The Biblical Path of Life

Tag: Adoption

  • A Witness

    “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.”

    1 John 5:10

    When Jesus taught as he walked on the earth, there were times that many followers left Jesus. One of those times, Jesus asked His twelve disciples if they were going to leave Him, too. Read Peter’s response to that question. “68. Then Simon Peter answered him, Lord, to whom shall we go? thou hast the words of eternal life. 69. And we believe and are sure that thou art that Christ, the Son of the living God” (John 6:68-69). They recognized that Jesus was Christ, the Son of the living God who had the words of eternal life.

    The Apostles were eye-witnesses of Jesus’ life, death, burial, and resurrection. These eye-witnesses were commissioned to go and tell all of the world of Jesus and what He had done to bring salvation. Jesus gave them the following words just before he ascended into heaven after his resurrection. “But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth” (Acts 1:8). They boldly proclaimed the truth about Jesus’ life and why it was that He had come to earth. “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty” (2 Peter 1:16). They not only believed God’s Word and who Jesus is, but they made it known to all. “10. Be it known unto you all, and to all the people of Israel, that by the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, whom ye crucified, whom God raised from the dead, even by him doth this man stand here before you whole. 12. Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved” (Acts 4:10, 12). They were true eye-witnesses of Jesus to Jerusalem, Judea, Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth. Even when imprisoned, see what the Apostles were told to do. “Go, stand and speak in the temple to the people all the words of this life” (Acts 5:20). Many of their testimonies are recorded in the Bible for us to read today.

    What does this mean to me?

    Are there any witnesses today who can declare that Jesus is Christ, the Son of the living God?

    Remember that right before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told His followers that they would receive power, after the Holy Ghost came upon them. This happened to all Believers all at once in the upper room at Pentecost (see Acts 2:1-8). Today, when one believes in Jesus, by faith, God’s Spirit (the Holy Ghost) enters that heart and life. “Who hath also sealed us, and given the earnest of the Spirit in our hearts” (2 Corinthians 1:22). This Spirit from God is the witness in one’s heart and life that we belong to God. When one believes in Jesus, by faith (see Romans 10:8-13), that one has the salvation that the Apostles taught and is now recorded in the Bible. “14. For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, they are the sons of God. 15. For ye have not received the spirit of bondage again to fear; but ye have received the Spirit of adoption, whereby we cry, Abba, Father. 16. The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God” (Romans 8:14-16). It is then that we become the sons of God, having been adopted into His family. This Spirit confirms this to us. “6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:6-7). When we trust in Jesus, we have the witness of His Spirit in our hearts that we are sons of God.

    It is at this point (with the Holy Spirit in one’s heart) that that one becomes a witness for God – for we have His witness in our hearts. “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” (1 John 5:10). It is then that we are able to do what the Apostles did immediately after Jesus ascended into heaven – become witnesses of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. This is how the Gospel message of Jesus is spread throughout the world. From each Christian to those who live in this world apart from the saving message of Jesus.

    Have you trusted in Jesus, having His Spirit in your life, allowing you to be a witness to others of salvation?

    FInd out: How to be saved.

  • Witnesses of the Redeemer

    “4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons.”
    Galatians 4:4-5

    Have you ever considered that God provided witnesses to the birth of His Son, Jesus?

    When Jesus was born, the angels declared His birth to the shepherds who were watching their flocks by night. “10. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. 11. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord. 12. And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger” (Luke 2:10-12). They immediately went to the city of David, Bethlehem, and found the child just as the angels had told them. “And when they had seen it, they made known abroad the saying which was told them concerning this child” (Luke 2:17). After they saw the baby, Jesus, they told everyone about this child and what they knew of Him.

    We also remember that there were Wise Men from the East who followed a star. They went to Jerusalem to find out where the new King had been born. Herod called in the chief priests and scribes to ask them where this new King would be born. They recalled the answer from the book of Micah. “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting” (Micah 5:2).When the Wise Men learned that this King was born in Bethlehem, they went and followed the star. It came to rest over the house where Jesus was born. “And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh” (Matthew 2:11).

    The shepherds and the Wise Men are both witnesses that Jesus was born in Bethlehem – just as God’s Word had declared.

    We find that God also had declared in His Word that Jesus would come to the Temple. “Behold, I will send my messenger, and he shall prepare the way before me: and the Lord, whom ye seek, shall suddenly come to his temple, even the messenger of the covenant, whom ye delight in: behold, he shall come, saith the LORD of hosts” (Malachi 3:1). The people were to be watching for the Lord to come to the Temple. In Luke chapter two, we find that there were two such people. Simeon was a man waiting for the Messiah to come. When he saw Joseph and Mary bring the babe Jesus to the Temple, he declared, “For mine eyes have seen thy salvation” (Luke 2:30). He recognized Jesus was that Messiah God had promised from the beginning of time.

    Anna was a widow who “… departed not from the temple, but served God with fastings and prayers night and day” (Luke 2:37b). When she came in at that instant and saw Jesus, she gave thanks to the Lord, “… and spake of him to all them that looked for redemption in Jerusalem” (Luke 2:38b). She understood that this was the One that God sent to redeem His people. (See Hebrews 9:12.)

    Simeon and Anna were both witness that Jesus came to the Temple suddenly – just as God’s Word had declared.

    Each of these instances took place in different cities, in different places, and at different times. Yet each of these instances fulfilled the stipulations put forth in the Bible. Only God could know that these events would happen exactly as they did, hundreds of years before they actually took place! God declared that he sent His only Son into the World, to redeem the world from sin – if only they would believe. It is only then that one can become a son of God, through Christ. “4. But when the fulness of the time was come, God sent forth his Son, made of a woman, made under the law, 5. To redeem them that were under the law, that we might receive the adoption of sons. 6. And because ye are sons, God hath sent forth the Spirit of his Son into your hearts, crying, Abba, Father. 7. Wherefore thou art no more a servant, but a son; and if a son, then an heir of God through Christ” (Galatians 4:4-7). One must only believe the witness that God sent His Son, Jesus, to redeem man from sin.

    Have you believed the witnesses that Jesus came, born of a woman, to redeem any who would believe?

    How to be Saved