Faith

Jesus of Testimony

February 20, 2014 By ELLIOTT NESCH

An indispensible look at the Jesus of history and the Jesus of the Bible. . . Jesus of Testimony is hands down the best and most comprehensive look at the historical Jesus.

- Greg West, The Poached Egg, Ratio Christi’s Christian Worldview and Apologetics Network

For more information, visit the official Jesus of Testimony page. Did Jesus really exist? If so, what can we know about Him historically? For any Christian, the historicity of Jesus isn’t merely a matter of curiosity. The Christian faith is dependent upon the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as historical reality. But how can we know if the Jesus of the the Gospels is historical or legendary? Jesus of Testimony answers many of the important questions for skeptics as well as Christians in the area of Christian apologetics. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Apologetics, Bart Ehrman, Canon, Faith, Gospel, HBP Films, Healing, Jesus, Jesus Myth, Kingdom of God, Manuscript Evidence, Miracles, New Testament Studies, Orality, Papias, Paul the Apostle, Peter the Apostle, Prophecy, Repentance, Textual Criticism

The True Grace of God

January 31, 2014 By ELLIOTT NESCH

Grace is not a hug. Grace is not a substitute for repentance. Jesus Christ was “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). “Grace and truth came through Jesus Christ” (John 1:17). A grace without truth is not a properly balanced and biblical grace. With Peter’s mention of “the true grace of God” (1 Peter 5:12), it must be that there is also a false grace.

Most importantly, the Scriptures tell us that we are saved by grace. “We believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved” (Acts 15:11). Paul said,

For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God, not of works, lest anyone should boast. (Ephesians 2:8-9)

Again, “In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of sins, according to the riches of His grace” (Ephesians 1:7); Salvation is by grace, and faith gives us access to this grace by which we are saved. “We have access by faith into this grace in which we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God” (Romans 5:2).

We cannot earn or merit our salvation by works or obedience, but salvation is a free gift of God. Paul said, “God, who has saved us and called us with a holy calling, not according to our works, but according to His own purpose and grace which was given to us in Christ Jesus before time began,” (2 Timothy 1:8-10); “Now to him who works, the wages are not counted as grace but as debt” (Romans 4:4); “Therefore it is of faith that it might be according to grace,” (Romans 4:16); “And if by grace, then it is no longer of works; otherwise grace is no longer grace. But if it is of works, it is no longer grace; otherwise work is no longer work” (Romans 11:6). Grace actually enables us to believe. In Acts 18:27, we read, “he [Paul] greatly helped those who had believed through grace.”

Many Dispensationalists make a distinction between the Gospel of grace and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God. They argue that the Gospel of the Kingdom was preached to the Jews and will be preached again in a future “great tribulation” but now we preach the Gospel of Grace. In their own words: “A remnant of the Jews will preach the Gospel of the Kingdom. Today we preach the Gospel of Grace.”1 Another said, “This good news to that nation was the ‘gospel of the kingdom,’ and should in no wise be confused with the Gospel of saving grace.”2

Are there really two different Gospels? This may sound good on the surface, but Paul understood the Gospel of Grace and the Gospel of the Kingdom of God to be one and the same Gospel. Paul said,

But none of these things move me; nor do I count my life dear to myself, so that I may finish my race with joy, and the ministry which I received from the Lord Jesus, to testify to the gospel of the grace of God. And indeed, now I know that you all, among whom I have gone preaching the kingdom of God, will see my face no more. (Acts 20:24,25)

Notice how Paul used these terms Gospel of the Grace of God and Gospel of the Kingdom of God interchangeably and synonymously. Paul never referred to more than one Gospel. This Gospel of the Kingdom is the Gospel of Grace and has everything to do with our salvation.

True grace is the power of God unto salvation. Paul the Apostle said, “For sin shall not have dominion over you, for you are not under law but under grace” (Romans 6:14). If we are truly under grace, then we are not under sin. The power of grace destroys the power of sin. The measure of which we are truly under grace corresponds to the measure which we are loving God and keeping His commandments. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Dispensationalism, Faith, Free Will, Grace, Hyper-Grace, Martin Luther, Obedience, Power of God, Sin, Sola Fide, Sola Gratia, Works

Coming Soon: JESUS OF TESTIMONY

November 28, 2013 By ELLIOTT NESCH

Coming soon: Jesus of Testimony (a film by my brother Ethan and I in the works for the last 3 years). Here is the trailer below and description:

Jesus Of Testimony Trailer from Nesch Bros on Vimeo.

Did Jesus really exist? If so, what can we know about Him historically? For any Christian, the historicity of Jesus isn’t merely a matter of curiosity. The Christian faith is dependent upon the incarnation, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus as historical reality. But how can we know if the Jesus of the the Gospels is historical or legendary? Jesus of Testimony answers many of the important questions for skeptics as well as Christians in the area of Christian apologetics.

In Part 1: Lord or Legend, the historicity of Jesus Christ is demonstrated by the important non-Christian historical sources that are available to us today. Part 2: Are the Gospels Reliable? examines the historical reliability of the Gospels as eyewitness testimony to the life of Jesus. Part 3: Miracles provides strong evidence that miracles happen today and happened in history. In Part 4: The Testimony of Prophecy, many of the Old Testament messianic prophecies are quoted along with their New Testament fulfillments which establish a solid confirmation of Jesus’ credentials as the Messiah. In Part 5: The Resurrection - Fact or Fiction? the case is presented for the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead. Finally, Part 6: The Good News concludes that the portrayal of Jesus in the Gospels, dependent on eyewitness testimony, is more plausible than the alternative hypotheses of its modern detractors and presents the Jesus’ message of the Gospel.

The participants in the film include many of todays top Christian apologists, authors and scholars including Richard Bauckham, Craig Blomberg, Michael Brown, Paul Eddy, Steve Gregg, Gary Habermas, Craig Keener, Mike Licona, Dan Wallace and Ben Witherington III.

Cast biographies, more info, and DVD pre-orders available on the website:

JesusofTestimony.com

We hope to have it released in January of 2014. DVD copies are available for Pre-Order on the website. The feature film will be available online upon release and will also be freely distributed on DVD for those who are unable to purchase.

Have you or somebody you know been healed from sickness, blindness, deafness or raised from the dead in Jesus’s name? For this film, Jesus of Testimony, we are currently looking for 2-3 testimonies from Christians who have experienced miracles, preferably with medical documentation, who would be willing to be interviewed. Because this project is intended for skeptics and unbelievers, we will be very critical as to whether or not any given miraculous testimony would be worthwhile to include. If so, contact us at [email protected]