You have found a study on our Lord Jesus Christ. Why study the life of Christ? A right concept of Christ is necessary to a right view of nearly every doctrine of the Christian faith. A wrong or defective view of Christ will affect every other truth.
Bible Study Letters

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Reaching forth...

Introduction
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God's name in many passages of the Old Testament conveys both the unity of the one God and yet allows for the plurality of persons found in God Almighty. The first chapter in Genesis requires plurality in creation, yet clearly God alone was involved in creation. Where plurality is shown for the true God, it is an intimation of our Triune God. i.e., God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. With the plurality of persons in the Godhead there is but one in essence. The term Jehovah (singular) translated LORD, is used to describe the true God in the Old Testament. Jehovah describes God as being singular in essence, as shown by Deuteronomy 6:4, yet within the one essence of the Godhead we have to distinguish three "persons" who are neither three gods on the one side, nor three parts or modes of God on the other, but coequally and coeternally God. God is one in essence, yet the use of Elohim (plural) translated God allows the plurality of persons in the Godhead. 

I realize the above gets slightly technical but what it comes down to is Jesus Christ is God, in the flesh. He took on human flesh, yet without sin, to visit us. Any that come unto Him are saved, not based on their works or because of their strong faith, as even the one with the weakest of faith and poorest understanding of Scripture can be saved by coming to Christ. I think the Scripture is clear that one will want to understand the Scriptures as God intended them to be received, after they are saved. The believer is drawn to Christ and when one comes to Jesus they are assured they will not be cast out. They are secure in Christ as the doctrine of election shows, for it is God's sovereign choice that we be saved. If one has indeed come to Christ they are saved and have eternal life. God is faithful and will perform what He has promised.

Salvation is of the Jews. Salvation does indeed proceed from the Jews (Gen. 12; Isa. 2:3; Mic. 4:2; Rom. 9:4-5). "The salvation," is the Messianic salvation which had long been the hope and guiding star of the chosen people (Luke 1:69,71; Acts 13:26,47). It was for the whole world (John 3:17), but it comes "out of" the Jews. This tremendous fact should never be forgotten. The Messiah, God's Son, was a Jew. It is Jesus the Messiah, who brings salvation (Acts 4:12; Luke 2:30; John 4:25-26).

The term Christian simply means people who follow Christ. Christ is the object and hope and joy of the believer. It is not with any certainty by whom the term originated, or with what view. There is certainly nothing dishonorable in the name Christian that I can see. The name is appropriate, beautiful! In truth, Christian is the highest character which any human being can bear upon earth.

Abundant Life
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It seems useful to mention the abundant life of John 10:10, as I see it.

John 10:10
The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.

Vitality, the life force- Lk 18.30

More vitality than is needed. Life for ever and ever. More than is necessary, abundant, superior, excellence, pre-eminence of vitality. Eternal life, life, literal, spiritual. Eternal is used of Christ the source of this life we receive # Jn 5.26

Superabundant

Amos 9:13 Isa 65:17 Lev 26:4-5

Under the law sin increased; now under grace there is superabundantly greater grace through righteousness unto eternal life through Jesus Christ, that we have to marvel at.

Jn 5.20 Ro 5.20 14.17 2Co 3.9 4.15 Eph 1.8

Even great poverty to our marvel under grace brings forth super abounding generosity. # 2Co 8.2

We can be poor and still be rich toward Christ. Even with much suffering we have abounding comforts and joy with Christ, and much service to Christ is displayed. 2Co 11.23

Even if only a few fragments were left of this super abounding life after all have been filled to satisfaction are even more than is needed- # Mk 8.8 so excellent and marvelous is our provision of life in Christ. We have life for ever and ever!

Life that brings out the vitality of our life in Christ in ways that are marvelous and wonderful to behold: # 1Co 1.23-31

Praise God! Does sin abound? Grace much more abounds!

Here We See About The New Testament Church
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We are shown in Matthew 16:18 that Christ is the one that is said to build His church. Further, the etymology for Peter discovers the name Peter means a piece of rock or a small stone that might easily be moved. But rock is a mass of rock that is a sure foundation. The Rock of Matthew 16:18 is Jesus the Christ, the Son of the Living God. Upon that Rock Jesus would Himself build His church. (Deut. 32:4; Ps. 18:31; 62:2,6,7; 115:1; 118:8; John 1:42; Eph. 2:8-9,20; Rom. 4:5; 1Pet. 2:4-9) Jesus is the churches one foundation, and only Head (Eph. 5:23). Believers have the Word of God with the Spirit of God, God the Father, and the Son of God. See Acts 4:12; John 14;6; 10:7,9.

To explain more completely, the church already had its beginning before the Antioch incident. There believers were first called Christians, but it shows from Scripture that those called Christian were part of the church. A distinction between being a Christian and being part of the church is that Christian is a term for those that are part of the body of believers. Believers are to gather together and that assembly is a church.

The church is shown in the first four Books of the New Testament, that is, in Matthew, Mark, Luke and John. There I believe is the founding of the church. They had been given the Great Commission (Matt. 28; Mark 16; Luke 24; John 20; and we see also in Acts 1). All those in the assembly were not necessarily saved. Jesus presented Himself as their Head (John 13:14). It is said in Hebrews that Jesus would sing in the midst of the church (Heb. 2:12). He did this in Matthew 26:30 and Mark 14:26. Disciplinary procedure was given to the church as recorded in Matthew 18:15-20. The first members of the church were the apostles (Eph. 2:20; 1Cor. 12:28). They baptized (John 4:1,2). They received the Lord's Supper (Matt. 26:26; Luke 22;17-20; Mark 14:22-26). They had an ordained ministry (Mark 3:14). Jesus established His church while He yet walked on earth, prior to His crucifixion.

The following is adapted. I have added information but had no need to change what had already been said.

Jesus Christ is . . .
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Introduction to the Life of Christ

Why study the life of Christ? A right concept of Christ is necessary to a right view of nearly every doctrine of the Christian faith. A wrong or defective view of Christ will affect every other truth.

2 John 1:9-10
9 Whosoever transgresseth, and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ, hath not God. He that abideth in the doctrine of Christ, he hath both the Father and the Son.
10 If there come any unto you, and bring not this doctrine, receive him not into your house, neither bid him God speed:

The believers personal welfare and growth are in proportion to his knowledge of Christ. This knowledge is revealed to us by the Father. The Spiritual nature is stimulated, corrected, and sustained by the knowledge of Christ.

Revealing of God (Christ).
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In the first book of the Bible-Genesis the first chapter, the first verse, and the first four words of that verse:
In the beginning God . . .

This is the first fact known or knowable to man about God. Eternity is a mystery. God is incomprehensible. See Job 38-39 This is not to imply we cannot know God, and be known of Him, but that God Himself is incomprehensible.

Rom. 11:33-36
33 O the depth of the riches both of the wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments, and his ways past finding out!
34 For who hath known the mind of the Lord? Or who hath been his counsellor?
35 Or who hath first given to him, and it shall be recompensed unto him again?
36 For of him, and through him, and to him, are all things: to whom be glory for ever. Amen.

The Bible begins with God and ends with Jesus Christ that is God in the flesh.

Part One-Christ in the eternal past.
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John in the opening of his gospel adds a second fact to the first.

John 1:1-2,14
1 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.
14 And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

Genesis takes us back to creation; John leads us to the Creator before creation. In John we have Jesus Christ as God and with God in the eternal past. There never was a time when Jesus Christ was not in existence.

In the epistle of 1 John we have further evidence of the eternity of Christ.

1 John 1:1-2
1 That which was from the beginning, which we have heard, which we have seen with our eyes, which we have looked upon, and our hands have handled, of the Word of life;
2 (For the life was manifested, and we have seen it, and bear witness, and shew unto you that eternal life, which was with the Father, and was manifested unto us;)

Another verse that declares the eternal existence of Christ is:

Micah 5:2
2 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.

This Scripture is quoted:

Matt. 2:6
And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

John 7:42
Hath not the scripture said, That Christ cometh of the seed of David, and out of the town of Bethlehem, where David was?

Christ's preexistent state is referred to:

Colossians 1:14-17
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 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.

Christ was before all creation. In this we see the absolute preexistence of Christ. Since our Lord existed before all created things He must be uncreated and hence eternal.

Colossians 1:16
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:

Part Two-Christ in Creation
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Christ is involved

Colossians 1:14-17
14 In whom we have redemption through his blood, even the forgiveness of sins:
15 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.

John 1:1-3
1 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 1:10
He was in the world, and the world was made by him, and the world knew him not.

Genesis 1:1
In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.

Genesis 1:26
And God said, Let us make man in our image, after our likeness: and let them have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over the cattle, and over all the earth, and over every creeping thing that creepeth upon the earth.

Notes:
"And God said, let 'us' make man in 'our' image, after 'our' likeness . . . " Note 'us' and 'our'

The words us and our in this passage I think is in reference to the Trinity. While the Trinity is nowhere expressly declared in the Old Testament it is everywhere suggested, and this passage is in intimation of a Triune God. God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Ghost, were each of them concerned in the creation of all things, and particularly of man.

This passage conveys both the unity of the One God and yet allows for the plurality of persons found in God Almighty. The first chapter of Genesis requires plurality in creation, yet clearly God alone was involved in creation.

Deuteronomy 6:4
Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD:

God created man. It is not written that God put evolution in order, that man would evolve from some other form of life. Male and female created He them.

Christ's creation was man's first Bible.
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Psalm 19:1-6
1 The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament sheweth his handywork.
2 Day unto day uttereth speech, and night unto night sheweth knowledge.
3 There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard.
4 Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them hath he set a tabernacle for the sun,
5 Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoiceth as a strong man to run a race.
6 His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof.

Romans 1:18-20
18 For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold the truth in unrighteousness;
19 Because that which may be known of God is manifest in them; for God hath shewed it unto them.
20 For the invisible things of him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even his eternal power and Godhead; so that they are without excuse:

From Creation Man Can Know-

The Glory of God
His Handiwork
His Eternal Power
His Godhead

Reaching forth . . .
Here am I; send me.

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Bob Krajcik
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