The purpose of this post today is to draw attention to the basic bible teaching of Reconciliation, the 'getting together' ......of God and man.
Christianity is distincly a religion of Redemption -
The fundamental purpose of Christianity is to recover men from the guilt and power of sin. All of its history, and all of its teachings must be studied in the light of that dominating and bible based purpose.
We are told that Jesus was a great Teacher, and so he was, but the Apostles never gloried in that fact.. Some remind us that he was a great Reformer, and so he was. But Peter, John and Paul never mentioned that fact either. It is asserted that he was a great Philanthropist, a man intensely interested in the bodies and lives of men, and so he was but the New Testament does not seem to mention that.
It has often been declared that he was a great Martyr, a man who laid down his life in devotion to the truth, and so he was, and so he did. But the bible never looks at him from that standpoint, or regards him in such a light.
The bible refuses to enroll Jesus among the Teachers or Reformers or Philanthropists or the martyr's of the human race.
According to the Apostolic writers, Jesus is the worlds one and only Redeemer, He was manifested to take away the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
The Apostles went out to baptise nations in His Name and to declare "he (Jesus) died for our sins" You cannot read the New Testament without becoming aware that the central and most outstanding fact, is the death of Jesus.
Look at the gospels, and you will discover that over one quarter of their pages are devoted to the story of his death. Study the letters, which make up the last half of the N.T. - you will find that in these letters there is hardly a quotation from the words of Jesus. The letters seem to ignore that Jesus was a Teacher or a Reformer,... but every letter is soaked in the pathos of his death.
There must be a reason for this. A study of the N.T. will convince any that Jesus had trained his disciples to see in his sufferings and death, the climax of God's crowning revelation to the world.
The key note of the whole gospel story is struck by John the Baptist in his declaration "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" In that declaration was a reference to the death of Jesus, for the "lamb" in Palestine lived only to be slain.
"God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself"
"Christ died for our sins, according to the scripture"
"Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin"
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesu's blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand......All other ground is sinking sand.
Christianity is distincly a religion of Redemption -
The fundamental purpose of Christianity is to recover men from the guilt and power of sin. All of its history, and all of its teachings must be studied in the light of that dominating and bible based purpose.
We are told that Jesus was a great Teacher, and so he was, but the Apostles never gloried in that fact.. Some remind us that he was a great Reformer, and so he was. But Peter, John and Paul never mentioned that fact either. It is asserted that he was a great Philanthropist, a man intensely interested in the bodies and lives of men, and so he was but the New Testament does not seem to mention that.
It has often been declared that he was a great Martyr, a man who laid down his life in devotion to the truth, and so he was, and so he did. But the bible never looks at him from that standpoint, or regards him in such a light.
The bible refuses to enroll Jesus among the Teachers or Reformers or Philanthropists or the martyr's of the human race.
According to the Apostolic writers, Jesus is the worlds one and only Redeemer, He was manifested to take away the sin of the world. He is the Lamb of God that taketh away the sin of the world.
The Apostles went out to baptise nations in His Name and to declare "he (Jesus) died for our sins" You cannot read the New Testament without becoming aware that the central and most outstanding fact, is the death of Jesus.
Look at the gospels, and you will discover that over one quarter of their pages are devoted to the story of his death. Study the letters, which make up the last half of the N.T. - you will find that in these letters there is hardly a quotation from the words of Jesus. The letters seem to ignore that Jesus was a Teacher or a Reformer,... but every letter is soaked in the pathos of his death.
There must be a reason for this. A study of the N.T. will convince any that Jesus had trained his disciples to see in his sufferings and death, the climax of God's crowning revelation to the world.
The key note of the whole gospel story is struck by John the Baptist in his declaration "Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world" In that declaration was a reference to the death of Jesus, for the "lamb" in Palestine lived only to be slain.
"God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself"
"Christ died for our sins, according to the scripture"
"Without the shedding of blood there is no remission of sin"
My hope is built on nothing less, than Jesu's blood and righteousness. I dare not trust the sweetest frame, but wholly lean on Jesus Name.
On Christ the solid rock I stand......All other ground is sinking sand.
