A Distinctive Encounter with Jesus Christ 3rd Issue by Nonhlanhla Nomfundo Simelane

THE TRINITY OF GOD

We must first agree that the word Trinity itself is not found in the Bible But the concept of Trinity can be found from the beginning, in the book of Genesis

THE RESURRECTION – THE NEW MAN IN CHRIST

The Cross was the greatest master piece of work that was done by God, nothing in eternity would ever match to what God did through the Cross

IF THERE’S ONE GOD, WHY WE HAVE DIFFERENT CHURCHES?

Then what is the church according to the Bible? Is it the walls of the building or the people inside?

HOW DO I SEEK GOD? HOW DO I SEEK HIS KINGDOM?

Seeking God involves a strong desire to understand Him

WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS WASHING THE DISCIPLES’ FEET?

So often as believers we can get distracted by our own issues and grief and miss to complete the task that God has set before us

SHOULD WE WEAR SHOES AT CHURCH OR TAKE THEM OFF?

When God called to Moses to approach His appearance in the burning bush, the first thing God told Moses was to " take off his sandals

Founder | Editor's Note

NomfundoSimelane

[John3:8]

The wind blows wherever it pleases. You hear its sound, but you cannot tell where it comes from or where it is going So it is with everyonebornoftheSpirit."

In this issue expect to blown, but if we looked at blown in a literal sense, so I'd say expect to be blown towards God The main focus of these articles are to draw us closer to God. This issue could also be an opportunity for you to pause, reflect and allow GodtoshapeyouasHepleases. Haveagoodread.

[Jeremiah18:1]

This is the word that came to JeremiahfromtheLORD:

[Jeremiah18:2]

"Go down to the potter’s house, and thereIwillgiveyoumymessage."

[Jeremiah18:3]

So I went down to the potter’s house, andIsawhimworkingatthewheel

[Jeremiah18:4]

But the pot he was shaping from the clay was marred in his hands; so the potter formed it into another pot, shapingitasseemedbesttohim

[Jeremiah18:5]

Then the word of the LORD came to me

[Jeremiah18:6]

He said, "Can I not do with you, Israel, as this potter does?" declares the LORD. "Like clay in the hand of the potter, so are you in my hand, Israel.

The Trinity of God

GOD THE FATHER, THE SON, AND THE HOLY SPIRIT

This is one subject in the body (the church) which is spoken a lot about yet limited clarity has been provided in the doctrinal teachings I am not seeking to bring about new theory on the subject but reinforce what has been abundantly shared to appreciate the depth of knowledge that has been expounded Firstly, I stand to agree with many teachers of the word, to say that the doctrine of the Trinity poses a deep and difficult problem On the one hand, it says that there are three distinct persons, God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit and that each of these persons "is God."

My attempt to contribute to the subject matter cannot be independently sufficient without appreciating theories and doctrine which provided clarity on the Trinity of God. The difficulty is not just that the doctrine of the Trinity is mysterious. Rather, it is that the doctrine appears to be logically inconsistent in the sort of thing that could not possibly be true And yet we must believe it if the rest of our faith is to make sense. The doctrine of the Trinity says that God exists in

three persons: Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. But that is not all it says As it makes clear, the doctrine requires not only that God exists in three persons but also that each of the following is true as well: The argument insists that the doctrine must be interpreted in the context of monotheism, the view that there is one and only one God

We must first agree that the word Trinity itself is not found in the Bible. But the concept of Trinity can be found from the beginning, in the book of Genesis. In the account of Creation, God said, “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness ” (Genesis 1:26, KJV). From this statement we can draw a deduction that God was not referring to God the Creator or even limited to what is revealed to be the Trinity of God the father, the Son and the Holy Spirit but to the entire host of heaven (Nehemiah 9:6)

To focus our attention to the subject matter, the Trinity refers to the three persons of God - the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit While God is one, the Bible reveals Him to exist in three persons The Father is referred to as God and Creator. The Son, Jesus Christ, is the Word made flesh who became...

Human and is also the Creator as mentioned in the book of (John 1:1 & John 1:14 NKJV) The Holy Spirit is seen throughout the Old and New Testaments working in creation, upon Jesus at his baptism, and in the lives of believers Though distinct persons, the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit are one unified God, as evidenced by their joint involvement in creation, salvation, and the Great Commission.

There is only one God, but the Trinity refers to the three persons in the Godhead, the Father, the Son (Jesus) and the Holy Spirit. Each One is wholly God not just a part of God. And together, they are God in oneness. (See Matthew 28:19.)

Each person of the Trinity has individual characteristics, yet none ever acts independently or in opposition to the others. There is always total unity and harmony. “For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word (the Son), and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one ” (1 John 5:7-8) In this context, one essence defines what God is, while the three persons define who God is. This expresses at once their distinction and their unbreakable unity.

Another characteristic of the Trinity is order It is not an order of importance, but an order of operation All plans come from the Father, through the Son, by the Holy Spirit. The Father initiates, the Son proclaims (He is the Word in John 1), and the Holy Spirit executes. What is seen to be profound is that each activity is vital but incomplete without the others

An example of the Trinity working together in harmony is found in Matthew 3:16-17: “After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened, and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on him. And a voice from heaven said, 'This is my dearly loved Son, who brings me great joy.'”

This is in entire agreement with what we see in nature

A trinity is found in everything There is the hidden, inner nature, the outward form, and the effect. It is not otherwise in the Godhead. The Father is the eternal being - I AM - the hidden foundation of all things and fountain of all life

A DISTINCTIVE ENCOUNTER WITH JESUS CHRIST

The Son is the outward form, the express image, the revelation of God. The Spirit is the executive power of the Godhead. The nature of the hidden unity is revealed and made known in the Son, and it is imparted to us and is experienced by us through the agency of the Spirit. In all Their activities the three are inseparably One. Everything is of the Father, everything is in the Son, everything is through the Spirit

All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation. The Father loved us so much that he sent his Son to bridge the gap between us (John 3:16). The Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with love and to enable us toThe Son is the outward form, the express image, the revelation of God. The Spirit is the executive power of the Godhead. The nature of the hidden unity is revealed and made known in the Son, and it is imparted to us and is experienced by us through the agency of the Spirit. In all Their activities the three are inseparably One. Everything is of the Father, everything is in the Son, everything is through the Spirit

All three members of the Trinity are involved in salvation. The Father loved us so much that he sent his Son to bridge the gap between us (John 3:16) The Father and the Son send the Holy Spirit to fill our lives with love and to enable us to live by his power (Acts 1:8). With all this loving care, how can we do less than serve him completely! live by his power (Acts 1:8)

With all this loving care, how can we do less than serve him completely! As the one God successively reveals himself in his saving action in the Son and the Holy Spirit, each is recognized as God himself in personal manifestation It is thus in the fullness of the New Testament revelation that the doctrine of the Trinity is seen most clearly. Paul in his writings shows much appreciation of the Trinity of God, he emphasis that God is one (Galatians 3:20; James 2:19), but the Son (John 1:1; John 14:9; Colossians 2:9) and the Spirit (Acts 5:3-4; 1 Corinthians 3:16) are also fully God. Yet they are distinct from the Father and each other. The Father sends the Son and the Spirit (John 15:26; Galatians 4:4) This unified equality and yet distinctness is seen in the triune to the three persons.

What we are probably familiar with and often made mentioned of this doctrine when we asset the Trinity of God, is when we refer to the Christian baptism which is done in the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit (Matt. 28:19). Likewise, all three are joined in the Pauline benediction in a different order suggesting the total equality of persons (2 Cor. 13:14; cf. Eph. 4:4-6; 1 Pet. 1:2). When conducting Christian baptism, Paul emphasis the important of order in the Trinity of God, in that when baptizing follow this divine order, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. The command is to baptize in the name (singular) of the only true God who is Triune.

IIn other words, there is one God who exists in three co-equal, co-eternal Persons - the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit Essentially, we are asking God, the Father, and God His Son (Jesus) and God, the Holy Spirit for his grace and power over all our being when saying this prayer It represents the Trinity where we acknowledge God's existence as three distinct persons, Father, Son and the Holy Spirit.

Understanding the Trinity of God in context on man being the tripartite being

As we reflect again from the creation of man, in the book of Genesis 1:26-28- and Genesis 2:7 man is created as a tripartite being who is the Spirit, has a Soul, and living in the Body All three are God’s doing This should be no surprise seeing that God is a Trinity. 1 Thessalonians 5:23- Paul’s prayer for the “setting apart” of their entirety and the spirit, soul, and body “kept intact,” The body of man is made of dust (Gen 2:7) and is considered the “lower” part of a human being My deduction is that the body relates to the material world, having five senses, and is the vehicle by which man influences the world, or is found to be influenced by it. At the same time, man possesses the soul and the spirit with small “ g ” and serves as the “sanctuary of the Holy Spirit” for the redeemed (1 Cor 6:19).

My view is that in Christian context, the tripartite holds a view that humankind is a composite of three distinct components: body, spirit, and soul Since the spirit of man has its origin in God (Gen 2:7; Zech 12:1; Heb 12:9), it is the part of man that is either connected or disconnected to God depending on if one is regenerated (alive) or separated through the fall of man because of sin

It is within the spirit of man that the Holy Spirit dwells at conversion, seeing that our spirit is what is made “alive” at conversion (Rom 8:10) while also being “made righteous” (Rom 5:19) The Holy Spirit and the human spirit are not the same thing, seeing that both testify together that we are God’s children (Rom 8:16).

Being led into truth is done by the Holy Spirit within our spirits which then gives way to our minds for the purpose of renewal or transforming the mind so that the will and emotions follow and, in turn, aligning the body with the spirit so that the spiritual man is discerning of all things (1 Cor 2:15-16). Our spirit is what leaves our bodies when physical death occurs (Eccl 12:7; Matt 27:50; Luke 8:55; 23:56; Acts 7:59; 1 Cor 5:5).

The soul consists of the mind (natural logic, consciousness, thought), will (selfdetermination), and emotions (internal and external expressions of what is perceived as truth at any given moment). Essentially, the body and spirit, belonging to both, the soul which has the power of determining itself, of choosing or refusing the objects by which it surrounded, and to which it is related.” In other words, the soul is the place where choices are made, and for the believer, can either be compliant to or dismissive of the spirit. When considering the analogy above, one can conclude that the make of a man is symbolic to the Trinity of God.

PS V W GUMEDE

Who is Responsible for the Death of Jesus Christ?

Introduction

The amazing influence of the life and person of Jesus of Nazareth is accepted by almost all people, but his tragic death is only accepted by the Christian community They believe that the death of Christ brought salvation (1Timothy 1:15), it is the ransom (Mark 10:45), it is substitution (1Peter 2:24), it turns away God’s wrath (1 John 2:1-2) and it brings the defeat of Satan (Colossians 2:13-15) etc Even so, the problem begins with the question: Who is responsible for the death of Jesus Christ? There are different views concerning this issue Some scholars blame the ancient Jews, some blame the ancient Romans, some blame God and there are those who believe that the church is responsible for Christ’s death

Those who blame the ancient Jews argue that; all four Gospel books indicate that the Jewish leaders initiated the plot to kill Jesus. These four accounts also indicate that Pilate’s attempt to release Jesus collided with the Jews demanding the death of Christ. “Both Jewish leaders and Jewish people accepted responsibility for their part in the death of Jesus” (Pate 2005: 107). “Let his blood be on us and our children” (Matthew 27:25).

Some scholars’ argue that Jews could not have pulled the trial and execution of Jesus without the Roman’s help, particularly Pilate’s (John 18:31) Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law" This verse shows how the Jewish Sanhedrin did not have the right to execute criminals, only the Roman governor did Pontius Pilate was the representative of Rome in Judaea the governor, as he is called in the Gospels “Governor with civil, criminal, military jurisdiction authority” (Innes 1982:69) So to some scholars this means that Romans are responsible for the death of Christ

And there are also those who say, it is God who is responsible for the death of Christ They argue that God is in control and govern all things in the world, directing all affairs according to His purpose and to bring them to their appointed goal (Acts 2:23) “ this Man, delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God, you nailed to cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death” Therefore, God used evil men to accomplish His purpose, yet never violated their will or removed their culpability by doing so Consequently, the total sovereignty of God is presented alongside with the complete responsibility of man

Furthermore, some scholars believe that we are all responsible for Jesus’s death, not just some ancient Jews and Romans “The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost” (1Timothy 1:15)

Before Jesus was born, Joseph was told by an angel that, “She (Mary) will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins” (Matthew 1:21).

Witten by Ps Sabelo Masikane

“Salvation is so central to Jesus’ mission that it is part of his name ” (Chapman 2011:17) But the good news of the Gospel is that we will all be saved from our sins precisely because of Jesus’ death and resurrection for us

Hebrew trials that lead to death penalty

Biblical Perspective on the Old Testament

In order for us to understand how the Hebrew trials were conducted which lead to the death penalty, our great source will be the Bible. The first place to start on is Gen 9:6 “Whoever sheds the blood of man, by man shall his blood be shed, for God made man in his own image.” However, there is disagreement among scholars about this verse This is caused by the question that arises whether Genesis 9:6 is to be understood simply as a “divine prediction of the future consequence of murder, or rather as a divine command concerning society’s proper punishment of the murderer” (Davis 2015-202)

Well that being said, when we examine these verses Davis states that there are several factors in the context, however, giving strong indication that a divine command is intended In the immediate previous verse 5, God states that he will require a reckoning for the lifeblood of man, whether that blood has been shed by man or beast The language of requirement implies an imperative rather than a mere description” (2015-203) So I understand this verse to be a divine command concerning society’s proper punishment as Dives state

Biblical Perspective on the New Testament

In the days of the New Testament the Romans conquered Jerusalem In this way, the new power that was to control the area for centuries established its dominance and a new era had effectively begun Therefore Jews were no long under theocracy but under Roman rulership with it new Laws

“According to traditional view, believes that only the Roman governors had the power to execute criminals” (Pate 2005-106) But there are scholars who disagree with the traditional view that only the Roman governor, not the Sanhedrin, had the power to execute criminals They say, Stephen was executed by the Sanhedrin (Acts 6:8-7:8) Secondly, like Stephen and James (brother of Jesus) were stoned to death at the orders of the high priest, Annas and the Sanhedrin (Pate 2005-107)

Roman trials that lead to death penalty

Crucifixion

One of the ways that the Roman used to execute death penalty was crucifixion Crucifixion was a form of execution that the Romans had learned from Persians MacArthur says, it was also practiced in pre-Roman times in Phoenicia, Carthage, and Egypt But it evidently originated in Persia “The Persians’ believe that earth, water and fire were sacred elements So the Persians developed a method of crucifying victims by impaling them on a pole, thus raising them high above the earth, where they were left to die” ( MacArthur 2000-198) Later cultures developed different methods of crucifixion, and Rome employed several of them

Inner says, by the time of Christ, crucifixion had become the favorite method of execution throughout the Roman Empire, and especially in Judea, where it was regularly used to make a public example of rioters and insurrectionists (2000-198). The Romans compelled criminals sentenced to death to carry their own cross to the place of execution “It was a common enough practice, designed to humiliate the one condemned and to maximize the drama for those who watched” (Shenton 1998:13)

John MacArthur in his book ‘The Murder of Jesus’ gives us great history He quote Josephus saying, after Herod the Great died, the Roman governor quell an uprising Josephus also say that Titus crucified so many people when he sacked Jerusalem in 70 AD that there was no wood left for crosses and no place left to set them up By the time of Christ alone, Rome had already crucified more than thirty thousand victims in and around Judea So crosses with dead or dying men hanging on them were a common sight around Jerusalem, and a constant reminder of Roman brutality (2000-197)

The Trial of Jesus Christ

This information will assist us on our survey of who is responsible for the death of Jesus Christ? I want us to look at trial of Jesus itself so that we can arrive at a biblical conclusion of who is responsible for the death of Christ I want us to look at what the four Gospels say, about Jesus’ trial Ever since they paid Judas Iscariot the blood money, the Bible says, Judas had been seeking an “opportunity to betray Him to them in the absence of the multitude” (Luke 22:6) It had been a few hours at most since Judas left the upper room

According to John’s gospel Jesus Christ was taken from Gethsemane directly to Annas, the former high priest (John 18:13) MacArthur says, Annas was one of the most powerful man in Jerusalem He served as a high priest for twenty years (2002:106) Some commentator’s mention that Annas managed to control the high priesthood through his sons and son-inlaw Caiaphas, until the end of his life That is why he is referred to as the high priest Annas and his family had turned the high priesthood into a profitable business

Annas had Jesus bound and sent Him to the home of Caiaphas, his son-in-law, who was the official high priest at the time (v24) Matthew wrote, “Then those who had seized

Jesus led him to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders had gathered And Peter was following him at a distance, as far as the courtyard of the high priest, and going inside he sat with the guards to see the end” (Matthew 26:57-58)

According to the Gospel of Matthew the phrase: “ even though many false witnesses came forward, they found none ” means that many people came forward who were willing to bear false witness against Jesus, but none were found credible enough to sustain a charge against Him

In the early-morning hour, the Sanhedrin’s insistence on dealing with this case before they celebrated their feast, and the ploy of bringing Pilate So they brought Jesus before Pilate He asked them, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” (John 18:29) “Then Pilate said to them, ‘You take Him and judge Him according to your law” (v31) In effect, he gave them approval to do with Jesus whatever their law demanded According to MacArthur the Sanhedrin was not satisfied with Pilate’s approval to stone Jesus themselves They wanted a Roman execution “They feared the people ” (Matthew 26:5)

They reminded Pilate of the very restriction they resented so much In this case, they were determined to use it to their advantage, by intimidating Pilate further until he agrees to have Jesus put to death by Roman hands This again perfectly fulfilled the plan of God “This was to fulfil the word that Jesus had spoken to show by what kind of death he was going to die” (John 18:32) “All of these things point to a fulfillment that only God in Christ can accomplish” (Carson 2013:31)

The Pain of Christ

Jesus was pierced He was pierced by the crown of thorns pushed upon his brow He was pierced by the nails so crudely driven into his hands and feet He was pierced by the spear forced into his side Jesus was stripped off his clothes, this was the Roman custom of the time which allowed executioners to divide the clothes of a condemned man themselves. So John says, (19:23) “When the soldiers crucified Jesus, they took his clothes, dividing them into four shares, one for each of them, with the undergarment remaining. This garment was seamless, woven in one piece from top to bottom.” In view of this trial and the sufferings Jesus went through, we some idea of who is responsible for the death of Jesus.

The View Concerning Jews being Responsible for the Death of Jesus

Old Testament Scriptures

Over the years the Jewish people have been strongly blamed for the murder of Jesus Those who advocate that the ancient Jews are responsible for the death of Christ, base their argument from the fact that even both Old and New Testament holds Israel responsible Let us look at the Old Testament scriptures they use In the book of Isaiah 53:7, for example speaks of the Holy One, the coming Messiah, as “Him who the nation abhors” this verse shows us very clearly it will be his people that abhor Him They says, that even prophets prophesied that the messiah will be killed buy his people

Isaiah 53:3 says, “He was despised and rejected by men; a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not” Psalm 22:6-8 prophetically describes the treatment Christ would receive at the hands of His own brethren as he hung on the cross “But I am a worm and not a man, scorned by mankind and despised by the people All who see me mock me; they make mouths at me; they wag their heads” This verse are given as the proof of their argument.

New Testament Scriptures

All Four Gospel books indicate that the Jewish leaders initiated the plot to kill Jesus Matthew wrote, “And although they were seeking to arrest him, they feared the crowds, because they held him to be a prophet” (Matthew 21:6) Mark wrote, “It was now two days before the Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread And the chief priests and the scribes were seeking how to arrest him by stealth and kill him,” (Mark 14:1). Luke wrote, “And he was teaching daily in the temple. The chief priests and the scribes and the principal men of the people were seeking to destroy him, but they did not find anything they could do, for all the people were hanging on his words” (19:47-48). And John wrote, “Now Judas, who betrayed him, also knew the place, for Jesus often met there with his disciples

So Judas, having procured a band of soldiers and some officers from the chief priests and the Pharisees, went there with lanterns and torches and weapons ” (18:2-3) And many more scriptures are used in the four gospels that prove that his death was blamed on Jewish people

According to the four Gospels, they also indicate Pilate’s attempt to release Jesus (John 18:28-29) set the scene, “Then they led Jesus from the house of Caiaphas to the governor ' s headquarters It was early morning They themselves did not enter the governor ' s headquarters, so that they would not be defiled, but could eat the Passover So Pilate went outside to them and said, “What accusation do you bring against this man?” and “Pilate said to them, “Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law” “In effect, he gave them approval to do with Jesus whatever their law demanded” (MacArthur 2000:164)

According to Luke, when Pilate declared Jesus innocent, the members of the Sanhedrin “ were the fiercest” in their accusations against Him (Luke 23:5) John mention that the Sanhedrin also knew of Jesus innocence and were simply determined to put Him to death The Sanhedrin broke their own laws and convicted Jesus of blaspheming for saying about Himself he is the Son of God

Also Pilate collided with Jewish crowd’s demand for the death of Christ “And there is a legitimate sense in which the guilt of the crime was share not only by the chief priests and rulers, but also by the people of Israel” (MacArthur 2000-4) They were the ones who shouted, “ Crucify Him! Crucify Him! ” (Luke 23:21) That is why Peter, speaking in Jerusalem on the day of Pentecost, addressed the “Men of Israel” and said, “You have taken Christ by lawless hands, have crucified Him, and put Him to death” (Acts 2:22-23)

“Both Jewish leaders and Jewish people accepted responsibility for their part in the death of Jesus” (Pate 2005: 107). “Let his blood be on us and our children” (Matthew 27:25).

Those who hold this view strongly believe that the Jews responsible for the death of Christ In particular, Judas they say, he saw the potential in betraying Christ Luke record that Satan Himself entered into Judas at about this time (Luke 22:3) Operating through Judas’s greed, and taking advantage of an unregenerated heart that had by now utterly spurned Jesus, the devil literally possessed Judas to carry out the work of treachery that was about to occur For Judas’s part, when he turned from Christ in this final act of rejection, he willingly gave himself over to the control of the powers of darkness, and became a tool of the enemy

The View Concerning Romans being Responsible for the Death of Jesus

The foundation of this view

Some scholars’ argue that Jews could not have pulled the trial and execution of Jesus without the Roman’s help, particularly Pilate’s (John 18:31) Pilate said, "Take him yourselves and judge him by your own law" This verse is quoted to say that it shows how the Jewish Sanhedrin did not have the right to execute criminals, only the Roman governor did “Pontius Pilate was the representative of Rome in Judaea the governor ” (Innes 1982:69), as he is called in the Gospels “Governor with civil, criminal, military jurisdiction authority” (Innes 1982:69) So to some scholars this means that Romans are responsible for the death of Christ It was Pontius Pilate, a Roman governor, who sentence Jesus to death Crucifixion was a Roman method of execution, authorized and carried out Roman, not Jewish, authorities

In the book of Matthew there is a strong evidence the Christ was killed by the Romans: “Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the governor ' s headquarters, and they gathered the whole battalion before him And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe on him, and twisting together a crown of thorns, they put it on his head and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!”

Pilate’s orders were to bane and crucify Jesus this was evidence that he is responsible for Christ’s death. And also the cruel mockery soldiers heaped on him reveals their own wickedness, Roman soldiers drove the nails through Christ’s hands and feet Roman troop built the cross: (Mat 27:27-35)

A Roman spear pieced His side (John 19:34) The Romans played an even more prominent role in the actual murder of Jesus than the Jews did The method of Crucifixion was one of the ways that the Roman used to execute death penalty Crucifixion was a form of execution that the Romans had learned from Persians and this was the method used on Jesus Christ, therefore they state that Romans are responsible for Christ’s death The Romans compelled criminals sentenced to death to carry their own cross to the place of execution This shows the brutality the Romans had on Jesus

The

View

Concerning

God being Responsible for the Death of Jesus

God's Redemptive plan

Scripture emphasizes from cover to cover that the death of Christ was ordained and appointed by God Himself One of the key Old Testament prophecies about the crucifixion is Isaiah 53 “Isaiah prophetically describes the torture of the Messiah at the hands of a scoffing mob, and ads” (MacArthur 2000:6) “Yet it was the will of the Lord to crush him; he has put him to grief” (Isaiah 53:10) So scripture clearly teaches us that God put his own son to death So that He can “make His soul an offering for sin” according (Isaiah 53:10) Therefore God had a redemptive purpose

God ordained the murder of Jesus Or to put it blatantly in the words of Isaiah 53:10, it pleased the Lord to bruise Him In what sense was God pleased by the death of His Son? He was pleased by the redemption that was accomplished He was pleased that His eternal plan of salvation was thus fulfilled He was pleased with the sacrifice of his Son, who died so that others might have eternal life He was pleased to display His righteous anger against sin in such a graphic way He was pleased to demonstrate His love for sinners though such a majestic sacrifice

The exegeses of (Acts 2:23-24) “This man was handed over to you by God's set purpose and foreknowledge; and you, with the help of wicked men, put him to death by nailing him to the cross 24 But God raised him from the dead, freeing him from the agony of death, because it was impossible for death to keep its hold on him When one reads these verses they can say if Jesus was the Messiah, why was He a victim? Peter’s reply to this unspoken objection is that Jesus was a victim, actually He was delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God”. The Greek word for “handed over ” is the word Ekdotos, Macarthur says this word only appears here in the New Testament It describes those surrendered to their enemies or betrayed It’s God who gave His Son to be the Saviour of the world, which entailed delivering Him to His enemies. By the design of God.

To take this thing further the word Plan is the Greek word boulomai and refers to God’s will, design, or purpose It indicates that Jesus Christ was delivered to death because God planned and ordained it from all eternity. Therefore it’s God himself who is responsible for the death of Jesus Christ (1994)

The Sovereignty of God

Dr R H Murray mentions that God’s providence is His control and government of all things in the world, directing all affairs according to His purposes and to bring them to their appointed goal (Or God over-ruling the plan of man in order to accomplish His divine purpose) Providence is presented in Scripture as a function of God’s divine sovereignty

There are three main areas which we can see God’s providence in scripture, firstly we note that God is in control over nature (the physical creation) “He divided the sea and led them through; he made the water stand firm like a wall.He guided them with the cloud by day and with light from the fire all night He split the rocks in the desert and gave them water as abundant as the seas ” (Ps 78:13-15) Secondly God is in control over the life of individuals; (Gen 30:1-2) “When Rachel saw that she was not bearing Jacob any children, she became jealous of her sister. So she said to Jacob, "Give me children, or I'll die!" Jacob became angry with her and said, "Am I in the place of God, who has kept you from having children”?

Lastly God is in control over events in world history (Dan 4:35) “All the peoples of the earth are regarded as nothing He does as he pleases with the powers of heaven and the peoples of the earth No one can hold back his hand or say to him: "What have you done?"

If God’s providence is His control and government of all things in the world, directing all affairs according to His purposes and to bring them to their appointed goal Therefore as God is in control over events in world history He even uses all things to fulfil His purposes and even uses evil for his glory and for our good We can end up by saying, God was behind the murder of Jesus

“There are two things that caused God to send Jesus to earth in order to die for our sins” (Grudem 1994:568) Those things are God’s love and God’s justice The reason why God sent His Son to earth, Mr K E Noble mentions the fact that there are three reason for the atonement (which is the work Christ did in his life and death to earn our salvation) Those are the universality of sin- everyone has sinned, therefore, all are guilty before God (Rom 3:19&23), secondly the seriousness of sin- it deserves the wrath of God (Rom 1:18), the penalty of sin is death (Rom1:32) and eternal punishment (Matt 5:29) Lastly Man’s inability to deal with sin-humans cannot make themselves righteous or earn their salvation (Rom 3:20; Eph 2:8-9) (Soteriology note 2015)

Conclusion

The murder of Jesus was a vast conspiracy involving Rome, Herod, the Gentiles, the Jewish Sanhedrin, and the people of Israel Diverse groups who, apart from this event, were seldom fully in accord with one another In fact, it is significant that the crucifixion of Christ is the only historical event where all those faction worked together to achieve a common goal All are responsible All bear the guilt together

Who is responsible for the murder of Christ? It cannot simply be blamed on the Jews, though it was the Jewish authorities who, out of jealousy, sought the destruction of Jesus and delivered Him to the Romans Neither can it simply be blamed on the Romans, as they were faced with a riot that they had to put down – which was their main concern rather than with Christ Himself Even Pilate washed his hands off the matter So on whom do we place the blame? All you need to do is look in the mirror It is something that each and every one of us is responsible for

MacArthur mentions we cannot merely relegate the Passion to a time in the past, for our Lord knows neither time nor space Was humanity fallen and in need of salvation then, but not thereafter? Certainly not Are we all saved now because of an historical event 2000 years ago without any responsibility on our part now? Not at all Christ came at a specific time to this world, yes - but He came to save all people across all time Just as we have the same opportunity at salvation, we also bear the same responsibility as those who were alive at the time of Christ

The sight of Jesus on the cross tells us that God has loved us with an everlasting love (Jeremiah 31:3) In the death of our Lord Jesus, God acts rightly in declaring us Justified Because the Lord Jesus was punished in the place of sinners, God’s anger was turned from us The death of Jesus declares three things: God is just, God punishes sin and God loves sinners

The Resurrection

The New Man in Christ

Witten by Lethu Mkhize

Introduction

The Cross was the greatest master piece of work that was done by God, nothing in eternity would ever match to what God did through the Cross When writing to the church in Rome, Paul explains and defines the gospel that he received, what we call The Cross:

1 Cor 15:1-4 “Moreover, brethren, I declare unto you the gospel which I preached unto you, which also ye have received, and wherein ye stand; By which also ye are saved, if ye keep in memory what I preached unto you, unless ye have believed in vain For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the scriptures; And that he was buried, and that he rose again the third day according to the scriptures (KJV)

Paul underpins three (3) elements that categorize the work of God in Christ in relation to The Cross: a) how Christ died (His death); b) He was buried (His burial) and c) He rose (His resurrection) All these elements when we search the Old and the New Testament reveal what God was doing in Christ The resurrection has a critical and a fundamental part in and for the life of the believer, and this article intends to show you why the resurrection was crucial for the believer

God’s plan for man

Rom 8:29-30 For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified (KJV)

Paul briefly outlines God’s intended destiny for man and that was to be “conformed to the image of his Son, that He might be the firstborn among many brethren”. God’s intended destiny for man was that Christ be the firstborn, in the original New Testament language (Greek), the word “firstborn” was “prōtotokos” which meant “first born, preeminence” This was the same word which was at the root of the Latin term “prototypus”, which this Latin term gave birth to the English term known today as ‘prototype’ God’s intended desire and plan for man, was that Christ be the prototype for creation and formation of man

Col 1:15-18 Who is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of every creature: For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: And he is before all things, and by him all things consist. And he is the head of the body, the church: who is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead; that in all things he might have the preeminence (KJV)

The Old Testament further confirms Paul’s assertion to the Colossian believers:

Proverbs 8:22-30 The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way,

before his works of old I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him (KJV)

God’s plan was that Christ be the prototype, the man that would be found in Christ, would be the exact image of Christ.

1 John 4:17 Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is, so are we in this world (NKJV)

Why the resurrection

John 11:25-26 Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die Believest thou this? (KJV)

The Resurrection

Firstly, the resurrection not only serves to show God’s action in relation to The Cross, but the resurrection was a Person This resurrection was life, in fact according to the bible rule of interpretation of the word “and (Greek:kai)” it could also mean, “I am the resurrection, which is life” hence why Jesus says, “he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live” For the believer, resurrection is Christ, the resurrection is the life of Christ in the believer

1 Cor 15:12-14,16-17 Now if Christ be preached that he rose from the dead, how say some among you that there is no resurrection of the dead? But if there be no resurrection of the dead, then is Christ not risen: And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain. For if the dead rise not, then is not Christ raised: And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins. (KJV)

Secondly, Paul writes something very interesting to the Corinthian believers, “And if Christ be not risen, then is our preaching vain, and your faith is also vain” and her further says, “And if Christ be not raised, your faith is vain; ye are yet in your sins”. For the believer there is no faith without there being the resurrection of Christ The New Testament believer’s explanation of faith is not Hebrews 11:1, it is Christ’s resurrection, there is no faith for the New Testament believer if there was no resurrection of Christ. So the resurrection is the believers faith, what makes faith in the believer is Christ’s resurrection

Gal 2:16, 20 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified. I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me (KJV)

Thirdly, there is no forgiveness of sins without Christ’s resurrection. The enacting of the New Covenant, that which was promised and planned by God in Christ (Gal 3:17) was made into effect by Christ’s resurrection and Him appearing before the Father, to confirm the completion of His perfect work

Eph 4:9-10 (Now that he ascended, what is it but that he also descended first into the lower parts of the earth? He that descended is the same also that ascended up far above all heavens, that he might fill all things) (KJV)

Heb 9:11-12,14-15 But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us How much more shall the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered himself without spot to God, purge your conscience from dead works to serve the living God? And for this cause he is the mediator of the new testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance. (KJV)

Heb 9:23-24 It was therefore necessary that the patterns of things in the heavens should be purified with these; but the heavenly things themselves with better sacrifices than these For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us: (KJV)

Joh 20:17 Jesus saith unto her, Touch me not; for I am not yet ascended to my Father: but go to my brethren, and say unto them, I ascend unto my Father, and your Father; and to my God, and your God (KJV)

So Christ had to appear before the Father to offer Himself as the perfect the sacrifice for man and that by His

blood (life), He become the life of and for the new man who would be found in Him, forgiven of their sins and redeemed in Him

Eph 1:5-7 Having predestinated us unto the adoption of children by Jesus Christ to himself, according to the good pleasure of his will To the praise of the glory of his grace, wherein he hath made us accepted in the beloved In whom we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of his grace (KJV)

The resurrection – birth of the new Man

1 Peter 1:3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead (KJV)

The new Man in Christ, was birthed (begotten) by the resurrection, how? The bible gives us an explanation: Eph 1:19-20 And what is the exceeding greatness of his power to us-ward who believe, according to the working of his mighty power Which he wrought in Christ, when he raised him from the dead, and set him at his own right hand in the heavenly places (KJV)

Eph 2:10 For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. (KJV)

Psa 139:14-15 I will praise thee; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made: marvellous are thy works; and that my soul knoweth right well My substance was not hid from thee, when I was made in secret, and curiously wrought in the lowest parts of the earth (KJV)

2 Cor 5:17 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new (KJV)

The new Man was God’s workmanship in Christ, whilst Christ was in the dead (lowest part of the earth), God was behind the scenes working in Christ, and that work was creating and making the new Man. A total new creature that has never existed before All of God’s power worked (wrought) in Christ, just like how it happens in a hospital theatre, there being an operation, God was at work behind the scenes creating this Man with all of His power. This power was too great for death to hold this new Man, hence why, the new Man can’t experience death anymore

John 5:24-26 Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that heareth my word, and believeth on him that sent me, hath everlasting life, and shall not come into condemnation; but is passed from death unto life Verily, verily, I say unto you, The hour is coming, and now is, when the dead shall hear the voice of the Son of God: and they that hear shall live For as the Father hath life in himself; so hath he given to the Son to have life in himself (KJV)

This new Man is made of God’s exact nature, everything of God, is of this new Man

1 John 3:9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot sin, because he is born of God. (KJV)

1 Peter 1:23 Being born again, not of corruptible seed, but of incorruptible, by the word of God, which liveth and abideth for ever. (KJV)

The resurrection is fundamental for the believer, not only is faith for the believer, or gave rise to the forgiveness of sins but it was the birth of the new Man that was to be found in Christ God’s plan of salvation and redemption, was this new Man who was to be found in Christ. Nothing created will ever match the priceless work of God by and through the resurrection God loves man

whydowehavedifferentchurches?

WRITTEN BY PS CK & MRS NS TENZA

"If there is one God, how come we have all these different churches with different teachings yet we all read the same Holy Bible? How do I then choose which church is really from God since they have these different teachings? And some conflict with each other"

First and foremost, there is one God In the book of Isaiah 46:9, the Bible says "For I am God, and there is none else, I am God, and there is none like me " This tells us that there is no other God In Exodus 20:3, God further say that "You shall have no other gods before me " and Exodus 34:14 "for you shall not worship any other god, for the Lord, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God"

Our God loves us so much that after man fell in sin, he derived a way of mending the broken relationship Romans 5: 8 "But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us " Christ loved the church so much such that He gave up Himself for her as Ephesians 5 states "Husbands, love your wives, just as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless After all, no one ever hated their own body, but they feed and care for their body, just as Christ does the church for we are members of his body"

Then what is the church according to the Bible? Is it the walls of the building or the people inside? The church is the body of Christ-all the people who accept Christ's gift of salvation and follow Christ's teachings During the establishment of the church, there were no church denominations but one church with its branches, existing in many cities, regions and counties

The paragraph below is an extract from Robert Stapleton’s Blog titled: The difference between the church and denominations (2012)

Today, there are many churches or denominations with many doctrines, contrary to one another But in fact, there is but one church, the body of Christ Likewise, there is but one doctrine – the doctrine of Christ (2 John 1: 9). Satan has always sought to counterfeit everything God has done, and tries to make men think it is just as good as the genuine Many times he attempts to present the counterfeit in such a way that man will not easily see the difference The New Testament is clear, indicating that the Lord has built His church (Matthew 16:18) In looking around us, we see that Satan offers a counterfeit instead; making man think it is just as good as the original Likewise, there are as many bodies of doctrine as there are denominations, but there is only one true church and one true body of doctrine for that church. Apostle Paul indicated that the law is made for whatever else that that is contrary to the sound doctrine (1 Timothy 1:9-10) Such “unsound” teaching is still found in religious bodies that fail to preach the true word of God (2 Timothy 4:1-3)

In Matthew 28:19, Jesus said "Go ye therefore and make disciples of all nations...", the mandate was to grow the church which is the body of Christ and have one doctrine " teaching them everything I have commanded you " Denominations emerged as Missionaries, spreading out to different Countries, taking the Gospel to the nations of the world, this was now for them to occupy places, begun to call their converts with special names-beginning of denominations The Gospel now became a mixture of Western Civilization, cultural heritage and selflessness which included human elements.

The emergence of denominations (many churches in common language) is a result of many reasons which include:

(a) Different interpretation of scriptures thus forming diverse doctrine For example, other denominations believe that Baptism is the sprinkling of water on the face yet others believe that a person must be immersed in water

(b) Different belief system, for example, there denominations that do not have a problem w ancestral worship and support it with scriptures others are against it claiming that it is against the wi God

(c) Different styles of worship. Many denominat worship God differently. Some prefer using h cymbals and cushions, whereas others prefer loud so system Others prefer very formal proceedings whe others dance and be all informal

(d) Diversion in principles and doctrine of Christ jus personal satisfaction. Matthew 24:11 " ... many prophets will arise and lead many astray" [2 Timothy 4:3]

For the time will come when people will not put with sound doctrine Instead, to suit their own des they will gather around them a great number of teac to say what their itching ears want to hear (e) Human errors, driven by selflessness and hid agendas, to win followers for personal gain or f (Acts2028-34)

It is important to be aware that there are churches are run by people just for generating personal finan gains in the name of Jesus Christ and mutilating word of God for personal purposes These kind denominations may be called churches but they are known to God, they belong to Individuals. (Matthew 7: 21-23)

CHOSING A CHURCH

There are many reasons why people choose to fellowship at one particular church compared to the other. The style of worship, programs that the church offer, size of congregation is amongst other reasons that people consider when choosing the church to belong to

It is very important for individuals to choose a church that preaches the good news of Jesus Christ, resonates with one ’ s values, nurtures spiritual growth and foster a sense of belonging Above all, the Holy Spirit remains our guide A person must be guided by the word of God and rely on the guidance of the Holy Spirit

Ephesians 4: 3-6 "Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace There is one body and one Spirit, just as you were called to one hope when you were called; one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all."

How do I seek God? How do I seek His Kingdom?

LeratoThwala by

I am privileged to discuss a topic that is dear to our faith and Christian journey: "How do I seek God? How do I seek His Kingdom?" These two questions are crucial for those seeking a deeper connection with the Lord Matthew 6:33 highlights Jesus' words urging us to seek God's Kingdom and righteousness above all else, with the assurance that everything we need will be provided. Let's delve deeper into this meaningful message and uncover the significance of wholeheartedly seeking God and His Kingdom

What does seeking God mean?

Seeking God involves a strong desire to understand Him, feel Him near you, and live by His guidance. This isn't something we do once and forget about, it's a journey that goes on forever It means putting in the effort to get closer to God and live according to His plan Jeremiah 29:13 assures us, "You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart."

There’s a saying that says “the proof is in the pudding”, which is an expression used to describe quality or the truth in something I am using this expression to describe that your lifestyle and your personal relationship with God is “the proof in the pudding” that you have found God. We have assurance that if we seek God we will find Him (Jeremiah 29:13)

Focusing on our relationship with God:

If we want to seek God, we have to prioritize our relationship with Him above all This requires dedicating time to prayer, Bible reading, and worship It is important to put the same level of commitment and dedication into our relationship with God as we do with our relationships with others The Psalmist says in Psalm 63:1, "You, God, are my God, earnestly I seek you; I thirst for you, my whole being longs for you, in a dry and parched land where there is no water". Seeking God should be driven by a deep desire and a steadfast commitment

We sometimes get caught up in our lives and find ourselves having a lot on our plates And it almost feels like there isn’t enough time within a day to pause and focus on spending time with God by either reading scripture, pray or worship Sometimes, even if you ’ re not occupied with something important to do, you may somehow find yourself busy with something else that you find “ more interesting” One of the things we can do in order to overcome this gap of not spending enough time with God, we can start by redefining what makes you happy So you can look forward

Living a Life of Holiness and Righteousness:

to spending time with God because you’ll be doing something that brings you joy

Philippians 4:4

“Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!”

Understanding the Impact of Prayer and Meditation: Prayer is our way of reaching out to God. We communicate with God, share our deepest thoughts, and listen to His guidance when we pray. Philippians 4:6-7 encourages us, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus" Consistent, sincere prayer allows us to connect with and feel the presence of God

Meditation on God's Word carries the same weight Through the Bible, we receive divine wisdom, guidance, and a deeper understanding of God's character Psalm 1:2-3 shows the blessings of meditating on Scripture: "But whose delight is in the law of the Lord, and who meditates on his law day and night That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither whatever they do prospers "

To truly seek God, we need to submit our will to His This means letting Him lead and guide us, even if His plans do not match up with ours Jesus modeled this surrender in the Garden of Gethsemane when He prayed, "Not my will, but yours be done" (Luke 22:42) Submitting to God's purpose involves having faith, humility, and a readiness to follow His guidance

Striving to live a life that God approves of is also about seeking Him This entails renouncing sin and striving for righteousness 1 Peter 1:15-16 reminds us, "But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: ‘Be holy, because I am holy" Our behavior, thoughts, and mindset should show that we want to please God and follow His guidelines

To pursue God’s Kingdom is to aim for His dominion and authority in all aspects of our lives and the world Jesus taught us to pray, "Your kingdom come, your will be done, on earth as it is in heaven" (Matthew 6:10) Seeking God's Kingdom empowers us to spread His love, peace, and justice in a broken world

This also means cultivating a heart for others Jesus demonstrated this by helping the poor, sick, and outcasts In Matthew 25:40, He said, "Truly I tell you, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers and sisters of mine, you did for me " As we seek God and His Kingdom, it is our responsibility to show selfless love and serve others

Staying the Course:

Seeking God and His Kingdom is often a difficult journey You are likely to encounter obstacles, interruptions, and temptations as you move forward Nonetheless, we are urged to persist Hebrews 12:1-2 urges us, "Let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer, and perfecter of faith" Our determination comes from trusting God's faithfulness

Seeking God and His Kingdom is a continuous, life-altering quest that necessitates complete dedication and faithfulness It includes giving precedence to our relationship with the Almighty, participating in prayer and reflection, yielding to His divine purpose, leading a holy life, and actively expanding His Kingdom through acts of love and service As we continue on this journey, let us remember the promise in James 4:8, "Come near to God and he will come near to you " Let's always look for God with all our hearts and experience His presence and appreciate blessings in our lives

WHAT WAS THE SIGNIFICANCE OF JESUS WASHING THE DISCIPLES’ FEET?

Jesus knew He had limited time here on earth, so He spent his last few years in ministry teaching & training the Disciples to be able to conduct His ministry long after he had gone. However, He had just one more significant demonstration for them just before He could be crucified

The story in the book of John 13 unfolds as thus:

[John 13:1] It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end

[John 13:2 ]The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus

[John 13:3] Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God;

[John 13:4] so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist

[John 13:5] After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him

[John 13:6] He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, "Lord, are you going to wash my feet?"

[John 13:7] Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand"

[John 13:8] "No," said Peter, " you shall never wash my feet" Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with me "

[John 13:9] "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"

[John 13:10] Jesus answered, "Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is l A d l h h f "

Witten by Nonkululeko Sigudu

[John 13:12] When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?" he asked them.

[John 13:13] "You call me ’Teacher’ and ’Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am

sus being able to keep His focus until the very He could have been pre-occupied with his own hat was set to happen to Him the following day. we find Him being concerned about finishing s business (Luke 2v49) So often as believers we tracted by our own issues and grief and miss to he task that God has set before us – therefore ng the full measure of God’s glory In verse 2 of read that Satan had already prompted Judas to s, and Jesus knew of it! Who in their sober state rate a betrayer, I can already think of how I e confronted Judas and even call the Police on no, Jesus remained calm and collected We learn He was teaching us that we ought to always the plan of God is perfect for us despite what ls can do or try to do (Psalm 56v1-12)

We can observe these three aspects from Jesus in John13 verse 4 to 12:

1. Humility

Jesus then proceeds to prepare to wash the Disciples’ feet in verse 4, which was a lesson on humility He was most senior to them and could have asked them to wash His feet as we see Peter trying to stop Him Washing their feet indicates that he had to “stoop low” for the 100% God that Jesus was However, the focus of Jesus was to please the One who had sent Him He also had taught them God exalts the humble (Matthew 23v12)

2. Servanthood

By this act He was modelling how they ought to serve one another When the Teachers of the Law tried to trick Jesus in Mark 12v28 – 31, to ask which commandment was the greatest, He indicated that the 2nd greatest commandment after loving God was to love one another The gospel of Jesus Christ is a story of love and He wanted to ensure that this is engraved in the Disciples’ minds before He departed He had also taught them that greatness in the Kingdom comes by serving (Matthew 20v26-28).

[Matthew 20:26] Not so with you Instead, whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant,

[Matthew 20:27] and whoever wants to be first must be your slave

[Matthew 20:28] just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many "

3. Forgiveness

Jesus was set to face a few betrayals leading up to the Cross, from Peter denying Him to Judas finally handing him over He knew this fully yet chose to release forgiveness. He forgave them before they betrayed Him. We learn that He even prayed for Peter because He knew that the enemy had wanted to sift him like wheat (Luke 22v32) Isn’t Jesus amazing as He prayed when he could see that Peter’s faith would fail when Jesus was about to be crucified?

When last did you pray for someone who you can see is starting to grow cold in their faith? Or for someone who has back-slided? The Lord Jesus is challenging us in this passage to continually uphold each other in prayer as well

At the height of His pain on the Cross, Jesus uttered Father forgive them, for they know not what they are doing (Luke 23v34)

This was a model for us to ALWAYS release forgiveness as it sets us free and allows us to enjoy the full blessing of God

4. Purity of Heart & Peace

Forgiveness enables us to keep our hearts pure before God Scripture tells us that no one will see God without holiness (Hebrews 12v14)

We all know that we cannot be peaceful until we have emptied our hearts of bitterness & anger which is normally associated with unforgiveness This was Jesus’ final moment of teaching them how to keep their peace Peace enables us to overcome as it allows God to defend us King Jehoshaphat experienced God’s peace in the face of great adversity – you can read the whole story in 2 Chronicles 20

Can you identify areas of your life which need you to allow the peace of God to prevail?

The act of washing the Disciples’ feet was for Jesus to impart His final teachings to them to ensure that they will be able to stand in their faith, no matter what the enemy would throw at them after His departure.

SHOULD WE WEAR SHOES AT CHURCH

OR TAKE THEM OFF?

BASIS: EXODUS 3:5 "DO NOT COME ANY CLOSER," GOD SAID. "TAKE OFF YOUR SANDALS," FOR THE PLACE WHERE YOU ARE STANDING IS HOLY GROUND"

her-in-law in

Midian at Mount Sinai also called Mount Horeb

Moses has been in Midian for forty years after fleeing from Egypt God made himself known to him He revealed himself in a miraculous way, where Moses sees a bush which is covered in fire, but not burning up Moses draws closer to observe the situation In the presence of the miracle, God calls Moses from within the bush, by his name God warns him not to come closer Then He instructs him to take off his sandals because the place where he is standing is holy ground God expands the reason of taking off the sandals in the next verse further explains that He is the God of his father, the God of Abraham, the God of Isaac and the God of Jacob

What it means/ meant?

Exodus 3:5-6, God told Moses to take off his sandals in a gesture of worship The ground was holy not by its nature but because of God's presence When the Lord identified Himself to Moses as the God of his ancestors (Abraham...Isaac...Jacob) Moses covered his face, fearful of looking at God

God gave Moses two commands: not to come closer and to take off his sandals These were the requirements of a person to the presence of God. This means that God gives instructions to His people on how to approach Him through His Word We do not have to do what pleases us in the presence of God Looking at these instructions I think, Moses was unworthy to stand in the presence of God with his shoes on This means there are things in our lives that defile us in such a way that we are not able to come to Gods presence

The act of Moses removing his sandals in the Near East was a sign of humility and respect. It was a common practice to remove your sandals before entering a holy place Therefore, when God says, 'take off your sandals' He was signaling Moses that he is in the presence of God and that he should approach with reverence and humility Then, according to Exodus 3:5 taking off sandals is about the attitude of a person towards the sacred place rather than any inherent quality of the sandals

Is it relevant now?

When God called to Moses to approach His appearance in the burning bush, the first thing God told Moses was to " take off his sandals (Exodus 3:5) Forty years later, when God appeared to Joshua as the Israelites besieged Jericho, He again said, 'take off your sandals' (Joshua 5:15)

What God established for Moses at the burning bush was not different to what He also established to Joshua at Jericho forty years later They both fell facedown to the ground in reverence of worship, as their response to God when He says the ground they are standing on has become holy from His direct presence. The removing of shoes as a sign of reverence in practice is still in use in Islam and other religions

When God says "Take off your sandals" as a signal to Moses that he is approaching the holy ground. It was because God himself made that place holy by His presence in that place Therefore taking off sandals was meant for that particular period simply because taking off sandals is not a law, if it is the law, it should have been written as one of the ten commandments that Moses received from God later in the same mountain, Mount Horeb (Exodus 20)

In the Old Testament the holy place referred specifically to Mount Horeb, the mountain where God would reveal Himself to Moses and the people of Israel (Exodus 3:12) In the New Testament, those who believe in Jesus as Lord become holy and are called to live as the priesthood of believers in holiness (1 Peter 2:5-9).

In this point in time does it matter?

The act of taking off of sandals in the context of Exodus 3:5 symbolizes a recognition of the holiness and sacredness of the moment and the space in which one finds oneself. Sandals are man-made material, then the implication of what this symbolizes in the story goes in far beyond removing a mere piece of attire " Taking off our sandals" can be taking off any belief of a material reality Let us look at what the Bible says about shoes:

Shoes are mentioned in the context of spreading the gospel and carrying the message of peace In Ephesians 6:15 believers are instructed to have their feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. This symbolizes the importance of being prepared for the task and one of the tasks is to share the good news of Jesus Christ with others Mark 6:9, Exodus 12:11

Isaiah 52:7 "How beautiful on the mountains are the feet of those who bring good news, who proclaim peace, who bring good tidings, who proclaim salvation, who say to Zion, your God reigns!"

Therefore, what matters is not the physical removal of the shoe as an act but as the removing of the old self and take the new self 2 Corinthians 5:17 says, "Therefore if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come The old has gone, the new is here." The spreading of the gospel is still relevant and will remain relevant until the great commission is fulfilled "Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teach them to obey everything I have commanded you And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age. " Mathew 28:19-20

Should we wear shoes at church or take them off?

Ecclesiastes 5:1 says, "Guard your steps when you go to the house of God. Draw near to listen rather than to offer the sacrifice of fools, who do not know that they do wrong "

This scripture leads us to the point where we should know the description of the church before we conclude. As this scripture makes it very clear that a person or a believer must go to church having a purpose in mind of what exactly are his intensions of going to church Now let’s hear what the scripture says about the church:

Ephesians 2:19-22: Paul described the church as a great building, a holy temple in which God dwells where Christ Jesus Himself is the chief cornerstone The word temple always refers to the sanctuary within the physical structure in Jerusalem, not to the entire temple area with its open courts functioning of the temple (v.21). God places individual believers into the structure, thus it is being built together The goal of this temple is to become a dwelling in which God lives by His Spirit

God is not present in some physical way in a church building, but is present in the person in a form of the Holy Spirit within the bodies of Christian believers That is the reason why Paul described the bodies of Christians as being temples of the Holy Spirit (1Chorinthians 6:19) and also instructs Christians to keep their bodies holy (Romans 12:1)

Since God's holiness can be associated with particular land, the temple, the sanctuary where the source of this location is God not the temple or the land itself. Meaning that, when God spoke to Moses from the burning bush, He was there in some physical way and declares that area holy. Then that draws us to Matthew 1:21, where Jesus our redeemer was born: "She will give birth to a son, and you are to give him the name Jesus, because he will save his people from their sins"

Because Jesus was conceived from the Holy Spirit, He is Holy and his holiness qualifies Him to enter the Most Holy Place as it is stated in Hebrews 9:2-3 that, Jesus entered the Holy Place and the Most Holy Place And how He enters these places is made clear in Hebrews 9:12: " He did not enter by means of the blood of goats and calves, but he entered the Most Holy Place once for all by his own blood, thus obtaining eternal redemption.

Even though Some religions believe on taking off their shoes when going to church but generally Christian churches do not, because God has made a way, as promised, for us to come into his holy

presence, by the power of Jesus to redeem And it brings me to a point where I say, nonetheless, whether you keep your shoes on or if you take them off, God's Spirit is in a person.

Ruth 4:7 confirms the act of taking off the shoes as it says: Amongst the Hebrews business transactions took place publicly in the market place so that the presence of the whole community, or at least ten of the elders, served to confirm them (Genesis 23)

As an aid to the memory, therefore, there arose the custom of drawing off the shoes in transferring a possession or domain The idea was that the person who gave up a possession should show by removing his shoe that he was thus divesting himself of something before the witnesses. This could then be regarded as a public declaration that he was withdrawing from the property and handing it over to another person.

Therefore, the right to freely walk on or dwell upon an estate belonged only to the owner and the shoe served as the perfect symbol of right possession Removing of shoe as part of the covenant-making process in ancient Semitic societies signaled the participants willingness to deprive themselves of some possession- often property which the owner had a right to This ancient rite of property transferal specifically relates to God's modern covenant people and their worship patterns today

Thus when we participate in the ordinances of the temple, we technically deprive ourselves of the world through approaching the temple physically clean and also through removal of our shoes Such actions do not constitute the ceremony of the shoe, but they to prepare us to deprive ourselves of the world in the ordinances of the house of the Lord.

In the book of Leviticus 16:24 we read of a connection between the ceremony of the shoe and the removal of one ' s footwear when entering sacred ground; anciently shoes on account of the material of which they were made, could not be washed, they were removed as an act of dedication It is a symbolic effort to set aside the natural man and the things of this fallen world in order to dedicate one ' s life and embrace the things of God, including His presence, Glory and Spirit

Therefore, " Come let us bow down in worship, let us kneel before the Lord our Maker:" Psalm 95:6 And let us remember that, “God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in the Spirit and in truth "John 4:24

GENERAL

Nothing in this magazine is intended to replace any professional or medical advice, please utilize your discernment.

Disclaimer: Please note that some images used were downloaded from the Pinterest app for illustration purposes and none of the writers or the founder claim ownership of those images.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

A very special thank you to everyone that contributed towards the magazine Especially the writers that took time from their busy schedules and ensured that their articles were submitted timeously.

FEEDBACK

We would like to hear from you, for any questions or feedback, please send an email to: NomfundoNSimelane@Gmailcom

COPYRIGHTS

No part of this magazine may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise, without the prior written permission from the Founder.