29th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 6v1-6)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Arnold Schwarzenegger was rarely off my television screen in the 1980s. He was perhaps the most famous actor in the world and was a hero to my generation. His catchphrase “I’ll be back” made it’s way into common conversation and for a period of time, everything “Arnie” touched seemed to turn to gold. His 1990 movie “Total Recall” told the story of Douglas Quaid who had been implanted with false memories. Quaid’s false life had everything that he needed to be happy and yet the real memories kept on pushing through sending Arnie on an action packed pursuit of truth.


We lack the technology to implant false memories and manipulate lives but we are all too familiar with the sense of dissatisfaction which pervades our society. How often do we ask “Who am I really?” or “What else is there?” or “Why am I not happy?”.


This isn’t a modern phenomenon. Solomon once wrote about a man who had everything he desired (v2). He had no end of wealth, possessions and honour. He fathered a hundred children and he lived an incredibly long life (v3) but tragically there was something missing from this fellow’s life. The Lord never gave him the power to enjoy his prosperity (v2b) and despite the multitude of blessings that were poured out upon him, his soul was never satisfied with life’s good things (v3). In “Total Recall” the main character eventually discovered the truth about his life but in Solomon’s story, the man with everything died with nothing and went unmourned and unburied (v3b).


Solomon compared such a man’s condition to that of a little stillborn child (v3). This precious child’s life was just months long without ever seeing the sun or knowing anything (v5) but the baby found a rest which the man never discovered (v5b). What is better, a short but happy life or a life that lasts for two thousand years but enjoys no good thing? (v6). Eventually everyone goes to the grave (v6b) and some make their way there without and semblance of joy - “this is vanity, it is a grievous evil.” (v2a).


The main character in “Total Recall” was convinced that he wasn’t living his true life and perhaps you have come to realise this as well. Are you tired of being grumpy all the time? Has your heart become so hard that nothing brings you joy? Do those closest to you see a growing harshness despite the many blessings apparent in your life? I am thankful that Jesus is the greatest heart surgeon who has ever lived. He is able to take our tired, bitter and wounded hearts and make them new.


True life and true joy is found in Christ. May you begin to learn this and the truth of God’s Word which declares “You make known to me the path of life; in your presence there is fullness of joy; at your right hand are pleasures forevermore.” (Psalm 16v11).


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Q81 What is forbidden in the tenth commandment? The tenth commandment forbiddeth all discontentment with our own estate, envying or grieving at the good of our neighbor, and all inordinate motions and affections to anything that is his.
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28th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read - (1 John 5:6-12 (focus v10) 


Message (Alan Burke)


Here’s a simple enough question for you, do you like it when you are accused of being a liar? What if the actions of another, how they disbelieved your testimony showed they thought you were lying, spouting, telling porkies, spinning a yard, being full of it, pulling their leg, having them on, being economical with the truth, hoodwink, telling a tale, trying to slip one past, pulling the wool over the eye, pull a fast one, cry wolf, fibbing, bluffing, I could go on, we have lots of ways to say someone is a liar without saying it but how would you feel if you were accused of it or their testimony showed they didn’t believe you or choose to disregard the truth? 


When people do not believe in God and live accordingly they are making God out to be a liar. Look at John’s reasoning in v9, for we accept man’s testimony, there are many things we accept without a second thought not only from history but from in our every day lives. John’s point is that we accept the testimony of man, we respond accordingly, in impacts our decisions, our choices, that is what we do. We don’t spend our days like a nervous wreck refusing to trust anyone, if that was it we’d be an absolute state, we don’t live our lives that way, we trust the testimony of others, we act accordingly, and if that is the case then why would we not trust the testimony of God. 


God has given us testimony about his Son Jesus Christ, the one who came incarnate, lived and died for our salvation and while we receive the testimony of man so many people refuse to accept the testimony of God. Look how John continues, v10, anyone who believes in the Son of God has this testimony in his heart. John in the gospel puts a big emphasis on the need for believing in Jesus Christ, how eternal life comes from Jesus alone, in believing in him, through faith in him.


From the angelic announcement, how within Mary was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit a child who was called Jesus, the one who would save his people from their sins, to the heavenly declaration from God the Father who’s voice resounded that“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” To the darkness that covered the earth as Jesus hung on the cross to the temple curtain that was torn in two, to the empty tomb, that and more all were God’s testimony to the truth that this Jesus was his son and for those who do not believe it are calling God a liar. 


For all of us John Stott put like this, “Unbelief is not a misfortune to be pitied; it is a sin to be deplored. Its sinfulness lies in the fact that it contradicts the word of the one true God and thus attributes falsehood to Him.” For those who not believe in the testimony of God regarding the Son then their unbelief itself is sinful.


Pray (acTS)


Sing


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Q80 What is required in the tenth commandment?
The tenth commandment requireth full contentment with our own condition, (Heb. 13:5, 1 Tim. 6:6) with a right and charitable frame of spirit toward our neighbour, and all that is his. (Job 31:29, Rom. 12:15, 1 Tim. 1:5, 1 Cor. 13:4–7)
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27th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 5v18-20)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Life doesn’t need to be lived constantly running on the hamster wheel and it doesn’t have to be a long dissatisfied slog - Solomon offered another path. As the wise King considered all that took place under the sun he understood the beauty of eating and drinking with a smile on your face and finding some enjoyment in your work (v18). Solomon has made reference to this approach throughout Ecclesiastes and I’m aware that it doesn’t sound desperately radical, but have you tried it?


Many of us eat as quickly as we live. When I walk to the Ulster hospital I’m always surprised by the number of people eating their food in McDonald’s carpark. I know a fast food restaurant isn’t exactly a luxurious setting but I would have thought it would be nicer to eat lunch at a table rather than a steering wheel. Nevertheless, I fully understand. Life is busy and fast, we eat when we can and we rush back to jobs that have never satisfied.


Solomon’s ancient counsel is to slow down and taste your food with a thankful tongue. Then when your dinner is over, go back to work and seek some form of enjoyment in it. Perhaps this sounds like an impossibly in your context. You are stuck in a job that you hate and you endure Monday to Friday rather than enjoy. Brothers and sisters, find some pleasure in your work. If the majority of your nine to five is drudgery but you take delight in customer service, then serve customers to the glory of God. If the only joy you can find is keeping the staffroom fridge clean, then may it be the cleanest fridge known to humanity. Find joy somehow, somewhere.


The same wisdom applies to the rich and powerful. Money and influence are gifts given by God and they are also to be used and enjoyed (v19). Let us be clear, Solomon isn’t calling us to a hedonistic lifestyle which seeks pleasure above all else nor are we to abuse the power we wield. Absolutely not. The King’s constant cry is to fear God and we fear Him rightly by taking joy in the everyday, common and mundane experiences of life. Eating, drinking and working should all be done joyously and in the fear of the Lord.


We can mistakenly believe that our lives are bleak and meaningless without any notable deeds. No one will sing songs about us or write poems recalling our wondrous lives. That’s okay. A wonderfully rich blessing is for the Lord to occupy us with joy in our hearts so that we never dwell too much on life’s vanity. Brothers and sisters, I pray that we’ll climb off the hamster wheel for a moment so as to find joy in the ordinary - this is the gift of God (v18).


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Q79 Which is the tenth commandment? The tenth commandment is, Thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s house, thou shalt not covet thy neighbor’s wife, nor his man-servant, nor his maid-servant, nor his ox, nor his ass, nor anything that is thy neighbor’s.
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26th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read - (1 John 5:6-12 focus v6-8)


Message (Alan Burke) 


As clear as mud, you ever heard that expression? Well if the varied interpretations that are given to the verses we are focusing on today are anything to go by you could use that expression. You wouldn’t believe the many varied and wonderful interpretations that are given for these words “the water and the blood”. Like everything from when Mary gave brith to Jesus and if you’ve ever been at a birth you’ll get the idea of the reason why some have chosen to interpret these words water and the blood like that and  picture that comes to their mind, that’s definitely not the first thing that came to my mind but for some it seems to have been a good explanation.


There are other explanations that in my mind are a lot more plausible but I think the context of the epistle helps us. Remember what was going on, John was writing to a church where the false teachers, false prophets, those who had the spirit of the antichrist had undermined the confidence of the church. John has repeatedly had to give them assurances because while they have persevered their confidence has been rocked. The group that the church faced or rather the heresy that was being spouted was known as Docetists. In short viewed that the Son of God Jesus Christ only appeared to have a human body, a semblance without any true reality, he was not truly human as the Son of God and it was only an illusion. 


Without the reality of the incarnation, where Jesus took to himself a true human body, then the crucifixion is an irrelevance to us, for if Jesus was only a man, he lived as a man and died as a man he would have been like each one of us here, he would have been a sinner like you and I, and he could not have taken upon himself the sins of the world, only God himself could bear the punishment that we deserve for our sin. Docetism is an egregious heresy is that if you take away the virgin birth, you take away our once-for-all-time perfect sacrifice. You take away our hope. You take away our atonement for sin. 


In this John is referring to the water of the baptism of Christ and the blood that was shed at the crucifixion. The false teachers, false prophets, those who have the spirit of the antichrist could accept that Jesus came by water but they could not accept that he bore the weight of sin on the cross. And John is saying the real Jesus is the one who was baptised, the one whose blood was shed, it is the same Jesus who came by water and blood, these things testify to the truth of who he was and is, he didn’t become the son of God at his baptism and he didn’t stop just before the crucifixion, no this is the Jesus who came to die in our stead to wash away our sin. 


Not only do the water and blood testify the Spirit also. I think what John has in mind here specifically was on specific example of the Spirit’s involvement. Yes the we know at the baptism of Jesus the Spirit descending like a dove from heaven and resting upon Jesus and God the Father’s voice from heaven declaring that“You are my beloved Son; with you I am well pleased.” Both the Father and the Spirit testified at this baptism, after his baptism the Spirit ministered to Jesus in the wilderness, throughout his ministry the Spirit witnessed to the truth of who he was and is and his death showed forth the Love and Justice of a holy God. What I think though that John had in mind is the Spirit’s direct involvement in the incarnation as Mary conceived by the power of the Spirit, for the Spirit at the very beginning testified to the truth of who he was, at the Baptism the father and the Spirit testified and at the crucifixion the Father testified to the truth as the world was plunged into darkness, the curtain was torn in two. 


Today there are plenty of people in the church and outside it claim to be Christians but they deny some part of the wonder of the incarnation. We must confess the truth of Jesus, is incarnation, hie life and death to be his child. And remember that John is writing this epistle, this letter to give assurance to the church and so this is meant to give you assurance, if you confess the truth of Jesus coming, his baptism, his death, then you are his child.


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Q78 What is forbidden in the ninth commandment?
The ninth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever is prejudicial to truth, or injurious to our own or our neighbour’ s good name. (1 Sam. 17:28, Lev. 19:16, Ps. 15:3)
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24th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 5v10-17)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Money makes the world go round but the love of money is the root of all evil. Scripture never declares money to be sinful but the Bible certainly offers consistent warnings about how money captures the human heart. We are rarely satisfied with our wage and there are very few of us who would say no to a pay increase but we should always be aware that silver and gold have a nasty habit of becoming idols.


The one who loves money and wealth is never satisfied (v10) and yet, as possessions increase so do the bills and wealth gets eaten away (v11a). The taxman must get his slice of your cake and all you can do is watch it happen (v11b). There is something to be said for the man who works hard and sleeps well (v12a), but the lover of money is kept awake by his already full stomach which desires more and more (v12b).


Furthermore, Solomon had witnessed another “grievous evil” under the sun (v13a). He had seen people hoarding wealth only to lose it all in a bad venture (v14). That man’s son was left with nothing (v14b) and the man died unable to take anything with him. Ultimately, this is the reality for both the rich and the poor. Naked we come from our mother’s womb with nothing in our hand (v15) and to the grave we will go leaving behind everything we have worked for (v16). Indeed, it gets even worse when we realise that life is often filled with vexation, sickness and anger (v17).


Again I stress that there is nothing wrong with working hard and earning money. The dangerous path is the one that sees wealth as the be all and end all. Human hearts are so easily captured by pounds, shillings and pence and we have witnessed all too often the damage that this can do. I’ve seen families torn apart by a squabble over a grandmother’s will, I’ve heard of brothers who grew to hate each other over the division of their father’s farm and I’ve watched people put all their effort into the pursuit of wealth paying no heed to the things of God.


It was Judas Iscariot who walked with Christ for three years and yet still couldn’t help himself from stealing from the moneybag (John 12v6). Brothers and sisters, consider your own heart’s relationship with the cash in your pocket and quickly repent if money has become an idol. Jesus was clear that we should strive for a treasure in heaven that cannot fail (Luke 12v33). May this be our goal for we cannot serve God and money (Luke 16v13). 


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Q77 What is required in the ninth commandment? The ninth commandment requireth the maintaining and promoting of truth between man and man, and of our own and our neighbor’s good name, especially in witness bearing.

23rd February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (1 John 5:1-5)


Message (Alan Burke)


To overcome means to succeed, to archive victory, so when we are told here that we will overcome the world it means that for the believer in the Lord Jesus Christ we have the victory through faith. This victory is ours through what the Son of God, Jesus the Christ has done on our behalf. While we battle on in fallen sinful bodies, that bear the reality of the fall every day, minds that are testament to that sin but as we love and obey, we overcome. You may wonder really, how is that possible, I am a miserable Christian, even when I try to do what is right I still fail. Well on this side of glory we will all fail, but it is not that that defines us, it is who we are in Christ Jesus, we overcome not because of us, there is a sense in which we have already overcome the world because we are in Christ that we have been born again. That moment that we came to salvation in a sense we already overcame the world as we were transferred kingdom of darkness to the kingdom of God and are now a child of God (Col 1:13). 


That moment when we came to faith, whether that was as a nursing infant or well into old age, whether we have never known anything different than love of him or we can put a date and a time that we were aware that God had brought salvation to us, we have overcome, we have everything we need, for the battle has already been won. It may seem far from the case in your daily walk but as we grow in Christian maturity then the word of God will work within us, overcoming the world is a working out what we already have, for we have all that we need, we are strong because in us God is at work in us. We all need to know this and be reminded of this from time to time, because there will be days that we wonder how can I keep going, is it really worth it, when we have no assurance because life is tough and we have fallen out with our own shadow, when we seem to fall into sin. Then we need to know before anything else that we are secure in what Christ has done, for his name’s sake, we are in a position to face what ever comes our way, we will overcome. The victory has been won, we need to look to Christ and know what he has done.


John in all of this is trying to help the believer to know and understand the genuineness of their faith. None of these things earn salvation but they are indicators, signposts, tests, yardsticks, whatever way you want to put it, that help us to discern if our faith is genuine. These things though are only indicators, signposts, tests, yardsticks because when it comes down to it that is all they are, for ultimately our assurance rests not on us but on the finished work of Christ Jesus, who showed us what love is by laying down his life for us who are by our nature his committed enemies, unlovable, sinners and through him we have overcome this world. That means when we face life's final hurdle death, that our souls will be made perfect in holiness, immediately passing into glory (2 Cor 5:1,6,8, Phil 1:23, Lk 23:43). That is the hope of the believer, we have overcome and will overcome. 


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Q76 Which is the ninth commandment?
The ninth commandment is, Thou shalt not bear false witness against thy neighbour. (Exod. 20:16)
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22nd February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 5v8-9)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


As I grow older I am increasingly disinterested in the business of our political class. I suspect I’m like most of you in that we really don’t think much will change regardless of who walks the corridors of power. By the end of this year we might see a Trump comeback and the Starmer family replacing the Sunak clan in Downing Street. Regardless, Ballynahinch still won’t get a bypass and nothing will really change.


Solomon wouldn’t be surprised. He said that if you ever see the poor being oppressed or justice trampled into the ground you shouldn’t be amazed at such things (v8). Why are such things allowed to continue? Because the high official is watched by someone higher who in turn is watched by someone higher still (v8b). In other words, Solomon believed that nothing ever changes because those with power watch out for those with power.


This is a gloomy picture of society and although I’m increasingly politically apathetic I want to say that I believe there are many politicians who have the good of the people at heart. Not everyone who stands for office is corrupt and we should thank God for those who work hard to make our communities better. Even so, there are powerful people who are only interested in themselves and self-preservation.


The recent Post Office scandal is a case in point. There seemed to be clear evidence that computer software wasn’t working properly and yet the powerful did their best to avoid culpability. Justice wasn’t done and the lives of many were destroyed. It wasn’t right but it wasn’t a surprise.


We should be thankful for good leaders and responsible authorities. When a king is committed to cultivated fields (v9), everyone gains. The king can benefit from the profits of a good harvest and the people can put food on the table. We should be much in prayer for our leaders even if we would never vote for them. But how should we pray?


Here is what pleases the Lord “First of all, then, I urge that supplications, prayers, intercessions, and thanksgivings be made for all people, for kings and all who are in high positions, that we may lead a peaceful and quiet life, godly and dignified in every way. This is good, and it is pleasing in the sight of God our Savior, who desires all people to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth.” (1 Timothy 2v1-4)


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Q75 What is forbidden in the eighth commandment? The eighth commandment forbiddeth whatsoever doth, or may, unjustly hinder our own, or our neighbor’s, wealth, or outward estate.
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21st February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (1 John 5:1-5 focus v2-3)


Message (Alan Burke)


Jesus is much more than a great leader or teacher, he is in his being very and eternal God, of one substance and equal with the Father. There are many who deny this truth, but for those who know it, who have come to believe it then it will lead us to live in a certain way. John as he continues tells us something that at a cursory reading we can totally miss the significance of for in verse 2 John teaches us that how we know that we love the children of God, IS by loving God and carrying out his commands. This seems to be the wrong way round but what we are being told is that only as we love God and carry out his commands will we love the children of God. This means if you do not love God then you do not love his children, you don’t love his people because you are not one of his people. The same when it comes to obedience, you may know God, you believe that Jesus is the Christ who is born of God but you’re not obeying his commandments, then you are not loving your brothers and sisters.


How does my lack obedience show that we are not loving? Well maybe you’ve had the conversation, maybe you’re away of the conversation that’s been had, and it goes along the lines of “if you love me you’ll accept me for who I am”. But when it comes to loving someone, accepting them for who they are when they are living in a way that is outside God’s intention, when we are being asked to accept a moral or ethical choice which is contrary to the word of God then loving them is saying I won’t accept you for your decision precisely because I love you. Ok there are the big ones, sexuality, gender, loving means saying I won’t accept you for your decision precisely because I love you, those are big ones, but what about someone who is getting remarried when they have been the guilty party, they have been the one who committed adultery? 


Loving means saying I won’t accept this decision precisely because I love you. And it overflows, what about the gossip, the glutton, someone filled with lust, those who are never satisfied always covetous. There are many things we can add to this but if we love God then we do not separate his commands from what it is to love because when we do we are saying that we love that person more than God. The danger is we can do that all too often, but when we understand what we are being taught is that if we do not love God, if we are not carrying out his commands then we are not loving. If we fail to love God, fail to obey his commands we will fail to love. The devil is the father of lies and he delights when the people of God are willing to put up so little resistance to the lies that he spreads. We are to love in a way that we honour God above all, by doing that then we will know what it is to love, only when we rightly love God can we rightly love our neighbour.


What is more, this love for God will lead us to obey his commandments which are not burdensome as we are told in v3. It is not possible to love God without keeping his commandments. In effect that is what we are being told, John has told us this several times, there is nothing new there. Of course this means that if you are living in a way that is contrary to the word of God, you’re choosing to live in a way that is outside of God’s will for your life then you do not love him. The word of God, the scriptures of the old and new testament are there for our best, they are not burdensome, you might think that they are but they are not, Jesus tells us that his yoke is easy and his burden is light (Mt 11:30). The yoke of Jesus is demanding, it requires us to obey, to love, but it is easy because it comes from him, it provides rest for our souls. If you are finding his commands burdensome why, is it because you do not want to let go of that sin in your life? Let us instead be those who show our love for the children of God as we love him and obey his commands. 


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Q74 What is required in the eighth commandment?
The eighth commandment requireth the lawful procuring and furthering the wealth and outward estate of ourselves and others. (Gen. 30:30, 1 Tim. 5:8, Lev. 25:35, Deut. 22:1–5, Exod. 23:4–5, Gen. 47:14,20)
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20th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (Ecclesiastes 5v1-7)


Message (Scott Woodburn)


Have you ever considered your approach to the act of going to church? That might seem like an odd question but what if I told you that most give more consideration to going to the gym than any journey to church? How so? The gym requires you to make sure that you have water, the right shoes and enough battery in your phone. Church on the other hand merely requires you to show up and then everyone is happy.


Needless to say, Solomon would not have recognised our modern attitude to the worship of God. The King once offered this wisdom “guard your steps when you go to the house of God.” (v1). How do we guard our steps? By preparing for the worship of God. I’m not saying that you should wake early or go through any set ritual, but when was the last time that you prayed before going to worship? When was the last time that you paused on Sunday morning and gave thought to the glory of the Gospel of Jesus?


To worship God is to accept that we are not singing the praise of an earthly king. The Lord is in heaven whilst we are here on earth (v2). He is not a better version of us, He is our Triune God, Father, Son and Holy Spirit. This reality should see any human arrogance replaced by holy reverence as we gather to praise the Lord. We don’t approach God full of arrogant boasts and rash words (v2), instead we let our words be few (v2b). Just as a busy life produces many dreams and uneasy sleep (v3a) so too does a fool show himself with many words (v3b).


The prepared worshipper approaches God humbly and with few words. Nevertheless, if you ever make a vow to God be sure to pay it back (v4). What is a vow? A vow is a promise made directly to God whereas an oath calls upon God as witness. You might make an oath in court as you promise to tell the truth with God as your witness. But sometimes you will make a vow or promise to God Himself.


If you have ever promised the Lord that you will do something - then do it. If you won’t keep your vows then it would be better for you to keep your mouth closed (v5). Don’t let your mouth lead you into sin and don’t seek to make excuses for your empty promises (v6). May the Lord not be angry with the emptiness of your words and may you not fall under His judgement (v6), for God takes no pleasure in those who approach Him with lots of words and empty vows (v4).


So brothers and sisters, how is your approach to the worship of God? In both restless sleep and lots of words there is vanity (v7) but it is not vain to fear the Lord. May we guard our steps next Sunday, watch our mouths and stand in awe of Almighty God.  


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Q73 Which is the eighth commandment? The eighth commandment is, Thou shalt not steal.
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19th February 2024


Pray (ACts)


Read (1 John 5:1-5 focus v1)


Message (Alan Burke) 


In 2022 Ligonier Ministries and LifeWay Research did a survey to take the theological temperature of the United Sates. The aim is to help Christians better understand today’s culture and to equip the church with better insights for discipleship. The survey is an interesting read and while its respondents are from the United Sates I’d say that it is not unlike what we would expect to find in the United Kingdom. It revealed a “significant increase in evangelicals who deny Jesus’ divinity.” Many people are happy to affirm that Jesus was a great leader, teacher but do not affirm that Jesus is God but that is contrary to what the Scriptures teach about him, for from beginning to end Jesus is indeed God. (Survey can be found at thestateoftheology.com). 


Here in this epistle of John we are taught that Jesus is the Christ and everyone who believes in that Jesus is the Christ they are born of God. Well the Greek word Christ comes from the Hebrew word Messiah, whether the Greek word is used of the Hebrew word, whether we say that Jesus is the Christ, Jesus is the Messiah, both mean that Jesus is the anointed one. Christ, is a title, taken from the Hebrew Messiah which is a title, there are many titles used for Jesus, but the Christ, Messiah, anointed is one that we so often least understand but we are to believe that Jesus is the Christ. He is the one who the people had been waiting for, the Messiah, the Christ. For ever since in the moments after the fall of humanity when the Lord Himself preached the Gospel to Satan of one who would come to bruise the head of the serpent (Gen 3:15) the people of God were looking forward to the one who would come.


He was the one that all the Old Testament was pointing to and revealing. After His resurrection Jesus explained to His disciples the entirety of all that was said in the Old Testament concerning himself (24:17). And how it was that He was the fulfilment of the Messianic hope of the people, for “This is what is written: The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, 47 and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations, beginning at Jerusalem” (Lk 24:46–47). “Salvation is found in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved.” (Acts 4:12). 


If you confess that Jesus is the Christ then what it should mean is that you at its most basic level, is that you believe the truth of the gospel, that Jesus died for your sins, He rose again, that we you are justified by faith in His name and His sacrifice. It means that we trust in that He has done it all, faith begins with belief but it is more than that for it is a personal commitment to God in Christ. It should impact how you live today right now, for He’s the Anointed one, the Messiah, the Christ, the Son of God, the one who calls us to live for Him, it means that you live your life in light of that, when it costs you, when you want to do something else, when you want to live in your own way, you seek to live for Him.


Everyone who believing that Jesus is the Christ is born of God, for anyone who calls upon the name of the Lord will be saved (Acts 2:21). When we trust in Jesus we are born again through faith in Jesus the Christ. And if we love the Father we will love his child. I don’t know why the translators of NIV in verse did not capitalise the F in father to indicate to us that what is being spoken here is of our heavenly Father. If we claim to be children of God then we love his Son the Lord Jesus Christ. It is not enough to affirm that Jesus is a leader, teacher, he is the Christ, if you deny his deity you deny the truth of the Scriptures and are not a child of God, let us believe in him, let it impact our lives in every way knowing that through faith as we believe in him we are born of God. 


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Q72 What is forbidden in the seventh commandment?
The seventh commandment forbiddeth all unchaste thoughts, words, and actions. (Matt. 15:19, Matt. 5:28, Eph. 5:3–4)
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