Category Archives: Jesus Christ

Keeping first things first. . .

Posted by Dan C. on

The Apostle Paul probably ascertained some misplaced priorities within the church at the church in Corinth, for he had this to say to them in a letter written to them to point out that very thing – divisions and misplaced priorities.

“For what I received I passed on to you as of first importance: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, that he was buried, that he was raised on the third day according to the Scriptures,and that he appeared to Peter, and then to the Twelve.  After that, he appeared to more than five hundred of the brothers at the same time, most of whom are still living, though some have fallen asleep (died).” (1 Corinthians 15:3-6) (Emphasis mine)

The above verses are nearly always used to answer the question “What is the core of the gospel message?” I know I refer to them constantly when discussing the definition of the “gospel”.  Paul was a, in his own words, a ‘Jew among Jews’, with what some term the equivalent of several Masters degrees and Doctorate or two in his curriculum vitae. He nearly always preached in Jewish synagogues first before taking his message to his primary audience, the non-Jewish Gentile community. Wherever he went, his message revolved around the crucifixion of Christ and the work of God in reconciling men and women to Himself through that death and resurrection. More of Paul’s words to the same crowd. . .

“. . ., but we preach Christ crucified: a stumbling block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles,” (1 Corinthians 1:23)

“For I resolved to know nothing while I was with you except Jesus Christ and him crucified.” (1 Corinthians 2:2)

Many times I’ve heard this sort of reaction to what Paul says is ‘of first importance’:

“So what? That was then and this is now. Just talking about God’s love and how much he wants us to find our special purpose and have our best life now is what attracts people to church. We don’t need all that sin and repentance stuff!”

If you ever get that, a reply to those objections just might be. . .

Well, you might be filling pews (and theater seating) with the ‘unchurched’, and pronouncing anyone who ‘makes a decision’ because they liked the show ‘saved’, but how many ‘newly churched/saved’ folk actually remain ‘unsaved’ because things ‘of first importance’ were not part of your marketing/advertising campaign to get them through the front doors, nor are they preeminent (and in some cases even included) in your preaching, stage presentations?

Something to think about. . .

So that’s what I was thinking about during my ‘morning’ time before I went to work today and during my drive to work. Pulling into the parking lot, I heard a Keith Green song that literally made my whole day. . . . . . . . . . . . . .

There is a Redeemer

There is a Redeemer
Jesus, God’s own Son
Precious Lamb of God
Messiah, Holy One

Jesus, my Redeemer
Name above all names
Precious Lamb of God
Messiah, O for sinners slain

Thank You, O my Father
For giving us Your Son
And leaving us Your Spirit
‘Til the work on earth is done

When I stand in glory
I will see His face
And there I’ll serve
My King forever
In that holy place

He is Risen!

Posted by Dan C. on

On the morning after the Jewish Sabbath, a small group of women went to the tomb to anoint the body of Jesus, wondering who would roll away the stone. When they arrived, the stone had already been rolled away and they were met by an angel who said:

“But the angel said to the women, “Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who was crucified.  He is not here, for he has risen, as he said.” Matthew 28:5-6

When it comes to classic Easter music, a favorite of mine is the refrain from the Robert Lowery hymn Up From The Grave He Arose:

“Up from the grave he arose;
with a mighty triumph o’er his foes;
he arose a victor from the dark domain,
and he lives forever, with his saints to reign.
He arose! He arose! Hallelujah! Christ arose!”

If we consider more contemporary music, my favorite has to be The Easter Song, written my Keith Green and performed by The 2nd Chapter of Acts. I actually found a short clip of an early performance by the 2nd Chapter of Acts with Keith Green on guitar here.

Favorite Easter music aside, there’s the significance of the resurrection, summarized by the Apostle Paul  in one of his letters to the Corinthian church:

“And if Christ has not been raised, then our preaching is in vain and your faith is in vain.” 1 Corinthians 15:14

If there were no resurrection, not only would preaching Christ be senseless and faith in Christ useless, all the witnesses and preachers of the resurrection would be liars, no one would be redeemed from sin, all former believers would have perished, and Christians would be the most pitiable people on the earth! (See 1 Cor 15:14-20).

To borrow from The Easter Song:

Here the bells ringing
They’re singing that you can be born again
Here the bells ringing
They’re singing Christ is risen from the dead

The angel up on the tombstone
Said he has risen, just as he said
Quickly now, go tell his disciples
That Jesus Christ is no longer dead

Joy to the word, he has risen, hallelujah!

Evidence for the Resurrection

Posted by Dan C. on

Just a few quotes from scholars concerning the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Those of us who believe already have no need for such things, but for those who think it a myth or fabrication, these might prove interesting and prompt further investigation. 

“After more than 700 hours of studying this subject, I have come to the conclusion that the resurrection of Jesus Christ is either one of the most wicked, vicious, heartless hoaxes ever foisted on the minds of human beings–or it is the most remarkable fact of history.”

Josh McDowell

“I claim to be an historian. My approach to Classics is historical. And I tell you that the evidence for the life, the death, and the resurrection of Christ is better authenticated than most of the facts of ancient history . . . “

E. M. Blaiklock
Professor of Classics
Auckland University

“There exists no document from the ancient world, witnessed by so excellent a set of textual and historical testimonies . . . Skepticism regarding the historical credentials of Christianity is based upon an irrational bias.”

Clark Pinnock
Mcmaster University

“If the New Testament were a collection of secular writings, their authenticity would generally be regarded as beyond all doubt.”

F. F. Bruce
Manchester University

“For the New Testament of Acts, the confirmation of historicity is overwhelming. Any attempt to reject its basic historicity, even in matters of detail, must now appear absurd. Roman historians have long taken it for granted.”

A. N. Sherwin-White
Classical Roman Historian

“These three great facts–the resurrection appearances, the empty tomb, and the origin of the Christian faith–all point unavoidably to one conclusion: The resurrection of Jesus. Today the rational man can hardly be blamed if he believes that on that first Easter morning a divine miracle occurred.”

Prof. William L. CraigA. 
Talbot School of Theology, Biola University

There is also a record of an excellent debate between two distinguished scholars here.  I have no intent to persuade anyone of the fact of the resurrection, but it has long been a matter of some curiosity that although Christ’s resurrection is one of the most attested to events in history, so many do not believe. I can only surmise that this is due to the sad state of the ‘natural’ human condition of being in bondage to sin and in rebellion against the creator – until the ‘supernatural’ turning of the human heart toward God, and the wonderful miracle of new birth in Christ.

Born on ‘Death Row’

Posted by Dan C. on

You are probably already asking, “What does he mean by that one?”

Well, for this old soldier, that’s what this thing called ‘sin’ is all about, and by the way, the focus of the first point of the two part gospel message (See this earlier post). If I consider it my duty and Great Privilege (See this earlier post), I had better have a good explanation when I tell folks that ‘Christ died for our sins’. A correct ‘view’ of sin is as essential to delivering the gospel message as is the ‘fact’ of sin. Sadly, and to our shame (us evangelicals), we sometimes forget to mention sin when we share the gospel, and often when we do dare approach the subject, we treat it poorly.

Listening to today’s popular gospel, one might think that ‘sin’ is just about the annoying little things we ‘do’ and Jesus died so we could make it to heaven anyway because after all, we are born ‘good’ and of such great worth/value to God that he can’t even imagine heaven without us. Or, sin only means being ‘separated from God’, or ‘missing the mark’ – both true statements. If ‘sin’ is not just those things, what is it?

Listen to what the Apostle Paul had to say on the subject to believers in the city of Ephesus:

“As for you, you were dead in your transgressions and sins, in which you used to live when you followed the ways of this world and of the ruler of the kingdom of the air, the spirit who is now at work in those who are disobedient.” Ephesians 2:1-2

Now hear what Jesus said to a religious leader named Nicodemus:

“Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God’s one and only Son.” John 3:18

Apart from Christ we are spiritually dead and already condemned. Would it be fair to say that those two concepts aren’t brought up much (if at all) in today’s ‘seeker friendly’), discover YOUR special purpose, have YOUR best life NOW ‘evangelical’ environment?

How did we end up this way – spiritually dead and already condemned?  We know the story – the first couple (the only two people who ever walked the earth with complete ‘free will’), in an act of willful disobedience, broke the only rule God gave them and sin entered to pollute God’s perfect creation. The effect on the human race was devastating. Everyone born since then (Christ excluded) has inherited what we call a ‘sin nature’ (also known as ‘original sin’) and under a death sentence. If that’s not bad news (REALLY BAD NEWS), nothing is!. And if that’s the bad news, what’s the GOOD news?

The good news (REALLY GOOD NEWS) is that we can get out from under the ‘death sentence’ – receive a FULL PARDON! When we deserved to die (the wages of sin is death – Rom 3:23) and spend an eternity in Hell, someone died IN OUR PLACE. That someone was Jesus, sent to the Cross by his own Father to die in our stead!

“God made him (Jesus Christ) who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:21 (Emphasis mine.)

When we realize our lost and dead condition, admit that we cannot help ourselves, and believe in our heart that Jesus paid for OUR sin with His death, we can receive a ‘full pardon’.

That means a whole lot more than Jesus just dying for the ‘bad stuff I do’, or there being this gulf between me and God called ‘sin’. Jesus suffered the death I deserved! There’s a huge difference between the two concepts. Do you see it? Can you see how our definition of ‘sin’ impacts the gospel message itself?

Does God save people if they only hear the ‘love’ message? I’m sure He does, but it might be ‘in spite of’ a poorly delivered message! By all means talk about love, abundant living, God’s blessings for the one who believes, but as secondary to dealing with the ‘sin’ issue. That’s the difference between a ‘man-centered’ and a ‘God-centered’ gospel – and a message this important deserves to be delivered in its entirety.

We’ll talk about why there’s absolutely no need to dilute the message in a later post.