Hi Everyone,   As we move along the book of Hebrews, take advantage and ponder the theological landscape of the first three verses. Don't miss out on the peaks of doctrinal solidarity:   1. Revelation. This is the doctrine of Inspiration. The OT and the NT were produced through the act of divine inspiration. God revealed to the prophets of old His Word. It became the norm, the standard, the canon, the authority.God spoke reminds us of this doctrine as an established truth and the manner by which this divine speech was given: in diverse ways in the OT but singularly in the NT by His Son.   2. Christology. This is the doctrine of Christ's person and work. It describes His personhood: Who is Christ? Is He just a mere enlightened man (eg. Buddha and Muhammad) with uncanny and esoteric religious experiences? Is he just a great master teacher or poet? Is he just another sage that has blessed us with his life?  Basically, how is Christ taught in Scriptures is the question and answer with regard to Christology. The doctrine of the "hypostatic union" is preeminently taught in Scripture: this is the teaching that Jesus' personhood is both fully God and fully man indivisibly and inseparably (abovementioned term--hypostatic-- comes from Hebrews 1:1-3 where "exact representation of hisnature--hypostaseo--meaning essence--hypostatic/nature union). He is fully God and fully Man united. There is no dilution of either natures. They both perfectly are united in a mysterious union. Furthermore, His two natures operate in harmony and manifest itself in the work of Christ: His mission, miracles, redemption, etc. Christology, then, is simply everything taught in the Bible concerning Jesus. Nonetheless, this doctrine teaches that Jesus-the God-Man--is much more than any other religious sage that has come into the scene of humanity.   3. Sin. Notice in the first three verses of Hebrews, which are extremely important to the setting of the tone of the whole letter, there is a statement made about Christ and His redemptive work. Its amazing that part of the prologue connects Jesus' work on the cross as the preeminent accomplishment to his earthly mission. Beloved, sin and death is the primordial human problem! The writer does not postpone the doctrine of Christ's work on the cross for our sins. In other words, beautifully woven in the introduction to this sermon/letter is the topic of sin, and therefore, it behooves us in pulpit and evangelism ministries to treat sin as part of our presentation of truth AS EARLY AS POSSIBLE.   4. The Trinity. In the first three verses is also revealed for us.  Both the Father/God is compared to the Son by way of essence. The Father spoke and the Son spoke with the same authority vested in them; the Father spoke in the prophets which is an allusion to the 2 Peter 1:19-21 and how the prophets spoke and wrote Scripture as they were moved by the HS. So all three are seen in the work of revelation and inspiration. Both the Father and the Son have equal Glory. Both the Father and the Son have equal status on the throne, etc. The Trinity is a mystery but a glorious truth! Much to the chagrin of Islamic followers.   These are just some of the doctrines and theology taught from the first three verses. Amazing isn't it!! Now, these are truly wonderful doctrines that rest squarely on the written Word. They are not just mere doctrines to admire as you would your new TV, but these are humbling eternal and functional teachings. These are solid doctrines that evoke adoration, praise, and worship for such an awesome God who is beyond our intellectual rational understandings in many ways. He is a mysterious God who can stoop down to the level of humanity and not loose one iota of His divinity in the second person of the Trinity. Jesus is not a superhuman--man but a man who was tempted like we were yet found without sin. Because of his sinlessness he was found to be the perfect sacrifice for our sins, a lamb without blemish. A priest without a sin offering of his own and  with a body as a gift offering to God which secures our forgiveness and pardon. Jesus, although truly man, was a Savior. he was not just a mere enlightened itinerary sage.  "For we can do nothing against the truth, but only for the truth" (2 Corin.13:8)   Blessings, Pastor James T. Cater Miramar Church 6390 SW 32nd Street Miramar, FL 33023 (954) 981-4677 pastorjim@miramar.org www.miramarchurch.org

“Truth is the best flower in the church’s crown. We do not have a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor He a richer jewel to trust us with than His truths. Truth is a sign of honor; it distinguishes us from the false church as chastity distinguishes a virtuous woman from a harlot… Truth is the best militia of a kingdom; once we part with truth and espouse popery, the lock is cut where our strength lies. What then should we be violent for if not for truth?” Tomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm, [first published in 1669, quote from Northampton Press edition: Orlando, Fl], p.8-9 I often wonder deeply at the state of affairs of the church at large. The church, the bride of Christ, has sunk so low in an effort to win the world that the bayonets of truth have fallen with a loud noise in the trenches of compromise. Compromise is all around us. The culture pressures us into not “political correctness” but “truth correctness!” We (the church) devise a new way of disguising truth in a way that it is not offensive to the masses of “false brethren” in the church. In an effort to retain the superficial followers, we mask the truth in pop-psychology, and many other forms of pseudo-truths. Of course these are no truths at all! A half-truth certainly sounds, smells, and looks like truth, but when placed under the microscope of God’s Word, the amoeba-like half-truths scurry to hide away from the light. Beloved, truth is the marquise of the church! It should reign supreme! It should decorate the halls of our hearts. It should never be shoved into a corner where no one can see. As our dear Puritan writer, Thomas Watson said above, “truth is the best flower in the church’s crown.” Without truth the church cannot survive long. It must strengthen itself in it, and it must go to battle with it. Paul tells us that the church is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). John tells us that truth “abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). John was also very delighted to see his disciples “walking in the truth” (2 John 4, 3 John 4). Jesus tells us that the Word is truth, and it sanctifies us (John 17:17). In John 1:14 it tells us that Jesus incarnate was full of grace and truth.  One of Jesus’ peculiar messianic purposes was to testify to the truth (John 18:37). And, in the same verse, Jesus declares that “everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37). Therefore, the question that lies before the church is, are we “of the truth” and are “we hearing His voice”? The right answer must be before us if we are to be distinguished from the false church. Are we willing to pick up once again the bayonets of truth and thrust them deep into the gut of the enemy? Are we willing to die for truth? Are we willing to sacrifice image and décor for the sake of truth? Charge! Charge! Ahead is the battle for truth! Beloved, are you “of the truth”?    Pastor Jim Cater  

“Truth is the best flower in the church’s crown. We do not have a richer jewel to trust God with than our souls, nor He a richer jewel to trust us with than His truths. Truth is a sign of honor; it distinguishes us from the false church as chastity distinguishes a virtuous woman from a harlot… Truth is the best militia of a kingdom; once we part with truth and espouse popery, the lock is cut where our strength lies. What then should we be violent for if not for truth?” Tomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm, [first published in 1669, quote from Northampton Press edition: Orlando, Fl], p.8-9 I often wonder deeply at the state of affairs of the church at large. The church, the bride of Christ, has sunk so low in an effort to win the world that the bayonets of truth have fallen with a loud noise in the trenches of compromise. Compromise is all around us. The culture pressures us into not “political correctness” but “truth correctness!” We (the church) devise a new way of disguising truth in a way that it is not offensive to the masses of “false brethren” in the church. In an effort to retain the superficial followers, we mask the truth in pop-psychology, and many other forms of pseudo-truths. Of course these are no truths at all! A half-truth certainly sounds, smells, and looks like truth, but when placed under the microscope of God’s Word, the amoeba-like half-truths scurry to hide away from the light. Beloved, truth is the marquise of the church! It should reign supreme! It should decorate the halls of our hearts. It should never be shoved into a corner where no one can see. As our dear Puritan writer, Thomas Watson said above, “truth is the best flower in the church’s crown.” Without truth the church cannot survive long. It must strengthen itself in it, and it must go to battle with it. Paul tells us that the church is “the pillar and support of the truth” (1 Tim 3:15). John tells us that truth “abides in us and will be with us forever” (2 John 2). John was also very delighted to see his disciples “walking in the truth” (2 John 4, 3 John 4). Jesus tells us that the Word is truth, and it sanctifies us (John 17:17). In John 1:14 it tells us that Jesus incarnate was full of grace and truth.  One of Jesus’ peculiar messianic purposes was to testify to the truth (John 18:37). And, in the same verse, Jesus declares that “everyone who is of the truth hears my voice” (John 18:37). Therefore, the question that lies before the church is, are we “of the truth” and are “we hearing His voice”? The right answer must be before us if we are to be distinguished from the false church. Are we willing to pick up once again the bayonets of truth and thrust them deep into the gut of the enemy? Are we willing to die for truth? Are we willing to sacrifice image and décor for the sake of truth? Charge! Charge! Ahead is the battle for truth! Beloved, are you “of the truth”?   Pastor Jim Cater

“Truth is an antidote against error. Error is the adultery of the mind; it stains the soul as treason stains blood. Error damns as well as does vice. A man may as well die by poison as by pistol. And what can stave off error but truth? The reason so many have been tricked into error is because they either did not know or did not love the truth. I can never say enough in the honor of truth. Truth is the ground of our faith; it gives us an exact model of religion; it shows us what we are to believe. Take away truth and our faith is fancy.” Thomas Watson, Heaven Taken by Storm, First published in 1669 in London, [Northampton Press edition: Orlando, Florida, 2007], p.8The Puritans, the “physicians of the soul,” so they were called. Thomas Watson, a Puritan, and his book, Heaven Taken by Storm, is a balm that cures the wounds of the heart and soul. What better disease, malady, or cancer that needs radical surgery than error? The worst and the most deadly sickness is the poison of error. Error, however, seems to be the elixir most consumed by our culture. Our culture seems to be enamored by any and every species of quasi-truth. Everywhere you turn there seems to be a charlatan of truth. It’s if we need to ring the Francis Schaeffer slogan—“true truth”. In other words, our culture is so saturated by many so-called truths that we need to clearly articulate “true truth.” We need to sound off the clarion call of truth and let it reverberate throughout the valleys, mountains, and plains of our great country! There is certainly a battle for the truth in our culture. But, what about in the church? Have you given it some thought? Have you pondered that the church is also in need of “true truth?’ We are being bombarded by new movements calling themselves Christian; by science and their attack on the historicity of Genesis; by the constant erosion by liberals on the authority of Scripture; by false teachers masquerading as servants of Christ; by methodologies that entertain, by fads and novelties; and by a never ending assortment of humanistic quasi-experts of all shapes and sizes. What’s the church to do? We are to contend for the truth. We are to agonize for the truth. We are to have a holy violence for the truth. We ought to uphold truth, stand firm on the truth, raise the truth high, and endure in the truth as if life depended on it. Therefore, what do we do individually about truth in our lives and in the life of the church? We either pursue truth relentlessly, or we die a slow cancerous death to error. We either stamp out prideful ignorance and the false humility that comes hanging from its back, or error will blind us. On the other hand, if you do not love the truth then you have died already. My beloved, from which of these planks of the ship of error will you be jumping headlong into your watery grave filled with error? Come off the plank and get back in the safety of the ship of truth! Pastor Jim Cater