THEOLOGY X. Assurance of Salvation

Assurance of salvation is important for believers to live a secure, joyful life. Sometimes such assurance is described as the security of the believer. We believe that Christians do not lose their salvation. When we trust in Christ, we receive the Holy Spirit, which guarantees eternal life (see Eph.4:30). God’s power keeps us from falling away (see 1 Peter 1:3-5). Jesus promised that no one can

snatch us away from him (see John 10:28). The Bible teaches that we can know we are saved (see 1 John 5:13).

Some Christians hold that we can choose to turn away from Christ and lose our salvation. They argue that no one can snatch us out of Christ’s hand, but we can choose to walk out of his hand. They cite Scripture such as Hebrews 6:4-6 as showing that we may lose our salvation. Ryrie writes that Hebrews 6:4-6 has been understood in the following ways:

1. People can lose their salvation. If this is true, they cannot be saved again.

2. This passage in Hebrews 6:4-6 refers to people who only profess faith, but have not been saved. So they are only falling away from the knowledge of truth, not that they have committed to follow Christ. Notice that Hebrews 6:9 seems to indicate that Paul doesn’t expect the true Christians to fall away.

3. The Scripture admonishes Christians on to maturity. It is impossible to fall from salvation. These verses are similar to speaking to a group of students in this way: “It is impossible for a student, once enrolled in this course, if he turns the clock back [which cannot be done], to start the course over. Therefore, let all students go on to deeper knowledge.”17 We maintain fellowship with Christians who believe that one can fall from salvation. They are our brothers and sisters in Christ. Perhaps they are right and we are wrong.

It is important for us to recognize what is essential and what is not essential for salvation. Romans 10:9,10 teaches that if we confess with our mouths that Jesus is Lord and believe in our hearts that God will raise us from the dead, we will be saved. So if people hold to essentials such as these verses, they are our Christian brothers and sisters. God knows that we will disagree on some theological issues, but as long as we are in agreement on the essentials, we should have fellowship. In this way, we can be a witness to the world (see John 17:20,21). We think that the Bible gives sufficient assurance for believers to be confident in their salvation. If we are truly seeking to follow God, we can have peace and assurance of eternal life. The fruit of righteousness will be peace; the effect of righteousness will be quietness and confidence forever (Isaiah 32:17) .If we are not seeking to follow God, we have a warning—we may not have true faith, so we may not be saved. To summarize, we have assurance and warning. For more information regarding assurance of salvation, see “Assurance of Eternal Life” in the training module, “The Call to Missions.” (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

What sort of New Year’s Resolution should a Christian make?"

The practice of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 3,000 years to the ancient Babylonians. There is just something about the start of a new year that gives us the feeling of a fresh start and a new beginning. In reality, there is no difference between December 31 and January 1. Nothing mystical occurs at midnight on December 31. The Bible does not speak for or against the concept of New Year’s resolutions. However, if a Christian determines to make a New Year’s resolution, what kind of resolution should he or she make?

6. Regeneration, Sanctification, and Glorification

Salvation includes three phases: regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.Regeneration means to be spiritually born again (see John 1:12,13; 3:3). When a person places their faith in Christ, that person becomes a newborn spiritual baby. Immediately that person receives the Holy Spirit and has the guarantee of eternal life ( see Luke 23:42,43; Romans 10:9,10; Ephesians 4:30). A physical baby spends 9 months in the womb, and then is born. It may also take some preparation for most people to be spiritually born. A person may hear the Gospel and ponder this Good News in his heart. At some point, he places his trust in Christ, and immediately he is born anew. He is not merely reformed; he is a new creation (see 2 Cor. 5:17).15

When a person is regenerated or born again, that person also is sanctified. Sanctify means “to make holy.”16 This doctrine is closely related to the doctrine of justification. God justifies or declares a person to be holy. Justification is something that God has already done for the believer. Sanctification is what God continues to do throughout a believer’s life. God sanctifies or makes a person holy—he sets them apart for righteous service. So a sanctified person is set apart to serve God. As one learns God’s word and serves God, he matures in the faith. Therefore, sanctification is a life-long process. A Christian is to become more faithful and more loving throughout life (see 1 Thess. 3:12, 13). Although believers won’t achieve perfection in this life, perfection is the goal (see Matt. 5:48). God is the one who sanctifies, but the believer must obey God in order to grow in faith (see John 17:17-19; Phil. 2:12,13). After we are saved, we are called to become Christ-like. We are to grow in our knowledge of Scripture (Hebrews 5:12-14). And we should obey the moral law given throughout the Old and New Testaments. The Christian life always involves a struggle to turn away from sin (see Romans 7:15-25). But we Christians can rejoice in knowing that we are free from condemnation (see Romans 8:1-3).

The process of sanctification is completed when a believer is glorified—going to be with the Lord and later receiving a new body. So glorification occurs after one’s earthly life (see 1 Cor. 15:52). In this life, we are never completely sinless. So God sanctifies us—

making us holy and forgiving our sin. In the life to come, we will be without sin. (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

6. Regeneration, Sanctification, and Glorification

Salvation includes three phases: regeneration, sanctification, and glorification.Regeneration means to be spiritually born again (see John 1:12,13; 3:3). When a person places their faith in Christ, that person becomes a newborn spiritual baby. Immediately that person receives the Holy Spirit and has the guarantee of eternal life ( see Luke 23:42,43; Romans 10:9,10; Ephesians 4:30). A physical baby spends 9 months in the womb, and then is born. It may also take some preparation for most people to be spiritually born. A person may hear the Gospel and ponder this Good News in his heart. At some point, he places his trust in Christ, and immediately he is born anew. He is not merely reformed; he is a new creation (see 2 Cor. 5:17).15

When a person is regenerated or born again, that person also is sanctified. Sanctify means “to make holy.”16 This doctrine is closely related to the doctrine of justification. God justifies or declares a person to be holy. Justification is something that God has already done for the believer. Sanctification is what God continues to do throughout a believer’s life. God sanctifies or makes a person holy—he sets them apart for righteous service. So a sanctified person is set apart to serve God. As one learns God’s word and serves God, he matures in the faith. Therefore, sanctification is a life-long process. A Christian is to become more faithful and more loving throughout life (see 1 Thess. 3:12, 13). Although believers won’t achieve perfection in this life, perfection is the goal (see Matt. 5:48). God is the one who sanctifies, but the believer must obey God in order to grow in faith (see John 17:17-19; Phil. 2:12,13). After we are saved, we are called to become Christ-like. We are to grow in our knowledge of Scripture (Hebrews 5:12-14). And we should obey the moral law given throughout the Old and New Testaments. The Christian life always involves a struggle to turn away from sin (see Romans 7:15-25). But we Christians can rejoice in knowing that we are free from condemnation (see Romans 8:1-3).

The process of sanctification is completed when a believer is glorified—going to be with the Lord and later receiving a new body. So glorification occurs after one’s earthly life (see 1 Cor. 15:52). In this life, we are never completely sinless. So God sanctifies us—

making us holy and forgiving our sin. In the life to come, we will be without sin. (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

4. Law and Grace

The New Covenant of Grace brings forgiveness, whereas the Old Covenant of Law brought condemnation. So why did God give the Old Covenant? The Law was given to show us that we can’t obey God perfectly so we need a Savior (see Galatians 3:24). Now that the New Covenant has replaced the Old Covenant, does this mean that we should ignore all of the Law? Certainly not. The Old Covenant contained ceremonial law, civil law, and moral law. The ceremonial law with its system of animal sacrifices has been replaced by the one sacrifice of Christ. The civil law—governing rules of the Hebrew society—does not apply to our societies today. We might derive useful principles from the civil law, but the laws themselves are not applicable today. An example of the civil law is

given in Leviticus 19:27. The moral law is to be obeyed today. God gave moral laws such as “do not murder,” do not commit adultery, and “do not steal.” By the grace of God, we can be forgiven when we break such laws, but we should still strive to obey them. (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

What was the star of Bethlehem?”

Answer: The Star of Bethlehem is associated with the visit of the magi (wise men) from the East as recorded in Matthew 2:1-12. The text implies the Star appeared only to the magi in the East (the “East” most likely being the area of Persia, or modern-day Iran). There is no biblical record of anyone else observing this phenomenon. The magi saw something in the heavens that alerted them the Jewish Messiah was to be born (inMatthew 2:2 the magi refer to the star as being “His star”). The Star prompted them to travel to Jerusalem, the Jewish capital. This would be the logical place to start looking for the birth of the King of the Jews.

Jesus makes relationship with all who are with Him

Friends, May Lord Jesus brings you a joy forever in this celebration of Christmas. Please read the story of Mary’s visit to Elizabeth. Inside of Elizabeth was the promised child of God – John the Baptist. Inside of Mary was also the promised child of God – Jesus. John greeted (from inside of his mother Elizabeth) Jesus( who is inside of His mother Mary).That event led to the filling of the Holy Spirit both the blessed women.

Friends, when Jesus is with us, the spirit inside of us is fill with the Holy Spirit and recognize the Holy Spirit in other persons too. Those who are with the same Holy Spirit can easily communicate with each other and make relationship, too.

Read : “Mary Visits Elizabeth -³⁹ At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, ⁴⁰ where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth. ⁴¹ When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped in her womb, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. ⁴² In a loud voice she exclaimed: “Blessed are you among women, and blessed is the child you will bear! ⁴³ But why am I so favored, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? ⁴⁴ As soon as the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby in my womb leaped for joy. ⁴⁵ Blessed is she who has believed that the Lord would fulfill his promises to her!”(Luke 1:39-45)

Write ‘Amen’ to praise the Lord if Jesus Christ is with you. May God bless you.

May Jesus Christ born in you

Friends, May God bless you like Mary. May Jesus Christ born in you(give you a New Life in Jesus i.e. spiritually born again). Be blessed by reading the following verses by placing your name against Mary :

 

 “ ²⁶ … God sent the angel Gabriel … ²⁷ to a virgin … Mary. ²⁸ …and (the Angel)said, “Greetings, you who are highly favored! The Lord is with you.” ²⁹ Mary was greatly troubled at his words and wondered what kind of greeting this might be. ³⁰ But the angel said to her, “Do not be afraid, Mary; you have found favor with God. ³¹ You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you are to call him Jesus. ³² He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High. The Lord God will give him the throne of his father David, ³³ and he will reign over Jacob’s descendants forever; his kingdom will never end.”

³⁴ “How will this be,” Mary asked the angel, “since I am a virgin?” ³⁵ The angel answered, “The Holy Spirit will come on you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you. So the holy one to be born will be called^[b] the Son of God. ³⁶ ….. ³⁷ For no word from God will ever fail.”

³⁸ “I am the Lord’s servant,” Mary answered. “May your word to me be fulfilled.” …….”

Write ‘AMEN’ to thank God if you believe Jesus has given you a NEW LIFE IN JESUS CHRIST. May God bless you.

Repentance

Closely related to faith is the doctrine of repentance (see Acts 20:21). To repent means to change one’s mind—to reconsider. It means to turn from sin and follow Christ (see Acts 3:19). When we experience true heart-felt faith in Christ, we change from following the ways of Satan to following the ways of Christ.

3. Atonement

Soteriology includes the doctrine of atonement. In Christian theology, atonement refers to the reconciliation of the broken fellowship between God and man. This reconciliation was accomplished through the life and death of Jesus.14 We can remember this concept of atonement by breaking the word into parts: “at one ment.” We are made “at one” with God when we trust in the sacrifice of Christ.

Under the Old Covenant of Law (Old Testament), the Hebrews sacrificed animals to “atone” for their sins or “cover” their sins (see Lev. 16). Such sacrifices did not take away sins, but only prefigured the one perfect sacrifice to come—Jesus Christ—the Lamb of

God, who takes away the sin of the world (see John 1:29). Under the Old Covenant of Law, once each year, on the Day of Atonement, the High Priest sacrificed animals to cover the sins of the Israelites. Christ, our High Priest, made permanent atonement for our sins (see Hebrews 10:12). Christ did not merely cover our sins; he removed them. So Christ is the mediator of the New Covenant of Grace (New Testament). See Hebrews 8:6-13.

a. Propitiation

Propitiation means to satisfy God by providing an appropriate sacrifice. So atonement means “reconciliation” and propitiation means “satisfaction.” In order to satisfy God without compromising his justice, the Israelite high priest sprinkled the blood of animals on the mercy seat (the top of the Ark of the Covenant) on the Day of Atonement. The mercy seat was the place where God met with the high priest. Christ, the ultimate sacrifice, is the propitiation for our sins (see 1 John 4:10 KJV).

What is an advent calendar? How does an advent calendar relate to Christmas?”

Answer: The word ‘Advent’ has a Latin origin meaning ‘the coming,’ or more accurately, ‘coming toward.’ For Christian believers, Christmas is one of the greatest events in the yearly cycle, being the celebration of the greatest gift ever given by God to mankind. That gift was Jesus, the Son of God Himself, born into this world in human form and coming to live among us to show us the true nature of God, experience human joy and sorrow along with us, and finally, going of His own will to die a horrible, agonizing death. In this way the price was paid for all human sin that had cut us off from our Holy God and Heavenly Father, resulting in our complete and total reconciliation with Him.

Mary and Joseph accepted God's plan

Golte, Pathen in phattheina thahbeh tuchung Christmas hin naboh henlang Van kipana nachansah tahen. Chule, Mary le Joseph bang nahisah jeng henuo!. Mary chu nungahtheng, jineiloulai ahi. Pathen in jibeiya nao (Pathen cha) vop din aseipeh e. Israelte dana chu mijong chu songa selih ding ahi. Mary’n jibeiya nao avople ajonga, songa selih ding ahi. Hinla, Mary’n Pathen thu ahijeh in, apomtai – thiding hijongle angap ahitai. Pathen achunga alung lhaiyin, Joseph chu Mary jia kipui din asoltai. Joseph jong anomin, Mary akichenpin, Mary thiding dinmuna konin ahuhdoh tai. Pathen lunglhaina nupa ahilhonin, ‘Pathen Cha’penna  nulepa ahilhon tai. Amani min hi imatihchana suhmil hitalou ding ahitai.

Mary le Joseph banga Pathen in Jesu Christa-a huhhingna agon hi napomle Amin thangvahnan ‘Amen’ jih in. Pathen in umpi jingtan.( Simin Luke 1:26-38) 

Theology: D. Salvation

The doctrine of salvation is also known as soteriology .

Christ came to earth to save people from the penalty of sin. People are like lost sheep, and Christ is the Good Shepherd who calls them back to the security of life with him. “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save what was lost” (Luke 19:10 NIV).

1. Saved by Grace Through Faith

We saved when we are born of the Spirit (see John 3:5-7). Apart from faith in Christ, we are spiritually dead. When we believe in Jesus, we receive the Holy Spirit, which regenerates our spirit. So through faith, we are spiritually born again. John 3:5 says that in

order to enter the kingdom of God, one must be born of the Spirit and of water.

Ryrie summarizes various interpretations of the meaning of “water” in John 3:5. If this means water baptism, it seems to contradict other Scripture (John 3:16; Ephesians 2:8,9).This is discussed in more detail in the module “Pastoral Ministry” under the topic of baptism. Possible meanings of “water” in John 3:5 include:

1. One’s physical birth (compare with John 3:6—”flesh gives birth to flesh, but the Sprit gives birth to spirit” (NIV).

2. The word of God (see Ephesians 5:26; John 15:3).

3. Repentance as signified in the baptism by John the Baptist

4. Water is a synonym for the Holy Spirit, so John 3:5 may be translated “by water, even the Spirit.”12 See Titus 3:4,5.

In summary, we don’t believe that water baptism is required for salvation. Although the meaning of the word “water” in John 3:5 is not certain, it is clear from other Scripture that faith in Christ is all that is necessary for salvation (for example, see John 3:16).

Scripture teaches that we baptize disciples in water. Baptism in Biblical accounts was by immersion. So we also baptize by immersion.If a candidate for baptism is a child, the child should be old enough to understand his commitment to follow Christ. Soon after the believer’s profession of faith in Christ, the believer should be baptized.

Salvation is by the grace of God (see Titus 3:4,5). Grace means “unmerited favor.” So salvation is a free gift. We cannot earn salvation, because we are by nature sinners. All our efforts fall short of the perfect life that God wants for us. Only by faith in Christ, the Mediator between God and man, do we receive salvation. We are saved in order to do good works. So we are saved by grace through faith, in order to do good works: “8For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this not from yourselves, it is the gift of God— 9not by works, so that no one can boast. 10For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” (Ephesians 2:8-10 NIV).

Salvation is through faith. Saving faith involves a change of heart—a commitment to trust and follow Christ. See “Assurance of Eternal Life” in the module “Call to Missions.” If we are saved, we want to do good works and we will do good works (see James 2:14-24).

Faith is placing our hope in God and in his promises. Our faith is evidence of the change that the Holy Spirit makes in our lives (see Hebrew 11:1). For a synopsis of heroes of the faith, see Hebrews 11. Even prior to the incarnation of Christ, people came to God through faith. They believed in the unseen God. God sent prophets to teach the people how to be forgiven of sin.

Faith is a gift from God, so we should pray for God to increase our faith (see Romans 12:3). Material riches tend to diminish our faith. Rich people tend to trust in wealth rather than trusting in God. God has chosen those who are poor in the eyes of the world to be rich in faith (see James 2:5). Often, the poorest people respond more readily to the Gospel. So those of us who are poor can consider ourselves blessed if our poverty moves us to be rich in faith.

When we believe in Christ and receive him as our Lord, we are adopted as sons of God or children of God (see John 1:11,12). Stringfellow writes that such adoption is greater than legal adoption. When parents legally adopt a child, they assume responsibility for the care of the child, but they cannot give the child their genetic qualities. But when God adopts us, we are made new by the power of the Holy Spirit.13 So after salvation, we are not the same. Notice that we become adopted sons of God, but we are not equal to the unique or only begotten Son of God. Christ is always superior to us. (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

What does the Bible say about the three wise men (Magi)?”

Answer: We assume that there were three wise men because of the three gifts that were given: gold, incense, and myrrh (Matthew 2:11). However, the Bible does not say there were only three wise men. There could have been many more. Tradition says that there were three and that their names were Gaspar, Melchior, and Balthasar, but since the Bible does not say, we have no way of knowing whether the tradition is accurate.

It is a common misconception that the wise men visited Jesus at the stable on the night of His birth. In fact, the wise men came days, months, or possibly even years later. That is why Matthew 2:11 says the wise men visited and worshiped Jesus in a house, not at the stable. 

We know that the magi were wise men from “the East,” most likely Persia, or modern-day Iran. This means the wise men traveled 800 to 900 miles to see the Christ child. Most likely, the magi knew of the writings of the prophet Daniel, who in time past had been the chief of the court seers in Persia. Daniel 9:24-27 includes a prophecy which gives a timeline for the birth of the Messiah. Also, the magi may have been aware of the prophecy of Balaam (who was from the town of Pethor on the Euphrates River near Persia) in Numbers 24:17. Balaam’s prophecy specifically mentions a “star coming out of Jacob.” 

The wise men were guided to look for the King of the Jews by a miraculous stellar event, the “Star of Bethlehem,” which they called “His star” (Matthew 2:2). They consulted with King Herod in Jerusalem concerning the birth of Christ and were so directed to Bethlehem (Matthew 2:4-8). They followed God’s guidance joyfully (Matthew 2:10). Their gifts for Jesus were costly, and they worshiped Him. God warned them in a dream against returning to Herod, so, in defiance of the king, they left Judea by another route (Matthew 2:12). 

So, the magi were men who 1) read and believed God’s Word, 2) sought Jesus, 3) recognized the worth of Christ, 4) humbled themselves to worship Jesus, and 5) obeyed God rather than man. They were truly wise men! .(courtesy: GotQuestions.org)

look up at Jesus, the Star of Bethlehem

Friends,May Lord Jesus brings you New blessings from God this Christmas. The Magi saw the Star and followed. Meanwhile they applied their worldly knowledge – ‘the kings of Israel ae living in Jerusalem. The new king must born there’ – So, they entered Jerusalem and asked the king Herod. The new king was not there. The Scholars told them it must be Bethlehem where such Messiah was born. Then, they went out from Jerusalem to go to Bethlehem as the Scripture says. As soon as the Magi applied their worldly knowledge they lost the Star.But the Star appeared again as soon as they applied and follow the Scripture  after they realized their worldly knowledge couldnot give them any benefit.

Friends, I have read and re-read these verses many times since my childhood but God gives me this knowledge (difference from my earlier study). This is recorded here not just for remembtance of the incident but to tells us this lesson :- Worldly knowledge can not gives us understanding about God’s word and by applying such worldly knowledge we can not follow God’s way. Let us always look up at Jesus ( the Star of Bethlehem) as Apostle Paul tells us and follow His ways with prayer and by studying God’s words in the Bible prayerfully. Only then, we can understand the will of God and His plan for us.

If you commit your life  to Jesus Christ and will follow His words, write ‘Amen’ to pray for His help. May God bless you.

Why is the Virgin Birth so important?”

Answer: The doctrine of the virgin birth is crucially important (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23;Luke 1:27, 34). First, let’s look at how Scripture describes the event. In response to Mary’s question, “How will this be?” (Luke 1:34), Gabriel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35). The angel encourages Joseph to not fear marrying Mary with these words: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Matthew states that the virgin “was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). Galatians 4:4 also teaches the Virgin Birth: “God sent His Son, born of a woman.”

From these passages, it is certainly clear that Jesus’ birth was the result of the Holy Spirit working within Mary’s body. The immaterial (the Spirit) and the material (Mary’s womb) were both involved. Mary, of course, could not impregnate herself, and in that sense she was simply a “vessel.” Only God could perform the miracle of the Incarnation.

However, denying a physical connection between Mary and Jesus would imply that Jesus was not truly human. Scripture teaches that Jesus was fully human, with a physical body like ours. This He received from Mary. At the same time, Jesus was fully God, with an eternal, sinless nature (John 1:14; 1 Timothy 3:16; Hebrews 2:14-17.)

Jesus was not born in sin; that is, He had no sin nature (Hebrews 7:26). It would seem that the sin nature is passed down from generation to generation through the father (Romans 5:12, 17, 19). The Virgin Birth circumvented the transmission of the sin nature and allowed the eternal God to become a perfect man. .(courtesy: GotQuestions.org)

Sin

Theology C. Sin

The Greek word translated as “sin” means “to miss the mark.” When we sin, we miss the mark or fall short of the standard set by God. Sin originated in Satan (Isaiah 14:12-14), and entered the world through Adam and Eve. All people are sinners (see Romans 3:23). People do not like to admit that they are sinners. This is a primary reason that many people reject Christianity. If they accept Christ, they must turn away from sin. They don’t want to stop sinning. So they invent all sorts of reasons to deny the truth of Christianity. Sin results in spiritual blindness (see John 9:39), a hardened conscience (see Ephesians 4:19), broken communication with God (see Proverbs 15:29), heartache and problems in the world, bondage and death (see Romans 6:20-23), and eternal separation from God (see Luke 12:15).

Confession of sin is necessary both for salvation (see Romans 10:9,10) and for daily fellowship—the daily walk with Christ (see John 13:6-10).

For more information on sin, see “sin” in the theological dictionary on the following website:http://www.carm.org/dictionary.htm(For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

Why is the Virgin Birth so important?”

Answer: The doctrine of the virgin birth is crucially important (Isaiah 7:14; Matthew 1:23;Luke 1:27, 34). First, let’s look at how Scripture describes the event. In response to Mary’s question, “How will this be?” (Luke 1:34), Gabriel says, “The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you” (Luke 1:35). The angel encourages Joseph to not fear marrying Mary with these words: “What is conceived in her is from the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:20). Matthew states that the virgin “was found to be with child through the Holy Spirit” (Matthew 1:18). Galatians 4:4 also teaches the Virgin Birth: “God sent His Son, born of a woman.”

THEOLOGY IX. Man

Man is a created being. The Bible does not teach that man evolved from the species. Rather, God created each animal “according to its kind” (see Genesis 1:24). The theory of evolution holds that one species evolved into another until animals evolved to become man. If this were so, there should be an abundance of “intermediate” fossils between each species showing the progression from one species to another. But there is no abundance of intermediate fossils linking the species. Man was created in the image of God (see Genesis 1:26,27). Man has similarities to some animals, but he is also different from animals. The Bible does not say that animals were created in the image of God.Rather, man bears the image of God.

A. Creation.

The account of man’s creation is given in Genesis 1:26,27. Man was created as male and female. Man—the supreme creature on earth—was given power to rule over all other creatures. More details of the creation of man are given in Genesis 2:7,21-23. Genesis 2:7 explains that man was created from the dust of the ground. The Hebrew word for “man” is “adam,” and the same word is used to name the first man. Also, the Hebrew word for “ground” is “Adamah,” which sounds like “adam.” The first man was created from the dust of the ground, and God breathed into his nostrils the breath of life. Then God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep and he created the first woman—Eve—from the man’s rib.

Stringfellow writes that man was created with a three-fold nature—body, soul, and spirit ( See 1Thess. 5:23; Hebrews 4:12). So man is created in the image of God—who is a Trinity. Man’s body with the five senses of sight, smell, hearing, taste, and touch gives him world consciousness. Man’s soul (or mind)—his reasoning ability, emotion, memory, affection, and conscience—is very similar to the meaning of “heart” as used in Scripture. His soul is his self-consciousness. Man’s spirit differentiates him from other creatures. His spirit is his God consciousness. Man is aware of God. Man prays to God. But what other creature prays? Who can say that animals have any awareness of God?The meaning of “soul” and “spirit” are closely related. Scripture points to the similarity of these concepts, saying that the word of God can divide even soul and spirit ( see Hebrews 4:12).God created a garden in Eden, and put Adam there to work it and care for it (Gen. 2:8,15). Prior to sin entering the world, work was not described as a burden. Work gave man a purpose—a sense of accomplishment.

B. The Fall of Man

God allowed Adam to eat from any tree in Eden except from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. He warned that eating of that tree would result in Adam’s death (Gen. 2:15-17). Satan, in the form of a serpent, tempted Eve to eat this forbidden fruit, and she gave the fruit to Adam, who also ate it (see Gen.3:1-6). Satan tempted Eve by appealing to the lust of the flesh—the fruit looked “good for food,” the lust of the eyes—the fruit looked  “pleasing to the eye,” and to the pride of life—the fruit appeared “desirable for gaining wisdom” (Gen. 3:6 NIV). Temptation is the same for all generations.

“For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh, and the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life, is not of the Father, but is of the world” (1 John 2:16, King James Version).

Because Adam and Eve sinned, God said that there is a curse on man and on the earth. A woman’s pain in childbearing is increased, and her husband rules over her (see Gen. 3:16). The ground is cursed, so that it produces thorns and thistles, and a man now works under troublesome conditions (see Gen. 3:17-19). By disobeying God, man lost his innocence—learning the difference between good and evil (see Gen. 3:22). Man became self-conscious and experienced guilt (see Gen. 3:7,11,21). So God prohibited man from living eternally in this state of sin—he prohibited man from eating of the tree of life (see Gen. 3:24). Because of sin, the first man died. As a result of sin entering the world through Adam and Eve, all people inherit the tendency to sin. Through faith in Christ, people may be forgiven of sin and receive eternal life (see 1 Cor.15:21,22).

The victory of Christ over Satan is prophesied in Genesis 3:15. Because the serpent (Satan) tempted Eve, God cursed the serpent, and said that the offspring of the woman would crush the serpent’s head. With this one exception, the genealogy of the Hebrews is recorded through males (the offspring of men). But there is one case in which there was a mother but no human father of a child—Jesus was born of a virgin. So Genesis 3:15 shows that at the time of man’s fall from sin, God had a plan for redeeming mankind. Jesus in his death on the cross won the victory over Satan. He will return to crush the serpent’s head. God also prophesied in Genesis 3:15 that the serpent would bruise Christ’s heel. Satan bruised the heel of Christ by making it necessary that Christ die in order for people to live. Christ’s death on the cross was a temporary bruise, but Satan’s spiritual death is eternal. (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

Should we give gifts at Christmas?”

Answer: Many people take the idea of gift giving at Christmas back to the scripture in Matthew 2:10-11 which talks about the Magi (wise men) giving gifts to Jesus at his home: “When they saw the star, they were overjoyed. On coming to the house, they saw the child with his mother Mary, and they bowed down and worshiped him. Then they opened their treasures and presented him with gifts of gold and of incense and of myrrh.”

THEOLOGY VIII. Angels

The word “angel” means, “messenger”. Originally, all angels were with God in heaven, but later the angel Lucifer rebelled against God, so he and those angels that followed Lucifer were cast out from heaven.

Angels are created beings (see Psalm 148:1-5; Colossians 1:16,17). Psalm 148:2 refers to angels and heavenly hosts, and Psalm 148:5 indicates that such angels and heavenly hosts were created. Colossians 1:16 says that Christ created all things in heaven. The Bible always refers to angels in the masculine gender, but no sex is ascribed to angels. Angels are immortal beings, do not marry, and apparently do not reproduce (see Luke 20:35-36). They are innumerable (Hebrews 12:22). Angels are spirits, but have become visible at times (see John 20:12). Michael, the Chief Angel or Archangel (Jude 1:9), appeared to Daniel (see Daniel 10:18-20). The angel Gabriel appeared to Zachariah (see Luke 1:11,19).

A. Holy Angels.

Those angels that do not follow Lucifer are holy angels. The holy angels are now above man in power (see Psalm 8:4-5). But in the coming Kingdom of God, man will judge angels (see 1 Cor. 6:3). In his incarnation, Christ was made a little lower than angels (see Hebrew 2:9).

At his resurrection, Christ was restored to glory, so he is above angels in power (see Hebrews 1:4-14). We are not to worship angels; rather we worship only God. One of the functions of angels is to worship God (Rev. 5:11-13). God sends angels to communicate with people (for example, see Luke 1:11-13). Angels are ministering spirits who care for the saints from infancy until death (see Hebrews 1:14; Matthew 18:10; Psalm 91:11). Angels observe what happens on earth, and rejoice when a person receives eternal life (see 1 Cor. 4:9; Luke 15:10). Angels will accompany Christ when he returns to earth (see Matt. 25:31).

B. Fallen Angels.

Lucifer, the chief angel who sinned and fell from the grace of God, is known by various names. He is known as Satan—”adversary” (1 Chron. 21:1), the Devil—”slanderer,” the Dragon (Rev. 12:9), the Serpent (Gen. 3:13), and a Murderer and the Father of Lies (John 8:44). God is superior to Satan, but he allows Satan to rule this world until the return of Christ. So Satan is called the god of this world (see 2 Cor. 4:4), and the prince of this world (see John 12:31). Satan deceives people, even transforming himself into an angel of light (see 2 Cor. 11:14).

What is the year 2012 Mayan prophecy?

Answer: The ancient Mayans, in their “Long Count” calendar, had December 21, 2012, as the end of the calendar. This “end” of the Mayan calendar leads to many different interpretations. Some see it as nothing more than a reset, the beginning of a new cycle. Others see it as the date for the end of the world (or at least some type of universal catastrophe). So, what is the Mayan Long Count calendar, and does it have any relation to the end of the world?

The Mayans developed their own calendar (The Long Count) ca. 355 B.C. They were able to use their observations and mathematical prowess to calculate the future movements of stars across the sky. The result was that the Mayans discovered the effect of the earth’s wobbling as it spins on its axis. This wobbling rotation causes the stars’ movements to drift gradually in the sky (an effect called “precession”) in a 5,125-year cycle. The Mayans also discovered that once every cycle the dark band at the center of the Milky Way (called the “Galactic Equator”) intersects the Elliptical (the plane of the sun’s movement across the sky).

During the year of the intersection, the sun reaches its solstice (a brief moment when the sun’s position in the sky is at its greatest angular distance on the other side of the equatorial plane from the observer) on December 21 for the Northern Hemisphere and June 21 for the Southern Hemisphere. At that time, the solstice occurs at the same moment of the conjunction of the Galactic Equator with the Milky Way. The year this occurs (in relation to our Gregorian calendar) is A.D. 2012, and happened last on August 11, 3114 B.C. With Mayan mythology teaching that the sun is a god and the Milky Way is the gateway to life and death, the Mayans concluded that this intersection in the past must have been the moment of creation. Mayan hieroglyphs seem to indicate that they believed the next intersection (in 2012) would be some sort of end and a new beginning of a cycle.

All the so-called “Mayan prophecies of 2012” are nothing more than wildly speculative extrapolations, based on the yet-uncertain interpretations by scholars of Mayan hieroglyphs. The truth is that, apart from the astrological convergence, there is little indication that the Mayans prophesied anything specific regarding the events in their distant future. The Mayans were not prophets; they were not even able to predict their own cultural extinction. They were great mathematicians and accomplished sky watchers, but they were also a brutally violent tribal people with a primitive understanding of natural phenomena, subscribing to archaic beliefs and the barbaric practices of blood-letting and human sacrifice. They believed, for example, that the blood of human sacrifices powered the sun and gave it life.

There is absolutely nothing in the Bible that would present December 21, 2012, as the end of the world. The Bible nowhere presents the astronomical phenomena the Mayans pointed to as a sign of the end times. It would seem inconsistent of God to allow the Mayans to discover such an amazing truth while keeping the many Old Testament prophets ignorant of the timing of the events. In summary, there is absolutely no biblical evidence that the 2012 Mayan prophecy should be considered a reliable prediction of doomsday.

Should we have a Christmas Tree? Does the Christmas Tree have its origin in ancient pagan rituals?”

Answer: The modern custom of a Christmas tree does not come from any form of paganism. There is no evidence of any pagan religion decorating a special holiday tree for their mid-winter festivals, although the Romans celebrated the winter solstice with a festival called Saturnalia in honor of Saturnus, the god of agriculture. They decorated their houses with greens and lights and exchanged gifts. Late in the Middle Ages, Germans and Scandinavians placed evergreen trees inside their homes or just outside their doors to show their hope in the forthcoming spring. The first Christmas tree was decorated by Protestant Christians in 16th-century Germany. Our modern Christmas tree evolved from these early German traditions, and the custom most likely came to the United States with Hessian troops during the American Revolution, or with German immigrants to Pennsylvania and Ohio.

There is nothing in the Bible that either commands or prohibits Christmas trees. It has been falsely claimed by some that Jeremiah 10:1-16 prohibits the cutting down and decorating of trees in the same manner as we do at Christmas. However, even a cursory reading of the text makes it clear that the passage is one in which Jeremiah sets forth the prohibition against idols made of wood, plated with silver and gold, and worshipped. A similar idea appears in Isaiah 44, where Isaiah speaks of the silliness of the idol-worshippers who cut down a tree, burn part of it in the fire to warm themselves, and use the other part to fashion an idol, which they then bow down to. So unless we bow down before our Christmas tree, carve it into an idol, and pray to it, these passages cannot be applied to Christmas trees.

THEOLOGY VII. God the Trinity - C: Holy Spirit.

The Holy Spirit is the third person of the Trinity. The Holy Spirit has a personality so we use the personal pronoun “he” when referring to the Holy Spirit. He is not merely a force, so we do not refer to the Holy Spirit as “it.” The Holy Spirit thinks and guides (see Acts 15:28), and grieves (see Ephesians 4:30). The Holy Spirit is God, so he is omnipotent (see Genesis 1:2), and omnipresent (see Psalm 139:7-10). The Holy Spirit participated in the creation of life (see Genesis 1:26,27; Psalm 104:24,30).

From the time of the Feast of Pentecost described in Acts 2, the Holy Spirit has indwelled believers. Prior to that time, he came upon people and left them at will (see Numbers 11:17,25,26; Proverbs 1:23) .

Jesus died on behalf of all who believes in Him

Friends, the birth of Jesus Christ was first foretell by God Himself in the beginning after creation,after the fall of man in sin, which is recorded in Genesis 3:15  wherein God told the originator of sin Serpent(Satan), ^“ And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers( her offspring here is Jesus); he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel.”

Here,God told Satan that Jesus would be born through a woman and He would punish Satan. This means Jesus will defeat Satan and save Man(human being) from Satan’s power. God is just and Holy. He must punish sin and its originator. He cannot live with sin in His side. Therefore, God sent out Man from His place so that He can purify man from sin. God’s intention is to punish sin and originator of sin, Satan. Any human being with sin must also be punished.

Surgical doctors also cut off and discarded the disease part of human organ in their operation. Likewise, if any person is disease with sin, he or she must also get punishment along with sin. But God love His created human beings and wants to save them. That is why He sent His own Son, Jesus Christ to this world more than 2000 years ago. Jesus got the punishment we ought to receive and died on our behalf. Jesus died on the Cross. Cross at that time was made by the then ruler of the world, Roman Government to punish the most wanted (the worst sinner). Jesus Christ died on the Cross signify that His dead was for and on behalf of all, including the worst sinners. However, the words of God, the Bible says that only those who believe in Jesus Christ will be saved.

Friends, we all are sinners since the beginning, even the best person is counted by God as sinner if he or she does not believe in Jesus Christ. So, forget your shortcomings, your bad habits, your wrong doings; come to Jesus Christ, confess to Him in prayer secretly to Him that you are sinner ( knowing that even if you are good enough, you are still counted by God as sinner because you don’t believe in, and confess your sin to, Jesus Christ); invite Him to be your Lord and Saviour; pray to Him to bless you and make you God’s child and be ready to celebrate His coming in this world ( only to save you from the power of sin) on Christmas Day, 25 December.

If you already received Jesus Christ as Lord and Saviour(or have just done as requested above) write ‘Amen’ to praise His name. May God bless you.

Do some Christmas traditions have pagan origins?”

Answer: There is no doubt that some of what we now refer to as Christmas traditions can be traced back, in some form, to pagan cultures and celebrations. The ringing of bells, for example, is generally thought to have had its origin in the early pagan winter celebration of ringing of bells to drive out evil spirits. In later centuries, bells were rung on Christmas Eve to welcome in the spirit of Christmas with joyful noise (Psalm 95:1). When Christians enjoy the beauty of a glorious bell choir ringing Christmas carols, we are reminded of the coming of Jesus into the world, not the driving out of evil spirits.

THEOLOGY : VII. God the Trinity - B. Son.

Jesus Christ is the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16). The name “Jesus” is the Greek form of the Hebrew “Joshua,” meaning “Jehovah—saved.” So the name Jesus infers that He is the Savior. “Christ” means “the Anointed One,” from the Hebrew “Messiah.” (Daniel 9:25,26).

In Old Testament times, prophets, priests, and kings were anointed with oil when they were appointed to office. Jesus is the Prophet that God promised would come (Deut. 18:18; see Luke 13:33; John 6:14). A prophet proclaims the word of God. Jesus is our Priest (see Hebrews 7:21). As our priest, Jesus intercedes between God the Father and mankind. He is the advocate for believers. Priests in the Old Testament offered sacrifices to reconcile sinners with God. Jesus came as the one perfect sacrifice to reconcile us with the Lord.

“How should Christians respond to the “War on Christmas”?”

Answer: Many people perceive that there is a concerted effort to eliminate the word “Christmas” from public discourse—sort of a “war on Christmas.” The stories seem to be coming more frequently: a grade-school choir sings “We Wish You a Happy Holiday” instead of “We Wish You a Merry Christmas” for their “Winter Concert.” A library invites “holiday displays” from the community provided the displays have no religious connotation—the stable may have animals in it, but no people. It is possible to do all one’s Christmas shopping and never see or hear the word “Christmas” in the stores.

THEOLOGY : VII. God the Trinity : A. Father.

God the Father is the eternally existing God. When Moses asked God to reveal his name, God said that he is “I Am” (from a Hebrew word meaning “to exist”). See Exodus 3:14.

Jesus referred to God as “Father.” See the Lord’s Prayer: Matthew 6:9ff. God is both transcendent and immanent. God is transcendent—he is superior to the universe. Through His Son, He created the universe (see Gen. 1:1, Col. 1:15,16), and the Holy Spirit was active in the Creation process (see Gen. 1:2). He is all-powerful (omnipotent). See Psalm 33:6-11. God is all-knowing (omniscient). See Job 37:14-16.The Lord never changes (immutable). See Malachi 3:6. God is light. See 1 John 1:5. God is a Spirit. See John 4:24.

God is immanent —he is present throughout the universe (omnipresent). He is here with us. See Acts 17:24-27. Since God is a Spirit, he cannot be seen. But God has revealed himself through theophanies. A theophany is a visible appearance of God. Examples of this include God appearing as a pillar of cloud and a pillar of fire (Exodus 13:21), and as a burning bush (Exodus 3:4). God is personal—not merely a force. God’s personality is shown by the fact that he loves (1 John 4:8) and hates (Proverbs 6:16-19). (For details and for free course visit <www.missionstraining.org>)

True meaning of Christmas

The true meaning of Christmas is love. John 3:16-17 says, “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life. For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him.” 
The true meaning of Christmas is the celebration of this incredible act of love.

THEOLOGY VII. God the Trinity

THEOLOGY

VII. God the Trinity - Before studying the Trinity, let us consider various concepts of God. Theism is the belief in one or more gods. Classical theism is the belief in one infinite God, which is distinguished from the cosmos; and this God created, sustains and guides the cosmos. In classical theism, God is both transcendent (removed from the universe) and immanent (present in the universe). Classical theism includes Christianity, Judaism, and Islam. Deism holds that God created the cosmos, but God does not continue to guide it. In deism, God is transcendent, but not immanent. Pantheism is the idea that God is the universe. In pantheism, God is immanent, but not transcendent. Polytheism is the belief in more than one god. Monotheism is the belief in one god. Classical theism is monotheistic.

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD- Intellectually, God is Omniscient, Faithful, and Wise

THE ATTRIBUTES OF GOD- 
Intellectually, God is Omniscient, Faithful, and Wise
 
God differs from other spirits not only in being but also in knowledge.  His intellectual capabilities are unlimited, and He uses them fully and perfectly.
 
God is omniscient.  God knows all things (1 John 3:20).  Jesus has this attribute of deity also, for Peter says, “Lord, You know all things; You know that I love You” (John 21:17).  God knows all inward thoughts and outward acts of humanity (Psalm 139).  “Nothing in all creation is hidden from God’s sight.  Everything is uncovered and laid bare before the eyes of Him to Whom we must give account” (Hebrews 4:13).  Isaiah distinguished the Lord of all from idols by the Lord’s ability to predict the future (Isaiah 44:7-8, 25-28).  Clearly the Lord’s knowledge of the future was communicable in human concepts and words.  In the context of Isaiah He made predictions concerning Jerusalem, Judah, Cyrus, and the temple.  These concepts were inspired in the original language and are translatable in the languages of the world.

Should Christians celebrate Christmas?”

Answer: The debate about whether or not Christians should celebrate Christmas has been raging for centuries. There are equally sincere and committed Christians on both sides of the issue, each with multiple reasons why or why not Christmas should be celebrated in Christian homes. But what does the Bible say? Does the Bible give clear direction as to whether Christmas is a holiday to be celebrated by Christians?