Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Lack Of Understanding The Original Languages Have Cause Some To Believe Lies

Then He said to Thomas,
"Reach your finger here,
and look at My hands; 
and reach your hand here,
and put it into My side. 
Do not be unbelieving, 
but believing. 
And Thomas answered 
and said to Him, 'My Lord
and My God!"
John 20:27-28
When they saw Him, 
they worshiped Him:
but some doubted.
Matthew 28:17

     As Jew, God fearing, following the Law, having great fear towards God, so much that they invented rules for writing the name of God, they were monotheistic.  Matthew writes that when the saw Jesus they worshiped Him; no Jew would worship anyone other than God, they would not even have idols, or images of God, they worshiped God, and in this passage, they worshiped Jesus.  The Greek word used here; προσεκύνησαν, is translated worship for it means to prostrate oneself in homage, to worship. If Jesus Christ is not God then why did He not stop them from such an act?  Was He not a Jew? He would not have accepted such an act towards Him if God only should be worshiped.  Then many would take the words of Thomas: 'My Lord and My God!" and divide the two outbursts to mean two separate Beings. So, we have Jesus being worshiped in Matthew and in John we have Thomas declaring Him to be both Lord and God.  The Greek should help us: ἀπεκρίθη Θωμᾶς καὶ εἶπεν αὐτῷ· κύριός μου καὶ θεός μου. Notice that both κύριός and θεός have before the words the indefinite article , translated "the." So Thomas said; my the Lord and my the God.  We do not have recorded that Thomas said one thing to Jesus and then look heavenward and said another to God. No, Thomas acclaimed that Jesus was both God and Lord, and this is in concurrence with Jesus being worshiped.  I am going to write on the Divinity of Jesus as there are some who do not believe that Jesus was God, that He was God/Man.  The United Pentecostal Church International, the Apostolic Church, and on TV Shephard's Chapel, and of course the Jehovah Witnesses, and many more.  Maybe you are wondering whether it is true that God came as the Son of God, or maybe Jesus was not really God, but a god, which the Gnostics would have you believe. 
     Ok! Let me ask this question: Did God the creator, who created from nothing create a creator? If so, why? If God could create then why the necessity for another creator? Why not just do it Himself?  Was there a need for another Savior than God Himself? If so, why?  Would God place in the hands of an angel who could sin, or maybe He created Jesus to be sinless.  If He did then why not create all beings sinless?  Would God then send and angel, who could sin, to save those whom He predestined to be saved?  If He did, then I guess I can picture God in heaven rubbing His hands together wondering if anyone would accept the message of the angel. Or, would a loving God, who predestined His children come Himself, not allowing some possibility that an angel would not be successful?  If God did not come and ensure our salvation then we cannot be sure that we will be saved. You might hope to be saved, you might hope to go to heaven but there is no assurance.  Yes, the Bible says that we are to believe on the name of Jesus Christ, the Messiah, the one sent to die for sin. No question, that is exactly what the Bible teaches us, but the Bible teaches us more.  The Bible teaches that Jesus Christ is no mere man, He is God come in the flesh.  It is the whole Bible not just some proof Scripture that is needed to understand the Bible and this subject. Listen to the prophet Isaiah: "Thus says the LORD, the King of Israel, and His Redeemer, the LORD of hosts; 'I am the First and I am the Last; Beside Me there is no God" (Isaiah 44:6). John writes in the Revelation several times this phrase: "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,' says the Lord, who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty" (Revelation 1:8). These words are poignant, for not only does Jesus say that He is the First and the Last, but He claims to be the Almighty a term that was always given to God, the God of Israel, the God of Authentic Biblical Christians.  
     You may not be fully convinced with such a short introduction to the Divinity of Jesus Christ but in the coming blogs I will outline from Scripture that it is true; Jesus Christ, the very Wisdom of God, the Son of God, the very essence of God; is God! This is most important for many have made Jesus Christ to be that which He is not and they teach and preach such heresy.  We, the elect of God must not be apathetic, we must study this important doctrine and be ready to give an answer.  Study the Scriptures that are given, take time to think, to meditate upon His word, and the Holy Spirit will guide you, that is if you will allow Him to do so.  I am not asking that you "empty" your mind as does some teach such as Myra Perrine, which is eastern religion applied to Christianity, no, I am asking that you think seriously about this subject.  Either Jesus is God or He is not and your life will reflect what you believe.  

And behold, I am coming 
     quickly, and My reward
is with Me, to give to every
     one according to his work.
I am the Alpha and the Omega,
     the Beginning and the End, 
the First and the Last.
                              Revelation 22:12-13

May God Bless You And Your Efforts To Know Him

Richard L. Crumb

No comments:

Post a Comment