4)            The story of Christmas is about the LORD God who showed up in the Garden of Eden. God the Father will not descend from the throne room of the Rainbow Administration of the celestial assizes. Who, ergo, is the Visitant of Genesis 3:8, “And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden?” In order to save the pristine parents, the LORD God did not only kill animals to effect an expunction of the sin of Adamic disobedience, He evangelized the ultimate soteriological blood sacrifice. He performed the Eden immolation to enter into a blood relationship with mankind.

Sword: Word of God. Sash: sacerdotalism (indicating answered prayers. Amen!).

                Frankincense, a gift from the wise men, is sacerdotal. It is in recognition of the fact that this holy Baby is going to be a priest –the Priest of all believers. “Thou art a priest for ever after the order of Melchizedek” [Psalm 110:4]. The myrrh vaticinates His death for the salvation of humanity.

                The Baby Jesus came with human blood to perfect the exchange required to save man absolutely. 2Corinthians 5:17 “Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.” When a statement begins with a conjunction like ‘therefore’ (hoste (hoce’-teh) ‘so too, i.e. thus therefore’) it presupposes a string of thought. Paul’s mentation of 2Cor 5:14 runs thus: “For the love of Christ constraineth us; because we thus judge, that if one died for all, then were all dead:” where ‘constraineth,’ sunecho (soon-ekh’-o) means: ‘1. to hold together, i.e. to compress (the ears, with a crowd or siege) or arrest (a prisoner) 2. (figuratively) to compel, perplex, afflict, preoccupy.’ The love of our Saviour has held us together to enable us have sound understanding.

His death atoned for our sin.

                 The scriptural pellucidity is here pointed at in this next verse, “And that he died for all, that they which live should not henceforth live unto themselves, but unto him which died for them, and rose again” [2Cor 5:15]. If the onliness of Jesus’ act had not gone beyond dying for us, we all would have died and remain dead as dodo, pathetically. He rose from the dead to give us the same zoe (Godly life of eternity). “Wherefore henceforth know we no man after the flesh: yea, though we have known Christ after the flesh, yet now henceforth know we him no more” [2Cor 5:16]. Jesus is no more of flesh and blood. He is no longer the man who thirsted, hungered and slumped in exhaustion. He is the true LORD from heaven. The Saviour of the world.

                So, when Paul said “old things are passed away,” the Greek meaning of ‘old things’ is archaios (ar-khai`-os) ‘original or primeval.’ Original sin of the Adamic nature of sinfulness known of the born again person are ‘passed away’ that is, parerchomai (par-er’-khom-ai) ‘1. to come near or aside 2. to approach (arrive) 3. to go by (or away) 4. (figuratively) perish or neglect 5. (causative) avert.’ The story of Christmas deals with the erasure of damning sins. You cannot have your spiritual location inside the Christ and be guilty of any sin. Impossible! Jesus took care of all that spiritual putrefaction. Amen! The verse says that every individual whose spiritual location is found in Christ is ‘a new creature.’ The word ‘new’ is kainos (kai-nos’) ‘new (especially in freshness).’ If the freshness comes from the throne of God’s celestial assizes, then it follows that this freshness is simply eternal!

He is the LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS (JEHOVAH TSIDKENU).

                ‘Creature’ of 2Corinthians 5:17 is an interesting ktisis (ktis’-is) ‘1. original formation 2. (properly) the act 3. (by implication) the thing.’ Jesus has created an original creature the likes of Adam’s original sinless existence. You cannot be held of any sin again. This is what the excitement of the story of Christmas is all about. We are no longer sinners; we are righteous people, who are called born again Christians. 2Corinthians 5:21 “For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.” Our righteousness is not of our making. We cannot maintain this new creaturehood. Christ maintains the righteousness. No man can be trusted with it. Too precious before the thrice holy God it is.

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

                Philippians 3:9 “And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:” and this is what the Christmas story brings to mankind. The Christmas story is about the construction of a brand new creation. Merry Christmas! 

                Get born again to receive the free Spirit of Christmas. Say this prayer of salvation:

“Dear heavenly Father, I come to You now in the name of Jesus Christ. I believe in my heart that Jesus is the Son of God. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sin. I believe that You raised Him from the dead. I confess with my mouth that Jesus is Lord and I receive Him now as my Lord and my Saviour. I give God all the glory. Amen!”  

(Concluded)

Click here to read part three

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