Grace Bible Church Black Hills

Grace Bible Church Black Hills A group of people that love the Lord Jesus and want to study HIs Word Line by line Book by book. Home Church.

03/04/2024

New Birth in Christ
John 3: 1-10
“Everyone talking about Heaven ain’t going there.” That from an old spiritual song that describes many in the church today. They outwardly identify with Christ, but inwardly they have never ben genuinely saved (converted). Because they hold on to a false profession, they fool themselves into thinking they are ok and on the road to forever (the narrow road), when they are on the broad road that leads to destruction. To make matters worse this deception is enforced by well-meaning Christians who naively embrace them as true believers. This comes from a watered- down pseudo gospel from far too many pulpits. Cheap grace, by emotionalism, subjectivism, indiscriminate inclusivism, market driven ministry in the church with devastating consequences. The result any profession of faith is affirmed as genuine, from those who manifest no signs of true fruit (Luke 6:43-44). So, no one’s faith is to be questioned. Yet, New Testament scriptures warn of the danger of false faith. (James 2:14-26) and self-examination (2 Cor. 3:15).
The ministry of Jesus provides a contrast to the contemporary evangelical confusion. Jesus was not interested in shallow responses, pseudo-conversions. He refused to compromise the truth or give false hope. Jesus turned away more prospects than He received. The rich young ruler, for example eagerly sought out Jesus and asked Him, “Teacher, what good thing shall I do that I may obtain eternal life?” (Matt. 19:16). But the bible says he went away sad and unsaved (V.22). Jesus explained Matt. 19:23-26: Truly I say to you, it is hard for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven. Again, I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle, than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God. When the disciples heard this, they were very astonished and said, then who can be saved? And looking to them Jesus said to them, With people this is impossible, but with God all things are possible.
As a result of Jesus uncompromising demand for total commitment, many of His disciple withdrew and not walking with Him anymore” (John 6:66). Jesus repeatedly warned His followers of the danger of false faith even those who ministered in His Name. Matt. 7:21-23: Not everyone who says to Me, Lord, Lord, will enter the kingdom of heaven, but he who does the will of My Father who is in heaven will enter. Many will say to Me on that day, Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in Your name, and in Your name cast out demons, and in Your name perform many miracles? And then I will declare to them, I never knew you; depart from Me. you who practice lawlessness.
Jesu also explained that being one of His disciples mean dying to self. “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross daily and follow Me” (Luke 9:23) Such a high cost was too much for would be followers (Luke 9:57-62).
Clearly, the emphasis on abandoning self and submitting to Him, is Christ’s approach, both in His public and private conversations. In John 3:1-10, Christ’s dialogue with Nicodemus can be discussed under three headings.

02/15/2024

The Lord Jesus Display’s His Deity
John 2: 12-25
There is no question more important than, “Who is Jesus Christ”. It is profound, it evokes a vast array of emotions from hostility to adoration. Just thinking about it is not enough, it is a question that must be answered. Answering it incorrectly, no matter the excuse ultimately leads to devastation.
That question has caused confusion and debate throughout history. Even in Jesus’ time, when He asked “who do people say that the Son of Man is? (Matt. 16:13). The disciple listed several “some say John the Baptist, others Elijah, but still others Jeremiah, or one of the prophets (v. 14). There is only one correct answer. One disciple was correct, Peter You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God (V.16).
Scripture reaffirms Peter’s assessment of Christ’s identity. A few examples. He is called God (John 1: 1, 18, 20:28, Rom. 9:5, Heb. 1:8, etc.). Our great God and Savior (Titus 2:13, 2 Peter 1:1). Mighty God (Isa. 9:6) I am (John 8:58), the first and the Last (Rev. 17;14, Deut. 10:17), and the Alpha and the Omega (Rev 22:13, 1:8). In Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9) and many others and clearly the Biblical evidence leads to only one possible conclusion, Jesus Christ is God.
Despite Scripture clarity there are still some skeptics who deny those clear claims. In their unbelieving option, the Christ of Scripture is a mythical figure, invented by His followers, the historical Jesus of Nazareth, they argue was a social critic, philosopher, politically correct sage, but not the Messiah, the Son of God, God incarnate in human flesh.
In order to reach their conclusions, they question the reliably of the New Testament or the honesty of the disciples. But the New Testament is the most well-attested document form antiquity. There are far more manuscripts of the New Testament today that any other ancient writing. “To be skeptical of the resultant text of the New Testament books is to allow all of classical antiquity to slip into obscurity, for no documents of the ancient period are as well attested bibliographically as the New Testament” (John Warwick Montgomery, History and Christianity Downers Grove, III, InterVarsity 1974, 24).
John the apostle walked with Jesus from the beginning of His earthly ministry. He saw all His miracles, heard His teachings and observed His life from an intimate view point as one of the closest to Him (Peter and James two others). So, John wrote his gospel so the readers would understand Jesus’ true identity as God, the Son in human flesh (20:31).
In the Scripture (passage), John continues this theme, and shows three aspects of Christ’s Deity.

01/08/2024

Jesus’ First Miracle
John 2: 1-11
Now all the attempts to explain Jesus as just a man fails to explain the facts of His life, death and resurrection. In the incarnation, God entered the natural world in a human body. So, then it is impossible to remove the miraculous elements from His life, as anti-supernaturalists attempt to do. The Divine Christ and the historical Jesus of Nazareth are linked, because they are one and the same person. Jesus was and is God-man.
The miracles Jesus performed is one of the most powerful proofs of His Deity. In keeping with his theme of presenting Jesus the incarnate God-man, John records eight miraculous signs Jesus performed. That list is not all of them by no means, many times Jesus did more in one day. John first selected these eight examples to prove His Deity. This Scripture describes the first of the eight miracles, also the first one Jesus did at the outset of His public ministry.
I. The Setting V.1-2
The third day refers back to the call of Philip and Nathanael. It is also the last of time indicators, and it suggests the event from John the Baptist interview with the Jewish leaders to this wedding in Cana was about a week.
Cana of Galilee nine miles north of Nazareth. Jesus and the disciples could have come easily on the third day after leaving the Jordan River.
A wedding was a major event in the first century Palestine and could last as long as a week. Unlike weddings today, where traditionally was paid for by the bride’s family, the groom’s family was responsible for the expenses of the celebration. The wedding marked the end of betrothal period Which was lasted several months (Mary and Joseph). They did not live together or consummate the marriage during that period. On the night of the ceremony (usually Wednesday) the groom’s family would go to the bride’s house and es**rt her and her attendants to the groom’s house where the ceremony and banquet or dinner took place. It ended with the actual wedding.
The Mother of Jesus (John does not refer to Mary by name in his gospel). Because both her and Jesus attending the wedding shows it may have involved relatives or friends of the family. That would explain why Mary seems to have been more than a guest, she seemed to have some responsibility for helping the groom’s family. She was aware of the wine problem, and took action to solve the serious problem.
The language used of Mary (was there) and Jesus and his disciple (were invited) shows she had some role in serving the event. (Joseph was not there). The disciples were invited most likely because of their connection with Jesus.
By attending this wedding and preforming His first miracle, Jesus sanctified the institute of marriage and the ceremony. Marriage, the sacred union of a man and a woman who become one in God’s sight. Jesus’ attending this wedding celebration marks a difference in His ministry from John the Baptist (matt. 11:18-19). Instead of just being a voice, Jesus had a more difficult task of mingling socially with the people and ministering to them in their daily activities (Parties).

12/22/2023

The Amazing Child Who Was God
Luke 2: 39-52 Pt1
History has recorded some truly amazing children. Child prodigies who preformed astonishing feats. In the eighteenth century, Jean Cardiac, known as the wonder child was said to have recited the alphabet at three months. By four years old, he read Latin, Greek, Hebrew, and translated Latin into English and French. Christian Friedrich Heinecken, known as the infant of Lubeck, a contemporary of Cardiac. He reportedly knew major events recorded in the Bible by the time he was one.
One of the most noted contemporary child prodigies is Kim Ung Yong born in South Korea in 1963. By four he was able to read Korean, Japanese, German and English at the same age solved complicated calculus problems on Japanese television. He came to the U.S. at seven at the invitation of NASA and earned a PHD in Physics before he was sixteen.
The accomplishments of these and other prodigies combined pale into insignificance compared to one twelve-year-old boy named Jesus. No human genius, no IQ in excess of 200 can compare with the infinite mind and capabilities of the child who was God incarnate. In a dramatic and moving account of the only recorded incident of Jesus’ childhood. Luke revealed from His own words that the child was God.
Luke has already presented compelling testimony that Jesus was the Son of God, the One through whom God would redeem and save His people. But here he turned from the testimony of others to the testimony of the child Himself. Luke’s account reveals plainly that at the age of twelve, Jesus already possessed a complete understanding of His nature and mission: He was God the Son, come to do the Father’s will.
In this the only recorded incident from Jesus’ childhood, we have the only words He is recorded to have said before He started His public ministry. It is of monumental importance. Jesus’ identity as the Son of God incarnate was not something thrust on Him by Jewish Messianic expectations, or invented by His followers, or something He assumed for Himself
then He began His public ministry. It was His true identity, which He had become aware of by the age of twelve, eighteen years before His public ministry began.
Well it's critical to understand that it is His true identity and that's why the remarkable incident at the age of twelve is recorded for us so it leaves absolutely no question as to the understanding of Jesus with regard to His true identity.
V39: Luke noted that when they (Joseph and Mary) had performed everything according to the Law of the Lord, they returned to Galilee, to their own city of Nazareth. Performing everything according to the law of the Lord refers back to verse 22. After a Jewish woman gave birth to a male child, she was to go forty days later to the temple to make purification sacrifice. And that's exactly what they did as verse 22 indicates when the days, the forty days for their purification according to the law of Moses were completed, they brought the baby up to Jerusalem to present Him to the Lord. They went up, they made the appropriate sacrifice. They did what they were to do. Setting apart the male child, verse 23, indicates as the Old Testament instruction had been given in Exodus and in Numbers. And then verse 24, to offer the sacrifice, in their case a pair of turtledoves, two young pigeons because they were too poor to afford a lamb. So, they did that. They made the sacrifice. They presented the male child to the Lord. They uniquely presented this child, this virgin-conceived child to God. Now between V.38and 39 a very important part of the birth narrative took place. After their encounter with Simeon and Anna in the temple, before their return to Nazareth the wise men visited Joseph and Mary and Jesus (Matt. 2:1-12) and they fled to Egypt to escape Herod’s murderous rage (V.13-15) and his brutal slaughter of the male infants around Bethlehem (V.16-18). It was only after Herod’s death did Joseph, Mary and Jesus returned to Nazareth (V.19-23).
You say, "How do you know it happened then?" Well it had to have happened then because they were living in a house. The wise men came to a house, which was different than the stable where they were at first. It also had to have happened then because when they came for purification, they had to offer birds as it says in verse 24. That was done only if you had limited funds. When the wise men came, they brought gold and frankincense and myrrh. Literally they brought a cache of immense wealth and gave it to Joseph and Mary, certainly providing enough money for them to have purchased a lamb for the purification if in fact the wise men had come before that ceremony was held. The fact that they bought turtledoves, the cheapest of all things next to just offering grain, indicates they had no such money which tells us the wise men hadn't yet been there.
This one brief passage contains everything that is known about the life of Jesus Christ from His infancy to the outset of His public ministry.

12/20/2023

We Christian need to ask ourselves why are we attending the church we are at. Not looking for answer I have heard them all. My friends are there, Love the pastor etc. Why ask this question? Let me put it this way, and some may disagree. But did you know according to Right to Life 34% of evangelicals voted for adoration. Churches are openly putting up sings promoting sinful life styles. Also, many are not teaching God’s or wording the Lord’s word down. Some are not doing anything to reach or even help their people understand God’s word better (mature in the faith). Many are nothing but social clubs getting together for food, and maybe some bible study. They seem to have lost the purpose Christ started the church. These the churches in the Book of Revelation. They say we have money and give to Chistian originations like Shoe boxes and denominational giving and once a year (summer) do a hour or two thing. But are these like the church Jesus said was no hot or cold, or they think they are rich but poor, or they have lost their first love. Remember what Jesus said to those churches (if not read it. Chapter 2 and 3 revelation). How can I say this I been in these churches and pastored one. We are living in a darkening world and in a darkening church. We need to be asking what are we doing for our Lord not for our selves and why are we in the church we are supporting? Time is growing short the Lord’s return is getting closer and no one knows when. Will He find you and your church faithful to Him? I know I will get some negative comments but that is ok.

10/06/2023

Salvation God’s Sovereignty, Man’s choice
John 1: 38 – 51
Because of human fallen state, and total lack of spiritual resources, there would be no salvation unless God provided it. (Gen. 49:18, 1 Sam. 2:1, Acts 4:12, Rev. 19:1 etc.). Now the Bible teaches that salvation is by God’s grace and not by human works (Eph. 2:8-9, Titus 3:5, etc.) And God, Himself, chose the redeemed for salvation in eternity past (Acts 11:18, Rom. 8:28-30, 1 Thess. 1:4:2 etc.).
The Bible is also clear no one is saved apart from faith in the Lord Jesus. The Bible also commands sinners to repent (Matt. 3:2, 4:17, Mark 6:12, Luke 5:32, etc.) and believe in Christ (Mark 1:15, Luke 8:12, etc.) is their responsibility to do both. In fact, Scripture condemns sinners for not doing them (matt. 11:20-21, John 3:36 etc.)
This passage shows the balance between divine sovereignty and human responsibility in salvation. John records Jesus call to His first disciples to salvation.
I. The People who Seek Christ V.38-42
John the Baptist has just pointed our Jesus, the Lamb of God, to two of his disciples, Andrew and John (V.40) who then followed Jesus. As they walked after Him, Jesus turned and saw them following, and said to them, “What do you seek? Jesus did not ask the question for His benefit; He is omniscient and already knew what they wanted. Being follower of John the Baptist, they were convicted of their sin and seeking forgiveness and righteousness Messiah would bring. The Lord asked the question to challenge them to consider their motives. He did not ask them Whom they were seeking but what they were seeking. RCH Lenski “This first word spoken by Jesus (in John’s Gospel) is a master question. It bids them look searching at their inmost longings and desires. A hidden promise lies in the question, “What are you seeking?” Jesus has the highest treasure any man can seek, longs to direct our seeking toward that treasure in order that He may bestow it for our everlasting enrichment (The Interpretation of St. John’s gospel) What are your motives wanting Christ?
Andrew and John did not answer the question directly, but asked one of their own Rabbi (which translated means teacher or master), where are You staying? By asking that question Andrew and John were not just asking where Jesus was residing. But requesting an extended private interview with Him. It also signaled their willingness to become His disciples (Are we willing?)
Jesus’ response to them, “Come and you will see” was the invitation they were looking for. Jesus was asking Andrew and John to do something more than see where He was staying; Jesus was inviting them to gain from Him an insight into purpose of God Himself (the same today). RVG Tasker, The Gospel According to St. John, The Tyndale New Testament Commentaries. Jesus knew their hearts and were true sincere seekers. They had been drawn to Jesus by the Father (6:44) and convicted of their sin by the Holy Spirit. True honest seekers always find Him (Jer. 29:13, Deut. 4:29, etc.) Because He promised “If anyone is willing to do His will he will know of the teaching, whether it is of God or whether I speak from Myself” (John 7:17) Jesus will not commit Himself to the insincere, no matter what their outward profession may be. John 2:23-25 Read.
Jesus never shut off the sincere, spirit prompted seeker. He was never too busy to show compassion for the lost sheep seeking a shepherd (Matt. 9:36). Jesus did not cast them aside. Example: Zacchaeus who was desperate to see Him. Jesus said Zacchaeus, furry and come down, for today I must stay at your house” (Luke 19:5). In response to Jesus’ invitation, Andrew and John came and saw where He was staying and they stayed with Him that day. And for them like Zacchaeus, the day they met Jesus it was to e the day of salvation.
This was such a life changing event in John’s life, he recorded the time about the tenth hour. The day was ending, and darkness was approaching. And instead of seeking shelter, Andrew and John sought the Savior. The invitation to stay the night with Him, as His statement “Come and you will see” implies. John does not record what Jesus said to them, but the Lord undoubtedly “opened their minds to understanding the Scripture” (Luke 24:45) as He Explained to them the things concerning Himself in all Scripture (Luke 24-27).
v.40 names one of the two who heard John the Baptist speak and followed Jesus, Andrew, Simon Peter’s brother, since Peter was more widely known. Here as in two other appearances in John’s gospel, Andrew brings someone to meet Christ. In chapter 6:8-9 he brought the boy with the barley loaves and fish to Jesus, feeding of the 5,000. In 12:20-22 he brought Greeks to meet Jesus. After spending the day and the night with Jesus (V.39), Andrew the following day found first his own brother Simon and said to Him, “We have found the Messiah” (which translated means Christ). Some commentators believe the Greek text suggests that John also found his brother James shortly afterward). How about you? Do you remember after you were saved, you wanted everyone to know? Jesus had convinced them, Andrew and John, of His true identity, that does not mean they fully understood the implications of Jesus Messiahship, that would grow over the years they spend with Him.
Not being satisfied with just delivering the good news, Andrew brought Peter to Jesus. When Jesus looked at him and said, “You are Simon the son of Jona; you shall be called Cephas” (which is translated Peter). Jesus’ omniscient looked and saw not just Simon, but also the man he would mold him into. Jesus, therefore, called him Cephas, Aramaic for “rock.” Jesus would transform Peter’s character to match his new name, and use him as the foundational leader in the early days of the church, (same for us).
In his book, Twelve Ordinary Men, John MacArthur wrote about the significance of Jesus giving Simon the name Peter. Sometimes, Jesus continued to refer to Peter as Simon. When you see that in Scripture, it often signaled that Peter has done something that needs rebuked or correction. So, Jesus could gently rebuke or commend him by just using one name or other.
Peter was like most Christians both carnal and spiritual. He was influenced by the habits of the flesh, and sometime functional in the Spirit. He was sinful at times and in other times, he acted the way a righteous man would. Sometimes Simon, sometimes Peter. He was the leader of the twelve.
Seeking souls (people) will always find Christ as He later promised. “All that the Father gives Me will come to Me, and the one who come to Me, I will not cast out” (6:37).

Last night for this year's VBS. What a great time we have had. The children liked all the things we had them do. I do no...
07/26/2023

Last night for this year's VBS. What a great time we have had. The children liked all the things we had them do. I do not post the children pictures. What a blessing it is to have this opportunity to share with children the love of Jesus.

06/30/2023

The Testimony of John the Baptist
John 1:19-37
The ancient world had seen many great men, like Alexander the Great, Judicious lawgivers, like Hammurabi, profound thinkers like Socrates, powerful rulers, like Augustus Caesar, wise men like Solomon, religious leaders, like Abraham, Moses, David, judges and prophets of Israel. But the greatest one and an improbable person by human standards for that honor. He lived his life in obscurity in the desert far from society, nor was he wealthy, dressed and ate and identified with the poor (Matt. 3:4). Yet, he had the most important task in history, to announce the arrival of the Messiah. This person was John the Baptist, the last Old Testament prophet. In v.15, John confessed that Christ was greater than him. Yet, Jesus pronounced him greater than any person who had ever lived before him (Matt. 11:11). Jesus also said everyone after John in the kingdom was greater than John because they lived in the fullness of all the new covenant work of the Messiah. John died before the cross and resurrection, though it’s applied to him as to all Old Testament saints.
Sometime after his (John B) entered the world, he disappeared into obscurity “in the desert” until his ministry began. John was about 29 or 30 years old (Luke 1:80). When the Word of God came to him (Luke 3:2) starting his ministry (prophetic) he suddenly “appeared in the wilderness preaching a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sin (Mark1:4). Now Israel had been waiting four centuries for God to send a prophet, so John’s forceful dynamic preaching stirred up interest and large crowds from “Jerusalem and all over Judea, and all the district around the Jordan” (Matt. 3:5) came to hear John’s message. In keeping with his mission to herald the Messiah (V.23). John encouraged his hearers to “Repent, for the Kingdom of Heaven is at hand” (Matt. 3:2), and baptized those who repented as a symbol of their spiritual cleansing (Mark 1:5, John 1:28, 3:23).
These events took place at the peak of his ministry, before the baptism of Jesus. When Jesus was in the wilderness being tempted (matt. 4:1-11, Luke 4:1-13), John continued his ministry of preaching repentance and baptizing. John used three groups to emphasizing these truths about Christ.

06/04/2023

The Incarnate Word (Jesus)
John 1: 14-18
In the first five centuries the early church defended the true doctrine of the incarnation. In that time many false teachings about the hypostatic union (union of the Divine and human natures in Christ), were examined and rejected. Example some argued that Jesus did not have a human spirit, rather His Divine spirit united with a human body. That view preserved His Deity, but denying His full humanity. Others say the Divine Christ-spirit entered the man Jesus at His baptism and left at His crucifixion. Another false view was that Jesus was a created being and so inferior to God the Father. Others viewed Him as two separate persons, one human and the other Divine, that teaching was Jesus was a man in whom God dwelt.
All the views are in error either by denying Christ’s full Deity or His full humanity. The true church rejected those views for the Biblical view of Jesus as God-man. The Council of Chalcedon AD 451 officially declared that truth is the most famous and important statements in church history. You can read it in Documents of the Christian Church, Henry Bettenson, London Oxford University 1967, 51-52.
The fact that the church has always held to a true doctrine of the incarnation, and confirmed it on several occasions does not mean this doctrine has ceased to be challenged. It is still a target of false teachers, cults and false religions. John the Apostle was clear in his epistles that the true view of Jesus as Divine and Human was an essential mark of salvation (1 John and 2 John and even revelation opens with the glory of Christ (1:4-20).
John has declared the truths of Jesus’ Deity and incarnation, reaching a crescendo in the last five verses. They summarize the opening and entire book. John does this by pointing out glorious realities.
I. The Nature of the Incarnation V.14
Verse 14 is the most concise Biblical statement of the incarnation. And is one of Scriptures most significant verses. The four words, the Word became flesh shows the reality that in the Incarnation God took on humanity, the infinite became finite, eternity entered time, the invisible became visible (Col. 1:15), the Creator entered His creation. God revealed Himself to mankind in creation. (Rom. 1:18-21), the Old Testament Scriptures (2 Tim. 3:16, 2 Peter 1:20-21) and most clearly in Jesus (Heb. 1:1-2). The record of His work, application and significance for the past, present and future is in the New Testament.
Word had rich meaning for both Greeks and Jews; Jesus Christ. God’s final Word to mankind (Heb. 1:1-2), became flesh.
Flesh (Sarx) does not have a negative connotation here, but refers to man’s physical being. Jesus actually became flesh affirms Jesus’ full humanity.
Became (Ginomai) does not mean Jesus ceased being the Eternal Word when He became a man. God is immutable, pure eternal “being” and not “becoming “as all His creatures are, in the Incarnation the unchangeable (Heb. 13:8). God did become fully man, yet remained fully god. He entered into the realm of those who are time and space creatures and experienced life as it is for those He created.
No wonder Paul wrote of the incarnation 1 Tim 3:16: “By common confession, great is the mystery of godliness. He who was revealed in the flesh, was vindicated in the Spirit, seen by angels, Proclaimed among nations. Believed on in the world, taken up in glory.
Charles Wesley also captured the wonder of it in his hymn, Hark! The Herald Angels Sing: veiled in flesh the Godhead see, Hail th’ incarnate Deity! Pleased as man with men to dwell. Jesus our Emmanuel.
The heretical group known as the Docetists believed in dualism as the Gnostic’s soul good material evil prevalent in Greek philosophy. They taught Jesus’ body was a phantom, or the Christ Spirit came in Him at baptism and left at the crucifixion.
John warned about this earlier in this chapter and his first epistle 1 John 4:1-3 “Beloved, o not believe every spirit, but test the spirits to see whether they are from God, because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By this you know the Spirit of God: every spirit that confesses that Jesus Christ has come in the flesh is from God; and every spirit that does not confess Jesus is not from God; this is the spirit of the antichrist, of which you have heard that it is coming, and now it tis already in the world.
Story about John leaving a bath because of Cerinthus’s heresy (this one), the early church historian Eusebius records he left the bath and told others also to leave before the bath falls in. 1 Ecclesiastical History book 111, Chapter 28.
Jesus, the eternal Son not only became man; He also dwelt among us for 33 years. Dwelt means” to live in a tent.” Jesus’ humanity was not a mere appearance. But He took on all the essential attributes of humanity “made in the likeness of men” (Phil. 2:7), “since the children share in flesh and blood, He, Himself, likewise also partook of the same, that through death He might render powerless him who had the power of death, that is the devil” (Heb. 2:14). The writer goes on to explain “He had to be made like His brethren in all things, so that He might become a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people.” (Heb. 2:17). He, Jesus pitched His tent among us.
God in the Old Testament tented with Israel through His glorious presence in the tabernacle (Ex. 40:34-35) and later in the temple (1 Kings 8:10-11) and revealed Himself in pre-incarnate appearances. (Gen. 16, Ex. 3, Josh 5, etc). But throughout eternity, God will again tent with His redeemed and glorified people. Rev. 21:3-4: “And I heard a loud voice from the throng, saying, “Behold, the tabernacle of God is among men, and He will dwell among them, and they shall be His people, and God Himself will be among them, and He will wipe away every tear from their eyes, and there will no longer be any death; there will no longer be any mourning, or crying, or pain; the first have passed away.”.
Jesus manifested God’s divine glory during His earthly life, but was still veiled by His human flesh. Peter, John, and James saw a physical manifestation of Jesus’ heavenly glory at the transfiguration, (Jesus). His face shone like the sun, and His garment became as white as light (Matt. 17:2). That was a preview of the unveiled glory to be seen at His second coming and the fullness of His Heavenly glory as the only Light of New Jerusalem (Rev. 21:23). Jesus manifested the same essential glory as the Father, because as God they possess the same nature (10:30).
Jesus’ manifestation of divine attributes revealing His essential glory as God’s Son, “for in Him all the fullness of Deity dwells in bodily form (Col. 2:9). The two attributes closely commented with salvation grace and truth. Scripture teacher that salvation is wholly by believing God’s truth in the gospels one receives His saving grace.
The Jerusalem Council declared “But we believe that we (Jewish believers) are saved through the grace of the Lord Jesus, in the same way as they (Gentiles) also are (Acts 15:11). Paul reminded Timothy God “Has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose ad grace which was granted us in Christ Jesus from all eternity” (2 Tim. 1:9). That same grace of God has appeared bringing salvation to all men.” (Titus 2:11), with the result that believers “being justified by His grace would be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life (Titus 3:7).
There is no salvation grace except to those who believe the truth of the gospel message. Paul told the Ephesians, “In Him you also after listening to the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation having also believed, you were sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise” (Eph. 1:13). You see people are saved when they “come to the knowledge of truth” (2 Thess. 2:13). On the other hand, “those who perish” will do so” because they did not receive the love of the truth so as to be saved (2 Thess. 2:10). All will “be judged who did not believe the truth, but took pleasure in wickedness” (2 Thess. 2:12).
Jesus Christ was (is) the full expression of God’s grace. That’s why He could declare,” I am the way and the truth, and the life. If you continue in My Word, then you are truly disciples of Mine; and you will know the truth and the truth will make you free (John 14:6, 8:31-32).
A vague belief in God apart from the truth about Christ will not result in salvation. Jesus warned “unless you believe that I am He, you will die in your sins.” (John 8:24). Those who think they are worshiping god but are ignorant of or reject the fullness of the New Testament teaching about Christ are deceived (John 5:23). “Whoever denies the Son does not know the Father, the one who confesses the Son has the Father also” (1 John 2:23).

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