitation of their Teacher. 1:15b. And his voice like the sound of many waters. Naturally. His voice is in common with that of the Spirit, from which “rivers of living water flowed from the belly” of the faithful, and it made a penetrating sound over all the earth.   St. Bede.   15. feet. By the “fiery feet” he means the Church of the last time, which is to be searched and proved by severe afflictions. For orichalcum is brass, which, by much fire and various ingredients, is brought to the colour of gold. Another translation, which renders it, “like orichalcum of Lebanon,” signifies that in Judæa, of which Lebanon is a mountain, the Church will be persecuted, and especially at the last. The temple also frequently received the name of Lebanon, as there is said to ito, “Open, O Lebanon, thy gates, and let the fire devour thy cedars.” voice. The voice of confession, and preaching, and praise does not resound in Judæa alone, but among many peoples. 1:16.  He had in His right hand seven stars, out of His mouth went a sharp two-edged sword, and His countenance was like the sun shining in its strength. OSB: 1:16 The Lord holds the stars that represent the seven churches (1:20), and hence, the Church. For Christ is Lord of the Church. In His just judgment, the sword He wields is the Word of God, which cuts effortlessly to the very marrow and heart of humanity (see 2:16; 18:15; Is 11:4; 49:2; WSol 18:15; Eph 6:17; 2Th 2:9; Heb 4:12). The brilliance of His face recalls the Uncreated Light John saw radiating from the Savior at the Transfiguration on Mount Tabor. Andrew of Caesarea. 1:16. And he had in his right hand seven stars, and coming out from his mouth was a sharp, double-edged sword, and his appearance as the sun shines in its power. [22] Further down he says that the seven stars are the seven angels of the churches. The sharp, double-edged sword means his decision against the wicked, “sharper than any two-edged sword,” or the sword of the Spirit circumcising our inner man.38 Like the sun his face shines, not in a splendor to the senses, but to the intellect. For he is the “sun of righteousness,” shining with his own power and authority, not like the sensory sun, which as a created object by God-given power and divine command.   St. Bede. 16. right hand. In the right hand of Christ is the spiritual Church. “On Thy right hand,” he says, “stood the queen in a vesture of gold.” And as it stands on His right hand, He saithq, “Come, ye blessed of My Father, receive the kingdom.” mouth. He, the Judge of all things visible and invisible, “after He has killed, has power to cast into hell fire.” countenance. Such as the Lord appeared on the Mount, will He appear after the judgment to all the saints, for at the judgment the ungodly will behold Him Whom they pierced. But all this appearance of the Son of Man belongs also to the Church, for He Himself was made the Christ in the same nature with it, and He gives to it a sacerdotal dignity and a judicial power, and to “shine as the sun in the kingdom of His Father.” 1:17-18. And when I saw Him, I fell at His feet as dead. But He laid His right hand on me, saying to me, “Do not be afraid; I am the First and the Last. I am He who lives, and was dead, and behold, I am alive forevermore.  Amen.   OSB. 1:17, 18 Mortal humanity cannot bear the revelation of divine glory, a frequent biblical theme (see Ex 19:21; 33:20; Is 6:5). Just as he fell prostrate at Mount Tabor (Mt 17:6), so also does John here, in the presence of the glorified Savior (see Ezk 1:27; Dan 10:7–9; see also 1En 14:24). Do not be afraid is a revelatory formula from the OT. As a signal for the theophany, it was carried over into the NT (see the Annunciation, Lk 1:30; Jesus walking upon the water, Mt 14:27—“Fear not, I AM”; the Transfiguration, Mt 17:7). In the OT God was called “the first and the last” (Is 44:6; 48:12), and so, too, is the Messiah. Some early heresies (e.g. Docetism) held that Jesus only seemed to die. But the Lord Himself testified, I … was dead, affirming the authenticity of His death; alive forevermore, His Resurrection—the power of which effects His lordship over death and its realm. The Orthodox icon of the resurrected Christ depicts Him with these keys (v. 18) in hand, standing triumphantly on the open gates of Hades. Fr. John Farley.  Like those receiving such theophanic appearances in Old Testament days (e.g. Ezek. 1:28; Dan. 8:17), John fell at His feet as if dead. Even though he had leaned in familiarity upon His breast at the Last Supper (John 13:23), yet such is the power of the Lord in His heavenly exaltation that even the beloved disciple is overwhelmed. The Lord restores him in preparation to write the things he has seen and will see. He tells John, “Do not be afraid,” and in this He tells all of John's churches not to fear. They need not fear death, martyrdom, or anything in all the world. Why? Because Christ has overcome the world, trampling down death by death. He became dead, but now He is alive to ages of ages. As such, He is the first and the last, sovereign over all (compare God as the Alpha and Omega in 1:8) and the Living One, the source of all life. He had authority over death and Hades by His Resurrection. Death cannot now separate us from Him, for He is Lord of both the living and the dead. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  Christ revived the Apostle himself who had suffered through the weakness of human nature like Joshua son of Nun and Daniel, by saying to him, “Do not fear, for I have not come near to kill you, since I am beginningless and endless, having become dead for your sakes.” 1:18b. And I have the keys of Hades and of death. [23] Instead , he has authority over bodily and spiritual death. St. Bede.  17.  I fell. As a man, he trembles at the spiritual vision, but his human fear is banished by the clemency of the Lord. the first. He is the first, because “by Him were all things made;” the last, because in Him are all things restoredu. 18. keys. Not only, He saith, have I conquered death by resurrection, but I have dominion also over death itself. And this He also bestowed upon the Church by breathing upon it the Holy Spirit, saying, “Whose sins ye remit, they are remitted unto them,” and the rest. 1:19.  And I have the keys of Hades and of Death.  Write the things which you have seen, and the things which are, and the things which will take place after this.   OSB.  John's visions have to do with both the present (things which are) and the future. Fr. John Finlay.  Then Christ gives John a command: he is to write the things which he has seen, and the things which are, and the things which are about to happen after these things and send them to the main churches under his care in Asia. (From these seven main locations, they could be sent out to other smaller church communities as well.) This gives a basic outline of the Book of Revelation as a whole: it relates what John has seen (the vision of Christ in ch. 1), the things which are (the present state of the churches, described in chs. 2–3), and the things which are about to happen in the future (the prophecies of chs. 4–22). St. Andrew of Caesarea.  [nothing] St. Bede.  Reveal to all the things which thou alone hast seen, that is, the various labours of the Church, and that the evil are to be mingled in it with the good unto the end of the world. 1:20.  The mystery of the seven stars which you saw in My right hand, and the seven golden lampstands: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands which you saw are the seven churches. OSB. The angels of the seven churches have been variously interpreted as being (1) the guardian angels of the church communities; (2) the pastoral leadership of these local churches; (3) a personification of the prevailing spirit of the given congregations; or (4) simply the messengers responsible for delivering the letters. The term “angel” (heavenly or earthly messenger) is used over 60 times in Revelation. Fr. John Farley.  The introduction concludes with an explanation of the meaning of the seven stars in His hand and the seven lampstands among which He stands. The seven lampstands are the seven churches of Asia, and the seven stars are the angels of the seven churches. This is a reference to what may be termed the individual corporate personality of each church community. Each local church is thus portrayed as having an angel, even as each person has his guardian angel. Just as a person's guardian angel resembles that person (see those who reacted to the announcement that Peter was standing unexpectedly at the door by suggesting that it was not Peter but his angel; Acts 12:15), so the church's angel sums up and embodies the local church. The angel of the church is an image of the strengths and weaknesses of each church. In writing to the angel of the church of Ephesus, the Lord actually speaks to the church of Ephesus in its corporate aspect. We see this today as well, in that church communities have corporate characteristics—some are loving, some judgmental, some zealous, some lax. The reference to each church's “angel” is a way of addressing each community as a community, using the language of the apocalyptic. St. Andrew of Caesarea.  Since Christ is the “true light,” because of this, those abundant in his light are lamps as they shine in the night of this present life. Naturally, the churches are called lampstands, because, as the luminaries, they “have the word of life” according to the Apostle. The lamps and lampstands are gold because of the honor and purity of the faith in them. An angel has stood guard for each of these, just as the Lord says,44 and Gregory the Theologian had understood the present chapter: he figuratively called them “stars” because of the brightness and clarity of their nature. St. Bede.   stars. That is, the rulers of the Church. For the priest, as Malachi says, is “the angel of the Lord of hosts.” Malachi 2:7.  “for the lips of a priest should keep knowledge, and people should seek the law from his mouth, for he is the messenger (malakh/angel) of the Lord Almighty.”  

Today's Promise: Galatians 2:20 When you came to Christ, God did more than forgive your sins and provide heaven when you die. Those two things are incredible on their own, but just like God, He took it to the next level. When you came to Christ, Jesus came into your heart; He took up residence in you. This is more than just symbolic or metaphorical; Jesus literally took up residence in you. Since Christ is in you, He leads you. If you listen, you will be amazed at how God leads you throughout your day.

Since Christ has given Himself for us, let us devote our time and treasure to Him. 1. The Israelites were to demonstrate their devotion to God 2. The Christ who was devoted 3. These commands call us who are in Christ to demonstrate our devotion

On today's Bible Answer Man broadcast (08/20/24), Hank answers the following questions:Do the genealogies give us the age of the Earth? Scott - St. Louis, MO (1:12)Since Christ was raised physically, can you help me understand where He is now? Tony - KS (3:59)Did non-Jews living in the times of the Old Testament have a chance for salvation? Zach - Cameron, MO (6:20)What is your view of The Message Bible? Colin - Atlanta, GA (9:23)Why exactly are Jehovah's Witnesses not Christians? Is it only because they deny the deity of Jesus or are there other reasons? Josephine - Wichita, KS (15:44)What are your thoughts on Orson Pratt's view of the Trinity? How does the Mormon view differ from Christianity? RC - Kansas City, MO (17:31)What happens to Christians who commit sins such as murder or divorce? Fred - Chattanooga, TN (20:47)

Since Christ has saved us and is bringing us through this world, we need Him more than we need food or anything else.-1. We seek more of the Christ whom we already have.-2. Our progress does not depend on ourselves.-3. We remind ourselves that Christ is the life-giver- just as the food that we need is a gift from Him, so also everything else that we need is a gift from Him.-As Christians, what is our relationship to food---When are we reminded that food is a good gift-- 1 Tim. 4-3-5-How do we view our gifts from God-- James 1-17-How do we both fast-eat to the Lord-- 1 Cor. 10-31 Rom. 14-6

Since Christ has saved us and is bringing us through this world, we need Him more than we need food or anything else.-1. We seek more of the Christ whom we already have.-2. Our progress does not depend on ourselves.-3. We remind ourselves that Christ is the life-giver- just as the food that we need is a gift from Him, so also everything else that we need is a gift from Him.-As Christians, what is our relationship to food---When are we reminded that food is a good gift-- 1 Tim. 4-3-5-How do we view our gifts from God-- James 1-17-How do we both fast-eat to the Lord-- 1 Cor. 10-31 Rom. 14-6

Since Christ has saved us and is bringing us through this world, we need Him more than we need food or anything else.1. We seek more of the Christ whom we already have.2. Our progress does not depend on ourselves.3. We remind ourselves that Christ is the life-giver; just as the food that we need is a gift from Him, so also everything else that we need is a gift from Him.As Christians, what is our relationship to food?When are we reminded that food is a good gift? 1 Tim. 4:3-5How do we view our gifts from God? James 1:17How do we both fast/eat to the Lord? 1 Cor. 10:31 Rom. 14:6

July 14, 2024 Today's Reading: Mark 6:14-29Daily Lectionary: Judges 14:1-20; Galatians 3:1-22But when Herod heard of it, he said, “John, whom I beheaded, has been raised.” (Mark 6:16)In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. While John the Baptist was the first figure to appear on the scene in St. Mark's gospel (Mark 1:4), his ministry and witness were abruptly halted when Herod had him arrested. We wouldn't have even known that John had been arrested, except that Mark reported it as a timestamp for the beginning of Jesus' ministry (Mark 1:14). In today's reading, John has already been beheaded, and the body of the text recounts the events of his martyrdom at the hands of Herod. We should note from the start that Herod didn't know what to make of Jesus. He was more open to believing that John had risen from the dead than the possibility that there could be another preacher following after him! This is a timely reminder that, in St. Mark's Gospel, no one in the account really understands who Jesus is until the centurion sees Him dead on the cross and confesses Him to be the Son of God! But let's get back to John. From Herod's guilty conscience concerning John, the narrative steps back in time to John's arrest for his preaching against Herod's adulterous marriage to Herodias. Herod is here depicted as conflicted with regard to John. Sure, he imprisoned him, but he held him to be a prophet. It apparently never resulted in repentance, but he was, for a time, unwilling to put him to death. All of that changed on Herod's birthday when a risqué dance and a foolish vow revealed just how spineless Herod truly was. John was reduced to a party favor for a puppet king. But Jesus says, “If the world hates you, know that it has hated me before it hated you.” (John 15:18). Jesus promises Christians that we “…will be hated by all for [His] name's sake, but the one who endures to the end will be saved.” (Mark 13:13). Persecution would be a terrifying prospect if our hope weren't rooted in the death and resurrection of Christ! Since Christ is risen, we know our lives have been hidden away in Him through the waters of Holy Baptism. Death has no dominion over us! God grant us to joyfully pray: “Lord, it belongs not to my care Whether I die or live; To love and serve Thee is my share, and this Thy grace must give. If life be long, I will be glad That I may long obey; If short, yet why should I be sad To soar to endless day?” (LSB 757:1-2) In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.O Lord, You granted Your prophets strength to resist the temptations of the devil and courage to proclaim repentance. Give us pure hearts and minds to follow Your Son faithfully even into suffering and death; through the same Jesus Christ, our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.-Rev. Dustin Beck is pastor at Holy Cross Lutheran Church, Corpus Christi, TX.Audio Reflections Speaker: Pastor Jonathan Lackey is the pastor at Grace Lutheran Church, Vine Grove, Ky.Your favorite study Bible is now available in a simple, intuitive app on your device! Distinctively Lutheran notes on the full ESV text, helpful articles, and custom user settings offer an engaging experience in God's Word anywhere you go. Download The Lutheran Study Bible App.

Bible Study: (1:57) Jas 4:1-10 How do we ask God what he wants of us?  Mk 9:30-37 What does Deacon mean?  Letters: (24:43)- Consulting with spirits  (26:10) - Sabbath rest when we work in an industry that doesn't allow it (26:56) - Congratulating an unmarried woman (28:54) - Rosary recording (30:05) - Why was Mary the first member of the Church?  Word of the Day (36:59) Callers: (39:48) - Since Christ was born of Mary, who was a human, did he have a DNA that was part of human? (41:27) - About the Eucharist,  was there any place in the Bible that Jesus said on how to receive the Eucharist? (47:04) - My granddaughter doesn't want children, just wants dogs. What's a subtle way to approach this with her?  (47:15) - The Our Father, and specifically 'lead us not into temptation.' Why is it sometimes translated temptation and in NAB, it says final test? (49:23) - What is the best genealogy book on Mary and her Theology?

Since Christ lives now in Heaven, We can live now in Hope

Pastor Zac hess - Since Christ has been raised, we hold to the promise of eternal life.

Today we will be thinking about the crucifixion of Jesus Christ by using the questions and answers fromLord's Day 15 & 16 of the Heidelberg CatechismQ 37: What do you understand by the word “suffered”?A. That during his whole life on earth, but especially at the end, Christ sustained in body and soul the wrath ofGod against the sin of the whole human race. 1 This he did in order that, by his suffering as the only atoningsacrifice, 2 he might deliver us, body and soul, from eternal condemnation, 3 and gain for us God's grace,righteousness, and eternal life. 41  Isa. 53; 1 Pet. 2:24; 3:182  Rom. 3:25; Heb. 10:14; 1 John 2:2; 4:103  Rom. 8:1–4; Gal. 3:134  John 3:16; Rom. 3:24–26Q 38: Why did he suffer “under Pontius Pilate” as judge?A. So that he, though innocent, might be condemned by an earthly judge, 1 and so free us from the severejudgment of God that was to fall on us. 21  Luke 23:13–24; John 19:4, 12–162  Isa. 53:4–5; 2 Cor. 5:21; Gal. 3:13Q 39: Is it significant that he was “crucified” instead of dying some other way?A. By this death I am convinced that he shouldered the curse which lay on me, since death by crucifixion wascursed by God. 11  Gal. 3:10–13 (Deut. 21:23 Lord's Day 16Q 40: Why did Christ have to suffer death?A. Because God's justice and truth require it: 1 nothing else could pay for our sins except the death of the Son ofGod. 21  Gen. 2:172  Rom. 8:3–4; Phil. 2:8; Heb. 2:9Q 41: Why was he “buried”?A. His burial testifies that he really died. 11  Isa. 53:9; John 19:38–42; Acts 13:29; 1 Cor. 15:3–4Q 42: Since Christ has died for us, why do we still have to die?A. Our death is not a payment for our sins, 1 but only a dying to sins and an entering into eternal life. 21  Ps. 49:72  John 5:24; Phil. 1:21–23; 1 Thess. 5:9–10Q 43: What further benefit do we receive from Christ's sacrifice and death on the cross?A. By his power our old man is crucified, put to death, and buried with him, 1 so that the evil desires of the fleshmay no longer rule us, 2 but that instead we may offer ourselves as a sacrifice of thanksgiving to him. 31  Rom. 6:5–11; Col. 2:11–122  Rom. 6:12–143  Rom. 12:1; Eph. 5:1–2Q 44: Why does the creed add, “He descended into hell”?A. To assure me during attacks of deepest dread and temptation that Christ my Lord, by suffering unspeakableanguish, pain, and terror of soul, on the cross but also earlier, has delivered me from hellish anguish andtorment. 11  Isa. 53; Matt. 26:36–46; 27:45–46; Luke 22:44; Heb. 5:7–10Days 4 & 5 – airs Monday, April 1 & Tuesday April 2Today and tomorrow, we will be working through Lord's Day 17 as we think about the resurrectionQ 45: How does Christ's resurrection benefit us?A. First, by his resurrection he has overcome death, so that he might make us share in the righteousness heobtained for us by his death. 1Second, by his power we too are already raised to a new life. 2Third, Christ's resurrection is a sure pledge to us of our blessed resurrection. 31  Rom. 4:25; 1 Cor. 15:16–20; 1 Pet. 1:3–52  Rom. 6:5–11; Eph. 2:4–6; Col. 3:1–43  Rom. 8:11; 1 Cor. 15:12–23; Phil. 3:20–21First, what does it mean that “the resurrection makes us share in the righteousness he obtained for us by hisdeath”?For more information about this group, please visit their website at reformationboise.com. Every weekday at 8:00am you can listen to The Gospel for Life on 94.1 The Voice in the Treasure Valley, Idaho, USA. If you have a question, comment, or even a topic suggestion for the Pastors, you can email them. There is only one rule: Be Kind! Phone: (208) 991-3526E-mail: thegospelforlifeidaho@gmail.com

SCRIPTURE: 1 Peter 4:1-11SHOW NOTES: We invite you to visit and subscribe to our new ministry website – Discover God's Truth. On Good Friday, we remember Jesus' death on the cross. He told His disciples that this time of suffering was ahead, and Jesus had to go to Jerusalem. However, suffering is not a concept we want to embrace or accept in this life. "Since Christ suffered in his body, arm yourselves also with the same attitude."1 Peter 4:1 Suffering has different faces in each of our lives. Peter addresses issues of pain, suffering, and persecution for his readers. He wants them to know that this will become more severe for believers living under the rule of Emperor Nero, but Peter offers hope and encouragement. The end of all things is near. We must be alert and disciplined in our prayers. Peter provides two examples of using our spiritual gifts. First, we must share the Word of God. His Word is important and necessary for salvation and understanding God's power and authority in our lives. We are also called to serve others and trust the Lord will provide the strength we need. Seek to glorify God every day. Serve the Lord and others faithfully and continue to walk with God. AMEN. SONG: "Come Jesus Come" - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X9NjB38sDvQ

Deep inside every human spirit, there's this unquenchable longing for justice. We look at the inequity of our world and ask, “How long, Lord? How long must we put up with this evil? How long before You step in and set things right?”At last, in our study of Revelation, we reach the point where God says, “Enough!” He pours out His wrath and final judgment on “every living thing.” (Rev. 16:3)Since judgment is coming, how should we then live? Let's ask a few questions and consider some practical implications. 1.     Who will do the judging?The Bible makes it clear that God will be the judge (Rev. 16: 5, 7).  But from other scriptural references we learn that, more specifically, the Father will delegate that judgment to Jesus. (Jn. 5:22; Mt. 28:19)Since Christ will judge with absolute authority, I must not take vengeance into my hands.Revenge is a losing proposition every time because the victim and the victimizer never weigh pain on the same scale. It never comes out as “fair” to both parties. Therefore, whenever you get hurt you only have two choices: to exact revenge or to forgive. By forgiving, we are trusting God to be the judge, a role only He is qualified and competent to hold. He says, “It is mine to avenge; I will repay.” When we insist upon vengeance, we are actually placing ourselves in a position that is reserved for Jesus Himself. And that is idolatry.2.     How will He judge?Rev. 16:5-7 uses these phrases to describe God's judgment: “You are just” “as they deserve” “true and just”We see miscarriages of justice all the time in our world – and that makes us wonder if people will somehow pull the wool over the Lord's eyes.            But these verses make it very clear that He will be absolutely fair and unbiased. True justice will be done.Since Christ will judge with utter integrity, I need not wonder if He will be fair. 3.     What will He judge? In vs. 15, there's a sort of parenthetical statement that pops out in all the plagues. “Blessed is the one who stays awake and remains clothed, so as not to go naked and be shamefully exposed.”Jesus warns that there is nothing hidden that will not one day be revealed. (Lk. 12:2-3) Have you ever done something in the dark you didn't want to be exposed? Ever whispered words in private you wouldn't want to be shouted? It's these dark deeds that Jesus will judge on that day. The only way you will keep from being utterly exposed on the Day of Judgment is if your sins are covered with Christ's forgiveness.Since Christ will judge with ruthless efficiency, I dare not stand before Him in naked rebellion.Too many people are “playing dress up.” They come to church, they put on a façade of righteousness, but they've never actually repented – given their lives to Christ and been covered in His righteousness. Their lives have shown no change. Their hearts instead are hard and rebellious. Don't play dress up. Run to the cross and be clothed in Christ. Text: Revelation 15-16Originally recorded on May 7, 2000, at Fellowship Missionary Church, Fort Wayne, IN

(Matthew 26:31-47) Since Christ commands His disciples to watch and pray, what should we be watching for? We should be on the lookout for the enemy! Whether the inner enemy or our outer enemies, Christians must be conscious and cautious. (0856240305) 

Justification by faith alone, grace alone, Christ alone, and Scripture alone was nothing new. This truth was proclaimed since the days of the Apostles, and the early Church fathers, like Ambrose & Augustine, agreed. “Let no one boast because of works as no one is justified by their deeds...faith, therefore is that which frees through the blood of Christ because he is blessed whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” “Since Christ has made full atonement made And brought to us salvation, each Christian therefore may be glad and build on this foundation. Your grace alone, dear Lord, I plead, Your death is now my life indeed, for You paid my ransom." LSB #555, st.6 Rev. Dennis McFadden, pastor of Emmanuel Lutheran Church in Fort Wayne, IN joins Rev. Brady Finnern to conclude our study of Justification. Find your copy of the Book of Concord - Concordia Reader's Edition at cph.org or read online at bookofconcord.org. Study the Lutheran Confession of Faith found in the Book of Concord with lively discussions led by host Rev. Brady Finnern, President of the LCMS Minnesota North District, and guest LCMS pastors. Join us as these Christ-confessing Concordians read through and discuss our Lutheran doctrine in the Book of Concord in order to gain a deeper understanding of our Lutheran faith and practical application for our vocations.

     Jesus' substitutionary death on the cross is the basis for our forgiveness of sins. Scripture reveals, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace” (Eph 1:7). Forgiveness translates the Greek word aphesis (ἄφεσις), which, according to BDAG, refers to “the act of freeing from an obligation, guilt, or punishment, pardon, cancellation.”[1] It means releasing someone from a debt they cannot pay. Paul wrote that God has “forgiven us all our transgressions, having erased the certificate of debt, with its obligations, that was against us and opposed to us, and has taken it out of the way by nailing it to the cross” (Col 2:13b-14). In Colossians 2:13, the word forgiveness translates the Greek word charizomai (χαρίζομαι), which means, “to show oneself gracious by forgiving wrongdoing, forgive, pardon.”[2] This reveals the loving and gracious heart of God toward lost sinners, for whom Christ died (Rom 5:8). Warren Wiersbe states, “When He shed His blood for sinners, Jesus Christ canceled the huge debt that was against sinners because of their disobedience to God's holy Law…In this way His Son paid the full debt when He died on the cross.”[3] According to Norman Geisler: "The Greek word for forgiveness is aphesis, which means “to forgive” or “to remit” one's sins. Hebrews declares that God cannot forgive without atonement, for “the law requires that nearly everything be cleansed with blood, and without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb 9:22). Paul announced: “Through Jesus the forgiveness of sins is proclaimed to you” (Acts 13:38). Forgiveness does not erase the sin; history cannot be changed. But forgiveness does erase the record of the sin. Like a pardon, the crime of the accused is not expunged from history but is deleted from his account. Hence, it is “in [Christ Jesus that] we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, in accordance with the riches of God's grace” (Eph 1:7; cf. Col 1:14)."[4] Paul Enns adds: "Forgiveness is the legal act of God whereby He removes the charges that were held against the sinner because proper satisfaction or atonement for those sins has been made. There are several Greek words used to describe forgiveness. One is charizomai, which is related to the word grace and means “to forgive out of grace.” It is used of cancellation of a debt (Col 2:13). The context emphasizes that our debts were nailed to the cross, with Christ's atonement freely forgiving the sins that were charged against us. The most common word for forgiveness is aphiemi, which means “to let go, release” or “send away.” The noun form is used in Ephesians 1:7 where it stresses the believer's sins have been forgiven or sent away because of the riches of God's grace as revealed in the death of Christ. Forgiveness forever solves the problem of sin in the believer's life—all sins past, present, and future (Col 2:13). This is distinct from the daily cleansing from sin that is necessary to maintain fellowship with God (1 John 1:9). Forgiveness is manward; man had sinned and needed to have his sins dealt with and removed."[5]      Under the OT system of sacrifices, we are told, “in the forbearance of God He passed over the sins previously committed” (Rom 3:25). The animal sacrifices did not remove sin. It was a temporary arrangement whereby God “passed over” the sins of His people until the time when Christ would come and die for the sins of the world. Concerning Romans 3:25, Hoehner states this “has the idea of a temporary suspension of punishment for sins committed before the cross, whereas ἄφεσις is the permanent cancellation of or release from the punishment for sin because it has been paid for by Christ's sacrifice.”[6] Merrill F. Unger adds: "The great foundational truth respecting the believer in relationship to his sins is the fact that his salvation comprehends the forgiveness of all his trespasses past, present, and future so far as condemnation is concerned (Rom 8:1; Col 2:13; John 3:18; 5:24). Since Christ has vicariously borne all sin and since the believer's standing in Christ is complete, he is perfected forever in Christ. When a believer sins, he is subject to chastisement from the Father but never to condemnation with the world (1 Cor 11:31–32)."[7]      Though Christ died for everyone (Heb 2:9; 1 John 2:2), the benefit of forgiveness is available only to those who trust in Him as Savior. Thiessen notes, “The death of Christ made forgiveness possible, but not necessary, since Christ died voluntarily…God is still entitled to say on what conditions man may receive forgiveness.”[8] Judicial forgiveness of sins is available to all, but each person must exercise their own volition and turn to Christ, and Christ alone, for salvation. The record of Scripture is that “there is salvation in no one else; for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12), and “everyone who believes in Him receives forgiveness of sins” (Acts 10:43). Familial Forgiveness of Sins      From the moment of our spiritual birth until we leave this world for heaven, we are in Christ and all our sins are judicially forgiven (Eph 2:5-6; Col 2:13). In addition, we have a new spiritual nature (2 Cor 5:17; Gal 6:15), and the power to live righteously in God's will (Rom 6:11-14). However, during our time in this world, we still possess a sin nature (Rom 7:14-25; Gal 5:17), and occasionally yield to temptation (both internal and external) and commit sin. According to William MacDonald, “Conversion does not mean the eradication of the sin nature. Rather it means the implanting of the new, divine nature, with power to live victoriously over indwelling sin.”[9] Our acts of sin do not jeopardize our eternal salvation which was secured by the Lord Jesus Christ (John 10:28), but is does hurt our walk with the Lord (1 John 1:5-10), and stifles the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (1 Cor 3:16; Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19). Though we try to keep our sins small and few, the reality is that we continue to sin, and some days more than others. As we grow spiritually in our knowledge of God's Word, we will pursue righteousness more and more and sin will diminish, but sin will never completely disappear from our lives. Living in the reality of God's Word, we know three things are true when we sin.      First, there is no condemnation (Rom 8:1). Though we have sinned against God, our eternal security and righteous standing before Him is never jeopardized. We are eternally secure (John 10:28), and continue to possess the righteousness of God that was imputed to us at the moment of salvation (Rom 4:1-5; 2 Cor 5:21; Phil 3:9).      Second, we have broken fellowship with God (1 John 1:5-6). When we sin, as a Christian, we have broken fellowship with God and stifled the work of the Holy Spirit who dwells within us (1 John 1:5-6; Eph 4:30; 1 Th 5:19). If we continue in sin, or leave our sin unconfessed, we are in real danger of divine discipline from God (Psa 32:3-4; Heb 12:5-11; 1 John 5:16-17; cf. Dan 4:37), which can eventuate in physical death (1 John 5:16; cf., Lev 10:1-2; Acts 5:3-5).      Third, if we confess our sin to God, He will forgive that sin and restore us to fellowship (1 John 1:9; cf. Psa 32:5). Being in fellowship with God means walking in the sphere of His light (1 John 1:5-7), being honest with Him about our sin (1 John 1:8, 10), and coming before His “throne of grace” (Heb 4:16) in transparent humility and confessing that sin in order to be forgiven familially (1 John 1:9). God is faithful and just to forgive our sins every time we confess them because of the atoning work of Christ who shed His blood on the cross for us (1 John 2:1-2). John wrote, “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness” (1 John 1:9). Concerning 1 John 1:9, William MacDonald states: "The forgiveness John speaks about here [i.e. 1 John 1:9] is parental, not judicial. Judicial forgiveness means forgiveness from the penalty of sins, which the sinner receives when he believes on the Lord Jesus Christ. It is called judicial because it is granted by God acting as Judge. But what about sins which a person commits after conversion? As far as the penalty is concerned, the price has already been paid by the Lord Jesus on the cross of Calvary. But as far as fellowship in the family of God is concerned, the sinning saint needs parental forgiveness, that is, the forgiveness of His Father. He obtains it by confessing his sin. We need judicial forgiveness only once; that takes care of the penalty of all our sins—past, present, and future. But we need parental forgiveness throughout our Christian life."[10]      God's grace compels us to pursue righteousness and good works (Tit 2:11-14), which God has prepared for us to walk in (Eph 2:10). But since we still have a sinful nature and live in a fallen world with temptation all around, we occasionally fall into sin. When we sin, we agree with God that we have sinned and we confess it to Him seeking His forgiveness. When we sin against others and wrongly hurt them, we confess our sin to them and ask for their forgiveness. Because our sin hurts others (and their sin hurts us), there is a need for love, patience, humility, and ongoing forgiveness among the saints. The apostle Paul wrote “So, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, put on a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against anyone; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. Beyond all these things put on love, which is the perfect bond of unity. Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, to which indeed you were called in one body; and be thankful” (Col 3:12-15). Dr. Steven R. Cook   [1] William Arndt et al., A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Other Early Christian Literature, 155. [2] Ibid., 1078. [3] Warren W. Wiersbe, The Bible Exposition Commentary, vol. 2, 127. [4] Norman L. Geisler, Systematic Theology, Volume Three: Sin, Salvation, 227. [5] Paul P. Enns, The Moody Handbook of Theology, 325–326. [6] Harold W. Hoehner, Ephesians: An Exegetical Commentary (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic, 2002), 207. [7] Merrill F. Unger, et al, “Forgiveness,” The New Unger's Bible Dictionary, 440. [8] Henry Clarence Thiessen and Vernon D. Doerksen, Lectures in Systematic Theology, 276. [9] William MacDonald, Believer's Bible Commentary: Old and New Testaments, 2310. [10] Ibid., 2310-11.

Earthly ‘wisdom' and heavenly wisdom are diametrically opposed. The one yields chaos and evil, the other the blessings of righteousness and peace. How is the believer to recognize and pursue the wisdom that is from above? Look to the character of Jesus Christ, Himself the very wisdom of God. I. Heavenly wisdom is demonstrated not primarily by words but by works. II. The jealous and factious spirit of the age produces ‘wisdom' whose source is not God, but Satan.III. Earthly ‘wisdom,' fueled by envy and rivalry, results in chaos and wickedness.IV. Since Christ is the very wisdom of God, the qualities of heavenly wisdom align perfectly with the character of Jesus. Questions:1. What are some examples of commonly held ‘wisdom' in our day that are clearly contradictory to Godly wisdom?2. What is the connection between works and wisdom?3. Why does James call the wisdom that does not come from heaven ‘demonic?' Why can't there be a category of wisdom that is neutral, neither from God nor from Satan?4. Compare the characteristics of the wise man to the Beatitudes in Matthew 5. 5. What is the relationship between righteousness and peacemaking? Shouldn't the believer always be fighting for the cause of righteousness?

After arguing that Christ's crucifixion will cause all of His enemies to be destroyed and will cause His people to have their sins taken away, the writer then argues that we should have boldness to enter the Holiest. Since Christ died to make us holy, we should have enough faith to walk according to the law of God rather than the according to the wisdom of the world. We should prepare to enter into the Holiest, by walking in holiness now. Walking as if Christ has defeated sin, which He has. Since Christ is the High Priest, the evil of our consciences can be sanctified and our bodies washed by pure water through His sacrifice. We should be provoking one another to love and good works, because we can trust that since He is destroying the works of the devil, that those who are His will love and have good works. As we gather, we should be deliberate to provoke one another to spend our time here deliberately and with diligence to do those things that bring honor and glory to God.

After arguing that Christ's crucifixion will cause all of His enemies to be destroyed and will cause His people to have their sins taken away, the writer then argues that we should have boldness to enter the Holiest. Since Christ died to make us holy, we should have enough faith to walk according to the law of God rather than the according to the wisdom of the world. We should prepare to enter into the Holiest, by walking in holiness now. Walking as if Christ has defeated sin, which He has. Since Christ is the High Priest, the evil of our consciences can be sanctified and our bodies washed by pure water through His sacrifice. We should be provoking one another to love and good works, because we can trust that since He is destroying the works of the devil, that those who are His will love and have good works. As we gather, we should be deliberate to provoke one another to spend our time here deliberately and with diligence to do those things that bring honor and glory to God.

After arguing that Christ's crucifixion will cause all of His enemies to be destroyed and will cause His people to have their sins taken away, the writer then argues that we should have boldness to enter the Holiest. Since Christ died to make us holy, we should have enough faith to walk according to the law of God rather than the according to the wisdom of the world. We should prepare to enter into the Holiest, by walking in holiness now. Walking as if Christ has defeated sin, which He has. Since Christ is the High Priest, the evil of our consciences can be sanctified and our bodies washed by pure water through His sacrifice. We should be provoking one another to love and good works, because we can trust that since He is destroying the works of the devil, that those who are His will love and have good works. As we gather, we should be deliberate to provoke one another to spend our time here deliberately and with diligence to do those things that bring honor and glory to God.

Eighteenth Sunday after Pentecost, recorded Sun., Oct. 1, 2023. Based on Ezekiel 18:4, 25-32. Seminary student Caleb Foelske. Website: crownoflifehubertus.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/crownoflifehubertus/ Written transcriptions: https://johnoldstrey.wordpress.com/

Today's Promise: Galatians 2:20 When you came to Christ, God did more than forgive your sins and provide heaven when you die. Those two things are incredible on their own, but just like God, He took it to the next level. When you came to Christ, Jesus came into your heart; He took up residence in you. This is more than just symbolic or metaphorical; Jesus literally took up residence in you. Since Christ is in you, He leads you. If you listen, you will be amazed at how God leads you throughout your day.

The realization of what Christ has done makes engagement with church a matter of "get to" rather than "have to."

The realization of what Christ has done makes engagement with church a matter of -get to- rather than -have to.-

The realization of what Christ has done makes engagement with church a matter of -get to- rather than -have to.-

1 Peter 4:1-6 | Since Christ Suffered, Arm Yourselves from CrossPointe Coast on Vimeo. Preacher: Jeremiah Fyffe Scripture: Romans 1:28–32 SINCE CHRIST SUFFERED, ARM YOURSELVES THE ONE WHO HAS SUFFERED HAS CEASED FROM SIN TO CEASE FROM SIN IS TO LIVE FOR THE WILL OF GOD TIME PAST IS SUFFICIENT FOR SIN THEY ARE SURPRISED AND MALIGN YOU THIS IS WHY THE GOSPEL WAS PREACHED 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, 1 Peter 3:18 (ESV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, Philippians 2:5 (ESV) Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, Philippians 2:8 (ESV) And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:9 (ESV) Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, Hebrews 12:2 (ESV) looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God. Romans 1:16 (ESV) For I am not ashamed of the gospel, for it is the power of God for salvation to everyone who believes, to the Jew first and also to the Greek. 1 Peter 3:17 (ESV) For it is better to suffer for doing good, if that should be God's will, than for doing evil.

[1 Peter 4:1-2] Since Christ has suffered in the flesh, we as believers also ought to arm ourselves with the same mind to suffer in the flesh like our Lord. Those who have taken up the mission of obeying God and suffer for it, have made a decisive break from sin so that they are done with living in sin.

July 2, 2023 -- "At The Right Time" -- Pastor Mark Siegert, Bible Text: Romans 5: 6-17 6 Look at it this way: At the right time, while we were still helpless, Christ died for ungodly people. 7 Finding someone who would die for a godly person is rare. Maybe someone would have the courage to die for a good person. 8 Christ died for us while we were still sinners. This demonstrates God's love for us. 9 Since Christ's blood has now given us God's approval, we are even more certain that Christ will save us from God's anger. 10 If the death of his Son restored our relationship with God while we were still his enemies, we are even more certain that, because of this restored relationship, the life of his Son will save us. 11 In addition, our Lord Jesus Christ lets us continue to brag about God. After all, it is through Christ that we now have this restored relationship with God. (GW) ⁠⁠⁠http://www.bethanylutheran.org⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠http://www.facebook.com/Bethany.Long.Beach⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.youtube.com/c/BethanyLutheranLongBeach

Epistle Reading: Acts 12:1-11 About that time, Herod the king laid violent hands upon some who belonged to the church. He killed James the brother of John with the sword; and when he saw that it pleased the Jews, he proceeded to arrest Peter also. This was during the days of Unleavened Bread. And when he had seized him, he put him in prison, and delivered him to four squads of soldiers to guard him, intending after the Passover to bring him out to the people. So Peter was kept in prison; but earnest prayer for him was made to God by the Church. The very night when Herod was about to bring him out, Peter was sleeping between two soldiers, bound with two chains, and sentries before the door were guarding the prison; and behold, an angel of the Lord appeared, and a light shone in the cell; and he struck Peter on the side and woke him, saying, "Get up quickly." And the chains fell off his hands. And the angel said to him, "Wrap your mantle around you and follow me." And he went out and followed him; he did not know that what was done by the angel was real, but thought he was seeing a vision. When they had passed the first and the second guard, they came to the iron gate leading into the city. It opened to them of its own accord, and they went out and passed on through one street; and immediately the angel left him. And Peter came to himself, and said, "Now I am sure that the Lord has sent his angel and rescued me from the hand of Herod and from all that the Jewish people were expecting." Gospel Reading: John 20:19-31 On the evening of that day, the first day of the week, the doors being shut where the disciples were for fear of the Jews, Jesus came and stood among them and said to them, "Peace be with you." When He had said this, He showed them His hands and His side. Then the disciples were glad when they saw the Lord. Jesus said to them again, "Peace be with you. As the Father has sent Me, even so I send you." And when He had said this, He breathed on them and said to them, "Receive the Holy Spirit. If you forgive the sins of any, they are forgiven; if you retain the sins of any, they are retained." Now Thomas, one of the twelve, called the Twin, was not with them when Jesus came. So the other disciples told him, "We have seen the Lord." But he said to them, "Unless I see in His hands the print of the nails, and place my finger in the mark of the nails, and place my hand in His side, I will not believe." Eight days later, His disciples were again in the house, and Thomas was with them. The doors were shut, but Jesus came and stood among them and said, "Peace be with you." Then He said to Thomas, "Put your finger here, and see My hands; and put out your hand, and place it in My side; do not be faithless, but believing." Thomas answered Him, "My Lord and My God!" Jesus said to him, "Have you believed because you have seen Me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet believe." Now Jesus did many other signs in the presence of the disciples, which are not written in this book; but these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that believing, you may have life in His name.

IntroductionToday we are exploring one of the most important topics in human history: the Incarnation of the Word of God. What we celebrate on the Solemnity of the Annunciation and then nine months later on December 25th is the most marvelous of mysterious miracles. What does the Church definitively teach about the Incarnation? What is the Hypostatic Union? Is Jesus half-God and half-man or fully God and fully man? How does that work? What are some of the heresies about Christ?This week's episode will exclusively focus on the fact, nature, and truth of the Incarnation. There is far more to say about the nature of Christ than I can cover in one short episode. So, know that there is more to say, more distinctions to draw, and more fruitful reflection to be had! Next week, in a second part, we will explore the effects of the Incarnation on Christ Himself as well as the teaching of St. Thomas Aquinas on the fittingness of the Incarnation. As well, we will look at the effects of the Incarnation on humanity and the world. In other words, what is the significance of Christmas for you and I personally? The Marvelous Fact of the IncarnationTwo thousand years ago, the Eternal Word of God took on Flesh. In the Nicene Creed, Christians acclaim that: “For us men and for our salvation he came down from heaven; by the power of the Holy Spirit, he became incarnate of the Virgin Mary, and was made man.” Belief in the Incarnation of the Son of God, the second Person of the Blessed Trinity, is distinctively Christian. No other religion claims something so seemingly outlandish: that the Almighty God would condescend to share in His creation. Yet, this is the truth. The Incarnation is a marvelous fact, a “unique and altogether singular event (CCC 464)” to borrow the language of the Catechism. This marvelous reality is not simple to understand, nor is it something intuitively grasped by our feeble human intellect. However, there is much that God has revealed to us and unpacked through the guidance of the Holy Spirit over the centuries. The “Incarnation is… the mystery of the wonderful union of the divine and human natures in the one person of the Word (CCC 483).” We will walk through the Divinity of Jesus Christ then His human nature, and then we will be able to talk with some level of clarity on the Hypostatic Union. I am going to try hard to keep this simple without watering anything down. I will also try to define any technical terms that I use. My hope is that this will remain accessible while faithful and accurately explaining the Church's perennial teachings on the nature of the Incarnation. The Divinity of Jesus ChristTwo thousand years ago, Jesus of Nazareth was conceived and born, a real person of history. Historical consensus confirms this reality. We also have the faithful witness of the Old and New Testaments. In the Old Testament, the Psalms, the Wisdom Literature, and the Prophets all speak of the coming Messiah. The Jewish people at the time of Jesus were waiting for the Messiah, an anointed one, who would take the throne of King David and rule as a militaristic warrior to expel the Romans from the Holy Land. In the New Testament, St. Matthew traces the genealogy of Jesus back to Adam and St. Luke traces the genealogy of Jesus back to God Himself. St. Matthew's genealogy also particularly centers Jesus as the expected heir of David's throne. From the perspective of today, we, of course, know that Jesus did not come as a militaristic warrior-king. But, how do we know that Jesus Christ is God, that He is Divine?In the beginning of the Holy Gospel according to St. John, there is no genealogy. Instead, the prologue of John identifies Jesus with the uncreated Word of God through which all things were made: the Logos. The Word of God has become man and pitched His tent among us. He is the Emmanuel foretold by the Prophet Isaiah. The Gospels firmly show that Jesus is not merely another anointed one (messias), He is the Divine Messiah (cf. Mt. 1:23, 2:6; Mk. 1:2, Lk. 7:27). He is God's own Son (cf. Mt. 16:13; Jn. 10:36; Mk. 14:62; Lk. 1:35). And, finally, He is God. “In the beginning was the Word and the Word was with God and the Word was God… (cf. Jn. 1:1).” There is a phenomenal exploration of the claim to divinity of Jesus in the New Testament by Dr. Brant Pitre entitled: The Case for Jesus: The Biblical and Historical Evidence for Christ. I highly recommend reading that book, if you are interested!The remainder of the New Testament further solidifies the Divinity of Jesus Christ and this fact is upheld by the Fathers of the Church in the first millennium of the Church as well. By a singular miracle, the uncreated Son of God, consubstantial with the Father was made man and dwelt among us. He is, thus, truly and appropriately called a Divine Person. As the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. put it: “We confess that our Lord Jesus Christ is not parted or divided into two persons, but is one and the same only-Begotten Son and Word of God (Chalcedon, Part ii, act. 5).”Modern academics of all stripes will try to poke holes in the doctrine of the divinity of Christ. This makes sense for those who wish to conform God to their viewpoint rather than be conformed by Him. If Jesus Christ is God, then everything He said carries the full authority of Almighty God.The Human Nature of Jesus ChristJesus Christ is fully God. But Jesus Christ is fully man, with flesh supplied from the womb of the Blessed Virgin Mary. He is a Divine Person, not a human person. However, He possesses a full and complete human nature: body and soul. As St. Thomas Aquinas puts it: “Although Christ is not the human nature, He has human nature (ST III, q. 10, a. 10, ad. 1).”The human nature of Christ is difficult to wrap our minds around. Some in the history of the Church, for example, have tried to claim that Jesus' human body was an illusion. To this, St. Augustine answers: "If the Body of Christ was a fancy, then Christ erred; and if Christ erred, then He is not the Truth. But Christ is the Truth; hence His Body was not a fancy' (Augustine, QQ. lxxxiii, q. 14; P.L., XL, 14).”Just as we acknowledge wholeheartedly that Jesus Christ is truly God, we also acknowledge that a true human soul animates the truly human body of Jesus. St. Thomas Aquinas explains:“The body is not said to be animated save from its union with the soul. Now the body of Christ is said to be animated, as the Church chants: ‘Taking an animate body, He deigned to be born of a Virgin' [Feast of the Circumcision, Ant. ii, Lauds]. Therefore in Christ there was a union of soul and body (cf. ST III, q. 2, a. 5, s.c.).”The Hypostatic UnionFully God and fully man, Jesus Christ is the God-Man. The central mystery within the mystery of the Incarnation is how the divinity and humanity of Jesus interact. This mystery is called the hypostatic union. Hypostasis is the Greek word for person. St. John Damascene teaches that “In our Lord Jesus Christ we acknowledge two natures, but one hypostasis composed from both (De Fide Orth. iii, 3, 4, 5). The Catholic Encyclopedia explains of this union:“We speak here of no moral union, no union in a figurative sense of the word; but a union that is physical, a union of two substances or natures so as to make One Person, a union which means that God is Man and Man is God in the Person of Jesus Christ (CE).”St. Thomas Aquinas speaks at length about the nature of the hypostatic union, but one insight that I find most helpful is the difference between assumption and uniting. He speaks of assumption as an action - the Word of God assumed human flesh. This is not wrong to say, but St. Thomas prefers the idea of uniting or becoming. The Word of God became flesh or united with the human flesh of Jesus at His first moment of existence. Here we can already run into problems if we are not careful. Did Jesus have a beginning? Yes! Did the Son of God have a beginning? No! He is begotten, not made, eternal and consubstantial with God the Father. As St. Thomas concisely explains: “Whatever has a beginning in time is created. Now this union was not from eternity, but began in time. Therefore the union is something created (ST III, q. 2, a. 7, s.c.).”There is a true union of divinity and humanity in Christ. But we should not think that the divinity of Christ overpowers and consumes the humanity of Christ. Pope Alexander III, in the 12th Century, quipped: “Since Christ is perfect God and perfect man, what foolhardiness have some to dare to affirm that Christ as man is not a substance?" In other words, the metaphysical substance of the human nature of Christ is real and persists, completely and perfectly united to His divine nature.How did this happen? How were the divinity and humanity of Jesus Christ united, in time? It is by God's grace! It is a true miracle, a unique and singular event. St. Thomas Aquinas echoes St. Augustine when he teaches: “Augustine says (De Praed. Sanct. xv): ‘By the same grace every man is made a Christian, from the beginning of his faith, as this man from His beginning was made Christ.' But this man became Christ by union with the Divine Nature. Therefore this union was by grace (ST III, q. 2, a. 10, s.c.).”Thank you for reading Will Wright Catholic. This post is public so feel free to share it.False Natures of the Incarnation - Heresies about ChristThere is no shortage of false teachings about Jesus Christ. Catholic orthodoxy is a thin line which has been guarded as a precious jewel from apostolic times. Without the authentic measure of orthodoxy provided by the Catholic Church, then any opinion would be fair game. In fact, this is unfortunately the state of affairs in many Protestant communions. Before we further clarify what the Catholic Church teaches truly about Jesus Christ, it is helpful to look at some of the heresies about Christ in the early Church. By looking at what the incarnation is not, we can come to a better understanding of what it is. There is a lot to be said about these heretics and heresies, but I am going to try to keep it brief.ArianismArius was a priest in Constantinople in the late 3rd Century and early 4th Century. He believed that God the Father was uniquely God and Christ was subordinate in every way to the Father. He denied the hypostatic union and believed that Christ was the highest of the creatures of God. No small historical issue, there was a time when the majority of the Church's episcopacy was Arian in belief. Suffice it to say, Catholic orthodoxy was victorious. The Council of Nicaea in 325 A.D., led by the great Saint Athanasius formulated the first version of the Nicene Creed that is professed on Sundays. We believe in “one Lord Jesus Christ… true God of true God… Who took Flesh, became Man and suffered.”NestorianismIn 428 A.D. the Patriarch of Constantinople was a man named Nestorius. He called the union of the two natures a mysterious and an inseparable joining, but would admit no unity in the strict sense of the word to be the result of this joining. The union of the two natures, to Nestorius, is not physical but moral. As he put it “the Word indwells in Jesus like as God indwells in the just.” There is not a true, physical and lasting union of divinity and humanity. To explain his view he said that Mary is the Mother of Christ (Christotokos) but not the Mother of God (Theotokos)Nestorius denied the hypostatic union but, unlike Arius before him, did acknowledge the divinity of Christ. He just did not believe that there was a physical union or substantial union of humanity and divinity. So, to Nestorius, when Christ suffered, He did so in His humanity, not in His divinity. On the contrary, Saint Athansius taught (against Apollinarius) that: “They err who say that it is one person who is the Son that suffered, and another person who did not suffer ...; the Flesh became God's own by nature [kata physin], not that it became consubstantial with the Divinity of the Logos as if coeternal therewith, but that it became God's own Flesh by its very nature [kata physin] (Contra Apollinarium, I, 12, in P.G., XXVI, 1113).”The Council of Ephesus in 431 A.D. condemned Nestorius as a heretic and defined that Mary was mother in the flesh of God's Word made Flesh. In this way, it is right to call her Theotokos or God-bearer. The specific anathema against Nestorianism was written by St. Cyril of Alexandria who wrote extensively on the nature of Christ. He said:“If in the one Christ anyone divides the substances, after they have been once united, and joins them together merely by a juxtaposition [mone symapton autas synapheia] of honour or of authority or of power and not rather by a union into a physical unity [synode te kath henosin physiken], let him be accursed (can. iii).”MonophysitismThe Christological heresies, so-called, did not end with the Council of Ephesus. Eutyches took part in that Council of Ephesus and was fiercely opposed to the teachings of Nestorius. However, he went too far in the other direction. He developed the heresy of Monophysitism which held that there was only one Person in Christ (which is true) but he only held one nature in Christ (which is heretical). His denial was that Christ was “consubstantial with us men” as St. Cyril of Alexandria held. Eutyches was stressing Christ's uniqueness, not intended to deny Christ's full manhood. The error of Eutyches is the cautionary tale of not swinging too far in our refutations.This heresy was condemned by the Council of Chalcedon in 451 A.D. It was formulated in this way:Jesus Christ remained, after the Incarnation, “perfect in Divinity and perfect in humanity… consubstantial with the Father according to His Divinity, consubstantial with us according to His humanity… one and the same Christ, the Son, the Lord, the Only begotten, to be acknowledged in two natures not intermingled, not changed, not divisible, not separable (cf. Denzinger, n. 148).”MonothelitismThe next heresy of monothelitism began orthodox enough. The monothelitists defended the union of two natures in one Divine Person. They went off the rails in saying that this Divine Person only had one divine will - they denied the human will of Jesus.Sacred Scripture teaches us that Jesus Christ has a human will. He performed acts of adoration, humility, and reverence. In the Garden of Gethsemane, He prayed to the Father that the “cup” of His sacrifice and death pass without His drinking it. Praying to the Father in this way, He showed His human aversion to death but also the human act of the will of obedience in saying: “not my will, but thine be done.”Monothelitism was condemned by the Third Council of Constantinople in 680 A.D. They defined that in Christ there were two natural wills and two natural activities, the Divine and the human, and that the human will was not at all contrary to the Divine, but rather perfectly subject thereto (cf. Denzinger, n. 291).The Truth About the Incarnation - Catholic TeachingBy way of summary, what then does the Church authentically teach about the nature of Christ and the hypostatic union? Jesus Christ is a Divine Hypostasis - a Divine Person. The unique hypostatic union of Jesus Christ is the complete union of two natures, one divine and one human, in one Divine Person without change, division, separation, or the like. When the Eternal Word of God took Flesh, there was no change in the Word. All the change that took place was in the Holy Flesh of Christ. At the moment of conception, in the womb of the Blessed Mother, through the forcefulness of God's activity, the human soul of Christ was created and the Word became the man that was conceived. Next Time on WWCNext time on WWC, we will explore the second part of this series on the incarnation. Namely, we will be looking at the effects of the Incarnation on Christ Himself, on the world, and on us! We will also look briefly at what St. Thomas Aquinas had to say on the fittingness of the Incarnation. For example, if mankind had not sinned, would God have still become incarnate?! Stop on by next time and see what the Angelic Doctor had to say. The next part of the series should also be a fruitful reflection for us entering into Christmas! Thanks for reading. See you next time on Will Wright Catholic!Thanks for reading Will Wright Catholic! Subscribe for free to receive new posts and support my work. This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit willwrightcatholic.substack.com

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Since Christ suffered for us in the flesh, arm yourselves also with the same mind. Taught at Agape Bible Church on November 13, 2022. [36 minutes]

I have worn glasses or contact lenses since second grade, and blended bifocals for over a decade. Without them, the world is a blur. Even with them, I see haloes around lights and floaters everywhere, although I’ve learned to ignore them. As a result of my nearly lifelong experience of nearsightedness and astigmatism, I might have an inside track on understanding Peter’s figure of speech in verse 9. Immature or stagnant Christians are called “nearsighted and blind.” They’re failing to grow because they’ve lost sight of their salvation. Since Christ has given us everything we need for a godly life, we are to “make every effort” to grow in Christian virtue (vv. 5–7). This list, one of several in the New Testament, includes faith, goodness, accurate knowledge, self-control, perseverance or steadfastness, godliness or righteousness, mutual affection or kindness, and selfless, sacrificial agape love (see Gal. 5:22–23; Col. 3:12–14). If we keep growing in these qualities in “increasing measure,” we will not be ineffective or unproductive in our “pursuit of knowing our Lord Jesus Christ more intimately” (NET); we will bear fruit in and for Christ (vv. 8–9). By contrast, believers who are not growing are “nearsighted and blind.” It’s as if they have forgotten that they have been cleansed from sin and redeemed. “Therefore,” since spiritual growth is expected, desirable, and testimony to genuine salvation, we’re to “make every effort to confirm [our] calling and election” (vv. 10–11). In other words, spiritual maturation and good works are evidence that we really are saved and walking on the right path. We cannot earn our way to heaven, but there will be evidence that we’re God’s children and belong there. >> As children grow, parents like to mark their increasing height on a doorframe. How do we mark our spiritual progress? Take a moment to reflect on how you’ve grown in the Lord during the past year or maybe five or ten years.

With the Lord's help, we can have all the strength that we need to just keep on doing good to everyone and not grow weary or give up. Since Christ is living in us, we can know that no situation is beyond His power or is even out of His plan. He will work in us, through us, and for us in every situation that we face today if we do not give up. - Tiffany ThibaultSUBSCRIBE to our sister podcasts:The Crosswalk Devotional: https://www.lifeaudio.com/crosswalk-devotional/Your Daily Bible Verse: https://www.lifeaudio.com/your-daily-bible-verse/

Today's Promise: Galatians 2:20 When you came to Christ, God did more than forgive your sins and provide heaven when you die. Those two things are incredible on their own, but just like God, He took it to the next level. When you came to Christ, Jesus came into your heart; He took up residence in you. This is more than just symbolic or metaphorical; Jesus literally took up residence in you. Since Christ is in you, He leads you. If you listen, you will be amazed at how God leads you throughout your day.