From Gary.... Insightful humility

I think the nine little statements in the picture are worth reading (again and again)!!! Why? Because they are very insightful.  Again, why? Well, because young children don't have all the "baggage" that those of us who are "ancient" have!!!  And sometimes that baggage gets in the way of being spiritual. The disciples of Jesus were not immune to such things, as this brief quote from Matthew illustrates.

Matthew, Chapter 18 (WEB)

2  Jesus called a little child to himself, and set him in their midst, 3 and said, “Most certainly I tell you, unless you turn, and become as little children, you will in no way enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.   4 Whoever therefore humbles himself as this little child, the same is the greatest in the Kingdom of Heaven.   5  Whoever receives one such little child in my name receives me,

For a month or two I have been following a Greek instructor via email and trying to learn a few things about New Testament Koine Greek.  It is difficult for me, due to my advanced years, to absorb everything, but a few things stick. Today, I was listening to a rather extensive explanation of Galatians 1:13 and realized that for all the teachers knowledge, the simplest, most literal translation was the best. Now, don't get me wrong- this person is a great teacher, but sometimes a little child or even a new-be in Greek can be right about something. Having said all that- remember to be humble, Gary!!!

By the way, of all the nine statements above, I like number 7 and 9 the best. 

From Gary... Bible Reading February 28

Bible Reading  

February 28

The World English Bible

Feb. 28

Exodus 9

Exo 9:1 Then Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:2 For if you refuse to let them go, and hold them still,

Exo 9:3 behold, the hand of Yahweh is on your livestock which are in the field, on the horses, on the donkeys, on the camels, on the herds, and on the flocks with a very grievous pestilence.

Exo 9:4 Yahweh will make a distinction between the livestock of Israel and the livestock of Egypt; and there shall nothing die of all that belongs to the children of Israel." ' "

Exo 9:5 Yahweh appointed a set time, saying, "Tomorrow Yahweh shall do this thing in the land."

Exo 9:6 Yahweh did that thing on the next day; and all the livestock of Egypt died, but of the livestock of the children of Israel, not one died.

Exo 9:7 Pharaoh sent, and, behold, there was not so much as one of the livestock of the Israelites dead. But the heart of Pharaoh was stubborn, and he didn't let the people go.

Exo 9:8 Yahweh said to Moses and to Aaron, "Take to you handfuls of ashes of the furnace, and let Moses sprinkle it toward the sky in the sight of Pharaoh.

Exo 9:9 It shall become small dust over all the land of Egypt, and shall be a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal, throughout all the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:10 They took ashes of the furnace, and stood before Pharaoh; and Moses sprinkled it up toward the sky; and it became a boil breaking forth with boils on man and on animal.

Exo 9:11 The magicians couldn't stand before Moses because of the boils; for the boils were on the magicians, and on all the Egyptians.

Exo 9:12 Yahweh hardened the heart of Pharaoh, and he didn't listen to them, as Yahweh had spoken to Moses.

Exo 9:13 Yahweh said to Moses, "Rise up early in the morning, and stand before Pharaoh, and tell him, 'This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: "Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 9:14 For this time I will send all my plagues against your heart, against your officials, and against your people; that you may know that there is none like me in all the earth.

Exo 9:15 For now I would have put forth my hand, and struck you and your people with pestilence, and you would have been cut off from the earth;

Exo 9:16 but indeed for this cause I have made you stand: to show you my power, and that my name may be declared throughout all the earth;

Exo 9:17 as you still exalt yourself against my people, that you won't let them go.

Exo 9:18 Behold, tomorrow about this time I will cause it to rain a very grievous hail, such as has not been in Egypt since the day it was founded even until now.

Exo 9:19 Now therefore command that all of your livestock and all that you have in the field be brought into shelter. Every man and animal that is found in the field, and isn't brought home, the hail shall come down on them, and they shall die." ' "

Exo 9:20 Those who feared the word of Yahweh among the servants of Pharaoh made their servants and their livestock flee into the houses.

Exo 9:21 Whoever didn't regard the word of Yahweh left his servants and his livestock in the field.

Exo 9:22 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch forth your hand toward the sky, that there may be hail in all the land of Egypt, on man, and on animal, and on every herb of the field, throughout the land of Egypt."

Exo 9:23 Moses stretched forth his rod toward the heavens, and Yahweh sent thunder, hail, and lightning flashed down to the earth. Yahweh rained hail on the land of Egypt.

Exo 9:24 So there was very severe hail, and lightning mixed with the hail, such as had not been in all the land of Egypt since it became a nation.

Exo 9:25 The hail struck throughout all the land of Egypt all that was in the field, both man and animal; and the hail struck every herb of the field, and broke every tree of the field.

Exo 9:26 Only in the land of Goshen, where the children of Israel were, there was no hail.

Exo 9:27 Pharaoh sent, and called for Moses and Aaron, and said to them, "I have sinned this time. Yahweh is righteous, and I and my people are wicked.

Exo 9:28 Pray to Yahweh; for there has been enough of mighty thunderings and hail. I will let you go, and you shall stay no longer."

Exo 9:29 Moses said to him, "As soon as I have gone out of the city, I will spread abroad my hands to Yahweh. The thunders shall cease, neither shall there be any more hail; that you may know that the earth is Yahweh's.

Exo 9:30 But as for you and your servants, I know that you don't yet fear Yahweh God."

Exo 9:31 The flax and the barley were struck, for the barley was in the ear, and the flax was in bloom.

Exo 9:32 But the wheat and the spelt were not struck, for they had not grown up.

Exo 9:33 Moses went out of the city from Pharaoh, and spread abroad his hands to Yahweh; and the thunders and hail ceased, and the rain was not poured on the earth.

Exo 9:34 When Pharaoh saw that the rain and the hail and the thunders were ceased, he sinned yet more, and hardened his heart, he and his servants.

Exo 9:35 The heart of Pharaoh was hardened, and he didn't let the children of Israel go, just as Yahweh had spoken through Moses.

Feb. 29

Exodus 10

Exo 10:1 Yahweh said to Moses, "Go in to Pharaoh, for I have hardened his heart, and the heart of his servants, that I may show these my signs in the midst of them,

Exo 10:2 and that you may tell in the hearing of your son, and of your son's son, what things I have done to Egypt, and my signs which I have done among them; that you may know that I am Yahweh."

Exo 10:3 Moses and Aaron went in to Pharaoh, and said to him, "This is what Yahweh, the God of the Hebrews, says: 'How long will you refuse to humble yourself before me? Let my people go, that they may serve me.

Exo 10:4 Or else, if you refuse to let my people go, behold, tomorrow I will bring locusts into your country,

Exo 10:5 and they shall cover the surface of the earth, so that one won't be able to see the earth. They shall eat the residue of that which has escaped, which remains to you from the hail, and shall eat every tree which grows for you out of the field.

Exo 10:6 Your houses shall be filled, and the houses of all your servants, and the houses of all the Egyptians; as neither your fathers nor your fathers' fathers have seen, since the day that they were on the earth to this day.' " He turned, and went out from Pharaoh.

Exo 10:7 Pharaoh's servants said to him, "How long will this man be a snare to us? Let the men go, that they may serve Yahweh, their God. Don't you yet know that Egypt is destroyed?"

Exo 10:8 Moses and Aaron were brought again to Pharaoh, and he said to them, "Go, serve Yahweh your God; but who are those who will go?"

Exo 10:9 Moses said, "We will go with our young and with our old; with our sons and with our daughters, with our flocks and with our herds will we go; for we must hold a feast to Yahweh."

Exo 10:10 He said to them, "Yahweh be with you if I will let you go with your little ones! See, evil is clearly before your faces.

Exo 10:11 Not so! Go now you who are men, and serve Yahweh; for that is what you desire!" They were driven out from Pharaoh's presence.

Exo 10:12 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand over the land of Egypt for the locusts, that they may come up on the land of Egypt, and eat every herb of the land, even all that the hail has left."

Exo 10:13 Moses stretched forth his rod over the land of Egypt, and Yahweh brought an east wind on the land all that day, and all the night; and when it was morning, the east wind brought the locusts.

Exo 10:14 The locusts went up over all the land of Egypt, and rested in all the borders of Egypt. They were very grievous. Before them there were no such locusts as they, neither after them shall be such.

Exo 10:15 For they covered the surface of the whole earth, so that the land was darkened, and they ate every herb of the land, and all the fruit of the trees which the hail had left. There remained nothing green, either tree or herb of the field, through all the land of Egypt.

Exo 10:16 Then Pharaoh called for Moses and Aaron in haste, and he said, "I have sinned against Yahweh your God, and against you.

Exo 10:17 Now therefore please forgive my sin again, and pray to Yahweh your God, that he may also take away from me this death."

Exo 10:18 He went out from Pharaoh, and prayed to Yahweh.

Exo 10:19 Yahweh turned an exceeding strong west wind, which took up the locusts, and drove them into the Red Sea. There remained not one locust in all the borders of Egypt.

Exo 10:20 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he didn't let the children of Israel go.

Exo 10:21 Yahweh said to Moses, "Stretch out your hand toward the sky, that there may be darkness over the land of Egypt, even darkness which may be felt."

Exo 10:22 Moses stretched forth his hand toward the sky, and there was a thick darkness in all the land of Egypt three days.

Exo 10:23 They didn't see one another, neither did anyone rise from his place for three days; but all the children of Israel had light in their dwellings.

Exo 10:24 Pharaoh called to Moses, and said, "Go, serve Yahweh. Only let your flocks and your herds stay behind. Let your little ones also go with you."

Exo 10:25 Moses said, "You must also give into our hand sacrifices and burnt offerings, that we may sacrifice to Yahweh our God.

Exo 10:26 Our livestock also shall go with us. There shall not a hoof be left behind, for of it we must take to serve Yahweh our God; and we don't know with what we must serve Yahweh, until we come there."

Exo 10:27 But Yahweh hardened Pharaoh's heart, and he wouldn't let them go.

Exo 10:28 Pharaoh said to him, "Get away from me! Be careful to see my face no more; for in the day you see my face you shall die!"

Exo 10:29 Moses said, "You have spoken well. I will see your face again no more."

Feb. 28, 29

Mark 2

Mar 2:1 When he entered again into Capernaum after some days, it was heard that he was in the house.

Mar 2:2 Immediately many were gathered together, so that there was no more room, not even around the door; and he spoke the word to them.

Mar 2:3 Four people came, carrying a paralytic to him.

Mar 2:4 When they could not come near to him for the crowd, they removed the roof where he was. When they had broken it up, they let down the mat that the paralytic was lying on.

Mar 2:5 Jesus, seeing their faith, said to the paralytic, "Son, your sins are forgiven you."

Mar 2:6 But there were some of the scribes sitting there, and reasoning in their hearts,

Mar 2:7 "Why does this man speak blasphemies like that? Who can forgive sins but God alone?"

Mar 2:8 Immediately Jesus, perceiving in his spirit that they so reasoned within themselves, said to them, "Why do you reason these things in your hearts?

Mar 2:9 Which is easier, to tell the paralytic, 'Your sins are forgiven;' or to say, 'Arise, and take up your bed, and walk?'

Mar 2:10 But that you may know that the Son of Man has authority on earth to forgive sins" -he said to the paralytic-

Mar 2:11 "I tell you, arise, take up your mat, and go to your house."

Mar 2:12 He arose, and immediately took up the mat, and went out in front of them all; so that they were all amazed, and glorified God, saying, "We never saw anything like this!"

Mar 2:13 He went out again by the seaside. All the multitude came to him, and he taught them.

Mar 2:14 As he passed by, he saw Levi, the son of Alphaeus, sitting at the tax office, and he said to him, "Follow me." And he arose and followed him.

Mar 2:15 It happened, that he was reclining at the table in his house, and many tax collectors and sinners sat down with Jesus and his disciples, for there were many, and they followed him.

Mar 2:16 The scribes and the Pharisees, when they saw that he was eating with the sinners and tax collectors, said to his disciples, "Why is it that he eats and drinks with tax collectors and sinners?"

Mar 2:17 When Jesus heard it, he said to them, "Those who are healthy have no need for a physician, but those who are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance."

Mar 2:18 John's disciples and the Pharisees were fasting, and they came and asked him, "Why do John's disciples and the disciples of the Pharisees fast, but your disciples don't fast?"

Mar 2:19 Jesus said to them, "Can the groomsmen fast while the bridegroom is with them? As long as they have the bridegroom with them, they can't fast.

Mar 2:20 But the days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then will they fast in that day.

Mar 2:21 No one sews a piece of unshrunk cloth on an old garment, or else the patch shrinks and the new tears away from the old, and a worse hole is made.

Mar 2:22 No one puts new wine into old wineskins, or else the new wine will burst the skins, and the wine pours out, and the skins will be destroyed; but they put new wine into fresh wineskins."

Mar 2:23 It happened that he was going on the Sabbath day through the grain fields, and his disciples began, as they went, to pluck the ears of grain.

Mar 2:24 The Pharisees said to him, "Behold, why do they do that which is not lawful on the Sabbath day?"

Mar 2:25 He said to them, "Did you never read what David did, when he had need, and was hungry-he, and those who were with him?

Mar 2:26 How he entered into the house of God when Abiathar was high priest, and ate the show bread, which is not lawful to eat except for the priests, and gave also to those who were with him?"

Mar 2:27 He said to them, "The Sabbath was made for man, not man for the Sabbath.

Mar 2:28 Therefore the Son of Man is lord even of the Sabbath."

From Mark Copeland... The Days Of Creation

                        "THE CASE FOR CREATION"

                          The Days Of Creation

INTRODUCTION

1. In this study, we are have briefly considered...
   a. The Biblical Case For Creation
   b. The Philosophical Case For Creation
   c. The Scientific Case For Creation
   d. The Historical Case For Creation

2. In the remaining lessons, we shall address issues related to both
   creation and evolution...
   

   a. The days of creation in Genesis 1 and 2
   b. Difficulties with the theory of evolution

[Some believe creationism and evolution theory can be reconciled by how
one defines the word "day" as used in Genesis chapter one.  Well, let's
take a look at...]

I. THE DAYS OF CREATION (DEFINITION)

   A. THE HEBREW WORD "YOM"...
      1. A noun meaning day, time, year
      2. It is used to describe:
         a. The period of light (as contrasted with the period of
            darkness) - Gen 1:5; 1Ki 19:4
         b. The period of twenty-four hours - Deu 16:8; 2Ki 25:30
         c. A generic span of time - Gen 26:8; Num 20:15
         d. A given point of time - Gen 2:17; 47:26
         e. In the plural, a year - Lev 25:29; 1Sa 27:7
      -- The Complete WordStudy Dictionary

   B. "YOM" IN GENESIS 1 AND 2...
      1. The daylight hours from sunrise to sunset - Gen 1:5,14,18 ("the day")
      2. A literal 24 hour cycle - Gen 1:14 ("for days")
      3. A generic span of time - Gen 2:4 ("in the day...")
      -- Moses used the word "yom" at least three different ways

[Because yom can be diverse in its meaning, there are at least four
views as to the days of creation...]

II. THE DAYS OF CREATION (FOUR VIEWS)

   A. YOUNG EARTH CREATIONISM...
      1. God created all things (heavens and earth) in six 24-hour days
         - Gen 1:3-2:2; Exo 20:11
      2. The earth is thousands rather than billions of years old
      3. Proponents of this view include:
         a. Henry M. Morris, Duane Gish (Institute For Creation Research)
         b. Ken Ham (Answers In Genesis)
         c. The Creation Research Society
      -- This is the most literal view of the Genesis account

   B. GAP CREATIONISM...
      1. There was a gap of time between the 1st and 2nd verses of Genesis - Gen 1:1-2
      2. There was a pre-Adamic world, which experienced a cataclysmic
         judgment, leaving the planet in a chaotic state - Gen 1:2
      3. From which God then re-created the world in six literal 24 hour days - Gen 1:2-3
      4. This view attempts to reconcile the apparent age of the earth,
         the literal days of creation, plus the origin of Satan and evil
         before the Fall of man
      5. Proponents of this view include:
         a. C. I. Scofield, Harry Rimmer, Arthur Pink, Donald Grey Barnhouse
         b. David Reagan (Learn The Bible), Gaines R. Johnson (Christian
            Geology Ministry)
      -- This view was once very popular, not so much today

   C. PROGRESSIVE CREATIONISM...
      1. Each "day" is a long period of geological time - cf. "day" in Gen 2:3
      2. God created new forms of life gradually, over a period of
         hundreds of millions of years
      3. This view generally rejects macro-evolution, believing it to be
         biologically untenable and not supported by the fossil record
      4. Proponents of this view include:
         a. Bernard Ramm, and many members of American Scientific
            Affiliation
         b. Hugh Ross (Reasons To Believe)
         c. Answers In Creation
         d. God And Science
         e. John Clayton (Does God Exist?)
      -- This view has become more popular in recent times

   D. LITERARY FRAMEWORK THEORY...
      1. Genesis 1-2 is not a literal or scientific description of the
         origin of the universe
      2. Rather, an ancient religious text which outlines a theology of creation
      3. The seven day "framework" is therefore not meant to be
         chronological but a literary or symbolic structure designed to
         reinforce the purposefulness of God in creation and the Sabbath
         commandment - Wikipedia, Framework Interpretation (Genesis)
      4. Proponents of this view include:
         a. Many theistic evolutionists and some Progressive Creationists (sample)
         b. The Catholic Church is also supportive of this view (sample)
      -- This view considers the Genesis account completely symbolic or figurative

CONCLUSION

1. Each of these views has been held by people who...
   a. Believe the Bible is the inspired Word of God
   b. Believe that God is the Creator of all things

2. Some may have been persuaded to a particular view...
   a. By what they believe to be overwhelming scientific evidence
   b. Without considering the case for six literal 24 hour days

In our next study, we shall consider "The Case For Six Literal 24 Hour
Days"...

Executable Outlines, Copyright © Mark A. Copeland, 2011

 

The Only True God by Eric Lyons, M.Min.

http://apologeticspress.org/APContent.aspx?category=10&article=5014

The Only True God

by	Eric Lyons, M.Min.

The Bible is full of scriptures that, when quoted without any consideration of the immediate and remote contexts, a person can misuse in all sorts of ways. As proof that we do not have to work to provide for our family’s material needs, some may quote Jesus’ statement, “Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life” (John 6:27). In order to show that Jesus was a liar, the Bible critic might quote Jesus’ acknowledgement: “If I bear witness of Myself, My witness is not true” (John 5:31). Those who exclude baptism from God’s plan of salvation often quote John 4:2: “Jesus Himself did not baptize, but His disciples.” When the Bible reader is “rightly dividing” (2 Timothy 2:15, NKJV) or “handling accurately the word of truth” (NASB), however, he will remember that “[t]he sum of thy [God’s] word is truth” (Psalm 119:160, emp. added). Since the Bible teaches “if anyone will not work, neither shall he eat” (2 Thessalonians 3:10; cf. 1 Timothy 5:8), Jesus never implied that working to help feed one’s family is wrong (John 6:27). “He simply was saying that spiritual food is more important than physical food, and as such, should be given a higher priority” (Butt, 2003, emp. in orig.). Jesus did not confess wrongdoing in John 5:31. He simply acknowledged that, in accordance with the law (cf. Deuteronomy 19:15), His testimony apart from other witnesses would be considered invalid or insufficient to establish truth (cf. John 8:13-20; see Lyons, 2004). Likewise, Jesus never taught that baptism was unnecessary for salvation. In fact, He taught the very opposite (cf. John 3:3,5; Mark 16:16; Matthew 28:18-20; see Lyons, 2003).

Consider another proof text from the Gospel of John regarding the nature of Christ. Some (e.g., Jehovah’s Witnesses) contend that Jesus was not deity since, on one occasion, He prayed to the Father: “And this is eternal life, that they may know You, the only true God, and Jesus Christ whom You have sent” (John 17:3; cf. “Should You Believe...?,” 2000). Allegedly, by calling the Father, “the only true God,” Jesus excluded Himself from being deity. Such an interpretation of John 17:3, however, contradicts numerous other passages within John’s own gospel account. From beginning to end, John bore witness to the deity of Christ. Some of the evidence from the Gospel of John includes the following:

• In the very first verse of John, the apostle testified: “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God” (emp. added; cf. 1:14,17).
• Two verses later the reader learns that “[a]ll things came into being by Him [the Word], and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being” (John 1:3, NASB).
• Still in the first chapter of John, the apostle testified that John the Baptizer was the one whom Isaiah foretold would “prepare...the way of Jehovah” (Isaiah 40:3; John 1:23; cf. 14:6). For Whom did John the Baptizer come to prepare the way? Isaiah called Him “Jehovah.” The apostle John, as well as John the Baptizer, referred to Jehovah as “Jesus” (John 1:17), “the Christ” (3:28), “the Word” (1:1), “the Light” (1:17), “the Lamb” (1:29), “the Truth” (5:33), etc.
• When the Samaritan woman at Jacob’s well told Jesus, “I know that Messiah is coming” (John 4:25), Jesus responded, “I who speak to you am He” (vs. 26). Isaiah foretold that the Messiah would be called “Mighty God” (9:6) and “Jehovah” (40:3). Thus, by claiming to be the Messiah, Jesus was claiming to be God.
• In John chapter nine, Jesus miraculously healed a man with congenital blindness (vs. 1). When this man appeared before various Jews in the synagogue and called Jesus a prophet (vs. 17), he was instructed to “give glory to God,” not Jesus, because allegedly Jesus “is a sinner” (vs. 24). Later, after the man born blind was cast out of the synagogue, he confessed faith in Jesus andworshiped (Greek proskuneo) Him (vs. 38). In the Gospel of John, this word (proskuneo) is found 11 times: nine times in reference to worshiping the Father (John 4:2-24), once in reference to Greeks who came to “worship” in Jerusalem during Passover (12:20), and once in reference to the worship Jesus received from a man whom He had miraculously healed, and who had just confessed faith in Jesus. Indeed, by accepting worship Jesus acknowledged His deity (cf. Matthew 4:10; Hebrews 1:6).
• While at the Feast of Dedication in Jerusalem, Jesus claimed: “I and My Father are one” (John 10:30). “Then the Jews took up stones again to stone Him” (vs. 31). Why did Jesus’ enemies want to stone Him? The Jews said to Christ: “For a good work we do not stone You, but for blasphemy, and because You, being a Man, make Yourself God” (vs. 33, emp. added; cf. 5:17-18).
• After Jesus rose from the dead, the apostle Thomas called Jesus, “My Lord and my God” (John 20:28). Jesus responded: “Thomas, because you have seen Me, you have believed. Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed” (vs. 29). Notice that Jesus did not deny His deity, rather He acknowledged Thomas’ faith and commended future believers. Believers in what? In that which Thomas had just confessed—that Jesus is Lord and God.

It was in the overall context of John’s gospel account, which is filled with statements testifying of Jesus’ deity, that the apostle recorded Jesus’ prayer to His Father the night of His betrayal (John 17). But how can Jesus’ statement about His Father being “the only true God” (17:3) be harmonized with statements by Jesus, the apostle John, John the Baptizer, Thomas, etc. affirming the deity of Christ? When a person understands that Jesus’ statement was made in opposition to the world’s false gods, and not Himself, the reference to the Father being “the only true God” harmonizes perfectly with the many scriptures that attest to the deity of Christ (including those outside of the book of John; cf. Matthew 1:23; Colossians 2:9; Hebrews 1:5-13). On the eve of Jesus’ crucifixion, it was completely natural for Him to pray that “all flesh/people” (John 17:2, NKJV/NIV), many of whom were (and still are) pagan idolaters, would come to know “the only true God” and receive eternal life (17:3). Thus, Jesus contrasted Himself not with the Father, but “with all forms of pagan polytheism, mystic pantheism, and philosophic naturalism” (Jamieson, et al., 1997).

Furthermore, if Jesus’ reference to the Father being “the only true God” somehow excludes Jesus from being deity, then (to be consistent) Jesus also must be disqualified from being man’s Savior. Jehovah said: “Besides me there is no savior” (Isaiah 43:11; cf. Hosea 13:4; Jude 25). Yet, Paul and Peter referred to Jesus as our “Savior” several times in their inspired writings (Ephesians 5:23; Philippians 3:20; 2 Timothy 1:10; 2 Peter 1:1,11; 2:20; etc.). Also, if Jesus is excluded from Godhood (based on a misinterpretation of John 17:3), then, pray tell, must God the Father be excluded from being man’s Lord? To the church at Ephesus, Paul wrote that there is “one Lord” (4:4, emp. added), and, according to Jude 4 (using Jehovah’s Witnesses own New World Translation) “our only Owner and Lord” is “Jesus Christ” (emp. added). Yet, in addition to Jesus being called Lord throughout the New Testament, so is God the Father (Matthew 11:25; Luke 1:32; Acts 1:25) and the Holy Spirit (2 Corinthians 3:17).

Obviously, when the Bible reveals that there is only one God, one Savior, one Lord, one Creator (Isaiah 44:24; John 1:3), etc., reason and revelation demand that we understand the inspired writers to be excluding everyone and everything—other than the triune God. As former Jehovah’s Witness David Reed explained: “Jesus’ being called our ‘only’ Lord does not rule out the Lordship of the Father and the Holy Spirit, and the Father’s being called the ‘only’ true God does not exclude the Son and the Holy Spirit from deity” (1986, p. 82).

REFERENCES

Butt, Kyle (2003), “Wearing Gold and Braided Hair,” Apologetics Press,http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/2264.

Jamieson, Robert, et al. (1997), Jamieson, Faussett, Brown Bible Commentary (Electronic Database: Biblesoft).

Lyons, Eric (2003), “The Bible’s Teaching on Baptism: Contradictory or Complementary?” Apologetics Press, http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/617.

Lyons, Eric (2004), “Was Jesus Trustworthy?” Apologetics Press,http://www.apologeticspress.org/articles/516.

Reed, David (1986), Jehovah’s Witnesses Answered Verse by Verse (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker).

“Should You Believe in the Trinity?” (2000), The Watch Tower Bible and Tract Society.

From Jim McGuiggan... Abrahamic Community (3)

Abrahamic Community (3)

The Implications of the Abrahamic Community

In creating a new Abrahamic community God was providing a community of witness for the world.

In electing Abraham, Israel and the NT Church, God did not immediately take them from the earth to heaven. They were intended to bring light and salvation to the nations (Isaiah 49:6 and elsewhere). The Messiah didn't pray that his disciples should be taken out of the world he prayed that God would protect them as he sent them into the world in the same way the Father sent him into the world (John 17:13-18). The world was to see and hear something and that was to be brought to the world by the Community.

In creating a new Abrahamic community God was bearing witness that the existing structures were not suited for his redemptive purposes.

The political powers as they established themselves were not the way to life. One of the results of the (continuing) Fall was socio-political structures that were centers of rebellion against him. At an earthly level these governments held nations together by 'enlightened self-interest,' providing their basic needs.

The creation of the Abrahamic community (whatever its form, Israel, the Messiah or the NT Church) was the word of God against the world.

Its very existence denies that nations 'live' very well or that they pass life on to others without God. [Ethics, for the Abrahamic Community, must be theological ethics. This Community is a "new creation" and it is to function in the world asnd for the world in the image of God who is its creatior. See Ephesians 5:1-2.] 

It is a judgment against self-sufficiency and all schemes that place humanity's present or future blessing in the hands of humanity itself (science, medicine, social programs, various forms of government or political theory).

It is a judgment against all the ways in which injustice is nurtured in societies, ancient or modern, that are, intentionally at least, built for merely human purposes and by mere human enterprise.

In its developed state it is a community which relativizes all the distinctions which do or can lead to injustice. Galatians 3:26-29. Distinctions such as race, gender and class. (This is one of the reasons that the 'Mosaic Jewishness' of the Community could not be its final form. 'Mosaic Jewishness' created two families, two communities rather than one universal Abrahamic community, which is what the one God sought.)

The political structures are witnessed against in a number of important events. In rescuing Lot (2 Peter 2:7) from Sodom, Gomorrah and the cities of the plain, God rendered judgment on a societal structure which he condemned in the words of Ezekiel as 'arrogant, overfed and unconcerned; they did not help the poor and the needy. They were haughty and did detestable things before me...' (Ezekiel 16:49-50).

Genesis 18:20-21 tells us the outcry against the power-brokers in Sodom and Gomorrah was so bad that God said, 'I will go down and see if what they have done is as bad as the outcry that has reached me...' The word rendered 'outcry' is almost a technical word for 'legal appeal'. It's used on numerous occasions in the early chapters of Exodus (for example, 2:23; 3:7,9) when Israel is crying out to God for justice. It's also the word used to describe widows and orphans who 'cry' to God. (See David Daube's'Exodus Pattern in the Bible'.) In Genesis 14:21-24 Abraham won't allow Sodom to subsidize his war effort in any way.

In rescuing Israel from oppressive Egypt we have another open judgment against a major power. In creating Israel a socio-political entity on the basis of a new covenantal law, God was speaking his mind about all the other systems and socio-political entities. In Leviticus 18:1-5 we hear, 'The Lord said to Moses, "Speak to the Israelites and say to them: I am the Lord your God. You must not do as they do in Egypt, where you used to live, and you must not do as they do in Canaan, where I am bringing you. Do not follow their practices. You must obey my laws and be careful to follow my decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep my decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord."'

In addition to the injustice that was (is) rife in the world, these world political structures set themselves up in an act of rebellion against God and were/are therefore estranged from him

In creating a new Abrahamic community God was bearing witness to the existing structures that God continued to care for them and sought to redeem them.

The very existence of the Community is a continuing witness--a visible and historical witness--that God is at work to redeem, bless and transform humanity. The right response to that witness is to come to faith in the God who purposed and executes that witness.

The fact that the witness is a community witness and that that community exhibits a certain lifestyle makes it clear that what God is ultimately interested in is not individual transformation or redemption, but social. (The teaching/preaching that confines itself to personal salvation misses the biblical thrust. The teaching/preaching that offers only or almost exclusively individual salvation undermines the biblical Story.)

©2004 Jim McGuiggan. All materials are free to be copied and used as long as money is not being made.

Many thanks to brother Ed Healy, for allowing me to post from his website, theabidingword.com.