Archive for June, 2014

In the beginning was the Word – Part 2

Posted: June 28, 2014 in Deity of Jesus Christ, Shared Thoughts
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

 In part 1, at the end I asked these questions, “So what does this all mean? And what “beginning” is the Holy Spirit referencing here? Plus, exactly how can the Word be both with God and yet be God? Long ago I looked at this verse and ponder these questions and more. Certainly, each written word of this verse is deliberate and true, but exactly how and why they are true was outside the grasp of my meager ability to comprehend.  Nonetheless, I accepted their immediate and obvious implications as accurate, believing them to be the words of God which still needed to be firmly embraced by faith, even if I didn’t understand them.

Today, it is with earnest appreciation that I’m persuaded His Holy Spirit has graciously allowed, as it were, the very fingertips of my understanding to ever so lightly touch the certainty of these words, permitting an ever so-slight awareness of the magnitude of their significance. Consequently, I have been persuaded these words of truth are saturated with profound implications and consequence, of which there is rich evidence to the strength of their authority everywhere,  waiting to be acknowledged by the earnest seeker of Truth.

However, before I get too far into this post, there is a distinction between knowledge and understanding which I believe would be beneficial to briefly discuss first. Certainly there are a variety of things we each may have considerable knowledge of and yet still not possess a comparable understanding about. For an example, we know a vacuum cleaner needs to be plugged in and the switch in the on position if it is going to function and get the job done; but exactly “why” is there power in the wall outlet and “how” it was generated, or “what” exactly is going on inside the vacuum cleaner are simply not necessary pieces of information required by the user in order to get the floor clean.

But yet, what an incredible difference an understanding of how and why something works makes in one’s life. It is like turning on a light in a dark and undiscovered place. Suddenly hidden things become clear and we gain the ability to see further, and even to correctly discern and anticipate possibilities when we begin to understand the concepts of “how” and “why.” (more…)

In the beginning was the Word – Part 1

Posted: June 19, 2014 in Deity of Jesus Christ
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In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God.

The opening of Apostle John’s gospel account of Jesus’ deity is a profound verse that confronts the reader immediately with the testimony that the historical Jesus of Nazareth was there “In the beginning… with God,” and then with incredible simplicity and clarity of speech affirms His deity absolutely, proclaiming “the Word was God.”

“How?” people often ask, “Can Jesus be with God and be God?” Good question, but just because something is a mystery doesn’t negate its reality, the mystery only attests to a lack understanding. Now the Jehovah Witnesses solved this problem simply by reinterpreting the verse to agree with their own theological misunderstanding of Jesus’ true identity –

“In [the] beginning the Word was, and the Word was with God, and the Word was a god.”

That’s their erroneous solution, admit “the Word” was “with God” and then just state that “the Word” was just another (little “g”) god. They explain this with verse 2 being translated to say “This one was in the beginning with God.” Their answer is simply that there were two gods at the beginning, the Almighty God Jehovah and then the lesser created “mighty god” Jesus. However, if Jesus was created, then His beginning would have to be separate from “the beginning,” which doesn’t really set well with their interpretation of the following verse –

“All things came into existence through him and apart from him not even one thing came into existence.”

Are there two beginnings? Would not a created lesser god with such a beginning be part of “all things” that “came into existence?”

Now, before I quickly lose some readers because they think I am writing this article about Jehovah Witnesses, I’m not. This article is about John 1:1 and how through it the Holy Spirit reveals volumes of truth about “the gospel, and the preaching of Jesus Christ, according to the revelation of the mystery, which was kept secret since the world began.” Therefore I hope many of you will continue to read this in its entirety. (more…)

He that has ears to hear… they that know their God… will do something really great for Him.

Posted: June 11, 2014 in Shared Thoughts, Wake Up!
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A couple of years ago I had written an article about the unfaithful steward who wasted his master’s goods, I discussed the attitudes of the Pharisees that were there listening. Amazingly, instead of agreeing with Jesus that the steward’s behavior was sinful, they instead began to deride Jesus to publicly mock Him. The more I ponder this reactive attitude towards Christ the more I am amazed at how just how hard an arrogant and religious heart can be. Not only were they failing miserably at being faithful stewards of the oracles of God which they openly boasted to be the keepers and teachers of, they failed miserably in their living by them. Such is why all who will live godly for Jesus will not only be rejected, but likewise persecuted by today’s arrogant religious leaders.

Jesus said such men were “those who justified yourselves before men,” but warned all that God knows the hearts of all men. But what was it the Pharisees had been “justifying” themselves about? They were the prominent religious leaders of the day . . . that is up until the Light of the world appeared unto men exposing them for what they really were. They were covetous not only of worldly things, but also of the praise and admiration of men. No wonder Jesus spoke such sharp condemning words to them that what they “highly esteemed” was an abomination in the sight of God.

If you are an America Christian who is faring well and yet yearn for, or look for the praise and approval of men, then I strongly urge you to listen to Jesus words against these religious men  –

Luke 6:24 But woe unto you that are rich! for ye have received your consolation. 25 Woe unto you that are full! for ye shall hunger. Woe unto you that laugh now! for ye shall mourn and weep. 26 Woe unto you, when all men shall speak well of you! for so did their fathers to the false prophets.

 In the Gospel of John it was recorded how many of the chief rulers actually believed on Jesus, but only two of which are mentioned in scripture and eventually came forward and stood for Jesus, Nicodemus and Joseph of Arimathaea. However, many of them would not openly confess Jesus because they feared the Jews, i.e., the Pharisees –

John 12:42 Nevertheless among the chief rulers also many believed on Him; but because of the Pharisees they did not confess Him, lest they should be put out of the synagogue:  43 For they loved the praise of men more than the praise of God. (more…)