Pastor Ralph Posted December 10, 2015 Report Share Posted December 10, 2015 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
IvoryEagle Posted March 12, 2016 Report Share Posted March 12, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? He is all that is; to look beyond Him is futile. Focus on Him and all there is to be achieved is found in trusting Him. He who began a good work in us will finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JanMary Posted March 13, 2016 Report Share Posted March 13, 2016 Q2 (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? He is all, He knows all, He created all, and He will complete all that is to be completed. That says to me that I am in His perfect care, no loose ends will be left hanging. His very nature is perfect and Holy...so there is nothing that will be left to chance which concerns me and those I love. There is never any reason to worry....so why do I forget when there is pressure???? He holds the entire universe in the palm of Hand. How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in Him? When Jesus said on the Cross: IT IS FINISHED!, He had completed my faith in the future, so that "At that day, I will be like Him." He prayed that Peter's faith would not fail, and He does the same for each of us. He is the source for my faith, and the trials He permits are the building blocks to increase faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
blezed Posted March 14, 2016 Report Share Posted March 14, 2016 (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? The titles teaches us about God's eternal nature, thru his divinity. He is the first and last, the beginning and the end, the Living One. Knowing Jesus is the Author and Perfecter our faith helps to build my trust in him because I recognized that he has a plan for my life already written. All I need to do is to put my trust in Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JeannieG Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? My Answer: 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as though dead. Then he placed his right hand on me and said: “Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One; I was dead, and now look, I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys of death and Hades. 2 fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Jesus is sovereign over all. He has always been and always will be. He has defeated death and sits at the right hand of God. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stanley Tavaziva Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? As the Roman government stepped up its persecution of Christians, John must have wondered if the church could survive and stand against the opposition. But Jesus appeared in glory and splendor, reassuring John that he and his fellow believers had access to God’s strength to face these trials. If we are facing difficult problems, that the power available to John and the early church is also available to us. Our sins have convicted and sentenced us, but Jesus holds the keys of death and the grave. He alone can free us from eternal bondage to Satan. He alone has the power and authority to set us free from sin’s control. Believers don’t have to fear death or the grave because Christ holds the keys to both. All we must do is turn from sin and turn to him in faith. When we attempt to control our life and disregard God, we set a course that leads directly to hell. But when we place our life in Christ’s hands, he restores us now and resurrects us later to an eternal, peaceful relationship with him. Jesus is the perfector of our lives, we need to put our trust in him only Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
haar Posted March 15, 2016 Report Share Posted March 15, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? He was, is and will be. He is eternal that is He lives forever just as God the Father is. It teaches and reminds us that salvation is found only in and through Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hanks Posted March 16, 2016 Report Share Posted March 16, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in Him? These titles all tell us that He spans time and eternity, since He is before all things and will remain beyond all things. From Colossians 1:16-17 we read: For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Therefore, He is the source and goal of creation. Since Jesus is both the Beginning and the End we know that He will have all authority over everything in-between. Meaning that Jesus has a plan for history, and He directs the path of human events toward His designed fulfilment. He began and He will end the Divine program of this world. His life on earth was a perfect example of what the life of faith is like. In this sense He is the Author, or pioneer, of our faith, but He is also the Perfecter of our faith, in that He also finished His life victoriously. He focused His life on the coming glory when all the redeemed would be gathered with Him eternally. Jesus Christ who is the First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, and the Author and Perfecter, directs all human history and even our individual lives. However, this does not mean our lives are given over to blind fate, or random meaningless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
van Posted March 18, 2016 Report Share Posted March 18, 2016 Jesus being the Son of God and part of the Godhead was here from the beginning and He will be alive forever more. The more we keep our eyes on Jesus the stronger our faith becomes. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lighthouse2014 Posted March 19, 2016 Report Share Posted March 19, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? The titles of Jesus in Rev. 1:17-18 and Heb. 12:2 teaches us that Jesus nature is divine, he was with the Father from the beginning and will be with him forever more and ever. Knowing that Jesus is the author and perfecter of our faith, helps build our trust in him. He endured the shame set down at the cross, rose from the dead and sits at the right hand of the throne of God the Father. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Debra Grant Posted March 21, 2016 Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? "Who is, and who was, and who is to come" (Revelation 1:4, 8) reflects God's eternal nature, the I AM, which is shared by Jesus. Jesus is present in the now; he always was; and he is coming again! "Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith"(Hebrews 12:2) Jesus is, "one who has a preeminent position -- leader, ruler," then "one who begins or originates, originator, founder." Jesus is,"one who brings something to a successful conclusion, perfecter," from telos, "end, termination," then "goal, outcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
alimaespa Posted March 21, 2016 Report Share Posted March 21, 2016 These titles all tell us that He spans time and eternity, since He is before all things and will remain beyond all things. From Colossians 1:16-17 we read: For by Him all things were created: things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or powers or rulers or authorities; all things were created by Him and for Him. He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together. Therefore, He is the source and goal of creation. Since Jesus is both the Beginning and the End we know that He will have all authority over everything in-between. Meaning that Jesus has a plan for history, and He directs the path of human events toward His designed fulfilment. He began and He will end the Divine program of this world. His life on earth was a perfect example of what the life of faith is like. In this sense He is the Author, or pioneer, of our faith, but He is also the Perfecter of our faith, in that He also finished His life victoriously. He focused His life on the coming glory when all the redeemed would be gathered with Him eternally. Jesus Christ who is the First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End, and the Author and Perfecter, directs all human history and even our individual lives. However, this does not mean our lives are given over to blind fate, or random meaningless. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Annelle Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? Jesus is everywhere all the time. He is our source, our fountain of wisdom. The One we need to go to, to be saved and taught. We can trust Him with reservation. In fact, He invites us to trust in Him. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taz Posted March 22, 2016 Report Share Posted March 22, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? It is counterintuitive to believe that anything or anyone could be the first and the last, the alpha and the omega, the beginning and the end! I mean how could that be possible. If a person is first in line, how can they be last in line at the same time? How could anyone be "the beginning" and "the end", not just AT the beginning and AT the end, but TO BE the beginning and the end at the same time? Basically, it is against the laws of physics that anyone or anything can be in two places at the same time. But GOD is not ordered by the laws of physics, in fact, He created the laws of physics! Even in Hebrew where the words "I (the LORD) Am the First and I Am the Last" are used (Isaiah 41:4 & 44:6), first and last are contrary to each other. Or are they? If someone or something is the "first", it is the oldest, with none coming before; and in contrast if that same someone or something is the "last" it is the newest, the most recent, with none coming after! That is He, our Savior and LORD. He was and is the "Firstborn" (Romans 8:29; Colossians 1:15-18; Revelation 1:5) In Genesis we can read the first reference to "time" when it says, "In the beginning" (Genesis 1:1) Then in vs 5 it says, "GOD called the light Day, and the darkness He called Night.So the evening and the morning were the first day." Our GOD is Eternal, He has no beginning and no end. When Christ Jesus says of Himself that He is the First and the Last, the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End, He is NOT saying that GOD in the Three Persons of the Godhead had a beginning and will have an end. NO! What He is saying is, that in Him, as the Second Person of the Godhead, eternity is not just part of Him, it is Him. His nature is Eternal, He is Eternity itself! He not only created everything we can see, but everything that is not seen, those invisible things, "whether thrones or dominions or principalities or powers. All things were created through Him and for Him." (Colossians 1:16) "You are worthy, O LORD, to receive glory and honor and power; For You created all things, and by Your will they exist and were created." (Revelation 4:11) As He is not only eternal, but IS Eternity, we can be assured that as His Word says that "every good and perfect gift is from GOD" (James 1:17) and as it is by His Word that we know that "faith" is a gift, as it says in Ephesians 2:8-10, "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and not of yourselves; it is the gift of GOD, not of works, lest anyone should boast. For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which GOD prepared beforehand that we should walk in them", we can trust that He will bring us to the place of perfection that is His will for us. It is interesting to note that the word used in Hebrews 12:2 as "finisher" (perfecter) is a Greek word (teleiotes) that is found only once in the NT. As He is not only the Creator of ALL things, He is the Creator of our faith which brings us to Him, and BY Him as it says in Philippians 1:6, that it is He who "has begun a good work" in us, and "will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ" As we have heard the Word of Truth, that is His gospel, we are trusting IN Him and we are "sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise, Who is the guarantee of our inheritance until the redemption of the purchased possession, to the praise of His glory." (Ephesians 1:13-14) That "purchased possession" is us! And finally, in Psalm 127 we can read, "Unless the LORD builds the house, they labor in vain who build it; unless the LORD guards the city, the watchman stays awake in vain." We are not responsible for the building of our spiritual house nor are we responsible to guard it. Christ is our Founder, He is our Builder, He is our Protector (John 10:28-29), the One Who maintains and increases us by His Spirit, not by our efforts. We are to walk "in good works" but not depending on those good works to achieve anything except to bring glory to Him. In fact, we are to do ALL THINGS for His glory! 1 Corinthians 10:31 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Commissioned Posted March 29, 2016 Report Share Posted March 29, 2016 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? The titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teaches us that Jesus’ is everpresent; from eternity to eternity, He is. Knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him because He founded our salvation and is with us to complete it here on earth. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Jerry Posted April 5, 2016 Report Share Posted April 5, 2016 These titles First and Last and the Beginning and End teaches us that Jesus will always be there because He was there before the world was formed. So knowing that Jesus is always there all we have to do is learn about him because He is the Author and Perfecter of our faith. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lottie Posted July 29, 2018 Report Share Posted July 29, 2018 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? It teaches us that Jesus like the Father was here before the world began. He is the first one to be raised from the dead and He is the last one to appear again in His second coming. He is the Alpha and Omega and the Beginning and End. For He like the Father created all things and is will bring all things to fruition. It tells us that Jesus went before us and will help us finish the race. He will give us the strength to persevere. He already knows what is in store and we can trust Him to guide us and help us. He started it and He will finish it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Godswriter Posted July 30, 2018 Report Share Posted July 30, 2018 It teaches us that He is eternal and was in existence before time began and before the earth was created even. He is the reason our faith is in existence and the reason we believe in the Bible as well. He is the only God called those names who deserves those names to begin with. Knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith builds our trust in Him by showing us that He is Faithful and True. When He is that way we can trust that He knows what is best for us and He will answer our prayers as well. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MICHELLE OXLEY Posted September 28, 2018 Report Share Posted September 28, 2018 The Names of Jesus.docx Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rosegarden Posted August 28, 2020 Report Share Posted August 28, 2020 On 12/10/2015 at 2:43 PM, Pastor Ralph said: Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus’ nature? How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in him? a. It teaches us that He is the God who was, who is and whoever more shall be. He was the Word in the Beginning with God and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:1-3) It teaches us that He knew us before we were born, is always with us, loves us, is faithful, birthed us the second time by giving us the grace and faith to believe in Him, and will be with us throughout eternity. He is the Author and finisher of our faith (Heb. 12:2) and being confident of this very thing, that He who has begun a good work in you will complete it until the day of Jesus Christ; (Phil.1:6) b. Knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith, gives us a peace and rest because its not in our own merits that we are perfected, its because what Christ has done and is doing in us by His Holy Spirit, we are sealed until the day of redemption. And we all having been unveiled in face, beholding as in a mirror the glory of the Lord, are being transformed into the same image, from glory to glory, even as from the Lord, the Spirit. (2 Cor. 3:18) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bianca Posted June 26, 2022 Report Share Posted June 26, 2022 Jesus has always existed. He was with God at the beginning and he is the end. There is no other way but through Jesus. No other door but through Jesus. Jesus is the first of the new creation to come on the new earth because we been made new in our spirits when we were born again. All things begin with him all things end with him. We all must face Jesus in the end. Since Jesus is perfect in every way he can be trusted to fulfill his promises. Jesus is God in the flesh. God doesn't lie and Always keeps his promises. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Krissi Posted June 10, 2023 Report Share Posted June 10, 2023 The titles indicate His timelessness, but more importantly, that He is "everything" to us. It's not so much that He is first, but that He is everything. Jesus as the author and perfector of faith pulls me into that sticky morass in which I feel that I have made decisions on my own to follow Him, yet this verse tells me that my faith comes from Him -- my "agency" wasn't a part of my salvation. I have a lot of difficulties with this idea, frankly. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Niyonka16 Posted January 30 Report Share Posted January 30 Q2. (Revelation 1:17-18; Hebrews 12:2) What do the titles First and Last, Alpha and Omega, Beginning and End teach us about Jesus' nature? ANSWER: What it is the titles “First and Last” teach us about Jesus' nature is, Jesus is claiming to be the Great Jehovah of the OT; Jesus is claiming pre-existence as Jehovah of the OT; Jesus, by using this title is claiming that this was also thus, He is eternally Jehovah from the first to last. The titles “Alpha and Omega” teach us about Jesus’ nature is Jesus is the Alpha and the Omega, which means that Jesus was here before time began, and He’ll be here after time ends. Jesus is eternal and Jesus is all we need. Jesus is the first cause of our faith. He blazed the trail of faith, showing us what it means to trust our heavenly Father with our whole lives. Christ is the originator of our faith in that He begins it, as well as the captain and prince or our faith. This indicates that Jesus controls our faith, steers it as a captain steers a ship, and presides over it and cares for it as a monarch presides over and cares for his people. It is important for us to understand that God in Christ is not only the creator and sustainer of our saving faith, but He is also the sustainer of our daily walk and the finisher of our spiritual journey. For if God in Christ is not the author of our new life, and if Christ is not the finisher and perfecter of our faith through the Holy Spirit’s indwelling power, then we are neither born again nor are we a true follower of Christ. “And I am sure of this, that He who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ.” “In Him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in Him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit, who is the guarantee of our inheritance until we acquire possession of it, to the praise of his glory.” How does knowing that Jesus is the Author and Perfecter of our faith help build our trust in Him? ANSWER: He has many names, but Author and Perfecter are distinctly related to a life of faith. Jesus is the “founder” (or “author,” or “pioneer”) of our faith in at least three senses. First, He is the only one who has finished the race in its fullest sense. Jesus, however, has entered God’s rest in heaven and is seated at the Father’s right hand. We, together with these others, will reign with Jesus in heaven (Revelation 20:4). Secondly, it was actually Jesus’ perfect life that has made it possible for these others to run their race (Hebrews 10:5-14). If Jesus had not come, the race of everyone else would have been futile. Finally, Jesus is the reason we have faith. As one with God, He expressed the faithfulness of God toward us. God never gave up in His efforts to save us, and that is why we will reach the reward in the end if we don’t give up. Jesus ran with patience and remained faithful, even when we were faithless (2 Timothy 2:13). Our faith is only a response to His faithfulness. In the end, Jesus is the “perfecter” of faith because He perfectly exemplifies how the race of faith is run. He laid aside every weight by giving up everything for us. Though we can never achieve what Jesus did in our own strength, we have His perfect example before us, and so by faith in Him, and keeping our eyes on Him (as have the others before us), we press on ahead in faith, trusting in His promises of a great reward. Just as the men and women of faith did in Hebrews 11, we have a task to do with the materials at hand. Jesus provides the defined standard. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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