On Revelation 22:16, The Deity of Christ, And The Cup-Bearers of Living or Stagnant Water.

Revelation 22:16, “I, Jesus, have sent My angel to testify to you about these things for the churches. I am the Root and descendant of David, the bright morning star.”

It may not be as explicit a reference to the deity of Christ as other verses, but it is worth asking, what being other than God can command the angels? Indeed, this question reminds me of the inquiry of the disciples asked in Matthew chapter 8:

Matthew 8:27, “And the [disciples] marveled, saying, ‘What sort of man is this, that even winds and sea obey Him?’”

Though not referencing each other or being conterminous in an obvious way, Revelation 22:16 and Matthew 8:27 show us that Christ has the authority over creation and the rulership over the angels. Again, we ask, who else or what else could that be other than God Himself?

Even if we ascribe a god-like state to Christ, like some Christian denominations or sects do, then we need to admit some form of polytheism with roots in mythology (that is the deification of mere humans into godlike forms, a motif which is so prevalent in mythological tales).

It is a possibility that ‘angel’ simply refers to ‘messenger’ in Revelation 22:16 but I don’t think this is the case. In the heavenlies, it seems apparent that angels preside over churches or even locations, i.e., nations and towns. This is suggested in the book of Daniel:

Daniel 10:13, “The prince of the kingdom of Persia withstood me for twenty-one days, but Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I was left there with the kings of Persia.”

Daniel 12:1, “At that time shall arise Michael, the great prince who was in charge of your people. And there shall be a time of trouble, such as never has been since there was a nation till that time. But at the time your people shall be delivered, everyone whose name shall be found written in the book.”

Regarding Revelation 22:16, a phrase worth focusing on is, “I am the Root and descendant of David.” The Greek word for root here is rhiza. Rhiza can have a couple definitions, a literal one, and a more figurative one. The literal meaning is, “a shoot; source; that which comes from the root; a descendant.” Figuratively, it means “source.” If we assign the literal meaning to root in this verse, the passage becomes somewhat tautologous. Repetitive verses or those that are tautologous in their content aren’t arbitrary, but rather repetition, at least in the context of biblical exegesis, impresses upon the reader an issue of utmost importance. Yet, here it would seem somewhat erroneous for Christ to state to John something like, “I am the descendant and descendant of David.”

Yet, if we use the figurative meaning, it reads, “I am the Source and descendant of David.” This latter rendering is pretty amazing, but what if we take the words at their face value? What is a root? Is it not that from which things, vegetation and fruit, for example, spring forth?

According to the English dictionary, the noun of root (Christ is using it in this noun context) means, “the part of the plant that attaches it to the ground or to a support, typically underground, conveying water and nourishment to the rest of the plant via numerous branches or fibers.” Also, a root is defined as the “basic cause, source, or origin of something.” Do not these definitions give us insight into the nature of our Lord? Let us consider them for a moment:

The Part of The Plant That Attaches It To The Ground or To a Support

While seeking an intimate relationship with God, we quickly discover this is an impossible task if we wish to approach God of our own accord. It becomes apparent that we need an advocate or some form of spiritual support to keep us firmly planted in God. This advocate for our faith is Jesus Christ and it is in Him we remain grounded that we might be reconciled unto the Creator of all things. Colossians, according to the NKJV states:

Colossians 1:21–23, “And you, that were once alienated and enemies [of God] in your mind by wicked works, yet now has He reconciled in the body of His flesh through death, to present you holy and unblamable and unreprovable in His sight: If you continue in the faith founded and settled, and not be moved away from the hope of the gospel, which you have heard, and which was preached to every creature under heaven, of which I Paul am made a minister.”

Typically Underground

That which is underground is generally invisible to those above ground. Yet, evidence of that which lies beyond the surface may show signs of its presence and be perceivable to those above. Although the glory of our Lord, for a duration, spent time above ground, on the surface with His creation, He has risen and now rests at the right hand of the Father. God’s presence may be invisible, but evidence of His existence and His attributes surround us continually. The apostle Paul makes this clear:

Romans 1:18–20, “For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who by their unrighteousness suppress the truth. For what can be known about God is plain to them. For His invisible attributes, namely, His eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.”

This shows that whatever we are grounded in will produce a harvest according to its kind. If we are grounded in unrighteousness and ungodliness then the truth will be suppressed in us and we will discourage and suppress it among others. However, if we are grounded in God, then godliness and righteousness shall be the result, which will produce the appropriate harvest within the self and among all man.

Conveying Water and Nourishment To The Rest of The Plant

Let us consider a plant to be representational of the church. Likening the church to a plant isn’t absurd given Jesus’ numerous parables emphasizing trees, plants, and vegetation, which was extremely relevant at the time with many of the Jews being well familiar with agriculture and agricultural practices. Even today, individual churches, when expanding, are said to branch off or plant other churches.

Jesus, in the book of John, says:

John 15:5, “I am the Vine, you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.”

Thus, Christ truly is the root of our salvation and faith, not to mention our very existence (John 1:3). It is in Him we are grounded. Whenever a branch is removed from the vine, or a plant is detached from its root, it withers and dies. So too does our hope in the gospel when we remove ourselves from the Lord. Christ Jesus provides the spiritual nourishment that we may be reconciled unto the Father and apart from Him, this is an impossibility. He nourishes us and provides to us the living water necessary for eternal life. The apostle John records:

John 4:14, “But whoever drinks of the water I will give him will never be thirsty again. The water that I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life.”

Revelation 22:1, “Then the angel showed me the river of the water of life, bright as a crystal, flowing from the throne of God and of the Lamb.”

Via Numerous Branches or Fibers

In the conveyance of spiritual nourishment, the Lord uses several different means. The church itself expresses and shares this same nourishment, but it is Christ who is the source. If a church comes to lose focus or somehow parts from Christ, it is no longer of the river of life from which one drinks to quench their thirst, but rather a stagnant puddle.

Another fiber or branch used are those blessed individuals who have important gifts who serve this water to others. They are essentially the cup-bearers of the church, but again the source of this water is found in the Lord. The prophets of renown and those of today, for instance, are cup-bearers of the living water. The book of Hebrews mentions these cup-bearers:

Hebrews 1:1-2, “Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers through the prophets, but in these last days, He has spoken to us by His Son, whom He appointed the heir of all things, through whom He also created the world.”

Yet, this represents just one gift. In truth, we are all called to be the cup-bearers and branches of this living water, to not hoard it, but convey and transmit it unto others, both inside the church and outside it.

Christ encouraged His disciples:

Matthew 28:18–20, “And Jesus came and said to them, ‘All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to Me. Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

Yes, Christ is our basic cause. Our source. Our origin. One might be tempted to ask, ‘Being such, wouldn’t the word for seed work better?’ Seed might impart the idea of origin better, but when it comes to all the other attributes we have discussed, I believe that root is the best analogy given the whole scope of the metaphor. Regardless, the one who asks this question is somewhat justified and I would point them to the book of 1 Peter which says:

1 Peter 1:20–25, “He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in the last times for the sake of you who through Him are believers in God, who raised Him from the dead and gave Him glory, so that your faith and hope are in God. Having purified your souls by your obedience to truth for a sincere brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, since you have been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living and abiding word of God; for ‘All flesh is like grass and all its glory is like the flower of grass. The grass withers, and the flower falls, but the word of the Lord remains forever.’ And this word is the good news that was preached to you.”

The Greek word used for seed here is spora, which according to Joseph H. Thayer’s Greek-English Lexicon of The New Testament means, ‘a sowing; figuratively, origin.”

It is my contention that Christ is referring to Himself as the Root in Revelation 22:16 in a more figurative manner, indicating He is the source of David, for both his existence and faith. As the book of Hebrews states:

Hebrews 12:2a, “[Look] to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith.”

It was Christ Himself that was the founder of David’s existence and faith, and Christ perfected this faith in Him. This can be difficult to grasp or wrap our minds around, but only because human thought is trained and often based upon a chronological framework, while Jesus Christ transcends our human understanding of time and chronology, for Christ is not bound to time, but rather is timeless, aka., eternal. Christ is the Root because He is the Creator and Savior. As the gospel of John records:

John 1:3, “All things were made through Him, and without Him was not made anything that was made.”

John 8:58, “Jesus said to them, ‘Truly, truly, I say to you, before Abraham was, I AM.’”

To get the most accurate understanding of the nature of Christ we need both the source figurative interpretation of root as well as the descendant element. Each one on its own will not suffice. The former gives us the nature of Christ which is shared with the Father, His eternal nature, and divine substance, and the latter emphasizes the incarnation of Jesus Christ as man. The two are congruently needed to provide the best representation of Jesus Christ.

To continue with Revelation 22:16, the phrase “the bright morning star” raises some questions due to what is recorded in Isaiah chapter 14:

Isaiah 14:12, “How you are fallen from heaven, O day star, son of the dawn! How you are cut down to the ground, you who laid the nations low.”

Some believe that the phrase, “the bright and morning star” or “day star, son of the dawn!” refers to Lucifer, which is a Latin transliteration of the phrase. Understandably, a few find it odd that Christ would take this name in Revelation 22:16. Yet, there are a couple things I would like to point out: The name Lucifer isn’t even in our most ancient manuscripts. However, concerning the renderings where the name is included, this translation becomes immediately suspect due to the Latin name being included within an otherwise Hebrew text. In these cases, it is apparent that the meaning of Isaiah 14:12 was already presupposed by translators, which supposedly, according to the proponents, references the devil being cast out of heaven, and the phrase was transliterated providing the name.

It is my belief that the context concerns the judgment of the nation or the king of Babylon, which is referred to as the “bright morning star” or “day star, son of the dawn.” It being a worldly kingdom, it is a possibility that Christ referred to Himself as such because He has overcome the world. As the book of John says:

John 16:33, “I have said these things to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have overcome the world.”

Even if Isaiah chapter 14 refers to the casting down of the enemy, which I don’t believe it does, taking over the name, which in itself is not evil, given its meaning, in the same way, can be symbolic of the defeating or overtaking of the enemy.

However, Isaiah 14:12 is clearly about Babylon, for verse 4 says:

Isaiah 14:4, “[Y]ou will take up this taunt against the king of Babylon: ‘How the oppressor has ceased, the insolent fury ceased.’”

One might argue that there is the possibility that the passage in Isaiah is a kind of veil for both the prophecy and the spiritual truth concerning our shared enemy, but in the strictest of terms, Isaiah 14 refers to Babylon. In my opinion, the motive one might have for holding to this view is that they personally put a great emphasis on church doctrine, but we must be wary of even church doctrine, for this too can go astray. Sadly enough. Let us not be like those sects of Christianity, the names of which I will omit, that put a greater emphasis on their literature than on the Word of God. The cup-bearers of these sects threaten to poison their followers with stagnant water, rather than the ever-flowing water of life which pours from the throne room of our great Lord and Savior.

Thank you all for reading and God bless.

—Brandon

Galatians 3:26-29, “On Equal Opportunity Salvation”

“You are all sons of God through Jesus Christ, ²⁷for all of you who were baptized into Christ have clothed yourself with Christ. ²⁸There is neither Jew or Greek, slave nor free, male nor female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. ²⁹If you belong to Christ, then you are Abraham’s seed, and heirs according to the promise.” -Galatians 3:26-29

A few years ago I took a class in philosophy at a local community college. This class touched on such philosophical classifications as theology, metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, and politics, or how man organizes themselves in relation to one another. It was a fascinating class and I used the class somewhat to challenge my faith, and indeed I found it steadfast, though I will admit, somewhat shamefully, that obedience in this faith was not a direct result of my studies.

My professor was somewhat of a feminist and instead of a 4.0, I got a 3.9 due to one thing, that I referred to God as a “he.” This somehow offended her, and rather than make an issue out of it, I decided to, “choose my battles,” so to speak, and accepted the grade. I give this personal example as testimony to the fact that some believe the Christian God to display favoritism or be chauvinistic in some fashion. Yet, this is not only disproved in a philosophical context, but more importantly by the Scriptures.

There is no shortage of amazing women in the Bible and two books in the Bible are dedicated to such amazing women, the Books of Esther and Ruth. In addition, it’s worth mentioning that the last creation of God was woman, almost as if God were stamping His seal of approval onto His creation. As a man I have no issues with saying this and by me at least it is easily understood, and I say so without sin. Furthermore, in the life of Christ, or rather prior to, we are given the account of Jesus’s mother Mary who was beloved by God to such a degree she was chosen to bear the Messiah, which is no small blessing. Throughout Christ’s life, He both revered women and, in the case of Mary Magdalene, forgave her of her grievous sins. In fact, it was to her and a group of women that Christ first appeared after the resurrection.

In addition to women, the Bible is full of accounts of different nationalities, not only the Jews, but Gentiles from all regions, including all over the Middle East, Rome, Greece, Spain, Asia Minor, Africa, including specifically mentioned, Libya, mentioned in the table of nations, and Ethiopia, which represented the race or nationality of Africa. Even eunuchs are mentioned in Daniel and Paul is instrumental in the conversion of one such eunuch in the Book of Acts.

God is frequently cited for favoritism by the secular community, and to be honest, it is a little understandable when one approaches some of the verses located within the letters of Paul, where he warns against women being spiritual leaders. Yet, we tend to forget that these letters were written to a specific place at a specific time. When Paul’s ministry began, paganism was rampant throughout the Mediterranean and beyond. According to many of these false religions, fertility was one of the cornerstones of such paganism and was worshipped accordingly, in the bacchanalian fashion one might expect. It is no coincidence that the letters of Paul containing such verses are directed to churches in areas where such perverse temples of worship were located. This was nothing new, for the Old Testament speaks of ceremonies around so called Ashera poles which depicted an explicit phallic symbol. Its not confined to the days of old either, for such worship and even Ashera poles still exist in some countries.

These religious practices were in some locations presided over by an oracle, who was generally female. Due to the ancients worship of fertility, women were frequently the priestesses of such paganism. The worship of an earth mother still has its representation today in the public lexicon with the term, “mother nature.” In addition to their perverse acts of worship, they also made hand crafted idols, or so called, “Venus Figures,” like the famous Venus of Willendorf, which they worshipped. One of the most infamous examples of these female priestesses is the Oracle of Delphi, also referred to as the Pythoness, Pythia, or Sibyl, and who supposedly delivered messages and spoke from the god Apollo, son of Zeus, and, according to Greek mythology, god of knowledge, light, music, plague, poetry, and the sun. The Oracle of Delphi would seemingly speak from him after chewing many a laurel leaves, and being surrounded by “noxious fumes,” as writes one contemporary witness. The prophetess would then slip into a trance and begin speaking from the false deity.

Venus of Willendorf

Thus, because of women’s role as leaders in the paganism of the day, and the bacchanalian festivals, Ashera poles, or detestable acts of pagan worship, as well as the struggles of the male gender, the emerging Christian church was to be set apart from such practices and protected against such pagan influence, by having no semblance to the paganism of the day. As in the Old Testament, the bloodline through which Christ was to come needed be protected, so too did the new church need to come under this same protection. Paul’s commands to the churches were means of this protection and not condemnation of women. It has to deal with location, history, and the acts or beliefs of man, rather than the acts of God.

Oracle of Delphi

Yet, why do we refer to God as, “he?” Isn’t this rather chauvinistic of God? The truth is that God doesn’t have a gender, for God is beyond such physical classifications. If God had a gender, then, due to His perfect nature, it would have to serve some sort of purpose, for if there were any arbitrary, unaccountable, and erroneous details about God, then it would speak to imperfection, which cannot be, or else we would not be. The main purpose of gender is for procreation, and why would God need to procreate? Since He is a self-existent being and speaks everything into creation it serves no purpose. Rather, the personification of, “He,” is necessary and representational of our close relationship with the Lord, for this is what, above all, God desires. If we were to refer to God as, “it,” would this not diminish and disrespect that relationship? Certainly it would, for the term alone suggests distance and indifference.

When one examines the proper family structure that God put into place, we see God more fully than if we were to just apply the Lord to the male gender. The next couple paragraphs are going to concern this and I implore the reader to stick with me. In the political structure of man, that is how man organizes culturally, males are usually the authoritative figure. Yet, this is far from being absolute. This cultural trait is merely a consequence of Eve’s original sin, and doesn’t at all reflect how God relates, or reveres the female gender.

In the family, the Lord tells us that the wife is to be submissive to the husband and this is popularly refuted by feminists and those who consider God to be chauvinistic. Yet, what they fail to acknowledge is the other side of the coin, those commandments to the husband. The husband is to love the wife as himself and have great reverence for his significant other. Thus, this argument begins to fall apart, for the degree of the submissive role that is supposed on the woman by the feminist ideal, begins to lessen when one takes this extreme love and reverence into account. It is supposed that the wife need submit to ANY request from the husband, even if it belittles her or is against her wishes. Yet, this would not be the case in an obedient marriage as God has designed. For, a husband, out of his love and reverence, should not request, or desire, anything that belittles his wife, or that makes her do anything outside her being and nature, which drew him to her in the first place. This immediately negates and violates the Scriptures command. As Christ reveres those who come to Him, and we are, in fact, referred to as the bride of Christ, likewise we shall revere each other in a proper godly relationship. Thus, we find that the chauvinistic idea of God is not due to God, but due to a lack of understanding in the very Word of the Lord.

In today’s society, the rearing and motherly role of the wife has been greatly disrespected and diminished. In fact, many feminists regard “housewives” as an outdated and disrespectful position within the family. The “traditional” family, and anyone who belongs to it, are thus subject to ridicule from feminists. Despite their supposed declaration of equal rights and choice on the side of mothers, they mock and have a deep contempt for any woman who chooses to raise a family other than work, or be the, “primary bread winner.” Let it be known, that I by saying this, am not saying that women shouldn’t have an equal position along with men in the work place. Each should get equal reward for their efforts, as men and women get the equal reward of eternal life by their faith and relationship with the Lord.

The fact is that man likes to categorize their efforts or deeds, and assign levels of importance on them. The Scripture refutes this and says our roles are all equally important in the body and eyes of Christ. Feminists presuppose that to be a wife and mother is a less important role than that of the male, but in reality they are equal, as it is said, in marriage the two become one. Thus, feminism is more about insecurity rather than truth. These levels suggested by feminists, are of their own accord, and don’t reflect at all what the Scriptures tell us. The role of the mother in a family structure is highly blessed by God. In fact, it makes more sense to say that the man provides the means upon which the woman can rear the children, rather than anything else. Yet, the man has a vital role in child rearing as well. In addition, I feel another clarification is in order, I don’t feel that women shouldn’t work, so please do not conclude that. I am only addressing the emerging absolute in our culture against the traditional family structure. However, child rearing is a blessed institution and necessary as we see what happens to children when the antithesis is represented, though again, this is not an absolute.

Given all this we come to a clearer understanding of those gender attributed pronouns which refer to our Lord. God is our Father, not because He is disrespecting women, but that He provides for us. In addition, God is referred to as such, because the male was the role He was to take upon and in Jesus Christ. Yet, He has the characteristics of women too. His rearing of us in the faith, His compassion, and nurturing character all testify to this. So is it wrong to refer to God as a, “she?” Yes. Not because God has a gender per say, but rather because this is how He chose to reveal Himself to us, when both speaking through the prophets and in Christ Himself. So to refer to our Lord as, “she,” is an example of a needless, silly, willful rebellion, and thus disrespectful to God.

In Galatians 3:26-29, we find that Paul refers to all of us as sons. Why? Is this cultural or chauvinistic? Again, the answer is no. In fact, Paul is emphasizing the equality in and of righteousness we find when we put our faith upon Christ. We, by this faith, clothe ourselves in the Son of God, and thereby in the sight of the Father we share in His righteousness. Thus, as Jesus is the Son of God, we too become so under His blood. Thereby, in the Father’s eyes, our sin isn’t seen, only the righteousness of His Son, and because of this, those worldly distinctions of gender, race, social standing, or anything else become irrelevant.

The Jews are the chosen people of God, not because of favoritism or because they were the only ones offered salvation, but rather because it was through the Jews that God was to first reveal Himself and into which the Messiah was born. The salvation by and through Christ is offered to everyone and at any time. Thus, we find God not to have any favoritism, but rather are all equal in The Son, and this surpasses the equality of the world, where there are seemingly always distinctions and classifications, both just or not. As Christ and the Father are one, we become one with Christ by our faith and in this no favoritism exists, other than the favor bestowed upon The Son. In addition, in our faith, we are granted this same favor, and become sons of God, thanks to our Lord and Savior, who came not to condemn the world, but rather save the world by and through His blood. Amen.

Romans 10:9, “On Loves Got Everything To Do With It”

“If you declare with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” -Romans 10:9

In a previous entry (see my entry concerning Romans 1:12, “On The Correlation Between Faith and Love”), I had discussed some of the like attributes between both love and faith. Yet, when we consider our faith in the Lord, we find love to be a necessary condition for our faith in Jesus Christ. Without this love, our relationship with the Lord cannot develop and will eventually be negated by the doubt that we as believers are sometimes confronted and assaulted with, for our faith cannot be steadfast without loves inclusion in the relationship. We can obviously see this when it comes to loving our brethren, how much more should it be applicable to our relationship with the Lord, who is love? The Bible makes it perfectly clear how love and faith are the prerequisites to developing a deeper friendship with the Lord (see my entry concerning John 15:15, “On Having a Friendship With The Lord”). 1 John 4:19 states (see my entry, “On Love’s First Cause”):

“We love because He first loved us.” -1 John 4:19

Throughout my life, many times have I heard the phrase, “God is love.” From this verse in 1 John, it is more than apparent that this is truth, for it links our love with His. Though God has many attributes, including discipline, these all have their basis in love. Even concerning His wrath, He takes no pleasure in the punishment of the ungodly, but God cannot co-inhabit with evil. As Psalms 5:4 tells us, “With you the wicked cannot dwell.” In the same way two forms of matter cannot occupy the space, so too, the wicked cannot dwell with perfect holiness. This, is in fact, a contradiction, and thereby we need the justification that was manifest and offered upon Calvary. What God does take pleasure in, however, is the justification of the wicked by His Son! This is not only backed up in Scripture, but if it wasn’t true, Christ would not have came and died upon such a cruel instrument of death in the first place. Yet, the cross became His glory! If this did not appease God’s justice and have the ability to, not only change a sinners being, but also clothe the depraved with a garment of righteousness, then the Trinity would have never been separated. Yet, since it has alleviated God’s justice, we are granted the opportunity to come to the Son, our Savior Jesus Christ, in faith. By this very thing, which should be evident in our hearts, and through which springs all godly obedience, we are saved. Thereby, we next find ourselves in The Book of John, at one of the most famous verses in all of Scripture, Chapter 3, Verses 16 and 17:

“For God so loved the world that He gave His one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have eternal life. ¹⁷For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through Him.”

Regarding God’s discipline, it is also based in love. Hebrews 12:7-13 likens God to a loving worldly father (indeed when looking at family proper, or rather, a proper family, we find much in the family structure symbolizes God’s nature):

“Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as His children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? ⁸If you are not disciplined – and everyone undergoes discipline – then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. ⁹Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of our spirits and live! ¹⁰They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in His holiness. ¹¹No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it. ¹²Therefore, strengthen your feeble arms and weak knees. ¹³‘Make level paths for your feet,’ so that the lame may not be disabled, but rather healed.”

Notice that Verse 8 clearly expresses John 3:16, for if everyone, by love, undergoes discipline, then it follows, “that God so loved the world,” is indeed true. God’s love is absolutely perfect and in complete accordance with His nature. Before our existence in the world came to pass, He already loved us and had our justification planned out in Christ. We can come to the Lord in the first place, as sinners, due to this preexisting love. If it exists prior, on a temporal plain where we didn’t even exist yet, how much more important is this mutual love when we do exist and come to the Lord by faith? Our faith, among other things, is a recognition of that love, and by it we love God reciprocally as the Book of Deuteronomy commands:

“Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength. ⁶These commandments that I give you today are to be on your hearts.” -Deuteronomy 6:5-6

It is this same faith and love in His Son, by which we are granted the Holy Spirit. To those who have eyes, let them understand, for due to the corruption of this world, the following may be hard to contemplate, or uncomfortable to focus on. However, it is important. As man and women become one flesh in love, likewise do we become one with the Lord by His love and sacrifice. He dwells within us, as the Spirit of Holiness, and if we are in the Spirit as well, love is perfectly manifest and we, by the Spirit, cannot do anything apart from love. If our actions are ones that don’t speak to the love of God in either word or example, it is of the self. As 1 Corinthians says:

“Therefore I tell you that no one is speaking by the Spirit of God says, ‘Jesus be cursed,’ and no one can say, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ except by the Holy Spirit.” -1 Corinthians 12:3

Though this love was manifest in perfection by the Son, in both His death and resurrection, it existed prior to Christ’s first coming and was in the Law, which according to the Gospels can be summed up with just two commandments:

“‘Teacher, which is the greatest commandment in the Law? ³⁷Jesus replied, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. ³⁸This is the first commandment. ³⁹And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ ⁴⁰All the Law and the Prophets hang on these two commandments.” -Matthew 22:36-40

The Law, revealed by God unto Moses, shows explicitly the attributes and nature of God. Hence, we can only conclude the Law is good, just as our Lord is good. In the same way, because God is love, the Law, by necessity, follows suit. Therefore, since we know love to be such an intrinsic part of God, our faith too should resonate with love for our Lord. In addition, the love of God is boundless and this being the case, our love can always become manifest greater in our lives. Though we can love too little, we cannot love enough. This week, let us pray that the Lord may extend the boundaries of love we have set by the desires of the self and our own comfort, that we may better serve both the Lord and man. Let us pray that we may glorify Him even further than we have, through not just words, but rather by example. Amen.

2 Corinthians 13:4, “On Christ’s Perfect and Obedient Weakness”

“For to be sure, He was crucified in weakness, yet He lives by God’s Power. Likewise, we are weak in Him, yet by God’s power we will live with Him to serve you.” -2 Corinthians 13:4

When we read the Scriptures, we cannot help but be impressed with the lengths Christ had to descend in His humility to accomplish the goal. Though Paul offers a great compare/contrast here, there is one major difference between the weakness of Christ and the weakness of mere man. The weakness of Christ was manifest due to His perfect obedience, while the weakness of man, is often made apparent by our disobedience. The weakness of Christ, and His humility, even to the point of death, is infinitely stronger than the greatest of man’s strength! He was perfectly obedient, for Christ was well aware of His mission on earth, and that it must be completed, lest none of us become saved.

Yet, as we realize that Christ was man, as well as a vital part of the Trinity, we see that Christ had His struggles. Not to the point of sin and disobedience, for if this were the case our faith would be meaningless, but rather, as a man, He dealt with temptation and even fear. We do not have a Lord who sits up on high, making commands from afar, with no personal understanding of the difficulty man has in overcoming sin. Instead, we have a Lord who became man, faced the very same challenges we face, and more, was crucified, and rose again victorious.

Thereby, it gives us hope to realize our Lord did wage war against sin, temptation, and looked upon His crucifixion with trepidation. This is, of course, to put it mildly. We are told in Luke 22:44, that during His praying within the garden of Gethsemane that He sweat as blood. This, and His prayer, in which He prayed God would take the cup from Him if it was His will, are some heavy indications of the turmoil and fear Christ must have felt in that part of His nature that was man. Yet, could He have sweat blood?

This rare medical condition is known as hematidrosis, or, hematohidrosis. Rather than some kind of obscure condition, though it’s rare, history, apart from the account of Christ, is full of examples of this occurring. In fact, Leonardo da Vinci, wrote the account of a solider who sweat blood before battle. I also recall hearing an account of a young girl who living in or near London during the blitz sweat blood out of fear. The blood vessels around the sweat glands rupture, the blood seeping into the glands, and it pushes the blood and sweat to the surface. The experience is said to be rather painful, for the skin becomes extremely tender.

Even to the point of shedding His blood in such a fashion, Christ was obedient to the Fathers will, and though He could have stopped the crucifixion, and indeed destroyed all of Rome, He did not. To be obedient to God,  He appeared as weak, though in reality, He was strong, so that by what occurred at Calvary, we may all be saved by His strength and obedience, and that we may be clothed in it, even in our weakness, to serve God and others as Christ did. As the Father raised Christ, so too will we be raised, for like our sin was put upon Christ at Golgotha, His righteousness will be put upon even the weakest of those who come to Him in faith and persevere. To Him be all the praise and glory. Amen.

Romans 3:10, “On Being Saved From a World Without Righteousness”

“As it is written: ‘There is no one righteous, not even one.'” -Romans 3:10

The world tells us that there are both good and bad people who dwell within it. Such distinctions are usually relative in nature, and are dependent on a person’s actions, rather than their heart. While it is true that action is a manifestation of a person’s axiology, man lacks the wisdom to see what goes on within the intermediate between heart and action, for within this lacks an evil unseen to all but God. We know from scripture and the words of Christ our Lord, that it isn’t just action that makes people evil, but the desires of their hearts and those ideas or carnal contemplations that are manifest in the mind, heart and spirit.

While the Law is based on solid truth and ideals, man’s law is not. Rather, it is based, again, on ethical, and even cultural relativism. Thus, what is proper or ethical according to one man’s heart may not be the case with another. This suggests the unreliability of man’s conception of right or wrong, though I would agree that God has instilled a natural faculty of judging such things.

God’s wisdom far surpasses that of man, and though man may conclude he is a good person according to the extent of what he has done, this is not how God judges trespass. A person may conclude he is good due to the fact he has never killed anybody, but Christ says different. He states in Matthew Chapter 5, Verse 21-22:

“You have heard that it was said to the people long ago, ‘You shall not murder, and anyone who murders will be subject to judgement.’ ²²But I tell you that anyone who is angry with his brother or sister will be subject to judgment. Again, anyone who says to a brother or sister, ‘raca,’ is answerable to the court. And anyone who says, ‘You fool!’ will be in danger of the fire of hell.”

What is good isn’t based on action, for we can sin in the heart, both willingly and unwillingly. Therefore, despite man’s idea of goodness, the true ideal, the one of God, says that indeed none are good. Everyone has sinned, and will sin. Christ say’s in Mark Chapter 10, Verse 18:

“No one is good-except God alone.”

Jesus said is in response to a man who fell to his knees before him, and referred to him as, “good teacher,” and inquired what he must do to inherit eternal life. Christ responded with the aforementioned statement, in addition to, “Why do you call me good?”

Though Christ’s response provides some questions, these are resolvable, and we discover His reply hints to His true nature. Jesus never denied He wasn’t good, merely inquired why the man had stated this to Him. Christ was certainly good and He was good because He was The Lord. As Christ states in John 14, Verse 7:

“If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know Him and have seen Him.”

This not only suggests the Trinity, but shows us that there is no good one, except for the Lord. Therefore, we are all blotted by iniquity and sin, and thereby, all mankind is in need of a great savior to be cleansed of this sin and to overcome it. This is what Christ has done for us, provided the cleansing power of His blood, that it may wash away our sin when we come to Him even as we are, sinners.

Romans 1:23, “On The Probability of God and The Impossibility of Gods”

“. . . and exchanged the glory of the immortal God for images made to look like a mortal human being and birds and animals and reptiles.” -Romans 1:23

 

I have looked at a few different translations of this and it has only served to add to the wisdom behind the verse. This is one of the reasons I encourage people to read different versions, for by doing so, the mere wording alone may bring another important lesson to the forefront of your mind that the Lord wants you to focus on.

When I first read this verse, I can’t help but see the theory of evolution being addressed somewhere in here. In addition to evolution, I further see many of the polytheistic religions represented as well. When we look though history upon places like Egypt, or even the religions of Central America we find illustrations of their gods. These are included in their sculpture, paintings and carvings. These echoes from the past show their earthly kings as well as their deities.

 

When we look upon these examples, the gods are shown to be humanoid in their basic shape, with attributes of animals interlaced within the human form. The wording in Romans 1:23 to me is so precise in almost addressing is very thing that I find it rather awe inspiring. Indeed, many peoples of the past and even today worship gods whose being is an aggregate of both human form and a whole bestiary of assorted creatures. The, what must be, perfection of god represented by the corruptible nature of man and beast.

Concerning the evolution theory, we see that this is man’s new god and the transfiguration from some organism from the primordial soup into modern man, the supposed steps of evolution of form, are shown to progress through many different supposed species, though the fossil record has not one of these. Even recent accounts of a missing link being discovered have been extremely premature and led to the embarrassment of several individuals in the scientific community.

 

When we examine this verse we find a clear juxtaposition between the incorruptible God and corruptible man. The image of a mortal, with mortal understanding and imperfections, as a god, along with other gods at that, can only lead to such a contradiction that if it were true than chances are we would cease to exist altogether.

 

God needs to be perfect, and immortal, for if He were otherwise, existing outside of time, time, that edifice He created under Him, as well as all His creation, would fall apart in an instant and we would not be.

I once had the opportunity to talk to a coworker some years back who was a neo-pagan. Though they call themselves neo-pagans, neo meaning “new,” there is actually nothing new about it. Indeed it’s been around for thousands of years.

 

Anyway, this gentleman was devout, even had a shrine, and despite knowing I was a follower of Christ, wrote runes all over my truck, but intended no malice from it and hence I let it go and did not raise issue. For some reason, and despite his initial ridicule of Christianity (though it should be mentioned it wasn’t nearly as vicious as I have encountered), God opened his heart to respect me for some reason. It was in mutual respect that we began to discuss how the scriptures came to be, including in the canon, and the validity of the Word itself.

 

I respected him because he was truthful and honest concerning his own beliefs and we had conversations, which supposedly don’t happen, that is respectful discourse between two opposing schools of thought concerning religion. I have no idea what became of him, but I pray the Lord used our discussions to some higher purpose that he may be saved.

At any rate I reasoned with him concerning his numerous imperfect gods, four of them total, which included the likes of Esther and Odin. He had informed me that each controlled a season, and I made the argument that such polytheism could only reach an absurdity like the one brought up earlier. I half jesting asked him if it was like the other three gods took a vacation while one was in power, and to my surprise, he said there was nothing untrue about my statement, that indeed all other three took some sort of divine recreational break. It was due to this degree of truthfulness and honesty that I came to respect him, though not his gods.

 

Truth is the immortal and incorruptible God is a necessary condition for our existence. The polytheism we hear about, read about, or are confronted with, is so logically improbable and contradictory it makes reading the Greek mythology and the like almost laughable. Yet, people being led astray by such beliefs is not a laughing matter. Rather it is tragic and it is of the utmost importance that we not succumb to these ideas and work on, in a respectful manner, to denounce any such belief. This too is the reason the Trinity must be, for if there were three gods, each of their own will, we will eventually reach some sort of battle between them, in which the destruction of creation would be immediate.

Genesis 1:26, “On an Early Representation of The Trinity”

“Then God said, ‘Let us make mankind in our image, in our likeness, so that they may rule over the fish in the sea and the birds in the sky, over the livestock and all the wild animals, and over all the creatures that move along the ground.'” -Genesis 1:26 

Honestly, the topic of the triune God, which I write about a little more extensively in my note on Romans 1:4, “On a Few Notes Concerning The Triune God,” is perhaps, intellectually and spiritually speaking, one of my favorite subjects to explore. Though it can at times present many challenges, primarily due to the fact we try to put God in terms we can understand, namely physical ones, it can also give us a insight into the perfection that is and was required for the fulfillment of the scriptures to take place as they have and will in the near future.

Though Genesis suggests the Trinity in several places, this verse, on a personal level is one of my favorites. I think it has something to do with the importance of the verse being hidden in plain sight. One, while reading the scriptures might just skip over this without realizing its importance. I have read the creation account more than once and it took me a couple reads to see it. Remember, God is also with us when we study His word, so perhaps He choose for whatever reason to conceal it from me for a time. When we search for a Godly wisdom, only the Lord knows the best way to build it from the foundation up, so He may conceal things from us for a season in order that when it is revealed we may have a fuller understanding.

The Lord in Genesis 1:26 says,”Let us make man in our image, in our likeness.” Realize God isn’t saying, “I will make man in My likeness,” but emphasizes a plurality which suggests multiple entities. He even repeats the plural pronoun, “our,” adding even more emphasis. This is the Triune God, which is known as the Holy Trinity. In addition to creating man as an abstract representation of Himself, the Lord also included those invisible qualities like His power, creativity, and dominion. Indeed, man is sovereign over the beasts of the earth, and the earth itself, because God instilled in us that sovereignty, which is His, and that we share in, from birth.

I have mentioned it before, but for those who have issues with the Trinity concept, realize that we are created in the likeness of God, and we have a mind, body, and soul, three in one, just as the Lord has the Father, Son and Holy Spirit. Again, three in one. The Trinity is explicitly manifest in our being adding credibility to the creation account and the fact we were made in the Lord’s image.

Romans 1:4, “On a Few Notes Concerning The Triune God”

“And who through the Spirit of holiness was appointed the Son of God in power by his resurrection from the dead: Jesus Christ our Lord.” -Romans 1:4

When one embarks on discourse with another “Christian,” it is not uncommon to come to some disagreement concerning the divinity of Christ. The prominent confusion rests in the union between the three separate supposed parts as one, the Father, Son and Spirit. We have physical laws all around us, like Pauli’s Exclusion Principle, which states that two forms of matter cannot occupy the same space at the same time. In addition, there are metaphysical laws like the law of identity, which when combined with physical laws, such as the Exclusion Principle, are assumed, by some, to prove the absurdity of such a claim as the complete union of what is known as the Holy Trinity. Though the Trinity isn’t an explicit doctrine in the bible, the Triune God is an implicit theme throughout the scriptures.

Does this concept, like some believe, necessarily lead to an absurdity though? It would if, and only if, God were a physical being bound by physical laws. However, if this were the case, He would not be God at all, for something, namely physicality, would transcend Him.

St. Anselm of Canterbury, in his famous Ontological Argument, provided, in my mind, the best philosophical, “secular definition” of God, when he said God was, “that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought.” Therefore, if God is bound by physicality, then He would be, “that-than-which-a-greater-can-be-thought,” explicitly contradicting who God is and must be. This being the case, it shows us, that a being that is not bound by physicality can be three-in-one without reaching any necessary absurdity.

St. Anselm had set out to prove by his Ontological Argument the existence of God by using the mere conception of God alone. He said:

“Even the fool, then, is forced to agree that something-than-which-nothing-greater-can-be-thought exists in the mind, since he understand this when he hears it, and whatever is understood is in the mind. An surely that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought cannot exist in the mind alone. For if it exists solely in the mind, it can be thought to exist in reality also, which is greater. If then that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought exists in the mind alone, this same that-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought is that-than-which-a-greater-can-be-thought. But this is obviously impossible. Therefore there is absolutely no doubt that something-than-which-a-greater-cannot-be-thought exists both in the mind and reality. And certainly this being so truly exists that it cannot be even thought not to exist.”

I myself happen to have some reservations about St. Anselm’s theory, though it certainly does have its uses when trying to approach God using the mind. Yet, I feel St. Anselm’s argument to be a little too esoteric to convince the non-believer, though this is a rarity, someone coming to the Lord using the mind alone. I find other arguments such as the Cosmological Argument, from St. Thomas Aquinas and Samuel Clarke, and the Teleological Argument by William Paley, to be more convincing concerning God’s existence. In addition to the previous two arguments I mentioned, if one was to conjoin them with “Pascal’s Wager,” by Blaise Pascal, it provides a great argument, not only for the existence of God, but also for the existence of faith.

Many philosophers have tried to disprove St. Anselm, but the argument is incredibly steadfast, which may suggest its overall credibility. One of these concerns if the particular “greater” can be used with existence, and that existence truly is a great making quality. Regardless, it is respected by both those of faith and also atheists. Even the atheist philosopher William L. Rowe conceded:

“If (my critique) is correct, Anselm’s argument fails as a proof of the existence of God. This is not to say, however, that the argument is not a work of genius. Perhaps no other argument in the history of thought has raised so many basic philosophical questions and stimulated so much hard thought. Even if it fails as a proof of the existence of God, it will remain as one of the high achievements of the human intellect.”

Romans 1:4 alone contains many references to the Trinity. These include, “Spirit,” “Son,” “God,” “Jesus Christ,” and “Lord.” The phrase, “through the Spirit of holiness,” is especially profound because it does not refer to some state of being or of mind on Christ’s part, but rather the Spirit itself, due to its capitalization. According to the verse, it was by this Spirit, who is declared to have immense power, which proclaimed Christ to be the Son of God. There are numerous reasons why the Trinity must be, but I will save those for another time.

In Genesis, the Bible gives us a large clue concerning the Lord’s triune nature. In fact, some of these occur right in the creation story itself. Though there are more than a couple examples I could mention, there is one, in my mind, that stands out above the rest when contemplating the Trinity. This may be an important thing to remember for those who struggle with the concept of the Trinity.

Genesis 1:26 (See my note, “On an Early Representation of The Trinity”) tells us we were created in the image and likeness of God. Thus, we are an abstract representation of the Lord’s being. Every one of us has a mind, a body, and a soul, yet we are individuals. Three in one. Given that God is “that-than-which-nothing-greater-can-be-thought,” are we to suppose He doesn’t transcend our being? This very same verse in Genesis indicates the existence of the Trinity by saying, “Let us make man in our image.” The words, “us,” and, “our,” indicate a plurality before the creation of man, suggesting that the Holy Trinity is indeed true.

It’s amazing but some of the best evidence concerning the trinity, or our triune Lord, is not so far away where we need to seek high and low for it. We don’t need to over analyze scriptures or seek out and search obscure places, rather, it is immediately seen and resides directly within each and every one of us.

"The Creation of Man," by Luca Giordano. fresco, c. 1684-1686