References

Here are a few selected Bible References from the New King James Version:

v God’s desires everyone to know Him personally: 1 Timothy 2:4 – (God) “…will have all men to be saved, and to come unto the knowledge of the truth.”

v Heaven is God’s Free Gift to man: Romans 6:23 – “For the wages of sin [is] death, but the gift of God [is] eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

v To enter Heaven we must be perfect: Matthew 5:48 – “Therefore you shall be perfect, just as your Father in heaven is perfect.”

v Man is not perfect: Romans 3:23 – “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,” So how do we make it to Heaven?

v We can’t get to heaven on our own: Ephesians 2:8-9 – “by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast.”

v God is merciful: Psalms 116:5 – “Gracious [is] the LORD, and righteous; Yes, our God [is] merciful.” So God does not desire to punish us.

v God is just: Deuteronomy 32:4 – “[He is] the Rock, His work [is] perfect; For all His ways [are] justice, A God of truth and without injustice; Righteous and upright [is] He.” He has to punish our sins.

v Jesus is God: Colossians 2:9 –(speaking of Jesus) – “For in Him dwells all the fullness of the Godhead bodily;”

v Jesus (The Word) has existed from eternity: John 1:1 – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

v Jesus (God the Son) came to earth and became a man: John 1:14 – “And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father, full of grace and truth.” “Only begotten” does NOT mean that Jesus Christ is a created being. It speaks about his position and pre-eminence.

v He lived a sinless life in His human nature: 1 Corinthians 5:21 – “For He made Him who knew no sin [to be] sin for us, that we might become the righteousness of God in Him.” This qualified Jesus to pay for our sins.

v Jesus died in obedience to God the Father’s plan: Philippians 2:8 – “And being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself and became obedient to [the point of] death, even the death of the cross.”

v Jesus’ death paid for our sins: 1 Peter 2:24 – “who Himself bore our sins in His own body on the tree, that we, having died to sins, might live for righteousness.”

v Even though we were “doing our own thing” God put all our sins on Jesus: Isaiah 53:6 – “All we like sheep have gone astray; We have turned, every one, to his own way; And the LORD has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.”

v We can be forgiven by God but it is not automatic: John 1:12 – “But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God, to those who believe in His name:”

v We receive God’s Free Gift by faith: Romans 10:9 – “that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.”

v Jesus is the ONLY way to Heaven and Eternal Life: John 14:6 – “Jesus said to him, ‘I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.’”

v Everyone has an eternal destination: Matthew 25:41 – “"Then He will also say to those on the left hand, 'Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels:’”

v God’s plan is to bring everything together in Jesus: “having made known to us the mystery of His will, according to His good pleasure which He purposed in Himself, that in the dispensation of the fullness of the times He might gather together in one all things in Christ, both which are in heaven and which are on earth--in Him.”

v Jesus is calling YOU have a personal relationship with Him: Revelation 3:20 – “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.”

Bibliography:

“Basic Facts of the Faith,” http://www.tftw2.org/BFOTF/jesusthechrist.html.

Clarke, Adam: Commentary on the New Testament. Cedar Rapids: Parsons Tech, 1999.

D’Ambrosio, M.: Evidence from the Early Church, http://www.crossroadsinitiative.com.

Elwell, W. A.: Comfort, Philip W.: Tyndale Bible Dictionary. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale, 2001.

Enns, Paul P.: The Moody Handbook of Theology. Chicago, Ill.: Moody Press, 1997.

Evans, W.; Coder, S. Maxwell: The Great Doctrines of the Bible. Chicago: Moody, 1998.

Hodge, Charles: Systematic Theology. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos Research Sys, 1997.

Jones, Robert: Heresies & Schisms in the Early Church, www.sundayschoolcourses.com.

Karleen, Paul S.: The Handbook to Bible Study. New York: Oxford University Press, 1987.

Kennedy, James: Evangelism Explosion. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House: 1996

Lewis, Robin: “Systematic Theology Class Notes,” Calvary Chapel Bible College.

Packer, J. I.: Concise Theology: A Guide to Historic Christian Beliefs. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale, 1995

Schaff, P.; Schaff, D.: History of the Christian Church. Oak Harbor, WA: Logos, 1997.

Shelley, Bruce L.: Church History in Plain Language. Nashville: T. Nelson, 1982, 1995.

Smith, Chuck: The Word for Today Bible. (NKJV) Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2005.

Strong, J.: Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance. Cedar Rapids: Parsons Tech., 2003.

Thiessen, H.C.: Lectures in Systematic Theology. Grand Rapids: Eerdmans, 1949, c1979.

Wilmington, H. L.: Wilmington’s Bible Handbook. Wheaton, Ill.: Tyndale House, 1997.

Wood, D. R. W.: New Bible Dictionary. InterVarsity Press, 1996, c1982, c1962.

Author: Bob Koehler - Contact Email: bobjeank@ca.rr.com

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who does not need to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.” 2 Timothy 2:15 (NKJV)