LIFE’S INSPIRATIONS: “…For a child has been born to us, a son has been given to us. He shoulders responsibility and is called… Mighty God, Everlasting Father…” (Isaiah 9:6, the Holy Bible).
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AND KNK PREACHES JESUS AS GOD AND SAVIOR: Among the members of the Anak ng Diyos Kadugo Ni Kristo (Children of God Blood Kin of the Christ) Church, the principal responsibility that is being entrusted to them is to preach the Gospel truth that Jesus is God and Savior, and that He is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, all at the same time.
AND KNK members are taught to proclaim the different parts of the Bible, particularly in the Gospels of Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John, which highlight Jesus as God and Savior. The AND KNK doctrine is that Jesus, who is God the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit, wants this truth about Him preached, so believers can have power in their daily lives, and salvation in the life hereafter.
Therefore, starting today and every Saturday thereafter, God willing, we shall discuss in this column 18 parts of the Bible that show Jesus is God and Savior. We have already written what these 18 parts are, and it is time to discuss them one by one. Let us start by looking into the Biblical verses on the announcements of the first coming of Jesus.
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THERE ARE THREE ANNUNCIATIONS IN THE BIBLE? My reading of the Bible is that, there are three distinct announcements of the first coming of Jesus Christ here on earth. The first announcement was made by the prophet Isaiah, and this could be found in Isaiah 7 and 9. The second announcement was made by the angel Gabriel to Mary (which is found in Luke 1:26-37).
The third announcement, on the other hand, was made by an unidentified angel of the Lord (which maybe Gabriel as well) to Joseph, a descendant of King David and the would-be husband of Mary, which is found in Matthew 1:18-25. The announcement to Joseph, as in the announcement to Mary, included the name that was to be given to the baby boy that will be born to Mary, which is “Jesus” (or the Savior of His people).
Significant to all three announcements is the fact that they were all divine-inspired, which is to say, they were made by virtue of clear instructions from God. In Isaiah 7:14, for instance, the prophet made the prophesy that a virgin woman will conceive and give birth to a son at a time when he, the prophet, was sent by God to tell King Ahaz that the king should not fear the planned attack of his enemies.
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GOD HIMSELF CAME DOWN FROM HEAVEN: In Luke 1:26-38, the Bible clearly demonstrated the fact that the angel which went to see Mary, the virgin woman, came from God. Then, in Matthew 1:18-25, the angel that appeared to Joseph in a dream, to warn him not to proceed with his plan to divorce Mary because the child she was bearing then came from God, also is clearly shown to have been sent by God.
Now, what do all these announcements of Jesus’ coming indicate? They indicate that Jesus’ coming for the first time is an event that God Himself orchestrated, for the purpose of bringing power and salvation to those who would accept Him as God and Savior. These announcements, particularly that written in Isaiah 9:6, proves that the “child” or “son” that is coming through the virgin woman was God Himself.
While the announcements made in Isaiah 7:14 and 9:6 constituted a prophesy that was yet to come, the announcements made in Luke 1:26-38 and Matthew 1:18-25 proved to be the realization or the happening, as it were, of the prophesy that God Himself was coming to the World. In fine, therefore, the announcements made of Jesus’s coming into the world clearly prove that He is God and Savior.
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PLEASE LISTEN: “Ang Tanging Daan” (The Sole Way), a Bible study and prayer session on radio, airs Mondays to Fridays, 6:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., at DWAD 1098 kHz on the AM band. For replays, go to www.facebook.com/angtangingdaan or www.facebook.com/ANDKNK and scroll for “Ang Tanging Daan” broadcasts. Phone: 0922 833 43 96, 0918 574 0193, 0917 984 24 68. Email: batasmauricio@yahoo.com.
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