“But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul.” Hebrews 10:39 (KJV)

My Blog — http://smorganministries.blogspot.com/ We believe: 1. Sola Scriptura—II Tim. 3:16; Heb. 4:12 2. Solus Christus—I Tim. 2:5-6 3. Sola Gratia—Eph. 1:3-8 4. Sola Fide—Gal. 3:11 5. Soli Deo Gloria—I Cor. 10:31 Amen

Volume 02 - Issue 08

August 2011

THE VICTORY SERIES WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT SALVATION? (Part 3) JESUS I. WHO WAS JESUS? II. WHO IS JESUS? III. WHO IS JESUS TO YOU? All references will be taken from the Holy Bible, King James version (KJV). I. Who Was JESUS? Jesus was the Word Let us go first to the book of St. John, chapter 1 verse 1. The scripture says: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” ‘Word’ (Logos, pronounced lo'-gos) refers to speech uttered by a living voice. Generally, ‘Word’ is also reason or the mental faculty of thinking, meditating, reasoning and calculating. However, in the book of St. John it denotes the essential Word of God, Jesus Christ, the personal wisdom and power in union with God. Look at what verse 3 says: “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” Something very interesting happens in verse 3. A personal pronoun ‘him’ is given to the Word establishing that the Word was a person. It also says that He made everything. Let us now go to the book of Genesis chapter 1 verse 26 to find Him. “And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.” Remember, we are looking for the ‘Word’ in Genesis. Since we know that He made all things, if He is to be found here, He must be one of the ‘US’ and ‘OUR’ here as Elohiym (pronounced el·ō·hēm'). The name is a plural Hebrew word used throughout the Holy Bible and is translated as God. Look at how Deuteronomy chapter 6, verse 4 describes Elohiym.

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"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God [is] one LORD:" The LORD our God is one LORD

Yehovah Elohiym echad Yehovah

Supreme God plural God the same, only one of its kind, together, joined in one, united Supreme God

This is literally saying: SUPREME GOD, OUR PLURAL GOD, IS THE SAME AND ONLY ONE OF ITS KIND, TOGETHER, JOINED IN ONE, UNITED, SUPREME GOD. The word ‘echad’ ascribes plurality to God whose triune nature is revealed in the Torah (Jewish Scripture). WOW! What is interesting in Genesis is that Elohiym the plural God said: ‘let US’, ‘in OUR’ and ‘after OUR’ and then created man in the image of Elohiym (1:27). The scriptures also tell us that Jesus created all things. It says that Father God made the worlds through Jesus. It also says that all things were created by Jesus and for Jesus. “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spake in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, Hath in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he hath appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;” Hebrews 1:1-2 “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” Colossians 1:16 “And to make all men see what is the fellowship of the mystery, which from the beginning of the world hath been hid in God, who created all things by Jesus Christ:” Ephesians 3:9 Since scripture says that all things were created and made by the Word and all things were created by and for Jesus, then Jesus must be the Word. Jesus was God More importantly, since Jesus was the Word and the Word was God, then Jesus was God. Jesus was in the beginning, was with God and was God. In this scripture (John 1) the word ‘God’ comes from the Greek THEOS, which refers to the three. Elohiym/Theos consist of Jah (Hebrew, YAHH, pronounced yä—Psalm 68:4), Jesus (the same as Joshua or Hebrew YEHOWSHUWA, pronounced yeh·hō·shü'·ah, meaning Yehovah is Saviour, transliterated to the Greek IESOUS, pronounced ē-ā-sü's, or Jesus in English, which also means Yehovah is Saviour—Matthew 1:21) and Holy Spirit (Hebrew, RUWACH, pronounced rü'·akh—Genesis 1:2). In 1 John 5:7 we see the three clearly. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.” The three are even clearer when we examine the following scriptures: Genesis 1:2 says: “And the Spirit of God…” that is, the Spirit of Elohiym (1 person of the 3) or the Holy Ghost. Genesis 1:3 says: “And God said…” that is, Elohiym uttered or the Word of Elohiym went forth (again 1 person of 3). ‘Elohiym said’ refers to a transfer of unified thought and intention to words then instantaneously into existence or manifestation. Genesis 2:4 says: “…the LORD God made the earth and the heavens…” that is, Yehovah Elohiym (again 1 person of 3). The Holy Bible bears witness of itself. Scripture backs up scripture and establishes Jesus as God. 2

Jesus was man All mankind became separated from God because of Adam’s disobedience. This is the reason why the Word gave up Heaven temporarily to become a man. He was to become the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind to reunite us with Yehovah the father. “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.” John 1:14 Prior to Jesus becoming flesh or human He was in the form of God. In Philippians 2 verse 6, the English word ‘form’ is translated from the Greek—MORPHE, pronounced mor-fā'. It refers to the external appearance or the form by which a thing strikes the vision. “Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:” The Word, JESUS, became a man and experienced the things that mankind experienced. He then gave himself as the ultimate sacrifice for all mankind so that through Him all would have the opportunity to be reconnected to God. “But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men: And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.” Philippians 2:7-8 “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” Hebrews 9:26 When He died on the cross, the man Jesus was separated from God just like us. This is because He took the sin of the world upon Himself. “And at the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying, Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani? which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?” Mark 15:34 The Holy Bible tells us that sin separates man from God. “But your iniquities have separated between you and your God, and your sins have hid his face from you, that he will not hear.” Isaiah 59:2 II. Who is JESUS? Intercessor/High Priest The good news is that He did not stay dead. The scripture says He rose from the dead. “For to this end Christ both died, and rose, and revived, that he might be Lord both of the dead and living.” Romans 14:9 He is now seated at the right hand of Father God, making intercession for us. He is literally telling the Father to have mercy on us because He knows what we are going through having experienced it Himself. “…It is Christ that died, yea rather, that is risen again, who is even at the right hand of God, who also maketh intercession for us.” Romans 8:34 “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as we are, yet without sin.” Hebrews 4:15 The man Jesus Christ went back to Heaven to sit beside Father God as heir to God’s throne. Jesus reclaimed His divine nature even though He retained His human body in an immortal, glorified state (John 20:17, 27).

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III. Who is JESUS to you? Many of us, believers and non-believers alike, have wrestled with what it means to be born again. Some of us have experienced the tug at our hearts after a sermon and have gone to the altar in church to weep. Some have knelt in solitude, seeking God and have experienced conviction and repentance, while some have encountered conviction and have chosen to ignore the call to repentance and righteousness. Nicodemus was a Pharisee and a ruler of the Jews. He went to Jesus by night to tell Jesus that he and the rest of the Jewish rulers knew that Jesus came from God. The time that he chose to go conflicted heavily with the content of the message he carried and showed Nicodemus’ true colors. Jesus was very straightforward with Nicodemus. He didn’t give a long speech; He simply told Nicodemus that he needed to be born again. “There was a man of the Pharisees, named Nicodemus, a ruler of the Jews: The same came to Jesus by night, and said unto him, Rabbi, we know that thou art a teacher come from God: for no man can do these miracles that thou doest, except God be with him. Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” John 3:1-3 Nicodemus asked Jesus: “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter the second time into his mother’s womb, and be born?” John 3:4 Being ‘born-again’ is a dynamic spiritual occurrence. It is not a physical feeling, a fleeting notion, a philosophical theory or a scientific postulation! It is a very real and defining experience within the spirit of a human being. It is true immortality according to scripture! “Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life.” John 5:24 “And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.” John 10:28 “And the world passeth away, and the lust thereof: but he that doeth the will of God abideth for ever.” 1 John 2:17 When a chicken begins to form within an egg, development begins from the yolk where life is generated. When man accepts Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior he is born in spirit. The spirit in man immediately regains a connection with God who sets the Holy Spirit as a seal upon man’s spirit. New life is created because humanity is infused with divinity again. “But God, who is rich in mercy, for his great love wherewith he loved us, Even when we were dead in sins, hath quickened us together with Christ, (by grace ye are saved;)” Ephesians 2:4-5 Man’s spirit begins to feed on the milk of the Word of God through the Holy Spirit and grows similarly to the chicken feeding on and growing from the yolk in the egg but more like the child breast-feeding. “As newborn babes, desire the sincere milk of the word, that ye may grow thereby:” 1 Peter 2:2 "Beware, I pray thee, of presuming that thou art saved. If thy heart be renewed, if thou shalt hate the things that thou didst once love, and love the things that thou didst once hate; if thou hast really repented; if there be a thorough change of mind in thee; if thou be born again, then hast thou reason to rejoice: but if there be no vital change, no inward godliness; if there be no love to God, no prayer, no 4

work of the Holy Spirit, then thy saying “I am saved” is but thine own assertion, and it may delude, but it will not deliver thee." — Charles H. Spurgeon It’s really clear-cut and simple. Either you are not saved or not born again or you are saved or born-again. Not Saved: There is no vital change on the inside and no inward Godliness. There is no Holy Spirit working in you or through you. There is no special love for God, no prayer-life, no desire to know more about God and no desire to tell others about Christ. How does a person get saved? By believing and confessing Jesus as Lord and Savior. "That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. For with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation. For the scripture saith, Whosoever believeth on him shall not be ashamed." Romans 10:9-11 Being born-again is not where we stop. We must let our bodies reflect the state of our spirit. "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service. And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. For I say, through the grace given unto me, to every man that is among you, not to think of himself more highly than he ought to think; but to think soberly, according as God hath dealt to every man the measure of faith." Romans 12:1-3 "Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ," Philippians 3:8 We must also continue in the faith, not drawing back or returning to those things which we have shed. "But we are not of them who draw back unto perdition; but of them that believe to the saving of the soul." Hebrews 10:39 Saved: You believe Jesus died for you, rose from the dead and is seated beside God in Heaven. You've told someone that you believe Jesus. You've felt sorry about your past life that was not according to God's Word and you've decided to stop practicing the things that are contrary to God's Word. You've started to hate some things you once loved and love some things you once hated. You've had a complete change of mind about certain things in the world as well as certain things in the Word. You have decided to live a holy life and to present your body holy before God. You are the main reason why salvation is so special. God chose you so choose Jesus and choose life today. Faithfully,

S. Morgan - ‡ Visit my page on Facebook : http://www.facebook.com/VictoryInChrist Feel free to email me at: [email protected] Remember to visit my BLOG : http://smorganministries.blogspot.com Check out my YOUTUBE channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/SMorganEpignosis

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