GOOD FRIDAY – THE CRUCIFIXION

FRIDAY – The Crucifixion

So much has been written about the crucifixion of Jesus. What more can be added. Most Christian authors, however,  have focused on the physical agony of crucifixion. It is the human connecting point with the suffering of Jesus.

No doubt crucifixion was a horrendous way to die. The Romans were the masters of it but they did not invent the practice – they only perfected it. Alexander the Great learned it during his conquest of the Persians but as the practice spread west it was the Romans who perfected its cruelty after learning of it from the Phoenicians. So horrid was its suffering that only slaves and the lowest form of criminals could be sentenced to crucifixion. By law no Roman citizen could ever suffer this form of punishment.

The Romans appear to have studied and perfected this form of suffering so that death would be elusive for two or three days. What made crucifixion so excruciating was the slowness of the suffocating process that induced death. The victim’s lungs would slowly fill with liquid making the satisfaction of a full breath elusive. Not completely without mercy, the Romans also designed an alcoholic potion that they intermittently offered the victim (when they saw fit) to ease the pain. But they rarely shortened the suffering of the victim.

When we consider the crucifixion of Jesus, our minds naturally race to the physical suffering He had to endure. No doubt it was excruciating. He entered into crucifixion with no sleep over the previous 24+ hours because after His supper with the disciples they went to the Garden of Gethsemane for prayer. While the disciples slept, Jesus prayed (Luke 22: 39-46).

Then, in the middle of the night, He was arrested (Luke 22:47-53) and forced to endure three illegal trials between midnight and 6AM at the hands of religious leaders who claimed to be protectors of God’s Law ( John 18: 2-12; Luke 22:54-71). After being condemned as a lawbreaker and blasphemer, and after being severely beaten and deprived of sleep, Jesus was turned over to the Romans for punishment. Because the Jews had no authority over capital punishment, their leadership demanded the severest form of punishment from the Romans who presided over death. While Pilate, the ultimate decision maker among men in this Roman province, tried in vain to avoid crucifying Jesus (John 18:28-19:16), he ultimately made the decision that sent Jesus to the cross. And after being severely beaten and whipped again – this time by the Romans – Jesus was led to Golgotha where He was fastened and displayed on the cross to die. His physical suffering was immense.

Yet for all the physical agony of the cross, I do not think that Jesus’ physical suffering was the greatest pain He had to endure. He was put on the cross by 9AM and by 3PM He was dead. His physical death was under His control. As the Son of God He chose when He would physically die (John 19:30; Matt 27:50). Six hours of suffering on the cross before dying was unheard of yet Jesus’, in complete control of His physical death, decided when that event would take place. The thieves, crucified on either side of Jesus, also had death hastened – by the Romans who broke their legs which prohibited them from pushing up to receive another refreshing breath of air.

What Jesus did not control was His spiritual death or separation from the Father. He lost that control at Gethsemane – the last opportunity He had to avoid capture and ultimately crucifixion. Three times He fervently prayed that the Father would use another means to accomplish the redemption of mankind – not to avoid the physical agonies of the cross but the spiritual separation from the Father. The Trinity having been in eternal fellowship with each other, was about to experience disruption of their intimate relationship. Jesus’ in His humanity experienced some of that separation during His earthly life. But now He was about to experience a complete spiritual disconnect with the Father and the Holy Spirit, and They with Him. It is conceptually impossible for us to completely grasp the spiritual separation experienced in the Trinity. For Jesus (as well as the Father and Holy Spirit), it was emotionally heart wrenching. This, I submit, was the greatest pain experienced by the Trinity – all its members – at the cross. It is the separation we deserve from God because of our sin. Yet, Jesus endured this separation so that those who are redeemed would not have to experience it any more throughout eternity.

We still must experience physical death (unless we experience the rapture). But, our faith in the Person and work of Jesus removes the fear of spiritual death or separation from God for all eternity. He took that away in His work and though He beseeched the Father for another way to accomplish our redemption, He ultimately endured the rejection by and the separation from the Father and Holy Spirit so that we who believe and celebrate the cross would not have to experience this separation.

May we, on this day of contemplation remembering the Cross, celebrate its work with gratitude expressed with a lifestyle representative of our profession.

THE OLIVET DISCOURSE

THURSDAY – The Olivet Discourse

Matt 24, 25

The Jewish people in Jesus’ day were looking expectantly for the coming Kingdom of God. Daniel 9 told them when to expect the King and when Jesus’ Triumphal Entry did not fulfill their expectation, there must have been a massive disappointment. While the religious leadership is antagonistic toward Jesus and the people have rejected Jesus, the disciples are still loyal to Jesus but wondering what to expect now that their prophetic expectations regarding Jesus have been shattered. So in private they ask Him a very penetrating questions – “Tell us, when will these things happen, and what will be the sign of Your coming, and of the end of the age?”The establishment of the kingdom is still on their minds.

Jesus answers with a list of identifiable signs that the establishment of the kingdom is near. These signs are: the emergence of false Messiahs (24:5), wars and rumors of wars (24:6), anarchy, famines and earthquakes (24:7). Amazingly, Jesus tells us that this is only the beginning of problems to come (24:8). The real difficulties begin after these signs. There will be persecution of Jesus’ followers (24:9), apostasy by professed followers of Jesus (24:10), the appearance of false prophets (24:11), anarchy (24:12a), the humility and service characterized by agape love ceases to be expressed (24:12b). The only positive sign is that the Gospel will have permeated the world (24:14).

But then comes the big sign – a figure who performs the abomination of desolation (24:15). Once this figure prophesied by Daniel makes his appearance, Jesus warns those listening that it is time to flee (24:16) because God’s wrath is about to be displayed (24:16-26). Once this figure appears and does his evil, the Lord says He will return (24:27). It will be at this time that Jesus will commission the angels to gather the elect from around the world for entrance into the kingdom.

Jesus follows these signs of His second coming with parables encouraging urgent expectation by followers of the King (24:32-25:30)! He was urging His followers to be on the look out for these signs (24:32-25), that it will occur unexpectedly (24:36-44), and that faithfulness is expected by followers of the King (24:45-51).

What about you? Are you expecting the King? Could the signs we are seeing now be the signs spoken of by Jesus during Passion Week? If so, it is all the more reason to be prepared for His return and to keep our eyes focused on the King rather than circumstances.

JESUS” LAST PUBLIC SERMON

WEDNESDAY – Jesus’  Last Public Sermon Matt 23: 1-39

Most scholars believe that Jesus’ last public discourse (found in Matthew 23) was delivered on Tuesday. They also believe that the great eschatological treatise aka the Olivet Discourse was privately delivered on Tuesday. They also conclude that the Gospels do not record any of the Wednesday events of Passion Week. If this is true, Jesus had a very busy speaking day on Tuesday.

Jesus last public discourse was aimed directly at the Scribes and the Pharisees. What He had to say regarding them was not pleasant. In fact, it was inflammatory and antagonistic. Jesus was in non-stop attack mode. Eight times He begins His attack with ‘Woe to you scribes and Pharisees’. A ‘woe’ is more than a warning, it is a denunciation and Matthew 23 is nothing more than a denunciation of the scribes and Pharisees.

Seven times Jesus calls the scribes and the Pharisees hypocrites. Although used fewer times than ‘woe’, it is a stronger denunciation. He also calls them ‘blind guides’ four times and ‘fools’ once. At the end of this sermon there was no doubt in the listener’s minds about what Jesus thought of the Scribes and Pharisees.

Why was Jesus so strong in His denunciation of them? Matthew 23:2-12 tells us that they were proud men. They were proud of displaying their position of leadership before each other and the people.

But worse, their teaching kept themselves and others from a relationship with God. They had reduced religion to outward activity and had convinced themselves as well as the people they taught that a relationship with God was dependent upon your performance.

Jesus said that those who follow the teaching of the Pharisees’ performance based religion were cut off from heaven. In other words, anyone who trusts in his good works as being pleasing to God is really separated not only from religious reality but from an eternal relationship with God (see Mt 23:13). In fact, following the teaching of a Pharisee was doubly damned in the sight of God (Mt 23:15).

After His very convicting sermon against the scribes and Pharisees to the people, Jesus wept over Jerusalem (Mt 23:37-39). He wept because the teachers and religious leaders did not understand the ways of God. Because of their poor teaching, the people also did not understand the ways of God. Performance based religion is unacceptable to God. It is nothing more than filthy rags (Isa 64:6). Jesus spent much time trying to get the eyes of the people off of themselves (and their performance) and onto Him (His Person and His work).

In the midst of the most important week of remembrance on the Christian calendar, are you taking the time to focus on the work of the cross and its eternal benefit for you, or are you focusing on what you think you need to do in order to garner God’s favor. Passion Week is not about us – it’s about Him and His work on our behalf. Let’s not make the same mistake of the people in Jesus’ day by listening to the wrong voices and being distracted with our noble efforts to please God rather than focusing on the glories of the cross.

THE ATTRACTION OF SACRIFICE

TUESDAY – John 12:20-50

The Attraction of Sacrifice

I know “The Attraction of Sacrifice” is a strange heading for this sermon of Jesus delivered on Monday of Passion Week. Yet, it conveys the lesson intended by Jesus in these verses. It is noteworthy that this message was delivered to Hellenistic Jews (John 12:20).

Note the language that Jesus’ uses to describe His crucifixion.  In 12:23 He calls His crucifixion the hour of glory (12:23) and that the crucifixion was ‘The hour of purpose!’ (12:27). He also asked the Father to use ‘The Hour’ to glorify His Name (12:28a). The Father responded by promising He would (12:28b). Jesus’ purposed to focus on the results rather than the means of His work on the cross, thus eliminating discontent with the plan.

To help the Disciples and the Hellenistic Jews understand the crucifixion, Jesus used an agricultural metaphor (12:24). In order for wheat to be living and productive, it must first die. But once it dies and is buried, it becomes fruitful.

Jesus said He was willing to die and be buried in order to be fruitful for the Father’s glory (12:28, 32, and 33). He indicated in this teaching that finding one’s life and identity in this world is a losing mindset. Instead, He proposes that abandoning one’s earthly identity (i.e. dying to self) results in eternal fruitfulness (12:25). But not abandoning one’s earthly identity will forfeit eternity. Therefore, He implores us to identify with His purposeful work and gain eternity rather than holding onto the worthless material life we can see and presently trust.

After this teaching session, Jesus left and hid Himself (12:36b). It was not profitable to remain around those who would not believe (12:37). There was a reason for their unbelief. Isaiah is quoted as saying that their hearts were hardened by God (12:40). And although it seems that God is maliciously hardening their hearts and keeping them from the faith, we see in 12:43 that the hardening of a man’s heart is not arbitrary on God’s part but rather a response to man’s misplaced loyalties. John 12:43 tells us that those whom God hardens and keeps from the truth are those who live to please men rather than God. Or said a different way, they fear man more than they fear God.

What kind of person are you? One whose focus is self-centered and in this world? One who fears man more than God? One who lives pleasing men to gain the approval of other men, or one who lives shows love for God through obedience to His will in order to express appreciation for His purposeful plan on the cross? Jesus taught in John 12 that it was time to die. For Him it meant setting aside His desires, His will and His physical life in order to experience spiritual and physical death as our substitute of the punishment for sin to accomplish the plan of God. For us it means setting aside our love for this world and the approval of men in order to gain an eternal inheritance through faith in His person and work (12:25, 43, 44-50).

PASSION WEEK

THE FINAL WEEK OF JESUS

MONDAY – Palm Sunday

After many months absence, I have returned! These last several months have been busy and have kept me from writing as I would like. However, on this night I find myself unable to sleep because of the challenging times – the current economic situation, the talk of potential monetary globalization but more importantly, what this week over 2,000 years ago meant to our Lord. After almost three and ½ years of ministry, the time of His first coming was approaching its termination. He would soon be sacrificed on the cross – a work considered tragic (unhappy events that excite pity or terror) by humans but planned and purposeful by God.

This week we will take a brief look at the final but deliberately planned events in Jesus’ life. It all began on Sunday, the first day of the week that we commemorate as Palm Sunday. The historical summary is recorded in Matthew 21:1-9, Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:28-44 and John 12:12-19 under the heading of the Triumphal Entry.

Jesus’ ministry to this point has increasingly placed him at odds with people. The religious leadership – the Pharisees, Scribes, Sadducees and Herodians – have turned against Him after tentatively embracing Him at the beginning of His ministry. His followers at this time include the people and the disciples but this is about to change. Excitement has been building over the past few weeks of Jesus life. The Jewish people knew from prophecy that the Messiah was about to appear on the scene. Daniel 9: 24-26 predicts the exact day the Messiah will appear and the Jewish people have been expecting His appearance. Jesus has demonstrated His Messianic credentials (Isaiah 61:1, 2a). He has captured the attention of the Jewish nation waiting for their King to take His throne.

On Palm Sunday, Jesus made His entrance into Jerusalem as it had been foretold by Daniel. He entered on the back of a donkey as Zechariah 9:9 had indicated. The people assembling for the Passover were delirious with the excitement over prophecy being fulfilled before their eyes and they expressed their excitement (‘Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord’ – Matt 21:9) as they had been taught from Psalm 118:24-26 at Jesus’ triumphal entry.

But the people’s excitement also elicited rage on the part of the religious leadership. Jesus’ was stopped by the Pharisees just before entering the Temple and commanded to rebuke the crowd for giving Him the Messianic greeting of Psalm 118 (Luke 19:39). Jesus’ reply is from Habakkuk 2:11 but paraphrased He said, ‘Even if I command them to stop proclaiming the Messianic Psalm to me, the rocks will take up the cry because prophecy must be fulfilled’ (Luke 19:40).

And then He entered Jerusalem, and then the Temple. He healed the blind and the lame (Matthew 21:14) and then He left for Bethany (Matthew 21:17). An anticlimactic end after such an enthusiastic welcome.

The crowd was disappointed in Jesus’. He had not lived up to their expectations for political deliverance from the Romans and because of this they abandoned their support of Him. Now Jesus’ only supporters are the disciples and in a few days one will betray Him, the others will temporarily abandon Him as well. From a human perspective, Jesus’ is experiencing increasing loneliness.

All this should cause us to ask, “What kind of person am I?” “What unbiblical expectations about Jesus’ am I allowing to dominate my mind?” I think there are three main attitudes that need to be addressed. The first is the apathetic attitude that basically maintains there is no need to pursue an understanding of the purposeful work of Jesus. This mindset does not and is not willing to consider the claims of Jesus to be the Son of God and Son of Man who came to substitute Himself as a sacrifice to receive the just wrath of God for man’s sin. This also carries the greatest eternal condemnation because judgment is based on what you do with the Person and work of Jesus the Christ (Psalm 2:12).

There is a second problematic attitude. This one acknowledges the Person of Jesus but has a focus of an earthly expectation of His work – as the Pharisees and the 1^st century Jew did. Those in Jesus’ times expected a Messianic kingdom that would overthrow the Roman rule. When that did not materialize they abandoned their support of Jesus. In doing so they missed the reason Jesus came to earth.

The third and correct attitude shared by the Apostles and taught in Scripture is that Jesus came to redeem us from an eternal spiritual separation from God because of our sin. Although establishing an earthly or material kingdom was a part of God’s purposeful plan, it was not the primary focus of Jesus during Passion Week. Rather, the focus of Passion Week was spiritual rather than material. It was spiritual redemption that would ultimately lead in the purposeful plan of God to material redemption.

During these unstable economic times it is easy to get sidetracked from the reason Jesus came. This is not the time to reject Jesus for not living up to our expectations in the material world but to refocus on the spiritual objectives He accomplished on the cross. It is a time to remain consistent in our praise and allegiance to the KING of King and LORD of Lords as we contemplate this week in the life of Jesus that fulfilled the prophecies of His first coming.

Abiding Produces Rewards

WEDNESDAY

NAU John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is thrown away as a branch and dries up; and they gather them, and cast them into the fire and they are burned.

NIV John 15:6 If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned.

NKJ John 15:6 “If anyone does not abide in Me, he is cast out as a branch and is withered; and they gather them and throw them into the fire, and they are burned.

There is a danger for NOT abiding in Christ. Jesus says that the branch that does not abide is separated from the life of the vine. Some have taken this to mean that a Christian can lose his salvation! But elsewhere in Scripture we are told this cannot happen (John 10: 28, 29; Romans 8:31-39) and since Scripture will not contradict Scripture, John 15:6 cannot refer to the loss of relationship with Jesus or the Father! Instead it must be referring to the ‘fake’ branches that are allowed to identify with the real branches for a while before being separated from the vine.

True branches bear fruit:

NAU John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit, He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit, He prunes it so that it may bear more fruit.

NIV John 15:2 He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes {2 The Greek for prunes also means cleans.} so that it will be even more fruitful.

NKJ John 15:2 “Every branch in Me that does not bear fruit He takes away; and every branch that bears fruit He prunes, that it may bear more fruit.

Fake branches do not bear fruit.

It’s that simple! The one who remains confident in the finished work of Jesus on the cross for the needed ‘declared righteousness’ from God will demonstrate the reality of that confidence by remaining confident in that truth. And God will demonstrate their true status by producing fruit in their life.

NAU John 15:8 “My Father is glorified by this, that you bear much fruit, and so prove to be My disciples.

NIV John 15:8 This is to my Father’s glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.

NKJ John 15:8 “By this My Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit; so you will be My disciples.

Not abiding has a consequence. Abiding has a reward. Remain dependent upon Him.

ABIDING: An Attitude of Dependence Upon God

TUESDAY

NAU John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself unless it abides in the vine, so neither can you unless you abide in Me.

NIV John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

NKJ John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in Me.

The analogy of the vine and branch is very appropriate when discussing what it is to abide. The image is one of dependence. The branch of a vine or a tree cannot survive on its own. It is incapable of independence. It has life only as long as it remains attached to the body of the vine or tree. Once that relationship is severed, life in the branch is done.

Jesus uses this analogy masterfully to demonstrate the believer’s dependence upon Him in order to be productive spiritually. We will not come to Him on our own for salvation, we cannot initiate our own salvation, we cannot live victoriously over sin without Him and we cannot be productive spiritually without Him. We must remain in Him. And unless He grafted us into the vine not only would we not have life but we would not be able to remain grafted.

The importance of this truth about abiding is that we are dependent upon Jesus for every aspect of our spiritual life. And the mark of a true follower of Jesus is that he will remain acknowledging his dependence on Him for salvation, sanctification and ‘fruitification’! So, at the start, abiding is an attitude that (as we will see) will express itself in action.

NIV John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.

ABIDING: A COROLLARY TO REPENTANCE

MONDAY

Last weekend I attended with my family the 4^th Annual Resolved Conference. It is aimed at collegians but benefits all ages. The topic was Heaven and Hell and concluded Monday night. I would highly recommend next year’s conference. But this only explains why I am late in posting my blog.

Last week we looked at repentance and saw that the Greek word for repentance means to ‘change your mind’. This primarily refers to ‘changing your mind’ about the Person and Work of Jesus, but we concluded the week by seeing that repentance is an attitude the follower of Christ will embrace in all areas of His walk with God.

This week’s post is about Abiding in Christ. The Greek word for ‘abide’ means to ‘remain’ or to ‘continue’. The follower of Christ first repents or changes his mind about the Person and work of Jesus, and then remains or abides with this changed view of Jesus. This is the very command of Jesus to those who repent in their attitude toward Him:

NAU John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you….

NIV John 15:4 Remain in me, and I will remain in you….

NKJ John 15:4 “Abide in Me, and I in you….

It is obvious we will be looking at the John 15, specifically verses 1-10. But we must begin by identifying the key characters of the passage. They are: the vinedresser, the vine and the branches.

NAU John 15:1 “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.

Jesus identifies Himself in verse 1 as the vine and calls His Father (God) the vinedresser. This is clearly established in verse 1. In verse 2, the branches and their care are introduced but not identified – the identification comes in verse 3! The branches are identified with a personal pronoun – you – and refer in the immediate context to the disciples but will have an expanded identification to include those who follow Jesus.

As we close today, we must notice the work of the vinedresser – taking away or pruning! The literal meaning of the two words used are ‘lifting up’ and ‘cleansing’ respectably! Two of the issues we will examine in relationship to abiding this week are ‘lifting up’ and ‘cleansing’ in addition to looking at the Source,, the Result, the Proof and the Demonstration of Abiding.

THE CONTINUITY OF REPENTANCE

FRIDAY

When you think about it, the follower of Christ is in a constant attitude of repentance. You are constantly changing your mind. You begin following Christ by changing your mind about who He is and what He did for you (He is the Son of God who took the punishment for your sins). You change your mind about the Bible (it is the Word of God that teaches us about the Person of God, the nature of our salvation and convicts us of sin). And when you change your mind, it manifests itself by changing your behavior out of appreciation for His work on the cross – you turn away from doing that which is displeasing in God’s sight as revealed in the Word of God, the Bible. In fact, as we expose ourselves to God’s Written Word, His Spirit will convict us of our wrong thinking and behavior and prompt us to repent in our thinking and behavior. We repent because we appreciate His sacrifice on our behalf. So repentance is not a one time act, it is an ongoing mark of the follower of Jesus. We should repent everytime God’s Word and God’s Spirit convicts us of sin.

Another way of discussing this topic is to use the term conformity. We are chosen to conform to the image of Jesus:

NAU Romans 8:29 For those whom He foreknew, He also predestined to become conformed to the image of His Son, so that He would be the firstborn among many brethren;

The followers of Jesus are NOT to be focusing on themselves and conforming to their desires:

NKJ 1 Peter 1:14 as obedient children, not conforming yourselves to the former lusts, as in your ignorance;

Instead we are to allow ourselves to be transformed by the renewing our minds through God’s Written Word:

NIV Romans 12:2 Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is– his good, pleasing and perfect will.

It is interesting to note that the word used in both 1 Peter 1:14 and Romans 12:2 means to be shaped by. Our own desires and the world system is not to continue shaping our thinking and behavior. Rather, we are to be shaped into the image of Jesus. Although perfection is not obtainable in our thinking and behavior here in this life, it is certainly the hope we will attain when we enter the presence of God as believers in the Person and work of Jesus.

NEXT WEEK – ABIDING: A COROLLARY TO REPENTANCE

EXPRESSING REPENTANCE

THURSDAY

While repentance begins in the heart, it will express itself in behavior – changed (repentant) behavior.

NAU Acts 26:20 but kept declaring both to those of Damascus first, and also at Jerusalem and then throughout all the region of Judea, and even to the Gentiles, that they should repent and turn to God, performing deeds appropriate to repentance.

NIV Acts 26:20 First to those in Damascus, then to those in Jerusalem and in all Judea, and to the Gentiles also, I preached that they should repent and turn to God and prove their repentance by their deeds.

NKJ Acts 26:20 “but declared first to those in Damascus and in Jerusalem, and throughout all the region of Judea, and then to the Gentiles, that they should repent, turn to God, and do works befitting repentance.

First, the changed mind and heart believes differently about the Person and work of Jesus. But then, the changed heart will want to prove this new internal attitude about God by performing deeds consistent with the teaching of Jesus. No longer will a follower of Jesus insist upon doing things his or her way, but the follower of Christ will seek to discover what is pleasing in His sight!

NAU Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone wishes to come after Me, he must deny himself, and take up his cross and follow Me.

NIV Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to his disciples, “If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me.

NKJ Matthew 16:24 Then Jesus said to His disciples, “If anyone desires to come after Me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow Me.

This must involve an attitude of repentance toward the Bible – it is no longer a book of writings sourced by men that we can pick and chose what to believe and do, but it is a book of writings sourced by God, and delivered authoritatively and inerrantly through men to tell us what to believe and how to perform appropriate repentance.