The
objection as stated has the bias that believers in Christ are somehow removed
from His promises so that they cannot claim them as their own. The perpetrators of the objection would have us to think that Jesus was just some guy who lived centuries ago and in no way can modern "believers" in Him claim any link, relationship, or benefit. The idea must
have its roots in ignorance or a false view Jesus Christ.
The inerrancy, infallibility, and especially
the historical reliability of the Scriptures has to be established. I cannot be
your sole source of information for everything. There are plenty of good
articles on the internet which have that information and good arguments in
favor of inerrancy, infallibility, and historical reliability. Here are two
such articles: http://www.findingtruthmatters.org/articles/inerrancy/
Once those things are understood, then
we’ve established that the gospel books of the New Testament contain the
historically accurate record of the life of Jesus Christ. It is not really
incumbent upon me to prove all that, because having understood what the Bible
is and having tested it for errors yourself, you would come to know its
inerrancy and properties as God’s Word.
From the promises spoken by Jesus as
recorded in the gospel books, we can know as a fact that those who believe in
Him receive his promise of eternal life, among other promises. Here are just two of the quotes that promise eternal
life to those who believe:
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18
"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:39-40
The specific sins of the specific people that Jesus saves were punished when Jesus died upon the cross. The well-known concept of "expiation" is literally the idea that the sins of those who believe in Jesus are placed on Him on the cross for God to punish and thereby annul. "Expiation" as an idea has it roots in the Old Testament as the concept of atonement in Numbers 8:7, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalms 65:3, 79:9. Expiation through Jesus is first of all prophesied in Isaiah, declared in the words of John the Baptist, implied in the words of Jesus, and spelled out further in the letters and epistles of Paul and Peter, and in the book of Hebrews.
(in the prophecy of Isaiah): "But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him." Isaiah 53:5-6
(as declared by John the Baptist):
"The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me." John 1:29
(as declared by Jesus):
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
(by Jesus, after His resurrection):
"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:45-48
(Paul):
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us- for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:13
(the author of Hebrews):
"so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." Hebrews 9:28
(Peter):
"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24
Jesus's promises are extended to those alive past his first advent (his first bodily time on Earth). They do not only apply to the disciples that were in His immediate presence while He was on Earth. They apply to any believers in Christ shortly thereafter until the present day. The following quotes are from the words of Jesus to support that conclusion. They tend to indicate that following him by being obedient to His words and loving Him place a person in His good grace and love. One would not have to have literally followed him around in bodily form to do that. In John 14 Jesus is explaining how the exact situation is going to work that He is leaving them and "going to the father."
(Jesus):
"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." John 14:21
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me." John 14:22
"These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:25
"You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." John 14:28
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 14:10
Jesus gave the disciples in his presence "the great commission," but instructed them to make more disciples in the absence of his bodily earthly presence. That would not be the case if Jesus only wanted the disciples in His immediate presence to believe in Him and receive His promises. The continuing intercession of Jesus from heaven after His ascension is described in the book of Hebrews and 1 John. His continuing role as mediator between God and man is spoken of in Hebrews and in 1 Timothy.
(Jesus): "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.
"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
(the author of Hebrews): "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25
(John): "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
(Paul): "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5
(the author of Hebrews): "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises." Hebrews 8:6
Thus, the promises for eternal life to those who believe in Christ are clearly stated in the Bible. The Bible is the inerrant and infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 15:6). It is clearly indicated throughout the Scriptures that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross takes away the sins of the world- those who would believe in Him. The literal sins of those specifically who believe in Jesus were placed on Jesus and punished at the cross so that Jesus takes away all of their blame, shame, and guilt. The Scriptures clearly indicate that that and all the other promises given to believers are still valid for those who believe in Jesus even after He ascended to heaven.
While I have focused mainly on the eternal promises for salvation, the initial objection, "what do believers have anything to do with Jesus," also dangerously and incorrectly seeks to nullify the truth of what is currently involved in believers' relationships with Christ while they are still alive on earth- that is to say, the "temporal blessings" that come from Christ. Believers in Jesus are members of "the body of Christ" which is the church (the people that comprise the church) and have an identity in Christ. (Romans 12:4-6, 1 Corinthians 12:12; 12:27). Believers have Christ in them (Romans 8:10). So to say that modern believers have nothing to do with Jesus is totally incorrect.
I have focused first on, and emphasized the salvific/redemptive dimension of all this, but to not do so is to downplay the the severity and consequences of the Fall of Man. "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness, there resulted justification of life to all men" (Romans 5:18). That is to say, I have tried to give it proportionately the same emphasis as the Scriptures. From Christ to those who believe and are saved comes "every spiritual blessing," even temporally (Ephesian 1:3). The first chapter of the book of Ephesians contains a good explanation of the many blessings and "inheritance" promised to those who can claim "adoption as sons" through Jesus Christ. We have a good savior who cares. He does not redeem us for heaven later just to simply leave us in disregard on Earth. Believers in Christ can claim all the promises of the Scriptures, including being "sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory," (Ephesians 1:13-14), and many other promises.
"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. For God did not send the Son into the world to judge the world, but that the world might be saved through Him. He who believes in Him is not judged; he who does not believe has been judged already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God." John 3:16-18
"This is the will of Him who sent Me, that of all that He has given Me I lose nothing, but raise it up on the last day. For this is the will of My Father, that everyone who beholds the Son and believes in Him will have eternal life, and I Myself will raise him up on the last day." John 6:39-40
The specific sins of the specific people that Jesus saves were punished when Jesus died upon the cross. The well-known concept of "expiation" is literally the idea that the sins of those who believe in Jesus are placed on Him on the cross for God to punish and thereby annul. "Expiation" as an idea has it roots in the Old Testament as the concept of atonement in Numbers 8:7, Deuteronomy 32:43, Psalms 65:3, 79:9. Expiation through Jesus is first of all prophesied in Isaiah, declared in the words of John the Baptist, implied in the words of Jesus, and spelled out further in the letters and epistles of Paul and Peter, and in the book of Hebrews.
(in the prophecy of Isaiah): "But He was pierced through for our transgressions,
He was crushed for our iniquities;
The chastening for our well-being fell upon Him,
And by His scourging we are healed.
All of us like sheep have gone astray,
Each of us has turned to his own way;
But the Lord has caused the iniquity of us all
To fall on Him." Isaiah 53:5-6
(as declared by John the Baptist):
"The next day he saw Jesus coming to him and said, "Behold, the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world! This is He on behalf of whom I said, 'After me comes a Man who has a higher rank than I, for He existed before me." John 1:29
(as declared by Jesus):
"He who believes in the Son has eternal life; but he who does not obey the Son will not see life, but the wrath of God abides on him." John 3:36
(by Jesus, after His resurrection):
"Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and He said to them, "Thus it is written, that the Christ would suffer and rise again from the dead the third day, and that repentance for forgiveness of sins would be proclaimed in His name to all the nations, beginning from Jerusalem. You are witnesses of these things." Luke 24:45-48
(Paul):
"He made Him who knew no sin to be sin on our behalf, so that we might become the righteousness of God in Him." 2 Corinthians 5:21
"Christ redeemed us from the curse of the Law, having become a curse for us- for it is written, "Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree" - in order that in Christ Jesus the blessing of Abraham might come to the Gentiles, so that we would receive the promise of the Spirit through faith." Galatians 3:13
(the author of Hebrews):
"so Christ also, having been offered once to bear the sins of many, will appear a second time for salvation without reference to sin, to those who eagerly await Him." Hebrews 9:28
(Peter):
"and He Himself bore our sins in His body on the cross, so that we might die to sin and live to righteousness, for by His wounds you were healed." 1 Peter 2:24
Jesus's promises are extended to those alive past his first advent (his first bodily time on Earth). They do not only apply to the disciples that were in His immediate presence while He was on Earth. They apply to any believers in Christ shortly thereafter until the present day. The following quotes are from the words of Jesus to support that conclusion. They tend to indicate that following him by being obedient to His words and loving Him place a person in His good grace and love. One would not have to have literally followed him around in bodily form to do that. In John 14 Jesus is explaining how the exact situation is going to work that He is leaving them and "going to the father."
(Jesus):
"He who has My commandments and keeps them is the one who loves Me; and he who loves Me will be loved by My Father, and I will love him and will disclose Myself to him." John 14:21
"If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word; and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our abode with him. He who does not love Me does not keep My words; and the word which you hear is not Mine, but the Father's who sent Me." John 14:22
"These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you." John 14:25
"You heard that I said to you, 'I go away, and I will come to you.' If you loved Me, you would have rejoiced because I go to the Father, for the Father is greater than I." John 14:28
"If you keep My commandments, you will abide in My love; just as I have kept My Father's commandments and abide in His love. These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full." John 14:10
Jesus gave the disciples in his presence "the great commission," but instructed them to make more disciples in the absence of his bodily earthly presence. That would not be the case if Jesus only wanted the disciples in His immediate presence to believe in Him and receive His promises. The continuing intercession of Jesus from heaven after His ascension is described in the book of Hebrews and 1 John. His continuing role as mediator between God and man is spoken of in Hebrews and in 1 Timothy.
(Jesus): "All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go therefore and make disciples of all the nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and the Son and the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I commanded you; and lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20.
"And He said to them, 'Go into all the world and preach the gospel to all creation. He who has believed and has been baptized shall be saved; but he who has disbelieved shall be condemned." Mark 16:15-16
(the author of Hebrews): "Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them." Hebrews 7:25
(John): "My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. And if anyone sins, we have an Advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous; and He Himself is the propitiation for our sins; and not for ours only, but also for those of the whole world." 1 John 2:1-2
(Paul): "For there is one God, and one mediator also between God and men, the man Christ Jesus." 1 Timothy 2:5
(the author of Hebrews): "But now He has obtained a more excellent ministry, by as much as He is also the mediator of a better covenant, which has been enacted on better promises." Hebrews 8:6
Thus, the promises for eternal life to those who believe in Christ are clearly stated in the Bible. The Bible is the inerrant and infallible word of God (2 Timothy 3:16, Matthew 15:6). It is clearly indicated throughout the Scriptures that the sacrifice of Jesus on the cross takes away the sins of the world- those who would believe in Him. The literal sins of those specifically who believe in Jesus were placed on Jesus and punished at the cross so that Jesus takes away all of their blame, shame, and guilt. The Scriptures clearly indicate that that and all the other promises given to believers are still valid for those who believe in Jesus even after He ascended to heaven.
While I have focused mainly on the eternal promises for salvation, the initial objection, "what do believers have anything to do with Jesus," also dangerously and incorrectly seeks to nullify the truth of what is currently involved in believers' relationships with Christ while they are still alive on earth- that is to say, the "temporal blessings" that come from Christ. Believers in Jesus are members of "the body of Christ" which is the church (the people that comprise the church) and have an identity in Christ. (Romans 12:4-6, 1 Corinthians 12:12; 12:27). Believers have Christ in them (Romans 8:10). So to say that modern believers have nothing to do with Jesus is totally incorrect.
I have focused first on, and emphasized the salvific/redemptive dimension of all this, but to not do so is to downplay the the severity and consequences of the Fall of Man. "So then as through one transgression there resulted condemnation to all men, even so through one act of righteousness, there resulted justification of life to all men" (Romans 5:18). That is to say, I have tried to give it proportionately the same emphasis as the Scriptures. From Christ to those who believe and are saved comes "every spiritual blessing," even temporally (Ephesian 1:3). The first chapter of the book of Ephesians contains a good explanation of the many blessings and "inheritance" promised to those who can claim "adoption as sons" through Jesus Christ. We have a good savior who cares. He does not redeem us for heaven later just to simply leave us in disregard on Earth. Believers in Christ can claim all the promises of the Scriptures, including being "sealed in Him with the Holy Spirit of promise who is given as a pledge of our inheritance, with a view to the redemption of God's own possession, to the praise of His glory," (Ephesians 1:13-14), and many other promises.
