Jesus answered and
said to them,
“The sons of this age
marry
and are given in
marriage.
But those who are
counted
worthy to attain that
age,
and the resurrection
from the dead,
neither marry nor are
given in marriage,
nor can they die
anymore, for they are equal
to the angels and are
sons of God,
being sons of the
resurrection.”
Luke 20:34–36
The
Sadducees who did not believe in a resurrection asked Jesus by proposing a hard
example in regards to a person having seven wives. They asked, “Therefore, in
the resurrection, whose wife does she become? For all seven had her as a wife”
(Luke 20:33). Let us not be confused that there are two ages spoken about
by Jesus, the present age where people marry, and the age to come in which
people do not marry. It is not that the Sadducees did not believe in Jehovah
the God of Israel. They did, only, only, as many today do who say they believe
in the God of the Bible and Jesus Christ, and have a theology that is not
according to Scripture. They have what they suppose is a better and more
correct view of God. For the Sadducees there was also a desire to remain
subjects of Rome and not disturb their relationship and position with Rome.
This connection of the Church with the state has been problematic since the
days of Constantine. Even Calvin and Swingli, and others remained with the
state and held to a monarchial form of government and a close tie with the
state. It is not that they had poor theology in all things, they were subject
to the times and culture and the tradition within Christianity. We are not to
throw the “baby out” with the bathwater, but we are to examine what is being
taught to us by theologians, our pastors, and our Sunday School Teachers. Why,
because if we do not take time to investigate what is being said then you will
follow after those who sound good but are not theologically correct. In some
cases, far too many, heresy raises its ugly head and the life many lead who
think they are Scriptural, are not, and they live according to false teaching and
teach others to do the same. We must take care to examine what we say we
believe and that examination is from our study of Scripture and examining what
is being taught to you and me. How about this: take notes of the sermon:
prepare for Sunday School, or Bible study. Pray, Pray, Pray, and allow the Holy
Spirit to guide you even if what you learn is uncomfortable because it is
opposed to what you hear or have found to be true in Scripture. Don’t stay with
those who are unScriptural. Teach your children to do the same, pray with them,
study Scripture with them, don’t spend so much time running them to and fro,
from dancing classes, or sports, or anything that will use of more time than
necessary taking them from a more important time: study of God’s word, and prayer,
prayer with the family. Children have questions and are often afraid to voice
them so be the one to raise a question with them and then: study with them
allowing them to voice their concerns and questions in this study. In the days
of Constantine this vital difference among church leaders, in this study it
will be Arius, and Athanasius, and the doctrine of Jesus Christ and His
relationship with the Father. The Trinity not held as true by several
theologians and this is true even today. So we who are being taught by
theologians, those who may have attended a Seminary that is taught be liberal,
if not be very liberal professors, and we are being introduced and taught this
liberality and many liberals do not hold to the doctrine of the Trinity. How
about you?
In the days
of Constantine, the emperor had many problems facing him, the Teutonic tribes
attacking the empire. There were problems in the British Isles, and within Rome
itself by Christians fussing and fuming over this doctrine, as well as others.
This doctrine was dividing the people, those Christians and affecting the
non–Christian. Therefore, he called this council to settle the matter. Arius
being backed by Eusebius of Nicomedia, (Not Eusebius of Caesarea) and a
minority of others who held to his view of Jesus Christ that believe that Jesus
had not existed from all eternity and had a beginning (Jehovah Witnesses hold
to that doctrine), and that Jesus was a created being prior to time. Jesus
Christ was (heteros) that is of a different essence or substance than the
Father. Due to the life of Jesus and His virtue and His obedience to God’s
will, considered divine. Arius believed and taught that Jesus was a being
created out of nothing and subordinate to the Father and different in essence
therefore Jesus was not coequal, coeternal, or consubstantial with the Father.
To Arius Jesus was divine but not deity. Mormons have this opinion, Jehovah
Witnesses have this opinion, and both have developed a doctrine to include the
divinity of Jesus by not deity and the same essence as the Father. This is
important for us as the issue, once again, is soteriological in nature; that
is, salvation is at stake for if Jesus is only a demi–god, then how can we be
saved by such a creature? Here again is the question: “Why would God who can
create out of nothing all things make another who either was a robot and could
not sin, or had free–will and could sin to be the Savior? If God has purposed
to save some, would He have not done this Himself and not take a chance, that His
will in actuality not His will? Could not God come Himself to save who He would
save and then His will that is never thwarted be accomplished and this by
clothing His Wisdom in flesh to become incarnate and pay the price of sin once
and for all time?
Next blog I
will give the orthodox view and the exponent of this view Athanasius.
Watch therefore, and pray always
That you
may be counted
Worthy to escape all these things
That will
come to pass,
And to stand before the Son of Man.
Luke
21:36
You are a child of God: Hallelujah
Richard L. Crumb
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