Tag: Religious

God’s Trinity–Anselm of Canterbury

 

Edited with comments by Bob Beanblossom

17 May 2017

 

It seems to me that the Trinity is a bit difficult for many of us to grasp. Over the years I have heard many wonderful analogies to help explain the relationship that is the Godhead: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit.

This is my favorite. Remembering that it is only an analogy, and that any attempt to describe God is far beyond man’s limited ability, you, too, might find it worthwhile.

Anselm of Canterbury (ca. 1033-1109) wrote extensively about deep theological issues. His commentators note, often in a somewhat surprised way, that he was consistent throughout his writings in his beliefs.  Although a Bishop in the Catholic Church, he was not always appreciated, and was exiled twice.

A defining aspect of his arguments was that he applied logic rather than Scripture, seeking to meet the detractors of God’s Word on their own turf. He did not deviate from Scripture, but, rather, built upon it. He is acknowledged as the originator of the ontological argument for the existence of God.

Here is an excerpted compilation of his arguments for the Trinity. He uses the Nile River system as his springboard. He is thorough, but enlightening. Stick with him and I think you will be rewarded. It is, of course, translated from Latin.

“The Nile is a spring flowing thru a river and accumulating in a lake. The spring is not the river or the lake, the river is not the the spring or the lake, and the lake is not the spring or the river.

“Yet the spring is the Nile, and the river is the Nile, and the lake is the Nile. Moreover, the three collectively are called the Nile; and the combination of any two of them is also called the Nile.There are not three Niles, but only one. The Nile is one nature, one water.

“Although the whole Nile is the spring, the whole Nile is the river, the whole Nile is the lake, yet the spring, the river, and the lake are all distinct from one another. The river is not the spring, but the river is what the spring is, viz., the Nile.

 “In this respect all three have the same nature. Likewise the whole river exists from the spring, and the whole lake exists from the whole river and the whole spring.”

“The Son exists from the essence of the Father; the Holy Spirit proceeds from the whole of the Father and the Son. The Son is not the Father or the Holy Spirit, yet the Son is what the Father and the Holy Spirit are, viz., God.

“There are not three Gods, or three sets of consciousnesses, but only three distinct spheres of relationship with one indivisible consciousness”

(Also see a very similar argument by Augustine in Faith and Creed)

Been there, Done that–But never alone

By Bob Beanblossom

9 May 2016

It seems to me that those who refuse to acknowledge God, or who just plain ignore Him, are missing most of what this life has to offer. Their view of life and the world they inhabit is necessarily skewed–it is incomplete. They trade the sublime for the mundane, beauty for the beast, joy for hopelessness and frustration.

The idea of life consisting of nothing but pain and suffering interspersed by brief episodes of pleasure, then death, is untenable.  A little objective non-egocentric (as in ‘woe is me’) observation, helped along by transferring faith from self to a loving God works miracles. We all have and exercise faith. Where we place that faith makes all the difference.

Every step I have taken has, in retrospect, prepared me for the next. This is much more than chance.

The journey is an adventure more excellent than novelist, screenwriter, or gamesman can devise. Anticipation of the coming lends substance to the present and meaning to the past.

The trip has been beyond my childhood dreams and aspirations.

I have seen the Northern Lights and the Southern Cross, probed the ocean depths and hiked the Continental Divide. I’ve walked some of the world’s great deserts and lushest rain forests. I’ve experienced some of the most powerful forces of nature–hurricanes on land and at sea and earthquakes that caused the ground to ebb and flow in waves, the rigid to crumble, and the delicate to survive–and the most serene calms in the presence of snow-capped mountains and in the midst of flowers of unspeakable beauty and animals in rich diversity. I’ve traveled great highways and the trackless wilderness. I have touched and been touched by birth and death. These are all literal: been there, done that, wore out the t-shirt (and the shoes). In each, I’ve seen the hand of God both in His Creation and in my life. Never, have I been alone.

I may not fit your mold–but I am being fitted to His. I never intentionally ask that you please me, only that you please God.

Thus, I have come to today. Yesterday is past, never to be experienced again, but to be recalled, pondered, to glean what knowledge and wisdom was therein. Yesterday is not a place in which to dwell or to remain in. It is only instructional for Today. Tomorrow is yet to come. I will deal with it when I can rightfully call it Today. The Psalmist said, “This is the day which the Lord hath made; we will rejoice in it.” (Psalm 118:24)

Are you alone? Lost?  Drifting? Without purpose? Here’s the solution (and it is the only solution):

1) Get your priorities right–there are things far more important than you and I:

“But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (Matthew 6:33)

2) Rejoice in the fact that you (and I) are not the ultimate anything. There is One in charge who is infinitely greater in all aspects than we are:

“In all thy ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct thy paths.” (Proverbs 3:6)

3) Understand that we are all in the same world and subject to the world as it is:

“The Spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God: and if children, then heirs; heirs of God, and joint-heirs with Christ; if so be that we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. For I recon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us.” (Romans 8:16-18)

 

THE JOURNEY

It seems to me . . .

by Bob Beanblossom

March 2016

It seems to me that we need to assess our lives now and then to see where we have come from and how the journey is progressing toward where we want to go. It is a journey more than a trip–we spend more time on indistinct paths than super highways. 

Our relationship with God thru the grace of Jesus Christ and the personal leadership of the Holy Spirit should be the benchmark, the anchor point for our lives.

Rev. Reuben Torrey explains it this way: our goal in seeking to get more out of the Holy Spirit is so that we will be available for the Holy Spirit to get more out of us.

My quest is an attempt to acquire a growing  understanding of the God who created us, who saves us from eternal damnation through our acceptance of the sacrifice of His righteous Son, and who fills us with His presence as the Spirit of God. The goal is relational, leading to worship and service by way of a maturing relationship with Him rather than simply intellectual knowledge.

Yet, we must accept that out God is ineffable. There is in each Christian a crossover point where rational knowledge must yield to faith—not in fairy tales, but informed faith conformed to His revealed Word: the Bible, both Old and New Testaments. As we grow in Christian maturity, our knowledge of his Word drives increasing faith that in turn drives our curious inquiry into the depths of His creation to flesh-out our knowledge. This further fuels a cycle that may be immeasurably heightened rather than ended when we meet Him face-to-face according to my pastor, Rev. Freeman Weems.  What a thought!

If you are going to join me on this journey through some of the other papers in this series, you will find one very serious disclaimer:  an understanding, at any level, of our God is impossible to the unsaved. What is available is the convicting power of the Holy Spirit—that unsettling feeling or knowledge that you are in direct opposition to your Creator. If you are interested, find a Bible and look up Ephesians 4:18. The solution is available immediately if you but react to the urging of the Holy Spirit, confess your utter and complete sinful condition, and accept Jesus Christ as your personal Savior. In your Bible, again, look up John 3:16. This may be a familiar passage to you. Go back and start with verse 1, reading thru verse 21. You find the story of one just like you and the solution that Jesus had for him. Be aware that this shouldn’t be taken lightly. We are talking about decisions that will have eternal consequences.

It follows, then, that spiritual growth, that is, an ever-improving relationship with God, comes not from the intellectual exercise of reading or meditating,  from superficial Bible reading to meet goals of action (‘read your Bible thru in . . .’ or even memorizing Scripture as an end rather than a means of), or even listening to the best of sermons as a passive observer. Instead, it comes from a conscious casting off of conflicting activities and pursuing God in an integrated, inseparable, undefinable combination of prayer, fasting, worship, Bible study, and gathering of related or background information to ‘flesh-out’ the word, assuming an attitude of openness to the leadership of the Spirit. The Word of God is indeed sufficient unto itself as the complete source of God’s revealed Word for us. But, that is not at all the same as saying that we are sufficient. God has given us a world full of resources from which to learn, and has provided us with access to His granting of discernment to select, and wisdom to use those resources. I am amazed at folk who quote current religious writers continually while denying the veracity or usefulness of information from writers and archaeology contemporary with the Scripture. This is a logical contradiction.

Tozer, distinguished between “Bible taught” (an intellectual endeavor) or “Spirit taught” (the truths of God hidden in our hearts where the Holy Spirit is free to illuminate our understanding). The first produces a shallow ‘Sunday’s Child’ that is subject to the waves and winds of opinion while the latter produces those Christians who repel the world and delight their Father in Heaven. These Christians are not among the most popular people, in or out of church.

Risking being misunderstood by the religious, it comes down to this: it is not the letter of the text but the Spirit in the text, and ultimately in each of us individually, that sets the Christian apart, that sanctifies.

I have posted these essays in no particular order. If you are still with me, browse at your pace.  Feel quite free to disagree with me, just be sure that your position is consistent with the Word—not a ‘proof verse’ or two, but whatever source you use, use in complete context. If unclear, follow the trail until you find clarification, for “God is not the author of confusion” (1 Corinthians 14:33). Still, remember that faith and patience are an integral part of drawing closer to God. Our attitude is vital. Paul, in Ephesians 4;1, identifies himself as “the prisoner of the Lord . . .”  This is a good model for us.

 

FALLEN HEROES–Thoughts for Memorial Day

It seems to me . . .

By Bob Beanblossom

July 2015/May 2017

It seems to me that this deserves to be re-posted. As we approach Memorial Day 2017, the nation is struggling as never before with the redefinition of our very core values.  Marriage, the sanctity of life–both for the elderly and the unborn, the innocent and the gang-banger–and our very system of government. Respect has been replaced by hatred and animosity. We used to “respect the office” even if we didn’t like the officeholder. Today our very values are determined by our anger as incessant polls tell us who and what we like.

This is not about politics or polls, what bathroom you want to use, or who you think is oppressing or repressing you. It is about those who sacrificed to make your public viewpoint possible even if you disagree with them and spit in their face: the men and women, and their families, who make it possible for Americans and immigrants to tread–actually or figuratively–on our flag and what it costs to remain flying on the standards of the Land of the Free and Home of the Brave.

I have a special dedication again this year:

To the CHS Class of ’65, my classmates from Cedarville High School. Located in the heart of the Corn Belt, CHS is in Cedarville Township, Greene County, Ohio. It’s history dates to its Revolutionary War founders who were paid for their service in land. The local gravestones attest their contributions to our community.

Cedarville boasted that it had ‘more churches than gas stations.’ Many more. Still does.

We grew up in a town that watched over us. The party line was in full force, and far more efficient than today’s social media. Families that were strong and central. Broken homes were the exception rather than the rule. We were as at home in our friends homes as in our own–and respected and obeyed their parents as our own. School was the focal point of our lives: It was where we learned and where we played. We thought of ourselves as unique among our peers.

It was a time of optimism. Our dads and uncles won WWII, but we didn’t know much about Korea. We still ‘Liked IKE,’ and JFK’s assassination was sobering but didn’t dampen our spirits. Kennedy had backed down Khrushchev’s Soviet Union and Castro in what would be called the Cuban Missile Crisis, we were winning the space race, and we were embarking on the Great Adventure–jobs, college, families. Our future looked bright.

In 1965, the reality of Vietnam had not hit our young lives–yet.

Soon, some of us drifted into military service–as volunteers or draftees–ending up In-Country or in support activities. The nation in general tried to ignore Vietnam while some ‘radicals’ actively protested American involvement. The latter turned their ire upon the men and women in uniform. The most graphic war coverage that had ever been aired on television only heightened the division in our land.  We came home to find our families, our communities, our nation fundamentally changed.

With that as background, this is about those we knew–and only knew of–who came the hard way.  Although dedicated Americans had to work for years to have some of our brothers and sisters brought home, and POWs reunited with their homeland, the majority of the 58,200 who died serving an ungrateful nation came home to be united with their forebears in family plots or national cemeteries. Special military units were established to quickly and efficiently assure proper ID, rapid transportation, and graveside honors. No use delaying the inevitable. Neighbors offered their sympathy then quickly return to the routine of life. Widows in military housing were turned out quickly–there were no provisions for ‘non-military‘ tenants. The effects–the hurt, the anger–were undercurrents that permeated our culture.

Cedarville liked parades. Every memorial Day the town would gather at the town cemetery a mile or so north of town.  A parade would end up there, a speaker or two would remind us of our heritage and those who served, and we would all go home.

Somehow, after ‘Nam, it wasn’t quite the same.

Here’s to those men and women, fallen in combat, and passing on since, who answered the call of our country–in all eras.

Parents and grandparents, teachers, pastors–please take time to teach our children how great America has been, where that greatness came from–and what it cost.

 

As we celebrate another national holiday honoring our country’s heritage I would like you to join me as we focus our thoughts just a little. We often take time during public events to remember those who died in the course of defending our freedom—our Fallen Heroes. This is as it should be.  Americans who died in combat and those who died in terrorist attacks deserve individually and corporately our respect and remembrance. They were dads and moms, sons and daughters, brothers and sisters, and friends. They deserve an America that continues to be a bastion of freemen observing human rights and civil liberties, regulated by the Constitution, that is built and maintained on the foundation of God’s Law. Heroes they are. But perhaps not because of the reasons you think if you have not been ‘there,’

THEY GAVE THEIR LIVES

This is the great myth we hold regarding those who died in combat and, increasingly, in terrorist attacks. Without minimizing their loss in any way whatsoever, I would like us to recognize that very few of these Americans gave their lives. I will discuss those in the next section. The vast majority who died serving us in a military capacity or as civilian targets had their lives wrenched from them violently and impersonally. These without exception wanted to live to go home to their families and friends. They wanted to live another hour, another day, another year. Each had hopes and dreams. Each had something left undone. Their deaths were neither peaceful nor picturesque—theirs was not the stuff of movies and TV. If death did not come instantly, theirs was a time of ultimate loneliness and suffering—often terror—as they realized that they were beyond the help of their friends and of the world’s finest medical teams. If not a child of God, their aloneness was complete and devastating—more devastating than the wounds themselves. Even if saved by the grace of our Lord, there was a sense of the incomplete: words to be spoken, relationships to savor, things not accomplished.  These many who died in our service did not give their lives—they had them taken away violently and out of time.

FALLEN HEROES

This is the relatively small group of those who died on the battlefield as a result of intentional actions. They are rightly called Heroes. These men and women truly gave their lives. They picked the hour and the minute, expecting their actions to prove fatal. Some few survived.  Most, however, died “for their country” only in a distant sort of way. Each died defending and protecting their friends, their buddies. If you will read the citations issued for these heroes and talk with combat veterans (and terrorist attack survivors)—if they will share their most private and haunting thoughts with you—you will find invariably that these heroes chose their actions to protect that small group of individuals that was closer to them than can be explained. Brought together by moments of terror and hours of waiting, they were closer than brothers. These are the Heroes. They died no less violently, and with no less pain and anguish, but willfully and willingly for the few, for their friends. Again, this in no way diminishes their heroism.

Their behavior may seem to be paradoxical to many, especially to family and friends who bear their own grief to their  graves. There is a precedent that we might look at, however. Many years ago on a hill called Golgotha, the very Son of God gave his life intentionally and completely, not for the masses, but for me. And for you. In a very real sense he died for each individual man and woman from Adam and Eve through the last person to ever be born before time itself dies. That death was no surprise. Planned from the beginning of eternity, it is God’s provision to provide a path of salvation to his fallen creature, Man. He has made this known to all men—Battlefield conversions are common, battlefield atheists are rare:

For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men . . . (Titus 2:11)

Unlike the beneficiary of the battlefield hero, God’s salvation requires us to accept the gift of Christ’s death in order to secure our own life. Failure to accept that offering results in eternal death. It is a life or death decision. The offering is certain and universal:

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through Him might be saved (John 3:16-17)

THE SURVIVORS

We sometimes hear about Post Trauma Stress Disorder (PTSD) among combat veterans. In the past it was called “Shell Shock” or simply ignored. It is real and it is pervasive. Without going into medical areas that I am in no way qualified to discuss, let me simply give you a layman’s perspective.

PTSD is the survivor’s curse. It is that pervasive, nagging knowledge that you survived when others did not—sometimes battlefield friends and acquaintances, often those we did not even know—sometimes Heroes who died saving your life. It is driven by memories and what-if’s.

Vietnam was the first “live” war that the American public experienced. Technology brought some of the reality of war to televisions in the homeland in a way that had never before been possible. Yet it was (and still is) a censored reality, tempered by some sense of propriety. The public gets to see exciting explosions, and an occasional sad faced child, but generally war coverage is distant and impersonal. It occasionally includes images of a fallen soldier coming home to grieving family, and friends, and community. It never included the rows and rows of neatly stacked aluminum boxes of the fallen waiting to bring the fallen home to be processed and further shipped to waiting loved ones. Shining brightly in the sun, these boxes greeted soldiers coming in-country to begin their war, and reminded those leaving the war zone that “there, but by the grace of God go I.” 

Today the media largely ignores the wars our soldiers are fighting, and the casualties are seldom mentioned–unless something happens to fit a political agenda. Today we hear more about social engineering in the armed forces instead of the always outstanding service of the men and women in uniform.

God has made provisions for those who serve, and those who wait:

But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you. (1 Peter 5:10)

All human activities have consequences. For those who know war intimately, it is a never ending part of who they have become. Memories remain, and with them the question: Why did I survive when others did not. The memories may subside at times—be masked by the business of life–but they never really go away. The effects spill over to the “real” world.

THE HOME TEAM

It remains, then, for us to honor those who served us that is in some way fitting to their loss. This honor cannot be confined to special holidays. It requires the maintenance of a strong America continually growing on the foundation of the rule of law with a people who have a moral anchor in the Living Word. Without the ongoing attention of “We the People” to maintain that rule of law–law based upon a written and rightly interpreted Constitution–their sacrifice will be useless, and their country—our country—will be lost.

May God Bless America has been the prayer of every President–until now.  May we not only seek to secure that blessing, but to re-establish a nation worthy of that blessing.

President John F. Kennedy said it well in his inaugural address in 1961 (excerpted):

“Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, in order to assure the survival and the success of liberty. In your hands, my fellow citizens, more than in mine, will rest the final success or failure of our course.

“Since this country was founded, each generation of Americans has been summoned to give testimony to its national loyalty. The graves of young Americans who answered the call to service surround the globe. Now the trumpet summons us again — not as a call to bear arms, though arms we need; not as a call to battle, though embattled we are — but a call to bear the burden of a long twilight struggle, year in and year out, “rejoicing in hope, patient in tribulation” — a struggle against the common enemies of man: tyranny, poverty, disease, and war itself.

“And so, my fellow Americans: ask not what your country can do for you — ask what you can do for your country.

“Finally, whether you are citizens of America or citizens of the world, ask of us the same high standards of strength and sacrifice which we ask of you. With a good conscience our only sure reward, with history the final judge of our deeds, let us go forth to lead the land we love, asking His blessing and His help, but knowing that here on earth God’s work must truly be our own.”

As I re-read this, I find that I am unable to ask that God bless this country. I cannot ask God to bless the wickedness that permeates our government, our cities, our homes. My prayer, instead, is for revival, for cleansing, and for a return to the values of our founding fathers—that those whose blood has been shed for us will not have died in vain. Each of us is culpable, each of us holds the possibility of the rebirth of America’s greatness–measured in the spirit of her people, not in the gross national product. America’s greatness, under God, begins and ends with me, and with you.

PERSECUTION

It seems to me 8

Bob Beanblossom   April 20215

INTRODUCTION

Scripture is clear that as Christians living “godly in Christ Jesus” (2 Timothy 3:12) we will suffer persecution for His sake. Secular persecution—political, racial, lifestyle—are not considered here. When looking at persecution we have first to define persecution, then determine what our response to persecution should be. Jesus will be our primary resource and model with the apostles secondary as we explore the idea of persecution and our response to it.

PERSECUTION

Perceptions are very personal. For us conservative Christians in middle class America, we often equate persecution with bouts with illness, downturns in our financial status, a wayward child. These are concerns that Jesus truly cares about and wants us to bring to Him (Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28), but probably do not constitute persecution—all mankind suffers these problems.

We hear prayer requests from fellow Christians who are being harassed at work or school by associates who shun them or pester them for their public stance regarding their faith. Jesus also had something to say about that: Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake (Matthew 5:11).  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name’s sake (Luke 21:17 emphasis mine). Scriptural persecution is suffering inflicted by satanic forces or agents on the church as a whole or as on an individual for Christ’s sake.

Others decry the evil and oppressive acts of our government. Examples in our land are often elusive as the mainstream news often ignores or slants the news:

American Jacobins: Sexual Revolutionaries Prepare the Battlespace for a De-Christianized America (Nationalreview.com) April 29, 2015 (Prosecutor in Obergefell v. Hodges gay-marriage case revealed that the sexual revolution demands “de-Christianization” of US).
 

Wisconsin’s Shame: ‘I Thought It Was a Home Invasion’ (Nationalreview.com) May 4, 2015 (Conservative activist’s home searched and ‘evidence’ confiscated by a dozen police with a battering ram).

 In plain view: Spite, hypocrisy in ‘gay marriage’ push (OneNewsNow.com) April 30, 2015 (Arlene’s Flowers found guilty, fined, for refusing service for same-sex wedding).

Gay NYT columnist says conservative churches must change views (OneNewsNow.com) April 10, 2015 (New York Times columnist Frank Bruni suggested that conservative Christianity needs to change its views on homosexuality and no longer view the act as sinful).

These are, indeed, areas for concern and prayers. Common wisdom tells us that we need to be politically active and fight these evils. The lives of Christ and his disciples do not. In fact, in 1 Corinthians 3:19 we are reminded that the wisdom of this world is foolishness with God. For it is written, He taketh the wise in their own craftiness. Here we have both sides of the picture: our wisdom is no match for God’s, and those who believe in their own wisdom will be taken, or caught in their own foolishness. See verses 18-20 for the context.

Let’s broaden our scope a little and look at Christians in other parts of the world. Here are some recent headlines:

Religious Persecution in China Dramatically Worsened in 2014 (China Aid Association) Morning Star News, April 2015.

Ethiopia Mourns ISIS Christian Executions—24 beheaded. CBN News, April 21, 2015.

Confusion around Pakistani Christian Boy’s Burns Death, amid Communal Tensions. World Watch Monitor, April 17, 2015.

Pastor Saeed Abedini Threatened with Extended Prison Sentence. ChristianHeadlines.com, April 17, 2015.

What Americans Need to Know about Christian Persecution in Kenya. Religion Today, April 14, 2015.

These are not comprehensive, but give us an idea of the plight of Christians living their faith in other parts of our world. Both sets of headlines are examples of persecution of the church of Christ and of individual Christians.

Jesus, the Living WORD, the Messiah, the Christ, the Only Begotten of the Father, experienced persecution. During his public ministry he was a wanted man. The religious leaders of his own people sought to destroy him (John 10:31 and many others). The government considered him an outlaw, who as a messianic figure who, as leader of a rebel band, would seek to overthrow the government. The Jewish historian Josephus, contemporary with Paul, wrote that no fewer than eight militant messiahs who sought to liberate their people from the foreign oppression were crucified during Jesus’ ministry. As a result, Jesus was arrested, tried, scourged, and crucified. Barabbas, the prisoner released by public outcry at Jesus’ trial, was charged with the same civil crime as Jesus—attempting to overthrow the government. The reality of the threat was proven a few short years later in a war of rebellion that resulted in the destruction of the temple and dispersion of the Jewish people.

Here is a quick rundown of the persecution suffered in the early days of the church by the Disciples/Apostles:

Stephen—Stoned to death with the oversight of Saul, later known as the Apostle Paul (Acts 7:54). Known as the first martyr.

James brother of John son of Zebedee— Killed by Herod Agrippa with a sword (Acts 12:1-2 as well as secular sources of the period).

Peter—Crucified by Roman governor Aegaes when he would not deny Christ after the resurrection (John 21:18-19). He had been imprisoned by King Herod Agrippa I (Acts 12).

Andrew—Stoned and crucified by the Roman government six years after Peter for preaching to the Scythians and Thracians (secular sources of the period).

Thomas—Pierced by spears, burned by hot plates, and finally burned to death by priests in Phrygia after preaching the Gospel (secular sources of the period).

Philip—Scourged, thrown into prison, then crucified by hostile Jews after preaching the Gospel in Heliopolis, Phrygia (secular sources of the period).

Matthew—Beheaded in Nad-Davar, Ethiopia while preaching the resurrected Christ (secular sources of the period).

Bartholomew (Nathaneal)—Beaten with rods and beheaded by King Astyages of Armedia who was enraged when his idols fell face down when Bartholomew preached the Gospel (secular sources of the period).

James the Lesser—Appointed head of the Jerusalem Church local Jews took him to a high place on the temple to publically recant his trust in the risen Christ. When he did not comply he was thrown off the temple (secular sources of the period).

Simon the Zealot—Converted from a zealot of Barabbas to a zealot for Christ after witnessing the crucifixion and resurrection. Crucified by a Syrian governor after preaching the Gospel (secular sources of the period).

Paul—Targeted by the Roman government he once served, Paul was arrested. He used the legal system to preach the Gospel to every ruler he came before. In the process he suffered many hardships (2 Corinthians 11:23-27). Finally reaching the top, he was beheaded by Nero (secular sources of the period).

Judas Thaddeus (see John 14:22)—Beat him to death with sticks by pagan priests in Mesopotamia while preaching the Gospel (secular sources of the period).

Matthias (see Acts: 26)—He replaced Judas Iscariot and possibly one of the 70 sent out by Christ early in His ministry (Luke 10:1). While preaching Christ risen in Ethiopia he was crucified and stoned (secular sources of the period).

As an aside, note that many of the above are referenced to “secular sources of the period.” These are always to corroborate and support Scripture, never supplant the Word. As these documents and artifacts become available, human attacks on the veracity of the Word fall by the wayside and the Bible is shown accurate. Part of this omission is due to the timing of the deaths relative to the dates the books of the New Testament were written. More significant, however, is the relationship of individual martyrdoms and the message of the New Testament. The Gospel is about finding life through the blood of the resurrected Christ. The predicted suffering, while important to Christ who provides adequate grace for each individual who trusts His name, is incidental to the message of salvation and our eternal lives in Christ. Paul famously wrote of the ‘thorn in his flesh,’ but this and others described in the Scripture are part of His story for us, not a compilation of events like the genealogies.

Persecution—Christians losing their lives for serving the risen Christ—did not stop with the apostles. From the third century or so, the Catholic Church conducted holy wars killing Muslims, Jews, and non-Catholic Christians to ‘purify and cleanse’ the church. These were the Crusades and beyond. Similar “purging” took place in Europe throughout the Dark and the Middle Ages. These are the persecutions that led to the Reformation and later, led Christians to flee the Old World and establish new lives in North America. A key example was William Tyndale. Some 44 years after Columbus discovered the Americas, Bibles had been translated into most European languages. In an overt attempt to protect a corrupt clergy and maintain the dominant position of the church in England, English language Bibles were essentially forbidden. Tyndale made the first complete translation and printed (outside of England and imported) it in several formats. By order of King Henry VIII, Tyndale was strangled and his body burned at the stake. Men and women of faith from the time of the resurrection to this very moment have and are suffering estrangement from their families, jail, torture, and death for their active faith in Jesus. This will continue for the faithful until Christ returns: Yea, and all that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution (2 Timothy 3:12).

RESPONSE

Jesus’ response to persecution was uniform throughout his ministry. There are two aspects to his response we will look at: 1) what He did, and 2) what he did not do.

What He did: Throughout His ministry, Jesus was targeted by religious leaders who saw in Him a threat to the religious establishment to their power structure, and their relationship with the Roman government. While they were at odds among themselves, they were united in fear of–and hatred for–Him. Often conspiring among themselves even in His presence, they would seek to collect ‘evidence’ to charge Him with some violation of religious law. His response was to answer their questions directly, redirect their questions, or present a parable relating to their inquiries. John in Chapter 10 shows us a variety of response types.

He was not always passive, but his active attack was on secularized religious activities—desecrations of His temple. At the start and end of His ministry He removed the moneylenders from the temple with violence. (Matthew 21:12-17, 21:23-27, Mark 11:15-19, 11:27-33, Luke 19:45-48, 30:1-8, and John 2:13-16). These are the only recorded uses of force by our Savior during his earthly ministry. This follows the pattern of His verbal attacks on religious leaders who exhibited the form and function of the law, but not soul-changing belief in God.

What He did not do:  Our Lord confined His ministry to His message of salvation: He was come to seek and save that which was lost (Luke 20:19-20). He was the personality of the Trinity to demonstrate that God so loved the world (John 3:16 excerpted), and He was the one who submitted to the civil authorities to become the One who His Father gave, the only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him should not perish but have everlasting life (John 3:16 excerpted).

In spite of the messianic hopes of the Jews of the time, at no time did Jesus  attach verbally or physically the government, nor did He in any way train or organize His followers into a political or military force to change or overthrow that government—the one that ultimately arrested, tried, scourged, and crucified Him. At his arrest, he was passive and cooperative with the unjust authorities.

In fact, He ignored politics and government and focused entirely on his mission: providing a path for salvation to a fallen creation. Even when the world failed to recognize the Creator or rejected the Messiah, He continued:

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. But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name: Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:10:14).

If this had not been the case—if He had been sidetracked by the things of the world—we would be lost today.

He recognized civil government—even corrupt and violent government that would kill Him and all his followers–and afforded it authority and responsibility. Matthew, Mark, and Luke all tell of the Pharisees who sought to entangle Him in His talk (Matthew 22:15). When asked Jesus if it was lawful to give tribute unto Caesar, or not? (Matthew 22:17),  He responded:

But Jesus perceived their wickedness, and said, Why tempt ye me, ye hypocrites? Shew me the tribute money. And they brought unto him a penny. And he saith unto them, Whose is this image and superscription?  They say unto him, Caesar’s. Then saith he unto them, Render therefore unto Caesar the things which are Caesar’s; and unto God the things that are God’s. (Matthew 22: 18-21).

Defeated again by the Lord and Creator of the universe, they marveled, and left him, and went their way (Matthew 22:22).

This issue is much deeper than we can explore here, but we can review the gist of His command. Maintaining His focus on establishing the path of Salvation as the only solution for mankind’s sinful degraded and degrading condition, He affirmed the delegated legitimacy of the corrupt Roman government that held the Jewish people in often cruel bondage, whose ruler Herod beheaded Jesus’ cousin John the Baptist, and would soon crucify Jesus, himself.   Paul wrote:

Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? Do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God’s ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour (Romans 13:1-7).

Our ultimate model for addressing persecution of any sort came from Jesus on the cross. Even after being arrested, tried, scourged, and hung on the cross. Speaking to God Himself and, I believe, including all of those who persecuted him throughout His ministry, he said:

 Then said Jesus, Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do. (Luke           23:33 excerpted).

His response to persecution was to seek to save the lost soul(s). Our risen Savior, even after suffering the cross, disregarded political issues in favor of matters of the heart and soul, charging his followers—including us—to evangelize the world:

Afterward he appeared unto the eleven as they sat at meat, and upbraided them with their unbelief and hardness of heart, because they believed not them which had seen him after he was risen. And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature. He that believeth and is baptized shall be saved; but he that believeth not shall be damned (Mark 16:14-16).

This was their commission and is our commission. As all commands from the Lord, do it comes with the power to accomplish it:

But ye shall receive power, after that the Holy Ghost is come upon you: and ye shall be witnesses unto me both in Jerusalem, and in all Judaea, and in Samaria, and unto the uttermost part of the earth (Acts 1:8).

Paul, as Saul, persecuted the Christians as an agent of the government and the Jewish religious establishment. After his conversion on the Damascus Road that opened his heart and eyes to the risen Savior as Christ, the Lord, he spent the remainder of his life preaching the Gospel and writing those divinely inspired books of the New Testament that bring the word of the living WORD to us. He did interact with the government he formerly served: he used his Roman citizenship and the laws of the corrupt civil structure to bring him before the most powerful and influential rulers of that day. Instead of seeking to ‘reform’ government, he addressed the real issue—the sinful heart of fallen man—testifying and preaching the Gospel to kings and governors, continuing the charge that started at Pentecost that turned the world upside down (Acts 17:6 excerpted).

SUMMARY

We will experience some degree of persecution if we live actively for our Savior. Persecution should be differentiated from the daily troubles that affect every one of God’s creatures. God not only cares about our personal situation, but has made His grace available for our daily concerns and troubles. Tribulation—the attack on His Church and on individual Christians is our focus here. Again, He has provided His grace for us when we continually commit ourselves, our physical beings, but more essentially our will, to Him. Tribulation and persecution are not threats to our souls:

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? (Romans 8:35).

Our call is to be a witness for our Savior. John the Baptist was created by God to be a witness:

There was a man sent from God, whose name was John. The same came for a witness, to bear witness of the Light, that all men through him might believe.  (John 1:6,7).

Ours is also to be a witness for that Light. He lights every man that cometh into the world (John 1:9 excerpted), we testify of Him spreading the gospel:

So shall my word be that goeth forth out of my mouth: it shall not return unto me void, but it shall accomplish that which I please, and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it. (Isaiah 55:11)

Time is not flexible. We each have a limited amount of time to do all that our Lord requires:

Say not ye, There are yet four months, and then cometh harvest? behold, I say unto you, Lift up your eyes, and look on the fields; for they are white already to harvest (John 4:35).

When we over-dilute His time with secular activities, we replace God’s mission with ours. We choose our wisdom over His. It would be good for all of us to prayerfully review Matthew 6 on a regular basis. The passage is familiar to us: But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you (Matthew 6:33).  Putting it into practice in every aspect of our lives is more difficult. The Greek word for ‘seek’ implies not only looking for something, but enquiring and going about or doing. This encompasses our whole life and being. The Greek word for ‘first’ is certain and unambiguous: it includes not only the thought of ‘at the beginning,’ and ‘first of all,’ but also the thought of ‘before,’ and ‘chiefly.’ Our work for our Savior should be all encompassing.

This does not exclude any sort of personal and family life, but rather includes these activities in our worship of and service to God. Like Christ Himself, as well as Paul and the martyrs listed and unlisted above, we need to strive through the power and leadership of the Holy Spirit to incorporate His will and power into every aspect of our lives. This will give impetus to our witness and assure His protection from spiritual effects of persecution.

In the upper room, Jesus told His disciples:

 

But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you (John 14:26).

Today we move at a pace unknown at any time in history. Work and work-related travel often consume well over a third of our day. Running here and there for ‘essential’ activities to keep our family fed and clothed, participate in recreational activities, and with the leftover time, sleep, rule our lives. We have given over control to the calendar and clock. One of the most common and condemning comments in our churches today is “We don’t have time to go into that . . .” even when we feel the Spirit’s leading.

 

 

We have more information available than ever before. We know more about political doings, celebrity lives, and sporting events of all sorts than our parents ever imagined. We too often want to recreate Washington in our image, not evangelize our leaders.  We complain about their behavior while we can’t wait to hear more, either for vicarious living, or self-righteous bigotry reminiscent of the Pharisees. TV time, the internet and cell phones consume prodigious amounts of time. Yet we know little of other Christians and the lives they lead around the world. As we rely on the ‘talking heads’ on TV to keep us informed of world events, we rely on our missionaries to take care of their flocks—we’ll send money as we feel led. Our knowledge of Scripture is more on the order of sound bites than holistic knowledge attained through dedicated prayerful study. Our witness is memorized script rather than allowing the situational leadership of the Holy Spirit. In our fear of failure, we seek our own knowledge instead of trusting the leadership of the Spirit.

Our emphasis is on recreation not re-creation.

Our time with God is carefully blocked out as time for devotions—usually a fixed segment of the day with little wiggle room to allow the Holy Spirit to lead and direct us. We spend more time with the TV remote and cell phone than the Bible. We spend more time texting than praying. We feel persecuted when someone with a different view speaks out or not meet our standards. Meanwhile, Christians around the world continue to die for their faith, and our family, friends, and neighbors continue on their roads to Hell.

Persecution is objective, not subjective. Our biblical response is to be objective. Souls are the priority—ours, fellow Christians, and the lost. Our response to those who persecute us (or just irritate us) is to be as Jesus: Father forgive them . . . (Luke 23:34 excerpted) Thy will be done . . . (Matthew 6:10 excerpted).

Two lifestyles representing two worldviews are available to the Christian:

And the things that thou hast heard of me among many witnesses, the same commit thou to faithful men, who shall be able to teach others also. And the servant of the Lord must not strive; but be gentle unto all men, apt to teach, patient, (2Timothy 2:2, 24). Howbeit this kind goeth not out but by prayer and fasting (Matthew 17:21)..

And, again:

For when for the time ye ought to be teachers, ye have need that one teach you again which be the first principles of the oracles of God; and are become such as have need of milk, and not of strong meat (Hebrews 5:12).

Do you hunger and thirst after righteousness (Matthew 5:6). Do you study to show (2 Timothy 2:15) yourself approved? Is the time you spend with the God of Creation, the Jesus of Salvation, and the Holy Spirit of Counsel and Comfort adequate to promote your growth as a mature Christian, receiving not only nurture (1 Corinthians 3:1-2, Hebrews 5:12-14), but direction in God’s individual plan for fulfillment of the your Commission? (1 Thessalonians 3:11-13, 2 Thessalonians 3:2-5).

Salvation is not just an initial experience, but a relationship. It is not about hours of study or service, checklists, or programs, but about developing a constantly growing personal relationship with the Lord. Jesus Himself directed us to be always in prayer (Luke 18:1, 21:36) Paul mentioned numerous times that he prayed for fellow Christians, seeking God’s blessings on their spiritual health and growth (Romans 1:9, Philippians 1:4, Colossians 1:3, 4:12, 1 Thessalonians 1:2, 2 Thessalonians 1:11, and Philemon 1:4).

Paul summed up the Christian lifestyle in Ephesians 6:10-20, admonishing us to be strong in the Lord and giving us the source of that strength in the power of His might. He then showed us the tools required to partake of that power, and gave us access to those tools. He ended with the goal—the result—of entering into that relationship with our Savior:  that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak.

Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth, and having on the breastplate of righteousness; and your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace;  above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God: praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints; and for me, that utterance may be given unto me, that I may open my mouth boldly, to make known the mystery of the gospel,   for which I am an ambassador in bonds: that therein I may speak boldly, as I ought to speak. (Ephesians 6:10-20).

The end is a personal relationship with our Savior, growing as He would have us grow, drawing our strength from the Creator of all, worshiping Him with all of our beings and going where and as He would have us go, speaking boldly of our personal relationship with our God. All else is secondary.

Note:  Much has happened in the world since I wrote this in April of 2015. If anything, the case is becoming more clear to the observant.

ETERNITY WAITED

It seems to me . . .

Bob Beanblossom   August 2015

The sands of Eternity stopped flowing. God the Father had turned His back on God the Son as He hung dying on the cross, more alone than any man could imagine. An unparalleled event was taking place. The inseparable God-head was suffering a rift, a division. Eternity waited, paused in the course of forever. On earth, the sky darkened and the ground trembled at the magnitude of the event. The Son cried, “My God, why have you forsaken me!” noting a significant shift in their relationship, the relationship that John described as being distinct in person yet one in being. The cause of this event demanded both the Son’s sacrifice and the Father’s response. The sin of man was beyond his feeble attempts to reconcile himself to his God—when he did try. Sin demanded a sacrifice—holy, without blemish–to reconcile God and man: No other sacrifice than that offered could be accepted. It was not His sin, not the punishment for His failure, but the voluntary acceptance of vicarious punishment for man’s willful failure to obey his Creator that Jesus took upon Himself.

Man’s failure, his self-willed rebellion against God through the ages, was no surprise to the all-knowing Creator. This plan of salvation had existed from before the foundations of the world were laid. In Jesus’ sacrifice, God’s plan was completed. The sacrifice required by a holy God to atone for the sin of Adam, and the sins of every person since, had been accepted. Jesus the Lamb slain from the foundation of the world had cried, “It is finished.”

Then, after three long human days, in the fulness of God’s time, the Father reached down into the cold rock where Jesus had been buried and said: “Wake up, Son. Eternity is waiting.” And as the angels watched, the Rock of Ages arose in his rightful majesty as King of kings and Lord of Lords and stepped forth from the grave never to return.

Jesus’ resurrection showed the Father’s acceptance of that unparalleled sacrifice. The blood shed by the God-Man is the only currency acceptable to the Father that allows the remission of our sins. The Tree of Life in God’s garden had become the True Vine, giving life to the lost, and new growth to the saved—those who believe on His Name. God was pleased. This was His Beloved Son, in whom He was well pleased. Never again would God turn his back on His beloved Son, the Only Begotten of the Father.

Eternity resumed its timeless journey from forever to forever, led now by Jesus the Bridegroom. Soon He will be joined by His blood-washed bride, His church triumphant, who will come at his call—again, in the fulness of God’s time.

And He shall reign forever and forever. Amen

TRANSFIGURED

It seems to me . . .

Bob Beanblossom   July 2015

OPENING THOUGHTS

I would like to have been with the Peter, James, and John when Jesus led them up into a high mountain where they watched in awe as Jesus was transfigured. As they watched, Moses and Elijah joined Jesus as His appearance was transformed into something bright and shining. The cross was drawing near. Salvation through the blood of our Savior, planned by God in eternity past, was on the horizon. Something very special happened in those moments as a cloud of God’s Shekinah glory covered the mountain top—something that forever changed man’s relationship with his God. In fact, he ordered his disciples to keep this unique event a secret.

And as they came down from the mountain, he charged them that they should tell no man what things they had seen, till the Son of man were risen from the dead. (Mark 9:9)

We are only told that Jesus, Moses, and Elijah discussed His upcoming death. The cross was drawing near.

TRANSFIGURED

Taking time out from teaching the crowds, healing the sick, and dealing with religious leaders intent on his destruction, Jesus selected three close disciples and took them up a mountain to spend some time with His Father. This was not unique—Jesus often got alone and talked with God, sometimes in the presence of His disciples and on other occasions would distance Himself from them for private prayer. He was always the obedient Son—equal in all respects to God the Father, yet always subservient to His will. This time was unique. He was joined by Moses and Elijah (Elias in Greek). God spoke from a cloud as he did at Jesus’ baptism. Jesus face and clothes were changed into what the scripture writers could only describe as shining and bright as the light. Words were simply not adequate to describe the change. Is your experience with our Savior like that?

Jesus’ transfiguration reminds us of another encounter with God centuries before this one. When Moses came down from the mountain after receiving God’s commandments, “his face shown:”

And it came to pass, when Moses came down from mount Sinai with the two tables of testimony in Moses’ hand, when he came down from the mount, that Moses wist not that the skin of his face shone while he talked with him. And when Aaron and all the children of Israel saw Moses, behold, the skin of his face shone; and they were afraid to come nigh him. (Exodus 31:29-30)

An encounter with our Creator always changes us.

The Greek word translated here as transfigured is metamorphoo, familiar to us as metamorphosis: a major change in form or appearance according to Meriam-Webster. It is used four times in the New Testament, once as “changed,” and once as “transformed:”

Changed:

But we all, with open face beholding as in a glass the glory of the Lord, are changed into the same image from glory to glory, even as by the Spirit of the Lord. (2 Corinthians 3:18)

Transformed:

And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. (Romans 12:2)

It gives us a glimpse, a view as in a glass, of the change in each of us upon receiving Jesus as our Savior. We somehow get a hint of the coming growth in our relationship with God that will result as we increasingly submit to the leadership and empowerment of the Holy Spirit.

It is used twice as transfigured, both regarding Jesus at this event:

And after six days Jesus taketh with him Peter, and James, and John, and leadeth them up into an high mountain apart by themselves: and he was transfigured before them. And his raiment became shining, exceeding white as snow; so as no fuller on earth can white them. (Mark 9:2-3)

And after six days Jesus taketh Peter, James, and John his brother, and bringeth them up into an high mountain apart, and was transfigured before them: and his face did shine as the sun, and his raiment was white as the light. And, behold, there appeared unto them Moses and Elias talking with him. Then answered Peter, and said unto Jesus, Lord, it is good for us to be here: if thou wilt, let us make here three tabernacles; one for thee, and one for Moses, and one for Elias.  While he yet spake, behold, a bright cloud overshadowed them: and behold a voice out of the cloud, which said, This is my beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased; hear ye him. And when the disciples heard it, they fell on their face, and were sore afraid.  And Jesus came and touched them, and said, Arise, and be not afraid. And when they had lifted up their eyes, they saw no man, save Jesus only. (Matt 17:1-8)

 

Luke tell us that the topic of the day was Jesus imminent death on the cross at Jerusalem.

The Scripture does not tell us of any other business that Jesus had with God the Father and God the Holy Spirit on the mountain that day. His ministry had taken a new emphasis as He prepared for the cross. Jesus prepared His disciples for His coming death and resurrection, even though the disciples clearly did not understand. That understanding was unlocked at Pentecost.

 For he taught his disciples, and said unto them, The Son of man is delivered into the hands of men, and they shall kill him; and after that he is killed, he shall rise the third day. But they understood not that saying, and were afraid to ask him. (Mark 9: 31-32)

GOD THE SON

Jesus, standing on that mountain, was all God and all man, unique in eternity. John, who describes himself as the disciple whom Jesus loved, opened his gospel describing the eternal relationship between God the Father and God the Son, named here as the WORD:

In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God. The same was in the beginning with God. (John 1:1-2)

“En arche” John wrote in Greek: “In the beginning.” This was the eternity before God established time for man, even before Genesis 1. It speaks of beginnings before beginnings, and first estates, and principalities; of eternities before eternity. It is beyond our comprehension, yet firmly declared for our knowledge and to provide substance for our faith. Looking at those verses, God is clearly revealed as One with the WORD, with Jesus, in all aspects and in all eternity. Yet they are also clearly revealed as unique individuals: here and elsewhere in the Scriptures: God the Father, the policymaker; God the Son, the only Begotten of the Father, chosen to create, rule, and judge; and God the Holy Spirit, the Comforter, the nurturing one, the one who brings the salvation provided by the blood of Christ to each of us even as He convicts of sin.

This timeless relationship was changed when He came to the earth:

And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth. (John 1:14)

His conception as man was no ordinary event, but was the result of the Holy Ghost coming upon Mary, His mother:

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)

The event was so significant in earth history that it split the calendar in two. In the western world the time before his birth is described as BC (Before Christ) and afterwards as AD (Anno Domini, Latin for “Year of our Lord.”). Sinful man, always running from Him, has created a number of euphemisms to mask the truth that the division commemorates, but the transition remains firm and fixed. God always prevails.

Scripture is clear that Jesus was at work with and in man from the beginning. Paul tells us that, by God’s Son

. . . were all things created, that are in heaven, and that are in earth, visible and invisible, whether they be thrones, or dominions, or principalities, or powers: all things were created by him, and for him: and he is before all things, and by him all things consist. (Colossians 1:16-17 excerpted)

John does the same. Following his magnificent description of the relationship between God the Father and God the Son (the WORD), he says:

 All things were made by him; and without him was not any thing made that was made. (John 1:3)

Paul shows us that the eternal Jesus was active in the affairs of man even before His human birth:

Moreover, brethren, I would not that ye should be ignorant, how that all our fathers were under the cloud, and all passed through the sea; and were all baptized unto Moses in the cloud and in the sea; and did all eat the same spiritual meat; and did all drink the same spiritual drink: for they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them: and that Rock was Christ. (1 Corinthians 10:1-4)

Moses might not have known Jesus at that time, but Jesus knew Moses. The same is true with you and me. Even if you are not a Christian, you have not accepted Jesus as your personal Savior, He knows and loves you. He has sent the Holy Spirit to convict and woo you to Him. He came not to condemn you but to rescue you.

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life. 17 For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. 18 He that believeth on him is not condemned: but he that believeth not is condemned already, because he hath not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God (John 3:16-18)

LAW AND GRACE

When Jesus met Moses and Elijah on the mountain where He was transfigured, they spoke of His coming death. It was a time of transition that would be marked by a series of world-changing events. The law that Moses received was a stern taskmaster. No man was able to keep all of the law. The demands of the law set standards of behavior that we still observe today, but it could not provide salvation. The law was given until Jesus came:

. . . because of transgressions, till the seed should come to whom the promise was made; (Galatians 3:19 excerpted)

Jesus’ appearance as the man-god who walked among us, died on the cross, and was raised alive on the third day, fulfilled that law and brought salvation through belief on Him (faith). A new dispensation of grace began, not just for the chosen nation of Israel, but for all mankind:

Think not that I am come to destroy the law, or the prophets: I am not come to destroy, but to fulfil. For verily I say unto you, Till heaven and earth pass, one jot or one tittle shall in no wise pass from the law, till all be fulfilled. (Matthew 5:17-18)

For as many as are of the works of the law are under the curse: for it is written, Cursed is every one that continueth not in all things which are written in the book of the law to do them. But that no man is justified by the law in the sight of God, it is evident: for, The just shall live by faith. And the law is not of faith: but, The man that doeth them shall live in them. Christ hath redeemed us from the curse of the law, being made a curse for us: for it is written, Cursed is every one that hangeth on a tree:  that the blessing of Abraham might come on the Gentiles through Jesus Christ; that we might receive the promise of the Spirit through faith. (Galatians 3:10-14)

TRANSFORMED

I do not think that the meeting on the mount of transfiguration was a pep talk for Jesus as He faced the cross. He was joined on the mount by two men who realized their own weakness and relied on God to fulfill His mission, becoming giants of the faith. Moses faced down Pharaoh, received the law from God, and led the new nation of Israel to the banks of the Promised Land. Elijah boldly proclaimed the one God in the face of rampant idolatry among God’s people, incurring the wrath of Queen Jezebel that ended in her own death, and the defeat of the false gods and the death of their priests. I like to think that Jesus told them that the time had come; the dispensation that they had ushered in and proclaimed would soon be replaced by the dispensation of God’s grace.

As Jesus stood on that mount, He advised His faithful servants that the law written in stone would soon be transformed it into a living law of grace, the law of love.

TRANSFORMING

The transformation would not only feature the love of God for his children in broad terms encompassing the world, but in concrete terms for the individual, the whosoever.  

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.  For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved. (John 3:16-17)

All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. (John 6:37)

For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. 1For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, The just shall live by faith. (Romans 1:16-17)

For they being ignorant of God’s righteousness, and going about to establish their own righteousness, have not submitted themselves unto the righteousness of God. For Christ is the end of the law for righteousness to every one that believeth. For Moses describeth the righteousness which is of the law, That the man which doeth those things shall live by them. But the righteousness which is of faith speaketh on this wise, Say not in thine heart, Who shall ascend into heaven? (that is, to bring Christ down from above:) or, Who shall descend into the deep? (that is, to bring up Christ again from the dead.) But what saith it? The word is nigh thee, even in thy mouth, and in thy heart: that is, the word of faith, which we preach;  that if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (Romans 10:3:9)

The disciples never forgot what happened that day on the mountain and no doubt this was intended. John wrote in his gospel, “We have seen His glory, the glory of the one and only” (John 1:14). Peter also wrote of it, “We did not follow cleverly invented stories when we told you about the power and coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, but we were eyewitnesses of His majesty. For He received honor and glory from God the Father when the voice came to Him from the Majestic Glory, saying, ‘This is my Son, whom I love; with Him I am well pleased.’ We ourselves heard this voice that came from heaven when we were with Him on the sacred mountain” (2 Peter 1:16-18). Those who witnessed the transfiguration bore witness to it to the other disciples and to countless millions down through the centuries.

While entire civilizations have crumbled been lost to history, His Word continues unbroken and unadulterated. There is more to it than luck or persistence. There is truly something about it. It is the living Word of the living God.

Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away. (Mark 13:31)