The Heard-less Ones of Jesus-Part II

So who or what exactly are the heard-less ones?  Ok, so maybe I just made up a word…(wordsmiths have that liberty) …never the less, in my last article in August, we discussed the question I often get asked throughout my ministry of serving the church and God’s kingdom...  “But what about those who have never heard about Jesus.”   This question usually arises when the topic of afterlife and eternity pops up in a conversation. These “heard-less” ones are not without hearing because of a physical disability but instead they have never heard who Jesus is, so their disability is spiritual.  People that have never heard about the gospel of Jesus Christ often have a lot of questions regarding this…even those who have heard but still not sure. The line of reasoning is because God is such a loving God, how could He or would He even allow someone to go to hell for eternity especially if they never heard about Him/Jesus.  The implication and false verdict is that God is not fair, not just, or not righteous.    So then, why should I, a skeptic, doubter, looky loo, outsider, believe in a unfair God much less follow Him.  Oh but… au contraire

 

THE MAIN THING IS THE PLAIN THING

We already established in my last article that Jesus makes the claim that He is the ONLY way to salvation. Then He verifies and solidifies His claim. Thomas representing the disciples asked one of the most important questions to Jesus.  A question that we, 2000 thousand years later can personally know, glean and learn from… “ Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?”  Jesus clearly says “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”

 

I just LOVE the way our Savior speaks to us so lovingly, so kind, so PLAIN.  If there is any doubt, question or apprehension about who He is, or our position for eternity, He will just plainly tell us, all we need to do is believe.  We can trust Him at His word.  He is not one to lie, it is not in is origin to do so but He just tells us the truth, He has got nothing to hide.  It is the characteristic of the Son of Man, holy human DNA to speak truth only because He is holy and He is God… But those that cannot see are often offended a this

 

SUPREMECY AS WITNESS AND COMMANDER

Still not convinced?  Let’s look to another Witness...or should I say, The Witness.  In the book of Hebrews, the author begins the chapter stating boldly how Jesus is superior over the prophets of the Old Testaments scriptures and over the angels, listing consistently and precisely who

 

Jesus is: 

He is appointed Heir

Brightness of God’s glory

Expressed image of His person

Upholding all things by the word of His power

He had purged our sins

Sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high

Having become so much better than the angels

He has by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than the angels

It is evident that God has appointed and attributed Jesus these characteristics…but then God almighty is a witness of who Christ is because He ordained Him to be.

Firstborn into the world

Now if God Himself , maker of heaven and earth and all created things, stands as a witness representing Christ than who dare refute Him?  Then God gives specific instruction commanding the angels to worship Christ solidifying that Christ is higher than the angels currently ruling and reigning on the right hand side of God.

Once again, because God stands as a commander over the angels to bow the knee to worship Christ, part of the Trinity, than who dare refute Him?

 

QUESTION AND VALID ANSWER

Let’s continue our line of questions…

Question:  Aren’t all religions basically the same?  Different religions have different views of God and what happens when we die.

Answer: Jesus already clarified that HE is the only way to salvation.  If you are looking for, seeking for salvation, He is the ONLY way.  If you are desiring to live a life for eternity with Christ.  HE is the ONLY way.  If you desire to spend your life worshipping Christ in His holiness forever, He is the ONLY way…There is ONLY one way that leads to life and that is the way of grace=Jesus.  100% grace from a loving God, so when our wrong doings outweigh us and deem us as guilty, God ranks over it with supreme grace.  As my pastor husband says “When our sin is super, God’s grace is super duper abundant and when our sin is super duper, God’s grace is super duper duper abundant.”  Get the equation?  Our wrongs, guilts, shortcomings and sins will NEVER EVER EVER out rank the glorious, abundant  loving grace of our heavenly Father through our Savior Christ and His precious blood that He willingly shed. NO other religion offers 100% grace, No other one. Instead all other religions is based on works deeds of humans that we can never measure up…in other words working to attain something we can never have for eternity.

 

YOUR TURN:  What are your questions?  Ask, seek and you will find Jesus!  Search for the answers in the pages of your Bible.

 

 

 

Resources:

- The Holy Bible- John 14:1-6, Hebrews 1

- Stand to Reason-http://www.str.org/- Dr. Greg Koukl

 

Calendar:

September– 2015 – Women’s Bible Study:  I & II Timothy and Titus

All are welcome to attend. Tuesday mornings AND evenings

For more info. contact:  Church on Randall Place at  1- (928) 476-4249 www.churchonrandallplace.org

Email :  deeprootsinchrist@hotmail.com

 

 

About the Author:

Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake, passionate pray-er and Bible teacher.   A graduate of Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary, Simone holds a Master’s degree in Theology and Apologetics Certificate from BIOLA.  She writes this Firm Foundations article, published every first Wed. of the month.  Visit her on: www.deeprootsinchrist.com,  www.simonelake.com, http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net, FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn

 

NOTE:  This devotional article is part Simone's Apologetics Writings. She is a member, speaker, teacher of the

International Society of Women in Apologetics (ISWA) http://womeninapologetics.com

 

 

But What About Those Who Have Never Heard About Jesus

Often times when I am called upon to speak, teach or share about Jesus, these types of questions are asked…

“What about those who have not heard about Jesus?”

 “Will God punish someone who has never heard about Him?” 

“What if missionaries do not reach that particular tribe in their home land, will they be judged the same way as those who have heard?” 

“What if a person had physical disabilities that hindered their understanding of God?”

 

As you can see, in my occupation of serving God’s church and people as a whole, many questions will arise when the topic of God and Jesus come up. The short answer to these questions is that God is a merciful, loving and kind God.  Being holy first and foremost as well as omnipotent, omnipresent and

Omnipresent He has the answers to all the questions that were ever asked.

But as I often say to my husband when he speaks in general terms. “I want details.”

“I need details.”  My goal is to go deeper with more details dealing with important questions as I share in this article and future ones to come.

 

Jesus’ Claim

 

In the gospels there is one of several scenes,  that display the tenderness of Christ Jesus and His incredible holiness that is shown through in His awesome loving and comfort.   He is speaking to His disciples, comforting them encouraging them to keep their focus on God and on Him, because He is going to heaven to prepare a place for them. 

Jesus makes the claim that He is the ONLY way to salvation.  Then verifies and solidifies His claim.  It was inconceivable for the disciples to be separated from Him, after being with him, basically 24/7 for the past three years. They longed to be with Jesus and were distraught about His leaving. This scene starts with Jesus encouraging His beloved disciples and ending with Thomas, the spokesman for the group asking Jesus one of the most important questions to mankind.

“Do not let your heart be troubled;

believe in God, believe also in Me.

“In My Father’s house are many dwelling places;

if it were not so, I would have told you; for I go to prepare a place for you.

“If I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself,

that where I am, there you may be also.

“And you know the way where I am going.”

Thomas said to Him, “Lord, we do not know where You are going,

how do we know the way?”

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life;

no one comes to the Father but through Me.-

John 14:1-6

 

Those that are followers of Jesus as Lord, hold to the above saying as the very core, the very solid foundation of what we not only believe but know to be true as Christians.

But yet others may ask…well what about all the other variables in the world? 

Us humans live in a pluralistic world full of a multitude of societies with people of all kinds of social classes, religions, races, etc., yet we are continuing to have different traditions and interests.  As the saying goes, “America is the melting pot. And the melting pot is the world.”

So how do we factor all of that into the equation?

 

Is this claim right?

I mentioned earlier that many questions come my way in regards to Christianity and as a servant of most holy God.  Some people are actually offended when I tell them that “Jesus is the ONLY way.”  They forget that these are not my words but the words of Jesus; therefore I am simple quoting my Savior.  However, for those who want to sincerely understand and question who Jesus really is, the answer is found as they study the Bible for themselves, learning the holy truths of God.

 

Some people will question Jesus’ claim of being the only way and Him being God.  There are usually three camps of thought that people nestle themselves into:

1) Jesus had to be a liar   OR   

2) Jesus had to be a crazy person who needs to be locked up in a mental institution OR , the final answer 3)  Jesus was and is Lord of all.   

 

All that Jesus claimed was true so He cannot be a liar.  Jesus cannot be a lunatic because all of His claims is, was and always will be truth so we must except that Jesus is the final answer as the viewpoint of followers of Jesus who process Christianity as their faith.

 

Questions, Questions, Questions= Valid Certified Answers

Questions are good they help understand and lead us to the knowledge that we seek

While some people reading this might respond by asking more questions, such as:

Question:“ But what about good, moral people?”

Answer:  The good person is someone who has never, not at any time since they were born committed or even thought of a moral crime.  In other words they have never offended God’s throne.  If there was such a person, we would not need Jesus.  But because no one can rise and validate that claim to themselves, we can conclude that because no one is good, not one…verifies that we all need Jesus.  God is a just and fair One.  He offers us Jesus as a pardon for the remission of our sins.  So we are responsible to respond to His gracious loving offer through acceptance and praise.

 

Question: “But I have not committed that many wrong things (sins), why would this apply to me?”

Answer:  Just because we are innocent of the majority of things, still does not prove or validate that we as humans are or can be perfect.  From the time we are born to the time we die we are repeat offenders when it comes to sin/wrong doings.  God’s justice requires that we are perfect.  But you might ask  “How can I be perfect?  NO ONE is perfect!”  But there is more…God knowing we are not perfect provides for us to render us completely guilt free

What pure joy!

 

To continue, PART II…coming soon

 

YOUR TURN:  What are your questions?  Ask, seek and you will find Jesus! 

Search for the answers in the pages of your Bible.

 

Resources:

- The Holy Bible- The Gospel of John 14: 1-3

- Stand to Reason-http://www.str.org/- Dr. Greg Koukl

 

Calendar:

August – 2015 – Women’s Bible Study:  Spiritual Warfare:  Overcoming the Enemy.

All are welcome to attend. Tuesday mornings AND evenings

For more info. contact:  Church on Randall Place at  1- (928) 476-4249 www.churchonrandallplace.org

Email :  deeprootsinchrist@hotmail.com

 

About the Author:

Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake, Bible teacher and a passionate pray-er. Visit her on: www.deeprootsinchrist.com,  www.simonelake.com, http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net, FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn

 

NOTE:  This devotional article is part of her series of Apologetics Writings.

Simone is currently completing her studies in Apologetics at Biola University

and is a member and speaker of the International Society of Women in Apologetics (ISWA)

http://womeninapologetics.com

 

Factual Account of Jesus vs Historical Jesus

Last month, in my monthly article of Firm Foundations, I used a true story analogy of a women who was a victim of a crime.  This criminal had stolen her identity and too much avail had a difficult time amidst all the lies declaring Her true identity.  No matter how much she provided correct documentation and valid evidence to disprove the lies, the end result were some people believed her based on her evidence and some people doubted her, because skeptics and critics even though they had knowledge and understanding of the same true evidence.

I liken that situation to the situation of those believing, or not believing in Jesus

Do you personally believe in the Messiah Jesus Christ? Do you believe in the true accounts of who He is The One who died on the cross, shed His blood and has been resurrected currently sitting on the right hand side of God at this very moment, praying for the saints and rules and reigns for eternity

Some people are skeptics and critics when it comes to believing, receiving and following in Jesus.  These doubters not only disbelieve scripture, and eye witness accounts, but they question Jesus’ claims Himself, distorting the true accounts of who. This philosophy did not just happen recently in the 21^st century. The first quest for a historical Jesus begin in the 19^th century under the German liberalism movement. It died with WWI along with classical liberalism the new terminology.  Back then, the liberalism focus went after a dogmatic theology and supernatural events.  In 1950’s the second quest arose again, claiming that the knowledge of history and the faith based on factual evidence was not a needed thing.

The 3^rd quest happened in 1970’s in particular the 1980’s.  Includes views on Jesus as a person who fit into 1^st century Palestine only having a Jewish background.

 

What is “The Historical Jesus “ ?

The term "historical Jesus" refers to an individual or a group of people and their attempt to "reconstruct the life and teachings of Jesus of Nazareth by critical historical methods", in contrast to Christological definitions ('the dogmatic Christ') and other Christian accounts of Jesus ('the Christ of faith')".

 For centuries…skeptics have tried to reconstruct, rearrange and re-identify who Jesus is,

yet the scriptures clearly states in the writings of Hebrew that “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”  Hebrews 13:8

So when asking yourself in which side to believe… factual accounts of Jesus versus the historical Jesus, the answers lie in some questions that would help you to clarify on which side you stand.  Do you stand on the side of believing that Jesus in the Messiah?  Or do you stand on the side of the critics adapting a Historical Philosophy. Are the Gospel accurate historical records or merely religious propaganda? Did Jesus really claim to be God, and how do we know if He is?

The Deity of Christ

Who do you say that I am?  This is Jesus’ question to Peter when the critics of the day questioned Him.  Marks account states, “ He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said to Him, ‘You are the Christ. ‘ ” Luke’s account states, “He said to them, ‘But who do you say that I am?’ Peter answered and said, ‘ The Christ of God.’ ”

Jesus begs the answer to this question and those following Him answered the question properly. Let us look at Jesus and additional scripture What else did Jesus say about Himself? 

"All things have been handed over to me by My Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father; nor does anyone know the Father except the Son, and anyone to whom the Son wills to reveal Him. - Mark 14:61-62

 

Critics do not accept the claim and factual truth that Jesus made declaring He is God.  Here are some scripture accounts that refute the doubt that the critics and skeptics have.

Jesus clearly declares who He is.

 

The Resurrection

Although most critics doubt who Christ is, His resurrection and the evidence of the gospel accounts.  Some critics accept Paul’s writings in the Bible over the gospels, because

Apostle Paul and his writings are a valid source to believe that the resurrection truly took place. There are many reasons why the critics of Christ accept Paul’s writings over the gospels; some include;

1)   Paul’s writings are much earlier than the gospels times of writings, thus more believable

2)  Paul wrote his epistles approximately AD 54-57…at the very most 27 years after the crucifixion, so it is easier to believe Paul as an eye witness with what he saw and wrote.

3)  Critics are willing to believe that Paul did see the risen Jesus, Liars do not make martyrs and that his is the most important fact.

Apostle Paul gives clear account on the resurrection of Christ in I Corinthians 15.

Read and learn of Jesus and who He is and His resurrection.   

 

Now, you decide. Decide for yourself, based on the evidence of Jesus, His claims of declaring with great accuracy that He is who He says He is.  Will you accept Jesus and all of HIS factual accounts of Him being the Messiah?  Of his truthful claim of being the Son of God, the Son of Man and the promised Savior sent to redeem a fallen mankind back to holy God through the shed blood of Jesus.

  

Resources:

- The Holy Bible

- Wikipedia

-The Historical Jesus by Dr. Gary Habermas

- Evidence for a Resurrection by Mary Jo Sharp

 

About the Author:

Simone Lake is a Christ follower, bride of Pastor Dr. John Lake, Bible teacher and a passionate pray-er. Visit her: www.deeprootsinchrist.com,  www.simonelake.com, http://deeprootsinchrist.sermon.net, FaceBook, Twitter and LinkedIn

 

NOTE:  This devotional article is part of a series of Apologetics Writings.

Simone is currently completing her studies in Apologetics at Biola University and is a member and speaker of the International Society of Women in Apologetics (ISWA)

http://womeninapologetics.com