Is Jesus Christ God?

Philippians 2:5-11

This passage of scripture is on the two natures of Christ and clearly states "the Deity of the Lord Jesus Christ."

The fundamental question that must be answered is asked of the Pharisees by our Lord Jesus Christ.

Matthew 22:41 (KJV)

    “While the Pharisees were gathered together, Jesus asked them,

Matthew 22:42 (KJV)

    Saying, What think ye of Christ? whose son is he? They say unto him, [The Son] of David.”

They believed the Lord Jesus Christ to be nothing more than they themselves; just a man. 

Many people today claim that Jesus Christ is God, while others say he is not.

What difference does it make what we believe about Jesus Christ?

Is it that important of an issue?

2 John 1:9 (KJV)

    “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

According to this passage, if we do not have the correct doctrine about Jesus Christ, we do not have God at all.

What we believe about Jesus Christ is critical.

Our very salvation depends upon it.

Believing That Jesus Christ is God is Essential for Salvation

John 20:30 (KJV)

    “And many other signs truly did Jesus in the presence of his disciples, which are not written in this book:

John 20:31 (KJV)

    But these are written, that ye might believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God; and that believing ye might have life through his name.”

This passage tells us we must believe that Jesus is "the Son of God" to have eternal life.

That is, we must believe that Jesus is the Son of God to be saved.

But what does this term "Son of God" mean?

We may have various ideas about what this term means, but the important thing is not what you or I think it means.

What does it mean in the Bible?

The Holy Scriptures teach us that we can use the term "Jesus" and not use it to mean the "Son of God" of the Bible.

2 Corinthians 11:3 (KJV)

    “But I fear, lest by any means, as the serpent beguiled Eve through his subtilty, so your minds should be corrupted from the simplicity that is in Christ.

2 Corinthians 11:4 (KJV)

    For if he that cometh preacheth another Jesus, whom we have not preached, or [if] ye receive another spirit, which ye have not received, or another gospel, which ye have not accepted, ye might well bear with [him].”

Notice the Bible teaches that if you believe in another Jesus you will also believe another gospel and the person who has this belief received it from another spirit. 

It is extremely important that we are sure that what we believe is what the Bible says.

Galatians 1:6 (KJV)

    “I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:

Galatians 1:7 (KJV)

    Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ.”

It really isn’t another gospel; it is a perversion of the gospel.

The Bible teaches that if we change the gospel message we have perverted the gospel.

When someone adds works to salvation that is a perversion of the gospel.

When someone teaches that God has already chosen (predestinated) whom He will save and all else are lost that is a perversion of the gospel. 

Any teaching that does not line up with salvation by grace through faith is a perversion. 

Ephesians 2:8 (KJV)

    “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: [it is] the gift of God:

Ephesians 2:9 (KJV)

    Not of works, lest any man should boast.”

Galatians 1:8 (KJV)

    “But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.”

Do you know of any religion that makes a claim that some angel gave the information that they believe? 

Do you know of any man or woman that teaches something other than salvation by grace through faith? 

Galatians 1:9 (KJV)

    “As we said before, so say I now again, If any [man] preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.”

Is that clear?

Galatians 1:10 (KJV)

    “For do I now persuade men, or God? or do I seek to please men? for if I yet pleased men, I should not be the servant of Christ.”

Obviously those who teach another gospel are men pleasers and certainly there is a reason they want to please men. 

So what does the term "Son of God" mean in the Bible?

What did those who heard Jesus speak in person understand him to mean when he said that God was his Father?

John 5:17 (KJV)

    “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

John 5:18 (KJV)

    Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

This passage tells us clearly what they understood him to mean.

They understood he was "making himself equal with God."

The term "Son of", in this sense, means "to have the same nature as".

The Jews understood that for a person to claim that God was his Father was to claim that he himself was God.

John 10:27 (KJV)

    “My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me:

John 10:28 (KJV)

    And I give unto them eternal life; and they shall never perish, neither shall any [man] pluck them out of my hand.

John 10:29 (KJV)

    My Father, which gave [them] me, is greater than all; and no [man] is able to pluck [them] out of my Father's hand.

John 10:30 (KJV)

    I and [my] Father are one.”

To know someone in this way and then claim that you can give them eternal life and then add that no one can pluck them out of your hand nor the hand of your Father is clearly something that only God could do. 

What did Jesus mean by this statement?

Again, what did those who heard him in person understand him to mean?

The passage goes on to tell us.

John 10:31 (KJV)

    “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone him.

John 10:32 (KJV)

    Jesus answered them, Many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me?

John 10:33 (KJV)

    The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.”

When Jesus claimed "I and my father are one", he claimed to be God.

When you get the right view on this doctrine it will rightly direct your view on other doctrines.

A person who is wrong on this doctrine will not be able to rightly divide the word of truth.

"What think ye of Christ?"

R. A. Torrey said in 1918,

"And the most fundamental question concerning the Person of Christ is, ‘Is Jesus Christ really God’?

Not merely, Is He Divine, but Is He actually God?

When I was a boy, to say you believed in the Divinity of Christ meant that you believed in the real Deity of Christ, that you believed that Jesus was actually a Divine Person, that He was God.

It no longer means that.

The Devil is wise, shrewd, and subtle, and he knows that the most effectual way to instill error into the minds of the inexpert and unwary is to use old and precious words and put a new meaning into them.

So when his messengers masquerading as "ministers of righteousness" seek to lead, if possible, the elect astray, they use the old precious words, but with an entirely new and entirely different and entirely false meaning.

They talk about the Divinity of Christ, but they do not mean at all what intelligent Christians in former days meant by it.

Likewise, they talk of the atonement, but they do not mean at all the substitutionary death of Jesus Christ in our place by which eternal life is secured for us.

And oftentimes when they talk about Christ, they do not mean at all our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, the actual historic Jesus of the four gospels; they mean an ideal Christ, or a Christ principle."

So our subject is not the Divinity of Christ, but the Deity of Christ; and our question is not, Is Jesus Christ Divine, but rather, Is Jesus Christ God?

Was that Person Who was born in Bethlehem and Who lived thirty-three and 1/2 years hereupon earth as recorded in the four gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke and John, Who was crucified on Calvary's cross, Who rose from the dead after three days and three nights, and was exalted from earth to heaven to the right hand of the Father; was He God manifest in the flesh, was He God embodied in a human being?

Was He, and is He, a Being worthy of our absolute faith and supreme love and our unhesitating obedience and our whole hearted worship?

Should all men honour Jesus Christ even as they honour God the Father (John 5:23).

John 5:23 (KJV)

    “That all [men] should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.”

Not merely is He an example that we can wisely follow, or a Master whom we can wisely serve, but is He a God Whom we can rightly worship?

I presume that most of us do believe that He was God manifest in the flesh and that He is God today at the right hand of the Father, but why do you believe so?

Are you so intelligent in your faith, and therefore, so well-grounded in your faith that no glib talker or reasoner, no Unitarian or Russellite(JW) or Christian Scientist or Theosophist, or other errorist can confuse you and upset you and lead you astray?

UNITA'RIAN, n.  [L. unitus, unus.]:  One who denies the doctrine of the trinity, and ascribes divinity to God the Father only.

THEOS'OPHIST, n.:  One who pretends to divine illumination; one who pretends to derive his knowledge from divine revelation.

The Old Testament Teaches That Jesus Christ is God

Isaiah 9:6 (KJV)

    “For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counseller, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.”

A good cross-reference for this verse is found in Hebrews.

Hebrews 1:8 (KJV)

    “But unto the Son [he saith], Thy throne, O God, [is] for ever and ever: a sceptre of righteousness [is] the sceptre of thy kingdom.”

Zechariah 12:10 (KJV)

    “And I will pour upon the house of David, and upon the inhabitants of Jerusalem, the spirit of grace and of supplications: and they shall look upon me whom they have pierced, and they shall mourn for him, as one mourneth for [his] only [son], and shall be in bitterness for him, as one that is in bitterness for [his] firstborn.”

God is speaking through the prophet Zechariah and saying "They shall look upon me (God) whom they have pierced."

God is the one who is to be pierced.

In the New Testament, this passage is said to be fulfilled when they pierced Jesus Christ.

John 19:34 (KJV)

    “But one of the soldiers with a spear pierced his side, and forthwith came there out blood and water.

John 19:35 (KJV)

    And he that saw [it] bare record, and his record is true: and he knoweth that he saith true, that ye might believe.

John 19:36 (KJV)

    For these things were done, that the scripture should be fulfilled, A bone of him shall not be broken.

John 19:37 (KJV)

    And again another scripture saith, They shall look on him whom they pierced.”

The New Testament Teaches That Jesus Christ is God

The New Testament is filled with the truth that Jesus Christ is both God and man. He is the God-Man.

1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

    “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

John 1:1 (KJV)

    “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

John 1:2 (KJV)

    The same was in the beginning with God.

John 1:3 (KJV)

    All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

John 1:14 (KJV)

    “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.”

Acts 20:28 (KJV)

    “Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which he hath purchased with his own blood.”

Colossians 2:8 (KJV)

    “Beware lest any man spoil you through philosophy and vain deceit, after the tradition of men, after the rudiments of the world, and not after Christ.

Colossians 2:9 (KJV)

    For in him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily.”

The Lord Jesus Christ is 100% man and 100% God at the same time all of the time.

The Lord Jesus Christ accepted worship.

Matthew 4:8 (KJV)

    “Again, the devil taketh him up into an exceeding high mountain, and sheweth him all the kingdoms of the world, and the glory of them;

Matthew 4:9 (KJV)

    And saith unto him, All these things will I give thee, if thou wilt fall down and worship me.

Matthew 4:10 (KJV)

    Then saith Jesus unto him, Get thee hence, Satan: for it is written, Thou shalt worship the Lord thy God, and him only shalt thou serve.”

Satan is told that God is the only One to be worshipped.

Acts 10:25 (KJV)

    “And as Peter was coming in, Cornelius met him, and fell down at his feet, and worshipped [him].

Acts 10:26 (KJV)

    But Peter took him up, saying, Stand up; I myself also am a man.”

Peter understood that man is not to be worshipped.

Revelation 22:8 (KJV)

    “And I John saw these things, and heard [them]. And when I had heard and seen, I fell down to worship before the feet of the angel which shewed me these things.

Revelation 22:9 (KJV)

    Then saith he unto me, See [thou do it] not: for I am thy fellowservant, and of thy brethren the prophets, and of them which keep the sayings of this book: worship God.”

Angels are not to be worshipped.

The Lord Jesus Christ not only accepted worship it was commanded that He should be worshipped.

Hebrews 1:6 (KJV)

    “And again, when he bringeth in the firstbegotten into the world, he saith, And let all the angels of God worship him.”

Matthew 8:2 (KJV)

    “And, behold, there came a leper and worshipped him, saying, Lord, if thou wilt, thou canst make me clean.”

Matthew 9:18 (KJV)

    “While he spake these things unto them, behold, there came a certain ruler, and worshipped him, saying, My daughter is even now dead: but come and lay thy hand upon her, and she shall live.”

Matthew 14:33 (KJV)

    “Then they that were in the ship came and worshipped him, saying, Of a truth thou art the Son of God.”

Matthew 15:25 (KJV)

    “Then came she and worshipped him, saying, Lord, help me.”

Matthew 28:9 (KJV)

    “And as they went to tell his disciples, behold, Jesus met them, saying, All hail. And they came and held him by the feet, and worshipped him.”

Matthew 28:17 (KJV)

    “And when they saw him, they worshipped him: but some doubted.”

John 20:28 (KJV)

    “And Thomas answered and said unto him, My Lord and my God.

John 20:29 (KJV)

    Jesus saith unto him, Thomas, because thou hast seen me, thou hast believed: blessed [are] they that have not seen, and [yet] have believed.”

The Lord Jesus not only allows Thomas to worship him as God, he also pronounces a blessing upon all of us who will believe and do the same.

Some people say that Jesus is not God.

They say that he was just a good teacher.

But understand, if Jesus was not God yet allowed himself to be worshipped, he would not have been a good teacher at all. He would have been a sinner and a blasphemer.

We have seen that believing in "Jesus" is not enough.

We must believe in the Jesus of the Bible, lest someone deceive us by preaching "another Jesus".

The Bible clearly teaches that Jesus Christ is God.

Jesus claimed to be God. (John 5:17-18; John 10:30-33; etc.)

The Old Testament teaches that Jesus is God. (Isaiah 9:6; Zechariah 12:10; etc.)

The New Testament teaches that Jesus is God. (1 Timothy 3:16; Colossians 2:8-9; etc.)

Jesus allowed himself to be worshipped, (Matthew 8:2; John 20:28-29; etc.), despite the fact that the Bible says we are to worship God only. (Matthew 4:10)

So, is Jesus Christ God?

Your eternal destiny hangs on how you answer that question.

2 John 1:9 (KJV)

    “Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.”

Signs, Miracles and Wonders, Lesson 1

Signs, Miracles and Wonders, Lesson 1

I find the people who pretend themselves to be faith healers to be destructive, detestable, unscriptural, misleading, hurtful, damning, and a great help to the Devil and his work.

These fake healers have linked well with Bible correctors because they have gotten to the point that they only “use” the Bible on occasions.

I have no ax to grind with individuals in denominations, but I will not refrain from naming people whom I believe to be destructive.

I believe that what we are seeing in many churches today is an influence of this movement that detracts from what God told us to do.

The ministry and music of many churches lines up with the “emotionalism” and “I know what I have experienced,” unscriptural teachings going on in this movement.

I submit to you that your feelings and your experiences don’t mean anything unless they line up with what the word of God says.

I tell you also that you cannot have the same experiences of many in the Bible because you live in a different time period.

We have a growing trend of men and women who claim that God has given them special revelations and people are flocking to them and believing every word they say.

I stand before you today with a Bible and I will show you Bible for what I say and many people are not the least interested.

I believe that the need of the hour is for churches to get back to the Bible and refute everything in this movement with “thus saith the LORD.”

There are those who will label everything done in a church connected to this movement as being strictly of the Devil and then there are those who say that anything done in the name of the Lord is good.

Somewhere between those two extremes is the truth.

I am fully aware that this subject is almost as controversial as the subject of versions of the Bible.

Just to make sure that I don’t leave anyone out I intend to throw two stones at the same time.

I shall be as dogmatic and emphatic as those who preach false doctrine.

I shall state the Scriptures with confidence as did those who have gone before me.

Acts 24:14 (KJV)

    “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:”

Psalms 12:6 (KJV)

    “The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:7 (KJV)

    Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Psalms 138:2 (KJV)

    “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)

    “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

The Lord Jesus Christ lived nearly 2,000 years after the original manuscripts written by Moses had disappeared from the face of the earth.

He read from copies of copies of copies which the people had and never one time corrected them or suggested that there were any errors in them.

Instead he made these statements:

Matthew 5:17 (KJV)

    “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 (KJV)

    For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Matthew 24:35 (KJV)

    “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

We live now some 2,000 years from the time of the Lord Jesus Christ and the writings of the original New Testament but we shall follow His example and believe that we do have a copy of the very words of the LORD.

In this study we will abide by two primary rules of Bible study set forth for us in the Bible itself.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (KJV)

    “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13 (KJV)

    Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

    “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Every false teaching is the result of violating these rules.

The Apostolic Gift of Tongues

Matthew 11:13 (KJV)

    “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

It is clear that John the Baptist marks a time of transition in the word of God.

John’s preaching is clearly different than our preaching today which would say to me that John the Baptist is not one I could pattern my preaching after.

Mark 1:4 (KJV)

    “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

John preached repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

John the Baptist’s ministry is primarily a Jewish ministry.

John 1:29 (KJV)

    “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:30 (KJV)

    This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John 1:31 (KJV)

    And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

John’s baptism was to manifest Christ to Israel.

This is some of that rightly dividing that you better learn if you truly want to rightly divide the word of truth.

1 Corinthians 10:32 (KJV)

    “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”

In the Holy Scriptures there are three separate and distinct groups of people and they are not to be mixed.

Doctrinally every verse of scripture applies either to the Jews, the Gentiles, or the church of God. 

When I say “Doctrine” I am not talking about such shallow definitions as “teaching.”

Doctrine in the word of God “teaches” that every verse of scripture is written to a specific group of people {Jews, Gentiles, or the church of God} during a specific period of time for a specific purpose.

Not every verse of scripture applies doctrinally to the church of God.  [Example:  Leviticus chapter 11].  Notice the scripture is written to “the children of Israel.”  The children of Israel would be the Jews.  

Notice the contrast between what John the Baptist had been preaching and the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:4 (KJV)

    “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

Mark 1:15 (KJV)

    “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

There is no reference to John the Baptist preaching the gospel which is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 at any time in his ministry.

Throughout his ministry he preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.

It was John the Baptist ministry to prepare the way for the Lord.

Luke 16:16 (KJV)

    “The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

This is another one of those things that a true Bible student will pay attention too.

The kingdom of heaven is a phrase only found in the Book of Matthew which is a Book written to present Jesus Christ as “King of the Jews.”

The “kingdom of heaven is a literal, visible, physical kingdom that can be seen just as one can look up and see “heaven.”

The “kingdom of God” is a spiritual kingdom that cannot be seen at this time.  One enters into this kingdom by being born again {John chapter 3}.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came on the scene He began expounding on the Old Testament law that the Jews were very familiar with.

Matthew 5:21 (KJV)

    “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Matthew 5:22 (KJV)

    But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Matthew 5:27 (KJV)

    “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

    But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

The Lord Jesus expounded upon the law and thereby manifest the great truth that no man could keep the law and then pointed to Himself and said:

Matthew 5:17 (KJV)

    “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

You can only imagine how mad those religious leaders were when the Lord Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and then said I came to fulfill the law.

Yes, they got so mad at Him that they wanted to kill Him.

John 5:17 (KJV)

    “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

John 5:18 (KJV)

    Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

He did exactly what He said He came to do and then went to the cross, died, was buried and rose again.

Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)

    “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

1 Peter 2:22 (KJV)

    “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

    “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Yes, God was manifest in the flesh and lived perfectly according to the law and the prophets.

1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

    “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

The Lord Jesus Christ clearly established a new message called the gospel, but until after His resurrection you cannot find anyone who is preaching it.

In the first seven chapters of the Book of Acts we find that John the Baptist’ message of repentance and baptism is still being preached.

Prior to Acts chapter 8 no one preached that salvation was solely on the merits of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In acts chapter 8 we have the conversion of a son of Ham, a Gentile.

When you read Acts chapter 8 it is an Ethiopian Eunuch that is being preached to by Philip and in his sermon he preaches the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Using Isaiah 53 as his Scripture).

The Ethiopian Eunuch was saved by grace, through faith, and baptized afterwards.

The Scriptures clearly teach that his baptism was after his conversion.

Acts 8:36 (KJV)

    “And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

Acts 8:37 (KJV)

    And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

In acts chapter 9 we have a conversion of a son of Shem, a Jew.

The Apostle Paul is saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and is called to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:13 (KJV)

    “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”

His gospel message is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

1 Corinthians 15:1 (KJV)

    “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1 Corinthians 15:2 (KJV)

    By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:3 (KJV)

    For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV)

   And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

These great truths of the suffering Saviour who pays for the sins of the world with His own precious blood are found throughout the Old Testament, but prior to the conversion of the Apostle Paul they were hid from the hearts and minds of men.

Colossians 1:24 (KJV)

    “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Colossians 1:25 (KJV)

    Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Colossians 1:26 (KJV)

    [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”

If you do not know that God hides things from people then you have not been paying attention to what you read. 

The salvation by grace through faith that we preach, the church and the body of Christ were all mysteries until the Apostle Paul.

The salvation of the soul through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is taught all through the Old Testament but it was not revealed until the Holy Spirit unveiled it through the writings of the Apostle Paul.

1 Peter 1:10 (KJV)

    “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:

1 Peter 1:11 (KJV)

    Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1 Peter 1:12 (KJV)

    Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

    Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

When you read the book of Acts there are no New Testament books that reveal the truth about the church.

 Signs, Miracles and Wonders, Lesson 1

I find the people who pretend themselves to be faith healers to be destructive, detestable, unscriptural, misleading, hurtful, damning, and a great help to the Devil and his work.

These fake healers have linked well with Bible correctors because they have gotten to the point that they only “use” the Bible on occasions.

I have no ax to grind with individuals in denominations, but I will not refrain from naming people whom I believe to be destructive.

I believe that what we are seeing in many churches today is an influence of this movement that detracts from what God told us to do.

The ministry and music of many churches lines up with the “emotionalism” and “I know what I have experienced,” unscriptural teachings going on in this movement.

I submit to you that your feelings and your experiences don’t mean anything unless they line up with what the word of God says.

I tell you also that you cannot have the same experiences of many in the Bible because you live in a different time period.

We have a growing trend of men and women who claim that God has given them special revelations and people are flocking to them and believing every word they say.

I stand before you today with a Bible and I will show you Bible for what I say and many people are not the least interested.

I believe that the need of the hour is for churches to get back to the Bible and refute everything in this movement with “thus saith the LORD.”

There are those who will label everything done in a church connected to this movement as being strictly of the Devil and then there are those who say that anything done in the name of the Lord is good.

Somewhere between those two extremes is the truth.

I am fully aware that this subject is almost as controversial as the subject of versions of the Bible.

Just to make sure that I don’t leave anyone out I intend to throw two stones at the same time.

I shall be as dogmatic and emphatic as those who preach false doctrine.

I shall state the Scriptures with confidence as did those who have gone before me.

Acts 24:14 (KJV)

    “But this I confess unto thee, that after the way which they call heresy, so worship I the God of my fathers, believing all things which are written in the law and in the prophets:”

Psalms 12:6 (KJV)

    “The words of the LORD [are] pure words: [as] silver tried in a furnace of earth, purified seven times.

Psalms 12:7 (KJV)

    Thou shalt keep them, O LORD, thou shalt preserve them from this generation for ever.”

Psalms 138:2 (KJV)

    “I will worship toward thy holy temple, and praise thy name for thy lovingkindness and for thy truth: for thou hast magnified thy word above all thy name.”

1 Peter 1:23 (KJV)

    “Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever.”

The Lord Jesus Christ lived nearly 2,000 years after the original manuscripts written by Moses had disappeared from the face of the earth.

He read from copies of copies of copies which the people had and never one time corrected them or suggested that there were any errors in them.

Instead he made these statements:

Matthew 5:17 (KJV)

    “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.

Matthew 5:18 (KJV)

    For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled.”

Matthew 24:35 (KJV)

    “Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away.”

We live now some 2,000 years from the time of the Lord Jesus Christ and the writings of the original New Testament but we shall follow His example and believe that we do have a copy of the very words of the LORD.

In this study we will abide by two primary rules of Bible study set forth for us in the Bible itself.

1 Corinthians 2:12 (KJV)

    “Now we have received, not the spirit of the world, but the spirit which is of God; that we might know the things that are freely given to us of God.

1 Corinthians 2:13 (KJV)

    Which things also we speak, not in the words which man's wisdom teacheth, but which the Holy Ghost teacheth; comparing spiritual things with spiritual.”

2 Timothy 2:15 (KJV)

    “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

Every false teaching is the result of violating these rules.

The Apostolic Gift of Tongues

Matthew 11:13 (KJV)

    “For all the prophets and the law prophesied until John.”

It is clear that John the Baptist marks a time of transition in the word of God.

John’s preaching is clearly different than our preaching today which would say to me that John the Baptist is not one I could pattern my preaching after.

Mark 1:4 (KJV)

    “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

John preached repent and be baptized for the remission of sins.

John the Baptist’s ministry is primarily a Jewish ministry.

John 1:29 (KJV)

    “The next day John seeth Jesus coming unto him, and saith, Behold the Lamb of God, which taketh away the sin of the world.

John 1:30 (KJV)

    This is he of whom I said, After me cometh a man which is preferred before me: for he was before me.

John 1:31 (KJV)

    And I knew him not: but that he should be made manifest to Israel, therefore am I come baptizing with water.”

John’s baptism was to manifest Christ to Israel.

This is some of that rightly dividing that you better learn if you truly want to rightly divide the word of truth.

1 Corinthians 10:32 (KJV)

    “Give none offence, neither to the Jews, nor to the Gentiles, nor to the church of God:”

In the Holy Scriptures there are three separate and distinct groups of people and they are not to be mixed.

Doctrinally every verse of scripture applies either to the Jews, the Gentiles, or the church of God. 

When I say “Doctrine” I am not talking about such shallow definitions as “teaching.”

Doctrine in the word of God “teaches” that every verse of scripture is written to a specific group of people {Jews, Gentiles, or the church of God} during a specific period of time for a specific purpose.

Not every verse of scripture applies doctrinally to the church of God.  [Example:  Leviticus chapter 11].  Notice the scripture is written to “the children of Israel.”  The children of Israel would be the Jews.  

Notice the contrast between what John the Baptist had been preaching and the preaching of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Mark 1:4 (KJV)

    “John did baptize in the wilderness, and preach the baptism of repentance for the remission of sins.”

Mark 1:15 (KJV)

    “And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.”

There is no reference to John the Baptist preaching the gospel which is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4 at any time in his ministry.

Throughout his ministry he preached repentance and baptism for the remission of sins.

It was John the Baptist ministry to prepare the way for the Lord.

Luke 16:16 (KJV)

    “The law and the prophets [were] until John: since that time the kingdom of God is preached, and every man presseth into it.”

This is another one of those things that a true Bible student will pay attention too.

The kingdom of heaven is a phrase only found in the Book of Matthew which is a Book written to present Jesus Christ as “King of the Jews.”

The “kingdom of heaven is a literal, visible, physical kingdom that can be seen just as one can look up and see “heaven.”

The “kingdom of God” is a spiritual kingdom that cannot be seen at this time.  One enters into this kingdom by being born again {John chapter 3}.

When the Lord Jesus Christ came on the scene He began expounding on the Old Testament law that the Jews were very familiar with.

Matthew 5:21 (KJV)

    “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not kill; and whosoever shall kill shall be in danger of the judgment:

Matthew 5:22 (KJV)

    But I say unto you, That whosoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment: and whosoever shall say to his brother, Raca, shall be in danger of the council: but whosoever shall say, Thou fool, shall be in danger of hell fire.”

Matthew 5:27 (KJV)

    “Ye have heard that it was said by them of old time, Thou shalt not commit adultery:

Matthew 5:28 (KJV)

    But I say unto you, That whosoever looketh on a woman to lust after her hath committed adultery with her already in his heart.”

The Lord Jesus expounded upon the law and thereby manifest the great truth that no man could keep the law and then pointed to Himself and said:

Matthew 5:17 (KJV)

    “Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil.”

You can only imagine how mad those religious leaders were when the Lord Jesus claimed to be the Son of God and then said I came to fulfill the law.

Yes, they got so mad at Him that they wanted to kill Him.

John 5:17 (KJV)

    “But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work.

John 5:18 (KJV)

    Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God.”

He did exactly what He said He came to do and then went to the cross, died, was buried and rose again.

Hebrews 4:15 (KJV)

    “For we have not an high priest which cannot be touched with the feeling of our infirmities; but was in all points tempted like as [we are, yet] without sin.”

1 Peter 2:22 (KJV)

    “Who did no sin, neither was guile found in his mouth:”

2 Corinthians 5:21 (KJV)

    “For he hath made him [to be] sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.”

Yes, God was manifest in the flesh and lived perfectly according to the law and the prophets.

1 Timothy 3:16 (KJV)

    “And without controversy great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.”

The Lord Jesus Christ clearly established a new message called the gospel, but until after His resurrection you cannot find anyone who is preaching it.

In the first seven chapters of the Book of Acts we find that John the Baptist’ message of repentance and baptism is still being preached.

Prior to Acts chapter 8 no one preached that salvation was solely on the merits of the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ.

In acts chapter 8 we have the conversion of a son of Ham, a Gentile.

When you read Acts chapter 8 it is an Ethiopian Eunuch that is being preached to by Philip and in his sermon he preaches the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ (Using Isaiah 53 as his Scripture).

The Ethiopian Eunuch was saved by grace, through faith, and baptized afterwards.

The Scriptures clearly teach that his baptism was after his conversion.

Acts 8:36 (KJV)

    “And as they went on [their] way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, [here is] water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?

Acts 8:37 (KJV)

    And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.”

In acts chapter 9 we have a conversion of a son of Shem, a Jew.

The Apostle Paul is saved by believing on the Lord Jesus Christ and is called to be the apostle to the Gentiles.

Romans 11:13 (KJV)

    “For I speak to you Gentiles, inasmuch as I am the apostle of the Gentiles, I magnify mine office:”

His gospel message is found in 1 Corinthians 15:1-4.

1 Corinthians 15:1 (KJV)

    “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand;

1 Corinthians 15:2 (KJV)

    By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain.

1 Corinthians 15:3 (KJV)

    For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures;

1 Corinthians 15:4 (KJV)

   And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures:”

These great truths of the suffering Saviour who pays for the sins of the world with His own precious blood are found throughout the Old Testament, but prior to the conversion of the Apostle Paul they were hid from the hearts and minds of men.

Colossians 1:24 (KJV)

    “Who now rejoice in my sufferings for you, and fill up that which is behind of the afflictions of Christ in my flesh for his body's sake, which is the church:

Colossians 1:25 (KJV)

    Whereof I am made a minister, according to the dispensation of God which is given to me for you, to fulfil the word of God;

Colossians 1:26 (KJV)

    [Even] the mystery which hath been hid from ages and from generations, but now is made manifest to his saints:”

If you do not know that God hides things from people then you have not been paying attention to what you read. 

The salvation by grace through faith that we preach, the church and the body of Christ were all mysteries until the Apostle Paul.

The salvation of the soul through faith in the finished work of the Lord Jesus Christ is taught all through the Old Testament but it was not revealed until the Holy Spirit unveiled it through the writings of the Apostle Paul.

1 Peter 1:10 (KJV)

    “Of which salvation the prophets have inquired and searched diligently, who prophesied of the grace [that should come] unto you:

1 Peter 1:11 (KJV)

    Searching what, or what manner of time the Spirit of Christ which was in them did signify, when it testified beforehand the sufferings of Christ, and the glory that should follow.

1 Peter 1:12 (KJV)

    Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

    Unto whom it was revealed, that not unto themselves, but unto us they did minister the things, which are now reported unto you by them that have preached the gospel unto you with the Holy Ghost sent down from heaven; which things the angels desire to look into.”

When you read the book of Acts there are no New Testament books that reveal the truth about the church.

All of this was written by the Apostle Paul and he did not get saved until Acts chapter 9.

No one in Acts chapters 1-7 is aware of the truth that is going to be preached by the Apostle Paul later.

In acts chapter 10 we have a conversion of a son of Japheth.

It is evident that the Apostles understood some things by Acts chapter 11 and they begin preaching salvation by grace through faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of the Lord Jesus Christ.

This subject will be continued in the next lesson.