the theme of the bible el bethel church of christ october 3, 2005

The Theme of the BibleThe Theme of the Bible

El Bethel church of ChristOctober 3, 2005

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The Plan of RedemptionThe Plan of Redemption

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The great commission –

““Go into all the world Go into all the world and preach and preach the gospel the gospel

to all creation...”to all creation...”Mark 16:15

An Urgent and Important An Urgent and Important CommandCommand

Everyone deserves to hear the gospel!

The GospelThe Gospel

Power of God -

““I am not ashamed I am not ashamed of of the gospel the gospel for it for it is the power of God is the power of God

for salvation...”for salvation...”Roman 1:16

The GospelThe Gospel

““...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed ...when the Lord Jesus will be revealed from heaven with His mighty angels in from heaven with His mighty angels in flaming fire, dealing out retribution to flaming fire, dealing out retribution to those who do not know God and to those those who do not know God and to those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. These will pay the penalty of Jesus. These will pay the penalty of eternal destruction, away from the eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory presence of the Lord and from the glory of His power...”of His power...”

2 Thessalonians 1:7-9

The GospelThe Gospel““I am amazed that you are so quickly I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for grace of Christ, for a different gospela different gospel; ; which is really not another; only there which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and are some who are disturbing you and want to distort want to distort the gospel of Christ. the gospel of Christ.

But even But even if we or an angel from if we or an angel from heaven heaven should preach should preach a gospel other a gospel other than the one we preached to youthan the one we preached to you, let , let him be him be eternally condemned!eternally condemned!””

Galatians 1:6-12Galatians 1:6-12

DIFFICULT STATEMENT

POLITICALLY INCORRECT

““I am amazed that you are so quickly I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for grace of Christ, for a different gospela different gospel; ; which is really not another; only there which is really not another; only there are some who are disturbing you and are some who are disturbing you and want to distort want to distort the gospel of Christ. the gospel of Christ.

But even But even if we or an angel from if we or an angel from heaven heaven should preach should preach a gospel other a gospel other than the one we preached to youthan the one we preached to you, let , let him be him be eternally condemned!eternally condemned!””

Galatians 1:6-12Galatians 1:6-12

The GospelThe Gospel

How can I know?

Where would we start?

Galatians 1:6-12

Galatians 3:24Galatians 3:24

TEACHERTEACHER

TO BRING US TO CHRISTTO BRING US TO CHRIST

JUSTIFIED BY FAITHJUSTIFIED BY FAITH

OLD LAWOLD LAWAlso

Rom. 15:4

For whatever things were written before were written for our learning,

that we through the patience and comfort of

the Scriptures might have hope.

1 Cor. 10:11

Now these things happened to them as an example, and they were

written for our instruction

Which GOD?Which GOD?

OTOT NTNT

ETERNAL

ALL POWERFUL

ALL KNOWING

The Nature of God…The Nature of God…Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:2

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father…for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. I Chronicles 28:9

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28ff

ETERNAL

ALL POWERFUL

ALL KNOWING

The Nature of God…The Nature of God…Before the mountains were born or You gave birth to the earth and the world, even from everlasting to everlasting, You are God. Psalm 90:2

And you, my son Solomon, acknowledge the God of your father…for the LORD searches every heart and understands every motive behind the thoughts. I Chronicles 28:9

The Lord is the everlasting God, the Creator of the ends of the earth. He will not grow tired or weary, and his understanding no one can fathom. Isaiah 40:28ff

GOD GOD IS IS

HOLYHOLY

Inhabits eternity with a dominion of purity defined by His nature

“Far be it from God to do wickedness, And from the Almighty to do

wrong. .. Surely, God will not act wickedly, And the Almighty will not

pervert justice.”Job 34:10-12

GODGOD

There is no hint of moral evil in His nature“For You are not a God who takes pleasure in

wickedness; No evil dwells with You.”Psalms 5:4

GODGOD

HolyHoly

Ps 33:4-5 For the word of the LORD is upright, And all His work is done in faithfulness. He loves righteousness and justice;

The earth is full of the lovingkindness of the LORD.

God’s holiness is demonstrated in His justice and love toward His

creation.

JUSTICEJUSTICE LOVELOVE

Set ApartSet Apart

God demands moral uprightness in His creatures because He is Holy!

“Thus you are to be holy to Me, for I the LORD am holy; and I have set you apart from the peoples to be Mine.” Leviticus 20:26

GOD

GODGOD

SPIRITUAL UNIONSPIRITUAL UNIONSPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIPSPIRITUAL FELLOWSHIP

GOD

GODGOD

God exhibits an attitude of abhorrence God exhibits an attitude of abhorrence and hatred to all that is wrongand hatred to all that is wrong

““You are of purer eyes than to behold You are of purer eyes than to behold evil, and cannot look upon wickedness.” evil, and cannot look upon wickedness.”

Hab 1:13Hab 1:13

GOD

GODGOD

Cannot co-exist with sinCannot co-exist with sin““Your iniquities have separated Your iniquities have separated you from your God; and your sins you from your God; and your sins have hidden his face from you.” have hidden his face from you.”

Is 59:2Is 59:2

GOD SPIRITUASPIRITUAL L

DEATHDEATH“you were dead in your trespasses and sins” Eph 2:1

DEATHDEATHSINSIN

Ezekiel 18:20Ezekiel 18:20 ... the person who sins he shall ... the person who sins he shall diedie

Psa 53:3Psa 53:3 ““...everyone turns away…no one ...everyone turns away…no one does good, not even one.”does good, not even one.”

Ezekiel 18:20Ezekiel 18:20 ... the person who sins he shall ... the person who sins he shall diedie

DEATHDEATHSINSIN

The The CONSEQUENCESCONSEQUENCES of SIN of SIN

DEATHDEATH

SPIRITUALSPIRITUAL

MORTALMORTAL“For out of the dust

youwere taken; for dust you are, and to the

dust you shall return.”~ Genesis 3:19

Other consequences (Gen 3):• increased pain in childbirth • toil and labor• 1st prophecy of Christ

~Isaiah 59:2

Psa 53:3Psa 53:3 ““...everyone turns away…no one ...everyone turns away…no one does good, not even one.”does good, not even one.”

DEATHDEATH

LIFELIFE“without the shedding of

blood there can be no remission of sins.”

Heb. 9:22

The The PRICEPRICE for SIN for SIN

The PriceThe PriceGenesis 2:16-17 “The LORD God commanded the man, saying, ‘From any tree of the garden you may eat freely; but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.’”

2 Peter 2:4-9

4 For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment;

SIN

DEATH

A Just GodA Just God

A Just GodA Just God

5 and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly;

SIN

DEATH

Noah’s Flood (Genesis 6-8)

A Just GodA Just God

6 and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter...

SIN

DEATH

Genesis 18-19

The Price is RightThe Price is Right

We deserve to die for breaking the laws of the God of the universe!!!

SIN

DEATHThe person who sins will die. Ezekiel 18:20

Death Man finds himself in a very desperate situation:Man has broken the laws of the God of the universe, this has separated him from God, and the price of death hangs over his head (which he cannot pay!) by a just God!

God’s God’s JusticeJustice Demands Demands Death as Payment for SinDeath as Payment for Sin

MercyMercyGod God does not givedoes not give

what what isis deserved deserved

GraceGraceGod God givesgives what is what is notnot deserved deserved

God’s God’s LoveLove Provides a way to Provides a way to Pay the PricePay the Price

NOT NOT GUILTY!!GUILTY!!

BLOODBLOODMERCYMERCY

AtonementAtonement

Kaphar: Kaphar: to cover, purge, make an atonement, to cover, purge, make an atonement, make reconciliation, cover over with pitch make reconciliation, cover over with pitch – (Qal) to coat or cover with pitch (Qal) to coat or cover with pitch – (Piel) (Piel)

• to cover over, pacify, propitiate to cover over, pacify, propitiate

• to cover over, atone for sin, make atonement for to cover over, atone for sin, make atonement for

• to cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites to cover over, atone for sin and persons by legal rites

– (Pual) (Pual) • to be covered over to be covered over

• to make atonement for to make atonement for

– (Hithpael) to be covered (Hithpael) to be covered

GOD

GODGOD

AtonementAtonement““...for it is on this day that atonement shall be ...for it is on this day that atonement shall be made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean made for you to cleanse you; you will be clean from all your sins before the LORD”from all your sins before the LORD” Lev 16:30Lev 16:30

ATONEMENTATONEMENT

AtonementAtonement

Leviticus 17:11Leviticus 17:11

'For the life of the flesh is in the 'For the life of the flesh is in the bloodblood, ,

and I have given it to you on the altar and I have given it to you on the altar

to make atonement for your souls; for to make atonement for your souls; for

it is the it is the bloodblood by reason of the life that by reason of the life that

makes atonement.'makes atonement.'

AtonementAtonement

Leviticus 17:11Leviticus 17:11

'For the life of the flesh is in the 'For the life of the flesh is in the bloodblood, ,

and I have given it to you on the altar and I have given it to you on the altar

to make atonement for your souls; for to make atonement for your souls; for

it is the it is the bloodblood by reason of the life that by reason of the life that

makes makes atonementatonement.'.'

Innocent Innocent LIFELIFE

PaymentPayment

BLOODBLOOD REPRESENTS LIFELIFE

ATONES FORInnocent LIFEInnocent LIFE SINNERSINNER

Heb 9:22 Heb 9:22 …without the shedding of blood …without the shedding of blood there can be no forgivenessthere can be no forgiveness

REPRESENTSGuilty Guilty LIFELIFE

GODSANCTIFICATIOSANCTIFICATIONN

“...that He might sanctify her [the church], having cleansed her …” Eph. 5:25-26

Lev 17:11Lev 17:11

“The sinner deserved to die; therefore the sacrifice must die. ...God appointed the sprinkling or pouring out of the blood of the sacrifice upon the altar to signify that the life of the sacrifice was given to God instead of the sinner's life, and as a ransom or counter-price for it; therefore without shedding of blood there was no remission, Heb 9:22.” Macknight

Animal SacrificeAnimal Sacrifice

SINSSINS

(FIGURATIVE)(FIGURATIVE)

SINS

INNOCENTINNOCENT GUILTYGUILTY

DEATHDEATH

Animal SacrificeAnimal Sacrifice

SINSSINS

(FIGURATIVE)(FIGURATIVE)

Leviticus 17:11 'For the life of the flesh is in

the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar

to make atonement for

your souls; for it is the blood by

reason of the life that makes

atonement.'

Heb 9:22 …without the shedding of blood there is no remission.

• but from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat from it you will surely die.“ (Gen 2)

• For the life of the flesh is in the blood, and I have given it to you on the altar to make atonement for your souls; for it is the blood by reason of the life that makes atonement.‘ (Lev 17)

• …without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness. (Heb 9:22)

Adam & Eve “died” through the animal deaths

JUSTICEJUSTICE

Animal SacrificeAnimal Sacrifice

MERCYMERCY

DEATH

SINSSINS

(FIGURATIVE)

What Made it Work?What Made it Work?

FAITHFAITH

Unacceptable SacrificesUnacceptable Sacrifices

FAITHFAITH

Cain: Cain: Genesis 4Genesis 4

Priests: Priests: Leviticus 10Leviticus 10

Jews: Jews: Malachi 1:8Malachi 1:8

By Faith…By Faith…AbelAbel

NoahNoahAbrahamAbrahamAbrahamAbraham

SarahSarahAbrahamAbraham

IsaacIsaacIsraelitesIsraelites

Walls of JerichoWalls of Jericho

OFFEREDOFFEREDPREPAREDPREPAREDOBEYEDOBEYEDLIVEDLIVEDCONCEIVEDCONCEIVEDOFFEREDOFFEREDBLESSEDBLESSEDPASSED THROUGHPASSED THROUGHENCIRCLEDENCIRCLED

Genuine FAITH requires Genuine FAITH requires Belief-based ACTIONBelief-based ACTION

Genuine Faith – Genuine Faith – Hebrews 11:6Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to

please Him, for he who comes to God

must believe that He is, and that He is a

rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

Genuine Faith – Genuine Faith – Hebrews 11:6Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to

please Him, for he who comes to God

must believe that He is, and that He is a

rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

FAITH = Belief-based action

Genuine Faith – Genuine Faith – Hebrews 11:6Hebrews 11:6

But without faith it is impossible to

please Him, for he who comes to God

must believe that He is, and that He is a

rewarder of those who diligently seek Him.

DEATH

Animal SacrificeAnimal Sacrifice

SINS

JUSTICEJUSTICE MERCYMERCY

SINS

(FIGURATIVE)

SINSINSACRIFICESACRIFICE

BLOODBLOOD

ATONEMENTATONEMENT

FAITHFAITH

REPRESENTATIVEREPRESENTATIVEDEATHDEATH

TEACHERTEACHERGal 3:24

REDEMPTIONREDEMPTION

HOLINESSHOLINESS

SANCTIFICATIONSANCTIFICATION

GRACEGRACE

that takes away the sin

of the world”

“Behold the

Next:Next:

Examining Examining The Blood of ChristThe Blood of Christ

ContradictionContradiction??

(John 3:16) For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish,

but have eternal life.

(James 2:19) You believe that God is one. You do well; the demons also

believe, and shudder.

SYNECDOCHESYNECDOCHE

A part is put for the wholeA part is put for the whole““Head” for cattle Head” for cattle ““Sail” for sailboatsSail” for sailboats

The whole is used for a partThe whole is used for a part““Law” for policemanLaw” for policeman

BELIEF-based ACTIONBELIEF-based ACTION(SAVING FAITH)(SAVING FAITH)

WORKS ALONE

BELIEFALONE HEBREWS 11

What good is it, my brothers, if a man claims to have faith but has no deeds?

Can such faith save him?James 2:14

JUSTIFIED BY FAITHJUSTIFIED BY FAITH

(v14) Can that type of faith savesave a man? (v17) Faith without action is deaddead

(v18) Faith is shown by actionaction(v20) Faith without action is “uselessuseless”

(v21-23) Abraham’s faith was perfectedperfected by belief working with his actions

(v24) Justified by action, notnot “faith alone”(v26) Faith without action is deaddead

(v19) Devils are believers!Devils are believers! – and lostTHERE ARE BELIEVERS IN HELL!

BELIEF ALONE? BELIEF ALONE? (James 2:14-26)(James 2:14-26)

• Receive the envelope• Open the envelope• Open the card• “Shake out” the

check• Endorse the check• Take it to the bank• Receive your cash• Still a gift?• You did nothing to

EARN the gift – you just accepted the gift!

The Birthday CheckThe Birthday Check