You Shall Know the Truth

Today most people are not very interested in the “truth.” The specific “truth” that I refer to is the Bible. The Bible is the only real source of truth that matters in our search for blessings from the Creator. There are many different religions in our world and all of them claim to provide a ticket to paradise for their followers. The strange thing about the claims of differing religions, religions that teach conflicting doctrines is, they all tell their followers that they will go to paradise if they follow their doctrinal philosophy. Many of these conflicting religions claim that they follow the Bible, but there are many religions that do not subscribe to the Bible or any part of it, yet they tell their followers that they will experience paradise just the same. How do we sift through all this religious conflict and come up with the right answer that will truly bring us an acceptable relationship with our Creator, God?

HOW MAY WE KNOW RELIGIOUS TRUTH?

Since the concept of doctrinal purity is important to acquiring a right relationship with God, we need to go to Him for that information. God does not speak audibly to man today as He did in His early dealings with man but He speaks today to man via the Written Word (i.e., the Holy Scriptures). The Pentecostals are wrong when they teach that the Holy Spirit speaks directly to people today, no passage of Scripture teaches this philosophy. The only way for man to truly know what God would have him to know is found in the Bible. The fact is, to know the truth about any spiritual (i.e., religious) matter man must turn to the Written Word of God.

TRUTH MAKES MAN FREE FROM SIN

According to John 8:32, “the truth makes man free from sin…” Indeed, if we accept this statement for the truth that it is we will know that freedom from our sins may be obtained from God through a knowledge of truth. Since this is so, let us seek the Divine formula contained in the Written Word that frees man from sin. Please observe the following points that teaches us how man is saved from sin as gleaned from the Written Word of God:

  • One is to hear the gospel as Romans 10:17 states.
  • One is to believe the gospel as Mark 16:15-16 teaches.
  • One is to repent of sins as Acts 2:38 teaches us.
  • One is to confess that Jesus Christ is the Son of God (i.e., the Messiah) according to Romans 10:9-10.
  • One is to be baptized through immersion for the remission of sin according to Romans 6:3-4 and Acts 2:38.
  • One is then added to the Lord’s church by the Savior according to Acts 2:47.
  • One is then privileged to wear the name Christian as those disciples in Antioch of Syria according to Acts 11:26.
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The Real Christian Cowboy Church

The great American cowboy; he’s still out there doing what he’s always done. Working hard from dawn to dusk. The land is his home; the herd is his livelihood; and his horse is still his best and most dependable friend. Now, granted, there are times today when he has several hundred horses’ worth of pulling power underneath him as he sits high and hardy and cruises down a gravel road, but that’s about all that’s changed over the last hundred years.

And as he rides the range and surveys his surroundings – whether during the daylight when the vast expanses of beautiful countryside completely captivate him, or during the evening when the vast expanse of sparkling stars embedded in a deep sea of ebony darkness seem to embrace and envelop him – he cannot help but understand that there is an all-powerful and wise Creator who is responsible for it all. His sentiments echo those of faithful men of God from ages old and pages past such as David, Isaiah, and the apostle Paul in such places as Psalms 8 and 19, Isaiah 40:12-26, and Romans 1:18-21. In fact, due to the infinite and inarguable evidence he experiences daily all around him, he also agrees heartily with David and Paul that a man would have to be either purposely blind or a complete fool to deny that God was indeed behind it all – that it was all just the result of some cosmic accident or mistake (Psalm 14:1; Romans 1:22). To him such nonsense denies all common sense and horse sense! For he knows what he sees, and therefore seeks to know He Who created and continues to control it all from spinning hopelessly out of control.

Therefore he scrupulously studies his bible during his every spare minute, whether on the range or in the bunkhouse. He believes with all his heart and soul that the bible alone is this Creator God’s divinely-inspired, unexpiring and exclusive word, just exactly as it claims to be (Psalm 119:89; II Tim. 3:12-4:4; II Peter 1:16-21). And because of this God’s great love for Him – a love so great and overwhelming that He would send His only begotten Son to die for him (John 3:16; Romans 5:6-11) – this cowboy’s heart’s desire is to continually study the wonder-filled word of this wonderful God in order to learn all he possibly can about the God He loves so much in return, and hopes to spend eternity with in heaven. He studies constantly and consistently to show himself approved, a worker who needs not to be ashamed (II Timothy 2:15), adding to his biblical knowledge daily so that he is not deceived by those who twist and pervert the Scriptures to their own destruction, as well as the destruction of those they are able to lead away from the truth of God’s holy word (Psalm 19:11-17; II Peter 1:2-11, 2:1-3, and 3:14-18).

Having scoured the Scriptures for credible information about this incredible, all powerful and all-loving God, where and when would He then go, to truly, reverently, obediently and biblically worship Him as He desires?

It is first and foremost, a foregone conclusion to him from his studies, that he simply could not thus worship his God as He desires out on the range by himself. He has read in clear and unmistakable black and white terms precisely how the early church completely devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and fellowship amongst other things (Acts 2:42), coming together as a church to break bread and give of their means on the first day of every week (I Corinthians 11:17-12:27, 16:1-2; Acts 20:7), and how the early Christians were not to forsake the aforementioned Sunday worship assembly under any circumstances (Hebrews 10:19-31). How could he do any less than His Lord commands? He couldn’t! And so he seeks a church to worship with which fully, faithfully, and obediently carries out these biblical responses to a loving God’s commandments, understanding that such Sunday, corporate worship is not an option for himself or any of those like him who only want to be the kind of worshippers the Father seeks, who worship in spirit (with the right attitude) and truth (according to what the bible says – John 17:17) (John 4:23-24).

Seeing as how he believes that within the pages of this sacred text from His all-powerful God He has placed everything we need for life and godliness (II Peter 1:3), he could never attend a church not found named or contained within said pages. That of course would eliminate such man-made and man-named divisions or denominations such as the Catholic Church, Baptist Church, Lutheran Church, and many others. Whatever God called the church that the apostles and faithful first-century Christians worked and worshipped within would be more than good enough for him to be sure, as he only sought to walk by the same, one, soul-saving faith as they did (II Corinthians 5:7-9; Romans 10:17, 16:16; Ephesians 4:4-6; Jude 3).

And as to the modern day denomination so recently designed and designated as the “ Cowboy Church,” well, he surely understands that true Christian worship could simply NEVER be about him or any of his peers – especially if it came to them actually taking precedence over the Christ! To this old but well-studied cowboy, that would border on insanity if not blasphemy! It could never be more about them than the Christ, anymore than it could ever be about the doctors and farmers, bikers and bankers, or housewives and former hookers who were also there alongside him in the same Sunday morning assembly of the saints to worship the Lord of glory! He can’t even begin to imagine such a thing as a “doctor church,” “farmer church,” “biker church,” or “housewife church,” let alone some of the others! He understands that roping, riding, and rodeo are no more a part of biblical spirit and truth worship than operating, loan-financing, dish washing or bed-making! He has read, understood, and therefore committed Himself to the absolute and overall Lordship and authority of the Lord Jesus Christ in such passages as Colossians 1:15-18, which, speaking of Jesus, says:

He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist. And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.

Having done thus, how could he ever, in good conscience – let alone biblical obedience – ever worship somewhere where human cowboys were elevated over the eternal Savior – even in name?!? He could only seek to ever attend and participate in a worship service where the Savior’s name, the name above all names, the only name in which we are to operate and wherein alone there is salvation, was exalted to its proper place of ultimate pre-eminence (Philippians 2:9-11; Colossians 1:15-18, 3:17; Acts 4:12). Thus fully committed, for him personally, he could only truly worship with one of the still faithful to the old paths (Jeremiah 6:16) congregations of “the churches of Christ” as he had clearly seen and read about in Scripture (Romans 16:16-18).

Admittedly though, he almost inadvertently chuckles to himself as he thinks about a recently reported (and therefore apparently found newsworthy) story in a brotherhood newspaper, about how some congregation in California conducted corporate worship services in some old western movie set for some reason. He shakes his head in bumfuzzled bewilderment because this humble, “horse sense” old cowboy knows from his own in-depth study of the sacred text, that the real essence and enjoyment of true spirit and truth worship is never even minutely enhanced by any outward environmental embellishments, but is only truly and totally relished and embellished by a full internal reverence and relationship!

What about you? If you haven’t studied the divinely-delivered and inspired text enough yet to understand these essential elements of sacred and acceptable spirit and truth worship, we’d love to help. Let’s sit down and study together, shall we? God’s word is waiting. And probably so is an old cowboy somewhere, who wants you to be beside him in spirit and truth worship next Lord’s day just as his God decreed. So get along little doggie, and let’s study together, shall we?

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Adultery

There is perhaps no issue that has caused as much confusion as the question of what constitutes adultery.  In an effort to avoid the confusion, some have concluded that one is entitled to only one marriage in life.  This is an overreaction.  Others have come to equally erroneous conclusions which actually seek to justify adulterous circumstances.  All would agree that the issue is of eternal import because no one who practices adultery can inherit the kingdom of God (1 Corinthians 6:9-10, Galatians 5:19-21).  Of course, those who repent of adultery (and who show forth fruits worthy of repentance, Acts 26:20) obtain forgiveness.  The impenitent adulterer, however, God will judge (Hebrews 13:4).  It is important, therefore, that we get the issue right.

The history of the word “adultery” begins in the Old Testament.  It is first found in Exodus 20:4, “Thou shalt not commit adultery.”  It is stated without definition.  Leviticus 20:10 clarifies that adultery is something that is done “with another man’s wife” and “with his neighbor’s wife.”  Proverbs 6:32 says that adultery is committed “with a woman.”  Deuteronomy 22:22 sets forth the situation explicitly.  “If a man be found lying with a woman married to an husband, then they shall both of them die, both the man that lay with the woman, and the woman: so shalt thou put away evil from Israel.”  The original and non-metaphorical sense of the word adultery has reference to the sexual relationship.  I don’t know of anyone who disagrees on this point.  Any man or woman who is married and engages in an extra marital sexual relationship is guilty of committing adultery.

The situation becomes more complicated when one begins to include the concept of “divorce.”  Under what circumstances does one have the right to divorce and remarry and not be considered guilty of adultery?  In Jesus’ day, some were saying that one could divorce “for any cause” (Matthew 19:3).  To this Jesus did not agree.  Instead, Jesus made it clear that one could divorce only upon the grounds of fornication and remarry and not be guilty of adultery.  He said, “Whosoever shall put away his wife, except it be for fornication, and shall marry another, committeth adultery: and whoso marrieth her which is put away doth commit adultery” (Matthew 19:9).

What did Jesus mean by the word “adultery” in this verse?  Some say that Jesus was referring to the divorcing and remarrying itself.  Those who hold this view appeal to a sort of “common sense” reading of the passage.  They may also cite A Greek-English Lexicon of the New Testament and Early Christian Literature: Third Edition (BDAG) p.656.  Others say that Jesus used the original Old Testament definition of the word “adultery” indicating that one’s divorcing and remarrying is tantamount to the sexual act of adultery.  In support of this view they cite the Theological Dictionary of the New Testament by G. Kittel, Vol.IV., p.733.  It should be noted that both definitions have been used to justify remarriage after a divorce that does not occur upon the grounds of fornication.

Some argue that since “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is only referring to the acts of divorcing and remarrying, as long as one stops divorcing and remarrying he may abide in a subsequent marriage even if his divorce was not for fornication.  Others, however, accept the premise that “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is the divorcing and remarrying but hold that “adultery” also includes the subsequent relationship.  They argue that the relationship must be terminated in order to repent of adultery and further stipulate that only those who divorce on the grounds of fornication may remarry without entering into adultery as a relationship.

On the other hand, some argue that since “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is referring to the sexual act, that the divorcing and remarrying is in name only and does not constitute a divorce and remarriage at all and that one may subsequently remarry after one has waited for one’s spouse to commit fornication in some subsequent relationship.  It is then claimed that one may divorce said spouse upon the grounds of fornication.  Others, however, accept the premise that “adultery” in Matthew 19:9 is referring to the sexual act but argue that the divorcing (not upon the grounds of fornication) and remarrying are binding and do not legitimate subsequent remarriages.  They argue that individuals who have divorced (not upon the grounds of fornication) and remarried must repent and put away their spouse because their presumed ongoing sexual relationship constitutes adultery.  If they are not having a sexual relationship, they argue that these must repent of other sins (such as lasciviousness, poor example, etc.) and separate.

It should be noted, then, that there are only two ends under consideration.  There is the one end where remarriage takes place subsequent to a divorce (not on account of fornication) and those who approve of such a marriage.  There is the other end where remarriage takes place subsequent to a divorce (not on account of fornication) and those who condemn such a marriage.  It is this second end that Jesus has in mind.  By using the word “adultery” Jesus intended to convey condemnation to those who would divorce (for reasons other than fornication) and remarry.  Any teaching that undermines this basic teaching must be rejected.  Only the one who has divorced his spouse upon the grounds of fornication may remarry.

It is folly to suggest that the act of marrying can be isolated from the marriage itself.  Surely if the act of marrying is unauthorized, the marriage is also unauthorized.  If the act of marrying is unauthorized, why would the consequences of that act, the marriage, be authorized?  It wouldn’t.

It is also folly to suggest that when one has been divorced for some reason other than fornication that one may “wait it out” and pursue some additional concept of divorce.  I’ll confess that I once privately held this belief, but I no longer accept it and I want to share why.

In Matthew 5:32, Jesus says, “But I say unto you, That whosoever shall put away his wife, saving for the cause of fornication, causeth her to commit adultery: and whosoever shall marry her that is divorced committeth adultery.”  The expression “causeth her to commit adultery” is important.  The causal aspect of her committing adultery is initiated from outside of her will on account of her husband’s having put her away on grounds other than fornication.  This entails the fact that one may be put away on grounds other than fornication without one’s consent.

It is not fair nor equitable for such a circumstance to occur because it precludes the one put away from obtaining an additional marriage without engaging in adultery.  The women of Jesus’ day had no recourse to the law to protest such treatment.  Could the women not “divorce” their husbands after their husbands contracted another marriage and committed fornication?  The text does not provide for such an option.  Jesus simply said that they were being caused to commit adultery.  There was no “mental” divorce; there was no appealing to elders; there was no judicial challenge available for them.  They were stuck with the prospects of living alone or engaging in a marriage that Jesus characterized as adultery.  Those were the only two options under their legal system.

The reality is that if the law permits divorce for some reason other than fornication, such a divorce is still considered by God as binding because the very character of the institution of marriage (and divorce) requires public acknowledgement and that necessitates human involvement.  There is no such thing as a secret marriage and there is no such thing as a secret divorce; such actions must be taken publicly by definition of the institution as God ordained it.  Under such circumstances, when the law is structured in such a way so as to permit (and even favor) divorces for some reason other than fornication, the Christian has no recourse but to submit to the law.  Such may take away a Christian’s right, but it does not cause a Christian to violate a command of God, because God has never commanded Christians to marry.  When a command of God comes in conflict with the law of the land, we must obey God rather than men (Acts 5:29).  However, when it is a matter of one’s right, the Christian is under obligation to sacrifice his right in order to be submissive to the law (Romans 13:5, Romans 15:1-3).

This issue has caused much contention in our brotherhood among individuals who profess that Jesus’ words condemn those who have divorced, (not on the grounds of fornication) remarried, and remain in that marriage.  Both sides of the polemic have either publicly or privately engaged in culpable rhetoric and pejorative attitudes.  While we may not agree upon the means by which we come to the same end, let us agree upon the same end and let this not be an issue that further divides us.

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A Soul from Death

James wrote, “Brethren, if any of you do err from the truth, and one convert him; Let him know, that he which converteth the sinner from the error of his way shall save a soul from death, and shall hide a multitude of sins” (James 5:19-20). This passage was written to Christians and is concerned with Christians. Notice that first, a brother may err from the truth. Second, he may be converted or restored to the truth. Third, a brother converted from the error of his way is thus saved from death. Fourth, his salvation is attributed to the efforts of a faithful brother. Fifth, a multitude of sins is hidden by the conversion.

Perhaps, you dear friend, obeyed the Gospel of Christ sometime in the past but have since departed from the way of truth and righteousness. If so, consider seriously the end of your present course and the quickness with which your time and opportunities are passing. If you are a delinquent member of the church, please feel free to contact us (573-859-6616). It is the Christian’s desire and the Lord’s desire for you to be an active servant for Him.

“Take heed, brethren, lest there be in any of you an evil heart of unbelief, in departing from the living God. But exhort one another daily, while it is called To day; lest any of you be hardened through the deceitfulness of sin. For we are made partakers of Christ, if we hold the beginning of our confidence stedfast unto the end.” (Hebrews 3:12-14).

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Son of God, Messiah, and Savior

Have you ever stopped to ask yourself why you believe Jesus to be the Son of God and Savior of mankind? Is your belief based on anything concrete or is it merely a belief that has been passed down to you from your parents that you have simply come to accept without ever questioning why? Do you have a faith in Jesus that is a personally held faith? Or, is your faith an “inherited” faith – one that is borrowed from someone else?

These are tough questions that we each need to ask ourselves, because there will come a time when our faith will be tested and if our faith is not our own then it will fail the test. All too often, a young person has grown up “in the church” never having developed their own personal, evidence based, faith in Christ only to have their faith destroyed the first time they set foot in a college classroom. Sadly, this very thing has happened to many a young Christian in our day.

So my challenge to you is this: Take out a pen and paper or word processing software on your computer and write a brief essay “Why I Believe Jesus Is the Messiah.” Print it out, keep it in your Bible, and every time you run across any scripture that supports or strengthens your faith write down the citation on the bottom of your paper – or incorporate it into your essay. This will be a very challenging and thought-provoking exercise that will cause you to really examine yourself and what you believe. I believe that the end result of such a study will help you to develop a faith strong enough meet any test of faith head on. With this thought in mind, here is my essay:

Why I Believe Jesus is the Son of God

The reasons I believe that Jesus of Nazareth is the Messiah, the Son of God are numerous. It begins with a belief in the reliability of the Bible, especially the New Testament. The Bible has been tested and tried by skeptics for centuries and no one has ever successfully argued against its accuracy and reliability. It is, without question, the Word of God! So, without going into great detail about the evidence for the Bible’s inspiration, I will examine my faith in Jesus from the scriptures based on three major points: Jesus’ fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy, the fulfillment of His own prophecies concerning His death, burial and resurrection and the resurrection itself, including the eye-witness accounts of it recorded in scripture.

Old Testament Prophecy Fulfilled

There are approximately 300 Messianic prophecies fulfilled in the person of Jesus of Nazareth – far too many to be examined here! Let’s begin with the prophecies connected with His birth. Isaiah 7:14 “Therefore the Lord himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive, and bear a son, and shall call his name Immanuel.” This prophecy is shown to be fulfilled in Matthew 1:18-25 and Luke 1:26-35. Lk.1:26-27 says, “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin’s name was Mary.” Also in Luke’s account the angel appeared to the virgin Mary and told her of her child, “And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest…” (Lk. 1:31-32) That it was to be a virgin birth is clearly seen in Lk.1:34-35, “Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man?”

Isaiah’s prophecy was intimately connected with God’s promise to Satan made in Genesis 3:15 the “seed” of Eve would destroy his power, “And I will put enmity between thee and the woman, and between thy seed and her seed; it shall bruise thy head, and thou shalt bruise his heel.” The seed of woman, not man, would triumph over sin and death. Galatians 4:4-5 “But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law…”

Another prophecy concerning His birth is connected with the place of His birth – Bethlehem. Micah 5:2, “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Lk. 2:4-5 records that Joseph took Mary with him to Bethlehem and that it was there she gave birth to Jesus.

Other Messianic prophecies fulfilled in the person of Christ are connected with His death. Psalm 22 and Isaiah 53 both describe the crucifixion scene in great detail.  Read these two chapters and compare with the Gospel accounts of the crucifixion of Jesus found in Mat. 27:1-54, Mark 15:1-40, Lk. 23:1-47 and John 19:1-37. Notice Jn. 19:33, 36 “But when they came to Jesus, and saw that he was dead already, they brake not his legs… For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken…” – referencing Psa. 34:20. Also, compare Mat. 27:35, “And they crucified him, and parted his garments, casting lots: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, They parted my garments among them, and upon my vesture did they cast lots.” referencing Psa. 22:18. These prophecies and many more like them prove Jesus to be the Messiah.

Jesus’ Own Prophecies Fulfilled

Jesus made several prophecies pointing to His death, burial and resurrection that later came to pass exactly as He had predicted. Notice Mat.16:21, “From that time forth began Jesus to shew unto his disciples, how that he must go unto Jerusalem, and suffer many things of the elders and chief priests and scribes, and be killed, and be raised again the third day.” Also, note Mat. 12:40, “For as Jonas was three days and three nights in the whale’s belly; so shall the Son of man be three days and three nights in the heart of the earth.” Compare these prophecies to what is recorded later in the Gospel accounts. Jesus went to Jerusalem was persecuted by the “elders and chief priests.” He also suffered “many things” such as His beatings and tortures at the hands of the Roman soldiers.  He was “killed” by the Roman soldiers when they nailed Him to the cross. He was “raised again the third day.” All of these things and more transpired according to how Jesus predicted they would.

The Resurrection

The single most compelling evidence that Jesus is the Son of God was powerfully demonstrated by His resurrection. In Romans 1:4, Jesus is “…declared to be the Son of God with power, according to the spirit of holiness, by the resurrection from the dead.” It is the power demonstrated in the resurrection that proves indisputably that Jesus IS the Messiah! All of our faith in the Gospel is based upon the fact of the resurrection – it is the corner stone of faith. 1 Corinthians 15:13-14 “But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain.”

The fact that He rose again is proven in several ways. First notice the fact that the chief priests had to bribe the men who had guarded Jesus’ tomb so that they would say that Jesus’ body was stolen.(Mat. 28:11-16). The chief priests had ordered the tomb guarded, the guards had witnessed the resurrection (Mat. 28:2-4), and then they were paid to keep their mouths shut.

The resurrected Savior was witnessed by hundreds of people, beginning with Mary Magdalene in Jn. 20:15-16. Then He appeared to Peter and the other Apostles. (1Cor. 15:5); He was witnessed by a crowd of more than five hundred (1Cor. 15:6); He appeared to James and finally to Paul (1Cor.15:7-8).

The Resurrected Savior was not an illusion or “ghost” – He was real; He had a physical body; He ate with His disciples and they touched Him (Lk. 24:36-43; Jn. 20:25-28). The apostle John records in 1 John 1:1-2,  “That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;  (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)”

John and the other apostles witnessed the resurrection, touched the Savior confirmed without a doubt that He was risen.

The apostles witnessed Jesus’ ascension up into Heaven in Lk. 24:51 and Acts 1:9-11 “And when he had spoken these things, while they beheld, he was taken up; and a cloud received him out of their sight. And while they looked stedfastly toward heaven as he went up, behold, two men stood by them in white apparel;  Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven.”

We can see through the fulfillment of prophecy that Jesus is the Messiah – the Son of God and Savior of mankind. We must believe this – our salvation depends upon it! Jn. 8:24 “I said therefore unto you, that ye shall die in your sins: for if ye believe not that I am he, ye shall die in your sins.” The resurrection is the key point of the Gospel – it proves without a doubt that Jesus is the Messiah. When we take into account the weight of all the evidence supporting the Messiahship of Jesus we cannot come to any other conclusion than – He is Lord!

We have not even made mention of the signs and miracles that Jesus performed. Jn. 20:30-31  “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book: But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.” Jn. 21:25 “And there are also many other things which Jesus did, the which, if they should be written every one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that should be written” Signs that were witnessed by an entire nation. Ac. 2:22 “Ye men of Israel, hear these words; Jesus of Nazareth, a man approved of God among you by miracles and wonders and signs, which God did by him in the midst of you, as ye yourselves also know:”

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