Forasmuch then as Christ has suffered for us
in the flesh, arm yourselves likewise with
the same mind: for he hath suffered in the
flesh hast ceased from sin; that he no longer
should live the rest of his time in the flesh
to the lust of men, but to the will of God.
1Peter 4:1-2
I thought this was Christmas, a time set aside to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. It is! Jesus did not come into our world to live in our world, no, He came with a purpose. The Old Testament foretold of One who would come to save people from their sins, and Jesus manifested that He was the One foretold. It is noteworthy that we have nothing written about the life of a young boy named Jesus. Oh, some Apocryphal writing: i.e., The Infancy of Jesus found in the Apocryphal writings accounted to the Gospel of St Thomas a Gnostic writing of Thomas the Israelite, the Philosopher concerning the works of the Childhood of Jesus Christ. Was this Thomas a brother of Jesus Christ? Who was he? The Coptic manuscript discovered in 1945 at Nag Hammuadi in Egypt contains 114 sayings attributed to Jesus. The early Church fathers determined whether a book was truly inspired by the Holy Spirit. !. Was the author an apostle or have a close connection with an apostle? 2. Was the book being accepted by the Body of Christ at large? 3. Did the book contain consistency of doctrine and orthodox teaching? 4. Did the Book bear evidence of high moral and spritual valies that would reflect a work of the Holy Spirit? the gospel of Thomas fails in all these tests. The gospel of Thomas contains many teachings that are in contradiction to the biblical Gospels and the rest of the New Testament. The gospel of Thomas does not bear the marks of inspiration by the Holy Spirit. The gospel of Thomas is a Gnostic gospel, espousing a Gnostic viewpoint of Christianity. It is heretical! It is interesting that the Mormons think highly of this gospel and there are many websites that promote their approval of this Gnostic gospel, as it should be as much of what they teach is Gnostic.
I have taken this time to write about this problem. The problem is some have given authority an approval of Apocryphal writings and those being taught this are being led away from the truth of Scripture. When there is so much taught about the birth and life of Jesus, His young growing up days, then, and is so true: the reason for His birth is overlooked and faith is placed upon events that may or may not be true but have nothing to do with the "real" Jesus. Jesus came to die! This He had to do as a man. If man was to be saved, to have salvation from sin, their sins as well, Jesus had to come and this was prophesied years before He came and then when on earth He manifested that He was the Savior promised. His death is more important than His birth, His infancy, His young growing years. It is when Jesus came to be a man and according to Jewish Law the age of 30 was considered adulthood, that He could fulfill all the promises about Him.
Many would and do attempt to turn you away to fables and things that have nothing to do with Jesus, His birth, His life, and His death, resurrection and ascension. They sound good to ears that want to be tickled, but are only lies. Gnosticism was a problem for the early Church and is still a problem today. I hope that some knowledge will aid you to turn your faith to Jesus, the Jesus that is recorded for us in the Bible, that which has all the marks of being inspired by the Holy Spirit: not the Book of Morman, not the Aprocryphal books, not the mistranslations such as with the Jehovah Witnesses, nor the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, or Ellen G. White, or those today misuse Scripture for gain.
It is Christmas time, this special time of the year to celebrate the fulfillment of the promises of God by the birth of Jesus Christ. We have enough in Scripture about His birth, and even an account of Him as a 12 year old boy, but more, we have an account of Him as a man who would die for sin to pay this debt you and I cannot pay, this debt called death, sin, and by this you have a way to have salvation for your sins. This is where you are to take time to celebrate. Jesus gave us the Eucharist (Communion) to remind us, not of His birth, no, but His death until He comes again. Celebrate His birth, but dovetail into your celebration why we celebrate.
One generation shall praise Thy works
to another, and shall declare Thy might acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty,
and of Thy wonderous works.
Psalm 145:4-5
Humble yourself before our God and Savior
Richard L. Crumb
I have taken this time to write about this problem. The problem is some have given authority an approval of Apocryphal writings and those being taught this are being led away from the truth of Scripture. When there is so much taught about the birth and life of Jesus, His young growing up days, then, and is so true: the reason for His birth is overlooked and faith is placed upon events that may or may not be true but have nothing to do with the "real" Jesus. Jesus came to die! This He had to do as a man. If man was to be saved, to have salvation from sin, their sins as well, Jesus had to come and this was prophesied years before He came and then when on earth He manifested that He was the Savior promised. His death is more important than His birth, His infancy, His young growing years. It is when Jesus came to be a man and according to Jewish Law the age of 30 was considered adulthood, that He could fulfill all the promises about Him.
Many would and do attempt to turn you away to fables and things that have nothing to do with Jesus, His birth, His life, and His death, resurrection and ascension. They sound good to ears that want to be tickled, but are only lies. Gnosticism was a problem for the early Church and is still a problem today. I hope that some knowledge will aid you to turn your faith to Jesus, the Jesus that is recorded for us in the Bible, that which has all the marks of being inspired by the Holy Spirit: not the Book of Morman, not the Aprocryphal books, not the mistranslations such as with the Jehovah Witnesses, nor the writings of Mary Baker Eddy, or Ellen G. White, or those today misuse Scripture for gain.
It is Christmas time, this special time of the year to celebrate the fulfillment of the promises of God by the birth of Jesus Christ. We have enough in Scripture about His birth, and even an account of Him as a 12 year old boy, but more, we have an account of Him as a man who would die for sin to pay this debt you and I cannot pay, this debt called death, sin, and by this you have a way to have salvation for your sins. This is where you are to take time to celebrate. Jesus gave us the Eucharist (Communion) to remind us, not of His birth, no, but His death until He comes again. Celebrate His birth, but dovetail into your celebration why we celebrate.
One generation shall praise Thy works
to another, and shall declare Thy might acts.
I will speak of the glorious honor of Thy majesty,
and of Thy wonderous works.
Psalm 145:4-5
Humble yourself before our God and Savior
Richard L. Crumb
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