The Doctrine Of Scripture Series: How The New Testament Canon's Beginnings Was Motivated By World Evangelization

Introduction:

    In my last post I introduced reader's to how the New Testament canonical books came to become the collection we know of today as "The New Testament Canon". For those wanting to read the last post, simply click on the following link here http://www.growingchristianresources.com/2022/11/the-doctrine-of-scripture-series-jesus.html. One detail thatcannot be overlooked is how the growth and expansion of the church was due to her carrying out the command of Jesus to tell those around her, and the world, about the goodnews of His death, burial, and resurrection. When we discuss evangelism and missions, three New Testament passages are helpful to know. The first of these is called "The Great Commission", and stems from Matthew 28:18-20, which we could term "The Plan for Missions":

"And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

    We then have a second text, Acts 1:8, which we could designate as "The Strategy for Missions". This is to say, where one shares the Gospel in their community ("Jerusalem"); their region ("Judea and Samaria"); and then everywhere else ("the ends of the earth"). 

"but you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall be My witnesses both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth.”

    Then the final passage that speaks about the Christian's responsibility in worldwide missions is what I would call "personal responsibility to do missions". 2 Corinthians 5:20-21

"Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God. 21 He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him."

    One New Testament scholar, David Alan Black of South Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary, has by his books aided me greatly in seeing canonization aimed at getting the message of the Gospel out to the nations. What follows derives partly from Black's analysis of the relationship between canonization and missions, and partly from observations I've come to conclude over the decades.

The New Testament Canon Followed the Pattern Of World Evangelization

    

    To chronicle how the New Testament was composed and used, we can follow the development of the New Testament canon along the lines of Jesus’ final instructions to the Apostles and church in Acts 1:8.  The mission strategy of the early church was to begin in Jerusalem, then to Judea and Samaria, with the final stage being that of the ends of the then known world. My point in what will follow is to demonstrate that God's revelation and inspiration of the Old and New Testament Scriptures, as well as His Providential guiding of the church in their canonization, was to provide the basis for doing missions. 

The Early Church had its beginnings in Jersualem.
    

    As for the “Jerusalem phrase”, we begin with Matthew and James. Matthew is our first Gospel, and arguably among the first books of the New Testament, composed as early as 45-50 A.D. It gives us the life of Christ from a Jewish perspective. He revealed Himself as God in the flesh (Matthew 1:23). He acted in history by way of His earthly ministry, miracles, crucifixion, and resurrection. 

    Following Matthew’s account, Jesus’ half brother James would write a short letter (45-50 A.D.) to the fledgling Jewish church in Jerusalem. It is in James’ letter or Epistle that we get a snapshot of the early church some 15 years after Jesus’ ascension. Matthew would provide the foundation for the first century church’s understanding of Jesus. James would shape how the church would live out the message of Jesus in its ethical and cultural commitments.

Early Christianity spreads to Judea, Samaria, and to the end of the known world.

1. The conversion of Saul of Tarsus and the writing of Romans to Philemon – 34-62 A.D.

    As Peter and the Apostles began to spread the message of the risen Christ, God wondrously converted a persecutor of the church named “Saul of Tarsus”. Upon receiving his call to become a missionary to the nations or Gentiles in Acts 9, Saul would conduct three missionary journeys and be imprisoned multiple times. Paul’s mission efforts and two of his imprisonments covers Luke’s companion volume to the Gospel of Luke, otherwise known as “Acts of the Apostles”. 

    The book of Acts covers the first thirty years of the Christian movement, with Acts 1-12 detailing the ascension of the risen Christ, the ministry of the Apostle Peter, and call of Saul of Tarsus. Acts 13-28 handles three of Saul’s missionary journeys (at which point his name would be changed to “Paul”), providing the background for the thirteen letters he wrote, which appear in our New Testaments, stretching from Romans to Philemon. Galatians and 1 & 2 Thessalonians were among his earliest writings (49-52 A.D.) Romans, 1 & 2 Corinthians were written during his third missionary journey (55-57 A.D.) Then Paul’s letters to the Ephesians, Philippians, Colossians, and Philemon were all composed during his first Roman Imprisonment, which we see at the end of the Book of Acts (60-62 A.D.)

2. Two more Gospels are written, along with Acts – Mark and Luke. 60-62 A.D.

    As the early church went from being predominately Jewish and Jerusalem centered to more Gentile and focused on reaching the world, the Holy Spirit saw fit to raise up Apostolic authors and books to spread the message of Jesus. Next to Jesus, the most influential persons in the New Testament were the Apostles Peter and Paul. Peter is credited in church history as preaching a series of sermons on Jesus’ life, which would become written down by John Mark into what we know today as “The Gospel of Mark” (roughly 60-62 A.D.) 

    As Peter preached these sermons, he is alleged to have used a newly written Gospel by an associate of the Apostle Paul, known as Luke. This book would become known as “The Gospel of Luke” and would serve the Christians well in spreading the Gospel of Jesus Christ to a largely Greco-Roman audience. Mark’s Gospel served to validate both Luke’s Gospel and the message preached by Peter as matching closely with the Gospel of Matthew (again, roughly 60-62 A.D). 

    All three Gospels, Matthew, Mark, Luke, are known collectively as the “Synoptic Gospels”, since they portray the life of Jesus in a somewhat similar way, focusing our attention mostly on His humanity while giving glimpses of His deity. We have already made mention of the Book of Acts. It was the companion volume to Luke’s Gospel, functioning as a Divinely inspired history of the Church from Jesus’ Ascension to Paul’s first Roman imprisonment, stretching from 33 A.D. to 62 A.D.

3. The remaining New Testament letters, John’s Gospel, & Revelation. 64-95 A.D.

    As we round out our survey of the composition of the New Testament books, we can note first a collection of eight letters known as the “General” Epistles. The reason for this naming of the group is that the letters are addressed to more generalized groups of believers or churches, rather than to specific persons or specific churches. 

    The book of Hebrews is most intriguing, in that we do not know the identity of the author (though many think it was Paul, however that remains to be proven with certainty). James, as we already commented, was among the earliest of New Testament books. The letters of Peter and the three letters of John urge faithfulness and defense of the faith in the face of persecution. Then lastly, the little book of Jude urges the reader to contend earnestly for the faith.

    The Apostle John was the only Apostle that did not die a martyr’s death. In 85-90 A.D. he composed his Gospel, which functions as a supplement to Matthew, Mark, and Luke. Then, as we already noted, he composed three short letters which function to enumerate the essentials of the Christian faith. It is that final book of the Bible, “Revelation” or “Apocalypse” which crowns the New Testament and finishes both canons (Old and New).

    The Gospels lay the foundation, as the Law laid the foundation in the Old Testament. It is by the Gospel accounts we find Jesus portrayed. Acts corresponds to the historical recounting of the early church, just as the historical books deal with Israel’s founding and history with God. It is by studying the Book of Acts we see Christ preached. The letters of Paul and the remaining New Testament letters (General Epistles) parallel the “writings portion” or poetic books of the Old Testament. It is in the Epistles we see Christ explained. Lastly, the Book of Revelation is the most prophetic book in all the New Testament, pointing us to Christ’s second coming, as the 17 prophetic books of the Old Testament pointed to the first coming. The Book of Revelation shows us Christ preeminent.

    In our next post, we will pull together our discussions about the canonization of the New Testament, exploring why it is relevant to Christians today. 

Shadows Of The Truth - Hinduism And Buddhism Compared To Biblical Christianity

Acts 17:22-23 "So Paul stood in the midst of the Areopagus and said, “Men of Athens, I observe that you are very religious in all respects. 23 For while I was passing through and examining the objects of your worship, I also found an altar with this inscription, ‘TO AN UNKNOWN GOD.’ Therefore what you worship in ignorance, this I proclaim to you."

Introduction:

On August 21st, 2017, many people throughout the United States watched a solar eclipse. The wonder of the moon passing between our earth and the sun captured imagination and scientific curiosity. Where we live, relative to our location on the earth, the moon blocked out about 80% of the sun (due to being in what is called the "penumbra" of the moon's shadow). 



A strange and faint shadow clung to the outside surroundings. For a brief moment, the day-time sky was dominated by a faint shadow. 

Whenever the Apostle Paul enters Athens Greece, he entered into the cultural and intellectual center of what had by that point represented the former glories of Greece. Rome was in power and the ancient Greek philosophies of the Stoics, Epicureans and others dominated the city. The intellectuals of the day did not realize they were dwelling in the shadows. They thought they had true light. 

The torch of reason burned on the mixed fuel of philosophical thought and paganism. God's general revelation of Himself, known to all people, was intermixed in with what had by that point become the warping of the truth. Paul came to bring forth the true light of the Gospel as so centered around the death and resurrection of Jesus.

All religions, philosophies and ideologies are striving to grab hold of a particular principle or truth that is a shadowy counterpart to the real sets of truths that is Christianity. All religions are a mixture of God's general revelation, man-made ideas, superstition and elements of spiritual darkness. As we can see in the opening text above, Paul indicates that his audience had an altar dedicated to "The Unknown God", quite literally in the Greek "Agnostos", from whence we derive the English word "Agnostic" to describe those who assert that one cannot know whether we can know anything about God. 

In today's post I wants us to consider to Eastern religions and their respective central projects: Hinduism and Buddhism. As will be seen, each of these strive to grab hold of a principle that is but a shadow of the reality proclaimed by Biblical Christianity.

Hinduism's Main Project And Shadow - Union With Whatever Is Divine. Christianity's Guarantee and Reality - Union With God Through Jesus Christ

C.V. Matthew, a specialist in the belief system of Hinduism, writes in his book: "The Saffron Mission. A Historical Analysis Of Modern Hindu And Missionary Practices" (Cambridge Press. 1999):

"Roughly 8 “sects” of Hinduism. Hinduism portrays itself as an all-inclusive, tolerant, multi-path system to the Ultimate Religion. All Hindus view themselves as the society of the living God. They desire immersion in all of life’s activities while trying to gain, on their view, good karma in this life. For the Hindu, union with what they deem “Universal Soul”. Hinduism is as much about the Indian culture, language and way of life as the rituals." 

It needs to be understood that in this post, we are painting with a very broad brush. Nevertheless, to get to the root of Hinduism's main goal, one could say that all the rituals, the 330 million deities, the various sects, the various holy books (Vedas, Upanishads and the like) are all aimed at one thing: escaping the cycle of birth/rebirth and to find union with the Divine principle they call "Brahma". 

In Hinduism, people are endlessly born, dying and being reborn as different life forms. Evil and sin are illusions or “maya”. The goal of Hinduism is to come to a union with the impersonal “all” or “Brahma”, thus getting past the illusion of good and evil. Depending upon how morally one lives in this life and how much ritual one participates in will, in the Hindu mind, determine whether one has "good Karma" or "bad Karma". Karma is a Hindu word referring to "works or deeds" and is essentially a debt-based system of works salvation. 

Apologist and author Ravi Zacharias notes about Hinduism: “For the Hindu, karma-the moral law of cause-and-effect-is a life-defining concept. Life carries its moral bills, and they are paid in the cyclical pattern of rebirth until all dues are paid in full. Hinduism here conveys an inherited sense of wrong, which is lived out in the next life, in vegetable, animal, or human form. This doctrine is nonnegotiable in Hindu philosophy.”

Sanasara is likened to a wheel of sorts, wherein a person keeps literally going around in circles. "Sanasara" (sometimes spelt: “samsara”) and its related concept "karma" portray a person trying to live good enough in this life to have a better spot in the next. The goal of Hinduism is to escape "Sanasara" and to achieve "Moksha" or union with the Universal Soul.


The Bible paints a different picture. There was a literal Adam and Eve and a serpent named Satan who came to tempt them. Passages such as Romans 5:12 summarize for us the events of the fall, namely that through one man, sin entered into the world, and through sin came death upon us all. In contrast to Hinduism, evil and sin are not illusory. Instead, they’re realities that intruded into the perfect creation made by God (See Genesis 3:7-21; 1 Kings 8:46; Rom. 5:11-21) 

In Biblical Christianity, we find that God has provided Himself in the Person of the Son taking unto Himself a truly human nature in His incarnation as Jesus of Nazareth. Jesus Christ is the One way through which all by faith can have union with God through Him (see John 14:6; 2 Peter 1:3-4). This union is a relational union. 

Unlike Hinduism, the follower of Jesus Christ does not go out of existence or meld their human nature into God's Divine nature. Instead, the Christian comes to participate in and with Christ, Who is Himself united to the Christian by way of His human nature while at the same time ever united to the Father and the Holy Spirit by way of His Divine nature. Only Christianity guarantees reconciliation, relationship and thus true reunion with God in Christ.

Buddhism's Central Project And Shadow: Refuge From Distress And Pain. Christianity's Promise And Guarantee: Redemption And Forgiveness Caused By Sin And Pain

Jacky Sach, a practicing Zen Buddhist, writes in her book: "Essential Buddhism - Everything You Need To Understand About This Ancient Tradition" (F+W Publications, 2006), concerning the central aim of Buddhism:

"Our minds can be our worst enemies. When we desire something our egos can come out in full force and feel threatened at the idea of not getting what we want. We can become irritable, selfish, and stressed. Whether our desire is for a new home, a new job, a larger piece of pie, or peace of mind, the threat of not achieving our desired objective can turn us into unruly and unpleasant individuals. Trying to turn over our desires, to find a place in life where we are content just to be, filled with compassion and love for our fellow humans and our surroundings, is absolutely heaven on earth."

Siddharta Gautama, the founder of Buddhism, was born to an affluent family around the time of 566 b.c. When he came to be aware of the world outside his palatial home, Gautama witnessed suffering, pain and hardship. He saw the injustice of suffering and concluded that the problem lied within each person by way of their desires. By a process of a seven-year journey of introspection, Gautama became renamed as "Buddha" or "the enlightened one". His claim was that by becoming detached from one's desires and discovering that ultimate reality is nothing, one can achieve "Nirvana" or a semblance of heaven here on earth.

The problem with Buddha's teaching was that he was teaching a half-truth. Surely the issues of humanity's problems are found within man, but the way he described it and the solution he proposed was way different than from what we see in Biblical Christianity. Buddha attempted to achieve his project apart from any belief in any deity, let alone the true and living God. 

In the end, Buddhism is a system of practice and belief that tries to reform and purify humanity without God. By detachment from everything, including desire, the Buddhist claims their own brand of salvation.

Biblical Christianity proclaims the truth of how sin and evil are real (Genesis 3:7-15; 1 Kings 8:46; Romans 3:23; 5:11-21) and how Jesus Christ came to destroy the works of the Devil (1 John 3:8), redeem sinners who believe by grace (John 3:16; Eph 2:8-9) and to make all who follow Him by faith into new people (2 Cor. 5:17). In Christianity, rescue from sin involves not detachment but reattachment to the God who made me and redeemed me (2 Corinthians 5:15-21). 

Reality is not nothing but something that God will one day transform into a New Heavens and New Earth, wherein righteousness will dwell (2 Peter 3:13). Heaven is a real place, not a state of mind (John 14:1-3; Philippians 3:20-21). Hell is a real place that can be avoid in Christ by faith but will be occupied by those who persist in their rejection of God and Christ and die in their sins (Luke 16; John 3:36). Only in Jesus Christ is true forgiveness, freedom and redemption found (John 8:12, 36; Ephesians 1:7). 

Closing thoughts

Today we considered shadows of truth that are found in two world religions: Hinduism and Buddhism. We also noted that despite their best efforts, all religions outside Christianity fail to arrive at the central purposes of their respective projects. In Jesus Christ alone is found true union with God by faith and true redemption and forgiveness that is caused by sin. As we consider the imitations and comparison to the genuine article, we can come to better appreciate all that God offers in Jesus Christ through the Old and New Testaments. 

Defining Total Success - Romans 10:15-17

Romans 10:15-17 "How will they preach unless they are sent? Just as it is written, “How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news of good things!” 16 However, they did not all heed the good news; for Isaiah says, “Lord, who has believed our report?” 17 So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ."

Introduction:

Our family lived in Florida for a number of years. I can recall the year when we experienced three hurricanes. It was astonishing to see how many people would vacate a given area to escape the path of the storms. What was even more amazing was to see the resolve some had in choosing to ignore such warnings. I can recall one video that showed a man sitting on top of the roof of his home while it was floating in the aftermath of a particular hurricane. We shake our heads at such things, and yet, when it comes to heeding God's Word, we sometimes choose not to respond. 

Just as no one could blame the weatherman nor law enforcement for the choices of some to ignore their repeated warnings - so too must it be said of those who plea with unsaved loved ones and friends to believe the Gospel. Today we want to consider what counts as success in the task of evangelism.

Who fails when the Gospel is delivered?

Paul is dealing with the irrationality that characterizes the response of unbelief to the Gospel. In Romans 10:15, we find Paul appealing back to a practice in ancient cities that involved messengers bringing news from a battle-line or from another city. 

Watchmen would be situated along the walls of a given city. Whenever they spied a runner with a message on the horizon, they would signal the inhabitants and city official to gather at the city-gate to receive the messenger. Once the messenger arrived, the major concern was whether or not such a person had good news. Whenever the news was favorable, the saying would go: "How beautiful are the feet of those who bring good news!"

However, there are some people who might not had agreed with such estimations. Maybe, for example, they were secretly hoping for a different outcome to the battle or, maybe they were not on the side of the officials. No one can blame the messenger, nor the contents of his message for rendering the response of rejection. It is always a matter of the listener's heart - since, after all, that is the heart of the matter. 

What succeeds in the task of evangelism?

Thankfully, Paul writes in Romans 10:17 "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the word of Christ." These words assure those delivering the Gospel that success is not measured by the response of the listener, but rather by the obedience of the messenger. 

Isaiah 55:6-10 gives a fuller treatment of these thoughts. Note the appeal given by those bringing the good news to unbelievers in Isaiah 55:6-7 "Seek the Lord while He may be found; Call upon Him while He is near. 7 Let the wicked forsake his way and the unrighteous man his thoughts; and let him return to the Lord, and He will have compassion on him, and to our God, For He will abundantly pardon."

We then find the messenger answering anticipate objections, reminding the listener that the appeal of the message comes from God and not man in Isaiah 55:8-9 “For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,” declares the Lord. 9 “For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways And My thoughts than your thoughts." Truly God's grace is needed for the grasping and reception of the message (hence the point of Romans 10:17).

Then we come to the part of Isaiah's exposition that states why no evangelistic appeal is ever a failure. The delivery of God's Word will result in one of two things: conviction leading to repentance or condemnation of the person's sin which will result in their digging in of the proverbial heels (compare John 16:8-11). God's Word never renders anyone neutral. Isaiah 55:10-11 states - “For as the rain and the snow come down from heaven,
And do not return there without watering the earth and making it bear and sprout, and furnishing seed to the sower and bread to the eater; 11 So will My word be which goes forth from My mouth; It will not return to Me empty, Without accomplishing what I desire, And without succeeding in the matter for which I sent it."

Closing thoughts:

Therefore we find that God's Word is always working. Delivering the message of the Gospel spells success for the messenger. God's work in His Word never fails, since He facilitates the well-meant offer of salvation to sinners by the Holy Spirit's active work of convicting sinners. The ball of responsibility is always in the court of the one receiving or rejecting the message. Would it be that we not cease nor give up on those around us. Would it be that we ever place our confidence in Christ and the power of the Spirit working through the Gospel. 

Praying for unsaved loved ones and friends by appealing to God's character

Genesis 18:1-8 "Now the Lord appeared to him by the oaks of Mamre, while he was sitting at the tent door in the heat of the day. 2 When he lifted up his eyes and looked, behold, three men were standing opposite him; and when he saw them, he ran from the tent door to meet them and bowed himself to the earth, 3 and said, “My Lord, if now I have found favor in Your sight, please do not pass Your servant by. 4 Please let a little water be brought and wash your feet, and rest yourselves under the tree; 5 and I will bring a piece of bread, that you may refresh yourselves; after that you may go on, since you have visited your servant.” And they said, “So do, as you have said.” 6 So Abraham hurried into the tent to Sarah, and said, “Quickly, prepare three measures of fine flour, knead it and make bread cakes.” 7 Abraham also ran to the herd, and took a tender and choice calf and gave it to the servant, and he hurried to prepare it. 8 He took curds and milk and the calf which he had prepared, and placed it before them; and he was standing by them under the tree as they ate."

Introduction:
Genesis 18 begins with some mysterious visitors paying Abraham a visit at the Great Oak of Mamre, where he was camped. Abraham's behavior in the remainder of the chapter indicates to the reader that these three men are not ordinary men. Matthew Henry's Concise Commentary notes: 

"Abraham was waiting to entertain any weary traveller, for inns were not to be met with as among us. While Abraham was thus sitting, he saw three men coming. These were three heavenly beings in human bodies. Some think they were all created angels; others, that one of them was the Son of God, the Angel of the covenant. Washing the feet is customary in those hot climates, where only sandals are worn. We should not be forgetful to entertain strangers, for thereby some have entertained angels unawares, Heb 13:2; nay, the Lord of angels himself; as we always do, when for his sake we entertain the least of his brethren." 

If we take one of these mysterious visitors to be a pre-incarnate appearance of Christ, with the remaining two possibly being angels in disguise, what follows in the remainder of the chapter will make sense. In Genesis 18:9-15, we find one of the figures speak to Abraham, telling him that He will return by that point next year. The promise of a son is given by this figure, which Genesis 18:13-14 identifies as the Lord God Himself. God is in effect telling Abraham that he and Sarah will have a son, despite the fact that they are in their nineties and well-passed the prime of life for child-bearing.

It is after this conversation we find Genesis 18:16 state - "Then the men rose up from there, and looked down toward Sodom; and Abraham was walking with them to send them off." In Genesis 19:1 we see two angels appear in Sodom to begin their dealings with Lot, Abraham's nephew. By presuming that the two angels used by God to exercise judgment over Sodom and Gomorrah were the two men in Genesis 18, the process of elimination confirms that the one whom Abraham will continue conversation in the remainder of Genesis 18 is none other than Yahweh Jehovah God Himself. 

The Bible's first recorded intercessory prayer
What will follow in Genesis 18:22-33 transitions from a conversation with God to a full-blown intercessory prayer by Abraham to God on behalf of Sodom and Gomorrah. What makes this text so intriguing is that it represents the first recorded intercessory prayer in the Bible. Moreover, we find Abraham praying on behalf of unbelievers who had all but exhausted their time and space to turn away from their sins. Lot, Abraham's nephew, had moved into the city and, over time, had come to influence it by the certain political position he held at the city gate. According to 2 Peter 2:7, Lot had retained his walk with God, despite being oppressed by the intense societal pressure of the day. Lot's conduct and testimony would had served as God's method of delivering the specific message of redemption to the city. They clearly rejected Lot and came to resent he and his family. As the noted commentator Albert Barnes notes:

"Lot is called "just," because he preserved himself uncontaminated amidst the surrounding wickedness. As long as he lived in Sodom he maintained the character of an upright and holy man."

And so Abraham begins his prayer in Genesis 18:23-25 "Abraham came near and said, “Will You indeed sweep away the righteous with the wicked? 24 Suppose there are fifty righteous within the city; will You indeed sweep it away and not spare the place for the sake of the fifty righteous who are in it? 25 Far be it from You to do such a thing, to slay the righteous with the wicked, so that the righteous and the wicked are treated alike. Far be it from You! Shall not the Judge of all the earth deal justly?” 

God then responds in Genesis 18:26 "So the Lord said, “If I find in Sodom fifty righteous within the city, then I will spare the whole place on their account.” This basic pattern of Abraham interceding for the city and God responding carries on down through the rest of the chapter. Abraham presses his intercessory prayer with increasing urgency: "if there but be forty-five" in verse 28; "forty" in verse 29; "thirty" in verse 30; "twenty" in verse 31 and then finally, "ten" in verse 32. Now we're not told how large Sodom and Gomorrah were in those days. But from what we can gather, the amounts that Abraham was praying for was his attempt to be extremely conservative. He wanted God to give as much leeway as possible. 

God of course then speaks throughout this prayer, reminding us that prayer, especially intercessory prayer on behalf of list-people, is a two-way conversation between God and us, and us and God. As we meditate on this chapter in Genesis, what truths can we glean about intercessory prayer for the unconverted in our day?

1. Appeal according to God's character. 
First and foremost, Abraham's intercession began with God. He appealed to God's justness and righteousness. As he pressed further into the prayer, Abraham was also appealing to God's mercies. Keeping our prayers for lost people based upon God's character will ensure our hearts are in tune with God's intentions.

2. Believe God is hearing and "be" still to listen. 
Did you notice throughout the prayer how Abraham would speak, then God would speak. Abraham's persistence indicates that he truly believed God heard him. Furthermore, the two-way nature of the prayer tells us that Abraham was willing to listen to God. As we pray for our unconverted loved ones and friends, we need to be still at times while believing that God hears us.

3. Come broken-hearted.
Abraham in Genesis 18:21 had undoubtedly heard God state how he heard the out-cry of Sodom. In understanding God's intentions and seeing the city ripe for judgment, Abraham's heart was broken. Why would he pray for this city? In Genesis 13, Abraham and Lot had parted ways, with Lot choosing Sodom as his new home. Abraham was given the promised land by God. His focus is on the city. His focus is on appealing to God to give them one more chance. His heart is broken. You and I can never pray consistently for the lost until our hearts are broken. Until our intentions and motives match God's, we will never develop a heart for the unconverted. May we, like Abraham, intercede for our unsaved lost ones today and appeal to God's character, believe that He hears us while being still and coming with broken hearts, ready to pray. 

New Hope in Jesus Christ - Ongoing Discipleship / Evangelism

Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came up and spoke to them, saying, “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. 19 Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Luke 5:27-28 And after these things he went forth, and saw a publican, named Levi, sitting at the receipt of custom: and he said unto him, Follow me. ²⁸ And he left all, rose up, and followed him.

Introduction:
The above picture takes me back to my Bible College days when we learned about the Christian life. The professor was with the Navigators - a discipleship ministry that stressed Bible verse memorization, spiritual disciplines and evangelism. Such instruction was life- changing. We considered yesterday what is entailed in our new found hope in Jesus Christ. We considered ramifications of this "new hope" as revealed in Romans 5:1-5. We explored how hungering to love God and people is essential to growing in this hope. Loving God includes and assumes knowing God. 

We could say that loving God means lovingly knowing God. As we lovingly know God, we will in turn want to lovingly know other people. We finally proposed a glimpse of what hungering for God looked like in the individual Christian life and the corporate church life. 

Today's post once again considers this theme of new hope in Jesus Christ. By considering this word "hope" as an acrostic for exploring this theme, we saw already the need to hunger to love God and people. Today we want to see the importance of ongoing discipleship and evangelism as the means for reinforcing our hope.

What is discipleship?
What is a suggested definition of discipleship? Discipleship, by definition, refers to the process by which a person by grace through faith believes on Christ as Savior and Lord while forsaking himself to become like the Master.  Such a process begins as a point of entry at conversion or the New Birth and continues on as a process in the post-conversion Christian life or what is also called sanctification. Jesus brings forth the nuts and bolts of what it means to be a disciple throughout the Gospel accounts.  

Discipleship begins with the Call of Christ
Luke records the conversion of one of the twelve original disciples - Levi (or more commonly known as Matthew).  Matthew (Levi) would 30 years after this event write the first Gospel in our New Testament - the Gospel of Matthew.  But before Matthew became "Saint Matthew", he was sinner Matthew.  He took advantage, extorted and did whatever it took to make that next dollar.  As a tax-collector for Rome, he not only made it his business to get the necessary taxes from his fellow Jews, he also charged "hidden" fees over and above the tax to line his own pockets.  Jews hated tax-collectors - and tax collectors loved money.  The last thing that Matthew was thinking of doing was turning His entire life over to Christ to follow Him. 

The Call of Discipleship identifies the claim of Christ on your life
Matthew was into his career, his life.  He was making money.  Then came that voice - that voice which cut through the air and into his heart.  Suddenly the clinking of coinage and the rustling of bills were over-powered by the voice of the One who was now laying claim on Matthew.  

This was a voice that was unlike any voice he had ever heard.  Two words: "Follow Me".  What follows is as shocking as it is unexpected.  Matthew, the man of means, the man of money, was touched by Divine Grace.  The same voice which created all life and through whom came the entire universe was now through human vocal cords penetrating the dark heart of Matthew.  

The Call of Discipleship makes following Christ a foregone conclusion 

Grace made following Jesus a foregone conclusion.  He left all, rose up and followed Him. This is how life with Jesus Christ begins: with a call issued forth from Him, through His word, into your heart.  To be a disciple means to forsake all that you used to define yourself in favor of following the One who is unlike yourself.  By faith, as you follow the One calling your name, you will grow in your desire to be so much like Him that you too we see that what Matthew did was the only thing that makes sense - Go and Follow the Master. 

Discipleship leads to multiplication
In the Great Commission passage of Matthew 28:18-20, we find the disciples being commanded to go into all the world and make other disciples. It has always puzzled me why churches separate discipleship and evangelism. The two are two sides of the same coin. One cannot complete the discipleship process without multiplying themselves, and yet whenever we consider that less than 10% of local church membership actively shares the Gospel may indicate lack of understanding about discipleship. 

Whenever churches desire to get their members involved in missions and evangelism, they will coerce, bring in a revivalist or tell them to simply do it. Undoubtedly, such measures are good, but no adequate. I truly wonder what would happen if local churches had a well-defined method of discipleship making? Books such as "The Simple Church" and "The Gospel According to Jesus" have emphasized how much we need to re-connect evangelism to discipleship and thus to the mission of the local church. In a recent book by Rice Broocks entitled: "Man, Myth, Messiah", Brooks closes out his apologetic book with two chapters devoted to tying together evangelism, apologetics and discipleship.  

It would seem that whenever Christians are actively involved in an ongoing process of discipleship/evangelism, new hope is rekindled in Jesus Christ. Certainly we could expand further on these thoughts. But for now, we will let these ideas simmer in our hearts, pray and then ask God to prompt us to action. May we kindle the flame of new hope in Jesus Christ by way of ongoing discipleship that leads to evangelism.

The Christian Apologetic Task and its Relevance to Christmas

Luke 2:17-20 "When they had seen this, they made known the statement which had been told them about this Child.18 And all who heard it wondered at the things which were told them by the shepherds. 19 But Mary treasured all these things, pondering them in her heart. 20 The shepherds went back, glorifying and praising God for all that they had heard and seen, just as had been told them."
1 Peter 3:15 "but sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always being ready to make a defense to everyone who asks you to give an account for the hope that is in you, yet with gentleness and reverence."

Introduction:
During these last few days we have been taking the time to suggest ways in which one could argue for the historicity and reality of the birth narratives of Jesus Christ. More specifically - we have aimed to demonstrate the reasonability, reliability and significance of the Son of God becoming incarnated or revealed in true humanity by way of the virgin birth. Such a study has included discussions about the possiblity of miracles, the existence of God and the reality of the Person and work of Jesus Christ. It is hoped that the reader has gleaned some ways in which they can share the Gospel in reference to the miracles of the virgin birth and incarnation. 

To know that the incarnation was a real event begs the question: what will you do with Jesus? As we also labored to demonstrate, being that we live in a world where God's direct intervention into history has occured (minimally described by the non-natural events of the beginning of the universe and Jesus' resurrection from the dead), we concluded that there is no reasonable basis for excluding the miraculous from a genuine reading and assessment of the Christmas accounts in Matthew and Luke's Gospels. 

As can be seen, such efforts have relevance for communicating the truth of Jesus' remarkable life and resurrection from the dead. Today's post aims briefly to define what we will call "the Christian apologetical task", with some final closing remarks on its relevance to Christmas. 

Defining the term "apologetics"
In the opening text of today's post we see the mandate given by the Apostle Peter to defend the Christian's hope.  In fact the word translated "defense" is the Greek word "apologia" (a-po-lo-gee-a), from whence we derive the name of the branch of Christian theology called "apologetics".  When a Christian engages in apologetics, they are not saying they are "sorry" for being a Christian, rather they are given reasons to skeptical onlookers as to why they are so full of hope in an otherwise hopeless world.  Dr. R.C Sproul in a sermon entitled "apologetics" gives this definition of apologetics: "A well reasoned defense of the truth claims of the Christian faith." Any well rounded Christian should not only know "what they believe" but also "why they believe". 

Various methods for doing apologetics
With the mandate to defend the faith being clear from scripture and the meaning of apologetics being briefly defined, the next important area has to do with how to go about doing apologetics.  Several methods of defending the Christian faith have been proposed through the more than 2,000 year history of the Christian church.  

a. Classical Apologetics
Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner of Liberty University of the following description of classical apologetics:"the unbeliever is offered
evidence of the existence of God, and the supposition is that the unbeliever can reasonably ascertain that this hypothesis is rational and cohesive". 1  Hindson and Caner then explain further the second area general covered by classical apologetics, namely: "The classical apologist further argues for the reliability of the special revelation (The Bible) as a reliable and authoritative word from God."2  Author Doug Powell has this to say about the classical method: "The emphasis of classical apologetics is on reason. Christianity's logical soundness and internal coherence is exploited in this method. As a result, tests are developed and proofs are given that demonstrate the truthfulness of Christianity and the irrationality of competing worldviews."  Powell later adds: "The classical method is so called because it traces its roots back to the second century and the earliest apologists."3

When defending the Christian faith through the method of classical apologetics, at least two and sometimes three steps are followed in the course of the presentation. 

1. First, reasonable arguments are given to show the reasonability of the Christian faith. Such arguments as showing God's existence from observations in the universe and science (i.e the cosmological argument); the existence of objective moral values (i.e the moral argument); how God is necessary for anything to exist (i.e the ontological argument) and then the evidence for design in the universe (also called the telelogical argument). 

2. The next phase will usually entail demonstrating the reliability of the Bible from the transmission of its words through the thousands of existing manuscripts to the archaeological evidence supporting the accounts we read in the Bible.

3. Usually the final phase will then be showing how the God of the Bible exists due to the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Some classical apologists will combine this step and the defense of the scriptures, whereas others may only focus on either one. 

b. Presuppositionalist apologetics
Classical apologetics states the the proper starting point for defending the Christian faith is reason to scripture. However other apologists believe that the proper starting point for defending the Christian faith is by pre-supposing God Himself.  Christian scholar Norman Geisler notes: Presuppositional apologetics is the apologetical system that defends Christianity from the departure point of certain basic presuppositions. The apologist presupposes the truth of Christianity and then reasons from that point.4 With the presuppositionalist approach, the emphasis is almost opposite, namely you presuppose God's existence and aim to prove why Christianity alone is most reasonable and possess the greatest justification for believing.  Douglas Powell notes the following about presuppositionalism: "Thus, presuppositionalists are more concerned with what makes evidence evidential and what makes reason reasonable. Because the God of the Bible is the Creator of all things, we know that He is not just the source of all physical things, but all laws whether they be scientific laws, moral laws or logical laws.5

The presuppositionalist contends that since all human beings have the knowledge about God in their hearts, the purpose of apologetics then is to expose the fallacies of their worldview and get them to admit what they have been supressing. A typical presuppositionalist approach would be that without God, we could not use reason in our discussions, since reason itself requires the existence of God to operate. The existence of objective moral values and the underlying laws of such fields as math and even science require the existence of God. Even though presuppositionalism is the minority method in apologetics today, it can be very effective when dealing with such worldviews as Atheism.

c. Evidential Apologetics
In the evidentialist approach, evidence from the world of the sciences, history and observation functions to provide the necessary ammunition for the Christian apologist. Doug Powell notes: Evidentialism's value as a substantial tool to defend the faith rose in the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries as archaeology in particular developed as a science and turned its attention to the Mediterranean world and the Middle East. The findings of ancient manuscripts contributed immensely to our ability to know the original text of the Bible."6
Hindson and Caner give this insight about the evidentialist approach: "the method is the same: arguing the preponderance of the data."7

In the evidentialists mind, if enough evidence is brought forth to the unbeliever, the unbeliever will be backed into a corner, admitting that their evidence cannot compare to the evidence for the God of the Bible. In using events such as the World-wide flood of Genesis 6-9, evidentialists will appeal to virtually every branch of science to support the historical reality of the flood. In showing the flood to had been a real event, the logical follows then that the Bible is realiable enough to be trusted in other areas and ultimately salvation. 

d. Fideism or arguing that the best defense of the Christian faith is the Christian faith itself
Doug Powell observes the following about this fourth major approach: "In sharp contrast to these three methods, fideism rejects reason, evidence, and transcendental arguments as sufficient ways to justify the Christian faith (fide is Latin for faith). Faith and faith alone is the only proper way to understand the truth of Christianity."8  For the fideist, the task of the apologist is to proclaim the truth of the Gospel in the special revelation of the Bible, since the warped human nature necessarily rejects the testimony of God in the general revelation of creation and the conscience. As Hindson and Caner note about this approach: "A fideist, therefore, is one who holds the view that one comes to belief in God on the basis of faith alone, in the absence of or contrary to reason.9 Unlike the other three viewpoints above, the value of evidence and rational arguments is placed in doubt under the method of fideism. 

Conclusion
We have explored the meaning of apologetics and four main methods for defending the Christian faith: classical, presuppositionalism, evidentialism and fideism. May you and I dear reader know that not only must the Christian hope be defended, but that there are some marvelous ways in which we can go about presenting Christ to a lost a dying world. These two thoughts especially have bearing on this time of year as we consider the family and friends with which we will have contact - some of which have never trusted in Jesus Christ. Would it be that God uses these series of posts to open the eyes of openly hostile or skeptical loved ones and friends who are cynical towards Biblical truths such as the virgin conception and incarnation of Jesus as God in human flesh. The task to proclaim and defend the faith never ends and the relevance of such efforts has never been so urgent. May those who are Christian readers of these posts have a renewed fervor to share Jesus this season.

Endnotes:
1. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 64.

2. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 65.

3. Doug Powell. Holman Quicksource Guide to Christian Apologetics. Holman Publishers. 2006. Page 356. 

4. Norman Geisler, General Editor. Baker Encyclopedia of Christian Apologetics. Baker. 1999. Page 606

5. Doug Powell. Holman Quicksource Guide to Christian Apologetics. Holman Publishers. 2006. Page 360.

6. Doug Powell. Holman Quicksource Guide to Christian Apologetics. Holman Publishers. 2006. Page 359.

7. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 65.

8. Doug Powell. Holman Quicksource Guide to Christian Apologetics. Holman Publishers. 2006. Page 363.

9. Ed Hindson and Ergun Caner. The Popular Encyclopedia of Apologetics. Harvest House Publishers 2008. Page 224.

How evangelism edifies Christian growth

2 Corinthians 5:18-20  "Now all these things are from God,who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation, 19 namely, that God was in Christ reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed to us the word of reconciliation. 20 Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God were making an appeal through us; we beg you on behalf of Christ, be reconciled to God."

Introduction:
When we look at scripture, we discover that only the Holy Spirit of God as God can convince, persuade sinners to trust in Christ. Thus the measure of success is not on how many souls are won. Rather, the measure of success is: have you and I shared the Gospel? Every time you and I share the Gospel, we are achieving 100% success. God's blessing, joy and glory is the measure of success. These confidences are why evangelism proves to be so edifying. 

To illustrate, in as much as a pond is kept refreshed by having both a stream to feed it and an outlet; Christians need to be both taking in God’s Word and sharing Jesus. Stagnation results when there is no outflow, and so it is with the Christian. Unless we are sharing our faith, the ability to experience consistent edification will be greatly hampered.

The Holy Spirit's work in the lives of non-Christians and Christians

John 16:8-13 And He, when He comes, will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment; 9 concerning sin, because they do not believe in Me; 10 and concerning

righteousness, because I go to the Father and you no longer see Me; 11 and concerning judgment, because the ruler of this world has been judged.

12 “I have many more things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. 13 But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come.

Introduction:

Today's post features the Holy Spirit's work among non-Christians and Christians. Whether people realize it or not, God in the Person of the Holy Spirit is ever working to bring the glory of God to people. Unbelievers need His works of conviction and soulish illumination to enable them to either perceive the message of general revelation that leaves them without excuse or to quicken them to the special revelation of the Gospel that leads to true saving faith. Christians need the Spirit's working from the inception of regeneration all the way through to the end before their leaving this world. Below is an unfolding of these general observations regarding the Holy Spirit's workings among non-Christians and Christians.

The Holy Spirit's work among non-Christians

First, sinful man must have the Spirit’s work of convincing Him that Jesus is worthy of worship. The problem is that sinful man has no desire to worship this great God. However Jesus tells us what the Spirit does in overcoming this obstacle in John 16:13-15  “But when He, the Spirit of truth, comes, He will guide you into all the truth; for He will not speak on His own initiative, but whatever He hears, He will speak; and He will disclose to you what is to come. 14“He will glorify Me, for He will take of Mine and will disclose it to you. 15“All things that the Father has are Mine; therefore I said that He takes of Mine and will disclose it to you.” The Holy Spirit’s task in regenerating lost sinners in saving faith is to remove the heart of rebellion against God and replace it with a heart that desires God. Romans 8:5-6 tells us – “For those who are according to the flesh set their minds on the things of the flesh, but those who are according to the Spirit, the things of the Spirit. 6 For the mind set on the flesh is death, but the mind set on the Spirit is life and peace.” 

The preacher may come to you with polished words and the song leader may be angelic in their voice and musical ability. Yet, lest the preacher’s message be accompanied by the Holy Spirit’s conviction and lest the song service be charged with Holy Spirit anointing, all will fall on deaf ears. The Holy Spirit acting as the Ambassador of the Trinity brings the desire to worship God to unbelieving man, convicting him of sin, righteousness and judgment and making known to Him the things of God (John 16:8-12).

The Holy Spirit's work among Christians 

Then in terms of the Holy Spirit's working in the Christian life, the New Testament details the work of the Holy Spirit in the Christian life from its inception as seen in the following ministries He performs:

i. New Birth/regeneration.

James 1:18 "In the exercise of His will He brought us forth by the word of truth, so that we would be a kind of first fruits among His creatures."

ii. Filling of the Holy Spirit.

Ephesians 5:18 "And do not get drunk with wine, for that is dissipation, but be filled with the Spirit."

iii. Leading/prompting of the Spirit

1 Corinthians 10:13 "No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it." Philippians 3:15 "Let us therefore, as many as are perfect, have this attitude; and if in anything you have a different attitude, God will reveal that also to you."

iv. Union with Christ by the Spirit

1 Corinthians 12:13 "For by one Spirit we were all baptized into one body, whether Jews or Greeks, whether slaves or free, and we were all made to drink of one Spirit."

This particular point is not water baptism, which follows and signifies the reality of this work of the Spirit already having occurred in conversion. Water baptism is a God ordained picture that re-enacts and illuminates the new believer to the truth of what happened to them at salvation.  People don't get water baptized to get saved and spirit baptized, rather they are water baptized following their salvation. Water baptism logically connects the new Christian back to the reality of their prior spirit baptism, however it does not impart the salvation which it pictures or points.  In the death, burial, resurrection sequence of believer's baptism by immersion, the Christian acts out in sign form the Spirit's uniting of them to Jesus Christ which occurred in His spiritual baptism or uniting of them to Christ at prior saving faith.  

v. Anointing/power/illuminating ministry of the Holy Spirit

1 John 2:20 "But you have an anointing from the Holy One, and you all know."

1 John 2:27 "As for you, the anointing which you received from Him abides in you, and you have no need for anyone to teach you; but as His anointing teaches you about all things, and is true and is not a lie, and just as it has taught you, you abide in Him."

Closing thoughts:

As we close out today's post, we have toured the work of the Holy Spirit in the lives of unbelievers and Christians. May all of us be ever receptive to His work in our lives. 

Have you received the Eternal Christ by faith?

John 1:12-13 "But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God."

Introduction:

The past couple of posts have focused attention on the Eternal Christ that is revealed in John 1:1-18. So far we have considered the revelation of the eternal Christ and personal testimonies about Him. Today's post will once more appeal to John 1:1-18 and ask you the reader this question: have you received Him into your life by faith? 

The Apostle John writes what we writes not as a philosopher – though the truths of John 1:1-18 are indeed profound – but rather He appeals as an evangelist to the mind to get to the heart of the matter in regards to salvation. The Eternal Christ became man so that all by grace through faith could know Him and thus be connected to God. The Apostle John states in John 1:10-11 “He was in the world, and the world was made through Him, and the world did not know Him. ¹¹ He came to His own, and those who were His own did not receive Him.” The Eternal Christ had come into the world of the Gentiles and was by and large rejected.

Likewise the Eternal Christ had come to His fellow Jews according to His humanity as their Messiah – and was rejected. I would suggest that John’s comments include the cameo appearances the Eternal Son made throughout the Old Testament in episodes and disguised personages – all of which witnessed Israel of old walking away from Him. The sad truth is that the response to Jesus Christ outside of saving grace is 100% rejection. Lest the Spirit is at work – no one will embrace Him – being that men love darkness more so than Him (John 3:17-19; Romans 3:10-13).

However it is John’s point to make the appeal to receive this Eternal Christ (John 1:12-13). The Baptist Faith and Message 2000 notes the following about God’s work of regeneration in salvation: “Regeneration, or the new birth, is a work of God's grace whereby believers become new creatures in Christ Jesus. It is a change of heart wrought by the Holy Spirit through conviction of sin, to which the sinner responds in repentance toward God and faith in the Lord Jesus Christ. Repentance and faith are inseparable experiences of grace.” 

Wherever there is a willing reception of faith, the scriptures and the regenerating work of God – there will be 100% chance of salvation. Notice how we see those three elements at work in John 1:12-13:

A. The Scriptures work in salvation – John 1:12a “But as many as received Him….”

How else can a person receive or see the need to make room for the Eternal Christ? Only one instrument is used by the Spirit in the conversion of the soul – the scriptures. A person cannot receive something lest it is first given. How else and where else is the Living Christ given? The scriptures (Romans 10:9-16). Romans 10:17 especially notes – “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” So to receive the Lord Jesus Christ – the scripture must be present, but now notice secondly…

B. Reception by faith – John 1:12b “to them He gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His name…”

Unless there is a willing heart ready to respond to God’s call through the scripture, there will be no salvation. Faith is a gift given by God (Ephesians 2:8-9). The divine gifting of faith is what transforms into a decision of the will. The mystery of human responsibility and God’s Sovereignty are never in conflict in the scriptures. The responsibility demanded in the Gospel in John 1:12 is set alongside the Sovereignty of God that makes such a response possible in John 1:13.  

C. Regenerating work of God  – John 1:13 “who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.”

The new birth derives from God (James 1:18). The means of reception granted in salvation is faith (Romans 10:9-10). Such faith is given and leads to trust in Jesus Christ (Romans 10:8-10; Ephesians 2:8-9). Amazingly in this passage, we discover that the miracle birth of salvation in the believer’s life is set alongside the incarnation of Jesus Christ – which of course entailed the unique virgin birth/conception. In short – The Eternal Christ came to experience the miracle birth so that at the moment of saving faith, I too could experience a miracle birth (John 3:1-5). 

Closing thoughts:

Today’s message has been all about considering, heeding and receiving the Eternal Christ. My prayer has been that this message had been used by the Lord to show Jesus Christ in such a way as to either embrace Him by faith for the first time or to embrace Him all the more tightly as a Christian. Consider His revelation, heed the testimonies about Him and receive Him by faith – this is what it means to consider, heed and receive the eternal Christ.