This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” published by the MBC’s High Street Press (visit highstreet.press). The Bible reveals both the personhood and deity of the Holy Spirit. In this column, we focus on the Spirit as a person, for without personhood the Spirit cannot be divine. In the next column, we show from Scripture how this person possesses all the attributes of deity. One of the clearest demonstrations of the Holy Spirit’s … [Read more...]
The Holy Spirit is God
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” published by the MBC’s High Street Press (visit highstreet.press). In some ways, the Holy Spirit is the neglected, if not forgotten, member of the Trinity. The biblical doctrines of foreknowledge, election, predestination, and adoption awaken us to the eternal love of God the Father. Through the Incarnation, the second person of the triune Godhead becomes flesh and pitches His tent with … [Read more...]
The mystery of the Incarnation
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” published by the MBC’s High Street Press. In previous columns, we explored the Incarnation – God becoming human in Jesus of Nazareth. While Jesus shares all the divine attributes of God the Father and the Holy Spirit (Col. 2:9), He is unique among the persons of the Godhead in that only He has taken on human flesh. That is so Jesus could experience the full range of humanity, including … [Read more...]
Incarnational heresies
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. In recent columns, we explored the Incarnation – God becoming flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. Before moving on in our study of the Trinity, we should note a number of heretical views that have plagued Christianity throughout its history. The church has effectively countered some of these false teachings, while others continue to rear … [Read more...]
Key passages about the Incarnation
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. Let’s look briefly at six key passages of Scripture that help us understand what it means when the apostle John writes, “The Word became flesh” (John 1:14). John 1:14 – “The Word became flesh and dwelt among us. We observed his glory, the glory as the one and only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.” The eternal Son of God has always … [Read more...]
Ten truths about the Incarnation
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. In previous columns, we sought to establish that the Incarnation means the eternal Son of God took on human flesh in the person of Jesus of Nazareth. As such, Jesus is one person in two distinct but undivided natures: human and divine. In addition, we explored how these two natures work together as the eternal Son of God adds sinless humanity to … [Read more...]
MBC President discusses stewardship
EDITOR’S NOTE: The following article was first published in the Missouri Baptist Convention’s (MBC) weekly online newsletter, The Stewardship Journal, which offers practical advice and tips on your church’s financial health. To subscribe to the journal, visit https://mobaptist.org/stewardship/stewardship-journal. JEFFERSON CITY – Missouri Baptists are blessed with great leaders and pastors who model biblical stewardship.The Stewardship Journal will be featuring many of these leaders in … [Read more...]
The doctrine of the Incarnation
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. Lorenzo Snow, fifth president of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, once claimed the Spirit of God fell upon him and revealed a principle that has become an apt summary of Mormonism: “As man now is, God once was; As God now is, man may be.” In other words, the LDS god of this world once was a mere human who attained deity, showing … [Read more...]
Jesus as the God-Man
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. Christians often find it necessary to defend the deity of Christ, especially in conversations with those who vigorously deny this biblical truth. For example, Muslims hold Jesus in high regard as a virgin-born, miracle-working, sinless prophet, but they draw the line at His divinity. Jehovah’s Witnesses grant Jesus the status of “mighty … [Read more...]
Jesus as the only begotten
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. In the previous column, we showed how Jehovah’s Witnesses twist the use of “firstborn” in Scripture to deny the deity of Christ. They also misuse the term “only begotten,” which appears several times in the Gospel of John, most notably in John 3:16: “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him … [Read more...]
Jesus as the firstborn over creation
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. As we have seen in previous columns, the Bible declares Jesus the eternal Son of God. Even so, why does the apostle Paul depict Jesus as “the firstborn over all creation” (Col. 1:15)? Jehovah’s Witnesses have a disturbing take on this. Consider how the Watch Tower renders Colossians 1:15-17 in its New World Translation: “He is the image of … [Read more...]
Other witnesses to Christ’s deity
This is another in a series of excerpts from “What Every Christian Should Know About the Trinity,” available through Amazon and other booksellers. In previous columns, we saw how John and Paul affirm the deity of Jesus. Here, we briefly survey the witness of the author of Hebrews, as well as Peter. Hebrews 1:2-3 – Note several truths about Christ’s deity in these verses. First, God made the universe through Jesus. That is, Jesus is the Creator. When the writer of Hebrews says “through … [Read more...]
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