PART 2
PETER THE LITTLE ROCK
‘In that day, I will call my servant Eliakim the son of Hilkiah, and I will clothe him with your robe, and will bind your sash on him, and will commit your authority to his hand. And he shall be a father to the inhabitants of Jerusalem and to the house of Judah. And I will place on his shoulder the key of the house of David. He shall open, and none shall shut; and he shall shut, and none shall open.” (Isaiah 22:20-22 ESV)
Jesus asked the disciples, “Who do people say that the Son of Man is?” And they said, “Some say John the Baptist, others say Elijah, and others Jeremiah or one of the prophets.” He said to them, “But who do you say that I am?” Simon Peter replied, “You are the Christ, the Son of the living God.” And Jesus answered him, “Blessed are you, Simon Bar-Jonah! For flesh and blood has not revealed this to you, but my Father who is in heaven. And I tell you, you are Peter and ON this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven, and whatever you bind on earth shall be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven.” Then he strictly charged the disciples to tell no one that he was the Christ.” (Matthew 16:13-30 ESV - emphasis mine)
Keys To The Kingdom
There are two Old Testament references to “keys” (See Isaiah 22:22; Judges 3:25), and six New Testament references (See Matthew 16:19, Luke 11:52; Revelation 1:18;3:7;9:1;20:1). The word "key" has a range of meanings and can refer to a literal, physical key as with the Moabite in King Eglon's private chamber (Judges 3:25). Jesus used the phrase "key to knowledge" to refer to the Jewish rabbis' teaching authority to interpret and apply the Torah (Luke 11:52). A key can refer to power over something, such as Jesus' victory over death and Hades (Revelation 1:18), an angel having the power to open the Abyss (Revelation 9:1), and the Archangel Michael named as the angel having the key to the Abyss (Revelation 20:1).
Jesus giving keys to Peter was comparable to a King giving keys to his Vizier (second in command). God gave a prophecy to Isaiah about Shedba and Eliakim who were two Visiers of King Hezekiah who would be given keys to opening and closing doors for judgment (Isaiah 22:15-25). Shebna will be thrown away (v. 17), and Eliakim would be like a peg in the wall sheared off (v.25 see also Isaiah 36-37; 2 Kings 18).
Jesus never emphasized the 'keys' but on the power He gives that goes with the keys to bind and loose (Matthew 16:19). Jesus used the second person plural to describe that power, and this means that the power of the keys given to Peter was also given to the other Apostles as well (Matthew 18:18).
The "keys of the kingdom of heaven" is a metaphorical expression referring to the custom of admitting a Rabbi to his office by giving him a key (Matthew 16:19). Eliakim alone was to decide who would be accepted into the king's chamber and for whom the king's treasury was to be opened. The symbolism is reproduced in its higher application to Jesus, the King of kings (See Revelation 3:7). Just like Eliakim, the Stewards of great families, especially of the royal household, bore a key or keys in token of their office, the phrase of giving a person the keys naturally grew into use as an expression of raising them to great authority and power.
Jesus used Peter in helping to build the foundation of the Body of Christ, His Church, as he was the one who first proclaimed the Gospel on the day of Pentecost and the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 2:14-47,10:1-48). The “rock” (boulder) isn’t Peter’s faith or the truth which he confessed but Jesus Himself, who is the solid foundation and chief cornerstone (Gk: ‘akrogóniaios’) that the body of Christ is built upon (1 Corinthians 3:11,10:4 - See also Ephesians 2:20). In the Old Testament the idea of a rock (Heb: ‘tsur’ – a huge boulder/cliff) was associated with the greatness and steadfastness of God, not with any fallen human (See Deuteronomy 32:4,18; 2 Samuel 22:3,23:3; Psalm 18:2,31,46; Isaiah 17:10; Habakkuk 1:12)
The New Testament makes it abundantly clear that it is Jesus alone who is both the foundation and the head of the universal Church (Acts 4:11,12; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 5:23). However, using the rules of biblical hermeneutics to exegete the verses there is no way to be 100% sure which view is correct because the grammatical construction allows for either view. It could be that Jesus was in deed declaring Peter would be a little "rock" on which He would use to build His church.
The word for "Peter" (Gk: 'petros') means "a small detached stone" (John 1:42).*** Jesus used a play on words here with "ON this rock" (Gk: 'petra'), which means "a huge attached boulder" when He described the rock upon which the wise man builds his house (Matthew 7:24-25). Peter uses the same imagery in his first epistle: the church is built of numerous small 'petros,' "living stones" (1 Peter 2:5) who, like Peter, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God, and those confessions of faith are the bedrock of the church. Jesus used Peter extensively to help build the foundation of the universal Church, as he was the first to proclaim the Gospel on the day of Pentecost and the first to take the Gospel to the Gentiles (Acts 2:14-47,10:1-48).
Jesus was referring to Peter's confession of faith that Jesus is "the Christ, the son of the living God." Prior to this point, Jesus had never explicitly taught Peter or any of the Disciples about the fullness of His identity as the Creator God of the Universe and Savior of the world, so when Peter made his proclamation, Jesus knew that the Holy Spirit had sovereignly opened Peter's eyes and revealed to him who Jesus really was. Peter's confession that Jesus was the Christ, the Messiah who was prophesied to come, poured out from him as a heartfelt declaration of his personal trusting faith in Jesus, which is the seal of a true Born Again Christian, as well as those who have placed their faith in Jesus are the true church, His Bride. Peter expressed this when he addressed the believers who had been dispersed around the ancient world:
"Coming to Him as to a living stone, rejected indeed by men, but chosen by God and precious, you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." (1 Peter 2:4)
Jesus made a promise to Peter and other similar promises to the Apostles that they would have the power to spread the Gospel and declare with authority the laws of God and the terms of salvation, as well as to exercise discipline in the Body of Christ that included refusing to admit those who did not comply with God’s terms for salvation; i.e., repent of their sins and receive Jesus as Lord and Savior (see Matthew 18:18; Acts 3:14,10:34).
Peter used the same imagery Jesus used in his first epistle: the church is built of numerous small 'Petros,' "living stones," who, like Peter, confess that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the living God. Those confessions of faith form the foundation of the universal church made up of Born-Again Christians (1 Peter 2:5).
Jesus is the spiritual Rock that followed the nation of Israel in Moses’ day, and they “drank of” (1 Corinthians 10:4). He is the rock that protects our sinfulness from the glory of God and is the "chief cornerstone," which is where any building is anchored. The Bible makes it abundantly clear that Jesus is both the foundation and the head of the Church, and the role of 'primacy' is reserved for Jesus alone (Acts 4:11, 12; 1 Corinthians 3:11; Ephesians 5:23). Since Jesus declared Himself to be the cornerstone, the unanswered question arises; ‘how could Peter, the little stone, be the rock/boulder upon which the Church was built?’ Every Born-Again Christian is a stone that makes up the Church, anchored upon the chief Cornerstone, Jesus, "and he who believes on Him will by no means be put to shame" (1 Peter 2:6-7).
Suppose the RCC is correct that Peter is the rock (See Matthew 16:18). In that case, it is meaningless in giving any church authority because nowhere in the Bible is it recorded or inferred that Peter was ever in Rome, nor does it describe Peter as being supreme over the other Apostles and the all authoritative leader of the early church. Peter was not the first pope, nor did he start the RCC or mention it in any of his writings or to any other Apostle. If Peter truly were the founder of the RCC, it would be in full agreement with what Peter taught, but it is not (See Acts 2; 1 Peter; 2 Peter). Peter was a leader in the first century of the Church, but he was not the first Pope and didn't start the RCC.
**** Petros: stone: of small stones (Thayers Greek Lexicon)
Petros ("small stone") like a pepple, stands in contrast to pétra ("cliff, boulder," Abbott-Smith). "
Pétros is an isolated rock and pétra is a cliff" (TDNT, 3, 100).
Pétros always means a stone . . . such as a man may throw, . . . versus pétra, a projecting rock, cliff" (S. Zodhiates, Dict).
BINDING AND LOOSING
In Hebrew, the words ‘to bind and loose’ were used by those in authority to signify the unlawfulness or lawfulness of things. In the same way, Jesus was saying to the Apostles that whatever things they bind up from men, or declare to be forbidden to them, on earth, shall be forbidden by Heaven; and whatever things they shall loose to men, or permit to be done, shall be lawful and obligatory according to the plan of salvation.
Human beings can’t bind or loose the sins of other fallen human beings. Only God can do so through the blood of Jesus. The Apostles were given the power of declaring with authority God’s terms of pardon, that is, whose sins are remitted and whose are retained.
Because of what Peter said about Jesus, He gave him the initial honor of being the first to have the initial instrument for opening the door of faith to the world so that the Gospel can be preached to both Jews and Gentiles (See Acts 2:14-36;10). Jesus spoke to Peter using the word "whatsoever" and not ‘whosoever’ because He was referring to future rites and ceremonies in the Body of Christ. Many of the Jewish customs they disagreed with or were done away by the sacrifice of Jesus were to be forbidden, and those they thought proper were to be allowed. They also commanded the Gentile converts to "abstain from pollutions of idols, and from fornication, and from things strangled, and from blood" (Acts 15:20)
Jesus gave the Apostles the entire administration of the Gospel. They were to organize the Body of Christ and explain the teachings of Jesus and the rules about what was to be observed and what was to be avoided and that they were the only laws binding on Christians regarding the order of their gatherings, and the rites and ceremonies to be observed when they met.
ROYAL PRIESTHOOD
EVERY Born-Again Christian has been given the ministry of reconciliation. They must forgive because they have been forgiven; otherwise, they can experience severe discipline from God. They are a member of the Bride of Christ, which is THE Church (John 3:3-5,29; Ephesians 5:25-27; Revelation 18:23, 9:7, 21:2, 22:17).
The Bible does not say that only those 10 Apostles were ordained as priests for Jesus. The New Testament speaks of bishops (Gk: 'episkopos' = overseer), deacons (Gk: 'diakonos'= servant, minister) but it does not speak of a special class known as 'priests.' What it does tell us is that every Born-Again Christian is to present their bodies as "a living sacrifice" and that they are "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices" (Romans 12:1;1 Peter 2:5).
Even though the New Testament Scriptures mention Apostles, they do not provide the church with a list of duties for that position, as they do for the office of Evangelist, Pastor/Shepherd/Bishop/Elder (Acts 1:20-26). If God intended for there to be a modern-day office of Apostles, He would have provided the list of duties in the NT Scriptures 2000+ years ago.
The ministry gifts of the Apostle still exist today. However, the foundational office of the Apostle in the first generation of the Church is no longer needed (Ephesians 2:20,3:5). It was in a separate category from the ongoing offices of Evangelist and Teaching-Pastor/Shepherd/Bishop/Elder which still exist today because they are those who preach, teach, and lead the church as the Scriptures attest (Ephesians 4:11). The Bible provides very explicit instructions and requirements for those continuing offices but none for Apostles which infers they were not intended to continue.
The New Testament urges Born-Again Christians to avoid false doctrine by remembering what the Apostles ALREADY said in the Bible, and not by listening to what new self-ascribed apostles say today (2 Peter 2:1; 3:1-2; Jude 3-4,17). Special revelations that conflict with, or add to, the Scriptures are to be rejected (1 Thessalonians 5:19-22).
There are only 12 thrones and foundational walls of the New Jerusalem, with the names of the twelve Apostles of the Lamb written in them (Matthew 19:28; Revelation 21:14). One could confidently surmise that the name of the traitor, Judas Iscariot, is not one of them.
The absolute foundation of the universal Church is the Word, Jesus Christ. No one can lay a foundation other than that which is already laid (1 Corinthians 3:11). Modern so-called Apostles, as well as Prophets, Evangelists, and Pastor-Teachers, were not used to build the foundation of the Church (Titus 1:5-9; 1 Timothy 3:1-7; 2 Timothy 2:2; 1 Peter 2:7, 5:1-4).
Either we are 100% submitted to the sovereign, supernatural work of the Holy Spirit and wait wholly upon Him to make decisions to lead and guide us, or we pick pieces of paper out of a hat or roll the dice to decide what we should do next in our lives or ministry.
There are no "new" doctrines or "secret revelations" hidden from the Church (See 1 Timothy 1:3-4; 2 John 1:9-10). The enemy wants Born-Again Christians to believe that they need new visions and revelations given by self-proclaimed modern 'apostles' and 'prophets' because it denies the sufficiency of the Bible (See 2 Timothy 3:16; 2 Corinthians 11:13-15). Ultimately, all prophecies will cease (1 Corinthians 13:8-12).
It was through the Prophets and the 12 hand-picked Apostles that the New Testament Scriptures were given for all generations to come. The term 'apostle' is never used again in the book of Acts after Chapter 16. When the last of the 12 Apostles died, other offices besides apostleship, not requiring an eyewitness relationship with Jesus, would carry on the work.
The works-based religious caste system of the "apostolic-prophetic" governmental authority teaching is confusing at best and most often theologically contradictory, illogical, and intellectually incongruent. Jesus taught that a house divided against itself would not stand (Matthew 12:25). God "is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV).
When the New Testament was completed, the office of Apostle and Prophet, who helped in conveying the authoritative words from God for the founding and building of the Church, was replaced by the written Word of God, the Bible, which is the final and absolute authority in the life of a Born-Again Christian, to equip "the saints for the work of ministry, for building up the body of Christ, until we all attain to the unity of the faith and of the knowledge of the Son of God, to mature manhood, to the measure of the stature of the fullness of Christ, so that we may no longer be children, tossed to and fro by the waves and carried about by every wind of doctrine, by human cunning, by craftiness in deceitful schemes" (Ephesians 4:12-15 ESV). The "building up" of the Church, and not its foundational construction, will continue until it is mature (v.12).
PARADISE Vs. PURGATORY
The RCC teaches that there is a place where the soul of a person goes to after death to be cleansed of their sins that were not worked out / satisfied on Earth (See 1 Corinthians 3:15). The place is known as 'Purgatory' which is "a place or condition of temporal punishment for those who, departing this life in God's grace, are not entirely free from venial faults, or have not fully paid the satisfaction due to their transgressions" (Catholic Encyclopedia).
Sadly, it is not understood by many that the Born-Again Christian was already forgiven, redeemed, cleansed, declared righteous, reconciled, and sanctified by the perfect and sufficient sacrificial death of Jesus, and when they die, they will immediately be at home with Him (John 1:1,14; 1 Corinthians 15:2; 2 Corinthians 5:6-8; Phillippians 1:23; 1 John 2:2).
"Now if anyone builds on the foundation with gold, silver, precious stones, wood, hay, straw — each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. If the work that anyone has built on the foundation survives, he will receive a reward. If anyone's work is burned up, he will suffer loss, though he himself will be saved, but only as through fire." (1 Corinthians 3:12-15 ESV)
The Bible does not say or imply that the Born-Again Christian will escape through the "fire" of Purgatory or be cleansed by it. Meritorious works do not contribute to salvation because it is contrary to what the Bible teaches: that the death of Jesus was completely sufficient to pay the penalty for all of our sins (See Ephesians 2:8-9).
According to the Bible, Paradise is not Heaven or Purgatory. The Rabbis called it Abraham's Bosom (Luke 16:22-31). It was that part of the "prison" of Hades / the grave, the realm of the dead, which Jesus held the keys to (Revelation 1:18), and where the righteous were held separate and apart from the place of torment waiting for the resurrection (Matthew 24-25). When Lazarus died, he was placed in Abraham's Bosom, and the rich man was placed in torment in Tartarus / Hell. The grave / Hades could not hold Jesus, and He was resurrected on the 3rd day (Matthew 17:23; Acts 2:24). Paradise has remained empty since the death and resurrection of Jesus.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION
"And the angel answered her, "The Holy Spirit will come upon you, and the power of the Most High will overshadow you; therefore the child to be born will be called holy - the Son of God." And behold, your relative Elizabeth, in her old age has also conceived a son, and this is the sixth month with her who was called barren. For nothing will be impossible with God. And Mary said, "Behold, I am the servant of the Lord; let it be to me according to your word." (Luke 1:35-38 ESV)
The human body contains trillions of cells, which have a nucleus containing a collection of genes called a genome made up of DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid). This hereditary material exists in nearly every cell of the body. It is a mighty information storage device containing about three billion nucleobases, which are the DNA double helix's building blocks that resemble a twisted ladder. More than 99% of them are the same in all human beings. They contribute to the folded structure of both DNA and RNA (ribonucleic acid), which acts as a messenger carrying instructions from DNA for controlling the synthesis of proteins.
Elizabeth was Mary's Aunt, who conceived naturally with her husband Zachariah, who served as a Priest before God. The Angel told them to call him John (See Luke 1:8-25). John was the nephew of Mary and the cousin of Jesus and would become known as John the Baptist (See Matthew 3:1).
"And behold, you will conceive in your womb and bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus." (Luke 1:31 ESV)
The Greek word translated as "conceive" is 'sullambanó,' which comes from the words' sun' and 'lambano' and means to clasp, catch, seize, aid, help, or take part.
Mary conceived Jesus supernaturally by the Holy Spirit, who is a non-physical, non-material spirit and does not have human DNA because He does not have flesh and blood. Jesus is God, the Creator of all things, and was without sin (See John 1:1-5). Mary was the first surrogate mother. Jesus was conceived by the Holy Spirit and placed in Mary's womb (Luke 1:31). The egg of Mary was not joined with the seed of Jesus. Had it been, Jesus would have inherited the sin nature in the DNA passed through the blood of His mother from Adam and Eve. Jesus had eternal DNA, the pure and holy blood of God because He is God. The human-fertilized egg placed in the womb of a human surrogate mother does not remove the human element of the child because that would defy science and logic.
The New Testament word translated as "nature" comes from the Greek word 'phusis,' which means growth (by germination or expansion), i.e., (by implication) natural production (lineal descent); by extension, a genus or sort" (Vines).
Once Mary was pregnant, she made sacrifices in accordance with, and in obedience to, the Law God gave to Moses because of her sinful nature (Luke 2:21-24; Leviticus 12:6,24). Mary declared that she was the handmaid of God and needed a Savior from sin because all humans are helpless and hopeless and need a Savior to pay the penalty for their sin to find redemption (See Luke 1:46-47; Colossians 1:12-14). The Bible emphatically says, "for ALL have sinned and fall short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23 – emphasis mine). It is not hyperbole.
Mary also removed any idea of being pre-eminent so as not to assume exaltation above God's calling upon her life (Luke 1:48). If Mary did not have a sin nature, that would make her pre-eminent with the Trinity (i.e., co-equal with God). Mary was not the product of an 'immaculate conception,' which is a belief conjured up in 1854. The Bible makes no mention of it and teaches the complete opposite:
"Wherefore, just as sin came into the world through one man, and death through sin, and so death spread to all men because all sinned for sin indeed was in the world before the law was given, but sin is not counted where there is no law." (Romans 5:12 ESV)
If Mary had never sinned, then she would have never died because the Bible says the wages of sin is death (Romans 6:23). Only God is Sinless. He can only forgive those who have faith in the cleansing blood of Jesus (See Romans 3:25). It is by trusting faith in Jesus because of His blood that a person can be called His child. Every Born-Again Christian has the spiritual blood of Jesus running through their veins into every cell of their body. However, that does not make them a little god, nor does it give them the same divine authority, nature, character, or omnipotence of the Creator of all things. Their spirit, mind, and body are now the Holy of Holy's, God's dwelling place. Jesus said He would never leave or forsake them because they are His possessions and are found in Him, and He is found in them (Deuteronomy 31:6; Hebrews 13:5.) However, that does not make them God.
The Bible does not say that human beings become sinners because they are sinners (i.e., those who sin) by birth (See 1 Corinthians 15:22; also Colossians 2:11-13; Romans 7:25,8:3). King David explained that his conception involved sin (See Psalm 51:5).
"Therefore, as one trespass (i.e., Adam) led to condemnation for all men, so one act of righteousness leads to justification and life for all men. For as by the one man's disobedience the many were made sinners, so by the one man's obedience the many will be made righteous. not have flesh and blood." (Romans 5:18-19 ESV)
All the characteristics of something living are passed down through the DNA of its parent's lineage in the blood. Human beings have 46 chromosomes, which are threadlike structures made of protein and a single molecule of DNA that serve to carry the genomic information from cell to cell. If the sperm of God fertilized Mary's egg, then that egg would have 23 chromosomes from God and 23 from Mary, which came from her DNA lineage that traced back to Adam. Since the Bible declares that the sin nature (both physical and spiritual) was passed down from Adam, then that would mean that Jesus had a sin nature as well. Dogs bark, cats meow, fish swim, and sinners sin because that is in their nature. Because Jesus did not have a literal, biological parent, the sin nature was not passed down to Him. When Jesus became a human being, He took 100% of the form or likeness of a human, and He also remained 100% God (See Philippians 2:7).
THE BROTHERS AND SISTERS OF JESUS
The Bible tells us Jesus had at least five siblings, James, Joseph, Judas, Jude, and Simon, and two or more unnamed sisters who are mentioned after Jesus began His ministry when they went with Him and His surrogate to Capernaum (See Matthew 12:46-50,13:55-56; Mark 3:31,6:3; Luke 8:19; John 2:12, 7:3; Acts 1:14; 1 Corinthians 9:5; Galatians 1:19). It appears they became Born-Again after the resurrection of Jesus when they appeared along with the Apostles (Acts 1:14).
In every reference to the family of Jesus in the Bible, their relationship is always defined by Jesus and not by Joseph or Mary, and they always appear in connection with her (except John 7:3) as her children, members of her household who are under her direction. They are always called the brothers and sisters of Jesus and not cousins, kinsmen, or sons and daughters of Mary.
Matthew and Mark mentioned the sisters of Jesus but not how many or what their names were. However, there likely were at least two, and they were married residents of Nazareth.
His brother James, also known as James the Just, stands out as a key figure in the early Christian Church, and his significance extends beyond his family ties. In Church history, he is credited with being the author of the Epistle of James, which highlights the connection between faith and works. The Book of Acts records James as a leader in the Jerusalem Church, particularly during the apostolic council described in Acts 15. The Apostle Paul, in his letters, mentions James as one of the "pillars" of the church in Jerusalem (Galatians 2:9). His leadership and influence are evident as he presided over the gathering and contributed to the decision that Gentile converts to Christianity did not need to observe certain Jewish customs.
Most unbiased Bible scholars consider Jude to be the author of the Epistle of Jude, where he describes himself as a "servant of Jesus and the brother of James" (Jude 1:1).
VENERATION AND PRAYER TO THE SAINTS
To 'venerate' someone is to regard them with great respect or awe due to their value or greatness, according to the Bible. Prayer is communicating with the Creator of all things and not with the created. When a person prays, they are to go into their room, shut the door, and pray to the Father alone who is in secret, and He will reward them (Matthew 6:6). A Born-Again Christian does not need to solicit the goodwill of God because He is great and good all the time and only wants the best for them because they are called according to His purpose (Romans 8:28).
When a person repents of their sin and receives Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they become Born-Again and are immediately sanctified positionally for all eternity. They were bought at a high price of Jesus' blood and are to honor, glorify, worship, and praise the Triune God, who alone is great and worthy to be praised (Romans 1:24; 1 Corinthians 6:20,7:23; 2 Corinthians 11:31; Revelation 5:13). The Bible does not instruct the followers of Jesus to offer worship, veneration, adoration, or anything similar to anyone but God. Nor does the Bible speak of any follower of Jesus worshiping, venerating, or adoring anyone other than God. Twice in the Book of Revelation, John the beloved starts to worship an angel, and the angel instructs him, "Worship God!" (Revelation 19:10; 22:8) Mary and the saints of God (those becoming Born-Again) who have gone to Heaven before us would say the same thing: "Worship God!" True worshipers worship God alone in spirit and truth. When Jesus was born, the people who came to see Him fell to the ground and venerated Him alone. The Bible is very clear that we are to 'venerate' the Triune God alone.
SALVATION BY GRACE AND NOT BY WORKS
Jesus said to Nicodemus, and it applies to everyone, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be BORN AGAIN.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-4,7-8 ESV – emphasis mine).
"Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead"… "For you have been BORN AGAIN, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God." (1 Peter 1:3,23 – emphasis mine)
"IF you declare with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (Romans 10:9 NIV – emphasis mine)
The Born-Again Christian is encouraged to pray directly to Jesus and not to His wounds, mother, ‘saint,’ or any object such as a statue or rosary beads. In whatever they do, “in word or deed, do EVERYTHING in the NAME of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” Colossians 3:17 ESV – emphasis mine).
Jesus said to Nicodemus, and it applies to everyone, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is BORN AGAIN, he cannot see the kingdom of God.” Nicodemus said to him, “How can a man be born when he is old? Can he enter a second time into his mother’s womb and be born?” “Do not marvel that I said to you, ‘You must be BORN AGAIN.’ The wind blows where it wishes, and you hear its sound, but you do not know where it comes from or where it goes. So it is with everyone who is born of the Spirit.” (John 3:3-4,7-8 ESV – emphasis mine).
The words ‘Born-Again’ in Greek mean over again/anew from above – a higher place/Heaven. Jesus first spoke them and then repeated by the first RCC Pope, Peter, the Apostle.
The RCC teaches a person is not saved by faith alone or that a person "earns" their salvation. Rather, salvation is an inheritance (Galatians 5:21), freely given to anyone who becomes a child of God (1 John 3:1), so long as they remain that way (John 15:1-11). A person can't earn it, but they can lose the free gift given to them by the Father (James 1:17).
When a person becomes Born Again by repenting of their sins and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior, they begin immediately to “WALK in the light, as he is in the light” and have “fellowship with” other Christians “and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from ALL sin” (1 John 1:7 ESV – emphasis mine)
Jesus spoke of the necessity and nature of regeneration via a new birth and directed Nicodemus to the source of holiness of the heart. Sin-filled human beings must be given a new nature and a new heart through a new birth from Heaven, with new principles, new affections, and new priorities because they are corrupt and shaped by sin from physical birth and must be transformed into new people that will change their present state and eternal destiny by the power of the Holy Spirit in and for them and not by any effort of themselves.
THE FAITH OF JESUS
Every Born-Again Christian is saved by the faith of Jesus plus nothing (Acts 2:38, 16:11; Romans 3:24,6:23, 10:10; Titus 2:11-12, 3:5; 2 Timothy 1:9; Galatians 2:21; Mark 16:16). Salvation is conditional because it is based upon a person repenting of their sin and receiving Jesus as Lord and Savior.
"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." (Galatians 2:20 KJV – emphasis mine)
"Even the righteousness of God which is by faith OF Jesus Christ unto all and upon all them that believe: for there is no difference." (Romans 3:22 KJV – emphasis mine)
The words "faith of Jesus Christ" and "faith of the son of God" are 'pistis christou' and 'pisteos Ieesou Christou' in Greek. Various translations note there is a grammatical issue of whether the Greek is in the subjective genitive – Jesus' own faith – or the objective genitive – faith in Jesus. Sadly, many translations often include incorrect interpretations because they disagree with the literal meaning, such as the subjective genitive of "pistis christou." If the words were actually "faith IN Jesus Christ" (ESV), then why were the words "unto all and upon all them that believe" added, which makes them unneeded because they are redundant.
"For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith." (Romans 1:17 KJV)
The righteousness of God is revealed "from faith to faith" (Gk: 'ek pisteos eis pistin'). The meritorious cause of salvation is the faith of Jesus and not anyone else. The righteousness of God is "from faith to faith" (Romans 1:17) because the faith of Jesus must endorse human faith/trust – or no one will be saved. Jesus did everything – He kept the Law, was baptized, believed, and died for all of humanity. Until a person believes IN Jesus as the promised Messiah and all He did for them to be saved by the faith OF Jesus, there is no value to any works a person does.
"For BY GRACE you have been saved THROUGH faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God, NOT a result of WORKS, so that no one may boast." (Ephesians 2:8-9 – emphasis mine)
"For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12 – emphasis mine)
The Bible does not say a person is saved through grace plus anything, which clearly means it is only the grace of Jesus alone, and any work has nothing to do with it.
Two Greek words translated as work/works are 'ergon, which means a physical task, employment, a deed, or action, and 'sunergeó,' which means to cooperate actively.
"You see that faith was active along with his works (Gk: 'sunergeó'), and faith was completed by his works (Gk: 'ergon')" (James 2:22)
JUSTIFICATION
"…know that a person is not JUSTIFIED (Gk: dikaioó = to show and declare to be righteous) by the WORKS ('ergon') of the law, but by FAITH (Gk: 'pistis' = trust and confidence) in Jesus Christ. So we, too, have put our faith ('pistis') in Christ Jesus that we may be JUSTIFIED ( 'dikaioó') by FAITH ('pistis') in Christ and NOT by the WORKS '(ergon') of the law (Gk: 'nomos' = divine laws) because by the WORKS (ergon) of the LAW ('nomos') NO one will be JUSTIFIED (dikaioó)." (Galatians 2:16 – emphasis mine)
There are no multiple stages to salvation. The Bible both infers and says explicitly that salvation is by grace (plus nothing = alone), through the faith of Jesus and no one else (i.e., alone) (James 2:24; also John 3:36; Galatians 2:16, 3:1-29; 2 Corinthians 5:20; Romans 3:22-24,28,4:1-25,5:1; Philippians 3:9; Ephesians 2:8-9)
A person is saved and justified by Jesus at the moment they repent of their sins and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. Good works do not play any part in salvation or justification. A person will be judged for either accepting Jesus as their Lord and Savior or rejecting Him, which is the only 'work' that gets them into Heaven. There is no in-between (See John 3; Romans 11:6; Ephesians 2:9; 2 Timothy 1:9; Titus 3:5). Jesus spoke about those who will say they 'believed' in Him but showed no proof of it in their actions and deeds because they were false prophets and NEVER a good tree producing the good works of salvation (Matthew 25:31-46, 7:16-23).
A person works out their salvation by the proof of naturally producing good fruit (Philippians 2:12 NIV). Jesus said only a good tree can produce good fruit, and not the other way around (Matthew 7:18). Good works accompany salvation (See Hebrews 6:9-12). The Born-Again Christian is challenged to walk in a manner worthy of their calling because they were created as new creatures FOR good works and not because OF good works, and is how they please God in their daily behavior (John 15:5; 17:3; Ephesians 2:10, 4-6; 1 Thessalonians 4:1).
"We remember before our God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ." (1 Thessalonians 1:3 NIV)
"We know that everyone who has been born of God does not keep on sinning, but he who was born of God protects him, and the evil one does not touch him." (1 John 5:18 ESV)
"for anyone who enters God's rest also rests from their works, just as God did from his." (Hebrews 4:10 NIV)
BAPTISM AND SALVATION
“For Christ also suffered once for sins, the righteous for the unrighteous, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive in the spirit, in which he went and proclaimed to the spirits in prison, because they formerly did not obey, when God's patience waited in the days of Noah, while the ark was being prepared, in which a few, that is, eight persons, were brought safely through water. Baptism, which corresponds to this, now saves you, not as a removal of dirt from the body but as an appeal to God for a good conscience, through the resurrection of Jesus Christ, who has gone into heaven and is at the right hand of God, with angels, authorities, and powers having been subjected to him." (1 Peter 3:18-22 ESV)
"But God, being rich in mercy, because of the great love with which he loved us, even when we were dead in our trespasses, made us alive together with Christ - BY GRACE you have been saved - and raised us up with him and seated us with him in the heavenly places in Christ Jesus, so that in the coming ages he might show the immeasurable riches of his grace in kindness toward us in Christ Jesus. For BY GRACE you have been SAVED THROUGH FAITH. And this is NOT your own doing; it is the GIFT of God, NOT a result of works, so that no one may boast. For we are his workmanship, CREATED in Christ Jesus FOR good works, which God prepared beforehand, that we should WALK in them." (Ephesians 2:4-10 ESV – emphasis mine)
“Jesus answered, “Truly, truly, I say to you, unless one is born of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter the kingdom of God. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. That which is born of the flesh is flesh, and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit.” (John 3:5-6 ESV)
As a spiritual leader of Israel, Nicodemus would have been familiar with John the Baptist and his declaration that he baptized "with water" and the Messiah would baptize with the Holy Spirit" (John 1:26,33 ESV). He misunderstood what Jesus said to him and acknowledged his ignorance, which showed he desired to be better informed. Jesus compared the regenerating work of the Holy Spirit to water, and no one who is baptized is saved because they must first have a new birth that comes by the Holy Spirit and is signified by baptism afterward (See Mark 16:16; Ephesians 5:26; also Acts 2:38,41,8:12-13,36,38,9:18,10:47-48,16:15,33;18:8, 22:16; Galatians 3:27). Everyone who repents of their sin and receives Jesus as Lord and Savior shall not perish, but shall have everlasting life.
John the Baptist prophesied that the Messiah would "baptize with the Holy Spirit and fire" (Matthew 3:11 ESV – compare John 1:26,33). When a person trusts in Jesus and becomes Born-Again, the fire of God brings supernatural transformation that enlightens and purifies them so that they can become more like Jesus and their lives become genuine offerings to Him. (See Titus 3:5; 1 Thessalonians 1:6; Romans 5:5; 1 Peter 1:22)
Jesus affirmed that Baptism was to be the regular way of saying to the world that a person has joined His universal body as His Bride after their heart was supernaturally changed and purified by the Holy Spirit and nothing else (See Ezekiel 36:25-27).
Isaiah prophesied the word of God: "For I will pour water on the thirsty land, and streams on the dry ground; I will pour my Spirit upon your offspring, and my blessing on your descendants" (Isaiah 44:3 ESV).
Ezekiel also prophecied that God would "sprinkle clean water on you, and you shall be clean from all your uncleannesses, and from all your idols I will cleanse you. And I will give you a new heart, and a new spirit I will put within you. And I will remove the heart of stone from your flesh and give you a heart of flesh. And I will put my Spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes and be careful to obey my rules" (Ezekiel 36:25-27 ESV).
Jesus taught Nicodemus that there must be an inward supernatural purifying change and transformation (regeneration) that cannot be done through legal washings and sprinklings before a person can enter the eternal Kingdom of God (See John 3:3).
“Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God.” (1 Corinthians 6:9-11 ESV)
Baptism was considered a symbolic rite of the new life and cannot be imparted or initiated apart from the work of the Holy Spirit. Baptism is a sign of the inward spiritual saving work of God. It is by water alone in the ritual of baptism that a person declares they have repented of their sins and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior, passing from eternal death to eternal life with Jesus.
The Bible is very clear that salvation is by grace through the faith of Jesus Christ, not by works of any kind, including baptism. Any other interpretation is faulty at best and intentionally deceptive at worst because it contradicts many other Scriptures that clearly show people being saved (as evidenced by their receiving the Holy Spirit) before being baptized or without being baptized at all (See Acts 10; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 3:24).
It was because of the evidence of their salvation that Peter allowed them to be baptized, which is why he was very cautious in stating that he was not teaching baptismal regeneration or the ritual itself that justified a person and clarified what was meant when he said, "not the removal of dirt from the flesh, but an appeal to God for a good conscience." Yes, he connected baptism with salvation because it represents that it is trusting faith in Jesus by His grace alone that saves a person, and they become united with Jesus in His resurrection through faith, plus nothing (See 1 Peter 3:21; also Romans 3:25-26,4:5).
The act of being immersed in water does nothing but wash away dirt, and it can't create a clean conscience because only the Holy Spirit can do that at the moment a person repents of their sins and receives Jesus as their Lord and Savior.
Water baptism is the corresponding item that follows salvation, not the other way around. The Old Testament laws and sacrifices were counterparts of the reality that a person can be saved only through the faith of Jesus Christ (See Galatians 2:20; Romans 3:22).
"For the GRACE of God has appeared, bringing salvation for all people, training us to renounce ungodliness and worldly passions, and to live self-controlled, upright, and godly lives in the present age" (Titus 2:11-12 – emphasis mine)
The RCC teaches that Baptism is necessary for salvation because they believe it imparts sanctifying grace, provides remission of sin, gives the power to be resurrected, and initiates a child into the RCC.
"He who BELIEVES and is baptized will be saved; but he who does NOT believe will be condemned" (Mark 16:16 ESV - emphasis mine).
There are two statements in the verse: 1. He who believes and is baptized will be saved; 2. The one specific condition required for salvation is stated in the second part. The verse tells us about those who become Born-Again and have been baptized. However, it does not say anything about those who have been Born-Again and have not yet been baptized. For this verse to teach that baptism is necessary for salvation, a third statement would be required, such as "He who believes and is not baptized will be condemned" or "He who is not baptized will be condemned," yet neither of these statements are found in the verse or anywhere else in the Bible. To make it say that, they must use the Negative Inference Fallacy, which is a syllogistic fallacy that occurs when a categorical syllogism has a negative conclusion, but both premises are affirmative.
When looking for answers to whether baptism is required for salvation, one must be careful not to confuse a condition of salvation with a requirement for salvation. The Bible clearly teaches that He who “believes” (Gk: 'pisteuó') has already actively believed and entrusted their life to Jesus. Belief is actively trusting in the faith of Jesus that saved them and is both a condition AND a requirement, but that cannot be said about the act of baptism. Nowhere in the Bible does it say if a person is not baptized, then they are not Born-Again/Saved.
No one can state exegetically with absolute assurance and authority that baptism is necessary for salvation because affirmative premises cannot reach a negative conclusion. The correct rule to follow in Hermeneutics is if a statement is true, it cannot be assumed that all negations (or opposites) of that statement are also true." For example, the statement "a dog with white spots is an animal" is true; however, the negative, "if a dog does not have white spots, it is not an animal," is false. In the same way, "he who believes and is baptized will be saved" is true; however, the statement "he who believes but is not baptized will not be saved" is an unwarranted assumption.
In essence, Jesus has given both the positive condition of belief (whoever believes will be saved) and the negative condition of unbelief (whoever does not believe will be condemned). It can be said with absolute certainty that belief (active trust) is the requirement for salvation. More importantly, this condition is restated positively and negatively throughout the Bible (See John 3:16,18, 36; 5:24; 6:53-54; 8:24; Acts 16:31).
A true Born-Again Believer, one who is born for above, looks at the full counsel of God's Word because it was written by God (i.e., Jesus). The Bible is clear that a person is saved by the faith of Jesus alone (Romans 4:1-25; Galatians 3:6-22). The Bible does not say anywhere that if a person is not baptized, they are not saved. If it was required, then no one could be saved without another person being present to baptize them.
God’s Holy Word clearly defines that at the point of saving faith, a person possesses all the promises and blessings of salvation (see John 1:12; 3:16; 5:24; 6:47; 20:31; Acts 10:43; 13:39; 16:31). When a person is Born-Again, before being baptized, they have eternal life, and will never come under judgment because they have passed from death into life (John 5:24).
"And these signs will accompany THOSE who BELIEVE: in MY name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18 ESV - emphasis mine)
Salvation comes from the faith of Jesus alone, and "We have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace" (Ephesians 1:7).
The Bible does not say a person is saved through grace plus anything, which clearly means it is only the grace of Jesus alone, and any work has nothing to do with it. Water baptism is the outward testimony of the Born-Again Christian's inward faith. A person is saved the moment they repent of their sin and place their trusting-faith in Jesus alone. Baptism is the outward sign of what God has done "by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit" (Titus 3:5).
SPIRITUAL CIRCUMCISION
When a person repents of their sins and receives Jesus as their Lord and Savior, they become Born-Again because their sins were instantly forgiven and were circumcised spiritually by Jesus and not by human hands that strip off the old nature. They were also instantly baptized with the Holy Spirit and the fire of God.
The inner circumcision of the heart comes at the moment a person repents of their sin and receives Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Philippians 3:3). Physical circumcision anticipates the true circumcision of the heart, and the inner, not outer circumcision, defines the ‘true’ Jew. The value of physical circumcision exists only if the Law is perfectly obeyed (Romans 2:25-28; Galatians 5:2–3). Once it is broken, circumcision becomes uncircumcision (Romans 2:25; 3:2). Neither circumcision nor uncircumcision counts for anything (1 Corinthians 7:19; Galatians 5:6; 6:15). Physical circumcision was a sign and seal of faith in the case of Abraham, but it is not a prescription for Christians to follow (Romans 4:11). The inner circumcision of the heart comes at the moment they repented of their sin and received Jesus as their Lord and Savior (Philippians 3:3).
The Bible reveals that the entire Jewish ritual system and the ministry of John the Baptist were symbolic in the minds of both Nicodemus and Jesus when He spoke to him in anticipation of becoming the Temple of the Holy Spirit at the moment of salvation.
It is only the spiritual Baptism of becoming Born-Again that incorporates the new Believer by the faith of Jesus into His death, burial, and resurrection, and it replaces physical circumcision with spiritual circumcision, which fulfills the OT physical rite of circumcision.
INFANT BAPTISM
The ritual of infant baptism is not taught in the Bible because they are incapable of making an informed decision to become a Born-Again Believer in Jesus, which happens after a person receives the Gospel message. The Bible says to first “repent” and then “be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the forgiveness of your sins, and you will receive the gift of the Holy Spirit” (Acts 2:36-38,41 ESV). God judges the heart of each person based on the decisions they make and not their parents or relatives (Jeremiah 17:10; Matthew 16:27; Romans 2:5–6; 2 Corinthians 5:10).
Some people were followers of Jesus and believed He was the promised Messiah. The Apostle Paul said to them, “Did you receive the Holy Spirit when you believed?” And they said, “No, we have not even heard that there is a Holy Spirit.” And he said, “Into what then were you baptized?” They said, “Into John’s baptism.” Paul said, “John baptized with the baptism of repentance, telling the people to believe in the one who was to come after him, that is, Jesus.” On hearing this, they were baptized in the name of the Lord Jesus. And when Paul had laid his hands on them, the Holy Spirit came on them, and they began speaking in tongues and prophesying” (Acts 19:2-6 ESV). They were ‘believers’ and had been baptized in water by John the Baptist but they were not ‘receivers.’ They became Born-Again when they received the Holy Spirit. The Greek word for ‘believed is ‘pisteuó’ and means to trust in, to be persuaded, and to have confidence in. It is more than just a thought but a dramatic emotional and spiritual shift. An infant or dead person is not capable of doing that.
Salvation is by grace through the faith of Jesus Christ, not by works of any kind, including baptism. Any other interpretation is faulty at best and intentionally deceptive at worst because it contradicts many other Scriptures that clearly show people being saved (as evidenced by their receiving the Holy Spirit) before being baptized or without being baptized at all (See Acts 10; Romans 8:9; Ephesians 1:13; 1 John 3:24). An infant is not sinless because they are born with a sinful nature imputed to them as a result of Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden and stand guilty before God even though they have yet to commit personal sin. The ultimate cause of death is sin, which affects everything on the planet. Every human baby/infant/child/adolescent/teenager/adult inherited a sinful nature that was passed down in the DNA from their parents. The Bible says that King David knew that he was "sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me" (Psalm 51:5 NIV).
An infant is not sinless because they are born with a sinful nature imputed to them as a result of Adam and Eve's fall in the Garden of Eden and stand guilty before God even though they have yet to commit personal sin. The ultimate cause of death is sin, which affects everything on the planet. Every human baby/infant/child/adolescent/teenager/adult inherited a sinful nature that was passed down in the DNA from their parents. The Bible says that King David knew that he was "sinful at birth, sinful from the time my mother conceived me." (Psalm 51:5 NIV).
The only way a person can be declared righteous is to repent of their sins, place their trust and faith in Jesus alone, and receive Him as their Lord and Savior. An infant simply cannot do that. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me" (John 14:6 NIV).
"Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 NIV)
Water baptism is not equal to repentance and confession of Jesus as Lord for salvation because only trusting-faith in Jesus can justify a person and not the work of baptism (Romans 3:16; Romans 5:1,8-9, 10:8-9; Galatians 2:16,5:4). The Bible does not teach that an adult can set a child apart and secure their salvation. An infant or child can’t truly repent until they reach the age of accountability.
Jesus chose to be baptized by total immersion and told His followers to do the same as evidence that He radically changed their hearts and minds after repenting of their sins and becoming Born-Again because water baptism is simply a symbol and significant testimony of their trusting-faith (Matthew 3:16; Luke 3:21; Acts 8:16, 16:28-34,19:5). After a person becomes Born-Again, water baptism is the first step of obedience in following Jesus, but it is not mandatory for salvation.
THE AGE OF REASON/ACCOUNTABILITY
The Bible does not directly address an age of reason/accountability. However, there is one verse that speaks to the issue indirectly;
"For since the creation of the world God's invisible qualities - His eternal power and divine nature have been clearly seen, being understood from what has been made, so that people are without excuse." (Romans 1:20 NIV)
The guilt before God of every human being is partially based on a rejection of what can be "clearly seen" of God's omnipotence and eternal existence. The age of reason/accountability is considered 13 years old in Jewish tradition when a child is regarded as an adult. However, the Bible does not explicitly address that because the age at which a child can distinguish between right and wrong varies. However, science has determined that logic, rationality, and moral conscience of knowing good or bad, right and wrong, begin at around six years old when they become more autonomous and make their own decisions to play by the rules and draw their conclusions.
The sacrificial death of Jesus on the Cross is the sufficient and final payment for the forgiveness of all sin. It allows the possibility of applying it to anyone, including a child or anyone who was never capable of believing and receiving Him. The death of Jesus paid for the forgiveness of all sin, past, present, and future because He is "the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world" (1 John 2:3 NIV). The way His forgiveness is appropriated is to become Born-Again by repenting of sin and receiving Him as Lord and Savior.
In the covenant relationship between the nation of Israel and Yahweh, a male child was brought into the covenant through circumcision, which was totally out of his control, being performed on the eighth day after birth. No other requirement was imposed on him (Exodus 12:48–50; Leviticus 12:3).
When King David committed adultery with Bathsheba, it resulted in pregnancy, and the Lord sent the prophet Nathan to tell David that, because of his sin, He would take the child in death. David responded by grieving and praying for the child. But once the child was taken, David's mourning ended. David's servants were surprised to hear this, and He said to them,
"While the child was still alive, I fasted and wept. I thought, 'Who knows? The Lord may be gracious to me and let the child live.' But now that he is dead, why should I go on fasting? Can I bring him back again? I will go to him, but he will not return to me." (2 Samuel 12:22-23 NIV)
The words of David indicate that infants who die are safe in the Lord. God can apply the sacrificial payment of Jesus to young children and others incapable of repenting of their sins and receiving Jesus as their Lord and Savior. God is eternally good, right, loving, holy, merciful, just, and gracious (Matthew 19:14).
COMMUNION AND TRANSUBSTANTIATION
"Truly, truly, I say to you, unless you eat the flesh of the Son of Man and drink his blood, you have no life in you. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood has eternal life, and I will raise him up on the last day. For my flesh is true food, and my blood is true drink. Whoever feeds on my flesh and drinks my blood abides in me, and I in him. As the living Father sent me, and I live because of the Father, so whoever feeds on me, he also will live because of me. This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate, and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever." (John 6:53-58 ESV)
RCC doctrine affirms that a literal interpretation of the phrases "feeds on my flesh" and "drinks my blood" demands it by literal wording. By the inference, Paul draws from it that it is a sin against the "body and blood" of Christ (1 Corinthians 11:27), and by the normal use of the word "is" in Jesus statement, "This is my body" (see Ludwig Ott, Fundamentals of Catholic Dogma, 375).
In the first three Gospels, Jesus is represented as saying, "this is my body" and "this is my blood" about the bread and wine at the Lord's Supper (Matthew 26:26,28; Mark 14:21,24; Luke 22:19,21 – also 1 Corinthians 15:24). Roman Catholics base their doctrine of Transubstantiation, which is that the bread and wine are transformed into the literal body and blood of Jesus even though they still look, taste, and smell like typical bread and wine.
One of the Rules of biblical Hermeneutics is that a historical-grammatical interpretation of the Bible that is literally true does not demand that everything be taken literally because not everything in the Bible is true literally. The literal sense allows for figures of speech, such as speaking of Jesus as "the Bread of Life," which should be eaten (John 6:32-33), and immediately precedes this discourse on "eating his flesh" (James 6:52-71).
I remember getting it drilled into my head that context, context, and context are everything in Bible interpretation. A verse can only mean what the original author meant it to mean and words can never mean what was never meant. Those who try to give words different meanings than what they actually mean in the grammatical and historical context of the original language are guilty of committing nescient eisegesis and contextomy, which is defined as 'reading one's own presuppositions and personal theological perspectives into a passage to make it say what they want it to say and support their confirmation bias'. A person can't take a word(s) from the original Hebrew, Greek, or Aramaic and try to give it a meaning from a modern dictionary that is in the language it was translated into.
The context provides evidence that Jesus did not intend these statements to be taken literally. If "eating his flesh" is to be taken literally, then everyone, including unbelievers who partake of Communion is saved since Jesus said all who partake of it are given "eternal life" (John 6:55). The Bible is clear that simply taking Communion is not the condition for receiving the gift of eternal life, but instead belief is. Jesus said that "everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him should have eternal life (John 3:14-18), and I will raise him up in the last day" (John 6:40). He also said a person must be Born-Again to be saved (John 3:3-7) but did not say they needed to be baptized or partake of Communion.
The word "eating/eat" is a familiar biblical figure of speech for believing in God and ingesting spiritual nourishment from Him (Psalm 34:8; Isaiah 55:1; Ezekiel 3:2-3; 1 Peter 2:2-3). Jesus spoke of Himself as the Bread of Life, which, like the manna in the wilderness, was eaten daily (John 6:32-33). The Greek verb 'meno' in John 6:56 means to abide and expresses continual mystical fellowship between Jesus and the Born-Again Believer (John 15:4-7; 1 John 2:6,27-28; 3:6,24; 4:12,16). There is no reference to the Lord's Supper but simply to mystical fellowship with Jesus.
The word "body" has both a physical meaning as well as a spiritual meaning in other places in the New Testament (Example: 1 Corinthians 12:13). Every Born-Again Christian is a member/part of the spiritual body of Christ. A sin against them is a sin against Jesus (Acts 9:5). The regular use of the word "is" is often employed in figures of speech such as Jesus is the vine (John 15); the water of Life (John 4), and the door (John 10).
When Jesus said, "this is my body," everyone present knew it was not literally His real body but a piece of bread being held by His real body (hand). The communion service in the first-century church was a memorial of Jesus' death and was not a reenactment and partaking of His literal physical death but a proclamation of His death and spiritual participation with other Born-Again Believers (1 Corinthians 10:16; 11:25-26).
The Bible is filled with metaphors (see Psalm 18:2). The word describing Jesus' "flesh" as "true food" (John 6:55) does not mean it must be physical but points to the fact that it was "real" (Gk: 'alathas'), that is a spiritual reality, not ordinary physical flesh.
Jesus often spoke in metaphors and figures of speech that can only have a spiritual meaning. If the consecrated communion elements are really His body, then it can be worshipped, which is idolatry. Jesus sacrificed Himself once and for all in His death on the Cross (Hebrews 10:12).
When Jesus spoke about Communion, He said, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life" (John 6:63). He often used figures of speech, as noted in the Book of John, to describe Himself such as "water" (vs. 4:14), "bread" (vs. 6:35), "light" (vs. 8:12), the "door" (vs 10:7, 9), and the "vine" (vs 15:1). A literalistic approach makes no sense in any of these cases.
The Bible is the final authority for doctrine, not the church Fathers. It is clear that heresy and false doctrines began early (John 21:20-23;1 Timothy 4:1; 1 John 4:1-6; Colossians 2:8-23). The earliest Church Fathers can be used to support a biblical doctrine, but belief in the doctrine should be based on God's direct revelation in the Bible. Most of the Church Fathers in the first few centuries did not explicitly speak of transubstantiation but, at best, a real presence of Jesus and the symbolic nature of Communion. No council of the early Church affirmed transubstantiation until the Fourth Lateran Council (A.D. 1215) and later at the Council of Trent (A. D. 1551).
The time of the institution of Communion is found in John 13 after the Passover, not in John 6 after the sermon on the Bread of Life; that is an entirely different time and context. The Last Supper occurred one year later than the incidents recorded in this chapter.
There is a close parallel between John 6:40 and John 6:54 that reveals they are referring to the same thing. The phrases "whoever eats my flesh and drinks my blood" and "everyone who looks on the Son and believes in him" have eternal life are a direct parallel, and the former is the symbolic way of referring to the latter. The language used is so utterly unqualified that if its primary reference is to Communion, we must conclude that the one thing necessary for eternal life is participation at the Lord's Table. That would contradict the earlier parts of the discourse, which affirms that belief in the Son is the only necessary condition for receiving eternal life (John 3:16;18,36;6:40).
When Jesus gave the command that they should "eat" his flesh, the crowd reacted negatively (John 6:52, 60,66). However, He did not retract the promise, try to change their understanding of His words, or try and explain He had been speaking poetically or metaphorically.
Jesus did not always correct the Disciples' misunderstanding directly or immediately (See John 2:19-22). He corrected their literalistic misinterpretation of His words. He said, "The words that I have spoken to you are spirit and life (John 6:63), and "The flesh is of no help at all" in understanding His words (John 6:63). He equated "eating" his flesh with one who "believes in him" and thereby "has eternal life" (John 3:16,18,36). Peter did not depart on hearing Jesus' words, and said that it was because "we have believed and have come to know, that you are the Holy One of God" (John 6:69).
The Bible shows that eating physical objects metaphorically does not always mean destroying them (See Psalm 27:2; Isaiah 9:20). In a positive context, it means ingesting the spiritual reality that God has provided (See Psalm 37:4; Isaiah 55:1; Ezekiel 2:8-9; 1 Peter 2:2-3).
The actual Communion service instituted by Jesus is recorded four times in the New Testament (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-13; 1 Corinthians 11:17-26). The text indicates that Jesus' words are not to be taken literally because "eating" His "flesh" would have cannibalistic overtones to Jews who were strictly forbidden by the Law of Moses to eat blood (Leviticus 17:14). Jesus said, "this is my body" (Gk: ‘soma’), not "this is my flesh" (Gk: ‘sarx’). Logically, if Communion was in mind in John 6, it is more likely that the word "body" would have been used. Nowhere in Scripture is Communion spoken of as eating the flesh and drinking the blood of Jesus (Matthew 26:26-29; Mark 14:22-25; Luke 22:14-22; 1 Corinthians 11:23-26).
The communion elements are called "bread" and the "cup" [of wine] or "fruit of the vine" (Matthew 26:29) after it is prayed over (consecrated) and they were eating it, not the body and blood of Jesus (1 Corinthians 11:23-28). Jesus offered Himself once and for all (Hebrews 7:27;9:7,26,28;10:10). His body is not offered over and over again each time Mass is given in the RCC.
Transubstantiation entails the worship of the Eucharist/Communion elements because it is the worship of created things and contrary to the prohibition of eating blood and against idolatry (Leviticus 17:14; Exodus 20:4-5; Romans 1:25).
IN REMEMBRANCE
"…do this in remembrance of me." (1 Corinthians 11:24-25 NIV)
The early Church considered the taking of Communion not as a ritual ceremony but as a holy act and treated it as such. It was at the forefront of every meeting, and the elements were prominently displayed in the front of the church, be it an altar or table. It is vitally important that Christians partake of Communion in contemplative reverence to remember the broken body and shed blood of Jesus because it proclaims His death for the forgiveness of sin that brought reconciliation between humanity and God. When Christians receive the emblems of His body and blood, they partake of the power of God.
"For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God." (1 Corinthians 1:18 NIV)
The blood is the power of the anointing that breaks every yoke. Taking Communion signifies that they have faith in His blood, the blood that was shed to forgive and save, and are continually being saved from things that can attack physically, mentally, and spiritually.
Whether Christians partake in Communion daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, or annually, they are to "examine" and judge themselves just as King David did.
"Search me, O God, and know my heart: try me, and know my thoughts: And see if there be any wicked way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting." (Psalm 139:23-24 KJV)
The failure of the Corinthian church was due to them not searching their hearts before partaking in Communion. It must not be done in only a few fleeting seconds during service as the elements are being prepared. People must first spend time on their knees before the Lord, seeking His face to search their hearts. Then, when the Lord reveals sin, such as unforgiveness, anger, rebellion, bitterness, fear, worry, anxiety, resentment, pride, envy, etc., in their life, they should acknowledge it, appropriate the blood to it and repent. If they hold something against another person, then they must make it right with them. Reconciliation is the ministry of EVERY Christian (See 2 Corinthians 5:18). If people do not examine themselves BEFORE they take Communion, and sin is present, they will bring God's correction.
"For he who eats and drinks in an unworthy manner eats and drinks judgment to himself not discerning the Lord's body. For this reason many are weak and sick among you, and many sleep. For if we would judge ourselves, we would not be judged. But when we are judged, we are chastened by the Lord, that we may not be condemned with the world." (1 Corinthians 11:27-32 NIV)
After decades of study, I firmly believe that this is the most significant reason why there is so much sickness and disease in the church. Pride and lack of trust opens the door for the immune system to go haywire. The importance of this can't be overstated. God's chastisement and judgment are by resisting the proud. It is designed to bring the Christian back into the right relationship with Him and is always to restore but never to destroy.
CONCLUSION
I always find it interesting that in dialogues I have with Catholics, after I have quoted Scripture, their response is to ignore and not address them directly and then they inform me that “God didn't come down and give us a Bible; He came down and gave us a church who gave us the Bible.”
The focus of the discussion then moves to obfuscation and the sophistry of what the Bible ‘means’ based upon what some fallen person said about who, what, where, and when. Being a Berean who studies to “shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth approve themselves unto God” is definitely NOT on the list of their works-based memory verses (2 Timothy 2:15 KJV).
Summary of the RCC Vs the Bible
The RCC says Scripture and Tradition together are the Word of God (Para 80-82). The Bible says Scripture alone is the Word of God (John 10:35; 2 Timothy 3:16-17; 2 Peter 1:20- 21; Mark 7:13).
The RCC says Mary is the co-redeemer, for she participated with Christ in the painful act of redemption (Para 169). The Bible says Christ alone is the Redeemer, for He alone suffered and died for sin (1 Peter 1:18, 19).
The RCC says Mary is the co-mediator, to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions. The Bible says Christ Jesus is the one mediator to whom we can entrust all our cares and petitions (1 Timothy 2:5; John 14:13, 14; 1 Peter 5:7).
The RCC says faith comes through the Catholic Church (Para 168, 181). The Bible says faith is the gift of God and comes by the Word of God (i.e., Jesus) (Acts 16:31; Philippians 1:29; Romans 10:7).
The RCC says initial justification is by means of baptism (Para 1213). The Bible says justification is by faith alone (Romans 3:28) and God alone justifies ungodly sinners who believe (Romans 4:5).
The RCC says adults must prepare for justification through faith and good works (Para 1266). The Bible says God works are the result of salvation, not the cause (Ephesians 2:8-10).
The RCC says grace is merited by good works (Para 2002, 2008, 2009, 2016). The Bible says grace is a free gift (Romans 11:6).
The RCC says Salvation is attained by cooperating with grace through faith, good works, and participation in the sacraments (Para 2012, 1129, 1493). The Bible says salvation is attained by grace through the faith of Jesus apart from works (Acts 16:31; Philippians 1:29; Romans 3:24, 5:7, 10:17; Ephesians 2:8-10; Titus 3:5-6; Galatians 2:21).
The RCC says no one can know if they will attain to eternal life (Para 2010, 2027). The Bible says the Born-Again Christian can know they have eternal life by the Word of God and the testimony of the Holy Spirit who indwells and promises to never leave or forsake them (1 John 5:13; Romans 8:16).
The RCC is necessary for salvation (Para 846-847). The Bible says there is salvation in no one but the Lord Jesus Christ, “for there is no other name under heaven that has been given among men by which we must be saved” (Acts 4:12).
The RCC says Christ's body and blood exist wholly and entirely in every fragment of consecrated bread and wine in every Roman Catholic church around the world (Para 1376). The Bible says the bread and wine are symbols of the body and blood of Christ, and He is bodily present in heaven (1 Corinthians 11:23-25; Hebrews 10:12, 13).
The RCC says the sacrifice of the Cross is perpetuated in the Sacrifice of the Mass (Para 1367-1368). The Bible says the sacrifice of the Cross is finished (John 19:30; Hebrews 1:3, 10:12).
The RCC says each sacrifice of the Mass appeases God's wrath against sin (Para 1371, 1414). The Bible says the once-for-all sacrifice of the Cross fully appeased God's wrath against sin (Hebrews 10:12-18).
The RCC says the sacrificial work of redemption is continually carried out through the sacrifice of the Mass (Para 1364,1405). The Bible says the sacrificial work of redemption was finished when Jesus gave His life for us on the Cross (Ephesians 1:7; Hebrews 1:3).
The RCC rationalizes idolatry in prayer and worship (Para 2132, 2131). The Bible says God hates Idolatry (Exodus 20:4-5; Deuteronomy 4:13,15-16; 1 John 5:21).
The RCC says communion with the dead is recommended (Para 958, 2683). The Bible says God forbids communion with the dead (Deuteronomy 18:10-11; Leviticus 20:6-7).
The RCC says the bishops, with the Pope as their head, rule the universal Church (Para 891). The Bible says Christ, the head of the body, rules the universal church (Colossians 1:18).
The RCC says God has entrusted revelation to the bishops (Para 80). The Bible says God has entrusted revelation to the saints (Jude 3).
The RCC says the Pope is infallible in his teaching (Para 891). The Bible says God alone is infallible (Numbers 23:19; Acts 17:11).
The New Testament speaks of bishops (Gk: 'Episkopos' = overseer) and deacons (Gk: 'Diakonous' = servant, minister). Still, it does not speak of a special class known as 'priests' because Jesus is their High Priest (Hebrews 4:14-15, 5:6, 10:21). What it does speak of is that we must present our bodies as "a living sacrifice" (Romans 12:1 ESV) because WE are "a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices" (1 Peter 2:5 ESV).
Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in MY name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14 also 16:23-24 ESV - emphasis mine). It is Jesus alone who is highly exalted, and His name is above every name, and to Him alone, every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father (See Philippians 2:9-11).
"And these signs will accompany THOSE who believe: in MY name they will cast out demons; they will speak in new tongues; they will pick up serpents with their hands; and if they drink any deadly poison, it will not hurt them; they will lay their hands on the sick, and they will recover." (Mark 16:17-18 ESV - emphasis mine)
The Bible encourages us to go directly to the throne of God to receive mercy and grace. It's crucial to understand that Jesus did not instruct us to recite prayers to Him through the name of a deceased relative or church 'saint.' Jesus told satan that we are to worship only God, and that would exclude Mary and any 'person' other than Jesus (Matthew 4:10). We are uniquely empowered to worship Jesus alone and pray directly to Him and not to His wounds, body parts, mother/queen of Heaven [Note: there are pagan Goddesses mentioned in the Bible as Queens of Heaven - see Jeremiah 7:17–19; 44:16–27], 'Rosary' beads, or any object such as a statue because they do not provide forgiveness of sin or relief from punishment. There are other manmade religions in the world where different forms of the 'Rosary' are prayed, such as the Bahá'í faith, Buddhism, Hinduism, Islam, and Sikhism. The RCC started using the Rosary around AD 1350. Jesus, the Apostles, and the early church fathers did not use them – ever! This direct relationship with Jesus in prayer is a cornerstone of the biblical Christian faith, as the Bible unequivocally states that Jesus alone is our advocate:
"My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone does sin, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous . . ." (1 John 2:1 ESV)
Jesus said, "Whatever you ask in MY name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it" (John 14:13-14 also 16:23-24 ESV - emphasis mine).
In whatever we do, "in word or deed, do EVERYTHING in the NAME of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him" (Colossians 3:17 ESV – emphasis mine). Prayer is an act of worship of God, and it is Jesus alone who is truly worthy of it (Acts 4:12). Only prayer to Jesus provides forgiveness of sin, relief from punishment, and specific blessings or victory over hell.
"And there is salvation in no one else, for there is NO OTHER NAME under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." (Acts 4:12 ESV – emphasis mine)
Jesus said to him, "I AM the way, and the TRUTH, and the LIFE. No one comes to the Father except THROUGH me." (John 14:6 ESV – emphasis mine)
The Bible is the foundation of Christianity because it is the absolute perfect revelation of Jesus Christ and the absolute final and ultimate authority in the life of the Born-Again Christian and the judge of traditions. It is the only infallible, inerrant, inspired, and dependable source for humankind to know God's voice. His Word sustains everything in the Cosmos and has the answers to all eternal questions. It must be used to verify and test the traditions and teachings of the Church and not the other way around. Jesus continually rebuked the Pharisees and called them hypocrites because they made their traditions equal to the written Word of God (Mark 7:6-13). Traditions should support the teaching of the Bible and not those that contradict or transgress "the commands of God" or exceed what they say (Matthew 15:3; 1 Corinthians 4:6; 2 Thessalonians 2:15).
The 12 Apostles knew that what they spoke about the Gospel was by the Holy Spirit and not by their wisdom or traditions (1 Corinthians 2:13). Peter made it very clear and declared by the power of the Holy Spirit that the purity of God's written Word must be maintained as the final source of interpretation (2 Peter 1:19-21; 2 Timothy 3:15-16).
The focus of all Scripture is ultimately on Jesus, who is 100% fully God and 100% fully human. He was sent to save humanity from the bondage of sin. He was born of a virgin, died for our sins, physically rose from the dead, and will one day return to judge the world and deliver His people. The Bible is the blueprint of Heaven and the only reliable source of truth for all moral and spiritual information by which humans can successfully live each day and build a foundation for any endeavor. In its original text, the Bible is the all-inclusive, inerrant, divinely inspired word of God (See Psalm 19:7;119:142,160, Proverbs 30:5-6, Isaiah 8:20; Matthew 4:4;24:35; John 10:35;14:16-17;23-26;21:25; 2 Timothy 3:15-17; 2 Peter 3:15-16).
Jesus said, "Scripture cannot be broken," and in His very last commandment in the book of Revelation, He warned us not to add to or take away from His Word (John 10:35; Revelation 22:18-19). To appeal to a tradition or the esoteric ramblings of fallen human beings as the divine authority is unsupported in God's Word.
Jesus also said, "If anyone loves me, he will keep my word, and my Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words. And the word that you hear is not mine but the Father's who sent me" (John 14:23-24 ESV).
It is Jesus alone who "is the guarantor of a better Covenant" (Hebrews 7:22-28 ESV). Nowhere in the Bible does it say that any person or church has the authority to keep people from error. There is no 'mother' church. It is the Bible alone that is infallible and tells every Born-Again Christian to go directly to "God and to the word of His grace" because "All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work" (Acts 20:28-32; 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ESV). It is because of that truth we must do our "best to present" ourselves "to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth" (2 Timothy 2:15 ESV - see also Matthew 5:18; John 10:35; Acts 17:10-12, 20:32; 5-17).
The straightforward, indisputable historical fact is the New Testament makes no mention of the RCC in the teachings of Jesus or His Apostles, nor is there any mention of salvation by grace plus anything such as baptism and works, praying the Rosary, the papacy, worship/adoration of Mary, her immaculate conception, perpetual virginity, absolute sinlessness, assumption, being a co-redemptrix and mediatrix, as well as petitioning saints in Heaven for their prayers, apostolic succession, the ordinances of the Church functioning as sacraments, infant baptism, confession of sin to a priest, purgatory, indulgences, or the equal authority of church tradition and Scripture, which the Bible warns about the danger of following those non-apostolic traditions (Mark 7:7-8,13; Colossians 2:8). These teachings are a different Gospel full of idolatry and doctrines of demons because it is a works-based religious caste system that is confusing at best and most often theologically contradictory, illogical, and intellectually incongruent (Galatians 1:8-12; 1 Timothy 4:1).
Because the RCC believes that 'traditions' and the teachings of fallen human beings are co-equal and even supersede God's Word, then a Catholic cannot honestly and legitimately teach or believe that Jesus is God and the Author of the Bible, which means they are unbelievers who have tampered with its authority by adding or subtracting from it, which is disgraceful and underhanded, and there can be no fellowship between "light with darkness" (Ephesians 4:12-15; 2 Corinthians 14-16 ESV). That is a result of the god of this world having blinded their minds because of what they chose to believe and the choices they make to keep them from seeing the light of the Gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God" (2 Corinthians 4:1-6 ESV).
The cold and hard truth is that anyone who teaches things that do not align with the Word of God is to be accursed (1 Corinthians 16:22). This message is not given flippantly in anger or animosity.
"If your brother sins, go and show him his fault in private; if he listens and pays attention to you, you have won back your brother. But if he does not listen, take along with you one or two others, so that EVERY WORD MAY BE CONFIRMED BY THE TESTIMONY OF TWO OR THREE WITNESSES. If he pays no attention to them [refusing to listen and obey], tell it to the church; and if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile (unbeliever) and a tax collector." (Matthew 18:15-17 Amp)
Jesus taught that a house divided against itself would not stand (Matthew 12:25). God "is not the author of confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints" (1 Corinthians 14:33 KJV; also Galatians 1:8-12; 1 Corinthians 10:6-22).
*For a message on Mary, see https://sermoncentral.com/sermons/fifteen-facts-to-consider-about-the-immaculate-conception-of-mary-and-the-virgin-birth-of-jesus-dr-craig-nelson-sermon-on-incarnation-251794
