[christkid777]

One thing about this forum, we get exposed to a lot of different ideas and interpretations about the meaning of "things". The big question that has formed in my mind is how we see Christ. What is Christ to us? There are easy pat religious answers straight from scripture but the real issue is what have these verses created in our own hearts. So, who is Christ?

Here is the testimony of one great leader of the chosen:

Mt 16:16 Simon Peter answered and said, "You are the Christ, the Son of the living God."

And here is the testimony of another:

Ro 11:36 For of Him and through Him and to Him are all things, to whom be glory forever. Amen.

And yet again:

Col 1:15 He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation.
Col 1:16 For by Him all things were created that are in heaven and that are on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him.
Col 1:17 And He is before all things, and in Him all things consist.
Col 1:18 And He is the head of the body, the church, who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in all things He may have the preeminence.
Col 1:19 For it pleased the Father that in Him all the fullness should dwell,
Col 1:20 and by Him to reconcile all things to Himself, by Him, whether things on earth or things in heaven, having made peace through the blood of His cross.

Do we really believe this? Do we really believe that this man Jesus was the very Son of God? That he carried the very words of life? That the things He said to us were so important that God needed to send His Son and not just another prophet? Or do we think this Christ made too much of Himself? That the things He said about Himself and His Father were only partly true? That it was up to us to decide what part was for us and what part was not? It seems to me that if we really accepted Christ for what He and His witnesses said He was that it would end a lot of questions that we wrestle with in our minds.

For example: Can a man be saved if he does not accept the gift of God in Christ? The answer is, no.

Ro 5:15 But the free gift is not like the offense. For if by the one man's offense many died, much more the grace of God and the gift by the grace of the one Man, Jesus Christ, abounded to many.
Ro 5:16 And the gift is not like that which came through the one who sinned. For the judgment which came from one offense resulted in condemnation, but the free gift which came from many offenses resulted in justification
Ro 5:17 For if by the one man's offense death reigned through the one, much more those who receive abundance of grace and of the gift of righteousness will reign in life through the One, Jesus Christ.
Ro 5:18 Therefore, as through one man's offense judgment came to all men, resulting in condemnation, even so through one Man's righteous act the free gift came to all men, resulting in justification of life.
Ro 5:19 For as by one man's disobedience many were made sinners, so also by one Man's obedience many will be made righteous.

Again: Can a man be saved if he follows Buddha or Mohammed or another "prophet"? The answer is, no. At least not by either of those two. However God has not, to my knowledge, excluded any one from salvation. The same path we followed to God is plainly marked out for any and all to follow. There is no need for any other savior. Much of the problem in this area IMO stems from us, the human part, and our inability to love like Christ has admonished us too. And we partly believe what they say about themselves instead of believing Christ and His witnesses. We close the door on the Buddhist and Muslim because we do not seem to believe they really need Christ. But they do!

Ac 4:12 "Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved."

Again: Can a man set aside the command of Christ and indulge in the corruption of the world without consequence? The answer is no.

Mt 24:45 "Who then is a faithful and wise servant, whom his master made ruler over his household, to give them food in due season?
Mt 24:46 "Blessed is that servant whom his master, when he comes, will find so doing.
Mt 24:47 "Assuredly, I say to you that he will make him ruler over all his goods.
Mt 24:48 "But if that evil servant says in his heart, 'My master is delaying his coming,'
Mt 24:49 "and begins to beat his fellow servants, and to eat and drink with
the drunkards,
Mt 24:50 "the master of that servant will come on a day when he is not looking for him and at an hour that he is not aware of,
Mt 24:51 "and will cut him in two and appoint him his portion with the hypocrites. There shall be weeping and gnashing of teeth.

My friends, Christ gave us His words to shelter us. To save us from the wrath of God. And to allow us to reach out to others with the same Words that saved us. I would ask that we examine our hearts and ask ourselves if we really believe that Christ was who He said He was. There is so much at stake. Both for us and for those who might be saved through us. Let's not allow unbelief or misunderstanding to rob us of the benefits of this relationship.

I am sorry if the things I am saying seem to be convicting or condemning. That is not my intent. Well, at least the condemning part. Besides I found out how to copy and paste from my Bible software and needed to try it out.

[CI]

Christ is the Anointing of God personified as the Son of God. With the Christ comes grace and truth unto the Spirit.

A man who obtains the faith of God only has a good report. A man who obtains the Christ (Anointing of God) is one who has obtained faith unto good report, and then grace/truth unto the promises.

[Amadeus]

We don't need to condemn anyone James because if they have not been redeemed, if they are not being saved, then they are condemned already!

So what is Christ to us if not the Savior, but what is a Savior? From what do we need saving? What is He to do or has He done for us?

Is not Jesus the Messiah, the Christ, the One who was to come and did? What was His purpose?

"The Spirit of the Lord is upon me, because he hath anointed me to preach the gospel to the poor; he hath sent me to heal the brokenhearted, to preach deliverance to the captives, and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty them that are bruised,

To preach the acceptable year of the Lord." Luke 4:18-19

The poor:

"Blessed are the poor in spirit: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven." Matt 5:3

The brokenhearted:

"The LORD is nigh unto them that are of a broken heart; and saveth such as be of a contrite spirit." Ps 34:18

The captives:

" have raised him up in righteousness, and I will direct all his ways: he shall build my city, and he shall let go my captives, not for price nor reward, saith the LORD of hosts." Isaiah 45:13

The blind:

"And in that day shall the deaf hear the words of the book, and the eyes of the blind shall see out of obscurity, and out of darkness." Isaiah 29:18

The bruised:

"For I will restore health unto thee, and I will heal thee of thy wounds, saith the LORD; because they called thee an Outcast, saying, This is Zion, whom no man seeketh after." Jerem 30:17

John,

Originally Posted by christkid777

Besides I found out how to copy and paste from my Bible software and needed to try it out.

Just out of curiousity James, what software is it? I have used a website called Biblos.com: Search, Read, Study the Bible in Many Languages ...ever heard of it?

Jesus is the Christ, the Son of the Living God...
He is the whole "Word" of God made manifest in the form of an earthly man...
That is a marvel to think about!
He is the mediator between man and God...
The Savior, Redeemer, High Priest, and once and for all Sacrifice...
He is who leads us to the Father!
He is so many things!

[christkid777]

Sounds like you guys know the Lord! Amen. Actually Bruce I found this software at Wall Mart for $10. It has about six English translations as well as eighty different language translations, the Hebrew and Greek, the transliterated and several commentaries as well as the complete Strong's. There are a few hole in it but for the most part it is great. It has not been in the local stores for some time and not available online. I use the dictionary at The Free Dictionary.com. I have one on my machine but can't copy from it.

[NotFinishedYet]

Originally Posted by christkid777

Sounds like you guys know the Lord! Amen. Actually Bruce I found this software at Wall Mart for $10. It has about six English translations as well as eighty different language translations, the Hebrew and Greek, the transliterated and several commentaries as well as the complete Strong's. There are a few hole in it but for the most part it is great. It has not been in the local stores for some time and not available online. I use the dictionary at The Free Dictionary.com. I have one on my machine but can't copy from it.

I have the same software, James, and love using it. The only handicap with it is the inability to cut and past from it to here.

What does Christ mean to us? Reunion with God in the harmony He intended.

[christkid777]

NFY You can not "cut" and paste but you should be able to "copy" and paste.

[NotFinishedYet]

Originally Posted by christkid777

NFY You can not "cut" and paste but you should be able to "copy" and paste.

I've had a hard time with that, perhaps your version is newer. When I go to paste to another program, the option has disappeared. But I love the program! I compare the Young's Literal Translation to the Gr/Heb as my primary study, then pull in others accordingly. And having the Stong's there just really keeps me hopping as I study verses.

[christkid777]

I may be wrong but I think the copy and paste function is a component of your computer, not the application. What OS are you using? And what browser?