Family life and the Gospel

The Gospel

GOD IS A SPIRIT AND WISHES TO BE WORSHIPPED ONLY IN THE WAY HE HAS APPOINTED. GOD HAS GIVEN MAN THE BIBLE SUCH THAT MAN MIGHT KNOW HOW TO GLORIFY HIM AND ENJOY HIM FOREVER; Jesus Christ said :

"GOD IS A SPIRIT : AND THEY THAT WORSHIP HIM MUST WORSHIP HIM IN SPIRIT AND TRUTH" John 4 : 24

JESUS CHRIST (BORN OF A VIRGIN) IS THE SINLESS GOD-MAN & THE CREATOR OF THE UNIVERSE ; Jesus Christ said :

"I AND MY FATHER ARE ONE" John 10 : 30

JESUS CHRIST , THE SON OF GOD, IS THE ONLY WAY TO THE FATHER; Jesus Christ said :

" I AM THE WAY, THE TRUTH AND THE LIFE, NO MAN COMETH UNTO THE FATHER, BUT BY ME" John 14 : 6

JESUS CHRIST COMMANDS REPENTANCE FROM SIN [TRANSGRESSION OF HIS COMMANDMENTS] : ALL ARE GUILTY BEFORE GOD; Jesus Christ said :

"THAT WHICH COMMETH OUT OF A MAN, THAT DEFILETH THE MAN. FOR FROM WITHIN, OUT OF THE HEART OF MEN, PROCEED EVIL THOUGHTS, ADULTERIES, FORNICATIONS, MURDERS, THEFTS, COVETOUSNESS, WICKEDNESS, DECEIT, LASCIVIOUSNESS, AN EVIL EYE, BLASPHEMY, PRIDE, FOOLISHNESS ; ALL THESE EVIL THINGS COME FROM WITHIN AND DEFILE THE MAN". Mark 7 : 19-23 SEE ALSO EXODUS 20 : 1-18

JESUS CHRIST SUFFERED THE WRATH OF HIS FATHER ON THE CROSS FOR THE SIN OF HIS PEOPLE, THAT THEY MIGHT BE SET FREE FROM THE LEGAL GUILT & POWER OF SIN : Jesus Christ said :

"FOR THIS IS MY BLOOD OF THE NEW TESTAMENT, WHICH IS SHED FOR MANY FOR THE REMISSION OF SINS" Matthew 26 : 28

JESUS CHRIST WAS RAISED FROM THE DEAD & WILL COME TO JUDGE THE WORLD : Jesus Christ said :

"I AM HE THAT LIVETH AND WAS DEAD ; AND BEHOLD I AM ALIVE FOR EVERMORE, AMEN ; AND HAVE THE KEYS OF HELL AND DEATH". Revelation 1 :18

GOOD WORKS DO NOT BRING A MAN TO THE FATHER, FOR "THE JUST SHALL LIVE BY FAITH" - ETERNAL LIFE IS A GIFT GIVEN [ BY GRACE THROUGH FAITH ALONE ] ONLY TO THOSE THE FATHER & SON HAVE CHOSEN : Jesus Christ said :

"......NEITHER KNOWETH ANY MAN THE FATHER, SAVE THE SON, AND HE TO WHOMSOEVER THE SON WILL REVEAL HIM" Matthew 11 : 27

"AND JESUS SAID TO THE CENTURION, GO THY WAY ; AND AS THOU HAST BELIEVED, SO BE IT DONE UNTO THEE...." Matthew 8 : 13

SEE ALSO EPHESIANS 2 : 8-10 & ROMANS 1:17

WHOSOEVER TRULY BELIEVES ON THE LORD JESUS CHRIST [THAT IS TO BE BORN AGAIN], TAKING HIM AS THEIR PERSONAL LORD AND SAVIOUR, HAS ETERNAL LIFE : Jesus Christ said :

"GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD, THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH ON HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" John 3 : 16

JESUS CHRIST WARNED HIS PEOPLE THAT THE CHRISTIAN WALK IS EXCLUSIVE, DIFFICULT AND TESTING : Jesus Christ said :

"....BECAUSE STRAIT IS THE GATE, AND NARROW IS THE WAY, WHICH LEADETH TO ETERNAL LIFE, AND FEW THERE BE THAT FIND IT" Matthew 7 :14

Luther on the death [ or capital punishment ] of Christ.

HE WAS TAKEN FROM PRISON AND FROM JUDGMENT ; AND WHO SHALL DECLARE HIS GENERATION ? FOR HE WAS CUT OFF OUT OF THE LAND OF THE LIVING : FOR THE TRANSGRESSION OF MY PEOPLE WAS HE STRICKEN. ISAIAH 53 : 8

"All the prophets well foresaw in the Spirit, that Christ, by imputation, would become the greatest sinner upon the face of the earth, and a sacrifice for the sins of the whole world * ; would be no more considered an innocent person and without sin, or the Son of God in glory, but a notorious sinner, and so be for a while forsaken (Psal. 22), and have lying upon his neck the sins of all mankind *; the sins of ..( the Apostle )..Paul, who was a blasphemer and a persecutor of the church; ..( the Apostle ) ..Peter's sins, that denied Christ; David's sins, who was an adulterer and a murderer, through whom the name of the Lord among the heathen was blasphemed.

Therefore the law, which Moses gave to be executed upon all malefactors and murderers in general, took hold on Christ, finding Him with and among sinners and murderers, though in His own person innocent.

This manner of picturing Christ to us, the sophists, robbers of God, obscure and falsify; for they will not that Christ was made a curse for us, to the end He might deliver us from the curse of the law, nor that He has anything to do with sin and poor sinners ; though for their sakes alone was He made man and died, but they set before us merely Christ's examples, which they say we ought to imitate and follow; and thus they not only steal from Christ His proper name and title, but also make of Him a severe and angry judge, a fearful and horrible tyrant, full of wrath against poor sinners, and bent on condemning them." [ Luther speaks in the context of Christ's offer to sinners...."Come unto me all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly of heart : and ye shall find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light" Matthew 11 : 28 - 30. ]

*that is, sinners from every nation in the world. Christ did not atone for the sin of every single sinner in the world.

CHRIST HAS REDEEMED US FROM THE CURSE OF THE LAW, BEING MADE A CURSE FOR US : FOR IT IS WRITTEN, CURSED IS EVERYONE THAT HANGETH ON A TREE GALATIANS 3 : 13

" The greatest wonder ever on earth is, that the son of God died the shameful death of the cross. It is astonishing, that the Father should say to His only Son, who by nature is God : Go, let them hang Thee on the gallows. The love of the everlasting Father was immeasurably greater towards His only begotten Son than the love of Abraham towards Isaac; for the Father testifies from heaven : "This is my beloved Son in whom I am well pleased;" yet He was cast away so lamentably, like a worm, a scorn of men, and outcast of the people.

At this the blind understanding of man stumbles, saying, Is this the only begotten Son of the everlasting Father - how then deals He so unmercifully with Him ? he showed Himself more kind to Caiaphas, Herod, and Pilate, than towards His only beloved Son. But to true Christians, it is the greatest comfort; for we therein recognise that the merciful Lord God and Father so loved the poor condemned world that He spared not His only begotten Son, but gave Him up for us all [ that is, God's chosen ], that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

They who are tormented with high spiritual temptations, which everyone is not able to endure, should have this example before their eyes, when they are in sorrow and heaviness of spirit, fearing God's wrath, the day of judgment, and everlasting death, and such like fiery darts of the devil. Let them comfort themselves, that although they often feel such intolerable sufferings, yet are they never the more rejected of God, but are of Him better beloved, seeing He makes them like His own beloved Son; and let them believe, that as they suffer with Him, so will He also deliver them out of their sufferings. For such as will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution ; yet one more than another, according to everyone's strength or weakness in the faith : "For God is true who will not suffer us to be tempted above what we are able to bear".

Family life and the scripture

" ...BE FILLED WITH THE SPIRIT..........SUBMITTING YOURSELVES ONE TO ANOTHER IN THE FEAR OF GOD" EPHESIANS 5: 18-21.

The wife & the scripture

SHE IS TO BE IN SUBJECTION TO HER HUSBAND:

"LET THE WOMAN LEARN IN SILENCE WITH ALL SUBJECTION. BUT I SUFFER NOT A WOMAN TO TEACH, NOR TO USURP AUTHORITY OVER THE MAN, BUT TO BE IN SILENCE. FOR ADAM WAS FIRST FORMED THEN EVE". 1 Timothy 2:11 -13

"WIVES SUBMIT YOURSELVES UNTO YOUR HUSBANDS, AS UNTO THE LORD. FOR THE HUSBAND IS THE HEAD OF THE WIFE, EVEN AS CHRIST IS THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH; AND HE IS THE SAVIOUR OF THE BODY" Ephesians 5 : 22 - 23.

SHE IS TO BE A CHILD BEARER

"NOT WITHSTANDING SHE SHALL BE SAVED IN CHILDBEARING, IF THEY CONTINUE IN FAITH AND CHARITY AND HOLINESS WITH SOBRIETY". 1.Timothy 2:15

SHE IS TO KEEP THE HOUSE

" I WILL THEREFORE THAT THE YOUNGER WOMEN MARRY, BEAR CHILDREN, GUIDE THE HOUSE, GIVE NONE OCCASION FOR THE ADVERSARY TO SPEAK REPROACHFULLY" 1 Timothy 5:14

Family life : The husband & the Scripture

HE IS TO CLEAVE TO HIS WIFE

FOR THIS CAUSE SHALL A MAN LEAVE HIS FATHER AND MOTHER, AND SHALL BE JOINED UNTO HIS WIFE, AND THEY TWO SHALL BE ONE FLESH. THIS IS A MYSTERY : BUT I SPEAK CONCERNING CHRIST AND THE CHURCH" Ephesians 5 : 31-32.

HE IS TO LOVE HIS WIFE

"HUSBANDS, LOVE YOUR WIVES, EVEN AS CHRIST ALSO LOVED THE CHURCH AND GAVE HIMSELF FOR IT" Ephesians 5 : 25

HE IS TO BRING UP THE CHILDREN IN THE FAITH

"AND YE FATHERS. PROVOKE NOT YOUR CHILDREN TO WRATH: BUT BRING THEM UP IN THE NURTURE AND ADMONITION OF THE LORD"

EPHESIANS 6: 4

Family life : The children & the scripture.

THEY ARE TO OBEY THEIR PARENTS [ BUT ONLY AS FAR AS SCRIPTURE IS NOT COMPROMISED i.e. IN THE LORD ]

"CHILDREN, OBEY YOUR PARENTS IN THE LORD : FOR THIS IS RIGHT. HONOUR THY FATHER AND THY MOTHER; [ WHICH IS THE FIRST COMMANDMENT WITH PROMISE ] , THAT IT MAY BE WELL WITH THEE AND THOU MAYEST LIVE LONG UPON THE EARTH. EPHESIANS 6: 1-3

SEE ALSO THE 5th COMMANDMENT - EXODUS 20

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