Two topics here: The Question of the Lawyer; and The Question of the Lawgiver..
1. THE QUESTION OF THE LAWYER
Which is the great commandment in the Law?
a. Which is the worst sin?
Murder, for which there was a mandatory death sentence? that's number 6..
Blasphemy, for which Jesus was condemned (Mark 14:64)? that's number 3..
Coveting, by which Paul found himself convicted and condemned (Romans 7:7-11)?
that's number 10. Any breach of the Commandments is potentially fatal: "For
whosever shall keep the whole Law, and yet offend in one point, he is guilty
of all" (James 2:10). With God there are no sizes in sinners: "All have
sinned, and come short of the glory of God" (Romans 3:23). "The wages of sin
is death: but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord"
(Romans 6:23)..
b. Who is the worst sinner?
There is only one sin God cannot forgive: Disbelief. "When the Holy Spirit is
come, he will convict the world of sin.... because they believe not on me"
(John 16:8-9). This is blasphemy against the Holy Spirit, which has no
forgiveness (Matthew 12:31). "There is a sin to death" (1 John 5:16)..
c. What is the greatest commandment?
The first four are summarised: "Thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thy
heart and with all thy soul and with all thy might" (Deuteronomy 6:5)..
The last six are summarised: "Thou shalt love thy neighbour as thyself"
(Leviticus 19:18). Our Duty to God and Man in a nutshell..
On these two Tablets of the Law hang all the Law and the Prophets..
Are you taking the Tablets?
2. THE QUESTION OF THE LAWGIVER
What think ye of Christ? whose Son is he?
a. The Son of David: his Perfect Humanity..
"Hosanna to the Son of David" (Matthew 21:9). Jesus was born of Mary, of the
house and lineage of David (Luke 2:4). He is humanly the son of David (Matthew
1:1); fulfilling the prophecy of Psalm 89:4. He is the Second Adam (Luke
3:38), the perfect man (Hebrews 1:3)..
b. The Son of God: his Full Deity..
Psalm 110 is traditionally regarded as a coronation psalm written by David for
his son Solomon. The lawyers to whom Jesus spoke knew this. Great David would
never call his son Solomon 'My Lord'. "Behold, a greater than Solomon is
here" (Matthew 12:42). The NT consensus is that "Jesus is LORD": i.e. KURIOS,
YHWH incarnate. He has the Name which is above all names: YHWH (Philippians
2:9). In him dwelleth all the fulness of the Godhead bodily (Colossians 2:9)..
"The Word was God" (John 1:1). "My Lord and my God" (John 20:38; cf Psalm 5:2
LXX). "To the Son he saith, Thy throne O God is for ever and ever" (Hebrews
1:8). "The Alpha and the Omega" (Revelation 1:8, 11; 21:6; 22:13)..
c. The Trinitarian Formula: three Persons in one God (three hUPOSTASEIS in
one OUSIA)..
Jesus is not the archangel Michael, who became man, was "adopted" as the Son
of God at his baptism by John in the Jordan, and than given the honorary title
'a god' at his Resurrection. He is the eternal Son of the eternal Father,
begotten not made, before all worlds were made. Everything was made by him; he
is the Creator, not a creature; to worhip a creature is idolatry (Romans
1:25). Athanasius in 325 proposed the Trinitarian Formula, which was adopted
by the Council of Nicea, and finally ratified at the Council of Constantinople
in 381. See the /Quicunque Vult/ or "Athanasian Creed" in your Book of Common
Prayer..
We must hold firmly to the Full Deity and Perfect Humanity of Jesus Christ our
Lord and our God. Otherwise, we have no valid Atonement; we are still in our
sins, and Christ's death on the cross was in vain. NOT!
________________________________________________________________________
In Christ,
Ben
--
Revd Ben Crick, BA CF
232 Canterbury Road, Birchington, Kent, CT7 9TD (UK)
http://www.cnetwork.co.uk/crick.htm
