THE MESSIAH

Now when Jesus was born in Bethlehem of Judaea in the days of Herod the king, behold, there came wise men from the east to Jerusalem,
Saying, Where is he that is born King of the Jews? for we have seen his star in the east, and are come to worship him.*

When Herod the king had heard these things, he was troubled, and all Jerusalem with him. And when he had gathered all the chief priests and scribes of the people together, he demanded of them where Christ should be born. And they said unto him, In Bethlehem of Judaea: for thus it is written by the prophet, And thou Bethlehem, in the land of Juda, art not the least among the princes of Juda: for out of thee shall come a Governor, that shall rule my people Israel.

Then Herod, when he had privily called the wise men, enquired of them diligently what time the star appeared. And he sent them to Bethlehem, and said, Go and search diligently for the young child; and when ye have found him, bring me word again, that I may come and worship him also.

When they had heard the king, they departed; and, lo, the star, which they saw in the east, went before them, till it came and stood over where the young child was. When they saw the star, they rejoiced with exceeding great joy.
And when they were come into the house, they saw the young child with Mary his mother, and fell down, and worshipped him: and when they had opened their treasures, they presented unto him gifts; gold, and frankincense, and myrrh. And being warned of God in a dream that they should not return to Herod, they departed into their own country another way.

And when they were departed, behold, the angel of the Lord appeareth to Joseph in a dream, saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and flee into Egypt, and be thou there until I bring thee word: for Herod will seek the young child to destroy him. When he arose, he took the young child and his mother by night, and departed into Egypt: And was there until the death of Herod: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Out of Egypt have I called my son.

Then Herod, when he saw that he was mocked of the wise men, was exceeding wroth, and sent forth, and slew all the children that were in Bethlehem, and in all the coasts thereof, from two years old and under, according to the time which he had diligently enquired of the wise men. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremy the prophet, saying, In Rama was there a voice heard, lamentation, and weeping, and great mourning, Rachel weeping for her children, and would not be comforted, because they are not.

But when Herod was dead, behold, an angel of the Lord appeareth in a dream to Joseph in Egypt, Saying, Arise, and take the young child and his mother, and go into the land of Israel: for they are dead which sought the young child’s life.
And he arose, and took the young child and his mother, and came into the land of Israel. But when he heard that Archelaus did reign in Judaea in the room of his father Herod, he was afraid to go thither: notwithstanding, being warned of God in a dream, he turned aside into the parts of Galilee: And he came and dwelt in a city called Nazareth: that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophets, He shall be called a Nazarene.

Matthew 2:1-23

*The wise men from the east: how did they know One was born King of the Jews? They came to worship Him. How did they know He was diety? Could they have heard and believed Daniel’s prophecies?

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up it’s life) in you richly…

Angels from the realms of glory,
Wing your flight o’er all the earth;
Ye who sang creation’s story
Now proclaim Messiah’s birth.

Refrain:
Come and worship, come and worship,
Worship Christ, the newborn King.

Shepherds, in the field abiding,
Watching o’er your flocks by night,
God with us is now residing;
Yonder shines the infant light:

Sages, leave your contemplations,
Brighter visions beam afar;
Seek the great Desire of nations;
Ye have seen His natal star.

Saints, before the altar bending,
Watching long in hope and fear;
Suddenly the Lord, descending,
In His temple shall appear.

Sinners, wrung with true repentance,
Doomed for guilt to endless pains,
Justice now revokes the sentence,
Mercy calls you; break your chains.

Though an Infant now we view Him,
He shall fill His Father’s throne,
Gather all the nations to Him;
Every knee shall then bow down:

All creation, join in praising
God, the Father, Spirit, Son,
Evermore your voices raising
To th’eternal Three in One.

James Montgomery – Published 1816.  Verse 5 Anonymous; Courtesy of Timeless Truths Publications – Copyright © 2002-2020 Free Online Library

Who can say, I have made my heart clean, I am pure from my sin? Proverbs 20:9

There is a generation that are pure in their own eyes, and yet is not washed from their filthiness. Proverbs 30:12

Have mercy upon me, O God, according to thy lovingkindness: according unto the multitude of thy tender mercies blot out my transgressions. Wash me throughly from mine iniquity, and cleanse me from my sin. For I acknowledge my transgressions: and my sin is ever before me. Against thee, thee only, have I sinned, and done this evil in thy sight: that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clear when thou judgest. Behold, I was shapen in iniquity; and in sin did my mother conceive me.

Behold, thou desirest truth in the inward parts: and in the hidden part thou shalt make me to know wisdom. Purge me with hyssop, and I shall be clean: wash me, and I shall be whiter than snow.

Make me to hear joy and gladness; that the bones which thou hast broken may rejoice. Hide thy face from my sins, and blot out all mine iniquities. Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me.

Cast me not away from thy presence; and take not thy holy spirit from me. Restore unto me the joy of thy salvation; and uphold me with thy free spirit. Then will I teach transgressors thy ways; and sinners shall be converted unto thee.

Deliver me from blood guiltiness, O God, thou God of my salvation: and my tongue shall sing aloud of thy righteousness. O Lord, open thou my lips; and my mouth shall shew forth thy praise. For thou desirest not sacrifice; else would I give it: thou delightest not in burnt offering. The sacrifices of God are a broken spirit: a broken and a contrite heart, O God, thou wilt not despise.

Do good in thy good pleasure unto Zion: build thou the walls of Jerusalem. Then shalt thou be pleased with the sacrifices of righteousness, with burnt offering and whole burnt offering: then shall they offer bullocks upon thine altar. Psalm 51

And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. I John 5:11-13

Who hath ascended up into heaven, or descended? who hath gathered the wind in his fists? who hath bound the waters in a garment? who hath established all the ends of the earth? what is his name, and what is his son’s name, if thou canst tell? Proverbs 30:4

...let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Most of us know our physical birthday, not because we witnessed it, but because others witnessed it and recorded it. Our birth certificates record the year, the month, the day and the time of our physical birth.

In the same light, only God knows the exact time of our spiritual birth. I believe that the Book of Life in heaven will record the year, the month, the day, the hour, minute, and second of our spiritual birth, but even if it doesn’t, our all-knowing God is our witness.

But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: John 1:12

Being born again or born from above is a one time action in the past.* That one time action in the past is the moment that individuals by grace (God’s help and enabling) put our faith in the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus Christ, trusting in His merit alone as our only hope of salvation. Salvation is a gift which results in forgiveness and eternal life. Eternal life begins when we are born from above.

Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God. John 3:3

That which is born of the flesh is flesh; and that which is born of the Spirit is spirit. John 3:6

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

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

Being born again means that we do not receive salvation in bits and pieces. When we are born from above, we are born into God’s family which is a one time action in the past. We become sons and daughters of God. Our adoption is complete and final. Being born again is not a process, it is a one time action in the past brought about by hearing the Word of God and submitting to the convicting power of the Holy Spirit.

And you hath he quickened (made alive), who were dead in trespasses and sins; Ephesians 1:2

Note: A rather large portion of professing Christianity believes that salvation comes as a result of participating in ordinances and sacraments of the church. These righteous works are said to impart Christ to the participant and are believed to be various means of grace. The Bible embraces only one means of grace which is faith in the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. Believers trust His merit alone as our only hope of salvation.

Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy (only given to the guilty) he saved us, by the washing (cleansing) of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost; Which he shed on us abundantly through Jesus Christ our Saviour; That being justified (acquitted) by his grace, we should be made heirs according to the hope of eternal life. Titus 3:5-7

Teaching and practicing multiple means of grace is the proverbial carrot before the horse. The participant is never able to come to assurance of salvation because his/her participation in the various means of grace ultimately decides who receives salvation, and who must continue to earn it through deeds of penance and time assigned in purgatory. This is works salvation.

For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast. For we are his workmanship, created in Christ Jesus unto good works, which God hath before ordained that we should walk in them. Ephesians 2:8-10

These things (the Scriptures) have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. I John 5:13

We are confident, I say, and willing rather to be absent from the body, and to be present with the Lord. II Corinthians 5:8

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…

Little children, let no man deceive you: he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous. He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.

*Whosoever is born of God doth not commit (practice) sin; for his seed remaineth in him: and he cannot (practice) sin, because he is born of God. In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil: whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother. I John 3:7-10

Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen. Hebrews 11:1

Biblical faith confidently considers (reckons) the unseen things of Scripture to be so and then acts accordingly (in agreement with or in harmony with), thus revealing the substance or evidence of those unseen things.

…let the word of Christ dwell (take up its life) in you richly…