Now the end of the commandment
is charity out of a pure heart,
and of a good conscience, and of
faith unfeigned: from which some
having swerved have turned aside
unto vain jangling; desiring to be
teachers of the law; understanding
neither what they say, nor whereof
they affirm.
1Timothy 1:5-7
As Authentic Christians we can have agape love that is manifested out of charity that is from a pure heart, and a good conscience. A person cannot have a good and pure conscience if a person follows doctrines that are not Scriptural as they are taught by those who have turned aside from the truth. This Paul is admonishing Timothy to be aware of and to confront. Therefore, as I address this subject, the divinity of Jesus Christ, I will attempt in every way to have charity, but because I have charity does not mean that I must accept what is in opposition to Scripture. I must address it, and give Scriptural references so that you can ensure that what I say is Scriptural and if not give me a comment showing why. I thank you in advance.
John writes: "I and my Father are one" (John 10:30). I have heard many renditions as to the meaning of "one." The Greek word: ε˝ν, is nominative, accusative singular neuter from ει˝ς, one virtually by union, one and the same, and then John uses: έσμέν,first person plural, present indicative and means: "we are." There is not plurality in this verse, both are of the same essence, "one," not plural as two. John further writes: "Jesus saith unto him, Have I been so long time with you, and yet has thou not know me, Philip? He that hath seen me hath seen the Father; and how sayest how then, shew us the Father? Believe thou not that I am in the Father, and the Father in me" (John 14:9)? How could the Father be in Jesus different from man? God is the Father of Jesus by Him impregnating Mary Himself, not creating another god, no, but putting Himself into Mary to join with her ovum, and by this Jesus would be both man and God, therefore He by His death and sinless life could pay what a sinless life by Adam lost for all mankind.
Barnabus wrote (c. 70-130): "He is Lord of all the world, to whom God said at the foundation of the world, "Let us make man after our image, and after our likeness." If the image of Jesus is the same as God's, and God cannot have an image for He is a Spirit, no form, could this be? The word image and likeness in Hebrew means to represent another, to be as an image of another, therefore God not having a form does have attributes and those attributes are the same for Jesus, and the Holy Spirit for they are "one." Jesus was not created, He was, is and will always be: the Second Person of the Godhead. Jesus was always with no beginning or end. God did not make a mistake and then have to create a god to save Him from His mistake. Jesus is the Wisdom of God and the Word of God, the Logos, Jesus speaks and a thing is done. Here is where Jehovah Witnesses get it all wrong. Arius determined that Jesus could not be of the same essence as the Father, therefore to address this supposed problem he made Jesus to be a created creature.
Ignatius (c.105) wrote: "Continue in intimate union with Jesus Christ, our God. I pay for your happiness foreve in our God, Jesus Christ." The early fathers followed the admonition of Paul to Timothy to remain in the doctrine they taught. We too must be prepared to address such heterdoxy that is present in our world deluding many to follow a lie. We can have a strong foundation when we know our history as a Christian Church.
Tomorrow I will address John 1:1 because this verse is used by Jehovah Witnesses for proof that Jesus is "a god," and not God. They may come to your door and by good questioning you may be able to show them the folly of their belief.
A wise man will hear, and will
increase learning: and a man
of understanding shall attain unto
wise counsels.
Proverbs 1: 5
Study, pray, meditate: upon God's word
Richard L. Crumb
No comments:
Post a Comment