Friday, November 30, 2007

Christmas Gifts

WITHOUT CHRISTMAS – THERE COULD BE NO EASTER!

WITHOUT EASTER – THERE COULD BE NO CHRISTMAS GIFTS!

“... whoever loses his life for my sake will find it!” (Matthew 10:39)

I am come that they may have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.
I am the good shepherd: the good shepherd giveth his life for the sheep.
(John 10: 10 & 11)

  • Regeneration -- i.e., the change of the sinner’s nature by the action of the Holy Spirit!
  • Justification -- i.e., the change of the sinner’s standing by a declarative act of God in which sins are remitted and the sinner is freed from condemnation!
  • Sanctification =d the process by which regenerate persons are gradually transformed into the image and likeness of Jesus Christ!

Salvation by Grace through Faith!

1 comment:

DMarlowe said...

Thanks for the St. Nick facts. My wife and I experienced some interesting conversations relative to the meaning of Christmas and the idolatry that surrounds it. We have been teaching folks that December 25 is not the day of the birth of Jesus as it has been commercialized. Biblically, and therefore accurately, Jesus was conceived around the middle of December. Zacharias left his temple duties in July, as bible scholars and historians have documented, and it took him 5 months travel to return home to Elizabeth (Luke 1:24). The Bible says, "And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth to a virgin..." (Luke 1:26-27). Therefore, Jesus was conceived a month after Elizabeth's 5th month (November) of conception of John the Baptist and thus six months after Zacharias left the temple(December). On December 25 our celebration ought to be focused on the conception of our Lord and Savior, and most significantly on our "conception" of him in our life through the ministry of the Holy Spirit or the day that the love of Jesus Christ was conceived in you. The gift exchange of most importance and significance is God's gift to all mankind. John 3:16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life." Herein lies the everlasting spirit of truth relative to the reason for every season. At the moment when you, "... shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Your confession is your acknowledgement that the "conception" of the Word of God (John 1) has been revealed to you through the power of the the Holy Spirit and that the example of love expressed trhough the life of Jesus Christ actually ocurred and continues to occur in the hearts of men, and that it is such love that can quicken your spirit at the point of death. That is to say that the love of Jesus Christ can conquer death and put you in the presence of the almighty God in an instant (To be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord). 2 Cr 5:8 "We are confident, [I say], and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord." May the grace of Goad dwell with and in you forevermore, Amen.