"Jesus - The Preeminent One"
March 20, 2011
Senior Pastor Dr.
David Craig
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Date: March 20, 2011 - WEFC
Sermon Title: "Jesus - The Preeminent One" - Sermon 15 of Colossians Series
Text: Colossians 1 : 15b
Expanded Sermon Notes for
"Jesus - The Preeminent One"
( Click here to download or open the Word
document file for these expanded notes.
)
Jesus – The Preeminent One – Colossians 1:15b
Jesus – The Preeminent One – Colossians 1:15b
Dr. David P. Craig – March 20, 2011
Modern Day “Gnostic” Heresies About Jesus:
The Mormon View:
“Among the spirit children of Elohim, the
firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ, to whom all others are juniors.”
(Joseph Smith, GD, p.70)
“Jesus Christ was the executive in the
work of creation, aided by Michael (or Adam), Enock, Noah, Abraham, Moses,
Peter, James, John, Joseph Smith, and others…By obedience and devotion He
[Jesus] attained to the pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God,
even in his pre-existent state.” (McConkie, MD, p. 169 & 192)
‘Mormons believe that Jesus is ‘firstborn’
in terms of status as the eldest son of God. Brigham Young taught that Jesus
was the child of the God-man of the planet earth who sexually impregnated Mary
(the only person to be ‘physically’ fathered by God. Some Mormons believe that
Jesus was married at the wedding at Cana and had several wives, among whom were
the sisters Mary and Martha, and had children. Mormons do not believe in
original sin or that men and women are fallen. They believe, rather, that men
and women can become gods (‘As man is, God once was; as God is, so man can
become.’).” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith”
(p. 192).
- Jesus was the first-born
child of Elohim. Jesus was the product of the physical union
between the Father-God and the virgin Mary. If we work hard
enough we too can become sons of God in the same sense that Jesus
is.
The View of Islam:
“Islam reveres Jesus—Isa in Arabic—as a
great prophet, second only to Muhammed. (In Islam, Jesus was the herald or
forerunner of Muhammed). It believes in Jesus’ virgin birth and his miracles
and that before he died he was “assumed” into heaven and now resides with God.
But Islam does not consider Jesus to be divine because it would be unfitting
for the sovereign, transcendent God of the universe to become incarnate into a
human being. Muslims say that calling Jesus the Son of God implies that God had
sexual relations with Mary. In Islam, Jesus is called the Son of Mary rather
than the Son of God.
Islam does not believe that Jesus was
crucified, because God would not allow one of his prophets to die such a
disgraceful, humiliating death. According to the Koran, someone who resembled
Jesus, possibly Judas Iscariot or Simon the Cyrene, was killed in his place.” –
John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 184).
- Jesus is just like Abraham and
Moses and Isaiah. He was a prophet of God. But he was not himself
God. In fact, he wasn't even the most important of the prophets. Mohammed,
who lived 500 years after Jesus, was God's greatest prophet. Besides, Jesus
didn't really die on the cross as Christians believe. He was
rescued by God and carried to a safe place in the heavens. Since there was no
death there was no atonement for sin. Since there was no death
there was no resurrection either.
The Jehovah's Witness View:
“Jesus is not Jehovah God. He was the
first son that Jehovah God brought forth.” (LG, p. 32)
“Jesus is the First Creation by God.” (MS,
p. 282)
“Christ was not raised in the flesh, but
with a spiritual body.” (MS, p. 426).
“Witnesses believe that Jesus was Michael
the archangel, a ‘spirit-person’ who laid down his spirit-nature when he became
a man. Witnesses believe that Jesus was crucified on a stake rather than on a
cross; that his death was a ransom paid to Satan rather than ‘for us’ and that
it does not bring salvation to those who believe or accept it as such; and that
his resurrection was spiritual rather than physical.” – John Schwarz, The
Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 193).
- Prior to his coming to this earth
Jesus was Michael, the archangel! He's only a creature,
the first product of Jehovah God's creative work. When he was
born of the Virgin Mary, he was divested of his spiritual, angelic nature and
became wholly and exclusively a man. Jesus is not Jehovah
God.
The
View of Christian Science:
“Jesus
is the human man and Christ is the divine idea…The virgin mother conceived this
idea of God and gave to her ideal the name of Jesus. Jesus was the offspring of
Mary’s self-conscious communion with God…Not that the human Jesus was or is
eternal…not one with the Father…but fleshly…Christ is the ‘ideal truth,’
‘Divine idea,’ ‘reflection of God.’ The dual personality (Christ Jesus)
continued until the ascension, when Jesus disappeared, while Christ continues
to exist in the eternal order of Divine Science taking away the sins of the
world…To the apprehension (of his students) our Master rose from the grave on
the third day of his ascending thought. Resurrection is spiritualization of
thought.” (SH, 473:15-16; 29:17-18, 32; 30:1; 334:10-20; 509:4-7; 593:9)
“Christian
Science does not believe in the Trinity or the Virgin Birth or original sin or
heaven and hell. It is a philosophical system that believes that God is the
divine mind or principle of the universe and in the superiority of spirit over
matter. Because everything is spiritual – matter, evil, sickness, and even
death are illusory and unreal. Jesus was the one who revealed God as a
spiritual principle—the ‘Way-shower—but he did not die for the world’s sins
because death is an illusion.” – John
Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 194).
- Jesus is the human man, and Christ is the divine
idea.
The
View of Eastern Mysticism or the New Age Movement:
“All
religions from times immemorial are just different branches of the main trunk
of the eternal religion represented in the Vedas…I don’t think Christ ever
suffered or Christ could suffer…Be still and know that you are God, and when
you know that you are God you will begin to live Godhood…Self-realization is
entry into the Kingdom of Heaven within, entry into the field of the Creator.
It is the gradual movement from Matter to Mind, and then to Super Mind. Once we
reach the Super Mind, we reach union with the Divine.” (Maharishi Mahesh
Yogi, pp. 19, 123, 178, 59).
“New
age thinking holds that all religions are the same and that Jesus, Buddha,
Krishna, Muhammed and the founders of other religions all taught the same
thing—how to be at one with God…According to the New Age, there is no need for
Jesus. What is needed, instead, is direction so that all may realize their
unlimited potential by connecting with the supernatural soul of the
universe—and repeated reincarnations may be required until this is achieved.” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian
Faith” (pp. 198-199).
- Christ is one of a long line of “Masters”
who ultimately realized Divinity. One who has reached “God-consciousness”
has reached the end of reincarnation (e.g. “salvation”).
What Does it Mean that Jesus is “the firstborn of all
creation”?
1) The Greek word used by Paul is a
compound made up of two words – proto – translated “first”;
and – tikto - tokos – “to bear, bring forth, born,
or preeminent.”
2) Israel was called God’s first-born in Exodus
4:22 & Jeremiah 31:9. Though not the first people born, they held first place
among all the nations.
3) In Psalm 89:27, God says of the
Messiah, “I will make him the firstborn, the highest
of the kings of the earth.”
4) Jesus is called the “firstborn
of the dead” in Revelation 1:5, even though He was not the first
person to be resurrected chronologically.
5) Romans 8:29 refers to Him as the “firstborn
among many brothers” – a reference to His being the Head of the Church.
6) Paul is saying that Jesus is first
or highest in position or rank – not in chronological
order, or first created.
7) The genitive case of the Greek
word ktiseos is better translated “over” than “of
creation.”
8) If Paul meant by protokos
that Jesus was created he would be contradicting
the point he is trying to make in refuting the false teachers in Colossae –
that Christ was merely one of numerous emanations from God.
9) The immediate context
also goes against Christ being a created being: “For by him all
things were created…all things were created
through him and for him…And he is before all things, and in him all
things hold together (Col. 1:16a,17).”
For Discussion in Community Groups:
Based on the sermon and a study
of the Bible – take each of the modern erroneous views of Christ and one by
one, discuss how the Bible refutes their positions on Christ. Take your time on
this. Try to explain why the real Christ as revealed in the Scriptures is their
only hope for salvation.
Mormon View:
How would you explain Christ
and the gospel to a Mormon?
Islamic View:
How would you explain Christ
and the gospel to a Muslim?
Jehovah’s Witness View:
How would you explain Christ
and the gospel to a Jehovah’s Witness?
Christian Science View:
How would you explain Christ
and the gospel to a Christian Science Practitioner?
New Age View:
How would you explain the
Christ and the gospel to a New Ager?
( Click here to download or open the Word
document file for these expanded notes.
)
Jesus – The Preeminent One – Colossians 1:15b
Dr. David P. Craig – March 20, 2011
Modern Day “Gnostic” Heresies About Jesus:
The Mormon View:
“Among the spirit children of Elohim, the firstborn was and is Jehovah or Jesus Christ, to whom all others are juniors.” (Joseph Smith, GD, p.70)
“Jesus Christ was the executive in the work of creation, aided by Michael (or Adam), Enock, Noah, Abraham, Moses, Peter, James, John, Joseph Smith, and others…By obedience and devotion He [Jesus] attained to the pinnacle of intelligence which ranked him as a God, even in his pre-existent state.” (McConkie, MD, p. 169 & 192)
‘Mormons believe that Jesus is ‘firstborn’ in terms of status as the eldest son of God. Brigham Young taught that Jesus was the child of the God-man of the planet earth who sexually impregnated Mary (the only person to be ‘physically’ fathered by God. Some Mormons believe that Jesus was married at the wedding at Cana and had several wives, among whom were the sisters Mary and Martha, and had children. Mormons do not believe in original sin or that men and women are fallen. They believe, rather, that men and women can become gods (‘As man is, God once was; as God is, so man can become.’).” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 192).
- Jesus was the first-born child of Elohim. Jesus was the product of the physical union between the Father-God and the virgin Mary. If we work hard enough we too can become sons of God in the same sense that Jesus is.
The View of Islam:
“Islam reveres Jesus—Isa in Arabic—as a great prophet, second only to Muhammed. (In Islam, Jesus was the herald or forerunner of Muhammed). It believes in Jesus’ virgin birth and his miracles and that before he died he was “assumed” into heaven and now resides with God. But Islam does not consider Jesus to be divine because it would be unfitting for the sovereign, transcendent God of the universe to become incarnate into a human being. Muslims say that calling Jesus the Son of God implies that God had sexual relations with Mary. In Islam, Jesus is called the Son of Mary rather than the Son of God.
Islam does not believe that Jesus was crucified, because God would not allow one of his prophets to die such a disgraceful, humiliating death. According to the Koran, someone who resembled Jesus, possibly Judas Iscariot or Simon the Cyrene, was killed in his place.” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 184).
- Jesus is just like Abraham and Moses and Isaiah. He was a prophet of God. But he was not himself God. In fact, he wasn't even the most important of the prophets. Mohammed, who lived 500 years after Jesus, was God's greatest prophet. Besides, Jesus didn't really die on the cross as Christians believe. He was rescued by God and carried to a safe place in the heavens. Since there was no death there was no atonement for sin. Since there was no death there was no resurrection either.
The Jehovah's Witness View:
“Jesus is not Jehovah God. He was the first son that Jehovah God brought forth.” (LG, p. 32)
“Jesus is the First Creation by God.” (MS, p. 282)
“Christ was not raised in the flesh, but with a spiritual body.” (MS, p. 426).
“Witnesses believe that Jesus was Michael the archangel, a ‘spirit-person’ who laid down his spirit-nature when he became a man. Witnesses believe that Jesus was crucified on a stake rather than on a cross; that his death was a ransom paid to Satan rather than ‘for us’ and that it does not bring salvation to those who believe or accept it as such; and that his resurrection was spiritual rather than physical.” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 193).
- Prior to his coming to this earth Jesus was Michael, the archangel! He's only a creature, the first product of Jehovah God's creative work. When he was born of the Virgin Mary, he was divested of his spiritual, angelic nature and became wholly and exclusively a man. Jesus is not Jehovah God.
The View of Christian Science:
“Jesus is the human man and Christ is the divine idea…The virgin mother conceived this idea of God and gave to her ideal the name of Jesus. Jesus was the offspring of Mary’s self-conscious communion with God…Not that the human Jesus was or is eternal…not one with the Father…but fleshly…Christ is the ‘ideal truth,’ ‘Divine idea,’ ‘reflection of God.’ The dual personality (Christ Jesus) continued until the ascension, when Jesus disappeared, while Christ continues to exist in the eternal order of Divine Science taking away the sins of the world…To the apprehension (of his students) our Master rose from the grave on the third day of his ascending thought. Resurrection is spiritualization of thought.” (SH, 473:15-16; 29:17-18, 32; 30:1; 334:10-20; 509:4-7; 593:9)
“Christian Science does not believe in the Trinity or the Virgin Birth or original sin or heaven and hell. It is a philosophical system that believes that God is the divine mind or principle of the universe and in the superiority of spirit over matter. Because everything is spiritual – matter, evil, sickness, and even death are illusory and unreal. Jesus was the one who revealed God as a spiritual principle—the ‘Way-shower—but he did not die for the world’s sins because death is an illusion.” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (p. 194).
- Jesus is the human man, and Christ is the divine idea.
The View of Eastern Mysticism or the New Age Movement:
“All religions from times immemorial are just different branches of the main trunk of the eternal religion represented in the Vedas…I don’t think Christ ever suffered or Christ could suffer…Be still and know that you are God, and when you know that you are God you will begin to live Godhood…Self-realization is entry into the Kingdom of Heaven within, entry into the field of the Creator. It is the gradual movement from Matter to Mind, and then to Super Mind. Once we reach the Super Mind, we reach union with the Divine.” (Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, pp. 19, 123, 178, 59).
“New age thinking holds that all religions are the same and that Jesus, Buddha, Krishna, Muhammed and the founders of other religions all taught the same thing—how to be at one with God…According to the New Age, there is no need for Jesus. What is needed, instead, is direction so that all may realize their unlimited potential by connecting with the supernatural soul of the universe—and repeated reincarnations may be required until this is achieved.” – John Schwarz, The Compact Guide to the Christian Faith” (pp. 198-199).
- Christ is one of a long line of “Masters” who ultimately realized Divinity. One who has reached “God-consciousness” has reached the end of reincarnation (e.g. “salvation”).
What Does it Mean that Jesus is “the firstborn of all creation”?
1) The Greek word used by Paul is a compound made up of two words – proto – translated “first”; and – tikto - tokos – “to bear, bring forth, born, or preeminent.”
2) Israel was called God’s first-born in Exodus 4:22 & Jeremiah 31:9. Though not the first people born, they held first place among all the nations.
3) In Psalm 89:27, God says of the Messiah, “I will make him the firstborn, the highest of the kings of the earth.”
4) Jesus is called the “firstborn of the dead” in Revelation 1:5, even though He was not the first person to be resurrected chronologically.
5) Romans 8:29 refers to Him as the “firstborn among many brothers” – a reference to His being the Head of the Church.
6) Paul is saying that Jesus is first or highest in position or rank – not in chronological order, or first created.
7) The genitive case of the Greek word ktiseos is better translated “over” than “of creation.”
8) If Paul meant by protokos that Jesus was created he would be contradicting the point he is trying to make in refuting the false teachers in Colossae – that Christ was merely one of numerous emanations from God.
9) The immediate context also goes against Christ being a created being: “For by him all things were created…all things were created through him and for him…And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together (Col. 1:16a,17).”
For Discussion in Community Groups:
Based on the sermon and a study of the Bible – take each of the modern erroneous views of Christ and one by one, discuss how the Bible refutes their positions on Christ. Take your time on this. Try to explain why the real Christ as revealed in the Scriptures is their only hope for salvation.
Mormon View:
How would you explain Christ and the gospel to a Mormon?
Islamic View:
How would you explain Christ and the gospel to a Muslim?
Jehovah’s Witness View:
How would you explain Christ and the gospel to a Jehovah’s Witness?
Christian Science View:
How would you explain Christ and the gospel to a Christian Science Practitioner?
New Age View:
How would you explain the Christ and the gospel to a New Ager?
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