But we see Jesus,
who was made
a little lower
than angels,
for the suffering
of death
crowned with
glory and honor,
that He,
by the grace
of God,
might taste
death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9
The old Arian heresy has been revived within the religious beliefs of Jehovah Witnesses and often the above Scripture is cited as a proof text that Jesus Christ was not God, rather was a created being. The Scripture cited does not give any evidence to Him being created or that He was a separate being, but it does state that Jesus Christ was made to be a little lower than angels, and is that not what we are? Yes! Furthermore for those of Arminianism who hold that anyone who so desires has just enough goodness in them, that they are not totally depraved and can choose God, point to the word, παντός, derived from the word, πας, that is translated, everyone, using that as proof that everyone can choose God for themselves, do not know Greek grammar. This is not proof of that at all, for seldom is the word, πας, used individually, rather it is used collectively. Charles Spurgeon points out this fact:
"... 'The whole world is gone after him.' Did all the world go after Christ? 'Then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.' Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? 'Ye are of God, little children', and 'the whole world lieth in the wicked one.' Does 'the whole world' there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were 'of God?' The words 'world' and 'all' are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that 'all' means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts—some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile." (Charles H. Spurgeon, Particular Redemption, A Sermon, 28 Feb 1858; italics mine). The word used in the above Scripture is masculine, genitive, and singular; therefore a literal translation would be; a certain son of all types. Why make a "big" deal out of the above Scripture? Because when we do not know the original languages and try to teach what the Bible writers actually said, and what the Greek speaking people would hear and understand is important if we are to not become involved in falsehood. I will not take away from the truth that it was God, who came, it was God in man, a God/Man, who paid the price for the sins of corrupt man. It was Jesus, God of true God, who suffered and died upon that cross and it is God who indwells His children and has caused the Law of Death to have lost its power of the Bride of Christ. The enemy, Satan and his hordes of demons have been foiled and death has simply ceased to be for God's children. The great work was worthy of the goodness of God. God, the Son of God, had regard for His own honor, more so that to the people's neglect. Many had fallen but by the death of His Own body He abolished death that they occurred and corrected their neglect by His teaching. Thus by His Own power He restored the whole nature of man: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died" (2Corinthians 5:14). It is true that the death of Jesus Christ was sufficient for all, but Jesus Christ came for His bride, those who His Father would give to Him by drawing them and by enabling them to accept what He did for them by His death. How did He draw men? By the free gift of faith! We are not sufficient in ourselves as Paul points out: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant..."(2Corinthians 3:6-7a). All that we have we have received from God: "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why boast as if you had not received it" (1Corinthians 4:7)? Paul writes to the Ephesians: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). What is that gift? It is faith, by the grace of God, you cannot do anything of yourselves to earn salvation. Jesus Christ died upon the tree, the tree of death, the most horrible form of death that the Romans could devise, and this for His bride, that bride that He came to save and have life with Him forever. John in his Revelation records: "They (those whose names are written in the Book of Life, my notes) shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever"(Revelation 22:4-5). Do you desire the blessing that is given to everyone that He came for and desire to have that tree of life? It is possible in the present moment. There is no need to wait until God chastises you and places you into an event that causes you to recognize the faith in you and then you choosing Him. Don't come to Him by means of fire, come now, receive the blessing now. It is by keeping His commandments that we can, now, in this moment of time, have His blessing: "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the trees of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14).
By means of that rescue of mankind from corruption was the proper work that Jesus Christ did for His bride, the only means that would suffice, because it was He who made man, all things, in the beginning. When we die we no longer do so as men condemned to death. We are in the process of rising, we await the general resurrection of all: "which he will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1Timothy 6:15). It was God who wrought us and it is God who bestowed this hope on us. He is the First Cause of the Savior's becoming man. This God did and even more and that is the subject of the next blog.
To the elect lady
and her children,
whom I love in truth,
and not only I,
but also all those who
have known the truth,
because of the truth
which abides in us
and will be with us
forever:
3John 1-2
A sure Hope: Surely I am coming quickly
Richard L. Crumb
"... 'The whole world is gone after him.' Did all the world go after Christ? 'Then went all Judea, and were baptized of him in Jordan.' Was all Judea, or all Jerusalem baptized in Jordan? 'Ye are of God, little children', and 'the whole world lieth in the wicked one.' Does 'the whole world' there mean everybody? If so, how was it, then, that there were some who were 'of God?' The words 'world' and 'all' are used in some seven or eight senses in Scripture; and it is very rarely that 'all' means all persons, taken individually. The words are generally used to signify that Christ has redeemed some of all sorts—some Jews, some Gentiles, some rich, some poor, and has not restricted his redemption to either Jew or Gentile." (Charles H. Spurgeon, Particular Redemption, A Sermon, 28 Feb 1858; italics mine). The word used in the above Scripture is masculine, genitive, and singular; therefore a literal translation would be; a certain son of all types. Why make a "big" deal out of the above Scripture? Because when we do not know the original languages and try to teach what the Bible writers actually said, and what the Greek speaking people would hear and understand is important if we are to not become involved in falsehood. I will not take away from the truth that it was God, who came, it was God in man, a God/Man, who paid the price for the sins of corrupt man. It was Jesus, God of true God, who suffered and died upon that cross and it is God who indwells His children and has caused the Law of Death to have lost its power of the Bride of Christ. The enemy, Satan and his hordes of demons have been foiled and death has simply ceased to be for God's children. The great work was worthy of the goodness of God. God, the Son of God, had regard for His own honor, more so that to the people's neglect. Many had fallen but by the death of His Own body He abolished death that they occurred and corrected their neglect by His teaching. Thus by His Own power He restored the whole nature of man: "For the love of Christ compels us, because we judge thus: that if One died for all, then all died" (2Corinthians 5:14). It is true that the death of Jesus Christ was sufficient for all, but Jesus Christ came for His bride, those who His Father would give to Him by drawing them and by enabling them to accept what He did for them by His death. How did He draw men? By the free gift of faith! We are not sufficient in ourselves as Paul points out: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God, who also made us sufficient as ministers of the new covenant..."(2Corinthians 3:6-7a). All that we have we have received from God: "For who makes you differ from another? And what do you have that you did not receive? Now if you did indeed receive it, why boast as if you had not received it" (1Corinthians 4:7)? Paul writes to the Ephesians: "For by grace you have been saved through faith, and that not of yourselves; it is the gift of God" (Ephesians 2:8). What is that gift? It is faith, by the grace of God, you cannot do anything of yourselves to earn salvation. Jesus Christ died upon the tree, the tree of death, the most horrible form of death that the Romans could devise, and this for His bride, that bride that He came to save and have life with Him forever. John in his Revelation records: "They (those whose names are written in the Book of Life, my notes) shall see His face, and His name shall be on their foreheads. There shall be no night there: They need no lamp nor light of the sun, for the Lord God gives them light. And they shall reign forever and ever"(Revelation 22:4-5). Do you desire the blessing that is given to everyone that He came for and desire to have that tree of life? It is possible in the present moment. There is no need to wait until God chastises you and places you into an event that causes you to recognize the faith in you and then you choosing Him. Don't come to Him by means of fire, come now, receive the blessing now. It is by keeping His commandments that we can, now, in this moment of time, have His blessing: "Blessed are those who do His commandments, that they may have the right to the trees of life, and may enter through the gates into the city" (Revelation 22:14).
By means of that rescue of mankind from corruption was the proper work that Jesus Christ did for His bride, the only means that would suffice, because it was He who made man, all things, in the beginning. When we die we no longer do so as men condemned to death. We are in the process of rising, we await the general resurrection of all: "which he will manifest in His own time, He who is the blessed and only Potentate, the King of kings and Lord of lords" (1Timothy 6:15). It was God who wrought us and it is God who bestowed this hope on us. He is the First Cause of the Savior's becoming man. This God did and even more and that is the subject of the next blog.
To the elect lady
and her children,
whom I love in truth,
and not only I,
but also all those who
have known the truth,
because of the truth
which abides in us
and will be with us
forever:
3John 1-2
A sure Hope: Surely I am coming quickly
Richard L. Crumb
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