SCRITPURE: John 10:30 I and the Father are one.
OBSERVATION: During the Feast of Dedication (celebration of the last deliverance of God to the Israelites after Antiochus Epiphanes had desecrated the temple) in Jerusalem Jesus was walking in Solomon's Colonnade (a roofed structure). The Jews asked Him very plainly and directly to confess that He was the Messiah so that they could bring a charge against Him. Jesus did more than that! He declared the works that He did were in the Father's name, that He offered eternal life and was the only way of salvation and that He and the Father are one.
APPLICATION: Jesus made it clear to us that salvation only comes through Him in the authority given to Him by the Father. He also states that He is God. There is no higher authority that God and who but God could grant eternal salvation?
The prophets in the Old Testament weren't given such authority as they still had to make sacrifices for their own sins. The angels declared over and over that they could not receive worship as worship was only to be to God Himself, hence they were all subject to His authority. No one but God and He alone could grant forgiveness to those He called His own. So how could Jesus claim to grant eternal life to those who would believe in Him? As He so simply stated "I and the Father are one." Because He is God! Matthew 1:23 teaches us well in declaring Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us). Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus has the authority to forgive because He is God!
The prophets in the Old Testament weren't given such authority as they still had to make sacrifices for their own sins. The angels declared over and over that they could not receive worship as worship was only to be to God Himself, hence they were all subject to His authority. No one but God and He alone could grant forgiveness to those He called His own. So how could Jesus claim to grant eternal life to those who would believe in Him? As He so simply stated "I and the Father are one." Because He is God! Matthew 1:23 teaches us well in declaring Jesus is Emmanuel (God with us). Jesus is God in the flesh. Jesus has the authority to forgive because He is God!
But all sin must be punished...To overlook sin would be injustice and in His word He is a God of justice (Isaiah 30:18) // He loves justice (Psalm 33:5) // He shepards with justice (Ezekiel 34:15-16) // He commands justice (Zechariah 7:9) // He even commands a blessing to those who administer justice! (Psalm 106:3) and on and on..
Romans 6:23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord.
All sin leads to death and separates us from the love of God. We rightly deserve to bear our own punishment and suffer God's judgement in Hell. But in Jesus' death, He satisfied the wrath of God (our deserved punishment) by becoming a perfect and everlasting sacrifice for all! He made a way! Mercy has triumphed over judgement indeed! Jesus has the authority to forgive and offer eternal life because He is God. He has all authority to make such a claim!
PRAYER: It is a profound mystery God that as much as I can try to understand, I know that I can not fully comprehend how You could/would do such a thing for mankind, for me..
So simply stated, yet so cosmically, massively, awesomely profound even the apostle Paul could only resolve to know Christ crucified, and to boast in that alone (and he knew so much more that I will probably ever know in my lifetime) May the truth of salvation in You Jesus cause me oft to pause and humbly give thanks and dance in celebration of what You did for me. Amen
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