Posts Tagged ‘ Trinity ’
Now the Lord is the Spirit, and where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is freedom.
2 Corinthians 3:17, ESV
Christ has set us free from the tyranny of sin, not as a temporary fix but eternal healing, and we have His Holy Spirit as a deposit of that promise.
No one has ascended into heaven except he who descended from heaven, the Son of Man. And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life.
John 3:13-15, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.
Even the religious elite could see it, but they could not understand without help.
And Jesus was that help to Nicodemus and others willing to listen, but we tend to be an obstinate lot.
What does Jesus tell us about salvation?
He tells us that only Jesus has made the trip from heaven and back, that only those who believe in Him can ascend.
He tells us we must believe He is the only source of salvation, and it is in His death on the cross we find forgiveness and are saved.
God came to us as a man to save us by taking our punishment on Himself, and we must believe this to be saved.
Maybe people who lived in Old Testament times did not understand this in detail, but they knew where salvation was found: in God alone.
Christ has come and given us the Holy Spirit who leads us to Christ’s cross and forgiveness of sins and hope for eternal life.
May we seek the Lord who has saved us and shown us the path to eternal life.
Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God.
John 3:5, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Jesus came to live amongst us, teaching the truths of God and proving them with miracles, signs, and wonders.
Even the religious elite could see it, but they could not understand without help.
If the most religious and smartest could not understand the ways of God, what hope could the rest of us have?
What does Jesus tell us about salvation?
Born of water: baptism does play a role, but this also tells us that only humans can be saved. (Fallen angels cannot be saved.)
Born of the Spirit: only those who believe and receive the Holy Spirit can be saved. (John 16:7-15)
This is difficult to comprehend, but only by trusting the Holy Spirit and the truth of the gospel of Christ can we inherit eternal life in Christ.
Jesus came to bring us life free from sin and in eternity with Him.
Christ has come, and we must seek the wisdom of His Holy Spirit and forgiveness of sins. (James 1:5; 1 John 1:9)
May we seek the Lord who has offered us His Holy Spirit, salvation, and eternal life.
Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, God abides in him, and he in God.
1 John 4:15, ESV
We must acknowledge that Jesus is the second Person of the Trinity, the Son of God who is God, or we do not have God in our life.
Who has measured the Spirit of the Lord, or what man shows him his counsel? Whom did he consult, and who made him understand? Who taught him the path of justice, and taught him knowledge, and showed him the way of understanding?
Isaiah 40:13-14, ESV
At Advent, we look back at why Jesus had to come, that He came, and then that He will come again.
Our sins have stacked up to heaven, deeper and more vile than we could know.
Sin is rebellion against the character of God.
And we think we can tell God what is good? What justice and goodness are? That we know better what God’s character and will are?
Who do we think we are? Why do we think we understand God’s creation and character better than He does when He has revealed it through HisbWord by His prophets and apostles?
And this is what the prophets, including John the Baptist, were telling us.
“Repent! Stop your foolish thinking, and turn from your sin! The kingdom of God is at hand, and you think you can judge your Creator? Prepare for His coming, now!”
But we still try to justify our sin, correct God on His justice, and fix His revelation.
We therefore prepare ourselves by admitting we don’t understand as much as we think we do, turning to the Word and trusting the Holy Spirit to reveal the truth of Christ to us.
May we seek the Lord who took on the just punishment we deserved, preparing ourselves by seeking His revelation.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!
Psalm 100:4, ESV
God has called us into community with Him and with His Chosen people. May we come together and thank God for this brotherhood: the Church filled with the Holy Spirit.
“Behold, I am sending you out as sheep in the midst of wolves, so be wise as serpents and innocent as doves.”
Matthew 10:16, ESV
We must understand this w world, but we are to be better than the world. Only with the help of the Holy Spirit and because of Christ can we do this.
On the last day of the feast, the great day, Jesus stood up and cried out, “If anyone thirsts, let him come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as the Scripture has said, ‘Out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.’”
John 7:37-38, ESV
We long for peace and fellowship, and when we believe in Christ, His Holy Spirit flows through us, giving us inner peace and peace with God and others.
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.
Colossians 3:16, ESV
One of the strongest means of turning our minds from the thinking of this world is encouraging and teaching each other in God’s Word.
Let us help each other in the Spirit to have our minds conformed to Christ.
And I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us?” Then I said, “Here I am! Send me.”
Isaiah 6:8, ESV
It is intimidating, even scary to stand for God’s truth.
Yet, our Lord came and willingly went to the cross for truth, so let us follow His example in His strength by the power of the Holy Spirit.
a simple man of God 