Defending The Faith #129: THE SADDEST WORDS OF THE BIBLE

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THE CROSS, SELF-DENIAL AND
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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)

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MESSIANIC JEWS AND THE LAW OF MOSES
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THE CROSS, SELF-DENIAL AND
THE MANIFESTATION OF THE SONS OF GOD
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DEFENDING THE
FAITH APOLOGETIC ARTICLES [Archive ]

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DEFENDING THE FAITH #129

THE SADDEST WORDS OF THE BIBLE

The Bible contains many profound words and glorious promises. It also contains some sad words too. It may come as a shock but I must tell you that the saddest words of all were spoken by Jesus. Jesus spoke them in love. He had to speak them.

I have often wondered why the most vividly descriptive words about hell were spoken by Jesus. Jesus warned people about hell and spoke about hell more than any other person in the Bible. Jesus spoke about hell more than He spoke about heaven.

How can this be? Jesus is the Savior who loves us and was sent to redeem us. He healed people and multiplied the loaves and fishes to feed them. In several places the Bible says that Jesus was moved with compassion (Matthew 9:36, 14:14; Mark 1:41, 6:34).

Yet it was Jesus who spoke these words which are the saddest words of the Bible: "Enter by the narrow gate; for the gate is wide, and the way is broad that leads to destruction, and many are those who enter by it. For the gate is small, and the way is narrow that leads to life, and few are those who find it" (Matthew 7:13-14 NAS). These words are sad because they tell us that many are refusing God's free offer of forgiveness and are choosing hell by default.

Then it occurred to me that Jesus spoke about hell and warned people about hell because He was about to suffer a very hellish crucifixion for us to atone for our sins! Jesus knew that He was about to take upon Himself the wrath of God that was due to us because of our sins. Jesus was about to suffer our hell! In theology this is called the substitutionary atonement. The substitutionary atonement of Christ was predicted in the Old Testament (Isaiah chapter 53, etc.) and is clearly taught all through the New Testament.

In Old Testament times before the coming of Jesus, people were commanded to offer animals (lambs, goats, bulls) in fire on the altar. This was the Old Testament means of atonement whereby forgiveness of sins was obtained. This animal sacrificial system was but a prophetic picture of the ultimate atonement in which the sinless Son of God would come in fulfillment of prophecy and offer Himself for the sins of all men. Jesus fulfilled the sacrificial system. Animal sacrifices are no longer offered.

Jesus said that He came "to give His life a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:28 NAS). Jesus knew that He would soon be crucified and He told His disciples that "the Son of Man ("Son of Man" was the term Jesus used to refer to Himself) will be delivered up to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn Him to death, and will deliver Him up to the Gentiles to mock and scourge and crucify Him" (Matthew 20:18-19 NAS). At another poignant and agonizing time Jesus said "I have a baptism to undergo, and how distressed I am until it is accomplished!" (Luke 12:50 NAS). The word "baptism" in the passage means "immersion" and Jesus was referring to His soon immersion into suffering and death for us.

Therefore we can infer that since Jesus came to endure hell for us He was more qualified than anyone else to speak to us about hell. Those who reject God's offer of forgiveness and who refuse to repent of their sins will be separated from God in the afterlife. Thus they enter hell as a consequence of their own choice. They will get what they want but they won't want what they get.

Hell can be avoided by calling on the name of Jesus Christ and trusting in His finished work of atonement whereby God's forgiveness of our sins is freely given. To receive the salvation that Jesus purchased for us we must simply ask for it in an attitude of humble childlike faith

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

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.

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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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