According to the scriptures, "God our Saviour" is a commandment for those who believe. Indeed, He hath "in due times manifested His Word through preaching, which is committed unto me according to the commandment of God our Saviour ..." (Titus 1:3)
Moreover, in understanding the Godhead, we should first note that the word Godhead is found in the scriptures only three times. In the first, God Almighty is not likened to any physical image or man-made idols. This is evident from the time when Paul is standing in the midst of Mars Hill and states to the men of Athens, "I perceive that in all things ye are too superstitious. For as I passed by, and beheld your devotions, I found an altar with this inscription -- TO THE UNKNOWN GOD -- whom therefore ye ignorantly worship.
Him declare I unto you. God that made the world and all therein, seeing that He is the Lord of heaven and earth, dwells not in temples made with hands: neither is worshipped with men's hands, as though He needed anything, seeing He gives to all life, and breath, and all things, and hath made of one blood all nations of men for to dwell on all the face of the earth, and hath determined the times before appointed and the bounds of their habitation: that they should seek the Lord, if haply they might feel after Him, and find Him, though He be not far from every one of us; for in Him we live, and move, and have our being; as certain also of your own poets have said, "For we are also His offspring."
Forasmuch then as we are the offspring of God, we ought not to think that the Godhead is like unto gold, or silver, or stone, graven by art and man's device." (Acts 17:22-29)
The second example is found in Romans 1:20, which states, "For the invisible things, of Him from the creation of the world are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, [even] His eternal power and Godhead, so that they are without excuse." This means that from the very beginning, the creation of the world, God's handiwork can be seen and understood by men. So much so, that this leaves us without excuse. John explains that "He was in the world and the world was made by Him and the world knew Him not. He came unto His own and His own received Him not." (John 1:10-11)
Third, in Colossians 2:9, the Word tells us that ALL the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in Christ Jesus. And as a consequence of His love and kindness toward man, we are complete in Him, which is the Head of all principality and power, in whom also ye are circumcised with the circumcision made without hands ... the circumcision of Christ, buried with Him in baptism, wherein also ye are risen with Him through the faith of the operation of God who hath raised Him from the dead. (Colossians 2:10-12)
Within the New Testament scriptures, there is never any reference to the Godhead being a family of three divine persons in heaven. Or a triad. Or a triune god. Or a god in three persons. These all emerge from man-made institutionalized religious dogma and are false, because each is contrary to the scriptures -- the Word of God. As apostle Paul said, "If any teach/preach another gospel, let him be accursed." Therefore, there is an inherent obligation upon those who teach others to be accurate and forthright in all their presentations. But I digress somewhat.
My point is this. To wit, God was in Christ reconciling the world unto Himself. Therefore, the only divine being dwelling in Christ is God. And since God is a Spirit which is invisible, the fullness of the Godhead dwelt bodily in the visible Christ Jesus. (Colossians 2:9) God manifest in the flesh. (I Timothy 3:16)
"To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto Himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them; and hath committed unto us the Word of reconciliation." (2 Corinthians 5:19)
But there is much more. Jesus said, "For He whom God hath sent speaks the words of God, for God gives not the Spirit by measure unto Him." (John 3:34) This means that with all the fullness of the Godhead dwelling bodily in the man Christ Jesus, and that same God did not give the Spirit by measure unto Him, the Godhead must be in Jesus. The visible image of the unseen Spirit of God.
"Who being the brightness of [His] glory and the express image of His person, and upholding all things by the Word of His power, when He had by Himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high ..." (Hebrews 1:1-3) As an aside, Isaiah prophetically writes that God will give His right arm to bring salvation to His people.
In reference to the Son (which seems to be where the issue lies in terms of the Godhead), it should be noted that prior to the moment the Holy Ghost overshadowed Mary so that she would bring forth a Son -- the only begotten Son -- there are zero references to a Godhead -- beyond the One Spirit who created the world in the beginning. There are numerous scriptures to confirm that the Spirit of God was in the beginning. And lots of references to indicate that the Lord is God and that God is the Lord. One and the Same.
Which alone spreadeth out the heavens, and treadeth upon the waves of the sea." (Job 9:8)
" ... that spreadeth abroad the earth by Myself ..." (Isaiah 44:24)
"I am the Lord and there is none else." (Isaiah 45:18)
What is important to note here is that God was never described in the context of Father or Son prior to the ushering in of the New Testament, these last times, when it was announced that the dayspring from on high would visit His people. The moment in time which He marked with the words, "This day have I begotten Thee."
"Now the birth of Jesus Christ was on this wise: When as His mother Mary was espoused to Joseph, before they came together, she was found with child of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:18)"But while he thought on these things, behold, the angel of the Lord appeared unto him in a dream, saying, "Joseph, thou son of David, fear not to take unto thee Mary thy wife: for that which is conceived in her is of the Holy Ghost." (Matthew 1:20) This "holy thing."
Further, "the Holy Ghost this signifying that the way into the holiest of all was not yet made manifest, while as the first tabernacle was yet standing, which was a figure for the time then present, in which were offered both gifts and sacrifices that could not make him that did the service perfect, as pertaining to the conscience ..." (Hebrews 9:8-9)
In other words, the old had to go if the New Testament was to be ushered in. "And for this cause, He is the mediator of the New Testament, that by means of death, for the redemption of the transgressions that were under the first testament, they which are called might receive the promise of eternal inheritance ..." (Hebrews 9:15-18) The Lord was about to do a new thing, wherein those who worship Him must worship Him in Spirit and in truth. (John 4:24)
Not "them" as the religious culture wants you to believe, but rather, the One and Only God who loved you and I enough to become that perfect sacrifice -- without sin. The Great Shepherd laying down His life -- His humanity -- for His sheep. Never did anyone ever within the scriptures worship God in thirds.
"Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD ..." (Deuteronomy 6:4; Mark 12:29-31) One Lord, One Faith, One Baptism. One God and Father of all .." (Ephesians 4:5-6) "There is One body, and One Spirit, even as ye are called in One hope of your calling ..." (Ephesians 4:4)
Behold, the mystery that was held in the bosom of the Father from the very beginning.
"And without controversy great is the mystery of Godliness: God was manifest in the flesh, justified in the Spirit, seen of angels, preached unto the Gentiles, believed on in the world, received up into glory." (I Timothy 3:16)
Willingly, God became our Saviour. His Name is JESUS, for He shall save His people from their sins. But as Jesus also told the Jews, we must believe that Jesus is that He. The One and Only Spirit who manifested Himself in a sin-prone body for our redemption (yet without sin), so that we could receive His redemption. He told His disciples, "I and My Father are One!" (John 10:30) Jesus also said to His disciples that if they had seen Him, they have also seen the Father, and thus, know Him. (John 14:8-9)
Acts 20:28 offers a good summation: "Take heed therefore unto yourselves, and to all the flock, over the which the Holy Ghost hath made you overseers, to feed the church of God, which He hath purchased with His own blood."
And as believers in our Lord God and Saviour Jesus the Christ by faith, know also that "if the Spirit of Him that raised up Jesus from the dead dwell in you, He that raised up Christ from the dead shall also quicken your mortal bodies by His Spirit that dwelleth in you." (Romans 8:11)
Stand in the offering plate.
No comments:
Post a Comment