Thank you for your responses, and I hope you are having a wonderfully blessed day. Yes ma'am, I agree with you. We must hold fast to Gods truth and test all things spiritual and backed scripturally.
To answer your question, yes I did mean to send that message to you. As I myself , Did have an amazing and tremendously blessed experience . In which i was not worthy of. But through Gods ever abounding mercy , grace and infinite love he allowed me to experience it.
I try always to share my testimony, as I desire with all my heart that everyone know the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . And How much he really loves us.
In my first post, I was referring to that which Jesus brought from heaven, is deity made flesh, His perfect life, His sacrifice for sins, His resurrection from death and ascension to heave. Jesus did that in His own divine power. No man can do that. That is my main point.
Perhaps this clarifies your question about my post.
Jesse, I can see your point on this. My uncle had such an experience when he had a heart attack and then was revived. He said he saw Jesus who was reaching His hand out to him. I know things like this occur to people at times, but not very often. I cannot vouch for any such experience of another person. They may be genuine or not. But I take the Lord's words seriously, therefore, as I said, we should beware of those who report such experiences. I did not say to dismiss such claims. We should test all things, especially anything to seems to contradict the Lord's words.
Hi Cheryl1655. Just to add to these other good comments, in reference to "...even the Son of man which is in heaven", I agree that it should be left to how one chooses to read & understand that statement in John 3:13. To help me with this, I consider John 3:11, 12 as well: "Verily, verily, I say unto thee, We speak that we do know, and testify that we have seen; and ye receive not our witness. If I have told you earthly things, and ye believe not, how shall ye believe, if I tell you of heavenly things?"
I note that Jesus is stating, "WE speak...WE have seen...OUR witness". Who are the WE/OUR here? Surely it can't be anyone on Earth, as none present with Jesus or even seen in the Old Testament have ever spoken of or seen those mysterious things of Heaven. But 'in very Truth', Jesus states that there is a Divine Presence both in Heaven & now on Earth that has made such mysteries & Truths known to man.
So when Jesus states, "...even the Son of Man which is in heaven", the already perplexed Nicodemus is hit with an almost uncomprehendable Character of God & this Man before him stating that He was in Heaven, now here as a Son of man, who still has a Presence in Heaven. Even though there is insufficient Scripture to state precisely what Jesus was trying to indicate to Nicodemus, it seems that we won't be far from the Truth, that Jesus by coming to Earth, laid aside His Glory (see John 17:5; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:9), so that He could take on flesh & live as a Man. But where did He leave His Glory, that He take on a position beneath God's Holy angels? I feel that this Divine Person of the Godhead left that part of His Majesty in Heaven, while He walked this Earth as the humble Servant of men. To Nicodemus this would have been inconceivable, but Jesus' always held His Presence in Heaven as on Earth - His contact with His Father & His angels were separated only by position, not by relationship & possession. Likewise, our relationship to the Godhead must also be.
This verse in John 3 is telling us that no mere human can ascend up to heaven. None of us is able to do so nor are any of us worthy to do so. But the Son of the Father, who resided in heaven for all eternity was worthy and able to descend from heaven to become a fleshly man for the sake of mankind-to bring to to humans salvation from our sins and restore our fellowship with the Godhead. Only Jesus could bring from heaven the glories of God's grace, mercy, and blessings to those who believe in Him. Only Jesus can bring to earth anything that is needed for mankind's redemption, being that He was first in heaven and at the right hand of the Father as King and Lord forever. Even the angels could not descend to bring what Jesus did and only Jesus can bring to mankind the words of life, having come from within the God. He alone knows the fullness of the mind of God the Father and the Holy Spirit since they together are one in unity and deity.
The Tower of Babel was designed for a man to ascend up to heaven to bring down to earth what is legitimately only God's to send forth. We know what God thought of that. He stopped this effort in its tracks and the tower was never completed.
So, please be warned about receiving from any man any supposed information from heaven or anyone who reports having gone to heaven and returned back. Jesus says that this will not happen.
This is a tough verse to fully understand. First, in the context, of the conversation Jesus is having with Nicodemus it would seem that Jesus was telling him no man had ascended to heaven to get the knowledge of heavenly things and returned to teach it to men on earth, similar to Proverbs 30:4. So, no man is qualified to speak of them but He/Jesus who came down from heaven.
John 3:13 No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
One thing that makes this difficult is the ending, it is like Jesus said this after He had ascended to heaven after His resurrection. "Which is in heaven" Some translations leave this ending out where it ends with man, which would involve other topics I will not add to this, hope this helps.
Click "more" tab, it should take you to "how to link", hopefully that is helpful
I've also noticed there are "how to cite" questions under red letter underline links in "contact us"
If that doesn't fully answer your question about linking Strongs Exhaustive Concordance, & the commentary you may want to ask KJBO administration by submitting question in "contact us" form.
John 3:13 is part of a chapter outline that begins at Verse 1 and goes to Verse 15, and it is the presentation of the Spiritual birth from heaven.
In John 3:13, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that that He was the only One that has come down from heaven. He said, but if I tell you earthly things and you don't get it, and you are the master teacher?
He should have associated the Lord's teaching to Ezekiel Chapter 37 Verses 1 through 15.
This is where God takes the prophet and He shows them a valley of dead bones and says this is Israel. Spiritually dead! And He says to him, prophecy over these bones that flesh would come on them. And the bones came together and the flesh came on the bones.
And then He says prophecy to the wind that the wind would blow on them and breathe life in them. And he prophesies and the wind blows and they are filled with life and spirit.
And so God's promise to His people Israel is that you are spiritually dead until my spirit gives you life. But right now you are spiritually dead!
And He tells Nicodemus, you should have known what I was talking about. How can you be the master teacher in Israel and you don't know anything about being born from above? You don't know anything about the wind blowing, and how the spirit moves!
there are different beliefs among christians about the meaning. The ones I am aware of are:
1. It means the water of baptism. So a person is born again when they get baptized in water.
2. It means the Word of God which is often represented by water in the scriptures ( my belief as well). So when one hears the Word of God, which is an "active" word, and accepts it in their heart and repents and want to change then they get born again by the Spirit of God.
I am pretty sure what you are talking about is what Paul spoke of when He refered to us as being dead too sin. Found in faith yet our bodies are dead to sin. Romans 6:11
11" Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
More than half way through my journey, I have looked back as a child until now, and have seen the presence of the holy spirit . I would say this is the wind Jesus speaks of, when He is talking to Nicodemus. The wind of the holy spirit that even guided the Indians, who may have never been Baptized ,but knew of a Spirit!
Soon they would learn where this Spirit came from, and where it would lead!
The chief, the master, would soon know these things! Hearing the words from Christ himself, revealed through John 3;16.
Jesus being from all eternity, with the Father in the garden, promising to send Him ,this same spirit we now speak of!
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Repent and be Baptized
Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
Jesse thats true, it takes more then just believing in him....He has to know us, ...Thats when that good seed is sown in our hearts....Thats y its so important that he knows us....They don't call him the bridegroom for nothin
.....If he does not know us there is no seed sown in our hearts ...Thus no Child of PROMISE which is the H.G. the CHILD of PROMISE The Kingdom
......When Jesus was in Jerusalem many BELIEVED in him when they saw the miracles he did...But Jesus did not commit himself unto them b/c he knew what was in MAN and needed that not any should testify of man....Thats y he was saying you must be converted and become as a lil Child...Which is the Child of Promise the H.G...Our new birth... John 2 : 23 kjv
.....The only way we can be bornagain is by his seed which is his WORD....As Peter says being bornagain if an incorruptible seed etc...Even by the words of God....The living word which is spirit and life....Thus he has to know us which is an intimacy that results in a birth of Christ in us.
.....Thats the New Covenant...I will know them ALL from the least to the greatest....And thats y Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains... Jeremiah 30 : 6 kjv
This intimacy is the Knowledge that is gonna cover the earth as the waters cover the seas....As he is gonna know all men... Isaiah 11 : 9..Kjv.....27 times in the O.T. the prophets saw the world in travail and birth pains.
.....The Child is the H.G. that Child of Promise the Kingdom....Unless ya receive the kingdom of God as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in....Thats y he has to know us....Just believing is not enought....Satan believes and is not saved...ok
I would like to use a verse that almost every believer probably has memorized, and it is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (in him) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But is that all it takes to have everlasting life, just to believe in Jesus? I would have to say no. Believing in Jesus is a must, but just believing alone cannot save a person.
Here's something I would like to share about John 3:16, and other verses that use the word in. First of all, in John 3:16, the original text does not say whosoever believeth in Him. It says whosoever believeth into Him. It is the word EIS which means into, not in. This is very important because there is a difference between believing in and believing into Jesus.
You see, a person can believe in Jesus but still not surrender their life to Him. Their belief will not save them. They must experience a Spiritual birth from above. They must receive Christ. They must transfer that belief in Him to a belief into him, meaning they must be born of His Spirit (Spiritual birth), them in Christ and Christ in them.
When I read verses that say believe in Jesus, especially John 3:16, I already know that in the original text it says believe into, not believe in. And again, there is a difference. There are people who will say that all you have to do to be saved and have eternal life is believe in Jesus. But that is not true. Again, belief is important but will not save a person.
The bible tells us in James 2:19 that even the demons believe in Jesus. They know who He is but they will never surrender their life to Him. They will never believe into Him.
I'll try to redo Part 4 as best as I can remember.
So I ask myself, why does my sin matter in my relationship with God?
I go to Romans 1:18
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." (NIV) Whoa!
And in 2:8
"..but to those whoa re self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, tribulation and guish, on every soul that does evil..." (NIV)
And 3:10 says:
"As it is written:
There is none righteous, no, not one...."
and in 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
And 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(All NIV, being the translation I have on hand at home.)
So, this tells me that I am guilty and ungodly before God.
Romans 6:6 tells me that "For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly."
and Vs. 8 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
and Vs. 10 "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins...."
Well, we all stand guilty and are all dead to God in our sins, and are enemies to God until we are reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom we are regenerated and made alive to God. So, I think, it is good to be alive to God and not good at all to be dead in sin. so, my sin matters to God in that it separates me from Him.
So, I think, why would I want to be reconciled to Him, aside from avoiding being under his wrath and judgment? What is it about God that would make me consider turning to Him? In my sinful state, I would not want to turn to Him, but even then, the Holy Spirit works in me to turn me to God by grace! I am to believe that and act of the grace given to me
Jesus had a brain that thought and reasoned and controlled his human body.
So this convinces me that Jesus indeed was both fully God and fully man.
So then I ask, why did God become a man?
In John 1:29, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus says, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
And Jesus, Himself, says ( John 3:15-17) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved."
This tells me that Jesus became a man to take away the sin (all sin) of the world by being a "sacrificial lamb" and the one by which anyone can be saved from their sinfulness and the condemnation that comes with it by believing in Him.
Therefore, since He is Truth, I believe that He is the only one who can save me from my sins.
The Gospels tell me that Jesus told people that their sins are forgiven. Only God can forgive sins. So, if I want my sins forgiven, I must believe that they are forgiven by and through Jesus.
The next question I ask is: If Jesus came to take away the sins of others, did He have sins to be forgiven?
I must admit that God does not have any sin in Him, and if Jesus is God, He is without sin.
I am also told that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NIV)
From this passage, I am told that Jesus never sinned, but to make us righteous before God, He became sin for us (in His death)
Before this verse, Paul says in 1Corinthians 5:14- 15 that Jesus died for all.
"His contact with His Father & His angels were separated only by position, not by relationship & possession."
God bless.
Am I mistaken on who sent the response to my post?
Thank you for your responses, and I hope you are having a wonderfully blessed day. Yes ma'am, I agree with you. We must hold fast to Gods truth and test all things spiritual and backed scripturally.
To answer your question, yes I did mean to send that message to you. As I myself , Did have an amazing and tremendously blessed experience . In which i was not worthy of. But through Gods ever abounding mercy , grace and infinite love he allowed me to experience it.
I try always to share my testimony, as I desire with all my heart that everyone know the truth of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ . And How much he really loves us.
I know with all my heart, mind ,body and spirit,
Jesus is the way the truth and the life.
I pray the lord bless you tremendously,
And keep up the good fight.
I love you all.
Did you mean to send this to me?
In my first post, I was referring to that which Jesus brought from heaven, is deity made flesh, His perfect life, His sacrifice for sins, His resurrection from death and ascension to heave. Jesus did that in His own divine power. No man can do that. That is my main point.
Perhaps this clarifies your question about my post.
You do not believe that some of Gods children have died and seen heaven or some have even spoke with Jesus and returned?
To minister and share the love of god they experienced and their life changing testimony .
To bear witness to our savior Jesus Christ and our Heavenly Father?
May gods grace and peace be upon you.
Love you all.
I note that Jesus is stating, "WE speak...WE have seen...OUR witness". Who are the WE/OUR here? Surely it can't be anyone on Earth, as none present with Jesus or even seen in the Old Testament have ever spoken of or seen those mysterious things of Heaven. But 'in very Truth', Jesus states that there is a Divine Presence both in Heaven & now on Earth that has made such mysteries & Truths known to man.
So when Jesus states, "...even the Son of Man which is in heaven", the already perplexed Nicodemus is hit with an almost uncomprehendable Character of God & this Man before him stating that He was in Heaven, now here as a Son of man, who still has a Presence in Heaven. Even though there is insufficient Scripture to state precisely what Jesus was trying to indicate to Nicodemus, it seems that we won't be far from the Truth, that Jesus by coming to Earth, laid aside His Glory (see John 17:5; Philippians 2:7; Hebrews 2:9), so that He could take on flesh & live as a Man. But where did He leave His Glory, that He take on a position beneath God's Holy angels? I feel that this Divine Person of the Godhead left that part of His Majesty in Heaven, while He walked this Earth as the humble Servant of men. To Nicodemus this would have been inconceivable, but Jesus' always held His Presence in Heaven as on Earth - His contact with His Father & His angels were separated only by position, not by relationship & possession. Likewise, our relationship to the Godhead must also be.
This verse in John 3 is telling us that no mere human can ascend up to heaven. None of us is able to do so nor are any of us worthy to do so. But the Son of the Father, who resided in heaven for all eternity was worthy and able to descend from heaven to become a fleshly man for the sake of mankind-to bring to to humans salvation from our sins and restore our fellowship with the Godhead. Only Jesus could bring from heaven the glories of God's grace, mercy, and blessings to those who believe in Him. Only Jesus can bring to earth anything that is needed for mankind's redemption, being that He was first in heaven and at the right hand of the Father as King and Lord forever. Even the angels could not descend to bring what Jesus did and only Jesus can bring to mankind the words of life, having come from within the God. He alone knows the fullness of the mind of God the Father and the Holy Spirit since they together are one in unity and deity.
The Tower of Babel was designed for a man to ascend up to heaven to bring down to earth what is legitimately only God's to send forth. We know what God thought of that. He stopped this effort in its tracks and the tower was never completed.
So, please be warned about receiving from any man any supposed information from heaven or anyone who reports having gone to heaven and returned back. Jesus says that this will not happen.
This is a tough verse to fully understand. First, in the context, of the conversation Jesus is having with Nicodemus it would seem that Jesus was telling him no man had ascended to heaven to get the knowledge of heavenly things and returned to teach it to men on earth, similar to Proverbs 30:4. So, no man is qualified to speak of them but He/Jesus who came down from heaven.
John 3:13 No man hath ascended up to heaven, but he that came down from heaven, even the Son of man which is in heaven.
One thing that makes this difficult is the ending, it is like Jesus said this after He had ascended to heaven after His resurrection. "Which is in heaven" Some translations leave this ending out where it ends with man, which would involve other topics I will not add to this, hope this helps.
God bless,
RLW
I've also noticed there are "how to cite" questions under red letter underline links in "contact us"
If that doesn't fully answer your question about linking Strongs Exhaustive Concordance, & the commentary you may want to ask KJBO administration by submitting question in "contact us" form.
Hopefully that is helpful
I concur with Brother Jesse well placed reply.
There's no improving on that.
God bless.
John 3:13 is part of a chapter outline that begins at Verse 1 and goes to Verse 15, and it is the presentation of the Spiritual birth from heaven.
In John 3:13, Jesus is telling Nicodemus that that He was the only One that has come down from heaven. He said, but if I tell you earthly things and you don't get it, and you are the master teacher?
He should have associated the Lord's teaching to Ezekiel Chapter 37 Verses 1 through 15.
This is where God takes the prophet and He shows them a valley of dead bones and says this is Israel. Spiritually dead! And He says to him, prophecy over these bones that flesh would come on them. And the bones came together and the flesh came on the bones.
And then He says prophecy to the wind that the wind would blow on them and breathe life in them. And he prophesies and the wind blows and they are filled with life and spirit.
And so God's promise to His people Israel is that you are spiritually dead until my spirit gives you life. But right now you are spiritually dead!
And He tells Nicodemus, you should have known what I was talking about. How can you be the master teacher in Israel and you don't know anything about being born from above? You don't know anything about the wind blowing, and how the spirit moves!
That is the view I hold as well.
I believe the water here is the word of God.
John 15:3. Now ye are clean through the WORD which I have spoken unto you.
Ephesians 5:26. That he might sanctify and cleanse it WITH THE WASHING OF WATER BY THE WORD,
1 Peter 1:23. Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, BY THE WORD OF GOD, which liveth and abideth for ever.
God bless.
It means to be born again. About the "water"
there are different beliefs among christians about the meaning. The ones I am aware of are:
1. It means the water of baptism. So a person is born again when they get baptized in water.
2. It means the Word of God which is often represented by water in the scriptures ( my belief as well). So when one hears the Word of God, which is an "active" word, and accepts it in their heart and repents and want to change then they get born again by the Spirit of God.
rev 1-8 am the alpha and the omega the beginning and the ending
saith the lord which is and which was and is which is to come
the almighty. jesus is supreme, do you realize the corrupt niv
esv remove begotten and yet preachers preach from these corrupt
bibles, in whom we have redemption through his bloodeven the forgiveness
of sins. the same bibles take the blood out and many more take it out
these are just 2 there are countless others omitted , study to show thy
self approved to god a workman that needeth not to be ashamed rightly
dividing the word of truth. 2nd tim 2-15
11" Likewise reckon ye also yourselves to be dead indeed unto sin, but alive unto God through Jesus Christ our Lord".
More than half way through my journey, I have looked back as a child until now, and have seen the presence of the holy spirit . I would say this is the wind Jesus speaks of, when He is talking to Nicodemus. The wind of the holy spirit that even guided the Indians, who may have never been Baptized ,but knew of a Spirit!
Soon they would learn where this Spirit came from, and where it would lead!
The chief, the master, would soon know these things! Hearing the words from Christ himself, revealed through John 3;16.
Jesus being from all eternity, with the Father in the garden, promising to send Him ,this same spirit we now speak of!
"The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear the sound of it, but cannot tell where it comes from and where it goes. So is everyone who is born of the Spirit." Repent and be Baptized
Amen. I agree.
Food for thought: If I'm truly saved according to the Gospel, would it not manifest into myself being a completely forgiving child of God? If I'm honest with myself, I'm still dealing with forgiveness; of others, myself, and possibly even God (relationships). Even happenings and events. Personally, I take it upon myself as evidence of my salvation, along with doing unto others as I'd have them do unto me, loving my neighbor as myself. Sometimes I don't do so well.
One way I see forgiveness is looking beyond one's mistakes from the beginning or before it happened. Thus the mistake doesn't appear as real to me. If I don't' forgive, have I truly received forgiveness for myself? Can an unforgiving heart enter the Kingdom?
That's a valuable piece of info one should remember when evangelizing.
God bless.
.....If he does not know us there is no seed sown in our hearts ...Thus no Child of PROMISE which is the H.G. the CHILD of PROMISE The Kingdom
......When Jesus was in Jerusalem many BELIEVED in him when they saw the miracles he did...But Jesus did not commit himself unto them b/c he knew what was in MAN and needed that not any should testify of man....Thats y he was saying you must be converted and become as a lil Child...Which is the Child of Promise the H.G...Our new birth... John 2 : 23 kjv
.....The only way we can be bornagain is by his seed which is his WORD....As Peter says being bornagain if an incorruptible seed etc...Even by the words of God....The living word which is spirit and life....Thus he has to know us which is an intimacy that results in a birth of Christ in us.
.....Thats the New Covenant...I will know them ALL from the least to the greatest....And thats y Jeremiah saw all men in travail and birth pains... Jeremiah 30 : 6 kjv
This intimacy is the Knowledge that is gonna cover the earth as the waters cover the seas....As he is gonna know all men... Isaiah 11 : 9..Kjv.....27 times in the O.T. the prophets saw the world in travail and birth pains.
.....The Child is the H.G. that Child of Promise the Kingdom....Unless ya receive the kingdom of God as a lil Child you will in no wise enter there in....Thats y he has to know us....Just believing is not enought....Satan believes and is not saved...ok
I would like to use a verse that almost every believer probably has memorized, and it is John 3:16 which says, "For God so loved the world that he gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth (in him) should not perish, but have everlasting life.
But is that all it takes to have everlasting life, just to believe in Jesus? I would have to say no. Believing in Jesus is a must, but just believing alone cannot save a person.
Here's something I would like to share about John 3:16, and other verses that use the word in. First of all, in John 3:16, the original text does not say whosoever believeth in Him. It says whosoever believeth into Him. It is the word EIS which means into, not in. This is very important because there is a difference between believing in and believing into Jesus.
You see, a person can believe in Jesus but still not surrender their life to Him. Their belief will not save them. They must experience a Spiritual birth from above. They must receive Christ. They must transfer that belief in Him to a belief into him, meaning they must be born of His Spirit (Spiritual birth), them in Christ and Christ in them.
When I read verses that say believe in Jesus, especially John 3:16, I already know that in the original text it says believe into, not believe in. And again, there is a difference. There are people who will say that all you have to do to be saved and have eternal life is believe in Jesus. But that is not true. Again, belief is important but will not save a person.
The bible tells us in James 2:19 that even the demons believe in Jesus. They know who He is but they will never surrender their life to Him. They will never believe into Him.
Just thought I'd share this!
I'll try to redo Part 4 as best as I can remember.
So I ask myself, why does my sin matter in my relationship with God?
I go to Romans 1:18
"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men..." (NIV) Whoa!
And in 2:8
"..but to those whoa re self-seeking and do not obey the truth, but obey unrighteousness-indignation and wrath, tribulation and guish, on every soul that does evil..." (NIV)
And 3:10 says:
"As it is written:
There is none righteous, no, not one...."
and in 3:23
"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God."
And 6:23
"For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."
(All NIV, being the translation I have on hand at home.)
So, this tells me that I am guilty and ungodly before God.
Romans 6:6 tells me that "For when we were still without strength, in due time, Christ died for the ungodly."
and Vs. 8 But God demonstrates His own love towards us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us."
and Vs. 10 "For if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life."
Ephesians 2:1 "And you He made alive who were dead in trespasses and sins...."
Well, we all stand guilty and are all dead to God in our sins, and are enemies to God until we are reconciled to God by the death and resurrection of Jesus, through whom we are regenerated and made alive to God. So, I think, it is good to be alive to God and not good at all to be dead in sin. so, my sin matters to God in that it separates me from Him.
So, I think, why would I want to be reconciled to Him, aside from avoiding being under his wrath and judgment? What is it about God that would make me consider turning to Him? In my sinful state, I would not want to turn to Him, but even then, the Holy Spirit works in me to turn me to God by grace! I am to believe that and act of the grace given to me
continued
Jesus had a brain that thought and reasoned and controlled his human body.
So this convinces me that Jesus indeed was both fully God and fully man.
So then I ask, why did God become a man?
In John 1:29, John the Baptist, upon seeing Jesus says, "Behold the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world."
And Jesus, Himself, says ( John 3:15-17) "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life. For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved."
This tells me that Jesus became a man to take away the sin (all sin) of the world by being a "sacrificial lamb" and the one by which anyone can be saved from their sinfulness and the condemnation that comes with it by believing in Him.
Therefore, since He is Truth, I believe that He is the only one who can save me from my sins.
The Gospels tell me that Jesus told people that their sins are forgiven. Only God can forgive sins. So, if I want my sins forgiven, I must believe that they are forgiven by and through Jesus.
The next question I ask is: If Jesus came to take away the sins of others, did He have sins to be forgiven?
I must admit that God does not have any sin in Him, and if Jesus is God, He is without sin.
I am also told that in 2 Corinthians 5:21 "For He (God) made Him (Jesus) who knew no sin to be sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." (NIV)
From this passage, I am told that Jesus never sinned, but to make us righteous before God, He became sin for us (in His death)
Before this verse, Paul says in 1Corinthians 5:14- 15 that Jesus died for all.
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"He who knew no sin became sin