“Jesus Christ, The Lion King” Author and Writer Ronlad Nelson

BIBLE MEDITATION: “But one of the elders said to me, “Do not weep. Behold, the Lion of the tribe of Judah, the Root of David, has prevailed to open the scroll and to lose its seven seals.” Revelation 5:5;

ENCOURAGING WORD:

As children growing up we were always taught about the fierce lion being referred to as the “King of Beasts.” The lion has the loudest roar of all the big cats. It's so loud it can reach 114 decibels (at a distance of around one meter) and can be heard from as far away as five miles. Taking that into consideration that is quite incredible. When a lion is born, the cub is as harmless as a dove, but as he reaches full size he is the most feared of all animals throughout the jungles. As I was thinking this through, I thought about the similarities between a Lion and our Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ!

As we read through the Bible, obviously starting in the Old Testament, we never hear the name of Jesus Christ until we get to the book of Matthew in the New Testament. Even though we do not see His name written anywhere, He is clearly spoken of in every book of the Bible. Even Jesus Himself said the following when referring to the Old Testament,

Hebrews 10:7; “Then I (Jesus) said, ‘Behold, I have come, in the volume of the book it is written of me, to do your will, O God.”

When you understand who inspired the scriptures of the Old Testament, you will see why every page is somehow in reference to His being. The Holy Spirit, (The Third part of the Trinity) is responsible for every Word Written throughout the whole Bible. For those of you that believe the Bible is only 80% true, you better get that notion out of your head before it is too late. Side Note: Those that believe this rediculous doctrine are the same ones that are responcible for all the false doctrine that is permeating through most of our Chrsitian churches today.

When we get to the four Gospels of the New Testament, we are introduced to Jesus Christ in name for the first time. The four Gospels are all about the life of Jesus Christ written by four different authors from four different prospectives. In the books of Matthew and Luke we get insight to the virgin birth. Mark and John bypass the birth and get right into His ministry. We read in Matthew and Luke where the life of Jesus Christ starts out as a Baby in a manger born of the Virgin Mary. He was born into this world as the Lamb of God, where we read in the book of;

John 1:29; where we hear John the Baptist declare, “The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him, and said, “Behold! The Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!” 

Jesus Christs main focus as He came into the world the first time was as a suffering servant to make reconciliation for our sins.

We read in; Matthew 21:5; “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Behold, your King is coming to you, Lowly, and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

Jesus came to the world to pay for all the sins of those that would believe on Him. Yes, it does say that He paid for the sins of the world, but keep in mind, to receive this free gift of grace, you have to accept it. Its like If someone were to offer you a brand new 2026 Corvette, it would not be yours until you accepted it. If you do not accept it, is not yours, in the same way if you do not accept the free gift of grace, which is to say, (forgiveness of sins) you will remain in your sinful state until you pass away and you will be judged accordingly at the White Throne Judgement! 

This brings us to the second coming of Jesus Christ which is for a totally different reason than the first time He came. He is coming at the end of the tribulation period as the King of kings and Lord of lords as it states in;

Revelation 17:14; where we read, “These (The rulers of the world at that time) will make war with the Lamb, and the Lamb will overcome them, for He is Lord of lords and King of kings; and those who are with Him are called, chosen, and faithful.” 

Jesus is coming back as the Lion King from the Tribe of Judah to judge all those that are left on the earth after the seven year tribulation is over.

We read in; Matthew 25: 31-34; where it is written, “When the Son of Man comes in His glory, and all the holy angels with Him, then He will sit on the throne of His glory. All the nations will be gathered before Him, and He will separate them one from another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats. And He will set the sheep on His right hand, but the goats on the left. Then the King will say to those on His right hand, ‘Come, you blessed of My Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world:” 

The kingdom that Jesus Christ is referring to here is the Millennial Kingdom where Jesus will rule and reign from the throne of David in Jerusalem for one thousand years. Those on His left will go into Hades waiting for the final judgement that will come at the end of the one thousand year millennium and those on His right will go into the kingdom prepared for those that believe. His last words in this chapter are in verse 46 where He says, “And these will go away into everlasting punishment, (The Goats) but the righteous (Sheep) into eternal life.” 

When Jesus returns after the seven year tribulation, He will return with all the saints, (those that accepted Jesus as their Lord and Savior while they were still alive) Those that return with Jesus will rule and reign with Him during the Millennial Kingdom. Right after His return the first line of business He will conduct will be separating the sheep from the goats. The sheep are those that God spiritually preserved during the tribulation along with those that were able to avoid the persecution of the antichrist. Those that took the mark of the beast (666) will be cast into Hades until the thousand years are up and then they will appear before Jesus Christ, and they will be condemned to the lake of burning fire for all eternity. For those that aren’t aware of who the saints are, let me explain;  According to the Bible, saints (from the Greek hagios) are all believers in Jesus Christ, who are considered holy, set apart for God's purposes, and part of the church, not just a select few canonized figures. They are those who have responded to God's call, been sanctified through faith in Jesus Christ, and are actively being made holy, encompassing both living Christians and those who have died. Notice, it doesn’t mention anything about those that the catholic faith ordained as saints. Only those that have been ordained by God are in this category.

Key Characteristics of Biblical Saints:

• Set Apart by God: The word "saint" means "holy one" or "set apart," signifying people dedicated to God's use, regardless of their spiritual perfection.

• Connected to Christ: Every follower who puts their faith in Jesus becomes a saint, being made holy through His grace. It has nothing to do with what church that you attend or what religion you support. Our salvation was determined at the cross two thousand years ago.

• Part of the Church: The New Testament often uses "saints" (plural) to refer to entire local churches, like the Corinthians or Colossians, emphasizing the community of believers.

• Called to Be Holy: While positionally saints, they are also called to live lives that reflect their holy status, growing in righteousness.

• Not Necessarily Perfect: Biblical saints are imperfect people who are being transformed, not perfect individuals. Being born again into the Holy Spirit is the first step to being transformed into the image of Christ. From that point on we should fellowship with Jesus daily and live according to His commands the best we can. 

Examples in the Bible:

• Apostles & Disciples: Figures like Paul, Peter, Matthew, and John are saints because of their mission and writings.

• Martyrs: Those who died for their faith are recognized as saints.

• All Believers: Paul addresses churches in Rome, Corinth, and Colossi as "saints," including everyone in those congregations. Back in those days, all who attended these church were believers, therefore, recognizing all of them as saints. Today, all who attend churches are anything but saints. They go to church every week, go through their rituals and think they are self-righteous. They believe that going to church every week with put them in good graces with God. A big lie from the pit of hell. Going to church doesn’t save you any more than going to a donut shop makes you a cop! Church, religion and good works have nothing to do with your salvation.

The phrase "good works will not save you" reflects a core Christian belief that salvation comes through God's grace and faith in Jesus Christ, not by earning it through deeds, as all humans fall short of divine standards. While good works don't earn salvation, they are considered a vital result or evidence of genuine faith, demonstrating a transformed life intended to fulfill God's purpose, not to merit entrance into heaven. 

Key Concepts:

Grace through Faith: 

Salvation is a free gift from God, received by trusting in Jesus' sacrifice, not by human effort or "righteous things we have done" Ephesians 2:8-9; “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.”

Inability to Earn It: 

No amount of good deeds can erase sin or meet God's perfect standard; everyone has sinned Romans 3:10-11; “As it is written: “There is no one righteous, not even one; there is no one who understands; there is no one who seeks God.” Romans 3:10-11 in the Bible states that “There is none righteous, no, not one; There is none that understand, There is none that seek after God,” emphasizing humanity's universal sinfulness and separation from God, a foundational text used by Paul in his letter to the Romans, to show all people (Jews and Gentiles) are under sin and need God's grace, not just adherence to the Law. 

Romans 3:23;"For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” Romans 3:23 is a key Bible verse stating, "For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God," meaning everyone has failed to meet God's perfect standard, but this is immediately followed by Romans 3:24; “and all are justified freely by his grace through the redemption that came by Christ Jesus.” which offers hope: we are justified freely by His grace through faith in Christ Jesus. It's a foundational scripture highlighting universal human sinfulness but also God's redemptive plan through Jesus. Romans 3:24 is a key biblical verse explaining that people are made right with God (justified) not by their own works, but freely as a gift through God's grace, made possible by the redemption (freedom from sin's penalty) found in Jesus Christ. It emphasizes that this divine pardon is unearned and comes through faith in Jesus' sacrifice, a central concept of Christian theology. 

Works as Evidence: 

True faith naturally leads to good works (like helping others, forgiving) as a demonstration of that faith, not as a payment for salvation. This is so huge. Most people get this backwards. They believe they are saved by their good works, when in reality, as we read above, good works has nothing to do with your salvation. If you say you believe in Jesus and then you live a sinful life style, then your commitment to faith is in vain. Here is a verse that should scare everybody.

Matthew 7:22-23; “Many will say to Me in that day, ‘Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in Your name, cast out demons in Your name, and done many wonders in Your name?’ And then I will declare to them, ‘I never knew you; depart from Me, you who practice lawlessness!’

This is a perfect example in the scripture that defies saved by works. Here is another verse that should wake is up.

1 Corinthians 15:1-2; “Moreover, brethren, I declare to you the gospel which I preached to you, which also you received and in which you stand, by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you—unless you believed in vain.”

"You have believed in vain" comes from 1 Corinthians 15:2 meaning your faith is pointless or futile if you don't hold firmly to the gospel message, especially the core truth that Jesus Christ was resurrected; without the resurrection, salvation, forgiveness, and hope for eternal life are nonexistent, making your belief in a dead savior a wasted effort.

Context in 1 Corinthians 15:

The Gospel: Paul reminds the Corinthians of the gospel he preached: Christ died for sins, was buried, and rose again on the third day, seen by many witnesses. This is the Gospel in a nut shell.

The Condition: He states, "by which also you are saved, if you hold fast that word which I preached to you, unless you believed in vain". The fact that we can believe in vain should scare the heck out of all of us, especially those that think good works will save them.

The Consequence: “If Christ hadn't risen, Paul says, "then our preaching is empty and your faith is also empty" (1 Corinthians 15:14). Your faith is "in vain" because there's no true foundation for hope, forgiveness, or eternal life. 

Key Takeaway: Believing in vain isn't necessarily losing salvation but rather believing a message that lacks power and truth; the resurrection of Jesus is the cornerstone that makes Christian faith meaningful and effective.

Created for Good Works: Believers are "God's masterpiece, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do" Ephesians 2:10; “For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them.” but these are for living out salvation, not to get it. 

The Danger of Self-Reliance: 

Relying on works is seen as rejecting God's grace and trying to boast in one's own righteousness, which is contrary to the Gospel. We have two choices. We can trust in the finished work of Jesus Christ on the cross, or we can do it our own way. This phrase we’re referencing speaks to a core Christian belief: salvation comes through trusting Jesus's complete sacrifice (the "finished work") on the cross, not by earning it through personal effort ("doing it our own way"), though believers then live transformed lives by faith, not works. Key verses that echo this choice include; Hebrews 12:2; “ looking unto Jesus, the author and finisher of our faith, who for the joy that was set before Him endured the cross, despising the shame, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

 This urges focus on Jesus as "the author and finisher of our faith," and John 19:30; “So when Jesus had received the sour wine, He said, “It is finished!” And bowing His head, He gave up His spirit.” This is where Jesus declares "It is finished" (meaning debt paid), contrasted with Proverbs 3:5-6; which calls us to "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding". Where on earth do we get any indiction that we have to add to what Jesus already did? There is no place in the scriptures that hold to that falsehood.

In essence, you don't do good works to be saved; you do good works because you are saved. 

Jesus came the first time as a suffering servant, and He is coming again very soon as “King of kings and Lord of Lords!” The first time Jesus came was to pay for the sins of the world and the second time He will come to reward those that believed on Him and accepted Him as their Lord and Savior. The question that you need to ask yourself is this: “Where will you be? “On the left or on the right! Think about it! It is your choice; nobody can make that choice for you.

May the God of endurance and encouragement grant you to live in such harmony with one another, in accord with Christ Jesus, that together you may with one voice glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ.

The grass withers, the flower fades, But the word of our God stands forever.”

JESUS, THE LION KING OF JUDAH!