Run

Not only are we to walk a certain way, but at times we are commanded to run. How ought we to run? Well, when we look throughout Scripture, we find that we are to run with confidence, run differently, run with endurance, and run to win. Let's take a closer look at each of these.

We are to run with confidence: "Holding forth the word of life; that I may rejoice in the day of Christ, that I have not run in vain, neither laboured in vain" (Philippians 2:16). That word of life is Jesus Christ. We can be assured and trust in the fact that if we hold to Him and "walk in Him" (Colossians 2:6), that we "shall not be ashamed" (Romans 10:11) and will not have "run... neither laboured in vain." In His letters to the seven churches, Jesus promises certain rewards to the over-comers. Enoch stood out like a sore thumb in his generation. He "walked with God" while it is said of his contemporaries that "every imagination of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually" (Genesis 6:5). What other rewards may he have received from God apart from not seeing death? Is Jesus worthy of your confidence?

"I will run the way of Thy commandments" (Psalm 119:32). We are to run differently. The word here for "run" is the Hebrew rus, which means "to hasten, to run, to hurry, to chase." Scripture tells us of men that "their feet run to evil" (Proverbs 1:16; Isaiah 59:7) and that "they think it strange that ye run not with them to the same excess of riot" (1 Peter 4:4). There's something to be said of a man who hastens to do evil. As children of God, we are to run differently than they do. The way we run is to be notably different from the way they run. In 1 Peter 4:4, the Greek for "riot" is asotia (ασωτια), which means "unsavedness." This brings us to what John has written in 1 John 3:4-10. If you claim to be a Christian and are living in habitual sin, you are a liar and are not a Christian. A true, biblical, born-again Christian lives in a manner that demonstrates that they have been saved and that they are grateful for what Christ has done for them, wanting to please Him with their life: "I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service" (Romans 12:1).

In that great chapter of holy Scripture dealing with faith, we are told, "Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). The word here for "patience" is the Greek hupomone (υπομονη), which means "cheerful (or hopeful) endurance, constancy." So here we are told to run with cheerful persevering endurance the race that has been set before us; the race of the Christian life, which is "a race of service and a race of sufferings" (Matthew Henry's Commentary, Vol. 6, p. 768). Paul says, "I press toward the mark (goal) for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus" (Philippians 3:14). Elsewhere he says, "I keep under my body, and bring it into subjection: lest that by any means, when I have preached to others, I myself should be a castaway" (1 Corinthians 9:27).

I have run in many races before when I was in school. When you are in a race, your mind is set upon the goal to be attained. What would it profit a runner to stop and sign autographs while he had been running only to lose the race? Jesus put it forth more profoundly: "For what shall it profit a man, if he shall gain the whole world, and lose his own soul?" (Mark 8:36). We are in a race to obtain holiness, to obtain Christ-likeness, to obtain perfection. Granted, we will not see it in this life, but that does not mean we can sit on the sidelines. A runner will never reach the finish line if he dawdles at the starting line or meanders off course in the middle of the race. Where are our eyes to be focused in this race? "Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith" (Hebrews 12:2). We're even given an example in Christ to follow in the remainder of that verse.

A runner who is running a race draws closer and closer toward the finish line. Likewise, a true, biblical, born-again Christian grows more and more in holiness as they run the race of faith. If there is no growth, then you need to examine yourself to see if you're in the faith (2 Corinthians 13:5), because more than likely you are a false convert—part of the 75% bad soil that Christ spoke about (Matthew 13:1-23).

We are to run to win: "Know ye not that they which run in a race run all, but one receiveth the prize? So run, that ye may obtain" (1 Corinthians 9:24). If you're going to win, you need to discipline your body: "I keep under my body and bring it into subjection" (2 Corinthians 9:26). The Galatians began well, but then started waning, to which Paul confronted them, "Ye did run well; who did hinder you that ye should not obey the truth?" (Galatians 5:7). We must not wane if we are to reach the finish line. It does a runner no good to start the race with two steps and then sit down on the ground cross-legged and do nothing. You're either in the race to win or you're not in the race at all. There are only two options. Which do you belong to? and does it show in your life?

Walk

In the beginning of Scripture, we are told, "Enoch walked with God..." (Genesis 5:24). What does it look like to walk with God? Scripture is chock-full of precisely how this is done. It is no small task to cover everything that Scripture has to say, but we can do so in steps. With this entry, I have decided to see what Scripture has to say about "walking." What does God reveal to us through His holy and infallible Word in regard to how we should walk?

"Walk before Me, and be thou perfect" (Genesis 17:1). This is the first time in Scripture where someone is told how they should walk. The English Standard Version (ESV) renders it, "Walk before me and be blameless." In other words, walk in such a way that reflects Me, your God in whom you were created in My image, that no one can find fault with you. Later, God expands on this much more with Israel because they were meant to be the nation that was to represent God to all other nations. Essentially, Israel said to God, "Tell us how to walk in perfection and we will do it." Thus, God laid down the 10 Commandments, the moral law, and a plethora of other laws for Israel to follow. James later tells us that if you break the law in one point, you're guilty of breaking it all (James 2:10).

Sadly, Israel never seemed to get it, as many of us today never seem to get it. Israel was given 613 commandments to obey. It has been said that those 613 commandments can be summed up in the 10 Commandments. I do not know if this is true or not because I have not sat down to examine them all. However, the 10 Commandments can be summed up perfectly in the two commandments that Jesus Christ left us with: "Thou shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy strength, and with all thy mind; and thy neighbour as thyself" (Luke 10:27). It is of great note that 9 of the 10 Commandments were repeated in the New Testament. The moral law has never been done away with. It cannot save us (Galatians 2:16), but it is a mirror (Romans 7:7) to show us how dirty we are in order to act as a schoolmaster and lead us unto Christ (Galatians 3:24). The law stops our mouths and shows us that we are guilty before a holy and righteous Judge (Romans 3:19).

In the New Testament, Jesus states, "Whoever follows Me will not walk in darkness" (John 8:12). Paul tells us, "...walk as children of light" (Ephesians 5:8). If we jump over to the book of 1 John, we are told, "If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie, and do not the truth: but if we walk in the light, as He is in the light, we have fellowship one with another..." (1 John 1:6-7). If we are professing the name of Jesus Christ, claiming that we belong to Him and that we are Christians, then we had best not be walking in darkness, in the ways of this world. Otherwise, we are liars.

"So we also should walk in newness of life" (Romans 6:4). If we are true, biblical, born-again Christians, we have been changed. Our lives ought to reflect that change and we should walk in that "newness of life." "Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new" (2 Corinthians 5:17). Is there a newness to your life? Are you growing in holiness? Examine yourself (2 Corinthians 13:5). If nothing has changed in your life, if Jesus Christ is not precious to you, then you are not a Christian. "...Walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit" (Romans 8:4). "Walk in the Spirit, and ye shall not fulfill the lusts of the flesh" (Galatians 5:16). "If we live in the Spirit, let us also walk in the Spirit" (Galatians 5:25).

We are to walk sacrificially and in submission: "Ye shall walk after the Lord your God" (Deuteronomy 13:4); "...walk humbly with thy God" (Micah 6:8); "...walk after His commandments" (2 John 1:6). "As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in him" (Colossians 2:6). If we belong to Jesus, it is imperative that we walk in Him. "I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me" (Galatians 2:20). If that verse is true in our own lives, then our lives will be marked by a "newness of life." If Jesus does indeed live in me, would Jesus watch the trash I watch? listen to the trash I listen to? enter the places of entertainment that I enter into?

"Let us walk honestly..." (Romans 13:13); "Walk in love..." (Ephesians 5:2); "Walk in wisdom..." (Colossians 4:5); "...walk in the truth" (3 John 1:4). We are to no longer walk in the deceitfulness wherewith we once did. Our eyes have been opened and we have been made to see and know and understand. We are also to walk worthy: "...walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called" (Ephesians 4:1); "...walk worthy of the Lord..." (Colossians 1:10); "...walk worthy of God..." (1 Thess. 2:12). As image bearers of God and children of God, to walk worthy of God would be to "be ye holy, as I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). We were created to do good works, "which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them" (Ephesians 2:10).

"We walk by faith and not by sight" (2 Corinthians 5:7). This is probably the summation of what it means to walk with God. I don't need to see Him face-to-face in order to know that He exists. He has given me a huge universe to look at that just screams His existence to me, as Romans 1 tells us. We are but insignificant specks of vapour in this vast expanse of a cosmos, and yet we so often think we are the center of the entire universe. How pathetically wretched we are.

So there is our brief look at what Scripture says about what it means to "walk" with God. But that is not all that it means. We have barely scratched the surface. This, at least, gives us something to meditate on and to conform our lives to the image and likeness of Christ Jesus our Saviour.

How Can I, Like Enoch, Walk With God?

Scripture says very little about Enoch other than “Enoch walked with God.” While that single sentence speaks volumes, in our ignorance we often wonder what that means. Have you ever asked yourself what it must have looked like for Enoch to have walked with God? I have. Scripture is chock-full of God’s words telling us precisely how we can walk with Him by faith.

"And Enoch walked with God: and he was not; for God took him." Genesis 5:24

"By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God." Hebrews 11:5

In Enoch God has given an example of faith and a model of daily fellowship with God. We are impressed that he could resist the devil and find fellowship with his Creator—God, even in a worldly society headed for destruction. Enoch recognized the failure of men and women trying to live their lives apart from God and His will. By faith he walked with God on this earth at a time when sin and corruption were wildly rampant all around him.
Enoch’s daily walk was a walk of faith, a walk of fellowship with God. What the Scriptures are trying to say to us is this: If Enoch could live and walk with God by faith in the midst of his sinful generation, we likewise should be able to follow his example because the human race is the same and God is the same!
Enoch reminds us that the quality and boldness of our faith will be the measure of our preparation for the return of Jesus Christ to this earth. The faith and deportment of the man Enoch do compose a vivid picture—a powerful object lesson—to encourage every Christian believer in his or her faith. Enoch speaks to us of our own troubled times—and that is the purpose of the Word of God. It should be our concern that we hear—and that we obey!
Enoch was translated into the presence of God because of his faith.
Enoch was a man of faith, a child of God. We could call him one of God’s faithful few. God took him out of the earth and out of his race when the judgment of the Flood was not far away.
The faith of Enoch continues to be an encouragement to walk with the King of heaven while we live down here. Then we know we will feel comfortable and at home when we get to heaven!
The facts are plainly spelled out. Enoch walked with God. He faced up to the devil and patiently bore the scoffing of those who lived like the devil. God honored his faith and took him into His divine presence forever.
Now, here is one of the great personal lessons for us: Enoch was a spiritual rebuke to his own generation. He fought off the wiles and the temptations of the devil. He purposed within himself: “I will walk with God by faith even if that means that I must be detached from my generation.”
Enoch could have written a book on human loneliness. We must make our choices even as Enoch did. Enoch refused to walk in agreement with the ungodly multitude of his generation.
Enoch determined that even if everyone in his generation was blindly moving toward the judgment of God, he would be the one man who refused to go over the cliff with the unbelievers. What did he do?
In faith Enoch detached himself from his generation. Then, by faith, he lived above all generations, pleasing to God.

A.W. Tozer, Author of Our Faith, ch. 2.

Christian liberty is doing that which the Holy Spirit leads us to do. If we are listening to music, which music does the Holy Spirit lead us to listen to? If we are watching movies, which ones does the Holy Spirit lead us to watch? Which ones does He lead us to consume? Does He honestly want us embedding these images and messages within the framework of our hearts and minds? If we are going to some place of entertainment, are we bringing the Holy Spirit with us? Regardless of what we think, God is always there with us. He knows everything we think, sees everything we do, and hears everything we say. So by entering some of the places we frequent, are we pleasing God by doing so? Jesus did not set us free so that we could sin if we want to; He set us free from sin so that we could serve and obey Him because we love Him for what He has done for us. What kinds of things does the Holy Spirit approve of? What kinds of things does He disapprove of? Christians need more discernment today and a greater desire to live pleasing lives to God as Enoch had.

Many Christians will stand up in defense of Hollywood movies, making all sorts of ridiculous claims, but they do so to their own folly. Jesus prayed that we would be in the world, and not of the world. Many Christians will rise against Christ-centered rock, hip-hop, etc., and claim that it is against God, but they will sit down and consume Hollywood's filth without ever considering what it truly means to be "against" God. Anything that is contrary to the Person and character of God as revealed in His Word is against God. God has said, "Thou shalt not commit adultery." How many Hollywood "romances" encourage just such a thing? How many Hollywood "romances" encourage pre-marital sex? All in the name of "love." I can name ten off the top of my head, and more if I think hard about it.

Just like in the movie Time Changer, Christians will try to defend what they watch or listen to and say, "It's just a movie," or, "It's just a song." No, it is much more than  just a movie or a song. It is influencing us and our thoughts and our belief system. It is demoralizing and desensitizing us and our soul. Enoch walked with God. His faith was so profound and radical in comparison to the rest of the world that God translated him before the flood. Nothing is said of Enoch's life, yet so much is said of his life in that least of phrases: "Enoch walked with God." While we wish we could see a glimpse into Enoch's life, that phrase sums it up perfectly. "Enoch walked with God." That is my desire. That is my prayer for all Christians, that they would separate themselves from the world and let the world know that there is something profound and different about us. That they would be a light in and to the world. But instead, they mingle with the world, date the world, adopt the world, and walk alongside the world.

I want to be a modern-day Enoch. No matter what the rest of the world says or what my fellow Christians may say, I want to refuse to walk in agreement with the ungodly multitude. I want to walk by faith with God even though the rest of the world will be running wildly rampant all around me, including those whom I call brothers and sisters in Christ. Even if I am the only one standing in opposition to the rest of the world, I desire to be pleasing to God.

Anyone who has studied the life of Jesus or the life of Paul will see exactly how radical they were. Many Christians claim to be Pauline Christians, but they could not be further from the truth. There is a drastic difference between their life of complacency, comfort, and safety, and Paul's life of discomfort and persecution. Christians have forgotten that we are pilgrims and strangers in this world. We should not seek, let alone ever set down, comfort and safety. Comfort and safety are sinking sand. Our home is in heaven and we would do well to remember that and to look forward to it with great anticipation. Ted Dekker's book The Slumber of Christianity speaks toward this. The giant—the Church—has fallen asleep, despite Jesus' warnings to keep vigil.

Oh, God, change our hearts and renew our minds. Make us part of the faithful few. Separate us from the world and place us on a hill as a light to reveal Your Light, Jesus. May You become our deepest desire and our greatest longing; the hunger and thirst of our soul. Teach us how to walk with You as Enoch had. Amen!

Ologies

Aetiology (αιτιολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of causes and origins, such as that of creation. “Aitia” (αιτια) meaning cause, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study. This term is rarely, if ever, used in theological circles, but if you ever hear it, you know what it means.

Angelology (αγγελολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of angels. “Angelos” (αγγελος) meaning angel, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Anthropology (ανθρωπολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of mankind. “Anthropos” (ανθρωπος) meaning man, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Bibliology (βιβλιολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of the Bible. “Biblos” (βιβλος) meaning papyrus or scroll (book, essentially), and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Christology (χριστολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of Jesus Christ. “Christos” (χριστος) meaning Christ or annointed, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Ecclesiology (εκκλησιολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of the church. “Ecclesia” (εκκλησια) meaning assembly, congregation, or church, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Epistemology (επισταμολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of knowledge. “Epistamai” (επισταμαι) meaning knowledge, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Eschatology (εσχατολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of last things or the end times. “Eschatos” (εσχατος) meaning last or final, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Hagiology (αγιολογια): This is defined as "literature dealing with the lives and legends of saints." No doubt this definition and the doctrine resulting thereof comes from the Roman Catholic Church. However, since “hagios” (αγιος) means holy, and “logos” (λογος) means word or study, the more appropriate definition would be the doctrine and/or study of holiness. I have never seen this term used in any systematic theology, but it should be, and with the definition I have given it.

Hamartiology (αμαρτωλογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of sin. “Hamartia” (αμαρτια) meaning to miss the mark, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Missiology: This is the doctrine and/or study of missions. “Missio” from mission, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study. I believe this term is fairly new in use. Its first root word is also the only Latin word used in all of our "ologies."

Ontology (οντολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of the nature of being (existence), reality, and substance. “Ontos” (οντος) meaning being, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Ouranology (ουρανολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of heaven. “Ouranos” (ουρανος) meaning heaven, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Pneumatology (πνευματολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of the Holy Spirit. “Pneuma” (πνευμα) meaning wind or spirit, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Soteriology (σωτηρολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of salvation. “Soteria” (σωτηρια) meaning salvation, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Theology (θεολογια): This is the doctrine and/or study of God. “Theos” (θεος) meaning God, and “logos” (λογος) meaning word or study.

Defining Our Terms

Adoption: This is when God takes us into His family and we can properly call Him, “Abba, Father.”

Anthropomorphism: Assigning human attributes to non-human things. Exodus 24:9-11 uses anthropomorphic terms in talking about God’s hands and feet. God is spirit (John 4:24). When the Bible speaks of God’s “wings,” this is also anthropomorphic speech.

Apologetics: From the Greek “apologia,” (απολογια) meaning to make a defense. This refers to making a defense of the faith. “But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence” (1 Peter 3:15).

Apostasy/Apostate: An apostate is one who has fallen away from the faith, revolting against the truth of God’s Word. At one point they claimed to have held to the faith and believed in it, but then denounce and reject it. These people were never genuine believers to begin with; they were never saved. Apostasy is the general falling away of many.

Atonement: To make amends or repair a wrong done. This is God acting in human history to re-establish a relationship between God and man by dealing with sin and removing the guilt of man. Jesus atoned for the sins of the world (1 John 2:2), but this atonement is received by faith (Rom. 5:1; Eph. 2:8-9).

Backslider/Backsliding: This is merely another term for apostate/apostasy. It appears 17 times in the Old Testament of the KJV, never in the New Testament. The 5 Hebrew words used all denote faithlessness, rebellion, and apostasy.

Eisegesis: Interpretation of a text of scripture by reading information or personal opinion into the text that is not there.

Elect/Election: The elect are those specially called by God to salvation (John 6:37, 44, 65). Election occurred before the foundation of the world (Eph. 1:4) and is according to God's will—not man's (Rom. 8:29-30; 9:6-23)—because God is sovereign (Rom. 9:11-16). There are two callings of God toward men: the general call of salvation that extends to all men, but will not be listened to because they are rebellious and hate God; and the special call of salvation that extends only to those God has chosen to save for His glory (Rom. 9:22-23; Eph. 2:5, 8: “For by grace you have been saved.”).

Exegesis: Interpretation of a text of scripture by reading a text based solely on what it says.

Expiation: The cancellation of our sin debt by removing sin from us. The Old Testament type or foreshadow was the goat led out into the wilderness.

Glorification: The ultimate perfection of the believer (1 John 3:2; 1 Cor. 15:50-54).

Hermeneutics: The art and science of biblical interpretation.

Homiletics: Deals with the preaching of the Word and the correct manner in which to prepare a sermon.

Hypostatic Union: The union of two natures, divine and human, in Christ. He was 100% God and 100% man. They existed together perfectly and harmoniously. Right now in heaven there is a man, Jesus, who is our mediator between us and God the Father (1 Tim. 2:5).

Jesus as God	Jesus as Man
He is worshipped (Matt. 2:2, 11; 14:33). He is prayed to (Acts 7:59). He is sinless (1 Pet. 2:22; Heb. 4:15). He knows all things (John 21:17). He gives eternal life (John 10:28). All the fullness of deity dwells in Him (Col. 2:9).	He worshiped the Father (John 17). He prayed to the Father (John 17). He was tempted (Matt. 4:1). He grew in wisdom (Luke 2:52). He died (Rom. 5:8). He has a body of flesh and bones (Luke 24:39).

Immutability: This refers to the unchanging character of God. He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.

Impeccability: The inability to sin, which refers to God alone. Jesus was impeccable in that He never sinned.

Imputation: To reckon to someone the blessing, curse, debt, etc. of another person. For example, all humanity was imputed with Adam’s sin because he was our representative head. For the believer, Christ’s righteousness is imputed to our account by faith.

Incarnation: The addition of human nature to the nature of God in the second person of the Trinity, Jesus Christ. This typically refers to the birth of Christ.

Justification: To be declared legally righteous. It is a divine act where God declares the sinner to be innocent of his sins. It does not mean “just as if I had never sinned,” because the fact is you did sin! It is not that the sinner is now sinless, but that he is declared sinless. Justification is based on the shed blood of Jesus: “…having now been justified by His blood…” (Rom. 5:9). This declaration of innocence is not without cost for it required the satisfaction of God’s Law: “…without shedding of blood there is no forgiveness” (Heb. 9:22).

Omnipotent: This attribute of God refers to the quality of being “all-powerful” (Ps. 115:3) He can do all things that do not conflict with His holy nature. He has the power to do anything He wants.

Omnipresent: This attribute of God refers to the quality of being “present in all places at all times” (Jer. 23:23-24). He is not bound by time and space. This does not mean that nature is a part of God and should therefore be worshiped. Creation is separate from God, but not independent of Him.

Omniscient: This attribute of God refers to the quality of being “all-knowing” (Is. 40:14). He knows all things possible as well as all things actual. He does not need to experience something to know about it completely.

Predestination: The doctrine that God has foreordained all things which will come to pass, yet He is not the author of sin. He does, however, use sinful things for His glory and purpose, such as the crucifixion, which was brought about by sinful men who unjustly put Jesus to death (Acts 4:27); yet, in that death, we are reconciled to God (Rom. 5:10). Predestination maintains that God is the one who decides who will be saved (Rom. 9:16) and that it is not up to the desire of the person (John 1:13). God is the one who ordains the Christian into forgiveness, “...and as many as had been appointed to eternal life believed” (Acts 13:48). Also, “For whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, that He might be the first-born among many brethren; and whom He predestined, these He also called; and whom He called, these He also justified; and whom He justified, these He also glorified” (Rom. 8:29-30). Further verses to examine are Ephesians 1:4 and 11, and Romans 9. (See also Election and Sovereignty.)

Propitiation: The turning away of God’s wrath by offering a sacrifice. In the case of Christ, He was the perfect sacrifice and propitiation was achieved by and through His shed blood, which turned away the wrath of God and allowed Him to “pass over the sins previously committed” (Rom. 3:25).

Providence: From the Latin “providentia,” meaning foresight; making provision beforehand. It is God’s activity in the world, sustaining the existence and natural order of the universe and omnisciently directing and intervening in the affairs of mankind with wise benevolence. Concerns both preservation and government.

Reconciliation: The changing for the better of a relationship between two or more people, which involves forgiveness. We were naturally children of wrath (Eph. 2:3) and are at enmity with God (Eph. 2:11-15), but “…we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son…” (Rom. 5:10). Sin separates us from God, so reconciliation is the change in relationship between God and man.

Redemption: The freeing of someone from bondage. It involves the paying of a ransom, a price that makes redemption possible. We were bought with a price (1 Cor. 6:20; 7:23), being redeemed by His blood (Eph. 1:7; Col. 1:14).

Regeneration: The act of God where, through the work of the Holy Spirit, He renews the spiritual condition of a sinner by a spiritual change so that he can possess new life, eternal life. It is a change in our moral and spiritual nature, whereas justification is a change in our relationship with God. Regeneration is the beginning of the sanctification process.

Repentance: This means to turn, to have a change of heart and mind about something. It designates making a U-turn, turning from sin and turning toward God, agreeing with God regarding His assessment of who and what you are—a filthy, wretched sinner in need of salvation.

Reprobate/Reprobation: Those who are not specially called by God to salvation (Jude 4). Reprobation, like election, also occurred before the foundation of the world (Rev. 13:8; 17:8) and is according to God's will—not man's (Rom. 8:29-30; 9:6-23)—because God is sovereign (Rom. 9:11-16). There are two callings of God toward men: the general call of salvation that extends to all men, but will not be listened to because they are rebellious and hate God; and the special call of salvation that extends only to those God has chosen to save for His glory (Rom. 9:22-23; Eph. 2:5, 8: “For by grace you have been saved.”).

Salvation: The “saving” of a sinner from the righteous judgment of God. When someone appeals to God and seeks forgiveness in Jesus, his sins are forgiven. He is cleansed. His relationship with God is restored and he is made a new creature (2 Cor. 5:17). All of this is the work of God alone—not of man. Salvation is a free gift (Rom. 6:23). We are saved by grace alone (Eph. 2:5, 8). We are saved from the wrath of God, we are saved from damnation, and we are saved from our sins.

Sanctification: To set apart for holy use; to make holy. Sanctification follows justification. It is the process of God, through the work of the Holy Spirit, conforming the sinner to the image of Jesus Christ and making him more holy in all that he does, thinks, and desires. It involves evidence of growth, the fruits of the Spirit. God has set us apart for the purpose of sanctification, not impurity (1 Thess. 4:7), and being such we are called to do good works (Eph. 2:10).

Sovereignty: Sovereignty is the right of God to do as He wishes (Psalm 50:1; Isaiah 40:15; 1 Tim. 6:15) with His creation. This implies that there is no external influence upon Him and that He also has the ability to exercise His power and control according to His will. There is no one above Him; He is the ultimate ruler in ultimate control. His sovereignty over man and man’s will is revealed in the lives of such individuals as Nebuchadnezzar and Jonah.

Tetragrammaton: This is a term that refers to the name of God in the Old Testament, which often appears in our Bibles as either LORD or GOD.

Doctrines Produced During the 1800s

This information has been borrowed from John C. Egerdahl’s book, The Bible Versus Dispensationalism, found on pages 254-256.

Seventh Day Adventism was enhanced by Ellen G. White. She was converted to Adventism in 1842 at the age of fifteen. Adventists today hold her as their prophet equal to those of the Bible. She had over two thousand visions, on which they base their beliefs. One of her doctrines was that Christ had a sinful fallen nature.

Jehovah’s Witnesses was started by Charles Russell (1852-1916). Russell was the founder of the International Bible Students Association. Russellites have now split off and formed the Jehovah’s Witnesses. They deny Christ’s deity.

Mormonism was started by Joseph Smith in 1830. Mormons claim Joseph Smith was a prophet equal to Christ. Under the leadership of Brigham Young, in 1847 the Mormons settled in Utah. They are now known as The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Mormons deny the deity of Christ.

Christian Science was started by Mary Baker Eddy in 1866. Eddy was the author of Christian Science. She went to Europe to study under George W. F. Hegel and came up with the view that sin was not a reality. She stated that the blood of Christ was no more efficacious to cleanse sin when it was shed on the cross then when it was flowing in His veins (but see Hebrews 9:22).

Darwinism was begun by Charles Darwin (1809-1882), an English naturalist. Darwin wrote the Origin of Species, published in 1859, which spawned the theory of evolution. In 1835, Darwin went to the Galapagos Islands and came up with the concept that all species of plants and animals developed from earlier forms of hereditary transmission of slight variations in successive generations. Out of this arose “the survival of the fittest” theory.

Marxism (or Communism) was started by Karl Marx (1818-1883). Communism, or religious atheism, arose as Dialectic Materialism. Marx wrote The Communist Manifesto in 1848 and Das Kapital in 1867. Marx, born of Jewish parents in Rhenish, Prussia, was a German philosopher of history. His coworker was Freidrich Engels. Marx was strongly influenced by George W. F. Hegel. Most early communist movements were in religion, based on a literal interpretation of Scripture (Encyclopedia Britannica). At age twenty-five, Marx said, “Religion is the opiate of the people.” Marx did not find the answer to his communist movement in religion but in a system of social organization based on common property. In 1824, his father, a lawyer, embraced Christianity, and all the members of his family were baptized Protestant.

Two proponents of Communism were Vladamir Lenin (1870-1924) and Joseph Stalin (1879-1953). Lenin was brought up in the Russian Orthodox Faith, but at the age of sixteen, he ceased to believe in God. Under his leadership, the Bolsheviks (originally a radical branch of the Socialist Democratic Party in Russia) came into power in 1917 and formed the Communist Party. Stalin was later premier and marshal of the Soviet Union.

Hegelian Philosophy was begun by George Hegel (1770-1831). Hegel was a prophet of Absolute Idealism, which affirmed that “only the rational is real.” In his view, the irrational, so called sin and evil, has no true reality. Mary Baker Eddy received this teaching.

Psychoanalysis was developed by Sigmund Freud (1856-1939). Freud, who was Jewish, fathered a modern-day psychology of psychoanalysis that left God out of the picture of man’s make-up.

The “God Is Dead” theory, introduced by Friedrick Nietszche (1844-1900), stated that man could perfect himself through forcible self-assertion.

The Modern Liturgical Revival (1850) was a movement that sought to take away individual liberty and experience before God.

Existentialism was developed by Fyodor Dostoevsky (1821-1881). There are many aspects to existentialism. In it, man’s ideas, experiences, and formulations become determinative.

Dispensationalism was officially introduced into Christianity in 1830. Authors of this theory dissect God’s Word into seven dispensations, and supposedly interpret the Bible literally. They advocate two and three comings of Christ instead of one.

In Modern Humanism, the emphasis is on the secular, centered on human interests rather than on natural interest and religion. Self-realization comes through reason. Proponents of Modern Humanism reject the supernatural.

Unitarianism was developed by William Channing (1819-?). Channing said Christ was a being distinct from the one God and thus did not have the same status as God.

Other Heresies

Calvinism: The heresy that attempts to mar and malign the eternal nature of God's love. Its distinctives (that man is totally depraved, that we are saved solely by grace, that works play no role in our salvation, and that we cannot forfeit our salvation once we obtain it) were first taught by the Gnostics, who the apostle John labeled as "deceivers and antichrists," which were rejected as heresy by the early Christians (A.D. 90-300). This heresy misreads and misinterprets John 6, Romans 8-9, and Ephesians 1, among other passages.

Dispensationalism: The heresy that attempts to divide the body of Christ by making a distinction between Israel and the church, having church-age saints form one body and all other saints form another body. This heresy ignores John 10:11-18; Romans 2:28-29; 9:6-8; 11:17-24; Galatians 3:1-29; Ephesians 2:11-22; and all verses that speak of the "one body" of Christ.

Ecumenism: The heresy that attempts to unite all “believers” in Christ outside of the framework and foundation of biblical truth. Sadly, Billy Graham was associated as a proponent with this movement. This error is largely supported by the Charismatic Movement cult.

Liberalism: This heresy is also known as Modernism and emphasizes freedom from tradition and authority, trying to apply Christian content to man’s non-authoritative knowledge by non-authoritative methods such as reason, experience, and history. Like Satan in the garden, it basically asks, “Has God said?” followed by an outright denial of God’s Word.

Montanism: The heresy that claims the Holy Spirit continues to speak through prophecy, visions, and dreams, and that individuals should experience signs and wonders, see visions and dreams, and speak in tongues. This error was taught in the 2nd century by Montanus and continued well into the 8th century. He claimed to have received a series of direct revelations from the Holy Spirit. Montanists held to the beliefs of Sabellianism (Modalism). This belief finds itself in the modern day Charismatic Movement cult.

Open Theism: The heresy that denies God’s omniscience. It is an extreme Arminianism. This error also claims that the Bible is not inerrant or infallible, nor is it the Word of God. It argues that the Bible contains myth and legend.

"Pelagianism": Pelagianism is a myth; it does not exist. This myth has been perpetuated for 1500 years by ignorant preachers who latch onto hearsay and spread it like gossip rather than doing the work of a Berean and testing claims; especially claims made by that heretic Augustine, the father of Roman Catholicism. Of the 14 tenets Augustine levied against Pelagius, only HALF of one is true. Several of Pelagius' works still exist today, and if one bothers to read them, he did not teach the things he was accused of. The accusation was a smoke screen, a fabrication, a diversion, in order to introduce a new anthropology and soteriology into the Christian faith. After 1500 years of his name being dragged through the mud, Pelagius has been vindicated.

Post-Modernism: This heresy is difficult to define. Essentially, it is an attitude of subjectivity and relativity that denies an objective truth. It claims that truth is relative and not absolute. In other words, what is true for you is true for you and what is true for me is true for me. But what if my truth says your truth is wrong? This error is filled with great skepticism, rebellion, and unbelief. Its skepticism rejects the concept of absolute certainty or objective truth, asking as Pilate did, “What is truth?” Its rebellion confines meaning to the individual, arguing, “That’s your interpretation!” Its unbelief declares there is no such thing as a universal, supreme, and final authority: Scripture. I enjoy using this illustration against Post-Modernists: “If I held a .357 Magnum to your head and I earnestly believe that it is a hair dryer, what will happen when I pull the trigger?” If Post-Modernists truly believe what they claim (which they use only when it suits them), then when someone shoots their child or blows up their child’s school with them inside, they would not get indignant because the other person is merely following their “truth.” Post-Modernism is deliberate stupidity—being dumb on purpose.

Theistic Evolutionism: The heresy that claims God used evolution in His creation of the world and man. It argues that God used evolution in order to derive man from a non-human form. This error came about due to individuals trying to merge Christianity with false “science.” Darwinism and Evolutionism are false and unfounded, lacking substantial facts and evidences to prove them. They require more faith than that of Christianity and are believed only because “the alternative is unthinkable.” Evolutionism is a philosophical religion—not true science.

Christological Heresies

Adoptionism: The heresy that denies the pre-existence of Christ Jesus (and therefore His deity) and claims that God tested Jesus and, after having passed the test and upon His baptism, granted Him powers and then adopted him as a Son. This error first appeared in the 2nd century and was later revived in the 8th century in Spain by Elipandus, archbishop of Toledo, and Felix, bishop of Urgel. This error arose out of an attempt to understand the two natures of Christ, which is known as the doctrine of the Hypostatic Union.

Albigenses: The heresy that claims there are two gods: the good god of light usually referred to as Jesus in the New Testament, and the god of darkness and evil usually associated with Satan and the “God of the Old Testament.” Anything material was considered evil, including the body which was created by Satan. The soul, created by the good god, was imprisoned in the evil flesh and salvation was possible only through holy living and doing good works. At death, if the person had been spiritual enough, salvation came to them. Otherwise, the person was reincarnated as an animal or another human. This heresy denied the resurrection of the body since it was considered evil. This error taught that Jesus was God, but that He only appeared as man while on Earth. This error was developed in the middle ages in Southern France.

Apollinarianism: The heresy that denies the true and complete humanity in the person of Jesus and claims that Jesus’ divine will overshadowed and replaced the human with a glorified form of human nature. This error, taught by Apollinaris the Younger, bishop of Laodicea in Syria about 361, claimed that the two natures of Christ could not co-exist within one person.

Arianism: The heresy that claims only God the Father is eternal and too pure and infinite to appear on the Earth. Therefore, God produced Christ the Son out of nothing as the first and greatest creation. The Son is then the one who created the universe. God adopted Christ as the Son. Essentially, Jesus was a lesser created being. This error was developed by Arius of Alexandar around 320 in Alexandria Egypt. This belief has found itself in Socinianism and modern day Rationalism, Unitarianism, and the Jehovah’s Witnesses cult.

Docetism: The heresy that claims Jesus was divine, but only seemed to be human. This error was developed out of the dualistic philosophy which viewed matter as inherently evil, that God could not be associated with matter, and that God could not suffer. 1 John 4:2-3 and 2 John 7 refute this.

Donatism: The heresy that claims that the validity of the sacraments depends on the character of the minister. In other words, if a minister who was involved in a serious enough sin were to baptize a person, that baptism would be considered invalid. Since nobody is morally pure, this presents a huge problem. This error was taught by Donatus, bishop of Casae Nigrae.

Ebionism: The heresy that denies the divinity of Christ Jesus. This error, one of the early heresies in the church, says that Jesus was a good teacher and prophet, but that He was in no way divine. It also denied Jesus’ pre-existence. The Ebionites also taught that we should keep the Sabbath day (Saturday), a belief that finds itself in the modern day Seventh-Day Adventism cult.

Eutychianism: The heresy that denied that Jesus had either a divine or human nature, but a different nature altogether that was part human and part divine. This error existed during the 4th and 5th centuries, developed by Eutyches of Constantinople.

Gnosticism: The heresy that claims salvation is achieved through special knowledge. It also claims a dualism of good and bad in the universe, which states that the unknowable God was far too pure and perfect to have anything to do with the material universe which was considered evil. So God created lesser divinities or “emenations.” One of these emenations, Wisdom, desired to know the unknowable God. Out of this erring the demiurge, an evil god, was formed, and it was this evil god who created the universe. He, along with archons, kept the mortals in bondage in material matter and tried to prevent the pure spirit souls from ascending back to god after death. Matter was considered evil. This error denies the incarnation of God as the Son. This belief has found itself in the New Age Movement cult.

Kenosis: The heresy that claims that Jesus gave up some of His divine attributes while He was a man here on Earth. This error was first introduced in the late 1800’s in Germany with Gottfried Thomasius, a Lutheran theologian. Essentially, this error denies Jesus’ full divinity. The correct doctrine would be the Hypostatic Union.

Manicheanism: The heresy that claims that there are two gods: a good spiritual god and a bad material god, who are in constant battle with each other. The bad god was identified as Satan and said to have as much power as the good God, Jehovah. Human beings were the battle ground between these two gods. This heresy also believed that Jesus was not really a human, but a divine being that inhabited a phantom-type body. This error was taught in the 3rd century by Mani, who attempted to create a single religion by combining Christianity, Buddhism, and Zoroastrianism. Manicheanists inclined toward a twisted “Christianity” and spared no effort to preserve many apocryphal or non-inspired writings such as the Gospel of Thomas.

Marcionism: The heresy that claims that the God of the Old Testament is a different God from that of the New Testament, claiming that the OT and NT were contradictory. This error was taught in the 2nd century by Marcion, who denied both the deity and humanity of Christ, believing that He did not have a real body. Marcionism was anti-OT and anti-Jew.

Modalism: The heresy that claims that God is one person who has appeared throughout history in three modes or forms. It denies the distinctiveness of the three persons of the Trinity. These modes are consecutive and never simultaneous. In other words, during Jesus’ baptism, God left the body of Jesus as an empty husk in order to speak as the Father and then descend as the dove, only to inhabit the body of Christ again afterward. This belief originated from Sabellianism and has found itself in United (or Oneness) Pentecostalism and United Apostolic Churches.

Monarchianism: The heresy that claims that there is one God as one person, the Father. It was an attempt to maintain Monotheism and refute Tritheism. This error was developed in the 2nd century. Dynamic Monarchianism claims that God is the Father and Jesus is only a man, while the Spirit was a force or presence of God the Father. This belief has found itself in Jehovah’s Witnesses, Christadelphians, and Unitarians. Some ancient Dynamic Monarchists were also Adoptionists. Modal Monarchianism claims that the Father, the Son, and the Spirit are just modes of the single person who is God.

Monophysitism: The heresy that claims that Jesus had only one nature: divine. It denies the doctrine of the Hypostatic Union. This error arose out of a reaction against Nestorianism, which taught Jesus was two distinct persons instead of one. Its roots can be traced back to Apollinarianism, which taught that the divine nature of Christ overtook and replaced the human one.

Nestorianism: The heresy that claims that Jesus was two distinct persons. This error was named after Nestorius. He repudiated the Marian title “Mother of God,” and held that Mary was the mother of Christ only in respect to His humanity.

Patripassionism: The heresy that claims that the Father became incarnate, was born, suffered, and died on the cross.

Sabellianism: The heresy that claims that God is one being and one person who appears in three different modes or forms, also claiming that the Father became incarnate, was born, suffered, and died on the cross. It denies the distinctiveness of the three persons of the Trinity. These modes are consecutive and never simultaneous. In other words, during Jesus’ baptism, God left the body of Jesus as an empty husk in order to speak as the Father and then descend as the dove, only to inhabit the body of Christ again afterward. This belief finds itself in Modalism, Patripassionism, and modern day United (or Oneness) Pentecostalism and United Apostolic Churches.

Semi-Pelagianism: This heresy is a weaker form of Pelagianism, and claims that man and God co-operate to achieve man’s salvation. The co-operation is not by human effort, as in keeping the law, but rather in the ability of a person to make a free will choice. Semi-Pelagianism teaches that man can make the first move toward God by seeking God out of his own free will and that man can co-operate with God’s grace even to the keeping of his faith through human effort. In other words, God responds to the initial effort of the person and His grace is not absolutely necessary to maintain faith. This belief has found itself in modern day Arminianism (the root belief in Dispensationalism).

Socinianism: The heresy that denies the Trinity. God is a single person with the Spirit as the power of God. Jesus was only a man, but a deified man who was to be adored. This error was derived from two brothers of the surname Sozinni in the 1500’s in Poland. Socinianism also rejected infant baptism, hell, and taught the annihilation of the wicked, a belief that finds itself in modern day Seventh-Day Adventism and Jehovah’s Witnesses cults.

Subordinationism: The heresy that claims that the Son is lesser than the Father in essence or in attributes. Jesus is different in nature than the Father. Primarily, this error teaches that the Son is not eternal and divine (Arian Subordinationsim) and, therefore, not equal to the Father in being and attributes. Another form of this error claims that the Son is divine but not equal to the Father in being, attributes, and rank. Essentially, the Son is inferior to the Father.

Tritheism: The heresy that claims that the Trinity is really three separate beings forming three separate gods. This erring view is often misplaced by the cults for the doctrine of the Trinity. This belief finds itself in Mormonism—but with a twist. Mormonism teaches there are many gods in the universe, but they serve and worship only one of them. The godhead for Earth to them is really three separate gods: the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. The Father used to be a man on another world who brought one of his wives with Him to this world. They both have bodies of flesh and bones. The son is a second god who was literally begotten between god the father and his goddess wife. The Holy Spirit is a third god. Mormonism is Polytheistic with a Tritheistic emphasis.

What Is Legalism?

C. J. Mahaney gave an excellent definition as to what legalism is: "Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through my obedience to God."

In our churches today, every time you speak about obedience and holiness, there are professing "Christians" that will accuse you of legalism. Why? Because of their consciences. They know that they are not doing what Jesus commanded them to do, but rather than submit to Him and conform their lives to His wishes, they want to be told that they are doing just fine and Jesus will accept them as they are. However, they might want to pay closer heed to what Scripture has to say on the subject. Christ Jesus said, "Why call ye me, 'Lord, Lord,' and do (obey) not the things which I say?" (Luke 6:46). He stated further that, "Not everyone that saith unto Me, 'Lord, Lord,' shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth (obeys) the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, 'Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many marvelous works?' And then will I profess unto them, 'I never knew you: depart from Me, ye that work iniquity (you who live as though I never gave you commandments to obey)" (Matthew 7:21-23).

So many people in our churches today have been fed a false gospel that says they can have Jesus, do whatever they want, and live just like the world. Again, Scripture tells a different story for those who dare to look. "Ye adulterers and adulteresses, know ye not that the friendship of the world is enmity with God? whosoever therefore will be a friend of the world is the enemy of God" (James 4:4). "Love not the world, neither the things that are in the world. If any man love the world, the love of the Father is not in him" (1 John 2:15). "And He said to them all, 'If any man will come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross daily, and follow Me. For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for My sake, the same shall save it. For what is a man advantaged, if he gain the whole world, and lose himself, or be cast away? For whosoever shall be ashamed of Me and of My words, of him shall the Son of man be ashamed, when He shall come in His own glory, and in His Father's, and of the holy angels. But I tell you of a truth, there be some standing here, which shall not taste of death, till they see the kingdom of God'" (Luke 9:23-27; cf. Matthew 17:24-28; Mark 8:34-38). "And it came to pass, that, as they went in the way, a certain man said unto Him, 'Lord, I will follow Thee whithersoever Thou goest.' And Jesus said unto Him, 'Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests; but the Son of man hath not where to lay His head.' And He said unto another, 'Follow Me.' But he said, 'Lord, suffer me first to go and bury my father.' Jesus said unto him, 'Let the dead bury their dead: but go thou and preach the kingdom of God.' And another also said, 'Lord, I will follow Thee; but let me first go bid them farewell, which are at home at my house.' And Jesus said unto him, 'No man, having put his hand to the plough, and looking back, is fit for the kingdom of God'" (Luke 9:57-62; cf. Matthew 8:18-22). "And there went great multitudes with Him: and He turned, and said unto them, 'If any man come to me, and hate not his father, and mother, and wife, and children, and brethren, and sisters, yea, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple*. And whosoever doth not bear his cross, and come after Me, cannot be My disciple*. For which of you, intending to build a tower, sitteth not down first, and counteth the cost, whether he have sufficient to finish it? Lest haply, after he hath laid the foundation, and is not able to finish it, all that behold it begin to mock him, saying, 'This man began to build, and was not able to finish.' Or what king, going to make war against another king, sitteth not down first, and consulteth whether he be able with ten thousand to meet him that cometh against him with twenty thousand? Or else, while the other is yet a great way off, he sendeth an ambassage, and desireth conditions of peace. So likewise, whosoever he be of you that forsaketh not all that he hath, he cannot be My disciple*'" (Luke 14:25-33; cf. Matthew 10:34-39 - in Acts).

*cannot be my disciple = cannot be a Christian

On February 17, 2009, Matt Chandler had this to say about legalism in ‘Dwell Deep: The Blog’:

Holiness is something we should all be striving for. God, by His grace, has set us free to pursue Him in joy and walk in obedience to His commands, not begrudgingly but with gladness. The commands of God in Scripture shouldn’t be a burden that we rail against but a disciplined hope-filled act of daily worship.

First, legalism is using morality or a command of God as a means of expressing independence, self-sufficiency and self-determination. It’s moral behaviour that’s not from faith. This is the kind of legalism the Pharisees were most often caught up in. Their obedience to God’s commands didn’t flow from a love and worship of God but rather as a means to exalt themselves over others and exalt their own discipline and strength. The problem wasn’t the command; it was their heart.

"Legalism is seeking to achieve forgiveness from God and acceptance by God through my obedience to God." If by my obedience I am trying to seek forgiveness from God and/or acceptance by God, then I am being legalistic in my religion, just as the Pharisees. I do not obey just to get something from God. But that is not what the Christian's obedience looks like. A Christian is obedient because Christ Jesus has commanded it and because He loves the Lord Jesus, whether anything good comes of it or not. If God never blessed him for it, a true Christian would still be obedient to the Lord Christ Jesus because it was commanded of him and because he loves Him. "Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice and to hearken (listen) than the fat of rams" (1 Samuel 15:22b). "Walk before Me, and be thou perfect (blameless)" (Genesis 17:1). "Be ye holy, as I am holy" (1 Peter 1:16). There is no way around it. On every page of Scripture are the commands for obedience and holiness. Christ Jesus had this testimony: "For I do (obey) always those things that please Him (the Father)" (John 8:29c). If you are doing the will of the Father, or of Christ Jesus, then you are obeying Him.

If Jesus is not first in your life, and if you are not obedient to His commands, do not fool yourself into thinking you are a true, biblical, born again Christian. If you are genuinely a Christian, then there will be repentance in your life due to your selfishness and disobedience against Jesus. A Christian is consistently renewing his thinking (Romans 12:2), consistently bringing his thoughts into submission (2 Corinthians 10:5), and consistently thinking on righteous things (Philippians 4:8). "Seek ye first the kingdom of God AND His righteousness..." (Matthew 6:33). Have your eye on eternity and your mind set on holiness.

The Gospel

What is “the Gospel”? The Greek word (εὐαγγέλιον) translated as ‘Gospel’ in most English translations means “good news.” By very definition, there can be no bad news in good news. The Good News was first preached to the Jews, and then to the gentiles (us non-Jews). It begins with the long-awaited Kingdom of God (Dan. 2:31-45; Mark 1:14-15) and its King (Ps. 2:1-12). Jesus is God’s Anointed. The Hebrew word Meshiach (Messiah) and the Greek word Christos (Christ) both mean “Anointed.” The New Testament use of “Christ” hearkens back to Psalm 2, which meant the King whom God had anointed to rule the world. The apostles’ use of “the Christ, the Son of God” also hearkens back to Psalm 2, demonstrating that they were proclaiming, “Jesus is King!” This is why their enemies said in Acts 17:7, “they all act contrary to the decrees of Caesar, saying that there is another king, Jesus!”

The Good News then extends to the initiation (at the Lord’s Supper) and activation (at the crucifixion; Heb. 9:16-17) of the long-awaited New Covenant (Jer. 31:31-34; Ezek. 36:25-27). All of this is the Gospel, the Good News. But the greatest part of the Good News is the atonement, what Jesus accomplished for us on our behalf and in our place because we could not do so for ourselves. Let me explain.

THE BAD NEWS
In life, you will be faced with a great deal of decisions you must make, but none is as important as your decision as to where your soul will spend eternity. Do you consider yourself to be a good person? The Dictionary defines “good” as being “morally perfect.” Let’s do a little test and see how you fair. How many lies have you told in your life? This includes fibs and "white lies." What do you call someone who lies? A liar. Ever stolen something? The size and value are irrelevant. What do you call someone who steals? A thief. Jesus said, “Whoever looks upon another person, to lust after them, has already committed adultery with them in their heart” (Matt. 5:28). Have you ever looked with lust? By your own admission, you are a lying, thieving, adulterer at heart; and we’ve only looked at three of the Ten Commandments. That’s how God sees you: a lying, thieving, adulterer. The Bible says, “All liars, [thieves and adulterers] will have their place in the Lake of Fire” (Rev. 21:8).

Nothing is hid from God’s holy eyes. He sees your every thought and He will judge you accordingly. If you were to die today and stand before the Judgment Seat, if God were to judge you by the Ten Commandments, would you be found innocent or guilty? Listen to your conscience. You know you would be guilty. Do you think you would go to Heaven or Hell? You would go to Hell. You may say to yourself, “But I tell God I am sorry for the things I do.” If you were in court because you just molested and murdered a young child, no matter how truly sorry you were for your crimes, if the judge was a good judge he could not let you go just because you are sorry. You must be punished. The Bible says, “The soul that sins it shall die” (Ezek. 18:20) and “The wages of sin is death” (Rom. 6:23). God is infinitely more good and more just than any human judge and all sin is against Him. Because you have a conscience you have sinned with knowledge. Each time you told a lie or stole or looked with lust you knew you were doing wrong.

God is infinitely holy, infinitely perfect, and infinitely righteous. In order for you to enter Heaven, you must have a holiness, perfection, and righteousness equal to that of God’s. You may say to yourself, “But I go to church; I give to this charity; I do all these good things.” The Bible says, “All our righteous deeds are as a filthy rag” (Is. 64:6). You have sinned against an infinitely holy God. By good works shall no man be saved. You will spend an eternity in Hell, eternally separated from God and His goodness, suffering in constant reminder of your sins for all eternity. Because of your sin, God’s anger and wrath abides on you.

Some people think that the punishment is not fair. Consider this: If you lie to your children, not much is going to happen; if you lie to your spouse, you're likely to sleep on the couch; if you lie to your boss, you 're likely to get fired; if you lie to the government, you're likely to face prison. What changed? Same crime, different punishment. what changed is the person against whom you sinned. You are sinning against an infinitely holy God, therefore an infinite punishment is just.

THE GOOD NEWS
But, there is good news. Imagine you are standing in front of a judge, guilty of multiple serious crimes. All the evidence has been presented and there is no doubt about your guilt. Your apologies and good works cannot erase your crimes; therefore you must be punished. The fine for your crime is $5,000,000 or imprisonment, but you do not have two pennies to rub together. The judge is about to pass sentence when someone you do not even know steps in and pays your fine for you! The court accepts the money and declares that you are free to go. The law has been satisfied, your debt has been paid in full, and the stranger's sacrifice was a demonstration of his love for you. That is what God did for you 2000 years ago.

It is not God’s will that you should perish. He is rich with mercy. That is why He sent Christ Jesus, His only Son—God in the flesh—to condemn sin in the flesh by living an absolutely perfect life. Through Christ Jesus, God has provided a way for you to be forgiven. Christ Jesus took the punishment for your sins. The Bible says, “God demonstrated His love toward us, in that, while we were still sinners, Christ died for us” (Rom. 5:8). The cup Christ prayed three times that God the Father would let pass from Him contained all the wrath, anger, and hatred of Almighty God toward sinners. He bore your sins on His body upon a cross that was meant for you. Christ Jesus laid His life down and died for your sins. The Bible says, “The wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord” (Rom. 6:23). Christ Jesus will provide us with a holiness, perfection, and righteousness that is equal to that of God’s – if we but believe. All you need to do is repent of your sins and turn to God, believing in what Christ accomplished on the cross. To repent is to have a change of mind about sin and about God, and it means to turn from your sins and to turn to God.

Under the Old Covenant, the Jews were required to provide yearly sacrifices to cover their sins (like a band-aid). They were never truly free of their sins because they were reminded that they had to do it all over again the next year. Jesus was the sacrifice to end all sacrifices. Because He lives, His sacrifice is an eternal sacrifice and therefore God can forgive your sins. Jesus’ death activated the New Covenant with which God said, “I will be merciful to their iniquities, and I will remember their sins no more.” Your slate has been wiped clean—forever. Jesus accomplished everything for you on your behalf and in your place, giving you full access to God. Under the Old Covenant, no one could approach God except the High Priest, and only once a year. If he did not prepare himself accordingly, he would be struck dead the moment he entered the Holy Place. Jesus’ death tore the veil and gives you permanent access to the Father.

Jesus also fulfilled the Law and then set it aside because it was “weak and useless” (Heb. 7:18-19). It has been rendered “obsolete” (Heb. 8:13). Jesus is “the end of the law” for those who believe in Him (Rom. 10:4). The Law was not of faith and could not save anyone. It is not for believers (1 Tim. 1:8-11). Under the Law, sin only increased (Rom. 5:20; 7:5, 8). The power of sin is the Law (1 Cor. 15:56). Rules and regulations do nothing to prevent you from sinning; they only cause you to sin more—not less (Rom. 7:7-12, 15, 19). In 1 Corinthians 3, Paul refers to the Ten Commandments as a “ministry of condemnation” and a “ministry of death.” Is that what you want to be governed by? Jesus has set you free from the Law, free from sin, and free from condemnation. The believer is free to be themselves and to express the life of Jesus all at the same time. The only limitations to Christian liberty are love for others and the holiness of God.

Jesus was “born under the Law to redeem those under the Law” (Gal. 4:4-5). Many of His teachings were difficult precisely because He was increasing the weight of the Law upon the people to demonstrate the impossibility of keeping it perfectly so that they would despair and look for something better: grace. Jesus said, “Come to Me, all who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For My yoke is comfortable, and My burden is light” (Matt. 11:28-30). In John 13:34, Jesus gives us a new commandment. The apostle John picks up this same idea in 1 John 3:23: “And this is His command: to believe in the name of His Son, Christ Jesus, and to love one another as He commanded us." To believe and to love are the laws written on the Christian’s heart. Not the 613 commands of the Law, not the “moral” Ten Commandments, and not the two greatest commandments of the Law. Love is the true fulfillment of the Law (Rom. 13:10) and love covers a multitude of sins (1 Pet. 4:8). The indwelling Holy Spirit is inspiring us to bear the fruit (singular) of the Spirit because "against such there is no law" (Gal. 5:23). Truly, “His commandments are not burdensome” (1 John 5:3). Love is the Royal Law of the New Covenant in the Kingdom of God.

But that is still not the whole Gospel! When you believe on and place your trust in the Lord Jesus, you are crucified with Him. You become dead to the world, the Law, and sin. You become a new creation (like a caterpillar turning into a butterfly). He gives you a new nature, a new heart with new passions and desires (you want what He wants), a new spirit, and His Spirit. All your sins—past, present, and future—are completely forgiven and He remembers them no more. Even though you may fall back into old ways of thinking and acting, those are not the new you. While everything else is new, you still need to be “transformed by the renewing of your mind” (Rom. 12:2). You need to remind yourself of your new identity in Christ Jesus. You are not a “sinner saved by grace,” you are a saint who has died to sin.

CONCLUSION
You have just heard the Gospel of the Bible. If you do not set your soul right with God, you will be without excuse and you will die in your sins and you will spend an eternity in Hell. If I don’t believe in Mac Trucks and I stand out on the freeway, it will not change reality. You could leave here today and be struck by another car and instantly killed. Then it will be too late. Where will you spend eternity? If this concerns you, you may pray something like this: “Dear God, I know that I am a sinner deserving of eternal punishment for the sin I’ve committed against You. I repent of my sins (name them), turning from them and to You. This day I put my trust in Christ Jesus as my Saviour and make Him Lord of my Life. Reveal Yourself in me. Please take away the sins from your servant, forgive me, and grant me your gift of everlasting life. In Jesus’ name I pray, Amen.” Then go home, read your Bible as often as you can and love others just as Jesus loved you. Earnestly seek God and wait for Him to reveal Himself in you.