March 12th 2017
Which Denomination(s) Did Jesus Die For?
2 Corinthians 5:21(NIV)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus took your (our) sin upon Himself and endured the punishment you (we) deserved, namely, death and separation from God. Jesus did this, “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” In reading this verse, there is no obvious relationship to a specific type of acceptance required before any member of mankind, MUST accept this offer, before we can become righteous, as the righteousness comes not from us, but instead, it comes from God. Of course, more specially, your (our) righteousness comes from God, through Jesus, and what He did for you (us)! Therefore, everyone who comes to Christ will receive the ability to become righteous in this world. Jesus death on that cross thus pays the price for your (our) sins, and allows you (us) to be acceptable for entrance into heaven immediately after our soul leaves this lifetime!
Jesus once said, “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” In reading this, it does not seem to differentiate in any way, nor indicate any extenuating circumstances that may require more work by this individual, or more things that must be accomplished. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. (John 8:50-51). Jesus here tells us that God is seeking glory through the acceptance of what Jesus did, not anything that this individual did. All we must do, as Jesus says, to qualify is by being a person who “keeps my word, and thus you ’will never see death.”
Of course, this only puts you (us) on the path to righteous, and we must continue to work out our salvation, as Paul once wrote. This does not mean we need to work to gain our salvation, it is already been gained for us by what Jesus did on our behalf. When we accept our salvation then our attitude has changed, which allows us to align with Jesus to be overcomers too. Although we still have the sinful nature, we now have the ability to overcome this sinful nature, because we have been saved and put on the narrow path that leads to life eternal! This then puts us also in a realm of peace or of having a peaceful attitude. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). Jesus has overcome the world, and offers this attitude to His followers.
Paul wrote about this individual acceptance of what Jesus did, which leads those who choose to follow Him to salvation. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:12-13). Note here again what Paul believed and wrote relating salvation as a personal choice. Paul wrote that, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." There is no specific way indicated here for a person to use for acceptance of Jesus’ offer of salvation. Paul wrote about the fact that there is only one Lord, thus He must be the same to all who choose to follow Him. Paul wrote, “the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.”
Jesus always talked about oneness for those who choose to follow Him, there is nothing Biblical about setting up different types of churches. There should be only one universal church of Jesus Christ! I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:22-23). Jesus wanted His church to be one, not broken up into denominations, as it is today! Jesus said, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” It makes me wonder how this supposed church of Jesus Christ has become such a worldly church, following not the directions given by Jesus, but instead following the directions given by Satan who would keep us separated and even disliking each other, as it has almost always been. Jesus’ desire was “that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.”
Paul wrote about how a person is changed by claiming their salvation. Paul obviously believed that salvation is a personal commitment not a family or community thing, but a very personal commitment. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul wrote about how conversion changes the individual when he wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Have you experienced this wonderful change in your life since you made that commitment to follow Jesus Christ? Did this wonderful change make you think of other believers as more like you, or less like you? Usually finding your salvation causes you to desire to be around other believers, and thus, to become a member of the church of your choice!
However, this membership often causes the person to turn against members of other churches, because of different understandings of the requirements of Jesus for believers. Some claim that having different churches allows us to join with people who are like minded! How can this be, Paul wrote about this, and sums up well what concerns me, as I write this today! The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Corinthians 2:15 – 3:3).
Please join me today in praying for the many churches, which remain worldly, as they disagree with other, so called, churches of Jesus Christ. For there must be only one church that is truly the church of Jesus Christ! There is only one Jesus Christ, though it is not obvious when we look at all the denominations that exist in this world that all claim to be churches of Jesus The Christ! Jesus prayed for our oneness, and let us close this VOW with His prayer for us! For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:8-11)
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
2 Corinthians 5:21(NIV)
God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.
Jesus took your (our) sin upon Himself and endured the punishment you (we) deserved, namely, death and separation from God. Jesus did this, “so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” In reading this verse, there is no obvious relationship to a specific type of acceptance required before any member of mankind, MUST accept this offer, before we can become righteous, as the righteousness comes not from us, but instead, it comes from God. Of course, more specially, your (our) righteousness comes from God, through Jesus, and what He did for you (us)! Therefore, everyone who comes to Christ will receive the ability to become righteous in this world. Jesus death on that cross thus pays the price for your (our) sins, and allows you (us) to be acceptable for entrance into heaven immediately after our soul leaves this lifetime!
Jesus once said, “I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death.” In reading this, it does not seem to differentiate in any way, nor indicate any extenuating circumstances that may require more work by this individual, or more things that must be accomplished. I am not seeking glory for myself; but there is one who seeks it, and he is the judge. I tell you the truth, if anyone keeps my word, he will never see death. (John 8:50-51). Jesus here tells us that God is seeking glory through the acceptance of what Jesus did, not anything that this individual did. All we must do, as Jesus says, to qualify is by being a person who “keeps my word, and thus you ’will never see death.”
Of course, this only puts you (us) on the path to righteous, and we must continue to work out our salvation, as Paul once wrote. This does not mean we need to work to gain our salvation, it is already been gained for us by what Jesus did on our behalf. When we accept our salvation then our attitude has changed, which allows us to align with Jesus to be overcomers too. Although we still have the sinful nature, we now have the ability to overcome this sinful nature, because we have been saved and put on the narrow path that leads to life eternal! This then puts us also in a realm of peace or of having a peaceful attitude. "I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world." (John 16:33). Jesus has overcome the world, and offers this attitude to His followers.
Paul wrote about this individual acceptance of what Jesus did, which leads those who choose to follow Him to salvation. For there is no difference between Jew and Gentile—the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him, for, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:12-13). Note here again what Paul believed and wrote relating salvation as a personal choice. Paul wrote that, "Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved." There is no specific way indicated here for a person to use for acceptance of Jesus’ offer of salvation. Paul wrote about the fact that there is only one Lord, thus He must be the same to all who choose to follow Him. Paul wrote, “the same Lord is Lord of all and richly blesses all who call on him.”
Jesus always talked about oneness for those who choose to follow Him, there is nothing Biblical about setting up different types of churches. There should be only one universal church of Jesus Christ! I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me. May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me. (John 17:22-23). Jesus wanted His church to be one, not broken up into denominations, as it is today! Jesus said, “May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me.” It makes me wonder how this supposed church of Jesus Christ has become such a worldly church, following not the directions given by Jesus, but instead following the directions given by Satan who would keep us separated and even disliking each other, as it has almost always been. Jesus’ desire was “that they may be one as we are one: I in them and you in me.”
Paul wrote about how a person is changed by claiming their salvation. Paul obviously believed that salvation is a personal commitment not a family or community thing, but a very personal commitment. Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! (2 Corinthians 5:17). Paul wrote about how conversion changes the individual when he wrote, “If anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation.” Have you experienced this wonderful change in your life since you made that commitment to follow Jesus Christ? Did this wonderful change make you think of other believers as more like you, or less like you? Usually finding your salvation causes you to desire to be around other believers, and thus, to become a member of the church of your choice!
However, this membership often causes the person to turn against members of other churches, because of different understandings of the requirements of Jesus for believers. Some claim that having different churches allows us to join with people who are like minded! How can this be, Paul wrote about this, and sums up well what concerns me, as I write this today! The spiritual man makes judgments about all things, but he himself is not subject to any man’s judgment: "For who has known the mind of the Lord that he may instruct him?" But we have the mind of Christ. Brothers, I could not address you as spiritual but as worldly—mere infants in Christ. I gave you milk, not solid food, for you were not yet ready for it. Indeed, you are still not ready. You are still worldly. For since there is jealousy and quarreling among you, are you not worldly? Are you not acting like mere men? (1 Corinthians 2:15 – 3:3).
Please join me today in praying for the many churches, which remain worldly, as they disagree with other, so called, churches of Jesus Christ. For there must be only one church that is truly the church of Jesus Christ! There is only one Jesus Christ, though it is not obvious when we look at all the denominations that exist in this world that all claim to be churches of Jesus The Christ! Jesus prayed for our oneness, and let us close this VOW with His prayer for us! For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me. I pray for them. I am not praying for the world, but for those you have given me, for they are yours. All I have is yours, and all you have is mine. And glory has come to me through them. I will remain in the world no longer, but they are still in the world, and I am coming to you. Holy Father, protect them by the power of your name—the name you gave me--so that they may be one as we are one. (John 17:8-11)
Your brother in life through Adam, your brother in eternity through Jesus,
Bob Moak
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