Category Archives: Christianity

Christ or Krishna ?

Posted on by
Reply

Men are apt to be tossed to and fro and carried about with every wind of doctrine and deceived by seducing spirits. One can be a “Christian” with his feeling and a heathen with his head. ( Lit-sen Chang,Zen-Existentialism,)

Here is a story from the blog of Joe Carter about a Reformed philosopher who has had a spiritual experience and become a devotee of Krishna.

The Story: Philosopher of religion Michael Sudduth recently announced in an open letter that he has undergone a surprising religious conversion: “Despite my long-standing adherence to the Christian tradition, my spiritual journey has now moved me eastward and outside the framework of Christian theism.”

In a lengthy explanation—which philosopher William Vallicella posted on his website— Sudduth says that for the past twenty-five years he has been “an adherent of the Reformed theological tradition.” But last September he underwent a religious experience that led him to embrace the Vaishnavism tradition of Hinduism:

Around 4:20am (Friday morning) September 16th, I woke suddenly from a deep sleep to the sound of the name of “Krishna” being uttered in some way, as if someone was present in my room and had spoken his name out loud. Upon waking I immediately had a most profound sense of Krishna’s actual presence in my bedroom, a presence no less real than the presence of another living person in the room, though I was alone at the time. I responded to this felt presence, first through my thoughts that repeated Krishna’s name (and inquired of his presence), and then verbally out loud by uttering Krishna’s name twice: Krishna, Krishna. I was seized at this moment with a most sweet feeling of completeness and joy. I felt as if Krishna was there with me in my room and actually heard my voice, and that my response had completed a process that began with his name within my mind. I pondered this experience for several minutes, while at the same time continuing to experience a most blissful serenity and feeling of oneness with God, not unlike I had experienced on many occasions in the past in my relationship with the Lord Jesus. It was a most profound sense of both awe and intimacy with God in the form of Lord Krishna.

Rest of the story here – http://thegospelcoalition.org/blogs/tgc/2012/01/22/from-john-calvin-to-hare-krishna/

Krishna

Just a few observations.

  • Sudduth has been an “adherent of the Reformed theological tradition”. Has he ever been born again ? Has he ever repented of his sins and received the new life of Jesus Christ? Was he a follower of Christ, or a follower of the Reformed traditon?
  • After reading Sudduth’s “testimony” it was obvious that he was being drawn deeper and deeper into Eastern religious thought. The Bible’s claim is not that a person cannot have spiritual experiences that flow out of other religious traditions,but that these experiences are counterfeit experiences from the realm of darkness.

12 And what I am doing I will continue to do, in order to undermine the claim of those who would like to claim that in their boasted mission they work on the same terms as we do. 13 For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, disguising themselves as apostles of Christ. 14 And no wonder, for even Satan disguises himself as an angel of light. 15 So it is no surprise if his servants, also, disguise themselves as servants of righteousness. Their end will correspond to their deeds.(II Corinthians 11:12-15)

  • Spiritual warfare is real-the key is discerning whether one’s spiritual experiences are from God or not. Feelings of blissfulness,serenity,and oneness “with God” can be duplicated by drugs as well as by spiritual beings who are attempting to seduce one away from Jesus Christ.
  •  There is a tremendous movement in the world today to equate all religions as being one and the same. Krishna and Jesus Christ are not one and the same,and they are not spiritually or morally equivalent. Krishna is not another manifestation of God,or on the same level as Christ.

The Word Became Flesh- John 1:1-18

1 In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Wordwas God. 2 He was in the beginning with God. 3 All things were madethrough him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. 4 In himwas life,and the life was the light of men. 5 The light shines in the darkness,and the darkness has not overcome it.

6 There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. 7 He came as awitness, to bear witness about the light, that all might believe through him.8 He was not the light, but came to bear witness about the light.

9 The true light, which gives light to everyone, was coming into the world.10 He was in the world, and the world was made through him, yet the world didnot know him. 11 He came to his own, and his own people did not receivehim. 12 But to all who did receive him, who believed in his name, he gave theright to become children of God, 13 who were born, not of blood nor of the will of the flesh nor of the will of man, but of God.

14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.15 (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said,‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) 16 For from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. 17 For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. 18 No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side,he has made him known.

 

 

Who has believed what he has heard from us?And to whom has the arm of the Lord been revealed?2 For he grew up before him like a young plant,and like a root out of dry ground;he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,and no beauty that we should desire him.3 He was despised and rejected by men;a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief; and as one from whom men hide their faces he was despised, and we esteemed him not.(Isaiah 53:1-3)

 

For more information on the topic of Krishna and Christianity check these sites out :

http://kingdavid8.com/Copycat/JesusKrishna.html

http://thedevineevidence.com/jesus_similarities.html

http://www.tektonics.org/copycat/krishna02.html

http://www.christianlibrary.org.au/cel/documents/cults/13.html

Find Rest for Your Soul

Posted on by
Reply

Matthew 11:20-30 is a very interesting portion of Scripture for a number of reasons.

First, it clearly shows the Lord’s omniscience. He not only knows the future, he knows all possibilities of the future. If – then.

Second,the Lord states that there will be varying degrees of punishment in hell.

Third,the Lord clearly states that in His sovereignty , he has called men to repent and come to Him as little children. That is the only acceptable way of salvation,and no amount of theological reasoning,works,or imagined goodness can save one.

Fourth,as bad as the sin of homosexuality is,it is worse to ignore and reject the the mighty works and words of  Jesus Christ the Messiah and claim to be in right standing with God.

Fifth,the Son reveals Himself to those who realize they cannot unloose their heavy burden,and know that they have no ability to rescue themselves – Have mercy on me Lord for I am a sinner ! Our pride will cause us to stumble,but trusting the Lord as a child brings blessing and rest.

20Then he began to denounce the cities where most of his mighty works had been done, because they did not repent. 21“Woe to you,Chorazin! Woe to you, Bethsaida! For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Tyre and Sidon, they would have repented long ago in sackcloth and ashes. 22But I tell you, it will be more bearable on the day of judgment for Tyre and Sidon than for you. 23And you, Capernaum,will you be exalted to heaven? You will be brought down to Hades. For if the mighty works done in you had been done in Sodom, it would have remained until this day. 24But I tell you that it will be more tolerable on the day of judgment for the land of Sodom than for you.”

Come to Me, and I Will Give You Rest

25 At that time Jesus declared, “I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and understanding and revealed them to little children; 26 yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.7 27All things have been handed over to me by my Father, and no one knows the Son except the Father, and no one knows the Father except the Son and anyone to whom the Son chooses to reveal him. 28Come to me, all who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest. 29Take my yoke upon you, and learn from me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. 30For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

How Much Does God Love You? This Much!

Posted on by
Reply

I’m reading Tim Chester’s book-

A Meal With Jesus:Discovering Grace,Community,and Mission around the Tabel

.Product Details

This is not a good book,it is a great book. Consider buying it, it is a very reasonable price,and you will be edified,challenged,and blessed. Here is a sample :

 

Eventually Daniel was arrested for charges that included killing a police corporal. He wasn’t tried in a criminal court because he was considered insane; he was put instead in a secure mental institution. For two years he lived in a bare cell with no toilet and no clothes except a straightjacket, taking a daily cocktail of forty drugs. At one point he shared a cell with someone who believed God didn’t exist, but that the Devil did. This man suggested they read the Bible in forty days so he could find out about Satan. Daniel was reluctant, but the other man couldn’t read because his drugs had affected his eyes. So Daniel started reading fifty-nine pages a day, the rate required to complete the Bible in forty days. On day four he read: “The word is very near you. It is in your mouth and in your heart, so that you can do it. . . . I call heaven and earth to witness against you today that I have set before you life and death, blessing and curse. Therefore choose life, that you and your offspring may live” (Deut. 30:14, 19). Both men felt God powerfully with them at that moment. The other man didn’t want to continue, but Daniel continued reading alone. After a few days he asked God to release him. Immediately he was free from tobacco and his cocktail of drugs, and he was in his right mind. Within two years he was released to do a menial job in the hospital, and then a few months later he was allowed to leave.

God’s grace in Daniel’s life radically changed him, making him a gracious person who has committed his life to the marginalized. The day after our meal we had a picnic for about fifty patients from the psychiatric hospital. We drank “mate” (a traditional Argentine drink), played soccer, talked, and sat in the sun. The patients could have a shower, a haircut, and a change of clothes. At the end of the afternoon we all gathered together. We sang Christian songs. Those with birthdays came to the front, and we sang “Happy Birthday.” Just like the meals of Jesus, the picnic beautifully embodied God’s love for this marginalized people.

 

Daniel read the story of the prodigal son and told them three things. First, we have a good Father. Daniel asked the patients how we know God is good. Someone said, “God gave us this day,” and Daniel said, “Yes, which businessman can give you a new morning?” Second, we have all turned from God like the son in the story, rejecting his love and living for ourselves. Third, God is ready to embrace us. In one sense we’re far from God. But in another sense God is very close to us—just as he was for Daniel in his psychiatric cell.

 

God runs to meet us.

There were two women in the first cell we entered when we visited the prisoners dying from AIDS. One was Sonia, a former prostitute. She said she wanted to believe, but found it hard. So Daniel spoke to her of the father in the story, the Father who was ready to embrace her. The other woman, Sonilda, took her Bible from under her pillow and said she was sure God accepted her. She read from one of the psalms:

In you, O Lord, do I take refuge;  let me never be put to shame! In your righteousness deliver me and rescue me;  incline your ear to me, and save me! Be to me a rock of refuge,     to which I may continually come; you have given the command to save me,for you are my rock and my fortress. (Ps. 71:1–3)

This is how great God’s grace is. Grace reaches down from heaven into a high-security prison in Argentina to a woman who’s committed serious crimes, a woman dying of AIDS, a woman separated from her family, and says, “God is your rock of refuge.” God’s grace reaches down from heaven into a mental institution to a man who’s committed terrible crimes, who’s out of his mind, and who’s reached the depths of human existence and transforms his life, making him a courageous, loving, and whole person. And God’s grace can reach down to you.

Eph 5:14
for anything that becomes visible is light. Therefore it says, “Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you.”

What’s Love Got To Do With It ?Christians and Mosques

Posted on by
Reply

There seems to be a lot of confusion about what it means to be a Christian who walks in love. For example,here is a story about a group of Christians in Sweden who sold their church building to a group of Muslims.

A Muslim group plans to turn a church into a mosque after Swedish pentecostalists decided to sell a superfluous property in Flen in eastern Sweden in a display of “Christian love”.
“We have been crowding together in a cellar now for twenty years, and as there are more members every month, it was time to buy larger premises,“ said Skender Zekic of the Swedish-Romani Association, which works together with the Bosnian association and al Houda, to the local Eskilstunakuriren daily.
The church in Flen in eastern Sweden, had been on the market since November last year when the al Houda Muslim Centre approached the real estate agency with the intent to buy the church.
The decision to sell had come after two congregations joined together and one of the premises therefore became surplus to requirements.
However, selling the church to a Muslim organisation was not a decision that the congregation took lightly, according to Christina Blomqvist.

Rest of the story here – http://islamineurope.blogspot.com/2011/05/sweden-church-sold-to-muslim-group-in.html

This reminds me of an incident that happened to my daughter in one of her Religious Studies classes. The professor put forth the proposition that Christians should help Muslims build their mosques rather than protest them or be against the building of mosques. Why ? Because this would be the loving thing to do. After all,as Christians we are to show love to all,and even love our enemies.

My daughter and two others were opposed to this mischaracterization of love,while the rest of the class supported it. I might add that this occurred at an evangelical college. The good news is that the professor will not be teaching this class any more,although for reasons not related to his lack of understanding of what love is.

One of the questions asked to the professor and his supporters was this- “ Would you help build a building (of worship),for a group of Mormons,Jehovah’s Witnesses,etc.? The answer was yes.

There is that awkward,politically incorrect part of Christianity known as truth. The attempt to emotionalize ethics leads to misunderstandings and false interpretations of how to live out the Christian life. Did Jesus,Paul,or any of the apostles seek to help in any way those with whom they regarded as false teachers ? Did the early church help the Gnostics build their buildings of worship,or give them money for their rent?How many synagogues for the Pharisees did Paul contribute to? As Paul says in Romans 12:9

Let love be genuine. Abhor what is evil; hold fast to what is good.

Promoting the worship of false gods,helping to spread false teachings that lead to the persecution of brothers and sisters in Christ,and enabling false teachings about Jesus Christ to flourish is the height of spiritual folly.Yes we extend love and grace,but with the truth of the gospel. Self sacrifice, yes,providing opportunities for falsehood,no.

As the Prime Minister of Turkey reminds us-

“Mosques are our barracks, minarets our bayonets, domes our helmets, the believers our soldiers.” by Recep Tayyip Erdogan

 

John 1:14 – 14 And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth.

Honor:A Biblical Understanding

Posted on by
Reply

I. Introduction

1. I’d like to thank all of you who have been praying for Dinah over the past four years. In the midst of her studies,trips to Spain,we appreciate all that this Body has done to encourage and support her.

2. I’m blessed to have a wife,son,and two daughters. On this mother’s day,I would like to focus this message towards the ladies here today. As we have studied through the various world religions in Sunday School, I have been struck by the unique blessings of what God has done in salvation,redemption,and in particular,the walls that have been broken down in regards to women.Biblical Christianity offers true freedom to women. We are one in Christ,and God doesn’t play favorites.

3. We will look at this multi-faceted work through the word “honor” and see how it is used in some of the Scriptures. Although the focus will be for the women,there will be plenty of application for all.

II. Honor defined

1. The Hebrew word for honor is kabod. It literally means heavy or weighty- akin to the meaning of glory. The more common meaning is “ to give weight to someone,to honor someone is to give weight,respect,and possibly authority,in one’s life,”

2. Practically speaking,honor is a heart attitude – it involves respect,courtesy,and reverence. One should display attention,and when appropriate,obedience. It is the opposite of thoughtlessness and neglect. To extend honor is to express value and worth.

Parents are honored through the obedience of their children,God is honored by our obedience to His revealed will.

III. Where does honor originate ?

The source of all honor is God,on the basis of his position as sovereign Creator and of His character as loving Father.(Baker Evangelical Dictionary of Biblical Theology,Sam Hamstra,Jr.)

So Jesus said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you,the Son can do nothing of his own accord, but only what he sees the Father doing. For whatever the Father does, that the Son does likewise. 20 For the Father loves the Son and shows him all that he himself is doing. And greater works than these will he show him, so that you may marvel. 21 For as the Father raises the dead and gives them life, so also the Son gives life to whom he will. 22 The Father judges no one, but has given all judgment to the Son, 23 that all may honor the Son, just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him.24 Truly, truly, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes him who sent me has eternal life. He does not come into judgment, but has passed from death to life.

IV. What is man that You are mindful of him (us !) Psalm 8

1. God created man in the image of God- we have intrinsic meaning because we are God’s special creation. This reference refers to mankind- men and women.

2. Sin has separated us from God,each other,and ourselves. Rebellious hearts,fear,shame,and guilt,underlay our relationships and actions.

3. We were designed for dominion,honor,fellowship,peace,and fruitfulness.

V. The Fifth Commandment

Honor your father and your mother,that your days may be long in the land that the Lord your God is giving you.

We are to teach our children from an early age to honor their parents. However,this verse,and the Ten Commandments were not written to five year olds. There is application here for all of us who have parents who are still alive.

1. We should honor God by honoring our parents- this includes moms- not just dads !!

But if a widow has children or grandchildren, let them first learn to show godliness to their own household and to make some return to their parents,for this is pleasing in the sight of God.I Timothy,5:4

Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. 2 “Honor your father and mother”(this is the first commandment with a promise),3 “that it may go well with you and that you may livelong in the land.” Ephesians 6:2

 

2. Those of us who are grown are no longer under the authority of our parents. We are to love and to serve God according to our understanding of the Word of God. However,we can extend courtesy,understanding,and help to our parents,even if we are in disagreement on some issues. If there are irreconcilable differences let it be because they will not talk or have anything to do with us. We should never cut them out of our lives,abandon them,or ignore them.

VI. Husbands and wives

1. The classic wedding vows : Remember,the marriage covenant is witnessed not only by the people who were invited to the wedding,but by the Lord Himself. It is a covenant. The rope that was one strand is now two- and the strength of that rope by God’s grace will be strong enough to withstand the tugs and pulls of life.

“Do you promise to love her,and honor and cherish her ??

Based on I Peter 3:7,and Ephesians 5:28-29

Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Husbands,do we recognize our wives worth? Do we place a high value on her? Does she know that you love her and cherish her?

Precept Austin – http://preceptaustin.org/1_peter_35-7.htm#3:7

Peter goes on in verse 7 to refer to the responsibilities of husbands. Do you notice that there is six times as much information given to wives here as there is to husbands-perhaps because it is six times more difficult for wives to live with their husbands than for husbands to live with their wives! He says,

You husbands likewise [Same conjunction. It is required of men too that they be submissive-not that they give in to the will of their wives, but that they give themselves up to their wives, which is the counterpart required of us as husbands-serving our wives], live with your wives in an understanding way, as with a weaker vessel, since she is a woman; and grant her honor as a fellow-heir of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

Two commands are given along with the reasons for them. The first is to live with your wife according to understanding, or, as it actually is stated in the Greek, “according to knowledge”–because she is the weaker vessel. The second is to honor her because you are joint-heirs of the grace of life. What does Peter’ mean, “Live with your wife according to knowledge?” I believe he is referring to the knowledge of the Scriptures, the knowledge of the truth. Because the measure of a man’s manhood is the degree to which he gives himself to knowing and obeying the Word of God. Most of us men, at one time or another, question our manhood. That is what drives us to take up underwater demolition when we are fifty, or something of that nature! There is probably nothing wrong with being a fifty-year-old frogman, but that in itself is never going to prove anything to you. It will not make a man of you. The measure of a man is the degree to which he knows and obeys the Word. That is true manhood.

If you want to see a man, look at Christ. There is One who acted in every situation as a man should act. He was compassionate when he should have been compassionate, firm when he should have been firm. He was in every circumstance a man–”a man for all seasons”–because he acted according to the will of God. That is what will make us a man-if we will act according to the truth. The thing which is most impressive to your wife is not that you can press a two-hundred-pound barbell, but that you act according to the truth. It shakes her more than anything else when you do not act according to the truth. That is what is wrong with the man in verse 1 who is disobedient to the Word. His wife is frightened: “What will he do to me and my family?” But the man of the Word will act as he should act in every circumstance. He will be wise, discerning, strong, compassionate; he will be all that she could ever desire.

Peter says he is to act according to knowledge because his wife is the weaker vessel–not weaker intellectually, nor even physically, necessarily. I am convinced that women are much better able to withstand pain, that they live longer, and have fewer heart attacks. They cannot run quite as fast as men, yet, but they are getting there! No, women are weaker vessels in the sense that they are more easily broken, more fragile. The pressures and responsibilities of life more easily crush them and drive them away from a place of confidence in God. Therefore a man who lives according to knowledge, instead of reacting in anger or hostility or bewilderment to his wife, will direct her back to the Word. He will, as Paul says, “wash her with the water of the Word.” Now, if you do not have a husband who does this, then God himself takes this place in your life. You need not get frightened. But the word addressed to us, men, is that we must take this responsibility in the home.

Secondly, the husband is to honor his wife as a fellow-heir of the grace of life. Honor has to do with courtesy, respect, politeness, kindness. These give security to wives–things we did almost instinctively when we were courting them, but which we have long since abandoned–the quiet acts of courtesy and love. Somerset Maugham’s mother was a very beautiful woman, and she was married to a little, ugly, gnome-like man. No one could understand why she ever married him. In one of his books Maugham quotes her as saying she did so because “he would never hurt me.” He was courteous and kind, and she responded to that.

What not to do !!!

J H Jowett…(1864-1923)

What are the lineaments of the ideal husband? “Dwell with your wives according to knowledge.” [Verse 7] How shall we describe this characteristic? Let us call it the atmosphere of reasonableness. “According to knowledge.” We may grasp its content by proclaiming its opposite: “Dwell with your wives according to ignorance. Just walk in blindness. Don’t look beyond your own desires. Let your vision be entirely introspective and microscopic. Never exercise your eyes in clear and comprehensive outlook. Dwell in ignorance!”

No, says the apostle, “dwell according to knowledge.” Keep your eyes open. Let reason be alert and active. Let all your behaviour be governed by a sweet reasonableness. Don’t let appetite determine a doing. Don’t let thy personal wish have the first and last word. Exalt thy reason! Give sovereignty to thy reason! Be thoughtful and unceasingly considerate. It is the absence of this prevailing spirit of reasonableness which has marred and murdered many a bright and fair-promising communion. “He is not really bad at heart, but he doesn’t think!” That is the fatal defect. He does not think! He dwells according to ignorance; his reason is asleep, and the beautiful, delicate tie of wedded fellowship is smitten, wounded, and eventually destroyed.

 

In other words,a man can have a far better marriage if he is not overly self occupied,prideful,and willing to die to self !

Husbands,we are called to honor our wives-

Honor (time) reflects a manifestation of esteem (the regard with which one is held), honor, reverence. A related word timios in 1 Peter 1:19 (note) is translated “precious.”

Time is a term used to describe the value of a precious stone. Thus, wives are to be treasured as one would treasure a precious stone (cp Pr 31:10, Pr 31:10KJV speaking of her worth). Husbands are to show their wives they are precious by spending time with them, talking with them, praying with them, protecting them (see 1Cor 13:7-see note on meaning of “bears all things”), loving them as Christ loved the church and even as we do our own bodies (Eph 5:25-note, Eph 5:28.

Christian husbands are to deem their helpmate whom God has given them as precious, and so are to treat them with honor. Christianity introduced chivalry into the relationship between men and women. In the Greek and Roman culture it was common for the husband to expect his wife to carry out the domestic duties, but not to enter into a true, intimate friendship with him. In contrast, the Christian husband is to love and respect his wife so his prayers won’t be impeded. Since his prayers would include petitions for her salvation, it’s important that he develop an intimate friendship with her.

3. Wives/women – joint heirs- all Christians regardless of sex,are heirs with Jesus Christ- in Christ,and partakers of a heavenly calling. There is no spiritual heirarchy as with Mormonism,Roman Catholicism,Islam.

Ray Pritchard observes that…

Peter closes with a strong and strange warning. This is the motivation for taking his words with utmost seriousness: “that your prayers be not hindered.” The word for “hindered” is a military term for an army digging a trench in a road to stop the enemy’s advance. It describes what Satan will do in your spiritual life. If husbands do not take this seriously, Satan will dig a trench and your prayers will never get through. We all know that automobile engines get out of whack if only one little piece malfunctions. Likewise, our bodies have one breakdown and we end up in the hospital. There is a delicate balance between the physical and the spiritual. A marriage that is out of tune emotionally or physically will soon be out of tune spiritually. To put it bluntly, you can’t ignore your wife and get through to God. The Almighty takes the side of the weaker vessel! When we are truly one with each other, then we are truly one with God.
This principle applies in a broader way to all our relationships. If we harbor bitterness or if we are unkind or if we gossip about others, if we get angry and stay angry, our prayers will not get through to God. You cannot say, “I hate you,” to a brother or sister in Christ, and then blithely say, “I love you so much, Lord.” Or to be more accurate, you can say those words, but you’re just lying to yourself. If your prayers seem dead, dull and ineffective, maybe it’s time to do a relational inventory. God has wired us so that there is a direct connection between the horizontal and the vertical. The way you treat others has a direct impact on how God responds to your prayers. (1 Peter 3:7 Unhindered Prayers)

VII. The Gospel and Honor

1. At the Fall,man disobeyed God.This led to the Fall,and to our fallen nature. Our sin nature is our foundational problem. Out of that flow some obvious “sin characteristics” that tend to dominate in cultures,and in individual lives. Adam and Eve ate of the fruit,knew what they had done was wrong (guilt),were afraid of God and His reaction (fear),and were ashamed (shame) of what they had done.

2.Roland Muller writes about this in his book The Messenger,The Message,The Community. He makes a number of great points,and deals quite a bit with honor,shame,and the Biblical response to people who live in cultures that have been strongly influenced by the honor/shame world view,especially in Islam.

3.Muller points us to a verse that he shared with a Muslim that pictures the gospel – Hannah sings a song to the Lord when the Lord allows her to have Samuel- part of it is -

He raises up the poor from the dust;

he lifts the needy from the ash heap

to make them sit with princes

and inherit a seat of honor.

 

4. I Corinthians 1:26-31

26 For consider your calling, brothers:not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. 27 But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; 28 God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, 29 so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. 30 And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God,righteousness and sanctification and redemption, 31 so that, as it is written, Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”

Many human beings seek honor. Power,worldly wisdom,position,fame,money,influence. In our own ways we want to be valued,respected and esteemed by others. The Pharisees in Jesus day often would pray and fast publicly in order to be noticed.

Then Jesus said to the crowds and to his disciples, 2 “The scribes and the Pharisees sit on Moses’ seat, 3 so practice and observe whatever they tell you—but not what they do. For they preach, but do not practice. 4 They tie up heavy burdens, hard to bear,and lay them on people’s shoulders, but they themselves are not willing to move them with their finger. 5 They do all their deeds to be seen by others. For they make their phylacteries broad and their fringes long,6 and they love the place of honor at feasts and the best seats in the synagogues 7 and  greetings in the marketplaces and being called rabbi by others. 8 But you are not to be called rabbi, for you have one teacher, and you are all brothers. 9 And call no man your father on earth, for you have one Father, who is in heaven. 10 Neither be called instructors, for you have one instructor, the Christ. 11 The greatest among you shall be your servant. 12 Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

When Jesus went to the cross and suffered public shame,crucified as a common criminal for our sins,taking our place and becoming our substitute, he dealt with the sin issue,and he dealt with guilt,shame and fear.

In Christ we are forgiven,redeemed,made righteous,set apart for God’s use,and seated in the heavens with Christ. Now there is no need to seek honor,we have been honored.It is an honor to serve the Lord and whether we receive any honor from another human being is irrelevant.

5. There is a time for everything a time to serve,a time to learn,and the Lord is to be first and honored in all things,

38 Now as they went on their way, Jesus entered a village. And a woman named Martha welcomed him into her house. 39 And she had a sister called Mary, who sat at the Lord’s feet and listened to his teaching. 40 But Martha was distracted with much serving. And she went up to him and said, “Lord, do you not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Tell her then to help me.” 41 But the Lord answered her,“Martha, Martha, you are anxious and troubled about many things,42 but one thing is necessary. Mary has chosen the good portion, which will not be taken away from her.”

But when the marriage feast of the Lamb occurs-

 

6 Then I heard what seemed to be the voice of a great multitude, like the roar of many waters and like the sound of mighty peals of thunder, crying out,

“Hallelujah!

For the Lord our God

the Almighty reigns.

7 Let us rejoice and exult

and give him the glory,

for the marriage of the Lamb has come,

and his Bride has made herself ready;

8 it was granted her to clothe herself

with fine linen, bright and pure”—

for the fine linen is the righteous deeds of the saints.

9 And the angel said to me, “Write this: Blessed are those who are invited to the marriage supper of the Lamb.” And he said to me, “These are the true words of God.

God is worthy to receive glory and honor- He has done great and marvelous things. Miracles of grace – saving those who need a new heart. May we echo Paul’s statement in I Timothy 1:15-

15 The saying is trustworthy and deserving of full acceptance, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners, of whom I am the foremost. 16 But I received mercy for this reason, that in me, as the foremost, Jesus Christ might display his perfect patience as an example to those who were to believe in him for eternal life. 17 To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory forever and ever. Amen.

God’s Remedy For the Hardness of Man’s Heart

Posted on by
Reply

Would you know the reason why the state of people is so desperately helpless, if they die in their sins? Would you know why ministers feel so fearful about everyone who is cut off unprepared to meet God? The reason is, the hardness of man’s natural heart. What would a man do in heaven, if he got there, with his heart unchanged? By which of the saints would he sit down? What pleasure could he take in God’s presence and company? Oh no! It is vain to conceal it. There can be no real hope about a man’s condition, if he dies with his heart wrong.

~ J.C. Ryle

Old Paths, “The Heart”, [Carlisle, PA: Banner of Truth, 1999], 348.

But God- He has made a way to Himself. In the sight of all the nations…

[10] The LORD has bared his holy arm
before the eyes of all the nations,
and all the ends of the earth shall see
the salvation of our God.
(Isaiah 52:10 ESV)

He who has eyes to see and ears to hear -

[53:1] Who has believed what he has heard from us?
And to whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?
[2] For he grew up before him like a young plant,
and like a root out of dry ground;
he had no form or majesty that we should look at him,
and no beauty that we should desire him.
[3] He was despised and rejected by men;
a man of sorrows, and acquainted with grief;
and as one from whom men hide their faces
he was despised, and we esteemed him not.
[4] Surely he has borne our griefs
and carried our sorrows;
yet we esteemed him stricken,
smitten by God, and afflicted.
[5] But he was wounded for our transgressions;
he was crushed for our iniquities;
upon him was the chastisement that brought us peace,
and with his stripes we are healed.
[6] All we like sheep have gone astray;
we have turned—every one—to his own way;
and the LORD has laid on him
the iniquity of us all.
(Isaiah 53:1-6 ESV)

God With Us : Immanuel Gives Light to Those Who Sit in The Shadow of Death

Posted on by
Reply

[68] “Blessed be the Lord God of Israel,
for he has visited and redeemed his people
[69] and has raised up a horn of salvation for us
in the house of his servant David,
[70] as he spoke by the mouth of his holy prophets from of old,
[71] that we should be saved from our enemies
and from the hand of all who hate us;
[72] to show the mercy promised to our fathers
and to remember his holy covenant,
[73] the oath that he swore to our father Abraham, to grant us
[74] that we, being delivered from the hand of our enemies,
might serve him without fear,
[75] in holiness and righteousness before him all our days.
[76] And you, child, will be called the prophet of the Most High;
for you will go before the Lord to prepare his ways,
[77] to give knowledge of salvation to his people
in the forgiveness of their sins,
[78] because of the tender mercy of our God,
whereby the sunrise shall visit us from on high
[79] to give light to those who sit in darkness and in the shadow of death,
to guide our feet into the way of peace.”
(Luke 1:68-77; Luke 1:78-79 ESV)

O Come O Come Emmanuel :Lyrics

O come, O come, Emmanuel
And ransom captive Israel
That mourns in lonely exile here
Until the Son of God appear
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Rod of Jesse, free
Thine own from Satan’s tyranny
From depths of Hell Thy people save
And give them victory o’er the grave
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Day-Spring, come and cheer
Our spirits by Thine advent here
Disperse the gloomy clouds of night
And death’s dark shadows put to flight.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, Thou Key of David, come,
And open wide our heavenly home;
Make safe the way that leads on high,
And close the path to misery.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel.
O come, O come, Thou Lord of might,
Who to Thy tribes, on Sinai’s height,
In ancient times did’st give the Law,
In cloud, and majesty and awe.
Rejoice! Rejoice! Emmanuel
Shall come to thee, O Israel

Are You Truly Enlightened- God’s Grace or Self Deification ?

Posted on by
Reply

[12] “How you are fallen from heaven,
O Day Star, son of Dawn!
How you are cut down to the ground,
you who laid the nations low!
[13] You said in your heart,
‘I will ascend to heaven;
above the stars of God
I will set my throne on high;
I will sit on the mount of assembly
in the far reaches of the north;
[14] I will ascend above the heights of the clouds;
I will make myself like the Most High.’
[15] But you are brought down to Sheol,
to the far reaches of the pit.
(Isaiah 14:12; Isaiah 14:13-15 ESV)

The desire to be as God is the curse of mankind. Whether we actively think about it and pursue it,or if we just live our lives as “practical atheists”,our independence and rebellion against God is manifested by our words and actions.

One of the characteristics of Eastern and New Age religions is the desire for “Enlightenment”. Any guesses on who said the following ?

The all-subduing,the all- knowing,am I,in everything that I am,without a spot. I am a delivered one. By my own power, I possess knowledge…In the world,including the heavens,there is no one like unto me. I am the holy one in the world. I am the Supreme Master. I alone am the Perfect Budda.

(Lit Sen Chang,Asia’s Religions,pg.134) He was quoting from Sacred Books of the East,Mahavagga I,6,8.

The quote comes from Buddha,after receiving “enlightenment”.  This of course is self-deification,and the result of esoteric spiritual practices.

David Spangler of the Findhorn Foundation has called for a ” Luciferic Initiation” for years -

Lucifer,like Christ,stands at the door of man’s consciousness and knocks. If a man says,’Go away because I do not like what you represent; I am afraid of you’, Lucifer will play tricks on that fellow. If a man says,‘Come in,and I will give to you the treat of my love and understanding and I will uplift you in the light and presence of Christ,my outflow’,then Lucifer becomes something else again. He becomes the being who carries that great treat,the ultimate treat,the light of wisdom…Lucifer,then,is neither good nor bad in his true essence. He is completely neutral. He is an agent of God’s love acting through evolution. Lucifer works within each of us to bring us to wholeness,and as we move into a new age,which is the age of man’s wholeness,each of us in some way is brought to that point which I term the Luciferic Initiation,the particular doorway through which the individual must pass if he is to come fully into the presence of his light and his wholeness…it is an initiation into the New Age.(The Serpent and the Cross,Alan Morrison,pg.417)

Note the re-definition of who Lucifer is,what he does,and how the word wholeness is used for godhood.The ultimate treat (godhood)is based on the ultimate lie.

What was the original lie and seduction of Lucifer that was presented  to Adam and Eve ?

[The Fall]
[3:1] Now the serpent was more crafty than any other beast of the field that the LORD God had made.
He said to the woman, “Did God actually say, ‘You shall not eat of any tree in the garden’?” [2] And the woman said to the serpent, “We may eat of the fruit of the trees in the garden, [3] but God said, ‘You shall not eat of the fruit of the tree that is in the midst of the garden, neither shall you touch it, lest you die.’” [4] But the serpent said to the woman, “You will not surely die. [5] For God knows that when you eat of it your eyes will be opened, and you will be like God, knowing good and evil.”
(Genesis 3:1-5 ESV

The key to godhood is not just knowing good and evil,but determining good and evil based on our fallen condition and separation from God. Rebellion against God is substituted for love and service to God. However, men often use the language of service and love to mask their deification of self,and to cover their sins.

Joseph Smith lays out his doctrine of godhood in the King Follet Discourse -

Here, then, is eternal life–to know the only wise and true God; and you have got to learn how to be Gods yourselves, and to be kings and priests to God, the same as all Gods have done before you,–namely, by going from one small degree to another, and from a small capacity to a great one,–from grace to grace, from exaltation to exaltation, until you attain to the resurrection of the dead, and are able to dwell in everlasting burnings and to sit in glory, as do those who sit enthroned in everlasting power. And I want you to know that God, in the last days, while certain individuals are proclaiming his name, is not trifling with you or me.

People need to remember that Smith was under tremendous pressure and criticism for his polygamous activities. As a so-called prophet he used his prophetic office to justify his actions. The longer Smith was in power,the more radical his revelations and actions became.

Man is not God. He does not have true godly wisdom apart from the Word of God by the Spirit of God. And guess what ? The wages of sin is death,both spiritual and physical. Enlightenment may serve as a false “salvation” experience,but it will not save one from the judgment of God. Jesus was not crucified needlessly, nor for no reason.

[20] Where is the one who is wise? Where is the scribe? Where is the debater of this age? Has not God made foolish the wisdom of the world? [21] For since, in the wisdom of God, the world did not know God through wisdom, it pleased God through the folly of what we preach to save those who believe. [22] For Jews demand signs and Greeks seek wisdom, [23] but we preach Christ crucified, a stumbling block to Jews and folly to Gentiles, [24] but to those who are called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. [25] For the foolishness of God is wiser than men, and the weakness of God is stronger than men.
[26] For consider your calling, brothers: not many of you were wise according to worldly standards, not many were powerful, not many were of noble birth. [27] But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; [28] God chose what is low and despised in the world, even things that are not, to bring to nothing things that are, [29] so that no human being might boast in the presence of God. [30] And because of him you are in Christ Jesus, who became to us wisdom from God, righteousness and sanctification and redemption, [31] so that, as it is written, “Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.”
(1 Corinthians 1:20-31 ESV)

Jehovah Witnesses :The Trinity and the Deity of Christ

Posted on by
Reply

I. The Jehovah Witnesses and the Trinity

1. The Jehovah Witnesses do not believe in the Trinity. Here are some of the reasons as stated at the official Watchtower website ;

  • The concept of the Trinity cannot be found in the Old Testament.
  • Bernhard Lohse says in A Short History of Christian Doctrine: “As far as the New Testament is concerned, one does not find in it an actual doctrine of the Trinity.”
  • The New International Dictionary of New Testament Theology similarly states: “The New Testament does not contain the developed doctrine of the Trinity. ‘The Bible lacks the express declaration that the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit are of equal essence’ [said Protestant theologian Karl Barth].”
  • Yale University professor E. Washburn Hopkins affirmed: “To Jesus and Paul the doctrine of the trinity was apparently unknown; . . . they say nothing about it.”—Origin and Evolution of Religion.
  • Historian Arthur Weigall notes: “Jesus Christ never mentioned such a phenomenon, and nowhere in the New Testament does the word ‘Trinity’ appear. The idea was only adopted by the Church three hundred years after the death of our Lord.”—The Paganism in Our Christianity.
  • Thus, neither the 39 books of the Hebrew Scriptures nor the canon of 27 inspired books of the Christian Greek Scriptures provide any clear teaching of the Trinity.

.http://www.watchtower.org/e/ti/index.htm

2. They further state that the doctrine developed over many hundreds of years and was made official by Constantine at the Council of Nicaea.However,the Holy Spirit was not included and so the Trinity was not officially recognized even then.

II. The Witnesses and their view of Jesus Christ – He is not co-equal to God Almighty.

1. They take verses where Jesus speaks about the Father in terms of his human relationship to prove that he was not deity. He was “the Son of God,not Almighty God” For example -

    [49] For I have not spoken on my own authority, but the Father who sent me has himself given me a commandment—what to say and what to speak. [50] And I know that his commandment is eternal life. What I say, therefore, I say as the Father has told me.”
    (John 12:49-50 ESV

[28] You heard me say to you, ‘I am going away, and I will come to you.’ If you loved me, you would have rejoiced, because I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I.
(John 14:28 ESV)

2.Verses that show human (rather than divine knowledge).

[22] Jesus answered, “You do not know what you are asking. Are you able to drink the cup that I am to drink?” They said to him, “We are able.”    [23] He said to them, “You will drink my cup, but to sit at my right hand and at my left is not mine to grant, but it is for those for whom it has been prepared by my Father.”
(Matthew 20:22; Matthew 20:23 ESV)

[No One Knows That Day or Hour]
[32] “But concerning that day or that hour, no one knows, not even the angels in heaven, nor the Son, but only the Father. [33] Be on guard, keep awake. For you do not know when the time will come.
(Mark 13:32-33 ESV)

3. Jesus is said to be “subordinate” even after his ascension -

[3] But I want you to understand that the head of every man is Christ, the head of a wife is her husband, and the head of Christ is God.
(1 Corinthians 11:3 ESV)

[26] The last enemy to be destroyed is death. [27] For “God has put all things in subjection under his feet.” But when it says, “all things are put in subjection,” it is plain that he is excepted who put all things in subjection under him.     [28] When all things are subjected to him, then the Son himself will also be subjected to him who put all things in subjection under him, that God may be all in all.
(1 Corinthians 15:26-27; 1 Corinthians 15:28 ESV)

4. Jesus called God ” My God” obviously Jesus is not God Almighty. Paul refers to God as the “God” of Jesus Christ.

[2] Wake up, and strengthen what remains and is about to die, for I have not found your works complete in the sight of my God.
(Revelation 3:2 ESV)

[3] Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort,
(2 Corinthians 1:3 ESV)

5. Jesus confessed that he was the “Son of God” and the “Son of Man”.He was a “mighty spirit person”,(Michael the Archangel) created by Almighty God,but not God.

III. The Watchtower does not regard the Holy Spirit as having personality. Thus,He becomes an “it”,and is merely a “force” emanating from God.

  • The Holy Spirit can be compared to electricity- “a controlled force that Jehovah God uses to accomplish a variety of his purposes”.
  • These purposes include creation,enlightenment of those who serve God,Bible prophecy,judgments upon mankind,miracles performed by the prophets of God ,Jesus Christ,and his disciples.
  • Scriptures that present the holy spirit as a person are “personifying the spirit”. Wisdom is personified in the Scriptures,yet is not a person,the “water and the blood” are said to be “witnesses” in I John 5:6-8,yet are not persons.
  • Jesus spoke of the holy spirit as a helper and the spirit is referred to as “he”. But other times when the Greek word for spirit is neuter,the word “it is employed in the Greek,yet translated “he” in Bible translations.

IV. A Biblical response to the Watchtower’s view of the Trinity and the Deity of Christ.

1.Any Biblical response should use the Scriptures and be in context,with a proper hermeneutic that utilizes all of the Scriptures,and does not pick and choose a few verses out of context.Although there are different ways to respond to the Watchtowers attack on these doctrines,I like to use the following method.

2.Don’t start with a definition of the Trinity first,show the Deity of Jesus Christ.

[The Word Became Flesh]- Not Michael the Archangel – and not “a god”
[1:1] In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. [2] He was in the beginning with God.
(John 1:1-2 ESV)

[14] And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us, and we have seen his glory, glory as of the only Son from the Father, full of grace and truth. [15] (John bore witness about him, and cried out, “This was he of whom I said, ‘He who comes after me ranks before me, because he was before me.’”) [16] And from his fullness we have all received, grace upon grace. [17] For the law was given through Moses; grace and truth came through Jesus Christ.
[18] No one has ever seen God; the only God, who is at the Father’s side, he has made him known.
(John 1:14-17; John 1:18 ESV)

[The Preeminence of Christ]
[15] He is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn of all creation. [16] For by him all things were created, in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions or rulers or authorities—all things were created through him and for him. [17] And he is before all things, and in him all things hold together. [18] And he is the head of the body, the church. He is the beginning, the firstborn from the dead, that in everything he might be preeminent. [19] For in him all the fullness of God was pleased to dwell, [20] and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether on earth or in heaven, making peace by the blood of his cross.
(Colossians 1:15-20 ESV)

The controversial word in Colossians 1 is “firstborn”. Does it mean first created or preeminent one ? The Watchtower says” first created” Here is a good explanation of why they are wrong.

The argument that “firstborn” means “first created” in Col. 1:15 can seem true when one considers the pool of meaning for the word (although “first offspring” would better reflect the meaning of the Greek word used here: prototokos). “First created” is one of the many, and even more literal meanings of the word. The problem is that the context clearly shows that “first created” was not Paul’s intended meaning in Colossians.

Paul uses the same basic word for “all things” in vv.16-17 as he used in his expression “every creature” (all creation) in v.15. Syntactically then, Paul says Jesus existed before (v. 17), created (v.16) and sustains (v.17) that set of things of which he is the “first born” (v.15), i.e., the set of “all creation.” This agrees with John, who says, “In the beginning was the Word (literal Greek “…was existing the Word.” John’s use of the imperfect tense shows continuous duration of existence in the past)…. All things were made by Him; and without Him was not anything made that was made” (John 1:1,3).

If Paul had meant “first created” when he wrote prototokos, at Col. 1:15, then his following statements make Christ Himself a part of those very things which Paul says Christ created and sustains, and before which He existed.

The best strategy regarding this “firstborn” issue is not a long explanation of grammar and linguistics, but a demonstration of the clear teaching of the scripture, in context. Start with the context of Colossians 1. Show that the word cannot have two different meanings in the same context, and then try to plug in the “first created” meaning into verse eighteen, to read “first created from the dead.” This is obviously meaningless, so there must be more to the idea of “firstbornness.”

If they still want to defend their ungrounded position, have them read Genesis 41:51-52. Then have them read Jeremiah 31:9. Reminding them that these are the words of God, ask, “Did God make a mistake, or is He using ‘firstborn’ in the sense of ‘preeminence’?” Obviously, the latter is true. This coordinates exactly with the context and obviously intended meaning of Paul in Colossians.http://www.watchman.org/jw/1stborn2.htm

[The Supremacy of God's Son]-He is not an angel – He is clearly deity
[1:1] Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, [2] but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. [3] He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. After making purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty on high, [4] having become as much superior to angels as the name he has inherited is more excellent than theirs.
[5] For to which of the angels did God ever say,
“You are my Son,
today I have begotten you”?
Or again,
“I will be to him a father,
and he shall be to me a son”?
(Hebrews 1:1-5 ESV)

[6] And again, when he brings the firstborn into the world, he says,
“Let all God’s angels worship him.”
(Hebrews 1:6; Hebrews 1:7-9 ESV)     [7] Of the angels he says,
“He makes his angels winds,
and his ministers a flame of fire.”
[8] But of the Son he says,
“Your throne, O God, is forever and ever,
the scepter of uprightness is the scepter of your kingdom.
[9] You have loved righteousness and hated wickedness;
therefore God, your God, has anointed you
with the oil of gladness beyond your companions.”
(Hebrews 1:6; Hebrews 1:7-9 ESV)

[5] Have this mind among yourselves, which is yours in Christ Jesus, [6] who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, [7] but made himself nothing, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men. [8] And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. [9] Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name, [10] so that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, [11] and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:5-11 ESV)

Please note that every tongue shall confess that Jesus Christ is Jehovah to the glory of God the Father. These are just a few verses that can be shared. One can also use the ” I Am” verses in the Gospel of John,to show Jesus claiming deity as well.As a matter of fact,the entire Gospel of John teaches the Deity of Christ.

3. The Watchtower claims that  the subordinate role of Jesus means he is not deity. However,the better explanation for the verses they quote is that Jesus Christ voluntarily submitted to the Father and the Spirit .They are all equal in nature,yet have roles that they fulfill. Much as a husband and wife are equal in nature,yet carry out the roles that they have to glorify God. The Father sent the Son,who voluntarily came to earth,submitted to the Father’s will in all things,and was led by the Holy Spirit in all things.

3. The personality of the Holy Spirit

The Holy Spirit works behind the scenes,in the background if you will. It pleases Him to bring glory to the Father and the Son.

[12] “I still have many things to say to you, but you cannot bear them now. [13] When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. [14] He will glorify me, for he will take what is mine and declare it to you. [15] All that the Father has is mine; therefore I said that he will take what is mine and declare it to you.
(John 16:12-15 ESV)

[3] Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.
(1 Corinthians 12:3 ESV)

9] But, as it is written,
“What no eye has seen, nor ear heard,
nor the heart of man imagined,
what God has prepared for those who love him”—
[10] these things God has revealed to us through the Spirit. For the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. [11] For who knows a person’s thoughts except the spirit of that person, which is in him? So also no one comprehends the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God. [12] Now we have received not the spirit of the world, but the Spirit who is from God, that we might understand the things freely given us by God. [13] And we impart this in words not taught by human wisdom but taught by the Spirit, interpreting spiritual truths to those who are spiritual.
[14] The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned. [15] The spiritual person judges all things, but is himself to be judged by no one. [16] “For who has understood the mind of the Lord so as to instruct him?” But we have the mind of Christ.
(1 Corinthians 2:9-16 ESV)

The Father,Son,and Holy Spirit work in conjunction to bring spiritual truth to the believers. They are distinguished by their differing roles,and by the relationship they have with one another. A good definition of the Trinity would be the following -

There is one and only one God,eternally existing and fully expressed in three Persons,the Father,the Son,and the Holy Spirit.Each member of the Godhead is equally God,each is eternally God,and each is fully God- not three gods but three Persons of the one Godhead. Each person is equal in essence as each possesses fully the identically same,eternal divine nature,yet each is also an eternal and distinct personal expression of the one undivided divine nature.(Father,Son,and Holy Spirit,Bruce A.Ware,pg103)

Bruce Ware gives 10 reasons to focus on the wonder of the Trinity in his book Father,Son,and Holy Spirit . The book is well worth purchasing just for his explanations of  these 10 points alone.

  1. The doctrine of the Trinity is one of the most distinguishing doctrines of the Christian faith and therefore is deserving of our careful study,passionate embrace,and thoughtful application.
  2. The doctrine of the Trinity is both central and necessary for the Christian faith to be what it is. Remove the Trinity,and the whole Christian faith disintegrates.(Think creation,redemption,consummation) MW
  3. Worship of the true and living God consciously acknowledges the relationship and roles of Father,Son,and Holy Spirit.
    • The Christian’s life of prayer must rightly acknowledge the roles of Father,Son,and Spirit as we pray through the Son,in the power of the Spirit.
    • The triune relationships of the Father,Son,and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the unity of the triune God.
  4. The triune relationships of the Father,Son,and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the diversity within the triune God.
  5. The triune relationships of the Father,Son,and Holy Spirit cause us to wonder at the social relationality of the triune God.
  6. The triune relationships of the Father,Son,and Holy Spirit cause us to marvel at the authority-submission structure that exists eternally in the three Persons in the Godhead,each of whom is equally and fully God.
  7. The doctrine of the Trinity-one God existing in three Persons in the ways we have described-provides one of the most important and neglected patterns for how human life an human relationships are to be constructed.(ibid.15-22)

Who Do You Say That I Am ?

Posted on by
Reply

Every religion has to deal with Jesus Christ. His statements and actions are so profound that He must either be accepted,rejected,or redefined.

Jesus was the first socialist, the first to seek a better life for mankind.
Mikhail Gorbachev

From a Time Magazine interview with Deepak Chopra -

Your version of Jesus’ “missing years” is heavy on his search for enlightenment, on both external and internal journeying. Is that an area in which you felt the Gospels needed supplementing?

When I was growing up, I went to an Irish-Christian missionary school. I was totally fascinated by the New Testament. I must have read it a few thousand times. One day I was reading the Gospel of John 10: 30, where Jesus says, “I and God are one.” The crowd immediately wants to stone him for blasphemy. But he quotes a psalm that says “You are Gods, sons of the most high,” which he tells them was addressed to “those to whom the word of God came.” He clearly sees himself as equivalent to that group.

I interpreted this as “those who have knowledge of God are God.” In Eastern philosophical systems there’s an established idea of a path through personal consciousness to a collective conscience to a universal conscience, which people call the divine. I concluded that Jesus must have experienced this consciousness, and that he must have followed a path. The story is about that evolution.

Read more: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1858571,00.html#ixzz15bIercAQ

From a Zen Buddhist website -

Was Jesus a Buddhist? Certainly he was many things–Jew, prophet, healer, moralist, revolutionary, by his own admission the Messiah, and for most Christians the Son of God and redeemer of their sins. And there is convincing evidence that he was also a Buddhist. The evidence follows two independent lines–the first is historical, and the second is textual. Historical evidence indicates that Jesus was well acquainted with Buddhism. If Jesus did not go to India, then at least India went to Judea and Jesus. The real historical question is not if he studied Buddhism, but where and how much he studied Buddhism, especially during his so-called “lost years.http://www.thezensite.com/non_Zen/Was_Jesus_Buddhist.html

From the Jehovah Witness’s official website -

Jehovah God is the Creator. (Revelation 4:11) He is without beginning or end, and he is almighty. (Psalm 90:2) Jesus, on the other hand, had a beginning. (Colossians 1:15, 16) Referring to God as his Father, Jesus said: “The Father is greater than I am.” (John 14:28) Jesus also explained that there were some things neither he nor the angels knew but that were known only by his Father.—Mark 13:32.

Moreover, Jesus prayed to his Father: “Let, not my will, but yours take place.” (Luke 22:42) To whom was Jesus praying if not to a superior Personage? Furthermore, it was God who resurrected Jesus from the dead, not Jesus himself. (Acts 2:32) Obviously, the Father and the Son were not equal before Jesus came to the earth or during his earthly life. What about after Jesus’ resurrection to heaven?First Corinthians 11:3 states: “The head of the Christ is God.” In fact, the Son will always be in subjection to God. (1 Corinthians 15:28) The Scriptures therefore show that Jesus is not God Almighty. Instead, he is God’s Son

.http://www.watchtower.org/e/20050915/diagram_01.h

Here is one of many ways to respond to the errors expressed in the prior opinions.

From the Gospel of John we have seven ” I am ” statements.None could be made by a mere human being (if sane).

“I am the bread of life” (John 6:35,48,51). -Manna from heaven-”bread of life”

[35] Jesus said to them, “I am the bread of life; whoever comes to me shall not hunger, and whoever believes in me shall never thirst.
[41] So the Jews grumbled about him, because he said, “I am the bread that came down from heaven

[58] This is the bread that came down from heaven, not like the bread the fathers ate and died. Whoever feeds on this bread will live forever.”

“I am the light of the world” (John 8:12).Nobody but the eternal Word can make such a statement !

[12] Again Jesus spoke to them, saying, “I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will not walk in darkness, but will have the light of life.”

“I am the door of the sheep”(John 10:7,9). No other doors,will be saved – bit narrow hey ?

[7] So Jesus again said to them, “Truly, truly, I say to you, I am the door of the sheep. [8] All who came before me are thieves and robbers, but the sheep did not listen to them. [9] I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.

“I am the good shepherd” (John 10:11,14) Only Jesus went to the cross for sinners,not Buddha,not Mohammed,and certainly not Deepak Chopra.

.[10] The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. [11] I am the good shepherd. The good shepherd lays down his life for the sheep.

“I am the resurrection, and the life” (John 11:25).- Jesus can give life,He has conquered death,and He enables His believers to live forever.

[25] Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Whoever believes in me, though he die, yet shall he live, [26] and everyone who lives and believes in me shall never die. Do you believe this?” [27] She said to him, “Yes, Lord; I believe that you are the Christ, the Son of God, who is coming into the world.

“I am the way, the truth, and the life” (John 14:6). The perfect revelation of the Father.Since he is the way,and speaks nothing but truth,and gives life,He is not only fully human,but God – if you see Jesus,you see the Father.

[6] Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. [7] If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

“I am the true vine” (John 15:1,5).- We are called to call abide with God.Not with angels. There is One who can give us life- The Father,the Son,the Holy Spirit.

[5] I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. [6] If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. [7] If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. [8] By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples.

“I am He that liveth, and was dead; and, behold, I am alive for evermore, Amen; and have the keys of hell and of death” (Revelation 1:18).

From beginning to end – from eternity- Jesus Christ,the Word of God,has existed from eternity.He is not merely a good man, a great teacher,a compassionate human being. He is all of those,as well as being God in the flesh.. Note the list below:

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the ending” (Revelation 1:8).

“I am Alpha and Omega, the first and the last” (Revelation 1:11).

“Fear not; I am the first and the last” (Revelation 1:17).

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end” (Revelation 21:6).

“I am Alpha and Omega, the beginning and the end, the first and the last” (Revelation 22:13).

“I am the root and the offspring of David, and the bright and morning star”(Revelation 22:16).