B ULLETIN THE OPEN BIBLE
The Son Of God Was God The Son
By Matthew Little, President
January 2025
The incarnation of God as Jesus Christ is akin to trying to answer an unanswerable question or explain a concept beyond human comprehension. This divine plan, conceived by God the Father before the foundation of the world, was brought to fruition through the incarnation of the Son of God and the work of the Holy Spirit through faith. It is no wonder that salvation is described as a gift of God and not of works.
Luke 1:35 says, “And the angel answered and said unto her, ‘The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee; therefore, also, that holy thing which shall be born of thee shall be called the Son of God’.” (emphasis mine) The doctrine of the incarnation states that God took on human form in the body of Jesus Christ. Jesus was fully human and fully God all at the same time. The spiritual battles waged against Christianity are often centered on whether Jesus indeed possessed a divine nature. This fundamental belief is highlighted especially during the Christmas season. The notion of “God in the flesh” has been a point of contention for many who view Christianity as a series of inexplicable mysteries and seamless absurdities.
In 1 Timothy 3:16, the Scripture emphasizes the mystery of godliness, stating, “…great is the mystery of godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory.” Attempting to comprehend this concept solely through human logic proves to be a futile endeavour, as it transcends human understanding.
The Christmas story, which heralds the arrival of God in human form, is a narrative that can only be comprehended through the lens of faith. While some may struggle to put their faith in something beyond their understanding, it is reminiscent of Einstein’s quest to understand electricity, which remained elusive to him until his passing. As Vance Havner once remarked, “I don’t understand it either, but I’m not going to sit in the dark until I do.” The Christmas story stands as an unfathomable and indescribable event, yet one that has changed the lives of millions of people, including myself. While I may not have all the answers, I am absolutely certain that Jesus is the ultimate answer to life’s questions. This FREE event is for Grades 11 and up. Come sit in on classes and tour our campus!
Join hundreds of men for this weekend of encouragement, fellowship and worshipping our God! More info - nbbi.ca/mfg Men For God
January 2025
College For A Day
First And Last Words
By Dr. David Doherty, Faculty
Words are important; they are a window into one’s soul. Parents will long cherish memories of a child’s first words. No doubt this was true for Mary and Joseph as they welcomed Jesus into this world and listened to His words as a child and later as an adult. Scripture reveals little about Jesus’ early years, but does record some of His initial words as He began and later ended His public ministry.
The One who is the “Word” spoke gracious words (Lu. 4:22) that were comprehensive, consistent, considerate, and compassionate. May His words be spoken through our lives.
The Gospel of Mathew, the Gospel of the King, reveals Jesus first speaking of fulfilling “all righteousness” (Matt. 3:15) as His ministry began. Righteousness was His first recorded subject. Ultimately, He will rule in righteousness as Revelation 19:11 teaches. As King of kings, He will rule with a rod of iron. Jesus’ last words in Matthew’s Gospel were spoken as He gave the great commission and then ascended to heaven (Acts 1:910; Matt. 28:19-20). His words were comprehensive for the rest of time.
In Mark’s Gospel, Jesus the Servant of God, proclaimed the need for repentance and that the kingdom of God was at hand (1:14-15). His final words were of the signs following believers (16:17-18). Jesus’ final words were consistent from start to finish.
The Gospel of Luke shows Jesus’ humility as the Son of Man. Here, Jesus’ first noted words were “I must be about My Father’s business” (2:49). His focus was on the task of doing the Father’s will as a faithful Son who sought to please His Father. His final words promised the coming of the Holy Spirit and the need to stay in Jerusalem until they were empowered by the Spirit. Luke recorded Jesus’ final act as blessing His followers (24:49). Their response was worship, great joy, and continual praise. As the GodMan, Jesus identified well with believers. His words were considerate of the needs of others.
John’s Gospel shows Jesus’ first words as He asked John the Baptist’s followers, “What seek ye?” These words continue to echo through time. What are people seeking today? The Answer to their needs was before their eyes. Jesus’ question was followed by a gracious invitation to “come and see.” This also is applicable to all people today. John’s Gospel notes Jesus’ final three words, “follow thou Me.” Jesus desires His followers to walk with Him. As we journey through time, we will never be too close to the Lord Jesus Christ as we learn of Him. Here Jesus’ final words were full of compassion
By Austin Davis, Food Services Manager
Another softball season is in the books. This was an especially exciting season since all of the teams consisted of a majority of new faces from this year’s freshmen class. We were able to kick off another school year by getting to know one another better outside of the classroom. Staff and students alike showed up each night to either play or cheer for the teams as they battled it out for the trophy. The teams in the finals this year were the Little’s/McMahon’s team, the Legendary Marauders, and the Leubner’s team, Leubner’s Legacy. Prior to the finals, there was a staff and student barbecue followed by some lighthearted team activities and silly competitions. The season concluded with the Legendary Marauders defeating Leubner‘s Legacy. The 2024 NBBI Softball Season was a great time of fellowship and growing in closeness as a student body and staff. Each season is great fun but more importantly it is a wonderful way to develop character and unity not only as staff and students but as believers. It was a great season with lots of laughs had and memories made.
Family File
Marriages
Joel Frost (BTh ’20) and Sarah Ellis on October 5, 2024 in West Stewartstown, NH.
To Ethan (BBS ’24) and Gretchen (Grunder, Assoc. ’22) Grant, a girl, Georgia Belle on October 5, 2024.
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For additional options: Call us toll-free at 1-800-771-NBBI (6224)
Give by mail:
New Brunswick Bible Institute 2335 Route 103
Victoria Corner NB E7P 1C7
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Attn.: NBBI Fund PO Box 828
Houlton ME 04730-0828
Rebecca Sampson (BTh ’20) & Jebediah Johnson on October 12, 2024 in Waterboro, ME.
Births
To Emerson (Assoc. ’22) & Claudia Vila Nova, a girl, Lilian Torres on October 5, 2024.
To Gabe (BTh ’19) and Hannah (Grant, ’18) Myers, a boy, Wesley Joseph on October 21, 2024.
The NBBI class of 1985 is planning a class reunion on campus during the Spring Conference, May 2-4, 2025. Forty years have gone by since this class received their diplomas! If you can, please plan to join us. For more information, contact us at nbbi@nbbi.ca or join the facebook group entitled NBBI Class of 1985.
