God's Word: The Power Unto Salvation

• Pray
• Text - Rom 1:16 : For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ,^[a] for it is the power of God to salvation for everyone who believes, for the Jew first and also for the Greek.

• John 1:1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.& 1:14, And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth - (Who Word is) 

• John 3:16 For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. & Romans 10:9-10 ⁹ that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.. ¹⁰ For with the heart one believes unto righteousness, and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation - (promises salvation)

• The Word – Jesus – God gave us Words to live by
• They are only words if Jesus not God (to us) – lower case
• If Jesus IS God to us, they are upper case – The power of God to salvation for everyone who believes,
• John 14:6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.

- As soon as He is God to me and you, then His Words are what they are meant to be – Life

• Duet. 30:19 , Josh 1:8, 14:6, John 14:21 - When you and I choose to do what God tells us to do (esteem His Word), He can be Way to Salvation – we can have good success.

Duet. 30:19 I call heaven and earth as witnesses today against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing; therefore choose life, that both you and your descendants may live;, Josh 1:8, This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. John 14:21 - He who has My commandments and keeps them, it is he who loves Me. And he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and manifest Myself to him.”

His Kingdom can (and will, with or without you and me) be re-established – where? (in your heart) – He wants you and I to be integral parts of His Kingdom!

When and only when we choose to be a part of His Kingdom, can we rely on the Word being THE POWER TO SALVATION!

The Basis For What We Believe

Text:, Col 2:13-15, Rom 5:19

Colossians – Freedom from the law, to expose false teaching religious and self-righteousness through ritual

Romans – Explains Christianity

These two verses sum up what God has done for mankind as He re-established His Kingdom.

A.

Col 2:13 new living Translation

You were dead because of your sins and because you’re sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.

1. Dead because of sinful nature – Sinful nature is in mankind because of disobedience by Adam to God.

Gen 3:1 – 7

• This passage explains why bad thing happen to good people – why bad thing happen in the world
• You MUST under stand this for anything to make sense

2. Cut away
   1. circumcision – a ritual God commanded Moses to perform on his people ( his charges ) or oversee it done, in the wilderness.

No law from Adam till Moses

2. The idea being a setting themselves apart in a way that they will not forget, that

They remember the act of obedience (and disobedience). – note that obedience is required as He re-establishes His Kingdom.

3. The ownership was transferred for a time to Satan, (who had been kicked out of heaven) – God had to do this because this because He is perfect. The Word says – Pslm 138:2 He magnified thy Word above all thy name. God is a God of perfection. He always does what He says He is going to do – God is CHRACTER

He ALWAYS holds Himself to standards of:

• Legality
• Faithfulness – He always does what He says He will do – NEVER forces anything on anybody

3. Made you alive with Christ

a. Made you and I equals – co-laborers – equals – joint heirs

Rom 8:17 - And if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with [him], that we may be also glorified together.

The idea is that if we accept Christ as God into our hearts, then we have Life as He Has – eternal life with God – forever – Part of His Family

B.

Col 2:14 New Living Translation

He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross

1. Cancelled the record – KJV says “blotted out the handwriting”. The idea is that the debt we owe is done away with.

Hebrew word for cancelled is interesting because one of it’s definitions is the canceling of a debt owed. That is exactly the meaning here because when we accept Christ, our accountability or debt that must be paid (God is a perfect God), for the sin inherent in man, by the work Christ did at the cross.

3. Make a show of them openly

• Crashed party in hell – Christ Conquers Death – “more than conquerors in Christ”
• Matt 16:19
• Rom 8:37
• In ancient times returning king – parade spoils of war and leaders upon re-entry of palace or castle walls
• Christ exposes the devil to us – makes fun of him – give us the keys to life and death

Calls us more than conquerors – of death

• Tells us we are the head and not the tail
• Tells us there is no condemnation
• Makes provision for sins to be forgiven - on and on

All of these things are because of Christ and only through Him

It is our job to stay in Him

• Bible study
• Prayer
• Meditation – read Word - study

John 1

John 1-2

1)      Existed in the beginning 2)      Existed in close relation to God (as a separate person) 3)      Existed as God

 Jesus is God  1)      1:1 in his pre-incarnate state 2)      1:18 in his incarnate state  3)      20:28 in his resurrected state

 John 1:1

-The word means “beginning, origin, first cause.” – beginning of history (man) / born again (spiritual)

- Two beginnings eternity past – Gen. 1:26  God said let us make man in our image….                                                                                                                     

• Who was God talking to?
• Connect to Genesis … light / darkness (1:5)
• The Word is part of creation
• Never was a time when Jesus was not
• Jesus is God

 1: 3-5

After describing the relationship to the Father, the Word’s relationship to creation is stated. The Word is equal with God, but superior to creation. …. The Word is not part of creation.

Proverbs 8:12-9:12 is an OT description of “the Word.” John states here clearly what the OT had been alluding to in the use of “word”

John addresses the first manifestation of “The Word” communicating with man:   Creation.

• In creation God gave one of his greatest revelations of himself (Romans 1)
• Jesus was the one who created everything:      1 Cor. 8:6 ,      Col. 1:16,  Heb. 1:2, Rev. 3:14
• Life as refer to Jesus = Total 135x

1:5

“light shines” is present tense here for the first time.  The manifestation of this light into the world and into the hearts of men is a continuous action that continues even today. But, the shining of the light that occurred at creation and at the incarnation is still occurring today by that same Word. God’s manifestation of his revelation is not over and historically recorded.  It is recorded, but it is still shining in life and light today

This was not a dual between two equal powers.  Just as light is always greater than darkness, Jesus, the creator is always greater than darkness.

Nature reveals this truth.

a)      We turn on a light switch which drives away the darkness.

b)      The sun drives out the darkness in the morning.  The only reason darkness returns; the sun sets and leaves our view.

c)      We can create light with bulbs.  We cannot create dark bulbs.

d)      Darkness never drives out the light in any natural occurrence.  Darkness only occurs when light is removed or absent.

This theme will reach its highlight in the crucifixion.  This was the darkest moment. 

The darkest event completely disappears though in the light of the resurrection.

 What John introduces in these three verses continues through out the book.

• Jesus authority in Creation both physically and spiritually
• Parallels of light and darkness which represent:
• Revelation and salvation (light)
• Ignorance and sin (darkness)

The Seven Witnesses

In the gospel of John there are 7 witnesses

1)      The Father 5:31-32, 34, 37; 8:18

2)      Christ 8:14, 18; 3:11, 32; 8:37

3)      The Holy Spirit 15:26; 16:14

4)      Jesus’ Works 5:36; 19:25; 14:11; 15:24

5)      Scripture 5:39; 5:45-46

6)      John the Baptist 1:7; 1:8; 1:15; 1:19; 1:32; 1:34; 3:26; 5:33

7)      Human witnesses:

a.       Disciples 15:27; 19:35; 21:24

b.      Samaritan woman 4:39

c.       Multitude 12:17

The Prophet was sent by God,  Prophets had to have evidence, No evidence proves they where false

 There Must Be Evidence to Verify the Truth

It is important to have credible witnesses to the truth.

God and John are not going to ask you to believe something without verifying its truthfulness.

To have faith (confidence) in something there must be some evidence or proof of facts.

Again, faith is not blind faith.

Bible teaching itself should be logical and make sense in the world we live.

Jesus Is God

- Text scripture John 1:1

·        most important doctrine of Christianity

• Christianity hinges on this fact
• In the days of Christ, the son was EXACTLY the same as the father.
• ONLY prerequisite to righteousness with God 
• John 1:1 & 1:14 who Christ is
• Lord and God used interchangeably – Hebrews 1:8-10

Matt 1:23 – Angel speaking to Mary about being pregnant and not married:

Emmanouēl	Pronunciation em-mä-nü-ā'l (Key)
Part of Speech proper masculine noun	Root Word (Etymology) Of Hebrew origin עִמָּנוּאֵל (H6005)
TDNT Reference n/a

Outline of Biblical Usage

Emmanuel = "God with us"

1)      the title applied to the Messiah, born of the virgin, Mt 1:23, Is. 7:14, because Jesus was God united with man, and showed that God was dwelling with man.

Eph 4:14   That we [henceforth] be no more children, tossed to and fro, and carried about with every wind of doctrine, by the sleight of men, [and] cunning craftiness, whereby they lie in wait to deceive;
Eph 4:15   But speaking the truth in love, may grow up into him in all things, which is the head, [even] Christ:
Eph 4:16   From whom the whole body fitly joined together and compacted by that which every joint supplieth, according to the effectual working in the measure of every part, maketh increase of the body unto the edifying of itself in love

-         I have heart to this ministry – to spread The Good News of The Lord – The Gospel. Especially to the incarcerated and in a broader sense, anyone who will listen.

-         I have nothing to gain by telling mistruth or lies. In fact, Word says I’m more accountable.

a)    As we read through The Bible God seems more concerned with what He is like rather than proving Himself (who He is).

b)    There are a few thing that Jesus insists on though –

1)    He is God The Son (this is what the Jews used against Him to crucify Him) – sonship in those times=same as the father

2)    John 14:10
Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works

He did however prove who and who Jesus is (John 1:1 & 14)

-         There are some other instances of God telling who He is – “I Am” (Moses) – others

-         Hebrews 11:6 – Please God , who He is

3)    no way to heaven except thru Him.   John 14:6
Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.

Romans 10:9  ⁹That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved.