What does the bible say about Christ's pre-existence?

Daniel 3:25 “Lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is like the Son of God.”

Micah 5:2 “But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.”

Other Translations: 

Micah 5:2 Good News Translation (GNT) "The Lord says, “Bethlehem Ephrathah, you are one of the smallest towns in Judah, but out of you I will bring a ruler for Israel, whose family line goes back to ancient times.”

Micah 5:2 God's Word Translation (GW) "You, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are too small to be included among Judah’s cities. Yet, from you Israel’s future ruler will come for me. His origins go back to the distant past, to days long ago."

Micah 5:2 Easy-to-Read Version (ERV) "But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, are the smallest town in Judah. Your family is almost too small to count, but the “Ruler of Israel” will come from you to rule for me. His beginnings^[a] are from ancient times, from long, long ago."

Micah 5:2 Contemporary English Version (CEV) "Bethlehem Ephrath, you are one of the smallest towns in the nation of Judah. But the Lord will choose one of your people to rule the nation— someone whose family goes back to ancient times.^[a]" 

John 1:1-3 “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. 2 The same was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.”

John 3:17 “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved.”

John 8:58 NLT “Jesus answered, “The truth is, I existed before Abraham was even born!”

John 16:28 “I came forth from the Father, and am come into the world: again, I leave the world, and go to the Father.”

John 17:5 “And now, O Father, glorify you me with thine own self with the glory which I had with you before the world was.”

John 17:24 “Father, I will that they also, whom you have given me, be with me where I am; that they may behold my glory, which you have given me: for you loved me before the foundation of the world.”

Colossians 1:15-17 “Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: 16 For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: 17 And he is before all things, and by him all things consist.”

Hebrews 1:1-2 “God, who at sundry times and in divers manners spoke in time past unto the fathers by the prophets, 2 Has in these last days spoken unto us by his Son, whom he has appointed heir of all things, by whom also he made the worlds;”

Hebrews 1:10 “And, You, Lord, in the beginning have laid the foundation of the earth; and the heavens are the works of thine hands:”

1 John 4:9 “because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him.”

Revelation 22:13 “I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last.”

A mere profession of godliness is worthless

A mere profession of godliness is worthless. It is he that abideth in Christ that is a Christian. For “every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” In every clime, in every nation, our youth should cooperate with God. The only way a person can be pure is to become like-minded with God. How can we know God?—By studying his word. “And this is life eternal, that they might know thee the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom thou hast sent.”     

Of what profit is it to say pleasant things, to deplore the works of Satan, and yet at the same time to enter into the fulfillment of all his devices? This is being double-minded. “Wash ye, make you clean: put away the evil of your doings from before mine eyes, cease to do evil; learn to do well; seek judgment, relieve the oppressed, judge the fatherless, plead for the widow. Come now, and let us reason together, saith the Lord: though your sins be as scarlet, they shall be as white as snow; though they be red like crimson, they shall be as wool. If ye be willing and obedient, ye shall eat the good of the land: but if ye refuse and rebel, ye shall be devoured with the sword: for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it.”  

There must be a cleansing of the hands, and a purifying of the double mind. “Be afflicted, and weep and mourn: let your laughter be turned into mourning, and your joy into heaviness.” It is right to be cheerful, and even joyful. It is right to cultivate cheerfulness of spirit through sanctification of the truth; but it is not right to indulge in foolish jesting and joking, in lightness and trifling, in words of criticism and condemnation of others. Those who observe such persons who make a profession of religion, know that they are deceived. They know that the hands of such professors need to be cleansed, their hearts need to be purified. They need to experience genuine repentance for sin. What have they to mourn over? They should mourn over their inclination to sin, over the danger they are in from inward corruption and from outward temptation. They should be afraid because they have so feeble a sense of the sinfulness of sin, and so little idea of what constitutes sin.  

When you truly repent of sin, you will not be satisfied to acknowledge simply that you are sinful, and let the matter rest there. Do you intend to remain sinful while life shall last? Do you mean to violate your conscience? Do you mean to do evil always? What does the Lord say to those who have had light, and yet have failed to live in accordance with it? “Therefore to him that knoweth to do good, and doeth it not, to him it is sin.” “Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.” There is a repentance of sin that needeth not to be repented of. “And every man that hath this hope in him purifieth himself, even as he is pure.”  

Does this text mean that the human agent can remove one stain of sin from his soul?—No. Then what does it mean to purify himself?—It means to look upon the Lord's great moral standard of righteousness, the holy law of God, and see that he is a sinner in the light of that law. “Whosoever committeth sin transgresseth also the law: for sin is the transgression of the law. And ye know that he was manifested to take away our sin; and in him is no sin.” It is through faith in Jesus Christ that the truth is accepted in the heart and the human agent is purified and cleansed. Jesus was “wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.” Is it possible to be healed, while knowingly committing sin?—No; it is genuine faith that says, I know that I have committed sin, but that Jesus has pardoned my sin; and hereafter I will resist temptation in and through his might. “Every man that hath this hope in him [abiding in him] purifieth himself, even as he is pure.” He has an abiding principle in the soul, that enables him to overcome temptation. “Whosoever abideth in him sinneth not.” God has power to keep the soul who is in Christ, when that soul is under temptation. “Whosoever sinneth hath not seen him, neither known him.” That is, every one who is a true believer is sanctified through the truth, in life and character. “Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth [not professeth to do] righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.” “Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; ... because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil.” Now mark where the distinction is made: “Whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither is he that loveth not his brother.” “My little children, let us not love in word, neither in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”    The Youth's Instructor, February 15, 1894

Secular evidence of Jesus existence

Bible History    November 2019

The first historical evidence for the life of Jesus, mentioned outside of the Bible, comes from a Jewish historian by the name of Josephus.

Josephus was born in 37 A.D., just a few years after the crucifixion of the Lord Jesus Christ. He was the son of a priest named Matthias and at the age of 19 he became a Pharisee in Jerusalem. Later in his life he was appointed a commander in Galilee during the Jewish revolt against Rome.
      

After surrendering to the Romans, he was taken before the Roman Commander Vespasian and prophesied that God had shown him in a dream that Vespasian and his son Titus would soon become Emperor's of Rome. Shortly afterwards the dream became reality and Josephus became a member of Vespasian's household. During his stay in Rome he wrote two works dealing with Jewish history.
       

In his work entitled Jewish Antiquities, which was written between 70 and 100 A.D., he mentions Jesus the Messiah.

Josephus is quoted below by Eusebius, an early Christian Bishop, in 324 A.D.:
       

"It was during this timeframe that Jesus lived, a wise man, if anyone could really call him a man. For he did many deeds that were out of the ordinary and was an instructor of those who accept the truth. Many of the Jews and Greeks put their trust in him. He being the Messiah. When our chief leaders accused him, Pilate condemned him to the cross, but his original disciples continued to follow him; for he had appeared before them on the third day alive again, as the prophets of God had spoken of these and countless other marvelous things about him. And the tribe of Christians, who had been named after him, remains to this present day."
      A later Arabic manuscript written by a tenth-century Melkite historian named Agapius also quotes from the same passage of Josephus as follows:
      "During this time there was a wise man named Jesus, and his actions were good, and he was known to be holy. Many people among the Jews and from other nations became his followers. He was condemned to be crucified and to die by the order of Pilate. But those who had become his disciples did not stray from his teaching. They proclaimed that he had appeared to them three days after his crucifixion and that he was restored to life. Thus, he may have been the Christ, of whom wondrous things have been spoken of through the prophets. And the Christians, who were known by his name, have remained to this very day."
     

 These statements confirm the following Christian truths found in the Bible:

1) Jesus was the Messiah spoken of by the prophets.  

2) He performed miracles.

3) He was crucified under Pontius Pilate

4) He arose from the dead three days later and appeared to his disciples.

Jesus Christ was not just another man, He was God in human flesh. There is no greater truth than knowing Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior.    

Sources:

1) Josephus The Essential Writings, Author: Paul L. Maier, ISBN 0-8254-2964-1
Pg.10-11 (Josephus background), Pg.264-265 (Jesus history).

2) Antiquities of the Jews - The Historian Flavius Josephus.
Book 18 Chapter 3 (Josephus's account of Jesus in history showing Jesus was real).          

Is the Holy Spirit a personal Holy Spirit?

Behold those disciples, hidden in that upper chamber for fear of the priests and rulers. They were to go everywhere to preach the Word. They were to speak with new tongues, not a foreign language, but words eloquent from lips which had been touched with a live coal from off the altar. After the disciples had received the baptism of the Holy Spirit, the priests and rulers marveled at the words which they spake, for they knew them as unlearned and ignorant men. But they took knowledge of them that they had been with Jesus. 

Their teaching was a second edition of the teachings of Christ, the utterance of simple, grand truths that flashed light into darkened minds, and converted thousands in a day. The disciples began to understand that Christ was their advocate in the heavenly courts, and that He was glorified. They could speak because the Holy Spirit gave them utterance. “The entrance of Thy words giveth light; it giveth understanding unto the simple” [Psalm 119:130].  

Bible truth spoken by sanctified lips is eloquence and power. The disciples had a saving understanding of the words of Christ. Because they were united with Christ, eating His flesh and drinking His blood, the inspired book was to them spirit and life. We may understand the Bible as we understand other books, but it is not thus taken into our minds and hearts as the living bread from heaven...

“Greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto My Father.” He would then intercede for them, and would send His own representative, the Holy Spirit, who would attend them in their work. This representative would not appear in human form, but by faith would be seen and recognized by all who believe in Christ....

Before He left them, Christ gave His followers a positive promise that after His ascension He would send them the Holy Spirit. “Go ye therefore,” He said, “and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father [a personal God] and of the Son [a personal Saviour], and of the Holy Ghost [sent from heaven to represent Christ]: teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world” [Matthew 28:19, 20]

This positive assurance was given to the disciples, to be given to all who should believe on Him to the close of this earth's history.  

Christ desired His disciples to understand that He would not leave them orphans. “I will not leave you comfortless,” He declared; “I will come to you. Yet a little while, and the world seeth Me no more; but ye see Me: because I live, ye shall live also” [verses 18, 19]. A precious, glorious assurance of eternal life! Even though He was to be absent, their relation to Him was to be that of a child to its parent.  

The influence of the Holy Spirit is the life of Christ in the soul. We do not see Christ and speak to Him, but His Holy Spirit is just as near us in one place as in another. He works in and through every one who receives Christ. Those who know the indwelling of the Spirit reveal the fruits of the Spirit—love, joy, peace, long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith.   MR 12 pp 257-261

- Definitions -

Name:  Authority; behalf; part; as in the name of the people. When a man speaks or acts in the name of another, he does it by their authority or in their behalf, as their representative.  Webster

Baptize: To administer the sacrament of baptism to; to christen. By some denominations of christians, baptism is performed by plunging, or immersing the whole body in water. Webster

Personal:  1. Of, relating to, or affecting a particular person; 2. Done in person without the intervention of another; 3. relating to the person or body; 4. Relating to an individual or an individual's character; 5. a) being rational and self-conscious;  b) having the qualities of a person rather than a thing or abstraction. Webster 
1. Relating to an individual; 2. Pertaining to the corporal nature; 3. Present in person; not acting by representative. Webster 1828

Representative:  1. Exhibiting a similitude; 2. Bearing the character or power of another; 3. One that exhibits the likeness of another.  Webster

Represent: 1. To show or exhibit by resemblance; 2. To describe; 3. To exhibit; 4. To personate; to act the character;  5. To supply the place of; to act as a substitute for another; 6. To show by arguments, reasoning or statement of facts; 7. To stand in the place of. Webster

Is Christ God?

This name was not given to Christ in consequence of some great achievement, but it is His by right of inheritance. Speaking of the power and greatness of Christ, the writer to the Hebrews says that He is made so much better than the angels, because "He hath by inheritance obtained a more excellent name than they." Heb. 1:4. A son always rightfully takes the name of the father; and Christ, as "the only begotten Son of God," has rightfully the same name. A son, also, is, to a greater or less degree, a reproduction of the father; he has to some extent the features and personal characteristics of his father; not perfectly, because there is no perfect reproduction among mankind. But there is no imperfection in God, or in any of His works, and so Christ is the "express image" of the Father's person. Heb. 1:3. As the Son of the self- existent God, He has by nature all the attributes of Deity.
It is true that there are many sons of God, but Christ is the "only begotten Son of God," and therefore the Son of God in a sense in which no other being ever was or ever can be. The angels are sons of God, as was Adam (Job 38:7; Luke 3:38), by creation; Christians are the sons of God by adoption (Rom. 8:14, 15), but Christ is the Son of God by birth. The writer to the Hebrews further shows that the position of the Son of God is not one to which Christ has been elevated, but that it is one which He has by right.” Ellet J. Waggoner,  Christ And His Righteousness, pp. 9-10, 1890 

Changes and Omissions to Daniel & Revelation

Recently I was able to acquire a copy of the ‘Daniel and Revelation’ by Uriah Smith dated 1918.   Since then I have been comparing this with the modern one.  I have only read a small portion, so there may be a lot more.



There have been changes to sentence construction, and although this might make it more modern, it was not entirely unnecessary, as the wording of Brother Smith is completely understandable. Here is an example of changes to sentence construction.



Here is an example.  The original states, “Having taken the book, the Lamb proceeds at once to open the seals and the attention of the apostle is called to the scenes that transpire under each seal.  The number seven has already been noticed as denoting in the Scriptures completeness and perfection.”  p431.



The later one states, “The Lamb takes the book and proceeds at once to open the seals.  The attention of the apostle is called to the scenes that transpire under each seal.    The number seven has already been noticed as denoting completeness and perfection in the Scriptures.”   p425.



But the main difference is the omission of everything relating to Christ being the literal Son of God.  On page 422 and 423 of the new edition, relating to ‘A Clean Universe (Revelation 4:13.14), a large amount has been omitted, half of which is shown below.  This is the part that refers to Christ.



Commencing with a sentence in both books, the old version says, “To the Lamb, equally with the Father who sits upon the throne, praise is ascribed in this song of adoration.



‘Blessing, and honor, and glory, and power, be unto Him that sitteth upon the throne, and unto the Lamb forever and ever.’  Revelation 5:13.”



Many read these words and see a Trinity, but Brother Smith tried to avoid this conclusion by his words.  “Commentators, with great unanimity, have seized upon this as proof that Christ must be coeval (same age) with the Father; for otherwise, say they, here would be worship paid to the creature which belongs only to the Creator.  But this does not seem to be a necessary conclusion.  The Scriptures nowhere speak of Christ as a created being, but on the contrary plainly state that he was begotten of the Father. [See remarks on Rev 3:13, where it is shown that Christ is not a created being] 



The remarks on Rev 3:13 on page 400 are as follows, “Some attempt by this language to uphold the error that Christ was a created being, dating his existence anterior to that of any other created being or thing, next to the self-existent and eternal God.  But the language does not necessarily imply that he was created;  the word, ‘the beginning of the creation’, may simply signify that the work of creation, strictly speaking, was begun by him…. Christ is the agent through whom God created all things, but that the Son came into existence in a different manner, as he is called ‘the only begotten’ of the Father. It would seem utterly inappropriate to apply this expression to any being created in the ordinary sense of that term.”



Continuing the original section on p430,  “But, while as the Son he does not possess a co-eternity of past existence with the Father, the beginning of his existence, as the begotten of the Father, antedates the entire work of creation, in relation to which he stands as joint creator with God.  John 1:3; Heb 1:2.   

Could not the Father ordain that to such a being worship should be rendered equally with himself, without it’s being idolatry on the part of the worshipper?    He has raised him to positions which make it proper that he should be worshipped, and has even commanded that worship should be rendered him, which would not have been necessary had he been equal with the Father in eternity of existence.  Christ himself declares that ‘as the Father hath life in himself, so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself.’  John 5:26.  The Father has ‘highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name.’  Phil 2:9.   And the Father himself says, ‘Let all the angels of God worship him’. Heb 1:6.   These testimonies show that Christ is now an object of worship equally with the Father;  but they do not prove that with him he holds an eternity of past existence.”   Daniel and the Revelation p430. 1918 edition. Uriah Smith
 


There may be other references to Christ as God’s Son that are specific, however, I have not compared the whole book.   I feel this is enough to see that the work was done with a purpose.    Our Prophet Said

They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ

I approve of the efforts that have been made to establish our German and Scandinavian publishing work at College View. I hope that plans will be devised for the encouragement and strengthening of this work. 

The whole burden of the work must not be left with our foreign brethren. Nor should our brethren throughout the field leave too heavy a load on the conferences near College View. The members of these conferences should lead out and do their best, and all should come to their assistance. The truth is to be proclaimed to all nations and kindreds and tongues and peoples.

Our German and Danish and Swedish brethren have no good reason for not being able to act in harmony in the publishing work. Those who believe the truth should remember that they are God's little children, that they are under His training. Let them be thankful to God for His manifold mercies and be kind to one another. They have one God and one Saviour; and one Spirit—the Spirit of Christ—is to bring unity into their ranks.

  9 Testimonies p.189

Christ, the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God

The Sovereign of the universe was not alone in His work of beneficence. He had an associate—a co-worker who could appreciate His purposes, and could share His joy in giving happiness to created beings. “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God.” John 1:1, 2. Christ, the Word, the only begotten of God, was one with the eternal Father—one in nature, in character, in purpose—the only being that could enter into all the counsels and purposes of God. “His name shall be called Wonderful, Counselor, The mighty God, The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace.” Isaiah 9:6. His “goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting.” Micah 5:2. And the Son of God declares concerning Himself: “The Lord possessed Me in the beginning of His way, before His works of old. I was set up from everlasting.... When He appointed the foundations of the earth: then I was by Him, as one brought up with Him: and I was daily His delight, rejoicing always before Him.” Proverbs 8:22-30.    Patriarchs and Prophets p. 34

The Son of God by birth

“The Word was ‘in the beginning’. The mind of man  cannot grasp the ages that are spanned in this phrase. It is not given to men to know when or how the Son was begotten; but we know that He was the Divine Word, not simply before He came to this earth to die, but even before the world was created… We know that Christ ‘proceeded forth and came from God’ (John 8:42), but it was so far back in the ages of eternity as to be far beyond the grasp of the mind of man.”     

“It is true that there are many sons of God; but Christ is the ‘only-begotten Son of God’, and therefore the Son of God in a sense in which no other being ever was, or ever can be. The angels are sons of God, as was Adam by creation; Christians are the sons of God by adoption, but Christ is the Son of God by birth.”  Christ and His Righteousness p. 16 & 19

O foolish SDA's

I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain. 

O foolish Galatians (Seventh Day Adventists), who hath bewitched you, that ye should not obey the truth, before whose eyes Jesus Christ hath been evidently set forth, crucified among you?   
This only would I learn of you, Received ye the Spirit by the works of the law, or by the hearing of faith?
Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?
       


Galatians 2:20-21 & 3:1-3 KJV

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.

The Witness of John

(Malachi 3:1-5)

6There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe. 8He was not that Light, but was sent to bear witness of that Light.

9That was the true Light, which lighteth every man that cometh into the world. 10He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not. 11He came unto his own, and his own received him not. 12But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: 13Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.

 John 1:6-13 

The Suffering Servant

(Matthew 26:57-68; Mark 14:53-65; John 18:19-24; 1 Peter 2:21-25)

1Who hath believed our report? and to whom is the arm of the LORD revealed?

2For he shall grow up before him as a tender plant, and as a root out of a dry ground: he hath no form nor comeliness; and when we shall see him, there is no beauty that we should desire him.

3He is despised and rejected of men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief: and we hid as it were our faces from him; he was despised, and we esteemed him not.

4Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted.

5But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.

6All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all.

7He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth: he is brought as a lamb to the slaughter, and as a sheep before her shearers is dumb, so he openeth not his mouth.

8He 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 53:1-8 

Note:  To think that the person the Jews had waited so long for, they ended up rejecting. This is an important prophecy in terms of explaining why the Jews are still waiting for a Messiah and why Jesus was crucified.

 

Do you believe God has a Son?

If you are a Roman Catholic, you will say YES because the Creed of Athanasius says Jesus was begotten in eternity, the same substance as the Father.    

​

If you are a Protestant, you will say YES because the Council of Nicaea voted that Christ is of the same substance as the Father.

If you are Orthodox (any kind), you will say YES because of the decision of the  Council of Nicaea.

If you are an Anglican, you will say YES because it is contained in the Thirty Nine Articles of Faith.

If you are a Jehovah's Witness, you will say YES because the Watchtower decrees that Christ was the first of God's creation.

If you are a Mormon , you will say YES, even though it is believed Jesus was the literal spirit brother of Lucifer, a creation.

If you are a Seventh-day Adventist, you will say YES because the Bible says Jesus is the Son of God.​

****************************************

Press a little harder and you will see that not one of the above really believes God has a Son -- a strong statement in the light of each answer, but think it through.

If Christ is eternal with the Father, He cannot be a begotten Son.  A Son must come forth from the being of the Father at some point in time.

The Council of Nicaea placed the word consubstantial in the creed (Greek - homoosius - meaning 'same substance') to separate the majority of council members from Arius who believed Christ was of 'like substance' (homoiosius) begotten of the Father.  All who believed in 'like substance' were banished from the realm.

​If Christ was created by the Father, He is a created son and not a begotten Son.​

​​

To believe Christ is the Son of God because the Bible says so is commendable, but it must be believed.  

According to John's epistle, "He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself:  he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of His Son."  John 5:10.   This text is not speaking of a salvational belief in God's Son, but whether God sent His Son.

​

Ask yourself the question:

Did God have a Son to send?

Think about it.  

Your answer could condemn you.

 Or it will prove you believe the record that God did indeed have a Son to send. 

Do you believe God has a Son?

The subject of God's Son has many aspects that need to be pondered.   It is in fact, the most important subject in the Bible.  You may not have thought about it before, but it is wise to consider the question. After all, we are saved by God through His Son.  If we don't believe in God's real Son, we may not be saved in the end.

"He that hath the Son hath life;  and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."   1 John 5:12                                   Source

The Stranger of Galilee

SE Samonte

Published on Dec 5, 2015

In fancy I stood by the shore, one day, Of the beautiful murm’ring sea; I saw the great crowds as they thronged the way Of the Stranger of Galilee; I saw how the man who was blind from birth, In a moment was made to see; The lame was made whole by the matchless skill Of the Stranger of Galilee.

Refrain 1-3:
And I felt I could love Him forever, So gracious and tender was He! I claimed Him that day as my Savior, This Stranger of Galilee. His look of compassion, His words of love, They shall never forgotten be; When sin-sick and helpless He saw me there, This Stranger of Galilee; He showed me His hand and His riven side, And He whispered, “It was for thee!” My burden fell off at the pierced feet Of the Stranger of Galilee.

I heard Him speak peace to the angry waves, Of that turbulent, raging sea; And lo! at His word are the waters stilled, This Stranger of Galilee; A peaceful, a quiet, and holy calm, Now and ever abides with me; He holdeth my life in His mighty hands, This Stranger of Galilee.

Come, ye who are driven and tempest-tossed, And His gracious salvation see; He’ll quiet life’s storms with His “Peace, be still!” This Stranger of Galilee; He bids me to go and the story tell—
What He ever to you will be, If only you let Him with you abide, This Stranger of Galilee.

Refrain 4:
Oh, my friend, won’t you love Him forever? So gracious and tender is He! Accept Him today as your Savior, This Stranger of Galilee.

I never knew you

And while they went to buy, the bridegroom came; and they that were ready went in with him to 

the marriage: and the door was shut.

Afterward came also the other virgins, saying, Lord, Lord, open to us.

But he answered and said, Verily I say unto you, I know you not.

Watch therefore, for ye know neither the day nor the hour wherein the Son of man cometh.
Matthew 25:10-13 KJV

Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves.

Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles?

Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit.

18A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit.

Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire.

Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them.

Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.

Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?

And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Matthew 7:15-23. KJV

False wheat among the wheat

24 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is likened unto a man which sowed good seed in his field:

25 But while men slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat, and went his way.

26 But when the blade was sprung up, and brought forth fruit, then appeared the tares also.

27 So the servants of the householder came and said unto him, Sir, didst not thou sow good seed in thy field? from whence then hath it tares?

28 He said unto them, An enemy hath done this. The servants said unto him, Wilt thou then that we go and gather them up?

29 But he said, Nay; lest while ye gather up the tares, ye root up also the wheat with them.

30 Let both grow together until the harvest: and in the time of harvest I will say to the reapers, Gather ye together first the tares, and bind them in bundles to burn them: but gather the wheat into my barn.

31 Another parable put he forth unto them, saying, The kingdom of heaven is like to a grain of mustard seed, which a man took, and sowed in his field:

32 Which indeed is the least of all seeds: but when it is grown, it is the greatest among herbs, and becometh a tree, so that the birds of the air come and lodge in the branches thereof.

33 Another parable spake he unto them; The kingdom of heaven is like unto leaven, which a woman took, and hid in three measures of meal, till the whole was leavened.

34 All these things spake Jesus unto the multitude in parables; and without a parable spake he not unto them:

35 That it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying, I will open my mouth in parables; I will utter things which have been kept secret from the foundation of the world.

36 Then Jesus sent the multitude away, and went into the house: and his disciples came unto him, saying, Declare unto us the parable of the tares of the field.

37 He answered and said unto them, He that soweth the good seed is the Son of man;

38 The field is the world; the good seed are the children of the kingdom; but the tares are the children of the wicked one;

39 The enemy that sowed them is the devil; the harvest is the end of the world; and the reapers are the angels.

40 As therefore the tares are gathered and burned in the fire; so shall it be in the end of this world.

41 The Son of man shall send forth his angels, and they shall gather out of his kingdom all things that offend, and them which do iniquity;

42 And shall cast them into a furnace of fire: there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth.

43 Then shall the righteous shine forth as the sun in the kingdom of their Father. Who hath ears to hear, let him hear.

Matthew 13:24-43 KJV

Darnel (Tare) usually grows in the same production zones as wheat and is considered a weed. The similarity between these two plants is so great that in some regions, darnel is referred to as "false wheat".^[1] It bears a close resemblance to wheat until the ear appears. The spikes of L. temulentum are more slender than those of wheat. The spikelets are oriented edgeways to the rachis and have only a single glume, while those of wheat are oriented with the flat side to the rachis and have two glumes. The wheat will also appear brown when ripe, whereas the darnel is black.^[2]

Darnel can be infected by an endophytic fungus of the genus Neotyphodium, and the endophyte-produced, insecticidal loline alkaloids were first isolated from this plant.^[3] The French word for darnel is ivraie (from Latin ebriacus, intoxicated), which expresses the drunken nausea from eating the infected plant, which can be fatal.^{[citation needed]} The French name echoes the scientific name, Latin temulentus "drunk."

Footnotes: 

1. Craig S. Keener, The Gospel of Matthew: A Socio-Rhetorical Commentary, Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing, 2009 p.387

2.  Heinrich W.Guggenheimer, The Jerusalem Talmud,Vol. 1, Part 3, Walter de Gruyter, 2000 p.5

3. Schardl CL, Grossman RB, Nagabhyru P, Faulkner JR, Mallik UP (2007). "Loline alkaloids: currencies of mutualism". Phytochemistry 68 (7): 980–996. doi:10.1016/j.phytochem.2007.01.010. PMID 17346759.

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