Apostolic Succession Myth?Biblical Analysis of True Ministry.

 

Why Apostolic Succession is a Myth and is Only Supported by Those Churches and Denominations That Want to Show Their Special Exclusivity?

Let us turn to the Holy Scriptures and see how people became ministers who were chosen, subsequently supported, and guided by God Himself.

1. God Himself appoints all ministers to service. It is He who chooses a person for ministry and gives him the anointing of the Holy Spirit and gifts so that the person becomes capable of fulfilling God's will in the ministry to which God has appointed him.

1 Corinthians 12:4 There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit distributes them. 5 There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. 6 There are different kinds of working, but in all of them and in everyone it is the same God at work. 7 Now to each one the manifestation of the Spirit is given for the common good. ... 11 All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines. ... 28 And God has placed in the church first of all apostles, second prophets, third teachers, then miracles, then gifts of healing, of helping, of guidance, and of different kinds of tongues.

1 Timothy 1:12 I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that he considered me trustworthy, appointing me to his service.

2 Corinthians 4:1 Therefore, since through God’s mercy we have this ministry, we do not lose heart.

Hebrews 5:1 Every high priest is selected from among the people and is appointed to represent the people in matters related to God, to offer gifts and sacrifices for sins. ... 4 And no one takes this honor on himself, but he receives it when called by God, just as Aaron was.

The Apostle Paul, a great spiritual authority in the Christian world and one of the pillars of the church, unequivocally teaches believers that true ministers are chosen for service and made capable of performing it by God Himself, and it is through God's true servant that the Spirit of God speaks and acts.

2. The laying on of hands by ministers (ordination) is not a mandatory action when appointing a person to ministry, because ministers are not appointed by people, and the anointing of the Spirit and gifts for ministry cannot be given by people. The laying on of hands with prayer when appointing a person to ministry can only be done if you are convinced that it is God's will, as was the case in the life of Timothy, to whom God first declared His will concerning his ministry through prophecy, and only then were hands laid on Timothy with prayer for him.

1 Timothy 4:13 Until I come, devote yourself to the public reading of Scripture, to preaching and to teaching. 14 Do not neglect your gift, which was given you through prophecy when the body of elders laid their hands on you.

We see the same situation when Paul and Silas entered their ministry: they were not called by people and did not act by human will, but they were called, empowered, gifted, and sent into ministry by God Himself. The laying on of hands occurred only after God had spoken about their calling.

Acts 13:2 While they were worshiping the Lord and fasting, the Holy Spirit said, “Set apart for me Barnabas and Saul for the work to which I have called them.” 3 So after they had fasted and prayed, they placed their hands on them and sent them off. 4 The two of them, sent on their way by the Holy Spirit...

Can a person willfully take upon himself a ministry, and can a religious Christian organization willfully appoint a person to ministry by observing the ordination ritual? Of course, all this can happen, but the ritual does not guarantee that God supports this human choice and will give the power and gifts of the Holy Spirit to the person chosen by people.

You can ordain a person as much as you want, but if God has not chosen him for ministry, he will not receive the anointing of the Holy Spirit to perform it. Such ministry would be a willful act against God's will and would constitute a sin.

Colossians 2:23 Such regulations indeed have an appearance of wisdom, with their self-imposed worship...

Jeremiah 14:15 ...they are prophesying lies in my name. I have not sent them...

Jeremiah 23:21 I did not send these prophets, yet they have run with their message...

Jeremiah 23:32 Indeed, I am against those who prophesy false dreams,” declares the Lord. “They tell them and lead my people astray with their reckless lies, yet I did not send or appoint them...

Jeremiah 27:15 ‘I have not sent them,’ declares the Lord. ‘They are prophesying lies in my name...’

Jeremiah 29:31 “Send this message to all the exiles: ‘This is what the Lord says about Shemaiah the Nehelamite: Because Shemaiah has prophesied to you, even though I did not send him...

That is, as we see, people can assume certain ministries on their own, and religious organizations can also ordain ministers willfully, without having a command from God. Such people will carry out a willful ministry without God's power and the action of His Spirit, relying only on their fleshly abilities. It is precisely through such ministries that heresies and errors often infiltrate the church, because these people are not led by the Spirit of God, are deceived, and are led by Satan.

2 Corinthians 11:13 For such people are false apostles, deceitful workers, masquerading as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for Satan himself masquerades as an angel of light. 15 It is not surprising, then, if his servants also masquerade as servants of righteousness. Their end will be what their actions deserve.

3. One can distinguish a minister chosen and anointed by the Holy Spirit from one performing a willful ministry by the signs that the true minister possesses: namely, by the action of the Holy Spirit through him, by the manifestation of God's power, and by the fruits of the Holy Spirit.

2 Corinthians 12:12 I persevered in demonstrating among you the marks of a true apostle, including signs, wonders and miracles.

An apostle is one sent by God, and if God sent him, then God equipped him and gave him power for ministry.

1 Timothy 4:14 Do not neglect your gift...

Romans 15:17 Therefore I glory in Christ Jesus in my service to God. 18 I will not venture to speak of anything except what Christ has accomplished through me in leading the Gentiles to obey God by what I have said and done— 19 by the power of signs and wonders, through the power of the Spirit of God. So from Jerusalem all the way around to Illyricum, I have fully proclaimed the gospel of Christ.

Thus, miracles, signs, and power which the Holy Spirit produces through a minister are a sure sign that God is involved in that ministry. Although, of course, the minister himself may prove weak in some situation or temptation and fall into sin, but that does not mean that the power of the Spirit he possessed or possesses was not from God.

If we are to speak of apostolic succession in the understanding that currently exists in the Christian world, then as a very vivid example of apostolic succession, we can examine the example of the seven churches shown in the book of Revelation.

No one can deny the fact that all these seven churches had apostolic succession, since Jesus Christ Himself is among them and holds their angels in His hand. Their ministers were 100% ordained and had the calling and anointing of the Holy Spirit given by God.

Revelation 1:12 I turned around to see the voice that was speaking to me. And when I turned I saw seven golden lampstands, 13 and among the lampstands was someone like a son of man, dressed in a robe reaching down to his feet and with a golden sash around his chest. ... 20 The mystery of the seven stars that you saw in my right hand and of the seven golden lampstands is this: The seven stars are the angels of the seven churches, and the seven lampstands are the seven churches.

Using the example of these seven churches, we see that so-called apostolic succession did not make them perfect and true. God pronounces His judgment on some of them and delivers a verdict: some are afflicted with the heresies of the Nicolaitans; in one of them the false prophetess Jezebel holds sway, among other problems.

Revelation 2:1 “To the angel of the church in Ephesus write: These are the words of him who holds the seven stars in his right hand and walks among the seven golden lampstands: ... 4 Yet I hold this against you: You have forsaken the love you had at first. 5 Consider how far you have fallen! Repent and do the things you did at first. If you do not repent, I will come to you and remove your lampstand from its place.

Revelation 2:12 “To the angel of the church in Pergamum write: These are the words of him who has the sharp, double-edged sword: ... 14 Nevertheless, I have a few things against you: There are some among you who hold to the teaching of Balaam, who taught Balak to entice the Israelites to sin so that they ate food sacrificed to idols and committed sexual immorality. 15 Likewise, you also have those who hold to the teaching of the Nicolaitans. 16 Repent therefore! Otherwise, I will soon come to you and will fight against them with the sword of my mouth.

Revelation 2:18 “To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and whose feet are like burnished bronze: 20 Nevertheless, I have this against you: You tolerate that woman Jezebel, who calls herself a prophet. By her teaching she misleads my servants into sexual immorality and the eating of food sacrificed to idols. ... 22 So I will cast her on a bed of suffering, and I will make those who commit adultery with her suffer intensely, unless they repent of her ways. 23 I will strike her children dead. Then all the churches will know that I am he who searches hearts and minds, and I will repay each of you according to your deeds. 24 Now I say to the rest of you in Thyatira, to you who do not hold to her teaching and have not learned Satan’s so-called deep secrets, ‘I will not impose any other burden on you, 25 except to hold on to what you have until I come.’

Revelation 3:1 “To the angel of the church in Sardis write: These are the words of him who holds the seven spirits of God and the seven stars. I know your deeds; you have a reputation of being alive, but you are dead.

Revelation 3:14 “To the angel of the church in Laodicea write: These are the words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the ruler of God’s creation. 15 I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! 16 So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth.

The conclusion from all this is only one: the apostolic succession of the seven churches did not make them perfect in God's eyes and did not preserve them from problems and falling. The same applies to those churches that now boast of their apostolic succession: it is possible that in God's eyes they are dead, and God's judgment is already at their door.

A chain of ordinations from the apostles does not guarantee that God's judgment will not come upon a church if it does not stand in truth and love for God.

Revelation 3:12 The one who is victorious I will make a pillar in the temple of my God. Never again will they leave it. I will write on them the name of my God and the name of the city of my God, the new Jerusalem, which is coming down out of heaven from my God; and I will also write on them my new name.

How to Identify a True Servant of God - Biblical Signs.

Nowadays, there are a great many people who present themselves as priests, pastors, clergy of various ranks and ministries. And how can we determine which of them are appointed by God and which are acting on their own, or were appointed to ministry not by God but by some religious structure whose supreme council appoints its ministers?

The Holy Scriptures provide clear guidelines by which you can determine immediately or over time whether a minister is appointed by God or if he is performing a self-willed human service, and his rank and religious title were given to him by people.

1 Cor 12:28 And God hath set some in the church, first apostles, secondarily prophets, thirdly teachers, after that miracles, then gifts of healings, helps, governments, diversities of tongues.

The first thing to understand is that all true ministers are set in the church by God Himself. These people did not take up the ministry by their own will.

Jesus Christ is for us the example of a minister who was appointed and anointed by the Holy Spirit by God the Father.

Acts 10:38 How God anointed Jesus of Nazareth with the Holy Ghost and with power: who went about doing good, and healing all that were oppressed of the devil; for God was with him.

We see that God the Father Himself gave Jesus Christ His Spirit and His power, and God the Father was in Jesus Christ and was with Him.

· God the Father spoke through Jesus Christ.

· God the Father did good works through Jesus Christ.

· God the Father performed miracles and signs through Jesus Christ.

John 14:10 Believest thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me? the words that I speak unto you I speak not of myself: but the Father that dwelleth in me, he doeth the works.

Jesus Christ never once committed sin because the Father God dwelt in Him; God the Father acted through Him and performed miracles and signs through Him.

John 14:9 Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet hast thou not known me, Philip? he that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest thou then, Shew us the Father?

He who saw Jesus Christ saw God the Father and saw His character, saw His good works, saw His Spirit—that is, what God the Father is like in His qualities—and saw the manifestation of the love of God the Father for people. Jesus Christ represented the Father and showed Him to people.

In exactly the same way, a true servant of God represents God the Father to people.

· God speaks through His servant.

· God performs good works, miracles, signs, and manifests His power through His true servant.

For example, we can take the apostle Paul.

2 Corinthians 12:12 Truly the signs of an apostle were wrought among you in all patience, in signs, and wonders, and mighty deeds.

Paul says that the proof that he was sent by God Himself is that in his ministry, God Himself was at work, and signs, wonders, and powers were demonstrated by God. Paul writes that there are signs of a true messenger of God, and by these signs, it is determined whether God appointed the person to ministry.

What are these signs? They are the same as those of Jesus Christ, because just as God acted by His Spirit through Christ, so He acts by His Spirit through the true servant.

· God speaks through the servant.

· God does good works through the servant.

· God performs signs and miracles through the servant.

Romans 15:18-19 For I will not dare to speak of any of those things which Christ hath not wrought by me, to make the Gentiles obedient, by word and deed, through mighty signs and wonders, by the power of the Spirit of God; so that from Jerusalem, and round about unto Illyricum, I have fully preached the gospel of Christ.

The true servant understands that God speaks through him and that all miracles and signs are performed by God Himself; therefore, he does not ascribe glory to himself, does not exalt himself or become proud, and knows that all glory belongs to God who works through him.

Just as Jesus Christ had the fruits of the Holy Spirit, so too will a true servant have the fruits of God's Holy Spirit.

Galatians 5:22-23 But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, gentleness, goodness, faith, meekness, temperance.

A false servant will have fruits of a satanic spirit. False servants only try to portray themselves as servants of God, but what is hidden inside them—that is, their spirit—gives them away because the fruits of this evil satanic spirit will be manifested in their lives.

Matthew 7:15-23 Beware of false prophets, which come to you in sheep's clothing, but inwardly they are ravening wolves. Ye shall know them by their fruits. Do men gather grapes of thorns, or figs of thistles? Even so every good tree bringeth forth good fruit; but a corrupt tree bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth evil fruit, neither can a corrupt tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit is hewn down, and cast into the fire. Wherefore by their fruits ye shall know them. Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

Through all true servants, God the Father acts by His Spirit. If a servant has no manifestation of miracles, signs, and God's power in his ministry, a big question arises: Did God appoint him? Through a true servant, God Himself acts and shows miracles, signs, and the power of the Spirit.

Jesus Christ Himself said:

John 14:11-12 Believe me that I am in the Father, and the Father in me: or else believe me for the very works' sake. Verily, verily, I say unto you, He that believeth on me, the works that I do shall he do also; and greater works than these shall he do; because I go unto my Father.

A true servant of God will do works similar to the works of Christ because God the Father acts through him just as He acted through Christ.

Also, using the example of the apostle Paul's disciple, Timothy, we can see how God chose him, endowed him with gifts, and appointed him to ministry.

1 Timothy 4:14 Neglect not the gift that is in thee, which was given thee by prophecy, with the laying on of the hands of the presbytery.

Timothy was chosen for ministry by God Himself, and God communicated this through a prophecy—that is, He clearly showed His will concerning Timothy. Timothy was not appointed to ministry by the self-will of people, but God appointed him. Believers prayed for Timothy and laid hands on him after God had declared His will concerning Timothy.

If people appoint someone to ministry by their own will and even pray for him with the laying on of hands, but there is no will of God for that person to enter the ministry, then the person will accept a self-willed ministry, and this is a sin. Through a person who has taken up ministry by his own will, God will not speak or act, and will not perform signs and miracles.

If a servant has no signs, wonders, and God's power manifested in his ministry, most likely he has accepted a self-willed ministry or has not received the baptism of the Holy Spirit.

In Jesus was the Father, and the Father spoke and acted through Him, and in His life were the fruits of God's Spirit. By these signs, a true servant is also recognized.

1 John 4:1-13 Beloved, believe not every spirit, but try the spirits whether they are of God: because many false prophets are gone out into the world. Hereby know ye the Spirit of God: Every spirit that confesseth that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is of God: And every spirit that confesseth not that Jesus Christ is come in the flesh is not of God: and this is that spirit of antichrist, whereof ye have heard that it should come; and even now already is it in the world. Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world. They are of the world: therefore speak they of the world, and the world heareth them. We are of God: he that knoweth God heareth us; he that is not of God heareth not us. Hereby know we the spirit of truth, and the spirit of error. Beloved, let us love one another: for love is of God; and every one that loveth is born of God, and knoweth God. He that loveth not knoweth not God; for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten Son into the world, that we might live through him. Herein is love, not that we loved God, but that he loved us, and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. Beloved, if God so loved us, we ought also to love one another. No man hath seen God at any time. If we love one another, God dwelleth in us, and his love is perfected in us. Hereby know we that we dwell in him, and he in us, because he hath given us of his Spirit.

The fruits of the Holy Spirit, and especially love, show that the servant is united with God in one Spirit.

Now you have all the guidelines to correctly test the spirit speaking through a person who is presented as a servant of God.

Christ's teaching was replaced by the Ten Commandments.

In the modern church,there is a problem that the emphasis is placed on the Ten Commandments, while the teaching of Jesus Christ is neglected and pushed into the background.

Let's figure out what is more important and relevant for Christ's disciples: the Ten Commandments or Christ's teaching, for example, the Sermon on the Mount.

The first thing to understand is by which word or by which commandments people will be judged on the last day.

Here is what Jesus Christ says about this:

John 12:47 "If anyone hears my words but does not keep them, I do not judge that person. For I did not come to judge the world, but to save the world.

48 There is a judge for the one who rejects me and does not accept my words;the very words I have spoken will condemn them on the last day.

49 For I did not speak on my own,but the Father who sent me commanded me what to say and how to say it.

50 I know that his command leads to eternal life.So whatever I say is just what the Father has told me to say."

We see that God the Father Himself was speaking through Christ.

Hebrews 1:1-2 In the past God spoke to our ancestors through the prophets at many times and in various ways,

2 but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son,whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom also he made the universe.

That is, God Himself spoke through Christ and He gave us commandments through Christ which are relevant for us and given to be fulfilled, although some claim that the commandments of the Sermon on the Mount are impossible to fulfill and were given only to show us how incapable we are of keeping them and to reveal our sinfulness. But God Himself through Christ said something completely different.

Matthew 5:19 Therefore anyone who sets aside one of the least of these commands and teaches others accordingly will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.

Do you think God was speaking about the commandments of the Law of Moses?

Many are mistaken in thinking so.In fact, God through Christ is speaking about the commandments from the teaching of Jesus Christ, which lead those who fulfill them to perfection, whereas the law, as it is written:

"...the law made nothing perfect; but a better hope is introduced, by which we draw near to God." (Hebrews 7:19)

When the apostle says a better hope is introduced, he is saying that the Law of Moses was set aside and instead God gave teaching through Christ. As it is written: "For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ." (John 1:17).

Truth was given through Christ, and God's saving grace operates only through the Savior Jesus Christ.

Hebrews 7:18 The former regulation is set aside because it was weak and useless.

Colossians 2:14 ...having canceled the charge of our legal indebtedness, which stood against us and condemned us; he has taken it away, nailing it to the cross.

The Law of Moses did not lead to perfection or purity of heart because the commandments given in the Law of Moses only controlled a person's external behavior in the flesh. That is, the commandments of the Law of Moses can be called carnal because they did not affect a person's spirit or cleanse a person's spirit or heart.

God Himself perfected the law through Christ and set aside commandments that did not lead to perfection and had no power in the fight against the consequences of the fall.

Hebrews 9:10 They are only a matter of food and drink and various ceremonial washings—external regulations applying until the time of the new order.

Galatians 6:12-13 Those who want to impress people by means of the flesh are trying to compel you to be circumcised.The only reason they do this is to avoid being persecuted for the cross of Christ.

13 Not even those who are circumcised keep the law,yet they want you to be circumcised that they may boast about your circumcision in the flesh.

Galatians 3:3 Are you so foolish? After beginning by means of the Spirit, are you now trying to finish by means of the flesh?

There are commandments concerning the flesh, or carnal commandments, and there are commandments concerning the spirit or heart, that is, spiritual commandments.

Jesus Christ Himself demonstrated examples of these commandments and pointed out their difference.

Here is an example of a carnal commandment or one pertaining to the flesh:

Matthew 5:27 "You have heard that it was said, ‘You shall not commit adultery.’"

That is, a person was not to commit adultery externally, in the flesh. But this commandment did not restrict what was happening in his spirit. A person could have lust in his heart, and the commandment would not condemn him for it; he could have any sinful thoughts and fantasies.

The commandment given by Christ is more perfect because it points to what is in a person's heart,because sin dwells in the heart, and God wants His children to be pure in heart and not have sin in their heart, as it is written: "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God." (Matthew 5:8). That is, only those whose heart is pure, without sin, will see God.

Jesus gives a commandment leading to purity of heart so that there is no lust of adultery in the heart.

Matthew 5:28 But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart.

From this example, we can understand how much more important and profound Christ's teaching is than the Ten Commandments.

Jesus Himself teaches us that our righteousness must exceed the righteousness of the Pharisees and scribes, that is, of those people who very scrupulously kept the Law of Moses, and even more so the Decalogue, the Ten Commandments. And if our righteousness is at the level of the Pharisees' righteousness, we will not enter the kingdom of God.

Our righteousness will surpass their righteousness only if we have a heart pure from sin.

Matthew 5:20 For I tell you that unless your righteousness surpasses that of the Pharisees and the teachers of the law, you will certainly not enter the kingdom of heaven.

The church's teaching should be based on what Jesus Christ taught, not on the Law of Moses, so that believers may purify their hearts and enter the kingdom of God.

Matthew 23:25-28 "Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence.

26 Blind Pharisee!First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean.

27“Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean.

28 In the same way,on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness."

Jesus Christ rebuked the Pharisees and scribes for their hypocrisy because in their external behavior, in the flesh, they kept the commandments of the law, but in their heart or spirit they were full of sin: they committed adultery in their heart, hated (thus murdering in their heart), envied (thus stealing in their heart), and so on.

God wants to see our pure hearts, therefore He gave teaching that leads to purity of heart and abolished that which did not lead to perfection and into the kingdom of God.

 

Purpose of Trials in Christian Life | Purification and Faith.

 

God promises in His Word abundant blessings to His children—the church and believers in Christ—in all areas of life: health, financial and material provision (food, clothing, shelter), and protection.

Many preachers proclaim these promises of health and prosperity, based on Scripture. But a crucial question arises: Why was Jesus, after His baptism and filled with the Holy Spirit, led into the wilderness to be tempted? (Matthew 4:1).

The answer lies in the divine purpose of trials. Just as Jesus was tested, and as the people of Israel were tested in the wilderness (Deuteronomy 8:2), God allows trials in our lives to reveal and purify what is in our heart.

God does not test to harm, but to purify and strengthen. Just as gold is refined by fire to remove its impurities, our heart is purified through the "baptism of fire" of difficulties. These trials bring to light hidden motivations, areas of weakness, and strengthen our genuine faith.

Do not fear trials, but receive them with joy (James 1:2-4), knowing that they produce perseverance and lead us toward perfection in Christ. The case of Job is a powerful testimony: his faith was not based on blessings, but on God Himself. Through total loss, he demonstrated a pure heart (Job 1:21).

The ultimate call is to be an overcomer. The one who endures trial will receive the crown of life and the eternal inheritance as a child of God (Revelation 21:7, James 1:12). Trials are not the end; they are the divine process that prepares us for the fullness of His purpose.

Image and Likeness of God: The Deep Meaning in the Bible and the Role of Jesus Christ

 In Christianity,it is commonly said that human beings were created in the image and likeness of God. For many, this means that man is that image himself. However, upon delving into the texts of Sacred Scripture, we discover a revealing truth: the perfect Image and Likeness of the Father is His Son, Jesus Christ. Therefore, humanity was created to resemble that divine Image: the Son of God, who exists from the beginning and was begotten by the Father before all creation.

1. Jesus Christ: The Perfect Image of the Invisible God

The Scriptures clearly affirm that Christ is the exact representation of God.

· Hebrews 1:3: He is "the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his being."

· Colossians 1:15: Christ is "the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation."

· 2 Corinthians 4:4: The gospel is about "Christ, who is the image of God."

2. The Creation of Man: A Design with a Model

The creation account finds its full meaning in the light of Christ.

· Genesis 1:26-27: God said, "Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness." Humanity was created in God's image, but the ultimate model of that image is the Son, present in the creative act ("Let us").

3. God's Purpose: To Transform Us into the Image of Christ

The plan of redemption is to restore and perfect that image in us, which was marred by sin.

· Romans 8:29: God predestined those he foreknew "to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters."

· 1 Corinthians 15:49: "And just as we have borne the image of the earthly man (Adam), so shall we bear the image of the heavenly man (Christ)."

· Colossians 3:10: The new self "is being renewed... in the image of its Creator."

4. The Path: From Adam to Christ, by Grace

Humanity, having sinned in Adam, must recognize its imperfection and choose the path of transformation that God offers.

· Philippians 2:5-7: Christ, "being in very nature God... made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness." This is the model of humility we are to follow.

· The Process: God conforms us to the image of His Son through the work of the Holy Spirit and the power of His grace, leading us toward perfection in Christ.

Conclusion (Key Takeaway):

The divine goal is not merely an initial moral likeness,but a total transformation. God intends that, by His grace, we become absolutely like Jesus Christ, reflecting Him in everything, so that ultimately "God may be all in all" (1 Corinthians 15:28). Being created in God's image means, in its deepest sense, being destined to be conformed to the image of Jesus Christ, the eternal and perfect Son.

Jesus Christ – The Great High Priest: Biblical Foundation and Significance for Believers.

 

Introduction: The Unique Role of the High Priest

In the Old Testament worship system, the high priest held a central place. He was the mediator between a holy God and a sinful people, the only one who could enter the Holy of Holies to offer a sacrifice for the sins of the nation. The New Testament reveals a stunning truth: all these images and rituals pointed to the person and ministry of Jesus Christ – the perfect and eternal High Priest.

This article explores all key Scripture passages where Jesus is explicitly called the High Priest and explains the profound significance of this role for our faith and salvation.

1. Prophetic Foreshadowing: Psalm 110:4

The first indication of the Messiah's special priesthood is found in the Old Testament:

"The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind: 'You are a priest forever, in the order of Melchizedek.'" (Psalm 110:4, NIV).

This verse, often quoted in the New Testament, establishes two crucial aspects of Christ's priesthood:

· Eternal: "a priest forever" – unlike mortal Levitical priests.

· Special Order: "in the order of Melchizedek" – a royal and universal priesthood, superior to the Levitical one (Melchizedek was both king and priest, Gen. 14:18).

2. The Primary Exposition: The Epistle to the Hebrews

The book that most fully and deeply expounds on Jesus's ministry as High Priest is the Epistle to the Hebrews. This is the main source for our topic.

a) Jesus – The Merciful and Faithful High Priest (Hebrews 2:17)

"For this reason he had to be made like them, fully human in every way, in order that he might become a merciful and faithful high priest in service to God, and that he might make atonement for the sins of the people."

The emphasis here is on incarnation. Jesus became human to fully understand our weaknesses and to become a merciful intercessor.

b) Jesus – The High Priest of Our Confession (Hebrews 3:1)

"Therefore, holy brothers and sisters, who share in the heavenly calling, fix your thoughts on Jesus, whom we acknowledge as our apostle and high priest."

The author urges believers to pay close attention (fix your thoughts) to this dual role of Jesus: Apostle from God and High Priest to God.

c) Jesus – The High Priest Who Has Gone Through the Heavens (Hebrews 4:14-15)

"Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has ascended into heaven, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet he did not sin."

This is one of the most encouraging passages. Our High Priest is:

· Great and exalted ("ascended into heaven").

· Sympathetic, having gone through temptations.

· Sinless – the key distinction that makes His sacrifice effective.

d) Jesus – High Priest in the Order of Melchizedek (Hebrews 5:5-10; 6:20; 7:11-28)

Entire chapters (5-7) are dedicated to comparing Jesus's priesthood "in the order of Melchizedek" with the Old Testament Levitical priesthood. The main superiorities of Christ are highlighted:

· Eternal: "he lives forever" and "has a permanent priesthood" (7:24).

· Blameless: He is "holy, blameless, pure, set apart from sinners" (7:26).

· Royal: He is both King and Priest.

· Founded on God's Oath: "The Lord has sworn and will not change his mind..." (7:21).

· Offering the Perfect Sacrifice: He sacrificed Himself once for all (7:27).

e) Jesus – The High Priest in the True Tabernacle (Hebrews 8:1-3; 9:11)

"Now the main point of what we are saying is this: We do have such a high priest, who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in heaven, and who serves in the sanctuary, the true tabernacle set up by the Lord, not by a mere human." (8:1-2, NIV).

Jesus's ministry takes place not in an earthly temple, but in the heavenly reality, making it absolutely effective.

3. The Climax of the Ministry: Intercessor and Source of Salvation (Hebrews 10:21)

"...and since we have a great priest over the house of God..."

This verse sums it up and calls us to use the open access to God that we have received through the ministry of our High Priest.

What Does It Mean for Us Today That Jesus Is the Great High Priest?

1. Full Access to God: The temple veil was torn (Matt. 27:51). Now every believer can approach God's throne of grace with confidence (Heb. 4:16).

2. Understanding Intercession: Jesus lived as a man, so He intercedes for us before the Father, fully understanding our struggle (Heb. 7:25; Rom. 8:34).

3. Final Forgiveness: His sacrifice is perfect and sufficient for all time. We do not need to bring new sacrifices for sin (Heb. 10:10-14).

4. An Enduring Hope: Our salvation rests on the eternal and unchangeable priesthood of Christ, not on our changeable feelings (Heb. 6:19-20).

Conclusion: Our Response to the Ministry of the Great High Priest

The biblical revelation of Jesus as the Great High Priest is not just a theological doctrine. It is the foundation for confidence, peace, and boldness in the Christian life. The author of Hebrews draws a practical call from this truth:

"Let us hold unswervingly to the hope we profess... let us draw near to God with a sincere heart... let us consider how we may spur one another on..." (Heb. 10:23-24, paraphrased).

Because we have such a High Priest, we can live with assurance, stand firm in faith, and boldly approach God, finding mercy and grace to help us in our time of need.

Call to Action: Thank Jesus Christ, your Great High Priest, today for His ministry of intercession and His perfect sacrifice. Use the access to God given to you in prayer, knowing that you are heard by One who fully understands you and loves you immeasurably.

The Principle of Biblical Typology: How the Old Testament Points to the New

 

The Bible clearly establishes a principle according to which the events of the Old Testament are prototypes and lessons for New Testament believers. God spoke in the language of imagery to show through these images what would happen in the future and how people should behave to please God and fulfill His will. God often used the language of imagery; for example, when conveying information to His prophets, He spoke to them in dreams and visions. They watched these "movies" and subsequently received from God the interpretation of what each shown image meant and what it pointed to in the future. For instance, the prophet Daniel saw beasts in visions, but these beasts were images of the Babylonian, Greek, and Medo-Persian empires.

This method of interpretation—seeing in Old Testament stories, personalities, and institutions prototypes (types) of future New Testament events or spiritual truths—is key to the Christian understanding of the unity of the Bible.

Here are Scripture passages that directly or indirectly confirm this same idea:

1. Direct Statements that the Old Testament Serves as an Example for Us

1 Corinthians 10:6: "Now these things occurred as examples for us, so that we might not desire evil as they did."

Here,Paul begins to explain specific examples (the story of the golden calf, the immorality at Shittim, etc.) and directly calls them "examples" (Greek: typoi — types, prototypes) for us.

Romans 15:4: "For whatever was written in former days was written for our instruction, so that by steadfastness and by the encouragement of the scriptures we might have hope."

This is one of the clearest and most direct statements:all Old Testament Scripture was given for our instruction and teaching.

2 Timothy 3:16-17: "All scripture is inspired by God and is useful for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness, so that everyone who belongs to God may be proficient, equipped for every good work."

Although this speaks of"all scripture," in the context of the letter to Timothy, who from childhood had known "the sacred writings" (v. 15), it primarily refers to the Old Testament. Its enduring usefulness is affirmed.

2. Indications that the Law and Historical Events are a Shadow of What is to Come

Colossians 2:16-17: "Therefore do not let anyone condemn you in matters of food and drink or of observing festivals, new moons, or sabbaths. These are only a shadow of what is to come, but the substance belongs to Christ."

The apostle Paul directly calls the Old Testament institutions(festivals, food prohibitions, Sabbath) "a shadow of what is to come," the reality of which is in Christ.

Hebrews 8:5 (concerning the service in the tabernacle): "[The priests] offer worship in a sanctuary that is a sketch and shadow of the heavenly one; for Moses, when he was about to erect the tent, was warned, 'See that you make everything according to the pattern that was shown you on the mountain.'"

Here,the earthly tabernacle and its service are presented as a "shadow" and "sketch" of the heavenly reality.

Hebrews 10:1: "Since the law has only a shadow of the good things to come and not the true form of these realities, it can never, by the same sacrifices that are continually offered year after year, make perfect those who approach."

A very important verse.The law (and its sacrificial system) is the "shadow of the good things to come," not the reality itself, which is in Christ.

3. Specific Examples of Prototypes (Typology) Given in the New Testament

The New Testament itself shows how to read the Old Testament in this way, finding in it prototypes of Christ and the Church:

 Jonah as a Prototype of Christ:

  Matthew 12:40: "For just as Jonah was three days and three nights in the belly of the sea monster, so for three days and three nights the Son of Man will be in the heart of the earth."

  Jesus directly indicates that the story of Jonah was a prototype (a sign) of His death and resurrection.

· The Bronze Serpent as a Prototype of Christ:

  John 3:14-15: "And just as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, so must the Son of Man be lifted up, that whoever believes in him may have eternal life."

  The event from Numbers 21:9 is presented as a prototype of Christ's redemptive sacrifice on the cross.

· Adam as a Prototype of Christ:

  Romans 5:14: "Yet death exercised dominion from Adam to Moses, even over those whose sins were not like the transgression of Adam, who is a type of the one who was to come."

  Adam is directly called "a type of the one who was to come," that is, Christ, who is the "second Adam."

· Melchizedek as a Prototype of Christ:

  Hebrews 7:1-17

  An entire section is devoted to how Melchizedek, an Old Testament king and priest, was a prototype of the eternal priesthood of Jesus Christ according to the order of Melchizedek.

· The Events of the Exodus as a Prototype of Baptism and the Lord's Supper:

  1 Corinthians 10:1-4: "I do not want you to be unaware, brothers and sisters, that our ancestors were all under the cloud, and all passed through the sea, and all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, and all ate the same spiritual food, and all drank the same spiritual drink..."

  Paul interprets the crossing of the Red Sea as a prototype of baptism, and the manna and water from the rock as a prototype of spiritual food and drink (the Eucharist) or God's revelatory word and the action of the Holy Spirit upon a person.

Conclusion

Thus, this is a central principle of New Testament interpretation of the Old Testament. The apostles and Christ Himself taught that:

1. The stories of the Old Testament are given as examples for teaching and warning.

2. The personalities of the Old Testament are often prototypes (types) of Christ or spiritual conditions.

3. The institutions and rituals (sacrifices, festivals, tabernacle) are a shadow or sketch of the spiritual reality that was fully manifested in Christ.

This shows the unity of the Bible as one book, written under the inspiration of one Author (God), where the Old Testament prepares and points to the New, and the New Testament reveals and fulfills what was laid down or encoded in images in the Old.

1 Corinthians 10:11: "These things happened to them to serve as an example, and they were written down to instruct us, on whom the ends of the ages have come."

The Bible constantly urges readers to learn from the experience of previous generations and to apply the acquired knowledge in their own spiritual lives. It is very important that God Himself reveals to us the meaning of each image and shows what it signifies for the future.