Joy results from right thinking, right believing, and right behaving. Joy depends upon this formula - right thinking leads to right believing- right believing leads to right behaving- right behaving leads to right becoming. A joyful person thinks and believes correctly about truth and life. The first truth that we must believe in order to discover true joy in our hearts and homes is the truth of the INCARNATION of Jesus Christ-

Joy results from right thinking, right believing, and right behaving. Joy depends upon this formula - right thinking leads to right believing- right believing leads to right behaving- right behaving leads to right becoming. A joyful person thinks and believes correctly about truth and life. The first truth that we must believe in order to discover true joy in our hearts and homes is the truth of the INCARNATION of Jesus Christ-

Pastor Jon Blackburn on preparing for the journey of our study on Ecclesiastes. We will be reading the Book Ecclesiastes along with the book -Be Satisfied- from Warren W. Wiersbe, as we look for the meaning of life-

Having spotlighted CHRIST by asking and answering- -Who was Jesus Christ-- -What was Jesus' death-- and -For whom did Jesus die-- the spotlight now turns to the CHRISTIAN by asking and answering the question, -What does a real Christian look like-- While the Gospel of John tells us how to become a Christian, the book of First John teaches us what an authentic Christian really is. So why study first John- There are fie primary reasons-----1. The Priority of the book of First John---2. The Person of the book of First John---3. The Perspective of the book of First John---4. The Purpose of the book of First John--- A. Joy-- B. Holiness-- C. Assurance--5. The Pupils of the book of First John--- A. Ignatius 67-110 A.D.-- B. Papias 70-155 A.D.-- C. Polycarp 69-156 A.D.

Previously we examined the essence of Jesus' death through the question, -What was the death of Jesus-' We learned that at its essential core the death of Jesus was an actual ransom payment to bring about actual redemption for those for whom the payment was made. Now we focus upon the extent of Jesus' death via the question. -Who was the death of Jesus for-- Since Jesus' death was a full and final ransom payment assuring actual redemption for whom the payment was made- for whom did He actually make that payment- The biblical answer is that Jesus died for the -World-- But what does the term -world- actually mean- Does Scripture use the term inclusively or exclusively- Is -world- to be understood discriminately or indiscriminately- Does -world- always have the same meaning in every context- Biblically there is always much more to -world- than initially meets the eye. A biblical interpretation of -world- is the only way to avoid a false universalistic view of Jesus' ransom payment-

Previously we examined the essence of Jesus' death through the question, -What was the death of Jesus-' We learned that at its essential core the death of Jesus was an actual ransom payment to bring about actual redemption for those for whom the payment was made. Now we focus upon the extent of Jesus' death via the question. -Who was the death of Jesus for-- Since Jesus' death was a full and final ransom payment assuring actual redemption for whom the payment was made- for whom did He actually make that payment- The biblical answer is that Jesus died for the -World-- But what does the term -world- actually mean- Does Scripture use the term inclusively or exclusively- Is -world- to be understood discriminately or indiscriminately- Does -world- always have the same meaning in every context- Biblically there is always much more to -world- than initially meets the eye. A biblical interpretation of -world- is the only way to avoid a false universalistic view of Jesus' ransom payment-

Previously we examined the essence of Jesus' death through the question, -What was the death of Jesus-' We learned that at its essential core the death of Jesus was an actual ransom payment to bring about actual redemption for those for whom the payment was made. Now we focus upon the extent of Jesus' death via the question. -Who was the death of Jesus for-- Since Jesus' death was a full and final ransom payment assuring actual redemption for whom the payment was made- for whom did He actually make that payment- The biblical answer is that Jesus died for the -World-- But what does the term -world- actually mean- Does Scripture use the term inclusively or exclusively- Is -world- to be understood discriminately or indiscriminately- Does -world- always have the same meaning in every context- Biblically there is always much more to -world- than initially meets the eye. A biblical interpretation of -world- is the only way to avoid a false universalistic view of Jesus' ransom payment-

What was the death of Jesus- While Jesus' death was many things in many respects- at its most basic core His death was a Ransom Payment- Jesus was the Redeemer and upon the Cross He made redemption for His own. Jesus' death was the Son's payment to the Father for the sins of many so that their sin debt stands forever satisfied before God leaving Him free to be just and Justifier at the same time- Redemption is necessary if we are to apprehend, appreciate, and apply Jesus's death in our hearts and homes. Likewise, we must understand redemption if we are to rightly define and defend the death of Christ against false conceptions denying that His death was a true payment for sin.

Understanding the eternal pre-existence of the Word-Son, we must now understand His incarnation as the God-Man, Jesus Christ. The incarnation is that sovereign act whereby the Second Person of the Divine Godhead took upon Himself the full nature of humanity without affecting or altering His divinity in any degree, so as to assure that Jesus was ONE person with TWO natures, unmixed and unmingled in the mystery of hypostatic union.

Knowing JESUS stands at the heart of the Christian Gospel. There can be no salvation apart from a biblical understanding of WHO Jesus is and WHAT Jesus has done. Understanding Jesus begins in eternity past and extends through eternity future-