Simple belief isn't all there is to our faith.

(Please see The view of this blog for an important statement on this post)

Simple belief in Christ for salvation isn't all there is to our faith!

I am not going to teach salvation by works, since we are saved by faith alone, and by Gods grace alone...but simple belief is not what is expected of the Christian(1). There is so much more to our faith!

When we make the decision to follow Christ, we literally are called to die to self(2). Our former life of sin is to be put behind us, as we live a life of repentance(3). As so often used in the New Testament, a good tree will bear good fruit(4). You are now a tree....Just kidding, but in all seriousness, a Christian who follows Christ will seek to bear fruit in keeping both in repentance(5), and in following Christs' commands. 

Our faith, which in some ways has been stripped of its substance in the United States, will actually challenge you at times when lived out.

Ask yourself - What is there in my life that is keeping me from God? Pray that He shows you. 

Is it food? Greed? Being kind and loving others? How about sharing the Good News with others? 

Our life here on earth was never designed to be comfortable. There will be trials and temptations(6), but the main question is what do you do with them?

Repentance is to turn away from our former ways, to instead follow the leadership of God. The things that formerly had a hold on us may tempt us later(7), but it is critically important that we fight. 

God offers to us confession and forgiveness when we screw up (8) - but that should hopefully be our last resort. Jesus leads us to instead pray that we will not be lead into temptation. Dying to self can be hard at times, but in a way it is rewarding to know that we are doing the right thing when we follow Jesus' lead.

We must be ready for Him to come back (9); And this entails living here and now for Him.

..."Be holy, because I am holy."...

1 Peter 1:16, ESV

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell is a great place to start! And Church of course! :)

Cited Verses:

1.) "But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18, ESV

2.) "And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires." Galatians 5:24, ESV

3.) "And Peter said to them, “Repent and 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 2:38, ESV

4.) "So, every healthy tree bears good fruit, but the diseased tree bears bad fruit. A healthy tree cannot bear bad fruit, nor can a diseased tree bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire.Thus you will recognize them by their fruits." Matthew 7:17-20, ESV

5.) "Bear fruits in keeping with repentance. And do not begin to say to yourselves, ‘We have Abraham as our father.’ For I tell you, God is able from these stones to raise up children for Abraham." Luke 3:8, ESV

6.) "I have said these things to you, that in me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.” John 16:33, ESV

7.) "Like a dog that returns to his vomit is a fool who repeats his folly." Proverbs 26:11, ESV

8.) "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9, ESV

9.) See Matthew 25:1-13, Parable of the ten virgins

A reminder...

 

'When Christ calls a man, He bids him come and die'

-Deitrich Bonhoeffer 

"My brothers, if anyone among you wanders from the truth and someone brings him back, let him know that whoever brings back a sinner from his wandering will save his soul from death and will cover a multitude of sins."

-James 5:19-20, ESV

Being LGBT is increasingly pushed on our society.

 'Accept us. We aren't doing wrong. Speak against us, and you are hate filled, evil person. 

After all, we deserve rights - Now mind your own business!' 

This is practically the mantra of the LGBT crowd. And as a Christian, should we accept this? Should we endorse LGBT behavior? Can a Trans/Lesbian/Gay/Bi individual be Christian? 

Well, to get things out of the way for that last question, the answer is absolutely 'Yes'! 

Anyone can 'Come as you are' to the salvation offered through Christ. But our faith, which is demonstrated by works(1), will prove that we don't 'Stay as we were'. 

Upon salvation, the Holy Spirit indwells us(2), and convicts us of sin(3). We die to sin, to be alive with Christ - a truth beautifully demonstrated through an immersion baptism. We are 'dead and buried' to sin upon submergence into the water, and 'resurrected' when we rise from the water. 

Sin is an affliction we all struggle with in this life - a persistent struggle between our fallen flesh, and our saved spirit. Every person who follows Christ has sin that must be dealt with(4). 

Christians are to be in this world, but not of this world - Sexual perversion has no place in the Christians life. Homosexuality, transgenderism, bisexuality, and other practices outside of the norms of heterosexual marriage or remaining celibate is considered sinful. (5 - See 1 Corinthians 6:9 below)

As such, as Christians, we should try our best to live holy, God honoring lives(6) - practicing the rejection of sin, and teaching others the same(7).

The warning against teaching others to sin is steep, and it is best to be avoided(8). 

"But its hard! After all, I was born this way!"

The rejection of ingrained sin can be hard. Actually extremely hard! 

We can deal with sin by leaning hard on our savior - Jesus. He understands exactly where we are, our pains, our struggles, and our needs(9). 

It is through brutally honest and heartfelt prayer that we can lean on Him. As we draw closer to God through prayer, actively living our faith, and reading scriptures...Sinful desires are pushed further and further away from us. 

"Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you" - James 4:8, ESV

We are to be a light to the world(10); The salt of the earth(11). Christians should be making a clear and deliberate effort to reject sin. Sin harms our relationship with God - a relationship that Christ paid for with His own flesh and blood(12). Every time we decide to resist the temptation to sin, we are not only doing to the right thing; but we are also demonstrating to the world the importance and reality of our faith.

The devil is the father of lies and deception(13). He is constantly trying to mislead Christians and humanity in general to prevent us from following God. When we immerse ourselves in reading scripture, we become armed with the truth. This truth is a sharp defense against the lies of the enemy(14).

What gives?!? Being Gay/Lesbian/Trans/Bi isn't a sin! Stop making judgements against us! Jesus said not to judge!

Our faith in Christ, who defines what is sin, is what makes the judgement;

1 Corinthians 6:9 is one verse among others expressly states that homosexuality and the sexually immoral will not inherit the kingdom of God. 

"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," 1 Corinthians 6:9, ESV, emphasis mine

All Christians are instructed to not judge(15) others...but nowhere are we told to not have sound judgement, and being fully able to identify the sin that separates us from God. Sound judgement is clearly commended by Jesus when He states you will recognize a tree by its fruit (Which you can tell who a person is by their actions)(16).

Galations 6:1(17) actually instructs Christians to gently bring back a brother (or sister) who is living in sin. As a Christian family, we should be building each other up - as iron sharpens iron, one man sharpens another(18). 

This post is written to upstage the lies that are being pushed upon our society. God made us male and female - our gender is not an 'identity', but an integral, unchangeable part of us when we are born. No matter what twisted lies are being pushed upon us as a society from the enemy, we can know that we are children of God - A God of peace and order, not confusion(19)! 

We all have things that we struggle with in this life, and my prayer is that the reader not only hears this post, but truly understands it. Who the Son sets free, is free indeed(20)! 

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a nutshell is a great place to start! And Church of course! :)

Cited Verses:

1.) "But someone will say, “You have faith and I have works.” Show me your faith apart from your works, and I will show you my faith by my works." James 2:18, ESV

2.)"even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you." John 14:17, ESV

3.)"And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment:" John 16:8, ESV

4.)"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," Romans 3:23, ESV

5.)"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," 1 Corinthians 6:9, ESV

6.)"since it is written, “You shall be holy, for I am holy.”" 1 Peter 1:16, ESV

7.)"And Peter said to them, “Repent and 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 2:38, ESV

8.)"but whoever causes one of these little ones who believe in me to sin, it would be better for him to have a great millstone fastened around his neck and to be drowned in the depth of the sea" Matthew 18:6, ESV

9.)"Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest." Matthew 11:28, ESV

10.)"You are the light of the world. A city on a hill cannot be hidden." Matthew 5:14, ESV

11.)"“You are the salt of the earth, but if salt has lost its taste, how shall its saltiness be restored? It is no longer good for anything except to be thrown out and trampled under people’s feet." Matthew 5:13, ESV

12.) "for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body." 1 Corinthians 6:20, ESV

13.) "You are of your father the devil, and your will is to do your father’s desires. He was a murderer from the beginning, and does not stand in the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, he speaks out of his own character, for he is a liar and the father of lies." John 8:44, ESV

14.)"and take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God," Ephesians 6:17, ESV

15.) "Judge not, that you be not judged" Matthew 7:1, ESV

16.)"By their fruit you will recognize them. Are grapes gathered from thornbushes, or figs from thistles? Likewise, every good tree bears good fruit, but a bad tree bears bad fruit. A good tree cannot bear bad fruit, and a bad tree cannot bear good fruit. Every tree that does not bear good fruit is cut down and thrown into the fire. So then, by their fruit you will recognize them." Matthew 7:17-20, ESV

17.)"Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted." Galations 6:1, ESV

18.) "Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another." Proverbs 27:17, ESV

19.)"For God is not a God of confusion but of peace. As in all the churches of the saints" 1 Corinthians 14:33, ESV

20.) "So if the Son sets you free, you will be free indeed" John 8:36, ESV

Exploring Catholicism: Apostolic Succession, Protestants, and Tipping the Scales

This post. 

I did not think that this post would be created. Ever. 

I am a Protestant Christian, and I wholly believe in the Christian God - Yet I have serious reservations about the Catholic Church. 

Sure - Catholics are well meaning Christians...But don't they err in many areas? Talking to deceased saints...Purgatory...praying to Mary...having a Pope and a church hierarchy...??? 

As a Protestant, these issues are major. Every single one seems to be an enormous blockade in your relationship with God. After all - The Bible doesn't talk about these, right?

Truth be told, I think that in some regards the Protestant crowd is too hard on Catholics. Maybe we have not given them a fair chance to defend their faith. That's where this series of posts is going to cover, giving a more objective view of the Church, and where able, show the scriptural foundations for some of the controversial practices of the Catholic Church. If the Catholic Church is the one true Church, and we have erred...well, that's not good.

Apostolic Succession

What is Apostolic Succession?

Apostolic Succession is the practice of transferring leadership and authority through the ages from the Apostles to present clergy in the Catholic Church. 

First things first though: 

The Catholic Church, Tradition, and The Bible

The Catholic Church is a Church that holds both the Bible and tradition to both be very important and sacred. This sacred tradition is held to be just as authoritative  as the Bible itself. This is important in fully comprehending and understanding Catholic views

Biblical support for this can be found in 2 Thessalonians 2:15 and in 2 Timothy 2:2:

2 Thessalonians 2:15, NASB (Emphasis mine)

"So then, brothers and sisters, stand firm and hold on to the traditions which you were taught, whether by word of mouth or by letter from us."

2 Timothy 2:2, NASB

"The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful people who will be able to teach others also." 

2 Timothy 2:2 can seem somewhat cryptic, but the point that is made by this passage is that things where handed down through the Church in a verbal format. The bible didn't always exist, and wasn't even completely compiled yet when the NT texts were created. 

Apostolic Succession and the Protestant Church

1.) Controversy

There is some controversy over this topic amongst the Protestant Church. The argument against Apostolic Succession is simply that the New Testament does not give a clear and concise direction of having a Church hierarchy. Because this clear statement is not made in the New Testament, (Some) Protestants say that we should not follow this practice.  

2.) The Catholic Support 

The Catholic Church offers some strong support for their position - Starting in Acts:

Acts 1:20, NASB

"For it is written in the book of Psalms: ‘MAY HIS RESIDENCE BE MADE DESOLATE, AND MAY THERE BE NONE LIVING IN IT’; and, ‘MAY ANOTHER TAKE HIS OFFICE.’

This passage indicates something significant - The authority of the Apostles being transferred upon another individual - which many translations and texts use the term 'Bishopric' ('Bishop')  to describe the office of Judas which was transferred to Mattias. This is HUGE, and a massive blow to the comparatively weak position held by some Protestants - of which I was one of before this. In a passage, it is demonstrated that a hierarchy is to exist in the Church, and that this hierarchy is to include bishops. 

Furthermore, it is important to note that authority is being transferred here - that leadership in Apostolic Succession is given the authority to forgive/absolve sins on behalf of Christ Himself. See John 20:23, which the context is Christ charging the Apostles with this:

John 20:23, NASB

If you forgive the sins of any, their sins have been forgiven them; if you retain the sins of any, they have been retained

This does not limit God to forgive when we ask of Him directly, but nonetheless this is a significant concept to recognize. 

3.) Could it be true?

I think so. I think that the evidence is strongly supporting a Church hierarchy, and shows that this hierarchy should be traced back to the Apostles. This is a significant finding, and a strong component in showing that either the Catholic or the Orthodox Church is the original as founded by Christ Himself. 

Furthermore, it seems that in some areas the Catholic and Orthodox churches provide more insight and substance to the Bible - these churches pay attention to concepts that maybe not expressly expanded on in the Bible, similar to how the Trinity is not mentioned in the Bible, but is fully described in the Bible.

So...Why do this? Why look at the Catholic Church at all? Your PROTESTANT!!

I believe that it is our duty as Christians to be in relentless pursuit of the truth. Christ came and died for us - the least we can do is take our faith seriously, and try out best to follow Him, His commands, and seek to be part of His church. We can never repay Him for the free gift of salvation, but out of love we can follow Him the best that we are able.

This is going to be part of a mini-series - please let me know what you think in the comments below!

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell can be a good place to start! And Church of course... : )

You hurt me! ...Now what?

 

"If he refuses to listen to them, tell it to the church. And if he refuses to listen even to the church, let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector."
 
Matthew 18:17 ESV

But what does this mean...?

(The following is partially a personal interpretation)

Matthew 18:17 is a passage that speaks of how to handle situations between believers, wherein one believer has committed a wrong. It is a fairly serious passage.

The point that I am going to write on is not the process of trying to correct a believers wrong, but on what does 'let him be to you as a Gentile and a tax collector' mean?

How should you treat a Gentile or Tax Collector?

Tax Collectors in the NT were not held in the highest regard. Some held to, lets say, unethical business practices, and were frowned on by society. 

Jesus still went to them. Remember it was those who were in sin that needed Him the most.

This is what I believe is an important difference here. While Matthew 18:17 clearly speaks of correction to take place through the Church, I hold that this does not mean to abandon this believer. They need the faith just like everyone else. While they may be excluded from Church affairs, we should still be kind, and a witness to them.

We can still lovingly try to lead them back on the right path. And we can still pray for them.

Luke 15:3-7 goes even further:

“So he told them this parable: “What man of you, having a hundred sheep, if he has lost one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the open country, and go after the one that is lost, until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his shoulders, rejoicing. And when he comes home, he calls together his friends and his neighbors, saying to them, ‘Rejoice with me, for I have found my sheep that was lost.’ Just so, I tell you, there will be more joy in heaven over one sinner who repents than over ninety-nine righteous persons who need no repentance.”

Luke 15:3-7, ESV

The point is this: Don't abandon a lost believer. We should all be here for each other, even when that means holding our brothers and sisters lovingly accountable.

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell can be a good place to start! And Church of course :)

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A Monotheistic Trio

What is the Trinity? ( For non- Christians/ new Christians)

The Trinity, simply put, is that God has 3 different 'forms' known as 'Persons' - The Father, The Son, and the Holy Spirit. Each holds a different role, but each is fully the same God.

1.) God the Father who is in Heaven

2.) God the Son is Jesus Christ, who came to Earth, taught people about the Kingdom of God, and how to live. Christ then, living a perfect life, was executed and paid the ultimate price for our sin ( See The Gospel in a Nutshell)

3.) The Holy Spirit resides in believers, and holds many roles. He helps us in various ways

A Common Objection

The concept of the Trinity is central to traditional Christianity, but it holds a unique postion in where the Trinitarian concept is never outright mentioned in the bible.

This presents some unique talking points, especially with some Jews and Muslims who will flatly object to this concept. Typically from what I have seen, these objections go from 'you worship 3 gods' or 'thats not true because....'. The Trinity is a relatively simple concept, but not immediately apparant to some. It is important to make known to people outside the faith the fact the Christianity is a monothiestic faith, and we worship the ONE Living God.

I usually refer people who object to the Trinity to Genesis 1:26, where God says to 'Let us make man in our image'

This is a significant passage - a passage written ages before the events in the New Testament; but shows there is more to God than a passing glance would give.

Jews, and sometimes others will see this, and bring up that Genesis 1:26 is God talking to Angels.

This is impossible.

Why?

Because God SPOKE the world into existance. Since He spoke creation into existance, we can be sure that angels were not 'creating'. The Angels are not listed as creators in Genesis - but God is. 

Furthermore, in the second creation account in Genesis 2, we see that He formed us from the earth - further reinforcing that it was God speaking the 'us' and 'our' in Genesis 1:26.

This must mean that there is more to God.... the Trinity.

This is the simplest way I know to prove that the Trinity is real, and as a central concept, this is important!

If you find that you are witnessing with a Jew for example, it is important to draw evidence from a source that they trust - like the Old Testament. They have no reason to place any trust yet in the New Testament, short of a work by God leading them there. 

Hope this helps!

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell can be a good place to start! And Church of course :)

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From the mountains

From the mountains

Recently this question was brought up:

"What happens to those who have never heard the Gospel?"

What do you think? It is an interesting question, and more I read into it, The more it....bothers me. In fact, this question alone is a powerful motivator for sharing our faith. 

Those who never heard the Gospel, and don't place faith in Christ for their Salvation have an unfortunate future.

They stand condemned. 

I can practically hear readers seeing this and thinking - "Geee...That is rather harsh; What about Gods abounding mercies? How is this even fair?" - See below

Romans 3:10

as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;

Pause and think about this for a second - literally no one is righteous. No one is 'good', especially compared to a perfect and Holy God. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God (Romans 3:23, see below). 

There is no other way to God the Father, who is in Heaven, except through Christ who saves us (See John 14:6 below)! 

This fatally wounds the thought that one can claim innocence if they haven't heard the Gospel (See Acts 4:12 below) . These passages demand us to look at our faith in a different light.

We can be eternally grateful for our future....but is there something more? 

Of course!

Tell others! Out of shear love, tell others the Gospel!

Those who haven't heard have a bleak future - and they don't even realize it! 

This is the responsibility charged to the Church by Christ: Go and make disciples. Teach them. Baptize them. ( Matthew 28:16-20) 

This changes things. To tell others what you believe requires that you be confident in you own faith. 

This simple task of telling others literally makes you have a stronger faith, and helps others. Isn't this beautiful?

Interested in Christianity? The Gospel in a Nutshell can be a good place to start! And Church of course :)

Please consider donating to support this blog. Your donations are greatly appreciated, and help keep things running!

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Bible Verses (ESV)

John 14:6

"Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me."

Acts 4:12

"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.”"

Romans 3:10

"as it is written: “None is righteous, no, not one;"

Romans 3:23

"for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God,"

Matthew 28:16-20 

"Now the eleven disciples went to Galilee, to the mountain to which Jesus had directed them. And when they saw him they worshiped him, but some doubted. And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”"

The Gospel in a nutshell

Maybe you are already Christian. Or leaning Christian. Or just thinking about it. Or maybe you just want a simple, clear, no frills info on the core of Christianity.

Anyway you slice it, this is for you. What you find below will affect you for eternity. Lets get to it!

_______________________________________

The basis of Christianity is Love. God's amazing love for humanity and the world. This is His story-  simplified.

The Backstory

In the beginning, God created the Heavens and the Earth(1), along with all that is in it(2). He is all-powerful, perfectly loving, and perfectly just. People were made in the image of God during this time.

He gave people free-will to make their own decisions.  He did this by giving early humanity a choice, by telling them not to eat the fruit of a certain tree. Their options were to follow His instruction or do otherwise.

Unfortunately they choose the latter. Their act of disobedience is called sin, and resulted in being cursed. This curse resulted in death and affected both people and the earth. Sin affects all people and creation.

Humanity was tarnished by sin. Imperfect people could not be in a clear relationship with a perfect and Holy God.

No matter how hard we tried to be 'good', it would  not be good enough(4).

The bad news

This sin results in death(5), and eternal separation from God, whom all good things come from(6). This is what Hell is, eternal separation from God(7). No person on earth can fix this, and all people must go to Hell because of sin....Unless they accept below🙂.

The Good news

God is perfectly loving! He loves you more than words could discribe, more even than you could understand. God IS love(8)!

Immediately after delivering the punishment for humanities sin, He began to tell of a way that people could be with Him(9).

That Way is our Savior, Jesus Christ(9).

Christ was fortold of long before He came(10). He was fully God and human - He is God's Son. He lived a perfect, sin-free life, and was then beaten, murdered, and separated from God for a time. He then rose from the dead three days later. By doing this, He took your eternal punishment for sin;  Allowing you to live eternally both in Heaven and the new Earth to come(11).

This is Life, Gods amazing gift to humanity. It can never be earned, but is given freely to those who believe in Christ.

To accept this, all you have to do is the following:

1.)Believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that Christ is your savior(12).

2.)Repent (turn away from, stop doing) of your sin(13).


Then What?

This is the Gospel. It is Gods amazing mercy on humanity, and possibly the greatest act of love. After we decide to follow Christ, we try our best to live a life of repentance from sin, following His commands, and sharing this amazing news with others(14).

Of course the above is a very simplified overview - but it is the core of our message. We teach Christs' work, commands and the repentance of sins. I am blessed to be able to share this with you!

Please share this with people you know, even other Christians. It is important to keep our focus on finishing the race strong, and to try to bring as many people to Christ as we can.

Praise God!


Footnotes, All verses from ESV bible:

(1) Genesis 1:1 "In the beginning, God created the heavens and the earth."

(2)Please read Genesis for more on the creation event, and the fall of humanity.

(3) Genesis 1:27 "So God created man in his own image,in the image of God he created him;
male and female he created them"

(4) Romans 3:10 "...None is righteous, no, not one;"

(5) Genesis 3:19 "' By the sweat of your face you shall eat bread, till you return to the ground, for out of it you were taken; for you are dust, and to dust you shall return.”" - Part of the curse given

(6) James 1:17 "Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights, with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change."

(7) 2 Thessalonians 1:8-9 "in flaming fire, inflicting vengeance on those who do not know God and on those who do not obey the gospel of our Lord Jesus. They will suffer the punishment of eternal destruction, away from the presence of the Lord and from the glory of his might,"

(8) 1 John 4:16 " So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him."

(9) Genesis 3:15 "I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and her offspring;he shall bruise your head, and you shall bruise his heel.”"

(10) the entire old testament has well over 100+ prophecys telling of Christs' birth and life.

(11) Read the Gospels. Mark is the shortest and most concise, Luke and John are very detailed. The Gospels tell of Christ's life and death, His commands and His sacrifice.

(12) Romans 10:9 "because, if you confess with your mouth that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."

(13) Acts 3:19  "Repent therefore, and turn back, that your sins may be blotted out,"

(14) Matthew 28:18-20 "And Jesus came and said to them, “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of the age.”"