Category: Religious Essays

Hurting

30 May 2017

By Andrew Murray

Adapted by Bob Beanblossom

It seems to me that God, in His infinite wisdom, lets us share in the relationship He has with another now and then. He shows us that we are not alone.

Are you confused and hurting? Have you suffered a great loss? Here are some words from Andrew Murray, a missionary to South Africa in the 1800s.

Consider, he says:

“First, He brought me here, it is by His will I am in this strait place (I am suffering this trial, this pain–Bob): in that fact I will rest.

“Next, He will keep me here in His love, and give me grace to behave as His child.

“Then, He will make the trial a blessing, teaching me the lessons He intends me to learn, and working in me the grace He means to bestow.

“Last, in His good time He can bring me out again–how and when (only) He knows.

Let me say I am here,

(1) By God’s appointment,

(2) In His keeping,

(3) Under His training,

(4) For His time.”

In another place, Murray added a fitting conclusion:

“Give yourself time to be silent and quiet before Him, waiting to receive, through the Spirit, the assurance of His presence with you, His working in you. Take time to read His word as in His presence . . . .”

We are still and always human. Grief, sorrow, pain–all are real and poignant, slow to dissipate, never to fully leave.

Murray speaks of a draining of self that is replaced by the filling of God the Holy Spirit. He spoke not from theory but experience. His experience–individual and unique to each of us–repeated countless times daily by those who can follow him in submission to our God. Perhaps “submerge” would be a better word for that action. He says, “Lo, I am with you always (Matthew 28:20a); also, Look for Me first ((Matthew 6:33). My grace (and His alone) is sufficient for you–for all of your confusion, hurting, and sense of loss. Completely sufficient (2 Corinthians 12:9).

 

 

 

 

Chained Down

by Bob Beanblossom

24 April 2017

 

It seems to me that sometimes we get chained down in a position that we can’t support, trapped before we even know it.  This happens when we start following men (or women) instead of God: we hang our religion on partially or wholly unsubstantiated doctrine or dogma; it often sounds good, and makes sense, but . .

There are great ongoing debates about all sorts of issues within the Christian faith–often dividing those who should not be divided. The Scripture is not as clear about some issues as we would like. This leads legitimately to differing opinions. We often hear that “we stand together on the main issues, but agree to disagree on others;” all the while standing separate, divided, sometimes to the point of declaring that “our” way is the only way: “then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another” (Matthew 24:10). While we are busy “not” arguing among ourselves, lost souls are dying: “How can ye believe, which receive honor one from another, and seek not the honor that cometh from God only? (John 5:44). Satan has succeeded in distracting us from our Great Commission, and enticed us to offend some needlessly. Paul taught, “I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means save some (1 Corinthians 9:22b). Paul held fast the essentials while not getting hung up in the unknowns or in non-essential issues.

Different–conflicting–understandings are not new. The Epistles, those letters to various workers and churches in the first century, were mostly about actively divisive issues–those Christians were no more perfect (nor less so) than we are. The inspired men who wrote the New Testament always wrote to heal, to bring together under the Word, and not to further divide: “This is the work of God, that ye believe on Him whom He hath sent” (John 6:29).  All issues are not clear. We might prefer a rule book, another set of Commandments chiseled in stone. The problem is, that approach didn’t work. Man could not (and cannot) live up to God’s standards.

He has given us given a new approach , an era of living within and under God’s grace: that amazing, unmerited gift of salvation made possible only and completely through the sacrificial and atoning death and resurrection of Jesus Christ on the cross: “For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: is its the gift of God: (Ephesians 2:8). That same grace sustains us in our Christian walk–to the extent that we allow. There is no limit to His grace, the limit is wholly within us when we fail to act by faith in concert with His will: “for whatsoever is not of faith is sin” (Rom 14:23). We fail when we substitute me-me-me for the great I AM.

Now, back to those differences: either Scripture is the primary authority, or whatever exists is simply not Christianity. Some things, such as the doctrines of sin and salvation, are pretty easy to understand, even if not to accept. Others are much more difficult, with the scripture itself making understanding difficult. Here we must remember that we, in our finite beings, cannot fully understand an infinite God: faith is the word given to our submitting our understanding to Him. Given His authorship, these difficulties are no reason for division, for following paths of opinion rather than Scripture. This is in no way intended to discount the value–even necessity–of doctrine derived from the theological study of Scripture by prayerful, God-loving Christians. These will humbly admit and note their shortcomings and questions as they attempt to clarify and organize the Word that we may find it more understandable and applicable to our lives.

Paul, correcting the Corinthian church, admonished: “you saith, I am of Paul; and I am of Apollos; and I of Cephas; and I of Christ. Is Christ divided? Was Paul crucified for you? (I Corinthians 1:12-13):  insert your own favorite religious authority here. We must be ever cautious that we are following Christ and the clear word of Scripture, not unsupported doctrinal statements of a church or individual. Some things we just won’t be able understand until our “faith is made sight,” that is, until we see Jesus face-to-face. That’s ok. He wrote the Book. He made us. He understands our weaknesses. In turn, we did not write the Book and cannot fill in the blanks; we did not create Him and should not attempt to explain what He did not; and lastly, the weakness is within us, not Him. “For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope” (Romans 15:4).

Time Change

It seems to me that setting our clocks ahead tonight is a reminder of what Jesus does in the hearts of those who accept Him as their personal Savior.

At the very instant that we accept His as our Lord and Savior, we are transported forward to a completely new life in Him. A life in His eternal time zone.

The spiritual curse (but not the reality of living in a sin-cursed world) of Adam is removed. Gone. Covered by His great sacrifice on the cross.

Gone also are our personal sins. Our hearts are not reworked, or rebuilt, or remanufactured–we are re-born, completely new in His sight.

Among the miracles and mysteries of Salvation is why He would do that for us knowing that the free will he gave a failed Adam is alive and kicking in us. We continue to fail our admonition to “go and sin no more.”

But in His wisdom, while giving us Salvation–that instantaneous act of re-birth–it is also the beginning of a personal relationship with our Creator.

He has given us His Word as our guide, the indwelling Holy Spirit to direct and intercede between us and God the Father on our behalf, and prayer to seek His ongoing forgiveness and blessings as we serve Him.

So, as you set your clocks ahead and grumble about the system, take just a moment and thank God that He, in an act of pure love, set your clock ahead and took you out of the hell-bent rut of your time and transformed you to His eternal timeframe.

How Big Am I

by Bob Beanblossom

5 March 2017

It seems to me that many of the problems we have are the result of elevating ourselves above where we should be.

Martyrs are not persecuted and killed for who they are, but for whom they represent–the One whom they believe in and serve with all of their being.

It is not who I am, but who God is that raises the ire of the world.

The Apostle Paul often described himself as a servant, slave, and prisoner of his Lord and Savior. As time passed, he also wrote of his increasing understanding of how unworthy and base he actually was, relative to the God he served–in spite of his best intentions.

It is not who I am, but who God is, and what Jesus, His Son, has done for me, that makes me acceptable in His sight.

The Word says that each Christian is to be a witness–actively, not just passively–for our Savior. That requires us to tell others about our unique and personal experience of salvation through the grace of our Savior and of our ongoing and deepening relationship with Him.

It is not what I have done, but what He has done through me.

So, if you are a Christian, it is never about you, but always about our God.

If you are not a Christian, then you are the only thing you have to offer. Deep inside you know all too well how inadequate that is. Make the best of it–or better yet, turn to the God of Creation, the God of your salvation.

Priorities

By Bob Beanblossom

5 February 2017

It seems to me that sometimes we get our priorities a bit confused in all the hustle and bustle of life. The older folks used to say that we couldn’t see the forest for the trees. Sometimes the opposite is true. Either way, we are still off-track.

Remember the story in Mark 10:38-42 about Mary sitting at Jesus’ feet, taking in all He said? Her sister, who was busy fixing a meal for her Lord, complained to Him about her sister’s inattention to the important work at hand–the real work so that the fellowship could begin.

It seems to me that Jesus said (broadly paraphrased) something to this effect: Martha, time with Jesus (or, reading His Word prayerfully, for us) is far more important than a meal and associated fellowship with good friends. To tighten the thought up a bit, a Bible study is preferred by Jesus to a fellowship activity.

The Synoptic Problem

by Bob Beanblossom

31 January 2017

It seems to me that, as Christians, we are sometimes troubled and even overwhelmed by what scholars and authorities have to say about the Bible. One part of the problem is that we read far more about the Bible than we do the Bible itself. Another part of the problem is that many scholars and experts are not Christians, but secularists. Just as being a Christian comes only from an experience and relationship with our Savior, understanding of His Word. This is an important fact that is often disregarded by even Christians: “This I say therefore, and testify in the Lord, that ye henceforth walk not as other Gentiles walk, in the vanity of their mind, having the understanding darkened, being alienated from the life of God through the ignorance that is in them, because of the blindness of their heart” (Ephesians 4:17-18). The paper below is a little different, but I trust that you will find it interesting. It addresses differences in the texts of the first three Gospels, first identified as a “problem” in the late eighteenth century–in other words, from the earliest times of Christianity, Christians recognized that there is no “problem.” See what you think–after reading the Gospels for your self.

The Synoptic Problem

The NT books of Matthew, Mark, and Luke, are called the Synoptic Gospels1 because of striking similarities in the content, the language, and the timeline covered by all three. Within the similarities, however, each presents the Gospel, or God’s Good News, in a uniquely individual way that perplexes scholars who deny divine inspiration and would have them to be rubber stamp clones of their own creation rather than separate books written to separate audiences under the auspices of the infinite God. Conservative biblical scholars have for many years compiled comparative lists of the Gospels with titles such as the “Practical Harmony of the Four Gospels” as did Joseph Muenscher, who, in 1828, described his efforts as intended to furnish English readers at a small expense with a Harmony of the Four Gospels adapted entirely to (be of) practical purposes. . . The fact that more than two hundred Harmonies of the Gospels have been written . . . since the middle of the second century proves that their importance and advantages have been duly appreciated.2

 Liberal scholars, on the other hand, have also compiled detailed lists in Greek and English of the similarities and divergences, spending inordinate amounts of time on the study of the “problems” created with perceived disagreements, presenting varied opinions about those problems: their causes, and resultant impact on Christianity. Bart Ehrman, a respected biblical scholar, after noting that the Synoptics “tell many of the same stories,” with a note of perplexity continues: “they often do so using the very same words.”3 Apparently somewhat daunted by this two thousand year old problem, he continues: “This phenomenon is virtually inexplicable unless the stories are derived from a common literary source”.4 This is obviously enigmatic to those who will not believe that the God of creation is the Source of biblical inspiration, since the miraculous, in their opinion, cannot exist. These variations are known as The Synoptic Problem.

In some three and a half years of preaching, assuming 12-hour days, Jesus filled over 15 thousand hours with some sort of activities. Clearly, the Scriptures are not the moment-by-moment account of His life that we have grown used to with the profusion of videography, professional reporting, and social media rampant today. One aspect of this extreme coverage that we too often overlook is that even these reports, when presented, differ substantially with the perspective of the reporting agency. During the last election cycle and into this Administration we have heard a lot about media bias, that is, reporting from a perspective to create an opinion, not simply present facts. We have even noted substantial differences in content in current reporting in different editions of the same media. Ehrman, to his credit, also notes, “consider a modern-day parallel. You have no doubt noticed that when newspapers, magazines, and books all describe the same event, they do so differently.”5 We should not be surprised to find both similarities and differences in the Synoptics.

Another factor is the phenomena of personal or individual eyewitness reporting. The open-and-close crime programming on television often presents a wonderfully uniform case that establishes the guilt or innocence of the accused in a half-hour with twenty minutes of commercials. There are some exceptions that do a fair job of relating more realistic situations of honest witnesses reporting widely divergent testimony. Even unretouched video taken of an incident from different locations can present what appears to be conflicting information.  In fact, investigators are immediately alerted to testimony that is too conforming, that is, missing natural variations, which upon scrutiny, proves contrived. Whether a victim or witness, student, or scholar, we all come to every situation with bias. Often we are unaware of it. When we are, if honest, we admit that our predispositions are impossible to fully overcome. It is who we are, what our worldview is. Our understanding of Jesus is colored by whether we are Protestant or Catholic, Muslim or Christian, atheist or one who has experienced the saving power of the Holy Spirit. Differences in perspective are natural and should be expected.

The honest, scholarly study of our Bible can be useful to the Christian layman. Christians should be comfortable that the books of the canon are, in fact, ordained by God, as are the very words, and therefore, the message. Scholarship at its best can only present a human view of that Divine creation that is every bit as miraculous and unique as its subject: the WORD (see John 1:1-2 KJV). H.C. Thiesson described a quandary faced by secular biblical scholars: “there seems to be no early attempt to deal with the literary problems presented by the Synoptics”6 As Muencher noted so many years ago, Christians saw the Word as the Source, not the object, in the search for their personal God. The best human attempts to create a god of the intellect are doomed to failure: “For it is written, I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and will bring to nothing the understanding of the prudent” (1 Cor 1:19).

These considerations might be termed the Human Problem, factors that cause the apparent Synoptic Problem. With so many hours of ministry, there is a strong possibility that Jesus preached and taught the same or very similar messages several, if not many, times with variations, to address the needs of each particular crowd, thus adding to the possibilities of permutations and combinations of reporting as disciples and the curious told and re-told what they had heard. Every disciple did not hear every word of our Lord, as Jesus retired to pray (Mark 1:36 KJV) or as they were dispatched to take of various tasks (Matt 10:5). Outcomes of miracles were “as reported” since the recipients were often sent away to discover the results of their faith in Jesus’ abilities. Differences in reporting of the type we see are indications of authentic testimony as any law enforcement investigator would acknowledge.

There is some agreement that the Synoptics are written to different target audiences:  Matthew to the Jews; Mark to the Romans; and Luke to the Greeks. This alone provides a clue that the material presented, even if of identical incidents, might well be stated differently. Each divinely inspired writer would present his material in such a way as to provide the best witness to that target audience, and at the same time, give future Christians leadership and inspiration. I strongly suspect that the papers we write for this course are different than what we might post on the social media on similar topics.

Lastly, for our purposes, is bias. Scholars sometimes seem to develop hypotheses with more vision than fact. Given the thousands of hours of Jesus’ ministry, repeated messages, oral combinations and permutations over time, lack of “unbiased” professional reporters or scribes to record every word, and authors writing to target audiences as inspired by the Holy Spirit, it is neither surprising nor disturbing that there are differences in the Synoptics. Since we have no autographs, we must use other means to determine the quality of extant manuscripts, keeping those proven consistent and discarding the rest as canon. These methods uphold the Scripture, the canon, and the inspiration of the Word preserved and continuously used for over two thousand years as the very Word of God. The efficacy of the Word attests its authenticity as does the persistence of its form. There is no Synoptic Problem and no threat to His inspired Word. For those who persist in a conviction that there is a Synoptic Problem, Kostenberger, et al., reminds us that, “one’s view on this issue should not be taken as a test of orthodoxy, especially since the available evidence does not allow for a definitive resolution of all of the issues involved.”7 David Alan Black, et al., concludes, “It must be said that scholarship, like all earthly endeavors, runs in fads, especially in the post-Enlightenment setting. Scholars are essentially Athenians at heart, always searching for some new thing (Acts 17:21)”8

____________________

1 Andreas J. Kostenberger, Scott L. Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles, The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament, Second Edition (Nashville: B & H Academic, 2016), 205.

2  Joseph Muencher, Practical Harmony of the Four Gospels, Arranged According to the Most Approved Harmonies (NY: Elisha Turner, Publisher, 1828), i.

3 Bart D. Erhman, The New Testament; A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writing, 2nd ed., (NY: Oxford University Press, 2000), 76.

4 Ibid., 77.

5Ibid.

6 H.C. Thiessen, Introduction to the New Testament (Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1943), 102.

7 Kostenberger, 175.

8 David Alan Black, and David R. Beck, ed., Rethinking the Synoptic Problem (Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: 2001), 150.

 

Bibliography

 Black, David Alan, and David R. Beck, ed. Rethinking the Synoptic Problem. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Academic: 2001, 150.

Erhman, Bart D. The New Testament; A Historical Introduction to the Early Christian Writings, 2nd ed. NY: Oxford University Press 2000, 76-77.

Kostenberger, Andreas J., Scott L. Kellum, and Charles L. Quarles. The Cradle, the Cross, and the Crown: An Introduction to the New Testament, 2nd ed. Nashville, TN: B & H Academic, 2016, 175, 205.

Muencher, Joseph. Practical Harmony of the Four Gospels, Arranged According to the Most Approved Harmonies. NY: Elisha Turner, Publisher, 1828, i.

Thiessen, H. C. Introduction to the New Testament. Grand Rapids, MI: Wm. B. Eerdmans Publishing Company, 1943, 102.

Activist or Christian

by Bob Beanblossom

12 January 2017

It seems to me that we are sometimes too quick to hang labels on people. Trained as we are by short sound bites and carefully crafted factoids of information, we fail to look for depth and breadth, to discern truth. In the simplistic labeling of folks, we miss the depth and breadth of existence in a real world. We only see caricatures of real people. Fredrick Douglass is an example. An escaped slave, political reformer, and devout Christian, his detractors and supporters generally saw him only through the distorted lenses of their own prejudices.

M.P. Aymer, in his book First Pure, Then Peaceable: Fredrick Douglass Reads James [LNTS 379 (London, T&T Clark, 2008)], wrote that Mr. Douglass left his Christianity behind when he became an abolitionist in the years before the Civil War. His misinformation influenced many people to believe that Douglass had forsaken a disinterested God. As in many disagreements in the Christian world, slave holders held that Scripture supported slavery, while abolitionists believed that God’s Word supported their position. Religion had become a tool of man instead of an experience with God. How often have we seen opposing sports teams, armies, and others at odds with each other call upon God to honor their particular cause–in lieu of seeking His blessings upon their pursuit of His will.

Digging down through the distortions to the to the facts, we find that Douglass said, “Do you declare that a thing is bad because it has been misused, abused, and made a bad use of? Do you throw it away on that account? No! You press it to your bosom all the more closely; you read it all the more diligently; and prove from its pages that it is on the side of liberty–not on the side of slavery  (F. Douglass, “The American Constitution and the Slave,” in G.T. Thompson and F. Douglass, Constitution of the United States [London Emancipation Committee: Tract No. 5 (London, 1860)].

Douglass held James 3:17 as foundational: But the wisdom that is from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle and easy to be entreated, full of mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy. Rather than abandoning his faith, Douglass embraced it the more, sharing this verse in at least five speeches before the war.

Today we are still in the throes of an election past as an unsettled and emotional America (and world) see lines in the sand, black and white strife, and me-you challenges in everything; in all that our political leaders–incoming and outgoing–say and do. Labels are attached on minimal or fabricated information. Proof of false information is unheeded as the planted hate grows profusely. The distorted past is more important than the future, and the present is the battleground.

Christians, mandated to exemplify God on earth, ignore commands such as: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and His righteousness . . . (Matthew 6:33), and:  I therefore, the prisoner of the Lord, beseech you that ye walk worthy of the vocation wherewith ye are called, with all lowliness and meekness, with longsuffering, forbearing one another in love; endeavoring to keep the unity of the Spirit in the bond of peace (Ephesians 4:1-2).

Or, this: I exhort therefore, that, first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giving of thanks. be made for all men; for kings (or Presidents), and for all that are in authority (such as those in Congress, the courts, law enforcement and so on); that we may lead a quiet and peaceable life in all godliness and honesty. For this is good and acceptable in the sight of God our savior ( Timothy 2:1-3).

The real Douglass should be an inspiration to each of us, and an example to: Prove all things; hold fast that which is good (1 Thessalonians 5:21).

The question is not whether we are activists or Christians, but are we Christian activists, following His lead, serving His will.  As Paul acknowledged in the Ephesians passage above, we are to be servants or even slaves to His will. This is a difficult concept for the self-sufficient American mindset, but the authority is far above ego. It is the will of our Creator.

New Year’s Thoughts

It seems to me that we are in that time of year when we think of the past and consider the future, perhaps more than at any other time of the year.  Some of us have been known to make New Year’s Resolutions–those promises to ourselves that often do not endure beyond the first day of the year.  But, our intentions were good.

I pray that, as you look back, you find occasion for rejoicing in the year that was. Sometimes it takes a bit of effort to get past some of the more sobering events–deaths of loved ones, family, health, and job issues, the sad state of our nation.

Paul was no stranger to suffering: “Of the Jews five times received I forty stripes save one. Thrice was I beaten with rods, once was I stoned, thrice I suffered shipwreck, a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeyings often, in perils of waters, in peril of robbers, in perils by mine own countrymen, in perils by the heathen, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and painfulness, in watchings often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness” (2 Corinthians 2: 24-27). Not to mention imprisonments and, ultimately, execution. Most of us have not had most of those problems.

He wasn’t alone, of course: “But we see Jesus, who was made a little lower than the angels for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor; that he by the grace of God should taste death for every man” (Hebrews 2:9). Notice that He suffered for every man, not just all men. And women. Each of us was the cause of His suffering, and each of us who accept His gift of salvation through grace will benefit individually from that sacrifice. So, Paul, the great apostle, suffered tremendously. Jesus suffered becoming human and dying for our sins. You and I suffer in this life, both the saved and unsaved alike. What’s the point?

Here is a thought: “I am come that they (each of us) might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly” (John 10:10). Salvation does not take us out of the world, or give us some sort of utopian life in this world. God calls us into His service as warriors, servants, and even slaves, according to Paul. The reward is an eternity with Him, but there is a more present benefit that we need to cultivate, for it is always available to the believer. It is a life of abundant joy. “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony or our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation (our life) in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward” (2 Corinthians1:12).

I can only hit the highlights of that powerful verse:

Our outlook, our mood, is ours to choose. The more we stand on our own wisdom, the more we are affected by the world around us. The more we center our lives and thoughts on ourselves, the less satisfied we are. As a profitable exercise, do a word study in your Bible on JOY. It is a verb. It is not an emotion. We will be sad, tired, angry, happy, and all the other human emotions as events impact us. But the JOY given by the grace of God is without limit except for our failure to allow God to take control.

Our testimony and our conscience are strongly linked, and are expressed more by our actions than our words. They are either driven by our own ego, or as we grow in our relationship with God, by His manifestation through us.

The complexities of life (and the resultant frustrations due to family, relational and health problems) are often our own doing. We place ourselves in marginal situations. We are stress-driven. We get involved in too much. We don’t take time for fellowship with God through Bible study and prayer. We set our own priorities, instead of seeking His, and following the path He reveals. If your relational time with God is equivalent to one commercial on TV, you may be missing out on His message for you. He works on His schedule. His eternal clock has no hands on the dial.

Putting it all together,  we depend upon our own wisdom instead of trusting God. We say we believe in Him as the Creator of all and the Savior of our souls, yet betray our insincerity by not trusting Him with our own lives.

The solution is not easy. We have to yield our egocentric ‘my way’ and, instead, trust Him, do our best to learn what He expects of us as unique individuals, and seek the leadership and power of the Holy Spirit in following His path, we center ourselves in the center of his grace, and have lives that are more satisfying and productive.

So, I will not have any resolutions this year except for this: to draw ever closer to my Savior through prayer and Bible study,  endeavoring through His grace to serve Him more perfectly as He leads.

I pray that as you do the same–not in the same way, not on the same path, but as He leads–that the problems of the world will be dimmed by the JOY of the grace of God.

 

 

Once in Infinity

By Bob Beanblossom

19 December 2016

 

Once, in the limitless infinity that surrounds God, the Divine Council met to finalize plans for Creation. All members of the WORD were present: God the Father presiding, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The meeting reflected the spiritual nature of those holding the meeting: it was infinite in its expanse, unbounded by walls, buildings, or even the Universe, for matter, energy, time, and space as we understand them did not yet exist.

Plans were all but complete. Creation was almost ready for “In the beginning God.” Even with the timeless infinitude of the Three-in-One, this was a momentous decision. If approved, a set of finite material things would be created from nothingness and added to the infinite somethingness of the spiritual realm.

God the Father looked with concern at God the Son—He who existed throughout eternity, but was soon to become Jesus, the Only Begotten of the Father, the Messiah, the Christ—the Lamb Slain from the Foundation of the World. God the Father said, ‘Son, We have discussed Creation thoroughly. We will create Man in Our image to be holy, to worship and serve Us, and to care for Earth, that part of Creation that We will give them. We will create them as finite creatures, with material existence in a material world that has both a beginning and an end. They—man and woman–will become living beings at conception and be eternal from that point onward. We will always be present in their world and in their lives. They will be free moral agents, independent in thought and action, capable of deviating from Our Will. When they leave the realm of human life We will reward their obedience with eternity in Our home. We will call it Heaven. We know that they will sin, almost from the very start, even though I walk daily with them, and talk with them, and have fellowship with them. Satan, that fallen angel and adversary, will be an agent of evil, but rebellion will be the conscious choice each man. We will call that rebellion Sin. This is certainly neither welcomed nor approved, but is expected. Sin must have a penalty. That penalty will be an eternity away from Us. Sin cannot enter into our home. We will call the place of that punishment Hell. But, We will prepare for that fall from our grace and establish a process to allow man’s restoration. We will call that act of restoration Salvation. Our continual presence will be masked from them by their sin. But, We will always be there for each and every one who calls on Our Name. We will call that Prayer.’

‘We will select one lineage to call Our Chosen People. They are not special or remarkable in any way, except that I have chosen them to send Our message of salvation to the rest of the world. They will have cycles of righteousness and sin just as individuals do. The re-introduction of Our Will to mankind through them will be progressive. Sin will radically diminish their ability to understand Us and apply Our will to their lives. In fact, it will be impossible. When they fail beyond all measure, I will move Our presence to a new people, chosen from all peoples in all lands.’

‘Son, this is my big concern. Maybe we should throw this whole plan out and start all over again, with beings who will choose to worship and serve us. Sin cannot be accepted. No man will be capable of becoming righteous by Our standard. The whole lot will never be allowed into our presence because of their rebellious hearts. The only acceptable solution is the sacrifice of a perfect man to atone for their sin. There will never be a sinless man among them. Never.’

‘You have volunteered to become that sacrifice, to leave our home, become one of them in body, live and die among them. Son, I am proud beyond measure of the love that you show for those not yet created, but is it worth the cost? We can easily create a race similar to the angels who will worship and adore us, who will serve us and exalt each other. We have no mandate to create a being who will fail so miserably.’

God the Son spoke: ‘Father, Thy will be done. My offer stands to become the perfect sacrifice for all mankind. I will be born among them, walk and teach among them, be rejected by them, and die for them. Your love for me is the perfect example that I must follow. We will teach them Your ways. We will offer My salvation to every man. When I return home, We will send them God the Holy Spirit to live among and within them and guide and protect them. Those who accept my offer of salvation—for accept it each one must to receive the benefits I offer to all—will become part of the Family of God, the Bride of the Lamb, My Bride, the church. We will celebrate eternally as I receive them from the confines of a fallen world.’

And God said, “Let there be . . . and it was so . . .”