Category: Jesus Christ as Creator

Man’s Intellectual Descent #2

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

“And his brother’s name was Jubal: he was the father of all such as handle the harp and organ. And Zillah, she also bare Tubalcain, an instructer of every artificer in brass and iron: and the sister of Tubalcain was Naamah” (Genesis 4:21,22 KJV).

Man, “armed” with evolutionary theory, “thinks” he is getting smarter and smarter… how dumb!

Before sin, Adam enjoyed perfect fellowship with his wife, Eve, and with their Creator, Jesus Christ. Adam and Eve had God’s wisdom, for God had daily Bible studies with them. Sadly, that paradise only lasted a few days.

Once Satan approached Adam and Eve, Satan successfully distracted Eve from God’s Word by inquiring, “Yea, hath God said…?” (Genesis 3:1). Satan deceived Eve and she ate the forbidden fruit, but Adam was not deceived (1 Timothy 2:14). Adam knew he would be disobeying God by eating that fruit with Eve, but Adam ate anyway, and plunged humanity into sin. What a foolish action!

After mankind’s fall, he became increasingly rebellious, until God finally sent the Great Deluge to destroy all but eight people (Genesis 6:5-22; cf. 2 Peter 2:5). Nevertheless, mankind grew worse: the nations, by gathering around the Tower of Babel in empty pagan religion, challenged God’s instruction to scatter (Genesis 9:1,7; Genesis 11:1-11).

Today’s Scripture shows early mankind—just 500 years after creation—was musically inclined and worked with iron and brass. This is just a glimpse of man’s early technological advances. Although mankind’s machines have improved, he is more ignorant of God’s Word than ever.

“Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations [empty, worthless thoughts!], and their foolish heart was darkened [ignorance!]. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools,… And even as they did not like to retain God in their knowledge, God gave them over to a reprobate [degenerate] mind, to do those things which are not convenient;…” (Romans 1:21-32; notice the sins caused by man’s foolish thoughts).

Contrary to evolutionary theory, the Bible says mankind started “at the top,” but is now spiraling downward, mentally, socially, and spiritually.

The Glory of Our Lord Jesus Christ #5

Thursday, March 22, 2012

“But we are bound to give thanks alway to God for you, brethren beloved of the Lord, because God hath from the beginning chosen you to salvation through sanctification of the Spirit and belief of the truth: whereunto he called you by our gospel, to the obtaining of the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (2 Thessalonians 2:13,14 KJV).

God the Father’s original purpose for creating the heaven and the earth was to make His Son, Jesus Christ, the Head of their governments (Ephesians 1:9,10; Colossians 1:16-18). Both heaven and earth were to be filled with creatures that would bring Jesus Christ (the Creator) glory and honor. Unfortunately, sin interrupted that plan, and Jesus Christ has yet to become the rightful Ruler of the universe. In the ages to come, Jesus Christ will be glorified in both heaven and earth, and we will share that glory with Him!

We are born into this world useless to God. From birth, sin separates us from God. Thus, God used Paul’s Gospel—Christ’s finished crosswork at Calvary—so we could “obtain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ” (today’s Scripture). Now that we have trusted in that Gospel, we have restored fellowship with God, and we can be useful to God. In the ages to come, God will utilize us, the Church the Body of Christ, in the heavenly places to reflect Jesus Christ’s glory (Ephesians 2:6,7; cf. Ephesians 1:18) just as God will use redeemed Israel to reflect Jesus Christ’s glory on earth (Isaiah 60:1-3). Also see Colossians 1:16-20.

When we receive our glorified bodies at the rapture, we will be “glorified together [with Christ]” to forever reign for Christ’s glory in the heavenly places (Romans 8:16-25). Those new (enhanced) bodies will be made specifically for operating in heaven for all eternity (2 Corinthians 5:1-5). Throughout the ages to come, creation will see us reflecting the holiness and righteousness we have in Christ now (2 Corinthians 5:21). They will worship and praise the God whose righteousness and holiness our new bodies will reflect—not our glory, but “the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ!” What a glorious truth! 🙂

Stand in Awe of the LORD

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

“Let all the earth fear the LORD: let all the inhabitants of the world stand in awe of him” (Psalm 33:8 KJV).

Who stands in awe of God today? Very few. For the past 2,000 years, our world has grown very comfortable in its sins. After all, in this the Dispensation of Grace, God is not imputing the world’s trespasses unto it (2 Corinthians 5:19). God’s attitude toward the whole world today, saved and lost, is “grace and peace” (the expression with which Paul began every epistle). Alas, rather than gratefully accepting God’s grace, man has taken advantage of God’s grace.

Ecclesiastes 8:11 explains man’s overall attitude toward God in the Dispensation of Grace: “Because sentence against an evil work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evil.” Today, scoffers mock God and blaspheme His name, with no immediate judgment. They ridicule His Word and persecute His saints. Operating under the false impression they have gotten away with it, they sin even more.

Look at how harshly God dealt with rebellious people in time past (Noah’s contemporaries, Sodom and Gomorrah, et cetera). Today, God does not pour out His wrath and judgment. The day is coming however, when God’s wrath will be executed. Our world is headed for the Tribulation, “the day of the vengeance of our God” (Isaiah 61:2; cf. 2 Thessalonians 1:4-10).

We who have trusted the Lord Jesus Christ as our personal Saviour, we have submitted to God’s authority. We saints humbly stand in awe of God, our Creator, our Saviour, and our Head, awed by His grace, love, and mercy. We respect His power and authority. But, most of the world, lost and headed for hell, hates God.

Nevertheless, the day is speedily approaching when, “At the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; and that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father” (Philippians 2:10,11). In that day, ALL will be forced to kneel in awe of the LORD!

God’s Workmanship #2

Saturday, March 3, 2012

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 KJV).

When we Pauline dispensationalists proclaim God’s grace, are we really encouraging people to pursue careless, frivolous lifestyles, as our (legalistic) critics claim? God forbid!

Religion deceives billions through indoctrination: to wit, lies repeated long enough are accepted as truth. Works-religion (legalism) prevails in the professing church today: “Perform so God can save you!” Thus, the average church member, upon hearing the Biblical truth, “God will save you, regardless of your works,” they mistake this as careless living. They are programmed to accept error as truth; consequently, they reject contradictory information (God’s truth!).

When we Pauline dispensationalists declare, “Salvation is by grace through faith plus nothing,” we mean salvation is COMPLETELY independent of our performance (Romans 3:28; Romans 4:1-5; Galatians 2:21; Ephesians 2:8,9; Titus 3:5; et al.). Grace saves us solely because of the merits of Jesus Christ at Calvary; grace does not save us on the basis of our good works—grace is unmerited favor (Romans 11:6).

Grace is what God can do for us because we sinners can do nothing for God. The Greek word translated “workmanship” in today’s Scripture is poiema, meaning “creation,” from which we get “poem.” Interestingly, poiema is used one other time in Scripture: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

From salvation and the Christian life to the origin of the universe, the emphasis is not on the creation—(us, the heavens, and the earth), but on the Creator, Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:25). The focus is not on the poem (workmanship), but rather the POET (Creator)!

God the Holy Spirit is doing something amazing in us believers. He is transforming us from the inside out for His glory. “Our” good works are God’s sound doctrine working in us. It is God’s work (1 Corinthians 15:10; Galatians 5:16-26; Philippians 1:9-11). Indeed, we are God’s workmanship!

God’s Workmanship #1

Friday, March 2, 2012

“For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10 KJV).

Many charge us Pauline dispensationalists with the following: “You are telling people to sin all they want because God’s grace and forgiveness cover it!” When we proclaim God’s grace, are we really encouraging people to pursue careless, frivolous lifestyles, as our (legalistic) critics claim? Or, are they simply misunderstanding grace?

The Greek word translated “workmanship” in today’s Scripture is poiema, meaning “creation,” from which we get “poem.” Interestingly, poiema is used one other time in Scripture: “For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse” (Romans 1:20).

From salvation and the Christian life to the origin of the universe, the emphasis is not on the creation (us, the heavens, and the earth), but on the Creator, Jesus Christ (see Romans 1:25). Just as we did not engineer the heavens and the earth, neither did we work to receive salvation in Christ—Christ alone worked to save us. Now that God has saved us, His grace can permeate our inner man, and teach us how to live in Christ Jesus (Titus 2:11-15).

Grace teaches us not to focus on what we do for God, for we sinners can do nothing to please God (Romans 3:23), but rather focus on what God did at Calvary for us. Our good works could not save us, so how could they keep us saved? They cannot! Thus, our receiving and keeping salvation, and our Christian lives, are not reliant upon our performance, but on Jesus Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary.

As today’s Scripture specifies, we are not doing good works. “Our” good works are actually the outward manifestation of what God the Holy Spirit is doing internally (Galatians 5:22,23; cf. Romans 8:1-14). When we study and believe sound Bible doctrine, God will use that doctrine to transform us from the inside out (Philippians 2:13; 1 Thessalonians 2:13). We are God’s workmanship!

Save Thyself, and Come Down from the Cross!

Friday, February 17, 2012

“And they that passed by railed on him, wagging their heads, and saying, Ah, thou that destroyest the temple, and buildest it in three days, save thyself, and come down from the cross” (Mark 15:29,30 KJV).

Here is Israel’s mighty JEHOVAH, the God who spoke the heaven and earth into existence, dying helplessly on Calvary’s cross. His body is beaten and whipped beyond recognition. As His blood pours onto Mount Calvary, His critics stand before Him and sneer, “Come down from the cross!” Why does He hang there silently? Can He not come down and destroy them all?

Israel’s chief priests and the scribes mock, “He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the King of Israel descend now from the cross, that we may see and believe” (verses 31,32). What stupidity! Even those crucified with Jesus ridicule Him. Amazingly, some 1000 years before Christ, David wrote, “All they that see me laugh me to scorn: they shoot out the lip, they shake their head, saying, He trusted on the LORD that he would deliver him: let him deliver him, seeing he delighted in him” (Psalm 22:7,8). The Bible says they even have the audacity to sit down and watch Jesus hang there in agony (Matthew 27:36)! And yet Jesus never answers them and does nothing to retaliate. Why?

Jesus had the power to simply speak the word and easily toss these critics into hell. But, remember, this is His meek and lowly coming. The prophet Isaiah foretold of Christ 700 years earlier, “He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth” (53:7). It was God the Father’s will that Jesus die (Matthew 26:42), so Jesus was quiet and let them nail Him to Calvary’s cross. Furthermore, had He come down from the cross, God’s plans for eternity future would never be accomplished (see Colossians 1:20).

By not saving Himself, Jesus Christ was actually accomplishing our salvation! He willingly stayed there on Calvary’s cross… PROVING GOD’S LOVE FOR US!

The Crux of God’s Eternal Purpose

Friday, January 27, 2012

“And, having made peace through the blood of his cross, by him to reconcile all things unto himself; by him, I say, whether they be things in earth, or things in heaven” (Colossians 1:20 KJV).

God the Father has one grand purpose for creation—to make His Son, the Lord Jesus Christ, the Head of the governments of heaven and earth (Ephesians 1:9,10). But, the Bible teaches that an angelic rebellion, led by Lucifer (Satan), sought to usurp Jesus Christ’s headship in heaven (Isaiah 14:12-14; Ezekiel 28:12-18). Once Satan enticed mankind to sin and cooperate with his policy of evil, that rebellion then infiltrated earth (Genesis 3:1-24).

Today, the governments that God created in heaven and earth are in rebellion. Satan has spoiled what was created “by” and “for” the Lord Jesus Christ (Colossians 1:16,17; cf. 2 Corinthians 4:3,4; Ephesians 2:2; Ephesians 6:12). How will God reconcile unto Himself the governments of heaven and earth? How will Jesus Christ eternally subvert Satan’s strongholds in those two realms? Today’s Scripture provides the answer.

Using Christ’s shed blood, God is currently forming a heavenly people for His name, the Church the Body of Christ (Ephesians 1:7; Ephesians 2:13; Colossians 1:14). In eternity future, He will use this entity—us!—to restore His authority in the heavens. At Christ’s Second Coming, God will restore His earthly people, the nation Israel, forgive them of their sins through Christ’s shed blood (Acts 3:18; Hebrews 9:11-15; 1 Peter 1:18,19), and use redeemed Israel to reclaim His authority in the earth.

Indeed, the very thing at which Satan thought he defeated God—Calvary’s cross—is that which God will use to permanently conquer Satan’s policy of evil. Christ’s finished crosswork on Calvary is the crux of God’s plans for eternity future: everything that God will accomplish in the ages to come hinges on Jesus Christ’s shed blood. In order to destabilize Satan’s power in heaven and earth, God must deal first with the sin issue in both realms, and Christ’s blood does just that in both realms. Behold the wisdom of our God!

Oh, by the way, interestingly, crux is Latin for cross….

God’s Earthly Kingdom (Finally) Established

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

“I saw in the night visions, and, behold, one like the Son of man came with the clouds of heaven, and came to the Ancient of days, and they brought him near before him. And there was given him dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him: his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed” (Daniel 7:13,14 KJV).

In the context of today’s Scripture, God is causing the prophet Daniel to have several visions, especially regarding the end times. What Daniel sees here is the Second Coming of Jesus Christ, when Christ will finally establish the earthly kingdom that He had planned back in Genesis chapters 1 and 2… some 6,000 years before. Daniel sees:

  • “the Son of man”—Jesus Christ, is escorted into heaven to stand before…
  • “the Ancient of days”—God the Father, who gives Him…
  • “dominion, and glory, and a kingdom, that all people, nations, and languages, should serve him”—Psalms 2:6-8 reads: “Yet have I set my kingdom upon my holy hill of Zion. I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. Ask of me, and I shall give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth.” Moreover….
  • “his dominion is an everlasting dominion, which shall not pass away, and his kingdom that which shall not be destroyed”—Hebrews 1:8 says: “But unto the Son he [God the Father] saith, Thy throne, O God, is for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness is the sceptre of thy kingdom.” “JESUS… shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: and he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end” (Luke 1:31-33).

“And the LORD shall be king over all the earth…” (Zechariah 14:9a).

The LORD is Exalted Far Above All gods #2

Saturday, January 7, 2012

“For thou, LORD, art high above all the earth: thou art exalted far above all gods” (Psalm 97:9 KJV).

The LORD is “the high and lofty One that inhabiteth eternity, whose name is Holy” (Isaiah 57:15). “Great is the LORD, and greatly to be praised; and his greatness is unsearchable… The LORD is gracious, and full of compassion; slow to anger, and of great mercy. The LORD is good to all: and his tender mercies are over all his works” (Psalm 145:3,8,9).

Our finite human minds struggle to grasp Someone as magnificent and exalted as JEHOVAH our Creator because He differs from what we judge as “normal.” JEHOVAH is transcendent, existing independently of everything. He is everlasting, having neither beginning nor end. The LORD is sinless and holy. We never see Him physically or hear Him audibly. He exists outside of our universe.

Someone whose thoughts astronomically surpass our mental capabilities, whose ways (manners, behavior) are far grander and more complex than our simple activities (Isaiah 55:8,9). A Being who could devise a magnificent plan that would extend into the eons of eternity future, who could speak forth quadrillions of bodies into existence and then arrange them to form intricate systems (Hebrews 11:3), and finally set them into motion for His glory to accomplish that plan (Psalm 19:1)! How can He relate to us scrawny mortals?

Amazingly, JEHOVAH left that glory behind to become one of us! He “humbled Himself” and became “a Man of no reputation” (Philippians 2:5-11). Why? To die and shed His innocent blood for us to receive forgiveness of our sins. Wow… no idol ever did that!

Among the world’s gods, JEHOVAH alone can save you because JEHOVAH alone died to save you! Will you trust in the shed blood and resurrection of JEHOVAH (Jesus Christ), thereby receiving eternal salvation? Please do.

“Righteousness and judgment are the habitation of his throne… confounded be all they that serve graven images [manmade idols], that boast themselves of idols: worship him [JEHOVAH Jesus Christ], all ye gods” (Psalm 97:2,6). Hallelujah! Praise the LORD indeed—He will always be exalted far above all gods!

Microevolution and Macroevolution

Friday, November 11, 2011

“All flesh is not the same flesh: but there is one kind of flesh of men, another flesh of beasts, another of fishes, and another of birds” (1 Corinthians 15:39 KJV).

Someone defined “evolution” as “change through time.” Is this acceptable? Whether creationist or evolutionist, we all agree that creation changes through time, but we differ as to why and how these changes occur. Evolutionary theory is highly controversial because it involves much more than “change through time.”

Evolutionists attempt to bolster their religious beliefs by asserting they have witnessed evolution via natural selection. Have they? Yes, and no. They are deliberately withholding the fact that the “biological evolution” they saw is actually “microevolution” (adaptations to environments). Adaptation is not “natural selection,” but rather an organism’s response to stimuli. This response is produced by the genetic information that the Creator, our Lord Jesus Christ, inserted into the species’ genome. Microevolution is not to be confused with “macroevolution.”

Evolutionary theory is dangerous, not because of microevolution (adaptations) since adaptations are not unbiblical, but because of macroevolution, the idea that divides creationists and evolutionists. This “large scale evolution” implies, not only genetic variation within a species, but one species actually giving rise to completely new and different species (such as dinosaurs evolving into birds, or great apes into humans). Thus, evolutionary scientists believe that all creatures have descended from a common ancestor.

As today’s Scripture teaches, macroevolution defies the genetic barriers God placed within the biosphere. Two dogs can reproduce to generate another breed of dog and this dog can adapt to its surroundings, but it will still be a recognizable dog (not a cat, horse, et cetera).

In short, while everyone agrees that organisms change over time (microevolution), we Bible creationists reject the idea that genetic variation in one species gives (gave) rise to all organisms (macroevolution). Also, any genetic variation within a species is not “natural selection,” but the application of genetic material already present thanks to the Creator Jesus Christ!

Always remember that no scientist has ever seen macroevolution. They have only seen adaptation, microevolution, but they do not make this distinction for obvious reasons.