1 John 4:8b-10 … for God is love. In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. ¹⁰ In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

John 3:16, 34-36 For God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life…. ³⁴ For he whom God hath sent speaketh the words of God: for God giveth not the Spirit by measure unto him. ³⁵ The Father loveth the Son, and hath given all things into his hand. ³⁶ He that believeth on the Son hath everlasting life: and he that believeth not the Son shall not see life; but the wrath of God abideth on him.

We have learned about many aspects of the gospel so far, and, last week, we specifically learned that God planned the gospel before He created anything. Then, why did God plan the gospel? What was the motivation behind His grand plan of redemption? Today’s texts tell us that it was love that compelled God to decree and execute the program of the gospel.

 God Is Love

The apostle John boldly proclaims that “God is love.” D. A. Carson remarks on this brief but profound statement in the following way:

The truth of the statement is one of the glories of the Bible’s picture of God. It rules out impersonal pantheism [which equates the universe itself as god]; it denies the cogency of the deist vision, in which God is no more than powerful and distant. The God of the Bible is a person, and love, like holiness, is so much bound up with who he is as a person that John can make this stupendous claim. Many have pointed out, rightly, that the statement cannot be reversed: ‘Love is God’ would depersonalize God as effectively as deism, for it would elevate ‘love’, an impersonal affection or impersonal willed sacrifice, to divine status. The reality is far more stunning: God is not only sovereign; he is a person, in whom love is so much constitutive of his being that he can no more abandon love than he can turn away from holiness (“Love,” in New Dictionary of Biblical Theology, 646).

God’s Love for Us Is Displayed in the Gospel

What motivated God to plan the gospel before the creation of the world? It was love. Because God is love, He graciously chose to love us despite our unloveliness. In fact, even though God created humans, He was not obligated to love them because they defiled themselves with sin. What sinners deserve is eternal damnation. Yet, out of His infinite grace and wisdom, He decreed a plan of salvation in the gospel and executed it by sending His one and only Son to the world. The kind of love we find in the gospel is a Trinitarian love, and this truth is explicit in John chapter 3.

The Father’s love. God the Father loved the world and did not want to see them perish without a help (John 3:16). So, He sent His Son to the world so that He may bear the sins of the world (1 John 2:2). Stuart Townend praises God for His love for sinners in sending of His son in his How Deep the Father’s Love for Us:

How deep the Father’s love for us,
How vast beyond all measure,
That He should give His only Son
To make a wretch His treasure.
How great the pain of searing loss –
The Father turns His face away,
As wounds which mar the Chosen One
Bring many sons to glory.

The Son’s love. The Father loved the Son and gave all things into His Son’s hands (John 3:35). This verse implies that it was not only the Father’s will for the Son to die on behalf of sinners, but also the Son loved the world and willingly came to lay down His life for sinners. In another setting, Jesus said, “Therefore doth my Father love me, because I lay down my life, that I might take it again. No man taketh it from me, but I lay it down of myself. I have power to lay it down, and I have power to take it again. This commandment have I received of my Father” (John 10:17-18).

The Spirit’s love. The Spirit’s love is not as clear as the love of the Father and the Son in the text, yet His role between the Father and the Son is crystal clear (John 3:34). While the Son was on the earth, the perfect bond between the Father and the Son was sealed by the Holy Spirit. With the help of the Holy Spirit, the love of the Father and the Son for sinners could be displayed to the world.

God’s Love in the Gospel Brings Tremendous Benefits to Us

For those who experience His love in the gospel, God has tremendous gifts in store.

Eternal life. God’s one and only Son laid His life for us so “that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9b). The horrifying, eternal death that is waiting to destroy sinners is now removed. We now share the eternal life that Jesus enjoys!

Atonement for our sins. God “loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins” (1 John 4:10). The eternal life is now ours because the Son of God became the ultimate sacrifice for our sins. There is no more sacrifice that is necessary. When Jesus said, “It is finished” on the cross (John 19:30), every requirement for the forgiveness of our sins was met. The Son bore the eternal condemnation for us so that we who believe in Him “should not perish, but have everlasting life” (John 3:16).

Union with God/reconciliation. Now, we are reconciled with the Father in the Son. Therefore, “we have peace with God” (Rom 5:1) and enjoy perfect communion with Him. We now dwell in God and He in us (1 John 4:13a, 15-16).

The indwelling Spirit. This perfect union with God is possible “because he has given us of his Spirit” (v. 13b). The Holy Spirit eternally indwells us and guides us to the Father and the Son.

Boldness. Because there is no condemnation in Christ, we have boldness in the day of judgment (1 John 4:17b). We no longer fear death and punishment because “there is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear” (1 John 4:18). The idea that a sinful man/woman can stand before the holy God without fear sounds impossible. However, it becomes possible in God’s Trinitarian love.

Motivation to love each other. So what now? We must ask this question as we feel so blessed with these tremendous benefits in the gospel of the loving God. What should we do now then? Of course, we must love God. But how? The apostle John makes it clear that we love God by loving our brothers and sisters in Christ (1 John 4:7-8, 11-12, 19-21; see also 3:15-18). The apostle reasons, “How can you say that you love God whom you cannot see with your eyes when you do not love your brothers and sisters whom you can see with your eyes?” We cannot love others with words only. We must love others with actions. Love cannot be expressed without a sacrifice. It is because, in order for the Father to bring the amazing benefits to us, He paid the amazing price—His one and only Son. In order for the Son to bring the tremendous blessings to us, He Himself offered His life for us on the cross. It is now our turn to serve God by offering our life for our brothers and sisters in Christ.

Discipleship Questions:

1. How is God’s love displayed?
2. Read Romans 5:6-11. Who were we like before meeting Jesus Christ through the gospel? (*focus on the 1^st person, plural pronouns, such as “we” and “us” in the text.)
3. In light of Romans 5, when did God love us? Before or after we decided to live for God? Why is this timing so important for one’s faith, works, and salvation?
4. What are the benefits of God’s love in the gospel? (consult the 3^rd point in the outline.)
5. How can you prove that you have experienced those benefits of God’s love in the gospel? (see 1 John 3:15-18; 4:7-8, 11-12, 19-21)

John 14:1

After telling His disciples that He was about to go away from them (John 13:33), Jesus comforted them by the words that His departure and their subsequent separation were not permanent. “Let not your heart be troubled… (John 14:1). The basis of this comfort was the promise that, even though He was leaving them, He would return for them. Then, where He is, they will also be (John 14:3). One of the most important Christian doctrines is the promise of Jesus’ second coming. This topic is discussed in about 4% of the verses of the New Testament. This is what we call “the Christian’s hope.” Remember, faith is “the right response to what God has revealed.” Hope (elpis) is a lot like faith. It is a product of faith. Hope is a confident expectation in the promises of God. It is faith pointed forward. Christians believe that Jesus was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, died on the cross, and rose from the dead. That is what God has revealed as having happened in the past. The right response to these revealed truths is faith. Christians also believe in the future events prophesied in Scripture, the second coming of Jesus Christ is the one of the most important prophecies yet to be fulfilled. Hope is a confidence that what God has promised, He will perform. This is the confidence that we have. Since God never lies and never changes (immutability), we can take refuge in Him. The hope we have in Him will never disappoint us (Hebrews 6:18). He is the anchor of our soul, sure and steadfast (v. 19). Even as we believe that the Lord will return someday, we also hope for that day. The subject of this lesson is maintaining a Christian’s hope in Christ.

The Two Sides of Salvation

This hope is the final fulfillment of our salvation in Christ. One of the things that many Christians often misunderstand is that biblical salvation can be understood in two ways, present and future. When a person is saved, on one hand, he is saved in the present. On the other hand, he still awaits a future salvation. At the moment one repents of sin and trusts in the gospel, he becomes a child of God (the present aspect of salvation) and looks forward to eternity with Him (the future aspect of salvation).

The apostle Peter writes about the Christian’s hope in 1 Peter. The theme of 1 Peter is hope in the gospel. This becomes evident in the verses following the introduction (1 Peter 1:3-5). According to the abundant mercy of God, we have been given a living hope that pertains to the resurrection of Jesus (more on that later) (v. 3). This hope is in an inheritance from God in Christ that cannot diminish (more also on that later) (v. 4). Moreover, God keeps us by His own power according to our faith in salvation that will be revealed (future) at the end of time (v. 5). This hope that we have in Christ is the result of the gospel. Peter writes that Christians should praise God because through His mercies we have been “born again.” Every child of God has been born once (physically) and a second birth (spiritually). This is the teaching Jesus gave to Nicodemus in John 3. Jesus said to him: “unless a man is born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God” (John 3:3). Those who are born once die twice—physical and spiritual death. Those who are born twice die once—physical death. Christians do not experience the second death (Revelation 20:14). This is why Peter encourages believers to hope in the Lord. Because of God’s mercies (God does not give us what we deserve—namely hell) believers are “born again” to a living hope in Jesus. While we deserve the wrath and judgment of God (Romans 3:10-18 makes that perfectly clear), those who trust in Jesus for salvation have been born again by God’s mercy. This mercy gives hope to everyone who trusts in Christ. The same kind of trust that looks back at the death and resurrection of Jesus, is redirected to look forward to the future promises of God. Peter helps Christians look forward to the future inheritance that is in Jesus. This is the second side of salvation.

The Resurrection

The resurrection of Jesus is the basis of Christian hope. God did not leave Jesus in the grave. Very early Sunday morning, Jesus rose from the dead by the power of God, the Father. The same power of resurrection will also raise every believer who has died and will die in Christ. Instead of getting what we deserve (death and Hell), we receive eternal life with God. Our living hope is based on the fact that Jesus rose for the dead. Even as we are in Adam, we have a sinful nature (flesh) that must die physically (1 Corinthians 15:21-22). However, everyone who is in Christ will be “made alive” (v. 23). Without this, we have no hope. What is the point of being a Christian if this life is not followed by the resurrection from the dead to life eternal? Because Jesus is the “first-fruits” of this promise of resurrection, we are a part of His new life. That is, just as there was the first “fruit” of a larger harvest, so Jesus is the first to rise from the dead of all who will also rise from the dead. If this were not true, Christians would be the most miserable people on the earth (v. 19) because we would still be in our sins (v. 17) and still subject to eternal damnation (v. 18). Without our hope in the resurrection, we have no hope. Yet we do have hope. Our mortal body will put on immortality (v. 54), and what is corrupt will become incorruptible (v. 54). This promised resurrection will occur when Jesus returns for the Church (v. 52). Death will be “swallowed up” in victory (v. 54). All thanks to God for giving us victory over death in Jesus Christ (v. 57).

Inheritance

The promise of God to believers is that this future resurrection is our inheritance in Christ. An inheritance is a gift from one person to another, generally given at the time of his death. Likewise, believers have an inheritance from the Lord that was secured by the death and resurrection of Jesus (1 Peter 1:3). This inheritance is the object in which Christians hope. Furthermore, it is not a possibility or opportunity. A Christian’s hope in Christ is a certainty. Peter explains the permanence of this hope in three ways. First, it is an inheritance that cannot be corrupted. (v. 4) The treasures of this life are all susceptible to decay. Everything is the process of deconstruction. Archaeologists often dig up buried treasures that show serious signs of rust. Old things are often delicate and must be preserved by the use of special means. However, there is no decay in what God has preserved for His own. Moreover, this inheritance cannot be defiled. Just as the ravages of time slowly destroy earthly things, these can also be defiled. That cannot happen to what God has preserved for His children. The heavenly inheritance cannot be destroyed by anyone. Finally, it cannot simply fade away. It is reserved and preserved for us in heaven.

Heaven and the New Jerusalem

When a Christian dies, he goes to be with God (2 Corinthians 5:1). While we are alive on this earth we are materially absent from the Lord (v. 6). However, when we are (one day) absent from the body (physical death) we will be present with the Lord. This is (or should be) the longing of every Christian. We should desire to be with Jesus (Philippians 1:23). Because Jesus is at the right hand of the Father in heaven (Acts 2:33), this is where a Christian goes at his physical death. The place where God dwells is called “heaven.” Because God is a spirit (John 4:24), this dwelling place is not material. It is not located as if it was on a map. It is not “in the sky.” Heaven is the very real, but immaterial (spiritual) dwelling place of God.

In the future, God has promised to bring this heaven down to earth. God intends to materially change the earth from the way it is now. He will “renovate” the earth. He promises that it will be new (Revelation 21:1). This newness can either be “brand new” or simply “new in quality.” This is what John is revealing in Revelation. The Bible states that the foundations of the earth are eternal (Psalm 78:69, 104:5). It states that the earth will abide forever (Ecclesiastes 1:4). Moreover, it also says that the earth will be changed (Hebrews 1:12). This change is the promise of God for our future. All Christians will inhabit the new earth. On this new earth will be a new Jerusalem. This is what most people think is “heaven.” This new Jerusalem and new earth will only have inhabitants that are saved, born-again people. Unbelievers will not be there (Revelation 21:8). They will experience the “second death.” This new Jerusalem will be beautiful. It will have a great wall with twelve gates that will be clear as crystal. The whole city within it will be pure gold. The foundations of the city will be various jewels and the streets of the city will be gold so refined that it is clear as glass. The city will not need any illumination because Jesus is the light of it (Revelation 21:12-23). There will be trees in the eternal city. They will bear their fruits monthly (Revelation 22:2).

There will be no more curse (Revelation 22:3). God’s throne will be there. His people, all believers for all time, will serve Him. The city will never experience night. This is the Christian’s hope. Here are five things that heaven means for the believer:

1. Physically: Heaven means a glorified body (Revelation 21:4). There will never again be death. Never again will there be sorrow, crying, or pain. These will all be passed away.
2. Residentially: Heaven means a new home (Revelation 21:9-10). This is the eternal dwelling place of Christians.
3. Absolutely: There is no possibility of Hell for the Christian (Revelation 21:27). Nothing that defiles is admitted into eternity. All unbelievers are excluded. Satan is defeated. Sin will not exist anymore. Death will not exist any longer.
4. Spiritually: Heaven is not a place where there is nothing to do. It will be a place of eternal service to God (Revelation 22:3). Christians will be more like the angels in terms of serving God.
5. Specifically: In heaven, there will be eternal fellowship with God. Christians will commune there with Jesus eternally. There will never again be separated from Him.

Until Then

Paul clarifies that in eternity both faith and hope will be no more. The promises of God will be always in the present, in the moment. We are not able to see the future perfectly. We see through a dark glass (1 Corinthians 13:12). One day, however, we will see perfectly. We will know God then even as we are presently known of God. Love is all that will remain then. Until that time, we must live in the here and now. What does our hope mean for us today?

Abound. The command of God to hopeful Christians is that in hope they would abound in their service to Christ. Hopeful Christians should stand fast like soldiers at their posts (1 Corinthians 15:52). This is a reference to the truth. We should be unmovable. Nothing should be able to push us off our mark of fulfilling the duty we have to Jesus. A believer’s faith should not change with circumstances. He should remain still. At the same time, he should be actively serving Christ. The command to remain steadfast in doctrine does not mean we should be lazy or live for this world. We should be “always abounding” in God’s work.

Rejoice. The trials of life can be very difficult. They can be painful. Peter compares them to a fire that can bring grief. Suffering is one of the realities of life. Many Christians have their faith tested in the furnace of affliction. Our hope in Christ through the gospel is the balm for our spiritual wounds. Even though we face tests of our faith, we know that through them the result will be the glory of God (v. 7). Even though we have not seen Jesus with our eyes, we love Him and believe in Him. A Christian can suffer great hardship, but his hope does not have to diminish. In fact, it is during the darkest moments of pain that his hope can burn bright with “joy unspeakable, and full of glory” (v. 8).

Watch. Because our hope is in heaven, we should spend our time on earth in hopeful expectation of the glorious appearing of Jesus. Being watchful is important because Jesus will return with the same stealth as a thief that breaks into a house at night (1 Thessalonians 5:2). Because we are His own, we are “not in darkness” (v. 4). We are “the children of light…of the day” (v. 5). People who are characterized as being in the darkness are “asleep” (v. 7). Those who are of the day are awake. Consequently, we are to “watch” for our Lord’s return in an even-tempered manner (v.8a). We should adorn ourselves with the great virtues of the Christian life—faith, hope, and love. While our faith and love are like a breastplate worn in battle, our helmet is our hope. Our minds are encompassed by the sure promises of God.

Purify. The love of God that He has given to us is so amazing, so incredible. Think about what it means that we are “sons of God” (1 John 3:1). Because of this, the world does not recognize us. That is okay. It refused to recognize Jesus. But we do not fret about it because even while today it is not evident what eternal life means, we expect to one day see Jesus as He is and be transformed to be like Him (v. 2). This does not mean that we should just wait to be holy someday in eternity. Our hope to see Jesus should motivate us to be free of sin even as Jesus is without sin (v. 3).

Personal Application Questions

1. How confident are you in the resurrection of Jesus? Have you ever doubted it? What caused you to doubt? What encouragement can you find in the Bible (and even outside of the Bible) for the resurrection of Jesus from the dead?

2. Do you think about heaven very often? What about heaven interests you?

3. Which of the four verbs (abound, rejoice, watch, and purify) do you do well? Which of them is your weakest area?

Discussion

1. Read Revelation 21:1-27.
2. What do you think it means that God will “wipe away all tears?”
3. Why will the “fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, etc., be excluded from heaven?
4. Why will there be no temple in the new Jerusalem?
5. What does it mean that the nations will bring their glory into the city?

John 4:23-24

God created all things for His own glory (Revelation 4:11). It simply means that we are created to worship God. When we fail to worship God, we fail to operate as intended by our Creator. Everything in life has to be evaluated by that standard. Life without worship is meaningless. Worship encompasses more than the religious ceremonies of a church. Worshipping God involves more than the music we sing, the prayers we pray, and the sermons we hear. Furthermore, it is a little trite to think that worship can be evaluated by some external, cultural standard as if God can only be worshipped while standing or sitting in a particular position, wearing a particular style of clothing, or repeating a prescribed set of words. Worship is practical, but it is not perfunctory. It is also too simplistic to think of worship as only being “authentic” or “real” if it is unrehearsed; if it is “raw.” God is not often honored by the unfiltered, thoughtless eruptions of our heart. If our mind is stayed on God through His Word, and the Spirit is filling us by our yielding dependence and obedience to Him, then unplanned speech can be very worshipful. If our mind is not truly focused on Him, then those eruptions are not worship, even if they take a permitted form of worship within a Christian community.

The Standard of Spirit and Truth

When Jesus met with the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well (John 4), He explained to her that worship is measured by a heavenly standard. Jesus said: “God is a Spirit: and they that worship Him must worship Him in spirit and in truth” (v. 24). This statement reflects on the true nature of God as a spirit. While God is the creator of the material, He is not a material being. The fact that God is Spirit requires us to worship God with our inner man or whole heart. Formal service and ceremony are meaningless activities if they do not naturally flow from our inner core. At the same time, the thoughts of the inner man must be focused on truths about Him. We must approach God with honor and reverence which His power and glory naturally demand. Worship that goes through the motions without considering God’s character or works is not worship at all. Therefore, we must worship God in spirit and truth and our worship must be evaluated by these two elements.

Worship Problems

Unfortunately, man does not always worship God properly. Let us look at the example of Cain. He brings his offering to God without the requisite faith of a God-fearer (Genesis 4:5, Hebrews 11:4). His worship was not flowing from an inner man that trusts God and seeks to reverence Him. He was just going through the motions and God called him on it. Sadly, Cain was not the last person who worshipped God wrongly. Humanity has followed his example throughout its history. Even at the end of the world there will be people with serious worship problems (Revelation 9:20).

False Worship

The first category of worship problems is false worship. This is commonly called idolatry. Anything that replaces God as deity in the life is an idol. People who manufacture “gods” of wood and stone, of precious metals and expensive jewels, are performing false worship. They are changing the glory of an incorruptible God into an image, resembling corruptible things such as a man, a bird, an animal, or like a snake (Romans 1:23). Such actions minimize God. He is not like gold, silver or stone that is carved and decorated (Acts 17:29). The One who created all things cannot be contained in a man-made building (v. 24) and cannot be worshipped with anything made by man (v. 25). As such, God hates idolatry. The first commandment in the Moral Law is to have no other gods before Him (Exodus 20:3). False worship is one of the main reasons why God judged Israel with exile in captivity (Ezekiel 14:1-8).

Weak Worship

When the Jews returned from the exile, they were cured of their idolatrous ways. That does not mean their worship problems were ended. The prophet Malachi indicated that the post-exilic Jews still struggled to worship God as they should. God charged the people with despising His name (1:6) because they offered “polluted bread on His altar (v. 7). They had contempt for the table to the Lord. Their offerings consisted of “the lame and sick” (v. 8) and “that which was torn” (v. 13). They also failed to bring their “tithes and offerings” and thus were charged with “robbing” God (3:8). In fact, the people who returned to Jerusalem were so focused on building up their own homes that even the temple of God was not immediately rebuilt (Haggai 1:4). When we come to the Lord with less than complete dedication of our hearts, we offer to Him less than He is due. It is weak worship.

Stolen Worship

Pride also robs God of worship. When we are focused on ourselves, we easily become arrogant. We can start to think that the reason for our success is our own ingenuity, hard work, or personal discipline. We can even believe that we are somehow responsible for our talents. The apostle Paul reminds the Corinthian Christians that the majority of them did not come to Christ as the “wise,” the “mighty,” or the “noble.” They were not from the best of their society 1 Corinthians 1:26-28). Rather, they were from among the “foolish,” the “base,” and the “despised.” How could they steal worship from God by thinking that they were better than they were? Those who are in Christ Jesus ought to boast only in Him. We should turn the attention to Jesus and not to ourselves. All glory should go to Him (v. 31). If God is not glorified, His worship is stolen.

Two Categories of Worship

In a practical sense, there are two categories of worship—public and private. Private worship is something we should do every day on our own. Public worship is something we do when we gather together with other worshippers.

Private

One of the most important aspects of discipleship is learning to follow Jesus in private. The privacy is important because it is a time when the servant listens to his Master. There are people who perform their private worship in public in order “to be seen of men” (Matthew 6:1). It risks stealing worship from God by elevating oneself as an object of worship (“look at me”). Jesus taught that private worship (e.g., prayer and giving) must be kept secret. Thus, every Christian must learn how to meditate on God, pray, and give privately with an intention to be seen by God, not by men.

Mediation on God. Devotions is when you devote yourself to God. Instead of thinking about how you can carve a few minutes for God out of your day, you should think about how you can carve out your day after spending time with God. He must come first. This is the thinking process of the psalmist (Psalm 1). Instead of being influenced by the wicked; instead of joining unbelievers in their pursuits; instead of cultivating relationships with those who mock God; he invests himself in learning more about the Lord through personal Bible study. He who meditates on God’s rule in his life happily yields himself up to the Holy Spirit. This is committed daily time with Jesus. It is planned. It is disciplined. Finally, it must be consistent. Meditating on God should be habitual.

Prayer. Psalm 116 teaches that God is listening when His children pray. Many heathens pray to their man-made false gods which have ears but do not listen and have eyes but cannot see. In contrast, our sovereign God both hears and sees us when we pray. It is through prayer that we abide with Him. When we pray God’s promises back to Him, He loves to fulfill His promises. At the same time, if we doubt Him or His promises, such prayers are empty petitions (James 1:6-8). God desires that we come to Him in humility seeking His wisdom and will (1 John 5:14-15). Those are the prayers God is ready to answer. At the same time, if we pray against His will, we can expect that He will (graciously) not give us what we ask (Genesis 17:18-19). Even when we pray in His will, there are times when we must learn patience in prayer (Psalm 38:15). Daniel presents a great example of someone who perseveres in prayer (Daniel 10). Here is a biblical process for learning how to pray:

• Address God as our spiritual Father (Matthew 6:9-10).
• Adore Him as Lord over everything (Revelation 4:6b-11).
• Repent of any known sin (Nehemiah 1:4-11, Psalm 19:12).
• Make your requests known unto God (1 Peter 5:7).
• Pray for wisdom when you do not know how to pray about a particular issue (James 1:2-5).
• Seek His provisions as He has promised (Matthew 6:11).
• Pray for public authorities and for the salvation of sinners (1 Timothy 2:1-4).
• Pray for discernment regarding others (Matthew 7:1-11).
• Pray for your enemies (Matthew 5:44).
• Pray for God’s blessing to be on the lives of other believers (Philippians 1:9-11).

Giving. Private worship includes our monetary offerings to the Lord (primarily through the local church). It is said that “attitude is everything.” It is especially true in worshipping God. Consequently, a disciple should prepare his heart to worship through giving while having the right attitude. The apostle Paul refers to this kind of worship as “grace giving.” This requires a positive faith attitude (2 Corinthians 8). It is interesting that Paul draws the attention of the Corinthian saints (relatively wealthy) to the situation in Macedonia (relatively poor). Even though the Macedonian saints were in “deep poverty,” and even though the Corinthians were “abounding in everything,” it was the Macedonians who were generous in their giving to the Lord. Paul notes that their generous giving to others despite their poverty was possible because they first gave themselves to God (1 Corinthians 8:5). In fact, their sacrifice was a lot like that of Jesus. Our Lord was rich but for our sakes He became poor, so that we, through His poverty, might be rich (8:9). By the grace of Jesus, He gave up Himself for us so that we could be saved from sin. Likewise, the Macedonians gave up themselves for others. Paul refers to the principle of “sowing and reaping.” Sow to God in giving, and God promises to reward the sowing with reaping (a return of some sort). If they gave to the Lord cheerfully, they would reap huge blessings from God.¹ The result of their giving is that God would be glorified (9:13-15).

Public

The image of a Christian walking alone in the woods evokes the impression that this is a sacred moment. It feels like worship. There is the stillness of the trees, a quiet repose as a child of God speaks with his Master. Another image also evokes the impression of a sacred moment. This one is a congregation joining in unison to sing praises to God; to pray in one accord; to listen together to God’s Word as it is preached. While the first image is about stillness, the second is noisy with activity. Both of these images remind us that while it is important to participate in private worship, God expects Christians to also participate in corporate worship. God desires us to worship together.

Fellowship. Fellowship is a kind of union (koinonia) experienced when a group of people share a common cause. It can be political with a convention nominating a presidential candidate. It can be in a colosseum as fans of a particular team cheer the players as they compete. In biblical terms, fellowship is derived from a common set of beliefs, particularly the doctrines of the gospel. 1 John 1:3 states that the things which the apostles were declaring to the church were the things that they had seen and heard. They were witnesses of the life and ministry of Jesus including His death and resurrection. The hope was that through acceptance of their message there might be fellowship. When people accept the gospel of Jesus they join into fellowship with God. This forms the basis of shared worship. When the vertical relationship (between God and man) is right, then the horizontal relationship (between man and man) also goes well. Fellowship with God forms the basis of shared worship.

This is why a Christian can enter into any church where the gospel is preached and feel a sense of kinship and unity with the believers he just met for the first time. Even where there are cultural and language barriers, these are mitigated by the fact that Christians believe a common set of doctrines—that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures; and that He was buried and rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The basis of shared worship is mutual belief in the gospel of Jesus Christ.

The Elements of Shared Worship

Once a person accepts Jesus as his Savior and Lord, the Holy Spirit indwells him. Every believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God. Remember, belief in the gospel brings a person into fellowship with God. This fellowship is possible through the indwelling of the Holy Spirit. The apostle Paul compares Spirit control with alcoholic intoxication. Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with win, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit.” One of the results of this filling is the worship of God. In Ephesians 5, Spirit-filled saints are described as worshipping God in three ways: speaking, singing and making melody, and giving thanks. They speak to themselves in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs. Out of the heart bursts forth songs to God. These are expressions of gratitude for what God has done. This thanksgiving is given in the name of Jesus, who made our worship possible. Where Spirit-filled saints gather together, there erupts worship out of their fellowship in the Spirit.

There are other ways in which Spirit-filled saints worship God together. Worship includes corporate prayer as one member of the congregation prays aloud while the rest of the assembly silently but attentively joins in. Worship includes listening to the preaching while one member of the congregation (usually the pastor) expounds God’s Word to the rest of the church. This is also true when testimonies are being given. When a church member shares a praise to God for what He is doing in his or her life, worship is being offered to God. The rest of the church joins in praising God for His wisdom, power, mercy, and goodness.

A Culture of Reverence

The glory of God demands a culture of reverence. When God spoke to Moses out of the burning bush (Exodus 3:4) He commanded Moses to put off his sandals. The reason God gave this order was that the ground itself was consecrated to God. The place where he stood was a “holy ground” (Exodus 3:5). Today, God is not worshipped in man-made temples (Acts 17:24). Rather, He is worshipped in God-made lives (1 Corinthians 6:19). Worshippers must approach God with reverence. His holiness demands it. His utter awesome power and glory demand it. The casual approach to God that permeates much of American Christianity is a real danger to the church that seeks to worship God. God will not be honored, not even by His own people, when worship is cheapened. The very nature and character of God requires solemnity when coming into His presence.

Personal Application Questions

1. Which of the worship problems (false, weak, stolen) are most common today (in your opinion)? Why do you think that is true?

2. Are you faithful in worshipping God? In which area (public or private) are you more consistent?

3. Do you strive for the church to worship God in a culture of reverence? In what areas might you encourage this in your own life?

Discussion

1. Read Acts 17:16-31
2. Why was Paul “stirred up” in Athens?
3. What worship problem does v. 23 identify was particularly troubling to Paul about the Athenians?
4. What qualities of God’s character or being are explained in vv. 24-29?
5. What response should an idolater have when confronted with the gospel (v. 30)?
6. What doctrine does Paul preach in Athens (v. 31)?

John 14:16

Jesus promised His disciples that after He left them that He would provide them a Comforter (parakleton—meaning “one who comes alongside) who would abide with them forever (John 14:16). This Comforter is the Holy Spirit. His ministry to us is crucial to our living the Christian life. In fact, without the indwelling Holy Spirit, there is no spiritual life at all. It is entirely dependent upon Him. This lesson focuses on the importance of our new life in the Spirit.

The Person of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit is not some divine force of God. He is not some abstract power or energy. He is the third member of the Godhead, a person like God the Father and God the Son. The Spirit is alive, intelligent, and acts according to His divine purpose. Theologian Rolland McCune lists eleven actions the Spirit takes. He comforts, commands, creates, empowers, guides, intercedes, prays, reproves, speaks, teaches, and testifies. The Bible places the Spirit on the same level as God and Jesus (Matthew 28:19, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 2 Corinthians 13:14, Galatians 4:6). Together, they form the Trinity (Godhead). He is called God in both the Old Testament (2 Samuel 23:2-3) and the New Testament (Acts 5:1-4).

• He has the same attributes as God. The Spirit is omniscient (Isaiah 40:13), omnipresent (Psalm 139:7), and omnipotent (Psalm 104:30). He is eternal (Hebrews 9:14). He is love (Romans 15:30). He is holy (Ephesians 4:30). He is truth (1 John 5:6).
• The Holy Spirit does the same work as God. He was involved in creation (Genesis 1:2). He is involved in regeneration of believers (John 4:5). He raises people from the dead (Romans 8:11).
• The Holy Spirit is called by many different names in the Bible. He is the author of Scripture (2 Timothy 3:16, 2 Peter 1:21). He is the Comforter (John 14:16). He is also the Spirit of Truth (John 14:17, 16:13). He is the Spirit of the Lord (2 Corinthians 3:17, 1 Peter 1:11). He is the Spirit of Life (Romans 8:2). ¹
• He is illustrated using various objects. He is represented as “wind” or “breath.” This is the translation of the Hebrew ruach and the Greek pneuma². He is also represented as a dove. This is evident at the baptism of Jesus (Matthew 3:16, Mark 1:10, Luke 3:22, John 1:32). He is also represented as water (John 7:37-39, 1 Corinthians 12:13), and oil (1 Samuel 10:1, Isaiah 61:1-2, Luke 4:18-19). Finally, He is represented by fire (Acts 2:3).

The Holy Spirit’s Ministry to Believers

Salvation from sin to eternal life is the work of the Holy Spirit. He reproves unbelievers of sin, righteousness, and judgment (John 16:8). He is the means by which the Father draws unbelievers to the Son (John 6:44). When an unbeliever trusts in Jesus for salvation, he does so by the work of the Holy Spirit.³ The Spirit illumines Scripture so that the unbeliever can understand the gospel. At this point, the Spirit “baptizes” the new Christian into Christ (John 1:33). This is called “Spirit-baptism” and is illustrated by water-baptism (Appendix 1). Jesus taught the disciples that they would be baptized by the Holy Spirit (Acts 1:5).⁴ At the moment of salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells the new believer. This is what it means for the Spirit of Christ to be “in you” (John 14:20). This is how Jesus dwells in our hearts by faith (Ephesians 3:17). Moreover, this indwelling is bodily. Christians are temples of God being indwelt by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 6:18). Not only does the Spirit indwell the believer, but He seals him to eternal life. The Holy Spirit is God’s pledge to us that our salvation is permanent (Ephesians 1:13). He is the earnest (down payment) of God’s promise of salvation (2 Corinthians 1:21-22, 5:5). We have the promise of inheritance with Christ because of the indwelling Spirit.

Not only are Christians bodily indwelled by the Holy Spirit, but they can experience the filling of the Spirit. While indwelling is permanent, filling is temporary and can (should) be something the Christian seeks daily. The filling of the Spirit is the control of the Spirit. It means to be guided by the Spirit (Galatians 5:16). Luke’s Acts of the Apostles contains examples of this. Peter is filled with the Spirit (Acts 2:4). Later, he is filled with the Spirit again (Acts 4:8). He experiences it again (Acts 4:31). The apostle Paul is filled with the Spirit (Acts 9:17). He is later filled again (Acts 13:9). The filling of the Spirit is dependent on the condition of the Christian being yielded to God. Obedience to God is the chief condition for Spirit-filling. We can conclude therefore, that this yielding and obedience to God is the most important aspect of our spiritual life. Christians under the Spirit’s control can resist temptation (Luke 4:1-2, be empowered for witnessing (Acts 4:5-6), be equipped for church work (Acts 6:1-3), be courageous in their testimony even to the point of death (Acts 7:54-58), and express worship to God (Ephesians 5:18-20).⁵

The indwelling of the Spirit is the beginning of the Christian’s new life in Christ. The filling of the Spirit is the ongoing action of the Spirit in the Christian’s life. While these may appear to be sequential, the filling of the Spirit is not a second act of grace as commonly taught in Charismatic churches. As already mentioned, the filling of the Spirit is something that should be ongoing. Christians should daily yield themselves to God. The filling of the Spirit is not “the deeper life” or “the higher life.” It is, instead, an ongoing action. There is one baptism of the Spirit, but many fillings. The command to be “filled” with the Spirit is passive meaning we do not grab the Spirit causing the action ourselves. He acts upon us. He is the agent of spiritual change. He does the work.

Conditions for Spirit-filling

Biblically, there are three conditions for Spirit-filling. These are: yielding, obedience, and dependence. Christians can “quench” the Spirit just as a person puts out a light (1 Thessalonians 5:19). A believer can extinguish the Spirit’s influence by wresting control over his life from God.⁶ When we refuse to obey the Lord or yield to His control, we lessen His influence and “quench” the Spirit. A Christian can also “grieve” the Spirit of God. That is, when a believer sins (disobedience) or tolerates sin by not fully repenting of it, he grieves God (Ephesians 4:30). When a Christians comes to faith, he puts off the old man and puts on the new man. This does not mean he becomes “perfect.” Toleration of sin is tantamount to putting the old man back on by doing old man deeds. It is tantamount to putting off the new man by refusing to do what God wants. While this is positionally impossible, a Christian cannot take off the New Man and put on the Old Man after salvation, it happens practically all the time. Believers grieve the Spirit when they lie, become uncontrollably angry, steal, use worthless words, or become bitter against others (Ephesians 4). When a Christian sins, he should be sensitive to it, respond in humility to it, and immediately seek repentance towards God (and other people if his sin has harmed them). Finally, a Christian must be dependent upon the Holy Spirit. Faith in God for salvation does not end there. It is also faith in God for daily living. Christians must put their entire dependence upon God for His control.

The Results of Spirit-Control

There are four obvious results of the control of the Holy Spirit upon the believer’s life. The first of these is guidance. Jesus told His disciples that they should not be troubled (John 14:1). There were human reasons to be troubled. (1) They had a traitor in their midst (John 13:22). (2) Jesus had also told them that He was leaving them (13:36). (3) He also told them that their leader would deny Him (13:38). Of course, the fact that He told them He was leaving was the most significant part of this trouble. In order to relieve their anxiety, Jesus tells them His purpose for leaving. He was going to prepare a place for them so that they could enjoy eternal companionship (14:3). In His place, He promised to send “another comforter” (14:16) who would be the “Spirit of truth.” He would guide them into God’s truth, that in which we alone have confidence. There are other “truths” which are actually not true. These are from the father of lies, Satan (John 8:44). We have confidence in the message of the Spirit because what He says is true. The source of His message is the Heavenly Father (16:14). Moreover, what the Spirit says is about Jesus. This is His purpose. Jesus said: “He will glorify Me.” Those who are indwelled by the Holy Spirit of God have direct access to the truth of God. This is more than just some divine encyclopedia. This connection to truth is a vital link to knowing and understanding God’s wisdom. Our relationship to the Holy Spirit is the key to growing and changing as a Christian. Christianity is a new life in the Spirit. Finally, what the Spirit does is illumines the minds of believers to understand God’s Word. This is critical in the process of progressive sanctification (2 Corinthians 3:17-18). This illumination brings “unction,” the ability to do what God has commanded. This is the anointing power of God on the life of a Christian.

The second result of living under the control of the Holy Spirit is God’s grace in the life. Because of the Spirit’s ministry, believers are enabled to live righteously. Spirit-filled living is the key to spiritual health. Its influence is profound. It influences the believer’s worship of God (Ephesians 5:19-20). It produces a thankful heart that sings with gratitude to God. It influences the believer’s relationship with others. Spirit-filled saints embrace mutual submission in the realm of the local church (v. 21). Spirit-filled wives submit themselves to the leadership of their husbands (v. 22) as part of their submission to God. Spirit-filled husbands love their wives in the same manner as Jesus loved the Church (v. 25). Spirit-filled parents train up their children in the nurture and admonition of the Lord (6:4). They teach their children to obey them as they seek to train them in godliness. Spirit-filled Christians are model citizens at work. If they are employees working for a company, they serve their employers as if they are serving Jesus Christ (6:6). If they are employers, they treat their employees with dignity and respect. They do not needlessly threaten their employees instilling a spirit of fear in the office. Rather, they treat their employees as they would want to be treated themselves remembering that they have a heavenly Master (6:9).

The third result of Spirit-filled living is spiritual enablement for ministry. This is called “spiritual gifts” (charisma). These are different from natural talents or developed skills. While it is true that everything we do is a direct result of God’s blessing, talents and skills (education) is not what is meant by spiritual gifts. Rather, the Holy Spirit distributes to Christians special abilities to be used in God’s service. There are two types of gifts mentioned in the New Testament. One type are “sign” gifts which were exercised by the apostles (1 Corinthians 12:28). Apostles were special ambassadors of Jesus who were eye-witnesses of His earthly ministry (Acts 1:21-22). This was essential to the apostolic office (1 Corinthians 9:1; 15:7-9). “Sign” gifts were also given as confirmation of new revelation and the establishing of the church. This new revelation was primarily by those who heard Jesus (Hebrews 2:1-4). Because there are no apostles living today (in the biblical sense at least) and the church has been established, it is most likely that the “sign” gifts are no longer active.⁷ The second type of gifts are for the propagation of the church. The apostle Peter says that “as every man has received the gift…” implying that every Christian has at least one gift (1 Peter 4:10). At the same time, many teach that it is impossible for every believer to have all the gifts.⁸ There is no biblical support for this claim. While the argument in 1 Corinthians 12:12-27 may imply this idea, Paul’s point is not on the number of gifts one possesses but on the importance of believers recognizing that the Holy Spirit is the one who gives these gifts and that Christians should work together and not covet how God is blessing others. Consequently, instead of pursuing gifts, Christians should pursue God’s will. God commands believers to serve one another (Galatians 5:13). When opportunity arises, He will provide the gift of ministering. Likewise, Christians have been commanded to exhort each other (Hebrews 10:25). When the opportunity arises, the Spirit will provide the necessary ability to do so. There is the command to give (2 Corinthians 9:7), to teach (Matthew 28:19-20), to show mercy (Ephesians 4:32), to live by faith (2 Corinthians 5;7), and to evangelize (Acts 1:8). In the same manner, each of these are gifts of the Spirit. God will enable you obey Him when the opportunity arises.⁹

The final result of Spirit-filled living is godliness. When the Spirit has control over believers, it will be evident (Galatians 5:22). Let’s call this the “orchard of godliness.” In this orchard is the tree of love. This is the kind of love that gives without expecting anything in return. It is expressed as generosity and kindness by demonstrating concern for the needs of others. This orchard also has the tree of joy. This is the gladness that comes naturally to those who are ordering their lives in the Spirit. It is heaven-sent joy. Its fruit is bliss and happiness. It gives off this fragrance so that everyone around it experiences some sense of the same pleasure that it gives. There is also the tree of peace. This is the kind of peace that brings needed sleep (Psalm 4:8). It is the blessing of living a meek and quiet life (Psalm 37:11). It is a twin of righteousness (Psalm 85:10). It is the result of loving the Law of the Lord (Psalm 119:165). It is the result of living wisely (Proverbs 3:17). It is no wonder—Jesus is the Prince of Peace (Isaiah 9:6). The human mind is at peace when meditating upon God (Isaiah 26:3). There is a tree there with both the fruits of long-suffering and gentleness. This wind that blows over these fruits spread the odor of God’s love all around. Long-suffering means to keep anger out of reach. The patient Christian is one who cannot get sinfully angry. If he does, the Spirit is not in control of him. Gentleness is a kindness towards others. There is no place for harsh and biting sarcasm in the life of a Spirit-controlled saint. There is the tree of goodness. The fruit of this tree is that which does beneficial things for others. There is a sense of generosity here. There is the tree of faithfulness. The faithful fruit is that which is in keeping with the teachings of the Bible. The tree of meekness is that which produces a mild temper. It forebears the problems of others and does not react when provoked. Finally, this orchard has a tree of temperance. This is the self-control that keeps the flesh dominated by the Spirit of God. All these become possible when the Spirit enables us to put to death our sinful desires. Under the control of the Holy Spirit, the Christian “crucifies” his own affections and lusts (Galatians 5:24). A crucified flesh does not have a desire for self-gratification or personal glory. It does not provoke others to anger. It does not envy others (Galatians 5:25). A Christian who is ordering his life in the Spirit cannot live in legalism (because walking in the Spirit precludes the need for law) and also cannot live in licentiousness (because the flesh and Spirit are opposed to each other).

Conclusion on the Holy Spirit

Without the Holy Spirit, there is no spiritual life. While the indwelling of the Spirit is one aspect of being “in Christ,” the filling of the Spirit is dependent on the believer’s yielding of Himself to God. Over time, this yielding brings true spiritual maturity and growth. The longer one “walks” in the Spirit, the greater he learns to depend upon Him for spiritual strength. As the physical body weakens, the spiritual life strengthens. Like Paul, a Spirit-filled Christian can exclaim “when I am weak, then am I strong” (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Personal Reflection

1. Do you think of the Holy Spirit as God? How does that influence the way you think about Him?

2. Can you see the results of Spirit-filling in your life? If you are unable to do so, reflect on why that might be.

3. Are you sensitive to the Holy Spirit so that you are aware of when you “grieve” Him?

Discussion

1. Read 1 Corinthians 12:12-27.
2. Should racial or financial differences have any influence on a person’s role in the church? Why or why not? (v. 13). (Why is gender not mentioned in the verse? Compare Galatians 3:28)
3. Who determines the placement of believers (their role) within the church? Why is this important? (v. 18).
4. Why are the problems of arrogance and jealousy serious challenges to the church? (v. 21, v. 25).
5. How should church members consider the suffering and honor of other members? What are some practical ways we can do that? (v. 26).

John 1:1-14

The Christian life is all about Jesus. He is the center, the crux of everything. There is no Christianity without Jesus. There is no life without Him. The apostle John wrote: “In Him was life, and His life was the light of men” (John 1:4). All of the religions of the world are an attempt by man to get to God. Idols and avatars, false priests and temples, so-called “sacred writings,” and even mystical rocks and ancient stones—all of these are man’s attempt to find God. However, there is no way to God without Jesus. He is the mediator, the bridge between God and humanity (1 Timothy 2:5). If you have confessed Him as Lord and Savior, then you have taken the first step in following Jesus Christ. The focus of this lesson is on the person and work of Jesus.

The Person of Jesus

Jesus (means “Jehovah is salvation”) is the human name of the Lord (Master, Ruler) Christ (Messiah, Anointed One). He is the Second Person of the Triune God who became man (John 1:1-14) for the purpose of saving people from sin (Matthew 1:21). Because Jesus is co-equal with the Father, He is self-existent even as God the Father is. This means that He existed before His incarnation. He has no beginning and will have no ending because He does not change (Hebrews 13:8). Not only did He exist before His human birth, but He existed before creation. He has always been and will always be. Jesus Himself affirmed this truth (John 8:56-58, 17:5, 24). He is “the one who was from the beginning” (John 1:1). The Old Testament refers to Jesus as “the mighty God, the everlasting Father (Isaiah 9:6-7). His going forth is “from everlasting” (Micah 5:2). Jesus is before “all things,” and through Him “all things consist” (Col 1:17). He is a visible manifestation of the invisible God, an exact representation of the Father (Hebrews 1:3). Consequently, we call Jesus “God.” This is part of our confession that makes up our salvation (Romans 10:9-10). He is a member of the Godhead. He was called “Lord” in the divine sense (Matt 3:3; Luke 1:76; John 1:23; cf. Isa 40:3). He is omnipotent (Matthew 8:26-27; Mark 8:1-9), omniscient (John 2:23-25; 4:16-18), and sovereign (Mark 2:5-7). He forgives men of their sin (Mark 2:1-12; Luke 7:36-50).

He also affirmed His own deity (Matthew 26:63; Mark 14:61; John 4:25). He declared “I am the bread of life” (John 6:35). Only those who partake of this bread will live forever. He said, “I am the light of the world” (John 8:12). He is the one who illumines the minds of natural men that are in spiritual darkness. He brings light to men. He said, “I am the door” (John 10:9) which refers to His sheepfold as only gateway into salvation. There is no other door. He said, “I am the Good Shepherd” (John 9:11). For all who are wandering like a lost sheep, Jesus is the one who goes out to find them. He said, “I am the resurrection and the life” (John 11:25-26). The only true life that a human can experience is the life in Jesus. Human life is a journey towards death. Jesus is the resurrection from death. He conquered death when He rose from the dead. He said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). Jesus is the only pathway to the Father. There is no other path to God. Finally, Jesus said, “I am the true vine” (John 15:1). Only those who abide in Jesus find fruitfulness in life. He is the one who brings satisfaction and joy. Without Him, Jesus said, “we can do nothing” (John 15:5).

He is the “Son of God.” This does not mean “physical offspring.” Rather, in Jewish thinking “son” means “to have the same essential nature.” For example, for a man to be called “son of Belial” did not mean that Belial or Satan is his biological father. It means that the conduct of an individual is Satanic (1 Samuel 2:12). The New Testament gives Jesus the title “Son of God” (Matt 3:17, Romans 1:3-4, 1 Thessalonians 1:10). When Jesus said He was the “Son of God,” He declared His equality with God and even His enemies understood what He meant (John 5:17-18). This means that Jesus has the divine prerogatives as God. Even though there is a functional subordination of Jesus to the will of the Father, this does not make Jesus to be less than God. They work together (John 5:19). They have a unique love relationship (John 5:20). They both give life to men (John 5:21). As the Son of God, Jesus inherits all things (Heb 1:2). He created all things (Hebrews 1:2). He reveals God’s glory and nature (Heb 1:3). He sustains all things (Heb 1:3). He cleanses sinful man (Hebrews 1:3). Jesus is the ultimate revelation of God to man.

He is also the “Son of Man.” Biblical prophecy foretold the coming of Jesus (Genesis 3:15, Isaiah 7:14, 9:6, Micah 5:2). This is what the Gospels record (Matthew 1:22, Luke 2:1-32, John 1:14). The story of Jesus’ earthly life is a story of a human. It accounts that Jesus was born, grew up in childhood, and experienced a normal human life every man or woman experiences. He experienced hunger (Matthew 4:2). He experienced thirst (John 4:7). He became tired (Matthew 8:23-25). He had human emotions. He was sometimes sad and disappointed (Matthew 9:36, Mark 3:5). He was so human, that those who did not believe on Him merely thought Him to be just another man. Unbelievers from His hometown clearly recognized Him as the son of the carpenter (Joseph) and Mary (Matthew 13:54-56). The Bible asserts that He had a human nature (Philippians 2:5-8; Hebrew 2:14-17). He was referred to as a man (1 Corinthians 15:21; Hebrews 10:12). He was born like a human baby is born (Matt 1:20-25, Luke 2:6-12). Everyone who met Him believed Him to be human, specifically, a Jewish man (John 4:7-9). His death involved the process of physically death. When He rose from the dead, He rose physically from the tomb. We, therefore, confess that Jesus is fully man.

The Nicene Creed, written in 325 A.D. (later amended in 381 A.D.), states:

I believe in…one Lord Jesus Christ,
the Only Begotten Son of God,
born of the Father before all ages.
God from God, Light from Light,
true God from true God,
begotten, not made, consubstantial with the Father;¹
through him all things were made.
For us men and for our salvation
he came down from heaven,
and by the Holy Spirit was incarnate of the Virgin Mary,
and became man.
For our sake he was crucified under Pontius Pilate,
he suffered death and was buried,
and rose again on the third day
in accordance with the Scriptures.
He ascended into heaven
and is seated at the right hand of the Father.
He will come again in glory
to judge the living and the dead
and his kingdom will have no end.

The Life and Ministry of Jesus

The Scriptures teach that Jesus was born of a virgin. His birth is supernatural in nature as there is no biological basis for the virgin birth. The Old Testament prophesied that this would take place (Isaiah 7:14). Matthew cites this verse from Isaiah (Matthew 1:23). He uses the Greek word parthenos for Isaiah’s Hebrew word almah, and this Greek word clearly refers to a “virgin.” Other New Testament passages also indicate that Jesus was born by the virgin Mary (Luke 1:31, Galatians 4:4).

He lived a sinless life. Because Jesus was virgin born He did not have an “Adamic” sin nature. This means that Jesus was not born with a sinful flesh. He was impeccable (meaning He could not sin). Even with that truth, it is remarkable that Jesus never sinned. Think about it this way. Jesus never lusted. He never swore. He never lied or gossiped about others. He never stole anything. He was never prideful or boastful. He never disobeyed His earthly parents. He never wasted a minute of time. He never laughed at a crude or evil joke. He was never sinfully depressed. He never entertained a sinful thought. He was perfect. He loved the Father with all His body, mind, and strength. He was holy, undefiled, and separate from sinners (Hebrews 7:26). He “knew no sin” (2 Corinthians 5:21).

He performed countless miracles. He turned water into wine, miraculously changing the physical composition of the water (John 2:1-11). He healed the noble man’s son (John 4:43-54). He cast out demons (Mark 1:21-27; Luke 4:31-36). He healed Peter’s mother (Matthew 8:14-15), He healed many who were sick (Matthew 8:16-17). He cleansed lepers (Mark 1:40-45). He healed the lame man with the blessing of forgiveness of sin (Luke 5:17-26). He healed the man with the withered hand (Matthew 12:9-14). He raised the widows’ son from the dead (Luke 7:11-17). He raised Jairus’ daughter from the dead (Matthew 9:18-26). He healed the blind (Matt 9:27-31). He healed the mute (Matt 9:32-34). He fed 5,000 people from just five loaves of bread and two fish (Mark 6:30-44). He walked on water (Mark 6:45-52). He told His disciple Peter to go catch a fish and said that a coin would be in its mouth and it was (Matthew 17:24-27). He raised Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-45). He cursed the fig tree and it withered (Matt 21:18-22). He reattached Malchus’ ear after Peter cut it off (Luke 22:50-51).

The Scriptures also teach that Jesus died a physical death foretold in the Old Testament (Psalm 22; Isa 52:13-53:12). His death is sufficient for salvation (Romans 3:21-26; Hebrews 9:28-10:10). His blood provided atonement for sin. Jesus provided the “penal satisfaction” for our sin in His death at Calvary. The Bible clearly teaches that the Old Testament animal sacrifices could not sufficiently forgive sins (Hebrews 10:4) and that man cannot save himself (Psalms 49:7-9; Isaiah 59:16). Only the vicarious death of Jesus could save sinful men (Luke 24:25-26). Based on the righteousness of Jesus, God declares those who accept Jesus by faith to be free from guilt and punishment (Romans 3:24-26). This is entirely by God’s grace. Jesus’ atonement for sin satisfies God’s holy standard. God is intrinsically holy (Isaiah 57:15). He is free from evil (Deuteronomy 32:4; 1 John 1:5). God cannot abide sin (Habakkuk 1:13). God must judge sin (Gen 2:16; Ezek 18:20; Rom 6:23; 1 Cor 15:56). Jesus became the perfect sacrifice (1 Peter 1:18-20). Jesus’ sacrificial death reconciles humanity to God (Romans 5:10).

He also rose from the dead. This is explained in the preaching of the apostles (Luke 24:46-49; Acts 1:21-22; 2:24, 32 36; 3:15; 4:10, 33; 10:40; 13:30; 17:30-31; 24:14-15; 26:8, 23; Romans 1:4; 1 Corinthians 15:1-3). The entire system of Christian theology is based on this truth (1 Corinthians 15:12-19). His resurrection declares His deity (Romans 1:1-5). It assures His messianic character and future reign (Acts 2:23-36). It is an apologetic for Christianity (1 Corinthians 15). It is the guarantee of the believer’s resurrection (John 14:19; 1 Peter 1:1-5). It is a demonstration of God’s power (Rom 1:4; Ephesians 1:15-23). It is an essential part of the Gospel (2 Timothy 2:8).

He ascended into Heaven (Acts 1:9). This ended Jesus’ earthly ministry (Philippians 2:5-11). His work is done (John 16:5-10; Ephesians 1:20-21; Hebrews 1:1-3). He is now exalted (Acts 2:33). He is now Lord of everything. He is at the right hand of the Father (Acts 2:33; Ephesians 1:20). He is the conqueror of evil (Ephesians 1:20-21; 3:10; 6:12). He will visibly reign over the world someday (Isaiah 9:7; Jeremiah 33:17; Acts 2:30). He is presently Lord of all (Isaiah 52:13; 53:10-12; Philippians 2:5). He will also come again in the same manner as he went into heaven (1:11).

He is our advocate. He stands between God and us, pleading for our sins (1 John 1:8-2:2). Like an attorney, He pleads our case before the Father. While we have no personal merit on which we can stand before God, because Jesus is our perfect substitute, we stand in His righteousness.

The Offices of Jesus

Jesus is the Prophet. Moses prophesied that a “prophet” like him would come (Deuteronomy 18:15-18). This prophecy is fulfilled in Jesus (John 1:45; Acts 3:20-23). As the Prophet, Jesus reveals to us who God is (John 1:18) and the “secret things of God” (Deuteronomy 29:29). God the Father commands us to listen to Him (Matthew 17:5). Jesus is also the Priest. He has provided redemption for sinful humanity (Hebrews 2:17; 4:14; 7:26). He intercedes for believers (Romans 8:34, Hebrews 2:18, 4:16). He provides us access to God (Romans 5:1-2, Hebrews 10:19-22). Because of this, we can boldly come to the “throne of grace” and find “grace to help in time of need” (Hebrews 4:16). Jesus is also the King. He exercises “all authority in heaven and earth” today (Matthew 28:18). He will come in power (Mark 14:62). He will assert His sovereign control over the earth (1 Timothy 6:14-16). He is “King of kings, and Lord of lords” (Revelation 11:15; 19:16).

Our Relationship to Jesus

God has delivered Christians from the kingdom of darkness and has put us into His own kingdom of light (Colossians 1:12-13). This act is accomplished by the “redemption” through “the blood” of Jesus, meaning that we are forgiven (past, present, future) of all our sins (Colossians 1:14). Consequently, Jesus is the “Head” of the church (Colossians 1:18). Christians are described as being part of the body of Christ. We are all “one body in Christ” (Ephesians 4:12). As our “Head,” He is pre-eminent. So, we confess that He is our Savior, Redeemer and Master (Ephesians 6:9; Colossians 4:1). The word “master” is often translated as “lord.” It refers to a person who claims his ownership over someone over something. This term teaches Christians that they belong to the Lord Jesus. We worship God through Jesus (Ephesians 3:14). In Him the “whole family” of heaven and earth is named (Ephesians 3:15). Thus, Jesus dwells in our hearts “by faith” (Ephesians 3:17). Being “rooted and grounded in love,” we come to know the fullness of the God (Ephesians 3:19). We also serve God through Christ. We are called His “ministers” (Philippians 1:1, Colossians 1:1, 7). The word “slave” (doulos) depicts our relationship to God. We give up our personal ambition to Him in order to advance His cause. We are not our own. We are devoted to His interests (Romans 1:1; Titus 1:1; James 1:1; 2 Peter 1:1). He is the one who sends us on our mission and promises to be with us on the way (Matthew 28:19-20). “Whether we eat or drink, or whatever we do, we do all for the glory of God” (1 Corinthians 10:31).

Personal Application Questions

1. Which aspect of Christ’s person means the most to you and why?

2. Which of Christ’s works means the most to you and why?

3. Is there anything about being a “slave” (servant) of Jesus that gives you concern? Is there any aspect about being His servant that excites you?

Discussion

1. Read Isaiah 53:1-12, Philippians 1:27-2:11.
2. What do you think it means when it refers to Jesus as a “tender shoot..a root out of a dry ground?” (Isaiah 53:2)
3. Reflect upon the four statements in Isaiah 53:5–which of these means the most to you?
4. Explain, in your own words, Isaiah 53:6
5. What does it mean in Philippians 2:5 to have the “mind” of Christ?
6. In what two ways did Jesus “humble Himself?” How can we be humble ourselves?

John 3:15-16; 20:29

Imagine what it would have been like to meet Jesus face to face when He walked on the earth. Imagine looking at His face, seeing His eyes. Imagine hearing Him speak and recognizing the timbre of His voice—the cadence of the words and the up and down pitch of His speech. Imagine feeling His hand slip into yours as He helps you into a boat or looking at His feet as they gather dust walking along the roads in Galilee. What would that have been like for those who had that opportunity? No doubt, those who knew Jesus during His earthly ministry were blessed. However, Jesus said: “Blessed are they that have not seen, and yet have believed” (John 20:29). This is a simple definition of what it means to be saved. The Bible says that those who believe in Jesus will not perish, but have eternal life (John 3:15-16). The subject of this lesson is: what does it mean to be saved?

Definition of faith

Faith is “the right response to what God has revealed.” In Hebrews 11 there are examples of men and women who believed God. God revealed to Noah that it would rain and commanded him to build a boat. Noah obeyed because he believed what God said was true (11:7). Abraham was commanded to leave his home in Ur and travel hundreds of miles to a new place that God would give to him and his descendants. He obeyed even though he did not know where he was going specifically (11:8-10). Faith always begins with God. He reveals Himself to us through the Bible, God’s revelation to mankind. In the Bible, He speaks about Himself and then commands mankind to trust Him. Thus, faith is not “just believe.” It is a command to rely on the truthfulness of God’s Word. The call to faith is based on what God says about Himself.

Believe what God has revealed—everyone is a sinner

God makes clear in the Bible that every person is a sinner. Everyone has turned away from God, and there is no one who is truly good, not even one (Psalm 14:1). We are all like sheep who have gone astray from the shepherd turning to our own way (Isaiah 53:6). Sin is the transgression of the law of God. The word that is most frequently used to denote “sin” in the Bible literally means “to miss the mark.” The Bible reveals that we all have missed the mark, God’s perfect standard and come short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23). Every person needs salvation from sin.

Man’s propensity to sin is explained in Romans 5. The Bible says that by one man sin entered into the world. Who is that “one man?” Verse 14 indicates the “one man” who sinned is Adam. Because we are all connected to Adam, the first father of all human beings, we all are inherently born with a sin nature. This is called “seminal headship.” We are all connected to Adam through our father (he is connected through his father—and so on). Think about it this way. Did anyone teach you to lie before you lied for the first time? Have you ever coveted something that you did not have but others have? (Romans 7:7) The Bible is full of God’s commands which you have broken either knowingly or unknowingly. Worse, James (the half-brother of Jesus) writes that, if you break even one of God’s laws, you become a breaker of the entire law (James 2:10). That is our status. We have all violated God’s perfect standard and are considered “lawbreakers.”

Believe what God has revealed—consequences for sin

Before Adam and Eve sinned, they were innocent before God. In their state of innocence, they were warned that if they disobeyed Him, they would die. God said to them: [if you disobey Me] “you will surely die” (Genesis 2:17). This death was both physical and spiritual. Genesis 3:6 indicates that later both Adam and Even sinned against God by disobeying His command. As a result, death entered into the world. Romans 5:12 states that because of the first sin both Adam and Eve began to physically die. From that point forward, every child is born in the process of dying. There is no exception. No one on the earth is free from the curse of death. Everyone dies.

There is another aspect of death. Not only are people dying physically, but they are also spiritually dead. The Bible states that every sinner is spiritually dead “in trespasses and sins” (Ephesians 2:1). This spiritual death is a horrible reality for anyone who is not saved by Jesus Christ. Jesus said that unbelievers will be face certain judgment where they will be judged for their works.¹ After being declared guilty, each will be cast into “the Lake of Fire” where he will exist for all eternity. There is no second chance. There is no escape (Revelation 20:12-15).

The Lake of Fire is explained in three ways in the Bible. First, it is a place of punishment.² In the Lake of Fire, God will punish those who have violated His commands. Some of the picturesque phrases used in the Bible to explain the Lake of Fire are: “burned with unquenchable fire” (Matthew 3:12); “a coming misery” where the flesh will be eaten “with fire” (James 5:1-5). Second, it is a place of destruction. This does not mean that the individual being judged in Hell is annihilated or destroyed completely. It means that he is forever ruined and suffering.³ Third, it is a place of banishment. Hell means eternal separation from God. There is no opportunity to confess sin and accept Jesus after death. Those who go to Hell will be there for all eternity.⁴ Revelation 20:14 calls this “the second death.”

This eternal punishment, destruction, and banishment in the Lake of Fire is not unfair or unjust. In fact, the judgment of God is always fair and just. In Romans 2, the apostle Paul explains the judgment of God in four ways. First, he says that it will be “according to truth” (Romans 2:2). No one will be judged for a sin he did not do. There will be no judicial mistakes in the final judgment. Second, this judgment will be according to what a person has done because God “will render to every man according to his deeds” (Romans 2:6). Each person will be individually judged. No individual will be judged for the sins of his parents or for the sins of his children. Each will be judged for his own sin. Third, no important or influential person in this life will be able to slip by or bribe his way out of God’s justice. God has “no partiality” (Romans 2:11). Each will be treated equally. There is no discrimination in God’s judgment for people of different ethnicities, different cultural backgrounds, different educational levels, or various levels of personal wealth. A person who lived as a king on the earth will be judged no differently from someone who lived as a very poor person. Finally, judgment will be according to the good news that Jesus saves (Romans 2:16). Ultimately, the sin of unbelief is that which sentences a person to Hell (where he is judged for his sinful acts while on earth). Just as faith (a right response to what God has revealed) is the means by which a person accepts the grace of God in salvation, so it is by his faithlessness that he rejects salvation from sin (and the horrible punishment of sin). Thus, the judgment of God is absolutely fair and just.

Believe what God has revealed—the gospel of Jesus Christ

There is a way to escape eternal punishment. The bad news of God’s judgment is followed by the great news (gospel) that Jesus saves. After Adam and Eve sinned against God, they were promised that God would send a Redeemer to completely destroy our enemy (Genesis 3:15). Throughout the entire Old Testament, God continually promises that he would send a Redeemer for salvation. The New Testament begins with the birth of Jesus. His name means “Yahweh saves,” indicating that “He shall save His people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21). This gospel of salvation is explained clearly in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4. The gospel is the good news that Jesus Christ “died for our sins according to the scriptures, that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures.” The gospel means Jesus became the “sin-bearer” when He died on the cross. God laid upon Jesus all of our sins (Isaiah 53:6). He became cursed for us (Galatians 3:13). Those who believe in Him have redemption from sin through His blood (Ephesians 1:17).

Not only did Jesus die on the cross for our sins, but He was also raised up from the dead

so that we might also live. Each of the four Gospels includes the story of Jesus rising from the dead. The apostle Peter’s great sermon at Pentecost stresses the importance of Jesus rising from the dead (Acts 2:24). Peter and John also confessed this truth to the Jewish religious leaders in Jerusalem (Acts 3:15). The apostle Paul’s sermons throughout Acts are filled with references to the resurrection.⁵ Also, he often teaches on the resurrection in his letters.⁶ Throughout the centuries, one of the most identifiable markers of being a Christian is that he believes in the resurrection of Jesus.

Respond to what God has revealed—accept Jesus as your Savior

Remember, Faith is “the right response to what God has revealed.” Up to this point we have noticed that God has revealed His own righteous standard of perfection which no person (other than Jesus Christ) has ever been able to meet. Because we are all sinners, God is to rightly judge us for our sins by condemning us to the Lake of Fire. However, we have also concluded that in God’s love and mercy He sent His Son to die for our sins by becoming an atonement for our sins. We have also considered the fact that Jesus not only died, but that He was buried and rose again from the dead. What is your response to these truths? How should we respond to these things?

The Bible teaches that a faith response to these truths is expressed with two ideas—confession and dependence. The right response to the gospel is confession. Confession has three important parts. First, confession is a public, verbal acknowledgement of guilt because of sin. The Bible teaches that God is both faithful and just to forgive those who confess their sin (1 John 1:9). Second, confession includes the idea of repentance. This is a turning away from sin. People who claim to be saved but embrace a life of sin are demonstrating by their behavior that they really are not confessing their sins. Finally, just as confession (repentance) is a verbal acknowledgement of sin, so confession is also a verbal acknowledgement of what God has done to save us from our sin (Romans 10:9-10). Salvation involves confession that Jesus is the Lord and that His death, burial, and resurrection are the means by which God saves us. Thus, this confession is (1) that we need a Savior and (2) that our Savior is Jesus. He saved us by dying on the cross in our place and by rising from the dead. This is the confession of the redeemed.

The second aspect of salvation is dependence. This is the meaning of the word “trust.” Turning away from sin (repentance) is a turning to dependence on the saving work of Jesus.

When someone asks, “have you trusted Jesus as your Lord and Savior,” the question is basically “are you depending on Jesus alone for salvation?” Saving faith abandons any hope of self-salvation. Saving faith cannot be a Jesus plus my own good works. It must be salvation by Jesus’ work alone. The Bible teaches that we are saved by grace through faith; that this (grace through faith) is not of ourselves; that it is God’s gift to us; that it is not of our own meritorious works; that no man can boast of saving himself (Ephesians 2:8-9).

If someone asked you: “how do you know that you are going to heaven when you die,” how would you answer? Maybe your answer would be something like this: “I’m a good person. I try to be kind to my neighbor. I don’t cheat or steal or break the law. I try to live by ‘the Golden Rule.’” If that’s your answer, you are not alone. Many people answer this question that way. Unfortunately, that is not the answer God accepts. Salvation is only by grace through faith. In order to be saved, you must trust in Jesus alone for salvation. You must confess that the only merit you have is that Jesus is righteous; He alone is good. Your answer to that question should be something like: “I am a sinner and don’t deserve God’s favor. But Jesus died for my sin in my place. He paid God’s holy penalty against my sin. Because He died, I don’t have to die. He took my place (we call this vicarious atonement). His blood covers my sin. I am saved because He saved me.” If that is your testimony, then you have been rescued from God’s wrath. You are “saved.” Praise the Lord! There is nothing else that you must do. Salvation comes by simply trusting in God’s saving grace offered on the cross of Jesus.

Personal Reflections

3. Write out a brief synopsis of your own testimony here.
4. If you have ever doubted about your salvation, write them here—what are causes of your doubt?
5. How does this lesson help you see that because you cannot do anything to save yourself, that you cannot do anything to “lose” your salvation?

Further Discussion

1. Read Peter’s sermon at Pentecost carefully: Acts 2:14-41.
2. What does Peter mean when he says that “whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved?”
   1. Who is “the Lord” in the context?
   2. What do you think it means to “call” upon this name?
3. What did the people do with Jesus according to v. 23?
4. How many times does Peter refer to the resurrection of Jesus in his sermon?
5. What is Peter’s answer (v. 38) to the Jews question in v. 37?
6. What did the people (about 3,000) do according to v. 41?