Is Jesus The Son Of God?

IS JESUS CHRIST THE SON OF GOD?

FESTUS A. EKENYERE

All rights reserved® Rev. Festus A. Ekenyere No part of this publoication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted in any form or by any means – electronic, mechanical, photocopy, recording, or any others without the written prior permission of the Publisher. National Library of Nigeria Cataloguing in Publication Data EKENYERE, Festus A. Is Jesus Christ the Son of God? 1. Jesus Christ – Genealogy. BT 314.E34 1996 929.1 ISBN 978-32046-1-0 AACR2

I. Title.

Published by: LATTER DAY PUBLISHERS P. O. Box 1803 MAIDUGURI. BORNO STATE. NIGERIA

CONTENTS 1. PREFACE i 2. FIRST WITNESS – MAN 3. SECOND WITNESS – ANGEL 4. THIRD WITNESS – DEMONS 5. FOURTH WITNESS – GOD 6. FIFTH WITNESS – JESUS CHRIST 7. VERDICT

1 9 13 18 25 32

PREFACE We are living in a generation where knowledge is daily increasing; Knowledge of good and of course knowledge of evil. We are in a space age where man is continually trying to use reasoning and imagination to find solution to problems. The devil therefore taking advantage of man's quest for knowledge is daily robbing man of his God-given blessings. This is a generation where some elites having so much grown in human wisdom deny the existence of God. The illiterate and the poor have been so much neglected in the society that he feels there is no God. Humanity in general have been blinded by “the god of this world lest the light of the glorious gospel of Christ, who is the image of God, should shine unto them” 2 Corinthians 4:4. All these are attempts by the devil to captivate the soul of man. Today the controversial issue in the entire universe is the sonship of Jesus Christ. The devil has so much confused the minds of many that they make caricature of the Son of God. Some argue the possibility of God having a son without marriage. They ask series of questions like “Did God marry?' How can He have a son? How could God be the Father of Jesus who was born by the virgin Mary? etc. These questions and many more are answered in the pages of this book. However, I would like to introduce the Lord Jesus Christ to you as the Son of God in the words of Christopher Gornold-Smith as quoted by Kingsriter in his book “Questions Muslims ask that need to be answered” presented by David I. Azenabor. “In the New Testament there is an important statement about this: 'In the past God spoke to our forefathers through the prophets at many times and in various ways, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed heir of all things, and through whom he made the universe: The Son is the radiance of God's glory and the exact representation of his Being, sustaining all things by his powerful word' (Hebrews 1:1-3). “These verses describe Jesus Christ in His relationship to God. Three expressions are used: Son, Radiance, and Representation. When Christians describe Jesus as the Son of God they do NOT mean that God had any kind of sexual relationship with Mary and thus beget Jesus as His Son! That would be as blasphemous as it would be abhorrent. Jesus himself said, 'God is a Spirit' (John 4:24). In Hebrews 1:1-3 it is clear the word Son does not refer to a physical relationship, for these verses describe the Son as existing before the material universe. The belief and acceptance of Jesus as the only begotten Son of the Most High God makes the eternal difference in a person's life. In your hands is the book that proves beyond reasonable doubt that Jesus is the Son of God with five undisputable witnesses. As you study the pages of this book with an open mind, the Holy Spirit will surely touch your life and make you exactly who God created you to be. May the good God bless your reading with deeper revelation in Jesus' name. Amen!

CHAPTER ONE FIRST WITNESS - MAN The first witness I would like to present in this case is man: the being God created in His own image and likeness Genesis 1:27. Before the birth of Christ Jesus, Nebuchadnezzar, a heathen king in ancient Babylonian Empire testified by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit that God has a Son. Let us read the account in the book of Daniel Chapter 3:24, 25. The Bible says “Then Nebuchadnezzar the king was astonished, and rose up in haste, and spake, and said unto his counselors, Did not we cast three men bound into the midst of the fire? They answered and said unto the king, True, O king. He answered and said, lo, I see four men loose, walking in the midst of the fire, and they have no hurt; and the form of the fourth is LIKE THE SON OF GOD”. (Emphasis mine). This is a familiar and popular story of the encounter of the three Hebrew children Shadrack, Meshach and Abednego with Nebuchadnezzar, king of Babylon. The three of them were among the Jews taken captive by the Babylonian king. Though in a strange land under captivity, they refuse to worship the heathen god Daniel 3:16-18. They knew the Omni-potent God, Jehovah-Shammah as their God and as such, they were not afraid of death. Hebrews 13:6. As a result of their refusal to worship the gods of Nebuchadnezzar, the Bible says -“Then was Nebuchadnezzar full of fury, and the form of his visage was changed against Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego: therefore he spake, and commanded that they should heat the furnace one seven times more than it was wont to be heated. And he commanded the most mighty men that were in his army to bind Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-nego, and to cast them into the burning fiery furnace.” Daniel 3:19-20. In verse 21, the Bible says “Then these men were bound in their coats, their hosen, and their hats, and their other garments, and were cast into the midst of the burning fiery furnace.” The king carried out his evil plan but little did he know that the God of the three Hebrew children made the fire. No wonder Jesus says “Fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul, but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.” Matthew 10:28. This is why they were not afraid of the destruction rather, they trusted the God who says “When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee; when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee.” Isaiah 43:2. To the king's dismay, the Ancient of days arrived at the burning fiery furnace to welcome His faithful children. The eternal Son of God was before creation. “All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made.” John 1:3. As you read my book titled Hundred Names of Jesus From Genesis to Revelation, you will discover that Jesus, the Son of God was from eternity past.

Allow me to say this clearly, Jesus; the only begotten Son of God never existed. He does not have life and He does not have truth. The Lord Jesus is Existence, He is Life and He is Truth. Every prophet, great or small existed. They had life and some came with true messages from God while others came with false messages from the pit of hell. Because they existed, so many of them have died and he existing ones will surely die one day. But the Lord Jesus lives for ever more. He says “I am the Way, the Truth and the Life; no man cometh unto the Father, but by me.” John 14:6. The Apostle Paul says “When Christ, who is our life, shall appear, then shall ye also appear with Him in glory.” - Colossians 3:4. Pardon me for deviating; I think God wants us to understand this aspect of His divine nature. This will help us to appreciate Him more. However, the three Hebrew children were cast into the burning fiery furnace and there they met with the Son of God. I believe they did not see Him, if they did, and testified; some critics will still deny or distort their testimony because they were children of God. In order to prove to the entire world that He has a Son, God opened the eyes of a heathen king Nebuchadnezzar and he saw Jesus and said “THE FORM OF THE FOURTH IS LIKE THE SON OF GOD.” Who might have told a heathen king who did not know God that God has a Son? Remember, God can use any body or thing to carry out His purpose. He used an ass to reprimand Balaam when his way was perverse before Him - Numbers 22:28-33. Again, to prove that they were in the burning furnace with the Lord, Nebuchadnezzar called the three Hebrew children out and they were safe and sound. The Bible says “… upon whose bodies the fire had no power, nor was hair of their head signed, neither were their coats changed, nor the smell of fire had passed on them…” - Daniel 3:26-30. Another encounter where man testified to the Sonship of Jesus is recorded in the book of Matthew 14:22-33. Jesus had just finished ministering to the five thousand crowd (men only, beside women and children) when He asked His disciples to get to the other side of the sea while He sent the multitudes away. The Bible records that “But the ship was now in the midst of the sea, tossed with waves: for the wind was contrary. And in the fourth watch of the night Jesus went unto them, walking on the sea. And when the disciples saw him walking on the sea, they were troubled, saying, It is a spirit; and they cried out for fear.” vv. 24-26. First, they had a very serious attack from the wind (satan), then seeing a Being walking on the sea (a strange sight to them) they were tormented by fear - I John 4:18. They had forgotten that it was Jesus who asked them to go the other side. They did not understand that where He sends, He leads, protects and provides. In the midst of this confusion, Jesus says “Be of good cheer, it is I; be not afraid” v. 27. But they did not understand how Jesus was walking on the water so, Peter quickly said “Lord, if it be thou, bid me come unto thee on the water.” And Jesus said “come” vv. 28-29. Peter indeed walked on the water even though he encountered some problems as a result of doubt. When both of them (walking on the water) came into the ship, the wind ceased and they that were in the ship worshipped Him and said “Of a truth THOU ART THE SON OF God.” vv. 33 (Emphasis mine). Matthew 16:13-17 “When Jesus came into the coasts of Caesarea Philippi, he asked his disciples, saying, Whom do men say that I the Son of man am? And they said, Some say that thou art John the Baptist: some, Elias; and others, Jeremias, or one of the prophets. He saith unto them, But whom say ye that I am? And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Barjona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” A time came in the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus when even though He knew the minds of the people, He wanted to sample people's opinion about Himself. They had been enjoying His teaching, preaching and healing ministry. He had done a lot of miracles that marveled the people. They were surprised and could not understand

this new and fresh visitation. They had mixed emotions. In fact, the religious leaders were confused. Jesus asked “Whom do men say I am? Do you not think that this question is relevant even in our generation today? There are a lot of suggestions and opinions concerning the personality of the Lord Jesus Christ. Like the people of His days, some of us today say, “He is the Son of Mary”; some, “He is not more than a prophet” while others say, “He is a servant of God”. Now He is asking you “… whom say ye that I am?” Friend, this question is for you and me to answer. Whom do you (in particular) say He is? Who is He to you? What is your thought about Him? Do not answer this question at random; neither do I want you to answer it from your religious perspective. Please think over it seriously. Peter, one of Jesus disciples catching the revelation answered and said, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” The Lord congratulated Peter. Peter deserved the applause of the other disciples. But before you praise his brilliant disposition, hear this “And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou Simon Bar-jonna; for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven.” You can now understand why I do not want you to answer at random. It calls for divine revelation. No wonder the Lord says “No man can come unto me, except the Father which hath sent me draw him.” John 6:44. Give God a chance to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to you by the Holy Spirit. Your education cannot; your ignorance cannot; even your friends; other close associates cannot and your religion cannot; only God the Holy Spirit is prepared at any moment you open up your mind to reveal the Lord Jesus Christ to you. It can be now if you are ready. Let us consider John 1:32-34 “And John bare record, saying, I saw the Spirit descending from heaven like a dove, and it abode upon him. and I knew him not: but he that sent me to baptize with water, the same said unto me, upon whom thou shalt see the Spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost. and I saw, and bare record that this is the Son of God.” Eye witnesses are indispensable in serious cases that involve life. Where the prosecution witness fails to provide substantial eye witness, he is prone to failure. On the other hand, every judge and the jury listen attentively to every eye witness and take his account into serious consideration. Here we have a profound eye witness the forerunner of the Lord Jesus Christ in the person of John the Baptist. He said that he never knew the Lord Jesus but God who sent him to baptize with water said to him “upon whom thou shalt see the spirit descending, and remaining on him, the same is he which baptizeth with the Holy Ghost.” I think this particular one should challenge you. However, in case it does not … Let us still go on “Jesus saw Nathanael coming to him, and saith of him, behold an Israelite indeed, in whom is no guile! Nathanael saith unto him, whence knowest thou me? Jesus answered and said unto him, before that Philip called thee, when thou wast under the fig tree, I saw thee. Nathanael answered and saith unto him, Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” John 1:47-49. Everyone who testified to the Sonship of the Lord Jesus did so out of a personal inward conviction based on divine revelation. When Philip called Nathanael to “come and see” the Lord, Nathanael never took him seriously hence he said “can there any good thing come out of Nazareth?” v. 46. However, he reluctantly followed Philip out of a biased mind, but contrary to his expectation, the Lord ministered to him as he gave him some words of knowledge. Instantly, he had the revelation of the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. He could not hide the grace of God hence he spoke out “Rabbi, thou art the Son of God; thou art the King of Israel.” You see, your argument today can never change Mr. Nathanael's vision of the lord Jesus Christ as the Son of God. his conviction was inborn. Another important point I would like us to note in every witness on the Sonship of the Lord Jesus is his reaction or response to it. The Lord's response had always been in the positive or in the affirmative. Take for instance his response to

Nathanael here. “Jesus answered and said unto him, because I said unto thee, I saw thee under the fig tree, believest thou? thou shalt see greater things than these.” v. 50 Another occasion was when Lazarus the brother of Mary and Martha, a friend to the Lord died. Four days after the burial, the Lord and His disciples went to Bethany the village of late Lazarus to raise him from the dead. The Scripture says “Jesus said unto her, I am the resurrection, and the life: he that believeth in me, though he were dead, yet shall he live: And whosoever liveth and believeth in me shall never die. Believest thou this? She saith unto him, Yea, Lord: I believe that thou art the Christ, the Son of God, which should come into the world.” John 11: 25-29. Finally, when He gave up the ghost on the cross, “ the centurion, and they that were with him, watching Jesus, saw the earthquake, and those things that were done, they feared greatly, saying, Truly this was THE SON OF GOD.” Matthew 27:54.

CHAPTER TWO SECOND WITNESS – ANGEL The second witness in this case is the angel Gabriel. In the Gospel according to St. Luke, the Bible says - “And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art highly favoured, the Lord is with thee: blessed art thou among women. {highly...: or, graciously accepted, or, of much grace} And when she saw him, she was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for thou hast found favour with God. And, behold, thou shalt conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS. He shall be great, and shall be called the Son of the Highest: and the Lord God shall give unto him the throne of his father David: And he shall reign over the house of Jacob for ever; and of his kingdom there shall be no end. Then said Mary unto the angel, How shall this be, seeing I know not a man? And the angel answered and said unto her, The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee: therefore also that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God.” Lu 1:26-35 Here is a strong witness. A heavenly Being. This angel had been with the eternal Son of God in heaven; knows better why He is the Son of God and was sent by God to reveal such unto men. But unfortunately, men full of human wisdom tend to disagree with the witness of the angel of God. The angel Gabriel in this text answered the most crucial and controversial question on how and why of the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ. Mary, the Bible says, was troubled and asked the angel the possibility of her having a Son since she was still a virgin. “ And the angel answered and said unto her, THE HOLY GHOST SHALL COME UPON THEE, AND THE POWER OF THE HIGHEST SHALL OVERSHADOW THEE: THEREFORE ALSO THAT HOLY ONE WHICH SHALL BE BORN OF THEE SHALL BE CALLED THE SON OF GOD”. In the book of Jeremiah God says – “Behold, I am the Lord, the God of all flesh: is there anything too hard for me?” – Jeremiah 32:27. The answer is, of course – NO. about 750 years before the birth of the Lord Jesus, God spoke through the mouth of Prophet Isaiah saying – “Therefore the LORD himself shall give you a sign; Behold, a virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and shall call his name Emmanuel” – Isaiah 7:14.

Emmanuel by interpretation is – “God with us”. This prophecy was fulfilled in Matthew chapter one. Mary was espoused to Joseph but before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost. Then Joseph being a godly man, thought of putting her away privately. The Bible then says - “But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost. {conceived: Gr. begotten} And she shall bring forth a son, and thou shalt call his name JESUS: for he shall save his people from their sins. {JESUS: that is, Saviour, Heb} Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken of the Lord by the prophet, saying, Behold, a virgin shall be with child, and shall bring forth a son, and they shall call his name Emmanuel, which being interpreted is, God with us. {they...: or, his name shall be called} Then Joseph being raised from sleep did as the angel of the Lord had bidden him, and took unto him his wife: And knew her not till she had brought forth her firstborn son: and he called his name JESUS.” Mt 1:20-25 The primary purpose of the coming of the Lord Jesus is to “save his people from their sins”. The life-changing question therefore is – are you saved from your sins? The argument of whether Jesus is the Son of God or not ought not disturb your mind if you will only allow Him this day to save you from your sins. The prophet Micah at about 730 years before the birth of Christ prophesied and named the city of His birth when he said – “But thou, Bethlehem Ephratah, though thou be little among the thousands of Judah, yet out of thee shall he come forth unto me that is to be ruler in Israel; whose goings forth have been from of old, from everlasting. {everlasting: Heb. the days of eternity}” Mic 5:2 This prophecy does not only confirm in advance the place of His birth but the eternal existence of the Son of God from eternity past. No wonder the apostle John says – “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.” – John 1:1,2. Also the apostle Peter revealed this fact clearly in I Peter 1:20 – “Who (Jesus) verily was foreordained before the foundation of the world, but was manifest in these last times for you.” The prophecy of prophet Micah was fulfilled when Jesus was about to be born. That year, a decree was passed by Caesar Augustus that all the world should be taxed. Every one has to go to his own city to be taxed. Joseph “also went up from Galilee, out of the city of Nazareth, into Judaea, unto the city of David, which is called Bethlehem; (because he was of the house and lineage of David:) To be taxed with Mary his espoused wife, being great with child. {taxed: or, inrolled} And so it was, that, while they were there, the days were accomplished that she should be delivered. And she brought forth her firstborn son, and wrapped him in swaddling clothes, and laid him in a manger; because there was no room for them in the inn.” Luke 2:4-7 Having understood that His virgin birth, name and place of birth were prophesied hundreds of years before His birth, let us go back and consider carefully the answer of the angel Gabriel to your question on why Jesus should be called the Son of God. Some critics of the Christian faith quote the Bible out of context, without understanding because their motive is to contradict the Sonship of Jesus. If you study the book of Luke chapter one with an open mind, the question of God’s marriage would never arise. The angel Gabriel made it clear to Mary and to the entire world. The prophet Micah on the other hand revealed that the Lord Jesus was from everlasting. In other words, He does not have beginning. Apostle John says – “The same was in the beginning with God.” If we meditate on these words carefully, we will understand clearly the conception or incarnation of the Lord Jesus Christ. The eternal Son of God was with God in heaven. There is no less expensive way He would be revealed to us for the one and only purpose of taking away our sins and redeeming us from the hands of Satan except He puts on our flesh through the biological process of birth. What do you think would have happened if He had jumped down from heaven with His heavely body? Therefore since God can do all things, He decided to condescend, leaving His glory above and entered into the

womb of the virgin Mary and was born like you and me. The angel only introduced Him officially to us as the Son of God. That is how He is known in heaven.

CHAPTER THREE THIRD WITNESS – DEMONS There are other supernatural beings I want to present as my third witness in this case. They are agents of the devil. These demon spirits are fallen angels who were loyal to Satan and therefore were cast down with him. Lucifer and his agents had been together with the Lord Jesus in heaven. Jesus is their Creator so they know Him better than you do - “For by him were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him:” Colossians 1:16. Unfortunately, Lucifer was overtaken by pride which led to his expulsion from heaven. The Bible says – “Pride goeth before destruction and a haughty spirit before a fall.” – Proverbs 16:18. This happened to Satan as the prophet Isaiah puts it - “How art thou fallen from heaven, O Lucifer, son of the morning! how art thou cut down to the ground, which didst weaken the nations! {O Lucifer: or, O day star} For thou hast said in thine heart, I will ascend into heaven, I will exalt my throne above the stars of God: I will sit also upon the mount of the congregation, in the sides of the north: I will ascend above the heights of the clouds; I will be like the most High. Yet thou shalt be brought down to hell, to the sides of the pit.” Isaiah 14:12-15. Then the apostle John says - “And his tail drew the third part of the stars of heaven, and did cast them to the earth: and the dragon stood before the woman which was ready to be delivered, for to devour her child as soon as it was born. … And the great dragon was cast out, that old serpent, called the Devil, and Satan, which deceiveth the whole world: he was cast out into the earth, and his angels were cast out with him.” Revelation 12:4, 9. As his names imply, the devil was filled with wrath and evil. He decided to destroy the perfect creation of the Most High God. He also swore not to allow anybody to serve God thereby enjoy the goodness of His Kingdom. But, thank God for Jesus who died on the cross of Calvary to redeem us from the hands of the devil. This same Jesus rose again from the dead for our justification - “For Christ also hath once suffered for sins, the just for the unjust, that he might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh, but quickened by the Spirit:” I Peter 3:18. “Who was delivered for our offences, and was raised again for our justification.” Romans 4:25. Satan and his agents do not rest day and night executing their evil assignments in the world and beyond. The apostle Peter therefore enjoins every Christian to “be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:” I Peter 5:8. No natural mortal human being, no matter how educated; how rich; how intelligent; how poor or ignorant, can resist the devil. The only group of people who can restrain the devil from doing anything at all are those filled with the Spirit of the Lord Jesus Christ. Those who accepted Jesus as their Lord and personal Saviour. Once this regeneration takes place in a human being, the person automatically becomes super-human and the Holy Spirit his resisting power. That is why James says – “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you.” – James 4:7.

The Bible also describes the devil as a thief whose primary aim is to kill, steal and destroy – John 10:10. He does these by possessing human beings, making life so miserable for people and also by destroying their properties. There are lots of characteristics or evidences of demon possession. Chief among them is loss of individuality whereby the demon possessed person no longer has the control of mental, moral or volitional faculties of the soul. The Bible records one of such examples thus –“And when he was come out of the ship, immediately there met him out of the tombs a man with an unclean spirit, Who had his dwelling among the tombs; and no man could bind him, no, not with chains: Because that he had been often bound with fetters and chains, and the chains had been plucked asunder by him, and the fetters broken in pieces: neither could any man tame him. And always, night and day, he was in the mountains, and in the tombs, crying, and cutting himself with stones. But when he saw Jesus afar off, he ran and worshipped him, And cried with a loud voice, and said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the most high God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” Mark 5:2-7. Evidently, the man in this text was controlled by a supernatural force contrary to the power of the Most High God. No normal human being will – a. Live continually in the tombs. b. Be in the mountains night and day. c. Be cutting himself with stones always. d. Have the power to break fetters and chains If you dispute these facts, try to live the pattern of life this man lived in just a week. Otherwise, you must believe that this man was controlled by demon spirits. Everybody in the city tried to tame him individually and corporately but to no avail. I believe the government law enforcement agents of his day tried too, but failed. The Bible emphasized – “no man could bind him, no not with chains.” It takes an impenetrably supernatural power to deliver any one who is bound by the powers of Satan. A much stronger power than the devil is required to cast out demon spirits for ever. In the book of Matthew, Jesus cast out evil spirits and healed the blind and dumb insomuch that the blind and dumb both saw and spoke. The people of His day were amazed and tried to castigate Him. They accused Him of using power other than the power of the Most High God. Then Jesus said - “But if I cast out devils by the Spirit of God, then the kingdom of God is come unto you. Or else how can one enter into a strong man's house, and spoil his goods, except he first bind the strong man? and then he will spoil his house.” Matthew 12:28, 29. In essence, the Lord was saying that even if the devil was strong, God is stronger and stronger and stronger! The presence of the Lord Jesus is enough to change your condition for the better. Humanly speaking, the condition of the demon possessed man in the book of Mark was beyond human redemption of any kind. “… no man could tame him, not even with chains.” His case required the intervention of the Son of God who is our mediator – Acts 4:12 says, “Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved.” In I Timothy, Paul says, “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” No matter what your own may be today; I do not want to believe that it is worse than the madman of the Gadarenes, allow the Son of God to intervene, recognize His presence and worship Him. Take a closer look at the behavior and statement of this madman of the Gadarenes when he saw Jesus. The Bible says – “But when he saw Jesus afar of, he ran and worshipped Him, and cried with a loud voice, and said, what have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of the Most High God? I adjure thee by God, that thou torment me not.” First and foremost, he recognized the presence of Jesus – HE RAN AND WORSHIPPED HIM. Note that this man has lost his individuality to the demon spirits and they are in operation now. Invariably, the devil in this man at the sight of Jesus has no other alternative but to bow down and worshipped his Creator.

Secondly, because of the hardness of men, the demon possessed CRIED WITH A LOUD VOICE. The demon now using the vocal chords of this man shouted to the hearing of everybody (including the people in this generation) “…JESUS, THOU SON OF THE MOST HIGH GOD …” If a madman will testify that Jesus is the Son of God by the inspiration of demons who were with Jesus in heaven before their expulsion, what is your stand and belief? Do you not think that the condition of any body who fails to recognize Jesus as the Son of God is worse than that of the madman? The madman recognized Jesus and was made whole – Mark 5:15 – “And they come to Jesus, and see him that was possessed with the devil, and had the legion, sitting, and clothed, and in his right mind: and they were afraid.” If you will only recognize Him this day, your life will never remain the same again. In the book of Luke it is also recorded thus - “And when he went forth to land, there met him out of the city a certain man, which had devils long time, and ware no clothes, neither abode in any house, but in the tombs. When he saw Jesus, he cried out, and fell down before him, and with a loud voice said, What have I to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God most high? I beseech thee, torment me not.” Luke 8:27-28. Beloved, look at the account of the apostle Matthew – “And when he was come to the other side into the country of the Gergesenes, there met him two possessed with devils, coming out of the tombs, exceeding fierce, so that no man might pass by that way. And, behold, they cried out, saying, What have we to do with thee, Jesus, thou Son of God? art thou come hither to torment us before the time?” Matthew 8:28-29. In each account above, the demons proclaimed with a loud voice saying JESUS, SON OF GOD!

CHAPTER FOUR FOURTH WITNESS Beloved, it is now time to hear from God Himself. I feel there are two witnesses in this case we cannot afford to neglect – God the Father and the Lord Jesus Christ. These are our prime witnesses. In the next chapter, we will consider the witness of the Lord Jesus. Remember again the case we are dealing with, is Jesus the Son of God? No man could have ever debated this issue except that God Himself has thus declared. How could a mortal man profess and ascribe the Sonship of Jesus Christ to an uninterested Father? If God (who is Just) is not the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, He would have long ago refuted the Christian claim. However, from ages past, no one has ever heard from God proclaiming otherwise, rather, He has always been in the affirmative. On two occasions, the Bible recorded God declaring the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ and an eye witness testified to the hearing of God’s voice. In Matthew 3:16-17 we read these words – “And Jesus, when he was baptized, went up straightway out of the water: and, lo, the heavens were opened unto him, and he

saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove, and lighting upon him: And lo a voice from heaven, saying, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” Like every event in the life of our Lord Jesus Christ, this declaration was prophesied hundreds of years before the birth of Jesus. It is recorded in the Psalms thus - “I will declare the decree: the LORD hath said unto me, Thou art my Son; this day have I begotten thee. “ Psalm 2:7. Before I comment on Matthew 3:16-17, I would like us to work a little with the word “BEGOTTEN” found in Psalm 2:7. This is repeated several times in the New Testament. The Psalmist quoted God as making a decree concerning the Lord Jesus Christ and the decree declares Jesus as the “Begotten” of God. In ht eNew Testament book of John, we see the word “Begotten” prefixed and suffixed with “only” and “Son” respectively. In the course of the apostle John’s introduction of the person of the Lord Jesus, he says – “And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth… No man hath seen God at any time; the only begotten Son, which is in the bosom of the Father, he hath declared him.” John 1:14, 18. From the original Greek text, the word translated “Begotten” means “reproduction of exact caliber.” In other words, only in Jesus Christ is God seen physically in all His attributes. Speaking on this issue, the author of Every Day with Jesus, Selwyn Hughes puts it this way – “The only perfect way God could reveal Himself was for the “Word” – the expression of God’s thought – to become flesh. I look up to God through Jesus and I se exactly what God is like. Personally, I would not be interested in God if He were not like Jesus. When Philip said – “Show us the Father and that will be enough for us.” Jesus replied, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father” John 14:8, 9. When we look at Jesus we are looking right into the face of our Father. We see God not as Someone who is terrible, but tender; not forbidding, but forgiving. We see God in Jesus as He is – really is”. Dr. Stanley Jones told a story of a little boy who stood before a picture of his absent father and then turned to his mother and said wistfully: “I wish father would step out of that picture.” That little boy expressed his own way the hope of the deepest and most spiritual souls who lived before Christ. They believed in God. They believed God could be seen in the frame of nature, but how they must have longed that the Father would step out of the picture. The Christian faith carries at its heart certain facts and this is perhaps the greatest of them – the Father has stepped out of the picture? He stepped out in Bethlehem” and I add – He stepped out as the Messiah in the LORD JESUS CHRIST! CHARLES Swindle in his book – Growing deep in Christian life – quoted C. S. Lewis as saying – “I am trying here to prevent anyone saying the really foolish thing that people often say about Him: ‘I am ready to accept Jesus as a great moral teacher, but I don’t accept His claim to be God.’ That is the one thing we must not say. A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who says he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God: or else a madman or something worse. You can shut Him for a fool; or you can spit at Him and kill Him as a demon; or you can fall at His feet and call Him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about His being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us. He did not intend to. Then Charles added – “Here you are, sitting and reading this information – Perhaps realizing for the first time that the evidence is undeniable.” G. Campbell Morgan, when wrestling with the mystery of Christ’s incarnation, once wrote – “He was the God-Man. Not God indwelling a man. Of such there have been none save in the myths of pagan systems of thought; but God and man, combining in one Personality the two natures, and perpetual enigma and mystery. Well, let us get back to our Matthew 3:16-17. I only wanted us to understand that God reproduced His total self (in the frame of nature) in Christ Jesus. No wonder

the apostle Paul says – “For in Him (Christ) dwelleth all the fullness of the Godhead bodily.” – Colossians 2:9. John the Baptist, the forerunner of the Lord Jesus, was ministering powerfully in the wilderness of Judea. Persuading men to repent of their sins: “for the Kingdom of God is at hand”. As men heard him, the Bible says –“Then went out to him Jerusalem, and all Judaea, and all the region round about Jordan, And were baptized of him in Jordan, confessing their sins.” Matthew 3:5-6. This is the background of the whole event that led to this evidence. From verses 13-15, the Bible records - “Then cometh Jesus from Galilee to Jordan unto John, to be baptized of him. But John forbad him, saying, I have need to be baptized of thee, and comest thou to me? And Jesus answering said unto him, Suffer it to be so now: for thus it becometh us to fulfil all righteousness. Then he suffered him.” Selwyn Hughes said – “Note the word “us”. It implies complete identification of Christ with sinners, the only exception being sin itself. In other words, He joined Himself to sinners without becoming like them. Contrast our Lord’s word in verse 15 with His High Priestly prayer in John 17:21 – “May they also be in us.” Because Christ has identified with us, we can be identified with the Father. That’ worth a ‘hallelujah’, isn’t it? But now look at this: just as Jesus is being baptized – and in case anyone there might think that Christ is a sinner – God opens the heavens above Him and lets the universe know that this is not so. The Almighty lets the whole world know what He thinks of His Son: “with Him I am well pleased.” You see, if the Lord Jesus had not identified Himself with the sinful world, no one could have ever been identified with the Father. No wonder the Bible says “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.” II Corinthians 5:21. The Jordan river side was a good venue for such unique publicity as all Jerusalem, Judea and the regions round about gathered to hear a contemporary preacher of his time. Then, God spoke out from heaven and declared a decree – “This is my beloved Son, in whom I am will pleased.” What a distinction from sinners! The second place God declared this decree was on a mountain; probably the mount of olive at the east of Jerusalem. We read from Matthew 17:1-3 that the Lord Jesus went to this high mountain with three of His disciples – Peter, James and John. There He “was transfigured before them: and His face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him.” What a revelation! Peter was so overwhelmed that he demanded for residential permit to stay on the mountain. Moses and Elijah were two of the greatest Old Testament Saints. They were highly esteemed in the minds of the Jews. Oh! What a great leader Moses was! What a dependable, zealous prophet Elijah was! One who could shut the heavens for three and a half years and called down fire from heaven. Moses was buried by God while Elijah went to heaven via a chariot of fire. They were great, weren’t they? Now, with all their greatness, they cannot be compared with the Lord Jesus Christ. God knew that one day the world may make the mistake of thinking or even calling the Lord Jesus a great prophet like Moses or Elijah. There was a need for distinction and there, on the mountain was an opportunity. The Lord Jesus was not and is not only distinguished from sinners; He also stands apart from saints. There was a need for second publicity. The first was for the sinners to hear and the second was for the saints to hear. The Bible further records – “While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him.” Matthew 17:5. Have you ever imagined what prompted this second proclamation before the saints – I mean those who never doubted His Sonship? Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ was not and is not just one of those prophets sent by God. No! He is the eternal Son of God! God never wanted the believers or any other person to think of Christ as

that. So, He distinguished Him from even the greatest prophets in our rating. God also handed down a command after proclaiming what He thought of His Son; He said – “hear ye Him.” The question therefore is, are you obeying God’s command in listening to Jesus? The apostle Peter who was one of the disciples that heard the voice of God on the mountain later testified thus “For we have not followed cunningly devised fables, when we made known unto you the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but were eyewitnesses of his majesty. For he received from God the Father honour and glory, when there came such a voice to him from the excellent glory, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased. And this voice which came from heaven we heard, when we were with him in the holy mount.” May be this evidence has touched your doubt but in case it did not, I have the privilege to present my last witness in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. CHAPTER FIVE FIFTH WITNESS – JESUS CHRIST In this chapter, I wish to present my principal witness in the person of the Lord Jesus Christ. This is because I have heard many people arguing that the Lord Jesus never claimed that He was the Son of God. I also believe that Christians would not have attempted ascribing that honour to Him if they never heard Him introduce Himself as the Son of God. Beloved, this case will be over and the verdict released in the next chapter as we consider the words of Christ very carefully. Let us first look at Matthew 11:25-27 - “At that time Jesus answered and said, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth, because thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and hast revealed them unto babes. Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight. All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” What a nice text to start with! If you are conversant with scriptures, you would have noticed that the Lord Jesus always refers to God as His “Father”. But for the sake of the ignorant and the critic, He went an extra mile in telling the world who His Father is; He says, I thank thee, O Father, Lord of heaven and earth.” Jesus knew that men would surely dispute His descent from the Creator of the universe so, He quickly described His Father thus. Who else had ever said this kind of a thing since the world began? Among all the prophets, true or false; alive or dead, none ever made such a claim. Now I can understand why C. S. Lewis said – “A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic – on a level with the man who said he is a poached egg – or else he would be the Devil of Hell. You must make your choice. Either this man was, and is, the Son of God; or else a madman or something worse. Having understood that He refers to the Creator of heavens and earth as His Father, let us go ahead and discover why He thanked Him. The second part of the verse says “be cause thou hast hid these things from the wise and prudent, and has revealed them unto babes.” I do not intend to discuss in detail who the wise and prudent (in this context) are. These are men who are “wise in their own eyes”. People who despise the counsel and instruction of the Lord God. People whose ways are always right in their sight. The Prophet Isaiah helps us to understand this text better – “Wherefore the LORD said, for as much as this people draw hear to me with their mouth, and with their lips do honour me, but have removed their heart for from me, and their fear toward me is taught by precept of men. Therefore, behold, I will proceed to do a marvelous work among this people, even a marvelous work and a wonder; for the wisdom of their wise men shall perish, and the understanding of their prudent men shall hid.” – Isaiah 29:13, 14. The apostle Paul referring to this prophecy says – “Where is the wise? Where is the Scribe? Where is the disputer of this world? For after that in the wisdom

of God the world by wisdom knew not God, it pleased God by the foolishness of preaching to save them that believe.” – I Corinthians 1:20, 21. No man can question the wisdom of God. He decided to hid the mystery of Christ’s incarnation from the wisdom of this world and to reveal it to the simple hearted. The Lord Jesus says – “Even so, Father: for so it seemed good in thy sight.” My earnest prayer is, may this case file open your eyes of understanding to His Sonship. May you never lean on your own understanding. In verse 27 of Matthew 11, the Lord Jesus made it clear to the world that He was, and is the Son of God. He says – “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.” If this is not clear to you, consider the account of John chapter nine carefully. One Sabbath day as Jesus passed by, He saw a man born blind. “His disciples asked Him, saying, Master, who did sin, this man, or his parents, that he was born blind? Jesus answered, Neither hath this man sinned, nor his parents: but that the works of God should be made manifest in him.” Vv 2, 3. The healing of this man caused confusion amond the Jews who, after much interrogation, excommunicated the man. Now look closely at verses 35 through 38 – “Jesus heard that they had cast him out; and when he had found him, he said unto him , DOST THOU BELIEVE ON THE SON OF GOD? He answered and said, who is he, Lord, that I might believe on him? And Jesus said unto him , THOU HAST BOTH SEEN HIM, AND IT IS HE THAT TALKETH WITH THEE. And he said, Lord, I believe. And he worshipped Him.” (Emphases mine) So many Bible commentators had suggested that the “Works of God” which Jesus said “should be made manifest” in the blind man were the opening of his eyes. That of course is right, but I believe that more significantly was the revelation of the Son of God to this blind man and to the world at large. The receiving of his physical sight was good but the gaining of spiritual insight was better. There are so many people who were born blind to the divine truth in the world today. If you are one of them, that same question comes to you – “Dost thou believe on the Son of God?” What will be your response? Remember it is Jesus Himself asking you this question. I assume you will be as wise as that man who was born blind. I have never been surprised seeing haters of the divine truth being provoked when I call Jesus the Son of God. It started from Bible days when the religious leaders of His day tried to silence Him because He proclaimed the truth about His incarnation. Let us again look at John 5:17 – 23 – “ But Jesus answered them, My Father worketh hitherto, and I work. Therefore the Jews sought the more to kill him, because he not only had broken the sabbath, but said also that God was his Father, making himself equal with God. Then answered Jesus and said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, The Son can do nothing of himself, but what he seeth the Father do: for what things soever he doeth, these also doeth the Son likewise. For the Father loveth the Son, and sheweth him all things that himself doeth: and he will shew him greater works than these, that ye may marvel. For as the Father raiseth up the dead, and quickeneth them; even so the Son quickeneth whom he will.For the Father judgeth no man, but hath committed all judgment unto the Son:That all men should honour the Son, even as they honour the Father. He that honoureth not the Son honoureth not the Father which hath sent him.” You see, the truth cannot be hidden. Even though the religious leaders tried the much they could to conceal the Sonship of the Lord Jesus Christ; even though the critics of His Deity deny His Sonship; even though they spit on Him, place a crown of thorns on His head, exposed His nakedness and killed Him; Jesus of Nazareth is known even by the devil of hell as the Son of God. Before His crucifixion, as He was about to pray for His disciples, the Bible says – “These words spake Jesus, and lifting up his eyes to heaven, and said, Father, the hour is come; glorify thy Son, that thy Son also may glorify thee.” – John 17:1 On another occasion, Jesus declared Himself the Son of God and the angry and stone-hearted Jews “ took up stones again to stone him. Jesus answered them, Many

good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me? The Jews answered him, saying, For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God. Jesus answered them, Is it not written in your law, I said, Ye are gods? If he called them gods, unto whom the word of God came, and the scripture cannot be broken; Say ye of him, whom the Father hath sanctified, and sent into the world, Thou blasphemest; because I said, I am the Son of God?” – John 10:31 – 36. This is not the first time we are hearing Jesus saying He was “sent into the world.” Many times in the Gospel He refers to this truth. But here the word “sanctified” is used in addition. In the original Greek, the word for “sanctified” can also be translated as - “consecrated, set apart, separated”. The word is frequently used in the Old Testament for the setting apart of a man for a specific office. In the New Testament it is used for Christian believers as in John 17:19. It follows that the mission of the Lord Jesus on earth could not have been accomplished by any other person. Who else in the history of mankind has ever said, “I and my Father (God) are one.” John 10:30. Friend, the Lord Jesus Christ is the perfect exegete of God. He is (according to Him) the Son of God and I believe Him. If you examine this scene carefully, you will discover that the Jews did not deny the fact that the Lord Jesus showed them so many good works from His Father. “Jesus answered them, many good works have I shewed you from my Father; for which of those works do ye stone me.” Now look at the response of the Jews again – “For a good work we stone thee not; but for blasphemy; and because that thou, being a man, makest thyself God.” In other words, they accepted His good works but denied His Deity. That makes no sense to Jesus. He is not after your sympathy. You either believe Him for what He is or you reject Him and face the consequences. Let us call off this witness by recalling the mockery of the chief priests while the Lord Jesus was on the cross of Calvary for the sins of the world. “Likewise also the chief priests mocking him, with the scribes and elders, said, He saved others; himself he cannot save. If he be the King of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and we will believe him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now, if he will have him: for he said, I am the Son of God.” – Matthew 27:41 – 43. How about that? Little did they know that it was only by not saving Himself that He could save others at the deepest level. He says – “Even as the Son of Man came not to be ministered unto, but to minister, and to give his life a ransom for many.” – Matthew 20: 28. If He had come down as they demanded (which He had the power to do), no flesh would have been saved. They never knew also that they were helping us to confirm the claim of Jesus – “I AM THE SON OF GOD.”

CHAPTER SIX THE VERDICT As you take time to go through this chapter, I pray that your soul will be divinely nourished. Like every case in the law court, the verdict is the most important aspect and receives the widest publicity. So, in concluding this case file, I know you must anticipate the release of the verdict. We will get that by going through some related verses of the Scripture. First and foremost, by spiritual law, a case is established only at the witness of two or three. The Bible says – “One witness shall not rise up against a man for any iniquity, or for any sin, in any sin that he sinneth; at the mouth of

two witnesses, or at the mouth of three witnesses, shall the matter by established.” – Deuteronomy 19:15. Also chapter 17:6 of the same book reads, “At the mouth of two witnesses, or three witnesses, shall he that is worthy of death be put to death; but at the mouth of one witness he shall not be put to death.” This is an indispensable yardstick we cannot afford to overlook as the truth is revealed. The Lord Jesus referred to this as He says – “ Moreover if thy brother shall trespass against thee, go and tell him his fault between thee and him alone: if he shall hear thee, thou hast gained thy brother. But if he will not hear thee, then take with thee one or two more, that in the mouth of two or three witnesses every word may be established.” – Matthew 18:15, 16. The apostle Paul used the same yardstick in establishing his case against the church in Corinth. He says – “This is the third time I am coming to you. In the mouth of two or three witnesses shall every word be established.” - II Corinthians 13:1. Again, the Lord Jesus was very careful in His claim as the son of God knowing fully well the demands of the law. He cites three witnesses to His claim thus – “If I bear witness of myself, my witness is not true. There is another that beareth witness of me; and I know that the witness which he witnesseth of me is true. Ye sent unto John, and he bare witness unto the truth. But I receive not testimony from man: but these things I say, that ye might be saved. He was a burning and a shining light: and ye were willing for a season to rejoice in his light. But I have greater witness than that of John: for the works which the Father hath given me to finish, the same works that I do, bear witness of me, that the Father hath sent me. And the Father himself, which hath sent me, hath borne witness of me. Ye have neither heard his voice at any time, nor seen his shape. And ye have not his word abiding in you: for whom he hath sent, him ye believe not.” – John 5:31 – 38. He gave the law and fulfilled it. The Lord Jesus presents here three outstanding witnesses to His claim – 1. John the Baptist 2. The works He did and 3. The Father who sent Him On His own presentation, the Holy Spirit was also very careful in presenting Christ as the only Begotten Son of God. Because of the nature of this case (for He knew men will one day dispute the Sonship of Christ), He went an extra mile by presenting five undisputable witnesses – Man, Angel, God the Father, Demons and Jesus Christ. At this point, I would like us to understand the express will of God for mankind and in fact for all creation. It is also important that we understand and admit the fall and subsequent separation of man from God due to the sin of our early parents in the Garden of Eden. To this end the Bible says – “There is none righteous, no, not one: … for all have sinned and come short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:10, 23. Furthermore, the Bible declares the root and consequence of sin. “Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned.” – Romans 5: 12. We cannot deny this. We are guilty. We all deserved death and eternal separation from God in hell fire. This is the demand of the law and by right is irrevocable. But that is not the will of God for His beautiful creation. Not all all! The apostle Peter says – “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” – I Peter 3:9. God in His infinite love and mercy made a provision for man to be reconciled to Him. In other words, God gave man a second chance. I believe God did this because some people even today have been busy blaming Adam and Eve for their sins. So God is saying – here you are with an opportunity to proving yourself and deciding your eternal destiny.

God provided a substitute for our penalty in the person of Jesus Christ by making “Him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in Him.” II Corinthians 5:21. This simply means that the Lord Jesus has to pay fully the penalty for the sins of mankind in satisfaction of the demands of the law. This introduces us to the purpose of His mission on earth. John 3:17 – “For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved.” You see, the purpose of His mission was not condemnation but salvation. Nevertheless, man has a role to play – we must accept this offer of salvation as to be reconciled to God our Creator. We must believe in the Only begotten Son of God according to the testimony of the witnesses else we are not God’s. The Verdi ct of this case is therefore recorded in various parts of the Scripture thus – “For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVETH IN HIM SHOULD NOT PERISH, BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE. He that believeth on him is not condemned; but he that believeth not is condemned already, BECAUSE HE HATH NOT BELIEVED IN THE NAME OF THE ONLY BEGOTTEN SON OF GOD. HE THAT BELIEVETH ON THE SON HATH EVERLASTING LIFE: AND HE THAT BELIEVETH NOT THE SON SHALL NOT SEE LIFE; BUT THE WRATH OF GOD ABIDETH ON HIM.” John 3:16, 18, 36 (note carefully my emphases). “And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life; and I will raise him up at the last day.” – John 6:40. Finally, let us consider this text carefully, “If we receive the witness of men, the witness of God is greater: for this is the witness of God which he hath testified of his Son. He that believeth on the Son of God hath the witness in himself: he that believeth not God hath made him a liar; because he believeth not the record that God gave of his Son. And this is the record, that God hath given to us eternal life, and this life is in his Son. He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life. These things have I written unto you that believe on the name of the Son of God; that ye may know that ye have eternal life, and that ye may believe on the name of the Son of God. If you have not accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as your personal Lord and Saviour, this is an opportunity to do that because tomorrow may be too late. Do that now by praying this simple prayer from your heart – My Lord and my God, thank you for sending your only begotten Son Jesus to die in my place on Calvary’s tree. I confess my sins and ask for forgiveness. I believe in the finished work of Calvary and trust in the shed blood of the Lamb of God. Write my name in the book of life, Oh God and grant me the grace to serve you all the days of my life. In Jesus’ name, I prayed. Congratulations! I welcome you to God’s wonderful family in Jesus’ name. We would like to hear from you. Take some time and write to us today. We will reply immediately and treat your mails in strict confidence. Chaplain Rev. Festus A. Ekenyere The Faith Builders Ministries - Worldwide P. O. Box 1803, Maiduguri. Borno-State. Nigeria. E-mail:[email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Mobil: +234809190878, +2348038119772