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DEFENDING THE
FAITH APOLOGETIC ARTICLES [Archive ]
Bill Nugent currently writes a series of articles called "Defending the Faith" which, as the title suggests, defend the Christian faith from the many attacks leveled against it in our postmodern world.
Defending the Faith articles deal with such topics as evolution, UFOs, cults, modern/postmodern philosophy, liberal theology and popular culture. At the end of each article is an invitation to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. These articles are sent out over the Internet to several opt-in email lists. People who receive these articles are encouraged to resend them to their own lists and in this way reach their own unsaved relatives and friends with the Gospel.
To receive these articles which are sent out once per month fill in your email address below and click the SUBMIT button. (Articles are sent from b1e1nugent@aol.com, please make sure you add this to your address book)
About The Author
Speaking Ministry
Contact Bill Nugent
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FREE DOWNLOADS
MESSIANIC JEWS AND THE LAW OF MOSES
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THE CROSS, SELF-DENIAL AND
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
Free Word Document
Free Rich Text Document
DEFENDING THE
FAITH APOLOGETIC ARTICLES [Archive ]
Bill Nugent currently writes a series of articles called "Defending the Faith" which, as the title suggests, defend the Christian faith from the many attacks leveled against it in our postmodern world.
Defending the Faith articles deal with such topics as evolution, UFOs, cults, modern/postmodern philosophy, liberal theology and popular culture. At the end of each article is an invitation to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. These articles are sent out over the Internet to several opt-in email lists. People who receive these articles are encouraged to resend them to their own lists and in this way reach their own unsaved relatives and friends with the Gospel.
To receive these articles which are sent out once per month fill in your email address below and click the SUBMIT button.
About The Author
Speaking Ministry
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DTF Archive
DTF Special Issues
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DEFENDING THE FAITH #114
DON'T BLAME THE JEWS
It's been splashed all over the news recently that the actor Mel Gibson (of Braveheart fame) is producing a movie about the trial and crucifixion of Jesus Christ. There were complaints from a number of individuals and organizations that the movie depicted the Jews as responsible for the death of Jesus Christ. The movie is not to be released until the end of 2003. There have been only a few private screenings of the rough cut. If the movie is true to the New Testament record then the charge of anti-Semitism is totally unfounded.
The New Testament (and prophetic foretelling in the Old Testament) make it very clear as to why Jesus died and who is responsible for His death. More than 700 years before the birth of Christ, Isaiah the prophet, under divine inspiration, wrote about the suffering and death of Jesus Christ. Isaiah foretold not only why the Messiah (Hebrew Messiah = Greek Christos = English Christ) would die but identified the parties responsible for His death. Isaiah wrote the following passage about the coming Messiah in the 53rd chapter of his book:
He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the LORD has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him. . . . .
His grave was assigned to be with wicked men,
Yet with a rich man in His death;[ The New
Testament records that Jesus was entombed
in the sepulcher of Joseph of Arimathea -
a rich man.]
He poured out Himself to death,
And was numbered with the transgressors;
Yet He Himself bore the sin of many,
And interceded for the transgressors"(Isaiah 53:
5,6,9,12 NASB)
The above passage makes it plain that the Messiah was to come to die for our sins. Jesus came to take God's wrath for our sins upon Himself so that we can receive forgiveness and thereby avoid the condemnation of hell. Since Jesus came to die for our sins that makes all people who have ever sinned responsible for the death of Jesus Christ.
Since the Bible teaches that "all have sinned" (Romans 3:23) and that our sins provided the reason for Jesus' death how can anyone blame the Jews alone for His death? Anti-Semitism is contrary to the New Testament.
Furthermore, Jesus Himself said that He "did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28 NASB). Jesus also said "I am the good shepherd; the good shepherd lays down His life for the sheep . . . No one has taken it [His life] away from Me, but I lay it down on My own initiative. I have authority to lay it down, and I have authority to take it up again" (John 10:11,18 NASB). Jesus willingly laid down His life on our behalf and took up His life again in resurrection glory. The resurrection of Christ was also foretold centuries before in prophecies recorded in the Old Testament.
I've read that Mel Gibson wants his movie to be so authentic that throughout the movie only Aramaic and Latin are spoken. He had to be persuaded to put in subtitles. It should make interesting viewing.
The Bible is scientifically accurate! Find the evidence at www.icr.org.
Steps to salvation:
Jesus said "Ye must be born again." (John 3:7)
- Believe that God created you and loves you and sent the Messiah (Messiah is Hebrew for Christ) to redeem you.
- Believe that Jesus the Messiah came in fulfillment of over 300 Bible prophecies to die for you to take upon Himself the penalty for your sins. (Isaiah 53:5-6, John 6:29, Romans 4:5, First Peter 3:18)
- Turn from sin and call on the name of Jesus to receive forgiveness. (Romans 10:13)
- Receive Jesus as Savior and experience the new birth. (John 1:12, Acts 2:38)
- Follow Him as Lord. (John 14:21)
"Whosoever shall call upon the name of the Lord shall be saved" (Romans 10:13)
To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us at the terrible cost of His suffering and death on our behalf I invite you to pray this simple prayer:
"Dear heavenly Father, I thank you for sending Jesus, the promised Messiah, to die for my sins. I admit that I am a sinner and I ask for your forgiveness on the basis of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ. I ask you to fill me with your Holy Spirit to empower me to serve you under the Lordship of Jesus Christ, Amen."
If you prayed that prayer in the humble sincerity of your heart then you have received everlasting life, which includes power to live right in this life and entrance into heaven in the afterlife!
Bill Nugent, Overcomer Ministries of West Harrison, New York, USA
(C) 2010 William P. Nugent, permission granted to email or republish if credit given
Read Bill Nugent's award winning Christian book, Lawful or Legalistic: How New Testament Believers Must Understand Old Testament Laws. For more information and to order click here.
Return to the Defending the Faith Archive
DEFENDING THE FAITH
APOLOGETIC ARTICLES
Bill Nugent currently writes a series of articles called "Defending the Faith" which, as the title suggests, defend the Christian faith from the many attacks leveled against it in our postmodern world.
The articles deal with such topics as evolution, UFOs, cults, modern/postmodern philosophy, liberal theology and popular culture. At the end of each article is an invitation to receive Christ as Savior and Lord. These articles are sent out over the Internet to several opt-in email lists. People who receive these articles are encouraged to resend them to their own lists and in this way reach their own unsaved relatives and friends with the Gospel.
All Defending the Faith articles are © 2009 William P. Nugent, permission is granted to email or republish if credit given.
To receive these articles which are sent out once per month fill in your email address below and click the SUBMIT button.
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LAWFUL OR LEGALISTIC
HOW NEW TESTAMENT BELIEVERS MUST UNDERSTAND OLD TESTAMENT LAWS
Published by Xulon Press, Longwood, Florida USA, this book is available in soft cover at xulonpress.com at a reasonable price. It is similar to our free eBook #1 (Messianic Jews and the Law of Moses) but is written more from a Gentile perspective. Winner of the Best Christian Biblical Book of the year 2008 award given by Christianstoryteller.com.
Grace versus law is an issue of supreme importance to every follower of Jesus the Messiah. Finding the proper balance between grace versus law is a major key to a joyful, victorious lifestyle that glorifies God. The on-line book titled Messianic Jews and the Law of Moses and the new paperback Lawful or Legalistic: How New Testament Believers Must Understand Old Testament Laws tackle the subject of grace versus law from a whole new perspective.
The author, Bill Nugent, a gifted Bible teacher, approaches grace versus law by giving a proper understanding of how the Old Testament law is a prophetic picture of the New Testament walk by the Spirit. For instance the Sabbath was a day of rest on which the people were commanded to cease from work. Under the New Testament we observe not a literal cessation from work every seventh day but rather we observe the spiritual fullness of resting in Christ whereby we cease striving and simply flow in Christ's strength and joy to work in such liberation that it hardly seems like work.
Other aspects of the Old Testament Law such as tithing and the dietary laws are also discussed from this perspective. Issues such as Jewish believers' Torah observance are discussed. The prophetic issues pertaining to the millennium in which some teachers claim that animal sacrifices will be offered in a rebuilt temple are also discussed at length. Other chapters contain some extremely helpful teaching on laying down the self-life and how to walk in continued guidance by the Holy Spirit.
You will enjoy reading this timely, insightful, practical and thought provoking book. What follows are short descriptions of each chapter:
- THE TEACHINGS AND LIFE EXAMPLES OF THE APOSTLES REGARDING THE LAW:
The whole concept of covenant and covenant law is defined. The New Testament apostolic teaching on the Abrahamic and Sinaitic covenants is explained as a foundation for the central premise of the book. The fact that we fulfill the Law by walking in the Spirit is shown. Voluntary keeping of the literal Law of Moses is permitted but not biblically required. The apostles’ teachings in the epistles are studied in the context of their godly lifestyles which are recorded in the book of Acts. It is important to understand the lifestyle and cultural context of the apostles' teachings. The emphasis in this chapter is why we must walk in newness of the Spirit and not in oldness of the letter.
- THE NEW WINESKIN INSTEAD OF THE OLD"
Specific examples of literal Mosaic laws (Sabbath, dietary laws etc.) are given in order to show how these laws find fulfillment in Christ. The emphasis in this chapter is on how to walk in the Spirit to keep the law in substance rather than shadow.
- WILL ANIMAL SACRIFICES BE OFFERED IN A MILLENIAL TEMPLE?
The eschatological question as to whether or not animal sacrifices will be offered in a stone temple during the millennium is dealt with here. This chapter explains why a reinstitution of the animal sacrifice system is not at all intended by the prophetic passages often cited to make this claim. A correct understanding of the prophetic passages is given.
- ARE GENTILES UNDER THE COMMANDS OF NOAH?
There are some teachers who put Jewish believers under the literal Law of Moses who also attempt to put Gentiles under a separate legal system based on the Noahide covenant of Genesis nine. This chapter explains that Gentiles are free from this obligation because the commands given to Noah also find their fulfillment in Christ. Each of the commands of Acts 15:29 (alleged to be derived from Noah) are analyzed in depth.
- THE LAW OF MESSIAH:
We are under grace and not under law yet the New Testament is full of commands. This chapter analyzes the commands Jesus gave in the Sermon on the Mount and the commands given through the apostles in the epistles and explains how we are to understand and obey them. Specific examples of how the apostles understood and obeyed these commands are given. Examples from modern day life are also given to shed light on how we must walk by the Spirit to obey New Testament commands.
Click Here to Order
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