Author: James and Elizabeth Stephens

James and Elizabeth Stephens presently live in Southern California and have been married since 1978. In 1999, James completed a MA in Intercultural Studies specializing in Leadership Development and in 2010 Elizabeth completed an Associate in Science in Business Information Technology.

Our Father Abraham

Reading Genesis and the story of Abraham and pulled out a book of essays in Honor of Gordon Professor Marvin R. Wilson entitled Perspectives on Our Father Abraham written by nineteen Jewish and Christian scholars. I didn’t realize that a PBS documentary based on Professor Wilson’s book Our Father Abraham:Jewish Roots of the Christian Faith was made entitled Jews and Christians: A Journey of Faith. Here’s a short segment which is quite thought provoking in itself as various members of both communities openly share their perspectives which provide a place to start in understanding the strong connection and rocky history of relationship between the two communities.

Professor Wilson was the editor and translator of the New International Version from the 1970’s, and taught at Barrington College for eight years, followed by Gordon College for thirty-nine years.

“A Clean Heart”

“Unless you become like little children, you can not enter the Kingdom of God.”

In this sermon from the late Dr. Martin Lloyd-Jones, a prominent British surgeon, turned preacher, he gets right to the main problem with man–the care of his soul. He applies his surgical mind and his careful, soul searching biblical exposition to this passage from Matthew 18:2-4 when Jesus’s disciples were arguing over who was the greatest in the Kingdom. Our LORD masterfully sets a child before Him, a child whom He loved as one of His creation and calls them out for their prideful and self seeking question.

It reminds us not to think more highly of our self than we ought. Without His Spirit we can do nothing to become humble like the child. We can not self flagellate ourselves, nor recite repetitious prayers to “achieve” this status. We can not buy our way, bribe our way, cajole our way to heaven. Faith is a gift of God. A gift which we do not deserve. Which He gives, not based upon our works which are like filthy menstral rags polluted by our own self righteousness, but based upon His perfect works and fulfillment of the Law. He is the only One with perfect righteousness. But be encouraged–with God all things are possible. There are many promises for those who believe. Nonetheless, lest we be tempted to think we’ve got the goods ourselves, Dr. Jones sets us straight. A perfect diagnosis and prescription for the healing of what truly ails us.

https://youtu.be/Ne-2fkwNag0

Who is the Christ?

In reading the Gospel of Matthew, we come face to face with Who Jesus is. The testimony of the genealogy of Christ clearly shows the Davidic lineage of Jesus Christ as fulfilled and proven by the Temple records at the time. Prophecies of a coming Messiah, attested by great signs and wonders, healings unheard of in such mass numbers which confirm His identity.

A survey of believers conducted by Ligonier Ministries sadly reveals the weakness of our theological foundation of understanding about exactly who Jesus actually is.

The following link provides more details of what we believe and do not believe about Christ and the Biblical passages which underscore our beliefs about Christ as the third person of the Trinity.

We are called as believers to be able to give a reason for our faith.

“sanctify the Lord God in your hearts, and always be ready to give a defense to everyone who asks you a reason for the hope that is in you, with meekness and fear; ” ( 1 Peter 3:15).

The LIGONIER STATEMENT
on CHRISTOLOGY

We confess the mystery and wonder
of God made flesh
and rejoice in our great salvation
through Jesus Christ our Lord.

With the Father and the Holy Spirit,
the Son created all things,
sustains all things,
and makes all things new.
Truly God,
He became truly man,
two natures in one person.

He was born of the Virgin Mary
and lived among us.
Crucified, dead, and buried,
He rose on the third day,
ascended to heaven,
and will come again
in glory and judgment.

For us,
He kept the Law,
atoned for sin,
and satisfied God’s wrath.
He took our filthy rags
and gave us
His righteous robe.

He is our Prophet, Priest, and King,
building His church,
interceding for us,
and reigning over all things.

Jesus Christ is Lord;
we praise His holy Name forever.

Amen.

https://christologystatement.com/