Since being thrown from the Garden, Man has sought to return in fellowship with his creator. Vital to our being is an unquenchable yearning to seek Him; all the while knowing that coming face to face with him would be our end. At the same time, God, in ever increasing and fuller expressions of His love, continues to provide us the way. It is daily that we multiply our transgressions and continue to show our unworthiness for such a gift. Yet God, from the beginning, has set in motion his redemptive plan.
When the Holy Spirit inspired the writers to copy down the Word, He was revealing to us the promise and hope of the Son and what was to come. After the cross, he directed the writing of the Gospels and it was sent to us as a helper and witness to the Son’s glory.
There once was a woodsman who cut down the tree which was made to be the cross of our Savior. We must never forget that God not only planted that tree, but he also watched it grow. All three persons of the Trinity knew full well what the sacrifice at the cross held in store. Do not think that all was coincidence.
When the Son became flesh and dwelt among us, it was to live perfectly before he was lifted up as our sacrifice. Each step he took on this earth was upon stones that groaned and cried out for mercy. In a carpenter’s abstract pride, the first blows of the hammer upon the nails, reminded the creator what it means to start something new; to finish something left uncompleted.
It has been said, that the cross is the full revelation of God. I would disagree. It may be the fullest revelation we have, but even still, there are things left unrevealed. We do not know yet what we will become, not until when we see Christ. Then we will know, for we will be like Him and can spend eternity learning of Him.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
Thursday, February 4, 2010
Is it possible to understand the Trinity?
In a quick response to the question, we would have to quickly say “no”. Because of the very nature of God being Infinite we may spend an eternity trying, but will never be able to understand him fully. We could, however, say that there are things revealed to us in scripture that allow us understand certain aspects or ideas about the Trinity. When viewing something, even by the sight of our own eyes, we suddenly realize that even though we can understand the thing within our focus, closer examinations usually only raise more questions.
To illustrate this, look into the night sky. When you view into space with the naked eye, there many factors that limit your observations such as location, the weather and your own eyesight. You could take those observations and say that you fully understand what you see within the limits of your existing knowledge. Once you have seen the same view through a telescope, your previous understanding will suddenly seem narrow and limited. This is because the focus has shifted to the need for understanding the smaller details that were unseen by the naked eye. If we can’t understand the nature of the creation that surrounds us, how ignorant would it be to state that we can understand the triune nature of the Creator Himself? The list of things that we understand about an Infinite God will always be shorter than the list of questions we raise.
However, within the view of what God has revealed about the Trinity to us through our relationships in creation, the Holy Spirit and the written word, there are certain things that we can understand about the Trinity. We need to be careful in how we approach these understandings and try not to idolize them. When men start believing they can understand more about God from other men than they can learn from God himself, they have placed their trust in men.
In a quick response to the question, we would have to quickly say “no”. Because of the very nature of God being Infinite we may spend an eternity trying, but will never be able to understand him fully. We could, however, say that there are things revealed to us in scripture that allow us understand certain aspects or ideas about the Trinity. When viewing something, even by the sight of our own eyes, we suddenly realize that even though we can understand the thing within our focus, closer examinations usually only raise more questions.
To illustrate this, look into the night sky. When you view into space with the naked eye, there many factors that limit your observations such as location, the weather and your own eyesight. You could take those observations and say that you fully understand what you see within the limits of your existing knowledge. Once you have seen the same view through a telescope, your previous understanding will suddenly seem narrow and limited. This is because the focus has shifted to the need for understanding the smaller details that were unseen by the naked eye. If we can’t understand the nature of the creation that surrounds us, how ignorant would it be to state that we can understand the triune nature of the Creator Himself? The list of things that we understand about an Infinite God will always be shorter than the list of questions we raise.
However, within the view of what God has revealed about the Trinity to us through our relationships in creation, the Holy Spirit and the written word, there are certain things that we can understand about the Trinity. We need to be careful in how we approach these understandings and try not to idolize them. When men start believing they can understand more about God from other men than they can learn from God himself, they have placed their trust in men.
Wednesday, January 27, 2010
A discussion on Amos 2
The Israelites, being the covenant people of God, were not only guilty of tarnishing the image of men who were made in the image of God but, they were guilty of tarnishing the very image of the Creator Himself. They broke the covenant agreement between themselves and Yehweh; even to the point of selling out the righteous people and trading them for sandals that they would use to walk in the ways of their idols/gods. The weak in this land were oppressed further; and the virtues of the humble were no longer cherished but instead their ways were perverted, even to the point of enticing their most holy of people set aside by the religious vows of the Nazirites.
The very act of propagation was distorted in the land. God had given them this act to “Multiply and fill the Earth”. As part of the covenant people of God, they were promised to become as numerous as the stars of the sky. Instead they created idols/gods and used the act of sex to worship created things, on foreign altars, that are placed in a land that Yahweh had given to them.
To be in this covenant relationship, the Israelites were to be yoked with God, walking alongside him and carrying their portion of the load. Instead, they are found walking along another path and no longer pulling their share of the load and progress is stunted. If they had only known that the yoke was easy and the burden was light, especially, when bringing in the sheaves with God.
Prophets had obviously come along at various times. They were silenced as the people surrounded themselves with teachers that taught perverted things to those with itching ears.
Yahweh will respond to breaking this covenant in ways that had already been laid out. In Leviticus 26, Yahweh lays out the blessings and curses that will come upon the people based on their obedience to the covenant. Numerous times throughout the OT we see the Israelites being disobedient and then subsequently chastised for it. In the early parts of this book, we see God laying out the charge to a disobedient and rebellious people which are told they will receive the very curses Yahweh promised them for failing to “Walk together” with him. All the courageous will flee naked in that day even when no “man” chases him. It’s the story of all men. Walk with God, or flee from him trembling.
The Israelites, being the covenant people of God, were not only guilty of tarnishing the image of men who were made in the image of God but, they were guilty of tarnishing the very image of the Creator Himself. They broke the covenant agreement between themselves and Yehweh; even to the point of selling out the righteous people and trading them for sandals that they would use to walk in the ways of their idols/gods. The weak in this land were oppressed further; and the virtues of the humble were no longer cherished but instead their ways were perverted, even to the point of enticing their most holy of people set aside by the religious vows of the Nazirites.
The very act of propagation was distorted in the land. God had given them this act to “Multiply and fill the Earth”. As part of the covenant people of God, they were promised to become as numerous as the stars of the sky. Instead they created idols/gods and used the act of sex to worship created things, on foreign altars, that are placed in a land that Yahweh had given to them.
To be in this covenant relationship, the Israelites were to be yoked with God, walking alongside him and carrying their portion of the load. Instead, they are found walking along another path and no longer pulling their share of the load and progress is stunted. If they had only known that the yoke was easy and the burden was light, especially, when bringing in the sheaves with God.
Prophets had obviously come along at various times. They were silenced as the people surrounded themselves with teachers that taught perverted things to those with itching ears.
Yahweh will respond to breaking this covenant in ways that had already been laid out. In Leviticus 26, Yahweh lays out the blessings and curses that will come upon the people based on their obedience to the covenant. Numerous times throughout the OT we see the Israelites being disobedient and then subsequently chastised for it. In the early parts of this book, we see God laying out the charge to a disobedient and rebellious people which are told they will receive the very curses Yahweh promised them for failing to “Walk together” with him. All the courageous will flee naked in that day even when no “man” chases him. It’s the story of all men. Walk with God, or flee from him trembling.
Monday, January 18, 2010
All manners of heresy are allowed to bloom without a proper view on the doctrine of the Trinity. A Lamb, which is not believed to be divine, merely produces wool which will be pulled over the eyes of men who are simply watching another Jew fighting for breath on a Roman tree. It justifies the actions of desperate men asking for a Son of fathers instead of the Son of God. It also strips the deserved authority and majesty earned to make the Lamb worthy of breaking the seals.
A Lamb which is not believed to be divine makes for an abundance of red-lettered heresy for men to thrust themselves upon. The damage done by a dull sword has a similar effect of causing men to lose life. It will not, however, pierce to the heart and recreate him.
A Lamb which is not believed to be divine leaves men created in the image of some other “US” which is yet to be revealed. This lack of divinity destroys inspiration and attacks the very binding of the Scriptures. The result leaves a loose-leaf collection of morality held together only by glue and the thoughts of men.
Without the doctrine of the Trinity, the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit that filled those who would form the church would be as forked as the serpents’ and just as corrupt. What is the significance of the doctrine of the Trinity you ask? The accuser can whisper subtle heresy and point his finger where he wants. Father, Son, Spirit, however, would collectively answer “I Am.”
A Lamb which is not believed to be divine makes for an abundance of red-lettered heresy for men to thrust themselves upon. The damage done by a dull sword has a similar effect of causing men to lose life. It will not, however, pierce to the heart and recreate him.
A Lamb which is not believed to be divine leaves men created in the image of some other “US” which is yet to be revealed. This lack of divinity destroys inspiration and attacks the very binding of the Scriptures. The result leaves a loose-leaf collection of morality held together only by glue and the thoughts of men.
Without the doctrine of the Trinity, the fiery tongues of the Holy Spirit that filled those who would form the church would be as forked as the serpents’ and just as corrupt. What is the significance of the doctrine of the Trinity you ask? The accuser can whisper subtle heresy and point his finger where he wants. Father, Son, Spirit, however, would collectively answer “I Am.”
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