Relevant Christianity

THE HERODIAN DYNASTY: MAKING SENSE OF THE FAMILY TREE

2010-03-31T12:12:00.000-07:00

Understanding HEROD or the Herodian Dynasty can be quite confusing, likely due to the fact so many are called HEROD in the New Testament. The term HEROD was the family name of several Rome appointed rulers as kings or provincial governors of Palestine which we can read in the New Testament. I want to take this opportunity to give a brief overview of the major biblical “players” of the Herodian Dynasty for your consideration.
HEROD THE GREAT: Herod the Great was king during the days of Emperor Augustus when Jesus was born in Bethlehem. (Mt. 2:1, Lk. 3:1) Herod the Great ruled from 37 to 4 B.C. as a creative architect, had organizational skill and was an extremely savvy politician. Herod’s savage policies included killing his wife and two sons and all male babies under two years old. His greatest achievement was rebuilding Solomon’s Temple which took nearly 50 years. One other achievement was the rebuilding of Caesarea as a port city on the Mediterranean. This was used as a Roman provincial capital for Palestine during the New Testament era. The aqueducts used to transport water still stand and can be seen today. (See picture below)
HEROD ANTIPAS: Antipas succeeded his father as the governor of Perea and Galilee. (Mt. 14:1) It was this Herod who was responsible for the death of John the Baptizer. (Lk. 3:19-20, Mt. 14:1-12)
HEROD AGRIPPA I: Caligula Caesar named Agrippa, grandson of Herod the Great, ruler of Palestine. Agrippa was a “good” leader in the sense that he accomplished the desires of the Jewish people. However, once Christianity was viewed with distinction from traditional Judaism, Agrippa sided with the Jews and became an early persecutor of the Christians. Agrippa was killed by an angel of the Lord for his apparent blasphemy by accepting praises of the people as if he were divine. (Acts 12)
HEROD AGRIPPA II: In 50 A.D. Agrippa II was appointed ruler over several larger territories of Galilee. The only reference of this Herod occurs in Acts 25:13-26:32 where Paul makes his defense before Agrippa in Caesarea. Had Paul not appealed to Caesar in Rome, he could likely have been set free at this point.
The only two other HERODS mentioned in the Bible were HEROD ARCHELAUS (Mt. 2:22) and HEROD PHILIP. (Lk. 3:1) Both of these were sons of Herod the Great and rules parts of the territory governed by their father. Although a knowledge of such things will not determine our eternal salvation, it is at least of interest to realize the world of the New Testament.

LOVE: THE EMOTION FOR POWERFUL CHANGE

2010-02-23T09:51:00.000-08:00

“God commends His love towards us in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for the ungodly.” (Romans 5:8) Nearly two-thousand years ago a small band of one hundred-twenty believers gathered for Pentecost in an upper room. Their attention was centered on twelve men who knew Christ in a very personal way. Their Lord promised these twelve He would deliver to them a power from on high and finally in Acts 2:1-4, this comforter came upon them. Immediately we witness the first sermon being dramatically proclaimed without fear of persecution when Peter dares to warn and enlighten the group of the heinous sin they had committed. In only a few short chapters, Peter and John have their first real altercation with the San Hedrin. (Acts 4:5-12) In reading we wonder whether they will run away as they did during the trial, scourging and crucifixion of Christ. This time we do not see the cowering, frightened, apprehensive and fearful group of so called friends running from the first sight of danger. Rather Peter stands his ground and firmly calls out “We cannot but speak the things we have seen ad heard.” (Acts 4:10, 20) Do you think Peter felt a sense of accomplishment for standing rather than denying Christ? The biggest question now is “WHY?” Why did the earliest believers stand strong against opposition? The major happening between Passover and Pentecost was the resurrection. Now with HOPE beyond words they could understand the nature of God’s love and power and could declare the whole counsel of God to those who needed to know His love and Hope.
Do you think Christianity could have survived all these many years if the truth was guarded by dormant and spineless cowards? God never intended for someone so counterproductive as timidity or fearfulness to be a Christian’s nature. But this is where God steps in! Love is the single most antidote for solving the problems of our sinful world. When we have love for God, it overcomes the fear of man. Loving God propels you to honor, cherish, worship and magnify God. Knowing the love that God has granted to us provides the impetus to share His love with those around us. Love is that antidote for the timidity that may have us in its grasp.
John says “…love casts out fear”. (I John 4:18) Look back at the apostles again just before Christ’s death. They were immature. Though they continued to declare unfailing allegiance to Christ, guaranteeing never to forsake Him, claiming their love would never cease, where were they when His death drew near? Were they standing near or watching or even sleeping? Did they cry out in His defense as that innocent Jesus stood silent without a single positive referral? Suddenly though, this scene changes when Christ returned from the grave and gave the Apostles the single charge to “Go into all the world.” (Matthew 28:19-20, Mark 16:16) Now the world knew what love was about and it was able to conquer the cowardice of the weak. Today, love brings about change, heroism and looks the possibility of persecution in the eyes and says, like Esther, “If I die, I die.” (Esther 4:16) That kind of love never fails and it was that kind of love that the first Christians came to know, because they had experienced it first hand! This is the kind of love that makes us greater in His eyes, so let’s express it!

LUKE THE HISTORIAN WAS RIGHT

2010-02-19T13:52:00.000-08:00

One of the blessings of the Christian walk is that God invites us to verify what He says as true. (I Thessalonians 5:21) God has left us sufficient and numerous visible reminders that He is with us. (Romans 1:20) Furthermore, the Word of God is not a book that must be accepted blindly. There are internal proofs that establish it to be reliable and trustworthy. Among those “verifiable” issues is the ability to validate Biblical authors of men of integrity and therefore trustworthy. (Acts 17:11, 2 Timothy 3:16-17) Certainly any approach to studying the Bible should allow the Bible to guide the process regarding context and meaning. But there are also times, as in the case of Luke, that we are able to use sources outside the Bible to attest to the truthfulness of what Luke wrote. It is my contention that Luke was an accurate historian of the highest caliber. Just as we could use a criterion to establish the credibility of any historian, the same tests can be applied to Luke. Once we do so, we will find that LUKE WAS RIGHT!
Luke authored two books in the New Testament that appear to be written as companion works. Take your Bible and read Luke 1:1-4 and then Acts 1:1-2. It is obvious the Gospel of Luke was to be the first in a two part series and Luke was complete the work. If Luke properly uses historical figures and verifiable events, then we can conclude that Luke was a reliable historian, and thereby trustworthy in doctrine and salvation issues. There have always been skeptics, like Kummel or Ludemann, that say Luke isn’t complete enough or that Luke includes too many traditions to be regarded as a true historian. But we notice that Luke is very familiar with geographical, historical and cultural settings in which events are related. (Acts 16:10-17, 20:5-21:18, 27:1-28:16)
Luke is very specific in the book of Luke. He says Herod’s are Kings of Judea when Zacharias was High Priest. (1:5) Caesar Augustus was Emporer and Quirinius was governor over Syria when the entire world was called for the registry. (2:1-2) In 3:1 and 3:19 several key authorities are noted which include: Pontius Pilate as the governor over Judea and various Tetrarchs included Herod, Philip, Trachonitis and Lysanias. Finally, he even mentions a low profile character named Chuza in 8:3 which clearly shows Luke’s reliability. The original reader could/would have known this steward even if today’s scholar cannot validate that he ever lived. Furthermore, the books of Acts lists detailed points which cannot be easily overlooked. Luke talks about the riots in Ephesus when there was only one proconsul there. (Acts 19:38) Sergius Paulus appears in Luke’s history as “proconsul of Syria” and Gallio as “proconsul of Achaia.” (Acts 13:7, 18:12) Finally, Luke calls local authorities in Ephesus “Asiarchs” (19:31) but Philippian magistrates were called “praetors” and “lectors” (Acts 16:20, 35) but calls the authorities in Thessalonica “Politarchs”. (Acts 17:6) Archaeology has validated these names and titles were in fact accurate.
We can reach several logical conclusions. The author witnessed these events personally. The author was very careful about being accurate. If Luke was reliable in both his writings, then he can be considered an accurate historian. The Bible is the product of God. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) We are able to accept it even when critics attack. By showing the reliability of the authors of the Bible, we increase out faith in God’s Word. We can know then, that life can be based on the complete truthfulness of the biblical text.

SALVATION: GOD'S NATURE IS OUR FOUNDATION FOR FORGIVENESS

2010-02-12T07:46:00.000-08:00

Have you ever stopped to ponder the great love of God in Christ? (I John 4:1-3) The gift of God of salvation is far beyond what we could imagine or deserve. (John 3:16, I John 3:17) In Collier's Dictionary, salvation is defined as "preservation or deliverance from difficulty, danger, destruction or evil." Pertaining to one's soul, salvation can be biblically described as the deliverance of the soul from the evils of sin and from the destructive punishment for sin. By sinning, everyone is not only responsible for his/her own going astray, but rightly deserves the just sentence: eternal condemnation. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) For this reason, we cannot save ourselves. We need a Savior. I Timothy 4:10 refers to God as the "Savior of all mankind," specifically referring to any and all those who will obey Him. But since we rightly deserve to be eternally lost, what is it in God that would motivate Him to even consider devising a plan for our redemption? Thankfully, the answer is in God's very nature. Three qualities of God's nature are grace, mercy and love. These traits provide the very foundation for our hope of salvation.
MANKIND CAN BE SAVED BECAUSE OF GRACE. In fact, we would be hopeless without it. Collier's dictionary also defines grace as: "Sense of propriety; consideration; freely given good will; unmerited and freely bestowed divine assistance: favor." Since we have each turned away from God, we are in need of God's grace. God has freely assisted us by sending His Son for a sacrifice in order to appease His wrath for our sins. I John 2:2 states that Christ was sent to be the propitiation of our sins. Because of this action, grace is religiously defined by Collier as "Divine assistance in saving one from eternal damnation."
MERCY IS CRUCIAL. Even beyond grace, mercy implies a compassion that goes beyond the requirements of justice in extending comfort to the defenseless. Mercy is a disposition and power of God to be kind, forbearing and forgiving. Webster's New International Dictionary defines mercy as follows: "Leniency, kindness, forbearance or compassion toward another or others where severity is expected or merited." Because of God's mercy, He has demonstrated His leniency with us by allowing and desiring us to repent and follow His will. If we are obedient, we can be reunited with God and have eternal life because of His Mercy.
GOD’S LOVE IS IMPORTANT FOR OUR SALVATION. God's unfathomable love for each of us results in His generous display of grace and mercy. As we've seen, these are qualities we are in desperate need of. Therefore, love is salvation's central theme and plays the key role in mankind's hope of salvation by God from sin. Love is a "profound affection and deep devotion." Collier's Dictionary also defines love as, "Benevolence and concern of God for His creation." Love is so much a part of God's nature that John, in I John 4:8, simply says, "God is love."
Mankind can have salvation only because of God's grace, mercy and love. We desperately need the benefits of each of these properties of God to be saved from an everlasting destruction. Collier's Dictionary defines forgiveness as a "ceasing to blame or feel resentment, or no longer demanding a penalty for something or payment of a debt." This is a beautiful description of what God has done for us. Because of God's grace, mercy and love, we can have forgiveness of sins through God's plan of Salvation in Christ.

NEVER STOP BEING A STUDENT OF GOD’S WORD

2010-02-11T06:07:00.000-08:00

“The entrance of Your words gives light; it gives understanding to the simple.” (Psalms 119:130) David’s life is an example of one who desires to welcome in God’s Word in every stage of life. I am sure that most everyone remembers the great anticipation that went along with the day of High School graduation. It was a time when we would be embarking on life without the pressures of “school life” and never again would we have to worry about tests or deadlines. We all remember the old saying, “No more teachers…no more books…” For many, that day has long since passed. While it is true that once you are out of school you are no longer tested in the same way and the teachers cannot compel us to pay close attention, there is one area of life where we will never graduate. Being a student of God’s Word is an everlasting blessing.

Paul wrote in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Study to show yourself approved to God.” We easily recall the Bereans were “…more noble than those of Thessalonica in that they searched the scriptures daily to find out if what they said were so.” (Acts 17:11) We also realize that when the Word of God is read and studies, then it will not be fruitless. Isaiah wrote, “…it shall accomplish what I please and it shall prosper in the thing for which I sent it.” (Isaiah 55:11) Since we are aware of the great blessing God’s Word is, we ought to be asking ourselves whether or not we study the Great Book enough. Of course we will never be able to study as much as we would like, but in the area of devotion and obedience to God, can we honestly say we are putting forth some kind of effort? Christians should not require coercing before designating special time with God on a daily basis where there is reading and meditation of God’s Word.

Brother Guy N. Woods wrote the following words to encourage all Christians to study the Bible. “There are one hundred and four weeks in two years. Approximately one half of the subject matter of the New Testament-about one hundred chapters- was written by Paul. By devoting 15 minutes to the effort, you can easily become associated with a chapter each week. In this case, half the New Testament will be mastered in two years.” The point is well made. For our own good, we should obligate ourselves to the opportunity to better ourselves with an understanding of the powerful Word of God. It is only His Word that can make strong Christians and thereby a strong congregation at Petersville. Surely we can all spare 15 minutes per day on a continuous basis to better understand the Word of God. May we join together to become those who “study to show ourselves approved unto God as workmen that need not be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” May we never stop being students of God’s Word!

THE HINGING POINT OF A VITAL CHRISTIAN LIFE: THE RESURRECTION

2010-02-10T16:10:00.000-08:00

I read a good quote recently that said, “The resurrection is the truth that turns a church from a museum into a ministry.” The basic meaning suggests that there is something special to us about the resurrection which propels us from just thinking about our faith into doing something with it. (James 2:24, Luke 6:46, Matthew 7:21) When you start contemplating the greatness and difference the resurrection made in the lives of the Apostles and early Christians, it will astound and amaze. What had changed from Matthew 27 when Peter and others forsook the Lord to Acts 2-4 where the Apostles stood firmly on their convictions that Jesus was the Christ? The obvious answer is: The Resurrection. The Resurrection of Christ changed everything and continues to do so.

There are so many important truths taught in the Bible but I dare suggest none more important to us than the bodily resurrection of Christ. Without the resurrection there is no such thing as Christianity. Without the resurrection what we believe is nothing more than another of the many philosophies taught by centuries of men. Without the resurrection Jesus of Nazareth is reduced down to a religious leader who was either insane or a liar and possibly both. For this cause, the hinging point of our faith is the Resurrection of Christ Jesus. Consider for a moment what we would not have without it.

We would not have any basis for our faith. (I Cor.15:3-4, 12-17) Paul says faith is useless and futile if not based on the fact of Christ’s resurrection. If Christ has not truly been raised from the dead then all the witnesses to it gave false testimonies and so there is no basis for Christianity.

We would have no forgiveness of sins. (I Cor. 15:17) When we look beyond the pain, agony and anguish of the cross, we also see the love and holiness of God. But when we wait 3 days and look at the empty tomb then we see forgiveness and grace come alive! If Christ had never come back from the grave then He could have never forgiven sins.

We would have no future. (I Cor. 15:18-19) Think of the numerous Christians who have died before us and then think that if Jesus was not raised from the dead, all those dead before us are lost and perishing without hope. If we have no hope for the future then what meaning is there to life?

Because of the Resurrection we have life! (I Cor. 15:20-22) Because of the Resurrection you and I can have both eternal life and live abundantly while we are here. (John 10:10) Aren’t we glad Christ is risen from dead? Aren’t we thankful we believe it? Now, since Christ is risen from the dead it is time we remember to live in the light of that reality. God gave more than we deserved in the resurrection. May we live in such a way as to give our everything to Him as we live. (Romans 12:2)

Please Tune in Each Week

2010-02-10T15:52:00.000-08:00

Hello Everyone, James W. Farris here. I will restart posting on this blog tomorrow Feb. 11, 2010. My intentions to provide a daily to semi-daily posting. Please leave your comments and share the link with your friends.

In Christ,
James W. Farris

FREEDOM AND THE NEW LIFE IN CHRIST

2008-06-26T06:28:00.001-07:00

“FREEDOM: I AM TIRED OF THESE GRAVE CLOTHES!”
James W. Farris

Here we are on the brink of another year nearly half-way completed. Not only is June nearly over but another important date is nearby. On July 4, 2008 our country will celebrate its 232nd birthday of independence from England. Christians have an important insight into the importance of freedom and we realize that true freedom is found through being dependent on the Lord to provide true independence from sin and the world, for us. When thinking of what example I could use to show “freedom” my mind wandered to the story of Lazarus when he was freed from the hold of death itself.

The miracles of Jesus were tokens of His Messiahship. If you look at the activities of Jesus even in a casual way, you can see the power of Christ over the elements of nature and how His abilities transcended the barriers that usually confine man in this realm. Among the great things that Jesus did, perhaps the most intriguing of his miracles were those that dealth with raising people from death to life once more. It baffles the mind when you consider the narrative of Lazarus or the widow’s son and we wonder what grand stories both individuals could have told about their experience beyond the grave. Picture with me the following scene and let us seek some application from the text of John 11:44.

Lazarus has been called from death to life. Christ calls out to those in the surrounding area, “Loose him and let him go!” Clearly the point Jesus is making here is Lazarus is no longer a dead man. There is no reason for him to go on wearing “grave clothes”. Dead men do not need such things as part of their physical attire. Since Lazarus is alive, he should dress accordingly.

Paul incorporates this idea in another way in Colossians 3:8. Paul demands, “But now you put off all these.” Paul gives emphasis to those things which the “new man” should never be caught wearing. When one is made alive with Christ (Colossians 3:1-3) he wants to look alive! How would it have appeared if Lazarus had continued to wear his old grave clothes every after he was brought back from the dead? Jesus said, “Loose him and let him go!”

Those in Christ are to wear the lovely garments of the Christian spirit. Colossians 3:12 tells that those things are “mercies, kindness, humbleness of mind, meekness and longsuffering.” When we live according to God’s will, even when the world around us is doing wrong, the clothing of God’s child brings with it the scent of true life and not the fragrance of death. Are you looking alive to those around you? Do you tell others that “I am alive” while the rest of the world sees the clothing of the “old dead man? Christian, if you have been holding on to the dead man when you are supposed to be alive, then it is time to loose yourself of those old grave clothes and let people see who you really are! Look alive Christian: YOU ARE DEAD NO MORE! You are free!

SUMMER IS BUSY

2008-06-06T18:22:00.000-07:00

For those who are periodic "viewers" of my blogspot....I have been busy with the summer already!

Will post soon!

JWFarris

“THE BIGGEST THREAT FACING THE CHURCH: EXTREMISM”

2008-05-12T20:03:00.000-07:00

This article is based on 3 presuppositions: The author believes the Bible is the sole standard for religious authority. (2 Tim. 3:16-17) The author believes in “one church” made of obedient followers. (Mt. 16:18, Acts 2:47) And the author believes we should stand against denominational tendencies, which do not permit the unity of Christ to remain in tact. (1 Cor. 1:12, John 17:20-21) As lovers of God’s Word we must uphold the original intention of God while defending the sanctity of the Body.

In the world, we face a multiplicity of “Isms.” Advocates of Post-modernism, pluralism, situationalism, atheism, secular humanism, agnosticism, claim to hold the supreme foundation for a life of fulfillment. But there is one “Ism” which exists in the religious world that biblical Christians must be willing to stand against. In the opinion of your author EXTREMISM is the greatest threat facing the church today. This is the greatest threat because most people are either not satisfied until they have gone way to the left or way to the right. But we do not have to do either of those to be faithful! But the one thing we must do is BE IN THE MIDDLE! (We must be BIBLICAL!)

Truth is our foundation today. (Jn. 8:32, 17:17, Mt. 7-24-29) Our God and creator is the God of reason. He is the God and Father of logic. (Not Aristotle) Therefore, the book requires that we use logic and reasoning to come to the necessary intentions from the mind of God. Notice passages like Joshua 1:7 and Deut. 5:32. Combine this with the three times we are told not to “add to” or “take from” His word. (Deut. 5:2, Prov. 30:6, Rev. 22:18) It is the purpose of the Christian to act as the “oracle of God” (I Pet. 4:11) For this cause, we must come to the conclusions that are based on the purpose and intention of God and so we will stand against extremism in its two primary forms.

EXTREME ONE: LIBERALISM.

This is an extreme because it presumes to think for God. It denies either plain biblical fact or principle and accepts our conclusions rather than God’s will; all the while claiming allegiance to God. For the most part liberalism allows emotion to be the primary player in biblical interpretation. For example the following ideas are heard: “God would not judge people to Hell…He loves them unconditionally.” Such concepts stand diametrically opposed to what the Bible actually says. These kinds of statements have no biblical basis and thus are irrelevant and deadly. Christians must remember Law of Excluded Middle. (Every precisely stated proposition is either true or false.) This law can be understood as it applies to One God, One church and the command of Mark 16:16) Christians must also remember the Law of Rationality. (We must only come to such conclusions as are warranted by the evidence.) If a principle, direct command, statement or implication leads us to a conclusion that is true one must hold to it without wavering.

EXTREME TWO: LEGALISM

Certainly it must be understand now that it is never legalistic to teach what the Bible teaches. Legalism is rather the binding on another what is neither commanded or implied is legalistic. To bind what is neither commanded or implied is legalistic. In Colossians 2:18-22 Paul talks about those who would judged another based on the “commands of men.” More of this can be seen in Acts 15 where the Jewish believers were binding the rite of circumcision on new gentile converts.

It should certainly be understood that mankind is entitled to a certain range of opinions. But study shows that if an opinion contradicts properly understood teachings of the Bible it is wrong. Sometimes people become legalistic by failing to study first or allowing personal assumptions, unnecessary leaps and preconceptions to establish one’s personal ideological platform. From a biblical perspective: When human opinion is taught as law it is legalism. (Mt. 15:9) When we seek to bind that opinion it is legalism. (Col. 2:18-22) When we make our opinions the sole test of fellowship it is legalism. (Acts 15)

CONCLUDING WORDS

We should not remain in ignorance when a biblical answer can be ascertained. When a teaching is obviously erroneous then either party should humbly be willing to accept the truth of any issue without either extreme. Both liberalism and legalism are extremes, both are error and both are often prevalent. We are called to “Preach the truth in love” in the face of either extreme. (Eph.4:15) Every Christian should remember his holy vocation and responsibilities as an oracle. God’s children need to realize they are communicators of the Book and so let us all strive to be effective communicators. This means we will teach people not to deny the Word for selfish reasons and will loving urge others not to elevate their opinions as Law. May we always seek to stay in the middle of the road and not turn to the right or to the left.

GOD’S POWER TO FORGIVE AND BREAK DOWN BARRIERS OF DIVISION

2008-05-09T21:06:00.000-07:00

In Ephesians 2, Paul makes several meaningful allusions to the power of God to save man from his sins. The only way we can adequately appreciate the power of God’s forgiveness is to first recognize how absolutely helpless we are to accomplish salvation through our own power. Paul already pointed out God’s grace and power existed in God’s mind before the foundation of the world. As you begin this study, meditate on the depth of God’s wisdom as evidenced by the manifestation of His grace and power in your life today.

Christians in Ephesus realized the dual blessings of being exalted by God and reconciled to Him. (2:11-22) These same spiritual blessings have been granted to every child of God. Since the church is to be the visible manifestation of Christ in the world, then we have the obligation to provide an ongoing verification of His love, mercy, saving and unifying power found only in Him.
Every person has the ability to make choices which ultimately result in separation from God. (2:2-3) God graciously proved his love by granting the blessing of salvation to undeserving men. Although separated from God, the Father lovingly allows every penitent individual to make the choice to obtain eternal life. (2:4) He has the power to provide safety from spiritual death and wants to elevate His creation to a unique position of importance before Him. (2:6)
According to the text, there are two distinct blessings which focus on God’s power to provide change in the lives of His people. Those who were once “dead in sins” are now “alive in Christ”. (2:1) Those who were once “aliens and strangers” from the promise of God, are now “brought near by the blood of Christ.” (2:13) Words like dead, aliens and trespasses, stand as a reminder to the terrible conditions of life before Christ. In spite of Satan’s desire to thwart the plan of God, our Father has “made us alive together” so that we are “saints and members of the household of God.” (2:19)

GOD’S POWER IS VISIBLE IN HIS GRACE. Grace is usually defined “unmerited favor” and suggests no amount of meritorious works could ever equate to anyone actually deserving heaven. A simple reading of 2:8-9 shows “grace” does not imply man has no role in his own salvation. Obedience to the commands of the Lord is essential to gain the remission of sins is therefore required by every convert to Christianity.

According to Romans 3:23, everyone is guilty of sin and is worthy of eternal separation from God. (Romans 6:23, Isaiah 59:1-2) God is under no requirement to take sympathetic notice of our lost condition or to deem us worthy of His attention. But the presence of grace proves God has indeed noticed our great spiritual needs. In His “great love with which He loved us” God enables every person a way to “sit in heavenly places in Christ Jesus.” (2:5-6)

GOD’S POWER TO BREAK DOWN BARRIERS. Paul points out the amazing depth of God’s mercy in that “even when we were dead” God’s plan was in motion. (2:5) Not only did God “make alive” those who were dead, but also granted them fellowship in “heavenly places”. (2:1-10) Isaiah 57:19-21 forbids that anything sinful or profane should enter into the temple. In this context, Ephesians 2:13-16 brings with it a great appeal for anyone who desires to come before the throne of God. Those who once knew the pain of separation could now enter the spiritual temple of God “by the blood of Christ” (2:11-13, Isaiah 57:19-21)

What was the middle wall of separation of 2:14? Recall in Matthew 27:51, the largest, highest and most symbolic veil of the temple was torn at Christ’s death. It should also be considered that Paul nearly died when he was accused of having taken a gentile past this middle wall of the temple. (Acts 21:28) The term “ordinances” (2:15) is only used in scripture as having reference to a decree. (Luke 2:1, Acts 16:4, 17:7, Hebrews 11:23) These ordinances are the laws of God which were expressed by formal commands and were enhanced by penalties for disobedience.

With the “Abolishment of the laws and commands” God’s plan to replace not only the ceremonial law but the entire system of Judaism with the law of Christ becomes obvious. (2:15-16) Paul’s reference to the “middle wall of separation” is also referred to by the Jewish Historian Josephus where he describes an inscription denouncing the death of any aliens who dared to pass. (Antiquities, 15.11.5.417) Compare this to Acts 21:28 when it was thought Paul had taken Trophimus, the Gentile convert, beyond this wall.

Once a person is in Christ he learns what it means to be part of God’s eternal vision for His church. There is much work to be done and we have been molded by the Father to accomplish His desired end. Paul says “we are His workmanship.” (2:10) God’s mission to save the world through Christ is our mission today. (Luke 19:10, John 3:16) The blood of Christ takes us from total separation to complete unity with the Father. God’s purpose is that we might fulfill our function as the hands, feet and heart of Christ Jesus. What a great blessing it is to be useful for His purpose.

It is interesting that salvation is obtained apart from good works and yet we were created to accomplish specific works for Him. Please notice the beautiful distinction Paul makes. To say our good works can save us is to deny the grace of God in 2:9. To say Christians have no works to accomplish is to deny God’s purpose in 2:10. The plan of God includes those who are “saved by grace through faith”. (2:8-9) God’s people must continue to live in such a way as to share the powerful message with others who equally need to know the grace of God. (2:10)

The Gentiles knew what it was to be considered different by the Jewish mainstream. With an attitude nearing absolute arrogance, the Jews believed Gentiles belonged to the lowest cast of social existence. From the spiritual perspective, Paul rightly attaches such terms as “uncircumcised, without Christ, aliens, strangers from the covenant, without hope and without God” to them. (2:11-12) Sadly, most Jews were satisfied to keep the various walls of distinction in tact and perpetuate their views of self-assured superiority.

Today, our own world continues to maintain these same kinds of cold distinctions. Our various walls of division include skin tone, ethnicity, educational levels, and economic status to name a few. The Christian must believe everyone has the right to hear the wonderful unifying message of Christ. God’s desire to save men and tear away the walls of division remains just as powerful as it has ever been. God shows His power to make “one man from two, thus making peace” (2:15) so the wall dividing Jew from Gentile or man from God is removed in the Christ. Today all who are “raised with Him” and “made alive together” enjoy full rights and privileges to the Heavenly Kingdom and is no longer a stranger but a citizen and member of God. (2:14-18)
The blood of Jesus Christ is sufficient to unite mankind. This fact cannot be shared with the world until it is first realized by each Christian. Allow your position in Christ to break down the barriers you have with your brethren and those who need to be supplied with the grace of God. Give full diligence to personal unity with the Father through the blood of Christ. Now allow that blood to provide the unity with others and begin tearing away some of your own barriers.

KNOWING THE GOD THAT STILL REIGNS

2008-04-30T06:11:00.000-07:00

KNOWING THE GOD THAT STILL REIGNS
James W. Farris

The more time that passes since the time of Christ, gives humanity more opportunity to confuse themselves through godless philosophies. In Acts 17: 16-34, Luke records one of the greatest confrontations of the New Testament. Paul, the philosopher persecutor went against the intellectual elite of his day in the city of Athens. Athens was an energized city of 250,000 who worshipped a multiplicity of gods, some studies suggest as many as 30,000. Paul’s final statement after defining the eternal God of the Resurrection is found in 17:30, “And the times of this ignorance God overlooked, but now commands all men everywhere to repent.” Today, the God Paul preached is still the same as He has always been. (James 1:17) However, it is the perception and view of God that has changed due to society. G. C. Lichtenburg once said, “God created man in His own image…Philosophers reverse the process: They create God in theirs.” It is interesting to me how the world seeks to maintain some sense of religious faith but that it becomes something other than what the Bible teaches. For example, there was a time when in America, the predominant view of God was the definition of the Bible. In today’s society, God is defined based on personal views and individual preferences. For some God is like a box of blocks which can be constructed any way the individual sees fit. When we fail to see God in His holiness or His love, or feeling that we are sinners and guilty of sin, then we have created a god of our own imagination.
In the same way, this is the audience that Paul faced in Athens. The cornucopia of views that existed in Athens allowed most people to perceive of God like a salad bar where people were free to pick and choose what they liked the best. Those prominent philosophers were always debating what God’s essence might have been. Beyond this however, there was very little desire to really follow God. So then you have Paul, the preacher with courage, stood and preached the resurrection of the dead to these skeptical Athenians. On top of sharing a doctrinal philosophy most considered impossible or improbable, Paul also added a personal requirement to each one listening to “repent of their sins.” (17:30) Today people say, “We all serve the same God just under different names” or “There is no guilt or sin” or “God is just a matter of the mind and heart.” And we are lead to believe by our society that we cannot preach the God of the Bible but instead, permit each person to have their own personal beliefs. This may sound like the way to keep the peace, but it is not biblically realistic. There is only one God in the universe and God calls all men to Himself through the Son. He continues to call men to repent of their sins and follow Him as His servants. Just as Paul stood before a numerous audience and preached the resurrection and the one true God of heaven, so we also should declare to the world that the “ONE TRUE GOD OF THE BIBLE STILL REIGNS!”

CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION TO THE EDICT OF MILAN

2008-04-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

CHURCH PERSECUTION THROUGH THE EDICT OF MILAN
James W. Farris

Every Christian has accepted to follow God through the Lord Jesus Christ. The simple case is the world does not know Him and therefore sees no relevance in our commitment to Him. (I John 4:4-5) As a social system, Christianity does not exist in a vacuum and so is constantly bombarded with anti-Christian sentiment. Christians in some nations face terrible persecutions simply because they “believe” in Jesus Christ. In 21st century America, Christians have not been subjected to the pangs of physical persecution in the same ways as others. Throughout the centuries terrible enemies of Christ have stood to belittle, denounce, punish, harm, hurt and kill His church. For the next few weeks we will look at a simple survey of church persecution, beginning with the earliest days of Christianity until the “Edict of Toleration” of 313. The intention of these articles is to show our heritage as part of a group of believers who were not ashamed to stand up for the ways of the Lord. Hopefully this will enlighten your mind and enhance your own dedication to the cause of Christ. When Jesus says, “…be faithful unto death and I will give you a crown of life.” (Revelation 2:10) He shows there are some things worth dying for.

I. PERSECUTION FORETOLD AND ACTUALIZED. The Lord never promised following Him would be the easiest road to travel. He does promise following Him will result in a future of eternal significance. Early in his public ministry Jesus gives the greatest sermon in history. During the Sermon on the Mount, He introduces the Body of His work with the “Beatitudes” and among the promises to the blessed people of God, Christ reminds to “rejoice and be exceedingly glad” when you meet with persecution. (Matthew 5:11-12) Later when Christ sent the 12 Apostles to minister He said, “…men will deliver you up to councils and scourge you in their synagogues.” (Matthew 10:17) In John’s Gospel record Jesus said, “…If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” (John 15:20) These statements provide suitable foundations to clearly portray the meaning of Christ. The world is opposed to Him and therefore His followers must be opposed to the world. The Christian is an individual with a message of salvation for the lost. But many will not take the message to heart and rather than allow it to change them, they will retaliate against the messengers they perceive as a threat. Christ realized this fact and did not hide the sad reality from His people. His meaning is clear: “If you are willing to follow me, you must also be willing to suffer for me.”

In this nation, we are blessed to freely worship as the Bible directs. But what are Christians to do when leaders utilize their authority against God’s people? Suddenly the child of God is called to deeply consider whether or not his beliefs are worth suffering for. Paul promised “…all those desiring to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Early Christians were compelled to suffer and were even willing to die for what they knew and believed. Is it possible to have the same zeal for the Lord today, even though nearly 2000 years have gone by since the Lord walked the earth? By looking at a survey of early church persecution, we will find reasons to stand up for the Lord in the very same ways as they did.

The Lord’s church came into existence when 3000 souls gladly accepted the Gospel Message. (Acts 2:37-47) Just as Christ seemed to be breaking new ground into the social construct of Judaism, the religious leaders took the initiative to seek for a sudden squelch of the Apostles and new disciples. In Acts 4, just as Christ promised, the first persecution against the church began. “Now as they [Peter and John] spoke to the people, the priests, the captain of the temple, and the Sadducees came upon them being greatly disturbed that they taught the people and preached in Jesus the resurrection from the dead. And they laid hands on them and put them in custody until the next day for it was already evening….So they called them and commanded them not to speak at all nor teach in the name of Jesus.” (Acts 4:1-3, 18) The Apostles boldly stood against what could be perceived as the “Supreme Court” of the Jewish world and this led the Jewish leaders into desiring to plot and kill the Apostles. (4:33) This sounds very similar to what they did to Christ and what Jesus promised would happen them, doesn’t it?

Early church persecution took an early and dramatic turn in Acts 7 when Stephen stands to declare Jesus as the fulfillment of prophecy and condemned Israel for resisting the Holy Spirit by denouncing the Messiah. Upon hearing the words of this righteous preacher, the self-righteous San Hedrin “closed their ears” and “cast him out of the city and stoned him.” (7:57-58) Here the first martyr in Christianity took his place among many that would follow. We also see a young Jewish male standing and consenting to Stephens death, his name was Saul of Tarsus. This same Saul began an expedition of persecution against Christianity in Acts 9:1. These facts marked the beginning of church persecution within the confines of the world of Judaism.

In Acts 12, we find the first politically motivated murder of a Christian when Herod Agrippa 1 “…killed James the brother of John with the sword. And when he saw it pleased the Jews, proceeded further to seize Peter also…” (12:2-3) By Acts 16, Paul and Silas were imprisoned in Philippi for preaching Christ and casting a demon from a young girl. (Act 16:16-40) In Acts 21 Paul is accused of polluting the temple by bringing Trophimus beyond the “wall of partition”. (This wall is referenced by Josephus and points out that death is denounced upon any Gentile who passes into the “Jew Only” area of the temple. Josephus Antiquities 15.11.5) From this point, Paul declares Roman Citizenship and the remainder of the book of Acts centers on Paul’s journey to Rome for the purpose of clearing his name and to declare the name of Jesus Christ.

II. PERSECUTION FROM NERO UNTIL 100 A.D. Both history and tradition suggest Paul and Peter were martyred in the city of Rome under the Emperor Nero. Common speculation is Nero desired to create a more glorious Rome and to do so required more room for the expansion. More room for the expansion required some buildings to be taken away so that new ones could take their place. Tacitus, a famous Roman historian, records the rumor of popular belief that Nero set fire to his own city. However, backlash from the people of Rome required Nero to find a “scapegoat” and what better scapegoat than a group of people commonly known as “Christians” who purported a belief that a “Jesus of Nazareth” would return to the earth in “flaming fire” to reclaim His own. Suddenly, Nero found his niche and politicized the story to Rome that “Christians set fire to the city with hopes of scaring the people to believe it was a sign of the return of Jesus!”

The heartless emperor lined crosses along the sides of the roadways of his gardens, hung Christians on them and lit them afire to lighten the path as the sun began to set. Tacitus records this persecution and although he did not have any reason to appreciate the message of the Christians, he did suggest even the enemies of the Christian realized Nero’s persecution was to satisfy his own personal mania. (Tacitus 15:44) Thus the first major Roman persecution began. However, as opposed to future Roman persecutions, this one remained within the confines of the city.

Another noteworthy ruler was Domitian. With his rule the beginning of “bad” emperors returned that even rivaled Tiberias in terror. To this point in time, most emperors were hesitant to claim the title “Dominus et Deus” (Lord and God) which was a claim of the divinity of the emperor. Domitian was so egocentric that he did. In 95-98 Domitian lead persecution against both Jews and Christians, who by this time were still considered nearly synonymous to the Roman Empire.

The Jews were ordered under Roman Law to pay a poll tax to support the worship of Jupiter. Seutonius writes, “Besides other taxes, that on the jews was levied with the utmost rigor and those were prosecuted who without publicly acknowledging that faith yet lived as Jews, as well as those who concealed their origin and did not pay.” (Those who concealed their origin were Christians.) (Seutonius, Domitian, 12) When the Empire saw that neither Jewish nor Christian groups were willing to do pay homage to a pagan god, the wrath of the Emperor was great. During the reign of Domitian, John was taken away into Exile to the isle of Patmos. While John was at Patmos he received the Revelation from Christ.

III. PERSECUTION UNDER ROMAN STATE BAN. (100-250) Once again, we are blessed in this country to worship God freely, without the fear of persecution. But what would change about your life, profession, religion and faith if Christianity was not just considered socially taboo, but even became illegal? How would your conversation, day-to-day activities and personal esteem change? For a moment, consider what drastic changes that took place for all Christians living in the Roman Empire. With the death of the Apostle John, Christians had their faith and God’s Word to guide them but could no longer turn to the Apostles for stabilization. During this time, men like Polycarp, who had been a close friend with John, were given respectful status and went on to become powerful proclaimers and defenders of the faith. These men show us that Christians were willing to stand for Christ long after the last of His apostles had gone to be with their Lord. Let us notice some of the specific issues facing the early church in this early post-apostolic era.

In the year 112 A.D. a letter was written from, Pliny, the governor of Bythnia and to the Emperor Trajan. Pliny was concerned about the speed with which Christianity was spreading throughout the area. A major problem facing his province was the state of disrepair facing the pagan temples. Recall, temple worship of the Roman gods was advocated by the Empire. Money to sustain the upkeep of those temples was granted by “tithes” to the gods, thus when people no longer attend the temples the money for temple maintenance must come from another source. Pliny wrote the following to Trajan: “Christianity has spread so that temples are nearly empty and the selling of sacrificial animals is almost non-existent.” This letter is greatly valuable because it provides for us a clear indication of the power Christianity had of converting minds even after nearly 100 years beyond the crucifixion of the Lord. Trajan’s suggestion is passive-aggressive but would soon result in an aggressive condemnation of individual Christians. Trajan instructed Pliny not to “seek out Christians” but if one is accused of being a Christian he should be taken before the tribunal. The accused would then be asked three times “Are you a Christian?” If the accused person says “Yes” then the accused was taken and killed. If the accused answers “No” then his recant must be followed by the worship of Roman gods. Once he had proven his loyalty to Rome, he would be free to go.

It was during this persecution a Christian named Ignatius lost his life. Ignatius was an elder at the church in Antioch and wrote seven letters during his journey to Rome before being executed in Rome around 115 A.D. Ignatius was a bold and enthusiastic Christian who so desired martyrdom that he begged the church at Rome “Do not try to stop my martyrdom. I want to be wheat ground in the lions mouth.” What a powerful attestation to the great hope Christians had, to even stand boldly in the face of certain death and know their reward was nearly in their grasp.

It has been noted that following Christ can lead to pain and suffering. Persecution of Christ was evidenced early in His ministry when the San Hedrin began plotting to destroy Him. (Matthew 12:14) The hateful example of the religious leaders continued until Jesus was eventually accused and maliciously crucified at Golgotha. Jesus also enlightens His followers that they can expect the same treatment as well. “And you will be hated by all for my name’s sake. But he who endures to the end will be saved.” (Matthew 10:22) Upon establishment, the church met with persecution from the Jews, Jewish government and finally Rome. The two primary early figures of Roman Persecution are Nero and Domitian. Where Nero’s campaign against Christians was localized within the confines of Rome, (64-68) the onslaught against Christians under Domitian spread abroad throughout Asia Minor. (96-98) Under Trajan Christianity began to come under heavy oppression. Martyrdom became more prevalent.

Among the waves of Christian martyrdom that swept through Asia Minor, the city of Smyrna was not untouched. Just as promised in Revelation 2, Christians in the city knew persecution would come to them. Christ said, “Do not fear any of those things you are about to suffer….that you may be tested…you will have tribulation.” (Revelation 2:10) During this campaign, a gentleman named Polycarp was martyred for Christ. He is among the most memorable characters of early church persecution in that the tradition records several points of interest for us. First, when commanded to “swear by Caesar an change your attitude” Polycarp replied: “For eighty-six years I have been his servant and he has never done me wrong. How can I blaspheme my king who saved me?” The governor pressed him harder by saying “I have wild beasts and I shall throw you to them if you don’t change your attitude.” Polycarp said, “Call them, we cannot change our attitude if it means going from bad to worse. But it is a splendid thing to change from cruelty to justice.” At the completion of the hearing the governor stood and said, “Polycarp has confessed that he is a Christian.” The crowds who had gathered, looking very similar to those crowds at Passover who called out “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”, the city of Smyrna called out “Polycarp must be burned alive!” The account of Eusebius details Polycarp’s death. He prayed “…I bless thee for counting me worthy of this day and hour , that in the number of martyrs I may partake of Christ’s cup, to the resurrection of eternal life…” When he had offered up the Amen and completed this prayer, the men in charge lit the fire and a great flame shot up.

Marcus Aurelius’ views of Christianity only helped to enforce the need for the Empire to continue its negative attack against God’s people. Marcus believed that both natural and man-made calamities were the works of the superstitious Christians. Aurelius was himself a devout Stoic (See Acts 17:18) Due to the teachings of his teacher Fronto, had a terrible prejudice against Christianity. It was during the reign of Marcux Aurelius that another well-known Christian was killed in Rome. His name was Justin Martyr. Justin was a convert from paganism but took his life for Christ very seriously. He was a bold defender of the faith before both Jews and pagans. One wonders what other great things he would have accomplished had his life not been cut short.

A final martyrdom worthy of special attention were two females named Perpetua and Felicitas. (181-203) Perpetua came from a family of privilege and was a Christian. Her family urged her to recant her faith. This daughter of a noble and wealthy family chose the same walk as Moses and suffered rather than enjoying the pleasures of life for a season. Perpetua was flogged and torn by beasts then beheaded. Such senseless acts against humanity were not without positive end results however. It is said the governor of the prison at Carthage was converted due to the example of young martyrs like Perpetua. In fact, in 177 Lyons and Viennes encouraged several bystanders to declare themselves as Christians although it meant almost certain death. Already we are noticing how the waves of persecutions were not really sufficient in accomplishing what the Roman’s desired. Christ’s people were becoming bold and their numbers were increasing.

IV. UNIVERSAL PERSECUTION AND A PERIOD OF PEACE. Imagine there being no rest or solace, no places to hide and no cities of refuge. Imagine the majority of people joining the band wagon of persecuting the innocent for the simple case that “they do not serve the same gods we serve.” Now you have a small idea as to the difficulties facing the Christian in the third and fourth centuries. The Emperor Decius was among the first to wage a full-scale and methodical attack against Christianity in the Roman Empire from 249 to 251. Where we might see this as having no positive outcome for Christianity, this and Diocletian’s persecution helped to purge the church of insincere members.

Decius was enthroned in power during the close of the first millennium of Roman History. A question on the part of all Romans may have been whether their empire could sustain itself through another millennium. With this went great pressure on the leadership to solidify Rome for future generations. A great many natural disasters occurred during these years and with the issue of both internal and external attacks were attacking the stability of Rome. As not to be considered a faulty leader, Decius felt pressure to reinforce his abilities as Emperor in the eyes of the people. To build confidence he vowed to save Rome’s classical culture. Since Christians were a growing sub-culture and their numbers were on the increase, they were perceived as a threat to the state. (Rome did not appreciate what appeared as “state within a state” which due to their own “Law”, Christians were thought to be.) In A.D. 250 Decius moved to issue an edict which demanded a yearly offering to the gods and the genius of the emperor. When one gave the offering they were presented with a certificate called libellus. Anyone without the libellus was put to death. Thus the Jew and Christian faced a fearful expectation. The persecution of Decius lasted only a year until the time he died. It was under his persecution that Origen, a well-known early Christian ascetic author, suffered torture and eventually death. Cyprian was also killed under the reigns of Decius and Valerian.

Tertullian, in commenting on the affect persecution was having on the church, said, “The blood of martyrs is seed”. The Gospel message was shining brighter and growing stronger with each passing month. Those who, like Paul, said “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ” were standing opposed to the machine which kept mankind in subjection to a worldly authority were losing ground. Now those in “control” saw the foundations of their Roman Empire shaken and people were unwilling to waiver from “obeying God rather than man” and had to speak the things they believed in. (Acts 4) So as anyone fearful of losing their power would do, Rome made a final push through to destroy the very heart of Christianity.

V. FROM DECIUS TO DIOCLETIAN: THE POWER OF THE STORM. Historically, from Decius to Valerian there was no major persecution which occurred until the reign of Diocletian. But with the advent of Diocletian, the empire was riddled with political disorder. When he came to power (245-313) he had already been perceived as a strong military leader. His view was a strong monarchy could save the empire’s classic culture. In 285 Diocletian dealt a blow to a long-standing political tradition when he ended the “diarchy of the principate”. This diarchy was simple a system which allowed for dual authority shared by the senate and emperor. (Begun by August in 27 A.D.) No longer would democratic elements or toleration of faiths be permitted if he deemed the philosophies to be contrary or hostile to the state religion. This became the basis for the strongest and most hostile persecution the church would ever have to endure.

In 303 Diocletian offered an edict that presented several orders to all Christianity. 1) All meetings of Christians were to be stopped. 2) All church meeting houses were destroyed. 3) All rulers in the church were stripped of their title and position. 4) Any who persisted in their faith were imprisoned. 5) All scriptures should be destroyed with fire. Another edict came out very shortly which ordered all Christians to sacrifice to pagan gods or else face the pain of death for refusal to do so. Eusebius points out in his ECCESIASTICAL HISTORY that the prisons became so crowded with church leaders and members that there was no room for true criminals. Furthermore, Diocletian set out to approve of other punishments for Christians, which included: Loss of property, exile, execution by sword or wild beasts. Those who were considered fortunate were sent to labor in camps until death in the minds. It was not until Diocletian relinquished his crown and retired before the tide for Christians began to turn.

For the past eight weeks we have endeavored to journey into the past. Not only have we detected the wonderful example of faith, which the martyrs and Christians of the past have left, but we have noted one axiomatic principle: There are some things worth dying for. We recall one of the first points made in our articles centered on the idea that Christ’s ministry never misrepresented the reality of future persecution for his disciples. “…If they persecuted me, they will persecute you.” (John 15:20) Paul backed up this statement with a similar statement of his own and said, “All those desiring to live godly lives in Christ Jesus will suffer persecution.” (2 Timothy 3:12) Even in the final New Testament book we find the blood of the martyrs calling out to the Lord for divine retribution. (Revelation 6:9-11)

The questions that must be on the mind of each Christian today is “What if Christianity were made illegal? What would become of the church? Would the church grow or would the church fall into non-existence? Would the church become stronger or weaker?” And perhaps most importantly, each person has to ask “Would I be willing to die for the faith, as so many before me have done. This series of lectures has given us a great survey of some major characters in the history of Christian persecution. Almost immediately in A.D. 33, the Jews began to strike a blow against the faith they perceived to be opposed to God. By A.D. 64 until 310, the church faced tremendous pressures from the Roman Empire. But then just one year later, the tide began to change.

VI. GALERIUS, CONSTANTINE AND THE EDICT OF MILAN (311-313)
The most significant events of the cessation of persecution among the Romans was when Galerius, on his death bed, issued an edict which tolerated Christianity. The stipulation was that Christianity did not disrupt the Roman peace. Although this was the first of some positive steps for Christianity, this did not mean that Christians were totally freed from persecution. In 312 A.D. it was said that Constantine saw a vision of the cross and with it the phrase “In this sign conquer.” Constantine won the battle at the Milvian Bridge and supposed the victory to have come from God. Thus, one year later, Constantine issued the Edict of Milan which brought freedom of worship for Christianity and all religions until the year 381. Constantine believed the “worship of God should be the chiefest care” of the ruler of the empire and thus, there should be no state religion. From this time on, Christians were free to worship and evangelize to bring others to Christ.

It has been suggested by scholars that by 300 A.D. the church was approximately 5-15% of the total empire population. We know the empire totaled from 50 to 75 million people by this time. Thus, Christianity had managed to maintain a sufficient impact in the Roman Empire. If the church could survive during times of such madness, then surely today, the church has no reason not to grow and thrive in such a more positive environment. I hope these articles have been beneficial to you and provide an encouragement to our faith as we march ahead into tomorrow. May we say as Paul, “I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ for it is the power of God unto salvation.” (Rom. 1:16)

LEARNING TO HEAR HIS VOICE

2008-04-28T06:30:00.000-07:00

LEARNING TO HEAR THE VOICE OF THE SON OF GOD
John 5:25

Everyone has a dominant view of Jesus Christ. We must be cautious not to emphasize any one aspect of the Lord to the exclusion of others. In our busy world, there are numerous "voices" calling for our allegiance. When it comes to issues of faith and obedience we must be cautious because some voices, when heeded, can lead to eternal destruction. (I John 4:1, 2 Thessalonians 1:7-9) But amidst the confusion of a pluralistic society, the voice of God yet speaks and demands the attention of each one.

JESUS CHRIST ESTABLISHED HIS POSITION WITH THE VOICE OF AUTHORITY.
In John 7:17, Jesus establishes His position beneath the rule of the Father. As Immanuel, (God in the flesh) He and the Father were one in purpose and intention. It is impossible to look at His life, teaching and passion without seeing His power. (Matthew 28:18, Acts 3:22, Deuteronomy 18:15-19, Hebrews 1:1, Matthew 7:28-29) His complete authority did not only complete our salvation. (Hebrews 5:8-9 but also positioned Him to be "Head of the church." (Ephesians 1:22-23, Colossians 1:18)

JESUS CHRIST ESTABLISHED HIS LOVE BY THE VOICE OF COMPASSION.
Jesus came into the world with the purpose of making the supreme sacrifice for mankind. (John 3:16, Luke 19:10) During His ministry, each actions showed what was of ultimate importance to Him. He desired for "all men to be saved" (I Timothy 2:3-4, 2 Peter 3:9) As long as the Word remains, His voice will continue to call all men to Himself. (Matthew 11:28-30)

JESUS CHRIST WILL SHOW HIS AUTHORITY AT THE FINAL JUDGMENT.
Jesus Christ will have the final say in every regard. (John 5:22, 2 Corinthians 5:10) Do you recall what will signal the general resurrection of the dead? IT IS HIS VOICE! (John 5:25-29)
Once all of humanity stands before Him, His voice will declare His perfect judgments according to the perfect standard of judgment. (John 12:48-50, Revelation 20:11-15)

Today, any view of the Lord needs to be made by considering His eternal purpose. He came to establish His supreme and final authority. His purpose was to show God's willingness to love the entire world. Today, through the Word of God, He reminds that to deny Him is folly for He has the final Word. Today as you search for a credible voice, listen to that of the Savior. He loves you and has the power to save you from the condemnation of sin. Listen closely and hear His voice!