Early Church Theology

 

    When the first true church began to form they became enemies of the existing holy church.  The Pharisees and the spiritual leaders considered following Jesus as heresy.  It was heresy to declare that Jesus was God and man, he was more than human, or that he was two entities in one working together for mankind and God.

    The first church literally put their lives on the line to follow Jesus.  Of his 12 apostles, Judas killed himself and 10 others were martyred.  That only enhances the truth.  Judas knew the truth and could not live with his betrayal and the others were willing to die horrific deaths to tell the world about Jesus.  No one would not be willing to do that if they were not convicted of the truth to their very core.

    The first church fought the way Jesus fought: prayer and not backing down.  They grew in numbers and made decrees to keep the faith going as a religion.  Many people then and today misunderstand and misinterpret Scriptures, so the Christian Creed is to keep God's Word intact and holy.  

    In Nicaea in 325 AD the Roman emperor Constantine placed his focus on Jesus.  He didn't fully understand, but he studied and created the Nicene Creed that was amended in 381 by the Council of Constantinople.  It declares who Jesus is and the only way to achieve salvation.  The Council of Chalcedon created their own creed in 451 under Marcian who was over the Christian church.  This councils purpose was to confirm who Jesus is: human and divine.  This creed vows to acknowledge and teach about Jesus and the Trinity.

    Some important facts that can get misconstrued easily is the resurrection.  Jesus raised Lazarus from the dead, but he also raised himself.  Lazarus could not raise himself from the dead.  That power lies with Jesus alone.  Jesus' resurrection unites the church in faith.  He makes his followers righteous, and adopted into God's family making them heirs to Heaven.

    Jesus never broke God's laws.  The religious people believe he broke laws of heresy.  People have a limited view point and without the guidance of the Holy Spirit they are likely to get it wrong in one way or another.  That is why Bible study is personal and serious business.  Jesus is sinless and living in Heaven with God preparing a place for all who follow him.

John 14:1-4, Acts 1:7-11, Romans 6:5-11, 8:31-34, 1 Corinthians 1:30-31, 15:20-23, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, 13:5-6, Galatians 2:17-21, Ephesians 2:4-7, Colossians 2:11-12, Hebrews 4:14-16, & 1 Peter 2:22-25

Jesus the Leader

 

    Jesus is the ultimate leaders.  He speaks for God like a prophet, teaches God's Word like a priest, and is the king of the world.  His leadership style is as the faithful witness, God's firstborn, and ruler of all nations.  One role would be a lot responsibility for a leader, but he runs all three roles flawlessly.  He is the perfect leader that you strive to be like.

    Jesus fulfilled prophecy and foretells what still is to come.  He performed miracles to glorify God while helping people.  Jesus' word is the final word.  It is supreme because he is God in the flesh.  He is the mediator for humans and God because he is the holy of holies.  He is the ultimate sacrifice for all people.  

    Jesus is the ultimate authority in this world.  He holds power and authority over every nation, culture, and individual.  He sits at God's right hand.  He led through sacrifice and example.  He humbled himself to live a simple existence instead of a lavish one.  

    Jesus made himself relatable to everyone instead of a select few.  When you follow Jesus you become the best leader you can be because you lead with Jesus.  He was always transparent, honest, and spoke with authority.  Lead like him in obedience to his commands, then your leadership will carry impact in the world.

Matthew 17:22-23, 28:16-20, Mark 1:21-34, Luke 1:30-33, 7:11-17, John 13:36-38, Hebrews 1:1-8, 7:18-28, 9:11-15, & Revelations 1:4-6

Jesus the Savior

 

    Jesus is the savior of the world.  He is the savior for every person that has or will ever live.  The cost of sin has always been blood.  He bled and died for you.  He paid the price, so that you would not have to.  He is the perfect sacrifice.  It can't ever be tainted.  You do not have to sacrifice animals or be circumcised anymore to be righteous.  All you have to do is believe and follow Jesus.

    The law of God was given to reveal sin.  It shows everyone how much each person needs God to be holy.  Obedience is expected and required, but since Jesus it should come from a place of love instead of fear alone.  Jesus atoned for your sins, so that you would not have to face eternal death.  His atonement makes you holy and gives your forgiveness.

    Jesus is the savior of the world.  His sacrifice opened the door to Heaven, so that you have access to God.  You no longer have to go through another person to find atonement, forgiveness, or any type of communication with God.  You can pray directly to God yourself.

    Jesus' death and resurrection replaced the Passover.  He freed you from any type of spiritual bondage or slavery.  All you have to do is believe and start following him.  He was the last sacrificial lamb.  He is the lamb that lives peacefully with the lion (God) in Heaven.  He protects you from the full wrath of God.  

    Sin brings God's wrath.  Everyone has sinned.  That means no matter how righteous you may find yourself, you have sinned.  God's idea of a good person does not match up with how people consider themselves or others as good people.  If you do not turn to Jesus, the truth, then your sin will separate you from God for eternity.  

    Jesus did not suffer in the manner that he did because it didn't affect him.  He felt everything.  He did it because he loves you and will always be obedient to God.  He endured and died a criminal's death to take your place so that you have the opportunity to spend eternity with God.  He absorbed all of God's wrath from your sins.  He paid the blood payment to make you pure and righteous before God.  His sacrifice defeated evil and eternal death.  Without Jesus, death has no meaning.

Leviticus 16:3-10, 15-22, Mark 14:12, 15:42-47, Romans 3:9-26, 5:6-11, 1 Corinthians 15:12-23, 2 Corinthians 5:18-21, Ephesians 1:3-8, Hebrews 10:1-10, 1 Peter 1:17-20, & 1 John 1:5-7

Jesus of Heaven

 

    Since God created humans He has wanted a relationship with each and every person.  God the father, son, and Holy Spirit were all there at creation and each had their part that carried out until the world ends.  The relationship with humans was always designed to be intimately close.  It was only when sin entered the world was the close relationship severed and has become work to have and maintain.

    Jesus was always in Heaven with God except for the short time that he became human and lived a human life.  God has always been with His people one way or another, but when Jesus lived as a human it changed everything for the better.  Jesus was God who became flesh to be conceived by the Holy Spirit in a virgin.  Sounds impossible, but it is true.

    Jesus' human life was low.  He was not born royal.  He had a very humble life of a servant not a king.  It was not a mistake.  God designed it that way intentionally to show His people how we need to live now.  When you join Jesus in Heaven, your true home, then you will receive your holy reward.  If you live your life faithfully following Jesus, then you know you can expect your place in Heaven with him.

    Jesus' home was always with God in Heaven, but He came to live as a human in loving obedience to God and for all humans.  It was not a mistake.  It was an event in the making since the fall of man.  He showed you how to repent, follow, and live your life with God.  He showed you how to hope for your eternity.  He taught you how to be obedient as an act of love.  His life is the example that you should follow.  

    After salvation, baptism is the first act of obedience before you start living your life with God.  If you can't obey there, then God can never trust you to obey in anything else.  Baptism is the physical anointing of the life you accepts in salvation.  It is a symbol of your empowerment to follow Jesus no matter what.  Jesus' baptism was the mark of the beginning of his public ministry.  He was no longer going to be subtle and hide what he could do.

    Jesus lived a fully human life, but he always understood the purpose.  He lived for you, me, and everyone else.  He always knew he would go home to join his father in heaven again.  He never questioned his purpose.  He embraced a fully human life to go through pain, hunger, thirst, sadness, being misunderstood, happiness, temptation, and everything else.  The only difference between human Jesus and you is that Jesus never sinned.  He sacrificed everything, so that you have a doorway to God.  

Genesis 1:1-2, 3:8, Matthew 4:1-11, 11:28-30, Mark 1:9-11, 2:13-17, 3:20-21, 6:1-3, Luke 2, John 1:14, 2:1-3, 4:4-8, Philippians 1:20-24, & Hebrews 2:16-18

Jesus the Messiah

 

    The world waited for Jesus for such a long time.  When he finally arrived almost no one seemed to notice.  Some people felt threatened, some found hope, some didn't acknowledge him, and some overlooked him.  It is not different today.  We have proof that Jesus is the promised Messiah, but most people still see him as a threat, ignore him, a prophet, or teacher.  So very few of us see Jesus for who he is and follow him.

    The Messiah is your deliverer from being forced to die to your sins.  He is the only hope to have your oppression removed.  He is the promise of hope fulfilled in a new covenant.  The new covenant offers salvation to anyone who believes and follows Jesus.  Salvation is easy.  It only requires faith.  Following Jesus can be hard because you may have to sacrifice everything you have including your life for God's purpose.  You do it because you love God who loved you enough to send Jesus.

    Jesus proved he is the Messiah by fulfilling more than 300 prophecies written about him.  He is the truth.  His love the real love that everyone needs.  He is the inspiration on how to live life.  There is no way Jesus could fulfill all those prophecies unless he is the real Messiah.  Some of the prophecies included time, locations, lineage, and death.  

    Jesus is a good teacher, but he is also the Messiah.  He was not a prophet because he fulfills prophecies.  There are more prophecies to come, but when he returns it is not to save the world.  Next time it will be to judge the world.  Your time is now.  You have not been promised a tomorrow.  What you do today matters.  Are you living out your faith or living for yourself?  Do you live the truth or do you adjust the truth to fit into your world?

    Jesus came as your deliverer.  He lived, died, resurrected, and ascended fully human and fully God.  He did this for you, me, and everyone else throughout all of time.  His deliverance can't be taken away if you accept it and live it.  It is spiritual freedom that liberates you from the chains of sin and mere survival.  Jesus gives your life purpose.  

Genesis 3:14-19, Isaiah 7:13-16, 9:6-7, 53:1-6, 61:1-3, Micah 5:2-6, & Luke 2:25-35

Theology of Jesus

 

    Jesus is fully God, but also fully Human.  He made all he is and put it in a human body to live like everyone else.  He sacrificed everything to become the doorway between humans and God.  He did it to be obedient and teach us how to love like God.

    We already established that God can't lie.  Since sin entered the world God had said that Jesus would come.  He laid it out over centuries for His people.  People misunderstood and misperceived over the decades, but Jesus came as promised.  He lived his life and sacrificed himself as predicted.  Then He rose again to change everything forever.  He went back home to be with God in all his glory, but not without promising that He will return again. 

    When Jesus left the world he didn't leave us alone.  The Holy Spirit came and lived in everyone who believes and follows Jesus.  He is the stamp of adoption into the holy family and proof that it is not a mythical story.  This is how you know it is all true.

    Jesus was born like all other babies, but his conception was different.  He was a healthy child growing up and gaining strength over the years like all children.  His life was very human, but also separate because of him being God.  He showed the world that it doesn't have to sin.  He showed the world how to live a different way.  He revealed everyone's need for God through his life as a human.

    Jesus never questioned who he was as a human.  He knew his purpose.  He knew he was holy.  That doesn't mean that he was never lonely or didn't feel like every other human feels.  He was secure in who he is and didn't allow feelings to dictate his purpose on earth.  He didn't seek attention.  He came to serve and teach people how to be humble servants to each other and God.  He loves all people to the point that he sacrificed himself to bear everyone's sins that are willing to follow him through faith.

    Living life following Jesus in faith does not mean that you have to be a martyr.  It doesn't mean that you have to suffer physically.  It does mean that you are willing to follow him no matter what.  As you mature and grow in faith it starts to make more sense.  You discover joy even when being persecuted.  You honor Jesus with your life because you love him and understand that nothing can ever separate you from him.  True Christians know that following Jesus leads to security that the world cannot provide.

John 1:1-18, 10:25-30, Romans 8:38-39, Philippians 2:1-11, Colossians 1:15-20, 3:1-4, & 1 Timothy 2:1-7

Understanding the Trinity

 

        The Trinity is a church word to describe God.  He is one God, but in three distinct part.  They work together in perfect harmony.  Together they are one, but they each have their own distinct roles in every aspect of the universe, time, and everything else.  There is no true comparison because the creation cannot be compared to the creator.

    To simplify the trinity God is given different distinctive names: God the father, God the son aka Jesus, and God the Holy Spirit.  It makes it easier to wrap your mind around it, but if you go back to the beginning God didn't have a name.  He had descriptions.  His first name was Yahweh to mean "I am".  We gave God names to make it easier for out brains to connect with Him.

    The trinity is not three separate people.  It is only one God with three distinct parts.  No mythological God can be put in God's place.  You can't just declare that your god is God.  You have to meet God and understand the difference between Him and unreal gods.  You have to have a reality check to see that you are not your own god.  God can't be changed, molded, manipulated, or created.  He is who He is and nothing comes close to comparing to Him.

    People will never perfectly be able to describe God.  You are His creation talking to His other creations about Him.  Your soul knows Him.  You soul knows the truth.  You have to allow your soul to understand in faith.  Trust that God will reveal Himself.  He can speak for Himself, but He chooses to work through people. 

    God reveals Himself in His Word and through supernatural means.  His character, ways, wise counsel, and the Holy Spirit are ways that He gets through to people.  God is good.  He cannot sin.  God is holy and holy cannot be evil.  He created Satan and all other angels.  He gave them free will too.  

    Satan chose to rebel.  Satan then was cast out of Heaven to roam the world.  He introduced evil and wickedness to the world.  People do not have to listen and follow, but every single person chooses to at one time or another.  That is not God's fault.  You cannot blame God for your shortcomings and consequences.  He is the source of all truth and who He is should not be altered to suite anyone.

Isaiah 45:1-7, 1 Timothy 2:1-7, Titus 1:1-3, & James 1:12-15, 2:19-20