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“Now the Lord said to Abram, “Go from your country and your kindred and your father’s house to the land that I will show you. ² And I will make of you a great nation, and I will bless you and make your name great, so that you will be a blessing. ³ I will bless those who bless you, and him who dishonors you I will curse, and in you all the families of the earth shall be blessed.”⁴ So Abram went, as the Lord had told him, and Lot went with him. Abram was seventy-five years old when he departed from Haran. ⁵ And Abram took Sarai his wife, and Lot his brother’s son, and all their possessions that they had gathered, and the people that they had acquired in Haran, and they set out to go to the land of Canaan. When they came to the land of Canaan, ⁶ Abram passed through the land to the place at Shechem, to the oak of Moreh. At that time the Canaanites were in the land. ⁷ Then the Lord appeared to Abram and said, “To your offspring I will give this land.” So he built there an altar to the Lord, who had appeared to him.” (Genesis 12:1-7).

Not only was the Messiah to be from the seed of a woman, (i.e. virgin born), but also the Messiah was to be from the Seed of Abraham. God made eight promises to Abraham, which are located in today’s text.

First, God would make Abraham into a great nation. Second, God would bless Abraham. Third, He would make Abraham’s name great. Fourth, Abraham and his seed would be a blessing to others. Fifth, God would bless those who blessed Abraham. Sixth, God would also curse those who cursed Abraham. Seventh, through Abraham and his “seed” (or “offspring”) Abraham would be the channel of blessing to all the peoples on earth. Finally, God would give to Abraham’s “seed” the land he had entered after leaving Ur of the Chaldeans. The first seven promises from God to Abraham appeared in his “call” in Genesis 12:2-3, while the eighth was added when he arrived at Shechem in Palestine (v. 7).

Was Jesus Christ the seed, or offspring, of Abraham by which the Patriarch would be a channel of blessing to all the peoples on earth? Does the New Testament teach that Jesus Christ was related to Abraham? Does Jesus meet this qualification? There are three New Testament text which demand our attention regarding Jesus Christ’s relationship to the Patriarch Abraham?

The first NT text is found in Matthew 1:1. The verse is contained within the context of the genealogy of Jesus Christ through the lineage of His adopted, human father Joseph. The text, which serves as an introductory statement for the Gospel of Matthew, says, “The book of the genealogy of Jesus Christ, the Son of David, the Son of Abraham.” Matthew takes Jesus’ lineage all the way back to Israel’s conception contained in the Abrahamic Covenant (Genesis 12:1-3).

The second text is found in Luke 3:23-38, which contains Jesus Christ’s genealogy through the lineage of His human mother Mary. The extended paragraph beings in 3:23 which says, “²³ Jesus, when he began his ministry, was about thirty years of age, being the son (as was supposed) of Joseph, the son of Heli,” Of particular interest is vs. 34 which says, “³⁴ the son of Jacob, the son of Isaac, the son of Abraham, the son of Terah, the son of Nahor…”

The third NT text in question is Galatians 3:16 which says, “Now to Abraham and his Seed were the promises made. He (God) does not say, and to seeds, as of many but as of one, and to your Seed, who is Christ.” The context concentrates on the doctrine of justification by grace alone, through faith alone in the person and work of Jesus Christ alone.

Dr. William Hendrickson comments that, “God promised salvation, not to Abraham’s physical descendants but to true believers, to them all, whether Jews or Gentiles and to them alone, he is saying that this great blessing is concentrated in one person, Jesus Christ. It is in Him, in Him alone, that all these multitudes of believing Jews and Gentiles are blessed. It is in this sense that the “Seed” is singular, definitely not plural.”

Dr. John MacArthur, in commenting on Galatians 3:16, adds that, “The quote is from Gen. 12:7. The singular form of the Hebrew word, like its English and Greek counterparts, can be used in a collective sense. Paul’s point is that in some OT passages (e.g., Gen. 3:15; 22:18), “offspring” refers to the greatest of Abraham’s descendants, Jesus Christ.”

We can conclude that not only does the New Testament teach that Jesus Christ is virgin born, but also that he belongs to and was a physical descendant of Abraham fulfilling Old Testament prophecy concerning the identity of Israel’s Messiah.

Is Jesus Christ your Messiah? He is the only One.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

¹⁴ The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

The Messiah was to be born from the seed of a woman. That is to say, He was to be virgin born! The first biblical text to proclaim this is admittedly rather cryptic. It is found in Genesis 3:14-15 which says, “So the LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on you belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

 Two key Messianic Prophecies from the Prophet Isaiah which parallel Genesis 3:14-15. They are as follows.

• Isaiah 7:13-14 – “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
• Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

 The question remains as to whether the New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ met the qualification of being born of a virgin? What does the New Testament account of Jesus Christ’s birth have to say? We’ve already looked at Matthew 1:18-25. Today, we’ll examine Luke 1:26-38.

The text says, “²⁶ In the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God to a city of Galilee named Nazareth, ²⁷ to a virgin betrothed to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David. And the virgin’s name was Mary.²⁸ And he came to her and said, “Greetings, O favored one, the Lord is with you!” ²⁹ But she was greatly troubled at the saying, and tried to discern what sort of greeting this might be. ³⁰ And the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. ³¹ And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. And the Lord God will give to him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.”

 ³⁴ And Mary said to the angel, “How will this be, since I am a virgin?”³⁵ And the angel answered her, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy—the Son of God. ³⁶ And behold, your relative Elizabeth in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. ³⁷ For nothing will be impossible with God.” ³⁸ And Mary said, “Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word.” And the angel departed from her.”

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “The importance of the virgin birth cannot be overstated. A right view of the incarnation hinges on the truth that Jesus was virgin-born. Both Luke and Matthew expressly state that Mary was a virgin when Jesus was conceived (Matt. 1:23). The Holy Spirit wrought the conception through supernatural means (Luke 1:35; Matt. 1:18). The nature of Christ’s conception testifies of both his deity and his sinlessness.”

The prophecy from Genesis 3:14-15 is reiterated in the Gospels of Matthew and Luke. Both accounts teach that the prophecy of the virgin birth was fulfilled by Jesus Christ. The Bible clearly sets forth that He is the Seed of the Woman born to crush the head of the serpent.

In light of this prophecy, do you identify yourself as belonging to the Seed of the Woman, Jesus Christ? If not, then you belong to the seed of the serpent. There is no middle ground and no other alternatives. Think about it.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

¹⁴ The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

The Messiah was to be born from the seed of a woman. That is to say, He was to be virgin born! The first biblical text to proclaim this is admittedly rather cryptic. It is found in Genesis 3:14-15 which says, “So the LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on you belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

Two key Messianic Prophecies from the Prophet Isaiah which parallel Genesis 3:14-15. They are as follows.

• Isaiah 7:13-14 – “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
• Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

 The question remains as to whether the New Testament teaches that Jesus Christ met the qualification of being born of a virgin? What does the New Testament account of Jesus Christ’s birth have to say? Today, we’ll look at the first NT text which is Matthew 1:18-25.

The text says, “¹⁸ Now the birth of Jesus Christ was as follows: After His mother Mary was betrothed to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Spirit. ¹⁹ Then Joseph her husband, being a just man, and not wanting to make her a public example, was minded to put her away secretly. ²⁰  But while he thought about these things, behold, an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream, saying, “Joseph, son of David, do not be afraid to take to you Mary your wife, for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Spirit. ²¹ And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name JESUS, for He will save His people from their sins.”²² So all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the Lord through the prophet, saying: ²³ “Behold, the virgin shall be with child, and bear a Son, and they shall call His name Immanuel,” which is translated, “God with us.”²⁴ Then Joseph, being aroused from sleep, did as the angel of the Lord commanded him and took to him his wife, ²⁵ and did not know her till she had brought forth her firstborn Son. And he called His name Jesus.  

One theologian writes, “Scholars sometimes dispute whether the Hebrew term in Isaiah 7:14 means “virgin” or “maiden.” Matthew is quoting here from the Greek Septuagint (LXX), which uses the unambiguous Greek term for “virgin.”  Thus Matthew, writing under the Spirit’s inspiration, ends all doubt about the meaning of the word in Isaiah 7:14.”

 Dr. John Walvoord writes, “The Child Mary carried in her womb was a unique Child, for He would be a Son whom Joseph should name Jesus for He would save His people from their sins. These words must have brought to Joseph’s mind the promises of God to provide salvation through the New Covenant (Jer. 31:31–37). The unnamed angel also told Joseph that this was in keeping with God’s eternal plan, for the Prophet Isaiah had declared 700 years before that the virgin will be with Child (Matt. 1:23; Isa. 7:14). While Old Testament scholars dispute whether the Hebrew ‘almâh should be rendered “young woman” or “virgin,” God clearly intended it here to mean virgin (as implied by the Gr. word parthenos). Mary’s miraculous conception fulfilled Isaiah’s prophecy, and her Son would truly be Immanuel … God with us. In light of this declaration Joseph was not to be afraid to take Mary into his home (Matt. 1:20). There would be misunderstanding in the community and much gossip at the well, but Joseph knew the true story of Mary’s pregnancy and God’s will for his life.”

Dr. J. Gresham Machen, in his book entitled The Virgin Birth of Christ, explains that, “According to a universal belief of the historic Christian Church, Jesus of Nazareth was born without a human father, being conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary. It may be held that the Church came to believe in the virgin birth for the simple reason that the virgin birth was a fact; the reason why the creed came to say that Jesus was conceived by the Holy Ghost and born of the virgin Mary is that He was actually so conceived and born.”

When next we meet, we will examine the second significant NT text regarding the virgin birth of Jesus Christ.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!    

¹⁴ The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

What does the Bible say about who the Messiah would be, His credentials, and how He would come to earth and how we would recognize Him? Most significantly, does Jesus Christ fulfill the qualifications of the Messiah? If He does not, then He is not the Messiah no matter how much we revere Him. However, if He does fulfill these qualifications concerning the Jewish Messiah, then the believer is to share this truth and the unbeliever is challenged to consider this truth.

What are the biblical qualifications, through Old Testament prophecy, surrounding the birth of the Messiah, and does Jesus Christ fulfill them?

To begin with, the Messiah was to be born from the seed of a woman. That is to say, He was to be virgin born. The first biblical text to proclaim this is admittedly rather cryptic. It is found in Genesis 3:14-15 which says, “So the LORD God said to the serpent: Because you have done this, you are cursed more than all cattle, and more than every beast of the field; on your belly you shall go, and you shall eat dust all the days of your life. And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your seed and her Seed; He shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise His heel.”

 The “seed/offspring” mentioned in this verse became the root from which the tree of the OT promise of a Messiah grew. This, then, was the “mother prophecy” that gave birth to all the rest of the promises. Theologian Charles Briggs agreed. He said, “Genesis 3:15 was the germ of promise which unfolds in the history of redemption.”

Strange as it may seem, the history of the human race begins with the sin of our first parents and their expulsion from the Garden of Eden. But that is not where it ended, for in the middle of the bleakness and the dark tragedy of God’s curse on the serpent, the woman, and the man came the first rays of light and hope embodied as the gospel of the grace of our God.

Dr. John MacArthur explains that, “The cattle and all the rest of creation were cursed (see Rom. 8:20–23; cf. Jer. 12:4) as a result of Adam and Eve’s eating, but the serpent was uniquely cursed by being made to slither on its belly. It probably had legs before this curse. Now snakes represent all that is odious, disgusting, and low. They are branded with infamy and avoided with fear. Cf. Isaiah 65:25 and Micah 7:17.”

Dr. MacArthur continues by adding, “After cursing the physical serpent, God turned to the spiritual serpent, the lying seducer, Satan, and cursed him. This “first gospel” is prophetic of the struggle and its outcome between “your offspring” (Satan and unbelievers, who are called the devil’s children in John 8:44) and her offspring (Christ, a descendant of Eve, and those in him), which began in the garden. In the midst of the curse passage, a message of hope shone forth—the woman’s offspring called “he” is Christ, who will one day defeat the Serpent. Satan could only “bruise” Christ’s heel (cause him to suffer), while Christ will bruise Satan’s head (destroy him with a fatal blow). Paul, in a passage strongly reminiscent of Gen. 3, encouraged the believers in Rome, “The God of peace will soon crush Satan under your feet” (Rom. 16:20). Believers should recognize that they participate in the crushing of Satan because, along with their savior and because of his finished work on the cross, they also are of the woman’s seed.”

There are two key Messianic Prophecies from the Prophet Isaiah which parallel Genesis 3:14-15. They are as follows.

• Isaiah 7:13-14 – “Hear now, O house of David! Is it a small thing for you to weary men, but will you weary my God also? Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: Behold the virgin shall conceive and bear a Son, and shall call His name Immanuel.”
• Isaiah 9:6 – “For to us a child is born, to us a son is given; and the government shall be upon his shoulder, and his name shall be called
  Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.”

 The question remains as to whether the New Testament proclaims that Jesus Christ met the qualification of being born of a virgin? When next we meet, we will examine the New Testament account of Jesus Christ’s birth to see what the biblical record has to say.

Until then, may the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

 

¹⁴ The Lord God said to the serpent, “Because you have done this,
cursed are you above all livestock and above all beasts of the field;
on your belly you shall go, and dust you shall eat all the days of your life.
¹⁵ I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring; he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.” (Genesis 3:14-15)

A little girl came home from Sunday school triumphantly waving a paper, “Mommy,” she said, “My teacher says I drew the most unusual Christmas picture she has ever seen!”

The mother studied the picture for a moment and concluded it was indeed a very peculiar Christmas picture. “This is wonderfully drawn, but why have you made all these people riding on the back of an airplane,” the mother gently asked.

“It’s the flight into Egypt,” the little girl said, with a hint of disappointment that the picture’s meaning was not immediately obvious.

“Oh,” the mother said cautiously. “Well, who is this mean looking man at the front?”

“That’s Pontius, the Pilot,” the girl said now visibly impatient.

“I see. And here you have Mary and Joseph and the baby,” the mother volunteered. Studying the picture silently for a moment, she summoned the courage to ask, “But who is this fat man sitting behind Mary?”

The little girl sighed, “Can’t you tell? That’s Round John Virgin!”

How humorous, how sad, but how true that many within our world, culture, neighborhoods, schools, places of employment and even churches have similar mistaken notions and ideas as to the characters, scenes, settings, and incidents which occurred that first Christmas. Many in our world would rather focus their attention on a variety of other sights, sounds, and characters. Others would even regulate Jesus Christ to the status of myth and attempt to banish and ban the very word “Christmas” from the holiday season.

Among religious people, and I use this term loosely to define those who call themselves people of faith regardless of whatever object their faith may be centered in, there is rarely little debate that Jesus Christ was born. The debate centers on who Jesus Christ is? Is He the Messiah? Some say that He is just a man. Others would acknowledge that He is at least a prophet, and perhaps a good, moral teacher.

But what does the Bible say about whom the Messiah would be, His credentials, and how He would come to earth and how we would recognize Him? Most significantly, does Jesus Christ fulfill the qualifications of the Messiah? If He does not, then He is not Messiah no matter how much we revere Him. However, if He does fulfill these qualifications concerning the Messiah, then the believer is to share this truth and the unbeliever is challenged to consider this truth.

What are the qualifications, through biblical prophecy, surrounding the birth of the Messiah, and does Jesus Christ fulfill them? For the next several days, we will examine the various and cumulative prophecies contained in the Old Testament Scriptures regarding the person and work of the Messiah. We will then compare those prophecies with the New Testament record concerning the person and work of Jesus Christ. We will see if they are in harmony with each other.

The first prophecy contained in the Scriptures regarding the Messiah is contained in Genesis 3:14-15. When next we meet we will examine this inaugural Messianic prophecy in light of its overall context. Stay tuned.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

 

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-5)

Thus far, we have seen four reasons from Galatians 1:3-5 as to why Jesus Christ came to earth in His incarnation. Let’s look at one more.   

First, Jesus Christ came to earth as the incarnation of God the Father’s grace and peace. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father…” (Galatians 1:3a). Grace (χάρις; charis) is defined as “unmerited favor.” It is the bestowing of pleasure, delight, or favorable regard from one to another. It is God’s loving-kindness to sinners who deserve judgment. Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) is the resulting harmony, on the basis of grace, between God and sinful man. Peace is accomplished through the gospel and is also the rest and contentment consequentially as the result of God’s grace.

Second, Jesus Christ came to earth as to be the propitiation, or atoning sacrifice, on behalf of sinners. The text reads, “Who gave Himself for our sins” – 1:4a. The text refers to an active and personal total surrender by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners who continually are missing the mark of acquiring the holiness and righteousness of God.

Third, Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver believing sinners from this present, evil age. “To deliver us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4b).

Fourth, Jesus Christ came to earth to accomplish the will of God the Father. Galatians 1:4 says, “⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

 Fifth, Jesus Christ came to earth to glorify God the Father. “⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:5)

Glory (δόξα; doxa) means to praise, honor and glorify. This is done because of the greatness of the individual. In this instance, it is God who is to be glorified.

This glory to God is eternal. It is an unlimited duration of time.

The word “Amen” is an exclamation that indeed this is not only what Jesus Christ accomplished, but it is also to be the believer’s perspective in all we do.

In Jesus’ High Priestly Prayer from John 17, mediate upon what Jesus initially prays to God the Father. “When Jesus had spoken these words, he lifted up his eyes to heaven, and said, “Father, the hour has come; glorify your Son that the Son may glorify you, ² since you have given him authority over all flesh, to give eternal life to all whom you have given him. ³ And this is eternal life that they know you, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. ⁴ I glorified you on earth, having accomplished the work that you gave me to do. ⁵ And now, Father, glorify me in your own presence with the glory that I had with you before the world existed.”

 To God be the glory for the things He has accomplished through the person and work of Jesus Christ.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-5) 

We are in the beginning stages of examining the incarnation of Jesus Christ. In studying various passages of Scripture, our goal is to have a comprehensive understanding of this historical and world changing event. Why in fact did Jesus come to earth?  Let’s examine what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatian churches in order to find the answer to this question.

First, Jesus Christ came to earth as the incarnation of God the Father’s grace and peace. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father…” (Galatians 1:3a). Grace (χάρις; charis) is defined as “unmerited favor.” It is the bestowing of pleasure, delight, or favorable regard from one to another. It is God’s loving-kindness to sinners who deserve judgment. Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) is the resulting harmony, on the basis of grace, between God and sinful man. Peace is accomplished through the gospel and is also the rest and contentment consequentially as the result of God’s grace.

Second, Jesus Christ came to earth as to be the propitiation, or atoning sacrifice, on behalf of sinners. The text reads, “Who gave Himself for our sins” – 1:4a. The text refers to an active and personal total surrender by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners who continually are missing the mark of acquiring the holiness and righteousness of God.

Third, Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver believing sinners from this present, evil age. “To deliver us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4b).

Fourth, Jesus Christ came to earth to accomplish the will of God the Father. Galatians 1:4 says, “⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father.”

The phrase “according to” means to move toward a conclusion in light of a prior agreement. The agreement Jesus Christ possessed with God the Father was to His will, purpose and intent. Please notice that the noun God refers to the Lord’s transcendent majesty while the noun Father refers to the Lord’s intimacy with His creation and creatures.

What would the will of God entail for Jesus Christ? What would Jesus do in order to fulfill the Father’s will?

First, Jesus would the perfect and obedient substitute for sinners (2 Corinthians 5:21; Isaiah 52:13- 53:1-12). Second, Jesus would provide justification and redemption on behalf of sinners (Romans 3:21-24; Galatians 2:16). Third, Jesus would provide the believing sinner’s righteousness (Romans 5:19; 2 Corinthians 5:21; Philippians 2:5-8; Philippians 3:4-9). Fourth, Jesus would fulfill the Father’s will by reconciling sinners to God (Romans 5:10; 2 Corinthians 5:17-20; Colossians 1:20-22). Finally, Jesus would be the only source of eternal life (John 3:16; John 3:36; John 17:1-3; John 20:30-31; I John 5:20-21).

Dr. John MacArthur writes, “The sacrifice of Christ for salvation was the will of God designed and fulfilled for his glory. Cf. Matt. 26:42; John 6:38–40; Acts 2:22–23; Rom. 8:3, 31–32; Eph. 1:7, 11; Heb. 10:4–10.”

 Have you received Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior? He alone provides what is necessary for the sinner to be in a right relationship with God.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

 

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-5) 

Why in fact did Jesus come to earth?  Let’s examine what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatian churches in order to find the answer to this question.

First, Jesus Christ came to earth as the incarnation of God the Father’s grace and peace. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father…” (Galatians 1:3a). Grace (χάρις; charis) is defined as “unmerited favor.” It is the bestowing of pleasure, delight, or favorable regard from one to another. It is God’s loving-kindness to sinners who deserve judgment. Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) is the resulting harmony, on the basis of grace, between God and sinful man. Peace is accomplished through the gospel and is also the rest and contentment consequentially as the result of God’s grace.

Second, Jesus Christ came to earth as to be the propitiation, or atoning sacrifice, on behalf of sinners. The text reads, “Who gave Himself for our sins” – 1:4a. The text refers to an active and personal total surrender by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners who continually are missing the mark of acquiring the holiness and righteousness of God.

Third, Jesus Christ came to earth to deliver believing sinners from this present, evil age. “To deliver us from the present evil age” (Galatians 1:4b). Let us examine this text in detail.

The phrase “to deliver us” is a purpose clause. It means to set free those who are in great danger from which they are unable to extricate themselves. Those who are rescued originally were by nature enemies of God and this rescue is accomplished by the death of the rescuer. This rescue is progressive in character and will not be completed until the sinner is taken home to be with the Lord in heaven. This deliverance from the penalty of sin, the power of sin and eventually the very presence of sin is being accomplished whenever a sinner is brought out of the darkness of sin into the light of salvation and whenever a saint gains a victory in their struggle against sin.

The phrase “from the present evil age” refers to the anti-God non-religious world system which is rebellious against God. It is a transient world which is hastening to its close and in which, in spite of all its pleasures and treasures, there is nothing of abiding value. Dr. John MacArthur explains that, “The Greek word for “age” does not refer to a period of time but an order or system, and in particular to the current world system ruled by Satan (See Rom. 12:2; 1 John 2:15–16; 5:19).” 

 This world is a world qualified by sin; the devil is its god (2 Corinthians 4:4; I Corinthians 2:6; Ephesians 2:2). Hence, because of sin, it will go to its doom. As one pastor explains, “This deliverance is a loosing of the saints from the sinful ties of this world, and of a liberation from the divine curse and wrath which rests on this world, so that for believers their share in the suffering and death of this world gets to have a different meaning.”

Have you, and are you, being rescued from this present evil age? You either belong to the world or you belong to Christ. There is no middle ground. You are either in Christ or you are not. Examine your soul today and ask God to reveal to you what is the status of your eternal soul.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

³ Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,⁴ who gave himself for our sins to deliver us from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, ⁵ to whom be the glory forever and ever. Amen.” (Galatians 1:3-5) 

Why in fact did Jesus come to earth?  Let’s examine what the Apostle Paul wrote in his letter to the Galatian churches in order to find the answer to this question.

First, Jesus Christ came to earth as the incarnation of God the Father’s grace and peace. “Grace to you and peace from God our Father…” (Galatians 1:3a). Grace (χάρις; charis) is defined as “unmerited favor.” It is the bestowing of pleasure, delight, or favorable regard from one to another. It is God’s loving-kindness to sinners who deserve judgment. Peace (εἰρήνη; eirene) is the resulting harmony, on the basis of grace, between God and sinful man. Peace is accomplished through the gospel and is also the rest and contentment consequentially as the result of God’s grace.

Second, Jesus Christ came to earth as to be the propitiation, or atoning sacrifice, on behalf of sinners. The text reads, “Who gave Himself for our sins” – 1:4a. The text refers to an active and personal total surrender by Jesus Christ on behalf of sinners who continually are missing the mark of acquiring the holiness and righteousness of God.

In being our propitiation or atoning sacrifice, Jesus absorbed the wrath of God (Romans 1:18). Having done so, the Father’s wrath is satisfied and He is willing and able to declared sinners righteous on the basis of Jesus’ virgin birth, sinless life, substitutionary death, and bodily resurrection. Take note of the following biblical texts as they pertain to Christ’s propitiation.

Romans 3:25a – “…whom God set forth as a propitiation by His blood, through faith, to demonstrate His righteousness.”

Galatians 3:13 – “Christ has redeemed us from the curse of the law, having become a curse for us (for it is written, ‘Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree”), that the blessing of Abraham might come upon the Gentiles in Christ Jesus, that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith.”

Hebrews 2:14-18 – ¹⁴ “Inasmuch then as the children have partaken of flesh and blood, He Himself likewise shared in the same, that through death He might destroy him who had the power of death, that is, the devil, ¹⁵ and release those who through fear of death were all their lifetime subject to bondage. ¹⁶For indeed He does not give aid to angels, but He does give aid to the seed of Abraham. ¹⁷Therefore, in all things He had to be made like His brethren, that He might be a merciful and faithful High Priest in things pertaining to God, to make propitiation for the sins of the people. ¹⁸ For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted.”

 I John 2:1-2 – “My little children, these things I write to you, so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. And He Himself is the propitiation for our sins, and not for ours only but also for the whole world.”

 I John 4:7-10 – “Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God; and everyone who loves is born of God and knows God. He who does not love does not know God for God is love. In this the love of God was manifested toward us, that God has sent His only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through Him. In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.”

Faith is the vehicle through and by which Christ’s atoning work on the cross is applied on the sinner’s behalf. Christ’s propitiatory sacrifice does not go into effect automatically. It is applied by God to the sinner’s stead through the instrument of God given, saving faith. When this occurs, God cancels the legal demands of the Law against sinners (Colossians 2:13-14; 3:10-14).

Dr. John MacArthur writes, ‘No one can avoid sin by human effort or law-keeping (Rom. 3:20); therefore it must be forgiven, which Christ accomplished through his atoning death on the cross (Gal. 3:13; 2 Cor. 5:19–21; 1 Pet. 2:24).”

Have your sins been forgiven? The only way guilt for sin may be removed from your life is through faith in Jesus Christ. He received the punishment from God the Father that we deserved. Receive Him and His righteousness today.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!

 

“But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law.” (Galatians 4:4)

Don’t you just love Christmas? Say what! You may be thinking that just like retailers who begin promoting the Christmas season in October, I may be rushing things just a bit. I mean, we still have Thanksgiving to observe. However, there are several reasons that I am beginning a series concerning the church season known as Advent.

First, anyone who truly knows me knows that I annually begin listening to Christmas music in July. You’ve heard of Christmas in July haven’t you? I have tailored several of my Internet music stations to feature either Classical or Jazz arrangements of familiar carols and contemporary Christmas favorites. I revel in the familiar sounds along with new and exciting arrangements.

Second, my church’s worship director begins preparing practices for the annual Christmas presentation by the adult choir in late August. Works for me. Therefore, I have also been listening to this year’s cantata.

Third, even though the Advent season is normally the four Sunday’s immediately prior to Christmas, I have discovered that there is so much revelation from God’s Word concerning the incarnation of Jesus Christ that it becomes impossible to properly treat all it with the attention it deserves.

I sensed the Lord leading me to examine the Incarnation, or the birth, of Christ in greater detail than could be accomplished in four Sundays, or four blogs. I sensed He wanted me to lead us in revisiting familiar characters, scenes, and situations of which we have grown, if not a least overly familiar, than perhaps a little too casual.

There are so many Old Testament prophecies, biblical characters, symbols and types. There also are the circumstances which occurred immediately prior, and at, Christ’s birth that often are misunderstood.

What exactly does Advent mean? Advent, from the Latin word adventus meaning “coming”, is the Christian ecclesiastical calendar season observed in preparation for Christmas. The earliest authentic record of Advent (ad 581) states that the season starts on the feast of St. Martin, November 11; this period is still observed in the Orthodox Church. About AD 600, Pope Gregory I decreed that the season should start on the fourth Sunday before Christmas, but the longer period was observed in England for some years. The shorter period is now observed in the Roman Catholic, Lutheran, Anglican, and Episcopal churches. The first Sunday of Advent is regarded as the commencement of the Christian ecclesiastical year. The season is also a preparation for the second coming of Christ at the end of the world.

I suspect for some of you this will be a journey into familiar portions of Scripture which you have known and loved for years. For others of you, it may prove to be the first time you have ever studied God’s incarnation in great detail. For still others, our study will dispel various myths and inaccuracies which often occur in our understanding and perceptions of the Birth of Christ.

For example, how many Magi actually visited the Christ child? Did their visit occur at the manger scene or somewhere else? How may they be connected to the Prophet Daniel?

This excursion is not simply for an intellectual understanding of the facts, but also to savor God’s revelation of Himself to us and this revelation to save us.

As one pastor has written, “Everyone can read the stories of Jesus and ‘see’ the portraits painted by the words of those who knew Him. But not everyone sees truth and beauty and infinite value. Some see only myth. Some see foolishness. Some see offense. ‘Seeing they do not see.’ It is though a child could look at a Michelangelo and prefer a comic strip.”

“Savoring Jesus Christ is the response to this second kind of seeing. When you see something as true and beautiful and valuable, you savor it. That is, you treasure it. You cherish and admire and prize it. Spiritual seeing and spiritual savoring are so closely connected that it would be fair to say that if you don’t savor Christ, you haven’t seen Christ for who he is. If you don’t prize him above all things, you haven’t apprehended His true worth.”

So let us begin. Let us begin to savor the Savior Jesus Christ.

May the Lord’s truth and grace be found here.

Soli deo Gloria!