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12 Reasons for Christmas

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  1. “For this I was born and for this I have come into the world, to bear witness to the truth” (John 18:37).
  2. “The reason the Son of God appeared was to destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8; cf. Hebrews 2:14-15).
  3. “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick; I came not to call the righteous, but sinners” (Mark 2:17).
  4. “The Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost” (Luke 19:10).
  5.  “The Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45).
  6. “God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons” (Galatians 4:5).
  7. “For God so loved the world that whoever believes on him shall not perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through him might be saved” (John 3:16).
  8. “God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him” (1 John 4:9).
  9. “I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly” (John 10:10).
  10. “Behold, this child is set for the fall and rising of many in Israel, and for a sign that is spoken against . . . that the thoughts of many may be revealed” (Luke 2:34f).
  11. “He has sent me to proclaim release to the captives and recovering of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed” (Luke 4:18).
  12. “Christ became a servant to the circumcised to show God’s truthfulness, in order to confirm the promises given to the patriarches, and in order that the Gentiles might glorify God for his mercy” (Romans 15:7-8; cf. John 12:27f).

This post was provided by John Piper and Desiring God Ministries. [Original source]

Comments

  2. I am thankful that Mark 10:45 has been replaced with I Timothy 2:6. When Jesus came, He said He gave His life a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), meaning for “the lost sheep of the house of Israel” only (Matthew 15:24). But, thank God for I Timothy 2:6 where we find the “ransom for many” changed to “ransom for all.” “Who gave himself a ransom for all, to be testified in due time.” The “due time” was the revelation given to the apostle Paul. Now, both Jew and Gentile may be saved by Jesus’ shed blood on the cross. Praise the Lord!

    • Eric~

      When Jesus said, “I am not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel” (Matt. 15:24b), it had nothing to do with salvation because John 3:16 tells that Jesus came to die for “the world.” Jesus came only to the Jews to reveal Himself as their long-awaited Messiah and to teach them the gospel for them to take into the world. You need to rightly divide the Word (II Tim. 2:15) so that your conclusions are biblically sound.

      Barbara

      • Barbara,

        Rightly-dividing the Word of Truth is my long-suit and Christ Jesus did come for ”all men”, where did the Word say, “only for the Jews”?

        Just wondering, because that is not a true statement, your research should be in the book of Acts, according to Acts, not me, Acts is contrary to that statement.

        Good Day

        • Jim~

          Well, I thought I had, but I will try again. If you go back to Eric’s post, you will see that he, not me, believes that when Christ came to bring salvation that it was only for the house of Israel, and he uses Matthew 15:24 to support his premise. Only later, according to Eric, did something change, opening up salvation for all people. My response to him was that Matthew 15:24 doesn’t mean what he thinks because we are clearly told in John 3:16 that Jesus came to save “the world,” meaning, of course, every person, not just the Jews. I then gave Eric the meaning behind Jesus’ comment that He was “not sent but unto the lost sheep of the house of Israel.” It wasn’t, as Eric believes, to save only Israel but to reveal Himself as their long-awaited Messiah and to teach them the gospel for them to take into the world. In other words, I am in agreement with you that the Bible says that Christ “did come for ‘all men’” and not “only for the Jews.” It is Eric, if you go back and read both posts, who believes otherwise.

          Barbara

      • Hi Barbara,

        Yes, Jesus did die for the whole world. I am just saying that it was not revealed that Jesus died for the whole world until the Lord Jesus Christ told the apostle Paul. Before then, scripture only indicates that Jesus died for the Jews. Granted, Gentiles could still be saved, but it was through Israel. You mentioned John 3:16. Look also at John 4:22 where we are told “salvation is of the Jews.”

        Only with Paul do we find that we, as Gentiles, can be saved by Jesus’ death on the cross directly, rather than having to go through the Jews.

        • Hi Eric~

          I do have a couple thoughts, but I won’t have them posted until tomorrow.

          Barbara

        • Eric~

          I apologize, but I wasn’t able to get my response done. I don’t even plan on it being long, but I want to get my thoughts down right. I will try to have it posted tomorrow. Thanks.

          Barbara

        • Eric~
          As I read both of your posts, I still think there is some confusion within the ideas that you are trying to put forth. I don’t know if it’s the way you are phrasing it or the way I am understanding it. Thank you, first, for clarifying that “Jesus did die for the whole world” (Jn. 3:16), but I still don’t see in your correction a rebuttal of your first comment, that Jesus’ coming “for ‘the lost sheep of the house of Israel’ only” (Mk. 15:24) as having anything to do with salvation. In addition, it still seems like you are saying something different because you have cited John 4:22, which says that “salvation is of the Jews” to contrast what is being about in John 3:16. I think the problem is twofold. First, John 4:22 says that salvation is OF the Jews, not FOR the Jews. Salvation being of the Jews is a totally different topic than that of for whom Christ died. Secondly, your comment that “scripture only indicates that Jesus died for the Jews” doesn’t take into account many OT verses such as Isaiah 49:6.

          This is probably a little briefer than it could have been, but I haven’t had much time these past couple days to write anything longer. I hope I have made sense, and if I have misrepresented your views, please let me know.

          Barbara

          • Eric~

            Thank you for the points of study. I did read them, but I won’t be able to address them for quite a few days. I am in the middle of answering Justin’s response to my post on the December 5 blog. It is very long, and I am trying to sort through what he said and to answer enough of his explanations to support my view. I just don’t want you to think that I have ignored your post.

            Barbara

          • Thanks for letting me know. I will be visiting family between Christmas and New Year’s, so, maybe we can continue the discussion in the new year.

            Have a Merry Christmas!

    • Ya, Plus Timothy is written to Leaders, leaders of the Word, Teachers, believers with responsibility of the Word, Apostles, prophet, pastors, evangalist and teachers.

      I Tim.2:5 mentions

      One God
      One Mediator (Christ Jesus) not God
      that mediator was a man–Christ Jesus that’s cool

      I didn’t write the book, that’s what it says, so I believe it

      I Tim.2:6

      He (Jesus Christ) gave himself (the mediator) for a ransom for all (all who?, for all men)

      Ya that verse is one of the greats teaching us about God, Christ Jesus, and man. It sets the standard for the relationship we have with God.

      You have man on the right so to speak,
      Christ Jesus in the middle,
      God on the left so to speak,

      Or have God on the right and man on the left, but Christ Jesus is in the middle, and the only way man came have a relationship with God is but by Christ Jesus.

      Pretty simple if you ask me,

      Good Day

      • Barbara,

        All men means (all men) Jews and gentiles

        As students of the Word, we know this by history in the book of Acts,

        Good Day